Dusty Rose...larger than life!
The initial sketch for this Pet Portrait Painting of Lapso Apso, Dusty Rose, was a gift from a wonderful neighborhood client, Ben to his wife Amanda (see below). It was very well received, Amanda then had the opportunity to have me tweak the colors, patterns, etc to her liking, before I created the final painting (shown above with Ben & Dusty Rose who is as sweet as she looks and often stops in for treats on her walk.
Twenty years ago today....
...I became a Chicagoan. I'm re-posting a blog entry I wrote on my 17 year anniversary of moving to this city of big shoulders:
Posted 9/7/07: "Seventeen years ago today, I moved to Chicago. 1990, age 23, no job,
knew 2 people, none close friends, with the exception of an ex-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!"
Bucktown Wrap Up...
Had an awesome corner spot at the Bucktown Arts Fest this year...thanks, Maria! Met some lovely new customers and had a great time next to artists' Danielle Crilly and Christie Chew-Wallace....across the aisle wonderful jewelers' Veronica Riley Martens and Deanna Rose.
Did some fabulous art trades trades with Sara Lenart...my Number 3 Pendant made from a pool ball, so cool!
And these lovelies from Veronica Riley Martens:
And bought this great coffee mug from Ed Brownlee:
Hope you all have a great Labor Day Weekend!
Roscoe Village Street Banner Campaign...
At long last, the street banners I designed will soon be hanging throughout Roscoe Village. The Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce recently rolled out the banner ad campaign to area businesses. I look forward to seeing them up around the neighborhood and sharing some photos with you!
15 Years Ago...
Saturday & Sunday, August 28-29, 11am-dusk
Always a Wonderfully eclectic mix of Art Performance, Food & Fun!
Come see me on the South West Corner of Belden, Booth #15
A peek at my sketchbook...
So much to share and so little time to blog. In the mean time, here's a little peek at my sketchbook from earlier this month...drew this in Minneapolis over the course of an afternoon at the Uptown Art Fair. Note the bottom of the page 'I got lost last night'....(no, I do not have a gps and I have the most basic of old fashioned cell phones). I like good old fashioned maps, but did I have one? Of course not ; ) I was trying to find my way back to my friend's house in St. Paul, exhausted from the heat, tired, starving and with a killer headache. I couldn't get ahold of my friend or Rich (back in Chicago), to check on-line. Did what we all had to do in the old days, stopped at a gas station and some lovely residents of St. Paul were happy to point me in the right direction after declaring 'you are WAY far from where you want to be'...always grateful for the kindness of strangers.
Uptown Art Fair this Weekend!
UPTOWN ART FAIR
Dates: August 6-7-8
Hours: FRI: Noon-8pm SAT: 10am-8pm SUN: 10am-6p
Location: Lagoon & Hennepin
Uptown Neighborhood in Minneapolis
Looking forward to a beautiful drive and seeing collectors
and friends in Minneapolis...love this show!
Visit Anne on the Mall (North Side)
Booth #2119
More Details
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Catching up...and enjoying the journey.
Wow..July FLEW by! Things have been super busy and I've been on the go, August promises even more of the same...so for day to day updates, you are always welcome to visit or join my Facebook ALF Studio Fan Page. 
I've been trying to live a more balanced life this summer which means not working ALL the time which has been my m.o. for about as long as I can remember. This means getting home from the studio at a reasonable hour on the nights that Rich has free, committing Sundays to our tandem bike excursions on weekends that I don't have art fairs, visiting and catching up with friends, just doing what is most necessary in the studio, no more 'super anne'...why has it taken me so long to learn that I'm never going to get to the end of my to do list, and that any goal I reach will only be replace with another? There truly is no destination, so it's time to focus on the journey. If I ever get brave enough to get a tattoo this would probably be a good theme to work with. I've been here before and always get side tracked...no more...time to start living in the present (feel free to remind me!).
Here are some pictures from the last few weeks...
Top one: Sparta - Elroy Bike Trail...Rich and I took a beautiful ride to Wilton on the 4th of July, the tunnels were even better than I remember (Sparta is the town that I grew up in). 
Made some fun new little paintings for the Geneva Art Fair.
This is Gracie...the daughter of a very dear client, at the Geneva Art Festival.
Driving back to the city after the show...there was a beautiful full moon...
My good friend Laura Nugent stayed a few days after the art fair...it was great fun and we really enjoyed the Reverend Howard Finster Show at the Cultural Center, very inspiring! You should definitely check this out if you are a folk art fan.
Laura's toe nails are the same color as the wall she is standing in front of!
I'm happy to report that Alice
seems to be getting back to her silly self...the last 2 months without
Izzy have been hard on her. We've had a lot going on while Alice's
schedule has not been so exciting. Hoping to find her a foster pal in
the fall when all the show hoopla is over.
I just re-hung my windows (long overdue!) for this weekend's Retro on Roscoe...I will actually be in Minneapolis for the Uptown Art Fairbut Amanda and Match will be here if you are out and about and want to stop in!
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