Lisa writes:

“Hi Lilla!

Mati and I are so excited to announce that we are launching a brand new follow up e-course to the wildly popular Get Your Paint On (GYPO)! The new course is called Get Your Paint On: Beyond the Basics and will begin October 24. GYPO: Beyond the Basics features more instruction of technical painting skills like layering and creating dimension in your work. Lisa and Mati will share with you how they each approach painting through video demos, written reading on important topics, visual inspiration and support & guidance to participants. Each week will include a new video demonstration for more in depth instruction — from finding inspiration to color mixing to layering to creating depth and dimension. The course is open to artists of all levels. You can learn more about the course and register here! (Registration closes Oct. 20th)”

Susan writes:

“On a recent trip to Acadia, I had the pleasure of visiting with Jennifer Judd-McGee on her home turf, Mt Desert Island. I love Jennifer’s doodles, her cut paper and the rich, textural complexity she brings to collage work. I think you will too!

Before even seeing Jennifer herself, I spotted her piece, All Sweet Things Beyond, in the window of a cute little shop in Bar Harbor called Spruce and Gussy .”

Love the layering of paper, fabric and color.

Look! Jennifer’s lovely image, in the shop window! And there were more inside!

It’s Week 2 for our Guest blogger, lovely agent Susan McCabe. She writes:

” ‘Store Vacant’, ‘Space for Rent’, ‘Out of Business’. These ubiquitous retail signs of our times are everywhere. Which is why I literally stopped in my tracks the other day in front of one such vacant space. “What is that? A huge skewer of Tonka trucks? Yes!” In fact it was a sculpture by William Turville called Kabbabbed Tonkas for the Iron Giant. I had encountered the efforts of the local group, Arlington Public Art and the group’s Arlington Windows Project.

Using the empty storefronts as temporary exhibit space for non-commercial art, the project transforms idle space into gallery space. Exhibits rotate for as long as the commercial space goes unrented. Now there’s a quandry––rent the space or keep surprising us pedestrians with neat stuff we’d never have encountered otherwise? Hmmm.”

A Taste for the Past: Lunch for a Game Boy by William Turville

Kabbabbed Tonkas for the Iron Giant by William Turville

Guest Blogger Susan McCabe:

After seeing Lisa Congdon, lying in repose in the pages of Martha Stewart Living, I realized, as her agent, it was time to come clean. Hey, I collect stuff too! It’s just not likely Martha will pay my collection much mind. You might get a kick out of it though.

People always ask me, is it a donkey, mule, ass or burro collection? Here’s what I’ve learned. A mule is a domesticated, hybrid animal that results from crossing a mare (female horse) and a jack (male donkey). A donkey is really just a domesticated ass often used to pull carts. Which, of course begs the question, “What is an ass?” It’s a four-footed hoofed animal related to the horse, but smaller, with longer ears, a shorter mane and often a dark stripe along the back. A jackass, is simply a male ass. The main difference between jackass and donkey is their domestication — the ass is wild and the donkey, tamed.

But what about the burro? A burro is a small donkey often used as a pack animal because it is particularly sure-footed. I don’t really know if burros pull carts regularly but ceramic burros often carry baskets laden with goods and they look pretty fabulous in little hats. I reveal to you my stable of burros.

These better behaved donkeys get to display themselves in my dining room.

Our guest blogger Susan McCabe writes:

“Hsinping has done a lovely, sophisticated book cover for eatdrink.co. Her image is silkscreened on to a fine cloth cover and the result? Like that of a smooth Bordeaux. Simply yummy!

All this week, funny and observant LRS agent Susan McCabe will be writing the blog posts. Lucky us!

Today she shares her visit to The Paper House.

“For years I had heard about this curious place in Rockport MA called the Paper House. I imagined a Lincoln Log inspired structure made up of rolled up newspapers–and something about as big too. I finally had a chance to see it for myself and encourage anyone tired of the same old summer sites to check it out. It’s worth a detour.”

From the Paper House website:
“The Paper House is an actual house made from paper. Newspaper. It was built by Mr. Elis F. Stenman, a mechanical engineer who designed the machines that make paper clips, began building his Rockport summer home out of paper as a hobby. That was in 1922. The paper was meant to be good insulation. Eventually, not only was the house made of paper, but furniture as well, including some intricate and beautiful pieces.”

Exterior Siding up close.

Details Details……

A clock.

Even the window valance is paper…

Interior Wall with a photo of the inside.

I love this piece. Simple and pretty storytelling. – Ashley

Look at these wonderful new items of Helen’s on Blue Q. I would love to work in a studio full of Helen’s lanterns (Lilla – are you reading this?!). – Julia

Heavy Lifting Paper Lantern

Little Visitor Paper Lantern

Trina writes:

“Hi Lilla

I thought some of your readers from London and near by might like to hear about the Caterham Vintage and Art Fair which is on Saturday September 17th from 11am to 5pm at Soper Hall in Caterham, Surrey.

I will have a stall selling paintings, prints, ceramics and cards.

There is more about the fair here and also on my blog.

As well as vintage clothes and art stalls there will be tea and cakes, a tombola and live music!

From Oprah. com on Rebecca’s illustrated recipe of Pimm’s No. 1:

“As if the recipe’s name weren’t swank enough, this elegant watercolor from Maryland illustrator Rebecca Bradley (who’s spent time living in London and elsewhere in the U.K.) makes us want to turn this recipe into a tray that would hold glasses of the English cocktail for us and some friends as we sit on the lawn watching a polo match while we all wear fancy hats.”