Spring has sproinged.

Evidence:

Vintagery.

There's a new (new for real, or just new to me? unsure) vintage shop on Wilmington between Hargett and Martin. I noticed it last Thursday as the TTA bus let me off almost right inside the front door... but otherwise, it's a little hard to find, probably because the shop itself is on the second floor. But they have a little sandwich board with their name, "Vintage Nation," at street level, along with this lady to point you in the right direction:

She's sassy, huh?

Anyway, it's a decent place and all, but it still can't tear my heart away from Stuff down near my studio on West Martin Street. Better selection, good ambiance. They don't have a sassy mannequin, but they do have a friendly dog.

Here's looking at you, kid.

eye (med 2)

oil on canvas on panel

5"x3"

2007

This painting is down at my studio at 311 West Martin Street Galleries and Studios in downtown Raleigh.

4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days and...

...1 opinion: EXCELLENT.

Business.

Tonight I went to an information session in downtown Raleigh as part of Visual Art Exchange's "The Business of Being an Artist" series (as opposed to the "You Have No Business Being an Artist" series). The fun thing about going to things of any sort when you are relatively new to an area is that you can easily discover new little nooks, buildings or other places or things you otherwise would never have seen or noticed. For example, I loved the Longview Center, in which the session was held - here's a shot:

Portraits and North Carolina artists.

I'm happy, super-happy even, to be included in the upcoming exhibit at the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art in Greensboro, NC - focus is on portraiture. Looks like it will be a neat show, an interesting range of work. Here's the show flyer:

It means I'll be missing First Friday on April 4, but I'm curious to see the show up in Greensboro. They have a big, beautiful space and, unlike for First Friday, my lazy self hasn't had to hang any paintings. That counts for something.

Metro, boulot, dodo.

If it's the Year of Energy, why am I always so tired?

Historical signage.

As with many other cities throughout the U.S., Raleigh has a series of markers and other signage in its downtown area (principally) which call attention to particular historic events or sites which may be of interest to the average citizen.
This one (my favorite) can be found in downtown Raleigh near the intersection of Lane and McDowell:

In which I sing the praises of Raleigh.

As relatively a new transplant - to the Triangle area, to North Carolina, to Raleigh specifically - I am continually on the prowl for cool things that make me fall in love with our newly adopted city. Coming from an area as lovely as the San Francisco Bay Area, which I miss to varying degrees on any given day, I need to be charmed. I need some love from Raleigh, this little bitty strange new city. And whenever I walk up Pullen through North Carolina State University's campus, I get some much-needed positivity from the following:

Even my generally cranky, negative self can get behind this sentiment. Happy Easter Eve, y'all.

birth of the blog.

This will most likely be a place to vent, to share, to post, to whine. At least, until I go to Paris in April, at which time it will be a place to keep people updated on my whereabouts and whatabouts. Here's a good place to introduce a photo. This is one of the paintings I've been working on in the past couple of months:

out with the old, in with the new oil on printed fabric 10"x12" 2008 - Diane Feissel