"My Editor" from Curioddities & other artist on FaceBook

My Editor from Curioddities

Clara Boo's Curioddities just posted this to her FaceBook Fan page (http://www.facebook.com/curioddities)& I had to share. Love everything about this photo from the color & compostion to the doodles & kitty curator.

Funny thing. I was a FaceBook holdout for a long long time. I still find it a bit of a silly time sucker but one thing I love is being able to keep up with what my favorite artists are up to, especially the ones that have been kind enough to pop by the blog for a chat or studio tour.

Clara Boo is the latest featured artist & sponsoring next week's random drawing. If you missed last Thursday's visit & prize details, click here.

In my state of perpetual procrastination, I was messing about on FB & here is what a few past featured artist are up to:

Clara with Leaf Bag by Harry Boardman

Harry Boardman (of the 365 Monster project & this interview and studio tour) posted a fantastic portrait earlier tonight. Love his linework  & the model's personality feels like it is really coming through. Harry's FB is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harry-Boardman/9012343994

from lesson 2 of Pam Carriker's online  journal workshop

Remember Pam Carriker? She kindly shared her studio with us in 2009. Not only does she have a new book published, Art At The Speed Of Life, she is still now traveling the globe teaching mixed media & journaling workshops. By the way, tonight (3/31) is the deadline to sign up for her Journal 365 online workshop. Visit her website for details or her facebook http://www.facebook.com/pamcarriker.

The Albatross (+ detail) by Myke Amend

The always fantastic Myke Amend (who shared his steamy-genius & a cool prize here last fall) never stops painting (real & digital) and shares his newest creations on his site as well as his facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/mykeamend.

And the list goes on & on.... Actually this is kinda fun. Perhaps on the Thursdays I don't have a new interview or giveaway I should do a Where are they now? post. What do you think?

Well I've got to go. I've got to get the little guy off to bed & the grown-ups dinner on the table. Tomorrow I'm doing my first judging gig for a local photo competition so I'm pretty excited (& a wee bit nervous) about that. I'll let you know how it goes.... Till then, happy creating!

Rising fuel costs?

My 8 year old nephew's take on things.  His mom posted this homework on Facebook & I just had to share.

GreenFest photos & Musical Monday

Phelps Farm Orchids 

 Hey there. How was your weekend? Hope you had a grand time. We had fun at the annual Plant Park GreenFest. Brought home lots of goodies & photos to share. But 1st - since it is Musical Monday here's a little something to get you in the mood:

Mitch Armstrong Nursery

 (or there's always the Feed Me song from Little Shop of Horrors)

D&D Growers (links to email)

By the way, if anything catches your eye, click the purple captions to visit the vendors' websites.

Interior Gardens by Kent

The kind fellow from Gross Orchids may have lifted my Black Thumb curse - he walked me through what I did wrong 10+ years ago that killed off all of my orchids. I may finally be ready to try growing them again.

Gross Orchids

In addition to the wonderful greenery, there were many plant inspired decor items. These cute glass vases hold stem or two & hang in your window. How cool is that?

Tropical Glass Creations by Steve & Kim Schramek

It is hard to see the water in the next picture, but these mosaic fountains feature porcelain teapots & cups. The teapot pours the water into the cup and then it flows to the trough (where it is pumped back up to the pot).

by Glenn David Cryer of TheGardenWall (links to email)

We also founds delicious treats, like local honey. Love this tasting display!

herb infused "Honey with a buzz" from Briar Wood Farm Herbs

I brought home some pear champagne vinegar and a few tins of savory herb blends from V Spicery. Yummy! Little Dude & I spent ages in that booth, as he had to sniff each sample. The folks running it were very patient with us.

Fleurs de Provence

In fact the whole show was very kid friendly. Jeannine Mace from Fleurs de Provence walked LD through her photo album explaining the process of growing, picking & drying lavender.

There was also a children's tent for crafts and transplanting. LD repotted some tomato & pepper seedlings to take home.

I forgot to get a card for this garden-decor vendor. I just loved how relaxed this little mermaid looked. Maybe she is listening to some cool Musical Monday tunes...

(If you are looking for more blogs with music today pop on over to Xmas Dolly, Run DMT and Bloggin with Amanda. Sharing your tunes? Leave me a note - I'd love to enjoy whatever you are listening to today.)

sorry, I missed the name of this one - lovely roses though

Well, thanks for coming along. Today it is raining buckets here (great for the plants), so these pictures seem even sunnier to me. Actually we are very lucky - the weather this weekend (& all spring) has been fantastic.

Are you feeling lucky? Have you entered the new random drawing yet?

On 4/7 one winner will be selected from all who comment to receive an item from the fun online shop Curioddities.etsy.com. For details and an interview with the artist click here. (By the way, if you picked the "Feed Me" song, you definitely want to click through & check out the unique artwork.)

IF - Toy

poppet holiday atc

I am loving the new IllustrationFriday.com prompt, "toy". This is right up my alley - unfortunately my schedule won't let me play. So here is a marionette art trading card from a 2009 Days of summer swap. The model is Circus Doll by one of my favorite stock providers, Mizzd-stock on Deviant Art. 

If toys inspire you, please create & post to your blog or flickr and then add it to the mix over at IllustrationFriday.com . Be sure to check out the other entries - there is always something fun going on over there.

So, how was your weekend? Busy busy around here. I'd planned on posting some photos of Greenfest today, but life got ahead of me. (supposed to be either putting away 20 lbs of laundry, straightening the studio or catching up on 2 almost-overdue deadlines - but instead I goof off here...shhhh...don't tell). So, I'll post some of the green stuff tomorrow.

By the way, if you haven't entered the new Thursday Giveaway, click here to check it out. The fun & quirky Clara Boo of Curioddities.etsy.com is sponsoring the next random drawing.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend & are ready for the week ahead

New artist visit & giveaway! Meet Clara Boo from Curioddities

ClaraBoosCurioddities.net

The other day Diane Irby of GoodMourningGlory.etsy.com kindly pointed out another terrific Etsy shop, Curioddities. Diane has a (sometimes tongue in cheek) taste for the darkside and I always enjoy her picks - so off I went. I ended up taking home some fabulous finds from Clara Boo's Curioddities shop, including a print of this cute little fellow:

Skelebone Bicycle from Curioddities

And a portrait print on canvas paper of one of my favorite sci-fi celebrities:

Alien from Curioddities

And this cool pocket mirror:

Cat with Doll pocket mirror from Curioddities

If you hang around here much you know I'm a bit of an ART-o-holic. Thanks to this artist's great pieces and reasonable prices I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store.... Then Clara Boo mentioned that she had the time to pop by for a bit of Q&A ... and was happy to sponsor the new Thursday Giveaway - woohoo! 

Prize info is at the end of this post, but I hope you will stick around for our chat. By the way, you can click on any of the photo captions for details. Now let me stop yammering & introduce you to the wonderful Clara Boo:

Penny Black Umbrella shirt from Curioddities

When did you first become interested in art? & "the dark side"?

CB: Being an only child growing up drawing kept me occupied. I was always encouraged as a child to draw. I grew up in Scotland so I was always surrounded by history. And of course all history has it's dark side. Why I am drawn to the dark side is a question I find hard to answer. I have a curious side to me and it's always just been more interesting to me.
What are your favorite materials & why?

CB: I like to sew or construct things, so I like to work with a lot of different textiles. I studied stop-motion animation at Art School so I enjoy working with puppets and sets. I mostly use left over fabrics, buttons, ribbon etc Whatever I think could lend itself to what it is I am working on.

Chloe from Curioddities

Where do you find inspiration?

CB: I find inspiration in people, places and the past. Visiting new places always sparks new ideas.
Do you listen to anything while creating?

CB: I can't listen to music while I work. It's very distracting to me. I do enjoy listening to NPR on the radio however. I like to feel as though I am absorbing information while I work. However when I am not working I like to listen to my collection of 78's that I play on my Victrola. 

 

The Parlour After Dark from Curioddities

How long have you been selling your art? I see that you've been on Etsy since '06 - any thoughts on the recent changes?

CB: I have been selling art since 2006. I began selling on my website and at Horror and craft conventions. Etsy is an excellent tool for new artists to sell their items. The only thing that has changed is the volume of sellers on Etsy now. I feel it's harder to sell now that there are so many shops to compete with. I do love the new Circle option they have on Etsy now. It brings together buyers and sellers with similar tastes.

What are your 3 favorite etsy shops?

CB: I have so many favourite shops on Etsy I think it would be unfair to whittle it down to three. They are also so many undiscovered stores that I have still yet to visit. There are so many amazing sellers on there. 

What is the last book/movie you read/watched?

CB: The last movie I watched was "The kings Speech". A wonderful movie. I like Period films. I also like to read biographies and books on social history. I just read Frankenstein: A Cultural History by Susan Tyler Hitchcock. An interesting read for any classic horror fan.

What do you like to do when you are not creating?

CB: When I am not stuck indoors I enjoy picking through the local flea market, buying antiques, hiking, visiting old places and having new experiences. I also enjoy the company of my Partner and Pets. I just returned from a trip to Europe. It was very inspiring. Edinburgh and Paris and very beautiful places rich in history and culture.

Were Chick from Curioddities

If you could have any superpower what would it be?

CB: I am not a huge fan of super hero's But if I had to pick a power I would wish to be invisible. I always thought "the invisible man" was a fascinating movie. Imagine the things you could do without being seen. 

Would you use your power for good or evil? 

CB: I am sure I would use my talent for my own selfish needs but I wouldn't do anything too naughty.

Alien & Egg Locket from Curioddities

Isn't this lady just grand?! Victrolas, Frankenstein and flea markets ...sigh... I think I am having a wee-geeky-art-crush moment here.... okay, back to business. As I mentioned earlier our generous guest is sponsoring the newest Thursday Giveaway. (Lucky you -this is one of those drawings I wish I could enter)

On 4/7 one random winner will be selected from everyone who comments on my blog in the next 2 weeks. Leave a message before 1 am (EST) on April 7 and your name goes into the hat. Easy peasy.

What does that lucky winner get? Winner's choice of 1 item (priced at $20 or less) from Curioddities.etsy.com. With free shipping worldwide. How cool is that? 

Thanks for popping by today. After you leave a comment, for more Curriodities goodness check out these links:

http://www.curioddities.net/

http://www.facebook.com/curioddities

http://twitter.com/Curioddities

http://www.curioddities.etsy.com/  

If you can't wait for the random drawing (or find some must-have pretty): Clara is having  a fantastic sale over at her Etsy Currioddities shop. Purchase before April 1st and enter the Coupon Code "Madness" to get 40% off everything in the store.

And thank you, Clara Boo, for sharing your wondrous world with us today! 

Winner of drawing book random drawing is.....

eclairre

Congratulations, eclairre! You have won a copy of Betty Edwards' book The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I'll contact you today for your shipping address.

Many thanks to those who entered - you are motivating me to clean my studio & give away more stuff!

Please pop back later today. I'll be chatting with an artist whose wonderfully quirky creations make me smile. Last week I couldn't resist shopping in her fun etsy store. And I am so happy that she agreed to pop the blog by for a visit... and to host a new giveaway! So be sure to stop in and leave a comment & to get your name in the next random drawing.

What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - #94

A quiet night around here (for a change) so playing with some beads & crystals. Enjoying a little tubular netting tonight - took a class last Saturday at the shop of ebeads.com. This is the 1st chance I've had to give it a whirl.

Sorry for the poor webcam pic - I'm actually in the dining room on the PC (& I'm an apple gal). Unfortunately my studio closet has vomited all over my room. After pricing bookshelves & armoires today for Little Dude's room, I decided to give him the one in the back of my closet - but now where to put all of my stuff? ...hmmm... didn't think of that! I did take a couple shots of that massacre but they are just too embarrassing to share.

So, what are you working on tonight? If you take a photo, let me know ( I wanna see)  & then pop on over to to the Stamping Ground and share your workdesk with the world.



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By the way, there are a few hours left to enter tomorrow's random drawing for the art-book The New Drawing From The Right Side Of The Brain. Leave a comment before 1 am (EST) & your name goes into the hat. For giveaway details, click here

Chalk Walk Tampa 2011

The Mourning Dove by Beth Shistle

This weekend was the 3rd annual Chalk Walk in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Tampa, FL. We popped over and had a great time viewing the wide variety of 2-d artwork. There were 60 + artists showing off their stuff. (plus frozen lemonade & a bouncy house - what's not to love?)

Creature from the Black Lagoon by Tim Ritter

Many were creating colorful chalk murals on the sidewalk while others were plein air painters, busy interpreting the sights around them.

Terry Klaaren paints Tim Ritter & his chalk creature

So here are some of our favorites from the show. (On the aside, I think this was the first time my family actually agreed on what pieces we liked the most)

B.K. Lyons and her fun Sea Horse

Thank you to all of the artists who took the time to talk about their work (and for letting me take pics).  For more info on these talented people, click the captions under each photo. You'll be taken to their websites or FaceBook page.

Artist Unknown - awaiting info

Silly me I forgot to get this gent's name. He was out of business cards but has my email. I will be sure to add his info if I hear from him. Aren't these chalk monkeys too cool?

It is truly amazing all that goes into these pieces. Most of the artists were working with small reference photos or drawings. Some made grids on their papers and then enlarged the grids on the ground before getting started. Others just jumped in and free-handed their colorful creations. Remember these murals are all made out of chalk. I did see lots of hairspray canisters for fixing things into place - good thing as it was a bit blustery on Saturday.

So there they are, trying to get their art-groove on. Keep in mind they are dealing with lots of people milling about & asking questions. Plus temps hit the mid 80s this weekend - phew! I have to say I am impressed.

I've been told there is a whole chalk circuit that some of these artists follow, traveling from town to town.  Hmmm ... wouldn't it be fun to talk to one of these guys & find more about this unique art form? I'll have to look into that. 

Well, thanks for coming along. Next weekend is Greenfest & I need to find some new trees to replace the bay & mango that we lost to the freeze. If you are in town, check it out. And if not, pop back here - there are always photos to share!

Sunday Sketch - Face Forward

Face Forward - Polaroid Emulsion Transfer of Charcoal Drawing

Okay, Okay - I'm stretching it on the "sketchbook" thing. This polaroid transfer was originally a charcoal drawing .... which has since been embellish & added to my Artsnark Etsy shop.

Face Forward - charcoal & mixed media

As I'm (again) behind schedule, this is my quasi-sketch (enter knowing wink here).  If you want to see some real sketches, toss Sketch Sunday or other variations into your favorite search engine - there is a lot of great stuff out there! If you have time, post your own & let me know so I can come see.

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Off topic #1: Had fun at the local Chalk Walk yesterday & took some pics that I'll share tomorrow.

Off Topic #2: Cathy Minerva is still looking for art & handmade donations for the Somer Thompson Foundation silent auction in April. Find out more HERE

Off topic #3: There are still a few days left to enter the The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain book giveaway. Just comment before 3/24 and you are entered in this random drawing.  Click Here for details.

Winner of 100 custom postcards from Uprinting.com....

Earlier this week I announced this great giveaway from Uprinting.com. Today Random.org picked the lucky winner of 100 color printed postcards. And the winner is....

LaDonna Welter

 Congrats, LaDonna! I will contact you today with directions for collecting your prize.

Many thanks to Uprinting.com for sponsoring yet another excellent giveaway! And thank you to those who took the time to leave a comment & enter.

By the way, I'm still taking names for the 3/24 random drawing for a copy of The New Right Side of the Brain book. This art school classic by Betty Edwards ships free worldwide to one lucky winner. Click Here for details.

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On a new topic, Cathy Minerva (artist & owner of EarthGaia.com ) is seeking art  & other handmade donations for The Somer Thompson Foundation silent auction next month. To find out more about this worthy cause (and what you can do to help), check out yesterday's interview with Cathy.

Cathy Minerva Calls for Art & talks about The Somer Thompson Foundation

Stormy Sea by Cathy Minerva

Hello All. My name is Cathy Minerva and I am an encaustic artist in GA.  Next month is the 1st Annual Purple Sunshine Motorcycle Ride and Somer Concert in Grove Springs, Florida.   I am honored be in charge of this event's silent auction. The ride, concert, and auction will be held the last weekend of April, 2011.

The event proceeds will go to the Somer Thompson Foundation. I encourage you to check out their website: http://www.somerthompsonfoundation.org. From their site - "The Somer Thompson Foundation was formed in March 2010 after the abduction and murder of 7 year old Somer Thompson. The Foundation is dedicated to providing education, resources and help to victims of crimes against children...."  (Click here for the Foundation's complete mission statement)

This project is near and dear to all of our hearts as no family should every have to bear the tragedy of what happened to Somer.   I have been working with Bobby Ingram, lead guitarist for the band, Molly Hatchet for some time to make this happen.  He is also the board president and faithful lobbyer for stronger laws regarding child safety laws and stricter reporting of sex offenders.

 
We are accepting any type of art or handmade item to be auctioned at this event.  This is a family/child friendly event!  If you or someone you know would like to participate, please email me at minervasmadness@gmail.com  Donations need to be to me by April 20th.  Artisans are encouraged to put contact info on their donation.  

I am pleased to announce that my artisan and handmade website, EarthGaia, will be opening a perpetual shop called Artisans and Musicians for JUSTICE with proceeds going to the foundation. Any items not sold at the event will be placed in the perpetual shop for sale.

All donations are tax deductible through the 501(c)3 foundation laws.  If you wish a tax receipt, please include a brief note with your name, address and fair market value
 

Event flyers can be seen at http://www.bikerslove2ride4kids.com and http://www.earthgaia.com. EarthGaia  will be posting a donation button on the front page very soon for monetary donations.  No item or dollar donation is every too small to make a difference! You can also find event updates on the Bikefest Florida 2011 Facebook Page

Let's show people how big the heart of the art community always is with our support of this very worthy cause.  Thank you!

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Hello all, Stacey here. When Cathy first mentioned this silent auction for such a worthy cause, I knew I needed to help spread the word. Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested in donating to or attending this weekend-long event! 

Cathy & I have talked about featuring her art on for this blog. We'll pull something together soon. In the meantime, here are a few more thoughts she had to share:

How did you get involved with the Somer Thompson foundation? 
 
CM: Actually, I had read a post on FaceBook on the Molly Hatchet page that they were doing a benefit concert for Somer in 2009.  Knowing the guys, I knew it would be a worthwhile cause so I checked it out. Later, I had the idea then to open a perpetual shop where all proceeds went directly to the STF via paypal.  I sent a message to Bobby,  and we started the plan from there.  I invited them for dinner out here but time constraints were too tight for them when they were going to be close to us, so we burned up the phone lines for quite a while making plans and throwing out ideas.  Molly Hatchet released their newest cd with a tribute song to Somer.  It is a wonderful song guaranteed to bring out the kleenex.  You can hear it on the STF website.

How did you meet Bobby Ingram? 

CM: I met Bobby and the Molly Hatchet band members on our first Simple Man Cruise in 2009.  Then renewed the friendship, especially with Phil McCormack, lead singer on the Simple Man Cruise,  Jan. 2010.  He called us after the cruise and said to be sure to come to any Hatchet concert around us and let them know we were going to be there.  So, when Hatchet came close to us in Oct., 2010, we went, visited with the band and had a blast.  

I then threw out the idea of EarthGaia doing a perpetual shop for the Somer Thompson Foundation since I knew Bobby could help get that approved.  He is the board president.  He was intrigued and asked me to do a proposal/business plan and he would present it to the board.  My heart just went out to the cause thinking of all the families who have had this type of unspeakable crime committed against them.

And speaking of cruises, Molly Hatchet will be on the Rock Legends Cruise this December with an unbelievable lineup.  Should be a rockin' good time! 

Music had a strong influence on your art. Could you tell us a bit about that?

CM: Music is most definitely my muse.  I almost always have the cd player on in the studio when I am working and most of the time there is music playing in our home.  One of the joys of working from home is you get to play your music when you want!  I thoroughly enjoy seeing album cover art, too.  That is also inspiring to me.  I can definitely tell what type of music I was listening to according to the feel of my work.  Thank goodness I have lots of variety!
 

Thanks for stopping by, Cathy, with the Call To Artists and information about The Somer Thompson Foundation and BikeFest Florida 2011. I look forward to taking with you soon about your encaustic artwork and EarthGaia website.

And thanks to any of you who have taken the time to visit with us today. Please spread the word about the call for art and associated events. If you would like to donate handmade items +/or artwork please contact Cathy at minervasmadness@gmail.com.

Enter to win 100 custom printed postcards from Uprinting.com- ends 3/18

You only have a few days to enter this fantastic random drawing sponsored by my favorite printer, Uprinting.com. (Sorry about the rush - I meant to post this earlier, but real life got in the way of my bloggity plans...)

The scoop: 

On 3/18 one very lucky winner will be randomly selected to receive 100 color postcards from  Uprinting.com

Prize Details:

100 Postcards for One (1) Winner
5” x 7” 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Front Only printing
2 Business Days Turnaround

To Enter:

Simply leave a comment on my blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on March 18th.

Restrictions:

Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only.

Please Note:

This giveaway is sponsored by Uprinting; no monetary compensation was given and I will receive postcards for hosting. For more information about postcards, please visit http://www.uprinting.com/postcards/html

So, official stuff aside.... I love these guys! They offer top quality printing and fabulous customer service. If you win & need any help, just give them a buzz and they will sort you right out. Some of you know I am the exact opposite of computer savvy. This printing site is really easy to use and when I had a question, one phone call & their patient staff helped straighten me out.

A couple of years ago I printed some postcards with this company. 

I was really pleased with the results and still get loads of compliments when I hand them out.

Looking for something besides postcards? Are you on Facebook? Then pop on over to  http://www.facebook.com/UPrinting  & give this sponsor a "Like." While there you will find lots of other printing giveaways to sign up for..... but don't forget to leave a comment here before you go!

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By the way, I am also holding another giveaway for the book The New Drawing From The Right Side of the Brain, ending 3/24. Your comment also enters you into that random drawing which is open worldwide. Click here for details

Enter to win The New Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain Book - ends 3/24

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

The studio cleaning continues. Do you have a copy of this classic drawing book? If not, enter this giveaway!

I'm clearing off the shelves so on 3/24 one lucky winner will be selected to take home this art school classic. The book is in excellent condition. It was the 3rd copy I had picked up over the years (I wore out the first two). 

For more info on this book visit http://www.drawright.com or you can read about it on Amazon.

How to enter the random drawing? Simply leave a comment on my blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on March 24 and your name goes into the hat. Just be sure to leave your email if contact info isn't in your profile. This drawing is open world wide with free shipping to winner. See.... easy peasy.

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New Topic before I go:

I am having a Spring Cleaning sale in my Etsy shop. I have marked several items down & some also have free shipping! 

Visit http://ArtSnark.etsy.com & click on SALE sections (on the left side of the shop page) to see specials. Or click any of these links:

ACEOs are $4 + free shipping. 

Certain mixed media pieces are $10 each. 

And  3 ft tall paintings (on gallery wrapped canvas) are $175 + free shipping worldwide.