worlds collide, in a good way

Like many artists I juggle many jobs to help pay the bills. One of these jobs is making and distributing my dresscards. Another of those jobs is helping Judy Labins with her lovely interior design shop Shafer O'Neil Interior Design.  

I have worked with Judy for a few years now and it is a wonderful working relationship.  Besides being able to go to work in a stunning setting twice a week, Judy has always supported my art.  

She has showcased a number of my sculptural dresses in the shop's window over the years. (click here to see the past windows)  And this month we have put my beach dress photos in the window.

  

And to add to all that, this week I delivered a group of my dresscards to the shop!!! Shafer O'Neil does not usually carry cards but Judy felt these were unique enough for her store.  And I made these especially for the shop ~ instead of using the ordinary origami papers and created papers based on the interior design fabrics that Judy uses in her design work. 

 I am very happy with the way these cards turned out.  These cards have just reaffirmed an idea that I was flirting with, about designing/making my own papers to use for the dresses.  It makes the dresscards even more one-of-a-kind.

So I am happy to announce now TWO wonderful shops are carrying my dresscards ~ Artisans Way, Concord, MA and Shafer O'Neil Interior Design, Wellesley, MA, and I am working on more.  (If you have a store and would like to carry these cards please leave a comment below and I'll contact you)

I am also trying to figure out the best way to sell them on-line . . .any suggestions?? if so, I would love to hear them.  I have gotten nice comments on FB and I have been considering Etsy, but I need more information.  

Bottom line is, especially now that I am divorced and on my own, I need to figure out ways of making that thing called money that everyone seems to want :). 

But I am in good company, as I noted above ~ like many artists I juggle many jobs to help pay the bills.

wishing all a wonderful and cool :) weekend! Peace

amen, sister!!!

the girls are out and about...

Last Friday I had the honor of installing Provocative (the Rope Dress) in the window of Shafer O'Neil Interior Design in Wellesley, MA. Last summer Red Alert Cocktail dress and the VCR tape dress graced their window. This summer along with the earthy, organic Provocative, Judy O'Neil Labins and I have filled the window with many of the photos of the beach dresses. During the installation we decided to hang 'Beach Warrior' next to Provocative and I was amazed on how these pieces complimented each other! I am very happy with the way this window has come together.
After installing these pieces in Wellesley I returned to my oddly empty studio. It was then that I realized that many of my girls are out ~ besides Provocative, I have 7 large sculptures out in the world at this time. This will be ending tomorrow, but for now 8 of my babes are out of the nest.

Two of my girls are coming home tomorrow ~ Flower Power and In Memory of... have been residing at the Cultural Arts Alliance of Hopkinton since my lecture. I am hoping that there have been many strings of beads made so that i can continue to add to Flower Power. :)

Another dress returning home this week is the Dress of Etiquette (Emily) because the Cambridge Art Association's Northeast Prize Show is ending on June 23rd.

The Poetry Dress, the VCR tape dress and Packing Tape Party Dress have been part of Bead & Fiber's The Practical, Impractical & Artrageous: 2nd annual wearable art show which will be ending June 26nd.



Lastly Treacherous is making her window debut in downtown Natick in the windows of One80 Visual, 19 south Main St. The folks at One80 have been so generous with their windows since I left my store front studio. It is always nice to have a place to showcase different pieces & their windows are always a feast for the eyes. Besides my pieces they are featuring the wood working of Carl Staley and the work of Karin Stanley ~ definitely worth a look!!!


So it has been an exciting few months for my girls but it time to gather my brood and get them ready for the nest things to come!!!!

Happy Solstice to all & peace!!!

getting out there!!

spirit tree - mixed media on photo transfer with sewing (8x10)
 

spirit tree detail

without a doubt, I fit the definition of a struggling artist, scrambling to find the way 

to support me and my girls with my art/ my passion!!! 

garden party dress - mixed media on transfer (5x7)

this desire regularly brings me to a state of frenzy  ~ I work on one project, but then move to another project that may be more profitable and then abandon everything to explore a new inspiration!? or maybe my time is better spent making dresscards?!??! did someone mention ADHD??? 

(oh & did i mention groceries, girl taxi service, bills, paycheck jobs...)

green dress - mixed media on transfer (5x7)

Now I am not unique, many know this story, but as I was beginning to sink into hopelessness, I realized that I need to get my art out there before I jump ship.  I have many, MANY unfinished projects, and not a lot out in the world ~ but that changes NOW!

look to the sky - painting on transfer (8x10). part of a series of sky and bits of architecture

I am happy to announce that some of my most recent works are NOW on exhibit at 

Fountain Street Fine Art.  

And there is A LOT going on at FSFA ~ tonight is the opening of 'materialize', Lisa Barthelson and Denise Driscoll, as well as the Fountain Street Studios' open studios, not to mention FSFA's 8x8 member exhibit ~ so much art in one spot, and now some of my work has joined the fray!!!

mixed media and sewing on subscription cards

detail of loose threads

These pieces represent the many different 'interests' that i have been obsessed with these past months - subscription cards, transfers, photographs,  . . .  as I matted these works I realize that each of them speaks to me.  This is confusing as well as significant, as I have a show at Fountain Street Fine Art this October, and I am wondering/thinking/curious about what I am going to show?!?!? so we will see ~

just in time for mother's day!!!

I am also delighted to say I finally finished more dresscards ( for some reason this was a daunting task) but I now have a good supply which I am distributing to those who want them ~ 

Fountain Street Fine Art, Framingham, MA

Shafer O'Neil Interior Design, Wellesley, MA

Artisans Way, Concord, MA

Renew Art & Industry, Natick, MA

or via ME (just email)

playing a little catch-up!!!

In my head I have at least 5 separate blogs that I was hoping to post but for now I am going to do a quik debriefing and hope to follow up with more detail a little later.

detail from  'ball gown'

As my last post mentioned, this has been a wonderfully full month for my work.  I have pieces in many venues, from Cambridge to Worcester and some places in between.  

Last evening I gallery sat at the Fountain Street Fine Art gallery, Framingham, MA where the show is Present Company. This is a salon show of members' work.   I am exhibiting Treacherous and Do they know it is Christmas??  It is a rich show ~ the owners of FSFA, Marie Craig and Cheri Clinton always hang an exquisite show!!!

I also have delivered more dresscards to Artisans Way in Concord, MA.  I am so excited that my dresscards are finding homes ~ I love the combination of the quotes and the dresses.  And since I can never  make anything the same way! I am now incorporating papers that I make/design as well as the origami paper. I am very happy with how these have turned out and hope to expand on this idea.

 

In Attleboro, Emily, or the Dress of Etiquette, is holding court at the Attleboro Arts Museum, for their member show! The opening reception was quite crowded (always nice to see) and I was pleasantly surprised when Emily receive a merit award.

At the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, MA there are two other dresses holding court, Provocative & Black Widow for the No Theme, No Limit show.  Love the gallery space!!!

And the other main project that has been demanding my time is a commissioned dress, made for the interior design store, Shafer O'Neil, in Wellesley, MA.  They asked for the holiday dress that highlighted their collection of vintage Christmas ornaments.  This is the first full-sized sculptural dress that I have happily completed in a long time, so there many aspects of this piece to celebrate.  

'ball gown' (working title?!?!)

I hope to elaborate further about 'ball gown' in a later post, but for now my studio is beckoning so  . . .

peace

Dresses hit Wellesley!!!

The dresses are on the move, making the scene!!! the Red Alert Cocktail dress along with the Black Widow (VCR tape) dress are being featured at Shafer O’Neil Interior Design ~ 544 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA, a wonderful interior design store. They are also showing exhibiting some of the dress photographs. We installed the Red Alert dress in a window which is always fun - people stop, point and come in & comment. It is quite an attention getter.

peace