“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” 

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!

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.

Mail Time!

Just got exciting mail this afternoon! Some stickers I drew finally came in and I can't wait to start selling art so I can slap these babies on the packages! I love making this kind of stuff and developing "my brand." 

Just trying to be make design funny and functional and I hope people get a kick outta it sometimes. 

PS. I can't even touch my toes so that yoga master back bend pose was clearly not inspired by my bodily ways. 

PPS. Hairy legs > Fishnet stockings. 

I'm Headed DOWNTOWN!

As you know, I work with StudioDIY to create some kick butt, totally cute graphics and printables for their cool and colorful blog! I love it, truly.

Here is one of the projects I finished in March that just got blogged about! (Side note: SO hard to keep an exciting project secret for so long! But I DID IT.)

Anyways, it's a Choose Your Own Adventure guide to how to successfully spend a day in Downtown L.A. and it looks like SO much fun! Road trip, anyone?... Like for serious. 

Number one reason it looks so AMAZING is all the yum snacks! Food is my most favorite expense and hobby. (StudioDIY, you have my heart.)

It involved a lot of lettering, which I am totally about! But I can be so picky about how my writing looks, so even though it looks cute and casual, I put in some major love perfecting it all!

Anywho, fun project and I made a cute little Instagram teaser too :) 

I painted a palm tree quick and made a pattern and laid the title of the piece on top!  (Funny story, I didn't have ANY palms in the original piece, but after making the teaser all about them... I had to add them at the top of the guide! Cohesion. Oops.)

The silly pattern.

The Instagram teaser!

Another version of a potential Instagram teaser- this one was unused but I still like it :)
(Rough texture of the letters is from actual gouache painting of words that were scanned in.)

Always looking forward to working with StudioDIY again! If you want to check the post out for yourself (you should!!!,) just click here!

And for the heck of it (and to pay homage to the title of this post...)

Ooooh, Mack is too real. 

Cryday the 13th

Any day in the life of Danielle could be considered Cryday (I'm emotional,) but today is actually Friday the 13th and it's time for my favorite tradition! Tattoo parlor around the world (probably, did not fact check) have Friday the 13th tattoo specials and looking at all the really bizarre, terrible gag ideas they come up with (and that people wait in line for!) is just... hilarious. Some places here ink people for $13 and it's really great. (Check out the tag #fridaythe13thtattoos and then thank me later.)

Clockwise from the top left: Rob McElchenny a la Always Sunny, dumb bone tattoo idea to show you're tough, a WAHHHbulance, a cool LL Cool J reference, sad toaster strudel, Kylie Jenner's lips and Sandlot reference.

Anyways, last year, I came up with my first flash sheet making fun of the idea of cheap, perfunctory tattoos, and I had time to dream up some new ones last night. (I'm honestly questioning why no one is questioning why I drew a sad toaster strudel...)

Side note: this is not directed at anyone in particular, I'm just having fun! I honestly don't care if you get cheap tattoos or expensive tattoos or if they do or don't have meaning. PLEASE consider getting Mac tattooed onto your neck though, I would really love to see someone appreciate my creativity. THX

Sneak Peek!

Sneak peek of one of my new patterns (I have two!)

I am testing out a new potential product and so far loving it! Super sturdy, tough phone case with vivid and clear printing. 

I got a couple other things in the mail this weekend that have my work printed on it too! Exciting! More soon.