Anahata Katkin

Ideas for Mums.

I must admit that I do have the most terrific mother ever. She is one of those people who always find a way to make life better. She is the reason for my personal success and for the success of our business (don't be fooled. My mom, Gina is the Queen Bee at PaPaYa! and she runs the show!) But more importantly she is a remarkable human being. She inspires me to no end and impresses me everyday with her compassion perseverance, insights and deep love. So I am thinking about upcoming Mother's Day (MAY 11th!) and contemplating something clever. But no luck just yet. Anyone have some great mother's day ideas? Keep me posted...I'd love to buy her one of these. But that will have to wait.

If you haven't seen him...

You should! Michael Demeng is one rediculously talented guy. He creates all sorts of assemblages that he calls Post Modern Shrines. I recently purchases one of his pieces at Artfest for my brother who just got a great new pad. I'm trying to turn him onto having original works and thankfully he LOVED his first collectible.
This is it here. Michael's work is just amazing and the beauty is that he uses both new and old parts and makes them look incredibly rich, textural and metally.
One of my favorite things he makes are these freaky three dimensional "polaroid" images. They totally mesmerize me. Hey- anything with body parts and eyeballs and I'm all in! He does a very full teaching schedule so you might even get a chance to check him out either as a student or at a gallery in your area.

Three Days Til Bali

Just a heads up that the Bali Retreat registrations open on May 1st! A couple of days till we open the gates y'all. I have such a strong feeling that this retreat is going to be something very special from the heart.
The emails and inquiries are already swimming around so I think this is going to fill quickly since we only have about 21 spots for the entire retreat. Just enough to feel energized by the group but small enough to spread out, make new friends and get ultra infused with creative immersion.

Work in Progress

This little lady isn't finished yet. But I am drinking in these colors together. I'm digging anything that has an atomic look to it or a diagram feel. Did you recognize Leonardo's painting here? All these new pieces won't be in the PaPaYa! series for a while. But I'm happy to be back at the drawing board!

I just updated the side bar with some new photo albums. It's the same stuff you might have already seen on my flickr, or website. But it's new here on the bloggity-blog. And this little lady is a new addition this week.
Been really enjoying updating the websites. Things have been very neglected for a while. Trying to do some spring cleaning around these parts and it feels great.

Gearing up for Fall?

If you have been coming around for a while you know I have to get into the holiday spirit at really odd times. I'm getting the Halloween stuff in order this week. (And that's considered behind)I'm digging the creepiness of it and I have a huge stash of old photo's that no one around here ever wants me to use for our regular PaPaYa! series. But I love them. Just look at these poor bastards up there getting hitched. I know it's just old photography solutions for holding still but boy do they look like they have a story eh? So now's my chance to get away with some freaky goodness.
Here's a link if you want to see the rest of the Halloween cast for 2008.

As Promised

As promised the Bali retreat is official! I am so excited to make this journey. This retreat is going to be a full-on creative adventure.
Tuition Includes:
FOUR DAYS OF Hands On WORKSHOPS:
Workshop 1: An extended Wallpaper Panel Workshop (Spanning two full days!)
Workshop 2: Mixed Media Mandala's (One Day)
Workshop 3: Creative Instincts -(One Day) A two part workshop that takes place both outside while we create nature altars surrounded by the beauty Bali has to offer and in the second half of the day we return to the workshop space as we make mixed media pieces that reflect the nature altars.

-7 NIGHT ACCOMODATIONS, double occupancy at the lovely Apakabar Villas (www.apakabarvillas.com)

- EXCURSIONS INCLUDING:
1. A day trip to a local textile weaving factory with excursion to Ubud, the culture arts
center of Bali- with lunch included.
2. Group snorkeling, beach excursion
3. A private one 1 hour massage
4. An evening of Traditional Balinese Dance Performance
5. Bali temple excursion
6. Hiking through Balinese Rice Patties
-All transportation to and from excursions that are included in the workshop week
-Daily, fresh prepared breakfast and Dinner's
- Time for swimming and enjoying the pool and grounds of Apakabar Villa's
-Transportation to and from the airport at Dempasar, Bali
It will be held at The Apa Kabar Villas owned and operated by our hosts at Arcangelo Productions. This will be my first trip to Indonesia and I cannot wait to get my passport stamped there. I look forward to infusing our artwork with the intense artistic atmosphere of Bali. The classes I've chosen will be perfect for playing with local traditions and creative customs.
It's a ways off I know but this retreat can only hold an intimate group of 20 or so participants so consider your plans this year and see if this is the right way for you to visit Bali! I have a very good feeling about this trip and I feel it will be the highlight of my year. I plan to stay to explore the markets, temples and culture. It seems like a cornucopia of inspiration. Click here for more details or email Arcangelo Productions directly at arcangeloproductions@gmail.com.

Twin Souls

I've been itching for the computer this week. It's time to ride the design wave again. It's nice how a little break will make it all happen easier. These two are a new addition. Not entirely satisfied with them- and yet I can't help myself. Anyone have a great quote about friendship, twin souls or connection?

PAINTING RETREAT UPDATE:

I will updating blogville this week with upcoming events since there has been a lot of interest on the heels of Artfest this year. Below is details for our June retreat and I will be adding details about a Bali, Indonesia art intensive with me for 2009. So bear with me this week folks as I get everyone the info needed.
As some of you know we are hosting painter Paul Huessenstamm (click here and watch his little video cast to check him out.) here in Ashland June 6,7,8th. We have about eight spaces left for this event. It will be on private acreage in the mountains outside of town in a historic, converted "barn". Paul is a generous teacher who truly has the gift of supporting artist at any stage of their expression. I have seen first time painters (Including my own mom) create incredible works in just three short days.

And if you are like me I know what you might be thinking: "But that's not really my style. I don't know if I can do paintings like that etc, etc."

This was the painting I did while with him in Kauai and it's nearly 4 feet high. I was so thrilled to have someone help me slow down. As a mixed media artist it can be hard to have the patience for fine arts again. I've become a quick-fix artist. So this was a wonderful departure for me.
anyhow click here if you want to check it out and here if you want to join us!

Finally!

Finally I have some pics to share with you from Artfest last week. 2008 was a fantastic experience for me. I came home refreshed and happy. A tall order for a traveling ad teaching marathon. It was great. So many wonderful people and giving participants. Thank you to everyone! In three days myself and nearly 90 students worked our butts off making Mixed Media Mandala's,

Symbolic Icon's and Wallpaper People. Thank you for a truly touching time

with a mind blowing amount of artwork in three short days. For more pictures pleae visit my flickr page. (they are grouped into classes on the right side there) And I'm afraid I have to appologize in advance since I took photos of each person as they were talking to us as a group. Love those. So sorry gang. But I think they turned out cute.The image on the upper portion above is a my class demo from Funky Wallpaper People. I'm looking forward to finishing it one of these weekends. I tend to work alongside participants so that I can demo as we go along and it helps me to remember small steps I might forget. Plus it forces me to practice what I preach and work on the fly.
Here is just a small sampling of the mind blowing panels people made that day! Aren't they wonderful. Each class was only about 7 hours long and each person pushed themselves to complete these works in a single sitting! Amazing. This is Rose, a dear friend who made the journey with me and helped me so I could get classes settled, supplies cleaned up, vendor night in order etc. She is also an incredible artist (quite the panel eh?!) and I was so thrilled to have her creative juju with me at Artfest this year. (Thank you girl!)

as Rose would say...Good times folks...Good Times!