Quixotic RIE

WINTER CLOSE-OUT SALE

2011-11-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

RIE IS ANNOUNCING its closeout sale of winter/holiday products!!!

WE are moving our inventory out, in preparation for what is next for RIE.

Enjoy deep discounts of 30%- 50%.

Just in time for savings on all your Holiday and CHRISTMAS shopping.

We will be featuring close-out inventory and adding items to our sale throughout the month of November!

VISIT quixoticRIE for our shop at Etsy.com

COLORS of AUTUMN

2011-11-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. -George Eliot

an imitation

2011-09-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Our sublimest art is nothing but attempts to imitate the things in nature that He has created." -Archibald Rutledge

Honoring 9.11

2011-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

A poem by F. Rutledge Hammes, recent guest on Q. RIE, has been published today. Here is a snippet from Explaining Away A September Day:

...the feeling I got that something vital (in all of us)had been lost along the avenues of steel and glass and bone,where colonies of wide-eyed pedestrianspleaded with the heavens for a saving grace ...

For full poem, read here

Our Trunk Show!

2011-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

QuixoticRIE's collaborative trunk show with Christine Claire was a roaring success! We had a great time meeting new friends and sharing stories with old ones. Our hostess, Patricia Fast, provided elegant and delicious treats. While sipping refreshing wine and sangria, the ladies tried on jewelry, paraded about with vintage handbags, swapped lettered signs and stories to boot. This was an especially exciting night for RIE as it was our first Truck Show AND we released our new logo and business cards!

Enjoy these photos:

Tasty Foods!

Wearing ChristineClaire

Wearing QuixoticRIE

Christine with Guest

Some Products by Christine Claire

Our Hostess, Patricia with Guests

Thanks to all who came out! Cannot wait for the next one!

WALL ART to INSPIRE US!

2011-07-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Whether proclaiming your favorite classic work, fairy tale, or author, this poster art has to inspire you! A whole book printed on a single page, with lovely graphics. There is a treasure trove here at spinelessclassics.

Browse their various categories and individual greats. Someone is very clever with the art design, not to mention the whole miniscule text!! War and Peace is astoundingly 4 pages!

RIE favorites have to be:

the Stonehenge background of Tess, the mask of the Phantom, Treasure Island's parrot, and Mole and Rat boating on the Thames. With our love of Scotland, we must also embrace some Robbie Burns. All have their uniqueness. Just seeing that many profound, famous, and well-loved words in your face daily, would create joy and drama, at the very least.

TRUNK SHOW!

2011-07-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

QuixoticRIE is happy to announce our first Trunk Show next Thursday Night!!!

To get an idea of our creations, click on the links to see features from our past lines:

Pygmalion and His Galatea

A Vintage Noel

Autumn Spent Faerie Hunting

Summer in the Lowcountry

If you are local to Charleston, leave us a comment and we will let you know the details! All are welcome!

Welcome Home

2011-05-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

After a long absence that found the women behind RIE galavanting across Florida, mostly separately, we have returned home safely with bags of laundry, filled camera cards, beautiful flowers, and memories to boot! Here is one image of many. Hope you find a beach soon!

Happy Saturday!

Extended Leave

2011-04-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

The ladies of RIE are on extended leave as we celebrate this little munchkin's entrance to the world:

Welcome, Jackson Hammes! We love you so!

We will reopen RIE next Monday May 9th.

The Artist Life Series

2011-04-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Brit Agostini for sharing her colorful artistic style and interesting views with us.
These artists are leading busy lives, even as the call to be creative echoes.
It's the ever-enduring desire and struggle to produce that which stirs within us!
We think the gift is universal, with myriad possibilities, fortunately.
Go, find the art your inner self longs to create today!

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

There is a wonder to the rising sun.

It is a daily reminder to the Easter men and Easter women who see it.

Addicted to Heavy Metal

2011-04-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

We get to extract the most interesting nails from our wood!!

Look, they are old squares!!

We are not sure what it is about old and rusty metal, chipped and crackling painted wood, but they repeatedly lure us. We think about things like, when did man start using nails?

We look at quotes often, and Sir Walter Scott says: A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass will sway it from the truth.

Still we can't help but wonder who made them, carefully by hand, forging a useful tool. And who hammered them into the old boards of the house on Rutledge Avenue with a view to its resulting architecture? How long have they been nestled there? They are kind of an artifact. A piece of history. Love the satisfying groan of when the hammer grabs hold, and the nail eases from its bed right into our hands. So thoroughly addictive! And they leave unique holes for our art signs!

The Artist Life- Brittani Agostini

2011-04-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Meet: Brit Agostini

Brit with Her Art

I believe art is in the eye of the beholder. Something one person finds stunning, another may find dull and would hardly classify it as art. For me, art is something I see that makes me stop and take a second to really take it in, this may be a sun set, photograph or a poem. It’s the little things in life that take our breath away, to me this is art. Art is supposed to move us, inspire us! Moments captured by the click of a camera, expressing the beauty and creativity of the creator. It is in this moment that the feeling, the perfection, the idea-becomes immortalized. It is from a single black and white photograph from which a large scaled emotion is born. Inspirations flowing from the past, and the present, tracing as far back to the Greeks and as forward as to Herb Ritts and society in its barest form. My best pieces are born solely on pure emotion, thinking seems to slow the process, and thus it is from pure instinct in that precise moment a masterpiece is created, capturing my soul, my essence.

When I was quite young, I didn’t want to be a vet, or an astronaut or even a super hero like most kids. I always wanted to be a neurosurgeon! Then I began to get more involved in art, and I became truly interested in cosmetic surgery. I feel that medicine itself is an art, and out of all fields, what would be more artistic than helping people finally being able to look at the person they believe themselves to be on the inside, what a gift that would be! Doctors, as artists, understand that they must have a full comprehension of a medium in order to know how to shape it and how far one can push it, for no medium or person is the same.

The Process of Growth

I have been incredibly lucky growing up to have had such well taught art courses, with amazing teachers who were able to push me to find my true passion. I must admit it was my college professor, Patrick Schmidt, who truly opened me to art. He was able to push me to find the medium (acrylic) I enjoyed working with and offered me new techniques I might use, such as the palette knife (which I ended up loving!) A brush was fun, but a palette knife allows you to pull and mix the colors without losing each tone through too much blending. Additionally, the acrylic paint enabled me to further bring the painting to life, by offering the viewer texture, as if the image is coming out of the painting. He also pushed my creativity by forcing me to research tons and tons of photographers and painters, even classical sculptors. He helped me reign in on what I enjoyed most, and then make it mine.

After researching I learned that I loved the toned human body, with the addition of a prop. I then came to find that I liked to use bright colors, warm tones with cool tones; I wanted to make my images “pop,” and come to life. I would always start out with a photo shoot, where I would take 100’s of photos, then my professor and I would sit down and pick the best photo based on shadows and body positioning. I truly thank him for helping me grow both as an artist and a person! I really appreciated him pushing me to find myself in art, because my work now is completely mine, and that is such a wonderful feeling!

Who has influenced your art the most?

Herb Ritts, hands down. Herb Ritts was a brilliant photographer. He had this ability to capture a person’s true essence, their soul. Also, he brought a unique perspective into his art. Ritts could transform a human body into a sculpture, as well as a piece of nature. His work is very simple, a lot of black-and-whites but when you look at the image you become fixed by it’s simple depths. His works take my breath away. When he uses the human body, the person’s identity is removed and it becomes art, beautiful lines and shadows. The soft flesh with rough branches brings forth sheer beauty through texture, a natural moment captured.
Also, I would have to say Jackson Pollock has influenced the way in which I paint. He becomes one with the canvas, melting into it, going at it mindlessly, and letting the body and inner creativity take over. It’s an amazing feeling, turning your brain off for a few hours, then to step back and see what you created. It’s a feeling like no other!

When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well. - Jackson Pollock, My Painting, 1956

Music and Ballet

I remember listening to Talking Heads and Tracy Chapman while I was in the studio, my professor would bring in a mixture of music to keep us inspired and busy. I really enjoyed the upbeat and moving music; my art is bright and I like to listen to music I believe offers a bright pep in your step.

I must say I am a huge fan of the ballet and opera as well as the symphony; these are huge motivators when it comes to creativity! You will always find my camera on me, just to capture that “Kodak moment.” However, I would have to say the human body is my biggest motivator. Colors influence peoples moods, this is why I paint with bright colors. To me these colors are alive and healthy!

I love going over to the paint cabinet and just letting creativity take over as I mix a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and when I am done and have these three magnificent colors in front of me, it’s just wonderful!

The Art Day, Today:

Unfortunately, I am working more in science and research at the moment so I am unable to paint. Though, I do a lot of Immunofluorescence Staining, which could also be looked at as another form of art, haha! Also, I never realized how expensive paint and canvas can be, this is something we art majors take for granted! So at the time being, I stick to photography and sketching as I focus on preparing myself for medical school.

I would have to say, do what makes you happy! I know my art is of the nude female, but to me it is just beautiful. I don’t look at it as a sensual object... What I am saying is: if you enjoy the art that moves you, be true to yourself no matter what others may think or feel.

The Artist Life Series

2011-04-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow.
-Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976)

American Photographer

Agave Design 2, by I. Cunningham

To see beauty in the minute, the ignored, the silent.

This is what our featured artists have in common. We would love to thank Joan for sharing her fascinating life, creative adventures, and artistic wisdom with us last Friday.

The Artist Life- Joan Perry

2011-04-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

Meet: Joan Perry

Joan Perry - Hadrian's Wall Hike, coast to coast England

Darjeeling, India

I am Canadian by birth and one of eight siblings. My family moved to India when I was seven and I was fortunate to grow up in what has been called the Scotland of the East, the rainiest place in the world - the hills of north east India. I spent my childhood hiking barefoot to rivers and waterfalls. On a clear day we could climb to the roof of our house and see the outlines of the Himalayas in the distance. I was always creative, winning early art contest and always in trouble for drawing and doing handicrafts when I was supposed to be studying. As a child I thought I would like to grow up and paint the highly decorated Indian buses and trucks.

I returned to attend university in Toronto and then moved to the states for employment. I've spent much of my life in health care, as a labor and delivery nurse and I now coordinate hundreds of volunteers and students for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Along with my other work responsibilities I gradually became the in-house photographer for the hospital, and serve as event photographer for many of the non profits in the area.

I bought a camera with my first paycheck and have left a trail of photographs everywhere I work.

Sidewalk Graffiti

Early on, I started documenting the sidewalk graffiti on the sidewalks of Charleston.
Poems, quotes, messages - the inscriptions are like
old friends waiting for me in the pavement. I am fascinated by what people choose to inscribe in the few secretive moments they come face to face with wet cement. I once took a picture of a poem written in chalk on Meeting St. and two years later was contacted by the poet who lived in Victoria, Canada.

Charleston, S.C. is famous for the eccentric individuals who have left their imprint on the city and I have taken it upon myself to record it. I've become the sidewalk curator of Charleston photographing and documenting it endlessly.

My daily walking is like a treasure hunt discovering gift after gift left for me to discover.

I head out walking with my camera and cover about three miles a day, in the evenings during the week and often more than that on weekend mornings. I’ve put thousands of miles into the peninsula of Charleston and still delight in the secret gardens and cobblestone alley ways. On weekend mornings I hike the plantation gardens and old cemeteries.

Art for me, is when an individual's personality has been expressed in a creative way that delights or causes deep emotion.

I have been a daily photo blogger since 2004. I live on a very fine line between being insanely busy and being bored. The speed of digital photography is perfect for me. I find the day’s photo and can post it immediately. Blogging has been a source of constant delight and surprises. I receive emails from all over the world relating to the moments I’ve captured. I’ve heard from people who left their imprint on the city and were amazed to learn that it had been captured for the world and that people responded to it. I’ve made good friends, won awards and been linked to by major publications.

McLeod Plantation

My advice would be to encourage people to be creative and not to give up if their art can’t always support them. You can find a way to incorporate art and creativity into everything you do in life.

Follow Joan's wanderings and photography at Charleston Daily Photo.

The Artist Life Series

2011-04-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul,

and paints his own nature into his pictures.

-Henry Ward Beecher

Thank you, Juli, for sharing your heart, soul, inspiration and art with us last Friday. The glimpse into your creative world was pleasant, hopeful, and imaginative. What a wonderful place to reside! We hope you find a way there often and we look forward to your new creations of art in the future.

THE RUNAWAY BAY RESTAURANT

2011-04-06T04:46:00.000-07:00

We send a shout-out to The Runaway Bay Restaurant, with its gorgeous views of the Cooper River, and excitement of Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine. RIE was fortunate to use their outdoor terrace for our early spring photo shoot, Pygmalian and His Galatea, to introduce our new spring and vintage lines.

For stunning scenery and an authentic taste of regional specialities from Jamaica and the Caribbean, head over to The Navy Yard at Noisette in the City of North Charleston, SC. Check their website for a glimpse at their delightful menus, hours of operation, and
event rentals. It's a great chance for a fun new taste with a view!

National Poetry Month

2011-04-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

April is the month of celebrating poetry, officially that is. With the purpose of increasing the love of poetry, the Academy of American Poets grabbed the spring time celebration in 1996 and it has been going and growing for these 15 years. Nice to know, huh?

2006 National Poetry Month poster, designed by Number Seventeen, NYC

So, this month is chok-a blok with poetry fests, writings and readings, abundant choices, both local and on the web. Here the Academy offers ways to participate, a poem a day, a poem in your pocket, a book list, etc. Their Poster Gallery is worth the visit!

Poetry and the Creative Mind each year offers a gala evening of readings by artists, scholars, and celebs. This year it's on for April 27 at the Lincoln Center. Or if you are more interested in the Dr Seuss- style poetry for children, check out Gregory K's blog edition of 30 Poets, 30 Days for some happy rhyming from today's best children's poets.

While you are out breathing some fresh spring air, bring along your favorite poet. Or better yet, try your hand and become your favorite poet.

The Artist Life- Juli Kalbaugh

2011-03-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

Meet: Juli Kalbaugh

Juli

I’m a self-proclaimed mess. Painting helps me explore the messiness of life and maybe, every once in awhile, turn ashes into beauty.

I am a self-taught artist. I began painting about seven years ago during a difficult time in my life. For me, painting brought healing and restoration. It gave me space to be messy, to make mistakes, to encounter my present reality and the hope of healing that I longed for. I think one of the gifts art can give us is its ability to speak to the tension of what is true, what will be true, as well as the ache of the present world we find ourselves in.

Juli's Studio

I have enjoyed using mostly acrylics and oils to explore figurative expressions, abstract ideas, still life images, and landscape portraits. I love using bright, vibrant color to tell a story and using texture and brush strokes to create movement and make the painting come to life. I’ve recently been playing with some mixed-media pieces to explore the fun and whimsical side of creativity.

My desire is that people might catch a glimpse of beauty, hope, and imagination in and from my art. When people have a response to one of my paintings it is the biggest gift I could receive. I can’t tell someone how to respond or what to see - I can only put it out there to be encountered. My hope is that people might find an image that invites them to look, listen, and receive…

Motion

I think the beauty of art is that it can play many roles, do many things, and speak in many ways. The artist Julia Cameron said, “Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.” I think art is something that helps you tune-in and pay attention. Art can help you pause to re-see the world, to re-form the way you think, or to engage in someone or something. Most often this moment takes us by surprise and is often unexplainable. Art can help you say, “Oh, I see that. Now I notice that.” Or, “I never thought about that before.” I think art plays an important role in relationship - helping us to engage in the world around us, between us, and inside of us.

Short Bio:

I grew up in Minnesota where the air is clean and crisp, like fresh sheets at the Westin, and the water is an adventure begging you to dive in. After college I moved to South Carolina where I spent seven wonderful and beautiful and difficult years. My career path has taken me from marketing and business planning, to church staff member, to being on a clothing design team, to managing a salon and spa, to resident artist, and now to graduate student. Whew. I’m currently living in Durham, NC and pursuing a graduate degree at Duke University where I am studying the intersection of Theology and the Arts. I love exploring questions around the importance of beauty and the imagination and am specifically interested in how the arts form and inform our identity. My hope is to invite people to honestly wrestle though questions about life, God, and issues of theology using the lens of the arts, the senses, and the imagination.

Tweet Tweet

If you would have told me that people would call me an “artist” when I grew up I would have looked around to see who you were actually talking to. I have always had a deep love of the arts but felt like I wasn’t talented or skilled enough to do it. Once I began painting I realized that one of the biggest lies about art is that it has to look a certain way or be a certain thing or that you have to be a genius to do it. I hear people all the time say things like, “I’m not an artist. I can’t even draw a straight line.” Well, good thing you don’t have to draw straight lines with art!

Artistic Influences:

I love listening to music while I paint. What I listen to varies on my mood – anything from rockin’ out to the Goo Goo Dolls to mellowing out with Imogen Heap, to being carried away by The Civil Wars.

I absolutely love the work of Vincent van Gogh. I’m captivated by his colors and textures. I’m also drawn to his personal story of madness and beauty. I have this quote of his in my studio– “If you hear a voice within you saying, ‘You are not a painter,’ then by all means paint… and that voice will be silenced.” I need to read that when I’m struggling to believe that I am an artist.

Awaken

I’m also captured by the work of Georges Rouault. I love his bold use of color and the strong contrasting black lines he uses. Something about his work makes me want to sit and look just a bit longer.

Probably the biggest influence on my art has been my amazing husband, Corey, and my friends. They have encouraged me, supported me, and believed in me. They have made space for my art in their hearts and even in their homes. (I’m tearing up even as I write…) Without them I wouldn’t have continued painting or had the courage to believe that I am an artist.

I think a lot of people like to think about art-making as an individual endeavor. It is true that a lot of the process is done alone but I think that it is vital to be connected to a community of people where you can share ideas, encourage one another, and be inspired. If it weren’t for the wonderful people in my life I wouldn’t have continued to paint. Let art be the catalyst for building community rather than competition.

A Stirring

The Personal Art Process:

Right now, since I’m in school I don’t have a typical art day. Usually, if I’m going to spend some time painting I will take a few minutes to be quiet before I start. It helps me to feel centered and to release a lot of the stress and pressure I carry around – especially when it comes to making art. Once I’m painting I can usually only paint for about 3-4 hours max. Then I need a break or a change of scenery.

What I love most about painting is having a vision and watching it come alive right before my very eyes! I’m always completely amazed at how a blank canvas turns into a painting. There are times when it’s not going well and when I feel stuck. Actually, almost every painting involves a bit of a breakdown and feeling like I can’t do it. But I just keep painting and somehow, someway, it turns into something I love.

Shop Talk: A Balance of Business and Art

This is one of the hardest things to do. For me, my art isn’t my sole means of income so I don’t have to be as “business-y” as a lot of artists. It’s my desire to be generous with the art that I make, and right now I’m lucky enough to be able to do that by giving away a certain percentage of the profits and even giving away my time or a finished painting when I can. One thing that I decided to do with the pricing of my art is to give people a “pricing scale” that allows them the freedom to pay what they can afford and also what they believe the painting is worth. This has been a really great way for me to release some of the tension of pricing. And you would be surprised at how generous people are when they are given a payment option.

untitled

I’m definitely a goal setter and list-checker-offer! It’s important for me to have something to work toward. However, sometimes my goals are concrete – get a website up and running by June. And sometimes they are more abstract – spend 3 hours painting (without a specific goal to “finish” or paint a certain thing). Making goals both helps motivate me but can also allow me some freedom. The main goal is to just get me to pick up a paint brush!

Annie Dillard wrote, "The answer must be, I think, that beauty and grace are performed whether or not we will sense them. The least we can do is try to be there." I hope that my art would make people pause, even if just for one small moment, to catch a glimpse of the beauty and grace that surrounds them.

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Thank you for your encouraging, hopeful words. Please visit Juli's website and be courageous in your own artistic expressions today.

The Artist Life Series

2011-03-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

We appreciate the creativity and beauty behind our Artist Life posts, the choice our artists make to give us a look inside their work and lives. We are being inspired and we hope you are too!

Today we thank Rutledge Hammes for sharing his artist life views, as well as the writing style of his original poetry on March 25. We wish you continued success, Rutledge!

"Some stories are true that never happened." -Elie Wiesel

ABNA- Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

2011-03-27T04:45:00.000-07:00

Amazon is offering the public a free Kindle Reading App which you can use to not only purchase books from Amazon, but also have free access to read excerpts from the ABNA submissions. After your download, give yourself the delight of reading the novel, Begotten, now a quarterfinalist, by our last featured artist, Rutledge Hammes. Click here to find his entry.

The Artist Life- F. Rutledge Hammes

2011-03-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

F. Rutledge Hammes

Short Biography: Rutledge earned his Master of Fine Arts in fiction from Old Dominion University. He is a contributing writer in the recently published resource book, Postwar Literature 1945-1970, and his short stories, essays, articles and poems have been published in various journals around the country. He has worked as an advertising copywriter, speechwriter, and senior writer for Lillian Vernon Corp. He is a writer-in-residence and award-winning writing instructor at the Charleston County School of the Arts in North Charleston, South Carolina where he lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their dog, Eli. He is currently shopping his first two novels for publication.

How do you personally define art? Art is one of those things you know when you see it. But art, in its truest form, must be saying something uniquely profound about who we are as people. True art is never simple, one-dimensional or easy. It appears only when the artist is in tune with his art form, the world around him and that still small voice that screams from inside him.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Originally, I wanted to go into politics because, even at an early age, I felt I had something to say. But alas, the magic of the written word was too big a part of my life growing up to deny its allure for long.

Who has influenced your art the most?

With his wife, modeling for RIE

My father made up hilarious stories for us all the time, when we were growing up. My grandmother showed me the magical, even haunting, side of storytelling. But no one has had a bigger influence on my life as a writer than my mother, Ruth-Anne Hammes. She raised us on books, and that's why she will always be my first read.

As far as writers go, Stephen Dunn is responsible for all my attempts at the nature of things. B.H. Fairchild, perhaps America's single greatest unknown poet, has shown me the miracle of small, seemingly inconsequential, things: like an orange sliced into quarters and a hard day's work. Oscar Wilde, well... Oscar Wilde is Oscar Wilde. And I can only hope to achieve in my own work what Raymond Carver and Tim O'Brien have achieved in theirs.

What type of music influences you? I love bossa nova and improvisational jazz, especially when it's piano heavy. Astrud Gilberto, Thelonius Monk, Horace Silver, Bud Powell and Nina Simone come to mind. My playlist typically consists of post-punk and indie greats like Interpol, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Verve, but bands like Kings of Leon, Band of Horses and Drive-by Truckers speak to the Southern boy in me.

Which new experiences motivate you? Books, nature, movies, failure, success, art, my wife, my dog – all the above. The life of a writer is nothing if not an endless (even bull-headed) search for new ideas. I say, if you’re not seeking out things to inspire you (no matter who you are), you’ve missed the point.

What does a typical art day look like for you? Wake up early, eat, go upstairs to my study, write for an hour, go out on my porch, smoke a few cigarettes, read some poetry, jot down an idea, and then head upstairs to write some more. (Then lather, rinse and repeat, late into the night.) Being an artist is to face a lifetime of rejection, self-doubt and loneliness, but having a family and a few close friends, who believe in you, is all you need to get through.

Rutledge at School of the Arts BookFair

What do you love most about what you do?

Personally, I believe that, if you love your art form, you should do everything within your power to ensure it continues with the next generation. That’s why I love teaching creative writing at the Charleston County School of the Arts. There’s nothing in the world as exciting to me as having the chance to pass on my passion and my knowledge to young writers, to see their enthusiasm and love for writing and books grow each and every day. Everyone should find that reason to wake up in the morning. My students are mine.

Observing a Student's Presentation

I love that writing affords me an excuse to always be a kid, no matter how old I get, because when I write, I get a sense of something magical, I get a sense of what it felt like to be a boy climbing into a wardrobe and hoping to find Narnia inside.

How do you best balance business and art? I set aside a time for the creation of my art, and a time for the business of my art. They’re two entirely different hats you have to wear. In art, you either got the goods or you don’t. You have to learn the ins-and-outs of the business side, the rules of what to do and what not to do. I’ve been researching and studying the business side for years, and I’ve still got a lot to learn. The most important lesson of all, however, is the virtue of patience.

Do you set goals? Yes. I set daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals and long-term goals. It’s difficult to sit down, open a vein and bleed on the page. Without setting goals for myself, I would never get around to the business of writing.

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists? As the poet Peter Meinke says, “Quit…if you can.” I write because I don’t have a choice in the matter, because I can’t fathom a life doing anything else.

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We thank you, Rutledge, for sharing the following original writings with us:

An Epitaph, Prematurely

F. Rutledge Hammes

The way I see it, time is just a measure of how much life can be culled from our bones,

How many days we can stack into a week,

How many nouns we can squirrel away in the stubborn heart of our existence,

How many dishes we can clean before we run out of reasons to clean them.

I do not hear from you anymore.

You have one of those old-fashioned rotary phones, I guess,

And my number has too many 9’s in it.

I do not know the right way to call you friend.

I wish I did. I wish it would come back to me, like the first tender act of dawn.

But it seems, the word itself has escaped my mind.

One can only hope it hasn’t escaped yours.

And Excerpts, From:

Small Things To Remember (Or Never Forget)

F. Rutledge Hammes

As your teacher, I want to leave you with something lasting and profound,

something in the way of a proverb, a parable, the edict of a king.

I want to tell you a morality tale, one with ancient insinuations.

And yet, I am reminded of all the mistakes I’ve made,

mistakes, both old and human,

...

I am hardly an authority on the workings of the profound.

I’m only 33, after all. And what is that in the scheme of a lifetime

in the shadow of women, like my grandmother,

who walked out of an orphanage and gave birth to a city?

What is 33 years in the shadow of men, like my father,

who had the courage to raise eight children and speak to mountains?

...

Truth is, I teach because,

after giving him 20 dollars and an hour of my time, an old bum told me I should.

Because I’m prone to believe in angels.

Because I grew up with eight brothers and sisters,

and in my family, there was a skill to being the oldest,

to realizing that sometimes even parents need help.

I teach because my mother read to us at night

and promised a line of snowy trees at the back of our wardrobe.

I teach because I have a faint recollection of how small I felt staring up at its doors,

of climbing inside and pushing past the winter coats,

of crossing my fingers and praying to God for a brush with magic.

...

When I write, I get a sense of rocket ships counting down to launch,

and I pray this is

T-minus five…

four…

three…

two…

one feeling you never forget.

Because, in the end, we are nothing if not the stories we tell,

and life has a way of going better with music.

Know that there are pauses in the script,

moments to lean on, when only the silence will do.

...

My grandmother told me, You’re only as valuable as what you know,

and she was right.

Live your life with an insatiable hunger to know everything,

and before long, you’ll know enough to know you don’t know a thing.

But keep asking questions, like your very presence in this world dignifies an answer

because the time we have is a time-released sun moving across the sky, destined for dusk.

So live to die, leaving pieces of you behind.

Know that there is something left to say in this world,

and you are the ones to say it.

I know this because I can feel it,

the way a carpenter feels the angles of the wood before it’s cut,

I know this because I’ve heard the words rising from your pages,

from some molecular level inside all of you –

you, my little army of writers,

glancing off into a world that needs you now more than ever.

...

As your teacher, my hope is that you grow old and happy,

but that you never forget the curiosities of your youth,

the awesome power of a sibilant word, written just so,

tucked in a sentence that’s so unbelievably yours

it makes you shiver reel and come back for more.

I pray you learn to forgive yourself, the hardest of all.

I pray you remember the first book that loved you back.

I pray you remember hiding away with it, in the bed of your childhood,

feeling the great world expanding all around you, insisting it’s magic

It’s magic!

because, right then, it was.

But above all, I hope that, many years from now, after your hair turns gray

and you can hear the laughter of your grandchildren in your weary bones,

I hope you realize, even then, that you’re never too old

to open a wardrobe and see winter inside.

–Dedicated to my graduating writers, class of 2011

-----------------------------------------------------

Rutledge’s newest novel, Begotten, is now in the Quarter Finals for General Fiction in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. The winner receives a publishing contract with Penguin. Amazon customers can download, rate, and review excerpts on Amazon.com, providing feedback to Penguin Editors about submissions. To participate and support Rutledge Hammes, visit Amazon.com/abna.

Perfect Timing

2011-03-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."

-Ansel Adams

A giant thank you to Sarah for her post last Friday. Aren't these glimpses into artists' lives so intriguing? It makes me want to start an art club- just to know and hang out with fascinating people on a regular basis! Want to join me?!?

We will have a new feature tomorrow... a male this time!

Please leave a comment of encouragement for our artists. Everyone needs some love sometime!

The Artist Life: Best Gal Photography

2011-03-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Meet: Sarah E. Mudder

Sarah with Baby Ruby Eve

Sarah, of Best Gal Photography, describes herself as wife to handsome Bryan, mother to Beautiful Ruby Eve, artist who still cannot fully commit to one medium, and joy junkie. She owns her own photography business and is actively involved in her local art scene. She defines art as anything that highlights beauty that already exists outwardly or inwardly.

To date, other than the lovely foothills of SC, her favorite region of the world is East Africa. Sarah has extensively travelled the world as a missionary with a sports ministry organization. My last excursion to Africa was with an NGO working in Gulu, Uganda. My purpose was specifically to document the work of the organization and to highlight the beauty of the women and children in Northern Uganda. The Acholi people of Gulu had experienced so much devastation and loss- we didn't come across anyone who had been untouched. Despite their deep losses, joy flowed from the people of that place, especially from the people of Faith.

My heart will always be firmly planted with the poor and forgotten peoples of this world. I feel my best work has originated in the places where they are. Foreign NGO's, hear this, "Sarah has a passport and camera: Will Travel!"

Sarah's Influences and Inspirations:

My high school AP art teacher, Mr. Biggs, has influenced my art the most. He made art so enjoyable and accessible. I have clear memories of him walking around the art room, singing along with his old Bob Dylan tapes and complaining about how he had to drink so many Diet Cokes because he gave up smoking. Mr. B was quite a character and rough around the edges for sure. But, he always made me feel like I could be an artist and that what I created was important. He was a brilliant artist himself and a loving man. He even helped me put together my master's portfolio years after I graduated from high school! It was a lot of extra work for him but he was just so pleased that one of his students was pursuing art as a career. He passed away a few years ago. I hope he knew how much I appreciated him, how much he shaped my life. I hope to encourage my own students in such ways.

Large spaces of quiet alone time inspire Sarah's creative process the most. I have a pretty active imagination and if given a few moments, it kicks into high gear. That's about all I need these days. Also, Africa. From her photographs, perhaps we can understand how Africa inspires her so passionately.

Sarah finds herself currently obsessed with the United Pursuit Band- a lovely group of hippies creating unique and uncheesy worship music. Listening to cellos and violins gives Sarah an automatic inspiration jolt. And although it is now rare, Sarah has been known to throw some paint to mid-90's Outkast.

Sarah's Personal Art Process:

I create or photograph something most days. There are no non-creative days in our home. There is always music, almost always tea, and almost always a forgotten meal. I have "special" clothes for when I am working with paints. I use them to wipe excess paint or water. When the creative spirit hits, I am in too much of a hurry to slow down to pick up a rag.

I love that my art makes me feel like me. Whenever I am creating something, I feel completely understood and fully myself. Solitude is important as I cannot stand an audience when I am painting. It is such a hit or miss process for me. You can watch me sew, you cannot watch me paint.

I have to finish projects in one or two sittings- otherwise, it is too frustrating to me. For me, the motivation is completion: a finished, imperfect project is far superior to an unfinished, potentially-perfect project in my world.

Shop Talk:

Photography is my business. Painting, sewing, and hot glueing are my art. For me, the balance exists in simply making sure that I have time to do work for clients as well as for myself. Lately, I have been creating more family- and child-oriented pieces as my family has delightfully grown this year with Ruby's entrance to the world. Though I create art in a few different mediums for purchase, I try pieces and styles first in our home. I also use the holidays as ways to test-run usable pieces. If my mother, sister or best friends like a thing, then it usually will sell pretty well.

Finally:

Enjoy what you do and others will enjoy it as well! Spend a lot of time exploring the current art scene to glean inspiration. I do find that Etsy is one of the most inspirational places for me these days. The artists on Etsy are so diverse and seem to just thoroughly enjoy what they create! This makes me love it even more.

The one message I hope to impart through my art is Joy.

Please visit the joy-filled work of Sarah here. She would be delighted to capture the special moments of your life with her artistic/photojournalistic style.

all photos and words by Sarah in italics.

Pádraig's Day

2011-03-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Be they kings, or poets, or farmers,

They're a people of great worth,

They keep company with the angels,

And bring a bit of heaven here to earth.

an Irish saying

Perhaps it is small wonder, after you meet an Irishman, that Pádraig the Saint returned to Ireland. As a boy, he was captured by Irish raiders and enslaved for six years. Whether he escaped or was freed is uncertain. After his return to England, Pádraig joined the Church. Something compelled him to return to Ireland to share the truth of salvation with the Irish. Perhaps he returned for the beauty of the country or the music in the laughter of the townsfolk. Or perhaps he returned because he found his bit of heaven here on earth.

Celebrate the people of great worth.

Rejoice in the expulsion of snakes!

Dance for the fine taste of Guinness.

The Artist Life Series

2011-03-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

I believe in the imagination.

What I cannot see is infinitely more important

than what I can see.

Duane Michals

quixoticRIE thanks Hollie Wood for sharing her artist life with us on March 11.

This Friday we will be featuring another artist post.

You won't want to miss it.

STOCK UP on Winter Gear SALE!!!

2011-03-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

The last week of winter! March 20 is the official end, tho' you may still have snow on the ground. It is time to dry clean sweaters, fold and store scarves, and pack away boots. Why not store up on some winter accessories and decorations while you are packing? RIE is offering 30% off our winter line! Stock up on scarves, Christmas signs, and more!!! Head on over: A Vintage Noel

whispers of spring

2011-03-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

A little Madness in the Spring

Is wholesome even for the King.

Emily Dickinson

What madness will you get up to this weekend?

The Artist Life: Hollie Wood Style

2011-03-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

Meet: Hollie Wood

Hollie Wood is a self-proclaimed collector, stylist, and interior designer in Charleston, SC. She sees her work as a treasure hunt that takes her deep into the mountains of the south, the global markets abroad, antique malls and thrift stores. Space and found objects are her mediums.

Hollie Wood

To further describe her talents, she is an art renegade that defies classification! Her process may be described as "refining muddled masses down to the bare-bone, while always conveying surprising results." Admired as "a maker of meaning who is interested in it all," Hollie is able to capture her time to good effect. Her resourcefulness is intoxicating, yet also enlightening.

Hollie's personal definition of art: "It's how we reveal, use, and express our God-given talents."

Her Influences:

We specifically asked about who has influenced her art. "David Ross, antique collector/seller and designer, helped me hone what was already part of me. But mostly my mom. She was my first inspiration, as she has an intuitive ability for collecting and turning her collectible into sellable products. She is amazing."

Hollie's Mom

And music influences: Robert Smith, Old southern gospel, Classic Rock, Carolina beach music, Shannon Whitworth, Avett Brothers and whatever Alice&Daisy say.

So, who did Hollie want to be when she grew up? "The next Mary Emmerling, Melanie Molesworth, Mary Randolph Carter, Claudia Strasser, Rachel Ashwell, Emily Chalmers and Atlanta Bartlett."

Her Personal Art Process:
"Waking up every morning and drinking my coffee or tea is motivating thinking time. Then it turns into... come on let's do something. The unknown is most motivating - you never know what you'll get into or find."

Random Treasures

What do you love most about what you do? Do you require a form of solitude? "My business is my therapy. It's one of the few places I can truly focus. What I do is visual and tactile. It fascinates me to hold these, sometimes fragile, items that have survived through the decades. I love creating a style by orchestrating these random treasures into a complementary scheme."

Flea Market Day

What does a typical art day look like for you? "Arriving at the crack of dawn at any flea market, making about 10 rounds in the dust and heat, or snow and mud, to give each little trinket an equal chance to call out to me. Running into my flea market bros, and sharing a southern breakfast like my favorite ham biscuit with mustard! Figuring out if I need a truck, van, or Honda. Loading up the day's take and finding some "good ol' boys" to do the heavy lifting. Then returning home to catch the waves!"
Speak about how relationships, connections, friendships relate to your art. "I've been blessed with many opportunities for unplanned world travel and made many friends along the way. From hiking 850 miles of the AT or dining in Paris, the vast diversity of cultures I've been privy to each find their way into my product.

Shop Talk:

How do you best balance business and art? "I don't. That's why there are gifted business professionals allowing me to focus on the art."

Asked about goals, Hollie says, "Actually, I do set goals for myself. I make sure my jewelry inventory is where it should be, and also my furniture collections. I network with friends and potential business clients on a regular basis to share my styling ideas and also to make business connections.

Final Thoughts:

If you can impart one message through your art, what would it be? "Life is an adventure, and if it isn't - it should be. It can start with your own adventure or with someone else's. Adventures produce relics, souvenirs of sorts. I find these objects each with their own story, be it a button or a boat, and bring them together to orchestrate a visual and spacial symphony.

What gratification/ rewards move you to keep going on a project? "I love giving my money to help others and being able to take care of my mother."

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists? "Say your prayers and PMOT at Everyday is a Holiday!"

That motto of Put Myself Out There well describes the enthusiasm we experienced knowing Hollie Wood.

See Hollie's available inventory at her website, and check out her cool design blog.

See Hollie's featured article in current FLEA MARKET STYLE magazine.

The Artist Life series

2011-03-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist.

~Schumann

quixoticRIE thanks Moggie Mackubin for sharing her artist life with us on March 4.

Tomorrow we will be featuring another artist post.

You won't want to miss it.

Easter Thoughts: in honor of Pancake Day

2011-03-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Dansk yellow Dutch Oven
atouchofvint...
$48.00 USD
Hen Egg Cozy in Yellow
annerstreet4...
$12.00 USD
Antique Yellow Ware Mixing...
Nachokitty
$75.00 USD
Vintage Ironstone Egg Cups
allthingswhite
Sold
Table Decor, Paper Flowers...
LBCpaper
$48.95 USD
caged hen
sadieolive
$36.00 USD
yellow and red easter chic...
xxxRedStit...
$24.26 USD
Vintage Enamel Baking Pan
Hindsvik
$14.00 USD
Vintage Yellow Enamel Kett...
QuixoticRie
$80.00 USD
Cast Aluminum Large Egg Sh...
EncoreMercan...
$25.00 USD
Yellow Flowered Apron
LizabethMari...
$20.00 USD
Mom's doilies
elineof
$26.00 USD
vintage canisters DAISIES ...
forrestinavi...
$45.00 USD
1950's American Family...
TheCottageCh...
$32.00 USD
All my eggs in one basket ...
TheMagickAtt...
$15.00 USD
Vintage rubber bunny toy f...
spacejam
$20.00 USD

2011 International Women's Day!

2011-03-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

SO, Google alerted me to this International event with their cool logo today. International Women's Day events throughout the world honor and celebrate the achievements of women, from informal gatherings to large highly organized events.

JOIN WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE is one of these events, being celebrated in cities worldwide TODAY.

See ad below for local Charleston event.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day

We hope you'll join us at the Cooper River Bridge in Charleston, SC on March 8 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm as we participate in this global campaign led by Women for Women International. For more information about this event, please contact volunteer Maureen Larson at gatorlarson@comcast.net. See you on the bridge! Address: Waterfront Park Coleman Blvd Meeting Point: In front of Memorial Waterfront park in Mt. Pleasant (at the base of the bridge) Created by Maureen Larson

For info on events worldwide, see Centenary Events

The Artist Life: MoggieMack

2011-03-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

Moggie in her Home Studio

Meet: Moggie Mackubin.

I live in Florida with Michael my husband of 34 years. I have 2 children: my daughter Macey, who is way beyond my creativity level in her own right, and my son Micah, who with his wife Joy are creating some of my best inspiration in 2 little grandsons! They are all beautifully made by God the Master Creator!

I live on a lake in Florida where I can walk out in the morning to see what He will paint each day. I also love gardening, sometimes designing and planting a garden is the creativity and at other times the beauty of God’s diversity in creation inspires me to go paint a flower.

At Work in Her Studio

I’ve always loved making ART, and of course in school that was my favorite part of the day. My mom even took me to visit my older siblings classes where I participated in art before starting 1^st grade. In 6^th grade, I remember a teacher encouraging me in my creativity, giving me praise and telling me how good I could draw. Of course this made me want to please her all the more.

My mom inspired me by sewing my “Barbie” doll clothes by hand and making furniture and accessories out of junk. Of course, the mother of this creativity did not have the money to buy any of these luxuries.

Her Favorite: Tortola BVI

The first time I ever made money in the art field I was in the 11^th grade. My older sister worked at an insurance agency on the main street of our little town in Maryland which had a perfect window for a Christmas display. They wanted “Charlie Brown” and a couple of his friends in the window singing Christmas carols, so I made cardboard figures, including “ Schroeder” playing the piano, each about 18 inches tall. They paid me $25 and I felt 20 feet tall!! Does this mean Fame and Fortune are my motivation?? If that’s the case I’m not very successful. I went to a job fair after high school and tried to get a job as a window dresser, but didn’t get it. I ended up getting married instead and that was the end of the Art Career: Not a wise choice!

Jumping a few years, we enrolled our kids in a private, Christian school, where I found myself going into their class rooms occasionally to do art projects. Somehow I ended up being the art teacher for grades K-8^th grade for 2 years. When they asked for a lesson plan I didn’t have a clue but somehow we all had fun dabbling in different art forms. Maybe someone is writing about my encouragement to them.

Hydrangea

About 10 or 12 years ago, my mother-in-law, June, who lives in Baltimore, decided to take classes in watercolor to revive her creative spirit. In the process, she discovered how really talented she is! Later, we vacationed together where she brought her painting supplies and gave me a lesson in watercolor. LOVE IT! [sing that in a high pitched voice and hold the IT for a long time] Since then I have attended classes at Maitland Art Center, Crealde , Leu Gardens, and workshops with Peter Spataro, Tom Jones, Tom Lynch, Joe Fettingus, and Barbara Simmons. I have exhibited at The Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Windermere Library, Orlando City Hall and Orlando Museum of Art.

Art Teacher, Lynn Koener

While all of this is fun and exciting, when under pressure painting is not as relaxing and pleasurable as I like it to be. I would much rather give a special gift or surprise someone with a painting than feel rushed because someone is waiting for me to finish an order. This is what motivates me, the ability to give and have the receiver appreciate my gift, especially a surprise. I love to give art for birthday, shower, even wedding gifts.The greatest appreciation and thanks is when I go to their home and my piece is actually on the wall!

Brother Bill

Because I love bold color and I never thought I would paint a face, I am surprised to have found a comfortable niche within Portrait value studies in sepia. I have tried everything from weaving baskets and floral design to sewing and knitting. This past year I tried my hand at acrylic paints and also wire jewelry-making but my true love remains with manipulating the water and color on a 300LB piece of watercolor paper.

Gone Fishing, Mark 1:17

I do sell note cards, I’ve delivered a couple of commissions too, and I have started a listing on ETSY, but the money isn’t that important to me. Fortunately I don’t have to make a living with my art! I am rethinking my desire of having my own card company because of everything going digital, but there has to be another way to use my images. I’ll keep you posted.

There is not really a typical painting or art day for me; if I am really inspired by something or someone, it’s like a good book and I can’t put it down. Other times I sit down to paint in between household chores. You can be creative in so many ways. So have fun, and don’t forget to thank THE CREATOR for your talents!

People in my Life are like Color

from A Collection of Poetry, Prose and Art

One is like yellow ochre, very earthy, but can perk up a painting.

Another is a cool cerulean blue. She has a calming effect on things.

Still another is red violet, going toward the warm side, loving, kind and gentle.

Some are like permanent orange, really jazzing up the picture with just a small spot.

Our Mentor scan be sky blue; our covering over head.

A few take us right to the heart of things with red.

All of us should be passion flower purple with a passion for the Holy Spirit.

Those who are viridian, like the grass, bring us all back to earth where we must live.

Children are aureolin yellow like a fresh, clear, sunny look at life.

Teachers are burnt sienna like the soil. They dig right in to get the job done.

Others are quietly pink. Subdued in one shade, or bold in another.

Young Adults can be like denim blue intuitive for her generation.

Jesus is pure white. White is the presence of all color. Jesus is every color.

Los Baguales Cat

Please check the highlighted links for further information on Moggie's art.

The Artist Life: Guest Features

2011-03-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.

You have to leave the city of your comfort

and go into the wilderness of your intuition.

What you’ll discover will be wonderful.

What you’ll discover is yourself.

-Alan Alda

Beginning and living out a creative life can be challenging, stretching, and quite difficult. It does not come without great reward though. On the path to discovering yourself and your gifts, listening to the voices of other artists can be inspiring and guiding. Seasoned artists come alongside rookies to offer insight and wisdom to the beautiful, disastrous wonder we call "The Artist Life."

We are very excited to announce our new feature here at RIE! Every Friday for the next few months, we will host guest posts from various artists. We will feature music, painting, sketching, writing, photography, design and more! We will stretch our ideas of what art is. Each guest will give us a glimpse into his or her artistic life- explaining what it means to them to be an artist and even how to live the artistic life as a profession. Our first featured guest will be posted this Friday afternoon, March 4th!!

We know you will enjoy this unique glimpse into The Artist Life. Don"t forget to check back and comment on our artist's posts too! WE all want encouragement and feedback.

Today.

2011-03-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Recognize TRUTH by its simplicity and beauty.

(Marguerite Sinkler Vaulk memorial, Washington Park)

Have a great Tuesday!

-Rie