l i z z i e . m a r a

Bye Bye Little Blog

2011-07-20T10:20:00.000-06:00

This is my belated farewell to this blog.
Please do take a peek at my work on my Facebook page if you have a chance.

I adored having this place to share. I envision another sweet little place to journal online in the future.
For now, its creation time... If I'm quiet for a bit- it's because I'm painting up a storm.

Love + more LoVe,
Lizzie Mara

Summertime 2010 . . . . . . Art & Love

2010-11-05T16:55:00.000-06:00

Summertime is my favorite. I almost like it as much as color, giggles, the sea, whispering, + you.

This summer flew by in a FLASH. My four-year-old, Julio, renamed himself Lightning Bolt and gave me the name Mommy Lightning Bolt. And it fits. We are all moving and changing so fast.

Summer 2010 delivered so many moments that added to my new work in such a powerful way... For the curious: new motifs in my allegorical work: wind (power + change), asphalt (paths), berries (blessings), circles (metaphors + signs + visions)...

This is how we spent our superspeedysummer2010............ traveling America!

Nebraska!

Iowa!

Minnesota!

Los Angeles, California!

Vail, Colorado!

South Dakota!

Wyoming!

Montana!

Seattle, Washington!

Bainbridge Island, Washington!

Friday Harbor, Washington!

Orcas Island, Washington!

Portland, Oregon!

California!

Las Vegas, Nevada!

Amazing Utah!

Back to school in Colorful Colorado!

May, I Love Thee. May- I do.

2010-05-07T09:17:00.010-06:00

This month I celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary with my dear friend Bobby. I'm wondering how we shall celebrate it................. under a tent perhaps!? Funny idea for me- as under a tent is where my life began. Thanks for the TMI- momma & poppa! :) It's an interesting thing to know....
Now, this is a tent.... my friend Annie, from Wonder Boston, an amazing event and PR company, sent this image yesterday... When you look at it, what do you imagine people doing there?

Looking at it brought me back to Alice in Wonderland- and this concept of "muchness" that I've been carrying around with me. I love my muchness. Alice is so independent, strong, full of courage, and of course- muchness! It is my very muchness that makes me see things beyond what other people see. It is what gives me the courage I have with color & design. It is what draws me to other people with muchness- like my friend Annie in Boston. Muchness draws people to people- like my late father in law- Richard Kienast, the former sheriff of Pitkin County.
I used to be afraid of my muchness. Thinking a shrinking violet would be far more acceptable. Today, I say no to shrinking. (except for how nice and shrinking my friend Nicole's cross fit is for my tush- shrinking is ok there! giggle...) I say yes to muchness!

I'm off to paint some ladies in nataraja asana - or dancer.... I think my first one will be surfing a turnip truck... hee hee. That lady has muchness....

Oh... and just in case you're curious. After these Nataraja Ladies... I'm working on portraits with these two Sikh brothers. Every day at school, I meet this dear man, named Jai, in the hall on his way to pick up his grandson from kindergarten. I'm so excited to sketch Jai and his family. It's just so cool to see these two almost identical brothers driving around our little neighborhood in their brilliant blue turbans. It makes my heart sing. I'm waiting for my friend Mercury to shift before to start that process, though. It's a powerful planet-friend with amazing muchness. I'd like these Sikh paintings to hold as much muchness as they do in my dreams.

ttfn,
Lizzie

2010-04-27T13:40:00.002-06:00

Join Me + my Swim Girls at Grand Salon!

15th + Wazee in LoDo- Denver, Colorado

May 1st, 2010 6 pm - 9pm

bubbly . bites . treats

it's almost time.... my swim girls are ready for their opening party. but, am i? yes. yes, i am. that angst that was following me from show to show is gone today. bye bye, angst! i know my work is exactly what it is meant to be right now + i am brave + ready to share it!

here's the deal- yesterday i came home.
home.
i came home from one of the most bizarre + thoughtful moments of my life.
my husband and i went on a retreat. it was a several thousand dollar investment + a 4 day excursion into the depths of our souls. it was like having 2 years worth of therapy in 4 consecutive 13 hour days.
i had been searching for the answer to these questions over the last few years... who am i, who are you +, where is home?
after scouring my soul- these are my answers: I AM ME. you are YOU! MAGICAL WITH COLOR. BEAUTIFUL + CONFIDENT, INSPIRING + DESERVING. VULNERABLE + BRILLIANT. MY HOME IS ME + ALL THE PEOPLE + THINGS THAT FILL MY HEART WITH JOY. it's a treat to finally know.

i can't wait to share the "WHO ARE YOU" show with my audience this saturday, may 1st, 2010 at grand salon in denver. the timing is perfect. the stars of the show are my swim girls--- as i first found my "identity" as a swimmer. what is funny (to me) about this is that all the while i was a competitive swimmer- i really wished i was a synchronized swimmer! seriously. it's one of my unfulfilled dreams. anyway.... all those hours in the water became what i thought was my life, my identity. when i was injured, burnt-out, +, enticed by the cross-country running trails at age 16, i was torn. so torn between what i was + who i was about to become. 16 years old + having my 1st identity crisis. well.... here is an image that sums up what i was going through.... a little girl with a choice- and a platform to take a leap.

i found this image online..... i've been looking for vintage swim caps.... sigh. somethings never change. i like what i like. and i know what i like. and i want what i want. so there it is.
a little lizzie sidebar: don't you just LOVE the www?!!!!! dude, i found other people who are freaks for swim caps online. this universe + our technology is so freaking cool.

here is my favorite piece of this show.... (funny that it's one of the few pieces that does not have a swim girl!) this image is so fuzzy........ my amazing friend Paddy O. shot a still of it for me- so when i get that from her- i'll share it. k? there are some sweet details in it that might get missed with this iPhone shot.
anyway..............
it's called home. she's 30" x 30" mixed media on canvas. click that last link. do it. go ahead. just do it.

i started painting this darling in 2007. it was fall. it was called found. this is what it used to look like then. (see right)
i love it now that it's called home.......... funny how some things can take so long to figure out!

Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is wherever I'm with you.

La, la, la, la, take me home.
Daddy, I'm coming home.

~Edwarde Sharpe + the Magnetic Zeros

p.s. I hear the beach calling. My little wish is that you could come see my work on May 1st.

Art Art Art, I Want You

2010-03-28T10:19:00.004-06:00

I share part of my brain with this one special friend. She is a HUGE part of who I am and she sent me this link today. It's GREAT. Click it. Really. It's just a quick little film about ART. And, Oh, the song.... thank you Tanya Davis for putting this piece out there. This line in the song by Andrea Dorfman, tugs at me: "My heart is trying hard to follow you, but I can't always tell if I ought to."

Above is a picture from "Spring Break"... Or what I like to call Spring Renewal. Renewal is my word of the day today. I plan to go to some tide pools to paint & meditate about this later today.... Renewal keeps coming up for me- and is a BIG part of the "Who Are You" show.
Here's one quick peek at me painting one of my favorite pieces from this series last week.... look at the look on Lu's face while she waits for me to help her with her homework. I think she's enjoying this "renewal" as much as I am. Except for one thing- I actually LOVE my work and bring it with me wherever I go.

This is an iphone shot of what that piece looked like on Friday.
Can you see the sparkle in her eye?

I smell toast & sun screen. Funny. I wonder where the toast smell is coming from- is it in my mind?

Art Art Art, I Want You.
Yes, I dare.................................

Tomte Show Ends Friday!

2010-03-25T18:44:00.000-06:00

Some of these pieces are still available at Tomte Modern Craft on Platt Street in Denver through this coming Friday. Pop in if you can!

XOXO-

Lizzie

2010-03-18T22:24:00.013-06:00

Tomte. It's the Swedish word for gnome.

Having my art show in a shop named for a sweet creature of my childhood imaginary play was sweetness indeed. Such sweetness, that one of my real live childhood friends walked through the doors & we had a mini-reunion right there at the opening. I wish I had a pic of the 2 of us to share.
Ah, love. That love that wraps you up when you reconnect with old friends is so energetic. Thank you, Becky, for coming to play! It's amazing how a simple visit can make your heart can feel like it will just burst with LOVE. AND- Thank you, Tomte, for hosting me and my works about energy & luck, juju & good magical vibes. Yum.

(Sidebar).... When I was little & spent my summers on Bainbridge Island in Washington, I spent hours searching for gnomes. I was so sure they were lucky & would trust me to be their friend. It seemed to me that they lived in this patch of blackberry, since the thorns would protect them from adults.... or in the Scotch Broom (Cytisus Scoparius). (Something in me is drawn to all things Scotch... hmmmmmmm.)
I loved the way you could hear the seed pods as they would pop open in the August sun- and
sometimes I would be sure those sounds were really gnomes- skip-hopping from one branch to another without my seeing them. I'm sure those hours spent in their realm are what gave me the juju I have today....

I'm behind in documenting this show- so I'll share pics when I have them. It's super colorful. This one
image is from "ribbon day". The pieces simply poured out of me this month. I love it when that happens.

As for juju- (that energetic idea that I had been painting my little heart out about) it somehow did not completely follow me to Tomte (for my very first First Friday opening of my life as an artist- incert sad face). Instead, on the night of the opening, I had the experience of such illness that can only be described as my body using it's very loudest yelling voice & give me the slow down & take care of me message. I've been getting one of those messages every year for a while. And good gravy, this March, 2010, it was a big old message. Luckily I made it through the opening on only what can be described as the bliss that an artist has- seeing your work suspended on a wall with nice bright lights shining on it can give you, & after that promptly made it to the ER (With the help of my wonderful friend and neighbor who happens to be an ER doc to boot. I got the hook up, friends. There's that juju!). It was a mellow sickness when I look at the big picture. It all began one week after a sweet little fiber cleanse, I had an abscess in my left tonsil. And that my friends, as I should know from keeping Louise Hay's book- You Can Heal Your Life in my bedside drawer, is my body reminding me that I had something to say. Something big. Big and festering and OLD.
Ew. Seriously. Ew.

I'm not much of a girl for confrontation, but in this instance, my body was confronting ME. So I'm listening. Listening close. 12 days of being ill and 12 days of liquid... ending with a weekend at the ER and a lovely gong bath!!!!!! YUMMY (the later, clearly)!!!! OMG, gong baths are so my kinda thing. Gary Fishman and his healing stones and his transcending vibrations are powerful in the most amazing way. Are you with me? L.O.V.E. Thank you sweet T for inspiring me to go!

I feel light and free. AND, it gave me inspiration for my new series- opening at Grand in April. It's all about this question: "Who are you?"... really. Not just in the Alice in Wonderland way, (which I can barely contain myself to keep from dropping everything to go see.... thank you, Tim! ---for the distraction, the inspiration, the color, & of course the WONDER... sigh.) but also in the way of exploring yourself. Exploring your limits, your lifestyle, your passion, your love, your way... and then considering who each person we meet is. And asking, "Who are you?" & then wondering this: "Is it you?".

SO. The work I'm flushing out (I smile as I type that phrase: "flushing out")... is all about this (see image):

I stumbled upon these cupcakes while reading a fun blog online. They are made by Laurel Avenue Bakery... click that last link to venture to their Bake Lab & see the other artful goodies this darling bakery creates. It was just days after this question became my inspiration & on the day I volunteered to make a class art project in my daughter's 1st grade class all about the same yumminess (photo to follow). All this cupcake business makes me remember a sweet little short animated piece a special friend shared once. Don't you love how connected we all are? I do. It makes me feel whole.

My canvases for this next Who are You show are big big big. Like some are 5' x 5' big, Yo. So, I moved some of the studio back out of the laundry room to prime & sketch this morning. Instead of cooking up cupcakes & cookies in the kitchen today, I was busy cooking up these:

Someone is asking the Universe for a studio. Someone is in need. That someone's amazing Universe is working on a different list first, though. Someone has gratitude. Lots.
Merci.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this song (click her name to enjoy it): You Make Me Happy by Lindsey Ray. It makes my heart soar.
Here are the lyrics:

It's the heart on your sleeve never making me wonder
It's the bond that we tie up and over and under
You're the sun and the rain and my grass is always green
With a kiss on my cheek, always letting me know I'm the birds and the bees
I'm the apple in your eye
I know that you know that I know you're all I need

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better
There you go and do it all again
Hope this feeling never ends

'Cause you
You make me happy
You
You make me happy

It's the sound of your voice at the end of the phone line
A tickle in my toes just to know that you're all mine
Like an ice cream sundae with a cherry on the top
It's the look in your eyes when I'm wearing your t-shirt
Your cute little smile after a long day of hard work
And I know that you know that I can't give you up

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better
There you go and do it all again
Hope this feeling never ends

'Cause you
You make me happy
You
You make me happy

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better
There you go and do it all again
Hope this feeling never ends

You
You make me happy
You
You make me happy
You
You make me happy
You
You make me happy

Happy March.
~Lizzie

March 5th, 2010... a show about luck + energy, good vibes + magic

2010-02-20T19:14:00.001-07:00

Come see my new show at Tomte Modern Craft.

Friday, March 5th, 6-9pm.

and then it was february, twenty-ten!

2010-02-19T00:52:00.010-07:00

time flies when.......

how is it the middle of february already, people? i. mean. really. seriously. H.O.W?

here's a peek at my work hanging in the sweet little flower shop show i did this month...
a heartfelt thank you to the darling little amore fiore for hosting my work!

it was so nice to see the little "sketches" get scooped up! thank you dear friends for your love + support. it means sooooooo much more than any of you know.... here's the thing:
i always wonder if anyone is going to come to an opening. and then i allow myself the dark moment to wonder if anyone will like my work. i know it's silly to even use good energy to write about angst- but, i think anytime we put ourselves out there, all vulnerable, exposed, and REALLY out there- all brave + hopeful- these scary, icky moments of self-doubt creep in.
it's such a ride as an artist.
pride + doubt circle each other like kittens chasing tails.
this circle becomes easier to ride the busier i stay.
so, i keep on working. reinventing + reflecting, bowing to that divine spirit that tells me what comes next. + then the work just feels so good- like every other BIG amazing thing in this life + the icky parts of the scary sorta melt away.

this february is all about this circle for me. focus + intention + reflection + truth + resolve + work.
it's really a circle- completely energizing + good-scary all at once.
am i making any sense?

it all comes back to that little whale painting in my last blog entry from january- let go + believe. i need to let go + believe. heart shining, blessings counted, other stuff edited, + ready.
¡listo!
or shall i say ¡listos!
i wish i knew. silly circle.

bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla LOVE bla bla bla....
if you're still reading on.... thank you. i smile at the thought.

here is a little mixed media quadro i poured myself into:

"te quiero"

12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

it's a collage about love. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
+ so is that other little one off to the right. it's called "favoritas" 4" x 4" ink on wood.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

sooooooo, that brings me to what's next. juju. that's what. here's the story, morning glory:
i'll try to make it snappy.

one of my little february highlights thus far was this: my step-momma, janice, called + asked me to pop up to bainbrige island, washington to surprise my poppa-bear for his 60th birthday! it was truly B.L.I.S.S. for so many reasons. what a special time:

"bliss" 4" x 4"
mixed media
on wood

shortly after i landed on bainbridge, all blissed out on the rush of popping into a party, unexpected, (after riding a bus, a plane, a train, a taxi, a ferry and another taxi...) a great friend of my dad told me why she picks him as a bridge partner... and it was this SWEETNESS that struck me: the way she described my dad's amazing confidence, his blind luck + his juju when it came to playing the game... + in that moment i knew where my sketches would go next.
curious?
i'll be sharing this new series, all about juju, with anyone who can come- the first friday in march to a wonderful modern-craft gallery in denver called: tomte craft! it's sure to be a hoot. (i'll share some images of the works here too- in case you can't make it. just be patient with me. k?)

i adore tomte, you will too!
click here to follow tomte on facebook!

~wishing you good juju...
lizzie

p.s. fELiZ 60th geeps!

2010-01-27T08:41:00.001-07:00

i have a little show tomorrow at a sweet flower shop called Amore Fiore in the neighborhood where i live. the pieces i've done for this show number 30. they are all inspired by love.
this one is about the way i felt yesterday. dreaming + sure.
"let go + believe" 6" x 6" ink and acrylic on canvas

i love the high contrast next to the low contrast, the peach next to the navy.... i wanted to leave my lines free of color- like a coloring book- waiting for paint. it actually makes me think of this song that i still don't know the name of. (doesn't it just bug you when you can't trace a song?)
it's about making connections that are real. real live organic connections, unlike the kind we all have with our techy toys of today.

i'll share some more pics from this series after i hang it tomorrow! can't wait!

we are about to list our house- so i moved my studio space into our laundry room in order to make it look like "normal" people lived here- i was anxious to see if i could actually get any work done in that room- and guess what! the space actually works really really well. It's truly too whimsical + magical in here to do just laundry! See:soooo... speaking of space... i just stumbled upon the work space of this über amazing artist i am a fan of :nathalie lete from paris. she paints, she makes rugs, she designs an earth-ware line for anthropologie, and makes art out of truly everything she touches. her workshop space makes me feel happy and brave. to see images of her pretty world is a delight to my soul... it's exactly the way i think about space and color. everywhere i go, i dream of doodling on the walls- the surfaces- playing with fabric like it was paint... i can see that this artist does too. i adore ms. lete.

happy wednesday,
l i z z i e

2009-11-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

(Caveat: This will not be a short post. I have been a total slacker and therefore I will be unloading a season's worth of little details that I can actually remember. It's been a blur. So there you have it. Stop reading now if you're not into art, girly caca, or french macaroons, or Gaudi.)

Being the list lover I tend to be. Here's what's been lighting up my soul:

+++August + September were FULL of paintings for special people... here are little peeks from my studio (which has been a busy place!)

This is Sir Gillie. He was created by a lovely woman who just turned 80. Her family had me illustrate the story of Sir Gillie for her birthday. She was touched. It was soooo fun!

My friend Laura from Sweet Blossom Boutique had me help her with a new logo... I can's wait to share it with you.

+++September Tour of the South... a girly road trip from Atlanta to a 150 year old farm in Nashville, and then off to the most charming B & B in Columbus. It was a HOOT!

Lizzie & KP at some little shop somewhere along the road... goofin'.

This darling pond had a real live MAN lurking in it. We had the willies + the giggles all at once for a while over that sight. Let me just say- Columbus never stopped surprising us around every corner!

My girlies are pictured here- admiring an artist's flair in at the Country Living Magazine Fair... where I also found this: by Deir dre Friebely. Her work floors me. I love that she was able to make this darling piece with the words "hummingbird cake" clipped from a newspaper for inspiration. She certainly is a clever lady! +++ she puts little houses in her work, too... which made me feel instantly connected to her.

I went cuckoo for these. I have a thing for cuckoo clocks ever since (my then five year old) T asked Santa to bring him a cuckoo.

+++October brought me to Portland, Oregon. Where I think my family could up and move! I went to meet my new leetle cousin, Adam. What a doll! We enjoyed a morning at the Saturday Farmer's Market- it was truly lovely! We enjoyed hot cider with lavender + cardamom. My momma and I both LOVE cardamom- so we were floating about. And then I saw these dahlias... and oh, how a flower stall at an open air market can bring me to my knees. They also host a wonderful gluten free baker + thus bought T a bunch of treats for his lunch-box for the upcoming week. We popped into a wonderful little fabric store called Cool Cottons where I found this designer from Portland named Lizzy House. I adore her crisp, clean, whimsical designs- infused with her wit + charm.

Baby Adam's daddy had a nightly Daddy Dance Party that touched my soul + made me cry. Click here to hear one of his grooves. Adam's momma, Annie, is a poster child for breast feeding. Being in their cozy home with my momma was just what the doctor ordered for my soul this fall. I have dozens of paintings swimming in my heart from those tender days shared in Portland.

+++Late October in . . . . . . Paris!

Ahhhhhhhh. What a way to end the autumn!

The Paris Metro was so good to us. Lucky for me, B has a way with maps. Lucky for B, I have a way with French. Sorta. It was a good visit.

I had to double back in a Metro sortie to catch this little moment: Some street folk had peeled the paper back from this framed ad space + the color just spoke to me. If you came to my little art show at Sacred i Yoga this November, the piece called "Passion" was inspired by this wall. I love the humanity + grit to be seen on the Metro as much as the beauty + grace above ground in Paris.

Some things will always tug at my heart strings... one of them is thistle--just look at this tile from the exterior of a darling little boulangerie. It was just near this little skate shop where we rented skates for the Pari-Roller. The roller evening of MY LIFE! If you like to skate + find yourself in Paris on a Friday night- you must do this! I'll never forget wizzing by the Hotel de Ville at midnight with more than a thousand other skaters. Some were wearing actual roller skates as you see here. Hee Hee! On eve of Halloween- it was really cool to imagine the spirits of that lived in Montparnasse where the Pari Roller gathered to begin. It made me wonder.

Beauty and design. My goodness. There is a ball to be had at the Centre Pompidou. The installations, the cinema, the fountain by Niki de Saint Phalle + Jean Tinguely, the library store... and the shops in that neighborhood. Divine. From lingerie to noodles, art to thrift. It is a mecca of art, culture, and F.U.N.

A moment for Laudree Macaroons. My good God- the Lavender-Casis flavor could put me into a tizzy. They are perfection.

And another moment for the amazing Kenzo. Ever since Louis Vuitton bought the Kenzo brand- and even before then some pretty cool architectural design moments in Paris. Talk about eye candy. The Kenzo Spa- La Bulle is an amazing sight. I had read about it + in Wallpaper so I was excited to stumble upon it. Also on this eye candy list is Kong. This 2003 restaurant space was designed by Phillipe Starck. The juxtapose of the house music, the Starck acrylic chairs with pop images of ladies faces adorning them, the incredibly vivid colors with the panoramic view of grand Paris is powerful. It's like a place of fiction compared to the typical Parisian cafe. Kong has received really poor reviews since 2003- but, I say pop in for a drink after you're done touring Notre Dame +/or after you're done forcing your fellow to try on an incredible jacket at Kenzo downstairs.

I, of course, had a good old cry in the Musee de Orsay. There is nothing like visiting the master impressionists & post impressionists there. Emotion floods me as I climb the steps to the salons full of Van Gogh's, Gauguin, Matisse, Maurice de Vlaminck, Monet, and their contemporaries... It is overwhelming to see Manet's Olympia again as an adult. Yet, I was still fascinated by that black cat at the foot of the bed.

There was a James Ensor exhibit open at the Orsay. This rare + bizarre collection of pre-expressionism work is amazing to take in. Ensor used symbolism through masks to portray satire + irony in a series of works. These frightening + somewhat grotesque works were tender once you had a chance to read about Ensor's life... and a bit appropriate for a Halloween visit!

This is the humble view from bed. Take me back. Just saying.

This city blows me away!

+++November began for me in Barcelona.

BCN, O' BCN, Te quiero, te quiero. Te quiero all your green, your azure, your ochre, your shades of grey, + your amazing shades of rose. Thank goodness for all your color.

El Born is a wonderful little neighborhood in Barcelona, flanking the Gothic Quarter & Barcelonetta. The churches, shops, & tapas restaurants are AMAZING. I love how during the day they are open, then closed for siesta, then open for evening, then closed for a few hours & back at it again the next day.
The siesta schedule works for this girl's body clock.

It's so wild how the streets look like a foreign place when everything is closed. Its hard to imagine that a darling little boutiques lay behind these graffiti ridden doors.

I love the old + new all over this city. I was told this is the oldest public fountain in the city. It reminds me of my dad.

This dress is from 1803. I snapped a shot of it while I was walking by an antique store + 2 older women were standing in front chatting about it.

It was so wild to see because just a few doors down was this little H + M store... which in some ways is sad... but sorta great for us- because we don't have H + M in Colorado. SoOoooOOoooo... we paid a little visit.

What gets me about Barcelona is the pulse. It feels like home to my soul. The sea air, the creativity around every corner, the simple + pure food, the fashion, the music, the night life + evidence of Gaudi everywhere. I love it!

Lunch + a little hike around Parc Güell,

a tour of Gaudi's Casa Batllo + siesta by the sea is a near perfect vacation day for me.

The whole wonderful time went by in a flash... + there was very little sleep to be had in Barcelona. That city likes to dance + play...

¡Vamanos a Barcelona!

p.s. Check out the link for food above. It's for a restaurant called La Plata in the Gothic Quarter... They are famous for fried sardine tapas + it's been said the Bono has been known to eat there when in Barcelona. I'm not usually a star f***er. But, its the sweetest, cutest, littlest place with the teeniest menu ever. And just a few doors down is a handmade candy shop called Papabubble. It makes the streets smell so divine! I hope you get to go!

+++ if you find yourself wandering BCN- be sure to visit the museum- Fundacio Joan Miro. Then stop for a bite at Quimet + Quimet. Yummy.

Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you Nana Suzanna + PopPop for hanging out with our bambinos on Dayton Street so we could go!

2009-08-21T09:56:00.000-06:00

I found a soap today that is the yummiest thing this land locked girl has stumbled upon in a while... its called Saltwater. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Saltwater. Sigh.

Order yourself some: saipua

They do flowers in their Brooklyn store, too.... this photo took my breath away.

just had to share...

xoxo

2009-08-09T17:20:00.000-06:00

I love summer! LOVE it.
I'll post images of this summer's paintings soon.
Stayed up super late last night- listening to Andrew Bird's Oh No. I adore it. There are a million+ paintings inspired by that song swimming in my heart. Click here to hear it... again and again. ;)
Andrew Bird - Oh No

Shared via AddThis

Sunday Parenting

2009-06-28T12:55:00.001-06:00

I just read this and cried my eyes out.

Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columinst & Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.

I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults,
two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the
same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with
me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that
make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower
gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I
like. Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets
and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick
soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the
baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through
the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me
now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on
sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood
education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where
the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I
suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories.
What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the
playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations --what they
taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.

Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then
becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that
it is an endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds
well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a
stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his
sibling at 2. When my first child was born, parents were told to put
baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-
up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs
because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent
this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing.

Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research
will follow. I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr.
Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he
describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and
active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who
did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs?
Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he
developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last
year he went to China Next year he goes to college.
He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.

Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me,
mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the 'Remember-
When- Mom-Did ' Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the
bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed.
The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare
sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came
barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I
responded, 'What did you get wrong?'. (She insisted I include that.)
The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through
speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window.
(They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the
Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while
doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly
clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs.
There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a
quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and
1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked
about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that
night.

I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing:
dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little
more and the getting it done a little less. Even today I'm not sure
what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life.
When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would
become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they
simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a
thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be
relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over
the top.

And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I
like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my
essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I was bound
and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to
figure out who the experts were.

I like that little essay. My 3 "experts" are keeping me busy. They're still so little and I keep wondering what things I'll wish I could experience all over again when they get big.
This makes me want to make a list of things I like today.
TILT:
* going barefoot * barefoot children * the way my friend Alli laughs * Scott Matthews * toad stools * vintage tablecloths and candles * eating outside * summertime * teenage rock bands * greek yogurt * this little game I play on my iPhone * my amazing iPhone * twitter * this song on a playlist that i play that goes straight to my heart and squeezes it so much I can feel the whole world's love * parties * candles * bathtime * sandalwood * March 2009 * the way Julio dances * playing chase * giggling * * white corn tortillas * vintage flashcards with messages * hollyhocks * the word espejo * sticky rice with mango from Swing Thai * yoga * new babies * 5280 * word games * organic licorice * my daughter lulu's birth story * New York Times online slideshows * Stumble Upon and Firefox * kindergarten kiddo writing * home made birthday cards * playlists for friends * e cards from MOMA * circles & connections * handwriting * popcorn * whistling & jingling change * Barenaked Ladies "If I had a Million Dollars * 140 characters * big dreams * eyes * firefly & tigerlily * naps * Coldplay "Fix You" * having my first small business listed as one of the 205 reasons to like Denver! * Friday mornings * Sunday night dates * lists * sign language * acorns *color * you *
Om Namah Shivaya!
lizzie

2009-06-16T23:56:00.000-06:00

i'm not a tattoo girl. but, if i were, i'd go to egg press for inspiration. {see image}
i am a mermaid girl. i love this rendering. so crisp and sweet. see my new happy place {2nd image}... i draw and paint scales like these all the time. i love the way egg press does these little windows for their powerful words. i think i'll paint powerful words tomorrow. and then paint my favorite motifs all around them. maybe.
¡ believe. spirit. light. grace. shine. magic. love. wonder. enchant. peace. sweetness. passion. beauty. risk. merrymaking. joy. treat!

goodnight moon.
lizzie

2009-06-16T20:04:00.000-06:00

My June has been productive. Amazingly so.
I'm hoping to achieve a few more goals this month with my work. I have 3 commissions and 2 logos! And I'm working on a series for a show & hope to really get into the meat of that work this month. The commissions come first. ¡Claro que si! One is complete & delivered. One 1/2 finished... and the 3rd is a copy of one of my earlier pieces.... so it will fall right out of me. Then its me time.

Here is a pic of commission #1 {a wee bit blurry as my little Julio has been using the Canon & is unaware of the virtues of a clean lens}... I'm amazed at how quickly this work went from pallet to panel. It was a labor of love- it came shortly after a painful loss. I adore these little turnips as you know- which you do if you know me. Look at the 2nd image to see my inspiration. I love the hooked root. I love how it's like a little hook- it certainly snagged my heart. I'm amazed by its color.

Speaking of color. My religion. I wish I had a photo of the rainbow I saw this Sunday. It was amazing. Simply HUGE. The spectrum was represented in triplicate! So freeeeeking cool.
It makes me giggle to think of clients asking me for a "natural" pallet. Hah! As if nature is not ROYGBIV itself. BTW, boring peeps- do you see brown in ROYGBIV? Yeah, Yeah, I know. Brown is all of them mixed together and is indeed the "earth tone"... but DUDES the spectrum is natural... I mean look at this darling little rainbow chard leaf:

I think my next family pet should be named ROYGBIV. We can call him "G". Bonus points if you can guess what kind of pet he'd be. :)
XOXO,
Lizzie
p.s.
I miss you so.
p.p.s.
My kiddos are eating popsicles. They're noisy and annoying. But, they're all natural. The OCA would be super proud.

Messy May.

2009-05-17T21:36:00.000-06:00

This May has been messy. Super duper messy. Busier than usual & just messy.

I'll post some pics of my projects asap, cuz they're cool. . . messy, but cool. (ooop! here's a pic- see below)

My creative energy has been tested by the messiness of this May. Its been a good test. One that has made me think in very new ways. I'm trying my best to wrap my head around it and not let the not so pretty stuff follow me into June.

One quick thing. I painted flowers all over my bike today + tonight. It made me feel happy. Mostly.

this paint was so fun to work with... its still waiting for a fun surprise tertiary color.... i'll post more pics when she's all dressed. :) cheerio!

fun with paper and ink.....

2009-04-20T09:02:00.000-06:00

i adore thinking outside my colorful little box!

here's an example of my black and white illustration work from last week. too fun. this project made me wanna go to boston and stroll, ride and see... and maybe even pop into calypso for some yummy shopping. thank you to wonder boston for the play time! xo- lizzie

ooooooh so pretty!

2009-03-10T18:02:00.000-06:00

happy ribbon day!

time to make ribbon frames for this weeks hoopla!

still so happy its March.... I'm Marching forth........................ la la la.

it's ribbon day... and even though it snowed today, i'm still wearing a skirt and pastels. la la la.

Lizzie at work~

2009-03-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh March!

2009-03-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you, March. Thank you for coming!
I am so happy!

Here's a few fun things I have planned for this lovely month:
Sweet William Market will be showing at our dear friend Sam's Market:
And... all month long my work will be showing at my incredibly talented friend, Robin's store: Talulah Jones!!! Check it out... Its such a fun part of Denver to explore.

XoXoX,
Lizzie

p.s. here's a photo of one of my little badge/pendants... oooooooh! here come the tweet tweets of spring! Our first daffodils bloomed this morning! LOVELY!

¡lulu en rose!

2009-02-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

for the love of kiddos.

its in the the bliss that comes from a love so tender, so sweet, so innocent + full of colorful glee.

¡happy valentine's day, dear ones! february is usually so hard on me... you see, i'm a thing of summer... but this, my friends, this little lulu + her dear sibs are tugging me through these few grey days of winter:

i could gobble this little pink thing right up!

+ here is some lu-girl inspiration:

i painted this the day after i met Vera Williams. what an amazing 82 year old angel. i have to share that julian + i read more, more, more said the baby often- and when sweet vera saw our julio- she said: "its little guy!"... i could hardly contain my slushiness. thank heavens for vera.

Oh, pretty.

2009-02-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

OOOOOOOOh! I love felt. I love wool. That's it. No, that's not it. But, in addition to that long list of things I love, I do LOVE roving wool.Its the un-spun wool that would typically become yarn.

Look at these gloves I embellished one afternoon while getting all crafty with my cousin,Kateri....

I have girlfriends coming over tonight to learn how to felt. Its going to be wildly fun. I'll post pics of our wooly valentine's later! (alright, its later now- and so without further ado- see the photos of Kim with her new monogrammed scarf, Jaala with the sweet valentine garland + moi, with a silly little badge...)

2009-02-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

When I was a leetle girl... my parents had the pleasure of parenting the pickiest small soul ever... well, may I just say: Paybacks are indeed a bitch.

The adults of my childhood did well to hide things like zucchini in breads... with that- I am now following in their flour footprints by adding ingredients like flax seed oil + nutritional yeast to our pancakes, muffins, + other yummies.

But, if you know me, which if you're reading this- you most likely do... its not the only thing I add! Check out these funny little cupcake toppers... here's a peek at one happy customer in the Kienast Kitchen........... Happy Tuesday!

2009-01-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

a few of my winter projects.................

this "soap in a coat" (see below) happened in palm desert of all places to do something so cozy. i was with my dear cousins on a girls trip + we got crafty, of course... these are the best little treats. a soap wrapped in a ready to go wash cloth. the suds are amazing and the wool is so fun to work with.

click me to see how 2 make your soap cozy!

here's the best place in denver to buy roving wool for your projectiness! FANCY TIGER

it's not the most clear image- but, you must know that the silly man on my little peachish badge here is a fave from the wonderful little folk art project i did with my dear friend + business mate- kim... we spent hours devouring vintage children's books and making custom folk art jewels with our finds. This lil number was just never destined to go up for sale- he's a vintage illustration of a butcher- which makes my infatuation with his image immensely funny- as i've been a vegi for nearly 30 anos.

i'm planning to make more for a few shows in march... stay tuned.

p & t finished

2009-01-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

late nights wrapped in poignant & tuggy painting

2009-01-19T02:16:00.000-07:00

uno.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

at first, i stayed up to clean the kitchen....

then i stayed up to paint.

now i have a piece called poignant and tuggy.

i've tried to document the process (see above)... this piece happened so fast. its amazing what inspiration can do. its so good because i was invited to do a show in march... i'm thrilled to have a new project.

but, what i want to share right now is how lovely it is to have music for company. thank you to radio head tonight... and the rush of feeling i get when i hear your in rainbows magic. weird fishes makes my stomach want to flip & gives me the chills.

tilt:

*cake

*netflix

*parties

*chartreuse

*made up words like tuggy or biggish or peanutbuttersandwichish

*facebook

*bounce houses

*shepard fairey's propaganda posters

*eka pada rajakapotasana, aka mermaid pose

*frosting, especially butter cream doctored up with pomegranate molasses

*the enchanting twilight series!

*love

*sleep

so that's it for tonight- i'll go put my head to bed.

silly bone

2009-01-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

okay.

i'm procrastinating. so i wanted to share this funny funny wedding idea.

its so silly... i saw it on a wedding blog i found through my sweet + talented friend kara's blog.... (you know how the chain of surfing the web can be- it just sucks you in!!! like a mustash. ew!) and the mustashes are extra funny to me today after i answered my random question on my blogger profile. if you think this is silly like me, then look at ange thielk's etsy page. she makes hilarious custom beards. here's a pic of our seven year old, T, wearing a stash, too. he was four years old in this shot. i'm going to go read him a story now. we're enjoying the tale of desperaux. night y'all.

these silly crocheted stashes are from an adorable blog i just found- (several moments after this entry was originally written) the things i saw on this lovely little page made me swoon... (not hard being that tomorrow is valentine's day and i am functioning on 3 hours of sleep after pouring my heart out to all i adore- who's address i keep!) be sure to check out: Wunderkammer!

oooooh nine!

2009-01-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

happy O-nine! here's new inspiration for some lovely art: i found this today in the new york times. but first, can i just say, my goodness!!!!? what in God's green earth is this amazing man, jeff scher??? is he really a human- well the answer is obvious- yes-indeedily-do! there would be no other way he could capture the human heart and love in such sentimental ways....

please take a look at this article and play the clip: you won't remember this either by jeff scher + enjoy. oooooooooooooooh, i heart jef f scher & his amazing works. but, of course you can you see why. his amazing way with subjects, color, music, composition, line & movement, the way he captures the familiar and sneaks sweet surprises into the film. i dream of having a wall of his works. for the love- tulips makes me swoon.

okay... so back to 2009 and how nice it is to have that fresh start..... here's a tilt of lizzie's 2009 resolutions.... which my 5 year old, lulu, told me today "means promises, momma"...

*be more present with people in face to face encounters

*stay in better touch with my old friends

*sketch more

*abstract more + get super free with my new pieces- a.k.a.- let go

*list more of my works on etsy and promote them

*create just for the sake of creating... no deadlines- just good old creative energy shining out my windows

*try to love doing the laundry like my amazingly positive momma (aka- super nana, says little julio)

*find my silly bone more often

*make more lists that are crazy fun + easy to check off

*take an art class in a new media

*go make dinner

here's a painting that makes me think of resolutions (or as lulu reminded me; promises)

........................................

i promise. painted november 2008.

sharing little treasures

2008-12-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

had to post this silly pic of the boys with a nice gnome friend....

also- my cousin sent me this (see link below) today: its fun to pass along little treasures from the world-wide-web as little treats to say- i love you- and this one is so fun... i love trying to name the artists as the slide show plays......
click: women in art

merry merry..........................

2008-12-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

some things i like today: (well, really a list of things i like everyday!)
* yarn ball bouquets -christmastime magic -colorful * party pails covered in vintage images and glitter!
* plastic junk jewels
* kelly corrigan's, the middle place

-this yarn ball bouquet from a painting i did for the sweetest family... it makes me long for a day spent with a needle and some fiber arts (i keep a basket under my bed-side table of sewing projects- and always imagine a day when i might have time to work on them- last month i did get to work on embroidering a lovely flower on my yoga towel... see next photo)........ i adore the quiet days of christmas break...

... and i adore the magic of this season.

our kiddos are so excited to have a visit from santa. we have been reading eloise at christmastime today and now the kids have built a fort behind the christmas tree in the front room/art studio. its so sweet- except when lulu comes running into the kitchen yelling: " mom- julian just poked my bum bum with a screw driver!" my goodness- how did he get a screw driver in the 1st place? speaking of santa... this next pic is of one of the 200 little party pails my friend kim & i made for christmas and to sell at the sweet william holiday market. we had about 60 different images and every single one was a different color. it was color heaven for me. and the glitter was abundant (which is another slice of heaven). then- see the last pic... its of some of the playful badges we whipped up out of some lovely etsy finds... its all plastic and just as affordable as it comes. we got so into making these that we bought more supplies the day before our market- thinking we'd have all sorts of time to create more while we were there. no such chance- but oooooooooooh the fun we had creating new little goodies for christmas! i wish some of them had not sold. its been days since i've had a chance to pick up a paint brush- but, my word, this is a completely new and addictive creative outlet.
uh-oh!

and the last thing on my "tilt" for today: reading great books!!!!!!! that's all. i gobbled up kelly corrigan's book: the middle place yesterday and its so worth picking up- okay?

merry chrismas................
xoxo,
l i z z i e

p.s. my amazing momma found pete!

2008-12-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?

2008-12-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

TILT: things i like today:

* being in jammies all morning.

*phone calls from nice girlfriends.

*being able to laugh at odd dream sequence like moments that happen in real life.

*blackberries and creme fraiche on toast.

*christmas ornaments from childhood

(ohhhh Pete- where are you? ***)

*long luxurious stretches of time laid our before you that seem longer than they really are- ignorance is bliss! i just realized my stretch of time was coming to an end... and so i must dash & rally the kiddos.

*** Pete, here, refers to my grandma's childhood toy named Pete- who we think got tossed with a bag of wrapping paper in the 90's. i miss him like Abilene misses Edward in the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

random bliss

2008-11-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

i'm on my way to california!

this morning i ran over the boxes we left for recycling with the car- on my way to get our tres kiddos to school... i could not get the key to pop out of the clever little volvo fob. swell morning so far (my back door neighbor witnessed it & called to check on me later- the dear)! actually, the glee of the impending lift off has me walking on clouds today... i'll surely miss everyone & everything i'm racing away from today- but pfew- i needed a little rest.

i love escaping into my projects... into lists of dreams, into paintings, and a good book. i'm just starting a book called the lazarus project. curious about it.

a friend of mine is amazing at making lists of things she likes today, aka: tilt, things i like today. here's my tilt:

*playdates that end up being ugly doll creation parties (see photo)

*julian's naked bum running around yelling barack obama!

*the page from some old children's book that's sitting at my desk with a picture of a lady carrying a basket and she's wearing a lovely blue and white stripey dress.

*cookies with extra dark chocolate!

*ballet flats with bobbles

*paintings with intense color- like the daniel richter exhibit we have that the denver art museum right now

*a funny game called goober's lab on webkins (yes, indeed- i'm a huge geek)

*pomegranates & persimmon

and like my friend says, that's about it... oh, except i forgot to share that like packing sun-dresses in my suitcase in november, too. random bliss.

things i don't like today:

recycling boxes stacked behind mother of 3's volvo. :)

W O R K

2008-09-29T13:50:00.000-06:00

I have recently been commissioned by several families to do some very special works. It seemed for a few days in a row that a new work would come my way every day! They say when it rains it pours and I have had the honor of painting for some really special people celebrating really amazing life moments- one as she turns 60, another as their 50th wedding anniversary is recognized, a breast cancer survivor, a celebration of achievement in a prestigious ballet troupe, and a dear family as they welcome baby numero dos. All these works are so moving- just putting these stories into paint & symbols in my own quirky, colorful, floral way is so energizing. I feel blessed by God for this downpour of work. And now off I go... to work, work, work. Its been a busy fall. And I'm thankful for this pace. I adore these gifts I get to help make for all these amazingly powerful moments. This time in our history is, as a friend put it so positively, "fascinating"! I am trying to fill all of my work with light, love, hope, dignity, respect, honor, & peace. These are the intentions I have set for these works. I so hope the sentiment is felt.

2008-09-09T23:50:00.000-06:00

There is something about those pink dish washing gloves that makes me so warm inside. I think I got to wear them at the kitchen station in my kindergarten montessori class... My friend, Alli, here graciously posed for me in one of my goofy inspired moments. You just never know when inspiration is going to take hold & give your heart a squeeze.

Like flowered swim-caps....

Speaking of... I was at an exhibit at the Denver Art Museum this summer. It was called Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism & a lady near me whispered to her companion: he must have been really into red heads... I looked to see what she saw & sure enough the figures all had red hair... but I felt fairly certain they were swim caps. Maybe one day I'll look into it.

Easy for me. I have, what you'd call, a thing for swim caps.

the most handsome mens shoes in the planet

2008-08-29T14:38:00.000-06:00

for the love!

grenson, a men's shoe company makes produces a slice of visual heaven for those who notice these things...

these remind me of what a male figure in one of chagall's paintings would be wearing. had to share. go get yourselves a pair gentlemen.... maybe even catch a flight to nyc and go to bergdorf's to really soak up the whole experience.

.............sigh.

2008-08-27T08:31:00.000-06:00

I'm in a melancholy mood- with dreams of feeling my energized self.

more inspiration from the summer garden

2008-08-21T23:09:00.000-06:00

Beet greens have an aroma that makes me nostalgic. For what exactly? I really can't put my finger on it. Its like the base note of a wonderfully delicate perfume.

If you can pick up some fresh (reeealllllly fresh) beets- stop for a moment & smell the greens.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I occasionally paint beets, turnips, & radishes in my work... the symbol is fairly obvious in some pieces- the core... the heart. The last few pieces that I added the slice of earth and the dissected view of what lies beneath. I have added time pieces, keys, poems, worms kissing, and other little tricky items that are treasures to me.

la jardin spratt, 5' x 5' acrylic on canvas

Inspiration from the garden

2008-08-15T22:36:00.000-06:00

I love flowers. I mean: I LOVE flowers.

Look at this poppy that came up from seed in my shade garden!!!!!! The white ruffles edges make me weep. The color, too. We had a handful of poppies with theses sweet white ruffled edges- but most were a light coral color... also quite pretty... but nothing like the deep melon color like this one. All summer there were only a few of these beauties! One night it rained on one of them and the petals were scattered off to who knows where... maybe a fairy came a found herself a pretty skirt. I decided to scatter seeds in the shade garden amidst the hostas and impatience early this last spring- just to see what came of it.
GOOD GRACIOUS...Its the prettiest part of the garden.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I saw this dear hops plant- when I was in NYC a few weeks ago. My girlfriend, Sabrina, & I went for a lil jaunt in Central Park... it was such a stinky, humid morning... (see the entry about this delicious moment in an earlier post from early Aug.)

What a beauty!

Innocent words that tug on the heart strings...

2008-08-14T15:54:00.000-06:00

I love listening to seven year old conversations... my little boy Teddy has a friend over. They're half paying attention to Star Wars on DVD & half building make believe space ships with legos. One just said to the other- "wouldn't it be cool if I had the force?" I wanted to chime in and say- you do have it- its NOT losing it that counts.
My little show at Talulah's went really well. I loved that it was 8/8/08. Such amazing friends came to support me. We had our kids attend this time- which was important to me. I really wanted them to be a part of the night. At one point my son came over to ask me a question and noticed my work on the wall behind me. His eyes got big and he said: "Can I buy that one. I like that one the best!" His sincerity was so sweet. I'll have to give him the bee painting if it remains part of the collection at the end of the month.
I'm excited about the exposure this show will gain- my friend Robin who owns Talulah Jones is bringing the show to a "green marketplace" at the Democratic National Convention.
A few pieces from this collection were painted in the spirit of the convention... one called "the end" & another called "hope". The dove bird in the painting behind me in this photo (left) is sweeping through the frame with a yellow sash that has the word hope "cut" into it. The word is actually the base color of the painting- the tinted primer...

So in a sense the word hope in this painting is actually "negative space"- yet made quite positive. Are you following me?

A funny side note: I was going to title that piece- "Blind Hope". I was not compelled to give the dove eyes. Yet, the criticism I received about this painting was that it was spooky without eyes... so I brought a paintbrush & paint to Talulah's- long after the piece was hung and added 2 tiny dots. A gift to the spooked. I'm going to need to watch how sensitive I am to such criticism. My friend in Boston (who is not that into birds) might have made a small comment and the dove would have been painted out all-together. Not really.

late nights & messy dining rooms that pretend to be studios

2008-08-07T00:59:00.000-06:00

Its tomorrow already! Yikes.

I am up painting and choosing colors for my new portfolio site. Its pretty fun- but I'm wiped out & my dining room/studio has looked like this (see pic) for the last week and I was in NYC for a huge part of that

++ the coolest thing is this: we spent my 1st day back at home in this room. Teddy working on his Mission to Mars Legos... Lulu played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over & over (is that where I got this headache?) and Julian played a little game with his wooden trains under the table- saying "Thank you, Mom" over and over. I don't know what he was profusely thankful for- but he certainly knows the right buttons to push!

Its funny that the living room/studio has bled into the dining room now, too. Since its summer- we eat most meals in the pretty garden in the back of the house- so we don't necessarily need this space... I'm enjoying reflecting on the space, the time, and the light here. Perhaps OVER-thinking it & should just get back to work and paint something or GO to BED!

Happy Ribbon Day!

I like ribbon day- and I plan to celebrate it tomorrow. This is a picture of ribbon day in the dining room from my last show...

let me explain.....................

I love to play with yards and yards of pretty vintage & unusual ribbon from my amazing ribbon drawer (often stocked by Bobby- who knows that coming home with a bag of pretty ribbons with make me weak in the knees!) I make little ribbon frames around my wood panel paintings. Its so wonderfully colorful.

A 6am moment in August, Central Park Yoga

2008-08-05T04:23:00.001-06:00

Good-morning!

We are are up after a short summer's sleep and off for a jaunt in Central Park. Yep, I'll bring my camera. I'd share a pic of this moment... but my bed-head just wouldn't be pretty.

This is my last morning in NYC and I have that happy anticipation of going home to my family.

But, there's that pang of remorse that I'm leaving this place a bit too soon. Without a visit to my friend Jenni's favorite museum or a spin through the MoMA or the Met. Even so- its just about 6:30am and we're up and at it.

Can I just say... I think I've gained 6 lbs... at least, in 3 days. The food is so yummy! Amy & Chas take such good care of us while we're here.

Here's the photo of what came of this touristy morning in NYC:

2008-08-05T01:08:00.000-06:00

anno on the town

2008-08-05T00:17:00.000-06:00

Dear bloggery... is that what you call an online diary? Hum?

Its around 2 am in NYC and I'm staying at 6 Columbus with my Room Seven friends... here playing with an amazing spring collection hot off the design table in Holland! We've had yummy sushi 2 nights... and stuffed ourselves silly at rosa mejicana. I have seen so many inspiring concepts that I want to get back to the studio and paint...

Also fun~ I have had the chance to shoot some really cool photos of my room seven-girl friends... I'll share one in a moment when I upload them.

I love this about NYC- the funky brand names on bags of chips (see photo of Sabrina & me dripping in sweat from the humidity & that drat steamer)... it feels like I'm in another country!