Keeping Busy

At this exact moment, I am listening to Devendra Banhart and updating my Etsy shop. It’s been a crazy few weeks. The big fundraiser at the Mattress Factory, where I work, is just two days away. I’ve been working on a piece of artwork for the auction, and also working on my dress. Photos will be posted once everything is completed.

In art news. I’ve recently met up with a group of ladies who run a co-op gallery/boutique in downtown Pittsburgh. You can follow the gallery on Twitter here. I will be setting up my work in the gallery this next week, so I hope to make some new earrings and artwork within the next week.

Whew! It’s funny how busy you can get once you start a new book.

-Sam

New work..

Here are a few of my new earrings. All vintage materials & sterling silver.

To-do Update.

on 5/3/12 I had posted ‘5 goals for May’

1. Re-vamp my Etsy account  CHECK IT OUT HERE.
2. put unsold works from the Matthews gallery show, up on Etsy  DONE
3. make 15+ pairs of fabric earrings to sell at the MF shop DONE
4. make 5 new embroidery hoop works a week - So far I’ve failed at this,
I’ve started 4 new ones, but haven’t finished any yet.
5. break out the acrylics and finish a painting

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I’m working on a few projects in addition to my previous to-do.

1. I’m working on a playing card dress to wear to the Mattress Factory’s big fundraiser, The Garden Party. Also, I’m doing an art piece for the live auction, and putting together some music playlists for the VIP party. The fundraiser is June 15th, so I’ve got to get grooving!
   
   
2. Currently I’m working on getting my artwork in galleries & art/craft shows in the area. There are a few opportunities that look promising, I just need to make more new work to show!
    
3. Also, M and I are looking at homes, so that has been taking up a lot of time and energy. I’m really excited at the possibility to have a proper studio. Currently each studio session begins and ends by shifting my supplies from one place to another. Also, the majority of my store space is in the basement of my apartment, the basement which is musty and moldy. I have to check periodically to make sure nothing is getting damaged.
   
   The worst moment was when I found a family of silverfish in a bin along with my photography work from college.

thrift finds.

I get 99.9% of my materials from thrift stores, yard sales, antique stores & flea markets. I prefer using these secondhand materials for many reasons:

• connection to the original owners of the item
• the uniqueness of a long forgotten material
• greenness of reusing something, rather than buying new
• I save $ on materials, so my artwork is affordably priced

The Field acrylic, photo transfer, muslin, embroidery hoop. 2012

Detail from The Ugly Ducking 2012.

Getting some photos together for my Etsy shop.

So is it officially summer now? Instagram photo of The Swingset

Where to find me on the internet.

I can’t say no to social media…

Twitter / Etsy / Facebook / The Fancy / Pinterest

Slide inspiration for a new work.

Slide inspiration for Wading.

5 goals for May:

1. Re-vamp my Etsy account  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

2. put unsold works from the Matthews gallery show, up on Etsy  DONE

3. make 15+ pairs of fabric earrings to sell at the MF shop DONE

4. make 5 new embroidery hoop works a week - So far I’ve failed at this, 
    I’ve started 4 new ones, but haven’t finished any yet.

5. break out the acrylics and finish a painting

Strolling, 5” (fabric, thread, embroidery thread) 2012 sold

Cowgirls, 3” - (fabric, photo transfer, embroidery thread, acrylic) 2012

Jumping, 6” - (fabric, embroidery thread, acrylic) 2012

Delving back in

It’s been two years since I graduated with my BFA, and I’ve been in an art-making slump since (with the exception of the last few months). While at school, I was always running. From Art History, to my job, to Ceramics, to Environmental Ethics, back to the studio, then back to my apartment. Always rushing, working on projects at odd hours, and generally feeling exhausted all the time.

Since I’ve graduated, I have gotten married, moved to Pittsburgh, and have been working at the Mattress Factory. I’ve learned to cook a few things, have read many books, listened to many records, and basically taken a creative vacation. I’ve organized my art supplies, gathered materials, and set up a studio space in the basement of our apartment, but that space has proven uninspiring. I have been involved in a few shows, and had some work for sale at the Society for Contemporary Craft for a time, but I had been making very little new work. I think the main reason for this was being outside of the art school mindset, no deadlines, no pressures - so no new work.

With the show at the Matthews Art Gallery, I’m happy to say I’m officially back into the swing of things. I’m keeping an idea book again, and I’m being artistically productive in my free time. So, there’s that.