Cassie's Water Lily and How It Grew

Recently when I was looking for new jewelry designs, I reconsidered one of the early PiCassieO prints which I titled "Cassie's Monet", because it reminded me of Monet's ethereal water lily paintings . I loved the tranquil water colors with the subtle hints of pink. Sure enough, it worked wonderfully on the bracelet, pendant and earrings below. The earrings sold immediately (I like that!); the bracelet ($35 + $5 S&H) and pendant ($30 + $3 S&H) are still available. Message me here if you're interested! BTW - the print is available for $30 + $6 S&H. It is sized to fit on an 8.5 x ll" sheet of Epson Premium Matte Paper with an adequate border for matting and framing and is signed and numbered on the bottom border.

"Cassie's Monet"       ©PiCassieO 2009

Silver Plate Bracelet, 1" setting, fits most wrists

Silver Plate Earrings (by special order)

Silver Plate Pendant 30mm (H) x 22mm (W)

It All Started As "Snool"!

Sometimes it's hard even for me to believe that what I'm doing with my digital art all started from my Cassie's "snool" on the door and windows. For the uninitiated, snool is (to be indelicate) a combo of snot and drool, which dogs make in abundance. Most of them will get creative when there is glass between them and the object(s) of attention, but few of us humans recognize the beauty of their expressive work. It helps to be an artist, because part of our job is to bring attention to things that others might not see. The print below is a PiCassieO work titled "Laughing Lion", named for the cartoon-like image of some sort of feline that I saw in Cassie's marks (imagination I have in abundance!). I decided that the colors were too far-out in this first version, so I did the actual print with a more subdued palette. Last fall I took another look at it when I was playing with fabric designs, and abstracted a couple of tiny squares to put in repeat. The results blew me away! The colors and patterns remind me of art from India - but Cassie's big Airedale nose was the source of the striking patterns. Inspiration can come from the weirdest places!

I call the two resulting designs "Laughing Lion Geo" and "Laughing Lion Geo Diamond."  It has been so much fun putting them on items in my Zazzle store - the two stamps are incredibly bright, and the candy tin and wine charm can be monogrammed. They make great small gifts - I did a tin and charm for a friend's birthday and was really pleased with the way they turned out. That is my idea of FUN - slapping my art on unlikely items in the wild colors I love so much, and secretly laughing and remembering where the art started. I have only scratched the surface in these first two "LL" abstracts.Thank you, Cassie girl!

"Laughing Lion, Version 1" by PiCassieO

"Laughing Lion Geo" Postage by PiCassieO

"Laughing Lion Geo" Candy Tin by PiCassieO

"Laughing Lion Geo Diamond" Postage by PiCassieO

"Laughing Lion Geo" Wine Charm by PiCassieO

BTW: Young Calli continues to give me ideas, although her style and our connection is still in development. Her epilepsy is a constant impediment, but her "snoodles" on the door make me laugh! I think this girl tends to be a cartoonist - more of her work in another post.

Remembering

 A week ago yesterday marked the second anniversary of Cassie's departure from this world. I say she left, but that's not really true, because I still see her everywhere in my memory and in the art we made. I am continuing to create from her "notes", which is therapeutic in that it reminds me of her wild enthusiasm for life and makes me laugh to remember, even when tears are falling. 

 In the work above are some of her last marks on that storm door that was her favorite "canvas"; in the original print, the background resembles a beach and clouds against a deep blue sky. The elements had a glowing edge, and the total effect suggested a farewell, with the cryptic marks ascending toward the sky and clouds. I never was satisfied with the composition of those elements, however, and tried to tinker with it with no success, so I did a cut-and-paste with just her strokes to try them with a different background. This photo was in a screen saver file - it was amazing how perfectly the marks fit to give me the ethereal effect I was searching for. The original title was "What She Said" - I see it now as a message of hope instead of farewell.

I will love you forever, Cassie girl - wait for me, I'm coming!

In loving memory of Cassie (aka Cassandra Queen of the Universe) - 

April 12, 1999 - September 22, 2012

A Different World

Been meaning to get back here, but it seems I'm still doing more epilepsy research than art lately. I wondered why I am having difficulty connecting with Calli art-wise, and have concluded that the seizures have something to do with it. A friend recently made the remark that she thought Calli was "two dimensional" - not meaning Calli is flat, but that she exists in two different dimensions, one being "reality" as we know it, and the other, wherever she goes when she has a seizure. Several months ago a former painting student of mine started doing "animal communication"; knowing her to be a very honest and loving person, I decided to throw Calli at her and see what if anything she could find out about this strange little dog of mine. I didn't mention any of Calli's problems, but when Kim called me to report, the first thing she said was, "Calli has seizures - she goes away and then she comes back." I was almost speechless at the simple explanation of her illness. The big question was, where does she GO? No answer for that, but the "2-D" remark reinforced the idea of an other-worldly aspect of Calli's personality that makes it difficult for us to communicate sometimes.  She rarely pays attention to what's going on outside; usually the only time she marks the door is when she's "gone away", or in a rush to get out for potty break. She is very quiet and solemn most of the time, without the overflowing joy and exuberance that was Cassie's hallmark. The art I've made with her is totally different from what Cassie and I did, which makes me think I should leave this blog purely PiCassieO and start another one and call it "CalliGraphy - Notes from Another World." Thinkin' about it...

"Calli Makes a Pi"     CalliGraphy by Beth & Calli

In a Matisse State of Mind

Matisse Milk Can © Beth Stafford 2012

We are having a hot time of it here lately - not much activity out in the yard (or here in the house). Cassie did manage to do a little work on the door, even though she's been a bit under the weather lately. She doesn't like the heat at all - woke up one morning to find her like this - guess the blanket was too much, even with the AC!

 

Anyway, I wanted to do something different with her marks this time, so I outlined them first, filled them in with solid color, and then cut and pasted them into a blank "canvas". Then I decided to do the same thing with the background, using the porch railing outline and the old milk can. It was virtual collage - lots of fun - and then I applied a cutout filter and different color gradients until I got this composition with its echoes of Matisse. Still playing with colors, so it's not an official print yet - might wind up as a large-scale painting (or who knows what?). Lots of possibilities there...

New Pendants, Rehab, Etc.

Wow - get a little behind on this, and everything changes! I've been so busy trying to catch up on everything I got behind in while my hand wasn't working, there's been no time for updating here. Since I still am pretty stiff when it comes to handling a brush or stylus, jewelry a la PiCassieO has been the only art coming out of the studio - found a different way of mounting the glass which makes it a lot easier on me. The results look like framed art for the neck! Photo is of the collection so far. I plan to list them at our Etsy store soon.

Cassie has been having a lot of trouble with her hips lately - we even went to a rehab center for an evaluation, which wound up giving her more problems due to their attempts to force her to lie down and roll over. Those ninnies should have known, you don't force an Airedale to do anything! We did get a list of exercises to strengthen her legs, most of which we were already doing. Don't want to go into how much it cost for that experience, but at least Cassie is doing somewhat better after recovering from the visit, with help from another round of prednisone. The only exercise she really likes is her cavaletti (parallel poles on the ground - helps her pick up her feet), mainly because she gets a Cheerio every time she makes it from one end to the other! That's how you motivate this Airedale!

Unlucky Break

Whew - so much STUFF happened since the last post. Sunday morning, February 22, we had a chilly rain, and somehow I managed to hydroplane on the dog ramp and landed on my right hand. Broke my radius and had surgery to put it back together. It was hard enough to take care of my creaky dog - especially getting her up and down the stairs- but I finally was able to handle it fine with my left hand. The tumor was another story, though; it got crusty since I couldn't clean it properly. My vet did find a clinic with a cryogenic probe - but I couldn't drive for an hour to get her there, and they wouldn't do it without sedation, which defeated the purpose anyway, so I hoped we could postpone dealing with it. Oh nooooo- Cassie managed to whap that tumor really good and bled all over the place before I could get it to stop. That was the last straw - I told my vet it had to go, and she had the surgery Tuesday. He did a great job and she's been a good patient so far - I wish I'd had it done months ago. Since she is really ornery about being handled and restrained, I had the vet to do X rays and an ultrasound exam while she was out. Now we have a new problem to deal (or not deal) with: a large hematoma on her spleen. No way of knowing when it happened, except it had to be in the last eight months. She's great at self-destruction; my guess is she whacked her spleen in that floor-shaking tumble she took last summer, or got hurt getting in and out of the car - always traumatic. She's been limping all week from the damage done on Tuesday. Any way, I don't know where we go from here. At least I got out of my cast yesterday and into a brace, so I can be a little more useful. Now, if I could just figure out a better way to get Cassie up those stairs, so my 80-year-old mom wouldn't have to bring up the rear...

Did manage to finish my Twitter art the day before I fell! It's already in Norway - I think the exhibit opens next week. You can check it out at David Sandum Art

Yellow Spots © Beth Stafford 2012

This postcard-size acrylic abstract came from the PiCassieO print Cabin Fever. Glad I finished it before break-time!

"Singin' in the Rain"

Singin' in the Rain © Beth Stafford 2011

Cassie is now off her meds and getting her hair back after getting a few bald spots from the months on prednisone, but her joints are too creaky to let her jump in her chairs to paint the windows, so the front storm door is her only "canvas" now. When I got ready to photograph her latest work, there were a bunch of parallel wavy lines that didn't look like my dog's usual style. Upon closer inspection, I realized that they were on the outside of the door. We've had a lot of rain lately, and Cassie has a "raincoat" made out of a large trash bag (she hates to get wet!). When we get back to the porch, I take it off, shake it, and hang it on the door handle. The bag must have blown around a little and created lines that look like music bars. Cassie had added her own wild notes and lines, so I used the stylus to "write" Singin' in the Rain - a symphony in primary colors. Fun!

Thank goodness we finally got some sunshine - Cassie likes to lie at the door during the brief time it comes in, this time of year. She's either contemplating her next stroke of genius, or thinking about a nap!

"Captive"

Captive , Version 2 ©Beth Stafford 2011

These are color trials for the latest PiCassieO. I titled it "Captive" because it came from a larger print in which the linear forms resembled a bird or butterfly caught between two vertical strips of color. My pictures loaded out of sequence (whatever can go wrong, usually does!). Version 1 has lots of cool color with my favorite black lines; in the second one I decided to switch over to a much warmer version that is a little more subdued than other recent work. Version 3 is totally changed: I inverted the image, changed the palette, and then used a filter to "paint" it. Looks like summer to me! Got a favorite? Let me know - I welcome your feedback!

Captive, Version 1 ©Beth Stafford 2011

Captive, Version 3 © Beth Stafford 2011

Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more of these will show up on Keds and other cool stuff at our Zazzle store, so drop by and have a look! Prints are always available on request if they aren't yet listed in my Etsy store or website- contact me.

"Confetti" - Celebrating Color!

Confetti ©Beth Stafford 2011

Confetti is one of Team PiCassieO's most colorful, joyful prints so far! I have been having so much fun with it - the colors and energy are incredible, and look fabulous on a variety of items in our expanding repetoire on Zazzle and elsewhere. The print was actually "roughed in" over a year ago, but I left it for reasons I've since forgotten (maybe it was just ripening). It was recently rediscovered and reworked, and boom - Confetti appeared! Looks like a party to me! We'll use it to celebrate Cassie's 12th birthday - she was 12 on April 12 - and hope for another good year for my wonderful friend and partner in "PiCassieO". The original print, in a limited edition of 50, is available for $30; inquire through my website.

Here are a few of the cool products on Zazzle that are adorned with Confetti:

Confetti Collectible Mug on Zazzle

Confetti iPad Case on Zazzle

Last but not least- Confetti Pro-Keds Royal Hi on Zazzle

Almost forgot - check out a new link we've listed, for all you big dogs out there! At MammothOutlet.com there are dozens of high quality beds, with special attention to the needs of large breeds like my Airedale Cassie. Nothing like a good comfortable snooze for our fur babies!

"Line Dance"

Line Dance © Beth Stafford 2011

Line Dance is my latest PiCassieO - to me it looked like a pair of dancers floating against a rainbow of colors. I like it so much that I reformatted it to use in my shoe designs on Zazzle .
Below is a sneak preview of my first Keds for kids featuring Line Dance. There are four other styles available for adults: Pro Keds Royal Hi, Pro Keds Royal Lo, Lace Up, and Mini Slip On.

The art was fun to make, and the shoes are fun to wear! Interested? Go to PiCassieO and check 'em out!

Are you creative? Zazzle is a fun place to use your photos or art on lots of things besides shoes. See for yourself:

's Not Bad!

's Not Bad © Beth Stafford 2011

Don't know why, but these web images always seem to be darker that the original jpeg. I couldn't resist playing with words on the title, since if you've read how these images originate, you know what "medium" Cassie uses. Anyway, the more dignified title is Enigma Variation, since the two central marks are something of an enigma (and I like the music with the same name). The colors of the original are brilliant - not nearly as dark as they appear here.

I think I know what happened just before the marks were made on the door. Cassie and I have both been sneezing a lot lately. Last week she had a really explosive fit, right at the door, and somehow managed to leave a perfect print of her nostrils on it, with a little embellishment...I got a good laugh when I saw it. The background of mats and shadows was perfect for those two dramatic marks. So now you know.

Cabin Fever!

Cabin Fever © Beth Stafford 2011

The title pretty well describes the mood around here - lots of gray, damp weather, and mud everywhere, which limits where Cassie and I can walk (when weather permits). Yesterday I tried to soak up the few hours of sunshine we had, to store it for the week ahead. Feels like the supply is already running out...but at least there is plenty of COLOR in my art to brighten the day! Cabin Fever is the result of Cassie's markings on the storm door during January. I drew over them with the stylus and then used several filters before applying a custom gradient for the color. I've used the gradient before, but the results were a total surprise - I really love the purple and orange and black combo. No subtlety here, for sure!

"Pink Lady"

Pink Lady ©Beth Stafford 2011

To me the diaphanous pink form in this one resembles a woman (sort of an ink-blot form to be sure) - hence the title Pink Lady. This is another second-generation PiCassieO, seen and photographed through my favorite toy (my glass brick). I thought it looked familiar, and finally realized that it was the original file for my Floral Fantasia shoe in my Zazzle store. The colors are soft and subtle and the overall effect is one of tranquility. Print Number One is available - I will post it on Etsy soon, or you can contact me here.


Cassie hasn't come out of retirement yet - the cold weather isn't helping her creaky joints, so the storm door is the only place she can still work. We were iced in for almost a week - not much activity on the road or in the yard for her to comment on, since most animals (and vehicles) don't enjoy ice-skating. Our cats tried it and decided to hang out on the porch until it melted! I think the last time I photographed her marks on the door it was a collaborative effort - the cats had been pawing on the outside with their wet little feet, wanting to come in! That would definitely revive Cassie's enthusiasm, which is why they're staying outside. :)

Keds by PiCassieO!

Just wanted to give you a peek at our super-colorful Keds shoes that are in our new store PiCassieO! These tiny pics don't do 'em justice, so click on over - there are lots more, including some outrageous hi tops! Treat your feet to some artsy fun!

Happy Holidays from Cassie and Beth!

Drifting

Drifting © Beth Stafford 2010

Drifting is yet another composition from the work with the glass brick and Jacob's Weaving. I have had so much fun with the colors and shapes in this one! For LOST fans, the print I started with was called Lost: Jacob's Weaving, because one of Cassie's scribbles looked like an Egyptian hieroglyph similar to those on the tapestry Jacob was working on when MIB disposed of him. Of course it's unrecognizable after being distorted by the wavy glass brick, but it led to a totally different world of work (seems appropriate, after all!)

Another new world for PiCassieO : Custom-made shoes - art for the feet with PiCassieO all over! See them at PiCassieO! These Keds Slip Ons and Lace Ups will stand out in any crowd - outrageously colorful, true to our art. Each pair is custom-made and takes 3-4 weeks. FYI: good idea to try on the style at your favorite shoe store which carries the brand to make sure of your size!

See Creature?

See Creature? © Beth Stafford 2010
Digital Art Print, 7" x 7"

Still PiCassieO, but once removed! I was printing Lost: Jacob's Weaving (another entry) and got a paper jam, which meant a redo. The square portion that printed had such wonderful colors - it was too good to waste, so I taped it to the back of my favorite toy (a glass brick that I found on a sale cart at Lowes) and photographed the distorted image. It turned out beautifully, after being worked over in the computer! There is definitely an underwater feel to it, and suggestions of fishy critters - couldn't resist a little fun with the title. I will be offering this one in my Etsy store soon, in both a limited edition version and an open edition.

Cassie is OK with me putting my name on this one, since she's not doing much artistically lately. She won't give up deer chasing, which means she's too stiff afterwards to do much "painting". She's like a lot of my former students - they get to a certain age, and choose sports over art!

Out the Window

How's this for a little fall preview? I almost forgot about Out the Window, September - it's way past time to clean up my files. "Cyber-hoarding" is a big problem here; afraid my auxillary hard drive won't really work and I might lose my art, so it's backed up, burned, and STILL on the computer, which slows everything down and makes life difficult. Anyway, back to the art!

Cassie's hips have been a big problem since her illness in July; arthritis seems to be the issue, maybe a leftover from the infection. Jumping up on her favorite perch (back of the couch) at the west window is not something she does much anymore. It makes me sad, since that's where "PiCassieO" started. She has managed to make it up there a few times, though, because there are new marks on the glass. I photographed everything in detail in September, which is where the photo for this print came from. Was reluctant to clean the window, thinking it might be the last time, but she's been up there twice in the last week! So, I'm going to be optimistic and wipe it off for a clean "canvas" and see what happens. The bright colors and flower-like forms of Out the Window are so cheerful - yeah, I'm optimistic!

I welcome your comments about the art! All standard prints are $50 + S & H - you may order them here or at my store or through my web site.

Nose Garden to the Rescue!

You know the old saying "what goes around, comes around"? Ten years ago some wonderful people took Cassie in when she had nowhere to call home, and that's how we found each other. That group is now known as NC Airedale Rescue; I am pleased to announce that Cassie & I are offering our print Cassie's Nose Garden on their Merchandise Page, with a percent of sales going to help other Airedales who are temporarily down on their luck. Please help us keep them safe and healthy until they find loving homes!

This whimsical "garden" is one of the first PiCassieOs - sure to bring a smile. It has an "Alice in Wonderland" feel, with suggestions of other-world plants and creatures, in earth tones with blue and green accents. It is joyful, exuberant art - a fitting tribute to these wonderful dogs who display the same characteristics.

Recently a large format version of Nose Garden was purchased by Cabarrus Animal Hospital in Concord, NC, for their new lobby. Reviews are in; PiCassieO is a hit:

“I just wanted to  let you know I loved  watching the  reactions of
clients & staff to your work! There was fascination, astonishment, &
joy. I can't remember the last time I saw such animated reactions
to art.”  – Tom Oakley, Oakley Designs

I've put a "faux" frame and mat around the print here so you can see how terrific it looks on display! The 8.5 x 11" print (image slightly smaller) is on premium matte paper, in a limited edition of 50. Each print is signed and numbered on the bottom border (by "PiCassieO" of course!), and shipped in an archival sleeve for protection. Price is $50 plus S&H. Payments (and donations) are through PayPal at NC Airedale Rescue.

Framed prints should be matted and protected by UV-resistant glass and not displayed under fluorescent or strong sun light, to preserve the rich colors for many years of enjoyment.

Laughing Lion!

Okay, we're a little silly here today (and those titles are still hard to come by), so I give you Laughing Lion, and its relative Laughing Lion 2. These two were almost forgotten, since I have over 1000 photos on my computer (got an auxillary hard drive but am still reluctant to delete anything). After I cleaned the front door last time, Cassie did some serious marks about something out there. On the clean glass they really stood out against the porch background (including the famous milkcan). I love the bright colors in the first one! Couldn't resist calling it Laughing Lion; the marks remind me of something out of Chinese theater. Beats Milk Can August, anyway.

Of course I had to keep experimenting with it; it's amazing how a new color scheme can totally alter the feel of the work. This one is more subdued and dramatic, even though I can still see that happy "lion". I have a backlog of proofing to do, but sooner or later these prints will be available, either here or at our store (or maybe both).

Comments (in English, please, and relevant to the ART) are welcomed! You can subscribe to this blog in the upper right to get the latest posts (once every week or so - I promise not to flood your inbox).