My Vegetable Calendar for 2017

You might have seen some of the sneak-peeks of my 

2017 vegetable calendar. I’m so excited that it’s almost complete. 

It will be available at Portland Open Studios 

and Washington County Open Studios in October. 

I chose vegetables this year because I eat them every day, 

they’re beautiful to look at, and there are SO many of them!

I discovered the Vegetables by Month chart by Cook Smarts, in my research. It’s a handy and beautiful way to make sure you’re buying your veggies at their peaks! 

I’ve had fun this summer going to the Portland Farmers Market to buy vegetables... 

(and fruits, and flowers, and listen to music...) 

and create them into still lifes ... 

 and do some color studies.

 I've done studies of the reds in beets, red onions, and tomatoes.... 

and the amazing orange hues in carrots, yellow beets, and pumpkins. 

I had an idea of how to make the calendar even more fun...to add in recipes and stories from my friends.

So, here’s my request: 

If you have a favorite recipe featuring one of the following vegetables, please send it to me—along with a short story about the recipe. It could be why it’s your family's favorite, how your mother/grandma taught you to make it, or that time you served it at a fun dinner party, etc.
  
And, I would like to send you one a cd calendar (small desk size), as a thank you gift!

DEADLINE: midnight PST on Thursday, September 15. 

LENGTH: 250 words or less for recipe + story together. 

CONTRIBUTOR: I can use your name or leave it anonymous—just let me know which you prefer. :)

SEND TO: annie@anniesalness.com

Here’s the line-up of vegetables for 2017.

Choose your favorite one—and have at it!

My mouth is already watering in anticipation of the FANTASTIC recipes I know you will contribute!

• beets
• bok choy
• pumpkin
• carrot
• red pepper
• red onion
• tomatoes 
• garlic, rosemary
• brussel sprouts 
• asparagus
• artichoke
• eggplant

Gotta share!

Here is this little boy, at the Farmers Market, holding an artichoke!

I couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite Little Rascals scenes of Stymie...

"It might choke arti, but it ain't gonna choke Stymie." :)

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:  

Watership Down, by Richard Adams, narrated by Ralph Cosham

Podcasts: 

Building a Story Brand, hosted by Donald Miller
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Robcast, hosted by Rob Bell

Music: 
My iPod
Pandora

What I learned from doing Open Studios

There was so much to learn from doing open studios. 

I participated in two this year, the Portland Open Studios, which is a juried event, and the Washington County Open Studios . 

They both had fees to participate and these are the catalogs.

The PDXOS had two meetings in May and August, and the WCOS had one. This was a chance to meet with other artists, pass out the street signs (used to tell people where we were),

familiarize us with their program and talk to us about marketing.

Along with over a hundred other artists, I had my home studio open the 2nd and 3rd weekends in October.

To begin with, I used Evernote to list off the things I needed: set-up in the basement, what I ordered (envelopes, post cards, calendars, etc.), points from other artists, etc..

There were many mentions from the organizers and fellow artists on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and I ordered post cards to tell about the studio tour.

The main reason for the studios visits is to educate the visitors on what goes on in the artists studio, so I took them on a tour of mine, starting with my still life cupboard and still life set-up.

Since I had to learn with my other hand since my stroke, I showed them how I start my studio time with quick drawings of lines, circles, anything around my studio, and life drawing from YouTube. (Really, I should have been doing this all along...it is important for me to draw!)

Then I would show them my painting process....the picture of the black and white value, setting up the halfway points, value, color, etc.. Because I have a hard time talking (because of my stroke), I typed out signs of each display I wanted to mention and put it beneath my work. Although the visitors thought it was for them, it really was for me. :) I would get stuck trying to say a certain sentence and then I would glance at the typed words and be okay! 

(Does this make sense????)

Finally, I would show them on my computer the image I was painting and how I like to paint upside down.

In my very limited experience, most people don't ask questions or they don't know what to ask. Hopefully, I gave them enough of my process and that will lead to questions.

Although the main reason for the open studios was to teach my process,  I decided to have something that everyone could afford to buy, so I had note cards and calendars. 

The calendars were fun because because I decided to do flowers, which led to a post on Facebook. I asked people for their flower suggestions and I got several submissions and then I could follow up with what I was doing.

A proud moment: the 4'x 8' peg board we got at the 

hardware store to hang the calendar paintings fit PERFECTLY along our wall!

It was tiring, but I loved it. I met a lot of new people, had friends 

come over, and I got many new commission 

requests and class sign ups.

(About 40% were friends and 60% were new people.)

Here is an excellent checklist on open studios from Harriete Estel Berman who goes into much more detail than I. if you are interested.

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:  

Assassination Vacation, by Sarah Vowell, narrated by Sarah Vowell

Podcasts: 
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Beyond the To-Do List, hosted by Erik Fisher

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music: 
My iPod

What I am reading:
The Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

A Special Story and a Pumpkin...

Pumpkin 2

10"x 10"

oil on board

$175

Click here to purchase

I had a wonderful time this weekend at the Portland Open Studios tour at my house. THANK YOU to all who took time out of their day to come see me!

It is the last weekend this year for the Portland Open Studios and the Washington County Open Studios tours: 
Oct. 17-18, 10am - 5pm. 
This is a "unique educational opportunity for the public to witness art in the making, and learn about media, materials and the business of creative endeavor." from PDXOS
I will have maps to the other artists' studios.
My address is: 12545 NW Coleman Dr., Portland, OR. 97229. 
Come on by!!!

Amy, Me, and John

I REALLY have to share this with you...

Just last week I shared with you the story about my cousin, Amy Melious, and how she developed the photo of our Grandpa Jack with a Photoshop composite and acrylic paint. She did two versions of Jack, one for her brother John, and one for the Cattlemans Restaurant.

She lives in Canada and John lives in Santa Rosa, CA., and I live in Portland, OR and they just *happened* to be passing by my house? Last Saturday? WHAT????? - (it's a long story...)

I couldn't believe it! 

AND, they had John's picture of Grandpa Jack in their car!!!!

John and Amy! :)

Studio Tip

I just got this gooseneck flexible thingy...made for a cell phone or a tablet?

I use it for my handmade viewfinder. (Based on Carol Marine's book) 

It helps me crop in or frame the still life. 

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:   Need a new one.... :)

Podcasts: 
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Truth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music: 
My iPod

What I am reading:
Youtility, by Jay Baer

Really helpful:

I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)

Portland Open Studios, Washington County Open Studios, Calendar

I am in the Portland Open Studios tour (Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 2015) and the Washington County Open Studios tour. 

(Oct. 17-18, 2015)

This is your chance to go to the artist's studio, see their workspace and their processes.

I have been setting up all the things I want to show you. :)

 Here is the Portland Open Studios catalog....

.....and the maps to different artist's studios that you can visit over the four days.
It's been really good for me because I have to think through what my process is: taking pictures, setting up a still life, drawing, painting, etc. .

Along with my approach to painting, I've decided to have a calendar and note cards available during the tour. 

I like to paint on wood panels, so I ordered 12, 10"x 10" to do flower paintings for the calendar and note cards.

These cradled boards have a very nice, smooth, 1-1/2 inch edges, so I decided to tape them (with Painter's tape) because I don't know if I am going to leave them natural, stain them, or paint them. 
Since I only have one working hand, I put the tape on the side of the table and pulled down.... 
it worked perfectly!

The boards needed to be prepared by using gesso as a substrate. Gesso is designed to penetrate supports and provide a surface to which paint can adhere. I am going to try Krylon Gesso Spray. 

More to come!

Listening to while I paint:

Audiobook:  

"To Kill A Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, narrated by Sissy Spacek 

Podcasts: 
American's Test Kitchen, hosted by Christopher Kimball
Online Marketing Made Easy, hosted by Amy Porterfield

The Nerdist, Patrick Stewart, hosted by Chris Hardwick

Artists Helping Artists, hosted by Leslie Saeta

The Chalene Show, hosted by Chalene Johnson
Social Media Examiner, hosted by Michael Stelzner
"Wait, Wait.... Don't Tell Me!", hosted by Peter Sagal
Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto KasperTruth For Life, hosted by Alistair Begg

Music: 
My iPod

Really helpful!:
I am continually checking a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, but one thing that has been particularly helpful is the grammar check. Please excuse any errors that I make and tell me! :)