Getting warmed up for World Watercolor Month

World Watercolor Month starts July 1st!

 I'm shooting for 31 days of tiny watercolors...will I make it?

Follow me on Instagram: @campcactus

Yikes, it's October already!

The months are just flying by!
Life seems to be moving ridiculously fast these days, so I've been making a conscious attempt to stop and savor every moment that I can.
In July I participated in a painting-a-day challenge for World Watercolor month (finishing just one painting shy of a full 31 little watercolors). It was lots of fun, and the biggest challenge was to carve out time every day to paint, even if it was just a tiny thing. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It really jumpstarted the creative process for me!

Of course, now I had this pile of little original paintings I didn't know what to do with, so I gave some away, framed some, and then put the rest in the Camp Cactus Etsy shop to sell at ridiculously low prices.

So, in the spirit of helping others jumpstart their own creative process, starting today I'm offering a coupon good for $5 off on future classes in the studio when you sign up for one of my Fall classes. (see sidebar for the class schedule).

What are you waiting for? Start creating!

home tweet home

Just finished this afternoon: "Home Tweet Home", a new watercolor now available in my little shop over at Big Cartel!

controlled chaos...

The day before a Camp Cactus sale is always full of chaos and color, with totes full of ceramics, glass, and all kinds of art piled high, waiting to be arranged, dusted and displayed. In a space of two days or so, the studio becomes a gallery and boutique showing the creations of our fantastic local artists.

Somehow, it all comes together with the help of family, friends and artists, who pitch in and get the job done!
Here's a sneak preview of what you'll see this weekend:

 Judee Moonbeam works with the brightest and cheeriest colors to bring you functional art that you can wear and use every day...

 Tiny terrariums by yours truly...

 Miniature desert landscapes...

 Beautifully coordinated and eminently useful softgoods by Tamara King...

…and I'll have some of my recent paintings of nests for sale as well!

Please stop by and check us out this weekend.

Your purchases help support local artists and a percentage of all sales is donated to Oregon Food Bank.

Summer Sale Hours:

 Preview Evening: Friday,  June 5th • 6 - 9 pm

Saturday & Sunday, June 6th & 7th • 10 am - 6 pm

Camp Cactus Studio is located at 4458 NE Brazee

between NE 44th & 45th Avenues

in Portland's Hollywood district.

Here's a link to the map

get ready for summer!

It's almost June, and our fantastic and creative artists are working their hearts out getting ready for the Summer Sale at Camp Cactus.

I hope you'll join us the first weekend in June to shop for some unique, handmade art and beautiful crafts, stroll in the garden, and soak up some warm summer air!

just a little reminder...

Here's a little Tuesday night doodle…

when it's finished it will go into the Etsy shop.

In the meantime, I'm working on a new class schedule for spring.

Stay tuned!

you say you want a resolution?

Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous and creative 2015!

Holiday Sale 2014

I'm happy to announce that in less than two weeks, 

Camp Cactus Studio will again be magically transformed into a warm and cozy gallery and boutique, featuring the art and craft of 24 fantastically gifted local artists and craftspeople.

As always, we'll be donating a portion of all sales to the Oregon Food Bank.

Please join us on Friday Evening, December 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm for our preview evening, and a chance to meet many of the artists, sip wine, nibble delicious goodies, and shop for locally made treasures.

Hours:

Friday, December 5th  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday

December 6th & 7th  10:00 am-6:00 pm

We're located on NE Brazee, between 44th and 45th Avenues in Portland's Hollywood District.

Stop by and have a cup of hot cider 

and share some holiday cheer.

Stay tuned... in the days to come I'll be sharing sneak peeks 

of what our artists are working on to bring to the show!

fox unfinished

Here's another half-finished painting

 from tonight's get together in the studio:

I'm in love with watercolors again!

solitary pear

Here's a print of a watercolor I finished last week.

it's true!

(photo borrowed from here)

just in time for your valentine!

 These little mixed media shrines are now available in the Camp Cactus Etsy shop.

 Happy Valentine's Day!

works in progress

 I've been working on some little valentine shrines this week

I'll have them in a show called Say it with heART! next weekend at the lovely home of my friend,  fibre artist extraordinaire,  Judee Moonbeam. Check it out! It's THE place to go for all your Valentine shopping...

Saturday, February  9th  •  10 ~ 6

Sunday, February 10th  •  10 ~ 5

4546 NE 47th Avenue

(just north of Prescott)

 in Portland

Hope to see you there!

just do it, already

it's time to celebrate!

I can hardly believe it, but it's already been twenty years since we started this.
It all began when my family moved to Portland from San Francisco in 1991.  That first autumn, I noticed there were lots of "holiday bazaars" held in private homes all over my neighborhood. I had never seen anything like it before, and though the taste level ranged from 1950s-era crocheted toilet paper covers to much more sophisticated fine art and craft pieces you might find in a gallery setting, these homey craft shows were really the precursors to today's pop-up shops. It sure sparked my entrepreneurial spirit, and in October of 1992 I decided to give it a try at our house.

I wrangled a few creative friends, cleared out the first floor of the house and we set up a temporary shop, complete with hot cider and cookies to make our shoppers happy. I wish I had photos of that first sale, but after spending an hour on my knees looking through old photos, I gave up, poured myself a glass of wine and decided to recount the tale without pictures.

I did find my records from the first sale, though...we sold hand painted ornaments, the first Santa dolls I ever made, painted wooden bowls, birdhouses and lots of goofy crafts that were popular back then.

This year, we have a host of amazing local artists making everything from blown glass to wearable art.
I draw the line, however, at crocheted toilet paper covers.
Stay tuned!

Here's a little glimpse into what I've been up to in the studio...

come see me here next weekend!

(click on the image to enlarge)

I'll be at this show next weekend in Portland,
along with 80 other women artists.
It's a fabulous event, now in its 45th year!
 Check out the list of artists here: http://www.local14.org

Come on by and see my fall line of tiny clothes
for the discriminating Fairy Fashionista!

from the bottom of my heart...

the buckman art show and sell

I'm excited to again be one of 130 artists showing and selling our work at the 22nd Annual Buckman Art Show this year.  Buckman Arts Magnet Elementary is an arts-focused public school here in Portland
with a wonderful arts curriculum and fantastic and dedicated teachers and parents.
The show helps raise money to support the Buckman PTA, which in turn supports the arts program at the school.
I'll be showing and selling lots of new, one of a kind Fairy Fashions
(which will be available in the Fairy Atelier shop until the day before the sale)
Click here to buy up until then. In the meantime, here's a sneak preview:

Gladiola's Fairy Shoes

Skylark's Fairy Dress

Hawk's Fairy Boots

The show is only two days: Friday evening, April 13th ~ 5:00 - 9:00 pm

and Saturday, April 14th ~ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

it's a very short window to see lots of talented artists, 

including many past and current Camp Cactus Sale alumni:

Darris Dietz

Alex Wijnen

Hadley Hutton

Holly Hestand

Jeff Bohrer

Michelle Gallagher

Susan Hurst

Julie Jetton

Lori Presthus

here's how to get there:

View Larger Map

I'll be hanging out there both days...hope to see you!

the holidays are upon us!

Thanksgiving's almost here, and that means December and the Holiday Sale are just around the corner...gulp!
I'm busy at work in the fairy "sweatshop", crafting tiny shoes and dresses for the fairy fashionistas, and the lights in the studio are glowing well into the night. Here's a sneak preview of some new pieces I'm working on:

fairy shoes under glass

and fairy shoe ornaments

Stay tuned for more coming attractions!