Art School Girls

Finally, Ninjasonik drops a dope one for us Art School Girls. I love the dorky vibe of this video. This video so reminds me of being in class with all my artsy peeps, sharpening all my pencils and charcoal, borrowing an eraser or whatever it was I forgot to bring to class that day, finding just the right spot to sit and getting my board set up before the nude model who would come in to pose for 3 hours. Sigh...how I miss you Art School..and PearlPaint its been way too long.

In celebration of Art School Girls (& Boys) everywhere, my painted door (below) will go on auction tonight at the Art Institute in NW Portland. Thirty percent of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the College’s Creative Arts Scholarships Fund, with the artists and Portland City Art benefitting from the remaining 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively. So if you know someone in the area who wants to be an Art School Girl (or Boy) ya need to come out and support!


Doors open and silent auction @ 6pm
Live Auction @ 8pm

The Art Institute of Portland
1122 NE Davis Street
Portland, OR 97209


BIG LOVE & BIG UPS to all the Art School Girls out there!

outDoor Painting

greetings artists,

i hope you all have had an amazing summer!! i don't know about you all but the past few months have been full of fun and adventure.

there's been camping in the woods, naked swimming in rivers, natural earthen cob workshops and so much more.

just recently walking home from an appointment, i stumbled upon a tribe of artists painting doors outside of the art institute in portland during first thursday in the pearl (first thursday is a day each month when artists and galleries show their work).

naturally, i was drawn in and within minutes found myself asking what the project was about. i met an artist jennifer mercede http://www.jennifermercede.com/ who introduced me to the guy running things, artist and curator chris haberman http://www.chrishaberman.com/. he immediately asked 'can you paint a door before 9pm?' my answer at 5:00pmish was 'yes.'

with no supplies, i started searching and asking for what i needed which was not much. jennifer and a few other artists there shared their supplies with me. i picked out a door and started painting.

the hours could have been minutes, seconds as i was so completely in my element. painting outdoors is the balm! i highly recommend it and am hungry for experiencing more.

these doors will be auctioned off at next months (september) first thursday event at the art institute in the pearl. will send word prior as it comes.

njoy. be well and safe.

nik

spring fever

ahh nature in spring. the time of year we all start making travel plans and have a little more excitement in us throughout our day knowing summer is on it's way. over the past few months i've done a little traveling. a few weeks ago i went to a now new favorite get a way island called whidbey just north of seattle washington. why is it amazing? because the island is home to and attracts many artists, writers and creative types from all over the world. two weeks ago on whidbey some friends and i were able to visit this garden called frogwell. the whole garden was like a dream. full of this unique beauty and landscape. what made it more powerful was that the owner of the garden also built his own house right there in the garden. the flowers and plants were so attentive, almost begging for our attention, so i took tons of pics, including this one here.

i was first introduced to this island last summer when visiting a friend who is a poet and activist. she was staying on the island at a place called hedgebrook http://www.hedgebrook.org/. hedgebrook is this dope retreat where women writers (graphic novelists as well to all the artists reading this) from all over the place can come and live and work together and privately (they each get their own cabin) for months or weeks on end, to complete their writing projects. Genius! it sits on acres of beautiful lush green landscape and is absolutely fantastical. the island really is truly full of mystical energy. the combination of its people and activities from architects, farmers, wine vinyards, small coffee shops, farmer's markets, whale watching, and so much more makes every visit an unforgettable one. i plan to visit whidbey several times this summer and thought i'd share this new favorite spring/summer escape here with you. i also want to give thanks to the most high for spring renewal. it is a beautiful thing.

enjoy your spring! i know i am ;-)

mental beamer

"sometimes the best things are born out of the most desperate moments" - lichiban

i love the idea of a mental beamer. of having something present in our minds to remind us, bring us back to our truth.

a blog i read yesterday titled 'Imagine' by artist lichiban, did just that for me. it is by far the dopest blog post i've read. not only does it touch on the heart of matters for so many of us, it inspires..

so i took my inspiration and painted this one last night. she was born into creation in less than four hours. no plan, no sketch, just me and one song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6mzS7lIFrc 'renaissance' by Q tip on repeat. she's the first painting i've done in months. being that its been so long, she demanded to be bold.

and so she is

rebirth time. Imagine YOU...

http://lichiban.blogspot.com/2009/04/imagine.html#links

ase'

new painting 'sofija'

doodles

these doodles were created on the bus and train. this is one of if not my favorite way of sketching people. to grab that one moment on the bus or train to sketch, puts me in a meditative state and centers me back into myself, where right brain flows freely.

it's also a great way of staying connected to the community. i've had some dope conversations with people on the bus who glance over and enjoy what they see. i've also had a few people stand up and walk away after noticing my eyes on them. each experience is mine to create, which is what i enjoy doing.