July 28, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life, Like + Love
It has been awhile, not sure how long, guess I’ll have to check the date of those leeks I last posted. . . since then, 100 degrees hot nearly every day, piles of sweet figs off my tree with goat cheese and pecans, drawing page after page of monsters with Marshall , nearly a week alone while Chris wandered through the crowds at Comic-Con out in San Diego. I’ll let him talk about it though. . . but for now here is the pile of loot he brought back, fabulous artists blowing me away, driving me to grab for my sketchbook more often, Jillian Tamaki, Kent Williams, fabulous.
Also fabulous, Loom rugs in Australia (the best I’ve ever seen, via Design Files photos of the show room here, amazing!) and the sand drawings by Jim Denevan (its not what you think)
July 8, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
A couple nights ago, some quesadillas were made with leeks, because they were only 89 cents. . . and they were beautiful with all their ellipses in the sink. Goat cheese, havarti and whole wheat tortillas, meet sour cream, and nectarine, lime and garlic salsa and of course, a little bit of bacon. . . one of the most unusual combos I’ve thrown together lately, very good, but no offense leeks, I think onions would have been just a little bit better.
Check out another featured Indie Craft Parade crafter on Erin’s blog.
And speaking of elegant details from the corners of your life, my ever favorite My Funny Eye.
July 6, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Artist Love, Life, Like + Love
I couldn’t resist, its just a copy, but look at the frame! and the lines. At first glance I thought Irving Amen, then discovered that it was by Nancy Reid Gunn (very little info on her, but here is a great portrait photo of her), and the original is an encaustic painting. I would love to see it in person, for now the replica hangs in our bedroom.
Absolutely loving this idea for what to do with straw trivets on I Made It So and this amazing festival on Hello Sandwich, what a feast for the eyes! oh yes, and this article Mollie sent me on underground restaurants.
July 5, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
Today, or yesterday if you are reading this on a tuesday, got to go with my sister to visit a friend who is caring for abandoned newborn kittens. They were found in the rusted fender of an old pickup, the mother nowhere to be found until days later she returned sick. So sweet and frail, two are healthy, the tabby calico one is the weakest one, I hope he pulls through. Memories of rescued baby bunnies that didn’t quite make it, dying in our child hands, are hard to keep away. . .
Another photo of the tiny one on my sister’s blog, and on a lighter note, photos from a party we enjoyed over the weekend.
July 3, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Artist Love, Friends + Family, Life, Like + Love
Thursday we went over to this wonderful little house, cozy abode of sisters Bess and Julie Whittington. Oh yes and Pekoe the cat and Jasper a very handsome dog. As you can see they have the perfect yard- trimmed lawn, crazy vegetation and raised beds, not to mention a table and chairs that could have been lifted out of Narnia.
Inside, an amazing dinner, great great art on the walls, a studio gleaming with a rainbow of thread and fabric, and good conversation.
Oh yes, we did a trade, a Chris print for a Bess moth, I’ll show you later when I have time to photograph it properly.
July 1, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Annie, Life, Our Artwork
When Chris and I were first married (almost five years), one night when I was returning from work reeking of coffee, he surprised me with a tiny black pouf of a kitten. Which was very gracious and generous of him, he had slight allergies to them. . . but he knew I had always had a cat or two around my entire life, I suppose he wanted the brownie points. This little kitten was so funny and darling, but unfortunately he grew into a very overly sensitive cat who couldn’t handle the jealousy from the addition of another cat and a new baby . . . so piles of cat puke later, we do not have him anymore. But I still have fond memories of him and this little painting was one of my first attempts at acrylic, and I have to say its a favorite despite my stacks of past experiments that still make me cringe. It had fallen out of its frame and I just fixed it so I thought I might show you despite it being old work.
That said, a friend on the Indie Craft Parade jury, Kevin, asked if I was going to try any new subject matter. . .to which I hesitatingly told him I was considering cats. Hesitating because I don’t want to be a pet portrait painter, you know what I mean, and also not wanting to offend Kent in my hesitance toward the subject matter (who was sitting next to me) because he is one of those rare artists who actually render cats in wonderfully legitimate way. But, I think I might just try it, one, because this one turned out well, even when I was a younger artists, two, I really really love my cats and I like to keep my subject matter mainly familiar, three, the main reason, I love the similarities they have with owls, their movements and behaviors. I’d love to mix the two in paintings and see what happens. Actually we almost called Charlie “Owl” because it was Marsh’s only word other than Momma, and Marshall used to think Bill was an owl when he would sit outside on the window sill in the dark, his pair bright eyes the only thing you could see at night.
So there, I think I have convinced myself its ok. . . I think, now if only I could get Bill to sit still long enough. . .
June 28, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Artist Love, Life, Like + Love
Acrylic mixed media paintings by Kaoru Mansour, I looked through every single piece from the portfolio. . . I could have posted every one of them. What delicate ornamentation, it is just enough I think. via Daily Poetics.
Tennis shoes I crave.
Juried Indie Craft Parade over the weekend with several other very qualified individuals. For hours we whittled away at almost 300 applications! Erin and Libby then had to make our refinements fit even more into the space available, so now I believe there are about 71? that were selected for the fair. . . and what a great group it is!!! I can’t wait, I’m saving my change in a mason jar. . . though I think I might need to dig a bit deeper, there were so many artisans who pulled at my purse strings. Erin will be featuring some of the accepted entries on her blog leading up to the event so keep your eyes peeled.
It was easier and harder than I thought it would be, jurying, so many more aspects to ponder than I realized. Every rejection I couldn’t help thinking about the artist behind it, and how it feels to be turned away. But I have been reassuring myself with several factors, and if you are a rejected artist maybe it will offer you some comfort (or maybe not. . .) - it was anonymous, we only saw photos of the work, no names, there was room for only one third of the entries, there were similar entries and we didn’t want to have too many of one thing, and also keeping a variety but unity in the style of the group as a whole. And really, I think you’ll really love the fair, its gonna be awesome and fresh.
June 25, 2010 | Posted By: Annie
Filed Under Life
A rescued blue thistle from an arrangement I was doing for a friend to give to his wife (how sweet, it must be nice, getting flowers from your husband, hint, hint). . . it was tucked too far down on a short stem to see, so now it resides on my countertop. Now I know where Dr. Suess got his inspiration.
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