Art & Soul - Virginia

I just finished this piece for Art & Soul Virginia. Just. I'm flying out tomorrow. That's cutting it a bit close! Now, I just have to PACK! I need an art retreat so badly. My kids have been a great help in getting me psyched for this. I had been feeling mommy guilt pangs about leaving my kids for a whole week! (Bad mommy!) But little one has been up teething and howling almost every night for the past week or two, so I'm not feeling as guilty. Really. I'm sure her daddy can handle it all just fine. Really. Just fine. :-)

Ooo Baby Baby

I made this "painting" as a gift for a little girl not yet born. My sister-in-law is expecting in May and she got enough baby clothes to start her own store. I wanted to give a gift that would last more than 6 months. This painting has lots of interesting textures to keep the baby's eyes and hands busy. Alex (my kid) and I made a painting like this with his fairy characters for his sister when she was born (over a year ago! yikes!). She talks to the fairies and waves and blows kisses... I have to make her one like this too, with her name on it.

Hampton Art & Soul Fat Pages

Here's a look at a few of the pages I made for the Hampton Art & Soul FatBook. I've never worked on a FatBook before, but this was a lot of fun. I usually don't like having to make multiples of something (I hate repetitive tasks!). In this case I had to make 28 - 4x4" pages. I used a huge sheet of watercolor paper and embossed the fish designs (stamps from Fred Mullett) with clear embossing powder. Then I spray different shades of green and blue dyes (from Ranger) on the paper and sprayed clean water to make the colors run. I like how some of the streaks look like seaweed!. I cut out windows and glued in the beaded trim. Lastly, I added glitter-glue bubbles. I can't wait to see the finished book!

Good creepy YA novels

I just finished reading two really good Young Adult novels. This is my favorite type of book - much better than adult stories. 

 TUNNELS by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams is about an ancient civilization deep within the earth and a boy who loves to dig. Strange concept, but it is a wonderful creepy, adventure story that reminded me of Jules Verne. It also made me think of the old Infocom adventure game "Zork" - especially when the boys are exploring the ancient, deserted city with crumbling ruins. I've seen some reviews recently that call it the next Harry Potter. I think that's silly. Even books that are about a boy wizard going to a magical school, like the Charlie Bone series, are not the next Harry Potter books - and they should be enjoyed on their own merits. I think books can be enjoyed and adored without having to be compared to Harry (who I do love too). I think the true magic of the HP books was not that they made JK Rowling very rich and provided lots of marketing opps, but that they reintroduced all ages to the magic of reading and made publishers more willing to take risks on unusual themes and new writers.

The second book I finished was  100 CUPBOARDS  by N.D. Wilson. I was attracted by the cover illustration! (Hey, I'm an artist.) But the book lives up to the promise of the lush, dangerous doors on the jacket. This story starts with a boy in an attic bedroom and crumbling plaster revealing slowly turning door knobs. Oooh - chills! Of course, the doors go to other worlds, BUT they are tiny doors, so you can't just walk through... Oh, and his parents disappeared in South America... and why can't anyone open the door to Grampa's bedroom (he died two years before). I love these creepy mysteries!! Both these books are series and I can't stand waiting a year for the next book! Aaah!

And speaking of Harry Potter, the difference between these books and HP that makes them more appealing and believable, is that the kids make use of the adults in the story. Weird, huh? Classic fairy tales kill off the parents so the kids can have more interesting adventures. These modern stories may have a parent disappear or be kidnapped, but the other adults in the story are still important. And it's not just because I'm an adult now that I like this change, but my son has also noticed it. YA stories, in the past left me feeling really lonely and lost because the character always had to solve everything on their own - and sometimes failed. Depressing. And being a teenager is hard enough without the messages that "yes, you really are alone" and "don't trust grown-ups". My son kept asking me why Harry didn't ask for help? He often kept information from his professors, or Hagrid or Dumbledore. Sure, it would have changed the plot, I know, but it would have made more sense in most cases. Anyway, I find it refreshing to read about adults who are part of the mystery, who believe in the magic, who get credit for having creative solutions, for caring about the kids and helping them sort things out. That seems so much more realistic. Having a grown-up, an adult, you can trust and talk to, makes all those confusing years so much more bearable. Adults do have a place in stories - they can be useful and helpful and even fun. And I'm glad that message is showing up in the new stories.

Zentangled MUNNY

Oh I had fun doing this! It was hard to keep my hands steady, but I managed to Zentangle a MUNNY from KidRobot. I used a Pigma Micron black pen and it took a few days for the ink to dry to a non-smearing state.

Finally some artwork!

I have been working on the "Red" book in a round robin with some other women artists. Called  "Hues'n Views" -  12 artists each have a month to work on an altered book before sending it on. There are only a few books left. Then we'll do a big show. I haven't seen my original book ("Jewel Tones") since I sent it off! I was excited to have the Red book for February - seemed like a no-brainer to do something for Valentine's Day. It's taken me a week to get around to scanning it, but here it is, in honor of Valentine's!

Ooo an Adventure!

    I'm going to ToyFair. I'm going to ToyFair!! I've wanted to go for 20 years. When I was in art school in NY I walked past the Toy Showrooms and the toy building and dreamed of seeing all the cool new stuff inside. (I LOVE toys!) I don't love the electronic plastic, big box, ooh & aah-then-toss-it kind of toys. I love German toys, cool figures, action figures, original dolls, weird underground figures. My studio and home are filled with figures. My studio window frames are lined with Legos, Fabuland creatures, old Fisher-Price Little People. My treehouse is all Legos and Playmobil castle..... and this all before I had kids!! (I'm not good at sharing either). Oh, and I also love monsters made by Charleen Kinser. We have two Closet Beastie Toos. I've been haunting ebay for years trying to get my FP Castle some new royalty. My brother threw all the figures, except the prince and the dragon, into our fire place. No, I'll never forgive him! It's amazing how much they sell for, though, so the little prince may have to live alone. Well, not really alone, he's got Strawberry Shortcake and Holly Hobbie for company. 

     I had a lot of compromising to do when my son was little - Legos and Playmobil. But I think it will be even worse now with a 14 month old girl! I need to get another Castle for my daughter! The new ones just aren't the same. The old one wasn't girly, and it wasn't violent-boy. Anyone could have a good adventure.

      So... ToyFair. Now, 20 years later, I have a REAL toystore and I can officially attend ToyFair - which is at Javitts Center in NYC. A little bit different than the showrooms, but I'm not too fussy. I will drag myself past the 3000 vendors in search of really GOOD toys. The kind you can actually PLAY with. (What's the point of a toy that does everything itself?) In search of the toys that will be desperately sought after on eBay 20 years from now. Wish me luck!