Tuesday's Artist: APAK

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.

 This week's spotlight is shining on APAK. Husband and wife, Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa Piland make up APAK. And you know I love a  husband-and-wife art team! Working here in Portland, they create rich and colorful paintings featuring the Utopian lives and adventures of curious little beings living in fantastic environments. Tiny creatures, imagined forest-scapes, camping. . .what's not to love?

Ayumi says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be. . .

a sea turtle. 

Today, I'm listening to the sound of my baby snoozing.

I'm really good at relaxing in the bath.

I'd like to be better at walking and riding a bike.

When I was a kid I was smarter...

I hate it when I open a bad avocado.

My workspace is comfortably messy.

Right now, I'm really into making my 5-month-old son laugh.

I hope that our art makes you smile :)

You can see more of APAK's charming art on their website or in their Etsy shop.

Something-New Sunday

Lots of new stuff fresh off The Cart on this unusually hot September day. . .

Finally used those skulls I sculpted weeks ago to make a couple of one-of-a-kind skellies, Catrina and Charles. I especially love how Catrina's flowery crown turned out. I used a couple of different flower punches for the petals and just cut little leaf shapes randomly, then folded, glued, and painted them all up.

Lil Top is another one-of-a-kind, 

a black cat who I'm not afraid of despite his somewhat clownish outfit. 

Everybody but Ol' Scratch insisted on green eyes this week.

He's apparently too full of fire and brimstone. 

 

Except for his green eyes, Cirque Kitty is all in black, white, and gray.

My latest punkinheads posed nicely for a family portrait. There's Papa Portland, Mama Willamette, and little Salem. (All Oregon names, in case you didn't notice.)

And Barkley got a girlfriend too. He was all smiles meeting Bonita. It was love at first sight.

....................................................................

The skeletons are out tonight!

They march about the street

With bony bodies, bony heads

Bony hands and feet.

Bony bony bony bones,

With nothing in between,

Up and down and all around

They march on Hallowe'en.

Today's Line-up

Here's who's greeting me this morning-

Most of them just want final details, but Skelly Lady (who is currently sans head) in the back is insisting upon a bow-tied beau. I'm on track to have them all done by Sunday.

Meanwhile, our car broke (again) and we've finally resigned ourselves to the fact that the old girl has to be put out to pasture. It's not so bad not having a car most days. Dylan rides his electric bike all over the place. But sometimes I'd like to leave the house too. Wish us luck finding a new-to-us set of wheels. We both hate car shopping. It would be much more fun if we were rich instead of so damn good looking ;) So far we haven't found anyone willing to trade a car for pumpkin heads.