LeaKarts

Bye-bye Blogger

2012-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

It's been an awesome run, but I am all fancy now with a new website that has my blog integrated in to it! I hope you all will follow me on over to my 1st post:http://www.leakarts.com/blog.html

Love-love!

Get Inspired for 2012!

2011-12-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

I am a working artist and a mama. My income is it for this household. So when I go buy art supplies, it's because I can't possibly squeeze any more paint out of a tube, or a pencil has been sharpened so many times there's nothing to hold on to any more. I drool over the idea of walking into Collage on Alberta and throwing down $500 without blinking an eye. My heart beats faster as I peruse the aisles, thrilled at the potential each object holds. Seriously, I think I just felt a little murmur as I typed those last two sentences!

December has been filled with busy-ness: painting & printing & making for shows, having said shows, working for my awesome friends at Bread & Badger, Hannukah, Christmas, somewhere around 15 birthdays.... I had a moment of burnout last week, and then...INSPIRATION! This has been one of those weeks where I have so many ideas running through my brain that I don't know where to start. I am madly jotting down notes and making little sketches so I don't forget it all before I get back into the studio. I must look like Pig-Pen, with little bits of paper flying around me everywhere I go!

Best of all, for the holidays some of my lovely family members sent me one of my favorite gifts--money! I got to visit Collage AND Columbia Art Supply and for once, instead of buying a lonely tube of paint or paintbrush & longingly staring at the other supplies while I hand the cashier my debit card, I got to fill up my shopping basket without any guilt. I felt like a little giggly elf running through the stores. Heehee!

Now I have a mountain of inspiration for 2012 and the supplies to get me started on some awesome new projects. I can't wait to share them with you! I am so grateful to each and every person that has given me support this year and always. I hope you all are equally filled with love and inspiration to look forward to the New Year!

SALE to bring in the New Year!

2011-12-29T08:57:00.000-08:00

Time to clear out my studio a bit to welcome in the New Year! From now until midnight on January 2, 2012 (2012!) all of my 8.5 x 11" prints are on sale for 30% off. Want 10% off everything else in your order, too? For my blog readers only, enter "BLOGSALE2012" in the coupon code area during checkout for 10% off your whole order (that includes the discounted prints!).

Lea

The Big 200 next Saturday!

2011-12-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

Next weekend is going to be huge! I'll be at Crafty Wonderland both days, and the opening of the Big 200 is Saturday afternoon! I'll definitely be stopping by after Crafty, and I have 10 new paintings there so I hope you will too.

This is the Big 200 (previously the Big 100)'s 4th year, and the 4th year I've participated. Every year it's bigger & more fun than the last! Each artist is given 10 wood panels, and when they are finished they are hung anonymously throughout the venue. Last year it was at the Goodfoot, but this year it will be in the 4 gallery spaces on the 3rd floor of Pioneer Mall. ALL of the paintings are only $40 a piece, cash & carry! Here are a couple of the paintings I made that will be there--will you be able to find them all?

I will also have prints of all 10 in my etsy shop, and will be posting images of them all on my website, so keep your eyes peeled! xoxo

Crafty Wonderland 2012

2011-11-26T23:15:00.001-08:00

Woohoo! I am super excited to announce that I was accepted to be a vendor at Crafty Wonderland! This year the competition was even fiercer than ever so I feel very lucky & honored to be able to be there. I hope you'll come and visit--I'll be in booth #49, near the kids' art section.

Siren Nation Art & Craft Sale

2011-10-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Coming up soon! On November 6 I am excited to be part of this great sale featuring women artists & artisans at McMenamins Kennedy School. Go to www.sirennation.com for more details. See you there!

New StudioooooooOOooo!

2011-10-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Call me corny, but I have the best-i-est boyfriend in the universe! Over the past few months, he's been re-organizing his studio/retail space and clearing out a room for me. After some re-building and painting it's finally ready for my very own studio!! I moved in last week, and I've already experienced some of the most focused art-making of my entire life. I love it! I left my office at home so that when I'm in the studio, there's no marketing or facebooking or laundry or email-checking or *enter name of billionth distraction here* to get me off-track.

Not to mention my tiny apartment is starting to look a lot more like home instead of insane-crazy-space. Yay! *I may even get a COUCH!! Did you hear me, people?! A couch!*

Those of you who know about this move have been asking for photos--here you go!

My Sweetie painting the ceiling

Yikes! My old dining-area studio all packed up.

Here it is! I still have a bit of unpacking & decorating to do.

Aaaa!! Don't look at this corner!! It's not finished yet!!

Mmmm...organized cabinet in it's new home :)

Studio Doors <3

Mo' Flow Plumbing

2011-10-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

Speaking of logos...who thought I would get to design two in one month? Considering I've never done this type of work before, it's funny that I had two logo commissions in a row. (In case you missed it, the other one was for the Support Our Sisters campaign--you can see it HERE). This one is for my little brother's biz, "Mo' Flow Plumbing & Heating." Mo' Flow--how awesome is that name?! I love it :) If you're in the Longmont, CO area and you need a plumber, you should look him up!

p.s. My logos are designed, drawn, and colored by hand!

Dia de los Muertos

2011-10-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

After all of these years of being so inspired by Mexican Folk Art and especially imagery from Dia de los Muertos, I finally created a little series of mixed-media paintings in celebration. Click on the titles of each painting to buy them on Etsy (or email me at leak@leakarts.com to purchase if you don't have or want an Etsy account). All paintings are approximately 8" x 8," mixed media mounted on panel. All Rights Reserved.

"Spirit Rising," 2011 by Lea Keohane

"Remembrance," 2011 by Lea Keohane

"Moving On," 2011 by Lea Keohane

"They Really Do Dance,"

2011 by Lea Keohane

"Returning to Earth," 2011 by Lea Keohane

Support Our Sisters

2011-10-12T20:04:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had the honor of creating this logo for an amazing cause--"Support Our Sisters," a campaign started by AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) District 11 superhero...*ahem*...National Women's Advisory Coordinator Amanda Schroeder.

When Amanda lured me over to her house with offerings of cake, I had no idea that I was going to become involved in such an inspirational and exciting project. She explained to me that October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Support Our Sisters (SOS), is about collecting new bras for survivors of domestic violence (to anyone who may think this is weird, please realize that for any woman going through a crisis, the last thing she is going to think of is buying this necessary item for herself; it is also quite possible that she will not be able to afford it even if she does think of it). When I heard all of this, I got very excited, and inspired. All night I dreamed about it, and when I woke up the next morning, the logo just popped out onto the page.

When doing a commission, there is no greater feeling than working for a good cause AND finding that you are able to express the client's vision. I was so proud to get this comment from Amanda, "I was looking for something instantly recognizable, inclusive, and empowering. Her design captured the spirit of solidarity that I was hoping it would. The three sisters in the logo are strong, supportive, and represent all."

Thank you so much, Amanda and AFGE! It was a pleasure working with you. For all of my readers, please consider checking out the SOS Facebook Page for more information on how you can help and/or donate.

Illustration Friday--Boundaries

2011-09-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Obsession

2011-07-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to participate in Illustration Fridays, but never got around to it. So this is my 1st. The topic this week was "obsession."

Besides the darkness that I see as inherent in the word obsession, I have been wanting to begin exploring some of my darker feelings in my work--at least privately, in my sketchbook--lately. Most of my work is quiet and introspective in a meditative way. It is meant to be thoughtful, uplifting. Looking for the beauty within myself so that I may finally see the beauty without. Hopefully inspiring others to do the same.

But this search for inner beauty would not be necessary if I had not spent so many years of my life suffering from a lack of self confidence, an inability to see my own worth. An acute pain that made me at many times wish I could simply vanish into the shadows so that no one could look at me.

I don't feel that way anymore. Not that I am magically some mountain of self-confidence, but I don't want to disappear. Most of the time I even feel pretty good about myself. I could write volumes on the journey that I've taken to get here, but that is for a later time. For now, "Obsession," a girl in the dark.

Drip Drop Presents: Pre-Nostalgic

2011-07-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but after watching some of my classmates in college (long, long ago...), I thought of installation art going something like this: Some loud, indescribable yet painful noise coming from a crappy speaker, laser lights shooting out from a corner, and maybe someone flopping around on the floor moaning. The onlookers would be standing around wondering what it all means and either pretending to know or loudly pronouncing that it's a bunch of b.s. to make up for the feeling of inadequacy they are left with. Okay, so maybe art school failed me in that way ;) Luckily I have been graced with the chances to see some much more beautiful and meaningful installation art since then. And this...this is something completely different.

Pre-Nostalgic is warm, brilliant animation filling up 5 screens. It's Portland buildings carefully sculpted from wood and colored glass and illuminated from within. It's music composed from the soul, spilling out from speakers that surround the room. It's all of these things orchestrated to move together--the animation, the lights within the buildings, and yes, even the sound moves. Not just from one side to the other, but completely around the room.

From the mezzanine above, you can watch the whole thing as if it were a play. Or step within the circle, and you become a part of the piece, enveloped in a soundscape that dances around you, turning your head as lights come and go through the buildings, captivated by one screen and the next. If you are like me, you will have to experience the whole thing several times from different points of view because you will just want to keep soaking it up.

In Portland, this weekend only. DripDropProductions.com for more information.

Buckman Hallway Mural

2011-07-02T10:02:00.001-07:00

As may of you know, last year I had the honor of painting a giant mural in the kitchen in Buckman Elementary school. Well, lucky for me they loved it and asked me to come back for more! I recently finished my 2nd mural in the hallway across from the 1st grade classrooms. Anne Miles, one of the 1st grade teachers (and an amazing art supporter!!), asked me to come up with something that combined the K-2 science curriculum--trees, habitats, and insects. For this section, I did a Doug Fir forest with local Oregon plants and animals.

Some of you may have already seen photos on facebook, but for those of you who haven't, I want to share (and fyi, if you or anyone you know wants a mural in their school, business, bedroom, or anywhere else I do that! :) ).

The whole thing is about 12.5' x 30', and goes around a drinking fountain and bulletin boards:

It's not Oregon without a slug! Indigo got to add the Night train Centipede on the rock :)

Winners!

2011-06-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, my Photoshop drawing skills are incredibly lacking, but let's just ignore that for a sec and say YAY!! Thank you so much to everyone that signed up for my mailing list! You'll all be getting news, discounts and other good stuff in your inbox every month-ish. Be sure to email me with your actual address for some mail art and other surprises in the future.

In the meantime, the winners of the drawing for new subscribers are....Sha and Chuck! You both get a package filled with everything from prints to magnets and more. Congratulations!

Remember when...

2011-06-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

I thought since it's my 5 year Etsyversary week, it would be fun to post some of the things I used to make & sell in my shop but don't any more. Actually, there are a couple I've been thinking of reviving...

Remember Shrinky Dink Pendants?

And remember the movable artist cards (new & improved ones coming soon!):

This one had paper doll clothes & hair!

Finally, remember the paintings I used to do on plaques?

It's been an awesome 5 years--I can't wait to see where I am in 5 more!

Remember--sign up for my newsletter by Sunday, 6/26 and you can win lots of free stuff! Also, get 20% off in my Etsy shop--for details check out my last post HERE.

Have a great week!

Holy Crap it's my 5 year Etsy-versary this week!

2011-06-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

"Waiting", by Lea Keohane, 2006. 2" x 3"

WOW! You guys! This Friday, June 24th, is the 5-year anniversary of when I first set up shop on Etsy. Boy has it changed since then. Boy have I changed since then! That little ACEO (artist card, a tiny, baseball-card-sized piece of art) above is the 1st thing I ever sold on Etsy. Awwwww! I can still remember how thrilled I was to sell it.

Okay, so I know I'm a big mushy dork, but I like it that way. So I want to celebrate this week!!!

First of all, buy anything from my shop and during checkout type in the code, "5YearEtsyversary" and get 20% off your whole order! (Not including shipping). And everyone that buys something will get a free surprise with your order!

Secondly, I made 2 of these "LeaKArts through the Ages" packages:

Both are slightly different, but each has a coloring book, window decal, miniature print, linocut-printed notecards, 4 magnets, a pendant, and a mirror...and both of them are FREE! All you have to do is sign up for my e-newsletter, and then leave a comment here on my blog or on my facebook page to let me know you signed up. At the end of the week, I'll have my trusty sidekick (i.e. Indigo) pull two names from a hat and the winners (YOU! I hope) will get all of this awesome free stuff.

So sign up at the top right-hand column on my bloggy here, or right here (and don't forget to leave me a comment!):

Finally, Thank You, all of you, for being my awesome supporters, followers, customers, and friends. LOVE!!

Vacation!

2011-03-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's just a 2 night trip to the coast. And it's really rainy right now so there's no way I'll be seeing dry sand, let alone sunshine. But I am sooooo excited to leave work behind for a couple of days and hang around the rainy coast with some of my favorite friends. Have a great weekend!

DIY Business Cards

2011-03-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

Oops! I made a *little bitty* mistake and didn't order new business cards in time for the Buckman Show & Sell this weekend! But it all worked out because I just spent the evening making these little cards instead, so everyone that picks up my card gets a tiny original piece of my art.

I started the same way I start all of my work on paper--with a soft but colorful watercolor wash on a nice heavy watercolor paper. Then I cut them to size, covered all of the edges in ink, and stamped each one with a collection of hand-carved stamps I made for a new series of paintings I'm working on. I'm thinking of doing a little experiment and leaving them slightly mysterious--there is no extra information on the back. I may change my mind though before the show starts. What do you think?

2011 Buckman Art Show & Sell

2011-03-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

Kids need art in school!! We all know it, but now it's time to step up and support a great school--Buckman Arts Focus Elementary. Indigo is in her final year there (yikes! Middle school is just around the corner!), and it's thanks to great events like this that she's had exposure to so many great art experiences & teachers.

I will have a booth here this weekend along with 140 other artists, and 30% of all sales go straight to the school! Plus there is tons of awesome art by Buckman students, art activities for the kiddos while you shop, and some yummy catering. As if you needed any more reasons to go, you can also see my mural in person! Yay! I'll be hanging out all weekend--hopefully I'll see you there! For all the details visit http://www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale

Simple Solution to a Giant Meal Planning Blockade!

2011-03-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

In my constant quest for better health, less waste, saving money, and simplifying household tasks so that I have more time to do the things I want to do, I have always and forever had Leave it to Beaver dreams of creating a weekly menu. Just imagine, a grocery list that only includes the things we actually need for the week rather than all of the random cravings that take me over when I'm actually at the grocery store. A refrigerator comfortably full of healthy food that will be eaten on its designated night rather than a fridge crammed with so much food we can't possibly eat it all before it goes bad. (This overwhelming fullness often leads me to eat things that are easiest to cook instead of healthiest so...more calories and more waste of the good stuff that goes bad faster). Best of all, a weekly trip to the grocery store to stock up instead of random daily trips to get odds and ends that for some unknown reason we need right nooooow.

Up until now, the menu idea has been a bust for me. I sit down, pen in hand, get through a couple of days, and then I hit a BLOCK. I don't fully understand what this block is yet, except that it has to do with my bad eating habits and my stuck-ness with my weight. I'm not going to get into all of that now, so let's just say, I'm working on my stuff. I even read this great post by Jen Neitzel on DIY Lounge about how her family plans their menus and all of the benefits it gives them. I drooled over her blank pdf menu (I'm a nerd about lists and planner-thingies), printed it out, and with a big I CAN DO THIS sat down and...got through a couple of days and hit that block again.

Now, if you're the kind of person that doesn't suffer from menu-writer's block, you should totally use her pdf 'cus it's awesome. But I think for me it was too set in stone. I had this completely silly feeling of being locked in to whatever I wrote down. In my head I whined, "But what if I don't waaant tacos on Thursday?!" My silly issues came up and food panic set in. So I forgot about the menu, once again.

Until now. There I was again, pining over some kind of Betty Crocker dream of an ordered household (I don't actually know if Betty Crocker cared about an ordered household, but this is the kind of thing I get stuck in my head), when it hit me. A way to plan out my week, but still have the flexibility I need to handle my rebellious side. I went and got 8 magnets and a boat-load of index cards, and Indigo and I made a list of all of the meals we like to eat and the ones we'd like to try. I wrote a meal on each card, one that says "leftovers" and one that says "eating out." Then we decided together what we wanted to eat for the week, and I planned my own days when she'll be at her dad's and viola! Menu! The 8th magnet is for my shopping list for my now weekly trip to the grocery store.

Indigo is in school all day and we basically eat the same thing for breakfast every day (and I am good at picking healthy things from leftovers or whatever for lunch), so we only did dinners. Evenings are when I'm tired and most likely to make poor choices, so that's what we needed to plan, but it would be super easy with some more magnets to add in more meals. I really needed to just get the ball rolling because this change felt urgent to me, so the cards are very plain right now. But I plan on adding some decorations and ideas for ways to make each meal healthier. Things I've never made before will have the recipe right there on the card.

It felt really good to finally get over this obstacle. It also felt great to involve Indigo and get her excited about it. She's always been a picky eater and I can't tell you how happy I am to get past our nightly, "What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, macaroni and cheese?" conversations as well as my role as a short-order cook. I have more time in my life for the good stuff, like making art and spending quality time with the people I love. My refrigerator, wallet, and trash can are also all thanking me, and hopefully soon my waistline will be as well.

Standing Up

2011-02-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

I have been struggling with what to say in this post. It is never my intention to offend anyone, but I guess sometimes it just can't be avoided. Especially when you are talking about something you really believe in. As you may know, Planned Parenthood is in danger of losing it's federal funding. I am not talking about abortion here (by the way, did you know that as it now stands there is actually no federal funding for abortions?). I am talking about basic sexual health care--cancer screenings, std testing, and birth control. Thanks to federal funding, Planned Parenthood is able to offer these vital services at a sliding scale to millions of women who are un/underinsured.

I am one of these women. I work for myself. I'm a single mom. I have no health insurance. When something goes wrong, if it can't be fixed by my acupuncturist then I am basically S.O.L. I go to Planned Parenthood for my annual exams and birth control because I can afford to go there. Without Planned Parenthood, I would never see a doctor.

I am extremely thankful for the services, privacy, and respect that Planned Parenthood offers, and I want to do what I can to help. I have signed every petition I can, and I would like to contribute financially as well. You can help me do that. I've listed several of my newest paintings (encaustic collages, actually--new technique for me!) on eBay, and thanks to eBay Giving Works, 10% of each sale will automatically go to the Planned Parenthood Foundation.

Click here to take a look, and thank you so much in advance for you support!

Oh, the challenges of working from home!

2011-02-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Who knew that when I was thinking of the challenges of working from home one of them would be...KITTENS!! Cute & hilarious LOLcats and adorable videos of lion cubs aside (distracting as they are, a little self control can do the trick). But last month was my birthday and as a gift I got a new lil' family member--Pumpkin! When I rescued her from the Humane Society she was only 3 months old and just over 2 pounds, and very sickly from the stress of kennel life and surgery (she had just been spayed the day before). She's had plenty of time for recovery, though, and now she's happy as a clam.

The extent of her cute sweetieness is impossible to capture on film (or pixels), but that doesn't stop me from trying :) Let me just say that when she is not using her super-power ninja zoom-zoom, she is the ultimate lap kitty. When I sit down in the mornings to sketch, there she is, batting at my ipod headphones. When I sit at my desk to check email, a tiny little warm ball of fur quietly appears. Purring commences and no matter how badly I need to pee or get up to paint, it is verrrry difficult! Sometimes impossible. How will I every get any work done around here?!? ;)

Last sale of the year!

2010-12-18T08:14:00.001-08:00

It's one week before Christmas and my shopping is about done, but how about yours? I will be at Presents for Procrastinators today from 11-5 at the Art Department, 1315 SE 9th. I've got original paintings from $28, prints, magnets, card sets & some limited edition, hand-drawn ornaments & pendants! See you there!

It's Crafty!

2010-12-11T07:15:00.001-08:00

Crafty Wonderland!!! This has been the busiest holiday season of my life so far, and THIS is the show to check out and catch up with what I've been doing! I have new paintings, prints, and magnets. And as if that's not enough, I also have some brand-spankin'-new card sets and pendants! Not to mention the other fantastic crafty goodness that will be there :) TODAY and TOMORROW http://craftywonderland.com

Live too far away to come? I have lots of new stuff in my etsy shop!

Greeting Cards

2010-11-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

It's been such a busy Autumn for me and I have so many things to share with you...but first I want to show you these awesome cards that I made from some of my latest artwork. They make a perfect gift or stocking stuffer, or buy them for yourself. Hey, you'll be sending them off to people you love anyway, right? ;) You can buy them right here for only $15 a set!

What's your story?

2010-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult things to do as an artist is write your own story. Art school training--if you have it--may give us the vocabulary to discuss art, but getting to the heart of your own work is something entirely different. Just last night one of my friends and I were joking about this same topic when she threw back her head and laughed, "Well, I kind of painted it so I wouldn't have to talk about it!" I couldn't agree more.

But the fact of the matter is that you are never going to get anywhere without a good story. At the very least, your journey is going to be a lot more difficult. Without a story, you are just another face in a sea of faces. Yes, your images should speak for themselves, but people who buy art usually want more than just a pretty picture, they want to know Who-You-Are and Where-Your-Art-Came-From.

I have been writing and re-writing my own story over the years, without ever feeling satisfied. I had a lot of facts about myself--born in Loveland, CO in 1976, B.A. in Drawing, Painting and Printmaking from Portland State in 2002, single mother, blah blah blah--but I couldn't seem to pinpoint the heart of the matter and put it into words. I read other people's bios on Etsy, on artists' websites, at gallery shows. Many struck me as awkwardly as my own, many others used pretension to plow through. A glowing few struck my heart and actually explained where in their souls their art really came from. Then, finally, a few days ago, my own story came to me:

~~
Lea's mother gave birth to her on the principle's desk, which sent her sailing on a long career of following rules and being an excellent student. Nevertheless, Lea spent her childhood sucking her thumb and twirling her curly hair through her fingers while staring off in the distance into her her far-more-daring-than-reality imagination. Her playmates were frequently imaginary as well--she had so many of these that she was often caught playing tag or hide-and-seek "by herself."

Today, Lea's art work continues to explore the places in her head. These are places where all women hold their own beauty, and each possesses a power so strong it surges through her long electrifying curls. Places where friends come in all sizes and their forms are often surprising. Most importantly, places that are free of rules and ever-changing, where anyone and everyone can find that wild piece of themselves that they have always been seeking.
~~

When this story came to me, it gave me a sense of power that I did not expect. It tells something of my roots and how I came to be where I'm at, but it also gives me a reason, an explanation of who I am and why I do what I do. Something I planned to give to my patrons, so I was incredibly surprised when, as the words flowed onto the page, I found I was really discovering something new of myself.

Art and Life

2010-09-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I feel like being an artist is Too Hard; I feel anxious wondering if what I'm doing is really worthwhile or just selfish; I fear that I'm not good enough to make it. Those are moments I've struggled with all my life, in between bouts of confidence in Who I Am and What I Do. Moments that rear their ugly heads and pop my daydreamy bubbles of All That Could Possibly Be.

I know those moments of self-doubt are perfectly natural (albeit incredibly annoying). They are little tests, poking me with reality checks. Sure, they make me second guess myself at times, but all of that second guessing can either scare you away from your dreams--if you let it--or bring you even closer by helping to focus your energy on what you REALLY want.

It has been 8 years now since I graduated from college, a soon-to-be single mom bullheadedly determined to find her way to being an Artist. I've come a long, long way in 8 years. I recently found an old portfolio that I brought around to shops to try and sell my work and...wow. My work was immature, the photos were bad and the prints of them were even worse. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was determined enough to do it anyway. And you know what? It has paid off. I have been working for myself for over 5 years now, my art has seriously improved and I'm selling more of it all the time, and I am moving steadily closer and closer to being a full-time artist every day.

Lately I've been more focused than ever, feeling like I am on the brink of something important. I'm clearing out my life and making room for all of those daydreamy bubbles to come into existence--self-doubt be damned. I don't know what it all is or what it all means, but I want to share it. I owe a debt to everyone who has helped me on my way, and I would like to pay it forward in my own little way by writing about my experiences as I move into the next phase of my art and my life in the hopes that it will help you with yours.

Buckman Mural--Finished!

2010-08-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a busy summer! I finished the mural at Buckman Elementary school, have done more portraits and work for my clients, am getting ready to start another new business (more details soon!), and have been running around playing with Indigo while she's out of school. It's been a lot of fun, but Indigo and I are both looking forward to the routine of school starting up again in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I promised pictures of the mural!

Are you interested in a mural of your own? You'll be your kids' hero forever with their room painted in shades of awesome! Or what about something in another part of your house or business? Send me an email for rates and more details! leak@leakarts.com

Work in Progress--Kitchen Mural at Buckman Elementary

2010-06-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Buckman Elementary, where Indigo has been going since Kindergarten (only one year left, omg!!) is a fantastic arts focus school. Art is integrated into every aspect of the curriculum. The kids have tons of great experiences with visual and performing arts.

But to be honest, for an art school there is very little permanent art on interior of the building. So you can imagine how excited I was when the PTA approached me to create a mural spanning a huge wall in the kitchen! The wall is about 10' x 23', and the mural wraps around onto the doors on either side, plus I'll be adding some smatterings on the hood above the oven, a door in the back of the room, and an area of the wall in the hallway. Holy huge project, Batman!

As an arts school, naturally it attracts a lot of parents who not only appreciate the arts but are artists themselves, so I am incredibly honored that someone thought of me to do the work. There is such a grand lack of funding in the public schools, especially for the arts. I don't need to tell you how many schools are losing their art programs altogether. Which makes me feel even luckier that my daughter goes to such a great school, and that, even in times like these, our school sees the value of art and is willing and able to fund new projects.

The kitchen may seem an unlikely place for a giant mural, but it is one of the mose deserving. It is an interior room with no windows, mind-numbing fluorescent lights, and horrible yellowish industrial paint (DREARY). But it's a place where children comes every day to get their nourishment and energy for the rest of the day--it should be a cheerful, energetic place! I hope that by the time I'm done, that's exactly what it will be.

The Other Side of Crafty Wonderland--Shopping!

2010-05-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, child-free and one week before Mother's Day, I got to experience Crafty Wonderland...from the other side of the table. After a week spent NOT freaking out about my inventory, or whether or not the sale would be busy enough, I knew I had to go. I called my friend Mary, (can you see how happy she is to be in my photo?!? Love you Mary! *muah!*), and we made plans. Extravagant plans. Plans to get free goodie bags, even.

9:00 am. After standing in line for about 30 minutes, I was just grabbing our biscuits and coffee from the super-delectable Pine State Biscuits on Belmont. (If you have never eaten there, you are missin' out on some serious, no-kidding YUM). Meanwhile, Mary had just snagged our place in line at Crafty Wonderland. After not even knowing that I parked right behind her (haha!), I soon met up with her, and we proceeded to shove said biscuits and coffee into our mouths.

9:30 am. Completely amped on our coffee, we started joking with (and probably freaking out) our neighbors in line, giggling insanely, and suffering odd looks from people passing by on their way to the solar power convention next door (note to self--most of them were not in your target audience, unless "target" means the butt of I've-just-had-too-much-caffeine-and-am-stuck-in-this-line-for-2-hours jokes. Sorry other-convention people!).

11:00 am. The doors are open! I elbowed Mary and pushed my way in first (heehee). Actually, I rarely ever shop, let alone wait in line for 2 hours just so I can get a free goodie bag! This was totally a great treat. A massive, airplane-hangar-sized room full of crafty goodness, and I didn't have a booth so I actually got to look at everything!!! First, Mary and I darted from one spot to the next trying to soak it all in. Finally we realized we weren't getting anywhere and went for the more methodical method of going up and down every single aisle.

I bought some goodies for myself and a present for my mom for Mother's Day from my friend Megan of Ta-Dah. I stopped at at least a third of the booths to chat with people I know (and met some of you that I only know from facebook!)...sorry Mary! We also went to the diy tables and made some awesome vintage Mother's Day cards, and the cutest little felt birdie keychains.

3:00 pm. Yep, I said 3:00! I honestly don't think I've ever spent that many hours shopping in my life. I'm glad Mary was there to see me through--I couldn't have done it without her! Overstimulated, happily crafted, it was time to go home and load up on more coffee :)

Natural Motivation

2010-04-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Punchbowl Falls at Eagle Creek

Working for myself, and especially working from home, has a lot of incomparable benefits. A flexible schedule. The ability to listen to my favorite new CD or to watch the X-Files on Netflix while I work. Being able to be home for Indigo when she's done with school, or if she is sick and needs to come home. No one looking over my shoulder, no one to be accountable to except for myself and my clients (who are all so super awesome!). This list goes on and on, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to do what I do!

But working for yourself is also filled with loads of challenges. Like self-discipline, panicky slow months, staying on track, not getting too distracted by the X-Files or the laundry, or the fact that your child is home sick. Staying out of the fridge when it's time to take breaks...

I have found in the past year, as I've been working to lose 50 pounds, (30 to go!), that one of the most important things for my sanity is getting outside. Whether it's a walk around the cemetery, a run through the park (who knew I'd love running?!?), or a hike through the city or in one of the hundreds of nature trails in the area, getting outdoors every day saves me.

It may seem counter-intuitive--getting outside helps you with your work? Are we still on the same subject here? The answer is YES. Every day that I can get outside and move around, even for 30 minutes, is a day that I feel motivated. My creativity is sparked, I feel good about myself because I got my exercise in, I am more focused when I have to sit at my desk to work. I am grounded and inspired all at once. There is something about being in nature that is so rejuvenating, and it's a feeling that lasts even when I have to go back indoors. Luckily, living in Portland, I don't have to go very far to feel like I am close to nature.

Rockin' the product photos!

2010-04-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

My good friend Ryan recently gave me some advice: "Drive to the store, buy a frame, and take pictures of your prints in the frame so people know what they will look like on the wall." She gives good advice (she does consultations--if you need help with your shop, look her up!), and my Etsy shop has been needing some tlc, so I decided to follow it. (Thank you Ryan!!!)

First, I bought an inexpensive little frame. Then, I decided where I wanted to shoot. I wanted an area that looked welcoming, but not too busy. A bit of color, but not enough to distract from the print. I finally decided on my dining room table. I put out a nice place setting, and a bowl of fruit, then put a small nail in the wall where I wanted my prints to hang. Finally, I set up a couple of clamp-lamps to get the area well-lit.

I have to be honest, there is a part of me that hates that Ryan gives such good advice, because to follow it means WORK. You should have seen me during the photo shoot. I had to turn up the music to get me motivated, and at least every other minute I had to give myself a little talk, "Lea, you are NOT going to stop now and finish tomorrow! Do you really think you're going to keep all of this set up until tomorrow? It will just be in the way! If you take it down you'll just procrastinate putting it all back together again." I give myself pretty good advice, too.

So I stuck to my guns. I pulled every print I have out of its plastic sleeve (I would recommend, if you carry prints, to keep a stock of them on file that are not in plastic sleeves, because it was really annoying to do this), and carefully took turns placing each in the frame, shooting, and replacing it with the next. I should mention that I took some time carefully placing my tripod at the beginning of the shoot so that I wouldn't have to re-position my camera every time.

Viola! It took a good bit of work, but it was worth it. Now all of my prints have a nice setting so that my customers have an idea of what they could look like on their wall. Plus, of course I kept the close-up scans in each listing so they can see the prints in detail.

Now to update all my listings!

Nostalgia in Denver

2010-03-26T07:44:00.001-07:00

Going to Colorado, where I grew up, is always filled with such strange feelings for me. I would say going "back home," but it just doesn't feel like home anymore. I had a perfectly good childhood, but for some reason I don't feel connected to the place I grew up in a way that so many other people seem to. Still, I get to drive (or be driven) from one city to the next to visit my family, and hopefully catch up with some old friends from high school (and even middle school!), and that is always good.

Eleven days is a long time to be away from home, and away from work, especially when you work for yourself, so I've been trying to find ways to weave part of my vacation into my work. I'm taking lots of pictures, re-visiting places I used to go (the ones that are still there!), journalling and sketching inspiration for new paintings (a new series??). When I have some down time to myself, I'm brainstorming blog ideas and going online to check out venues to apply to show my work.

All in all, it's a lot less work than I would have done had I been home this whole time, but it IS a vacation, right? ;)

20th Annual Buckman Art Show & Sell

2010-03-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Portlanders! Come & see me & my work along with the work of over 100 other local artists plus hundreds of kids' art at the 20th Annual Buckman Show & Sell this weekend! I'll have my newest mixed media work on wood for sale, along with prints & cards. And this year Indigo will have an original painting, 2 cards, and 2 bookmarks for sale along with her peers in the entranceway of the school.

This is truly one of the best art events in Portland--every year I am impressed by the quality of work being shown and honored to be a part of it. And the best part is that 30% of every sale goes to Buckman Elementary--a fantastic Arts magnet school that strives to integrate art into nearly every aspect of the curriculum. I can't wait to see you there!

Morning Ritual Re-visited

2010-01-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

There are certain times of day when the Muse is strongest. For every person it is different. For me, I learned a long time ago that early in the morning and late in the evening are the most creative. Then one of my teachers in college said to me, "Schedule a time every day to create, and your creativity will just start showing up." It took me a long time to get a regular practice, but I have found that for the most part she was right.

As a single mom who runs her own business, plus picks up a lot of odd jobs cleaning and helping out other artists and artisans, my days are incredibly irregular. Finding blocks of studio time on a daily basis is next to impossible, so I fit them in whenever I can. But I do have one block of time every single day--the early morning.

About 2 years ago I started this ritual: I set my alarm for at least an hour before my daughter wakes up for school. Dreary-eyed and fighting against every ounce of myself that wants to stay in bed, I pull myself up and put some coffee on (I am an addict, I admit). I flip through my iPod to find some music that fits my mood (TIRED), and pull out my sketchbook. I used to just draw anything that popped into my head, but recently I started something new.

At the end of every morning session, before I go wake Indigo up, I put a watercolor wash on the NEXT page in my sketchbook. The next morning, I pull out the watercolor from the day before, and stare into it to see what I can see. Whatever image appears is the one I draw. Once I have divined the image, I spend several more mornings on the piece until it is finished. I also use this morning time to play with different mediums and mix them together in new (for me) ways.

What about you? Do you have a daily ritual that helps support, maintain, or inspire your creativity?

Helping Haiti

2010-01-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

Like I told my boyfriend a few days ago, I can't listen to NPR in my car until the tragedy in Haiti is over (well, at least until it is not being reported on anymore). I tear up as I listen and before I know it my eyes are so filled with my own mascara that I can't see the road anymore. I am a great big sobbing hazard. Worse than someone on their cell phone. Just to be clear, I am not ignoring the issues, nor am I advocating that anyone else does. I just can't be informed and drive safely all at the same time!

All of the problems in my little world seem to evaporate as I hear about the horrible, terrifying conditions in Haiti right now. If it was possible I would go there and put in some real-time help. I would foster as many children as I could until their families are found. But that is not possible, so I am doing what little I can from here by donating 50% of all of my online sales to Save the Children. To learn more about them, click on the link.

In the meantime, support the arts and help me raise money for charity either by making a purchase in my Etsy shop or placing a bid on some of my original artwork on eBay. In both instances, I will donate 50% of the sale to charity, and with your purchase you will receive a thank you noting the amount of your donation.

Original paintings on eBay!!!

2010-01-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Fearlessness and focus. Two things I'm working on in all aspects of my life. This is not a New Year's resolution (I don't believe in those--I think they set you up for failure), but a long-term resolve. Something I've been working on for a long time now. Qualities that I know exist within me, but that I sometimes have a hard time digging out and utilizing. I have inspiration and support, and lots more to talk about on this subject, but for now I want to keep it about my business as an artist.

What does this have to do with selling paintings on eBay? A lot. For a long time, all of my adult life, I can safely say, I have been struggling to make my art my central focus. And no wonder. I had my daughter at 24 years old, while I was still finishing school, left her dad 3 years later, and worked one crappy job after the next for what seemed like ever trying to make ends meet. I was trapped in that void of single-mom-working-raising baby-no-time-for-myself-land. Finally I was able to work for myself, but the ends-meeting part was, and is, still a bit of a mystery to me.

So is the focus. I feel as though I am constantly pulled between 2 equally strong yet opposing forces: making money and making art. In between those two forces are many other competing realities--for example, having control over my own time so that I CAN make art and so that I can spend quality time with my daughter vs. working a "real" job, making (theoretically) better money and (theoretically) getting benefits but having to depend on daycare to raise my daughter and having no energy left for my art. I choose to continue working for myself, but I am constantly fighting the urge to accept every single opportunity at the cost of focusing on my art. When I fall into that trap, I am driven by fear. Namely, fear that I won't be able to pay the rent.

At the same time, somewhere inside I KNOW that making money and making art don't have to be opposing forces! So one of my primary goals for 2010 is to work harder than ever before on merging the two. Next time I'll tell you some of the steps I've already taken in that direction, and I'll keep you updated for the year. Think of this post as a little introduction :) In the meantime, help support my work and score yourself an awesome deal by bidding on my one of a kind, original paintings on eBay. A great big fearless step for little me, putting them there!

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's actually 2010! In a couple of short weeks, Indigo will be 10 years old and we will be well on our way into the new decade. I have a lot of plans and things to tell you about, but the main thing at the moment is that I am building a new website with my blog integrated into it. I am so excited! I'll finally be able to show you all of my new work, and I've got some really interesting ideas for my blog. I'll tell you when it's up, of course.

For now, I hope you had some wonderful holidays, and that you all have an amazing year to come!

For my faraway friends

2009-11-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

I know some of you are too far away to make it to my shows, so I made this little video of my most recent opening at A MOOD CHANGE in Old Town Portland. I had technical difficulties with the sound, so I would suggest muting the video, opening up your iTunes and playing it to the soundtrack of your choosing (I played Sigur Ros at the opening, if you want the whole experience as it was). Enjoy!

Solo show this Thursday!

2009-11-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce my upcoming show at A MOOD CHANGE, this Thursday as part of the 1st Thursday Art Walk in NW Portland.

I have been drawing and painting my heart out to create this new series furthering my personal exploration of inner and outer beauty, growth, spirituality and feminine strength. This is my first serious use of mixed media in my work--I have combined elements of collage, drawing with various types of pencils, watercolor, acrylic paint, and a couple of other mediums--all done on wood reclaimed from sources from old cabinet doors to the Willamette River.

Starting at 6pm at 618 NW Flanders. See you there!

And when you're finished, head across the river to the Olympic Mills Building (107 SE Washington) for the opening of "Journey," the visual arts piece of the Siren Nation Fest, where you'll find two of my paintings alongside the works of 50 other Portland artists.

Squash!

2009-10-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a perfect day. From a run around the park (with Indigo on her bike), to reading lots of Harry Potter out loud, and especially running around a corn maze on Sauvie Island with our friends Heather & Madison & my Sweetie, munching on caramel apples & roasted corn, and snuggling up to even more Harry Potter. Plus, look at all of this amazing squash!

Now I'm wiped out and ready for bed--I need a seriously good night's sleep to get ready for the busy week ahead. I have a show up right now at 3 Friends if you have a chance to stop by, and I am painting like a madwoman for my show next month! I'm working for my friend Amanda, printing more cards up to sell at Last Thursday, celebrating the end of Emily's chemo treatments, and taking on all the work that comes my way. I am psyched!

Rose City Vet Clinic PAWction!

2009-09-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

"Purple Kitty Waits," is an original, mixed media painting that I created specifically to donate to the Rose City Vet Clinic's PAWction, benefitting Portland Animal Welfare.

The auction is on October 24th, but leading up to that date I am offering giclee prints of the painting. I will personally donate 50% of the sale of each print to P.A.W. through that date.

Each print is approximately 6" x 6" centered on an 8.5 x 11 page.

For more information on P.A.W. and on the auction, please visit the website: http://www.portlandanimalwelfareteam.org/index.php

Goodbye, SupplyRiot!

2009-09-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

SupplyRiot. The little Etsy shop that has kept me in business for nearly 2 years. But sometimes you have to learn to let things go, and for me, right now, it is that time.

I was able to open shop with a $500 loan from a friend, and from there it really has been a fantastic experience. I've learned a lot about business, marketing, promotion, wholesale purchasing, and so much more. I've connected with so many AMAZING people, more loyal & dedicated customers than I could have hoped for, and some really great friends that I never would have met otherwise.

Lately, however, I've come up against a brick wall that will not allow me to continue this business. At first I was so frustrated and upset and I kept trying to scramble for the resources that I would have needed to keep SupplyRiot afloat. It has taken some time, but I now realize that it needs to sink. SupplyRiot is not where my passion lies. It was a temporary way to make money, and I had a lot of fun. Making money is one thing. I can do that in a lot of ways without spending every waking moment trying to promote a business that does not fulfill my purpose. It is time to work for money, and spend every other waking moment painting and promoting my artwork. THAT is where I belong, and where my energy and time needs to be.

So I want to take a moment to sincerely thank every single person who has come to my little Etsy shop, with a special thanks to those of you who have come back time and again and suggested me to your friends. I can't express how grateful I am to all of you who have supported me in more ways than I can count, from the Etsy Supply Street Team to each new customer and friend. Thank You!

Two final notes:

First, I am leaving the shop open until I sell the remainder of my stock. I can sell each item individually as listed, or if you would like to buy a quantity of things (like all of my washi paper, for example) send me an email or convo and we can work out a deal (yay for deals!).

Finally, I will be offering limited supplies (like ring blanks, for example, and a couple of other relevant items) in my art shop on Etsy. Check out LeaKArts.etsy.com for updates over the coming weeks!

Hello bloggy!

2009-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Work in Progress!

Hello little blog, how I have missed you! I have been so busy lately, I've practically forgotten that I am a blogger altogether. So this post is a mish-mash of things to get you all caught up.

Some of the things I have been doing are amazing little adventures that I never would have seen myself doing (like riding atv's in the sand dunes with some new German friends, or bombing down the West Hills on a bike after dark), and I wish I had photos to share with you! Last night, Indigo and I started building a cardboard boat for the great cardboard boat float this weekend (I will DEFINITELY have photos soon!).

I've also had a lot of work this month (THANK YOU!!!), from gardening to pet sitting to cleaning to portraits to piece work, I am thankful for every little bit of it. Plus I have been working to prepare for the 5 shows I have before the end of the year! Wow! Okay, well two of them I have applications out to, the other 3 are certain though. I'll post more info as they come up, but in October I'll be at the 3 Friends coffeehouse on SE 12th, as well as in Siren Nation Fest. In November I'll be at A Mood For Change gallery in Old Town. The other 2 I'll tell you about if & when I'm accepted :)

Finally, while the photo above is of an unfinished piece, you may have noticed that my new work is quite a bit different than what I was doing before. I've become really interested in mixed media lately, working in pencil, collage, watercolor, acrylic, and more on wood. You'll be able to see the new stuff at my show in November.

Crafty Wonderland!

2009-09-11T06:58:00.001-07:00

This Sunday, 11-4 at the Doug Fir Lounge in the Jupiter Hotel on SE Burnside, it's CRAFTY WONDERLAND!!!

Over 40 vendors (PLUS lil' ol' me!) + a DIY table = one day of crafty goodness. What more could you ask for?!?

And if you really CAN ask for more, how about drinks and music on the Doug Fir Patio from 3-7 pm? Sweet!

Plus, I've been working hard on some major booth improvements--I can't wait to show you! I will be bringing some original paintings and aceo's, magnets, and lots of hand-printed and hand crafted greeting cards. Plus some little crafty kits! Fun!

The Flaming Lips

2009-08-20T23:18:00.001-07:00

Photo by Lea Keohane 2009.

I have been to many concerts, in many different venues. When I was younger and had different priorities, I made it a point to scrape together enough money to see every band that I ever loved that happened through town. I have a paper bag full of tickets from nearly every show I've ever been to. Some day I plan on doing something to give those awesome memories a little more honor than a paper bag. Especially now that I can honestly say I have the most amazing show ever under my belt. Truly. The Flaming Lips.

Maybe it helps that the last show of theirs that I saw was SO experimental that I couldn't connect with it, so my expectations were low. Not to undermine my crazy excitement to go see them again! I'm sure it helps that I have long loved their music, and have enough good memories that coincide with their albums that at least one song brought me to tears. Or maybe it was the confetti, the dancing butterfly, the weird little dancing bunny creatures on the sides of the stage, the "birth" of the band via walking through a vaginal wall of lights, the lead singer rolling around over the crowd in a giant transparent ball, the awesome outdoor venue, the perfect weather, the stunning energy of the band, the familiar and unfamiliar songs alike, the way the crowd was invited to interact, the smell of smoke (several kinds of smoke I must say) all around, the warmth of the crowd and the cool breeze that would make its way through, the screaming and dancing and clapping, the singing along, being with one of my best friends in the world...

So yeah. Best. Show. Ever. Thanks for letting me share. And especially, thank you Katie for taking me!

First Thursday Art Opening!

2009-08-02T14:42:00.001-07:00

This Thursday at 6 pm, come and join me at Sip & Kranz, a fantastic coffee shop in Portland's Pearl District, for my latest show! See you there!

How Crazy Has This Week Been?!?

2009-07-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

How crazy has this week been?!? About THIS crazy! Haha! In the past 10 days, I have:
*gotten my hair cut (yay!)
*lost about 3 pounds
*gotten some sweet arm muscles, several bruises, and a ripped toe nail
*worked 4 days at my temporary job for Color Me House (they are awesome!)
*completed an order for a great client (LittlePutLand.etsy.com) (she is awesome too!)
*finished a couple of drawings
*done my regular cleaning jobs (if you live in Portland, please visit Trillium Artisans and Trade Up Music--they are both fantastic stores filled with really great people!)
*magically kepts up with my own businesses
*spent lots of quality time with Indigo
*had some really fantastic grown-up time, too
*felt hung over from such a busy week!

Now it's Sunday, and the biggest thing on my mind is coming up Tuesday morning--I am going to be doing a 5-6 minute LIVE segment on AM NW (Channel 2 if you're in Portland)!!! I will be showing how to do a little crafty project, thanks to my friend Rebecca Shapiro who connected me with the show. Thank you Rebecca! I am so nervous, and exited, and nervous...! I will be live around 9:20am (PST) if you live here, otherwise you can stream the video at http://www.katu.com/amnw Wish me luck!

A Joke About a Sink or Something

2009-07-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

After doing the dishes, finishing up a project, and looking at my sink, I'm sure I found a joke somewhere on the tip of my tongue. Something combining "what's the difference between" and "everything but the kitchen sink?" Although I have my moments of awesome hilarity, however, I am terrible, horrible, no-good, and very bad at telling jokes, let alone making one up! (Just ask anyone who has suffered through my wretched puns).

I thought this would be a great follow-up post to "Ink in the Macaroni," though, seeing as being an artist seems to seep its way into every little corner of my life, including the dishes. Please note brayer & glass plate for inking linoleum blocks in the dish rack :) Oh, and that plastic dish with the weird-looking gray matter is not as gross as it seems in this photo--it is actually a bar of soap that is specifically designated for washing my paintbrushes. The gray on it is actually from black paint getting all sudsy. And of course it wouldn't be an artist's sink without the jar of paintbrushes & the big pot of coffee in the background ;)

Ink in the Macaroni

2009-07-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ooh la la! New stuff in the works! My brain is bumbling--bubbling?!?--er, bursting?--something like that--with ideas & projects. So of course, right in the middle of putting a movie on for Indigo and her friend Hannah (tonight's a sleepover!), cooking dinner, and reading a new book on crafty businesses, I decided to pull out all of my linocut supplies and start up a new project. Great timing, right??? Right, 'cus that's how I roll ;) Now, hopefully I won't get any ink in the macaroni...

Japanese Washi Paper Sale!

2009-07-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

I hope you all don't think I'm getting spammy on you, but for those of you washi junkies (you know who you are!) I wanted to let you know about a huge sale I'm having in my supply shop!

Here's the deal:
If you buy 2 or more of any size sheet of washi, then half sheets are $5 each and 1/8 sheets are $2 each. Don't pay at checkout! I'll send you a revised invoice.

And for those of you who couldn't care less about things like washi paper, I'll be back to talking about art in no time ;)

Progression of my newest painting

2009-07-09T09:58:00.001-07:00

When I started this painting yesterday, I got the idea to take photos while I worked and post them on my facebook page as I went along. I was a bit nervous at the idea of the added pressure when I first started (what if it came out horribly?!? Would I post my mistakes?!?). After the first couple of pictures and some really awesome comments (THANK YOU!!!), however, I relaxed and had a lot of fun with it. I was so exited, in fact, that when I woke up early this morning I picked up my paints and finished it up!

Lately I have been using photographs as references for my paintings. Not to specifically do portraits, but to add some different qualities and more life to my characters. Yesterday I ran across some fantastic old photos from my childhood, and this painting is inspired by a photo of myself and my little brother. I think I may see a series in the works! ;)

Miniature portfolios

2009-07-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Lately, I am letting myself reach the conclusion that craft shows are not the right venue for me. On one hand, I have so much fun interacting with potential buyers & with other crafty people, and it's a great place to do that. But is it worth paying fees, lugging my booth around & sitting around for 13 hours only to be let down by poor sales? Followed by a few days for me to cradle & attempt to regenerate my ego? No. As a fine artist, is is simply the wrong venue and it's high time to admit it.

There are some fairs with a good balance of fine art and craft, like the Buckman Show & Sell, for example, that I will continue doing. But I have decided that now is the time to get out there and do more shows of my own around town. This is Portland, after all, and a business isn't really a business in this town until there is art on the walls! From coffee shops to hair salons to galleries to you name it, there are literally hundreds of venues to choose from.

So, as a step in preparing to approach more venues, I have spent the past couple of days creating these little miniature portfolios. I chose my 5 strongest paintings & had them printed in 2 x 3 format. Then I made little accordion books and attached one photo to each page. The first page has my name and contact information permanently affixed, and the last page has a little slot for my moo card. Now instead of just handing someone my card and hoping they'll remember to look at my website later, they can see some examples while I'm talking to them.

Do you have a miniature portfolio or brochure for your work? Is there something else extra special that you use to promote yourself? I am interested to hear about it! I am also thinking of offering these little guys as a service to other artists. I love making promotional materials! What do you think?

Tomorrow! Last minute show!

2009-06-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

Hey! Tomorrow I'll be vending at the KPSU 15 Year Anniversary Bash:

Pioneer Courthouse Square
701 SW 6th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205

Saturday, June 27th, 2009 - 10am - 10pm

I would've told you earlier, but I was just asked last night to share a booth. So come on downtown & join the fun! Be sure to stop by and say hi while you're there ;)

It's my 3 Year Etsyversary!!!

2009-06-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

"Waiting" was the very first thing I sold on Etsy, 3 days after I opened up shop 3 years ago. I have learned so much since then, about myself, about running a business, about selling art--more than I could possibly share in this one blog post. And I will always have more to learn--I love that! My ultimate goal is to sell nearly all of my work online and have LeaKArts be my primary source of income. For now, all I can do is keep working on it! I am so thankful to each and every one of you who has supported me, by purchasing my artwork, by showing me the ropes, by offering me part time gigs to help pay the rent, by being incredibly thoughtful, supportive, and just plain awesome. Thank you!

So, my actual Etsyversary is Tuesday, June 23rd, but all week (through Sunday the 28th) I will be sending a free gift with every purchase! Plus, for blogspot readers ONLY, I will be offering free shipping on all orders over $20. Just put the word "blog" in the notes to seller section during checkout and I will send you an adjusted invoice. This is a great time to buy a larger piece if you've had your eye on one, as the shipping can be spendy!

4 Generations

2009-06-17T07:18:00.001-07:00

Where have I been lately?!? Heehee :) Lost in a whirlwind of the end of the school year, 4 days with my mom and grandma visiting, and trying to get settled into summer when day camp hasn't quite started yet. Touristy visits to the Rose Garden (above) and cruising down the Williamette on the Portland Spirit, piles of Indigo's artwork still in my doorway from the last day of school, play dates, shipping packages between it all. Even as I type this, at 7:28 am, Indigo's friend is talking to me about swimming while she waits for Indigo to get dressed and come out to play. Summer is definitely chaos around here. Fun chaos, but chaos nonetheless. I am yearning for this weekend, when Indigo will be at her dad's and I can sleep through the night and have a couple of days of quiet all to myself. A couple of days to re-center myself, focus, and breathe in a few moments of Solstice.

Custom painting in progress

2009-06-07T10:56:00.001-07:00

A couple of months ago my friend John requested a custom painting of giraffes. This is a brief post, but I thought it would be fun to share a bit of my process with you! My process with custom work is a bit different than for my personal work, so in the future I plan on making a video showing you how I usually approach a painting. Hopefully soon, but no promises :)

Normally when I start a painting, I grab a sharpie and start drawing directly on the canvas in permanent ink. This is because I love working intuitively and I love the challenge of incorporating any "mistakes" that I make. When I am doing a custom piece for someone, however, I like to sketch it first in charcoal so that I can plan it out and get it just right.

Blocking out some large areas of color.

Maoiliosa.etsy.com

2009-06-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this post ever since I received this beautiful washi wall scroll in the mail from my even more beautiful friend Melissa of maoiliosa.etsy.com. My photos don't give it justice at all, but I wanted to show her a photo of it in it's happy new home right next to my desk :) Thank you Melissa!

New Portrait of the Buckman Elementary School Chorus

2009-06-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Every year the parents of the children in the Buckman Chorus like to present Regina Pirruccello, head of the chorus as well as drama/music teacher at Buckman, with a really nice gift. This year I was deeply honored when they approached me to do a portrait of Regina with the children in the chorus. There are 90 children involved, so it was impossible with only a week's time to include all of them, but I really wanted Regina to be the highlight of the portrait anyway. Ellen Regal, another Buckman parent as well as a photographer, was kind enough to let me use her photographs of the chorus as a reference. The final portrait comes from a composite of about 5 of her photos altogether.

If you are interested in having me do a portrait for you, send me an email at leak@leakarts.com. You can view for examples of my portraiture (including pet portraits!) here.

Vacation

2009-05-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

You should see the chaos in my apartment. Wait a second! I take that back. I would NEVER want any of you to see the chaos in my apartment! Desk covered in papers, to-do lists, and a bunch of crap that needs to be put away. Floor covered in reference photos, paints & brushes & the partially finished portrait that I have been commissioned to do for Indigo's school. Bins from Art Hop that need to be inventoried & put away. Packages ready to go to the post office, trash ready to be taken out, laundry for neighbor to finish with the dryer so I can dry it so that....I can pack!

That's right, this evening I am leaving for a much-needed getaway. It is Mary's birthday and we are having an all-girl, grownups only weekend trip to the beach! It is only hours away, but I. Cannot. Wait. Except that I am SO thankful that I work from home so that I can take care of all of that chaos mentioned in the previous paragraph before I leave! That way I can go & relax, and come back to a moment of harmony before it gets all mixed up again.

If you are a customer, my shops are still open! I just won't be able to answer any convos until Sunday night, and besides one final trip to the post office this afternoon, I won't be able to ship your orders until Tuesday (5/26).

I hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend too!

I Love Portland (or, "How Was the Alberta Art Hop?")

2009-05-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

In case I don't say it often enough, I really do love this town :) Yesterday at the Art Hop was awesome! The weather was sunny enough for everyone to shed their Winter layers for their pretty/hip/wacky/funky/skimpy/whatever else Summer ones, which made for great people watching. We had a nice cool breeze most of the day, which kept the sun from being overpowering. I had lots of friends visit my booth, even some friends from London who were on their last day in Portland before flying home! Here are some photos from the day and a little video clip of the parade:I brought sidewalk chalk and Danielle and I colored the street in front of our booth. We only had one person do our hopscotch though.

Here's my half of the booth. With one half of the tent up against a curb, we were on a steep enough hill for everything to be pretty crooked. :)

And here's Danielle's half! Much more balanced than mine :)

Danielle :)

John, with the awesome mustache glass he just bought from my friend Amanda of Bread and Badger.

And finally, part of the parade!

Alberta Art Hop 2009!

2009-05-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is the Alberta Art Hop! With a great weather forecast, I am so psyched. I am sharing a booth, as always, with Danielle of MissPurl, and I'll be painting in the booth most of the day. So make sure to stop by, say hi, and check out my new artwork & Danielle's fabulous earrings! We'll be on 20th and Alberta. See you there!

Hip Happening this Saturday--get those last minute Mother's Day gifts!

2009-05-04T12:52:00.001-07:00

Come visit me this Saturday at my booth at Hip Happening in Sellwood! I have never tried this venue before, so I am very exited to check it out. It will be a great opportunity to check out lots of local art and pick out something last minute for your Mama (she'll never know, and even if she did, she'll be glad you waited for such awesome stuff!).

See you there!

Pleasure and Purpose

2009-05-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

Last month I had a goal: to post enough new items in my shop to have 100 items listed. I fell just short of it--with 94 listed on the last day of the month and one sale that afternoon, I had 93 by the end of the day (yay!). However, I still feel that I reached my goal, as I have 95 items listed at this moment and more than enough new drawings and paintings to bring that number over 100 (I like to space out my listings a bit rather than posting them all on the same day).

What is the point of such a goal? For me, it is two-fold.

From a business standpoint, I have noticed that some of the more successful artists on Etsy have a LOT of items in their shops. Like, hundreds. How does this help them? Well, first of all, due to the number and variety of items listed, they are more likely to come up in various searches. Due to the frequency with which they are listing, they are also more likely to come up at or near the top of those searches. Secondly, it means that they are constantly creating new work which keeps their shops fresh and their customers interested.

From a personal standpoint, having a specific, numeric goal helps me keep focused on what I am doing from one day to the next. It motivates me to get off the computer and get to painting. I always find it fascinating that I should need that motivation--after all, painting is what I really love, not marketing or answering emails or blogging. I like doing those things too, but the painting is the driving force behind them, not the other way around! However, as I'm sure many of you know, it is easy to get lost on the internet, moving from one hyperlink to the next and procrastinating on the things that we really love to do the most.

So, the goal for this month? Get 110 items listed. That, despite the two shows I have coming this month and any and all online sales, too! So, if you really want to challenge me then get to shopping! ;)

Kreativ Blogger Award!

2009-05-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Amanda at Bread and Badger gave me this Kreativ Blogger award yesterday! Thank you Amanda! I would like to keep the award moving, so here are 8 blogs that I love to read (how to choose?!?):

1. http://amarchewka.blogspot.com/
2. http://washibymaoiliosa.blogspot.com/
3. http://the-babble-belt.blogspot.com/
4. http://octavineillustration.blogspot.com/
5. http://christopherandtia.blogspot.com/
6. http://dollsforfriends.com/news/
7. http://littledaisychains.blogspot.com/
8. http://stoneweaver.blogspot.com/

Cyanotype Photograms (Look what I can do!)

2009-04-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

Stagnancy, boredom, restlessness. I think every artist I know, while whiling away hours in the studio, has gone through those awful feelings every now and then. For me, it's been happening during the last week or two. At the same time I have been thinking of all of the printmaking I used to do in college and missing it, wondering how I can integrate it into my current work. I haven't come up with all of the answers yet, but I am definitely on my way.

I find that when I am feeling artistically stagnant, the best thing to do is try a new technique, preferably in the company of friends and fellow artists. Luckily, my friend and simply amazing photographer John is just the man. Not only do we work well together and we are nearly guaranteed to have an evening of hilarity whenever we hang out, but John has a great studio space and is always experimenting with new photographic techniques. The latest one, which he was generous enough to share with me last week and with a group of us last night, is cyanotype.

Creating cyanotype prints involves coating paper with a chemical solution (click the link above for a more detailed description), covering the paper with objects, negatives, or transparencies, and exposing it to UV light. The resulting print, as you can see from the cyanotype photograms that I made above, is a gorgeous deep blue.

I am definitely having fun experimenting with this new technique! I have a little series in mind, and I think I managed to rope John in to at least one more Wednesday. It is helping me look at my work in a new way, and filling that printmaking bug that I've been trying to pin down. I'll keep you updated with new work!

Etsy Supply Street Team ESST

2009-04-27T09:28:00.001-07:00

I just want to take a minute to give a shout out to Team ESST, or Etsy Supply Street Team! I have been on this team for about a year now, and they have been so helpful and supportive to me and my supply shop. Make sure that whenever you are buying craft supplies on Etsy, add "ESST" to your search and you are sure to find thousands of great supplies from some of the sweetest sellers out there!

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T16:18:00.001-07:00

It's Earth Day! As I'm always reminding my daughter, TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF as you leave the room will help the environment a lot. Sorry for the yelling, I just hate feeling like a nag :) Luckily, through the things she learns at school and what I try to teach her, Indigo is really exited about almost anything that will cut back on pollution and help take care of our planet. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed when I think about our carbon footprints, but then I remember that we can only do so much, yet we each can do SOMEthing that will make a difference. Here are some things we do around our home:

*I usually paint with acrylics, but when I do use oil paints, I clean my brushes with vegetable oil rather than turpentine, and I refuse to use any solvents in my painting.

*I use rags rather than paper towels to wipe paint off of my brushes, and I use the same rag for a really long time. By the time I clean my brush with soap and water, it has very little paint left on it.

*I rarely buy bottled water. When I do, I will wash and re-use the same bottle for as long as possible.

*We use cloth napkins. I got these cute ones on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=11162202

*Every Wednesday, I get a huge stack of paperwork from Indigo's school. It's really frustrating, but the school does need to communicate with parents somehow, so I understand. Paper that is only printed on one side, I cut into quarters and use it as scrap paper. Printed on both sides? Recycle.

*Rather than buying serving-size food items (frozen dinners, snack packs, etc.), I buy larger items and divide them up into small tupperware containers. Same with dinners--I cook a large amount and divvy up the leftovers into portion-sized, washable containers so I can grab food and go when I'm in a hurry (also helps me with my weight!).

*Instead of plastic bags, I use tupperware as much as possible, and re-usable grocery bags. When I do get plastic shopping bags, I use them as trash bags rather than just sticking them into the trash.

That's all I can think of at the moment, although I'm sure there are a couple more. It's a good start! What do you do to help our planet?

All A-Twitter

2009-04-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Twitter. You can't escape it, so you may as well give in. Haha! Seriously, though, Twitter is a really fun, potentially addictive website. You get 140 characters to say whatever you want throughout your day. You can tell people what you're doing, share a cool link, promote your business, chat with friends, or anything you want! As someone who spends most of her day working alone in her apartment, I have to be careful not to tweet every random neurotic thought that pops into my head. But I really love it! Here's an example of my most recent tweets:

So, who are these people, you ask, that you are chatting with, sharing links (or neurotic thoughts) with? They are your followers. YES! I started by finding a number of friends and following them, and they followed me back. Now, through sharing my twitter link on various sites, I have nearly 450 followers and growing. Some people follow everyone who follows them. Others only follow a limited number of people so that they can have a more personal interaction with their followers.

Like I said, you can tweet whatever you want! It is similar to the "updates" that you can type into facebook or myspace. I like to share some of my thoughts during the day. Also, whenever I list a new item in my Etsy shops or update my blog, I will share a link. I try not to over-do the links though. I want people to take a look at what I'm doing & I want to build my customer base, but I don't want to come across as annoying. Like any social networking site, or anywhere in life, really, there is a fine line of etiquette and it can vary a bit from person to person. Different people are interested in following others for different reasons, too, so don't be surprised if you lose a follower or two here, and gain a few more there.

See you on twitter!

Pondering Star

2009-04-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school, I had the most amazing art teacher. Her name was Mrs. Luna, and I learned more from her about art making than from almost any other single instructor I had in college. While my drawing style is very illustrative, that has developed over many years and I actually can do very realistic drawings if I feel like it. That is thanks to Mrs. Luna, who gave me a lot of the basic skills that I needed.

I remember a lot of her sayings and rules and one that really stuck with me was that we were not allowed to use erasers in her class. She wanted our drawings to be bold and strong, and she wanted us to learn how to use our mistakes, incorporating them into our drawings rather than erase them. I'm pretty sure that back then that really pissed me off, but it has stuck with me to this day. That idea has really influenced the way that I draw, as well as the way that I begin each of my paintings.

Drawing is one of my greatest passions, and each of my paintings begins with a drawing, in permanent ink (yay sharpies!). If you have ever painted over permanent ink, you will know that even after several coats it may still bleed through, so there is little room for error. What this does for me (besides add interesting effects if I choose to paint over the ink) is give my work a level of confidence that I never had when I spent my time sketching things out in charcoal first. I am sure of every mark, and while I experience my fair share of "happy accidents," nothing is a mistake.

New ACEO's

2009-04-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

New Magnets Listed!

2009-04-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

I'll be getting the rest up today, but as of this posting I have 6 of my new magnets listed! Just click on the photo above to link to them all.

Also, can you believe it's April already? What happened?!? Today is April 2, my friend Josh's birthday. Happy Birthday Josh! He & his wife live all the way in Australia, so I won't be able to celebrate with them, but I'm sending all of my good wishes anyway.

It's funny how inspiring it can be to have a goal...when it is attainable. I am working really hard on giving myself goals that are big enough to be real accomplishments, but small enough to actually achieve. I have a problem of setting huge goals, making crazy-long to-do lists, and ultimately scaring or frustrating myself straight out of achieving anything.

With that in mind, I haven't been posting my goals at the beginning of the month lately, but this month I have a big one for my art shop--get up to 100 listings! For a long time, I have been lingering between 70 and 80 listings, and it's just not good enough. My long term goal is much higher (400-500 listings), but I think 100 is a good start. That means I have 21 to go for the month (more if you buy stuff! I wouldn't mind that at all :) ). It will get me off of my butt and list some things that are finished but unlisted, and inspire me to make more art to reach the goal.

With that said, it's time to list some more magnets and make some more art!

Contest Winner is....Healingstones!

2009-03-29T17:01:00.001-07:00

Wow! Thanks everyone for entering my contest! It was fun (and funny) to read all of your guesses, and a couple of you gave me some new ideas, too :) But nope, not SupplyRiot stuff, these will be going in my LeaKArts shop instead. I bought these awesome glass pieces from The Crafty Dragonfly, and made some large magnets out of my artwork. Each one is 1.5" across and about 1/4" thick, with a flat, very strong neodymium magnet on the back.

Four of you guessed "magnets," so I held a very dramatic drawing involving little slips of paper and my hat, and the winner is....Celia from Healingstones! Yay! Below are all of the choices, Celia, so just let me know which one is your favorite, and it will soon be heading across the ocean and a couple of continents to meet you :)
Finally, I was hoping to have a couple of these listed before the drawing ended, but I am having a bit of technical difficulty with the photos. I'll post again when I have them listed; meanwhile, if you want to purchase one just let me know and I will send you an invoice ($7 + shipping).

Spring Contest!

2009-03-27T19:26:00.001-07:00

As soon as I get some decent light to photograph these beauties, I'll tell you what's inside! Meanwhile I thought I'd tempt you with this picture--it's been a busy week!

Leave me a comment telling me what you think is hidden in these tins. *hint* It's something I'll be selling! From the correct answers, I will draw one name. The winner will get to pick the one they like the most! The drawing is on Sunday, 3/29, so spread the word and don't forget to also leave me a way to contact you in your comment.

Hand painted espresso sign

2009-03-25T12:06:00.001-07:00

It's Spring Break! Which means that Indigo and I get lots of extra time together. Yay! In addition, I have been making new signs for Rich's booth--Cloud Cap Coffeeworks at the Portland Saturday Market. Because Indigo draws the cutest clouds in the universe (okay, so I'm a little biased), and because she's old enough to really be helpful (9 is VERY grown up and helpful!), I had her help me with the sign.

All of the other signs that I made are computer-generated, since they are covered with price lists and such. But this one goes on the side of the booth, and it's replacing a great big vinyl sign, so I thought I would paint it by hand. It is a massive 5 feet x 3 feet, taking up most of my living room/office/bedroom/studio floor (which is why my photo is kinda wonky)! So much fun to work on, though, especially with Indigo's help. She was able to help with almost every step, from gesso-ing the canvas, to drawing the cloud of course (she drew it in charcoal, and I painted over her lines so they would be uniform), to painting in some of the big fields of blue and purple after I carefully lined the edges.

Today is a day to myself, and I'm finishing up lots of projects, but I can't wait for tomorrow when Indigo and I can do some more projects together. I really am in love with her little clouds--maybe I can convince her to make some shrinky-dink ones and attach them to pins or magnets! Tomorrow afternoon, weather permitting, we will be hanging out on Alberta for Last Thursday, so we've got lots of stuff to make :)

Pet & Wedding Portraits

2009-03-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

I am still too groggy this morning to come up with much that's interesting to say. I am really really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning! But I wanted to share with you the portraits that I have finished recently. Of course if you want to order one, you know where to find me!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

I don't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day much, even though I'm 1/4 Irish. Guess I don't like beer enough :) I did go see KMRIA over the weekend, which was awesome, and about as much of a St. Patty's celebration as you'll get out of me. Nevertheless, I though it would be fun to comb through my Etsy shops and see what kind of green I have listed. Click on any of the photos below for a closer look!

Saturday Crafty-ness!

2009-03-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

What to do on a cold, rainy March Saturday? Why, make your own dry-erase boards, of course! Heehee, I'm a dork, I know, but a couple of days ago Indigo and I bought a 2-lb container of strawberries. May sound like a lot, but in this house strawberries don't have a chance and we finished them off last night. I was about to throw the container--one of those clear plastic clamshell thingies--into the recycling when I remembered that I really need a dry erase board. That, and it's Saturday, and we've already been to the movie theater today (we saw Bedtime Stories), and it's raining and cruddy out, and we needed a project to finish off our afternoon.

Here are the basic steps:
Cut out a rectangle (or any other shape!) from the clamshell. It has to be smooth and flat, or the dry-erase markers won't erase.

Cut out a piece of white poster board (or matt board) the same size as your clear plastic.

Using a stapler, staple the plastic and the poster board together on all four edges. It doesn't have to be perfect--your frame will cover it up.

Take 4 wide popsicle sticks or strips of wood and measure how long you want them to be around your board. If you're using popsicle sticks, you can probably cut them to size with scissors.

Paint the popsicle sticks! We used acrylic paints, but you could use tempera or watercolor, or even decopage them.

It is really stinky, but I used E6000 to glue the popsicle sticks to the plastic side of the boards. It sticks to plastic better than hot glue.

I also used E6000 to glue a couple of magnets to the back of the boards, so they will stick to the fridge or the inside of a locker. Pretty cool, huh?

I have heard that you can also use this kind of plastic to make your own shrinky dinks, which will probably be my next project when we have another container to recycle. It makes me feel a lot better to be able to use this kind of stuff and not just throw it away. Even in a recycling container, where I am not sure whether it will actually be recycled or not. Now, to go pick up those aliens...

Great Big Hole

2009-03-11T10:05:00.001-07:00

Notice anything strange about my booth space at the Buckman sale last weekend? Like...the great big hole at the top? That's right! The Buckman Art Show and Sell went fabulously! I sold several things, including a favorite, "Autumn:"

It sold on Friday night, while I was at the Spoon show. So when I checked my email before heading to Buckman on Saturday, I had a note from Danielle, "Oh Yeah! Uh huh uh huh!" I thought, hmmm...what's going on here? And when I arrived at the show, there was my booth with a great big hole in it. Yay! I always love when my art finds a new home, and it was really great to sell a larger piece so I know Buckman will be getting some money (30% of all sales go to the school). Overall, the show was a blast, and I got to spend the day with Danielle:
and Leah:
And Chris, who's booth I tried to take a picture of but I ended up getting a bunch of goofy photos instead. :)

Spoon

2009-03-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

After hanging out at Buckman for a little while and a super-yummy dinner at Hoda's, I got to go see Spoon last night at the Crystal Ballroom! It was awesome! Besides the fact that I think every 7-foot-tall man in Portland gathered in front of me, and some wacky girls dancing out of control and with no rhythm whatsoever for the first couple of songs were pretty distracting. But what the hell, I got some glimpses of the band and got to dance a bit so it was fantastic.

Now I'm getting some coffee in my system and getting ready to head over to Buckman for the day, so I hope I'll see you there!

Buckman Art Show & Sell

2009-03-02T09:53:00.001-08:00

Yay! It's that time of year again! The Buckman Art Show & Sell, this coming weekend at Buckman Elementary. Stop by and check out all of the amazing art by Buckman kids and fabulous local artists, performances, food and more! Proceeds benefit Buckman, which has a special place in my heart as it is Indigo's school. My art will be up both days, but if you come Saturday, be sure to stop and say hi, 'cus I'll be there too. :)

Busy busy

2009-02-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

No excuses here, but normally I like to blog fairly regularly. The past week or so has just been to overwhelming for me to think about it, though. Some of it is really good, some is really bad, all of it adds to the busy-ness. Some times things just pile on and this is one of those times. So I haven't blogged, I've barely answered emails, and I've even laid off of twitter for a few days! In case you have been sitting around, waiting for my next entry, here's what has been going on:

First, I got a huge custom order in the middle of last week. Hooray! Hap-hap-happy dance!

Then, I found out a good friend of mine has stage 3 cancer. I spent a few hours with her when she told me, and now we're working on a project taking some photos before she goes through treatment.

The day after that, my phone fell out of my pocket and was promptly stolen.

Saturday, Rich and I got in his car to go replace my phone and his car wouldn't start. We went to my car, and when I put my key in the door it just spun around and around. So I can't lock my car anymore (which is fine, nothing valuable anyway, but now I have a big piece of red tape over the lock so I don't do it on accident and lock myself out!).

Got a new phone--yay! Then one of the cv joints went out in my car. Got that fixed while I spent a couple of hours volunteering in my daughter's classroom.

Yes, this is all within the past 7 days. I think now I will go take a nap.

Teaching Collage on Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of going into Indigo's classroom for 2 hours to teach the kids some collage techniques. It was a great experience for me on so many levels!

First of all, kids are just plain awesome. Whenever I have a chance to be around lots of them I am amazed at the diversity of their genius. Some of the kids have an intuitive eye for composition and easily created gorgeous collages. Others came out a little rougher, but they had a great story to go along with it. All of them were so exited to go through my box of scrap paper and tear it up!

Secondly, I have been wanting to do some teaching for a long time. Not as a full time teacher, but little art workshops. For a number of reasons I had never really done it before, mostly some weird lack of self confidence which led to, well, terror. Ha! I was super nervous the past couple of days, but somehow today I was just fine. I felt calm going in there and had no trouble talking to the class, showing them my own artwork, talking to them about some different examples, and leading them through the project. It was a lot of fun!

I took tons of pictures, too! I can't believe these kids are only 8 and 9 years old. Here are some of my favorites:

Happy Birthday Dylan!

2009-02-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

It's been about 30 years (*ahem*) since this photo was taken of my brother and I, and I can still remember that couch! It was in our living room until some time in high school when my mom finally replaced it. What I'm even more exited about is Dylan's (yes, he was named after Bob) little yellow shirt and those awesome plaid overalls. Aw!

Dylan and I were always close growing up and we usually got along really well. We played dress up and skate boarding, swung in the branches of the giant weeping willow in our back yard. Dylan would spend all of a Saturday morning setting his GI Joe's up just right in the living room, and my Barbie (who was of course riding a My Little Pony), would swing through and crush them. We built forts and played Atari, ate Pac Man cereal and went swimming all day. Being a little kid with Dylan was pretty awesome.

Now we both have our own kids, and he lives in Colorado while I live in Oregon. It makes me a little sad that we can't spend more time together and that our kids can't grow up together. I miss him a lot. But that just means a lot of extra fun every time we do see each other!

I love you Dylan! Happy Birthday!

Portland LOVE Show

2009-02-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

It's time for the 4th Annual Portland Love Show! Featuring the work of over 200 artists, this is going to be one fantastic shindig. On Saturday I had the pleasure of volunteering to do art intake for a few hours, so I can tell you first hand that the quality and diversity of the art is truly stunning.

Opening night is Friday the 13th from 7pm until Midnight at the Olympic Mills on 107 SE Washington in Portland. Partial proceeds benefit the Oregon Food Bank and Buckman Arts Focus. Bring a can of food to donate! All ages!

The piece to the left is my entry, entitled, "In Love," 2009. Ink and acrylic on reclaimed wood.

First Thursday Fun!

2009-02-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

So....the show was great last night! Here's a great big giant thank you to everyone that made it, not to mention the musicians, volunteers, and Melissa Sillitoe herself for hosting! Thank you! Here are a few photos from the evening:

This is the initial view of the gallery wall--the 1st 6 paintings are my new teeny-tiny 5" ones!

Peeps!

Heather & Elijah checking it out.

Luke Lefler & Melissa Sillitoe!

Singer/songwriter Laura Chase

People checking out the hip-hop stylings of Incre:mentals. The awesome painting on the middle post of the room was done by the spectacular Chris Haberman.

No art-show night is complete without John and Amy! Check out John's stunning photography this month at Urban Wine Works (407 NW 16th Ave, Portland, OR)!

First Thursday @ the Show & Tell Gallery!

2009-01-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

"Indulgence," by Lea Keohane 2009. Acrylic on Canvas.

First Thursday: February 5, 2009
"Introspection"
New Paintings by Lea Keohane
Show & Tell Gallery
Everett Station Lofts, 625 NW Everett #231
6-9 pm

With music by Inkre:mentals from 7-9 pm

Itty-bitty teeny-tiny

2009-01-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Often times I like to paint on pieces of masonite board. Whenever I do this, I have to pull out my hacksaw (some day I will have a bigger studio & electric saws!), and cut up a bunch of 1"x 2" boards to build a frame on the back of the masonite. This way I can add screw eyes and a wire so that it will hang nicely on the wall when it's finished.

Every time I build a "canvas" in this way, I end up with little wooden blocks, and I just can't seem to part with them. I have been meaning to paint on or do some creative project with them literally for years! They have been sitting there, on the shelf above my drawing table looking very cute and enticing but I somehow resisted their pull. Until a few days ago, when they finally got the sanding and layers of gesso that would turn them into little pieces of affordable art, just like they have always deserved :)

For more information, close-up photos, and purchasing info, just click on the photo above or the title of each painting!

33 Years on Earth

2009-01-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know exactly what was happening in my life in this photo, in 1976, but whatever it was, it was pretty funny! Today I am feeling just as happy, and this week especially I have so many things to be thankful for. I especially can't wait for Friday night, when I get to go dancing with a whole bunch of friends. So, Happy Birthday me! :D

If you want to get me a present, please see this post, 'cus what I'd really like for my birthday is to give a big fat check to the Oregon Food Bank at the end of the month!

January 20, 2009

2009-01-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Growing up, much as I got along with nearly all of my teachers, they still did not particularly appreciate my habit of sketching while I listened to their lectures. Like it or not, however, putting my pen to paper and keeping the creative half of my brain entertained helped me focus on their words, processing them in my own way. In an instance or two, it literally kept me from falling asleep during an especially...erm...boring lecture. I still have some of my high school and college notebooks--while I no longer need the lecture notes that they contain, I find myself unable to part with the doodles in the margins.

It's a habit that I still have, apparently. I often find myself sketching while watching tv or talking on the phone. Or, in this case, while I watch/listen to one of the most historically important speeces of my lifetime, the inaugural address of President Obama. As I listened, I continually wiped the tears from my eyes, and I felt the need to capture the moment. So I grabbed my markers and sketchbook, and the above drawing is what I came up with during the remainder of his speech.

Art for Food

2009-01-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

This is a week of hope, a week of change, a time that has been long in the making for our country. I do not have the words to describe the profound importance of today, the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, followed by the inauguration of President Barack Obama tomorrow.

As we all know, this is also a time of severe economic crisis. I have been trying to shield myself from too much news of this in order to avoid panic seeping into my consciousness. But I cannot ignore my own financial struggles. As I struggle personally, I find that I also cannot ignore the fact that so many people have it much worse than I do. However little I have, there is always someone that has less, that needs more. I am lucky to have food in my cupboards, a roof over my head, an amazing group of supportive friends and family in my life. Some people have none of those things.

I would like to celebrate this amazing time in our country's history, and to contribute to the solution of our struggles in whatever small way I can. In this spirit, I have decided that for the remainder of January, I am donating 50% of all of my art sales to the Oregon Food Bank. In all honesty, I have needed their help before, so I know in a very personal way what it means to need food in such a way.

If you would like to help, you can purchase anything from my Etsy shop: http://LeaKArts.etsy.com. I also have a lot of original paintings that are not listed in my shop, so I am listing them below, with a "buy now" button below each one. On February 1st, I will write a check out for 50% of all sales (minus shipping) to the Oregon Food Bank. Let's give some real relief to people that really need it!

"Antiquated," 2008 by Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved. 12" x 12" Mixed Media on board.

"What She Becomes," by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved. 24" x 24" acrylic on canvas.

"Realization" by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved. 18" x 24" Acrylic on masonite.

"Autumn" by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved. 24" x 18" mixed media on masonite.

"Quiet Strength," by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved. 18" x 24" acrylic on masonite.

"Dream Body," by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved. 24" x 24" mixed media on masonite.

Articulated Greeting Cards!

2009-01-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

You may know that I have been making ACEO's with moving parts for some time now. But over the past couple of months, I have been attaching my little articulated characters onto greeting cards! I am having a lot of fun with them, and I hope that you do too, whether you send them as cards, or keep them for your own little piece of art!

Help Save Handmade Toys!

2009-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

Jackie the Octopus from Dolls For Friends

Many of you probably already know about this, but I'm sure some of you do not. For those who don't, and for those who weren't sure what to do about it, this article is for you.

Small businesses who make handmade toys, clothing, books, and all other items for children are in serious danger of being shut down. I don't know about you, but I would MUCH rather spend my hard-earned money on quality, handmade items for my daughter, than a bunch of junk from a big box store. It is comforting to know that each item was made with love, quality, and care, and that I am supporting a fellow artist and small business person with my purchase. Not to mention that so many of the small businesses in question are within my own art community and so many are personal friends.

I want to make sure that you get all of the correct information, so PLEASE go to this article at Change.org! Read the article to get all of the facts. Then, at the top left-hand corner of the article, vote! It is very important that this gets the attention of our President Elect so that we can save literally thousands and thousands of small businesses from ruin.

Time to make your Valentines!

2009-01-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

I must admit, some years I think Valentine's Day is a crock. Other years I get really exited about it. It really doesn't have to do with whether or not I have a sweetie in my life--I'm not sure what it is, exactly. One year I was perfectly single, and I randomly decided to make valentines, vanilla bath salts, and homemade hot chocolate packets for all of my female friends.

Anyway, this year I am exited about it! Especially since I have come across some cool supplies to make really interesting valentines. I am not sure yet what I'll be doing or making, but these things inspire me nonetheless! So I created a little "Make Your Valentines" section in my supply shop to help spark your creativity too :)

Messenger

2009-01-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

You may or may not remember the sweet owl that I encountered in the park a few weeks ago, but I did end up painting him. Twice, actually. The painting above, and the one below, which one of my very dear friends Melissa bought from me :)

"Little Messenger," by Lea Keohane 2008. All Rights Reserved.

I had a lot of fun painting him, and I don't think I'm finished. I really enjoy how, while I used the same basic composition for both pieces, they each have a different sort of character to them. A friend of mine, who was with me when we found the owl, tells me that owls have very strong medicine, and that he/she was bringing us a message. What that message was, I am not sure, but I am very grateful for being allowed to capture him on film and in paint.

Portraits make great Valentine's Presents!

2009-01-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

Good Omen for the New Year

2008-12-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you a story about a girl (a woman, really, but she felt at the time that "woman" sounded very old). This girl, at the age of 27, had promised herself that by the age of 30 she would be out of the food service industry. You see, since she had graduated from college with a toddler on her hip, she had been working as a waitress, a bartender, a caterer, her dreams of being an artist continually frustrated.

By the time she turned 28, she had reached this small goal. Instead of working bizarre hours breaking her back to serve people hand and foot, she had gotten herself a job in an office. Doing inventory and accounting, of all things in the world. And while the hours were steady and her paychecks were predictable, the girl was still very, very unhappy with her work. So unhappy that her wrists developed a painful condition and she was rendered completely unable to do the job. So she finally quit and went to work for herself.

During the short years the girl had been working in this office, however, she had been tending to a beautiful Christmas Cactus along with all of the other office plants. She liked to take cuttings from the cactus and grow new plants. One of these baby cacti was sitting on her desk, and while it had never flowered she still loved it, so she took it home with her when she left the job forever.

The baby cactus grew, and was moved to several locations within the girl's apartment, until it finally settled on a shelf above the girl's drawing table. There it sat for more almost 4 years, growing to its limit, but never ever flowering. Meanwhile, the girl had managed to work for herself, first in business with a dear friend, then opening up a business for herself. As time went on, she was able to work on her art more and more, and while she was not yet making a living from it, she became more and more confident in the possibility.

As the year 2008 came to a close, the girl reflected on the failing economy, the presidential election, the wars in the Middle East. She wondered in what unseen ways these things reflected themselves in her own life, and how her life would play out in year to come. How could she get her business to grow? Her art to thrive? Would she have to find another job? Go back to school? So much uncertainty, she tried to just move on and put her worries aside.

Then, on the last day of the year, the girl, nearly 33 years old now, woke up just like any other day. She made breakfast for her daughter, got dressed, did the dishes. It had been several weeks, but this morning she remembered to water the cactus in the corner (poor thing, if it were not a cactus it would have died ages ago, as did all of the other plants the girl had ever owned before). Suddenly, the girl gasped, as she saw that the cactus had finally, for the first time in it's entire life, sprouted flowers! Beautiful, delicate little pink buds.

The girl called her daughter over to take a look. Then she happily announced that it was a good omen for the New Year. She took a picture and wrote a silly blog in fairy-tale fashion, to share with all of her friends.

The End

Happy New Year!

Hello Blog!

2008-12-30T09:48:00.001-08:00

Didja miss me? It has been a blizzard-y, frozen, holiday-filled couple of weeks, and so I'm afraid my poor blog has been sadly neglected. In addition to a 2 week long Winter Break from school, Indigo missed nearly the whole week prior because of the snow and freezing rain! But it has given us a lot of fun time to stomp through snow, celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, and Winter Solstice (we do all 3!), pet-sit for friends, and more. So, while I do have lots of art to share as well, this post is all about our Wintery December:

Portland is dubbed "The City of Roses," among it's other nicknames. This beautiful rosebush was made even more stunning by a thick layer of ice covering every leaf.

What is winter without stomping through 14" of snow and ice to get a vanilla steamer and a chocolate croissant? So happy La Crema was open :)

Then there was the 3 hours spent baking cookies! Yum!

Pet sitting for some friends, we took full advantage of their snow-filled yard.

The best tree-topper ever, if I do say so myself :) Made, of course, by Indigo, for 2 of our bestest friends, Katie and Chris. We got to have Christmas at their house with their sweet babies (2 dogs and a cat) while they were out of town.

I hope you all had a lovely December as well!

Gift Certificates!

2008-12-19T10:57:00.001-08:00

I have been meaning to do this for a long time, but I kept forgetting. Then I saw this Storque article and remembered. Yay!

Just in time for those very last-minute gifts (you KNOW you're not done shopping yet!), a LeaKArts gift certificate. The one I have listed is for $20, but I am happy to make you your very own for any amount you wish.