Off to Art & Soul PDX and Blog-land Friends

Yes, that is one grumpy cat. The suitcase has been perpetually out for weeks and weeks. In fact, one day last week I was in four states in one day. You can see here where Larry tried to go to A&S once already. Tomorrow, I head west, instead of my usual Midwest or east, to Art and Soul, Portland. This will be my second A&S this year, having already gone to Hampton, VA in May. Yes, I liked it so much, I wanted to go to another.

But the real attraction is not only Portland itself, which I have never seen, but my dear blog friend Michelle of Hold Dear whom I have also never seen! But will. Tomorrow. We've been blog friends for well over a year, having bonded over charms and mermaids and other common interests. I don't think we can even remember who contacted whom, but we've been emailing and speaking on the telephone and have decided we are like-minded enough that a brief co-habitation is not too scary!

So, Michelle graciously invited me to stay with her and her husband Glenn, and some other art girlies, specifically Cassondra and Julie of ArtNest, will also be there.

After my cross-country flight, we're planning lots of artsy shopping and acquainting me with the Portland art community. Friday, we both have classes with internationally-acclaimed instructors. I'm taking a jewelry and beading class to make a necklace called "The Beachcomber" with Beverly of Gilbert Designs and a collage and doodling class with Traci Bautista, whom I've met a couple times before, most notably at CHA where she signed her book for me. Traci also knows a couple of my Cali art friends, Miss Vicky and Shosh, both of whom will also be at A&S.

Since Michelle lives there, she is also taking classes Wednesday and Sunday, and I can't even keep up with all she is doing. I do know one class sounds great: Junk Drawer Metalsmithing. Can't wait to see what she does.

Friday night there will be a number of authors there for book-signings, including the charming Michael DeMeng and also Kelly Rae Roberts, whose new book I absolutely love: Taking Flight. Some ZNE friends will also be there, signing books and teaching, like Miss Sally Jean and Lisa Kaus. Saturday we are hitting more vintage and artsy spots before the nearly-famous A&S vendor night. One could drop mega-bucks...or just drool a lot. All-in-all it should be a very supportive, art-filled weekend before I hop a red-eye or should I say red-eye-all-day-and-night-long flight back into my own time zone. Can't wait to post pics from the event.

My On-the-Scene Report from Colfax, CA: Check out Miss Vicky's Cut-It-Up

While in California recently for the first-ever ZNE Convenzione, I had the pleasure of staying with blog friend Miss Vicky of Cut-it-Up and scrapbooking fame. A published author and artist, Miss Vicky has an incredible shop in historic Colfax, CA. Check out my article on Vintage Indie. There's tons more pics, also. Thanks to Miss Vicky for the hospitality and to Vintage Indie publisher Gabreial Wyatt for running my random musings from time to time!

Seeing Stars at ZNE

I am sort of ho-hum impressed by 'famous' people (read: celebrities), but show me a published artist or author, and I go ga-ga. So the ZNE book signings at Convenzione 2008 http://znecon.com were quite a thrill. I purchased the book Crowns and Tiaras so I could have Pam Garrison http://pamelagarrison.typepad.com sign it for me, which she did, top right, with Lisa Kaus http://www.lisakaus.com, top left, who was also signing her feature in Lynne Perella's new book, along with JoAnnA Pierroti or 'Mossy' of Moss Hill Studios http://www.mosshillblogs.com. Although I didn't take my hardcover copy of that because I was flying, I was lucky enough to get to know Lisa a little bit and have her sign her "Birdy" canvas I bought. She's just as sweet as she looks, and so is Pam. I also got my 1000 Artists' Journals signed by editor Dawn DeVries Sokol and Pretty Little Things, signed by author Sally Jean Alexander.

Sweetness, or maybe cuteness is the proper term, certainly is evident in the second photo, with the Traveling Princess of Scrapbook Royalty, Elena Etcheverry, http://www.elena.travelingprincess.com, left, and the inimitable Miss Vicky Breslin http://www.cut-it-up.com, right. Elena is just so cute one could eat her up, what with her adorable outfits, tiaras and equally adorable aprons. I kept waiting for Elena and Diva Danielle of Diva Craft Lounge http://www.divacraftlounge.com to get into a tiara tussle, but apparently there is plenty of fabulousness to go around. Everyone really likes each other. Miss Vicky, a scrapping veteran, still retains her excitement about crafting and is so generous and nurturing of all artists in her midst.

And finally, just a teeny tiny bit of fame for moi. In the bottom photo you can see my framed mixed media collage "Let Them Eat Crow" being shown in the Worthington Gallery West in Pleasanton, CA, where it will be part of a month-long ZNE mixed media installation, which opened Aug. 22, 2008. So, I'm "gallery hung!" Off to update the resume!

Come See the Stars at ZNE Convenzione

The first-ever ZNE Convenzione http://www.znecon.com/ promises to be out of this world, and how can it not be, in a town with the sweet name of Pleasanton? After meeting ZNE founder Chelise Stroud-Hery http://www.chelise.typepad.com/ at the ZNE Castle in the Meadow event last month, I am more excited than ever to see her suceed at putting this together. And succeed she will, because again, how can she not, with an unbelievable lineup, including Michele Beschen http://blog.couragetocreate.com/ of HGTV/DIY Channel's 'B Original,' the artist SARK, musician Jon Troast, and unbelievable teachers like Lisa Kaus http://lisakaus.blogspot.com/, Kari Ramstrom http://artsymama.blogspot.com/, Chrysti Hydeck http://www.artbychrysti.wordpress.com/and more, all descending on Plesanton Aug. 22-24, 2008.
Some of you know I will be taking a class there from Bernie Berlin, she of the no-kill animal rescue and shelter, A Place to Bark http://aplacetobark.blogspot.com/. I'll be showing her the auction copy of the fund raiser/book my Yahoo! group Arte du Blythe http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/Arte_du_Blythe made to sell for her and asking her to autograph the winner's copy. Bernie's also the same "she" of the book, Artist Trading Card Workshop, an eye candy volume and the 'bible' on ATCs.
I am also terribly excited because not only do I get to meet the inimitable Miss Vicky http://www.cut-it-up.com/ of Cut-it-Up store/book/web fame but I get to hang out with her at her home. I'll also be meeting fellow Hoosier artist Kris Hubick http://www.retrocafeart.com/, but we had to travel cross-c0untry to get that accomplished!
There's so much more going on than what I've said here. In fact, and you can be assured I'll be mentioning it again and again and again, but there is also a gallery showing of ZNE member works and I'm in! Yippee. "Let them Eat Crow" is off being framed so that it can be shipped to sunny CA posthaste. There's also a documentary screening of the 1000 Journals project and a private showing of never-before-seen works from Claudine Hellmuth http://www.claudinehellmuth.com/. And the best news? Well, two great things: it is not too late to register and registration is already open for 2009 http://www.znecon.com/. Go. Now!