Surprise good news.

Apparently one of my paintings - which will be in the annual fundraising auction for Visual Art Exchange - has won a third place award for this event. Groovy! Check it out here.

Here's the painting, btw:

chaos theory 2, oil on canvas, 12"x12", by me (Diane Feissel)

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So easely.

So I've been spending a lot of time painting lately, hanging out with the ole easel... I realized recently just how awesome this easel has been, and how great it is that it's hung in there with me for the last 14-15 years or so. With props to Greg, who got it for me to begin with, I can say that it's lasted me through several residences and studios, not to mention of course hundreds of paintings over the years (many of them just terrible - no fault of the easel, of course).Let's see, it's lasted through moves through the following locations:

apt. on 12th (Philadelphia)
apt. on Passyunk
apt. on Pine
apt. on 17th
room on 63rd (Oakland)
apt. on Lenox
apt. on Bush St. (San Francisco)
apt. on Green St.
art studio at Art Explosion
condo on Pearl St. (Oakland)
art studio at 1890 Bryant Street (San Francisco)
apt. on Oakland Ave. (Oakland)
apt. on Vernon
condo on Sandlin (Raleigh)
art studio at 311 West Martin
That's a lot of locations... and this easel has been with me in all of them. In honor of 3 states' and 15 years' worth of solid service, I give you... easel haiku:

always standing there
tireless and paint-covered
my devoted friend.

Yay easel!

Psssst...

I'm still around. Just caught up in a whirl of holiday, and vacation, and being sick. Whatever is going around, I got it - and it laid me low for about 2 weeks. For a while there, I was bound to the couch with a pack of tissues, chicken soup and hulu.com... but now I'm slowly getting back to the usual routine, including work and painting. No real updates painting-wise right at the moment, therefore, but perhaps I can entertain you with a few photos from a brief Philadelphia trip we took before the holidays? Here, I'll try:

Here's a tidbit from Reading Terminal... I'm still dying to know, WHERE IS JUAN???

I love this graphic from the airport bathroom: why do they feel they need to show you a baby's butt? In case you get confused as to what end of the baby to change?

We encountered some sort of drunken Santa convention on Walnut Street. Freakish.

That's it for now - more once I'm back up and in the usual groove...

Hohoho

Merry Christmas!

Bleak.

I've been feeling a bit bleak, cold, gray, wintery of late - kind of like this:Finally this overwhelming mood of "meh" is clearing and things are looking more positive. Aiding in this upward spiral was a recent visit to the Dorton Arena for a Carolina Rollergirls match (proper terminology: "bout"). Man, that roller derby is fun stuff. I still don't 100% understand the ins and outs of various fouls and penalties and such, but I figure I'll get there eventually. And if not, oh well - I *still* don't understand the various fouls and rules and details of basketball after 25 or so years, yet I manage to be able to get the general idea and enjoy the game.

Mostly, though, when watching the roller derby, it gives me the urge to find some good old-fashioned skates (NOT roller *blades*, tried that, I'm clearly not meant for rolling along "in-line") and skating around on my own. I'm not remotely brave enough to ever try the derby, though, I've already learned many times over that I am a fragile, prissy person, disinclined toward any activity which might risk - or, in this case, openly court - bodily injury.

I'd prefer to skate around solo... that's just how I roll.

P.S. By the way, this sign is still there, intact, saying the same thing. Maybe they really mean it! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Wonderland.

So I'm just about done with the painting I'm putting in the upcoming show at Flanders 311, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" In case you don't get the reference, it's a riddle in Alice in Wonderland; this is an Alice-themed and -inspired exhibition. Here's the piece I'm putting in the show:

this is how it all begins 2008 oil on printed fabric (toile) 16"x20" ...by me, Diane Feissel

Enjoy.

Saw this sign at a dry cleaner's along Western Boulevard here in Raleigh:

...and I was very glad these guys don't own a hair salon. If you have any question as to what to be thankful for this holiday, you can start by being grateful that your dry cleaner is not louse-infested. Happy Thanksgiving!