Candace in Wonderland (or Candace does California)...

Did I mention that I had a visitor last month? No? Well then...let me tell you a bit about Candace. You see, Candace is on a tour this year. She started in Alaska and will be travelling all over the world for an entire year. The tour is being hosted by Kimberly Rogers of Numinosity Beads. Kimberly was kind enough to schedule Candace to spend some time with me, here in Southern California.

Candace arrived in my mailbox on a warm, blue sky day ~



I asked Candace where she might like to go and what she might like to see. But of course....Candace wanted to see some local sights first ~



Then....off to Hollywood ~



If you haven't noticed, Candace is a wild and crazy red-head. So, naturally, she wanted to have her picture taken next to the star of another crazy red-head ~



Then...we were off to High Voltage Tattoo



Candace wanted to get a tattoo just like mine, but I was afraid Kimberly might not like that idea ~



Next, we toured Kat Von D's Wonderland Gallery~



Candace got to see alot of fantastical art. A whole show dedicated to the art of Kevin Llewellyn. Candace was a wee bit frightened by the art, but oh so curious as well ~



After touring Hollywood, Candace very much wanted to go to Disneyland ~



What fun we had.

Before we knew it, it was time for Candace to go onward. The night before she left, we hosted a "Pizza Party" in her honor ~



"Hey...get your fingers out of the picture...this party is for me" ~



All in all, we had a fabulous time...touring, sight-seeing, eating.

Bye-bye Candace. We'll miss you ~

Okay...Let's Do a Print!

Hello There:

Just a very quick update on my newest piece: "Guardian of the Bayou Princess". I've had so many emails requesting that I offer this piece in print, I've decided to go ahead and take it to print even though the original is still in the shop. Or ~ maybe I'll take the original out of the shop and keep it for myself. Either way, I've just listed the print version of "Bayou Princess" in Gerushia's Etsy Shop.



Also...because I am currently having a "Buy One Get One Free" sale on all 4" x 6" prints, this piece will be included in the BOGO because it is a 4" x 6" watercolor/ collage.

Okay....marketing done!!

I'll be back very soon with a regular post.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

"Guardian of the Bayou Princess"

Several weeks ago, I posted a "work in progress" photo of this piece. Since then, I have been so over the top busy, I have had no time to actually set at my desk and work. Last night, I finally finished this piece! I found a few hours of uninterrupted time at my desk, and I took advantage of that time ~



This new piece is entitled: "Guardian of the Bayou Princess", and it is built around a vintage photo of an African American girl from Louisiana. I acquired this photo a couple of years ago and have been fascinated with it since I first laid eyes on it. The photo was snapped in the 1920s in a small town in Louisiana, not too far from New Orleans. The writing on back of the photo led me to believe that the girl was somehow "special" in her local region. That's all I'll say about that....

With this haunting yet beautiful young woman, and the original writing on the back of the photo, I was able to create a story to go along with this piece ~ part fiction, part reality...

"Ayira is heartsick today, the day of her 18th birthday. This special time is to be celebrated, but Ayira can think only of her sister ~ her twin sister, born exactly 2 hours and 32 seconds after herself. You see, Ayira and Adongo were born deep in the Bayou...secret babies. Each to be a Princess at 18 years of age. They were both expected to carry on a family tradition....but 2 years ago, there was a terrible accident. So horrible and unexpected that it's never talked about....and now, Ayira is alone and heart-broken, with no desire to live, let alone to be a Princess. But...on this day, the day of Ayira's 18th birthday...everything will change ~

The ending of the story belongs to you...."

If you have any questions about this piece, please feel free to email me. If you are interested in purchasing this original piece, you can find it in Gerushia's Etsy Shop.

I don't have an exact date, but "Guardian of the Bayou Princess" will be offered in print form as well.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

Who Likes Free Art?

Just a quick little blurb today. Gerushia has decided to offer all 4" x 6" prints in her shop as "Buy One Get One Free". This is a great time to start purchasing your holiday gifts. Buy one to give away, and keep the other for yourself.





Also, by purchasing handmade items (and/or prints) you are lending your support to the unique world of the arts.



Click here for a direct link to the 4" x 6" section in Gerushia's shop.



Thanks so much for your continued support, and your kind comments and emails.
Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

Feeling a Bit Melancholy (But I Mean That In a Good Way) ~

Have you ever felt melancholy during the change of season? Autumn is my favorite season of all, but I still feel a bit low at Summer's end. There are smells all about me right now that signal the oncoming Fall season...a dampness in the soil, the last hint of Lavendar ~



A late Summer garden visitor, sharing her beauty and snacking on sugar water from the Hummingbird feeder ~



There's a particular glare that comes with the change as well. Everything is dreamy yellow. As I say good-bye to Summer, I find myself anxiously awaiting the first peek-a-boo of turning leaves....scarlett, orange and coral. Natures passion, her fiery gift of color ~



Soon, it will be time to carve Jack-O-Lanterns ~





and feast on generous amounts of candy ~



But for today, as I await the Fall with open arms, I will allow myself just a bit of self-indulgent melancholy.

Memories of beach days ~



and bare feet ~



Along with the changing season comes a busy schedule for me.

I have 2 collages ~





and a doll ~



in a local Gallery House show, and one secret project that I can't mention! :)

Ohhh...and something that I am over the moon excited about...my friend, Shell, and I are attending our Orientation meeting for The Art of Elysium. We will be donating our time, as artists, to Los Angeles area hospitals working with chronically and terminally ill children. This is something that I have wanted to do for ever so long. It will be difficult, heartbreaking and rewarding all at once. I hope very much that I will be able to be a positive light in the lives of these children.

Ohhh...and may I just go ahead and market a wee bit? I'm having a BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) sale in Gerushia's Etsy Shop. All 4" x 6" prints are BOGO. With the holidays just around the corner, this is a great time to buy art for gifts! Take advantage of the sale, if you like.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

New Ink and Everything But The Kitchen Sink...

My goodness, it's been way too long since my last visit. I haven't been on holiday...no tropical vacations or cruises to Mexico. Just alot of Everydays. Being so busy with this and that left me with only snippets of time to sit at my computer. I miss my daily blogging. I feel detached and out of the loop. So...with a free day in front of me, I'm taking this opportunity to get caught up with my blogging. I wonder if this will be my longest post ever? I have so many pictures to share with you, so I'll keep the text to a minimum. I'm hoping, after getting caught up today, I can be a better blogger!!

Now, where to begin? I think chronological order might be the way to go....

Planted some vegetables in my garden this year ~

Future Fried Green Tomato


Curly Cucumber


I also planted some Sunflowers, but a horde of ravenous Goldfinch stripped the leaves off of every single plant. Never had that happen before ~



Early in August, I had the opportunity to take my daughter to meet her favorite band. (I like them as well). We met all the guys and got a couple of items signed. Have a look at her eyes...pure emotion and a bit star struck as well ~



A week later I finally got my "Dancing Fiona" tattoo. The appointment had been scheduled since March. I was so fortunate to be able to schedule with Dan Smith at High Voltage. (This is the shop featured in the show L.A. Ink). My daughter and my friend Shell accompanied me...and I must admit, we had a blast ~





Kat Von D's Throne


Don't know if this Chandelier has ever been shown on L.A. Ink






Dan drawing up the Dancing Fiona stencil










I just posted this photo because I think it's over the moon cute


Freshly finished Fiona




Shell and me posing as usual




And....here's a treat for those of you who have always wondered what the High Voltage bathroom looks like!!! ~







Wow....do ya think we took enough pictures?

Two days after my tattoo, we celebrated my daughter's 17th Birthday. Bonzo had a fabulous time at the party ~



I have noticed through the years that anytime I take a photo around my front palm tree, it is surrounded by orby type thingies. There are always at least 6 or 7 orbs. I don't know what was going on in these two photos...but I have never seen this many orbs around my palm tree





I haven't had much time to read this summer, but with the season slowing down, I am now reading this (love me a circus-y book) ~



Over the summer, I have enjoyed playing around with shadows ~ snapping pictures of unexpected silhouettes ~





This last shadow silhouette gives me a giggle ~



It looks like the Pringle's Man (do you agree)? ~



Last week, my friend Shell and I became members of a local "Arts Association". We visited the gallery and goofed around as usual ~





We browsed around at a vintage shop as well ~



My large family of Orioles are still visiting, but not for long. They'll be on their way South in a couple of weeks. This photo shows one of the "teenage" Orioles at the Hummingbird feeder ~



Last Saturday, my husband and I enjoyed the opening reception of my arty pal Julie Bergmann's gallery show at Studio Claremont. We had a lovely time visiting with Julie, her husband and a few other artist friends. The show is fabulous, highlighting Julie's Papier Mache, photography and mixed media works. If you're local and have a few hours to spare, drop by and have a look!









Well...this brings me to this morning. I was so surprised to see a big, fluffy tree squirrel in my front yard. I see wee little ground squirrels all about my local park, but never, not once, have I seen a tree squirrel around here ~





Isn't he the best squirrel in the world? I wish the photos were better, but I was in a rush to run inside and get my camera. By the time I got back outside, the squirrel was being stalked by a nasty, mean stray cat...so I scared the cat away and my furry squirrel baby ran away as well.

For all of you who made it to the end of this entry without fainting from pure bordeom, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World