Christmas time is HERE!

I know, I can't believe it either. The holiday is in a full swing and I even watched the Grinch last night. I'm going to be at the Jamaica Plain Holiday Fair http://www.firstchurchjp.org/2011/11/craft-fair-dec-3rd-2011/ again this year and I hope its a good one. This is the fair that always puts me in a holiday mood because they invite a 3 piece jazz band to come play the fair, while shoppers come in out of the cold from meeting Santa. However, we have been having record warm temperatures these past few days.

"Painted Turtle"

8x10 inches

watercolor and colored pencil

And I'm very excited to meet up with the Creative Ladies this weekend. This is the second year that we will be making holiday greeting cards. I've been so excited about this, as my last years cards were such a hit. I've been cutting magazines up like a maniac! I can't wait to post them!! You can check out last year's cards here: http://thepedigreeartist.blogspot.com/2010/12/its-that-time-of-year-again.html

"D in Plaid"

5x7 inches

watercolor and colored pencil

Christmas Christmas Christmas.

Can I tell you how much I really dislike Christmas carols at CVS and on the radio 24/7 and that Walmart has ads rolling at every moment....
Just remember when at the end of the Grinch when he says:

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas means just a little bit more"

Make it a special one :)

Allston Open Studios this weekend!!

I would love to see you! I will be in suite 201 with Alexandra Rozenman. :)

Happy Halloween!

So I don't understand how people start to freak out around the middle of October... "what am I going to be for Halloween?" I am not like that at all. I usually have about 4 or 5 costume ideas by August and get more freaked out as "What am I going to DO for Halloween so everyone can see me dressed up!"

As a child, my mom always got us those costumes that came in a box with a smock and a mask, and you went as a cartoon character... I think I was Casper the Ghost like 4 times. But the last time I went T&Ting (there's always that time, am I too old for this?) but I went as a box of Fruit Loops and that was a costume my mom had made. I think it was then I realized how much more fun Halloween was when some blood, sweat and tears were put into the costume. Not to mention the extra candy that I got because people were so impressed with my mom's creativity. I wore a box with loops of construction paper glued on... that's it.

This year, I went as Frida Khalo. J said that "No one's going to get it." And when I left the house on Saturday he said I looked like the Chiquita Banana Girl. (Close enough, I thought). So I braved the Nor'easter that we got and headed to Somerville to see Booty Vortex at Johnny Ds! As I walked through the station at Harvard Sq, I could hear people....

"hey Frida!" "Great costume, Frida!" "Nice!!" HA! Awesome.

Here's Frida that I based a lot of my costuming on. She's so famous for those eye brows!

And here's one of my more favorite portrait of her. I like the spider monkey and only til recently that I learned that she kept these monkeys as pets....

Here's me as Frida!! And notice my lil' spider monkey! We named him Spidey (of course!) A lot of people knew exactly who I was so I was very happy to rub it in J's face !! Har!

Happy Halloween!

All the kids I know are evil

Well, that's not really true. But it seems that when ever I try to do a child's portrait (which is something I'm always struggling with) the eyes will make them look.... well, evil.


Take this fine lad for example. The picture of him he is kind of looking at you like,"Wha? You talkin' to me?" After working out the proportions on the head (they're always so huge) the first thing I painted on this boy was his eyes. Right away: Yep, he's evil. It actually reminds me of those painting of people where the eyes seem to follow you where ever you go.

Second layer, purple shirt, background... but the eyes are still there!!

And here he is completed. I posted these pictures on Facebook only to have one of my friends say, "He looks like he just set a house on fire!" HA! Awesome!

Happy Halloween!

the Arts in Allston

So this art career is getting more and more pendulum swinging as time goes on. If you've read my last post, you know that my painted utility box was pulled out because of construction. But it seems as soon as something awful like that happens, then a good thing happens....

This was my art work hanging up at the Douglas Paul Real Estate office during the Allston Artwalk that happened this past Saturday. It was a last minute thing, but I was invited to exhibit 6 pieces. So I met Alana Olsen of the Allston Brighton Village organization on Friday to hang my work. I told her about my utility box, she said she's going to work on getting another one for me... more in Allston Center... So we'll see!

Also there's a big event coming up and it's the 25th Annual Allston Open Studios! This is going to be a great event with lots and lots of artists. You can meet the artists and watch them create as well! I've been working on getting a lot of pr out for this and one of the things I'm doing is going to a focus point meeting with the Allston Brighton CDC tonight. I've never been to one of these before. I hope it's not boring because I may fall asleep! I was out a wee bit late last night checking out Give Up! at the Midway Cafe in JP.

My Painting Utility Box is gone.....

So the other night, driving down Western Ave in Allston, the construction that's going on at Brighton Mills caught my eye. I know that there's been construction on going for a while but just recently I found out that Google has invested in some low income housing project and that they are rebuilding the Charlesview Apartment complex over in the Western Ave lot. Great for Allston, great for Google (tax write off I'm presuming) and great for people who need low income housing. However.......

they took out my utility box.






Back in 2009, I submitted a design to the Boston Redevelopment Authority to become one of the chosen artists to paint the electrical utility boxes around the city. You know the ones, they're grey and always humming.... Anyway, my "Stripe-ah" design was chosen and they were kind enough to give me a box that was close to where I lived.

The first step was to clean and prime it. That was disgusting. What possesses people to take their wads of chewed gum and stick it on this box is beyond me. What really got me what that the last person to repaint it gray, well, he just painted right over the gum too. Nice..... It took about 3 days from start to finish and I was very happy with the outcome of the painting especially considering that I hadn't painted with acrylics in forever and had never done the "mural thing" before.

What also was really nice is the amount of people who stopped to look and talk to me or the people who were in their cars yelling out things like, "Nice work!" and "I really like yours!" (there are 3 other U.boxes on Western Ave.) and the bus driver of the 68 route who saw the progress through the day... he waved to me each time he drove by.

Well, it's gone now. This construction project is right to the curb so I don't know if they plan to have some kind of store front or what. And some are saying that they may replace it (I'm assuming that the electrical components are in the ground) after construction? I don't know. But when I did drive by a second time to confirm that "Yes, it's GONE" I have to tell you I started tearing up... I mean, this was something that I created and tried to make my neighborhood a prettier place. Really I shouldn't take this personally, just the luck that I got the u.box that just happened to be on the property of the construction site.... but seriously, this made me so upset.

So here are the pictures of it that I took when I completed it. So enjoy it. And next time you see a mural you really like, think about the artist that took the time and the creativity to make your neighborhood a lovelier place.

Incidentally, my friend Tracy had also painted a ubox in Roslindale Square. Hers got tagged with in a month beyond recognition. This doesn't make me feel better at all.

New Shows Added to the Schedule

Last week I put out a long overdue newsletter to all the the people on my contact list*. As a result I received some invites to shows, 2 of which I have done before. This should keep me busy for a while!

Black and White Border Collie

5x7 inches - watercolor

The first show of the season is the Allston Street Fair. This fun event takes place on Harvard Avenue between Cambridge Street and Brighton Avenue. They block off the road and turn it into a festival with art, food and live music. I attended this fair as a patron last year and loved the fact there were 2 stages and that I was able to rock out to some pretty decent bands. This year, I decided not only to go but show everyone my art as well. Allston has a reputation of being a pretty dirty place that's filled with hipsters and college kids that are just happy tearing up the place. While we do have hipsters, they make up a very small percent of the Allston community. I think participating in this event will help show that Allston has its own culture about it. September 25th, 12-6pm. For more information visit http://allstonvillagestreetfair.com/

Horse Behind Bars

8x10 inches - watercolor and Prismacolor pencil

Sunday, October 2nd is the day of the Harrington Fall Festival of the Arts.

This event is sure to be a fun time for all involved! I'm told that along with all HAND MADE arts that there will also be live entertainment, craft activities for children and a fall produce sale (Pumpkins!) This event runs from 12 to 4pm. For more information go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harrington-School-Fall-Festival-for-the-Arts/154389834645672?ref=ts&sk=wall

Saturday and Sunday November 12th -13th from 12 to 6 is the 25th Annual Allston Open Studios. This is the 25th annual anniversary of Open Studios in Allston and there will be a great reception for this event as well. This is a great opportunity to go inside the artist studio and see how we work! I will post more details as the event gets closer.

Irish Cows

5x7 inch, watercolor and colored pencils

And finally, just want to take a moment and thank Joan H., of Allen TX who bought "Irish Cows" last week via Etsy.com. Thank you so much, Joan, for supporting the arts! If you're interested in a piece of my original artwork, don't hesitate to contact me.

*If you would like to sign up for my contact list, please place a comment below with your email.