Help Pick the Catawampus Soundtrack!

Jeff and I have had a lot of fun thinking of things to complement our off-kilter art show happening next Saturday (click here for more info). I think we are going to do some kind of wacky rice krispy treat creature among other goofy food items. (We are open to suggestions!) We are perhaps most excited about creating a soundtrack for the evening. We over-brainstormed, and need YOUR HELP to narrow down the playlist. Please take this survey to select and suggest music for the evening: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SV6S85C

catawompus: (adj.) askew; off-kilter or unexpected

What do a hang-gliding bear, a robot fashion show, and a penguin on a cell phone all have in common? They are all part of the fun at CATAWOMPUS (a show of slightly off-kilter artwork) at Heather Green Studios in Old Bisbee.

I'm really excited to feature paintings by Jeff Henley, one of the profs at Cochise College. His work is often ironic, is sometimes whimsical and sweet, but is always interesting. It's kind of like getting a glimpse of what's inside Jeff's head (but not so far down the rabbit hole).

To compliment his sense of humor, I will have my "pinguin" sculptures on display. Created from actual bowling pins, the penguins are mischievous, sometimes cruel, and will surely tickle a funny bone or two. You will not want to miss this show, as a few penguins have already been sold (meaning this event will be the last time to see some of them in public)!

 CATAWOMPUS is Saturday, April 9th from 5:00 to 9:30 pm, and is a free event open to the public. This reception will also have an interesting soundtrack and food spread for the evening . . . Bring some friends, and take in some culture (albeit slightly skewed). It will be a (bowling) ball!

MAKE Youth Arts Festival

The Second Annual MAKE Youth Arts Festival is next weekend! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 26th from 10 am to 4 pm to attend this fun, free, kid-oriented event.

Artwork by my art students from Greenway Elementary and Lowell Junior High will be on display, as will work from Bisbee High School art students. Guests are invited to participate in a scavenger hunt, in which one must scour the artwork to find all the hidden gems. Performances by Stories That Soar (dramatic rendering of stories written by kids) and Wall of Love (the BHS rock band) are sure to please, as are the many "Make & Take" activities. I will be stationed at the screenprinting table where you can screen your own MAKE fest or Wall of Love tee! Be sure to bring a plain t-shirt to participate.

I'm proud of all the hard work my kids have put in this year. Here are some samples:

March Calendar

The "big" plans for the month . . . mark your calendars. :)
(for some reason, the calendar is only viewable after hitting the "back" button. Try it.)
You can click on each activity for more information.

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!