shiny, happy... art

I just got home from Guardino Gallery- the only "real" art gallery on Alberta. It's been there for more than 10 years- since before all the gentrification really took hold. They show some hot shit artists. Not necessarily ones whose name I know, but damn good. In my opinion, fine art. Expertly crafted, composed, executed, etc. Anyway, this month is the "Little Things" show. Tonight was the opening soiree, and damn, there was some cool shit! Oh, I could have bought one of everything, minus a few. There are 48 artists! Only 2 stand out as ones I didn't really like. But the other 45- whoa. Kinda makes me feel good to be in such good company! On the way home my mind was a carousel of bits and pieces of what I saw and how I want to put those elements together in my own way. I've been wanting to try resin. I love to deep, clear shiny-ness. Normally I'm an understated matte kinda girl, but there's something.... flashy about resin. Flashy in an understated artistic sort of way. I love how you can bury things in it- make a very 3-D collage that's a solid piece. I love what it does to what's in it. It creates a little world, no matter how abstract. Throw in a familiar object or two, and maybe a photo, and you have a distant memory. A remembered dream. That's it! resin helps manifest memories and dreams in a three dimensional way that can still be a solid, non-fragile piece. It won't shatter like glass, or diffuse like a dream upon waking.


The above piece is a mixed media and resin piece by Julia Gardner. Check out her work at http://www.guardinogallery.com/giftshop-artists/138-julia-gardner

happy not-chicken day

thankful

Every year The Oregonian publishes "Season of Sharing" wherein people & families who need some help are profiled. The readers can donate $10 to 4d, toward bus passes for family who escaped domestic violence, or $25 to 7b towards furniture for a diabetic single mom of 8. All of these 20 stories are compelling, heartbreaking, and a good slap upside the head to realize that there's even more for us to be thankful for than we'd thought. And it's hard to choose where to give your $10 or $25. I haven't given to this in previous years, but this year I zeroed in on my target. The eldest of 3 kids, dad layed off, mom had bone marrow transplant, little sister has neurofibromatosis, dad's new job won't cover mom or sister, they lost their house and a rental, and now the family of 5 live in her parent's garage. This 11 year old girl want music cds and art supplies. My eyes went BOING! That's what I want to fund. The way the whole thing is set up is that funds are donated for this or that, but I want to get her a gift card for an art supply store, or anything in particular she may want. I emailed the contact people and asked that, but I haven't heard back yet. But considering that readers responded last year by donating $374,146.46- enough to fill all the wishes- I suspect their inbox was overwhelmed on Monday morning. I'll be happy to write a check, but I'd be really excited to buy a gift card to Michael's or Art Media or whatever suits her needs. I'm in love with the idea that I could help this preteen have artistic expression as an outlet for the stress and sadness that must be prevalent in her home. If I don't get a response by Friday, I'll just donate the funds:-)

http://www.oregonlive.com/special/sharing/

yeay!

I got an increased dose of my anti depressant, as the grey skies and growing darkness make things more emotionally difficult. I'm more easily overwhelmed, work is even more of a drag, it's harder to get my ass on my bike, I've been feeling numb in the evenings sometimes- simply unable to feel anything more than *enh,* not wanting a drink but knowing that it's the only way I can elevate my mood at all, etc. This yukkiness is only going to get worse, so my trusty shrink and I decided to move up to a dose that's worked well for me in previous winters.



After the appointment, I went into a couple of shops on 23rd for the hell of it, and to leave some cards for the Guardino show in cafes, etc. I sorta had an idea of what I was going to make for Xmas presents (election/Obama themed red white & blue ornaments featuring a champagne cork), but I saw something that reminded me of an idea I've had waiting for years. I found a cast resin ornament that depicted a 5-3-1 stack of wine corks to make a Christmas tree shape with a little spring of beads & whatnot encircling it like ornaments or garland. I've kept a boatload of wine corks over the years, I've got fine copper wire for the spring, a colorful variety of beads to use as ornaments, and can easily find/alter/make a star for the top. Voila! I'm all excited now, and want to jump into making a prototype. Perhaps I'll put off finishing my Halloween decor organizing & putting away til tomorrow... :-)

sold!

Yeay! I sold a piece at the grocery store! I got an email last week from a New Seasons shopper who wanted to buy a paintng! Joy! I was glowing all afternoon- I met her at the stoere yesterday. The store doesn't take any commission- either, so I got all the sale price! I bought a 6-pack to celebrate:-)

I finished framing and scanning the 8 mini cityscapes I paited for the Guardino Gallery's Little Things show, and delivered the first 4 (I'll bring more if they sell out). That felt good:-)

JOY!

Joy of joys! I got an email last night from a lady who wants to buy one of paintings from New Seasons! We're meeting on Saturday to do the exchange. I'm so pleased- my first sale! Someone wants my work- and can buy it! She likes me- she really likes me!

found photos

I found the photos I was looking for- even the one of Nana's church! This bottom one is her at my parent's wedding.

snow day! sorta. only, not really. at all.

It's a windy stormy day with 100% "chance" of rain, and I get to stay home. And I'm healthy! Yesterday was Veterans Day (salutes) so branches were closed, so there's no new work to do today. They offered us the option of taking the day off without an "occurence" 'cause there's nothing to do, and there's not enough online training courses to occupy us for a whole day. I'll buy that for a dollar! I have no PTO left, so it's non paid time, but I don't care. I called in my option at 7 am, went back to bed with my kitties, and got up at 10:30. Ha! Gotta love it.

With my surprise free day I'm going to finish some paintings for next month's show at Guardino Gallery, distribute show cards, and put away some laundry. Oooo- I could go to Home Depot and use some of my $100 birthday gift cards to get some storage help with all my projects...

irish style ofrenda

I went to November's window show at Guardino Gallery (where I'll have some mini-scapes next month)- Day of The Dead theme. There were some really cool shrines, ofrendas, collages, etc. Some were modern assemblages, some were traditional Mexican style cigar boxes encrusted with glitter, skulls, beads, miscellaneous shiny and gaudy items, photos, marigolds, etc. They were fabulous. I usually don't go for the over-the-top garish glitz that some Mexican art styles can sport, but somehow I got it this time. I decided I'd make an ofrenda for Nana- my great grandmother mi bisabuela Mary Ellen O'Connor, born in County Cork (pronounced *Cark*), Ireland (pronounced *Are-lent*) on St. Paddy's Day, 1895. :-) I figured a good Catholic Irish lass could appreciate a little shrine with Mary (OK- Our Lady of Guadalupe) and some crosses- gold colored- like the one from her white casket. I added a little map of the Emerald Isle, a picture of Snoopy (she loved Snoopy), and as soon as I find a appropriate vile/tiny jar, I'll add some whiskey:-) I also need to venture into the basement and dig up a photo of her. Somewhere I have a photo of the church she used to attend- I took it years ago while my mom & I drove through Loyalton for some random reason when I was in high school. This assemblage will NOT be for sale:-)

it's times like these...

that I feel really ready to walk away from Dilbertville. On Monday we got the schpiel about the PTO calendar for next year- same info as every year. This year they altered how much time people get, and obviously the mucky-muck manager was stressed out because they have to let more people off. We got this scolding speech of if you want a day- or even part of a day- off, and that day is full, don't even ask. The answer will be no. Questions? Me: if a day is full and something unexpected comes up- say, a funeral- that a person will go do despite not having asked because the answer will be no... do you want us to tell you if we're going to do this thing, or we just call in or don't show up or leave early? I'm willing to be considerate and give them a head's up for something like that. I got the same the answer will be no, and it will count as an occurence (unexcused absence) blah blah heartless blah. My manager understood my question- and yes, that would be nice. But my god! Pull the stick outta dude's arse!

I thought you know, I don't need to deal with this. We're being browbeaten and finger-waggled about taking the time off that we've already been given. WTF? Corporate crap.


And on days like this (grey, cool and rainy) I really don't feel like playing the Dilbert game and working on a spreadsheet. I have paintings I could be completing!


But I haven't made any money from painting yet. It's disappointing. It's the cruddy economy. In a way, I think it's good that I'm starting to show publicly in hard economic times, because business can only get better from here.