merry & bright

I can't believe how long it's been since I wrote last! I swear Thanksgiving through Christmas, my life is like running a marathon.  Thankfully I am on a blissful nine day holiday from work, and the craziness of the break is over. How was everyone's Christmas? Mine was good, but I'll admit it didn't feel as Christmas-ie this year. Not sure why... I guess the weather has been weird, it's hardly snowed. I'm glad the world didn't end on the 21st. After every doomsday prediction, I always feel great. Life's a gift, so I feel giddy to keep experiencing it. At Christmas, I suppose what I enjoy most is watching my young cousins get excited. That's where the true magic is still happening. Every year, we make one of our family members dress up like Santa Clause, and everyone gets to take turns getting gifts from Santa and getting a photo taken sitting on his lap. The food was great, I made a root vegetable gratin for the first time that is now going to be one of my Winter recipe favorites.

After Christmas, my mom and I went to Chicago to attempt ice skating and see the windows and Christmas tree at Macy's. It was one of my favorite things to do around the holidays when I was little, so I was really glad we made it down there.  When we got off the train, a soft snow began to fall, and the city was beautiful in all its haziness.

We went shopping for awhile too and saw these poodle shoes for sale, haha. You wouldn't believe how much they cost too...

I'll admit I've been lazy and awful when it comes to making any art. Sometimes I feel guilty about it, but other times I have to accept that the desire to create comes when it does. I have a few days left of my vacation and I am gearing up to get off my butt, and hammer out a few new pieces.  And it's almost the new year, a good time to reflect and anticipate changes I want to make in my life. Being a little more disciplined in my creative process is up there.  My sweet hubby offered to buy me a new camera for Christmas, he said that there was no way he'd pick it out for me, so I'm excited to do my research and see whats out there.  I'm definitely a hobby photographer, but I want something to take me to the next level, and inspire me to document my life a little better.  Well I hope everyone is happy and well, and warm in their homes, reflecting on the last days of 2012.  See you next year, har har.

Thanks

Hope that everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, that your bellies were full and your hearts were warm. We had a super small gathering at our home, which we rather quite enjoyed! I come from a super large family on my mom's side (which we'll be celebrating with for Christmas) so it was nice to have a quiet, more intimate dinner this year.  For appetizers we had cranberry cinnamon goat cheese with crackers, and Provençal garlic almonds. The big dinner we had herb roasted turkey (with sage, thyme, rosemary, & parsley) sausage and kale cornbread stuffing, roasted veggies (hakurei turnips, garlic, celery, onion, & carrot) creamy green bean casserole, honeyed orange peel cranberry sauce, herb mashed potatoes, rolls and gravy of course! Just when we thought we were going to burst, we had homemade pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

I think we were all in a trance for hours. It was surprisingly warm, warmest Thanksgiving I can ever remember. My dad suggested we take a quick hike through the nearby forest preserve to help digest and burn some of those extra calories we all just racked up. We luckily made the entire loop before it started to pour.  We all dozed and watched movies cozied up on the couch.  I was in a deep turkey induced coma until this morning, waking up to a forty degree temperature shift, it really feels like Winter has decided to settle in now. As for today, Jason and I are going to be super lazy & be thankful for every minute of it. xoxo

mia

Hello dear friends,

I have most certainly been m.i.a. for a couple weeks now, I apologize for my disappearance. I had a bout of unfortunate events all occurring in a row and I felt it best to isolate myself for a bit, get my head screwed back on straight. When times get rough, I try to think that without these " lows", we wouldn't know or appreciate the "highs" in life. That things are happening for a reason, and something better may be just over the horizon.

My family has been through a lot lately ( basically my whole life ) and I admire their strength and endless love. I admire my friends for always being there for me and knowing just the right thing to say to cheer me up. And my husband for his courage and his ability to always see the truth in things.

It's November! All the leaves have nearly left, leaving the trees barren and shaking in the wind. There is winter in the air. I loathed winter as a child, but I have somehow started to enjoy it as I get older. Soon there will be snow. I do love that blanketed quietness that comes with the first snow of the year. A sort of stillness that you hate to disrupt.  And its the month of thanks! And I am definitely grateful for many things. I think its healthy to make a list of all the things you are grateful for and count all your blessings this time of the year. Jason and I are hosting Thanksgiving this year, so I am scrambling with menu plans that I'm pretty excited about. I already started working on some handmade Christmas gifts, trying to get a head start before the Holiday sneaks up on me.

While digging through random craft and art supplies, I found one of my old moleskin notebooks. This particular one was from nearly six years ago, with random drawings, idea's, quotes... A particular quote of note that I found in it, "Our whole business therefore in this life is to restore to health the eye of the heart whereby God may be seen."  I like that.

home body

Greetings. I haven't written in a bit, I swear it's because I've been busy sleeping-no joke. This time of the year, as it gets colder and the humidity levels are all out of whack (up and down, up and down) I can't get enough sleep. I'm talking about 10-12 hours of sleep per night, required. And I have an insatiable hunger. I suppose my body is getting ready to hibernate, or maybe thats my excuse. I also get into a "nesting" mode, readying my home for the Winter months. Speaking of nests, I found this wasp nest helping itself to a corner of my house. As much as I hate wasps, I really do think their nests are lovely- light, papery, so delicate. Interesting how they're called nests, versus hives. Wasps are often mistaken for honey bees. This is also a sneak peek of my living room. Its very peaceful and cozy. This trunk/crate, that we use as our coffee table, came from my mom's house and I can't say I know how old it is or where it came from exactly. Project for the day, I want to try my hand at finger knitting. So simple, you can teach most young children to do it. But on point with my goal to learn how to knit this Winter, I figured I'd start with the basics. Besides, I have an idea for some nice cowl neck warmer combos. The talented ladies at Design*Sponge turned it into this awesome pillow. Possibilities are endless (can you say Christmas present?????) Yes, it's true, I am already thinking about Christmas presents. My plans are to make or purchase handmade gifts for everyone this year. Alright, but for now, I will focus on this lovely Fall day.

1,2,3

Finished the 'a' and 'c' to my fresh veggie alphabet illustrations I've been working on the past week or so... I am still trying to sort out my feelings about these little babies, as simple as they are, they are so unlike my other artwork I normally create. I haven't incorporated vegetables much in my art, but they are such a big part of my day at the farm, I felt compelled to paint them, just direct and pure as they are. Sometimes I think I create paintings based off art I want hanging in my house. They will look cute above the stove or so I am thinking. Or in someone's nursery perhaps? Get those kids started on the right foot, dreaming of greens. I'm still trying to figure the best route with getting prints made of my work, so soon they will be available in my shop. 

I love looking at  illustrations from seed company packaging from back in the day. Back when advertising, signs, everything were created by hand, by a real artist. There are still farms and seed saving companies that do this.  Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company is one of note.  They have one the largest selections of rare and heirloom seeds available, husband and wife travel the world preserving seeds that are now going extinct due to industrial agriculture. I recommend ordering one of their catalogs, even if you don't garden. I drool over the beauty of all the varieties...rainbow inca corn, red dragon carrots, moon & stars watermelon, blue potatoes... yum. Biodiversity at its best.

Baker Creek has also been a big part of helping small farms fight Monsanto and the rise of genetically modified veggies. If you haven't heard much about Proposition 37 yet, read up on it. If passed, it would simply require the proper labeling of any genetically engineered foods (plants and/or animals that have had their DNA artificially altered by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, bacteria, etc...in ways that would never occur in nature) Shouldn't we already have the right to know whats in our food? Care or not about GMO's, it should be something we have a right to choose or not. There haven't been enough long term studies on their ill effects on our health, but they are definitely cause to many other environmental problems. I hate preaching to the choir, I always tell people to do their own research & share what you learn. Sometimes makes me worried about the future.

little gem

There's this little gem of a spot in my part of the world called Merritt Prairie. I'm surprised more people don't come here. Absolutely perfect day...warm autumn day, blue skies, golden rod going on forever. It's truly a lovely hike through the trails. At the end is a great hill overlooking the nearing farm pastures. There are a group of large flat rocks that make for a great table. I imagine the woodland animals all meet here for tea. (haha) You can just lay forever watching the clouds (we did for about three hours) I think people need to do this more. It should be mandatory. I love seeing a glimpse of the prairie, nearly untouched. The bee's were out and about, they seemed pretty happy. They were being a little camera shy.

That's me, bed head mcgee.

meta

I decided it time to share some of my favorite artists again. I may just start grouping my artist posts based on a theme. I'll call this one 'meta' in honor of Sao Paulo artist, Bruno 9li. He's been on my mind a lot lately. I originally saw his work in a magazine somewhere years ago and then as it so happens, I lost the magazine and forgot his name. This happens to me all the time. My memory is only so good for certain things. I get too busy and distracted or there's too much metal in my brain. Haha (i'm kidding) I hope. Anyway, I never forget the art. And I had been thinking about this artist again recently, but no luck finding this nameless artist online. Until my lovely friend, Curtis, said "hey, you should check out so & so..." and there was Bruno 9li again! I think that is how things just work sometimes. They come to you when they are supposed to. And they may leave if they are meant to leave.

Meta translates to beyond. I really appreciate this in a spiritual sense when it comes to art making. A sort of window into another world that is beyond what we know, both ancient, within us all, and unseen by most.  Maybe in another dimension. A place in your mind that no one else can go. Somewhere outside time and space. A little secret between you and god... A lost language. You either know what I mean or you don't.
( I've been watching too many episodes of Doctor Who lately.) 
It is work of this type that really speaks to me. And its how I want to be moved when I look at an image.

Artist Meredith Dittmar is another artist of note.  She makes these relief painting/sculpture boxes using of all things, sculpey! Her themes on exploring consciousness are really what intrigue me.

There's always so much more... But that's enough for tonight. My bed is calling.

B is for beet. and for all sorts of wonderful other b-words like blessing, bacon, bicycle, brave, bowie (yes, as in david bowie), brainwave, buzz, breathe...etc. Any who, this is one of the first illustrations for a new series I am working on for my etsy shop. It will be posted soon, once i work out some kinks i am now just noticing. I have decided the embrace the separation between my fine art and my more commercial artwork. I enjoy both and do both for different purposes. They can walk down the same path together, maybe even holding hands? In the past I am not quite sure why I had it in my head that I had to choose one way to go with what I make. Perhaps to show consistency in your focus with an idea, to sell yourself better, or so you are taught. I'll be the first to admit that I lack focus. Well, not exactly. I can focus while working, see my project to its end, but my idea's are all over the place.  One minute I want to make myself a dress the next I'm dreaming about decorating cupcakes. A sprinkle of A.D.D. perhaps? Whats that saying...Jill of all trades, master of none? I am alright with that. With how fast the world is moving, how can one help, but not be visually stimulated by a variety of aesthetics? I might as well take it all in and just see what pops out the other end.

As for the beet, I deal with them often at the farm. I think they are one of the cutest vegetables out there. I particularly love golden beets... beet juice is actually great for painting with or using as a natural dye (we dyed easter eggs with them last year, along with using turmeric and blueberry juice) gorgeous!
Here is a great Fall recipe, Beets Au Gratin.   Yummy.

migration

Had a productive day in the studio yesterday. Did this piece start to finish. Got a nice package in the mail from friend and artist Mike McGovern that was very inspiring. Fall is creeping in everywhere, which I don't mind at all because I do love Fall.  But there is also this lingering sadness as things begin to die and the birds will be migrating soon.  The glare is a little bad on this picture due to the clear tar gel glaze.  I've put it on my to do list soon to get any and all new works in the past year professionally photographed.  Or perhaps it is time I treat myself to a nice, new camera, eh?  I'm lost when it comes to choosing camera's. Some people have been telling me that stand alone camera's will be obsolete soon due to the quality of camera's on peoples smart phones.  Well, I don't have a smart phone. I'm starting to feel like one of the last people on this continent that don't have one. I've been resisting this technology. I don't want to be so plugged in all the time. I guess sometimes you just have to say goodbye to what is, and just embrace what's coming. Sigh.

and they're off!

Didn't get the chance to share the pictures from my adventure to Arlington Park Horse Track on Labor Day yet. Let me add, I have never been to a horse track race before...It's one of those things my friends and I have always wanted to do. There's some old-timey charm about it that has always put my imagination into warp drive. Crazy hats, mint juleps, horses. yes, please!

Go Miss Addison! Thank you, she won me $4! Thank goodness for 10 cent bets... I could hardly figure out how the races worked. Way more complicated than one would think.

(Ali, Bry, and myself ). Okay, so we didn't have time to make crazy hats to my disappointment. And I learned that mint juleps have bourbon in them (bleh!) So, I opted out for delicious bloody mary's and cherry mojito's. Bry and I got to thinking that we should try making our own homemade bloody mary mix while tomatoes are still in season. Here is a great recipe that I want to try soon.

Lots of great equine inspired art inside! Sadly, the original building from the 1920's burned down sometime in the 80's, but they had a little history sprinkled in throughout the modern renovation.

Such a gorgeous day... I'd like to go again sometime. I promise hats next time! Can't wait to get my hot glue gun and feathers out.

xoxo

c-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e

Been busy, busy. Yesterday was my hubby's birthday. Jason is officially thirty two now! I can't believe he was only twenty four, and me, just twenty one, when we first started dating. Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world :) Sunday we had a cookout in celebration, but also because we haven't had an official "house warming" party as of yet.  And of course, as my luck would go, it poured all day. It's been bone dry all summer, and wouldn't you know the day we needed the most use of our yard, its a drizzle fest. All was well though, we scrunched in our house, porch, and garage. We feasted on fresh watermelon, corn, potato salad, hot dogs on the grill (Jason burns them perfectly, I'm not joking-they're awesome!) beans, the usual cookout faire. Despite the rain, a lot of friends and family made it out. It was great to see everyone. I'll admit I kind of have a panic attack when that many people are in my house. Juggling socializing, refilling/preparing food, giving folks a tour of the new house...(the clean up before & after) wowzah. But it's my dream to host more family gatherings in the future. We'll see... Hopefully someday when I have a better camera, I will document these happenings better.

As I'm happy to celebrate our lives, I see the next big birthday on the horizon, my thirty year b-day... I have a few months. I feel pretty good about it. I'm in the mode right now where I am quietly saying goodbye to my twenties and pondering my thirties. I suppose I am looking forward to my thirties in the sense that you seem to have it together more in your thirties, more secure, more on track, you know yourself better...right?Or is that all just a bunch of garbage? Do you ever feel that way fully? Probably not. But I feel it more so than in my twenties. There's so much change and turbulence in your twenties. Trying to find direction. From college, to crappy jobs to career, different hair colors, different habits, marriage, making a home, to getting settled into myself. But I feel good. Really happy actually. Calm and happy in the center of my little life.

lazy day

Setting Forest Mourning 24"x36" mixed media on canvas

It's been a good weekend. Jason and I cleaned the house, we did some much needed yard work before fall arrives, and I finished a new painting. Sometimes the simplest of days makes me happiest. Go figure, triangles are back! I'm really into them right now.  I've prepped a few canvases for more like this.  I'm trying to keep in the habit of working on the series as much as I can while juggling the rest of my life. I want to do more small gouache works as well.

Some of our friends just got back from St. Petersburg, FL today.  The lovely and talented Bryanne (you can see her blog and gorgeous photos here) and her beau. They said the ocean was so amazing that they are thinking of permanently moving near it. I can't imagine living near the ocean all the time. I think its healing power would change me. Do you know what I mean? Every time we have vacationed to the ocean (any ocean) we're like two little eight year old kids splashing in the water. It totally rejuvenates you.

I've been contemplating if we would ever move out of state. Jason and I tried once, to Savannah, Georgia, and it was a total failure. We were under prepared, over whelmed, knew nothing of the city and how much it cost. Eventually ended up moving back to Illinois.  Words of wisdom: Visit the city first before you move there. I tend to romanticize things before I think realistically about them.

But I do like to fantasize about places I'd move (maybe realistically) It's nice to imagine a different scenery than cornfields everyday. Here are a few:

1. Nashville, Tennessee (we spent part of our honeymoon here and I fell in love with the city.)
2. Denver, Colorado (okay, I've never actually been here, lots of people we know have been relocating here and say they absolutely love it)
3. Charleston, South Carolina (its close to both the ocean and the mountains, and has some serious history)
4. Portland, Oregon (its where the young go to retire, right?)

Maybe someday. xoxo

inspiration day

I can't believe it is the middle of August already. Summer has flown by... I know that technically we have more of summer to come and perhaps even an 'Indian Summer,' but I have a love/hate feeling when the seasons begin to change.  I feel an excitement for the new season, and sort of a mourning for the season's passing. In a few months, it will be cold and snowy, and I will long for the weather that is now. So I am just trying to savour it. I am dreaming of fall weather though... and my new blue trench coat I found at a thrift store recently. We've already started to have a few cool days/nights...it makes me feel like I'm in the English countryside for some reason. Have you ever checked out Toast? Oh, if only I had a couple million euro.

I have finally been painting a bit lately. I have a new piece I'm pretty happy about...I will post pictures as soon as the new lot is finished. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to post some work from my favorite artists.  Sometimes when you work full time and you're an artist (and you live in the middle of nowhere) the internet has to do for inspiration.  In my future, I'd like to make a habit of going on at least one field trip a week for new inspiration, in whatever it may be that interests me at the time. But I hope to see some of these lovely ladies artwork in person, perhaps own some.  They're work always speaks to me and is always awe-inspiring. Someday if I am brave, I would like to reach out to them for an interview.

1. Monica Canilao

2. Jennifer Davis

3. Leah Duncan

4. Steffi Homa

5. Camilla Engman

6. Serena Cole 

7. Esther Ramirez

I could post a million more... Maybe next week :) xoxo