Illustration Friday- Trick or Treat

I am not much of a Halloween person but here is another one of my handmade, hand painted, mixed media ladies just in time for Halloween!

A Little Place Called Home

What a week it has been! Pre San Diego fires my brother and I had a weekend trip planned to go back home for a visit to the Oregon Coast and thank goodness for this. Being cooped up inside, watching over students, watching the news and having anxiety about everything meant it was a perfect time to escape. The weekend was full of fresh air, sunrise beach walks and lots of just sitting around chatting about life. Now I am back and a bit fuzzy and for reason having a tough time typing...So I will just leave you with some pitures from the weekend!

Mother Nature

Oh my goodness!! Just when you think life has calmed down and things are under control...mother nature throws something your way! The last few days we have been trapped inside our our apartment (which is a residence hall!) and been on call for a floor full of students! San Diego is on fire and it seems that we are surrounded by fire and this morning I freaked and had a bit of an anxiety attack- with windows closed, students to be responsible for and looming evacuations, I freaked! But tonight things are looking a little better!! More info to come!

Artistic Journey

Oh my goodness what a week it has been- my blogging has gotten lost in the mix of everything else I have been doing but happy to say I have been able to fit in some time to relax and just hang out which is a necessity for me since these days it seems I have problems sitting still! I sent off the last of the writing for my book and boy was that a relief. Now it is back to painting and filling orders and starting to get back into teaching and YES… taking on more projects! I cannot help but reflect on things right now and honestly, I try not to analyze too much these days, often it holds me back and keeps me from enjoying the ebb and flow of life (in fact I am currently working on just being present in the moment and enjoying life as it comes at me). But it is hard not to think about my creative journey lately- the last eight months have been such a crazy experience. It all hit me this week when I saw that Canvas Remix made it to Amazon for pre-order- it was so lovely to see something tangible to represent this whole process. I have been chasing the dream of being an artist for the last 15 years and am still paying off my college education in painting!!! I have taken crappy jobs in order to work as painter on the side, I have thrown myself into the gallery world and often felt out of place and not happy, I have put so much of my energy obsessing over how I could just be an artist and support myself. Being a creative soul can sometimes be very tasking- there have been times when I look at friends who are happy working their jobs and just living day to day and wonder- why can’t I be like that? My life has forever been haunted by this desire to paint, to make things and to pursue an alternative lifestyle. But I think the last few years I have finally come to terms with the fact the being an artist is who I am, it flows through my veins and whether I am painting something alone in my studio that no one will ever see or if I am painting for a gallery show or if I am painting projects for a book- it doesn’t matter- it is all about being the person I was created to be and that is an artist- even if I still have to work a day job just a little longer…ugghhh!!

In honor of my own artistic journey and since I forgot to write my "Tuesday Blog Love" entry this week- I have included some more favorite links to blogs that I read every day (to keep myself entertained and inspired at work of course!) and they are all people who I consider to also be on their own creative journeys and it is so nice to know that we are not alone when it comes to finding ourselves and our places as artists!!!!

Kelly Rae Roberts
I discovered Kelly Rae through the book process- it seems I keep stumbling upon all sorts of amazing and creative people through other people online and Kelly is one of them- Kelly is also writing a book with North Light which will be released a little after my own and some day I hope our paths cross in person because her blog has been such a COMFORT to read. Finding yourself as an artist can be an emotional journey full of so many ups and downs but overall so fulfilling- Her blog and her lovely art fully captures this journey and what it feels like to discover your creative voice.

Deanna Wood
I love this blog!!!! Deanna not only depicts what it is like to be a working artist but she gives all sorts of really practical advice and feedback about everything from packing and shipping artwork to writing proposals- all very valid things to consider when trying to find your way as a working artist!!

Suzanne Clements
Oh my goodness, Suzanne Clements has guts to keep a blog documenting all of her rejection letters!! Such a genuine glimpse into the challenge of being an artist and trying to find where you and your art fits!! Reading her blog truly reminds me that we may have different artistic styles but the roller coaster ride that goes with living a creative life is the same!!

Misty Mawn
I found Misty after she left a comment on one of my Illustration Friday entries a while back and I have been a fan of her blog ever since! Misty is another person who seems to be seeking a life the fulfills that creative ache and her blog beautifully embodies her experiences and her passage into the life of an artist. Another inspiring daily read!


Diana Fayt
Diana Fayt's blog is close to my heart because I have parents who are potters (unknown fact about me!) and have supported, raised a family and continue to be successful with clay!! Not only do I love Diana's lovely botanical sketches on clay (probably because I also love to use botanical images in my paintings) but I also love reading about her journey as a full time potter!

Illustration Friday- Grow

For this week's illustration friday I have submitted one of my mixed media ladies created from canvas, paint, fabric, and all sorts of found objects- she even has branches growing out of her head!

My Book!

Yipeeeeeeeee...my book is on amazon for pre-order and my heart is racing -I am nervous and excited all at once!! More info to come!!!!!

Mission Accomplished

So we took a little trip to Catalina this weekend it was nice but it wasn't as fun as we expected. My hubby and I are agro travelers- We have explored all of San Francisco (on foot), found all the nooks and crannies of Mexico City (on foot), hiked, snowboared and ate out way through the Canadian Rockies. Everywhere we go, we show up to a place and conquer it! But we conquered Catalina in about 1 hour and then were left feeling...what next?? The only thing left to do was actually park ourselves at a coffee shop and read, people watch and RELAX! This was actually the most still I have been in a long time and if it took a boat trip to an island with nothing to do to get me to relax- mission was accomplished!

Yipeeee...I'm Done!

I am done with the writing for my book- Canvas Remix and I am happy! Now I can put an end to blogging about my complaints, stress and process. It is strange because when I look at the amount of words- they seems so small compared to the time and thought that went into them! Anyway, now I get to celebrate with my hubby and a little trip to Catalina this weekend- there is nothing like heading 20 some miles out into the ocean to make a person feel renewed! More to come later in the weekend!

No Time to Blog

No time to blog- just a little preview of my life the last few days :)

Distractions

So it seems that life is just full of distractions- I have been distracted a bit because a few days ago we bought a new tv and it is big! This purchase then snowballed into moving our house around to accommodate it and if anyone knows me well, they will know that I LOVE MOVING FURNITURE AROUND. Strangely it brings me peace and clarity and always has- I know crazy. Anyway, luckily I have made great strides this week in almost finishing the writing for my book- I am so close- so spending the last couple of evenings revamping our house did not do too much damage to the tasks that I have a at hand!!! Now I just have to fight the urge to watch tv all the time on this new fabulous tv!!!!

Tuesday Blog Love

To recap- Tuesday is now all about me paying tribute to my favorite blogs and online inspiration and today’s blog love is dedicated to all those design blogs out there- so much of my inspiration not only comes from other crafters and artists but also comes from all sorts of designers that range from fashion (oh how I love fashion!) to interior, to graphic design- In order to keep my own work current it is important to keep on top of all the design trends, colors and styles…..There are a ton of fabulous design blogs out there but these are just a few of my favorites!

Décor 8
In my opinion Décor 8 is an essential daily read if you are interested in design- Holly Becker has amazing eye for trends, design and everything from furniture to art to jewelry- I HEART this blog!

Athena Says
Another lovely blog dedicated all things design. Not only does Jenifer Altman have that eye for design but she also has fabulous taste AND she designs the most beautiful note cards EVER. I am so inspired by everything on her site!

Creature Comforts
Ooooohhh this site just makes me want to shop, redecorate and shop some more! Heather Pudewa finds the most unique things to showcase in her blog and highlights a variety of artists and craftspeople- I can literally spend hours reading it- such beautiful little blog!!

Oh Joy
From fashion to home décor to fine art- Oh Joy is simply that- a joyful blog to peruse. Joy Deangdeelert Cho is a genius designer who has worked with all sorts of clients and has some seriously good taste!

Before and After

BEFORE:
So here I am before working 2 jobs plus working as a freelance artist and writing a book- so fresh and happy.....

AFTER:

And here I am now...working 3 jobs (1 of which is now includes making it as making it as a freelance artist which is actually taking up more time than my two jobs!) AND writing a book. My wonderful husband snapped this shot of me this weekend while I was typing, trying to work on the book...

But in defense of my crazy hair (which I am trying to grow out) and my dark circles and what I think is my tongue sticking out the side of my mouth- I was working my bum off this weekend on making purses galore-

putting up with my brother and my hubby moving the furniture and playing Halo 3 for hours at a time-

and of course trying to finish my writing...maybe after Oct 12th- my deadline- I can go back to looking like my before pic!

I'm an Artist- Not a Writer!

Is this week dragging on or is it just me? Thursday has finally arrived and that makes me happy but also stressed because this weekend is all about working on more writing for my book…ugggghhh. As I get older I am concluding that I have OCD and this whole book process is bringing it out in me!! I have to be wearing the right clothes, I have to be sitting in a certain chair, no background noise, and the worst part is that I fixate on every sentence and every word- and if there is not rhythm or flow (or what I consider rhythm or flow!) I just cannot move on- I stare at the screen, search for the right word and read my paragraphs over and over again…. it is taking me FOREVER! But I can happily say that I have all sorts of demand for my clutch purses and I am in the midst of filling little orders and making back up stock which is actually a really nice way to spend my writing breaks and these breaks are actually turning into more than just breaks and becoming long drawn out project time. But really, I am not a writer I am an artist so I will just have to give in to the flow of my strange process and finish this writing the only way I know how- procrastinate until the last minute (Tonia or Robin if you are reading this I am totally kidding!!)

In entertainment news- I was surprised last night that Kid Nation showed the kids chopping off chicken heads …CRAZY reality tv- gotta LOVE IT! And unfortunately I was a bit disappointed in Bionic Woman- I had some major hope since David Eik, the Exec. Producer of Battlestar Galactic (my most favorite show) is involved in this project and Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) as well as others from Battlestar appear but I was kinda let down…BUT…I do love any show where women are fighting and kicking ass so I won’t judge too hard.

Blog Love Addendum and Unrelated Varia

I have had it with blogspot!!! I keep having trouble with it publishing my drafts instead of my actual revised entry so now it appears that I don’t revise my entries…AHHHH! Please note the addendum below- sorry Linda !

….Linda Woods has this wonderful knack for wit and honesty that is inspiring to me! Since finding her blog I have stopped feeling guilty about the profanity that escapes from my mouth, consumed more doughnuts (guilt free) and found comfort knowing there are other women out there who love breaking the rules!!

In unrelated creative news- I am obsessed with all of the new tv shows and actually love September because of this- I am excited that Heroes is back but have a feeling it might be getting quite complicated but who cares- it’s entertainment! I really enjoyed the new show Chuck and Kid Nation was cute and entertaining, I am excited for Bionic Woman, happy to be watching Survivor and one of my most favorite shows, No Reservations on the Travel Channel is back with new episodes. I won’t list anymore (and there is more!) because it already sounds like I watch too much TV.

I am losing sleep because of obnoxious college girls outside our window smoking and blabbing at strange times of the night and I am determined to catch them and lecture them about respect for their community- but last night I was too cozy and too concerned about how crazy I would look in my robe (usually I have appropriate attire laid out next to the bed just for these situations) Unfortunately this is one of the downsides of living and working in a college resident hall- normal life patterns become anything but normal!

Working and living in academia I have had more discussions this week about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia University and I am officially burnt out on political discussions and have made a vow not to talk politics and controversy for at least 1 week!

Blog Love

As the days go by I am physically feeling better and better- such a sharp contrast from this time last week when I was laying on the couch watching HBO sniffling, and coughing my brains out!! Back to the day job means back to “workin’ for the man”- but it also means that I have time to daydream and make all sorts of creative plans in my head for when I get home in the afternoon and work on my art (my second job). It also means that I am in front of a computer all day and get to surf the internet somewhat guilt free and peruse my favorite blogs which I feel is almost becoming a problem for me- I am addicted to finding new and interesting blogs to read and it is quite distracting!! So....I thought I should show some blog love to all the lovely people who keep me inspired and entertained during the day while I pay my dues at the office!!


Journal Revolution:It wasn't until recently that I found J-Rev through the wonderful Tonia Davenport (whose blog I also love to read) and found it to be one of the most refreshing and authentic blogs I have come across. Linda Woods has this wonderful knack for wit and honesty that is inspiring to me! Since finding her blog I have stopped feeling guilty about the profanity that escapes from my mouth, consumed more doughnuts (guilt free) and found comfort knowing there are other women out there who love breaking the rules!!

Soule Mama:I do not have children but Amanda Soule's blog makes me want to have kids- her blog reminds me of my own childhood filled with no tv, exploration, crafts, creativity and a true appreciation for what it means to grow as a family.


Posie Gets Cozy:I think I am one of MANY who reads Alicia Paulson's blog everyday- not only is her blog visually beautiful but so sweet and endearing- not to mention she resides in my old stomping grounds of Pdx, OR and it makes me feel like I am a little closer to home!


Liquid Sky Arts:Another Oregonian but Kathleen Rossi-Howell resides in Astoria, OR just a few towns over from where I grew up (Seaside) and plan to live again someday. Reading the ventures of people who picked up their lives and moved to a small coastal town is so inspiring to me and her amazing photos make my heart ache for home.

Claudine Hellmuth:This time last year I was preparing to appear on Craft Lab and had no idea what I was getting into! A friend recommended that I check out the blog of Claudine because she had appeared on the show in past- long story short, I contacted Claudine for advice and got amazing tips and feedback and I have been a fan of her blog ever since! Claudine gives me hope that IT IS possible to eventually quit your day job and pursue creativity full time!!!!


Art Biz Blog: I wish this blog existed when I was getting ready to finish college (but there were no blogs back then) When you are a painting major and have paid thousands of dollars for your education finding your place in the job market is a scary thing! Alyson Stanfield offers all sorts of priceless advise on how to break into the art world and promote yourself as an artist.

Illustration Friday- Juggle

This is a tribute to my own challenge of juggling life, love and happiness and trying to keep it all working!!!!!!!!!!

New Day

Today is a new day- typically I am not fond of Mondays but I am finally feeling better (I can breath again!) I am refreshed, and I am ready to be productive this week! The weekend was spent taking time to get better, working on my book, and finishing up tote bags to send off this week. I forced myself to move slowly and not feel pressure to get everything done (and not punish myself if things were left unfinished). There is something about being sick that helps me to refocus and as much as I hate being forced to do nothing- I end up really appreciating my body and what it feels like to be in good health.

Day Three

So here I am- day three at home from my day job- still sick- and while it is nice to be at home, my head is so congested that I can't seem to focus on doing anything. So I have been laying around watching day time tv and I can only watch so many episodes of the Tyra show or TLC remodeling shows or MTV reality shows! I received the thumbnail for my book in the mail and it is so exciting to see the photos from the shoot back in July. I should be working on it but instead I have decided to do all sorts of things to occupy my sick days at home like painting my toes blue, eating lots of chips and cheese dip and looking up trashy celebrity gossip sites...ugggg!! This afternoon I decided enough is enough and sat down to paint a little and now I am exhausted but feel good about at least accomplishing something.

Relax Alisa

You might be asking yourself- what in the world are you up to now Alisa?? Well, I have been working on a little project that involves hand screened totes that I will be putting to use in the near future (stay tuned!!) AND a handful of these totes will also be donated to STITCH in Austin, TX. I love using my sketches, textures and designs with the silk screening process- so exciting to see the end results!

Other than that I have been crazy busy at work then as usual when things get crazy- I got sick this weekend but tried my darndest not to let it get me down. I am patiently waiting for the thumbnail of my book to arrive any day in the mail- I am very impatient and can't wait to see it. There is something about having something physical in my hands that makes this whole book experience more real!! Tonight I am forcing myself to sit in one place for more than 1 hour and RELAX!!!!!!!!!

Makin' a Mess

Life is moving along rapidly and I am juggling a million projects, trying my hardest to hang in there working my day job and STILL dealing with many challenges. Lots of ups and downs, lots of personal trials that seem to be coming at me on a daily basis- what is up with this??!?!?! At least I am building character? After a long day at work I came home to paint and that always makes me feel better especially when I splatter paint. There is nothing more satisfying than splattering paint and making a mess, even if a little ends up on the kitchen floor and the cat- I cannot help but feel as if all is made right after I make art.

Another Busy Weekend!

Another busy weekend! We celebrated our anniversary by eating out Friday night at one of my favorite spots- it's the ambiance that I love! And then Sat we were at a family gathering- It was Andy's Oma's 80th birthday. Lots of yummy Indo food good company and a gorgeous day! But today I am wiped and trying to get lots of stuff done so I can feel good about starting the week!!!

But a Speck in Time

Today is my 3 year wedding anniversary. It was early morning on Sept 7th that Andy and I were married on the rocky coastline in Monterey, CA- it was just the two of us- I guess you could say we eloped but with everyone’s blessing. It was the beginning of an adventure, we set out after that morning and made our way up the coastal 101, exploring California and Oregon and finally reaching my lovely hometown of Seaside, Oregon where we spent time relaxing and bonding with family. It was such a lovely way to start our marriage and so very “us” to do things in our own unique way.

When I think about it three years sounds so small compared to everything that has happened - so bittersweet at times-challenging-amazing. Life is never boring with my husband- he is a free spirit who always inspires adventure and flying by the seat of our pants!! We have experienced so many adventures and travels, grown together and also faced many challenges that we never expected to encounter.

I have known my husband for close to 10 years and it feels like forever, he feels like home, like a piece of me that I cannot remember not having in my life. I know that three years is but a speck in time but for me it has been the most enlightening and life changing speck and I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Poor Foot

You might be asking yourself- what in the world is up with these feet??? Well, these feet were my focus this holiday weekend! My husband is an avid surfer and every year around this time he gets stung by a sting ray but this year it was BAD- his poor foot (which is usually very nice and slender) swelled up and kept swelling and swelling- he was not in pain, no fever, just very uncomfortable and couldn't walk on it! But it now seems that he has now developed a bit of an allergy to sting rays over time. So after a trip to a crowded ER yesterday in which we walked in the office and changed our minds and then went straight back to the car where we called our surfing EMT friend who offered some helpful advice and comfort!! After another call to the doc today, it seems he has to just let time pass and ride it out- perfect excuse for Andy to have another day at home!! In the meantime, San Diego had record temps this weekend- yesterday was in the 100's!!! I am hoping this week will be a little more peaceful and cool.

Kickin' Back and Daydreaming

So here I am sitting at my little computer desk trying my very hardest to work on my book and the writing that I have left to do. But as it usually works, I am not inspired or in the frame of mind...argggghhh...to be an artist and a creative soul often means things are centered around emotions and state of mind- sometimes a curse and something that I have been really trying to work on! Life doesn't stop and wait for me to be inspired in order to get stuff done- in fact I have had to really train myself to do things even when I am not inspired, even the mundane things - otherwise nothing would get done in my daily life!!! Though I have actually been quite productive, I am just not feeling inspired anymore- so instead I am browsing through the latest Domino magazine, reading one of my favorite cookbooks, pacing around the house changing my clothes, eating gummy bears and day dreaming about the next book I would like to write- am I crazy or is this normal? To top off my lack of inspiration, it is HOT here in San Diego. The lovely 75 degree weather with cool ocean breezes has been replaced by 90 degree sticky humidity and those of us living near the beach don't have air conditioning- needless to say it is hot and I think I may just blame my lack of inspiration on the weather!! So right now I am kicking back and listening to this CD and fabricating another daydream- a daydream where I am on a trip in Udaipur, India staying here-
and though it is hot and humid, I am enjoying the weather because it is part of the experience...yes, I have just managed to kill a little more time pretending I am in India.

Lighten UP and Embrace the Good

So today is Monday, a fresh start to the week, a brand new day- at least this is what I am telling myself! My weekend was a challenge- Friday ended with more drama and “news” in my “professional life” which meant I had more to process over the weekend, which typically means me venting to my husband, crying then needing to plan, find hope, and figure out what is in the not so distant future for us. It is funny because so much of the stuff I have been dealing with lately has nothing to do with my creative life- my book, my art, my upcoming teaching opportunities, the demand for my purses all of this stuff feels good which is so fitting that the things that are authentic to who Alisa is are the things that keep me balanced and happy and don’t involve drama. The other stuff: in-law drama, day job drama, people that come in out of my day that challenge my faith and my patience- these are the things that throw me out of balance and often distract me from what is truly important like my marriage, my family, my art, my big dreams. Amidst my emotional highs and lows, I spent a good deal of the weekend writing and working on my book and also had my picture taken for my book as well as more fun photos which my hubby got to model for! Today is going to be a fresh start for my state of mind, time for me to suck it up and move on and embrace the good, hold close to the people who lift me up and just not take stuff so serious!!! In keeping with this goal I have attached a clip from last night’s flight of the Concords which made me laugh and smile and feel a little lighter!!!

Me Being Strong...

This was the way I tried to approach today- yep this is me being strong (and a little goofy!) After yesterday- a day full of challenges and what felt like major obstacles to overcome- today I dove into everything I had before me and used all my strength to ignore and move past the distractions and the things that have come up that I have no control over- yep this is me being strong- minus red hair (because my hair is back to normal)

Today

Today was one of those days- challenging- emotionally, spiritually and socially!

Summer Days

As usual life has been busy, preparing for students coming back, filling some orders for purses and other little creations that I have been working on and trying really hard to work on the writing for my book. It is hard for me to get into a mood to write- too many distrations that are easy to give into but I am making progress and I will make my deadlines no matter what!!! I have also been trying to enjoy the last days of summer, savoring the extra warm Southern California weather, spending time with my hubby- helping out my photographer friend Duvy build up her portfolio-

by "playing" model, spending time with family, trying to keep our fat cat Jack nice and cool-

and most importanly been doing my darndest to live in the present and not worry about the future. I can feel fall approaching and though San Diego is usually warm and sunny, there are still signs that time is passing- In the six years I have lived here, I have NEVER gotten used to the lack of visible seasons, but I have found new ways to identify the approaching months- the days are get shorter, the nights are cooler, leaves start to change on trees other than the palms, and the tourists will soon leave the sandy beaches- thank goodness! Though the weather will continue to be warm and sunny even in December (the most beautiful of months) I can still feel fall and winter approaching!

Weekend Fun

What a weekend it was! Friday we went to the Del Mar Races- I have never been to a horse race or ever gambled (never even been to Las Vegas!) but I have a friend that owns a few race horses and has seats so we accepted the initiation to attend as their guests and we actually had a great time. Unfortunately I lost interest in the races after the 2nd race, which probably means that I don't have a gambling problem- I had more fun people watching! The best part was that we got to go down to The Paddock before their horse ran and meet the jockey and I got to take lots of pictures, we felt very important! Then after the races we got to go out to the stables and feed carrots to all the horses that had ran that day- this was the best part! Saturday my wonderful friend Duvy who is a photographer asked me to do a little photoshoot at a boutique so I got to try on clothes and get my picture taken! Then Sunday we went to church, then to a movie- saw Stardust which was a lovely movie and lots of fun. I worked on writing and purses for the the rest of the day and then sat watched all our favorite shows- Sunday is our favorite tv night starting with Big Brother, John from Cincinnati (which I love), Entourage, and last Flight of the Concords which might be my favorite show ever- it is brilliant-my husband and I laugh and laugh and laugh- check out my favorite clip!!


Now it is Monday morn and it is back to work and time to get serious about all the stuff I need to accomplish!!

What is Going to Happen?!?!?

So I have been absent for a bit. There has been a lot going on- personally and professionally trying to make some life decisions, preparing for my students to come back (again my hubby and I live on campus at USD and participate in a mentoring program for upper class students-yes our home is a lovely 2 bedroom dorm- strange but entirely life changing!! ) Lately I have been in a bit of a funk- trying to not stress about the future or where our lives are going. I am such a black and white thinker that I struggle with wanting to know what happens next- our living situation is very fluid and as more opportunities come my way with my art I cannot help but feel that change is coming and I just want to know WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!!?!?!? But I know part of this process of growing and moving forward is putting our trust in bigger things and trust that there is a plan for us and patience might be the key for me. On a more uplifting note, I have begun the writing of my book which feels good, I have been making a ton of purses for some more opportunities and I have been working on some new and improved classes and teaching proposals. Life is busy and I know that I just need to keep moving forward and stop being scared and impatient- (way easier said then done!)