I now know one Dutch word, woonwinkel

Woonwinkel (say that fast three times) means home shop in Dutch, and it's also the name of a local home store in downtown Portland.  Opening just eight months ago, Woonwinkel has joined the ranks of hip businesses (Ace Hotel, Frances May, and Canoe) in the West End neighborhood. Not to mention that it's across the street from the food carts!  Bubble tea and modern, minimal home design? Sounds like heaven to me. 

One of the first things I noticed in the bright and spacious shop was this tile mosaic of an owl on the floor.  It was discovered after the flooring was pulled up during the renovation.  An Owl Pharmacy had once occupied the space in the historic Pittock Building, which explains the symbols on the mortar bowl.  What a find!

The most fascinating piece in the shop was this collaborative work between Brooklyn designers Chen Chen and Kai Tsien Williams.  In the left photo, you can see what looks like a hodgepodge of everyday objects wrapped in a giant piece of pink taffy.  The found objects are actually bound in a mixture of epoxy, resin, and wax.  And then cross sections are cut to create these unique and stunning coasters.  Whoa.

Woonwinkel is a well-curated shop showcasing beautiful and clever designs by independent designers from Europe and the local region.  Lucky for all you who live outside of Portland, an online shop is in the works.  Now how do you say I want it all in Dutch?

my week

The theme this week was, appropriately so, new things.  New hobby, new food, new show, and new project.

I got a gift card to Powell's Books for Christmas- actually it was more like I "stole" it from my father-in-law in our family gift exchange.  Powell's is an enormous new and used bookstore in downtown Portland, and it's a must stop for any tourist wanting to get a good dose of Portland culture.  I can literally spend hours in this place, and the beautiful thing is, so can the rest of my family.

Last week, my husband and I had a free night without kiddos, so we headed to Powell's.  I only made it about 10 feet in when a book caught my eye.  It's called Tart and Sweet:101 Canning and Pickling Recipes for the Modern Kitchen.  The title alone made my mouth water!

I've been wanting to learn how to put up food, and this book walks you through all the basics.  I'm also all about unique combinations of flavors in the kitchen, and I was enticed by the recipes in Tart and Sweet.  Here's what I made this week: Candied Kumquats with Cinnamon and Star Anise, Lemon Herb Pickled Garlic, Southeast Asian Carrot Daikon Pickles, Wasabi Green Beans, and Preserved Lemons.

I like exotic foods, but there are times when I just want a good cheeseburger.  Around the corner from Powell's is locally owned Little Big Burger.  Picture a modern and minimalist fast food burger joint, and that is Little Big Burger.  I ordered my hamburger with chevre cheese, and it did not disappoint.  In fact, it was so good, my husband and I came back a few days later with our girls.  Other nice surprises included the spicy house ketchup and the bold and graphic art of Damien Gilley blanketing one wall of the restaurant. 

Thursday night was my artist reception at Prana.  After a very busy season of work, it was so nice to catch up with friends.

Since my Etsy shop now looks a little bare without these paintings, I decided to take on a new project.  I'm going to commit to creating and uploading one new original work of art into my Etsy shop every day for the next 30 days.  Prices will vary from one work to the next, but most will be in the $30 - $75 range.  Again, these are all one-of-kind pieces that I will create in upcoming weeks.  I just completed the first one last night.  It's titled morning mist.

On this blog, I will show a recap of new works once a week.  If you want to get a daily update in your reader, you can subscribe to my Etsy shop's RSS feed here. 

my phone talks to me!

I like gadgets even more than my husband does.  I was bummed in middle school when I couldn't get into Shop class, and I was always a tad envious of A.V. kids getting to wind film onto a reel.  I did take Home Economics, however, and I learned how to make a pencil pouch with a sewing machine. 

Two weeks ago, my husband surprised me with a new gadget- the iphone 4s.  I have been secretly eyeing it since it came out in October, but I was trying to be practical and show a little self-restraint.  Of course, once I had the phone in my hand, all that went out the door.

The coolest function of the phone is Siri, the voice activated application that helps you send messages, make phone calls, and set reminders.  Definitely a handy tool when running errands.  The newer iphone also allows me to process credit card transactions using the Square app.  The little reader just plugs in at the top and you just slide the card through.  Perfect for art events!

Seeing that I needed a new case for the phone,  I ended up creating my own design with Uncommon.  It's as simple as downloading an image and reconfiguring the design in a template.  I came up with four designs.  

An Uncommon case is where art meets function.  I received my personalized crater case last week, and I am really pleased with how it turned out, particularly with the color matching. I will say that the shiny plastic seems to scratch easily and a white trim option would be a nice addition.  But these minor details won't keep me from placing another order in the future.  

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I want to remind those in the Portland area of my artist reception at Prana this Thursday night.  My latest paintings will be on display.  Hope to see you there!

a new beginning

Caldera, mixed media, 18 x 18 inches, 2012

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.

A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Originally penned to describe pre-French Revolutionary times, Dickens' words are poignant today.  Just browse the daily headlines to find stirring stories depicting our precarious times. Thanks to fiber optics, within moments I can go from complete elation to utter disgust and hopelessness.

Sometimes, the insanities of this world are too much for me to handle, and I feel an overwhelming sense of despair and sadness.  I don't lament very often for my own hurt, but my heart weeps for the world every day.

I hold my girls tightly and look to my husband for reassurance.  But, often times, this isn't enough.  So I pray, and I paint in silence. 

Painting has become a time for me to connect with God, and I turn to Him for inspiration, peace, and purpose.  Like the majestic mountains and vast seas around me, God is my constant.  And knowing this is what grounds me.

    A voice says, “Cry!”
        And I said, “What shall I cry?”
    All flesh is grass,
        and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
    The grass withers, the flower fades
        when the breath of the LORD blows on it;
        surely the people are grass.
    The grass withers, the flower fades,
        but the word of our God will stand forever.

                                                                                                 - Isaiah 40:6-8

People have described my art as calm, mysterious, and bold, and these are all qualities I would use to describe God.  Recently, I had a revelation about my art.  My landscapes are not just pictures of scenic mountains and waters- they are a portrait of God's character.

A new year is beginning, and, frankly, I expect the headlines of 2012 to look no different than the years before.  This can be a defeating thought if it weren't for my faith in a Creator.  This year, in quiet moments of creating, my hope is that God will continue to transform my heart and use my art to impact those around me.

I'm not one to make new year's resolutions, but if I were to choose one for the blog, it would be for more transparency.  It's fun to look at pretty things, but art is definitely more than just aesthetics.  Often times the creative process is a time of personal and spiritual reflection.  Even as I write this, there is a tinge of discomfort at the thought of being more transparent, but I recognize the value of openness and genuineness in an avatar driven virtual reality that we call the internet.

Thanks to all who have supported my creative journey the past couple of years. Your steady readership and comments have been a huge source of encouragement!  I enjoy meeting followers of this blog, so if you have yet to comment, feel free to just say hello from wherever you are : ) 

Many blessings to you and yours in the upcoming year,

Cathy

my creative week

whenever it's a little quiet on the blog, 

it usually means i'm busy working on some creative projects . . .

here's my latest painting, Aura

it's part of my upcoming show at prana next month

i finished this crocheted baby blanket for my nephew in the nick of time

it's just big enough to accompany him in the carseat or a stroller

i found some glass paperweights at a frame shop and 

thought they would look nifty with some of my art

not sure if people use paperweights anymore,

but at least they look nice on a desk

the handful of paperweights were gifted to loved ones

hope everyone had a joy-filled christmas day

the sunrise from our window was glorious

the sunset was beautiful, too

family photo shoot with lisa warninger

photos by lisa warninger: middle, right and bottom row

Our family had our first family photo shoot just a few weeks ago!  Urban Weeds photographer Lisa Warninger organized a family portrait marathon at The Cleaners in downtown Portland, and we were able to snatch one of the 30 minute sessions.

I have been following Urban Weeds since its start in 2009, so I am pretty familiar with Lisa's photographic style by now.  She captures people as they naturally are, which is what I love about her work.  I also love the sense of place in Lisa's portraiture work, particularly the Portland settings. 

When she's not shooting street photography, Lisa keeps busy shooting for clients like Elle, Chronicle Books, and Wrangler.  The family portrait marathon in November was a one time thing, but Lisa plans to continue her sassy Valentine's Day Mini Shoots.  This year, the mini photo shoots are scheduled for January 28 - 29.  Check her blog in upcoming weeks for more details or feel free to email Lisa at lisawarninger[at]mac.com.

my week

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas . . .

pulled out the felt tree skirt that i made two years ago

we got our tree [harvested just the day before] from a  christmas tree vendor a few blocks away

did you know that more christmas trees come from oregon than any other state?

the capitol hill holiday market was this weekend

i was a little booth envy after seeing see jill bliss' flowy fabric cutouts!

it was great seeing a lot of familiar faces and meeting new vendors

i think i spent more time shopping than selling

i couldn't resist these lovely ceramic pieces from laura cooke [already gifted as a wedding present]

i also bought an onyx ring from resolute twig  

the silver band was oxidized natually after being sealed in a bag with a hard boiled egg- love it!

right after the holiday market, my husband and i zipped on over to
a sweet wedding in the pioneer oaks church 

the reception was at the cleaners in downtown's ace hotel

the deer and mistletoe place cards were pretty adorable

New work, "Celestial"

I thought for sure our family could retreat to a quiet, secluded place for the holidays this year.  But that was before I said yes to two upcoming events.  The first is a handmade holiday fair at a local school, Capitol Hill.  I'm actually one of the event organizers, so I've been running around this week passing out flyers and mulling over last minute details.  Crafty Wonderland is this weekend, and some of the participating vendors will be at the Capitol Hill Holiday Market next weekend.  Click here for more information about our little handmade fair.

The second event is my art show at Prana.  For the month of January, I'm the featured artist at Portland's new Prana store.  I'm planning on showcasing a few new originals along with other 2011 works.  My latest painting is Celestial, which is an 18" x 18" mixed media work on wood panel.