The Sum Of All Parts

We've moved!

2010-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Sum Of All Parts has a new makeover and a new web address. If you’d like to reference old posts, you can still come here and take a peek. I am also going to keep the link on my site for at least another week. From now on you can find me here: www.thesumofallparts.com

Yay! So fresh and so clean! A little change always does a girl good.

P-town

2010-07-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

The last time I was in Provincetown, prior to this trip, was nearly six years ago. Not much has changed since then. Walking down Commercial Street you will still see tourists as far as the eye can see, drag queens promoting their evening shows, groups of teens inspired by P-town's free spirit, art buyers cruising galleries, artists in droves, and of coarse the locals who tolerate the summer madness. I missed it there.

Just for fun, the Provincetown website has a live web cam that you can access here. You never know what you might see.

Sometimes You Just Need To Get Away

2010-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

I admit that I snuck off without warning... but sometimes you just need to get away. My vacation back to the east coast was amazing. My need to swim in salt water was overwhelming. Luckily New England was going through a heat wave – the water was warm and the sand was hot. By late June, Truro, Massachusetts was a God send.

PPC's First Bimonthly Craft Event!

2010-06-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Join Portland Paper City at Dreamer’s Marketplace tonight, June 16th, from 6:00PM – 8:00PM.This will be the first in a series of FREE bimonthly papercraft events. We will be creating new crafts every other week. Participants will also have the option of working on templates from past craft nights, working on Portland Paper City crafts downloaded brought from home, and working on their own template construction. There are no limits to what you can do here. We only ask that you create something based on the city of Portland.

This is also a great opportunity for people who would like to drop off their crafted piece for our up coming installation at Disjecta.

See you tonight!
Adults and children welcome.

Dreamers Marketplace is located at:
2737 NE MLK Blvd
Portland, OR 97212
(Parking in rear of building)

Portland Paper City

2010-06-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

This project had been a whirlwind of excitement. Is seems as though every time we put out any kind of intention, before we even ask, we're getting emails from people offering up the exact thing we are looking for. Portland Paper City officially has it's own momentum and we are thrilled to be part of the ride! Case in point: myself and fellow PPC founders put out the intention of finding a spot where we an craft with the public. Before we can even brainstorm, we get an email about joining forces with (get this) Dreamer's Market place. Our first day there is tomorrow Saturday, June 12! We'll be there from 11AM - 2PM and maybe a little longer depending on the weather. Make sure to come out and craft a food cart and some tress! We'll have new craft projects at every event.

For more information check out: http://portlandpapercity.com/ and http://www.dreamerspdx.com/

Stay tuned for information on future weekend dates and our bi-monthly craft nights!

Julia Randall

2010-06-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Lick Line is a series of drawings by Julia Randall that depict many familiar shapes made by the mouth and tongue. It's hard to believe that these juicy illustrations were captured with colored pencil alone.

Frabjous

2010-06-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Windell H. Oskay over at Evil Mad Scientist created this cardboard replica of the sculpture Frabjous by George W. Hart. It never ceases to amaze me what you can make with paper (or cardboard in this case), creativity, and of coarse a little patience.

Acceptance

2010-05-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

"We are never encouraged to experience the ebb and flow of our moods, of our health, of our weather, of outer events–pleasant and unpleasant–in their fullness." - Pema Chodron

I encourage all of us to do exactly this today. Embrace the feelings that we usually set aside. Without them we may never know creativity, inspiration, or joy if we never learn to accept their counterparts.

The sum of all parts equals the whole.

Thank You Portland!

2010-05-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Art Hop was a huge success this year! Thanks to all of you who made it out. There were so many amazing things going on that day, my only regret is not being able to have seen everything.

Here is Mayor Sam Adams adding some love to one of our Mural Projects.

Check out Just Seeds, these guys were selling some beautiful and thought provoking prints.

Anderson DuBoise III is a young poet that read from his book I Am Written. All proceeds from the sale of his book will go to fund his college education. You can see more of his poetry on his blog http://www.andersonduboise.blogspot.com/

For those of you who didn't make it to Art Hop, or don't live in Portland, check out Art in Hand, The Portland Project. It is a project created to showcase various Portland artists and their work in the form of beautiful playing cards. I worked at the Grow Gallery during Art Hop, where the original art work for the deck was being shown. There will be an online auction of the original works going on until May 22nd. Start the bidding!

Art on Alberta set up this sneak peek trailer across the street from the gallery. Shown here is Dave Riveness, the curator of Art in Hand's Portland Project.

You can see see more photos of the event on Flickr. Thanks again!

ART HOP!

2010-05-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Art on Alberta's 11th Annual Art Hop on Alberta Street is tomorrow from 11AM-6PM. If you live in Portland you should come out and support your local arts organization. The lineup is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! From Ne11th to NE30th Avenue, we'll have artists, food, live music, community stages, murals, and much more. Don't forget that the event is free and it's supposed to be 75-80 degrees outside. Who could ask for a more perfect Saturday in Portland? For more information, go to the Art on Alberta website and download the program to get a full list of vendors and event times.

If anyone would like to volunteer to help AoA at Art Hop, just drop by the volunteer booth and donate some of your time. We are an all volunteer organization so you are what makes this event happen!

You can also participate by becoming an Art on Alberta member by stopping by our membership booth outside our office at 1614 NE Alberta! While supplies last, every new member of Art on Alberta at the $20 level gets a free metal tray, courtesy of Red Horseshoe Paper (retail value $30!) You also get a warm fuzzy feeling inside that you did your part to make today’s events happen. We’re also selling a limited number of full color Art Hop t-shirts at our booth! Get ‘em while they’re still available!

We hope to see you there!

Small Worlds, Big Dreams

2010-05-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

I'm a total sucker for photos that illustrate abnormally scaled imagery–fantastical worlds where little women rule... or not. Julia Fullerton-Batten's photography is definitely worth taking a closer look at.

Roaring Gardens and Beyond

2010-05-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

Eva Wylie's silkscreens on fabric and paper installations are so beautiful. I love all of the little intricacies that make up the whole. There is so much to marvel at. I especially admire the airy quality of her work. It's just stunning.

Chanel Headdresses

2010-04-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

The Chanel Spring 2009 Haute Couture line continues to peak my interest after all of these months. At first I was blown away and inspired by the paper flower environments, then the fashion and now I'm back taking an extra close look at the paper headdresses. The really are gorgeous and oh so elegant. I would love to make a whole series of them.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's spring and according to the farmer's almanac, last frost here in Portland is next week. To most gardeners that means it's time to start planning and planting. I've already set up my starts in a row cover, or as Pete likes to call it, "The E.T. tunnel." I'm excited to watch them all grow and start producing.

Last night I watched Food, Inc. and I've got to say, nothing has made me so happy to be growing my own food. I love gardening because I love everything that comes with it—sunshine, walking barefoot in the dirt, listening to the birds and of coarse the harvest. The act of gardening is my meditation and for me, the climate in Portland makes it that much easier to be successful.

I remember the days in Boston living without any green space to call my own. I had a few potted herbs once in a while and that was about it. Trust me, I know that having a garden is a blessing in an urban environment and I never take that for granted.

That being said, if you can't grow a garden, there are a million other ways to grow your own food and an endless number of rooftop, fire escape and window gardening books to help you get started. If only I had these back in Boston, I might have felt encouragement to expand my window herbs. Check out this Listmania set on Urban Homesteading at Amazon.com for inspiration.

Portland Paper City

2010-04-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Portland Paper City is an installation collaborative showcasing figurative and architectural representations of the City of Portland through the art of papercraft and paper sculpture. Spearheaded by myself and designers Jessie Bazata, Sean Garrison, and Rory Phillips, Portland Paper City aspires to unite emerging and established artists in the Portland area by inviting them to contribute a 3-dimensional element that represents their love of Portland. Later these elements will come together, piece by piece, constructing Portland Paper City.

We are so excited about this project! If you'd like to submit a papercraft, visit our website, download a template and get started. Download the people template and create your neighbor in Illustrator, or download the food card, craft it and paint right on the paper. This project is meant to bring the arts and our community together. The best part is that your work will be part of a bigger picture: Portland Paper City. Stay tuned for an exact date for this show, which will take place at Disjecta. Deadline for submission is Friday, November 5, 2010.

ZAP

2010-04-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Work by Ajasi Alama

Last night I attended Art Spark at the Olympic Mills building. While I was there I saw these beautiful painted boards at the Zimbabwe Artists Project gallery. Zap is an organization that helps women from Weya in eastern Zimbabwe become economically self-sufficient through education and the sales of their art work. They have some really amazing pieces that vary from paintings to embroidery. Check out their website for more information and to browse their beautiful shop.

Revolving Trees

2010-04-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

I love this paper tree sculpture by Raw Edges Design Studio. See it in motion at their website.

Piece by Piece

2010-04-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

I was shopping for my friend's daughter's birthday over the weekend when I discovered this line of children's toys named Kidsonroof. The 3D puzzle line blew me away. I love the colorful patterns and bold design. These are toys that even parents will want to play with.

A Good Day For A Hike

2010-04-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was gorgeous here in Portland! The weather was finally warm and sunny—conducive to a long hike in the woods. Luckily, Peter happened to find this great website called nwhiker. It's amazing, you can click on a map, anywhere in the Northwest and it will tell you about the trails in that area. We ended up hiking Cape Horn in Washington just over the Columbia River from Multnomah Falls. Here are a few photos from the trek.

Here I spotted a spider about to have some lunch while perched inside of a flower.

And of coarse, no hike is complete without a little extra adventure.

Black & White: Absurdly Bright

2010-04-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

(Image by Hilary Pfeifer)

For those of you who live in Portland, join me in supporting Art on Alberta next Saturday, April 17th at Radio Room. We'll be hosting a fundraiser for our 11th Annual Art Hop on May 15th. The party begins at 7:30 with a suggested donation of $10 that will go to paint and anti-graffiti materials for murals which will be painted by area underserved youth and the attending public at Art Hop.

This event is themed for all ages with over $500 in prizes awarded to the best costumes that fit the theme, “Black & White: Absurdly Bright.” Participants are asked to wear outfits of black and white with the addition of one single outrageously bright clothing item, accessory, hair or make-up color, etc. There will be a photo area at the event, jello shots, and colorful dance music. Come have some fun and support Art on Alberta!

For more information about Art on Alberta and Art Hop, go to: www.artonalberta.org. Hope to see you there!

Garden Time

2010-04-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

The weather in Portland is slowly getting sunnier and my starters are almost ready to transplant into the garden. I have high hopes this year. While I figure out my garden plan I day dream of summers past filled with strawberries of plenty, Italian fare with friends and visits from those back east (hint, hint.) Here are some admittedly dated photos, but cherished all the same.

New Projects

2010-04-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to JHill for mentioning our up coming project on the Indie Fixx blog. We've been secretly collaborating on a Family Tree poster together. I can't wait to finally show you all. Soon enough.

For now you can feast your eyes on JHill's new Kentucky print and her beautiful Oregon print.

We Are PRTLND

2010-04-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

We are PRTLND is a website showcasing talent in Portland, created by Chris Kalani. I love seeing what other Portland creatives are up to. Check out yours truly in the top row, second from the right. I think I see a Mr. Sean Garrison, bottom left, a friend and fellow partner in crime. Who knew bunnies could look so bad ass!

HTTYD Activities

2010-03-31T10:24:00.001-07:00

Check out more How To Train Your Dragon crafts by visiting www.hp.com/create or www.howtotrainyourdragon.com and clicking on Activities.

Dragon Papercrafts!

2010-03-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

This Friday How To Train Your Dragon is finally out in theaters. Check out the 3D papercraft that I designed of Night Fury, while freelancing at Curiosity Group. These dragons are free to download and craft from the How To Train Your Dragon website. Just enter the site, click on Activities and then click on 3D Dragons.

Night Furry

Terrible Terror

Gronckle

Civita di Bagnoregio

2010-03-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few of the photos I took while I was at Civita di Bagnoregio. The picture above is of myself and a woman that I met while exploring the village. She invited me into her yard to see her "museum," at the cost of a small donation. I was skeptical at first but she wouldn't let me go. I gave her a few dollars and she walked me around her yard. She had paintings, sculptures, beautiful terracotta pots, old trinkets, and the most amazing view ever. I could not stop smiling. Unfortunately the photos of her museum are missing from the pages of my photo album. I'll have to dig a little deeper to find them.

The Island in the Sky

2010-03-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning thinking about Civita di Bagnoregio, a tiny village in Tuscany only accessible by a 300m foot bridge. I went there in the summer of 2000 while I was studying art in Italy. The town was built on unstable clay that has been disintegrating for centuries leaving only a small portion of land that has remained untouched by landslides. I've always wanted to go back there and taking a million pictures. Luckily while I was there I took about 20. I'll dig them up and post them tomorrow. Such a beautiful place should be shared with the world.

Stillness on a Rainy Day

2010-03-11T14:47:00.001-08:00

Rain, originally uploaded by Yger.

"Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life."
~ John Updike

July 1987 and Forever

2010-03-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

I was eight years old the summer of 1987, visiting my aunt Marie in Burbank. I vividly remember the highlight of my trip was going to a sneak peek pre-premier of La Bamba. While we were waiting in line to get into the movie, there were people distributing print campaigns on other soon to be released movies. To this day I still have the print promo I was given for Lost Boys. The promo was about 4x6 and folded out into roughly 6 panels. (See below, it was the only image I could find online, so excuse the size.)
Each panel had a photo of an actor with a short description of that character. The good guys were on one side and the vampires were on the other. I'm pretty sure that I immediately fell in love with Jason Patrick and of coarse Corey Haim and Corey Feldman were right behind him. Lost Boys released later that July and it's been one of my favorite 80's movies ever since.

A few years later I traveled back to California to visit some friends in San Jose, where I was born. During that trip I went to Santa Cruz for the first time. Of coarse I was on the look out for hot vampires! I don't think anyone can go to the boardwalk without thinking about Lost Boys.

As a matter of fact, it was that same summer that I learned that my brother had tried (on numerous occasions) hanging from the train tressel down the block from our house... while the train was going by. Just like the vampires in Lost Boys, my brother Gothie was a bit of a daredevil. By the way, I don't suggest anyone try that.

I'll leave you with a few great images that capture the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

photo by just.jane

photo by Christopoulos

photo by photomato

Rest In Peace Corey Haim. You were a huge part of my childhood.

Logorama

2010-03-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

On Sunday night The French Collective H5 won an Oscar for their animated short Logorama. This 16 minute film depicts a city embedded with 2,500 corporate logos and trademarks. Much like the everyday world we live in, as a viewer, you can not escape the overbearing grasp of marketing.

Watch the film in it's entirety here.

Irina Troitskaya

2010-03-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a lot of different projects lately, which I hope to share with you very soon. While researching and scouring the internet for inspiration, I came across Irina Troitskaya's matreshkas. I love her style of illustration and how it translates to the three dimensional wooden figures.

Kinetic Pape Sculptures

2010-03-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I thought I would continue on with the paper theme this week. Here is a kinetic paper sculpture by Haruki Nakamura. It's just mind blowing.

Stop. Paper. Motion.

2010-03-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

This video written and directed by John Kelly, with 3D paper modeling by Elin Svensson, is described as being a "voyage through nature's life cycle, following the trials and tribulations of a humble apple seed."

The Seed from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

After checking out Svensson's website to see more work, I stumbled upon the drawings below. I love how the tops where cut out to make them look like they had been ripped from a spiral bound sketchbook.

Recycled Paper Books

2010-03-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

These paper sculptures are pretty amazing. They were created by artist Ching Ching Chen.

Paper Landscape

2010-03-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

I would love to immerse myself in this cut paper installation by Maeve Clancy.

Paper Sculptures

2010-03-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

I love these paper relief sculptures by artist Charles Clary. The remind me of scientific illustrations of cells or bone marrow.

Art on Alberta

2010-01-25T08:17:00.001-08:00

Recently I joined the PR Team at Art on Alberta, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Alberta Art District's distinct cultural identity through art and educational activities. For those of you in Portland, Art on Alberta will be hosting their annual meeting, on February 17th from 6:30-8:30PM at the Acadian Ballroom, 1829 NE Alberta Street. This will be the kick off for Art on Alberta's Art Hop. It is open to the public and I encourage anyone who is interested in volunteering, being a vendor or just seeking more information, to attend. You can find more details about the annual meeting here. http://artonalberta.org/

Christmas {1968}

2009-12-21T12:32:00.000-08:00

I love these old photos of my parents. They were always super crafty around Christmas. They would build these elaborate candy castles every year. They were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I want to keep the tradition alive.

That is my sister Sandi with my father. She was so cute with that little yellow ribbon in her hair.

I don't know who that baby is that my mother is holding. My sister Destiny was not born until 1970. I'll have to do some investigating...

Displays {The Anthropologie Way}

2009-12-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie's window displays always inspire me to decorate and craft. I love that they create the most beautiful installations out of everyday objects. Anybody can afford to make their house look beautiful for the holidays using paper, old books, plastic bottles, straws, string, etc. You name it, if it's sitting in your attic or your recycle bin, I'm sure the people at Anthropologie have figured out a fabulous way to re-purpose it.

Happy Friday... and happy crafting.

Ukrainian Cards

2009-12-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

After yesterday's post I've been finding amazing playing cards everywhere. This Ukrainian deck of cards posted on English Russian is AMAZING! The King of Clubs is my absolute favorite.

Jean David {Kings & Queens}

2009-12-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I was working on an illustration of a playing card for a photo announcement. While I was searching for inspiration I came across these Israeli playing cards created by Jean David for El Al Isreal Airlines. I love the facial expressions and patterns on each figure. I also enjoy the varying line widths that make up these illustrations.

There is not much information on the web about Jean David, at least that I could find. The only other illustrations that I came across were of these two travel posters produced in 1954 for the State of Israel Tourist Centre and a few other vintage posters for sale via the Farkash Gallery.

You can find more information about Jean David's cards at Grain Edit and Ministry of Type.

Milton Wilson {1923-2004}

2009-12-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I went to the Portland Art Museum and discovered a real treasure—Milton Wilson. I had never seen any of his work, or even heard of him. His abstract paintings are so amazing that they stopped me in my tracks on the way to the Impressionist wing. They are truly something to take the time to look at. The colors are rich and layered with huge brush strokes, line work, hollow shapes over drips—endless textures.

#1016, 1963, Oil on canvas 63 " x 44 "

Untitled, 1969, Oil on canvas, 83" x 68"

After researching more on Wilson, I found out that he was born and raised here in Portland, Oregon. Following his death in 2004, Maldon, Wilson's daughter and the executor of his will, planned to auction off his entire collection of paintings with no minimum reserve to help pay off outstanding debts. (Watch the video from Oregon Live for more details here.) It is sad that these works will lose value due to the declining worth of his estate. Fortunately the Portland Art Museum treasures Wilson's work as much as I do and keeps some of his paintings hung on a rotating basis.

One of Wilson's works at the Portland Art Museum.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a photo of my favorite Wilson painting, currently on exhibit. You'll just have to take a trip to the museum and see it for yourself.

Sitting Tree

2009-11-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share another of my favorite photos today. I stumbled upon this tree while hiking in Lake Isabella, California. I had to stop and photograph it. This tree just looked so alive and so present, like it was resting to take in the view with me.

Another Photo Found

2009-11-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

This is amazing–another photo from the epic computer crash found. I took this at an abandon amusement park when I was living in Massachusetts. It was so creepy, beautiful and a little dangerous. The roller coasters were in complete disarray. It was a photo enthusiasts dream come true. Fingers crossed that I find more from this set!

Photo Lost {And Found}

2009-10-21T10:55:00.001-07:00

I've been in the process of updating my website as of late. While looking for files I came across an old cd containing a photo that I thought was lost to a devastating computer crash. I'm so lucky to have found it. It makes me so happy. {photo taken in Vermont}

Our Portland Story

2009-10-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

I recently completed a page to be featured in the upcoming book Our Portland Story.
It is a collection of short stories, photographs and illustrations created and designed by Portlanders about Portland. I was lucky enough to be paired with a local artist named Kerri Jones. Her story is about the local fabric industry. You can check out her amazing mosaics made of fabric at remnantWorks.

I was inspired to design her page based on old pattern packages. It seemed fitting to represent generations of women who have influenced Kerri's work. In her story she describes what it was like as a child watching her grandmother sew.

Below are a few designs that I scanned from a friend of mine's vintage pattern collection.Below is the final page for Our Portland Story.

It's been a while...

2009-07-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

There's no excuse for it. It's been a while now since I've posted anything. There have been a few things going on...

I'm in the process of buying my first home and that has been taking up a whole lot of my free time. Peter and I are so excited to collaborate on renovation ideas for the house. I can't wait to see what build together.

I also took another trip back east. It was so much fun. I went on a day trip to the beach and also stopped at a few petting zoos afterwords. Here are a few pictures that I love.

Kruger's Farm Market

2009-04-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Kruger's re-opened for the season last Saturday. I was thrilled to get out of the house and make my way over to Sauvie Island to check out the event. Unfortunately I missed the live music, but I didn't miss out on the food.

The artichokes were enormous! They were great, stuffed, on Easter Sunday.

I also saw some chicks and a hen. You can't tell in the photo but her babies were toasty warm underneath all of those feathers.

And then there were the cuties under the heat lamp. I don't know who was more excited, me or the two four-year-olds who were also peering into the box.

Now if only it would stop hailing in Portland, I could plant my vegetable garden.

Costa Rica {Part 3}

2009-03-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Before I conclude this post on Costa Rica, I want to post some photos of a sculpture studio that I stumbled upon. I love the idea of creating art out in the open air. It always reminds me of the scene in S tealing Beauty when Liv Tyler gets her portrait made by moonlight. The sculptures also remind me of the ones from the movie. Notice the husky lounging in the bottom left... love it!

Costa Rica {Part 2}

2009-03-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting to this post and I can say, with out a doubt, that unlike my last entry I am ready for summer. I wish I was back in Costa Rica laying on the beach, driving on the dirt roads or watching the cute Brahman cows roam freely. Just like this one...

I also loved these little guys...

Maybe not so much loving these guys...

Let me explain this one. In case they don't look familiar they are called coatis and they are part of the raccoon family. They are super cute but just look at the claws on these coatis! Picture about twelve of them charging your jeep in the middle of the forest. Still think they are cute? Well that's what happened to Peter and I in Arenal. Our little jeep was literally surrounded by hungry coatis. It was insane watching them charge down the road toward us. I'm laughing just thinking about their little bobbing heads and hungry, beady eyes. I almost thought they were going to jump through the window at me. That's about when they stopped being cute, the window went up, picture taking halted and beeping of the horn ensued. Don't worry we didn't hit any of the little guys during our escape. They are very smart.

The landscape in Arenal was pretty much, the polar opposite of Playa Negra. It was lush, green, rainy and cold. It was still beautiful, regardless of the weather. What do you expect from a place also referred to as "The Cloud Forest". It's safe to say that I expected the rain.

We stayed at Lomas del Volcan in these sweet bungalows just outside of La

Fortuna.

The town of La Fortuna was one of my favorite places. The people were really friendly, I had the best meal of the entire trip there, the scenery was beautiful, and the stray dogs were extremely entertaining.

This trip was amazing and I can't wait to go back and experience more of the country. It really has a lot to offer in the way of beauty and adventure!

Costa Rica {Part 1}

2009-03-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Costa Rica and, oddly enough, enjoying the Portland snow. Don't get me wrong, if it was 90 degrees here like it was in CR, I'd take that in a heart beat. I'll just let the photos of Playa Negra speak for themselves.I ventured out to Playa Negra for little miss JHill's union with Dave. Two of my best friends from college got married and it was flawless. They couldn't have picked a more beautiful destination that was so right for the occasion. Now I know why they love CR so much.

I fell in love with the laid back ways of the locals, dirt rutted roads that take fifteen minutes to get anywhere, and of coarse, the waves where unbelievable. I could get used to that.

WhatTheFont!?!

2009-02-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

How sweet is this? Get WhatTheFont for iPhone to identify unknown fonts. Just snap a picture of the font, whether it's in a magazine, on a poster, or whatever, and WhatTheFont will connect to MyFonts to find in seconds.

Valentine's Day Cards

2009-02-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

This Saturday is Valentine's Day and what better way to shower your darling with love than with a personalized greeting card or photo frame. I designed these lovelies for the Hp Print Studio. You can download them for free at the Print Studio website. Add a personalized message, photo, or even create your own valentine with the Vintage Romance crafty card.

Happy Chinese/Lunar New Year!

2009-01-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo card that I designed especially for the occasion, sold by Ninebird Publishing.

You can find more heritage cards at www.ninebirdpublishing.com

Inauguration Day {Finally}

2009-01-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome President Obama!

Art for the occasion...

Super-Obama

Type design, using text from Obama's victory speech.

Dreams can come true.

Winter Wonderland {Peacock?}

2009-01-15T10:08:00.001-08:00

While I was visiting my sister in southern Massachusetts we happened upon this site. At first we thought it was a wild turkey, but after a closer look we realized that it was a peacock in the middle of the road in a snow storm! How amazing is that? We got out of the car to try and capture it (it must belong to someone) or at least usher it out of the middle of the road. When it saw us approaching it flew straight up, fifty feet, and roosted in a tree. It was amazing. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me, so the above is a photoshoped recreation that looks pretty similar to the actual scene.

Jen Blicharz {Tiny Gasps Of Joy}

2009-01-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

Today I'm going to wrap up Boston with a shout out to one of my other favorite Jens, Jen Blicharz. Jen and I used to work together at a stationery store in downtown Boston. In fact she interviewed with me and I pretty much fell in love with her on the spot. An otherwise socially challenging job immediately became a joy, filled with laughs, and lots and lots of our favorite adult contemporary rock. (It's not easy being the beck and call girls of Boston's upper echelon of socialites, but we made it look easy).

At last I moved to Portland and Jen moved on to work at Soup2Nuts, the animation studio that created Dr. Katz, Home Movies, and more recently, Word Girl. She is an amazing illustrator and one of the funniest people I know. She's too much fun for words, but if you want to get a glimpse of her sense of humor, check out her blog Tiny Little Gasps Of Joy. Her first blog entry pretty much says it all.
I can't end this post without mentioning our trip to karaoke night at Charlie's Kitchen. I hadn't been there in years! If you haven't been there, Charlie's Kitchen undoubtedly has a strange mix of patrons consisting of punks, gear-heads and your typical Red Sox fans, on any given day.Lucky for us we happened upon Charlie's on karaoke night. BEST IDEA EVER! We watched a guy in a Gap V-neck sweater start us off with "Do Me Baby" by Bel Biv Devo, followed by a very shy looking bearded boy, turned mother's worst nightmare, when he sang some Limp Bizkit song, and then we were touched by a punk couple singing a lovely rendition of classic Tom Waits.

Jen Hill and Jen Blicharz enjoying the karaoke

The battle began when Blicharz begged Sasso and I to sing "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago, with her. The photo below pretty much sums up how the coaxing began. Unfortunately Sasso wouldn't budge and we felt that we really needed him on board for that one. Next time Sasso! You better learn the lyrics!!

Jennifer Hill {Places I Have Never Been}

2009-01-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

I can't blog about my east coast visit without mentioning little miss Jen Hill of JHill Design. Jen is yet another fellow Mass Art alum, my old college roommate (God bless her), and one of my most cherished friends. Every time Peter and I go to Boston we stay with Jen and Dave (her fiance whom she affectionately calls "Sasso"). Dave is another long time friend and worthy of an entire year of blog entries.

At their house, I'm always poking around checking out all of their new art on the walls, of coarse previewing Jen's latest prints, and undoubtedly listening to Sasso's new adventures in Rock Band at Harmonix.

Lucky for me I got the new JHill wall calendar for Christmas. Thanks Jen! Check it out below.

This is the pattern that Jen created for my beloved Portland, Oregon. If you'd like to read her blog post about Portland, click here.

Also, check out JHill's new blog Sacrebeu!

Cut Paper Paintings

2009-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

Kelechi Ekechi is a Boston based artist who's originally from Nigeria. Her cut paper paintings are colorful, organic and captivating. Over the past year she has expanded her work of "African Masks Reinterpreted" and branched out into a series of floral mixed media prints, all of which I love.

I went to visit Kelechi while I was in Boston in December. When I wasn't looking, she slipped these three small prints into my camera bag. She's so sweet! Thanks Kelechi.

If you want to find out more about Kelechi or inquire about her prints, send me a note and I will forward you her can contact info.

Humphrey Street Studios Visit: Part 3

2009-01-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of PRC Boston's flickr site.

Joe Wheelwright is one of the owners of Humphrey Street Studios. Before Peter started the renovation there he apprenticed for Joe as a sculpture student while still attending Mass Art.

During our visit to Boston we popped in on Joe, working away in his studio. His space looks like a small warehouse with an office and a loft gallery. Everything about the shop is larger than life - gigantic stone carvings, enormous, towering tree men and other oddities. Check out some of his amazing work below.Photo credit: Mark Wilson

Humphrey Street Studios Visit: Part 2

2009-01-05T18:28:00.002-08:00

Andrew Backus and James Gonzalez at Humphrey Street in 2001

James Gonzalez is a good friend, former Mass Art alum, and current tenant at Humphrey's Street Studios. His ironwork is amazing and I always look forward to visiting him while he's in the midst of a project. You can see his studio space at right, back in 2001, before the overhaul was complete.

Here is a sculpture that James created, that now greets his guest as they walk into the studio.

Below is an example of some of the more architectural work that James does. I loooove this spiral staircase. If you'd like to see more of James' work, follow the link to his website here.

Humphrey Street Studios Visit: Part 1

2009-01-05T18:13:00.001-08:00

Years ago when I lived in Boston, while attending Mass Art, my boyfriend Peter embarked on a daunting project to turn an old dry cleaning factory into artist studio spaces. This being a dream of his, he leapt at the chance, knowing full well that it would be an immense task to fulfill.

Here is Peter, back in 2001, disassembling the old boiler to make room for more studio space.

This was quite the undertaking.
Here he is, filling in the floor where the same boiler used to stand.

We later moved to a loft in Upham's Corner in Dorchester so that we could be closer to the factory, which by that time also housed Peter's sculpture studio. After years of working late nights and innumerable weekends, Humphrey Street Studios was completed and ready for tenants. Today it still stands tall and remains to be occupied by many of our dearest artist friends. This is Humphrey Street Studios today.

This is the view looking into the courtyard from the back lot.

This is Janet Lomartire's studio, the same space that used to house the old boiler.

J.J., as we call her, is a sign painter and guilder who works with her husband Gneal Widett (one of the owners of Humphrey Street); he designs and carves the signs. Unfortunately we missed both of them during our visit back. I would have loved to show you the real after shot of the interior. Janet did an amazing job decorating the space. It's one of my favorite studios.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I have been on a long vacation back east visiting my family and friends in Massachusetts and Vermont. It was a great trip and I have much to share with you in the coming days.

In celebration of the New Year, here is a card that I designed for Ninebird Publishing.

Nailed 'Em - Radical Knitting

2008-12-10T23:16:00.000-08:00

Did anyone see the Colbert Report on December 3rd? If not check out this clip. Artist, Jerilea Zempel from Keene, New Hampshire, got held up at border patrol after trying to enter back into the U.S. from Canada. The reason being that she had "suspicious" designs in her sketchbook for this crocheted SUV.

Recycled Knits

2008-12-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for inspiration this morning, look no further. This faux 1950's outfit is assembled from plastic bags by Cathy Kasdan. It's pretty amazing.

Boutique Knits

2008-12-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

I went into Close Knit the other day and spotted Boutique Knits. It's a wonderful book by Laura Irwin, a Portlander who is a manager at Seaplane.Close Knit had samples of many of the projects from this book on display. These gloves are so cute. I really want to make these.However, the gloves shown below are what really struck me. They are gorgeous.I had to show this hood since I've been working on my hooded scarf this past week. I love the color and the thinckness of the whole peice. It looks so warm.Isn't this hat beautiful? I've always been a huge fan of that braded look in knitting.

There are so many other items that I was blown away by. If you get the chance, do check out this book. The hand bags are amazing. They are mostly felted with some details knited. You can see photos of them on her flickr site here.

You can also read an interview with Laura from Oregon Live here.

Complete Skate Auction

2008-12-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the last night to bid on one of a kind skate decks created for the Complete Skate charity auction. I will be at Design Within Reach from 5:30-8:30 defending my bids from the Nov. 15th opening party. If you want to see current bids you can catch them on Ebay here.

There are some amazing decks by Timothy Karpinski, Amy Ruppel, Jill Bliss, Emily Katz, Zach Johnsen, Harvest Henderson and Blair Saxon-Hill; just to name a few.

Design Within Reach
1200 NW Everett, Portland, OR
5:30-8:30 p.m.
Bidding ends at 8:00 p.m.

Tomato Love

2008-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

It was a late season in my tomto garden this year. I still have brown paper bags filled with tomatoes still ripening in crumpled newspaper. Lucky for me that means fresh tomatoes in December. I love it! I just can't get sick of them. This is why I must show you these 1960 Hunt's tomato can match books on etsy by BooDillys. There are numerous recipes printed on the backs of these matchbooks. I want to frame them and hang them in my kitchen. So cool...

More Handmade Gift Ideas

2008-12-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

I have to admit to a weird habit that I have; I save all of my wine corks. I can't help it I just do it and I don't know why. I hate throwing things away and they just look so cool!

Lucky for me, back in April, Design* Sponge shared a really cool diy project that I just fell in love with; making trivets out of old corks. This might not seem like the sort of thing that you would actually give someone, but I say why not? It would go great with a tea set.

Handmade Holidays

2008-12-01T18:53:00.000-08:00

This year my goal is to make at least one gift per person on my Christmas list. So far I'm doing pretty well. I want to share all of them with you, but I don't want to give away the surprise to those people on the receiving end.

One project, that I think I'm safe sharing, is a knitted scarf-hat that I've been coveting, myself, for quite sometime. You can find the pattern in Speed Knitting and also on the Craft blog here.

I'll show you my version when it's done. To be honest I already took one go at it but some how managed to knit the hat too shallow. Hopefully second times a charm... I am new at this.

The Sign Language

2008-11-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

I have to give another shout out to my friend Zach at Tank Theory. Mainly because he always asks me to model his T's and I always get free clothes out of it. What girl doesn't love that?! So go check out his new threads that are up on the Tank Theory website.Check out pictures from the last photo shoot, on his blog, here. Just click on the blog link.

YES WE DID!

2008-11-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

Words can't even describe how happy I am today. Obama is our 44th President! Today is truly a beautiful day for our country. Not only do we have the best person for the job but he is also the first African American President in our nations history. I couldn't be more proud to be an American right now. YES WE DID!!!Look at the crowd that lined up last night to see Obama in Chicago. It's just incredible the show of support that was there. Photo by Anthony Jacobs.

I love this photo of the Obama family, taken by Annie Leibowitz. They look so happy.

Here is another photo by Annie Leibowitz taken of our new First Lady!!

It was people like this woman, Zim Ugochukwu, that I saw on t.v. last night, that really drove the win home for me. After everything that happened in the last two elections, I was so hesitant to believe the news declarations of Obama's win. But after a while I knew it was true and I started to tear up. Photo by Jeremy M. Lange for The New York Times

But when I saw the footage of Jessie Jackson crying, I almost lost it. If I was that happy, proud, ecstatic and hopeful, then I couldn't even imagine the mix of emotions that he was feeling at that moment. I took a second to just feel happy for people like Jessie Jackson, who have been fighting this fight for so long. To live to see the day that an African American takes the highest office in the country, is truly a moment to cherish and take pride in. Photo by Damon Winter/The New York Times.
To sum it all up... this photo pretty much describes how I feel right now.

Our nation is in a heap of trouble, so I know that it will be hard for any one to clean up the mess that Bush has left us. But I'm hopeful that Obama will lead us through it. I can't wait until Inauguration Day on January 20th, 2009.

See more New York Times photos here.

Manufratured

2008-11-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

I went to the Museum of Contemporary Craft last week to see the newest exhibition entitled, Manufractured: The Conspicuous Transformation of Everyday Objects. Some of the work there was really interesting and unexpected.

The digital prints and wig by Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir are amazing! I just love the details in the twists and braids. I've had long hair for most of my life, so I can't help but appreciate the work that must have gone into these pieces.Harriete Estel Berman's Alice in Wonderland-esque tea cups are also some of my favorites. They are made from old cookie tins, vintage tea tins and an array of other graphically rich containers. I am always interested to see what kinds of recycled materials people are attracted to and what they are capable of doing with those materials.This piece by Devorah Sperber was totally unexpected. When I was walking around the gallery I didn't even see the glass globe that I was supposed to look through. I was too busy staring at the color gradients in the hanging spindles of thread mounted to the wall. It added a whole new dimension to the piece when I realized that it was a Campbell Soup can in disguise.

I've been meaning to write something about the fascination people have with collections of things. This group of lipsticks by Livia Marin is no exception, it is totally mesmerizing.

If you haven't seen this show yet, you have until January 4, 2009 to check it out. I'll leave the dress sewn out of facial peels as a surprise!

SCRAP!

2008-09-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was so much fun! Myself, and a few friends entered the Iron Artist Sculpture Competition put on by Scrap!, School & Community Reuse Action Project. It's a non-profit organization that "inspires creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community".

We entered under the name Pop Color, but everyone under the sun called us Curiosity Group, Mac Force,

and Pop Culture... whatever. Two of my team mates work for the Curiosity Group. I myself freelance there from time-to-time. Mac Force is Curiosity's sister company, that was nice enough to provide the space to hold the event. So I guess I can understand the confusion... maybe.

Our lovely judges put on quite the half time show! I guess that made up for all the demerits they gave us at check-in!There were a lot of rules and then again, almost no rules at all. The main idea is that you gather a team (only five people working at a time but you can have up to ten teammates), show up with some tools, a secret weapon (a tool or material of your choice) and then build a 3x3x3 sculpture out of materials provided by SCRAP! You are not allowed to see the materials until the start of the competition and you are not allowed to know what the theme is, until right before you start. The theme chosen this year was Alchemy.

The crazy part is that the judges walk around and give you merits or demerits for your conduct, team spirit (or lack there of, in our case - we were forced to come up with a cheer!), or whatever else pops into their heads. In order to avoid this you can bribe your judges. We made the mistake of showing up with no bribes and then spouting off some long-winded spiel about how we do not support bribery and are setting a good example for the rest of our nation. Unfortunately that landed us our first demerit. After that we put in a quick phone call to another teammate to pick up as many gas station bribes he could find. I think we may have gotten a demerit for that as well. At least we got a merit for being "cuties". See them below...

After three hours of blood sweat and tears, the minimum number of team members, no secret weapon, and a lot of demerits, I'd say we came up with a really nice sculpture! The concept here is that you become the Alchemist taking your organic substances, represented on the right, and turning them into a substance of greater value, seen left, as "noble metals".

And the award goes to... Pop Color for Most Unruly Team and Best Concept.

And, please, let's not forget the BEEFCAKE AWARD, no seriously! Apparently all the judges had a thang for these smokin' hot guys!Good times. See more photos here.

Viterbo

2008-09-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, in the summer of 2000, I attended an art program at L'Accademia de Belle Arte di Lorenzo da Viterbo. The trip impacted my life immensely and later fueled my degree project at Mass Art. The program is still available through the Montserat College of Art. I highly recommend it to any artist; students and adults alike.

Out of curiosity I wanted to see if my old instructors are still working there. I was pleased to see that they are. You can check out links to bios and work from Caroline Bagenal (more here) and Judith Brassard Brown. I also studied with Charles Boyer, who teaches a journal writing class in Viterbo. Fred Lynch, another instructor through the program, has set up a blog for his students here. It is so amazing to see drawings of so many places in Viterbo that I sat and drew at myself.

It's funny, my sister, Destiny, and I were talking the other day about the subtle power that lies within drawing. Recently she came about an old sketch book and began flipping through it. She described how every image brought her back to that moment in which she drew that particular piece. She described the way her legs were crossed, how she felt emotionally, what the wind felt like on her skin, what she was thinking as she drew, and so on. It got me thinking about my own art and how I felt while making it. It's amazing that, while looking at other's works from Viterbo, I can still remember my experiences while creating my own art there. It is truly remarkable that rekindling those feelings of empowerment and joy are inspiration enough to keep us all creating something new.

I did this quick study while I was sitting in a piazza in Viterbo. I remember tracing the outlines of the arches over and over again, adding more warmth as the sun peaked in from the hills. It was a beautiful day and I could hear the sound of running water from a near by fountain. There was a grandmother and child holding hands, a couple walking arm in arm, and myself sitting on the cobblestone walkway. I took it all in and let out a sigh of contentment.

It's amazing that, eight years later, I can still recall all of that just by looking at this sketch.

Nikki De Saint Phalle

2008-09-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

I can tell already that the last post is going to turn into an all out Italian tangent! Just roll with it.

The research I'm doing is bringing up so many memories from my last trip to Italy in 2000. Since I'm feeling that my return is far over due, writing will have to suffice for the time being.

Let's talk about Niki De Saint Phalle, shall we?

She is amazing! Her sculptures are so magical. Her use of color illustrates a woman after my own heart. My memories of walking around her Tarot Garden are charged with wonder. I didn't know where to go or what to explore first. I must admit that my first impression wasn't one of interest. I was consumed with the Renaissance then and I wasn't really sure what to think of her outlandish, childlike sculptures. But the more I walked around and read the poetry in her work, felt the mosaics and let myself be consumed by her world; the more I submitted and fell in love.

Like most works of art of this scale, photos will just not do it justice. However, here are some pictures I took while I was there.

Justice & Death

The Emperor & The High Priestess

The Empress

The Empress (detail)

Nikki lived alone inside the Empress, what she nick-named the "Sphinx, while finishing the garden. You can view interior photos of The Empress here. In her book The Tarot Garden, she writes, " This garden was made with difficulties, love, wild enthusiasm, obsession and most of all faith. Nothing could have stopped me. As in all fairy tales before finding the treasure, I met on my path, dragons, sorcerers, magicians and the angel of temperance."

Pattern on Pattern

2008-09-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

During the past few weeks I have been looking for inspiration for a family cookbook that I'm working on. My maternal grandfather was originally from Sardinia and though my grandmother was born in New York City, her family also came from the island. Having been to Italy twice, I am very familiar with the beautiful floral textiles and wallpapers that adorn most homes there, as they did in my grandparent's house in the Bronx. I knew, in my search for ideas that I would have to incorporate old time Italian patterns. I came across these photo spreads from the December 2007 issue of Italian Vogue, shot by Steven M eisel. I am in love with these photos!!!

Zenvironments

2008-09-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

If any of you happen to be in L.A. Friday, September 12th, you have got to check out Zach Johnsen's work at Thinkspace Gallery. He is showing a new installation entitled The Sunnyside Yard. You can read more about it here.

Zach and I went to school together back in Boston at Mass Art. Some how, we both found our way out to the great Pacific Northwest. Below are some shots from his send off party. Since most of us Portlanders won't be making it down to L.A. for the show, he was nice enough to share his work before heading out of town.

To Market, To Market

2008-08-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of summer's end and fresh produce, I thought I would share this illustration of focal point and emphasis. This is my interpretation of a holy Mona Lisa at the fruit stand; an ode to the marketplace. The fruit itself was photographed in Montreal at Atwater Market. Peter's mother and father took us there a few years ago. Taking in all of the beautiful displays of meats, breads, cheeses, wines, and produce was like being on foodie sensory overload. All I wanted to do was take all of it home and chef-up a grand feast. Instead, we ate a delicious lunch and went to the Chinese Lantern Festival, which I highly recommend.

Photo credit bottom image: matt.hintsa (flickr)

A discussion about markets would be no discussion at all, without mention of the Grand Market Hall in Budapest. It is an enormous indoor market of food, clothing, knickknacks, home goods, tobacco, souvenirs and the list goes on. The building itself is a sight to see, resembling an old railroad station.

When Peter and I were there, in 2006, it took us over an hour just to walk through and scope everything out. It is overwhelming the amount of... well everything, that you can buy there. If you happen to find yourself in Budapest, you must stop by the market. Photo credit: naromeel (flickr)

Brilliant Color

2008-08-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

I went camping on the Sandy River about a month ago and was totally blown away by the scenery, more specifically the river rocks. I remember times when I would go to the beach and find brilliantly colored beach stones in the water. I would pick them up and have to take them home with me. But later, once I was home, the rocks would dry and all of those brilliant colors would fade to gray. It was always so disappointing to me. The river rocks that I found on the Sandy River were like the holy grail of colorful dry rocks. I was so amazed that I thought about building a color gradient with them. Then when my boyfriend Peter suggested it as well, I knew I had to do it.

Shapes In Nature

2008-08-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

The natural world provides a constant supply of inspiration for art. All shapes and lines that we create on paper can be traced back to something in nature. This is why I chose to use branches and bridges for my illustration for Chapter 3 of Foundations of Art and Design. The parallels between these two seemingly different shapes are more apparent upon further study. The Zakim Bridge is made up of a sturdy "trunk" with many branch-like cables that enable this structure to maintain it's integrity but also allow it to be flexible. Like branches enabling a tree to sway in the wind, these cables provide the structural give needed to protect against natural disaster.

Exploration

2008-08-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

So much of what inspires me comes from nature. Whenever I'm out exploring I always take pictures of textures, landscapes, color studies, people and lighting, so that I can pull from these images when I return to my studio. Here are a few photos of the Oregon coast that have inspired me over the summer...

Dunes & CloudsDriftwood TexturesLight Photographs copyright Marisa D. Green 2008