winter wonderland

Snow. We can throw it, eat it, build a cave in it, and slide on it.  No wonder it brings out the child in all of us.  It's a winter wonderland up in the mountains right now.  The scenery is so beautiful, it's hard to put the camera down.  

inspired by the beach

Recently, I was flipping through some photographs that I took at the Oregon coast last summer.  The photos were taken with a vintage camera that I picked up at an estate sale.  [Not bad for a metal box that is over 75 years old!]

I snapped a number of shots of the scenery around me.  Realizing a few of the photos went nicely together, I was inspired to create a set of mixed media works on cedar wood slices.  So, here's what I came up with yesterday.

And I just finished this new work, Beach Mountains. 

One of my photographs is layered in this work as well. 

Both of these items can now be found in my Etsy shop.  These may be the last pieces of the year, at least for my Etsy shop.  For the next few weeks, I'll be focusing on creating new work for Lilk Gallery in London.  They acquired a space on Broadway Market.  So, if you happen to be near there at the end of January, come see my art!

Oh, by the way, there's still time to snatch a free linocut with your order in my Etsy shop.  Last day of special promotion is Christmas Eve, or until the linocuts are all gone.  About a dozen left! 

limited-edition "portland" print

Today, I hand pulled the first 10 prints of my latest linocut.

The paper I used is made from flax straw + denim and t-shirt remnants.  Very cool stuff.

Read more about the new print here.  Then watch this amazing printmaking demonstration . . . so effortless!

living in a broken world

The tears flowed down my face when I heard there was another school shooting.  Like any other parent watching Friday's tragedy unfold, I thought of my own children.  And on the heels of a Portland mall shooting just three days prior, it's hard not to fall into a dark place of hopelessness.
 
The recent devestating news reminds me of a similar tragedy- the school shooting at Thurston High School in May of 1998.  I was a high school art teacher at the time, but at a school across town from Thurston High.  There was a district-wide lockdown, and I spent the five hours in a locked classroom helping students process a gamut of emotions.   

A year later, there was a mass shooting at Columbine High in Colorado.  My husband's friend happened to be in the school's cafeteria that day.  He helped get kids to safety.

Thurston, Littleton, Newtown- these are small communities, yet so many of us have been personally impacted by their tragic stories.  I want to believe that we've seen the last of these senseless killings, but we live in a broken world.  So I turn to God for hope, for He brings light into a dark world.  In fact, He willingly entered a dark world to love it and save it. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:5 

Rembrandt, Adoration of the Shepherds, oil on canvas, 1646. National Gallery London.

 

for the love of calendars

Growing up, we used to have a calendar in every room of the house. These poster-sized calendars were given out to customers by Korean businesses.  My Korean grandparents lived with us, and it was my grandfather who was the biggest fan of these calendars.  They were used as his appointment books, so it was commonplace to see circled dates and Korean notes on the side. 

My family would have a small stash of these free calendars rolled up and ready to give to visiting friends and family.  When I moved into my own place, not a year went by without my grandfather or mother offering me a new calendar.  I would try to politely decline, but then my husband would make a nice comment about the calendars.  And this always led to,  "Oh, you like?!  I give you two."

It's been 13 years since my grandfather passed away.  I still think of him whenever I see a Korean calendar.  If he was alive today, he would be the first to receive my new calendar that I finished this weekend.  And I know he'd be pleased.  (Although I would have to supersize the dates for him!)

First Thursday event in London

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Three of my paintings are now on display at the Vyner Street Gallery in London! The group show is from December 3 - 16, with a First Thursday event planned for this week.  Images of the three paintings are in this post.  For more information on the exhibition, go here. 

A number of my latest works have also been uploaded into my Etsy shop, including a few weavings and smaller paintings on cedar wood.  Click here to see what is available. 

     

my week

it's been 15 years since we've brought a puppy home

she's a lot like our first dog- so very sweet . . . but a tad more fearless

she didn't even cry her first night with us

the day before thanksgiving, we took her to the beach

she chased the waves and climbed the dunes

we named her Scout

the november rain has been relentless

but we caught a break at the beach

when the sun was setting, the sky looked like it was on fire

a young man pointed to the colorful display and remarked, "heaven's a million miles that away"

well said

i've amped up production this week

in preparation for the holiday market nov. 30 - dec. 1

whatever doesn't sell goes into my etsy shop on sunday

tomorrow's feat: designing a 2013 calendar

i think i can, i think i can

Limited-edition linocut giveaway

I nearly forgot that it is my Etsy shop's anniversary today!  I've been quite busy these past few weeks helping out with a church art project and spearheading the Holiday Market at my daughter's school. Oh, and did I mention we got a puppy?!  Pictures to come in the next post.

In all this craziness, I've managed to eek out some me-time at my art desk. . . sleep is over-rated, I say.  My latest creative output resulted in a batch of hand printed linocuts.  Printmaking was my focus in college, but it's been years since I've tackled a hand printing project.  My daughters watched me this time as I hand pulled the first lino print, and all the oohs and ahhs from the peanut gallery just added to the excitement. 

I used turquoise ink for the first few prints and then switched to a deeper blue (and oil-based) ink.  There are only three of the turquoise available, and I thought it would be fitting to give them away in celebration of my three year Etsy anniversary. 

If you'd like a chance to nab one of these limited-edition prints, just leave a comment below.  On Wednesday, November 28th, I'll randomly choose three winners and post the names here.  

I am also giving away these prints with every order in my Etsy shop.  You can check out the details here.

11/28: Congratulations to the three winners! David Thurston, Emmel Prutsemieke, and Emma-Lee