A New Look

painting by Rosa Phoenix

Happy New Year!

It is time for a new look! 


A new look could mean many different things. A clearer vision. A fresh, changed perspective. A different appearance and image. A focus that wasn't there before.

For me, all of these meanings apply.


I got new glasses. As an artist and visual person, it's especially important to make sure my eyes are healthy. With my new specs, I feel I am seeing clearly again, with new eyes! Everything looks clearer, sharper, more true! I am not getting the tension headaches I used to get. Please, get your eyes checked regularly!

I have a new design for my website, www.rosaphoenix.com  I actually made my new site on Blogger. I wanted to make changes easily, and put the focus on my art. Blogger allows me to do this. I can't believe how much work I put into designing and building my old site in HTML, and I definitely could be working smarter, not harder. My new mantra is K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Sweetie) and this is definitely more simple.

I'm excited to announce a new service: writing for artists. This combines my love for art and writing, and my fondness for artists, my kindred spirits. I do all kinds of writing for artists including art essays, artist interviews, press releases, web content . . . whatever helps the artist communicate with collectors and the public!

Please visit www.artistwriting.com for more information.

2010 was an exciting year for me. I launched my business and learned a lot. It was a year of exploration and figuring out how best to focus my energies. I decided to concentrate on creating my own art, and writing for artists.

I will probably be blogging less frequently, and more thoughtfully, in 2011. I hope that I will be able to write more articles about creativity for this blog and 365 just show up, and more art reviews and artist interviews for Artists Up Rising.

Please bear with me, while I'm finding my way. I so appreciate all your kind and supportive comments, as well as the inspiration I get from seeing your art and reading your thoughts. This is really a wonderful experience for me, and while I may know you only "virtually" for me the connection is real and meaningful.

What changes will you be making in 2011?

I Love Old Books

book by TeoStudio

Now that we have e-books, real books are becoming obsolete. 

I've said farewell to many of my favorite bookstores, where I used to hang out for hours. I loved the soft chairs, the smells of the books and discovering books and authors.

Sadly, these places where I spent happy afternoons have all gone out of business. Sorry, but Amazon.com and the iPad just aren't the same!

I will always love old books. I have some really old ones I've picked up, I even have one that is 100+ years old.

Luckily the art of bookmaking is still alive and well. And there are even some new uses for old books, too.

miniature book by TeoStudio

I discovered TeoStudio on Etsy. This wonderful bookbinder uses worn, vintage leather and antique hardware to create one-of-a-kind blank books.

book by TeoStudio

Another Etsy seller, spoonfulofchocolate recycles old books into cute handbags.

recycled book handbag by spoonfulofchocolate

book handbag by spoonfulofchocolate

For my birthday I got this wonderful case for my MacBook. Made by Twelve South, it's called Book Book.

BookBook by Twelve South

The best part is it smells like an old book.


I also love PaperBlanks line of dayplanners, address books and journals that look like beautiful old books.

PaperBlank dayplanner

Do you cherish old books? What about bookstores? How are you adjusting to the transition to digital media?



LINKS


TeoStudio on Etsy

TeoStudio Vintage Journals Blog (please take a look if you are interested in the book-making process...it's fascinating!)

Spoonful of Chocolate on Etsy

Twelve South

PaperBlanks

Custom Crayon House Portraits now in my Etsy Shop

crayon drawing by Rosa Phoenix

Do you want a custom crayon portrait of your home? I'll create an original drawing just for you, in my signature palette of sunny rainbow colors. I'm now offering custom crayon house portraits in my Etsy shop!

House Portrait in Crayon

Visit my Etsy Shop

My Etsy Shop Is Open!

World Mother Greeting Cards

by Rosa Phoenix

I opened an Etsy shop! If you don't know about Etsy, please check it out! It is a great marketplace for artists and craftspeople, who are selling mostly handmade, original artworks and products.

The very first item for sale is a set of 8 blank greeting cards and envelopes printed with the image of  "World Mother." Affordable art, you can save one to put in a frame, and give away the others.
 

This is my original painting that debuted at my 2008 Earth Day Art Show. That show was a milestone for me. It was my first art show, and we raised money for Trees for the Future to plant 1,000 trees. In 2009, for Earth Day, "World Mother" was also my very first blog post. So, for Earth Day 2010, "World Mother" makes her debut on Etsy!

There are so many reasons to support artists. The Earth is one reason.

Just say NO! to factory-produced, mass-market garbage! Many of the artists on Etsy re-use, recycle and re-purpose materials that would otherwise go to the landfill. Instead of creating trash, they create treasures.

LINKS

Rosa Phoenix Shop on Etsy

Etsy

Trees for the Future