EBSQ's 'Blogger of the Week'

EBSQ: 'Art Meets Blog': Blogger of the Week

I am thrilled and feel very privileged indeed to have been invited to participate in the EBSQ blog's 'Blogger of the Week' interview. Thanks so much, EBSQ...!

Mystery Project Continues....

I've been trying to create and shape folds. Lots and lots of long, draping, rippling folds. With chicken wire, metal hardware cloth, and wire screening. Not easy...!



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Mystery Project Taking Shape

After working on it most of the weekend, it's coming along (this photo was snapped last week or so)...





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Mystery Project of the Now....

Well, that title isn't so accurate perhaps -- this photo was actually taken a little while ago now, and it's currently all a bit farther along than this picture suggests (will catch up here soon!). But, as one can still (sort of) see...:

(1) the whole shebang has been moved indoors,
(2) is getting the dread chicken wire treatment,
(3) has tin foil boobs, AND...
(4) is taking up ALL kinds of room in my house...(!)

I regret the photo is not the best, but it has been a little tricky trying to step back and get a good angle for documentation purposes, what with size and clutter, etc. Still hopefully this will lend at least some idea of its continuing state, The Project, with more photos forthcoming as I go along.

So today, my agenda on this rainy overcast Saturday (thank goodness no sunny/warm temptations) is simply to work on it, throughout the day....

Zibbet.com

My New Banner for Zibbet.com (clicky)

After reading around and about the Internets recently some buzz regarding the new(ish?) Zibbet.com, and checking it all out, I thought I would go ahead and set up a wee little shop there myself....

As I understand, it's all free with the Basic Account option (premium Zibbet accounts, with more bells/whistles and custom features, are available for a monthly charge) -- indeed, all free to list (up to 25 items) plus no additional seller's fees. Okay then -- kind of hard to beat that..! So this afternoon I spent some time creating a new banner, and setting up the beginnings of a little shop....

'People's Choice'

Hooray! I just found out my little ACEO, 'Foretold' (image below), that I entered into the ACEO Art group's monthly Theme Week contest for April (April's theme being 'Cards'), was voted by my peers as the "People's Choice" winner! As my especial prize, I get to use my fancy little jpeg award above in future contest entry/auction descriptions. What a lovely surprise -- I am thrilled!

ACEO: "Foretold" (for 'Cards' Theme Week)

April's Nibblefest Art Contest: "Cat Nap"

NFAC: 'Cat Nap"
A slothful, table-top lounging cat glares in annoyance at the hapless human who has innocently entered the room and dared interrupt his nap time....

(auction link here)

Whew. It was a close call -- but still, I managed it, to pull together a little entry this afternoon JUST under the wire for the start of the monthly Nibblefest Art Contest ("Fabulous Felines"), which begins today on Ebay (for more fun, themed art, all starting at just .99 cents, simply search "NFAC" on ebay)....

So happily I was able to set all that up in a timely manner -- but not only for NFAC... as it happens, this little item can actually do 'double-duty' for me, since for fun I was able to also enter it into EBSQ's 'Flower of the Month' show, the flower theme for April being... what else? Tulips! (clicky)

What's that old adage -- 'kill two birds with one stone'...? (though note as a the owner/mom of a much-beloved pet bird, I'm not particularly partial to that saying!)

Windy City

I've been quite busy lately with my ongoing Project (with some progress made), but it hasn't been ALL work. No indeed -- yesterday I took my two kids and two friends to Chicago, where we all had a fine time galavanting around the big city for the day, and from whence I snapped the above photograph ( Crown Fountain at Millennium Park, in downtown Chi-Town)....

I do love public fountains, both large and small, traditional and contemporary, with the Crown Fountain installation by far unlike any I've ever experienced (note that the 1,000 various faces intermittently projected on the glass brick wall (which constantly cascades with splashing water) occasionally and randomly 'spit' every now and then ;-) -- a really fun example of interactive, urban art. And I think perhaps we may have been quite lucky to catch it running and spewing this early in the season -- I suppose we have our pleasant Midwestern Spring weather of the last few weeks to thank for that...

However now that I'm back home, and it is yet another Monday, I realize I have some catching up to do. Back to The Project (pictures coming soon) for one thing -- but also it's dawning on me that today is the 19th of the month. Which means tomorrow is the 20th (yes I can count!), which means.... the start of Nibblefest, the monthly ebay art contest that I like to partake in so much (and which begins the 20th of every month). The date totally sneaked (snuck?) up on me this time around, and as of yet I haven't started anything for it -- but perhaps it's not too late. April's theme is to be "Fabulous Felines"-- so, 'cats' essentially. Ought not be too hard, really. And I do so like entering the NFAC -- it's just plain fun after all, and if I miss this round, it will be another long month until the next (with May's theme being "Monochromatic"). So, I'll see what I manage to come up between now and then (and of course I'm hoping mentioning it here In Print for all to see will provide a little extra incentive too)....

Project of Mystery

Whatever could it be?

'Mystery Project' of the Now....: a large-scale (9.5 feet to the top of the metal projection sticking up) 3D commission in progress (currently a bit further along than the beginning armature demonstrated in this pic), of which I will reveal more details as I go along (and no, it's not a fancy-schmancy, high-falutin' dog bed, as my nosy poodle in the photo might potentially suggest)....

Ebay ACEO April Theme Week: "Cards"

ACEO: "Foretold"
Adorned in her most colorful, bejeweled silk finery, and holding the tools of her trade, her cherished Tarot, she sizes up her next customer. Will it be YOU...?
(click for auction link)

Today marks the final one for this month's Ebay ACEO Group "Theme Week" contest, with most auctions ending throughout the course of the day. April's theme was "Cards" -- a particularly open-ended subject, as can be demonstrated by the wide diversity of entries this month and all the many interpretations and conceptualizations of the 'Cards' theme, as can be seen here ( --though note, many of the entries/auctions have already ended). I confess I had to think on it for awhile myself -- I mean just what does the word 'Cards' conjure up for folks? Children's games...greetings...fortune telling...gambling...? Whatever the case it's all fascinating, and a lot of fun to participate this month...

The theme for next month's ebay ACEO 'Theme Week' (beginning May 1st) is to be 'Wildflowers'. And with all the many gorgeous and very much welcomed spring blossoms popping up in my yard at the moment (a goodly portion of which are native to our local area), inspiration certainly ought not be lacking....

Happy April Fool's

"ACEO: Frown of a Clown" on Ebay

Here we are, at the 1st of April. The day finds me with several creative irons in the fire (and hopefully not too Foolish for doing so) -- one of them a large (literally!) commission I recently received, which has been taking up much of my time and thought and energy recently (and which I will discuss here in more detail at a later juncture). In contrast, I've also created three very small pieces, ACEOs, in time for ebay's ACEO Theme Week, a monthly themed art contest that begins on the 1st of every month (as in, Today!)....

I do so enjoy participating in these little challenges, Nibblefest and ACEO Theme Week -- I appreciate that there is already a format all in place in which to dabble and 'play', and it's always a hoot coming up with concepts relating to the various themes. Decent brain exercise. And while I'm still relatively new to the whole ACEO scene, I think I'm catching on....