February 2012
2 posts
Art As Survival
The papers have been signed; we are officially moving to Beijing for two years this August. Yes, I am looking forward to the food and the culture and no, I’m NOT looking forward to the lax view on keeping bodily functions to ones self (i.e. spitting constantly)…but more over, what I cannot wait to experience…is myself. I can’t wait to see how my creativity and inspiration and work...
December 2011
1 post
Dork. Just add fire.
I have become a dork…not the “ha ha…I’m a dork but really I’m a cool kid just calling myself a dork because it’s the hipster thing to do” kind but the “I am going to talk about the physics of glass work until you are all glassy eyed (no pun intended) and bored to tears” kind of dork.
As I was 5 minutes in to explaining to a friend why it...
November 2011
1 post
Letting Go. Sucks.
Generally speaking, I learn pretty quickly…however, there are some life lessons that really have to knock me over the head several times before I, begrudgingly, grasp them. Though, once the beatings have subsided, I do try my damnedest to remember them and live my life with them in mind.
The fact that I cannot control other people - especially their emotions and/or the morphing of their...
October 2011
1 post
Ego vs. Pride? Beats me.
Someone recently asked me what the difference was, to me, between pride and ego. I profess to be a very proud person that lacks an extended ego…but after looking up the actual definitions of pride and ego - it appears they are actually not as different as I would have thought and, moreover, almost the opposite of what I profess. Pride: a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity,...
August 2011
2 posts
Intensity: The cilantro of life.
Cilantro is either beloved or hated. It’s true, I’ve met very few people who don’t either love it or loath it*. I think intensity in a person…is kinda like the cilantro of personality traits. It either creates a solid instantaneous friendship - or drives a wedge.
*(It’s actually a holdover from our less evolved days…and has to do with the brain keeping us from...
The Motorcyle Wave and Humanity.
There I am, driving to Belfast. A screaming kid in the back, exhausted, sleep deprived and in and all around foul mood. Two motorcyclists are on my ass - which is annoying because I can’t really see them if I stopped short…so, I’m annoyed.
Then, like a beam of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy day…I see it. One of the ONLY things that will bring a smile to my face when in a...
July 2011
1 post
Inspiration or affliction?
I think the process of creativity and the notion of inspiration is, by nature, a very lonely affair. It’s wonderful, exhilarating and amazing…but my inspiration and creativity is something that can only be really understood or experienced by my brain.
When it hits me, whether or not it’s been building and gaining traction over time or like a bolt of lightning out of the...
June 2011
2 posts
The Artistic Split Personality
Few profound things have happened in my life. Usually its all very anticlimactic - lessons learned from trial and error, pain or happiness coming and going over long periods of time…not much gives me the a-ha moment that we all crave. However, yesterday, an unexpected personally profound moment came up and kicked me right in the shin.
I struggle with self worth on a minute by minute basis...
Apparently, my gramma was a hipster too.
Why am I so oddly put off by sites like these?
http://www.punkdomestics.com/
http://hipgirlshome.com/
http://www.tigressinajam.blogspot.com/
I personally LIKE all these things - I, myself, am a prolific canner, baker, sewer, knitter and all those other “domestic” traits. But some how, even though I’ve been personally producing these things for years (and been made fun of to...
April 2011
5 posts
...like a fly on the wall between 2 amazing... →
Fantastic videos of a conversation between Paul Simon & Chuck Close on so so many things that make me feel so lucky to be who I am meandering down this beautiful road of creativity.
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us...”
– Ira Glass (via @cc_chapman)
We're all "con" artists...really.
I am always amazed at how something so serendipitous can happen right when I need it the most. Crappy day, down week, cold wet weather…feeling like a fraud that is quite possibly annoying the shit out her friends and acquaintances. You know, a “what the hell am I doing?” kinda week.
In a fit of boredom, I check in with my Google reader for inspiration…and sure enough, hit...
My friend. My home. My economy. →
Second Read (now known as Rock City Coffee and Books) has been my annex office for well over 10 years now.
A long post would detract for the basic gist of what Lacy is trying to do here…so, I will make a top 5 list of why I love Lacy, Rock City and the fact that we all have a say in what will happen within our local economy.
1. I literally have met all of my closest friends through Rock...
Create without Fear. Magpie Creative is back.
It took a while for my brain to wrap it’s self around all the pieces that need to be done…but the time had finally come to merge all my endeavors under the Magpie Creative brand.
www.magpiecreative.com
I’ve been freelancing under Magpie Creative (MPC) for over 10 years now - and have owned the domain for just as long. I think I was afraid when I began making and selling...
March 2011
1 post
Born out of fire.
I am a fiery personality. In more ways than one - this is something I am really only beginning to realize and accept. I don’t put much credence in astrological signs - however, it is hard to not see the similarities that I share with my Leo sign. I’m loud, opinionated, not really all that shy and I love - LOVE - the sun. I shrink during the winter - my skin, my person, my personality...
January 2011
2 posts
...experimentation pains.
The process of experimentation…can go much like this:
1. Excitement at the idea and all the possibilities that seem to surround that idea. In this case, glass landscapes.
2. Execution of that idea. Shaky at first but things seemed to be coming out like I had envisioned.
3. Setting them gently in the kiln…with all the best intentions in the world. KNOWING they will turn out exactly...
Unlikely Cohorts →
For some reason, this ring concept and design took me by surprise - kinda floored me. I think it is the unlikely mesh of two very different worlds - that of the physical world and the audio world - combined into a symbolic piece of art that one wears and keeps close at all times.
Yes, of course, they are connected every second of every day via our eyes, ears and brains…but, audio as a...
December 2010
3 posts
Comfort Food
Being able to give away what I make - out of the blue - can be one of the most satisfying, pull my ass out of the gutter feelings I’ve had the pleasure to experience. Life for me is hitting a pot hole-filled road right now in a big way but the ability to take advantage of the feeling above - when I least expect it - has surprisingly yanked me from the edge. Again.
Eating a late breakfast...
Warm up dump.
I’ve been putting off posting as of late because I feel that I need to have a fully thought out idea before typing. Well, I don’t right now…but, what I do have are niggling thoughts that I’d like to write about - but haven’t. This is my warm up post, my emotional laxative. Excuse this half-baked mess.
1. Quote I’d like to write about from “Little Miss...
November 2010
3 posts
Where it all began...how dare you.
http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x1109352617/Enos-Park-master-plan-would-cost-45-million-over-10-20-years?img=3
Springfield’s Enos Park would be transformed into a thriving neighborhood with a mix of rehabilitated historic homes, new housing, restaurants and stores under a long-term master plan that will be unveiled tonight.
It’s my childhood neighborhood - the EXACT place where I spent...
October 2010
4 posts
Glass Pre-Holiday SALE! →
In preparations for updating my glass listing & to lure in some pre-holiday sales, I have just put my ENTIRE shop on sale over at Etsy! Everything is 20% off…no coupon needed, no code…just shop :)
Take a peek over there…and if you’ve been waiting around to order a “Maggi Blue” piece - take advantage of this sale. :)
Questions? Email me at maggi at...
Must. Have. Brains.
“I got a chunk of work done in my dreams this morning…feels good.” ~ www.ealart.com (Eric Leppanen)
I read this fan page facebook status and immediately understood what Eric meant. I am very familiar with mulling over and over a project in my mind right before bed - so much so that I will dream about it all night. And every once in a while…I will wake up to a solution or a...
Anti-Creativity
Since this is suppose to be about creativity…I wanted to broach what brings about anti-creativity (otherwise known to me as, self loathing).
“I don’t like you mama, I like dada better” or “I don’t want to sit next to you, I want to sit next to dada” or just “I don’t like you mama” « THIS can put me in a funk faster than most...
September 2010
2 posts
The Invisible Shield.
Rogue flowers growing on the porch. 9/27/2010
In purchasing a new camera (upgraded from a point and shoot to a DSLR) I have found some things to be true.
1. I enjoy taking pictures. I knew I would. THIS is the whole reason I had not dipped a toe into photography. It’s overwhelming and massive and resource (time & money) sapping and amazing and introspective and there is no way in...
August 2010
2 posts
Everyone's favorite game...
…what can I melt in my kiln? The winner today? Kosher Salt.
(above - gratuitous photo of the glass I pulled out of the kiln this morning…I’m loving the grays and blacks…)
In the pursuit to achieve consistent bubbles in my glass, I have been taking suggestions from my friend Andy as to what might either emit a gas once soaked at the fusing temp (1430-1440) or change...
An end and a beginning - two mints in one!
My last day of full time work at Pen Bay is this Thursday. I am leaving with a bit of sadness at the way some of it ended and the people I will be leaving and also with excitement for what lies ahead.
Speaking of what is lying ahead…With the Portland Picnic (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=143617055662478) coming up on the 28th, I have pushed myself into full production...
July 2010
8 posts
Do the Hustle....
I want to thank my new friend Trelawney, an artist, for the brief yet powerful bits of wisdom she bestowed to me while standing in line at the Post Office earlier this week…
Paraphrasing of course (the post guy wasn’t too happy we were chatting it up while at the counter I suspect), she basically stated that working on commission was not necessarily the same thing as doing your craft...
Tomorrow's the last day, baby!
I can’t believe that I only have $40 to go until I reach my $900 goal to replace my kiln.
Everyone came through for me and I can’t thank you all enough…Family and friends and co-workers. You rock and I can’t express how grateful I am for all of you.
Now, that being said (always a “but” eh?)…. Because I am only $40 away from hitting my $900 and have to...
I need $900 in a hurry...Take advantage of me....
I’m having a HUGE glass sale…details below…and here is why:
I ruined my kiln…my only kiln.
Here is what glass looks like when it is over cooked…and also all over the bottom of my kiln.
Last night I turned it on (it’s an old manual one not digital) and went to go set my timer (on my phone) when my mom called (on the same phone). Result, timer never was set...
WatchHere is the audio and slides presentation from the 7/15 PK in Portland at the Portland Public Library. I had a blast! (BTW, the timing of the slides and me speaking is a bit off…so just go with the flow and know they aren’t perfectly lined up)
Watch
My Pecha Kucha Presentation...surprise ending.
I had such a wonderful time presenting at PK on 7/15. It was exhilarating and so comforting to know how much support was sitting out in the audience. It was an experience that sits right up there at the top for me.
For those who weren’t in attendance…here is what I presented:
Glass in Yard:
I start with this photo as I think it sums up my creative person, at this point in my ...
“You think she’s an open book but you don’t know which page to turn...”
– CAKE
June 2010
9 posts
An artist's unplanned pregnancy
To me, ideas are like little unplanned pregnancies. Often the seed for a concept is planted in my brain for no reason and with no foresight. It grows and festers and gives me pain (along with joy) and waits for the right moment to be born.
This process, unlike pregnancy, doesn’t have a telltale gestation period. Much of the time, these embryonic concepts wither and die before they even have...
Me. Portland Pecha Kucha 7/15. Yikes.
I’m happy to announce that I was accepted as a presenter for the 7/15 Pecha Kucha @ Space in Portland.
If you know me, I am not short on words - I would even go so far to say that I could probably hold a lively (albeit one-sided) conversation with pretty much anything you put in front of me (rocks and vacuum cleaners included). But, as I contemplate the presentations we have had at the...
Picnic Music + Arts Festival →
Just put my application in to be a vendor at Picnic in Portland - Sat, Aug 28th. If I get in, I hope folks will come stop by and say hi.
I plan to have all my glass along with some new prints of mine. Here are a few of em…
Flour; the paper of the baking world.
As I stood in the shower this morning contemplating the process of freezing quiche crust * and what kinds of crusts/doughs I could get away with freezing, it dawned on me what fascinates me about baking; all bread is made with, for the most part, the same handful of ingredients. These limited ingredients - flour, yeast, salt, sugar - combined in different quantities, cooked under different...
Terrariums Make a Comeback - NYTimes.com →
I knew I was ahead of a curve somewhere! Thanks Lori for hipping me to the article :)
May 2010
27 posts
