Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Pryor Experience

One great thing about DC was all the talented people I worked with and learned from. You'll find good people no matter where you go, (I think I stole that line from a Paul Simon song...) but I am incredibly lucky to find the people I did. I'm a firm believer of supporting anyone I can with their creative endeavors/passions because no one grows without love. (I learned that from experience. Or maybe from another song, I don't know.) Anyways, I'm so grateful to be surrounded by people who lift me up and support even my weakest attempts at art- I'm growing because you guys push me to! (UGH, cheesy, I know.) Point is, I hope I can be a cheerleader to anyone out there busting their bumps doing what they love to do! (Cheerleader figuratively of course, I'm too gross to be part of any pyramid or pom pom formation.)

(You guys tired of me putting all my inner thoughts into annoying parentheses? Yeah, me too. I'll stop.)

The good thing is that it is easy to support the people in my life when they are so damn talented! Keep doing the hard creative part and I'll just be over here crying, obnoxiously yelling "CAN I BE YOU?!" and just generally fan-girling hard. I can't measure up to how great the people I surround myself are, but god damn, you guys inspire me to be not nearly as crappy as I actually am.

"Pizza Anytime" pizza bagel pin (YUM!) and "Do You Have It" Nickelodeon GUTS pin ('90's reference.)

Thanks Carly for sending me some pin love- I'm obsessed with you!!! Thanks for also being my friend when I moved across the country and literally didn't know a single soul. And for introducing me to roller derby. And for eating all the cookies at work that one time.

Visit Carly's website/Instagram/etsy to treat your eyes to some cuteness. Like, do it guys. 

Sunday, June 26, 2016

An American Treasure


Anyone else scared for Jeff Goldblum to age? He just gets better and better looking each passing day and I don't know if human kind is ready for what his gene pool is dishing out. I mean, the man can pull off a fedora, who is this devilish wizard?!

(Digital sketch and scanned in post-it notes.) 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

No comment


Read a book on a meditation and its positive health effects and this stood out to me. 

Material possessions don't buy happiness but hell, if they did...

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Father Lovers


If you signed up for the StudioDIY newsletter, this is all OLD NEWS but if you didn't (lame!) then here is what I made this week! 3 downloadable and printable Father's Day cards! Kelly wanted to do some "Dad Joke" cards and I was all for it! She came up with the copy and I just made them come to life. Yep, just in case you're behind schedule, we totally saved your booty by GIVING you the perfect card for your poppa!

Work in progress shot. I was SUPER struggling to draw that burger guys. It took me way too long to make it even look semi beef-ish.

I love a good dad joke, but my dad is genuinely the funniest guy I know, so I don't think I ever heard jokes like these when I was growing up. I love them though and apparently readers of StudioDIY are totally loving and relating to these. YAH.

PS. That's jelly lettering and PB lettering... if you're thinking it's anything else... Like blood- NO.

PBJs are like my 2nd favorite food, it's the only think I know how to cook (yes, I consider spreading condiments a special form of cooking) and I literally eat them almost everyday and everyone I know makes fun of me for it. So obviously drew one to show it some more love.

My dad had one of the first cell phones and first laptops ever and I remember them so vividly. HUGE. Also he had an awesome briefcase cellphone that he had in his car and I THOUGHT IT WAS SO COOL!

Burgs are like top ten fave foods at the DeLorenzo house because. Uh. Duh. Like, when I lived in DC I mostly missed In N Out burgers.

If your dad lives too far away for you to physically hand him one of these babies, go ahead and save the file above and send it via email! Hopefully your dad knows how to email, otherwise you're out of luck and you're officially the worst son or daughter ever... Kidding. Sort of.

Anyways, if your dad is nearby and you're seeing him tomorrow, here is the link to the downloadable PDF's that are super easy to print and cut out! Just click HERE, homies! (Heads up, they are an A2 size card (aka 4.25x5.5inches) so go to Michael's or Paper Source or some other paper store and pick up some cutie envelopes for these guys!)

This project was too fun, and I hope you guys love it and love your dad's reactions! Please have a fun, relaxing day with your pops and hug him extra hard tomorrow! Dads are way cool.

xoxo.

(These are copyrighted! They are only for personal use. You can't steal these and sell them.) 

Ps. If you think I'm NOT giving these to Papa D tomorrow, you crazy.
I printed mine on a speckled rainbow color paper, they are gorgeous. 



Thursday, June 16, 2016

Mystery Team



What does a burger, a cell phone and peebeejay have in common? No clue. But if you quick (!) go sign up for StudioDIY's newsletter, the mystery will be solved tomorrow morning! Kelly sends a once a week, totally cute roundup email and she'll be giving away 3 of my stationery designs. Exciting!

I'll share the designs later this week, but if you want the first peeks, head on ova to the StudioDIY blog! Like, cmon guys. 

Ps. Life has been kicking my butt the past (long pause---) forever and this commish was tough!!! But SO fun! And turned out cute as fudge... 
Working real early in the morning and being sick and snotty AND trying to stay up late to finish quick projects is testing me mentally/physically/emotionally but I'm still alive. Success. 

Friday, June 10, 2016

“You remember too much, 
my mother said to me recently. 
Why hold onto all that? And I said, 
Where can I put it down?”
Anne Carson, “The Glass Essay” 

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Recap!

Hey cuties! A quick post with too many photos so skip this if you don't want to see my face and/or my art. (Side note, I did lose like 5 followers because I posted a photo of my face on my Instagram... Never again.)

 

Here is me, looking surly as ever at my art show this weekend. (My job requires I wake up at 4 am, so don't judge how gross I am.) I won the "honorable mention" award, which felt like salt in the wound. I'm not a sore loser by any means, it just reminded me of 1st grade Track and Field where I got a TON of purple "Participation awards" that still haunt me from my childhood closet stored snuggly in a box of bad memories.

Note: double chin. I AM HUMAN.


Look at that green and gold... Damn! 


Anyways, I was incredibly honored and happy to be part of this art show! And to get recognized in any way, shape or (ribbon) form. It was a very cool group of young adults making a really vast array of art. Everyone was SUPER talented and represented the desert landscape we live in in such cool, beautiful ways! There were only 11 of us, but this was the SNP's first ever art show so that was a decent group. Above you can see my set up for the show. I was selling all the pieces, but unfortunately there were no sales... Yet! (Postcards have just been posted on etsy and pillows will be listed soon!)


Made some postcards and bought a nice display for them!

If you know me or my art, I am very much about repetition and functionality. I like the idea of spending time and love creating an image and then shrinking it down to be a small part of a larger pattern. The idea of the power of repetitious imagery is something I am continually exploring. I am also super into making art that can be used and loved. As someone who studied fine art and as someone who has so many prints and beautiful pieces surrounding me in my daily life, I like the idea of taking things off the wall and putting them into the hands of the buyer. Art is always seen on a pedestal or behind a protective layer of glass, which is great! But as someone who has worked in the art world and who is a consumer of all things artsy, I know that if a piece has dual functionality, the most likely it will be purchased. What I mean by this is, I'm more likely to buy a tote bag with a beautiful design on it, then buy the same design as an expensive piece of framed art (although I am guilty of that as well.) I like being able to use the art I buy and show off my taste and show off the artist as well! So creating postcards and pillows etc is my way of getting my art into the world and having people utilize it on a daily basis. Form and functionality, I guess if I had to sum it all up. (RAMBLING! Sorry.)


The BEAUTIFUL sunset at the Saguaro National Park last night! The art show was kind of in the middle of nowhere, SO far from the city (50 minutes to be exact) but the views and the vegetation was really breathtaking. Never gets old. Go visit it.

More postcard pictures, oh my gosh.

More photos of the art show and Laura's beautiful prints when they are posted online for me to steal... I wasn't too good at documenting anyone else's work but mine... Selfish. 


A 13x13 square pillow.

Here is one of the pillows I made for the show. So super cute, (if you don't mind me saying.) Mint canvas with embroidered printed front and a cotton flour sack printed back. 

The back of the mint pillow.

A 13x16 rectangular pillow (the front.)
Purple cotton front and cotton flour sack printed back. So sweet and beautiful. 

The backside of the purple pillow.

Anyways, I'm slowly getting back into making products and selling my art. Hope that makes you guys at least half as stoked as I am!

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Weekend Plans


Dumb, quick flyer I made because I didn't super love the "official" flyers that were made.
Oops. No offense.

Got weekend plans yet? Now you do. Come to the SNP's first Youth Art show. (Youths are apparently anyone from 17-25, which explains why I'm so youthful... Sike, I'm old.) I have a piece being shown and I'm selling some home goods and stationery as well. PLUS! Laura Perry will be showing off and selling her printmaking pieces, which are certifiably rad! It's the first time me and my best friend will be showing work at the same show (since like, elementary school when it doesn't even count...) AND it's my first art show since 2014. Groundbreaking.

June 3rd and 4th, 6-8. See ya there.

Psst. Does the flyer look sort of familiar? Totally used the reference photo I took at the SNP a couple posts down and photoshopped it! I obviously took a bunch of photos when I visited, but I just liked how stoic that guy looked, thus the reuse! Unoriginal, I know.