Tonya Gray Art

Facebook Page

Looking for updated info?
Check out my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TonyaGrayArtWorks

I'll post pictures and shows dates and various musings and inspirations.

Thanks for supporting handmade!

with much gratitude,
Tonya

Portland Saturday Market weekend

I have a few limited edition magnetic boards making their debut this weekend, so that's new and fun.
A few sales items that need new homes, great deals will be had!

And lots of pretty + colorful chalkboards hoping to inspire and make someone smile.
Come on down if you're in town!

with gratitude (everyday),
Tonya

To market, to market, to share some arty goodness

I'll be at the Portland Saturday Market this Saturday (and maybe Sunday, too).
Chalk boards, spoon rests, block prints, oh my!

The weather is supposed to be clear and warm.
Here's to keeping everyone safe and healthy, right now we are having a little thunder + lightening activity. Spooky in the night sky.

with gratitude,
Tonya

New works!

These will be at the Mississippi Street Fair in Portland, Oregon today. 10am-6pm.

Dishwasher magnets, if your DW is stainless steel I have a way for them to stick!

Block prints on wood. Great colors!

Bird bowls. Sweet + quirkily imperfect. Quirkily, quite a quaint word...

with so much gratitude,
Tonya

Mississippi Street Fair

I'll be at the Mississippi Street Fair this Saturday July 14th. 10am-6pm, booth # 302.
Mississippi is in NE Portland.
I'll have magnetic chalkboards, ceramic spoon rests, block prints, and my new clean/not clean dishwasher magnets! More than one person who saw them suggested I make a fed/not fed sign or magnet for pets.
I just might work on that.

Should be stellar weather and many Portland Saturday Market friends will be there, too.

I'm taking Sunday off for a family day, and then will be back at PSM for most of the summer.

If I see you, I hope we say hello.
Have a blessedly wonderful weekend.

with gratitude,
Tonya

Good Morning!

Of course I need to take pictures, but the clean/dirty dishwasher magnets are doing really well and are pretty darn cute.
Come on down to the Market and see 'em!

Small dipping bowls are still in the works. It doesn't seem like a simple round dish would be tricky to make, but for this gal who is a self taught flat slab clay worker, it is a challenge.
But I really love the results.

I'm at the Portland Saturday Market this weekend, then the Mississippi Street Fair (in Portland, OR) next Saturday, then enjoying a day off.

Birds are singing, sun is shining, hello summer!

with much gratitude,
Tonya

New ideas in the making

The ceramic spoon rests are doing so well at various art galleries and gift stores.
Very, very fabu.
Makes me happy and busy and excited to find the next treasure to create.

I'm currently designing small dipping bowls.
For salt, oils, sauces. Ring holder, votive spot, what have you.
And a magnetic message board with a linen front, but no chalkboard surface.
And a wonderfully functional art magnet for the dishwasher, simple
'clean/dirty' with poppy colors + a little bird. Those should be ready next week.

Portland Saturday Market is bursting with visitors, the Rose Festival is in full swing, with the big ol' parade of floats (decorated with real flowers, all over, thousands of them) happening this coming Saturday.

Come on down, see the show, visit the market and say hi!

with much gratitude,
Tonya

New name for gray girl art; Tonya Gray Art

I do not have a strong online presence.
This doesn't bother me too much.
I'm a 'create what I want in the studio, offer now at this show, email me for custom orders' kind of artist.
But, it doesn't work well for long distance supporters.
Or repeat customers.

So, this is my meager beginnings.
Changing the blog name in hopes that if one were to search for Tonya Gray, this here website might come up.

In the meantime, I am busily finishing up custom orders, a wholesale order, and getting work ready for the Portland Gift Show (wholesale) and the Portland Saturday Market (retail).

Oh! And did you see who is featured in the Market ad in Sunset magazine?
Why that would be me, my friends.
xo

with much gratitude,
Tonya

Post Script: Well, that wasn't a great success. The change in blog name was a great idea, but the pictures from previous posts didn't show up, and that wasn't my intent at all. So, gray girl art is it for now.

My charming little family

Those are me and my guys in that there photo.
My support system.
My go get 'em team.

So very grateful.
So generously blessed.

I'm applying for some new shows this year, and it's all about the photos.
Well, it is about the quality of work that comes through the photos.
I hope to get some good ones soon, you know it's one of my bug-a-boos, getting decent images.

One time, I applied for a juried show and found out I knew one of the judges. She said I didn't get in because my work didn't 'POP!'. Usually that's exactly what my chalkboards do in person, pop with color and enthusiasm, so this photo situation is of great interest to me.

In the meantime, I have new ceramic ideas twirling around in my head and on paper.
Ooh, fun stuff!

with much gratitude,
Tonya

Seattle Flower and Garden Show 2012

Part of the booth set up from Seattle.

We had a great show. So many wonderful shoppers in Seattle, I love it there. My booth neighbors were friendly and helpful, the Show Gardens were inspiring, there were quite a few 'cafe garden' scenes; French bistro tables and chairs surrounded by flowers, just lovely.
Sold out of my little bird on a wire spoon rests, so that was informative, a) that I didn't bring enough, and b) that the lower price point is still a hit. My new larger chalkboards did well, too.
One style has this great school house red chalkboard paint, love it, and I paint the birds on a wire towards the top so there is plenty of writing room.
The other new style that I've been playing with is painting flowers right on top of the chalkboard paint, again so there is plenty of writing room, and each one is different.
Fun!

I'm getting ready for the opening weekend of the Portland Saturday Market + the Portland Gift Show, a wholesale show that is super sweet. Both are the same weekend, March 3 & 4, so I will do the Gift Show and Tom will man the booth at the Market.
What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man.

with gratitude,
Tonya