Random things:

- Husband wants to be a model, for real, so if any of you have contacts at agencies that work with Burberry, Brioni, Prada, Kenneth Cole, Hugo Boss or Nike --  let me know.
- Photos from some Friday night art shows in Cleveland can be found here.
- The New York Times doesn't believe in proofreaders it seems.
- The Cleveland Museum of Art has an ridiculous amount of typos on their description plates. Heck, I went to great lengths to make my fake portrait descriptions seem authentic, and had 2 people check them over before printing.
- Don't stand too close, or you'll set off the alarms like I did leaning into this portrait...

You have to see it, how he got the amount of detail he did so small is amazing in every wrinkle on her face, the web image is crap.

This was also amazing in person to where I was told to step back twice by a guard, and the web image is crap...

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I was filling out a Q&A form in regards to a show coming up in May. The questions were pretty basic, but it was the "what inspires you?" loaded question I always hated that I finally, after all of these years, found an answer to: Me! Or rather, my interests and wants, how I have these dueling sides to my personality that make me a little odd. It is rather simple; high culture and low culture in both extremes, this is how I've moved through life and what my interests have always been. So it is no surprise then that my artwork reflects this.

I talked earlier how I want to get off the grid and becoming a drifter, but how can I when there is a certain level of aesthetics and comfort I demand? Am I really going to drag around my 600 thread-count sheets to every cheap motel I live at? Is anyone at the greasey spoon restaurant going to appreciate my Dior perfume? Perhaps my real goal is to be one of those rotten rich aristocratic types who own 4 grand houses and fly on private planes, but who spend their time gambling, drinking, and running with the wrong crowd. There is a moment during a documentary about Ahmet Ertegun where a friend says, "here is a guy with beautiful clothes and could have been an Ambassador, what is he doing in this smoky dive club, drinking sloe gin and talking all that trash?" Ahmet says, "Because it was fun!" "It was fun wasn't it?" says his friend.

It is hard how I want to be Marlowe, Mad Max or Kowalski, but I also want to be a Hedy Lamar type or Luisa Casati.

I want this car (with black flames on the sides and a chain link steering wheel please)

But want to come home to this table setting

One day perhaps.

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- Making progress on my Thomas Kinkade-like painting, it is harder than I thought to paint in a different style and be disgusted by it at the same time.

- Trying to not lose it while my friend lays in the hospital. Mentally preparing myself for another visit where I'm not sure if things will get better or if I'll have to say goodbye.

- Halloween art show on Friday to look forward to at Low Life Gallery in Collinwood, free booze, candy, stuff!

- Trip to newly opened art museum with in-laws this weekend.

- Am extremely grateful to those buying my art in these days of economic fun-fun-happy-times, a happy surprise indeed.

- Getting ready to suss out N. Carolina as a potential move and visit friends/family.

- Trying to figure out how to live off the grid. Being a drifter who works odd jobs, pays everything in cash, has a network of PO boxes across the country, and lives at various motels sounds more and more appealing than being a responsible adult who pays taxes while getting screwed by her health insurance coverage. I'd rather see a mob doctor for a quick fix paid in cash than legit medical institutions these days. I'm also about ready to start keeping my money in a sock, or floorboard, or cool hidden compartment like a serial killer would have. I'm also damn glad I don't have a mortgage right now, truthfully, I don't think I ever want to own as I want the freedom to take off and go new places when I want.

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I listed a few copies of the "Duchess Varuca" giclee print in my shop, and there are still two other affordable pieces as well. Visit: www.BellaVendetta.Etsy.com for all the details.

I won't be doing any more prints or special pieces for themed shows after November, as I'll be working on new poo for my dual solo show with Seattle artist, Andrea Heimer, at Artchitecture Gallery in May. That's going to be a fun show and you should be marking your calendars already!

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Quite interesting, indeed. Especially since many galleries are abandoning the physical space and concentrating on just art fairs as their main income.

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Yesterday was an interesting opening, some really good work by others in the show (full photo recap over here). Mostly I was busy trying not to sweat balls; keep my hair from going frizz-o in the humidity; ignore some of the rude art-goers who offended my friends; and ignore the comment about "oh did you do those big eyed people?" phrased as a not-so nice question. If you know me, you know I hate "big eye art" as I'm just really sick of seeing it everywhere. I also got interviewed by someone for something that they told me would be up on YouTube rather soon. One thing about me: you ask me vague generic questions, I'll give you rambling answers. Doesn't help when I don't know where I'm supposed to be looking, and the gal with the mic is a foot shorter than me. So yes, I'm sure it is me being dorky and I will probably avoid watching it.

Whatever, I sold a few pieces right as the doors opened, and it was a pretty good turn out. I label it a success and it always helps to have my friends there to entertain me. The best line from one friend, as someone remarked about my Prada bag and the fact I was brave enough to bring it, "wait, Bella, are we in COLLINWOOD!?" Original artistic haps and new ideas are dirty at first honey, welcome to the real deal. This ain't Laguna Beach where you can buy some Wyland sculptures.

Looky here, I'm striking a pose...

Bella

DSC02120

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Tonight "Paradigm Shift" at Vision Art Gallery opens from 6pm-10pm, it'll be up for 3 weeks, but don't mind the rain, come get in trouble with me tonight! Also showing are Keith Marlowe and Amy Casey, which is pretty awesome right?

Also I'll be in the Halloween Spooktacular  Friday, Oct. 3rd- Nov. 2nd @ Low Life Gallery, Cleveland OH. There will be a pre-Halloween party on Friday the 3rd 6pm-10pm. Don't eat too much candy corn, now. I'll have my Vampirella piece and my "Switchblade Sue" paintings on view for that.

So I was going to be Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford for Halloween this year, especially the scene below with the fur hat. But I have medical bills pilling up and I think a splurg on a one-time costume isn't going to happen. I may have to dig out what I have left from my CalArts days -- as CalArts Halloween parties are things of legend you know.

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Friederica of Vienwray, 8x10 inches. No bio as of yet because I'm too lazy to think of something, maybe never, but that's okay....

Friederica

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I did a little Q&A for Kotori Magazine with my new art hero Nancy Baker, as well as a little props to Shawn Stucky whose work is awesome.

I also got interviewed by Cleveland based Pink Eye Magazine. I look constipated in the photo, but at least I'm rockin' out in my Sisters of Mercy t-shirt. I'm like Claudette Colbert when it comes to the photo fussy department, my face ain't symetrical and bright photo lights bother me.

Oh yeah, I changed a few things on my site in regards to the paintings, www.ArabellaProffer.com. I thought it was about time I put a statement up about the "faux portrait gallery" with bios, and seperate those from the regular free-wheeling paintings. Because I'm tired of people thinking I copied those little bios from somewhere, when in fact, it takes me a day to pull it out of my butt and make them up!

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I'm trying to be a good girl this week and stay in since I have a busy next two weekends socially. Gotta finish some paintings, putting together my first Kotori Magazine art picks, and practice playing drums a bit. I hear all these artist's who don't even work day jobs that say they are hermits, turn down offers out with friends, are too "busy" and all of that. Um, screw that! When my friends ask if I wanna go out  -- especially in summer -- I'm like, "hell yeah!" because even between that and the dorking around watching Judge Judy and vaccuuming up cat hair every 5 seconds, stuff still gets done. Even when I worked a day job, it still got done. I'm not manic depressive and I'm not a natural high energy go-getter either, so who knows wtf I'm doing? I'm all, "I don't feel like doing anything just yet; maybe I'll go read, or clip my toe nails". I have no idea.

Oh yes, I'm in a band now playing drums, how fucking funny is that? No it isn't called "Black Wolf Vietnam Fuck Mountain", but it is the brainchild of my husband and it will be rad. The best part is that we are working backwards; got a record label, a producer, a songwriter mastermind, and a rhythm section -- we're just lacking guitars and vocals. So if you are female and in the Cleveburgh/Akron/Kent area and play guitar, come on down. We're doing some The House of Love and Spacemen 3 covers if that gives you an idea.

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