Spectrum Live!

 Spent a fabulous weekend in Kansas City at Spectrum Live!

(came back with so.much.swag!)

There is a little blog entry with my faculty that attended on the TLCWorkshop site -

and lots and lots of pics on my facebook page.

SO.Much.Fun!

You should all make sure you go.

Monday Music - Lime in the Coconut

Just got back from a *fabulous* weekend in Kansas City attending Spectrum Live (a full report will follow soon). Have been trying to think of a sufficiently celebratory song for the lingering elation... This isn't *quite* that, but close (and one of my favorite scenes from Practical Magic):

Spectrum Schwag!

I came back from Spectrum Live with goodies. :-)

I tried to keep my purchases to a minimum (no more wall space for prints, etc..)  but I'm a sucker for cards and books. (And botanical perfume by Roxana Illuminated Perfume - which is rich, complex and luscious.)

I also bought *sketches*! The one on the left by the inimitable Allen Williams, the one on the right by my long-time hero Scott Gustafson.

And then there was all the mini-art in the form of business and postcards. I only took a sampling of all the wondrous artists there - still overwhelming in fabulousness.

I was there primarily promoting my TLCWorkshops - which I must say went really well. Stay tuned for upcoming stupendous line-ups!

Convention Going - Compare and Contrast

One of the reasons I had to leave the Marriott Hotel mid-week was that it was pre-sold and filled with attendees of another convention in the same convention center -

Some ginormous traveling international Quilting fest was in residence...

The attendees are remarkably similar- 

- primarily rounded, older women with bobbed hair and roller boards...

Spectrum Live attendees on the other hand -

Not nearly so many women, older or otherwise -

- and something about their look or demeanor gives them away as having interests outside of quilting....

(for more pictures, see my Flickr album here -)

Retrospective Friday - Kansas City

Spent all of last week in Kansas City. It is a beautiful city (at least the limited part that I was in)-

I stayed several places (long, boring story), but the bulk of it was in the Marriott (on the left) while I attended the Artist as Brand workshop, and the Aladdin (small, boutiquey hotel) on the right whilst I was attending Spectrum Live.

Spectrum Live was held in this ginormous convention center across the way. The Artist as Brand workshop was ironically held at the Aladdin Hotel. :-)

The Marriott Hotel was adorned with colored lights and beautiful fountains, had room service and a Concierge's Lounge....

This was my view from my window -

- and this.

The Aladdin had....eclectic decor.... (at least all the 'fun kids' saying there. :-) 

This was my view from my window - 

(if you craned your neck, you could see some skyline at least :-) 

On the plus side, there were origami towels in my room. :-)

We walked around a number of times in the Power and Light district. The buildings are quite lovely. A mix of shiny new - 

- and lovely, ornate old...

It really was an appealing place - architecturally as well as feeling clean, safe and upscale. Also, the food was good  - they are known for their BBQ, 

-and booze apparently. There was alcohol served *everywhere*, including Burger King. :-)

Music Monday - Spectrum Live

I know it is no longer Monday, nor exactly music (although there is some appropriate accompaniment in the Gurney one), but I thought some overviews of the weekend would be a good thing to post while I'm processing all the pictures and promo material and information I acquired whilst in Kansas City last week...

Here is James Gurney's mini-film of his adventures (in typical humorous, smart, Gurney-form):

Here is a really good article which includes many a fabulous photo: Rockville Music Magazine. 

 And here is a photo from Irene Gallo (one of the few I know I'm actually in. Mostly I just took them): 

(It's me, and Greg Manchess and Arkady Roytman fairly drooling over some Eric Fortune originals. Yum!)

So MUCH yummy, arty goodness!  Much more to come.

Fantastic Friday - Spectrum Live

I just have to say that the first day of Spectrum Live was fabulous. So much amazing art. So many amazing, creative, talented, lovely people. Re-connecting with many old friends and making new ones. I am so busy looking and talking and generally being amazed that I keep forgetting to even get out my camera (sorry. I'll get a few shots to post next week, I promise) and I haven't been able to stop long enough to buy anything, although there are a number of things on my wish list that I hope to acquire tomorrow - in-between the too-many-to-chose-from panels, and general schmoozing. I just came down from the (very hot and crowded) drawing jam on the roof floor of the Aladdin Hotel where I got to stand and chat with Greg Manchess, Greg Spalenka (Gregs in Stereo! I SO wish I had gotten a picture of that - they are nearly exactly the same size and totally huggable) and Iain McCaig ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Talk about creative giants en masse - that was a fun discussion to sit in on! Anyway - tis awesome. You should all be here.

WIP Wednesday - On the Road

I am sitting on the 18th floor of a fancy Marriott Hotel, overlooking the Power & Light District in Kansas City. I'm here attending Greg Spalenka's Artist As Brand workshop (www.artistasbrand.com)(which is being awesome-albeit possibly confusing the issue even more for me)for one more day, and then I'll be going to the brand-spanking new Spectrum Live Convention over the weekend. Good art week, yes? I seem to know a number of people coming to Spectrum, and my art friend, Sue Cornelison is sharing my room and going to the workshop with me. So Much Art & Career Discussion! Sadly, I haven't figured out how to deal with photos on this iPad, so pictures will have to wait until I get back next week. Meanwhile, tune into twitter or facebook for updates.