Suits Opening Reception

Well..."Suits" opening is officially in the past. As always, a great experience but an opening reception is never on my list of favorite things to do. One of my professors once shared some words of wisdom for times such as these...."get wasted".

He told me this at my last opening, "I came straight after work...I didn't have time to get wasted", I said. He replied, "You make time."

Amen.

New Stuff

I've been a busy little studio bee. Here are a couple of new pieces that I just finished. Charlotte's Dove is a commissioned piece that I did for a 10th anniversary present-I felt no performance anxiety about that one! I hope they like it, there is always so much more pressure when your painting someone else's vision. Luckily for me, I had alot of freedom with this painting.

This painting, Delicate Bender, actually started out as a study for a larger piece, but I was having so much fun with it that it turned into its own thing. I've mentioned before that I love contradiction and I hope that is one thing this painting symbolizes. Does setting a mountain of beer cans in a more "proper" environment make this gluttonous consumption more "lady-like" or more acceptable?

I just can't help it

I know...I know the 30 Sketches Project is over but not in my heart. I really enjoyed it so I had to do a quick sketch of a Pekin Robin in honor of my past project.

Suits: Artwork by Layla Luna Opening Reception and Exhibition

You have from February 27th-March 19th to see what working in a cubicle has done to me. The show is at Brand X Store, 414 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281. The opening reception is on Friday, February 27th from 7-11pm. Limited edition T-shirts of one of my designs from the show will be available for purchase.

Corporate Organizational Chart for "Suits"

My next show, Suits, opens Feb. 27th and this corporate organizational chart is one of the pieces that will be present. Each piece will be sold individually but I wanted to display them together.

My new cubicle life inspired this body of work. The corporate world is foreign to me. I don't understand ties, the need for so many meetings and needless conversations. I don't understand charts, pension plans, and if I have to hear another person check their voice mail on speaker phone, I might go ape shit.

I love the office supply closet and for some sick reason I enjoy data entry. The endless supply of coffee keeps me coming back day after day.

My Sanctuary

Welcome to my sanctuary. This is the space that I have a hard time leaving. Besides my 30 Sketches Project (Day 20!), I am working on a baby Barn Owl flying on a magical meat carpet. I find if I am ever frustrated or feeling down, that painting raw meat makes things right. Go figure.

I Found Rowdy!

Well folks...I found him. If you'd like to join me, I am going on a little excursion. I made a decision long ago that I did not want children. I think they are amazing and honest and creative and they deserve to have nothing more than the best upbringing. In short, it takes 100% of me to maintain my own sanity, no lie. I have nothing left to give.

Even knowing this as a small child, I had a name for the son I would never have...Rowdy William, named after my father. The greater part of the Dallas/Fort Worth area referred to my dad as many things but mostly Wild Bill McDonald.

As I came to realize the importance of art in my life, I wanted a venue for the many projects that buzz through my head. Midway through the sketch of this baby bird, I realized that this is Rowdy! My 10'x14' studio is my sanctuary and it is my dream to continue to expand it. Having found Rowdy will motivate my drive.

Bad Art

I have 3 reoccurring nightmares: being incarcerated for a crime I did not commit, dying from a senseless household accident, and finding one of my paintings in a "marked-down" bin at a flea market. In my dream, I immediately buy the painting to get it off the streets. Please visit http://www.museumofbadart.org/ because it takes my nightmare to another level.

Watch Out World!

Here I go... I am jumping in! I thought it was about time that I put myself and my work out there for all to see. As a recent graduate (go ASU!) I have experienced a myriad of emotions. School was my fluffy cloud in heaven. It made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Those feelings quickly turned to scratchy following graduation.

Well I am here to reclaim my confidence. There comes a point in your education, your career, your life when you have to believe in your decisions. Don't merely stand by them but wallow in them! This is not the cup and a 1/2 of coffee talking when I say, "Watch out world!"