beets + beats

A big thank you to everyone who came out to the Beets + Beats pop up gallery show this past weekend, and to Brett & Kate Whitacre for organizing the show. It was sort of surreal being part of something like this happening in my hometown. When I was twelve, we moved from the suburbs out to this rural town, and I remember thinking that I was so far away from everything.  Mind you this was way back when, and there wasn't even a bookstore. But now, its nice to see things like this happening, exposing people in the community to something maybe they would normally never see. I even ran into some people I haven't seen in years and years. Its funny how we all travel down different paths. I just saw an article posted online by an artist friend of mine, a quote from it stated "Maybe success should be measured by how well one fearlessly follows their heart." I like that.

I am super jazzed, I leave for South Carolina in two days! I cannot wait to explore Charleston, breathe in the sea, and celebrate with my family.

Howl at the Moon

 I spoke too soon with my last post.  The chilly gray days of Fall have finally arrived, there's that smell in the air, you know it.  It has a hint of Winter in it, like some wind from upper Canada somehow just made its way down to these parts. Frost is here. There has been a lot going on... It's nice being busy, but sometimes you need to stop and take a breath. Our good friends band, Werewolf, just had a reunion show this past weekend. It was great to see a lot of old faces. I'm still trying to figure out how to use my camera in different types of light, pretty sad to say a lot of my shots ended up on the blurry side. This week, ohhhhh this week...lots going on: its crunch time on the art front, I have ten new paintings to finish, find an outfit for a costume party we're invited to, my sweet nieces might be paying us a visit, get prepped for my trip to Charleston, and...carve a jack-o-lantern of course.  Fingers crossed I manage it all.

If you're in the area this weekend, come see my work with seven other artists for Sycamore's first pop up gallery! The pumpkin festival will also be going on, there's a lot of fun things to see downtown.

Fall behind

Sorry for the photo fest. I have to comment that the weather this Fall has been perrrrfect. I love it. Just gorgeous, warm, crisp, and sunny so far. I have had so much going on the past two weeks, there is much to share, I realized I am falling behind. I got to go into the city two days in a row and not work-related, which to this country gal, is awesome... First I got to hang with some dear friends, which one of them is moving away very soon AND it was her birthday. We shopped around, paid a visit to the  chicago conservatory, and the peggy notebaert museum to see the amazing butterfly room. We ended our evening with some delicious tacos from big star. The whole day was a dream.

The following day we met up with a friend that I haven't seen in ages and ages in oak park, where she lives.  We caught up over some charcuterie and wine at marion street cheese market, and then headed over to see a lecture at the unity temple. This was my first time exploring oak park and i must say, its pretty adorable.

We also celebrated my cousin's marriage this past week.  I was super jazzed to get to take photographs of the event and happy couple.  Congrats David and Tessa!

There's so much more too... I get nerdy excited in the fall about pumpkins and halloween for that matter. Fall is so gorgeous at the farm this time of the year, I must share those photos soon. AND I am leaving for charleston, south carolina in a few weeks for my cousin Jennifer's wedding! I've been longing for an out of state adventure...and Charleston is up there with one of the cities I either desperately wanted to visit or secretly live in.  Lots to look forward too.