25 cents et autres histoires à la pièce

My cousin, Marie-Chantale Gariepy just published another book : 25 cents et autres histoires à la pièce. And we got to design the cover together! It's a collection of short stories inspired by a suggestion box she left for the customers of the Soucoupe café in Montreal. Clever idea, fascinating stories! On sale now in Montreal bookstores.

Port Townsend School of the Arts Open House

Exciting news! I will be teaching at the Port Townsend School of the Arts in the fall! A Gel Plate Monoprint 5-week session (Thursday 6-9pm, Sept 29th-October 27th) and a weekend workshop in Beeswax Collage on October 8-9th. There is an open house this Saturday August 6th from 1 to 4pm. Come by and meet the teachers and check out the first faculty art show. You can also enter a raffle to win a work of art. Swing by if you are in the area!

Summer Sewing Mood

I am in a sewing kind of mood.  I have many projects in the pipeline; quilts, totes, aprons, dresses, etc. And I have a pile of Spoonflower fabric just waiting to be turned into something fabulous. It helps to have a deadline though. I started this dress the night before the opening of my Mixed Media show at a local gallery because I didn't have anything to wear! I even made a belt with a belt kit I got at a garage sale a long time ago, it was super easy. My grandmother would have been proud of me! Even though she was a much better seamstress than I will ever be, I make up for it with enthusiasm. I get so excited when I turn a piece of fabric into anything, even if it's just a pot holder or a simple quilt block. Ok, this is the year I am finally going to finish a quilt, there, I said it...now I have to do it.

Spoonflower/ Bucket feet Oceans design contest

Surf's Up | Spoonflower/Bucket feet design contest finalist

My fabric design made the top 100 in the Spoonflower contest with Bucket Feet and you have until Wednesday, May 25th to vote. The winning Oceans design, chosen from the top 10 by BucketFeet, will be made into a run of limited-edition shoes. Stay tuned for the big reveal on Thursday, May 26th, which was my grand-papa Gerard's birthday! You can see all the entries and vote here!

Bucket feet shoes | Every limited-edition shoe is designed by a different artist

Monoprints + Mixed Media

Nébuleuses | Mixed Media on wood panel  | 18 x 18

I am happy to announce that I will be showing my work at the Bishop Gallery, in the Bishop Victorian Hotel, 714 Washington Street in Port Townsend. My first solo show: Monoprints + Mixed Media, opens tomorrow May 7th, during gallery walk from 5:30 to 8pm. I will also have my new coloring book for sale, and will demo a few coloring/blending techniques. There will be singing and ukulele playing by Dave Parisse (my husband) and my good friend Anne Ficarra. Swing by for a glass of wine or just to say hello if you are in the area. I would love to see you! The show runs until the end of the month.

Monoprints

The West Coast Coloring Book

Yes, it's time to get your colored pencils out again...my new book just came out this week! Another book with a West Coast vibe: The West Coast Coloring Book will take you down the winding Pacific Coast Highway through crashing waves, high cliffs and sandy dunes, bountiful orchards, lush forests and all the spectacular scenery the West Coast has to offer. Stop along the way to go surfing, camping, fishing, whale watching or wine tasting! Discover Port Townsend, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Hollywood or San Diego. The book offers 30 illustrations and a thumbnails section in the front with a small paragraph describing each illustration like in a travel guide book. I had so much fun illustrating it, I hope you enjoy coloring it too. Click through westcoastcoloringbook.com for more info or to order your copy.     

Spoon Challenge Contest: Watercolor!

The theme picked for the Spoon Challenge Contest is Watercolor! That works out pretty well for me because it's one of my favorite medium for fabric design. So I just sat down and painted a bunch of birds (although they kind of look more like chicks, which would make it an excellent Easter print!) But they are actually plump little birds, very well fed, but who can't keep a secret. They have been tweeting and gossiping away with their colorful chirps. You can see all the entries for the contest and vote here! Happy early Easter!

A little bird told me | Spoon Challenge Contest | March 2016