wisdom.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my friends, all over the place. 'Should old aquaintance be forgot', et cetera.

I am staying with my parents right now, and will continue to be out of the internet 'loop' (or net) for the next couple of weeks.

I'm having my wisdom teeth out soon...as soon as possible. Wish me luck.

Numbers

Trying to get the numbers up for my Introduction to Printmaking class in the spring...

Eagle Rock Holiday Sale

On November 30 I participated in the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts annual holiday sale. This was the second year I participated in the sale, and it was a great day for everyone.



I bought some letterpress cards from Madeleine of Panarama Press, who I just discovered has an Etsy shop. Take a look.

I also bought myself an early Christmas present: a Random Nicole skirt. Nicole Stevenson makes some great things, and I want more of 'em in my closet. Nicole's recent endevour is the Craft Kitchen in Orange county. I haven't been down south for some time, but next time I do, I'll be paying a visit.

Its also been too too long since I've been to the Crab Cooker.....

Hmm. I'm hungry.

I've been very busy with end-of-the-semester to-do lists, and big piles of art projects to grade. The end is in sight, however. In the next few weeks I may even find some time to make some new work.

My strategy for end-of-the-semester stress? I bought a thousand-piece puzzle for the printshop at CSUN. I grade a few things, then work on the puzzle for a few minutes. Its a good way of keeping calm.

More.

More about the puppets-in-need.

Bob Baker's Marionettes

Bob Baker's Marionettes
The following is copied from an "LA culture" email list thing that I get...usually there's nothing of interest in the emails. This makes my heart hurt.

Bob Baker's Marionettes is an amazing amazing puppet theater. I've only been there twice. Once as a little girl, once as a grown-up type girl. Both visits are still vivid in my mind.

Here are wooden spoons from delicious ice cream at Bob Baker's Marionettes, from a perfect day in 2006:



Legendary local artist in need
Posted by: "Seldis, Mark" mseldis@musiccenter.org markseldis
Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:29 am (PST)
For immediate release

November 13, 2008

WHAT: Emergency Campaign to generate funds to save The Bob Baker Marionette Theater from Foreclosure

DEADLINE: $29,000 needed by December 3 or Bob Baker's theater and home will be sold

LOS ANGELES- For more that sixty years, puppeteer Bob Baker has brought delight and amazement to children of all ages with his innovative marionette performances. Through shows at his Bob Baker Marionette Theater, located just west of downtown LA and his huge list of film and TV credits, he has entertained millions of people. Today Bob Baker's puppet theater continues to operate on a daily basis with a crew of young puppeteers trained by the master.

But unless you help, this magical theater will disappear in a matter of weeks. Bob Baker, a proud man and a humble artisan, has no choice but to reach out to his public for a lifeline. Two years ago, Bob Baker was the victim in an elaborate mortgage fraud
operation bent on stealing his theater and home. This outrageous mortgage, written under threatening and deliberately misleading conditions, has left him owing ever increasing payments that are beyond his ability to pay.

This week the situation has reached crisis point, and Bob quietly reached out for help. Many talented people have responded to his call. A plan for improving the theater's financial prospects is being formulated by the Valley Economic Development Center and many of Bob's friends and fans are working behind the scenes to protect Bob and his theater and home from the sharks. The theater has enormous potential, Bob wants
everyone to know that he is not going out of business.

But time is of the essence, and right now, Bob Baker needs your donations if he is going to be able to keep up with his mortgage payments long enough to get the loans modified. As of today, Bob needs $23,000 for past due mortgage payments on the theater, and $6,000 for past due mortgage payments on his home. The deadline for payment in December 3, or the buildings will be sold and Bob and his thousands of puppets will be homeless.

If you have been entertained by Bob Baker's Marionettes, if you love the spirit of old Hollywood creativity that he embodies, if you want to reach out and help someone wonderful who has been terribly wounded by the mortgage crisis and outright fraud, please open your heart and give to Bob Baker at this difficult time. The children of Los Angeles are not ready to be without this great entertainer, who has many more years of magic before him.

Tax deductible donations can be made to "The Academy of Puppetry and Allied Arts." Send your check to 1345 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 or call 213-250-9995 to make a donation by credit card.

Puppeteer Bob Baker is available for interviews. Contact Richard at bobbakerpuppetmaker @yahoo.com, or call 213-250-9995.

ufos.

This weekend I finished up my images for the Scavenger Project for the Art House Co-op. Above is my response to the "Unidentified Flying Objects" prompt. It is a Polaroid Transfer with a little sewing and pocket-watch gears.

I posted more of my images for this project at my Flickr account. Enjoy. I did.

Space.

I am itching to make some big art. Everything is rather cramped right now in michelle-land.

This is a big ink drawing on mulberry paper...spent a lot of the weekend drawing all these dots and circles. It's lovely and huge and delicate, and I want to make many more of them.

Yeah...that's all for now.

The Principle of the Thing.

This evening I found the Disney short from 1961, "Donald and the Wheel", a cartoon which is certainly on my short list of favorite and influential old Disney bits. I hadn't seen it in 10 or 15 years, and I'll say now, for the first time..........

thank goodness for youtube.

This is the first part.

This is the second part.

Enjoy!

As a sort-of related side note, earlier today I ordered a drop spindle from silversunalpacas.....

Typewriter in the Snow.

November.

I started this blog to write about my news, but the difficult thing is, when I have lots going on....I never have the time to write anything for my blog.

So that's annoying.

It's finally cooling off a bit in LA, but there's no knowing if it will stay as pretty as it is today. We had some rain on Saturday; I even heard thunder, which is pretty rare out here.



On Saturday I went to my friend Jennifer Anderson's opening at JK Gallery in Culver City. Jennifer's work is always beautiful, but I was amazed to discover that she also makes her own frames. New-found respect, for sure!

Take a look at the amazing amazingness on "stitch spectacular"......"on the poking edge of embroidery."

On Friday I'm driving to Bakersfield to go to an opening at Surface Gallery....why Bakersfield?

Why not!?

On November 30, I will be at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts annual holiday sale thingy. I participated in this event last year, and it was a really good day. If you're in Los Angeles, come check it out! And if you do come, make sure you stop by That Yarn Store in Eagle Rock. It's my favorite yarn store, although unfortunately I haven't been there in some time...but really, I don't need any more yarn in my life right now.

Oh yes, an Etsy treasury called "cold november rain":



Links to these good people:

My amazing friend Abbey, of hownowdesign
selflesh
erinzam
seasprayblue
kimwestad
yoola
xfreshbatteryx
robindanely
larimeloom
lupin
StudioElan
cherylasmith

More good things to talk about soon. I can't tell all in a single post.

Audible Sighs.

I made a treasury on Etsy yesterday...It's been a while. Check it out here before it goes away.

Links to the featured sellers' shops:

YooLa
My pal Jess, at Libellus
Royal Buffet
White Elephant Vintage
Groundwork
Mimidoodles
Lupin
Studio Elan
Local Library
My pal Ann, at A Beautiful Party
Every Stitch
Terra Bella Spun

I've also been listing some new work in my shop, and have made two sales this weekend...

So far.

My new friend.

Grey-blue "Hermes Baby" from the 1940s. Its a mini typewriter, measuring 11" X 11" X 2.5".

Made in Switzerland but sold from a dealer in Zurich, Germany. The Z & Y are switched, and it has umlauts and other good stuff.

Ain't she pretty? I'm so easy to please, really.

Oh, yes...this is an Ebay find.

The Grey Saturday Report

(this post was written earlier in October....I guess I never "published" it!)

Oh, this has been a good weekend.

Saturday was particularly good. For starters, it was cool and grey all day, and we even had a bit of rain! (although not enough to satisfy me.) I didn't do anything too thrilling. I had eggs benedict at my favorite french restaurant....( I say that like I frequent many french restaurants) and I took a stroll. I tried to visit the observatory, but seeing as it was a lovely cool saturday afternoon, it was far too crowded up there for my taste.

I must admit that the bulk of my day was spent at home on Ebay..........which really isn't like me at all, I swear.



I bought this pretty teacup and saucer. This antique pattern ("Adams" "Maytime") is sort of the Moode-family pattern. My parents got a set of this china from my great-grandmother...(I want to say that she sold the set to my mom for $15. Mom, correct me if I'm wrong.) We ate off this china in my early childhood, til at some point we stopped using it. We got new everyday dishes, and we had lost many pieces in earthquakes.....I think my mom was also very concerned about lead in the paint.

Anyway, the dishes were put away for some time. In the early 90's, we started bringing out this china at Thanksgiving. What else happened in the 1990's? The Internet. My Dad, (from whom I inherited my obsessive collecting tendencies) hunted down and replaced a lot of the set.....and then added to it......more and more.....

Well, a family of four needs a full set of 12+ egg cups and milk cups and demitasse cups and coffee cups, right?

It really is a stunningly happy cabinet at my parent's kitchen. So I bought this cup and saucer for my own kitchen.

Persephone.

I'm tired.

I'm having an interesting experience re-teaching myself lithography. I have never enjoyed graining stones as much as I do now.

Today's the last day of September.

All the new.

I've been very busy lately. Already a month into classes at CSUN and LMU, and I'm pretending it's autumn in Los Angeles, even though it's still too dang hot. But I'm wearing plaid, so....it must be fall.

The images above are of the work I mailed to the Art House Co-Op in Atlanta, Georgia for their "Collecting Objects" project. Today I signed up for what sounds like another fun adventure, their "Scavenger Project."

Here's good stuff: I actually found Lost Found Art while teaching my 2d design class. Who knows what I was talking about at the time.

My friend Ann Flowers has started a blog, haunted by pretty ghosts. Check out A Beautiful Party.

CSUN has wireless internet everywhere, which leads us to my next recent discovery: how fantastic is Pandora Radio? Why didn't I discover this sooner?

Here's a breakthrough moment in the history of the universe:



Well, actually like most things in the universe, this breakthough is rather a looping-around of something I was doing years ago......


So, I've made 115 sales to date in my Etsy shop. I listed some new things on my birthday...check 'em out.

I'm working on a stack of applications, proposals, and entries.

I'm also working on etching big zinc plates, and taking out some of my agression on a litho stone.

Elle Decor

In the current issue of Elle Decor, there is a tiny, blurry image of one of my pieces on page 70. My friend Paula's store, Henry Road is featured, and that's my piece entitled "Blood Oranges and Spiders" above the mantle. Neat, huh?

I've been busy adjusting to my work week. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have LONG days at Cal State Northridge. But long days in a printshop are actually very enjoyable. And I'm not fighting LA traffic...

...I'm out-smarting it.

My 28th birthday is friday! I'm going to the Hollywood Bowl for the first time, to see Brian Wilson & the LA Phil & fireworks.

And I'm buying myself flowers.

More tomorrow: for those keeping count, tommorrow is my one-year "etsyversary". 112 sales from my shop in a year...not too bad, right?

reminder.

Californiversary.

One year ago I wandered into Los Angeles. I know my way around better now.

To celebrate, this evening I baked honey raisin bran muffins. I am looking ahead to commutable breakfasts, as I will start teaching next week.

When I was an undergrad in ol' Kentucky, my brother and best friend and I had a "MUFFIN OF THE WEEK". We three were living together at the time, and took turns making muffins. Another part of this responsibility was to make the obligatory sign to advertise the muffins...in our kitchen. My brother would make his in the middle of the night, and they were almost always chocolate.

Gosh. Muffins are interesting.

Arrowmont

So, earlier this week I heard some rather troubling news about the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. It seems that the land on which Arrowmont is situated might be sold, and developed......into a water park. Isn't that sad? or scary?

I've never been to Arrowmont, but it is a school much like Penland and Haystack. It is located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Below is a link to a petition that was started to help save Arrowmont. I encourage my readers (both of you) (just kidding) to at least take a minute to read some of the thoughts written by those who have signed the petition. It's something to think about.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savearrowmont

Post-Penland.

Here's the auction crew-chief picture, taken at the annual sunday afternoon mimosa hour. Under the tent, after the insanity.

Penland was wonderful. I saw a lot of good people, old friends, new friends, and I stood barefoot on the grass as much as possible. Oh yeah, and there was the auction too, which went very smoothly and made a billion dollars. Well, $528,230. Hooray! I like to think they'd make half as much if my crew didn't scrub the dishes as well as we did...

I'm making final preparations for the fall semester; I start teaching on Monday. I'm nervous and excited and looking forward to being busier.

My friend Michelle Caplan made a nice mention of me on decor8. Michelle is a wonderful mixed-media artist and an all-around clever girl. She works at Henry Road, and will be the featured artist there this fall, after they clear out my work.

So Long, Suckers.

I'm in the Burbank Airport, waiting oh so patiently for my oh so delayed flight to North Carolina.

Purchases made in my shop in the next week will be shipped a week from today. Hope that doesn't cause any difficulty or sadness or feelings of chagrin.

But if it does, remember that those feelings make you stronger and build character.

Or so I've been told.

Studio Channel Islands.

You love printmaking! Tell your friends! This will be at the Studio Channel Islands Art Center on the beautiful campus of California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012

In non-printmaking news, I have begun crocheting doilies for my best friend Jenni, who needs at least thirty-seven doilies before she gets married in October. Because of course, "it would be perfectly impossible to keep house with only thirty-six doilies."

I have new pieces to post for sale in my shop....just need to scan them.

Featured on "Heart Handmade"

Have you ever wondered how Michelle Moode holds a pencil when she's drawing? That's just one of the many shocking secrets revealed in my Heart Handmade interview, which can be found HERE.

I hope it's good for a few laughs...

Virgo.

Here's my Horoscope for the week, courtesy of "the Onion":

"You'll finally catch the great white whale this week, only to realize the damned thing is just a metaphor."

I don't know....made me laugh!

Print Matter(s).

I forgot to write a post about the "Print Matter(s)" exhibition at Studio Channel Islands Art Center! It's a beautiful exhibition of California Printmakers, curated by my friend Jennifer D. Anderson. The exhibition will be up 'til August 9, and if you're around California, you should check it out!

My work for this show consisted of many many layered book-ish things, expertly arranged by Jennifer whilst I was frolicking on the Atlantic Seashore.

The pieces incorporate etching, lithography, monotype, drawing, typing, and a lot of sewing. They are attached to the walls with T-pins.

Wait...

Hold the phone.

In my last post, did I just compare washing dishes at the Penland Auction to "pinchin' yourself when you've 'gone away' while driving on a long, long trip just to make sure you aren't in a dreamland and you haven't really run off the road"?

Hmm. I think I need a nap....

Again?!

I've decided that for one week in August, I'm gonna wander over to North Carolina...you know, again. To breathe wholesome mountain air, see some old friends, and wash dishes.

This will be my SEVENTH year managing the dining hall at Penland for their Annual Benefit Auction. It may sound more glamorous than it is. My team and I will be washing dishes. A lot of dishes. And pots. And silverware. And bowls. And glasses. And then different shaped glasses. And maybe a third shape of glasses. And then some things that we're not-quite-sure what they are, but we gotta wash 'em.

And then we gotta wash everything again, the next day.

If you're a friend or a fan of my work, it should come as no surprise that this satisfies my conceptual interest in repetition.



I do find dish washing to be rather satisfying. No, really. I like washing my own dishes, (particularly with my lovely view from my kitchen window, and my vintage china and Lisa Miller ceramics....)

And at the auction we listen to a lot of good music and always end up having a good time. There's always a moment when I tell myself I'll never do it again.....it is hard work, but it's a good way to remind yourself that you're alive.

Today my friend Maranda wrote to me about how "we do this to ourselves over and over...it's like a way for us to remember we're alive. it's like pinchin' yourself when you've 'gone away' while driving on a long, long trip just to make sure you aren't in a dreamland and you haven't really run off the road." She wasn't talking about washing dishes, but it does seem relevant.

Anyway...

A Beautiful Party.

My friend Ann opened an Etsy shop: take a look: "abeautifulparty". This piece is called "Tied Up," and it can be yours for $20.00.

Ann is working toward her MFA in Illinois. (That is, she's in Illinois, not majoring in the subject of Illinois.) Ann and I were both Undergrads at Murray State University, in Kentucky, but we didn't really get to be friends 'til one crazy week in Vermillion, South Dakota, some years ago.

In her words, she is inspired by, "old nintendo graphics, love affairs, aquatics, perfume, women, fashion, and music with synthesizers".

Hooray for Ann!

A Very Brief Report about Deer Isle.

On my Summer Vacation, I took a freezing cold plunge in the Atlantic Ocean.

I can only say that the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts was amazing. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and I was fortunate to spend two weeks there. I learned a great deal, and I got to spend time with some wonderful people, like these misfit bookbinders:



Thank goodness for the timer on my Polaroid camera. This was a particularly glad evening.

It was bone-chillingly cold the majority of my two weeks in Maine. It was rainy and foggy, wet, and very moody. There were shades of green and grey I have never seen before, and so many different kinds of tiny growing things.

Descriptions are boring and difficult. Maybe you should just look at some more pictures....I have posted many images on my Flickr account. What? Didn’t know I have a Flickr account? Well, I don’t mention it too often, you know. Maybe because I'm still trying to figure out how to work Flickr. Take a look...here.

Anyway, It was a drag to return to LA....

There are new pieces for sale in my Etsy shop. I haven’t made work of this type in a while, and I’m really in love with these at the moment. These mixed-media drawings utilize appropriated imagery from my Mom’s Girlscout handbook from the 1950’s. I was never a Girlscout, and at one time in my youth I was sort of obsessed with my Mom's handbook.....Anyway, way back in 2003 I started using the kind of generic images of girls as points of departure for self portraits. I think that's what's going on here.



Please take a look. This is just one of the things that I’m doing right now.

There is a Tavern in the Town.

I'm finally home from my adventures on the rocky edge the atlantic ocean. I came home with many bits of shell, my pretty bound books, twenty polaroids and a lovely cold.

Later this week I will give a more detailed account about my all-too-short time at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, but for now, I'll just share the definitive lyrics to a song Bonnie taught us late one night......



While I was away, I reached the "100" mark in sales in my Etsy shop, followed quickly by "101". Thank you all! New work will be posted for sale this month.

More news and goodness in the coming days.....fare-thee-well.

Away.

I'm off to bind books in Maine with Bonnie Stahlecker. Fare-thee-well, friends and well-wishers.

Here's a few images of my work at Henry Road. More to follow!

Penelope and an Earthquake.

Tonight is the opening reception for my show at Henry Road in Studio City. 6-9 pm. See you there? If I look a bit tired, please pardon me. My to-do list has been a little ridiculous lately.

I have been working so so hard. Sleep is boring. Almost ALL the work at Henry Road is new. The Newest New ever. I'm really pleased with these pieces...see if you don't agree. I will eventually post more images of the work in the store.

Still trying to get things together and ready for my Installation at Studio Channel Islands... I drove up there last week to look at the gallery, and it's such an interesting and beautiful place. There will be a reception for that exhibition on June 28, 4-6. If I look a little tired on that occasion, it's becasue I return from Maine the night before.

Oh, that's right...I should probably go pack for Maine.

I'm at 95 sales in my Etsy store. Lovely! I will be posting more pieces for sale in July.

Terrible Long Count.

More new bits and pieces in my shop. Take a look!

I hear I was featured on the Etsy front page earlier today...sorry I missed seeing it! Thanks to all for the kind words. Thanks in particular to xenia!

Optics mostly.

So, here's an absolutely delightful scientific discovery. This is an up-side-down projection of my front window, through a magnifying lens. I wanted to share it with the world.

Today I posted four pieces for sale in my Etsy shop. They are pretty recent, but not the newest new. The newest new will be at Henry Road next week. As soon as I finish and frame things.....

Next Thursday, June 11th there will be a reception at Henry Road from 6-9pm. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

I went over to Intelligentsia last week and tried to take pictures of my pieces. Probably one of the most awkward and embarrassing things ever: "excuse me, would you move your head?" ... "I'm sorry, sir...I'm taking a picture of the wall behind you...."




So, not my finest moment, and pretty terrible images of some good works. I'm no photographer. You'll have to go see 'em in person I s'pose...I have 9 or 10 pieces there, of an uncommonly large size for Michelle Moode art. I may try to take better pictures if I ever figure out when Intelligentsia isn't full of people.

90 sales in my shop. Thanks to all for your recent purchases and support.

June Gloom in May

I've been to the Observatory twice in the past two days. I took this picture in February, but it suits this post, and the weather outside, and my mood. And yeah, I'm listening to the soundtrack of "a Charlie Brown Christmas" in May....so what!?

My work is on the walls at Intelligentsia, and will be up for a month or two. If you're in the neighborhood, take a peek. I'll post some pictures soon for your enjoyment.

The next few weeks I will be preparing for my show at Henry Road in Studio City. Henry Road is a great little store....an interesting and eclectic selection of things for the home, gifts, art, and they have a fantastically wonderful book about treehouses. There will be an opening reception the day before I leave town for Maine, Thursday June 12. I'll keep you updated as developments develop.

ALSO making plans for my installation that will be a part of the "Print Matter(s)" exhibition at Studio Channel Islands Art Center Galleries. Very excited about this. There will be no picture frames involved.

In my spare time, I'll be brushing up my bookbinding skills in the coming weeks.

That's all.