Faux-Batik

Here is a project that can be done with kids in the style of African Batik. It is so easy to do!.

Step1. Draw a picture with pencil on any cotton fabric

Step2. Go over the lines they drew with Elmer Blue Gel Blue, let dry.

Step3. Paint over the design with Watered down acrylic paint, let dry.

Step4. Soak fabric in warm water for 15 minutes and then scrub the glue out!

Voila you have a design that mimics authentic batik and is durable. They key to making it beautiful is to use dark saturated colors and to have at least one neutral color ( I used the blue gray for this)

Check out my fine art website- https://anneviggianofineart.wordpress.com/ and send me a message-   I can give you other auction project ideas!

Steel Door

Collaboration is pretty awesome-
1.Homeowner saw an inspiration picture
2.Contractor figured out the 'how-to': did the math , cut and pre-drilled 5 sizes of metal shapes, enough pieces for two sides of  a 5'x9'  door.
3.Expert metal finisher created the multi-layered color , plus an exterior rated lacquer coating on the galvanized steel pieces and also on thousands of screws.
4. Ecstatic designer(me) made a template of how to lay them out
5. Giddy designer (again, me) guided the contractors as they hung the pieces, these guys were great collaborators, willing to give up the creative part of the construction- such professionals.
6. Angels sang.
( ok maybe they were just singing in my head )

5'x9' Pivot Door with Custom Steel Design

halfway thru the first side.

Meet Ralph

If you spend any time in the West Elm store, you would know how en vogue the Owl is: Every candle, ornament, pillow and blanket has an owl right now! If you know me, you know I have collected plenty of adorable Owl decor.. It seems i was inviting a real one into my life by decorating my home because now,  I have a real owl……
Meet Ralph, a Barred Owl that has been living in our Wedgwood backyard for a month or so. He/she is mysterious, beautiful and is charming us but making the chickens crazy.
It brings up a little question of what it means, you know in the 'woo-hoo' sense, to have an owl in your yard. I did a bit of lazy internet research to discover the Native American meaning. They have this wonderful way ( i am generalizing) of teaching us about ourselves through the animals that we have special encounters with.

I learned about this fortune-telling-through-animals while I  lived in Hawaii. My sister in law had a book called the Native American Medicine Cards which listed animals and their meanings. When you live there, amazing animal interactions were common and we found ourselves looking at it almost daily. I had major connections with sea turtles & spinner dolphins back then that made me feel completely connected to mother nature. Somehow, after moving back to Seattle and starting a family, I forgot to listen to the messages from the animals……..until Ralph arrived last month.
Here is what  I learned:

  "If Owl is your personal medicine, no one can deceive you about what they are doing, no matter how they try to disguise or hide it from you. You may be a little frightening to be around, since so many people have ulterior motives, which you see right through. If you are unaware of your medicine power, you may take your keen insights and abilities for granted. Others never do. You may frighten them and reflect their blindness, for you cannot be fooled. Owl medicine people know more about an individual's inner life than that person knows about herself or himself.

You are being asked to use your powers of keen, silent observation to intuit some life situation. Owl is befriending you and aiding you in seeing the total truth. Owl can bring you messages in the night through dreams or meditation Pay attention to the signals and omens. The truth always brings further enlightenment"

At the close of what seems to have been the hardest year of my life, I can honestly say that this animal connection and its message is very real to me. I have learned to listen to my instinct and pay attention--what I have found out about myself and others has been enlightening for sure.

I also found out that I like my Owl themed home decor items even more now; they will forever remind me of the fall I had an owl in my yard and discovered my true strength and my true boundaries.

Don Newman, Peace Activist

 I was at Grumpy D's cafe in Ballard the other day and this guy walked in and carefully took a stack of these little colorful handmade linoleum cut prints. They all say  "Peace."
I asked him if I could take a picture.

After 15 minutes he came over to my table and gave me a handwritten note explaining what  he was about, it said:

" I've been making this image for over 10 years. I have tried hard not to associate with any war, conflict, protest, religion, etc. I simply have hoped to connect people over the word and concept of peace." - Don Newman

On the back of the paper was a text taken from a post 9/11 John Lennon benefit concert called" Come Together" and it said: "Just have one word, Peace. in the window even if you don't exactly know why you are putting it there, it can't harm you. You will start to come across other people who have done the same"

If you want some, they are $2 each and you can get them at Grumpy D's Cafe -7001 Northwest 70th Street  Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 783-4039

A Decadence of Morals.

"He had that curious love of green, which in individuals is always the sign of a subtle artistic temperament, and in nations is said to denote a laxity, if not a decadence of morals." -- Oscar Wilde

Possibly, Oscar Wilde was talking about an all American style drunken happy hour full of creative sorts?

****Well Done Assignment #2.
Get your friends together this Fri after work, have a few cocktails, ( alcohol not necessary to reap these rewards) and talk about silly stuff, like old family myths, dreams, and tell each other some dirty jokes... and don't forget to laugh a lot.

So what if you're broke, depressed, stressed, or have other plans. Ignore all those excuses and still show up for some happy hour fun at the end of the long week. . Just like exercising, once you get there...

West Seattle Art Walk

Come see my paintings at Shoofly Pie in West Seattle!

Creativity abounds, thank heavens

 Hi you readers, Jane sent this amazing link to me yesterday.

 This work by The Sketching BackPacker is fun and sweet and just something that came from a place of simple creativity. It has no serious message, nor does it remind you that you are a bad citizen, or that the world is seemingly morally collapsing in front of us.

Hey Rebecca, Let's start giving out homework that feeds the soul, ok?

Well Done Assignment #1:

Today we want you to make,  look at or do fun simple stuff and give your heart a rest today.

 - Cheers!
- Anne

Bugs in a Jar~ Kids Art!

Anne here!
 I've been searching desperately for inspiration these days... and I forgot that the best and purest form always comes from art by kids... When given the right materials and a solid plan....kids art always has: perfect compositions, perfect color, joy, whimsy, seriousness, and the pure personality of the artist is clearly shown...
The best inspiration around.

This project is a part of a larger project I am helping the 2nd graders make for the auction this year. It's made with watercolor pencils and paintbrushes... I will share the final project with you soon.

Happy Monday!

Mexican Wall Murals.

We just don't have a sense of humor here in the USA. ~ Anne

Katja's roller blinds; Handmade!!

Celebrity Halloween Couples

Amanda & Raffaele meet Katy & Russell. We couldn't resist! ~A & R

White Trim Exceptions~!!!!

Wow, wasn't I just so opinionated yesterday about white trim, so opinionated that I made my own rule!
This was not my intention~ my intention was to have you think about the decision of white trim in a very mindful way, not as a default.. I realize that I have found, in my journeys through peoples homes, many situations where white trim is perfection.. even in small urban homes.
For example: If you have 3/4 of the way up the wall of wainscoting and your home is full of dark wood and you feel oppressed and dark and depressed like we like to do here in Seattle, than by all means paint that shit white! But before you do, take a deep breath and notice there are at least 500 whites to choose from, yikes!

The shelter magazines and design shows like to boast about knowing the designers secret to the
"p e r f e c t" white from such and such brand or 'you must use' the one from the so and so fancy brand in Los Angeles. It may true that their whites are just like the insides of an organic coconut from utopia, or feel like the breath of a angel baby. But, duh, they are missing the point: each one of our homes requires a white that fits our unique house, and each paint requires a specific sheen for the specific surface that the white will be painted on, whether it is cabinets, trim, walls, ceilings, floors: or whether it is to be laquered or bone dry flat or sprayed in oil to make it look like an eggshell or antiqued to look very aged... Phew there are so many particulars.. in fact you  could do your entire interior in whites, many whites and many textures and feel extremely happy and very modern...
With all that being said, let your white shine. Just make sure it is purposeful and not lazy.

Malina's house is a breath of fresh air, main design element: White Paint.

There I go judging you again.

historic homes always are great with white trim

No White Trim!!!

Hi!, Anne here.. I have strong feelings about the painting rules that seem to be pervasive regarding trim color in homes .I have found that white trim and ceilings are a safe plan for most, but truly what it results in is many contrasting outlines. This is fine, even amazing, in very large, high ceiling traditional estates. In our typical urban dwellings with many windows and doors and low ceilings, what this does is make a lot of visual tension for the eye and soul. 

Do you want your home to be a peaceful place? Step one would be to paint the trim to match the wall it is on, just simply change the sheen. It seems nutty maybe, but what you will find is that your attention is brought more to the view out the window or the lovely items you have in your home. Isn't this better than your eyes always looking at walls ?

      I firmly believe that we are subject to a ton of visual stimuli all day, and we replicate that in our home with clutter and paint contrasts etc... take a few steps toward simplifying your paint palette and see how it changes your mood.

Roosevelt Vision Source, Exterior Paint Colors

I had the great pleasure of picking the colors for this business. It used to be a beige mass hidden behind some trees.. I chose some C2 Paint colors and am very happy with the results.. Robin Daly even put it on her blog, Thanks Robin!
If your business or home needs some updating.. give me a call.~ Anne

Me and Anne in B&W

Months ago Sue Doupe took this picture of me and Anne at the Sacajawea Auction (our kid's elementary school). I love that she captured our friendship in one snap. So many talented women I know. ~ Rebecca

The front entrance..

It could be in Paris!

Good Shepherd Center

Address: 4649 Sunnyside Avenue North
Date Built: 1906
Original Architect/Builder: C. Alfred Breitung.
Description: Fine example of the Italianate style embellished with Corinthian capitals and elaborate stone work.
Original Owners: Sisters of the Good Shepherd.
Historic Seattle's Role:

The Good Shepherd Center / Photo: Historic Seattle Archives
After providing over 60 years of service to young women seeking shelter, education, and training, declining numbers of residents forced the Home of the Good Shepherd to close in 1973. After the Wallingford community defeated a proposal to turn the 11-acre site into a shopping center, the City of Seattle bought the property in 1975 with Forward Thrust and Federal Revenue Sharing funds and then transferred the buildings to Historic Seattle for use as a multi-purpose community center. The project is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and gained Offical City of Seattle Landmark status on September 10, 1984 (Ord. # 111882).

Current and Future Uses:

The property is owned and operated by Historic Seattle and the center currently houses nonprofit organizations and schools including the Meridian School, Neo Art School, the Wallingford Senior Center, the Alliance Française, and Seattle Tilth.
Historic Seattle added six live/work units for artists in early 2002. Ranging in size from 580 to 650 sq. feet, the artist studios are located in a space once used for the school's dance classes and costume storage. The artist residents are a diverse group and bring much creativity and enthusiasm to the Good Shepherd Center community.
Current and Future Uses:

The Good Shepherd Center / Photo: Marissa Natkin
Historic Seattle also completed a small performance and rehearsal space with a seating capacityof 100-150 in the former fourth floor chapel. Accessible by elevator, this beautiful, two-story space features wooden floors, columns, and stained glass.
Historic Seattle partnered with NonSequitur, a music production non-profit, who not only stages twelve of their own performances per month, but serves as booking agent for other community events and performances in the Chapel.
Learn more about meeting room rental, tenant leasing information and other frequently asked questions regarding the Good Shepherd Center.
On July 22nd, 2007 Historic Seattle held a celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of Good Shepherd Center. Learn more about the centennial celebration and download a pdf of the commemorative program (pdf).

The Tilth Garden is here.

The Apple Orchard

View from the back

Carl the Dog Books were written here.