a little alchemy

i'm happy to announce that the Knitimals have arrived (and been so well received) in silver spring, maryland! that's right all you silver springians, you can now buy knitimals at silver spring's award winning art spot,
Alchemy, which, if you've never visited, is the sweetest little shop, with just about the nicest woman you'll ever meet, at the helm. brenda smoak herself has the spirit of a knitimal, so i know they'll be right at home there. visit Alchemy wednesday through sunday: 8025 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or call (to chat with Brenda... WHICH, i imagine would be just as lovely over the phone, at:) 301-565-2262

need more stuff?

knitimal buttons!
by
danamariehosler

Get this custom button at Zazzle

but(t) wait!... there's more!

excuse the pun, but(t) how cute is this little knitimal butt? SO cute! and you know what else is cute?... honoring local art. ok, that was a stretch, but check this out. the city paper here in baltimore has released it's annual "best of" issue and guess which murals they think are best? the columns at the farmers' market, of course! want to know more? well... click away:
baltimore's best mural!

TGI...K?

here's a wonderful friday post from my good friend carrie... nothing says 5 o'clock on a friday like a couple of knit friends cheering you across the workday finish line.

504 sq feet of brick completely covered in paint!

here it is! finished! wow. this is the largest single mural i have ever painted and i couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. i love it. i don't however, love the fact that i can't turn my head to the left at all. at all.

the final panel was: "senior services" and there they are... seniors... being "serviced". ok, so i'll admit that this one is a little more vague in narrative, but they have a cat and i think they look happy & healthy and really, isn't that what matters? i love its purple-y-ness. this is also the panel that gets my full signature and imagine my glee when mid name i turn to see katie, isadora and sweetie estelle... at THEEEEE MOMENT! such a cheering section.

so yes, this is the last of the health department mural posts. i will go by today and seal the paintings with a milky, gluey, coating that supposedly resists (or at least makes it easier to clean) graffiti and other ick.

then, tomorrow evening, after work, the long awaited... massage! i've opted for deep tissue and i doubt i will regret it.

switching gears a little... now that mural time is behind us for a while, i will be re-focusing my attention on knitting, and collaging. i have a few new ideas too, so those of you who come out to Bazaart at the American Visionary Art Museum will not be disappointed. til next time! xoxo danamarie

immunization... on brick: panel #1

well, i'll say it now, and knock wood... i think, THINK, i only have one day of work remaining. downside: i'll miss this piece. i've enjoyed watching it come to fruition. upside: i get my IN studio mondays and tuesdays back (and really, i just want to sleep in... just one day), i get the backseat and trunk of my car back (and i've promised edison a full service interior and exterior professional grooming session for him soon) & most important, hopefull, with the aid of a massage and a visit to the chiropractor, i'll get full use of my spine and muscles back. nevertheless, here are the updates for today. panel #1 (called that because of its location, not chronology), is complete. it's "immunization" (though i've added a few of my own "healthy ideas" in the posters behind the nurse). i like the baby with the pacifier (or "par" as its known and spoken in my daily child care life). once this one was done, i scooted myself all the way down to panel #6 (the polar opposite of #1), where the sidewalk is lower and the mural is up higher and you need a ladder for EVERYTHING! oh dear. my aching shoulders. i could only bear a couple hours on this one before my muscles seized up... BUT, i did manage to paint in all but one of the faces, and those are usually the most time consuming. score one for me. and then, of course, the long shot... look at them all together (well, #1 & 2 are cut out). here's to a good night's rest, an early start and a successful finish! extra special thanks go out to dunkin donuts and the genius behind coconut ice coffee.

from start to finish! one panel's journey

i thought it might be fun to share with you a little of the process of mural painting (well, at least MY process!). this particular panel is one of my favorites. it's supposed to show the health department's service: "emergency preparedness". so, in the first picture you see the painted background and the sketch. i actually painted the backrground of THREE panels and then did all the sketches one day last week. i find that toward the end its easier on me if i break the tasks down some. the sketching, you'll be interested to know, is actually done in paint, not pencil... again, with something of this size, i prefer to skip the middle man! then you can see the first step, or part of the first steps of the painting. its an undercoat of sorts; i've found that painting on brick is a lot more fun if i can fill in more of the spaces in the bricks before i try to go for detail. so, i paint in big blocks of color to build a foundation, so to speak. and then, the final image... i LOVE the dad's face. look at his beaming cuteness. oh he's so good.

there's probably one 2 more work days left on this puppy, so i'll keep you posted for sure!
xoxo danamarie

michigan is for... Knitimals™!

well friends, this is a very exciting day for us at greenstarstudio... that's right, the knitimals have officially gone west young man... well, not ALL the way west, but retail wise, they've stopped hugging the east coast. this group of wooly knit friends is now residing in ann arbor, at red shoes! my good e-buddie, catherine and her sweet dog, pearl, have taken them in and put them into a new comfy corner where they can bring all their joy to the good people of michigan. if you happen to be one of these good people, go in and take one home with you! the knitimals, and i, feel very fortunate to be in such a COOL store. want to know more about red shoes?
check it out here! xoxo danamarie

plush you!

it's official! the knitimals are on their way to the west coast. for those of your knitimals owners on the pacific, don't think i've forgotten you... surely i'd remember you, but this is the first time that they've been in a show over yonder. yes, the other morning i shipped out a big ol' box full of wool, bound for Fancy+Pants in Seattle, home of one of the three sections of the Plush You! 2007 show. I'd asked for opinions and feedback on who should go and in the end, these were the most loved and i couldn't be happier with the group. plus wth zeen's long arms he can cuddle bonnee and baisy if they get nervous in transit. for those of you on the west coast (or if you want to do what i'm doing and hop a $79 SWA flight) the show opens Oct. 12th! the work is supposed to be up on their collective websites too, so i'll keep you posted. wish them luck! (i apologize for the janky photos, but i wanted you to meet them right away) xoxo danamarie

panel #2... all done!

i'll have to re-take and re-post this picture on a day it's not raining. i feel pretty rugged, having spent the last 2 hours of my working day painting in varying strengths of wind and rain. i'm really happy with this panel. i love the sweet little houses formed around the "homeless" characters... little houses formed my charity and love. awwww.... xoxo danamarie