More Pigments from the show

Lisa Congdon cadmium, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

If you haven't already seen this lovely piece, I suggest that you pop over here and check it out!
By Lisa Congdon - part of our Pigmentary Portraits exhibition.
Thank you all for the nice comments from the last post. You are all wonderful.
A huge thanks too to Jan at Poppytalk for mentioning my new-ish little etsy shop - flohmarkt. I have an update of wonderful plates this next week there. More on that later...

rainbow tomatoes

rainbow tomatoes, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

A quick pop in to say happy Monday. Here is a spectacular shot from daughter Grace before she hopped off to college on Sunday. Of course we had to go replace her hard drive on her mac book on the way ... thank goodness for local Apple stores. It gave up the go the night before we were to leave, but they popped another one in and she was 100% by the day's end. Phew.

I will be posting as much as I can over the next two weeks, with some great new works coming into the gallery, new links and lots of fun photos from our trip too.
Just a lot on our plates right now! Squam Arts Workshop is coming up on the 10th and I have a few details to wrap up with our next exhibition too! Did you miss what we have been showing all summer? I hope not! Take a peek over here at the shop to see what we have left of "Pigmentary Portraits"... it's beautiful!
My mother has been ill as well, so perhaps there will be less posts than normal until mid month. Who knows!?
Be good everyone and keep your sunny side up!

Interview with Amy from Pikaland!

I am so thrilled to share an interview with Amy from the fabulous Pikaland today! I asked her a few questions and her answers are below. Pop over to her Flickr -- it is full of images from the artists packages she puts together and her own world: Pikaland. I participated in her July package, and was thrilled to get my very own version of that month's. So now, sit back, enjoy and do visit her site right here for a wonderful view of some of her lovely packages...

1. Tell us a little bit about your first fond memories of creating something - how old were you and where did it happen?

I remembered drawing all the time when I was young, so I can't really remember the exact moment when I created art. I mostly drew pretty girls on scraps of paper, on my schoolbooks, and sometimes even my desk. My teachers were having quite the headache because I'd rather draw than hear them speak.

2. What experience as an adult was the most significant person or turning point for your creative endeavors?

For the longest time I immersed myself into the online craft world. But I felt something was missing, and I couldn't quite figure out what it was. I just went along with it for 4 years, and during this time, I stopped drawing, mainly because I was working full-time and although I did the usual doodling, I didn't take it all too seriously.

All this changed when I entered Illustration Friday last year. The response to one of my pieces was hugely uplifting, and it stirred something in me. So much that when I came back from work, I only wanted to complete my next IF challenge, even if it took me well into the next morning. And then I discovered Keri Smith, and everything else started to reveal itself to me.

3. What materials are your favorite to work with and why?

I love charcoal and pencils. I also love the irregularities of a brush dipped into ink.

4. How did you come to the idea for creating Pickapackage and why?

It all started with Pikaland. I wanted to gather the things I find that's made by illustrators and artists into a place where I can read up on for inspiration. I find that because I am also learning to mould my style, I look to a lot of people's work to see what makes them tick, and I find that hugely cathartic. So after the site was born, I found that there were a lot of them selling their art, and because of this reason, it's so hard for people to keep up with artists and their work, and it's difficult to decide which to get. I'm starting a small shop of my own to sell my work, and I do realize that it's hard to get your things out there sometimes.

So that's how the PikaPackage Project was born. The idea behind it was a simple premise of encouraging participation into the world of affordable art. It's also a small gallery in way, where select artists get the spotlight for a month. I started it as a small endeavor, and I still can't believe the following it has right now. It's hugely encouraging when I receive notes and emails from readers, participants and buyers about how they loved their packages, and how their shops have benefitted from the exposure.

There's more things to be done, and this is just the beginning. The benefit of being small is that I can easily change and make it better for everyone easily. I am indebted by the support given to me by the participants, who believed in the project and continue to support me by giving me valuable feedback in every step of the way.

5. Are there things specific to where you live which inspire your own work?

For the moment, I would have to say no. My ideas are derived through a lot of reading done when I was young, and thus I didn't have boundaries to creating because was conjuring up images from my imagination. I was also exposed to a lot of artists online for the past few years, and that helped me shape my belief that art is universal. And because right now I don't have an inclination to be more site specific, I find that my mind works harder to create new possibilities.

6. What is your favorite desert?

Oooh. A hot-from-the-oven brownie plus a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Mmmm.

7. What does a really great day look like to you?

A great day would be one that starts off early. I like to clear my work early so that I can have a long lunch, and some time off with a book (I'm now reading The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp). I run in the evenings, and play with my dogs after.

P/S--about my studio:
I have a very small space at the moment (as you can see from my pictures!), but I'm going to move into my own space by the end of the year, so I'm really excited about that.

the motherlode of mod mikasa

the motherlode of mod mikasa, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.
just a little late night news flash... i will admit it. i am a dish a holic.
i love kitchen goods and well, this set was just screaming my name out at the local shop.

i got it home and heard the groans of my family.... so i reluctantly listed it in my little flohmarkt shop.
go there, have fun, save me from myself!
a full service for four with the only flaw being one tiny chip in the top of the sugar bowl.
hey, maybe i can keep the little shallow dishes.....

Lisa Solomon Tyrian

Lisa Solomon Tyrian, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Lest I forget to mention my thrill to return to the gallery today and see the beautiful work from Lisa and Lisa on the walls, I would be amiss.

This Tyrian piece is one of my favorites. Notice the dog? The crown? The beautiful shell? One of the many works from Pigmentary Portraits, still available here at the shop. This is the time to invest in great art. To have something real in your home which is not digital nor poster-ized. Need some time to mull it over? OK, do so, but it comes down on Sept. 4th. Need some time to pay? No problem! We have layaway. And love to do so. Just ask.
Happy weekend lovely readers. Sunshine is abundant here with my thoughts turning to the beach. What are your plans for this wonderful magical time we call summer?

Sailing back home

two in a boat, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Back home again, to a sunny day in NH, (I heard there were very few whilst we were gone!) a wet garden and lots of friends and family to greet us. Our trip was picture perfect with loads of relaxing and family/friends to catch up with. I even met my buddy Kristina who flew from Rome to visit us in Muenster. Angie and Beatte came to visit too, so happiness abounded in visits from blogging buddies. Visiting our local Muenster friends was special too with loads of cake, grills and lots of prosting going on. The family love was strong too. Did I mention I was rested? And the cake! Oh my.

On to the photo above... I am posting this photo of the illustration I did for my inlaw's 50th wedding anniversary for two reasons. First you asked to see it and secondly as a response to Illustration Friday's prompt: Sail.

These two are in one boat - one sails by the stars, one by the storms.
It's sort of like life. A good life and one greatly worth celebrating. More photos and finds once I sort out the bits. Until then, you can peer at my flickr as the photos pop up. Still downloading mass quantities! (edit::edit::edit thyself)

the back garden swing

the back garden swing, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

we've landed in germany, happy to be off the treadmill and into the swing of vacation.
see you all soon with lots of photos of the "muensterland"