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After seeing a post talking about setting a goal to write 200 words a day I've decided to give it a go. My aim is a book, but not a full novel -- if it's a chapbook or novella I'd be thrilled. I have vaguely pictured myself writing and illustrating a children's book at some point in time, but I've never seen myself pursuing capital w - Writing. And yet I am always thinking of stories and I'd like to push myself to flesh something out beyond a few paragraphs. No hard goals no stress no recriminations if I fail. Just going to see about setting a habit, and find out if it can lead to something beautiful and true.

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"What they rarely tell you in the various fairy and folk tales is what happens after the terrifying transformation, when the cackling witch or sinister tree or mischievous imp has had their way.

In my case, becoming an apple wasn't the worst fate, as there are more difficult trials to endure than boredom. I could see beautiful hills, sparkling with morning dew and colored pink by spectacular sunsets. The stars had never been clearer, and sometimes, when the wind was right, I might be turned on my branch so I could watch the fish jumping joyfully in a nearby stream. (How many of those fish were fellow townsfolk transformed by some other devious agency? I have never found out.)

But the tedium of hanging on the branch day after day, without anyone to talk to, listening to the occasional mumbling of the wicked tree that had taken me as its prize would be enough to drive most people to madness.

Hardest to endure was watching the occasional traveler stop to slake their thirst in the stream, then rest their eyes from the blazing sun in the shade of my tree. Inevitably, their attention would be drawn upward to the perfect red apples bobbing on the branch, looking crisper and shiner and redder than any apple seen before. And there I was, helpless to warn them, as they reached for the tantalizing fruit, only to be transformed the instant their teeth bit the flesh.

It has been many years since my rescue, a tale I won't repeat as I'm sure you have heard it often enough. The village fool who tricked the tree into releasing its catch was eager to take me as bride, but although he was a fine lad and truly no fool, I firmly declined. I had had a taste of mystery, and possessed an intimate knowledge of captivity under magical means. Thus I took it upon myself to become hero to others in peril, though the tedium unique to that course of action is just as often overlooked (wearing out stone shoes is no sinecure).

For now, I will end my story here. I must return to a task set by a witch to sort grains of black sand from a sack of poppy seeds. I hear there is a magical doll who might be of assistance, and I must seek out her favor."

🍎 Anka ❤️

"When Anka Was an Apple" is part of the group show "What the Folk" at Poetic Tiger Gallery. Available online at poetictiger.com!

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I have learned to sew bucket hats and now I am unstoppable.

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Okay, IS anyone following me based in Portland, OR? Because it turns out Brassworks gallery used my painting for the face of the show, and printed physical postcards that I would love to get a few of as mementos.

Screenshot from their social media 👀

If you can grab a few cards and mail them to me I'd be happy to return the favor with a little sketch!

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An infestation of storm clouds has struck the back fields, but I think the crops will weather it nicely... 🍦

My newest Wood Bot painting is LIVE at Brassworks Gallery in Portland, Oregon for the Post Op group show!

I wanted to capture a minute of calm amidst the chaos of things beyond our control, and a reminder to savor precious moments before getting back to the necessary work. Some people say stop and smell the roses. If you're lucky you can also stop and watch the lizard. 🦎

"Wood Bot Finds Moments Worth Savoring" Acrylics on aluminum, 12x12", Anka Yanovna 2025

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"Polina The Pear" is my newest sculpture, currently in What The Folk, a group exhibition celebrating contemporary folk art! 🍐

The path to inspiration started a few months ago while sketching matryoshka and thinking they looked like funny little gourds. What would it be like to harvest them from the wild? I took the idea further, drawing a variety of growing things with decorated skins and sweet faces. When the opportunity for this show came up, I felt my little apple and pear were perfect candidates for sculpture.

The painted surface is inspired by intricate miniatures known as palekh which depict colorful scenes from myths and folk tales on small black lacquered boxes, brooches, and trinkets. The painting on Polina's stylized head scarf tells the tale of how she was turned into a pear, after inadvertently angering an imp which lived in the pear tree.

On the branch she hangs, waiting for the kind bird, brave doll, or hapless fool that will bring about her deliverance.

💚 Anka

Acrylic painting on paper clay, 3x4", 2025. Available online through Poetic Tiger Gallery

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✹ Scarlet Moon Morpho ✶ Acrylics on wood with metal leaf, appx 3x4" (Sold)

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🌷 Fluttercat or Catterfly? 🦋

New mini darlings painted on thick wood blocks, with metal leaf details. My first three have all been claimed through patreon, but I have nine more cutouts in various stages of prep for the next batch.

💕 Anka

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Strange times for normal fruits...

I have two new sculptures in Anthology Gallery's "What The Folk" group exhibition, view the show here 🍎 🍐

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While I love painting my sculptures there is such a special magic to them beforehand, calm and serene and brimming with possibilities. I like to keep them in this stage for awhile.

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Step lively and quench your thirst at Lula's Lemonade Stand! 🍋

Acrylics on mix media panel, 2x4", 2025. Sold

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Ah, the word I couldn't think of was unrestrained

Well, the title is DONE and it is "Wood Bot Finds Moments Worth Savoring" and you can see the painting in June when it will be part of a show at Brassworks gallery :)

Quickly! Send help! What's the memey caption (and variations) often used under pics of like, bears going down a slide, along the lines of "unbridled summer fun"

Is it that exact phrase? Doesn't sound quite right but that's the direction. Working on a title for a painting and that's the feeling I'm going for but the phrasing is a work in progress.

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Quickly! Send help! What's the memey caption (and variations) often used under pics of like, bears going down a slide, along the lines of "unbridled summer fun"

Is it that exact phrase? Doesn't sound quite right but that's the direction. Working on a title for a painting and that's the feeling I'm going for but the phrasing is a work in progress.

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✦ Sweetie Pie ✦

Who's the darlingest, cutiest, sweetiest girl??? She might not take well to strangers but she is loyal until death. ⚔️

I am thrilled to have this painting in Anthology Gallery's MEOWTOPIA group show, currently live! It felt really good to return to my tattoo cat series, from a world where our sweet companions show their personalities with custom dyed fur. Apparently this girl loves chewing flowers, chasing snakes, and watching butterflies, while we have to assume the hunting knife is how she regards her beautiful, beautiful claws. Better keep your hands off her favorite pink velvet pillow...

Her eyes are one of her best features: painted green with a holographic interference layer that can make them appear violet or blue from certain angles. She's bewitching! I'm bewitched!

MEOWTOPIA is running through May 16, 2025. Big thank you to artists/curators Aunia Kahn and Michael de Vena!

♡ Anka

Acrylic painting on hand shaped aluminum, appx. 12x12", 2025

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It keeps snowing in Maine but I hear that Sasha is on her way, with a spring in her step 🌷

Acrylic painting on mix media panel, 2x4", 2025 (Sold)

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For a few ...years? now there's been a glitch on a number of my etsy listings where they stayed posted without charging me the 20¢ renewal fee every four months. I've probably saved a few hundred dollars! Well someone caught on and Etsy sent me an email last month warning that they would be manually delisting everything on April 1 and if I didn't want an interruption in the shop I should manually renew them. So of course I waited, and April 1 comes and goes with everything still up, and I'm thinking did they try and trick me into paying without actually fixing anything?!

Sadly someone was doing their job because I just checked in (April 4) and most of the shop is down.

Ah well, it was good while it lasted! Anyway ALL of my art is on my own site artbasealpha.com and if you visit on desktop you get to play with rainbow cursor stars. And me? I live to scam another day. 😎

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I always include a hand drawn card with every order, but once in a blue moon I'll do a mini printmaking session instead. These are foam prints on hand painted paper ✿