DIY Graphics + April First Friday @ Buzz Cafe

First Friday show confirmed for April 6th at Buzz Cafe!

Did you know that, in a past life, I was a graphic designer?

Actually, it wasn't a past life. Just a long time ago, back in the days of Photoshop 4... when GD was referred to sometimes as "Commercial Design", back before everyone had a Mac, back when the talent for such things was rare and you really could make a career out of it. (I exaggerate, of course. I have plenty of talented friends making good money as designers right now in 2012. There are of course, far too many of the other variety as well.)

Quick graphic I made today for my Art by Xtina Facebook page cover image.

Anyway, just wanted to post some pretty images to keep it moving over here. I spent most of today running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to prepare for a performance tonight at the Addy Awards - spinning fire for Philadelphia's finest designers and advertising crews along side the fabulous kinetic sculptures of Frank's Kitchens.

And the connections get smaller: for the First Friday show at Buzz Cafe, the start of my flyer design (and cover to the Facebook event page, which you can RSVP to by clicking here - more info coming soon, of course) which will be (hopefully) held in conjunction with Frank's Kitchens First Friday event on the same date. April 6th is going to be a great night for local arts in Kensington. I will share the rest of my exciting plans for this special spring art event once I have everything figured out.

Plague of Poppies/ 9" x 12" / acrylic on hardboard

Till then, I'll leave you with a new photo of a not-so-new painting I titled Plague of Poppies. (Also partially featured in the graphic for Facebook, above.) This was a small side project I worked on in the beginning stages of The Honeycomb Merkaba painting, when I was still obsessively drawing hexagons. The flowers are the interesting part - one of my first obsessive subject matters, I've been enthralled with and fascinated by everything from their colors and symbolism to their medicinal properties. Poppies in particular play some small roles in older paintings and projects, but in this little sketch they are the focus. Though the size and amount of time invested make it feel more like an exercise, I was happy enough with how it came out to include it in my show last summer alongside Kristin for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Before the end of the month, I'll be posting more artwork photos, details about my First Friday show, and hopefully a finished painting or three. Especially the BIG 'UN. (I can't wait to put all the in progress shots of that painting next to one another! ) More hexagons, please.