tortured heart

I wasn't even planning on doing any photo editing today; I've been new-home shopping all day with Z and was just cruising my favorite websites to unwind.  I was suddenly compelled to peek at some of the photos I have in my "to edit" queue and decided to see where the paper heart library book image took me.  I LOVE where it took me!  I just fussed for a few minutes and this is what I came up with; it's a little less subtle than usual, but I adore the way it came out.  What do you guys think?

"Tortured Heart" by Anna Delores Photography

Angeleno Series Feature :: myan soffia

I am personally very excited about the newest Etsy shop feature for Anna Delores: myan soffia photography (also of Sixth & Main -- her work is way too fabulous to be confined to just one shop!).

"Nightowl" by Myan Soffia

The lovely Myan is a fellow Los Angeles resident and this has actually been great fun for me, not only as an admirer of her work but also an admirer of her ability to capture the spirit and ambiance of the city of L.A. as well as the Southern California coast.  These subjects also happen to be her inspiration; when I asked Myan what moves her to photograph, she replied, "Los Angeles and the seaside. I just can not get enough shots of either. I am always trying to capture the perfect memory of both."

Myan's images are dreamy, romantic, and somehow still modern; her photographs do a superb job of capturing Los Angeles how I imagine it looked fifty years ago, without compromising the integrity of this modern metropolis.  Myan's work has been featured all OVER the place, including the Oprah Winfrey network, a multitude of books and magazines, and on the set of ABC's "Modern Family" ::

Myan's photographs featured on the set of ABC's sitcom "Modern Family"

Myan was kind enough to entertain some of my nosy questions; check out her responses below.  She is also having clearance sales in BOTH of her Etsy shops RIGHT NOW so be sure to check her out!

Can you describe your work space and process?

"Trigger Happy" by Sixth & Main

My work spaces are an absolute mess!  In my office I have my Mac, Wacom tablet, sofa, journals, and Post-its everywhere, plus my Bose iPod dock -- I must have music on when I work or I will go crazy.  Then I have my "studio" area where I have my easels, paints, print inventory, and supplies. [She PAINTS, too!] And this is where I package orders. In my office and studio I have these tall tables my husband custom made for me so I can either stand or sit while I work.

Once I dump my pics, I edit in rounds. Whatever catches my eye first I edit. Then I go back and do another round. But I still have a ton from years back that I haven't finished. Organization and time management are not talents of mine whatsoever.

Who would you say influences you the most as an artist?
Definitely my favorite artists, GianLorenzo Bernini, Remedios Varo, Caravaggio, Camille Claudel to name a few. They keep me going and inspire me to be a better artist.

One of Myan's personal faves: "go metro" photography print

What is your personal favorite item for sale in your shop?
What a tough question!  I am so emotionally attached to each image I create so this was hard!  But if I had to narrow it down, it is between this photo of one of my sweeties, Dogg. He is my guy and this captures his crazy personality so well.  And this one; I can't explain why, really. But when I saw her standing so still, in her cute green suit, and her surroundings, just waiting and waiting, I got so excited to catch that moment. I am such a dork, I know! [No way, Myan!  I am totally the same way!]

What is your most cherished possession?

Ahh, another toughie. It is between an antique photograph from my dad's side that we think my great great grandfather took. We recently found out he was a successful photographer back in the day and is even mentioned in a book. Or it would be my engagement ring. My husband put so much thought into it, I love it so much.

"It's Not Meant to Be" by Sixth & Main

If Hollywood made a movie about you, who would you like to see in the lead role?
If I am allowed to totally be unrealistic and completely daydream [of course! That's what this question is for!], then Tina Fey or Angelina Jolie. :)

What's in your refrigerator right now?
Yikes! Okay, I just took a peek and embarrassingly I saw: dark chocolate, Starbucks Frappuccinos, clementines, limes, too much craft beer (my hubby's), Pellegrino limonatas, soy creamer, spinach, red bell peppers, iced tea. Sort of healthy, right?

Where would you like to be in five years? Ten years?
In five years, still photographing, with hopefully more travel shots and portraiture in my portfolio, and living life as an artist and mom. In ten years, all of the above but living back east with our family and friends that I miss so much.

♥

I would LOVE to go on and on and on about Myan and her work.  Seriously, she's awesome.  She's an Etsy seller with a lot of integrity and I really adore her work.  Thanks for agreeing to be featured, Myan!  Come back any time.  :)

Other places to find Myan ::

• Etsy :: Myan Soffia :: Sixth & Main
• Facebook :: Myan Photography
• Website :: Myan Art Studio
• Pinterest :: Myan Soffia

RAW:Hollywood

So I signed up to participate in the RAW:Hollywood artists' showcase back in November, but tickets and event information were officially posted today and I am SUPER excited for the show, coming up February 3 (happy early birthday to me! I'm an Aquarius).  :)

Tickets are only $10 so check it out if you're in the Los Angeles area!  Hosted by the world-famous Key Club on the Sunset Strip, it's shaping up to be a pretty rad Friday night.

Anna Delores Photography will be featured at the upcoming artists' showcase!

Angeleno Series Feature :: SweetSauce Lab

Customizable North Carolina necklace

When I stumbled across Maeling's shop on Etsy, I knew I wanted to feature SweetSauce Lab as part of the Angeleno series on this blog.  Maeling's necklaces are charming and a lovely option for a personalized gift (but you'll have to fight the urge to buy it for yourself).

Fellow Los Angeles shop owner Maeling agreed to answer my questions about her shop, and she's also offering a discount to all Anna Delores readers -- keep reading to get to the coupon code!

I'd opt for the California state necklace!

"Color, nature, and the small moments of life are what inspire me the most," Maeling told me.  "I love taking a moment of life and translating it into my work and adding a bit of whimsy to it."

I also asked Maeling to describe your work space and process; she moved right before the holiday rush began, so her workspace is a little chaotic right now.  "Some of my things are still in boxes. I now work out of my apartment in L.A. in the second room. I have one really long worktable I use at my main workspace for both my ceramics and packing/shipping. Then I have my computer desk and several shelves," she explained.  "My work process changes weekly. Some days I'm making new products, other days I’m just packing orders or doing computer things like gathering inspiration ideas or editing shop pictures."

Maeling's favorite piece? Ellie the Elephant

I also wanted to know what most influences Maeling and inspires her to make her pieces.  "There’s so much talent out there. It’s hard not to be inspired by every single piece of it. One person that has stuck with me is an instructor I had in college; he was very inspiring and would always try to push me to do more and see things differently. One of his famous quotes was 'God is in the details,' and while designing something, I try not to forget that."  She also doesn't neglect giving her hubby some credit: "My husband has a great influence on me on striving to be better in every way."

What about the name "SweetSauce Lab"?  I was immediately attracted to Maeling's shop name and wanted to know how it was born.  "I thought about my name for a while. I didn’t want a name that locked me into anything specific and would allow my to expand my product base. At the same time, I wanted a name that represents what I wanted to convey to my customers. 'Sweet' is pleasing to the taste, mind, or feelings
, and 'sauce' means 'to cover,' so SweetSauce Lab seemed to be a perfect fit."

Massachusetts state necklace in pumpkin

What is your most cherished possession?


"I would clearly be lost without my kiln, but one thing I would never part is my vintage typewriter I had gotten for my birthday. It is a 1940s burgundy Smith and Corona typewriter with tons of personality. I love typing in the old-fashioned way. I use it to type up notes for my customers who want to add a special something to their gifts."

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast in the lead role as you?
I guess Renée Zellweger based on solely on personality."

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

"I love cooking so you could probably find everything in my fridge. There are the typical things of course (eggs, milk, and greens) and then some other items like foie gras and chả lụa (Vietnamese ham), film, and batteries."

Where would you like to be in five years?
"Having my own studio/workspace and expanding my product line is definitely on top of the list. While in college, I found a love for woodworking and I miss it. I have this vision of combining wood with ceramics. Hopefully, it won’t take five years."

Ten years?

It depends on what day you ask me. Today, having my own furniture line and being in retail store, something I wanted since college. Last week, I wanted to bake more, open up a bakery and fill the air with sweet aromas. Ten years is a long ways from now and my mind changes all the time, so who knows?"

Finally, Maeling has generously decided to offer a coupon code to my blog followers!  "For Anna Delores readers, I am offering 15% off for the month of January. Just type in coupon code ANNADELORES at checkout."

Many thanks to Maeling for sharing SweetSauce Lab with us!  Now get shopping and enjoy the lovely pendants this Angeleno has to offer!

Angeleno Series Feature :: 4/Four

Back in December (crazy 2011), I contacted Nathaniel, a fellow Angeleno (that's an LA resident) who runs super-rad card company 4/Four on Etsy.  He agreed to be guinea pig #1 for my January feature series focused on other artisans and crafters (like yours truly) based in the City of Angels in sunny So-Cal!  He put up with my crazy (and not-so-crazy) questions and I'm glad I got to know him -- he's a pretty cool dude.

"I find that the artwork that most resonates with me are those that are the most simple," said Nathaniel, who earned his BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  "I'm always impressed when someone can convey a strong message with a color and a few words."

4/Four's "Sorry about the thing with the fire..."

What intrigues me about 4/Four, other than the sheer volume of awesomeness, is that Nathaniel seems to go against the grain of what so many other Etsyans are bitching about: finding an audience.  "Most of the cards in the shop were designed with a specific person in mind, and a few are my attempts to find a card that nobody wants to buy.  I know it sounds crazy but it's true.  I never thought that 'Sorry about that thing with the fire' would ever, EVER sell, but then one day a girl ordered it with a note that said, 'I accidentally set my sister's bathmat on fire.'  Sometimes it feels like Field of Dreams: 'if you design it, they will come' (and actually buy it.)."

I also asked Nathaniel about his shop name, 4/Four, and where it came from.  "I am an up-and-coming composer for film and television and have been a musician my whole life.  I wanted a musical name, so I took the meter 4/4 and made it the shop name."

It was a bit more difficult for Nathaniel to narrow down a favorite item in his shop (which I can totally relate to).  "That's hard to answer.  'I promise not to tell anyone how we met' is up there partially because I think it's hilarious, but mostly because it was the first one that a customer told me was 'framed and prominently displayed in [their] living room.'  I was rather shocked at that since I tend to view greeting cards as a disposable item.  I never really thought people would want to FRAME one that I designed."  Good feeling, right?

Nerd love greeting card by 4/Four

"I think my actual favorite card is the super nerdy love card 'You are my singularity.' Simply speaking a singularity exists inside a black hole and is a point which swallows everything which encounters it, even light.  You, being my singularity, are so attractive to me I have no hope of escape.  When I designed 'You are my singularity' my girlfriend told me that nobody would buy it, but she underestimated just how many space/physics nerds are out there and on Etsy.  It's been consistently one of our best sellers."

I have to say that one of my favorite parts of interviewing Nathaniel was simply reading his laugh-out-loud answers (and I really did laugh out loud quite a few times when he e-mailed me the content for this interview).  When I asked Nathaniel about what we might find in his refrigerator right now, he replied, "Zuul [the demonic spirit haunting Sigourney Weaver's character in 1984's Ghostbusters].  It's been a problem for a while.  We called the Ghostbusters but they've got a four-month backlog so for now we are only buying canned goods."

I also loved his answer to my inquiry about who might play the lead role if Hollywood were to make a movie about Nathaniel's life.  "Neil Patrick Harris has been contacted but his people have yet to respond to my people.  We were able to get a commitment from Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from A Christmas Story) but his fee is almost 60% of our budget.  Macaulay Culkin is interested as well but wants a LOT of script re-writes and a producer credit as well."

My vote is, therefore, for Neil Patrick Harris.

It's a stretch, but I'll allow it: "You [are greater than] cupcakes."

In addition to being hilarious, Nathaniel is also in tune with his priorities and gives credit where credit is due.  He cites his girlfriend, Delia, as his biggest inspiration: "I couldn't do any of this without her.  She has her own successful Etsy shop selling vintage housewares (Amelia Bedelia Vintage) and advised me on everything Etsy when I was just getting started.  I avoided so many mistakes because of her help," Nathaniel told me.  "She also proofs my designs and helps to keep everything running smoothly.  Once a design is finalized, she can and does do anything from printing and cutting to shipping.  We make an awesome Etsy team."

When I asked Nathaniel about his most prized possessions, he replied, "for the purposes of this article, I'm going to say my awesome printer and my super cool corner rounder.  But in a more personal sense my most cherished possessions aren't things but rather the memories of people and experiences from my past that inform my daily decisions and often get me through the tough times."  Awww.

My #1 pick for V-Day: "here's some bacon."

Nathaniel also shed a little light on his creative process: "[It] usually begins with either watching movies or reading books. I can never seem to sit down and say 'ok, time to make a new design.'  Occasionally a design is already fully formed in my head, but usually I'll start by writing what I want to say in as many words as it takes to say it.  Then I'll start trying to shorten it as much as possible by rewriting it over and over until it pops ... I try to keep things as simple as possible, so occasionally I'll toil on an image for days (or even over the course of a few weeks) only to dump it and keep just the text."

"My work space looks like the bat cave in the original batman movie with Michael Keaton," Nathaniel said.  "Fewer bats and better lighting, but otherwise you might just think I'm chasing down the Joker.  The Jack Nicholson Joker, not the Heath Ledger Joker."  Thanks for the clarification; this helps my ability to imagine.

Finally, I challenge Nathaniel to state his five-year plan, but my efforts were rebuffed with some simple yet surprisingly wise words:  "I had a five-year plan about five years ago.  I'm living life by the seat of my pants these days."

Don't miss 4/Four's amazing, hilarious, affordable, any-occasion greeting cards on Etsy.  You can also stalk Nathaniel on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook (so do it!).

Big THANK YOU to Nathaniel for the entertaining interview!  Back later this week with more Los Angeles residents who also reside on Etsy.  Stay tuned!