Wayward Retreat

Waaaaay on back in 2017 I was invited to a small artist retreat held up in BC, Canada.

No cell reception, no internet. Lake. Garden. Ocean. Ravens, night swimming, oysters, nettles.

Other artists, of varied paths and mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, writing, musicmaking, experience-making, world-building.

I left expanded and changed, as an artist and person. I’ve been back a handful of times since and this June, I was able to help facilitate a week-long session and am humbled and so grateful to be able to contribute to this community that has so held and supported me.

Why Are We Crowdfunding?

• We want to develop a healthy scholarship fund for creators of color to attend our retreat. This is the primary goal of this fundraiser.

• We have always operated our retreat at break-even, but over the last two years, we’ve awarded a significant number of scholarships. We have relied on personal donations to keep this retreat viable and have run a couple retreats at a loss.

• We are expanding our organizer roster to create a more diverse and inclusive roster of facilitators, both on and off-island. However, most Wayward work is volunteer-based(on-island retreat organizers receive a small stipend), and we would like to have a budget to better compensate our organizers.

• Right now, we are only able to hold Wayward once a year. By training a new roster of organizers, and being able to pay them, we may be able to hold Wayward more frequently, including the possibility of running our online retreat Homeward, increasing our ability to provide this experience to a larger diversity of artists.

• We are in the process of developing a longer term plan for the long term focus and sustainability of the retreat house, including collaborating with other Quadra Island residents to establish a non-profit dedicated to ecology-based education and retreats for activists.

Kickstarter/fundraiser rewards include art objects created by former retreaters, yours truly included. This special space has been cultivated by folks dear to my heart. I long for the spirit of this creative hub to continue.

Summer in the Studio (cats, cats, cats!)

Ah, hello, and happy mid-Summer (or Winter for you Southern-hemispherers)!

I’ve been absent on social media and the computer in general these last few months, but have been thinking of you all out there in the world. My last few months have been full of travel, books, video games, and as always, cats.

So yes!! In a short two and a half weeks, I will be at Sea-Meow Con in Seattle with all my cat-wares. If you have never been to a Cat Convention, you are for a real treat, and if you have, you know what’s up.

Let me take this opportunity to re-introduce the two sweet felines who share our day-to-days at House Purrington:

Momo, 12 years old, our little Craigslist barn-runt, has taken to sleeping on me and my life feels complete.

Kiki, 13 years old, lounging in the sun in the backyard. Our little smart black panther, sweet and gentle familiar.

Loose sketchbook thumbnails, brainstorming for future cat art (specifically for the annual Kitty Party which takes place at Monster Art and Clothing - this year will be the 7th (!!!), and as usual, I will be joined by Braden DunCAT. This year will also feature another Seattle artist, Rhodora Jacob. It’s gonna be amazing!

Stickers available in the online shop

I don’t know what I’d do without our two little cats - working from home, I like to call them my co-workers, my MEWses, and I am excited to have upcoming events to celebrate them! Hope you all are well, and are getting your cat fixes, one way or another.

I started a Patreon Account!!

Hello everyone, I'm taking a leap here and just opened a Patreon Account! Patreon is a subscription-based membership which helps artists get paid. You can choose the level of your support, with different levels equaling different rewards!

Check it out here.

Freedom Fighter <3

Hey everyone! It's time to get to work. The first task of the "10 Actions in 100 Days" is simple: write to your representatives! Free downloadable postcard designs are available via Womxn's March in the link, but I decided to paint my own, and have included the files below so you can use them too, if you like. :) Print postcards to mail out, and print larger ones to tuck into letters, tape onto your fridge, or tuck under your pillow. I love you all, I'm on your side, and smash the patriarchy! I'm thankful to be surrounded by compassionate women and men, and am proud to be on your team.

A couple of watercolor paintings for a couple of representatives: headed to Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

Urban Hair Hideaway

Tucked away in a corner of the quaint Boulevard Park neighborhood in Seattle is hidden a brand-new, cozy nook to where you can escape, enjoy some tea, coffee or fancy bubbly beverage - and also get your hair done. Welcome to Urban Hair Hideaway!

I am not a salon-goer. I tend to cut and color my own hair, not because I'm good at it (*ahem*), but because I'm not usually that fond of having a stranger touch my head, or giving up control. But last week I had Braeden Blunt, owner and creator of Urban Hair hideaway, have a go at my scraggly mess of hair, and now I look like a polished adult who knows how to groom herself! I feel so fancy. Braeden does an amazing job, and is super sweet, professional, and creative to boot!

Immediately to your right upon entering, you're greeted with a girl on a swing and a tea-drinking fox! I had the pleasure of helping add some flavor to the interior of the space with some flowing organic black and white murals! I created these with acrylic paint pens. This is my first time working with this method, and it was so much fun! And, if I do say so myself, the results are pretty damn fine.

Tea options to sip on while you talk about hair and relax.

Okay, so this place is a salon, a place to have a tea-break, and also a gallery! Some of my fabric collages are currently living in the cozy front gallery space.

A woodpecker lamp?? Get out.

This tree-dwelling creature lives amongst amazing paper collages created by Seattle artist Carol Chen Lord.

Here's the view in the hall from the hair-washing room to the cutting room. Poorly photographed, but check out this great birch-tree wallpaper.

So, there you go. And you should go. Check out the Urban Hair Hideaway's website for more info, and to schedule your beautifying appointment! Also, to check out some art I created for the site (I know, I'm shameless). But seriously. It looks pretty good. :)

New Blog!

Ramblings from 2009 - early 2014 live at my old Wordpress blog, here:

http://stasiaburrington.com/blog/