thoughts on collaborative paintings

(18x36, canvas. a collaborative painting by me and mati)

during mati's visit, i was telling her how i wanted to paint a large canvas to go on the wall over our bed - not a figurative painting, but rather something a bit more abstract that had the word 'love' incorporated in it (it would be for our bedroom, afterall). truly, deeply, i've been inspired by this for a long time and have been wanting to put my spin on it. so when mati suggested we get busy painting a large piece together for the wall, part of me jumped for joy, and another part of me resisted and hesitated: you mean you want to do it now? today? but it's been so long since i've painted and i've never even painted this large of a canvas before (although it's been a dream of mine to paint big for some time). the gremlins were big, insisting my creative flow was rusty and cracked. 

but mati gently pushed me and we went for it, making large giant messes on the studio floor and creating this beautiful, beautiful canvas together in about one hour flat. i noticed that as soon as we started getting our hands messy with paint, my mood lifted. i was excited, whistling to the music, and generally being a dork. we joked about our dynamic together - how we may as well been playing barbies. it was that seamless. that fun. that silly. what i learned in those moments was that sometimes we need a friend to pull us out of our creative silence. to hold the space and to hold our hands as we jump back in. i really needed it (thank you, mati). 

after we finished the first piece, we were on fire to do more. and this is what came next:

(12x36, canvas. a collaborative painting by me and mati)

totally loving the anthropologie inspired feel of this one. very, very messy. lots of drippy paints and ink. drawings by mati. vintage wall paper. vintage stamps. handwriting. i can see a bit of sabrina inspiration in this one, too. and lots of mati, too. this was likely the biggest departure for me, style wise. and i loved it! i was reminded that it's important to try new things, to get messy in new ways, to dream outside the creative box we are accustomed to being in. 

this one came next:

(18x25, canvas. a collaborative painting by me and mati)

another anthro inspired feel. again, really simple. but very cool and fun and easy. just fingers in paint and in glue and then on the canvas. we practiced restraint both in this one and the one above and i think it worked. they look really great next to one another :)

and last but not least, this was our final collaboration together:

(15x20, canvas. a collaborative painting by me and mati)

this was the hardest to complete. we were a little tired (4 paintings in less than 4 hours) and we had to push ourselves to finish, but it was well worth it. it's so funny to see one of my faces topped off with a mati hair-do, but i really love it. it's another love inspired piece, hence more love writing. and isn't mati's birdie adorable? i especially love the vibrancy of the background in this one. we also thought it was interesting how our styles merged in this particular piece seemed to birth an anahata feel (which i love). 

so there you have it. collaborative paintings. i say give it a try. you will be surprised at how groundbreaking it is for your creative soul. seriously, i mean it.  

ps -  i wanted to mention that we used claudine hellmuth's line of acrylic paints for every single one of these paintings. and oh my, i LOVED these paints. loved them. the colors are awesome and i can't wait to get more. 

(we interrupt this blog post because the orange crush wanted to say hello)

pps - also, i so wish i could have figured out how to upload the time-lapsed video of the first painting in progress, but i'm having major tech difficulties over here (i'll have it up eventually).

ppps - heading to artnest! i'll be back early next week with stories and photos! 

living room tour...(it's a long one)

hey friends,

the house is finally coming together in completion. the living room and the bedroom were the last to settle in and now that they're unpacked and done, i'm really loving the mood of this place and how it all came together. i wanted to give you guys a tour of the living room! 

the living room was a bit tricky. when you walk into the house (the front door is to the left of this photo), you walk into this big room. there aren't any closets downstairs and we very much needed some sort of entryway that could hold our coats, umbrellas, shoes, bags, etc. so we divided the room up into two different spaces. one for the entryway (on the left here) and one for the living room (on the right).

here's the front view of the makeshift entryway (what you see when you walk in the front door). that's an old church pew/bench that john's parents gave us many years ago. and the quilt was made by his beloved grandmother when he was just a tot. the old wooden shutters are sandwiched between the bench and the couch to help provide definition to the division of the two spaces. and i tacked up a piece of ribbon to the shutters to act as an inspiration/welcoming line - a place to hang recent cards, photos, etc. i heart this little space. 

here's a bit of a better view of the whole area. the cabinet to the left used to be our tv cabinet but we converted it into a much needed coat closet. the canvas bin on the floor holds scarves, gloves, hats.....

we have another area for coats on the wall. and we're using our old metal oregonian newspaper holder to hold umbrellas by the front door. the large old suitcase to the right belonged to my gr gr grandfather (maybe it was just one gr?). the box on top is used to store misc items (wallets, watches, ipods, etc) that we grab when we walk in/out of the front door. and that's a vintage metal key holder above the suitcase on the wall. love that thing. 

we put a couple of baskets underneath the bench to hold our most used shoes. and that's the dining room in the background. we switched out the rug for a more vibrant yellow one. it suits us better i think :). here's an updated photo of that room with the new rug. 

our living room is a patchwork of old and new, and reds, yellow, blues. i love the pop of color from the green couch (we need that in the northwest). the rug is an old anthro rug that a friend gave to me. and the leather chair was the first piece of new furniture we ever bought together (years ago).  

we barely have enough books to fill the built-ins but i'm loving the library feel they give to this room. the old star hung over the tv is one of my favorite touches...i once saw a similar arrangement in a magazine somewhere and i've been holding onto the idea ever since. 

the white frame wall collection was inspired by my friend hula (the same friend who inspired the letters). some of the frames have prints from fave artists, but most of them are filled with either vintage wallpaper or scrapbook paper - another idea i found in a magazine somewhere. i love the effect - here's a closer look without the glare. i had a heck of time trying to find lampshades to go with our glass vintage bases, but i love what this etsy seller had to offer (shades draped in amy butler fabrics...oh my!). 

the wicker chair was found on the side of the road by my mom years ago and you would not believe how cozy it is. and that's an ikea floor lamp with an anthro shade. and the little monster snuggly was made by lk ludwig. it was my favorite purchase from artfest 2006. the old candle holder sits on top of our coffee table (old wicker trunk). it was in the dining room for awhile, but it's happier in this room, i think :)

the fireplace holds our collection of old salvage posts along with a canvas reproduction of one of my pieces (more of these will be for sale very, very soon in the etsy shop - just waiting for their delivery) and another wooden frame. the fireplace also holds old rulers turned into photo holders (another great idea found in a magazine somewhere).

omg, i do believe that was the most long winded tour ever. i hope you guys enjoyed it. next up: the bedroom.

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in other news, my friend sarah was here last weekend for a visit (love her) and mati was here the last couple of days. loving all the visitors and the chilling out. mati and i painted up a storm together (collaborative paintings) and i'll share what we made (with a video showing one of our paintings from start to finish) in my next post.....

hope you all are well and off to a good week :)

xxoo

taking time...

central park, nyc

i am in that place where i feel really stripped down. new. raw. uncomfortable. strangely (or not), this is exactly how i feel when i get midway thru a painting, when it's all yucky and not pretty - just before i push thru and it all comes together. but back to the stripped down, rawness...it all comes with the territory of moving to a new city, not knowing a soul, trying to find the bits and pieces of routine and familiarity. the adventure of it is fun and never ending, but in the spaces between making plans, i simply feel new. like a blank slate. it's exhilarating and scary all at once, this feeling of rebuilding. i've noticed these feelings have made their way to all parts of my life: creative. community. body and wellness. 

i'm looking forward to john starting his new job this week. i think i need to anchor myself to someone's schedule and routine - so i can really get back to work. it's mid february and to be honest, so far this year i've been in chill/exploration mode. in some ways it's been a forced blessing waiting for me notice the gifts that come with inactivity. like all the day dreaming about big canvas', painting differently, and new directions. i've got all sorts of ideas brewing, but for the first time since i started this creative life, i'm not jumping into action. instead, i'm letting it all sit and steep and slowly work its way to magic. this is where the new, raw, uncomfortable feelings come in. this is new for me. this waiting. this letting be. this not being afraid that i'll disappear into the mix of other artists, authors, seekers. that i'm still good and enough, even when i'm in resting mode. 

it's happening in my physical body, too. oddly, i'm craving greens, water, nutrients. i've barely eaten pasta in weeks - this is hugely strange. i'm going to bed early, waking up early. and it feels really, really good. my body insists that i stretch morning and night. i think it wants more yoga and it's made me promise to listen to that yearning. my mind is resting and i can't tell you how strange and new this feels. it feels a bit like i'm finally giving in. so that room can be made for the magic. in body. in mind. in creativity.

so yes, i'm learning, just like in painting, to push thru the uncomfortable feelings. not to skip them, but to really sit, rest, and work my way through them. into them. so that the goodness can happen on the other side. i'm fairly good at constructively doing this with emotions like anger, grief, sadness. but this non emotional place, this just being and waiting and listening when it comes to my creativity and wellness is new. it's insisting that i believe in what i'm considering before i take action. i like that. it's a little uncomfortable, but i like it. it feels healthy. 

and now that i really do believe, i'm ready to go. i'm ready to work. i'm ready to paint. i'm ready to write and make and meet and experiment and eat and stretch and create a whole new life in this city. it's going to be good. awkwardness and all. 

soul mates

as i navigate finding community here in this new city of mine, i'm really struck by the people in my life. how no matter where we are, we find and support one another across the miles and differences in our lives. the friendships in my life feel deep + wide, nourishing to the core. so while i'm in that funny space of really wanting to find my peeps here in seattle, i'm still deeply connected. this poem, written by friend jen lee, hit me hard. you'll see.

Soulmates
by Jen Lee

The soulmate construct must begin
for us women when we are just girls,
thinking all will be well if we can find that
one true best friend.
When I was young I saw the film "Nadia" on TV,
and when the two little girls tied ribbons
in each other's hair I broke
open with longing.
There was the little girl at school with asthma
who was my perfect mate in gym class, because
I was so bad at running.
Or the girl who inducted me into her cool club when
I wore the right skirt to school.
And yet,
as soon as my hand found another one to hold,
it was time to move.
To another town another school another new set
of rules to learn.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" I ask him now.
"I don't know," he says, and maybe this is why I like him:
I don't know, either.

But these friends who have found their way to my heart,
may just be changing my mind.
They reach out and take my hand whenever
I've forgotten they are still there.
It's not about any one being in better shape than another--
we all have some pieces found
and others still missing.
We lay all the pieces on the table, and even let the gaps
between them show.
You don't bring your poker face to this party.
It is comfort--seeing others are missing the pieces that
we, too, are missing
and it is hope--seeing others have found the pieces we seek.
We will find them, too.

Until then, we kneel in the corner together and tie ribbons
in each other's hair with the earnestness of girls, before
we all return to the world's stage.

live/love words + a revealing interview

unconditional love, become your dream, what's your wish, we are in this love together - all found on the streets of nyc. 

i've been doing this thing where i search (and then capture with my camera - usually my iphone) for words out in the world. words that speak to me. that make my heart do a tiny flip. that make me pause even if just for a second. just like with the heart finding project, i've been so surprised at the abundance. i found many many words while wandering nyc and even a few life/love statements (like the ones in the mosaic above). i dunno. they just make me pause, smile, and then carry on with my day.  i'm finding more and more words in seattle, too. i love the idea of treasure hunting for snippets of joy out in the world. just love it. 

(dream, found in seattle)

a few months ago i was interviewed (by phone) by alison lee over at craftcast. as i listened to our conversation on the podcast, i was flushed with embarrassment: does my voice really sound like that? is it possible for one person to say "it's true" that many times in a short conversation? do i really respond with "mmm hmms" that much in real life? but all of that aside, i felt exposed in the way i do when i'm honest. when i simply tell my story. and when i spill. and spill i did - on everything from my artful beginnings, to who inspires me the most, to how the book deal came about (and the details of that whole process), to how i struggle with balance, to how writing is becoming more of my life, to how i can still feel uncomfortable with the process of making art (and how this is good), to how expressing my vulnerabilities in my art have been the greatest gift of all. 

i'd love it if you grabbed a cup of tea and hit play on the podcast (our conversation is the last 30 minutes of the podcast). ignore all of my  "mmm hmmms", and "it's true's", and awkward pauses. i'm still learning my interview skills and i'm very, very wobbly.  in the end,  it's just real conversation i suppose, right? and i really enjoyed talking with alison...she asked great questions. 

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ps - the lucky winner of this week's giveaway is katie whose word was opportunity. katie, get in touch with me so we can get your goods out to you!!! 

sponsor GiVEaWay..(!)

this week's sponsor giveaway comes from sprout studio, a lovely + busy one woman creative business based out of san francisco. i absolutely adore jenifer's unique + tenderly sweet creations. every single one. lucky for us, jen is spoiling us with a generous giveaway. here's what we've got: 

one simply adorable ceramic good luck birdie (more specifically, the second one from the top in the photo above). totally in love with these. they are perfect for pairing or collections, or perhaps you'd prefer to carry one around with you for all day luck + charm (maybe in the pocket of your favorite jeans or in your purse or car...so many ideas). and there's more......

the lucky winner also gets to choose a pair of these sweet earings....vintage guilloche hearts or the lovely flower circles.  both are affixed to sterling silver posts and if you ask me, perfectly modern and vintage all at once. i especially love the circles. and last but not least....

every girl needs a sweet elephant and vintage lucite necklace around her neck, right? totally love this. here's a great image of this necklace around a neck. i have a thing for elephants...big time. 

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giveaway rules: if you'd like to enter the giveaway (winner will receive one good luck birdie, one pair of vintage earrings, and one elephant necklace), please enter a one word comment (one comment per person). perhaps your one word could describe the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'luck' - the very first thing. what is it? (btw, and don't laugh, but the first word that came to mind for me was s.e.x.)

i'll announce the winner soon. oh yes, and for all you new and old sprout studio fans, jenifer is offering 20% off ALL of her goods on her website (and that's a fantastic deal because she also has a sale going on!). be sure to enter the code "kellyrae" at checkout in order to receive the discount. 

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as always, if you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact me for the details :)

back to regular posting tomorrow. so much to share this week!! 

i heart you, nyc.

(me in nyc. i love this photo. our friend jen met up with us in the city for a few hours and snapped this shot with her fancy and cool diana+ camera)

i just got home from a last minute weekend trip to nyc with a couple of girlfriends. oh my. let me just say that i heart nyc so much right now. it was the perfect ending to my month long sickness, a way of celebration in a way. and the time with my friends was nothing less than fun, healing, magical, and sweet in meaningful ways. 

i was surprised at how much i loved the city, the sights, the rooftops, the sounds, the conveniences, the food (we ate very, very well), the cab drivers! i was also surprised with how much joy i came home with. i suppose sometimes we need that quick injection of adventure and friendship in our lives to boost us into something more. something deeper. something stronger.

i. am. so. inspired.

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ps - i have a really great giveaway coming up in the next couple of days. stay tuned :)

pps - it's been snowing in seattle all day.

ppps - i'll have signed versions of these babies for sale in the online shop very very soon.

pppps - the bachelor is choosing so well. my bets are on jillian (?sp).

i'm not even kidding.

i was a seriously nerdy kid with horrible haircuts. as you can see in almost all of these photos, i apparently had a thing for stripes. and bad perms. and awkward smiles. and i'm pretty sure i was constantly mistaken for a boy for a few years. i grew up in the country where mullets and rat tails were the rage. and i'm not even kidding. 

i remember those purple suspenders so clearly. oh how i loved wearing them with my checker boarded pants, my pink hightop converses, and florescent shoelaces. oh yes, and i can't forget the scented jelly bracelets going all the way up to my elbows. all the while, i had my favorite cabbage patch kid with me at all times. in those days, i couldn't stand to wear dresses or skirts - i was a serious and bonafide tomboy. i miss these years of doing cartwheels in the front yard, flocking about on three wheelers, jumping off the dock into our lake, fishing in the mornings with my granddad, playing boardgames with all the elderly neighbors, and searching (always searching) for friends who had a trampoline. i heart memories like these.

i'm off for a weekend adventure in nyc with two dear friends. i'll be back early next week. until then, i'd love it if you convinced me i wasn't the only kid with bad hair cuts and perms gone wrong. please? can you prove it with a photo? 

totally loving the work of portland artist jennifer mercede these days. love. love. love. this video shows her and another artist (chris haberman) painting a mural in portland's pearl district. skip to the 1 min, 41 sec mark to get to the mural. love how this video shows the work in progress from start to finish. 

speaking of video, i just bought a flip video camera (getting ready for the online classes!) and oh my, it's my new favorite toy.

and i feel ridiculous for saying it, but i bawled my eyes out last nite when stephanie got the boot on the bachelor :(

back to work

it's monday, feb 2nd and that means i'm back to work (the january break was good and much needed) and the etsy shop is back open (i've kept sale prices current since the holidays - we all need the boost in this economy, right?). i've also added a couple more small affirmation prints to the shop, including the one above (i thought it would be especially sweet for valentines day, or any day for that matter :). i am also happy to report that i really do think i am officially on the mend. which makes me incredibly happy and relieved. 

ps - the winner of friday's giveaway is claire herne. her word was "moxie" - claire, get in touch with me so we can get your superhero pendant to you!

ps - it's true. you really are deeply loved.