Top O the Mountain!

At the top of south crest looking at north crest

Finally the spring is here! Hubby and I enjoyed a great hike to the top of the Sandia mountains on Sunday. This is only the second time we've made it to the top! (Actually, we made it to the top of the south crest, north crest is still a ways further!) It was four hours to the top and 2 1/2 hours back down. The weather was perfect, except for a little sprinkle of rain in the last half hour. I took a video of the 360 degree view from the top, but I haven't been able to figure out how to transfer the video to youtube yet. Help, anyone?? Until I get it figured out, I'm posting a still photo from the top looking north. There is still a good 3 feet of snow at the top in spots!

Unfolding (click to buy)

Also, today I finished this daily journal painting. It was inspired by a blossom on one of my hubby's cactus. Very cool flower! Once again, an 8 x 8" H2O oils on recycled handmade canvas board.

Thanks to the front page! :)

AND in addition to the front page, I just found this post at http://domestikgoddess.blogspot.com/ all about my little turquoise and red heart shaped box!!

Front Page!

One of my little heart boxes made it on the front page of Etsy today!! So cool!

Check it out!

Featured Etsy Shop: Block Party Press

Today's featured shop is Blockpartypress, great pendants, etc!

You say in your profile that you are self taught, how did you get into making clay pendants?

I found polymer clay about 12 years ago while I was in college. I made a bunch of jewelry and figures, but never really did anything with it. When I became a stay at home mom about 4 years ago, I began to create with polymer clay again. It seemed since my brain was freed up from work things, it began to overflow with creative ideas. I came across making pendants really because I wanted to wear something unique and I couldn't find just what I wanted. I had used stamps from the store, and I just wanted something different, so I made my own. I love the pendants because they are small wearable art and they don't take up too much room in my small townhouse.

What is the first thing you remember making?

I don't know the first thing I made (way too long ago), but I do remember making lots of drawings of houses, flowers and trees. I still haven't gotten sick of that subject matter.

What other jobs have you had?

I have 2 degrees in Social work, so I have worked as a hospital social worker, and an employee assistance social worker. In college I worked a lot of retail including a long stint at an Estee Lauder counter and at Victoria Secret. I have also been an office manager, and the last 5 years before I became a stay at home mom, I was a Human Resources Coordinator and Manager for 2 large corporations.

What inspires you?

It seems like everything inspires me. I love shapes and texture and contrast, so I have kind of trained my eye to see everyday things through those elements. I am very inspired by mother nature, leaves, plants, trees and flowers.

Tell us something about you that most people don't know.

I am secretly in love with the Outlander series of books by Diana Gabaldon. I am a pretty avid reader, and I rarely read things twice, but I have read each book at least 3 times (there are 6 books in the series and each book is well over 1000 pages). I guess the first step is admitting your addiction!

Thank you Tamara for participating in my featured shop interview! To all my artist cyber buddies out there, let me know if you would like me to feature you on my blog. All I ask is that you link, feature, blog or do something similar for me in return. AND you don't have to have an etsy shop, I can link to your website, ebay, blog, whatever you like.

In Bloom

In Bloom (click to buy)

Presenting today's daily journal painting, In Bloom! Spring is here at last! Another 8 x 8" recycled canvas board painted in H2O oils. I liked this color combo so much yesterday, I decided to paint another.

Today's Daily Journal Painting - Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings (click to buy)

Today's painting is another H2O oil on recycled canvas board. Available in my etsy shop. 8 x 8" square. I am really happy with how this one turned out. I decided to try a different color combo and I painted more layers.

Gallery show at The House of Lyndon

So, the gallery show was fantastic! There was a good turnout of people and I had some great conversations with many different people. The gallery owner, Lyndon Tsosie, is such a friendly guy! It was great to finally meet him in person and see his work. He makes these amazing jeweled and silver boxes and is an internationally known artist. Google his name to see some examples of his work. One regret is that I forgot to get a picture with him!

Great turnout!

There was an article in the local paper, and one of the people that came in said they had heard about it on the radio. I have never felt so special and pampered as an artist! The gallery put us up in a hotel, where we enjoyed soaking in the hot tub after the opening. Lyndon believes that his artists should be treated well! I wish more gallery owners felt this way, but I guess it helps that he is an artist himself and knows what it feels like.

Aaron playing in the front window!

Oh, and my husband played guitar for the opening too. It was such an honor to be included in this show as the other artists involved all have amazing work! The only unfortunate thing is that I didn't make a sale, but there were several people interested in my work, so perhaps I will have a sale sometime this month. Plus, we were invited back to show again in August. The best thing is that for a small town, Gallup had a great turnout for their artscrawl! I have had openings here in Albuquerque (compare populations; Gallup, 50,000 to Albq., 500,000) where the only people that showed up were the artists and their families!

My mom and her husband, Tom (forgot to get a photo of my dad, but thanks for being there dad!)

I was so nervous about this show last week, as it was the first time I've shown my new body of work. I received a LOT of positive feedback! So, I guess the best part of this show is that my confidence in my new work has grown by leaps and bounds! Next goal..... a gallery in Santa Fe!

Talking about the art

Lunch break...

Finishing up the final preparations for the gallery opening tomorrow. Taking a break to have a little lunch and figured I'd write a quick post. Next week I will be listing the rest of my new 2007 prints in my Etsy shop. I'm taking down some of the originals from my Etsy shop so I can have them at the show. Whatever doesn't sell I will relist.

I just put up what is called the "Etsy mini" on my sidebar. This cool little widget will take you directly to listings in my shop or to the main page or to my shop page. If you are on Etsy, you must have one!

Today is a beautiful day here in Albuquerque, it is supposed to get up to 70 degrees today!!! I love spring! Anyway, on Monday I will hopefully be back to normal with the show out of the way! I must admit, I'm a little nervous since this is the first gallery show I've done in over 3 years!

Featured Etsy Shop: La Loma Studios

Today's featured shop is La Loma Studios. You can find her shop at http://LaLoma.etsy.com

When did you learn how to sew and who taught you?

I went into sewing reluctantly. My parents bought me a sewing machine for my 13th birthday because they wanted me to sew my own clothes. They even made me go to sewing classes. I was so mad because what Jr. High Schooler wants to make her own clothes? I didn't really make any clothes for myself until after I graduated from college and had to pay for everything myself. (Then I became my mother and thought that I could make everything cheaper than what was on the store racks). The funny thing is that I still have that machine nearly 30 years later. And I still use it (along with an industrial machine I bought a couple of years ago and a serger that's probably 20 years old).

What was the first thing you remember making?

I think I made an apron in a home economics class. Again, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.

Your profile page is blank, tell us a little about yourself?

I am a native Southern Californian (one of the few). I did go up to Oregon for college (which may explain why more than a few of the shops who have "heart"ed me are from that state).

Do you have a "day job"? If so, what is it?

If not, what other jobs have you had? I have several "day jobs." I take care of my family and extended family members as well as manage family property. I am also involved in my son's school and volunteer for a couple of local organizations.Before my son, I was a journalist then a publicist (working in fashion and entertainment). What I am doing now is more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about you?

I love fabrics! I live only about 15 minutes away from LA's garment district, which includes a lot of fabrics shops. It's hard to go down there and not buy fabric just because I like it. I keep telling myself, "just buy what you need." I also have a hard time throwing away scraps of fabric -- who knows, I may need it in the future (do you sense a bit of a disorder here?).The other thing to know about me is that I change my shop announcement everyday. I include my thoughts on what I read in the newspaper or what crazy thing my son did. I don't really know if people read my musings. I ask them to convo me with their thoughts, haven't had a response yet.

Daily Journal paintings

Elated(click to buy)

Exhilarated(click to buy)

Here are yesterday's and today's daily journal paintings. Trying to finish up as much of these as possible to take with me to Gallup on Saturday. Spoke with the gallery owner yesterday and he wants me to bring all I have, big and small. I hope he realizes what he's getting himself into! Not a lot of time to write as I still have many preparations to make for the show and only 3 days left to do it all! I plan to take my camera with me to the show so I can post photos for everyone that can't make it in person.

Two more new prints for 2007

Daisy (click to buy)

Sunburst (click to buy)
Yesterday I listed two more new prints from my 2007 catalog. The originals for these two will be shown in my gallery show in Gallup starting this coming weekend. The prints are available in my Etsy shop. They are both Limited Editions of 50 and come with Certificates of Authenticity. Daisy has an image size of 12 x 16 inches and Sunburst has an image size of 8 3/4 x 8 3/4".

New Spiral Abstract Series Poster

Spiral Abstract Series (Click to buy)


This is my newest collage poster, Spiral Abstract Series. It combines 24 of my Daily Journal Paintings into an abstract poster. It's available in my Etsy shop in a Limited Edition of 50. The size is 13 x 19".

Featured Etsy Shop: Happy Bee

This week's featured seller is Happybee. She is an international Etsy seller, living in Italy. You can find her shop at www.Happybee.etsy.com


When did you first start sewing?
Well, I started sewing about 5 years ago!
I did cross stitch since I was a child but...I never tried to sew anything...
then...I know...this is much fun but...it's true: I loved to see on the television "Dr.Quinn Medicice Woman", do you remember it?
Wonderful scenery, lovely stories and...why not...Sully was really an awesome man!!!
So...I discoverd quilts watching this show!
I really fell in love for those pieces of art and so I started to search them on-line, reading book, magazine and...I would try to make them!
And...I started to sew!!!
I love make quilts and I love the wonderful world of the quilters, great persons, always sooo kind and ready to give you help!
And I love to read stories behind quilts!!!


What was the first thing you made?
well...the first thing I made was...a quilt!!!!
It wasn't wonderful because...I did it completely by myself and just following directions on a books but...believe me...at the end...I really loved it!!!!
Then, I took some classes and I improved my sewing and discovered wonderful patchworks techniques!!!

What other jobs have you had?
As sewing unfortunately isn't my job...I work as a part time secretary in the afternoon from Monday to Friday!
But...in the morning I'm at home and I can sew!!!!
I adore sew and create new things, I love make quilts but also I love make ma bags, purses, sewing accessories!!!
My job as secretary isn't much creative...you know...reply to telephone calls, do envoices...nothing of really exciting!
So...when I sew...I really can be creative and I love the way I feel while I'm sewing!!!
This make me really happy!!!

If you could learn a new art/craft, what would it be?
Mmm...surely painting!!!
I love painting, love vibrants colors and love the idea to "keep" something or someone on a toile forever!!!!
But...I'm really bad in drawing so... LOL...I'll continue to sew!!!LOL


Tell us something you would like people to know about you.
Well, about me...I'm an italian young woman and I'm married with my hubby since 1997 (so this year...will be 10 years!!!)
I'm happy about my life!
I love to read and travel!
I love USA, wonderful scenery there, very friendly people and lots of quilts!
If I could choose...I would love to live 6 months there and 6 months here in Italy but...this is only a dream!
I love good food and here...we have wonderful food and...sometimes (yes...sometimes) I love to cook too!

As regards sewing, as I told you before, I love sewing and I love make things for me and for people!
I like the way you feel when you have an item that is handmade, you know it it's unique and this make you happy and so special!
I put in my items all the love and the experience I have and always do my best!
I love when people contact me for custom orders because, in this way, I can personalize the item as they would like!

Guitar progress pics

Click on images to see larger size


I've been working on the guitar more this week. Trying to finish it for the show next Saturday. Still a ways to go as I haven't even started the sides yet. Hoping to get my new 2007 prints listed in my Etsy shop by the end of the week too! No time to write, too much work to do! :)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day! Happy March, the February Funk is over!!!!!!

Procrastination

So, once again, procrastination has snuck up on me and I have less than two weeks to finish everything up for the March gallery show in Gallup. I don't have a lot to get done, but I'm stressing just the same. I'm excited about this show, but at the same time a little aprehensive. This is the first gallery show I've had in years! Mainly because I have been in a transistion period in my art. I didn't want to show my new abstracts before I was ready. Now that I've been showing them online and getting positive feedback, I think I'm ready to officially introduce my new style in the gallery world!

One of my goals this year is to get back into a gallery in Santa Fe. I used to sell my prints in a gallery on the Plaza many years ago when I was still Paula Beck. Now that I have my new body of work, I'm ready to get back into Santa Fe. Things have changed since the 90s when I last sold there, rents have gone up, galleries have moved away from the plaza to open up on Canyon Road. I've grown as an artist too and I don't feel as intimidated by the Santa Fe galleries as I once was. So, that is another thing I have to finish this week, my catalog of works. Can't remember if I've written about this here before, but I'm creating a cd rom of my new works. Things sure have changed since I started out and everyone wanted slides!!

So, if I'm not around much in the next couple weeks, you now know why!! I will try to post some photos of the show too, once it is hung. The opening is on March 10th, so if anyone is in Gallup, NM, please come by and see it in person! :)

The Best 10th Anniversary I could ask for!

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! We just got tickets for The Police show in Denver this summer!! This is like a dream come true, I never thought they would go on tour again and I definitely never thought I'd be able to go! The best part is, this is my 10th anniversary present from my wonderful hubby!

So, in celebration of my excitement, I'm putting some of my paintings at special prices in my etsy shop! Check out the Clearance section for the specials.

Progress on the Guitar and aceos

Stay Positive

Green

Spring is Coming

Another busy morning in the studio! More small aceo paintings, plus I have done some work on the guitar I'm recyling. I'm not real happy with the guitar yet, but it is still at the beginning stages. All the aceos are available in my Etsy shop.

Another busy day

Overshadowed (click to buy)

Royal Sun (click to buy)

Eclipse (click to buy)

Night Sky (click to buy)

Thank goodness I'm finally coming out of the funk, now if we could just come out of winter!

Anyway, today I painted one 8 inch square H2O oil on recycled canvas board and three ACEOs. They are all available in my Etsy shop.

Back in the groove!

Everything Will Be OK (click to buy)

Calm Down (click to buy)

Sunflower ACEO SOLD

Today's daily paintings, yes, I accomplished a few things today! Finally starting to feel like I'm getting back into the groove. The top two paintings are H2O oils on my handmade recycled canvas boards, 8 inches square. The bottom painting is an H2O oils ACEO (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) on acid free matboard. They are available in my Etsy shop.

I'm getting started on a totally new project today, recycling an old guitar as a painting surface. It will be nothing but decorative as the guitar is unplayable. My husband saved it from the trash for me. I sanded it down over the weekend and applied a coat of gesso today. I hope to start painting it tomorrow. I will post some progress photos once I get going. Not sure yet if it will be available for sale, depends on whether my hubby likes it or not! I do have another recycled guitar to paint after this one though.

It's starting to warm up here finally! Although we are supposed to be getting hit with another cold front this weekend. Spring needs to hurry up and get here already!!!

Featured Etsy Shop: Jewelry by Tara

Today's featured shop is Jewelry by Tara

What made you start crafting/designing jewelry, and what was the first thing you remember making?

I have always been crafty, even as a child. The first thing I remember ever really designing from scratch was during 4th grade. Friendship pins were a big thing back then (giving away my age) anyway, I pulled apart safety pins with pliers and put beads on them. My relatives still have a lot of them today! I've dabbled in all types of crafts, crochet, knitting, floral arrangement, you name it, I've tried it. I've been designing jewelry for 7 years now. I just closed my own personal website to come over to Etsy and I have to add that I really enjoy the environment and different types of artists there.

What other jobs have you had in the past?

As for other jobs, I'm still a petsitter and I used to work in my husband's brokerage firm as the administrative assistant to the C.E.O.

What inspires you?

I'm constantly inspired by the seasons changing and all the beautiful bright colors I see. All of my designs are one of a kind because I always have new ideas and want to create a totally unique image based on my moods.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I consider myself a very liberal, artsy kinda gal. I have 2 children, 6 pets, and a husband who probably wants to move to a quieter house! I'm obsessed with antiques and I have an appraisal certificate. I hate the summer, love the snow, pink is always in, Hello Kitty is my favorite icon of style, and I'm originally from New York City.

Is there a art/craft that you admire and hope to learn someday?

Lately I've really wanted to try sewing. I see all of these beautiful bags on etsy and I want them all! So I'm definitely thinking about getting a sewing machine soon.

Painting again

"Pure Emotion" Click HERE to Buy

"Spokes of the Sun" Click HERE to Buy

Today is the first day I've painted since our furnace died. So, I dove right in and painted two daily size paintings. These are both 8 x 8 inches, H2O Oils on recycled, handmade canvas board. I made the boards using scrap matboard, raw canvas and gesso. I also made custom backing paper for them! I started out with 12 boards for now. That gives me a couple weeks without having to make more, unless I paint two a day! I also have a 10 inch square canvas prepared and ready to paint! Time is getting short for my show in March, so I'm trying to finish as many as possible.


Today I'm going to a meeting at my community center about a proposed mural on a wall that overlooks the neighborhood park and the city of Albuquerque. The neighborhood association asked me to be on the committee and help with the process. I'm excited but at the same time a little unsure as there will be a lot of city politics involved I'm sure. I would like to involve the high school art students and any other neighborhood kids that are interested. I think it will happen as this is supposed to be a community project because of the funding being used. We shall see!

Featured Etsy Shop: Lavajewelry

Recently, I have been featured on a couple of blogs by other Etsy sellers, so I decided to return the favor by featuring one of those sellers here in my blog. I would love to do this more, so if you are interested in doing a blog feature swap of sorts, let me know. My idea is that I will feature you on my blog if you feature me on your blog. I don't have tons of time so I plan on doing this maybe once a week.

My first featured shop is http://lavajewelry.etsy.com

You can see her feature about my shop on her blog at http://www.cheldodge.net/blog/?p=50

Describe what you sell.

Handcrafted Sterling silver jewelry featuring genuine gemstones, freshwater pearls, and Swarovski crystals. (And handpoured candles.)

Where is your work available for sale?

Local craft shows, my web site http://lava-jewelry.com/, and my Etsy shop http://lavajewelry.etsy.com/

What inspires you in your work?

My friends and family member provide the primary inspiration for my work. Most of my pieces are made with someone I care about in mind. Sometimes I'm just inspired by a color or by a color combination that really strikes me. Sometimes I see a gorgeous gemstone at a trade show, and I know within a split second of seeing it what it needs to be made into.

What other jobs have you worked?

I'm a geologist by training. Although I'm not currently employed as a geologist, I hope to get back into it when my health allows it. I plan to keep both geology and jewelry design in my life. In addition to working as a geologist, I've worked many different jobs, including research assistant, teaching assistant, telemarketer for the Republican National Committee, retail manager, nanny, seamstress, consultant, library technician, tutor, and I even unloaded trucks at Walmart on the nightshift for a time.

How did you name your shop?

I chose the name Lava Jewelry because of my background in geology. There's not much that I love more than molten rock. I went to college in Hawaii, where I'd spend every possible spare moment at the active lava fields on Kilauea, helping various people with their research or just exploring. I love the flow and curves of hot lava, and I think some of those same curves can be seen in my designs. I like the word "lava" itself too - it's two pretty syllables. And I do incorporate lava into my jewelry; I make designs using basalt, rhyolite, and obsidian.

Back to Normal (Sort of!)

Finally, things are getting back to normal around here. We still don't have a furnace, but we did install a wood burning stove over the weekend to supplement the fireplace in the main part of the house. Also, the weather is cooperating so it has been much warmer lately! It's supposed to be close to 60 degrees today.

So, I finally have a new progress photo to post! This is the 36 inch square canvas I am currently working on. I have set it aside for now to decide whether or not I will be adding more. Not sure yet. It's hard to see all the details in a photo this small, especially when the original is so large. What do you think? Is it done? This painting is going to be the center piece for my show in Gallup in March.

I have been busy painting little paper mache heart boxes for Valentines day. I will have them in my etsy shop by the end of the day. Also today, I will be posting many of my older originals at special prices. I need sales to make the money for the new furnace (the estimates start coming in today). So now is a great time to get some of my originals for great prices!

Also, the Beck prints are still buy one, get one free until February 15th. See the clearance section in my Etsy shop.

What a week!

This has been quite a week! It started out really good, had a few sales, judged the West Side High School Art Show(AND got paid!), and I was interviewed by the Albuquerque Journal for the show.

Then, on Wednesday, our gas went out because the city is doing construction on our street. I will try to post the photos I took later. We're talking major construction, they are replacing all the sewer, water, gas and drainage lines in our neighborhood. So, anyway, there was a huge 20 foot deep hole in front of our driveway on Wednesday. Felt like an earthquake with all the heavy machinery out there. So, on with the story, the utility company came out in the evening to turn our gas back on and light our pilot lights. The guy goes to light the furnace and comes out to tell my husband he can't light our pilot light because we have a cracked heat exchanger! If he were to light it, the furnace would dump carbon monoxide into our house and kill us in the middle of the night! So, here it is, middle of winter, and we are without heat! We have two electric space heaters for the two bedrooms and thank God for our fireplace in the living room! We are hoping that our homeowners insurance will cover it, but who knows because our insurance guy hasn't returned our call yet(after two days!).

So, I may have to have a blow out sale to earn some money for a new heater. We have decided that no matter what happens, we are going to replace the gas furnace with solar heat panels, but that will cost about twice as much. Cheaper in the long run though, and better for the environment.

Anyway, it never fails, when things are going well, something always comes along to bring you back down to earth! Luckily, the snow is past and it's supposed to be warming up into the 50s this coming week.