Over the weekend I went to the AAF to check out Aurora and Lisa’s work in person. I almost can’t believe it was the first time I saw Lisa’s work live. And I loved them. Her pieces are quite amazing. The gallery that they are both involved with had really great pieces. The Boy and I walked around and were surprised by how much art is out there that we don’t respond to. I took notes on some of the artists I liked, but I have to see if I really love their stuff or it was just a crush. Or was it wow that is better than anything else I have seen in a couple of booths. I responded to all the pieces with resin. Anyone out there know about resin? Is it hard to use? Am I just jumping on a bandwagon? Do you have to paint on wood panels to use resin? Our brains began to get slow like honey and our stomachs started to rumble after a couple passes through. So we decided to leave and then we saw one of my favorite people - Stefan Killen. He works on the same floor as Oliphant and he is a talented photographer, graphic designer, and all around amazing guy. I worked on a bunch of things this weekend. I did another little color face (need to put a little paint on her) and I almost finished the last bird bot for plush rush. Also started thinking about my first spt for november. The photo above is from last weekend when I went to Aurora's open studio. I love water towers. I don't even know why.

This is the first the paintings that I am really not so happy with. There are some elements I like. I love the wings, with the feather thing happening. I don’t love the face, but the eye is working for me. I think I am going to try a face detail and see how that works. The background is too much. I also feel like I am changing up my style a bit and it is coming in fits and starts. Advice?

I will leave you with an embarrasing story.
After work I put the base down for the painting and finally walked myself over to the pool and signed up. It was Adult Rec so there were no lanes and people were swimming the width instead of the length of the pool. I was glad, because even though the pool is only a junior Olympic sized pool I am going to really need to work on my breathing. There were a variety of people swimming. In the shallow end there were the cutest ladies practicing their strokes while standing and in the deep end there was a mermaid. Well really a lady with a really great tail, literally, a tail.
It’s about the end and I am getting tired (totally out of shape) so I climb out of the pool and grab my towel. Walking to the locker rooms. I walk in and notice naked bodies in the shower stalls and keep walking, until they turn around and I realize that I have walked into the men’s locker room.
I am sure I squealed.
Held my towel in front of my face and then spun around back out to the pool.
I am sure someone saw me come out looking mortified, because someone always sees you at those moments. But I hurriedly walked into the ladies locker room and made a mental note to always rinse off in the shower stalls that are further in the locker room.

Last night I was in rare form. My evenings have been a bit wonky and I keep meaning to go swimming, but we finally went to check about our mobile phones. See if we could get a new plan and the Boy’s phone is starting to break. I turn into a monster. In those situations where I am up against the rules and hoops that you have to jump through. Abet a soft fluffy one with no teeth, but a monster nonetheless. The Boy kept trying to placate me, because he is horrified to see me act that way. Sullen, like a child that got their toy taken away and was pouting. Finally we left and really we never needed to go in the first place. I held onto that anger. Then I was angry and sullen because Boy called me out on my awful attitude. My worst act of the night was on the way home. We were standing on the platform and a train was coming so we were walking with the crowd to the doorway. There was a woman on my right that kept saying, “stay right behind me, stay right behind me, stay right behind me, again and again, over and over. All I could see was the top of the head of the person behind her. I thought her friend was just short and so we walked on the train. She sort of stopped at the doorway I like to go into the center because usually there is more breathing room. I couldn’t see the lady anymore and I rolled my eyes at the boy and said ‘how annoying’. The Boy looked at me with a little horror in his eyes for the second time that night and then whispered in my ear, “she has a down’s child.’ I thought how much more of a horrible person could I be. Worse than pond scum. So as of today I am going to take a deep breathe every time I want to lash out at someone. Because the next time I am afraid I might do something even more horrid. Painting for friday still on the way. Needed to get that off my chest. Need to hold myself accountable.

The lovely port2port girls started this group and I think right now they are together in the west. So here is Trixie loving Aiko's skirt when she visited me over the summer. She went to town while Aiko was just trying to check her mail at my little desk. Oh and I set up a flickr account, it only has photos right now of the fashion show, but I am sure more will come…

This weekend was quite productive, considering I had planned to sit on the couch and drink hot chocolate.
I met the amazing and wonderful Aurora, also known as the countess. (I love her name) I don’t think I have known an Aurora. But we just started talking and it felt so easy, it helped that we come from a place where we love Lisa (as everyone should). I hope to hang out with her more often. Have a bit of her royalty rub off on me.
If you ever get a change to see her work in person – Do It.
They are these labyrinths of swirls and shapes building in and out of themselves. It is quite breathtaking. Being in her space started me thinking about art and where it fit in my life and where I fit in art’s life. She was participating in an open house so there is all this energy buzzing around. People excited about the space – being surrounded by each other’s creativity. They are already talking about doing floor crits, which I am totally jealous of. I know crits are hard on your ego, but I have been thinking it might be good for me. Force my hand to move differently – grow.
When I left Aurora’s studio I had to find my way to the train and I felt like I did when I first moved to the city. Trying to find my way to something I recognized. I used to purposefully get myself lost, to learn how to find my way again. I loved it. Exploring the city. On Saturday it was beautiful out and drizzly rainy.

Then I went home and created the first of the bird bots. I love them, so does the Boy, he got sad when he realized that they were off to another show. Plush Rush in Ohio.

Here is Gilbert, he works in the research department of the library. He is a friend with Stuart. Which helps because Gilbert is a bit on the small side

Stuart was built to do research on the penguins. He blends in with the other penguins to collect data in the Antarctic Artic wing.

And the lovely Lavinia made her way to Martha’s home, but I had no idea about her side career as a thief! Interesting…