Modern Way

Today was the first day in a long long time that I was excited about doing my design homework.
I get to research these artists whose styles are right up my alley.
The best part is that I got to do this painting! It has some collage elements too; what a great combo.
It was such a relaxing afternoon.

As a part of my standard break from life, I think I am going to start re-reading the Philosophy of Andy Warhol again. It has been a while since I read it, and I did bring it to school with me after all.

My birthday is coming up.

My Standard Break From Life

"I've got a regular problem
So my standard break from life is in order..."

This week we had such great weather.
However, most of the time I was inside working. Yuck!
Mountains of work...
Even though I just had spring break I feel worn down with school.

"...I've got a motivation problem
so my standard break from life
is getting longer..."

My sister tells me that every time I make a new friend I ought to buy them an ipod.
Apparently it is a guarantee that I will introduce them to all kinds of new music, so it's only fair that I provide them with somewhere to put it all.
She also tells me that there just isn't enough room on her ipod from all the music I give her.
I have that problem right now too.
Not enough space on my mini... I'll get a bigger one soon

Well, I really must get back to my homework now, but

"I say I don't wanna try
I'd rather sit here all night..."

~Alkaline Trio

Assignment: Andy

My junior year, I had an assignment to make a piece in the style of Andy Warhol. Harry Potter seemed an obvious choice. I got to try my hand at silkscreening and made about 15 prints. This one was the best. It got entered in a local contest and was displayed in the gallery at the Illinois Institute of Art and Design in Schaumburg.

The rag flag pillow is just a little somethin' I did a while back.

Back to School...

Spring break is over now and I am realizing that I have an 8 am class tomorrow...

I love the way this sweatshirt turned out. I bought it plain and added the funky stuff. I'll be making more hopefully. I think I am going to sell them for $15.

The weather today was amazing! I got to drive with my windows down, blasting Alkaline Trio.
Driving w/ the windows down is one of my favorite things.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

The weather today was amazing! I really hope it sticks around.
Pack your bags winter.

I started the 4th painting of my series. Can you guess who it is? Jenny Lewis of course. A perfect addition.
I have really missed painting. I painted so much in high school. My last painting was actually my largest - 54"x54". (I had a horrible time getting it home.)

We painted in Design class last semester, but it was not the same. I need canvases and my vast collection of brushes and paints and the freedom to express myself.
When I paint, I feel like a real artist. I love to find little paint splotches on my hands later on. A reminder for myself a declaration to the world - I am an artist. It is my passion.
What a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I wish I had more time to give to it.
Next year I can take painting.
I can't wait!

The Bag Lady

I made these purses last summer. They are currently for sale online at:

http://www.cheshirekat.etsy.com

so check 'em out!

I Feel Productive!

I made this bag today. I've been wanting to do this project for a while now. It is so nice to have time to do projects!
Hooray for spring break!

The latest

This is what I've been up to lately.
They need a little touching up I think.

Style

I was thinking about my style recently. The way I dress to be specific.
I always tell my friends to watch what I wear because I predict fashion trends.

Examples:

I really liked peasant tops and skirts right before they were all over the place. I started looking for lacy stuff at thrift stores - boom - they were in all the stores. Black, white and red is all over now. Plastic jewelry too. Shirts w/ patterns all over instead of just the center. Tons of people in my dorm dying their hair red. On, and on...

So as I look at the rack of clothes w/ tons of really cool shirts that fit my style, I am actually disappointed. I hate when things are everywhere. I don't like trends, in fact I avoid them. It's not that I do things just for the sake of being different, I just don't like to do things because everyone else is. I want to be an individual, not white noise that fades into the background.
Then I thought about how dumb that is. When something I like becomes popular, I don't like it anymore and I don't give popular things a chance. So, by doing this I am not really being myself at all which is what I was worried about to begin with. I have to remind myself that if I like something it doesn't matter if people do or don't.

I love to shop at goodwill. Actually, my mom bought me that dinosaur shirt there when I was in, maybe 1st grade (bottom photo).The red dress is from there, $5. I painted the city on there and added the button and chains. My friend Michelle sewed the back into a V and put more chains crisscrossing on it.

In high school there were so many people that dressed funky like me, and then I came to college. No one dresses like me. I stand out more than I realize sometimes. It's cool though, whenever there is a costume event people come knocking at my door.

Spring break has begun for my school, and the ground is covered in snow, so it feels like christmas break only not as exciting.
It is really nice to be back at home with the family though.

Above is one of many bracelets I have made. I'm thinking of calling them the "Everything Nice" bracelets. There will be more pictures of them to come I think.

Recent work

These are the projects I actually enjoyed doing last semester. I gave the box to my friend w/ a birthday present inside.
The kite was inspired by my little sister Meredith. It was a really interesting process, combining my style with things that I associate w/ her.

Sometimes, well actually, a lot of the time, school makes me question myself as an artist. Today I talked to a man from an art school in New York. My professor thinks I would love it there, I think I would never cut it there. I just don't think I could get in. I started to think about how little of my own real work I have done since I started college. I feel like I have nothing to show for myself here at school except for these two projects and a few things from digital tools.

Spring break is going to be devoted to my art. I am definitely going to paint something. I also have to make a bunch of stuff for when I apply for the Renegade Craft Fair. I have to blow them away. Getting into that show means so much to me.