A ribbon around a bomb

Frida as The Rogue

Acrylic on red leather stretched over wood panel, with upholstery tacks, bottle caps, feathers, silk flowers, gold bulls, vintage neck tie and wrecking yard bling.

I looked up the definition of a Rogue and found this:
"Operating outside normal or desirable controls" 

Yep that pretty much sums her up.

I think the reason that I have never painted Frida (besides the intimidation factor) is because her image is so iconic, and already done to perfection by her. I wasn't inspired to paint the classic image that can already be seen everywhere. I wanted to go a different route and paint the reason I admire her, and try to capture the bad-ass rebel she was in spite of all her pain and suffering. This was my first time painting a portrait on leather and I really like the way the texture lends a sense of grit and strength. This is not a tender or vulnerable depiction, this is the bitch who did it HER way!

“I was born a bitch. I was born a painter.” ― Frida Kahlo

My portrait of Frida is less about her eyebrows and more about her spirit and determination to live out her passions and pave her own road.

Maybe it was a bit too subtle, but I spent the whole evening (after the art opening) 

in a unibrow and mustache and NO ONE even batted an eye!

 

 

 Please support Gallery Mini!

Peek-a-boo!

Carnal-val

You never know where art will take you.

Just getting back from an amazing 2 weeks touring the Midwest - that's right I called it "amazing" and NO we don't have family there, we went because we wanted to. It doesn't really matter WHERE you go as long as you GO! Just get the Hell out of dodge every now and then and see someplace new. Gain a different perspective on things, it's good for the senses, even if it is Indiana. I always feel richer after a road trip (despite the credit card bill!). I'm fortunate that my husband and son are good sports about all the museums I want to visit and we visit A LOT! This trip took us to:

The Art Institute of Chicago,  

The Field Museum, 

Intuit: Center for Outsider Art,  

The National Museum for Mexican Art,  

The Indianapolis Speedway Hall of Fame (The art of speed),  

The City Museum (The art of FUN) 

and

The Saint Louis Art Museum.   

We saw Cave paintings, Outsider assemblages, American Folk Art, Mexican Art, a Goldsworthy installation, Impressionism, Expressionism and Contemporary Masterpieces! I was utterly knocked out by the Street Art I saw on Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago! It seems IMPOSSIBLE to pinpoint what  inspired me the most. I'm still absorbing it all. I can feel it percolating through my veins, trickling into my subconscious recesses. Not sure how this will all play out (in my own art) but I hope I can make something of it.

It's never cut and dry. Art rarely follows a well organized path.

As soon as I got home I was eager to get back to work again. Just had a few days to make the deadline for The Carnival Show at People's Gallery. Couldn't miss this one! I set out to make a fun, twisted, risque folky piece. I wanted to be a little bolder with this one, take it some place new.

I cut out some long sexy legs for a cool relief effect.

Then I smoothed out some contours with a new knife I bought. 

Carving out new ground.

I like my new tool!

The initail idea was to create a Tunnel of Love.

But then she took me to Rio instead!

 

So I chose to aim for the Brazilian themed 'Carnaval' Show 

at the Mark Woolley Galley next door instead.

Sometime around 3am the night before the deadline, I decided the legs needed to be able to OPEN and that it would be much more fun if the piece could be interactive! But HOW to do that? Hmmmmmm. I called the best resource I could think of and Stephanie Brockway showed me the way. I backed the legs with black felt for smooth, gliding action and Viola, she came to life!

YES it's supposed to be stylized and symbolic.

YES I hope it's like nothing you've ever seen before.

and

YES it's supposed to make you a little uncomfortable

in a good way!

Bold IS Beautiful.

 

I can't help but giggle when I make art like this. 

I have the most fun when I can push the boundaries, 

I don't see the point in making it unless I do.

I get excited when my art takes me some place new 

and part of it is not knowing what to expect or how people will react.

It is a powerful feeling to exercise my right to make whatever the Hell I want!

This piece took me someplace I needed to go.

I don't really care if it wouldn't look good above your sofa.

I also made a headdress to wear to the opening

Here is a little Samba for you!

We KNOW it is now Post Lent, but as a companion show to PEOPLES' ART OF PORTLAND Summer "CARNIVAL" show celebrating American "carny" culture, right next door, the MARK WOOLLEY GALLERY decided to tweak the concept and present "CARNAVAL", a celebration of the scores of Latin-inspired events (think RIO). So please join us, dress brightly, and join in the fun on
SATURDAY, JULY 20 from 5-9 and forward this to art and fun loving friends!

Art Guitar

Art Guitar

'24' because there were 24 students in Room 24

The back was signed by every student!

Woody Guthrie

Photo credit to Jen Downer of  She Saw Things

He liked it!

Holiday in Cambodia

My first commission!

Cambodian Jackpot

 

 

 

 

Scandalous!

Promo

Cock-a-doodle-do!

My winning piece!

May The Fourth Be With You!

flyer

Drawing

Oregonology

 

Blue Mountain Sunrise


Jeans from Shwop

 

More Panties

Dick's

More goodies for the Goodfoot

Puttin' my Goodfoot forward

Hamm's Gams

Acrylic, beer cans, bottle caps and nails on denim covered board

Twirly Girl

"Twirly Girl" 

to celebrate the Rose City's First Topless Bar 

for the Love of Portland Show

My first painting on black velvet!

+

it's INTERACTIVE!

A Portland Original!

Drunk Love

A new series of Mexican Folk-art inspired Valentines for your wall.
Made with Vintage beer cans.

These will be FOR SALE at The Buckman Art Show & Sell 2013!
Feb. 1st and 2nd

Each heart is unique! Hand cut with a jigsaw from 3/4" plywood, sanded and painted. Each tin flame is drawn freehand and carefully cut with snips and sanded. Each can is hand cut, sanded and nailed to the front. Ready to hang.
It's a labor of LOVE.

View the whole collection at Bonewerx on Facebook

       Friday, Feb 1st          5pm – 9pm   $5 admission
(kids 4 and under free)    

Saturday, Feb 2nd    10am – 5pm  $2 donation

All tickets sales go to support teachers.

Buckman Elementary

320 SE 16th Avenue 

(SE Pine and SE Stark)

Thirty percent of art sales proceeds benefits the Buckman PTA
and helps to support our innovative, award-winning arts-integrated academic programs at Buckman.

(Tip: Get there early on Friday to get your pick of the very best pieces!)

www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale

For up to the minute regular updates Go to:

Bonewerx on Facebook. 

Feel free to become a 'Fan' 

by 'Liking' my page if you like what you see.

It's that easy.

Thanx!

Here's a little collection of my 'Best' of 2012

Dream catcher

Well I don't have any new art to post for the new year so I'm sharing an old photo of me from a land far, far away Tassajara, I think. My Gramma Lulu practiced art and Buddhism there and I have fond memories of taking road trips in the VW bus into the mountains to visit her. I just had another birthday (46!) which always leaves me very sentimental. It seems the older I get the more I long for the simplicity of youth, when my only responsibilities consisted of dreaming, playing, listening and loving. This year (and forever after) I resolve to honor those same responsibilities with a renewed passion! It's easy to forget to dream and play when there are so many other people and things I am responsible for now, but I will try to lighten up and not be so darn serious all the time! I'm sure I've said that before.

I have a vision in my head of the kind of art I want to make. I can only see what it feels like. It feels brave and spontaneous. Experimental and fluid and maybe even frenzied. This art lives inside me like a trapped dream, pounding on my chest to get out. But the control freak that I have become won't let it, too afraid it won't be cool enough, terrified that it will suck, people won't like it, no one will want it. So I work slow and carefully and over-think everything. I need to take more chances! I need to pick up the pace! I have 2 upcoming shows to prepare for, a whole new body of work must be created! Sheesh that's daunting.

But before I go forward, I need to look back over the year so I can wrap it up and be done with it. The best way to sum up 2012 is to say "IT ROCKED!"  It began with a commitment to scale back my volunteer involvement at school -which allowed me to focus ALL of my energy on my art. It was a big step to start saying "No" but then, something really cool started happening  . . . things started coming together to the point where I can now gleefully say I am living the dream of what I always wanted to be. Art is my job, (for now). I have what I asked for -except for the $ -we still need that part!

I have to say that the biggest bonus to choosing the life of an artist is all the amazing people I have met. I'm pretty sure I doubled my social circle in the last year alone. The art community in Portland is so supportive and awesome, it feels really good to be a part of it! Yay for new meaningful connections!!


2012 Exhibitions:


December 2012, 'Big 300'  People’s Art of Portland,  PDX - BIG Group Show

December 2012, 'New Brow',  Portland Center for Performing Arts,  PDX - Group Show

November 2012, 'Dia de los Muertos',  Guardino Gallery,  PDX - Group Show

November 2012, Siren Nation Craft Fair

November 2012, ' I think, therefore I am',  Goodfoot,  PDX - Group Show

November 2012, 'Send in the Clowns'  Good: a Gallery,  PDX - Group Show

October 2012, 'Skull Party',  Arleta Library Cafe,  PDX - Duo Show  w/Adam Charles Ross

October 2012, 'Freak Show', First Cup Coffee House,  PDX - Trio Show

October 2012, '88 Strong',  Goodfoot,  PDX - Group Show

September 2012, 'Food cArt Show',  Screaming Sky Gallery,  PDX - Small Group Show

August 2012, 'Sci-Fi Show',  People’s Art of Portland,  PDX - Group Show

July 2012, 'BEER Show',  Amnesia Brewing,  PDX - Duo Show  w/Chris Haberman

July 2012, 'Edge Show',  Launchpad Gallery,  PDX - Group Show

June 2012, 'Quadrality Show',  Bar Carlo,  PDX - Quad Show

May 2012, 'Out of the Box II',  People’s Art of Portland,   PDX - Group Show

May 2012, 'May Day Show',  Space Monkey,  PDX - Group Show

April 2012, 'Simply Red II',  Mark Woolley Gallery,  PDX - Group Show

April 2012, 'Year of The Dragon Show',  Lunar Boy Gallery,  Astoria, OR - Group Show

April 2012, 'Diva Show',  Limelight,  PDX - Solo Show

March 2012, '4-click Bic Show',  Bar Carlo,  PDX - Group Show

March 2012, 'Skateboard Show',  Space Monkey,  PDX - Group Show

February 2012, 'For The Love of PDX'  People’s Art of Portland,   PDX - Group Show

February 2012, 'Double A II',  Space Monkey,  PDX - Duo Show  w/Aaron Goodrich

January 2012, 'Surreal Salon',  Baton Rouge Center for Contemporary Art, Baton Rouge, LA - Group 

I'm not sure where I'm headed in 2013, but I hope to keep the momentum going!

Do or Die!

Peace, Health and Hoppiness

Cheers to Peace, 

Health 

and 

Hoppiness!

Ho Ho Ho.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler

Inspired by  March Fourth Marching Band, 

created as an auction piece for 

Joy Now Arts Program

"Art makes a difference; Do what you love. Share it with others. Brighten the world.

Joy Now!"

http://youtu.be/uB-hYYVvyqw

The Beer Panty Series

Vintage beer-can panties nailed onto an acrylic painting on denim.

A few months ago, a friend tipped me off to the Estate Sale of an avid Breweriana collector. Still hung up on this whole beer art thing, I couldn't get there fast enough, and boy did I hit the Jackpot! This guy's basement was a treasure trove of vintage beer collectibles. The walls were lined from floor to ceiling with the most amazing can collection I've ever seen! They were being sold for a dollar a piece. I didn't know where to begin, I started to hyperventilate a little bit and actually had to excuse myself. The girl working the cash register saw my distress and whispered for me to come back at the end of the day when everything would be 75% off and they would make me a deal. I wanted to kiss her hand. I went back that afternoon with the biggest bag I could find and left with nearly 100 rusty vintage beer cans (for $15!). I was a happy camper!  Needless to say, it was a little difficult to explain to my husband how important this score was to me and why I NEEDED them so badly. Thankfully, he went along with it and now The Bone Cave has the very distinct odor of an Old Man Bar -but it's worth it!

I'm excited to have found a new medium and am having fun exploring new ways to make art with it. I'm not sure if anyone's ever made beer panties before, I hope you like them.

How about some Beer Panties for the Holidays. . .

Merry Crotchmas!

You can find my 8" x 8" beer-can-collages at The Big 300 Opening This Saturday 12/8.

Hope to see you there!

Mama's got a New Brow

'In Heaven There is No Beer'

Beer-can collage on wood with Damask, cranberry cowhide and bottle caps

Inspired by Modigliani and the existential pleasures of beer drinking.

In heaven there is no beer.

That's why we drink it here (Right Here!)

When we're gone from here,

all our friends will be drinking all our beer!

This 'painting' will hang at the Portland Center for Performing Arts until the end of the year.

"NEW BROW is a defining term (from Europe of course) to redefine art of the "outsider" or "low brow" nature, for the next generation.  These terms, outsider and low brow, have been terms to define art that is “outside the norm” or made by artists that were “uneducated” in the art world.  In Portland, we feel that these “new brow” artists are the best juxtaposition to the gallery world, as much a part of it as they are separate. This "fine art" made in these areas today by both self-taught and trained artists in many genres (comic realms, poster art, tattooing, paintings, and fine art) is  very much a skilled effort, and the idea of NEW BROW is a celebration of fine art and outsider art as a union.  It’s not entirely defined by the art style, but rather by the community at large and the artist’s individual life balanced within their art making.  To us, this defines Portland. From age 20 to 70, these artists are united in our town.  Still within the realm of "edgy", these fine artists rest on the edge of the pop and fine art that defines our world and these are some of Portland's best, and definitely some of our favorites in the city."  

--- Chris Haberman and Jason Brown, curators, 

Peoples Art of Portland Gallery

Me and my girl

A Soulful Day

My Tribute to a HonkyTonk Angel and Bluegrass Boy

In keeping with my love of music and efforts to keep things Light and Bright, I have crafted a piece to honor Kitty Wells and Earl Scruggs, two souls who passed on this year.

Day of the Dead is celebrated over 2 days. In most regions of Mexico, November 1 (All Saints Day) is to honor children and infants and is generally referred to as Día de los Inocentes ("Day of the Innocents") or as Día de los Angelitos ("Day of the Little Angels"). November 2 (All Souls Day) as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos: the commemoration of all the faithfully departed.

Dia de los Muertos is a major influence behind the work that I do. It took a series of events to get me here, but I am finally finding my way to my art through a process of healing and personal transformation.

My path as an artist has taken many twists and turns, including long periods of denial, avoidance, rebellion and pent-up blockage (eww gross!). It's taken me a long time to get to a place where I can openly call myself an 'Artist' and feel it in my bones without too much fear or doubt. By the time I finally made it to Art School, I was already in my 30s! It was fun while it lasted, but then after I graduated, I stopped. I didn't paint or draw for 10 years! I got married, bought a house and had a baby. By the time my son started Kindergarten, I was feeling the pull to be creative again in a painfully powerful way. Our school was holding a Holiday Craft Bazaar and I brazenly signed up for it. The Bazaar was being organized by Local Crafty Maven Jen Neitzel (a Holy Craft Goddess in my eyes) and when she asked me what I made I could only answer "I don't know yet". It was on my bike ride home that day, only a few minutes after signing up that it hit me like gang busters! The Bazaar was scheduled for the first Saturday in November; Day of the Dead. I would make Sugar Skulls! My own mixed-media, recycled interpretations of them.  -It felt like Divine Inspiration exploding in my gut.

It had been almost exactly one year since the horrific tragedy that took 3 of our friends, a mother, father and daughter. We had been mourning their loss and silently suffering the aftermath. All of the sudden I saw a way to process all the hurt and transform my loss through a creative art form. I would make sweet, colorful, whimsical, wonderful sugar skulls and smite death with a smile!

I sold them at the Bazaar and they were a big hit! The kids especially loved them -which made me happy :-)

But even more special, I was given the amazing opportunity to create an altar in the window of Fantasma on Alberta. It was an incredible honor and gift to be able to create a very meaningful homage to our dear sweet friend Ruby. It was a healing experience for my entire family.

That year (2009) we celebrated Day of the Dead like never before. There was a beautifully haunting procession on Alberta that night as we made our way up the street to the Guardino Gallery to see their annual Muertos Show. We left a message for Ruby on their altar.

It has been a secret dream of mine since then to someday be in the Day of the Dead Show at Guardino Gallery and guess what . . .

This year, I am!

I hope you will visit this very special show, up until November 18th.

Celebrate the Ones you Love,
Past, Present, Here and Gone.