Let it snow

It's June, of course that is synonymous with christmas lights, reindeer and snow.  Well, maybe not in your world, but in our set design world, June is the month when everyone starts thinking and shooting their holiday campaigns. We just finished up two weeks in New York working on CVS's holiday book.  The climax of the shoot was the big outdoor decor shot.  We brought in a team of special effects guys to create a winter wonderland on location at a house in Jersey.

Below is a little video I put together so you can see that behind the scenes of what it takes to create something of this scale.

Let the printing begin

My machine came.  It finally came.  All right, you got me, it came a little while ago but I had a lot of setting up and figuring out to do before I could actually post about it.  My good friend and neighbor A.L. has let me set everything up in her garage.  I've been a busy, little bee, developing screens and printing away.  There have a been a lot of trial and errors, working out the kinks in paint types, wood materials,  color alignments etc.  But it's now official (drum roll please) ... 

I've completed my first series.  Woohooo.

I proudly present: Airplanes in Blue

Mother's Day Necklaces

I'm still on the jewelry making kick.  This is a special little necklace I designed for Mother's day. 

Have your shoes and eat them too!

We have been doing a lot of Girls nights lately.  Dancing, dinners out, and Dream board making.

On the heels (pun intended!) of our successful dream necklace craft night, we all got together again and under the supervision of our super creative friend K.R. we made chocolate shoes.  It was a great night.  About 7 of us sat around painting chocolate patterns into our plastic molds. We laughed, we chatted, and of course we ate a lot of chocolate.  The end results were so great, I don't know if I can ever bring myself to eat mine.  

Let me also take this moment to plug the organizer of this night, K.R.   Why have a blog if you can't rave about how great all your friends are. By day she works on visual effects for film.  By night, she has been taking cake decorating classes and practicing her pastry chef fantasies on us (lucky us!) Here is a look at some of her amazing creations.  You can see more on her website. And if you live in the L.A. area, you should talk to her about ordering your own custom, edible, delight for your special event.  

Sneaking my art on set

I still haven't made any real prints yet. But the designs are separated and already to go. I have paper and ink print outs of everything and of course the samples I started with.  So when I was asked to make a "Cool Kids Room, that has blue accents and paper airplanes" for an upcoming Adidas shoot , how could I not take advantage of free publicity and use some of my own art.  

They wanted everything sort of haphazard and messy, with bold graphic elements.  Not necessarily my aesthetic.  I usually like things a little more orderly.  The client loved it, and that's all that matters.  Can't wait to see what the ads look like (keep an eye out for them in stores this fall!) 

Dream Necklaces

I have gotten carried away.  

I've been designing lots and lots of necklaces.  I think SK Art is going to end up  being more than just art.  I've redesigned the SKART logo to include everything I do.  

There are no rules here, I can make and sell and do whatever I want.  Right?  

Below is a preview of some of the necklaces I have made:

  

Still waiting

My Screen Print machine has not arrived yet.  I'm getting antsy and I have all these ideas for things I want to make.   My focus is leaving art for a bit and moving on to jewelry.  

My friend A.L. decided for her birthday this year she wanted to have a girls night/craft night.  I have been toying with this idea of making what I call "dream necklaces".  Necklaces with a word of significance to you.  You've seen them around, they usually say things like "dream" or "hope" or "success".  I've been looking for one for a friend of mine that says "focus" & "effort" -- words that embody her mantra for 2009.  When I couldn't find the words I wanted, I actually bought supplies to stamp my own words.  My focuses have been elsewhere and I have yet to even open up the tools I bought.  I figured this birthday party would be the perfect place to break out my new toys.  Not just because it's would be a fun craft for the party but because A.L. actually knows how to make jewelery and has boxes and boxes of chains, stones and findings.  YIPEE.  

The party was a success.  P.D. made her word "liberation" (she just got out of a 9 year, oppressive marriage), K.R. made her word "love" -- she's looking for it.  I made my word "Passion".  I like the sound of the word, for me it signifies making the effort to dive full force into what ever I do.  Specifically in my career, I am searching for a passion for what I do (even on the days when it seems ridiculous).  It's also a reminder to engage in more of the activities that I love.  To find my passions and encourage them. I embellished with a white gold turtle my mom bought me after we swam with the sea turtle in Maui (I love Sea Turtles) and a small pearl and a couple of white topaz stones.

After a night of wonderful girlfriends and jewelry making, I have two new passions to add to my list.