Dear Weekend

My Client's Sports Themed Nursery

2011-01-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

I was very excited to see these photos in my inbox today. An expecting couple asked me to do a set of 4 paintings to span the wall behind their crib. I completed the paintings and gave them some suggestions for additional items to buy for the room. The finished product looks great!

You can see the paintings on the left, above the crib. The red, metal stars add to the vintage vibe.

You can see that the paintings match the client's baby blanket.

I also suggested that they get a framed chalk board to go with the sports theme.

New Dessert Paintings

2010-11-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

A Sports Themed Nursery

2010-11-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

I am almost done with a set of 4 paintings for a sports themed nursery. Here are some cute items that would also look great in the baby's room:

Where to Buy:

1. Red Antique Stars: Pottery Barn Kids

2. Red Number Hooks: Pottery Barn Kids

3. Wire Laundry Basket: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

4. Hand Sewn Football Pillow: Etsy Store: OscarANDTheodore

5. Vintage Sports Penants: Land Of Nod

6. Industrial Numbered Baskets: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

7. Wicker Baskets with Chalkboard Label: Pottery Barn Kids

Illustrator/Artist I Love - Curly Girl Designs

2010-11-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

I recently saw one of this artist's collages on a friend's blog and thought, I LOVE that quote. I love when are makes you smile with words as well as color & fun.

Print by Curly Girl Design

Food Artists - Bompas & Parr

2010-10-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Check out this cool molded Jello (or Jelly in England) by British food artists, Bompas & Parr.

Motivate Me!

2010-10-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything: I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.
Sometimes when I'm stuck in the middle of a challenging art job, or trying to get motivated to start a new job I can come up with a dozen reasons why I SHOULDN'T take some kind of action and I feel stuck in the "I just don't want to do that" zone. I can become annoyed with work and careers in general, wonder why I am doing what I'm doing, if it will lead to anything, and on and on.

When I am stuck in one of those negative mindsets here are some things I do to get back to work:
1. Make A List of small, easy steps to take and cross them off when done, ie:
- Get out supplies and set up table
- Do rough sketches for 1 hour (sometimes I even set a timer, which helps mentally)
- Scrub in basic colors on canvas
- Take a 20 minute break
2. Listen To Music or TV while working - this tricks me into thinking that I'm not really doing "work"
3. Step Away: take a 30 minute walk or nap - sometimes changing it up physically with rest or exercise can change your mindset.
4. Go To The Art Store: Buying new supplies, even if it's just a couple new brushes can inspire.
5. Go To The Bookstore or Library - Viewing other people's art in books and magazines helps motivate me.

What do you do to get motivated?

Fashion for the Work At Home Artist

2010-10-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Even though we work at home, we still have to make daily fashion decisions!

1. Gap T-Shirts - $19.50 each (sometimes $9.99 when on sale) - super comfy and cute enough to leave the house in. Cheap enough that if you get paint on them it's ok.
2. Sanuk Vagabonds - the most comfortable shoes ever. They feel like a slipper but you can where them to the store. $48.00
3. Fab Basic Cardigan at Forever 21 - Cheap, colorful coverups only $11.50.
4. Old Jeans - The best way to re-use old jeans - paint in them. Added bonus - when you wear them out with paint on them, people think they are fashion statements! Ha!
5. Ring Holder - Don't forget to take off your rings and jewelry before painting. This Elephant Ring Holder from Urban Outfitters is cute and only $12.00!

Best Bite Bought: Cocoa Powder

2010-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is a new weekly blog feature that I'll be writing to point out some of the most delicious and unique foods, snacks, candies and ingredients that are available to buy in almost any city or online. All of these entries will be based on my humble opinion so don't freak out if you buy something and don't like it. If you have some kind of food fave that you'd like me to include, just email me or comment me with ideas.

The first thing I have to post about is the most amazing Cocoa Powder I have ever tried. First let me tell you that I am a Cocoa Powder fiend. I put it in yogurt, cottage cheese, coffee as well as sprinkling it on special desserts. I even add it to Nestle Hot Cocoa packets to make them more potent. My favorite cocoa powder concoction involves 1 container of Fage Greek Yogurt, 1 or 2 tbsp of cocoa powder & 1 tbsp of agave syrup. This treat is so thick, sweet and it's also low in calories!

So the BEST Cocoa Powder that I bought recently is E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge Cocoa Powder. I was very pleasantly surprised that this brand doesn't have the typical bitter cocoa powder taste - it almost tastes like regular chocolate. It's ultra fine, almost airy and it has a deep, red color that looks so pretty on desserts.

It is a little bit more expensive than regular cocoa powder but it's so worth it! I got mine at Sur La Table, which has a location near my home as well as an online store. If you are a cocoa powder lover like me, please try this brand of cocoa powder - you'll be a convert, I promise!

My First Crack At A Professional Illustration Job

2010-10-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks were exhilarating, challenging and exhausting. I completed my first major commercial illustration job and boy did I learn a lot! I anticipate my next jobs to be a lot easier because I learned so much from the process and through working with an amazingly patient client. I'm not sure if I can post the final paintings yet but I can highlight the most important things I learned from doing this project.

6 Takeaway Tips From My First Illustration Job:

1. Take Time To Evaluate Your Artistic Process: When evaluating the job at hand try to plan out exactly HOW you are going to complete the job and what tools you'll need to do your best work. Then discuss your process with the client and ask for any tools or extra time you'll need. Don't let your process be a surprise to the client. For example: Will you need detailed reference photos? Will you need real life references? Will you have to do a lot of extra leg work to research or prep for the project? How long will each painting really take? How long will each revision take? All of these questions are important to think through because if you get to the middle of the project and realize you don't have all the tools you need or the time you need, you'll feel stuck.

2. Consult with a Pro Prior To Signing Contract: Talk to another commercial Illustrator before taking the job to learn about what the process is like and what to include in a contract.

3. Consult with A Pro To Keep Your Head on Straight: During the job you might feel isolated and frustrated and have no one to consult with when you question or doubt yourself. Don't bother your husband or your mom - they won't get it. Try to contact other illustrators throughout the process so you can vent to someone who really understands what you are going through. I received some great tips from illustrator, Karyn Servin, while I was working on my project. She also helped relieve some of the stress I was feeling.

4. Take Time Off: Give yourself time to step away from the project and force yourself to think about things other than the job. While it is necessary to give 110% to the job, it's important to remember that you'll do better work when you are healthy, happy and enjoying life. At first I was trying to work every day, all day, and I thought about the project around the clock. Finally when I started taking appropriate breaks and gave myself time to breathe, I ended up producing better work and enjoying the process more.

5. Don't Be A Mind Reader: This is sooo important. I don't know how many times I jumped into a new leg of the project without being 100% clear on what the client was looking for. I THOUGHT I knew what they were looking for but it wasn't until I asked very specific questions and got very specific feedback, did I realize what to do.

6. Don't be stubborn: At the end of the day, even if you don't think a painting needs a brushstroke here or extra color there, listen to what the client wants and just do it to the best of your ability. This isn't about what you like, it's about what THEY like.

This list could go on and on because I did learn a lot. But all this learning is making me itch to get started on another project. So I'll leave you with these 6 tips - I hope they help!

Food Photo Shoot: European Desserts

2010-09-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hope you are having a great weekend! I have been baking and taking pictures of desserts to help me illustrate Tiramisu, Caramel Panna Cotta and Profiteroles. Here are some shots from my work today:

Tiramisu with whipped peaks lightly dusted with cocoa powder

Caramel Panna Cotta or Creme Caramel

A cool shot of the Caramel Panna Cotta on my porch

Oreo Tiramisu!

This last shot is Tiramisu for two - made especially for my husband and I to enjoy tomorrow on our 1 year wedding anniversary!!

Pretty Package Designs

2010-09-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Currently I have package design & illustration on the brain since I was recently hired to paint some desserts for the New Zealand food brand, Pams. I am so thrilled to be working on this project and have become more interested in ogling food package designs on the web. Here are some neat designs that caught my eye:

Elizabeth Vereker's rebranding of a wine I tried in high-school (only once or twice!) - Boone's Farm. I found this on a cool package design blog, TheDieLine.

Check out these Swedish gummi candy bags designed by Amore. The expression on the mouse's face denotes either sweet or sour candy. Those scrunched up eyes on the sour mouse are so cute!

Here's a pretty package for one of my favorite condiments: ketchup. Ketchup gets a lot of action in my house and since it often sits on the table, I should probably upgrade to something more stylish, like this gourmet version I found on Lovely Package:

Gotta Get Back To Work

2010-09-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

Why is it so hard to get back to work after a long weekend when you LOVE what you do? I found help for this dilemma on one of my favorite art/illustration blogs: Escape From Illustration Island. While I was procrastinating and blogging, I came across this post about getting back into the groove after vacation. (Made me think I should be working instead of reading blogs). Luckily I found these tips helpful and will be back to the grindstone tomorrow! Escape From Illustration Island is a must follow if you are a commercial artist or illustrator. Check it out, then get back to work!

On My Way To The Great North West

2010-09-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my husband and I leave for his home town of Tacoma, Washington. It's a cute town and on a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier in the distance.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to take some photos, like I did the very first time I went to Tacoma/Seattle with Brad, when we were newly dating...

Despite it being a tourist trap, I LOVE Pike's Place Market in Seattle!

On Friday we're going to the Puyallup Fair. And everyone tells me I gotta try the scones. I hope it's sunny so I can take a picture that will look like this:

Puyallup Fair - Puyallup, WA - 9-25-05 - jimvid's Photos

And maybe I'll even go on the Roller Coaster, (before eating the scones). So pray for sun so I can snap lots of photos and return with beautiful pictures to post.

Artist I'm Drawn To: Amy Casey

2010-09-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a new blog series called "Artist I'm Drawn To." The series will feature all different types of artists with the main criteria being that I saw and really dug their art. Hopefully this will introduce you to some new art to bookmark, talk about and even purchase.

This past weekend I went to Art San Diego - Contemporary Art Fair. This show featured galleries from around the world and in my opinion the art was 10 times better than what I've seen at local art walks. One artist that caught my eye was Amy Casey, represented by the Rosenthal Gallery in San Francisco.

Amy's 2010 paintings that were shown at the fair were a series of houses & buildings strung from twine and bound together in messy piles. It reminded me of a mix between a Doctor Seuss illustration and a delicate drawing by Andrew Wyeth (like this one). On Amy's website she said that this work was meant to "reflect the view of the nervous state of affairs the world seems to be in. Inspired by natural and unnatural disasters, personal fiascos and the never ending stream of bad news coming from the media." Hmmm. Sounds like the book I am reading - Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America. ANYHOO... Here are some of her paintings:

Interdependence - Acrylic on Panel

Anchored - Acrylic on Paper

Guarded Premises - Acrylic on Paper

So what do you think of this art? Comments please!

A Surprise Painting For My Dad

2010-09-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of my Dad rowing on the St. Lawrence river in northern New York. While I can take credit for painting it, I can't take credit for the thoughtfulness of Tom Taylor, our family friend who commissioned me to paint it as a gift to my Dad. Check out Tom's new photo blog. Hopefully he'll send me more photos to paint - it looks like he has an eye for capturing beautiful scenery.

Photographer Annie Liebovitz

2010-08-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

This Saturday night my husband and I watched the documentary, Annie Leibovitz - Life Through A Lens. It was an enjoyable look at a famous magazine photographer who's had a lot of unique experiences. I didn't know much about her until I saw this doc and I was amazed by where her work has taken her from traveling with The Rolling Stones to photographing John Lennon just hours before his death. Definitely a great doc to watch - you won't be bored.

Here are some of Annie Liebovitz's famous photos:

1. John & Yoko, 2. Whoopi Goldberg, 3. Nicole Kidman

Color Palette: 50's Kitchen Wallpaper

2010-08-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

The hunt for color palette ideas always leads me to great websites and images on the web. Currently I am working on a collection of paintings with a vintage kitchen theme. I am focusing on the 1950s because I love the appliances from that decade and I love the primary colors in a lot of the wallpaper.

One site I found that sells over 1000 vintage wallpaper patterns is Second Hand Rose. Here are some samples:

Wallpaper from the "Kitchen Wallpaper" series

Art Sales Success Story: Selling Art in a Cafe

2010-08-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

One question I get a lot is: "How have you sold most of your art so far?" People want to know what sales avenue has worked best for me in this beginning phase of my art career. While a lot of things have started to fall into place, one successful venue has been putting my artwork up in a cafe.

When I started selling my art 7 months ago, one of my marketing/sales strategies was to get my work up in local cafes or shops to increase my visibility. This last week I sold off all but 1 painting from a local cafe and I am pretty pleased. I have been trying to analyze what went RIGHT to make this happen and I have a few ideas. Here is what worked for me:

1. I cold-called about 10-20 places that I thought would be a good fit for hanging my art. I used a phone script and left a lot of voice messages. Luckily I heard back from a bunch of shops.
2. Of the people who got back to me, I made sure that the owners did not want to take any commission and I visited the cafes to see if there was a lot of traffic. I also asked if prior artists had sold much artwork.
3. Just Go For IT! I was nervous for my first cafe set up being "perfect" but I knew I had to just get my stuff out there. The first place I chose was a cute cafe with a lot of traffic but I didn't sell anything. This was because of the cafe location - a student/younger adult neighborhood. I don't think people at this particular cafe had money OR owned homes. Definitely choose a place in a neighborhood filled with people who are 35 plus and own homes.
4. Learning through trial and error: I committed to staying at the first cafe for only 1 month. This was a good decision since I didn't have any sales and was able to move on quickly. I was able to learn a lot about how to display the art, the materials I would need and the time it takes. (Email me if you want more info on the set up process.)
5. Location is everything: My second location was an Ice Cream Shop called The Daily Scoop. Good things about this location: in an artsy neighborhood, in a neighborhood with homes, (not apartments), shop has a retro/crafty vibe and is known for displaying local art.

Photo Credit: David Olender

6. Self promotion on-site: I bought a plastic business card/flyer display at Staples and used it to display cards and a personal flyer (with info on my blog, etsy site, website, and a photo).

7. Success! Sure enough, at this new location, I have sold 7 out of 8 paintings that were displayed. My prints did not sell but I am finding that people want original, affordable art for their homes.

8. Follow up - I have contacted all the people who purchased my art at The Daily Scoop and have received additional sales from these collectors!

All in all, finding a good location is KEY to sales success at a cafe. The above steps worked for me and I'd love to hear what has worked for you! If you have any questions about the steps, please email me for details! Luckily I found a hot spot and I hope that it continues to be a profitable location. If not, I'll be sure to chronicle what NOT to do in a future post. :-)

Bagel Paintings Completed...pretty much

2010-08-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Two bagel paintings are done! I have to consult with the client to see if she wants a third painting and if she wants text on the bottom but so far these two are pretty much done...

Bagel Bird's Eye View, 8x8 on canvas

Bagel and Cream Cheese, 8x8 on canvas

Bagel Painting Part Deux

2010-08-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

So on Friday I worked on the small bagel paintings based on my photos. I worked at my kitchen table...

which is now my workspace of choice since I can listen to the TV and paint at the same time. For me the TV thing works mainly because I use it as a motivational trick to get me to start painting. If I didn't have the pull of Regis &Wendy Williams I might procrastinate my studio time. It also provides me with needed breaks while I am painting. I almost never get up to watch it unless something really juicy is going on.

For now, my kitchen is my primary studio space. What does your studio space look like??

Bagels on The Brain

2010-08-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

While I've been painting bagels all day my mind has been jogging down bagel memory lane. I have a long history with bagels as serving them was my first job ever. I was gainfully employed at age 16 at the DeWitt Bagelry in my hometown of DeWitt, NY. The bagels we sold there were FOR REAL, east coast, water boiled bagels with a crisp crust and a soft, chewy inside. Not bread-y or cake-y at all! I probably ate 1 or 2 a day back in HS. Unfortunately the DeWitt Bagelry closed about 10 years ago due to the low carb craze and our enormous and amazing home town grocery store, Wegmans. Wegmans bagels are not FOR REAL but you can't help but love everything that comes from Wegs if you are from Central New York.

Wegmans - the place to BE in DeWitt, NY

My second encounter with amazing bagels were the steamed bagel sandwiches at CBA (Chicago Bagel Authority) in Lincoln Park, Chicago. I frequented this place in college and after college when I lived just north of downtown Chicago. Nothing cured a hanover like a soft bagel oozing with cream cheese AND regular cheese all melted together. Yum. Hmmm, how did I ever stay trim back in the day?

Most recently I've been sans bagels since I quit the rat race to become an artist. Back at my old radio sales job at KyXy 96.5, Friday was bagel day. If you didn't mind germs and torn apart bagel remnants (I didn't) the bagel box was a life saver in the office!

Evolution Of A Food Painting

2010-08-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

Step One: Photography
When I get a commission to paint something for someone's kitchen I first have to come up with a good photograph to work with. Although I could paint from a still life, I wouldn't want to leave food out for days and have the composition change or stink up my house. Today I am working on a painting of a bagel with cream cheese and these are some of my photos:

Dessert Girl

2010-07-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

By focusing my artwork on food I've had the chance to meet (through the internet) some foodies, food artists and food bloggers. I LOVE checking out their blogs, talking blog talk with them and helping to promote each others' blogs.

A really cool blogger, Dessert Girl, recently contacted me and asked if I could provide an illustration of a recipe that I tried. Luckily I had just painted the Flakey Apricot Scones that I wrote about in May. She was nice enough to blog about me and now it's my turn to blog about her.

Dessert Girl. "Where Design Meets Dessert," is a blog about sugar inspired foods and creative people who do things with dessert, like cooks, artists and illustrators. Her blog is playful, colorful and a chock full of interesting dessert things that she's found. I think she's realized the true essence of dessert - the part of a meal meant to be fun, lighthearted and cheerful. You should definitely visit her blog...and then get in the kitchen because you'll be inspired to make something sweet!

**The above cake is Dessert Girl's Heaven and Hell Cake with peanut butter mousse inside!!

Painting Problems and Memories

2010-07-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today I am working on a painting of a man rowing a boat. Rowing paintings always remind me of Thomas Eakins, an American Realistic painter of the late 1800's. I am pretty sure we had a print of this painting hanging in our house when I was young and I always thought that one of the men was my Dad.

A problem that I'm having with the painting are some of the reflections in the water. I like how Eakins' water looks so placid and the reflections are soft. Currently my reflections look kind of hard and "in your face". I hope to resolve this today. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Interview Series: Handmade Business Owners

2010-07-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Interview 2: Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.
It's been way too long since I did an interview post and I've been meaning to do this one for a while because the owners of this amazing bakery helped make our wedding so spectacular. I chose their bakery for our cake because they were so creative in person and their cake/icing flavors tasted amazing. So many people at our wedding went back for seconds on the cake! Elaine of Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. was nice enough to answer my interview questions below on how she and her partner started such a successful baking company.

Name: Elaine Palminteri Ardizzone & Donna Cellere
Business: Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.
Year business launched: 2007
Website: www.sweetcheeksbaking.com
Short description of what your business is: Specialty Cake Design and Wholesale Desserts

1.  What was the most important thing you did in the first year to establish yourself and gain enough momentum to persist? We did NOT take out a loan but started with very limited capital and worked with what we had. So we never had huge overhead. We spent minimal money but lots of facetime so that people learned who we were. We literally talked a lot (or I did, The Mouth) and talked our way into situations that would help us. We sought help from people with similar experience and took their advice when it seemed appropriate and deviated when it seemed better for us. In other words, we used our gut and ate PB&J a lot...

2.   Of the following things, which has been the most important to your business and why? ALL OF THEM:
a.  networking - Possibly the #1 thing here, absolutely, especially for the wedding industry. There are so many vendors out there, people will buy from whomever they LIKE more than whose product they like. You can find a decent product anywhere.

b.  putting in many, many hours - Key to success is not being afraid to work long hours when necessary, but sometimes taking time away is just as important.
c.  coming up with innovative ideas - This is very important when getting attention from the public eye, or else you sit stagnant with other established businesses. We offer our cake tastings in a unique way that separates us and cake ingredients and health that no other top quality cake designers offer.
d. something else please describe: Customer Service!!!

3.   What were you doing before you launched your business and why did you want to leave? Working for someone else...never again if we can help it. It's either in your blood or it's not to work for yourself.   You must be willing to take a pay cut or a complete lop-off of income for a while if you intend to open your own business. Income is not happiness, but it is critical to survival too...it's a balance.

4.  What has been the most unexpected challenge that you’ve faced so far? Being asked to be on FOOD Network out of the blue...for something that we did not already do (sell online for shipping). We had to fabricate packaging, a new website, online shopping cart, and speed of production for an item - all within 3 weeks! It was totally NUTS. But do you say "no" to the FOOD Network? Uh, duh...

6.  How long did it take before you felt like your business was successful in terms of having a strong, recognized brand, and in feeling financially comfortable?  About 2 years into business, when we had already hired 2 employees and felt we actually had some flexibility with our own time, we felt a bit more "settled." The biggest deal to me was hearing fellow industry leaders saying, "Wow, Sweet Cheeks Baking is all the rage! Everyone says such great things about you girls!"  That means a lot.

What helped you mentally persevere to get to that point? Our husbands. Thank goodness for the "team" mentality of a very strong relationship. They have helped us financially as well as emotionally and mentally, it's a gift.

7. Name 3 things that you think a creative business must have to be successful.

*Positive working relationship between owners (and staff, if you have employees).
*Fun and open flow of ideas

*Finances to offer the tools to your employees to do their jobs properly.

Thanks to Elaine and Donna for some great insight into their business!

Palette Potion

2010-07-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

I love mixing up paint colors so much. It feels to me like mixing a magic potion. You start with a little bit of one color, add a touch of another color and maybe a drop of one more color, mix it all up and voila - a new beautiful color appears. I love it!

Here is a blotch of a deep blue green that I mixed up yesterday. It made such a pretty design when I mixed it with turpentine so I took some photos. Don't these pictures make you think of the ocean??

Art I'd Like To Make

2010-07-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been pondering some ideas for large format paintings and also thinking of the ideal painting style I'd one day love to achieve. As for the idea, I'd love to tell a story with my paintings or show real life emotion, problems and situations. The style I'd love to achieve is hyperrealism. This type of painting is like photorealism but the paintings are based on photographs from digital cameras. The digital photos used for the paintings are toyed with or keyed up a notch through editing to make an image that is MORE than realistic. Then the painters paint the image, typically on a large scale canvas. There are many painters in this genre who I really admire. Maybe if I take a lot of classes and keep painting I'll be able to do this one day.

Here is one guy whose stuff I like: Eric Zener

Here is another painter: Alyssa Monks

Scenic Inspiration: The Anza Borrego Dessert

2010-07-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Brad and I took a road trip to Borrego Springs, CA this weekend. The tiny town of Borrego Springs is located in The Anza Borrego Dessert which is part of San Diego County. Our adventure was inspired by the need for sunshine and hot, summer weather, which we've been lacking on the San Diego coast as of late. This trip was very quiet and relaxing since the summer is when Borrego Springs is virtually a ghost town due to the temperatures in the 100s. We loved it. Here are some pictures from stops on our drive.

Scones And Chocolate Ice Cream Anyone??

2010-07-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

Scones and Chocolate Ice Cream don't exactly sound like a match made in taste bud heaven but they made a great pair of painting projects this week. I am happy to be done painting baby faces (I recently caved and did two baby portraits against my best judgement) and back to painting food!

When You Think Of Flag Paintings...

2010-07-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

Jasper Johns

Jasper Johns, Three Flags, 1958, Encaustic on canvas. Whitney Museum, New York

Jasper Johns, Map, 1961, Oil on canvas. Museum of Modern Art, New York

Jasper Johns, Flag, Encaustic, oil and collage on fabric mounted on plywood,1954-55

July 4th Food

2010-06-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite food memories from July 4th is Blueberry Buckle. Growing up, my best friend Emily's mom was a great cook and I loved being at their lake house in the summer for many reasons but partially because of the yummy homemade food. I remember coming back from a swim in the lake excited to sneak into the kitchen to see what Mrs. Taylor had been cooking. Sometimes there were homemade chocolate chip cookies and usually around the 4th there was Blueberry Buckle. Being from a primarily frozen-food household, I had never heard of Blueberry Buckle and loved the name almost as much as the taste. I have fond memories of the dessert and this year I'm going to try my hand at it. Mrs. Taylor was nice enough to email me her recipe:

Blueberry Buckle

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. Crisco (or oil)

1 egg

Combine sugar, crisco and egg; beat until smooth.

Combine dry ingredients as follows:

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Then, after mixing the dry ingredients thoroughly (so baking powder blends well),

add these to the creamed sugar mixture.

Then stir in 1/2 cup milk and

fold gently in 2 c. blueberries (washed & drained).

Spoon into a 9" square pan -- Sprinkle with topping.

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. soft butter (cut butter in with pastry blender until topping looks somewhat like cornmeal.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

My Regards To The 4th Of July

2010-06-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

The timing of this painting couldn't be better. Just in time for July 4th, I am brushing up on my flag painting skills!

July 4th is one of my favorite holidays because it ignites the spirit of summer and brings together family, good food and fun! Not to mention fireworks! Woo hoo! All this week until the 4th of July I'll be posting items related to July 4th.

My favorite memories of July 4th include Adirondack chairs lined up on the shores of The St. Lawrence River, pot-luck dinner parties on the docks, drinks that include tonic water, Carole Taylor's Blueberry Buckle, and of course sparklers!!

What are some of your favorite 4th of July memories?

Make Art Then Eat It...

2010-06-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

I saw these crayons at Lost At E Minor and noticed their bright colors. Then I read on to find that they are edible! They're made by Luxirare and their ingredients sound yummy: fruits, nuts, vegetables, chocolate covered sesame seeds and a marshmallow core. You can even draw with them! I wish I had these when I was a kid.

I'm Jealous of The Jealous Curator

2010-06-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

I just found an amazing blog called The Jealous Curator. She has a great eye for contemporary art and frequently posts new findings. I love her about section: There is one moment, in the first few seconds, when you look at a piece of art and know that you love it. It’s the moment when, if you’re an artist yourself, you look at it and feel a rush of uplifting inspiration… and total soul crushing jealousy all at the same time. It’s when you walk away thinking, “Damn, I wish I thought of that.”

So true, don't you think? Here is an artist profiled on The Jealous Curator that I am particularly jealous of: Lee Price

Is 'Work Of Art: The Next Great Artist' the Next Great Show or Not?

2010-06-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Did you catch the first episode of "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," on Bravo? Since I love art and am shamelessly addicted to reality "contest" shows, I of course tuned in. My take was that is was the "Project Runway" for aspiring artists. So far, I like the show for a couple reasons. One, it showcases visual artists in popular media which up until now has really been lacking. I think this show could make way for more artists and crafters to have shows on TV similar to all the cooking and fashion design shows. Two, I love contest shows. They really get me fired up into dream thinking mode where I think, "UGH, if those people can 'make it' then so can I!". Sometimes that's all I need to get my butt in gear for painting and other tasks that require more work than laying on the couch. That's also how I justify watching these shows - they are inspiration!! Good excuse I know.

So what did you think? The LA Times HATED it. But I think those newspaper art critics can be such art snobs. I say 3 cheers for visual art making prime time TV!

Here is my favorite artist so far: Abdi Farah

Licensing International Expo: A Newbie's Perspective

2010-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

One thing that I wanted to mark off my checklist before I began to work on an art licensing portfolio was to visit one of the big licensing expos to get a personal view of what the licensing world is really like. After visiting the Licensing International Expo in Vegas on Tuesday, I can say that the walk through was a great learning experience and it got me enthused to begin working on a portfolio. While I was successfully prepared for how to "walk" a trade show from art licensor Tara Reed's awesome Art Licensing Info website and E-book, How To Get Started In Art Licensing, I have returned with some additional tips and notes from my recent experience.
Summary
Overall I thought the Licensing Expo was very interesting and informative and best of all - FREE to attend. It was less art focused that I would have thought which made it take a lot less time than I had imagined. It made most sense for me to attend this Expo because that I live on the West Coast but I heard from many exhibitors that Surtex is much more art focused with over 2x as many art booths. At Licensing International Expo there were 70 booths comprised of individual artists, agencies and collaborative art groups all located in the Art & Design area. This is where I focused my energy for the majority of my time.
Walk Through
I got to the Expo right at 10:00 when it opened. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to carefully walk through the Art & Design area while picking up cards, talking to people and introducing myself when I had a chance. I was very careful to mind people's body language and keep quiet when I thought necessary. Some artists and agencies were more willing to chat than others. I gave out my cards when people asked. Cameras were not allowed so I had to stop and take notes often. Luckily there were a lot of sitting areas in between booths.

After I walked around the Art & Design area about 2 times I didn't want to seem like a stalker so I toured the rest of the show. This took about an hour. The rest of the expo was very engaging - there were entertainment booths the size of a Mc Donald's and movie characters walking around in costumes. There were a ton of executives who seemed to be doing deals right there on the floor. It felt a little like the show "Entourage" with a ton of good-looking, fashionable people talking about entertainment deals. Everyone was on their i-phone and/or computers. The vibe was very fast paced and business oriented. It was pretty neat.

After that I picked up a bunch of literature and free publications and headed out to get lunch. I didn't really have a reason to go back so I am glad that I booked my trip for only one day. It was definitely worth it because now I have a better understanding of agencies and what they are looking for. I also was able to take note of all the agencies and even made some contacts to follow up with. Now I can't wait to build a portfolio and get my licensing show on the road.
My Advice For Walking A Show:

Get there early so you can talk to people before they have their business appointments scheduled
Bring a folder and a notebook/pen so you can take notes and stash away all the cards you pick up
Be prepared with a short pitch about who you are and what kind of art you do. I was asked to describe my art about a dozen times and I wish I had had a more succinct speech.
Don't be afraid to ask questions but definitely excuse yourself if an exhibitor looks like they need to be tending to something else
Have a couple of good questions prepared
Dress professionally
Try to pick up as many free publications as possible because they contain all the exhibitors names as well as great licensing info

What I Heard From The Artists and Agencies:

Agencies are always looking for new work and new artists to review
Licensing is a great way to go if you want to make money as an artist
It's a tough job and requires a lot of hard work and tenacity
Definitely consult a lawyer before getting into any agreement
Times are tough right now and the industry is changing somewhat

I would definitely suggest going to a show like this if you have the time and there is a show relatively close by. If you have any more questions about my experience or have advice to add, please comment or email me.

Amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes That Are Good For You (kind of)

2010-06-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Brad and I had a barbecue dinner party for a bunch of our friends to kick off the summer. I made a ton of food including homemade pesto flatbread, bbq pulled chicken, sweet potato fries and of course, dessert! I have always wanted to try Red Velvet Cupcakes so I grabbed an old recipe from my files. The cupcakes turned out wonderfully! I didn't know it at the time of baking and eating that this recipe was from Cooking Light. I would NEVER have known this was a "light" cupcake recipe. Actually, the lightness probably added to why I liked them: they were fluffy and didn't feel like lead in your tummy after eating. Knowing that these were light, I am bummed that I banished the cupcakes away to my husband's office. Please let me know if you've had success with other light versions of desserts since now my home is cupcake free!

Here is the recipe and the Light Red Velvet Cupcake

Local Art Scene: Pearl St. in Denver's Washington Park

2010-06-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

River Sunset by Susan Bell

This weekend I got a chance to stroll down one of my favorite streets in Denver: Pearl Street in Washington Park. This street is lined with funky stores, yummy cafes and hip restaurants. It has a youthful yet posh vibe - kind of like a nice street in Chicago's Lincoln Park but with many more green trees and flowers. I poked my head into a small gallery to check out the local art and had a nice visit with one of the artists, Jess Covey. The Gallery, Bell Studio Gallery, is owned by Susan Bell but features a small number of other local artists who paint mainly in the representational style with only a few abstract/impressionistic pieces included. I really liked the variety of work, the price points and the friendly staff. I wish all galleries had a welcoming feel like this one did. If you're ever in the Denver area you should check out Pearl St. and the Bell Studio Gallery.

5 Days in Paris

2010-05-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to Paris was something I'll never forget. I was able to take in some of the big tourist sites while I also had time to wander around town like a local, checking out shops, patisseries and cafes. Not only was I inspired by the amazing architecture, gardens and artwork but in my return from Paris, I am inspired by the healthy, natural way people live over there. (ASIDE from all the cigarettes...cough cough!) I loved walking everywhere, eating real food (not from a box, packet or microwave pouch), using the Metro, drinking l'eau minerale with every meal. I did a lot of walking and exploring and here is the general summary of my trip.

5 Days in Paris:

Sunday - We got in around noon and went to our first hotel, Le Meridien Etoile, near the Arc De Triomphe and the Palais Des Congres, where Brad's business meeting was. We were on an adrenaline kick so we hit the pavement to explore the surrounding area. We walked to the Arc De Triopmphe and then down to the Champs Elysee. On the Champs, an intersting thing was going on - they had closed the road to cars and filled the street with trees, grasses and flowers to promote eco awareness. It was madhouse with a bunch of curious Frenchies all pressed like sardines trying to look at the grasses. It was hilarious and interesting because it was mainly filled with Parisians. Great people watching! Next we walked to the Eiffel tower and took pictures/did some more people watching. I had forgotten that Paris has such a diverse population which I love. It makes the city so interesting and colorful. With that in mind, we had dinner at an authentic and popular Moroccan restaurant called Timgad. It was really good!!

Eiffel Tower and Place du Trocadero

Monday - Since the French Open was going on, we took a cab out to Roland Garros with the hopes of getting in but all the tickets were sold out! In past years, when they didn't sell tickets online, you could just walk up and buy a ticket but that has changed. It was still cool to see the Tennis crowd. We took the cab back to Paris and went to the Sacre Coure and had crepes in Montmartre. It was fun and Montmatre is charming but it is also sooo touristy these days. We also moved to a new hotel on Monday - the Prince De Galles in the 8th arrondissement on Avenue Georges V, near Champs Elysee. The area around the Champs Elysee is touristy but also diverse and very pretty. There are big streets with big name shops, like Louis Vuitton and Hermes but there are also cute side streets with smaller bistros, art galleries and beautiful architecture. Our hotel was right next to the Four Seasons Paris and I spotted a celebrity sports reporter, Mary Carillo, who I love. Of course I talked to her!

View from Victor Hugo's Apartment at the Place Des Vosges in Le Marais

Tuesday - I took the Metro to Le Marais distict to see the Musee Picasso and to check out the neighborhood, which I read about on the Oh Happy Day blog Paris Guide. Unfortunately the Picasso Museum was closed for renovations but it didn't matter because Le Marais was sooo cool. I took a ton of pictures of the architecture, the gardens and the charming streets. I loved the Places Des Vosges and Victor Hugo's Apt. I ate lunch at a cafe on Rue Vielle Du Temple and did some shopping in the trendy boutiques in this area. The boutiques Le Marais are hip, young and slightly more affordable than the big name fashion stores. I also strolled around and saw some New York style Jewish delis in Le Marais, which is the biggest Jewish neighborhood in Paris. After lunch I walked to Centre Pompideux and it was also closed (all Tuesdays)! So I headed over the Seine to the Notre Dame. Sometimes I think those churches are more impressive to look at from the outside than to actually tour. I strolled around the nearby streets and found a cool row of greenhouses/garden shops near the ND where they were selling bunches of hydrangeas and other pretty fleurs. After ND, I took the metro home and took a much needed nap. For dinner, Brad and I found a typical French Bistro on Rue Marbeuf in the 8th called La Maison de l'Aubrac. Lots of good viande (meat) and frittes.

Cute Shops in Le Marais

Wednesday - I got up early to try to get to The Louvre before a large crowd. That didn't happen. The line for tickets and then to enter the museum was sooooo long. Luckily I met a nice tourist girl from Brazil and she spoke great English. We hung out in line and then toured the museum together. We were both on the same page - get in, see a few key paintings, and get out. It was a MAD HOUSE in there. Especially the Mona Lisa room. OMG. The room was filled to the brim with tourists taking pics of the glass covered Mona. Oy. But you gotta do the Louvre, right!?!

Mona Lisa Madness at The Louvre

After the Louvre, I crossed the Seine and explored the 7th arrondissement. I was told there were some cute shops in this area and I did find a few cool home and baby boutiques. I bought some of those Frenchie washcloths that you can put your hand in! I also ate lunch on Rue De Grenelle and got some Macarons at a pastry shop. YUM - I am in love with French Macarons (these are not the coconut Macaroons we have in America, they are so much better - see picture below)! After lunch I went to Musee D'Orsay. Like the Louvre, I had been here before but knowing me, I did the 10 minute walk through sans audio tour. So this time I got the audio tour and it was cool! I would definitely rec. getting the audio tour for this musee. The Van Gogh paintings and the stories behind them were so great! I was amazed to be staring at the colorful brushstrokes from original masterpieces - amazing.

A Chocolate Macaron from Laduree

After the Musee D'orsay, it started to rain and I quickly made it to a metro station to go home to the hotel. That night we met Brad's collegues for dinner in the 1st. We went to Harry's Bar on Rue Danou which used to be a hang out for Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald in the '20s. It's an ok bar that was made a little bit cooler by the historical facts. The bartender suggested we go to the restaurant L'absinthe on place du March Saint Honore, but it was packed. Fortunately there were a bunch of good looking restaurants all in a row to choose from and we had a great dinner.

Thursday: I had high ambitions for Thursday but the rain held me back somewhat as I was FORCED to shop instead of tour around in parks and gardens. C'est dommage! From my hotel I walked all the way down rue du Faubourg St. Honore which is supposedly one of the most fashionable streets in the world with stores from all the major fashion houses. I definitely could not afford anything on this street but it was fun to look inside and dream. It started raining pretty heavily so a took a turn towards rue Haussman to do some indoor shopping at the big French department stores, Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. These department stores were so grand and were filled with soooo many pretty things! They put Nordies and Bloomies to shame, I mean what department store do you know with a ceiling like this:

Stained Glass Ceiling of Galleries Lafayette

Another fantastic find at Printemps was an in-store Laduree cafe. Laduree is a famous cafe on Champs Elysee that makes the BEST macarons in Paris, amongst other heavenly Parisian desserts. After a quick lunch at Printemps I loaded up on macarons and headed back in the rain to the hotel. For dinner, Brad and I grabbed some sushi at a restaurant on rue Pierre Charon. It was pretty good!

That about sums up my Paris trip. Now all I can think about is making crepes, finding Macarons in San Diego and figuring out a way to move there!! Any suggestions??

In Love With Paris

2010-05-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

Paris, I love you and miss you already! I just flew back to California but don't have time for a real Paris post because we are headed out tomorrow morning, via another plane, to a wedding in Denver. I have to stop myself from complaining about getting on another plane because everything from my week in Paris should make me banned from complaining for a year...or at least a full weekend. I have many pictures and stories. But here is one view that caught me on the first day. What would you do if you walked out of your apartment and this was the view?? I think this beats the ocean...

Eiffel Tower view from a street near the Arc De Triomph

Paris!

2010-05-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I leave for Paris for a week. I am tagging along with my husband who has a business trip and I feel like the luckiest girl! I can't wait to explore the neighborhoods, eat French sweets at the cafes, go to Museums and take a ton of photos. Hopefully I'll have a lot to report on when I get back. Have a great week! Au revoir!

Flickr.com by ancama_99(toni)

Food Art: Marzipan Teddy Bears and More

2010-05-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I went to my friend Paula's baby shower and was treated to some of the most precious marzipan candies I've ever seen. They were almost too cute to eat...almost.

These Marzipan treats came all the way from Medellin, Columbia, courtesy of Paula's mom. The candies were in the shapes of little bears, diaper pins, even pacifiers. The shortbread cookies all had a little marzipan teddy bear attached. Since I've only seen such intricate Marzipan in Europe and South America, I decided to do some Wiki research on the origins.

Marzipan, a confection made of Almond Paste and Sugar, is originally believed to be from Persia and was introduced to Europe through trade. Germany, Italy and Spain all specialize in famous Marzipan desserts. There is even an EU law under which Marzipan must have a certain percentage of almond oil. (Serious business!) Marzipan is also a popular Christmas tradition in South America and other countries.

These treats were a big hit at Paula's party and I can't help thinking that a business specializing in these types of cookies would do really well in California! If you've seen any bakeries in the US that specialize in Marzipan, let me know!

Baking Scones and Other Flour Heavy Recipes

2010-05-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have excess flour from all the flour bags you've been buying for art projects? Go baking crazy!! On Friday I googled "recipes that use a lot of flour," and I chose 4 flour-heavy recipes to try. Here's what I made:

1. From the blog, www.101cookbooks.com, I tried the Best Pizza Dough Ever Recipe. I definitely messed up this recipe because I used Active Dry Yeast instead of Instant Yeast. I realized after the dough didn't rise that it makes a big difference. Anyone want 6 hockey pucks? I'll have to try this recipe again sometime.

2. The second recipe I tried was more of a success. From the blog, www.foodgal.com, the recipe was Apricot Flakey Scones. I think these turned out nicely as you can see from the picture above. They were a little dry and not as flakey as I would have liked. Any suggestions for next time?

3. The third recipe I tried was Honey Oatmeal Bread from the back of my King Arthur's Bread Flour bag. You can also find great King Arthur Recipes on the King Arthur's Blog. This recipe was very easy to follow! I like how they told you exactly what kind of yeast to use and even how to mix it. It was also the fastest bread I've ever made. No overnight nonsense. It came out great and made my kitchen smell soooo wonderful! I'll definitely make this again.

4. The final and most fabulous recipe I tried on Friday was a simple cookie recipe found on www.allrecipes.com, for White Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies. I rate these cookies a 10 out of 10! No joke! I brought them to a party on Sunday and people were gobbling them up. Try the recipe and you'll see how easy and delicious they are. Mmmmmm.

Let me know if you have any more ideas for recipes that use a lot of flour. I still have more to burn!!

Custom Paintings Make Me and Others Happy

2010-05-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

One of the most gratifying things in my new art career is getting to paint custom pieces for people who are really excited about what they're getting. Just recently I painted this custom Pancakes painting for a customer. The blue background, subject, and size were chosen by the customer to compliment her kitchen. I sent her a photo before I mailed it and she seemed really excited. I love that. I hope I can find many more people who really enjoy what I do because it makes me happy when they're happy!

I HEART READING: My First Book Review

2010-05-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was watching Oprah the other day (I DVR her show so I'm not tempted to watch it instead of painting) when she interviewed Laura Bush and said to her, "You are the only other person who loves books as much as I do," and I wanted to shout, "ME TOO!!".
I decided to help get out the word about good books and reading in general. To start, I'll be reviewing books from time to time on my blog.
Books actually compliment my art business nicely because there is nothing more calming than reading before bed and reading to quiet the brain. Reading is one thing that requires total concentration and it is one of the only activities where you can't multitask. (I have tried reading a book while on the treadmill and it was a very poor workout.) Reading is the best remedy for an over-thinker like me!
My first review is a list of the books I've read so far this year and rate them 1-5, 5 being the best. After this post, I'll review as I read. These links also connect to Amazon. I am testing out a new affiliate program with them since I buy so many books with them. If you buy through these links, I'll get a little extra change. THANKS! Elisabeth
Here goes:
The Help - 5
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - 3.5
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 4.5
The Girl Who Played With Fire - 4
Olive Kitterage - 3
The Art of Racing in The Rain - 5
The Book Thief - 4.5
Little Bee - 3
Bridge Of Sighs - 3
The Book of Joe - 3.5
The Hour I First Believed - 5
The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle - 3.5

Please comment and tell me about the good books you've read lately!

Dear Weekend

2010-05-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Weekend,
I am ready for you to begin! Here are some things I love about the weekends:

1. Sleeping in with my hubby

2. Starting new books like Cutting For Stone, by Abraham Verghese

3. Long runs near the ocean with my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch so I can check my pace. Love this thing!

4. Going to movies. Last weekend was La Mission and this weekend is The Back Up Plan

5. Eating lunch with Brad at a cute cafe near our house like Claire's on Cedros. I love their Sweet Potato Fries!

Photo Sources: 1. Flickr.com, Gui o Gato, 5. Sdcitybeat.com

brOTHER ART

2010-05-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

My brother, Michael Hession, is also an artist and recently started his own blog called Other Art. (Do you get my post title now??) Below is one of his recent paintings. To create his work he takes pictures of obscure parts of buildings and found objects in San Francisco and then draws/paints just a portion of the photo.

While his work is definitely different than mine, Michael and I love to compare notes on paint, current projects, frustrations, and the excitement of doing what we love. I am really proud of my brother because he's gone after his passion since undergrad and has since received an MFA!

Here is a picture of me and both of my awesome brothers at my wedding in September. The artist is on the right...

Multiple Streams Of Income For Artists

2010-05-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

This year I am eagerly trying to soak up as much information about the art business as possible so I decided to take an E-Course on Multiple Streams of Income for Artists and Crafters. The online course is taught by crafter and business woman, Laura Bray. So far she had us brainstorm 50 different ways to make money from art, especially focusing on ways to make money again and again from a single painting. THAT is what I need to work on! Some examples of artists/crafters who really do a great job at this are:

Mary Engelbreit
Martha Stewart (look at all the items she has for sale - craft tools, home goods, books)
Paul Brent - one of the top art licensors in America

Hopefully that will be me someday - my art making money for me on everything from aprons to greeting cards, books, scrapbook papers, etc.

I am looking forward to learning what it takes to get there!

A screensaver by Mary Engelbreit

Work in Progress: Cupcake & Peppermint Painting

2010-04-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

This new cupcake painting is for Betsy. She wanted a gift to give to her new husband who she calls, "sweets". I thought it was a cute idea! I am going to put something in text on the painting, like Sweets Always. If you have any good ideas for wording for this painting, let me know!

Sweets Always - 10x10 oil on canvas

EVERYTHING ON SALE AT MY ETSY SHOP

2010-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Now that the street fair is over, I am having a sale at my etsy shop so I can make room for more inventory at home. (Our office looks like a storage facility - not pretty). I lowered the prices on everything from original artwork to prints. Some of these paintings would make a great Mother's Day gift! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Field Painting, Original Oil on Canvas

Design Trend: Floral print with a dark background

2010-04-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that floral print is very big right now. I see it on dresses, blouses, bedding, even stationery. A twist to this theme that I really like is the floral print with a black or dark colored background. Here are some finds from the web:

A rug from Anthropologie.

Elizabeth and James New Romantic Shirt

Black Floral Print Skirt from Arden B

These prints inspire me to do something like it in a new floral collection!!

My First Street Fair Experience

2010-04-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

I made it through my first street fair experience and I am happy that I did something new yet excited that it's over. I did the street fair for a number of reasons - to sell art, to get my name out there, and to get experience with setting up and manning a booth. While I didn't sell as much art as I'd like, I didn't bomb AND I definitely got great exposure and experience.

Here's the breakdown of the experience:

This street fair was a 2 day event in Encinitas, CA. It is a HUGE fair with about 10 blocks of booths on both sides of the street. I think the attendance was great - there was constant traffic and a lot of people stopped to talk about my artwork. I got a great response.

I was hoping there would be more arts and crafts booths but this fair was mainly gifts, gadgets and (sorry) junk. (SEE PICTURE BELOW) I called the booth next to me "The Dollar Store". There was a non-stop, mad frenzy for plastic jewelry going on next door! I mean really, how can I compete with $1??? People were not at this street fair to buy one piece of art for $40 - $150. They were there to spend $5 on a doggie visor, $5 on jewelry, $5 on Kettle Korn and the rest at the beer garden. I'm not trying to sound bitter - this was the reality and it's OK because I learned a lot!

My sales were ok. I ended up making more $ than what I paid to be at the event, so that felt good. I took notes and here is what I would do differently next time:

Frame more canvas paintings and make more framed prints - It seemed that people could imagine hanging the framed pieces in their home. My big framed print was the first thing to sell.
Take better care of my paintings in transit. I noticed that some of the paintings had marks on them the second day. Luckily I brought some baby wipes and got the marks off. Baby wipes were a life saver!
More variety in themes - I had a lot of my food paintings out and they attracted a lot of attention but people either loved them or said things like "that's just going to make me eat more!". In fact, a lot of women made that comment! I never thought of that and I bet they wouldn't say that if I had some fruit and veggie paintings.
Send out more personalized notes to people who have told me they like a specific painting. People who already have a vested interest in a painting will be more likely to make a large $ purchase than an impulse buyer.
Another thing I would do differently would be to try a strictly ART fair. My next door neighbor vendor told me that he had better luck selling art at art fairs where people knew they were coming to see and purchase art. He said that people don't go to typical street fairs to make large purchases.

On a side note, I owe a lot to my husband, Brad, who turned out to be a lot more than just a treasurer. He basically set up and broke down the entire booth, (the neighbors FOR SURE thought I was a prima donna) he got me food and kept me company the whole time! That is love. Thanks B!

In addition, it was AWESOME to see so many friends come by the booth. Seeing friends really got me through the long days. I am lucky to have so many nice people in my life!

So I'm on to my next art business adventure. I can't wait. There is something invigorating and amazing about doing something you've NEVER done before and getting your art OUT THERE. It's scary but it's so worth it.

Prepping For The Encinitas Street Fair

2010-04-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

EEEK! The Encinitas Street Fair is this weekend and I am busy preparing my artwork and all the materials that go into setting up an art booth. This is the first time I've ever set up a booth like this and it's definitely a learning experience. I am nervous! I hope it all comes together and you'll see me smiling calmly at my booth this Saturday and Sunday from 9am - 5pm. Brad, my husband and treasurer will be there too so stop by to say hi!

Tooting My Own Horn...again

2010-04-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

I just found out that my doughnut print, was featured on another COOL blog: The Kitchn!
The Kitchn is a blog that I keep up with on my Blog Faves list. It has amazing photos of food, great tips for the kitchen and even kitchen decor ideas. I have always admired this blog and its sister blog, Apartment Therapy.

It's exciting to get noticed by these great bloggers and I hope that it ultimately leads to sales!

Dear Weekend Featured on Cuteable

2010-04-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Check it out: Dear Weekend was featured on Cuteable - A daily blog with posts on cute apparel, jewelry, toys, home decor and more! It's a great blog to follow if you are looking for fun and unique items to buy as gifts. Thanks for the mention Cuteable!

Sweet Tooth Alert: Schwartz's Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

2010-04-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

As you can probably tell from my paintings, I have a wicked sweet tooth! I was feeling under the weather yesterday so I took a time out to watch The Food Network's, Unwrapped, with Marc Summers (of Double Dare fame -woo hoo) and learned about a chocolate covered marshmallow company that looks old school and fantastic!

Schwartz's "Out of This World Chocolates" specializes in chocolate covered marshmallows. Schwartz's has been a family business for 70 years and has a secret recipe that has been passed down to achieve their special marshmallow treats. Here is one that I would LOVE to try:

The Schmore!

Creative Gift Idea: Mother's Day or Shower

2010-04-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

As a Mother's Day gift or for a spring baby shower, I think a cute present would be these customizable throw pillows illustrated with drawings of family members. You can pick the members of the family, (including pets!), to be printed on the pillow. This was found at KStudiohome.com.

Maybe I Should Stick to Painting Cake

2010-04-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Some people thing it's weird that I like to do oil paintings of food such as cake and cupcakes, but it makes me happy and it seems to make others happy as well. I can't say as much for the acrylic baby paintings that I did for a friend of mine. Although the baby's mom was happy and loved the results, (what mom wouldn't!?), some of my other very honest friends and family members gave me the following feedback. You gotta love real friends...

"not my favorite"
"fix the sweater lines around his boobies"
"background color is slightly blah"
"the baby faces look kind of creepy"

Sooo...here they are. I guess part of growing as an artist is creating some flops. I want to improve so please continue to bring it on, people!!

Etsy Finds: Pencil Pouches

2010-04-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't bought a pencil pouch since elementary school but now that I am drawing all the time, I am in serious need! If you're not into art, a pencil pouch could help you organize all the crap at the bottom of your purse, ie: candy, coins, makeup, tampons, you get the point. Here are a few pencil pouches that I like on etsy.com -

1. Made by: Renneslechateau:

2. Made by: simbiosisbyjulia and ON SALE!

3. Made by: Hippopotamusgifts

Art Book of The Month: April 2010

2010-04-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

The art book that I picked up for my april art book of the month is so sooo amazing! The title is, Big Book Of Fashion Illustration, by Martin Dawber (note to self - check out Martins other illustration books) and there are 379 pages of gorgeous illustrations of all kinds of fashion. I have already given the book a once-over and now I'm going to go back and really dig in, mark pages and be inspired! LOVE art books!

You can get this book at Amazon.com for only $19.77. It is soooo worth it!

Burger and Fries Paintings

2010-04-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

The paintings for Fatbelly Burgers are almost done. I still have some color corrections, lettering and finishing touches to do, especially on the fries. Remind me not to work on food paintings around 3 in the afternoon - my mouth was watering!

Dear Easter Weekend

2010-04-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

This probably sounds shallow and childlike BUT, the thing I love most about Easter weekend is...

Cadbury Creme Eggs!

source: flickr, The Truth About's Photostream
What do you love most about Easter weekend?

DIY: Photo Light Box

2010-04-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

So I was reading online that you can make your own photo light box at home without spending a ton of money. I went to Walmart this week and picked up a few items to make a budget photo light box for still life photography. I intend to shoot things in the photo box and then paint them if I like the results. Here is what I used to make the photo box:

1. Large box from Walmart
2. 1 yard of black fabric from Walmart
3. An x-acto knife
4. A piece of black poster board from Walmart
5. A desk lamp
6. A small folding table
7. A wood box of some to use as a pedestal for your subject matter

All you have to do is cut a hole in the side of the box, put some black paper inside the box (or another color if you'd like) and set up a pedestal inside the box with your subject matter. (no picture of this step - sorry!) Then position the desk lamp so it shines through the hole. I also experimented by holding the light source in different positions. If you have questions about this set up, please let me know!

Advertising Experiment and DISCOUNT for friends

2010-03-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day that my first paid banner ad will run on A Cup Of Jo - a VERY popular and cool blog about fashion, design & photography. The ad will link to my Etsy Shop and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will see some results.

Here is an added deal for my blog readers (family and maybe 1 or 2 more people) - if you email me directly at ebklos@gmail.com, I will give you free shipping on your purchase from my shop. Just tell me that you read about this discount, let me know the item you want to purchase, and I'll take off the shipping charge.

Here are some new items in my shop:

French Fry Photo Shoot

2010-03-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Today I held a photo shoot in my office for some tall and skinny models - French Fries! I am working on some paintings for an old high school friend, Kristy. Recently, Kristy and her husband opened up a burger joint in Carbondale, CO called Fatbelly Burgers. According to Colorado burger lovers, their place is awesome! I can't wait to send Kristy the paintings of burgers and fries - I wish I could deliver them personally and try their burgers. Maybe next ski season.

Here are some of the photos I took today. Of course when I paint the pics for Kristy, it won't say Tommy's on it.

Which do you like best?

Interview Series: Handmade Business Owners

2010-03-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Interview 1: Jer's Handmade Chocolates
One thing that really motivates me is hearing real life success stories from entrepreneurs. Especially men and women who have turned handcrafted products into successful brands and thriving businesses.
I am starting a monthly interview series on my blog as a way to educate myself AND anyone else who is reading (not many at this point but I'm keeping my fingers crossed), on the ups and downs of starting a handmade business. I'll be focusing especially on the beginning phases of starting a business.
My first interviewee is my friendly neighbor and owner of Jer's Handmade Chocolates - Jerry Swain. You might have seen his boxes of scrumptious chocolate covered peanut butter balls at Whole Foods, online or even featured on the Rachel Ray show! Obviously I counldn't take too much of Jer's time so if you want to learn more about his chocolates and his company - visit his website.

Jer's One Pound Gift Box

Here is my interview with Jer:

Name: Jerry Swain
Business: Jer’s Chocolates
Year business launched: 2001
Website:  www.jers.com

1. What was the most important thing you did in the first year to establish yourself and gain enough momentum to persist? [Jerry Swain]  spend time writing a plan and researching the industry. Since I did not come from a food or chocolate industry (I came from high tech), there was a lot I needed to learn about the industry. I spent a lot of time writing out a specific plan from which much of the data and ideas came from learning from industry trade shows and conferences.
2.   Of the following 3 things, which has been the most important to your business and why? [Jerry Swain]  C – for us, it is important for us to stay innovative. Our goal is to create products that differentiate, not “me too” products.
a. networking
b. putting in many, many hours
c. coming up with innovative ideas
3.   What were you doing before you launched your business and why did you want to leave?[Jerry Swain]  I worked in high tech. My career started with IBM and then I was in Telecom before I left to start on my own. I was fortunate to gain great experience from my previous jobs and all of it led me to want to create a company from a concept/idea. Since I was a young boy, I had always been motivated about “creating” business and opportunity from scratch and seemed to have the energy to see something through. My first entrepreneurial love and experience was trading baseball cards from the time I was 9 years old.
4. What has been the most unexpected challenge that you’ve faced so far?  [Jerry Swain]  Wow, there are sooooo many. Well one was during the week before I got married. The Food Network aired a piece on our company and it turned me upside down. We had expected it to air in October for the first time and it aired in April (week of my wedding). I spent the week building 1100 boxes of chocolates, sending out internet orders and returning hundreds of calls (then made time to get married that Saturday -: ).
5. If you could go back to the beginning and do something differently, what would you do?[Jerry Swain]  Spend more time planning, researching and setting up the foundation for the company. Although I thought I did significant due diligence, I would have spent more time seeking out individuals to interview to find out more. However, if you asked me if I’d change anything, I’d say no! I’ve loved the journey thus far!
6. How long did it take before you felt like your business was successful in terms of having a strong, recognized brand, and in feeling financially comfortable?   What helped you mentally persevere to get to that point?[Jerry Swain]  Probably over the past 3 years when our brand started showing up in more stores and we did not have too much of our business in just a few chains and customers. Regarding what mentally helped, I surrounded myself with good friends who were positive, and my wife, Mariella, was and is very supportive.
7. Name 3 things that you think a creative business must have to be successful.  [Jerry Swain]  Good people, the ability to plan well and execute the plan, and be funded for growth

Thanks Jer!

Inspiration: Vintage Kitchen Utensils

2010-03-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

Since I have been on a kick to paint baked goods, I thought another interesting and fun series would be vintage kitchen utensils. I also love the colors from 1950's kitchen decor. Here is some inspiration I found on the web. Source: Ad: vintage Tala ad, Photos: Country Living Magazine online

Painting Techniques: Plein Air Painting

2010-03-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

The term, En plein air, as found in Wikipedia, is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. I got plenty of plein air this week as I ventured outside to paint sans photograph. The reason for this new approach is to improve my painting techniques and become a better painter. I truly believe an artist can always improve and it just takes practice.

This is exactly what my new over-the-phone painting coach, Ian Roberts, told me on Monday when I had a critique. Ian stressed that practice is the most important thing for a painter. His other key suggestion was to get outside and learn about what nature REALLY looks like. Knowing the true colors and shapes of nature helps to fix problem areas in a painting. Seeing a subject in true context makes it easier to add or subtract from a composition while keeping the painting balanced. Learing to paint En Plein Air will help me create more dramatic and powerful paintings.

My first outdoor painting below was done in black, white and yellow ochre. This limited palette was intended to get me to focus on the composition, the color shapes and the sunlight. Plein Air painting is a bit cumbersome at first but I know that doing it repetitively will help my painting technique overall.

En Plein Air: A path at Torrey Pines State Reserve, 4:30 PM, March 17th

How To: Create a Photo Mosaic

2010-03-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

I have been admiring the photo collages and mosaics posted around the blogosphere so I decided to ask google how to make one. I found a simple way to make a photo mosaic on http://bighugelabs.com/. I am sure there are more advanced techniques, especially if you have Photoshop, but seeing that I am a rookie, this worked fine!

Here are the steps to take to get a mosaic like the one below:

1. Upload a group of photos to Flickr as a set. It can be as few as 2 or as many as 36.
2. Go to www.bighugelabs.com and click on the Mosaic Maker on the home page.
3. Follow the steps in the Mosaic Maker. You can upload from flickr by the set, or by individual photos. I think uploading a set is the quickest way to go. You may have to crop some of the photos and play around until you get it right for the size of the mosaic tiles.
4. Save the new Mosaic Image as a file on your computer.
5. Upload the image in your blog post and VOILA:

Torrey Pines State Reserve, March 14th 2010

Know This Or Die Of Frustration

2010-03-13T12:37:00.000-08:00

What Type of Creative Are You?

When you look up the adjective, creative, in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, there are a few meanings. The first definition is about the general ability to create. For example, one is creative because they have the power to create something else. In that sense, all humans are creative. Another meaning for creative is about thinking outside the box and figuring a way around “conventional limits.” There are many ways to think about creativity and how it applies. The word is very subjective. I think of myself as creative as do many people in the arts, in business, in law, in medicine – in ALL types of careers. Unfortunately for me, I was seduced just by the word creative. I didn't put enough thought into the different applications and the exact type of creativity that I liked best. I now know that to define your creativity and more importantly what type of creative you enjoy is key to succeed in and love your career.

How The Word Creative Led Me Astray - OR -

Winding up In Tears And Tissues on the Boss’s Couch:

I had a problem when I graduated from college. People always told me I was creative because I excelled at things like painting, ceramics, acting, singing; you know, the hands-on, full-body Arts. When I got out of college and thought about my strengths, the first thing that popped into my mind was, “creative”. That’s as far as I got. Not very far at all but typical for a 23 year old. I should have examined myself more. Do I like to use my hands to build and make things? Am I creative verbally, orally or visually? Do I like to figure out puzzles or problem solve? Am I creative in my communication style? Am I creative at being persuasive? And most importantly, WHAT TYPE OF CREATIVE DO I MOST ENJOY?

I messed up when I took the first job I could find that seemed “creative.” I was hired to work in a big, flashy advertising firm in Chicago. “You’ll like it here”, people said, “it’s such a creative environment!” It was fun - you could play ping-pong in the hall- way and drink beer in the office. It was uh-mazing until I got bored. I wasn’t creating anything with my hands except for power point presentations. So I got a job working for a radio station. "Fun, creative people must work there!!" I thought. In my interview the boss asked for someone creative to come up with ideas for fun radio promotions and events. She said sales people were creative – they had to think outside the box. They had to come up with unique, creative strategies to get the sales. Again, I heard that word creative and I thought I’d be great at it. And I was for a while…

But it turned out that I was doing the wrong type of creative for 6 years. By the end I was so fed up that I actually told my boss (whom I had a good relationship with, thank god), that I dreaded coming into work every day and that actually, I HATED it. (we creative types, tend to be a bit dramatic).

Lucky for me, I didn’t get booted out the door that instant. I did get a wake up call. A teary eyed realization that I had to figure out and follow my true, in-born creativity.

After The Tears

Well this was actually the easy part. What I did to figure out my true creativity was to make a list of all the things I had accomplished in my life that I felt most proud of and then rated them on how much I enjoyed doing the task. It turned out for me, the tasks I liked were: Painting a decorative rocking chair, painting and selling at an art show, making a DIY headboard for my bed, designing hand-made Christmas cards, designing t-shirts for our homecoming parade in college. I realized that although I had strengths in many different creative capacities, what I enjoyed doing most, was making things with my hands.

The End Of Frustration and Doing What I Most Enjoy

Finally I am a full-time artist. Primarily making things with my hands every day. Of course I have to sell, promote and be creative in many other ways. But the crux of my new career, relies most on what I know and like best – working with my hands. To anyone “creative" who is listening out there (I know the number is small…right now), please take the time to define exactly what type of creativity suits you best. Do it now and then follow your true creativity. You’ll be SO much happier!

Here are some links that might help you on your creative journey:

1. This copyblogger article came up in Google when was researching for this article! How perfect:

http://www.copyblogger.com/highly-creative-people/

PS – Sign up NOW to Copyblogger if you want to improve your blog. Obviously I have a ways to go but you should have seen my blog last week.

2. I just found out that Monster.com has a visual arts job-hunting site. How cool!

http://artbistro.monster.com/

Get Ready For First Local Art Showing

2010-03-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

On Monday, March 22nd, I'll be moving a bunch of my paintings into Cafe 976, in Pacific Beach. This is my first public art display since Feb 1 when I started painting full time. I am excited but a bit tense about all the things I need to get done in time. The top 5 are:

1. Get business cards done (in progress)
2. Finish at least 5 more paintings
3. Make signs about my artwork to post next to the paintings
4. Email people to let them know that my art will be up
5. Get frames/frame any prints that will be going up

I hope this is a step in the right direction. The best things about Cafe 976: it's free and they don't take commission! For a novice artist, free exposure is the best!
*Photo credit: Lythia, Flickr

Hollywood Artists

2010-03-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday night I watched the Oscars and was unexpectedly inspired. No, it was not inspiration to save money for a Zac Posen dress (I wish). Nor was it a longing to be a famous actress. What inspired me in Sunday's awards ceremony were life long artists who've been working hard at challenging careers for a LONG time. Sandra Bullock, Jeff Bridges, Monique, Christoph Waltz. Their longevity and persistence was a good example of how long it can take to get solid recognition. I completely respect the work that these actors have done to get this recognition. Sandra Bullock said something simple and memorable in her acceptance speech, something her mother taught her: "To be a great artist you have to practice every day". I think I am finally doing that and it feels like it might lead somewhere if I keep at it.

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Wireimage.com

Mixed Media Monday

2010-03-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

I just added two new original paintings to my etsy shop. I've been sticking with this bakery themed art for a while now. My process for making these little pieces is to decoupage the canvas with old cooking labels. For example, I use old pie filling labels on the pie pieces and hershey wrappers on the chocolate pieces. I like how this makes the paintings more of a craft. Visit My Etsy Shop to see the new pieces and prints.

Art Book Review Of The Month

2010-03-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

In order to become a better painter I decided to read a new art book each month. My aim is to read the book in full, put the teachings into practice and blog about the results. My book for March is called Mastering Composition by Ian Roberts.

Composition is the backbone of a good painting and I know I could be a lot better at planning my compositions for paintings. The intro in the book is inspiring because it reinforces the idea that any artist can get better through practice and continued learning.

Mixed Media Monday

2010-03-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend was rainy in San Diego so my husband and I only left the house a few times amidst watching the olympics. The one time we did leave was to get me a new fleece coat at the Patagonia store. I have a tendency to wear my clothes really hard and my old fleece was stained and embarrassing to others around me.

Not only did I get a new fleece at the Patagonia store in Cardiff, but we got to see a cool art show with artists, Thomas Campbell and Serena Mitnik-Miller. Thomas Campbell has a bunch of ice cream colored mixed media work on display. He uses paint, found materials and stitching. So cool! Here is some of his work.

Here is Thomas's website: http://www.thomascampbell-art.com/
Here is Serena's website: http://www.serenamitnikmiller.com/

"No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety" - Syrus

2010-02-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

I didn't sleep well last night because I was imaging new projects to work on. Since I quit my job to become an artist I have a new passion and I am now invigorated by my work. It's amazing!

I don't think I will become an artist who sticks only to one style of painting forever. There are so many styles and ideas that I want to try. Here is a new painting that I did yesterday. I think I'll create another one and leave out the blue and red "glow" around the edge. And make the background warmer. Any thoughts?

A Pretty Sunset in Cardiff-By-The-Sea

2010-02-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

This is a painting from some of the photos I took on Tuesday night. This was a fun one to paint. I love painting scenes from my own backyard!

Paint Worthy Pictures

2010-02-23T22:45:00.000-08:00

I snapped a bunch of new photos today so I have a lot to work on over the next few days. Here is a shot near sunset at the cliffs near Cardiff By The Sea.

Solana Beach is the Perfect Setting for Landscapes

2010-02-22T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am lucky that I live in one of the most beautiful coastal towns in America - Solana Beach. Here is a painting that I did today of a cliff near Fletcher Cove. Hopefully tomorrow it will be sunny so I can take new pictures of the area.

In The Studio aka My Patio

2010-02-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

I've decided to specialize in landscapes as well as still life paintings. That being said, I have a goal for myself. By March 18th I have to finish 8 new landscape paintings and 8 new still life paintings. That might sound ambitious but I just finished a landscape painting today. I know that if I keep painting and practicing, I will get better day after day. Right now I am thinking about it like training for a marathon.

Learning by Doing

2010-02-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

Lucky for me I finished a commission last week and I have two new art jobs to work on this week. I have been working in the studio all day yesterday and today on an illustration for a book cover. One thing I am learning about starting my art business is that I really have to stick to my niche. My specialties are landscape paintings and still life. I shouldn't try to be everything to everyone. It's a tough call when you really want to get some income flowing in.

One thing that is flowing in steadily is the amount of learning I do everyday. Sometimes it is frustration because I feel like, SHOOT I am WASTING TIME! But how else would I know what to do and what not to do unless I throw myself into new challenges? That is the outlook I am taking right now with my art biz. I do have goals though. That is also key.

I just read about some great tips on Art Biz Blog about the 4 essential things to do when starting your Art Biz. Here's page on Art Biz Blog where I found these tips:
Art Biz Blog Hot Posts

And here are the tips:
Step #1: Devote yourself completely to a studio practice
Step #2: Create your mailing list
Step #3: Connect with other artists
Step #4: Start writing about your art (and never stop)

So step number 4 is why I am blogging today and why I am going to be more consistent with my posts.

Week 1 at E.K. Fine Arts

2010-02-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some paintings from my first week at E.K. Fine Arts. The first 3 I made for Etsy - in a crafty, Martha Stewart-y theme.
The orange striped painting is for our house. We have a large bare wall and these colors will be perfect for the space.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

2010-02-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

I finally finished the painting of Shakespeare and Co. bookstore for my friend, Charlie. Brad and I delivered it on Saturday and had a nice reception with Charlie at his condo. Here we are with the painting and below is the finished product.

Blog Search All Day All Night

2010-01-19T20:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get caught up and lost in my search for new and interesting blogs. Lately I've been on an art blog kick but I also love interior design blogs, craft blogs, and baking blogs. The blog search can be a bit of a maze for me. I start out focused on one thing and then something catches my eye so I click...click...click. And then I can't find my way back to the beginning. There are so many things, people, paintings to discover. It's never ending.

Today I found a new, AWESOME, contemporary art blog called art-milk.com. I am starting to admire abstract & contemporary art and this website introduced me to a lot of cool art work.

A artist whose work really caught my eye was Matt Sohl. That's his painting at the top of this entry. I need to learn more about him! I am just now scrolling through his blog.

After I finish my painting for Charlie (almost done!) I am going to start experimenting more with abstract paintings. That is, if I break the blog searching cycle.

Still Loving Good Old Pen And Paper

2010-01-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Despite my boss's request today to START USING OUTLOOK CALENDAR, I just can't get used to typing my appointments and daily notes on the computer, or worse yet, into my Blackberry. I have always appreciated fine paper goods and good handwriting so until there is a stronger case FOR the Blackberry calendar, I will buy my yearly paper planner. This year I was excited to find a Sarah Pinto weekly planner from See Jane Work - a great online store for colorful and unique office supplies.

Now that I have my new planner it feels like the new year has offically begun!

Honeymoon In The Mountains

2010-01-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

Baby it WAS cold outside!! Brad and I just got back from Telluride, Colorado where we spent our postponed honeymoon on the ski slopes. Telluride is a beautiful, laid back mountain town with so much character! It is a former gold mining town in the San Juan Mountains, located in the South West corner of Colorado. Skiing was great! Luckily we got hit by a snow storm on the third night which made for powdery conditions towards the end of the week. Other than skiing we got to see a Shawn Colvin concert at the historic Sheridan Opera House, we went out for great Thai food at Siam restaurant and we cooked in by candlelight while there was an all town power outage. Another highlight was our mid-week snowmibiling adventure. Two things a snowmobiling instructor should never tell you: 1. I just started snowmobiling two weeks ago. 2. I heard a man got decapitatied on a snowmobile once. Those utterances had me laughing hysterically/nervously the entire ride. Lovely, cold memories. I miss you Telluride!!

I'll be posting more pictures later...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T12:30:00.001-08:00

Here's to an amazing 2009 with many BIG moments. The best thing about 2009 - getting married to a wonderful man. Tomorrow we're headed to Telluride for our pseudo honeymoon. Skiing, hot chocolate, a fireplace and a sweet town - what could be better? A Tomkat sighting would really put the icing on the cake. Knock on wood!

Cool Design Site

2009-12-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

I found a cool design website called, smashingmagazine.com
An old post from this website contained a long list of retro and vintage advertisements. I love the picture above. It makes me want to go eat an ice cream sandwich!

No painting but lots of culture - that counts for something

2009-12-14T11:11:00.001-08:00

This weekend was too cold and rainy to paint outside on my porch. Instead I went to a musical and to the museum. We'll call it cultural inspiration for the painting. So in that sense I did work on the painting. Ha!

This week my baking plans are to make a Turkey Meatloaf (with or without spinach depending on if I get an email from Brad banning spinach). This will be my first time making it myself. I have already tasted the finished product and it was fab. But I like anything that has ketchup spread all over it. Hopefully this will be a hit...

Here is the recipe:

Turkey Meatloaf:

10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach
1 c. progresso bread crumbs
1 tbsp. oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 lb. ground turkey
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. butter
1 onion

Thaw spinach. Heat over to 350 degrees. Butter a large loaf pan. Chop onion and cook in oil until soft. Whisk eggs with milk, basil, salt and pepper. Add spinach, onion, turkey, bread crumbs and lemon juice; mix well. Turn mixturn out into loaf pan. Brush with ketchup and bake 30 mins. Baste loaf with butter and bak another 30-35 minutes.

I'll post pictures after I'm done with the finished product!

Painting update

2009-12-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

Did some more work on the painting for Charlie this weekend. Charlie is the Program Director at my radio station. He commissioned me to do this painting of a famous book store in Paris: Shakepeare and Company.

I tried taking a photo of this without a flash and it came out without glare but it was fuzzy. Any suggestions? Maybe I need a better camera.

Sift the flour? Uh no, I didn't do that...WHY?

2009-12-04T21:41:00.001-08:00

You know you're a novice baker when you don't even know what sifting means and you definitely don't own a sifter. Or a sieve...whatever. I was pretty excited last night when I whipped up Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes - white cupcakes with strawberry buttercream icing - for a baby shower at work. Marty Stewy is an inspiration but oh so complicated. Her recipes are difficult and snobby. Like she calls for cake flour instead of regular flour. I don't even think Vons, the biggest grocery store chain in California, carries that. So I winged it just slightly. The result was pretty good! I give them an A+ for effort, a B+ for taste and a B- for texture. The texture mishap was due to the lack of sifting. Even so, peeps at work loved the cupcakes. But I did get a couple questions like, "why didn't you just buy them? and "how long did that take?". See the result below. I think it was worth it!

OMG - MAJOR FAMER on the premisis!

2009-12-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, the biggest perk of working at a radio station is the occasional in-studio interview with a FAMER!!! (fyi Famer = celebrity) Yesterday we hosted one of the biggest famers we've ever had at the Sophie studio - Adam Lambert! As you can see with my excitement over Adam, the level of celebrity we usually get around here is c or d level. So with a BIG star on site, a few co-workers and I had our faces pressed up to the studio window (literally causing steam on the window) while Adam delivered an endearing and thoughtful interview. At first he was not going to allow photos because he has the flu. (Like we CARE about getting sick from Adam!) But due to our unfaltering smiles and waves through the studio window, he gave in. We got one photo with Adam below.

After the photo-opp we returned to our cubicles squealing like school-girls. I wonder what Adam thought of grown women in business attire fawning over him. I thought it was wonderful and slightly nerve-racking. I was definitely sweating when I returned to my desk. Whew. Back to selling air.

Baking - a lasting hobby??

2009-12-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

My friends and husband sometimes tease me that I get REALLY into hobbies, activities and ideas and later lose interest. This trait may run in my family. My brother Michael is far worse than I am. He has actually owned and since discarded clown paraphernalia, weaponry, a magic wand, magic trading cards, a vegan handbook and a snowboard. Maybe he still owns the snowboard. I know that he has stuck with tennis and is damn good!

Maybe I will stick with baking and maybe not. For now, I'm into it. If I gain 10 lbs. in the process, I soon won't be!

Anyway, I wanted to post the recipe I used for the Rocky Road Candy because it was really a hit at Thanksgiving and again with leftovers at the office.

The recipe I used for the Rocky Road Candy was found here at Eaglebrand.com

You can also make it without marshmallows and with Macadamia nuts for a nutty, fudge-like creation. Enjoy!

Cool Gift Idea and Scenes I'd Like To Paint

2009-12-01T17:16:00.000-08:00

I came across this coffee table book while searching for unique Chirstmas presents online. This photography book caught my eye as something I'd like to put on the new bookshelves we recently added to our condo. Also, the urban scenes are just the type of thing I would love to paint. I love the bright colors and the beauty of the commonplace store signs. I wish I could take pictures like this so I could paint my own photos. (Plagiarism = no good!)

You can buy the book on Amazon.com

Weekend Painting

2009-11-29T13:29:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone and sadly, the weekend is almost over. One thing to be happy with today: I worked on Charlie's painting for 2.5 hours! I like it more and more as I work on the details but I am still worried about finishing by Christmas. I guess I can't think about that. Just keep going. Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for improvement! The quality of this photo is horrible, by the way. If anyone has a hint for how to take a good picture of a canvas without getting glare, let me know.

Dear Weekend, It feels like you're here already...

2009-11-25T21:31:00.001-08:00

because it is a Wednesday and I get to sleep in tomorrow. Today is the day before Thanksgiving and my office closed at 3pm. Hooray - a 4 day weekend! Plus, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I am excited to debut some of the treats I have been working on this afternoon. Here are a few of the things I made: Sugared Curried Pecans and Rocky Road Candy. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?

Tomorrow my husband, Brad, and I drive to Palm Springs, a.k.a The Desert, to have Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Saturday is when I really have to buckle down and put a serious dent in Charlie's painting. More on that in my next post.