Awww!

So, I'm sorry I haven't been writing much. "The Move" and related garage sale has proven to be *a lot* more work than I initially envisioned. We've been working round the clock to get Aaron moved in and not much else has been getting done.

This photo is a fun one that he took of me on "Cleaning Out My Dirty Art Cubbies Day". The wig, glasses, and Martigras beads were only a few of the interesting things we discovered as we plowed through years of mystery containers in my art storage shelves. They're *so* organized now. When I do actually start working, I think finding things will be a lot easier.

Gustavus was wonderful but I forgot my camera. We both overslept and arrived at the airport just in time. It's so much easier to fly on bush planes than commercial airlines; they let me keep my cup of coffee AND a pitch fork we were taking to his family. We stayed in an adorable A-frame cabin with a wood burning stove and a loft. Spent the weekend working in the garden, took a nice long walk through the woods that ajoined their property and napped in a clearing near the river. We also flew his new kite down at the beach, and made rootbeer floats! Overall it was a restful, relaxing weekend; I really love spending time with his family too.

But back to reality...in Juneau since then it's been all work and no play. We have managed to get out sailing only once so far this summer. I've had to turn down the commission to illustrated North Through Paradise because I just don't have the time...I haven't even started working on my Sept. show yet. Part of this move has envolved moving my studio area from upstairs to the ground floor, a room with a door so I can be alone to paint, which I've discovered is a requirement for me. Yesterday I was commissioned to do a CD cover for an Anchorage band...I hope it works out.

Anyway, below are two photos of my adorable cat Osiris and my even more adorable boyfriend Aaron (see, I didn't make him up!) They are gettin along really well and he doesn't seem to be having the alergic reactions to the cats that was bothering him earlier.







Elise on 05.31.07 @ 09:14 AM AK [link]

Take a deeeeeep breath

Aaron is "officially" moving in at the end of the month.

YEAH! We're having a big garage sale on May 28th to try and sell as much of our collective surplus as possible. Holding a moving sale is a lot more work than I thought and we're running out of time. I've been feeling a bit stressed out lately, seems our To Do list is growing exponentially with every passing day. I also worry a little because I *still* haven't started painting (panic ensues), and in general, painting can transform me into an entirely different person. A person my current BF hasn’t really even met yet.

Yikes.

I mean, I don’t grow a forked tale or turn into a raving lunatic, but I tend to get really…let’s just call it “focused”. Plus, I'm conceding that I need a studio space with an actual door, so, that will take some planning and rearranging.

But not tonight; tonight there is packing and cleaning up the house for the kitty sitters….and grilling. It is GORGEOUS outside. Even though it’s only 55 degrees, it’s finally starting to feel like spring. I’ll have to pack the new kite!

"Pack for where?" you ask.

Aaron and I are off to Gustavus for the weekend!

Yeah! It's such a great little community and I really enjoy his family. I'm going to take my camera and take lots of photos. I've decided to start carrying it around with me all the time like I used to when I first got it.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Elise on 05.18.07 @ 04:33 PM AK [link]

Holy Doppelgänger!

Received in an email this afternoon:

"So can I ask you about something that I heard about you? I really do not know how to broach the topic, but I am really curious to know."

This email was sent to me right before its author went on a long lunch, leaving me sweating it out in my office wondering what horrible things were being spread about me. Turns out a mutual friend swears that I was spreading the word of Jesus door-to-door and trying to sell religious music CDs.

Now, while if this were true it would probably make my dad (and the rest of my family) very pleased...it is not true.

The person making these claims knows me well enough that this look-alike must *really* look like me, which *really* creeps me out. No offense to any of you who may go out preaching the word door-to-door...but I'd rather have my eyes removed with a rusty spoon (no offense).

Elise on 05.11.07 @ 06:43 PM AK [link]

Merits of a fast hand...

"Hi Elise...

I write to you today to inform and invite you to participate in Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s “Quick Draw” event which will take place as part of Community Day, on Saturday, May 26 2007. Community Day takes place on the beautiful Auke Lake campus of the University of Alaska Southeast.

Participating Artist’s are given one hour, from 1:30-2:30 pm, in which to complete a masterpiece, and another 1/2 hour to matt and frame their work for sale. At 3:00 pm an exciting auction will take place. Artists pre-determine the percentage of the sale they wish to donate to the JAHC Grants for Artist’s program, and Quick Draw becomes a unique opportunity for both Artist and Patron to contribute to the artistic growth of the Juneau community in a multifaceted way."

Does anyone remember my Quick Draw experience a couple years ago?

I'm a sucker for charity events and I'm already going to be working at the Community Day event...I volunteered as a face painter last year and I've been asked if I could do it again. Last year I was the only one, and I had a line the entire time and couldn't even take a bathroom break because the line of kids was a mile long.

I do think I'm getting a little better at it, I can paint faces more quickly now and the kids love it...which is its own kind of reward. I've also had a few more chances to practice, like at the Halloween party at the local womens shelter (which was wonderful by the way!). There was one uncomfortable moment though, when a small boy asked me to paint his face "like a gangster". I said I didn't know how to do that one and he said "just paint it black!"...ugh!

As for Quick Draw...I have mixed feelings. I love to donate to charities but it's embarrassing to have your work auctioned off. I'm always terrified that no one will bid on it and I'll be mortified. But, it's for a really good cause so I'll probably suck up my pride and go for it again.

Wish me luck!

Elise on 05.10.07 @ 12:55 PM AK [link]

Hello from Sunny San Diego

Well, i've just come back from a long bike ride along the San Diego Coast and it was very beautiful. I'm here for a conference but the conference is over and now there's time to play. It's Cinco De Mayo and there are teenagers and people in their early 20s everywhere, totally wasted and as I cycled along I overheard some of the most disrespectful things being said about members of the opposite sex. I felt like the oldest, and soberest person within a 100 mile radius.

I got to spend a summer in southern California (Oceanside and Carlsbad) the summer before my senior year of high school. It was one of the most memorable summers of my life. My oldest sister Diane and I stayed with my aunt and uncle and worked in Oceanside mall. Everynight we hung out at bon fires along the beach. We swam and played beach volleyball and took day trips into Mexico. We met all kinds of interesting people from all over the US and we basically had very little supervision. We were in heaven!

I always thought that I'd move back to the area after high school graduation but it was not meant to be. Still, being here now things seem very much the way I remembered them. That so often isn't the case. You return and everything seems smaller, or more developed or not as special. But riding my bike along the beach tonight among the throngs of bikini clad hard bodies it seemed almost exactly the same. I, on the other hand, am completely changed. I may not be as young (or hard bodied anymore) but I'm just as happy as I was back then. And just as full of wonder at how beautiful the world is, and how exciting.

I got an email today and now (in addition to the show in September) I'm going to be able to show my work at the Canvas Gallery (also in downtown Juneau) next July. That is a wonderful time to have a show in downtown Juneau so I'm very happy. I think I'll start painting just as soon as i get home...where my honey is waiting for me. That's better than being 17 again, better than all the sun in California!

Elise on 05.05.07 @ 05:40 PM AK [link]