Direct Check Out

Etsy recently created a Direct Checkout. That basically means that Etsy now accepts credit card payments directly instead of going through PayPal. This is great because many people hate setting up a Paypal account just to buy something, I think we all have enough accounts floating around the web. I can't remember or even count how many little accounts I've opened just to see or buy something, urgh.

byMarta

Anyway, it should simplify things a bit and I'm glad they did it. Please stop by my shop and have a look see. there are many new items on sale, including new knits and accessories.http://bymarta.etsy.com

Crafts in Chelsea

My next Craft Fair will held this weekend May 19th, 2012, in Chelsea, NYC. Below id all the info. please come by and support local artists, browse unique creations, and indulge in local grub:

Postcards I got to hand out. Super cute.

Preparing for Craft Fairs

Tomorrow will be my first Craft Fair where I'll be vending my wares. I've helped sell for others before, but this one is my first where I'll actually be selling my own stuff. It took my all month to prepare and I'm confident enough to say "I'm ready".

A great shout out and thanks to Handmadeology for sharing a "The Ultimate Craft Show Preparation List" post with all the necessary links that helped me prepare.

Below are some progress shots and finished products. Yay, I'm so excited.

Bottle cap hair clips featuring miniature prints of my art.

Pinback buttons of my artwork, all packaged and ready for the fair.

Hair Bow Ponytail holders handmade out of lace, vintage fabric, and bottle caps 

featuring miniature prints of my original paintings.

Handmade hair bow barrettes and brooches.

Go Green Greenpoint Festival!!!

This upcoming Saturday, May 5th, will be my very first crafts fair. It will be held at McCarren park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for the Earth Day Celebration. The festival will focus on earth friendly merchandise, art, activities for the kids, and classes, check out the poster below for more info.

I will have a 10x10 space to exhibit my wares: giclee art prints on earth friendly bamboo paper, upcycled bottle cap accessories with miniature print of my art enclosed with resin, hair bow clips and ties from recycled fabric (very cute), as well as magnets, pinback buttons, and pocket mirrors.

If you have no plans this weekend, or happen to to be on the neighborhood, or just want to support earth day, then come down to McCarren Park for the Go Green Greeinpoint, Earth Day Festival.

New Accessories in Progress

With just 2 weeks left until my first EVER Craft Fair in brooklyn, I am trying to diversify my inventory and add some variety to it. So I decided to make my artworks portable. I'm currently working on my wearable art collection: hair clips, hair ties, pendants, and lockers featuring miniture prints of my paintings.

Cutting out 1 inch circles out of felt for hair accessories.

Hair bows and ribbons out of trimmings, lace, and Parisian vintage silk, oo-la-la.

I actually had a lot of fun doing these, and I am by no means crafty and hate sewing. So, I'm kinda proud of myself for that, felt a bit like Martha Stewart.

More to come: hair clips out of bottle caps, how thrifty of me :o)

Dawn: Original Oil Painting

A light, refreshing piece of a girl lying in the dessert field at dawn, with her hair softly flowing on the ground. I like how this piece is almost monotone, mainly in the yellow/green family pallette. I feel it has a very serene mood and whenever I look at it I feel calm and at ease.

Daydream

6x10

Oil paints on canvas, graphite

close up details

Pinnochio Inspired Paintings

I did a small series of 3 paintings based on Buratino, the Russian version of the Pinnochio. Buratino was published in 1936 by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, after Carlo Collodi's Pinnochio. The main characters are Buratino, Malvina, and Pierrot.

"Buratino"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

12x12

Buratino is a long nosed wooden puppet carved by Papa Carlo. This one is actually more closely related to Pinnochio than the actual Butratino. I chose to do this version because it's more contrasting, Buratino's tones were too similar to Malvina's.

"Malvina"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

12x12

Malvina is a beautiful blue haired girl puppet. She is sarcastic and unfazed, but a loyal friend. 

She has a pet poodle names Artemon.

"Peirrot"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

12x12

Pierrot is a sad looking puppet who is also a poet and madly in love with Malvina.

Giclee Canvas: Mushrooms

Introducing Giclee Prints of my mushroom trio, printed on stretched canvas. I am very impressed with the quality.

I have done extensive research to find a good, reliable printing company. I must have spent months researching and contacting different printers. Many were simply unreliable, unavailable,  and I felt they didn't care. I'm not going to name names as this is not a venting post.

Anyway, I am very satisfied with these canvas. The Canvas arrived a week after I ordered and were sealed with maximum protection (took me a while to unpack it). They even attached hooks on the back for hanging and little velvet dots to keep the painting form bumping into the wall, so it doesn't damage the painting or the wall.

On sale at byMarta:

Etsy shop is now open.

That's right, after much time spent procrastinating, I finally dove in and opened my Etsy shop byMarta. Now if you go on Etsy and look up my shop, you may notice that I registered in 2008, thats not a typo, It's sad to admit that yea it took me that long. But now that I have everything planned, organized and got my giant grey monster (aka my archival printer) I am all set to go.

So far I have listed a few giclee painting of my whimsical mushrooms, a couple of original painting from my Buratino series, and couple of magnets of my mushrooms. Hoping to be productive this weekend and list some giclee prints.

Please check out my byMarta Etsy shop, comment as you see fit.

New Work: Progress

I tend to be more of a starter than a finisher. I have about 9 paintings I need to finish, but that doesn't stop me from starting new ones. Once I get an idea, I get a jolt of energy and motivation to start on it - finishing it is another story.

Anyway, before I bore you with my rambling. Here is a new piece I started on.
A sketch in graphite on wood panel. It's so cute. I hope I can finish it by Easter.

 

Eve

I've noticed that I'm really drawn to green tones when painting, actually all earth tones in general. not sure why that is yet. But that brings me to this very green painting "Eve". I love the rich moss green colors. I was debating whether or not to add an apple but decided not to. I like it just as it is, a portrait of the first natural beauty, Eve. Beauty was her downfall, for she couldn't resist the temptation of a perfect apple.

"Eve"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

8x10in

More Shrooms

Another little shroom is born. Say hello to NIGHT FALL .

Night Fall

6x6

Oil paints, graphite.

The little fellow spends all his free time playing in the leaves, usually around night time. Just look at that big smile. Such simple times when we were kids and playing in the leaves was so much fun, except my curfew was at sundown.

The painting is done is oil and graphite on canvas measuring 6x6x2. I love working on smaller scale canvas. I feel like I have more control over details and it's easier to keep proportions in check.

Available as a giclee print at my Etsy shop. Be sure to stop by and check it out.

Peace: oil painting

A while back I sketched out an image of a tree branch curved to look like a peace sign. Originally I thought it would look cool in watercolor and printed on a shirt or something. But then I really wanted to paint it and fit a little cute birdie inside the peace sign. I'm really happy wiht the result. I like the deep contrast of the dark wood against the bright blue background and the subtlety of the cherry blossoms.

"Peace"

Oil and Ink on Canvas

12x12

The subtle cherry blossoms filling in the gaps of the branches, completing the peace sign. Cherry Blossoms have been identified with many symbolisms, among which is the theme of moratality. The delicate flowers that only bloom for a short time then die conveys the fragile circle of life that many take for granted. I think they fit perfectly with the theme of Peace. As many take life for granted, holding on to grudges and filling their hearts with grief and hate, cherry blossoms serve as a reminder to instead take the limited time we have to enjoy the simple things and learn to be at peace.

Since ancient times, birds have been symbols of freedom and a link between the heaven and earth. Inspiration that soars the sky without limits.

Well, I hope you like it. Comments are greatly appreciated.

Wild Shrooms

 

My series of mushroom creatures started with these three little guys I did for the Charming Gallery in NYC. They were on display last year. Since then, my love for all things shrooms grew and now I have about a dozen shroom painting I'm trying to finish.I don't remember exactly how the idea came about. It might have been after attending the Tim Burton exhibit at the MoMA( which was mind blowing by the way) and remembering the old Alice in Wonderland cartoon with the talking flowers in the garden.

"Wild Thing"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

6x6 in

"Autumn Dawn"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

6x6 in

"Foliage"

Oil and Graphite on Canvas

6x6 in

Summer Melancholy

"Summer Melancholy"

Oil, Graphite, Pastel

Wood panel

One of my first paintings on a wood panel. I was experimenting with color washes on wood. And I must admit, painting on wood surface is a luxury. The paints glide on so much smoother. The end result is soft, subtle and dreamy.

So apparently, this is almost a self portrait (although I didn't meant for it to be that). A lot of my friends have commented that it looks like me, not sure if I agree. Then again, I suppose many artist paint themselves into their work. Take Leonardo de Vinci's "Mona Lisa" that has been speculated to be his own self portrait by some historians.