Getting Things Done

December 29, 2007

Early in December I read Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (I’m a sucker for anything that has Art in the title) by David Allen — a book that really speaks to me. For the first time, I’ve found an organizational philosophy fits my lifestyle. I’ve also been beta-testing a new Mac project management program called OmniFocus that I love — in fact I’ve pre-ordered the program which is due to be released in January.

I like the GTD philosophy because it focuses on defining and acting on the Next Step, something that is particularly helpful if you’re feeling overwhelmed. What can I say? — it’s that time of year!

Actually I haven ‘t had an attack of an organization bug in a long time, and had been doing pretty well the last few years just sticking stuff into drawers. But then disaster struck our building, and we lost several computers, hundreds of files, and the ones that were saved got all mixed up during the office evacuation. Suddenly in one short week, all my systems were broken. Since then, I feel like I’ve been walking on quick-sand, just trying to keep moving so I don’t sink.

This is where I’ve been working since we moved out of the Tiki Office last summer when it started getting really hot. It’s a great space to work — lots of light and room to spread out several projects, so maybe I’ll just stay here. It also looks clean because this photo was taken before I started this organization frenzy and hauled in boxes and crates of stuff that need to filed or shredded.

Filed Under studio, technology | 5 Comments

Vintage Christmas

December 25, 2007

We’ve had housefuls of company this year, so I’ve had little time to make anything myself, but I always enjoy getting little vintage treasures out of their storage boxes. This is a nativity scene made from a coconut and other nuts that I found in a bucket in the basement of an old house during an estate auction.

My grandmother had lots of craft parties with her friends, especially around the holidays when they made ornaments from things like wishbones and egg shells. But my favorite is this angel wall hanging that inspires me in my studio.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

Filed Under Inspiration | 8 Comments

Mr. Smith’s Fast Lube

December 17, 2007

The other day I was getting the oil changed in my car (finally!) at a quickie shop near my house. The office next to the oil-change bays was an interesting place to draw — lots of bizarre stuff, especially the strange animal heads mounted on the walls above the office manger’s desk.

The desk reminded me of mine, in need of some really good house-cleaning (I’m working on that — more on that later) but the creepy atmosphere of the staring animals juxtaposed against the grungy accounting shop was definately not my aesthetic.

It reminded me of something Robert Genn sent out in one of his email newsletters awhile back — that he used to look for good scenery to paint, then found a place to sit. Now he just finds a comfortable place to sit, then looks for a subject. I think I’m starting to really like that idea. For all the oddities, Mr. Smith has some comfortable chairs in his shop. And coffee.

Filed Under drawings | 12 Comments

Illustration Friday: Little Things

December 13, 2007

After getting a flu shot, I was finally inspired to draw something for Illustration Friday — because I suddenly realized I had been injected with little things — tiny dead influenza viruses. Happy thought, isn’t it?

Filed Under drawings, illustration friday | 11 Comments

Bemis Center Art Auction

December 6, 2007

I’ve been doing some small experiments lately to more closely bridge my drawing and work with cloth. This is a shoe I sat next to at the Bemis Center art auction a few weeks ago, a great place to see and draw lots of characters.

Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the Bemis Center is an artist-residency program in a historic downtown building with great galleries for exhibitions and community out-reach programs, and right across the street from Jun Kaneko’s studios and upcoming creativity museum ( a link to our visit there last year) and (and day two.)

The art auction was the slicked operation I’ve seen in a long time. It was packed, there was great food, open bar, and three sections of silent auctions, a buy-it-now room, and the live auction. It’s well supported by artists, because the artists can set their minimum, get 50 percent of the selling price (same as a gallery), and the Bemis provides education about the artist and unique creative experiences for many.

Of course the top dollar part was the live auction. If attendees wanted to keep the party going, they could stay noisy in the buy-it-now room, and still watch and bid over a big-screen closed network. In fact all the key staff were wired for communication, and before the end of the night, the silent auction items were labeled and bubble-wrapped for taking home. (update: just found out the auction raised a whopping $440,000!)

We bought a James Surls linocut, and something really big that we’re going to have fetch with a truck, so more adventures coming….Thanks Russ for the photos. Since I was so busy drawing, I didn’t have time to take any myself, except for this one. Uh, make that a truck and a trailer!

Filed Under journeys, other artists, quilts | 3 Comments

Six Pages in Quilting Arts Magazine!

December 2, 2007

Wowee, the new Quilting Arts magazine is out, and I think it’s the best issue ever. The emphasis that QA has put on publishing articles about sketchbooks, concept and design development, and innovative techniques has made this the go-to magazine in the art quilt world.

And as usual, the excellent photography makes the articles even more delicious. Judy Coates Perez has an article about a new technique she’s developed, Vicki Hallmark has an article about using space-age materials, Frances Holliday Alford has a yummy recipe for bead soup. And Sara Lechner’s article makes me crave a needle-felting machine (scroll down her blog for a gander at her glass house studio!

Of course, I may also be a bit biased about the issue, because PaMdora got a whopping six-page spread! Thanks Patricia Bolton for creating and growing a great magazine. And thanks Cate Coulascos Prato for writing such a nice article.

Filed Under media, quilts | 21 Comments

Getting Things Done

Vintage Christmas

Mr. Smith’s Fast Lube

Illustration Friday: Little Things

Bemis Center Art Auction

Six Pages in Quilting Arts Magazine!

PaMdora's Box

Follow PaMdora on Twitter

subscribe

Recently Written

Categories

Archives

Blogroll

Admin

Find It

Web Rings