news of the visionary kind

the KNITIMALS™ have done it, ladies and gents--- they have infiltrated the wacky, wonderful walls of the American Visionary Art Museum here in baltimore. for years people have been telling me (and rightly so) that Sideshow, the gift shop at AVAM, would be a great space for the Knitimals... i'd like to say i'm fearless, but those of you who know me know that i can be a little stubborn when it comes to trying something i think i might fail at. thus, i put off approaching the good people over at Sideshow until 2 weeks ago. its a funny story... basically the day began with me (and estelle, my "day-time daughter") going out on what we thought was a sure thing retail visit (it wasn't). we were prepared to talk shop. we had a car full of knitimals. we were hungry (me for getting my work out in the public eye... estelle, probably for macaroni and cheese). we'd promised the knitimals today would be the day for some of them. i couldn't just bring them back home! i was on a mission. so, maybe it was the "you can't tell me what to do" vibe i was feeding off of, but i decided that there was no time like the present and i really wanted to see the knitimals at sideshow--- i'd been avoiding failure for two years and that was just plain silly. more silly was worrying about failing. if they weren't interested in carrying my work, no harm, no foul; it would just be another little road block in the already less than perfect day. so, we parked the car, fed the meter, got ourselves stamped as "ok" for the shop but not the galleries--- i on my hand, estelle on her leg--- and we walked off toward the future, nervous, but steady. only a minute later, we were confident. we were SO well recieved by the Sideshow staff, and after a lovely little visit, estelle and i walked out 5 knitimals lighter. it was great. so reassuring, and another great reminder for me (and i find i need these) that i really DO know what i am doing... ah, sweet success! i'm so proud of them. the Visionary, if you haven't been, by the way, is a MAJOR must visit here in baltimore. an entire museum dedicated to untrained artists making some of the must gut-torn, heart felt, amazing art you've ever seen. so good. so so good. anyway, this is mr. ledu and if you want him, head over there and pick him up! (if you want to see who else is there, check out the listings in the "knitimals 2007" section of my website. for more on AVAM---check this out:
american visionary art museum

chalk it up!

....sooooo, have you ever drawn on asphalt? with chalk? in the rain? i did! as you know, i participated in the columbia festival of the arts this past weekend and for a few hours on sunday i left my booth in jess's capable hands and stepped outside to draw with chalk. i was totally winging it. i brought brushes and a spray bottle (a lark) and figured out i could use them to smush the chalk into a paint of sorts. the image is based off of one of my illustrations ("new thunder") and i am pretty pleased with the way it turned out. ESPECIALLY since half way through the process, it started raining and i had to fashion, in a macguyver-y way, a tarp made out of towels and garbage bags and plastic shelving. in the end, my butt was wet and asphalt dimpled, BUT, i won first place and took home a very pretty penny. well, a check... look at my confused/bemused schrinchy face in this picture. its just chalk, dana... its just chalk.

things that make me go "happy"

patterns patterns everywhere...

aj and i just got back from a wonderful little trip to sweet little helen, georgia. my parents are (finally!!!) freeing themselves from the soul-sucking miami and moving to northern georgia. helen is an alpine (read: looks like germany as featured in "it's a small world" at the magic kingdom, but with more candy stores) town in northern georgia, and was the site of many of our family vacations "back in the day". on our last full day down there, we went a-hikin' at anna ruby falls (i use "hiking" very loosely because it makes it sound more woodsy) and having just been discussing quilting (really), we walked through these beautiful shadow patterns, which we both decided should be the basis for the next quilt mom makes us. the moral of the story is: inspiration is everywhere; and you should make efforts to hike more.

busy bee!

so, the summer is a good time to be active in the studio--- since that's where the air conditioner is. i like to keep the studio a comfortable 60 degrees (you can't work with wool in anything higher). but in addition to knitting up a storm, and yes, i have knit a storm, i am also sitting myself down at the desk to draw, cut, collage and make (both art and messes). look at the fun clutter!

it took long enough!

happy spring! so, i've been slow with the upkeep of this little blog-o-mine. but i'm here now, to let you know i am committed to our cyber relationship. true, it won't be lengthy, because i have some applications to fill out and mail, but keep an eye on this page and i promise i'll fill it with information you never even knew you needed, some time so soon. xoxo danamarie

i call this one "still life with knitimal arm"

so you see, it really is contagious

this is estelle. my best friend. and i purposefully saved the whole "opening of the giant box of yarn that came in the giant brown truck today" experience for after nap time. look at all that beautiful, tasty yarn!

"excerpts"

for anyone who has ever wanted to own a piece of art, but didn't have the space or the cash for anything TOO big... i am proud to introduce "excerpts", a collection of original 4" x 5" drawings (gathered from and inspired by my sketchbook), signed by me and presented in plastic sleeves. they are only $3 each or 2 for $5. (such a deal!). they'll be making their public debut at the columbia festival of the arts.

introducing knitimal cozies!

you know how the other day you were stamping around the house, cursing at the ceiling because your ipod's face was scratched? and how minutes before, you were flipping out because your new cell phone was just sitting on the table, all exposed and in danger of being scuffed or scraped? and how you called the local government and asked them what the deal was with the fact that small electronics are so expensive, so fragile and so NOT covered in adorable woolen skins? well friends, curse no more! i bring you... knitimal cozies, in sizes and shapes perfect for your various MP3 players, cell pones, and other small, but very important, electronics.