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.