uncharted

letter from the road...

2010-09-23T00:22:00.005-05:00

Despite my prolonged neglect of this blog I'm still holding on to it. Since I started my new job this past March, my life has changed and this little journal has become that neglected lone sock that got lost on the floor in the back corner of your closet. Do you know that sock? By the time you find it again, it has become half-sock, half-dusty bunny? I didn't mean for my blog to turn into a dust bunny.
Probably now would be a good time for me to bring it back, so I can feel more normal again.

A week from now, I will be heading back home to Chicago, and will be in town for three weeks - the longest stretch of time I will have been home since this past April. In the meantime, I am in Studio City, California. I'm enjoying California while I can, but it will be good to be back home for so much of October.

This past weekend, I went to the Melrose Trading Post in LA, where I found these typewriters. I also found some old photos and print blocks that I am going to try to incorporate into the 30 day sketch I am currently doing. Here is some of what has unfolded so far:

newest creation...

2010-05-23T21:10:00.003-05:00

My most recent necklace creation! I wrapped wood beads in different papers, added a few vintage beads and braided some ribbon to tie it around my neck.

despite the practical self...

2010-03-09T22:04:00.006-06:00

I have a tendency from time to time to buy objects that most likely won't serve much purpose in my life outside of being beautiful. This weekend I found a few little treasures that fit that category. As I was standing in the shop holding them, a tug of war between my practical self and my treasure hunter self went on in my head:

practical self: "this is just stuff. stuff that will accumulate and take up space. you don't need it. why are you considering this?"

treasure hunter self: "treasure!"

practical self: "how and when are you going to use these?"

treasure hunter self: "pretty!"

... and on.

This time, my treasure hunter self won out, with it's thorough, compelling, irrefutable arguments. So, for $16, I got this bell, letter opener and pin. I also found eggshell peacock feathers at another spot and splurged $6 on a pair. To me their lovely and I think that sometimes (as absurd and legitimate as the tug of war is) that's all the reason you need.

This last one was free! I found it on my walk on Sunday morning.

going for a little bit of pop...

2010-03-09T20:44:00.003-06:00

For this year's set and costume designs for The Original Show, I was given the task of creating a work of art on stage that begins in a nearly colorless state and gradually transforms with pops of it as the show develops. Actually, this was just the beginning of the list of criteria that went into this design, and I found myself vacillating between multiple ideas for a while, trying to find the one that best fit the hopes of the director.

The one I ended up going with was this Roy Lichtenstein inspired design. I really liked doing something playful and vivid like this and I think it will work well with the vibe of the show. The central wall is made up of 6 units - each one with three sides. Each side is painted differently, so the units can be spun around to bring in the pops of color. This stage has red curtains, so I tied those into the design, by painting a continuation of the curtains onto the walls in order to bring them into the work of art. The cast will start out in black, and start changing into a more colorful wardrobe (below) as their characters develop.

The title of the show this year, "It's so... original!" came from my word bubble on the right. :)

another papery treat...

2010-02-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

This past Sunday I stopped in Fly Bird and decided to "splurge" and get this $2 treat for myself. It's a paper craft nostalgia postcard by monkey design. The front has this image of a general store and the back has guidelines showing you where to cut and fold. You follow the guidelines to turn a 2D postcard into a little 3D pop up vignette. It took me a couple of hours to make it. I lost one of the rear view mirrors on the bike, (should've gotten a fresh exacto blade!) but other than that, it turned out pretty well.

papery treat...

2010-02-09T22:53:00.002-06:00

I was perusing the thrift and vintage shops along Milwaukee in Wicker Park last week and found this bit of wallpaper. Tah-Dah! What am I doing with it? Not sure yet, but what I do know is that I would like some more.

diorama...

2010-02-01T17:28:00.002-06:00

This is a scene from my kitchen table this afternoon. I have the sniffles (hence the tissue) and I was finishing up my diorama project for MAKE (a little late!). After having some breakfast and some sudafed this morning, I put on a pot of tea, popped in Now Voyager, and set to work. I don't think I've done a diorama since elementary school, so it was kind of fun to do one. I used an old cigar box and modeled the diorama after a Jorge Castillo painting that I like. Now my diorama is hanging above my buzzer in my apartment. Here are a couple more pictures.

2010-01-04T21:41:00.004-06:00

I find it hard to resist photographing a really pretty breakfast. Two days ago, when it was four degrees outside, I decided to make breakfast bars. As it turns out, they didn't really want to stay in one piece, so I decided to crumble them up and eat them over yogurt. So, this is how I started out my first Monday of the new year. As of yet, I have no resolutions for 2010, which is unusual for me, but I think I still have a little time to figure it out.

I am doing a new project for M A K E this month, called reMAKE. The idea is to create a new interpretation of someone else's art in a completely different medium. Not necessarily an original project, but I thought it might be a fun way to start the new year. I got the idea to do reMAKE after reading up on Yinka Shonibare's work back in November.

After my breakfast this morning, I went to the art institute to seek out the work that I would choose as my inspiration. I haven't settled on one piece yet, but I'm thinking of doing a photograph by Gary Stochl. I will probably take a trip to the library to dig through some art books before I make my final decision!

sunday...

2009-12-07T00:07:00.008-06:00

Sunday began with brunch at Feed. Last time I was there, they had sold out of the fried green tomato benedict, but this time I got one! I don't think I am doing this meal justice with my photograph, but I am doing my best to share the moment. As is becoming ritual, I tried to win a golden egg when the meal was over, but instead won a fortune telling fish - according to which, I was 'jealous' (ouch). If your curious about the science behind those little red "miracle" fish, you can check it out here.

Next on the agenda was Renegade, which was packed, but I managed to find a couple of Christmas presents. Some of my favorite vendors were Cursive Design, oneCANOEtwo, appetite, Sonnenzimmer, and Paper Stories. Spudnik Press was also there with their super enticing art candy machine. For a dollar you could get a small limited edition print from the dispenser. I first discovered this machine at the Spudnik anniversary party two nights before and found myself obsessively feeding it quarters trying to collect all six of the featured prints.

I ended my day with our annual holiday craft night at work. It's when we come together to eat, drink, and make holiday gifts. I mulled some cider and everyone brought great treats... like chocolate chai chex mix which is so delicious and tricky to say five times fast.

awe shucks...

2009-12-05T20:46:00.002-06:00

I have to confess, every once in a while, I check my "hearts me" status on etsy... which makes me feel a little bit like a high schooler. Maybe I feel this way because I'm checking in to see how popular I am or maybe it's the term "hearts me" that does it... or maybe a little bit of both. In any case, today I received my 1,000th heart and actually took a picture of it. Yup, that's right.

Now I'm going to go hang it in my locker...

...market recap

2009-11-29T15:57:00.004-06:00

A couple of weekends ago I had a booth at Lill's Holiday Market. Since then, I've been working on photographing and posting all of my work to my shop. I am almost done!! Here are a few photos of the market a few new items you can find in my shop.

weekend getaway...

2009-11-04T00:21:00.007-06:00

This week I am getting ready for the fast approaching Lill Holiday Market. It's just about a week away and I have plenty left to do! Thankfully, a few of my other projects have just recently wrapped up, including the 30 day sketch and the set design for Museum. In the midst of all this, I decided to come up for a big gulp of air and headed to Denver for the weekend. A dear friend of mine recently moved there, so it was great to see her and explore a new city. We walked around town, visited some great shops (Fancy Tiger, Kozo, Heidelberg Antiques, and Gallagher Books), had a delicious brunch at Gaia, and hiked through Rocky Mountain National Park. Here are a few pictures!

to market...

2009-10-21T19:58:00.003-05:00

If you are in Chicago on Saturday, November 14th, come see me at Lill's holiday market! I will be selling jewelry, art and vintage goods. Below is a little snippet from their blog on the story behind the market, and if you follow this link, you can get the rest of the details on where and when. Hope to see you there!

weekend blurbs...

2009-10-07T00:37:00.005-05:00

...sitting at a library desk with a stack of good books, working on my current set design project

checked out: "Sketch Book, Conceptual drawings from the World's Most Influential Designers", by Timothy O'Donnell, "Leon Ferrai and Mira Schendel, Tangled Alphabets" and a couple others.

...a couple of finds from the Kane County flea market. I also picked up a few prints and some really delicious apple cider donuts.

... sidewalk art that I stumbled upon on a walk

...the lesser known public park, where I worked on drawings for the 30 day sketch.

... see the finished version on MAKE.

so close...

2009-09-29T22:59:00.001-05:00

If you are even remotely considering doing this, that means you definitely need to do it. Sign up on facebook. no pressure.

sunday...

2009-09-28T22:04:00.002-05:00

Lounging on the grass in the park...

after which, I went to an antique market and got some great paper for collaging. The thirty day sketch starts in just three days and I plan to use some of it in my book. On top of that, I've just started a new set design and I'm in for a busy week at work. I'll probably be visiting this moment in my mind a few times and wishing I could do a little time travel.

M A K E ...

2009-09-17T11:56:00.004-05:00

Earlier this month I created a new facebook page called M A K E. The goal of M A K E is to create an online creative exchange, where artists of all mediums can show what they are working on, share great links and ideas, get inspired, and join in group projects. The first project starts October 1st, and is a 30 day sketch. I got a lot of interest when I did my own 30 day sketch, so now I'm trying to get all those people to do it with me! Help it catch on: I currently have 28 participants, but would love to see that number grow. Visit M A K E, become a fan, and sign up for the 30 day sketch.

playing catch up...

2009-09-17T11:38:00.007-05:00

The last two weeks have been FULL. A wedding, a birthday, work, and now finally I've started posting some of my new jewelry to the shop. Here are some shots of petals at the wedding, my henna (which has sadly washed away), and one of my new bracelets.

open studio...

2009-08-28T16:05:00.004-05:00

I have two studios side by side, one that is my work space and the other that serves as a small gallery space. Both spaces are great for a party! So, this past Sunday, I hosted my second open studio. A few friends, Laura Granlund of Intimidnation, Mamata Reddy of Pomegranate Cafe, and Chris Ocken of Ocken Photography shared the space with me. We displayed our work and asked a bunch of people to come over. About 50 - 60 people showed up. There was artwork and a raffle in the gallery side, while jewelry, food, and wine was on the work side. It was a good way to kick off my stay-cation. Thanks to everyone who came!

Light was low, so these photos are a bit blurry!

5 days left...

2009-08-28T15:14:00.005-05:00

I'm 25 days in to my 30 day sketch challenge and it hasn't exactly been the creative outburst I was envisioning. I think I was picturing a mix of detailed, patient drawings alongside explosive brief sketches (from which I would be inspired to do larger work), notes scrawled along page edges, saturated splashes of ink bringing more life to each image, and perhaps a prevailing theme emerging from the book as more and more pages were filled. Nope. How about: go to work, come home and head straight to the studio, work on jewelry and collage until I can only keep one eye open - at which point I realize I have not done my drawing for the day, pick up the book and take somewhere between 10 seconds to 3 minutes to get something on the page. These are the lovely results.

I suppose there is some value in having to complete each drawing in such a short period of time. It definitely takes the pondering out. No time to ponder what to draw and no time to ponder what line to form next... which is a good thing to force yourself to do sometimes. Well, I have a few more days to finish the book, we'll see what emerges!

I do have to say, I did miss one day, Monday, the first day in a month I had nothing else to do - and I just plain forgot. go figure.

8 days in...

2009-08-10T13:46:00.005-05:00

I'm eight days into my thirty day sketch project. I've been cramming many of my sketches in right before I go to bed, which I've discovered is not a good idea (as you will probably notice!) Even though I am not proud of those, I'm still posting everything here. This morning I changed my ways and did this sketch of a shop window right after I got out of yoga. The rest are listed newest to oldest.

day one...

2009-08-03T14:39:00.003-05:00

Growing up, I had the same art teacher from 4th grade all the way through high school graduation. Every single year, our first assignment was to draw our hand. Since then, I always start each one of my sketchbooks with a hand drawing. Today I was feeling out of practice.

30 days...

2009-08-02T18:26:00.010-05:00

Towards the end of June, I decided to give myself a thirty day challenge to get certain areas of my life in order. My goal: get through a laundry list of to-dos that had been out there so long I had just started ignoring them, and to rejuvenate my daily routine. Specifics on the daily rejuvenation list: exercise, pack lunch for work, no coffee. Laundry list: take car in to the shop, go to the dentist, explore the option of getting additional studio space, get renters insurance, etc. The results: the laundry list is done! As a result of checking these things off my list, starting this month, I will have additional studio space, which is perfect timing, because I'm having an open studio on the 23rd. Also this month, I will be sending my car "out to pasture" (after having gotten the verdict from the mechanic) and signing up for I-Go, which I feel really good about. My only shortcoming in the whole thirty days happened just four days from the end, when I decided I would exercise upon waking up from a nap - and ended up waking up a 6:30 the next morning!! Argh.

Despite missing that day, I feel like I've found the rhythm I'd been looking for, and accomplished some things that will have a big impact on the rest of my year. So, as a follow up, I have a new 30 day challenge. In the spirit of preparing for my open studio later this month, I will be doing a drawing a day for the next thirty days, starting tomorrow. I have a fresh new sketch book and pencil that I'm really excited to start using! Check back for the results.

now listening...

2009-07-26T19:07:00.004-05:00

My most recent music purchase: Zee Avi. She is originally from Borneo, was discovered on YouTube, and is now touring. For more of her story or music, check out her website.

calling...

2009-07-26T17:03:00.006-05:00

Today I came across these calling and escort cards at a sidewalk sale. I love the different shapes and sizes and fonts; and I am always intrigued by little cultural rituals that have died away. I laughed when I read the response card to the escort card - picturing a couple standing awkwardly, exchanging cards instead of conversation. I'm sure it didn't exactly happen that way, but google didn't help me out too much with the history of such exchanges when I looked up "escort cards" or "dance cards". I'll have to do some more searching. In any case, I gave in to my weakness for paper ephemera and took these home.

new...

2009-07-14T08:42:00.002-05:00

The new collage bracelets that I made on the rainy forth of July weekend are now for sale in my shop!

buttons...

2009-07-06T15:53:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, at the shady end of the Logan Square farmer's market, I found someone selling buttons. Sometimes, digging through buttons is more of a commitment than I'm willing to make. There is a lot of digging and scrutinizing involved, there's a chance your search will not unearth anything that interests you... and there's the button grime. And, in this case, there was a lot of button grime. But, there were enough promising buttons peaking out at me, so I decided to put in a little time digging. Here are my finds. I plan on using them in my necklaces... after giving them a nice button bath.

in the apartment...

2009-07-05T21:44:00.004-05:00

I originally had picnics and sunbathing in mind for Saturday afternoon, but as the rain started to come down on my morning errands, I ruled these things out and decided to relax in my apartment until the coast was clear. I popped in a movie and set up in my kitchen to work on some collage bracelets. I've made a few of these in the past, but either given them away, or stubbornly held onto them for myself. So, these will be going into my shop (along with some collage earrings). Just a coat of glaze, and they will be ready to go!

p.s. I did finally emerge in the evening for a rooftop party with killer brisket and fireworks in every direction! Happy belated forth!

featured...

2009-06-26T21:42:00.005-05:00

Tonight I discovered that I was featured on Modish, a design and style blog. It was great to find out that Jena, the blog's creator, selected my work - and was also great to discover her blog! She features a lot of beautiful, original design and handmade goods - check it out...

not-so-instant gratification...

2009-06-24T22:56:00.009-05:00

This is a cup of espresso I enjoyed when I took my mother out to lunch for her birthday recently. I will not be having another cup of espresso for at least another 27 days. This is because I am three days in to, what I call, my 30 day "Get it Together" plan. You can laugh now. It does sound like a bad infomercial, I know, but I reached a moment when all the mundane, life maintenance kind of "stuff" that I had been neglecting started building up around me like sludge. This brought me to the thought, "What if I just took the next 30 days and focused on getting it together?" So here we are. What are some of the things on my list for the next 30 days? *Taking my car in to the shop (seriously, anyone who knows me understands that this has been an area of MAJOR neglect for quite some time. A good question might be, does surviving 3 Chicago winters in a row with no heat make you a stronger person or a stupider one? Let's hope I get the AC going for the summer) *Going to the dentist (confession: I can't exactly remember my last visit, but it's been at least 3 years. What's that? No, I don't floss). *Bring my lunch to work every day (a yogurt parfait from Starbucks does not constitute a good midday meal). There is a variety of other to do's, but the biggest challenge will be the next one: for thirty days in a row, workout every day. It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I'm too busy doing other things. Or that's the excuse anyway. But now I'm going to attempt to build a new habit so it's no longer something I have to drag myself to do.

So... what does this have to do with espresso? Well, the whole spirit of this goal is to energize my life; to feel fresh - not in a dehydrated caffeine hangover. I really enjoy coffee and espresso, and I do not plan on eliminating them from my life - but I think I need to loosen my grip on them (or their grip on me) just ever so slightly and let the exercising do the energizing. I'm already passed the withdraw headache stage, so I think I'm on my way!!

birthday...

2009-06-14T13:09:00.006-05:00

Today we celebrated my mother's birthday. Thankfully, it was a crystal clear, sunny day (those have been rare in Chicago lately). We headed downtown and had lunch at Terzo Piano atop the Art Institute, then walked around the modern wing and the garden in Millennium Park. For her gift, I made this necklace. The strands are made up of delicate Thai silver beads. The pendant is made up of gold rings, labradorite and a hand made hilltribe gold fish bead from Thailand. When I was finished making it, I wanted one for myself!

new...

2009-06-08T17:12:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon and early evening working in my studio. I made a few new necklaces - and spent this afternoon doing a photo shoot (in my kitchen: see my "sophisticated" photo studio set up below). To see the full selection, check out my shop.

no terms necessary...

2009-06-02T23:19:00.015-05:00

Have you ever seen the Thomas Crown Affair (the newer one with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo)? I'm thinking specifically of the scene in which Crown is sitting on a leather bench somewhere in the Metropolitan Museum of Art; early morning, no one around but the security guard... he opens a white, crisp pastry bag and pulls out a croissant (which I'm sure is delicious). His posture relaxes, he bites into his croissant (which does not flake apart all over his expensive suit), and studies the Monet painting on the wall in front of him.

This is his morning ritual.

This is the kind of moment I was wishing I could have when I recently visited MoMA, but I'm not so sure those hushed, solitary moments in the gallery of your choice are easy to come by in the big city art museums in reality. Even on the days I have managed to hit the Art Institute early, it always seems to be the same morning that 75 junior high students are visiting. Which provides it's own entertainment. On one of my recent visits there, I wandered into a gallery where a chaperon on her last rope was yelling at 4 kids, "Where do you think you are going? I'm not going to come searching after you! We are NOT here on YOUR terms! We are here on MY terms!" and she marched out. Sufficed to say, she scared the crap out of them.

So, maybe I can't have a gallery all to myself, and maybe I can't eat my breakfast quietly on a leather bench in front of my favorite painting... and maybe I will never be able to eat a croissant without getting light, buttery flakes down the front of my shirt. But, I still enjoy experiencing art museums - no terms necessary. Here's a few shots of MoMA from my recent visit.

nyc...

2009-05-26T16:11:00.006-05:00

For this Memorial Day weekend, I met up with two friends in New York City. We stayed at a hostel in Midtown Manhattan (The Sutton Residence, which I highly recommend if you are looking for a good place to stay on a small budget) and tried to explore as much as we could. Among the highlights: mango creme brulee at the Corner Shop Cafe, Central Park, breakfasts in Bryant Park, pizza in Little Italy, MoMA, spontaneous interactions with New Yorkers and Hell's Kitchen Flea Market. I made some good vintage finds at the flea market, some of which I plan to incorporate in some of my jewelry. Here are some shots of the market and some of my purchases.

now open...

2009-05-25T22:15:00.006-05:00

Something I've been looking forward to for the last couple of years is the opening of the Art Institute of Chicago's modern wing. Finally the moment has arrived! I got the chance to go check it out a week ago and took a few shots while I was there. The building was designed by architect Renzo Piano, who created a structure that uses natural light to illuminate many of the galleries and public spaces. The way in which this building breathes evokes a sense of calm while you soak up the artwork. Beyond this, the openness of the space embraces the rest of the city as a natural extension of the museum. To find out more about the collections, go here, or even better, go to the museum itself!

Nichols Bridgeway that extends from the museum to Millennium Park.

Bluhm Family Terrace has a cafe, sculpture, and provides a great view of the city.

bezel set...

2009-05-11T17:20:00.004-05:00

After a couple of soldering meltdowns, I finally finished my first bezel set ring in metalsmithing class today. tah-dah! There are only two sessions left and it's hard to believe it's almost over. Most likely, I will take another class this summer. In the meantime, I've been posting other new creations to my shop.

special delivery...

2009-05-08T09:19:00.002-05:00

Have you ever gotten something good in the mail that you weren't expecting? Mail... as in those envelope things with postage on them and stuff inside that are delivered to your home. My mailbox has primarily harbored bills, ads and the occasional birthday or Christmas card, but recently I found this in my mailbox. A friend sent me a cd, for which she made this sweet pouch out of quilting fabric. It definitely made my day...

new find...

2009-04-20T23:50:00.004-05:00

I just recently found this paper and had to restrain myself from buying the entire store stock. I'm using it in some of my jewelry, but I've also saved a sheet to frame with this photograph of my grandmother. Now I just need to get a better copy of the print and a frame...

if only this were my backyard...

2009-04-09T19:56:00.007-05:00

Last week I had friends visiting from out of town and I took them to one of my favorite spots in Chicago, the Garfield Park Conservatory. The first time I ever visited the conservatory was to see a Dale Chihuly show. This installation, Persian Pond, is still there. A bench is situated directly in front of it, so you can sit and pretend you are in the tropics and watch the koi fish. Seeing Chihuly's work again inspired me to visit his website to look at some of his other installations. If you're interested in taking a visual a vacation, you should look too. He has put his art around the world in many different environments, and he's even done set design. One of the reasons I like his sculptures is because he doesn't let the fragility of the glass limit him. He finds ways to juxtapose them in harsh environments, or do just the opposite - make them seem like they've belonged all along.

texture...

2009-04-06T17:25:00.006-05:00

I just recently started taking a metalsmithing class at Lillstreet Art Center. Despite the fact that it takes me an hour to get there, I've really been enjoying it. It's great to be learning something totally new. Yesterday I learned how to texture metal by putting it through a roller with fabric, wire, leaves, etc. Now I am constantly searching for different materials to create unique textures. This morning I made the ring above using nickel that I had run through the roller with some vintage trim. The only sad part is that the trim gets completely destroyed when it goes through the roller, and there is only so much of it that I want to sacrifice!

Below is my very first project: a pendant made with copper and nickel. It looks a little "crafty", but I learned a lot of techniques in order to make it...

Oh, that's right, I have a blog...

2009-04-05T22:30:00.009-05:00

After arriving at a metaphorical "dishes are done" moment, I realized it's time to reunite with my blog. I have checked a lot of projects and events off my list over the last month or two, but haven't been tracking them faithfully here. So, on this sloppy, snowy evening, I am pledging a spring resolution to post more frequently.

One thing that happened during my blogging dry spell was that my nephew was born! TAH-DAH! Here he is after his very first bath.

This is the little guy I was painting the nursery for back in January and February. I also made some safari animal collages for his wall. I posted a few photos back in January before it was all finished... so here are a few more.

just a few pictures...

2009-03-09T21:26:00.003-05:00

Here's some more new work... I finished a couple more boxes, which are now in my shop. I've also posted more earrings and have a small collection of necklaces on the way!

the return of flip flops (if only for a day)...

2009-03-06T22:39:00.003-06:00

Today was a good day. It involved a yummy breakfast, flip flops, a long walk and studio time. I put my new workbench to use and finished making a new batch of earrings. I've been looking for ways to reuse the pages of an old construction manual that I found at the Brown Elephant a few months back, and this is one example. I think the cut outs from these architectural drawings are interesting. While I was in my studio, I also finished up some boxes (which, hopefully, I can photograph before I go to work tomorrow).

oh goody...

2009-03-02T22:44:00.005-06:00

About a month ago, I was taking a stroll around an antique store and found this clunky old tool cabinet. The vendor's grandfather made it in the 1940s. Clunky as it may be, it has lots of great little drawers and nesting trays and secret compartments. So, I adopted it! I finally got it into my studio a couple of weeks ago and it is now home to all of my jewelry making supplies and makes a perfect workbench.

welcome to oz...

2009-03-01T12:18:00.003-06:00

Last night I wrapped up my zoot suit inspired costume design. Okay, more like this morning. How does 3:30 am roll around so quickly when you have a deadline? Part of the cast will be dressed in zoot suits, and others will be in a modern interpretation of the zoot suit. The modern version is a street wear look with baggy clothing, bandanas and chains. I probably could've gone even more baggy on the street wear to mirror the same exaggerated look of the zoot suit... this is where budget comes in... (Oh, Budget!) All the costumes have at least one part that is black and emerald green stripe to exude an OZ feel, since that's part of the show's theme. Dorothy isn't show here in my pictures... but there is a Dorothy.

the big night...

2009-02-22T13:54:00.005-06:00

If you ever check out my sidebar, you may have noticed my confession of my love for the Oscars. That being the case, I can't help but make a post about the big night!! I've being doing as much "Oscar training"* as possible, and here are some of my predictions on the winners:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Director: Slumdog Millionaire (although tempted to go with Milk)

Actress, Leading: Meryl Streep

Actor, Leading: Mickey Rourke (although tempted to go with Sean Penn)

Actress, Supporting: Viola Davis

Actor, Supporting: Heath Ledger

Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design: The Duchess

Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Animated Feature: WALL-E

Animated Short: La Maison en Petits Cubes

Screenplay, Original: Frozen River

Screnplay, Adapted: The Reader

Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song: Jai Ho, Slumdog Millionaire

* "oscar training" coined by VB

where've you been?

2009-02-22T12:54:00.004-06:00

My world has been a bit hectic lately. One of the projects I did in the last two weeks was a piece for womanMADE Gallery's call for entries for their upcoming show, The Emotional Body. I used a drawing I did a couple of years ago to do an image transfer and these are some photographs from the process. I'll find out on March 4th if it makes it!

weekend projects...

2009-02-01T12:55:00.004-06:00

This weekend I've been working on sketches for Harvey, giving my vintage boxes a new life and enjoying 30 degree weather (like spring!). Despite the fact that it's warmed up, I've still been working on a lot of projects on my living room floor since my studio has no heat. This tends to result in an art project explosion. Funny how it happens in a matter of seconds, but takes so long to clean up... which is what I am about to do next since I have dinner guests tonight! On the menu: moroccan-spiced chicken, minted carrots, apricot pistachio couscous... and ice cream of course.

the mess... and the results.

xoxo...

2009-01-29T22:47:00.003-06:00

One thing I rarely do: prepare for Valentines Day. However, it being that I have an online jewelry shop, I decided that this year, it had to be done. So, for a while, I have pried myself away from earth tones and steely grays and welcomed reds and pinks into my palate. If you want to share the love, stop by my shop.

baby...

2009-01-23T09:18:00.004-06:00

As I may have mentioned, my brother and his wife are expecting their first baby soon. So, I've taken a little detour from my other projects to do some baby prep! The last three weekends, I've hopped on the train to go to their house and paint the nursery. Everything is almost done... hopefully I'll get some more pictures when the last touches are complete. I also created the baby shower invitation shown above.

This weekend: work, set design, boxes and falafels...

my shiny treasures...

2009-01-12T10:28:00.002-06:00

As it ends up, I was able to do a little antique market shopping yesterday. You know how raccoons can't resist shiny objects? That's me with old boxes. I had a lot to choose from, but these are the boxes I adopted. I always go for the worn, unfinished ones. I like transforming them with paint, image transfer, paper, collaging, etc., while still saving some of the old details. Last summer I did the same to some vintage typewriter ribbon tins, and all of them sold. So, hopefully everyone will like these too!

sunday morning in bed...

2009-01-11T09:55:00.003-06:00

After a very long work day yesterday, I am spending this morning in bed. Last night on the train home, I finished The Reader, so now I am looking for a new book to read. If you have any suggestions, let me know. On my plate for today (when I finally do get up!): painting my brother's nursery, hopefully breakfast, and if I'm lucky, a little antique market shopping. Have a good weekend.

new...

2009-01-05T23:10:00.002-06:00

new creations from this weekend.

color...

2009-01-01T14:28:00.006-06:00

Lately, I've been wanting to infuse my work (jewelry, art, etc) with more color. And currently, I am not finding it when I look out my window at the frozen courtyard. So, I thought a good place to start with for inspiration would be India. Since I can't go to India, I went to the library instead. I found a great book by Olivier Follmi, which weighs about fifty pounds and is full of colorful pictures. There are some great images of women completely adorned with silks and embroidery and and patterns and jewelry; and there are plenty marketplaces and landscapes to get inspiration from too.

I've started to create new necklaces with rings that are collaged with different papers from around the world. The amount of paper, prints and colors I've collected over time is pretty vast. I like the way they mix together. These are a few simple examples.

So, on this cold gray slush day, I'm feeling a bit colorful... and optimistic about the new year. Cheers!

first sketch...

2008-12-29T22:16:00.005-06:00

In case you've been checking out my current projects list, here is the first sketch for the costume design I am working on. The backdrop for the show is sort of zoot suit era meets OZ meets the future. If I had 45 minutes, I'd explain further. For now, this is my starting point.

now for something new...

2008-12-29T15:23:00.003-06:00

This is a close-up of a painting I recently finished. It has been on my project list for way too long... so it feels good to know I will now be able to move on to new things. Just in time for the new year!

packages with string

2008-12-24T12:19:00.008-06:00

Today I started my morning with 9 am yoga. I don't think I should mention here how long it's been since I've shown up to a class - what counts is, I was there today. After that, I picked up some wine for dinner tonight and treated myself to coffee and a pecan cinnamon roll - it's Christmas Eve, after all. Now I'm adding a few final touches to some gifts. I have to admit, every once in a while, I get more excited about the "final touches" more than the gifts themselves. Okay, it's pretty often that this happens. What can I say... I like wrapping.

Next, I'm headed to the studio for some painting and then I'm catching a train to go see my family. Merry Christmas!

getting dumped by the cta...

2008-12-21T18:49:00.012-06:00

Today I had a moment when I felt like I was in Russia. I've never actually been to Russia, but I have watched Dr. Zhivago numerous times. At it's best, Chicago was zero degrees today; 30 below with the wind chill. How is it, that it is always a day like this that the green line train kicks you off at Pulaski because it has suddenly switched to an express train? About 30 of us got off after the conductor announced that there would be no stops until Ridgeland and that there was another train right behind us. The thing he didn't mention was that the train right behind us had also switched to an express train. It whipped passed, seemingly faster than I've ever seen a CTA train move, horn blaring, kicking up snow and an icy gush of wind... leaving us on the platform like a bunch of suckers. There was a collective groan as we all realized our fate.

What I noticed during the wait for the next train, was that there really isn't anything tall around the Pulaski stop. Which means that there are miles and miles of space for the wind to get revved up and then slice right through you. This is when I felt like I was in Russia. Or at least in my Dr. Zhivago version of Russia. Thankfully, this didn't last too long. And honestly, it made the arrival home to my toasty apartment that much sweeter. I put the kettle on, got under a blanket and nestled in to read the next chapter in Eat Pray Love.

getting ready...

2008-12-15T12:00:00.014-06:00

Today is my only day off between now and Christmas Eve, so I'm busy getting all of my gifts ready and sending out cards. In the past couple weeks of shopping, there are a couple of treats I've gotten for myself, including an ornament or two and some Hannah Silk ribbon... for which I have what I consider a healthy obsession with. This morning I finally pulled my box of Christmas decorations off the shelf and went through my ornament collection. It's fun to discover them anew after not having seen them for a year. Here are a few from the old collection along with this year's additions...

warming up with morning coffee

2008-12-05T10:37:00.006-06:00

When I woke up this morning, it was zero degrees fahrenheit outside. Coffee, turtleneck, boots... and I'm about to head to work. Plans for this weekend: work, Renegade, mulled cider, Christmas decorating, craft night, and staying warm. Have a good weekend!

What time of year is it?

2008-12-01T23:37:00.008-06:00

Currently I've been keeping myself busy with a slew of projects... some of which are firsts for me. This week I completed my first logo design... and began my first costume design job. I've also been adding more jewelry to my shop. In the meantime, I need to keep reminding myself that Christmas is just around the corner and maybe now would be a good time to start preparing!

The cold has officially set in here in Chicago, so more and more I'm getting cozy inside with movies and books... If you are looking for a movie recommendation, go see Slumdog Millionaire. It opens the door to a different reality, has great rhythm, and a main character you want to root for!

happy holiday weekend!

2008-11-29T08:47:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone is having a good Thanksgiving weekend... I am off to work soon, but just wanted to post a peek at the latest jewelry project I am working on. Today through Monday I am giving a free gift with purchase and waiving all shipping fees in my shop. I will also be donating 5% of my sales to Trees Across the Miles.

the good news and the bad news

2008-11-12T16:27:00.004-06:00

I just posted a few new necklaces in my shop. The one shown above is also appearing in a group ad in the Dec/Jan issue of BUST magazine.

The last few days have been a major wake up call on exactly how attached I am to my computer. For those of you with a MacBook, I hope you never see a little file folder with a question mark flashing on your screen like I did. Bye-bye hard drive. I lost everything on my computer. Had I backed up any of my files, you ask? Nope. Lesson learned.

Along with backing up my files, I also learned that I need to back away from the computer a little more often too... and go down to my studio and create more work. It was somewhat refreshing actually. As a result of being unable to use my laptop, I got more painting done, and was able to post more necklaces to my shop.

And sometimes, starting from scratch is a good thing...

thousands of steps

2008-11-05T22:52:00.005-06:00

thousands of steps

to now

filling up the fields

then, after the final word

thousands of steps

criss crossing with light

across broad city streets

toward home

leafscape

2008-11-03T22:46:00.006-06:00

Hard to resist taking a picture of fall foliage on a glorious Sunday.

remnants on the bloomingdale trail

2008-11-02T22:27:00.027-06:00

Yesterday, I took my first hike on the Bloomingdale Trail, an abandoned elevated railroad track that runs through Chicago. The tracks are overgrown, having been out of service since the early 1990's. Twisted in the overgrowth are wildflowers, industrial remnants and signs of pranksters and transients. There are future plans to turn the path into a public park, but for now, there are only a few entry points to the tracks and they remain pretty isolated.

It was a cool, gray day, but it was fun to explore. I found myself collecting and photographing things I might usually ignore. Here are a few photos of remnants I found on the trail.

new on The Studio List

2008-11-02T12:29:00.011-06:00

New on the studio list: Emily Wharton. I first met Emily last winter when I joined a group of artists to coordinate Art Show Chicago. Emily is a designer, painter and potter. She also has work being shown in the upcoming Icons exhibit at womanMADE gallery in Chicago. The show runs November 21 - December 18, so if you are in Chicago, stop in!

laundry day

2008-11-01T10:46:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was beautiful and somehow I found myself inside doing all my hand washing... trying not to create puddles in the bathroom as everything dripped dry. The sun coming through the window made this dripping blouse look like a stained glass window. Once I checked this chore off my list, I did get out into the sunshine and sat in the park working on jewelry sketches. I'm excited to try out some of my new ideas.

by the way

2008-10-23T22:44:00.011-05:00

For those of you who are interested in seeing some of the work from the Chicago International Poster Biennial that I referenced in an earlier post, I now have a link to a slide show the winners' work. Some of my favorites include the works by: Farhad Fozouni, Tomasz Boguslawski, Emek, Christian Helms, Mehdi Saeedi, and Iman Safael.

What's new in my world? It's time to balance the scale. Life is getting in the way of dishes. I've got the whole rinse-and-stack method down pat... now they patiently wait in the sink for actual washing. Mail sorting? Not happening. Phone calls returned? Almost, but not quite. I haven't watered the plants in a week. Three of my last five dinners have centered around popcorn and pretzels. The good news: I still have clean under ware.

Flying: feathers, planes, biscuits...

2008-10-20T21:28:00.018-05:00

Last week I posted a few new necklaces to my shop, including the one shown above. I recently acquired large spools of recycled leather and have had some fun playing with it. I used it to make the little metallic tabs for this necklace, and plan on using it to make some bracelets as well. I love the colors of this feather, and somehow found myself thinking of The Island of the Blue Dolphins when I made this necklace. Anyone have this on their school reading list? It's funny the things that stick in your mind... I read that book nearly 20 years ago, but I still remember how Karana makes a skirt out of cormorant feathers at the very end before she leaves the island.

I flew to Atlanta this past weekend for work. The weather was beautiful and I was working in the Virginia Highland district, which is a really cool spot. If you are ever in Atlanta, I recommend you visit this area. While there, I wandered into a shop called Bella Cucina where they had old french magazine pages strung from the ceiling like banners. I bought one that has a beautiful painting of geishas stringing calandars (?) to a tree. I'll have to find out for sure. Another thing I would recommend if you are going to be in Atlanta, is to go to The Flying Biscuit Cafe and order the fried green tomato BLT sandwich.

Spicy Honey

2008-09-28T07:39:00.013-05:00

Sadly, today is the last day of my vacation. To punctuate the coming of an end, it is raining and gloomy outside after a week of perfect weather. It was good while it lasted... I got to enjoy the sun, see friends and family, work on some projects, and wander around town.

The Hideout Block Party posters I mentioned in my last post led me to do a little online exploration, in which I ended up discovering the first Chicago International Poster Biennial was opening in Grant Park. I went on Friday morning to take a look. There are 127 posters up on display, representing artists from 22 different countries. If you live in Chicago, I recommend taking a look.

Saturday morning, I got up early while it was still misty and cool and took a walk to the farmers market. Since I got there early, there was still plenty of the freshly made donuts and coffee! Everything was so beautiful, I filled my bag to the top with vegetables and flowers. Probably, I was a little over zealous with my purchases... I have a lot of tomatoes to eat now.

So, what to do with these last few vacation hours? I'm thinking with all this rain, it's time to put in a movie and curl up on the couch... and eat some tomatoes.

Stay-cation

2008-09-24T22:20:00.020-05:00

I am on vacation!! Or, what some may call "stay-cation". This is what someone told me the other day when they found out I was going absolutely nowhere during my time off. I have a lot of projects on my plate to keep me busy while I am home. I started out on Monday by building a model for the set design I'm working on for The History of American Film. Right now it's in it's more skeletal stages so I can plan the structure of the set, from there I'll start working on surface details. I've also been working on painting and some new jewelry for my shop.

It hasn't been all work though - Sunday I went to the Hideout block party, which was a good way to kick things off. The weather was beautiful, I ran into a few friends, had a really good black bean burger with mango salsa, and saw the New Pornographers and Ratatat perform.

Here are some of the posters that were printed for the party. Unfortunately, they were sold out by the time I arrived. The bird poster is a print by Alana Bailey, the telephone pole poster is by Judgeworks.

up

2008-09-12T21:33:00.005-05:00

This has been the week of 2 am. Up until 2 am e-mailing, up until 2 am finishing my bracelet order, up until 2 am because I just can't sleep, up, up, up. It felt good to get the bracelets done! There they are above, snuggled in packing peanuts and ready for California. I'm still working on the set design for The History of American Film, but that will be done by Monday. My goal tonight: don't stay up until 2 am.

Sketch

2008-09-04T22:23:00.041-05:00

A few weeks back, I stumbled across the blog, Book by its Cover. It is the creation of Julia Rothman, who is an illustrator and pattern designer in New York. She features art, design, illustration, comic books, and more... including a sketchbook series. This is a photo of a sketchbook belonging to designer Isaac Tobin. I realize that sketch books and journals seems to keep resurfacing over my last couple of posts! Chris Bruch and Noriko Ambe's art both used, or constructed sketchbooks, and now I find myself peaking into other artists' sketchbooks as well. I've really enjoyed looking through.

Here is a peak at some of my sketchbooks.

August Blues

2008-08-25T15:04:00.006-05:00

I spent yesterday in Michigan with some friends. As the day was ending, we climbed atop one of the dunes and watched the sun set into the lake. It was clear and windy and the water was warm and turbulent. We left the beach while the horizon was still orange and I felt the pang of the august blues, of summer always slipping through my fingers...

School is coming back into session, which means set design season is coming. I have two scripts I need to read in the next couple of weeks so I can get started. Time to dig in.

charting the interior landscape

2008-08-23T20:51:00.029-05:00

This is not a landscape photo. It is a work of art by the Japanese artist, Noriko Ambe, who has created a series focused on mapping the interior emotional landscape. She formed this piece by making cuts in a sketchbook. In her artists statement, Noriko states, "It looks like annual rings of a tree or topographical map or waive, but it isn't. It is absolutely the traces of actions of a person, which is me... So to speak, I have been mapping the mysterious land between physical and emotional geography." I was really inspired looking through her website, especially because I had created a series of drawings with a similar goal for the art show last April.

Maps: charcoal, conte, ink

unfaithful

2008-08-19T21:07:00.031-05:00

This past week... working, olympics watching, birthday celebrating, painting, reading (Sorry, Sophies's World, I've been unfaithful - but I really like Divisadero), and checking out the art of Chris Bruch online (first and third image above), and listening to Alexi Murdoch.

pow

2008-08-11T20:23:00.027-05:00

While you won't typically find me watching Monday Night Football or the NBA finals, you will find me glued to the TV when it comes to the Olympics. Seriously, I love them. As I type, Michael Phelps is getting ready to start the 200 m freestyle - oh wait, here comes the personal interest story, gotta love those. And now we're back, and they're in the water... going for the world record... this guy is ridiculous...

I bring all this up because I always make a point to watch the opening ceremonies. Some are good, some are bad, but either way, I'm a big sucker for the opening introduction - you know, before the ceremony starts and you hear the olympics anthem playing, see sweeping shots of mountain tops and the narrator gives his dramatic monologue...

So, I was bummed that I was in an airplane when they were going on this year. AND, even MORE bummed when I found out that one of my favorite artists, Cai Guo-Ciang, directed all the pirotechnics. I've looked for footage online, but have only managed to come up with short snippets, and not the whole ceremony. In any case, it's an opportunity to recommend you take a look at his website.

I first learned about Cai Guo-Ciang through an Art 21 episode. The first thing I saw him do was create a drawing out of gunpowder, and then light it. I was captivated by how dynamic his work became when he paired his gentle, confident line with the explosive, rebellious nature of the gunpowder. I like how this created an element of the artwork that was beyond the his control. Cai Guo-Ciang steps out of bounds, chooses materials and subjects that are rich with metaphor, and creates work that is really beautiful.

Last May, Guo-Ciang had a mid-career retrospective at the Guggenheim which is now traveling to the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, and will be participating in Prospect. 1 New Orleans November 1 - January 18. Road trip anyone?

Below: igniting gunpowder and the resulting drawing, Descending Wolves.

new on the Studio List

2008-08-09T15:09:00.010-05:00

New on the Studio List: Chido Johnson. Chido and I went to school together and just recently reconnected for the first time in nearly 10 years (thank you facebook). I have a lot of appreciation for his sculpture. He is an amazing craftsman and does really thought-provoking work. Born in Zimbabwe and now residing in Detroit, much of his work explores the theme of displacement. He does this in both a powerful and relatable way. Click on the link to check out his work.

Cruel Trick

2008-08-06T00:53:00.008-05:00

Work seems to be keeping me far away from this blog lately. I've been doing a lot of traveling - mainly to California. Which, when you are traveling to California, it feels like you are supposed to be on vacation... but I'm not. It's a cruel trick.

On one of my trips, I was offered free tickets to the Frida Kahlo exhibit - at its last stop in San Francisco. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow for it. Yet another cruel trick. I did go to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art website. They have an interesting online interactive feature on Kahlo. It includes paintings, photos, and video clips, as well as bio details and some interpretations of her work. Check it out.

Urban Affairs

2008-07-10T00:08:00.044-05:00

Right now, the Urban Affairs exhibition is running in Berlin. It's focus is on urban art and street art... in other words, mostly graffiti. Day to day as I move through Chicago, I often spot new tags sprouting up throughout the city. Most of them are gang related, and make the city look dirty. But sometimes... you see something that really is a work of art, even if it's not supposed to be there. There is a culture of street art that exists outside of the gang related graffiti we are used to seeing. Berlin is known as a sort of Mecca for street artists, but many of the artists participating in Urban Affairs have made their marks all around the world. As I browsed the different participants online, while I found some pieces that I wouldn't want to find on my front door when I stepped out to get the paper in the morning (okay, I don't get a paper delivered, but work with me), I also discovered some really beautiful, thoughtful images. The one above is the work of Xoooox, one of the featured artists. I also liked some of the work of Einsamkeit, below.

Almost more interesting than the images themselves, is the idea that these street artists are making pieces that are seen by the public everyday and their work is becoming apart of the landscape. They are putting themselves on the map. It's at the point when I think of this that my mind starts pulling away from the wall that they've painted, away from the city, the country, the continent and starts thinking of street art's place in the world and in time. The artist that really started me thinking about this was Eltono. He has tagged places in Spain, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Italy and Portugal. Despite the fact that what he is doing is, well, illegal, he has a certain respect for the space he marks. His tags are recognizable because he has created an icon that represents the form of a tuning fork. There is something about the simplicity of it that is both modern and timeless. My brain fast-forwards to a moment in the future when archeologists are uncovering cities in Europe, and finding his graffiti and looking for answers in it. In the meantime, they look beautiful in the spaces they fill and they really seem to make sense there. And, while I'm not going to hit the streets with paint cans, it definitely got me thinking, how can I expand my world?

Interesting in learning more about street art? Interested in the art/graffiti debate? Here are some spots to check out.

Graffiti in Berlin

Interview with Eltono

Graffiti: Art and Crime

YouTube: Is Graffiti Art or a Crime?

Turning Graffiti into a Positive Art

Graffiti Facts and Figures

Bracelet Preview

2008-07-03T01:27:00.004-05:00

coming soon! new bracelets for my shop.

On the Road

2008-07-03T00:55:00.005-05:00

This post comes to you from San Jose, where I have been working for the past week. The painting is patiently waiting for me at home. I'll be getting back to Chicago early Friday morning - only to jump back on a plane again first thing Sunday. Hopefully I'll have a chance to hang out with this lady between doing laundry and resuscitating my plants.

Where does the down-time go when traveling for work? I am in a down-time-free zone. Although, this morning I DID manage to squeak in a swim in the hotel pool and a little bit of reading. I finished reading The Vanishing Moon the other week. Now I'm on to Franny and Zooey. Ultimately, The Vanishing Moon was about disappointment and unfulfilled desire. Maybe I should've seen it coming. In the end, it left me feeling... disappointed.

Painting Update!

2008-06-10T13:55:00.015-05:00

As of this Saturday, I will have gone two months without sweets! Yup, I continue to deprive myself until I finish the painting I am currently working on. This is no small feat for me, so I'm proud I have lasted this long without cheating. However, it will make me happier to have the painting done.

A couple of weeks ago, I made this drawing of the dancer, and I am sticking with her!!!

No more changes. Last week, after painting over my last version of this painting (which I never featured here because it really wasn't worth it), I put an outline of this figure up on my canvas. Last night I did some more brainstorming to work out my color palate, and added a layer of color to the canvas. I still need to adjust her hand and then I can move on to my next layer. I would like to finish everything this week. Hopefully, you'll be seeing a finished painting soon.

Summer Reading

2008-06-02T22:43:00.011-05:00

Today I checked out a book from the library (after paying off late fees, which totaled $28.15... ouch. Will I ever learn?). I have a few books at home that I have yet to read, but sometimes it feels really good to go pick something out. It's like you are treating yourself for free! ...until you pay your twenty-eight dollar and fifteen cent fine. (my all time record high. I'm always telling myself "this time will be different")

My method for selecting books is a three step process. Step One: attractive cover. I know, I know, but that's the first thing that draws me to a book. If it passes step one, then we move on to Step Two: checking the stats. This includes, intriguing title, author recognition, and awards. I'm especially a sucker for Pulitzer Prize winning books. I think, at one point, I had the idea that I was going to plow through the whole list of Pulitzer winning novels. You know, they keep adding a new one every year... I'm a little behind. Step Three: captivating first page. Sometimes I read a sentence, sometimes a paragraph or maybe even the entire first page. It is at this point that I make my final decision.

So today, I found The Vanishing Moon, by Joseph Coulson. It's published by Archipelago Books and it's wider, proportionally, than most books are. The unusual proportions and warm gray cover caught my eye first. On the front is a Gustav Klimt painting titled Birch Forest. I'm not familiar with the author, but it did pass the "intriguing title" test.

So, I opened it..

The book opens with a poem by Li-Young Lee:

The moon from any window is one part

whoever's looking.

The part I can't see

is everything my sister keeps to herself.

This reminded me of a quote by Mark Twain: "Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody." I've always found that quote interesting, and after reading the Lee poem, my curiosity was piqued. I flipped to the first page of the first chapter and started to read. The summer of 1931 was a season of dying trees. Had we talked to any of the farmers who lived nearby... it was at this point I decided to get the book.

I guess it's just a feeling, but I really liked it right away. Maybe it was because the author was immediately linking pivotal moments in the lives of the characters with seasons and nature and I find stories that create a parallel between the characters and other, bigger, possibly unrelated events to be interesting - especially when it's nature. Not because nature is pretty, but because it is so vast and beyond our control. It also took me instantly to summer, but in another era, and I like books that take me to another time or place - I guess all books are supposed to do that, but the farther the better, I guess is what I'm saying. And just the way the second sentence starts with "Had we talked...", created a good story teller voice and convinced me that this reflection (this story) was worth hearing. There was a pang of bittersweet recollection in just those few words. So, I'm in.

I've read to page 57 today, and added a new feature to my blog: Now Reading. If you have any book suggestions that you think I should add to my reading list, let me know!

new on The Studio List

2008-05-27T21:21:00.007-05:00

Another new addition to my studio list: Rebels and Scientists. This music has accompanied me a lot as I've worked in the studio. My friend, Steven James Aguilar is the lead vocalist. He also plays guitar and writes the lyrics. Check out this myspace page to sample the music and download it or order a cd.

art show photos are up!

2008-05-27T18:01:00.006-05:00

As it turns out, I have spent the majority of my three glorious days off with a belly ache. This has meant a lot of time on the couch. This gave me the time to work on putting together a slide show of the shots I have from the art show. Now the slide show is up on YouTube and here on my blog. Take a look! There are photos of set up, opening night and most of the art work.

new on The Studio List

2008-05-27T14:22:00.011-05:00

I've just made a new addition to The Studio List! My friend, Elly Castle, who shared the studio with me last summer, just put up her new website. She has spent the last year in New York City working on her photography. Check it out - she has some great work!

2008-05-24T23:33:00.009-05:00

I just wrapped up an evening in the studio with Emily and Karmen, and now I am tucked IN BED. It's good to be here, never mind the dirty dishes in the sink. What makes it even better is that I have the next three days off. What to do!!?? How to spend ALL THAT TIME? It's giving me that giddy pay day feeling... when the measure of my imagination goes beyond what I really have. For now, my feet are telling me that they'd rather not hit the floor any time soon.

On Friday, I went to the International Gem and Jewelry Show in search of new and interesting stones to use in my jewelry. Raise your hand if you think trade shows and convention centers are slightly disturbing. The experience is kinda like a cross between that of a dollar store and amusement park. I made my rounds as quickly as possible (which, when there are hundreds of booths, isn't super fast), and narrowed my search down to about 4 vendors. I ended up with a few purchases, including some fresh water pearls and rutilated quartz. Once I had everything, I didn't bother sticking around for the nachos or Cindy's wire wrapping demo... I just hit the skybridge to the parking garage and headed home.

That evening, Emily, Karmen and I went to an opening at Urbanest to check Antonio Pasin's new pottery. Then we went out for gelato afterwards... oh, wait - THEY had gelato and I didn't because my painting's not done yet. Hmmm.... three whole days off...

2008-05-05T22:18:00.005-05:00

I'm taking a short break from painting, drawing and jewelry to complete a set design for Pippin. My inspiration for this set is a combination of some paintings by Dali, Escher and Hodler. This drawing is the backdrop for the show.

bracelets created on 4.29.08 during movie marathon

2008-04-30T15:56:00.002-05:00

bracelets created on 4.29.08 during movie marathon

2008-04-30T15:21:00.002-05:00

2008-04-30T15:07:00.002-05:00

After a seven day stretch at work (with a cold) it was really nice to have yesterday off. I stayed in my pjs all day and had a movie marathon (with a few This American Life podcasts thrown in for good measure). My marathon included An Affair to Remember, Moonstruck (definitely in my top five all time favorites), Shakespeare in Love, Charade, and Bandits.

Throughout all my movie watching and podcast listening I worked on making bracelets for my shop. I took raw wood bangles and painted them with several washes of ink and then coated them with a varnish. I also have some that I wrapped in paper and varnished. I will be posting them on etsy today.

2008-04-27T20:56:00.006-05:00

This week I've posted a couple new necklaces on Etsy. You can view them at my shop.

New bracelets will be coming soon!

2008-04-21T15:53:00.002-05:00

Ah, yes. The flamenco painting. Dear readers... I'd rather not say how long this project has been waiting for completion. What you see here to your right is perhaps the third or fourth unfinished version. In order complete this painting before I die, I have taken drastic measures: no more sweets until it's done. That's right. That means no ice cream, no muffins from Milk and Honey before work, no chocolate... you get the idea. I started the sweet fast on Monday, April 14th and haven't broken it yet! Hopefully you'll see a finished painting posted here REALLY SOON.

2008-04-21T15:27:00.002-05:00

Now that the art show is over, it's time for some spring cleaning. This week I will be posting new jewelry on etsy. Check it out at www.uncharted.etsy.com.

Also, I'm working on redesigning my business cards. These are some of the images I'm drawing inspiration from. I really like these paintings by Jorge Castillo. I love the dirtiness of the color, the ragged patterns, and how faces and objects surface like a faint trace of your memory. I also found a cool old record sleeve at the Brown Elephant that has nice gritty look to it that I will use.

2008-04-12T22:44:00.004-05:00

Today was the second to last open house for the art show. So far we've had over 150 guests - thanks everyone! Tomorrow, Sunday April 13th is your last chance to swing by. We'll be there from 3pm - 8 pm and would love to see you come out. I'm currently working on compiling photos of the work and opening night for the blog, so check back for more.

2008-04-11T23:16:00.007-05:00

My apologizes to all those who have been long waiting for a new post from me. Readers, I am truly beholden to you for your patience. I know that uncharted is visited daily by a massive global audience, and I am sorry to disappoint. Fear not! The dry spell is over, so everyone can get back to not reading these posts.

The art show went up last Friday and our opening night had a great turnout. Thanks to all of you who came out... and if you missed it, there are still a couple more days left! Check out times at www.artshowchicago.com

2008-03-10T10:53:00.003-05:00

Here's a drawing I've been working on for the show. Is it finished? I think not. In the meantime, I've been working on some smaller pieces. Yesterday, I got some 1/4" oak panels to mount my drawings on. I stained them with onyx wood stain. Pretty exciting. Tonight I'm meeting with Karmen, Doug and Emily to discuss details for the show. In the meantime, I've got plenty of work to do. I hit my snooze for an hour this morning before I became fully aware that it was going off. Whoops. So much for 8 am yoga. I'm still getting used to the time change. Last night I was working away organizing my jewelry supplies (because maybe the laundry basket isn't the best place for them) until about 2 am. At the time, I thought for sure it was only 10:30. Wrong.

2008-03-09T12:23:00.007-05:00

Long time, no update! Life's been busy, and at the top of my art world list: preparing for the art show - which is going up in a matter of weeks. Yikes! To all you readers out there (heh heh), check out the details on the show at http://www.artshowchicago.com. Hope to see you there! Visit my blog again for a preview of what I'll be showing!