2nd day at the art show!

I might be busy, but you know that whenever I can find a minute, I'm here and write for you to enjoy!

I hope my previous post on the first 2 days of the art show were interesting for you, here is the second part:



 When I went home after the first day at the show, I felt so tired! So, I decided to enjoy the dinner my wonderful  husband had prepared for us and go straight to bed, so I can rest well, before the next day.

I woke up in the morning, dressed up, my guys dropped me off at City Hall and then I went to take some pictures of the art I've missed the previous day. Here are some of the things I liked:



- I have always liked woodcarving and having this wonderful work right next to me was a real pleasure!

- I didn't manage to see these wooden wings operating but they sure looked interesting!

- My friend Julie Branch's work, inspirational as always ( you can click on the pictures to see more)

Me and Julie, happy as clams :-)

Here is a watercolor with one of my favorite flowers:

Ikebana was part of the exhibit too:

I absolutely loved this guy's work, unfortunately I didn't manage to talk to him, just to know his name.

- These were panels with advertisements from long ago, about finding slaves that ran away, selling slaves...just devastating read! I spent half an hour reading them, wondering what became of these people, how many survived, how many dies...Heartbreaking!

- There is nothing I've ever seen even close to this guys art! This is an evening necklace:

These, believe it or not are paintings:

-The last day I even brought my folder with white on black, people really liked the idea to browse through them while they are still without frames:

- And here is the person responsible for this huge, absolutely unique kind of art show ( 1000 artists in more than 12 venues ), who didn't sit down the whole 2 days, making sure everyone was having a great time and everything runs smoothly! I cannot but say THANK YOU, Don for your idea, your enthusiasm and the strength and perseverance to overcome small and big obstacles on the way to greatness! :-) 

I hope I can show you very soon my Metropolitan Museum pictures from my first visit there last Friday!

Annie

The art show - days 0 and 1

I had such an amazing week that I don't even know where to  begin with telling the story behind the scenes of the art show!

You all know how excited I was ( and a little scared too) with showing my work and having all these talented people around me... All kinds of questions ran through my head!

I still think about the e-mail Don Rittner( who organized the event) sent to all of us participants with "expect the unexpected" punch line and I remember panicking around the house minutes before I went to set up at City Hall.

So, here it is, the way I saw it happen:

- Friday 19th, Set up day- after I pulled myself together and finally loaded everything in the car, my better half and I went to City Hall to set up my work for my first art show. I was really worried what we are going to find there, because none of  the participants knew where they would be exactly, how much space there would be, how would we put up the paintings and drawings on the walls etc. I think I was so stressed out mostly because I didn't know what to expect and if I would be able to handle whatever came up my way.

So, my space was at the far end of one of the halls on the second floor. Initially I wasn't very happy with that, because this was REALLY far end of the hall and on the side on top of that but the next day I saw that this was actually a good thing. But for this a little bit later!

I started unpacking, first I set up the pyrographed pieces ( which was on the 1st floor, and my other stuff was on the 2nd floor) and the cards and at the same time my husband ran to the store to get hooks  ( we didn't know what kind we would need beforehand) for the drawings and paintings.

My pyrographed pieces and cards

Setting up was a slow work, because I did it for a first time. On top of that people who reserved space didn't show up and if I knew that beforehand, I would have set up a little bit differently, but things were what they were.

Next I set up the drawings and paintings and since I brought my table I used it for the watercolors, because my pyrography was on the 1st floor. 

My white on black drawings

My watercolors

I brought up my easel to show my largest( and first) oil painting:

These were the most difficult to hang up, because there were 3 of them and I had to climb high on the ladder and I hate that! 

Here are the last 3 paintings, 2 oil and one acrylic paint.

I was exhausted after we finished, mostly because of the stress, not so much from hard work! ;-) Once it was over, I was able to relax and think about the adventure the next day.

I say adventure, because for me it really was one! This is such a valuable experience to have and this is why I wanted to go in the first place!



- Saturday, 20th, First day of the Art show-  I got up early and I was so nervous that I couldn't even drink water, let alone have breakfast. Big mistake! Sure there was food, sure my husband brought me both breakfast and lunch on the site but I was not able to eat any of it!



There were SO MANY PEOPLE! Much more than I expected! It was so busy that I could barely sit down( the high heel boots, not such a good idea too), let alone eat!

But it was so exciting! So incomparable to anything I've done before that I wouldn't give it up for the world! I met so many interesting people, I talked to my fellow artists around the venue, I looked at amazing works of art! But take a look and see by yourself!

Absolutely wonderful Native American work! The picture doesn't do them justice!

Painted glasses

Silent auction of vases painted by local celebrities

This was a very large piece! The artist had some more, you can take a look at them in the album I made for the art show, when you click on the picture.

You have to take a closer look at this one! Really!

My kids and I going up on the 2nd floor the morning of the first day

  

Can you believe this is carved with a chainsaw?! They even did demonstrations on the lawn in front City Hall.

And this is me again, with my watercolors. 

You remember how I mentioned that I was not feeling great about being in the corner, because nobody would come to see me, right? Wrong! As my husband said, this corner is like a spider trap ( LoL!), people are just passing by the art on the sides of the hall, but when they reached the end of the hall, they stop by, they walk around and chat!



On top of that I made lemonade from the lemon( a.k.a the corner spot) because it was a great ice breaker when talking to people, joking that I got this spot because I was a newbie and this is my first art show. I also had a sign on the wall saying " Keep quiet, please! Cort is in session", so I was joking that I am not only in the corner, but I have to keep quiet as well. :-)



It worked out better  than expected, but as I always say, keep the positive attitude up and good things will happen! And I did! I am like that, I stress out before the actual thing, but when I am at the moment, I pull myself together and make the best out of it. And I was adamant that nothing would spoil this experience for me!



Of course there were people who weren't as happy as me, but I guess it depends on what was the reason for you to be there in the first. I really hope I can keep myself away from looking at such events as a "routine" and would appear completely bored and negligent to the people who look at my work. Really, if I ever get to that point, I hope there would be someone to tell me to stop making (or showing) art, because it defeats the purpose of it. But enough of that! There were many, and mean MANY interesting and pleasant people that I had the pleasure to get acquainted with and I hope one day I might even call friends!



I had a great time and felt happy and that's the most important thing at the end!

I talked to many people, some of them were simply admiring what I made, others were asking questions, commenting or giving advice! I dare say that this was one of the things I really needed! To talk about art with people who understand art, who have been there and done that! It was unbelievable and I am so happy that I did it!

I was scared silly and there was really no reason at the end!



I think I'll stop here today and I'll continue tomorrow with the second day of the art show, so stop by to get the rest of the story!



Annie

Wish me luck!!!

Here it is, the day of my first art show!

I just came back from City Hall, finished setting my artwork up and still cannot believe it!

It just doesn't seem real to me! Me? An Art Show? How did this happen?!



I want to sincerely thank my friend Linn, without whom I wouldn't even know about this event and wouldn't have contacted Don Rittner to tell me am I good enough to be there or not, I want to thank my family for supporting me, because they are the light that keeps me going and I am forever grateful to them for all the love, the laugh and the inspiration!



Let's raise our glasses for the first of many art shows!



Thank you to all of you, who are here today, reading about this very important day for me and feeling my excitement!



See you Monday with a lot of pictures to share!!!

Turn off your TV night!

At my son's school there is an event called " Turn off your TV " night, where there are so much fun things for the kids to do, to get out of the house and some time with their parents and friends.

This year one of the crafts that were chosen for the event was the Bulgarian Martenici! I am so happy and I hope that the kids like them and we have fun time tonight!

I was supposed to make a poster with some information about the martenici and in the hour I had free yesterday this is what I came up with:

I used some glitter for the word Buglaria. I don't know if you can actually see it in this size picture, but I contoured the word, then applied glue and then I sprinkled the glitter on top.

It is a pretty big poster as a matter of fact, I've never made a poster bigger than this one. See how big it is compared to the lampshade:

I wish I had more time and more materials left to do something a little bit different, but I think the kids are going to like this one too. The actual red and white Martenici cut-outs are filled with printed fun facts about the Martenici. 

I hope I have more pictures tonight from the event! :-)

High!

That is the name of the drawing I am about to show you. 

You are probably wondering why am I not posting as often this week, well I am trying to prepare myself for the art show and a couple of other events an I am extremely busy with all the things I have to finish. 

I hope once the show is over I can relax a little because the last couple of weeks has been really stressful. 

While thinking of the all the things I have to finish it felt overwhelming and I wish I can do what my mom said often" Just let go, relax and let your mind fly high above the trouble"! So, here I am, listening to my mom's advice and this is the drawing that came to my mind. 

Like a spiral with wings, your troubled soul can take you high where you want to go, but also it can trap you as a tornado and it can bring you down. It's up to you where you'll go!

So, what do you say?

I say...HIGH!

Let's get some color going!

I bet you got tired of mine white on black drawings! So, I decided to do some watercolor mandalas!

1. Fairy Dance- don't you think so, when you look at it? I apologize for I couldn't take a very good picture of this one but it was in the middle of the night and I think nothing than a bright daylight would have shown the subdued elegance of the real colors!

2. Indian Sun- I remember those mornings waiking up early in India, the sun friend for some and foe for others...I miss it sometimes and I know I probably won't have the chance to visit it again but I have a special place for it in my heart. 

You definitely need to see the details upclose on this one! I worked almost 3 hours on this one!

I really need to go, because I am moving ( and renovating) the kids room and it totally takes the best out of me, but I had to ask, which ones do you like better, the white on black or these?

A house for hermit crab

You probably have read this awesome story " A house for hermit crab" and if you are like me, you probably liked the little guy looking for a home.



I have seen real hermit crabs last summer when we were in Boston, and i wen took a picture of a curious little one:

Amazing creatures! I am not a crab person in general ( they remind me of spiders) but there is something about these that makes me like them. I cannot explain it, it's like my dislike of insects but my love for the woolley bear caterpillar. :-)



So, I was scribbling yesterday on piece of paper, with no general purpose and I suddenly realized how much my drawing reminds me of a hermit crab!

Don't you think?

Bookmark- usefull or useless?

I love books. 

I've written many times about my reading passion and how I love to devour the books I read, how I crave the aura they create around me that changes my present into a magical place where I can forget everything except the present of my imagination.

I can compare this only to the state of mind I get into when I am drawing when I can't  see or hear anything  around me, like I become deaf and blind for everything except what I create.

I love the total immersion of mind that the books give me! I can't be without a book and whenever I finish reading something I frantically look for the next one, so I can sleep soundly that night knowing I will have something to read the next day. 

You would ask yourselves why am I talking about books in the Art & Craft section, since I already have the " Life" section for that?

True, but this is a special occasion.

Ever since I started the book " The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova I felt the need of a bookmark. If you have ever seen this book, you know how huge it is.

I never had a bookmark before and I always used pieces of paper, tissue paper, pens, pencils, library receipts etc as bookmarks, but this time I felt like I really, really needed something beautiful and especially created as a bookmark.

This is what I came up with, alas I never got to use it, because I finished it when I've already read the book, but the book inspired it, that's why I called the book mark " The Historian".

1. The bookmark the book inspired. 

2. The details

So when I finished it, I started thinking, do people really use bookmarks or are they just pretty things that lie somewhere around the house and are one of these things that we like having but we never actually use ? 

Do you use bookmarks?

What is the most unusual thing you used as a bookmark?

Annie

My First Art Show!

Well, the time came and I can finally advertise the event! :-)

if you like my work and you want to see it and meet me in person, on 20th and 21st of March I'll be at Schenectady City Hall showing my paintings, pyrographed pieces, white on black drawings, watercolors and cards!

SEE YOU THERE!

Annie

Mandalas for a challenge

My friends from the Crazy Challenge this week have an awesome theme- NO THEME AT ALL! :-)

So, since they said that whatever we make this week, we can show, here I go!

These are the 3 new mandalas that I made this week and I wanted to share them with you!

1. This one I call " Umbrella in spring rain" ...it just reminds me so...

2. This one I call " Spring Seeds"

 

3. This one I call " Linear" and it was especially difficult to make, because I don't use a ruler and it takes a lot of concentration to make straight lines. But I do it because it relaxes me when I am tense and I use these as a sort of meditation technique.

I'll submit them in the Crazy Challenge, I hope they like them! :-)

3 March Mandalas

Here are 3 of the mandalas I made this month and I haven't showed you. It has been a really busy month and with everything that happened to my family I wasn't really in a mood for art at all. But I still managed to make these, I hope you like them!

1. I decided to give color a try and make something with red ink on white paper. Here is what I came up with.

2. This one is a strange one even for me! I was really sick when I made it and ..it just came out that way. I haven't planned it or anything. 

3. This one is a combination of white Galaxy marker, Uni-Ball Signo pen and Gelly Roll pen.

I have 3 more mandalas, that I made yesterday and I want to participate in a challenge with, so I'll post them tomorrow!

Annie

Annie's Art Book pictures published in German magazine!

I have really exciting news!!!

My picture of from last year's Martenici post was published in an article about the red and white tradition, written by Anne Kundts from the German magazine Leben.Audena.de !

Take a look:

http://leben.audena.de/rot-weiss-in-den-fruehling-471.html

Thank you Anne, for the nice article and for asking a permission to publish the pictures!

Annie

Bracelet Martenici and more

his year I made so many different designs that I had to split my Martenici posting in 3 parts. I published the Tabletop Martenici the day before yesterday, including the video how to make them , the pin Martenici part yesterday, the bracelets and the rest of the different designs are for today including  the traditional Pizho and Penda dolls!

1. A delicate Martenici bracelet in red and white. It is made with a ribbon base that just ties around the wrist. 

Here you can see the whole length of the bracelet

2. A hard ribbon bracelet with reclosable fasteners.

3. These were for the girls in my son's class, very simple. 

4. The bracelets for the boys in my son's class. I had to make 22 total, so simplicity is the key. ;-)

5. These I made just for fun, because I wanted to have couple more just in case i need to give to somebody and I don't have anymore left.

6. This was the package I sent the bracelets and information about the holiday at my son's school.

And there is the whole thing with the bracelets and the pins for the teachers

7. This is the martenica for the front door, we used to have a horseshoe Martenica but I removed it last year.

8. And last but not least, the traditional Martenica dolls Pizho and Penda. 

I don't know if you can actually tell, but they are with the size of a hand. 

Penda

Pizho

Details Pizho

Details Penda

I hope you like them and they inspire you to make yours! If you use any of the ideas, please let me know! I would love to see what you have made!

If you decide to use any of the pictures, please have the courtesy of providing a backlink to my site!

Annie