Craigslist Cravings: Art Deco Dresser.

Via Craigslist for $40.

I think with some tlc this dresser could look amazing.  The details are there, and it's already beautiful to me.  Only $40...someday I'd find this and immediately bring it home to see what I can do with it.  Just have to get the house done first.

How Have I Never Heard of This?

Brooklyn to West did a post about their finds from the Bay of Dead Horses.  Apparently it's a whole beach of amazing (albeit sad) trash from forever ago.  I'm a sucker for ancient glass and metal.  I've got to go to New York now.  Go look and drool for yourself.

Craigslist Cravings: Molded Plywood Chairs.

These are in Southern Indiana, 12 of them for $5 a piece...and I can't have them.  With our renovation going on my husband said we have no room for any finds.  Sigh. 

Via Craigslist.

Here's why I want them.  Isn't it fantastic?  Leslie Oschmann from Swarm Studios takes found canvas paintings and adheres them to chairs.  I think I could easily do the same, but with either my photography prints, or paintings and use them as dining chairs.  This would've been perfect...sigh.

Via Swarm.

And the winner is...

Congratulations Rachel Holt!  Please send me a message on Facebook with your address and I'll get your calendar heading your way.

Thank you to everyone else who entered.  To show my appreciation I've put up a coupon code for all of you that entered and didn't win (I'll have another giveaway soon, I promise).  In the meantime, please take 10% off your order with the coupon code THANKYOU at checkout.

You have no idea how much all of your entries mean to me.

Have a great Monday.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent.

We have a dishwasher, and believe me, we use it, a lot.  I don't want to think about what all could be in store bought dishwasher detergents, so I'm really wanting to make some of my own.  Here is a recipe from the blog Be It Ever So Humble:

2 parts Borax
2 parts Baking Soda
1 part Salt
1 part Citric Acid

Combine, shake, and use about 2 Tbsp. per load.  They also recommend filling the rinsing agent reservoir with vinegar.

I do believe I'm going to give it a try.

Artistic Moment of the Week.

Via Shorpy. By Dorothea Lange.

Craigslist Cravings: Saanen Goats.

These girls are over in Bedford, three doelings, two of which are bred for spring kids.  I won't get them unless I make some huge orders in my shop, but I imagine they'll sell before I can get them.  Maybe by spring I can get a couple more.

New Paintings.

Here are a few of my most recent paintings.

Overdressed, 5x5 Acrylic on Hardboard.

Facing the Wind, 5x7 Acrylic on Hardboard.

Marine from 1942, 8x10 Acrylic on Hardboard.

I'll be selling prints of my sold paintings after the beginning of new year, so if you missed out on some of my previous paintings, you'll have a chance to own a copy then.

Craigslist Cravings: Kitchen Sink.

Via Beech Grove Craigslist.

This beauty is almost exactly what I'm looking for.  I want the double drain-boards, but I'd really like a double sink as well.  For $75 OBO, though I may be persuaded to stick with a single sink.  

Artist Interview: Liz Brizzi.

It's absolutely wonderful to find an inspiring artist on the internet (as I did when I found Liz Brizzi's work a few months ago), but I find it surreal that then you can contact them and they'll answer a few questions for you and let you feature them on your blog.  When I contacted Liz I was as nervous as a girl could be.  Her artwork gives me goosebumps.  It's so different, and I love the "aged" feeling that the washes give the piece.

So, without further ado, here are some questions and answers with Liz Brizzi.

Were you always an art kid, or did you stumble upon it later in life?

I can definitely say I've always been an "art kid". First, I have to tell you that I grew up in a very artistic environment. My father works in animation and is a also a painter. My mother is a musician. Piano wasn't really my thing... but neither was math, which is the reason I really started drawing. My math and sciences notebooks were filled with comic strips I drew. And thinking back now...even before I was old enough to do some seriously boring math, I had invented comic book characters and wrote their stories, designed their clothes and worlds. I have no idea where those things are now...but I would love to find them.

 

Escape Route.

What style of art is your favorite and why?

Honestly, I don't think I have a favorite style... I love fine art, comic books, illustration, graphic design, photography, etc... I respect all forms of art and am able to find inspiration anywhere. I try to stay open to everything and even in my own approach to life as an artist, I try to do some of everything. It keeps it interesting and I feel like anything you learn doing one thing can often be applied to something else. Currently, I work on my paintings, but I also work as a surface designer doing a lot of textile prints and tshirt graphics. I also do some illustration work and am developing a comic book project that I hope will come to fruition one of these days, if time permits. So you see, I'm interested in a lot of artistic endeavors... but I guess you could say comic books and graphic novels have been a big influence in my life. They're pretty huge in France and I have a fairly large collection at home.

What do you use for inspiration, or how do you generate ideas?

Inspiration can come from anywhere, anytime. You just have to use your eyes and your ears, and be alert to your surroundings. But mostly I like to go out with my camera in random, poorly explored areas of the city and "shoot the heck out of it". I also like to look at my art books, and surf the web for inspiration daily. I do keep an inspiration folder filled with random images I like on my desktop. When I'm stuck in a creative rut, I go back to my folder and look at the images again.

Allegory.

Walk us through your creative process from idea to finished project.

I usually have a general idea of the "mood" of the next painting I want to do. The shape of the canvas will also play a role in the design of the final image. But I mostly look at all of my photos and pull out the ones that "speak to me" at that point. Then I use photoshop to tweak, cut, paste and create a photo montage with the selected images. The final image is then printed in pieces and cut with a blade. Then I paint the background on the canvas or wood panel, then collage the paper and finally paint on top of the whole thing with diluted washes of acrylic paint again. Sometimes, I'll add more layers of paper and paint until I feel the painting is finished, and the final touch is a gloss varnish that protects against UV rays and other environmental damage. Once the varnish is on, there is no going back. And voila!

Brooklyn.

What is a typical day in your life?

Well, the beauty of my life is that no day is ever the same. I love that. I used to have a full time job with a set schedule and daily tasks... I was miserable. I can't stand routine. But to give you an idea, I live and work in a loft downtown Los Angeles. I have a studio space there where I spend most of my days working on either a painting, or surface graphics, or whatever freelance gig may have come my way at that point. Sometimes, clients bring me into their offices to work with them, which is a nice change as sometimes, working at home gets a little lonely. I live with my fiancé who is also an artist and in the evenings we like to go out with friends, or stay in, cook and watch movies. You know... the regular stuff.

Crossing Over.

What do you think draws you to other people's work?

Hmmm.... That's a hard question. I never really thought about that! I think it can be colors, technique, imagery... It really depends. But I think the more unique, the more I"m attracted to it these days. I feel like a lot of art out there is getting too similar. I see a lot of "imitations" too. I think it's ok to be inspired by somebody's work and do something similar while adding your own twist and flavor to it that will make it unique and become something new and interesting. But I see too many artists literally copying others and I think that's too bad...

Dawn on the Tracks.

What are your interests/hobbies?

Well, outside of Art, I love cooking, movies, fashion and going out with friends.

Ice Docks.

Is this your full time job, or do you have a job out-of-studio?

Unfortunately, my fine art is not my only "job". Like I previously mentioned, I do a lot of freelance work doing various graphic work. I say "unfortunately", but actually I kind of like the variety. Keeps it interesting! And again, I sometimes work on a project and do something that will strike a creative chord and give me a new idea for a painting or something else that I do. I like that a lot!

O Farrell.

What is your favorite piece you've ever made and why?

That's too hard! I can't answer that! It would be like asking me to pick between my children. :)

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out in the business world?

Work hard, really develop your own style, try to be unique! Then show as much as possible! Don't be afraid to show at parties, events, one night pop up galleries, stores, restaurants, anything goes! Little by little, people will start recognizing your work and galleries will hit you up for group shows and then solos. First you'll have to go get it yourself... then slowly... it's them who will come to you. Also, be on top of your game when it comes to marketing yourself. Have a good looking website, a facebook page, a twitter... join online art communities, have business cards... marketing yourself is really important. Especially today, when it's actually so easy and you have access to all this technology and networking sites. It really helps!

Siem Reap City.

Describe your work space.

Like I previously mentioned, I live and work in a big brick loft downtown in the Arts district. It's very open, with lots of light and i have an amazing view of the downtown skyline. My studio has lots of art books, paints, music, an inspiration board, and printers, paper and tools everywhere. I love it.

Spring.

Did you face any setbacks on your path to being an artist?

Not really... But I guess I always wanted to be an artist. Except when I graduated I just kind of took the first job I could get in order to survive while developing my art, and it took me on a career path that took me further and further away from being an artist. At some point I realized I made a wrong turn and I had to "get back on track", so I brought my dusty paints back out and started painting again. Actually my best friend "made me do it". He commissioned me to make something. Anything. I'm so glad he did that cause I haven't stopped since. And now my job is to make art.

Liz working on a painting (I love the fact that she's barefooted).

What milestones, goals, or achievements are you striving for right now?

One of my goals is to be able to fully survive and make a comfortable living with my paintings. But I also have a couple of side projects that I really want to work on but are hard to get to, as "all the other stuff" gets in the way. I also want to start showing internationally and get out of my comfort zone. Those are the main goals... but I have a whole list of things I want to do, make or achieve... Don't get me started or you'll have to write a book instead of a blog post! :)

Thank you Julia!!!

No, Liz, Thank You!  It was an honor to interview you, and I'm sure whatever goals you make you'll achieve.  I'm the exact same way when it comes to setting goals, so I understand.  Keep up the great work your paintings are fantastic, and I look forward to seeing more.  And to my readers, if you want to check out more of her work, she has a website:  http://lizbrizzi.com, and an Etsy shop:  http://lizbrizzi.etsy.com.  I first found her work over at Society6 where she has a few prints available too.

Craigslist Cravings-Reupholster Edition.

I'm going to learn to reupholster someday.  I can't help but wish I already knew how when I come across cheap finds on Craigslist that could use a bit of...well...help. 

This first chair looks very similar to some dining room chairs I got a while back.  I love the lines on it.  I doubt I'd change it much, except it look like the vinyl might be torn on the edge of the seat.  They are asking $10 for it.

Here.

I really like the shape of the back of this chair.  I think it would look great in a neutral fabric or vinyl.  I'd take the skirt off the bottom of it and clean up the lines a bit, but I can see the potential.  Especially for $20.

Here.

Gotta love burnt orange, but again the lines are there.  I'd take the skirt off and get new foam for the cushion.  This puppy is only $10.

Here.

 Lastly this one definitely needs a bit of love.  The skirt needs to come off and the old fabric ripped off, but can't you see it with a nice new fabric on it?  Again only $10. 

Here.

How I wish we had some workspace for me to tinker on something like that.  For $50 plus fabric I could have potentially three livingroom chairs and a dining chair.  For the price I could afford to try, right?  The best part is that they are all at the same dealer's shop in Brazil, Indiana.  Sigh, let's just hope in a couple years steals like this will still be out there.

A Gallivanting Girl Giveaway!!

I recently added calendars to the stock in my shop and I'd like to give one away to a deserving customer.  To get one of these 14-month, 5x7 pretties just follow the instructions below.

Do any or all of the following:

• Like The Gallivanting Girl on Facebook (then write on my wall about the giveaway).
• If you're already a fan, leave a comment about the giveaway.
• Comment on this post.
• Re-blog or tell some friends (then comment with details, ie blog post link, etc.)
• Create a treasury on Etsy with any item from my shop and mention this giveaway in the details.

You'll be entered for each thing you do, so the more things you do, then the better your chances.  Good luck!  Entry deadline is December 11 and I'll draw a winner December 12.

Craigslist Cravings: Fantastic Sofa.

Via Craigslist.

This beauty is almost seven feet long, and in new condition because it's just a year old.  It's located in Germantown, Kentucky, and very reasonably priced at $500, but I'm not to the furniture buying point...we are getting ready to have to put all of our downstairs furniture upstairs in order for the drywallers to come in, so adding a huge sofa to the mix would just be a pain.  I sure hope I can find something similar when I do start buying.

An Artist to Swoon Over: Nancy Ramirez.

I don't know if it's just because I'm an artist, or a visual person, or what, but I can tell immediately if I like a piece of art or not.  It's a split second judgement, and one I've found to be completely out of my control.  I'll either be attracted to it, or it won't catch my eye at all.  Nancy's work is definitely in the first category.  She has a shop, {COZAMIA}, and if you don't already know about it, then your welcome in advance.

Blossom Trellis

Such vibrant colors and eye catching patterns make me go weak in the knees.  That is probably a surprise to some because I usually work in muted tones or even black and white.  I admire what I'm not, I guess is the best way to look at it.  My favorites (they all are fantastic), seem to have strong turquoise and pink tendencies.

Electric Garden (Turquoise)

 I came across her work a few months ago, my first contact being with the "Wild Herringbone in Pink," and audibly said "Oooh."  Then I went to her shop and that was followed by much more "oohs and ahhs."  

Brittle Stars Raspberry

 I am impressed with the variation in her work.  I always seem to get stuck in "rural-themed" or "historical-themed" collections.  Her work does have a somewhat collective color scheme, which is great because you can buy up all her work and have a cohesive grouping even if they don't have the same subject matter.

Color Migration Blue

 Over at {COZAMIA} she's holding a giveaway until December 4, which I'm very un-secretly hoping to win.  I want a huge print (I'm leaning toward the "Night Peonies" in  blue below or the Blossom Trellis which is the first image), in order to hang it up on our soon to be walls after the drywaller comes through in a couple months.

Night Peonies (Blue)

Now I'm telling you about the giveaway because I'm truly a good person (and I do hope all of you enter), but I may be a bit saddened if you are the person that happens to be the winner instead of me.  I'm only human.  If you feel so inclined you can always enter and then send the print my way.  I would do quite the little happy dance for that.

Wild Herringbone in Pink

So, this big long ramble is just to give you a little heads up about a great artist that you should know about.  She has a facebook page, and a blog too if you feel so inclined as to check her out further (and I hope you do).  Good luck if you enter the giveaway, and I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do.

Chow Down: Ugly Cookies

Carrot Chocolate Chip Cookies (AKA Ugly Cookies) via Me.

So, I was wanting some chocolate, but didn't feel like absolutely sabotaging my progress with a batch of chocolate chip cookies or a pan of brownies.  Instead I was wanting something between a carrot cake and oatmeal cookie.  I found this recipe via Allrecipes.com, but of course I tweaked it like I always do.  These cookies are very filling, aren't overly sweet, and they satisfied my chocolate needs perfectly, but they aren't very pretty.  They are lumpy and chocked full of random ingredients, so I've renamed them accordingly.

Ugly Cookies (1/2 batch) makes 16 cookies.

1 Egg
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. Maple Syrup
1/6 C. Milk
1/6 C. Olive Oil
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Baking Soda
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips
1/2 C. Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 C. Finely Shredded Carrots
1/4 C. Finely Shredded Apple
1/8 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Almonds
1/2 C. Puffed Brown Rice

In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg; add to egg mixture.  Stir in chips, oats, carrots, apple, almonds, and puffed rice.  Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Bake at 350-degrees for 10-13 minutes.

Enjoy.

How Does a Farmgirl Go Girly?

Is this what it would look like?

Tory Burch Trigg Lace-Up Leather Boots Via Polyvore.

I've always been a tomboy.  Not out of an outright hate of fashion, more like a fear.  No one has ever shown me how to put on make-up and if more is asked of my hair than a ponytail or bun I'm helpless.  I want to be girly sometimes though.  I want to buy clothes that make my husband stop and actually notice me.  At the moment my wardrobe consists of ill-fitting blue jeans, ratty t-shirts, men's snap up shirts, and workboots.  Sad but true. 

I bought a cute little dress a while back, but I have yet to wear it.  I promised myself a make-over when I shed these last ten pounds.  I want jeans that actually fit, and nice blouses to wear when I'm not at the barn or painting (which isn't very often).  But I would like to dress up for my husband before he gets home from work.  Call me June Cleaver I guess.  I just want to start trying.  I feel great about myself and my life, and I want my outward appearance to reflect that. 

I just need someone to take my hand and show me how to put together an outfit, and give me some style pointers.  Any takers?

Art, who's to say?

Image via The Daily Beast, Time Life Pictures/Getty Images.

Recently Bob Dylan has come under scrutiny for his art that was being featured in a show.  They said he painted from old photographs and that it made his art not worthy of a second look.  I personally don't agree with this statement at all.  Looking at his painting versus the photograph--yes, he used it obviously as a reference, but with his brush work and color I think it creates a beautiful, separate from the original, work of art.

I guess I take slight offense to this because when I work I have to have a reference myself.  I can't just say, "I'm going to paint a woman in a chair." and set out to paint it.  Nope, I've got to have a photograph or some kind of image to refer to.  I envy artists who can draw from memory (my father is one of those people), but taking inspiration from a photograph doesn't make the art unworthy.  I find his paintings beautiful.  And it's not as if he took the photograph itself and called it his own.  Now that would be overstepping a bit. 

I guess in the gallery statement it was said that he drew from his experiences, and it didn't source his references.  That is the only issue I have.  I try to give credit where credit is due.  Usually when I paint from a photograph I alter my image enough that the original bears likeness but it doesn't look like a copy.  Even still, if there is a person to credit, I will.  I've got some paintings that I'm working on at the present that are based on old photographs from magazines.  Reason being is I love the image, and I want to create a work of art that pays homage to it.  I want to make it my own.  Plus, most of the images I find are in dusty corners, and I'd love for more people to see them, so painting using them as a reference gets them noticed.  Does that make sense?

Another issue that I have with art is people that try to say what is or isn't.  To me, it's a completely subjective.  I personally don't understand most contemporary art.  I'm not going to state "That's not art." But I might say, "That's not art, to me."  That's my opinion.  I like art that shows work.  It can be abstract, but I want to see what the artist was doing.  Others may find my work dull, or imperfect, but I'm proud of what I create.  I'm sure Dylan feels the same way.  He obviously is doing what he loves, and I admire him for that.  For anybody to say his art isn't art, I'd like to ask them exactly what art is.

I've got an elliptical and I know how to use it.

Image Via surtrayvey on Flickr.

I'm fairly positive that Dara Torres is a super-human, but she is an inspiration to me just the same.  Sure I've set the bar pretty high, but if I go at this re-training of my body with muscles like hers in mind, then even falling short will potentially give me a great physique.

I bought an elliptical machine (off Craigslist of course), and that will be a huge help in getting this plan in action.  I don't have much time to write, but just look at Dara's abs and say "Holy Cow," a few times and go back to whatever you were doing before you read this.

My First International Order!

Last week there was a huge occurrence in the growing of my little business.  A few of my photography prints are heading to Italy!  Never in my life would I imagine myself making it to Italy, let alone my art.  To me, this is huge, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Via University of Texas Libraries.

YAY!

I Created A Treasury: Deep, Sexy, Blue.

Find it here.

Loving all these awesome items.  I especially would like to own the top row, but they all make me swoon.

I Created a Treasury: So Sunny.

Check it out here.

I was loving the sunny weather, so I thought a treasury should compliment it.

Craigslist Cravings: Victorian-style Couch.

For only $40 bucks!  Seven foot long, and gorgeous.  It would be really neat re-covered in a neutral grey. Via Craigslist in Bardstown, Kentucky.  Wish I was driving to Kentucky to get it.  Someday I'll get to pick up all these neat finds.

Illustration Friday: Hibernate.

I sort of let this week get away from me, and I never got a chance to get a painting started, so I did something a bit different (for me) and did a pen and ink drawing on hardboard.  I thought about the various meanings of the word hibernate and one of them was "retreat into oneself," which I think all of us do (to an extent) in the winter.  We bundle up and brace ourselves for the weather seemingly making ourselves as small as possible.  That's what this image reminds me of.

"Hibernate." 5"x5" Graphite, Pen and Ink on Hardboard.

I will be putting this image up for sale in my shop.

I used a beautiful image for a visual reference.

The Sun Goes Down via 10 cent designer on Flickr.

The 10 Cent Designer has so many beautiful images to gawk at.  I highly suggest a trip to her flickr page.

Perfect Timing.

I stumbled across a great blog post by Austin Kleon.  He found fame for his newspaper blackout poetry, and I think that's really neat.  It's definitely a creative outlet that I'd like to try soon.  The post I'm talking about is a batch of great advice for anyone in the creative industry.  Sometimes you feel lost as an artist, and this post just made me smile.  I hope it finds a similar emotion for you.

Read the post here.

Big Sale in the Shop!

Joelee's birthday is coming up really soon, so I wanted to celebrate with a nice sale in the shop.  It will be available through October 12th.  Please take advantage of the coupon and get some Holiday shopping done early. Thanks so much.

Shop located here.

This week has flown by.

I'm thinking this week's Illustration Friday may be unfinished by tomorrow.  This is what I've got so far.  It's penciled in, and the background is blocked in with paint, but none of the details have been worked.  I've got lots of non-art stuff I need to get done, so I'm thinking it will be next week before I get to work on it again.  So that's that.

The prompt was 'ferocious,' which I think boxing matches are.

I also got the neatest thank-you gift from a customer who bought some of my bee-themed prints earlier this year.  She sent me a jar of honey from her own bees along with a super nice card.  It was the neatest package I've ever received.  It was yet another reminder that I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be.  I love that this is my job!

Super duper awesome thank you gift.

It'll be quite the miracle if I get my to do list finished.  I just figured I'd hop on here and write a quick post so it wouldn't seem as if I disappeared.

Craigslist Cravings: Retro Rockers.

I think they are pretty nifty.  They'd look amazing in a swanky den.  On Craigslist for $150 for the pair.