Oregon Art Beat

On October 9th, OPB aired a segment on the craft community of Portland. Here's my fifteen minutes of fame!

Art Beat Video

for mom

Posted here used to be a mixed tape I made through a company no longer in business called MIXWIT. They were so great and I miss their service! It was a great way to express myself without writing.

My Mother

Veronica Anne Vrvilo McCauley
Born June 2, 1956
Died October 3, 2008

I will never be the same without you

The Peace of Wild Things
By Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
In fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
i go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

The Netherlands

I feel quite lucky I was able to escape Portland for a while and actually use my passport. Destination Amsterdam was my getaway. It was amazing to be surrounded by so much history and art. The architecture, canals and the Van Gogh museum were my absolute favorite! All I did was explore and gain new ideas for future projects. Here are some of my favorite photos:

Last Days Of Summer

It's been almost two months since my last disclosure. Where have the days gone? It's easy to forget about time when our days have been as beautiful as these last two. It was a fantastic weekend for the Portland Art Open. I finally made a trip to Milepost 5 where twenty artists were represented. It was an interesting building that's been converted into condos for working artists. There were two artists I really found interesting: Alisha Wessler and Nancy Fasciani. I enjoyed Alisha's illustrations. Her line work and detail is admirable. Some of her drawings were literally etched into blocks of wood, so naturally, being the printmaker I am, I geeked out over the wood blocks! I love how she transformed her work into sculpture.
Abstract painter and collage artist, Nancy Fasciani showed off some beautiful prints. Her work is very subtle and quiet. She tells soft stories with monotone shapes. After my visit to Milepost 5 I headed off to the studio to work on my own stories....

New and Old Lovelies

One Day Vacation

It's very difficult for me to make the time to get away. In between work and teaching I cherish my solitude in the studio. Creating new things is my little vacation from the daily routine, and today I was able to get lost in my head and finish a few new pieces I started last week. This new series incorporates acrylics with hand carved blocks, monotypes and old block prints.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but there's a lot of texture and layering of materials in these collages. I'm very satisfied with them.

Sunday Special

Screening Magic

One of my favorite classes to teach is silkscreening. What a tricky medium, let me tell you. I coat all of the screens with photo emulsion before the workshop. I have to be careful and make sure they're all even and perfect for everyone in the class. I always learn something new in this process, and today I learned the hard way that the emulsion starts to activate if it's really warm. The first screen turned out PERFECT! Ten minutes is all it took! The next screen...a nightmare! And the next? I was determined to make these things turn out! My little trick is dabbing emulsion remover over the image and quickly spraying the screen. Everyone left with perfect screens! Yeah! Check out these great photos!








The last photo is Superman!

Cut & Paste Collage

This evening I had a basic collage workshop at the Alberta DIY Lounge. It was very fun and relaxing! Here's a picture of the busy ladies at work.

This workshop only utilizes paper, scissors and glue. Here are a few examples:

muzzeek

Sea Green

When most of you were swimming in the river, or hiding in some air conditioned closet this past weekend, I was slaving away in my upstairs studio printing wedding announcements for a friend. It was painfully hot, as you all know, but so refreshing to finally have a summer! I'm really proud of these announcements. They were married in Mexico and I carved a block with the symbol of unity and the ocean. I created a sea green ink and printed on dark sandy paper. They all looked fabulous spread out together!

Last Thursday

For the past three years I've opened my studio doors to the public once a month. I welcome anyone who is interested in what I create. I absolutely love to discuss art techniques and the process of development. In the beginning, a lot of genuine individuals stopped by to talk or even buy my work. People were fantastic! I found it fun and challenging to show out of my own space. But now, something has happened. The low-key indie art community I used to be proud to be a part of feels lost. Strangers walk into my studio and look for free alcohol. When I'm not looking they take my things! The street is so crowded you get lost in the people, not the art, and at the end of the night trash litters the street.
I'm not ready to close my private door to the public just yet. There's still that very small percentage that makes it all worth it! I have to hold on to those positive experiences to keep going, but when someone has the audacity to take my things I just want to shut out the entire public.

On a positive note, here's a picture of one of my finished bags.

Here's a wall of my original textiles.

Bjork is my therapist

What in the world would I do without music? Lately, I'm not sure what I'd do without the lovely harmony of Bjork. Her entire Post Live album puts me in a trance and helps me create pretty things. I just want to live in that world where time is nonexistent and inspiration is pure beauty that lasts forever...oh life, why are you such a tease?
Fortunately, I've had the time to work on some new leather clutches. They are screened with new Jacquard inks that are water-based and totally rock! Check out my new work. I'm very excited about the zippers!




Here's a peek at some other things I've been working on under the dim yellow lights.


Oh Bjork, your Hyperballad saved my life today, thank you.

Busy Beeeee

So, it's been a while since my last post. I've taken beaucoup picts thinking i'd write about everything, but where does the time go? I recently traveled back to my old college town of Eugene to visit a dear friend and her new baby girl, Abhaya. It was a fantastic weekend with my girly friends. Abhaya is such a beautiful and happy baby, just like her mama! You rock, Amy!

I wish I had gotten a picture of us girls, but here is Talya making drinks and a family shot of Amy and Yacub with their fabulous children.


Farewell Eugene

Back in Portland I hosted the make-and-take table at the grand opening party for Collage. We made tiny collages inside bottle caps and turned them into magnets. The kids had a great time! I was so happy it was sunny and warm!


The class schedule for July and August is already out, so check out the DIY Lounge calendar for new classes!

Heatstroke

It's already Tuesday, and the pumped-up excitement of the Art Hop is over. I'm expressing sarcasm. It was sooo hot we all just melted, and so did the crowds since they were just nonexistent. We have to remember it was the first year they closed off the entire street. But, on a positive note, we had a blast! It's not that often we all get together to bond over the common link of creativity and community. I spent some time with other DIY teachers and enjoyed our conversations about witchcraft, potential and prosperity. Even though our world was literally melting, we still had our sunny day parade.


Look at this amazing bead work by Teresa Sullivan. I've never seen anything like it!


Here is a blurry close-up of one of my print necklaces. It's a piece of one of my monotypes in a pewter pendant.


Here's Jen Neitzel and I enjoying our Florida Rum delight...they went down so smooth on this 100 degree day!


We made a toast to future SUCCESSFUL events and to the growth of the DIY Lounge (and of course, Collage). I'm very proud to be part of this growing community of craft and individuality.

Come on Spring...don't let us down!

This Saturday is the Alberta Street Art Hop! Honestly, I've never been a big fan, but this year they're closing off the street! The DIY Lounge will be part of the crafty scene with fun make-and-takes for the entire family. Myself, along with three other fantastic teachers and crafters will be there to answer any of your questions about our workshops. Also, we will be showing off some of our priceless creations. This Saturday on 17th and Alberta, 11am to 6pm...see you there!

Tis the season for Spring cleaning.. I know there are a lot of you out there tackling your disorganized supplies. I know because you come into Collage and confess to me about how you have WAY too many papers and glues and glitter. Well, what better way to handle this dilemma? A collage class! Last Saturday I taught an exceptional workshop. I can say they are always wonderful because everyone in the class is always so excited and thrilled to learn something new. Check out these pictures from the last two collage classes: