new weirdness August 14, 2009

I had a serious marathon painting session this week (pictured above) and just got a kaboodle of the new weird paintings together to send to Brooklyn for a little show. Yikes! I'm so thrilled that they are going out into the world, with just a tad of nervousness sprinkled in there. I've never made art for (gulp) grown-ups, or at least art that wasn't directed at kids, and I feel totally at a loss of how they will be received. I'll post some pictures on Monday.

Now there's just enough time to clean up the studio and dote over pictures of Jim and Laini's amazing new baby, Clementine Pie (!!!), before Gabe and I head out for a weekend at the beach.

Hope you all have a good one, see you Monday.

Crazy Big Art Sale August 06, 2009

I feel like I should make one of those homegrown zany car commercials today. You know the ones, with the local guy who dresses up and does weird things for the camera and shouts stuff like "This sale is CRAZY! This is the CRAZIEST sale in the world!" And then his wife or cousin comes out dancing in a chicken costume? Yes!

Well, just close your eyes for a minute and imagine that I am dancing around my studio in a chicken costume with my hands on my head, yelling "This is the CRAZIEST painting sale of all time!" Because, this is what's happening. The sale part, not the dancing around part, though I would LOVE a chicken costume.

Prices have been "Slashed, slashed, slashed!" Seriously.

You can see the sale paintings, RIGHT HERE!

More will be added soon to my etsy store. (It's studio cleaning out time..)

They won't be on sale forever. Just two weeks. I'm going to send a mass email next week, so if you want to get it on it before that, feel free to email me so I can reserve your painting.

ALSO, I added a kaboodle of prints to my store. They take a little longer to get to you these days (two weeks), but the selection of prints is a lot wider. In fact, if you have a painting in mind that you would like to see as a print, I can add it now, like, TODAY. No problemo.

Thank you friends, for your awesomeness! You keep me in the business of making stuff for a living, and that is the biggest dream come true I could ever ask for. I appreciate you from the pit of my painty heart!

weirdness, anyone? July 28, 2009

New weird art.

I've noticed that about once every three years, I have some kind of major creative overhaul. Every fiber of my me wants to make something new, desires something different in a VERY unclear, and very meandering, vague longing kind of way.

Well, I guess my three years are up, because this is what's happening right now. And even though I understand it on some level, and have been through this weird phase a few times over the last ten or twelve years or so, it's never that fun at the beginning.

I've been getting little glimpses of new things forming. Like the painting that you see, up there. But mostly, a lot of angst and pushing and pulling in new directions. Not just in art, but in life too.

But isn't that what living is all about? Just when we think we have it all figured out, we have the desire to change and grow. To burst out of the little forms we've molded for ourselves, and stretch bigger towards the full and beautiful humans that we actually already are.

In the meantime, I'll just keep making messes....

feelin' it July 22, 2009

Whew, that was a seriously strange, sickly, few weeks! I feel like I am coming out of a deep, dense, pudding-like fog. Wow.

It feels good. Little sparks are flying through my mind. Plans are being formed. Sketches, sketched. Paintings, shipped. Dummies, finished. Songs, sung. Ideas, crafted. New stories, written. Yes!!

I'm also rejoining the world of friends and summer, and the lazy Sandy River that I floated down the other day. I have a weird sunburn on my biceps, and a deep happiness in my heart, to prove it. Ahhhh. So nice to be back. I missed this sunny world....

kitteh, oh kitteh July 14, 2009

What happens when you catch a stomach flu, add the biggest and baddest cold you've ever had, and then sprinkle it with laryngitis and a weird virus that causes vertigo? Ahh, the perfect summer-sick extravaganza. I've been in the belly of it friends, and I can tell you right now, it is not pretty.

What started out last week, as a nice time on the couch with a few bad movies, has morphed into me crouched on the bathroom floor as it spins wildly, and blowing my nose on anything that I can find. Ok, too much info for a nice little illustration blog, but there you have it.

The good news. No, wait..the GREAT news..is that Gabe and I have added two kitties to our little family. Oh joy, joy. We adopted them on Saturday from the Humane Society, and I am in kitty heaven.

The grey one is four months old, and we named him Gordon. The black one is a bit older (six months) and we named him, Worf. If ever there was a time for laying around the house with a head full of snot, this would be the time. All hail the great healing powers of kitties.

Besty Bird Review!! July 03, 2009

Ok, this terribly scary picture of me wearing an eagle mask, has nothing to do with the fabulous news that Besty Bird

posted a review of The Secret Circus today, but I couldn't help it!

Oh happy day! I figured something was needed to celebrate this and what better way than a picture of studious bird? Ok, I can think of a few better ways, but I'm still on vacation and this is the best I could do.

Thank you, Betsy! You can read it all, right here!!!!

super cool news! June 24, 2009

Hey all...

The lovely Jules over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, featured my illustrations today on her amazing blog! Yahooo! Check it out RIGHT HERE, if you get a chance. Thanks, Jules!

vay-cay June 23, 2009

I'm going on vacation! Yipppeee! Gabe and I leave tomorrow for Chicago and beyond. I can't wait.

See you on the flip side!

Blue Jay Manor June 16, 2009

A few paintings in the 'for sale' area of the artwork section, have sold, but there are a few that are still available, like this one!

We have a family of Blue Jays in the backyard, and Gabe and I have been keeping a close watch on them. It really has been a riveting reality show, Birds Gone Wild! Ha-ha.

We've seen the Blue Jay parents bringing food to their hidden nest in the blackberry bush for months now.

Screech screech screech from the babies, all day long, and the hardworking mama would fly all around to find bits for them to eat. And what I assume to be the dad, would bring some food bits sometimes, too. Or the dad could be a friendly aunt. I have no idea how to tell a Blue Jay lady from a Blue Jay man. Anyone?

But just a few days ago, the squeaking (errr..screeching) babies flew from their nest, and started to learn how to forge for food on their own.

In just a matter of days, they've gone from scrawny fluffy babies, to awkward Blue Jay teenagers. They are rebellious and careless and a bit dumb, but all together extremely entertaining.

On the days I work from home, I usually write and work at the kitchen table where I have a really good view. Oh those birds! I send Gabe frequent bird updates. Including ones that involve the evil crow bully that comes into the yard to frighten the Blue Jay teens, for no apparent reason.

It really is fascinating. Or am I just turning into a boring old lady bird watcher? Hard to say...

oh my June 09, 2009

Oh my! It has been ages! What a negligent blogger I've been. There are so many computer-ish things that need to be updated these days, I guess I'm having trouble keeping up with them all..(said in my old lady voice...)

If any of you are on Facebook and feel like looking me up on there, I would love to be your computer friend. I tend to update my Facebook stuff pretty frequently these days. My little brother even started an artwork fan club for my art and stuff on Facebook, which is a little embarrassing, but handy for art and book updates.

Also, I added a new FOR SALE section on the artwork page for some bigger art. A couple of those pieces just sold and haven't been marked yet, but the rest are available. Feel free to email me about them if you're interested and I can give you more information.

Have a great Tuesday! (Today is my 33rd birthday..whooo-hooo!)