Me, Upcycled

Walk This Way....

2011-09-24T14:13:00.000-04:00

It's great to be back! Yes, I disappeared from blogland for quite awhile. As you know, I do that from time to time. And while I wasn't abducted by aliens, and didn't run off to join the circus -- despite my kids' best efforts to make me -- the summer left me sunburned, paint splattered, and dog tired after teaching several sessions of children's graffiti fusion art classes, only to work until the wee hours in the studio experimenting with new techniques. But I'll save the What I Did on My Summer Vacation essay for another time, to tell you about some exciting stuff.

Tonight, it's back to Art Carnage at The Soundry, from 8:00 to midnight! I'll be rolling out a new line of graffiti-inspired SHOES under the Area 718 line at this year's Material World. Along with a variety of live entertainment, the event will feature handmade fashion goods from designers like Ten East Read, Official Nice, Sweet Chloroform, It Takes All Kinds, What is Reality, Suzannah Ashley, Odd Bodkin, Lauren Jacobs, and YarnGasm!

One project I toyed with this summer was making graffiti shoes for my daughters. Another time, I'll post a tutorial showing the basics, but here are a few shots of how they turned out:

I then expanded the idea to strappy sandals, flats, and some other kids' shoes, all of which will be available at Art Carnage. Enjoy the sneak peak!

Also making their debut tonight are my handpainted graffiti belts, along with purse/backpack bling made with chain, beads, metal, wood, and upcycled sari fabric.

Want to see them in person? Catch Art Carnage: Material World tonight, from 8:00 to midnight, at 316 Dominion Rd., Vienna, VA 22180.

Warning: You Are Now Leaving Your Comfort Zone

2011-06-23T23:10:00.000-04:00

4 a.m. at Cell Block 316

OK, I'll admit it. I may be a mom, but I'm not a nostalgic one. You won't find me weeping at preschool graduations. (It's preschool, people!) I remember my daughters' first words, but not their second, third, etc. I don't keep lace-bound scrapbooks filled with their macaroni necklaces, tickets from the zoo, or scraps of fabric from onesies that they spat up on for the first time as babies.

It's not that I don't have any maternal instincts. It's not that I don't care. While others are shedding tears over the last day of school, baking cupcakes, packing up for vacations, or wondering what to do with the mountain of classwork now piled on the kitchen table, I'm also taking time to pause. To recollect. To reflect.

A few weeks before school ended, I sat in the music room with the other first-grade parents to see our kids perform a play -- entirely in Japanese. My older daughter's school offers a language immersion program in which math, science, and health classes are taught in Japanese. Over the course of the year, she'd learned all the hiragana characters and moved on to kanji. Numbers, animals, and simple words progressed into phrases, sentences, songs. It hadn't been easy. We'd both thrown the pile of hiragana flashcards into the air occasionally out of frustration. But here she was now with her classmates, acting out the tale of Momotaro, rattling off lines I could only fumble to pronounce. There she was, jumping and twirling a hula hoop on stage, while bantering back and forth with her classmates. Weeks before that, she'd been adamant about practicing the hula hoop every night while muttering to herself in Japanese. Now I knew why.

The same week, I sat among another group of parents, this time from my younger daughter's ballet class, to watch their final performance. Because my husband had usually accompanied her to class each week, it had been awhile since I'd seen her dance. There had been a time when she'd hear the music and insist on doing her own thing, then suddenly sit down and refuse to do anything. And here she was now, listening to and following instructions at the barre, dancing across the floor in time to the music. There she was, landing a jump that I'd seen her try at home many times before, only to fall.

No, I didn't tear up on either occasion, but I was proud of my girls. Damn proud, to see them pushing their own limits, to see how much they've learned, how much they've grown.

Pushing limits -- whether it's their own or those of their parents -- comes naturally to some kids, maybe because this is one way they learn. With adults, it's a lot harder. We get stuck in our routines, our schedules, our mindsets. For whatever reason, we don't often venture out of our comfort zones because it's simply easier not to.

But that's how we learn, too. That's why it's all the more necessary for us.

My "cell"

And that's why I entered Cell Block 316 last weekend at The Soundry. Artists, poets, and musicians agreed to be locked down for 24 hours while they started and finished an original work onsite. On one hand, the challenge excited me. I'd chosen to work on a 24"x36" canvas; normally I work on smaller pieces. Also, I wanted to experiment by working backwards from how I usually work in terms of technique. I felt inspired to work out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, walking through the doors of The Soundry at the start of the challenge, I also felt uncertain. Many of the other artists had brought more than one canvas; I just had one shot at mine. Also, I'd planned to take a short nap earlier, but of course that never happened. It would be a long night.

So I set up shop in the classroom where I'll be teaching in a few weeks, pulled out my sharpies, oil pastels, and a stash of paper towels that my daughters and I had dyed with acrylics awhile back, and cranked up Lady Gaga on my iPod.

Awhile back, at a local gallery that has since closed, I'd attended an art reception where the artist spoke about her work. Although her name escapes me, one of her practices resonated with me. Hidden in each of her paintings, she'd said, was a personal intention or message.

So I started writing on the canvas, stream-of-consciousness style, why I choose to create art.

Next, I ripped up the paper towels and collaged them onto the canvas, then stenciled on the word "create." Collaging them took several hours. Around 12:45 a.m., when the collage step was finally finished, I realized that I'd been working for over 6 hours. Time to walk around and grab a coffee! Some snapshots of the other cellmates at work:

Then it was back to work. I decided to sketch out a peacock on one side of the canvas...

...and added some stencils and details to the tail.

After 5:30 a.m., after a few color washes, the painting was finished!

Evening Muse, 24"x36" graffiti fusion collage painting

Just before dawn, I was "released" from Cell Block 316 feeling exhausted, but also more alive than I had felt in awhile.

Cell Block 316: Artist Lockdown and Art Show

2011-06-16T22:18:00.000-04:00

Yes, call me crazy. (It probably wouldn't be the first time.) Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. Maybe I'm up for a challenge. Maybe I want to run up my coffee tab even further. Or maybe I just need to get out of the house and away from my kids' (bedtime) dramas.

Regardless, I just signed up for

Cell Block 316: Artist Lockdown and Art Show

at The Soundry. Starting this Friday night at 6 p.m., I'll be joining a group of like-minded, restless, masochistic, competitive, caffeine-addicted artists who will agree to be locked in The Soundry for 24 hours -- the amount of time we'll have to complete an original work for the venue's next exhibit. In fact, the art reception will take place at 8:00 p.m. Saturday night, a mere 2 hours after the lockdown ends.

Paint? Canvas? Fiber? Recycled materials? Beads? Wire? I don't really know yet, but the result will be interesting. I'll be taking notes and photos throughout (or at least until I fall asleep in my palette), so you can expect a blog post afterwards about the experience.

Wish me luck!

G40 Art Summit: Four Floors of Fun

2011-06-15T22:39:00.000-04:00

The other week, we headed down to DC's U Street corridor to check out an event at the forefront of the District's urban art scene -- the second annual G40 Art Summit. Curated by Art Whino, and sponsored by vitaminwater, the monthlong event showcases a variety of genres, including aerosol art, stencil art, murals, wheat paste, skateboard art, customized collectibles, and 3D installations. Urban artists took over the former 25,000-square-foot Dept. of Transportation building on 14th street and transformed its four floors into a collaborative work of art. The event also featured live entertainment, vinyl record vendors, and live aerosol art demos outside the building.

Enjoy the highlights!

Even the stairwells were transformed...

... along with the restrooms.

My older daughter's favorite part of the exhibit was the hall of skateboards.

More fantastic mural art awaited on the upper floors.

There was just something about this painting by Charlie Owens that I loved. The original (seen here) had sold, but I was able to purchase a print. Can't wait to hang it in my studio!

G40 runs through June 17th, at vitaminwater® uncapped LIVE, at the corner of 14th and W. NW.

Tutorial: Area 718 TagPads!

2011-05-27T23:57:00.000-04:00

Completed Area 718 TagPads

Last month, my Australian artist and designer pal Holly Eva posted a tutorial on her blog about using simple materials to transform notepads into works of art. This week, I decided to do a graffiti fusion spin on the same idea, after my kids came home from Lowe's with another paint inspiration card to add to their collection:

I loved the details, the graphic lines, and the contrast of light and dark, particularly in the middle image.

So, I set to work combing through the previous Sunday's newspaper, looking for interesting images that reminded me of the inspiration card, and adhering them with Aleene's Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage.

I covered a few sections with painter's tape...

...and painted them with acrylic glazes.

Next, I stenciled, blotted the glaze, and removed the painter's tape.

For the next layer, I adhered some old collage scraps left over from other projects and doodled some more.

To cover the backs, and the inside cardboard covers of the TagPads, I used sheets of duct tape in various colors and patterns.

I'd been wanting to mix metal and fiber in a project for some time now, and this seemed like the perfect time. Metal chain + carabiners + fringy fibers and ribbons + charms + shoelaces = textural bling with a cool, urban feel.

Practice your tag. Write random, rambling thoughts. Sketch something, tear it out, and hide it in a library book as guerrilla art. Jot down a shopping list. Use it as a cat toy, even. Pick up an Area 718 TagPad at Art Carnage Saturday night at The Soundry, from 6 p.m. to 12:00 midnight.

I'MPOSSIBLE -- Street Art Meets the Gallery

2011-05-13T23:44:00.000-04:00

DC street artists gathered at The Soundry Friday night for the opening of I'MPOSSIBLE, a show highlighting the works of Matt Riegner. Inspired by old school hip-hop, funk, and electronic culture, Riegner meshes graffiti and gallery art in bold bursts of color, strong lines, and stencil work. Other area graffiti artists donated works for a silent auction benefiting creativity-based programs of Albus Cavus.

A look at selected works in the exhibit:

Collaborative work between Matt Riegner & Pore

Collaborative work between Matt Riegner & Ivan Collich

I'MPOSSIBLE will run through June 10th at The Soundry.

Ready, Set, Spray!

2011-05-11T13:15:00.000-04:00

As expected, it was another great night of art, indie music, improv, and dance at The Soundry. But Art Carnage - Urban Edition took creative chaos to new levels with DC members of Albus Cavus, a collective which aims to strengthen communities through public art projects and creative collaboration.

Albus Cavus members trucked in plywood walls and quickly set to work painting murals in the driveway. Over the course of the evening, they and other DC-area graffiti and street artists added their own contributions. ViennaPatch ran a great article on it on May 5th.

DC street artist Alicia Cosnahan, aka Decoy, and Albus Cavus founder Peter Krsko

Yep, that's me. Admittedly, I felt a bit out of my league here, since I'm used to working on smaller surfaces (and not usually with spray paint), but it was a fun experience!

It was great meeting such talented people dedicated to improving the community through public art projects. Having grown up in Queens, I'm well aware that many people view graffiti in a negative light, looking at it as evidence of gangs, or that a neighborhood is going downhill. Just last week my father called me to complain that someone had tagged his fence yet again. And yes, when it comes to personal property, that remains an issue. However, why not use street art -- and much of it truly is art -- to our advantage as a creative outlet through which to beautify and unify local communities? Honestly, I'd rather look at a brightly colored mural than an abandoned building or a crumbling brick wall. The more young people work together and take ownership of a creative project, and the more they invest themselves in it, the less likely they are to deface it. I applaud Albus Cavus' efforts in bringing public art to local communities. Albus Cavus founder Peter Krsko was recently featured in an interesting DC Double Lives article, explaining how the organization came about, and what it's trying to accomplish.

This Friday marks the opening of Matt Riegner's solo show, I'MPOSSIBLE, at The Soundry, from 7 to 11 p.m. Local artists will be donating works for a silent auction at the show, to benefit Albus Cavus. I'll be donating two works:

Graffiti Reef: Sunrise Under Nassau

12"x4" graffiti fusion collage painting

Graffiti Reef: Exuma

12"x4" graffiti fusion collage painting

Music in the studio this week: Reggaeton, My Chemical Romance (saw them live at the 9:30 Club last night in DC. Awesome show, but that's for another post!)

Urban Carnage!

2011-04-29T10:14:00.000-04:00

Get ready to shake your cans, folks -- Art Carnage is going urban this Saturday night at The Soundry!

This month's indie adventure will feature over 15 artists and craft vendors celebrating graffiti, urban, tattoo, and pop culture. Just a sampling of the lineup: Ivan Collich, Sticky Comics, UC Studios, Melanie Newlon, Underground Tree Projects, BrigaBauble. In case that's just not enough for you, how about four hours' worth of continuous entertainment? Live music, performance art, rap, poetry slams, burlesque, hula hoopers, and belly dancing brought to you by Belladonna, The Neon Rush, and Kym Spins, to name a few. Plus, The Improper Imps of Improv will find out what happens when they step blindfolded and barefoot onto a stage with 200 loaded mousetraps. Did I mention that all of this creative chaos was absolutely FREE? (Well, after you fill up your tank at $6.04/gallon to drive here.)

Here's a look back at February's Art Carnage:

The sibs from Ten East Read. They'll be back this time, too, selling their awesome handprinted textiles.

Deb's erotic art

Natural bath and body products -- including the MAN line -- from Herban Lifestyle

Interactive performance art by Cloudism. (Um, I don't know, either, but where else could you find Zorro carrying around a mannequin torso to be tagged?)

Here's the part I'm looking forward to MOST of all. Drumroll, please.... Albus Cavus, an international collective of artists that creates interactive public art projects with local community involvement, will be sponsoring the event. The organization, with branches in CA, DC, and NJ, will be bringing in walls for LIVE graffiti demos at Art Carnage by local artists! Not exactly sure how they're going to do that, but it's definitely something to check out!

I've been busy making a slew of new Area 718 notecards, along with some more graffiti fusion headband designs, to feature at the event. Here's a peek at two of the backgrounds for the notecards:

Member artist Matt Riegner will also be at this month's Carnage, gearing up for his solo show, I'MPOSSIBLE, to hit the walls of The Soundry on May 13th. In line with this show, Matt and several local artists will give back to the community by donating their works to a silent auction. Forty percent of the proceeds will go to fund Albus Cavus' creativity-based programs here in the DC metro area. I'll be mixing up some special 3-D graffiti fusion for the auction, so stay tuned!

Building the Reef Through Community Outreach

2011-04-19T22:58:00.000-04:00

Chances are, if you give kids some paint, they'll smile. Give them some paint -- and some things they never knew they could paint with -- and they'll grin.

Recently, the League of Reston Artists (LRA), a local art organization to which I belong, asked me to design an art activity for Terraset Elementary School in Reston, VA. Each year, Terraset holds its Earth Day Carnival to celebrate its history, which is uniquely rooted in the environment. The school -- which features a rooftop garden -- was constructed into a hillside in 1976 as an energy conservation measure. This year, the school wanted to expand the environmental theme into one that also encompassed good nutrition, exercise, and creative expression. Terraset had approached LRA in hopes that our organization would be able to feature some artists at work during the event.

I decided to take things one step further. Because caring for the earth is everyone's responsibility, why not design an interactive eco-art project that would let both students and their families leave their marks on a larger work? And so, "Build the Reef" was born. A take on my sea-themed Graffiti Reef series, this activity would mesh with the carnival's environmental theme. Cardboard panels (measuring about 4'x3') would serve as the background. Students and passerby would help depict a coral reef using basic art supplies and everyday household items as painting and textural tools.

On the day of the carnival, fellow LRA member Ursula Griessel brought to the school a large drywall panel, along with lots of paper towel and toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, netting, and even some plastic packaging for apples. Before the event, we set to work cutting, assembling, and gluing some of the items into forms resembling coral. The apple packaging made for great "bubbles." Ursula's daughter even made little "clams" out of discarded plastic!

Good weather made for a great turnout. Kids -- and their families -- had fun scraping paint onto the cardboard panels with old gift cards; spraying fabric paint through doilies; carving into paint with chopsticks; and using scrub brushes, cut up bath mats, and toilet paper rolls as stamps. The smallest reef builders decorated cardstock sea creatures, which we later glued to the panels.

So many people stopped by our booth! In fact, four panels -- enough for an installation -- were painted by the end of the carnival. Ursula and I added some finishing touches and donated the panels, on behalf of LRA, to Terraset after the carnival. What a great experience -- thanks, Terraset!

Tutorial: Easy Graffiti Canisters

2011-04-08T16:23:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a way to bring a bit of organization to your studio without losing any of the creative chaos, try this idea. It's quick, inexpensive, and a great way to leverage your artwork, upcycle something you may already have, and personalize your workspace.

One of my favorite -- and most useful-- things in the studio is a wooden lazy susan from IKEA. On it sit a bunch of old baby formula cans, which hold many of my paintbrushes, beloved Sharpie poster paint markers, brayers, and whatnot. One of these days I'll get around to painting the lazy susan, but figured I'd tackle the cans first.

For this project, you will need:

Old canisters (from coffee, baby formula, Costco-sized cans of veggies, etc.)
Photocopies of your artwork. Try enlarging sections of your original work for interesting effects.
Aleene's Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage or other paper adhesive
Ruler
Scissors

1. Look through photocopies of your work and decide which would go well together. Don't be surprised if it's a combination you never thought would! This is also a great way to use up paper scraps.

2. I love the look of alphabet stencils, and wanted to incorporate the one on this enlarged photocopy of my original work in this project. Because the canister I was working with was large, it was easy to work with a large photocopy. Wrap the photocopy around the canister to get a better idea of which areas you'd like to highlight, and other areas you may want to cover. Then, measure the photocopy and cut to fit.

3. Apply Collage Pauge or other adhesive to the back of the photocopy and spread with a foam brush. I preferred using Collage Pauge for this project because it has a thinner consistency and quick drying time.

4. Wrap the photocopy around the canister and smooth. Because I wanted to add texture, I chose to leave the paper "wrinkles" in.

5. Rip pieces off other, contrasting photocopies of your work and collage them onto areas of the canister. Experiment with different textured looks and colors. When you are happy with your new design, finish by sealing entire surface with Collage Pauge.

***

Here's another example. For this one, I chose another background derived from the same original work. However, I'd photocopied it in a different color. To provide contrast, I incorporated brightly colored scraps of graffiti.

Done, and done!

Coloring Outside the Lines

2011-04-02T23:25:00.001-04:00

My daughters' artwork

There is vitality, a life force, energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action -- and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. -- Martha Graham

Last week, while preparing for this month's G.R.A.C.E. Art in the Schools topic -- women artists -- I came across a children's library book and, as Oprah would say, an A-ha Moment. Willow, written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan, and illustrated by Cyd Moore, compelled me to sit down in the stacks and read it cover to cover. Twice. And then, to think for awhile.

Willow tells the story of an unflappable young girl who routinely gets in trouble in art class. Her art teacher, the rigid Ms. Hawthorn, is a fan of green trees with straight trunks and red apples. Willow prefers pink trees with blue apples. "That's what I saw when I closed my eyes," she tells Ms. Hawthorn, who scoffs at her work, even when Willow shows her similar examples in her book of famous artists. Just before winter vacation, Willow is the only one to give Ms. Hawthorn a present. Ms. Hawthorn opens the box to find Willow's beloved art book. This gets the better of her and, "For the first time in her life, Miss Hawthorn doodled." Something unlocks inside her, and she finally lets go, allowing her creativity to shine through. After the break, Ms. Hawthorn's students return to find the art room bathed in color, and their teacher a changed woman, inviting them to add their contributions to a mural that stretches across the walls.

Awhile back, a fellow artist friend and I had signed up to take a mixed-media collage class. Since we were the only two who had signed up, and my younger daughter was only an infant at the time, the instructor agreed to hold the class at my house. She seemed friendly enough on the phone. In fact, she reminded me of Paula Deen, the bubbly Mama Bear of Food Network who would reach through the t.v. and give you a hug if she could. However, it soon became apparent that we were on opposite sides of the same page...in different libraries, even.

I had wanted to incorporate a heart in my composition. "Are you making a valentine for your husband?" the instructor asked. "Because that's the only time they should be used. Hearts are for Valentine's Day." Apparently she'd never picked up a copy of Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine.

"Hearts are subjective," I respectfully disagreed. "I think they could stand for a lot more than just Valentine's Day." Actually, I had been thinking of doing a piece for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day, which I was participating in that year, but never got the chance to explain because she snapped, "Are you teaching this class, or am I?"

For her piece, my friend had chosen to incorporate words with special meaning. But the instructor shot that down too, saying -- with authority -- that only comical language should be used in compositions. "I prefer an air of mystery to my work," she said with authority. As I watched her adhere a section of tissue paper marked with the Chico's logo to her composition, I wondered whether to bring in a fast food wrapper the following week and paste the "Put Burger Here" section in the middle of my composition.

This instructor never asked us about our opinions on art. But over the next hour, I came to learn an awful lot about her, most of which I didn't want to know, and the rest, which I didn't particularly care for: She looked down on our middle-class neighborhood. Her husband, an executive, liked to pamper himself with daily spa visits. And she hated the DIY paint job in my dining room so much that she had to "restrain [herself.]" She also revealed that she was mentally ill. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm not dangerous." Then she spilled her ginormous cup of Starbucks frappuccino all over my table and expected me to clean it up. So much for self restraint. At that moment, I pondered two mysteries of the universe: why I cannot get through a morning, afternoon, or evening without something spilling somewhere in this house, and why I seem to be a magnet for the mentally imbalanced.

She left half an hour early, and also left her trash behind in my driveway. Two days later, she sent us an email stating that she chose not to work with either of us. She didn't feel like she could work with me, she wrote, because I seemed to be set on doing it my way regardless. And she didn't want to waste her time arguing with someone who was unteachable.

I wish I could send her a copy of Willow. Stay classy, Susan!

****

Fast forward a few years.

"So how many of you are afraid to start, afraid of that blank page, that blank canvas?" I asked the class of seventh grade art students. Most hands went up. "Many professional artists struggle with that too," I said. "It can be an uphill battle." I offered them a solution. "Spill something, anything, on it and see where it takes you."

Meanwhile, whenever I go into a first-grade class, they can hardly wait for me to give the instructions before diving, headfirst, into the project. These are the kids who LIVE creative alchemy because they ARE creative energy. It's so inspiring to see all their different takes on any given project.

Environmental sculptures made by first graders

So what happens to them? We teach them to color in the lines, follow the rules, don't speak out of turn. We teach them what is real, what is normal, what is fact. And surely, there's nothing wrong with that. But there has to be room for pink trees and blue apples. For hearts and words of emotion. For divergent views. Children learn a lot, but they forget just as much.

From the time my older daughter learned to write her initials, she liked to inscribe them on most anything -- including the walls and the furniture. We've had many talks about this, after which I'd make her erase them. On occasion, I still find her initials in the most unexpected places. But when I do, sometimes I leave them.

So we both remember.

March Madness

2011-03-27T23:06:00.000-04:00

...and boy, has it been! We're nearing the end of the month, but March is still roaring over here. Below is my pathetic short list of excuses why I haven't been typing my heart out to you this month:

I took an interesting freelance writing assignment for a trade magazine. Traveled around, conducted interviews, wrote the articles, and added on a few pounds in the process -- all in the name of research, of course.
You'd be surprised at the amount of homework first graders get (at least at my daughter's school!)
I haven't figured out how to clone myself yet. Advice is welcome.
Volunteer commitments on my calendar seem to multiply faster than my laundry pile.
I've been painting. Of course, I also accidentally painted my new cat turquoise while he was sleeping in the chair in my studio. (Good thing he doesn't mind water.)

This month, I decided to take a different approach to some new paintings in the Graffiti Reef series, by making them three-dimensional. I really wanted to play with the levels in these collage paintings, and used old Scrabble tiles and wooden pieces to make some of the collage pieces stand out.

Merengue Marinade, 10x10 3D graffiti fusion collage painting on wood panel

In the Lion's Den, 10x10 3D graffiti fusion collage painting on wood panel. The lionfish is one of the 3D elements here. The lavender and red-orange "coral" is made from light molding paste.

Both paintings were featured in the March Madness exhibit, hosted by the Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA.

Proceeds from all sales from the exhibit benefited the Target Gallery's 2011 outreach programming and the March of Dimes.

More than 200 artists created work on 10x10 wood panels for the exhibit, which ran from March 17th through the 27th. The fundraiser helped raise money and awareness for the March of Dimes, and raise funds for the Target Gallery's community outreach programming. The Torpedo Factory sponsored an art activity on March 19th for children whose families benefited from the March of Dimes. This event helped raise awareness for the charity's annual March for Babies walk, to be held in May.

The Torpedo Factory also threw a March Madness Art Party on the 27th in the main hall outside the gallery, complete with games, a wing-off, DJ, prizes, and a live broadcast of the NCAA basketball game. What a great night!

Almost TGIF in the Studio

2011-02-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

OMG, what a week! I've been trying to squeeze studio time in-between volunteering at school, shuttling kids to and from playdates and activities, dealing with yet another snow delay, and having the remaining hours sucked into the black hole of Daily Life. And so, the battle continues between Art Mom and Daily Mom. It's anyone's guess who's winning at this point.

However, here's what I've been able to accomplish in a series of 15-minute increments in the studio this week. All will be available at Art Carnage III on Saturday night. Enjoy!

Countdown, graffiti fusion collage on cardboard

Original graffiti dogtag pendants. I may add affirmations to the reverse sides.

Looming, graffiti fusion collage painting on canvas

Also, I'm happy to report that the first in the Graffiti Reef series -- In the Chillout Lounge -- was recently featured in the Hip Hop Hoooray! Treasury by Marshall Couture (Calmplex) on Etsy. Thanks, Calmplex!

Handmade Business Card Tutorial

2011-02-22T14:44:00.000-05:00

Handmade business cards are a great way to put your art into the hands of potential buyers. They're relatively easy to make, totally customizable, and worth the effort. Although I'd used traditional business cards before, they really didn't communicate graffiti fusion, at least the way I wanted them to. If people ask what kind of art I do, usually their next question is, What's graffiti fusion? I can describe it, but the better option is showing them an example.

So a few months back, while doing an exercise for Traci Bautista's Discovering Y.O.U. Art Marketing Course, I decided to play around in the studio and make my own with materials on hand.

For this batch of business cards, I first made layered graffiti backgrounds on manila folder. It's one of my favorite materials to paint on, and provided a large surface area for this project. These backgrounds were still in work at the time this photo was taken.

On the reverse side of the manila folder, I glued a transparency I'd painted previously, then added accents with colored tape. This shot shows both sides of the folder. Inspired by something I'd seen around my neighborhood, I bought some "Hello" labels and found a free urban font online, then printed out my business information onto the labels.

Front and reverse of finished cards. Although they're slightly bigger than traditional business cards, each one is a unique piece of art.

I also experimented with different textural backgrounds. This photo shows the labels on dyed paper towels, which were adhered to the manila folder.

For this batch, I stuck labels on a collage of Citrasolv-treated paper and dyed paper towels, backed with manila folder.

If you're looking for a different option than using original backgrounds for your business cards, the following instructions may be a bit quicker.

It's helpful to take digital photos of both your finished work and works in progress. Make photocopies of your work at the copy store. You can then use them for a variety of projects. For this batch of handmade business cards, I adhered a photocopy of my original work with Aleene's Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage to cardstock.

On the reverse, I adhered a black-and-white copy of some original work, and then collaged color copies over it for contrast.

Use colored pencils to highlight a few areas.

Add the labels and maybe a few embellishments...

Then cut them out.

Try making your business cards on a variety of surfaces, incorporating different looks and textures. The idea is to have fun communicating who you are as an artist through the cards. Since making these, I've also designed other reversible business cards that double as ACEOs, using a deck of playing cards. They're just big enough for the Hello label on the front and an original background or photocopy of my original work on the back. Look for these ACEO business cards in The Soundry's Baddie Bags, for the first 25 people to enter Art Carnage this Saturday night.

Sneak Peek -- Graffiti Reef

2011-02-19T13:39:00.001-05:00

Hey!

While out walking the dog yesterday and enjoying the 70-degree weather, I was thinking that maybe the groundhog was right, and that spring would be coming early after all. On the way back, I noticed a daffodil beginning to break through the ground. Now they're forecasting snow showers and highs of 33 degrees for Tuesday. We'll take what we can get until then.

I've been working on several projects for the upcoming Art Carnage at The Soundry on February 26. A trip to the Bahamas last summer inspired me to create a new line of paintings called Graffiti Reef. I've always loved sea life, and wanted to do a fun new twist on it, incorporating graffiti fusion.

In the Chillout Lounge, the first in the Graffiti Reef series, available at craftychicdesigns.etsy.com. I've also incorporated elements from this design into my pendants, bottlecaps, and magnets. My signature is the graffiti fish, which I often work into my original art headband designs as well.

For this work in progress, I upcycled a cardboard panel that had been part of the packaging for a closet drawer. (I'm in the process of reorganizing my studio.) It was my first time painting on cardboard, and was actually a lot of fun, look for more of these panels in the future.

Next, I added accents with marker to the coral on the bottom and used heavy-bodied acrylic and rubber shelf liner to make the kelp. It's far from done, but off to a good start.

For this painting, I decided to add a three-dimensional feel to the coral, using modeling paste and old paintbrush handles.

When the paste had hardened, I painted it with acrylics. Still not sure what other sea life I'll be using for this one.

A postcard from The Bahamas inspired this next design.

With this painting, I recycled a previously painted old canvas that I'd abandoned several months back, unsure how to proceed next with the colors. This time, I experimented with an orange wash on top of the original sea green wash. On the bottom, I mixed up an earthy color and painted over the original lavender, then used chopsticks to carve into the paint. Some of the original color shows through, and I like the effect.

And, of course, I HAD to do something in purple!

I also made new graffiti-inspired backgrounds from the ton of old scrapbook paper lying around the studio. Scrapbook paper is great -- I often simply paint over it, add layers, and then rip/cut up the new background to collage into my paintings, or to make other projects.

For this last background, I was playing around with dimensional paint to make a seahorse.

I've got lots more to do on these paintings, so stay tuned!

Music in the studio this week:

-- Ibiza Chill Out, Vol. 2 (various artists)
-- The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
-- How to Operate With a Blown Mind, Lo Fidelity Allstars
-- Gothic Rock, Vol. 1 (various artists)
-- The Distance to Here, Live

Back to The Reef!

Current Exhibits at ArtSpace

2011-02-15T21:35:00.001-05:00

Recently I stopped by ArtSpace of Herndon to view the gallery's two current exhibits. From the Woods features the natural sculptures of Diane Black. Four contemporary artists -- Sherill Anne Gross, Sean Hennessy, Sean Lundgren, and Alexandra Zealand -- are showcased in Elements. In the latter exhibit, the four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) are used as part of the artists' mediums, rather than as the subject of their works. Interesting stuff! Both exhibits run through February 27.

Some snapshots from the exhibits:

Visit ArtSpace of Herndon at:

750 Center Street

Herndon, VA 20170

A Tentacled Trend

2011-02-05T21:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who stopped by to support Art Carnage at The Soundry last Saturday...what an awesome night of shopping and entertainment! It was great to see some familiar faces, and a lot of new ones, too!

Despite the bitter cold and ice, The Soundry was packed! Yes, those parking spots were worth the wait.

Nadine from Simple Girl Designs had her booth across from mine. I like how she paired tags bearing words like "kindness" and "amore" with her vintage-inspired jewelry, influenced by 1940s-1960s fashion.

Soundry studio member Lisa Wagner weaving at her loom, where she creates woven yarn pendants.

A number of vendors were discussing a current craft trend, for sale on several tables at the event -- octopi. "It's this year's owl," said Cara Salvatore of Dopo, referencing last year's popular item.

Dopo's handcut paper modern art includes an octopus design.

Assorted octopi hanging out at Ika Ink and atomic cate's table.

Sweet Chloroform sporting felt octopi -- and owls, too!

We're already gearing up for the next Art Carnage, to be held the evening of February 26th. That day, Melissa Lew will be holding a series of seminars for the career-focused artist/crafter. Check out The Soundry web site for further details.

Love is Eternal

2011-01-30T23:45:00.000-05:00

Dear Mom,

You were taken from us six years ago today. It's hard to believe I haven't heard your voice in so long. Harder to believe that I'll never be able to hear it again.

Creative expression has always been a part of my life, but it became even more of an outlet after your death. I embraced art as a catharsis for grief. As a kid, I remember you throwing yourself wholeheartedly into daily challenges by putting a creative spin on things. You went all out. You faced fear with humor. I remember how once, while going through chemo, you'd mentioned to the doctor that you'd broken out in hives. He examined you, only to find you'd covered yourself in happy face stickers.

No fear, I recall, while working the palette knife across the canvas. Bright colors combine, change. New ones emerge. Make a statement. While spray painting through a stencil, I chuckle at the memory of when a woman had taken offense at your license plate holder, which read, "Dull women have immaculate houses." She'd waited by our car for you to get out my elementary school, where you taught. "I have an immaculate house, and I'm not dull," she said. You'd waited a moment, then got in her face and told her to "Get a [expletive] life."

It wasn't easy to have you for a teacher in 5th grade. After all, you didn't even let me call you "mom" in the classroom. But I remember your enthusiasm for teaching (and learning), your ability to connect with the students, to create a dynamic learning environment, to try and make the subject matter come alive. You'd even gone so far as to dress up like Plato for a discussion on philosophy and democracy!

Thanks to you, it feels good to stand in front of 50-something first graders -- including my own daughter -- to teach a lesson in art history. In fact, the more I do it, the more I enjoy it.

Thanks to you, I'm not afraid to take risks with my art, to speak loudly through it. I have learned so much about myself while trying to gather the pieces of healing these past six years. By remembering your strength, I've found mine. By channeling your enthusiasm, new doors have opened for me.

I still miss you terribly every day. But you're still my mother and teacher, and for that, I'm grateful.

Rest in the peace of a Montauk sunset that you'd always loved. Perhaps one day we will watch it together again.

Art Carnage Happens January 29th

2011-01-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

Art Carnage Happens January 29th

I'll be selling my Area 718 art, headbands, and merchandise at the next Art Carnage event at The Soundry (see the link above and details below.) With about 20 art vendors and a bunch of performers, it will be a unique night of art, music, dancing, improv comedy, variety acts, and general chaos. If you're a pretentious art snob, you may want to sit this one out, pour yourself a sherry, and bemoan the deemphasis of submission slides in the gallery world. If, however, you're like the rest of us, grab a coffee in the Soundry Cafe and get ready for an interesting evening. The first 25 "Carnagees" will receive FREE Baddie Bags filled with goodies from the vendors.

Art Carnage
8 p.m. - 12 a.m.
The Soundry
316 Dominion Rd. NE
Vienna, VA 22180

Creative Revolution in the Classroom

2011-01-22T13:05:00.001-05:00

Ever paint with chopsticks? How about a toothbrush? Did you know that you can marbleize paper with shaving cream? Or turn a pedicure toe separator into a stamp or a mask (reverse stencil)?

Last week, three classes of middle schoolers at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA, joined my Creative Revolution. I had the pleasure of demonstrating graffiti fusion techniques to 7th and 8th graders, showing them how to achieve textured, graffiti-inspired effects using acrylic and fabric paints and "tools" of common household items. Deb Fitzgerald, their art teacher, had set up a variety of printmaking stations for them: monotype color field, bubble print, stencils, stamping, fabric sprays, and marbleized paper. Students were also asked to come up with a list of words that either described them, or examples of good citizenship or patriotism. These words could be incorporated into their prints.

Viva La Creative Revolution!

Deb Fitzgerald of Lake Braddock Secondary School

It was great fun watching the students' expressions as they traveled among the printmaking stations and saw how their prints transformed by adding layers. Their enthusiasm was infectious! Many thanks to all the art students, the school administration, and especially Deb Fitzgerald for putting all of this together. I look forward to returning another day next semester!

Take a look at the students' works in progress:

While the students were at the printmaking stations, I continued layering my demo projects. At the end of class, I showed them the results:

Graffiti fusion on brown paper bag

Graffiti fusion using acrylics and alcohol inks on transparencies. I had a few student volunteers carve into the paint with various tools.

Graffiti fusion demos on brown paper bags

This Week in the Studio: Salt, Spray, and Sweat

2011-01-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends!

While we've been shivering through our coldest winter in recent memory here (at least it seems that way every afternoon while outside waiting for the school bus to arrive), things are heating up in the studio.

Deb Fitzgerald, an art teacher at Lake Braddock Secondary School, recently asked me to visit the school to meet with her students. She occasionally invites local artists to her classes as a way for the students to discuss career ideas and explore different types of art. So, on Friday I'll be demonstrating printmaking and graffiti fusion techniques to her 7th and 8th grade classes. I'll be teaching them how to achieve textured, layered effects with some common household items. Hopefully the kids will find it interesting, and hopefully I'll be caffeinated enough to get through teaching the 1st class at 7:30!

Here's a look at the creative alchemy taking place in the studio this week, to prepare for the classes:

Basic painted backgrounds on transparency, sketch paper, and discarded cardboard packaging (l-r)

Spraying fabric paint through a stencil of die-cut scrapbook paper

Applying heavy-bodied acrylic on rubber shelf liner to a background

Graffiti with Sharpie poster paint markers over the rose stencil. In hindsight, I probably overworked this one. Will most likely cut it up for ATCs or backgrounds for handmade business cards.

Fabric spray paint over heavy-bodied acrylic

I really liked the distressed look of this background. I'd applied a very thick layer of gesso to manila folder. When dry, it felt like leather. It took a variety of textures pretty well, too.

Backgrounds made from watercolor paint treated with kosher salt (left and right), and fabric paint stencil on vellum (middle)

Music in the studio this week:

-- Original Cast Recording of American Idiot on Broadway
-- My Chemical Romance: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
-- Christina Perri: Jar of Hearts
-- Blue Man Group: The Complex

Turning the Page

2010-12-31T22:56:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, friends! So here we are, inching towards another year, another decade. Like many of you, I've been taking stock of how 2010 has left its mark -- both good and bad -- on my life, and how it's influenced me as an artist. So, in no particular order, here are the 10 Things I've Learned This Year:

1. Sometimes it's better not to look before you leap.

I've always had a nonrational fear of stingrays, and not just because of what happened to Steve Irwin. So you can imagine my reaction upon finding out that we'd be snorkeling among manta rays on a recent trip to the Bahamas. Nine-foot-wide mantas, in fact. "It's getting close to feeding time," said the resort snorkeling guide, "so they'll probably get pretty close." Great, I thought, securing my dive mask and pushing off into the lagoon anyway. The guide was right. There's nothing like looking down and seeing a behemoth of a manta ray -- and the above photo doesn't do it justice -- swimming straight up toward you. Climbing back on land an hour later, I felt hoarse from screaming underwater, but I also felt the rush of feeling very much alive.

Back in January, I entered my first art show, sponsored by The League of Reston Artists, a local art organization. I watched the other artists file in with their beautiful oil paintings and photographs, and couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated. After all, these were real artists. For a moment, I considered backing out. But I hung my work and went home.

A few weeks later, the League sent out an email announcing the upcoming art show reception, along with those who'd won awards at the show. Turns out I'd snagged an Honorable Mention in Painting!

2. Yes, you belong here.

In April, I'd entered another show at The Soundry, a venue known for its unorthodox, well, everything. For this show, which The Soundry coined F*ck the Machine (summing up its attitude of the traditional art world), the participating artists would become the art jury. We'd have to fight it out through three rounds of eliminations; the whole process would take over four hours. We got up before our peers and explained our work, fielding questions and defending it, if necessary. Likewise, the process was filmed broadcast live online.

I chose to submit And Another Thing, a graffiti painting I'd done for my younger daughter. The piece featured different lessons I wanted to pass on to her. At the end of the night, I returned home alone. The painting would hang in the exhibit.

Some works in the F*ck the Machine exhibit. Mine is on the right.

3. Art feeds the soul.

In May, I had the great opportunity to take two classes with one of my mentors, Traci Bautista, at Art & Soul Hampton. Her book, Collage Unleashed, had been a huge inspiration to me. Meeting her in person, and working on projects with the very materials she'd used in her book, was unforgettable!

Art quilt I'd made in Traci's Spilling Canvas class

4. Weather the storm.

This year has dealt its share of storms, too. Rejections, both professional and personal. Way too personal, in fact. But that's life.

5. You can bend only so much.

I've felt torn in a million directions this year. Sure, lots of good things have happened, but I tend to take on too much at once. The best of intentions with the worst planning imaginable. Welcome to my life!

And so, I'm slowly learning that I can't be everything to everyone all the time. You've been warned!

6. It's ok to imagine being successful.

The more I do art, the more I understand myself. Taking Traci Bautista's Discovering Y.O.U. Art Marketing Course helped me sort things out a lot this year, and allowed me time to think about where I was in my art and how I'd like to see it transform. While preparing one of the homework assignments, I came upon an old journal I'd written over a decade ago while I was still living in NY. It was interesting to note the similarities between how I'd felt then, and now. I worked part of the journal into the graffiti collage in this photo:

7. Everyone gets stuck sometimes.

In talking with other artists, one common experience we share from time to time is the fear of the blank canvas/page/etc. Maybe the solution is to just spill something -- anything -- on it, and see where it takes you.

8. Don't overthink it.

In my opinion, the process of making art should free you. Maybe that's why I don't understand the point of agonizing over compositions. I've learned to work from the gut instead.

9. Artists have a responsibility to inspire.

Over the year, I've tried to connect with other creative types, both locally and globally. While this is still relatively new territory for me, the exchange of ideas has been a great learning experience. I look forward to meeting more of you out there!

10. Treasure random moments of joy.

This year, I'm helping to coordinate a volunteer-run art history program at my older daughter's school. It's a lot of work (especially for someone like me who's not a "kid person" per se), but I love seeing the kids' faces light up during our presentations. You'd be surprised how much they absorb from one lesson to the next. After they quiz me each month on how my purple hair "got like that," I admire how they attack the projects with sheer honesty, too.

And so, my new year's wish for you comes from an old Irish blessing. Parts of it are incorporated in this graffiti collage:

Deep peace of the running wave to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the gentle night to you.

Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.

Happy New Year!

Photo Tutorial: Graffiti Christmas Ornaments

2010-12-23T23:01:00.000-05:00

Yes, Virginia, there IS a new blog post!

(One that I'd hoped to get out much sooner.)

Christmas had always been a huge deal at our house, growing up. The Christmas tree took three days to put up, on account of how particular my mother was about affixing each of the 1,836,789 ornaments on the right branch, next to the perfect-colored light. Decorating that tree seemed to be the highlight of her year. She'd once left it up until Good Friday, but that's another story.

It took over a week to put up my tree this year, owing to a revolving door of art shows, illnesses, Nutcracker rehearsals/performances, volunteer commitments, and the usual chaos that rules my life. Still, I spent some time in the studio (aka Our Lady of Perpetual Chaos), working on graffiti-inspired Christmas ornaments. (You'll probably see some of that creative chaos in the final result.)

Start with a glass craft ornament.

Adhere strips of tissue paper to the ornament. You may wish to add several layers in some areas to vary the texture. Let dry.

I used several colors of tissue paper to cover the ornaments.

Next, mix up some acrylic glazes.

Using random strokes, paint layers of glazes over the tissue paper. Let dry between layers. Here, I also added texture by painting sections of rubber shelf liner with heavy body acrylic and then rolling the ornament over it.

Experiment with other materials you may have around. On these ornaments, I also used fabric spray paint, alcohol ink, and india ink.

To add even more texture, I painted the tops of the ornaments silver and, when dry, added a coat of glass bead medium. It would eventually dry nearly transparent.

Almost done!

Afterwards, I used markers to write Christmas sayings, such as Merry, Comfort & Joy, Noel, Silent Night, and Peace on the ornaments. I also decorated them with stars and hearts.

A lot of work, but a ton of fun!

On Being Thankful

2010-11-19T23:27:00.001-05:00

Events from the past two weeks have again proved one of my favorite sayings about how unpredictable life can be: Whenever you think either A or B will happen, C will always win out.

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous going into the recent Artisans Gallery at ArtSpace Herndon. It was my first time participating in an art show at a mainstream gallery. Likewise, after much planning and organizing, it was the first time ArtSpace had held such an event showcasing local Herndon artists.

I never know what to expect with art/craft shows. You're really at the mercy of who walks through the door. What will sell well one day won't necessarily sell well the next. It can be frustrating at times. Last year, I spent weeks preparing for one show the next county over, working on new products until the wee hours. The day of that show, I watched as shoppers smiled and bypassed my booth to visit the vendor at the next table who was very successfully selling gourds with pigs' faces on them. Then I watched in disbelief as she lit candles in her gourds and placed them dangerously close to the drapes covering my metal grid, nearly setting my display on fire.

Fortunately, my experience at ArtSpace was a lot better. In fact, it turned out to be my best show ever! There wasn't a lot of foot traffic, but that was to be expected for a first-time show. However, the shoppers who walked into the gallery were there to buy. The more I chatted with them, told them about graffiti fusion art, how and why I do it, the more interested they were. Surprisingly, it wasn't only the younger people who were interested in this style, either. I had a great discussion with an older lady on how to use CitraSolv on old magazines to create interesting artistic effects.

On the second day of the show, I landed my first consignment agreement with the gallery. What a rush it was to display some of my Area 718 headbands and notecards with the other artisans' jewelry, pottery, glassware, and stationery! Have a look at the cabinet in the lobby:

The Artisans Gallery shop is now open during ArtSpace Herndon's regular gallery hours:

Sundays 12-5
Tuesdays through Thursdays 10-2
Fridays 10-8
Saturdays 12-5

ArtSpace Herndon
750 Center St.
Herndon, VA 20170

* * * * * * *

After the show, I was over the moon. Thankful for the opportunity. Thankful for hard work paying off. Thankful to have met and talked with many people who were interested in my work. Thankful for having met the other talented artisans. But there was one more surprise to come later that night, as I popped into Anthropologie to do some window shopping and look at color trends. At the time, I was thinking of my mother, who died nearly six years ago. Sometimes I wish I could just call her with the details and listen to her voice again. She often was my toughest critic, but would always admit after the fact, "See, I knew you could do it."

In the store, I accidentally knocked over a pillow. After picking it up and putting it back, I happened to see a stationery box on an adjacent table; it was marked Postcards From Penguin. I smiled. My mother always had a special fondness for penguins. She had hundreds (at least) in her collection -- stuffed, ceramic, glass, etc. Visitors to our house probably thought they'd landed in Antarctica.

I ran my fingers over the box. Postcards From Penguin -- the letters grew blurry as I wiped my eyes and tried to smile.

"Karen, you're crazy."

I put the box back, walked over to a holiday display against the wall. And there it was -- a penguin ornament.

"But I always knew you could do it."

Thanks, mom.

Next Stop... Artisans Gallery Shop

2010-11-03T21:54:00.000-04:00

I'm proud to be a vendor at ArtSpace Herndon's first Artisans Gallery Shop! The event, which coincides with an open house at the gallery, will take place this Friday (12-8) and Saturday (12-5). I'll have plenty of Area 718 graffiti-inspired headbands, art journals, notecards, magnets, and wallhangings, along with some original art pendants. Stop by, say hi!

Saturday at The Soundry

2010-11-02T22:54:00.000-04:00

After this past Saturday's Art Market at The Soundry, I decided to warm up inside, grab a sandwich, and check out the current exhibit, TechnoPunk 1801-2099. Here are a few glimpses from the show:

"Just Hit Send" assemblage by Heather Miller

"Hip-Hop Bot" collage on paper by Steve Loya

"A Conversation With a Humanoid Robot" in-motion assemblage by Deborah Rose Buterbock

"Time Breaker" mixed-media piece by Lisa Wagner

"Someone Call an Ambulance Cause Something's Not Right" oil and acrylic by Ivan Collich

"The Negative Nancy Complex, One of Two Ways" mixed-media piece by Matt Riegner

The TechnoPunk 1801-2099 exhibit runs through Nov. 22nd.

A number of artists featured in the exhibit also gave The Soundry's back door an extreme makeover. Well done, guys!

They're Here!

2010-10-29T20:34:00.000-04:00

Four new art journals, which I'll have at Art Market 316 at The Soundry tomorrow morning! Each is a combination of tones and textures -- everything from manila folders, canvas, and dyed paper to transparencies, batik fabric, and small embellishments. Each features my original artwork, along with photos of NYC graffiti taken on my recent trip back home. Here's a sneak peak inside selected pages from each journal:

Journal 1

Journal 2

Journal 3

Journal 4

Studio Update

2010-10-27T23:58:00.000-04:00

It's starting to look pretty scary in my studio. Dyed papers strewn all over the floor. New dots of fabric spray paint on the rug. My desk, a sea of photo prints, paints, canvas scraps, markers, and empty bottles of Vitamin Water.

Yeah, it may be Halloween, but it's also time for the next Art Market 316 this Saturday at The Soundry in Vienna, VA. A former auto body shop, The Soundry was converted a few years back into a shared art studio/rehearsal space for members, and an art gallery and cafe for the public. I'll be hawking the usual suspects (Area 718 headbands, bottlecap and reversible pendant necklaces, graffiti notecards and magnets) AND something new... graffiti art journals! The scariest part of my week -- at least in the studio -- occurred tonight, when I had to bind the journals. This was uncharted territory for me. Honestly, just the thought of using the sewing machine is terrifying; I'm just not a mechanically-oriented person by any means. I'd swear the sewing machine hates me back, too, because all I need to do is simply look at it and the damn thing jams. Anyway, my husband got it all threaded, etc., and off I went as he said, "Push! Push!" So I did, praying the little thingamajig wouldn't jam (again), and soon, four brand spankin' new art journals were born!

If you're local and would like to see them in person, stop by my booth from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Art Market at The Soundry (316 Dominion Rd., Vienna, VA). As an Early Bird Special, I'll be giving out free graffiti magnets from 8:00 to 9:00. Here are some of my booth photos from last month's market.

Last month, a reporter from the Vienna edition of Patch.com ran a story on Art Market 316 and included a photo of my booth, along with a quote. Check out the article, Beyond the Farmers Market, A Market for Art: http://vienna.patch.com/articles/beyond-the-farmers-market-a-market-for-art

This will be the last morning market of the season. Starting in November, Art Market 316 will become an evening event, to be held the last Saturday of the month, from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Building on The Soundry's indie vibe, each Art Market will also feature music, performance, poetry, and assorted "creative chaos."

Sounds good to me!

Homecoming ... Queens!

2010-10-21T15:17:00.000-04:00

This past weekend found us back in the real Area 718, in all its potholed glory. I snapped these shots in the car from Brooklyn to Queens.

The Obey sticker campaign:

Loved this mural. I couldn't get it all in the photo, but the inscription on the red paint coming from the paintbrush reads, "We are not government issued." The inscription on the lower left reads, "Think for yourself."

I took the following photos while riding the LIRR through Queens into Manhattan. Graffiti against a combination of textures -- concrete, exposed brick, and (rusting) metal -- made for an urban distressed look that inspired me. I really liked how the paint colors interacted with the existing landscape.

In the Studio

2010-10-19T12:39:00.000-04:00

This was one of my homework assignments from the Discovering Y.O.U. Art Marketing Course I recently took from Traci Bautista, an inspiring mixed-media artist, author, product designer, and all-around awesome person. Check out her website, treicdesigns.com.

I did the composition on manila file folder, using acrylics, oil pastels, and markers. I also collaged an actual to-do list, some old journal and scrapbook paper, and a photo of my kids from a ride at Chuck-e Cheese.

This assignment focused on our definition of success. So I wrote: "I am here to create. To start a revolution in my life, my soul. I want to dare. To be original. To teach others to let go and plug in to creative energy. To push my limits. To write. To inspire. To share. To connect. To balance. To envision."

While incorporating current challenges I'm facing, I also wrote, "Look beyond the now." (And yes, I'm trying to!)

Here's another homework assignment. The background of this is old magazine paper (sorry, Martha!) that I treated with CitraSolv to give it a weird, lunar landscape-like feeling. I then added oil pastels, a bit of acrylics, and markers. Love those Sakura gels! Dyed paper towels that the girls and I made last summer are on the bottom to add texture.

My signature pierced "graffiti fish" in the center is made from old scrapbook paper, which I painted over. The inscription on the tail is from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. It reads, "REAL isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you. Once you are real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

So take THAT, art snobs!

On "Creative Marination"

2010-10-19T12:05:00.000-04:00

Yep, I've been away for awhile. Ages, actually. It's amazing how life gets away from me sometimes. Imagine my surprise to return to this blog after all these months to discover comments on my previous posts -- and a follower, too! Wow!

Sometimes I feel the need to retreat, to cocoon myself. To find some solace in the moment where I can simply slow down and think. At this stage, my life -- like that of many women -- is a blur of to-do lists. Moments of crossing off one item while adding three more. Lost time spent in the car. One kid, then the other, off to school. Errands. Housework. Volunteering. Maybe an hour in the studio. Just enough time to wash (almost) all the paint off my hands before it's time to join the parade of silver minivans in the carline back at school.

But I don't own a minivan. And this isn't going to be just another "mom blog." Don't get me wrong. I am a mom. It's the hardest job I've ever done. Perhaps "mom" really stands for Master of Multitasking. Yet, that's only part of who I am. Sure, I recognize other moms' right to record everything their children say and do in the Public Annals of Cloying Cuteness. Nothing wrong with that. However, for every mom who goes "Awww!" at those entries, I'll bet there are others who simply smile, then wonder when other moms will finally talk about how they are, instead of only answering how their kids are. Does anyone even care about that anymore? Or do they tire of waiting for an answer, and move on?

Waiting has been a recurring theme in my life. As a kid, I remember waiting against the walls in gym class, at the mercy of the popular kids, who seemingly always got to pick teams. When I got older, I waited for phone calls. Letters. Chances. Help. Opportunities. Acknowledgment. Decisions. After my mother was killed, I waited for an apology that would never come. After I became a mother, I waited for my chance to reclaim my time, my creativity. For my turn to be heard. For things to calm down. For the right time.

Then I realized that waiting was pointless.

Last week, I ran into a local art snob who scoffed at hearing that I never went to art school. In fact, she had the balls to tell me that if I hung out with housewives, I'd never be considered a "true artist." So I asked her where Michelangelo went to art school. And inside, all I could think was, Why the fuck not, lady? It was an effort to keep from slapping her.

So I'm casting off the cocoon. And so, this is me. This is my art.

Spotlight on Etsy's PrincessGothic

2010-05-09T11:10:00.000-04:00

Months back, I needed to overhaul my Etsy storefront to bring it more in line with my new, urban-inspired products. Little did I know the solution would be multiple time zones away in Tasmania, Australia.

Good thing I found Freya!

Known on Etsy as PrincessGothic, Freya Langford-Sidebottom is a digital illustrator and graphic designer who creates unique digital collage sheets and custom Etsy banners, most with a goth, urban, grunge, and punk feel. I loved her use of vivid colors and bold patterns. Her designs are feminine, but refreshingly NOT vintage. Sold!

After she created an awesome custom banner for me, incorporating graffiti-style stencil text against a colorful, paint-splattered urban background, I later enlisted her to design the product tags for the Area 718 headbands. The result?

Thanks again, Freya...you rock!

Check out PrincessGothic's Etsy shop at www.PrincessGothic.etsy.com

Area 718 to Participate in Material World April 3, 2010 at The Soundry

2010-03-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

I'll be rolling out my urban-inspired line of original art headbands on April 3, 2010 at The Soundry's first Material World in Vienna, VA. Material World is a handmade fashion fest promoting underground artists who create unique apparel and accessories. Shopping, music, a fashion show, and great coffee...what else could you want? Tickets are $15 prepaid and at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the Material World URL:

http://www.soundry.net/2010/02/1598/

EVENT DETAILS:

The Soundry
316 Dominion Rd.
Vienna, VA 22180

6:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Fashion Vendors
8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Fashion Show
9:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Oh, the Story! Performs

Area 718 Handmade Original Art Headbands

2010-03-18T22:38:00.000-04:00

My Handpainted Canvas Backgrounds for Area 718 Original Art Headbands

2010-03-17T23:09:00.000-04:00

Other Urban-Inspired Work

2010-03-17T22:41:00.000-04:00

And Another Thing...

36" x 24" mixed-media on canvas I painted for my younger daughter's room. Take a closer look, and you'll find small -- and big -- lessons I've learned along the way, that I'd like to pass on to her.