You Art to Know

Adios

2010-08-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I think this blog has run its course so it's time to put it to bed. Fear not my pretties, for all is not lost. I will continue writing but now the focus of my blog will be rather TV-centric.

To continue reading blog updates from me, please go to:
http://tvpotato.blogspot.com/

Much like this blog, my new blog will be updated every Wednesday and weekend.

See ya there!

Lea

Drinking and Blogging

2010-08-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

We've all heard about "Drunk Dialing", but did you know that there are blog sites that allow you to literally call in your blog? Seriously!!! You could be out on the town with your besties, tying one on, and then while you're in the middle of the dance floor (or propped up against the bar, or puking beside the dumpster behind the club, or, well, you get the picture...), you could call up your blog to leave a voice posting. Classy, right?

Personally, I think that no good can come of this. I rarely drink so I don't this would ever happen to me. That being said, I am noted for being the world's cheapest drunk so if my blog did have this feature, I guess it wouldn't be totally out of the realm of possibilities. If this was to happen (which it won't), I imagine it would sound something like this:

Profuse giggling.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'm druuuuunnnnnnnnck!"
More giggling.
"Hey guys, shushhhh, Ima blerggging. I mean blerrging.”
GIGGLING
“I can’t say blerg. Blerg. Blerrrg. Blerrrggg. Oh fuck it, I can’t do my ffffucking posssst.”
Big sigh, followed by even more giggling.
“I’m drunnnk. Wanna see my Madonna impression?”
Sound of stumbling in the background, line goes dead.

Yeah, I think we can all agree that me doing posts over the phone would not be a good idea…I should see if this blogsite offers this feature.

Mind Your Pees and Eeewwwwwwwwwwwws!!!!

2010-08-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

A colleague of mine is obsessed with the UFC - that's Ultimate Fighting Championship for those of you who aren't in the know. She belongs to news groups, she checks websites daily, she collects the action figures, and she listens to each and every podcast available. I guess you could say she's the "Ultimate UFC Fan". No, I'm not exaggerating.

She recently told me about a podcast where one of the fighters and his coach were interviewed for a radio show. The interviewer noted that he had heard that the coach drinks his own urine every morning as part of his health regime. The coach touted the many fine attributes of urine therapy and without much prompting, took a proffered glass, peed, and, well, chug-a-lug.

I know, gross, right?

Silly me, I thought that's where the subject of urine therapy (seriously, that's what it's called - do a web search!) would start and end in my life. Umm....NOT!!!

Have you ever heard of something being good for you but you just can't bring yourself to taking that advice? Yeah, that's the position that I'm in right now. I should also point out that I feel the same way about cod liver oil. That being said, fish oil is sounding a lot more palatable right now.

My mom told me the other week that someone we know has been using urine therapy to treat her cancer. Since she began drinking her urine, her blood counts have improved. A friend of hers who also has cancer has been employing urine therapy with the same positive results.

In addition, apparently it’s a wonderful tonic for the skin. This person that we know has been applying it daily to her face and her surgical scars and has been getting tremendous results – not only has her surgical scar faded dramatically (barely visible now), her skin looks so good that people keep on asking her what special lotions she’s been using on her face (take that, Oil of Olay). Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I’m told that it doesn’t smell (although I’ll now think twice before giving her a kiss on the cheek the next time I see her).

So evidently pee is good for you – who knew? No matter how much somebody sings to me the many fine attributes of pee, I just can’t get over the ick factor enough to try it out. It doesn’t matter if you want me to swig it back or splash it on, I just can’t seem to bring myself to try it. Okay, so let’s look at this logically (possible a first for me) - I don’t have cancer therefore I don’t have to drink it (phew!). My skin could look better, so perhaps it’s worth a try. Hmmm….I’ll think about it. I’ll keep you posted but I doubt I'll try it.

If you have any experience with urine therapy, please let me know.

Gay Days

2010-07-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the beginning of Pride Week in Vancouver and being the hag that I am, I'd love nothing better than to be watching the parade this Sunday because it's absolutely dragalicious! This of course reminds me of a previous Pride Week that I spent with an ex-boyfriend and his parents - Ay Caramba!

After a day of lazing and picnicking on the beach, the four of us decided to head out for dinner. Now before I go any further, let me just say that I assumed that my ex-boyfriend's parents were well familiar with identifying gay men as their son lived in Vancouver's West End, an area known for its "substantial gay population" (it even says so on Wikipedia - check it out!), but it never occurred to me that they weren’t familiar with lesbians. Anyways, we opted to escape the hullabaloo of the West End and wouldn’t you know it, we ended up at Stella’s (Belgian eatery – so good!) on Commercial Drive, an area of Vancouver that’s popular with the lesbian community.

Now seeing as it was Pride Week, business was a boomin’ chez Stella’s, with loads of gals and their gal pals enjoying themselves. Ex-boyfriend’s mother noticed there were a lot of single women in place and of course she couldn’t help but wonder out loud why this was so. This is the point where you may want to stamp the word “Sucker” on my forehead because I took the bait, hook, line, and sinker.

“Well, Mrs. Ex-Boyfriend’s Mom, I think a lot of these women may be, uhhh, lesbians.” I said discreetly.

“Really?” she exclaimed. “How can you tell?” Let me just say that she had a strong French accent and she wasn’t discreet at the best of times. Shit. It was also at this point that I realized that my ex had been signalling at me to not engage her in this conversation because it would just end badly. Double shit. Oh well, in for a penny…

“Well, Mrs. Ex-Boyfriend’s Mom, a lot of times they’re not quite as, uhhhh, feminine as other women.” Before I go any further, I must tell you that I fully recognize that not all lesbians are butchy; I was just trying to simplify things for her.

“That one over there,” she exclaimed in a booming voice while gesturing wildly, “she has short hair and a bum like a man, IS SHE A LESBIAN????!!!!?????” Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!! Yeah, there was nothing discreet about her. Right there, that was the moment that my ex gave me that “you’re on your own” look and decided to sit back and enjoy the show. What a dick. Okay, I would have done the same.

For the rest of the evening her gaydar was on overdrive, with her pointing and yelling “IS THAT A LESBIAN????!!!!????” each time she saw a woman with short hair. Yeah, she even did this as we were drivng down the street with the windows rolled down. It wasn’t long before I was curled in the fetal position, muttering “I don’t know” over and over again.

I guess the moral of this story is to avoid going anywhere in Vancouver with parents during Pride Week because it most likely will not end well. If you do take part in the festivities, play safe but have fun!

Where's Barbara Eden When You Need Her?

2010-07-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I'd flick on the TV as soon as I got home. Gilligan's Island, The Monkeys, The Brady Bunch, and I Dream of Jeannie provided me with endless hours of entertainment. I didn't care if I had already seen the same episode a million times already because it was just as good as the first time.

I thought Jeannie was the coolest - she totally rocked out her harem outfit, she had super-fine digs (I'd totally live in a bottle if it was decked out like hers), and she could do magic! The one thing I didn't understand about her was her choice in men. Granted, we've all made questionable choices when it comes to dating, and Major Nelson did rescue her but seriously, he was extra douchie!!!

But I digress...

Oh what I would give to have Jeannie's magic powers right now! Work and school have been keeping me occupied so I haven't been as diligent about picking up after myself. Okay, let's be honest, I HATE housework!!! Did I mention that I HATE housework? I simply cannot overstate this fact.

I've tried crossing my arms and blinking but it still doesn't make this place any tidier. Every time I go out I make a wish that cleaning fairies will come by while I'm gone and make my home all sparkly-bright and lemony-fresh. The reality is that every time I come home I let out a little shriek because my place looks the same as when I left (and not in a good way).

I do have a cleaning lady but having her come by right now would be just cruel. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to pick up the bigger chunks this weekend so that I'll be able to have her come by in the next week or two. In the meantime, please cross your arms and blink for me.

Cue me, singing...

2010-07-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

At long last, school is finally over!

As to be expected, my last day of school didn't quite go as planned. Halfway to the bus stop I began to wonder if I put on deodorant. Ever the lady, there I was in the middle of the sidewalk feeling my pits. Nice, right? I picked the perfect day to wear odourless, colourless, TEXTURELESS deodorant. Needless to say I had to do a little shopping during my break. I still don't know if I put any on that morning.

That morning we had our Computer Science final, although I'm convinced the exam was meant for a different class. To all my classmates, I'm still pissed that we had Computer Science with Buck Rogers and all of his magnets instead of Philosphy, but I have to admit that Facebook was all the better for his class. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations on there during his lectures, especially the one about Peanuts - the similarities were frightening!

It was my good fortune to begin and end this educational journey with my favourite prof. I cannot say enough about her so I'll just summarize and say that she's the best. As an added bonus, on my final weekend of classes I was treated to the most amazing presentations by my classmates. Such courage, such heart, such humour; I tip my hat to all of you.

True to form, we topped things off by tipping back some champagne and talked about what long strange trip it's been. I received the loveliest compliments from one of my classmates and my prof - just wish my memory wasn't so dulled from the champagne (I also wish hadn't spilled champagne down my prof's back when she gave me a hug - sorry!).

I'd like to say that I'm now on to a whole new set of adventures now but I'm afraid that's going to have to wait for the time being as my siblings and I are looking after our mother who recently (try the same day as my last day of school) managed to put herself into a wheelchair with a broken knee cap (ouch!).

Apparently I'm very wicked 'cause there'll be no rest for me!!!

2010-07-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

The heat is on. Boy, is it on. Temperatures have been high lately and my last day of school is one week from today. I am so screwed! I have to complete a paper (at least 15 pages, thank you very much), do 2 presentations, do a 1 page summary for one of the presentations, and study for an exam. Just thinking about it makes me want to curl up on my couch and take a nap. On the plus side, I'm pleased to report that my newly acquired AC is working like a dream - woot woot!

The good news is that I FINALLY have a topic for my final paper - hooray for me! Apparently what I want to be when I grow up is a writer. Who knew? I know, it's a shock to me too!

So what does that mean? Well, I will endeavour to write something here at least a few times per week as I flesh out what being a writer means to me and what direction I indend to take my writing. Expect to hear about the daily goings on in my life, pet peeve lists, and whatever else takes my fancy.

In the meantime, can someone please tell me how I can stop following my blog? Yeah, don't ask how that happened in the first place. While I'd like to have many followers, I'd like to remove my name (You Art to Know) from the list as it looks a tad bit narcissistic, even for me. Yes, I know my favourite saying is "It's all about me." , but c'mon.

It's like deja vu all over again!

2010-05-08T22:41:00.000-07:00

True to the saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same", I'm back at square one. Of course I have to ask myself if I ever really left this square.

I know, you're probably wondering what the heck I'm talking about. H'kay, let me fill you in.

As you well know, my capstone project was originally going to be on how I don't know what the heck I'm going to do with my education once I graduate. I happily stumbled into managing Jen's art career during one fateful meeting at the Pelly and thought I found a capstone project that I could be passionate about.

Guess again...

I had my first capstone meeting this weekend and let's just say things didn't go as planned. I presented my capstone outline to my prof and group, and discussed what the journey has been like for me thus far. I talked about what I've learned over the past few months as well as my personal trials and tribulations as the manager of an artist.

It turns out the true essence of what I'm doing for my capstone is figuring out my career path. Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so too.

The good news is that I will continue to manage Jen as I really love her art. The even better news is that I have an absolutely riveting topic for my capstone project: me!

Seriously though, it'll be good! In the meantime, anyone got a compass?

Twinkle Twinkle

2010-05-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get that feeling like you’ve got a lucky star shining down upon you? I’m living in an attitude of gratitude because I’ve got an awesome life.

Case in point, I’ve got amazing friends who are always there for me. One in particular that comes to mind is my dear friend Damien – marketing guru extraordinaire! Thanks to him I’ve got a plan, and it’s always good to have a plan.

In the meantime, let me update you on what’s been happening with Jen. I’m pleased to report that you can now see Jen’s art in 2 locations – The Pelican Rouge, and Five Corners Bistro. I highly recommend you check out both locations because as lovely as the photos of Jen’s paintings are, they really don’t do them justice.

For those of you who are itching to learn just how Jen does what she does, she’ll be teaching a class based on her metamorphosis series at Clipper Street Scrapbook Company in Langley. There’s a link here on the right side of the blog for you to register online and I recommend that you sign up while there are still spots available. Looking forward to seeing you there!

The Envelope Please

2010-04-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

We recently held a contest called the Every Picture Tells a Story Challenge. Fans of Jen’s art were invited to write a story inspired by one of her pieces and I have to say that all of the submissions we received were fantastic; I was so impressed by the amount of effort all of the contestants put into their stories. After much deliberation, we have finally picked a winner (not an easy task). I give you the winning story, The Bird Keeper’s Daughter, written by Trena Farnes…

THE BIRD KEEPER’S DAUGHTER

Yan Song lived with his beautiful daughter, Qui, in a remote village in the southwest area of mainland China. A bird keeper by trade, Yan was the meticulous caretaker of the largest bird sanctuary in the country. He spent every waking moment caring for the many winged creatures living amongst this small game preserve... which included rare and beautiful birds such as the Red Footed Falcon, Tibetan Partridge, Yellow Legged Buttonquail, and his favorite bird of all, the Asian Fairy Bluebird - whom he often said reminded him of his sweet and gentle daughter, Qui.

People came from all around to view the wondrous and exotic birds residing in this small, mountainous habitat - and to listen to Yan share his incredible knowledge of each and every species. Those visiting the sanctuary were also struck by Qui’s incredible beauty, as she truly was a vision of loveliness unsurpassed by any other woman in the land.

Yan realized his daughter had grown to be an attractive young woman, and soon her long, radiant, auburn hair and mystic green eyes would attract the attention of an aggressive suitor. But, for now, he relished every moment they spent together in the sanctuary, and was thankful for Qui’s apparent lack of interest in the many gentlemen callers who traveled near and far, simply to gaze upon her incredible beauty. His one hidden fear, however, was the growing rumor that Tai Li, the wicked Emperor of China, had sent his warriors across the land in search of the perfect bride. It was also a well known fact that this evil emperor had an extreme hatred of ‘birds’.

On one particularly cold September morning, as a flurry of light snow drifted about the open areas of the sanctuary, Yan and Qui were busy caring for an Oriental Plover that had been attacked by an aggressive White Eyed Buzzard, when, suddenly, a troop of men dressed in uniform burst through the sanctuary gates, followed by the royal emperor himself. The emperor was carried into the garden area upon an ornate bench of gold structure and plush red velvet padding. Two uniformed men grabbed Qui by the arm and paraded her in front of the emperor, as if she were some art form being presented for review. The emperor cocked his head slightly and stared at her with a glint of satisfaction, as one of the men thrust her to her knees at his feet. The emperor slowly lifted his hand, gave a casual twirl of his fingers, and said; “destroy those infernal birds!’

Qui screamed for her father and begged the men to stop as they dragged her out the sanctuary gates, toward one of many large horse drawn carriages sitting outside. As she was cast into the carriage, she could hear the desperate cries of her father calling out for her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the men holding Yan tightly against a post in the garden, binding him with thick, long leather straps.

Yan’s heart broke as he watched the emperor being seated in the carriage next to his daughter. He struggled with all his might, desperately trying to break free. The birds in the sanctuary squawked and squealed in a chaotic, fevered pitch as uniformed men sprayed a black oily substance in the air and around various areas of the sanctuary and garden - then began to set it ablaze.

As the carriage rolled away slowly, Qui stared out the small side window and sobbed – watching huge flames and dark, black smoke engulf the sanctuary that had been her home for seventeen years. She was fully aware her father had just been murdered by the very man who was about to become ...her husband.

It was evening as the carriage arrived at the palace. Qui’s intense sorrow weakened every fiber of her being. She could barely lift her head as she was escorted by palace guards from the carriage, through the dark courtyard, up a flight of marble stairs and down a long, narrow hallway to a small, dank and musty room. She was tossed into the chamber like a rag doll and could hear the metal clank of the door being locked firmly behind her.

As she laid there on the cold, bare floor… her body completely numb, she thought about how lifeless and colorless this enormous dwelling was. She had heard stories about this ruthless leader… how he sent armies to raid villages and small kingdoms - killing all who intervened simply to steal their valuables and add to his estate. Yet, with all the exotic artwork, statues, jeweled carvings and rich furnishings he had collected from around the world… there seemed to be absolutely no color, softness or joy anywhere about the palace. Qui prayed that this was all just a terrible dream and that ‘somehow’, this hellish nightmare could end - and she could once again hug her father… and never let go.

Qui awoke some time later to the sound of a key sliding in the lock on her door. She looked up to see the silhouette of a woman standing in the doorway, daylight pouring into the room around her. She would later realize this was one of the emperors’ maidservants who had come to prepare her for the royal wedding. Qui was to become the emperor’s new bride and it was this maidservant’s job to bathe her, dress her in royal attire, brush her long, auburn hair… and make her ‘presentable’ for the imperial ruler.

Fortunately, the emperor’s well known affection for daily wine and intoxication proved to be a helpful asset for Qui… to the extent that he was completely inebriated by midday, and thus, required very little personal time of Qui – which included their wedding night. The emperor had become so liquored during the course of the big day that he passed out stone cold drunk immediately after the ceremony and had to be carried to his chambers… alone … for which Qui was greatly relieved.

Over time, Qui befriended the maidservant and came to realize that, she too, had been kidnapped by the emperor. Qui and the maidservant became very close and spent many hours together, comforting each other in the dark, gloomy confines of the palace walls.

One morning, as the maid servant was preparing to brush Qui’s long, auburn colored hair, she drew open a large, velvet lined drawer in the bureau and reached for a tarnished hairbrush. There, next to the brush, Qui noticed a unique hair barrette, gold in color and adorned with beautiful deep blue gems. As she looked closer, she realized the hair clip was fashioned after the ‘Asian Fairy Bluebird’ her fathers most favorite winged creature!

Qui clutched the barrette tightly in her hands as if it could fly away at a moment’s notice, while the maidservant told the tale of its origin. According to legend, the bluebird hair band had originally been owned by a beautiful princess with magical powers. The maidservant then added; although this particular keepsake was merely one of many treasures the emperor had stolen over the years - from the day he returned to the palace with the jeweled barrette a solemn darkness fell upon him, and his entire kingdom.

At the very moment Qui secured the barrette into her long, red hair, everything in the room seemed ‘brighter’ and more colorful… as if a light had been lit from within. Colors seemed richer now and an air of happiness filled the room. Through the window they could see the sun coming out from behind the clouds and the landscape surrounding the palace looked, suddenly …more radiant! As the maidservant pushed open the chamber window they were shocked to hear the sweet, long unfamiliar sound of birds chirping merrily outside.

It had been more than a year since her kidnapping and the murder of her father. And for the first time in these many long, dreary months, Qui was beginning to feel a tinge of warmth in what was left of her broken heart. Everyone in the palace began to sense this new atmosphere of happiness and well being. Everyone, that is - except the emperor.

Clearly, the emperor was not at all fond of those around him feeling ‘pleasure’. He did not like the fact that he was now hearing music - and merriment was spreading throughout the palace. Nor did he care for the flowers in the garden or the sound of laughter in the courtyard, and, above all … he despised the singing birds!

As this gaiety filled the palace grounds and those living within, the emperor became increasingly agitated. He couldn’t help noticing how, every day, more and more birds could be seen flying about. Earlier and earlier each morning his alcohol induced slumber was being shattered by the singing of myriad birds, in all types and sizes. One particular morning, as the emperor thrust his hands over his ears and ran to his chamber window shouting obscenities, he got a clear glimpse of the primary caroler – a very rare blue bird, not typically seen in that area of the country. The emperor could take it no longer!

Pretending to be oblivious to the cheerfulness surrounding him, the emperor announced that a royal feast would be held in the master ballroom that very evening - and all were welcome to attend. The maidservant helped Qui as she dressed in a beautifully fitted silk gown in preparation for the evenings’ activities. Qui excitedly pinned the bluebird barrette in her hair and the two of them strode to the main dining area together.

After everyone had been seated at the long table, the kitchen staff began to place the large covered trays bearing the main entrée for the feast at the center and each end of the table - with the largest dish placed directly in front of the emperor. The emperor then tapped the rim of his wine glass three times with his soup spoon and announced; “Let this grand meal represent the appreciation I feel for my beautiful wife, ‘Qui’… and the joy she has brought to these palace grounds!”

Then, as the server slowly raised the silver cover from the tray, the emperor added; “…and I hope you all enjoy tonight’s main entrée… roasted Bluebird!”

Everyone at the table gasped as they looked upon the rare Asian Fairy Bluebird that had been killed and roasted to become the apparent main dish for the evening. Qui wept quietly into her napkin as the emperor took an enormous swig of red wine before stabbing his long fork into the small, lifeless bird. With an ugly, disgusting grin he shoved the large bite into his mouth, chewing loudly and wiping his face with the back of his fat little hand. As the others glared at the emperor with disdain, the smile suddenly drained from his face and his hand darted out to grab his wine glass once again. He cocked his head back in awkward, jerking motions and splashed what was left of his wine into his wide open gullet. He pounded at his chest as his eyes darted about the room in a frantic, futile search to gain someone’s attention, searching for someone to race to his aid.

By this time, everyone at the table had become aware… the emperor was choking to death. No one moved a muscle. As the emperor continued to gag and jerk about in his chair, his final incredulous thoughts reflected in wide eyed pleading expressions of fear… the top general merely lifted an unused napkin from the table and nonchalantly draped it over the emperor’s face. Soon, the entire room was silent.

The top general then raised his glass of wine, tapped the rim gently three times with a spoon, and announced; “Due to the current, unexpected events of the evening… tonight’s dinner plans have been cancelled.”

He then added, “However, we ask that you please join us tomorrow evening in the master ballroom – where we shall dine, dance and celebrate the crowning of our new Empress, the Imperial Ruler of all China; Qui Song… the Bird Keepers Daughter!”

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2010-04-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

Faithful readers, I'm pleased to report that I'm semester break until early May - what joy! Despite being on break, it appears that there's no rest for the wicked as I feel like I'm just as busy as ever.

A lot has been happening since my last post so let me fill you in on a few things....

One of my favourite sayings is "It's all about me.", so let's start there!

Yesterday was my 40th birthday so I decided I'd treat myself leading up to the big day. On Friday I went to Vancouver and did a little shopping at Fleuvog's. I tell ya, it was like the mother ship calling me home - I was in heaven! I bought myself a lovely pair of Lily Darlings (AKA - I'm not really turning 40 shoes) in red and I couldn't be happier. I've been coveting these shoes since they first came out and I figured this milestone year was just as good a time as any to finally take the plunge and buy them. I also justified the purchase by telling myself that they'll go perfectly with my graduating robes for my upcoming commencement ceremonies in October (it's good to be prepared). Truth be told, I would have bought out the store if I had a limitless supply of money!

After that I met my dear friend Carmen for a lovely lunch in Gastown, overlooking the water. Good food, great conversation, lovely view of our glorious coast - what more could a gal ask for? Naturally we ended up talking shop and I gleaned whatever I could as Carmen has a wealth of experience. She's a local artisan and has been in the biz for the past 15 years. She specializes in wearable fibre art - check her out at http://melonheadknitwear.blogspot.com/

I finished off the day on a high note with a little visit to Sephora. Ah Sephora, they never fail to deliver!

On the art front, I have loads of wonderful news to report. Jen has been a busy, busy bee. She's finished more paintings and they're absolutely fabulous! I swear, each time she finishes another painting, I have a new favourite. She's posted 2 new albums of paintings on the page called Vespaziani Artworks on Facebook. 1 album is called LoveWorks, and the other is Metamorphosis Series, and I promise you'll want to buy them all (I know I do).

As I said earlier, Jen's been a busy little bee and has posted a video on youtube of some of her work. To see the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFwRqrRJQ8Y
In addition, Jen has been working hard at creating an art class that she'll soon be teaching locally. More details to follow on that.

Finally, we recently held a little writing contest at Vespaziani Artworks. We invited fans to write short stories inspired by Jen's paintings. The submissions were all wonderful and we'll soon be announcing who's the lucky winner. I can't wait to find out who that is because even I don't know. As soon as I find out, I'll announce it here...and I may even post the winning story.

Housekeeping

2010-04-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I know it's been awhile since I last posted - as predicted, school has been keeping me as busy as a bee.
The good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and regular posts should be starting once again within about a week.

In the meantime, please remember to check us out on Facebook as we have posted pics of some new paintings (I think the metamorphosis series is my new fave!). As well, the you have just over a week to submit your stories for the Every Picture Tells a Story challenge. I've seen the painting that you could win and it's GORGEOUS.

Finally, you may have noticed that there is a Vespaziani Artworks group, and a Vespaziani Artworks page. In order to serve you better, we are transitioning from the group to the page. We hope to phase out the group in lieu of the page by the end of April so if you haven't already joined the page, please do so as we want to ensure you're kept up to date on all of the latest and greatest.

I think that's it for now. Time to get back to my homework.

Happy Easter!

Caravan Gals, Won'tcha Come Out Tonight?

2010-03-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Can I get a compass? They say it’s all about the journey, but shouldn’t you have some sort of idea where you’re going? When I first started writing this blog I don’t think I had a really clear idea of what I was doing. Or maybe I did. I think this blog was meant to track the journey of my Capstone project, and then the blog sort of morphed into a webpage for Jen’s art. Don’t get me wrong, both things are good, but shouldn’t I just pick one theme and stick with it? Do I have to pick just one theme and stick with it?

When I first proposed this project to my prof, she told me to pay attention to my inner dialogue. All I can say is that that’s a whole lot of conversations to keep track of. First of all, I’m nearing the end of my schooling and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my education. I suppose I should finally get myself one of those things you often hear people talking about – what are they called? Oh yeah, a career.

So what is a career? Well, Dictionary.com’s definition is “an occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework”. I’ve always thought that a career is a professional job that a person not only enjoys, but is good at too. I feel like I’ve spent most of my life working towards a career, but I just haven’t figured out what my calling is.

When I say most of my life, I’m really not exaggerating. In 1976 the United Nations held an international conference on Human Settlements in Vancouver. My aunt worked for the UN and I thought that working there would be the ultimate. To that end, I made my parents enrol me in French Immersion because I planned on becoming a translator for the UN...that is until I learned that most translators there are kinda crazy because their jobs are VERY stressful.

Despite no longer wanting to be a translator, I stuck with my studies in French, and went on to study public relations...and then it was conflict resolution...and then there was my foray into alternative healing. Yup, I’m certified in EFT, NLP, and Hypnosis (look deep into my eyes). What else? Oh yeah, there’s the whole greeting card business, which was followed by my entering university.

So here I am, nearing the end of university, just a breath away from turning 40, and still no clear direction on my career path. I’m managing Jen’s art career and I’m very aware of the magnitude of the responsibility. I’ve never done this before and now I’m looking after things like marketing and contracts – which reminds me, gotta dust off my law text and brush up on contract law.

So back to this whole blog thing. It reminds of when Jennifer and I were in our early 20’s and we’d go on road trips together. We dubbed ourselves “The Caravan Gals” and were of the opinion that we could do anything because we were “Caravan Gals”. We travelled well together and one of the best things about our trips was that we’d never really have a plan. Each time we’d reach an intersection, we’d ask each other if we should go right, left, or straight ahead.

Our maps were used not to figure out where we wanted to go, but to figure out where we were. On our journeys we had a myriad of experiences that included feeding a homeless person, sending an officer on a police chase after an armed person, Shakespeare, and sleeping in the redwoods.

So do I really have to have a clear direction for this blog? Maybe not. After all, I’m a Caravan Gal.

You Know You Want It

2010-03-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

Whoosh! That's how life feels these days. That's why I think it's really important to keep in mind the profound statement made by one of the great minds of the 80's. Of course, I'm referring to none other than Ferris Bueller. This very wise man once said "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."

So what has happened? As you know, less than 2 weeks ago this blog was started, and on Facebook we launched the group Vespaziani Artworks. To say the least, the response has been absolutely phenominal. To date, we have 121 members who belong to the group, and sales for Jennifer's art are brisker than ever. If there's a particular piece you've got your eye on, I suggest you buy it now because it'll be gone if you wait too long.

One of the interesting things that we've noticed is that people get so attached to Jennifer's art that they've taken to developing stories around her different paintings. To that end, we recently launched the "Every Picture Tells a Story Challenge" on Facebook. Anybody can participate and all you have to do is write a story based on on one of Jennifer's pieces of art and post it under the corresponding artwork heading on the Discussions page on Facebook before the deadline on April 11, 2010. The winner will recieve a much coveted original piece of artwork created by Jennifer.

I'm nearing the end of this semester and homework demands have kicked into high-gear. Papers to write, presentations to give, the list goes on and on. Because of that, I'm afraid to tell you, my dear readers, that my postings may be a bit spotty between now and Easter.

Fear not though my friends, because all is not lost. Jennifer and I have been working hard on this blog and on the Facebook page, Vespaziani Artworks, to make them even better. For those of you who don't have a Facebook account, we've added a tab called Artworks where you see some of Jennifer's work.

In the meantime, we look forward to reading your submissions.

Dive Right In

2010-03-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

It's official; the group "Vespaziani Artworks" has finally been launched on Facebook. I hereby invite all of you readers to join the group and check out Jennifer's creations. Yes, I'm going on the assumption that there are THOUSAND of you readers out there.

I must admit that I'm both surprised and delighted at just how quickly this all came together. Jennifer and I first met for coffee on February 12th and look how far we've come in such a short period of time!

I also recommend that you act immediately if you see any pieces that you'd like to buy as her artwork is flying off of the walls at the Pelican Rouge. Case in point, just as Jennifer was finishing hanging "Love is in the Air", a gentlemen told her that she had better find another picture to hang as he was buying that one. Oh yeah, I believe he ended up buying multiple pictures!!!

If you're in the White Rock area, I highly recommend you taking a mosey over to the Pelican Rouge to see her work in person as the photos really don't do justice to the pieces. For those of you already familiar with Jennifer's work, stay tuned as I believe she'll have a few more pieces available in the next week or two.

On a final note, I want to pass on a message from the artist, Jennifer Vespaziani. A lot of artists have a lot to say when it comes to their work. Jennifer feels that her piece "Silence" best embodies her work and her message. Her wish is that you feel what she gives you through the art. "Don't hear what I have to say; feel what I have to give."

It's been a long day, not to mention long week so I think I'm off to Bedfordshire for the evening. G'night!

Making a Splash

2010-03-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Okay so here's the scoop...Jennifer Vespaziani is a woman that I've been friends with since we were sweet young thangs back in high school. Ahem, since high school.

We've taken very different paths in life and so consequently over the years we've drifted in and out of each others' lives. A good example of the different paths we've taken is that she was married in a blown out cave in the Himilayas, by an 85 year old Holy Man. My last vacation was spent celebrating my birthday in Las Vegas with my Mom (she may be in her 70's but she's a lot of fun to travel with).

I spend my time pushing paper, both at work and at school. Jennifer spends her time with her husband Matt, their daughter Kaya, and a little chihuahua called Zorro. In and amongst the day-to-day runnings of a household, Jennifer has managed to carve out a magical world of her own. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, she's a very talented artist who has been quietly honing her craft. She began posting her creations on Facebook, garnering more and more praise from friends and family until one day her sister pushed her into taking the next step; displaying her art for sale. That was late in 2009 and artwork has been selling like hotcakes with clients from across the country.

I have fallen in love with Jennifer's art and we recently met for coffee at the Pelican Rouge in White Rock to catch up on old times and what's going on in our lives. Very quickly into our meeting we discovered this was more than just a cuppa; this was a meeting with a purpose - I needed a subject for my Capstone project and Jennifer needed someone to manage her blossoming art career. Can you say worlds colliding?

I hereby invite you to join us on our journey as we learn all about getting a new artist off the ground and making her a success.

If you're on Facebook, we'll soon be launching a page called Vespaziani Artworks. On this page will be a portfolio of Jennifer's work thus far, along with descriptions, dimensions, prices, and info on where you can buy her masterpieces. I'll let you know when we've launched the page.

Toe in Water

2010-02-28T23:54:00.000-08:00

Do I dare?

They say it's all about the journey so I'm contemplating getting into the canoe. While I'm feeling excited about it, I must admit that I'm a wee bit nervous. Okay, so I'm not talking about a real canoe...please bear with me.

I'm almost 40 (eek!) and I'm thisclose to finishing my undergraduate degree at SFU. To be more specific I'm in my final month of my 2nd to last semester! It's been quite a ride complete with dips, curves, rapids, and yes, some cozy little coves. One of our courses next semester is called Capstone and it is essentially "this is what I've learned, and this is what I intend to do with it". Can you say panic?

I had pretty much resigned myself to the notion that my final project would be on how I don't know what the heck I intend to do with my education. Before I started the program I had so many plans - BIG ONES! The past 3 years have been a lot of work and yes, a lot of it has been very rewarding...but it's still been a lot of work and my classmates and I are feeling a little worse for wear.

The good news is that fate has smiled upon me and given me a wonderful gift; a capstone project that I can feel passionate about! I will be working with someone on my project and I'm so excited about it all that I'm itching to get started, hence the blog.

Before I announce my project on here, I have to clear it with my partner so fingers crossed that very soon it'll be all systems go. I'll keep you posted.