Seasons Change

So many changes this spring...

In love:
I've been showered with love this month. I love my friends and family. Thank you for being there for me. There were days I wanted to just quit, thinking 'What's the Point?' - overwhelmed by the pain and heartache of so many recent circumstances and tragedies. Too many things that no person should have to experience all at once. Without even knowing or being requested, you've responded to me, called, and texted me without prompting just when I needed to hear you the most. From the simplest words of "I love you" to dragging me out for drinks and weepy conversations, you were there for me. I feel blessed to have such wonderful people in my life, and hope to pay it forward.

In Music:
I love that my heart can cry out for healing and the universe responds by opening up musical opportunities. I am so thankful for the connections I've made, and for the people who think of me when they think of producing beautiful music. It's one of the best healers for me, and the most natural way I worship.

In Work:
Thank you for believing in my skills. I am honored to service your needs, and hope I represent you well. Book illustrating. More logos. Updated identity packages. Just when I was beginning to worry after all the attorney fees, car accident, new apartment lease, Devin's summer tuition, etc. Thank you.

Gritty City Gift Fair

Well, I'm nearing the end of day one at the Gritty City Art Festival here in Tacoma...

I've just about made enough to cover my booth costs! Woooo. This goes on all day tomorrow, from 1 to 8pm - 3 floors of live music, cocktails, unique items you won't find anywhere else; what more could a person ask for?

Just about everything that I've seen here is hip, handmade, local, and environmentally "green". If you're in the area and looking for something to do tomorrow (maybe a little shopping, hint hint) PLEASE! Feel free to stop on by! And say hi! Cause, you know, I'm here. :-) Alllll eeeevening.

3 days

...Till my birthday, in case you're wondering. WHEW!! I just finished formatting a bunch of ACEO PRINTS and certificates for the Grit City Art Fair at the end of the month! Man, now I'm tired. I'll leave the printing for tomorrow. I'm gonna go get some beauty sleep. :-)

Check out this website if you don't know what an ACEO PRINT is: www.art-card.org. Don't feel bad. I didn't know what the heck they were either until last week. I hear about 'em all the time though, so I figured it was worth looking in to. You know, find out what all the rage is about. Now I'm with the program. And you can be too. Yeah two thousand ten! Alright!!!

Answered Prayers

Thanks to Mel, Ben, and Molly for the recommendation - because of you guys, I got in touch with a totally awesome (and local) printing company that specializes in fine art reproductions. I didn't know about them because they don't advertise, so thank you! Artist's best kept secret: R4. They currently have my files and are in the process of creating proofs. They have large-format scanning abilities too, so I don't have to spend extra money going to a photographer. :-D Hooray!!!

Art for Sale!

Hello all!

I currently have some art on display and for sale at the Boudoir Bed & Bath up in Anacortes, WA for your viewing/buying pleasure. I am taking orders or consignments as well.

Full-sized giclées are not at the store, unfortunately, because I've been having issues with my current printer. The machine they normally use for fine art items such as mine BROKE, and they do not plan on replacing it any time soon. We tried to see if their other printer would work, but the quality is just not there. I will be in the market over the weekend for a new company that can create the giclées to my standards. After all, why would I want to give my collector's less than the best, right? Luckily, I know a LOT of other artists in the area and have already been given some awesome recommendations to go take a look at. :-) Stay tuned, my friends! I should have an update by next week.

CD Artwork for Nate Palin - aka - "The Bottom Line" is finished and in production!!! Yay :-D

For more info on this, go to: www.bottomlinelive.com

Lost and Found

Yesterday evening I retrieved my very first chalk pastel painting from the TAFA studio so I could present it to my mother for her birthday. Mind you, I haven't actually *seen* this painting in over two years. Upon having it matted, I realized -someone- I don't know who, CUT around the edges of the Canson paper... most likely so it would fit into the previous frame it was put in during my absence from the academy. As it doesn't disrupt the actual pastel itself, I suppose it doesn't matter, but I was a bit angry about discovering this anyhow. I mean, I DID pay for the paper and positioned the still-life exactly where I wanted it. I LIKED the excess of smokey gray background! Oh well.

At any rate, Rachel, the awesome framing manager at Michaels hooked me up with a great mat to fit around my own frame, which I promptly assembled before leaving for my mom's 53rd birthday-party dinner. She cried when I presented it to her, lol..

She will be giving it back briefly sometime this week so I can take it to my photographer's studio and get a digital copy made, after which, I will be returning it to her for safe keeping.

The pastel, if you're wondering, was/is a still life of the Horse of Turino. I forgot how amazingly brilliant it is for being a plain white statue. My lighting layer really shows through brilliantly in just the right spots. My mother loves horses, so there you go.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

Etsy-bitsy shop-o-rama!!

Last night I hit my goal for the week of creating an online shop with items for sale! I know, I know, it's not much to look at *right now*... but I've got big plans, and at least it's something! Far better than nothing, for sure!!! If I waited and waited around until I was completely ready all the time, nothing would ever get done because most of the time, I have no idea where to start. So the word "progress" has earned an important spot on my motivating to-do vocabulary.

My motivating four P's: Progress + Produce + Promote = Profit

That's right! Sure it's elementary, and I'm sure someone out there is thinking to themselves "Oh Lord, this girl needs help. What a dummy!" But It's short and easy for me to remember day to day. Whatever works, eh? Progress.

This past weekend I FINALLY went and got digital copies made of my sirens!!! It's about time, eh? Boy that was expensive. The thing is, I've been nit-picking and changing parts of both girls for the past two years or so, and it wasn't until just last week that I was actually satisfied. The hours put into them, if I were to condense the time, would probably be about 3 months from start to finish on each. Alas, there are times I just can't bear the thought of even picking up a brush.

I need to Photoshop off my blue tape marks [that held the Canson paper to the board, 'cause I'm lame and don't have a real artist's easel w/ a clip.] and few stray hairs/lint I noticed, but that shouldn't take too long and then they'll be ready for print. Now I can finally get my originals framed and under protective glass! Hooray!!! Having them vulnerably propped in my dining room this whole time has made me super jumpy anytime someone gets near them.

The next immediate goal on the list is to set up an online shop somewhere. Anywhere. Purely for the exposure. Does anyone have any suggestions? So far I've looked into the following selling sites:
Ebay, Amazon, Boscov's, Etsy, AllPosters, and Art.com[s] so if you've used any of these, let me know how you liked it/didn't like it. Likewise, if you've got a great site you'd like to rave about, by all means.. TELL ME ABOUT IT! My brain is a sponge and I'm trying to soak up as much advice as I can. I'll even throw in a favor if you need persuading... I don't know, cookies or something. ;-)

Spooky Sounds

Today unfolded much like I suppose a book reads:

Beginning: fashion show fitting, orange wedge & v8 for breakfast, hair & makeup, and show.

Middle: Returning home from said fashion show to indulge in an explosive migraine attack for 3 hours, rendering me absolutely useless, in and out of consciousness from pain until Steve came home to the rescue.

End: Power nap while new supply of migraine drugs kicked in, and then off to Urban Orchestra to record part of the RADDEST Halloween album ever!

We had a sound engineer set up shop at our amazing rehearsal space before our arrival. We spent about five or ten minutes talking about themage, and just.. did it! I find it somewhat funny that it takes us so incredibly long to record our other songs - indeed, our normal album is still far from finished, yet there's something about the fun of creating spooky noises that gets everyone in the spirit to get things right the first time 'round. We compiled 4 [super long] "songs" in just an hour and a half!!! And the best part is that it sounds sooo creepy.

Our final session will be next week. I need to work on some album art for it. Should be fun, so stay tuned. Speaking of album art, I finished my friend Nate's self-titled album art "the Bottom Line". Done in Photoshop. Here it is in color and black&white:

Sun-day, Holy-day

Well this has been an... interesting weekend! I have been living out of a suitcase since Friday morning, and have not been able to get online via computer until today. Let's just leave it at that.

Some good news to update on:
I talked with some local giclee makers who have given me some pretty valuable information.

I went to an art show last night and networked with some reputable people in the industry who gave me cell numbers of even more contacts to meet.

I've decided that I want this to be a serious endeavor, and I feel super motivated about this.

A good friend told me about a site called kickstarter.com, so I'm going to think clearly about what my goals are, and submit a video sometime in the coming week after I get numbers figured out.

Oh and on a random positive note: I won some rad gifts (a certificate to Macy's and some yummy chocolate) for guessing my preggo friend's belly size, EXACTLY. Like, it was weird how exact I was.

Oh yeah, and I've discovered that I just LOVE cracked pepper water crackers, with garlic & herb cheese spread, with a thin slice of fresh peach on top! YUMMY!!!

That is all for now. :-)

Blank Canvas

Despite my reservations and worry about posting something completely absurd in a bout of willy-nilly excitement, I have decided to start a blog. Yes, a blog.

I will be posting about various projects as they come up, thoughts about them... and most likely questions, as I have NO idea how to do this (marketing my art, getting my name "out there", tricks of the trade, entering shows, etc) successfully.

A little about me:

I'm a mostly self-taught artist. OK, I took one semester of art & design my senior year of high school. It was required to take beginning art, despite skills. Apparently, I had enough that the teacher decided to pull me out of that and place me in the advanced class one week after starting. Besides that, I took a semester at TAFA (Tacoma Academy of Fine Art) about 2 years ago to learn how to oil paint correctly, as I'd previously never used that medium and didn't want to acquire any bad habits. I've considered myself an artist, though, since early childhood.

In addition to fine art, I have a certification in Graphic Design, and a degree in Interior Design. They're both fun, however I have yet to experience the financial wealth associated with these two careers, so I've decided to go back to my roots.. for the most part anyway.

Oh yeah, and I'm a musician with a pretty stellar voice too, or so I've been told. Piano is my core instrument. I've been playing it for 17 years now (wow, has it really been that long?! I'm getting old!) I also currently play the French horn and flute in the Tacoma Urban Orchestra. And I've been known to dabble on guitar when the mood strikes me. There are others I've played in the past, but have not touched since high school.

And now you know! Probably more information than you ever cared to know. :-)

But enough about me. What about you?!