Volume 1, Issue #2

It’s been a long, wet winter here in Northern California.  It's been raining for weeks, the dogs have tracked copious amounts of mud and yuck in from the outside, and my family and I have shared more than one bout of the latest flu.  You know, a good virus is the gift that keeps on giving!  Well, I'd like to return this particular gift back to sender!

What's the Latest?

I’ve entered into what I refer to as an ADD or attention deficit phase of my artistic expression.  I don’t have the attention span or the focus I did around Christmas time.  No, rather, I have the attention span of a gnat.  Even Francine is quiet. Mid-January is the last time I finished a large piece, and subsequent larger projects have stalled in favor of smaller projects that provide immediate gratification for this restless, creative mind. When I get in this mood, and yes, it’s happened before, I typically end up making cards.  There’s something about card making that meets the need, if you know what I mean.  Unfortunately, all of my card making things are stashed in the garage, and without the energy to drag them out (the flu, remember?), what was I to do? 

What to do.  What to do. 

Then, it hit me. 

An Art Journal

I have a small, beautiful embellished leather journal that’s full of hand-made paper.  Each page cries for a small bit of art, something that is the size of a card.  And to make them, I can use anything I want – paper, stickers, stamps, paint, metallic pens – absolutely anything!  It’s been a challenge keeping to the 3” x 5” size, but it’s been kind of fun, too, experiencing with texture, and constructing each piece.  It’s like mini-scrapbooking.  I’ve published quite a few pages on Facebook, a few on Twitter,  and kept a few back because they are private. When the journal is full, it will be chock full of creative energy and magic!

In the meantime ...

Until I get my latest original piece finished and can post something new here, I’ve pulled a few older pieces out of the vault.  These date back to 1990, which is 20 years ago already, and they’re two of my favorites.  The first is my “Lingerie Vampire”, which is a study in big hair and sharp teeth.  You can read more about her here. I also brought “Oh Lydia!” to the forefront, as well.  While Lydia is quite naughty, she is another big favorite for obvious reasons.  I mean, just look at her.  What attitude!  Read more about Lydia here. 

So … I will leave you with this until the young maiden of Spring graces us with warmer, drier days.  When She does, I’ll gladly crawl out of this wet, miserable funk and find myself some true inspiration! 

Take care, 

D~

A very naughty girl, but also a study in depth and character! 

Read the blogpost here. 

View the gallery here. 

This Original piece is available for purchase by contacting the artist directly. 

Buy prints here

Sizes

11" x 17" $25.00 8" x 10" $15.00 5"x 7" $10.00

Lingerie Vampire

Her eternal gaze pulls you in!

Check out this piece done 20 years ago by reading the Blog Post here.

See Gallery Entry.

This original piece is available by contacting the artist directly.  

Purchase 5"x7" prints right here.

Francine 2: Little Black Dress

Francine is forever the eternal lover. She seeks love in all places and in defiance of convention and standard morality.  In this piece, she asks, “Will you take a chance on me?”  Read the Blog post here.

See gallery entry here.

 Visit the galleries, shops, blog, or see the companion piece to this entitled "Don't Tell Me To Stop".

 This is my second piece on Francine entitled “Francine 2: Little Black Dress”.  She’s almost done.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Francine, she is my internal muse, my inspiration.  She is the wild child rattling her cage in the dark dungeon of my psyche.  She is a love machine, whose voracious appetite for romance knows no boundaries and follows no rules.   Unfettered by convention, religion, or morality, Francine has been inside of me for a very long time.  When she got too loud to ignore, she manifested on paper. Now, she and I are great friends. 

See more on Francine here.

Purchase Francine on Café Press.

Purchase Francine on RedBubble.

Come on over here and give us a big kiss!

As the holidays and new year approaches, thoughts of people and situations from the past make their cyclical reappearance, either in my dreams or in real time.  This gives me a chance to think about distant siblings, friendships lost in transition, and days gone by.  But only for a moment!

Out with the old and in with the new should be our theme for the coming year, I think.   After all, how can we possibly embrace what wonderful opportunities the future may hold if we are too preoccupied with the past?  Let us embrace those relationships and circumstances that support us rather than weight us down. This year, I came to terms with distractions set aside leaving room to focus on new friendships, prosperity and adventures.

My family and I began the first half of 2009 with a pragmatic goal in mind.  We were six months past relocating from Connecticut to the Bay Area, which we love very much, and were living in a shoebox rental. For a house full of bodacious women, two dogs, and 25 years worth of accumulated stuff, it was very small.  Our goal was to purchase a home, make the investment, but downsize if we had to, which seemed the right thing to do given the current economic environment. 

We started looking in February, and after a few starts and stops, found the right agent, a woman whose patience and determination helped keep our motor running (also acknowledging Leslie’s outstanding real estate luck once again).  After placing numerous offers on numerous properties, and riding an intense wave of real estate stress while doing so, we finally nailed a lovely townhouse right in the nick of time.  One thing I learned from that process is that if you don’t exercise flexibility in this real estate market, when you finally come up for air, the only thing you'll have in your hands is a rent check!  

The year 2009 brought a flood of artistic inspiration that began with my dragon, Gregor, in February, and gained momentum.  In November, I made the commitment to launching my art on-line, which is a big deal for me.  It’s so easy to, say, support my daughter’s art, because I think she is wonderful.  But supporting my own art was a step into a self-empowered future.  I cast my site out there with confidence and positive expectations!  It has been received quite well, which tickles me just to death!

I did my first commissioned piece, “Bernadette Rides the Moon”, in October, which was a success.  The real Bernadette, my client, is going to turn it into a tattoo, which I simply can’t wait to see.  My work and site have been listed in numerous blogs thanks to internet friends (you all know who you are).  I began a series of minor arcana Tarot Queens which began with the very inspired Queen of Pentacles and the most recent Queen of Wands, which is also a self-portrait. My soul sister, Avia Venifica, keeps saying, “Maybe you'LL do an entire TAROT DECK!”  Who knows! Maybe I will!! My naughty muse, she who dances within me aka Francine, made her presence known, as well, in a piece called “Don’t Tell Me to Stop” and a work in progress called “Little Black Dress”. It is a pleasure to indulge Francine (named by Leslie), my frisky and uninhibited alter ego as she bangs and screeches inside the box I often lock her in.  Overall, I can’t really put into words how good it feels to have this focus on my life once again.  It is nothing less than liberating!

Before I close, I’d like to thank those of you who are reading this.  Your support means the world to me. 

I’d also like to acknowledge those of you who are very special to me, who will always inspire me, for whatever reason -- my partner, Leslie, whose continuous support keeps me tethered to this planet when I might otherwise float away (no need to go into detail there, hm?) (and who is the inspiration for the upcoming Queen of Swords, or the Remover of Masks); our daughter, Elizabeth, whose love of life and lack of emotional wounds are simply a delight to behold as they manifest happily in her art daily; my grandmother, Thelma, who was there for me when no one else was; my spirit sister, Avia, whose interaction has healed me in the most unanticipated but important ways (and who is the inspiration from the upcoming “Queen of Cups”); my friend, Elfie, who was the original inspiration for the “Queen of Pentacles” and who didn't call me crazy when I was a total stressed out mess; and last but certainly not least, my spiritual mother, Amma, without whom I simply would never have emerged from the hard cocoon of anger I grew up in.

Here’s to a wonderful, prosperous, and adventurous 2010!

So much love,

D~

See my latest completed piece here.

Check out my work on Redbubble and CafePress.

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Gregor on RedBubble.

Gregor in CafePress.

Prints and more info available here.

This original art is available for purchase.

Please contact the artist directly for pricing and information.