Show-mance

Every year I do this show, it's my fourth, I do a long recap about what worked, what didn't, what I learned and so on and so forth.


As much as I would love to do that this time around, facts is facts and I don't have time to do that this year. I'm too busy. I've got contracts to review and art to send off to prospective contract clients between cartwheels that I apparently have to turn down my hallway. Who saw that coming?

So here are some pictures.

Three cheers for the easiest set up and breakdown of all time.
By George I think we've got it!



Infinite thanks and strawberry-shortcake lemon bars are owed to Tess, Sandra, Sarah, Bryan, Joe, Sam, Polly, Mika, Jason, Mike, Ashley, Jill, Chad, Jennifer, and Ashton - who actually flew in for the grand occasion.

They trekked all the way out to eleventh ave where they held my hand, fetched me water and kept me sane.

Extra much thanks to the friends and fambam all over the world who kept me buoyed with texts, calls, flowers, cards and good - good vibes.

I really don't know what I'd do without my cheering section. In some ways I'd probably be better adjusted. You all make sure that I rarely fear a fall. It's nice to wake up in the morning (when one actually sleeps) feeling like one can fly. You surely keep me one of the happiest little artists I know. > ^.. ^<

Soaked

Lately all my twitter updates ( http://twitter.com/#!/SheSureIs ) have had to do with wanting to stab NYC's torrential rain. It's not MAY showers, people. grr. So you would think something of the like would be the natural 3 minute sketch for Illustration Friday's 'Soaked'.

I however grew up with the world's greatest dog. No. Seriously. In the history of the world no quadruped has been greater. Pal was a Christmas puppy the year I turned 8 and for the first couple years of our relationship, when it came to bath time. I was totally whipped. This is a quick homage to the buddy I miss more often than I miss most old friends.

Happy Friday, yo!

For the Duchess

and her little fawny face.

Show Time!

Sketchbook Retirement - #12

Who: Moleskine
What: Cardboard Cover, Rounded Corners, Inner Pocket, Ribbon Bookmark
When: September 3, 2006
Where: The Field Museum / 1400 S Lake Shore Drive /Chicago / IL 60605

Why: I wanted something portable for the rest of my trip in Chicago. I liked that it would fit in my pocket, carry my ID and some cash and that it was black.
Incidentals: At that time I wanted EVERYTHING to be black. If this photo had been taken that day at the museum, my nails would have been black to match. This is my first Moleskine. A hallowed event for sure.

Underlying Unintentional Sketchbook Theme: Inklings of ideas. Half baked thoughts. Baby Mermaid Development, Poetry. Appointments and People.

.....................................................................................

Dearest #12,
I remember that freezing September day when I first saw you sitting in a Natural History gift shop. I marveled at your compact size. I asked the sales boy all about you and he said that real artists loved you more than all the others. I knew that was what I would like to be best of all and so I picked you up and plunked down what then seemed like a monumental amount of cash for your 3x5" dimensions.


My travel companions were all jonesing for a smoke. I christened your pages in a freezing park while they filled their lungs with their cherished tobacco and I filled mine with what felt like shards of glass in that icy Chicago air. There were pigeons and babies and this is what I drew on your pages the first time my pen ever met your acquaintance.

Because you are mine body and soul, your pages are often fish laden, although you can see that these fish happened before I really hit my cold blooded stride. I guess I wasn't a "real" artist quite yet. Your fish are kind of awkward, albeit charming.


I was leafing through your pages and I found a portrait of my new, now old friend, Rachel. This must have been before I flat out refused to draw people I know for their base entertainment. So it was before I had airs, or at least 'the airs of a real artist.


Since this was before the days of a full time artist life, there are gems like this from public parks, without coffee, because back then coffee was too expensive.


This conversation reads
I see a scooter!
-- I see a sign!
I see a tree!
-- I see a million trees!
I see your butt! AUGHHHHHHHH!!
--AUGHHHHHHHH!!
Genius.

Of all your pages, perhaps this is my favorite. It reads: "How bad (not badly - apparently I wasn't so concerned with grammar on these particular tombs) do you want to do it and how bad do you want to do it in New York?"


I am reminded of how close I was to leaving my beloved Brooklyn, broke as a street urchin and working my charcoal scuffed fingers to the bone. I am impressed by you, #12. You remind me how much things have changed and how much they have not.

I am still fully invested in Burlesque bars, even if they're now en vogue and can be visited in every part of New York and I no longer have to travel to any seedy underbelly of society.


Your pages hint at coming brilliance. The development of a line of Baby Mermaids is begun with real promise here. So I owe you a lot. Who knew how far that would stretch?



How could I know that this unrestrained madness in your first few pages



Would later translate to this in the swan song of your last few pages?


And in years from then to this:

Yes, in my career as a real artist, your pages have mattered. I can see what that boy in the shop meant.

Thank you for your contribution to my lovely "real" artist life.
Yours,
Amber

P.S. With my coming show I am transitioning a large amount of sketch pages and random bits of paper. Somehow #12 was unearthed in the tumult and I was reminded of our relationship and it's bittersweet nature, teaming between innocent ideals and bitter artistic frustration. 20/20 hindsight has been good to us here. I felt that #12 deserved a proper retirement, She Sure is Sketchy style.

As always, thanks to Valerie Best's brilliant T-Shirt Project for giving me the inspiration to begin this tradition here too.
Listening to right this second: Happiness is a Warm Gun by the Beatles

Nude on Kraft

30 second - 2 minute poses,
scroll of 14"x 56" Kraft paper, wax crayon, chalk pastel and Tomboy marker
Listening to right this minute: Valerie! by Amy Winehouse

For Babs:

You know I say, "YAY!!!!"

Start at the Very Beginning

personal experience, natch.

Little-Bitty-Itty-Widdle Paintings

of plants from my homeland.

mostly from memory,

but some from a blury picture

I found in a shoebox last week.


There are more, but these are special.

I am letting you look at them because I like you.

Things I Throw Myself in to Tuesday

Oh yeah, it is.