I truly love writing… most of the time. But it is like exercise, it is something that has to be done regularly (if you are an aspiring writer) and it is not always enjoyable. Last week was hard for me. All it takes is one emotional blow or a bad day at work and the last thing I want to do is sit down and get my daily writing done. It can easily become an internal fight. Which is why I’m spending this quarter focusing on habit building. Right now, I’m not concerned about the quality of work. I’m concerned about consistency, habits and frankly- showing up.

I put together this post to jam out some writing and share 10 tips to help you commit to the writing groove.

Before I went on my writing hiatus I met with Sacramento’s artist Sarah Golden. I first saw her work at the Urban Hive, a local co-working space. Normally, I’m not drawn to a pale palette or the color pink (which was prominent in this particular series) but her work stopped me dead in my tracks. The first series I saw used color and simple shapes to pull the viewer in closer to the canvas. I was surprised at how moved I was by her work. It’s stunning.

Abstract work is a hard sell for some people. If I had a dollar for every-time I heard someone say, ‘Oh I could do that,’ I’d be rich. The thing about abstract work is that it comes down to the artists’ style and use of composition. It’s almost like a signature. Sarah’s abstract paintings remind me of poetry or music. Her use of negative space weaves your eye in and out and around corners.

We all need to give less fucks.

If you know me, you know that in moments of discouragement or frustration, I turn to art. Lately, I’ve been learning a thing or two from Banksy, an artist notorious for his political street art and controversial pop-ups. Bansky, who once broke into a museum and installed a fake painting that sat on display for months before it was noticed. Banksy, who recently installed a shredder into the frame of one of his own works so that the piece would self-destruct after being sold at auction. Like Damien Hirst and Marcel Duchamp, he gets his audience thinking.

Are there people in your life trying to dictate how you should be living? Are there voices casting judgement on your dreams? Audit the naysayers. Take charge, like Banksy, and don’t let a stuffy, fearful culture keep you from experimenting, taking risks, and having fun.

I was going through an awful depression last year, and there were people spreading rumors, saying cruel things about my running my social media marketing business, raising my brother and purposely trying to damage my reputation in a small community. I’ll be honest and take accountability, my reaction was full of self-deprecating victimization and I defensively said some not nice things while drinking copious amounts of booze. Not my proudest moment. However, once I finally got myself out of bed, I realized….I don’t want to be that person in anyone’s life and we all are capable of growth!

In my post last week about SF, I made a little art historical reference that may have been missed by some. One thing that is incredibly annoying about the artworld is it’s pretentious intellectual currency. There is an air the permeates these circles making it hard for commoners such as myself to break-in. I always have a hard time wrapping my head around it. Now that I officially do marketing and sales for a living I can’t help but wonder from a business and industry standpoint - don’t we want the masses to buy more art? Don’t we want people to become collectors so more artists can subsidize their lives and world becomes filled with more creative energy?!

I met Diane while we both were attending UCLA (GO BRUINS!). I had just moved to Los Angeles from little ole' Grass Valley and was endlessly intrigued by the deeply embedded artist culture of my new city. A culture I have always felt Diane uniquely taps into.  It has been an honor to watch her work evolve from taking photos of friends on the rooftops of buildings to producing her one-of-a-kind publication, Suspend Magazine.

ENTER TO WIN ISSUE 05 OF SUSPEND MAGAZINE WITH HAYLEY KIYOKO
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"To create – is to, unknowingly – arrest one’s mind. SUSPEND Magazine is an ongoing conversation between creative thinkers and endless believers."

In conjunction with the release of their latest issue we have partnered with Suspend Magazine for a giveaway.

To win a copy of this limited edition publication like both Lu Curates + Suspend on Facebook and tell us about your favorite street artist, brand, or hangout in the comments. 

Contemporary art is finally starting to move out of the confusion it has been experiencing the last decade. Young artists are beginning to find their voices alongside more experienced and practiced veterans. Finding raw beginning talent is what makes the satellite shows in Miami so exciting and a requirement of art goers. 

In a perfect world I would spend most of my year indulging my art nomadic tendencies by attending international art fairs and gypseting through life. Life might not be perfect but I strongly believe that when you shoot for the moon you will at least land in the stars.

The time had come to leave New York. The next stop on my road trip was Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I was only there for a couple nights but I loved stumbling into Fall. Unlike my previous haunts, Pennsylvania, DC and New York, the South hadn’t committed itself to the wintery snow storms of the North East. In late November, most of the trees were still bursting with vibrant colors. 

Art Basel Miami drives troves of people from across the world to Miami during the course of their art fair this week (Dec. 4th -7th). However, word on the street has always been that the satellite shows are where it is at for contemporary art goers. It doesn’t hurt that they are more affordable, attracting emerging artists, careerist, and young people.

Many people didn’t expect me to go to college, let alone graduate. My family fell apart when I was 15.  By 16, I was a high school dropout living on my own in Reno, Nevada. Not exactly a great start for the future I dreamed of.

I have been obsessed with artist, Ana Kras' work, ever since I first came across one of her beautifully made and handcrafted Bonbon lamps.

I realize I need to get some curation and art up on this blog. Here’s what caught my eye in the news lately… You can also like Lu Curates on Facebook to find out more.

The joke goes, if the weather app says there is a 30% chance of rain then it will rain for 30% of the day. I imagine our Pittsburgh summer weather is similar to the Northwest like Seattle or Portland.

As I stood at the airport waiting for my brother Dominic to land, everything from this summer, any frets or stress I was feeling, started to melt away and eventually left me. He stepped off the plane wearing his "DEAF AND LOUD," shirt proudly