So the anxious feeling has been kept at bay, by countless numbers of errands, mailing out last minute paintings, more errands, lots of work at work, doing my 'fall finale' friday painting…she has been giving me trouble, maps for the Boy, laundry, early gifts to a couple family members & work folks, but last night anxious wanted to be with me a little closer. She wanted me to be awake, so I played along, double checked all my lists, added some things. At least Trixie was happy she could come out to the living room check on me; go to the bedroom check on the Boy. She keeps us on a timetable. If it is getting past my bedtime, she'll call me to the room, and then she wakes me up in the morning. Purring into my face. It is not a bad way to wake, even if I didn't get much sleep.

chandelier at the new yorker hotel

One day I want to have a pie thrown in my face like the movies.  To come up all spluttering, wiping pie out of my eyes. I don’t know why, I just think it would be really fun. I like chocolate pie or lemon meringue…with a lot of whip cream.  Maybe one day. I was thinking about it because I was watching one of my favorite movies this weekend…singing in the rain.  How I love Donald O’Conner…to be able to move like that.  Plus Gene Kelly & Debbie Reynolds

***

I was lucky enough to meet up with a lovely hula girl a couple weeks ago when she was visiting new york.  Who was awesome even when I invited her over to lunch and then abandoned her for a bit while we trying to finish up a job.  What an amazing girl she is, and quite beautiful to boot!

***

At work we try and do the New York times crossword puzzle, but we do it by committee.  When someone gets stuck we pass it on to the next person. Every once in awhile we finish the easy Monday or Tuesday, but the people in Word Play not only finish, but finish in a matter of minutes. The amount of words that must fill their brains, it is pretty amazing to think about. 

Treats in the mail from maditi…sometimes the new york mail is sooo slow.  It always amazes me, slow mail in the city that never sleeps. You can see more of maditi's lovely polaroids here. She is my polaroid hero. Thank you again!

I feel a little all over the place.  But I think I am ready for the move. In theory, everything is ready. I am not sure if we are really ready, but I love the idea of wintering in the city of angels and getting to hang out with all the la kids! good times.

rain day
36" x 12"

I haven't really done many environment pieces, so I thought a rainy day circus would work with all the rest of the circus pieces. Plus I had those strange size stretcher bars. A close-up of the tent.

I am still struggling to get the knife girl on the canvas, next friday I will get her finished. Here is a shot of her while I was roughing up the base.

a moment::
reading under the cozy covers…my upstairs neighboor comes home…I can hear here stomping into the bedroom and then a pause, as she throws off her shoes onto the floor…must have been that kind of a day. A day when you can't wait to come home and throw off your shoes.::

I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving.

on wednesday (another one this friday)

swan
11" x 16"

This color idea was inspired by a friend's white silkscreen on a white t-shirt. First of the knife throwers…full color to follow.

This time I rode…my last carousel in nyc, the one in central park…I'll have to find some in la.

I feel like I have been running in place this week. We have been painting behind all week long. Everyday we get a project done only to have the next project due the next afternoon. Which wouldn't be bad if we weren't starting the same morning. I have been ready for this painting for ages. I have been working out the kinks in the sketch for about a week now. And I really tried to get this painting done, but I just can't move forward any longer. I promise two paintings next week…since I was planning on two versions of this girl anyway…going home now.

my moment::
I walk out to relief…the cold breeze blows mist onto my face and like miniature bells ring away the day, as my steps slow and my mind unclenches
::

Again with the carousel…got to say again that I love them.  This time it was the carousel in Bryant park & again with abee. 

This is probably the last time meeting up before I go west.  I figured another carousel would be a great trifecta for us. 

I have both a lot and not so much to do to get ready.  I think a lot of it is in my brain.  I am excited about the move thought. 

I did a late apply for the bazaar bizarre in los angeles. So if you are in la on the 16th of December, I'll be there with some birds. It means the last go around for the penguins. I wanted to make it to 50, but the fabric ended at 44.  So that is it.  All the penguins I have are in boxes getting ready to wing their way across the country.  Soon after followed by me.

on a stroll
20" x 20"

Still working on the circus…the painting above happened sort of fast and furious. Well not so much, it was just that as I was painting the trees…the man on stilts somehow made his way onto the canvas. I usually work with more of a plan, so this painting still feels a bit unsettled to me. I think because I wasn't ready for it. 

I am painting on top of old paintings, because I am going to be clearing out all my stuff in the studio before the move. I really don't want to bring just anything home with me because I have so many paintings now. I want to really love it. I wasn't really feeling the love for the painting underneath this one…(actually last weeks painting was recycled fabric too)

just for fun, a photo of the painting stapled to the wall…

Here are some lovely things I got from a trade with leya…a beautiful obi and leaf zipper bag. Thank you again!

::a moment
a teenage girl with swirly curls on the crown of her head with the rest of her hair falling in soft waves down her back. Her face tilted up to a kiss as he reached down with his lips…it was hard to miss as the kept loosing their footing each time the train would come to a stop. They just had to stay together…those moments when all you can do is hold on, to feel, because everything is so life and death in high school…
::

…on Wednesday

holga shot from photocrawl

liza’s illustrations….I love her style, they are so witty & beautiful to boot, she has such a strong individual voice

Dinner with daphne…yummy lasagna, a cute kitten, and talking…about art, life, and the best - just girl stuff…

elizabeth mitchell’s you are my little bird album. Johanna this is how I picture your family becoming…a little girl playing a ukey?!  Too perfect. When storey sings it slays me, especially on three birds.

I was sketching a page of robots. It is what I do when things aren't flowing, and these girls just popped onto the page. They came totally out of left field and those bunnies got waylaid. (I will come back to them later) I made a couple larger sketches…to become a mock pattern (I say mock because anyone that uses real pattern would laugh in the face of my patterns!)
The first two dolls went off to some friends so I could get initial feedback. I am going to send out another doll to get some sewing feedback from a blogger I admire. But so you don't have to wait any longer to really see them…

I wait for this light, the warm strong light, that gives these lovely shadows. I have trouble making my softies stand, so these girls have a bit of sand.  Some of my feedback was to make the buns larger on the little pink girl (you can't see them in this photo) & machine sew the bottom. I may change up the face a bit, make the eyes a little stronger, but keep the mouth small. I was going for a kokeshi type doll. I love the simple lines on the wooden japanese dolls. Whatdoyathink?

Thank you again to everyone that gave me a word…I have some really fantastic imagery to work with!

I have contacted the three winners: ky, the dad, & maria

I have also contacted four more people to send the a little something: louise, stephanie, jessica, & jenifer because I am that excited. Less than a month until I make my way west.

Thank you thank you
t h a n k  y o u
for all my words…
They are such fabulous words…
I would be intimidated, if I wasn't so excited.

***word update again
I am really close to 30…I have 25 (or 29 depending on how you look at it)…so I need five more…I would really love for all the words to be from different people…(as soon as I get to 30 the Boy will draw names and some prizes will be flying out) 

I have 30…the list is awesome…later today the Boy will draw three names for prizes. Thank you again everyone that gave me a word. They will swirl around my head for a month and then we'll see what happens on the other side! 

Here is what I have so far:
rocketry
hum
hirsute
relief
independent
defenestrate
behavior
chirp or crumbly
torrid
wings
hepcat
book
slowness
eloquent
honey
trust
kooky
success or optimism
ephemeral
actually
limitless or flight
desire
saudade
grow
perhaps
scintillescent
quiet
wunderbar
transformer
garumph

step right up
24" x 36"

This was an experiment.  I wanted to stay with the circus, but I was trying to figure out the placement in photoshop and I was using a scan of my sketch…and I sort of liked the way the white felt on top of the circus tent. Then I thought about just painting it white and grey, sort of like painting the sketch straight on.  (lisa s asked to see more sketches in the paintings awhile back…I wonder if this was something you were thinking of)

**update
(I almost forgot this week's moment)

::a moment…
An old man with a pink face, shiny shoes, a beautiful flowered handkerchief (I love old men and handkerchiefs) in his pocket, a claddagh pin on his lapel.  He was looking, searching the train for someone.  Searching the faces on the train.  Maybe someone that he looks forward to see every morning.  After we reached the queens plaza stop he stopped his search for that person that makes his morning ride a little more pleasant.
::