Creating work is just making order out of chaos if you want to get to the nitty gritty of a studio practice. So much of life is out of our control, beyond our understanding, and just downright reliably unreliable. Forming a tangible object from the weirdo thoughts or mundane experiences that back stroke in our brain is a way of exercising some kind of authority.

Preparing for a show featuring that work allows for even a bit more control over driving your own spaceship. You already have a story to tell, now you have the setting in which to tell it. I’m getting ready for a solo show in June at Artspace111.

A decent portion of work is complete and is informing the upcoming paintings and small sculptures. Now, I’m in the process of getting to the bare bones of what the dang work is about through writing, gallery layout, and all the other logistical nerd tasks.

TINY GUYS

Second Vist (left) and No End (right), 5”x5.5”, Flashe and paint marker on matboard, 2024

ALTARS

I’m in the process of remaking some altars for a few reasons:

1. I can’t part with a particular original clay donkey.

2. Upcoming shows (one dude can’t be in two places at once).

3. To replace my toddler’s playmates so she won’t go completely apes**t when they leave the studio.

An unforeseen issue of showing the altar work involves a 3.5 year old human. Every time Emmie visits the studio, she plays with the clay animal figures (side note: the little dudes are crazy tough - each one has passed a rigorous kid durability test with flying colors). This has gone on for months and trying to explain that they will be flying the coop soon is not computing because, in her mind, she owns all the things. Will replacing them with a heap of new critter friends ease her pain? Probably not but I’m being optimistic and made her a mermaid family.

SHOWS

So, my good friends at Practical Art in Phoenix totally rule. They have a monthly Art Club and members receive an exclusive item(s) made by a different artist each month. In February, each member received a copy of Lolly and the Talisman and a limited edition print called Interconnected. That’s the largest audience I’ve had for any of the Lolly books which makes my heart super happy.

A few new open-edition prints are now available in The Shop!

Documenting my landscape through paintings and storytelling.

www.laylaluna.com | contact