I met Angela while we worked together at a framing shop in San Francisco, and she's one of the most dedicated and genuine artists I've had the privilege to know. While we were both still working together, she told me she had started crotcheting "the blanket of DOOM," which was her biggest crotchet undertaking to date. That was over a year ago, and yesterday, she finally finished it.

Angela works mainly in black and white these days, and while she is a painter as well, crotchet is currently her main medium of choice. She's constantly yarn-bombing around Oakland these days, and has created several crotchet pieces which are just as outspoken as she is. We've talked before about the feminist, not necessarily "feminine" strength of this craft. Crotchet has a tangibility with the potential to speak volumes beyond flat paper or canvas. 

Angela runs an incredible blog over at Blackland. I highly suggest you check it out.

I'm very excited to announce that one of my poems is in the newest issue of On The Cusp, which is a submission-based zine run out of Chicago. Each publication has a one-word theme, which is always interpreted in incredibly interested and meaningful ways--some of which you would never expect. 

I keep pretty quiet about my writing, as my creative focus is primarily on my visual art and songwriting--but Matt has repeatedly encouraged me to keep active at it. He's in the issue as well.

The responses to After's theme are more often reflections on times of loss; but also attempts at recovery and reconciliation. You can read the entire issue here.

I'm lucky to live a few blocks away from Temescal Alley, an amazing, artsy oasis fashioned out of old horse stables. East Bay artisans, crafters, entrepreneurs and even doughnut-makers have all found home here for their storefronts, and they have quite a lot to offer. Here are some of my favorite stores in the enclave. 

Image courtesy of Walrus 

I stumbled into Walrus last Saturday with a friend, and we were totally taken by their store and variety of furniture and home goods. We spoke to Wendy, who co-owns Walrus with her business partner, Camille, who spoke at length about their focus on upcycling vintage materials for use in reupholstered furniture, lighting, and even stuffed whales and squirrels (who are pictured below). 

Very fashionable and chic whale and squirrel, courtesy of Walrus. 

Wendy and Camille have great deals for custom work, and you can also find their goodies on Etsy.

Image courtesy of Crimson Horticultural Rarities

This was the very first storefront I went into when I visited Temescal Alley, and being yet another succulent/cacti aficionado, I fell in love. Crimson doesn't only carry succulent and terrarium materials, though. Crimson curators, floral designers and co-owners Alison Futeral and Leigh Okies handpick tons of artisanal soaps, reclaimed materials, and...pheasant wings to turn your home into something straight out of Portlandia (but let's all be honest, who wouldn't love that?). 

Also, they apparently sell herb and vegetable starters on Saturday afternoons now! I might go pick some up tomorrow (they start at $2-4, I believe).

And last but not least, we have Doughnut Dolly--a Kickstarter-funded, one-woman-owned operation that's serving up amazing old-fashioned doughnuts that are filled to order. Hannah Hoffman named her shop for the Red Cross volunteers who brought coffee and doughnuts to soldiers during WWI and WWII. The doughnuts themselves are beautifully fluffy and fun to eat, and each flavor of filling that I've tried has been DELICIOUS. 

Perhaps one of the best things about these three businesses is that they are all woman-owned. It's incredibly encouraging for young female entrepreneurs or freelancers to see other women succeeding in such interesting, out-of-the-box careers.

This was my first time visiting New York as an adult, so I had a very different experience at 25 compared to the one I had at 10. I found that it really isn't so overwhelming in parts that are off the beaten track--although there is an unmistakable energy there that feels very much alive. No matter what time Matt and I were out walking around, nothing felt dormant. 

In-flight sketching.

Because Matt and I only had 2 full days there, we decided to have one Brooklyn day and one Manhattan day. We started out with Williamsburg, which is apparently the new "hip" place to go these days. Walking down the main strip of Bedford Avenue felt very much like Valencia Street in the Mission District, or a bit like Temescal/Piedmont in Oakland.

We happened to stumble upon the Brooklyn Art Library, which happens to house almost 30,000 sketchbooks that are involved in the nationwide Sketchbook Project. I had heard about this project several times in the past, and it was really amazing to see so many sketchbooks in one place. Apparently, the sketchbooks in this library come from 135 different countries!

The coolest feature of the Brooklyn Art Library is that you can continually check out sketchbooks to read and flip through, based on different themes, categories, and even hashtags! The librarian receives your inquiry for books, and you receive one that relates to your chosen theme, and one "surprise" sketchbook of any category. It's a wonderful, down-to-earth way to get exposure to all types of art and artists.

The top sketchbook was music-themed.

We had a great view of Manhattan Island from the East River State Park in Brooklyn. It was nice to see everything from a more mellow place. We also checked out the Prospect Park neighborhood, too.

I didn't get too many pictures of our time in the MOMA (focused on seeing everything through eyes and not a camera lens), but here are some highlights--including pictures from the National show!

From the Ace Hotel photobooth.

The Ace Hotel is so incredibly gorgeous (and they have Stumptown coffee!). Maybe someday I'll be able to stay there for a night or two.

Rare Book Room at the Strand.

I was exceptionally excited to visit the Strand Bookstore after hearing so much about it. It reminded me a lot of Powell's Books in Portland, in that I could happily live there, reading all day. 

A beautiful church facade across from the Park Avenue Armory (where we saw the band).

The National.

I can't really describe what it was like seeing my favorite band in such an intimate setting. I've seen them three times before, but this was a totally different feeling. Anyone who's seen the band knows how visceral and engaging their performances are, and this one was no different. But being able to see them up close and notice the small details amplified the entire experience.

They played a ton of songs off of the new album, Trouble Will Find Me, which all sounded incredible. The show was taped, and will be aired on Live From The Artists' Den sometime this summer. 

And now, it's back to normal in Oakland. Spending time in New York was so inspiring, and I think I brought back a bit of that 24-7 energy with me. I hope I can bring it into my art practice, because I have lots of ideas brewing. 

Last week, The Artists Den announced The National Flyaway Contest. To enter, you had to submit a creative piece of work that was inspired by or deeply connected to one of The National's songs. I decided to submit my newest illustration, Stacks, as work that was inspired by "Guest Room," one of my favorite songs off of their 2007 album, Boxer.

On Wednesday, I found out that I WON!!!

On Sunday, Matt and I will be leaving for NYC, and we'll get to see an exclusive taping of The National, hosted by The Artists Den. We'll have two full days there. I am still in shock.

This is way more than just a contest to me--it's also a huge validation of my art direction and an encouragement of my illustration endeavors. ALL ASIDE from the fact that this is my favorite band. My friends, family and coworkers have been so incredibly supportive, and I am totally floored. This definitely feels like the beginning of lots of big things.

Here's "Guest Room" for reference. 

This was my third time traveling north to Oregon, and I can only say that it becomes more painful to leave each time I do. I have deep love in my heart for the Bay Area, and despite everything, I always will. I truly grew up and figured out the life I want for myself because this environment allowed me to do so. But I am still in a transitional state partly because this particular environment isn't allowing me to pursue my art career wholeheartedly. San Francisco is a cut-throat place, particularly for those pursuing any creative art. Job stability is no longer a given, and I currently work in the administrative field as a means of gaining stability and saving for the future. 

 Because I'm still working towards a creative career and establishing myself as an artist/musician, I do think it's important to stay in the Bay Area for the time being. It's my hope to get started as a freelancer here, so that I can then have the flexibility to move around (and move north). But for now, Oregon can expect frequent visits from yours truly. 

I know that I'm smart enough to finally get myself on track towards an illustration career, and that this year will mark a huge change in my life. Oakland has felt like a sunny step in the right direction, and it makes complete sense for both of us right now. But it's a relief to know that my dream state is rooted in a true reality that is possible and beautiful. I will keep working north.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip.

I'm excited to finally have some new work to share with all of you (this has meant a slight hiatus from The Slug Kitchen, but I will be back with new recipes very, very soon!).

This year, ArtSpan is holding a contest for the cover of their annual SF Open Studios guide, which they publish every fall for the event. Tons of local artists open their studios and spaces to the public over a month-long period, and each weekend brings new neighborhoods into the spotlight. It's a great chance for collectors to connect with artists on a more personal level, as well as for art students to get a look into more polished portfolios of finished work.

The idea was to derive inspiration from the streets of San Francisco. While there were several possibilities for this prompt, I went with something quite recognizable--the architecture. Ever since my first visit, I've always been in quiet fascination of the stacks of Victorian houses that signify this odd city. These houses can be quite loud in color and overly ornate in construction during the day, but at night, they look like old, towering ghosts. San Francisco is full of contradictions and opposites, and to me, these houses reflect that. 

I've been meaning to explore themes of home more in my work--I've done these "ghost" houses a few times in the past, and I think I'll continue the trend. I'm happiest with this piece, as I was able to polish it up a bit in Photoshop. I like the mix of the hard edges with the small imperfections throughout--as Margaret Kilgallen would say, "that's where the beauty is."

I first discovered Philippa's work on Tumblr, where I came across her "Soppy" comics. I think they're brilliant and poignant, and her style truly lends itself to the honest, true nature of relationships.

These might seem like unremarkable scenes--brushing teeth together, reading in bed--but these are some of the many "little things" that are actually bigger things, if you think about it. It's in these simple scenes that Philippa represents the understated aspects of being with someone--some of which I would consider the most precious.

In addition to illustration, Philippa does animation, collage, and web comics through a variety of mediums (one being cardboard). You can find her main website here and her Tumblr here. She works out of Nottingham, UK.

This illustration is heavily, if not entirely inspired by Colin Meloy's Wildwood,  which I had the pleasure of reading a couple months ago. Wildwood is a cross between C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, and the crazy pirate-Russia-history-inspired songs of Colin's band, The Decemberists.

While Wildwood is generally classified as a novel for young adults, this story is for all ages and varieties of fantasy/adventure lovers. While the main plot remains innocent enough, there are moments when the tone becomes incredibly somber, and events unfold violently. 

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Carson Ellis (who happens to be Colin's wife), and her illustrations for Wildwood were incredibly important to the story. It would not have been the same without her work.

I decided to do my own take on Prue, the main character and heroine of this story. Ivy is a very strong motif and metaphor in the novel, possessing the supernatural power to end life for all inhabitants of Wildwood (The Impassible Wilderness) if controlled by evil. I wanted to experiment with format on this one, having the ivy act as the image border rather than edge out from the center. I'm happy with where it's going, and I think writing about this project is giving me the motivation to finish it. 

I will post an update when it's done! xx

I am feeling incredibly inspired this morning thanks to a monumentally talented artist by the name of Teagan White.  I stumbled across her work on Tumblr and was completely enamored with her expert use of color and dedication to detail. She works primarily in gouache, graphite, watercolor, and also manipulates her work in Photoshop.

Her subject matter revolves around the interaction of wildlife and nature, but she also dives into expression through typography. She employs an expert sense of design and composition while pushing boundaries of legibility to acheive these striking images. I'd also like to point out how extremely clean and sharp her execution is--that's something I am continuing to work on. 

She posts works in progress and talks a bit about her process on her Tumblr, and you can also follow her on Instagram.