i can’t begin to convey how pleased i am that i’m finally gaining the upper hand on this nasty flu/cold/whatever. i’m behind schedule on all my projects, but with the help of my awesome friends i’m getting the work done for my and saelee’s upcoming art show.
 

here are some preview teaser images of some of the things i’m working on.

saelee just received the giclee prints for the show, which centers around our fourth annual collaborative calendar. can’t wait to see these in person!

last week it was gorgeous weather-wise, and even though i was sicker than a dog i packed myself and my actual dog into a friend’s car and we went to the coast for a few hours. it wasn’t an out-and-out pleasure trip – i had beach things to collect for my upcoming art show with saelee oh at tinlark gallery in l.a. next month. [opens november 15th! more details later!]

it looks so gorgeous and idyllic, doesn’t it? i can’t remember exactly what day it was now, maybe wednesday. we were all thankful at that moment to be able to take off for a few hours in the middle of the week and “work” from the coast!

i keep forgetting to mention that i have an article in the latest sew news holiday magazine. check out how to use fabric and paper scraps to make one-of-a-kind holiday cards on page 40. there’s other fun projects in the magazine too!

good news! i’m finally winning over this flu-cold thing! look for more regular posts this week as i catch up with everything… finally. if you’re in portland oregon this thursday evening, i recommend stopping by together gallery in the alberta arts district. a few prints i made for the gocco show at here gallery [see earlier post] will be a part of together’s latest group show called “shelf life.”

apparently i’ve been nominated by the readers of venus zine as a finalist in their annual hottt list reader’s poll, under the best diy business category! wow, thanks so much everyone! final results will be in the december issue.

in real life, i’m cold even though the sun is out and it’s nice and warm. darn flu/cold/whatever-this-is! i haven’t been this sick in years! when can i get back to work and regular life?!

i managed to drag myself out of bed to meet my friend amy tavern, who makes the most precious jewelry, and give her a tour of my studio and hand off a secret collaboration we’ve been working on. i wish i could show it to you now, but i promised you’ll have to wait til december!

well, so much for my plans of frequent blog posts! i was taken down by a family emergency for which i was unexpectedly out of town, a flu bug that just won’t go away, and assorted other maladies that aren’t worth mentioning here. despite my stuffed up head, i’ve spent the past few days cleaning the entire house and my studio from top to bottom, then burned a sage smudge stick a friend gave me a few months ago, and invited a nice-sized group of friends over for a potluck dinner in hopes that all these positive steps will balance out the recent negativity i’ve been experiencing.

now i’ll try to think nothing but pleasant thoughts and wait for health to return. and not panic about the art show i have next month with saelee and all the work that entails. or the past-due website shop update. or all the other work i’m behind on.

another mural i finished a few months ago: a “ghost forest” along the back wall of the special events room at portland oregon’s excellent cava restaurant!

….finally got a decent picture of it!

another show that opened friday, this time at the here gallery in bristol, uk.

“Even Dwarves Started Small” : artists were selected who push past the limitations of gocco to  produce fine art works. those involved are from a range of disciplines: textile design, fine art, illustration, graphic design, and animation. 

my two prints are above, and you can see pics from the show here.

this show opened this past friday, but i’ve been down for the count with the flu and unable to let you know before now! 

showing at grass hut now through november 3: hut on an island!

A collaborative project with Grass Hut and Islands Fold artists: Spencer Hibert+Marco Zamora, Johnathan R. Storm + Dawn Riddle, Luke Ramsey + Jill Bliss, Zeesy Powers + Scrappers, Ben Jacques + Le Merde, Irana Douer + Betsy Walton, Bwana Spoons + Theo Ellsworth, Charlotte Walton + Fawn Gehweiler, Oliver Hibert + Owen Plummer, Maseman + Arbito, Shawn Wolfe + Kinoko, Howie Tsui + Apak

that’s my and luke ramsey’s collaboration above and on the postcard!

yes, i was in japan for a week. surprise! it was a surprise to me too, i’d booked the trip a few months ago using up the rest of my frequent flyer miles and have been so busy designing, making and shipping out calendars and datebooks that this trip crept up on me. i didn’t have time to contact friends or associates in tokyo before i left, and once i got there i decided not to so i could just work, sleep and chill out.

i’d brought work with me, i have 2 art shows coming up, my camera and breakfast bars. i had an apartment-style room in the middle of shibuya. the room had a kitchenette, perfect for making tea and simple meals. there was also a typical japanese shower room with soaker tub which i used daily!

so, just like any typical work day, i sat at my desk and worked while listening to construction and crows outside, like my studio in portland. except last week when my hands got tired or i needed a break i’d wander into shibuya, or neighboring harajuku or omotesando and check out the shops and sights. it’s times like these that i’m reminded how lucky i am to have the life that i do! last week definitely made up for the past 10 weeks of 15 hour work days.

but now it’s back to reality. i’ve been back at the studio all weekend trying to catch up from my week away, but hampered with the flu.