Behind The Scenes and Inspiration: Courage

One of the questions I hear most is "where do you find inspiration," followed closely by "what's the story behind that image?"  The answer to the first is "pop culture, life, music and my 'black comedy' sense of humor." While that is definitely true, it is also pretty vague, so I thought I'd start occasional posts that tell the stories behind and beyond some of my pieces.  Of course, sometimes, a painting is just a painting, so not all of my images will show up in this series.

COURAGE (2008)

pyrography, acrylics and mixed-media on wood

This panel was 1/9th of a collaborative piece gifted to a friend in early 2009

In late 2008, a friend and fellow Sacramento artist, Kathy Blackburn and her musician hubby Byron, learned that his cancer had returned the day before his 1-year remission anniversary. Out of love and concern, nine Sacramento artists collaborated on a piece to wish Kathy & Byron "Love, Happiness, Strength, Courage, Positivity, Hope, Friendship, Support and Peace."

I agreed to be part of the collaborative gift before I knew what we were actually doing.  I'm a sucker like that.  So when I received the huge panel, I sat staring at it wondering what the heck I was going to do with the either "courage" or "happiness," which were the remaining words from which I could choose.  I wasn't feeling much inspiration; mostly, I was just feeling stress.  I set the piece against the wall and went to work on other things.

Meanwhile, I was taking several online courses (I switched from art quilts to painting/mixed media late in 2007).  About the same time I'd agreed to take part in the Blackburn piece, I was taking part in an 'oracle card' art challenge even though I had absolutely NO idea what the heck and oracle card was. We were supposed to make something that represented a positive force in our lives - something that was representative of what was going on. I turned to my friend and resource for all things occult/pagan, Temple Terkildsen, for a primer.  She pretty much told me to chill and just see what kept coming up in my life and that would decide what my "oracle card" should be.  Whatever.  I went back to the collaborative painting and stared.

In desperation, I looked up the definition for happiness and courage, and that's when I saw that the word comes from the Latin "cor" meaning "heart."  

Courage: c. 1300, from Old French corage, from Vulgar Latin Coraticum from Latin cor, "heart," which remains a common metaphor for inner strength.

By this time in my art career, I was pretty well known by that point for creating hearts, so it was painfully obvious which of the panels I'd be doing (and that it would also be the oracle card project).

So, the heart image is for courage, the thorny branches for the difficult things in life and the flowers are for hope.  The text on the lower, left corner is the definition (above) and the quotation in the top, right corner is a quotation from Osho, someone whose work Temple suggested I look into while trying to work on my oracle card challenge (more crossover between the projects).  The quotation reads,

Don't cling to any certainty. Life is uncertain - its very nature is uncertain. And an intelligent man always remains uncertain. This very readiness to remain in uncertainty is courage. 

The finished collaborative piece:
Row 1: Nicole Fox (love), Jennifer Keller (happiness), Evie Turner (strength)
Row 2: me (courage), Mark Fox (positivity), Jill Allyn Stafford (hope)
Row 3: Jared Konopitski (friendship), Miss Cy Wylie (support) and Char Hall (peace)

Although Byron passed away months after this work was presented to him, Kathy still treasures the piece we made for them both.

Accessories and magnets featuring Courage are available at skelekitty.com.

See all Behind the Scenes/Inspiration posts.  

Is there an image you're curious about?  Drop me a line and ask me to talk about it in a future Behind the Scenes and Inspiration post.

Read more ...

Relaunch Shenanigans Giveaway #1 with Brooke Van Gory Designs!

Welcome to the 2013 Skelekitty.com Grand Reopening Shenanigans Giveaway Extravaganza Event, Part I!  To celebrate the relaunch of my online shop (now with a proper shop host and my very own URL), some friends of mine and I will be giving away some amazing prizes and extras over the next week or so.

GIVEAWAY #1 IS NOW CLOSED!  SCROLL DOWN TO THE ENTRY FORM AND SEE WHO WON.

So here's the Prize Pack of Extra Awesomeness #1:

This prize pack includes an official "Krissi Van Gory" bag - OH MY GOD!!!  This is an original Brooke Van Gory Designs Roxie hobo-style bag in glitter, rainbow zebra print with a hand-painted Skelekitty & Crossbones panel painted by yours truly on the front! The dimensions on the Roxie bags are 15x12x5". The height where the bottom of the dip is is 10" and the strap length is 28"  I can attest to the quality of these bags as I own a few and carry them EVERYWHERE.

Want more?  OK!  To sweeten the pot, I'm tossing in a 1" glass and resin art pendant of the Skelekitty & Crossbones design on black.  Value?  Your first born.  (No, not really, but it is worth over $75.)

The entry period for Giveaway No. 1 begins at 9AM (PST) on Friday, January 4th and ends at NOON PST on Sunday, January 6.  THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM from all verified entries, and will be chosen within 48 hours of the close of the entry period and notified by e-mail.  If no response (with mailing address) is received within 72 hours of notification, another winner will be chosen.

Before you enter, you will want to take a moment to read the "fine print," and then be sure to follow the guidelines, since I will be verifying all entries.  

We'll have more to give away later, though!  Lots more!  This, as they say, is only the beginning.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXTRA  EXTRA!!! COUPON CODES FOR THE NEW SKELEKITTY.COM SITE ONLY!

• 15% OFF everything with coupon code shenanigans15
• 20% OFF your total purchase over $40 (not including shipping or tax) with coupon code shenanigans20over40
• 25% OFF your total purchase over $50 (not including shipping or tax) with coupon code shenanigans25over50

Read more ...

It Is Good To Have Friends, Is It Not, Mr. Garibaldi?

I'd apologize for the gratuitous geek reference of the title but, let's face it: I'm not sorry at all!

Skelekitty & Skelemouse art quilt
©2007 Krissi Sandvik

Those of you who have been hanging around in the same circles I have for the past 6 or 7 years will remember that I started my "art career" as a hobbyist quilter in 2004 or so. That addiction quickly turned to art quilts in 2005 (which led to the very first Skelekitty image in 2007).

I have since changed my preferred medium to pyrography & acrylic on wood paintings, but in between there was a quick stop at fabric painting.








A a few months ago my friend, seamstress and bag designer extraordinaire, Brooke Heavey of Brooke Van Gory Designs told me she had a customer looking for something special for a diaper bag.
Her customer wanted a purple and green "tree of life" theme with a hand-painted look, but was having difficulty finding fabrics that she liked.  Since I had some experience with fabric painting, I was happy to create a couple of custom panels for this bag.

silver alcohol-based ink & acrylics
on black cotton 

Then I remembered...  I had a a "black calavera" panel I'd painted back in late 2007.  Not knowing what to do with this weird hybrid creation, promptly rolled it up and stored it away.  I figured now would be a good time to pop it in the mail to Brooke to see what she could make of it.

As usual, she delivered in spades, creating one of her signature "Expedient" bags in black, red and a coordinating sacred heart print with my calavera painting front and center as a HUGE pocket.

Wanna know how MUCH stuff this bag will hold?

Although Brooke is known for high quality custom diaper bags, this would be just about the coolest laptop bag, like... EVER.  It would also make an amazing gift for any traveler, college student, mom (or dad!). It would even be a perfect substitute for a DIY business owner who needs a briefcase but wants to make a statement that says "I buy handmade."

With that winter gift-giving season coming up faster than you think, you guys won't want to wait on this one.  While Brooke and I will certainly continue to create collaborative items, this bag will never be duplicated and Brooke's schedule is pretty packed through the new year.  Don't try getting a custom bag made in November.  It won't happen.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm tossing in a free 1" glass tile and resin art pendant with the matching design? 'Cause I am.

 And shipping's included.

Try getting something this bad-ass for under $100 at the mall ... go on, I dare ya.

Read more ...

Show N Tell / Stuff N Things (SNT2) #1

Hi all!

As you must certainly know by now, I love "stuff,"   My newest acquisition was given as a birthday present by my LSH (Long Suffering Husband) - a laptop equipped with a webcam!  That means I can start sharing my STUFF collection with all of you!  Hoorah!  Here is my first Show N Tell of Stuff N Things (SNT²).

Curtain please...

LINKS!  LINKS!  LINKS!
Website/shop (facebook fan page)


- Ant Farm Studio  (facebook) Skeleton Kitty box. Skullie yo-yo & painted snake
- KissZombies DIY  (facebook) Zombie/Skeleton hand hair clips
- Ms. Formaldehyde  (facebook) Plumeria hair clips
- Glittersniffer Cosmetics!  (facebook) pigment as nail polish
- Madd Style Designs - (facebook) lip balms
- Juli's Jewels - (facebook) 2-sided soldered/glass pendant (art by Krissi's Art Studio)



PLEASE NOTE: all of the items featured in this video were paid for (cash or in-kind), with the exception of the Skeleton Hand clips, which were a birthday gift and not given in return for a review.

Read more ...

Heart Song (donation)

Heart Song (donation)
Originally uploaded by
Skelekitty (Krissi Sandvik)

This piece was finished in a record three days (that's like a land speed record using my usual painting techniques), but it was totally worth it!  "Heart Song" has been created for Vox Gallery's November 2009 (Sacramento, CA) "Urban Landscapes" show to benefit the Byron Blackburn memorial scholarship fund.

Saturday, November 14th, 6-10pm
(music @ 7, drawing @ 9:45pm)
Vox Gallery
1931 H Street
(inside The Urban HIVE)
Sacramento, CA
This event is free and open to the public

This 9x12" pyrography & mixed media piece on wood is valued at $100, but  anyone could win it for as little as $5!  There will be a "wish bowl" for each of the donated services, goods and art.  You decide how many tickets to purchase and how to distribute them (or just put them all in one bowl!)  So show up, buy some tickets and cross your fingers!


For those who are unfamiliar, Byron was a local musician, great guy and husband of a good friend, Sacramento artist, Kathy Blackburn.  Byron passed away on September 18, 2009, following a long and determined battle with sarcoma.

Shortly after Byron's death, musician and artist friends got together and asked what they could do to remember his life.  Due to the combined efforts of Sacramentans Ross Hammond (jazz, soul and rock guitarist), Evie Turner (visual artist and marketing professional) and Kathy Blackburn (artist and teacher), with help from many others,"Byron Blackburn, A Celebration of Life" raised nearly $3,000 at Beatnik Studios in October for a scholarship fund created in his name. This scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to a deserving music student from the Elk Grove Unified School District where Kathy works.  The hope is that the memorial scholarship fund will eventually become self-sustaining.

Art and services for Saturday's event have generously been donated by Jared Konopitski, Jill Allyn Stafford, C!nder, Evie Turner, Krissi Sandvik, Trina Drotar, Michael Majestic, Ilsa Hess, Jim Vetter, Mariellen Layne and more.
Live music from local musician Tyson Graf begins at 7 p.m.


During the evening, VOX Sacramento will also hold their Urban Landscapes art show. Artists will include Justin Delacuesta, Cinder, Kelly O'Neill, Dylan Wells, Elizabeth Wocasek, Tom Spaulding, Dawn Blanchfield, TJ Lev, Jill Allyn Stafford, Matt Brown, Diyosa Christal, Robert Love, Curtis Carlson, Terry Tyson, James Collins, Lauren Martin, Alyson Murphy, Amy Fort, Jennifer Erin, and Luciano Noble, II.  The art on display for the Urban Landscape show will remain hanging through the end of November.


I hope to see some of you there on Saturday. Best wishes & hug your loved ones.

Additional donations can be made to the Byron Blackburn Memorial Fund at Bank of the West on J Street

Read more ...

More Ghoulish Goodies

The Artfire Ghouls Guild TRICK OR TREAT 2009 continues today with coupon codes and sales from 13 of our members (how lucky is THAT for you?), a scavenger hunt and two more featured artists, Huckleberry Arts and one of my new favorite crazy girls, Christine St. Onge of 2 of Mind and Spirit.

HUCKLEBERRY ARTS

Annette Gambrel

I don't recall a time in my life where something was not being created. I don't ever see not having time in the day where something isn’t made.


Being an artist has been a gift I couldn't be more proud of, the people I have met each one touches me in their own little way, some more than they know. I enjoy the process of meeting new collectors that enjoy my lil creations. It’s a wonderful gift to be given and to be able to share with others, and hopefully bring a smile into another’s life along the way.

Find HUCKLEBERRYARTS:

huckleberryarts.artfire.com

huckleberryarts.com

huckleberryarts.blogspot.com

flickr.com/huckleberryarts

twitter.com/huckleberryarts

and a very creative (and all around fun) person,

2 OF MIND AND SPIRIT

Christine St.Onge

I love to create all kinds of things. I've tried so many crafts at least once just to see how they're made. I make one of a kind items because we are all one of a kind.


Just remember.. You are unique! Just like everyone else! Revel in your individuality!

Find 2 OF MIND AND SPIRIT:
2ofmindandspirit.artfire.com

facebook.com/pages/2-of-Mind-and-Spirit/49612386274

twitter.com/2ofMind_nSpirit

The lucky winner of yesterday's prize giveaway was Drucilla!  She won this awesome set of handmade mini Halloween cards by She's Batty Designs.


Stay tuned for another prize giveaway tomorrow - this time it will be a free digital Halloween party invitation custom created by Rouxbee Design Studio.


Oh, and have I mentioned that yours truly will be giving away a hand embellished 8x10" print of "Goin' Batty" soon.  When?  Well, that would be telling....

Bugs & Hisses,

SK

Read more ...

I Got Wood!

I Got Wood!
Originally uploaded by Skelekitty (Krissi Sandvik)

Thanks to my long-distance buddy, Travis "Mr. Purty" Smith, I'm participating in round two of a mighty cool multi-artist project called "I Got Wood." This international collaboration is the brain child of Flickr users My Dog Sighs and Jack of all Trades (creator of Kimo the Pineapple).

100 hand-made wooden puzzle pieces go out to 100 artists and are sent back to Jack in Hawaii for reassembly and exhibition.

I can't wait to see it all completed.

Read more ...