Kitty Genius

The Tiny Original Series

Introducing the tiny original series. These are one of a kind 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch original illustrations on card stock. And what do you know they are here!!! Since all my prints are $20 I thought it would be nice to have something in my shop that's only $10...and I really really like drawing them.

Not much has been going on here, except the HEAT!!! I'm gearing up to go the once a month half off sale at my favorite thrift store. It's only half off on clothes, but they have tons of dresses and skirts...I'm almost given up on finding great t shirts. At least for me. I'll look for Drew. Drew if you're reading this I know...you don't need more t shirts, but now you can throw out some of the crappy ones :)

I'm so sad that I don't have any friends that like thrifting. Don't get me wrong 9 times out of 10 I like going on my own..but I really miss my sister living in town because she loved going to thrift stores as much as me. Now everyone wants me to look for them, but they just don't want to have to go...

And while I'm on that subject, working nights leaves me kind of lonely in the days these days. I guess the answer is for both drew and me to quit our jobs and do art stuff all day long..after working out in the morning and having a leisurely cup of coffee at Meshuggah (our favorite coffee place conveniently located three feet from us). And in the evening we will have a tv marathon of shows on dvd or hang out with friends...and while we're at it...jeans will fit me perfectly...the waist will be high, the butt pockets will be low, and there will be not one speck of fake fading...I think the place I'm describing is heaven...

But I'm Wearing My Party Dress

Can't...type...must watch dvds...of Veronica Mars

Oh yeah...and she's here.

Knitty Knitty

This little illustration I call Knitty Knitty...it's done with pen and sumi ink on super heavy stock 9x12 paper...The original is for sale in my shop right now.

It's been kind of a sucky week plagued with printing problems...that really caused some back up with orders..well only two to four days...but that's enough to freak me out.  All is well again. It's funny as soon as the printing problems began I had the fewest orders in my shop that I've had in month and although normally that would disappoint me, it was actually such a relief...I'm back now so it may turn into disappointment...hmmm...

And in a few weeks pixelgirlshop  will be carrying my prints. They contacted me a few weeks ago, I sent some samples out, and I'm really excited about it. I like the selection in their fine art section and I'm really looking forward to being a part of it. I believe the prints I sell through them will be on heavy stock paper not the canvas paper. I have absolutely no idea what to expect in sales. I think it's a fairly safe system of mine to have low low low expectations with things like that so that everything is a pleasant surprise...I find it far less saddening than the other.

And I might be collaborating with a friend of mine who does silk screening to put a few totes in my etsy shop. I think I will just start with five. I have an embroidered tote that I made for myself a couple months ago, but it was rather labor intensive. After printmaking classes I don't think I ever want to do the the printing for myself...but I am happy to do a joint project with a friend who loves printing.
I think 'Boy Meets Girl' will have to be a tote. It's a print that hasn't sold on etsy yet..but it really is my favorite..and a favorite among my friends..so if nothing else I think I want a tote to put my Laptop and art stuff in....oh wait ok..this is what an idiot I am...up until..oh three months ago, I was calling my laptob..a labtop...Drew finally called me out on it...I was floored..both that it was lap and that I really really really amaze myself some times. To answer your question..yes I know it sits on your lap..but lab is easier to say and seems sciencey and futuristic...which I guess is what I was thinking about computers. ....Anyway...have a great weekend..I may be back..and this week I promise to get more prints up!!!

PREPOSTEROUS says the monster

Hehehe...that's the name of the newest painting in my shop. I finished him yesterday...even though he had been 99.9% completed before that..but I had to fill in for someone a few shifts at work and had family stuff and just obligations in general that have put everything on hold..including posting for a few days.

In fact, my best friend Loren was having a group of about 8 or 9 people over tonight and last minute I told her I just couldn't go. I didn't want to disappoint her, but I'm feeling overwhelmed so I really wouldn't be good company anyway, blah blah blah. Anyway, after thinking about it I really really did want to go and spend a rainy evening on the second floor in  Loren's cozy apartment with her french doors, that lead to her tiny balcony, open.  Watching her neighbors almost get in a physical altercation because one car decided to park in the middle of a one way street and the other car couldn't get around it. Have Loren's boyfriend angrily tease her for smoking.  Spend quality time with a friend who is having a very hard time with a recent break up, and to top things off...catch my hair on fire...BIG TIME.

But truthfully, it was laughter and beer (no beer for me) filled and I had such a good time. I don't even care that the right side of my hair is now about 7 inches shorter than most other parts of my hair. It was worth it. I didn't get anything I NEEDED to get done tonight and won't have any free time until Friday, and ate way too much hummus and cookies...but still...laughing alot is just too good to pass up.

If You Only Knew

Oh my I am happy to report I am busy busy...and I think I owe a big thank you to all of you. Whether you have purchased a print, left a comment, or just peeked at my blog once or twice it all makes such a big difference! So a heart felt thank you.

Because of a pretty big (in my small world anyway) interest, I'm forcing myself to work on some "originals" for my shop and resume and just as a personal challenge. I love painting and drawing but I like what it looks like "tweaked" in photoshop usually more. I don't know if it's because I struggle to have confidence in my work just standing on it's own. That I have to hide behind another process. That may be partially true. But I believe aesthetically I just enjoy things that look like they could have been torn from a magazine...a bit glossy or polished...I just LOVE prints...usually more than I like anyone's (not talking just about my own) originals. i know many many people look down at art that isn't an original..but I have to ask the question..if I meant for it to be digitally colored the whole time, then isn't the print that is the result actually the original? Would it be the original if I only ever printed out 1 versus 50? Something to think about. And I'm not trying to sound like anyone is giving me shit about my work..quite the contrary. These are just thoughts and questions I've struggled with for awhile and I'm sure I will continue to.

Anyway, some of my work is out in L.A. at gallery revisited and I was just told that three of my embroidered illustrations sold yesterday alone!! I'm so so so happy. And some really cool online shops have contacted me and soon I will be collaborating with a group of artists that design wallets and I pod cases to do a series. Over the holidays they had an order 0f 3400 pieces for Urban Outfitters alone. I think I'm still in shock. And lastly, I hope to be a part of a group show that the lovely Susan is putting together at her gallery. Please check out her great blog.

The painting above is done with acrylic and sumi ink (gotta love sumi ink) on 11x14 canvas board. I don't know how it looks on your monitor but the painting is a nice brightish pink. It tool longer than I planned, but it was really enjoyable to do it. I've decided not to make prints of her because she isn't super cheap at $80 and I want the person who gives her a good home to know she is absolutely one of a kind. I'm going to do some more original paintings and I'll decide when I do those if I also want to make prints out of them. Decisions decisions.

I hope everyone's trying to stay healthy. The HORRIBLE 10 day cold I had is apparently going around. I tried telling Drew I wasn't contagious...and well, oops he's really sick now. I should learn  to demand sympathy from a distance when I'm sick and not ask for hugs. Sorry Drew. I could write a whole post about breathe right mentholated strips. I swear they're the best!

Happy Friday all!

Hmmm

I'm working on this commissioned thing right now...I really really hope the woman I'm working with is going to like it..she's not sure if she is more interested in a pillow or original work or print. It's for two new baby gifts...boys obviously. So we'll see..If not ...back to the drawing board (my couch).

Once this is finished I might make it available in my shop both with and or without the text...hmmm

Two Little Ladies

These two ladies are now in my shop. The first one "Another Day" is the second in my "That Kind Of Day" series. "Windy Day" was the first and since people really responded to that one I thought I should offer a variety.

The second girl is "Hohum" and well that about sums her up.

We're Back From The Prom!

Well, we're back! In addition to makeup, bobby pins, and what not I brought a ton of cold medicine. Thank god! The prom was really really fun. It was about a 51/2 hour drive which I loved. There's nothing better than a long drive with good music and great company. The weather was chilly and overcast the whole trip which was quite wonderful. Too much sun gives me a HEADACHE and I'm on medicine that makes my skin and eyes super sensitive to the sun so I squint at everything.

I was going to go with a black dress, no surprise there, but the other week before I knew we were going, I was at the thrift store and fell in love with this semi-ridiculous, purple, satiny, 70's number. So not me! I chalked it up to thrift store hysteria (thank you Autumn and your college room mates for that phrase) and passed on the dress. But the day before we left I went back and it was still there. So,  I bought it..followed by some serious control top pantyhose. And I thought if I'm meant to wear this dress I need to find comfortable white (yeah I said white) flats or heels...low and behold I found a pain of 10w flats at the thrift store across the street. Perfect! They would be comfortable and my feet could swell as much as they wanted throughout the night!

I brought a backup dress, but as you can see I wore the purple one. That's Henry, Drew's friend's sweetie, in the foreground.

I will say this...I choose to believe my arms did not look nearly so beefy in real life...It's important that I think that.

and here's Drew hangin' loose in his little suit and fancy Versace tie.

And that's was our room! It's the old scoreboard room I guess. Originally we were in the 4th grade classroom of the elementary building...but that had three bunk beds in it...can you say roommates? But when the d.j. didn't show (don't worry there was music eventually) we got his room. It was tiny and wonderful...the only down side the music played the whole night. But what can you expect when you SLEEP at a dance?

Again, I don't think these pictures do it justice. It looks like a boring old school...but it was quite charming, with interesting guests. And the couple who hosted it were so kind and cooked amazing amazing food...I'm still thinking of the brunch they made on Sunday.

Throughout the rest of the year the classrooms are artists studios/living spaces. You can go down there for a couple of months and just concentrate on your shit with few frills but alot of personality. I think it's a really good idea. They're going to be working with Washington University in St. Louis.

The drive back was fun too...although I kept saying "I just want a bean burrito from Taco Bell" which I got along with a Mountain Dew the size of my head...it was a bittersweet decision I 'm regretting a bit today. But aren't road trips all about junk food?

Aahh..I think that's it for now...I have a ton of stuff to do and would love to get a few things posted in my shop tonight...we'll see about that one. I can say with a fair degree of certainty..if there's a prom next year I want to go back!

A Few More

Here are the other two of my mini portraits. Besides for "Reaching Out To You" I think this little red one might be my favorite.

Absolutely nothing new is new with me, unless you count my newly disgusting apartment. I'm naturally a very messy person, I can admit that. But over the years I've really tried to get my act together. I think like many messy people I have no problem cleaning, but MAINTAINING is an entirely different issue. It feels like one minute your space is clean and the next it is disgusting, and I find myself asking "how did I miss the signs that it was going in this direction?" But I do try I swear, especially because I have the fear of god in me that my landlord (whose has a tendency to do this) is going to pop by at any minute. And because...well I do take pride in wear I live and the things I own.

I know it won't take long to clean this place. Last week I did a super giant cleaning of mopping floors, washing base boards, and other detail stuff. So, although this one is just picking up stray shopping bags and clothes I just don't have the energy. Let's hope the landlord doesn't stop by today for any reason and tomorrow this place will be spotless. And maybe, just maybe, I can "guilt" Drew into actually sweeping a floor or two, and I swear HE IS CLEANING THE BATHROOM THIS TIME!!!

Don't you just feel like EVERYTHING is gross when you're sick. Even if you're clean, you just want to shower. You want to lay in bed, but you want your sheets change. So, I'm extra hating a messy place.

Mini Portraits

Reaching Out To You

Boy Monster

So I've been wanting to make mini original pieces of art for quite some time...I love cardboard, I love wood, I love used paper and I will absolutely use those in the future and eventually for some bigger pieces. But right now I am in love with this card stock. The art store has an entire wall dedicated to it. It comes in all shapes and colors...oh the colors are so pretty and so many are so subtle.

I've made 6 so far but these two are the only ones photographed and in my shop. There's just something irresistible to me about small scale works, I guess that's why I love postcards so much. These measure 4"x5 1/2". I'm referring to them as my mini portrait collection. I hope people like them....I guess we'll see. I like the idea of some one owning my work, but at the same time it not being too invasive in their space and clusters, clusters, clusters. I love artwork unframed in clusters, bulletin board style and these remind me of that. Oh, and here's another one...although not in my shop yet.

And I should mention I think they look better in person than in these photographs....I would write more but I was feeling like maybe I would get sick...maybe... and now it's full blown sick grossness. I'm trying to pep myself up before work...or at least find kleenex to bring with me.