Pet portraits for Christmas

I love paintings pet portraits. Why you ask? I love painting anything but I especially love painting things that have meaning and our pets mean a lot to us. I love knowing whoever gets the pet portrait will be pleased as it's a thoughtful and special gift that you wouldn't ever expect. I have two recent portraits to share. One is for my friend Ann to give to her brother, the pugs. The other is a for a customer name Jack and his sister's dog is McFly, a Chihuahua . I did both of these this week and I am painting my husband's bosses dog soon as a thank you for our NY trip. I start with a charcoal sketch then I layer the paint, putting in lights and darks loosely in case I need to move things and I usually do. I LOVE acrylic as you can always just paint right over a spot and start fresh. I have always struggled with proportions and I usually have to adjust things so I am always grateful for the forgiving nature of acrylics. It's so wonderful to have commission paintings to do while I am at the shop. I love to make art and when people come in it's icing on the cake. When it's slow I am 'working' and doing what I love, a win win. I need to get the word out as pet portraits are affordable ($100) and fast, and a true keepsake gift. It only takes a picture so this can all be done via the internet folks. I shall be expanding this aspect of Hip Chick for my next year's goals. As always thanks for stopping by my blog and I really appreciate your support!

Open studios pictorial and Theatre of Dreams

Friday I went to Wendy Addison's studio in Port Costa for her open studios but sadly she was in NY at a promotional event.  I was hoping to get a shot of her in my red tutu for the portfolio...but it was still very stimulating to be in her studio among her incredible art pieces.  I wanted to buy everything!  I did buy a good bit and then saw the foster farm chickens in a red truck parked right in front of my car which made me smile...then it was off to get ready for the weekend....and what a weekend it was!
 
 I LOVE open studios!  The Arsenal is humming with good energy and enthusiastic art lovers and supporters.  It was so wonderful to have all my family and friends come to the shop and support my dream.  Thank you to all of you who made the journey.  It warms my heart to see my favorite people in my studio and then to share my joy of creativity, it is the icing on the cake.  The store feels so good when there are loads of people inside, all ohhing and ahhing and the music is playing....it's heaven.  I saw my peeps, my family, my friends and neighbors and met some new supporters as well.  I had good sales and good vibes and the weekend was a huge success.  The pictures really tell the story.  Saturday Ben (my hubbie) and Alex (our son) came to cheer me on and Sunday Abby (our daughter) and her friend Louise came to join in the fun and take tutu pictures....with their pointe shoes and let me tell you these girls can't take a bad picture.  GORGEOUS!  I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do what I love, create art and have my shop, in a place I love, the Arsenal, and then share it with people I love, YOU all.  It just doesn't get any better than that! 

Open Studio weekend

Well it's Saturday at 8:11 and I am getting ready for the big weekend, it's our open studios at the Arsenal in Benicia. I have tried to spread this news ad nausem on facebook and with postcards etc. I never did post on my blog so better late than never right?! I have a new line of fragrances called ToykoMilk and they are yummy! plus loads of Christmas decor, art, cheery music, snacks and best of all ME! haha...
So I hope all you fans can come and celebrate this occasion, perhaps find some Christmas presents and have fun looking at all the art studios here in the Arsenal. I love open houses, I was always a snoop when I was young so when you can go in someone's private place it's a treat. There is every possible kind of art and flavor happening here, and the talent is enormous. I am honored to be a part of this community of creatively talented individuals. I feel like a kindergartner compared but at least I'm in the game ya know!! Pictures to follow of course so stay tuned and thanks for your support!!

ToykoMilk coming to Hip Chick

I am excited to announce the shop will be carrying ToykoMilk a luxurious line of yummy perfume, lotions, soaps and candles. These will hopefully be arriving in time for open studios this weekend so come on down and get some! I am psyched for the festivities and merriment...then we have Hip Chick's 1 year anniversary celebration coming up on January 15th. There will be dancing in Daisy, music by John Richmond, tasty treats and bubbly. There will also be a special tutu dance party presentation by my daughter and her friends so it's going to be FUN!!

Pay it forward- December 1, 2010

Did you see the movie Pay it forward? It was excellent. Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment were the cast if this movie from 2000. Here's what it's about.....
"Everything in social studies teacher Eugene Simonet's life is in order--every shirt, every pencil, every person in its proper place. To keep the surface placid means never having to go deeper. And no one and nothing in his life has ever asked him to. Arlene McKinney is a single mother hanging on by her fingertips, working two jobs, and struggling to raise her son, Trevor. She is trying to give him a new life, but in her absence she is losing him. Eugene gives Trevor's class an assignment: look at the world around you and fix what you don't like. But can you fix people? "
I've seen this movie a few times and every time I am moved and affected. I love the concept that Trevor created which was to do 3 random acts of kindness and if those 3 people pay it forward then eventually everyone would be doing good deeds. Tomorrow is official "Pay it forward" day according to David Del Mundo. He posted on facebook an invite that December 1st is official pay it forward day, and he asked people to join. I happily agreed. It's easy to pay it forward, the hard part is in being anonymous. I often do random acts of kindness but I usually get thanked for it. The real test is doing it and not having any praise and acknowledgment. So I thought of different things to do for it and settled on distributing 8 poinsettias with Merry Christmas from someone who cares to the people in hospice. I would like to give everyone one, and I will let the staff figure out who gets them but it's a start. The reason I'm sharing this is not for praise but to inspire you to do the same tomorrow in whatever way you find enjoyable. I like to support good causes and this is a good one to be sure. I thought about buying people Starbucks but I really wanted to reach someone who needs a lift. I think I will make December a pay it forward month and do as many acts of kindness as I can. I just wanted to be sure and do something for the launch. If you haven't seen the movie, get it. If you've never paid it forward, try it. You will get just as much out of it as the person who receives it, if not more. And remember "Tis the season".....

This is David's post for Pay it forward on facebook..
David's 2nd Annual
Pay It Forward Day
December 1st, 2010

‘Tis the Season! A random act of kindness goes a long way so…

PAY IT FORWARD!!!

What can you do?
ON DEC. 1st...
• Pay for someone’s cup of coffee…
• Buy someone some groceries…
• Get the next person’s gas…
• Help someone out…
• Donate something…
• Be creative!!!

When you do something for someone there’s a good chance they’ll do something for someone else. If not, at least you’ve done a good deed for someone.

So on December 1st share some kindness and spread some joy! It can be as little as a few dollars or as much as you want. No one needs to know!

Join me, won’t you?

(I'm trying to make this a national event so spread the word. Maybe one day it'll be a nationally recognized day!)

I won't be offended if you don't decide to participate, but please... spread the word!

Gratitude

November is gratitude month in AA.  For those of you who know me you know I am in this program.  For those of you who don't know me now you know.  Haha.  I am proud of this and I do not hide my anonymity.  I have been sober for 9 years, and being sober is the best thing I ever did.  I'm not going to go on and on about sobriety, although this is what I'm most grateful for.  Without my sobriety I am lost.  I am floundering and I am a mental mess.  With sobriety I have clarity, direction and purpose.  Most of all I have gratitude.
I just want you to take a minute right now and mentally list the things you are grateful for..........when you are finished I will list mine......

I am going to freely brainstorm them now......
life, family, friends, AA, health, higher power, sunshine, clouds, air, oceans and warm water, gentle breezes, laughter, smiles, tears.  Colors and light, art, paper, paint, and books.  Cupcakes, ice cream, sunflower seeds and fizzy juice, Bass Lake, St. Croix and memories.  My husband who I have grown up with and continue to grow old with and my two astonishing children Alex and Abby.  I am humbled by their goodness and always impressed with their uniqueness.  My shop Hip Chick and how it has enabled me to grow as an artist and business woman.  It teaches me what I want and where I want to go on a daily basis.  I have gratitude for my creative journey and it's never ending expansion.  I am grateful for my family of origin and tomorrow being with them all for Thanksgiving, all except my brother who I am grateful is now joining me in sobriety.  I am grateful for all my friends who love and support me, encourage and inspire me.  I am grateful I live in America, I have food, water, shelter, good health and money to live comfortably.  I am grateful for so much more but now I must stop as I should be going to the shop.....I just wanted to get a quick post up before I left.

I would LOVE to hear what YOU"RE grateful for, I love feedback and you are just as important to me as I am to you.  I am grateful for YOU too.

Happy Thanksgiving from Hip Chick Carrie

Phil Hansen has got it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tncwN7Hdyeg
Stumbled upon this video of Phil Hansen and he just blew my brains.  The dude's got it.  I mean talent, complex ideas and the ability to produce something fresh.   This humbles me.  Could make me jealous but that's just silly, so instead I salute him.  BRAVO Phil!you deserve all the recognition you receive and I shall be an admirer of what you do.....

It's funny about art.  It's so personal and specific to the artist, like Phil's work is what is important to him.  I like to think I'm an artist and yet I still get blocked on how to convey what is important to me in my work.  I opt for what pleases me instead.  I opt for visually interesting instead of sending a message. Sometimes I capture a moment that was particularly poignant, and this feels good. Yet I aim to put complex messages into my art and to do it in a fresh way.  That's a tall order and the key is in not pressuring myself.  That's a real buzz kill, "PRESSURE", a creative fire extinguisher....It's a trap and I am tuned in to it which helps me to sidestep it if I'm lucky...By suiting up and showing up, my art will evolve and go where it's meant to.  It's always changing and growing and I just have to get my ego outta the way.  My ego tells me it sucks, it's been done, what's the point, I should be doing something more pertinent, yatta yatta...real friendly stuff like that.  It never says, "Gee Carrie you are learning and trying new things, good for you.  Who cares if it isn't perfect, pretty and 'sale able"....I have to train my brain against the ego's negativism...it's like a bad guy with the dark suit and hat who creeps out from the dark alley and says I'm gonna get ya...the good news is I won't let him get me, I'm always just a few steps ahead of him,yet he's lurking and if I'm not careful he could grab me and then , "poof", I'm screwed....ok this sounds very mellow dramatic but it FEELS very real.  Those who create, understand the nerve wracking that goes along with the joy, the angst and the ecstasy...the creative blocks and the breakthroughs, it's all part of the creative process, and there's no better ride I'd rather be on........