Copper Leaf Studios

copper maps ~ custom copper artwork

The Cupcake Lover and The Cupcake Maker

Today I’m going to tell you a little story. It’s mostly true, except the details get smooshed together in my mind so it might be kinda made up too. But you’ll get the gist. (If you want the short version, it goes a little something like this: “Follow your dreams, already. And share a cupcake.”)

The Cupcake Lover
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It’s based on a conversation I had with a good friend of mine, the Cupcake Lover. The Cupcake Lover has a nice job, but is secretly in love with another. Since jobs aren’t like marriages and the only thing you’ll really miss are the post-it notes and good pens, this would seem like an easy decision.

(shhh… go to the job you love)

But like bad marriages and unfulfilling jobs, security can get in the way of what we truly crave in life.

And once you realize the security isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, or isn’t worth sacrificing your happiness for, you feel better. Because in the end, peace of mind and loving the life you’re in has a value – a very real one.

This conversation came about because I was telling the Cupcake Lover just how completely head-over-heels happy I am in my New Job. It was barely four months ago that I lost my Real Job and headed out on my own. And kinda not like the whole “wish me well, it’s gonna be all peachy roses and yellow brick roads” on my own. More like the knot-in-my-stomache, sleepless nights “I’m going to lose my home and starve my child” kind of on my own. The On My OWN on my own — no fallback, no excuses, no direct deposit slipping living wages into my bank account like little fairies in the night. It is quite a thing, truly. Eyes wide open.
But I am in love. It isn’t easy. I didn’t think it would be. But it is a beautiful thing. A beautiful, freeing, empowering, top of the world kind of thing. No, not for everyone. But for those who have that nagging, aching feeling they’ve kept buried because they are afraid to leave the comfort of security, an amazing, “grass is truly greener when you make that leap” kind of thing.

The Cupcake Maker
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The Cupcake Maker is a lovely woman who has been selling lovely cupcakes from her home, but recently took the leap and opened a lovely shop. It is quite a thing to make a living on your own, but truly another to make this living $2.50 at a time. But yet, here she is. Enjoying life, and making others smile with buttercream and spice and red velvet. And that is a beautiful thing. She makes me want to drive across town and eat a cupcake every day just to support her dream (and my newfound molten chocolate lava addiction). But it isn’t practical, so I do the next best thing – I tell everyone I know about her. (psst, for the locals: LaBella Cupcake at 15208 Madison, Lakewood OH)

The Moral of the Story
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If you have a dream that is tugging at you, follow it. You just might amaze yourself.

If you see someone else with a dream, encourage them. And then tell the world. You can’t always buy a cupcake. Or a piece of artwork. We get it, really. But instead of saying you can’t have it, take a business card and give it to a friend. Forward a newsletter. Share a website. Spread the enthusiasm. It is beautifully infectious, and a wonderful gift to give someone who just got up the courage to take a leap.

Until next time,

Chris

A Letter to the Universe

I Wrote the Universe a Letter

I’ve missed a  newsletter, perhaps you’ve noticed — likely not, but I have a good excuse which I’ll tell you anyway.

I’ve met someone.
His name is Alan.

Yes to all of your questions.
(He is employed)
(He opens doors for me)
(And for at least one of you, yes, he passed the green beans to me first.)
(it’s possible that question was lingering in at least a few more minds)

Yes to all of the questions you won’t ask:
(Yes, he is charming)
(Yes, so good looking)
(Yes, truly.  Many times yes.)

How did you meet?
I wrote the Universe a letter.  Took a deep breath, put thoughts to screen.
(Had I known the Universe was prone to responding, I would have written years ago)
Details are unimportant.  A friend introduced us.   This is the story I’m telling my daughter, anyway.

How long have you known each other?
Three weeks.  Plus a lifetime.
Such a short time.
I keep pinching him.  He keeps saying “ow, what are you doing that for?”.  That’s how I know it’s real.

Yes, I’m being silly.  But here is a man who adores me for all of the silly things, after years when no one else did.  So, yes.  It’s real.
And 20, 40, 50 years from now I’ll tell stories of how I knew he was the one from the moment I laid eyes on him.

But not yet.  Until then… I’ve met someone.  And I rather like him.
If you happen to see me at a show, his will be the lap I’ll be sitting on.  Please say hi!

and tell him I think he’s wonderful.

………………………………………………..Chris

The Town That Time Forgot

Good morning all!  So many cool new things in the works, my head is swirling.  August has been a whirlwind of new commissions and pieces, including a corporate award, a massive residential commission, two incredibly cool collaborations in the works, and some new pieces to the Moon series which I am particularly proud of.  I think I can safely say that I am the luckiest person in the world.  I’ll be sharing more on all of the above over the next few weeks!  For today, a little copper nostalgia…

A few weeks ago I traveled up to Conneaut Lake, PA.  The weather was beautiful, and the people lovely.  As the party waned, a few of us took a walk past the lake and stumbled onto the most amazing place… a semi-functional amusement park, complete with wooden roller coaster with painted entryway, old-fashioned carousel, and giant mechanical clown head that probably once used to slowly, creepily nod up and down.

The whole place was surreal in that half of it was still functioning.  The far end of the park was filled with kids, cotton candy and cheap games made from beer bottles and rings.  The other half was in a state of decay.  Plagued by fires (including at least one case of arson during renovation), the old glass globe lights had slumped into crescent shapes from the heat of a fire that had decimated the ballroom.  The wooden restroom was nothing but charred remains.  All of the rides and games in the northern section of the park were abandoned, frozen in a strange time warp.

Naturally I did what any good artist would do, I grabbed my camera ;)

slumped lights & Sky Diver:
Conneaut Lake Park

Some of the shots were just for fun, like so crazy cool carosel pics taken while the ride was spinning.  But several photos of rides silhouetted against the clear sky lent themselves to really beautiful photo transfer
ferris wheel, Blue Streak (from below the big hill) and cat & mouse:

I think the black on copper has a beautiful nostalgic quality, and captures the sort of “frozen in time” feeling of the park to me.

The community is in the process of renovating the park, it has just been a matter of funding and time.  (Although I do believe they just won a $50,000 grant from a Pepsi Refresh challenge to renovate the Blue Streak: http://www.refresheverything.com/conneautlakeparkbluestreak so many congrats to everyone involved!!!)  And not that I can come anywhere close to that amount, part of the sale of these pieces will be given back to the community to help with their efforts.

Well that’s all for now, as I must get back to work — I am applying for the CPAC Creative Workforce Fellowship, an artist’s grant that would provide many happy returns ;)  I’ve given myself the rather ambitious goal of creating an entirely new body of work for the occasion, 15 pieces in… 9 days.  Anything’s possible, right?

until next time,

Chris

Recoup

Well, it took a few days, but I’m finally unpacked, recuperated, and my dining room table is (mostly) cleared off. Cain Park was a great show, and it was wonderful to meet so many lovely people!  As far as shows go (or anything for that manner), I have to say this was by far the nicest group of people I have ever met in a single sitting.  The show was a dream; short of being “discovered” and handed a million dollars, it was the most pleasant experience you could imagine.  There were dozens of volunteers offering to help, ample amenities, and the most perfect weather.  How could you go wrong?
My daughter was a wonderful help, and put on a cute little dress and her best personality and charmed anyone who dared come within 20 feet of her.  I called her my “door greeter”.  She called herself my “groundhog”.  (umm, “gofer”.  close enough.)  The most charming moment was when we were offered lunch during set up.  Seats were scarce, and artists shared tables and chatted with their new colleagues.  A gentleman asked if he might join our group if we’d have him, joking that he was sweaty from the heat.  She quickly replied something that I’m sure she meant to sound like “why certainly, we’d love to have you” but ended up coming out as “of course! We don’t mind that you’re so gross.”  As the Mastercard ad says, Priceless.


The great thing about doing shows is all the face to face interaction — chatting with people about what you do, getting lots of new ideas and inspiration, and my favorite: seeing people go from a brisk pace to slow motion, slack-jawed stop as their eyes catch something they like.

(The other best part of the show was Saturday night when my friend brought over rum and we made mojitos with the wild mint in my backyard, but that’s another story.  One that involves a certain metal artist who almost never drinks wipe out on the couch after half a glass of rum-flavored sugar mint water.  But we’ll save that for another day.)

Well,  I’d best get back to work… have lots of new things to share over the next few days, so stay tuned!

with love and wussy drinks………………………………Copper

Promises, Promises

So my good friend Kathy the Smashing informed me yesterday that the other day I promised that tomorrow I would share pictures and cool stuff with ya’ll.? I tried to remind her that today wasn’t tomorrow yet even if tomorrow was actually yesterday, but that didn’t fly.? (I had me pretty convinced, but at 11:45 p.m. that is a fairly easy gig.)? So being a person of my word, here you have it!

First, the chop-job.? (My friend coined the term “Spontaneous Home Haircut”, which I rather like).? I let my hair get rather long in the past six months, but after going through a gallon and a half of conditioner and snaking the tub drain no less than once I decided it was time for a change.? Now you know you’ve got a winner on your hands when you start at 10:30 p.m. high on Nyquil with help from an overzealous 15 year old.? (Just remember I’m not stupid, I’m adventurous.)? You are convinced it is destined for greatness when the first audible sound from her mouth after “I know, I know, I kneooow, mom” is “…oops.”? (Yes, really.)? But I can honestly say that I have never laughed so hard and had as much fun as I did that night — and my hair actually looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself? (which I don’t have to, because she has been proudly declaring it so daily.)

Reactions from my students were overwhelmingly positive, except for the one lovely child who blurted out “Your husband let you DO that?!?!?”? I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’m not married, and quietly reminded myself that this is the same child who tried convincing me she was a vampire not long ago, and that she would probably grow up to be a healthy, happy cat lady some day.

Second, and much cooler thing, I am oh-so-proud to unveil photos on metal!!? The copper one is of my daughter from her younger, cuter, more stubborn but less flaky years:

The print quality is gorgeous, and I’m happy to announce that a custom version will soon be in my shop :}

The zinc plate is a a picture she took of herself — she’s becoming quite the photographer, and is loving the Photoshop Elements that I gave her for Christmas!? I hope to post more of her work, as it’s really quite good, and so great to see her fall in love with something artistic.? The print on zinc didn’t come out quite as nice as I had hoped (too much spottiness in the darks, but with a little tweaking the process has great potential.? The bluish tint to the zinc is lovely:

Let me know what you think!

…………………………………………………with love and locks, C.