In an etsy treasury!

Pugsinspace featured my painting, Queen Bee, in her treasury today!
Thanks, Pugsinspace!
Today I am cleaning my studio and working on some new pieces. To all who expressed concern about my art anxiety, I should say that it's mostly a good kind of anxiety, the kind that makes me wake up in the middle of the night with a good idea, staring off into space with a blank look when people are talking to me, basically thinking about my art night and day, not the crying, wringing hands, have to take a Xanex kind. :)

Week 2 Julie Fillo 52 week project "The Hopeless Pirate"

Here is my new piece, "The Hopeless Pirate" It's available on etsy in a limited print run of 12 in the 5x7 size for $5. Free shipping.

Art Anxiety

I'm surprised about how much angst I have about my 52 week project. It's only the second week and I am having performance anxiety. I am a person who can be quite prolific with my art, but something about producing a piece worthy of being a print every week is just about sending me over the edge. I also feel pressure to get some work done ahead, because I know there will be weeks when I won't have time or something.
I do have something for tomorrow though and I really love it.
I found some awesome links on Art and Ghosts Blog, a link to a cool Beatrix Potter ballet video
and Superbomba who posts vintage photos on flickr that are so hilarious, I was laughing myself silly this morning. I've included one for your enjoyment.

Lost paintings that weren't lost after all

Last Wednesday I went to pick up my paintings at the place where I had them last month from the art walk. I was horrified to find when I got there that the manager had taken all my work down and stored it in a warehouse area. I have never had that happen at any show. They always want me to be there to take my work down. One of the other girls art was in there too, and the manager just left me alone with it and said I could carry it out another door, not through the place of business. I was not happy. I carried my work out the door and across the street, stopping by a tree to re-arrange it when it seemed precarious. All the way home, I kept feeling really uneasy about it all, and after an hour and 20 minute drive home, I realized that Simone at Happy Hour and Lucy in A White Garden were not in my car. Now, it takes a lot to get me mad enough to call someone out. But I was really mad.
I called the general manager and told her two paintings were missing and tried to control myself from really going off on her. She went and looked in the warehouse area, and then said she would check with the other woman who had already picked up her paintings to see if she got them "by accident". By now, I'm freaking out, pacing, crying, imagining that they had been stolen by the other woman or someone else. Really, really mad. About 45 minutes pass, and she calls me back and says the woman does not have them. Then about 15 minutes later, she called again and said that a patron had found my paintings on the street! Leaning up against a tree! So it was all my fault! And then I felt bad because they were out there on a busy street in Seattle for over 2 hours and nobody stole them. Or maybe nobody stole them because there are still nice people in the world.
I felt like an idiot.
I got the paintings on Monday.

Week 1- 52 Week Project "The Awkward Ballerina"

Here is this weeks print, available on Etsy in a limited edition for $5 each, free shipping... Click on the picture to be taken to Etsy.
See explanation below about my 52 week project.

Announcing a 52 Week Project

I've always wanted to do a 1 year project, and I've decided to start one today, which is a 52nd anniversary for me.
The project is that I am going to produce a new piece of art weekly that I will make available on etsy in a limited print format. I am going to sell only 10 of each signed and numbered print in the 5x7 size for $5. Each print will be available starting on Sunday by 12 midnight. Right now, I am going to offer free shipping in the US, but that might change. I will charge $2 shipping for overseas buyers. As each one sells, I will list again until the 10 are gone.
In this year of mostly happy chaos in my home life, I'm thinking that having a required project will keep me doing art, which helps me keep sane and makes me a happier person to be around. It also will give my followers a chance to collect my art at an affordable price.
I might also sell the original, don't know about that yet.
Look on my etsy shop tonight for a new print.
***update*** I've decided to do 12 of each print, once a month I will hold a drawing for the prints for that month and one person who comments on my blog will win all 4 or 5 prints(depending on how many Sundays are in each month). At the end of the year, next April 19th, one commenter will win all 52 prints. So only 10 will be for sale of each edition, but two will be given away.

Etsy Shop Update Original Paintings

I've just listed most of the new paintings from the last artwalk on etsy! If you are interested in the bigger paintings the girls with birds, 36x40", email me and maybe we can make a deal.
***update*** I forgot one, this is one of my favs of the latest wood batch, "3 Muses"

First Camping Trip of 2009

The past weekend we took our maiden voyage in the new-to-us RV we bought in February. I have done no redecorating, yet. The picture of Zoe illustrates what kind of weekend it was. I wish I could get an action shot of Flight, our greyhound, running on the beach. It is a joy to see. At one point, she ran into the water up to her back, chasing seagulls, and was quite surprised when she found herself up to her neck in water. I never thought she would do that.
We had fun.
The first photo is the view out our window, which faced on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We were camping at Fort Worden. We had coffee at Sweet Laurette's, but mostly we enjoyed the storms and the dogs and the quiet.

My painting in Studios Magazine

Tascha told me the other day that she thought one of my paintings was in Cloth Paper Scissors Studios Magazine (page34) along with hers. I ordered the magazine and it is!
It's a painting that I sold to Helga Strauss a few years ago, always been one of my favorites. Helga owns Artchix Studio.
The article is about the studio that she had to rebuild after hers caught fire from a heat gun. I love the idea of my painting hanging by Tascha's in a cool artist's Victoria BC studio. Ain't life sweet?

Anyway, it's pretty fun to see your work in print. Your studio looks great too, Helga!

Evidence

Skylar, my 10 year old grandson, was none too thrilled to hear that he was going to be a big brother a few months ago, and time has done nothing to dull his fear that his whole life was going to change, and not for the better. And oh boy, has it ever. He has had over 10 years of being an only child and the only grandchild on both sides. Since Asher was born, he has only in the last couple of days been willing to actually look at him. He has never held him. Today when I picked him up from school, his teacher, Mrs. Keane (a gem of a teacher) made him shake on a deal that he would hold his brother in his arms on a pillow for 3 minutes. There was an insane amount of bargaining and the promise of a treat tomorrow if he did it. Here is evidence that bribery works for Mr. Skylar. The look on his face just kills me.

The quilt, a cake plate and some more pictures of Asher

I know, I know, this blog is supposed to be about my art, but isn't he just impossibly cute and sweet and adorable? I am head over heels in love with this child. I know it looks quite dangerous with those knives right above his head in the bath picture, but he can't reach them and I promise we will move them before he can. My kitchen is way too small, but you gotta deal with what you've got, right?
Here is a picture of the quilt, finally, we have had 70 degree days the last two, and so I was able to spread it on the grass. It's Glenna Hailey's pattern, her Sailing, Sailing quilt, there is a link to her blog in my list. Glenna's Gabfest. It was really fun to do, the pinwheels took forever though.

I've also listed a cake plate that I have had forever that I painted years ago. You can see it in my etsy shop.
***Update** The cake plate is sold.

We did have a baby, but it was the next day....

Asher Cody 7lbs 11oz. 19 inches long.
He was born on March 31 at 10:35 AM. Megan had a rough go, but they are both doing great and we are all home.
He is a beautiful boy. He is only about 5 minutes old in this picture, he has a little red mark on his forehead from one of the monitors, but that is gone now.
He stayed up pretty much all night last night, and we were up for more than 30 hours with the labor, I spent the first night at the hospital, so we have not had much sleep, so forgive me if I don't post much in the next few days. Thanks for all the good wishes, we needed them all.

I think we are having a baby today...

Things are moving along, she is trying to stay home as long as possible. I can't wait to meet this sweet little grandbaby boy, Asher Cody.
The pictures are of Megan's baby shower at our good friend Tina's house. Megan is the last one in the pink sweater, she sure is a cute pregnant girl. I still haven't taken pictures of the finished quilt. I can't believe I got it done with plenty of time to spare. It was done at the shower, but I forgot to take a pic!
I'll post when I have pics of my new grandbaby.

Artwalk Pictures!

I finally remembered to take pictures after I hung a show! As you can see, there are two large older paintings, but almost all of the rest of the work I have done in the last week. WHEW~ I did two in the home follows you series, like we did for the charity auction last month, and the other larger ones I already showed you. There is another wall in the show of a row of 9x12 boxes I did. There were two other artists with work at the show, the place has huge walls! Anyway, if you get a chance to stop by the Taphouse in the next month, let me know.

More work for the artwalk

The first painting pictured is: "Despite Advice From 'What Not To Wear' Hortense Feels Confident In Horizontal Stripes"

16x20 gallery wrapped canvas.

"Lucy in a White Garden" 18x24 on gallery wrapped canvas. The idea for Lucy came from a painting Kelsi did a few years ago on a visit from Georgia when she lived there. I've always wanted to make a print of it, and did this one on a more favorable size canvas so we could do that.

Both will be for sale tonight at the artwalk at Naked City Taphouse in Greenwood.

Naked City Taphouse Artwalk tomorrow in Greenwood

I'm doing an artwalk show tomorrow at the Naked City Taphouse in Greenwood area of Seattle.

Here is the link to the Phinney Neighborhood blog.

This is one of the new paintings, "In Alicia's Dreams, Everything Is All Right In The World" It is 9x12" on board and will be for sale at the Taphouse.

Kelsi drew the little houses and skinnied up Alicia's legs. For some reason I always draw fat legs.

I have been working like crazy, I have done 11 new paintings in the last few days and have 3 more almost done, plus I finished a comission (thanks Kim)

I'll try to remember to take pictures after I hang everything and post them here. I have 9 in a series that I want to hang in a row, straight, and our laser level thing is dead. Argh.

Website under construction

http://www.juliefillo.com/ is being reconstructed. It's being rebuilt by Tasty Tasty designs. http://tastytasty.net/

Dancing in a Hollyhock Garden

I did some sketches for a commission and this was one that I liked and was not chosen, so I painted it for etsy. It's 9x12 on board.

Etsy Shop update

I've listed several originals in my etsy shop. http://www.juliefillo.etsy.com/.

I also finished the paintings for my sister in law, Erica, and she chose hers, the more colorful one, and hurray, I got to keep my favorite for myself. They are inspired very heavily by a painter who I admire, very very much.

My latest busy-ness

I have the twelve sailboat blocks done on the Sailing, Sailing baby quilt for our new baby that's coming. Right now his name is Harley, but it keeps changing. I have to make about 27 more 3x3" pinwheels and then I can sew it all together. I can see now why people like piecing. I appeals to my sense of order, somehow. It might be because the rest of my life is so chaotic, I like sewing those perfect little pieces of cut fabric together.

Dave and I bought a 25' 5th wheel trailer yesterday. It is a 1988, so it was not very expensive and I am SO excited. It needs a little work, but it is so cozy and I think we will be having loads of fun with it soon. Maybe I will post when we get the work done. I want to make new curtains, and maybe put a pergo floor in. Turquoise and Orange curtains and pillows I am thinking... I have not told Dave yet. :) But mostly I just want to go camping with him at the ocean with the dogs. Pure heaven!

I am also working on some paintings for my sister-in-law, Erica, and I hope she likes them. I do love trees.