Ala on wood grain

Ala and the Garden on wood grain, digital print

Just playing around a little, needing a break from the tasks at hand. I think I will put this lovely lady in the shop.

I love simple Eastern European names, like Ala, Ewa (pronounced “Eva”.) Just wait, if I ever have a girl, I have a name picked out for her! I even googled it and looks like it’s not really taken. HA.

Here we go

Speak in Leaves acrylic on wood

Hope I am ready for the weekend.. Come visit as I tend the tent. Boy, am I tired.

Home Town Art Hero { August }

Oh, Chicago. Today, I stepped out of a little storefront in my neighborhood and was greeted with the sound of a German folk band and a wonderful European feel. You don’t get that feeling in very many places and people walking, biking, carrying totes with fresh bread and meats from the local deli. It was lovely.

I’d like to dedicate a few posts a month to Chicago artist. Living in Chicago, we usually fall under the radar to New York City as far as art. Even San Francisco has a distinct art style. So, I’d like to write about one of my favorites, Chris Ware. I remember coming across Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth graphic novel. I was in college at the time and was love at fist sight. (though it made me fear adulthood!) Once I pick it up, I usually can’t put it down and have gracefully traveled across the pages several times. A few years back I went to his show at the MCA and it made me fall in love with his style and work even more. Every illustration is so well thought out, every panel super inventive, and the draftsmanship is impeccable! And to think, it’s pretty much the traditional way of doing things – you can see this in his under drawings with blue pencil. It’s all beauty, (even though at times mostly sad) right down to the colors and small details. The World’s Fair scenes are some of my favorites.

I should be working….

Added some new cards to the Paper Parasol shop. I am a bit nervous and anxious as the Renegade Craft Fair approaches.

If you’re a sucker (like me) for beautiful stop motion animation with a blend of illustration, craft, and a knack for storytelling, you will love
this. >sigh< It’s so beautiful.

I need to figure out some pricing and make an Excel sheet (BORING!). I am totally putting this off.

painting away.

Bucktown Art Fair is right around the corner and I am trying my best to finish a few paintings. I’m feeling much better today, so it should be easier to get to work.

Come visit me at Booth #103 on Saturday or Sunday from 11am-7pm at Senior Citizen’s Park in Bucktown.

Time flies…

and we’re all in it together.

I usually start off a sketchbook with that, since I am usually doodling people on public transportation. It’s a nice reminder to be kind to people. Yesterday, I did a few gocco prints of these and you can find them in
the shop

I haven’t been feeling well the past day, so I think I am going to just relax. Of course, 30 minutes after typing this I will probably be feverishly working at something. I just need a little break and I can’t wait to regroup at the end of September.

A Little Drawing

It’s a good thing the Olympics are on to keep me company while I paint.

Buttons! Magnets! and Mirrors!

A special thanks to Short Torso for helping me out on these! Find them here and here.

I need to concentrate on some painting this week for Bucktown!

Quick, name 5 simple things that make you happy =
• Drew in the morning – he is such a bear!
• People who learn new languages – I saw a man learning Japanese – props to him!
• Gelato
• Men’s Olympic swimming! (oh, baby!) Ok, Men’s Gymnastics too!
• night bike rides in the summer

Flea Market Finds

Every once in a great while, I convince Drew Lee to drive out to the middle of nowhere. (a.k.a., Narnia, da burbs, the land of cheap(er) gas and mini vans.) More often than not, we usually get lost. I am definitely a bona-fide city girl. Throw me into the middle of a city and I am a happy camper – throw me in the middle of a subdivision I become a nail bitter. We like to play a little game when we go out to the suburbs by counting how many chain stores/restaurants we pass. For example, within a 14 mile stretch we counted:
4 Targets (sure, one was a ’super’ Target… whatever.)
2 Loews (a home improvement store)
2 Home Depots
1 Menard’s
4 or 5 McDonald’s
2 Meijers
2 Hobby Lobbies
Not to count Best Buys and Walmarts. I think the highlight, for Drew, was stopping to get gas en route home and walking out of the station with a big smile. He had found Choco Tacos ice cream made by Klondike. I’ve never had one and since I always have a one up one fun child hood things over him, I was delighted to try one. They’re pretty darn good.

Anyway, I was on the hunt for art related items I could use for displays. A summer dress and a smile can usually win the deals with sellers. Here are some fun things I picked up.

A Pyrex bowl from one of my favorite Pyrex collections. I love the teal blue color and the lovely little Amish people! I could have easily went home with the entire lot. Luckily, I am not too concerned with housewares at this point in my life, so I got away with this small bowl. I can’t wait to whisk eggs in it! I also bought this old file case to hold cards and prints at future shows.

This little bowl was a good deal, since it didn’t come with the lid. I really don’t mind having a lid, since I knew it would be a perfect display for my 4bar Little Chartreuse Birds. These cards are letterpressed on a lovely Vandercook.

This weekend was pretty packed. I had a huge freelance gig that I wanted to do really well on and it’s so relieving to hear, “These are terrific!.” Upon hearing this, I was able to enjoy my weekend. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am going to spend the rest of the day rocking out to Wilco and cleaning the studio.

Death + Extinction via Polaroids (1927-2008)

I am definitely excited to check this out:

Oh, it was a good run, Polaroid. Rumor has it Fuji is picking up Polaroid. I sure hope so! I love the “click” and advancement of a roll of film within an analogue camera and no camera does this better than a Polaroid.

This show is going to make me want to visit NYC. It’s almost been 3 years since I’ve been there! I was going once (twice one year) a year for a while. It’s easy to miss the city that never sleeps but so nice coming back to Chicago though. On a peronsal note, I’ve been missing a lot of faraway, good friends lately- New York, San Fran, LA, and Kansas City folk. Luckily for me, not only do these people mean a lot to me, they also live in pretty rad places.

…more later – this week has been crazy! I have an influx of freelance,(one of my dream freelance jobs, actually!), art making, and business stuff currently on my plate!