Artwork: Gothic Spiders

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Gothic Spiders is inspired by the dark holiday of Halloween. Spiders can be a little creepy, but I've always thought they were fascinating creatures.

Artwork: Jewelry, Pink Glass Earrings

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I created these one-of-a-kind dangly earrings from pieces of pink glass, crystal, and dainty leaves. Available at Etsy.

Free Backgrounds: Pattern of Roses and Green Patterns

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here are more free backgrounds to use in both commercial and non-commercial/personal work. The Pattern of Roses and Abstract Green Patterns are part of my Creative Commons library of free backgrounds.

Photo: Sheriff & Her Gun

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

I took a few photos of this woman with her toy gun. In other shots, she was smiling and looked carefree, but it's interesting that the monotone quality makes her look menacing.

Photo: Enchantments and Witchapalooza

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The time for magic and wizardry will soon visit us with All Hallowed Eve. To celebrate the holiday, there's a cool show at the Cal Expo in Sacramento called the Witchapalooza for October 10th and 11th 2009. Steampunk and fire performances are sure to be a great addition.

Photo: Pig Skull

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Don't forget to visit the dentist!

Artwork: Tribal Snake with Circular Ornaments

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here's a simple tribal illustration that's inspired by the woodwork of the Haida community of the Pacific Northwest. Shirt here

Artwork: My Skull Designs on Etsy

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought my skull designs would have a nice place in the public marketplace: www.shaireproductions.etsy.com.

Photo: T'boli Folk Dancer

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Resource: Tips for Professional Artists

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Harriete Estel Berman is a metalsmith who shares interesting tips and advice for fellow artists and crafters. Such topics range from Juried Opportunities to Contracts. Great resource! Visit her website here

Artwork: Skull with Maple Leaves

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Skull with Maple Leaves pays homage to Halloween and the presence of autumn in a subtle manner.

Photo: Orange Flower with a Honeybee

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Photo: Tunnel

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

View from the back of a tunnel towards the SF Bay Bridge.

Photos: Corporate Building

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Artwork: Tribal Bird

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Tribal Bird is an intricate pen/ink design that was born in the waiting room for Jury Duty. The t-shirt design can be found here.

Photo: Traditional Filipino Folk Dancer

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Artwork: Hibiscus Pearl and Silver Necklace

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here's another custom-made necklace I created for a friend. It's a combination of off-white and white pearls with silver beading and chains.

Photos: Shaolin Wushu Kungfu Performance

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here are some candid photos of the U.S. Shaolin Wushu team from Oakland, CA. They were taken at the Oakland Chinatown Street Fest.

New Online Advertising/ Marketing: Widget as a Website

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Skittles was one of the first brands who compressed their site into a widget format. It aggregated content from multiple sites: Flickr (photos), Youtube (videos), Friends (Facebook group) and others. It clearly shows the power of Web 2.0--increasing social interaction in an open-format manner.

Most recently, Zombieland (the new release of Sony Pictures) incorporated this new format for several items. I wonder what will be the next innovation. . .

Free Background: Blue and White Brushstrokes

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Here's another free background to use as you please (Creative Commons License). Image here.

Photo: Interior Staircase

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Artwork: Seeing Stars, Tattooed Girl

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Seeing Stars is inspired by Harajuku Gothic fashion and was created with pen on vellum (with Photoshop accents).

Artwork: Henna, Dragon with Floral Patterns

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

It's been about a decade since I've done henna body art professionally. It was a great learning experience--to explore and develop different artistic styles.

Recently, I was asked to participate in a henna project for the Aquanuts Synchronized Swim Team. After a long night of decorative work for others, I was able to create this piece on myself in an hour, freehand, reviving my carpal tunnel. Good times!

Photo: Hawaiian Dancer

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Free Backgrounds: Crumpled Paper & Blurred Lights

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Crumpled Paper and Blurred Lights are new photos that I'm offering as a free download. They're part of my Creative Commons collection of photo backgrounds to use in both commercial and personal work. Simply click on the image and enjoy!

Inspiration: Richard Avedon Portrait Exhibition

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

If you get a chance to swing by the SF Museum of Modern Art, check out Richard Avedon's portrait exhibit. It's so inspiring to see the personalities of his subjects come to life in black & white.

News: Disney Buys Marvel and its 5,000 Characters

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Disney purchases Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. From a marketing perspective, this is a very interesting buy, as this will enable Disney to gain a wider (male) audience. Disney has a strong appeal to young girls (princesses and magic castles) through its depth of global licensing and technology. With the acquisition of Marvel, they could market to a older demo--Marvel has a "coolness" that Disney does not. "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Nightmare Before Christmas" were successful for Disney in reaching different audiences, but Marvel will be key to retaining the young audience through adulthood via the numerous well-loved superhero characters and depth of story-telling. For Marvel, the licensing and distribution of characters and products will be easier through different venues. I'm sure we'll soon see the X-men or Spiderman as a theme park ride.

Artwork: Carnival Twins

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Carnival Twins is a mixed media piece inspired by the HBO Show "Carnivale", the 1932 film "Freaks", and my fascination with vintage Victorian fashion.

Photo: Traditional West Java Dance

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

This traditional Javanese Folk Dancer was performing at the Oakland Chinatown Street Fest.

Inspiration: Success is. . .

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Found this Installation Art at the Galleria in San Francisco. It's an inspiring display of various quotations on what success is. One of my favorites is Michelangelo's: "I hope that I may always desire more than I can accomplish."

Photo: Art & Soul Festival, Michael Jackson Dance Tribute

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The legacy of Michael Jackson still lives on. Here are a few photos from a MJ Tribute through dance at the Art & Soul Festival in Oakland.

Artwork: The Chosen One

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The Chosen One is a mixed media piece (graphite and digital) based on the multiple myths and stories of "the one" who's born to save or cause destruction to the world. I've always thought of pregnancy/creation of life as a mysterious, almost supernatural affair.

Photo: Pop & Lock Dance Crew

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

Hip hop galore! This hip-hop dance crew looked quite fashionable as they strutted to and fro across the stage at Oakland's Art & Soul Festival.

Photo: Rhythm & Blues Musicians

Posted by Sherrie Thai of Shaire Productions.

The annual Art & Soul Festival in Oakland showcases a wide range of talented musicians from Blues and Jazz to Latin Pop. Here are a couple of fellows from the event.