this is the painting by gineke zikken i brought home from amsterdam. titled amsterdam zuid, it’s a scene from amsterdam south. i loved the hints of orange and the construction crane.

lisa daria paints a painting a day, and i hope she never stops because it is such a treat to see new work daily. so far i’ve resisted clicking the “click here to purchase” link but i know i won’t be able to resist for long…

all photos by lisa daria

dresses from 100 acts of sewing

sonya cutting linen

sea urchin

bicycle lace

ordinary objects and wax quilt

my ordinary object

when i was in san francisco, i met sonya philip at her studio late one morning and she gave me the full tour while we noshed on pastries from tartine bakery. while i have the super-awesome honor of having dress #36 of 100 acts of sewing, it was really wonderful to see her other work in person. i’ve been following her work for a while and many of the pieces were familiar to me from her online presence, but they are much better in real life.

before we left the studio to visit heath ceramics (and not one, but two heath retail spaces), sonya gave me the ordinary object she created using an unfinished pack of my birth control pills. i believe the impetus of the piece was a conversation about women’s rights and birth control that sonya and i had in her car when i was in san francisco last year. the respect and admiration i have of sonya as a woman and artist is huge, and that she gave the piece… it’s hard to put in words. maybe it’s that i’ve somehow done a good job of surrounding myself with strong, creative, nurturing, amazing women — women my mom would have been drawn to — and that i might be able to categorize myself as the same. that’s what the piece in my hand says to me.

i’ve been watching 15-20 minute chunks of gerhard richter painting before bed (while in bed) for the last 3 nights. i am fascinated with his work, his process.

i’m hoping to spend more time in bed with other documentaries over the next 4 days. have a great thanksgiving, see you next week!

on saturday i received the above painting from artist lori portka, which is one of a hundred she painted for her a hundred thank-yous gratitude project.

i met lori in october 2010, when a bunch of us spent a weekend up north outside of duluth, minnesota. she makes the best grilled cheese, and is so beautiful inside and out. i’m so grateful to have played a small part of her project.

thank you, lori, and happy birthday!

this is dress #36 of sonya philip‘s 100 acts of sewing.

dress #36 arrived a few days ago, and it is already my favorite summer dress.

i will admit that i had a little influence on #36: sonya pinned a dress that i fell in love with, and i followed the pin’s source and was able to find the japanese sewing book the dress pattern was in. and of course i ordered the book, despite the fact that i do not sew. but i figured that if i ever learned, the dress would be my first project.

when i got together with sonya in san fransisco in february, i admitted to her that i had tracked down the book. and at that moment, i knew i needed to send the book to her. not because i thought she should make me a dress, but 100 acts of sewing was becoming a reality, and if she wanted to make the dress that she had pinned and loved, then she should have the book.

in april, i made her a book to document 100 acts of sewing. (i’m not sure the trade was entirely fair… i think i got the better deal!)

#36 is based on the pattern she and i loved, and is made with black linen. there’s floral fabric (which is very reminiscent of chiyogami paper!) inside the collar, sleeve, and pockets. it buttons up the back, which i neglected to photograph… sonya used different colored buttons: red, purple, turquoise, and grey-blue. this dress is so fabulous all around, and i could never find its equal in a store.

i am so full of gratitude and dang, it looks pretty good on me, too. thank you sonya!
balls out 2012!

happy weekend!

my latest acquisition: a paper and gouche collage from small works for change. artists donate their work to small works, and your $25 art purchase goes to a charity of the artist’s choice. it’s only when you purchase your piece will you learn the artist’s identity and their chosen charity. i love this project: really great art for $25 that can make a difference. go, now, and peruse the works!

i made a big book for sonya‘s 100 acts of sewing project.

sonya picked out the book cloth from my sample book when i was in san francisco last february. she requested the book lie flat, and at its size, (11 inches by 17 inches) spiral binding was the best option. i had hoped to use a card stock/cover weight paper inside, but at 100 pages, it got too thick for my little binding machine (and i just could not turn it over to a stranger at a copy shop). so instead, i used the heaviest text weight paper i could find, which is a good thickness at 80 lb, and bound it myself. my binding machine never closes the coils in a perfect circle, and i went through a couple of coils before i gave up and accepted the wonky spots.

i punched “100″ into the cover, all the way through, including the inside end paper (which i usually don’t do), and i love that when the book is closed it’s not easy to see the “100″ but when you begin to open it, the design becomes apparent as light comes through the holes.

before i left for new york, i emailed dutch painter gineke zikken to see if she remembered the exact location of the new york painting i brought home with me from amsterdam last year (above). her response was no, she didn’t remember, but she’d ask her partner henk if he remembered or if he could figure it out from photos they took. within 30 minutes, she wrote back that henk had found it: 444 avenue of the americas.

it was the first thing i looked for when i got to new york last wednesday. (thanks, henk!)

the crazy thing? it’s just 6 quick blocks from the jane hotel in the west village, where i’ve stayed for my last 4 or so trips to new york. and even crazier? realizing that i had met a friend for dinner at the cafe on the corner (off to the left, out of scene) last october. i had walked down the block to meet her, completely unaware that i had walked into my painting!

i received an unexpected package last week from the lovely carina. within: a small canvas painting of one of my favorite vintage chair polaroids! i love the orange and the chairs, and the tiny pops of green… and ooooohhhh you, carina, i wish i could paint like you!

she also sent me a felt brooch of the fish i use in my new logo, and i’m going to wear it to every craft fair/show that i participate in, starting with may’s craftstravaganza! i love it. thank you, carina!

it’s hard to believe that it was exactly one week ago that i met molly and we walked and walked the streets of boston. when i was back home on saturday a package arrived, and within, a piece made by molly. she says it’s to be used in the kitchen, but my hot pads and trivets are so badly abused that i would never subject something this pretty to the same treatment. i’ve already hung it on the wall, far from food splatters.

i first heard of mimi kirchner through kristin. as an adult, i didn’t really have any interest in dolls. but it was kristin’s descriptions of mimi’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness in her work that made me realize that mimi was an artist, not just a doll maker, and i needed to pay attention to what she was making. i started to appreciate the little details (the girl fox with cashmere sweater and liberty of london skirt! the orange kitty girl with wool shawl and felt purse!). i thought about adding one of her more elaborate pieces to my home, but how would i chose? (i did buy one of her fish pillows a little over a year ago, which shouldn’t be a surprise.)

on monday night, i tweeted about being in waltham, massachusetts, and mimi tweeted back right away: i am very close to waltham- if you end up in arlington, come visit! really! really? i looked up arlington, and it was 9 miles away from my hotel, so i decided to take her up on her offer, even though we know very little about each other (mostly that we both know kristin).

i drove to her home after work on tuesday evening, and she welcomed me in. immediately i was in the presence of her amazing work: kitties, foxes, fish, tattooed men and women, ready to be listed and ready to ship.

and then she took me upstairs to her studio, which was full of creative goodness: little bits of inspiration, lots of fabric, a sketchbook for color studies, a flat file with drawers of buttons and embroidery thread, and lots and lots of dolls in various states. it was delicious.

i love seeing where people do their creative work, and the inspiration they surround themselves with.

before we left for dinner i took a photo of these lovely ladies, who had been photographed by mimi but weren’t yet listed in her etsy shop:

we walked into town and we both ate paneer dishes at a really great indian restaurant, and talked about creating and meeting other creatives. i just dig being in the presence of smart & crafty women, and could have sat with mimi all night. but it had been a long day for me, and after dinner i made my way back to the hotel.

as i was driving back, i thought about her tattooed ladies. i knew i really wanted one, but how in the world would i chose? and then it came to me:

orange shorts.

the next morning at work i stalked her etsy shop for hours, waiting to see if the lady with the orange shorts would be listed. and then mimi posted about miss orange shorts on her blog and wrote that she was the last of the tattooed ladies for now. yup, that sealed the deal. and a few minutes later, miss orange shorts popped up in mimi’s etsy shop, and i snapped her up before anyone else could.

miss orange shorts arrived on saturday, and she’s hanging on the wall of my dining room/studio, looking over my shoulder as i type this.

and it’s all because of a silly tweet about sushi in waltham, ma. (and because of kristin!)

photo credit: all photos taken with my phone, with the exception of the last photo, which was taken by mimi kirchner

we did it! we pulled off a last minute handmade gift market at the modern times cafe! it came together despite a job change, a delayed flight from the UK the day before, grading architecture portfolios, late-late-late nights of baking and dying and firing and making, and all the other craziness that swirls around us this time of year. bravo, martha, eireann, cynthia, and julia!

tia setting up her wonderful colors and shapes

eireann‘s festive table (the addition of little lights set the mood)

julia made granola, hot cocoa mix, holiday bread, lip balms, and sewn goods

dylan temte (a modern times cafe co-owner) and his daughter dakota sold colorful drawings

annika kaplan puts together a really great display

cookies, clementines, and three-buck chuck: we know how to throw a party

my table

jewelry artist (and modern times cafe co-owner) emily temte‘s earrings & necklaces

cynthia brought birds and segments, but also made plates, cups, coasters, & necklaces

martha‘s many beautiful scarves

betty jager also puts on an amazing display

full house!

about halfway thru, at 7:30pm, i looked around the room and marveled at the crowd and the amazing work (yes, i spent more than i made, which was the plan all along)… and then i looked at my fellow co-organizers and saw the exhaustion on their faces. at least we were equally spent? and despite how tired we were, and how thankful we are to have it done and behind us, i’m sure a message will appear in early november next fall, saying “hey, anyone wanna put together…”

and we’ll probably all say “yes!”.

getting a calendar with illustrations by patricia (owner of red bow studio) is becoming a yearly tradition. and i have to say, i think 2012′s calendar is patricia’s best! i love the paintings she’s made of her little long island town, sea cliff. and i recognize some of her family members in the paintings, which is a treat.

patricia sent me 2 calendars this year, and i’m giving one away! to enter, leave a comment with what you’re looking forward to the most in 2012. you have until midnight, friday december 23 to enter. one comment per person, please. and if you’d like to buy a calendar, patricia has them in her etsy shop!

locals! last minute handmade gift market is tonight! 5-9pm, modern times cafe, 3200 chicago ave south.

update: the giveaway is officially closed! the winner is comment #3!

despite the proliferation of electronic gadgets at my disposal, the calendar on the side of my fridge is the center of operations. it must be able to accommodate up to at least 4 written entries per day, and i am generally not too picky about the calendar’s theme as its purpose is to record the important stuff and that’s it.* being that i have a hard time remembering what day it is, having more than one calendar around the house is needed, and that’s where the pretty ones come in. here are some of my favorites so far for 2012:

letterpress love: lynn russell of satsuma press creates clean & simple designs that i want to touch. her 2012 calendar is gorgeous. photo credit: satsuma press esty shop

i’ve gotten to “know” azuree over the last few months, and her enthusiasm and energy for instant film is infectious! in a good way! her 2012 polaroid calendar makes me happy. photo credit: xoazuree etsy shop

the color palette and shapes of leah duncan‘s 2012 12 month calendar pretty much rock my world. the gold paired with pink and navy blue is so yummy! photo credit: leah duncan’s etsy shop

flora douville‘s happy shapes calendar displays her wonderful watercolor paintings. and i love her handwriting. photo credit: flora douville’s shop

lisa rupp‘s 2012 floral calendar brings a reminder of spring to any wall! photo credit: lisa rupp design etsy shop

*if an event or appointment is going on my calendar, it doesn’t count unless it is physically written on the calendar on the side of the fridge. seriously. i cannot deal with electronic calendars. any time i’m away from home making an appointment, i inevitably book the appointment on a day/time that is already spoken for. old habits die hard, so i still make appointments knowing that i’ll probably need to call and rebook once i get home and check the calendar on the side of the fridge. i also do not have a microwave.

i’ve been following artist stephanie levy‘s work for a few years, but it is only recently that we’ve formed a friendship. i am actually a bit shy and i don’t want to come across as stalker-like… but when stephanie began her 12 countries in 12 months project in the city of amsterdam, i couldn’t be a silent admirer any longer. i HAD to send her my suggestions for what to do in one of my favorite cities, and it’s so fun to have found another fellow wanderer…

last month, stephanie invited me to participate in her first e-course, creative courage. it has been a great experience: the interviews and insights that stephanie shares are invaluable. and her video posts make me sooooooo happy: stephanie is an expat living in munich and she still has a bit of a southern accent, her curly hair is to die for, and she really is someone that you’d want to spend hours with in person. lucky you: she’s offering her creative courage e-course again in 2012, and i highly recommend it to those that are looking for a little extra courage! and if you’re a wanderer like me, you’ll love the postcard she’s going to send you from barcelona if you sign up!

on monday, after i visited the willem de kooning retrospective at the museum of modern art, i had my portrait painted. the artist is mark nilsson, and he had a folding table set up on the sidewalk of 53rd street outside of moma with a sign that said $40. i circled the block  while he finished up another customer, and then i sat down for an hour while he painted me. i was amazed at how easy it was to keep my head still… to maintain a gaze in one direction… and ignore the audience that would gather here and there. at one point, city surveyors were on both sides of us, taking their numbers/pictures with mark and i in the middle…

when the portrait was finished, mark found a box to to protect the painting as i carried it back to my hotel, as it was really wet and thick. an italian tourist peered into the box while i waited at a crosswalk, and she made a comment that made me think she thought i should be insulted by the likeness. my eyes and mouth may seem too small for my face, but that’s the way they are in real life. and yes, i have chronic bitch face. but for $40, i now have a portrait of myself. and i love it.

last night mark sent me a video that 2 film students made when he first started doing street portraits. you can watch it here.

update, october 2012: mark was featured in the new york times. article here.

i’m obsessed with a mountain 1300+ miles away.

it’s all chandler‘s fault.

photo credit: chandler o’leary, anagram press. sketchbook

when chandler began posting her mount rainier drawings in preparation for her artist book local conditions, i was fascinated. i didn’t grow up near mountains, and to have this majestic beauty in your backyard? yes, i want one please. (and i should note that mount rainier is actually a stratovolcano, and this baby is due to blow! it’s one of 16 decade volcanoes, and when its time comes, it’s not going to be good.) reading about chandler’s research trips, seeing her sketches and photos… i wanted a mountain of my own to explore.

photo credit: chandler o’leary, anagram press local conditions

but there are no mountains in minnesota. off i go, to seattle…

the first time i remember seeing mount rainier was december 2009, as i traveled from seatac airport to downtown seattle via light rail. the train took a curve, and there it was: behind a gauze of haze, but present. while i couldn’t wait to report to chandler that i had seen rainier, i don’t remember any other sightings that trip.

september 1, 2011: rainier from seattle’s waterfront, hiding behind safeco field

my trip earlier this month was a different story: the weather was perfect for viewing, with the air clearing more with each day of my trip. can you believe rainier is 54 miles from seattle? yet it seems so close… but so difficult to photograph.

september 3, 2011: rainier from the sound, while on the ferry to bainbridge island

every morning, my first thought was “where’s rainier?” and as the day went on, i would continue to keep an eye on it.

september 5, 2011: morning on puget sound

on my last day in seattle, i went for a run along the waterfront, and i stopped to take one last photo of rainier as the sun rose. (the quality of this last photo is terrible as i was using my phone.) right after i took the photo, i saw something in the water out of the corner of my eye. could it be? i stood and waited, hoping what i thought i had seen would come back up for air. about a minute later, a seal’s head popped up. i was elated: seeing animals in the wild that i have only ever seen in zoos thrills me to no end. i waited a bit longer to see if the seal would surface again before i finished up my run… no dice. but i still finished my run with a lighter step.

and then i went home, leaving rainier behind.

photo credit: chandler o’leary, anagram press. owen beach hand colored letterpress print featuring mount rainier

a week or two after i left seattle, an envelope arrived from chandler. within? a hand colored letterpress print of mount rainier from owen beach, with a pup that looks like my old guy (available in the anagram press etsy shop). my heart skipped a beat: i have a wonderful visual reminder of my obsession. thank you, chandler! hope to see you and rainier again soon.

i participated in rena‘s retail experiment i shop, you buy and my box arrived this week. for $20, i received a collection of little goodies rena picked up during her recent trip to southeast asia (singapore, bangkok, and hong kong). while i definitely don’t need more “stuff” i’m happy to support new endeavors. plus now i have a few new things in my “emergency gift” drawer.

happy weekend! happy first day of autumn!

while in seattle, i took the ferry to bainbridge island and found paperoost. i stocked up on greeting cards:

welcome baby snow & graham

happy birthday sugarcube press

happy studio olivine

patchqwirk pikku (top:  posie patch / carrot, bottom: patchqwirk dot / blu)

i didn’t intend to pick only items in orange & teal, and when i looked down at what i had chosen, i laughed out loud… i couldn’t help it: orange + teal = awesomeness.