Art in the Woods 2011

Busy day of preparations & packing as I am setting up for art in the woods tonight. I am exhausted already as I went to a midnight showing of the last Harry Potter movie with my oldest daughter last night! I won’t spoil it for any Potter fans by telling you what I thought. So if you are in the Jamestown Area come on out and see me and the other artists this weekend. Mention you read about the show on my blog and I’ll give you a 10% discount on your purchase. Here’s a sample of the lovely new books I’ll have with me.

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I also want to thank my friend Tony who made the fabulous ceramic buttons you’ll be seeing on some new books I am making. Thrown in at the end there is a little sneak peek at some other work going on in the studio right now. This is in progress so it may not look much like this when finished!

 

the winner is…

Congratulations to Lindsey a faithful follower here for winning the upside down signature book, I promise to put it in the post ASAP.

On the home front my son graduated on Friday night, and today in a sudden twist all my kids are at work and I am at home playing!! This would be excellent and funny if I weren’t so worried about how I am going to pay my bills this month. I have two art fairs on the horizon, Art in the Woods and Art in the Park. But these things are uncertain, one could sell nothing. I am trying not to be anxious and to trust my decision to give myself this time, but with two sets of college tuition looming and a daughter living unpaid in NYC all summer, life is very costly around here right now. Added to that we are doing some work outside on the house and the studio remains unfinished from lack of funds. Being home all day I realize how shabby and old most of our furnishings are and I am frustrated that I can’t even afford a candy bar let alone a new couch. O well I am going to the studio to get some work done that probably won’t sell, but c’est ma vie!  Of course I live a comfortable cushioned suburban life and should just shut up, I can choose an outfit, I have a roof over my head, there is food in my cupboards, I am just plain discontented right now, and feeling like I am letting my children down. Sorry for whining, just how it is today.

back home

OK all of you full time art festival artists, try not to laugh at my amateur little set up here, but I wanted to  share with you where I’ve been this weekend. As you can see the sun finally did come out and so did the shoppers and I ended up selling almost everything, which means I could go grocery shopping and throw a few extras into the cart instead of counting every penny and I could catch up on some bills, so it is nice to have that burden off my back. Also I sold another piece from the Wellsville show and another piece from here after I got home. All in all its been a very affirming weekend, especially because people were so kind and positive about my work. I really want to thank the bloggers who came out to meet me in person, I’m looking forward to all the lunches and coffees we talked about having, and to getting a look inside your studios! Also all the people who came up to  tell me how much they had enjoyed my gallery shows this year. I came home positively glowing (and we all know how much I like being on public display as a rule). It was wonderful to come home feeling bone tired but that people understood me a little and that there is an audience for what I’m doing out there!! So thank you one and all for all the love!!

off to the woods…

First I want to say thank you to everyone who has been digging for treasure, I spent a lot of time reading new blogs yesterday, and of course some old favorites, so thanks for sharing, and thanks to everyone who stopped by, it was great to “meet” you all.

I’ve had a very busy day, but I just wanted to remind anyone who’ s in the area to stop by Art in the Woods and say hi this weekend. Now I have to go wash the mountain of laundry my youngest brought back from camp, and load the dishwasher, etc. And pack up for the show tomorrow, I’ll try to stop back and let you all know how it went!

too busy for words…

I have been online a little these past few weeks, but my summer is just flying by and hasn’t left much time for blogging. I have been checking in on all of you, lurking as Sheree calls it, but just haven’t had the energy to formulate something worth saying… I am getting a lot accomplished in the studio, mostly commercial stuff as I gear up for a few art shows in the local area, the first is this weekend, Art in the Woods, which supports the work of our local Audubon chapter, where I spend a lot of time, walking the trails and volunteering. If you live within driving distance its well worth a visit, just for their eagle Liberty alone!

My favorites are these piano hinge bindings with natural materials, these are bound with local grasses, in keeping with the ecological theme, they have hemp pages note the fabulous old wood floor of my studio! and here’s a closer look at the binding

this next one is for all of you who think my colour palette is too monochromatic!

and here are some little jotter pads to keep by the phone, featuring some of that vintage wrapping paper I bought last yearthere’s so much more I want to share with you all, but tempus fugit and the studio is calling me back…