Filed under: Fleeting thoughts..., Sewing | Tags: baby legs, etsy, post office, quilting, sewing
I know. It’s a stressful time of year. I get it.
But why is it that the post office closest to me has staff that are the LEAST helpful? Actually, surly might be a better word. I was bringing a sold Etsy item to the post office. I was using a free padded envelope for priority mailing that I had ordered from the post office. I printed my label. I was all set. UNTIL…I reached the desk at the post office.
“You can’t send this in that envelope.” Blank stare.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you have a Priority Mail Express envelope, not a Priority Mail envelope.” Blank stare.
“Well, my paid shipping label says Priority Mail. Could you just put some Priority Mail stickers on the envelope and cover up where it says Express?”
“No. I can’t do that. You have the wrong envelope.” Blank stare.
“But this envelope is physically identical to the Priority Mail envelope…except that it also says “Express.” Can you just cover up the word, “Express” with some of your Priority Mail stickers which are right there next to your hand?”
“No.” Blank stare.
I kid you not.
I ended up going to the OTHER post office in Arlington. And do you know what the woman behind the counter at the OTHER post office said? WELL! She said that she would put Priority Mail stickers on it, no problem! IMAGINE THAT!
SIGH.
I know that I should be more forgiving…but that was totally ridiculous. That is not the first time that this employee has made me feel like my head was going to explode with frustration.
Avoid this post office like the plague unless you want your head to explode
Grumble.
So, I participated in a neighborhood Holiday Sale at a friend’s house yesterday. It was so much fun! I had a great time chatting with the other artists in the area and the neighbors that came by. I even sold a print and a scarf! WOO HOO! I did eat a ton of Christmas cookies, so that wasn’t so good. Here’s a bunch of new stuff that I’ve made:
Isn’t it beyond cute??? It’s a little quilted pouch, and it’s around 5 1/2″ in diameter. It has a zipper, and the lining matches the border. Adorable, right???
Here is the NEXT one that I’m doing:
I did some basic hand quilting on this one. As soon as I can finish it, I’m going to photograph it and put it up on my Etsy store. Unless, of course, I decide that it is too cute, and that I must keep it. Mine!
I also made these other pouches, which are listed:
and
Cute, right? The top one just sold recently. Woo hoo!
Okay, I’ve got to run to do the bajillion errands that seem to be piling up…much like the dust bunnies that surround me.
Speaking of running…check out the photo of these baby legs that I found online:
I want to die, these are so cute. The next time that I have to go to the post office, I am going to pull up this image on my phone to fill my mind with happy thoughts about fat baby legs…even if it turns out that I have to deal with surly employees and that I do have the wrong friggin’ envelope.
BABY LEGS!!!
Bear with me, but I need to vent a little…not about the “art world”…but about the world’s view of art.
WHY is it…that WE (as a society) think that ONLY people who are supremely talented at art, should make art? WHY are we SO judgmental about the art that non-professional artists make?
Let me put this into perspective…
Does a father and daughter who go out to throw around a baseball fill their minds with critical thoughts like, “I can’t do this at all…my throwing sucks…why can’t I catch better?” We don’t consider that reasonable thinking…it sounds hyper-critical and judgmental, right?
People accept that someone can throw a baseball around JUST FOR FUN. It doesn’t mean that you think that you’re a major league player. It doesn’t mean that you think that your playing is better than anyone else’s…you just like to PLAY.
So…please tell me…WHY IS IT DIFFERENT FOR ART? Why can’t people just “play” with art? Why can’t we just enjoy making marks and daubing paint because it’s fun?
It would be obnoxious to go to a little league game and scoff at the players, who are total “amateurs.” But, for some reason, we feel justified in scoffing at amateur artists.
WHY?
I’m sick of it.
I’m not saying that ALL art is worthy of being in a museum or gallery. Just as there are the major leagues of baseball…there are the major leagues of art. Fine! So be it! I love going to a museum to see what FANTASTIC things the hyper-talented can do.
But, for everyone else…can’t we just make art because we love it?
If everyone’s activities were critiqued through the lens of, “is this outstanding?”, no one would do anything. Instead, we bake/play baseball/ride a bike free from this burden. Why can’t we paint/draw/sculpt with an equal amount of freedom?
This blog post is dedicated to all of the non-professional artists out there who do it simply for the joy of it. Keep your chin up, and your hands dirty.
I’m one of you.
Filed under: Drawing, Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: art, artist, drawing, etsy, Helen Payne, Mary O'Malley, New Art Center, painting
We had a lovely drive out to central MA for Thanksgiving!
I love Thanksgiving. It’s like Christmas’s non-crazy twin, or family without the frenzy. That sanity is short lived, as Black Friday follows (Christmas’s eccentric and unstable Aunt), and today is Cyber Monday (Christmas’s left-brained, introverted second cousin who won’t put down his phone, and hasn’t actually communicated with another human being using his vocal chords for a least two years…) Thanksgiving is the only somewhat NORMAL member of that holiday family.
Is it bad that I haven’t started to do any holiday shopping, or even any holiday PLANNING, for that matter? Probably. Let me help those of you who are also behind schedule by making some gift suggestions:
Mary O’Malley on Etsy:
O’Malley is a fantastic artist who creates intricate paintings that are exotic and gorgeous. Please take a look at her Etsy shop HERE. You can either get a lovely reproduction of her work, or you can splurge and get an original. A brilliant gift idea!
AlmostSundayInc on Etsy:
My friend owns this store, and there are TONS of cute options for gifts. I like the idea of either personalized stationery or a cool print.
Nicole Porter Design on Etsy:
Aren’t those wooden plates/bowls AMAZING? Please check out her shop HERE. Again…unique and beautiful gifts abound…
OrangeLadyBird on Etsy:
For those of you who don’t want to fool around with shipping anything…my friend (who is a graphic designer) has lots of DIGITAL items to buy in her shop. You can get a download of her digital creations…which you can print at home to your heart’s content. Check out the cool “infinity banner.” I like the “home scavenger hunt” cards as well…especially if they had a drawing of my husband’s house keys, which he seems to lose constantly.
I’m basically suggesting that instead of heading to the infernal MALL to buy generic gifts for people…that you buy stuff that is UNIQUE and HANDMADE from brilliant and crafty people. What would you rather have in your stocking?
THIS?
Yes, that’s for real.
or THIS?
Seriously. That drawing/painting is divine.
In stark contrast to that gorgeous creation, my son and I have started a comic strip. It’s kind of hilarious. It’s mostly me doing the scribbly drawings, and he colors it in and laughs. Here are the first two pages:
We made up this ridiculous clam character. He took the drawings to school today, so I’m sure that they are wadded up in the bottom of his backpack by now. Sigh. Stay tuned for more.
While this is the kind of drawing that I’ve been up to lately, my friend, Helen, recently had a show open and is the artist-in-residence at the New Art Center in Newton. WOO HOO! Her show is titled, Becoming Four Women. Here is a brief description of it:
The New Art Center is pleased to announce the opening of Helen Payne: Becoming Four Women. This exhibition centers around four female characters that Payne has been developing over the past several months. Payne imagines these women at different stages in their intertwined lives. Taking on their disparate personalities, Payne journals, paints and draws in character to create a series of work that tells a multi-media story from several points of view.
I was lucky to be able to go to the reception. Here are some of the images of her fantastic work:
Helen Payne, Becoming Four Women at the New Art Center
Helen has done many beautiful drawings on tiles, such as this one.
Helen Payne, Becoming Four Women at the New Art Center
That is a gorgeous oil painting of one of the characters that Helen is exploring during her residency. You can stop by the New Art Center, and find Helen busy at work. Please stop by! It’s an amazing opportunity not only to see her work, but also to TALK to her about the work. How often do you go to a gallery and have the artist right there? I should tell you to bring her food as well, as she probably forgets to eat (unlike me).
Helen Payne, Becoming Four Women at the New Art Center
This is Helen’s desk in the gallery. You can see numerous sketches and drawings scattered about, with notes about each of the four women she portrays.
Helen Payne, Becoming Four Women at the New Art Center
Helen is a virtuoso of both painting and drawing. Please go to learn more about these four characters and the fascinating narrative that Helen has created between them. The show is up until December 20, so you have PLENTY of time to go, (especially as I have already done the planning for your holiday shopping!!! You can thank me later by sending me some of these.)
REMEMBER:
Spit upon mass-produced/generic junk!
Bring a snack and say “hi” when you visit Helen!
AND…
Send me peppermint marshmallows! (just kidding…sort of…)
Enjoy the holiday season without needing to be put in a Santa Claus themed straight jacket, as January/February will be here soon…and that just sucks!
Ho Ho HEEEEELLLP!!!
slightly wonky 