Blog By Norm

Solo Show at Muse Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:33:00 +0000

The newest series, “Shades of Grey”, explores the tension created when the focal point (a person’s face) is overshadowed by a red object on a grey page. Our eye is trained to look at the face, however the brain overrides that desire by forcing the eye to jump to the red object. The tension that is created encourages you pause to contemplate the story of the composition.

Check it out through Jan. 2009 at Muse Coffee (on 10th Ave. W.) on Queen Anne in Seattle.

Tues. Tea - The TeaCup

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:40:00 +0000

I am so excited - my favorite tea spot on Queen Anne has just opened it's newly renovated store! It's much bigger and homier than the old spot. The staff at the TeaCup are so knowledgeable and friendly. Especially Brett - he is solely responsible for my pu-erh addiction. I started off a green tea drinker; moved to white tea; then from his recommendation an oolong / baozhang drinker. Then one Sat., I sat down to a Chinese Tea tasting with Brett and I tasted pu-erh. That sealed the deal. Oolong bothers my stomach (as does black tea) - but pu-erh calms it! And pu-erh gets better with age, unlike most other teas that only last about a year. All the better for me - that way I can collect it! And collect it I do!!!!

TeaCup is also where Norm had his first show - and a successful show it was!

So thanks to TeaCup and Brett. You can read more about it on Brett's Black Dragon Tea Bar blog.

SALE!

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:04:00 +0000

Black Friday (Nov. 28) through Cyber Monday (Dec. 1) I am offering 50% off all of my original paintings through my on-line store - http://www.artbynorm.etsy.com/ Yes, that is half price for an original painting. That's practically cheaper than ebay. Actually, that is cheaper than ebay, because there are no Norm's listed on ebay (at least by me). Which means you would have to go through Christie's if you were looking for an auction site, and we all know Christie's is not selling anything this cheap (and by that I mean the price, not the quality of the artwork).

Help support independent artisans this holiday season! Give the gift of art - especially art that will make someone smile !

If there is a painting that you've seen elsewhere, but you don't see it in my shop, send me a message - if it is still available I will sell it to you for 1/2 price during the sale time.

Enough said, start shopping - the economy needs you right now! :)

P.S. Alot of my other friends are having sales this weekend too - you can find out more by clicking here

IF: Opinion

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:59:00 +0000

In your opinion, am I fat or phat?

IF: Pretend

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:57:00 +0000

Give me red blanket, construction paper, and a big box - and I will rule the world!

Tues. Tea - Floating Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:53:00 +0000

In attempt to blog more, I decided that I should set aside certain days of the week to write about particular subjects. You may have noticed that on Fridays I partake in Illustration Friday. Well, T is for Tuesday and Tea, and I being what my family loving calls a "Tea Snob" gives me the opportunity to share my view of what real tea is!
That brings to me to a lovely Taiwanese teashop in Ballard (Seattle) called Floating Leaves. The owner Shuiwen is one of the kindest people I've met - not to mention she knows tea! Floating Leaves sells teas that will please even the pickiest tea geeks (I bought a 1979 Pu-erh Toucha a couple of years ago) or Shuiwen will help (with the utmost patience) guide the novice. If you haven't tried oolong tea (that isn't in a tea bag), you will be amazed at the flavors that await you! Alishan High Mountain Oolong is one of my favorites, although I have to admit I'm stuck on pu-erh these days!
and for those of you who are curious about how I got the label "Tea Snob", it is because I refuse to drink the family favorite tea (did you know in Canada they drink ALOT of tea?) - Red Rose - which is just the tea dust left over after they've processed all the tea leaves for black tea. It's like eating bread crumbs from a box when what you want is a fresh loaf of artisan bread.

Relay for Life Commission

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:15:00 +0000

Tera Murphy, who heads up a Relay for Life team in Ohio, commissioned me to do a painting of Norm walking along a path of luminaries. This is a print of the painting paired with a small palm-sized (as in hand, not tree) needle-felted "Hope" doll. The doll is just the right size to fit in an adult-sized palm, closed into a fist - and as most of you know, Norm's favorite activity is listening (to your hopes & dreams, prayers, fears, crazy schemes, million $ inventions, etc.)

Each luminaria that lines the path displays the name of someone touched by cancer. Their glow celebrates the lives of those that have won their battle with cancer, allows us to remember those that we have lost, and gives us the hope that someday there will be a cure.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
"Norm" was born as my response to learning that several of my friends and family members had cancer - he's my buddy through the emotional rollercoaster.

Tera Murphy commissioned the painting and 25% of all sales from the painting, prints and dolls will be donated to her American Cancer Society Relay for Life team in Ohio.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
prints, dolls, and more beneftiting the American Cancer Society may be purchased on-line in my etsy shop: http://www.artbynorm.etsy.com

IF: Late

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:10:00 +0000

Midnight, can't sleep, too much on my mind, baby is sleeping peacefully, husband asleep on the couch with the tv still on, dishes piled high in the sink, the weight of the world on my shoulders... nothing a walk on the beach won't cure.

"Starlight" - transparent shellac-based ink on gessoed canvas

The Handmade Arts Show

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:44:00 +0000

I'll be there - along with 30 other local Seattle artisans selling our wares. Oh, on Sunday 10/12 from 10-4 that is!

If yo uare in the Seattle area, it is worth checking out. The 1st 50 people through the door get swag bags from the vendors. There will be a backe sale benifiting VSA of WA. And of course shopping, lots of shopping.

For a sneak peak at the vendors who will be there, click here

St. Edwards State Park is in Kenmore, WA (aka Juanita / Kirkland). It is a great state park, in the Seattle metropolitan area (yea, you don't even have to drive 60 miles looking at nothing but trees to get there). We will be in the historical Seminary Building which was just renovated. For directions and/or more details about the park click here. AND, when you are done shopping, you can go for a hike on one of the trails in the park, or play on the awesome playground!

Oh, and just as a disclaimer - Norm will be there but only as greeting cards. Heidi will also be selling reclaimed cashmere scarves & hats.

Wow, can you say MIA?

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:12:00 +0000

But alas I'm back. Norm is going to spend a little time at "camp" - like a whole month. We just need to get away from each other for a while. And lets just say Norm needs to learn something new. You know how it is when 2 people spend 24/7 together... eventually you just have to split up and do your own thing. Norm is going to what I call "book camp". Hopefully he will read all sorts of books that we don't already have in the house (knowing him, he'll stick to the familiar initally, but I'm sure something new will catch his fancy and he will run with it). Anyway, "book camp" is at Fremont Place Book Co. He will be there for the whole month of Oct. He will be the only "camper" (eg paintings) there, so do stop by and say Hi to him - and make sure he is reading something I would approve of - the last thing I need is for him to start reading trashy romance novels!

Fremont Place Book Co. is in the heart of Fremont (Seattle) by Jai Thai, Simply Desserts, Blue C Sushi, PCC, Peets Coffee (need I say more) - oh yea, and Frank & Dunya.

so you've been wondering where I was...

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:17:00 +0000

eating chocolate of course! Well, not for 2 weeks straight (although wouldn't that be a dream!) I did eat some last night that I want to share with you though.

A new shop opened in Ballard named Claudio Corallo. Claudio is an Italian that lives in Sao Tome & Principe and owns a cacao plantation. The store in Ballard is his US outlet (for lack of a better term). It's a small shop, selling only his bars and beans - truffles are coming soon. Did you hear me say beans? Yes, real cacao beans that you peel and eat - finally a taste of the real flavor of cacao!

The woman who works in the shop is super knowledgeable - and there is not a crumb of milk chocolate in the place!

So, now to the chocolate I had last night. I sampled most of the chocolates they offered, and decided on the Chocolate sablé 80% com açúar em cristal (dark chocolate with sugar crystals). Now, I know what you are thinking - the sugar totally defeats the purpose of eating dark dark chocolate. BUT it DOESN'T. That's the beauty of this bar. The chocolate (which is single plantation by the way), still has all the complexity of 80% cacao and the sugar just adds a crunch with a slight sweetness that remains separate - in other words the two flavors don't blend together (it's like eating a donut with coffee instead of dunking the donut in the coffee).

That said, check out the shop on Market & 17th in Ballard or go to his website

an ocean of cashmere

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:53:00 +0000

So as some of you may know, I also make reclaimed cashmere scarves - reclaimed as in I go to thrift stores, buy cashmere sweaters, and then redesign them into scarves. Earlier this week I had a major shopping / restocking trip - and boy did I hit the jackpot! 18 sweaters! And it only took me 3 days to wash, cut, sew, organize and photograph the new scarves - and I didn't even get through the whole pile! phew!

I am also in the process of trying to fancy-up the scarves, right now I'm thinking of sewing flowers on the ends of them. Stay tuned...

check 'em out at http://www.maxandco.etsy.com

IF: Sail

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:52:00 +0000

My ship has sailed...

a good laugh...

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Every now and then someone emails me something that makes me giggle - maybe even chuckle. But this one, sent to me by my husband, takes the cake (pardon the pun). http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Where I'm at...

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:23:00 +0000

I've been spending my weekend at a 3-day intensive Drapery Drawing Workshop at the Gage Academy of Fine Art with Margaret Davidson. Here's a peek. I did 1 piece in charcoal and am now working on a piece in pen & ink. The ink is much more challenging because a) it can't be erased like charcoal and b) the only variation in tone is in the quantity of strokes - with charcoal you can adjust the pressure, rub it out to blend, switch pencils, add more layers, ya da ya da ya...

All in all, Margaret is a wonderful instructor and for the most part, the drapery is a wonderful "model" (except when the afternoon light shifts the shadows, but that's hardly the model's fault).

Can you say Norm in a toga?

and then you wonder why I can't get anything done...

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:55:00 +0000

the land of the living dinosaurs - aka the view from my dining room window today.

Darlingtonia californica

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:10:00 +0000

Well, we just got back from a little R&R - I like to refer to it as "the tour" since we drove from Seattle to San Francisco and back. It's amazing what a different experience a road trip is now that I'm - shall we say - more mature... It was actually alot of fun and we saw some pretty cool things - like deer, elk, quail, surfers, redwood trees, and of course Darlingtonia californica. Now you ask yourself, what?

Darlingtonia californica is the only carnivorous plant that grows anywhere near Washington state. It is also known as the Cobra Lily. It's a pitcher plant, so the insects fall into the "pitcher" where they are phisically trapped from getting out (there are small hairs inside the pitcher that point down and therefore are too slippery to climb up). Also, the lid of this particular pitcher has little thin "windows" in it allowing light in, but the bug can't get out through them. There are some enzymes secreted by the plant into the pitcher to digest the bugs that are trapped. The other thing that amazes is me, is that in the 21st century (167 years after it was discovered), we still do not know what pollinates the flowers...hmm, can you say PhD thesis? And fyi, the pitchers in the photo are about 2 1/2 - 3 feet tall and growing in a bog.

The Darlingtonia Wayside on the Oregon coast (near Florence) is a great place to stop and see these plants in "action". Ok, there actually isn't any action to be seen, unless you are really patient and hang around long enough to see some unfortunate fly get trapped, but you get my drift. Next time you are driving down 101, check it out!

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:07:00 +0000

I just realized that I have both a photograph and a graphite drawing (that I did way back in 2003 of my favorite orchid - Paphiopedlum Duncan York. I drew it from the orginal flower - the photo was taken in 2001. Yes, we still have him and he still blooms every year!

Good Morning Fushia!

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:59:00 +0000

Fuschias are definitely a favorite of mine - especially the hardy ones! This one comes back in my garden every year, even if we have a heavy frost over the winter. It seems to me if I was a hummingbird, this would be the ideal place to stop for a snack, but I've never seen a hummingbird near it. I wonder if the nectar has been bred out of it to make room for color or resistance (hate it when that happens to plants, especially roses - whose main goal in life should be to smell pretty, but few do these days).

IF: Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:51:00 +0000

A girl can never have enough ... retail therapy!

A great end to a long weekend...

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:45:00 +0000

We stopped for Chinese food on the way home from the Mill Creek Festival - and this was my fortune. I am choosing to believe that this means great things for Norm, since I don't really know what it means.

Captain's Log: Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 04:01:00 +0000

P1040124, originally uploaded by artbynorm.

All is well at the Mill Creek Festival at noon with a high of 87° according to Steve Pool (more like 187° according to Norm). We had a great day at the fair and drank LOTS of water. We'll see what tomorrow brings...

Good Morning - Poppy!

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:06:00 +0000

So it's a sunny weekend and I am off at the Mill Creek festival - I just wanted to share with you the pink poppies that are blooming in my garden. For those of you who have visited my garden in the summer, this is probably nothing new. For everyone else, let's just say for 2 months out of the year I have a garden that would make the Wicked Witch of the West proud - poppies have taken over despite my efforts to remove seed pods and pull out plants. I have 2 different varieties of red annual poppies, 2 different varieties of Oriental poppies (those are the perennial type), these pink ones and of course some California poppies. If anyone wants poppy seeds, let me know...

IF: Fog

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:32:00 +0000

This is from a new series that I am working on for a solo show coming up in January 2009 at Muse Coffee on Queen Anne in Seattle. The whole series (as I see it right now) is going to be shades of grey with just a bit of red.

The series reminds me a lot of FOG - you never know what's really out there, it could be good, it could be bad, and it could be great. The point is it's out there, no matter what it is.

etsyRAIN.com at Mill Creek Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Haute Goat Reclaimed Cashmere) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:10:00 +0000

Here's a peek at some of my friends that will be at the festival with me, my new tent, my new credit card machine, my new Greeting Cards (woohoo - professionally printed), and other new stuff like magnets, soldered microscope slide ornaments, and...

Totes2Go: totally cool re-usable fabric shopping bags that fold up into a nice neat little pouch when not in use.

World of Whimm: totally cool kids costumes!

NueToMe: recycled childrens clothing (like little girls t-shirt dresses)

RozsSaxSeattle: very cute handmade fashion accessories

Woven Chains: fantastic chain maille jewelry (you've gotta see her keychains, betcha won't be able to put it down!)

Made@Home: Homemade play dough with the coolest colors

FloatingPalace: very cute linoluem block print cards

Oh yea, park at the park and ride and ride the shuttle in - saves the hassle of trying to find non-existent parking at the fair.