out with the old...

in with the new! I trust you all had a great holiday and are spending some time reflecting on 2010 as the last day of the year is here. I had a fantastic Christmas, quiet, filled with love and relaxation. I needed it after a whirlwind of rough times at work and projects that left me feeling tired a slightly bitter.

after some time to relax and refresh I feel great and ready to face 2011 with an open heart. there have been so many changes taking place in my life and many more on the horizon. I am hoping to attend graduate school next fall for art therapy and my life is certainly taking a new direction going from art assistant to mental health. in the meantime work will also have some changes, as some relationships will have to end and new ones will begin. It's a bitter sweet time for me. I grew fond of my life the way it was, but as with everything, the only constant is change.

with all of these changes I have been inspired to make even more change at home, both in my environment and in terms of health. part of that decision process is to let this blog go in favor of a personal journal, handwritten, for me. so, dear blog, you have done me well these past 2 years, but I need to be more private with my thoughts and become more introspective so that I can cope with the massive amount of change ahead of me.

since I gather that many of you readers are those I see or speak to regularly, thanks for checking in and I'll see you on the non-virtual side of the world. for the others out there, you can still visit jillringler.com to get updates on my art and such.

good bye 2010, farewell blog....happy new year! xo

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

I am trying to make time for the sweeter things in life this Holiday, like time with friends and long phone calls to those that are far, tea, warm sweaters and cuddling up with the cats and my love. In other words, I am trying to make time for simple pleasures during a time that can be rather chaotic and stressful. I am rather sick of life being such a ball of stress! It can be challenging to make time or have money for it all, but living creatively I've turned things around a bit this year.

Decorating: A smaller tree with handmade snowflakes on the windows and stockings.

Baking: I will make one treat instead of baking for a small army.

Cards: Making it simpler, but still personal. A small personal list will receive hand written, mailed cards and the larger mass will receive an e-card, but still artful and personal. The artwork for each are photographs by Philip:

Gifts: Bought and Handmade. Rather than making everything this year, I've caved into buying some things and it feels pretty good! Less stress to make the 'finish line'.

With all this, I am able to meet my budget and even take a short break off of work to enjoy it all. That my friends is priceless!

I hope you find warmth and joy throughout your days this Christmas and I wish you the happiest of New Year's! xo

Twas a successful event!

The Richmond Art Center was a success! We had a great time, sold some stuff, and supported a good cause.

More pictures here.

Richmond Art Center Holiday Arts Festival

Friday, 3 – 7 pm & Saturday, 11 – 5 pm

Hope to see you there!!

busy as a bee....what else is new!

It's that time of year and oh-so-many changes are happening, hence the lack of posts, although I am certain no one is missing me. (just being honest, i've been considering letting the blog go bye-bye and sticking to a private journal-guess we'll see!)

The big event on the horizon is keeping me the most busy and I am very excited for this year's annual Richmond Art Center Holiday Arts Festival - Next weekend to be precise, December 3 and 4. Two whole days! It's going to be great! Last year certainly was and they've made some great improvements to the schedule and overall event.

Please come and support me, along with the fabulous Chase Clark and Sylvia Min. We have a great assortment of handmade accessories for you, your home, your friends and family! Last year Chase's ornaments were such a hit, we thought it would be nice for all of us to create our own for the table.

Pardon the poor images, but here is a sneak preview of what I've been working on:

Hope to see you there! x

where to find a living tree for christmas

Any ideas on where to find a live Christmas tree in the Bay Area??
I found this awesome 'Adopt a Christmas Tree' service that delivers a tree AND picks it up to plant it somewhere when Christmas is through (they even come dressed as elves!). Sadly this is only in the San Diego area. I found another version in the LA area, but nothing up here the Bay Area yet.

I've been using a cheap-o, made in China, fake tree, and probably will continue to do so just out of sheer guilt of what happens when the time comes to get rid of it (landfill). Lately I've been thinking about ways to have a live tree because I've been inspired on my hikes form inhaling the most fragrant, delicious, refreshing air.

Creatively speaking, what about alternative ways of decorating with ornaments?
It's so difficult to be eco-conscious and creative sometimes. In some ways you never win on the eco because everything has an impact especially in the art materials section. But seriously, if we are supposed to make strides toward it, we have to use our creativity to find solutions.

Perhaps the answer is to use what I have and keep pondering.

If you have some links to share, brilliant ideas, or just some thoughts on the matter, I'd love to hear them!

Hope autumn is being kind to you!

happy halloweeeeeen!

http://flickr.com/gp/thecuriousbee/Z8YX4N

check out some photos for our second annual pumpkin carving party / silent movie at the sf symphony. sooooo super fun:)

i'm back

Back to the Bay and happy to see the summer is behind us and fall is here to greet us with rainy days filled with warm beverages and baked goods:)

Click Here for photos of our road trip. Perhaps you need a preview?

Route 66 is a great summary of americana from the landscape to the food and everything in between. We both took tons of photos and soaked it all in. What an amazing adventure! Glad to be back though. x

new artwork!

there's more to see on my website

road trip prep and art update

well well well. i can't show you the new series just yet because we have to take photos and prep them for the little show I have coming up. we are installing this Friday so I should be able to post them over the weekend so stay tuned!

on a more 'my life is so crazy my head spins' sort of news, we are in full 'must do before we leave for the road trip mode' over here and I know i am neglecting many things because of it. before we leave town every little project or other thing in my life seems to need major attention. it always works this way, but since there is nothing I can do, I am just taking it a day at a time and trying to breathe. so, my apologies in advance for not responding to snail mail, phone calls, emails, or any other mode of communication in a timely fashion.

with that in mind, here are some October events we have going on that may interest you:

• October 2: First day to see my drawings on view at the Oakland Professional Development Center. (up until Jan 2, 2011)
• Studio Quercus is featuring Philip's work, It will be part of First Friday, Oakland Art Murmur and there is also a costume themed reception on Oct 30th. (we will be at both, please come!)
• Root Division Annual Art Auction, October 21. Philip's work is up for auction! Tickets $25 for the event, but can view the exhibit for free during October. (we will be there for sure if you want to carpool...)
• Oaktown Indie Mayhem, October 23, one night only event! (again featuring Phil's work)

I think that's all for events in October...sheesh! We also have Best of the Bay, a photography exhibition of student work opening November 2, 5-7pm at the University Art Gallery at CSU, East Bay.

say it with me, "vacation"

30 days of September-half way

we're here at the half way point of "30 days of September"...the question is not "can she do it?" but "where is this all going?" themes are popping up, but thus far it looks like it's going to be a weird-y.

so far only one day was like pulling teeth to get me to draw, but I did it anyway and must say this is all very good for me and my motivation. not to mention I am having fun...here is a sneak peak of what the first 15 days has brought to the drawing table:

since i still have 15 more days, i am tempted to try and pull it all together by following the thematic patters, but at the same time, this is about how everyday is, well, different...any thoughts? i'll be back with more sooner than later...x

I tell you what, this is the stuff. amazing. delicious. so good for you. i have been obsessed for a while, but my obsession has recently amplified due to my new juicer. today we braved the green juice and it turned out spectacular! i made 2 versions-traditional green (spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, parsley, romaine) and the other was pure magic---greens + ginger +lemon + lime + apple = whoa! i shall name it wowie zowie green genes. I found the recipe on Dr. Oz's web site. smells a bit like fresh mowed grass in the house, but the drink tastes more like heaven and worth the labor. I was worried it would not yield much juice and end up being cheaper to buy pre-made, but not so...i think you get about double the amount. here's to greens!

x

30 days of September

no, i'm not trying to recite that little poem that helps you remember how many days in each month. i'm trying to make an october deadline for an exhibition of my very own at the Oakland Professional Development Center downtown.

since i paint slow and procrastinate when it comes to important me things, like making art, i thought better to challenge myself to a dual than give up the fight. the book i've been reading has been amazing at helping me see where my creative 'road blocks' are. apparently i am a generator-which means i have so many ideas that it's easy for me to loose sight/keep track, let alone complete each project i want to. so here goes...

the rules are simple--one drawing, one hour, one day, every day for september. and so far so good! next week i hit my midway point and will give you all a little peak into what's happening visually. for the exhibition i will pick the 15 best and pair them in interesting ways. so far there is lots of potential for silliness...but what more would you expect from me? dark, deep, poetic? nah...I leave that stuff up to Philip. me...I just want to have a bit of fun.

stay tuned for more!

x

island adventure...

whoops! i got lost at sea for a minute here. let me tell you about my adventures to an island not so far from my home....

Forbes Island is a short little boat ride and yet feels a million miles away. This place was once a mobile island home of sorts, now turned restaurant, just off the shore of San Francisco's Pier 39. Between the boat ride, lighthouse, underwater dining room (complete with fireplace and endless nautical themed decor including actual portholes), and bathroom set up as the captains quarters, this place feels more like a scooby-doo episode, or as the author of this great article put it, a place James Bond would dine. The owner is even captain of the little vessel that takes you out there! Too cool.

Although it's quite expensive, it's worth every penny, and for my money, should be saved for a romantic evening or celebration. The staff is amazing, the atmosphere is charming, and possibly most importantly the food is delicious!

(see my complete set of pictures here)

x

zombies....

No, it's not Halloween (yet--although the weather could prove otherwise out here in the Bay...), but we certainly don't need a holiday as an excuse to play this very very cool board game. Chase and Dennis came by after we had a delicious meal and broke out this game. It was great fun! The board gets built as you go along, creating dead ends and weird twists as you battle each other and Zombies to the finish! Wish I had a better image to show, but there are plenty of photos here if you want to know more details.

hope summer is being summer:)

x

good days

In a follow up to my earlier post on 'good mornings', and because this blog is dedicated to living a creative life, i thought i'd share what's been occupying my free time as of late: "Creating a Life Worth Living", by Carol Lloyd. This book was given to me a few years ago when I graduated as a motivator to not give up on making art and finding a way to support myself in the process--something we all struggle with, a delicate balance at that. I recently picked it up and have found myself wowed and challenged by the experience.

Without reading the book I created a post graduation life by starting a business from my freelance work. I came to pick the book up after finding myself feeling that there is something more that this, something better, something that will leave me feeling deep satisfaction at the end of a day. Although I am not completed with the book, which is a self guided tour of the author's workshop, complete with exercises and real life examples to help you along, I am beginning to see patterns within myself and getting many ideas for the future!

Philip and I have embarked on some major lifestyle changes around here and this book is merely one of my self motivating/disciplinary challenges. After 3 weeks things are going great and I am feeling much more inspired. We quit some of our less healthy activities (mostly tv/computer attachments) and replaced them with walks, talks, record playing, book reading, letter writing and home cooked meals--all things we love to do, but mostly saved for the weekends. Now on the weekends we do more of the same, but also get creative and take day trips. For my birthday last week we took off to Point Reyes for a 6 mile hike. Leave it to me to choose a challenging hike as a way to celebrate life! It was fabulous though. Breathtaking.

here's to living a creative life!

x

philip's art happenings...

well it's been a whirl-wind of a month and so much to fill you in on, but for now let's go with a highlight....about my dear husband's recent art happenings...

One of Philip's photos was shown for "Wondrous Strange: A Twenty-first Century Cabinet of Curiosities" at the SFMoMA Artist Gallery! It was a great opening complete with a costume theme and variety of spectacular performers! (The costume theme was 18th century-Modern time travelers...which basically translates to a Steam-Punk aesthetic. Note the aviator version of me below...)

If that wasn't exciting enough, Black and White magazine published a fantastic 8 page spread on the guy! It's the September issue which came out early to subscribers, but look for it this fall at your local bookstore! So proud:)

good mornings

I've been thinking about self discipline and how inconsistent I am. Granted it's human nature to be inconsistent, but I am feeling off track these days. In an effort to get back on track--meaning back to feeling good and energized-- I am creating a 4 day jump start plan that will hopefully get me going again. Why 4 days? I am house sitting and it seems like a good idea to begin something when you are out of your comfort zone and more likely to get up and go!

The plan is simple--for the next 4 days I will create a morning routine that enables me to feel energized and centered as I begin my day. Such as:

• get up earlier (I am a 8:30-9 girl, but want to try for 7:30-8)
• do a yoga/meditation routine for 30 minutes
• Have coffee and light breakfast
• NOT check my email
• NOT go back to bed for 10-20-30 minutes
• Take the time to gather my thoughts and intentions for the day (rather than leaving the house and forgetting something 5 times)
• Use any extra time to do one chore before leaving the house

So some of this I already do, like the chore, but it interferes with things I would rather do, like meditate or take time to figure out what I need for the day. Hopefully this jump start will get me going beyond 4 days and give me inspiration to do more self discipline exercises, like afternoon walks and evening back stretches. Not that I want to be a metronome or anything...I'm just looking for some quality of life changes for the things I know make life easier and more manageable.

~be well

road trippin....

on the occasion of a new hand-me-down car, plans for a grand adventure have begun and are in full swing! a new road atlas and some great new music are my new best friends! oh i just love summer days- day dreaming and making big plans for the future! i am sooo super excited that i've even begun to organize a cd binder centered around our destinations and am brainstorming all of the little goodies we'll need for the road, including cute outfits!

so, where are we going? mostly a route 66 adventure between my beloved birthplace, Michigan, and my home sweet home, California, set for this October so the colors will be brilliant and the weather unpredictable.

we're working on the details, but i can say our major stops will be something like this:

Michigan (all over to see family), St. Louis and Branson, Missouri, Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Santa Fe, New Mexico (2 glorious nights!), and a final stop at the Grand Canyon before heading home! All very adventure packed, on a rather tight schedule I'd imagine. I look forward to hitting the road with my sweetie, finding some strange road side attractions and hopefully a great pair of cowboy boots!

new website / interview with valiant v

dear bees,

after careful consideration of what was a lovely year and a half of crafting and so forth I am closing the curious bee studio and etsy shop.

merely looking for simplicity in life, i have switched my domain name to jillringler.com, and have begun to re-vamp the site for a more up-to-date version of what i have been up to and where i am headed.

i will have an updated shop on the website and this fall a new series of art to share with you all! i will continue to post current events and announce updates via this blog. so in truth, not much is changing except my website address and the closing of my shop on etsy.

the curious bee lives on as my alias, but not as a formal craft business--cuz that gets complicated and i so need simple in these times--too much to keep up with and new things are on the horizon which will make life even more rich with flavor and consequently time suckage.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

on another note, many of you may not know, but my dear friend Ashley (aka valiant v) in London recently posted an interview with me. check it out here. 'twas super fun!

wishing you all happy summer time love,

x