Cocobolo

NOTE: I have had to edit this blog because it seems a few key words are promoting spam on this blog...so I am taking out a few words like "Tarzan" and "in the mouth" seems to have been a red flag for the spam bots. 

This bowl was made by my friend, Kip Eggert. It is made from Cocobolo wood.

I love how the word sounds.  Try saying it a few times...cocobolo, cocobolo.... (sort of like kukamunga, lol) And, the bowl is as exotic and lovely as it sounds.

Larry took the photographs, while I did the photoshop on it for Kip's blog. It is sitting on my dining room table feeling quite at home until I see him again.

Visit Kip's Blog, linked here and in my fave blog links. He is an amazing artist, and I am lucky to have a few of his bowls. He sells to Troy in NYC and was just filmed for a segment on Martha Stewart. YOU ROCK KIP.

Kip and I have been friends for a while, we met at a local market in Rhinebeck where I sold my art and some collectibles. He brought me over a box full of all kinds of assemblage type items, and the rest is history. He is a collector nut like me, and he cooked me my first (and last, sorry Kip) Shad Roe. Great cook, but don't like that shad roe. Too weird. Give me back my octopus.

Off to the studio to make MORE ornaments. I am getting tired of it, orders that are "production" tend to make art feel like a "job". But I am grateful for the order, the money, and the fabulous gallery that I am designing them for. !!! patti

Lovely Words

I bet many of you can relate to this card if you are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. I myself am not celebrating with family, but am cooking with a good friend who was my cooperating teacher 16 years ago when I was her student teacher.

It is ok. Sometimes the importance of "family" is overrated.

I got an email from someone I purchased some lovely ephemera from on Etsy. If you have not shopped at Etsy, you are missing a fabulous outlet for handmade goods and supplies. She purchases my zine EAT MAN DRINK WATER, and wrote: "HOW HYSTERICAL! Can't wait to see the whole thing! I have just the friend who'll dig this as the perfect little gift. --- Your cards are also fabulous! (*I was a greeting card editor for a major company for many yrs and have seen scores of handmade cards; the tone and execution of yours are beautiful). Glad to meet you here, and thanks for the trade card orders from my shop.

So visit Journey and Landscape as she has some great things for sale!!!! And thanks for the kind, kind words about my cards! It is always nice to hear when someone appreciates my work and says such a wonderful thing. It keeps me creating!

Off to read a magazine and be inspired by others, Patti

Custom Birthday Card

It took me a few weeks to put together all the pieces, but I made this card for my dear husband's birthday. I had so much fun making it, which reminded me of all the good times we have had. Sure, we have had some mean rough patches, but heck, we need them to appreciate the good!!!!

I finished 1/2 of my order of 100 collage ornaments for EARTH ANGELS. I still have 50 more to do, as well as get ready for a craft show in 2 weeks. I keep plugging away every day, and eventually come to an acceptance that I can only do so much, and it all "is what it is". Each year I seem to bring less and make more, or make a connection and meet new collectors or customers. My focus is abundance and acceptance, and that keeps me sane.

I ran into an artist friend today; our collective energies and input inspired one another. One short hour could have changed our art and lives forever! Thank you universe for our meeting at the post office today!!!!! PERFECT TIMING!!!!!

I received a lovely email from a woman who bought an antique print on Etsy from me. It was of Hooker's Sea Lions, and she told me that she used to work with sea lions and seals, so this print had special meaning to her. I am posting her blog link under my fave blogs. Check it out, she has some really cool art and photos and info on it!!!! Kazu and Co.

Back out to the studio! xpatti

Working

You haven't heard much from me because I have been working 12 hour days, and only been able to maintain one blog, never mind three and a myspace.

I am making cards, ornments, and designing for a few clients and a show. Hopefully some money will be rolling in soon for all of this work. I spent too much at the ephemera show the other day, but it is materials for you and for me. :)

Soon I will scan some new cards, and for tonight I give you another in my series of shots taking from dirty plane windows. This one is digitally altered in Photoshop.

Till then, patti

From Heaven

Just because I have not been in the studio working since Thursday, does not mean that I have not been making nor thinking art!

I am learning not to worry about the small breaks I take from my art. Down time is needed to recharge, and to muse about life and art and where I want to go. I am starting a proposal for one art show that I want to have in a year, and am already planning in my mind the next few bodies of work. One shall be called "From Heaven" and tonight's photographs are the inspiration for some of the work that I shall do. It is a nebulous theme at the moment, but I have some thoughts bouncing around in my head.

I book my flights and seat assignments electronically, and this I have learned; when traveling from north to south, book your seat on the right hand side of the plane, and of course by the window. This especially holds true for sunset flights. On the return north, I had a seat on the right, but the light was better on the left. Of course, if you are taking a sunrise flight, the opposite would hold true.

I have painted the landscape from the sky, but that is only possible for me if I have an empty seat besides me to spread out a bit. I have been lucky on a few flights to have this, but it is a rarity, not the norm. So the digital camera is easier.

I saw Mohonk and the Hudson from the air; they were both splendid. I was shocked to still see many green trees...and I have very few leaves down yet in my yard. Strange for it almost being November!

Well off to bed. I have spent two out of four days traveling, and I am tired. But all was good.

Patti

Digital AND Paper Collage

I put this on my other blog as tonight's picture, but here I wanted to talk about the piece in more depth.

It will be one for the show "Telling Stories", which I intend to do in the next year or so. I am sniffing out prospective venues for it. It will be a show that I do along with Larry; his narrative large format black and white photographs, my autobiographical collages.

This is one of the less emotionally distraught pieces, which looks at the history of my family-the frolicking fun Irish, always ready for a dance, a party, an adventure.

For tonight's blog I did it digitally, although it is actually going to be a paper collage. I am still seeking the right image for one part of it, and it is harder when you are doing a paper collage to find just the right car that is just the right size. It is not so easy when you don't use copies and must work with what you can find. Because of how I work, pieces can take months, even years to be finalized.

The paper is an old map of the Arran Islands in off the coast of Ireland, and you will get a chuckle out of the fact that the "Cock of Arran" is an actual location at the top of the map. The other piece is a postcard of the Ashokan Reservoir, made about the time when my family started visiting the Catskills. The other piece is from an 1800's book, and I am searching for a Black Buick, from the 40's. Once I find a relative to verify what the date of the Buick was, I will have a better idea of where to look, and what I am looking for.

Off to bed to read a bit more of my book Handmaid of Desire. A unique story. I can relate to the mind of the protagonist. After that, Allende's Inez of my Soul.

Oh and I HAVE to remember to join NETFLIX. I need some movies!!!! Has anyone seen Elizabeth (the new one)???

off to story land, Patti

Getting HELP When You Need It.

Today my student came over for 2.5 hours to work in my studio. I really enjoy this young woman, and we chatted, listened to music, worked, all while having a fun time.

I had spent some time the day before setting up a space for her, and gathering things that I needed done. Greeting cards to be sleeved, glitter to be put on certain items, copper foil which needed to be burnished down, illustrations that needed some hand painting.

She did great. She freed up time for me to complete the tasks that were more complex, or designing new cards. Tonight's cards are made with oil monotypes and authentic Victorian Scrap. They are already sold, as I have a client who says SEND ME MORE CARDS, and I know her taste, so I just make up a batch, and send them on.

I also found joy in teaching this young person about the business, and let her get a glimpse into my "other world", the world that I walk into once I leave the classroom.

If I were a kid, I would be asking for an application, LOL.

And, I got a GREAT teen to work with. THANKS JESSIE!

patti