Art Events for 2014

I hope you all have been enjoying this holiday season!  It has certainly been a special one for us.

In past posts, I've written about what it means to be an artist, to enter art festivals, markets, and starting my own art business.  Well, here are two goals I'm setting for myself for the new year:

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum's Nautical Arts Market
April 5th, 2014

10:00 am- 4:00 pm
Deadline: February 28, 2014

The Maritime Museum is accepting applications from artists working in nautical/ maritime or historic craft themes for the ‘Nautical Arts Market’, a component of ‘Show and Tell’, a free event featuring art, a fishing equipment swap meet, a maritime creative writing contest and a ‘Fishing Tales Stage’ for storytellers  to publically stretch the truth about ‘The One that Got Away’.

Selected artists will be showing and selling work ranging from paintings to sculpture to jewelry to handmade lace during the event.

¨The Maritime Museum Arts Market indoor spaces are 10’ x 10’.
¨Booth Rental fee is $50
¨Supplying tables, display fixtures, and/or walls are the responsibility of the artist or vendor.
¨$15 non-refundable application fee will be deducted from rental fee for all selected artists. Do not send booth rental fee until accepted into the Arts Market.
¨Selected artists will be notified via email by March 7, 2014
¨Selected artists and their works will be featured on our website, Facebook, newsletter and in all press related materials for ‘Show and Tell’.
¨Artists are responsible for all sales. LPBMM does not take commission.

And this event at the Pitot House next December.  Hopefully, I don't make excuses and get myself out there this time!  Both events are affordable to enter, so even if I only sell one piece, it will be worth it.  Plus, maybe baby can even come sit with me at each event.  Speaking of baby, check out my other blogging adventures here and here.  Both let me continue to be creative while using a slightly different part of my brain. 

Iron-on fun with onesies this morning!  The bedazzled one is more challenging than you'd think!

Crafty Momma

Hey there!  I hope everyone's enjoying this time of year - nicer temperatures, fairs, and Thanksgiving right around the corner.  We're busy, but excited.  As you've either seen on Facebook or heard in person, the vintage sewing machine that was once my grandmother's doesn't work.  Since we're getting our baby's room ready, which is also my studio, getting it fixed is basically not going to happen for a while.  It's being used as a table at this point to stack things on.  BUT in order to sew and make things for her, I pulled out embroidery thread and felt.  I can sit on the sofa and do that while we enjoy a fire, have LSU or the Saints on, or whatever.  It's actually the perfect craft since it's portable.  So far, I've made a little felt wallet to hold any gift cards in that we get from baby showers.  Later, it will be her first little purse.  I'm also planning to make her a little mobile of some felt friends.  I'm still working on a painting for her, too.

In related news, I did start a mommy blog.  It's a place where I'm sharing parts of my experience as a first time mommy.  Other mommy stories are welcome and encouraged as comments.  I hope that other moms - first time, future, or of multiples - all find it slightly educational, humorous, and helpful....or at least one of those.  Everyone have a great weekend!

Still working on the other side, but it was fun to do the button and flap

My Favorite Time of Year!

I love fall! Obviously, southern Louisiana doesn't get to experience it like other parts of the country, but the idea of cooler, drier air, falling leaves - golds, reds, brown - baking, festivals, scarves, cozy feelings....I could go on and on.

This year, all the holidays mean more to me than they have in a very long time. I'm thinking ahead to making our daughter's Halloween and Mardi Gras costumes, festivals we can take her to, family trips we can take, what her interests will be, and more. Of course, I wonder if she'll like art.

Her nursery will share the room with my studio. My office is going away for now. I want to be sewing things for her so badly, but it seems the sewing machine needs some TLC, possibly in the way of a new belt. This afternoon, I'll attempt figuring things out underneath the carriage.

The idea of starting a mommy blog keeps crossing my mind. Sewing and writing are where my creative interests lie these days. They seem cozy, too, just like the season. These next few months will be quite busy, though, so I'll let a greater force guide me in what I'm supposed to be doing with my time.

The World of Ideas

Listening to "The River" by Imagine Dragons, and just finished reading an article in Gambit's CUE about artist Valerie Corradetti. She's quoted as saying, "I live in the world of ideas...in noticing the little things we normally pass by".  That's a pretty accurate statement about any artists' frame of mind.  We're all dreamers.  

My parents always told me that I was their dreamer.  The older I get, however, I can definitely see that I've become quite a realist.  Some say I'm negative, but I say that life has taught me to keep a solid grip on my ideas or my expectations never get met.  I also believe that I'm conserving energy for people and projects that really deserve it now instead of wasting it on everyone and everything, like I used to.  The realist has tempered my creativity a good bit, though.  It's been several months since I've felt like creating or completing an art project.  Alas, the idea board has been growing again recently and much, if not most, of my inspiration is from my new family life that is quickly coming together.

May this small wave of inspiration continue, and may all of us remember to visit the world of ideas every now and again to keep ourselves balanced.     

Jillian vs the computer, and other stories

Everything happens at once.  Always.  No matter if it's good or bad.  Thankfully, right now, all the stuff happening in my life is really good.  In the two month hiatus from blogging and posting much of anything on Facebook, I've finally gotten my "big girl job" - I'm truly using my master's degree at this point! - and my spouse and I are having our first child!  Will my art change now that I'm a mother?  Not my style, but the things I actually make likely will.  I've got a painting planned for our baby, and I'd love to make him/her a board book at some point, too.  The sewing machine is waiting for me to learn how to use it to make clothes for myself as I get further along and for baby when s/he arrives, too.

Now to the title of this blog.  Some friends have suggested that because my PC is such a dinosaur and painfully slow that that must be why I don't like technology.  After thinking about it for a bit, however, the ambivalence bordering on dislike started in childhood.  When my family first got a PC, I was 10 years old.  It was interesting and noisy - dot matrix printer.  Then Nintendo came out sometime shortly after, and our neighbors got one.  It was so exciting for my little brother and his friends.  They taught me how to play Mario World and eventually, Mario Kart.  It was fun, but just something I did while babysitting the kids who had the Nintendo.  Otherwise, I was busy playing outside and making art.  In college, email had just come out for the public, so someone had to teach me how to do that.  Once I really got into my coursework at LSU, they were mostly studio classes, so I didn't need a computer for much other than to type an artist statement every few weeks. The friends who did graphic design used Macs, which didn't make any sense to me (still don't), and while I knew they were talented, I discounted the use of computers to aid in art because it seemed less creative to me at the time - the whole handmade vs machine sort of thinking.  Fast forward to now....

My job requires that I know how to help people find things within a database (which is on a computer), learn to use their eReaders, and solve basic IT issues.  All the years of somewhat intentionally avoiding technology are now sort of staring me in the face.  On the one hand, I completely understand the frustration of learning a new device.  Smart phones even trip me up sometimes, although, I do own one.  On the other hand, the excuse of being a certain age and not knowing how to type is really hard for me to believe since typewriters were around in all of our lifetimes.  The keys are in a different order, but they work about the same.

How is any of this related to art?  In the same vein as the likelihood of introducing new materials to my portfolio now that I'm a mom, I'm fairly certain that learning some more tricks and tips with computers at work will also influence what kind of art I get into in the future.  Don't worry, graphic designer friends, you'll always have an edge on me! But I can also more clearly see the value in keeping up with technology now because it affects my livelihood - the one that pays the bills and the one that's a hobby.

Photography

    Just as the Times-Picayune laid off many of their staff and then decided not to sell the newspaper for reasons unknown to most of us, the Chicago Sun Times just laid off all of their photography staff - their reason being that they would train reporters to be photographers and videographers using iPhones and other smaller handheld devices. I can only assume it is for a budget cut.  Even for an amateur photographer, like myself, it's a very sad trend that seems to be happening.
    I remember as a child my own brother was photographed for LIFE Magazine at his elementary school while he was playing the violin. My parents have a copy of this issue at their house.  It's the one with Princess Diana on the front,  in case you're interested.
    My father is who I learned all of my photography skills and interests from. My boyfriend also used to be a professional photographer, but like these other newspaper employees, was laid off from a paper in North Carolina.  To me photography is a way to let everyone else to see what you are seeing.  So many times I have wished that I even had a camera in my eyeball - which sounds very strange I know - just to take a picture or capture an image or a scene for an instant that I caught from something in nature or a cultural experience that I can't even get with a camera lens.
    Certainly the quality of photography that will come from cell phone photographers or cell phone video or whatever tablet  with a built in camera - even though the mega pixels are slowly getting up there, and yes for the medium that it is a cell phone or a tablet it is taking a really nice pictures - however, with all of the types of lenses or settings you can put and use on your camera and the zoom and the macro and all other kinds of focus speed and lighting, etc. you will never get the quality a photograph as you could from an actual camera.  I still have my cameras, my sister-in-law collects old cameras, and my dad has a few, too. It's sad that it's a dying art. Everything is about cutting cost these days but it's also cutting the beauty and the eye of the beholder and the whole art form out of everything.  Everything is getting cheaper and cheaper and less and less valuable to us as a society and I find it quite depressing.  

What Do You Consider Art?

This is a question that has been posed many times throughout history - in high school and college art classes, among philosophers and scholars. Many terms, subjects, and titles attach the word "art" to them, such as: culinary arts, decorative arts, language arts, martial arts. Do these terms involve design elements? Yes, as well as precision, skill, and knowledge of history and practice.   

What do we most commonly think of to be art?  Visual arts - painting, drawing, sculpture, photography; decorative arts - design - interior, graphic, architecture, landscape; and theatrical arts - music, singing, dancing, and acting.

What do I consider art?  All of the above and much more. In a college paper, I argued that the design on toilet paper is art. Art, whichever kinds you subscribe to, make our lives more enjoyable and tolerable. There's even "the art of living", which to me means finding beauty and pleasure in everything we do.  Lets put that into practice this long weekend and collectively spread our joy to the masses with the intention of a less stressed society. 

Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'

The last few weeks, I just haven't felt very creative or inspired. This afternoon, I looked at all the driftwood waiting to be turned into sculptures by my backdoor. Each piece has an assigned purpose, but I haven't felt like working on any of that lately. Need a break.

Walking around Barnes and Noble this afternoon, I was over-stimulated in the art book section - no surprise there - from the printmaking and the fabric/sewing/DIY books. I've decided I want to get a screen printing kit. It's a new medium for me and has so many possibilities for use, and will work in nicely with sewing projects whenever I get started with that.

There's also a building for rent in Old Mandeville that has a lot of potential for multiple studios, a gallery, et al - thinking about my business idea here.  The rent isn't bad at all, but it's also not something I can afford on my own.  Wheels are turning.....

One of the fun books discovered at B&N today

It's Everywhere You Want to Be

Basically, if I wanted to submit art to contests all the time or comprise my social life of just art events, I could.  There are art events happening all the time!  If I'd pay attention I could enter cool things like this, which closed for entries yesterday.  There was something else, maybe last October, that called for art that was influenced by Louisiana's coastal waterways - totally could have entered my upcycled fish into that.  What happens instead is that work, my personal life, and home projects take precedence.  None of those things are bad.  They just keep me busy and I forget to enter these contests.  Sometimes I over-think things and make up excuses.  One day, if it's meant to be, I'll really get myself out there.  It's not like there's anything to lose, and I may even win some money.  Can definitely always use that!  In the meantime, just keep up with my art on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and on here.  Have a good week!

My Two Cents

Moving Right Along

Hello!  It's festival season, spring, and whatever else.  It all equals busy!  My first trip to Festival International was last weekend and I enjoyed it.  Many of the artists are the same that I've seen at Three Rivers Art Festival in Covington, but there were some other artists I had never seen before, too.  If only I had access to a screen printer....

My lease is up at Redoux, and I've decided to take my art down.  It's a neat shop, but as I heard an artist say today, "art isn't selling anywhere...it's the economy".  It's sad, yet true.  A new gallery near my work never seems to have any foot traffic either, and while Redoux does always have customers, I think my stuff just gets lost in there.  Next paycheck or so I'll get my business license taken care of so I can sell wherever - like the farmer's markets.

In the meantime, I'll just keep doing art for arts sake and not be overly concerned about making things to sell.  I'll get the sewing machine set up in the studio and start learning how to use it, continue making art for work (a comic strip, library decorations - National Library Week and now summer reading, & whatever else they ask for).  Maybe new ideas will work their way into my psyche during this downtime.

Justice Head in Lafayette - want it to be a tea mug

How Do I Get Ideas?

The simple answer to that question is: by looking at other art.  I get books from the library, attend gallery openings, look at Pinterest, magazines, and advertisements.  Nature always inspires me.  When I'm feeling really creative, can get ideas from supplies.  An example of that is a friend of mine offering me several sets of dice.  Do I have an idea yet?  Nope, but I'm confident I'll think of one.  It's a tricky conundrum, just taking things people offer, however, because storage is always an issue.  Another friend offered me about 200 wine bottles.  While I'm sure someone could think of something creative to do with them, I was not able to come up with anything, so I had to pass on them.  Am I limited to what I'll work with?  Sometimes.  There are things that I am much more comfortable with using, such as driftwood instead of plywood.  Last week was pretty busy, so I didn't have time to create much.  Hopefully, this week I'll be a little more productive in that realm ;)  

Spring for Art 2012 - I'm the left-most painter with the small audience

 

Growing Up?

It worked out swimmingly that I paid my rent for another month at Redoux because the gallery I had talked to said my stuff wasn't what they had in mind for their shop.  It wasn't a total rejection though.  They recommended - coincidentally, so have at least 3 other people in the same week - that I try the Mandeville Community Market at the Mandeville Trailhead because my stuff would do really well there.  I am totally down with that idea BUT on the application it says I have to remit taxes to the city.  That means I'm supposed to be an official licensed business.  I was always hoping to have sold more stuff before I applied for a license and all, but it is the only thing blocking me from expanding my vision with Cool Beans Art at this point in time. Luckily, I work right next door to the library's Business Resource Center, so I'm going to meet up with someone from SCORE soon to see what all I need to do, how much it costs, taxes, et al.  If everything happens for a reason, this certainly seems to be guiding me in the direction of opening my own store front (part of my bigger art business idea I mentioned here) sooner - like in the next couple of years - than later. 

Also, there will be an art event happening in May at Redoux - where I'm currently selling my upcycled art - so I will keep you all posted on that as soon as more information is available.  Cheers!

Letterpress drawer containing my insect collection and some craft supplies

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Finances have become more of an issue lately. Insomnia has been a constant companion as a result. This calls for a few decisions to be made in Cool Beans Art world. First, the Green Geeks website I purchased about a year ago will be cancelled. No need to have something laying around that I know I won't ever use. Note: instead please use my free website (that I need to update) here! 

Second, I have a month or so left at Redoux; however, I've only had one sale. There's more of a gallery type shop that's just opened that's even closer to where I work that offers a lot more advertising and face time with artists. I would have to consign there. They don't have the option of renting space, so my prices would be higher to cover the split, but the greater exposure seems worth it. For now, I'm sticking with my upcycled sculptures to display/sell. The great shop owners at Redoux said I can get my stuff anytime, or pay another months rent. I should hear from the other shop tomorrow letting me know whether or not they want my stuff. It's juried by the owners.

That's where things stand at the moment. If you're looking for something to do this weekend - and that's free - the Covington Wine Stroll and Jammin' on Julia are both happening Saturday night. Just choose which side of the lake you want to be on. Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

Playing with Pixlr Express - repainted trivets in my kitchen

Happy Easter!

Not too much to report from this week.  Just been busy doing small projects for the house and working on the bird painting and the upcycled sunflower that you can see on Facebook and Twitter.  Still kind of spring cleaning, too.  April will be pretty busy with festivals - French Quarter Fest, Festival International, etc .  I really am hoping to attend the RAW Marvel event in two weeks, also.  Hope you all had a lovely Easter and/or three day weekend!  I sure appreciated mine!

after the rain Easter Sunday afternoon

Had brunch with some business owners today, and got a decent amount of information about starting up and maintaining one's own business. I've had an idea for several years now of what I'd like my business to be. Obviously, it involves art, but it's more than than that. I'll expand on the rest of it another time.

This afternoon, I started to read this book (pictured). Already feeling inspired from brunch, the introduction has me even more pumped to solidify my daydreams about the business. Yes, definitely still in the dreaming process. Which brings me to my third and final point of this post.

Recently, I've been reminded/realized that even though my art has been out there for years (circa 2004), it's really only just breaking out of my group of friends and aquaintances and reaching a larger audience. Even though it seems like I've been pushing the same pieces all this time, it's still fresh and new to the majority of people. Just gotta keep on putting it out there and keep creating new things.

St. Patty's Day Weekend Art Adventures

Let me begin by giving a shout out to my cheerleaders who have been researching for ways and places where I can show and sell my art!  Love y'all!  

Saw some amazing Mardi Gras bead art while waiting for the parade, and some felt and other fabric jewelry, too. Even some clothes made out of old childhood bedsheets!!!  Genius!!!

Last Thursday I attended an OMBA meeting.  I did a good bit of networking, and enjoyed finding out about some new local businesses. Volunteering opportunities will be happening in the fall, so I hope to at least participate in that way, even if I hold off on becoming a member.

And how could I forget to mention the working sewing machine!!!  It was one of my grandmother's and had been in storage for quite some time.  I have no idea how to use it, but the light comes on and the wheel spins, so fabric adventures, here I come!!  The last time I used a sewing machine was for home ec in high school to make an apron I still use today.  Other than that, I may have played with my other grandmother's Singer with the push pedal, but I was literally just playing.

Until next time.....

Taken at the beginning of our day in the Irish Channel

I Work Out....!

A fun but busy weekend is coming to a close. There has been progress in the studio...the kitchen, however, has its first coat of paint!  Hopefully, the second coat and the trim work go pretty quickly.  Talk about a workout!  Oh, and the cabinets are three different colors because they will eventually all be grey, like the right hand one.  That was the test one.  The left one is ready to be painted, and the white one still needs to be stripped and then painted.

Friday there was lots of art to see in New Orleans, as usual.  We saw some bottle cap sculptures, but still none similar to mine - that's a good thing!  Saturday night, we went to the art stroll in Covington along Columbia Street.  It was a pretty quiet night.  We jointly concluded that a lot of the art we saw were things that we can create, too (photographs, mostly), we just didn't do it first.  These artists names are already locally famous; therefore, we'd never break into this niche market.  It's a frustrating predicament, but it's also what makes me focus on other mediums to showcase my skills i.e. the upcycled/recycled sculptures (bottle cap/can art).  

What's my next actual art project going to be?  Well, spring fever does have my house a wreck, which is why I'm trying to finish those projects up first,  BUT I've got an 8x8 acrylic painting in the works and I think I've found the right piece of driftwood for a new sculpting adventure! 

Lastly, in case you haven't yet discovered - I am indeed back on Facebook, but just my art this time.  Find me under Coolbeansart Oohsparkly.  Cheers!

New Work & New Studio

All this weekend I've been making room for my soon to arrive sewing machine! Plus, painting my kitchen and sanding cabinets. Studio is not quite ready for pictures yet, but the work pictured is the latest upcycled art piece for sale at Redoux!

Spring Fever

Somehow, I've caught spring fever today.  Small projects, bigger projects, now projects, and future projects.  They're all zooming in and out of my consciousness as I wonder how much can get done today and how much momentum will hold up as the week progresses.

A friend has suggested that I make a Facebook page to showcase my art.  She explained her whole plan, then I told her that I already had all of it set up with a nice fan base until about a year ago.  In that year, I have realized that Facebook really is the most popular social media outlet.  My Twitter following isn't bad, but it's about half of what Facebook was.  Of course, if I decide to re-open or create another Cool Beans Art fan page on FB, I will let you all know!

Fabulous news - I just had my first sale at Redoux!!!  Granted, it was a friend of mine who bought my stuff, but hey, it shows the masses that my stuff is in fact, cool beans & worth it!

Have a great week, everyone!

My display at Redoux before selling the dragonfly

My First Retail Adventure!

I am very excited to announce that my metal/wood sculptures will be selling in a shop that just opened here in Mandeville called Redoux Home Market & Consignment.  My prices will be about the same as if you were buying the pieces directly from me.  Basically, I'm renting a space from the shop owners to display and sell my stuff, so no need to raise prices to cover a gallery fee.  It will be so great to get some real exposure with my art!  Having it on display at the library for nearly three months now has really been a blessing, too.  My boss comes from a family of artists so she understands and supports my artistic side.  I never thought I would find myself in this situation, but again, it is wonderful, and I hope to sell all of my pieces in Redoux!  Mike and Kristen, the owners, are super nice and easy to work with.  My work should be up and ready to sell by next weekend in their shop, so come check it out!!

Post Flyday Thoughts

Hello, Guys and Gals!  Flyday was fun, as always, and Mother Nature finally let the sun shine on us (literally).  Sadly, my corset did not fair well throughout the day.  Letters were already pealing off by the time our party bus got to our destination, and taking a look at the corset today, I can see that entire stripes came off the back and several sections and other letters were loosing their grip.  The hot glue I used came from Hobby Lobby, but in years past, I've used hot glue sticks from Michael's.  Guess I won't be buying the same brand in the future (store brand); although, I have also been considering buying a bigger, more powerful glue gun to help speed along the beading process.

During my long recovery slumber, I dreamt about buying a warehouse art studio sort of building to run art classes, events, and programs out of.  It came with all sorts of easels, work tables, wash tubs, and painting supplies.  The dream ended without an official outcome as far as an act of sale or the like, but it has me wondering if it was a premonition or just a dream....

Hope you all enjoy the rest of this Carnival season!  If the weather holds up, I'll be back in the Quarter for Mardi Gras as part of the Royal Flush!  Hail Dragonflies!

taken by Judy Walker

Rosie the Riveter is Ready!!!

Flyday is Friday!  If you haven't yet heard, the parade starts at 2 PM in front of Tujague's Restaurant.  So far the weather looks like it will behave for us.  Here is the completed corset in 360 (which I flipped right side up, but they didn't post as such).  Hope to see y'all along the route!

Crazy about Costumes!

It's always fun to impress friends with my costume accessories. One of them is interested in all of my fake eyelashes and how they feel to wear. This photo was taken to show her all the different kinds I have.

My goal is to finish beading the corset today. We call them bustiers, but I found out via corsetchick.com that we actually wear corsets because they have boning. The other goal for the day is to make the bandana. Hobby Lobby had just the print I wanted for the fabric.

Only two weeks left until Flyday!!!

Website Updated!!!!

I feel like there are five hundred things I have to do right now, but here's what I got done over the 3-day weekend art-wise: 

Entire back of the bustier is done! (Still working on the front)

I also partially updated the website since I realized people are finding me through that and Pinterest - hooray!  Flickr may have a new photo or two on it as well!  Peace out for now!!

Bustier Progress

Here's my jam for beading if I'm not in a beading circle at a friend's house:  Cue Mardi Gras music, have a full cup of water nearby to stay hydrated, and have strategically placed glue stick refills and scissors to minimize much movement/help keep the flow going.  Only 4 weeks until Flyday!  This section of blue, which is about four inches wide, took an hour to do.  A whole bustier takes about 16 hours, give or take a few.  I timed myself one year.  Lunch break, then back to beading!  

My favorite Mardi Gras song, right here to help you get in the spirit ;) 

The Secret Artist

My work is still on display at the Causeway Branch Library.  There wasn't another artist in line, so my boss told me to keep my stuff up.  I am grateful for the exposure!  The display case is right at the front door and circulation desk so just about everyone notices it.  I've heard comments from several viewers.  Today my art even got a scoff and a negative head shake, but otherwise, all the comments have been positive.  No one knows that I am the artist even though my contact information is displayed as well.  Most patrons don't know my name so it's like I'm the secret artist.  It has definitely been an entertaining and completely unintentional sociological study.

I've been thinking that after Mardi Gras this year, I'll go ahead and join the STAA. Depending on how often I make it out to Covington to take advantage of my membership, I may get a broader following.  The use of a kiln and potter's wheel is pretty alluring.  There's also an art opportunity that I plan on taking part in that I think my bottle cap sculptures will be perfect for.

Four weeks till Flyday.......

bblibrary.blogspot.com

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a fun filled holiday season and festive New Year's Eve!  All of the holidays are blowing through so fast, I can hardly get settled with one before the next is a week away!

I was reading this Newsweek article today and wonder if it will bring any major change to the art world.  Obviously, there's a huge gap between DIY art and crafts that is considered "local art" and the historically classic pieces of Duchamp and Monet, but I'd like to think that however often the "bubble" bursts there is at least a mini-revolution in the art world as far as style and taste go.  That gives "local artists" like me a tiny glimmer of hope that one day, we'll be a little bit bigger than our friend support system; we could at least make a name for ourselves in a region, such as Southeast Louisiana.  I'd even be happy just being locally recognized in Mandeville....bottle cap sculpture, anyone?

The next 6 weeks will be consumed art-wise with finishing the bustier for Flyday.  In the meantime, keep creating in whatever way you know how!!  Cheers!

Celebration in the Oaks 2012