Blythe Illustrations

Seeing as my blog has now been up for TWO YEARS I've begun to update some outdated info. So my bio no longer says married for 5yrs when its been 7!

This piece was one of six that I did for a summer 2009 exhibit...I just updated my exhibit data and the gallery of exhibits page (not finished yet) so I thought I'd mention it here. The hope (as some of my art appreciators know) is to order high-quality prints of these images and eventually have the prints for sale in my etsy shop - so don't despair it will one day soon happen!

Honeyed illustration by m.diaz

OOOH SOME LIFE DRAMA! READ ALL ABOUT IT:

Tony Dovolani from Dancing With The Stars pic from ABC DWS

So here's what's happening in my life today. The school in which I work is hosting a 'Casablanca' gala black and white formal event this weekend as a fundraiser. In the 12 years that I've worked there I've never gone because tickets are very expensive (150mega-bucks, the funds go to support the school).

This week I received an email from one of the event planners that an anonymous donor paid for my ticket to attend and that I should consider honoring the gesture with an rsvp. So my hub (who also works at the same school as long as me) called to rsvp taking it for granted that everyone knows we're married and assuming he was paid for as well (its common that a donor pays for a handful of teachers)- but Yikes - the donor gift was just for me!

Luckily a ticket emerged for hubs, but I'm kind of 'weirded' out. In a crowded space I won't know who paid for me to go. Since this is tomorrow night, I had to go buy a cocktail dress and lets just say trying on stuff in ill lit fitting rooms that smack body-conscious-reality in my face is not my idea of a fun Friday night!

But it will all be worth it, since I learned Tony Dovolani from Dancing with the Stars will be there and it promises to be an affair to remember!!

Have you ever attended an event or gathering with a lurking secret donor or admirer??? Its like a game of CLUE! Come on spill, I want to hear all about it!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

The Soul of Sweet Delight - New Art Pieces for Gallery - Azucarera NYC

work in progress - Sugar Cane - by marisol diaz for Azucarera this July

A professional liason and friend, Nova Gutierrez is in the process of fulfilling a life-long dream- opening her own gallery! As we are both educators, it's a hectic, precious and vital time for us. We're ending the academic school year, chaperoning proms, walking the yearly, but unique, recessionals that are our graduations. However, along with all of this we are celebrating and championing the opening of the gallery AZUCARERA.

Azucarera is an artist run gallery opening June 1, 2009, in the historic Sugar Hill neighborhood in Harlem, NYC. Exhibits at AZUCARERA will emphasize the creative work of new and emerging artists who identify as women of color, indigenous, LGBTQ/Two Spirit, working class, and/or feminist. AZUCARERA is a transnational, multigenerational space that recognizes and celebrates the artistic work that energizes and sustains our diverse communities.

This new gallery fulfills a mission to be more inclusive of those who have been most excluded in the art world vernacular. The show in which I am participating in is entitled The Soul of Sweet Delight inspired by a line in William Blake's Poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Here are some peeks into my works in progress:

In Progress Watercolor - Cherry by marisol diaz Watercolor in Progess Blueberry by marisol diaz

This gallery will prove to be a wonderful door and opportunity for women of color! Currently there is a CALL FOR ART WORK for this Soul of Sweet Delight exhibit with submissions due June 22th! There is still time! If you are interested in this gallery and can't make this show, stay tuned, there will be future call for entries!