(Inside A Black Apple)

Ghosts and Trees and New Prints

Thanks for all of that commiseration/advice/etc. in re: the dratted Yard Sale!

You guys are very wise.

I was feeling pretty crummy about it, but now that the memory of the sad bird killings has subsided and copious amounts of baked goods were given away, I feel better. I can chuckle at the pure ridiculousness of the whole thing, and be glad that bags and bags and boxes upon boxes were dropped off at the Goodwill.

I've been doing a good bit of painting, working on more book-paintings like Rose of My Heart, and working on a little secret project involving a few paintings that are coming along swimmingly. Amazing as it seems, I think I'm going to be able to wrap up making-stuff work tomorrow and then just pack-pack-pack for the remaining days. There are lots of things I want to make for the August/Early September update, once we're settled in in Portland.

Here are some of the new paintings:

Tree Divination    5.5"x7.5"x2"    Acrylic and ink on vintage book

Evelyn Ectoplasm     5.5"x7.5"x2"     Acrylic and ink on vintage book

These two will be available in the next shop update (like I said above, I'll be shooting for one in August, once the settling-in subsides)! Hooray.

Also, there are two new prints available in the shop, the watery-themed ones from the Oceanic show:

Hey Little Sailor 

and

Hippocampus.

Lots of folks were clamoring for these, so if you're one of those, they're now up for grabs!

Happy Tuesday + see you soon!

Rose of My Heart

Rose of My Heart     5"x7"x2.5"     Acrylic and Ink on vintage book

This print is now up in the shop, but the original won't be available because it was an early birthday gift for Josiah. Here is what it looks like in all of its 3-dimensional goodness:

I'm thinking about doing more of these paintings...I love the old Reader's Digest books as objects (such beautiful prints on their covers!) and I've been looking for a use for my small stash.

I hope you applets are having a nice week so far! Happy Wednesday.

Aquatic Paintings For You!

Just a peek in to let you know that the two pieces that I did for the Oceanic show are now available for pre-show sale right here & here! Excitement. I got quite a few emails about these paintings, so this is your opportunity to nab one, if you're so inclined. (EDIT: They're both sold now, thank you so much!)

Hey, Little Sailor


Hippocampus

Hippocampus

I finished my other painting for the Suite 100 show, and had it framed up today. We're going to Portland on Thursday for the weekend, so I've got a bunch of loose ends I'm tying up today and tomorrow.

Like lots of people, I'm really interested in and love old carousels and the animals that were carved to inhabit them. In one of my big carousel books, there is a photo of a "hippocampus" carousel figure, which is a mer-horse of sorts (it's also a part of the forebrain, Wikipedia tells me).

I thought it would be just the creature to star in another aquatic-themed piece...

Hippocampus    11"x14"x1 (Framed size approx. 16"x20"x3")  Acrylic on canvas

Here is a (crummy) shot of the painting with its frame:

Have a lovely Tuesday!

Print Update

I've got all of the prints of the new images (meaning those from the last update) prepared and in the shop.

 
 
So, if there's one you had your eye on, maybe hop over and take a gander!

And, hey! Thanks for all the fabric-giddiness. It is a good time to be a stuff-maker, for certain!

Bread and Jam Day

Re-reading what I titled this post, it makes it sound a bit like I'm having the most leisurely of days...but it's quite the opposite! After the big update yesterday (thank you to everyone who stopped by for it!), I spent the evening getting some wholesale orders together and working on sketches for a future-awesome-project (that I'll share when the time is right). Today I've been writing and revising for another exciting future project, and Josiah is getting finished with the first steps of shipping all of your update orders out, which will be our day-long task tomorrow.

The only real reason this post has this leisurely title is because we're finishing up a loaf of bread I made Monday night and I've been slathering mine with lots of this cherry jam that I'm crazy about (pictured above). Homemade bread is so good that it really seems like a totally different animal than bread you can buy at the store. Even good store-bread. It's hard to call them both "bread", really.

I'll be back tomorrow with two things I'm very excited about showing you! Good things that can be divulged are always more exciting than good things that I have to keep under my hat.

The Red Piano

This painting has been finished, varnished, and scanned for a little while now and I kept forgetting to blog it! It will also be one of the treasures in the update.

The Red Piano    11"x14"x2"    Acrylic on canvas

Whew!

It's going to be a good one. Really, really good.
I'm excited, will see you tomorrow (Tuesday) at 2:00 pm New York time.

3 Sleepy Kids

Hello applets! I'm here with a trio of small-ish paintings that will be part of the update on Tuesday:

Sleepy & Ghostlet    7"x9"    Acrylic on wooden plaque

Sleepy in the Rain    7"x9"    Acrylic on wooden plaque   

Sleepy Bookworm    7"x9"    Acrylic on wooden panel

The paintings will be sold individually, but they make a damn adorable triptych.
I really love these sleepy boys (this is the form they started out in, and then came the Sams).

I have one more painting to share before the update, and a foursome of Sophie dolls that are itching to be photographed, so those will be up soon!
xo

Baby Teeth & Spools of Thread

The Unspooling    13.5"x8"x1"    Acrylic on wooden plaque

&

Baby Tooth    11"x14"x2"    Acrylic on canvas

Two more new paintings that will be included in the next update. There will be more of everything to share in the coming days! Back to work on some sweet dollies (who may or may not be marsupials...)

xo

Oliver Dunce + Update news!

I was able to have my new paintings scanned this afternoon (I have all of the larger ones done out-of-house, since my scanner's capacity is 9"x12") so I'll be sharing them over the next few days.

Also, I've gotten loads of emails from people anxious for the next update, so never fear...it's just around the corner, next week!

Oliver Dunce    9.5"x12.5"x1"    Acrylic on wood plaque

I was really missing the dunces, so I painted a new little guy. I wanted to keep it very much with the trappings of a classic portrait-style painting, and I'm really happy with the results. In fact, I really want to selfishly keep him for our house, but I know I can't be doing that willy-nilly.

I'll be back soon with more new work, and have a happy rest-of-your Wednesday! And, hey, thanks for all the Button-Collector-cardi love. It made me very happy.
xoxo