New blog

All my new musings will be here..
Thanks
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/permanent-canvas/2011/02/font-face-font-family-times-font-face.html

Not working usually a drag but sometimes a shining light.

The wonderful world of freelance is a tough road. So many advantages and yet, in these economic times, ups and downs are plentiful. This entry is about one great advantage, time. If I have time, unfortunately, it means I am not booked and not making a penny. What it does mean is a chance may pop up to actually do something we think about a lot. Help another.
I had the unique opportunity through my other job- to volunteer at the Avon Breast Cancer walk here in Chicago. (My other job is massage therapy at http://soulistic.com/) I met the walkers after either a 13 mile or 26 mile day. To say it was an honor is an understatement. I was there with some other fabulous therapists, to see if we could do a bit of relaxing and some sport massage, post event on these participants. The thank yous abounded, and I kept thinking but I am just here for two hours! The walkers, sponsors, staff had spent months on this event. I met one woman who was a survivor, had just made the 5 year anniversary of being cancer free. She kept telling me how fantastic that was that we were there to help and how generous our spirits were... I could only think, no m'am it is who are the generous spirt.
So not being booked for my regular job, stinks. Not being booked but taking a bit of volunteer time, rocks.

ART lives on

Recently, I stumbled on some interesting news from Chicago Public library:
Chicago Artists' Archives: Since the 1940s, the Art Information Center has kept records of visual artists living or working in the Chicago area. The Archives maintain records in the form of biographical information, artists' applications, statements, reproductions of artwork, exhibition catalogs, gallery announcements, reviews, articles, etc.
Cool, right? Even better, I found out that three photos of my artwork, a listing of a lot of my shows, and some invites, blurbs etc. from my much more productive gallery days were in the archives. It was so unreal to think it will be there -in a real archive forever. The internet computer age has made libraries in some ways relics, a shame I think... There is still nothing that compares to a real book and walking in a library and feeling the thrill I did when I was young. I am super lucky to have a family of readers, we devour the written word. Lovely, I think.
Go read, draw, write, sketch, sing, dance and live.. turn off the tv. ( Oh I know I love a little Project Runway myself :)

Whirlwind!

Quick update on a few events, this weekend at Square Bar our opening was Stephan Harlan paintings. They will be on display all month, go see and have some food and drink too! The opportunity to curate at Square Bar has been fun, I am choosing the artists, mainly through a submission process but of course, featuring those I know and love! It has been a true inspiration seeing all the talent here in Chicago.
http://www.stephanharlan.com/home.html
http://www.squarechicago.com/

I was also asked to be a panelist at CAR event this Saturday. Chicago Artist's Resource is a city based group that really tries in so many ways to help artists of any discipline- if you are in Chicago and not familiar with them, please look at their site, super helpful - and support them and all the artists involved!
http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org

Quick update

Progress, now can upload to twitter or facebook all the fun iphone photos from camera apps. I still love the lofi and have now tried the lomo too. It is just so convenient to phone, text and shoot! I swore I would never be a techno geek attached to any electronic device but the iphone has gotten to me. Love it. Photography in professional life, while freelancing have met and contracted some great new shooters,such as http://www.coscarelli.com/ -always working with talented people is a pleasure and also got to renew my working relationship with Planet Earth, a real talent agency here in Chicago. Julie is the best, so happy to be in contact again.
She makes it happen, a trait that can be way harder than you can imagine. http://planetearthagency.net/
Worked with Jasmin http://jasminwhitmore.blogspot.com and Joe Pellegrini http://www.joepellegrini.com/ for the best product ever, http://myskinandbones.com/ Here are a few outtakes, cannot wait to see what the end results are with the beautiful product shot Joe captured. And putting up with our comedy act was I know just a bonus for him. Thanks again Joe!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

fun and frustration!

I have been obsessed with iphone camera apps.. could spend all day experimenting. A lot of them are free, so a big kudos to artists and programmers for sharing with us. It is so addicting. Here are a few experiments. Oh and the frustraion comes from trying to upload to social networks.. so I can share. Just never works right!



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Learning a bit about video

Learning a lot about video the past few months. This project happened when I was doing some
PR for Chicago Canine Rescue. We needed some b-roll to use when the local news was
running occasional blurbs about events or the organization. Jim Luning was kind enough
to donate his time and expertise for us. This is just a fun sample of the shoot and the dogs!
In the months that followed I got lucky enough to be involved in website work that included video.
I am finding out about shooting, Imovie, editing and sound!
I wish I was 20 so I could go to film school!!
But I am happy to be exposed to the video work so far, it is a ton of fun and very interesting.
Right now, I probably know about 2% of it- wow!!