Markets and pop ups can be a great way to advace and push your small business!
Read moreIn the Studio: April 2024
After quite a hiatus from painting I have picked up the brushes and I cannot bare to put them down.
These past few weeks have been liberating to say the least. I set no boundries on these works and started with no plan at all. Just let intuition take the lead and pave the path to these gooey textured oil paintings.
My studio is quite the work around with so many moving parts. But that allows for the creative flow of these works to be that of a dance. Moving from one work to the next never stoping to second guess or over think.
“May the petals teach me the art of letting go.”
Letting go of the idea of perfection and leaning into the whimsical intuition that is inside me.
I am currently unsure of where these paintings will land but as for now I’ll be keeping their company.
May Markets:
Market season is in full swing!
The Beautiful Georgia Weather is upon us, markets are happening all over the city and it’s time to shop small!
My march and April markets were off the charts and I cannot wait to see what May has to Hold!
“I came to this market just to come to your booth, I’m so glad I was able to find you!”
Below you can see and List of all the markets I will be selling my work at for this month of May!
May 11+ 12 : Woodstock Arts on the Green
I’ll be set up behind the Reeves House on the Lawn
Saturday 10-6 // Sunday 11-5
May 16: Alive in Roswell
5-9pm on Elizabeth Way Right off Canton St Next to the beer tent!
May 18: PorchFest in Virginia highlands
May 25-26 : Alpharetta Arts Festival
As Always its best to follow my Instagram Page Below for current up to date reminders about Events:
The Cleveland Wedding
Last month I had the honor of designing and assisting in a beautiful celebration of love.
The Fisher family have been a great family friend some time now so when we got asked to assist and help with the wedding we knew it was going to be a good fun time. Having known Hannah for quite some time it was so fun making her dreams and ideas come to life. Plus creating beautiful designs for such a sweet friend and bride is always fun.
We met a few times with Hannah before her wedding and it was a blast creating her dream tropical inspired day!
Full of pink, ginger flowers and love the day came together beautifully!
For her Alter She wanted 4 large arrangements on stand like pedestals where color and flowers would engulf the couple. I created these huge fun arrangements in these simple gold stands for a breezy and bright June wedding day!
The studio was full of color and blooms and a ton of flowers to process but our studio manager blu was on top of the work and happy to help in any way.
We got to the venue early that morning to start setting up and seeing them all clustered together was like a rainbow walkway of flowers.
These giant blooms were show stoppers so bright colorful and putting on a great show!
Due to the hot nature of a summer wedding we had to set up the alter inside till it was time to set them up outside. This was a great way to preserve the flowers and was made possible as we were guest at the wedding that evening.
the bouquets were bright and bouncy
All in all it was a beautiful summer wedding day full of laughter, dancing and love. Was such an honor and blessing to be apart of such a wonderful day! Cheers to the happy couple!
The Woodstock Espresso Martini
The Woodstock Espresso Martini the story, the recipe and the add ons!
Read moreThe Grapefruit Vodka Sour.
As for right now I am off Gin and Tequila, so with efforts to try and find a light and fun drink that is vodka based this beauty came to life.
For a little back story, I have started to try and keep some fresh squeezed citrus around the house and have been doing so with lemons and lime and this time around I wanted to add grapefruit too. Having some fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice in my fridge has been a game changer for my daily water as well as made cocktail making so much more enjoyable as I have everything on hand and don’t have to wip out my juicer every time.
Anyway..
I was juicing some fruit, I love buying a bag of lemons and limes at a time to make as much juice as i can and still have some fresh fruit on hand at all times. While at the farmers market I picked out some grapefruit for some sort of drink i knew i wanted to make later that evening. This really excited me because this time around i wanted to dry out and save the zest of my fruit. it dawned on me while at the store that lemon pepper seasoning was just dried lemon zest and cracked pepper. And with that realization I understood that the zest of the citrus was just as important as what was inside and I wanted to keep some on hand for baking, cocktailing and experimenting with my food. Oh, the possibilities, maybe I’ll get into all that in another post.
So here we are again I started thinking about what I wanted to drink I have been falling hard for tequila and whiskey sours lately and I love making them at home because I can do them just the way I like. This time around I wanted to try it our with vodka. I had never really heard of a vodka sour drink before so I was a little skeptical at first but after this I may never return to tequila again.
I started in a shaker ‘with no ice’ —this is important— with 2 oz of my fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, or just a good splash depending on how strong you want your cocktail. I then added 1/2 of and oz of cointreau or an orange liquor/triple sec you may have on hand. 1 to 1.5 oz of vodka. I personally used a little bit of absolute grapefruit and then a splash more of vodka bc thats what I had on hand and the absolute grapefruit was almost empty. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
And now add in an egg white from a whole egg. I know it sounds weird but its the only way to get that creamy silky foam top and taste to the cocktail. This is also why you don’t have any ice in the shaker yet. Before you add ice to the shaker you need to do what bartenders call the ‘dry shake’ A dry shake is when you shake all the liquids in your shaker together before their is ice, so this combines all the liquids prior to the ice. Once you give it a good dry shake add some ice to your shaker and shake again. The key to a good martini is the shake. This is the only time that your cocktail will be receiving ice, so if you want that cocktail to last you better shake your heart out.
Once the tin on your shaker is frosty cold from shaking, strain into a coupe or martini class and watch that foam come to life.
I then topped mine with a dried lime slice and a few drops of earl grey bitters!
Now sip time to sip and enjoy!
Recipe:
2 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz grapefruit vodka or regular vodka
.5 oz of cointruau or orange liquor
Egg whites from 1 egg
earl grey bitters
optional garnish:
dried lime slice
orange zest
salt if thats your kinda thing
The Rainbow Wrap
I have come to learn that when your food is full of BRIGHT color and textures you tend to eat more and enjoy what you’re putting into your body more.
What I love most about this wrap is that after I made all the ingredients I had enough for 3 wraps throughout the next week! This is a perfect alternative to quick minute meals between work and an easy pick me up!
All of my recipes are made with things found around my kitchen. I love experimenting and trying new foods or interesting combinations and I want to start to share those meals. I am not a follow the recipe to a T kinda gal myself so feel free to add or subtract whatever you may please!
Start off by setting your oven to 400*
While the oven is heating up it’s time to prep your chickpeas, pour your chickpeas in a colander and rinse. Lay all your chickpeas out on a paper towel. Start shelling the chickpeas, this isn’t a 100% necessary step but I find that it makes the chickpeas better and plus it’s a little therapeutic with the repetitive task. Just slightly squeeze the chickpeas between your two fingers and the thin shell could slide off leaving you with a naked bean. I places the ‘naked’ beans back in the colander which helped keep track of which ones had been processed and was easy to rinse them one more time before transferring to a pan.
Once chickpeas are processed place on pan and season as you’s please. I did a sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and oregano but if you like a little spice feel free to add chili powder, just make sure all the chickpeas are level on the pan, no stacking!
Let chickpeas bake for about 15 minutes or until slightly crunchy, leave in longer for more of a crunch!
Now let the fun begin,
While your chickpeas are roasting start prepping your kale, I found this easiest to do in a large bowl so I had extra room to stir and add as much as I please. I used curly kale for my recipe because its fluffier which i find better for wraps as well as curly kale holds more dressing with all its waves and flows. Start by stripping the stems off the kale and breaking the leaves into smaller pieces. You can leave the stems if you want but they are rather bitter and sometimes tough so I like to remove them!
Once kale is prepped give it a good rinse and shake off excess water and return to your large bowl. Here add the juice of a large lemon, 2 tablespoons of flaxseed, 1/2 a red onion finely chopped, 3 tablespoons of a dressing on your choice just make sure its vinegar based, I used a greek dressing but you could also use Italian, balsamic ect. and I added in a handful of pumpkin seeds for an extra texture and nutrients.
Set aside your kale bowl and start prepping your wrap for rolling!
I personally used a spinach wrap burrito size, but any large wrap will do!
Lay a nice layer of a feta spread, I personally used one I got from The Daily in Atlanta ( they also have one in Charleston), or this recipe looks lovely to try. Feta crumbles would also suffice just more of a punch if you go this route I can not express to you enough how much feta in a brine is so much better than the already crumbled, but be warned once your try it you wont be able to go back!
Top it with some avocado chopped and spread about on top of the feta, I find that spreading the avocado along with the feta spreads makes sure to get them both evenly through out the wrap!
Now load that ‘ish up with your kale magic. Don’t skimp, this is like the meat of your wrap, plus when your wrap up your goodies the kale presses down and together. You’re going to make a small mountain of greens!
Now it’s time to build your rainbow. What ever colors inspire you, whatever treats you have in your fridge feel free to add them! I used Campari tomatoes, but Kumato are really my jam~~ and if you haven’t had them you gotta try them the next time you’re at the store.
Some chopped sweet peppers, I typically keep a bag of the mini peppers in the fridge at all times, i find them more versatile for meals, they stay fresh longer and plus they are cute and give you a great variety of yellows, oranges and reds to bring some color to your meals.
Slap on your roasted chickpeas, if they are still warm even better if you made them the day before or so you can heat them up quickly in the microwave or just chilled!
Now it’s time to wrap it up and enjoy! I cut mine diagonally in half to easily hold and show off all those beautiful colors!
WOW oh WOW! look at all them colors, so exciting to eat, lovely for your body and an easy meal to make in a hurry. Plus once you got everything prepped you have enough for 2 more wraps!
Recipe:
Large spinach tortilla wrap
1/2 red onion
Juice of a whole lemon
1/4 a yellow pepper or 3-4 mini sweet peppers
1/4 a large ripe avocado or 1/2 a small avocado
Feta Spread / crumbles
Flaxseed
Pumpkin seeds
Greek dressing or another vinegar based dressing
2 Campari tomatoes or 1 Kumato tomato
1 can of chickpeas
How to Shop Small this Holiday Season!
Local beer Prints by Madison o’Brien Art
Some Fan Favorite Earrings By Hearing Colors
All your bath needs by JD Bath Co
Some Custom Pet Portraits By Twig and Whisker!
This holiday season and really any Holiday season it is incredibly important to shop small and shop local!
Over the years and through countless events I have met some very incredible artist and makers that would jump for joy for you to do your holiday shopping with them!
So lets see what we got here!
First off lets start by saying I am so very thankful for all of you and your support and love especially this year with all the pivoting and changing that has occurred I have missed markets deeply and cannot wait for the spring when they will hopefully be back in action!
How To shop Local this Season!
Madison O’Brien Art- Candles, local beer prints, Stacked ( a new fun game for all ages, but we like to play it as a drinking game), hand painted earrings for her, and much much more!
- You can shop online now as well as At the Mill on Etowah Nov. 28th from 10-4, The Tavern At Towne Lake Dec. 2nd. 4-9pm and The Reverie Dec 5th from 10-4! All of these events will be socially conscious and filled with many local vendors for you to shop from! As well as the next 3 weekends I will be popping up with COCO + MISCA at Colorwheel Studios in Decatur for a local shopping experience!
Hearing Colors- A local Atlanta maker that creates beautifully hand crafted Clay earrings you can shop online or now at the Fabrik in the Avalon! Any girl on your holiday list will Swoon over these beautifully made gems!
JD-bath co- My girl Jazmine is a powerhouse in everything she does but especially in her wonderfully made skin and bath products! give everyone on your wishlist something to go home and relax about with bath bombs to beard oil this gal has you covered!
Quoin— For the person whom likes to give back, this ethically conscious brand is providing awareness and impacting the fight against human trafficking though the sales of their hand made jewelry! you can shop their stuff online or right now at the In Good Company pop up happening right now in Citizen Supply at ponce City Market! Plus Citizen Supply on black Friday they are doing 25% off online and in-store!
Press Shop— This beautifully curated store is where you can truly shop till you drop! From great books to baby clothes They got what you need, plus who doesn’t want a cozy sweatshirt or new plant this holiday season! Check them out and shop soon as from 12Am Friday- 11:59 Sunday night you can get 10% off every order, 15% off orders over $100 and 20% off of orders over $200! SHOP SHOP SHOP!
Grands Designs- Truly the sweetest couple you will ever meet! I met these two at the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival last year and have loved them ever since! They make the most beautify cutting boards and cheese plates plus some great handmade ornaments that YaYa paints herself! You can find them at the Athens Farmers market or you can shop them online!
Twig and Whisker- Taylor has just started this wonderful project of custom pet portraits that are just darling and make the best holiday gift fora anyone on your list! All you have to do is Direst message her on instagram for details
Alpine Leather Co-For all your leather good needs! Wallets, Coasters, Belts and more! He creates all sorts of beautifully created wears and essentials to insure that all of your goods are well protected and looking fabulous!
Kyzia - This girl will insure that all of your gifts are out of this world from prints to stickers she creates so many beautifully women inspired works to make sure your walls and items are bright bold and beautifully crafted!
There are so many many more wonderful local Small Businesses you can shop from this holiday season! Even if you don’t shop these stores this season (even tho you should) It would be great if you followed along on their journey and share their work with your friends and family that might also want to shop local this season!
These are just a few on my list I’m sure I’ll continue to collect new places for you if you are looking for something specific feel free to reach out to me and I will see if I can lead you to a small business that fits your needs!
Happy shopping!
With love, Madison and Blu.
Gucci Rebranding.
The Polkadots on this one is by far my favorite feature of all the images. Love portraying the texture of a boat in this fun way. @alwaysjudging and part of @double3exposure.
With every new project there is a little bit of fear and a lot a bit of excitement. As I approached my final project for my Emory Continuing education Graphic Design Certification I was running with Ideas. We were told we could choose any company that was owned by the umbrella company Kering.
So obviously being myself I chose the dream company Gucci. With this rebranding I knew I had no limitations one because it was a fake assignment and two because Gucci has such a freedom with their marketing due to their consistency in brand awareness over the years.
This girl knows how to kill her aesthetic I dream of this type of consistancy. @prettylittlefawn
For this rebrand I wanted to tone it down from their extraterrestrial movement and show the basics. I borrowed images from influencers I follow as well as ones they used for their #25WaysToGucci campaign and turned them into simple line illustrations. Going back to the drawing board or the basic concept of their clothing. With the idea that Gucci has used influences in such a way that with them and the name Gucci could sell clothing without you really even seeing the final product you are buying but rater just an illustration.
For this project I used my Wacom Intuous pro alongside Adobe Suites. I chose to frame the illustrations as if they were Polaroids to give them a more homemade vintage feeling. With the idea that these images would be printed large and positioned like a wall collage or even in a coffee table book if I chose to continue these drawings and make 100 or so to fill a book. phew, wouldn't that be something.
Let me know what you think and shout out if you have a way of getting these into the hands of the influencers or even Gucci.
That'd be dope.
@double3xposure in a Gucci coat, hand drawing the pattern was quite a feat but I'm happy i took the time to try and experiment.
Overall this project was very fun and I hope to continue to do these illustrations and apply them more to my practice and work. I am on the hunt for my new series of work. If you have any suggestions feel free to leave a comment below, I'd love to hear your ideas!
This image was from #25WaystoGucci with @lornasimpson and @zorasc, let me tell you doing two people in one was interesting and I still feel like the background needs a little more love.
Planting when not a pro.
Plants haven't always been a friend of mine. I am pretty sure I have killed more than I have kept alive in this stage of my life. But plants are funny in that way that no matter how much you fail at watering them correctly, buying the right soil, and making sure they get enough vitamin D, in the end if they die eventually you'll try again. I can say there are a few things in this life that aline in common with that. Usually when we continually fail at something, lets say baking, we can easily give up and rely on someone else to maintain those skills or we can simply hit up our nearest publix. Either way the job gets done weather or not we personally put our hands in the dough or not.
Check out the guy on the far left. He is my first cacti 2 years ago and is already twice as big!
Plants are a completely different its tough to feel proud of what someone else did and having fake plants can start to feel mundane after a while, for they never change or feel organic. This being said I was bound and determined and plus needed a way for my mind and hands to rest, care and escape. So I started with a cactus, no brainer basically takes care of itself and you can water it whenever you remember. Thats what I call a deal. To be honest I did forget about this plant... a lot. But truth be told he is still kicking it after two years and is now growing a cute little baby cacti. Cactus for the win.
Who ever knew their were plants that were pink. how lovely.
As I have continued on my plant mothering (if that is a thing) I have learned way more than I ever imagined with the help of friends, my grandmother (Moe) and this trusty internet.
also for a short period of time worked in an Organic No-Till Farm which still continues to amaze me today, but we will get to that in another post where I will talk about my journey of planting herbs from seeds as well as vegetables from the produce we buy at the store.
As I have progressed I have enjoyed the dynamics and personalities of each plant I bring home. I have stuck to succulents and cacti for the most part for I am still a forgetful mess but aside from that it is truly beautiful to see how each one transforms and takes to their new home and pot. If you find yourself in a position where you'd like to venture into plant parenting here are a few tips I have for you:
- buy a few at a time chances are one might not make it and if you have a few its more likely you'll keep track of them.
- tag your babies, keep track of their name, type, how much water sun and when you planted the, so you can keep up with your progress. Woop woop!
-good will and thrift stores have the best pots and bowls for planting. I find that they qirker the bowl the more personality they have. I have used things from mugs to ice cream bowls. You can even up-cycle a favorite glassware that might of broke, giving it new life. Also there are many great local ceramic artist that make the cutest planters that are cheaper if not the same price as ones you could buy at Home Depot or Lowes. (some do get a little pricier but frankly they are pieces you can keep your whole life, plus supporting the arts is a wonderful thing to do)
- set an alarm or a reminder on your phone or computer to help your forgetful ass. (trust me it's a savior)
- if your plant is the point of no return and you have a magical plant god of a grandmother like me give it to her and if not she swears by saying sweet words and flat diet coke.
This is an air plant that I was gifted so perfectly by two sweet friends.
Overall, if you have been wanting to try planting do it and if you haven't still do it.
Plants are like quite puppies, cute to look at and will love you if you just show them a tad bit of attention.
Plants also help us grow and transform into deeper caring people which this world could use more of. Plus it is cool to continually learn more and develop an array of hobbies. With that being said I am practicing what I preach and as of today I am on the journey of planting herbs from seeds we get from the store and soon will be experimenting with plating from produce. So stay tuned and keep striving to be the best you can possible be.
Cheers,
Madison
Transitions
Seasons are changing. So concurrently so are people, outfits, places and feelings. It has become ever so interesting to me that we as humans grown and change as the seasons do as if we are inherently connected and moving and developing as one.
Thus far in this mere few weeks of change, I have strengthened and cut friendships, packed and unpacked wardrobes, rearranged my apartment fifty plus times and question who I am everyday. Through this season I much like many people become fond of my alone time, seeking new things to create, sleeping whenever I see suit, and taking chilly night walks just to smell the peace.
Lately, I feel as though I have become deeply connected with people when they are not speaking, in true I have chosen to sit back and look, take it all in and see people for what they are not saying and it has truly been a beautiful time. I have never known this much about the people around me rather then in this time. As a result I have come to see that the people around me have more abilities and strength then I ever knew before.
In this time I have come appreciative of people whom reach out and the acceptance of reaching out. It feels good to be sought out and it feels better to be reciprocated for it does not come often in this day in age. A simple text will not suffice anymore. For now the era of cell phones and instant communication is becoming less of a luxury and more of a disrespect. And it seems to be more of an issue than a solution. People now-a-days are becoming more interested in what things were like in the past than with the future. Virtual time is interrupting real time in a very serious and negative way to the point where I want to leave my phone in the car if i go to dinner. But like any socially plagued young adult of this day I am always faced with the question "what if?" thus bringing me to fall into the horrid habit of carrying my phone with me 24/7.
Now maybe this is all random, or maybe I am just ranting because its been an ever so long day and I am a beer deep with hookah still on my tongue. But I am excited for this time, I am ready for change, I want to defeat this time of cell phone anxiety, and I want to mold myself into a fresh carefree being in which I used to be. I am tired of this cold world getting me down.
So here is to a time of many hugs, soy lattes, puppy cuddles and cookies. May I continually study the act of being warm till I fully attain it mentally.
Two weeks in.
Finally, a time to breath.
With the swing of school coming into play there has been no time to sit and be. But now that I am getting into the swing of my school schedule, somewhat getting the hang of waitressing (for the first time might I add) and now that my dear friend that was once a Branch is now a Thornley, my feet can land on the ground and finally put some order into this chaotic life I've been stepping through.
What I've learned thus far is that your planner is your best friend you just have to look at it everyday, time management is hard and can only be learned at a slow pace, solitude isn't always a bad thing but putting yourself out there to meet new faces is always a good thing, its never too late for warm chocolate chip cookies (even when your all of your strides towards a healthy life style scream no), but all in all creating with your hands no matter the subject is the best form of relaxation.
As this Monday wears on I realize there needs to be more in my life, though it seems unimaginable to comprehend adding one more subject into the fullness of my schedule I say in much certainty, I need more quality time with those around me, more spiritual pursuits, and more consistent exercise. Which seems basic, but i have realized our basics can be forgotten and lost no matter how in fashion they may be in this time, we should always find time to revert.
Cheers to a basic Monday. May we bring basic back. For its not always a bad thing.
Photos from my first photo project in computer art, I hope you enjoy.
What They Don't Tell You.
Five weeks.
Five weeks is all I had.
Five weeks, of exploration.
Five weeks, of new streets, new foods, new people, and new adventures.
This trip from the beginning was pivotal. It started with the language barrier and ended with the food controversy.
What they don't tell you about studying over seas is that wine is cheaper than water, though they say Wi-Fi is everywhere, it's not, you come with a group of strangers and leave with a group of great friends, classes are important but being in the city is more important (even the teachers were saying it, its about learning the culture), you have to try everything, you will find stuff you love and hate, but in the end you will always crave chick-fil-a.
Who would of thought? A chicken biscuit and a cold glass of sweet tea would of have such a big impact.
What a great opportunity I was given, that I will truly cherish for the rest of my life.
Spain did not know what was coming when we entered into its borders.
Honestly, neither did I.
So many museums,
too many glasses of wine,
endless amounts of gelato
and lots and lots of walking,
defined this trip.
Throughout this adventure, I learned many things about myself:
-I can get through any conversation, with just body language.
-Putting a smile on and talking to anyone will lead to beautiful pictures, or better yet beautiful friendships.
-You have to put yourself out there and push your limits to see what you are truly made of.
-Living with people is hard, but constantly reminding yourself that everyone is different and we all handle things in our own way, resets your frustrations quickly.
- I should always have a book I am reading.
- Paintings of all sorts will never cease to amaze me.
Now there were many more things in which I learned but no need to go down the mile long list.
This experience was truly one of a kind and I would not of traded it for the world.
For now all I want to do is see the world.
So as the days continue to count away from my time in Spain may they now count towards my next adventure.
Cheers to a new desire.
Bless you all.
New Season. New site. New beginnings. →
With every new season comes a spark of excitement and a growth of nervousness.
What will this season entail, will it be a period of growth, a time of clarity or a place to rest.
Now that the hot season is ending, swimsuits are being packed away, books are being dusted off and new books are arriving in bulk.
School is in the air and schedules are about to be made, the time of organization and being on track is trailing in with blazing speed, and yet I continue to be in disbelief that it is happening.
As I sit here in what has become my home in Spain it is strange to think about being in the states in less than a few days. with the start of new classes, with populations more than six, new subjects, and now english becoming the common language. adjustments are going to be made.
With my eagerness to get back, eat delicious food, and explore the world around me, I can already tell that this season will be a season of exploration.
Who am I.
What do I want to be.
What can I make.
Where do I want to go.
When am I going to do it.
Will there be wine.
