Examples of Commissions

Etsy has a new feature where buyers can request custom orders. If you look at my shop's page at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/ you will see a button that says Request Custom Item

I thought it would be nice to give buyers an idea of what I have done in the past working with customer's ideas and color preferences.

This is my most recent commission. It is a 48" x 48" acrylic painting on stretched canvas. The composition was based on the painting White Out in colors that fit my buyer's decor.

This altered playing card was created for a buyer that found another 6 of clubs card I made online (see here) that was already sold. She had a personal connection to this card, and since the first creation was already sold, I created this new card with an emphasis on the two connections she had to the 6 of clubs - luck and love!



An 18" x 24" acrylic reproduction of the painting Breakthrough





A pair of two 36" x 36" acrylic paintings on canvas. I love this set! I'd love to do ten more of these or more!

A 24" x 36" version of the slightly smaller acrylic painting available for sale Here

New Livefunky Products!

Lots of fun designs and patterns over at www.zazzle.com/livefunky* - mousepads, mugs, buttons, magnets and greeting cards!

New Designs for Zazzle

I've been adding some new designs to my Modern Art Apparel shop at www.zazzle.com/artjct* - hats, ties, and men's and women's tshirts.

Featured on Vintage Indie!

Woo hoo! My spring green vintage purse (seen above) was featured in a post on Vintage Indie! Check out this awesome blog and scroll down to see the post http://vintageindie.typepad.com/

To see my vintage shop go to www.VintageJunction.etsy.com

Vintage Junction

Please visit my new Etsy shop for sassy vintage accessories! www.VintageJunction.etsy.com

City On Stilts

Acrylic on 8 x 10 stretched canvas, 2008.
Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Spring Thinking

Spring Thinking

Acrylic on 5 x 7 canvas panel, 2008

Available at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Vacation

I'll be away from 2/18 - 2/28 visiting family in Florida. I am leaving my Etsy shop "open" but I've placed an announcement that any purchases made will be shipped once I return.

Be well, and keep on livin' funky!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Red Rose, originally uploaded by livefunky.

A few updates

First off, I'm officially declaring 365 Sketch is a great idea, but it just isn't going to work for me, at least not right now. I've got so many things I want to get done in a day, I feel like even if I participate, it will just be something I throw together because "I have to". That isn't the spirit of that flickr group, so I'd be doing a disservice to everyone else participating as well as myself. I think it is hilarious that I only got to 7 days. I guess it just wasn't meant to be for right now - maybe in the future it will fit right into my creative patterns.

Onto other updates.... you may have noticed that I used to have a ton of prints in my shop and then they all of a sudden disappeared. I decided that I'm only going to offer prints on Etsy of paintings that have sold because otherwise it can be a little confusing to look through and see the same pics coming up for prints and originals. I am listing each print as having 10 available and once those sell out, I probably won't renew the listing to keep things fresh in my shop. This doesn't make them limited editions, just "limited to Etsy"!

Unity

Unity
Acrylic on 8" x 10" canvas, 2008

Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

I've been busy working on a commission. I'm hoping to finish tomorrow and have some pictures to share.

Live Earth - SOLD

Acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas, 2008.

I painted this late last night and was eager to list it on Etsy this morning. A few hours later it was sold! If I could paint ten more paintings like this in the next week, I'll be happy. I'm working on a large commission today and hopefully I'll have some pictures to share soon.

Happy painting everyone!

Sweet Dreams....

Since I'm starting to share my dreams in this creative way, I thought I'd share a song from Stevie Wonder's The Secret Life of Plants. My parent's had this album on tape and I ended up with it, because I loved all things Stevie Wonder - everything from the hits that he was coming out with in the 80's as I was growing up to the Innervisions record I played from my parent's collection. This album, The Secret Life of Plants, was different.

I couldn't listen to it during the day. I was too busy as a kid to really slow down and groove with it. But I would put it in my walkman and listen to it at night as I was falling asleep. It was so peaceful and otherworldly. Now I share it with you and wish you sweet dreams...

365 Day 7

365 Day 7, originally uploaded by livefunky.

This drawing began on the back of a used envelope. I then scanned the drawing and altered it in Illustrator.

This rough sketch shows a scene from my dream last night. I was standing with my best friend Emily in the middle of one of the fields on my Grandfather's farm. It seemed like it was in another time because the land looked different. Where there is now a tobacco field, there was tall wild grasses and marshland. My friend and I were standing at the edge of a clearing made for camping. We had a fire going and were prepared to spend the night in a tent. But I looked up into the woods on the hill and saw a wild kingdom of animals. Lions and tigers, rhinos, giraffes, zebras - you name it - if it was an animal that wouldn't normally live in New England, it was there. My first reaction was fear - no way were we camping out there! I worried there were lurking predators in the brush surrounding us. But my second feeling was awe at this wild jungle of life before us. How did these animals get here? What happened on Earth to get us to this moment in time?

A special gift

This ACEO was a commission for someone very sweet that is giving this as a Valentine's Day gift. The six of clubs holds special meaning for the couple and I was so happy to "embellish" the card just for them.

It's funny how lovers have their own special connections that can be any and everything. For us, it's a red pen. The first night my husband and I spent hours on the phone, Rob guessed that I was doodling with a red pen. All these years later, we still will bring it up "Remember the red pen? Awww... I knew I was hooked when you said that." Love is so special and unique to all of us.

Feel free to share your own special connections as we get closer to this ooshy gooshy holiday celebrating LOVE!

365 Sketch - Day 6

365 Sketch - Day 6, originally uploaded by livefunky.

This (kind of silly and basic) sketch is of a dream I had. I was in a boat with a few other people looking at a city on the water when black clouds came in and two tornados plunged out of the sky striking the water in front of us. On the right was a bridge that we were close to/under and I could feel the force of a third tornado about to strike right in front of us. Someone in the boat said "don't look!" and covered her eyes. I couldn't look away.

(This dream was the night before real tornados did some damage in the US).

Drawing in ink digitally colored in Illustrator.

365 Sketch Day 5

365 Sketch Day 5, originally uploaded by livefunky.

A portrait of Rob post super bowl sleeping on our futon.

I spent the night at my cousin's house (who happens to be Rob's good friend also) finishing my book (Eat Pray Love) as they watched the superbowl. So let's see....

it was me surrounded by these guys I love and trust who feel comfortable enough around me to yell and curse at the TV when things don't go their way... they are Pats fans - that says it all. Meanwhile, I'm lost in Bali, thinking about pleasure and devotion merging as one, covering my ears with my hoodie as if that was a good substitute for ear plugs. I have to say, it's a testament to our marriage that I can come along and be that uninvolved and it's ok for both of us.

He was so engaged in the game, that when we got home, he crashed. I get it - I get that way about the Red Sox. Sports can be emotionally exhausting! And it ended up being beneficial to both of us because he needs the sleep and I needed a figure model for my sketch tonight. One that didn't move or "pose", which he would do if he was awake. Let me tell you, it has been a looooong time since I sketched from life. The last time I did it was in a dream and I don't think that really counts. I miss it and need to incorporate it back into my life - even if it isn't what I'm selling or focusing on in my major work, it needs to be present. This flickr group/challenge came at the perfect time!

365 Sketch - Day 4

365 Sketch - Day 4, originally uploaded by livefunky.

documenting dreams...

The Sound of Rain

Original acrylic painting on 8 x 10 canvas, 2008.
Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

365 Sketch - Day 3

365 Sketch - Day 3, originally uploaded by livefunky.

I joined a group on flickr called 365 Sketch. As you can imagine it entails doing a new sketch every day of a full year. I've been tempted for a while to try and do the "daily painting" thing, but at the same time I resist because I don't want to push it when I'm not in the mood. This is perfect because if I'm having a down day, at least it's SOMETHING - something to keep my mind/spirit connected to my hand and to the stream of creativity you can easily cast yourself on the shores of.

So far I'm at day 3, and I've included a sketch on lined paper, an Illustrator altered drawing, and now this sketch on a torn piece of a paper bag. I like how other people in the group are showing pictures directly from their sketch books. I'm thinking I may start doing that too.

Dissovling In Bliss

Original acrylic painting on 8" x 10" canvas, 2008.
Available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

New Paintings

Coffee and Cream - SOLD

Acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas, 2008

Make A Wish

Acrylic on 8 x 10 canvas, 2008

Available for purchase at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

Naive Melody

Limited set of three hand altered prints available at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Empowered - Limited set of 3

Hand altered prints, limited set of 3, one of a kind originals

$30 each - Available with other hand altered prints in my Etsy Shop

Portrait of Now - Limited Series of 3

Yesterday I came up with this idea to do hand altered prints in limited sets. It came after a very long and very inspiring phone conversation with a friend. The kind of conversation that gets your heart pumping and positive ideas are eagerly bounced back and forth across the miles. After the phone call, with a hot ear (you know how it goes), I sat back in my computer chair staring at my Etsy shop and it came to me. I know other artists have done this before, but I thought of how I could do it in my own voice and style. I quickly got to work.

To share my process with you... I begin with a sketch on paper (usually with a Sharpie marker) which I scan and then save as a bitmap file. I bring that file into Illustrator to convert it into a sleeker lined design. I print out three prints of this Illustrator image and then sit down with my watercolor paints and oil pastels to make each one an original work of art!

I made a new set I will post after this today. I'm excited to do lots of these limited sets and I've created a new category in my Etsy shop especially for them called Altered Limited Editions

Rediscovering some older work

Red Bull
Acrylic on canvas paper, 11 x 14, 2003


I'm offering some never before seen older works for a slightly discounted price on Etsy right now. Most of these paintings are similar to this style and size. Take a look!

www.livefunky.etsy.com

Now We're Talking

You are looking at a new canvas with the first strokes of paint, purple + yellow makes a brown that sings.... with my pie plate palette, a reused Tupperware thing with water, and my thoroughly paint splattered coffee table.

My first paintings of this year were in watercolor, which really isn't my natural medium. And this was after enough of a break that it was a bit of a challenge to get back into the groove. Even when I did, I still wasn't happy. But I haven't been very happy lately, period. It's nothing serious, nothing horrible, just the winter blues, I guess. I haven't been miserable, but I'm a person that likes to feel PUMPED UP! and happy as often as humanly possible.

Well, today has been a very positive day, in part because I read the India section of Eat Pray Love last night. I read the Italy part a few months ago and then put the book down, knowing that I wouldn't be ready for what the writer discovered in India until I was in the right place. Yesterday was the right time. I am so empowered and inspired. I won't get all spiritual here, it's not the right place for it, but I will say that we all have our own spiritual path that makes sense to us, and sometimes we know we are deviating but simply don't care. Maybe it's because we're stubborn, or it feels too good to wallow in self pity, or we simply think we "don't have time". I've found that for me, when I open myself to the potential of growth and learning, there is fear at first, but if I can kick my attention in the right direction and follow through anyway, it ends up showing me the very keys to get out of whatever funk I'm in. Everything else just comes tumbling (in a positive sense) after.

So with this new energy, I busted out a new canvas I got for Christmas (thank goodness my family knows to get me art supplies) and my acrylic paints, and as soon and my brush pushed that gorgeous, squishy paint around I couldn't help but think "ahhhh.... my love, how I've missed you so". 2008 might just be a kick ass year after all.

Speak Peace Men's T-shirt on Zazzle

Speak Peace Men's T-shirt on Zazzle, originally uploaded by livefunky.

www.zazzle.com/artjct*

Tiny Boxes

Tiny Boxes, originally uploaded by livefunky.

My first painting of 2008! Now available for sale at www.livefunky.etsy.com

Etsy Front Page - Jan 6, 2008

Etsy Front Page - Jan 6, 2008, originally uploaded by livefunky.

I know they are here and then gone in a flash. Fortunately this time I caught it and got a screen shot. Thanks to 3FUN for creating this great list (and for including me in it!).

LOVE BUG - New Babukins Design

Perfect for the little love bug in your life! www.zazzle.com/babukins*

Also in blue....

Customizable clothing for men and women www.zazzle.com/artjct*

Odd Fellows - Hot Ladies Tank Top

Another new design at www.zazzle.com/artjct*

Radical Expansion

A new shirt design at www.zazzle.com/artjct*

i'm just an animal looking for a home

if feels really cool to see one of my greatest inspirations dancing on this page... the wonders of technology. i hope he wouldn't mind.

Happy New Year!

happy new year!, originally uploaded by livefunky.

This picture was taken last night at our favorite place to spend New Year's Eve, Szechuan Tokyo in West Hartford, CT. Live jazz, great food, friendly people = good times.

I can hardly believe that it's actually 2008. Today is a day to chill and reflect, tomorrow really begins the NEW year for me. After getting a bunch of shipments out, I plan on starting some new paintings. I feel the spirit!

Happy New Year, my friends!

Good Tidings To You and Your Kin

me and mommy, originally uploaded by livefunky.

(This is a picture of me and my mom last year at our Jack and Jill party.)

I finally did it and upgraded to a pro account on flickr. This means I can upload as many pictures as I want and make as many sets and collections of images as I want, too. I'm adding a bunch of personal shots as well as art and art related photos and I feel like 'why not?'. It may seem unprofessional, but I always think it's cool to see other artist's "real life" pictures in their flickr account along with their wares.

May our smiles give you some holiday cheer. Happy New Year to all!

Merry Christmas

Silent Night

The sun just set red over the valley below and now the world's turned blue. I took this picture looking out our kitchen window to the backyard, the snowflake was from a Christmas crafty day here with the fam. I've got some time before the whole lot comes home and it's very peaceful sitting here, listening to the wind chimes outside and relaxing for a moment.

I hope everyone is allowing themselves some moments of peace and quiet in the mad dash of this next week. Take a deep breath. Look at the pretty lights you worked so hard setting up. Enjoy this moment with family or friends, a pet or by yourself.

Peace.

Etsy In The Press

Check out the NY Times article about the Handmade Pledge and Etsy's role in the movement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/magazine/16Crafts-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Preparing for the New Year

Howdy folks. I've been fighting a beast of a cold for the past week. Knock on wood the worst is over but I still need to take it easy. I can't stand being sick and I can't stand being slowed down! But I obviously needed this break. I just want to be better for Christmas.

Since painting hasn't been an option (no energy, dizzy standing) I'm working on reorganizing my Etsy shop. I've got a sale section now which you can see by clicking here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=102895&section_id=5247974

Basically I am clearing out some older work to make way for new paintings and prints. My plan is to create a new shop on Etsy just for my "gallery collection" of original fine art. This will feature only the best of the best. I'll be working in series with the highest quality paints and materials. I'm going to hold off on telling you the link name until I have set up the shop, but it's something I am very excited about.

Since I've had such success with livefunky, I'm keeping that shop too - but of course! Livefunky will feature all affordable art, including prints, ACEOs, sketches, etc.

The reason why I'm doing all of this is to make some sense out of the mounds of artwork I have accumulated! Cleaning out the studio was the wake up call of just how much work I've got. I need to seriously go through everything and make a few piles/stacks.

Art that I don't want to sell because it's special - That should either be hanging in my own home or passed on to someone I love.

Art I don't want to sell because it's not good enough - I need to figure out what to do with the loads of art I have held onto that's just random. Sketches that never went anywhere, paintings that have a tear, you name it. I can't sell it but I can't part with it either. I guess the only answer is to find some sturdy tupperware bins and just store them away. Who knows, maybe my random sketches would be worth something to my kids someday?

Art that I do want to sell - These go to Etsy, and if they've been on there for a long time and haven't sold, they go on sale or get taken off to be part of a collection of "give away" art since I always include freebies for buyers.

That's my plan for all of my finished artwork. My plan for art that is yet to be is this...

MY PASSION - Time to raise the bar with my paintings. Invest in higher quality materials for new "gallery collection". Paint in series/groups. These will be my babies... :)

MY EVERYDAY - Even though I'll be raising the bar (and prices, by the way) of my fine art paintings, I'll still be doodling, sketching and doing little experimental watercolors and paintings on paper. These will be my livefunky puppies, ready for an affordable price tag and perfect for a little dorm room, apartment or workspace.

MY SIDE PROJECTS ONLINE - I'm going to continue developing my clothing lines through Zazzle www.zazzle.com/babukins* and www.zazzle.com/artjct*. These will have special illustrations and digital designs. Expect some more of these special product lines in 2008.

There's a lot to look forward to in 2008, but for now, I need to take a nap! I need to get better to get back to work!

All Sassed Up

I scored a Treasury List on Etsy tonight and dedicated it to dressing up for a night on the town.

Check it out here! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=17925

It will be live through Monday.

Modern Art Apparel on Zazzle

a few examples from my online apparel line....

www.zazzle.com/artjct*

Oh Happy Day

I had an amazing day today babysitting for a relative's daughter, I'll call her Lil' K. I had to post this just because I'm so moved by my experience with her. Lil' K is the sweetest baby in the world. Am I biased? Yes, but it's still true. From 8:30 to 5 only one cry - and it was for a trip and fall I might have cried over too. Just a little singing did the trick to get that smile back again. My favorite part of the day? Post nap, warm bundle of love snuggling up against me, staring into my eyes with her big brown beauties and long lashes, smiling - uh, total peace.

I love you so much Lil' K! Thank you for filling my heart with sunshine!

Two Clothing Shops on Zazzle

Modern Art Apparel - www.zazzle.com/artjct*
Tshirts for Men and Women


Babukins - www.zazzle.com/babukins*
Tshirts and onsies for babies and kids