Used to be Opening!

What fun we had Saturday at the opening of my show Used To Be at The Studio! It was great to see old and new friends, and debut my recent works over wine and amazing live music.

 Holly Furlone and Jim Tyrrell rocked the side stage with hours of beautiful acoustic tunes...

 And people mingled about. The show goes on until the end of 2014. Be sure to check it out...The Studio is located at 54 Canal Street in Laconia, NH.

Thanks everyone for coming out and for your awesome support! :o)

Paint Mixer!

So I have been working on a few little side projects. This is something I have always wanted to do and started this summer doing private events: Paint Mixers! I know this is totally trending right now, but absolutely love the concept and have a blast teaching these.

 This was a design I did for Biederman's Deli in Plymouth. We had a full house and a whole lot of fun! They put on a great spread and I'll be back to teach another class on December 8th. (For more info, you can call Biederman's at (603) 536-DELI to sign up)

 I will be planning on hosting a series of these events as soon as my shop opens...stay tuned!

Interested in hiring me for a private party? Shoot me a message! :o)

Back in the game.

Now that I have my studio all set up, I have been back to my old ways of painting into the wee hours of the morning. My absolute favorite. (Of course, I have found that now that I am a mommy to a 3 year old, I do not have the energy I once had. But still, I'm rocking it.)

 

Here are a few selections from a current show that is hanging at The Studio in Laconia, called Used to Be. I am honored to hang there for my second time, with all my cool new works, painted on old wood, panels, windows and doors.

 

 

It's kind of funny (and super relative)...I named this show before I completely created it, back when I booked it last year. Who knew everything in my life would be so different and I would use the words "used to be" as much as I am these days?

Come on out to the opening reception for the show on November 15th! Will be lots of fun! :o)

My little studio.

I love my little creative space. Of course I have BIG plans for this zone- built ins, new windows and lots of color. But for now, I am in love with sitting at this big table (that I dragged home from Asheville in my purple van!), painting doodles and swirls to obscure music and watching gorgeous sunsets out the window. House love.

Happy kitchen.

Moving into a new house is exciting and frustrating and fun and challenging. It was expensive to move and get where I am, so I have had to be thrifty with my décor choices. Easy (and fun) for me. :o) My dad has been a great motivator in getting some necessary projects done around the house. First thing was first: make the kitchen adorable. I wanted to be inspired to cook and relax and drink wine with friends.

My dad came up with the design for this countertop project. A sheet of plywood, some scrap pine flooring and a few coats of poly later, I have an eat-in kitchen. He was actually throwing away those 2 chairs, so I gave them a coat of paint and it makes the kitchen. The walls are painted a cantaloupe color orange to coordinate with the (already) green cabinets.

And now...my kitchen is a little happier and cooking is fun. I see my son sitting at that counter, doing his homework after school while I make supper for years to come. I see potlucks and fondue parties. I see years of having fun living in my new yellow house and making more mine every day. :o)

One year.

My new favorite saying: " You will not cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Well, I lost sight of the shore. I'm rowing. I'm sailing. It's ON.

The past 12 months have been complete whirlwind. Every aspect of my life has been flipped upside down. I am a huge believer in putting what you want into the Universe, and I had been realizing the need for change for a while. Then one day I really put it out there and the Universe REALLY heard me. Here's a quick catch up:

 I sold my house. It took 4 days of being on the market.

 

Then I bought this awesome yellow abode. And my amazing friends helped me move in a jiffy...with encouraging smiles on their faces. I heart them.

 

I got this orange chair at a thrift shop for $5. Actually, most of my home furnishings are new (to me)...out with the old and in with the new.

 

On August 22, I closed on both houses. I officially sold my little grey ranch I lived in for 13 years and signed the papers to my new yellow home. It was built in 1877 and is crooked and lovely. I am truly in love.

 And then there is this boy. He has kept me busy and inspired and while transitioning with a toddler to a new home has it's challenges, he is now settled in well (especially because we live across the street from a park with giant slides.)

What else? I started grad school. Traveled to Canada for part of the summer for an amazing integrated arts class. Separated from my partner of over 5 years and we're finding our way through the world of parenting and making our way back to the great friendship we started from. I am finding my way through the world as a mommy to this amazing kid. Have been learning patience by way of potty training. Have made a lot of new friends. Reconnected with old ones. Moved my business out of my Squam Lake location. Am renovating the attached barn on my new property to reopen my shop at the same place I live. (C'mon out to the open house I'm having!) Have been painting as much as possible. Am hanging my 3rd art show of 2014 in 2 weeks. Got a new car (my old one fell apart.) But above all, despite the difficulties, I am trying to remain positive.

 

And now, 2 months after my move and as the dust settles from ALL of this, I am feeling like my old self again. But better. Different. It is ON. Look out, world. I've got so much to do!

(This is my new (to me) car, Grover.) :o)

 

Day 25: To the moon and back.

And so, with the success of my last piece, I got a few more of these going. They are done in several steps, since the paint is thick and must dry between each layer. Reverse painting is interesting because you don't know what your piece of art is going to look like until you lift up those adhesive letters...the last and final step (which is completely gratifying!)

Seen here, I created an image in the background, which I applied hand cut letters onto. This is a very organic process, involving scissors and bad music. (I have somehow trained my brain to see and cut out out off-beat cursive lettered with scissors. Interesting.)

 

Day 19: a mailbox.

I got this white, wooden box at the dump (my fave place to shop!) a few weeks ago. It had indication that it may have been someone's woodworking project from shop class, circa 1968. I liked the shape and thought it had adorable charm. So I cleaned it up, dry brushed on some teal tones, added a bird and some swirls.

 

And voila! Who doesn't want to stuff their mail in this wall hang-able mail box? :o)

Day 18: hummingbird swirls.

Another sap bucket lid. Enamel on metal. I love painting these!

 

I am thinking that this design would make a cool off-centered silkscreen on a t-shirt...

Day 16 & 17: barrels.

I am suddenly obsessed with figuring out new ways to paint on old barrel planks. I typically seek out canvases that are not only non-conventional in nature, but in shape and size. These loooooong canvases force me to thing about new ways to compose my thoughts and design.

 

Yes, the one on the right is from Day 9. It needed more. If something (or someone) hangs around my studio for long enough, it's going to get painted...or painted more...

 

Day 15: let's have fun.

I am really, really excited about this one because it uses entirely recycled materials AND because I am getting more into the multi-media concept. I cut up some scraps of beadboard that I salvaged from my friend's dumpster pile. I glues fabric flags onto this as a response to the texture of the board and went with some old school Mod Podge to hold it all in place. I just think it's soooo fun and it's going to make someone happy!

Day 14: namaste.

I'll admit: this is another one I had started a while ago. But I finally finished it and am posting it because I want to show what it looks like when I have a happy painting accident. See this 4 giant yellow splotches that make up the flowers here? Truth: I accidentally leaned my arm in some paint and then leaned on this piece of wood. So I went with it to create an impressionistic style garden, topped off with a simple, lovely word. (And now as a bonus, I have yet ANOTHER paint shirt with a yellow sleeve!) :o)

Finished size: 14" high. Just needs a bendy copper wire for hanging!

Day 13: crossing the ocean.

I pulled out an old window that I started sketching a design on a while back, but committed to finishing it this week. This is an old window I pulled from a stack in my studio. Painting on windows is an interesting process, because everything is painted in reverse.

So if you can imagine, the stars are painted first. Then the detail of the waves, THENNNN lots and lots of layers of colorful goodness. These take a few days to complete (at least) with all of the layers, but when they are done, you can actually clean the glass when they are hanging on a wall!

Day 12: family.

Inspired by the holiday season perhaps or my wacky family or a little of both, I painted this on yet another sap bucket lid.

 

Enamel paint (one that I do not use often), does not allow you the flexibility of acrylic. It's thick and sticky and I find myself painting slower and steadier with this technique. But still, no pencil lines first! That's part of the gamble for me. Misspelled words? You can always let them dry and paint over them! But I think I am in the clear on that one here...

Day 11: rainbow connection.

Every time I see one of these vintage wooden rainbow xylophones at a flea market or thrift shop, it goes in my cart. (Or as my Asheville friend Erica says, "wow, you really love those things" when we are shopping at the Goodwill.) I do. I love the idea of painting something musical and rainbow inspired on such a gorgeous toy and they make the sweetest wall hanging in any kids' room, music studio...or really anywhere. :o)

Day 10: Mancave signs.

I had a stack of these rusty old saws sitting around in my studio. And I had been practicing my old school Red Sox font painting. (Sometimes I study fonts for fun. No, sseriously.) So when an adorable older gentleman (we'll call him 75-ish) came into my shop and commented on how he loved my signs painted on saws, but he wanted one that said "Mancave," it was literally like an art teacher giving me an assignment. I knew I had to make some out of those saws that I had been staring at for years and years.

 

I just need to drill holes in these (without breaking 100 drill bits!)and wire them up so they're ready to hang. The perfect man gift for the holidays? Yes.

 

These (and a fair bit of what I have been painting) will be for sale at the Winter Giftopolis in Concord on Dec. 6th. Be sure to check that out too! (More on that later!) :o)

Day 9: barrel flowers.

Gosh, these barrel planks are so beautiful. With a little light sanding, their natural aged beauty shines through and is gorgeous contrast to a bold and modern style. I'm loving the long and narrow canvas.

Full view of this piece, finished size approx. 30". I have a few more of these on the workbench and could see a painted barrel wall garden of sorts in the making...

 Oh and also: I added color to the owl. It was too plain for me. :o)

Day 8: namaste.

I have no shame. I dumpster dove for this plate. Every year in town, the locals can score some great stuff on move-out day from the college. I found (among other things, including a snazzy new light fixture), a box of cool kitchen plates and such. This plain one was calling my name to be painted on.

 So I did. Now I need to get me some of those plate hangers, so this (and other plate creations) can hang on the wall in fun, circular fashion.

 

I am keeping up with the painting...it's just the blogging that's backed up! Here I go! Weeeeeee!

Day 7: simple joy.

I went simple and back to basics on this one: ink on craft paper. Initially I thought I might watercolor it and mat/frame it for a holiday gift, but then the wheels started turning...

 I think I am going to make this into Christmas cards this year. This will be the base design, printed high contrast (below), so it has almost a blockprint-ish (real word) feel to it. Then I will handpaint details on top of each card to make them all one of a kind. Probably glitter. I am a sucker for the glitter. But then I think I will make a giant mess out of this project and splatter white paint all over the small prints to look like snow. More on this one later...

Day 6: Hoot.

I used to think I was perhaps part owl because of my amazing ability to work and create all hours of the night. I used to start projects at three in the morning. Now it seems (post baby having) I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime and am lucky if I make it until 11:00 p.m. But I still adore owls and claim the owl as my totem. They completely remind me of my Noni and her hippie house style.

 

And, like swirls, I do paint a lot of owls in all shapes and sizes. This was my attempt at 2 new things: using a warped maple sap bucket lid as a canvas and not using any color. None. Just white. Hmm. Not completely sold...I am sure some teal or orange will make it's way onto this painting sometime in the near future...