(Inside A Black Apple)

Minutes & Wool & Paint for Friday

Hello all!
Well, yesterday was quite a day. My meeting with the wonderful, wonderful Nancy and Gail of "Little, Brown books for young readers" was at 3:45, and so I kind of dilly-dallied around until then. I had a few butterflies in my stomach when I reached the gigantic building that their offices are housed in, and there was some pretty fierce security downstairs, but once I reached the 11th floor (where their offices are) I felt right at home. There were lovely books everywhere, and I mean everywhere, and lots of cheerful pictures and toys stacked all around. Even the cubicle-offices were cheery! It was so comforting. Nancy came out to meet me, and she was even more charming and disarming than the offices themselves, as was Gail. Our meeting went incredibly well...it was hard to be nervous when they were so giddy to meet and talk to me. I brought them each a Postcard Sampler, and also a little micro portfolio to hang on to, and they were so happy. I mean, these ladies are so excited and wonderful and warm, I felt right at home. Because I'm all of those things, (or I try to be anyway!)
Nancy said "Gail and I have been so excited around the office today, saying 'Black Apple is coming today! Black Apple is coming today!".

They sent me home with an armful of books, and a plan to cultivate some of my very own ideas with Nancy via sketches, loose storylines, etc for possible publication in storybook form, and maybe doing some covers for chapter books. Oh, what a happy meeting. So lovely. 

Good grief, I am such a lucky duck to have the life I have!!!

Today is a work day, and I have these two paintings to show for it:

A "Little Enid", ala the comic book by Dan Clowes & the film by Terry Zwigoff. Love. She's here.

And more hedgies! Here.

I also recieved a beautiful bundle of wool felt, which maybe counts as a W.I.P. Friday contribution?
I mean it's supplies...that have potential... (such a cheater!)

Isn't it beautiful? I ordered it from this company, Prairie Point Junction. Don't be put off by their silly layout and "theme"...the felt is wonderful, and very affordable. This means hats for lots of dunces!

Well, that is about it for this afternoon. Oh, this is a wierd side note, but I have very wierd hair. I mean, it's the wierdest hair that I know of. It's very wavy, but very fine and a little thin, oh, and it frizzes...think the hair of a 5 year old me. Except for that it's still my hair. My nose and my hair never, ever grew up. Anyway, I bought this Bumble & Bumble grooming creme the other day at the pharmacy, and while it is pricey, it is amazing! Just a tiny bit works wonders on the frizz and make for nice & shiny & soft times. And it smells amazing.

Ok, product-placement time is over. Happy Friday & Happy Weekend, all of my blog-readin' tangerines! I, for one, have got a date with Captain Jack Sparrow (and Liz) this evening.

My Goodness!

Well, today and the last few days have been busy, busy, busy with the shop...so much that I can hardly keep up with combining invoices, tending the store, and the like. I vowed to myself that today would be a work day, so I did tear myself away from the tempest in a teacup that is my store today long enough to get in some quality painting time (thank god!). When it gets very busy seems to always be the times when I'm itching to make new things...oh, irony.

I'd like to present you with the product(s) of my working today:

They're both safely in the shop now, and I think I'm about to dust off my little paws and call it a day. Off to dinner with Liz, and then to see some sort of Dresden-Dolls-Amanda-Emcee'd short film recital. On with the goth girl clothes and stripey socks (wink)

I heart you, whoever you are!

2 Wee Originals

   

 

here & here

Salt, Meet Pepper

Umbrella Girl for Liz

Little Marla Singer

"Marla's philosophy was that she could die at any moment. The tragedy, she said, was that she didn't".
-Narrator (Jack)/Fight Club

Feeling crummy makes me want to paint a little Black Apple version of my favorite fictional character...don't be sad that she's not a hedgehog. I've gotta paint outright sad girls sometimes.

I don't even like Fight Club that much, just Marla. I think her character is hilarious and strangely endearing...and I love Helena Bonham Carter (affectionately known as "the HBC" to friends in the know).

She lives here. She flew the coop!

And my copy of Hilllary's Pattern Book ?  Ordered and good to go, happy to say!

PS: Thank you for all of the sweetie pie comments on the new pins! I loved the square ones, but they are a bit of a change from what you normally expect in a pinback button, so thanks for the reassurance that they are cute. Also, never fear you Sampler lovin' gals, there will be 3 (or 4) back up in the shop next week. I promise. Thanks for caring about The Black Apple's cute curiousities, and about me. You have no idea how much it means. Well, maybe you do... (wink)

It's my darling Elizabeth's birthday tomorrow, so I think I'm going to make the amazing Magnolia Buttercream Frosting for the cupcakes. I also need to tie up the loose ends on her gifts this afternoon, and run some errands (ooooh the Office Supply store, my other favorite home away from home...the other being the P.O. of course). Liz, if you are reading this, you know nothing about cupcakes. Nobody said anything about making anything for you or the birthday that you aren't having tomorrow.

I wish I was the moon tonight

Hello sweet peas!

The weekend was very fun...we went to Renegade on Saturday, and I got to meet so many internet buddies in real life! I was very excited about seeing the wonderful Kate Black in person, and she was so sweet and also very pretty. Heidi of My Paper Crane was there, and she was also such a cutie and a nice-y in person, which of course I expected. Her little moldy toasts were a-mazing, and I love that she used real bakery equipment (clear lucite donut boxes, tongs, etc.) to display on her table. So profesh.

Of course, it was wonderful to see Small Object Sarah again...she was being swarmed, or I would've stayed and played with her adorable stamps for longer. I also met Marilyn of MPatrizio, who is sweet and has an adorable accent. Something very adorable, and that I was very flattered by, is that Kate said "I recognized you before you introduced yourself because you look like your work! You're adorable!" Several people said things along those lines, which made me feel a little funny, but happy. And Whew. I was actually so overwhelmed by getting to meet all these folks, I actually bought almost nothing! I know, I know...but after about a mile of cute-cute-cute, I hit T.C.O....Total Cuteness Overload. You know what I mean, that "if-I-set-eyes-on-another-pink-felt-baby-deer-I-just-might-puke" feeling.

I did buy one little trinket, which I think Lisa might covet:

That's right...it's my Pirate Bling.

In The Black Apple Shop, there is a whole lot of fun new stuff. In addition to the new Isobels, Dunce Gals, etc., there are several new (and lovely, if I do say so) originals, including this one:

Annnnnd, Postcard Packs are back! I did a reorder of the Curious Birdplane packs, and got two new designs: Typewriter Girl, and Tea for Two. I spent the afternoon painting and packaging these babies up...so nice and quiet and fun.

Also in the works for this week:
The Return of the S A M P L E R ! ! !

I'll fill you in on when that will come to pass soon.

In other NY news, it's really f'ing hot here. Yesterday it reached 95 degrees...yuck. I mean really. And we have no air conditioning, so I'm sweltering. I've never looked so forward to anything mailordered coming than I am my new window air conditioning unit from Target.com in a few days. Oh my sweet potato, will I be one happy clam.

xxx! ooo!

Sleepy Tree

(here)

More Isobels, Please!

Hello, friends! I'm having banner-changing-anxiety right now, as you may be able to tell! In the mean time, there are 7 beautiful new Isobels up in the Shop! You might notice that they've all got some sort of sweet little hat/head-dress action going on. Also, I ordered lots of new fun Black Apple-ish things, so in  a week or so there will be trinkets ahoy.
xo,
emily

At the Carnival...

   

 
Carousel Girls make the world go 'round!
 

Your Real Grandparents...

i heart hedgies.

Four Score, and one year ago...

Ok, so not "four score"...just one year. It was about a year ago that I exited from the Photography department (with, strangely, a mostly painting/mixed-media installation to show for it) of UGA. Also, curiously, my mom's camera held the only proof that said exit show ever even happened! How did I allow all other traces of this huge production dissapear? Well, for starters my slides were botched. Utterly and completely ruined. SO...when I was up at my mum's the other day, I borrowed her camera and zipped these images onto my own hard drive. So here, for the first time since last May, is my exit show.

It's funny, I'm still really proud of most of this installation, and looking at the images makes me want to make more...environments. And create lots and lots of jars filled with relics, such as this one, which was I suppose the "focus" of the wall:

It's a big ol' gigantic digital print that was mounted to gatorboard, and then hung (a big wildly) by 4 giant nails. My dear sweet Robin, our exit prof., as well as the gallery director, was a little...overwhelmed by my choice of hanging hardware, I believe. I love jars. I love them so much, and I keep thinking..."if/when I go to grad school, I'm going to do loads of installations just involving all sorts of personal and cultural relics in jars. Big mason-like jars. Pickle Jars (the economy size, of course)". My friends Keith & Corie have brought me some big, nice pickle jars recently from the cafe that they are baristas at. And I look at them longingly. And think..."I've got to put together a jar show". Ok, enough about the jars...moving right along to a bigger shot of the right side of the wall:

That's my childhood dollhouse on the right. And that's a black painted branch on the the left. And oh...that's a black apple next to the house. And please just look around forever, because it's almost like "Where's Waldo". This isn't the best image in the world, but as I said, it's one of only a few that exist, so it'll have to do.

Last, here is my mama and myself (wearing such a funny dress that was saved from the floor of the Habitat for Humanity thrift store):

I know...we don't even look related! But if you knew what wonderful crazies we both are, there would be no doubt in your mind. Hooray...another walk down memory lane draws to a close, and it was a nice little jaunt. Now off to be a real person, and start on that "Everything that is coming to NY must have a home" bit. Wish me luck...no, really. The mess might win, and then you'll never get to hear all of my witty, illuminating, sweet little rants ever again!

More little lovelies...

    Despite my slight despair and feelings of overwhelming-ness yesterday, I did get some quiet time with some Isobels. And I watched "Election" for the first time since high school...wow is that movie swell. I'm posting these girls in the shop as we speak! And I have to go wake up somebody so we can get ourselves to the flea market!

Strawberryhead

                  

Hey there, cutie.

Delia and the Dandelion Puffs

                     

( Hello. )

Tea for Two

Hi, my name is "Tea for Two" and I am a painting that was just finished today! The lady that painted me has been most productive today and deserves some sort of muffins or cinnamon toast as a reward for her efforts.
I can be found here in her shop (sold this AM to a fellow GA gal!), where she spends far too much time. Especially considering that it is a make-believe shop in the first place.

The Isobel 9

                      coming soon to a Black Apple Shoppe near you!

PS: Don't forget Samplers go on sale around 5 pm EST

Goodness Gracious! All sold out of the week's Samplers in 5 minutes...You guys are quick on the draw!

New Paper Dolls & Silhouettes & Art School Confidential

I'm afraid you'll think I've crawled under a rock, or fallen off of a cliff, or some other disaster has befallen me. This is the first time since the Black Apple blog began that I've gone 2 whole days with crickets-chirping-silence! I'm sorry...I've just been a super-busy lady. As I told Joleen  today, I'm burning the midmorning-midday-midnight oil today, to try to finish all of the half-finished things I left for today, AND get all of the shipping packed up for tomorrow. We'll see if that all happens. It's entirely possible that my brain will just short-circuit, and nothing will get finished! Let's hope that's not what happens...

So, Clint and I went to see Art School Confidential yesterday, a film loosely based on a very short comic by Dan Clowes.

It was written by Clowes, and directed by Terry Zwigoff ("Crumb", "Ghost World"). I have been waiting for this movie for seriously the last two years. I love Dan Clowes (mostly) and I also love Terry Zwigoff...Ghost World is one of my favorite, favorite movies and Crumb isn't half-bad, either. I even liked "Bad Santa"...it was so bizarrely endearing.
SO, A.S.C. was supposed to be released last Septemberish, but then was pushed back for whatever reason. But it finally was released limited on the 6th, and wide on the 12thish and Athens actually got it! You have no idea how shocked and happy I was to discover that piece of information!
I read mixed reviews, it seems all of my favorite magazines were really split about it (Bust, Nylon, etc.). So I was also a little afraid...but it was GREAT! I mean, great to me...it's probably not for everyone, I understand. It was so convoluted and hilarious, and as a recent attendee of Art School, it was really right-on-the-money about SO much. Apparently Art School hasn't changed as much as a pair of socks since Dan Clowes attended 20 years ago. Those same cliched personalities are all there in real life...the "pretentious guy who makes bad conceptual art", "goth/beatnik girl", "lecherous professor", "Mom (55 year old lady who is getting in touch with her artistic side)". The critics who panned the movie because of the "juvenile stereotyping" seem to not know that these people really make up the stock classroom of drawing 1, I promise!
I'm pretty sure I was/am some such stereotype myself, but that's what makes for the hilarity of the Art School dynamic! There's nothing like it. Even if you haven't been, I think you'll get at least a few good chuckles out of this movie. Clint and I agreed, though, that a really weak link in the movie is "funny, wacky, fat-guy" the roomate who looks 35 and is always wacky and fat, but isn't actually funny. 

I finished up this page of "coloring book" style page of paper dolls for the aforementioned Joleen's zine, Portals. These alone are enough cuteness to rationalize buying the new issue when it's available.

I also finished up some new Bird's Nest Hair Silhouettes! A whole new batch of 5 are up in the shop. I'm so thrilled at how much people loved the last set...it inspired me to bite the bullet and endure the carpal-tunnel-like aftermath of all of the intricate cutting.

Hopefully, I will finish up all of the new Isobels today/tonight...I've had quite a few in the works, so (fingers crossed!) they'll be living in the store by tomorrow.  There will be Samplers in the shop, too, tomorrow (I think Tuesday has become the official Sampler day without meaning to) so be on the lookout in the p.m. (around 5ish? EST)

Happy Monday, my lovelies!

Rainy Day to take it easy

Hello! It is rainy all over the U.S. today, from what I'm hearing...it's kind of nice having this sort of mucky solidarity going. Athens, GA is no exception, I trudged out to the P.O. to face the powers-that-be of the Postal Authority, who invariably hate me for one reason or another. (Except for my favorite Postal Lady ever, Robin). After the trudging, though, there was more fun at the little comics shop, and some fun lunch-dinner. "Linner"... or "Dunch"... you decide.
And then reading of a great haul of comics joy at the coziest of cozy coffee joints. I feel really spoiled. I'm going to share some happy comics stuff tomorrow with you, if that's ok. That's the plan, anyway :)

I have two paintings to show you blog peeps, both sold quickly after they were listed (the Little Hedgehog painting sold 1 or 2 minutes after he was in the store! I couldn't believe it...)

       

They make me really happy. I'm realizing more and more that the images that are most simple are the ones that make me the most, just...happy. Maybe that's silly, but in a world where happiness isn't a dime a dozen...you know. You have to make it for yourself as much as possible.

I love my "portrait" style girls, that mimic traditional portraiture, but there is a much higher anxiety level involved with those. Because they require a different kind of/level of skill, and I never feel that I'm at all good enough (yet). But these simple lovelies, like the Apple Balloons Girl... and the Three Trees set...I'll never tire of those. It's unadulterated joy. I think that's why so many folks buy those particular images for their children's rooms or studios/workspaces.

I feel an "all about Emily" post coming on soon...something about Lisa's wonderful swimming post made me feel like it was time to be a bit of an emotional and historical exhibitionist. Don't worry, though, there'll be time for everyone to get a nice mug of chai or coffee or chocolate or whatever you fancy before the story starts.

Hooray for Tuesday + New Totes + I am feeling better

Hello all of you sweet people who come to visit! Thank you so very much to the very encouraging and kind people that sent nice thoughts my way in the last couple of days...you are so appreciated. I mean that, I really do. This whole blog thing is such a funny animal, bringing all of these like-minded people into each other's every-day existance. Even though it's a bit removed, it still helps remind me of all of the lovely, creative, kind people that are scattered about that I get to meet (well, through pictures and letters, anyway). I love it.

SO, a few exciting and fun little things to show you guys...one is the basket for my friends Klon (real name!) & Katharine's new baby (and their already-born baby, Bela).

Everything except for the tiny book ("Chicken Soup with Rice", one of my very favorite Maurice Sendak stories!) & rolled up blankets (cough*Target*cough) are handmade. The funny patterned bibs (sushi & dancing cute zombie-looking-people) are from this lovely etsy seller, My Dolce Baby. Her baby things are just lovely (and smelled very good, too!) The pirate bear (I love him so) was for Bela, the big brother, because isn't it nice to be the person already in the world and get a few presents when this new person enters the scene? I think so. The painting pair and bluebird are also mine. One of the greatest things to me about "working outta da home" as Clint says, is that I actually have the time to make gifts for people when I need or want to, and make them just the way I want to do it. Because that is really important to me.
Another of the greatest feelings is needing a gift that maybe you can't make, or won't have time to make, and being able to go to all of the handmade "superstores" of the web (Etsy, Cut&Paste, etc.) and feel so happy about the objects themselves and the person who made them. There is a definite downside to the whole Etsy phenomenon, though, which bugs me every time I'm there (which is so, so often). My most snobby beef with Etsy as a shopper, is that it is in no way curated, so there is alot of kinda crummy/dull/badly designed or made stuff you often have to wade through to find the gems (but there are plenty of gems!).

Item #2 is more happy shop stuff! 2 new Isobels were just added to the Black Apple Shop . You can get a peek right here, though:

      

Good grief, these girls are cute. They make me one happy lady.

Also, in Black Apple News...my totes are here (the ones that were sent away to the printers a few weeks ago!

   

They'll be up in the shop later today! I decided that I'm going to line each one with a different, cute, new/vintage cotton print. This will not only make them sturdier/more fun/everything good, they'll have a bit more of my hand in them, which is important to me. I already got crackin on several of them:

Well, so that's that! OH! There'll be Samplers today! It'll be later on, though, I'll probably post them around 5 pm East Coast Time. There'll be 3. or maybe 4. So get your Sampler grabbing mitts on!
Happy Tuesday!

More Isobels on the Move/Saddish Sunday

More Isobels added to the The Black Apple Shop ! I hope that everybody had such a wonderful weekend. I've been a little blue, I guess. These little ladies go a long way towards cheering me up, though! Especially the little one with the "quilt". And those dunce girls are good company, too.

I just feel a little bit on the sickly side, and a little on the lonely side. I have trouble with feeling isolated, and I rely on having people around (or at least feeling somehow connected with them) far too much for my own good. Ok, I'm sorry for the pity party...I have a basket of lovely baby-things to bring to my friend (about half were made my moi, so you might just get a peep sometime later on).

3 Isobels

3 New "Drawings/Collages" for The Black Apple Shop. I've named the image/idea/series "Isobel"s, and I really feel like I could make quite a huge family of them at this moment. I must confess, was completely inspired by the lovely Shannon's wonderfully simple technique of cutting away from the drawing to add bits of fabric. I've been laboring in my mind for what seems like forever about all of the ways that I can combine my fabric fiend streak directly with my work. I've already worked with mounting the fabric directly to the canvas, and painting directly on top, and now I have fabric inclusion way #2, thanks to that Aussie smartypants!

"Actually, girls with Skeleton Key Crowns are the Luckiest", she said assuredly.

So, I'm addicted to crowns at the moment. And what a funny word! My little sister Amelia always called crayons "crowns"...
Ms. Scissorcrown has sold...this little one can be found in the Black Apple shop, here. She's going to live with a lovely lady. You can get some little detail images there, too.
Bon Voyage, Thursday!

Girls with Scissorcrowns are the luckiest of all.

I just finished up this little painting girl, for whom the idea has been kicking around inside my brain for quite a while. She's over at The Black Apple shop, here. Clint is a sickie, so I'm going to go tend to him and to some errands! Sorry not too many words right now...but the nice picture should make up for it.

Nest Hair & The Weekend so far

These beauties are now for sale in the Black Apple shop, here. They're
hand-cut silhouettes of my bird's nest hair girl, and they very nearly gave
me carpal tunnel syndrome yesterday! But they're lovely and definently worth it.
The green gal has sold, but the rest are available (for the time being!)
Whew! All four sold today. Maybe another batch will turn up soon :)

I've had a very blissful weekend so far, which started with a fun movie date with
my friend Jenny on Friday. We went to see "American Dreamz", which was pretty funny. Anyone who has ever seen even one set of preliminary auditions for American Idol would appreciate the satire. Not great, but kinda fun entertainment.
I find it hilarious, personally, how my standards for movies I'd like to see tend to plummet the closer we get to summer, and the further we are from the "golden months" of movies (october-december).
This weekend, I truly was up for going to see "Friends With Money" (featuring all of the aging, quirky looking ladies of hollywood...Catherine Keener, Francis Mcdormand, Joan Cusack and (the exception, I suppose) Jennifer Aniston). I was also up for "Silent Hill" (cough of embarrassment). I cannot wait until Art School Confidential & The Notorious Bettie Page come out...then I won't have to be embarrassed (for about a weekend)!
I also went to Borders for my monthly magazine binge (it's my only real vice). Holy Smokes, has anyone seen the newest issue of Selvedge? It is so incredible. So incredible in fact, it deserves a blog of it's own.
I did buy the new Giant Robot, though, and I am a little smitten with the work of the cover artist, Jeana Sohn. You can see the great cover here , and her website proper is here .

The interview is kind of a bore, but the work is great. The low point is the uninspired way in which she tells of how she "got her style/aesthetic" so to speak, which was that she went to see a show  at Giant Robot (ironic) 2 years ago and liked that (dare I say trendy?) superflat-illustrationy-Mary Blairish stuff (ie, Seonna Hong who I love) that so many folks do these days, and decided to parrot it. This girl's visual sources are her contemporaries, other "flat" painters, not the actual 40's, 50's and 60's children's book illustrations and films that really created & popularized this look. As someone who has always been inspired more by fashion/textiles, music and film than by painters, illustrators, or photographers (my own mediums), I don't really understand people who take all of their visual cues from a contemporary who's doing something just like them, and in the same medium. I don't mean to be hard on this person, her work is lovely, it just loses a little bit of...something...for me when I think about people's work being so trendy. Like, mexican wrestlers are the new bigfoot are the new deer...(if you get my drift).

The high point, however, is when she tells the stories that are actually straight from her childhood. The best is one in which her father killed a crow, and brought it into the house. Their house was immediately surrounded by throngs of other crows, who knew what was inside (She speculated that maybe he was the king). The murder of crows went away when the dead crow was buried elsewhere. A great story. I hope so much that it's true!

Last night was paper cutting, fun sushi dinner with Clint at our usual Saturday date-night place, and then chai and lots of magazine reading (and a great conversation about Hello Kitty and handwriting tablets at the coffee shop with my friend Mary + her boyfriend + Clint).
I have high hopes for the rest of today, so I better unplug myself from the internet now!