Available Art

Monday, June 20, 2011

Paintings from Asheville

Mountain Skyline on the Blue Ridge Parkway


Last month I posted a video of me while I was painting in Asheville, NC.  I was told that I needed to show photos of those paintings!  I can't believe that I left those out.  A is for Amber, Artist, and Airhead!

Blue Ridge Parkway

detail

View from Mt Mitchell (the colors are off, the pic below is closer)

detail, Mt Mitchell

Wooded Path

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Dani's angel

Dani's angel is a custom piece.  She asked me to paint an angel for her momma so I drew a little inspiration from one of favorite artists, Mucha.



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Tupelo Honey Cafe Yummy Yum!



I haven't had a chance to tell you all about this awesome place I went to eat when I was in Asheville a couple of weeks ago.  Its called Tupelo Honey Cafe.  And we went twice!  It was so yummy.  They gave us biscuits with blueberry preserves while we waited for our food.  My very favorite item on the menu (i had it both times as a side to my chicken sandwich and my burger the next day) was the Sweet Potato pancakes!  They were so good that I bought their recipe book.  So I thought I would share it with you and hopefully next time your in Asheville, NC you can stop by and check them out.  I have to say that I tried it out using pancake batter  and it turned out good that way too.  But be careful if your a novice in the kitchen if you decide not to use the recipe! ;)

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Peach Butter and Spiced Pecans
1 Lg sweet potato
2 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1tea salt
5 table plus 1 1/2 tea sugar
3/4 tea baking soda
1 1/2 tea baking powder
3 c buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tbl unsalted butter, melted
2 tbl tupelo honey (i use what i got)
1 tea cinnamon
1/2 tea nutmeg

Wrap sweet potato in foil bake 350 for 45 min. or until tender. Let cool to room temp.
Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder.
In another bowl whisk buttermilk, eggs and melted butter..
Add wet mix to dry mix.
Peel sweet potato  and mash add honey, cinamon, and nutmeg.  Mix well.
Add sweet potato mix to pancake batter.  Mix well. Let stand for 1 hour.

Spiced Pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons tupelo honey
1/4 tea cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 tea unsalted butter
1 C chopped pecans

In a bowl mix honey, cayenne, and salt.  Melt the butter in a skillet, Med heat.  Add honey mix and the pecans and cook for 8-10 min, until lightly browned and caramelized.   Remove from heat, let cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Peach Butter

8 tbl unsalted butter, at room temp
1 large ripe peach peeled or finely diced, or 3/4 C frozen peached, diced fine
1 1/2 tea brown sugar
1/8 tea sea salt
1 tbl peach nectar

In a food processor, mix all ingredients by pulsing briefly, retaining pieces of peach visible in the mixture.  Keep refriderated, but bring to room temp before serving.  (good on biscuits, cornbread, and waffles too!)

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Artist Interview: Brittany Warner-Smithereens

Brittany Warner-Smithereens










 
I’m excited to introduce you to my friend Brittany Morgan-Smith.  She is a tattoo artist in Hawaii.  We met in art school, Laguna College of Art and Design, back in 2004.  I was married to a Marine and moved to California and she moved to California and married a Marine!  Something about those jarheads...their irresistible! 
This is a portrait of Brittany by me, from art school.  And to think I almost gave it to her!  Then I wouldn't have been able to post it here 7 years later! lol




How did you get started as a tattoo artist?
It was something I wanted to do for a long time, but I was having a hard time getting the courage to try to get into it.  Once I had my mind set on it I knew I had to do it or I would never forgive myself. I lucked out and got in at an amazing shop in Hawai`i before I had even moved to the island :)

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, find it here!





















What is your favorite part of giving a tattoo? 
The look on the person's face when they see their tattoo in the mirror for the first time and love it.
I also love when I can tell that I am doing something that makes someone feel more beautiful or when the tattoo brings closure to them.

Dude Looks Like A Lady, find it here!














































How important do you feel your fine art background is to your success as a tattoo artist? 
In some ways it has helped so much and in others it has actually been problematic. It helps to know how color works, little tricks to lead the eye, etc
But it has been a big problem when it comes to using black and to defining things so much with lines. As a painter, using black is a huge no-no, but as a tattooist black can be your best friend (i'm still trying to convince myself of that).

Do you have any suggestions for people interested in becoming a tattoo artist?
Don't do it if you enjoy sleep, free time, and sanity, haha!
No, but seriously, it is far too easy to get a kit and teach yourself at home... don't do that!!!! It can be really hard to find somebody who is willing to share their knowledge with you, but it is worth it to learn to do things the right way. It's not only the fact that you are marking someone for life, but it is also a health issue (yours and theirs)

Rose Colored Glasses, find it here
I've always loved your work,  and I really like your "tattoo" paintings. What do you use to paint them?
First of all, thank you!! Big difference in them now that I'm tattooing, huh? Lines galore!  I mostly use microns, watercolor, &/or copic markers on coffee-stained watercolor paper.


Whats the weirdest tattoo you've ever done and/or seen
Most of the weirdest ones I've seen have been on a friend of mine who makes it her mission to get weird tattoos. One of them is of a monkey having sex with a mailbox.
The weirdest that I've given were of a pig and cow cut charts. I didn't think they were that strange (the recipient is a chef who is planning to get a fruit and veggie sleeve from me also), but they always make people giggle and ask questions when they look through my portfolio :)



Peonies, find it here
If you could tattoo any celebrity who would it be and what would you give them?
Hmmm, I honestly can't think of an answer to this. I'm not big into actors/actresses, but I LOVE musicians and comedians. This is such a boring answer, I'm sorry, hahaha!



Sailors Grave, find it here!


Do you have any tattoos?
I got my first when I was 18 and I'm still waiting on my others. I have had a sleeve in the planning stage for 2 years with my boss/mentor, but he's yet to start it. I have an appointment set in October already with one of my favorite artists in the world, Valerie Vargas. I'm already getting excited for that :)
                                                                                          
Loner Rebel, find it here!





































Kat Von D, Love or Hate?

As a tattoo artist I'm supposed to hate her, but I don't; I actually feel bad for her. I do hate LA Ink though because it has turned into a soap opera with tattoos sprinkled in here and there.
As far as Kat goes she has helped not only to show that there is room in the industry for the ladies (which, obviously, I appreciate) but the shows have helped to make tattoos more acceptable. She may not be on my list of favorite artists, but she's definitely got my respect


You can find Brittany at Pacific Soul Tattoo in Honolulu, Hawaii.  You can also find her on etsy at www.brittanymorgan53.etsy.com


Saturday, June 4, 2011

June First Friday Indie Market

Rachel and Me with our Mega Chills!
The band performing, Lake Isle

Cute litte doggy that kept showing up in my tent with different people


My booth :)

Super yummy mini cupcakes and banana pudding by Clara Marie's Authentic Southern Bakery

The cupcakes were fantastic!  Banana Pudding, Banana Split, Espresso Bean, Maple Bacon (not pictured because I ate it!)  Vanilla, Red Velvet, and one more but I don't remember what it was

Our police presence