Around town

These photos have been sitting in my iPhone album for awhile now.  Thought I'd share. 

Creating a pocketbook gallery

My friend gave me a little Moleskine notebook with a house stamped on front.  As far as notebooks go, it is pretty darn adorable.  A few days ago, I had this idea to fill the pages with clippings of my sketches and then give the mini book back to my friend.  In a sense, the notebook is like a portable art collection of my works, thus the name, pocketbook gallery. 

I wanted the notebook to still be usable, so I left some space on the pages for short notes or doodles.  I figured if my friend had to write her contact information on a piece of paper, it might as well be a piece of art that someone would want to hang onto for a little while. 

I had fun putting together this pocketbook gallery, and I look forward to working on another one in the near future.  Maybe as the prize for the next giveaway perhaps?

My new drawing and a few things you didn't know about me

Eureka is my latest mixed media work.  The title, which is a term commonly associated with the California Gold Rush, came to me after drawing the cave-like structure with gold dots.  I thought that the themes of movement and discovery were fitting for the composition.

Also this week, Gretchenmist kindly passed on the Kreativ Blog Award to me.  To be honest, I hadn't heard of the Kreativ Award before, so I did a quick google search.  The basis of it is to share seven things about myself that readers may find interesting and then recognize seven other creative bloggers.  So here we go:

1.  I wanted to be a fashion designer in the 8th grade.  I made a lot of my own clothing at the time, including a bright fuschia pant jumper.

2.  I don't like drinking coffee, but it's my favorite ice cream flavor.

3.  I love to garden.  My favorite flower is the peony.

4.  I have a weakness for chocolate covered raisins-  not the cheap kind.

5.  One of my favorite places to escape to is the antique store.

6.  I rarely listen to music while I'm working on my art.

7.  I imagine myself as a surgeon in a parallel life.

Here's my list of seven blogs you should check out:

Sandra Juto
The Jealous Curator
Fine Little Day
Plainmade
Mieke Willems
Ann Wood

And of course, Art Hound, who I have been partnering with on the Portland/Brooklyn artist series.  For this Monday's post, I'll be featuring Trish Grantham!

The freshness of white

I love that the color white is so clean and crisp.  I've been thinking lately of shooting some all white photographs, that is, once I finish my new quilting project, a couple of major paintings, the regrouting of the bathroom, and raising two children.  Until then, I'll enjoy looking at photographs that others took of all white subjects. 

Laura Sanna, Cantine a Cologny/Geneve

 honey.huckabee, morning.

Violetjulia, White trees 

Luvpublishing, Discovery

Mindful Living

For the past five years I have been committed to living a more consumer-responsible life, and to be honest, it's been one of the hardest things I've done.  There are three questions that I ask myself when buying something.  How was it made?  Who made it? And, Do I really love it?  These questions touch on the issues of fair labor and sustainable practices.  And, having been a retailer of ethically made products the last three years, I can tell you that options for new, socially-responsible products are still very slim, especially when the budget is small.  So, in the last few years, I have made by hand a lot more things than I really wanted to and I have spent more time in resale and antique stores than boutiques and malls.  I have also learned to be more content and resourceful with the things that I already have. 

Photos from left to right:
1.  I needed a new make-up bag and ended up making one
2.  A felt tree skirt that I designed and made this past Christmas
3.  Our vintage danish couch that I found at Goodwill for $49
4.  My favorite bag.  It's recycled leather.
5.  Vintage Red Wing bowl I found at an antique store
6.  Recycled glass votive holder made by a local artisan in Seattle
7.  Instead of buying new patio furniture last summer, I sanded and refinished our table and chairs 
8.  I try to buy local art products as much as possible

Coloring books that encourage kids to draw and make-believe

My daughter received a couple of Rosie Flo's Coloring Books for her birthday this past weekend.  She absolutely loves them and I can see why.  Each page is a wonderland of partially drawn characters in playful settings.  UK artist Roz Streeten,  creator and illustrator of Rosie Flo's Coloring Books, was inspired to create the series after constantly drawing dresses for her two little girls.  There are a total of 12 different themed books to choose from, including a couple called "Johnny Joe's" that are geared towards boys.  They're so great, I have to restrain from coloring all the pages myself!

Portland/Brooklyn Artist Series, Week 3: Stephanie Congdon Barnes

A few years back, a friend of mine first introduced me to a new blog about two friends who posted photos from their mornings side by side.  The blog 3191: A Year of Mornings was a collaborative effort between Stephanie Congdon Barnes from Portland, Oregon and Maria Vettese from Portland, Maine.  The project was such a hit, it became a book in Fall of 2008 and another project, 3191: Evenings, soon followed.

In addition to her beautiful photography, Stephanie creates amazing handcrafted creatures and objects. 
I absolutely love the pine cones she made this winter.  I'll take one of those and a tartan birdie, please.

How would you describe your work?

I think a lot of what I do is about nostalgia.  The work I did with the 3191 projects was really about nostalgia for everyday domestic life.  We were documenting those details of our lives that we might otherwise pass by.  My sewn work is very much about nostalgia as well- memories of my own childhood toys and of a time when things were made by hand with care.  It is my hope that the things that I make feel both familiar and new.  I am also greatly influenced by the natural world whether it be a color palette that I choose or an attempt to actually replicate something from nature. 

What are the greatest challenges of being an artist today?

As a craftsperson, I need to give myself the space to try new things and explore new ideas despite a continued demand for certain types of objects.  I want to feel sincere and excited about everything that I make and when I am hand-stitching my 100th brown linen twig, my enthusiasm is really waning.  It's also very hard to not feel as though you should be working all the time.  Setting up a workspace outside of my home has really helped me with my work/home life boundaries (I share a workspace with  my husband who is an architect). 

What accomplishments/works of art are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my continuing collaboration with Maria Vettese and the 3191 projects.  We are now into our fourth year of working together, and it's been an incredible experience.  Our book 3191: Evenings turned out incredibly well and we're both proud of it, but it was really nerve-racking for me at the outset!

What do you love most about Portland?

I love that I can walk or bike just about everywhere I want to go- my kids' school, my workspace, great restaurants and markets with locally-grown and produced food, breweries, music venues, beautiful parks and wooded areas.  People are happy here, and having a good quality of life allows me to be creative and stay inspired.  When I feel like I need some space, there are the Cascades, the Columbia River Gorge, the high desert, the Oregon coast, all within a few hours.  We've been here 10 years and feel as though we've only begun to explore.

Stephanie puts together a new collection of handcrafted goods for her shop every 4 - 6 weeks, and she tends to sell out within an hour! Her latest collection of springtime animals is going up the first week of March.  Check out Stephanie's blog for updates.

For more information on the 3191 projects, visit Stephanie and Maria's blog here. 

                      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This week's featured Brooklyn artist is Dan-ah Kim.  Read her interview on Art Hound.

Charmed by Julia Rothman's patterns

Daydream wallpaper

If you are an avid follower of the independent art scene, then you've already heard of Brooklyn-based illustrator and designer Julia Rothman.  Her art work has been covered in countless publications relevant to the indie culture, and her pattern illustrations have been applied to all sorts of home decor and accessory items, including bedding, wallpaper, handbags, and stationary.

Flora

A year and a half ago, we had the privilege to work with Julia on a pattern show in our shop.  She made a limited edition collection of fabric squares printed with her pattern designs, and I regret not snatching one before they all sold!
 

A few weeks ago, I came across this video on Julia and her journey as an artist.  It's quite good. 

Zoom In Online

And be sure to check out Julia's book blog, Book By Its Cover.  It's definitely a favorite in the art and design blog world.