Do you like t-shirts?

I designed a t-shirt for this website www.riptapparel.com .  RIPT stands for Rest In Peace Tees because they sell one tee shirt design for only 24 hrs and then it's put in the "graveyard" never to return! (Or do you believe in zombies?)

Currently they have only had men's size tees, but starting TODAY August 10th they'll be offering ladies tees!  In honor of ladies tees, they're having "Ladies Week" with female artists being featured all week.  My design is kicking the week off, and is on sale RIGHT NOW until Midnight Tuesday.  Help me sell a bunch of tees, support a cool new company, support independent artists, and check out RIPT everyday this week!

*Bonus* The shirts are only $10 bucks and you will look SOOO good wearing my art. ;)

Yes, I'm alive. No, I'm not a zombie.

Woah...I haven't posted here in a while.  However, it's all for good reason.  I've been very creatively busy!

In June I was offered wall space in the gallery of Chiropractic & Wellness on Pewaukee Lake.  They were looking for something natural, peaceful, and relaxing.  My work will be hanging in the space through August.  

During July Gallery Night two of my photos were in a group show titled "Reclaiming Beauty."  I sold my very first piece of art during the show!!

Persephone

During October Gallery Night, I'll be having a solo show at The Sparrow Collective in Bay View.  This is going to be my very first solo show, and I'll have updates as I get more info.

My new art site www.loraellingson.com is up, but still a bit under construction.

Finally, a t-shirt design of mine is going to be featured on a rad website www.riptapparel.com.

They sell one different shirt design every 24 hrs.  You should really check them out!

As always, I'm busy with work, freelance, and trying to start a new band.  Life is good.

I worked on the paintings a bit more.  I feel that the yellow one is finished, but the blue one needs a bit more work in the florish area.

I photographed a wedding!

First Monthly Craft Night.

Last night, my friend came over for a craft night.  It was so much fun, we decided we should do it once a month.  But I should get a better name than "Monthly Craft Night."  How boring!

Our crafts however, are not boring.  I'm in love with these embroidered cards we made. :)

Mine is on the left, K's is on the right.

Something Old is New Again.

I found an 80's style dress in the Halloween section of Goodwill and bought it because I liked the fabric.  The cut however was not flattering.  So, I made it into a cute tunic!  

I did not make this from a pattern.  I used my dress form and tried my hand at draping for the first time.  Very fun!

Two new paintings...

I finally got the inspiration I needed to finish a couple 6"x6" paintings I was working on.  I'm still not totally sold on the metallic silver flourishes.  I'm thinking of using some modeling paste to make that part a raised textual part that will be the same tone as the background.  Thoughts?

My Art

I've been bad. I've been a slacker. I've been scared and lazy and maybe even a bit stupid. I haven't finished any personal art since I graduated from MATC. That makes me feel bad about myself. I have so many ideas for art, but I never do anything about it. Then a recent acquaintance posted this on Facebook.

"I sometimes do not do certain things, or draw certain pictures because i am afraid they won't turn out like they have in mind. I want to keep them for myself or think that they might be ruined if I let them be known."

I was floored. I felt like the song, "Killing Me Softly." I just kept staring at that line. That is exactly how I feel, but I never vocalized it to a single soul. And that has been rattling around in my mind ever since I read it. This has lead me to realize that it's silly to do nothing just because I'm scared. If I never did the things that scared me, I would never have accomplished the things I am most proud of. I need to let go and just do it. My art is so personal to me, it scares me to put it out there for people to judge. I would feel like they are judging my most personal feelings. It's very scary. Yet, when I did make a piece of art that was extremely personal, I ended up getting that piece into the Lakefront Festival of the Arts. So why am I so scared!?

Today, I've made up my mind. At least one night a week I WILL work on my art. Not just sketching ideas or brainstorming. Actually putting paint to canvas, or light to film. Actually creating a body of work that I can try to show. I'm done talking. I'm going to do. Thanks Jenny.

T-shirt Designs

So, the "Holiday Season" really made it difficult for me to find time to post stuff. But now it's a new year and I'm going to get back on the posting bandwagon. Yesterday I made a cute design for a high school dance. The theme is space. Here's what I came up with.