Elly MacKay

Check out these dreamy pieces by Canadian artist Elly MacKay.  She makes these images by inking yupo paper and cutting it into layers that she sets up in a miniature theater.  Visit her etsy shop, website and blog for more.

 

 

New Interview

New interview now posted on Art by Jacy.

 

New little paintings posted

Posting lots of cute map paintings in the 5″ x 5″ ($65) and 8″ x 8″ ($85) size!  Check out my website and etsy shop to see them all.

 

New fence and gate

What lovely sunny days we’ve been having in Portland!  I’m still pretending it is summer, even though it is cold, since it doesn’t feel like we’ve had the rain and overcast days that normally grace us in December and January.  Our backyard feels like it just had a makeover with the new fence and gate that went in this week.  I’m so happy with how it looks!  Addie and I are enjoying being outside and even lit up the fire pit one afternoon for a winter picnic.  I love the picture  of a bored Addie, ready for me to stop taking pictures and play frisbee.

 

 

Collector Art Shop

My map paintings are now for sale at the Collector Art Shop in Berkeley!  They have only been up a month, but I’ve already restocked three times during the holidays.  Things are selling quick and for good reason – the premise for their shop is great.  They want original art to be more accesible and have put together a collection of art that is under $1000.  If you’re in the area be sure to check them out.

 

Letter

Today has been a lovely, quiet and productive day.  My mom is watching Addie, Jon is at work and I feel like it is my first day back in the ‘zone’ after the holidays.  It feels good to be back painting – it makes me feel balanced.  I’ve been working on commissions  (thankful to have ten custom pieces to work on this month!) and prepped a couple today.  Working on commissions from three different series has been interesting having to switch gears from my map paintings to the poppy series to the new cartography series.  Feels like painting exercise.

In addition to commissions, I’m working on a couple pieces for group shows opening next month.  The 100 show at Weiden and Kennedy and the Art of Communication show at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery.  Just finished the Mary Lou Zeek piece and thought I’d share.

This is the 10th annual 100 Artists show. All artists received a blank letter through the mail and were asked to write a thought, a story, a description or whatever they so choose and then send to their “partnered” artist. That artist then interprets the writings that were sent to them and then used the writings as their starting point for their own artwork.  I was partnered up with Mark Poulin and got the following letter.  I really like having it up in my studio and will miss having it hanging – I have to return it with the painting so they can be displayed together.  The statement ‘I have what you want, but can’t part with it’ lead me to create the light and simple painting ‘A sunny day’ as my response.

The show opens at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem, OR on February 1st and all the pieces will be available to see and to bid on online as well.  All proceeds go to charity.

 

Happy New Year

It’s going to be a great year, I can feel it.

Christmas decorations came down last week and these sweet little map garlands went up.  I love most anything to do with maps and this was a fun way to use some that won’t end up in paintings.  Find the DIY tutorial by Robbi Lindeman on Poppytalk.

 

Happy Holidays

Love, The Austins

 

Handmade gift ideas

Hello all,

What an amazing show season – I was so happy to see thousands of people come out and support the artists and crafters in my last two shows.  I was trying to remember how long I’ve done the Crafty Wonderland and Urban Craft Uprising sales and think it’s been about five years now.  It has been a treat getting to know people just through these shows – the people who come back every year and stop to chat.  It warms my heart.

Since last weekend, I’ve been on a crafty rampage making gifts for the holidays.  I’ve been painting so much the last couple months and not doing much else that Addie and I created all sorts of lovely things this week.  I thought you might be looking for some simple and fun gifts to make and have posted some ideas below.  Descriptions are a little general so if you need more, just leave a comment and I’ll go into more detail.

 

Soy Candles

Super easy.  I ordered all my supplies – soy wax, wicks and some scents – though Candle Science.  They also have great instructions online.  We have mason jars everywhere around here and I think they look pretty sweet as candles.  I’ve also used decorative glasses and pretty jadeite vases.  Make them with citronella for the garden in the summer and to take camping.

 

Felt for kids

Addie and I made these little gifts for each of the kids in her preschool.  Mustaches for the boys and flower hair pins for the girls.  Here are some tutorial links for the felted flowers (easy!).  For the mustaches I just drew and cut out a mustache out of card stock for a template and cut out two per stick.  Sandwich the popsicle stick in between with hot glue and you are set.  I ordered my felt on etsy through Felt on the Fly - beautiful felt, tons of colors. Other ideas for the flowers – pins, magnets, ornaments.

 

Rings

I was in Collage, here in Portland, when I saw these cute adjustable rings by Nunn Design.  They come blank and ready for your ideas.  I just painted them with acrylic paint in some of my favorite colors and sealed them a thick coat of  Diamond Glaze for a cool finish.  I made some for Addie too, painted pink and added glitter, for her dress up box.  Visit Collage for the rings, about $5 each, or online I found them here.  Other ideas – add a photo, do a tiny drawing, stamp or add a map.

 

Sculpey Ornaments

The other night my friend Alisa and Deb, two very creative ladies, came over for some wine and crafting.  We made lots of little ornaments and gift tags using white and pearl Sculpey Clay.  I love these faux wood grain ones.  Make by rolling out the clay between 1/4″ and 1/8″, stamp with a wood grain stamp, snowflake stamp or text, and cut with a circle cookie cutter.  We used a nail to make the hole for the string – a little straw could also work well.  I baked them for about 8 minutes at 275 and ta-da.  Super cute.  If you aren’t up for making them, check out etsy seller mstetson for gorgeous gift tags.

 

Happy crafting!

 

 

Mindy Gayer

Check out Mindy Gayer’s blog for her advent giveaways – a new and beautiful item each day.  Today you could win one of my original map paintings – just have to leave a comment on her post.  Good luck!