...and the winner is DAPHNE!

Hello Daphne sez my hubby Hugh!

Daphne said...

"If I won this fabulous ellie, I would have to struggle to decide where to put her...in my studio? Or would I be a nice mom and put her in my son's room? He's five months old and LOVES looking at the art on his walls...I think he needs this elephant!"

YAY! Please send me your address Daphne: matimcd (at) hotmail.com

**thank you all for commenting and for your sweet words complimenting this lucky elephant!

ps- my shop SALE ends April 1st, no fools.
pps-above is an adorable photo of hugh and his 3 older sisters to sign off and wish you a happy weekend.

xxx

collaborative painting

when i was up in seattle a few weeks ago kelly mentioned she wanted make a painting for her bedroom on a piece of long canvas to go above her bed. we were excited to try one collaboratively! we've worked so well together planning classes, traveling and dreaming out loud about our art. we thought it would be fun to see what it'd be like to paint together and we also wanted to break in her new studio and try out her camera! here is kelly's account! the above is our sped up seemingly manic monkey painting (it was filmed over the course of an hour). so fun and seamless working together! i'm wishing snippets of the conversations of art, life and hysterical expressions were captured, more than our backsides;) next time!

i like how you can see our process of making a mark, wiping it off and trying again differently. so true to life, right? here's the finished painting now rested above kelly and her husband john's bed. i'm realizing there are so many points we could have stopped at and then we could've kept kept on... that's the craziest and sometimes most difficult thing about making a painting-- when do you deem it finished??


ps- if you haven't signed up for the giveaway below, you have till friday at 5pm west coast time!

xxx

i heart sprout

good afternoon,

i slept horribly last night and am needing a little pick-me-up of color today. accessories always do the trick!

my sweet as pie friend jenifer's lovelies of sprout studios are calling to me today especially! i could don a little vintage colorful bobby pin, chunky ring (i have the aqua pow on sale!), or her one of a kind large glass pendants. i have one that has a pirate ship with "courageous" written on it that i always wear when i'm needing an extra bit of love and bravery. i also have a sweet yellow birdie one. both are the perfect heft and are on this amazing bouncy clear cord that is perfect... for it feels durable and elegant at the same time. here are some current faves featured in her etsy shop:





i also am so, so thrilled to have her BEAUTIFUL umbrella printed skateboard hanging as a painting in my home!

my goodness this woman is so crazy multi-talented... did i mention she's a k-5 art teacher too? and an amazing vegetarian cook and baker? that girl just whips up crumpets and sweet potato muffins like nobody else. and Pictionary player? mad skills. how does she do it all? and she was just in so many scenes of the rad movie handmade nation doing her thing as part of the craft community. so i obviously cannot say enough about my admiration for jen, so happy to know you darling.

****the BEST part is dear readers is that if you buy a sweet bauble from her etsy or shop just put the code MATI ROSE and get an additional 25% OFF! she's offering FREE shipping for the month of march in her etsy too!!! wahoo!

xo
mati

HUGE shop sale + giveaway!

i'm excited to announce that i'm having a SALE in my suspect shoppe! all prints are $20 (usually $30) or less from today until april 1st.

also, i'm happy to announce that i have sweet custom cut mattes to fit many of my prints including my elephants and many more!

i'm giving away this lovely matted red elephant print to a lucky person who comments by next Friday, March 27th. say hello! my husband hugh will cover his eyes and choose a name to win this. if for some reason you happen to already have this red ellie or prefer another-- we can work something out!

cheers!
x
mati

Thea Coughlin makes you beautiful

Yes, she does.

I'm a little bit shy posting these, but I really, really want to spread the word of Thea Coughlin and her magic. Thea told me recently that she will be offering portrait sessions at the upcoming Squam Art Workshops and I need to encourage you to have a session if you're going! People, this is an unbelievable opportunity--book one now before she is full! As you can see Thea is incredibly talented and more than that, she has a way with making one feel completely at ease and glamorous and fun, even shy-er artist folks like me. For reals. You will be amazed... I mean, who is this girl below?





A little back story~ I had never met Thea before (admired her photography on-line), but she instantly made me feel relaxed and my most beautiful self. She was completely un-intimidating and down to earth, funny, generous and a straight shooter-- especially when it came to my self-conscious areas... we all have them, and Thea has the tricks of the trade to solve them and is a woman who gets it and hones in on what IS flattering. She has this incredible gold apparatus too that makes the reflective light beautiful, such a pro.

I am especially excited about having these photos when I'm say 75 years to hopefully show to my grandchildren... and then I'll book another session with them in tow:)... right?! I'm also thinking if you're an emerging artist, NOW is a great time to have your photo taken for your book jacket, website, cd cover... when it happens you'll have the professional gorgeous photo to accompany your dream. Or even just as a gift to yourself as to where you are at today. Maybe you're beautifully pregnant? Celebrating your 30th, 40th, 21st or 51st birthday? Or perhaps a photo shoot with a dear friend? The possibilities are endless, aren't they? I can completely attest to the power of seeing yourself in a new, strong and dare I say beautiful light. if you're feeling inclined, shoot Thea an email with questions and to book your session... she's the sweetest.

Thank you Thea.

big XO

blame sally cd debut!!

YAY!
one of my fave bands and friends are releasing their new cd! hugh and i designed the cover together!!! i'm so excited!


In Concert at The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco
on May 8, 2009, 8 PM
with Conspiracy of Venus (a Leonard Cohen cover band!)
Celebrating the Release of their New CD!

Get tix here

xxoox

my studio sketch

see bigger here.
i found this drawing today in one of my files and it cracked me up... planning my space. am i 8 years?
yes, inside i am. my creative self at least.
it reminds me of similar sketches i would do based on my all time fave "the anti-coloring book". do any of you remember this?

i totally want to do an adult painting version and have one in the works! any book publishers reading? :)

in the 1984 version that my sister and i drew in endlessly pages include these coloring prompts:

- Design the perfect jungle gym.
- What would you expect to find while exploring another planet?
- What is the worst thing about being a kid?
- What surprise can you find in a gum ball machine?
- What would you like to buy for your parents?
- What makes you cry?

so relevant still.

more home love

hi there,

i wanted to share another awesome photo and art collection from the oh so talented jennifer judd-mcgee of swallowfield fame (a fellow mainer and rad woman and artist). check out her etsy shoppe. i have this one and will be adding it to my framed montage soon! don't you just love her vintage pots + pans! sigh.

my sweet parents michael + wanda are visiting from maine and we've been exploring my local haunts-- la taqueria was first on the list! hands down best tacos in the city (do i have any contesters out there? i know it's heated)
i'm not sure what else is on the list... maybe sewing curtains with my mom, big sur perhaps and lots of eating and walking. i'm hoping we can go to the farmer's market on saturday since it's been a regular lovely routine with miss jen and shash. i'm going to point to shash's photo collage here to show the beautiful (and inexpensive! and organic!) scene. isn't it colorful?

enjoy the day,
mati

ps- jennifer features my print on the bottom under some camilla engman's i do believe-- lucky girl!

britt=on fire

i'm honored to brag about one of the many talented students from art nest. britt hermann folks had only painted, like twice, maybe 3 times pre art nest??? how is this possible? this woman exudes MAD talent. dripping from her fingers! the moon and stars are aligned for this fine lady got home, bought a high quality printer, painted up a feast and now has an etsy shoppe for us all to enjoy!!!

yay! thank you sweet one. i really, really can't say enough about britt and her beautiful mysterious paintings and drew barrymore doppleganger self (even the flight attendant inquired). ha!

above is the painting (her first sale of many!) that i bought from her. i love it so. perfect. it reminds me of donnie darko in the best way. subtle and sweet and a bit spooky perhaps? you can find the "she prefers white" print here. 

and here is the "rocks + taffy" painting she painted in my class-- she spent forever getting that blue just right and it's well worth it. and this incredible "she is flight" print from kelly's class. aren't they amazing?!

very, very proud if i can speak on behalf of all the nest :) anyone else have a new or refreshed etsy shop to share??

xoxo

art collections

hello,

today i wanted to share my growing collection of photos of other folks art collections, which include my work.

first is the lovely grouping of artist and designer jennifer ramos whose blog i just adore. she wrote a sweet post about me here. thank you kindly jennifer! note my little deer + peacock print entitled "i will follow you" in the mix. i love jennifer's mix of white and metal frames and all her text!



the 2nd is of course from my dear oft mentioned kelly rae. it was such a treat to visit kelly's home for in nearly every room i represented with my art. she kept saying... "your style is so varied, i can put a mati rose everywhere"... or something cute like that. thanks girly. she has the mischevious kitten in tighty whities print in her sweet grouping. i'm loving her vintage patterns + papers with the white frames. nice!



next we have the fabulous andrea of hula 70's home. have you guys seen her house tour? dreamy. i feel so lucky to grace her walls, man. note ava's room dons the baby birds print of mine too:) in her collection she features the "dreaming in birds print" which i dig with the varied sizes of white frames with her own incredible photos and polaroids mixed in. very signature hula:)



lastly is the gorgeous jenny vorwaller's wall, which showcases one of my all time fave prints "there is nothing wrong with you". face it there isn't. especially not you. i'm keen on the way jenny has clear frames and some with none at all. yes.



please do send me any art groupings that feature my work! i'd love to see and share them. i'm totally inspired to make one myself with a mix of white ikea frames and others i have lying around soon! will show you when it looks good!

xo
mati

shows + shops

hello out there,

i'm still reeling from utah inspiration, on the heels of a wonderful trip to seattle. i feel so lucky. man, i still haven't even shared photos from our last show "little vagabonds"... up till april fools, no foolin', if you'd like to make an appointment. both hugh and i sold a bunch of work, but there are still several beauties left!

what's ahead?

i'm part of an awesome print show at hq galerie in montreal opening this saturday:


i'm selling my prints in a few new and new to me stores, including Cranky Yellow in St. Louis. Love them.

As well as the San Francisco Museum of Craft and Folk Art! So excited to be included in a museum, even if it's just the gift shop ;)
They are rad and are having an amazing opening tonight! Mike Shine, well shines.

Not to mention the local stores that I love: Rare Device and Arkay that are carrying my prints. Thank you so much!

And of course Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth, NH has some original little elephants available and more new work from me next month as the featured artist :))
In the meantime check out Marisa's sweet + tiny featured work!

I'll be having a big shop update in my etsy soon too, so stay tuned please!

love,
mati

love letter to the nest

dear art nesters,

i asked you to write a letter to your selves with your intentions for the class and now i'm writing you a letter back of gratitude.

thank you. my heart is exploding in a million pieces in the best way. i fell in love with each and every one of you and your unique stories, unfolding before us. and continuing to inspire all of us.

thank you. i will forever remember you who had never picked up a brush before, you who found her friends among us, you whose mom told you her art sucked and pushed on, you who found your confidence, you whose first piece i purchased! you who is getting married...the many of you who re-built your lives post-divorce, you who are mammas balancing their creative dreams and families, you who turned 40 and anew, all of you who inspired me with your passion and contagious enthusiasm and for letting me guide you as a newbie teacher.

thank you especially candice, julie and cossandra for creating the space to make it happen. i miss the mountains of utah... sigh.

xxxx
mati

ps-i stole photos from kelly rae. more good ones from kari :)
pps-see kelly + my collaborative paintings here too from the week before in seattle. good times!