bracelets

The latest edition of Anna "jewelry" hand crafted wooden button, and leather band cut from a discarded chair I harvested some time in high school I still have bits and pieces of.

presents this year

Finally Christmas is over and I get to show all you out there on the Internet what I made for my close friends and sisters this year.
Earrings! hand crafted from a branch that used to belong to the tree in our back yard. These are already gifted, but I'm experimenting on a few new designs, and if anyone is interested I'd be happy to sell you a pair (let's say five bucks plus the price of a stamp these days). You can find my contact information somewhere on this blog, email me peeps.

Edit: I forgot to tell you, I traded a pair of these to Stacy Kirages, of Modernizm, for the latest issue of her self-published zine. Check out her Tumblr, she's a pretty cool cat.

Pearls of Wisdom - SOLD!

I have one guess as to who bought my art, but I won't say as I'm not certain yet. WOOHOO! My first art sold in a proper gallery setting.Photo by Lawndale Art Center, links to flickr page if you'd like to see other Retablos from this years entries.

the only employee with balls enough to dress up

Me and Big George, Little George and Carmencita at Agora

Me and big George at Agora. Everyone was very impressed with my outfit.

no bones about it

I just finished my costume with a bit of help from my sister, Joy. Doesn't she look great!? Joy thankfully didn't mind helping me by wearing the full body spandex suit while I painted the skeleton on. We are still waiting for her to dry.

By the way, it was really fun.

Dia de los Muertos Gala at Lawndale Art Center

I had a great time with my mom at the Dia de los Muertos gala this past Friday night. Here is a picture of me with my piece... no I didn't get any bids, but it might mean that I'll get to keep it after all! (which is what I secretly wanted anyway)

After words mom and I met dad at Agora for a glass of wine. Much fun was had by all.

South to Downtown

Just a small painting for Tuesday... 9x5 from a photograph I took on the bike trail along the lake shore.

Monday seems to be my painting day

This is from a photograph taken of Andy and me at the start of this summer. For some reason I like turning photographs into blue and white. Done with watercolor, pen & ink, color pencil.

The Brown Sack

I arrived in the Windy City on September 21st, applied for a few jobs, got an interview on the 26th and started work on the 27th. I work at The Brown Sack in Logan Square, and my boss' birthday happens to be today. I painted a small (9"x7 3/4") watercolor of her shop, open now for just over five years, as a thank you / birthday card to Malaika just because I like her so much.

If any of you out there are looking for a small gift, these only take about 6-7 hours and prices are negotiable!

Done!

After more than 24 accumulated hours of work, I'm done. At $15 an hour plus the cost of supplies, this piece is worth about $450 ... but it will probably sell for much much less. Starting bid will be $150.

On display from October 17-November 5, 2011; find out more about this exhibit here.

I'm SEW tired...

So, I've finished the sewing portion of my project. Today I completed the cranium, put some faux pearls behind the gauze (pearls of wisdom) and completed the halo (thanks to Hannah for the gold material!) all in time for a quick photo before the sun went down. PHEW! That was hard work. Tomorrow I will figure out some crafty way to mount it. I still haven't come up with an appropriate title, so any suggestions would be helpful.

Underwater at Barton Springs captured this summer

Updated

After working all day today, this is what I have to show for myself. I need to define the teeth and add some more to the jaw muscles, and then figure out how to mount this baby.

More sewing

I am working on a piece for the Annual Day of the Dead Exhibit to be held at Lawndale Art Center. I have already worked at least 12 hours on this piece... and I have to have it done before Tuesday night. It's not actually due for a few more weeks but I will be leaving to spend a month in Chicago.


Unfortunately you can never get really good photographs at night using tungsten, so I'll post an update tomorrow with y progress and hopefully better lighting.

Pillow Project

I made this as a present for my boyfriend, Andy. It is a small pillow completely sewn by hand. I got the idea from James Newman who made a pillow for my sister, Hilary as a gift. I've only ever done minor alterations and usually using a machine, and here's what I got!

Pistol for when we went to the shooting range (also with Hilary and James).
Guinness harp signifying our visit to the brewery in Dublin.
My version of the London Eye, visited on my birthday 2011.
An Aspen tree leaf with Aspen tree trunks within, we met in Colorado.
We like to feed squirrels, and in Hyde Park, London, one climbed up Andy's leg!
AND the great state of Texas surrounded by a Lone Star.

Stencils!!

Hey everyone! I'm making stencils! You should commission one for your favorite T-shirt, wear it everywhere, and tell all your friends. Since I started last weekend, I've got some sweet shades, a camera, and a styalized wine-glass-in-hand. I also did one for my new work on the Tomato Crew at the Johnson's Backyard Garden, but it's not finished so you'll have to wait to see that one.

This is from a photograph I took on a tripod in London, England on my birthday this year. Location: park by the London Eye

Christmas present for Jenny

Watercolor of Jake the McNulty's dog. It just took me a while to get a scan of it...

Phoenix Park

Here is a succession of my steps in my boredom staying home sometimes of a painting I have derived from a photograph taken earlier this winter in Phoenix Park, Dublin.