There is a lot of stuff around a painting studio…and 20 years of accumlation is pretty huge.  I happened upon some small squares of cardboard (about 4"x5") about a month ago and I have been trying to figure out ways to use it ever since. And this week I figured it out. Quick brush drawings…with a little color to workout superhero poses for Zephyr. I think a trip to the comic store is in order for the weekend.

Now Storyteller (my new name for one half of the la power couple) I need some info.  Her power? 
The Boy thinks speed…

The images above are rather still…and under attack below.

whatdayathink? 

Another around town with the softies…
but this is a little closer to home…
my own mailbox 

The cell phone users on this list are the antithesis of my cell phone use…
(link sent to me by the Boy)
I would only add one item to the list…
don't answer or talk on the phone in a public restroom…
I feel violated.

I am totally relieved to know that there are more non cell phone users out there!! I sort of love not being able to be reached at all times. Well not sort of…I do love it!

(the sketch above is an old sketch…a painting that I think needs to be made)

I got this lovely journal and a sampler pack ages ago.  It was a gift (so I couldn't show it off), but it has been given, so go check out erin's blog. Her journals are amazing, plus they can be used by lefties. She has a couple really beautiful journals and another sampler set in her shop right now…go fast.

I have to be the world's most horrible cell phone user!  The states of my cell phone:

*cell phone is off
*phone is charging, but off (makes my speakers wig out)
*charging and on, but at home when I am elsewhere
*phone has died and lives in my bag for days on end
*phone charges for a week, where I don't even look at it
*once in a very long while I am completely & totally surprised at myself when someone does call and I answer

I missed a visit by my favorite teacher…she was in nyc last week and I  noticed I had messages last night…arg!

I did some more photos around town with the softies, well around my neighborhood at least. There is a little patch of grass nearby and I wanted to get some shots for etsy.

I have a couple of long birds and a couple of penguins and a couple of digital prints up in my little store right now.  More will be coming.

I came to a conclusion about the softies…they are going to be limited editions…I got a bit burnt out getting ready for renedade.  I know the exciting part for me is making my sketch come alive.  Or at least come 3D.  I am thinking I'll cap out with the penguins at 50…but until then anything that hasn't make it out of the apartment will be assigned a number.  The penguins I put in the store started with 21.

A little late in posting…
didn't get started until today…good thing it is slow at work!

so I think zephyr is either on holiday or undercover as a geisha…
whatdayathink?

update**  maditi the photos from renegade are flickr 

I was thinking that I could get more done by now, but we are slammed at work…so I haven’t been able to really catch back up with myself. Instead I thought while waiting for photos I could do a description of the days with photos to follow tomorrow.

The week leading up to the fair was just a whirlwind with Johanna and I frantically trying to finish, remembering that yes a sign might be a good idea…but then I forgot to paint my side until late on Friday…silly me.
Getting to and from the fair was way way easier than either of us imagined. So without any incident we arrived.

Saturday…

It was a beautiful morning and we arrived around 9:30 with everyone bustling around setting up, I went to get in line for our table and tent…they weren’t so prepared, so the line was rather intense. But finally we got it and took our stuff back over to our tent. Did I tell you about our location…it was so so easy. We were super close to the entrance, super close to the rental truck…and the best part under trees. Trees!!!

And then it started…
people started wondering around looking at the paintings…
squeezing the penguins…
And from there it was just a crazy crazy mash of faces and hellos, millions of smiles.
The time really really flew.
Couples standing back away from the table whispering back and forth about the paintings they wanted to buy from Johanna. By mid day most of her larger work and tons of her smaller paintings were gone.

We kept looking at each other wondering what we would have for the next day…thank goodness for her friend. He came to hang out with us and we sent him away to get us food. He came back with really the best turkey sandwich I have had in my life. It probably was hunger, but it was a fabulous sandwich.
Around 3ish things started to sort of slow down and I think I might have ran to the bathroom, past so many beautiful tents of amazing amazing things that I wasn’t going to get a chance to see.
Then it was over, we packed up and went home…Johanna to paint and me to sew.

Sunday…

This morning was very different. It was already starting to be a super hot day. The good thing was the rental truck had things covered and they were so much better organized than the day before. So setting up was a breeze. The hot day was slower, more relaxed.
Lots of dogs…we put out some water for the thirsty ones.
The day didn’t feel so frenetic.
But later in the day when Johanna went to check out a little shopping…
a big gust of wind came and lifted our tent a bit, then another gust grabbed the tent and flipped it over. I don’t even know what happened. It was totally slow motion, but my heart raced for hours after. Our neighbors helped me flip it back over and walk it back to the table.
I have forgotten to tell you about our neighbors. Fresh popcorn productions on our left…amazing and helirious t-shirts and bright lights little city…fabulous lights made from cocktail drink umbrellas. The rest of the day passed without incident and we packed up after a hot hot day went home and went out for dinner to celebrate our success… (thanks for sticking with me this far!)
tomorrow photos…

on the way to brooklyn

Renegade was truly awesome. We set up on Saturday and never ever caught our breath until the end of the day. Johanna and I never expected anything like it.

People stopped by and said hi…
Anne, who it was a total pleasure to meet, hope her long bird likes his new home
Another Ann, who actually has a connection to work, small small world
Patricia, she brought me some lovely treats and braved the city
Stella, who warned me about the overwhelmingness of it all (now I understand)

and it felt like millions of other people that stopped to smile and giggle at the penguins and covet Johanna's paintings. Tomorrow I'll post photos…and gather my breath!

so this may be stretching things a bit…but here is red for the last day of color week
I have a nail up on this column at work where I take my little photos of my paintings…
I paint on the floor, so I also hang the piece when think I am close to done, it gives me a change of perspective
we repainted recently, so the paint splatters are hidden temporarily under the white paint right now.

balance
(I could use another title…) 

I was trying to be monochromatic, but I couldn't help but give her green eyes.

And lastly if for some reason you have just recently noticed that for the past few months I have been sewing towards the Renegade Craft Fair it will be this weekend at McCarren Park in Williamsburg.
Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 6.
If you are around please stop by and say hello to Johanna (she is selling the most wonderful paintings - all of them I want for myself…it is going to be hard not to just hand her my money after a sale and whip it into my bag!) and I.
We are near the entrance at Bedford and 12th Street, we also a super close to the Renegade booth…which has goody bags for the first 500 shoppers!

the getaway car for a very special wedding…
totally works for my blue day…
the car is so cute…
and more importantly the bride looks phenomenal!

Renegade is soo close:
make sign
get change
sew the bottom on five more softies
check prints
more business cards

These are my most favorite shoes in the world and I really don't wear them enough…