Be Art, Baby

Pumpkin Seeds & Cat Naps

2011-10-22T23:47:00.001-04:00

The best thing about carving pumpkins in October is toasting the pumpkin seeds after. (Okay, maybe it's the glowing, flame filled pumpkin-bellies, and orange hot faces and such...) The other day, after a rousing gut scraping fest, we ripped out the innards and separated the seeds. Delicious snacks. :D

Toast at 250˚ for an hour (we used this to help heat the house). Melt a little butter, toss. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Toast for 20 mins. Seeds should be lightly browned & crispy.

As the weather turns colder, on those days when we forget to turn on the heat, Spike likes to climb in bed and shimmy his way into the sheets. His favorite spot is a hip-perch or belly curl. I had to lift up the blankets to photograph him, then we took a midday cat nap. The cuteness is quite overwhelming at times.

My dogs usually jump in my bed and drool on the pillows. There's something to be said for the delicate nature of felines, particularly when you're trying to sleep, too. (Drool pillows are a shock to the system.)

Now back to the regularly scheduled grad school crazy. (Hence weeks between posts.) Brief notes: grad school overloads are silly. Don't do that. Henry James is evil. Emily Dickinson's letters to Susan are amazing. Creative writing pedagogy goes some weird places, and abstract theory sometimes makes a person want to smack a scholar. Novel writing is as arduous as it is glorious, and isn't an endeavor for the "pansy assed," as my father would say.

Last Few Days of August (28)

2011-09-17T22:40:00.000-04:00

Mya: through the viewfinder (TtV).

Mya spinning for the camera. She adores the camera, both having her photo taken, and taking her own photos.

Momo, age 2 & 1/2.
After playing with Mya, he decided to dig in the sand.

Adorable trouble.

Adventures in Botany & Caching

2011-08-07T20:09:00.001-04:00

The storm that blew through last night was amazing. I'm sad to say I was too sleepy to try to photograph it. My pups pushed open the door to my room and climbed in bed with me around 5:30a. It's no surprise I got a late start to the plotted geocaching adventure in Spring Grove Cemetery today.

Scurvygirl (Lauren), Goodstarbuck (George), and I met up around 3 and wandered a bit. While George sussed out his GPS issues, we took a stroll toward the rose garden, though a field of mating dragonflies (wowsers), and came upon a Hummingbird Moth feeding.

We mistook him for a baby hummingbird at first, because they look quite similar until you're really close. I'd never seen on before! Lauren sniffed out some sassafras, but further adventures in botany were curtailed by the activation of the GPS.

Our target is a multi-cache with 12 clues that lead to various points in the cemetery (and they are not shy about sending you across the thing!). There's math involved, but only simple subtraction and addition. We flopped our Lat. and Lon. a few times, but that happens. There's something to see in every section of the cemetery, so if you make a wrong turn, it becomes obvious pretty fast, with a couple of exceptions along the way. There's cool stuff to see until you figure it out.

We drove past a fawn and a doe, and nearly walked up on some bucks while searching for a "shipwreck" tombstone. Luckily, they took off instead of bambi-ramboing us. Some of the clues required reading of stones to find a clue buried in a bunch of text. Occasionally, they were not obvious. "Gone Fishing" does not refer to the most excellent lakeside monument (Charles Phelps Taft II). That is a hint from me to you. So just follow the coordinates and don't be confused when there's no lake!

We only made it to clue #8 on our chain adventure, but we're confident we can knock out the rest pretty fast, now what technical difficulties have been addressed. (Why is it so hard to find a good app that allows manual entry of specific GPS coords? Gosh!)

Be sure you bring water, because it's hot hiking around up there in the summer. The roads are more bumpy than I remember. Monuments range from plain to beautiful (very few creepy between). This particular multi-cache is a combo cache/adventure & letterbox. Stamps, ahoy!

Group geocaching is much more fun then solo caching. Plus, you have an excuse to go get pizza or Indian food after.

Grins

2011-07-26T18:04:00.002-04:00

This one went a bit lopsided, but it's amusing just the same. It was too hot to hang out making too many small marshmallow fondant decorations. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with a 1/4 size black and white checkerboard with green cake pops decorated with tiny red flowers... a Red Queen's garden on the chess board.

This is only my 3rd attempt at playing with this homemade fondant. Things I've learned: rolling it too thin = bad, so be sure you have enough, otherwise every flaw in the icing job underneath shows. Don't get too complicated. Simple shapes can build the look just as well as complicated ones. Don't make too many colors to start. It's exhausting. Be sure you frost the cakes before your fondant is ready to go, or it could stiffen up and crack on the edges while you wait. Be prepared for a giant mess of powdered sugar everywhere. I can't make a cake without looking I fell face first into a giant tub of cocaine.

Me and Freud, baby. Ok, it's really more like this: I MADE A CAKE.

The Cheshire Cat's grin came out exactly how my drawing did. Edible markers = win.

Happy 31st bday, Georgie.

Lazy Days

2011-07-25T01:35:00.001-04:00

Though I was meant to bake a few cakes for a bunch of Leos in my life, it's been too hot to cook. Instead, the animals and I have been working hard on writing and revising, and hanging out in the AC (not that it works very well). Spike, pictured above, has been known to sneak into my room with one or both of the dogs. That works out ok as long as Momo doesn't get too amorous. Paco usually squishes himself onto the floor for a nap. Lively bunch, yes. Yes, we are.

Bianca's Birthday Cake

2011-07-10T20:44:00.002-04:00

There's nothing quite as delicious and adorable as tiny marshmallow fondant flowers.

Bianca's birthday is tomorrow, but she came over with her kidlet for a cook out today. I will say that constructing a cake made of sugar, sugar, and sugar is not as easy as it looks... in 92 degree heat. I had to retreat to a small room with an AC unit to finish it before it melted.

I took these (about 6 hours worth of hand sculpted marshmallow fondant flowers):

... and used butter cream icing to adhere them to a two tiered cake—an 8 inch round topped by a 6 inch round. These flowers were left to set overnight, which would have been fine except that the temperature softens them a bit. They didn't flatten, but did have a little give.

The cake itself is strawberry. And glaringly pink.

It turns out the heat, while it made some things difficult, softened the flowers to the point that they were quite pleasant to chew. Delicious.

Film to the Rescue!

2011-07-09T21:23:00.001-04:00

Geocaching in a walking park is amusing. Little kids are the most inquisitive, but rather than ask what we were up to, one kid rode by on his bike 3 times in four minutes. He missed us digging up a misplaced log (no container) that was likely tossed by some teens. (The park's a well known spot for shenanigans. Mmhm.)

We wrapped the tattered old log in a little baggie, then included a fresh log for future signers to use. The old one was falling apart under light handling. Sad! It had a lot of sigs in it.

Since film is not dead!! (That's right!) I had some film containers hanging around in my studio. We read on the geocaching.com page that the thing needed a new container, so we gave it one. There's a pin-back button tucked into the new cache should anyone in (or passing through!) the Cincy area wish to go hunting for it.

Geocaching & Fondant Sculpting

2011-07-09T01:36:00.002-04:00

(Also known as milling about looking suspicious & making a mess in the kitchen, respectively.)

We set off on a quest for a UPS drop spot, determined to return some defective merch (geek sadness), but were waylaid by delicious dumplings at P.F. Changs. After appetizer-y goodness, and a massive detour (thankyew Cincinnati construction), we found the UPS place. And it was closed.

Did we despair? No.

We drove through Westchester to find Target and search out some shorts, as the summer has insisted on being deliciously sweat-inducing in recent days. I took off to The Evil Craft Store That Shall Not Be Named, in search of specific fondant tools, & found most of said tools. Of all the ECSTSNBN, the one in Westchester is certainly the most well supplied I've ever seen. Sundry shopping adventures followed, along with a gigantic and disturbing swarm of gnats, dead gnats, and more gnats (I suspect zombies and foul magics). Seriously. What is with the gnats, people? I walked 200 feet of sidewalk covered in gnats and gnat corpses, with little dive-bomber gnats pelting me the whole way. I did not photograph this for you.

You are welcome.

I was beginning to expect 9 other plagues on the horizon, and texted the bestie. He picked me up, lest I brave the hordes again, and we decided what better day to geocache than a day suspiciously rife with tiny locust-gnat activity.

We'd hit home depot and picked up $1.18 carabiners for our keys, and were feeling saucy!

Score. We located this little cache with a minimum of effort, thanks to it being eye level to one of us. The log was a big damp, but signing it wasn't a problem. Our marks made, we looked for awesome treasures to stow inside the tube, but had none, alas. Dead and partially smooshed gnat corpses notwithstanding. (Some of them tagged along for the ride home. Ew.)

Bolstered by our successes and triumphs, modest as they were, we motored home with high hopes. Upon homecoming, I gathered my tools. The bestie gathered his tools. He delved deeply into the guts of his android phone, and I met marshmallow fondant, (homemade), on the field of battle.

9 flowers and 2 episodes of Star Trek later, this design won out. Do you know how much red food gel it takes to make this color? You don't want to know. Let's just say a lot a move on. These flowers take a lot longer to make than you'd think. I imagine folks get faster with experience (I hope).

Many thanks to the bestie for making a last minute run to the Krog for some cupcake gem "edible pearl" thingies. They finish the little flowers nicely.

I'm not sure how long it's going to take these babies to harden up. It was so hot here, they started to melt. I shoved them in the fridge for later use. A certain niece's birthday is coming up on Monday, so she'll have to eat them and like it. Rar.

If you're jealous, and wish to find this Cincinnati geocache, clickie this linkie: gimme the clues!

Radha Workshop, 25 June 2011

2011-07-05T21:20:00.001-04:00

Radha Chandrashekaran is an artist of contemplation. She mixes media and works pieces with whatever items she needs to make them come alive, and continually explores the role of art in everyday life. In a workshop with NKU's Print Club, Radha shared some of her techniques and philosophy.

You can find her art, artist statement, and workshop information on her website: radartist.com.

Along with works in progress, Radha brought with her a technique she'd picked up from Japanese artists. This method of transferring images to paper uses water, ink, and a sort of handmade dauber. For more images, and plates in use, click any of these images. Below is a detail photograph of a wooden plate:

The kalam, or pen, is another tool Radha brought with her. She taught us to construct these pens, which are really quite simple to make. The yarn serves as a reservoir for the ink, and a gentle squeeze sends more ink drips down the bamboo "nib" to produce a constant flow. Traditionally, kalamkari are made with this sort of tool (with a finer fiber) on silk with plant dyes.

The quality of the line is variable, depending on the width of the kalam used. The bamboo is wrapped snugly with cloth, then thread or yarn, and secured. After a brief soak in water, the kalam is ready to use. Among the inks explored was a simple, fragrant yellow made with turmeric (spice pictured at the top of this post). Below is a detail of a large piece of silk decorated with an intricate drawing.

One of the best things about NKU, and the Print Club in particular, is that it promotes diversity in its artists and image-making. Alongside ancient tradition, and sometimes aged equipment, rest more modern reminders of who and where we are.

It's always a good time hanging out with NKU printmakers, and guest artists.

Blue Skies

2011-06-21T19:35:00.001-04:00

fluffy
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

Last weekend's attempt to make it up to Cleveland for the Burning River Roller Girls semi-finals was pretty much epic fail. I wasn't feeling well, but we trekked up to Columbus to have lunch at Schmidt's Sausage Haus anyway. I didn't even make it through five bites of creme puff. If you've ever had their creme puffs, you know that's a travesty.

The day was pretty, though. That was a nice counterpoint to feeling icky and missing out on some really great German cuisine.

The candy shop next door to Schmidt's had Savannah Candy Company praline mix. Sometimes things just show up where you least expect them. One of the most memorable things about Sav is that shop on River Street and those pralines. Reminders of my time there are everywhere.

Paco was happy to give me kisses when we got home. What's better than snuggling a puppy in bed while you're recovering from illness? Not a whole lot.

The summer class is progressing beautifully. It's an amusing, educational, and only rarely facepalm inducing experience. Good crits on novel excerpts, and entertaining writing from some fellow grad students.

I'll be editing the Licking River Review in the upcoming academic year, so get those submissions ready, peeps. It's blue skies from here.

Mya & Nate's 4th Birthday Party : June 5

2011-06-13T15:18:00.004-04:00

Icing Face
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

The focus on this isn't the greatest, but I couldn't pass up this photo of Nate's very serious icing face. Birthday cake is srs business, just like hunting Easter eggs (as you can see from several blog posts back).

I don't know how he managed it, but there's icing in his ear. The combo of colors on his face indicates he partook of his own cake (blue Batman), and his cousin's cake (pink princess). He's a cake man for sure.

While Nate and Mya were playing in the yard, Tony was crawling like a madmad (miniature) for parts unknown (aka the fence's edge). He paused to have his portrait made, because that's what badass babies do. I can say, "I knew him when..."

Not to be outdone, this little girl dropped by the fruit bowl every two and a half minutes to stealthily clean out all the blueberries. She had absolutely no interest in the many other fruit. I respect a girl who knows what she wants, and goes right for it!

I baked a cake for the party, with the decorating help of my lovely assistant Farmboy. We used a homemade marshmallow fondant, which is a pretty simple recipe. It's also easy to make if you don't mind kneading powdered sugar into stiff, sticky icing for about 20 minutes. I'm sure it would be more of a joy to work with given a few cutters, punches, and proper tools. (As everything usually is. The right tools go a long way.) At about 1:30 in the morning, we called it quits on making icing grass.

I hope the cake was delicious, because it was definitely made with love... and some frustration/joy that comes of trying something for the first time on a deadline. I would say the 4th birthday was a success. Sugar highs and giggles all around.

Mya, Nate, & Paco

2011-06-02T23:39:00.001-04:00

I'm not really sure what's going on here, but I think Mya and Nate decided someone should be on a leash since neither of the dogs was. Paco's in the background completely ignoring them. Too much ground to run around on, not enough time for pestering little kids!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-06-02T15:34:00.004-04:00

Kids in the Sand, a photo by nicciwashere on Flickr.

Memorial Day, for my fam, was a day all about hanging out by the newly filled above ground pool (which ended up being uneven), watching the pups run around, since we just got the gate in (also uneven!), eating delicious grilled and baked ribs (BBQ and teriyaki everywhere), and swimmin'! Some genius also gave the kids squirt guns, and there was the inevitable result.

Here you see Mya, Dylan, and Nate (my great niece and nephews!) and my niece Brittani coming over to chat with her kids, or confiscate a squirt gun, or something like that.

Later in the day, Dylan built a most excellent mountain of sand with a tunnel through the bottom, but Paco (one of the pups) decided he would play the part of a demolition crew. He walked over and crushed it with the swipe of a paw... with the inevitable result.

Our fence is complete, after a few issues with the construction. Tracy, my sister's fiance, came over to redo the posts that the first crew botched. George & I took over slatting, and we finished the fence in record time, with just a little sunburn to show for it. The painting has yet to be completed (it's a delicious espresso bean brown by Behr), but it looks pretty good aside.

Mom planted some wisteria bushes, which are just lovely. They'll take a while to grow to their full glory, but there's nothing like sitting under the fall of those beautiful purple flowers in the summer. I can't wait!

The icky orange (back of the house) paint will be replaced with a colorful mural as soon as I finish a design, between work for a glorious summer writing workshop, and my own novel's progression. Just the step of putting up this privacy fence seems to have opened up a whole world of possibilities for our home. I think we're all intent on making it a much more beautiful place to live.

The kids sure seem to be enjoying it!

Oh, wait. It looks like the adults were enjoying it too. Ribface.
Some of our guests were messier than others, but all enthusiastically showed their ribface pride, even Dylan's friend!

Slatted Fence

2011-05-23T19:43:00.002-04:00

fence progress, a photo by nicciwashere on Flickr.

The fence progresses, as you can see from the photo. We're doing an inside-outside alternating slat pattern thing. Mostly.

There are a couple of sections that are wonky. I think the late-in-the-day drilling got to a couple of the guys who helped out on this thing.

Here's hoping it survives its first thunderstorm (now), and the high wind we had a few minutes ago. Fingers crossed!

We put up our drills for the day when the tornado warning sirens sounded. (That's always a good time to take a little break.)

Green Eyebrows

2011-05-23T13:56:00.004-04:00

lucy in process, a photo by nicciwashere on Flickr.

Back in the studio today prepping some ATC bases for art. Ang West is hosting a Broken Hearted swap over on iATCs. Deadline date is June 15, 2011. I smell some watercolor and layering of text/handwriting coming on.

Gotta get over to the art supply store and pick up some Golden acrylic medium for some transfers. I'm a little worried about walking into that store, because there's so much cool stuff to browse. At least the selection is relatively small... it could be a huge DB store and then I'd be in trouble.

In the mean time, editing chapters of a novel written at odd hours during the night is an experience. The mass of text seems to get out of hand pretty fast, like a squid wriggling around intent on escape. The only thing we agree on today is that shrimp are delicious.

Some mail is headed out to the PO ASAP: Toy Camera Zine to Heather in Scotland, FAV 2011 to: Jenn in Iowa, Lucy in Florida, Maralena in Michigan, Carla in California, Pat in Nebraska, and Clara in Missouri.

Summer Adventure

2011-05-23T01:32:00.004-04:00

Dandelion, a photo by nicciwashere on Flickr.

When I was a kid, my favorite thing about the beginning of Summer was always the dandelion explosion all over the street. Though I was never into princesses and wedding fantasies, I did dig on making wishes on shooting stars and clouds of fluffy seeds.

I walked out of the house one day last month and noticed this little guy glowing in a shaft of light that split through the boughs of a pine in the front yard. I picked it after the photo was taken, and you bet your ass I made a wish.

The most important thing, that I think it's too easy to lose as we grow older, is a sense of wonder and play. With that in mind, I signed up for a workshop next month with Radha Chandrashekaran, a (currently) local printmaker (from Southern India) who uses various methods to make beautifully colorful, layered prints. She uses things like relief printing on fabric, medium transfers, silk screen, painting over, hand altering, and basically the "whatever it takes" or "whatever works" approach to art making. It seems very intuitive, which is how I love to work, and the results are lovely.

If you're local, and you'd like to take the workshop, message me and I'll give you the details. I think there are still a few spots open, and the price is good for a good block of hours of studio time. June 25.

It's lovely to hear her speak about her process and ideas, and she seems to collect techniques with as much abandon as I do. You'd enjoy the workshop, I'm sure! I can't wait to see how my more exacting and disciplined printmaker friends take to the very loose processes. (Particularly the etchers...)

Check out her work: http://radartist.com/.

In other news, the fence is progressing, albeit slowly. We may actually have a fenced in yard, after years of talking about it, and room for the puppies to frolic and play. Not to mention a small above ground pool. And a grill. Can you say work hard, play hard?

Maybe I'll institute a "float in the pool for an hour" after each chapter revised or finished in the novel...

Momo's Usual Expression

2011-05-18T16:26:00.003-04:00

Momo's Usual Expression, a photo by nicciwashere on Flickr.

The pups aren't amused by all the activity in the back yard, and the strangers walking around with concrete and shovels and chainsaws and wood bits. The fence is in progress, and a day will soon come when we're all out there with cordless drills setting planks. Momo, in particular, wants to know what the eff is going on, yo. He'll be pleasantly surprised by the result, and all the free running around time he'll have in the fenced yard. He is going to love it to bits.

In other news, the Fine Art Valentines 2011 are about to go into the mail. There were the usual delays. Something about the mail art community today seems to be running on laid back time, where people sign up but don't send, or send, but not for weeks after the deadline. Luckily, this time, I was too busy to have to bounce back packages unopened. My grad classes took my entire attention span, but it worked out ok. I have a few pieces fit for publication, and I'm still rockin' the 4.0. Now if only I knew what I wanted to do after the MA. MFA or PhD?

In terms of art, I've been playing with some spray paint and stencils. I carved a few stencils for a 2D class in high school, and I find it at once meditative and trying, depending on the intricacy of the lines. It's certainly not the kind of thing I'd be into for any extended period of time, because I'm more of a broad strokes person. Sometimes I just want to paint a big canvas. Luckily, I have one of those waiting for me in the studio right now.

Today is a day for grilling out, and going to visit a friend in the hospital. T is doing a lot better, thanks to her care, and strength of will. Jess and T are still my favorite couple, and seeing them go through this has only strengthened their position as awesome women.

Momo says stay off my lawn, and he loves you. xox

To Fence or Not to Fence

2011-05-10T03:25:00.002-04:00

Back Yard in Spring
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

The back yard is looking pretty lush after the month of rains and a little trimming up of old, dead trees. It could use a bit of a mow, like the neighbor's yards. Our hill is very steep compared to their lots. It's a pain in the booty to push a mower up and down. Not so bad if you go side to side...

We hope to put in a fence for the puppies this summer, so they can run around without having to worry about leashes or leads. Paco bounds around like a 55 pound bunny, and Momo streaks around at a gallop. They're pretty hilarious when they chase each other.

Now to gather friends who have fence building experience...

Toy Camera minizine

2011-05-09T17:25:00.002-04:00

toy camera minizine - revamp
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

Toy Camera is a 1/4 size (minizine) dedicated to the toy camera, specifically the Holga. Toy cameras are gloriously imperfect things. I own several kinds, but the Holga is by far my favorite. (Plus, it's medium format!)

This little zine is photocopied on cardstock (multiple color covers), and white linen text weight paper. Each copy is hand sewn with varying thread colors.

Inside are 30 pages of information on the Holga, color cast, film types, focus, aperture, keeping a photo sketchbook, various Holga modifications, and 24 photo prompts and projects to keep photographers inspired and making images.

The zine is available for $6 on etsy (anongrrl.etsy.com), and makes a great gift for a photographer, particularly when paired with a Holga (can be found online for about $20 from various websites). All of the photo projects will work for non-Holga cameras as well. <3

Before a Storm

2011-05-09T15:37:00.002-04:00

front yard before the storm
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

April was a giant string of storms and rain here in Southern Ohio. I'm not sure if we hit a record number of inches of rain fall (ever, including Aprils past), but I wouldn't be surprised. I don't remember it raining for that many days in a row... not even when I lived in Savannah.

The edges of this photo are a little extra dark, thanks to the pinhole setting of the camera, but the sky really looked like that, and the light was much dimmer than usual at 4:15(ish) on a Spring weekday.

The yard is beautiful, and though the lilacs have bloomed and gone already, they were fragrant and lovely for a couple of weeks. The tigerlily in the back yard is about to blossom, and the the dogwoods have been going strong for weeks.

I look forward to this every year.

Easter Sunday

2011-04-25T00:55:00.010-04:00

My sister hosted Easter dinner this year. The kids were too busy zooming around in the mud to have their photos taken. Plastic eggs with change and candy are way more important. Way.

Nate took a 20 second breather (pictured above), and his cousin Mya showed me her spoils (she had the most eggs until she started winging them back into the grass). She doesn't dig on sweet tarts, you see. She has a good arm, though. I think Mya was in it for the cash and chocolate.

Very proud of her eggy gains.

Hunting eggs is very serious business.

First Model

2011-04-23T21:59:00.007-04:00

I began to photograph Danielle when she was about 8 years old, and I was in Introduction to Photography at NKU. She, her friends, and my other nieces became my primary models for the next couple of years.

Regrettably, I stopped photographing her for most of her teen years. I missed a lot of changes in my break from photography, but with the new camera, I'm really looking forward to a revitalization of my passion for images.

Danielle is 18 this year, and has begun a collection of tattoos.

I hope to work in portraits again, to go back to the form of photography I loved so much as an undergrad.

I plan to continue the work I started as an undergrad with bodies, and I'm looking at doing a series on the way our bodies change over time, and the way scars mark us.

Pinholes

2011-04-21T15:26:00.002-04:00

Momo & Paco : Pinhole Mode
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

Shot with a Lumix LX5 in pinhole mode.

Momo likes to twitch his nose and spin away from the camera, and Paco likes to get bossy and grin. Their personalities are so different most of the time—Momo's the snuggler, and Paco's the shy one who only bosses when you don't let him into the room with you. Or when he wants food. This is his "put that away and take me inside and feed me, woman" face.

The Lumix pinhole mode seems to shoot flat images in open shade. I'll have to try it in other lighting conditions. This image has some level work done in iPhoto. (Deepened shadows and mid range for higher contrast. I brought the whites up a hair.) The wide format is going to take some getting used to. I'm still in Holga square mode in my head...

but it's good to have a camera again.

Lumix

2011-04-20T23:04:00.002-04:00

Spike is doing well a few weeks after his surgery (what we've come to call the "mister sister" event). He's perked up, getting into trouble, knocking things over, and teasing the dogs. Business as usual. His fur's even started growing back in.

Shot with the new Lumix on auto settings in a yellow room with tungsten bulbs. It could use a color balance when I get the software loaded onto the new computer. Or I could just suck it up and read the manual to learn all the menu functions and do that in camera.

I'm loving this little point and shoot so far. Spike's got his eye on it too. He likes things with dangly straps.

T

2011-04-18T00:14:00.003-04:00

devotion.jpg
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere
In 2005, I met a lot of good people. One of the most giving I know has been in critical care for a couple of weeks. She's been stable for about a week, and has a few hard surgeries ahead of her. Her body is changing every day from the trauma of surgery and recovery in tiny little steps. She is surrounded by loved ones, and people who can't be there think of her and her partner. I'm thinking of them now. I decided to post a photo of them (my favorite in the series) so that you can think of them too.

Thinking about her has made me consider bodies and how we live in them. How they change with us and we with them. How people I know have survived treatments, scars, trauma, love, decades, and how they're marked.

I think this is a subject worthy of picking up again. I'd like to continue this series. I hope to photograph T again, and for that to happen, she has to recover, which is just a pretty great thing in itself. In hoping to photograph her again, I get to hope for her full recovery, without always bringing up her current situation. I want to focus on the positive, no photo puns intended. I hope you will too. Positive energy welcome, be that in the form if lit candles, prayer, smiles, or ass pinches. (Not mine, please.)

One Way Do Not Enter

2011-04-17T16:33:00.002-04:00

oneway
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

It's a beautiful day in Mt. Adams (all over the city, really), because the sun's out, the sky's blue, and all of the flowering trees are in bloom. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so the little tornadoes of white flower petals swirling across the blacktop might not mesmerize anyone else, but I found them just as interesting as the artwork inside the museum.

21C artworks are on display at the moment. The contemporary works are reportedly on loan to the museum until the new facility (hotel, restaurant?) opens here. There's one in Louisville (http://www.21chotel.com/hotel/default.aspx). What's cooler than a hotel with loads of contemporary art? A hotel with a giant water slide, sure. But contemporary art comes in at a close second.

Our assignment for today was to visit the museum (thanks for the docent tour!) and ponder the art, then write an ekphrastic poem. (That is a poem after a work of art, the experience of viewing a work of art, etc.) No poems yet, but I did take some photos inside and out.

I was most amused by the ONE WAY DO NOT ENTER sign in front of the art museum. (So much so that I feel a poem coming on...)

Helpful tips for museum visitors: No monopods OR tripods in the galleries. Woops. I guess someone must have whacked a piece of art at some point... aaand you're not supposed to snap images of work outside of the permanent collection. >.> Also, no fondling or licking the art.

If you go, be sure to check out fat Batman, the creepy breathing piece, the small gallery behind the FAME neon sign (blinding, ouch), and read the art info next to the giant encaustic (wax painting) of Obama's head. It's from a series of works made from Wall Street Journal thumbnail images, but done huge. That's the piece I really wanted to touch, but a docent was watching me, sooo. I behaved.

Mostly.

Did anyone else think the assemblage of re-purposed bottle bits (3rd floor) looked a lot like a drape from a Klimt painting?

Related links:
Cincinnati Art Museum: the museum's website & visitor information.
More on Ekphrastic foo: to Wikipedia, son!
21C Louisville: a hotel/art gallery in KY.

sun stain

2011-04-14T16:29:00.002-04:00

sun stain
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

the roomie's Nikon Coolpix L3 isn't the greatest little camera in the world, but it gets the job done every now and then. =) the light was so beautiful yesterday, i pulled it out to take a few snaps...

and then i learned to do diptychs in Adobe's Lightroom (thanks to Jay: http://www.jaywatson.com/blog/tag/diptych/).

it took about 90 photos to get a couple snaps of the puppies that are more or less in focus. they're not big on sitting still. those snaps will pop up later.

<3

Reflection in Pink House

2011-04-14T00:05:00.002-04:00

Reflection in Pink House
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

found this pic from Savannah while cleaning off an old point-and-shoot digital camera. the house across the way was pink. yes, that is a house. someone painted it that color by choice. lovely view of a wall, don't you think?

our neighbor liked to walk around naked a lot, so working in my studio midday could be extra entertaining (our windows faced each other from there). nobody was willing to spring for blinds. rent, in Sav, is outrageous. we don't need no stinkin' blinds.

mixed media hands

2011-04-13T02:15:00.001-04:00

mixed media creative hand - wear your heart
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

a hand made from cardstock, layers of tape, gesso, acrylic paint, watercolors (transparent), prismacolor pencils, & india ink (dip pen).
life size hand.

from a series of 10.

Screenshotting

2010-12-07T23:31:00.001-05:00

Screen shot 2010-12-07 at 6.37.16 PM
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

certain other things have taken a bit of my attention this holiday season. Namely a tropical island and some stylish goblins with attitude. Cataclysm is pretty fun times. the gobbie lands are ridiculous, but it's the most fun i've had on the game since i first started playing.

the new computer's graphics capability doesn't hurt. some of the zones are incredibly vibrant, which is important to us artistic types. i could hang out on the beach all day.

sadly, some of the goblins can't spell. =(

hello, hello

2010-12-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

i do believe my love affair with Tumblr has cooled off. at first, i thought the clean format was sort of lovely, the templates fairly easy to use. but let's face it, the comment feature leaves something to be desired. that or i simply couldn't figure it out. one of these days, i'll have a proper integrated blog and website design, and i won't have to fiddle so much.

what is the internet, if not a hotbed of broken links, fads in websites, software, and apps. twitter still scares me a little, but that could just be the cute little cartoon logo.

i've abandoned the shift key again, as i've been using it quite a bit on a novel manuscript i'm working on. another one, ohnoes! why, you ask?

graduate school. i've gone and enrolled in a Masters of English program. the program is flexible, and allows for a variety of focus for various students. you essentially build your own curriculum based on your interest, and are given several options for a capstone project (rather than simply 1 option: giant thesis). i'm going the creative route, novel, project. something!

my first semester is drawing to a close (whew, lots of work!) and the winter break is just about upon me. my final portfolios go in this week, so maybe i'll have some for some ATCs while i'm hiding from all the snow outside.

i find myself thinking about a new look. perhaps i'll re-design my website. oh, internets. how you tempt me to things...

new digs.

2010-08-29T04:46:00.001-04:00

http://redshoedgirl.tumblr.com/

heart carved potato - crashdown print

2010-08-27T04:24:00.001-04:00

heart carved potato - crashdown print
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

When the time comes to start printing these days, the first thing I reach for is a potato. That may seem a little odd until you've actually used one to stamp. Nothing cuts more easily. The problem, however, is that they dehydrate quickly, so your stamp is constantly changing as you use it. Add to that the potato is soft and pretty fragile, and you're looking at a pretty tiny print run. I made it to about 27 before the heart started to deform too much to use for my purposes. (18 prints and about 9 envelopes.)

If you decide to use potatoes to stamp, be sure to rinse and wipe them before you use them, so the surface is dry and free of extra starch. I used straight acrylic paint to stamp with. It works pretty well with vellum.

altered photo atcs

2010-06-08T02:49:00.001-04:00

altered photo atcs
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

took a stack of unused photos from London and made cut them down to atc size, then altered them with some sanding and scraping and painting and such. turns out stuff sands and etches a lot better when it's been misted with water.

of course, sanded digital prints smell like nasty burnt ink.

it's definitely an interesting look. i'll have to consider this technique for my next travel journal. sharpie outlined in gel pen works nicely for lettering, but it all starts to look the same after a while.

maybe some stencil letters next time. more messy, less scrapbooky.

detail of FLY in Pat's altered book

2010-04-26T22:11:00.001-04:00

detail of FLY in Pat's altered book
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

pencil & paint on collaged in paper bits & linen.
stamped and stenciled and brushed.

xox
<3
nicci

sternotomy stencil

2010-04-24T20:10:00.001-04:00

sternotomy stencil
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

work in progress for a show in May @ the Carnegia over in Covington, KY.

Prints In Translation II
An exhibition of new work by The Print Club, Northern Kentucky University Alumni, Students, Faculty & Friends.

Opening Reception: May 14th, 6pm - 9pm
The exhibition runs through June 25th, 2010.

nature lovers atcs - tattoos

2010-04-24T20:09:00.001-04:00

nature lovers atcs - tattoos
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

nature lovers ATCs.
nature themed tattoos!

reycled paper, acrylic, gesso, tissue, and pencil.

swapped via Art42:
www.artfortytwo.org/

altered book - the future

2010-04-24T20:08:00.001-04:00

altered book - the future
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

a detail of one of the spreads in my altered book.

mixed media collage with a lot of acrylic glazing and some fountain pen additions! every piece of paper glued down here was sent to me by someone else via art42.

swapped via Art42:
www.artfortytwo.org/

sideshow!

2010-03-21T21:19:00.001-04:00

freaks - gargantuan and softly rolling, always hungry, beautiful & tattooed double wide wendy
Originally uploaded by nicciwashere

Step Right UP!
Sideshow Punks, Freaks & Geeks
An Open-Media ATC Swap

there are still spots open in this exchange, hosted by amyfaerie, over at AFA.com. ( http://www.atcsforall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13931 )

i did a set of 3 cards, but might do a few more, should inspiration strike. i think it's a really rockin' fun theme, and that it could make a cool series of larger paintings.

Spotted Handmade Paper

2010-03-20T13:52:00.001-04:00

Swapped on Art42: (http://www.artfortytwo.org/projects/89) - Handmade Paper Swap

In order to make the handmade paper above, you need cardstock (white), watercolor, thinned down glue or mod podge, acrylic paint, gesso, and found papers with text.

1) First, apply rolled up tape to the back of your cardstock (or bristol board), and affix to a surface. In this case, I used folded up boxes. Apply watercolor to your paper in a streaky wash. It will still warp a little as it dries, but taping it down on the back helps minimize this.

2) Cut up your tissue paper into circles which are slightly larger than circles of cut up paper with text on it. You can use dictionary pages or pages from a novel for your text. Just freehand cut your circles. They don't have to be perfect. I folded papers over several times and cut out multiple circles at once. Apply with mod podge or thinned down white glue. brush some over the top. Apply one circle or tissue over. Apply mod podge over that as well. (Tip: if you brush too many times over the wet tissue, it will tear. If it does, simply apply another circle of tissue and be more careful with that one!)

3) Step 3 is optional. If you would like to tone down the color of your tissue a little, apply a layer of white tissue over the color after refreshing the mod podge on the color (you can wait until it dries, or apply when still wet, so long as you're sure you add more glue between the two pieces. Then, apply glue over the white so it seals down well. You can also trap threads or ephemera between the layers of tissue for added interest. (Have scrap threads from sewing projects? Those are perfect!)

As you can see from the photo, a wet brush is perfect for picking up tissue paper circles. It makes the process easy and fast!

4) Once you've finished your dots, with or without the optional white layer or ephemera, allow them to dry. This should only take a few minutes.

5) Mix acrylic paint into a nice creamy consistency. Use a color similar to your tissue color, but slightly lighter or darker. Apply with a brush in loose circles around the tissue. Have fun with this! It doesn't have to be exact. In fact, it looks better if it's not!

6) Mix a little gesso with water, unless it's already a creamy consistency. Repeat the process of applying circles. I like to swoop them on fast so they have a little exrta energy to them. Again, you don't have to worry about perfection here. It's just for fun, and looks better streaky.

Allow this to dry, then cut up and use in other projects, or use them for ATC bases!

I received a paper similar to this from a paper swap a few years ago (from Kirsten W. - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstenwilliamson/), and made a small handmade book with it. This stuff makes a pretty nifty cover. Below you can see what her paper looked like, and what I did with it!:

heart365

2010-02-16T15:33:00.001-05:00

http://heart365.blogspot.com

fat girl sketch - s001.p01.nicci

2009-04-12T16:49:00.001-04:00

fat girl sketch - s001.p01.nicci - detail
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

charcoal pencils are pretty awesome.
and messy.
which is sort of how it should be.

http://fatgirlsketch.blogspot.com/

high calorie artwork? no, just fat girls.
good for your soul.

(collaborative)

love fruit - edition

2009-03-30T22:18:00.001-04:00

love fruit - edition
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

more adventures in acrylic stamping with various items (including fruit!).

fruit love edition of 22 before being mounted on the 4x4 inch black paper (size of prints shown here is about 2x2 inches.

stamped with: a lime, a pen, spiral of sponge, and a cap. six colors.
hearts are found paper scraped with color, then cut into shape and affixed.
white gel pen detailing.

paper hearts

2009-03-29T01:44:00.001-04:00

paper hearts
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

hearts have been on my mind.

love. things we love, colors we love, stuff that's close to heart...

and valentines.

be mine.

=)

green potato stamp

2009-03-16T17:53:00.001-04:00

green potato stamp
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

2009 has been a little crazy.

i've resorted to carving potatos every few weeks.

sometimes they make it to stamping, sometimes they don't.

carved potato + green acrylic + matte medium + gesso + papers + glue = yum.

jan 09 doodle

2009-01-13T19:48:00.001-05:00

jan 09 doodle
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

on the 9th we drove out to Jungle Jim's to pick up some cisapride for Dickens made at their pharmacy. (they happen to be one of the few around who do compounding in the area.) weirdly, the power was out for a lot of route 4, meaning their entire complex had no power.

by the time we made it through the traffic to find that out, we were hungry. sooo. macaroni grill! they let you draw on the table covers with crayons there. rock.

(this is a crappy cell phone pic in low light.)

no veggie is safe

2008-12-18T21:40:00.001-05:00

potato star stamp & stamped
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

xacto blade + potato + paper towel + paper + paint + prismacolor = too much fun for one person.

working on a design for the print club's Carnegie proposal for 2009. spud carvings seem just as good as traditional printmaking to meeee. =D

i've been asked to design some very special invitations to a landmark birthday party. that's right, my sister has actually requested my services as a paid artist. it's a glorious day when a family member of an artist recognizes art as a valued service, nay a necessary beautiful process. 16th birthday invites. rock on.

zines, zines, ziiiiiiines!

2008-10-30T14:43:00.001-04:00

do not bend - action shot
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

zines for sale, zines for sale, lots of yummy zines for sale!
http://anongrrl.etsy.com/

ye olde etsy shop has been updated, listed up with sets of all my favorite little zines. papery goodness with photocopy love. in the various little books in the shop, you can find anything from a tutorial on making paper beads to stories about life in a library, to photography assignments. there's even a set available of all the various zines in one big ol' package. need some pre holiday reading material? check it out!

... and now back to the regularly scheduled ritual of trying to find the surface of my desk through the piles of art stuff...

queen of hearts chunky page

2008-08-29T19:37:00.001-04:00

queen of hearts chunky page
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i'm trying something a little different for a chunky book swap over on atcsforall in a heart shaped chunky book swap. this is pushing the guidelines a bit, but we'll see if the cool factor overrides the 'follow directions better, nicci' factor.

the little paper and watercolor queen is 3.5 inches(ish) with long embellishment made of waxed thread, buttons, a charm that says 'believe', and some handmade paper beads.

all media are as follows: watercolor paper, ink, pen, tape, handmade paper beads, buttons, watercolor, waxed thread, charm & glue.

i'm working on 3 more of these queens and another little duel heart shaped painted one. will post more images as they're finished. =)

hmmm. i wonder if people would spring for these as one of a kind scrapbook embellishments or journal embellishments...

exhibition - sept 4

2008-08-20T16:48:00.001-04:00

40yearsofalumni_nku
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

come hang out with some cool people and rockin' art!

northern kentucky university
fine arts building
nunn drive
highland heights, kentucky
41011

thurs sept 4, 2008.
5-8p.

i carry your heart with me

2008-08-20T01:30:00.001-04:00

queen of hearts II
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

work, travel, and a little trifold promo love

2008-08-06T18:11:00.001-04:00

left behind - detail
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

the image you see here is a detail of a piece called Left Behind, one of those new lil drawings i have been working on. it's a catalogue of snippets of thoughts, memories, and images that remind me of my father.

things are pretty quiet on this end. job apps, working in the studio, playing with the kitties and pup, a little web design, a little reading. staying up too late, thusly getting up late. glue, india ink, watercolor, tape, and pencils are my current media of choice. all on heavy paper coated in many, many layers of gesso.

no word yet on the fellowship. waiting, waiting.

i leave for a weekend in Paducah tomorrow morning. southeastern kentucky, beware.

in other news: the announcements/invite for the NKU Alumni show came in the mail today. 50 whopping tri-folds chock full of details cropped so close i can only tell who a few of the pieces belong to. my lil zines are right on the front cover. muah ah ah. so is my face, on the cover of one of said zines. amuse. i watch you!

i am sending some out postal mail, but mostly i'll be slapping down the e-invite in the blog(s) and email when it's sent to me.

printmaking: collographs

2008-07-13T22:36:00.001-04:00

saturday the print club held a collaborative collograph printing day @ nku. a small group was in attendance (8-ish), and everyone brought at least 1 plate to print with.

collographs are pretty sweet, and the plate making is low tech and fairly intuitive. for directions on how to do this, see the print club blog. you will need a press, too. ;)

below are a few images of plates, prints, and stuff from the day. we made a huge mess, but it was fun. all prints displayed have a printed area of 11x15 inches.

note: for collographs you need thinned down, soupy ink. you use very little, and thin with oil. it really doesn't take much ink at all. print love.

nicci's journal - july 08

2008-07-05T17:45:00.001-04:00

nicci's journal - july 08
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

Severance Package was pretty funny, but you can completely tell the author is a comic dude who has seen too many slasher flicks. if you're a pacifist, don't read this book. srsly. if dark humor tickles you, check it out.

i work a little bit in this sketchbook every night. it's getting supremely heavy and thick. anyone know where to buy larger bindings for spiral notebooks? yeesh.

currently reading: Taking the LEAP: Building a Career as a Visual Artist by Cay Lang. (suggested by mcdc3s.)

http://sketchbookswap.blogspot.com/

spoils of a collage workshop

2008-06-30T13:11:00.001-04:00

the collage workshop over @ NKU was a success. Randel led it, an provided plenty of materials and surfaces for collage, as well as some instruction and a movie, which was pretty cool (even though i was subtitled!) called The Gleaners and I by Agnes Varda.

some of the attendees had never collage before, some were artists, some teachers. i was half asleep through almost the whole thing, thusly less social than normal. not a morning person, as you may recall. also, staying up until 5 puts a bit of a dent in getting up at 8 to drive to Kentucky.

despite the hardship of only about half of my brain going, i made some stuff i like, and got re connected with gluing anything and everything down, and also learned a new method of image transfer involving toner printed to tracing paper.

i pulled out the bottle of acrylic water resistant ink and did some detail with it--edges and elements within the collages. the plus side is it looks great with organic lines... and this time it didn't explode on me when i opened it. that was nice.

tissue paper is my favorite collage element. nice colors, easy.

i have a few more images i'll post later. off to lunch with my sister! (Tink)

collage stars - detail

2008-06-28T01:51:00.001-04:00

collage stars - detail
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

tomorrow, well, actually in about 6 hours, i'm going to a workshop over @ NKU given by an artist friend, Randel. (we're in a printmaking group together). it's a collage workshop, so today i did a little work in the sketchbook that is my half of the swap with maralena. i'm also taking it tomorrow to add more... i need several projects at once because i hate waiting for things to dry.

i made this mistake of indulging in a glass of coke earlier, so i will probably be awake for a while. i'm going to be wiped out tomorrow at the workshop. i am not a morning person. this thing starts at 9am. it's a 25-30 minute drive. oh boy. it goes until 4p.

sooooo not. a. morning. person.

it's a good thing collage doesn't have to involve sharp implements.

a view of my busy desk on 28 june 08.
pieced together of 3 images to form a faux panoramic view.

sometimes a little glue, paint, gesso, ink, or glitter gets on my laptop because i keep it on when i work.

you never know when inspiration will strike, or you'll need to google something in reference to your work!

the sketchbook to the left is my journal from the sketchbook swap i am doing with Maralena. here you can see i'm adding some color with tissue.

sketchbookswap.blogspot.com/
nicci.livejournal.com
evematrix.com

shrimp sushi

2008-06-09T23:43:00.001-04:00

shrimp sushi
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

today i made sushi for the first time. i have never seen it made, so it was an adventure! it took a bit longer than expected, but ended up being more or less pretty, if a little lopsided. it tasted yummy, which is the important part! the symmetrical stuff comes later. =>

yum!

sketching collaboratively

2008-05-24T14:09:00.000-04:00

there's an update to the collaborative sketchbook project that maralena and i are working on over on sketchbook swap. you can see some recent work in both sketchbooks, always a work in progress.

i favor watercolor, and maralena favors acrylic. it's pretty fun when our work gets together and mingles. recently, we've both been dabbling in spray paint. you can check out maralena's blog for some of her other work. (the chair she just altered is pretty sweet!)

composition book

2008-03-15T21:14:00.001-04:00

composition book
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

gesso, paste, cut, tear, draw, watercolor, color, shade, watercolor, paste, gesso, etc.

pea pods and stars, found papers layered over a gesso covered composition book from the grocery store... these are the things late nights are made of.

this is a little notebook for the storing of ideas for a couple of text based games i play on. plot ideas. interactive storytelling rocks.

tattoo hearts

2008-03-10T04:31:00.001-04:00

nj_19_nicci_1detail
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

recent invasion into the sketchbook swap blog of the journals maralena and i are trading--tattoo type hearts. i have been thinking about tattoos a lot.

FarmBoy's brother opened a shop with 2 friends, and the newly blue-haired FarmBoy works as the shop boi on weekends. he's also going to begin apprenticing there, i think. so i draw, and i ponder.

lots more new work:
http://sketchbookswap.blogspot.com/

layers + teamwork

2008-03-05T13:55:00.001-05:00

nj_05_nicci_1detail1
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

my favorite thing about collaborative journals is the building up of layers. you can, of course, do this on your own, without another person, but there is less surprise involved--less challenge when you're playing art with yourself. it's like visual chess, almost, except one person doesn't beat the other person--you just strive for a kind of aesthetic resonance.

more @ the messy art sketchbook swap blog.

ceramic hearts

2008-03-04T17:01:00.001-05:00

ceramic hearts
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

semi anatomical ceramic hearts. the ones in the back have been fired--it's a stoneware clay (#153). i'm not so fond of this naked body, so i am going to paint and collage them instead of glazing since they are so sculptural. i have ze PLANS!

the grey ones in the front are greenware. three of them are in the kiln. the one standing up needs a hole drilled into it first (oops). someone, who shall remain nameless, broke off one of the valves =b. i have to 'sand' it down with a sponge and fix it before it can be fired.

preview! =) i'll post them again when they're finished.

photography, how i missed you

2008-02-29T20:13:00.001-05:00

danielle_2008_02_29_winterb
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

tonight is danielle's winter ball at her high school. her friends came down with her, after the ritual primping, for the ritual photographing.

the picture i included her is my favorite. it's more my style. it's also amusing to me that i haven' t photographer her in a couple of years, but in some ways she hasn't changed at all.

you can go see the see the actual group photo on my flickr.

i also did some black and white shots, and the best of those is a candid, of course. leftover christmas decorations on the mantle, ftw!

i missed you, photography.

nifty collaborative work

2008-02-23T00:18:00.001-05:00

detail003
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

http://sketchbookswap.blogspot.com/

mj_03_nicci_2.jpg

2008-02-22T14:09:00.001-05:00

mj_03_nicci_2.jpg
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

it was a good mail day today. i received several sets of valentines, and a huge package from maralena containing our journal swap. the picture with this entry is one of my sets of beginning pages in her journal. you can see more @ my flickr or our little blog for our journals: http://sketchbookswap.blogspot.com/

it's been a good art week. general creative vibes are flowing, even if i have to kick them in the pants sometimes. hope all is well with you!

blue hair pink hair

2008-02-11T18:09:00.001-05:00

blue hair pink hair
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

portrait ATCs : watercolor + sharpie + silver pen on gesso and board. edged with aluminum.

i have an affection for oddly colored hair. i'm particularly fond of blue and pink, as you can see from these two ATCs. i think blue is my favorite. it's so sad that these sorts of dyes are highly fugitive.

i sent them out for an exchange i hosted on swap bot.

cupcake atcs

2008-02-05T16:10:00.001-05:00

cupcake atcs
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

again, this is gesso over board with watercolor and pen on top... though in this case, i also used sharpie and gel pens. (sakura, of course--the best!)

if you look closely at the pink cupcake on the left, you may notice you can sort of see the gesso brush strokes. i like this effect. it's a very subtle texture added to the otherwise pretty flat little watercolor.

though i do have some professional grade tube watercolors, i usually prefer to paint with cheap cake style watercolors, which come in a tray and are easily portable. as you can see, you can still get vibrant colors!

my preferred brand is royal talens. i like the translucent ones.

heart - negative space

2008-02-05T04:21:00.001-05:00

heart - negative space
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

it's ATC season again in my studio. i have been doing some with watercolors and various inks. mmm. i love the way the watercolor does down on gesso'd board.

i decided to do portraits of women together with hearts in their negative space.

the stars are because i have been feeling starry recently. i'm not sure why it's taken over as a staple in my personal symbols...

chocolate girl

2008-01-30T23:14:00.001-05:00

chocolate girl
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

sweet candy distro's eye candy zine's winter issue is themed LOVE SUCKS. i'm playing around with some illustrations before the deadline. from eye candy's website:

Eye Candy is a compilation zine. This means without participation from you great people, Eye Candy wouldn't be half as cool. We are always accepting submissions for future issues. We accept personal essays, articles and feature interviews. We always need book, music and zine reviews. Most importantly submissions of visual arts, poetry and photography! Scroll down to read submission guidelines on submitting to Eye Candy!

Theme: Love Sucks!
Deadline: February 1, 2008

As the over rated holiday draws near; some of us think about moments in our life where love completely sucked. Maybe you still think that love sucks? We want you to share your story with us. Betrayal, cheating, lying, crying, revenge, etc….the list of stink goes on! We want to know why YOU think love sucks!

check it out often for new guidelines for upcoming issues, and also if you'd like to snag any back issues! (which are awesome!)

when unbound zines attack

2008-01-28T16:50:00.001-05:00

when unbound zines attack
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

over 160 zines wait, in piles, to be bound.
well... cut, collated, folded, and bound.

and numbered. zoiks.

eclect ink III - NKU Printmakers

2008-01-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

eclect ink III - NKU Printmakers
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

digital promo postcard by Gallerie Zaum.

the work of northern kentucky university printmakers (edition varies) @ Gallerie Zaum, opening Feb 1, 2008 6-9pm.

the gallery is located in Newport, KY.

finger puppets

2008-01-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

finger puppets
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

2 finger puppets. a girl and a boy. these are the smallest buttons i could find in green! i did get some blue and black ones in the tiny size. now that they have hair, their head stitching looks like wide, demented smiles. bwahaha.

Sense of Place + Eclect Ink III

2008-01-18T17:15:00.001-05:00

20up_senseofplace
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

we're having a show called Eclect Ink III @ Gallerie Zaum, in Kentucky. at the end of the month! here's some of the work that's in the Sense of Place show @ Eva Farris Gallery. this work will probably also be included in the show later this month.

see more:
edition varies blog
nku print club website.

her red room

2008-01-06T17:08:00.001-05:00

her red room
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

this little print measures 5x5 inch image area, and the paper is 10x10 inches. the frame is a black 12x12 inch wooden frame.

it's for the show, a sense of place, by the NKU print club.

fish says love - chunky page

2008-01-02T04:22:00.001-05:00

fish says love - chunky page
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

this is a 3x3 inch chunky pages embellished to be bound into a 4x4 inch chunky book with a spiral bind. the others have the goldfish painted orange like so, and the papers vary, but all were handmade with a mini paper making kit i bought in London once upon a time.

recycled handmade paper, marker, watercolor, ink, wire, beads, eyelets, and dictionary bits.

so close to being finished...

i carry your heart - pages in progress

2007-12-18T15:37:00.001-05:00

i carry your heart - pages in progress
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

once again, i am working on a chunky book! some of you knew that! this set of pages is a replacement for a set that never showed up. so i have to do them up as cool as i can as quickly as i can so my other participants don't get too annoyed at the deadline being pushed back! it's always pushed back with chunky books! but i think the quality is such that people wont mind waiting a bit. we're mail artists, after all. we're used to being patient!

what you see here is, on the left, a stack of pages from the back... the back is still in progress. the right side of the image is the front of the page. each is composed of cut up draw elements collaged together with watercolor, prismacolor, pen, and inks.

i am embellishing with 1x1 inch charms, wire, and seed beads.

for information on the project, please see this post over on ye olde LJ.

white angel, red heart - detail

2007-12-01T19:27:00.001-05:00

white angel, red heart - detail
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

this little card set features an angel with orange wings under a starry sky.

it is from a set of five where each card is individually hand drawn and painted, so no two are exactly alike.

media: ink & watercolor on paper.

http://goodwitchbadwitch.etsy.com

holiday handcrafted show - red tree gallery

2007-11-28T18:35:00.001-05:00

holiday handcrafted show - red tree gallery
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i've been working on cards. and paper. and i soon hope to be assembling a couple more journals. glue, glue, glue, paint, paint. all for the show this weekend, and, of course, the gwbw shop.

Handcrafted Holiday Show
friday, november 30th from 6-9pm
saturday, december 1st from 9am-5pm
6 local artists (including me)! come check it out friday &/or sat.

http://www.redtreegallery.net/

mostly hand written 3

2007-11-10T16:45:00.001-05:00

mostly hand written 3
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

mHw #three is a little zine about mail art. it touches on various types of mail art, including: ATCs, decos, PIFs, RAKs, decos, glamor bombs, chunky books, skinny fat books, postcards, collaborative journals, altered books, faux post, camera scavenger hunts, and inchies.

also discussed are some inspirations, material ideas, some tips on hosting mail art swaps, how to display and store your arts, and a brief tutorial on how to make a small sewn blank book for any number of uses!

mHw is a handbound zine done in the japanese stab binding style. it's photocopied on white text weight paper. it's 1/2 size & 20pp.

available @ etsy.

handcrafted holiday show - red tree

2007-11-10T15:49:00.001-05:00

green potion - cards
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i am one of six artists gathering at Red Tree Gallery in Oakley to vend our wares for a handcrafted holiday show.

friday, november 30th from 6-9pm
saturday, december 1st from 9am-5pm

Red Tree serves coffee as well as sandwiches, and has a neat little gift shop as well as art on the walls! check it out.

http://www.redtreegallery.net/

studio - 29 OCT 2007

2007-10-30T15:53:00.001-04:00

studio - 29 OCT 2007
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

so. yes. half of the studio is more or less 'less messy'ish. yes, technical term. i know, i know. Theresa and i seem to do out studio cleaning/reorganizations at the same time. i dunno if it's the change in season, the madness that piles up and we just can't take it anymore, or some cosmic urge to do something so we don't feel like we're completely art's bitch.

anywho, yes. studio. as you can see, the walls are the same color of paint they were in Savannah. i really love the color, and despite the year of hellishness that was living in that town, i'm not giving up on the color. ;)

there are some notes on this photo, so click it and go to flickr if you're curious. as you can see, Dickens was actually captured in this image. usually he runs when the camera comes out. he doesn't like the cell phone cam, the digital cam, or the digital video cam. i share my studio with him and Spike. they laze around when i'm making art, like gargoyles--one 8.5 lbs, the other about 67lbs.

the other day when i was making blue paper, Spike decided it would be fun to walk across it. He left little blue paw prints across my desk. ah, kitties.

when he's not doing that, he's either sleeping on my laptop, because it's warm, or taking over chairs. good thing he's small and easily portable. if Dickens wanted my chair, i'd be out of luck.

green & orange - heart closure

2007-10-29T13:03:00.001-04:00

green & orange - heart closure
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i found the perfect fiber in my little fiber stash when trying to clean out a bin or two from the studio pile waiting to be unpacked. as it turned out, it matched my handmade paper perfectly! it's kinda spooky how well the colors match...

so i finished off this miniature blank book. $21.

4 signatures, 32pp, cream linen resume paper guts, fiber & button closure. handmade, one of a kind paper on the exterior cover, fine medium on light grey striped interior cover paper. decorative paper & wood spine. hand sewn binding. one of a kind blank book.
4.5 x 4.65 x .5 inches.

blue spell book

2007-10-28T17:56:00.001-04:00

blue spell book - front cover, closed
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

finally! i finished this blue book. it took me a while to get the colors together, and to decide how to to the pentacles. mmm. blues. there are about five different shades of blue in there. this book measures about 7.25 x 5.25 x 1 inches. it's a hand sewn 5 signature book, with 80pp.

you can check out the back cover + spine + embellishments, or the guts, or a detail of the cover charm over on my flickr.

i heart autumn

2007-10-22T17:48:00.001-04:00

fat girl # 11 - guts
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

pumpkins are one of the coolest things ever. as you can see, we have a few. orange is a great color. the Dutch have good taste.

Fat Girl # 11 is finished and up in ye olde shop.

i'm making yummy soup, and working on a commission. it's warm, it's October, and it's raining. good friends, good times. good day.

orange eyelets make the world go round

2007-10-18T18:16:00.001-04:00

olives & heart - 4x4 journal
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i ran out of packing tape again. argh! i also ran out of my little promo bookmarky size thank you notes to go with my zine sales. yargh!

and i misplaced my promo thank you buttons, and my YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL buttons. how is this possible? sigh. studio cleaning time.

and i need to do some promo items for the GOOD WITCH BAD WITCH etsy shop.

i'm going to be a pirate for halloween. how about you?

ARRR avast ye scurvy dogs!

heart art, projects and shows

2007-10-17T22:21:00.001-04:00

yellow & pink bubbles
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

while i bat around ideas for the cover of the i carry your heart chunky book, and i have quite a few, i am making these 4x4 inch journals. i applied for a holiday show today, and if i'm juried in, i plan to take these little guys. actually, not this specific one, as seen in the photo. that one's for me. i find myself enamored of dots and spots recently.

i have a few deadlines for show entries on my plate at the moment, including one along my favorite theme--relationships. it's a valentines sort of time frame, too. you know what that means. corazon.

if you're interested in a hearty type call, go to the following link, and flick on the call for entries in the left hand column:
http://www.nku.edu/~art/galleries.html

you can download a PDF of the entry form there!

blank books & journals - shop items

2007-10-14T14:36:00.001-04:00

x heart x - 4x4 journal
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i spent a little time this morning updaying my good witch/bad witch shop @ etsy. i added one of a kind journals with hand painting/drawing on the covers, and i also added one of another kind of blank book--the long format japanese stab bound books. these have a lot of hand sewing of embellishments including buttons, and some of those snazzy mini-painted squares i like so much.

i am feeling really inspired by paper and color lately. and buttons. did i mention the buttons? mmmm.

i finally took one of the journals out for myself. i decided i am going to work in it and perhaps provide links to images of it finished from my items in the shop, so people can see how cool one looks in use.

shop good witch/bad witch.

autumn rocks, people.

2007-10-13T17:20:00.001-04:00

harvest - scarecrow
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

seriously.

i love autumn. i love the smell, i love the colors, and i sure love an excuse to drink hot chocolate next to a space heater, or breathe in the scent of fallen leaves. i missed it very much when i was in Savannah, land of no seasons.

i drew this little scarecrow as part of a series of cards i am working on. some of them are listed in my good witch/bad witch shop on etsy. you can find various sets including a harvest set featuring that little scarecrow and his pumpkin patch, as well as some skellies, and bottles bubbly potion, including a love potion and a mystery xxx green potion.

don't miss the 4x4 inch journals there, too! mmm.

you might consider picking up a spell book...

or, if you'd like, i am open to doing custom sets of cards or invitations. do ask. xox

mini journal - side view - embellishment

2007-10-07T13:33:00.001-04:00

mini journal - side view - embellishment
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

at 4x4 inches, these little arty books are pocket size. each is handmade, and each is hand painted, front and back cover. the edges are decoratively treated, and each little journal contains
16 white cover stock pages, suitable for drawing, painting, writing, or collaging.

hand sewn. they are also individually embellished with ribbon, yarn, or a combination of both. the embellishment also serves as a tie closure. the covers are sealed, both inside and out, either with a brushed on or sprayed sealer. the inside covers are collaged with recycled text bits.

love me, love my belly

2007-10-04T14:07:00.001-04:00

love me, love my belly
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

zine binding continues. it's a never ending process, really! i bound 20 issues of fg#11, 20 issues of fg#5, and i'm half way through 20 issues of dad zine.

i also had 2 sets of dog tags made, finally. i love these things. each has 2 tags on it. one reads love me, love my belly and the other reads don't hate me because you're hungry.

there's a new gift set of fg up, containing issues 1-10 + a YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL button.

@etsy.

orange kitty with stars

2007-10-01T18:53:00.001-04:00

pink card - orange kitty
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i have been working on cards. i drew one up on a white card of spike with the moon and some stars. i decided it was pretty cool, so i did a series of them. you can see a detail of the kitty on flickr.

these cards are invitation size, 5.5 x 4.25 inches.

@ etsy.

continuous line

2007-09-21T18:43:00.001-04:00

continuous line
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

just a little continuous line drawing (no lifting the pen from the paper!) from last night. it's a little distorted from lying in bed with my head on one arm, drawing with the other hand.

and that's part of what makes it look neat.

chunky book sample doodle

2007-09-21T18:26:00.001-04:00

chunky book sample doodle
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

sometimes when i do projects, such as my current chunky fat book with the theme: i carry your heart, inspired by the e.e. cummings poem of same name, i give directions that folks who aren't familiar with them don't understand.

here's a little illu i did to help. 4x4 inch page, 1 inch on the left to be free of hard embellishment, sticky tape, or sewn thread. why? i have to punch some holes there, and my binding system needs an inch of paper to go into the binder to punch the holes in the proper place!

also, i like to avoid real feathers or plant matter (seeds, dirt, leaves) in case one of the participants is in a country that wont allow that sort of thing through customs.

to see more info about this current chunky book project, visit the post in my little livejournal.

green/yellow/red paper

2007-09-12T13:09:00.001-04:00

green/yellow/red paper
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

handmade paper! this was made for a swap of hand decorated paper. i just went with handmade paper, since i happened to have this large piece of greenish paper around. when i first made it, i wasn't sure i liked it.

then, of course, i lived with it for a few days, and used a piece to make a small book, which is still in progress. it's very textural... gotta love that! the best part about this paper is that it feels very sturdy in your hands. it'll hold up to a lot of abuse, painting, embellishing, working. i am thinking of making an entire journal with just this stuff!

you can see a detail of the paper on flickr, if you're curious about the texture.

fat girl number 9 - guts

2007-09-10T22:32:00.001-04:00

fat girl number 9 - guts
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

as you can see, Fat Girl number Nine is hot off the presses (or rather, xerox machine). this issue addresses a few issues, injects a bit of humor, and, as always, features some body positive artwork.

you can see more images of this issue, and learn more about the contents, if you follow this link.

by the way, there are some images up on the edition varies (print club) blog of the workshop i went to the other day. check us out!

artist book - star

2007-09-09T19:06:00.001-04:00

artist book - star
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i know i was supposed to post more on the book i made in the workshop yesterday, but i didn't get around to finishing it today. i am still working on a decision as to what to use it for before i get crazy with the embellishments.

the book pictured here, with this entry, is a small book i made today, with the same binding, only much smaller. this closed book measures approximately 7.5 x 4.75 x 1 inches. it is embellished with fiber, handmade 1x1 inch charms, a wooden spine, and buttons.

the paper is another piece (the first, actually) of that handmade paper i made the other day.

if you would like, you can take a peek inside of this book, with little hidden embellishments, or see the cover unfolded all the way over on flickr in my handmade book photo set.

i will post when the orange book is finished, promise.

off to teach my mom how to make this paper, in prep for making a book!

threaded needle

2007-09-08T21:55:00.001-04:00

threaded needle
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

the workshop today was a blast! Jennifer is great to work with and learn from--meaning she's funny and down to earth, and just plain easy to talk to. we all worked on our books. glueing turned out to take longer than expected, and my paper was pretty thick so i kept having to burnish is down, add more glue, burnish, etc.

as it turned out, i don't think anyone had time to finish their books. i came home and finished sewing mine after some of us went to dinner @ Max & Erma's (the burgers are ok, but not great, if you ever wondered), and now my book awaits embellishment.

i will take a photograph of it tomorrow, when there's lots of natural light. it turned out pretty neat, and a lot of people loved the papers i made yesterday. i didn't photograph the paper i ended up using before i cut it up and used it for the cover. oh well!

i used a lime green, shiny, faux gator skin embossed paper for my interior. wait until you see it embellished. muah ah ah.

oh, and i also met some new people, which is always good! and... i'm going to do a workshop with the Print Club, at some point, on making the paper. woot!

i was too busy with glue and needle and thread to photograph much at the workshop, but i know Randel did. i'll see if he has some pix i can pirate over here, or link to.

oh, btw, if you want, you can take a sneak peek at the spine of the book over on flickr.

studio - working on paper

2007-09-07T15:53:00.001-04:00

studio - working on paper
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

since i don't know if i will have time to get out to Suders Art Supply to snag some decorative paper to use as a cover for the book i am to be constructing in a workshop tomorrow, i decided to make some cloth-paper, ie art paper backed in muslin. boy, this stuff is exhausting. it really does take all day to make a few big sheets.

i started out with some yellow and orange bases, but they weren't doing it for me. you can check those out on my flickr. i think they'll be better for details, embellishments, and other pieces.

then i read the workshop sheet (yeah, smart move!) and noticed the decorative sheets for cover and interior cover needed to be considerably bigger. that's when i progressed to the much larger red based paper thing. it nearly covers my entire desk. i needed 11x27 inches. this is larger by several inches either way. i made it with several colors of tissue paper (red, orange, white, pink), some various pigments (liquid, watercolor), and some ripped up 1.25x1.25 inch squares of what used to be a dictionary page (or four), which were also watercolored darker colors. there's some thread layered in, too!

since my large work table in my studio is covered in junk. by junk, i mean 'art junk' which is not to be confused with trash or a Chinese water-craft (even tho those are really cool).

i am going to try to clear that off this weekend so as to preserve my little collection of prints without spatter of watercolor or any other arty stuff. my poor prints, hanging on the edge of disaster!

flaming heart - skullie sketchbook's embellishment

2007-09-04T18:42:00.001-04:00

flaming heart - skullie sketchbook's embellishment
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

i just completed and listed this sketchbook over on my etsy shop. it's one of those 'piratey' 4x4 inch blank books i was talking about making last week, but i was waiting on my binding materials to do them up right, so i couldn't finish any until now!

this skullie sketchbook is 4x4 inches with approximately 15 pages of cardstock on the interior (acid free, white).

it's embellished with ribbons and a bone bead! these are pocket sized with one of a kind covers. this one was made with collage, painting, and drawing with both water based paint pens, acrylic, and oil.

draw in me - cover

2007-08-27T13:15:00.001-04:00

draw in me - cover
Originally uploaded by anongrrl

last night, i re-did the cover of draw in me. i took some markers, paint pens, silver pen, and glaze pens to the cover, giving it a face lift from the hello-boring it was before. i ripped off the moleskine bookmark and elastic closure, and replaced it with a braided length of yarn embellished with some hand carved bone beads (tibetan, i think).

this revamp is in preparation to send it off to andrea, since my original partner for this journal dropped out, and andrea was kind enough to step in! i plan to largely redo much of the journal. gesso is in its future...

this reminds me of an exercise Judy Tuwaletstiwa suggested. start a painting, any size, any subject. paint and paint until you get something you react strongly to (hate or love). photograph it. live with it for a day or a few days. then paint over it. paint until you find something you react to. photograph it. live with it. paint over it. etc, for as long as is necessary.

materials: random paper bit, pen, marker, ink, yarn, & bone beads on the cover of a moleskine.

http://drawinme.livejournal.com/