Good-bye Hello

well, here it is the last day of 2007 and I snuck away from last minute party decorating to do a bit of reminiscing. The sunlight is starting to fade but the air is still a bit warm for December. Earlier, I took Chloe outside for a final picture of the year and her shadows were harsh and long, a sure sign of winter sun.



She is such a good poser!
We have big plans for next year, she and I, and they involve cooking, conversation and of course, mischief. Stay tuned for the fun!

I decided to take a few artsy ornament pictures so bear with me.






2007 in Atlanta was all about painting, experimental collage, experimental college(hehe), new writing techniques, exhilarating rock climbing, The Louvre partnership with Atlanta, my first poetry reading, some play-readings, some crazy new friends, and lots of laughter from the heart.
Many thanks to all of you for the inspiration and discovery that comes with moving to a new city.
2008, ready or not, here we come!

The Daily Kangaroo twelve twentynine

Mama Kangaroo with baby
Originally uploaded by LadyRayCello

This cute little kangaroo was made by Rachel Arnold. She has a little story too.

mr. tiny feet

this is mr. tiny feet. i've asked him why his feet are so small but he never has time for an answer. he is busy all the time; carrying big numbers way over his head.

Drawing in Progress

Just thought I'd share a drawing I'm working on...

The Daily Kangaroo twelve twentyeight

This somewhat stern kangaroo is staring at onlookers from a wall in Katoomba, Australia.

Another image from Katoomba, this one sculpted by mother nature, The Three Sisters at Echo Point, Australia.
Breathtaking!

The Daily Kangaroo twelve twentyseven

Newtown wall art
Originally uploaded by fabian-f

This kangaroo is found in the public art on a wall in a suburb of South Australia.

paper scraps

I've been trying to use up all of my paper scraps; I can't bear to throw any of them away and finding a way to use every bit has turned into a game of challenge. Here are some of the results.


And this is a continuation of the triptych idea.

Even the earring cards are taking advantage of the paper scraps.

Besides the kangaroo

I know I told you all that I have a special place in my heart for kangaroos; well I have other favorites too. David Bowie is another fav, and I love this digital illustration by Alberto Cerriteno.

He plans on doing a whole series of musicians so I can't wait to see the rest.

The Daily Kangaroo twelve twentysix

Today's kangaroo is an illustration that was part of a group show at San Fransisco's Receiver Gallery.

The artist, Amanda Lynch, grew up with three sisters resulting in the feminine theme that runs through her work.

The Day After

Well, here it is the day after Christmas once again which means it's time to start planning the year to come. Christmas Day was quiet but rainy. Rain is a welcome change here in Atlanta where we are still in the middle of a drought. The usual lashing and battering of the Mid-Atlantic coast Nor'Easters have been far and few between and Atlanta has been preparing for the possibility of a water-challenged spring.
The yard is still filled with winter shades of green, some of which we moved from the garden to the table.


The mailman brought another ornament from the swap(all the way from Australia) and a few dawdling holiday cards.
As usual, I couldn't stay away from the drawing board for very long so I threw together some ideas for future paperwork.

These will be incorporated into a triptych, I think. Look for it soon on Etsy.

I leave you all with this final image: the missing link between Christmas past and Christmas future.

The Daily Kangaroo twelve twentyfour

This mommy and baby kangaroo pair was lovingly crafted by Florence Forrest. Florence is the Australian artist behind Flying Star Toys. All of her handmade toys are born from some of her favorite poems or stories.
This star inscribed pair was inspired by "Six White Boomers", an Australian Christmas song.

"SIX WHITE BOOMERS"

Happyish Holidayness

The Holiday Card 2007

The Daily Kangaroo

Today's Kangaroo is found in the artwork of Madeleine Stamer, an Australian artist living in Melbourne.
Growing up, Madeleine was influenced by fantasy and the surreal. I'm fascinated by the symbolic storytelling that keeps her simplistic images subtly complex.
Plus I love birds.
To learn more about the artist, read this interview at Indie Art and Design.

Don't just read the paper

Folded paper has come a long way. Check out these paper animals at Carlo Giovani.
You'll also find these package people over there.

Or this amazing new definition of paperwork.

Kangaroos

I love kangaroos. Whenever anyone asks me what kind of animal I'd like to be, I say a kangaroo. Don't get me wrong, I love being human, but should the day ever arrive that we all had to become one of the animal kingdom, well, I'd be prepared with an answer.
So, in recognition of my marsupial preference, I've decided to bring you all "The Daily Kangaroo".
That's an image, artwork or story about a kangaroo. Everyday.
Let's begin with a kangaroo from happyfolding by Sara Adams.

You can make this origami kangaroo with instructions from Origami from Angelfish to Zen, by Peter Engel.

Zakka

Ok-I was doing a Flickr search for "cute birds" and somehow(after following the six degrees) I ended up with Zakka.
Everyone stop what you're doing and give a moment of thanks to TBL, (my Knight In Shining Armor).
Anyway, it's nice to get a glimpse at the way ideas from the East and West blend together and keep creativity rolling forward. This is an example of the work by a well known Japanese Zakka artist, Shinzi Katoch.
And this is another charming example from Moonstiches
I get the feeling that a definitive Zakka definition is not that easy to pin down and that it somehow partially lives in that elusive world without words.

more swapping

As promised, here are pictures of the latest ornaments I received from the swap.

Old Friends

While addressing holiday cards this year, I realized some of my recipients had moved (including me). While Googling for updated addresses, I came across a video of a friend and fellow artist.
Enjoy Janet McShain, a truly inspiring woman.

Ornament Swap

Yes, I've been away from my desk. But this is the season for cutting, pasting and sending holiday cheer. Did I tell you about the Holiday Ornament Swap? Well, I signed up to take part in a swap that involves a list of 9 participants that make duplicates of a handmade ornament, then send them to each person on the list. These are the ornaments that I have received so far:



And this is the ornament that I made for everyone else.
Wait a minute...I hear that big brown truck out front, better get ready to take a few more pictures.
This swap has certainly brightened my holiday. Just goes to show you: once again, crafters save the day!

Storytellers

Remember Wordsmiths? Well, I went back again last night to check out their open mike. There’s something transiently magical about that place; almost like a thought or idea springing to life once the thinker does the thinking. Take the signs for example. They’re not huge back-lit plastic letters or laser painted, pressed wood digits; they’re draped vinyl banners. Like someone had to hurry up and carryout a daydreamer’s dream. I couldn’t help but wonder if the place would still be there after I walked out the door and turned the corner.
Trust me, it will be; they’ve got a blog.
The open mike featured the KSU Tellers, a group of performing storytellers from Kennesaw State University. Live storytelling is a dying art, what with text messaging draining the inflection from every conversation, so watching stories tumble out of live bodies was almost mesmerizing. And Russ, the new media/marketing guru, well there’s a guy with passion. He’s always there; making it all happen.
Wordsmiths Books—Get on the list.

Pottery and Sci-Fi

It may still be warm in Atlanta but fall is getting leafy. The trees around my house are throwing leaves by the fistful. So it was off to the hardware store to stock up on gigantic paper bags and a nifty collapsible rake. I filled up ten bags and then noticed a crunchy, brown mound looming up in front of me. I thought,"hey cool, a spontaneous genetic mutation oak-leaf monster", but then I realized it was just my leaf-covered dog. Too much Stephen King.

Well, I was beat after all that raking so I headed out on the town and checked out a holiday pottery show at Mudfire Studio.





Then, with genetic mutation still fresh on my mind, I headed over to Wordsmiths Books to hear Emory Physics professor Sid Perkowitz talk about his new book: Hollywood Science.

Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh

Well, it's snowing in Pittsburgh so I'm reminded of past Thanksgivings. After a delicious meal of turkey, broccoli porridge and sweet potato pie, we headed over to the growing arts district in Lawrenceville. There seems to be something for everyone in the "zone". I stopped in a few stores that featured the art and design of local artists including fashion, hand printed cards and warm hand-knit hats. Some shops had a keen eye on the future, offering organic, fair trade products, while others featured reused furniture.

of course nothing beats the find in an out-of-the-way yard sale.

Indie Craft Experience

A group of talented artists and designers all got together on Saturday for the Atlanta Indie Craft Experience. The event took place at The B Complex in the West End.


The building was transformed into a crafter's market complete with artists, food vendors, a DJ and a sustainability crew. Not quite the High Museum of Art, the B Complex surrounded the handmade creations with broken windows and portable heaters but the room's talent and passion for independence rivaled that of any renaissance artist. The independent spirit sustains the belief that anyone can use their creative ideas to contribute to the community. Many of the crafts offered were practical, affordable, recycled, and all were laced with an entrepreneurial drive.