Thursday, December 18, 2008

Our Little Prince

...In the book it said: "Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it. After that they are not able to move, and they sleep through the six months that they need for digestion."
I pondered deeply, then, over the adventures of the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making my first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked something like this:

I showed my masterpiece to the grown-ups, and asked them whether the drawing frightened them.
But they answered: "Frighten? Why should any one be frightened by a hat?"
My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the grown-ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of a boa constrictor, so that the grown-ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this...
My mother says the only music her father ever bought her was a Beetles album, and the only book he ever bought her was The Little Prince.

After my first date/ encounter with a boyfriend in college...he ordered me a hard back copy of The Little Prince with a 'note' and had it delivered to my college mail box. I don't know if you remember being a freshman in college. Or if you remember your college mail box. Plus the joy of getting a package in college. And it was from a boy...but this one really swept me off my feet. It was super cute. Still is.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

This photo is old, but shows the meaning and feelings behind tattoos well.

'I just got back from my family's annual Thanksgiving meal in south Georgia. While my family was all together I noticed a new tattoo on my sister-in-law's body that I'd never seen before. It's a line from Milan Kundera's Immortality: I have a strong will to love you for eternity.'

"I have a strong will to love you until eternity" meaning, I will love you from the first day until the last and all the days in between - when I do not want to love you and even when I find it too hard to even look at you. I will have a strong will to get through these times and love you - until eternity".
I LOVE WORDS MORE THAN EVER
My X sister in law is an amazing artist. I cherish each person I've met in my life like her. She mainly focuses on photography. But I promise you, anything she touches with her hands turns into gold. SOMETIMES a photo journalist/ diarist is so RIGHT ON it changes the course of others lives. Without ever knowing it.

I think my next series is going to be...'Kitchens I Used To Know Well'
After my heavily tattooed people.
January 10 TH. Pink Line Project presents Lisa Marie Thalhammer and DECOY
bring'n art back to 14TH st. like no girls have brought it before!

PLUS
DECOY solo SHOW at THE FRIDGE
OPENING with DECOY
march 20

SUPER EXTRA FUN BONUS
I used to have a 'Every Thursday' new belly drawing page. It was lame and fun. It didn't last long, but it shows the tat off well. Drawings by OWEL.

HELP Ballou Senior High School Marching Band go to the Rose Bowl!

Marching bands have always held a special place in my heart. A lot of you may not know the experience of seeing a really good, really rock'n marching band. I know because a southern parade really doesn't exist without one. Believe me when I say the Ballou Senior High School Marching Band ROCKS!

Michael Patrei's 86 minute documentary follows the talented Ballou Senior High School Marching Band as they overcome a negative environment filled with guns, drugs and violence to uplift the community with music, dedication and personal sacrifice. This Washington, D.C. high school marching band—from an impoverished community just three miles away from the U.S. Capitol building—is on its way to the national band competition. They are a family with heart and soul that use hard work, discipline and compassion to overcome all obstacles.

Last year, Ellen fell in love with the Ballou Senior High School Marching Band from Washington, D.C.
This year they have now been invited to perform at The Rose Bowl!
This Christmas help them raise funds to pay for the trip!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Maybe...





Pyramid Atlantic Art Center and Attitude skate shop meet

A collaboration between Pyramid Atlantic Art Center and Attitude skate shop to bring some fresh skate and counter culture to downtown silver spring. A show curated by Graham Patrick and Gordon Davis featuring their own work and that of Johnnie Bess, DC51 heads OWEL, DECOY, and RVLTN, Dietrich Meyer, KIER, Paul Allen, and Jefferson Pinder.





Go check it out while its still up and cop a t-shirt while you're at it! Its on Ellsworth Dr. in Silver Spring.
Location: Pyramid Atlantic Retail Spot

Monday, December 15, 2008

X Mas


Tonight HIP called to see if I wanted to go on a bike to see the DC Christmas tree. It was a beautiful night and so we did.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

nothing better than Powerful Women


drawing until i go to a spoken word event at 6:30
Alixa and Naima Climbing PoeTree
at the King Peace Center 1610 colombia rd nw

ART is our WEAPON,
our MEDICINE, our VOICE, our VISION

"Creativity is the antidote for violence and destruction. Art is our most human expression, our voice to communicate our stories, to challenge injustice and the misrepresentations of mainstream media, to expose harsh realities and engender even more powerful hope, a force to bring diverse peoples together, a tool to rebuild our communities, and a weapon to win this struggle for universal liberation."

alixa + naima

Saturday, December 13, 2008

ART+ FRIENDS= a really fun day.

Matt Sesow was having an open studio today so I had planned to meet up with my dear friend Bobby who lives in his building and whom I know loves his work. He bought one piece that I loved. It said 'Party Girl' on it with a dark haired girl who had a bow in her hair. She was also holding a martini. I loved it because I'd like to believe she's Parker Posey. Bobby wasn't convinced.
By the end of the day I had taken two groups of friends to the studio and bought my first two Sesow pieces.
I saw this piece the first time I visited. I didn't have any cash on me, so I moved it to the back of the stack in hopes that I could swing by later and no one would have found it. They didn't, and here is my new Sesow 'Mary" painting. I love it!

And this one was there, just sitting in the stacks waiting for me. How could I not get it!

SUPER EXTRA BONUS! Bill was there.

Follow Bill around one of Matt Sesow's gallery openings. I really like his voice.

I love TEE parties!


DC51 had so much fun at the TEE party this past friday. To see more pics of the entire party, including tea time, a panel discussion and live t-shirt making- check out Hoogrrl.

THE LOCOS DEC 11 Chief Ikes Pics.


The night began with THROWDOWN SYNDICATED, who rocked!

Then Fernando whipped out his new guitar...

and The Locos played like I've never heard them play before.

It was Robert's BIRTHDAY!

Of course OWEL and I were caught drawing...

AMIGOS!



They walk, they talk, they crawl on their bellies like reptiles...The Locos.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Blacksheep Modifications


Today I met up and had lunch with Nicole Puzan from Blacksheep Modifications. I had to pick up some aprons from her for Project Pink Line's event tomorrow night. PLUS she had finished my Mary pillow cases. I had bought a pair from her last year at an event and gave them to my mother for Christmas. Since then I have wanted a pair of my own.
Nicole loves everything pink. It's in her blood. Her hair grows naturally like this.

So of course conversation lead to things like...







Nothing better than lunch with friends.

Matt Sesow OPEN STUDIO ... DECEMBER 2008: DC:


SATURDAY DECEMBER 13th (12 noon until 6PM)
Come visit Matt Sesow's studio in Adams Morgan, DC...
matt will have 100's of paintings available for inspection...
complimentary refreshments will be served.
no RSVP needed, just show up...

I cannot tell you how fun I think these artist open studios are. If you are an art lover, and know the person's work I don't see why you wouldn't go? They are opening up their home/ work space for you visit, meet closely with the artist and see tons of new works, works in progress. You really get an amazing sense of the artist and his/ her daily inspirations. It really makes for a fun Saturday afternoon. PLUS! maybe this guy will be there!
Some friends and I had gone to his girl's open studio last week, who is also a DC artist: Dana Ellyn. My friend bought the piece of hers that i had previously obsessed over. So, of course I had to find a new one to fall in love with. Not hard.

This is Matt and Dana at last years Transformer art auction. For some reason I always thought this was a really nice picture of them...wonder why?

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

MORE SAY knows what's up

I couldn't help but pass this fun bit of news along from MORE SAY. Super fun to me.
A Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital has opened its doors in Taiwan, aimed at easing the stress of childbirth with images of the popular cartoon character.

Patients are welcomed by a statue of Hello Kitty dressed in a doctor's uniform, before travelling in a Hello Kitty elevator to a pink examination room with Hello Kitty posters on the wall.
From blankets and birth certificates to cots and uniforms worn by staff, every aspect of the Hello Kitty hospital is emblazoned with the feline motif.

Hello Kitty was always somewhat of an inspiration to me. I grew up with Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty somehow made it okay for me to leave a mouth off a figure a long time ago, in early drawings. I am also pretty shy. I don't always love speaking.

Angelique Houtkamp

Delicate sorrow, loving looks and painful nostalgia.

Angelique Houtkamp is the inspirational Dutch tattoo mademoiselle of the contemporary art world.

Her work is deceptively simple, instantly recognizable and often humorous. Classic old school tattoo imagery mixed with mythological dreams, antropomorphed critters, nautical iconography and haunting Hollywood romance by way of Angelique's distinctive painterly magic and eye for style.

This is her nostalgic, eclectic and beautifully rendered artistic wonderland.

My favorite place to buy awesome art books CHEAP= Urban Outfitters, georgetown, downstairs in the back. I got this Angelique Houtkamp book there today on sale for 4.95. You can't beat that...really.

I Love Juicy Couture

Tantalizing. Teasing. Tempting.

I have been a Juicy fan for a while now. I have worn their perfume for about two years. I was so excited to hear they have a new fragrance out. I haven't tried it yet, but i can promise you it's probably so so pretty.

Viva La Juicy
Can't get enough couture? Well here's even more, for Juicy girls who want it all. Juicy Couture presents Viva La Juicy, an enticing scent of wild berries and mandarins, honeysuckle, gardenia, and jasmine. To round it out, amber, caramel, vanilla, sandalwood, and praline add just the right touch of sweetness. It's bottled in a bold gold decanter decorated with Juicy charms. Like always with Juicy, the packaging is almost as special as the product itself.

These were the sunglasses I was obsessed with last summer. It's kinda hard to tell, but a heart is cut out of the center of them.
In G-town anytime soon? Check out the NEW Juicy store!
3034 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007

Where will you be this Friday?

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

THE LOCOS

Pics from DC51 UNJUANTED art show


UNJUANTED art show, capitol hemp flyer

UNJUANTED paintings

the man himself

RVLTN paintings

OWEL stencils

My new FIFA painting!

super fun night!