The Art & Inspiration of Marcyanna

Painting Meditations: New Work

2012-01-20T07:44:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been busy with the last few months...

Stop by if you're in town.

"H is for Holiday" Show @ the DAM

2011-11-23T17:53:00.001-08:00

Like these? These are a few of my new experiments. They are 4"x 4", acrylic on wood panels, only $25 each, and currently available at the DAM(Detroit Artists Market) in their Holiday Show. If you get a chance go check out the show. They have a bunch of one of a kind items that would make great gifts for the holidays. Shop local and support independent artists/makers!

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

2011-08-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

I went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park the other day. Located just outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan, it's one of my favorite places in the state to visit. It's a beautiful environment where sculpture, horticulture and architecture all come together to create an incredible art viewing/garden touring experience. The main attractions are the conservatory, indoor sculpture galleries and the outdoor sculpture park and gardens. They also have a gift shop, cafe, library, theater, and amphitheater. Guided tram tours are available and will take you through the whole outdoor sculpture park. I have taken the tram tour before and found it very informative regarding the sculpture in the park. In the conservatory they have regional, seasonal and temporary gardens set up. The outdoor gardens consist of natural native plantings as well as more formal landscaped plantings. Each sculpture is set into its own environment that enhances the experience of viewing the art. If you have never been I highly recommend going.

I have been a photographing fool lately and took almost 350 pictures on this trip. Most are for reference. These are just a few of the better ones.

Front view of the conservatory and gardens.

Conservatory - Cacti

Conservatory - Banana Leaf Plant

Conservatory - Tropical flowers (Don't know what kind.)

Conservatory - Carnivorous plants

Conservatory - Carnivorous plants

_____________________________________________
Below are some of my favorite sculptures in the park...

Main building - Floor
Beneath the Leafy Crown by Michelle Oka Doner
(a 12,000 foot floor sculpture consisting of more than 1,650 bronze leaf and botanical-inspired elements suspended in deep green terrazzo)

Main building - Floor
Beneath the Leafy Crown Detail

Main building - Floor
Beneath the Leafy Crown Detail

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Urban Excursion Rendezvous by Chakaia Booker

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Neuron by Roxy Paine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Detail
Neuron by Roxy Paine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Detail
Neuron Roxy Paine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Neuron by Roxy Paine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Flowers along path

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
B-Tree II by Kenneth Snelson

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Detail
B-Tree II by Kenneth Snelson

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Detail
B-Tree II by Kenneth Snelson

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Figure on a Trunk by Magdalena Abakanowicz

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Plantoir by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje Van Bruggen

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Cabin Creek by Deborah Butterfield

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
??? (cannot find the info on this sculpture)

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Front View
Standing Woman by Ossip Zadkine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Right Side View
Standing Woman by Ossip Zadkine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Back View
Standing Woman by Ossip Zadkine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden - Left Side View
Standing Woman by Ossip Zadkine

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Espaliered Girl by Laura Ford

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Aria by Alexander Liberman

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Spider by Louise Bourgeois

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Grosser Trefree by Dietrich Klinge

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Scarlatti by Mark di Suvero

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Scarlatti by Mark di Suvero

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Plants in meadow surrounding Scarlatti by Mark di Suvero

Outdoor Sculpture Garden -
Grand Rapids Arch by Andy Goldsworthy

More Scribbler Doodles

2011-08-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

ScribblerToo
This time I used the stylus and went for a more abstract/ Jackson Pollock feel. Just kept layering the colors over and over. Very similar to what Picasso would do when he would push a painting until he took it too far and it would fail and then pull a new one out of the failure. There are a couple of pieces that I left out as they are too similar to what I am showing here. Also realized you can change the size of the canvas so no more unexpected white strips at the bottom of the doodle. This is a really great way to explore some painting ideas without wasting a bunch of paint.

ScribblerToo

2011-07-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post this link to ScribblerToo. I've been having some fun doodling on this site and have found it to be a great way to "loosen up". Even if you don't like to doodle try it out... I think you will enjoy it. It also gives you the option to save the images to your computer. It's like drawing with spider webs.
Here are some of my doodles:

Flowers

Portrait

Portrait. Dave started this one and I finished it.

Snail in the grass. Seeing how far can push it. My magic mouse makes it difficult to control. I will try the stylus next time.

Latest Cloud Pictures

2011-07-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

I love clouds especially at sunset. I have been taking photos of the clouds from my back yard since 2006. About 2-3 years ago I found out about the 365 Cloud Project and thought what a cool project. Then I found the Facebook page for the project and thought WOW there are a LOT of other people out there who also like to photograph clouds! Now in year 3, the Cloud 365 Project is still as fascinating if not more so as it has morphed into a whole community of cloud documentarians through the use of social media via Facebook & Twitter. If you like clouds I HIGHLY encourage you to check out the links.

About these photos... These photos were taken on July 18, 2011 in the span of less than 4 1/2 minutes with a Canon PowerShot SD1100IS. In total there were 19 photos with these seven being the ones I decided to post.

New Paintings & the DAM Small(er) Show

2011-07-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have been painting like a fiend to have some work to submit for the DAM Small(er) Show in August. The show will run August 5-27 and is a cash and carry show so the work may not be up for the duration of the show. All works are 8" or smaller and $250 or less. Here is a preview of some of the work I submitted. Twelve pieces were submitted in total and I am happy to say that all have been accepted.

Infinite Temple Study A

Goddess Study I

Peace Energy

There will be work by dozens of other artists as well so stop on by to check it out.

Exhibition:
August 5-27, 2011

Opening Reception:
Friday August 5, 2011
6-9pm

DAM website
DAM facebook page

OOPS... Dried paint!

2011-07-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Been painting like a fiend and forgot to wipe off my palette knife! Had to pull out my trusty X-acto to get the paint off. Almost 20 years of paint residue now gone... Painting photos coming soon.

Anthony Williams - Detroit Artist

2011-04-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tony was one of my figure drawing instructors in college. He passed away in October of 2008. A memorial retrospective of his work is being planned for October 2011 at Paint Creek Center for the Arts in Rochester Michigan.

Bike For Kam

2011-04-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

San Francisco to Santa Monica (April 25-29, 2011)

I wanted to share a project that friend and fellow artist Kam is involved in. Kam is a very talented artist who has HIBM: Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy. It is an extremely rare genetic muscle debilitating and degenerative condition. It causes progressive muscle wasting and weakness that begins in young adulthood and can lead to a quadriplegic state within 10-15 years. Because of it's rarity there isn't the funding or support for funding of research to find a cure for this disease. Bike for Kam is trying to raise awareness and funds for research through a bike ride from San Francisco to Santa Monica. Here is the video that tells a little about Kam and the project:

Please check out the official bikeforkam.com website. There is a lot more info about Kam and the project there.

You can also buy shirts designed by Kam to support the cause:
Bike For Kam Shop
They have a couple of different styles and colors of men's and women's shirts so check it out! I will be ordering mine shortly!

More Small Paintings

2011-03-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

These are done with acrylics on gessoed paper. I also used interference colors to add another dimension. The paintings are actually more subtle that the photos suggest as you can only see the interference colors from the right angle when the light hits them just right.

New Small Paintings/ Studies

2011-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple of years since I last painted. I just didn't feel inspired to create using that medium and I was having fun working in other mediums during that time. Last weekend I bought some nice wood panels at Utrecht. I've been eyeing those panels for a long time but couldn't justify buying them when I wasn't actually painting. I bought three 6"x 6" panels to start. I didn't want to start too big as these are really supposed to be little studies and exercises to get me going again. I'm not sure if they are finished yet or if they need more. My initial intent was to paint with whites but I don't think I was very successful. I'm not sure how to actually go about doing it but I will keep trying as I have some larger paintings that need that treatment.

Fire in the Sky...

2011-02-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are familiar with my work, you know that I love color. What better color is there than nature and especially sunsets? For the last couple of years I have been taking photos of sunsets from my yard. I have captured some fabulous cloud formations but this is the best color I have been lucky enough to photograph at dusk. I thought it looked like fire in the sky. These were actually taken from my living room window hence the screen pattern on some of the photos. I didn't want to take the time to bundle up to go out in the cold.

Linoleum Printing

2011-01-31T10:13:00.001-08:00

First lino-cut I've done in about 20 years. Not great but not bad either. Remembering the nuances of cutting as I go. A little over inked on the print.

Valentine's Day Designs...

2011-01-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

I actually found some time to work on new designs for my Cafe Press shop. YAY!!! They started out as a set of six 1" button designs that I sold at Christmas. They did so well during the holidays that I thought they would do well in my shop. As of now I have only converted three out of six of the designs but, unfortunately, it looks like I won't have time to do the other three.

These designs were created as vector art using Adobe Illustrator. It has become my program of choice as I can create a piece of art without having to worry so much about the resolution and size for final output... That is the lovely advantage of vector art... very easy to scale up or down plus I can rastorize it if I really need to.

I have also been pondering doing them as letterpress prints. I even bought some linoleum today for carving. I think I know which one I am going to try first but would like other opinions. What do you think?

Blue Love

Heart 'n Arrows

Love 'n Hearts

FYI... Cafe Press has sales all the time. Right now through the 27th(tomorrow) it's buy a mug get one free. Just use the code LATTE upon checkout. Maybe you will find something you like for your honey... *wink wink nudge nudge*... or yourself...

Striped Sunflowers

2010-12-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It seems like every time I have the intention if posting regularly work becomes an avalanche. I'm not complaining... really I'm not! I just am a little behind in the things I have been wanting to share!

Isn't this an amazing flower?!? My husband came home with a beautiful bouquet that had several of these beauties in it! I couldn't tell for sure if it was dyed or natural but it seemed too unnatural to not be dyed.

I love the colors and the textures. It reminds me of the circus.

Life Shift

2010-10-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been doing much art in the last year. I am currently in a much needed and long overdue life shift. A lot of things have been changing around here. After many years of struggling with fatigue, back and strength issues I finally feel my strength getting better. I still have to be careful that I don't overdo it but I have been able to do things that I haven't done in years. So as a result my focus has been on things that I've neglected for too many years like ripping out my flower beds. They had gotten too overgrown with weeds because it hurt too much to keep them up and my husband doesn't do that kind of stuff. I am proud of myself too because I was able to do it all myself and break it down into manageable parts. It took a few days but it is done!

I have also taken on a work out regimen and diet change. About 10 years ago I became lactose intolerant. With my other health issues, I wasn't able to do much more than just eliminate dairy. I've realized through the years that I also have to change other aspects of my diet as well to make sure I get all of the right nutrients and maybe part of my fatigue and strength issues lie in not getting the proper nutrients. So I have been cooking much more and trying new recipes. I have been trying more vegetarian meals as I find they are much easier on my digestive system than a meat-centric diet. This has helped my energy tremendously.

I have also been spending some time working on some websites for other artists. Even though it has been challenging at times learning this stuff, I am really enjoying being able to create something that helps other people. I feel that, at least for the time being, most of my creative energy will be spent in this arena. An updated site with more extensive portfolios of my design work for web and print is in the works. When I get it finished I will post it here.

It's funny because even though I am doing all these other things and focused on making this shift, I am feeling much more inspired and motivated. I have tons of ideas for new work. I have a few more things on my list to catch up on and I will start "making art" again. I am hoping it will only be a couple of months until then.

Summer Trip Part 2

2010-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos of my trip. These were all taken in San Francisco in the Ferry building and along the waterfront.

Summer Trip Part 1

2010-10-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

In August, after 3 years, we were finally able to take a vacation and headed out west to sunny California. We started in San Francisco, drove down the Pacific Coast Highway and ended up in Los Angeles. We not only got to see some great sites but also some great friends as well. Although I missed my Fuji(it is officially not worth using anymore) I was able to take a ton of pictures with my husband's Canon PowerShot recording things that interested me and came out with some pretty nice photos. I found myself being drawn toward textures and unusual views and thought I would share some of them here as I haven't posted in a while. The break was much needed and I have come back home inspired with many ideas for new work. Here are a few of San Francisco and the beach... You can click on the panoramic for a better view.

Back Yard Visitor

2010-08-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Garden Update

2010-08-12T16:32:00.001-07:00

Here are my first tomatoes from the garden. Can't wait to try them.

Here's my basil which I have been harvesting for about a month or two already. It's been a yummy ingredient in my orzo pasta salad.

Here are some garlic chives.

Here is my spearmint for tea.

And finally lavender just because.

Most of my other stuff hasn't survived the heat this year. I also think I started it too soon. Oh well... live & learn.

Storm Clouds

2010-08-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had some good storms roll through our area. Just before they came through I looked out the window and was amazed by the color of everything. It was dusk and everything looked pink... not just your normal dusky pink but an intense pink that was surreal and a bit unnerving. It looked as if there was a pink spot light on everything that was intense enough to make the asphalt pavement look purple.

I went outside and saw these clouds in the sky. As I am sure you are aware, the camera never captures the full color or intensity of what is being photographed but I thought these showed enough of the color to give you an idea of what I experienced. Being trained as a painter and loving color I am always amazed by the intensity of Mother Nature's palette. This was pretty spectacular!

Home Project: Rain Barrel

2010-07-26T20:00:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting to get a rain barrel for my yard for quite a while now because I use a LOT of water on my plants and garden. For my indoor plants I keep a couple of 2.5 gallon plastic water containers in my kitchen. I usually go through at least one a week and I like to fill the containers and let them sit overnight to let the chlorine and flourine dissipate. I had heard that is healthier for the plants and seem to have good luck with it. I also knew that it would help cut down on my water bill and I had not only one good spot to put it but two. So with that in mind I started my search for the "perfect" barrel. Unfortunately, I ended up quite disappointed. I wanted not only a nice looking barrel but also a reasonably priced barrel. Most were $100 and up for a 50 to 55 gallon barrel and the ones that were under $100 were usually only 20 to 30 gallons. Of course, I wanted a bigger barrel. After much internet research I finally decided to make my own. YouTube has a bunch of how-to's on rain barrel making and I combined instructions from several to come up with my own. I did learn that it is better to have barrels made of food grade plastic so they don't leach chemicals into the water and that it is especially critical if you are using the water for a vegetable garden. Initally I had a hard time finding a used food grade barrel. All I could find were companies selling new food grade barrels and at $70 a pop I knew this wasn't going to save me much money. I had heard that you could get used food barrels for nothing or next to nothing but couldn't figure out where. Thanks to my husbands sleuthing abilities he found a local company that recycles these kinds of barrels and off we went to get my barrel. A couple of trips to the hardware store and to the home and garden center and I now have a rain barrel that cost me less than $40. Here are photos of the project...

tools and supplies: tin snips, silicone, hacksaw, drill, 1" circle cutter drill bit, screen, duct tape, spicket/faucet, o-rings, expandable water diverter
not shown: RotoZip and bit, pvc elbow joint, pvc threaded collar, 3 8"x 8" cement blocks, zip tie

recycled/ upcycled food grade barrel

Drill 1" hole, centered on the 2" mark.

Screw in 3/4" faucet with o-ring.

Seal faucet with silicone.

Cut hole in top of barrel for water to enter.

Make it bigger than your downspout so when it rains heavy it will go into the barrel and not splash out.

Drill 1" hole for over-flow and screw a threaded pvc collar with o-ring from the inside. Can add the optional elbow joint at this point if you want or not. (If you are going to chain more that one barrel together don't use the elbow.) Place a small piece of screen over the collar on the inside and secure with a zip tie so mosquitoes can't get into the barrel.
***NOTE*** If you get a closed lid barrel like I did (closed lid = attached lid), make sure you drill down far enough otherwise the plastic is too thick and you won't be able to add your over-flow spout. You can see where I had to drill two times before I was able to drill through on the third try.

Cut a piece of screen bigger than the hole and duct tape in place. If you have an open lid barrel (open lid = removable lid) then you can silicone the screen in place.

Add three 8"x 8" cement blocks to raise barrel off the ground.

Cut downspout, add water diverter and secure with strap.

One of the major problems that I had was with the closed lid. I wasn't able to put a collar on the faucet because I couldn't reach into the barrel that far. I also had trouble adding the overflow spout and screen for the same reasons. so next time I will get an open lid barrel to resolve these issues. Also there isn't enough water pressure to use a hose on the faucet. I'm not sure if it is just the length of hose of if that wouldn't matter. My guess is that it wouldn't matter.

Since I have made the barrel it has rained like crazy and other than the issues stated above, everything works great!

If you want to make one yourself I would suggest going to YouTube and doing a search for rain barrels. There are many different ways of making them and it just depends on your situation which way will work the best for you.

New "I Bake Therefore I Run" Designs

2010-07-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe but it's already been a year since I designed the first set of "I bake therefore I run" designs and posted them here. There have been a few more that I've wanted create but haven't had time to work on them until now.

Here are the next two in the series:

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookies

They are now available in my Cafe Press shop on t's, hoodies and tanks.

***NOTE***Google "Cafe Press promo codes", "Cafe Press discount code", "Cafe Press coupons", or other similar and you can find some good codes for discounts on shipping and products!

Ahhhh Summer!!!

2010-06-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here!

I am enjoying the greenery, extra daylight, warm weather and fresh air.

It refreshes my soul...

A Sneak Peek

2010-06-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a peek at what I am doing in my spare time...

A New Do!

2010-05-05T13:09:00.001-07:00

My hair is FINALLY long enough to donate! I am so happy! I really don't like my hair long so it has been a struggle at times while it has been growing out. It has taken almost 3 years to get enough length to donate but I did it. It is just over 11 inches. I got it cut yesterday by my cousin Sara who gave me a fab new do! I feel great! Thanks Sara!

Sprouts!

2010-04-19T23:26:00.001-07:00

I decided to start my garden early this year. Normally I am starting it in mid June because of my seasonal work schedule but this year I have some unexpected time off.

Daikon (10 days)

I decided to try to germinate my seeds first like my father-in-law does. Many of my seeds were a couple of years old at the very least so I wasn't sure if they were any good. Surprise!!! They were good!!!

Green Beans (1 week)

Diakon, leaf lettuce, green beans, beets, and carrots are on the list and I started with them. The daikon came up first and then the green beans. It took about a week. The beets and carrots have taken longer-- about two weeks and I am not sure if the carrots are going to survive because they are so tiny and delicate.

Leaf Lettuce (1 week)

I am going to try to keep some of the plants in containers to see if I can grow them indoors year round. There is a nice big south facing window in my dining room. It lets in lots of light and is the perfect place for plants.

Leaf Lettuce (10 days)

Tomatoes and bitter melon are also on the planting list. I bought one of those hanging upside-down containers to plant the bitter melon in. My father-in-law likes to grow bitter melon so we thought we would try it to see if it works. It will be the big experiment of the season.

Green Beans (10 days)

Lastly, I am going to try to grow brussel sprouts this year. They were on sale at the garden center so I bought a small 4-pack. I am thinking those will stay in the larger containers that I put them in.

Green Beans (2 weeks)

Maybe I'll add more later but right now it seems like a good selection.

Spring Visitor

2010-04-13T08:56:00.001-07:00

I looked out into my back yard the other day and saw this guy laying in my garden. For several days prior and since, I have seen him and 3 to 4 others running around the neighborhood.

I wonder if he is the same as this little guy I saw in my yard in 2006? He would hangout in the garden as well.

I am hoping they won't eat my veggies once I get them planted.

Turning Point...

2010-01-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I last blogged. Have been kind of down lately and feeling like to want to squirrel myself away from the world to protect myself. My husband and I have been dealing with some work related issues that have made it very stressful lately. We are at a point where we are re-evaluating what is REALLY important. Life is too short to waste energy on people and situations where you are not being appreciated for what you do. At this point in time we feel like we are being taken advantage of and have come to realize that we need to step back and re-take control. After all it is OUR life. Thank goodness for all of our incredible friends and family who have lent a sympathetic ear and offered sound advise, support, hugs, and anything else we've needed these last several weeks. It has been much appreciated.

This year I am going to focus on moving ahead. I know many changes will be coming but they will be for the better. It's time to move on and I am actually starting to get excited about the possibilities. So here's to the New Year and the possibilities that lie in front of us... may they bring us to better places! Hope you have a Prosperous and Happy New Year!

The photos are of a spider that made it's home on our back porch a couple of summers ago. I thought it was a good image for this post as "spiders represent balance between past and future, physical and spiritual, male and female. Spider webs often take a spiral shape, the traditional form of creativity and development. The spider found within the web reminds us that we are the center of our own world... Spider reminds us that the world is woven around us. We are the keepers and writers of our own destiny, weaving it like a web with our thoughts, feelings and actions."
Excerpt from Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Inner Space

2009-11-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

I have been very thoughtful lately. Fall usually does that to me. It's the changing of the seasons... the transition time. Summer is a time to be external while winter is a time to be internal with fall being the transition between the two. In the fall, I usually find myself dreaming quite intense and strange dreams. It always seems as if I am processing some information from the darkest, deepest recesses of my mind that I am never fully aware of. I always want to slow down and savor the inner moments as they make me more aware of who I really am and I end up feeling more concrete in my being.

During the summer, because of the weather, it is easy to be outside of ourselves. But sometimes I think we focus so much outside of ourselves, on what others are doing, that we forget what we are doing or where we are going to begin with. We are so worried with keeping up with everyone else and not getting left behind that we forget that we are on our own journey and to enjoy that journey as we are going along. Fall and winter are good times to reflect on that journey and to reconnect if we've become out of touch with it. The dreams that occur in the fall always remind me of where I am in regards to my awareness of the journey if I am willing to pay attention to them.

This past year has been so full of external things for me that I've been feeling quite out of balance lately. It seems as if things are speeding up, going faster and faster, and I can't keep up. There are never enough hours in the day to do everything that I need to do let alone what I want to do. For a while there, I was making myself crazy trying to do it all. I finally realized that I have to start being even more selective with my choices. Luckily, I have been able to reflect on some old expectations that I've had of myself and had a change of heart. I've realized what was once right for me is no longer because I am now a different person. It's amazing because these were expectations and ideas I had struggled with for many years but once the new idea was accepted and the expectation dropped, it all seemed so simple.

Of course I am still processing these revelations and am sure they have more to teach me... if I listen...

Busy...

2009-10-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the time lately to post or even to create something to post because I have been very busy taking two web design classes and organizing an art show for January 2010. The show is going to be a juried exhibition and I have been on a tight deadline to do the call for entries and figure out all of the details. So there has been lots of classes, homework, meetings and graphic design work going on here and not much to share. But I will show the basic layout of the web design that I am working on for one of my classes. Here it is...

And... Here are some pendants that I created in September before classes started...

Positive Thoughts

2009-09-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

As I was eating my fruit bar today I saw these tiny snowflake type crystals. They reminded me of a book I had read called "The Miracle of Water" by Masaru Emoto. Dr Emoto has been doing water-crystal research for years studying the effects of words and language on water crystal formation. He has found that positive words like love, beauty, and peace create the most symmetrical and beautiful crystals while negative words create misshapen and deformed crystals. The significance of his work is tremendous because the human body is made up of approximately 70% water. Many of us have been conditioned to accept negative self talk as a necessary part of life. If negative thoughts and words can do this to water what is it doing to our bodies? How many of us have health conditions that are the result of this negative thinking? It was a good reminder to me to be mindful of the words that I am not only saying but also thinking.

I also had the thought that this fruit bar must have been made by happy people...

An Inspirational Quote

2009-07-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

"The way of the Creative works through change and transformation, so that each thing receives its true nature and destiny and comes into permanent accord with the Great Harmony: this is what furthers and what perseveres."
~Alexander Pope

Killer Prints from Don Kilpatrick!!!

2009-07-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Don is a good friend of my husband Dave and me. He is a great illustrator and image maker and teaches at CCS with Dave in the Illustration Department. Over the last couple of years Don's been slowly acquiring a few letterpress presses, supplies and knowledge and is now pulling prints with them. Dave and I are lucky recipients of a few of them and I wanted to let everyone know about them as they are available for purchase in Don's Etsy shop Little Buffalo Press. Here are a few images of the prints that we got. (Please excuse my photos...they are a little washed out. My camera is dying and seemingly beyond Photoshop help.)

You can see more photos and read about these prints on his blog here and here.

Perfection and Perceptions

2009-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today I was reflecting on my yoga practice. I was contemplating the the idea of "letting things be as they are", a phrase quoted often by my teachers, realizing how important of a lesson it is for me. It made me think of all those years I spent trying to be perfect and feeling like I was never good enough. Now I notice I am enjoying the imperfections because when a moment of perfection does occur, the perception of it seems heightened and I end up feeling truly blessed.

I Bake Therefore I Run...

2009-07-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

Not me really but my friend Kim. Kim is one of my good friends from high school. We became friends in band through many hours of rehearsals and performances. She is one of the sweetest people in the world and I have been lucky enough to reconnect with her on Facebook! Recently she made a comment on Facebook about wishing she had a shirt that said "I bake therefore I run" with a cupcake or a piece of chocolate cake on it. I thought to myself "What a cute idea!" So I asked her if she wanted me to create one for her and she said yes! I thought it would be a great way to work on my Adobe Illustrator skills. Right now I have 3 different cupcake designs and one cake design. Eventually I would also like to add a couple of pie designs and another cake design at least. Here are the designs so far:

And the final on a shirt:

If you like them, you can find them in my CafePress shop.

Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things Challenge 2009

2009-06-27T22:33:00.001-07:00

I have been following Funky Art Queen's blog for a while now enjoying her work, interests and sense of humor. This Tuesday she issued a challenge (which you can read about here) and it intrigued me enough that I decided to take part. So here is my Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things Challenge...

My items from left to right are:
1. Vintage enameled frog stick pin
2. Vintage enameled mouse stick pin
3. Vintage enameled caterpillar stick pin
4. Cicada shell
5. Mini Michael Graves teapot pendant necklace
6. My baby ring
7. Vintage glass Mexican man stick pin
8. Vintage glass Mexican woman stick pin
9. Shell
10. ??? -I think it's a nut or maybe a seed pod but I don't know what kind.

Here some closeups...

If anyone knows what this last item is please drop me a line-- I would love to know!

"I live in Michigan, I want to work in Michigan"

2009-06-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks I have been working on a website for a PSA that promotes the Michigan Film Incentives. The PSA itself is an amazing collaboration among many people both in front of the camera and behind and I am sure you will recognize the impact it can potentially have. It's been a great project to be a part of.

Initially it was a project that just my husband (not me) was involved with. He was asked to do the story boards for the PSA and then was also asked if he would be one of the people filmed for the spot. That was pretty exciting in itself, but when he heard that they needed a website done, he got me involved as I needed the experience and work to build my portfolio. It's been a great way to put to good work the knowledge from my classes last semester!

I have been working closely with Teresa Leming at Mid America Cine Support who has been the go to person on this project and been great! It is my first "official" website and it has been an amazing learning process. I still have a few little tweeks that I would like to make to it but please check out the site and let me know what you think.

Please support the Michigan Film Industry!

"I live in Michigan" site

Life Force and Life Lessons...

2009-06-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Last week my youngest brother ended up in the hospital. He has a condition called allergic gastritis and gets ulcers from it. This time he lost so much blood that he had to get 3 units of blood while he was in the hospital. He's been hospitalized for this before but it was worse this time. Luckily they cauterized the ulcer and once his blood count started going up they sent him home. He was only in for a few days but as I'm sure many will agree that even one day in the hospital is one too many. He has already had more tests, needles and drugs than I will probably ever have in my whole life. I do not envy him.

We were talking a few days ago and he mentioned how he was kind of freaked out that he has someone else in him now because of the transfusion. It's not because of the potential for disease but just because of the fact that someone else's blood is mixing with his own. He's grateful that his life was saved but it still freaks him out that some else's life force is running through his veins. Our conversation really made me think about who we are not only on a physical level but also on a spiritual level. What are we really? How much of the physical vs spiritual are we? Can we really separate the two? And if not then how much of someone else do we really take in when we receive a gift like my brother did? It also made me think of how things seem to happen for a reason and how we should always try to look for the lessons an experience in life can teach us. I am really thankful for my "little" brother. Even though he is 8 years younger than me he has already taught me many lessons in life.

This week we were able to enjoy a concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor. He and I went to see Alejandro Escovedo perform. The concert rocked and we had great time! We don't get to spend much time together so it was nice to have the opportunity. It was especially meaningful after the events of last week.

Meditation and the 'Art' of Gardening...

2009-05-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

The weather has been so nice lately that I have been able to get out into the yard and start my gardening. It's really just yard work but calling it gardening makes it seem like less of a chore. I like to say that I am going out to meditate in nature!

There is a lot to do because I haven't been the best with keeping up with everything. I hurt my back many years ago and it has been very difficult to bend over, crouch and kneel to do what I need to do to keep the yard up. This year is different though. I started yoga about 2 1/2 months ago and I am feeling better every week. I now feel well enough to tackle many things that I have put off for years! Yeay!!!

Much has already been done but there is still lots to do! I am lucky to have my husband to help! He has been digging up the ground for me. I am hoping to have the garden about twice the size that you see already dug up. Right now it's about 6ft x 8ft.

I am planning on planting green beans, beets, grape or cherry tomatoes, peppers, Chinese turnips, and maybe carrots. I know it is late for some of these veggies but it is hard to get anything in earlier with my husband's and my schedules. So what ever comes up is great!

Some of the veggies will be planted in containers although probably not in the ones you see here. I think they have seen better days. If I can I will fix them but I am not optimistic about it.

I love being able to create not only my art but also my world or experience. I read a great book many years ago about becoming a 'Conscious Creator'... that is being conscious of all the choices we make and how they create the life that we experience. That includes the thoughts we choose to think and words we choose to say as well as the the actions we choose to take. I am choosing to take more time to do those things that make me happy. 'Meditating' in my 'Garden' is one of those things.

ARRRRGH! My first blog rant!

2009-05-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ok... it's official...

I HATE CS3!!! (At least for Illustrator)

Why Oh Why do they have to mess with something good? Seriously!!! I have been using Photoshop and Illustrator now for quite a few years. I have gone through many upgrades and changes to the programs but this last version has me flabbergasted!!!

I finally upgraded to CS3 this winter just before I started my classes. It wasn't an issue then because I was mostly using Flash and Dreamweaver, which I didn't have any prior experience in, but now that I am back to doing my work mostly in Illustrator I am having conniptions! The new palettes stink! They changed the color palettes and the way the palettes work in general. I am sure it's to be able to "customize" your workspace easier but it is a bigger pain in the a*s than not with palettes that are open disappearing when you try to open other ones. Also... Where are the general default settings??? Now they have a variety of defaults (nice to have options) but they do NOT get you back to your original color palettes when you mess them up! ARRRGH!!! I am irritated mostly because now I have to spend MORE time with tutorials or with playing with the palettes and menus to understand this new interface instead of learning what new stuff the programs can do! I just don't have this kind of time!

It's just been one of those days! Lots of wasted time trying to figure out THAT which I shouldn't have to figure out AGAIN! I sure hope your day was better!

ART SALE! ART SALE! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

2009-04-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Ok... Here it is...

Earlier today I went into the basement to start cleaning it out. Because it's my studio, I want to finish it off and make it cozy to work in. Basements, being what they are, are very depressing to work in especially if they aren't finished off as I am sure some of you already know! I feel as if I am working in a dungeon and that's actually what I lovingly refer to it as. A few months ago I bought the magazine Where Women Create and was totally inspired to forge ahead with my plans for fixing up my work space. So when I went down there today to start going through stuff I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have. There really isn't any room to move stuff around and much of it is actual artwork. I don't want to throw it away but I need the room so...

anything that is listed on my Collection Blog and labeled available is 30% off the listed price!

WOO HOO!

So... if you like my art please consider giving it a good home! Most of it is ready to hang but there is some that needs to be framed. All sales will be handled through my Etsy store as reserved listings. You will be asked to sign up for a buyers account but it is free and you can contact me through the store. So if you have any questions ask ask away!

I hope everyone is having a great day!

Glass + Silver Foil + Vintage Insect Engravings = Fabulous

2009-04-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have been having fun the past few days making these beauties! Don't you just love them! I am so excited about these!

I have always been in love with vintage engravings especially the botanical and zoological engravings. I have a small collection of books filled with these illustrations that I have referenced for this project. Don't worry... they are all copyright free!

I have listed a few in my Etsy Shop already and will be adding some more over the next few days.

I also have some other design oriented pendants in the works so check back often. If you have a few moments I would love to hear what you think!

Something fun on a dreary day...

2009-04-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time since before the holidays to work on my own stuff. I took two classes this semester; Flash Animation and Intro To Web Design. I had to design two websites for my final projects and learned a ton in the process. Eventually I will have my own website up and running on my url. Between work, homework and housework I feel like I have been working myself to death! Anyways...feeling very stressed I have realized that not much fun has been happening around here lately.

This past Friday and Saturday the weather was fabulous. In the 70's and sunny! Woo Hoo! Unfortunately it didn't last and now it is in the 40's and raining. So so dreary! Feeling down and out today, I decided to play with my camera and photoshop. This photo is the result. The butterfly is stained glass and came from a friend's bridal shower. Her grandfather made a bunch of them for her shower as favors for all of the guests. I have it stuck on my dining room window where I can enjoy the sun shining on it. Now that I have created something for myself I feel much better.

Make sure to take time to have some fun and do something special for yourself, especially if you are feeling down!

Introspection

2009-04-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniversary of the death of one of my artist mentor/friends. It has been several years since his death but I still think of him often...

Today, as I was driving to the chiropractor enjoying the sunshine, I suddenly became hyper-aware of where I was. I was driving by a building where one of my friend's sculptures resides and had to take a peek over at it. Up to that point I hadn't remembered the anniversary and it wasn't until that moment when I realized the significance of the day and of that moment.

It's funny how we seem to subconsciously be aware of these significant anniversaries in our lives. You never know when or how you will be reminded but it always seems to be just what you needed for that day. My friend was kind, intelligent, talented, funny and inspiring. He also suffered from depression and finally lost his battle with it. It's quite ironic that he took his life on April Fools Day... he did have a twisted sense of humor. It's also a chilling reminder to me that a few words he spoke to me almost 20 years ago became my mantra during my own battle with depression. When he took his life, I was just starting to come out of the darkest period of my depression. It was a very jarring wake up call for me.

Today I am happy to say that my depression is gone and I so appreciate being HERE and having THIS experience we call life. Remembering my friend on a beautiful sunny day reminds me of how far I have come and how thankful I am for it. I so wish that he didn't have to go through what he went through but I know we all have our own paths to walk during our journey here. Mine is definitely better for knowing him...and I have a feeling that this won't be the last time that I am reminded of what he has given me.

Sprouts...

2009-03-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

Yeay!!! My herbs are sprouting!

I wonder how long it will take before they are mature enough to harvest? Does anyone know?

Mini Herb Garden

2009-03-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

I just love plants. Doesn't matter what kind... flowering, non-flowering, succulent, cacti. As a result I have a small jungle in my house. My grammie and parents got me interested years ago. Grammie had lots of house plants and my parents had a large garden. The whole family was expected to plant and tend to the garden and we had many yummy meals from it. My parents have supported my continued interest in gardening and have given me all kinds of books on gardening and plants throughout the years. This year I got a mini herb garden in a box for Christmas from my mom and dad. Yeay!!! I have wanted to do an herb garden for years but never took the time. Now I can. It's perfect timing too as I am trying to cook more from scratch now.

I thought it was a pretty cool setup and wanted to share a few pics as I planted it this past week. It come with 5 different herbs: Basil, Parsley, Thyme, Chives, and Cilantro. The kit contained the seeds, the pots, stand, and soil "pucks". It was an easy project to do as everything I needed was right there. I just needed to add water!

The seeds are supposed to sprout between 10-15 days.
Oooooohhh... I can't wait!

A Portrait of Fear

2009-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the piece that I did for the Fear show at the Work•Detroit Gallery. It is a mixed media collage: laser print, watercolor, pencil.

Fear Blog
The Detroiter.com
Work•Detroit

The Perfect Antidote...

2009-01-28T23:52:00.000-08:00

for those winter blues.

The day that I made my last post, my husband brought me these tulips. There couldn't have been more perfect timing.

That's what I get for marrying my soul mate.

Snow, Ice and the Winter Blues

2009-01-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

It's been hard lately to be motivated. It has been so cold and miserable here that all I want to do is stay curled up under a blanket. Doesn't matter if it is in bed or on the sofa. All that matters is the world is on hold as long as I have that blanket covering me.

Funny thing is I don't usually get the winter blues. It's usually in the fall when the days are getting shorter and the weather cooler that I get down. The signs that signal summer is over are sometimes too much for me to bear. This year though my fall blues were very brief. I guess I am making up for them now. Oh well... they will pass.

Today the sun was shining and it was slightly warmer so I decided to go outside to rake the roof. We have had so much snow that the ice is building up on the gutters and we have some good sized ice dams already. Don't want any damage from water coming in. Had that several years ago and it was a pain to get it fixed as we have plaster walls instead of drywall. There just aren't as many plaster artisans around as there used to be and good ones are even harder to come by. Hopefully I was able to clear the snow quick enough and the ice will melt.

The Collection

2009-01-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

The Collection blog is finally up!

For the past couple of months I have been working like a mad woman editing photos, taking measurements, archiving info, and last but not least... uploading to blogger. Even though I haven't finished uploading all of my work I feel there is enough posted to make the announcement. It has been an enormous task but in the end worth it. This project came about as a result of being asked repeatedly if I have a website which I would always respond with a less than enthusiastic NO. I finally decided I needed to get my work on the internet and figured a blog was the best way to do that until I got my website up and running. The blog was conceived to be a catalog of most of my work and eventually will contain images of almost everything which I consider important to my growth as an artist. Unfortunately some of my pieces were sold before I could get good photos so they are either missing from the catalog or are represented by less than ideal photographs. Fortunately though, I was able to get many of my pieces re-shot by the very talented Paul Primeau whom I highly recommend if you are in need of a great photographer. In the end I hope this blog will shed some light on where I've been as an artist.

Enjoy!

My Vintage Christmas...

2008-12-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share my humble little tree and some cool vintage ornaments that were my grandparents. They are acrylic with a mirrored back. Each one is a different color acrylic with a different figure inside made out of paper, pipe cleaners, brick-a-brack, etc.
I love the style of these ornaments.

The icicle ornaments were made by Mary, a gal I worked with while in college. She made these icicles with simple craft beads and pipe cleaners and sold them to make money to put herself through college. I have since lost track of her but still use her ornaments every year for Christmas and wonder what she is up to. They look so beautiful sparkling in the Christmas lights.

The flower lights are vintage as well. I am definitely a scrounger and like to happen upon stuff as opposed to buying everything to be matchy matchy. It also helps if items have sentimental value as I am truly a mush at heart.

I don't have room for a large tree anymore but luckily I have this little tree courtesy of my brother Chuck. When we were in college he asked me if I would take him to the Hallmark store. It was the year they first released the Loony Tunes ornaments and he wanted to get some. Because he spent over a certain dollar amount he was given a little artificial tree which he turned around and gave to me as a thank you for taking him to the store. It is the perfect size for my house & I always think of my brother when I decorate it.

May you have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

Seven Random Facts...

2008-12-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was tagged by my friend Jeremy Melton. I have been too busy to post until now so here goes!

Game rules:

1. You must link to the individual who tagged you and post the rules of TAG (which you are currently reading).
2. Post 7 random facts about yourself
3. Tag 7 friends and link to them and
4. Let them know that they have been tagged by leaving a nice little message on their blog.

My facts:

1. I collect tiki and Hawaiiana.
2. One of my best friends was my Grammy who passed away 3 years ago.
3. I am a recovering perfectionist.
4. When I was younger, I used to think that if I could experience every walk of life, even for just 5 minutes each, it would help me to be the best artist ever.
5. I like sparkly things but wear very little jewelry.
6. I love plants and have a small jungle in my house.
7. I have always made things.

Friends I am tagging:

1. Carolyn Gallo
2. Little Robot
3. Don Kilpatrick
4. Chris Houghton
5. Andrea Kowch
6. Chef Ann
7. Charles Parzych III

Winter Wonderland...

2008-11-16T15:48:00.001-08:00

The first real snowfall happened today. It was that magical first snowfall where everything looks like it's covered in fairy dust and the snow keeps falling like the snow in a snow globe. It wasn't too warm and it wasn't too cold so the snow was perfect packing snow.

I am lucky. Even though I live in an urban area there are lots of trees and greenery. When the temperature is just right the snow will stick to the branches just so making everything look beautiful. And even though I dread the cold I love the first snow.

These photos are of my neighbor's bush. It has those tiny red berries and a few of it's leaves left giving it a pop of color against the white snow. I was hoping to get some photos of the trees but I didn't take my camera to the store when I went. It is slowly dying and being persnickety. I will have to get a new one soon.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2008-11-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

Lets see... where to begin...

Well... there's the huge framing job that I am doing for a friend. The fun little penguin zipper pulls I did for another friend's kid's hockey team--the penguins. The new additions to my Cafe Press store.(Yes, there is newer stuff than what is in this post.) Getting my work photographed professionally. The new blog I am setting up. And all of the little things that go into pulling all of this off on top of the every day stuff! Whew! As a result I have been a tad neglectful on updating my blog(among other things...). Everything has been in progress and I think that is kind of boring unless you can show the final result. So here are a few photos:

part of the giant frame job

penguin zipper pulls(penguin art courtesy of Dave Chow)

one of my paintings professionally photographed

Oh yeah... I just bought a glass pendant kit from Annie Howes. She makes these beautiful glass and scrabble tile pendants and several months back, started selling the DIY kits with all of the supplies you need plus instructions. I finally ordered some and was able to squeeze out some time the last couple of days to try making a few. They aren't too difficult and are so much fun to make! I made two with my own art: the moth and the mandala(snowflake looking one) and would like to make a few more using my own images. The other three are made with the beautiful papers that come in the kit. They will make fabulous gifts as there are many family birthdays this time of the year!

If you are interested in buying or making pendants check out Annie's website and her Etsy store.

And maybe next time I will be able to unveil my other blog...

tsk, tsk... Shame on me...

2008-11-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Yes I know I have been neglectful of you dear blog but I have been planning something very special! I am creating a sister blog for you so you won't be lonely! Please be patient as I make all the necessary details to make her unveiling just perfect! You won't be disappointed!

Stop the Madness!!!

2008-10-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you like to stop the madness every once in a while? No I don't mean kill yourself... Just stop the madness that you create every day. The stuff that pushes you to asking yourself "What did I get myself into?", "When is this going to end?", "Why can't I just say no?", or even "What is wrong with me?".

I have been working my butt off for years now trying to "make something of myself". I spend hours at a computer, easel or desk with my bad back getting worse and worse. I am overweight and out of shape and have been going to the chiropractor approximately once a week for the past 10 years. For many reasons I decided to do the Breast Cancer walk, one of which I thought it would be that it's the perfect incentive to get myself back into an exercise routine to get back into shape. My thinking was that it would help me while I am helping others.

Well... weeks went by and I found myself "too busy" to work out. The madness was running the show. When the week of the event came, I realized that it was too late and I would have to deal with whatever came my way. That week I also found myself "too busy" to go to the chiropractor until the last minute and by then I was to tight for him to give me a good adjustment. So I walked the 5 miles 40 lbs overweight, out of shape with my back severely misaligned and you know what? ...the experience surprised me.

It was a brisk fall morning with the sun shining beautifully. The weather was perfect and the walking was easy, encouraged by great company and the high spirits and energy of the event. It was only at the 3.5 mile mark that I noticed my feet were starting to hurt and by the end of the walk my knee and hips had started to hurt a little as well. As the rest of the day progressed after the walk though, I gradually felt more and more achy. So when bedtime rolled around I took 2 advil before hitting the sheets and the next day, when I woke up, almost all of my pain was gone. My back was better than it's been in a couple of years!

The whole experience has made me want to say "Eff it all!" Here I am trying to "make something of myself" doing something I love but feeling physically terrible while doing it and ending up feeling mentally terrible as well. Then I go and do something physical that I feel is probably beyond what I should be doing (and maybe it is because of my state of health) and I feel better! Doesn't make any sense!

The only thing that I can think of is that I have been an athlete my whole life. I played softball for years, both slow and fast pitch. When I got tired of that I started playing hockey. That lasted about 7 years until the injuries added up to more back and neck pain than I could stand. So I quit and haven't been the same since, gradually getting more and more out of shape and overweight. I know losing the weight will help my back but like I said before I keep finding myself "too busy". That 5 mile walk showed me that I can push myself harder than I thought and it is stupid for me to let life get in the way. I am going to do my best to stop "the madness". Life is far too short. Thanks for listening.

from left to right: my cousin Cindy, my cousin Ann, me, Ann's friend Renee

Fall Blues...

2008-10-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yes... fall blues since it is not technically winter yet (even though there is more of that white stuff today).

Lately I have been uninspired and unmotivated. Part of it is the way my life has been going and part of it is the time of year. Every year, I can feel myself slowing down as the cold weather approaches. As the days get shorter I also feel the effects of less sunshine. The blueness seems to permeate everything unless I can keep myself occupied enough to forget it. Good thing is that I know it is only temporary. The slowing down also seems to panic me as I know Christmas is just around the corner. There never seems to be enough time to do what I need to do let alone add in the holiday stuff. I just want to curl up in a blanket and snuggle down until it starts to warm up again. Unfortunately I can't do that although when I really think about it I'm not sure I would really want to. I just want the energy and motivation that spring, warm weather, and sunshine bring.

New Designs in my Cafe Press Shop!!!

2008-10-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yeay!!! I finally added a new design to my Cafe Press Shop. I am hoping to get better at creating designs and getting them up more quickly. I have a tendency to start things and not finish them. Usually I lose momentum or get bored with them but lately it's because I've been so busy. I have lots of ideas but it's just a matter of discipline for me to get them realized. So without further ado here are a few of my new items...

Journal- comes in 4 colors with blank, lined, dot grid, or task journal pages

Shirts- come in many sizes, colors and styles for men, women and children

Round Ceramic Ornament- comes in 4 colors

Ceramic Coaster Tile- comes in 4 different colors

Modern Wall Clock- comes in 4 colors

My 50 Bucks Purchase!

2008-09-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

Here is my 50 Bucks purchase...

Scott Northrup
A Father's Love (50 Bucks).
2008
Iron-on transfer, cotton, lipstick

It is actually a needlepoint done in three different colors of thread- black, blue and grey.

Text reads:

9/12/75
Francine,

You pig--there is lipstick on everything.

You owe me-
9.83 gas for you car
4.29 toilet paper
1.29 milk that you drank
3.89 pantyhose
1.69 Tab
9.01 dry cleaning
20.00 cash loan
------
$50.00

Your Father

I saw this piece and couldn't stop giggling the whole week of hanging the exhibition. It still makes me laugh every time I see it. Yes... that IS lipstick on the frame! A schmear of it! I got to meet Scott the week of hanging the exhibition and he is a really nice guy. I am glad I now own one of his pieces!

Here is a little info on Scott:

Scott Northrup
Adjunct Faculty/ College for Creative Studies

MA, The New School
BFA, College for Creative Studies

Scott Northrup is a native Detroiter who has divided his time between the Motor City and New York City since 1991. His varied body of work, including assemblages, photographs, films, and videos, has shown in galleries, museums, and alternative spaces and is in the collections of Wayne State University, The New School for Social Research, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and numerous private collectors. Scott received grant funding towards video projects with local youth support groups and has volunteered with Ground Hero Kids in New York City. He currently teaches courses in video art and digital production at CCS. His personal work continues to explore issues of identity, collective memory, and parasocial behavior.

If you want to see more of Scott's work, check out his blog here.

50 BUCKS Exhibit @ Center Galleries

2008-09-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Friday September 12, 2008

The 50 Bucks Exhibit was a one night benefit event at the College for Creative Studies Center Galleries. It celebrated the Center Galleries' 20th year, the 10th year in it's current space, the 10th year of the Woodward Lecture Series, and Michelle Perron's 10th year running the programs. Add all those years up and you get 50 years. Tickets for the event were $50 and each piece of art was sold for $50 as well. Artists and patrons, in return for donating a work of art, received 2 tickets for the event. There were approximately 234 works of art donated and over 300 people in attendance. I again had the honor of helping Matt Hanna, Michelle Perron, and Todd Erickson hang the exhibition. It was a challenge because of the sheer amount of work that was donated but it made for an exciting night! Congratulations Michelle!

ICON Exhibit @ Work•Detroit

2008-09-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

ICON
September 13 - October 18
Work•Detroit
www.art-design.umich.edu/workdetroit
www.workdetroiticon.blogspot.com

For anyone in the Detroit area there is a great exhibition at Work•Detroit. The theme is icons. The exhibition includes some interesting video work as well as 2-D and 3-D work. My mandala entitled Primordial Sounds & Ancient Truths has been accepted into the Exhibition. I have included a few of the highlights of the exhibition in this post but make sure you take the time to stop by the Work•Detroit space to see the whole exhibit!

Show discription:
In contemporary culture the term icon is used in the general sense of symbol. An image, picture, or representation that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy. It may be a sacred item that channels spiritual energy. It may be a signaling device that taps into a shared visual vocabulary, that transcends language, dialect and even culture. It may be born of a response. An icon that is accepted and absorbed by one group may be misunderstood or rejected by another. As a word or graphic symbol an icon is a sign whose form suggests meaning, as on a computer display screen where it is a graphic symbol that usually suggests the type of object represented or the purpose of an available function.

Work•Detroit invited thinkers and makers to utilize chosen mediums to create icons that speak to their own observations and experiences.

Joshua Ray Smith -Entropy & Silence

Cathy Gendron -Ghouls & Dolls

Dave Fisher -PYR

Donald Kilpatrick -Legion

Jack O. Summers -Manly Pursuits

On the ICON postcard at the top of the post:
Kristen Gallerneax
-On Loan from the Revenant Archives: REV.NO: (PSYC.EXPMNT, BOX 10, FILE 3)

Ann Arbor Artisans Market October 5, 2008...

2008-09-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I will be in the Etsy Show at the Ann Arbor Sunday Artisan Market on October 5th at the Ann Arbor Kerrytown Farmers Market. I will have most of the items that I carry in my Etsy shop plus a few of my Cafe Press samples. I will also have some new items such as buttons, magnets and zipper pulls that I haven't had a chance to put in the shop. For those of you who are in the area that day, please feel free to stop on by and say hi! I will be donating 10% of my sales to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk which I am participating in on the 18th of October. If you are unable to make it to the Market and would like to donate to the cause you can either donate here on my blog or you can purchase something from my Etsy shop as I will also be donating 10% of my Etsy sales through the end of October.

Thanks so much for your support!

My personal American Cancer Society donation page

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

2008-09-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Wow... I just did it... I just signed up for the MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER walk in Detroit. It is my first walk & I am excited to be participating! I am on Team Awareness Angels which is being led by my cousin Ann (also known as chefann on Etsy for you Etsians). The walk is Saturday October 18, 2008 on Belle Isle Park. I am looking for donations/sponsors for my walk and would appreciate any amount you feel you can offer. I set my goal at $500 and have added a donation widget in the right column of my blog to make it easy for those of you who wish to donate. Please help me reach my goal!

I just want to tell you a little bit about why I am participating...
My mother-in-law died from lung cancer. My great grandfather died from colon cancer. One of my grandfathers had skin cancer the other had prostate cancer. Two of my great aunts died from breast cancer. My friends sister is a survivor of breast cancer. There are several others in my circle of family and friends that have had cancer or died from cancer as well... way too many. I don't think it matters what kind of cancer it is. The way it affects our lives is the same. I am not a doctor, scientist or a researcher so I can't help in that way but maybe I can help a little in this way by walking...

Team Awareness Angels
My Personal Page
Event Info

Exhibition Installation at CCS

2008-08-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, with the help of Todd Erickson, I had the honor of installing art and design work in the Permanent Student Gallery at CCS (College for Creative Studies). The Permanent Student Gallery features the work of students from each department of the college and is used as a showcase for the school. This job has obviously taken away from the time that I have to work on my personal art but I have found it to be very satisfying. Normally I work 2-D but this allows me to work 3-D designing an environment which is something I have been interested in for quite some time now. I used to contemplate doing installation art and at one point had even thought about going back to school to get a degree in Interior Design. I decided I didn't like shopping (among other things) enough to go that route so here I am trying my hand at exhibition installation and enjoying it tremendously.

Amelia's Box

2008-08-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a side project that I have been working on for a while now. This is a box that I painted for my friend's daughter. I finally finished it after starting it two years ago. Yes... sometimes it takes me forever to finish a project especially if it's not a "real" job. I know it's not a very good working/business habit that I need to change. Because I tend to be really bad about starting projects and not finishing them, I decided this year I would try to finish those projects that have been sitting around for far too long. I have also promised myself I won't take on any more side projects until I get caught up. So far so good and I am proud to say that I can check this one off my list.
Hope you enjoy...

Succumbing to Temptation...

2008-08-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

For a while now I have been following the blog of Carolyn Gallo. I just love her work especially her Frida series. It is a series of fun painted portraits of the artist Frida Kahlo. One of the portraits is called Frida has an iPod and is (obviously) Frida listening to an iPod. Now, iPods didn't exist during Frida's time but if Frida were alive now I know she would have one and love it just as much as I love mine.

Carolyn has in her Cafe Press Shop and Zazzle Shop quite a few different, very cool items that you can get printed with her art including her Frida paintings. So when Carolyn blogged about her updated the Cafe Press shop, I went looking for Frida has an iPod items, specifically a journal. She didn't have one in her shop but was kind enough to add it and I bought one to add to my journal collection which you can read about here.

I finally received my journal in the mail the other day and let me tell you it's even better in person! The colors are really vibrant and I love the fact that you can see all the brush strokes! It's a great item and I am glad to support a fellow artist by buying something from her shop that inspires me to be creative!

Go check out Carloyn's blog and stores... you won't be disappointed!

The Art of Nature...

2008-07-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Works by Andrzej Sikora and Todd Erickson
July 2- August 17, 2008
The Scarab Club
217 Farnsworth
Detroit, MI 48202
The Scarab Club

If you are in the Detroit area I suggest you go see the Art of Nature exhibit at the historic Scarab Club. It features the works of Andrzej Sikora and Todd Erickson.

Erickson's bronze sculptures are delicate and beautiful set against a backdrop of Sikora's large and colorful paintings. There are twelve 6'x 9' paintings entitled The Four Seasons and twelve bronzes. The paintings overwhelm and envelope the viewer through their sheer size and rich textures while the delicate sculptures invite you in, making you feel as if you have discovered a secret and magical place. This is a exquisitely balanced show on multiple levels and a great conversation between two artists' work.

Here are a few of my favorite sculptures...

left to right: Glen Eyrie, Old Camp

Secret in the Woods

left to right: After the Storm, Window to the Storm

Old Eagles Nest

Old Camp

I will try to make it back to the gallery to get better photos of Sikora's paintings.

DAM "Spirit of Paint By Numbers" Exhibition Closing

2008-07-14T21:54:00.001-07:00

The DAM(Detroit Artist Market) Paint by Numbers Exhibition has finally come to a close. My PBN(Paint by Number) sold for much more than I thought which makes me happy in the knowledge that it will help DAM out even more than I anticipated. It was a really fun exhibition and there were a lot of really great interpretations of the PBN's by many of Detroit's artists. Every artist started out with a PBN blank and could do whatever they wanted with it. You can read more about the exhibition in my original post here: link.
I thought I would share a few photos of the finished pieces... artists are credited above each photo...

Bruce Gerlach

Carl Oxley

Cheryl M Phillips

Chris Crowder

Christine Hagedorn

Darcel Deneau

Diana May

Ed Fella

George Rahme

Gilda Snowden

Jack O Summers

Janet Wisner

Joe Fugate

Mary Clare Duran

Narine Kchikian

Nina Goebel

Peggy Kerwan

Teresa Peterson

Todd Erickson

Many thanks to Dave Chow for the photos.

Primordial Sounds & Ancient Truths

2008-07-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

I have finally updated this mandala. I blogged about it back in March and had stated that I was considering changing the colors and textures. Well, I finally have and here is the final result. Initially it didn't "feel" right and I ended up going through a lot of steps to get it there. I thought I would share some of the steps in my process.

The initial pencil sketch...

The black & white digitized image...

The first round of colored textures...

The first round of effects & refinement of textures...

Another round of color, texture & effects...

The final image...

This mandala is called Primordial Sounds & Ancient Truths. It represents the Throat Chakra and our ability to speak our truth.

Fun Sketchbooks & Notepads

2008-07-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

I love unusual sketch books & note pads & have gathered a small collection of them over the years. The only problem is that I have a bad habit of not wanting to write or sketch in them. I feel as if I am going to ruin them & inevitably, I end up with artist's block when I sit down in front of one. Weird thing is that it only happens with the pretty ones. I feel like I have to save the pretty ones for something special so hence comes the artist's block because I am judging my creation before I even create it. Even so they still inspire me.

Here are some of my favorites...

This is a beautiful little note pad by Punch Studio that Dave found for me. It has gold foil, a gem accent & a magnetic closure...

This is a debossed leather journal made in Italy by Pierre Belvedere. I love the color & the debossed flowers...

This is a beautiful journal by Hartley & Marks Publishers. It is debossed paper designed to look like an old Renaissance embossed leather book. It also has a magnetic closure....

This is one of my favorites that I have had for a long time. It is by Stacie Chaiken & Alexis Genya & published by Crown Publishers. I don't think I will ever sketch or write in this one as it is perfect the way it's designed out....

From left to right:
1. A simple spiral journal -unknown maker...
2. trav•e•logue hand•book by Global Art Materials -has a nice heavyweight paper which will hold up to wet mediums...
3. A soft leather covered journal with parchment style paper by Leelanau Trading Company...

I have actually started working in a couple of them. The spiral is my gardening journal & the leather one is my meditation vision journal.

Button Sweat-Shop Pals

2008-06-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

About a month or so ago, I purchased a 1" button maker. It was something Dave & I had been debating for a while & finally decided it needed to be done. He could make buttons... I could make buttons... we could make buttons for other people... etc, etc, etc. So, since it came, I've been having a great time experimenting. There is nothing better to me than seeing a piece of art in a new application. I love figuring out the little details that will make it look perfect. I've told a few friends that I have the button maker & some have requested I make buttons for them. How fun!

My friend Kat Thacker was one of the first that I told. Friday she came over & we had our own "button sweat-shop" session. She was making buttons to pass out at the I-CON (Illustration Conference) which is this week in New York. Kat is a phenomenal illustrator with an incredible eye for detail & we had a great time seeing her buttons come to life. We made over 500 buttons in 6 different designs.

Here are a few pics of the insanity...

Kat is also developing a fabulous line of animated e-cards. You can sign up for her mailing list & see more of her work here link.

MIA & Out-of-Town Guests

2008-06-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've been MIA. My brother Chuck & his wife Jen came into town last week & stayed with Dave & I. He moved to Missouri a little over a year ago to join his wife after she finished nursing school. He & I have always been close so I have missed him greatly since his move. He is an incredible artist & is the reason I got into art.

This visit, he came "bearing" gifts (hehe). It was this beautiful bear fetish box he made. Inside was a bear claw in a velvet lined cavity. It's really incredible & absolutely perfect for me (aren't I lucky)! He continually amazes me with his talent & thoughtfulness.

I thought you might like to see my beautiful bear box...

Chuck has finally started his own art blog. You can read more about this box at Tercer Chuck del sol. Go check it out and say hi.

Animal Alphabet Book

2008-06-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

After much frustration & delay, Dave's & my Animal Alphabet Book is finally available! YEAY!!! We started this project a few years back when my cousin & his wife were expecting their first child. For the baby shower it was requested that instead of cards we get books for the baby. For no good reason (does there really need to be one?) I said to Dave, "Why don't we make a book instead of buying one?" He enthusiastically agreed and the Animal Alphabet Book was started.

Together we came up with the initial list & refined it choosing some of our favorite animals along with others which we found most interesting. We then dummied up a booklet to figure out the page layout as I was doing a traditional hand sewn binding. Dave then drew the animals & as I painted them he laid out the pages. Once all of the paintings were finished & everything was laid out we took the book to the printer to get color laser prints. After trimming all of the pages to size I was finally able to sew the binding & assemble the book.

That first alphabet book, called "My First Animal Alphabet Book", was probably no more than 3" to 4" square & very expensive to produce. Because of the advancement in technology, only now has it become financially feasible to make it available for sale. The new version is 7.5"x 7.5" with a saddle stitch binding & a new painting has been created for the cover called "Noah's Ark". I have also created a matching bookmark.

Here are a few pics...

The book is available through my Etsy Shop.
Marcyanna's Etsy Shop
If you are local, contact me through Etsy before purchasing & we can arrange for a pick up so you don't have to pay for shipping!

Cards, Cards, Cards...FINALLY in the shop!

2008-06-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

My cards are finally done & in the Etsy shop! They feature not only my photographs but also my mandalas. There is even one for my lone tiki(I'll have to remedy that!). The images are printed on an archival matte photo paper which creates beautiful, rich images. Each image is then attached to a 40lb Strathmore watercolor card that has been printed with the graphic frame and artist info on the back. They have turned out lovely & I couldn't be more pleased!

Here is a quick view...

Hope you stop by to take a look!

JUNE SALE!!!

2008-06-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday month & I have decided to run a special sale on the prints in my Etsy shop for the entire month!

Here's the deal... Buy any 2 prints in the shop & receive a third one($10 or less) free! The only prints that aren't eligible as freebies are the two animal poster prints (15"x 10" & 30"x 20") but they will each count as a purchase toward a freebie print($10 or less). Make sure you mention this blog post along with the print of your choice in the "notes to seller" area upon checkout.

Here is a sampling of available prints...

Check out my store for the entire inventory of prints available.
Marcyanna's Etsy Shop

Paint by Numbers Exhibition @ DAM

2008-05-31T20:48:00.000-07:00

Whew!!! Things have been nuts here! Haven't posted in awhile because things got crazier with work at CCS. Also, when I wasn't at CCS I was working on a piece for the Spirit of Paint by Numbers Exhibition at DAM(Detroit Artists Market). It's a benefit exhibition & auction for the Artists Market featuring over 100 artists. Each artist was given a paint by number blank of Marshall Fredericks' Spirit of Detroit sculpture. The paint by number blanks were created specifically for DAM by Paint by Number creator Dan Robbins. There were no rules or directions and the artists were encouraged to "let our imaginations run wild".

I'm not sure why but I decided to do mine in colored sand. After gluing the blank into a stiff substrate, I mixed almost every color from only a handful of different sand colors. I then painted the blank with glue, sprinkled with sand & then tapped off the excess. When I finished every color I then sealed it with an extra layer of glue on top.

Here are some images of the postcard & the process along with the final work...
It's called Gritty Detroit...

If you are interested in learning about Michigan artist Marshall Fredericks check out this article: link. It is a nice overview of his career.

The DAM exhibition opens June 6th and runs through July 12th, 2008. For more information check out DAM.

Cards, Cards, Cards...

2008-05-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

I just love cards... especially interesting, handmade or artist cards! I am always looking for interesting designs & I hate going to the store & not being able to find something cool enough for the person for whom the card is intended. To remedy that, lately (when I'm not too tired from working at CCS), I have been playing with card ideas. I thought it might be neat to create cards from my photographs. I wanted to create something a little bit different than just a print on a card so I decided to create decorative borders to go with specific photos. I am planning on offering them with greetings inside as well as blank so that they can be completely customizable. They will also have coordinating envelope closure stickers as well.
Here is a little in-progress preview...

I would love some input in regards to which greetings to offer.
Thanks ahead of time!

Etsy Promo

2008-04-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

I have a new promo for my Etsy shop!!! I've had it a while but forgot to let everyone know about it. Lately I've been very busy with my other job. I paint & repair pedestals for the spring show at CCS(College for Creative Studies). It's pretty physical work & I've been unusually tired the past two weeks. As a result I totally forgot to write about my new promo bookmarks!!!

Anyway, I am very happy with how they turned out & hope that you will be too! They are full color front & back on heavyweight(15pt) paper stock with a gloss coating on both sides making them very durable. They measure 2"x 6" so they aren't too big for those smaller books.

You can get your free bookmark with any purchase from my Etsy shop! link
Also...For the rest of April & all of May I am offering Free Shipping on domestic orders over $25! So please stop on by!

Finished ACEO's

2008-04-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some finished ACEO's. I finally had some time to scan them. The mandalas are done in watercolor & colored pencil with the exception of the last one which is only watercolor.

Illustration Friday- PRIMITIVE

2008-04-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

I love tikis and find the so called "PRIMITIVE" cultures very interesting. This illustration was done in Photoshop using hand-drawn textures and photographs I created.

Signed 8"x 10" prints of this illustration are available through my Etsy shop.

Nancy Stahl Workshop

2008-04-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the privilege of attending a workshop with Nancy Stahl. For those that don't know, Nancy is a legend in the illustration world. She used to do air brushed illustrations and was one of the first illustrators to go digital. Ever since then, she has been pushing the bounds of digital illustration. Generally she doesn't do workshops so this was an incredible opportunity. During this workshop she focused on showing us how to use textures to make our digital work look more painterly and less digital and flat. I usually work in Photoshop or Illustrator but because Nancy prefers Corel Painter, I was able to try it for the first time during the workshop--very cool. She was very knowledgeable and helpful during the workshop so my head was swimming with information by the end of the day! She's a very down-to-earth, nice person and I feel grateful to have had this opportunity to meet her and attend her workshop.

For those that wish to see her work, here is a link to her website: Nancy Stahl

Here's an image of the signed poster I got after the event...

Illustration Friday- SAVE

2008-04-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

A few years back I took an illustrative painting class with Cathy Gendron. One of our assignments was to create an illustration for an article about the feral chickens on Key West in Florida. One of the controversial solutions was to pay citizens to round up the chickens without harming them. I thought it would be funny to portray a cowboy "roundup" from the chicken's viewpoint. I guess you could say the chicken wants to be SAVED from the cowboys!

It's acrylic on cold press illustration board.

Announcing my Cafe Press shop!!!

2008-04-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here it is!!! I have finally opened my Cafe Press shop! For starters, I am offering my mandala designs on select products. I have ordered a sample of every product that I am offering in the store and have been very pleased with the quality of the items. I especially love the keepsake boxes!

The boxes have hinged lids and are fully lined on the interior and the bottom. The artwork is printed on a nice ceramic tile that is inset into the lid. The finish is a nice laquer finish that comes in either mahogony or black.

The journals are unlined paper in a spiral binding. Great for quick sketching or jotting down ideas.

The ornaments are ceramic with a satin ribbon for hanging.

I am also offering all of the designs as magnets.
I still have more items to add but I would love to have you stop by & let me know what you think.
Marcyanna's Cafe Press Shop

ACEO's... having fun experimenting...

2008-03-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

For the last few years I have been working mostly digitally & have done very little drawing or painting. As a result, I have become uncomfortable with the idea of trying to working traditionally again, specifically drawing. (you know... the fear thing...shhh...don't tell anyone...) So, when I heard about ACEO's (Art Cards, Editions & Originals) I became very intrigued & thought I would try my hand at creating some. I have found this to be the perfect way to get back into drawing without having to deal with the intimidation of a large sheet of paper! WOO HOO! The time invested isn't much, so if something doesn't come out right I can just pitch it without getting so frustrated. Another plus to doing them is if I do one I really like I can then spend the time to create it larger! WOO HOO TOO! Anyways... Here they are in various states of completion...

Some Fabulous Inspiration...

2008-03-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

Do you ever run across someone or something that truly inspires you? I'm not talking about the transitory "This is cool." inspiration... I'm talking about the "Oh my gosh- I need to create because this is AMAZING!" inspiration. The kind of inspiration that pushes you to better yourself & what you are doing. Well Marisa has been that type of inspiration to me with her blog & her Etsy shop. I just love her style! Now you must know... I am not a girly girl- never have been... but Marisa's work makes me dream of girly things & being a girly girl if only for a moment! ...well... maybe more than a moment...

Here is some of her work...

To see more of Marisa's work check out her blog:
Elegant Bloggery
OR
Visit her Etsy Shop:
Elegant Snobbery

More Mandalas

2008-03-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some more mandalas that I have done. Before I started working digitally I used to paint. I had a shape that I liked to paint into patterns. On occasion, I would find myself creating a circular image. Here are a couple of my painted mandalas along with a digital one.

This one was created in Photoshop.
Size: 12.25" x 12.25"
I am considering altering the colors & textures.

This one is called "Untitled #15" or "Sundial".
It is acrylic on canvas board.
Size: 12" x 15.75"

This one is called "Altered Mandala".
It is acrylic on canvas board.
Size: 14" x 14"

Here goes!

2008-03-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Finally! Here is my first post for my blog. I thought I would show some of my mandalas that I have just listed in my etsy shop. They were all created in Photoshop. Hope you enjoy!