Sneak Peeks & Sweet Sales

Just past midnight & jump-starting my weekend sale!

Now through midnight Dec 1 get 20% off PLUS Free Shipping on all items in my etsy shop, ArtSnark's Artifacts.

I've also added 3 new pieces. Here is a peek at 1. This is just 1/4 of the image - To view the full piece just click on it.
(this is where the sneaky part comes in)

Here's another glimpse

More to come & probably a couple of PIFs over the next couple of days so keep checking back!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! and the NY TIMES

Just a quick shout out to everyone. May you have a wonderful day filled with family,friends & inspiration!!

On the go today & plan to update later (if the tryptophan & Sangria don't get to me 1st).

Wanted to share this great article in today's NY Times: "Transforming Art Into A Career Choice That Actually Pays" features the fabulous & famous collage artist, ZNE member & author Claudine Hellmuth. It was her book Collage Discovery Workshop that introduced me to the wonderful world of collage. When you have a few minutes to breathe today, please visit her website & etsy shop!

Again, Best wishes today! Hope You Have A Great One!!

PIF Givaway -Blue Angel on Papyrus

PIF Giveaway in my Etsy shop. Totally Free. Just click here. This piece is one of a kind so the first person to put it in their shopping cart gets it! It is totally free, just please Pay It Forward with a random act of kindess :D

Blue Angel is a mixed media piece on Papyrus. It measures approximately 6.5" x 8.5". It was not stored flat so the papyrus has curled like old parchment. However, it could be easily matted or glued flat.

I uncovered this odd little painting while cleaning up my studio tonight & thought it would make a good PIF. C'mon now, you know you want to spread some cheer!!

The top image is cropped. To view this piece in full click here.

Monday's Muse

I stumbled onto this great blog last week www.maternalspark.blogspot.com. There's a lot of cool bits but what caught my eye was the Monday's Muse section. I am so NOT a Monday person. The idea of a little jumpstart for my creative juices is appealing. Today's Muse post started with a quote from Sigmund Freud : ‘When inspiration does not come to meet me, I go halfway to meet it.’
....although my troubles tend to be with time management more than inspiration.....

Today's inspiration came wrapped around a lively gift. You know how little kids love getting presents but then play with the box? That is so me!! This is the coolest paper. It speaks of times past & roads not taken. Looking at it makes me wish I had a time machine - so I could walk the streets & see what is around each corner....What does it look like, you say?

You'll have to wait & see. My head's been spinning all day....collage? drawings? Fairy tales? Might take me a bit to sort it put, but something interesting will come of it.....

Preview Sale

Just Peeking!I've decided to throw my first sale. It's a 2 parter:

Now through midnight Dec.1 FREE SHIPPING on ALL ITEMS!
(Yes, this includes heavy pieces & big canvases)

THEN....

November 28th I'll sweeten the pot with additional savings through Dec.1st!
Check back later in the week for details!
www.ArtSnark.Etsy.com

Such Cool Stuff!!

I was lucky enough to be interviewed for the great blog Such Cool Stuff. You can read the interview here. I also recommend a stroll around the site ; it showcases a variety of arts, crafts & more mainstream finds.

To celebrate, I'm going to highlight some of My Favorite "Stuff":

The Very Fine Art of Papercutting. I am just blown away by the patience, skill & eye for detail required to complete a piece. 2 of my favorite papercutting artists are Joe Bagley and LaDonna Welter Click on their names to visit blogs. Joe's work is for sale at papercutsbyjoe on etsy. & La Donna sells at Primitive Folk Art Trinkets & Treasures . She will be opening an Etsy shop soon.

Fresh Bread!!

Art Trading Cards: Totally addictive to make & to swap. Basically it's art the size of a playing card (2.5 "x 3.5"). You can buy them as ACEOs (Art Card Editions & Originals) at places like Etsy & Ebay

Tin Toys. Antique, Vintage or New. I can not get enough of them. Of course junk shops & yard sales are the best. Some fun places online are Tintoyarcade and Fabtintoys

The wonderful world of ReadyMade. Book, Magazine, Blog. They've borrowed Marcel Duchamp's term for their DIY world. I highly recommend taking a peek

Scrapyards: If you've never been you are missing out. This is where cool stuff goes to die. Great prices plus readymade still lifes (for you photographers). Just make sure you've had your tetanus booster.

Renningers, Brimfield and all those other gigantic Antique Fairs / flea markets.

And Paper Paper Paper.....I am a confirmed paper-aholic. New, vintage, fancy, rubbish, hand made or mass produced. I can't get enough!!

I could just go on & on....

How about you share some of your Favorite Cool Stuff ! Holidays are coming.... I can pass it on to Santa ;D

A Day Of Sharing Words

"I seem to have been like a child playing on the sea shore, finding now and then a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay undiscovered before me."
-- Sir Isaac Newton

11:30pm

I was just about to call it a day. Made a quick stop at 1 of my favorite blogs Paper Mischief for some dreamy inspiration. Shelly had matched a lovely photo & with inspiring words from the poet Amy Lowell (whom I'd not heard of till now- thanks for the intro, Shelly)

This was done in response to a call for entries into a "poetry swap" hosted by L K Ludwig . Basically Nov 19 is to be "A day of sharing words". Choose words that move you, add an image & link to here . More detailed instructions at gryphonsfeather.typepad.com. Here is the list of participants. Take a few minutes & enjoy their wonderful words & inspiring images.

Last week we played hooky at the beach. This is my son having a wonderful day! He is at that amazing age when EVERYTHING is new & interesting. So many questions & so much fun!
On the drive home, the full moon was rising before us as the sun was setting behind us

Goodnight!

The Rogues' Gallery

Just re-listed a few pieces in my etsy shop . I've got a gang of shady characters lurking in the dark alleys of my mind ...but....been busy with life stuff so I haven't been putting my pencils to paper as much as I'd like. Itching to get started again. It's getting a little crowded in here ;D

TOOT TOOT TOOT!!

Yep, tootin' my own horn (again). Just so darn thrilled I have to share! Hopped over to ZNE in the wee hours to see what was new & found my latest experiment on the front page. I finally joined the book club there. We are reading Michael De Meng's book Secrets Of Rusty Things. Group members discuss chapters & create their own projects based upon each chapter. This funky flower vase is my interpretation of project# 1 ("Ameratsu - letting daylight out")To find out more about this piece and other ZNE book club projects click here .

ZNE is a gather place for "mixed media & indie artists". It's an amazing community of supportive creative people. There are so many different things going on: ATC swaps, photo challenges, book club, collaborative poetry (finished poems are here ), technique/art supply sharing, a convention , and much more.

Although it sounds corny, ZNE is more to me than a great place to hang out. It was the support of the talented artists I met there that lifted me out of a 5 year art-rut: In 2003 I stopped creating. Last February I joined the group & I started making Art Trading Cards to swap. I started small but now I've got more works in progress around me than I can count! I'm painting & drawing again and trying my hand at something new - jewelry. Through my involvement with ZNE, I've had a piece published in the art book Never Forgotten and participated in my 1st group show in 5 years. I found the confidence to open an Etsy shop & start blogging ( big deals for me as I am not computer savvy or comfortable putting myself "out there").

And I have made some great friends!

If you've read this far, thanks for your patience. I guess, I just want to say THANK YOU! to ZNE founder Chelise Stroud Hery & all of the wonderful people I have met at ZNE. Their patience & encouragement has turned my creative energies right around! Now I just have to find to time to do it all :)

Tag YOUR it!

Ok, first I'm it ... but then it's your turn!!!

I have been tagged by fellow artist & ZNE member Ewian from www.ewian.blogspot.com

Ewian summed up being tagged so well, I'm just going to quote her:

"To be tagged is both positive and negative. On the positive side it is a honor that somebody wants to know more about you, the negative is when you pass the tag along on it's way you are asking people to share more than they usually do, not all find this charming and you have to find 6 new people to tag."

The rules below state that you are to "tag" 6 others. Perhaps because I work for a game company (or maybe it's just my nature) I'm CHANGING the rules just this once ;-D

The first 6 people to respond to this post will tagged next. I'm going to mention this where some of my favorite folks hang out & see what happens. Once I have 6 comments, I'll add a new post to Officially Tag You. Now, don't be shy...come play!!

My Random facts:

1. My favorite movie genre's are silent films & good anime

2. I wish it were possible to live off of chips & salsa

3. I still swing at the playground

4. I've always wanted to play the cello

5. I have a massive paper fetish & have more than I'll ever be able to use.

6. I go to this site once every day: www.365tomorrows.com

Now The rules:
1. Link to the person or persons who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

SO that's it: Now..... TAG YOUR IT!!

Mind Wide Open November Challenge

I've wanted to participate in these monthly challenges for a while. Each month Gail Schmidt puts a great image on her blog mind-wideopen.blogspot.com with a word or phrase for inspiration. Anyone who wants to can submit their interpretation. Readers then vote on their favorite piece. The winning artist gets a gift certificate to her store Shabby Cottage Studios

It is very cool to see the variety of art submitted each month. Go check it out if you get a chance.

For quite some time I've been intrigued by the Al Stewart song Fields of France. This month's MWO challenge image spoke to me immediately. So combining the 2 ideas, here is my end result. It can be hung on a wall or used as a suncatcher:

"Oh she looks, but there's nothing to see....still she looks, saying come back to me..."

There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator

I am an old movie junkie. As far back I as I can recall I've been glued to the flickering black & white. (It was many years before we had a color TV). At an early age, the German Expressionist films infiltrated my thoughts & have never really left.
One that has stayed with me the longest is Fritz Lang's Metropolis. This post's title is the tagline from the classic film. I recently came across 2 vintage copper pins and immediately flashed back to the Art Deco look of the film & posters.
I've reinterpreted the classic look & added some swarovski crystals & watch parts to the first brooch. It's now available in my etsy shop .

Seven Subways Behind

No, not the title for a new piece. It's a silly thing my husband says & it describes my life lately. Been in a bit of slump,behind on everything it seems. Took a few days with family to regroup. Came back to the same to do list but with renewed energy - YAY! Finishing a book group sculpture that was due on the 1st & tidying up stray projects that I'd lost interest in. Finally got around to adding some new ACEOs to my Etsy shop.
Read a great post by one of my favorite artists last week, Lindsey Carr of Little Robot. In a piece titled When the Grass is Always More Veridian she debates the issue of becoming a full time artist. This is something so many of us daydream about, I think. Her take is worth a read. As is the articulate follow up Thanks So Much. In fact, I can't recommend enough checking out her amazing & whimsical creations.

Still here? Shoo...go now! I'll wait hereAhh, you're back...

Thinking about how to manage work, family, domestic, art & other stuff a lot lately. Too much perhaps? Maybe 1 reason why I've been so unproductive lately? Had some interesting conversations on this topic recently. I've heard so many valid ideas & concerns, that I think I'll pop them into future posts here & there.

If you have anything to add, please share: What is your secret to keeping all of your balls in the air? How do you include time to create in your busy schedule?

Art At The Speed Of Life! I love this title of Pam Carriker's article in the July issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. A talented & prolific artist, Pam makes the time for painting, writing, marketing, family & life. She will also be teaching an online class in creative journaling in January. You can read more about her life & art on her website & blog. Her work is also available at The Bag Lady's Art on etsy. I'll warn you though, her art has taken off like wildfire lately & is selling fast!

From Pam's interview in the August '08 issue The Stampers' Sampler:
"TSS: What are your goals in life?
PC: To be my true self, and to go after my dreams."

She also shared this thought with me "I really think that is key. If you want to do something, go for it. A lot of times the only thing stopping you is yourself."

And on that note: Time to go get messy!!