Anne Lamott & Elizabeth Gilbert will be speaking together Friday, March 28 at UCLA.  Click here for more information.

These are just a few of the desktop wallpapers available to download for free over at Pixelgirl Presents. 

From the website:

"Our award-winning site will allow you to snag the slickest Mac OS X, XP and Icontainer iconsets and desktop images as well as offering tutorials, articles and links."

Pixelgirl Presents was created by Shana Victor, who also runs the lovely indie shop Shana Logic.  Enjoy! 

"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness."  -Jonathan Safran Foer, excerpt from Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, one of my favorite books.

[Leakers :: J.J. Cromer]

From the latest ArtKrush newsletter, announcing the Outsider Art Fair, opening January 23 in New York City:

"Stepping outside the mainstream art scene, we explore the rich and varied world of outsider art. The annual Outsider Art Fair brings a range of visionary, folk, and indigenous artwork to New York this week, including the imaginary cities of George Widener and the neo-folk tableaux of J.J. Cromer. We interview Phyllis Kind about her vanguard outsider art gallery, and we spotlight Bay Area artist William Scott, who's developing a utopian vision for urban redevelopment. For our media pick, we recommend a collection of Gregory Blackstock's intricate and enticing visual lists of everyday objects, and we review new gallery exhibitions of established artists, including Julian Schnabel, Spencer Finch, and Manuel Ocampo."

If I am remembering correctly, I think I first met the divine Sunny Schlenger in 2006, and since we first connected she is someone I have come to rely on for guidance, wisdom and grounding.  Even though we do not talk very often, the conversations we have always stay with me, giving me food for thought and wise insights into whatever particular part of my journey I am in the midst of.  She has two wonderfully inspiring books - How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself and Organizing for the Spirit.  I know a new book is in the works and I can't wait to dive into that when it is published.  Until that arrives, you can keep up with her latest endeavors & ideas here.

[January 25, 2008]

Happy New Year Sunny! Like me, I know you are very excited to be in one place after a serious moving project last year. How are you settling in?
Deeply. Very deeply. It’s wonderful not to be running back and forth constantly. I love nesting and Sedona is a marvelous place to nest.

Tell everyone about the work you do.
These days I’m combining organizing and coaching to assist clients who are going through life transitions, i.e., helping them to “re-size” their lives to the core things that matter to them at this moment in time. Too many people, I’ve found, have outgrown the systems they were using and need to look at their lives from a fresh perspective – especially if they’re going through challenges and changes that affect their environments (e.g., growing a business, moving, living/working with different people). 

Tell me about the space you have created just for you in your new home – the space you go to in order to be with your thoughts and your creativity. What makes it all yours?
Ah, I can tell that this question comes from someone who knows the value of personal space! For me, my own space makes everything else possible. This knowledge may have originated when my parents decided that they didn’t want the responsibility of a house any longer, and we moved to an apartment the summer before I entered college. The new apartment had only 2 bedrooms instead of 3, and since my brother was still in high school at the time, I was given the den to use whenever I came home from college. Most of my belongings that I didn’t take to college were stored in the hall closet. This set-up might have worked OK for someone else, but my creativity felt all locked up with my stuff in the closet. I moved out as soon as I could. Now I know exactly what I need in order to function happily and productively. My room has warm colors and lots of books and music. The things I have around me make me smile, relax, or feel inspired. And of course it’s organized to match the way I function. (This doesn’t mean it’s always neat, however!)

What organizing advice do you give others that you have the hardest time following yourself?
I tell people how important it is to make time to keep up with their filing, but that’s a tough one for me to do regularly. I think it has to do with creativity vs. detail work. I apparently like my clients’ detail work better than my own! Follow-up is not my favorite thing, but I do it because I don’t really have a workable system unless I follow-up and follow-through.

I have a funny habit of getting my studio in perfect order after I finish a new series of work or other project, even if I know I will tear it all apart the very next day…what is an organizational task you do to kind of re-boot your creative hard drive?
Christine, I’m with you on this one. When I’m in the middle of something I can tolerate chaos, but when I want to get back in control, my space has to reflect the serenity I need in order to think clearly and get in touch with “the spark”. If I still feel stuck after that, I’ll go to a website like Sparkletopia to get the creative juices flowing. (Thank you for creating such a beautiful one-stop re-charging station!)

Is there an area of your life or home where you are purposefully unorganized…maybe as a way to rebel against your title as Organizer Extraordinaire?
What’s funny about the title is that people are always apologizing to me for the state of their home or office, even when I’m on a social visit! The truth is that I don’t notice things like that unless I’m there professionally. As for my rebel mode (you know me too well it seems) I would have to say that I resist scheduling, except for appointments with other people. When I’m in my office, and experiencing “flow” (which happens much more than it used to), I naturally move from project to project and between administrative tasks. If I’m resisting something, I’ll set aside specific time for it, but otherwise I operate as the spirit moves me.

If you walked into the most unorganized space you’d ever seen, what would be the first thing you would do to get it in order?
Before I’d do anything, I’d have to learn whose space it was. I don’t believe that someone’s space can be organized separately from that person. I’d want to know about their needs, preferences, responsibilities and problems managing space or time. Solutions would be custom-tailored to the experiences of the person living or working there. Even in the area of organizational products, not all products work well for all people. For example, some clients function better with storage that keeps things visible, while others prefer out-of-sight.

To many people, I think the words “getting organized” are only applicable to things like our desks, our files and our closets. How can we use organizational skills in other areas of our lives, such as creative or spiritual?
Great question. This is actually the path I’m on at the present time – integrating the concepts I’ve developed, and am currently developing – into our creative and spiritual consciousness. I believe that everything in one’s life is connected, and it’s important to understand the connections in order to tap into the “higher self” we each have. This is not a “being neat” kind of organized. It’s having a larger, proactive view of your life that encourages moments of special awareness and insight and true comprehension of your personal power in relation to the larger world around you.

On your website, the link to your Personal Coaching information has an image with the words “If you could change one thing…” on it. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I’d be able to find a restaurant that serves Fettucini Alfredo with no calories or unhealthy ingredients in it. Seriously though, if I could change one thing, I’d be less hard on myself. I’d remember all the positive things I’ve done instead of just focusing on what I haven’t gotten to yet. I’m working on it!  ☺

Thank you Sunny!! 

Last night I listened to part of Passion - the Peter Gabriel soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ - on my friends' insanely powerful stereo equipment and I had forgotten how much I love this CD.  I would have to say it is my favorite CD of all time, incredibly powerful, moving and passionate. 

Indigo Soul Kelly Barton has been inspiring me for a long time now, and I am the proud owner of the above creation.  I get to look at it in my studio everyday, and have also sent out dozens of her beautiful greeting cards.  See her work over at Camp Indigo Soul, enjoy her creative musings here and buy her vibrant work here!  Without further adieu...

[January 18, 2008] 

Hello my dear...I'm so happy to be interviewing you for Sparkletopia!
….hello to you miss swirly, i am blessed by your kindess

Tell me about your moniker - "Indigo Soul" - what does that mean to you?
…..indigosoul is a lifeline.  it allows me to fly free.  it means happyiness,
it means some days I have to really push myself  and that is good.  i need to do that more.
i am a bit of a hippy, and apparently there is a society of “indigo soul’s, but i just love those two words.

Lately you have been working on a series of work around the theme of Home (I have one hanging in my studio). What is this series about?
…..h.o.m.e. is so many things.  i guess most would think of their physical home.  it truly
is where you soul allows you to be, it is where you are meant to be,when you find comfort and peace. it is when i am happy within myself.

You have also had an ongoing Girl Series - are these two related in any way or are they two very different creative explorations for you? 
….hmmmm – the answer is yes!  just a different spin.  each comes from deep in my
warped and silly psychie.  the girl reflects moments in my life.  she has allowed me
to go through therapy at a really cheap rate.  she is the girl in each one of us.

For me, moving from commercial illustration and design to collage and painting was a difficult process because one is so technical and precise and the other is so wide open, but you seem to move between them effortlessly. How do you balance these two types of work as an artist?
…..oh my gosh, the word “effortlessly” made me laugh out loud! does dr. jeckyll – mr. hyde mean anything!  i rarely feel like am balancing either and i never see myself in that way. so if it appears that way, i am happy.  my design tends to be extremely crisp and clean and balanced.  but my artwork is just plain crazy.  its messy and sometimes until i take the very last swipe of the brush – not at all balanced.  people tend to ask me where my ideas come from.  they come from a warped dark, colorful mind.  things that scared me as a young girl, things that meant the world to me as well.  i love to tell people….”you don’t even want to know what goes on in my head!”

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? 
…..well i would love to have you all sitting on the edge of your seat anticipating the big bang answer, but really not until late in my life.  i remember sitting in the back seat of our car, as a young girl,  doodling in the back window.  [ that’s right!  no seatbelt, facing backwards drawing in the window ] and i loved to color and draw, but honestly i never had the courage to take any art classes in high school.  once i decided to go back to college to my degree in graphic design, my love for art and design just really grew from there.  and i cherish my creativity, it is a blessing.

What does success as an artist mean to you? 
…..it means sitting down, picking up my brush

At what moments in the art-making cycle do you have the biggest bouts of doubt and fear? How do you move through them?
….i hate to even admit this, but it is when i see others success.  believe me – i am cheering you all on.  just like so many do for me.  but i do let the doubt creep back in.

when i see that others are being published and making lots of sales, in my head and sometimes outloud i am saying, “holy crap!  how do they do it!” and since i am being honest i would have to say that my biggest fear is that i won’t be able to continue my freelance career.  it is a financial roller coaster. i am so lucky that i have bryce. he is supportive and does an outstanding job of keeping me off the ledge, so to speak.  i move through the doubts and fears [some days slower than others ] because i have to.  i know i am on the right path.  i have to i tell myself to suck it up.  my dad used to always say….”are you bleeding?  no? then quit crying”. stern – but it works!  i have to remind myself daily….that this path that i am on is simply mine.  it is mapped out just for me.  we are all at different walks and the bends, curves and forks. it is just where we are.

When, as an artist, do you feel the most courageous?
….when someone stands back, looks at my artwork, smiles and gets it.  i also get sick
pleasure from those who stand back, wrinkle their noses and say what is going on in that
chicks head.  i don’t know which one is sweeter.  the last few months have really
helped me grow as an artist.  i had all these paintings sitting in my studio and then i
got to have a little show, which gave me a huge shove forward.

Thank you so much for sharing a little bit about your creative process. I am so excited to see what comes out of you in 2008!!
…..2008???? are you serious?  it is 2008!  holy crap, i better get busy. 

thanks christine….you always know how to sprinkle your sparkles my way.

peace!
 

[Buddha with Wings, painted especially for Linda Mechanic, who inspires me everyday]

A quick note to let you know posting will be a bit light this week as we have a house full of guests, so I will be happily distracted for the next three days...but I am posting some wonderful interviews with inspiring souls Kelly Barton, Sunny Schlenger & Kristen Fischer, so be sure to check them out. 

I learned of Dave Eggers when his first book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius hit the shelves and I saw him speak at UC Santa Barbara a few years ago. I will be totally honest and say I have not been a devoted reader of all of the books he has had published since then, but I have instead been following his career path in a scattered, yet still devoted, kind of way. What inspires me most about Dave Eggers is the fact that he isn't content to simply write beautiful (and astoundingly popular) books, but that he explores and encourages creativity in unusual and quirky ways.

He recently opened the latest arm of his non-profit organization 826 Valencia here in Los Angeles - 826LA - which is "dedicated to supporting students...with their writing skills and helping teachers get their students excited about the literary arts." He began this venture in San Francisco and opened a Pirate Supply Store to help support the organization. He has written novels and essays and published journals, all with a unique perspective of the world and sense of humor, and has used his passion and success to make a huge difference for kids all over the country. Yeah Dave Eggers!!

The Enormous Tiny Art Show III is coming up at Nahcotta Gallery. Here's a photoset of some of the work they will be showing (so inspiring!), and here is a photoset of the pieces I just sent them.

Sushipot is Alabama-based artist Suzanna Scott. I began collecting her lovely dollhouse creations last year, and if money were no object I would fill a wall with them. I find her work incredibly thought-provoking and intriguing, and I am happy she is a prolific artist, always featuring new creations in her Etsy shop.

To see her wonderful work, visit the Sushipot Etsy shop, and check out her Etsy interview as well!

What does this image mean to you?  Make you think of?  Want to do?

I love the XXX House by Mount Fuji Architects, although I realized too late I have to be careful about my google searches - anything with "XXX" in the entry is risky... 

I found the wonderful work of Laura Levine over at 20x200, a gallery and website with a wonderfully inspiring motto:  "We believe everyone needs art."  Amen to that! 

Download books for your computer, car or ipod at Audible.com.  They have a few plans to choose from & their system looks pretty easy to use.