Holiday Art Fair this weekend!

I'm all set for the Cedarburg Artists Guild's Holiday Art Fair this weekend. Set up is tonight, and the show is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Whew ~ it's always exhausting, but also a blast. I share a booth with my friend Kelley and together we, and the other artists participating, have tons of great stuff for Holiday shoppers! Here's a peek at just some of the things I'll have on hand:

Cedarburg is a great town in general and the weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend, so I highly recommend checking it out. If you decide to come to the show, stop by booth #14 and say Hi!

Cedarburg Artists Guild

Holiday Art Fair

Friday: 10am - 8pm

Saturday: 10am - 5pm

Sunday: 11am - 4pm

Cedarburg Community Center Gym

W63 N641 Washington Ave, Downtown Cedarburg

gallery night

Isn't this guy great? I'm loving working with old photos in these new pieces. I grab shots in antique stores that seem to want to tell a story. I hope I'm getting it right for them.

It's not the best shot...these pieces are fairly dimensional- so they go in a custom made shadow box my fabulous husband helps me build. Since the glass is built into the frame, there's no way I can get a shot of a finished piece without the glass, and I have no idea what to do to diminish glare. Hopefully it's enough to give you an idea of what I'm up to these days.

If you're in Milwaukee, come visit me tonight in the Third Ward for Gallery night! I'll be showing with a group at Kindness Architecture and Planning on Menomonee, from 6 til 9. 

That said, time to get the last few pieces wired up. Thanks for stopping!

forward ho

Is that a real phrase? Whatever~ it's September, we're back in a routine, and I've uncovered my studio. Here's proof:

fearless

I'll be back in a few days with details on some fall shows I've got lined up. I'm off to enjoy the swirling winds and crisp, clear air. I love autumn the mostest.

done for a while

So, obviously I've not been a very consistent blogger this summer. I don't make a lot of art in the summer...the kids and I hang and do summer in the summer. I have had a few wonderful shows this season though- made some great sales and some new friends. Thanks so much to any of you who are stopping by because I shoved my business card at you and said "visit my blog!!"

I think, though, that I'm going to officially take a break from the ol' blog for a while. It's occurred to me more and more that I just don't really want to be a "blogger". So I've decided it's time for me to honor that. Otherwise, I find that I'm really critical of myself when I don't post enough.

I'm going to be making art though, so I'll put it up here when I do!

Have a happy summer!
xo
Megan

flora and fauna

(i know the trend is over, but these mushrooms are just fun to make)

Hello! Long time no post ~ summer does that to me!

I've been finishing up a few new pieces to prepare for my next show. Two shows in one season...I must be getting serious about this stuff.

This weekend I'm participating in a one day show in Bay View, WI. Come say hi if you're in the area:

South Shore Frolics Festival of Art

Sunday, July 15

10am - 5pm

South Shore Park, Bay View, WI

confidence (bit of vintage picture-frame molding attached on bottom)

show prep

here now

new tags and notecards

DIY grab-bags of vintage ephemera

making labels

So, I've been busy lately- really busy- getting ready for the Hawthorne Hill Farm show I'm doing next weekend. I have no idea what to expect in terms of sales- there's such a great mix of art, craft and antiques and vintage treasures at these shows that I know I'll fit in aesthetically, but it's always hard to guess how much people will actually buy, or what they're going to be in the mood for when they're out poking around. 

It's been fun to prepare though- my awesome husband built me some new booth walls, I've worked up several new paintings and lots and lots of new paper-goods. I've also decided to share the wealth in terms of my ever-growing collection of vintage ephemera by putting together grab-bags filled with a whole slew of fun materials that would be great for journalling, scrapbooking and art-making. All in all, I feel like my booth will be fun to look through, even if (as we tell the kids) "it's not a buying day" for everyone. 

I don't do a ton of shows- so my set up and prep is maybe not as efficient as the veterans, but I love creating a display, and I really love chatting with people who come out to look around. So if you're in the area, please stop by and say hi!

Hawthorne Hill Farm Shopping Market

"Rust, Ruffles, Restore!"

June 22, 23, 24

10am - 5pm

looking out (or in?)

untitled

I've got a busy two weeks coming up, but wanted to post this latest piece before I disappeared. I haven't been able to title it just yet...I feel like there's definitely a story going on here, I just don't know what it is. Feel free to offer up your own interpretations.

If you're in my neck of the woods, you should consider checking out the upcoming show at Hawthorne Hill Farm, running May 18, 19 & 20. I'll be in their next show: June 22, 23 & 24...so by all means, put that on your calendar too!

making up for lost time

I had a bit of a kink in my neck that made pitch-forking the garden and planting potatoes yesterday not so fun. Fortunately, it didn't hinder me in the studio. So here I am- a month of blog-silence, and now two posts in as many days!

The kink is feeling better today, so back outside I go...but first I'm going to ask you all for a little constructive criticism of this piece- I'm feeling like it might need some fine-tuning, but maybe not? Obviously, I am not quite sure. Your thoughts?

April post- just in time

foundation

At last, a new painting finished. It's been a busy April, I'm glad I finally got myself into the studio to work for a while. This image may be a little brighter than the original- the real thing is quite springy, but maybe not so acid-green. (insert "I am not a photographer" disclaimer here)

I've been working hard on lots and lots of notecards and stationary products in the last few weeks...I'll get a shot of them for next week- and tell you all about the show they're being made up for. In the meantime, I'm going to go turn up the garden and get some potatoes in the ground!

new approach

capable

Here's a quick shot of a new piece. I decided this time to use a bird image of my own creation. Until now I've used images pulled from vintage birding books, in keeping with the use of vintage ephemera. I also love the very precise style of the ink drawings I've found. But using actual images from actual books means I'm limited in terms of sizing and orientation...and once they're used, they're gone until I find another book. In part, I like that limitation, but I realize I also want to be able to keep working without limitations on material.

I drew this bird on the end-leaf of an old book, and I'm quite proud of it, technically speaking. The drawing gives a very different feel here, though, compared to the my other works and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I'd love your input- hearing other perspectives always helps.

Next week I'll post some new cards and gift tags I've been working on for a show coming up in June. Have a great weekend!

spring is visiting

It is going to be 50 degrees out today!

We have not had much of a winter here this year...at least not by typical Wisconsin standards. I've been disappointed at the lack of snow- especially with a Christmas present of new cross country skis which I've yet to be able to debut- but the weather today is making me long for spring. We'll have another go at winter next year, it's time to throw in the towel.

new sky

This is a piece I just finished in time for a 1:00 deadline at the Main Street Gallery in Cedarburg. If you're a local, Cedarburg is always nice to visit in the spring- be sure to stop by the gallery (in the Cultural Center) if you're in town.

Also, I know I said I'd post about my son's Harry Potter birthday party- I must say, it was a huge success in most respects. In others- not so much: we suffered multiple camera fails throughout the day. This, my friends, is why I don't blog events. Paintings sit still and wait while your memory card spazzes out or your other camera's batteries die. 6 and 7 year olds playing Quidditch in the basement...not so much. C'est la vie.

standing guard

sentinel

Hello! Here's a little piece I finished up this week. I found a wonderful old book about mushrooms...I always think these guys have so much personality- must be the early influence of Fantasia when I was a kid.

No real time to post, I'm afraid- I'm knee deep in clean up and final prep for a birthday weekend. I may have taken on a little much in the detail-department for the Harry Potter party. I finally admitted this to myself while whittling ten wands from sticks collected on walks. Be that as it may, I'm having fun - here's hoping the kiddos have fun too!

regularly scheduled blogging

returning

I'm feeling motivated to be more regular in my blogging. I've been working out my schedule these days- between making art, volunteering and family-life- and I realize I'm ready to let the art part take a more up-front position. 

I spent last week polishing up my photos and submitting to some art fairs and one gallery. I was supremely disappointed by a rejection last year, and realized that I really let that scare me off of making other submissions. I am a classic perfectionist- and if something doesn't go 'just right', I tend to want to just quit it all together. So in an effort to relax that part of me, I am committing to sending out submissions until I get another show, and then more after that to keep me rolling. If I suffer more rejection in the mean time- well, it's high time I learn that that doesn't define me- it just means it wasn't a good fit. (If you have any suggestions for galleries or shows that might be the right fit- let me know!)

This week I'm beginning some new pieces, using a wonderful 1940's guide to Ferns, published by the Natural History Museum in New York. I found the book in an antique shop in Madison in January...so lucky! I love, love, love ferns, and am hoping to capture a little of their quiet spring-ness in these new pieces.

I'll show you them as they progress- but will also be showing them over on Heather Kirtland's blog- as she's come up with the wonderful idea of hosting an online critique once in a while. I am so looking forward to this. The comments I received on my last post were incredibly helpful- not only with the piece, but with making me feel like this blog-world is slowly helping me build a bit of an artistic community- which was really my whole point in starting a blog. So, yay, Heather! Thank you for getting this going- I hope we have lots of participants!

venturing off my beaten path

I think I finished a new piece today:

untitled

So...no actual subject in this piece. There was one there, but it felt so forced - so it got covered over and reworked and here's where I am.

I have to say, I really like it. But I've not done any completely non-representational work yet, and I find myself wondering if this piece is valid if it's not really about a thing? Or maybe I'm needing just a small bit of encouragement to help me listen to the inner voice that's trying to tell me Hey- this works! It's done- be happy!


Anyone have any comments or constructive criticism for me?

update- after such helpful feedback, leading to just a little change:

free-wheel

*******

Other creative energies have been going toward a certain 6-year old's Harry Potter birthday party. My youngest turns 7 at the end of the month, which marks the last 'themed' birthday party I plan on throwing (after this it's the ol' invite some friends to a bowling alley for an hour). I tend to pour a LOT of creative energy into their parties- and have a ton of fun doing so. Themes in the past have been Construction, Outer Space, Bionicles, Bakugons, Science Experiments and Insects. I love that we're going out with Harry Potter as the last one- we're all huge fans.

I've never been great about posting pics of the parties in the past- but this time, I'm going to use up a little blog-space to show it off.

So far, we've sent the invites, and I've labeled jars for potions ingredients:

More to come!

the long absence

Well, Happy New Year!

Completely ridiculous ~ how long it's been since my last post, I know and I'm really sorry! I had an amazing time at the Cedarburg Holiday Arts Fair in early December, and already can't wait for next year's show. The miniatures show at the Art Bar was also a great success. I am so thankful to everyone who stopped in at the shows and said nice things to me, and overwhelmed by the fact that so, so many of you liked my work enough to take it home with you. It was such an encouraging end to the year, and it is such fun knowing that some of my art is out there making people happy.

returning 2012 (sold)

The shows and the sales were followed by a wonderful and busy holiday season that ushered in 2012 with lots of great family time. I really think I've got the best people in the world in my life...I hope you do too.

The one negative of the last two months was the undeniable decline of our computers. We had been limping along with a 10 year old PC that could basically barely handle turning on ~ let alone running complicated programs like photo editing or the internet. Thus the quiet blog.

Until last night! We spent the day sledding at my parents' house, and then watching an amazing slideshow of sledding photos my dad put together on his Mac. Then we chatted with an aunt in Florida and my brother & nephews in Washington on FaceTime. And something in our "we have to save money! we're on a budget!" mantra just broke. My husband took the long way home past the mall, and came home an hour later with our new baby: A beautiful desktop Mac that loves to show us our photos, run multiple programs and just generally make us happy any way it can. Yay!

I think I've said before that I've never been one to journal very regularly. So I'm not saying the new computer will make some sort of uber-blogger. But I am hoping to be a little more frequent. I also may *gasp* open up an etsy shop again...stay tuned!