So. Effing. Excited.

Let me just say Where The Wild Things are was one of my favorite books when I was a wee one, and I am increasingly irritated at Hollywood's need to turn every beloved children's book into a movie. Because a.) Kids need to use their imaginations and create their own moving images in their heads based on the stories, and b.) they typically suck. Hard. Usually, the beautiful simplicity of these stories is lost amongst CGI gimmicks (Polar Express comes to mind...ick.) But...this looks different. This really looks amazing to me! I suppose it didn't hurt The Arcade Fire is playing...

But yes. SO pumped. Spike Jonze, don't let me down!

Savannah Flowers

This is my very first springtime away from Texas since I was very small, and I am so sad I am missing out on one of my most favorite things about Texas: wildflowers! Those splashes of blue, red, yellow, and pink along the highway are pretty magical. Even when I was at my most Texas (read:self) hating moment in my life, I still knew no one had wild flowers like Texas. As a visitor once told me, "It's like a damn disney cartoon all of a sudden!
Savannah has precious few "wild flowers." And while it's no Texas, I must admit Savannah takes oh a whole new mesmerizing effect in the springtime. The gardens and parks here really are spectacular. While I don't fancy myself much of a photographer, here are a few pictures I took around the Forsyth Park area this past weekend.











Savannah really is a lovely place, despite the occasional nastiness.

Can't sleep

So here are some photos of a self portrait I have been working on. I have done more work on it lately, and will post an updated picture as soon as I get it together!
Stages!



The lighting on these are all terribly different, but the bottom one is closest to the actual color and contrast of the piece. I've been working on and off on this since January, with plans to enter it into the prismacolor nation contest. The paper gets in worse and worse shape the longer I work on it! I really need to work on my craftsmanship.
I'll post an updated progress picture soon, there are many more berries and most of my skin is filled in. This has a lot of symbolism and junk in it, buuuuuuuut I don't feel like explaining it now.
When it is complete...then I will. I will say the bloody nose is not a drug reference!
Okay, goodnight.

My first competed illustration assignment EVER!

While it isn't my typical style...



it follows the assignment, which was to illustrate a creation myth using cut paper and/or collage. The creation story I have illustrated is from Aztec folklore. Basically, there were two gods (the light on and the dark one) who would create stuff only to have it eaten by this goddess/monster that lived below them. So they changed into serpents and each grabbed a hold of her, and pulled her apart! Her head and shoulders became the earth, her lower body the sky. Even though she was the earth that nurished the people, she was still blood thirsty, so to satisfy her the Aztecs occasionally fed her human hearts via human sacrafice. Gross! The Aztecs were a blood thirsty people. I think I sort of portrayed this story a little more light-heartedly than it's gorey nature, but that's how I roll.
I like it, but I really have no idea how it will be received.

Onto the next assignment!

Some jewelries I made, once upon a time

I need funds so I can get this rolling again! And sell! Who will buy these? I do not know. But I bet there is someone out there...

Sooooooo

I think this is the layout I will stick with for now.

Already off track.

Man, I know I said this was going to be professional, but I have to rant for a sec.
I finally just deleted my Facebook. I felt weird and impulsive and did it, and man. Here is some advice I want to give the rest of the world. If you have a facebook and are thinking about deleting JUST START THE PROCESS and the rediculousness that follows will convince you need to get off that site as soon as possible.
"Are you sure? You won't stay connected to all your 292 friends!" Man, I have 292 friends? Really?
And then they show you a random sampling of friends you have tagged in photos and says "(friend's name) will miss you!" Dude, no they won't because I haven't actually seen them in years. If facebook is the only way we are connected, then I guess we aren't actually friends anymore.
I feel like these sites are contributing to a loss of the sense of community. Facebook is a pacifier for the need for community, and keeps people from actually communing together. It's like many things American: it's too easy. It's too convenient. And obviously, it can't be without consequence.
I'm not trying to instigate a conspiracy theory here, but once you deactivate your facebook, they keep all of your information and photos. "So you can reactivate at anytime."
But really...how do we know what they are doing with all this information they are stockpiling? How do we know how responsible they are being with it? I am not saying facebook is the devil, I'm not even saying you should delete your facebook right now! I'm just saying we should be more cautious of how we use these sites, and how much of our personal information is out there floating around on the internet.
Under futher comments I wrote "This is not a substitute for real live human interaction. but thanks for wasting five years of my life."
I feel like a heroin addict who is finally over the dope sickness. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah.
Okay, I promise. From this moment forward, I will keep my rants to the ultimate minimum.

So fresh and so clean clean

Ahhh, a brand new blog.   

I have decided if I am really going to pursue making things under the moniker LKaratS, I would like to keep a blog of my art affairs.

Because I haven't been able to find/keep a job in Savannah, I've decided to try and jump start my resin jewelry again.  I made a lot of resin pieces last summer, but I got preoccupied with the whole "going back to school" thing.  Why not?  Making things to sell would beat the hell out of waiting tables, any day.  I set up an account with Etsy.com, but I need to get things in order before I am ready to start selling.

I will also use this blog for my illustrative work, and really, any art-related endeavor I feel like.  I may even try to make this professional, and keep personal and political rants out as much as possible.  

We will, ahem, see how that goes.  We all know I have a need to constantly express my opinions!

Also!  Now that I can actually use adobe software, I will make this blog freaking sweet.  Not tonight.  But this week!  

Why Glitter Puppy Rainbow?  Must you ask?  I mean, can you think of better things in this world?