She loves them!

Thank you 2010. Hello 2011!

Here are some fun pictures of my last opening called JOY! at Kai Lin Art.
Some of my exhibited pieces and of us drinking and hugging. It really was a Joyful way to cap off a year of movement and to enter into the next of even more. Happy New Year everyone!

Work and Love

My nephew's an artist!

Nathanael Volckening out in Colorado has really begun to blossom. He regularly updates an online gallery on deviantart and I check in on his progress from time to time. Check out his work. Here are some of my favorites.


And yes - genes have something to do with talent, but you can't get here without a lot of hard work and love. He clearly demonstrates that.


Oh! He's a dancer, too.
Check these two out.

Blues Dance
Slow Movement Dance

Xmas Card 2010

All year long I've known that I wanted my new xmas card for 2010 to feature mistletoe and the message that the receiver is loved. I had planned for "You are Loved" to be a ribbon of calligraphic letters intertwined within the leaves and forming a bow at the top.


While sketching, I realized I'd wanted a more simple message with less letterforms.

So I did some thinking.

I've an early memory of looking up at the mistletoe in our foyer, yearning for a special someone to come kiss me. I had no idea who that person would be. And the aching for it left me sad and needy.


Wanting to be loved is a beautiful thing. But you can't want something you can't create for yourself or already are in the first place. We look to other things and people to fill that gap. But the truth is that we already are the love we are looking for. And to see it, all you have to do is know that and echo that knowledge by giving it right back to yourself. Then this cool thing called giving what you have to others is possible. Because you can't love unless you have it to give first.

So the message changed from "You are Loved" to "Be Loved." But the word "Loved" sounded a little too needy. So it's shortened as you see it here to "Be Love."


I'm at the top of that mistletoe now - giving loving cue.

This is the first xmas I've committed to only doing what I want, not what is expected of me.

Merry Christmas!

Anton 2010

Bravo to my robust, confident and endearing boy Anton. Ever powerful, expressive, very 4.
And Bravo to all who share his life.

Buttoned Fingerless Mitts

Well, I cheated a little on these. Okay I cheated a lot. The buttons have been collecting dust for quite a while and using them to cover up a badly sewn seam seemed like a good idea. They have absolutely no function other than to clear out my sculpey stash.

These will be for my niece Mia for xmas this year. I can't wait to see them on her pretty little hands.

Thanks for the pattern, Cassandra!

Name Tags for Joy!

Tomorrow night is the opening of Joy! at the Kai Lin Art Gallery in Midtown. I've a few pieces (books and paintings) in the show and just made some inky nametags for all the artists and staff. Excited! Thank you Yu-Kai!

Make Your Own Calligraphic Holiday Card in Next Week's Calligraphy 3 class at Binders!

Hi Friends,

I'm starting a new round of courses at Binders next week that meet twice before xmas, then resume after the 2 weeks of xmas/new year holiday.
These are regular 6-week classes that break in between.

The advantage of taking a smaller class is more time with your instructor and while you're on break, you'll be able to apply some of the skills you've already learned and put your time off to good use!

Calligraphy 3 (advanced) needs at least 2 more students to make. If you'd like help creating a calligraphic holiday greeting card or addressing those envelopes to writing thank you notes, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT! In Calligraphy 3 - we really break out the color inks and paper and experiment.

These are the last of my classes at the $140.00 rate. They'll all go up in February to $190.00!


Bookmaking 1: Beginning Bookmaking (EVE) Tuesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 7-Jan. 25|No class Dec 21, 28| 6-8:30pm|Beginning-Intermediate|$140|Min 3/Max 7



Bookmaking 2: The Opened Book (DAY) Tuesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 7-Jan. 25|No class Dec 21, 28| 1:30-4pm|Intermediate-Advanced|$140|Min 3/Max 7





Calligraphy 3: Advanced (EVE) Wednesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 8-Jan 26|No class Dec 22,29| 6-8:30pm|Intermediate-Advanced|$140|Min 3/Max 7

The OhMyGodShe'sSellingThemFerNuthin Anne Elser Book Sale!

Hi Friends,

This Saturday from 10-2:00 I will be selling my entire stock of hand-bound journals at Atlanta Progressive Preschool’s Alternative Craft Fair & Bazaar .


My prices will range from $10.00 to $120.00 and everything in between.
There are many small books great for stocking stuffers from $10-$25 and few new and grand books for their original price.


Why are they this low? Change and newness and movement!
I am ready to move into a new series of work in 2011 and in preparation for the next year of wonderfulness, I am letting go and moving on, making that space for change.

I won't be offering these prices on line - only for those who come to the fair in person. If you see something you like, I'll reserve it for you before Saturday.
Below are more details about all the participating artists and fun activities for kids and families. The APP is a great place that knows how to have fun.

To see more of the books I'll have at my table, please follow this link.

http://gallery.me.com/annedavnes#100113&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=22

Happy Holidays!

~Anne


Alternative Craft Fair & Bazaar
Saturday, December 4th from 10-2

Don't buy your holiday gifts at the mall! Support local artists and eco-friendly crafters! Support the Atlanta Progressive Preschool & UUCA!

The Fair is Saturday, December 4, 2010 from 10am-2pm. There will be: high quality alternative-style crafts for sale by local artists, craft projects for the kids, S&J's Wood fired Pizza, face painting, marshmallow roasting, Charis books, oracle readings, henna tattoos, a DJ, delicious homemade baked goods, the winter wonderland room, a massage chair, fair trade coffee & chocolate for sale and 2 bounce houses.

We are excited to have returning to the fair the beautiful work of the Bhutanese Refugee Support Group of Atlanta. The group makes baskets out of kudzu. There will be handmade books, paintings, beeswax candles, knitted hats, one of a kind jewelry, pottery, clothing, wine bags, baby slings/carriers, pouches made from reclaimed kimonos, and much more.

Do not miss this beautiful fair!

Cutest Mittens EVER

OH MY GOD I fainted when I saw these!
Morehouse Farm Hedgehog Mitts!

Will knit a pair for Anton and maybe for Doug if he's been a really good boy for Santa.

Morehouse Farm has a section on their site dedicated to Critter Knit Kits. Creatures of all kinds, for lots of hands, heads and necks. Kids and adults and their prices are reasonable.

I recently knit these Kissing Fish Mittens for Anton and he LOVES them.



Tina knit him this Alligator Scarf and he loves that!


So much fun!

J O Y

Come to the next Kai Lin Art opening on Friday, December 10th from 7-10PM:

J O Y !

Some of my books and paintings will be there, along with many other great works from the following artists:

Featuring artists:
Jon Arge
Anne-Davnes Elser
Dante DeStefano
Karen Divine
Wyatt Graff
Katie Grosskopf
Chris Hamer
Jason Hawkins
Aaron Jackson
Brad Johnston
Kent Knowles
Ivy Rose McLeod
Greg Noblin
Brett Osborn
Adam Wellborn

Thinking Pink

When I was little, my mother told me every dress I tried on with ruffles swallowed me in fabric. She liked me in more tailored and simple cut clothes. I did, too. As honest as that statement was, I took it to mean that embellishment did not look good on me. ANY embellishment. I could wear something that sparkled, but it had to be small and not overpowering. So every dress, earring, necklace, ring, scarf, hat, etc had to be small in size and not too flashy, else I'd be swallowed up and disappear. And worst of all, I'd look silly.

It wasn't until recently that I began to look deeper into the notion that I had an artsy but conservative sense of style. Well. Today I say FUCK THAT.

After a particularly deep session with Debra, I decided I needed a new pair of sunglasses. I had three pair at home that were scratched, some shade of brown and small. SMALL. Hrrrm. I had thirty more minutes to pick up Anton from school at 1:00. Across the street is a Loehmans. They've got a good selection of eyewear, so I flew in, picked out two pairs I liked, remembered where they were and after picking up Anton, brought him back inside with me to help me choose which pair.

I held out the two to show him and he shrugged his shoulders and went back to the rack. He picked out a large pair of pink Ray Bans. "I like these, Mommy."

I put them on my face and looked in the mirror. Oh yes, they were fun, but too big for me. Too loud. Too fancy.

Just then, a beautiful black man walked past me and said with a smile, "Honey, those look good on you."

That was god. Anton and my phantom stylist piped in long enough for me to take a second look in the mirror and buy those shades in the spirit of joyful confidence.

So here they are and here I am. These rose colored glasses are amazing. Not the kind that hides from the truth, but searches for it, redefines it and becomes it.

Holiday Card Calligraphy

Some recent work for a fellow designer's family Holiday card. Such fun!

Liquid Acrylic 2

Since demoing FW inks at Binder's Artfolio, I've fallen in love with the product and have "finished" many of the books and boxes I've for sale. There is nothing quite like being nudged by the meaning or sound or look of a word. Better yet to have an inch full of blank white pages to continue the prompt.

I can't wait to see how people respond to these. Experimentation!