Yikes. September is almost upon us. Every year, the ninth month seems to mark a turning point. It brings the end of the summer schedule, the beginning of the school year (for most), the turning of the leaves... but that isn't what I am talking about. It's the change of perspective. 

During the lazy days of summer, we bask in the complacency of long hot days, icy cold drinks, sleeveless nights, the lapping of the water, the sizzle of the sidewalk, the jingle of the ice cream truck and the scream of the rides at the fair. It is a blur, it is warm, it is comfortable.

But when September rolls around, we suddenly find ourselves looking forward to cold starry nights, hot fires, and the warmth of family. We pick up the pace, we focus our eyes on a higher horizon, start planning out how we are going to make this holiday season/school year/fiscal end different.

We realized today that, after Labor Day, we have several "no event" Fridays at our usual spot at the Huntington Beach Pier Art-A-Faire.  How are we going to make up for that lost opportunity?

We'd better not wait until September to figure it out. Time to mobilize. 

So, we are offering a 15% discount on any corporate or private event which is booked between now and October 2. What a great opportunity to get started early on your holiday planning, or to throw one really awesome party to celebrate the end of summer!

We would love to make summer last just a little longer....with you :)

-Star

P.S. We will be at the Huntington Beach Pier on the following dates:

August 28
Labor Day Weekend September 4-7

October - December many dates To Be Announced!!

On April 30, we had the pleasure of being one of a handful of artisan vendors selected to showcase their products at L.A. Weekly's ARTOPIA at The Container Yard. This annual celebration of the vibrant arts and culture scene in Los Angeles! Art, fashion, music, food, mixology and fun came together in a vibrant splash of color as guests stepped off the city street into a wonderland intended to excite all of the senses, and we were thrilled to be right in the midst of it all.  It was a very eclectic show, with everything from from fresh floral wearable art, to hand crafted beers and cocktails, to body painting and a Scream Room, which invited people to release their pent up anger by, well, screaming.  One of the folks who visited our booth was blogger Jen a.k.a. Hugs a.k.a. Jennie Jen.  Her photographic blog (https://loveandhatela.wordpress.com/) is a virtual portrait gallery of L.A.'s best street artists and performers. 

Just unearthed from the internet (ie, we didn't see it til now), Jennie Jen had these words to say about her experience at Artopia, and especially about the Mayu Silk Art Experience:

For those of you who were unable to make the exhibit, here’s a photographic recap of what went down for LA Weekly’s Artopia at The Container Yard on Thursday, April 30, 2015.  The artists were all very talented but if I had to narrow it down to one of my most favorite from the event, I would have to say that I was really intrigued by the interactive display presented by Mayu.  Colorful things attract my attention.  I was kind of blown away and spent a lot of time at their booth.  I was just trying to gather as much information about their technique as possible.  They were a very pleasant pair.  I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to see them in person if you ever get a chance.   You can also visit their website at www. mayusilkart.com ...


Jennie Jen's great photos of the Mayu Silk Art booth start  HERE  Scroll through in either direction to see the full gallery (note: some of the art contains live nude models).  You can learn more about Jennie Jen and her artistic journalism & photography by visiting her website, at  
http://loveandhatela.com/

Until today, it has been a hectic week. Ok, it has been a hectic month. That's not really going back far enough. We're talking months, years even. For the most part, my life is hectic. There is seldom a moment when I am not trying to DO something. I am like the Energizer Bunny on Auto Pilot. 

Today, however, I found myself wooed into taking a time out, and going to the pool.  I did not admit to myself that it was a time out. I did not go with the intent to NOT DO something, but reasoned that I could get some much-needed exercise AND cool off at the same time. I took a hat and my phone, in case I needed to check my emails or answer a call or look something up on the internet. I'm always prepared to DO something.

The moment happened, though, when I found myself floating on my back in an otherwise empty pool, arms outstretched, eyes closed, doing NOTHING but breathing, gently, slowly, and quietly until all I sensed was breath and water. Breath and water...

My beloved art of water marbling was born in breath and water. Suminagashi (墨 流 し) is the ancient Japanese technique of decorating paper with inks. It is believed to be the oldest form of marbling, originating in China over 2,000 years ago and practiced in Japan by Shinto priests as early as the 12th century. Suminagashi (sue-me-NAH-gah-she), which means literally “ink-floating” involves doing just that.
Japanese Sumi-e inks were originally used, dropped carefully to float on a still water surface and then blown across to form delicate swirls, after which the ink was picked up by laying a sheet of white rice paper atop the ink covered water.

Water and breath. In suminigashi, no tools are used to directly manipulate the inks. The artists uses only the breath, or wind created by fanning with the hand, moving across the surface of the water, to create graceful designs that evoke images of mountains, lakes, forests and streams, flowers and trees, earth and the heavens.

Today, I was the ink, not the artist. And that, I think, is utterly beautiful.