I’ve listed one of my most recently made pieces for sale in my etsy shop. She is one of my favorites and I debated about selling her. But, I do have a lot of art! So I photographed her in my new lighting set up that dh gave me for my birthday a couple weeks ago, (I love it!).
These are ball joint dolls. the inside of the heads are hollow, I plan to put a tea light candle in them or a potted plant
Back in January (oh my its shamefully long) I agreed to do a swap with the sweetest ever friend Anna O’neil, (no link she is taking a break from the internet for a while) and I finally got around to finishing it. I have been so busy with moving etc and then finding myself fussing so much over this piece (just wanted to be sure I liked it enough to send her on) that it has taken that long.
I have been uploading work to my etsy daily (well for three days so far) because I have quite an accumulation of work and partly because I am a procrastinator putting off uploading stuff in favor of making more stuff. So, I am listing original works at reasonable prices.
In other news, its finally HOT in Ojai, and our backyard is almost ready for sod (oh joy joy)
Tonight is the opening reception for Barbie as art at Ann Street Gallery in NYC; “The Ann Street Gallery is delighted to present its newest exhibition Gendered Object: Barbie as Art, with an Artist Reception on Saturday, May 19 from 6 – 9 pm. This event is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.
It seems the entire world knows who Barbie is, and in Gendered Object: Barbie as Art, a group of contemporary artists embrace this plastic beauty, whose iconic pop culture image exerts a powerful influence on artistic and visual culture alike. Mass-produced objects like dolls can tell us much about the creation and significance of self-image in the context of group identities. Since the 1960′s and the advent of the “consumer society” playing with gender identity through styling and fashion has moved from the margins to occupy a more mainstream position. This has since been expressed in popular culture through an interest in androgyny, breaking conventional gender dress codes, gender bending and body reconstruction. Read more here
I have contributed about eight dolls, this is one of them in the exhibit:
Ann Street Gallery, 104 Ann Street, Newburgh, NY 12550
While my time is for the most part currently usurped by our transition from one home to another, I have been able to do a drawing or sketch here and there.
This is a study for a painting, titled “Listening Fence”, the idea came from a dream I had, although in the dream, the figures were more angst and the heads were ended before the eyes start. that still could happen I am undecided until I start the painting.
I may change the composition a bit, depends on my intuition when I begin the painting.
This is also a sketch/study, the idea of being rooted. I may take that further…
I drew it on a piece of card board, that is all that was around at the time.
May 19th, the “Barbie as Gendered Object” exhibit will open at the Ann Street Gallery. If you live in NYC have a look, there you will see “Pucker” among other altered Barbie beauties. 
I have been forcing myself to not spend too much time in the yard. In Calabasas the roses are in full, glorious bloom and are so lovely and fragrant. I do adore a cut flower and will be planting roses in Ojai for certain. If you are new to this blog, I am moving from Calabasas, Ca to Ojai, Ca. Both locations have their merits.
On the kitchen table, yellow beauties: 
and on the living room coffee table, pretty in pink:
I tried to feed the birds by making these orange cups from a recipe I saw on pinterest.
I do believe that they ate the whole thing including the string 
inside, peanut butter, oatmeal, sun flower seeds and bird seed.
Thought I had a very sick pug on my hands, turns out he is just an old man :b
This is a pic of our house going up for rent May 15th, looking for good tenants~~
In the back, a bit of an oasis:
A lovely covered patio area with grill.
Its a little cluttered with my many plants which I will be removing soon. The house is in a safe and quiet neighborhood. We love a Mediterranean style house and have eleven contented years, but times and needs change
That is bout it for an update, I hope to be creating a lot more soon.
I am an artist and an intuitive person with the ability to not only see but empathize and recognize the beauty in chaos, the beauty in a single rock and the beauty of the hearts eye. I have a friend who has inspired me by his ability to see beauty in “monsters” and outcasts which always has me trying to see through different eyes and recognize that there are many things and people who at first glance appear to be beautiful but are deadly or evil or ugly in reality. There are people like Ted Bundy who are attractive but a lie and Gacy who pretends to be funny and a friend to children, pure evil. People turned their heads aghast at the elephant man who’s deformity was mistaken for an ugly heart when it was those who tortured and exploited him who were much more ugly. Why we mistake external beauty for goodness is kinda crazy. Crinkles has a twinkle in her eye and offers up a flower and if you look at her expression closely you will see there is nothing menacing in between the lines. XO
I have been helping my colleague, Mavis Leahy with a window exhibit she is planning for the Sept window at the Ten Women Gallery. I invited a handful of people to participate including my friend Maripat Doyle Oberg. I like what she did with her shoe. She writes:
What are YOU most afraid of? When we allow fear to take over our life we careen out of control, suffering immensely and causing others pain we become “FEAR DRIVEN”, out of control, taken in the direction of more pain and destruction. (Note the “car” has no steering wheel) It can be very difficult to control our direction when we allow fear to take over.
This is my submission that I’m sending to 10 Women Gallery in Venice CA for Art Of The Sole: Shoes guest artists display. The shoe was altered with wire mesh, celluclay, paint. The wheels are furniture glides. The doll is made from fabric that was printed with phobias, objects of fear, concepts and behaviors that result from our fear or cause fear in others.
Those who come here to see the dolls will remember Barbie Redux from last year and the about fifty Barbies I altered. Some of the Barbies are featured in the Spring Issue of ADQ.
These photos aren’t so great as I can’t take them outside to photograph because of rain rain rain.
If you are wanting to alter a Barbie and have any questions that I might be able to answer please don’t hesitate to ask. I am happy to help.
Tip: You can find Barbies for cheap on ebay.
I pass her majesty the ocean on my way to work and her last day of 2009 was especially spectacular as she gleamed under the sun’s brilliance.
and I worked on a Barbie today, see her in the image..So the New year hasn’t even arrived and I’m back to my old habits!
Many thanks to you who read here, especially if you have taken a moment to comment, as I have said before, comments are a gift. Another year, another chance to get it right!! well wishes for 2010 and may each day be filled with the promise of the good unfolding before you and recognizing when it is.
