Meet the Artist

New Year's 2006/7

Kathy and Michelle Shocked and an enlaraged version of Ginny, a Lefties drawing
Onstage in Hollywood, California, 2003

Kathy selling her wares at the San Clemente Art Fair, Southern California, 2003

My Sawdust Art Festival Booths - Laguna Beach, California (2000, 2001 & 1996)

Silk Painting in Action

THE ARTIST

I have been drawing all my life and in fact still have drawings of squiggly circles from when I was 2 years old - thanks to my mom! When I was in graphic design school my friend and I invented and drew cartoon characters for ourselves so I became 'LuLu'. The characters evolved into books about LuLu and her friends which kept me entertained during the long winter months until spring returned and school was out. This alter ego 'LuLu' kept reminding me to have fun, be adventurous and keep laughing so of course I had to name my business LuLu Design. In 1991 I met my husband-to-be and moved from Kingston, Ontario, Canada to sunny Southern California after completing my Art History Degree and a Graphic Design Diploma.

THE WORK

My designs are primarirly created in my imagination but I also like to work with themes such as the calender months, seasonal celebrations and mythical archetypes. I am also greatly inspired by my pets; Luis (Pin) - the black kitty, Truffles (Squeakie) - a tabbycat and Guinness (Bubbie) - my big golden/australian shepherd. My main mediums are waterbased: silk dyes on silk, acrylic on wood, and watercolor on paper.

LuLu Design is dedicated to my mom, Vera; thanks for being my biggest fan! When I was growing up I helped my mom, an elementary school teacher in the classroom quite a bit. Every year I illustrated vowels from her alphabet series which we tacked up on the walls. I also designed a yearly calender which featured holiday celebrations and nature activities relating to the seasons i witnessed out my window. When I was 12 my mom wrote a book about allergies and I illustrated it. Left to my own devices I kept busy designing and illustrating books, magazines, a newspaper (Dog-a-Ville Daily News), commercials, board games, beauty contests and loads of drawings of people, heads and shoes!

THE LEFTIES

In 2001 I began drawing characters called the 'Lefties' with my non-dominant left hand because frankly, my right hand had somehow lost it's sense of humour. I was interested in achieving an edgier, more simplified yet ethereal style and discovered that it was possible with my left hand. By merely hinting at the essentials of personality I deliberately draw in a low-tech style in defiance of an impossibly advancing high-tech world. The 'Lefties' are inspired by friends, odd conversations, Edward Gorey, the Trickster, fashion and Margaret Atwood. The Lefties are a tribute to the cornucopia of colorful characters who have inspired me along the way and are my way of saying "thank you for being you!" The Lefties Series is now officialy dedicated to my curious brother Gary, the first person to make me laugh!

In 2003 Activist and Singer Michelle Shocked invited the Lefties to appear in their debut performance at her Campfire Series in Hollywood, California. Michelle must have recognized a compadre in the 'Lefties' because she encouraged me and the 'Lefties' to face our fears (of public speaking), sing out and stand up for who we are.

In the spring of 2005 I began a monthly (maga)zine of my favorite Lefties giving them a venue to sing their tales of mischief and wisdom. Soon the Leftie spirit caught on in my community and folks started posing as Lefties while I snapped polaroids. Everyone seemed to understand that for just one moment it was ok to be silly and quite odd. The zine was originally titled 'Gadfly' and contained drawings and poetry in a hand bound chapbook format but since 2006 it has changed to a postcard format (roughly 8 postcards, 1 polaroid reproduction and one 'Book of the Month" card) titled "Songs of the Lefties". Subscriptions are also available @ 4 issues for $20.00 (postage included).

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE LEFTIES:

"very elegant and refined although gives the appearance of being casual" - Bill Agee, Photographer, Laguna Beach

"my realtor went crazy and practically tried to take them all" - Kay Ferrell, ESL Teacher (Will Ferrell's mom!)

"there is something that is sexual and not sexual all at the same time. It felt very edgy." - Lisa Kelly, Lawyer

"you must travel to some secret place when you create these, they have too much life and individuality to be created in an ordinary day-to-day environment." - Jennice Hyden, Healer

"capturing the essentials" - Tangerine Bolen, Writer, Student

"fresh and unpretentious" - Denise, Editor, Pussycat Zine

"I think I know all these people" - Susan Ruyle, Editor, Dawn Magazine

"I've never seen anything like it...I laughed out loud" - Michael Pontacolini, Editor, Spoon Magazine

"They're so delicate, succinct, playful, refreshing" - Susan Mrosek, Artist, "Pondering Pool" card line and Author of "Leaks"

"zen-like" - Mary Fleener, Cartoonist

"The world needs more of your kind of clever sillines" - Linda Brunker, Sculptor, Gallery 13, Los Angeles

"I am charmed...beg her to keep drawing" - Andree Lachapelle, Zine Reviewer for Broken Pencil Magazine

SHOWS & TEACHING EXPERIENCE ETC.

• Sawdust Art Festival: 1995-2001
• Sawdust Art Festival: Silk painting classes
• HGTV - Silk painting demonstration for Michael Hulligan's "Your New House" Show
• Laguna Outreach Community Artists: art classes
• Border's Books: Artist of the Month
• Jojo Pinkie Gallery
• Guest Artist/Speaker at the Campfire Series International Women's Day show ("Civil liberties are like marshmallows") hosted by Michelle Shocked in collaboration with the International A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition @ Molly Malones, L.A., 2003
• Temecula Valley Art League Member: 2004-7
• The Musician's Workshop: One Woman Show
• Creator/Facilitator of The Writer's Cafe - a Temecula writer and poet's group
• Creator/Facilitator of The Artist's Salon - a Temecula artist's gathering critique group 2008
• Founding member of Riverside Printmakers Club (RPM) - Riverside Art Museum, 2008
• New York Stationery Show 2006
• Santa Monica Contemporary Crafts Market
• North County Authors and Poets Book Fair 2006
• San Diego Poetry Annual Publication Party 2007- Speaker
  

  PUBLICATIONS

  • Barely A Taste - Poetry by Tangerine Bolen
  • We'Moon Journal/Calendar 2005 and 2008, 2009
  • Recycled Paper Greetings
  • Astro-Goddess Playbook (Self published)
  • Art Venues Magazine
  • Art Business News
  • Online Galleries: How Original, Enchanted Artists, Art and Design Online, Ashtree Publishing,
    
  • Dawn Magazine - Staff Cartoonist - Orange County
  • Kiss Machine Magazine - Staff Cartoonist - Toronto, Canada 2006-2007
  • Altar Magazine - Brooklyn, New York
  • Press Enterprise Newspaper - Locals Section - Riverside County, CA
  • The Spoon Magazine - Windsor, CT
  • Broken Pencil Magazine - Toronto, Canada
  • Neighbors Newspaper
  • Zine World Review #23
  • University of Windsor (EUSA) "Dark Humour" Zine*
  • The San Diego Poetry Annual 2007, 2008

    LICENSING
    My artwork is being produced on these products by The Fairy Society - www.TheFairySociety.com:
    Creative Image Licensing - Tubed art for taggers & hobbyists
    Fantasy Fabric Blocks - www.fantasyfabricblocks.com
    Designer Fabric Handbags - www.MyScarletRose.com
    Fantasy Tea Shop - www.fantasyteashop.com
    Enchanted Tattoos - Tattoos and Stickers - www.enchantedtattoos.com
    

    ZINE STUFF

    • Self published zines: Mugwort, Ground, LuLu
      Discovers New Zealand, gadfly, Songs of the Lefties
    • Orange County Museum of Art: Zine Scene Show
    • San Jose Museum of Art: Art of Zines Show
    • UCLA Arts Library Zine Collection (310-825-7253)
    • Baltimore Museum of Art: Dark Matter Zines Show
    • San Diego Women's History Museum - "Making Zines=Making Herstory" Zine Show
    • Pacific NW College of Art Library: Zine Collection
    • Carnegie Library of Pittsburg: Teen's Zine Collection
    • 100-Sided Die Library - Montreal's Mile End
      
    • Solidarity! Revolutionary Center & Radical Library - Lawrence, KS
      
    • San Diego State University West Coast Zine Collection
      
    • Che Cafe Collective Zine Library - La Jolla, CA
      
    • Litvision Gallery
    • Susun Weed's Ezine: Weed Wanderings
    • Creative Soup Zine
    • Pussycat - Ezine
    • Eye Candy Zine
    • Turbula - Ezine
    
    

    COMMENTS

    "Kathy is our top selling artist and we love working with her." ~
    Black Cat Gallery Owner, Randi Peshkin
    
    "Self esteem boosting projects from visual artist Kathy Crabbe" (describing the show I did with Michelle Shocked) ~ Los Angeles Times Calender, Mar. '03
    
    "Thanks for making a picture that makes me smile when I look at it everyday" ~
    Stefanie Schmidt, Marine Biologist, Dec. '03
    
    "Your work has a nice, happy feeling, very dreamy and feminine with a fun feel." ~
    Marty Noble, Book and Greeting Card Artist
    
    "Beautiful colors, composition and wit" ~ Karen Silverman, Attorney, San Francisco, 2003
    
    "I couldn't be happier!...Your colors are out of this world, and you certainly know how to put them together!" ~ Cathy Miller, Owner of Big on Batik
    
    "A cute, contemporary line" ~ Ginger McCleskey, Greeting Card Rep/Consultant
    
    "Kathy creates our top selling card line!" ~ Betty, Manager of Latitude 33 Bookshop in Laguna Beach, California, 2004
    
    "They just make you giggle", "Sophisticated and whimsical at the same time" ~ Customers overheard at an Art Show - 2004
    
    "I'm really captured by the friendliness and serenity of your work" ~ Maritza Marroquin - a customer at the Oceanside Days of Art Show - April, 2006
    
    Kathy is proud to be the grand-daughter of James Simpkins; renowned Canadian cartoonist and creator of "Jasper the Bear" - "the most recognizable Canadian cartoon character of the 20th century" ~ National Post, Feb. 2004
    
    

    TOUCHSTONES... FOR INSPIRATION

    Juliette of the Herbes, gypsies, caravans, the forest, magic, herblore, wortcunning, fairy mounds and rings, la luna, deep pools of water, toads, frogs, Ontario lakes, canoeing in a handmade canoe, astrology, The Wheel of the Year, trees, tarot, sumi-e, ginger wine, witches, Rupert & Enid, Celtic music, the sound of waves lapping upon a lake shore, owls, inuit art, illuminated manuscripts, Japanese haiku, Marija Gimbutas, Sabrina Ward Harrison, Susun Weed, Durga Bernhard, Candy Jernigan, Steven Forrest, Chagall, Anais Nin, Harold & Maude, English Country cottage gardens, John Anster Fitzgerald, Richard Doyle, Eleanore Vera Boyle, Tasha Tudor, Roz Chast, Matisse, Vivienne Flesher, Florence Scovel Shinn, Thomas Moore, Diane Arbus, Amy Brown, William Blake, Edvard Munch, Shiko Munakata, my grandfather; James Simpkins (creator of the beloved Canadian cartoon character "Jasper the Bear") and last but not least my family, friends & pets ('Squeaky,' 'Pin,' and 'Bubbie')

    MENTORS/INSPIRATION

    Edward Gorey ~ Artist/Author: "The Curious Sofa", "The Epileptic Bicycle", "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"
    
    Mayumi Oda ~ Artist/Author: "Goddesses"
    
    Margaret Atwood ~ Author/Poet: "Wilderness Tips", "The Robber Bride"
    
    Barbara Hand Clow ~ Astrologer/Author: "The Liquid Light of Sex"
    
    John O'Donahue ~ Author: "Anam Cara"
    
    Tarot Decks ~ "The Greenwood Tarot" by Mark Ryan & Chesca Potter
    and "The Fairy Deck" by Claire Nahmad
    
    Lewis Hyde ~ Author of "Trickster Makes This World - Mischief, Myth and Art"
    
    Max Ernst ~ Artist and Creator of the collage novel: "La Femme 100 tetes"
    
    Roz Chast ~ Cartoonist for the New Yorker
    
    Maude ~ from the movie "Harold and Maude"
    
    Donald Hall ~ Poet/Teacher
    
    Stevie Smith ~ Poet/Artist
    
    Bill Agee ~ Photographer