Lily Devine

It's birthday week ... so presents all around! Today we will have cake, presents, and party games with little prizes!
Our first guest comes by with Lily Devine handbags - straight from the coast of Maine in our gallery shop! They are reversible and easy to care for, as well as being colorful and fun to wear. No two are ever alike, as Lily uses vintage buttons, stacked high for the closures and different combinations of fabric for handles and lining each and every time! Her fabrics run from mod dots to brocade and silk. Something for everyone with a fabulous simple design which just works. We love Lily!

Happy Birthday Blog!

a pretty old box of paints i was given years ago ... and just had to keep.
Today is the blog's birthday! It has been a wonderful year, with so many meaningful friendships emerging and meeting a few fellow bloggers in person. My original goal, to be journaling and improving my writing on a daily basis - through practice, came from watching my daughter Grace write (by hand) in her journal for 12 years, daily. I thought it would be good to take a stab at it and explore the idea by including bits and pieces of our life in the gallery, a dash of personal, (but not too personal), and the launch of our ideas and online shop.
To say the least it has been a wonderful experience. I've learned a lot, met some of the nicest people and many talented artists from around the globe. It has opened a lot of new doors for our gallery and design studios and has set our mind free to explore the world from a new perspective. Thank you all, each and every one for sharing your experiences with me too!

Watch this space for some birthday treats and the announcement of our international call for entries exhibition ... (yes, that is part of the surprise... just a hint)
p.s. New items in the shop this morning too! - collages by Corey Amaro, Lily Devine handbags!

Lesa Morrissey

For about a year now we have been carrying some special art rugs at artstream. Lesa Morrisey is the "hooker" behind these designs. She has taught classes from Canada to California in her unique and innovative techniques which includes three dimensional work as well as more traditional flat pieces. We also have some little gems of hers - all under $40 which can spiff up your coat (wool flowers at $20) to your desk (small mats $20-$40) with a little textile art made from 100% wool. She even does portraits and sculptural vegetables! She will commission full size room rugs and most anything you might like in a wool hooked rug - and some things you might not even think of. Contact us if you are interested in something special. The smaller works of Lesa are now available in our online shop!

More Flavour design goodness

I know I showed a few things I found from Flavour Design Co. last week, but one more item which is enviro friendly, luscious and would look so good on a holiday table! Love these tealight holders - made from dead fall spalted alder wood -- aged to perfection and just look at that grain! three sizes and only $26.

artstream

Last night was our finale to the Ekphrastic Art Project II. We revisited the poems and the visual art response in the gallery and then after some wine and tidbits we moved over to the Roberge Center to hear the poets perform their work and see the dance response to the poems. It was a very memorable evening filling everyones eyes and ears with art that will stay with us for a long time. The exhibition will be up through Jan 2, if you happen to be in our neighborhood.

Clear

the tree of my life
mixed media/transfer on birch plywood 17" by 12"

Clearly, this is my family tree. My maternal grandmother is at the tippytop. My namesake is at 3 o'clock holding my mother as a baby. I had just finished this piece for a family gift this Christmas and well, it clearly is full of our personal history. It fit the IF prompt -- clear, for me!
Looking for clairity? Check out Illustration Friday.

Boiled Art Letterpress

Our newest line of lovely new letterpress cards arrived yesterday! They are in our gallery card section from Boiled Art Editions from Minnesota. We chose five designs and colors to make these our very own. Find them here in our shop! Nice new work from Brian Aldrich and Boiled Art Editions.

Busy as a Bee

student "Grace" w/painting
daughter Grace with date
The last five days have been ... busy, very busy! If I haven't gotten back to you, it is not because I haven't wanted to, I have just been swamped...

Our online shop is all a buzz, (thankyou dear readers) the gallery is simply filled daily and there are four major events at artstream this month! Last night was the children's art exhibit at the library, with 60 of my students work on display. It coincided with my daughter Grace's senior semiformal and some rain thrown in for good measure. This Saturday brings our Poet to artists project conclusion with a performance and next Saturday is filmstream our short film festival.

Through all this we are cooking up something grand for next year -
We are going to announce in early December a special call for entries for a project in Feburary for the gallery and a very good cause. That is all I will say for now .... All you artists - stay tuned!

The word for the day is ... patience ... as in ... one can never have enough.

Pink Bathtub Holiday

Cute name, cute cards! Here are just a few of the hand block printed designs we received at the gallery. Here at our shop or at Noelle's etsy site too! and if you are in Pittsburg on the 11th stop by Handmade Arcade to see her booth!

Flavour Design Co.

We have been mulling over the major task of redesigning our kitchen and one of the items which is on my personal list is a hanging pot rack. This one takes the cake! The Double Happiness character potrack from Elan and Mark Falvai of Flavour Design Co. in British Columbia just blew me away. Pricey yes, but when you spend as much time in the kitchen as we do, it just could be worth it as a major focal point in the room which is useful as it is beautiful!

Cruise their site for these other yummy items for your home and a great selection of cute cards that you can order right from the site!
Bon Appetit!

Egg Press, continued

One more peek at another Egg Press holiday card.
I love the pattern on the envelope! Joy! Available here.

Remember to

VOTE
just do it.
it feels good.
it makes a difference.
it gives you a voice.
there is still time.

Egg Press Holiday is Here!

I finally got a few photos taken of some of our new holiday Egg Press cards! One word: sweet!
Get them now as they are starting to fly.... more in the shop ...

Corey Amaro's French Papers

... are in the shop now! Each packet different, each one filled with French charm!
Each packet includes 25 pieces of vintage papers and 2 new collages!
Also, check out her photographs as well! Only one of each.

Smoke

"they lit a fire" 8"x10" acrylic on paper
Here is a sketch I worked on over the weekend for a new series of paintings.
It involves a campfire and where there's a campfire there is smoke. Which leads me to IF again... Clear through the fog and see the smoke at Penelope's fabulous Illustration Friday.

Andrea Pratt

Most of you have heard of Andrea Pratt, haven't you? Her work is over at her blog and we have been blogging buddies for most of the year. Her work is highly iconic and vibrant in color, with such a great detail to stroke that all my waxing poetic here can do it no justice. We are thrilled to offer a small selection of her paintings at our online gallery - so if you can't stop by the gallery, please take a peek over here! Two of the original paintings are only $100 and are just glowing gems of color. Her work is award winning and her style is all her own.

The word for the day is ... chill ... as in Sundays, the evening weather, and something going up my spine!

Pillow talk

I just read (at design *sponge) that Imelda from Imedagoze - another one of my favorite daily reads - has been chosen as a finalist in the Inhabit pillow contest!Go vote for her there! How wonderful! Her designs are beautiful.
Go Imelda go! ... I love the pink set the best, but would be happy with any of them.

Poems, art and guests

Just insode the door: Corey Amaro's photographs and poem

an early guest with Adam's sculpture

guests and artist Matt Wyatt on r. Paris Breakfasts behind - on the wall!

Adam on left, for whom I am ever indebted to for his
generous help, constantly. Part of his new sculpture.

side shot of the window, birds, bags and photos
close up of the coe and waito birds and lily devine handbags

Last night proved to be a wonderful experience for both the poets and the artists and our guests. Special note went to the extra extra girley window filled with beautiful French photographs and poems, and our newest handmade, each one of a kind, Lily Devine handbags! A few more snippets here of some of the guests and then on to some of the individual works ... later!

Pat Frisella and Manny on left Jen White on right

Just before the show...

No time to chat - just a few more photos of our window, Corey's work, some of the other pieces and in process tom foolery!

Snippets of the show ...

four paris breakfast delights .11x14 inches click to enlarge!

erik boettcher does it again with this great piece! click to enlarge

encaustic paper and wood cut print sculpture by judith heller cassell click to enlarge!

"painting poetry" by andrea reid acrylic 16 x 16 inches $75 click to enlarge!
Last night was quite a late one as we hung the new show. The window is not done yet, but here are a few snippets of some of the pieces. It's not even quite 7 a.m. but there is a lot yet to do, so will leave the captions to fill you in for now as we have our glorious window left to do. I'll give you a few hints though -- yes , those are Carol from Paris Breakfasts watercolors, one of these pieces was made by a student and Marie Antoinette will have had nothing on us with our use of icing like effects for the front window... See something you like? Email me they are all for sale!

November 1

Camilla Engman image from design sponge
Where did the time go? Autumn is my favorite season - or at least August to November ... November 1 brings fun things though. New items in the design*sponge shop! This little print by the wonderful Camilla Engmen caught my eye and it is an affordable indulgence. New jewelry from Lily Devine coming to our little shop soon today too and beautiful photographs from Corey as well as her lovely "sachet" packets of emphemera French style... will be available on Friday both at our opening and online!

The word for the day is ... delight ... as in special lovely feelings about most anything which tickles your fancy!

Ekphrastic Art II

You are all invited!

Friday November 3rd 5:30-7:30pm Exhibit Opening
Saturday November 11th 7:00-9:00pm Poetry Reading and Dance Response

In July 2005 fifteen poets participated in a collaborative project of the Poetry Society of New Hampshire and artstream. They choose a piece of artwork to write a poem from, which was then displayed alongside in the gallery.

In 2006 the process is reversed: Poets submitted works that are base for the visual artists to create the artwork for this exhibition. Additionally these poems will be the inspiration for dances performed by Elysium Dance Project in a special event on Saturday, November 11th.

Art inspires art: enjoy – and get inspired.