Crocodile Tears

I finished this painting yesterday for Art Gotham's Square Foot show. It was a challenge to compose something for a square canvas, and it was incredibly difficult to figure out how to lay down the gouache so that it didn't crack as it dried. I never had that problem using gouache on paper, so I think it has something to do with the Gesso-ed surface of the canvas. It took many tries, but I finally achieved this nice, smooth surface:

If it doesn't sell at the show, you'll eventually see it in the shop, and either way I'll be offering up a few prints of it.
Enjoy the weekend!

Pumpkin Festival!

On Sunday we took a break from art selling and music making to enjoy a day in the country.

And Merlin the parrot was kind enough to give us a ride home.

Cuddling and Painting

It's finally down in the 50's here in New York, and I've spent a mellow day inside painting while listening to This American Life. It's been a week of good news. New wholesale orders have come in, friends are coming to town, Chris's piles of CD's are slowly dwindling (*cough* get yours here).

If you're in the New York area this Saturday the 13th, come get your MamaRobot goodies at PS 154's Art/Craft/Flea Market. It's happening at PS 154's school yard, 11th Avenue between Sherman Street and Windsor Place (F train to 15th street/Prospect Park).

p.s. That's the rarely photographed and very shy Jetta above on the right. See she *does* exist!

Fall for Arts, and The Encampment

If only all craft fairs could be like Roosevelt Island's Fall for Arts. What other fair provides a free tent, table and chair, free food, volunteers offering to give vendors bathroom breaks, and tons of visitors ready to shop? They even hung back walls for our displays! After we closed up shop at 5, I headed home to fetch my accordion for my performance at the Encampment.
Thanks to everyone who came out to check out my tent at the fair, my tent at the encampment, or both! I'm not sure where the mobile MamaRobot shop will pop up next, could be Brooklyn, could be Manhattan. Until then, the goods are always here.

Roosevelt Island

If you've never been to Roosevelt Island this weekend is a good time to visit. The MamaRobot shop will be open for business at the Fall for Arts festival. Then, after the sun goes down, the Encampment begins. I've been working as a creative collaborator on this project and I can't wait to see it come to fruition! Don't miss your only chance to see 100 illuminated tents light up the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. It's going to be spooky and amazing.

New in the 'bot shop today...

People who know me know I love old telephones. Not that this style is that old, it's just that telephones have undergone a lot of changes in a short amount of time. The background on this design is watercolor, simply because I am all out of yellow and white gouache. I like how it came out looking tea-stained. Here's the listing. Off to buy some gouache!

Printing and Painting

After going to 7 different stores here in NYC, I finally found my favorite discontinued print paper online. It arrived last night, and so I've spent the morning re-stocking my prints. I hope the Atlantic Antic crowd likes them, because I'll be bringing plenty with me on Sunday!
Once I've signed and sprayed these with UV protectant, I'm going to work on a new painting, featuring this little guy:

I'm surprised it took me this long to work a raccoon into a painting. (Although, there is this).