intestine boy

Here's Intestine Boy... along with a view of the back of the card. I almost spend as much time designing the backs as I do the fronts.

I started designing the backs when I realized how much fun it was ... not just to create, but to receive cards that had thoughtful designs on both sides. And because I keep my cards in clear 9-pocket sleeves the backs become part of the lovely package.

What do you think? And what do you add (if anything) to the backs of your ATCs?

I had read a line from Blake Gopnik's review of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition exhibition at the National Portrait Galley a while ago and been greatly amused because I agree that "being realistic doesn't make a picture art, not by a very, very long shot."

I finally read the review yesterday and was happy that I had. Aside from the snarky bits (because I love a good snarky bit), I like the conclusion, because is my very narcissistic way, it seemed to be talking about me. Well, except for the "serious contemporary work" bit.

The most striking difference between this portrait competition and one of the country's big roundups of contemporary art isn't so much the look of the work or even its quality. It's the sense of adventure and consuming creative ambition that is missing from this show and that is there, at least as an overarching mission, in most serious contemporary work.

I've been slowly sliding into complacency in my own work, which I blame on being lazy, being a chicken, and my dissertation, which consumes so much of my brain power these days that most days I wonder if perhaps it's supplying energy to third-world nation. But I'm aching to shake things up. So, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'll ask: What do you do when you want to shake things up?

And, any other thoughts about the review?

(via Helquin)

visual diary keeping

i have been working a lot in my little moleskine journals. mostly, i have been doing ballpoint pen drawings which i then watercolor. i just finished Coronary Mole, which is a journal i worked on by myself. you can find other journals which are collaborative if you look at my user info over on my livejournal, including Draw in Me, a collaborative journal with Amy of EC. also, her journal which she is collaborating with me on is Experimental Voyager which is located right here on Blogger. xox nicci

Cemetary angel

... by miss fish

Woohoo!

Well this IS exciting! What a nice haunt this is! Here is my latest news: I sold two pieces from my Artella Shoppe today. One is a Waterlillies mirror, and the other is the Butterfly ATC album seen here. First sales in months! Yay!

Thanks for the Invite!

This is a test because I'm new to this particular blog environment. Hopefully this posts correctly with the picture attached. I'm still amazed I drew this hippo .... an art friend from England is making a rubber stamp of it for me. It's very exciting!!! :)

Our first post

Ya gotta start somewhere, right? So I'll go first ... here is a little piece I made during the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. It is a wax collage made on the lid of a cigar box. The vintage lady in this is one of my favorite images. Lousy photo - I took it outside and had half sun and half shadow. But you get the idea!
Judi