Bands, Band Aids and the Art of Breathing

I'm pretty sure I looked a lot like that for the last couple of months but lookee, it's Santa season and it's time to put on a good face now. I've been in recovery mode and let everything fall softly from my tree like little shaken leaves. Drift, drift till there was nothing on my plate. It was nice, but peace can't last forever and in true form I started getting busy just around the time of the holiday season. A quiet kinda busy though, I'm not sending out the press releases and trumpet calls yet!
I have some new works and one in progress but I'm unhappy with my digital camera (hey Santa, are you reading this?) so I'm not even going to shoot them right now. It's just about time to enlist the help of my photographer friend Sam Bortnick, almost all these new pieces need to be shot for the portfolio. And the portfolio needs to be sent to some galleries, and that is my big plan for 2010.
The Shapes are set to rev up practices this week, which is all my fault for slacking on...but I've been real careful about lifting stuff and possibly sending myself back to the house of pain. Stupid back! I really don't know how Keith Richards does it, say what you will about Keith Richards but the dude is old as dust and can still do stuff I am finding it treacherous to do right now. The album is waiting on artwork (also my fault!) but should be done soon.
The Lolli Dollies are in gear working on new tee shirts and getting ready for an upcoming shoot with photographer David Mausey (who did some wonderful stuff with The Shapes)and also have plans for VIDEO. Will update when it hits youtube.
Lollipop Shoppe will POP back on the scene after the Holiday Hooplah- backs still on the mend and standing around djing for hours is still not in the cards, plus it's REALLY hard not to wiggle when James Brown starts playing. Don't tempt me!
Thanks for reading this boring hoohah, a basic update...I'm still alive (this is a recurring theme of my blog hmmmmmm)and hoping everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Rain and Raccoons

Dallas has been totally rainy of late. It's kind of been hell on my back as I'm suddenly a human barometer. I can tell you it's gonna rain before the meteorologist does and of course my physical therapy was a total butt kicking yesterday so I'm non-functional today. Todays word is PAIN, which rhymes with RAIN...but that's ok. I'm dealing.
Rainy days and pain are good for reading in bed with hot herbal tea, sketching out ideas for paintings or planning new adventures. It's too bad the XBOX which doubles as the DVD player is KAPUT...theres lots of nice scary movies I'd like to catch up on before Halloween. Stupid ring of death how I hate thee!
For the longest time I would hear this strange loud purring under the floor of my kitchen (oh by the way this is a total non sequitur) and I was imagining a GIANT cat sleeping under the floor...perhaps too big to get out from under the house. It was that loud. I would only hear it during the day and when I would cook aromatic chicken soup it would get louder and happier. Needless to say I had all kinds of interesting thoughts as to what this could be. I even imagined a snoring bum was living under the house. But one evening I spotted 6 full grown raccoons slinking out from under the house and having a little masked conference in my backyard. I then saw them tear around what used to be my garden (that was short lived thanks to them) and bound over the fence for their nightly food foraging campaign. Mystery solved! Theres a heap of snoring raccoons under my kitchen floor. I was beginning to think my Hydrocodone was a tad too powerful!

Out of canvas, working on paper. Trying to work through the pain of a back injury and get my spirits back where they belong.
"Renovation"
acrylic/ink on paper w/ newsprint

The Shape I'm In

Well, I got two gigs with The Shapes...one is tonight at The Lounge on Elm St opening for the Tomorrowpeople and the other is tomorrow night at the Dallas Museum of Art. These should be fun, but I can't help but feel a twinge of apprehension as I am in INJURY mode and will probably have to sit while performing both shows. Blues style!
I know I haven't updated here in awhile but since last I blogged I sustained a back injury that has been very painful and which I'm still suffering through. Physical therapy, meds and the headache of dealing with insurance companies. BLAH! But the show must go on and go on it shall....might be the last shows for awhile though as
a. I need to heal
b. The Shapes need to release this damn album already!
Hopefully see you out and about soon!
9/17- The Lounge on Elm 9:30p we start The Shapes, Stephanies ID, Tomorrowpeople
9/18-Dallas Museum of Art- Late Night at the DMA with the Lolli Dollies, DJ Rid, The Shapes

I SUCK

It's been two years spent in a hot little room with a recording machine, microphones and redoing, redoing, redoing everything we've ever written. A zillion takes later and the cd is getting MASTERED as we speak which left us free to do this thing called PLAYING LIVE SHOWS again. So here we go and I'm totally LAME for not posting this sooner but I think everyone that reads this is in Australia and Timbuktoo anyway so whatever. A little info about the album- it goes to 11. As in it's 11 songs! Pretty much just documented to the best of our ability- all the songs we've written up to this point. We got our friend Mark Ridlen (local badass DJ and musician, read: LITHIUM XMAS, The Klogz, Quad Pi, etc)to help in production and sound layers and we're pleased with the flavor of the album. We've enlisted Reid Robinson (you may know him from the Texotica stuff as well as one of the DJ's for Sonic Assembly Power Hour on KNON)for the fun task of mastering this monster. The album is not out yet but thats not stopping us from our getting our feet wet on the stage again.
Our show is tonight at the Lounge On Elm St. Our first gig in TWO YEARS! And of course we're doing it the night that the DOMA's (big music thing in Dallas)are going on but that's how it rolls. That's how we roll. I'm really curious to see The Flying Eyes who have a bit of a moody Doors-y thing going on....and I'm curious to see who shows up to see us rise from the dead.
Speaking of rising from the dead- HAI! I'm back and I've been busy with art and music, here is the latest piece I've finished

and before that it was this monster

There is word that I'm going to be showing some work at the Capitol One building in Frisco later this month-I'll keep everyone in the loop when I get details. (Really! I will this time!) and aside from all that hooplah just working my 9-5, trying to write some new Shapes songs, dancing with the Lolli Dollies girls and trying not to melt. Hey-it's been like 105 too many times this month. This is Texas summer allright...rather be in Australia! Thanks for reading, I will try to be an active blogger again. Happy Summer to you all!

All Together Now!

Ok, I'm back from the madness of Beatlemania and am happy to report that all my hard work was not in vain. The event was really fun, although it was quite humid in the gallery/soda shop... so it was a good thing I was scoring some free soda pop to quench my thirst. There was an amazing turnout for the art crawl and our event was abuzz with people loving on the Beatles. The go-go girls did a great job hyping up the crowd and we got lots of attention from camera wielding spectators.
I sold both of my pieces in the show quickly and barely got a chance to say goodbye to them. It turns out that one of them was bought by an out of towner and he had to take the piece that night instead of leaving it up to finish out the show. So when the next one sold I just waved it off as well. Bye bye records! The octopus was bought by a fellow who wants to turn it into a tattoo! And the Beatles piece is going in a sweet little girls room. I was honored my stuff went to good homes. Vinyl is hard to paint on but everyone loved it so much I may try my patience with a few more.

Beatlemania hasn't bitten the dust

Well this is the next event I'm involved in and I'm happy to say it's right down the street from my house in my very own little hood of Oak Cliff. It's part of the Oak Cliff art crawl going on that weekend. This is going to be fun, for one thing I LOVE the BEATLES, for another I LOVE SODA! And if that isn't enough....and it is really, I have a couple little pieces of art in this show. In fact I'm finishing one and starting one this weekend. It's the vinyl record paintings I've blogged about. I really want to take a picture to show you but then where's the mystique? Where's the unveiling? The big surprising moment? I will have to post after the opening dear readers! Wah wah wah! Im such a tease! If you are in the metreoplex do stop down for a sip and a sashay as I spin Beatles tunes and my lovely go go troupe makes ya dizzy Miss Lizzy!
oakcliffartcrawl.com

Fun with Sinuses!

So my allergies and what is possibly a chicken bone lodged in my throat caused me to have one fun day on Monday. I had to go to TWO doctors offices, one my regular old quack and the other an "ear, nose, throat" specialist. That little photo up there of the scope? That is what was inserted into my nose, only that one looks a lot more high tech and the one I had probing me looked like it was circa 70. For real!
So the scope goes into your nose (after having some numbing spray squirted into your snoot that tastes like Pine Sol, you with me? PINE SOL!)and slides down your throat. Gag. GAG! The whole time I had my eyes closed trying to meditate away the scope. This isn't really happening. This isn't really happening. But it was happening and it was not fun, no not fun at all!
About the chicken bone, because I know you're dying to know. I ate some nice very soft baked chicken not too long ago. It was so soft the freaking bone came right off into my food and I ended up swallowing it. By the time I felt it poke the back of my throat there was no coughing the offender out. Then it moved a few days later to the nether regions of my throat. I am convinced it is still in there because I feel something painful when I try to sing. The doctor said my allergies and throat were so bad and red he couldn't see the bone and has me on all these meds and sprays. I have to go see him in another week and Im crossing my fingers the old retro scope sin't anywhere in sight for this! ;O Pray for me friends! This is some kind of voodoo it just has to be!

I'm still alive in this hive

Yes, I suck. And now that we've agreed on that I will get on with the post.
Spring is kicking my butt. Stuff is blooming and flying and sprouting which makes me sneezy, stuffy and turns my mouth sideways. I love the Spring but it kills me. Time to go back to Doctor for nose spray. Sigh!

I've just wrapped up a huge painting I haven't posted and started a new one and started another little experiment. I'm painting on vinyl as in records. Somehow a disdainful LoverBoy lp made it's way into my house and it has become my first experiment. Muah ha ha!

Also I have discovered Facebook and it is a little addictive but annoying, I admit. But that's only a small part of why I've been away from this blog so long. The other part is that I've kinda hit one of those energy slumps and I just don't feel like my vitamin c or octane is kicking in. I'm sure this has everything to do with allergies! But I will try, I have lots of photos to post and catch up on this blog so buzz along with me if you're still here!
Will post photos of LoverBoy desecration art when it's done!

BUZZ!

I have so much to update here but first things first....
A little promo for my friend Eddie Ruiz over at Avenue Arts Venue:



Coming soon....Chinese lantern Festival Pics, My Cats, Mad Hatters Tea Party and Chocolate Fest. Oh and theres an Opossum living under my house I found out! An Opossum! Creepy looking little thing too!

Meet the Lolli Dollies!

Maybe you didn't know this but in Dallas, Texas there are some real life go go girls who are keeping the sixties alive. Those girls would be the Lolli Dollies, my go go dance troupe of five years strong!
Our love of the sixties, vintage fashion and having a great time has brought us five ladies together to get the parties started. We do real retro dance routines in beautiful outfits and boots and usually show up with photographers in tow to take the party up a notch. We dance officially for the Lollipop Shoppe events but also make special appearances and collaborate with others who want to make their parties and events even more fab! You can come meet us all at the next event on Feb 28th, come have your picture taken with Dallas's original retro go go troupe! And add us up on myspace to keep in touch with all things sweet!

Doings in Dallas

Feb 14, smooch day! Maybe you don't wanna split a bottle of wine at some fancy schmancy Italian restaurant. Maybe you wanna get out on the dancefloor and get sweaty with EVERYONE! You little minx, then head over to my friends party cause girls know how to throw em best!

The Happygolitely Project

Today I was contacted about participating in the Happygolitely Project and it made me smile. First a little back history on how it came to be. Once upon a blue moon I blogged about Sushi Ed, do you remember him? He is the creation of Girlgolite on etsy.com.. Because I blogged about Sushi Ed I was sent a free little sushi ed in the mail and he was cute as can be and I smiled and showed him off then it struck me that someone I knew really could use a little good fortune and so I sent him to my brother via mail. My brother just happens to be in a despairing place where he cannot see friends and family for a long while so he needed the smile more than me. ;-)
Well, the Happygolitely project is a lot like that. Spreading happiness to people who need it. But Girlgolite can explain it so much better so I will push you over to her blog now, softly mind you...go get your happiness on now here!

Dancing in Dallas

Be sure to come out to The Smoke and The Lollipop Shoppe as we knock the month of February off your calendar in the most fun way possible!
Suit up and dance it up with the mods on February 27th at The Smoke. Then come back for our birthday bash at the Lollipop Shoppe as we celebrate 5 big long years doing it up in Dallas! It's a Mad Hatters Tea party so come as your favorite Wonderland character or wear your maddest hat...however you come you are guaranteed a great time! And yes, I am totally playing "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane!

Snapshot: David Mausey

David Mausey Photography model Melissa Miaow (Lolli Dolly Go Go Dancer)

I am fortunate to be in a strange little vortex where creative and magical people always gravitate. I like to call that vortex "Lollipop Shoppe", since that is how I usually meet all the creative folk in my life...and most of my good friends for that matter. I am lucky enough to sometimes connect those people to other people to help them in their endeavors. The photographer David Mausey is one of the people I wanted to show off and connect you to.
I met David Mausey at one of our Spy Night parties, sneaking around shooting pics. We both laughed that every photo shot of me had me with eyes closed! D'oh! David is fun and easy to chat with and I like that in a photographer- he puts you at ease and so I was delighted when he volunteered to shoot my band The Shapes. We're planning on using some of his stuff for our album. He has a very sexy style that shines through in his pics of the ladies,here are a few of my favorites!






He also does some beautiful wedding portraiture alongside his edgy fashion stuff, check out both his sites and portfolios here:
http://www.mauseyfashion.com/
http://www.mauseyphoto.com
And keep your eye out for our debut album featuring some of his lovely work!

Art on View: Martin Campos

I took some art classes with this talented artist Martin Campos and am thrilled he is keeping it up in his spare time as we all strive to do. He will have a piece in this show and I can't wait to see it!
DeCorazon Gallery is located in the Bishop Arts District, so come have some drinks at a local eatery and then view some lovely art in my little neck of the woods. The topic of the show looks interesting to say the least!

Tiger Tai Chi

I ended up going to the free Tai Chi at the Trammell Crow this past weekend. It was a fun experience. I always like going and doing something I know I'm going to suck at and seeing little improvements as time goes on. The instructor was very nice and patient but the airy room (it's in the shrine room) made it hard to hear some instructions so I kept looking over my shoulder at the people in the class trying to get my positions right.
It was a nice way to start the morning though, feeling your way into your body slowly and also being part of the community...not to mention being surrounded by amazing works of art. They have a really cool Tiger show up right now...I peeked at it. I want to visit it on my lunch breaks this week and head over to the Chinese Lantern Festival next Saturday...which is also free! Here's the details...

Family Days at the Crow Collection: Chinese Lantern Festival
February 7, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

The Chinese Lantern Festival is a traditional festival on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese New Year. The lantern festival, marking the end of the Chinese New Year, celebrates the bright new moon. During this festival, children often carry lanterns, light fireworks, and eat sticky rice balls. Enjoy an afternoon of festivities as we herald the year of the ox and embrace our own lantern festival in the Dallas Arts District. Come create your own lantern and parade around the museum with traditional lion dancers from J.K. Wong Kung Fu Tai Chi Academy.

FREE. No reservations required.
And I also saw that Tuesday evenings they have a Zen mindfulness class. Ok, is this not weird? Here I am studying it and here it's right across the street from me for free! Here's the info:
Zen in the City
6:15 – 7:15 PM (6:00 PM Orientation for Beginners): Savor silence and awaken to reality of the present moment.

Guidance will be offered on posture, breathing, and mindfulness. This series is sponsored by the Maria Kannon Zen Center. Please wear comfortable clothes. FREE. No reservations required.


For the whole calendar of upcoming stuff visit this link

She Wants To Find Frankenstein

My talented friend Lorene Herrera posted a blog of interest to me yesterday over on She Wants To Find Frankenstein and i want to help her out as best as I can. Turns out she was in a car accident and although she is ok needs some financial help, so please go take a peek at her ebay listings and buy some art or visit her etsy shop and buy something there. Thanks friends! ;-)
ebay listings:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=160312554816

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=160312494120

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160312695568

We're All Mad!

I did up another flyer for our anniversary bash...I couldn't pass up such a perfect picture of the Beatles drinking tea. It was fun choosing hats to put on each Beatle and this party in general has been fun and creative to plan. I can't give away any surprises though but I hope everyone is on the hunt for the maddest hat to wear to the party!

All Systems Go Go!

photo courtesy of Dylan Hollingsworth Photography

Me and my Go Go gal pals the Lolli Dollies are gearing up for our next event and another new routine. Go Go dancing can be so gruelling sometimes! I'm hoping we can get our new routine recorded to video so we can show all our fans out there in youtube land. But anyway, dance practice is what I do Mondays and Fridays for now until the end of next month. Sure beats the boring ol' gym if you ask me! Wanna know more about the Lolli Dollies? Visit the myspace page http://www.myspace.com/lollipopdolls and keep up with the she-nanigans here!

Mark Your Calendars

We're turning 5! This is going to be a really FUN event, I hope everyone can make it out to help us celebrate! There will be Tea and Such and lots of Nonsense and Dancing. Wear your maddest hat, dress like a Cheshire Cat or come as you are...or come quite bizarre! The weekend will be very fun with the Smoke doing their dance party on Friday and then our anniversary bash Saturday....your poor feet won't know what hit em!

I Just Want To Be With You

I am working on the followup painting to the one pictured above and I must say...I can't stop thinking about it. I longingly gaze at it as I throw my scarf on before I zip out the door to work. I promise to spend time with it "the very next day" I say, before going to sleep. I stare at it. I scheme. And this weekend I will finally have time to spend painting. I can't wait. A little obsessed? Perhaps. Every time I finish a painting I get a little goosebumpy just thinking that I'm that much closer to my very own show. Someday...but for now I'm having so much fun creating them.

Five For The Hive

I like to randomly pop into the Etsy forums and ask for the next five people to respond to me. Then I feature their shop. Here are todays Etsy offerings, enjoy!

mchen
mchen has a wonderful little shop full of screenprinted shirts that all come from her original illustrations. I like her stylized tree and animal prints but the tornado really spun me the right way. I think because I live in Texas and I know a girl who is obsessed with twisters. You can also buy some of her sweet illustrations on cards and she has a nice offering of unisex shirts available for sale in her etsy shop!


hollyzhobby
hollyzhobby is most definitely quilting. Aww, just like my Mom! Quilts are great because everyone can use one and the ones I have I really cherish, knowing how much time and labor that goes into it..makes it so much more special. I really liked the 'Cats on the Loose' quilt pictured above. I bet my cats would too! Looking to get cozy? Visit her shop on etsy!

lindab142
lindab142 got me with the name of the pendant pictured above, the 'bumblebee heart pendant'. I'm a sucker for bees, what can I say? She has a lovely selection of jewelry made with beads as well as some random goodies like thank you cards and book beads. I thought this was a pretty piece and timely for valentines day, who will bee your valentine? Go peep her shop here!

And because only three people responded to my etsy posting today I'm going to give the next two people who leave a comment on this post a nice little spotlight today. Good luck!

Snapshot: Dylan Hollingsworth

Some things are easy to write about and some things aren't....such as beautiful photographs that already speak so many words that your own language fails you. I first encountered local photographer Dylan Hollingsworth at one of my own parties. He was shooting all the guests and at the time I had no idea what the pictures were going to look like but the cat had style and a certain way about him. I think it was the way he flamenco danced while shooting, leaping up and clicking his heels and darting around while the subjects eyes lit up with glee. That is when I knew I had better see how his photos came out. I was amazed at the angles, the colors, the imagination and most of all the very personal way his photos spoke to me. Like I said, some things just can't be given justice through the art of words. Some things just must be taken in with the eyes and the viewers own thoughts. And so I leave you with some select photos I love, so super real as to be unreal and so full of life you're bound to be sucked into this wonderful artists vivid world....


a portrait of the artist Dylan Hollingsworth






for more captivating photos please visit Dylan Hollingsworth's website

Art is Happening: Kettle Art

Kettle Art is on the ball! Heres the info on their next exhibition:

On Saturday, January 24, 2009 Kettle Art proudly presents 'Empire of Belief' a one person show by Judith Lea Perkins. Judith was one of the original founders of Kettle Art way back in the Fall of 2005 and has consistently participated with the gallery since. She traveled to NYC with us in June of 2007, shown with us in Miami in December of 2007, and was one of three featured artists in the March 2007, Skulls Babes and Spakley Guns, along with Marie Sena and Cathey Miller.

Judith's works are all hand carved blocks that result in one of a kind print ensemble pieces. No two are anything like the other and all are nothing short of incredible. This show runs through Saturday, February 14.
for more info visit: Kettle Art on myspace

Attended: "Stand By Your Man" A Tribute to Bonnie and Clyde

Notorious outlaws, art and beautiful hats inspired by Depression era America...of course I was in attendance. I was also excited this art/fashion show was a mere few blocks from my house in Oak Cliff. "Tara to the T Studios" shopfront gallery was well attended with the guests milling from viewing the art of Joey Seeman to trying on Tara Tonini's smashing new line of chapeaus, that's fancy French talk for "hats". Both artists, a notorious couple themselves, were there to answer questions and generally be charming.
Joey Seemans art consisted of some large and small acrylic paintings of everyone's favorite outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde. The couple was depicted with ghastly blue skin, rendered in the muralist fashion of the WPA with a touch of tattoo artistry creeping in. Some paintings were done on shot up car doors, a grim reminder of the infamous demise of the gun toting bank robbers.
Tara Tonini's feathered and bejeweled felt hats were elegantly displayed in vintage luggage and antiquated shelving, beckoning viewers to try them on. She had an array of hats for men and women as well as hair accessories- all hearkening back to the era when things were much simpler and somehow more glamorous. When I asked for pricing on her unique one of a kind line I was amazed at how affordable everything was. Tara told me "I want my friends to be able to afford these". At that price I walked out of there with a hunter green beauty with coral jewel work and my pocketbook intact. In these times of economic hardship that's something to tip your hat to!
Did you miss the closing reception for this show? Visit these sites to view, purchase and get more information :
Stand By Your Man on Myspace and
taratothet.com

Sharing Creative Spaces

What will make a starving artist more depressed than the fact that they're a starving artist? Not having a work space, that's what!
So it came to be I found myself newly moved into a new hive, organizing my lifes accumulations (and my boyfriends), trying to find a place for everything and neglecting one of the most important things to my spirit. My creative space. So I've been here almost 4 months without picking up a paintbrush and I began to feel a little despair sinking in. Nothing feels worse than just being a drudge worker at a 9-5 with no creative outlet. So I remedied that and in a hurry!
I love seeing peoples creative spaces, even if it's just a little table wedged into a nook where one can sit down and create.
For the time being I am having to share my creative space with...well, the whole house and the majority of the house members are my cats. We will see how this works out because as you can see they already have staked claim on my drawing table.
But I would love to see everyones creative spaces too, it is almost as inspiring as the art one creates. Feel free to send a link to a picture of your creative space or email me the pic at djtigerbee@electriclollipop.com and I'll post your little workstation...make sure to tell me what you create there and a link to your work.
Mine is still a work in progress because I still need to stake out a corner by the window to do my actual canvases at. But here is the little area I carved out in my dining room and some ideas for using votives as brush holders.




decorative ceiling fan blades adorn the wall, owl graphic by One Up Designs, supply baskets and magazine bins from Family Dollar, table resurfaced with wood grain contact paper (Family Dollar), green Ikea storage boxes make great hideaways for scrapbook paper and paper goods!