The Handmade Art Fair :: this Saturday!

Yes! It's back - our Holiday Handmade Art Fair is arriving this weekend on Saturday and Sunday! As part of our participation in New Hampshire Open Doors, we invited our artists and a few guest artists to join us for a weekend of fine art, fine crafts, poetry and music! We have live music from a violinist, poetry readings from the Poet Society of NH, delicious local goodies and a huge selection of gifts for yourself and your loved ones from very affordable to the very very special. Free gift wrapping, with your purchases and a very festive atmosphere at artstream will be felt throughout the weekend! For directions to the studio click here and call us for more info at 603-330-0333.

Ginger Pear Cake!

Good morning! It's a lovely fall day out there and we are going to take a trip over to Keene to visit Grace at college. Before going off though, I thought I would share a new recipe I made up yesterday. It started off with a very ripe pear. They had to be eaten so I thought I would try and make a small coffee style cake from them.
Here is the recipe as much as I can remember - I threw it together, so it might be a little more of this or that, but you will get the idea as you go.

Cut up one or two very large anjou pears into bite size pieces.
1 cup plus a little more of White Wheat King Arthur Flour
1 6ox cup of vanilla yogurt
1tsp of powdered ginger or grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
a little milk to make a batter out of it!
1 and 1/2 tap baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
a little milk to make a batter out of it if it is too stiff.
Stir it up and pour it into a 6x9 inch pan. Cook at hot temp 375 until browned on top and toothpick comes out clean. It will be moist, but not sticky, sweet but not overly. We loved it. Let me know how it works out if you make it... enjoy today. It's a beautiful one!

Concord Arts Market :: Making the Mural

Oh my what fun we had this weekend. I think it was the best Halloween ever! It all started with a fun night of trick or treat and handing out 300 pieces of candy to the little ones in our neighborhood and the ones which bused in for the Hallow's Eve event. Mary Jo and Cilla came over as they have no doorbell ringers in their neighborhoods - and they brought wine. A good time was had by all! Saturday Chloe and I headed out to Concord to the fabulous Concord Arts Market to It's not perfect, but you can get the idea. Saturday night we took three little Greek Goddesses to the Portsmouth Halloween Parade. Mob scene, but fun. Note to six and a half foot dude in fake lederhose: you didn't need to stand on a chair in front of everyone...
Great time was had by all and the 70F weather didn't hurt one little bit! Sunday was spent picking up a new bed and general homey maintenance which was sorely needed after the busy week. What did you do for Halloween?

What will you be?

You could be a pirate!

or --

You could be a mermaid!

You could be a picture frame!

You could be a baker!

What will you be?!

Happy Halloween!

OK, I will admit it, I am not a huge fan of Halloween. I know i know, I should be, it's so much fun, so creative! ... blah blah blah.

For me it just means having to endure the whooshing sounds of inflateable hideous lawn decorations everywhere, as my husband pointed out and now has made it ever present in my mind that some even look like Trojans inflated, along with annoying orange and purple lights swinging from the posts and house trims everywhere, spending money on candy - a LOT of candy, (we get 300 + visitors for trick or treat) working and sewing up costumes (which alright we have looked back over the years and chuckled about a few of them for sure...) and pretty much shooting my entire evening hours of said day into just answering the door but gee, I guess I can dress up for that!

Goodness knows I can open a bottle of wine to endure it and invite a couple of friends over with witch hats to help! I wish I had seen this fabulous post at Not Martha earlier - I would have loved to whip up this handy loaf!

This year we are going to do the T or T tonight and tomorrow on the real Halloween Chloe and I are heading out early to Concord to create the community mural project at the Concord Arts Market. Then it's home again to figure out our costumes and all go to the Portsmouth Halloween Parade. It's supposed to be fun and lord knows I could stand some fun around all this hoopla, so off we go. No worries, we will take photos and share them next week. Hope that your Halloween is spooktacular!

Bell'Invito Letterpress Studio

photo by Victoria Wall from Bell'Invito :: The Aquarius book plate
Oohh and ahhhh! This letterpress studio - Bell'Invito has some breathtaking work. When Anna contacted me about their Zodiac Collection for 2010 fashioned with Don Carney's antique woodblock inspired ink drawings a la letterpress, I was eager to learn more. Love Don Carney. Love this line!

These beautiful images are available in cards, both folded notes and gift cards, and a handsome desk calendar. But what really took me aback was the beautiful book plates and accompanying book marks. I love my books and am always on the search for something out of the ordinary in a book plate. These hit the mark and then some! Take a look at them more closely at their site Bellinvito.

Romy Kuhne

Romy Kuhn is an artist from Arnhem, NL who - for one thing - makes these incdredible paper vases coated to make them semi waterproof. Beautiful! As seen at MocoLoco tweets!

Community Mural :: Concord Arts Market

sketch done!, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

This is the sketch I did for the upcoming Halloween version of the Concord Arts Market. I painted it on a 7x8 foot piece of canvas this afternoon .. I didn't have a lot of time, just a lot of ideas and well, it's a guide for the community to go with!
The idea is based on a night garden, late autumn, with a little day of the dead thrown in there along with my imaginary marshmallow on a stick flowers. Hopefully, everyone will have fun in the painting process on Saturday and I will be sure to get lots of process photos and the final product too!

Autumn in full bloom

the bittersweet is coming in ..., originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

It's pretty, it's colorful and it's a pain actually to deal with as it likes to slowly strangle other bushes... but despite it's bad habits, we keep it!
Today we had a little frost outside which is very seasonal, with lots of leaves on the ground from the maples, and the birches. The oaks are hanging on dearly to their yellow foliage but I imagine this week, they too will be swept away from their branches. What color is it in your part of the world?

Friday Illustration Friday fun

holding fast-- mixed media collage

New peeks at some of my own new collage works - just in time for me to play along with Illustration Friday. The word was fast. I thought how appropriate for this week! I have just finished up a stack of new paperdoll girls which I was going to put into calendar form and decided I loved them so much that I would just keep them as 8x10 artworks instead and make some prints. What's fast about this piece? Well, she has a holding fast to that hanky with which she is waving goodbye with.

A World Geography project

which to me is more beautiful than the sum of it's parts and information.

Made by my daughter Chloe for her World History class - project on Africa. Under the weather here today, so keeping it short. Isn't it pretty against our newly painted foyer color "pebble"?

Photos of the renovations to come this month.

Mike Lewis Blue Bird Rock Prints!!!

rocking house finch! by mike lewis

Mike-Lewis-Blue-Bird-Rock-3437orig, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Mike was kind enough to drop off some fine looking prints of Blue Bird Rock and Rocking House Finch and so now, we are going to have them all available at the shop for a very affordable $20...and the originals are in the Dwellings show too!

Come and get em while the last!

Some new work of my own

some new work of my own, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Hello Friday! It's been a very busy week here at chez Schwake and I have been hiding in the studio to get some of my ideas finished this week. I have been having so much fun with these little ink drawings.
It's recycled wood from an woodsmith's shop, which are all lovely cedar wood. Each one is unique and different and will be in our shop and my etsy tomorrow by noon. Hope that all of your dreams came true this week, well at least ONE of them ... enjoy this brisk autumn day and think sweaters, scarves and lovely cozy blankets and fires!

Tim Wirth :: strawberries

Tim Wirth was part of our Deep South show and I grew to love his work the moment we opened the first crate. Above is one of my favorites-of-the-moment. See the whole basket full right here at his site.

Pippa Caley :: new lampshades!

I adore Pippa Caley's work and have written about it each time she sends me new fodder- but now - oh - now she has something which I just adore even more than her beautiful pillows and bespoke line of work. Lampshades! yes, her signature style is now adorning lamshades ... go have a look. So beautiful.

October is here ...

Color abounds in October ..

Albina McPhail's strange candy

our back studio window with brushes

.

more Albina McPhail

leaves in ever changing sculptural patterns on our doorstep

The tree behind the studio

everywhere!

Dwellings :: the exhibition begins!

It's official and here are the details! Do stop by for a drink with us Saturday from 5-7 p.m. and meet all of our wonderful artists!

artstream gallery at 56 North Main Street in Rochester are pleased to welcome three diverse artists into their gallery for a two month exhibition entitled "Dwellings" exhibition opening on Saturday October 11 from 5-7 p.m

All of the painters have an illustrative background and this show is filled with a strong sense of individual graphic style. All of the artists will be attending the opening.

Amanda Woodward, a native of Edmonton, Alberta Canada and award winning illustrator will be flying in for the exhibition opening on Saturday October 11 from 5-7 p.m. Along with Amanda is her fellow Canadian, Melanie Ford Wilson of Toronto. Melanie's paintings along with her illustrative work has been included with such clients as Target, Loreal, Olay, Johnson & Johnson, Aveeno, the Four Seasons Restaurant, The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology and the New York Restoration Project. Mike Lewis, a painter and illustrator from Portland, Oregon, now from Ashland. New Hampshire will round out the main gallery's group show with his whimsical paintings of birds, their environments and their love of headphones. His take on painting leans towards the whimsical illustrative with a great nod towards cartooning. Mike has been shown across the nation with his works in sell out shows at Blue Bottle in Seattle and has shown at Hive, L.A.

Alongside the show Dwellings we are introducing Zoe Pawlak's work. Zoe is a from B.C. Canada and her work has been celebrated all over North America. Where We Were and Are are emotive landscapes that are done from a mixture of memory and imagination that conjure up our sense of situating ourselves where we currently are based on where we have been and the physical and emotional landscapes we have traveled. Where we Were and Are considers the accumulation of places we have been and those experiences that commit us to the place we now are. We have three of her larger canvases on exhibit and are thrilled to welcome her to the gallery.

All the work is available online from October 6th and will be shipped at the end of the exhibition, November 29th but can be purchased right here in our shop!

Melanie Ford Wilson :: Dwellings

Melanie is simply one of the best illustrators I have ever met - her client list is long:Target, Loreal, Olay, Johnson & Johnson, Aveeno, the Four Seasons Restaurant, The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology and the New York Restoration Project, among others. She is seriously cute to boot.

Her new work here at the gallery - on the canvas is exceptional too! She has mixed in some found papers, lush glossy layers of color and created some simply beautiful "dwellings" in which I could easily live. Here is a little peek into her world, above and below, two works which are part of our Dwellings show. You must come and see these in person - they are so deep and rich!

Did you hear? "Dwellings" upcoming new exhibit

mike lewis, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Click through the Mike Lewis painting above to see a little preview of the show going up. It's very exciting on all levels! The work is all now in the shop as a show too so you can pop over and start shopping right away. And come to the exhibition opening on Saturday October 11 from 5-7 p.m for music, wine and nibbles as well as all of the artists will be on hand for rubbing shoulders with. Some wonderful wonderful people! See you there...

artstream :: our next show :: WOW!

Opening 10/11 at artstreamstudios, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

More to come... but for now ... just ... wow! excited!!!!

Stephanie Howard :: The Guns of Meeting Street

Stephanie Howard, The Guns of Meeting Street

So much beautiful brown with poppytalk's brown day Thursday during Autumn Colour Week. I had to show Stephanie's drawing because it embodies brown and the paper color just sets the mood of the season. Is it their dress? the arch or those tracks going south? This lovely piece is for sale over at the shop too! Click over to poppytalk to see her picks for today's color: brown!

Ana Ventura : Dreams are my Reality

Ana Ventura, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Orange is one of my favorite colors and this original silkscreen by Ana Ventura makes good use of the color orange! Part of our IPS show (stay tuned for a new edition coming out in December) it's in the shop for purchase. Part of the orange celebration today going on at Poppytalk!
Also - remember this is the last day of the Vision of Squam Show so hop on over to get your artwork - fast! The coupon is still good for this colorful week too - code: color at the end of your checkout!
I am heading off to a design client this morning and then to Concord for a birthday lunch with Megan Bogonovich. Maybe i'll get a few sneak peek photos of her newest work for our show in December!
Have a beautiful day!

Autumn color :: colorful sale! 15% off at our shop!

In the spirit of Autumn and all things colorful (thank you Jan for the inspiration!) we are giving a colorful 15% off of your next purchases at our shop! Just put in the code box at checkout: color 

That will automatically take 15% off your purchases!

Enjoy this beautiful autumn day... off to take some more photos... oh! and while you are at it, stop by Heather's blog for a few more yummy autumnal scenes.

Christine Mason Miller :: Artist interview

Last of the interviews from the participants of "A Vision of Squam" today with Christine Mason Miller. Visit her website right here at Christine Mason Miller. 

I truly hope you have enjoyed the posts and will stay tuned this month for some new podcasts with more artists! 

On with the finale.... 

1. What is your earliest memory of art making?

My clearest memory is of drawing Wile E. Coyote.  I had Road Runner sheets and would sit on my bed drawing the cartoons

.

 2. What is your medium of choice?

A combination of acrylic paints, pastels, paper, ephemera, glue, pen and rubber stamp alphabets.

 3. What are your greatest inspirations for your work?

Nature, memories, questions, color, texture

 4. What is playing in rotation these days while you are working?

I think this question is about what music I am playing...if I am wrong I apologize!  I actually work in silence most of the time. Music tends to distract me.

 5. What is a good art making day look like for you?

MESSY

 6. Who are your favorite artists - living and dead

Robert Rauschenberg, Joe Sorren, Mark Ryden, Sabrina Ward Harrison, Anahata Katkin

 7. Greatest advice given to you which you would like to pass along?

Don't make anything too precious - mistakes are often opportunities!

Poppytalk :: Autumn color week playalong!

Mimi Kirchner  Forest Girl #6  in the shop!

anne weckmann in the shop!
Jan over at Poppytalk initiated a little game this week called Autumn color week! One of the benefits of living in New Hamsphire is our beautiful autumn. It's world renowned and we love it too. So to start off the week, is the color yellow. I am going to pair up some color in the shop each day with the color outside our home and studios!

 Something beautiful to to find out doors (leaves leaves leaves and a few mums!) and inside the shop (just look above!) Happy Monday all, it's going to be a great great week!

Brittany Soucy :: artist interview

Brittany Soucy has agreed to share her answers to the probing questions and send some photos along to illustrate the points  ...  and here they are! Thanks so much Brittany!

 1. What is your earliest memory of art making?

The family room was busting with the every day activities of my family

and I sat by the fireplace with markers and a pile of paper.  I could

feel the energy around me, but I was completely focused.  I was drawing

face after face and the entire expression would change with one little

line in the drawing.  It was unbelievable!  

2. What is your medium of choice?

I like to dabble.  I love learning new tricks.  But I always come back

to acrylics.

3. What are your greatest inspirations for your work?

I love the simple things in life.  Sometimes I will have a moment where

I catch a glimpse of what "living" looks like and where the little joys

come from.  I have five children and I am surprised by that every day

still.  I find inspiration living in them and how they see the world

through their innocence and beauty. The loving relationship I have with

my husband can bring its own kind of inspiration. 

There is so much surrounding us trying to catch our attention, but I

like to zoom in and hyper focus on just a piece of one thing and what it

has to offer the world.

Nature is such an incredible creation and never fails to inspire me.

Food.  Mmmmm.  Something that is delicious as well as beautiful.  You

just can't go wrong there.

Beauty.  I feel like as an artist, it is my job to find beauty.  I find

it everywhere around me, even in the most unlikely places, and it is

inspiring every time.

I never had an "artist community" before I started blogging.  I find

myself constantly inspired by the creativity in others that is abounding

in the blogosphere.  It led me to Squam and I feel that by having other

artists in my life I am being inspired in a way that had never happened

previously.

4. What is playing in rotation these days while you are working?

Jonatha Brooke, Ray LaMontagne, Meiko, Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi

Carslile, Indigo Girls, Amos Lee, The Weepies, and on and on and on.

5. What is a good art making day look like for you?

If I have felt the joy that comes from creation, then it is a good day

6. Who are your favorite artists - living and dead

This is a hard question for me to answer.  I can never choose favorites.

I love whatever I am looking at that is inspiring me in the moment.

There are endless possibilities for favorites and I can't bring myself

to narrow it down. 

7. Greatest advice given to you which you would like to pass along?

Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.  -Pablo Picasso

I love this quote.  It helps me remember that unless I am in action,

this blessing of a talent that brings me joy is being wasted.  It gets

me up off the couch to spread the makings of art in front of me and then

Inspiration has an open invitation.  (and with it, joy.)

Thanks so much for taking the time to join us Brittany!

Visit Brittaey's website right here.

Barbara Hoke :: artist interview

Another artist from the Vision of Squam show... Barbara Hoke. I am so taken with her jewelry and the beautiful quilt that she is standing in front of in the photos below. Thanks for taking part in both the show and the interview Barbara!

What is your earliest memory of art-making?

I remember drawing and painting pictures of animals in kindergarden and the teacher chose my picture of three cats to be in a downtown store window with other school art.  I was astounded to see my work in that store window!

What is your medium of choice?

I've worked in metals (usually jewelry) for years.  But I've taken classes in wood (rustic furniture making and marionette carving), in clay (mostly figurative), and textiles (art quilting).

What are your greatest inspirations?

My family (my son and husband are both musicians), nature (I live near beautiful Lake Champlain in Vermont), and travel, especially the folk art of Mexico.

What is playing in rotation?

Snatum Kaur, Anais Mitchell, Jonatha Brooke, Michael Franti, Iron and Wine, and the Decemberists.

What does a good art-making day look like to you?

Breakfast with my family, then to my studio, where everything that I envision flows easily(!)  Then late afternoon, go out into the world, hopefully moving my body -balancing out the stillness of working in my studio.

Favorite artists, living and dead?

Hundertwasser, Klimt, Roxanne Swentzell, Maira Kalman, and Cami Davis.

Greatest advice given to you which you would like to pass along?

What comes to mind is something I read on Judy Wise's blog which her husband said,  "It is a terrible loss if we only let others sing for us, make music for us, paint for us, write for us."  I try to remember this as I try a new medium or technique.  And I sing with a group of friends every Sunday morning!

Thanks Barbara for taking part in the interviews from Vision of Squam!

Albina McPhail :: Marsh March

marsh march by Albina McPhail

I am so taken by this painting in the gallery by Albina. It bridges the gap for me from summer to fall. It's the perfect blend of both. Available in our shop right here! Lots to show today, so stay tuned later for some more interviews and perhaps a little sneak peek at our renos here at home. Enjoy the day!

Adorable husband

r made this for me - s, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

his little scribble of an alphabet for me. and his shadow ... yea! it's almost friday!