Blessed with Press...

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What a nice way to start off the New Year: Free Press! I received a phone call on December 27th from Sun-Times reporterCeleste Busk, asking to interview me for a story about artiststransforming their home work spaces. I thought, "hmmm...ironic? but no, I would like to transform a workspace but OUTside my home. She must have gotten my name because someone told her about my previous renovated studio space in Bucktown". (yes, in fact Maria Mariottini, my old neighbor and long time maven of the Bucktown Arts Fest). When I explained that we had not made any big changes for my workspace here on Washtenaw and that I was starting to research store fronts and spaces outside my home she said she'd need to check with her editor. She called back and said we'll still do the story and shape it to  your situation because we like and want to use the studio photos from your website. (Thank you Laura Nugent, who gave me the idea to take some working photos and post on site). She has great ones on flickr, check them out. So she based the article on past, current and potential future studio...I still have a lot of investigating to do, among locations, the old Cooper Lamp Factory on Diversey (less than a block away) is being converted into a green business building called the Green Exchange, that could be really cool. Big windows, loft space, close to home, parking for clients and eco friendly, there may be some retail too. I'm on the fence, I dream about working (above ground!) in a large sunny space but also would really like the retail storefront for public exposure. Is it possible to have both, have it close to home, affordable and dog friendly?! That's my order to the universe. So the photo is from the article, Potential that Pops, which appeared in the Real Estate section of the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday, January 4th. There are also photos online and this edited down version of the article.

Petey...Alice's 2nd cousin once removed?

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I subscribe to the Chicago Canine Rescue Newsletter, today's jarring statistic: Only 16% of owned dogs are adopted from animal shelters! I just can't get my mind around that number, it makes me very sad.

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This adorable guy, Petey, is available for fostering. He looks so much like Alice did at that age, breaks my heart. Izzy, our senior who we think turns 14 sometime this year(98 in dog years) has about all she can take with Alice careening around the house. The vet we adopted her from estimated her age at 9-12 months in November of 1995. So in the mean time, I'll just try to spread the word about all these sweet pups looking for homes. This is Alice the night she was brought to our home for fostering, she was about 3 months old...you can't get cuties like this from breeders.

New Year: New Adventure!

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Inspiration finally hit, I designed my New Years Cards today. I was in a funk, so I questioned and drew my way out of it. I almost abandoned the whole thing altogether, now it's time to write notes to all those great people who helped me out in 2007.. including you: Thanks for taking the time to read my blog..it's hard for me to do and I still feel shy and a bit strange about sharing in this format, but maybe I'll get brave and surprise you with some thrilling entries in 2008! 

Gingerbread Addition...

We left Chicago on Sunday afternoon and headed up to rural Warrens, WI to visit my Mom & her husband Bill for Christmas....the road conditions were pretty treacherous, our usual 4 hour drive took six and a half hours. We awoke on Monday morning in their retreat-like log home nestled in the woodssurrounded by snow covered trees and more Blue Jays then I've seen in a long time. After a good morning work out of shoveling snow we headed inside for breakfast and our 3rd bi-Annual Gingerbread House Project (note to Carl that is the infamous Blue Shovel).

It's been 2 years since we did this and I didn't have time to get any supplies - Mom said not to worry, she had everything we needed as she presented me with the pre-fab house kit that she bought at the store. It was already baked and stuck together! I said "we have to build something, they took all the fun out of it". I then realized we could use this little pre-made cabin portion as a base and create an addition! We made templates out of cardboard and Bill (a retired home builder of many years) consulted. I traced and cut the walls from the gingerbread dough then baked them. They got a little warped and some were thicker than others, we knew early on we might have some structural issues.Our first batch of icing was too thin, this also contributed to the problems. As you can see it took many hands to put this together.
Mom did a beautiful job decorating the front, I was distracted by falling walls and only managed to get half a coconut roof, and the backside done. Bill ran down to his shop and cut us a little piece of wood to help support the roof...we should have stopped while we were ahead: our roof was falling in. We raced to get a photo before the crash. Now we know how to do it next time...(we will use a drill and use bamboo skewered beams). It still was great fun and as many art teachers have told me, sometimes it's more about the process and the journey than the end product. We laughed a lot and had a good time, I was impressed that it worked up to the point that it did.We went on to have a lovely Christmas Eve with more family and 3 crazy dogs running around.

As Seen on The ispot...

I did it! I am now represented on the ispot Illustration Portfolio Website. Of course I do not know if I chose the right images but I can change and edit them at any time. I'm still on the fence regarding getting a rep (this is one of the reasons I was holding off on putting my work up, I didn't want to do it without getting a rep first). Almost every illustrator I spoke with said, you can do it on your own...I reply that I have a hard time asking for $ and worry about contractual issues. Guess I'll have to wing it...!

p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n . . .

I'm so close to being done with my holiday commissions (5 already shipped)....it would really only be what? maybe one or two more hours of work and I would be done. (this photo was from yesterday, can't show you the piece with the name just in case) These last 2 are not being picked up until next week. But how can I truly relax and enjoy the holiday if I know I'm not really done? I'm so tired, burnt out I guess - Rich reminded me that I have not had clay class or any other non-commission related creative outlet so yeah, really unbalanced at this point. Looking forward to making gingerbread houses with my Mom on Christmas Eve Day, our every other year tradition when we spend Christmas together...these will be houses 5 & 6, we get better every year. Next year I would like to design and bake my own house, we use the prefab kits but add our own decorations. The other thing I'm not doing that I should...and must! get my images up on the ispot illustration website. I signed up and paid for this almost a year ago and if I do not get my images uploaded I forfeit my money and page! How could I have waited this long? well..give me a deadline and you will see. 

Okay, I went back down and 'finished' the painting, took the photo to email to my customer and just as I was turning out the light to come upstairs I glanced at the sketch and realized I did not do the  bone pattern border! argh?! so that's it for tonight, I'm going to make myself a little drink and relax with my sweeties. Bone pattern tomorrow...

Terrific Trades...Continued

This is the piece that I received in trade from my talented friend Kerry Rolewicz who now lives in Lincoln, Illinois where she and her husband are raising their 3 adorable young boys. We rarely see one another but she came up to do the One of a Kind Sale this year. She works with mixed media, charcoal and oil pastel - it looks fantastic on my Peacock Blue walls!

This necklace was created by my favorite jewelery artists and wonderful couple all around Sarah Stanton and Jay Kukor. We have been trading art for years and I have acquired some of the most unique and beautiful rings, bracelets and necklaces that I have ever seen. They use vintage buttons, typewriter keys and other interesting objects in their pieces. Below is another photo of their work: be sure to visit the website: SarahStantonDesigns.com

Open Studio Becomes Winter Wonderland

We had a busy day here yesterday...as usual, I forgot to take pictures while people were here! The weather was clear at the start but by the evening we were having a little snow storm - so beautiful...! We'll see how today goes it's very sunny and bright outside but the 6+ inches of snow we received over night will probably keep many folks in for the day. Either way, yesterday's sales made it more than worth the effort, and it was fun to hang out with customers, family & friends, my Dad & his wife are here visiting from Wisconsin. We had an excellent dinner at Buona Terra last night and take out from Friendship Restaurant on Friday - our new asian favorite - found on YELP.