Made a new little painting, all within 3 hours. This was due to an overall cluster-fuck of coffee, candy, steak, seltzer water and who knows what else...
1. waste of time
2. super expensive conferences and seminars
3. they hate mannerists
4. they bow to the altar of Sergent, hence why all the work looks the same.
5. member work featured -- simply hideous.
6. the president calling me to tell me the Smithsonian will sue me for my show title, despite not knowing the the hell she was talking about or having done any research on the matter. Not to mention she sounded like an overall moron (other countries have portrait galleries too besides the US-- duh!) and if that's whose in charge I want no part in it.
7. did I mention it wasted my time?
8. a hideous newsletter that my husband would throw out because he couldn't stand the art in it. Having it sit on the coffee table was offensive to his eyesight.
9. did I mention it all looked the same? Cheeseball is what it was.
10. south western inspired art or portraits of children with ugly toothy grins in predictable poses - 'nuff said.
11. I SO didn't fit in with the whole thing.
May 5th, I share my wedding anniversary with Cinco de Mayo, the Kent State shootings, and Ian McCulloch's birthday among other things. Hubster and I have been married 7 years (been together almost 8). I'll feel better once we get to 8 years however; it'll mean not only did we beat the national average, but we'll have lasted longer than he did with wife #1. Yes, everything is a competition with me. But I suppose it is a good sign we talk all the time about what we'll do party/trip-wise for our 10 year anniversary. Maybe wife #1 will stop using his last name by then!
Hubster has now fulfilled his dream of becoming a model (well not really a dream, but something on his to-do list). My pal Shannon -- who had me model and do a painting project in her book AlterNation -- has a new book out called How To Knit In The Woods. And looky who shows off his rockin' sideburns for a shot?
He actually had his hair cut since, but still, I think it is pretty funny. No, he didn't get to keep the hat. Maybe this will lead for more gigs for him? He is after all, super skinny, which makes anything look good on him (calling Merc and Ben Sherman!). Maybe I should be his agent.
UPDATE: Speaking of models, I've just been told I'm somewhere around page 68 of Craft Magazine. Doing what, I do not know, but I'm sure I was snapped with no make-up and unwashed hair.
My $15 print sale that is:www.bellavendetta.etsy.com Look, even the SF Weekly says you should hop to it. I only have a few left of each print, after that they are gone!
I will however, have a super-duper limited edition 11x14" gilcee print of this...
issued by Mahan Gallery early this summer. I won't be advertising or selling it on any websites, only my email list, so hit me up if you want to be notified about it: arabella(at)elephantstonerecords.com
Thanx!
The debate has been going for some time as to if husband and I should just go ahead and buy a townhouse or not. After our plumbing fiasco over the weekend, I was very glad I had a building manager next door, let alone I didn't have to pay for all the hours spent replacing various causes to my apartment nearly becoming flooded. This is the longest I've been in one apartment in my life; I rather like it (despite hating my neighbors) and have been told over and over what a great place it is indeed.
There's really only one reason I want to own a place-- besides having a basement bar of course -- I want to do some radical decorating! Granted I probably could wallpaper and replaces fixtures and so forth in my current place, it is just the prospect of having to tear it all down again that is annoying. I also have extremely expensive taste. Anything from a group of dresses to a group of couches in front of me -- I always pick the most expensive one without even trying. Good design always costs money it seems. Damn me with my lousy bank account and fabulous taste!
Among the things I would like to go crazy on, these fabulous plastic coated pieces here brought to you by www.modernfront.etsy.com

along with any number of wallpapers from www.cole-and-son.com

I would also probably do something totally out there, like having mounted unicorn heads in my bedroom like this hotel in Buenos Aires...

And while I'm on the subject, one of my favorite artists, Miriam Wosk, has pictures of her amazing studio on her website. The website as a whole I'm not to crazy about -- in color choices or navigation -- but take a look and you may get jealous too!
I'll be doing some large fun giclee prints with Mahan Gallery next week, but in the meantime all my prints on Etsy are now $15 until April 30th.
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and finished a commission based off my Space Is The Place painting...

I'll have two pieces in this show curated by www.creepmachine.com, should be pretty fun and I wish I could go. My two portraits of a character I call "Switchblade Sue" are just based in general off all the girl gang related teen exploitation movies I've seen over the years. Here are some clips to get you in the mood. High School Caesar is one of my favorites, although the clip doesn't show the gang leader's girlfriend with huge knockers and bizarre eyebrows. But boy, I wish I could have an "anything goes party!" like in the High School Hellcats. Maybe when I turn 30 in June?
I did a painting for the World Space Party over at Art Whino Gallery happening this Saturday. So if you are in the D.C. area you can check it out.
"Let's Go!"
These were the words spoken by Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin as he
embarked on the historic first manned space flight on 12 April 1961.
Twenty years later on 12 April 1981, the US launched the first space
shuttle flight. We think that's something worth celebrating – so we do!
Every year on April 12th Yuri's Night is celebrated all around the
world – last year there were over 90 events or parties held in over 30
countries worldwide - and this year looks set to be even bigger. The
range of events is as diverse as the people who hold them – even the
residents of the International Space Station have been known to join in
the fun!
Whether in someone’s living room, a swinging nightclub
or a world-class science museum, Yuri’s Night events all have one thing
in common - people who are excited about space exploration and who want
to join together to celebrate it.
Among all the amazing and HUGE statues around Moscow -- the Cosmonaut and Space Obelisk were always some of my favorites...


Well it was a fine weekend indeedy down in Columbus. I never really walked around or did much there, so it was nice to get a tour of some parts at least. I tell you, High Street is amazing, and I've already made plans for two more trips before June to hang out with friends and start working on some giclee prints with those fine good-looking folks at Mahan Gallery.
Well, being this was the first weekend of not complete crap weather, the art walk on Saturday was pretty insane! It was difficult just walking a normal pace for one block. Already at 6pm the street was starting to fill up...
I really liked the large rose paintings by Mario Madiai...
And hey, look at that. You can't see but I was totally rocking my Sisters of Mercy t-shirt. Everyone thinks this painting is a portrait of us; I don't see the resemblance especially since I don't have black hair or a button nose...
Our friends Sherri and Todd...
Friends Bill and Natasha, they go way back with both our families.
Some more pieces from the show...
Now, these kids were all into my paintings a little too much -- as in actually touching the surface with their oily finger tips! I varnish my stuff and I didn't throw down with them (3 drinks more and I might have), but when I saw them making poking motions to see how bouncy my canvas was, I thought I best keep a watchful eye. I sometimes miss my old white liberty spikes...
There was this one really cool old punk/rockabilly/goth couple that I wish I had my camera out for. They had to have been in their early 70s, she had the most awesome black skull purse. Normally you can look pathetic trying to dress like that past a certain age, but they pulled it off in a way that wasn't tacky or pathetic at all. I hoped Ben and I would look as cool as them someday.
We walked around a bit more after the show; our friends Piss and Vinegar debuted their t-shirts over at Tiger Tree store. We stopped in real quick at Magnolia Thunderpussy, but we'll be back there soon to take our time on another trip for sure. The next day Bill and Natasha took us to their favorite place on High Street called Betty's. The wallpaper and pin-up art is worth it besides yummy grub...
They also own the Surly Girl bar which has some amazing decor as well.
In all the Short North Arts District is pretty hopping. It makes me sad Cleveland can't have just one huge place to put everything that is walkable like this -- instead of being spread out and spotty as hell. And I may also note that nowhere the whole weekend did I ever see Ohio State Buckeye clothing on anyone -- nowhere! So why do dorks in Cleveland wear Buckeyes gear when it isn't even their team? I'm from Ann Arbor so I don't care, but I thought it was amazing in a good way.
Of course now our friends want us to move to Columbus.




