The movement of the feathers brought to mind wind, and the image of Waxie the figurehead of a ship. (acrylic, fabric, and copper on canvas)

Noise for the Needy has maintained a variety of satellite-themed logos over the years, and as I sat down to design my 2011 poster I thought I’d keep with the space theme and create an homage to my favorite space craft, the space shuttle. Having grown up in Florida, I got to see a lot of shuttle launches (sadly including the Challenger launch). The most amazing launch I ever saw was on a clear, moonless night. We walked down to the beach, looked south into the darkness until the sky was filled with an amazing glow lighting up the sky. Wow. According to NASA’s website, the final launch of the Shuttle program is scheduled for June 28. I promise it’s worth a trip to Florida, even in June. (This photo was taken on the beach just down the street from my Mom’s house).

Noise for the Needy, a Seattle-based nonprofit that raises money for charitable causes through the production of live music shows. This year’s proceed will benefit Real Change, a reader-supported social enterprise that combines quality news, fearless social justice advocacy and non-judgemental, low-barrier employment opportunities for Seattle’s low-income and homeless people.

For my Conversation: Part 2 (official name TBD)  I painted the environment of the photo. Hardwood floor, white wall. The wall changes to a cloudy sky, and the girl becomes a bird flying with wings of ribbons. I used the very same cat mask, but painted over its face with an owl’s face. (acrylic, fabric, ribbon, and feathers on canvas)

Since then, it’s been the subject of much ridicule from my co-worker Erin, who thinks it’s is fairly disgusting (which I suppose it is).

This week I’ve had to pack up my desk to move into a new office (which my new office-mate Sean refers to as “the veal pen”). So what does one do? Pack and move the orange? Throw it away?

Neither of these options seemed appropriate… So naturally I decided to make some art!

Sadly, Erin is both moving desks and teams. So for a going-away present, I made this little orange nest to remember me by.

(acrylic, paper, copper wire, raffia, ancient orange)

Mike suggested that we collaborate on a project for the visual arts portion of the month, which we decided to call “The Conversation.” The concept starts with a photo by Mike, which I use as inspiration for a painting, which Mike uses as inspiration for a photo, and so on.

Mike had an idea for the first photo, and he wanted to use me as the model and my bedroom as the set.

As it happens, the past few years I’ve been suffering with chronic insomnia and this photo makes me think of that in-between state that insomnia produces. Not awake, but not asleep. Dream state overlapping with reality. So that is what I painted. (acrylic, spray paint, fabric)

We didn’t quite pull it together for the 2010 Arts Crush, but we have a goal of creating at least 12 sets (and hopefully more) by October 2011 for the next Arts Crush!

Then I went  to Art Walk.

My friend Connor was showing some photos at his co-worker’s studio in the 619 Western Building. The co-worker, Tammy, makes amazing leather masks and had one that was made with gas mask goggles and looked like an owl. This sparked my interest and when talking to her about her masks, she mentioned she teaches a mask-making class. Which, obviously, I immediately signed up for.

For anyone who lives in Seattle, I highly recommend this class (I’ll be taking the Steampunk Goggles Workshop sometime in the near future if anyone is interested). Tammy is a great teacher and very giving with the knowledge she has mostly learned through trial and error. I spent an afternoon in her Pioneer Square studio and left with a new skill to add to the “I can make that” list.

Thanks to Tammy’s guidance, my mask turned out great. It is very crow-like and I ended up dressing as a Flapper (love a double entendre). I completed the outfit with a feather boa I got at the Mardi Gras Market on Dauphine which I purchased for $4.95. It was better than bread crumbs as it left a trail of feathers from our house in Bywater through the French Quarter and back.

Fast forward three years, add a total bedroom makeover, and finally, done!

Now on all of the dark and dreary Seattle days when I come and go from work in the dark, I can come home and luxuriate beneath a happy cloudy sky. I also got a round Nelson bubble lamp which resembles the sun.

Now I say, winter? Bring it on!

If you live in Seattle, you should come!