This afternoon, it is my signal pleasure to expound at length on the creative work of three gifted members of the Kos Katalogue: Fineena, Lorinda Pike, and asterkitty. Their media are quite different, but their abilities are all impressive. They (and so many others on our Kos Katalogue roster!) are well-deserving of your attention and patronage.
One of the few advantages (I won’t go as far as “benefits”) of losing my hair from chemo a couple of years ago was that I got to indulge my taste for hats and scarves.
Despite my introduction, the fiber artist and scarf maker extraordinaire I am about to promote does not make veiling suitable for wrapping around bald heads. But she does make scarves that are very well suited to the wardrobe of anyone who feels a zest for life. Especially while I am recovering from cancer, that would be me! And, I’m sure, many of you as well, no matter what your experience.
I’m speaking of Fineena, whose creativity shines through every scarf and cowl she makes. I’m now the happy owner of three, soon-to-be four, scarves and cowls, and the bestower of one more. After supplying my own testimonial, I’ll include the words of another happy customer.
Compared to a mass-produced scarf, one by Fineena is a little more expensive. But considering the materials and the labor involved, her net profit is relatively small. One designer scarf may seem like a large fashion outlay for me by some measures. But when my basic wardrobe changes very little from year to year, one exceptionally beautiful scarf can enliven my most familiar and well-loved outfits.
My summer repertoire so far includes only this gorgeous purple scarf by Fineena, with her characteristic fringe ornamenting it all. The weave itself is lovely, open, and flexible; though I prefer to wear it as shown below, it could indeed be used in the configurations Fineena shows on her Etsy site, Willie Ru Designs. (H/t to Ekaterin for my dress! ;)
Modeling my fanciful purple scarf by Fineena
The woolen ones are also functional as well as attractive and unique. My Ayurvedist is delighted when I wear a loop scarf or cowl in the colder months to protect my neck and chest. I love this one because it's great with either brown or black. Or even both, tying them together:
My favorite scarf this past winter. Note the orange streaks!
At the end of last winter, I also purchased a woolen cowl in shades of orange and cream. I can’t wait for the next cool-weather Motor City Kossack meet-up to be able to show it off!
This time with more orange. (Is that like more cowbell?)
Here’s a hearty endorsement from another satisfied Kossack, Avilyn:
I've purchased a fair number of Fineena's scarves and cowls, some for personal use and several as gifts. As gifts, they have never failed to impress and have been much admired. Personally, the winter scarves and cowls keep me nice and warm, and are pleasantly soft, and beautiful in additional to functional. The lacy scarf/shawl that I bought is a great addition to outfits to instantly dress them up a bit and elicit many compliments whenever I wear it. Shipping is always prompt, and I can enthusiastically recommend Fineena's work to anyone for a personal indulgence or gift.
[Ha! I especially like her phrase, “personal indulgence” since most of the scarves I’ve bought have been gifts from me to me! ;) ]
But don’t just take my word, or Avilyn’s, for it. Please go take a look at Fineena’s beautiful work here, at her Etsy site.
It is also no secret that Fineena has been struggling financially for a while. No one who’s been on the site paying attention to the requests made on behalf of our sister and brother Kossacks will be ignorant of that unfortunate reality. (For links to previous fundraising diaries: see HERE and HERE.) Fineena has been holding her own for the past while, but she does have some one-time needs that are becoming urgent.
Fineena once owned a house that has since gone into foreclosure (long story, partly caused by the collapse of the 501 (c) (3) that Fineena created and ran for several years, providing support to seriously-ill people who needed help to keep their pets, and partly caused by an injury that prevented her from working for several months). The house has been unoccupied for a while, as the mortgage holder has dithered. Now, however, Fineena has learned that the house is likely to be disposed of soon—and that means she needs to get there ASAP to salvage all the personal items she wasn’t able to take with her when she first left. She has a lifetime of memorabilia (family photos, holiday decorations, and the like) just waiting there for her to box it up and take it to her new home. But to do so, she needs a working car and some gas money for the two round trips it would take. She estimates now that it would require $750 to get the car in decent enough shape to go, and to pay for the gas and some help getting all the boxes into and out of her car.
In addition, Fineena has put off some important care for her two darling Airedales, who need their shots and to be groomed. Those bills, plus her current rent and utilities, bring her wish list up to $2000.
As many of us know from direct experience, it is all too easy to be in the predicament that Fineena has found herself in. Aji offered a wonderfully compassionate observation in a comment thread for a diary that weck posted yesterday on behalf of another Kossack fallen on hard times:
And what people who don't get your situation need to understand is that, when someone's been hit financially the way you were, it's a domino effect. And getting out from under even the first domino is a Sisyphean task. Getting all the others uprighted again? Hell, that takes many more years than to do than knocking them down ever took in the first place. Because you no longer have the resources, the financial wriggle room, the credit, and the spare time and energy and lost connections to make it all work.
After a lifetime of hard work, contributing to political causes and generally serving as a supportive member of her community, Fineena has watched all the dominoes fall in her own personal life. "There but by the grace of God go I," Fineena herself observed when she posted a
fundraising diary in Oct. 2008 for another Kossack in need (and to whom she contributed generously herself). Soon afterwards, she was on a similar trajectory herself.
So, if you are able to contribute to Fineena’s financial stability, either by ordering one (or more!) of her lovely scarves, or by sending money as a gift to her paypal account palskaren@aol.com she and I would be grateful.
Please join me below the clasped hands insignia for information on supporting the work of two other wonderful Kossack artists, Lorinda Pike and asterkitty.
After reading about my patronage (actual and intended) of these talented Kossacks, you will probably conclude that I am hopelessly self-indulgent.
You may well be right. But honestly, when tempted by such beautifully-designed and -executed items, I only wish I had more disposable income with which to indulge myself and my dear ones.
Lorinda Pike may be best known to Kossacks for her stalwart coverage of the BP Gulf of Mexico catastrophe and its aftermath as a co-administrator of the Gulf Watchers group. But she is also a talented jeweler who describes her commitment to her craft this way:
I have made many more pieces of jewelry in my head and in my sketchbooks than have ever come out of my hands. Always having a sketchbook or notebook with me lets me create anywhere, even if a piece never gets made. I like to combine my handmade components to achieve a look that could be both ancient and modern, and I often abandon symmetry for a balanced randomness. I also enjoy using "unusual" gemstones like unakite and labradorite to bring color into my jewelry.
Most of my jewelry is one of a kind, since I often sit down at the bench with no idea what I'm going to make. I do make a few of my favorites in multiples, even if it is sometimes difficult for me to not get a new idea in the middle of a piece, and that might change the original work that I set out to duplicate. Oh, well, why not celebrate serendipity?
I always try to create something unique, and hopefully, beautiful, then let it out into the world, and wait for its owner to find it.
I enjoy making jewelry like I enjoy breathing.
Each of these three has indeed been changing and growing in her art even during the short time I have been aware of them. In Lorinda's case, her development is evident in three of the brand-new statement pieces that she's just recently uploaded to her
retail site. (Please note that you will see a different name at the site,
Melinda Downey Jewelry.) Let's take a look at photos of them; you can read detailed descriptions for each by following the links below:
Lapis necklace--N2047 on Ruby Lane
To see her description of the lapis necklace, including length, materials, and price,
go here. (When I followed the link myself, I saw that it's already piqued someone's interest!)
Unakite necklace--N2048 on Ruby Lane
To see her description of the unakite necklace, including length, materials, and price,
go here. (The same sort of interest is indicated for this one~!)
Rhodochrosite necklace--N2049 on Ruby Lane
To see her description of the rhodochrosite necklace, including length, materials, and price,
go here. (Whoops! Someone already has her eye on this one, too!)
Aren't they fabulous? I admit, I am NOT one of those who are already drooling over these pieces, but I certainly could be.
For a simpler but still very beautiful necklace, go see this one. Yes, I am the lucky owner of this necklace--I couldn't resist, since amethyst is my birthstone. By the way: Lorinda will make length alterations on many of her pieces upon request.
Lorinda also makes earrings and bracelets, in a style similar to but not the same as she uses in her necklaces (which only makes sense). Her prices vary with the complexity and the materials used in each piece. Here are the two pairs of earrings currently available on her site. (But give her a little time and she will make more.) My apologies for the small size of the photos.
Sterling bar and crescent earrings
Sterling silver, pearl, and aquamarine earrings
Based on my experience, as appealing as they are in photos, in real life they are even more impressive. Let me offer a testimonial from another satisfied Kossack, rubyr:
I am the very happy owner of three pieces of gorgeous, perfectly crafted jewelry created by Lorinda Pike. I have also gifted her jewelry to others. They are all thrilled to own this beautiful and very original jewelry, which is very modestly priced. True value and beauty is the hallmark of Lorinda Pike's work--I very enthusiastically recommend it!
This very week, I am preparing for the annual onslaught of visitors for the massive Art Fairs that our city hosts every July. Jewelry is always a popular category for the exhibitors and shoppers alike, and there will be many exquisite pieces on display. All the same, I am sure that no more distinctive and lovely jewelry can be found among the work of the hundreds of artists who will be in town soon than that of Lorinda Pike. If you can, please do yourself a favor and check it out.
Now let me draw your attention to the work of asterkitty, perhaps the most protean of these three in terms of the range of her interests in art and design. She joined Daily Kos during the election season of 2008, a couple of months before I succumbed myself to the siren song of the GOS. She has not been a hugely prolific diarist, though her comment totals are over 9,000 (9,155 as I write this, to be exact). Of late, she can be found most often in the * New Day * diaries, doing her part to weave community online.
She hides herself in plain sight, supplying the link to her “curious portal” in her sig file. If you are indeed curious and take her up on her offer, you’ll find yourself at her home page, alexandrialevin.com, where the links on the left sidebar take you to different aspects of her creative self. I’ll supply a few excerpts from the various nested websites to encourage you to visit them yourself.
At alexandrialevin.com, the first link provided to her design portfolio describes her as a “graphic designer, web developer, art director, fine artist, writer and creativity coach with organizational and project management skills.” Earlier this year, asterkitty was pleased to announce in a New Day comment thread the completion of a major website project for Witness to Innocence, “the nation’s only organization composed of, by, and for exonerated death row survivors and their loved ones.” It is an effective design, using asterkitty’s skills with color, line, and balance to convey a large quantity of complex information with simplicity and readability. Please feel free to take a look yourself.
The testimonials she includes from her satisfied customers attest to her professionalism and her ability to listen to, and build upon, their ideas, no matter how inchoate they may be at first. In addition to several websites for nonprofits and educational agencies, asterkitty has also designed several websites for other artists—surely an indication of her skill at such tasks.
Another of asterkitty’s links takes you to “Painted Jay Publishing,” which she created as a platform for her books on the creative process and on marketing for artists. One of the latest entries on yet another site, her blog called Bright Pink Smile, announces that she will have e-book editions of these two books available soon. Her portal site also has two pages for other artistic endeavors: one for illustrated lyric poetry (perhaps accompanied by music someday) and one for "accidental photography."
All these sites are evidence of asterkitty’s resourcefulness and creativity, to be sure. But I live with an artist (a musician), and I recognize the behaviors of someone who is driven to make art/music almost 24/7. It isn’t optional; it’s as necessary as air and water. (It’s also practical, because it helps pay the bills. Most artists have to be extremely practical.) And just as for my husband there are areas of music that are more central to his identity than others, so too is it for asterkitty. Her heart lies with painting.
Here is some appreciative commentary from one of her biggest fans on this site, Sara R:
The kind of art you never tire of is like a visual poem. You’ll always see something novel, think something new when you gaze upon it. [asterkitty's] work is like this. Whether you select the slightly surreal paintings of soft toys or still life or one of her more abstract works, it will always be fresh to your eyes and her extraordinary technique will always please.
As the introduction for her page called “Evolution” at her fine arts site, asterkitty herself writes:
We are the sum of history moving forward.
Artists evolve. Hand, technique, ability, themes – these things evolve, and they all come from somewhere. Each body of work was born of what came before it, and within each body the work evolves until it can no longer sustain the impulse that drove it in the first place. Bodies of work shift when they become too comfortable. Over time, and through the collective bodies of work created so far, one can see the thematic and technical loops, spirals, folds, where it has been kneaded, where something new has been added, where it all folds over again; sometimes curving in one direction, and sometimes veering around a different corner.
Painting is the one consistent thing in my life. It is the striving. You never get there.
In this tiny little diary, relatively speaking, I cannot convey the full range of asterkitty’s vision, nor the expanse of the territory she has already covered. They are vast, and she is not done yet. On the contrary; she is the real deal. (I strongly urge you to visit her Evolution pages to see her development as an artist over the past 30+ years. It's fascinating, funny, and wonderful as all get-out to see the changes over time and space as she learns and hones her craft.)
I can share with you here a few photos of her paintings. It is not easy to choose, though I will admit that I am deliberately omitting one of my own favorites, upon which I hope to put a down payment soon. She has several categories of works, and they are each distinctive in their own right, requiring different kinds of techniques and approaches. In order to avoid duplicating those available in the diary linked below, I will limit my options to those from 2012.
Melancholy April, copyright (c) Alexandria Levin, 2012
Oil on panel, 16 x 12
Autumn Rush, copyright (c) Alexandria Levin, 2012
Oil on panel, 12 x 16"
Little Red House, copyright (c) Alexandria Levin, 2012
Oil on board, 8 x 8"
Magnificent, no? Also inspiring; introspective; mysterious.... I could look at any one of these several times a day for years to come without exhausting the possibilities.
(It is pure happenstance, I think, that these three I have chosen from her 2012 output are within the same general range of colors. Please do check for yourself the great variety, around thematic centers, of her work.)
To enjoy the full effect of asterkitty's paintings, it is of course best to visit her website and plan to spend some time in contemplation of the works in various galleries. It is also possible to visit the Gallery Kos diary for her work that was published in early 2012. [Here I must pause and acknowledge with regret the passing of our beloved ulookarmless, who was the musical host of that particular diary. RIP, CJ.] Within the body of that diary, there is also this lovely and compelling artist's statement from asterkitty:
Painting has always been a means of story-telling about my life, my dreams and visions, and my observations of the world. I process things visually. My natural inclination to allegorical, narrative work has continued to deepen over time. For awhile now, I have been playing with mixed realities, and I seem to be developing a gritty magical realism in some of these pieces. Personal and social issues remain prevalent in my work.
For me, art is thought made visual. The sensual act of painting is one of balancing truly being able to see with giving form to that which is unseen. My easel is my cello, the paintbrush is my bow. The brush strokes are the melody, while the nuances of color are made of individual musical notes. I paint to sing. I paint just to breathe.
So, let's support asterkitty in her breathing. She needs to paint just as a fish needs to be in water. Please visit her websites, especially her fine arts portal, and see if you can make a place for one or more of her paintings in your home.
Also please note that she has a brand new FB business page up: Alexandria Levin--Art Studio. She will add material there as able, and she hopes that the FB platform will be an easy way to spread the word about her work.
I have had a delightful time reviewing the wonderful work of these three artists. I hope that you have enjoyed your visit with them all, and that you will be able to take the time to make the acquaintance of their art more directly.
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Building Community. Creating Jobs. Donating Art to Community Organizations.
Kos Katalogue Blogathon: July 10-July 12, 2013
Daily Kos is the best progressive website for a good reason: it has, by far, the most vibrant, dynamic, and supportive online community. While policy and political issues dominate everyday debates and conversations, it is the participation, dedication, and caring attitudes exhibited by the blog's members that has made this place unique among online communities. In short, you are responsible for its success over the past eleven years since 2002.
When you decide to buy online gifts for friends and family members or for your own personal use, please consider buying an item or two from Kos Katalogue. By supporting the Daily Kos Community small businesses, you encourage job creation. With millions of average Americans struggling in this fragile economy, sensible economic proposals emanating from Washington, DC and the corporate sector are non-existent and, thus far, unable to stimulate sufficient job growth.
Kos Katalogue consists of dozens of online stores, encompassing the talents of hundreds of brilliant, creative people and featuring unique items for sale. It also connects our online community with towns and cities across the United States. For example, with generous financial support from our community members, the Gallery Kos Community Art Project has donated artwork to community organizations around the country. Such initiatives by members of Kos Katalogue facilitate networking in the real world and strengthen community ties.
A Personal Request from Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, Aji, and JekyllnHyde
Both sisters have been an integral part of Daily Kos for a long time. In years past, the three of us have worked with them on several occasions in many blogathons and other special projects. For as long as we can remember, they have selflessly comforted others in need and helped to foster a strong sense of community. Now, they need our help.
Sara (Sara R) and Ann (winglion) are facing some hefty medical bills, vet bills for their beloved pooties, and a host of other economic issues. If you can help, please go to PayPal.com and make a contribution to rainwoman AT mac DOT com.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
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Kos Katalogue is easy, consumer-friendly shopping – just let your mouse do the clicking! If you hotlist this diary by Sara R, you will always be two clicks from Kossack-owned stores, covering everything from artwork to quilts to jewelry to scarves to personal services.
A complete list of Kos Katalogue online businesses can be found in this diary posted by Sara R on Tuesday, July 9th - Kos Katalogue Mothership - HOTLIST THIS!!!
Please support members of the Kos Katalogue Community, as your help is needed. For those of you on Facebook and Twitter, please help to spread the word by hitting the FB and Tweet links at the top of this diary. Use hashtag #KosKatalogue to tweet all diaries posted during this blogathon. Our Daily Kos community organizers are Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, Sara R, Aji, and JekyllnHyde.
Diary Schedule - All Times Pacific
If you would like to be added to our email list used for email notifications once Kos Katalogue diaries are posted, or for our blogathons, please Kosmail Aji, Sara R, or Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse. Emails are always sent bcc to ensure privacy.
11:00 am: Kos.
1:00 pm: Aji.
2:00 pm: michelewln.
3:00 pm: peregrine kate.
5:00 pm: jan4insight.
9:00 am: belinda ridgewood.
11:00 am: Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse.
1:00 pm: remembrance.
3:00 pm: rb137.
5:00 pm: One Pissed Off Liberal.
7:00 pm: JekyllnHyde.
9:00 am: rserven.
11:00 am: ZenTrainer.
1:00 pm: Yasuragi.
3:00 pm: Kitsap River.
5:00 pm: smileycreek.
Please remember to republish these diaries to your Daily Kos Groups. You can also follow all postings by clicking this link for the Kos Katalogue Group. Then, click 'Follow' and that will make all postings show up in 'My Stream' of your Daily Kos page.
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