Unhappy and Self-Conscious Only Around Family

This is one of the newest paintings by my fabulous fiance, The Mincing Mockingbird. He spent all last weekend painting birds for an upcoming show in Portland, and this is one of the extra pieces he put in his etsy shop. I think he spends almost as much time coming up with the titles (see above) as he does painting the actual painting. I like this guy because he looks like he's up to something.

Kim's been Found!

I got an e-mail today saying that the gallery owner found "Kim Has a Good Skip". Check out this post to get the back story. Anyway, I can pick up my painting as soon as I can find the time...which is difficult these days.

The update on the housing situation is that we gave our 30 day notice to the apartment manager, and have to be out by July 25. Our closing is supposed to be July 15, so we're keeping our fingers crossed. I'll post photos of the new studio (I'll try to do before and after pictures) as soon as I can get the computer set up.

Tanning for Rodents

My new card just in time for the summer tanning season.

Breakfast for Kitty!

If I had a cat, I'd definitely buy it this! My friend Nancy Lee, has an etsy shop, minjae, where she sells these cool catnip toys filled with 100% certified organic catnip. She also makes wonderfully geeky plush dolls. Everything is hand sewn and she has ninjas, too! Check her shop out and then tell me you don't need a ninja doll. Or a pregnant, smoking trailer trash doll.

New blog design!

After reading this great post at Argyle Whale, I decided to redesign my blog (actually just the colors for right now). She's right, white type on black IS hard to read. So now my blog is white, which may seem boring to some, but at least it doesn't clash with the artwork. Check out her blog for more great tips on how to make your blog more reader-friendly.

The print is one of Elise Towle Snow's (aka Argyle Whale) gocco prints. Check out her etsy shop for more awesome art!

Joint Custody Project in Progress

Although I can't reveal my piece for the Joint Custody Project yet, it's coming along. I take it back to the gallery today and then don't pick it up until next Monday night. Then it has to be finished and back at the gallery by Wednesday night for hanging. Working collaboratively with someone you can't talk to and don't know is definitely a challenge, but a fun one. It's been influenced more by my cards than my painting, since my studio has been taken over by visiting sons (it's actually the extra bedroom), and I don't really have the room to paint. Also, Mincing Mockingbird has taken over the kitchen table because he has a show in Portland coming up and had to paint LOTS of bird paintings this past weekend. I'll post the piece here when I'm done.

OMG! It's the Day of the Dead Gourd!

After two years of trying to get my friend, Heather, to put her awesome gourds on etsy, I finally took my lunch hour today and helped her set up her shop gourdwacko. She only has two items so far (it's still only 2:30), but is in the process of adding more this afternoon. This is one of my favorites (I can't resist skulls of any kind). She gave me one of her birdhouses for my birthday last week to go on the patio of my new house. She's been painting these gourds for years and selling them at craft shows, and I told her they were perfect for etsians. She also does beautiful fall bowls and fun Christmas ornaments.

I'm in the Storque!

Sorry I haven't posted lately, but with traveling and graduations, and now buying a house, a lot of things have fallen by the wayside -- blogging is one of them. But today I am on the front page of The Storque on Etsy and was so excited I thought I'd better post. I'm not sure how long I'll be up, but today's Etsy's third birthday and they're using my tiger birthday card to illustrate it.

Let's Swap Paper!

I was just contacted by the suburban pen pal from etsy about participating in a Paper Swap. Basically you get a bunch of paper artists to sign up and then exchange paper art. I love new art and I need to spruce up my place, so I thought "Why not?" I have to have the pieces done by July 21, so I'll be done with my Joint Custody project by then. Nothing like filling up every spare moment with art-related things.

Now I wonder when my dishes will get done?

Click here for more info or if you're interested in participating.

Joint Custody Project

This month will be a little crazy because once again I'm participating in Found Gallery's Joint Custody Project. Twenty-two artists pair up and collaborate on 11 pieces together during the month of June. Partner A has the piece for three days and then hands it off to the gallery for Partner B to pick up and work on for three days. This goes back and forth three or four times and you don't get to meet or communicate with your partner in any way. The opening reception is July 5 and although I can't publish my photos as I go along, I will publish the process once the piece is finished.

You can follow along with the Joint Custody Project Blog to see some of the pieces as they progress.