Travel: Pasaquan

After reading about Pasaquan on the Roadside America website and in the Weird Georgia book, I knew I had to make the short trek to visit this visionary artist's home. Since my Sunday plans were canceled, I had the free time to attend Artists for Pasaquan, a small artists festival marking the end of the visiting season.

From Pasaquan.com:
Located near Buena Vista, Georgia, USA, Pasaquan is a world-renowned visionary art site that was created by the late Eddie Owens Martin, between the mid-1950s and his death in 1986.

Even though the paint was peeling in most places, the colors were still vibrant. 

St. EOM's mandalas covered many walls throughout the building. 

For more photos, check out my Flicker set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fawne/sets/72157637272807396/


Mazzy really enjoyed checking out the area and talking to other artists about making art. She's now thinking about how I'm going to buy a van so we can paint it up and drive it around. My little artist!

I even bought some art! Once I saw this Great Horned Owl by Peter Loose, I just had to have it. And then my pal Sam G surprised me with his Luv Folk piece. They'll look lovely in my art collection. 

If you're ever in the area, you'll have to check it out!

On My Desk Wednesday

Latest Watercolor Painting

More photos can be found on my Instagram. 

Latest Project: Mural at a Local Church

I spent the first half of this week standing in a baptism tub and painting the walls around it. Not a bad way to pass the time...I definitely enjoy being able to work in a variety of settings. Being a working artist is awesome!

Free Art Around Town

Lately I've been dropping off little pieces of art around the town square, taking a photo, then posting to my FB page to let people know they can scoop up free art. It's been fun and so far, mostly everything has been claimed and some people have even posted photos to my FB page to let me know they appreciate the hunt. This is super fun. It's almost like graffiti (which I love) without damage to any private structures.

I've been calling the little yellow envelopes "love notes". They're made from small pieces of wood and they have two strong magnets on the back. I've enjoyed sticking them on random things around town. 

I usually drop off art on Fridays, hence the name, but this weekend I've dropped on Saturday and Sunday. Rules are meant to be broken! Even your own. 

Brushes, Brushes, Brushes!

Today I stocked up on my most favorite brushes. Soon I'll be opening up my studio to the public for little paint-along sessions. I'm excited for this new adventure, but I think the hardest part is trying to publicize it all without getting frustrated. How do I let the town know what I'm doing without going spending a lot of money? This is definitely a challenge, and I hope to figure out a solid plan soon!

Wish me luck!

On My Desk Wednesday

Last week was full of watercolors! 

Several commissioned pieces were finally finished.

And I knocked out a piece or two for myself. 

First Painting Class in the Studio

This past Friday I hosted an arty party for my kiddo and her friends. She requested we paint her favorite animal, a red panda. All of the girls had a ton of fun! It was definitely a new experience for me, especially since I haven't taught all that much. I think I did well, mostly because the girls reassured me and said they had lots of fun. 

Silly Face Time!

It's super cool how all of the paintings turned out to be so different. None of the girls were self-conscious in their creativity and they all painted how they wanted. So cool! I'm going to have to do this more often!

SkaterAid 2013 in Decatur! Check it out!

I finally finished a skateboard to be donated to SkaterAid 2013. I found out about this show during my recent visit to Atlanta and it seemed pretty easy to join. So after confirming that it really was super-easy to take part in, I got to work!

SkaterAid, a skateboarding, music and art festival, features ramps, jumps and contests for skateboarders, and music is provided by teen bands from area high schools. A live skateboard deck art auction is held throughout the day, with a selection of eye-popping art created by professional and “outsider” artists from used skateboard decks. All proceeds generated by the event are donated to families who are battling pediatric brain cancer. The event will be held Sunday, Sept. 29th from 2-7 p.m. at East Decatur Station, a business complex just west of the Avondale MARTA station at 109 New Street, Decatur, Georgia.

I simply sanded and primed the deck and used colored pencils to create the image. Then applied several coats of matte medium to seal it.

skateraid.net

Skateboarding!

This week's goal is to finish drawing on this skateboard. If it all goes to plan, I will be donating it to a fundraiser in Atlanta. Just gotta get it done first!

The original plan was to just paint it with acrylic paint but I changed my mind and used colored pencil instead. I'm enjoying the texture this is creating. 

It needs to be done in the next day or so. Wish me luck! 

Walkers are Near!

The Walking Dead was in town yesterday, filming for Season 4. Of course, the filming location was on super lock-down so nobody got to witness anything worthwhile. Still, I was so excited that I wrote this on my chalkboard sandwich board and sat it outside my studio all day.

Sunday Sketchbook

A few pages from my sketchbook:

Working on an idea for the cover of a friend's fat-positive zine. 

Just a gal with a pearl earring. I had fun just scribbling and making a red pencil mess.

Studying poppies for a bigger drawing.

Working on an idea for a skateboard I'm going to paint and donate for an Atlanta fundraiser.

Lots of arty fun in the works! I'm super pumped about updating the blog more often!

City Exploring - Day 3

By day three, I admit I was tired. After dealing with traffic the two days prior, I was OVER IT. I just wanted to stay at my dad's house and watch tv and take a long shower. But I talked myself into visiting some places slightly outside of the city, and I'm glad I did.

My first stop was the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn, Georgia. Definitely hard to miss from the road, this place is magnificent! I was greeted by several very nice volunteers throughout the entire visit. I stopped at the gift shop to purchase an audio tour and made my way inside the mandir. There was no photography allowed inside, so this is the only photo I took.

I can honestly say that the inside of this mandir has to be the MOST beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. And by the end of the tour, I made a note to myself to look for books related to Hindu art and architecture.

Next on my list was the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts. When I was a young teen, I was a big fan of Tupac Shakur, so when I heard there was a statue and fountain dedicated to him in this part of Georgia I knew I had to visit.

But it was more than just a fountain and statue. In fact, there was an entire building dedicated to bringing the arts to the children in the area. Since I work at a non-profit arts council myself, I could definitely support that! I talked to an administrative assistant and witnessed a class in progress. I'm always willing to hear how other arts groups try to help out their community.

Another thing on my weird "to see" list was the Walmart Mausoleum. It was a quick visit, all you could do was walk around the building and snap a picture, but I marked it off the list.

Roadside America says: The ancestral Crowley Family cemetery survived the 1963 construction of a mall and parking lot, and subsequent Wal-Martinizing of the landscape. Sometimes called the "Tomb of the Unknown Shoppers."

Then back to the city before picking up my daughter at Georgia Tech. When I discovered that the next item on my "to see" list was unexpectedly closed, I went searching for a coffee shop. I found the lovely Honey Bubble on Ponce de Leon. I got a lavender green tea and indulged on three different macarons. YUM YUM YUM!

As for Day 4...I finally gave into my exhaustion and just took a nap for most of the morning. 

City Exploring - Day 2

Day Two was spent at the High Museum of Art. After eating breakfast at a nearby coffeeshop, I slowly rambled my way up the street, excited to experience the museum without time constraints. 

One of my most favorites places in the city. Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis was a nice, small exhibit and I loved being able to get up close to the paintings to see brushstrokes. Girl with a Pearl Earring was a delight to see up close and personal!


I didn't take many pictures inside. I did get this shot because I loved her profile and how her hair was fixed. I thought it could be good reference in a drawing one day.


Now this painting is huge! It's my most favorite inside the entire building and I love seeing it every time I'm there. Dragon by Anselm Kiefer, 2001.


Just a shot of some graffiti on the Georgia Tech campus. For a minute I thought it said "Take a KID" and I wondered why would anyone want to take a kid? Haha. A nearby lady asked if it said TAKE ACID and I was like, OOOOHHHH, that makes more sense.

My Day 3 post coming up soon!

City Exploring - Day 1

This summer has been a hectic one, so I'm taking some time for myself to explore the creative and historic places of Atlanta. My goal is to recharge my artistic passion by taking in the sights and sounds of the city. This is a solo trip, so I'm taking my time to just breathe, see, and take it all in.

It all started with breakfast at Octane, and reading Kitchen Drawer.

Then I visited the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. I've been trying my best to expand my knowledge on historical events around the South, especially when it comes to civil rights.

The inside of Ebenezer Baptist Church is beautiful. It blows my mind to think about all the emotions this place has contained throughout the years.

Next up was the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to learn about one of our former presidents. I am sad to say that I didn't know much about him at all, but after visiting the museum I'm much more well-informed. I grew quite fond of this wife, Rosalynn, after reading about her compassion and her mental health advocacy. This photo was taken in the gardens behind the center.

There is a replica of the Oval Office inside the museum. How cool is that?!

My stomach started rumbling soon after the museum visits, so I stopped in Little Five Points and ate at Elmyr. Chicken tacos and a beer! Yummy!

Other places on my to-done list is: Young Blood Boutique, Mint Gallery, Wonderroot, the Krog Street Tunnel, and 54 Columns Park.

Photos edited with the A Beautiful Mess app.

More from the ATL soon!

Crowdfunding with the Best of 'em!

Lately, I've been kicking around the idea of starting a crowdfunding campaign to help with buying supplies for the classes/workshops I want to host at my studio. I also have dreams of hosing open mic nights, artists hang-out sessions, and other super fun events there. But of course, this takes money and with the amount I've already spent on upgrading the space, my pockets are bare.

I've been watching other's Kickstarter/Indiegogo videos for inspiration and discovered that I know a few creative folks already in the middle of their own campaigns. Here they are:

My town's movie theatre needs help! My studio is located right around the corner from The Ritz. I think losing this beautiful place would be detrimental to the town square. 

My buddy Chad is always full of great ideas!

This neat place is located in a nearby town. It's a wonderful idea and I wish them the best. 

Then over here on Indiegogo is one of my favorite gals: Sage. She's amazingly gifted and creative and such a huge supporter of anything DIY. 

If you happen to have a few bucks to donate to any of these great campaigns, please do it asap. Then keep and eye out for my upcoming video in the next few weeks.
Do you have a crowdfunding project? Please share your link in the comments below!

Step by Step, Watercolor Painting

Man oh man, what did I do? Drop off the face of the blogger world? Here's to getting back into the habit!