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Studio #042Thursday, March 08, 2012
A New Collection!

I had another new collection premier in Atlanta, a magnolia collection. It is my first collection for Keller Charles. A lovely company in Philadelphia who makes beautiful melamine tabletop and accessories.

The samples just arrived right before the tornados on Friday afternoon. I got them inside just in time and opened the box. Boy are they beautiful, so smooth and shiny, dark, but with nice subtlety in the white-cream flowers. They did an absolutely wonderful job.

There are several different tray sizes, plates in two sizes, appetizer plates and tray with napkins, a spoon rest, and tea bag holders. Another one I'm really proud of, very handsome.





studio #041Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Bella Flora

I just got back from Atlanta yesterday. We were blessed with nice weather, especially after the ice storm of last year.

I had a wonderful show. I met so many wonderful women artists this time and visits with other friends of mine who license. It has become a much more giving atmosphere. Several people noted that. Years ago everyone was much more protective of their imagery and sharing it. Now with the internet everything has become much more open and it feels really good.

Well here is a new line that opened at the show for Silvestri. It's called Bella Flora. I am so pleased with how it turned out! Wonderful gifts and ornaments work together to make a really great display : ) So here's several photos to let you see it fresh out of the box! Woo hoo!

Here's an armoire filled to the brim with all kinds of goodness! Pillows, Plates, wall canvases and plaques, sachets, votives, even a mirrored lazy susan all play together:



Here's a lovely plaque used as an ornament (the ferns are the back of another ornament-we tried to build in as many visual treats as we could : ) :



Here are the pillows and votives:



Some nice sachets:



A close-up of inside the armoire:



Another beautiful ornament (there are several beautiful sets to chose from) :







Studio #040Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Trade Show

I'm off tomorrow to Atlanta for a trade show. I have some new products coming out, and 2 wonderful new lines with Silvestri, so I'll post some pictures when I get back early next week.

In the mean time here is a little box I made today to house the postcards. I thought they'd be fun to show in person in my meetings.

Richard had an old software box I cut up and covered in white paper, then antique fabric from my mom's stash:



Here's a shot of the interior corner with another covered insert to make it a bit more substantial:



I'll be back on Monday or Tuesday. Have a great weekend everyone!





Studio #039Thursday, January 05, 2012
Changes

There will be changes this year to the blog. I've found it hard to keep a regular schedule in the studio portion in part because most of what I do in licensing can not be shown as I do it. Sometimes I work literally years ahead on things. The work I did 2 years ago is just now seeing the light of day at a trade show next week in Atlanta, (if you're in Atlanta at the Gift Show, please check out the Silvestri Showroom 2W 6th floor for Bella Flora, and Angelica collections) that's how it goes. I did a wonderful portrait of a dog in the fall that was a surprise holiday gift so I'll post him in the next week or so too. It's hard to keep secrets, but in a way kind of fun too : )

I've been inspired by Steve Leslie, a brilliant songwriter who's website I designed. Steve has a wonderful blog, mainly geared toward songwriters, but he writes essays on creativity that often span more than music. So I've decided to explore my own thoughts in this space once or twice a month on where I get my inspiration. And when I can, I'll fill you in on what's new in the imagery department too, along with what product it's on and where you can find it.

Also, eventually the blog will be split in to 2 blogs, one about my life, the other about my work. The pages are all designed and ready to go, just waiting on them to be inserted. There will be a way to subscribe as well : )

Change is good.





Studio #038Thursday, November 10, 2011
Autumn Awakening

A view of the Ancient Oak that lives outside my studio is keeping me company as I take a break from several ongoing things right now to post. It's frustrating because I can't show you any of them yet. I've begun a few new projects, all in progress, all exciting : )

I did get some great news yesterday that some new product coming out in January is being very well received-yeah! So I will posting some sneak peeks here in the next few weeks.

I've got lovely classical music on. Choral music of Samuel Barber and Hildegard Von Bingen. It's fall so candles and incense are going too. The studio seems packed with passion-filled ideas and I am grateful for the desire that envelops me right now. This is the time that artists live for.

I hope the nip in the air and the smell and sound of crunching leaves fuels you the way it does me. Here's to autumn and all the joy it brings.

Namaste.





Studio #037Thursday, November 03, 2011
Deliciousness!

Today I started to design some new product with my mother's many silk ties she'd accumulated over the years. She'd started making crazy quilt pillows out of them. I'd helped her collect them, this was something we did together.

Neither one of my sisters wanted the ties, so I carted them home, 8 large containers full, overwhelming really. But there was something there in all those pieces of fabric that was compelling. Beside all the beautiful patterns and colors there are the memories of all the men who wore them, who worked in them, spilled soup on them, looked at themselves in the mirror as they tied them every morning. There were lives in those ties. They represent a previous world where a lot more of us dressed up every day.

And now ironically they will be worn mostly by women in some new reinterpreted way. They swirl before me now, making me giddy with all the creative possibilities. I haven't been this happy in a long time :)

So here's to old memories and new creative passions and prospects. May they ignite our souls and carry us to new heights.





Studio #036Thursday, October 20, 2011
Dahlia

I started this painting awhile back and just recently got it out again in an attempt to finish it. It's 2' square, larger than a lot of what I've done lately, but a lot smaller than the 4'x6' gouache and pastels I used to make.

Honestly I just like looking at it right now, even in its unfinished state, it's a breath of fresh air, especially after yesterday's greyness. You can see a tiny bit of the little paintings stacked below. Nice bright red, pinks and oranges. I wanted to make a monochromatic painting, a big sunburst of beauty : )

The headache's gone too : ) What a difference a day makes.





Studio #035Thursday, October 13, 2011
Autumn Dreams

Fall is coming now fast and strong. The air has a nip to it. The leaves are falling at a much quicker pace. I feel my body getting ready to hunker down for the winter. I want to make things, cookies, soup. I want to knit and read good books, all under a strong light at night with a sweater on and an afghan nearby.

I always get a burst of clarity and energy in the fall. It is my favorite season, though spring is beginning to compete a bit. There is something about the low melancholic light of fall. I think it is the season for people, like me, who like their time alone, time to think, time to create. There's less business afoot, less socializing and more time to reflect.

And as Nina shows here, time for naps. There's nothing like a little late afternoon nap to refresh yourself for a nice long creative evening with a good hot cup of tea.





Studio #034Thursday, October 06, 2011
They're finished!

I'm in the midst of tying up a bunch of loose ends. Glad I am, as a client let me know today they're ready for me to finish some tableware designs starting in the next week or so.

Today and yesterday I worked on finishing up Oscar and Nina's twin portrait. I worked on their eyes, fur and added some whiskers too. Now after scanning they get to go up on the mantel with Richard's two paintings I made for him of Miko and Yodi.



Hail hail, the gangs all here : )





Studio #033Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tiny Paintings

Here are the paintings I'm working on for the store. They initially looked much brighter in the beginning, much more saturated color. But I decided to throw them back a lot by over painting glazes in complimentary colors.

I've not worked with glazes much in oil. I used to use them a lot when I worked in acrylics. So I tried this little bottle I'd had around for years-galkyd was the name. It's too glossy for my taste, I guess they have a matte version, it certainly dried quick, which I did like, except as I was painting, it dried a little too quickly.

I do like the glaze effect though, it helped things look more ethereal. I want these to have an emotional appeal, a soft world to visually live in.

Now to decide what actually does live in each of these tiny environments!