happy new year (of the pig studio) !

i have decided that owning a cat is just like owning a small space heater, but without the cost of an electrical bill.

the cold air has moved into the bay area and it seems it is officially ‘winter’ around here. after living in new york and seattle, a california ‘winter’ is fairly laughable. it was probably around october, in both seattle and new york, that i would unearth my comforter (that had been safely nestled in my closet during the summer months) and happily slip under it to keep myself that much warmer as the air outside grew colder. i do not have a comforter here and have been sleeping under the same blanket since october. however, in the last week or two, i have felt some chills at night when turning in for bed, but those chills soon subside as my space heater cat snuggles up next to me.

i have also come to the realization that when i lived in new york (where snow was likely) and seattle (where snow was possible), i was always looking forward to the snow and so very disappointed when it did not fall much or at all, respectively. living down here in san francisco, where snow will never be likely to fall, i have felt no disappointment at it not being here. that said, it hardly feels like winter. hell, i was still sporting t-shirts during december and will likely sport them year round. and that said, i failed to wish all of you a Very Merry Happy Holidays and New Year ! the holidays seemed to flash by more quickly than usual and i think a lot (if not most) of that had to do with the climate. so, my apologies for my belated Happy This and Happy That.

i have so much i want to say, but at the moment i feel the need to keep this brief. so, here’s the list ::

1. A Collage a Day Keeps the Doctor Away :: i do not believe in New Year’s Resolutions. when i was younger, i thought they were very important, but then i grew up and came to my senses. january 1st is just like any other day of the year. the only impact a new year seems to have upon me these days is really more of an annoyance :: you suddenly have to add a digit to the year you’ve come to know so well when writing the date upon a piece of paper. i have no doubts that i will, well into March, still be writing (and then scratching out) ‘2010’ at the end of every date i write. after 365 days, i finally got used to writing 2010 and now, suddenly, i have to write 2011. ugh. but i did make a pact with myself for this year, so maybe i did, in fact, make a god-forbidden resolution. that every day, for the next year, i will make a new collage. i do think this will be a good exercise for me, personally, but i do wonder if this is merely an attempt for me to remember to write 2011 instead of 2010. regardless, here are my first two collages of the year ::

“road to nowhere” // 01.01.2011

“a sorta fairytale” // 01.02.2011

2. when it comes to holiday presents, i much prefer making presents over buying them. economically, this is a good thing. however, being the professional procrastinator that i am, this is a bad thing. this means that i leave all of my projects until the very last minute. think twenty-four-hours-before-christmas last minute. due to my last minute-ness, i make a whole slew of gifts, wrap them, pack them, and board a plane home. it is usually around half way through the flight that i suddenly realize that i have made some really cool pieces and failed to scan any of them and therefore have no documentation of them which means i cannot share them with the public. this is remarkably bad planning and it has been happening for years. i do hope that, one day, i learn my lesson. i did, however, scan two of the pieces that i made for my coworkers. i asked each of them to name their two favorite animals. why, you ask ? because i am a huge enormous fan of combining words both verbally and visually. so, without further ado, meet ‘Catuffalo’ (cat and buffalo) and ‘Horion’ (horse and lion) ::

“catuffalo”

“horion”

it’s getting late and i do realize that my so-called list consists of two items. i am feeling rather pathetic now. here is the rest of my list which i will, not before too long, go into detail ::

3. i fell in love and his name is Epoxy

4. did i just agree to be a teacher ?

5. i am about to start my own store on etsy that involves handmade boxes and cards

6. i have so many photographs you haven’t seen and need to. which reminds me, i need to organize my life.

7. a wedding website

8. my opinion(s) on watercolor

9. last, but certainly not least, a Russian New Year

i bid you all a fine day or night, depending on when you read this.

[a collage a day :: mixed media on illustration board and chip board][catuffalo & horion :: mixed media on wood panel]

jessi