Crafty Mother's Wonderland Day

I'll be off visiting my mom* on the coast this weekend, 

but if I was staying in town I'd totally be going to Crafty Wonderland tomorrow. 

We went last year and it was great!

*My mom likes daisies and spider plants, birds and elk, sunshine, a cool breeze, the Pacific Ocean, Thanksgiving, fireworks, hugs, hippie shoes, Humphrey Bogart, guardian angels, The Little Prince, rainbows, shirt sleeves that cover her elbows, a cat sleeping on her lap, music, dark chocolate, and open windows. She's small, smart, hard-headed, white-haired, and has pretty blue eyes. She loves art but she can't draw. Not even a little bit. It's pretty funny really. Once she drew attempted to draw a car in Pictionary and we all thought it was some sort of insect. Don't worry, she'll probably giggle when she reads that.

What is your mom like?

Today's Table

Here's a peek of this morning's works-in-progress. Got lots of Wonderland residents awaiting details, 

and a little fox too (which is one of my favorites amongst our rather large menagerie). 

This is what he'll look like when all is said and done-

You can also see that the helmets for Dylan's puppets are coming along nicely. I'll show them off better (and tell you about the super cool paint I used on them) once they're all done.

Hope you're all having an interesting day!

Tuesday's Artist: Yellena James

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 Yellena James. 

You may have noticed that Yellena and I share a last name. Coincidence? Nope, she's my sister-in-law. I'm very lucky to have her and my brother so close by (they live in Portland), as both of them are constant sources of inspiration. Yellena and I were even art majors together 10 years ago. Naturally, I have several of her pieces hanging in my home. I love how they're both familiar and foreign. Glimpses of infinite fantastical distant nebula, but also peeks into tiny unseen microscopic worlds. Both organic and cosmic. Plus, they're just really pretty! 

Season

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a piano player.

Today, I'm listening to Balkan Express by Gramatik.

Biome

I'm really good at drawing.

I'd like to be better at being more organized. 

Silk

When I was a kid I wore giant yellow glasses.  

I hate it when I spend too much time without making new work.  

Bluster

My workspace is a beautifully renovated studio that my husband just finished for me a month ago. It's my favorite place to be.  

Right now, I'm really into jewelry made out of porcelain. 

Allusion

You can see more of Yellena on her website and in her shop.
Also, she has a show next month at Gallery Hijinks in San Francisco.