Three new art pieces this week

I've been experimenting a lot with watercolors lately.  I've had this watercolor set from Korea that my brother bought as a gift for me a few years back.  It's kinda cool to use art materials that are in a different language.  Although I can sound out most of the Korean alphabet, I can't read it at all.  So I stare at these little tubes, hoping that it doesn't say something like "Warning: high toxicity.  Use with caution."

I like how the little tubes of paint are neatly packaged in a box.  It makes me feel like I'm organized when I use them, and I can always use organization in my life.  I've noticed that when I use watercolors, my work seems more precise and controlled.  Whereas, with oils, I tend to be more spontaneous with my paint strokes.

Here are a couple of new pieces from this week that were done primarily in watercolor.

When I was a girl

Follow Me


The third piece I completed this week is titled "Rain."  It's been raining nonstop in Portland for the last few days, so I guess it's been on my mind.

Most of my art is unplanned.  I sit down at my desk, stare at a blank piece of paper or panel, and then start drawing.  There is a lot of gratification in completing a project (even a small one), so I like to create finished pieces.  I should spend more time sketching and doodling, but I like seeing where my creative energy in a moment takes me. 

Dining out, food cart style

I love food.  Sometimes the white tablecloth experience is nice, but I'm a food cart junkie.  So is my friend who works in downtown Portland, just blocks away from food cart central.  A couple of months ago, she introduced me to a Venezuelan cart that was appropriately called Caraquena: Michelle's Amazing Venezuelan Kitchen.  I was sold by the colorful cart alone.  On the side of the cart was a sweet bird on a branch and at the order window, welcoming colors of bright pink, yellow, and turqoise (the same color as my mantel!).

We split a couple of dishes that day that included arepas (cornmeal cakes) with maple-flavored beef and empanadas (stuffed bread pockets).  The homemade Venezuelan fruit drink was quite lovely, too- if only I could remember the name. We sat at the "bar," which was a narrow shelf attached to the side of the cart. As I dived into my plate of yumminess and a brown painted bird watched from above, I was in my happy place once again.

Whether it's affordable art or affordable food, pure enjoyment many times comes from the creative labor of others.

Seeing spots before your eyes?

Yayoi Kusama started using dots in her art work when she was 10.  She turned 80 this year and has been celebrated as one of the greatest living female artists today.  Her "dot" installations have been displayed in museums and galleries all over the world.  In the U.S., her sculptural works are currently on display at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami. 

Dots Obsession, balloons and vinyl dots, 2000.  

Pumpkins, fiberglass, reinforced plastic, 2008. Gagosian Gallery.  Photo: Rob McKeever.

Fireflies on the Water, light bulbs, water, mirror, 2000. Victoria Miro Gallery (London) and Ota Fine Arts (Tokyo).

Dots Obsession, 2004. 

I would love to see one of her installations one day, especially Fireflies on the Water.  Looks magical!

Jill Bliss details the beauty of the Pacific Northwest in her new works

I missed Jill Bliss' latest art show opening this past Friday, and I am very bummed.  Jill created eight new pieces for the Anima exhibition at the Portland gallery Land, and the works are amazing.  Jill is known for her detailed flora art, and the 18" x 24" Anima drawings are the largest that she's done in this illustrative style.

The bear piece, which is my favorite, is remarkable.  Here's a closer look at the details.

I love how Jill has taken elements of landscape and created "portraits" of our natural habitat.  Can't wait to see more works from Jill in this new direction!  Be sure to stop by Land gallery to see Jill's original drawings in person.  You can also pick up prints of her Anima works on her website.  

Affordable Art Finds, Week Six

If you're still stumped with what to get your loved ones for the holidays, consider getting one of the following art gifts- all handmade and under $75.

1.  I likey Ayumi Horie's pottery.  Each one of her ceramic designs and drawings are unique. Currently, she has some limited-edition platters going for over $1000.  How about a cute mug for $62?

Bear and bird, 4.5" high.

2.  Engrave Your Book covers are all-natural vegetable tanned leather and made here in Portland.  You can have your own design custom engraved onto a cover for just $60!  Or if you're suffering from an episode of artist's block, you can choose from an array of artist series designs, such as Cole Gerst's Earth Cut-Away. 

3. Nancy Mungcal's small illustrations would look great in a group of three or four.  Here are three originals that are currently available in her shop.

seeking rain, 5" x 5", $26

not quite sure,  7" x 5", $15

the bird's view, 5" x 3.5", $26

O Tannenbaum has a new felt skirt

Yesterday, I mentioned making a crocheted star topper for our tree.  I ended up making a new tree skirt instead!  I had this idea of a scallop pattern made out of felt.  I stopped by the craft store to check out the felt selection and found some felt made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.  Nice!  So I picked up a few yards and headed on my merry way home.

The first thing I did was cut out a large circle.  To get a decent shaped circle, I folded the felt square into fourths and cut an arc through all four layers.  To create the scalloped edges, I lined up half circles one row at a time starting with the outermost edge.  After pinning the shapes to the foundation layer, I sewed the layers together.  I repeated this step until I reached the inner circle.   (For a circle template, I used a CD.  Then I cut the felt circles in half to make the scalloped shapes.)

The tree skirt project took up a good part of the day.  All I have left to do is sew some bias tape as a finished trim onto the edge of the inner circle.  I'm thinking fire engine red would be fun and festive.

Update: Here's what it looks like finished!

When you've mastered the granny square, try crocheting furniture

Our Christmas tree is up and trimmed, minus a tree topper.  I'm thinking of crocheting a 3-D star for the tree.  Last night, I spent some time searching online for a pattern but couldn't find anything similar to what I'm picturing in my head.  (Think doily bowls but in the shape of a star.)

I did come across some other crochet forms, though, that are quite impressive. 

Crochet Chair, crochet and resin, Marcel Wanders. photo source: droog.com

There's some major starching of doilies going on with these projects by designer Marcel Wanders.  

Crochet Light, Marcel Wanders.

Urchin Pouf, Christien Meindertsma. 

I'll gladly take these urchins off somebody's hands. 

Designed by Ineke Visser. Polyester yarn.  Photo source: Heins Home.

I love to garden, and these outdoor pot covers would make me love it even more! I've got to get myself a bigger crochet hook!

New work- "Fiddleheads in the Woods"

As a child, my family (cousins and all) would take day trips to the mountains to pick fiddleheads. I can still recall the woodsy smell of our station wagon after coming back from our excursions. 

Fiddleheads are used in Korean cooking.  My grandparents used to lay all of the picked fiddleheads on the ground outside to dry.  Here is a picture of what they look like in a package.

photo source: maangchi.com

I realize they look more like dried worms, but they are tastier than they look!

This week, I created a new mixed media piece called Fiddleheads in the Woods. Normally I am inspired as I work.  So it wasn't until after I drew the graphite treeline silhouette and the patterned clouds that I decided to add ferns to the art work.

For more information on materials used in Fiddleheads in the Woods, you can check out my Etsy shop here.  And, as of today, I decided to close my Big Cartel gallery and just showcase all of my work on Etsy.  So now you can see all my current works in the nifty sidebar widget at top.