Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Back on the Beer-Wagon!


8x8 panels for 88 Strong

Gettin' on the Goodfoot -ah!

Doors are opening and I'm stepping into worlds that only a few years ago I pined to be a part of. Lots of baby steps are leading me towards new connections that I am hungry to explore. I'm excited about new opportunities for making art, sharing art, showing art. I'm meeting new peeps and making new pals and I'm terrified and questioning my place in the Big Scheme of it all and wondering where I fit in and if I even belong. Can I hold my weight with the Big Boys (of PDX)? I don't feel ready yet. I'm still finding myself, testing waters, learning to crawl. Yet I find myself inching closer to things I've wanted for a very long time and it feels good . . . in fact I think I might throw up.

So this month, I have found my way into a show at The Goodfoot! It's BIG, 88 Artists big. We were given 8  8" x 8" panels to complete. There will be nearly 700 works of art on the walls! My art will be mixed in with the work of some of my heroes -a few of which I have been fortunate enough to meet recently! I am such an Art-Groupie! -These are my Rock Stars! So Psyched to be a part of this show. And don't feel worthy, especially since I only submitted 4 finished pieces!

There are 88 themes in this show and luckily one of them was 'Hops' 
-do you think they threw that in just for me?


Opens this Thurs Sept 27th from 5-12
The Goodfoot
2845 SE Stark
 
All Art is $50 cash and carry
everything is framed



Thursday, September 20, 2012

Pop Fly

'Pop Fly'

I'm always looking for something different and ideally a bit challenging to do, so when I saw the 'Bowling with Heart' Call for Art pop up on the Crafty Wonderland page, I jumped at the chance to nab a pin to decorate. I knew immediately that I wanted to cover it in bottle caps, all soda-pop caps this time since it's for a Children's Hospital. -Something to do with all the caps I've been sorting out from my BEER cap collection. I also had a neat stash of perfectly distressed vintage pop caps given to me by a friend earlier this Summer just waiting to be put to use.

 I just wasn't sure exactly how I was going to go about it or even if it was going to work, but that's where my job get's interesting and that's when hopefully the magic happens (it doesn't always). My mom was here visiting at the time and brainstormed with me on how exactly to go about hammering the caps to conform to the contours of the pin. It was kind of fun involving her since most of my art up to this point hasn't really appealed to her particular sensibilities (you know all those skulls and such!). It seemed somehow appropriate to get her input on this project since it would be donated to a Children's Hospital and she is due to retire this year from 35 years as a nurse in ICU at Oakland Children's Hospital. We decided that a ball pein hammer pounded into my soft thick rug would give the caps just the curve they needed.

As I was finishing it up, I wrote the friend who had given me those cool vintage pop caps to tell her that I was finally getting around to using them. She wrote me back that she was glad! She had gotten them from her very creative sister-in-law Connie who had lost her battle with Leukemia about a year and a half ago. She said "I'm sure she would very pleased to have a fellow artist make use of them! She would have loved your stuff. In some cosmic way you are helping me keep her memory alive."  Needless to say, I got all goosebumpy and emotional and knew that I was on the right track and that something special had just happened for I believe that we are all connected and everything happens for a reason, though we may not always know why or what it is at the time. 

It's just a bowling pin covered in bottle caps, but it feels very meaningful to me and I hope Connie likes it.


Stay on the lookout for more info coming next month about the 
Doernbecher Bowling with Heart Fundraiser: 
Bowl-a-thon and Pin Auction.


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

El Gallo!


I was gone for most of August, but before I left I was invited to be a part of a fun little Food cArt Show at Screaming Sky Gallery. It seemed like the right time to bring a little focus down to our neck of the woods here in Woodstock, so I chose El Gallo -who truly deserves the luv. I believe they were one of the first carts to move into our hood and they've hung on (and thrived) while others have pulled out. I chose to honor them in appreciation for that and for their damn good tacos!

I had fun painting this guy and all the bottle caps I used were 'Up-cycled' from
El Gallo patrons. 
The show is still up for another week and this pretty boy is still
 FOR SALE  

If you're ever in Woodstock, be sure to check out El Gallo and tell them
Alea sent you!


SE 48th and Woodstock (in the parking lot of The Joinery)

Here I am at the Opening


Just one last thing . . .


Big Mama can sing it!