my art now at Urban Outfitters!

In the summer of 2013, I was excited to receive an email from Urban Outfitters expressing their interest in my art.  I had never licensed my art before, so, naturally, I had lots of questions about the whole process.  From the get-go, the company was very receptive to my questions and requests, including those involving the manufacturing of my art.

After working closely with Urban Outfitters for several months, I am thrilled to announce that my art is now available in their stores!  There are three pieces in the collection, and all the items are made domestically.  Exclusive to Urban Outfitters are the two works on wood slab- Journey and Cascade.  Mountain, which is a 13" x 13" print, is printed on archival paper with archival inks.

Also at Urban Outfitters are the lovely works of Portland artists Betsy Walton and Yellena James. When I had a brick and mortar shop in town, I used to carry art made by both of these talented ladies.  Feast your eyes on these stunning wall murals by Betsy and Yellena:

Betsy Walton

Yellena James

Portland artist Ashley Goldberg has been working with Urban Outfitters since 2008. Along with her beautiful wall art, she has her own bedding collection! 

A fun little fact: my vintage mini loom belonged to Ashley G.

I love the large brushstroke blocks on the duvet cover.  Ashley's complete Char-Bea home collection can be found here.  If you are curious to learn more about art licensing, Ashley wrote a great article last September for Etsy titled "How to Strike a Successful Licensing Deal."
 

My paintings on Buy Some Damn Art

I'm excited to announce that I'm the featured artist this week on Buy Some Damn Art!  Six new originals are available for purchase here.  Plus, there's an accompanying interview with photos.

The six works were inspired by photographs I took on my travels.  Can you guess the place that inspired Lake Ridge and Mountain Rim?

my week

my husband and i spent a quiet evening [ie without kids] at st. jack
the pate was my favorite and the madeleines were so heavenly

whenever i need an article of clothing altered,
i go to a lady named ginny who has the most amazing barbie collection [100 plus and counting]

i brought the girls with me this time around- you can only imagine their faces

enjoyed one of the last days of summer break as a family wading at opal creek

wedding mania:

i worked on my first wedding invitation design

and i'll be heading to ireland soon for a friend's wedding! 

Get ready for the biggest art giveaway ever

Now that Oprah is calling it quits, someone's got to give away their favorite things.  So, I've rounded up some of my favorite Etsy artists for the most amazing art giveaway! We're giving away 25 works of art (including original pieces), a value of $600!

On Thursday, May 26, the "Instant Art Collection Giveaway" is going to launch right here on Habit of Art.  Be sure to mark it on your calendar.

This is going to be so good, I'm thinking about entering the giveaway myself using an alias.

I'm serious. 

Interview with artist and art conservator Chris Zahner

Kathy, a collage by artist Chris Zahner

If I were a Marvel Comics character,  I'd want to be a superhero by night and an art conservator by day.  It'd be nice to know that at the end of a day's work, I saved some lives and a few precious paintings.  My real life doesn't come close to my comic book character, but I recently connected with an artist who at least lives the life of my alter-ego.  Boston-based artist Chris Zahner (even sounds like an alter-ego name), works in art conservation.  Since I really don't know much about art conservation, Chris was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

How did you get into art conservation?

One of the many interesting aspects about the field is the seemingly endless ways people find it. Art conservation is a melding of art history, studio art and science, so people come from all kinds of backgrounds. Studio art is my angle. I have a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in ceramics with a minor in drawing.  Through the encouragement and support of a few conservator friends my interest in the field began.  My first conservation job was at a regional lab in Cleveland called the Intermuseum Conservation Association where I was the preparator in their paper department. I became hooked.

Chris at work.

What does a typical day at your work look like?

Like most kids I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I grew up, but I had a really good sense of what I didn’t want. Boredom, monotony and cubicles were out. Challenges, problem solving, creativity and a life connected to the arts were in. So far art conservation has been the perfect job for me specifically because there are no “typical” days. One day might be spent logging hours in front of a computer writing reports while the following day might require you to put on a hard hat, climb scaffolding and clean a mural 30 feet up.

[image source: Intermuseum Conservation Association]

What are some things about art conservation that most people don't know?

People don’t realize there is a difference between conservation and restoration. Art conservation and restoration mainly differ in approach. A restorer makes an attempt to return an object as close to its original condition as possible, while the conservator’s primary goal is to prevent further deterioration even if the overall appearance might not look significantly different. Conservation is usually more of a light touch.

There is also a gulf between the two fields in terms of education. Art conservators have a Masters degree in a specific discipline such as paintings, paper, books, sculpture, photographs...etc. because of the increasingly technical nature of the profession.  A restorer is generally an artisan and often a very skilled one, but lacks the formal training that a conservator would.  That’s not to say there aren’t some very capable restorers out there who treat object with great care, but I would take your Old Master etching or first edition books to a conservator who specializes in that particular discipline.

Before and after pictures of one of Chris' conservation projects.

What has been the most fascinating project you've worked on?

This might not be the most fascinating project I’ve worked on, but it might be one of the most dramatic. I received a phone call from a friend of mine who was a private paintings conservator in Dayton, Ohio asking me if I would be interested in helping him with a large project. A local chapel had hired him to help with their 14 station of the cross paintings. Painted by an art student from the Dayton Art Institute these paintings were executed on copper panels and showed various degrees of flaking and missing paint.

The brown color is the copper panel showing through.

Flaking paint was attached to the panel using a heat activated adhesive. We filled in all the valleys where the paint was missing with a conservation putty to insure the painting would have a consistent plane when finished.  All the white spots in the photo below represent where paint was totally missing.

Time for inpainting. Using conservation grade paints all the white areas and ONLY the white areas had to be reconstructed. You would never want to paint over existing paint, only the fills.

This piece is a good example of restoration as a conservation treatment. The painting has been stabilized, further flaking has been deterred and the inpainting does restore the work to something close to its original condition.

Do you have any practical advice for art collectors on how to take care of art?

Your home doesn’t need to be like a museum, but owning original artworks is a responsibility that should be taken seriously. There are conditions that have detrimental consequences to your work that you should be aware of. Light is no friend to paintings and objects on paper, so keep pieces out of direct sunlight and don’t use picture lights. UV glass or plexiglass is great when framing works on paper, but that’s not a green light to hang something across from that giant window in your home. Humidity and large fluctuations in temperature are also a problem, so don’t hang original works in your bathroom or over your fireplace. If you have concerns about specific objects in your home refer to the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

Thanks, Chris, for the such a fascinating and informative interview!  To see some of Chris' wonderful original art, check out his Etsy shop here.  He also has a great art blog called Flopslump.  (Catch a recent feature with yours truly here.)

Show and Tell: Art in my home

Arthound has a series called Art@Home that I enjoy following.  I love seeing what kind of art people have in their homes and how they display it.  Some of my favorite collections are those are more eclectic and look like they were thrown together in a minute's time.  I might attempt to do something like this in my bedroom, but, realistically, I'll end up overthinking it and spending a good chunk of time rearranging the whole thing.

Since I love looking at other people's art collections, I thought it was only fair to share some of the pieces I've collected over the years. 

The newest addition to my home is this mola (Kuna folk art that is handstitched and embroidered).  I have been wanting a mola for my walls for some time now and, a few days ago, saw this framed piece at a vintage shop for $25!  I absolutely love the design, and it goes perfectly with my red dining room table.

These limited edition prints were created by artist Maria Watt.  I first mentioned her work here.  Having studied printmaking in college, I gravitate towards art that is transferred from one surface to another.  And, like Watt, I am a huge fan of textile arts, which is why I instantly fell in love with these two works. 

I have two large etchings in my living room by Scottish artist David Law (1831- 1901), who is known for his beautiful landscape works.  I bought them several years ago from a frame/gallery shop in Eugene that was closing.  The works are dated 1886 and appear to be in the original frames.  There is some foxing (brown spots) on the prints, so I'm planning on having the works restored one day.

This 1978 etching by Michele Taylor was another piece that I purchased from the Eugene art shop.  It's titled Woodland Garden, and it reminds me of the lush Willamette Valley.  Every time I look at this piece, it makes me want to get back into printmaking.  And that's what I love about the art in my home- it moves and inspires me.

What art piece do you have in your home that moves you?

Show and Tell: vessels

I have a weakness for small, hand formed bowls and vases.   The pieces below are the latest additions to my collection.

On the left is Rainy Day at the Sea Side from Nesting Emily.  It just arrived in the mail today, and I absolutely love it!  The other two pieces came from a local boutique called Una.   The shop is known for their stunning clothes, but they also have a stockpile of vintage and found ceramic goodies- all priced very reasonably.  These two beauties were a total of $16. 

[Shown in the first image are ceramic pieces from Pigeon Toe and Leah Nobilette, both from Portland.]

Michelle Ramin's art auction

Portland artist Michelle Ramin just sent me an email announcing an art auction extravaganza.  Michelle is headed to San Francisco Art Institute this summer for grad school, and she needs our help getting there!  To help pay for tuition and living expenses, Michelle is auctioning off one original work a day for the next four weeks.  Some of the pieces up for bidding include the works shown in this post.  To view the complete gallery of works for auction, go here. 

I'm a huge fan of Michelle's art (read my interview with her). I attended the opening of her show in March where her mixed media portraits of friends and family were featured.  Below is one of her latest portraiture works.  I absolutely love the patterns and colors in this piece! On July 24, Michelle will be auctioning this art work, along with other larger pieces, at FalseFront in Portland.  If you're in the area, come by and show your support.  There's even talk of homemade ice cream! 

How to hang art

Most folks are intimidated by the idea of hanging art on their walls.  How high should it go?  Does it look good with the rest of the decor?  What kind of nail should I use? Today, I thought I would take the mystery out of hanging art by giving a few helpful tips.

First, let's start with the materials.  The materials that you need depend on the artwork that you're hanging.  Most of the time, I use a hammer and a hook and nail (shown in the bottom of the right photo).  If the work is heavier than 20 pounds, then I would consider using a drill and anchoring the screw in the drywall.

There are kits that you can pick up in the hardware section of a general store that give you a selection of hooks.  I like this particular kit because it includes hardware for unframed artwork and for walls.  The wire and eye hooks, for example, are for canvases.  I use the the sawtooth hooks (shown in the closet compartment) for my smaller canvas paintings and birch panel works.

If you need to attach a hook to the back of an artwork or frame, all you need to do is find the center of the top interior edge and nail the hook into place.

On all artwork I place on my walls, I add these slip resistant pads on the bottom corners.  To keep works from tilting on the walls, I've also used putty on the corners.

Now you're ready to hang art! The two biggest mistakes I see people making when hanging art is 1) hanging the work too high, and 2) leaving too much wall space around the art.  To hang art like a pro, just place art at eye level and group works together.  A measuring tape and a level may be necessary, but a lot of times I just "eye" it.  If this still makes you a little nervous, then you can trace the artwork onto craft paper and play around with placement on the wall with the craft paper.  Make sure that you look at the arrangement sitting down as well as standing up.

As far as picking art that looks good together, it really depends on your taste.  I tend to prefer a variety of mediums with a visual harmony in color or theme.  I also find it more interesting when the works are not framed alike.

Have fun with it, and remember, art can always be moved around.  If you don't have enough pieces to fill one wall,  consider hanging the pieces on a smaller wall.  The small collection shown above is on a narrow wall in my livingroom.    

For tips on how to frame art, go this post.  

Polaroids of the famous

I've met the actor Matt Dillon before.  Okay, met is a stretch.  I said hello and he said hi back.  Maybe it was just a nod back.  My high school friend was infatuated with Dillon, and we found out one day he was shooting Drugstore Cowboy near the school.  We waited for two hours just to see a glimpse of him.

Drugstore Cowboy was directed by the acclaimed Gus Van Sant (My Private Idaho, Goodwill Hunting, Milk), who calls Portland home.   I actually haven't seen the movie yet.  I am, however, planning to see Polaroid portraits of the cast. Yesterday was the opening of "One Step Big Shot: Portraits by Andy Warhol and Gus Van Sant" at the University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.  The exhibition explores the parallels between Warhol and Van Sant, featuring 300 original Polaroids of actors and other notable individuals taken by both artists.

The show's title comes from the Polaroid Big Shot camera, a favorite of Warhol's.  He liked how the flash flattened his subjects. Van Sant used 665 film, so that he would have negatives of the images as well as the positives.  He used the Polaroids to help him cast his films, like Drugstore Cowboy.  All of Van Sant's Polaroids on display are on loan from the artist. 

"One Step Big Shot" also features several short films by both Van Sant and Warhol.  And if that doesn't get you headed in the direction of the show, I hear that there's a Polaroid of River Phoenix in the exhibition.  Where are my car keys?
 
[Images: Drew Barrymore, Gus Van Sant; Jack Nichlaus, Andy Warhol; Debbie Harry, Andy Warhol, Debra Messing, Keanu Reeves, Gus Van Sant.  Sources: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene Weekly]

Shopping for art online

Sebastian Foster has a well-edited selection of artists, many who are from Portland!

The internet can be a wonderland for art shoppers, that is, if you know where to look.  In the last couple of years, I've discovered so many great sites showcasing the latest in independent art.  I have been compiling a list to share with you all, and then Kate from Art Hound came out with this list that put mine to shame!  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Shiny Squirrel 

20x200 

Enormous Tiny Art  

Little Paper Planes 

Charmingwall's 6x6 project 

Sebastian Foster 

and, of course, Etsy

Happy browsing!

Old School 3-D

When I was vintage shopping at the beach the other weekend, I found a box of stereographic cards in one of the antique stores.  I had never seen photographs like these before.  The lady behind the counter informed me that these cards were designed to be used with a stereoscope, which gives the viewer a 3-D image.  I was charmed by the stereographic cards and ended up buying a couple.  The above photo is of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.  I picked this particular photo because I was mesmerized by the majestic scenery, and I guess I wasn't the only one.  When researching this beautiful Alpine village online, I found out that it was the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's Elven valley, Rivendell. Very cool!

On the backs of the cards are descriptions of the images.  Some read more like stories than formal summaries.  Here is the text accompanying the Bluebird's Nest photo.

I find it intriguing that 100 years later, 3-D images are a fad again.  More and more, newly released movies are being viewed in 3-D.  I expect to see museums move in this direction, creating virtual tours of architectural and sculptural masterpieces. On the Louvre's website, there is an "Explore in 3D" section.  Here's the link to the page if you want to check it out.

Artists I like: Julia Pott

Any day now I should be getting in the mail Julia Pott's Breathe (left picture).  When I first saw it in her Etsy shop, I knew I had to have it for my walls.  I love everything about it: the textures, all the animals (I have a soft spot for panda bears), and even the date stamped on the bear's belly.

Julia is this amazing illustrator from London.  A lot of her drawings feature animals with human-like qualities, like a bear hugging a boy or a dog and cat holding hands.  They're sweet and at the same time very vulnerable, exposing some of our deepest needs and emotions in relationships.

Julia has her hand in a lot of different projects.  Recently, she worked on a multimedia project with The Decemberists.   Here's a snippet; it's very cool. 

Vending machines that dispense art

I first heard about Art-o-mat when I was teaching in Eugene many years ago.  A fellow colleague told me about a vintage cigarette vending machine that dispensed miniature art at the local community college for $5 apiece.  I thought it was a brilliant idea.

There are currently 82 Art-o-mats in the U.S.  Venue, the art shop in Seattle that I mentioned yesterday, has the only one in the state of Washington.  While I was at the store, a customer came in to buy art from the Art-o-mat.  She paid for a token at the counter and browsed the selection of artists listed on the vending machine.  She found a landscape artist that piqued her interest, pulled the knob, and voilá! An original work of art for just a few dollars! 

My latest Etsy finds

Left to right
1. porcelain cup, stepanka 
2. Venus trines Midnight, Sarah Giannobile
3. Gem Multi Faceted Earrings, Arosha  
4. Faceted Hanging Planter, Pigeon Toe Ceramics 
5. Deep In It, Laura George
6.  boxy necktie basket, gooder goods