Something weird: Last Saturday I got an email I had written to myself a year ago from the website futureme.org. It was a tad surreal, for the following reasons:
1. I vaguely remember writing it.
2. I had addressed it to "the future Kathleen".
"Past me" reminded the "present me" of how much progress a person can make in a year. Even when it seems like you aren't going anywhere. You are, you are.
One of the things I had written was the yearning to open an online shop. Alas, the wheels have been turning in my head for a long time. But, look now I'm making progress....
I think there is some power in writing things down. If you take the time to scribble down of all of your dreams, your whims, your goals...you might be surprised how many of them actually come true. I'm going to write another letter to the "future me" this week, doing just this.
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It's rather cathartic to work in so many different mediums. I've never really been able to choose. Even when I was in college, I ended up majoring in "General Art" because I favored working all over the board. I could've easily had a degree in photography or fiber arts (I was only a few credits short in both areas). But rather I chose to do everything from sculpture, to painting, to working with blow torches. Yes blow torches! I just love the act of creating itself...you know. It has a natural way of unraveling all of life's worries that weigh down my weary little head.
That said, I've been in creative mode this week. These are some new crystal pendant necklaces I've been working on as of late...
I also recently discovered a very cool way to make cd labels out of origami paper. I didn't have any of the sticky labels on hand, so I traced around an actual cd and cut the circle a tiny bit smaller. The real genius of this is the adhesive, I used spray mount. No bumps, lumps, or gluey mess...ah, pure genius.
posted by Liquid Sky Arts at 1:07 PM
9.23.2004
The hats are done, It's time for tea.
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I was working in the garden a few days ago, when I looked up into the sky to see a heart & smiling face staring back at me.
I think, it's got to be good karma to pass these images on...
Skywriting desktops: Click on the thumbnails to go to the larger version. (windows: right click to save) (Mac: click mouse, and save)
posted by Liquid Sky Arts at 4:59 PM
9.19.2004
Today on my website, I'm going to reach a new girlie low by posting this picture of ribbons. See?!
Last week I had an affair with the craft aisle in Walmart (a.k.a. Mulletmart, let's say it properly). Everything's so cheap there I decided to just go ahead and buy out the whole aisle. Why not?
Ok...in all seriousness. These are ribbons that were purchased for the little girl's tea party hats that I've been making. It's impossible to make something as innocent as tea party hats without adding in something a little naughty to even it out. So, thanks to HBO on Demand I watched season 6 of sex in the city while making them. Has so much time passed since the shows end that I had utterly blocked out how great that series was from my memory?! It made me miss my sister's phone call on the following Monday to discuss Carrie's outfits & love life. Good times.
Chinatown ended up being a big bust this weekend, since some emergency doctoring was required by Shawn on our garage roof. Instead, I had one of those totally quiet uneventful weekends.
I walked downtown by myself and bought a latt� at Diedrich's cafe.
Had quite an existential conversation about Toffee blended drinks with the barista.
Dude behind the counter, kept giving the same silly speech to each entering customer about how great the toffee coffee drink is.
I told him I hate toffee.
A lie.
He told me, it didn't taste like toffee.
Another lie.
I asked him if he got a commission for selling toffees.
He said no.
"So, what's the deal then"?
He said once the toffee mix was all gone, he'd never have to make (and I quote) "that vile drink ever again".
The truth.
As he said it, he turned red in the face.
It's fun to challenge people.
I watched him give the same toffee speech to the next man that walked in.
And... He bought one.
More new lows on this website. I just said I had an "existential conversation about Toffee coffee". Where is my head tonight?
Since the chinatown excursion was postponed here is a junk drawer teaser. Actually this is a picture of one of my paper drawers. I guess I have a weird paper fetish?
If the weather is willing next weekend (not scathingly hot as it has been), I have a trip planned for China Town in Los Angeles to pick up some goodies for my sister's birthday and other things to fill my present drawer. It's usually filled with little do-dads like Chinese paper-cuts, accordion lanterns, origami sets, geisha paper wallets, and pretty embroidered tassels like the one pictured above. I'm pretty sure, I have one of the best junk drawers in existence. I'll have to take a picture of it sometime, it's such a colorful treasure trove.
Over the weekend I was madly trying to rescue my pictures that were on a disappearing webserver, and found this old one from our last house. I had painted different sized terra-cotta pots with complimentary colors using acrylic paints...and displayed them all together. I love the effect. Since then, those pots have been weathered or broken. I'm going to have to make some again, it just looks so good!
This week movie fever has struck me. I'm flip-flopping between going to see Garden State and Quentin Terantino's new film Hero. The imagery from Hero looks phenomenal.
posted by Liquid Sky Arts at 11:56 AM
9.06.2004
The annual street faire took over our streets this weekend. The city closes off the main stretch of road just beyond my house, to make way for booths filled with international fanfare. Ireland is always the rowdiest bit, that's where the beer booth and main bandstand is. But really it's the neighborhood parties that really have all of the flair. Since this is an historic neighborhood, practically everyone has a porch. Where there are porches there are parties. Parties with raging local bands playing on front lawns, and beach chairs...and patiently strung fairy lights in the trees.
Strangely a passerby from the fair left a little Hercules sitting on my fence in the front garden. (???!!!!) But thank you to whoever put him there, because when I found it gave me a good laugh. I decided to leave him there in the hopes one of my neighbors kids will find him and give him a new home.
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I've been working on these felt flowers like the one pictured above, as a favor for a friend who's throwing a little girls birthday/tea party. The dining room table has now inadvertently turned into a felt flower garden. I had to give one up already to Freckles my silly little cocker spaniel. He was so taken with the bright colors that he hurriedly snatched one off the table to keep with his toys.
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Check out: Rachel Wingfield, an amazing London-based artist who's created a traditional style flocked, electroluminescent wallpaper. The wallpaper looks normal during the daylight, but comes to life with light with ambient noise levels. (In other words, light amazingly travels through the design with the rising noise.) I'm imagining my office which is always flanked with stereo noises and animal noises (bird chirps, dog barks, what have you...) being plastered with this electro-sensitive paper. The idea is so genius. It's exactly how I imagined the future of design would be. Taken abruptly to the next level. In an off-hand way it reminds me of a much higher tech version of one of Tord Boontje'sbeautiful designs.
