Thursday, June 27, 2013

Hello Staria!

 I've talked about my fondness for ceramics before, 
and Staria Stine's work is definitely something to fond over.
Her gorgeous work is organic and alive, and I want to touch it.
So tactile!


1. Name, Astrology sign, and location please.

Staria Stine, Virgo (sag. rising, gem. moon), Murphys, CA (foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains)






2. What are you currently working on?

I am always working on several things in my studio. I am constantly in tile production which keeps me fairly busy in all of it's processes of molding, drying, glazing, & firing (these are my bread & butters), I am also working on 2 large ceramic sculptures (seed forms) for a show coming in August and am in the glazing stage now, I have a few drawings that I am chipping away at, and I am continuing on a mixed media series titled "GMO Pollen-scapes"


3. Who are your favorite artists?

My favorites shift as I am kind of an image fiend (I have to feed this addiction several times a week, both artist-based and reference-based) but here are 3 longstanding inspirations to me...

Chris Natrop
http://www.chrisnatrop.com/


-another is Maya Lin
http://www.mayalin.com/



-another is El Anatsui
http://www.jackshainman.com/artist-images2.html


4. What's the best advice you ever received about your career choice?

That in order to make strong work, there are great risks that need to be taken. And If we don't take these risks in our work and explore outside of our comfort zone either through process or material, we risk/limit our opportunity for growth as an artist. "safe" choices make "safe" work. In other words, it is imperative that we allow room for ourselves to play so that we can get answers to the serious stuff.
Also, that in order to persevere, one must be persistent in their making both by successes & failures. Society is not begging for artists, no one is asking me to do what I do. I am responsible for keeping my own fire lit.



5. Favorite place(s) in your city?

Big Trees State Park (1,000 year old giant Sequoia Forest), Ebbett's Pass (9k feet elev. -expansive untouched wilderness filled with Alpine lakes, similar to the mountain-scapes you see in Lord of the Rings), Stories in Stones (amazing gemstones and fossils from around the world)



6. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? And while we're at it, what about a different era?

Somewhere closer to the Equator where nature is lush and vibrant - where nature can thrive faster than we can destroy it (I hope). Era- probably at the height of the Art Nouveau period in Europe.




7. What do you usually mindlessly doodle? (do you have a picture of this?)

Overgrowing vines flourishing and climbing (usually overtaking text on a letter or note)




8. First website you peruse of the day?

Artdaily.org, NPR - science



9. What's the worst movie you've ever seen, but secretly love?

Oh no! tough question for me because I'm not so much a movie buff. I want to say "Goonies" or "Gremlins"



10. Any pets? Any kids?

This is where we stack up....1 black german shepherd "Peru", 2 cats "Mogwai" & "Naya", a bearded dragon "Hopper", and 12 chickens (yeah, all our ladies have names too)


Thank you Staria!
To see more go here

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Mercure rétrograde

That's right folks.  Mercury is now retrograde in Cancer all the way to July 20th. 
Everyone tends to freak out a bit when this little planet shuffles backwards.
DON'T sign any papers, DON'T buy anything, DON'T breathe.
I disagree.

3 weeks is an awful long time to not do anything.
Ok, I try to not start anything new, and I except that things won't go as perfectly as I imagine, but that's all.

This is a fantastic time to reflect and rethink everything.
Oh, I'm sorry.  Did I say "think"?  Mercury is in Cancer, and Cancer doesn't think.  
It FEELS.

So, here is our lesson for the next few weeks: 
Go with your gut. 
Learn to trust your instincts.  
Or, for some, learn to start feeling at all. (You can do it!)

Things that are highlighted right now are family, home, food, children, nurturing yourself and others.

And boobies.
Cancer rules these, of course!

(Anh Duong)


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Art + Interior

Who doesn't love Léon Bakst?  
Not me. 

His costumes that he designed for the Ballets Russes are just extraordinary.







And I don't know if it's the sticky, muggy, ungodly hotness outside or what, but it seems quite fitting to sprawl out in a brightly colored room with incense and things like rosewater and iced teas. 
That was a really long sentence.






And Hookahs. 

We'll definitely need those. 



Monday, June 24, 2013

37

 It's my BIRTHDAY today!!!
Yay me!

My solar return moon this year is in Capricorn. 
Not the most fun moon, but the absolute best to get shit done.

So, this year I'm all about work,
and since Cap rules my natal 6th house, I'll also be focused on health.

Where's your solar return moon this year? 
Contact me for a reading!!!
(See. Told ya I'm all about work)

Moving on....
I have been really loving on photography a lot lately, huh?
And it continues still.

Dina Goldstein's Fallen Princesses series is wonderful and funny and makes me smile.








Friday, June 21, 2013

Summer Solstice

Today marks the first day of summer, aka Cancer time, people!




It's also a Full Moon weekend and the energy is high.
Let's look at some moody things in celebration of all things lunar and loony, yes?




Ellen Rogers, if you are reading this, please mail me a gigantic print of anything you've EVER done.
Thank you.






Happy Lithia!
 


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Things I'm digging this week


Creepy, intriguing art by Remedios Varo







  





Libby Callaway's home on The Selby






Binaural beats aka the only way I fall asleep




and, more nudey girls!




Monday, June 17, 2013

Travel time!

Yes, it's that lovely time of year when we load the kids the in car and go places.  
I white knuckle the steering the wheel as horrific screams are emitted from the back seat and the question "are we there yet?" is asked 7,498 times.

Ah, summer.


Here are a few shots from our latest travels...


 We ate waaaay too many Spudnuts.  
What are Spudnuts, you say?
Doughnuts made with potato flour of course! 


 Liam played a Mandolin



 Ivy played in a Mandolin case


and Liam took a gazillion pictures of his new best friend, the roly poly.




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Meet Maura!

 Maura Cluthe is someone I've looked up to for a long time.  
She gave Kellie Bloxsom and I the best advice on our career (see here), 
and besides that, I'm just a huge fan.



1. Name, Astrology sign, and location please. 
My name is Maura Cluthe, I am an Aries and I live in Kansas City, Missouri. Hi!


2. What are you currently working on? 
I am currently finishing up some paintings for a show that opens at the end of the month, working on some wooden robots, and working on a body of work for a show next year. 



3. Who are your favorite artists? 
Gosh - there are so many! Some of my favorite artists (in no particular order) are: Jean Michel Basquiat, Picasso, Bjork, Ed Emberley, Mary Blair, Chamo, Betsy Walton, Raymond Lemstra, Jenny Holzer, Souther Salazar, Calef Brown, Dave Warnke, Margaret Kilgallen, Colin Johnson, Robert Hardgrave......the list could go on!  



4. What's the best advice you ever received about your career choice? 
BE YOURSELF 



5. Favorite place(s) in your city? 
The River Market Antique Mall, The Uptown (seen so many great bands there!), Murray's Ice Cream, Kaleidoscope, Nelson Atkins Museum, Loose Park, The Toy & Miniature Museum, and the new Sea Life Aquarium....to name a few! 

6. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? And while we're at it, what about a different era? 
Probably London. Hmmm, not sure about the era....maybe 1940s? 



7. What do you usually mindlessly doodle? (do you have a picture of this?) 
Many of the things that I draw within my sketchbook are often the beginning of something, even if I don't know it at the time. There are definitely things that I tend to draw...but I'm not sure if I'd call them mindless. Doodles are valuable to me and important because they allow me to explore. Many of the things I find myself drawing are faces, robots and patterns. 

8. First website you peruse of the day? 
Instagram & Pinterest

 

9. What's the worst movie you've ever seen, but secretly love? 
Grease. 

10. Any pets? Any kids? 
My husband and I have 1 dog, Lucy, and 1 cat, Luna. They are our children :)

Thank you Maura!!
You can find Maura here and here