Market 100

my wall at the exhibition... the little chunky paintings +1
Dream Garden

Well, last night was quite a trip ... Rainer and I drove down to the opening at Market 100 just as the first drops of rain began. The place was packed with people and quite a lot of art. We were late (as usual) and just as the rain started and the heavy doors started to blow in - the wind picked up and bam! Lightening struck the rennovated church steeple in Market Square and Jean from McLane law offices said that my painting: "Fireflies" was the judges choice for best in show.
Quite a surprise. But a very nice one. Thank you jury!
The steeple was a horrible loss to a group already working hard to raise money to rennovate and refurbish it. Not good! There seems to be some thoughts that it will recover through insurance though, let's hope so...
Then ... the rain and gale force winds stopped and we enjoyed the rest of the evening with some Mumms after a dinner with friends at Shalimar and drove home thinking of what I should spend the prize money on. Suggestions?
Now back to reality and a little weeding of the garden, a little painting and a lot of computer entries for the new online shop! Thank you all who have stopped by already with such lovely comments!

artstream gallery online shop! It's here...

Our new online gallery shop has been uploaded with lots of goodies from the gallery.Affordable original artwork (starting at $25) jewelry, pottery, sculpture, pillows, cards, flower rings and pins from angie and ... more coming daily for at least a week ... (Davis studio pottery for instance...) this is just a smattering to start!
A huge hug to Claudine Hellmuth for being the first to blog about the shop. Come see her fabulous original sketches and soon her canvases too! Warning! Most all of the items are one of a kind, originals, so it may not be back when you return! We will be adding some other blogging artists work today too so check back at the shop soon...

Beachin It

"beach " oil 12" by 18" Susan Schwake-Larochelle

Today is one of those perfect beach days. Sunny warm, light breeze lovely smells in the air.
Schade, (pity) that I can't buzz out to the beach today. Instead I will work on getting our fall school brochure done now that I have dropped off my seven paintings near the beach (got a glimpse of the water) in Portsmouth for the show on Friday night. The brochure will coincide with other BIG news of which is so close I guess I will have to leak it to you now...
artstream will launch a new facet to our bricks and mortar gallery - our online gallery shop! Look for it this week!
We are very excited to offer our gallery pieces through the web and show original works starting at $25. Everyone can afford something original in artwork! I will link it from our regular site and this blog. We are thrilled to have this feature as we keep finding people from around the country dropping in to the site and our shop on their travels through New England who contact us and now we can be "out there" in the cybersphere showing a smattering of what we do and who we represent. Wheeeee!
Oh yes, for those who have asked about the above painting ... it has been in my studio for seven years as a calm port to many a storm raging in that space. Sort of a studio sidekick? See more sidekicks at Studio Friday.
Enjoy this glorious day which no word of the day can express!

Shiny Moment - Textured papers

bird collage of handmade textured papers 9" x 12"


Making textured papers for your own collage work or with your children is a lot of fun.
This collage I made has bird wings made from this plastic wrap paintings.One of my classes did this process together and I have the photo tutorial here. It is a really simple method for ages 2 and up. This collage above has more interesting methods of texturing paper and I will continue to share them with you as the summer moves on... slowly however as it is after all ... summer!
Go play with this... have fun!

The word for the day is ... compose ... a song in your heart, an idea for play, and a delicious dessert for dinner.

Nick Park

Nick Park is a graduate of UNH's BFA program and one of our favorite artists at the gallery. Remember this winter his work which I showed here? Well all of you who live in SF can hop on over to view his latest work at Medicine at the corner of Sutter at Kerny... He sent me this lovely invitation and sadly I can't fly out to one of the coolest places ever to attend. It looks stunning though and as a big fan of his work I would reccomend it heartily. These watercolors look juicy!
Here is an excerpt he sent me about the work:
'Lost in Space' is a phrase that gives the sense of vastness. Put aside the hopeless aspect of being lost and take the macrocosm of celestial bodies down in size to the plant life around us and one can lose oneself in the clusters and space with a more graspable but equally complex intensity. These watercolors are about witnessing natural organization. I am calling it 'Plantarium' to link the kingdom of flora with the spread of galactic bodies projected in gazing domes. While the size of the work is smaller than the dome of a planetarium I hope that balance and expansion (things true to both of these instances of macro and micro-nature) will be held in the work.

Here are two of the works which will appear at the show as well as the poster for the event.
August 3 from 6-9 p.m. Just go... he is a wonderful person and a fabulous artist and deserves the support!

The word for the day is ... lazy ... as in doing a lot of nothing, trying to avoid work at all and a nap when you really don't need it!

When blogging can make a difference...

As a huge fan of Penelope Dullaghan (think Illustration Friday) I read her blog religiously. Her sister in law Alison is very ill as you will read below in a post which appeared today. Please make a postcard if you are able to ... never underestimate the power of positive thinking and doing it together. My students started making them tonight and I hope to send a big package by the end of the week.

"As you know, my sister-in-law Alison was diagnosed with stage four cancer a few weeks ago. She is still undergoing many tests and scans, and they are working on a treatment plan for her right now. She’s being so strong during all of this, but could really use your support. Here’s how:
Christine Miller (aka Swirly Girl) has an ongoing project called 52 Figments. Each week she posts a question and participants answer on a postcard and send them to her. She then uploads them all into an online gallery. This week, in support of Alison, she has requested that all participants create a postcard with the message “YOU ARE A CANCER SURVIVOR.”

Christine will post all the postcards she receives on flickr, as usual, but she is also going to box up all the cards and mail them to Alison. Imagine Alison getting a whole box full of beautiful postcards with those words “You are a cancer survivor.” I think it will boost her spirits and help her know that we are all behind her as she beats this awful illness."
Click here to participate! Please do!
(Or you can go to the 52 Figments page and click on “Special Request”.) Thanks!
- from Penelope's blog today at Penelope Dullaghan Illustration

The Melting Pot and much more ...

quilt hand batiked and sewn by The Melting Pot


Nancy hard at work ...


some of the cute teeshirts ready to go at the shop ...

brooklyn bridge pillows and clouds and a giraffe pillow

racks just full of great cotton clothes for you and yours

Chloe and the "Lobster Trap" by Alexander Calder, MoMa

How can I stop with just one post about a most exciting extended weekend? I have to show you
a few of the gems ...
Great stops and shops in Brooklyn ...
Park Slope ...

My guide Grace Bonney (thanks again Grace for taking the time!)and Rena Tom at her shop Rare Device

Amy at Greenjeans next door (we carry a lot of the same work in our galleries! their shop is so lovely ... notice the beautiful Davis Studio Pottery next to Amy!)
Great coffee and sweets at Naidres on 7th too!

Go get your hair cut (if you dare or are 12 yrs old...) at Julies for $15!

Walk down to Bococoa (where we were staying) and see:

hasker at 333 Smith Street. (this WAS the best photo Hassan and Kerry... sorry!)
We fell in love with the table in the background, so when we pop back for a visit in September we will be picking that baby up. Not sure yet of the white chairs, but man we loved that table. Hassan and Kerry are absolutely lovely shop owners and have some of the finest design pieces and housewares around. Porcelain from Anna Black knocked me out as well as some slick glasses and pitchers from Sweden.

For those who have tweens or teens or even for yourself check out AliCat nyc 222 Court St. A nice collection of clothing for young girls and some things for young women too!
Back over on Smith was another clothing store for women which was my personal favorite, ... Flirt at 252 Smith. What a boutique. Great looks and special order made for you skirts to create! Also on Smith (can you tell we loved this area?) was a tiny tiny enamel red shop called Frida's Closet. Daughter Grace and I went wild in there. T-shirts and custom made dresses (made by hand in NYC) which were inspired by Frida. How can you lose? Back in our neck of the woods on Atlantic in Boerum Hill is the lighting store of my choice - RICO. Their lighting work is fantastic as well as their furniture and well, the biggest question is how to choose?

Dear friends and our more than gracious hostsesses Tammy and Nancy own The Melting Pot on Atlantic between Nevins and Third. This 34 year old business has been a mainstay for the Boerum Hill area and Nancy has been a great advocate for the area for years. While the Batik by Nancy line has been sold all over the world (sort of like Nancy's travels!) you can get it right on Atlantic too. The bold designs and the colors of these made by hand batiks in clothing for children (my girls grew up in them ... check them out in the photo album inside the store) and for adults with a funky retro flair. OK Tammy doesnt wear them often, (or at all?) but right now as I sit and type, a cloud tanktop is my look of the moment). There is nothing cuter for your newborn than a quilt as shown above which they make there, or sweet little union suits made from the butter soft interlock cotton grown, stitched, and batiked in the USA. Tammy and Nancy are two of my favorite people in the world and now Tammy's husband Eric joins the circle. What a hoot he is. Thank you all for yet another memorable, comfortable looooong weekend at your magnificent home in Brooklyn!

The word for the day is ... friends ... as in what would you do without them, someone you can tell your silliest 5th grade jokes to, and the people you feel at home with.

Brooklyn and Manhattan

celebrating Bastille day on Smith Street in Brooklyn.

this indian resturant - Raga - is so good we ate there twice!
notice the purple shirt? friend nancy and tammy made that...

rapisarda - a fabu Brazillian influenced shop in Bococa
(Boerum Hill Cobble Hill Carroll Gardens)

when it is hot, the hot eat mr. softee - extra sprinkles please -
check out the new "doo" and shades... what a city girl...

do i ever get tired of neon? never.

in the newly remodeled MoMa with my favorite sculpture ...

waiting for the train home ... a lovely daughter.

Sunday morning in the garden ...

can there ever be enough of friends, family, real bagels and lox? (thank you eric)

Hello! we are back and what a truly amazing mini vacation we had. One word for it: INSPIRING.
Rainer and Mary Jo always reminds me that we need to take time for a recharging of our batteries... I won't go on today - describing our days spent enjoying ourselves as a family in one of our favorite spots in the world - but for now, will do it with captions and photos. I hope you enjoy the flavor. Our friend Tammy had her birthday party in Manhattan at Pier 17's Seqouia. What a view! I visited many design shops, met some wonderful people including Grace Bonney from design*sponge ( what a wonderful person!) for coffee and a walk around her part of Brooklyn in my travels! (a great treat!) We met up with Rena Tom, of Rare Device on 7th in Park Slope ... (what a delightful shop she has) and Greenjeans owner Amy, also a gorgeous shop - just next door to Rena's! So much to buy, so little time ... More in the days to follow as there is unpacking to do, design work to finish and paintings to wire up for delivery!
Stay cool!
The word for the day is inspired by Mary Jo and seconded by the Cogan clan and endorsed by German husband - Zaftig - as in a juicy life, a pleasingly plump woman and all that you want.

Home and abroad

neighbors 8x8x2.5 acrylic
dedicated to our dear dear neighbors MaryBeth and Christian
Today is getting full already ... just found out that my dream garden and six "Home" series pieces are juried into the Market 100 exhibit in Portsmouth. Well, hooray! Better that they are abroad than in my studio, right? It is a beautiful space - alternative gallery housing law firms, banana republic and some other businesses. It is always fun to show there too so I will make sure I get photos at the opening later this month and share them. Three shows in a summer though have been a little much. Good thing I have all the paintings ready!

Much more importantly, could you all keep my mother and my friend Pat in your healing prayers and thoughts? My mom had eye surgery yesterday and we are hoping that it will help correct some of her vision. She is almost blind and still quite healthy and active in every other way. This operation could make or break what is left of her vision. It is difficult at best to keep this woman down. My friend Pat could use some healing thoughts too ... she is having extensive testing done this week and next in Boston and has been through a lot already with not knowing what is causing her blood to not function correctly. It is serious and we are worries. Please send wishes to her at this link. Pat is the one who took those amazing photos of the sand sculptures.

And lastly, we are off to Brooklyn to celebrate our dear friend Tamara's 40th birthday. Tammy and Nancy (her mother) have had a batik business on Atlantic Ave between Nevins and Third for over 30 years. They sell there whimsical baby clothing and delightful adult tees and scarves worldwide and are just two of the most wonderful people in the world! Hoping to meet up with a couple of very special blogging people there as well too ... will show all on our return next week. Will someone please call off this rain?

The word for the day is ... HOPE ... as in never give up, believe, and it WILL work out.

Birds, Fish and Personal series

birds and bean parts I, II, and III mixed media on gesso board cradled 8x8x2.5 inches

Today or tomorrow... these and the fish series and the two personal panels will be going to the Collector's Art Gallery in Rye, NH. for the upcoming exhibition entitled alternate realities. I am pleased to be part of this show. The curator, Albina Colden has been doing a crack up job putting together artists from this area for provocative and thoughtful exhibitions. The opening is Friday evening the 14th from 5 to 8 p.m. Consider yourself invited and then take a stroll on the beach nearby afterwards!

The word for the day is ... forward ... as in "tally ho", move it move it, and fast forward [as the summer seems to be fleeting through its sparkling moments]

**How to Note** For those who take my mixed media classes, most of them ask before I even show them about image transfer processes. Because that has been a large part of my art for 20 years now, and all the above works going to the exhibition in Rye have some of that in them. I always start with showing the acrylic medium transfer method. Here is a great tutorial from Portland artist Paul Fujita. I have one of his skateboard works hanging in the studio for inspiration and just love it! This tutorial is the method which I use most. However there are many other methods available to you to try. Inspire me Thurday showed two great and very easy methods I have used before, which my Creativity Class will be exploring on Wednesday.
There are no real mysteries in making art, just a lot of processes and I find it is always better to share the wealth with other artists as it comes back to you seven fold before you know it!
So go try some of these methods and have fun, and no more carping about drawing straight lines and such....

Sand Castles and Children's Rooms

images from Pat Spillar
Friend Pat showed her snaps from the beach near here - they held their yearly competition. Just look at the emphmeral art of the sandsculptors! Wow.
a rose is a rose?

breeezy!

for the animal lover...
images from Eijffinger

I also found some great wall stickers - which to me, not being a big big fan of this sort of "decor" turned me into a believer. These are Eijffinger images for your wall or your children's wall. OK I wouldn't put them on my wall, but for a child's room, or hmm why not that big rose for a small bathroom for some punch? OK maybe! They are from the Netherlands, but if you contact the company here, they can ship. Seems like they are open to it. And some of the images are really full of fun ...
My daughter's room is finally finished, (just in time for her arrival home today from camp!) save for finding the perfect rug (any ideas?) and finishing two small 10x10 paintings (at her request) of some pink, turqouise and chocolate brown flowery fantasy things. Hmmmm... something to think about! Photos to come of it next week. Off to watch the world cup... (and a swim) Let's go Germany!

The word for today is ... JOY! ... of everyone home again, a sunny Saturday and welcome home hugs and kisses...

Bayou (Skyline)

bayou acrylic and ink 8"x 8"x2.5"


Last night before we shut our eyes around midnight, I spied a bright yellow green light the size of a LED in the window! It was flashing off and on. I was amazed! A live firefly! My German husband had never seen (in his words) ... a flashlight sort of bug. They are more like "glowing embers" in Germany he said, not this wild ambulance light of an insect which we have. It put on quite a show for a few minutes and then disappeared ... or did I go to sleep? Ah well, either way, it was fantastic. There seems to be less and less of them around which is sad to me as they are one of the few insects that I find facinating.

Here is the second work from the series. Bayou. A small house on the open water out of the Bayou in Louisiana somewhere in my dream away from it all under a deep red moon. The people inside are having a dance party with all the lanterns and candles in the house lit.

That's my rural skyline for Illustration Friday too. Go to IF to find more skylines!

davistudio: Modern Table Art: Craft Work

A great article ... someone is noticing what is going on around here...
and look at the lovely magazine cover above with Mary Ann's pottery! Stunning as usual...
davistudio: Modern Table Art: Craft Work

Home (part one)

"fireflies" home series part I acrylic, ink on canvas 8" x 8"
click image for a larger view

I have been working on the dream garden series for the summer alongside of finishing my DH's eye ... and starting a portrait of Grace, my daughter. The Home series are fanciful places from composite memories of my past dreams, travels and imagination. Fireflies is drawn from my youth. Sitting in the back garden with the moon above and the house far away seeing swarms of these facinating bugs fly around. I am sure they were not that color nor were they that large but somehow that is how they came out. It is a small and deep canvas so I thought they could fly around the sides.
In my poppy paintings, I used larger versions of the same canvases and blurred the images on the side, much like viewing a something with a turn of the head. The focus can only be on one thing, so the edges are blurred. In these canvases, I chose to make them fanciful. Isn't it great being queen of your own canvas and make your own rules? I think so!

The word for the day is ... healing ... as in something theraputic for you, a slow process and a self healing cutting board for paper/fabric. (yes, I have to get sewing soon...)

Montreal

fashion ... fashion ...

shop!

Jazz at night on the streets near the Contemporary Art Museum

One of the stages on the waterfront, warming up for the evening show.

a small market near the Metro

Part of the Canadian Olympic Team down on the waterfront

DH getting jazzy with the camera

closed on Sundays but lovely to look at through the glass...

So much to see, so much to do, so much relaxing time in a beautiful friendly city! What a wonderful long weekend we had exploring McGill University and the city which holds it in the palm of it's hand.
Growing up on the Canadian border in Vermont, Montreal was the city we went to for our serious shopping excursions and I remember feeling as warm towards the city then as I do now from our past weekend's trip there. Yes, I could let my baby live and study there and still feel comfortable five hours away. (did I just actually SAY that?)
We didn't know the Jazz Festival was going on when we left on Friday... but had the time of our lives when we found it each day and night in the streets. There were festivals galore scattered around the city too including a Francophile one with traditional dancing and music and an international culture celebration embracing the vast diversity which lives in the city. The fact that it was Canada day too was a bonus! Fireworks and extra merriment...
We also visited the Museum of Contemporary Art to see the current works of Brian Jungen
which are nothing short of astounding. Check out the link for more of his plastic lawn chair whale bone sculptures and his Air Jordan Nike sneaker masks. Truly mindbending. The little shops and design firms as well as the galleries are enough to keep you there for months in exploration mode. Favorites which we visited were Galerie Orange with the friendliest directeur Stephane Cauchies on Saint-Paul Street and the Gala Galerie d'Art on St.-Laurent st.
The food was nothing short of amazing as well as the music. We had some of the best Indian food we have ever had,( yes, including London), and very affordable!
The trip was well needed, save for the huge blister I got on the ball of my foot from all that walking about... strange, I THOUGHT I was wearing sensible shoes. Anyway, make Montreal a destination if you have not been there, it is most assuredly one of the finest cities anywhere.

The word for the day is ... soak ... as in your sore feet, and soak up the culture or the wonderfulness of being alive.