Rockin' the Dress

Here is my donation to the art auction during Rock for Rehab benefitting Verhelst Recovery House.

I wanted this dress to be a bit more rock-n-roll to fit the theme, but also wanted positive affirmations in the background because of whom it was benefitting. I think in order to rock a dress like this, one has to be confident, comfortable in one's own skin, and love oneself for who she is.

To help make it a bit edgier, I this dress is the first to utilize graphite rubbing underneath.

The side panels are a heavily textured fabric with skinny folds that made stripes and nubs. 

The center panel is lace, and the breast panels are a tighter lace pattern.

I added pastel over top, and text in the background. 

This dress is also the first that has a background value fade to a soft black border

around the outside edge.  

Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual Rock for Rehab from 11-6 pm at Naco Country Club. There are 7 local bands playing, an Art Auction, and good food at this event. Self-touted as "The Grestest Cause on Earth," I may not exactly agree, but do believe it is a really great cause (c'mon, I know you've seen episodes of A&E's Intervention -- drug and alcohol addictions tear families apart).

If you would like to buy this piece, you have to be there!

Your Help: What Should HGS Do in 2011?

 This Friday, I am meeting with Mark at the Small Business Development Center to discuss business goals for my studio/gallery in 2011. I am to present 4 goals for the year, 2 of which Mark and his resources at the SBDC can help facilitate. Because my business is in its infancy, there are so many possibilities for things to work towards. I need help narrowing the field -- this is where you come in. Take the poll and leave comments -- think about what might be a priority, as well as what might make HGS stand out from the crowd. TAKE THE POLL -- CLICK HERE.

I do have some personal goals, such as designating time during the week for social media, advertising, etc. I would like to start taking proper photos of my artwork and set up a better system for inventory and pricing. It would also be helpful to have the gallery open more often, so that I would be more likely to offset the rent with sales. For personal growth, I want to submit work in local and state exhibitions, as well as take an art class or two this summer. If you have suggestions for any of these personal goals, please feel free to comment!

Thank you, in advance, for your help.

Reflecting on the New Year

Happy 2011!

I love the start of a new year, as it is a season of hope and anticipation. We review the passing year in photos, funniest television commercials, and biggest headlines, while predictions are made about the economy, the political atmosphere, and who will battle it out at the Super Bowl. Furthermore, the new year is often viewed as a blessing, an opportunity to change, to make our collective world a better place by starting within. The making of resolutions is noble . . . perhaps because sticking with our goals is daunting, usually requiring some change in routine, attitude, or behavior. It's easier to wish for a better year than resolve through actions that it will be better, lest we be disappointed with ourselves.


"A new year's resolution is something that goes in one year, and out the other." -- Unknown


My resolutions are usually on-going battles with daily life. I will continually strive to be more organized (where do all of those papers come from anyway?), to find balance between work and play (work usually wins), and to finish things, whether it's to avoid spoilage in the fridge, or to stop the clutter of fifteen simultaneous "projects" from taking over the living room.

Although I have never actually followed through with any of my New Year's resolutions, I offer you this: remember that the opportunity to better ourselves is open all year long. As long as we try to be the best versions of ourselves, we will all be better for it, even if we fall short. World peace begins within.

This Blog has Traveled

Since May, this blog has received traffic from all over the world (who knew?) . . . Below is a map and list of views from countries all over the world, listed from most views to fewest.

United States
Russia

United Kingdom

Germany

Canada

Netherlands

Saudi Arabia

Ukraine
South Korea
Latvia

I would like to post images of my artwork and where in the world it has ended up. More to come . . .

Sold! The New Spring Line

This collage of dresses with wire hangers will finally have a new home! It was accepted in the Glendale Arts council show in 2005. Steve, who lives in Washington state, bought this piece for his daughter, to hang in her office. I can't wait to see (and post) where it "lives."

If you have a piece of my art, snap a photo of it (in its natural surroundings), and send it in an e-mail to heathergreenstudios@gmail.com. Include the city and state (or country!) where the work hangs, as well as anything anecdotal you would like to add.

I plan on blogging about where my work ends up, as well as getting a map for the studio with stickpins as to where my work is found. Bisbee has all kinds of travelers walk through, so it is only fitting to track where my work travels to . . .

Deck the Walls (or the Windows!)

Since my trip to New York City 5 years ago, I LOVE window displays, and have wanted to do my own. I now have two small street level display windows at my studio, so I'm excited to make things interesting! Here's my first crack at it:

I had painted the whole window box white when I repainted the rest of the studio to give it a fresh feel. However, the white can be glaring when the sun hits it, so I decided to go for a sohpisticated wood flooring look. In order to do this, I stained garden stakes ebony and cut off the ends . . . it took 100 stakes to cover the bottoms of both display windows!

The first picture shows 5 "wallpaper" panels (actually just gift wrap stuck to foamcore with spray adhesive), each with a framed word that collectively reads"Deck the Walls with Art." The large bulbs reference Christmas, but give the window a sense of theatricality and stage presence.

The next picture is a scan of my initial sketch -- I was going to hang strips of ribbon in the background, but found that the panels took up plenty of visual space, and are blocking natural
light in the studio. I will save the ribbons for later.

The third photo is my favorite part of the window display, although the photo doesn't do it justice. It is the middle of the second window (after the google Maps app barcode and magnets display), showcasing my Christmas cards. I am glad I have this mini pedastal to create some height and interest.

The next picture was an in-progress photo (you can see the white floor), but is the best photo of the Wordle I used to reiterate the theme. (What's a wordle? See the last post.) I framed it, used a mini wooden easel, and stuck the back of my business card to the
glass for a personal touch. I now have a sign in between the frame and my sticker that has business hours.

The final photo is the very first panoramic I've taken with my camera phone. As you can see, the displays really "glow" at night.

Overall, I wanted to showcase the season, and identify artwork as an awesome gift, but didn't want to be cliche with seasonal decorations. I hope it stands out!

What's YOUR Wordle?

I stumbled upon this fun app for creating your own word art called a "wordle." Above, you are seeing the wordle my blog made! I am using the app to make a signs for my studio. I'm also thinking it could have interesting uses for teachers (e.e. cummings poetry, vocab review, synonyms practice, etc.), which could make learning fun . . . Try it out!

Panorama Fun

Matt took panoramic photos of the new gallery/studio space with his camera phone. You can click on the blog title -- it's a link -- to view all four!

Menu for the Private Opening 11-13-10

Yesterday's opening fete was yummy (oh yeah, and fun!). Here's the rundown of the menu:

1. brie and havarti cheeses


2. a variety of fancy crackers


3. veggie tray


4. apple slices and dried apricots


5. dark chocolate squares


6. delicious Swedish meatballs in a crockpot (chef Matt's specialty)


7. garlic stuffed olives


8. Bogle merlot*


9. apricot walnut brie dip in the mini crockpot (received rave reviews from guests) -- recipe below!

Apricot Walnut Brie Dip:

1 large round of brie (13- 15 oz.)

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp water

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Put brie in a mini crockpot (cut off the rind if thick). In a small bowl, mix apricots, sugar, water, vinegar, and rosemary. Pour mixture on top of the brie. Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts. Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours, or low for 3. Serve with crackers and/or apple slices.

*Special thanks to Brian Wimmer, Matt's cousin for suggesting the wine choice. I now have a new, affordable favorite.

Look Ma, I'm on Google Places!

Have you ever searched for a service in your area on Google (i.e. "hair salons near Glendale AZ") and a map with red tabs indicating the names and locations of different businesses appears? It's part of a feature called Google Places. Google also has an app for Smartphones called "Places" allowing users to search for bars, restaurants, attractions, stores, and other local businesses near their current location. The same information shows up on their phones! Businesses can also post their individual barcode (see mine??) for passers-by to scan into their smartphones to view business info and reviews. Customers can also download coupons for these businesses on their phones, or print them out at home ahead of time.

I am excited to say that Heather Green Studios is now on Google maps/places in Bisbee! Currently, I only have a red dot, not a tab/flag because I am a new business. (Search "art gallery in Bisbee AZ" to try it out! You will have to click on the map of Bisbee and zoom in to find it . . . near the Coppoer Queen Hotel.) I'm sure that the more others view the listing and leave reviews, i will eventually earn my flag on the map! Click on this blog's title for a direct link to my Google places site.

If you click on my listing and scroll down to the bottom, there is a coupon for the grand opening of my new studio! The coupon is for a FREE marble magnet with any $10 purchase, good only November 13th, 2010 from 3 to 8 pm. If you are unable to find the information, please contact me at heathergreenstudios@gmail.com so I can e-mail you the link! The imagery for the magnets are unique, original, hand-pulled prints made by me.