Art2Love

Ever so often I will make a big announcement about a regular feature I will do on my blog and I imagine the reader rolling their eyes and saying..."sure, we'll see how long this lasts." And every time I think, no, I will really stick with this one. Then a few weeks go by and I realize I never did a second post. I don't know why I always set myself up for this. I think I earnestly want to be like the blogs that are so well organized with regular postings and features and 8 billion followers and sponsored giveaways that each time I suggest a regular feature my eyes turn to stars as I dream of blogging success. And then I can't log off of facebook or quit watching a new tv show on dvd. Then I'm too afraid to open up blogger because I know I have work to do and I'm afraid to read other blogs and be reminded of the work I'm not doing. Oh! It's a never-ending cycle.

That being said... Art2Love is back?

For now...

I have had Pepa Prieto's website booked for sometime now. I first discovered Pepa's work on My Love For You is a Stampede of Horses. I have kept this website bookmarked at the top of my screen so I am reminded to keep clicking on it. The colors and shapes and monsters remind me why I love art so much.

After looking through Pepa's work today it got me thinking about Megan Whitmarsh's work, another person who gets the creative juices in me flowing.


Wouldn't it be awesome if someday I was a famous artist and someone on a blog described my work as the love child of Megan Whitmarsh and Pepa Prieto? One can dream...

Ghost Party

I had a show at Borders last Friday night and now my work is up for the rest of the month! It's exciting to have my work up on one of the busiest months of the shopping season. I wanted to title the show "Post-Grad Depression" but I thought that sounded, well, too depressing.

Most of the work has been seen in various other venues but I did have about five new pieces I made since I graduated. See! I am working!

Daniel Sherrill, who organized the event, took these photos. I snagged them.

I made doily wands with my info on them. They are sort of magical. There are also a few dolphin wands.


Things to do for the future:

1. Give my etsy shop an extreme makeover, minus plastic surgery.

2. Update blog more..

3. Teach a zine workshop.

4. Start making my own zines.

5. Apply to more art shows.

6. Quit complaining and start doing.

Okay, now that I've put that out there you must help hold me to this. I'll do my part, too, and actually do it....

This is the artist statement for my show if you are interested in learning more...

Ghost Party

Ann Flowers

I just graduated with my master’s degree and for the first time in twenty-four years I can no longer identify as a student. The structure that has been set up in my life for so long has just collapsed. I feel like I am watching more TV these days.

I am also drawing more. I fill up pages with funny dolphin stencils and doodles and glitter. The absence of school has given me the ability to start having more fun in my work and it feels much more honest now. The pieces are sad, funny, nostalgic and hopeful all at the same time.

I use sheet ghosts a lot in my work to represent my friends and myself. When I started drawing ghosts they were full-sheeted figures. I always thought sheet ghosts were the scariest kinds of ghosts. However, I eventually found myself identifying with the ghosts and realized they were my way of placing myself in these made-up fantasy worlds. The ghosts soon evolved and became fashionable girls that are still in search for their identity. As my friends and I all find ourselves at this place in our lives we rely on each other to figure out who we are and where we are going next.

Dreamy, Artful Couple.

Dreamy, artful Couple is back now with more dreamy.

I know I have mentioned Diana Behl's work here several times. I've been a fan of hers since the first time I saw her work in a New American Paintings. When I found out I was going to get to meet her at Frogman's Print and Paper Workshop I was in happy shock. I had been looking at her work for so long it seemed a surprise to realize there was a live person I could meet. Diana is just as fabulous as I'd hoped and when I discovered she was dating Andrew Kosten it became a dreamy, artful couple overload. I had met Andrew at Frogman's also and always liked his work. His prints and drawings have a quiet quirkiness to them that are funny and sad at the same time.

The following are images of Diana's work. See more here.





Now a sampling of Andrew's work. See more from Andrew here.

Both Andrew's and Diana's works are like quiet whispers. They are like the game telephone where you whisper something from person to person and the whispers become more and more outrageous.

Here is a picture of the couple at the famous Pink Palace Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Are you a dreamy, artful couple and want to be featured? Contact me!

quietly birthdaying

photo source

Last week my birthday came and went quietly. I am now 28 and the inner-math nerd in me just keeps thinking when you add those two numbers together you get 30. Almost 30! I'm having a bit of a late-twenties-life-crisis because I don't know what to do with myself. I have always always had a plan but usually the plan for my life centered around school and it was foggy after that. Now it's after that and I have no idea how to see through that fog.

I have always wanted to open my own shop but I have no idea how to do that. Anyone out there own their own business and have advice for a girl who is shaking in her boots but just trying to follow her dreams? If you are an artist, what is your "day job?" I wish I could set up a whole new blog for everyone to write about how they resolve working and being an artist. For now I'll see if there is interests in the comment section.

What do you do to make things work?

P.S. Extra dreamy, arty couple coming tomorrow. Sorry for the hiatus. As you can see I was crisising a bit...

A Beautiful Party, the shop

Hi!

Let me just start by saying Wow! These past few months have really flown by. I never realized being out of school would mean my life would skip by in a flash. I'm trying to find ways to slow down and smell any roses or flowers I find. The holidays just make things even more hectic!

How are you guys doing? I hope the holidays aren't too stressful.

I wanted to take a moment and spotlight on some of my own work. I am having a show soon and then I will have new work to add to my shop but I don't want to forget these oldies but goodies. I've been getting really excited about art again and am ready to fill my shop up with all new drawings and collages!

I had a very inspiring meeting yesterday that is getting me even more excited about art and teaching. Cross your fingers for me and I'll tell you more about that later.

Here are some pieces from my shop Abeautifulparty....

I also have a few vintage pieces. These are just a couple.

If you are doing any holiday shopping I will be more than happy to wrap anything you buy at no extra cost. I love making pretty packages so just convo me with your order and I will get it all taken care of.

My regular Dreamy Artful Couple feature will be back tomorrow, filled with extra dreaminess...

Have a great day!

Dreamy, Artful Couple.

About a week ago I got to catch up with my friend Rachael Madeline at Cameron's BFA show. I was reminded of her dreaminess so I am very excited to do this weeks post on Rachael and her boyfriend Steven Bower.

I have mentioned Rachael many times before so she's no stranger in the Beautiful Party world. Her drawings and prints are romantic and nostalgic and melancholy and beautiful all at once. She's not afraid to make super large work but also makes small intimate art objects, too. I love her variety. Take a look here...

See more of Rachael's work here... Also check out her blog here.

I have not met Steven Bower yet but I'm sure he's just as dreamy as Miss Madeline. He makes photographs that seem both playful and ominous at the same time.

These are a series of photos Steven took of a model house he built. I love these. The series is titled "The House That S. M. Bower Built."

Here are some other photos from different series....

See more of Steven's work here, including images of the models he built for the photos.

Are you part of a dreamy, artful couple and you want to be featured? Contact me!