Day 127 - 365/2014

Day One Hundred Twenty-Seven

Friends and errands and getting stuff done today!

First I met up with Leann and Joan for our Wednesday Morning...I have been absent at the last minute for the last couple of weeks...it was really, really great to see Leann and Joan today!  We met at Tuscan Cafe in Northville.  Joan brought some delicate sewing to work on and Leann forgot to bring a project so she sketched in her sketchbook.  I brought some blank blocks to make the Penciled In transfers...I did twenty-five this morning...more than I was expecting to.

Leann and Joan at Tuscan Cafe.

The first transfer onto MDF block for this series of Penciled In.

After our meet up I stopped by my house to pick up Art-o-mat art to put into my machine at LIFT Desginer Toys and Gallery in Royal Oak.  On the way I stopped and picked up Juana (who usually accompanies me for this task).  We had lunch at O'Mara's and then went to LIFT.  Kent and Ben were there today -- I haven't seen either one of them in a while.  

Ben and Kent at LIFT.

I loaded up the machine with a bunch of really great art...some by local artists (whose columns always sell out very quickly), a few new-to-this-machine artists, and a few re-stocks of artists.  I think there is a good variety of art to choose from and ALL of it would make great Mother's Day gifts!  Click on the link above to see what/who is in the machine.

Then I ran a couple of errands back in my neighborhood and settled in for the evening with a good dose of Benadryl and took a break.  Tonight I did twenty-five more Penciled In transfers and I am making myself stop so that I don't cramp up my hands.

Ready to make some more transfers to MDF blocks -- Bootsy apparently thinks he is going to help me.

The top line of blocks were done this morning, the bottom line was done tonight.

It is a good start on getting the transfers done.  I want to talk with Terri (my next collaborator) tomorrow night to see if she wants to do five each of twenty designs or ten each of ten designs.  Then I will do the last fifty transfers. 

Day 54 - 365/2014

Day Fifty-Four

Today Juana came with me when I restocked my Art-o-mat machine at LIFT Designer Toys and Gallery in Royal Oak, MI.  Juana helps me out (big time) with the randomizing of blocks for the columns. 

Tonight I assembled the last eleven of the first fifty (of one hundred) Animal People collages for Art-o-mat.  These are the ones I was just too worn out to do last night.

As with most of the rest of the blocks, these need to have a bit more work done on them before they are ready to vend.

365/2013 - Day 319

fun with Juana and Franciney

Today I met up with Juana and Franciney (I don't get to see Franciney very often).  We went to the Ridge Fine Art Show to look around, shop and say hi to a few artist friends.

(I need to apologize for the not-exactly-focused photos in today's blog post...I don't know if it was the low lighting and long shutter speed and I moved or if my camera was bumped out of the right setting in my purse/tote bag...I took a LOT of pictures, but these are the only ones that are close to being in focus.)

Juana and Franciney choosing items at Martha Bishop's booth.

Franciney looking at the tiles of Gretchen Kramp.

Gorgeous clay sculptures by Laurie Sharkus.

another view -- Laurie Sharkus

one more -- Laurie Sharkus

Approaching Laurie Eisenhardt's booth.

If I had an unlimited art fund, I'd spend a lot of it at Laurie's booth...these are even more magical in person.

And there is the magical Laurie Eisenhardt, herself!

Oh man...I love this piece!

I could only choose one item today and this was what I picked...thanks, Laurie!

And look -- here is Diane Hawkey's booth!  These are so wonderful!

And geez...these adorable little owls!

Diane's is another booth where I could do a lot of damage to my bank account -- I stopped myself after this totem guy and one of Diane's fabulous little houses.  Thanks, Diane!

After the Ridge Fine Arts Show we went to have a late lunch/early dinner and we ended up at Christine's Cuisine in Ferndale.  Then we still had some time to kill before our other destination, so we went to Goldfish Tea for tea and sweets for Juana and Franciney...I am not a tea drinker and lately I've been kind of off of sweet stuff so I sipped some refreshing ice water in a glass mug.

Then we went over to LIFT Designer Toys and Gallery to see "Cryptic Beasts: A Cryptozoology Show"...an art show featuring over 25 forgotten creatures created by artists across the globe.  Again, I apologize for the blurry pictures.

This is a really great show -- you need to go see it in person!

You Make My Heart Explode by Allison Vince

My, What Nice Teeth You Have by Allison Vince

Creature #2 by Danielle O'Malley

Dark Horse by Chelsey Pettyjohn

Alton. A by Wanju Wu

We Build Upon Them by Josh S. Lewis

While at LIFT we got to say hi to Kent and Franciney purchased a big vinyl toy she's had her eye on for a long time...we also had a chance to have a little chat with Kim.  And we said a very quick "hello" to Robert del Valle!

Cryptic Beasts:  A Cryptozoology Show runs through December 8 at LIFT Designer Toys and Gallery / 228 W Fourth Street / Royal Oak, MI / 48067

365/2013 - Day 237

what's IN the Art-o-mat machine at LIFT

Currently featured in Greeny, my Art-o-mat machine at LIFT Designer Toys and Gallery in Royal Oak, Michigan:

Sherry Paylor

Leticia Miller

Lemon Tree

Lisa Jordan

Jessica Guptill

Scott Blake

Beatriz Graells

How You Say

Patrick Harris

AND -- don't forget to get your customer loyalty card punched every time you use Greeny --

buy 5 artpacks and you get one free -- no expiration date, no limit.

365/2013 - Day 187

a trip to LIFT to change the art in Greeny

Juana and I went to LIFT Designer Toys and Gallery in Royal Oak today to restock my Art-o-mat machine.

front door at LIFT

Greeny with new art

Juana takes a look

front window at LIFT -- such wonderful stuff!

and yes!  Totoro, too!

365/2013 - Day 134

feeling better...errands and a new collage

Now that all of the Nasonex has worn off I am feeling better than yesterday...I must be sensitive to some ingredient in that medication...man!  Today I grabbed Juana and we went to LIFT to check up on Greeny and leave the new Customer Loyalty cards and the box of randomized artpacks.  From now on whenever you purchase an artpack from Greeny (my Art-o-mat machine) you get your card punched.  When you have collected 5 punches, you get 1 free totally random artpack.  Each artpack has been wrapped in green paper and ribbon and has one of my business cards on it.  The image on the card has nothing whatsoever to do with the artpack -- it is just a way for people to check out my blog or contact me if they have any questions about Greeny or Art-o-mat.

Then Juana and I went out to lunch but we had to order and eat quickly because the restaurant we went to closes between lunch and dinner and we only had 15 minutes...LOL.  It was fun.  We usually bring half of our meal home anyway.

Juana also gave me her artwork for "West of Center" in case she is not in town for the drop off day at the Northville Art House.  I was thinking about it tonight and I feel really honored for her to trust that nothing will happen to her piece while I have it...it is an incredible assemblage piece that looks like it is pretty delicate but it is also very powerful.  GREAT work -- I can't wait for this show!!!

Okay -- I decided tonight to collage over a little exercise painting we did in an acrylic class at the Northville Art House with Julie Woodard.  I had a good time in the class (Carla and Ruth and Sue took it, too) and we both got acquainted with acrylic paint and techniques...it was a lot of fun...but I am tired of looking at this particular piece.  (I am keeping my other two.)

my painting

the papers I snatched pieces of for this collage -- (no polka dots this time)

this wonderful wood patterned paper came in the box that my painting by Claudia Roulier was shipped in

the first piece of paper goes on...lots of matte medium

several pieces of paper later -- I love how you can see through the papers and glimpse other ones and parts of the painting

I'm not sure what this paper is made of, but when it becomes wet with matte medium it looks like horsehair and strands of straw or weeds or something -- I've had it a long time but never used it before

and here it is...very very wet

I wonder what images/creatures will emerge when it is dry