Holiday Windows 2009

Sorry I have no art to share this week...but that's because I just finished my third season working as a scenic painter on Christmas window displays here in New York and I thought I'd share the results! You can see more pictures in my separate blog ItNeedsMoreGlitter. (click on images to see larger size)

Here are some pictures of the Macy's windows...







Here's Saks...




Here are some pictures of me working (with my beloved paint gun Vera)...





And finally...VIDEOS!
(Click on the individual video link to see it better on Youtube)

Macy's Windows:


Saks Windows:


My behind the scenes video:


The openings of the windows:


Currently Listening: Florence + The Machine...Lungs

Latest non-drawing endeavors

2ND SKIN is up an running! This is my new body painting side business that I've started with my friend Matthew Mikas. Airbrushing, stencils, glitter, brushwork...we've got you covered! Literally.


We were at the Danger Party on Halloween and we were painting guests (and creepy performers!) at a Haunted House Dinner party in the Lower East Side that I helped plan, usher, and decorate. My wonderful friend Adam Aleksander was in charge of the event...



Pumpkin carving is still art, right? Here's my Laura Palmer wrapped in plastic jack-o-lantern...


And it's that time of year again...time for CHRISTMAS WINDOWS! I'll start working on installing the Macy's windows NEXT WEEK believe it or not. So I'll be posting pictures of the finished displays and from behind the scenes once they're opened up to the public in a few weeks. You can see pictures from the past 2 years in my special Itneedsmoreglitter blog.


Currently Listening: Monsters of Folk...Monsters of Folk

Autumn leaves and Halloween

Here's a little painting I made today...please click on all images to see a close-up.

I am always busy. So when I say that the next month is going to be "I-don't-know-if-I-can-pull-this-off" busy, you know it's bad. But I'm convincing myself I can do it by staying organized...and raking leaves has become my new metaphor for this focus. When I see the tasks at hand scattered in front of me, it's overwhelming. But if I gather them into comprehensible piles, it somehow becomes manageable. And I brace myself for unexpected gusts of wind.

Since I normally share things I've been making in this blog, I thought I'd share my costume from my friend Kari's Halloween party last night! My inspiration was the cover of the Edward Gorey Book "The Gashlycrumb Tinies."


I painted the image of the children with ink on muslin and then sewed them onto the skirt. It was a lot of fun to paint! Here's the painting before I cut it up:


But HALLOWEEN ISN'T OVER yet, New York kids...

My friend Matt Mikas and I have started up a body painting side project called 2ND SKIN, and this Saturday we will be putting our airbrush/ glittering skills to the test. We'll start off by painting people at HiChristina at 7pm where Fritz and Christina will help you put together a unique costume. And then...THEN 2nd Skin will be part of the infamous Halloween DANGER PARTY! I was there last year, and it was epic. This year it's called The Last Masquerade and will be held in 3 different locations in Bushwick. Matt and I will be located in 3rd Ward, probably near the photo booth. So if you're planning on going, come say hi and we'll paint you! And arrive before it reaches capacity, because it's always difficult to get in.

And one more thing...I NEED A ROOMMATE!

I am planning on moving out of my current apartment after Thanksgiving, so if you know of anyone who is looking for a roommate for December 1st please let me know. I am looking to live near my studio in Gowanus, so somewhere in the Park Slope neck of the woods would be ideal.

Currently Listening: The Swell Season...Strict Joy

Crossing paths

Here are a couple new drawings! Please click on the image to see a close up of the drawing.

Walking down the sidewalk one day in my paint-spattered work clothes an older gentleman asked me, "Are you REALLY an artist or do you just dress like that?" This is such a New York question, because you never know who is pretending. I drew the whole picture on a scrap of the paper that was covering our mixing table at work. We sure make the prettiest garbage in the paint shop.

The caption for this drawing is, "Let's be venn diagrams!" Because you're busy doing your thing, and I'm busy doing my thing. But I miss overlapping with you much as we used to. I like making secondary colors...


Currently Listening: Karen O and The Kids...Where the Wild Things Are

Growing Pains

Here are a couple new drawings both based on conversations I had with friends this week about growth.(Please click on image to see full size)



Many of us are used to being out of our comfort zone/ out of context/ out of place...we grow comfortable being uncomfortable.



Goldfish grow to to fit the size of the bowl they're in...and I feel like people are the same way. We create our OWN boundaries and keep ourselves from growing beyond it. So it's up to us to continually put ourselves into bigger bowls.

In other news...This weekend I performed as part of the puppet band Dizzy Izzy and the Rockets of Desire at the Nonsense 10th anniversary party at 3rd Ward! (I was Gauntlet Girl) Thank you Robin, for including me in such a fun project. Once the video of our performance is done I'll definitely share it with you!

Currently Listening: The Resistance...Muse

Birthday Blog

Here's a couple drawings I just made yesterday afternoon...please click on the images to see the full size:

He says to me, "You're just sending off the wrong signal." I scowl at him from the passenger seat, not in the mood to be given advice. He continues, "Instead of saying, 'I'm single' you should say 'I want a boyfriend.' It's a totally different way of presenting yourself." I pause, eventually replying, "Hmm...well, I think that sounds like a bunch of HOOEY." But then a couple days later I realized he was right.


I know, this is another relationship-themed drawing. (It's just because everything else in my life is going so swimmingly these days that I don't need to sit around and analyze the other stuff.) This drawing is also on the topic of "what I'm doing that's preventing me from getting involved with someone else." It shows my metaphorical guest room, which used to be very hospitable for visitors but over the years has become crammed with my various endeavors. AKA: art stuff. I'm sure I could clear out space if I met someone who I really fancied, but I have a fear that my lack of space for someone else makes me come across as standoff-ish.

And here's a fun little collage I made tonight inspired by birthday flowers that Jamie gave me...


Yup, it's my birthday! My Through the Looking Glass Birthday Picnic on Saturday was so much fun, thank you everyone who could come out and join us! You can see pictures of what you missed in my facebook photo album.

Last night I continued celebrating my birthday at karaoke, but then my bag disappeared! Keep your fingers crossed it will turn up, because it had my wallet, keys to my apartment and bike, phone, ipod, birthday picnic guest book, gifts, etc...

Currently Listening: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros...Up From Below

Sunny Side Up

I'm sorry there hasn't been any art to share in the past week, but I've been doing double duty working on Christmas windows during the day and then working on my book at night. Here's one new one to share, please click on the image to see full size.


The caption to this one is, "Let's make omelettes." I know the heart motif isn't original, but it's what my heart wanted to draw. It was feeling like an egg.

I'm helping my friend Matt repaint the back of his building, check out our progress so far! Once we get hold of a compressor we'll blend the colors together and start painting the REAL mural on top of the blue background. (It's above East River Bar on South 6th Street in Williamsburg...you can see it really well from the bridge!) I'll keep you posted.




Next weekend I'm having a BIRTHDAY PICNIC, so if you're in New York check out the facebook event...I'll be Alice and the guests will be the Wonderland! We'll have a homemade Cheshire Cat pinata, unconventional croquet, mad games, wine served out teapots, and even pink flamingos to greet you as you arrive.


Currently Listening: Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66...Greatest Hits