february to do list.

click for source.

oh, summer.  remember summer?  i feel like i’ve almost forgotten it in the last four months, but i am hopeful that it will happen again in my lifetime.  but until then, i have a lot to do!  it’s the beginning of the month, which means it’s meetup time again. . . i’ve been learning a lot lately about my need to focus on just a few things–one thing at a time, really–in order to make meaningful progress on things.

here’s what’s on the list for february:

1.  finally finish wedding stationery samples, post online, and send to my list of wedding industry contacts.

2.  get website up and running (this isn’t altogether dependent on me. . . )

3.  put together samples of small prints and cards for local shops, submit them.

4.  finish up two logo projects (i’m not getting paid for these, which makes me drag my feet, but i NEED to get them finished!).

5.  write more interestin things on my blog!

6.  practice setting up my art fair tent (or possibly find a new one that is easier to put up), take photos for art fair applications.

7.  get everything ready to go to the tax people.  it helps that i have an appointment.

i think that’s enough to focus on for this month.  all of those items really entail a lot of work, so i’m going to leave the list short and focused.

the books.

i was really happy to begin my year of reading with lorrie moore’s new novel.  it was like eating a really delicious, healthy meal at a nice restaurant–i enjoyed every single sentence, savored every paragraph, and wasn’t ready for it to end.  if you are looking for a new book to read, i cannot recommend her work enough.  she is a favorite, i think because she talks about the  midwest in a way that i think about the midwest.  half the time, i feel like i am one of her characters.

so it was kind of a jolt to pick up my next book, annie proulx’s close range.  it’s good, but really hard reading, especially for the depth of winter.  so i guess i’m looking for a good book suggestion. . . i have a gift card to barnes and noble, so i could go for something new.  maybe something a little more cheery?  thoughts?

woo, monday!  i’m going to be hard at work getting a residency application all done, and a last-minute print started (deadlines are GOOD for me), and the finishing touches on some big additions to the etsy.  but can we talk about a really great art show i saw this weekend?  it was great, one of those shows that makes me so happy to live in a city that loves artists.  the kind of show that reminds me that making art and looking at art is about connecting with others and seeing a new point of view, not really at all about becoming famous or making a million dollars.  the longer i do this making art as a job thing, the more i am able to put my finger on why i make art, why it seems others make art, and why it’s important, all that deep stuff.

the warm family. click the photo for more sam hoolihan work.

and maybe we can talk about how frustrating it is when you want to add someone’s image from their flickr account to your blog post so you can show off their amazing work, but it turns out to say ’spaceball’ and saves only as a gif, so you can’t actually link to or add the photo to make a really beautiful post.  so the best i can do is tell you very adamantly that you need to click on this link right here to see one of my favorite images from the show, and then keep looking around the artist’s photostream at all the bright colors and abstractions of buildings.  they are great!  the bright colors in the middle of the winter made me soooo happy.  and if you know why flickr images are spaceballed, or how to work around that as a blogger, please let me know.  because i don’t have any mean intentions of sharing images without crediting, i just want to tell you about the fabulous things i’m seeing in real life.

i feel totally inspired to get a polaroid and try it out–or maybe just pick up my film camera again.  making a print takes me so long to make, a more instant form of image-making (or image-finding, i suppose) might be a really satisfying thing.  also, i probably just need to get into the studio and make those prints more quickly.  so, i wish there were some more amazing images to go with all these words, but no dice.  go check them out!  some of sam’s polaroids were also from the snapshot shanty, one of the art shanties on medicine lake each year.  looking through the posts remind me of how specifically minnesotan the art shanties (and the contents thereof) are.  i live in a weird, wonderful place (and the fact that i’m saying that on february first is kind of a miracle.  i’m usually planning to move right around this time).

have a great monday, my friends.

new in the shop as of earlier this week:

mountain no. 2

twilight zone no. 3

i’m so grateful to my friend kate for taking photos of my portfolio.  i’m looking forward to her coming to my studio next week to take some much-needed headshots and photos of me working and the process of printmaking.

from saipua

from chelsea.  i love her use of bright colors and simple arrangements.  diy genius.

from studio choo.  i was excited to catch up on their blog and find that they are setting up tiny shop right in my old neighborhood in san francisco!  i also want a pair of their fancy swedish clogs they will be selling there.

when i need a fantasy job, i imagine i work with plants and flowers.  maybe someday i will.  until then, i’ll happily to live vicariously through these talented ladies.

over it.

winter, that is.  it’s strange how i’ve been okay with winter (sort of–more than usual) until right now.  i woke up to another gray day today–i don’t remember the last time i saw the sun! and the switch flipped.  i’m done.  everything takes more thought, everything takes more energy and intention and layers of clothing.

this photo from molly’s flickr has been greeting me on my desktop lately.  it makes me dream of sunshine and travel and getting away and pretty dresses and being warm.  which are all good thoughts for a monday in january, since we have about three more months of winter.  because you can only pep talk yourself so much and sometimes you have to just not think about the new layer of snow that is falling outside right now. . . i think i’m going to spend some time escaping this morning.  it’s also been a long time since i’ve explored the interwebs.  quality coffee + blog time here i come!

joking about acid are sort of a printmaker thing, i suppose.  i still get a kick out of them (at my conservative college’s graduation, my professor dared me–jokingly?–to write ‘i do acid’ on my cap.  if i hadn’t been the first to walk across the stage, i might have. . . ) and so, yes.  on the warmest day this week, i was standing outside the studio, over a tray of clear liquid, laughing to myself.  yep.  awesome (my guess is that no one else finds it quite as hilarious as i do.  that’s okay).

i also made a threatening sign to keep away curious passersby.

and the next day this week, i ventured over to st. paul for an interview at minnesota public radio (the country’s top public radio affiliate, by the way) and the guys at in the loop.  it’s a weekly podcast covering a wide variety of current event topics, available each friday from mpr by clicking the link above.  you can also become a fan of them on facebook, and subscribe to the podcast on itunes.  as i write this at 9:28am (i’ve been at this for an hour, my computer is so slow and old and sad, don’t die on my yet little ibook!), this week’s show is not online yet, but it will be today.  i’m so excited, even given my dislike of hearing my own voice played back to me.  i’m so grateful for the opportunity to share my story and talk to people who are interested in what i’m doing.  i’m always sort of astonished when i find them.

the interview is just another example of exciting things that are happening for me already this year (there’s more to come, but i’m not ready to type about it on the internet).

have a wonderful weekend everyone!  stay warm and safe.

the update.

i am trying to crawl out of my comfy little hiding spot and resume life as a citizen of the internet–i mean, world.  no, i mean internet.  i’m sorry to have been away for so long!  i don’t do that again, i promise.  not blogging much for three months means there’s kind of a lot that’s happened!  so i thought i’d catch you up:

in november, i had the pleasure of working with my new friend kate (hail the glory of twitter, bringing people together!) to develop a logo for her photography business as she launched her new website.  she is a really talented photographer and it was a highlight of 2009 to get to know her in real life.  i consider her a colleague in the wedding business now, and she has been a huge encouragement and motivator as i get my wedding stationery portfolio together (she has a great food blog as well, and gives really great stuff away).  also, this means i do logos now.  word.

i’ve also started an internship at a local papermaking studio, which is sooooo great.  i go once a week and work with these two ladies who are real live artists.  they have been running the studio for fifteen years, and it’s great to work with people who have figured out a way to make it as artists.  it’s also a LOT of fun to put on golashes and a big rubber apron and play around in big vats of water/paper pulp/dye all day.

i’ve also been working on other stuff, like working on my new website and the aforementioned wedding stationery designs, new prints, and what feels like about a million other things. . . . and, believe it or not, i have plans for the blog this year, things i want to write about, etcetera.  you know.  so i’ll be around.  happy wednesday!

one day at a time.

this week has been a toughy!  i spent most of it literally talking to myself (or the cat, oh boy!) and not feeling very productive.  i think i am always a little disoriented in january, my life having been disrupted so by the holidays–which also function as a handy distraction from the painful winters. . . .

but here i am, overwhelmed by goals and darkness and temperatures below zero.  but i’m okay!  everything is going to be okay!  look, i even made a print already this year! (exclaiming everything helps.)

i la-la-love seeing all the little prints spread out to dry!  i’m working on a little series of small prints, which will be available on the etsy soon.

back in the saddle!

it’s monday!

that’s a direct quote from my morning pages today, which makes me feel like i’m succeeding in life.  one of my goals was to be looking forward to monday mornings, and that’s exactly what’s going on here.  i’m really glad to be back in the swing of things, at the start of a new year, and back to blogging.

i’d like to start with a quick but huge THANK YOU to everyone and anyone who did nice things for me in 2009.  it was quite a year and there is no way i could have made it without all the love, friendship, and support i received from you all.  so thank you.

i’m also incredibly excited about 2010 (which i will be pronouncing as two thousand ten, thank you very much).  i have my goals all written down and visible, and i am ready to go.  i have made some changes around here, since i’ve been learning a LOT about wordpress in the process of getting my website up and running.  what do you think about the gallery setup (as opposed to scrolling down to see all the images in order)?  i’m not sure yet. . .

anyway, i’m ready to show you some art!  several weeks ago, jena featured the work of jessica snow over on modish, and i just about fell right over.  her work is gorgeous and soooooo colorful.  i kind of can’t get enough, and think it’s a really great way to kick off a new year.