Summertime Sadness

How did Summer slip away so quickly this year? Well, it's still hot outside, but the feeling of Summer has definitely left, and while I'm not ready to don my scarves and sip my warm drinks yet, its about time I get into the mindset that Autumn is upon me.

I've been having a bit of a hard time lately, a little bit of homesickness mixed with general restlessness and a tad of "is this all there is", punctuated by moments of absolutely wonderful beauty in the most unexpected places -- it's keeping me on my toes, to say the least.

Funny that, as things pick up at work, it's paralleled by things picking up for my lil' jewelry business -- things are going to be inordinately busy, soon, but maybe I need that to snap myself out of this little funk I'm trying to get into?

The studio will be open this Friday, for First Friday at the Flat Iron Arts Building, and I'm eager to see how my little rearrange of the space will go over. I moved the whole "living room" into another room, and the workspace into the studio where the couch/tv/bookshelves used to be. I'm hoping that in the future, this will really help with having more space for different artists to show their work (if they're interested) in the gallery, and it will also give me more space for when I eventually launch my other project (still top secret, of course).

The new living space (complete with napping dog) -- I've cleaned it up a bit since taking this shot, and the couch is covered in plaid blankets to make me feel like I'm living in a cozy cabin in Wyoming, or something like that.

The funny this is that my little rearrangement has made my living space so completely cozy and lovely, that I'm a lot less motivated to actually go into the other room and work on things in there... so hopefully at some point, having the studio open will kick me into gear.

So on that note, I have to leave my little cozy space to go to work, but hopefully some of you will be able to drop by this Friday, and I'll be happy to show off all the work I've been doing in here. I'll be dropping off more necklaces at Paperish Mess towards the middle of next week, so if you can't catch me here at the studio, you can definitely find my most popular pieces in stock at their sweet little shop.

Long Time Comin'

Has it seriously been over a month since my last post!? Well, that just goes to show you how much I stink at doing more than one thing at a time.

I've been working my job, and tend to want to immediately go to sleep when I go home (on the couch, with bad TV in the background). Now that the weather is finally warming up, I'm hoping I'll stop being so apathetic, and I'll actually get out an enjoy my free days.

Speaking of free days -- I've got a few of them ahead of me, including tomorrow (Memorial Day), so the plan is to set up a small table outside of the Flat Iron Arts Building with a few of my City Map necklaces. That also means that, yes, I'm awake at 12:20am, hoping that a few more Chicago Map pieces will dry by morning (thank goodness for humidity).

It sounds like a nice way to get a little tan, and maybe sell a few necklaces (but mostly get a little tan).

If you'll be in the Chicago area, the building is located at 1579 N. Milwaukee Avenue, so stop by in between your shopping and beer hopping (there's a lot of that to be had in the neighborhood).

I hope everyone enjoys the Memorial Day weekend!

Featured Artist, Atom Basham

I might have mentioned in passing that I have a few featured works by Atom Basham hanging in my studio, but I wanted to shout it from the rooftops -- because Atom is awesome!

While I would hate to see the paintings go (I so enjoy having them in my studio to enjoy at any time), Atom's paintings are available for purchase here, so if you're in the area, I would highly recommend you come over to view them and maybe even take one home with you.

Thunderbunny!

His work can be truly appreciated in person. The details in these pieces are just stunning.

Tyrannosaurus Rita: Double Dutch Champion

While I usually have the studio open only for appointments, I'm going to throw my door open this week for anyone who is available to stop by and view his work. If the door isn't open, I'm probably just running to Walgreen's... if it is open, and I'm playing Super Mario Bros., you can still come in. That's just how I roll around here.

I'm Having a Party, and Everyone's Invited!

This Friday is the open house for the building (First Friday, Flat Iron Arts Building), so I thought why not turn it into a party?

That's how the Ugly-Sweater-Optional Purple Prince Another Lonely Christmas party was born. So if you're in the Chicago area, or even if you're not, this is a great night to stop by, have fun, peruse jewelry, and dance to a mix of Prince and weird holiday music.

Join the Facebook event page HERE

So yeah, ugly sweaters are optional, purple is encouraged, and I will do my damnedest to get y'all some banana daiquiris. You know, banana daiquiris until you go blind...

Well, if you don't know, if you haven't heard this absolute treasure of a holiday song yet, I can promise you'll hear it at this party. Probably several times.

Open in December

I'm making it my goal this December to try to open my studio every day, at least for a little while, leading up to Xmas. I'll post my hours daily on Twitter and Facebook, so follow me on there if you're interested in dropping by!

I'm also always happy to take appointments, so if there's something you want to see in person, or if you want to set up a custom order, you can contact me by email at

vanessa@thebigcitybumpkin.com

I'm always busy on Etsy around this time of the year, but I know it's nice to see and hold something before you buy it, too... and you'll save on shipping costs, which is always helpful.

Lovely Winter Wall Decor

The dream catchers have been a real hit this season! I only have two left right now (looks like it's time to make more), so I thought I would feature them here today. Not that I actually want to see them go... they're one of the more difficult pieces for me to sell, because each one is one-of-a-kind, and I miss seeing them on my own walls... but oh well, it's nice to think of them finding a new spot in someone's home, too.

Plaid (Autumn) Dream Catcher

I think the plaid dream catcher is perfect for Autumn, and I always imagine it on the walls of a log cabin in the Smokey Mountains or something. Yes, I do in fact spend that much time and energy imagining where a dream catcher might be displayed. ;)

Soft Rainbow Dream Catcher

I think this one is my favorite. I love that the soft colors work equally well for Spring, Summer, or Winter (sorry, Autumn). It's so colorful, but so soft that it isn't loud or overwhelming. There's just something so comforting about this piece.

So today is Small Business Saturday, and I'll have my studio open until at least 7pm this evening. I'll probably be working on another dream catcher today, as well as some more of the titanium-treated quartz necklaces, as they've been selling out pretty quickly over the holiday. If you're interested in anything, or just want to stop by to watch old movies and eat cocoa drizzled kettle corn (yes, that IS a real thing) with me, then come on over!

What the Hell is Going On, Here??

I'm just gonna put it out there.

I'm feeling artistically/creatively blocked.

This is the feeling that usually launches something really awesome -- the last time I felt like this, I started making my map necklaces.  But the part that comes before that, the part that I'm having a hard time making peace with right now, is the trial and error phase.

I feel like if I don't start making something new, I'm going to explode emotionally.  I have this overwhelming need to work with my hands, to take something unimpressive and turn it into a masterpiece... and when it doesn't go the way I planned the first time, or after I spend some more money trying to fix it, and then the second time, and the third time, and I'm getting wary of spending more money, all of this crazy doubt and insecurity creeps in.  Correction: it doesn't creep in, it charges at me and smacks me in the face, hard.  It's starting to make me a little crazy.

I blamed it on my sloppy office set-up.  So I spent two days (and some nights) rearranging the entire working studio until it looked awesome, and was really workable... but it didn't fix things.  I was still bored, frustrated, confused, and just not working up to my full potential (or at least what I think my full potential is).

Then I blamed it on needing to try something new.  So I researched different ways of working with metals, silver and gold.  I researched working with clay.  I researched different ways of working with wood.  I went to Home Depot and had my boyfriend talk me out of spending every last dime I had on a full woodworking setup.  I wanted to make rings, make dollhouses, make Day of the Dead dioramas, make snowglobes.  Anything.  Anything new, anything I could make awesome.

Right now I'm basically back to square one, minus the money I've already spent on materials for projects that didn't work out quite the way I planned.

So what do I do when this happens?  What do YOU do when this happens?  Most artists and crafts(wo)men I know don't have deep pockets or all-access black American Express cards, so this trial and error phase can be super-frustrating.

I'm trying to remind myself that the best materials are hand made, or found in nature.  The best designs are all around me, I just have to open my mind to seeing them.  The best ideas come out of feeling like this, trying, trying again, succeeding finally.  But despite all of the encouragement I give myself and get from those who care about me, I can't help but feeling the panic, the need to create something that I might not yet have the skill for.

Patience.

First Friday Recap

I can't say enough about how awesome Tessa is, and how much I love her work.

In fact, I think she should just move into my living room, swap redneck stories with me (I'm from Virginia, she's from West Virginia), watch Squidbillies, and teach me how to wear rockin' wigs without looking like a clown.

Seriously, sister rocks that purple wig like it was natural to her.

Her work is equally awesome, as it should be.  Yes, yes those ARE ouija boards that say "fuck off!" instead of "goodbye".

Seriously, get over to her Etsy shop and start buying it all up before she gets really famous, and her stuff costs $1,000s.  Do it now.

Dumbkat Press on Etsy

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Dumbkat Press on Facebook

First Friday -- Studio 215 Featured Artist, Tessa / DumbKat Press

I met Tessa at my first RAW Artists showcase -- she was wearing a bright green dress and a hot pink wig, and we shot the shit about baseball and cats.  That pretty much sealed the deal for me -- this chick is badass, and if you want to be part of the awesomeness, you can meet her tonight in Studio 215 for First Friday at the Flat Iron Building.

If you need more inspiration, here's some of her work:

Her prints are available in her Etsy shop at Dumbkat Press

and you can also connect with her on Facebook.

As always this event is open to everyone, young and old, hipster and square.

I may or may not be inspired to make snacks and serve drinks, don't hold me to it.  You can always BYOB, but if you act like a drunken fool my bouncer (Dave) will boot you.

Studio 215 is located on the second floor of the Flat Iron Arts Building in Wicker Park.  Follow the Chicago flag signs to my space, or accidentally run into it while looking for the bathroom.

Either way works.

First Friday Recap

So apparently, good weather does not necessarily mean a packed house for First Friday.  Thank goodness Katie brought in her awesome friends, who kept me entertained throughout the night, and the visitors to the building seemed to really enjoy her work!  She also had free zines to give away (I grabbed one, and stored away another to send to a friend).

One of the more interesting things that happened involved Katie being asked to design a cane for MS patients in need.  It just so happened that the other woman in the room at the time worked with people with disabilities, and had a long list of clients with MS who were actually in need of canes, so it kind of became this awesome circle of people connecting to help other people.

(If you're interested in the program, visit Team Chrissy!  The winner of the 2012 People's Favorite Decorated Cane was Kevin Lahvic, another FIAB resident.)

Katie's work looked great, and I'll be a little sad when she takes it down tonight.  One of my favorite parts of hosting artists is that I get my own little art gallery, sometimes for a few days.

Fringe benefits.  ;)

It was a really fun night, that ended with an actual marching band (Environmental Encroachment) coming up through the hallway and playing in the Collaboraction theatre.  Anyone who knows me probably then knows that I just about peed my pants -- I've got a real thing for marching bands!!  They took the party back out into the streets, where we followed them and danced the wild rumpus, then back into the building again for more fun.

Needless to say, I love this place.

Thanks again to Katie Holland, follow her for updates and how you can purchase her work!

First Friday -- Studio 215 Featured Artist, Katie Holland

I've been following Katie / Heartless Arts online for, I think, almost as long as I've lived in Chicago.  I only very recently met her in person, but she's just as friendly and clever as she is online.  I am SO happy to be hosting her as the featured artist this Friday, and I hope she'll get the good luck of great weather + a lot of visitors to the building who will enjoy her work.

In addition to her mixed media pieces and paintings, she's also going to have copies of her zine with her on Friday, so drift on over to Studio 215 and see what it's all about.

Check out Katie's blog,

follow her on Facebook,

and buy her work on Etsy!

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So the usual details: come by, meet Katie, pet my dog, eat my snack foods.

Flat Iron Arts Building

1579 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Suite 215
(second floor, follow the signs!)

Wicker Park neighborhood, Chicago IL

6pm-10pm

BYOB, but don't be a drunken ass.  ;)

Need directions, more info, or romantic advice (hah!)?  You can message me on Facebook,
or email me at vanessa@thebigcitybumpkin.com

As always, I'll look forward to meeting new people, and showing off the studio space!

I love my neighborhood: Wicker Park / Bucktown

I'll be honest, I'm just trying to lure my VA friends out here to visit me...

While Ike and I took our morning walk, cigarette and coffee in hand in the cool morning air, I took a few shots up and down Milwaukee Avenue.  My neighborhood is fantastic: full of vintage shops, restaurant patios, shaded sidewalks, wall murals, and funky architecture.

Looking West on Milwaukee Avenue

Empire Liquors

Looks like we're getting more bike lock-ups.

Dog-friendly patios are the best.

LOVE Myopic Books!

The Flat Iron Arts Building (and home sweet home).

The Stemline guys hanging a sign for Mother's Day (they make the hallway outside of my studio smell so wonderful with their beautiful flowers).

Looking East on Milwaukee Avenue

First Friday -- Studio 215 Featured Artist, Caleb Rocha

Today I'm working on a few custom pieces (must be Mother's Day gifts), and enjoying sipping on my coffee, and having the studio to myself to listen to The Vandellas as loud as I please.

I suppose at some point I'll have to start the epic cleaning required before First Friday tomorrow, but until then I'm going to enjoy this.

By the way -- because tomorrow IS First Friday, I'm proud to welcome Caleb Rocha as my first featured artist!!  He's going to bring some of his prints, and I think there's a possibility he might bring a sculpture.  Stop by my studio on the second floor, #215 (follow the Chicago flag signs!) and see what's up, tomorrow night.

These are some of his pieces that I especially love.

Slow improvements in the studio.

I can't believe how long it took us to unpack some of these boxes!  When we used to move somewhere new with my Momma, she was the absolute BEST at having boxes unpacked almost right away, the living room set up promptly, and dinner (usually home-cooked!) on the table that night.  In my very vivid imagination, that's how things always go... in reality, however, it apparently takes me a week or two.  I will blame this entirely on my 'fella, and leave it at that.  ;)

I've got my work desk set up, and knick knacks in the window

I've got a great view for smoking cigarettes/drinking coffee/eating cereal

I've got the "dream closet" (at least as far as size is concerned)

I've got the couch and the "wall of books" and my jewelry set-up

I've got a cozy place to sleep (albeit LOUD)

I've got my bike all fixed up and ready for the warm weather (if it ever arrives)

and, I've got places to get delicious vegan food!

I don't suppose a girl could ask for much more.

:)

Oh, yeah, and the Cubs are at home on Monday.  So life's good.