2010 was the year of the yarn; 2011 was the year of latex!

Right.  So in 2010, my posse beautified the neighborhood with yarn hearts.  In 2011, we kept the tradition alive, but the project leaned a bit more toward art of the performance variety.  We walked around Lake Merritt with bouquets of rainbow-colored, heart-shaped balloons, handing them over to kids we encountered along the path.  The 100 Balloon Walk, as I dubbed the project, was one of my favorite events of 2011—see #3. 

Again, I highly recommend creating similar sorts of cheer and merry memories in your neighborhood.  Tomorrow, I shall provide suggestions regarding how to do so*. 

*Hint: you're all invited to participate in my 2012 birthday celebration!

February is my favorite

It's true.  I hear countless (non-Californian) folks lamenting the oft-maligned second month of the year.  Mostly due to weather issues, I suppose.  But they shall never convince me that February is anything but perfect.

Reasons February is the best:

• it only has 28 days in a common year, making it unique
• every four years, we get a quirky 29th "leap" day!
• there were always two 3-day weekends from school thanks to Lincoln's birthday and Presidents' Day
• Valentine's Day!
• my birthday!

See?  So much to celebrate.  To quote myself, I like to use my birthday as an opportunity to spread cheer, both to friends and strangers—it has become an annual ritual of sorts.  In 2010, I invited friends to help me beautify my neighborhood by yarning up some hearts on a chain link fence.  (You can read more about the beautifying mission/see more photos over on This Confetti Life.)  It was one of my most favorite days ever.  I highly recommend it, should you notice a fence in your neighborhood that is seriously lacking in hearts.  ;)

  

 Happy February to you!

Celebrate!

Today, we celebrate love.  I'm down with that.  I may not support holiday-centric commercialism and blind consumerism, but I love love—both the giving and receiving of.  I'm into the simple observations and aesthetic of Valentine's day: the colors red and pink, heart-shaped everythings, doilies, glitter, handmade gifts, sweet gestures, and all things cute.  I rock a made-by-me red, white, and pink glittered-heart garland (on my mantle, not my person) with the best of them.  And, I believe there are more forms of love to celebrate than the "romantic".  To name but a few: love for my cats, different cultures, nature, and myself.  Being alone helps me focus on why I appreciate all that I'm fond of, deepening my admiration for the other whos and whats I love.  I agree wholeheartedly with Tanya Davis' message in this lovely video.  Be your own valentine and treat yourself to a look-see: 



My favorite lines: " . . . but lonely is a freedom that breaths easy and weightless and lonely is healing if you make it . .  . Cuz if you're happy in your head then solitude is blessed and alone is okay."

Isn't that the best sentiment?  Will you treat yourself to some alone time this week?  What will you do on your date with you? 

p.s. The valentine I made for Henri Matisse was mentioned honorably on SFMOMA's blog today!  When I finished gluing the final piece, I was so glad I pressed on despite my original fears.  I love making myself happy.  :)

Do you like it?

Here's what I crafted to express my love for Henri Matisse.  Femme au chapeau is one of my favorite paintings of all time (conveniently housed at SFMOMA*), and I decided to show my love for her in the style of Matisse's cutouts.  I love that I didn't even mention that last bit when I emailed my entry, and the folks @ SFMOMA note that in the caption of my love letter.  (Of course they did, they're SFMOMA!)  Yay for art, love, and love of art!  

*and she must kinda like me, too, since she basically followed me to Europe last fall.  I saw her at the National Galleries at the Grand Palais in Paris, where she was the star of the Stein Exhibit.  :)

All of a sudden, I really want to take a cruise

I already confessed my love for Richard Scarry.  Though I really could say scads more on that matter.  And you may have noticed (though I didn't really mention) my huge crush on Mary Blair's art (see photo collage for # 1).  In fact, when I was checking out some of Mary Blair's work, I learned about Aurelius Battaglia, the artist behind the delightful illustration above.  I'll have to investigate some more, but it seems Battaglia's creations have similar qualities to what I love in Scarry and Blair's work: fantastic color, whimsical scenes, and straight-up charm.  Doesn't that scene make you want to hop from port to port on a fancy cruise liner?  Or at least acquire a jaunty hat?    

I love discovering new art to get all giddy about.

Who are some of your favorite artists? 

Cruise Ship image source

Sextet image source

Dear Henri,

I am crafting a letter that conveys just how much you mean to me.

  More soon.

xoxo,

Sarah

Dance (I) at MoMA, New York

The Red Studio at MoMa, New York

The Snail at Tate Modern, London

Do you ♥ art?

In honor of Valentine's Day, love, art and the love of art, SFMOMA is hosting a contest over on their Facebook page.  Read all the fine print here, but basically the task is to create a love letter to a work of art. 

My first thought was, "What a dandy of an idea!  I must do this."  But then my old nemesis fear* kicked in, because just look at the letters that've already been submitted!  There's a mix tape for Mondrian, a confessional note that looks like it was intercepted by WK's 7th grade science teacher for Warhol, and a sweet homage to Paul Klee.  "There's no way I can compete with all this awesome," my trying-so-hard-to-be-helpful-but-ultimately-and-ironically-unhelpful inner voice thought.  So, then I

• summoned my courage,
• asked myself if writing such a letter would make me happy, 
• tried to imagine my answer if it weren't for a contest and there were no other intimidating letters looming over me, 
• and decided that I should write a love letter to a work of art.  

Not so I can create something "better" than the other participants; not so I can win free tickets to SFMOMA.  Because writing a love letter to a piece of art is precisely the kind of project I get all geeky about.  Because I do love art and I love writing letters.  Because I love open-ended assignments that allow for unbridled creativity.  Oh yes, I will write this letter for me**.  :)

Do you also love art and letter writing?  Will you join me in this Valentine's Day "assignment"?  I'll be looking for your entries!  ;) 

*My thoughts on fear Part I and Part II     
**and most likely Henri Matisse

We have a winner!

Turns out, Cleo was not as interested in my first giveaway as I'd hoped (even after I dipped the papers in catnip).  Luckily, Smokey, ever the needy pleaser, volunteered.  And Smokey has spoken.  Or pawed, rather.

The lucky recipient of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Things About Me is ...

Janet!  (Who I hope is leading a very confetti-filled day, since today happens to be her birthday!)  Head on over to her internet home, This Confetti Life, to wish her a wonderful one.

Thanks for participating ladies and gent.  And thanks for visiting my internet home.  :)  I wish you all a very splendid weekend!

p.s. Who knew selecting a name in a drawing was such exhausting work?

I have too many favorite artists to share

King Kong and Mushrooms (detail)

But I gotta show you Megan Whitmarsh tonight because there is time sensitiveness to address!  There are still seventeen hand-embroidered prints of her piece Light Dance available for purchase over on Tiny Showcase*.  Hand-embroidered, people.  Here's a detail of artwork that could be hanging in your den/craft room/cubicle/whatever this time next week (handling + shipping permitting):

Light Dance (detail)

I just love her use of color, her compositions, and her sense of humor.  And that she incorporates embroidery into her art.  Check out some of my other favorite pieces by Ms. Whitmarsh:

Furry Costumes

Darth Vader

Future Rock

Remind me next week to show you some of my other favorite artists.  And speaking of reminders.  Here's an eleventh hour one for ya (okay, maybe it's a ninth + change hour reminder): 11:59 p.m. tonight is the deadline to enter my very first giveaway.  Up for grabs is a copy of Marcel the Shell's picture book.  Get thee to Monday's post to learn how to enter the drawing!  See you back here tomorrow, when Cleocatra and I announce the winner!  ;)     
*Tiny Showcase is a really cool website that offers affordable, limited-run prints by wonderful artists once a week.  The reason the prints are affordable?  They're tiny. 

And have you met Sarah Blasko?

I love her voice.  And how enchanting is this video by Celeste Potter?  I know that when I encounter rolling waves trimmed with pinking shears, I turn my bionic wolf/former bicycle into a ship.  :)  I love it, and I hope you do, too!

I also hope you love the idea of winning a copy of Marcel the Shell's picture book!  If you'd like to submit your name for the giveaway, please follow the instructions over on Monday's post.  I must warn you, though.  Tough competition—we already have two fierce (and lovely) contenders.  ;)