The Cure for Cabin Fever!

So, I don't know where you are but man is it cold and snowy in my city. I have cabin fever big time and am missing biking and jogging around the lake right about now. The farmer's market and BBQs with friends are calling my name. To take my mind off of longing for Spring, I am working on more paintings to upload on etsy.com. I took a break from the site because it seemed to oversaturate with sellers very quickly. I thought I'd give it a shot again, especially since I've been trying to get my name and work out there a bit. More to come ; )

When Friends Have Babies...

...you make them things, like paintings! One of my besties is having twin boys and I'm super excited for her and her husband. I offered to make a couple of paintings that she could either put them up or just have them as a keepsake for the boys. She suggested animals like lions and zebras so here are my variations. The deep edges are painted as well. I used a palette knife to paint the zebra's background. I hope the boys like them one day! I know Amy and Jamie will make great parents too : )

Birds Birds Birds!

These are my latest pieces commissioned for Lauren, my brother's girlfriend! She recently moved into an office space where she has actual walls. Lauren asked me to come up with something for her new space. She suggested something on a larger scale so the space doesn't swallow the artwork up. I had purchased three 10x10 canvases with a deep edge (my fave) that were on clearance this summer during the Des Moines Artstop. I thought using the three as a triptych (the groundlines match up) or spread out as three separate pieces would be fun and could be rearranged if preferred. There are three different birds along with a small porcupine in the bottom corner. One of the birds is my take on a peacock, another is a giraffe/flamingo like animal. The bowerbird is Lauren's favorite bird and this one was the most fun to make. This bird is super smart. It's like a little architect and builds its home using colors that are all similar. If anything takes a piece of its home while it's out looking for more materials, it notices and has a full on tantrum! It's a pretty smart and cool bird.

A New Use for Things in the Plumbing Aisle!

So, I've been looking for a way to use colored chalkboard paint that I've been eying for a while. I took an old God-awful dresser from the 70's that used to be in my parent's living room (sorry parents) and repainted it using gray semigloss and some blue chalkboard paint! I think my dad's original intention was to create a rustic antique look with all that yellow, not my fave however. It may have looked better when I was a kid but I seriously doubt it. Since I had taken over my kitchen with art materials I needed another space and place to put all of my supplies. I created a small studio space in my newly renovated living room and turned this dresser into my studio cart. I took off the old handles and replaced them with something unconventional and industrial. I strolled the plumbing aisle at Home Depot (one of my favorite things to do) and found these steel half circles that I think were used to hold piping down or onto a surface. They looked like drawer pulls to me! I really love taking things and using them for something other than what they were intended. It's also fun to weird out the person helping you at the hardware store, however I do get some cool people who really get into it! So, I painted the front of the drawers with the chalkboard paint and added white casters on the bottom. I really love this piece and I hope it will help me keep my supplies more organized! (The white paint on the yellow is me getting antsy and jumping right in before I actually take before pics : )

Out with the old, in with the new...well new-used

I've been busy renovating my house since summer. I've given my kitchen a makeover as well as the bathroom. I'm just now finished with my living room (pic of me below with my renovation face). I will post pics soon! My bedroom was completed this summer which now has a stenciled floor. I love it! I had all of this old furniture from the 70's that I was about to give away but instead decided to give most of the pieces a new life. Here's one. This was an old coffee table my dad used. I've always hated this thing and thought it was ugly but now I love it. I hand painted the flowers and trim on top of the gray. I have a second table that needs the same kind of makeover. I've got some ideas in mind so stay tuned.

Layers

All summer long I've been working on renovating/making over my house. I finished my bedroom, the bathroom and painted my kitchen "borrowing" some great ideas from designspongers along the way. I spent some time traveling as well. Now that I am back into the teaching world and the weather is getting chilly I now have more time to work on making more art. I am in the midst of ordering more canvas, watching for those sales on dickblick! My goal is to start promoting my work around town a little more. I am so antsy that I can't work consistently on something to save my life. I have high production weeks and months as well as very low production times. Just my nature I suppose. Well, these little ditties are fun to make so I can't wait to get back into my art. I am brainstorming new little creatures as well. Until next time : )

Oh Happy Day! Obama Sighting!

Just had to post this! My brother, his girlfriend and I literally just missed Obama and his daughters at The Dairy Godmother today in Del Ray (Alexandria, Virginia)! Apparently, we were at Cheesetique across the street while they were getting some ice cream. We went to get ice cream right after they stopped in. Some people outside were talking about their visit. The girl behind the counter in the back left served me too. We then went into another little art store where the owner confirmed the sighting and was asking if we saw the Pres and his daughters. So close!