BooFest Artist Signing @ Atlanta....

As promised, here are some fun pics from last Saturday's artist signing at Bethany Lowe's showroom in Atlanta! For those of us artists who could come, we were instructed to dress in costume and be ready to sign our names many times over. Since the theme was Halloween (my favorite any time of year!) I decided to dress myself like I would dress one of my Halloween collectibles.... big papier mache buttons, black & white striped arms & legs, orange ruffles and of course one of my illustrated party hats! I seriously looked like a dork, but those who knew my work, understood my silly costume. :-) Enjoy the pictures and thank you to all who left me very sweet comments from my Day 1 posting!... Glad you are enjoying the photos!...

~Johanna


* Me in my silly costume, doing the "ta-da" thing in front of my Halloween product line!...


* A basket full of Halloween character clips that I signed throughout the night....black cats, owls and jack-o-lanterns were all part of the fun...


* Buyers line up to snag a collection of complimentary goodies and autographs from all the artists present...


* A fun pic of me and Bethany, the "fallen dark angel" for the evening...


* A silly group shot.... there's me, Dee Foust, Bruce Elsass & Vergie Lightfoot - love her expression!....


* Me and Wendy (a Stepford Wife for the evening) pose for the camera... Wendy is the graphic design genius behind Bethany Lowe Designs!...

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* A cute pic of my pal Vergie Lightfoot....She's wearing one of my Halloween hats and is ready to sign her autograph on some cute lapel pins...


* A festive group shot including Dee Foust, Teena Flanner, Bethany Lowe, me, Bruce Elsass, Vergie Lightfoot, Wendy Ahmad, Kathy Seburn & their friendly staff of devils...


* ( And thanks to Mandy of Maygreen Fairies for the "Your Blog is Fabulous" award :) *
I'm glad you enjoy it!....
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AmericasMart ~ Atlanta, Day 1...

I have just returned from an eye-opening experience at the international gift and home furnishings market in Atlanta! Wow! I only saw a teeny bit of what 4 downtown high-rise buildings had to offer, filled with showroom after showroom of vendors offering their wares for the new year. Our main purpose for the trip was to meet the kind and talented folks of Bethany Lowe Designs, see their fabulous permanent showroom which now includes my new product line and be present for a Halloween artist signing party! What fun!..... I have to say that I was in vintage eye-candy heaven upon entering their space. Everything, including the rare antique props were perfect for product placement and really a treat to see in person. Of what I saw, it was my favorite showroom, and I am so honored to be a part of that beautiful collection today! The following are photos from our first day's visit.... Stay tuned for images from the Halloween artist signing!....

~ Johanna


* Me standing at one of 3 entrances to Bethany Lowe's Atlanta showroom... This entry lead to my spring collection...


* A portion of my spring line greets buyers.... yummy yellow and blue birds serve as containers and bowls while bunnies dressed for spring sit and admire their surroundings...


* Meandering through, we encounter all of the various collections for Christmas... I was enamored by all of the vintage-inspired beaded and glass ornaments and garlands that looked so old and so loved....My holiday display was up and around the long harvest table where the black and white checkerboard floor began....


* Here's a peek at my Christmas collection, and be sure to click on ALL these images for a larger view. It was obvious to me that BLD had really taken the time to prop and display each collection. My Christmas nook had been painted a lovely soft hue of green to complement my pieces and allow them to pop!...


* More Christmas displays welcome guests and truly capture that holiday spirit no matter what time of year...


* Another entrance here invites folks with a love for all things Halloween to enter!.. As you pass through the glass door, you quickly come upon my collection of orange and black delights!...


* Here I am just thrilled to see my largest collection displayed so beautifully! My pieces were sprawled across the bottom shelf / counter of the large black cupboard, and my hats and ornament clips decorated the black feather tree...


* One of my 3 Halloween party hats festively perches on a tree branch. What a fun way to display these hats!...


* My papier mache candy cone characters with removable heads looked spooktacular hanging around amongst their friends...


* Another view of the various Halloween collections offers a chair to rest those tired bones...


* A pair of my Halloween candy containers await the trick-or-treat-loving buyers...


* My Halloween owl bowl proudly stands in front a pair of my illustrated Halloween plates, perfect for eating sweet treats. I am so excited about all of these fun and festive products!...


* And another one of my party had designs rests atop a feather tree branch...

This is only a glimpse into their most amazing showroom. They have so many visual delights to offer that I could spend my whole day in enchantment within their space!
What a treat to see it in person and feel so very welcomed! Thank you Bethany Lowe Designs!..... Please check back to see me and several other BLD artists in costume at the Boo Fest signing.....
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Colonial Halloween at Mom's...

As busy as this month has been, I focused my energy making Halloween fun for others rather than decorating my home... (hopefully next year, I will have more time :) However, my mom has been decorating her colonial-style home up in Washington state with her growing collection of orange and black delights!...On display this month at the Parker's house is a fun variety of folk art pieces that we both have made over the years. She sent me these photos recently, and I thought I would share them with you! ENJOY.....

~ Johanna


* The russet red-colored walls of their dining room is the perfect backdrop for a Halloween harvest theme...


* A fun collection of my Halloween ornaments dangle from a spooky grouping of twigs...


* A smiling jack-o'-lantern reproduction design of mine peers out of a cupboard nook...


* The jack-o'-lantern candle holder and black cat candy bowl are ready to greet friends and trick-or-treaters... These designs of mine are offered thru Primitives by Kathy...


* A work in progress hooked piece that mom designed and is currently working on... cute!....


* A pair of papier mache characters I sculpted a few years back join in with mom's yellow ware collection and her hand-painted Halloween lids...


* A cozy Halloween hearth welcomes all who enter... at second glance I ponder what is growing in the baby cradle??!!! he he...


* A pilgrim-style witch bust I sculpted a couple of years ago fits right in with mom's colonial home character...


* Another hooked piece mom made decorates a primitive tabletop in the foreground...


* Here stand two candy containers of mine that now live with mom... The one at left was my first owl piece ever and has inspired many more since!...


* Speaking of owls, this one is a reproduction design of mine, offered thru Primitives by Kathy...


* A grouping of Halloween pillows, designed and created by mom.. What fun!


* This piece has a history indeed!... Mom and I sat down to sculpt about 6 years ago, and I created this cat in a jack... In the process, I realized how much I missed the tactile arts for at the time, I was a corporate designer, working in TV news graphics... After adding the paint, my cat came to life and what a thrill! (today he seems pretty crude, but at the time, I was inspired) Of course, he needed a necklace to finish his look. Mom only had tin snips, so off I went to play with wire and.... Oouch! I sliced open my hand with those snips! So, needless to say, I was rushed to the hospital and stitched up like Frankenstein. Obviously, it didn't stop me though!... :)~