Long Overdue Greetings and News From the Studio

                       

The holiday season has taken on a life of its own here at the studio- it just seems as though there isn't enough time to get done what needs to be done, much less what I want to get done! Now that the festivities are waning, along with that blue moon, I am hoping that things will get back to some sort of normalcy... Normalcy? What is that exactly? If anyone has a hint or a clue that they could share with me- I would be supremely grateful! Being one of those individuals that thrives on change- you would think I would be handling this whole traveling through life at Mach 3 with my hair on fire scenario that seems to be here of late- but, alas, I am not. Beyond popular belief, one can have a very exciting by the seat of your pants lifestyle and still enjoy order. The order part these days, yeah- not so much. And the simplest things seem to be taking the longest to complete.

Let us take blogging for example- simple process really- sign in, write, post. Done. And yet it takes forever to get done! Mental note- New Year, new blog schedule. Or at least try to keep up- would you? (that is me, scolding myself in my head). It IS the New Year! 2010! Hoot!! Happy New Year everyone! (see- I am over due in that. What would Miss Manners say!!)

People have been asking about new year's resolutions and what I want out of this year, and yadda, yadda, yadda. As a practice- I do not make resolutions as they are typically emotionally induced word vomit for the moment the question is posed in. Either people break their resolutions within days or scurry around like chipmunks before a snowstorm at the end of the year to get them all in before the clock strikes midnight. It is my personal opinion that people should try to live more authentically than that. So, in my own personal attempt to accomplish this- I want out of this year the same as every year. I want to do it better. From being a better human to being a better artist. I want to live, love, create and laugh better than I did the year before. There is always room for improvement. To live in this world and not on it -that is my every year goal. To interact with my fellow man, and to do it with heart, laughter, honesty and integrity. Sometimes I don't get it right. Sometimes I do.

 Okay- enough of that. Time to get on with the year at hand!

I am currently working on a series of illustrations for a set of Girlfriend cards to be set for printing early spring- so keep a look out for them! This is just a preliminary WIP taste.

Also- After several pushes from various individuals to write a book- I have finally decided to push past the inner-critic monster and have committed to do the same. I will be able to give details to that in a few- so just keeping your fingers in the crossed positions for now would be amazingly appreciated.

I am also in the process of working with a group of extremely talented artists to produce a series of mixed-media altered tarot cards. I wasn't prepared for how difficult this one was going to be. You know- tarot cards- right up my alley! Should be a breeze! HA! Yeah- not so much- Even though the “assignment” was up to artist interpretation- a large amount of symbolism still needs to be included to make them “authentic” and that inlays the constraint. But this too shall be worked through- I have almost completed my first “card” The World.

Beyond that is VERY cold here in the northeast. Not much unlike most of the country these days... Snow, in Texas! And freezing temperatures in Florida! And we decide to try to blow a hole in the moon. But hey that is another whole soapbox for another day.
 

 In the meantime, this is the view from the studio these days- it is no wonder I am bundled from head to toe. So thankful for the lovely girls at Sockdreams-  In the dreamy cold city of Portland- These gals know what they are doing! They are my one true vice. OTK's and warmers to just... yum! Check them out when you get a chance- just be prepared- you are not going to want to leave without buying something!

For me- I am off- to throw another log on the fire, visit all of you lovelies and do some serious blog surfing.

May you all find what you are looking for in this new year.

Enjoy each other.

Live well.

On Cue...

Just as the weather turned to 56 degrees yesterday and I started dreaming about the holidays as a child in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, wondering what happened to the snowy winters of my youth- a new wind blew and this evening the view outside my window looks like this. The first "real" snow of the season. Sure, the ski local resort has been blowing snow for almost a month now~ but this fell from the sky, right on cue.

Luckily, last weekend, I decided that the tree must go up and the lights must go on; inside and out. We spend a lot of time traveling during the holidays- here again gone, I suppose you would say. When it comes to decorating for the holidays, I am usually first one up last one down, but this year I felt like a member of the Krank family. I was gonna skip it. (yeah right) How does one actually do that? I failed the Krank test - miserably. Skip the holidays? No matter what holiday you celebrate- it is infectious. Like the whole world warms up a bit; is a bit shinier; a bit more tolerable. Now, it's not that I don't like people. I just don't like the way they treat each other on a daily basis. But during the holidays, people feel compelled to be nice, to be friendly, to be human. To look out for fellow man. To take care of one another. And even if it may be contrived and may only be for this short period of time - I'll take it. That is one of my favorite things about the holidays~ People actually being nice to people. And to have SNOW. Well, that is the icing on the cake, now isn't it. No matter what, I am the first one out in the snow. Trogging around in the freshness of it all, with my head up and my tongue out- catching snow flakes acting like a great big GOOBER. The best is during a big flake snow, and everything is quiet. The only sounds you hear are the sounds of your own breath and the flakes as they fall. Your whole world is muffled. The noise and shuffle of the town, cars going by. Everything is quiet, everything is peaceful. And if you are very lucky, at that precise moment, a train will pass through the valley below and blow its whistle. And life is good. (of course you have to like trains!)



UP the hill, above the house, is the studio, all decked out with lights. This is the first winter with the studio completed. And as I uploaded these pictures this evening... Could someone tell me who or what is in the window??? Seriously. There is nothing but pink and tangerine goodness going on up there in the windows - nothing else- just empty window space - and yet - I know I have been accused of being odd- alright, crazy.... but - OK - why does it look like something with ears is giggling in that window on the right??!! You see it, right... don't you?


Stanly gets his own tree. Stanly is my house "pet". He was here when I bought the house- He was the first thing that I noticed in the first photo I ever saw of my future home- and after the closing, I came HOME to find him sitting on a stump outside the back door. I am not sure whether the prior owner left him behind or if he just jumped out of the truck because he wanted to stay- either way - I love him. He is my attack rooster with personality. (think I'm kidding - get to close to him, I dare you. hee hee) He used to sit next to the Gargoyles, but sometime last summer, he mysteriously relocated himself to the other side of the house - and here he stays, next to his tree.

SO the craziness of the holiday season is officially upon us - and after the new year - there will be new, interesting things coming from the studio. After several requests, I have started painting again, that in itself is a big step for me. The "naked" creatures running around my house and studio should all have their clothes on .

These are part of a new series I am putting together for a local shop in town. I love experimenting with new styles and to see where they take me. While this is not my usual style, it definitely is fun!
I have decided to close the Studio and The Giggling Goblin shop on Etsy for the holidays so that I can spend some time with the family and re-group for the new year. 2009 will bring many changes to the studio, all of which I am very EXCITED about. A series of new art dolls, new paintings, new shops and galleries that will be selling my work, and new publications! Exciting things and HUGE life changes going on here at the Noll, with a few surprises along the way. Change is a good thing. Scary sometimes. But definitely never dull. Life is a possibility. And this New Year holds many breath taking possibilities.

My wish is for all of you to have a happy, healthy & FUN filled holiday. Whether you celebrate the coming of the New Year with family, friends or if you will be toasting yourself this New Year - may you celebrate life, love and creativity.



From the Studio at Wadsworth-Noll to you and yours;
Merry Christmas, Blessed Yule, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!