Brilliant Hues...

I'm having great fun with this painting...I would have to say the most fun since moving to this new space almost a year ago...just playing with color and composition, not trying to control everything. I guess I was afraid I had lost that "  ?  " ...I don't have a word for it..I'm just really glad it's back and hope I can keep it going. This is the kind of painting that I would do in my old studio when I would work until 3 am...go up to get ready for bed then have to run down one more time before going to sleep to take a peek because I was so excited about what had transpired on the canvas and needed to see it one more time. An amazing feeling...and a huge relief as my inner critic never seems to shut up, I've had a momentary reprieve.

You Say Tomato...

And I say we just grew our first Tom-ah-to (that made it!)...Well, it's Rich's tomato -I cannot take credit. It's beautiful and has a lovely little greencrown. I decided to give it a throne...a whimsical soap dish I made atLill Street.

17 Years Ago Today....

Seventeen years ago today, I moved to Chicago. 1990, age 23, no job, knew 2 people, none close friends, with the exception of an x-boyfriend but that didn't count except that he did introduce me to Rich...so I guess that does count! My plan was to stay 1-2 years and then move out to the west coast. I was so scared but also very excited to finally be in a BIG city. I was so excited to live only blocks from Lake Michigan (never mind that I was too naive to know how edgy my neighborhood was back then) Rogers Park area Kenmore & Granville. I was filled with a feeling of adventure not knowing what great things...and not so great things, awaited. My 10 day stint at an art foundry (I thought this was going to be my dream job)...left me frustrated and sad, the man I worked for told me "you are never going to make it in Chicago". So I"m a little emotional...so what, I'M STILL HERE. I think it just added to my resolve to find my own way. Then I became miss interviewee and corporate temp...I had to buy a suit (I didn't even own a skirt) and start wearing panty hose and heels - killer for a gal fresh out of art school. I found a job by December as a convention and meeting planning assistant. I worked there for 6 years. None that I regret in retrospect as it later proved to be invaluable to running my own business. Which I guess I better get back to...Happy Anniversary to me!

New Paintings in Progress...

Last week I started several new paintings on some very nice wood cabinet doors...this one came from my sketchbook. When the power went out, I lost my last minute 'super anne' power painting time which I needed to finish pieces for the Bucktown Art Fest...hopefully I'll have them completed for the Lakeview East Art Fair on Sept. 8-9th.Note to self, procrastination painting not always a good idea.

Before the lights went out!

Just before we lost power from the crazy storm that passed through Chicago on Thursday of last week I got to read the article 'One Honkin' Big Picture' that Bill Hageman of the Chicago Tribune posted on his "Unleashed" Blog. I'm not very good at interviews and didn't look online for tips until AFTER I spoke with him...(genius huh?, now I know for next time!)

We also got a very exciting call from The Ellen Show a week ago, but have not heard back since so I won't get my hopes up too high...but it would be so great to get any kind of exposure on her show! She is a wonderful animal advocate...

Rock the Cats-Bah!

I just finished designing this invitation for the Paws L.A. "Pet Art 9" Pet Art Auction Event...their theme: "Rock the Cats-bah". The event is in November and raises money for programs to keep financially or physically debilitated people and their animal companions together, a wonderful cause and so important for both the pets and their guardians. (And yes, I've had the Clash's

"Rock the Casbah" running through my head for the last 3 days!)

08.18.07

Have not painted in quite some time, but I continue to fill my sketch book on a somewhat daily basis. My goal is one page per day but as you can see here, the 17th & 18th ended up on one page and at times if life is really crazy I'll have up to a week of dates on one page but alas every day accounted for. So I'll try to share more sketchbook during my 'dry spells' = no wet paint.

I have also been sketching a lot digitally on my Cintiq doing prep work for pet portraits, design work for licensing and (all day today) working on illustrations for the Paws LA Pet ARt 9 invitation and a poster for Chicago Animal Care & Control's Fall Adoption Event.

Hopefully I'll be ready to paint tomorrow as I have several commissions to start - that's also about the time new things develop down in my studio. Yesterday I primed a whole new slew of wood cabinet doors so I am excited to slather some GOLDEN acrylics onto them as well. It's hard to remember that I need incubation time before I actually produce, because when I do produce it's usually a lot at one time. Instead I tend to just beat myself up for not painting often enough.

Emergency!

Illustration Friday

Theme = EMERGENCY

Today I digitally colored this drawing from my sketchbook created on August 15, 2001-I guess it's fitting that it's August 15th today as well. There was a fire in our neighborhood, a little girl went racing down our street on her bike yelling "Fire Fire Everywhere - Armitage & Milwaukee!" of course we had to go check it out,we met lots of other interesting late night spectators...lots of dogs too. There was not 'fire, fire everywhere' - just one building, but fairly large and the intersection of Western, Milwaukee and Armitage was blocked off so it was a big deal.