Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Merry Christma-kah!

Happy Holidays from me, Talking Walls aka Corie! 

I hope you all are enjoying this time of year, whatever you celebrate, if anything. I celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah. I really enjoy putting together and making my own presents for people for both those holidays. In my Talking Walls Murals business, it feels really good to be able to create a piece for someone that has only existed in their imagination before I made it real. Making surprise-present-artwork for my family is the best feeling though (even though sometimes they ask for something very specific... not so surprising then haha.) Anyway, here is my family's haul this year:

nova color, winter landscape painting, trees in snow painting, portland mural

The above is a painting for my sweetie's office. He needed something calming and peaceful. Awhile ago I asked him what he would want if I could paint him anything in the world. He said, a forest with snow. 

greek goddess doll, handmade doll, sculpey doll,

When I was in elementary school, I took sewing lessons. It's been a really great life skill to have. Not only for practical things, but for artsy endeavors as well. There's a tradition of gift-giving in my family that I make my mom an art doll every year. Sometimes it's totally random, and sometimes the doll is themed to something important to my mom that year. This year, my parents travelled to Greece, so my mom got a doll of Athena, the greek goddess. 

dinosaur menorah

My boyfriend is of Jewish heritage as well, and needed a menorah. So I made him one out of a raptor toy, naturally. 

poppies painting, flower painting, portland muralist, portland murals

My little sister lives in the cutest studio in San Francisco, and was growing tired of her old black and white Ikea prints over her TV. She measured the space she wanted the new artwork to hang in, and put in her holiday present order from her artist sister: a triptych (3 paintings that go together) with red, close-up poppies. Sister gets what sister asks for because I love her. 

giraffe painting, whimsical giraffe, whimsical giraffe painting

This giraffe went to my aunt and uncle. My grandma, who passed away a few years ago, loved and collected giraffe things. When we cleaned out my grandparent's house, many of us took one or more of her giraffes. My Aunt said: "A giraffe painting! A realistic one. Oh nevermind, just do it your own way." And I sat down to paint it like, "ok then it's going to be purple." 


And there is one more piece for my dad, that I failed to get a picture of. Maybe I'll post that at some point too. But basically, there you have my family's Corie-art-present haul for 2015. I think sometimes my family thinks this is annoying or burden-y for me to make most of their presents. Shhh don't tell them how much fun I had making them. :) 

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Pretty Pretty Princesses!

Hi Everyone, Happy December!

My latest mural was quite the problem to solve, visually. I was asked to represent all the disney princess in one mural without actually painting any of the princesses, within a faux balcony landscape. I was working in the home of a family of MAJOR Disney fans, so they were able to correct me in my lack of precise Disney knowledge.

One wall is a "balcony" looking out onto a kingdom (featuring Rapunzel's tower, Mickey in the clouds (see it?), and a big ol castle. "Hanging" on the "inside" on the wall, are Mulan's sword and Merida's bow.

On the small wall perpendicular to the main one, I painted some faux shelving and a table with more objects to represent the princesses: a clock striking midnight and a glass slipper for Cinderella, Belle's rose, a genie lamp for Jasmine, and Aurora's crown. On the table, a note from one frozen sister (Elsa and...?), and on the ground, Snow White's poison apple (sadly....already bitten into). One the ledge of the main wall, two little frogs for princess Tiana. WHEW so much detail. So much Disney! I'm always so so happy to work in children's rooms though, and this one was no exception. The squeals and smiles from the two girls who live in this bedroom was almost payment enough. Almost. ;)

And a selfie in the clothes that make me the happiest to wear out of any in my closet because of what I do when I wear them. Even though they look disgusting. And new headphones too!

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

Happy weekend you guys!

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural

princess mural, disney princess mural, disney mural, castle mural, castle balcony mural