Thursday, December 11, 2008

TWO MORE OPEN HOUSES TILL CHRISTMAS!


I will be open Fri and Sat Dec. 12 and 13, and also Fri and Sat Dec. 19 and 20 for last minute treasure seekers!

THE VIEW OUTSIDE MY WINDOW



on a cold November morning inspired my whole shop this year with a frosty echo.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

CHRISTMAS SHOW




It is late and I am working in the studio about 14 hours a day, so I am just going to quick post some pictures of my first Christmas Open House of the year....and add some relevent text later!!!
ALSO - quick update on my book, A2Z Printers have completed the revised scans and the pages should go to print next week! There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

LA BELLE MYSTERE





"The Beautiful Mystery" is the theme of my Chistmas Show. Here are some of the items I am working on and will be packing up and taking to Tinsel Trading this coming week, and also showing at my own open house. I am getting really excited about being able to spend some time in New York in the month of November! Monica (my 21 yr. old daughter) and I will be having lunch at Bergdorf Goodman, overlooking Central Park!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

THE SEASON OF MAGIC




HAS ARRIVED!!! When I walk out to feed the cats in the morning, I can see my breath, and the patio is papered with little yellow leaves. The look and feel of the outside permeates my work at this time of year. Gilded oak leaves, and glittered acorns, and mirrored things that reflect like the pools of silvery rain. I am busy in the workshop making special things for my upcoming Christmas shows. First, on Fri. & Sat. Nov.14 & 15, I will be in New York, at my favorite store, Tinsel Trading! (212 730-1030) I will bring a trunk load of magic with me, including many of the items pictured. Two weeks later, I will be having my own Christmas Open House at my shop in Port Costa, on Fri, Sat, and Sun, Nov. 28, 20, & 30. (The weekend after Thanksgiving). Please call for directions to my shop (510 787-2164) I will post more pictures tomorrow, please check back!

Monday, October 13, 2008

THE WALL OF QUOTES


When my daughter was 14, she got a magic marker and started to scrawl her favorite quotes all over the walls of her room. Some were from Shakespeare, some were from cartoons, some were from movies. Now my room has a wall of quotes also, written in chalk on old slate blackboards mounted to the wall. I can change them every week. Today, they read: "I sell the shadow to support the substance", "They can't make me and they can't break me", and "Self discipline is not about denial, it is about purpose". The first quote is by Sojourner Truth, the next two are by me.
But I have a new favorite quote and it is this:
"To live in so much mystery, to rely on a feeling, an instinct, on faith, that everything I need is already inside me, and best I just don't block the exit."
That remarkable quote is by Michelle Williams, actress.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

A MORE PERSONAL VIEW



I am still getting the hang of creating posts - getting the pictures to post with the relevant text is a puzzle. Here are a couple of views of my tiny apartment home, which is right behind my shop. I am so lucky to live and work here. I came here 11 years ago and I knew right away this was where I wanted to be. Lord knows I get so frantically busy juggling everything in my life that I sometimes just rush through my days.




But then I usually step out every morning to sniff the air when I feed the cats, or hear the air rushing through the trees in the late afternoon - moments when you stop, and are just there in the present.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!




from the Theatre of Dreams. My October Open House was last weekend - Once again I was amazed that people came from near and far to drive down that windy country road to visit my shop. I work alone for months at a time getting ready for my Open Houses, and when I finally see the shop all lit up and crowded with people, it makes it all worth it! I am much cheered by the turnout and by all of the smiling faces and kind words. Here are some views of the shop that I took right before I opened the doors.

My friend Marcia, from Tinsel Trading, keeps telling me to get more personal in my blogs!! So I will tell you a little bit more. Right now I am sitting in my bed drinking coffee! It is 8:00 am, the backdoor is open and there are crows cawing outside. (I live right behind my shop, in a tiny apartment with a private patio) There are cats draped all over my bed. I lit candles because in Oct. it is foggy in the early mornings here. My bed is right up against a big window that looks out over a private outdoor space that is draped with virginia creeper and birch trees. (see pictures in the next post). This is the best hour of the day for me, when I sit and drink my coffee and look outside as the world wakes up.

Monday, September 22, 2008

OCTOBER IS ALMOST HERE




and I am still working on the book! It is beginning to seem like the endless project, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!! When I get tired of turning the heavy wheel of that letterpress, I call on my friend and worker bee Rob Garbarino to take over. He has arms like an octopus and makes that machine hum. The letterpressed text is now done, and neatly stacked up, waiting for...



The drawings in the book, which will be offset printed. And while they are at A to Z printing, I have three weeks to put together some merchandise for my Halloween show - Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 & 4, from 10 - 4. (see pics). Nothing could be more fun! I will try to post more often, at least once a week, from now on. I am still getting the hang of it.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

MORE PICS OF BOOK






I finally have more pictures of the book, but first, a photo of my antique letterpress, which I am using to do much of the custom printing involved. This press is over 100 years old and I have many fonts of antique lead and hand carved wood type in the type case next to it.
























The next pic is some neat stuff on my table top that I am using in the book. There will be lots of vintage paper and materials used in the printing and binding of the book.
The next pictures are of different pages in the book, and I hope to show that there will be many inclusions, such as a ticket to the Theatre of Dreams, and an Opening NIght poster! At the end of the book, there is a beautiful surprise, but I cannot show it yet! There will be a limited edition of 350 copies, and I have pre-sold 98. I do not expect them to last through the fall. If you would like a copy, please call or write at the address and number listed in my previous post. Each copy is $250, and I can reserve a copy for 50% down payment!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

MORE PICS OF BOOK ARE ON THE WAY!

I am trying to get more good pictures of the book, including some of the newer pages. I will try to post them in the next few days! I will be getting the printing going next week and hope to finish up my limited edition by the middle of July!!

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Theatre of Dreams is now a BOOK!






"Notebook for an Imaginary Life"- That is the sub-title for my book. For the past twelve years I have been drawing in my Theatre of Dreams notebooks, keeping track of ideas before they evaporate, making notes for future projects and drawing things I love. I also wrote a poem years ago about the making of an imaginary life, and the poem and the illustrations have come together  to make a book!
I am piecing it together carefully and will complete a limited artist's edition of 350 copies.  This book will be hand assembled and hand bound here at my studio in Port Costa, and will include collage, letterpress and a unique drawing on the flyleaf of each copy.  Your copy will be signed, numbered and inscribed to you.
The book price is $250 and estimated date of completion is now late July.  See attached pictures for a preview of a few of the pages!  
Should you like to reserve a copy (75 are now spoken for) you can send a 50% down payment of $125.00, or the full price of $250.00.  Send check to: Wendy Addison, Box 20, Port Costa, Ca. 94569.  Credit Cards can be called in to (510) 787-2164.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Letter from the Theatre of Dreams

Good News!  My glitter letters are back in production!
Both large display alphabet and small 6" letters are now available from Tinsel Trading in New York.  Their phone number is:(212) 730-1030.
I personally flew out with my patterns and materials to train the worker bees.  All letters are made exactly to my specifications using the same vintage style silver glass glitter that I use here in Port Costa.  The price is comparable to what Midwest of Cannon Falls was charging, but these letters are made in the USA! 
Tinsel Trading is a great company to do business with and I highly recommend them!  If you have any questions, you can email me at theatreofdreams@sbcglobal.net.  
In my next letter I will show some pictures from my new book, which is coming out as a limited edition in about a month!
Thanks,  Wendy