10,000 things to be happy about

When I was a freshman in college I bought the book, "10,000 things to be happy about" Now there is an updated version--they added 4,000 more things. One of my favorite movies from my childhood was Pollyanna. Do you remember the glad game? There is so much to be thankful for--so much to be happy about. I'm going to list a few of my recent favorites.

new toothbrush
thunderstorms
walking across the street holding hands
packing tape from Publix at a reasonable price
Tommy saying, "I googled Particle Accelerator"
Free buttons
Original ideas
A true friend
Eternal Truth
Sharpies
my sewing machines
sand between my toes
salty water in my eyes
A clean house--if I could have one--I would be thoroughly happy
Finding
trip to New York
Leaving bad ideas in the dust...

Free Art Friday, Mail art and Chromo

I participated in "Free Art Friday". I don't know why I did it... releasing my art into the unknown... not knowing if someone will pick it up to love or just toss it or what...??? I left her with the tag in the photo... with my info. No response and if they didn't respond already--they probably won't. ha!

I was on Art In Your Ear hosted by JoEllen Schilke. Last year when I was really down with stuff... she listened and offered help. JoEllen is a shelter in the storm of life. She owns and runs and cooks for...the Globe Coffee Lounge--a great little hang out in downtown St. Petersburg. She is a blend of art, music and good food. Anyway--none of that has to do with Art In Your Ear... so JoEllen is also the host of the Art In Your Ear show... on 88.5... public radio! She wears many hats. Coralette, Tommy and I headed over to Tampa and we got their a little too early. You can never judge Tampa traffic. Tommy made friends with the receptionist... I chatted away nervously to Coralette... telling her random things about my life. I'm sure she was just thrilled! She was as cool as a cucumber. Then Jorge walked in the door with his latest protoge. He and her were going on after us pitching the latest project for the Morean arts center. I listened to their bit later and I still can't figure out what it's about. I'll have to listen again. JoEllen led us into the radio studio. I sat in a high office chair with a giant microphone in my face. Then the bumbling began... I was running on adrenaline. Who knows what I said about mail art. Tommy did well and was short and to the point when answering questions. You never know what a kid is going to say but he did well. Coralette has a knack for giving the right answers--she was made for interviews. I don't think she was nervous at all! All I really wanted to say was "Hi Mom," "Testtower are you out there?" and "Courside Grille donated 3 gift cards!!" JoEllen wasn't about to let any of that happen... she led me down a path of questions and answers like picking up a bread crumb trail. It was easy--she made it that way. And all that nervousness seemed a bit wasted. Radio interview--a first for me. This has been a year of firsts. Chromatophore is going to be a smashing success. I can taste it. It's all downhill from here--even hanging the show... I know that I haven't told them (Studio 620) what or how the show is going to look... but I see it, I know it, I feel it... and on Wed. when we hang--it will all come together. And it's going to be something that all the contributors and viewers are going to love.

Today I did this doodle--self portrait--I was looking in the passenger vanity mirror while driving to church. I hadn't had time to draw in a few days and was going through some withdrawals. So I started working on this piece and will send it out as mail art. I like the piece...

Just one more thing... Podpost's book, "Good Mail Day." is AWESOME. It really gives some great guidelines, rules, advice, how-tos for mail art. It's an amazing book. A piece of my art is on the cover and I'm on page 115. Buy it on Amazon. It's a great book--you'll love it. And I'll sign my page if you want me too. HA HA HA HA!!

Who am I anyway?

Thank you Test Tower!

I just wanted to say a special Thank you to Test Tower who donated not--only one pack of his artist trading cards but two! (One for me!) Thanks Test. They are spectacular. I love them all!! I finished the Chromatohore banner/lap quilt today. I intend to raffle it away on the Opportunity Table August 27th. There are other artists who also intend on donating art! Remember I must have your art in hand to include you in the program Thank-you section.
I've also been working on the artist appreciation bags... I'd like to give something really great...but there will be a few things that will hopefully make the artists who attend the show a little happy! ;-)

10 Days Until Chromatophore!

Test Tower gives Chromatophore a shout out and also posts my latest piece to him... See it HERE. Can you imagine... only 10 more days until the opening of Chromatophore? 4 more days until Art in Your Ear! HERE IS A LINK TO LISTENING TO ART IN YOUR EAR FROM WHERE EVER YOU ARE ON EARTH! You might remember that last year for the first mail art show--we had our show at the Globe Coffee Lounge in St. Petersburg FL. Well, JoEllen Schilke, owner of the Globe, is also the host of a local art radio program. There is a lot I can say about JoEllen but the thing that sticks out in my mind--the most--is that she is a top notch person. She is the real deal--practicing what she preaches. So if you are in St. Petersburg you should check out her home cooking--and it's good for you--here is a LINK to her site. So remember to listen on Friday and if you can't check out the podcast! Coralette Damme--The Crafty Hag--will also be joining me on the radio show. So you get two mail arters for the price of one! Coralette also works for Studio 620 so she will have all the insider Studio info! Here is a link to Coralette's WORLD.

So this week should be one filled to brim... I have to get my 3 crumbcakes ready for school... you know the drill.... school supplies, new underwear and perhaps jeans long enough for CC #1's long growing legs! You know if middle school boys have to wear pants. At the rate he grows I'll be buying new jeans every other month...
I have to clean my house so that Gina Lotta Post has a nice place to stay when she is here for Chromo!
And the rest my friend is a secret--if you want to know... come to the mail art show opening on August 27th at the Studio @620!

Must go now and hope your week is fabulous!

332 Pieces of mail art....

I made my list of mail artists yesterday. I'm working on compiling the mail art data. For now--Richard Canard has sent 67 pieces. That's an utterly amazing amount. I'm starting to work on the program but it's something that has to be done last minute... as I'm adding those donating to the show to the program and donations are still rolling in. I'm so happy for the business owners and artists who have committed themselves to making this show a success. I am not selling any of my Chromatophore collection. Studio 620 is letting me use their space for free--of course they'll be reaping the benefits of the "opportunity table"--where I will raffle away the donations--gift cards and gift baskets and original art--that I've gone around and begged for... Fund raising is one hard job. Even businesses that have money don't want to donate because once they say yes to one person they feel like they have to say yes to everyone. So they don't want to open that door. I don't blame them. But I have to say--the majority of the places I asked--are places that I frequent and have spent money. To me, that seemed fair in my mind. If I could say--"hey, I eat here or shop here all the time, I've invested in you, could you invest in me?"--seemed fair. Plus I'm the kind of person--if I like your business--I tell more than 10 people. And this blog doesn't count cause only 3 people are reading it. lol.

My niece has the swine flu.

Creative Loafing's Best of the Bay voting is up... and I know this because artists are already making their pleas on facebook. So I'll do the big eye roll and say please don't vote for me. GAG. I may beg you to come to the Chromatophore show, to donate something for the "opportunity table" but I won't be as self serving to ask you to vote for me for any popularity contest. I also won't create a facebook fan page--I mean what is that? Unless you're really a star... unless you have stalkers--I don't think you need a fan page. *chortle* I voted for best artist and I voted for Hugo Porcaro. Hugo is involved in so many projects and only more to come. Plus he's a mail artist... and i'm kinda fond of that breed. Plus he's not asking anyone to "vote" for him.

Art in Your Ear--http://www.wmnf.org/programs/show/255 -- hosted by JoEllen Schike is on Fridays at 1pm on WMNF 88.5. I hope you listen next week as I will be on the show for Chromatophore. If you don't catch it live they do have podcasts on their website. I'm nervous. I hope you listen every week cause JoEllen is just a great gal and wonderful art host. I'm sure you can find a few categories to vote for her in the Best of the Bay. I know I did!

So... having friends tout your goodness--wonderful.
Touting your own goodness--not so much.

And really what does it really matter--we have swine flu to worry about.

So I was thinking about that post that I just wrote... and yes I agree with what I said (look ma, I'm having a convo with myself) but on the other hand--what is this blog, my facebook, my etsy, etc--what is it? Self promotion. So I don't blame anyone for wanting to be the best artist or whatever in the Bay. And although I find the whole asking for votes thing a little pompous--how would people know to vote for you?? I imagine that unless you are really into Creative Loafing you may not even know about the their "Best of." Artists have to do promoting... just like movies have to have trailers. It's all a part of the game. A game that makes me feel uncomfortable most of the time--but still it's the game.

I just keep painting...

I was a busy girl today. Worked on a poster for the Chromo show and also some small pieces to possibly sell. Tomorrow I will go print some posters at Office Depot... and then my next giant task is the Chromo program. I talked to Ginny Lloyd for a long time today--she has volunteered to help me with a few aspects of the show and also dontate a book she wrote to the raffle. We are also going to do a mail art performance piece. You are the first person that I've told. It should be exciting and real San Fran Fluxus like. Look out St. Petersburg!!!!!! I'm so excited to meet Ginny in person--she was such a delight and I liked listening to her stories of the original Correspondence School players. Mail art opens doors--it has given me a chance to send and receive art from people all over the world. People who are connecting with other people is a beautiful thing to me.

Lulu was much better today but too weak to leave the house. She got lively about 5 pm. She started working on a little painting and I knew she was on the road to recovery. She said she was painting a "Cherie form." She described it as a woman with wings. It's funny the things that kids say and do.

This weekend I'm going to be at a Jewish Synagoge : Ben Yehuda Market Place, 1325 S. Belcher Rd, Clearwater, FL 33764, Sunday AUg 16th from 1-4. You can come see me there if you want! I'm not sure how this sale will go... I've never done anything like it. Hopefully I'll make my entry fee back... UGH. Heather--a friend of mine since high school--told me about the event. She does Dove chocolate home shows and donated a chocolate martini gift basket to the Chromo raffle. Local crafters don't share much info with me at all. Except for one: Calan Ree--she is a fabulous jewelry maker--she works in clay and metal and makes some groovy stuff... read her blog HERE. She also sells on etsy--look her up www.gingerdead.etsy.com . She's a one-of-a-kind original!

I am still not sure if craft shows are the route I should be taking--they keep me working on merchandise and I wonder if this is art that I am making or crafts. What I want to be doing is painting with oils and drawing detailed portraits. And my mail art--I want to be doing that too as it connects me to life. I guess I'll figure things out. And then there is this mail art show... making me busy and a little stressed out. (understatement) Oh, and you better be there...

My Sick WOoWOo

My Lu has been sick with a fever and earache. She just got home from her two week trip to visit Ted's family in Arkansas. I made her the little rag doll to cheer her up.

Sarah at the Eclipse Gallery is now selling my rag dolls

http://networkedblogs.com/p8592054?ref=nf

I sent a few pieces of art for a show called 50 Artists, 50 mediums, 50 States to the Eclipse Gallery in Algoma, WI. The one named Gretchen is large--the largest doll I've made thus far. Recently I have made the smallest doll thus far--she is no more than 8 inches and can almost wear Tiny Besty McCall's clothes and Tiny Ann Estelle's. This little rag doll is wearing an apron. Lulu said she can live in the doll house as the maid--since she has the apron and all. I was hoping she would be the princess but she is a rag doll...

photo by Sarah E. Condon @ the Eclipse Gallery

Some of my latest work...

The envelopes were sent to local newspaper writers.... to tell them about the upcoming Chromatophore show.

Cherie's Artist Sidewalk sale

Sunday was a wonderful Art sidewalk sale outside of CHerie's on the corner of Beach Drive and 2nd Ave N. I can't remember if I've blogged about this... but Cherie's is closing her doors after 8 wonderful years. It breaks my heart as Cherie gave me a real chance to show my work and sell it. I think that small time artists--like me--hold themselves to the Cherie standard... I've shopped there for years... and when you go there and see the artwork that is there you say to yourself, "It would be just the ultimate to have my work at Cherie's." I've heard other artists share similar stories. To have my work in the window of Cherie's has been a compete and total honor. That's how I feel about it. I'm honored. Thank you for all you've done for our city Cherie. (Cherie's having another artist sidewalk sale this Saturday but I won't be able to be at that one.) Calan Ree will be there though--check out her blog: www.gingerdead.com She sells fan-tab jewelry!!

Mail Art Sent out....