Dolls on Exhibit... a Torche' Galerie Opening Nite! Saturday, July 12th...

After the great success at their Anniversary Show, I am thrilled to announce that 9 of my newest Folk Art Dolls have been selected for exhibition at Torche' Galerie in Belmar, NJ. In fact... I'm squealing with delight!

Their Summer Exhibition features a whole host of talented artists in all genres including sculpture, photography, charcoal, watercolor, acrylic, collage, mosaic, mixed-media and so many more categories of intriguing contemporary art. Torche' Galerie is like a little slice of an upscale New York City gallery with a friendly and inviting atmosphere... right here in NJ! And the opening night reception will knock your socks off. Good thing it's Summer!

Torche' Galerie Summer Exhibition

Opening Reception 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

7pm - 10pm

500 Main Street, Belmar, NJ 07719

So come join me at the opening reception and view my latest selection of whimsical Art Dolls as well as the work of more than 50 artists! If you can't make it to the Opening Reception, the show is up for two months, and you can also get a sneak peek of my dolls in the Artist section of the Torche Galerie website.

Hope to see you there!

One Year Ago Today... Oh, Sandy!

One year ago today, Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast. The devastation was simply mind-blowing. So on this anniversary, I thought I'd give you a look back at my own personal view of the after-effects of one very scary day and one terrifying night...

I've been absent for quite awhile because Hurricane Sandy swooped in and devastated parts of New Jersey! But, wow! We made it. We’re safe. We’re so, so, so, very lucky! Hurricane Sandy hit the New Jersey shore on Monday, October 29th and she was relentless. I’m sure many of you saw the destruction she caused on TV. It’s really heartbreaking. 

this gazebo is from the OTHER side of the lake!!

I live 3 blocks from the shore and 2 blocks from a lake and the Atlantic Ocean actually came up to our front steps!

I had some damage to the third floor studio. . . an entire piece of wall caved in during the height of the storm! 

And it was just me bracing myself against it at the height of the storm with 70mph winds, while I tried to drag a dresser over to keep it from completely caving in! Then we found a neighbor to help us batten down the hatches and as he was putting the last screw in.... Poof! The electricity went out. And stayed out for 11 days. Yes, 11 days. It was cold. I was cranky. It was a whole new world. An Amish life. It was like indoor camping. Not only that but our cellphone towers were knocked out. So there was no way to communicate with friends and loved ones for quite a few days. 

We're back up and running now and I'm trying to catch up on 2 weeks worth of life, work and sleep! I could tell you all the stories I heard, but I'm sure you all saw more than me on the television (that we were without for nearly 2 weeks!). So I'll just let the pictures tell most of the story of our little square mile that is Ocean Grove... which was lucky!

Neighbor's gigantic that did not hit our house!!

Lots of fish on the streets and sidewalks.

End of pier and fishing house gone!

The debris and cars just floated everywhere. This is a few blocks in from the beach.

And so is this!

Bulldozers piled all the sand from the roads back up toward the beach before another Nor'Easter hit only days later!

The boardwalk actually has so many peaks and valleys now... that it looks like a roller coaster. But the funny thing about the shore and the people that live here is that they were walking on it like nothing ever happened. We're just like that. We live at the shore. These things happen. We stay strong and we rebuild. We work together and help each other. Neighbors helping neighbors. And that's the beauty that comes out of something like this. Amen!

Update: So other than the third floor damage you saw in my post, we had flooding in the basement and plenty of roofing issues with the high winds from the hurricane. After lots and lots and lots of conversations with the insurance company and FEMA, all the construction and replacement work has finally been completed. Our tiny town of Ocean Grove is actually back up and running. But I cannot say the same for others. In times of distress we really do help each other and work together... but the point of all this is to remember that's the way it's supposed to be all the time. So let's not forget it. Let's not make it take more disasters to remember. We are all in this thing we call life... together. So let's just help each other out all the time.

Michelle
xoxo

Sandy Kicked Our Butt!

I've been absent for quite awhile because Hurricane Sandy swooped in and devastated parts of New Jersey! But, wow! We made it. We’re safe. We’re so, so, so, very lucky! Hurricane Sandy hit the New Jersey shore on Monday, October 29th and she was relentless. I’m sure many of you saw the destruction she caused on TV. It’s really heartbreaking. 

this gazebo is from the OTHER side of the lake!!

I live 3 blocks from the shore and 2 blocks from a lake and the Atlantic Ocean actually came up to our front steps!

I had some damage to the third floor studio. . . an entire piece of wall caved in during the height of the storm! 

It was me bracing myself against it at the height of the storm with 60mph winds, while I tried to drag a dresser over to keep it from completely caving in! Then we found a neighbor to help us batten down the hatches and as he was putting the last screw in.... Poof! The electricity went out. And stayed out for 11 days. Yes, 11 days. It was cold. I was cranky. It was a whole new world. An Amish life. It was like indoor camping. Not only that but our cellphone towers were knocked out. So there was no way to communicate with friends and loved ones for quite a few days. 

We're back up and running now and I'm trying to catch up on 2 weeks worth of life, work and sleep! I could tell you all the stories I heard, but I'm sure you all saw more than me on the television (that we were without for nearly 2 weeks!). So I'll just let the pictures tell most of the story of our little square mile that is Ocean Grove... which was lucky!

Neighbor's gigantic that did not hit our house!!

Lots of fish on the streets and sidewalks.

End of pier and fishing house gone!

This is a few blocks in from the beach.

And so is this!

Bulldozers piled all the sand from the roads back up before the Nor'Easter hit last week!

The boardwalk actually has so many peaks and valleys now... that it looks like a roller coaster. But the funny thing about the shore and the people that live here is that they were walking on it like nothing ever happened. We're just like that. We live at the shore. These things happen. We stay strong and we rebuild. We work together and help each other. Neighbors helping neighbors. And that's the beauty that comes out of something like this. Amen!

Oh, Sandy!

In case you hadn't heard... there's like this little storm brewing off the eastern United States. Her name is Hurricane Sandy and she's heading right for New Jersey and is expected to land sometime later this evening! Although we've been feeling the effects since early Saturday.

I happen to live in central New Jersey... 3 blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and 2 blocks from a local lake. And so this morning, my mom and I took a ride down to the beach to check out the morning high tide situation. I was pleased to see that the waves weren't even as high as they were on Sunday around 4:00pm.

...and that the ocean's edge had not even reached the boardwalk yet. This is good. But the relentless waves and wind were still making their presence known to our tiny little fishing pier.

My family and I have chosen to stay. If there are any water surges, they aren't like tidal waves that overtake the streets... it's more like a creeping water level you can see or react to in plenty of time. If we lose power, I'd rather be in my dark house than a dark hotel room. My 2 kitties agree!

I'll be posting more as the storm progresses. You can follow me on Twitter or check out what's happening on my Facebook page. For everyone in the path of this storm... stay safe and stay smart!

Ocean Grove Boardwalk Art Show...

If you're local to Ocean Grove, New Jersey... come visit me at the Boardwalk Art Show this Saturday, July 28th. Set right on the Ocean Grove boardwalk, this juried show boasts one-of-a-kind art, jewelry, photography, pottery and more by local artisans. I'll be there with my unique art and tons of new upcycled jewelry, boardwalk themed items, my new vintage rag doll creations and so much more! It's a great opportunity to stroll the boards of this cozy Victorian town and see some spectacular art! Hope to see you there!

Ocean Grove Boardwalk Art Show

Saturday, July 28th • 9am - 4pm

Auditorium Park • Ocean Grove, NJ
I'll be at the corner of Ocean and Heck Ave. 
Click here for more information

A Real Steal... With A Side of Guilt!

This past weekend was my favorite Rummage Sale in Ocean Grove. It's put on by the Ladies of the Auditorium Ushers and it's a doozy. People line up an hour before and as soon as the local church bells chime 10 o'clock... well, it's a free-for-all. Part of the reason why is that the prices are so freaking awesome! For example, I got this box of 25 never used Cray Pas oil pastels for 50¢! The woman actually told me 25¢ but I felt so guilty... I gave her the 50¢ instead (it's for a good cause)!

I quickly ran over to the toys table to see if there were any good board games available, but none this time. However... I found all these awesome doll books. Some are actual paper dolls, some are flip books and I even got a box of Dolls Across The Sea with stand up dolls and outfits from around the world. The funniest/creepiest book I bought is that Let's Play Dolls... it's a glossy book of 3 dolls and the story of their day of shopping, picnicking, baking and such. But it's so weird because... well... because they're dolls! And their expressions never change! Love it.

Over to the fabric and linen tables I'm always searching for fun vintage fabrics to repurpose into new creations like rag dolls and such. I love using dish towels and cloth napkins, sheets and drapes, and all kinds of castaway textiles. This lovely chenille bedspread caught my eye and the price was right at a mere $2!

Heading back to the craft table (they're always putting out new stuff when they sell a bunch of things) and I found these 2 amazingly detailed, folk art style, embroidered scenes. I had no idea what I was actually going to do with them, but the amount of work that went into the pieces and their whimsical nature simply captured my heart. When I asked how much they were, the woman said.... a dollar for both. And now they're mine.

I purchased some other odds and ends as well... vintage kitchen utencils to use as doll arms and legs, vintage Santa ornaments just because they were so awesome, a circus girl figurine, an antique frame and some metal funnel thing that looked like it could be a stand-up doll body. All-in-all I spent $12 and am extremely pleased with my finds. So what's your favorite summertime flea market or rummage sale and what did you find?

Happy Independence Day!

I know it's a day early, but hopefully you won't be on the computer tomorrow. Instead you might be at an old timey 4th of July parade, or at a yummy BBQ, hanging with family and friends, sunning on the beach, going to a local fair, or any number of fun summertime activities.

I'll be heading into town for Ocean Grove's annual parade... then to the beach for a bit... and finally, drinks at the Watermark in Asbury, with a roofless view of the firework celebration. I hope you have a happy and safe holiday!

Flea Market Weekend...

This weekend was Ocean Grove's annual Giant Flea Market... and giant it is! With over 300 vendors showing their wares, it takes me several hours to peruse all those wonderful pieces of vintage goodness.

You never know what you'll find at this particular mart... like this vintage gypsy wagon serving cart here. That was a first!

And of course there's always those items of rusty goodness that are a little out of my budget... like this antique kiddie car from an old amusement park. Loving it!

I typically shop for things to repurpose into jewelry, collage, assemblage, dolls, and mixed media art pieces... however, I didn't buy too much this time out. My brain kept saying, " you already have something just like that and you haven't used it yet!" And although my brain says that a lot... this time I had to agree with it. I do have lots of awesome finds that I need to upcycle. Guess I know what I'll be doing this summer!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Down Time!

Can I just say how happy I am that it's Summer? Here at the shore, I call it summer as soon as Memorial Day weekend rolls around. Well, actually I call it Summer as soon as a weekend day that's over 70° rolls around. And I just love to spend my down time at the beach. It's only a short 3-block walk from my house, and I love to bring lots of reading material, sketchbooks, pencils, and other projects I might be working on at the moment. I've pinned sewing projects, cut out material, stuffed dolls, collaged, pasted, painted, glued and journaled on the sandy shores of Ocean Grove, New Jersey! And sometimes, I just sit quietly in my beach chair and do nothing but listen to the waves crashing and the seagulls cawing. It's a total recharge for me.

So... what's your favorite Summer down time activity?

Ocean Grove Music & Art Festival

If you're local to Ocean Grove, New Jersey... come visit me at the Music & Art Festival this Saturday, May 12th. Set in the gorgeous Auditorium Park, this fair boasts music all day and one-of-a-kind art and craft items by local artisans. I'll be there with my unique art and upcycled jewelry, boardwalk themed items, my new vintage rag doll creations and so much more! It's a great opportunity to pick up that last minute Mother's Day gift! Hope to see you there!

Ocean Grove Music & Arts Festival

Saturday, May 12th • 10am - 4pm

Auditorium Park • Ocean Grove, NJ
Click here for more information

The Fun Starts Tomorrow!

So excited that this weekend marks the kickoff of Creativity By-the-Sea — the Ocean Grove, NJ art retreat weekend event! I'll be teaching on Sunday, but also wanted to mention that we are having an Art Vendor Fair on Saturday evening. You'll be able to purchase original art, jewelry, wearables, home decor items and more made by the retreat's very own instructors (including me) — who are all extremely talented artists themselves! If you're around, come on down... it's free to look!

Creativity By-the-Sea Art Vendor Fair  
Saturday, March 24, 2012
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Youth Temple (Lower Level)
22 Pilgrim Pathway, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

P.S. Bring a copy of the flyer above and you'll receive a free Creativity By-the-Sea backpack-style souvenir bag!

Join Me At Creativity By-the-Sea...

Boardwalk Memories: Folk Art Assemblage Workshop

Sunday, March 25th

Creativity By-the-Sea, Ocean Grove, NJ

Take a stroll with me down to the boardwalk... or the circus.... or the carnival.... as you learn how to age and everyday items like wood, plastic, clay, fabric, paper and more. Bring back memories of those fun arcade games as you create a whimsical, folk art style, dimensional shadowbox from the ground up using vintage and everyday items. Starting with an unfinished wood box that you'll paint and decorate — you'll learn easy techniques for making new things look old. These are methods that you'll be able to use time and time again on your own future projects.

For information and registration, check out the Creativity By-the-Sea website and sign up to come play with me! Or choose from some of the 2 dozen classes offered at this art retreat on the Atlantic Ocean... we'd love to have you!

Thoughtful Thursdays: A Look Back!

This Christmas and New Year brought some absolutely gorgeous, early Spring-like weather to the New Jersey coast. Being grateful sometimes makes you think of why you are. So I thought you might enjoy a look back at my blog post from right about this time last year...

Well, I'd love to say that as a work-at-home artist, I am diligently working away on this Monday. But I would be fibbing. I am actually still in my pajamas... I mean, who is going to come to my door today? In fact... being the tiniest town within the Township of Neptune, Ocean Grove is always the last to have their streets plowed. And the likes of this snow is something else. Perhaps they'll get to us around Wednesday?

Here's a few highlights from the neighborhood. Although they are all taken from inside my house as I can only open the door this much right now...

This is our neighbor's house... what you see here is her front door and the clothes line! There is no working back door! Good thing she is away visiting her son!

View from the front porch...

Duuuuude... where's my car?

Neighbor's house directly across the street. Check out the snowdrift on the right side of the house!

Good thing it's plastic "wicker" furniture...

Winds still whipping the snow around...

Various neighbors digging out. We're going to wait until the plows come through though.

   

Whew! What a difference a year makes!