dr kennedy jones

Just In Time...

2011-12-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hello hello! Just in time for holiday shopping I have added a few original pieces to my Etsy shop. Hope everyone is having a wonderful season so far!

The Winner

2011-11-04T17:33:00.002-04:00

"Time's Curve" - 10" x 22" collage on panel - Another of the new pieces currently being hung for the opening tomorrow night!

And the winner is... #25 which is Jerangela! Yay! I'll be emailing you soon to get your pick and address for shipping.

You guys don't know how much your sweet words mean to me. So inspiring! We'll do this again soon. I have another big batch of prints coming in within the next few weeks for the holidays and I'll have another giveaway then.

Have a very wonderful weekend!

new prints and giveaway!

2011-11-02T09:33:00.003-04:00

I have been asked a lot to offer these two prints in a larger format and here they are! I'm so excited about these as they have always been favorites of mine. They are each archival giclee editions of 170 and measure 11" x 14" and you can find them here.

So how about a little giveaway? Just leave a comment here to enter and I'll draw a winner on Friday. That person can pick a print of their choice from the shop! Easy peasy.

Wyatt Art Studios - November Show!

2011-11-02T08:53:00.004-04:00

"The Making Of" and more new work will be on display and available through the month of November at the wonderful Wyatt Art Studios Main st gallery! The opening is this Saturday from 5 - 8pm. Check out the site and rsvp on facebook. If you're in the area definitely stop by!

2011-10-18T10:14:00.002-04:00

I have added an "artist proof" section to my etsy shop. we are in the process of moving house and the less i have to move the better. i only have one or two of most of these and all of them are from either sold-out editions or editions that i have never offered in my shop before so get them while you can!

for more frequent updates on goings on visit my facebook page here.

ETA 10!

2011-08-30T12:46:00.002-04:00

nahcotta gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary of the enormous tiny art show and i am so pleased to be a part of it again! to mark the occasion they have put together a sweet little video that all of the participating artists contributed to. the show runs september 1st through october 2nd with the opening reception this friday. if you can't make it then all the work is available online.

fine line prints and release party

2011-08-18T19:57:00.002-04:00

fine line magazine is having a release party and print show to launch issue #4. i was lucky enough to be one of seven previously featured artists to offer a limited edition run of 10 prints for the show. we choose "fresh courage." you can purchase these prints as well as the magazine at the launch party on the 26th and can find more info here...

scrapbook

2011-08-14T16:16:00.003-04:00

i wanted to share this charming find i picked up yesterday. these are a few of my favorite pages.

jamelia

2011-07-22T11:32:00.002-04:00

since this song came out last year i have passionate surges of appreciation for it every once in a while. surges that push everything else out of my head. surges so strong that nothing else will do for an hour or more and i'll just leave it looped while i work. it's a brilliant song in itself but it doesn't hurt that the track is heavily arthur russell influenced. arthur, a musical hero of mine, got us through the hottest part of yesterday hiding inside with world of echo and scissors and books.

update

2011-07-21T17:32:00.002-04:00

isn't this the way it usually is in the summers? there's so much to do and the kids are home and i'm running in circles all the time. so i have a few things to share. i'm currently working working on original work for several things, one being another solo show in november. hopefully i'll have some to share with you soon. in the meantime i have added a few new spots where you can pick up some prints locally! one is the dandy lion in new albany, indiana and also wyatt art studios in rochester, new hampshire.

There were a few original pieces added to the shop earlier this week and there is one left!

new prints

2011-06-30T18:06:00.002-04:00

there are three new prints in the shop! "bob allen", "patience" and "future" are all giclee prints in editions of 100.

yellow umbrella

2011-06-06T15:59:00.002-04:00

i'm so psyched to now offer prints and paper goods locally in bemidji, minnesota. yellow umbrella just re-opened in a new space last week and look! math clouds?? i want to live there. how does minnesota law handle squatters rights?

you can see more pictures and find out more on their blog.

summer so far...

2011-06-06T13:46:00.002-04:00

once school is over for the year and the kids are home, balancing work and play time is stressful. you would think there would be less to keep up with so it would be easier. i honestly think that myself every may when we start thinking about summer break. "oh man, it's going to amazing not to have to get up early and pack lunches and check homework and help with research projects. we'll play outside all day!" i forget over the fall and winter and spring - three seasons to wipe experience from my brain - that balancing the "play all day" with the "work all day" is tricky. there isn't enough "all day." we're working on it, though. we tackle the summer reading and the snipping paper in the hottest part of the day while the pets nap in the shade. mornings are for errand running and evenings are for roasting fresh vegetables and walks to the river.

2011-05-23T20:51:00.002-04:00

of all the things i come across as i'm looking for material, hardly anything makes me happier than old medicine. not strictly the medicine packaging itself but the advertising as well. the simple but bold typography is so beautiful. when we visited saint augustine a few months ago one of the stops i had to make was an old pharmacy in the center of town. it was a little hokey but i expected that from such a touristy city center. what i was thrilled with was their collection of medicine bottles. walls and cabinets and shelves and cases...

i might have taken more pictures in there than i did of the kids at the beach. ok, not quite but almost. it was amazing! so since then i have added a few things to my own small personal collection.

(ew)

i bought these labels from a seller on etsy. they are authentic but were never used so they are flat and perfect without creases. I LOVE THEM. i still don't know what "sweeny" means.

giveaway news

2011-05-21T20:30:00.002-04:00

everyone needs to know about this! there is a huge giveaway taking place very soon over at habit of art. cathy has brought together 10 artists with a total of 25 works of art. that's huge! it starts on may 26th and the winner will be announced on the 31st. there is a sample of work above but you can see a full list of participating artists and all the work included here. there will be three winners so mark your calendar for a chance to be one of them!

2011-05-14T07:36:00.002-04:00

"castle dangerous"
11" x 14" collage on panel

"patience"
8" x 10" collage on panel

"losing track of the tragic seasons"
10" x 10" collage on panel

"thirteen"
collage on book cover

...a few works currently showing at the naked art gallery in birmingham

i want to send a belated but very heartfelt thank you to birmingham for making my gallery opening last weekend so much fun. i fell in love with white cucumber sangria, met so many wonderful people and had the best time with friends. after the opening we walked from the hotel down to the garage cafe and ended the night on the patio. if you live in birmingham you are a lucky little beastie to have this place in your city. i can't wait to go back. even though i packed my new camera ( "if i get this i'm going to take it everywhere i go and document my travels like you don't even know") with an extra battery i didn't take even one picture. next time. i promise.

you can purchase work through the gallery here and feel free to email vero with any questions you might have. the show is up until june 4th.

it seems like after over a month of stress and constant deadlines i always need to take a week to do a whole lot of nothing. of course with two kids and pets and orders to fill then "nothing" still feels busy but it's nice to let that tightly-wound, excited anxiety go. i fit in a few movies and cleaned up the studio space and even picked up a book, can you believe it? today, weirdly enough, feels "back to busy."

The All-Star Book Fair

2011-04-28T20:09:00.002-04:00

“The All-Star Book Fair.”
Art made from and inspired by books by Hollie Chastain
Functional art made from books by Colleen Casey, Kristie David, Katy DeMent, Peyton Glanton and Elise McClellan.

Opening May 6, [5pm-9pm] and Sat May 7, [10am-6pm]

Part of the show sales during the opening reception will be donated to the Alabama tornado victims

as many of you probably know the south is wrecked. my family and friends were pretty lucky and we're seeing nowhere near the devastation that has swept over alabama. that's saying a lot considering i just drove up a side street a mile from my house where trees and power lines have been broken off and twisted into corkscrews. this is why the show that i've been working towards for a few months is suddenly so much more special. it's taking place at the naked art gallery in birmingham, alabama and a portion of the opening night sales will be donated to help the tornado victims in that city and so many more that need help. please come out if you're in the area for a wonderful night of art and friends for a good cause.

this week in music

2011-04-26T20:02:00.003-04:00

i'm slammed right now with working goodness! most of it is final touches for a show in birmingham opening may 6th. i'll do a proper post on that tomorrow but i just want to share a few things that i've remembered, stumbled across or was shared with me in the last few days.

Dark Sisters - The Making of... Part One from 59 Productions on Vimeo.

first, the stumbled upon. i am a big fan of 59 productions and am thrilled to be able to follow nico muhly's new project with them. read more about it at their site and while you're there they also have a beautiful set of 4 videos sharing the making of jonsi's latest live show which was incredible.

the shared! this is the trailer for the movie submarine that alex turner, the man that can do no wrong, created the soundtrack for. my chrissy slipped this casually into an email yesterday and my brain exploded.

the remembered... speaking of alex turner, it seems like for the past year and a half whenever his name is mentioned i have to watch this video again. the simplicity is brilliant and the song might be one of my very favorites of the arctic monkeys. love it to bits.

new prints!

2011-04-22T16:36:00.007-04:00

there are two new giclee prints in the shop, both in editions of 150. you can find "clairaudient" and "the standards" here! I'm so pleased with the way these came out. they look so wonderful together.

in other print related news i only have 7 more of the print "home life in faraway lands" in my possession so if you've been waiting to get one then now is the time.

Cutters Edges

2011-04-21T09:43:00.002-04:00

Contemporary Collage
A Group Exhibition Curated by James Gallagher

Opening Exhibition
29th April - 28th May 2011

Gestalten Space
Sophie-Gips-Höfe
Sophienstraße 21
10178 Berlin

www.gestalten.com/space

Featured artists: Rubén B (Spain), Michael Bartalos (USA), Melinda Beck (USA), Brian Belott (USA), Hisham Akira Bharoocha (USA), Stephen Brandes (Ireland), Paul Burgess (UK), Dennis Busch (Germany), Hollie Chastain (USA), Alejandro Chavetta (USA), Cless (Spain), Barrett Cook (USA), Liam Crockard (Canada), Valero Doval (Spain), Jesse Draxler (USA), Lukas Feireiss (Germany), Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez (Germany), Erik Foss (USA), James Gallagher (USA), April Gertler (Germany), Jason Glasser (USA/France), Kate Hate (Germany), Sean Hillen (Ireland), Ashkan Honarvar (Netherlands), Jordin Isip (USA), Eva Lake (USA), Greg Lamarche (USA), Dani Leventhal (USA), Leif Low-beer (USA), Max o Matic (Spain), Jeffrey Meyer (USA), Vincent Pacheco (USA), Melissa Paget (Canada), David Plunkert (USA), Garrett Pruter (USA), Kareem Rizk (Australia), Javier Rodriguez (UK), Jenni Rope (Finland), Jason Rosenberg (USA), Valerie Roybal (USA), Joe Ryckebosch (USA), Cay Schroder (Netherlands), Baby Smith (USA), Kerstin Stephan (Germany), Katherine Streeter (USA), Sergei Sviatchenko (Denmark), Alejandra Villasmil (Venezuela/Chile), David Wallace (USA), Jessica Williams (USA), Oliver Wiegner (Germany), Lulu Wolf (USA), Bill Zindel (USA), and Anthony Zinonos (Germany).

if you're in the area this is a beautifully curated show in a brand new space!

2011-04-10T13:43:00.002-04:00

when i receive a large order of wooden panels then there is always a scramble for the big empty box. the bunny beat the cat and the kids this time.

welcome, new followers!! i hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

"artists who blog" interview

2011-04-06T10:18:00.002-04:00

who doesn't love "artists who blog"?? it's such a wonderful resource for me, and i know so many others, for advice and inspiration and a sense of camaraderie amongst people that spend a lot of time alone in a studio every day. that's why i jumped at the chance to give back and contribute to this blog. the interview is up now and you can read it here. thank you so much for inviting me, stephanie!

2011-04-04T11:01:00.002-04:00

more new work to replace the work i sold from the CUTTERS show as it continues to travel. you can click through to see each piece on my flickr site.

LCD soundsystem held their last show ever this past saturday in madison square garden and for all of us poor poor fans who missed it the entire set is up on youtube. so excited. my day is made.

New Original Work

2011-03-30T10:07:00.002-04:00

"Clairaudient"
12" x 12" collage on panel

"The Standards"
8" x 10" collage on panel

"Creature Gestures"
10" x 10" collage on panel

"Psychic Lyrics"
10" x 10" collage on panel

There is some new work available through Sebastian Foster gallery this week and a few new prints on the way in the coming weeks!

The Working Proof

2011-03-23T09:29:00.002-04:00

i've had quite a few requests for this print over the last year or so and now i'm happy to say it's available! i've teamed up with The Working Proof to offer a giclee edition of 50 prints of "unplug." 15% of the gross sales goes to American Forests which is something close to my heart living here surrounded by their wonder in tennessee. you can also check out a little interview with me on their blog. thanks, anna, for making this possible!

new print!

2011-03-17T10:53:00.002-04:00

"The First Freedom"
11” x 14” edition of 100

there is a new giclee print in the shop! this piece was created as part of the poster cabaret 2011 bicycle print set which you can see in its entirety the end of april. the title was inspired by a memory from last summer. we taught the kids to ride bikes last june and because any child is a super quick learner at most anything - little sponges - they were up and fast within a few days. eric and i were sitting on the back of the car watching them zoom around a park by the river and he said "well, they have transportation now. they can leave whenever they want" and made me giggle. of course they haven't gone anywhere yet. :p

and a few pictures from the week to share because i finally got a new camera! it's a nikon D3000 and i love it SO MUCH but have barely had a chance to really break it in. there is a book to read and a dvd to watch. so much information!

this is the little wooden chocolate box i carry around with me for ickle wee clippings. i have a hard time keeping my hands still while waiting in the car on the kids or watching movies so i cut the hundreds of little dots and drops i use in my work and keep them in this box along with scissors.

new favorite mug!!

2011-03-13T20:39:00.002-04:00

one of the things i picked up this last week is a plastic sleeve full of family history pages that look like they have been removed from bibles. the difference in the handwriting from top to bottom thrills me. you can click for a larger view.

this one has some stitching to fix a tear.

giveaway results

2011-03-09T19:41:00.004-05:00

i was going to do a cute drawing from a charming hat but today completely got away from me so pickatrandom.com chose the result in its stark yet efficient way.

the winner is jamie of owl really! and a fellow tennessean which is exciting. congrats jamie!

thank you all SO SO much for your support and playing along. i'll be doing another giveaway in the coming months from my facebook page so look out for it!

facebook giveaway

2011-03-06T16:58:00.002-05:00

a little something newish to share... George! 6" x 6" collage

i had so much fun with the giveaway i hosted a few months ago that i've been looking for a reason to have another one. and now i do! i now have a facebook fan page. there's not much to it yet and i'm still figuring out facebook in general but if you're willing to bear with me while i learn and become a fan of the page then i'll enter you to win a print of your choice from my shop! it's the least i can do for the fumbling learning process you'll have to witness. i think it's going to be a really good way to share news and dates and general info. so 1) become a fan by following the link above or by the "like" button in the sidebar of this blog and 2) leave a comment for this post 3) this wednesday, the 9th, i will draw a name randomly and we'll have a winner!

have a great week, everyone!

believe it...OR NOT

2011-03-04T10:01:00.005-05:00

i found this last month but it was placed in a stack when i got home and recently rediscovered. i guess i can forgive my own disorganization since i get double the treasure hunting thrill with everything i find and bring home.

i squealed when i found this. it was my favorite tv show when i was 5 and 6. i would watch it with my dad every week in that peeking-through-your-fingers sort of way. some of it scared me - especially jack palance - but that was always the best stuff. everything grew from a nationally syndicated comic started in 1929 and there are a few of the pages included...

"As the world's first millionaire cartoonist, he blew money on expensive foreign cars, but was afraid to drive them. He wouldn't use a telephone, fearing he might be electrocuted. He drank heavily, but considered smoking evil. And between the hours of 7am and 11pm, wearing little more than an old robe and slippers, Ripley drew his cartoons upside down - unless he was hungover, in which case assistants handled the inking over his outlines. But perhaps all that was to be expected of the world's foremost purveyor of the bizarre.......Ripley's home was equally eccentric, and his New York mansion served as a shrine to his peculiar tastes and treasures - a model of the Eiffel Tower made from 30,000 matchsticks, chastity belts from the Crusades era, and an Iron Maiden from Nuremberg to name a few. He called this live-in museum Bion (for Believe It Or Not! ). One of his personal favourite possessions was a Chinese Foochow riverboat called the Mon Lei, which the Japanese had confiscated during their 1930s invasion of China. Ripley used it to entertain guests in trips along the nearby Long Island Sound estuary."

he would make the very best weird uncle.

proxart feature

2011-03-03T14:35:00.004-05:00

thanks so much proxart! i was excited when they contacted me because i believe so much in what they do...

"We’re Proxart, and we want to see innovative artists from the suburbs get the recognition they deserve."

yay! all of my closest friends are originally from the suburbs both around here and all across the country. it's an experience that shapes some incredibly interesting and imaginative people and this site is wonderful proof of that.

new print!

2011-02-08T12:04:00.002-05:00

there is now a giclee edition of 150 of Gilbertville Public Library I available in the shop. it turned out perfectly and i'm so excited to offer this bigger brighter version!

also very psyched to have another mention on swissmiss today. it's a beautiful source of inspiration and full of things to add to that "OMGWANT" list that grows longer every day.

ETAS 9

2011-02-01T08:54:00.002-05:00

the opening of the enormous tiny art show 9 at nahcotta gallery is this week. if you can't make it there in person then all the glorious art is now available online. my new work is available here!

happy friday!

2011-01-28T17:12:00.002-05:00

i'm still not feeling 100% back to normal but a little bit of shopping today made me forget all about that lingering "doc holiday" cough. i still need to find the perfect chain for the magnifying glass and the eye is a pin that glows in the dark!

I have a new retailer! sacred art in chicago now has a load of prints and cards with original work coming later in the spring. stop by and have a look around if you're in the area!

2011-01-27T12:27:00.003-05:00

laura
6" x 6"

elliott
6" x 6"

jeffrey
6" x 6"

kimmy
6" x 6"

some new work on its way to the enormous tiny art show 9. i'm very excited to be a part of this show again!

two weekends ago i visited nashville with two amazing girls and saw guided by voices, had an extraordinary amount of fun and was struck down with the devil flu as soon as i got back. ugh, it's just awful. i was completely useless for a week and am just now feeling good enough to participate with the living. i really hope you are all spared but if you aren't then i suggest lots of tea and a little bit of great local chocolate.

a piece of mine made the accidental mysteries list on design observer last week. the excitement was almost enough to get me off the couch. almost.

Cutters/Cork

2011-01-19T17:06:00.002-05:00

stringers branch
5" x 7"

one of the pieces i'm contributing to the cutters group show taking place in cork next month.

In Cutters/Cork James Gallagher, a collage artist himself, has brought together over 50 artists from all over the world to illustrate the range and depth of collage taking place today. This exhibition is the third in the Cutters series (Brooklyn in 2009, and Berlin in 2010), and will continue to showcase the excitement of the newly invigorated art form of collage.

The full list of participating artists is as follows: Michael Bartalos, Melinda Beck, Brian Belott, Hischam Akira Bharoocha, Stephen Brandes, Paul Burgess, Dennis Busch, Hollie Chastain, Alejandro Chavetta, Cless, Barrett Cook, Liam Crockard, Valero Doval, Jesse Draxler, Tatiana Echeveri Fernandez, Erik Foss, James Gallagher, April Gertler, Jason Glasser, Eva Han, Sean Hillen, Ashkan Honarvar, Jordin Isip, Louis Johnstone, Rubén B Kowalsk, Eva Lake, Greg Lamarche, Vanessa Lemounier, Dani Leventhal, Leif Low-Beer, Max o Matic, Jeffrey Meyer, Vincent Pacheco, Melissa Paget, David Plunkert, Garrett Pruter, Kareem Rizk, Javier Rodriguez, Jenni Rope, Jason Rosenberg, Valerie Roybal, Joe Ryckebosch, Cay Schroder, Baby Smith, Kerstin Stephan, Katherin Streeter, Sergei Sviatchenko, Alejandra Villasmil, David Wallace, Jessica Williams, Oliver Wiegner, Lulu Wolf, Bill Zindel, Anthony Zinonos and Mario Zoots.

snow day

2011-01-10T14:09:00.002-05:00

last night we received the most snow that has fallen since 1993! around 10 inches but some of the drifts are over the kids' heads. we've been sledding and walking and exploring and now we're inside, warm and dry (and stuck) again...

some of us happier that the kids are home from school than others.

first week of the year!

2011-01-08T14:30:00.002-05:00

i finally received my copy of the oxford american in which i have a piece published! i am extra stoked about it because this particular issue is dedicated to southern music. i was just looking over the alabama music mix that came with it and i noticed that phosphorescent's track "it's hard to be humble" is on there!

there are a lot of exciting things in the works for 2011 and a part of all that is new retailers! the first addition is bricolage in boise, idaho. if you're in the area stop by and grab a print!

the etsy shop stories and divinations is where i picked up the vintage exercise book that i used to make the adalyn series and she's been keeping an eye out for me and found these! can't wait to play around with them.

I have a little feature over at gbox this week. thanks for the love gabriel!

2011-01-02T20:21:00.001-05:00

after school
12" x 12"

i added a new giclee print to the shop today! limited edition of 150.

2011-01-01T18:19:00.005-05:00

Boys

I think that I shall never see
A boy who quite appeals to me
A boy who doesn't always wear
a slab of grease upon his hair
A boy who wears his shirt tail in
and doesn't have a silly grin
A boy who always likes to dance
and doesn't put me in a trance
A boy who doesn't always talk
about how good he is in sports
But boys are loved by fools like me
for who on earth would date a tree

i like a silly grin on boys, myself. :)

we have a winner! the lovely melani got this in super fast and even worked out that one line that seemed to stump everyone else including me! it was pointed out that it's a take-off on the joyce kilmer poem "trees". Thanks everyone who played and we'll do it again soon.

the picture above is from the always fascinating snapatorium.

new years print giveaway!

2010-12-31T16:06:00.005-05:00

***we have a winner!! thanks everyone who played along! we'll do it again soon***

happy new year! i hope everyone feels relatively awake and not too headachy and whiskey-drenched this morning. i've been thinking of doing a giveaway for a long time and i decided that the new year is a perfect reason when i found the perfect challenge to go with it! the above isn't the print, it's the mystery. this is the back cover of a book i found a few days ago and i have spent a good bit of time trying to decipher the entire poem written in pencil in the center. i can't find it online when searching for the lines that i can make out so maybe it's an original.

the title is Boys and you can download a super big version here. i like doing this sort of thing and if you do too then give it a go! the first person who emails me (contact@holliechastain.com) with the entire poem can choose any one print from my etsy shop for free, shipping and all!

2010 was such an amazing year and i want to thank you all for following along and for your support!

2010-12-31T15:25:00.002-05:00

i wanted to share a few things i've picked up recently, some for work and some just because i couldn't pass them up.

new stacks yet to be sorted and a glimpse of the beautiful botanical anatomy poster of mistletoe i got for christmas!

i didn't stand a chance against paint-by-number-german-shepherd's noble gaze.

an entire bankroll ledger book that i already have three of was purchased just to acquire this perfect ticker tape that was tucked inside. they might have let me just have it if i had asked but i'm normally too chicken and i always have this feeling of things "going" together so they can't be broken up. like if i'm flipping through an old book and find a letter or a picture then those things should stay with that book. i'll get over it one day.

ickle wee owl vs. collie

gorgeous webster's dictionary with a leather cover. the first few pages are missing where i might find a date but there is a school book plate in the inner cover dated 1905.

...and inside.

happy holidays!

2010-12-25T15:07:00.005-05:00

we woke up to snow this morning! a lot of it too. warmest wishes for the holidays and thank you everyone for making this past year amazing.

2010-12-23T12:36:00.004-05:00

out in the night

in the shop now! this will probably be the last small original for awhile. i have a lot going on in the new year right from the beginning and already have a big checklist on the wall. fun!

2010-12-16T17:08:00.004-05:00

conner branch

another small original for the shop!

in other news this is the last picture i took with my camera before i tripped over the dog and dropped it. it was old and crappy and needed replacing anyway but it still doesn't change the fact that i'm without a camera now. also choosing to get a new camera and having to because of a clumsy mistake are two different things. lame. new camera suggestions are welcome! is there one in particular that you're in love with?

2010-12-15T14:06:00.002-05:00

two thirty eight 5.5" x 8.5"

one of a few small original collages on book covers that i'm adding to the shop this week. items can be shipped without an extra rush option up until tuesday in the states.

tony fitzpatrick

2010-12-12T14:25:00.004-05:00

the winter tiger

the december moth

apollo moth

i don't like moths. butterflies are fine so i really don't know exactly what it is about them but maybe the thick grub-like bodies and moth fur have something to do with it. i really want to like them. usually i adore night creatures and i can picture a luna moth in my head with the offending parts tamed down (basically i make it look like a butterfly) and it's just beautiful. it's been with me for ever i guess because i can remember how huge green and orange ones would bask on the warm brick on fall afternoons at my elementary school and i would swing wide to avoid them.

so you would think that tony fitzpatrick's drawing collages of moths would offend but they don't. i love them.

2010-12-01T17:40:00.003-05:00

just a few workday photos to share. we try to coordinate the afternoon coffee break with the 20 minutes a day when the sunlight coming in the front windows is perfect for basking and warming your belly.

my giclee community chorus print made the bloesem 2010 gift guide in the company of some of my favorite ladies! i'm keeping this guide in mind when i start my holiday shopping this weekend. no, i haven't started but shhh don't panic me. it'll be cool. deep breaths. in addition to shopping local and supporting some super chattanooga creatives i have a few websites bookmarked. this one specifically!

thanks lori for the mention on automatism!

a few found pages to share...

2010-11-28T17:19:00.002-05:00

one of my very favorite books growing up!

i have extended the holiday sale in my shop to last until midnight on monday nov. 29, tomorrow night. just use the coupon code "HOLIDAY2010" for 20% off your entire order!

2010-11-27T15:40:00.002-05:00

The Telling-Grandon Scrapbook is a 28-page scrapbook/diary containing photographs and ephemera collected by an Evanston, Illinois group during a visit by train to the New Orleans Carnival of 1903. The New Orleans section includes brief references to Begue's Restaurant, Fabacher's Restaurant, Christ Church, Metairie Cemetery, St. Roch Cemetery, Tulane University, the French Opera, the U.S. Mint, the Young Men's Gymnastic Club, U.S. and French battleships in port, Royal Street, the French Market, and the Rex and Proteus parades. While the scrapbook has no single author, several of the entries are signed by individuals within the group. Two of the more prominent among these were an Irving Telling and Willie Grandon; thus the title of the collection, Telling-Grandon.

this is why i'll spend hours digging in the forgotten corners of junk shops, splintered trunks, the bottom drawers of half-rotten bureaus. i can't even imagine the thrill of finding something like this. every image is golden but of course when i saw the costumes my heart beat a little faster.

from the louisiana digital library

holiday sale!

2010-11-25T06:53:00.003-05:00

today and tomorrow i'm having a "start of the season" sale in the shop. just enter the coupon code HOLIDAY2010 to receive 20% off! also, i sent a stack of limited edition prints to leo handmade this week so if you are in or near chattanooga tomorrow you can buy local as well. and the ETAS at nahcotta gallery is offering free shipping from now until christmas so if there is a piece of original work you have your eye on then now is the time!

happy shopping everyone and please support independent businesses and artists this season!

2010-11-19T10:45:00.003-05:00

Milwaukee based artists and curators Cassandra Smith and Jessica Steeber are pleased to announce Fine Line Magazine, a follow up project to the now defunct Armoury Gallery, which closed in spring of 2009.

Fine Line is a hybrid between the gallery and traditional magazines; free of all advertising, reviews, previews and biographies, Fine Line instead presents carefully curated thoughts and ideas.

The first issue, titled “Welcome Home” features the work of 14 artists spanning 7 states and 7 countries. It will be available to the public at a launch party to be held Friday, November 19th at Studio Deep End near Milwaukee’s 3rd Ward.

A limited 500 copies of the first issue will be available for $10 each. Copies will also be available at www.finelinemag.com after the launch party.

Participating artists, in order of appearance:

Christopher Gorski (Portland, OR)
Jeremy Daigneault (Evergreen, CO)
Sidney Pink (Baltimore, MD)
Eva Eun-Sil Han (Seoul, South Korea/Belgium)
Casey Jex Smith (San Jose, CA)
Jennifer Bastian (Los Angeles, CA)
Inca Pan (Taichung, Taiwan)
Matthew Craven (Brooklyn, NY)
Li Hui (Hangzou, China)
Alexandro Garcia (Uruguay)
Benedetta Falugi (Follonica, Italy)
Virginia Echeverria Whipple (Santiago, Chile)
Hollie Chastain (Chattanooga, TN)
Buddy Wakefield (Seattle, WA)

VERY honored to be featured in their first edition! there is information about the launch party on their facebook page. i wish i could make it.

a big thanks to grain edit for the feature this week and making afterthought their poster pick. the site is so full of yummy eye candy like this print recuerdos by alberto cerriteno. it's going on my christmas list, for sure.

2010-11-13T08:41:00.003-05:00

there are now a few new giclee prints that have been added to the shop including i came to get down which i am particularly thrilled to offer. there are also a few that have been released exclusively through poster cabaret and sebastian foster including exit 119. new work is coming very soon! i'm cutting as fast as my fingers will let me and enjoying every second of it.

thank you all for the wonderful comments lately surrounded my handmade portrait. i've been overwhelmed by the amount of inspiration and support and i truly appreciate it!

and thank you jonathon for the mention on cultural dissection! i'm a fan of your blog. :)

2010-11-09T20:23:00.003-05:00

i am sooo lucky to be a part of the etsy handmade portraits project that you can now see on the etsy blog! it was a lot of fun to make, though incredibly nerve-wracking leading up to the actual filming. i am clumsy and silly and ridiculous 75 percent of the time so i would like to thank pascal for producing such a wonderful finished project! so check it out. you can see my crazy kiddos and my desk mess and other fun things. :p

in other news i have prints available now in both urban alchemist in brooklyn and also tedda hughes in san francisco, both great boutiques.

2010-11-04T09:51:00.002-04:00

SoulPancake released a video trailer for the new book! can i just say again how much i adore rainn wilson? adore. it also reminded me that i have a little interview up on the site and forgot to mention it here.

i'm spending my 5 minutes of down-time this morning with a second cup of coffee and illustrator sabine timm's flickr streak. what a charming world...

happy halloween!

2010-10-31T12:29:00.002-04:00

we've been celebrating my favorite holiday all weekend and now i'm celebrating in the shop as well! free shipping until noon tomorrow on anything your spooky little heart may desire.

i also compiled my annual halloween mix this morning.

it's a little mellow this year. the scary edges soothed by early morning coffee and a still sleeping house. hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend, halloweeny or not.

2010-10-27T20:30:00.001-04:00

i added two new limited edition 12" x 12" giclee prints to the shop today. the annex, which was just featured in the soul pancake book, and home life in faraway lands. they're big and pretty and i love them!

2010-10-17T14:55:00.002-04:00

my copy of soulpancake came in the mail friday afternoon!

i'm going to be signing and numbering quite a few limited edition prints in the coming weeks so i decided to treat myself to some twin peaks pencils for the occasion.

just a quick picture run-down. it was such a busy week around here that, as much fun as it was, i'm glad it's over.

2010-10-08T15:41:00.002-04:00

the first attempt at the picture. i clicked the mouse with everyone in view and by the time photobooth counted to three everyone had giggled away and out of the shot but me. second attempt...

yay! we semi-spontaneously adopted a new little member to our tiny kingdom this morning. we bought him grapes on the way home, the cat is interested but not in a sinister way, and, for the time being, the ape man and the devil are letting him take a break from the squeezey cuddles. this is chester. he seems happy.

2010-10-07T17:46:00.002-04:00

this is an album cover i made recently for a wonderful couple of people. they loved the piece "homelife..." and wanted something similar but a little more personal to them and their story. i wish them all the best with this and can't wait to see the finished product!

in other music news i finally got to see the books last weekend. floods kept me away from their last tour and this past weekend was just perfect. the first really chilly weekend of the season and plenty of time to get there and back without stressing about deadlines and work.

i love these guys. (i just saw a post on tumblr somewhere last week about jerks who take crappy pictures at shows ((one of those rants that is made more "relevant" by placing white text on an ironic image)) but i just need one and i can't help it) front row balcony is the best place to see them and the screen and it all comes together as one unit. so sad when it was over. we could have watched them all night.

2010-10-01T13:54:00.002-04:00

you might remember james meadows from a few weeks ago. this test was found stuck in the middle of the math text book, which the cover came from, and i just had to give him an excuse to ease the poor grade. math tests are hard for dreamers.

"where we come from the birds sing a pretty song...

2010-09-30T12:05:00.003-04:00

and there's always music in the air."

working working working! i'll have some new stuff to show soon. for now i've turned off the music in the studio today and put on twin peaks because it's that time of year. david lynch can write a dream sequence like no one else.

2010-09-20T10:11:00.002-04:00

i keep stumbling on these organs in various forms. it started with one that kelly and i found in the basement of an antique barn in nashville. i've found a couple more in the last year or so but we came across this one yesterday in the search for a new rug that was plugged in! and worked!! i love everything about it. from the friendly hum when you click it on to the bright colors and those keys are so so satisfying to press. as soon as i get the room to have one without tripping over it all the time i might just have to track one down again. and considering i can't play anything at all i might teach myself a little just to justify its spot in our lives to anyone that isn't won over by the color of the keys alone. and i must admit that i can't look at one at all without the beginning of animal collective's daily routine popping wonderfully into my head. the organ that will be mine will play that on command all on its own.

2010-09-17T18:22:00.004-04:00

this is another post that i could have titled finally 2.0. i have been asked several times for an adalyn print set and i finally listed one tonight along with another new print.

and in other news i now have prints available at young blood gallery in atlanta and i've been very very busy this week with other exciting things to come. more on that later. right now i'm content to sit here and just have a few hours of "not work." we're finally going to watch susperia in the spirit of upcoming scary october. i've pulled house of leaves back out and have loaded the netflix queue with enough creepiness to last until november.

an open heart to start the day

2010-09-16T09:23:00.001-04:00

finally!

2010-09-13T11:43:00.003-04:00

guess who finally has a new website?? when i took my old site down in the spring i had every honest intention of having a new one up within a few weeks. does anything ever work out that way? no. no it doesn't. but it's here now! there are some changes coming, i'll be adding an internal shop for original work, but all the major bones are there and i'm pleased with it.

also i now have prints available with poster cabaret! the collection of artists there is incredible and i'm so happy to be a part of it.

2010-09-10T18:57:00.002-04:00

james meadows
collage on book cover

one of the new pieces that i dropped off at leo gallery this afternoon along with some prints and cards. tomorrow is the AVA gallery hop here in chattanooga so if you're in the area get out and support our wonderful galleries and local artists! and definitely make sure to make it over to leo and say hi. them guys are the best.

2010-09-05T14:49:00.003-04:00

the weather is absolutely incredible this weekend! i know that the oppressive summer heat isn't gone and that this is just a premature tease so i'm making the most of it while it's here. the windows are all open in the house and right now i'm outside not sweating. this is huge. i'm also excited that it's cool enough to take some afternoon coffee out into the porch to sort through some new material i picked up yesterday.

why aren't the numbers in order? what's going on here?? i've learned to let it go. you can drive yourself insane trying to reason out scribbles.

i remember writing my multicolored name like this in my unicorn trapper keeper in the second grade.

i found this scrap of hornet's nest on the trail when we hiked to the waterfall and pressed it into my sketchbook to think about it. it's basically bee-made paper with the same texture as the recycled paper that you can make using screen but far more thin and fragile. I want to use it but i'm afraid that any wet binding agent will dissolve it. then again, surely it's rained on in its natural setting, right? i'll have to test a small corner. gel medium might be best.

here it is magnified. it almost looks like felt.

2010-08-30T20:36:00.002-04:00

i've listened to arcade fire's new album a lot in the last few days and 'we used to wait' really stands out for me especially after a wonderful conversation about it on my porch last week. now there is a video experience that brought tears to my eyes more quickly than anything has in a long while.

try it here. it's worth all the downloading and switching browsers and hassle that it takes to get there.

my week

2010-08-27T11:23:00.002-04:00

i took a little mini break to regroup this week and had wonderful, happy, friend time. after making it to the waterfall we were a little disappointed that the recent lack of rain left it almost dry but then we climbed to the top and found that we could hop rocks out to the middle and sit on the edge. super tall, a little scary and so much fun.

ETA 8

2010-08-23T18:19:00.004-04:00

home life in faraway lands
10" x 10" collage on board

a new piece currently on it's way to the enormous tiny art show 8 opening september 1st at nahcotta gallery.

NotPaper

2010-08-17T12:55:00.002-04:00

notpaper has recently received a wonderful new look and i am thrilled to have a new interview posted there! the site has long been a source of constant inspiration, filled with collage artists from all over the world, interviews and upcoming shows and general papery goodness.

thanks aprile!

soulpancake

2010-08-14T09:33:00.005-04:00

i am super psyched to say that i have a piece featured in the soulpancake book coming out in november! if you aren't familiar with soulpancake then i highly recommend checking it out.

SoulPancake is more of a mission than a Web site. It's a MOVEMENT to wrestle with and chew on LIFE'S BIG QUESTIONS. It's a way to EXPLORE why we believe the things that we believe. It's a place for you to TALK about your soul and the existence of God. It's a space to ENGAGE in art, philosophy, creativity, truth, and beauty. And ultimately, SoulPancake is a community of people who are digging DEEPER to figure out what it means to be human and to experience this rich, strange, difficult, and awesome journey called life.

i first visited the site because i will visit anything connected with rainn wilson. seeing the set of the office ranks right up there with seeing... i want to say the eiffel tower but..no, i'll say it. the eiffel tower. but then i got hooked. the lists are particularly enchanting to me so when i saw this topic last week combining lists and nostalgia i had to pause my day and read everything. so in the spirit of the soulpancake...

1) walking barefoot through my parents' huge garden when i was little little and feeling the scratchy vegetable leaves and the smell of hot summer dirt and the deep buzz of huge june beetles all around.

2) staying up with my grandfather way past my bedtime, bowls of cheerios at midnight while watching mr. ed and my three sons on nick-at-night.

3) sitting on porch steps having nothing at all to do. not ignoring things you have to do or having nothing that you want to do. but honestly having nothing at all to do. the best ideas come from that space.

treasury goodness

2010-08-13T16:42:00.004-04:00

i am very lucky to have been featured in some pretty great treasuries on etsy lately and i want to share a few of my favorites. i think these are beautifully curated and i've found quite a few new druelworthy shops through them.

what's the point? - sushipot

golden summer - janellelile

awesome! - paulandkatestudio

the teaches of peaches (great treasury name and album as well)- thelittleprints

thanks again everyone who included me in their collections!

2010-08-12T13:58:00.002-04:00

the kids are officially back in school and i am officially back to work with a mile-long to do list. i've managed to coat three fingers in orange ink, mildly cut my right thumb and rub a blister on the other with the hand sander. it feels great, i must say.

but that's just my own personal list of accomplishments. the zombie hunter, who manages to work her way into every picture we take it seems, has knocked over a water glass onto the desk and my (new)phone and broken a candle cup. all this and still managed to fit in a 5 hour nap. so we're back to work as if we never left.

2010-08-10T09:13:00.004-04:00

i came to get down
8" x 10.5" mixed media on book cover

this is a piece i completed yesterday for an upcoming publication. it was so much fun to make and once i got over the hump of moving things around and not knowing exactly where i was going with it then i couldn't put it down until it was finished.

it's the last day of summer break! i told the kids we can do anything they want after a quick trip to the post office this morning. as much as i am dreading that first week when the house seems so quiet and lonely i am very much ready to get back to work in the studio.

2010-08-02T22:03:00.005-04:00

i completely agree with belinda on this post. i think it's wonderful to see my art after it has been sent to its new home. this is an especially great treat for me to see adalyn in her new space with jenny lee fowler because i'm such a fan of hers. i'm completely envying that cupboard and all of its treasures. one day i will make it north to one of her workshops or at least have my very own birch bark silhouette piece.

saturday morning cartoons

2010-07-31T08:54:00.002-04:00

although i don't remember ever being this moved by anything i watched on saturday mornings as a kid. this is Skhizein created by Jérémy Clapin. a friend introduced me to it last year and it's stuck with me close to the heart.

part 1

part 2

we've all slipped a few centimeters to one side or the other before. the last scene of his room brings tears every time no matter how many times i watch it. such love for this little film.

2010-07-28T16:10:00.002-04:00

the desktop this afternoon. i hope everyone is having a good summer week. we bought a sunprint kit to experiment with today but passing clouds and a rain shower have kept us from it. maybe tomorrow.

i have a feature over at green april! GREAT BLOG. i've been reading through with afternoon coffee and can't seem to leave it yet. thanks erika!

2010-07-27T11:23:00.002-04:00

the naked art gallery is having a major moving sale and i have a few favorite older originals marked way down! stop by in person if you are in the area or shop online here.

random smattering

2010-07-27T10:05:00.002-04:00

i am the absolute worst at taking pictures on any outing or vacation. i always take my camera with me but very rarely take pictures. it's not that i consciously don't want to fool with it. i just honestly don't think of it but two or three times. so these are those two or three times. random smatterings of a fun and too short trip.

we had such a renewed crush on tennessee after driving through the mountains on the road winding alongside the ocoee river.

a gold-painted plaster mask made from a mold of christopher walken's face. it was purchased off of ebay in its early days and is my favorite thing in natalie and kelly's house except for natalie and kelly.

we passed this walking to the varsity in downtown chapel hill where we waited out the hottest part of the afternoon watching rear window.

i really wanted to bring him home. as well as the deep sea diver's helmet you can see peeking in the lower left.

mini vacation

2010-07-20T17:50:00.002-04:00

i want to make this my default vacation picture for life. we're heading out on a road trip to chapel hill tomorrow morning! the kids are participating in their own little camping vacation with the grandparents so it's just me, eric and the road and super awesome friends at the other end with promises of beer and a guided by voices tribute show and a whole lot of relaxing. later!

shop update 2!

2010-07-18T18:17:00.002-04:00

i spent the rainy day adding a few new originals and prints as well as a few more cards to the shop! and the sale is continuing on so stop by!

2010-07-15T21:31:00.003-04:00

i couldn't pass up this copy of treasure island with the handmade cover. i had forgotten about it until today when i saw this story. i have an excited freak-out when i find a turtle shell or a toy he-man leg buried in the back yard. i can't imagine the thrill of finding something like that.

store update and SUMMER SALE!

2010-07-15T14:27:00.003-04:00

i have a few more cards that i'm working on and will add possibly this weekend but I was so excited to get some in the shop that i went ahead and listed them. to celebrate summer and the addition of the new paper goods section in the shop I am offering either free shipping throughout the shop or your choice of a single note card with every print purchased.

go have a look around!

the summerfolk

2010-07-10T21:28:00.003-04:00

i found an unexpected treasure in the junk shop yesterday morning. the cover was enough to make me pick it up (that mustard yellow is one of my favorite colors on a canvas book cover) then i opened it and the story and illustrations made my heart flip. here are a few of them...

coming soon!

2010-07-10T19:09:00.002-04:00

one of a few cards i'll be adding to my etsy shop later this week! most will be blank inside but i couldn't resist this sweet little summer invitation.

found 2

2010-07-08T19:48:00.004-04:00

you may remember a post i made a few months ago about a doodle filled book i found. i scanned a few more pages today. the heat index got up to 103 degrees this afternoon so any outdoor business took place before 8 am or after 8 pm and this is what happened in between.

click to zoom. there are at least two artists at work in the book.

i couldn't bring myself to crop her.

these were all found on consecutive pages (not these specifically) and they went on for at least 30 pages.

then comes the random angry bald pirate strangler! yikes.

fey handmade

2010-07-07T14:29:00.002-04:00

i am completely excited to now offer prints through fey handmade! since it's way too hot to exist outside this afternoon i spent some time window shopping for some cool summer colors and have a few favorites to share...

1 janelle lile - break
2 pigeon toe ceramics - test tube vase
3 saipua - red currant soap
4 leah duncan - hills tea towel

2010-07-06T22:27:00.002-04:00

found her voice - 5" x 8"

another storybook piece i've been working on.

i had a few pieces published in the indigo fall/autumn influences booklet... shown here with my fuzzy assistant who thinks the world is her oyster and that she can collapse and lick her feet on anything she wants.

happy 4th!

2010-07-04T19:31:00.003-04:00

we're having a double celebration in chattanooga. jack's birthday was yesterday so it's birthday cake AND fireworks! and cook-outs and bike rides and new legos and water balloons and all the other stuff that makes up weekend perfection.

we also spent the better part of yesterday quoting a cold freezin' night, a new song off the books album "the way out". you can see the video here and read about their process on their tumblr which i think is so great on this song especially.

"Among these tapes were at least a half a dozen talkboy tapes. And, as you may know first hand, when a kid gets his first tape recorder all inhibitions disappear. These tapes are full of outrageous moments that no fully conscious adult could ever duplicate.

The primary tape that you hear in ‘a cold freezin’ night’ is a game of one-upsmanship between a brother and a sister (I think). Their conversation escalates until the younger sister has no choice but to drop the A-bomb. It’s very musical how it unfolds, so it was not a stretch to turn it into a pseudo-techno-dance mix."

ah ow ah ow!

2010-07-01T17:47:00.000-04:00

poolside sketch from this afternoon

michael grossman

2010-07-01T12:17:00.003-04:00

a beautiful found photo, including writing on the back, that i came across tucked into a book last week.

and a little bit of eye candy for the day. my pantone past.

has her world outside it

2010-06-30T08:31:00.002-04:00

science fair - 6" x 9"

this is one of the "storybooks" i am working on right now. i have built up a stack of gutless covers from smaller books and was going to separate them into two pieces but i think i like the little story that the two sides make.

today is my 30th birthday! i can only assume in leaving my 20s behind that i am instantly wiser and can stay upright in heels. i'm starting the day with a completely irresponsible amount of milky coffee and my very favorite birthday song.

slice magazine

2010-06-29T08:59:00.003-04:00

a little bit ago i received a publication request from slice magazine and the issue finally arrived in the mail! i had a chance to read through it this morning at the park and it's great.

ISSUE 6: Metropolis - A metropolis is the mother city according to its etymological roots. It's the ultimate point of convergence, the type of place that draws people in like a magnet. Brooklyn defies the typical image of a metropolis. There are rows of quaint brownstones rather than looming skyscrapers. Neighborhoods sprawl to Brooklyn's outskirts rather than fall into neat borders of perpendicular streets. And if you consider Brooklyn within the scope of literature, you'll find that it's emerging into a metropolis that is filled with possibility.

i'm considering a subscription for sure. thanks amanda!

2010-06-28T16:58:00.004-04:00

my studio beastie that watches over me.

i always forget how hard it is to be away from the studio for a week then try and dive right back in. when my creativity goes to shit i pull things out until there is chaos and too much to see and add coffee and a loud stereo as a jump-start. it works 9 out of 10 times.

2010-06-27T21:06:00.002-04:00

i have been craving my great gran's zucchini bread since the beginning of summer and finally went digging for the recipe. there is a box of scraps like this that were in a drawer in her kitchen when i was growing up and 90% of my great food memories as a kid involve her kitchen. i'm attempting the zucchini bread recipe tomorrow for the first time and i really hope it turns out ok. i've already made the fresh strawberry cream cheese to go with. yuuuuuum. also after a week of moderate to extreme home improvement projects i'm excited to get back to the studio so there is a day full of making things ahead.

i hope everyone had a great weekend! we spent it painting walls and replacing plumbing to music that we both can agree will always be great.

2010-06-23T08:11:00.001-04:00

a few things i picked up over the weekend. i hope all the fathers had a great one.

2010-06-06T10:41:00.002-04:00

i'm taking a break from any major studio work for the next few weeks. we're in the process of buying a new house, and eventually selling the one we own now, and it's amazing how much time it takes. not to mention the anxiety. it seems like in order to be successful a million little things have to line up over the course of a month. it's worse than making panda babies. i'm trying not to get too excited but i might have already picked out porch furniture...so fingers crossed!

i hope to take advantage of the shorter-than-normal attention span and limited time and finish a few tiny little projects. i started a category in my etsy shop called "originals for everyone" (lame title for now but i'm working on another) where i will hopefully always have a few smaller originals under $50 and offer free shipping. i know a lot of people, including me, would rather have the original than the print but bank accounts and desires rarely match up. so watch out for some new things there.

tom moglu makes wonderful wonderful drawings.

'the way out'

2010-06-02T17:01:00.002-04:00

the books new album the way out is available for preorder today! books fans have been waiting for so long and i admit i got goosebumps as i added the double LP to the online cart. you can do that here.