Angie Thieszen Wood Stain Art

Someone pinch me please!!! 🤏 After a year off from ArtPrize I have developed a concept for a piece I am absolutely stoked about. The only thing that could have made me even more excited was getting connected to a venue who could showcase it perfectly to a large amount of people. My dreams have become reality friends!!! I have been honored with DeVos Performance Hall / DeVos Place Convention Center accepting my request to be the venue host of my work this September. I am beyond thrilled for this massive opportunity. Get ready Grand Rapids…there’s going to be something “Fairily Tiny” all hand drawn and stained with wood stain gracing the DeVos Place Performance Hall for ArtPrize 2024 ❤️🧚🏻❤️🧚‍♂️❤️🧚🏻‍♀️

Thank you Old Town Art Fair and everyone who came out to enjoy the art. It was a great weekend full of meeting new people, hugging my friends, seeing a beautiful neighborhood and introducing my art to a new area of the Windy City. Although my ankle definitely showed me signs it is still internally healing I’m proud to say I set up, walked a lot, made it through two full days of interacting, tore everything down and drove the trip all by myself with no need for my ankle brace. I’m getting there!

When a wood stain artist gets to set up literally in front of a house completely faced in raw wood 😍😍😍😍. Oh man it would be a dream to stain that baby!

Old Town is open!!!! Come on out today 10-7 and tomorrow 10-6. Booth 105 on Lincoln Park West. Can’t wait to see you.

It’s finally a show week!!!! Getting all the last minute prep work and mock set ups worked on since I haven’t had to set up for an outdoor show since last October. Come see me this Sat 10-7 & Sun 10-6 in Booth 105 on Lincoln Park West in the Old Town Art Fair. I have all my new “Minis” and “Anywhere Series” pieces ready for purchase!

Here is my current show schedule for this year. I may be adding 1-2 in Sept/Oct yet but for now this is where you will be able to find me. I’ve decided to cut way back on the number of shows due to the recovering ankle, family commitments and time needed for an upcoming large project. I sure hope I will be able to see many of you at a show!

I’ve been working on more small pieces (these are 10”x10” or 8”x12”) for my show season. It’s been fun to capture the details of a broad range of subjects. What subject matter would you want captured in wood stain?

It’s a beautiful day to drop off some commissioned pieces to Printer’s Row! I’m SO excited that James and Jen have hung in there through almost 3 years of waiting on permits to get their dream bar up and running. I’m completely honored to have been chosen for two large pieces going up on the walls. “A Hint of Rosemary” and “Making A Splash” will welcome all their friends when they open in June!

Current broken ankle healing journey observations post boot…
-Apparently bruising is not over 😩. The ball of my foot hasn’t been used in 7 weeks so now it’s taking a beating.
-When you walk slow with a boot, people have patience but once the boot is gone they can’t figure out why you are being so slow and lose patience with you quickly.
-I find myself almost as tired at the end of a day as I did in the very beginning.
-My leg shakes at the end of the day, my ankle/foot is often swollen and my shin splints are real.
-I keep trying to drive with my left leg/foot out of my new-found habit.

I’m officially on my way…out of the boot and into the air cast! 7 weeks post break and the bone is fused back together fully with several more months to go to be fully hardened on the inside. Yippee skippy…or maybe just yippee carefully walk as my ankle regains flexibility and my leg regains muscle.

The mini number is growing…there’s going to be lots to choose from at my shows. Come ready to grab your favorites!

Working on some new minis in all kinds of subject matter this week. What would you want a mini of?

Had my 4.5 week appointment this morning and although the ankle tendons are still holding on strong enough to not need surgery, the bones have shifted a little more then the doctor had hoped for so 3 more weeks in the boot full time with more elevating and icing as much as possible along the way. Then another round of x-rays to see if the bone is getting stronger and the ankle bones are staying together enough for no surgery and transition out of the boot. Not the best news but certainly not the worst. Onward I hobble…

Celebrating the sale of “Bottled Up No More”! This customer scored this original, one-of-a-kind piece at 60% off! There are 17 more pieces left at these HUGE savings in the “Discounted Originals” section of my shop on my website. Listed prices are original prices so put in code “60%OFF” in checkout to get your savings. Shipping is available or you can save even more with local pick up. www.angiethieszenwoodstainart.com #60%off

Back in the studio this morning for the first time since breaking my ankle. I am now at home on my lunch break, giving it a good icing and then heading back to continue on with this large second piece commission for a bar opening up in the next couple months on Printer’s Row. Here are some progress photos of the first piece I was able to complete the staining of just before my fall. Can’t wait to have these both done and hung in their new home!

This broken ankle has brought some inconvenience, annoyance and physical pain but it has also brought sadness as I have had to say no to several things my heart says yes too. This past week my family had planned to hike in the Smokies and I’m sad we didn’t get the trip we had planned for. Yes, we still went and we still had a good time but it just wasn’t the trip I had hoped for. While there with realizing how swollen my foot was still getting with travel and use, I had to make the super hard call to cancel my upcoming show at Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. I will miss being at this show SO much!!! Life isn’t always happy and it’s completely okay to grieve when wonderful plans get derailed. The recovery continues…

Week and a half post fall and the swelling is significantly down, the colors are fading more and I’m learning how to do things with my foot propped up on ice. Last night was an online class over zoom with three gallery owners in California. Great information and advice as I continue to seek out all different avenues in the art world. Do you have a favorite gallery?

Yay!!!! I’m still in the midst of nailing down my show season this year…especially now after breaking my ankle. This was a great email to open this morning. Art Fair on the Square / Madison Museum of Contemporary Art…see you in July!

My life these days…my broken ankle started hurting significantly more three days ago so now I’m sporting a scooter and remaining on the couch as much as possible. My dogs are loving it-ha! I’m continuing to work as much as I can on lots of small and mini pieces from the couch. Drawing, drawing, and more drawing. The bruises are still very much my colorful additions and the swelling is still getting iced every couple hours. Tip for anyone in a walking boot…this “Evenup” shoe extender is a game changer as far as uneven hip pain! Happy Friday everyone!

Some days black and white is where it’s at. What are your favorites for my new headshot?

Got the good news this morning…no surgery! Yay! Walking boot for the next month and then we’ll gradually get me back into normal shoes. Should be fully healed in 3 months. 🙏

Broken ankle/leg…not going to stop this artist! Hard at work drawing lots of new minis and smalls. Whatever pieces I can do on my lap I’m trying to do. Can you tell sitting still isn’t in my vocab? 😜

Sooo…not my best way of celebrating my hubby’s birthday today 😩🙄. I head back on Monday to see if I will need surgery. 🤞that won’t be needed. I’d love to have a really creative cool story to go along with this break but I don’t. Such a bummer on all accounts. At least my first broken bone waited until I turned 46! 😘

Did you catch the news yesterday? 18 original wood stain art pieces are 60% off! There were 19 but one already sold so hurry on over to www.angiethieszenwoodstainart.com to grab yours! #60%off

What have you been up to lately? I’m in “over my head” (literally only) in two large commissions for an up and coming bar on Printer’s Row in downtown Chicago. It’s been so fun to be working large scale again.

When you have to get your first pair of bifocals you at least make them fun so you don’t feel as old.

My comfy seat at the gas station waiting for my beloved hubby to rescue me since the tow truck won’t get here for a couple more hours. What a day!