Summer

Well, it has sure been a bit since I posted last. I blame Summer, for we have been living in the light these past few months. It has been a pleasant time spent in the sun having fun, but, also a tumultuous time. So much going on and projects that are being planned out. Changes that are going to be happening as well. I am one of those people who fear change. I don't know exactly why that is, but fear of the unknown is part of it. I have been working more to try and change that as I try to evolve into the person I want to be. It has been a road of introspection and it has also been long, lol. Is it working? I cant say right now, all I do know is I am putting in the effort to spot things that need changing and I am trying to enjoy it. Who knew I would be starting this journey this late in the game, lol.  

As for the projects, I have not decided which will come first as that will depend on my place in the line, but good things are up none the less. I am happy to announce that the coffee table is in the planning stages finally! That is exciting as I have been thinking and gathering photos for it for a long time now. My website will be getting a little revamp soon too. I also realized that I have been lagging on my legging postings. (see what I did there, lol) Sorry about that. After this coming week, I will be around more and be able to post more. We are currently launching our Halloween leggings. They are super cute! As follows and the link is right over there ------->

 Many customers and Lala Family members requesting Halloween designs, My Lala worked around the clock to get these out as quick as possible!!!! These super cute designs will be out today (Friday) by 9am pst.
Halloween……………………….OS, Curvy, EC 24-32, Kids
Phantom…………………………Yoga Band Curvy
Pumpkin Knit………………….High Heat 3-9
Trick or Treat…………………OS, Curvy, EC 24-32, Kids
Candy Corn…………………..OS, Curvy
Creepy Crawly……………….OS, EC 24-32
Hiss……………………………….OS, Curvy, EC 24-32
Full Throttle………………..OS, EC 24-32. Kids
Dead Man Party………….OS, Curvy, EC 20-26, Kids
Pumpkin……………………..OS, EC 24-32, Kids

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy weekend! Hope you are able to get out and live in the light!
Artfully Odd

From Our House to Yours~Happy Holidays!

Boy, this year flew by! I can't believe that 2018 is around the corner. The holidays are here again, and for us this season, it's all about family and love! I certainly am blessed with mine! So from our house to yours, we wish you a very happy holiday season, blessings and a healthy new year! Here's to 2018! May it bring wonderful experiences and things to us all! Jingle-Jingle!

(Patten-Gemberling family photo shoot 2017/ArtfullyOddPhotos (C))

Sorry for the Absence

Thank you for being patient with me these past months. I am trying to locate my mojo...it's around here somewhere, lol and I think I know where to look. Sunday begins a new chapter. More to follow!

Updates and Good Reads

Good afternoon friends. I hope that this is finding you all doing well, happy and healthy. It's been a bit since my last post...I am sorry for that. Up until yesterday, I am not afraid to say that I have been struggling a bit. It's been a difficult road for me to put the events of the last month behind me. I just have not been able to find a way to let go of my sadness over my Dads passing, but something clicked yesterday. I am actually not sure what it was, however, I am feeling better. This is not over by a long shot, I know. My Mom reminded me that this is all very fresh and we all grieve in different ways. I have found that to be true in the last few days. I haven't been alright...not by a long shot. Having said that, I really haven't told anyone that except for a small group of people. By small, I mean, 3. So, I am sure that I have looked odd to most in the past few weeks.

I actually shut myself in the house for the past 2 days. I have backed away from friends. It was so bad on Tuesday night, that I actually had to take matters into my own hands. I knew I had to find a way to get past this part in the grieving process. So, I wrote all my feelings out. Everything...out there. It seemed to help. I woke up yesterday and felt lighter. Today, much lighter and I came up with a plan. I have to do something to pull myself up and out. Besides going to work every day which is just basically going through the motions, I have to expand on my art. I have to find new projects, plan new shoots, work on new photos, finish my own edits on my 2nd manuscript. I have to.

So, I am beginning today. I have ordered a new camera and I am going to be offering a special on mini sessions. I will post those details soon. I have plans to work on my edits starting next week and I have started working on photos again. I know that I will never get over this, but then neither will my family or my Mother. I have faith that it will get better though. I am posting some photos below that I have been working on. Let me know what you think. Also, my book was added to Good Reads. This  is a great place to share your love of reading and books. It's a great place to rate, review and recommend books to your friends and others on the site. So, check it out!

I will sign off for now, but keep your comments and emails coming. I would love to hear all about your goings on...how you are enjoying fall. Even if its to tell me how much you love pumpkin spice anything, lol. Life is short my friends. Connecting to our fellow human is what keeps us alive. Enjoying new experiences. I have found that shutting ones self off, starts to kill your soul. So, lets connect! The topic is fall anything :) Go!

Have a wonderful evening!
Anna
Artfully Odd

1 Snap for 30

Welcome to the 1st of September! As promised, today starts my 30 snaps for 30 challenge. Today finds me running errands. I know, boring right? It must be done though as we have family coming into town tomorrow. So I thought this a fitting that this be my first snap for thirty. Now you all know what kind of car I drive, lol. I hope I have had some takers on this challenge. I am going to use the tag 30snaps and 1snapfor30, feel free to use them too.

Have a great day my friends! Let's see where our eye leads us :)

Anna
Artfully Odd

One Snap for Thirty

Well, hello my friends! I hope that this finds you all doing well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer. We have been fairly active this summer and I have been glad for it as a few weeks ago, we lost my Dad. His death, while I am glad he is not suffering anymore, has affected me deeply. My Dad was a happy, funny, wise and loving individual who always had some wisdom to share. He did amazing things in his lifetime, like working for NASA...No, really...he did! He raised a son and then took on the task of being a wonderful father to me and my brothers. He made my Mother happy. He enjoyed camping, poker and he disliked anything that could not be explained rationally, lol. We once had an argument over the movie The Ring, because of that very thing, lol. Can you imagine? He was never far away and even though we had not talked over the phone much this past year, I loved him. I know he loved me.

I have been very blessed with a very strong support system and while I am not over this hurt by a long shot, they have kept me in the life of the living. Kept me busy. They have not allowed me to lay down and give in to my sorrow. Today, as I write this, I am very thankful for that. I am loved just as my Father was loved...he saved me more times than I can count and that's what it is all bout in this life. Forming lasting relationships in this big and scary world. Giving and being loved...well, I had that and will continue to have it. I was a very lucky girl to have him be a part of my life and I will miss him for as long as I am here on this plane. So, I have had good days and bad. I am sure that will stay with me for a while, but I still have to move forward. Even if there are days that I don't want to. I know that we as humans almost always say this when tragedy touches us, but it rings true. Tell those that you love, that you love them. Not just now and then, but EVERY single day! You just never know... 

In that spirit of things, a challenge has been lay down. Something to keep me from wallowing. Yes, I have decided to take on a little creative challenge. I am going to pursue some inspiration and shoot something every day for the month of September. That will mean that I will never be away from my camera. I will be looking for inspiration in everything I do. Even the boring stuff. I am pledging to post a snap for every day and I am kind of excited to see where I end up then. Just picture it...a snap shot of something every day. What will my life look like in photos? The possibilities are endless!

So, here it is. I am not only challenging myself to do this, but I am challenging you too! Imagine the things we can create or see or do in 1 month? What will all this creativity look like? How and where do we find inspiration? I don't know the answers, but I am excited to find them out! Are you with me?

Let's fill our news feeds and walls with something beautiful every day, just by living our lives!

Anna
Artfully Odd

Rock and Roll Photo Shoot Prints

Here are a couple shots from my recent photo shoot. Looking forward to sharing more information with you soon. Prints available

Model: Bettina Martin
MUA: Bettina Martin

Hair: Anna Patten
Styling: Anna Patten
Guitars: Fender/Bettina Martin/Brian Green
Grip: Buzz Patten

Dreaming of Gloss

Hmmm Butter Gloss! NYX Blackberry Pie. Getting my Morticia on this afternoon. Ok...Love the texture and it has a cake batter taste to it...but it is a tad messy to get on. It's a true gloss, so it will smudge on contact. Don't give up on the first try of application. The color is extremely dark, as the name suggests...but I kind of like it. Makes me feel mysterious, lol. Perfect for that inner bad-ass I know I have! Wearing it all day though? Or on a night out on the town? I am not so sure that would work without some sort of sealer being applied to it. As I stated above, this gloss will smudge on contact. Having said all of this though, I would most certainly recommend! Go on! Give it a try and have some fun with it! After all...We need more fun in this crazy world we live in!

Dreaming of Gloss!

Thoughts on a Monday Night

Beauty is where you find it! Those words became really real this past week. So glad I kept my eyes open and my wits about me. When you open your eyes...really look at the world...What do you see? Just look through the lens...

Artfully Odd
Anna

Architecture & Works in the Works

Hello out there! I hope that this finds everyone doing well. Things have been pretty busy around here as of late. I have been doing more traveling, planning traveling and unpacking than I have in quite some time. I have been enjoying it to say the least. I love venturing out and exploring new places and things. If you follow my Instagram, you  have seen some of my adventures and you might have noticed my resurgence of architecture photos. It's been an awaking of sorts, a love affair so to speak. I have always had a love of beautiful buildings, but lately, I can't stop looking at and snapping them. There's something so beautiful in lines and design. My favorites seem to be the art deco style buildings and I have fallen in love with Frank Lloyd Wrights work. The way the deco and Wrights buildings were built is so terribly different from today's construction, and I am not just talking materials and such. I have been fascinated with the way that these buildings work with the movement of light. How they gently let it become part of their beauty. For me, its much more warm, more earthy, where today's construction seems to be cold. I love the flow of these buildings, where ascetic beauty is part of the experience instead of just form and function. Must be my old soul. Anyway, I could talk about this all day if you let me, so I will digress and move on to save you all the headache, lol.

I have some exciting works in the works and I can not wait to share it with you all. I am waiting on final confirmation before I do share, but its exciting none the less. A project I have been working on for years is about to see light. That's both terrifying and thrilling! So I have been rotating between bouts of  joy and high anxiety. Sometimes, being an artist is a whole gaggle of emotions and I don't quite know what to do with all of them. I am trying to just focus on the last minute things and save my excitement for the big day! I promise to share the deets as soon as I can!

Here's to hoping that this week has treated you right my friends and that this holiday weekend, will be just as wonderful :)

Anna
Artfully Odd

Have You Ever

Have you ever had one of those days where you didn't know what to write? Yea...

The words wont come...

Thoughts to Start a Discussion

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be an artist. How hard it is to get noticed today or grind out a living doing what you love. At times its not an easy thing to do. At times...who am I kidding, most of the time, it's not an easy thing to do. At times, I feel like the girl in Kill Bill just trying to get through it all with one piece of my clothing NOT covered in blood. It's a difficult thing to rationalize when, as an artist, you put so much of yourself into your work. That is nothing new though. Since the dawn of art, artists have put pieces of themselves into their work. Some works we can not bear to part with because of that very fact. So, in all of my rationalizing I have come up with a few thoughts. First, let me preface this by saying that I am not complaining. I enjoy what I do, no matter what and joy is a hard commodity to find these days. I am not about to give that up. I am also not trying to push my thoughts off on anyone else. What I am stating here is true for me and I am hoping that by sharing, I will be starting a dialogue about this topic. My thoughts are this:

You can't get noticed unless you have been noticed. In today's world, no one pays attention to your blood, sweat or tears. No one pays attention to the beauty you put into the world. No, its all about how many followers on social media you have in this cult of celebrity we live in. I have to ask...does that seem right? Is that the natural flow of things? Artists have always struggled, but an artist could still grind out a living. If you don't have a million followers today, there is almost zero chance for you to make it. Its all about the numbers and who you know. If you are like me and know no one....well you are kind of screwed. You can't even get a foot in to a gallery if you don't know anyone and in today's art world of appropriation, that's kind of disheartening.

Not sure what I mean? Well, sometime this fall an artist took other peoples Instagram photos, blew them up hung them in a gallery and sold them for more than 20,000.00 a pop. Because its considered appropriation, it was perfectly acceptable for him to do this. Why should this bother us? Well, because the person who's photo he appropriated is most likely trying their hardest to get into a gallery themselves and because they don't know the right people, they can't get in. But someone who has the right contacts, can basically take their work and get obscene amounts of money for it. Fair? I guess, if you consider it fair every time Lucy pulls the ball away from Charlie Brown and he falls over backwards. Yea, fair.

So, how do we exist today as artists? I am not so naive to think that we can change the system. But maybe there is something we can do about it. Maybe forming our own boards and galleries is a start. Maybe by working together we can get the system to budge just a hair. Maybe, if we supported one another instead of trying to tear each other down, we can do something good. Put something beautiful into the world together.

What I am trying to do here is start a discussion. I want to know how my other artists out there feel. If you feel I am wrong, I want to know. Change my mind if you can. If you agree, then I want to know what you think can be done. Can we budge the system? Lets discuss. Lets educate each other. Let's stand up and do something.

Rant over
Anna
Artfully Odd Photos
Shop my VIDA Collection

Let's Work Together

Recent Shots

Hello there :) I hope that this finds you all doing quite well and enjoy this lovely spring weather. Everything has started to turn green here and not too soon in my opinion. Even though this past winter was not bad by any stretch of the imagination, I find that I have been antsy for the warmer temps to get here. How I long to wear a tank top and sit outside with my tea. It's the little things, lol. What's the down side to all these nice temps and prettier colors in nature? My allergies, of course! They have been at def-con 11 for days now, but I will take it in exchange for some sunshine. 

A friend of mine said, not to long ago, that she thought it was odd that I had not written anything or, for that matter, picked up my camera in months. Until she said this, I hadn't even noticed to be honest. As I said, this winter was not bad at all, but it had an effect on my. Sort of put me in a malaise state. (No, there were not meat helmets involved or anything shorn, lol) I had been sleepwalking through my life! So, a couple weeks in a row, I made sure that my camera was with me when I went out. I have been snapping whatever catches my interest and I think I have gotten some great shots. I have also noticed my art evolving a bit. Taking on new shape and form. So, in a round about way, I suppose stepping away from it for a bit was not such a bad thing after all.

I hope this spring is treating you well and I hope you are enjoy all it has to offer. Looking to schedule a portrait session? Trying to find new artwork for your wall? Email me for more information on my work, if you are so inclined :) Have a wonderful Sunday my friends and keep me posted on your springtime adventures!

A
Artfully Odd Photos

 NYC 2016

 NYC Met 2016

 NYC 2016

Thought For the Day

I am trying to make it! Trying to change what I can! Never give up!

Taking Action

Hello there. I hope that this finds you all doing well. I must say, this winter has been easy on us here in Upstate. That's really nice, because last year? Well, lets just say that Mother Nature did her best to beat us up last winter. So, it has been a somewhat easy couple of months. I will not lie though, I can not wait until warmer temps stop by and say hello. You know, sunshine and some flip flops. Yea, that would be nice right about now. But, I digress...

As the title says, I am taking action and it's pretty exciting! I have some announcements that will be coming soon about some design work with my art and I can't wait to share that with you all. I am on the hunt for a new camera too. My decision is now between a Olympus or a Cannon. I have 2 picked out, just have to make a decision. I am currently researching each one, but I thought I would ask you all. Which do you prefer? I am not a Nikon girl, nor do I think I will ever be. But, if you have u

sed Cannon or Olympus I would love to hear your thoughts on either one. I currently have an Olympus and I LOVE it. We have created some really great photos together, but I need more megapixels...So I have to upgrade. Thank you for your thoughts in advance.

I am also looking to do more portrait session in the coming season and back away from prints for a while. I am currently working on some photo packages, with pricing starting at 150 for a mini session to 350 for a fantasy session. I will have more information on that coming up soon, so be on the lookout. In the mean time, if you are wanting to schedule a session or need some questions answered about a session, feel free to email me.

Hoping that you are all having a wonderful start to your week and are staying warm when you can. Let's have some hot chocolate, shall we? :)

Artfully Odd
Anna

It's Tricky-Total Update

It's tricky, that retrograde! It tried to knock me off my game a bit...put some plans on hold...terrorize me even. However, that is what its there for. To shake us all up a bit. Make us see things more clearly. Decide what is important and what isn't. It's tricky! No more though! I meant what I said and said what I meant. This is the year for getting things done. Seeing dreams come true. Making things happen. One of those things is, drum roll please, getting my store up and running. It was supposed to happen about 2 years ago and for reasons beyond my control, (and some within) it got scrapped. This is me putting thought into motion, holding myself accountable. 2016 the year of my store! Stay tuned for details.

I am working on a few art projects as well. Hope to get one done soon and share it. Along with that, I am taking photo jobs here and there. If you would like to book a session, contact me and we can get something on the books. I am also, currently on the hunt for a few models for future projects. (See the line above if interested as well.) Looking for a bit of help too. If you could take a look at my work and let me know if you have a favorite print that I have done. One that you think would make a good print in my store, I would be profoundly grateful and give you 10% off your next print order. After weeks of looking at my work and trying to pick what is best, I have come to the decision that I am not capable of choosing, lol. My work is like a child to me and I could never exclude one for the other. Although, I will admit that some of my older stuff is not that great. I have learned a lot in the past years that I have put to good use and made some good strides in my art.

In other news, some of you have asked when my book will be coming out. It is currently in stage 3 of editing and I should have some news on it soon. I have been through 2 editors, so it has taken a bit longer. Thank you for staying patient with me on this project. I have actually learned a lot during this process and I look forward to having a finished book to share.

I guess that about wraps it up for now. Leave a comment and let me know how you are all doing. How has this new year been treating you? What projects do you have in the works? Looking forward to hearing from you :)

Artfully Odd
Anna

2016-Bring it On!

I am writing this today with a whole lot of love, joy and excitement in my heart. 2016 is almost here and I just can't wait for all it has in store! Just like a kid on Christmas Even excited! I am usually a pretty positive person, no matter what...but something about this new year has me pretty excited! I think I may know why. Given everything that we have gone through in the past few years, I finally feel like this coming year is my year! The possibilities are endless. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a bridge, waiting to bungee jump off it and for the first time ever...I wont scream, jump back or startle at the sight of the edge in view. I am just going to open my arms wide and free fall and laugh when I bounce back up!

So, what has brought about this change you may ask? Well, I am not sure if most of you will remember the kind of year that we had last year or not. Let me tell you, it was scary and hard and I cried a whole lot. There were so many decisions to be made that totally stressed us all out. Things to worry about that I didn't think I would ever have to to worry about. (Like making sure my will is all in order and my daughter was safe.) And from that, something wonderful happened. I know what's important now and most of all, who is important. I learned not to sweat the small stuff and to just try and go with the flow more. I learned that living life is more important than making plans to live it. Seize the day...seems so corny to say, but it is so very true. So this year, I am doing me, and our family and our life. I am going to try new things, see new sights and meet new people. I am going to do all of those things that I want to do and not worry about whether or not its a good idea. There will be no list making. There will just be jumping off the edge to see what happens. I learned a very valuable lesson. Life is a precious gift and I am done being scared and unhappy to any extent. So, let's get it started.

I will be taking steps to open my store again. It got derailed the first time, but this is the year. I will be booking more shoots this year. I am going to start taking my prints to craft fairs and building a real business. I will be spending my time with my loved ones the way I want. (Lori, we are going to take a page out of your book!) Adventure awaits!!! It awaits us all!

So, what more can I share my friends? If I had any piece of advice, it is to live in the moment. Be present. Put your phone down and open your eyes. Have a conversation with someone. Do something that terrifies you and will exhilarate you all at the same time. Love your family and be there for the friends that are there for you. Forget all of that bullshit that is the past! It will serve you no good now. Be kind to those you meet, for you never know what their path has been like. And finally, find joy! Be joyful! I wish you a very happy and healthy 2016 my friends!

Happy-Happy
Joy-Joy
Anna
Artfully Odd

Oh My Gosh, It's December!

My title says it all really! Where on earth did fall go? Looking back at my posts, I realize that its been some time since I jotted anything down here. I am sorry for that. Fall was a really busy season for us, including our vacation to Niagara Falls. We had such a good time and if you follow me on Facebook, you have seen what a lovely place it is via our photos. However you spent your fall season, I hope it was a good one! Now December is here!!! Can you believe it? We are currently busy getting ready for the holidays. We are looking forward to having a quiet and calm season with our daughter visiting shortly after. I am looking so forward to a calm end to 2015, (It has really been quite a year! The good and the bad.) and all that 2016 has in store for us!

On to artistic endeavors...I have been working on some new photography projects as well as taking on new photo shoots. Its been a lot of fun and I must say, the creativity that I am enjoying has been amazing. I have a new series in the works that I am really excited about! Can't wait to share it all with you. I was lucky enough to have just finish a fantastic shoot with the lovely Kim. She wanted to do something special to honor her family and I think the creative concept we came up with was pretty cool. I am sharing a few shots from the session here and I hope that you like the creativity that went into it. (On and ending note, Kim got permission from the church and the cemetery to be there and shoot photos there. We did this all with respect to her family as well as the other families there.)

Well, that's all for now. I hope that you are enjoying a wonderful week and wish you a lovely weekend!

Artfully Odd
Anna

Brace Yourselves...Fall is On it's Way!

As the popular meme says, "Brace yourselves...Pumpkin flavored everything is coming!" This makes me giggle. Like really giggle. You know that kind of giggle where you actually snort and then, surprised by said snort, you begin to giggle all over again. The reason for the laughter is mostly because I am one of those people who loves most pumpkin anything. I will have pumpkin coffee, tea, late, cake, pie...heck, even my car air freshener will be pumpkin spice! Raise your hands if you belong to the club. Don't try to hide...you there, in the back...you have pumpkin on your face! Raise your hand.

So, what is it about fall that brings out our never ending craving for the large gourd? (Or is it a fruit? I have never been clear on that. I could look it up, but I figure that those of you who actually read this, will do it for me and inform us all.) And while we are at it, don't you think it's strange that once September and October are gone, the craving disappears only to come back in spurts here and there? That is one sneaky gourd! (Again, see above. Come on people, don't let me down!) All I know is that once I see one yellow or red leaf, I am a pumpkin goner!

Now, I should clarify...I only want to devour pumpkin foods and the occasional car freshener. Place a pumpkin candle on my table, light it and I could very well vomit. Seems a bit extreme right? I think that every time the revulsion rolls off of me and I have no plausible explanation. To any doctors out there that may be reading this...thoughts?

But I digress...Fall is also one of the best and my most favorite time to shoot landscapes. There is something magical about all the reds, golds and oranges that sway in the breeze and dance in the sun. My camera will be glued to my side in a week or so. Thoughts of having it surgically attached to me so that it can be ready at all times, crosses my mind...but then I think, nah, better not, lol! I am not wishing summer away, (Winter=Boo), but I can't wait to get out there and capture some of natures beauty. So, what are we waiting for?

Oh yea...Mother Nature. She's so beautiful, so who minds the wait!

AMP
Artfully Odd

Just a Thought

We as people, should be lifting each other up, not stepping on each other to get to where we are going. That goes for artists as well. How much better would our world be if what was put out was goodness, compassion, and the like? Just a thought....

Have a wonderful week!
A