NeW wOrK

ALliEd ARtS HoLiDaY FeSTiVaL

Hi all, I am not sure where the time has gone but its that time of year again.

But its Allied Arts Holiday Festival time again!

It opens today Friday Nov 21st!

Same location as last year and many years before, 1308 Cornwall, Bellingham, fondly known as the old JC Penny's building.

Slightly different hours this year, open 10am-7pm Wed- Sun with bonus days Mon and Tues Dec 22 ,23.From Nov 21st- Dec 24th.

Meet the Artist Gala Nov 28th from 5-7pm stop by and say hello.

I have a great location for my booths this year right near the front door with tons of new stuff. Lots of originals so get there early in the season for the best picks. I also made myself slightly crazy making a new ornament design constructed inside of small clear light bulbs, that you have to see to believe.

Remember parking is free downtown on the weekends and don't forget the Parkade on Commercial. Support local artists and business! Hope you all have a good and peaceful holiday season and I hope to see you at the Festival.

-- Thanks, Clarissa Callesen

On WiTH tHE sHoW!!!

So after my last grumble fest of a blog. I thought I should share a peek into all the work I have been doing! And it is official I am completely set up for my biggest show of the year! I am tired and sore but relieved and accomplished. Blog to follow with show details. The repetitiveness of doing production is challenging while clutched in its grasp, but it is rewarding and fun to see all the heaps of finished pieces when done.

So pictures to follow, starting with the chaos of the creative process.

Messy table with all kinds of things in the works

So many Christmas ( oops I mean Holiday) ornaments to glaze

Mixed media ornaments built on tiny scraps of reclaimed moldings and vintage boards

New designs in my collage tag magnets

A preview of my junk bird ornaments reconstructed from cheesy X-mas decorations

A crazy art doll in the process

More previews to come....

NOt mY FaVoRiTe TiME oF yEaR

So Fall is beautiful in lots of ways and we have been blessed with an abundance of sunny days for the Pacific NW, but over all not my favorite time of the year. It is a really busy time of the year for me, getting ready for the impending x-mas season. The darkness and rain increasing seems to put a damper on my sensitive moods. I want to hibernate, eat mashed potatoes, and watch lots of sappy movies. But there are hundreds of Christmas ornaments to be made, and hangings, and assemblages, and magnets, and cards, and submissions to be done for the next year, and classes I promised to teach.... SHIT (I am sorry to all those I promised classes to this fall.. I really was hoping to make that happen, but it ended up just being too much on top of everything else.)
I love Halloween... I mean its a holiday made for me.. but I rarely have a lot of energy for it with all the production going on.. But I got to say the other two big holidays.. not really my cup of tea..
Which pretty much at to the list of feeling out of sorts. I mean who doesn't like Thanksgiving and Christmas... i don't.... and I would like that to just go quietly by without much notice in my life... But just try not to participate in two major American holidays and watch how loud everything seems to get...
I am working on having compassion for myself around this time of year. Not trying to change my mood but to have acceptance for it and peace with it . Wish me luck...

So yeah... not my favorite time of year.