blog | art | photos | music | writing | resume | alannarisse.com
|
Tuesday, August 31th, 2004 link - comments(0) Um, I have nothing to say. It's the last day of the month and our new zealand trip is spitting distance away. I have lots of homework to do so that when I get back I'm not totally lost. So scram.
Monday, August 30th, 2004 link - comments(0) Here's a pretty fascinating story about google adwords
Sunday, August 29th, 2004 link - comments(0) Our show is officially over. We picked up our paintings and cleaned up. I'm so tired now. I think I'm going through a bit of decompression. I will sleep good tonight. We now officially have New Zealand on the brain. We went to REI to get Tom a pack and we both picked up some great walking shoes that look a little nicer than dirty running shoes. Mine are slip on Morrells and I'm very pleased with them. We pulled out our packs tonight and sorta gauged how much stuff we are going to bring. I think we should bring our snow pants, I reallt think we will find ourselves snowboarding a few days while we are there. We need those snow pants!
Saturday, August 28th, 2004 link - comments(0) Today was our closing brunch. The day went pretty well. We had a big rush in the early part of the day, lots of strangers which is very exciting. The second part of the day was slow until My friend Scott showed up out of the blue. We talked and drank and scott ate about 8 bagels. Then I went to Darren's birthday party. The night degraded quickly and involved doing keg stands. We then headed over to Lucky 13 to say farewell to Shelley. She's moved back to Colorado. It was a long, fun day. I sold another painting which beings the total up to 7 for the whole show. Not a lot of money, but it pretty much paid for the show and it was a great experience. Plus I've very happy that my paintings have happy, new homes.
Friday, August 27th, 2004 link - comments(0) I feel like Tom's birthday wasn't as great as it should have been. Firstly because it seems nearly every present I've tried to get for him doesn't work out. I ordered something over three weeks ago and the company just sucked. They sat on the order for three weeks so I had to cancel. And then I tried to send him a gift certificate but it didn't go through. Seems like I can't win. Last night we went for a beer by his work. We dropped in a work to grab our stuff and his coworker answered the phone and told the person Tom was in. We ended up staying an hour and a half trying to figure out this stupid IE bug. On his birthday! He was at work til 8:15. I wanted him to be treated like a king. The rest of the night was a little melancholy but we did have a good time playing video games later in the evening. Today I'm going to try and make it up to him with a very nice present and some good old fashioned American fair at the restaurant Home on Market. All night I sort of felt like a fly on the wall. I was hearing everyone's conversations around me and they were weird. Seemed like everything was weird. I'm a little disenchanted with San Francisco right now. That didn't make the night any better either. I think we are both very ready to go to New Zealand and get San Francisco off our minds for a couple weeks. Only 1 week left!
Thursday, August 26th, 2004 link - comments(0)
Talking to Strangers And actually now that I think about it, maybe it's the space across from Starbucks that Larry was looking at. I know they were looking for people to use the building as artist studios.
Wednesday, August 25th, 2004 link - comments(0) I sent out this email today: Balancing Acts Show Update It's not too late!
Closing Brunch - Painting Giveaway, Drinks and Bagels
Balancing Acts Artworks by: show website: balancingacts.net General Update
XOXO -Alanna New Zealand Tuesday, August 24th, 2004 link - comments(0) I'm trying to cut back on monthly expenses. I cancelled my Weight Watchers online account and went back to my old fitDay account. I'm a little nervous to be shutting down the weight watchers account because it's been so good to me but one of their tactics of getting people to stay is by telling them that they prices are going up so they should just stay in order to keep the low price. And I don't know, it just sorta rubbed me the wrong way. I'm sensitive today. So I cancelled and am back with my very excellent, free FitDay account. I just need to make sure I get enough calories. Last time I used fitDay, I sorta starved myself because it became a game to see how low a calorie count I could get for the day. Um stupid, silly little girl.
Monday, August 23th, 2004 link - comments(0) Me no feel good. Origami is cool and limitless. More.
Sunday, August 22th, 2004 link - comments(0) I flaked on Veronica because I need to get all my shopping done for school. Today is my only chance. At 6:30 we are going to Liz and Oona's for a little birthday dinner for Tom.
Saturday, August 21th, 2004 link - comments(0) Last night when I was sleeping, I heard a frantic pounding on my bldg manager's door. Someone was yelling there's a fire next door. I leapt out of bed, threw on pants, grabbed my timbuk2 bag with my laptop in it and ran outside. I was shaking so hard I could barely walk. Once we got outside we discovered that all the many firemen with hoses ready, couldn't find a fire anywhere. There was definitely smoke, but they couldn't find it. The person who called the fire department, a guy on the third floor of our building, wasn't answering his door. They couldn't get any of the keys to work so they busted down his door. Turns out he was outside on the sidewalk and had no idea anyone was looking for him. The fire turned out to be some burnt food next door. I have to say I'm pretty thankful that the fire department answered so quickly. But wow, it was intense. My stomach hurt really bad for a while after everything calmed down. I couldn't sleep. I don't really understand how panic can be a healthy natural response to danger if it makes you want to barf. Nobody likes a barking rescuer.
Friday, August 20th, 2004 link - comments(0) Please come to my art show Two things I learned about myself this week: I can't tell you why, it's just the way of the world. But if I am a stranger and I'm not invisible. I'm not mean. Lots of people think that. Probably because I'm always squinting and looking really non-emotional. It's because I'm blind and shy, not because I'm mean.
Thursday, August 19th, 2004 link - comments(0) I'm thinking about this as my open studios postcard design. What do you think? Yes it would be nice to have 1 big painting on the card but I've been doing so many encaustics, maybe I should just hilite them. I think this is pretty fun. Do you think it's ok? I'm having commitment issues and low self esteem problems. OK, this is why I love my boyfriend so much. Here is his response to today's post about the postcard. Sorry to embarrass you Tom. It looks great. This is an article about my teacher's artwork that I would like to read later today when I have more time.
Wednesday, August 18th, 2004 link - comments(0)
My brain is spinning and spinning lately. So many thoughts about so many things. About dead ends and nearly hopeless dreams. Geez that sounded negative, it wasn't meant to. I'm actually very happy with my dreams and dead ends. Neither make me compromise all that much. And the outcome is worth it. Maybe one day I'll wake up and my dreams will support me 100%. Maybe it'll always be just like this. That's fine too, life's pretty darn groovy for me right now as it is. I just wish I'd win the damn lottery. Why don't you buy one of my paintings and help support my dream?
Tuesday, August 17th, 2004 link - comments(1) Go play some Bowman And also, you should go listen to some Crazy Drunk Guy I spent this evening reading and looking at art. I got the new issue of New American Paintings. Looking at other people's art gives me inspirations that surprize me. I love looking at the pieces and trying to figure out their intentions. It makes me think about my own intentions. My brain starts to spin and I get all sorts of ideas pouring into my head. Although I really need to work harder on oil painting, the encaustic is so immediate and free, that it seems like I can find my voice faster and more resoundingly if I do both. I know I shouldn't be in a hurry, but shit, it's just part of my nature. I'll be in a hurry my whole life.
Monday, August 16th, 2004 link - comments(0) I "dropped" my scooter yesterday. Luckily for my bike, it landed on me and not the hard cement in our garage. But today I woke up with a pulled muscle in my shoulder. Still it was worth it to safe my purdy bike. While doing some research for paintings, I found this very cool site. As a matter of fact, it's nifty cool
Sunday, August 15th, 2004 link - comments(0)
I woke up feeling a little rough today and decided I'm going to quit smoking today. We were going to start our 1 year ban on Tom's birthday on August 26th, but I have just feeling so crappy lately. So I bought some herbal cigarettes to keep me from going insane. I wanted to sleep all day but couldn't get back to sleep so we went to The Pork Store for Breakfast. We ran into Mike G who's djing at an event at Yerba Buena Center called Freebasing. There's a skate bowl and djs. After going to the gallery at noon to clean up, I plan on doing very very little for the rest of the day. We're having ramen for dinner (yum yum yum yum) and are going to watch the Two Towers. I actually ended up painting some outside edges of paintings. It's hard for me to be lazy today. I've been so busy for the past few weeks, I can't wind down.
Saturday, August 14th, 2004 link - comments(0)
Friday, August 13th, 2004 link - comments(0) Today turned out to be a pretty mellow day. We opened the show at noon but didn't get many customers all day. We still had a couple paintings to hang and cleaning up for the party so it was great to have another day. Tom and I went to Foreign Cinema for dinner which was very yummy, then went home and watched Fellowship of the Ring.
Thursday, August 12th, 2004 link - comments(0) We hung our show today at the Lola Gallery. It actually went pretty well considering 3 artists attempting to hang their paintings together without stepping on each other's toes. We are all set for the show. I'm nervous but not overly nervous.
Wednesday, August 11th, 2004 link - comments(0) I got a rock star haircut today. It's not quite as rock star as I was hoping but it'll do and it's definitely much better than it was before. Tomorrow the chaos begins.
Tuesday, August 10th, 2004 link - comments(1)
Tuesday tuesday tuesday. Just a little more work then show show show. I have a little elf's workshop going at the house. Building and painting frames for encaustics, putting labels on paintings, screwing on hanging wire. I started doodling Sunday night and spent a good hour again last night. I am doodling in crayon. Crayons don't get nearly enough respect. I love my big box of crayons with the sharpener built in. I'm hoping my book on Maori art arrives today so I can read up before our trip. We leave for New Zealand in just 24 days! Eeeekkk! So far I now Heather, Peggy, Stephanie and LeeAnn are coming to the show.
Monday, August 9th, 2004 link - comments(0) Tick tock tick tock! Just 4 more days until the Artist reception. We hang the show Thursday so there's really only two days left for me. Wednesday afternoon I leave work and get cracking on the show. Gathering up my paintings, getting party supplies. Tonight I worked on more frames. I might even go to the studio tomorrow and try to work on another painting. Part of me feels like staying mobile, and then there's the lazy part wanting to watch tv. Lazy me is drown out tonight. Maybe it will return tomorrow. Who knows. Another thing I did tonight was make an instant website for Carol. I haven't had time to work on her site and she needed some files to show someone. I just used Photoshop's automated web photo gallery and viola! Instant website. Hopefully that'll tide her over til we have time to meet.
Sunday, August 8th, 2004 link - comments(0) Today despite my terrible cramps got lots done for the show. I cut 24 feet of 1" x 2"s for the remaining two frames I need, plus lots more if I paint some during the time the show is on. I made a nice html email to spam all my friends with. We walked to Albertson's and got groceries to make a nice Sunday dinner, I finished my price list for the show and I got to read a little. I even doodled for a few minutes. In the morning I was pretty convinced I wouldn't get a single thing done.
Saturday, August 7th, 2004 link - comments(0)
Figs are in season so this morning I made fig newtons. They turned out incredibly tasty. My secret is to cook them in a little raspberry wine. If you would feel safer locked up in a bio-chemical protected casket, try Quantum sleep!. It's bulletproof! Um, super scary! Fun with words. Fabrica Word Count
Friday, August 6th, 2004 link - comments(0)
On today's agenda: do a build for timbuk2 website, add a "win a painting" page to balancing acts, distribute postcards to restaurants and cafes, finish price list, find name tag holders and create nice name tags, saw some more frames for the two new bug death paintings, take some slides if the weather permits. It's Friday, go play a game: Cyrkam Aitos
Thursday, August 5th, 2004 link - comments(0) I'm super tired today but I'm getting a lot done for the show. After work I went to Flickerbox and worked on my artist bio and price list.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2004 link - comments(0)
It is getting dangerously close to my show (August 13th - 28th, party on the 14th 4pm-7pm). Are you going? do you want an email about it? I'll be sending out emails next Monday so add yourself to that there signup form to the right --> I have to do this still: Finish my bio, add hanging wires to all my new paintings, buy more slide film and take slides of everything (since I'm going to sell EVERYTHING I need some documentation), hair-do, buy groceries for mojitos, take stacks of postcards to restaurants and cafes, get a nice outfit, get a price list together for all my work. Most of this stuff has got to be done by Sunday so I better get cracking. I'm kinda freakin' out! I will be giving away a painting at the show so make sure you come by to enter the raffle. You don't have to be there for the drawing but you have to show up to sign up. Iowa state bug database with lots of photos. Go Play some DHTML lemmings.
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004 link - comments(0) This morning, while running around the house. getting ready for work, I found myself standing in a pile of what felt like sand. i squished my bare feet around a bit and thought, "That's weird, why would there be sand in the hallway?" I looked down to discover I was standing in the middle of thousands and thousands of freaked out ants. EWWW EWWWW EWWWW EWWWW EWWWWW. I'm still creeped out over it. I don't like touching dead things, no matter how small. I have Necrophobia, it's why I can't kill bugs. Maybe I need to contact these people. Yeah, freakiest and strangest website ever. KITTY BAG! Monday, August 2nd, 2004 link - comments(0) I've been doing some more marketing for our show. I posted a listing on:
Sunday, August 1st, 2004 link - comments(0) This weekend we did lots of domestic stuff. We got a nice square faux leather ottoman, a new shower head, pillows, I made a comforter cover from some great fabric we found in Japan Town. A sake set with a cherry blossom pattern. The comforter cover I made: |
Previous Entries
Favorite Journals: Tom Risse Favorite InterPlaces: Last Listen Last Watched Reading My Other sites:
|
Happy birthday 
I start my History of Modern Art class today. I'm kinda excited about it. I've been reading the book and I think it's going to be fun.
This is one of the paintings I sold yesterday. -->
This is a photo of the crazy fog monster taking over San Francisco. It's a little dark, sorry.
We went to the beach today with Oona and Liz. We went to Crissy field and got there just in time for the fog and wind to hit full force. It was still great fun watching Oona run around in the water. Afterwards we headed back to Liz's for some Indian pizza and movie watching. Oona made me sit next to her on the couch. I am her personal slave.
I'll be giving away my painting "Mojito" at our show. Drawing will be held at 7pm. So enter!
|
home | contact | links |