Etsy night and birthdays!

time needs to slooooow down. i have been a terrible blogger, from my lack of posts. i know many of us down here at Crafted have really been feeling the strain, but it's finally the day of our Etsy Craft Party! yay! we've all worked long and hard, so please come check it out, if not for the crafts and demos, at least for our fabulous decorations.

tonight also happens to be my dad's 67th birthday, and my sister Autumn's 38th! (sorry if you didn't want me to announce your age, Autumn...) so, Dad, i'm sorry you have to spend your birthday evening making crafts (or more likely not), and Autumn, i hope you're doing something fun! happy birthday and love to you both!

Dad and Autumn on their birthday, perhaps 1985...?

and i promise, before too long, i'll have something new to announce. cheers!

don't judge a book

I know that my work is not for everyone, particularly some of my more visceral oil paintings. But is it really offensive? Enough so that people cannot mask the disdain on their faces or refrain from unkind comments?

Over the last two years or so, I have been primarily making work that is, by my standards, quite pretty. I’ve been using watercolor, a delicate medium that first gained popularity among well-to-do Victorian ladies as a favored pastime.  Working on paper, incorporating the ground color (white or beige) as my background, I use lots of pale colors, refined details, flora, and scroll-work. Yes, there are also bones and organs as the main subject, but these are things that are a part of us. Presented in a beautiful and unobtrusive manner. 

Part of my fascination with anatomical imagery is that we have living, working examples of it inside of all of us, but it cannot be seen (under normal circumstances). It is the most ancient, deep-rooted, natural curiosity of human kind.  What makes us live? Your heart beats for you, your skull cradles your brain, your stomach and bowels absorb nutrients and expel waste. It is easy to forget this, but is it really so awful to be reminded of it?

Far more disturbing things can be seen, in both hidden and obvious places. I’m not asking anyone to like my work, just please don’t be so fast to dismiss it. I am simply visually vocalizing my amazement and appreciation for the beauty of our physical beings. With a few other emotions thrown in, but I’ll leave those interpretations up to you. 

Anatomical Heart Study, 2012

save the date(s)!

two announcements:

1. i will be vending at an exclusive event put on by the Hester Street Fair and Space 15 Twenty THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th.

it will be held at Space 15 Twenty, an experimental retail space put on by Urban Outfitters. a select few Hester Street vendors have been chosen to participate in the one-day event, so be sure to come check it out, it will definitely be worthwhile.

Facebook event page
Directions

2. CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles is hosting an Etsy Craft Party Night on FRIDAY, AUGUST 24th.

it will be a blast, market stalls will be open, and there will be demos and make-and-takes (meaning you get to make something awesome with supplies provided by Crafted, and then you get to take it home!) hosted by the very talented Crafted vendors. and, parking is FREE.


spread the word to everyone you know!

**and please RSVP, even if you aren't sure you'll be able to make it. the more people who officially RSVP, the more goodie boxes Etsy sends us!

pics from renegade

last weekend at Renegade Craft Fair was tons of fun. a bit too hot for my liking, but fun. my niece, Leah, accompanied me both days, and i was so grateful for her help! it was a bit difficult for two girls who definitely fall in the smaller size-category to set up a tent with all the works, but, with numerous sweaty, panting trips to and from the car, we managed to haul everything to my booth space and got it set up and decorated to our liking with plenty of time to spare before the crowds started flowing in.

and man, were there crowds! we chatted with some awesome people, both vendors and shoppers, and i got to do a little shopping myself while Leah manned the booth. i finally got to purchase a few items from the lovely Sara of Sweet Siren Designs, which i have been lusting after for quite a while. i also met Drew Morrison, a very talented illustrator who, it turns out, was a senior at Pratt when i was a freshman. i bought a great print from him for my boyfriend, thought it is residing at my house for the time being : ). also, if you ever get the opportunity, i highly recommend waffles sundaes from the Crispy Truck. you won't be disappointed.

all in all, it was a great show. load out was quite an ordeal, and i came away with a good few bruises and a very sore back to prove it. and, sadly, i lost a very specially ring when packing up. i still have major intentions to go back and search for it, just trying to find out where i can rent a metal detector. if anyone knows, please tell me!

as a final note, many, many thanks to Leah for going above and beyond, to Shannon for running my Crafted stall while i was at Renegade, and to everyone who came by my booth at the fair (and especially to those who bought something, signed up for my mailing list, or simply had a smile and a few kind words to say).

front view

side view with Leah!

my sunburn from day 1. didn't stop me from wearing a strapless jumpsuit the next day!

a last-minute visitor at the end of day 2. he was upset that i only carried women's tee-shirts.