Postcard

Okay, I cheated. I really loved everyone's feedback about the postcard image and completely agreed but when it came time to make the postcard I got really nervous and second guessed everything and decided to go with this image. I like the detail, I thought it might be intriguing enough. I was afraid the house detail might be too plain? What do you think? Is this okay?

Thank you thank you for all the feedback before. It's really been a tough decision.

Feels Good

This post is a little different from my usual blogposts but this has been on my mind lately so I thought I would share. Have you ever listened to NPR's Radiolab? I was listening to a particular podcast and it was so inspiring. I cried a bit (okay, I cry at everything) but felt so good. It seems that every since the healthcare bill passed there has been so much contention in the air. All the anger and threats and scare tactics have been bringing me down down down. I was getting really worried and losing faith in people. The other day I was in my studio listening to the Radiolab episode called The New Normal. The whole episode made me feel so good, it began by asking people if wars will always happen and most were saying yes which was worrisome. But the different segments were about studying animals' behavior and how they were able to change their sometimes violent ways. But the best story was about a small town in Oregon where the first transgendered mayor was elected. I don't want to give away the whole story because Radiolab unfolds it in a beautiful way. What got me was that a small, conservative town could rally around and support this person who doesn't quite fit into their world but they let him fit anyway. Now when I get upset about everything I'm hearing on the news and all the hate and scare tactics I remember this story and know that there is good all over this world and that has to mean something.

You can listen to this episode by clicking on the Radiolab link. On the right side the episodes stream for free. Click The New Normal. It will really lift your spirits.

Beautiful Movie

I just recently re-watched Marie Antoinette and still cannot get over just how gorgeous this movie was. Every last detail is pure beauty. After my post of inspiring movies I realized this should be added to the list. Sophia Coppola is so great. Now I want to re-watch The Virgin Suicides.

Giveaway Winner!

Katy Koch won the giveaway! Katy, if you could get your mailing address to me I'll get this drawing shipped right out to you! Thanks to everyone for participating. I'm excited about all the new music I've discovered.

If you're interested here are a couple of songs for you:

Anything by Swedish pop band The Knife, especially this song.

I've been really into this Florence and the Machine song, The Dog Days are Over, and the video is beautiful.

Also, major thanks to everyone that gave me feedback on my possible postcard idea. I'm still working on it. Wish I knew a little more about computers and design but I'm figuring things out. I will post the finished product as soon as I know what that is.

What to do...

I'm sort of thinking about making this image the postcard from my show but I'm also wondering if I should use a piece of my artwork. I don't know what to do and I need to do it soon soon soon. What do you think?

Also! Last time to mention my giveaway! Go sign up for a chance to win a framed drawing of a little ghost. Maria-Therese says he looks confused. Probably wondering why I keep talking about him. Monday I will draw the name for a winner! Thanks for all the music!

Have a great weekend. Hopefully it will be sunny where you live.

gray days

babes for days., originally uploaded by jackie young..

I don't know what to say today. Yesterday wasn't my favorite day but it ended well. I finally try the new Mediterranean restaurant in town and it was absolutely delicious. I can't believe it took me so long to try it.
I love this photo, check out Jackie's flickr.
My giveaway is still slowly trucking along. It wraps up Monday. If you haven't signed up yet please do. I'm so excited with all the new music suggestions. I look forward to checking it all out.
Now I'm off to the studio.

Inspiration

Thank you so much to everyone for the feedback on my house. My critique went well yesterday with my professor. My biggest challenge with the house is going to be figuring out how to make the roof. I've started on it but I don't love it. My professor gave me some advice but it's still going to be tough.

Don't forget my Giveaway going on until Monday! Sign up to receive this framed drawing of a little ghost.

Lately I've been thinking about the transition period that happens once you graduate. It's a chance to make all new work with different themes and ideas. I'm really looking forward to this and have started coming up with inspiration for my next body of work.

Have you all seen Picnic at Hanging Rock? If you haven't Netflix it immediately! This movie is so dreamy and wispy and beautiful but also really terrifying. It's probably the scariest movie I've seen without anything scary happening. Just thinking about it gives me chills. I love that with the visuals of this movie you would never expect it to be so frightening.



Also, if you haven't seen Henry Darger's In the Realms of the Unreal it's worth a watch. Darger is a very interesting guy. He was a janitor living quietly in Chicago and when he died tons and tons of artwork was discovered in his apartment. He created this graphic novel of the same name that was turned into a film that is both a showing of his novel and a documentary about this outsider artist.



And I am always inspired by this movie, Grey Gardens. The Edie's keep me on my toes. This movie is so beautiful and sad and heartbreaking and funny. Every feeling I try to put into my own work. This is definitely definitely worth a see if you have not checked it out yet. The new, non-documentary version is actually really good, too. I was really concerned when I heard about it but I think it was handled well and Drew Barrymore did an amazing job.


I have another critique today at one. I'm off to get ready for it!

Home

I have some updated photos of my house! I've been working extra hard in the past week to start getting it all pulled together. I have two critiques this week with my professors and I'm more than a little bit nervous. The house still isn't finished yet. I started laying out the faux wood floor but for now it's only temporary until it gets moved to the gallery. Also you may notice the white strip on the wall, I'm missing wallpaper there but that will soon be remedied. This weekend I went with my friend Jessica to buy the furniture. She was helpful because I was being a nervous wreck about it. I knew the furniture could potentially make or break the piece so it had to be perfect. I'm pretty pleased with what I found. Now my biggest challenge is the roof. I don't love it yet. I'm hoping my professors will give me some good advice. My reception is April 22. The countdown is on.

Don't forget my giveaway going on until Monday. Sign up for a chance to win a framed drawing!

To those of you going to SGC this year I'm so bummed out that I don't get to go. Think of my while I'm stuck in my studio.

Giveaway!!

I am the absolute world's worst at taking pictures and editing them. So... what do I do? Take the same picture twice and edit them both poorly(?) and hope two wrongs make a right...

This framed drawing is here for the giveaway! I'm so thankful for all my readers and I think it's definitely time for another giveaway. What do you do? Leave a comment and recommend some good music. A band, song, anything. Also, if you re-post this giveaway leave another comment saying you did so. This giveaway will go to next Monday, March 29.

This is in a 10" x 10" white shadowbox frame. It is a mixed media piece with some pastels and and screenprinted collaged paper in the top right. The ghost was created on a manilla envelope and also collaged on. I hope you like it!

Remember this couple that is trying to win their dream wedding? Well now they are doing another giveaway while also trying to get your votes. You could win that gorgeous necklace at the top. All you have to do is go here to vote and then leave your comment here. Tell them abeautifulparty sent ya! If you have already voted you can leave a comment telling them that. Go now...

Thursday!

I found a framed drawing in my studio that I will be posting shortly for the giveaway. I will get pictures taken of it and hopefully have it up and going by Monday. I'm trying to decide what kind of comment I want everyone to leave. It was fun reading all the holiday movie quotes at Christmas time. I'll keep thinking.

I'm on the computer at school and was going through all the photos I have saved. This is a family photo that I'm pretty sure I've posted before but I think it could definitely be re-posted. Isn't this so funny? The little clown on the left side of the skeleton is my uncle. This picture is about forty years old. It definitely beats the photo of me as a clown. But just barely...

Happy Thursday!!

Reached 80

I reached 80 followers! Thank you to all of you who are following my blog. I really appreciate every one of you. So to show my appreciate I will host another giveaway. Today I will poke around my studio and see what I have to give. I'm excited! Thank you!

Remember a while back when I posted about Guerra de la Paz? They were here as resident artists working with a group of students on an exhibition. The artist team works with re-purposed materials and creates completely fantastic work. Here are a few photos from the exhibit called Home. If you are in the area check it out at the Jack Arrends Gallery.

Unfreakout

This is an old painting I did when I was playing a lot Fantasy Zone 2. Check out the neat graphics in that game.

I feel much much better since my last post. I got all the written things done I needed to do yesterday and even made it to the studio and was pretty productive. Today I have to help with a print sale the printmakers are having. After that more studio time then teaching. I'm looking forward to checking in with my students. They have been a really great class. This teaching thing is okay.

Thank you to the sweet comments on my last post, really cheered me up.

I promise to return to my blog with more interesting things to say shortly. And remember, as soon as I reach 80 followers I'm going to have a giveaway! I'm really excited about this!

See you soon!

I have this old folder on my computer titled Neat Things and I haven't looked at it in forever but this was what was inside. Certainly neat.

Wow! This is the longest I've been away from my blog in forever. In some ways I suppose it was nice to take a little break but I also found myself wondering what was going on with everyone else. If I thought I was behind on blog reading before I'm definitely behind now.

I went down south for a few days, traveling with my favorite boy. We visited my family and shopped and ate. It probably wasn't the smartest time for me to get out of town but it was definitely needed. I had a blast but now I'm faced with so much work to do for my thesis show. I'm honestly getting into panic mode. I have resolved to spend longer hours in the studio and may have to quit my daily blog posts for a while. It will just be more hit or miss.

My Blog Followers numbers has slowly been rising much to my delight. I'm currently at 79. As soon as I hit 80 I would like to have another giveaway. I'll dig around the studio and look for something someone might like.

Ok. Off to spend the day typing (and maybe a little bit of crying...)

My Current Wishes

my room, originally uploaded by Tender Letters.

I was thinking of some wishes I have but they all felt like selfish wishes. But I'll list them anyway.

1. Still wishing so hard that I get into New American Paintings. Please cross your fingers and toes. I believe in the power of positive thinking.

2. I wish I had a solid week all to myself where I can do anything I want. I would catch up on blogs, make any kind of art and craft I feel like doing that is not thesis show related, have playdates with my my best friends, and make fancy dinners for my boyfriend.

3. I wish days were longer than 24 hours and I only needed five hours of sleep.

4. I wish I knew for certain I will be okay when I graduate.

5. I wish every person I know and love lived within twenty miles of me. We could have bbq birthday parties all the time.

6. I wish wish wish that everyone in the world could be happy. I really do wish that, it's not a nice wish I tacked on at the end to make me look not selfish. It's so hard for me when I hear about other people's pain because I then hurt so bad for them.

What are your current wishes?

Special thanks to Westervin for featuring me on their blog. It was a delightful surprise to see that this morning. Don't forget that you can vote for them to win the Crate and Barrel wedding here and then enter their giveaway here. It's a win-win situation because they are an adorable couple that should win and you could win a gorgeous necklace. Everyone wins! Well, except for all the people who don't win the necklace. But never mind that. Just vote.

Okay. I'm going to quit while I'm sort of ahead?

Leaving for a fun little spring break/family visit trip tomorrow so the posts may be sporadic. Have a great rest of the week!

Funeral

Remember when Cannonball Press was here and we all worked together to help them make this huge animal (pig? bull?) carcass? Well the show came down this past weekend and we held a funeral for the carcass. We brought noisemakers and did a funeral walk from the museum to a fire-pit on campus. We then roasted the pig and thought back fondly on all of our favorite memories with it. The following pictures depict all of this. There are a couple of videos also showing the funeral. It was a lot of fun to be part of. We will all miss that carcass but not as much as we miss the guys from Canonball Press.