• Free Print Giveaway Is Back. (Every Tuesday starting November 18)

I don’t know where to start, not really sure why I didn’t share this sooner than today, which I just realized is Wednesday! I am now the proud owner of Canon Digital Rebel xt. The camera I have dreamt about for years is finally mine, to take pictures with. I just want to squeal with joy, but I will spare all of you that I am sure you can find videos on youtube of it. I am still working on getting a battery charger for it, since it was bought used. So have been limiting my picture taking as the battery is just about dead.

I did manage to get one though of me with the camera. Yay me. It has been so long since I actually used an slr period that I need to get myself back into the groove of taking pictures with so much depth of field again. Will need to take myself a day trip somewhere pretty as soon as I get that charger!

My Etsy shop has been updated, just added a few original paintings. You can also check out my new cards I just started offering. Will have some Holiday ones available in the very near future.

• My Artwork will be displayed and available for purchase at: Salt Creek Wine Bar in Brookfield, IL.
• September 29 - October 4 — Brookfield Gallery Walk & Silent Auction.
• Participating in the Pika Package over at Pikaland!
• Website Updated!
  

I want to jump up and down and squeal, I’m so excited that it is up! Also a little in disbelief that it is actually up, everything is framed and done. It took a few hours yesterday, but all the artwork is hung in the Salt Creek Wine bar for your viewing pleasures. So if you can’t make it on the September 20th go check it out anytime in the next two months! I have a few paintings that I will be adding before the opening reception but for the most part it is all there.

It is such a surreal thing when your art is up hanging in a public space. Knowing that people are looking at it, at commenting on it, and making conclusions about it. It was an interesting feeling when it was all up and we were looking around the walls at it. My friends Justine’s work is also hanging there, there was no way either of us could fill the wall space alone. Our artwork really works well together and I like the variety.  I am sooo happy pretty much all of my framing is done, the few straggler paintings are actually mainly going to be canvas unless something great comes out on paper.

Now I can take a deep breath and relax…

The name of my latest painting. A ton more in the works right now. Have been sorta frantic trying to get ideas going for my upcoming show in September.

The good news I wanted to share with you though is that I will exhibiting my work at the Effe Leven Gallery for the month December in a show called “Play Child Play.” I am super excited as this gallery is in the River North area of Chicago and it can be tough to find galleries that are willing to show emerging artists in general in many places around downtown. This will be my very first gallery exhibition. Will get more info as it comes, as to when the opening reception will be and all that!

Even though summer doesn’t officially begin until next Saturday I was feeling inspired by all the warm weather around here lately that I suppose that is why this fun little triptych just came to me.

It was so much fun to make, and now I am hungry and thirsty. Although I did snag me some watermelon today for dinner!

On a news side of things I have some cool stuff coming up this fall. One of them I already shared with you, that I will be going to the SQUAM workshops. The other big news, well I found out a few weeks ago and have been dying to share just been to sick to do much. My art will be hanging in the Salt Creek Wine Bar in Brookfield, IL during the months of September and October. Will get more info on the big opening party for those who want to attend when it gets a bit closer.

And just a little something if your interested…I will be giving away a fine art print of my work every week on Tuesday night over at my etsy shop. Just my little way of saying thank you for supporting my art!

December 2008

• Group Art Show - “Play Child Play” - at the Effe Leven Gallery in Chicago, IL.

November 2008

October 2008

• My Artwork will be displayed and available for purchase at: Salt Creek Wine Bar in Brookfield, IL.
• September 29 - October 4 — Brookfield Gallery Walk & Silent Auction.
• Participating in the Pika Package over at Pikaland!
• Website Updated!

September 2008

• Opening Reception for Salt Creek Wine Bar Show will be on September 20th, 2008, 5pm.
  If you live in the Chicago area please come check it out. You’ll get to see me!
• My Artwork will be displayed and available for purchase at: Salt Creek Wine Bar in Brookfield, IL
• I will be attending the SQUAM art workshops.

August 2008

• Free Print Giveaway Continues. (Every Tuesday)

July 2008

• Summer Website Update.
• Free Print Giveaway Continues. (Every Tuesday)

June 2008

• The Great Print Giveaway begins! (Every Tuesday night check out my etsy shop)

April 2008

• Spring 2008 Website Update

March 2008

• Launched CJ’s Doghouse

February 2008

• Pen Pal Project Postcard Exchange

January 2008

• New Website Design

2006 - 2007

• Art on Harrison (Oct 2007, 2006)
• 30Day Artist (Oct 2007)

The holidays, and more importantly the new year. A chance for new beginnings and time to start some new projects. I haven’t even begun to write down my goals for 2008 yet. I have many things I want to achieve. Personal, as well as professional goals I would like to accomplish in the next year. If I learned one thing this year it’s that baby steps are very important, and slowing down to take the time to do it right is better than just rushing along. It all will come “in time.”  That is one big goal for next year to focus on one thing at a time, and just try to slow down and not worry if I am not getting something done as fast as I think I should be. Rather taking the time to make sure things turn out right. These past few months it seems like weekly I am doubting myself and my talent. I realize I need to stop comparing and just do what makes me happy, the rest will follow. With a little hard work of course.

Coming soon though, is a much more organized website with a new design. I must have changed my site a dozen times this year. I really am in the “getting in the groove of things” stage with everything. I feel like I am just now starting to get my style figured out. Though it is still all over the place, I paint everything and so therefore it feels like I just don’t really have a specific style. Yet another goal for 2008 to focus in on what I really want to paint more of. I’ll find my spot out there among all you other amazing artists one day soon.

As I have said many times before look for some changes around here by the new year and there will be new artwork to show as there is some in the works, as well as my goals for next year. Expect sporadic posting here until next year, holidays are NUTS!

I often times find that I plan a lot. I write out lists of what I want to accomplish but just a few days later that list is almost forgotten about. Then I start another list.and the whole process repeats. I do get things done on these lists over time. Usually months later I find the list and realize I have done most of the things on it. So I guess it plants a little seed in my head by making these lists. I like these lists, but I think I need to get more organized and keep it in a more visible place. I have decided that for the rest of this year I won’t make anymore lists that have to do with goals related to my art. I plan on spending the rest of this year figuring out my style and what it is that I want to focus on artistically. I want to experiment, sketch, do cheesy crafts, create sculpture, bake, crochet, sew things just try a few new things and see where I can take all this. I am not sure how this will impact my website and whether I will be redesigning it yet again next year. For now it is just me trying to figure out some stuff, and work through it creatively.
Don’t worry I am not going anywhere…expect to see some interesting things around here though.