Putting It Out There

This thread-painted art quilt of my Oscar, the Military Macaw, was the very first piece I ever put in a group "art" (i.e., non-quilt show) show - the January 2006 "National Bird Day" art show in Sacramento, CA.



Since that first night, I gradually increased the number of works in group art shows.  First I showed just with The Scary-Art Collective at Body Tribe where I nervously listened to criticism (positive and negative, but all constructive).





By early 2007, I had started showing at other Sacramento galleries like Side Show Studios and the former 24th Street hot spot, Cool Cat (R.I.P.).




I tried some new techniques and played with new mediums while I continued to find my voice. 









In the last half of 2009, I finally submitted some pieces to out of town (actually, out of State) shows to a positive response.

Now, with four full years of group show experience (not to mention the long list of commissions I just completed), I feel confident enough to consider a solo show.  So I'm putting it "out there" that I'm ready to put it out there - you know, putting it in writing as a promise to myself and so y'all can keep me accountable.





I've already started working on a "theme" involving hearts and skulls with various things growing from them, and we'll see where this leads me. 
So far I'm planning on doing most, if not all the pieces using my pyrography and acrylics on wood techniques.

While I'm working on the pieces, I will also be looking around for a gallery to host this currently imaginary solo exhibition.  Oh, the joy of cold calls, how I look forward to it!   I have a short list of places I'd LOVE to show, a medium sized list of places I'd seriously consider (both of which I'm keeping secret to avoid jinxing myself) and a blank list of places I haven't even thought of yet.

If you have a gallery and would like to talk to me about the possibility of doing a solo show, please contact me with your list of demands.

Wish me luck and inspiration and I'll send some right back to you (I'll send you some anyway).

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SK's Return and a New Artist at 2nd Sat

Despite rumors to the contrary, I actually do listen to all of the Skelekitty requests with which I have been pummeled over the last year or so. In response, I've painted (well, AM PAINTING is more like it) two new 11x14" angel & devil mixed-media pieces featuring the little minx - they also explain the absence of daily "DaVinci Mode Challenge" posts - I've been consistently working on one long-term creative project! The paintings are still in progress, and when finished, will be available as a set ($250* for both of them).



The return of Skelekitty, as it was coined by my "Aunt Merry" (just "Pancho" to me), will take place at Side Show Studios' 2nd annual super-awesome Women Uncovered show this month. And OH BOY are there some amazing artists in this show, including a few who were too askeered to show their stuff before!

*On accounta I love you all so much, I'm running my own version of a recession special: for those of you without free-flowing cashola, 8x10" prints will be at the gallery for a mere $15 each. Ya gotta love affordable art, yeah?


I'll also have a couple pieces at the annual Body Tribe anniversary show, including 12 Bad Eggs and Grinding To A Hault.


12 bad eggs (12x12" mixed media on birch)



grinding to a hault (12x12" mixed media on birch)

HOWEVER, the most exciting news about this year's "Body" show at The Tribe is that my very VERY good friend of too many years to count, Keith Bowers, will be participating! I've been friends with KB since High School, when I used to do his eyeliner in the caf. before classes (hey, it was the 80s). One of his large canvasses used to hang in the dining room of my apartment at 24th & Bryant in the Mission (where all the parades start!). I'm excited to see he's still creating.


Several of his sculptures will be on exhibit at this year's annual Body show - so why not come out and see him and his awesomeness?

Oh, and don't forget that TODAY is the final day to enter the "Break the Rules" contest - you might win a set of my Loteria cards!

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Days 8 and 9 of the DaVinci Challenge

I'm still going strong with Stacy McQueen's challenge to stay in "DaVinci Mode" for 30 days, but I took it down a notch over the last two days to regroup and plan some new stuff.

Yesterday evening, I spent some time sketching out three ideas for new Skelekitty paintings to be shown at Side Show Studios and Body Tribe
in May and June, respectively. Two are planned for Side Show's "Women Uncovered" show and the subject(s) are still under wraps. The third is a large and I do mean LARGE piece that I'm doing for the Body Tribe/Born Free USA "Big Cat/Little Cat" benefit show - that's all the hint you get ... for now.

Today, Stacy posted a great challenge, of which this is a portion:

We all have a BIG creative dream. You know what it is. It's that little itch in your soul. It's where the aroma of regret lingers. It's the SHOULD if I COULD that lives in your heart. It's a secret passion you dare not speak outloud, a fantasy you pull out only on special occasions.

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Perhaps today, we’ll let go of fear, self doubt, stop asking HOW we’ll do it, and we’ll just BEGIN. Perhaps we can use the Da Vinci Mode Challenge to make daily micro movements on our biggest dream of all. Like that man who ate a car, not all at once, but over time, he did it spoonful by spoonful. Perhaps that's how we'll approach our great big hairy beautiful creative project. One day, one spoonful at a time.

Why not DECLARE IT here in Day 9 topic?! There's MAGIC in beginning...

My BIG creative dream? You may have guessed it already, but I'll declare it just the same: I want Skelekitty to support my art business.

As you know, I've got a bit of a start going with the rubber stamps (thanks mainly to my husband, Ron, who piped up in s Santa Fe stamp store that Skelekitty should have her own line ... the store owner also had a rubber stamp company and, after a short trip on the interwebs, we were on our way).

Today, like little Melinda Mae, I took another tiny bite of the whale, and agreed to create some jewelry kits which will premier at the Santa Clarita Craft Lab's Market Place, and will then be available through my blog, website and Etsy store. I'll be offering both pendants and earring kits, and you'll be able to choose from either bottlecaps (1" round) or wooden tiles (1"x1.25" rectangles).





The bottlecap kits will have a variety of Skelekitty images and other images from my artwork, while the tile kits will all have my "Loteria" images. Of course, once the kits are together, I'll post photos, post a blog and let you know where to get all the goodies.

I suppose I should stop blogging and start working on those kits!

xoxo

Krissi, Skelekitty, Abby, Ron and the rest of the our furry, feathered and scaly family

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View ALL DaVinci Mode Challenge posts

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Finished Art or Technique Experiment?

Most of the quilts or mixed-media pieces or even the ATCs I create usually start with an idea, theme or play on words, but the piece I just finished wasn't really anything except experimentation with some techniques.


I wanted to see what kind of effects I could get with the silver irridescent and red/orange interference paints mixed with acrylic glazing medium. It turned out so-so compared to my hopes, but I did like the way the background shows through, even with umpteen layers of watercolor pencil/pastel shading and silver glaze.


I wanted a little bit of dimension on the milagros so I used several carefully placed layers of Golden's clear tar gel with the teeny-tiniest bit of Lumiere mica powder mixed in.



I also played around a little with a handwriting rubber stamp, some basic masking techniques and two different inks (for some hard-core masking techniques and tools, check this out). The first layer of stamping is under the background color and I used StazOn black permanent ink. I love StazOn, which isn't much of a surprise since Tsukineko also makes the Fabrico double-tipped fabric marker which is one of my staples for art quilts (remember my art quilts? I barely do).

I used Brilliance Moonlight White pigment ink (yeah, by Tsukineko again) for the top layer of stamping/masking. This time, I thought it would be fun to add some embossing powder - here's a tip: careful you don't end up melting or bubbling your acrylic layers with your heat gun... that is, unless you're going for that look. I liked the way that the white really stands out where the embossing powder stuck to the pigment inks, even with another layer of acrylic glaze over it. I'm filing that experiment away as "successful."

In between the layers of stamping I used one of my favorite transfer techniques - good ol' packing tape and my Epson inkjet printer. For those of you about to try this, you can use all kinds of images to transfer - newspaper clippings, laser copies, inkjet prints, magazine photos, etc. Results will vary depending on the quality and water soluability of the ink transfered. You can also use clear Contac paper for large images. I like these techniques over gel medium image transfers because I get a very thin transfer very QUICKLY.

For the edges, I had planned to use aluminum HVAC repair tape (I don't have a favorite brand so just Google it, folks) plain and simple, but once I got it on there it just looked too dangded shiney. Adirondack alcohol inks to the rescue (in oregano, caramel and latte)! I used their ink applicator tool (you could use cotton balls, but I like the convenience and tidy nature of the applicator) to dab the various colors on, then I sprayed it with some rubbing alcohol and let everything dry. I topped the whole frame off with a very carefully applied layer of matte acrylic topcoat.

Well, I guess that's it! If you just happen to like it as a pretty picture it's called "Praying For (big) Miracles and is 24x12". If you would like to have it for your very own, it is "$100 and available through Side Show Studios until March 10th.

Thanks for reading and happy experimenting!

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Art Is Like A Box Of Chocolates...

Once again, a piece I'm working on is not ending up where I thought it would, but it's still pretty cool.

When I started the piece that I wanted to do for the Valentine's Day love & lust / the human body show at Side Show Studios, I envisioned more "real life" color coming through multiple layers of transparent silver glaze on the milagros, so I started by shading with orange (hand) and red (heart).


Once I got going on the first layer of painting, things just weren't looking the way I'd hoped so I went another route - black and grey shading over the silver glazed layers, with a little interference paints (orange and red) mixed in for some fun. I ended up spending MUCH more time on the background color blending and layering than I had intended too. Who knew? Anyway, here's where I stand, with some Golden tar gel drying over the milagros (hence the spots of cloudyness).


I have no clue what else this needs (though I do have my "finishing touch" thanks to a little convincing by Evie to trust my initial instincts).

I also finished, as you know, the piece for Allyson of her doggie, Lulu, as a skelecritter.


After much prodding by Ron, Allyson and everyone else, I went back and made the 'skele-Abby' up in the right corner more prominent:


This is finally sealed & dry, and has all the hanging hardware attached to the back so it's going to Al TOMORROW! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she likes it.

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Collaboration, Dog Update, SNAFU and Laughing At Life (again)

Much is going on in the world-o-Krissi.

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I blogged a while back about an oracle card mixed media piece I did as part of an art challenge. What I didn't tell you could fill another post ... and does as you will see ... ummm, well ... now.


A friend and fellow Sacramento artist, Kathy Blackburn and her musician hubby Byron, had just found out that his cancer has returned on the eve of his 1-year-cancer-free anniversary (literally - the day before). He started chemo Thanksgiving week in order to shrink the tumor(s) to an operable size/location - I understand the growth is near his femoral artery. Out of love and concern, another artistic couple, Mark and Nicole Fox, started a surprise collaboration piece to wish Kathy & Byron "Love, Happiness, Strength, Courage, Positivity, Hope, Friendship, Support and Peace." Nine artist/friends of the Blackburns were recruited and the words used as inspirations for each of the 9 squares. When I saw "courage" was one of the two words remaining when I received the piece, it was obviously the universe speaking to me (see my earlier blog post for details on why).

Participating artists (from L to R, top to bottom):
Row 1: Nicole Fox (love), Jennifer Keller (happiness), Evie "Love" Turner (strength)
Row 2: Krissi Sandvik (courage), Mark Fox (positivity), Jill Allyn Stafford (hope),
Row 3: Jared Konopitski (friendship), Miss Cy Wylie (support) and Char Hall (peace)

Kathy wrote a sweet blog about how much the piece means to them. I feel truly fortunate to have been involved with this particular project.

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YES! I've gotten your messages and posts asking about Miss Abby, our newest "fur baby." She's doing incredibly well. She's very healthy, is chipped and THANKFULLY out of heat so that we can play at my town's new dog park (wee!!!!!), at least until she is spayed in a month or so.

As far as our other fur (and feather and scaley) babies go, Mouse is doing really well and Gracie is finally starting to stand her ground and hiss rather than running like prey. However, my big-ass orange tabby, Finnegan, who still hasn't mentally recovered from a dog attack about a decade ago, is plotting and planning Abby's murder. No kidding. He's been stalking her and even attacked her once when I left the room. Abby has been sleeping in "protective custody" in a kennel, but doesn't seem to mind it at all - she gives the kitty much respect and is limiting her Jack Russell spazz-outs to the outside. I have a lot of hope that a cease fire will be reached though I never expect they will be allies. Charlie, who grew up with large dogs keeps saying "HI!" to Abby, who wants to chase and eat him. Oscar just lets out a giant macaw scream. It's horrid. We have to lock Abby up in order to take the birds out to the aviary every day and again when we bring them in at night. Hercules is in hibernation until March or April, but that will involve some coordination as well. Many dog/tortoise owners end up with 3-legged turtles. We'll figure that out when we get there.

Yesterday, Abby had her first girls' day out after a play date at Body Tribe (= Allyson trains me, I work out, the dogs have fun and Chip, Al and I make "cute" noises at the doggies). Allyson's friend Adam called and we all met down at the river: Allyson with Lulu, Adam with Molly -an Irish Setter/Rodesian Ridgeback mix- and me, the nervous new mommy, with little Abby. We walked and talked about dogs, crazy-ass cat show people, local birds of prey, the river, Sacramento and other stuff and I quickly felt at ease as the girls fell into pack mode. It was hysterically funny to watch the three of them play, and a joy to watch Abby run and bark like a normal spastic Jack Russell. I had been worried that her silence and the scars on her neck from some kind of shock collar might mean that she would never bark - even when appropriate. Luckily, she did also bark once when Ron sort of snuck in the house one night, so paired with the happy barking of yesterday, we're good to go on that front.

After our trip to the river, she coated the inside of my car with muck and we headed off to Side Show Studios where Miss Cy fell instantly in love - pretty much like everyone does - with Abby. After our visit, we went next door and I gave Abby a nice warm bath (and dry) at Bath & Biscuits. She's still a bit "skunky" around her face and head from some incident pre-Krissi/Ron, but she's smelling much better and her coat is looking well. In spite of the fact that the sneezing and stuffy head won out over me by about 5pm, it was a great day.

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Business has been picking up, which is awesome. There are Skelekitty rubber stamps and prints shipping out this week and orders are coming in almost daily. The original art is making itself at home in my studio, but I'm OK with that for right now. I'm hoping to run through the supply of stamps I have and end up with enough cash (and a great referral to a local manufacturer) to get those darn T-shirts made.



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I created two new paintings over the last couple of weeks. One just for myself and one for a show, which though a Post Office SNAFU didn't make it quite in time.

First, my ode to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, 12 Bad Eggs.

One of my friends mis-interpreted this piece as sadness over lost fertility, but that couldn't be further from the truth. This is my way of making fun of the fact that my own body is out to cause me discomfort and plain old physical misery.


I especially like the one flipping off the fallopian tube.


I was also "volunteered" by Nik to participate in a benefit show in Burbank for Kevin Klemm, creator of Girls & Corpses Magazine, who's fallen on some especially rough times. After agonizing and creating non-stop for a day and a half, I came up with "Grinding To A Hault," which I love and I'm pleased to say that Bill from Hyaena Gallery liked it too.



Although I added a little extra postage, this was returned to me ON the day of the show, with a note demanding an extra 80 cents. I'm flabbergasted and so it's sitting in my studio - still in the packaging - awaiting a trip to the Post Office where I will request a clear explanation and assurance that this time it will get to Bill. Grrr. Anyway, this will soon be available through Hyaena Gallery in Burbank.

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I am also beginning a new online class with Suzi Blu this week which will take me through the new year, so my creativity may be pushed to the brink and leave me little brain with which to blog. Please offer your patience, which I will gladly accept.

Oh yeah, and Ron and I BOTH have been called to jury duty on the 15th. Luckily, I have multiple offers from folks to dog-sit Abby, who cannot be left alone in the same space as Finnegan for obvious reasons.

So please accept my apologies for being so "quiet" lately!

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Night of the Creators & FREE Movie Pass Giveaway TONIGHT

Hi there creative types, don't forget that TONIGHT is the very last Night of the Creators for 2008.  Be there and join Scary CRAFT's own "Sacred" Yoli Manzo, who will have some hand-molded sugar skulls ($1 supply fee each) for you to decorate, along with decorating tips, ideas and examples.  Bring some embellishments and make your own custom calaverita de azucar for your Dia de los Muertos ofrenda!  We'll even have some glitter glues, puff paints and a few other goodies available in the Scary CRAFT community supply box, but bring "extra" stuff and use this night as a great opportunity for a supply swap.

We're also excited to announce a giveaway!  To celebrate the 'dark' holidays and our successful first year of craft nights, Sacramento's own Movies on a Big Screen has generously donated two pairs of free passes to the The Rocky Horror Picture Show, showing this Friday night at 9:30pm (yep ON Halloween!).  MoBS has also donated two pairs of free general admission passes (psst!  They're showing Suspira at 7pm on Friday, and their list of other indie movies is mighty impressive). They have a MySpace page too, so go check out their blog!  Everyone in attendance is eligible to win, so what are you hemmin' and hawin' fer? 

Thanks for all of your support in our first year and be sure to stay tuned to our Scary CRAFT blog for tutorials, a Scary CRAFT auction and challenges during November and December.  Then we'll see you at the craft tables in 2009!

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Whew! This One's a RAMBLER! (UPDATED 11/8)

There's a new group in town made up of some familiar names in the outsider art community. Sacramento Art Connects is holding their first show, "You Call That ART?" at Side Show Studios in November. Luckily, the deadline for submissions was extended from the 17th to the 31st -HINT HINT creative types- so I finished a small mixed-media / beeswax collage piece last night and dropped it off at Side Show Studios today for judging (eep!). Yep, it's a juried show (my first, hence the "eep!"). I got a peek at the collection in "the back room" and it's pretty dangded awesome. Bitchin' even. Perhaps ... dare I say it? Tubular.

Damn. I'm feeling my age today. Anyway, Steadfast is a 7x7" mixed-media/beeswax collage ($40) - thanks to Side Show's co-owner and all around awesome chick, Cy Wylie, for the title! Wish me well and hope that it doesn't get kicked out with a post-it note stuck to the back that says "you suck!" LOL.

Update 1: Great news - Steadfast made it into the show! It will be available starting tonight at Side Show Studios (5635 Freeport, Sactown) tonight at 6pm - under $50 too!

I also heard while I was there that my mixed-media piece, Something Fishy sold. Several people had shown interest and the price was good, but I thought Char was pulling my leg when she said who bought it - Chi Cheng, the bass player for the Deftones.

Char: Chi bought one of your pieces
me: who?

Char: Chi

me: WHO?

Char: Chi. From the Deftones. You know, Chi.

me: uhhhhhhmmmm. oh.

Now I've never actually met Chi, but it's damn near impossible to live in Sacramento, work out at Body Tribe and show with the Scary Art Collective without at least knowing who he is (and hearing the rampant rumors about what a nice guy he is too). I knew immediately who Char was talking about. However, I also know a lot of the people whose art he collects and my brain just couldn't reconcile the spot on the wall where the pretty mermaid with the funny fish had been and my recollection of the art I knew Chi has collected. It all became clear when Cy added more information. It was actually his lovely red-haired wife, Colleen, who chose the piece since she didn't have any art in the house that represented her taste.

me: OOHHHHHHH! NOW I get it! (chuckles).

It makes me happy, 'cause I really liked that piece - especially the hair, the tail and, of course, that awesome little fishie.

Update 2: Very, very sad news - Chi was in an auto accident last week and is reported to be in a coma in critical though stable condition. No more news is available at this time, but keek Chi, Colleen and their families in your thoughts and send strength and good thoughts to them through the cosmos. They need it.



The first order of Skelekitty stamps has been placed by me for resale (fortunately, I have a resale permit for just such an occasion). Yep. I took a break from this blog and typed my wholesale order up and sent it on its merry little way. Soon (I hope!) I will have 40 individual stamps in my little paws for y'all. I'm getting this batch for local folks mostly - to sell at shows in Sacramento, etc. - and, of course, I'll be putting some on etsy. The first batch will probably go pretty quickly, but I'll be putting the profits right back into another order ... then Tee shirts I hope!

For those on a budget, I have a super easy "no purchase necessary" drawing planned to give away one of the stamps (maybe two). I'll announce it here and on Skelekitty's blog, and I'll give at least a week for everyone to participate so you won't miss it. I'm also working on an original piece of art featuring the soon-to-be-famouser-than-me (like that's tough) kitty to give away in a separate drawing. That drawing will be for folks who have made stuff with their stamps. More info on the contests later - you know, when I actually have the little puppies kitties in my hands!



Another cool thing happened today - Allyson Seconds offered to donate some mirrors for a Scary CRAFT fundraiser. Yoli and I will definitely be participating by decorating a mirror a piece and donating them to the auction. We'll be passing mirrors out to some local creatives too. We'll be auctioning off the mirrors in a manner similar to the Scary-Art doll auction last year, starting each piece at an affordable price. It's a great way to help support Scary CRAFT and to fulfill your pledge to BUY HANDMADE (I know you took it, right? Right?.


So it's been a busy week already and Tuesday is just barely coming to a close. It's been a good week though. I hope your week brings you good news and smiles too.

xo

K

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Blogging and Implied Obligations....

Hey all!

I know that most of us like to think that we blog without obligation, but as a blogger and blog reader, I know this just isn't true! Therefore, I'm letting you all know that I'm off for an entire week.  So except for an occasional phone pic, you probably won't hear from me (though I'll have my "crackberry" with me and will be reading a few e-mails here and there).

We're heading once again for Mammoth Lakes in the beautiful Sierra Nevadas to hike and celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary (10th together, 22nd or 23rd since we met).  It's the perfect time of year to be outdoors and watch the leaves of the birch trees turn an incredible amber/gold color.  Here's a photo or two I took on our last trip there in 2005:







So I hope to see you all on Saturday the 11th at Body Tribe and Side Show Studios for the annual Scary Art Collective spooky halloween shows!

Best wishes,

Krissi

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October, not April, is the cruellest month!

It's that crazy time of year again for me:

• Wedding anniversary (10/11 - it's my 5th, this year)
• Fall vacation time (10/4 - 10/10)
  
• October Second Saturday shows with the Scary-Art Collective (10/11)
• Jury duty??- thankfully postponed to December... WHEW!
  
• Halloween
• Dia de los Muertos
• OH, and this year we get to add the release of Skelekitty's first round of rubber stamps!
  

Somehow this busiest of months sneaks up on me every year.... Because of the state of the economy, gas prices, etc., I am not vending at the Dia de los Muertos Fest-o-Rama in Oaktown this year. Maybe next year -- assuming someone is voted into the White House who has an interest in eliminating the deficit and creating jobs here in the u.s. of a. I will, however, be creating as if I were vending... As a result, there will be much art to be had (and some that have already found homes) at both Body Tribe and Side Show Studios starting on October 11th. I'll also be putting a few new items up here and there in my etsy shop.

I've created some new stuff in a range of sizes and prices (see comment on economy above - Dude! I'm on your side). Here's a sneak peak at a few items:

"Frida" silver shrine


"Catrina" shrine


In progress: "Letter from Diego" shrine



And even more shrines are in the works! I will also have a few larger pieces of original work available between the two locations, including:

currently untitled 12"x24" mixed media on wood


"Tijuana Makeover" 12"x24" mixed media on wood (this one's still in progress)


"Star F*cker" 16"x11" mixed-media on canvas - available on Etsy through tomorrow


"The Catalyst" 16"x11" mixed media on canvas- available on Etsy through tomorrow




Thanks to the generosity of Ron and Nik, my go team Venture pieces, "Walking Eye" and "Grand Galactic Inquisitor" (finally completed today) will be on display at Side Show and Body Tribe, respectively.

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