Snailoftheday, Papernstitch, toomanykittens.

Say, I was feathered, (wait, I mean featured) as the Papernstitch shop-of-the-day today. Nice! I am an "Artist to Watch," seemingly.

Watch me.

Next on the agenda is a trek across town to Hiromi Paper in Santa Monica, to get some supplies for the killer-diller bookbinding workshop I'm teaching Saturday in Bakersfield. Odds are I'll indulge in fancy paper for myself too!

I worked at Sante D'Or this morning, and there are now 12 kittens hanging around in the back room there. And of course they're cute, and funny...but they also sort of weird me out. I am more comfortable with the grown cats. There are also two little dogs and a remarkable lot of bunnies. Come adopt someone. Or at least come give 'em some love.

Last week a nice couple came in with a hat full of newborn barely-open-eyed kittens they had found abandoned in Griffith Park. Fortunately they were able to take them home and foster them. Makes your heart hurt, right?

Update on Snails and Art.

So, there's finally work to look at in my Etsy shop, and I have my work on good ol' Papernstitch this month as well.

This coming Saturday I will be teaching a little bookbinding workshop in Bakersfield at Surface Gallery. I love my Bakersfield people, so I'm looking forward to running up there for a minute.

Here's a painting by my pal Vikki.

Snippets.

Years ago...

I was living in Morgantown, West Virgina and thinking grad-school thoughts. It all seemed very big and important at the time, and I was pretty selfish, in a grad-schooly kind of way.

And I had a pretty bad, likely self-inflicted haircut.

And a lotta space to make art. And a lotta stuff.

My God, I had a lot of stuff.

This was Fall 2006...my friend Jenni had come to visit. I remember she teared up when she saw what kind of work I was working on, which still makes me glad.

like Pollyanna.

I have a better haircut now, less room to make art, but also, (gladly) less "stuff."

And I am a lot less selfish. At least I hope I am.

I have no point to make. Just found these photos, and started thinking about the Mo'town days. Thinking about the past.

I am very fond of snails.

Wednesday Morning, 6am in Los Angeles.
I recorded a two-minute video of this snail commuting across the sidewalk (with cars speeding by in the background) but I am having difficulty uploading it. But you probably have other things to do with the two minutes it would take you to watch it...

I woke up at 2:30 am, and was unable to go back to sleep. Serves me right for trying to go to bed early.

I've been drawing all morning, and noting how I breathe differently when I draw. It is nice. I like the drawing-breathing.

I have overhauled my studio, and am quite organized at the moment, and have a plan. Well, a few plans.

I also have a stack of pieces I intend to share on this blog and on Etsy...quite soon.

Yesterday I planted some seeds, including "moonlight" nasturtiums and "flying saucer" morning glorys. (glories, maybe?) I have an outer space-y garden.

My plan for the morning is to walk over the 5, over the River to Atwater Village. I'm going to have breakfast at the Village Bakery (I have only tried their scones, and their scones were acceptably yummy.) Then I will work a shift at Sante D'Or Animal Rescue, with my lady Sabrina and the gang.

In conclusion: snails, drawings, breathing, outer-space flowers, cats, bunnies, scones, and coffee.

I have no particular complaints today.

Hello.

I'm working on grades and wrapping up the semester at CSUN and LMU, which means soon, dear friends, I will be returning to regular blogging, regular art-making, and reopening the ol' etsy shop. This has been a tough semester with all-together too much driving, and I am itching to resume my Michelleish pursuits.

Here's some good stuff:

For all your awesome eccentric Los Feliz cat needs: go here.
For all your time travel needs: go here.
For all your inspiring-early-Sesame-Street-educational-stop-motion-shorts needs: go here.
or here.