LaRueLaPaloOza

Signs of spring

2012-03-06T21:00:00.000-06:00

You could have bowled me over with a feather today.

It was so incredibly warm outside. The first day we've have over 60 degrees this year, and I swear I heard a robin yesterday too. Because it was so warm I took my run outside today and when I returned I noticed that my crocuses were already blooming. What a great surprise! Last winter was so cold that nothing bloomed for another month.

And I did get in a nice stretch of studio time last weekend. I know I've been threatening to show some new encaustic work for awhile now but it is soooo close. Really.

100th Post!

2012-03-01T16:55:00.001-06:00

Why is it the busier I am the less productive I feel?

So sorry for the unplanned absence but I have been very busy. And it has not been at creating art!

I did find some time to create these stacking rings for my friend's birthday though. It was very satisfying to be able to complete a project so quickly and be happy with it. I made 7 rings from 16 gauge argentium silver wire. Then I gave them a nice hammered texture, and buffed them so they sparkled.

This isn't exactly what I had planned for my 100th post. I really wanted it to be something more special than this but I started to feel guilty for not having posted in so long. Plus I miss conversing with you all!

I might be able to squeeze in some studio time this weekend which would be really nice.

Enjoy!

In the mail

2012-02-12T19:38:00.000-06:00

I purchased a gift for my brand new nephew from Sparrow Avenue. But this isn't all of it because I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Barbara was so kind to also include a little gift for me too. One of her hand dyed zipper pouches with a whale print. I am a huge fan of Barbara's sketches and her textiles are top notch. So beautiful!

Just a peek

2012-02-01T19:49:00.000-06:00

This is a small peek at what I have so far for this project. It's really not flowing very naturally though. I did use the alcohol inks in a way I liked finally. They are the round blobs and I used them on the board before I covered it with wax.

I am so ready for the weekend and it's only Wednesday. Maybe it's because we've had such nice weather and I haven't been able to go outside during the day to enjoy it. Exactly one year ago today we had a giant snow storm and had two days off of school. What a difference this winter has been compared to last winter!

New Work

2012-01-29T11:15:00.001-06:00

Overflow
Encaustic
15x7

Here is the piece I spoke about in my last post. I will still probably tweak it a little bit though. As you can see it is a triptych but it's not as organized as I would like it to be. I started this one in late November and I used my daughter as my muse for this piece. As a result I tried to put too much into it and it seems a little visually chaotic. But I guess that's what I get for using a 13 year old as my subject!

Anyways the breakthrough I had was with the dry transfer technique. I had never quite gotten the hang of it and was very displeased with the amount of detail, or lack of detail I was getting. But last night I figured it out. And I also found out that my micron pens will actually draw on the wax in small amounts. I used this technique with the bird and the cage and I will definitely be exploring it more. Drawing directly on the wax is something I have been wanting to do since I started working with it.

This last image shows the card advertising the 4th Fridays show for next month and my artwork submission from July is on it! It's the image on the lower right. And there's my ribbon! Thank you so much for all the great comments too. I am still flying high from that night!

I will have a sneak peek to post later on this week because as my friend Ariadne From Greece said...I am on a roll!

Wow...just wow!

2012-01-28T18:35:00.000-06:00

Who knew?! This is what I saw when I arrived at the show last night. Not only did I receive an honorable mention but someone actually bought my artwork! I was positively giddy. I tried to hide it a little. I told myself not to make a big deal about it but I don't think I did a very good job.

It is so flattering to think that someone else appreciates this piece just as much as I do. At the same time I never, in a million years, expected to sell anything so I was totally unprepared to part with it. It's a weird mix of emotions. I am so happy but at the same time I feel like I've lost something important.

So today all I kept thinking was that I must make more! I must get into the studio and keep working. In my last post I said that I was stuck and I was hoping for an epiphany. Well, I did! Okay maybe epiphany is a strong word but I did have a breakthrough. And tomorrow when it's light out I will take some photos so I can show you what I have been working on.

Finally again

2012-01-21T18:00:00.000-06:00

Remember these? Well I finally found the time to enter the 4th Friday's show again at the Starline Gallery and the two pieces I submitted were accepted. I packed them up into this colorful upcycled burlap bag I found and navigated the snowy roads to drop them off.

Bridgette made a post not long ago about how she changed one of her encaustics because the fern frond had faded from a pretty green to a dull yellowish hue. I didn't think about that when I submitted the photo for my work. I used a photo that was taken right after I finished it and realized afterwards that my leaf had suffered the same fate. You can see the original leaf color in the Laruelapalooza header if you scroll up. Well it was too late for me to change it, but I wonder if there is a way to prevent the fading. I really like using pressed leaves in my work.

Hopefully I will be done with a few new pieces soon. None of them are coming along the way I'd like them to. I seem to be stuck. I can see the idea in my head very clearly but the artwork just isn't conveying the vision in my head at all. I might get some time in the studio tomorrow to work a little and maybe I'll have an epiphany!

Happy Saturday!

In the mail

2012-01-16T09:54:00.000-06:00

I actually won a giveaway!

I received this cute little felt pouch from Prairie Garden.

Liane at Prairie Garden is a gardening guru and crafter extraordinaire. Check out her etsy site and her blog to see for yourself.

New Knitting

2012-01-11T21:22:00.000-06:00

Another half way finished project. This is the beautiful wooly alpaca yarn I bought earlier this fall. I am knitting it into an infinity scarf with a simple rib stitch. The yarn is actually a mix of alcpaca and merino wool and it is very itchy. But I will still find a way to wear it!

Happy 2012

2012-01-06T15:22:00.000-06:00

My first post of the new year!

I really didn't want to post something that wasn't finished but I am currently in the middle of a few projects and I just didn't want to wait any longer.

I am planning on using this image in a new encaustic painting I am working on. It started as a small sketch in my sketchbook but I really wanted to include details like eyelashes and fingernails. So I decided to enlarge it to an 18"x24" drawing. The hair is not finished yet as you can see, but I am hoping to get that done soon.

Although we've had a strange snow-free, and mild winter I have been doing a lot of knitting too. I'm finally using the alpaca wool I got when we had our field trip to the farm.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Winter sky

2011-12-27T17:02:00.002-06:00

Just a few photos of the winter sky with my retro photo app as this year comes to a close.

Presents

2011-12-21T20:01:00.000-06:00

This year I made mugs for gifts. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of all of them before I gave them away. I was too anxious to get them wrapped, especially since I celebrated an early Christmas last weekend with some members of my family.

I still have trouble compensating for the shrinkage of the clay though. So I feel that most of them were too small. My favorite one is the individual mug in the third photo. It is a nice big bowl shape. Perfect for hot cocoa with plenty of room for lots of marshmallows!

Happy Holidays!!!

Not enough hours in a day

2011-12-15T08:45:00.000-06:00

Well, Christmas is fast approaching and this season is a mad rush of activity!

At school we've had lots of holiday festivities and I wanted to show you my classroom door. We decorated it based off the idea on a link posted on Poppytalk. And we won! My class received an icecream party. The star on top was made by glueing together broken ornaments. It is very sharp, and kind of dangerous looking but its also beautiful...so reflective and colorful!

We also had our second annual Art Faire. We sold artwork made by art club students during the Madrigal performances at school. Once again it was a big success. I made calendars using student artwork after being inspired by the calendar I received from Barbara at Sparrow Avenue. We had lots of pottery, jewelry, cards and other artwork as well.

There is lots more to do still and I'm off to prepare for finals! (not as much fun as the art fair)

*****

Field trip

2011-12-02T21:54:00.000-06:00

I took my students to visit an art school in downtown Chicago today. We had some extra time and some great weather too.

We went to Millenium Park to see the Cloud Gate sculpture. In Chicago it is known as "the bean."

We also went to the Chicago Cultural Center with its breathtaking domes and glowing floors. The Cultural Center boasts some of the oldest architecture in the city of Chicago. It was one of the only buildings spared in the great Chicago fire.

We are spending the weekend in the city so lots more pictures soon to come!

Have a wonderful weekend.

On your mark...

2011-12-01T21:30:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to post here for a very long time but time just seems to be getting away from me!

The holiday madness has begun.

The ceramics above are a few things that I have made for our second annual Art Faire. The art club had their first Art Faire fundraiser last year and it was a huge success. So I made a few slab built mugs and some leaves that I plan on wrapping with wire to string on necklaces.

The awesome turtle whistle was made by one of my students. My students made lots of clay whistles that all look amazing and I hope they are good sellers.

I will have lots more to share soon!

Happy Friday!

In the mail

2011-11-19T18:49:00.001-06:00

Barbara at Sparrow Avenue sent me one of her calendars and it arrived in the mail yesterday. I love her ink drawings so much. There is so much detail, the artist in me just devours them.

It was so kind of her to send it to me. Thank you Barbara!

She asked about hanging my nuts as ornaments so I experimented a little and voila! Nutty ornaments. A little smaller so not so heavy with holes for a ribbon to hang. And thanks for the great idea Barbara. I plan on making more as Christmas gifts.

The schools are closed this week for Thanksgiving so I hope to get in some more studio time. I have started a new encaustic triptych that I hope to show you soon.

Enjoy your weekend!

Sparrow Avenue

2011-11-09T20:17:00.000-06:00

Barbara at Sparrow Avenue has done an amazing drawing of the robin photo I took this past summer. She is using it for the month of May in her beautiful new calendar. She is such a talented artist!

Take a look at more of her beautiful artwork on her blog. The calendar is for sale on her etsy site too.

Raku!

2011-11-05T10:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was very chilly in the morning but it was a gorgeous day for raku! It eventually warmed up a little thank goodness because the students fingers were numb!

There are actually two sections of ceramics this year so I hope to have another raku workshop in the spring if I can get funding for two. I'd hate for the other ceramics students to miss out on this event.

Luckily the kilns were warm so we hung out in front of them like a camp fire.

This is the first kiln load we opened with the pots glowing red hot.

We put the red hot pottery into garbage cans loaded with paper so it lights on fire.

Some of the glazes need to be cooled quickly before they are put into the bins. This one is being sprayed with water so the glaze creates a network of fine cracks.

Then when it is put in the garbage cans (aka reduction chamber) the fire starts and then the lid is closed tight. This will cut off the oxygen supply to the fire so it draws oxygen molecules from the clay and glazes. It's called a reduction because of the reduction in the amount of oxygen.

This is what creates all the great metallic flashing and black carbon colors in the glazes

This is horse hair pottery. The pot is taken from the kiln with no glaze on it. Instead strands of horse hair are singed onto the surface of the clay and leave an interesting burned texture of lines.

Needless to say it really stinks! But it is really fun to do.

I decided to raku fire a few of my nuts. I just can't resist this one particular glaze. It has a nice matte finish and always turns out beautiful. Yet it looks different every time.

On the nuts it turned a beautiful golden color with a bit of coppery magenta flashing on one that you can see on the top.

This is the back side of the same nuts without any glaze on them. I couldn't put glaze on the entire piece because the glaze would fuse to the kiln shelf. Normally I'd just leave that part glaze free but because these nuts roll I just glazed one side. I think I almost like this sooty black side better. You can see the white mark on the one in the middle where it didn't reduce properly. But that's part of raku's spontaneous nature!

This bowl has a red iron oxide crackle glaze on it that turned a beautiful amber color.

And can you believe this is the same glaze I used on the nuts? It was late in the day so it was hard to photograph but it is a cool silvery blue metallic color. On the right side you can begin to see the great pattern of the flames and crumpled paper right on the surface of the glaze.

If you ever get the chance to observe or participate in a raku firing I highly recommend it!

Have a great weekend!

Same old thing

2011-11-02T18:11:00.001-05:00

It's been really difficult for me to get to this space lately. Even if I didn't post anything I used to at least check my favorite blogs daily. I haven't even had time to do that recently. October was a busy month for us.

I feel like I have nothing really worthy to share with you. Just the same old stuff.

But I do like making these nuts and I also have really been enjoying this autumn. The last of the leaves are just hanging on and the colors are all faded now.

The nuts here have been bisque fired and I just finished painting a few with iron oxide. They will be going in the next glaze firing I do for the students next week.

In my last nutty post my blog friend Barbara pointed out that my nuts would explode in the kiln without a hole, yet she couldn't see one. So here is a close up of the little slit I hide in between the halves of the shell. I try to make it as inconspicuous as possible because I don't want it to be noticed!

I also had the idea to use the jewelers stamps to put my initials on them. So tiny.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Accidents happen

2011-10-16T12:40:00.000-05:00

I was so sad when my otchipotchi pebble vase broke. Especially since I knew she didn't make this exact vase anymore. But it did give me an excuse to order a brand new one!

My new table vase arrived last week! And it is slightly bigger and much more stable than my other one.

I usually keep it on the window sill so being more stable is definitely a plus. It can get windy and get knocked over or bumped by hands washing dishes.

But it is my favorite place to put it! I cut some red twigged dogwood with their beautiful white berries to display in my new vase.

I think it looks perfect on the window sill next to my ceramic nuts too.

Fall fun

2011-10-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took our annual trip to the pumpkin farm. Being Columbus day weekend it was packed but still so much fun! I love the fact that my kids still want to go. I thought for sure I'd get the eye roll with the "do I have to go?"

The weather has been especially nice this past week and the fall colors are spectacular this year. It was impossible not to get postcard perfect photographs at the farm.

So after we got home I just kept taking pictures! I actually filled up the memory card in my camera, emptied it, and went back out to take more photos.

The color of the sunlight truly has been golden. All of the trees surrounding my neighborhood are at their peak right now and my photos just don't do it justice. The photo above is the view I can see right now from my kitchen window as I type and the picture just cannot capture the atmosphere right. At least not by my cheapo camera!

It's almost time to bring in the jade plant, sporting its red tinged leaves.

My oregano and plumbago are turning beautiful shades of red and purple.

I saw this adorable little frog in the plumbago as I was photographing it! He was fast so I am glad I was able to get this one decent picture of him.

And to top it off this incredible 3D hot air balloon floated right over our house! All of the kids were outside yelling and waving up to the people in the basket. I've never seen a balloon like this before! What a perfect afternoon!

Going nuts...again

2011-10-06T17:24:00.000-05:00

Everything outside is golden! This fall the trees look spectacular. The smoky purple ash trees and blazing orange maples.They are so inspiring. In the fall mood I decided to start making more nuts again. They seem to fit the season. This time around I put rattles in them so they even sound like nuts.

The one on the left is the largest one I've ever made. I really like the fact that it is larger than life size. It draws more attention to it as a work of art rather than just a nut.

Everyone keeps trying to open them though! So maybe I should make some that come apart in the future. I could see them breaking a lot more often if I do that, however, because they do tend to roll a little. Well, I still like them as fall decorations. The only problem is that I give them as gifts for Christmas. Not exactly the best timing. I really wish I had more time to make them so I could have a stock of them to sell. Maybe my project for next summer...

Enjoy your autumn (or spring!) wherever you are!

New Work

2011-09-16T07:58:00.001-05:00

Parallel to Vertical
6x6
Encaustic Mixed Media

It's amazing how much can be accomplished in tiny snippets of time. I had been trying to get back into my studio more since the school year started again and I really didn't think I had been very successful. Then I just suddenly realized that I felt this was done.

After looking at it for a couple of days though I think I might need to lighten the rectangle in the center. It was my favorite area and then I put a transfer over it. I don't mind the transfer but I think it's way too dark to be in the very middle of the picture plane.

I did a big no-no with this project too. The little birds were drawn on with a regular felt tipped pen. I was hoping that when I fused it that it would become protected from the wax. But it still comes off with water even after fusing and I am too chicken to put a layer of medium over it for fear that it will ruin the drawing. I really should've done a transfer but I got that image in my head and wanted it on the wax immediately. I can always fix it later.

And those are apple seeds embedded in the wax. You can also see a leaf from one of the trees in my yard and I honestly cannot remember the name of the tree.

I have found myself increasingly captivated by the textures produced by the wax. Layer by layer building up colors and depth. It reminds me of working with jewelry in a way. There is so much hidden detail in the tiniest little places. I keep thinking that I need to work larger but it's the small spaces that I obsess over. Adding little gems of color and visual details packed into little corners.

I'm sure it probably looks like a mess to you but I love that old worn layered look. Knowing that there's more beneath the surface.

Alpacas!

2011-09-09T19:53:00.000-05:00

The art department at our school district received a grant this year to experience fiber art at it's best! We went to the Waldron Alpaca Farm in a nearby town where the students learned all about making felted wool tapestries.

First we got to meet the alpacas. They are so cute! The photos really do not do them justice. They have such personality...and bangs. Such awesome bangs.

My students were completely smitten. It's hard to tell who's looking at who.

After learning about the alpacas we all got to make our own felted wool tapestries. Susan Waldron who owns the farm sheers the alpacas every spring, cleans the wool and dyes it all herself to use in her own fiber art. She has piles of the softest wool in an amazing array of colors She makes gorgeous colorful tapestries and even some beautiful ponchos and jackets.

The wool we used started off all soft and fluffy.We used a barbed needle to poke through the wool so it would stay attached to the felt backing.

So here are my very first attempts at felting. The koi fish is small at about 8x10. All the students made one in preparation for the big 16x20 project.

My robin tapestry isn't quite finished yet. I need some more berries but over all not too shabby for a brand new medium. All the students created such wonderful artwork and it was a great experience for all of them. I know they were all exhausted by the end of the day because most of them napped on the bus ride home!

Thanks so much Susan!

Just a sketch

2011-08-31T15:38:00.000-05:00

So I figured out that if the weather is nice I do not like staying inside and doing artwork! Therefore I've had nothing really blogworthy to post.

School has started again and for the past three to four weeks I have been busy with that. But now I seem to have hit my stride so it's time to give myself a kick in the pants to get creative again!

Since fall is coming I have felt like drawing crows. Not really sure why they remind me of fall but I didn't feel like drawing cute sparrows and fluffy robin chicks anymore. Crows are more moody and mysterious don't you think?

I do have other projects started but not finished yet so I will have more to post soon. I'm still a little scattered.

But today is another gorgeous day out so I am going to go enjoy it while I can.

Enjoy!

Oregano??

2011-08-13T11:16:00.000-05:00

I do apologize for being gone so long again. I have been busy preparing for back to school which starts Monday. Yikes! Still so much to do.

I do need your help with something though.

My grandmother brought back some oregano from her village in Greece many, many years ago. It spreads like a weed but it's not invasive. And everyone in my family has patches of it growing all over their yards. The problem is that we've always referred to it as oregano but it doesn't look like any type of oregano I've seen anywhere else.

Can you identify it?

It gets these cute little pinkish purple flowers scattered along the stem that produce an abundance of seeds which is why it shows up in the most surprising places each summer!

The leaves are long and thin which is not like an oregano leaf at all. So I am curious if this is really oregano. It sure smells like oregano. My yiayia called it oregano so everyone in my family refers to it as oregano too.

And it really will grow anywhere. You can see it growing in the cracks between the bricks in my patio. It also showed up a good 15 feet away by the stairs on my patio too.

A small patch showed up right next to my hydrangea...

and all the way around my house in the front yard growing out from between the cracks in the flagstone wall.

It's just such a cute plant that I never yank them out. That way I'm always surprised where it will show up next year!

But if anyone knows the identity of this herb I'd love to know. I am wondering if Liane from Prairie Garden can help at all with this one?

Last Workshop

2011-08-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

Last week was my last summer art workshop for the kids whose school district eliminated all art, music and gym classes. There were only three girls in this last class and they are all good friends. They were so sweet, and I had a good time with them too. They got a kick out of watching the goats out the back window.

We did a grid drawing for our last project. I had them bring in food wrappers because the bold graphics and images are easier to draw and look nice when they are all colored in. Grid drawing is a great way to draw images accurately and proportionately.

Drawing out the grid can take a long time if you've never done it before but the extra preparation is worth it if you have trouble drawing from a photo without it looking distorted.

One grid is drawn over the photo and one is drawn very lightly on your paper. Then, instead of drawing the whole picture all at once, all you have to do is draw what you see inside each little square. Just make sure you draw it in the exact same square on the drawing paper. That's why I always have my students number the grids across the top and down the left side to make sure they are drawing inside the correct box.

We ran out of time before they had a chance to start coloring but they are a smart group of kids and I'm sure they can color them in on their own.

Besides we had to leave some time for them to run outside to see if they could scare the goats and watch them fall over. It was so funny to see the girls all trying to hide behind one tiny little shrub and jump out screaming .

My daughter May decided to do her own thing and gave herself a purple marker henna style tatoo.

And I just had to share this cute little grasshopper with you too. I found him hiding perfectly camouflaged (almost) in my spirea.

*************************************

Well, I'm back to work this week unofficially to start doing inventory of the art supplies before school begins. I can't believe that summer vacation is over so soon! But I think I am ready for a change.....I think.

New Work

2011-07-26T08:54:00.001-05:00

Nature Nurture
Encaustic Mixed Media
8x10

So sorry I've been neglecting my blog lately. Honestly I just keep forgetting to take photos of things if they don't involve my artwork.

I did get some more work into the 4th Friday's show for July but I completely forgot to take pictures!

I also made another new encaustic this weekend. My kids have been busy with friends so I've been going into my art room whenever I can! It's been pretty nice I must say!
When I showed my daughter May this piece she asked me "what are those round things?" I explained to her that I got them from my mom's garden from her old house before she moved and they are seeds from a money plant. May looked at me and said "so money really does grow on trees." Yeah, I had a good laugh!

I also went to the art store and got some new things to try out. I experimented with some pan pastels on the encaustics and I love them. Bridgette also told me about using alcohol inks too. My experiments with them didn't turn out as well ,however, so I didn't use them here in this piece.

I realize this is a terrible photo but I wanted to show the small crater like holes I got when I sprayed water on the warm wax. I remember talking to an encaustic artist about a year ago, before I began working with wax, and she did this all over her large paintings. I thought it was so cool looking. I am going to have to try this out more in the future with a better sprayer.

We've also been having some crazy storms around here lately. I read a report that said the first storm had 75 mph winds. That's hurricane speed! There was a lot of damage and power outages. The next round of storms brought lots of lightening, wind and lots of rain in a very short period of time. So this time there were a lot of flooded basements. Luckily we only had some damaged patio furniture.

In the mean time I did get a couple of good photos of a thunderhead. It was so humid outside that the lens kept fogging up though so they are kind of blurry.

But today is beautiful and I'm off to the beach! Enjoy your day too!

Mid-Summer Bliss

2011-07-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! We've recently returned from our trip "up north" and it was a wonderful trip as always. I thought I'd share a few pictures with you because it is such a gorgeous unspoiled place. My camera takes awful pictures but the place is so beautiful there's no way you can take a bad photo.

The kids and adults swam, hiked, canoed, fished, tubed down a river, had camp fires, made s'mores and got eaten alive by mosquitoes! Totally worth it.

If you haven't already noticed, I love summer!

I love the heat, the color of the sunlight, how green everything looks outside, the chirping birds, the cool air in the mornings and evenings, open windows....I could go on and on.

My garden is in full bloom right now. All my favorite blue flowers are blossoming too. The absolutely bluest of them all are the chinese forget-me-nots in the top photo. The next one is flax which popped up spontaneously last summer. I must've scattered some seeds that I forgot about. And the last is my favorite...hydrangeas.

So of course I had to cut some to display in my window. I just picked up this cute bucket yesterday too and it was just screaming for some hydrangeas.

In the mean time I am just trying to soak up the last few weeks of summer before school starts again.

Enjoy!

New work and my studio

2011-06-29T14:23:00.001-05:00

Games
Encaustic Mixed Media
6x6

I know I haven't been posting a lot but I have been busy enjoying the summer!

Here is my latest project. I originally had an image of a whisper in my head as I did the drawing but as the painting started to come together I had a different vision of portraying the implications of whispering, the damage it can cause and how it can take so many forms. In texting, facebook, etc... and how easily it all can be misinterpreted. Needless to say I took the cue from my teenage daughter.

I have also been working in my new art space at home. This photo is the first glimpse of it. I didn't even bother to clean up my workspace. I grabbed the camera as soon as I was done with my project.

This is my messy skillet with my colored wax and brushes. I keep meaning to clean off the skillet but then I think what if I want to use that color again? So I just leave it!

But I did clean up everything for this photo. You can see that this room has an awesome view of the farm. It's so nice to have this inspiring view to look at while I work.

I found part of a robin's egg laying in the grass the other day. And I still see my baby robins around the yard. The parents are still taking care of them too! They love hanging out in the serviceberry bush eating the berries.

But back to the studio...I picked up some book cases to support the glass table top and they are working out quite nicely. I have a lot of storage and I can display some of my things in them too.

This is my seat though! I haven't gotten around to finding a chair yet so this will have to do for the time being. I tend to stand when I work anyways so I'm in no hurry.

And the 4th Friday show in June went really well. I am definitely going to enter work for July and it's even inspired my husband to get his studio organized so he can begin painting again too.

I was excited to see that one of my pieces was chosen to be on the card advertising the show for next month! I know it's sort of dumb but I was really happy about it.

I am off for a trip up north soon and will be completely unplugged for almost a week. No phone, no computer..nothing but nature hikes, swimming, canoeing, and good friends and family.

See you soon!

Magic Metal Journals

2011-06-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I ran the first of three summer art workshops for kids at my home. We made Magic Metal Journals which was a lesson plan that I found on the Blick Art website. It seemed like such a cool project especially since it was something that the kids could use afterwards.

In the first photo the kids are embossing their foil covers with drawings, patterns and other designs.

The journals were bound with colorful wire and beads were added for decoration.

My basement is very dark and while I added lots of light for the budding artists to see their work it just wasn't enough for my camera. I hate using the flash so sorry for the blurry photos!

The kids added color to the foil using water soluble wax pastels. I had never heard of these before! They stick really well to the metal surface and when you add water they work like watercolors. Of course I heard "wax" and thought of how I might try using them with my own artwork!

Here are a few of the finished masterpieces!

All in all I thought it was a great success! The kids were so creative and willing to dive right in. It was so fun to see them working away. I am definitely looking forward to the next workshop.

Firsts

2011-06-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had something fun to announce. So here it is!

I actually entered my work into a gallery show. I found out about it from a friend through facebook, of all things, and thought I'd give it a shot. I have never ever even attempted to enter my work into a gallery before. Mostly because I only made functional pottery and comissioned portraits. Plus I have no idea how to submit art to a gallery. Lucky for me Starline Gallery in the small town of Harvard had open submissions for their 4th Fridays in June. I submitted five pieces and two of them made it! I think it's a little ironic that the two that made it in were the two I made at the last workshop I attended with Bridgette.

I really have no idea what to expect next friday but I get weird little butterflies in my stomach when I think about it. It should be fun and my hubby and a few of my friends are going too. I am looking forward to it!

*******

This week I am also hosting the first of three art workshops I am offering this summer to kids around the neighborhood. I plan on doing art projects with them by setting up a space in my basement for about ten kids. I have three different dates with three different projects planned. Hopefully it will all run smoothly. This is a first for me too!

...and then they were gone

2011-06-15T21:54:00.001-05:00

About an hour after the update I posted yesterday I heard some peeping right outside my kitchen window. I was happy to see that it was one of the baby robins that had been missing from the nest earlier in the day. I took a quick photo out the back door which you can see a couple photos down. The little birdy in the mulch by the basement window grate.

After I took the photo I went by the front door to see the others in the nest and there was only one left! Instead of crouching down in the nest he took one look at me stood up tall and flew away! I am so happy I had my camera with me and the photo above is his very first flight from the nest.

I was so worried that he would fly right into the street but he made it to the tree in my front yard. He was really hidden in the leaves but I was able to get one photo of him hiding in there.

This is the little guy I heard peeping outside my kitchen window and when I came back he had made it to the fireplace on my patio. The whole time mama robin was chirping loudly to him from the top of the fence next to the farmer's yard.

I love this photo! Look at how proud he looks! Unfortunately when he took off he ended up smacking into the fence. But he eventually made it to the vines covering the top of the fence and hid in there chirping for mom for awhile.

I am very sad that they are gone and I am still shocked at how fast it all happened! I really hope that they are safe because we had a bad rain storm last night. I keep walking out my front door expecting to see them there. I really miss them. I was thinking about saving the nest but it's really covered in poop so I will be throwing it away!

But I still heard mama robin chirping outside this morning.

At least I'd like to believe it was her.

New work

2011-06-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

Rama Is In The Details
encaustic collage
5x7

Here's my latest encaustic work. I tried experimenting with image transfers using magazines this time and it worked beautifully. The diamond shapes on the upper right and the square on the lower left are magazine transfers. I also imbedded a page from an old drawing book and a burned piece of paper. I've been wanting to use this page from the drawing book for a while now but it turns out that this is my least favorite area of the entire painting. I'm not sure why though. Maybe because it stands out too much, I didn't "do" anything over that area so as not to cover up the image but it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the painting now.

These raised dots are probably my favorite though! I love the texture they create. And I tried to add more of a relief, impasto look in the swatch of white to create more interest.

This is a close up of the magazine transfers. I still can't believe how great the details transfer. You can see the dots from the printing process even.

Robins again...

2011-06-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

I really wasn't planning on doing another post about the robins so soon but I am truly shocked how fast they are growing! I promise there will be more new encaustic work to show very soon.

I was able to catch a couple snap shots out the window of mommy (or maybe daddy robin) with a big fat worm to feed the youngsters.

But look how big they are! I can't believe how fast their feathers grew in. I took those other photos a mere four days ago.

All four babies are still in there but they are hard to see. The one in the middle is laying on top of the 4th baby.

They are much more wary of me now and I cannot fool them into opening up their mouths for me anymore either. When they see me now they hunker down and try to hide inside their ever shrinking nest. I have a feeling they will be attempting to leave the nest within the next week. I will miss them!
**********************
UPDATE
6-14-11
I'm so glad I took these photos yesterday because today there were only two left in the nest!

Eyes Wide Open

2011-06-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

They really are so ugly and yet so cute at the same time! Their eyes are open now and they are just beginning to get some fluffy down. Whenever they sense movement they pop up very fast straining their heads up with their mouths wide open.

But if they don't get any food within about 10 seconds...

they will slowly...

nod off....

back to sleep to wait for mom or dad to bring them some food.

And boy are mom and dad busy these days. Raising 4 healthy babies is hard work!

New Work

2011-06-05T21:32:00.000-05:00

Plus One
8x10
encaustic

This is my new piece that I have been working on the past week or so. But I cannot figure out which way to display it! Normally this is absolutely no problem for me but this one changed as I worked on it. Leave a comment and let me know which way you think it should go!

Just to let you know I began the piece as you see it in the 3rd photo but as I worked on it I put it vertically like in photo number 2.

I really wanted to get the look of chipped paint with this one and I didn't do any collage or image transfers either. This one is essentially my first pure encaustic painting as well as my largest so far at 8"x10". Still small by painting standards but big for me! It took a lot longer than my previous ones but I was really trying to take my time with it...to make it perfect. Which I found frustrating because I felt the need to go back to this one several times before I thought it was "right." I personally feel a great sense of satisfaction and completion with this painting though now that I consider it done.

And I might have some fun news coming soon but I need to work out the details before I commit here on the blogosphere.

Hatched

2011-06-05T15:42:00.000-05:00

All four babies have hatched! So far so good!

This also means sthat I found my camera cord so I will be posting new work very soon.

Have a splendid Sunday!

Waiting

2011-06-03T10:24:00.000-05:00

Sorry for not posting in awhile but I am currently without my laptop. The one I normally use is actually the school's computer and I had to return it for updating since school is out. They won't keep it all summer though so I am waiting.

This laptop I am on now is a dinosaur! And I cannot find the cord to my camera. Normally I just pop the memory card into my laptop but this computer doesn't have that slot.

So even though I have photos of new art to share it will have to wait a bit.

This is a photoshopped version of one of my pictures that I was trying to make look like a ttv photo. TTV means through the viewfinder. People take pictures with their digital camera through the viewfinder of an old film camera. I forget which kind though, the ones that you have to look down into with the really big viewing area. Can you tell I know next to nothing about photography?!

Well hopefully I will be able to dig up that camera cord soon.

Happy Summer!

Inspired by...

2011-05-26T20:47:00.001-05:00

Jeff Fontaine

I have been loving the work by Jeff Fontaine! He is a mixed media artist that works with rusted steel panels. He was one of the artists featured in the Affordable Art Show. I am so inspired by his used of color and texture and his perfectly balanced gridded compositions. And the colors...did I mention that I love the colors he uses? He has lots and lots of work posted on his website so you should definitely check it out.

Jeff Fontaine

I'd also like to thank all my blogger friends from all over the world who leave their wonderful comments for me! I really do draw inspiration from you and I love that I can connect with people both near and far who share their art, their thoughts and their own inspirations with me. Without this blog I never would have met Bridgette and found my new love for encaustics. Or have shared so many thoughts using so many exclamation points with Kerri all the way from New Zealand. Not to mention my constant amazement at the amount of artistic talent I keep finding just north of the border in Canada. Thank you all for inspiring me!

♥

And speaking of inspiration here's a quote for all you creative types. (Thanks for introducing me to this quote Kerri!)
"Blocked creative expression is as detrimental to your health and well being as a drug addiction. A raging internal conflict between acting on creative impulses or settling for the status quo can eventually promote physical illness. The size of your gift is not the issue; the act of creation is. You need to manifest your ideas and to make a difference in your world, whether your influence is enormous or small. Ideas are free. You can live in the world of thought all the days of your life and never go broke. You will also die unfulfilled because an idea that never incarnates, that never becomes physical and grounded in this world, will eventually feel like the most painful burden you ever had to carry - one that you can never put down. Don't let the creative opportunities the universe provides fall by the wayside because your fears carried more authority than your faith. Trust in the life support system that is inherent in your creative spirit. You will draw to yourself all that you need as you need it, but you must first be willing to risk it all."
- Caroline Myss

Nesting #2

2011-05-24T17:20:00.000-05:00

Well she's not very happy with me but I was able to get close enough for some decent photos. I never knew birds could glare! She is pretty good at giving the old hairy eyeball though.

Nesting

2011-05-22T11:17:00.000-05:00

A neighbor of mine gets robins nesting on the rack by her front door almost every spring. This year she discovered that the eggs had been destroyed by something. The next thing I know I discover a nest on my rack by my front door! I walked out one morning to see this muddy mess ( I didn't know robins used mud to build their nests!) The nest was empty for awhile and I really thought it had been abandoned until one day this week I discovered eggs!

Unfortunately being by our front door means there's a lot of traffic and the mama robin gets scared away easily. So the eggs are left unattended for long periods of time. I don't know if they'll survive with the mama scurrying away so often. I would love to move the rack to a more secluded corner of our porch, not right by the front door, but I'm afraid if I move it she'll never come back.

Does anyone know how long it takes for robin's eggs to hatch? If I can keep track of the days then I can figure out if they will survive. I'd hate for the robin to be sitting on a nest that will never hatch!

I will also try to get some pictures of her sitting on the nest too if I can get close enough.

Here it is!

2011-05-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

HMD 11

So here is the finished encaustic I gave my mom for mother's day. After doing the "kitchen test" I used my own tried and true method as well. I held it up to a mirror. I feel that just looking at it flipped helps me to see it as though it's the first time I'm looking at it. It really helps with composition and balance. Well it does for me anyways!

So the only thing I added was the addition of some carved lacing over one of the vertical lines. One of the things I really liked about this one was the texture of the screen mesh I found. I adore the little diamond pattern so you might be seeing it often! I've got lots of new ideas and things I want to try out so I hope to have some more studio time really soon.

And I also just wanted to show you the tulips that have finally opened! They are so pretty streaked with pink, multi stemmed, double tulips.

Forget me nots, of course!

My red bud tree looks amazing this year as well. This has been a sick tree for many years but I think I finally got it!

White crowned sparrows

2011-05-09T19:51:00.000-05:00

I finally got some good photos of the cute birds I was talking about previously! They are white crowned sparrows and I love their stripey black and white capped heads. I have never seen these types of sparrows before. Normally I only get the hoards of house sparrows so it was cool to see a new type. My husband and kids think I'm a lunatic though. When I saw the bright flashes of black and white stripes I started squealing "what is that!?" But I don't care. I can't believe the variety of birds I have seen at my simple feeder this spring.

And Barbara I've been thinking of you ever since I saw these little birds!

Sneak peek

2011-05-07T17:12:00.000-05:00

It might be a Mother's Day gift so I don't want to give away too much. Mother's Day is tomorrow and my mom is on the road traveling back home from her winter stay in Arizona. ~lucky~ So she'll be getting it a little late. If I decide it's finished that is. Right now I'm using Bridgette's Kitchen Test to see if it's gift worthy yet.

Just a tease

2011-05-07T16:44:00.001-05:00

So we actually had a couple of nice days this past week. I've had many visitors to my bird feeder which I can never get any good pictures of because they always fly away when they see me. The only brave ones are the red winged black birds who always scare away all the other birds.

I am very pleased to see that the service berries survived the snow storm! This is the side of the house that had that gigantic snow drift. I don't think all my russian sage made it though.

I received this pretty blue creeping phlox as a transplant from my sister in laws garden last year. Blue flowers are my favorite and these are doing so well!

It seems to be taking forever for these double tulips to open! I cannot wait to see what they will look like.

And this cute little chipmunk wasn't afraid of me either. Unfortunately the nice weather was fleeting and today is cold and rainy. I saw thunderstorms in the forecast for everyday next week too. Ugh! I really cannot wait for summer to kick into full gear!

The good news is that the gray weather has made me stay inside and I was very productive with my encaustics today. So look for another post very soon.

Encaustic Workshop #2!

2011-04-30T23:02:00.000-05:00

I went to my second encaustic workshop today with Bridgette Guerzon Mills. It was awesome to get back into it again! It was actually a great way to jump start using my own supplies. I don't have the best set up right now because I have to use the encaustics in my kitchen. I really didn't take into consideration the fact that I would need access to 3 outlets. Anyways here are some photos from our day at Perfical Sense Studio!

Today Bridgette showed us how to do some different types of image transfer techniques. In these pictures we are doing some wet transfers by burnishing and then getting the paper wet and peeling it off. The toner from the paper literally transfers to the wax.

The transfers turned out beautifully! And I loved learning about the dry transfers too using graphite transfer paper or pastels. So perfect! Because now I can practically draw directly on the wax.

Here's my first wet transfer using a copy of one of my drawings.

Our encaustic class hard at work. And Bridgette encaustic artist extraordinaire on the right.

Huge thanks to Bridgette for once again inspiring us creatively! I didn't want to leave the studio so I went home and continued to work on my projects.

On the Mend

This is the second project I made where I used both the wet and dry transfer techniques that Bridgette showed us. I knew I really wanted to do something with string in it so I made a drawing earlier in the week and photocopied it to use. Not exactly what I had in mind but not too bad. I think it's a theme I'll have to continue to persue in order to fine tune it.

This is the first piece that was in the other picture. I can't think of a title for it yet....Queen Anne's Lace just seems way too obvious!

I took a couple of closeup shots because I really like the way the detail in the corner turned out. However the photo also shows the blobby mess in the middle of the hand. I really couldn't do too much to fix it without ruining the transfer though.

And here is a close up of the dry image transfer I made. Bridgette used the white transfer paper with one of her pieces and it looked like writing on a chalk board. What a great idea! So I had to try it out too.

***Now all I have to do is get that spare room cleared out to make a proper studio space.***

Encaustic supplies!!

2011-04-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

Oh happy day! My encaustic supplies have arrived!

I really want to start playing with them right now but I have so much work to finish first. Priorities right? Work before play. *pbthththth* I'm using them as incentive to make myself finish my work faster so I can get to them sooner.

And I just noticed that this is my 50th post too!

(another mini happy dance)

By the flowers that be

2011-04-22T14:36:00.000-05:00

So happy I was finally able to put some real flowers in my otchipotchi vase!

I planted these bulbs last year but I can't remember what either one is called.

Even though it still feels like winter outside, spring is trying desperately to make an entrance. The forecast calls for warmer temperatures this week, I hope they stick around for awhile.

Out of season...or so I thought

2011-04-17T12:27:00.000-05:00

I realized that I had not yet posted pictures of the finished handwarmers that I made. At first I was thinking that this is so out of season right now that maybe I should just wait to post this until the fall. But yesterday, in typical Chicago fashion, the fickle nature of spring weather reared it's ugly head and decided to snow! It was very windy and had been raining all day when all of a sudden the view beyond my windows was whited out by horizontally blowing snow. Luckily none of it stuck to the ground. So I figured that maybe the handwarmers aren't as out of season as I had originally thought!

My daughter May is modeling them for me with her blue nail polish.

This pair has already been well worn by both May and myself. In fact I like them so much that I am making another pair so we don't have to share this one. I am definitely going to be making more of them in other colors too. They are so easy. I do love this yarn and I'm glad that I have enough left to make another pair.

The only thing that bugs me is the fact that the colored stripes don't match up. These are knit with one color yarn. I didn't change yarn to make the stripes. Maybe the next pair will match up better!

Here's to confidence!

2011-04-10T21:35:00.001-05:00

Overheard on the Titanic by Austin Kleon

I was introduced to an artist last week by the name of Austin Kleon. One of my other blogger/artist friends posted an article by him called How to Steal Like An Artist (and 9 Other Things Nobody Told Me).

I discovered that he is not only a poet but also creates newspaper blackout art. I found this idea of creating art/poetry by blacking out newspaper articles incredibly intriguing and thought it would be a fantastic prompt for beginning an artwork. Kind of like starting with the title first and developing the artwork around that. So I had to try it myself and it's not nearly as easy as it seems. Then again I am no poet!

One of things he talks about in his list of "things" is something called imposter syndrome. I have never heard of this before but as I read about it I suddenly had a name to put to the feelings I have experienced as an artist for so many years. The clinical definition says something like a phenomenon where people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. They feel like a fraud and their work is just a sham. And this usually occurs in well educated people. So I guess I have that part going for me!

I think this blog has actually been a kind of therapy for me in that respect and I know that many artists must suffer from imposter syndrome just based on some of the art blogs I read and other artists that I've spoken to. It is all a matter of confidence I figure. I know that I have definitely gained confidence in my art since I've started my blog. And the whole point was to force myself to do more artwork. My own art production had completely stagnated and I had to jump in with both feet again and just do it. I previously thought that I was just being realistic about my art and my abilities and I thought so much about it I didn't make anything aside from occasional drawings for years. Now making art is practically all I think about.

So, here's to confidence!

Spring and other new beginnings

2011-04-02T12:37:00.000-05:00

Spring is finally here! When we left for our vacation I couldn't even find one little sprout and when I returned home there were little purple crocuses starting to bloom.

I planted many other bulbs too and I'll have to go and find the packages to remember them all. I thought I planted some that were supposed to bloom before all the snow even melted, before the crocus were supposed to bloom. I'll have to go and see if they are still coming up.

I have no idea what these are yet but I am so happy to see them! And I'm pretty sure the ones below are tulips. My mother gave me a whole bunch of unusual bulbs last year and I am very happy to see they survived and that I planted them the right way!

I feel like I have been gone from posting here for a very long time and now I have so much to say I don't really know where to begin. I guess the foremost thing on my mind is the fact that I might be losing my teaching job. I have been teaching for so long that even during the waves of layoffs in the past couple of years I have felt relatively safe. But not now. Unfortunately the new teachers are always the first to go but then it's the electives like art, music etc... I probably won't know anything for sure for weeks but it is difficult to teach effectively and to give the kids optimism about their own futures when they are experiencing first hand how volatile the future is for those that are supposed to be established in their careers. I am supposed to be the one that followed the correct path and made the right decisions and set the good example for the students. Now they are pessimistic and completely wrapped up in the instability of this situation. While I think it's unrealistic to keep the students completely sheltered from what is going on I don't feel that they should have to deal with the stress of this type of experience at such a young age either.

In light of these recent events I have been thinking even more about what I can do with my own art. As soon as summer break arrives I plan on getting my own studio space up and creating my own art aggressively! Other school districts around me have already eliminated art entirely and parents are anxious to find their children art classes elsewhere. So if worse comes to worse that is an avenue I could pursue as well. Or if can get really organized I could try to arrange summer classes. But right now that is too much for me to think about with everything else going on.

I will end by leaving you with a photo of the gorgeous beach we spent our vacation at in Punta Cana. It was truly the bluest water I have ever seen in my life! I laid in the sun, read a good book and recharged my batteries. I tried to push out the thoughts that my colleagues were being handed their pink slips as I was on that beach and just soak up the here and now.

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-03-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

Well I got this award passed on to me and I'm supposed to write something unusual about myself and pass this onto 8 other bloggers. I really must thank Drawing Diva for this award and I think it's funny that she referred to it as a burden! I think it's great but maybe that's because I know I'm an unusual person. Although I really don't see the connection between being a stylish blogger and sharing something unusual about yourself.

So here goes...I love science fiction. I saw Star Wars when I was 6 years old and I was hooked from that moment on. My tastes in other genres has broadened significantly as I've gotten older but I still love sci fi! It began with Star Wars, and grew with E.T. I soon discovered Close Encounters of the Third Kind and another oldie Silent Running. No matter how cheesy I have a soft spot for it. And not just movies, I love reading sci fi too. I read the Martian Chronicles, the Dune series and the entire Ender's Game series. I could go on but I'm sure I am boring you and cementing the big loser "L" to my forehead! I'm just a big nerd at heart I guess. I hope I haven't scared off any followers!

I will be passing this award on to the lucky bloggers below.

Enjoy!

Songs of Light

Contemplating the Moon

Aquamarine

Submarine Paratrooper
Sparrow Avenue
Otchipotchi
Resurrection Fern
Bookhou

Keeping it together

2011-03-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when life usually reaches the breaking point for me. Between being crazy busy at work and so much stuff to do after work every day, busy weekends and this cold weather that just doesn't seem to be going away...I am stressed!

Don't get me wrong, I know this is temporary and I will get through it. I honestly can't wait for spring break because we are going on vacation and I am looking very forward to simply parking my butt on a warm beach and doing absolutely nothing! I realize how lucky I am to have this to look forward to especially in light of the absolute devastation in Japan. I feel almost guilty for feeling stressed when the people of Japan are struggling just for the very basics of life.

I haven't been very good at keeping my blog updated and it will be a little while before I post regularly again. I did finish my knitting though! I'll show you that soon. But here is a video by one of my favorite speakers. His name is Sir Kenneth Robinson and RSA Animate made this incredible video of one of his presentations. I hope this works I've never posted a video before!

Getting Back on the Horse

2011-03-06T09:18:00.000-06:00

So the last time I showed you some knitting I really hadn't done so well. I actually began knitting again right away otherwise I was afraid I'd never do it again. This time I did follow a pattern, a very simple one, but I am already thinking about how to alter it! This is only a sneak peek as it is not completely finished yet but I am very pleased with the results. And when I found this yarn I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I think I'll be taking a break from making baby hats for awhile though.

There is not much for me to post right now as I am getting ready for finals this week and preparing for my daughter's 13th birthday celebration next weekend.

I am having some real encaustic withdrawals too! When I went back to use my own, very inadequate, "encaustic" I was frustrated because it just wasn't the same as when I did the workshop. The difference between using the real stuff and my pathetic imposter wax is painfully obvious to me now. So I will busy myself with other projects until I can invest in some real encaustic supplies!

Encaustic Workshop with Bridgette Guerzon Mills

2011-03-01T09:11:00.000-06:00

This past weekend my husband and I participated in the encaustic workshop hosted by Cindy Jevon at Perfical Sense Studios. The workshop was run by the incredibly talented self taught Chicago artist Bridgette Guerzon Mills. We learned so many different techniques and once we got going noone wanted to stop! I haven't had the opportunity to participate in an art class outside of my own school district since college.

Bridgette was so kind and helpful and shared many of her own personal techniques for working with wax. She also showed us a lot of her own artwork as well which was incredible. I know I learned a lot at the workshop but when I saw her work and the creative level she took her art to I was blown away!

I wish I had more pictures to share but I was so involved in working on my projects that taking photos didn't even occur to me! Anyways these are the two projects that I came away with and I am definitely hooked! There is so much more I want to try....I think I might have to invest in some more encaustic supplies!

Big thanks to Bridgette! I had a great time and can't wait to do it again!

Pendant

2011-02-23T15:36:00.000-06:00

I keep finding cute pendants like this on Etsy. And as any artist can attest to I will look at something and refuse to buy it because I think "I can totally make that." Most of the time I don't ever follow through and then I'll just wish I had gotten it in the first place. But this time I actually did follow through! I seriously can't believe how easy these are to make. But again, for any jewelry project, having the right tools makes a huge difference. The right tools aren't cheap either. So I made this little pendant with my daughters names on it and put it on a chain I had from another necklace. Voila! Instant jewelry...that I will actually wear.

I've already had requests from others to make one for them too. Just another thing that makes me think I really need to sell art online!

Ratio, Proportion and Variation

2011-02-21T20:12:00.000-06:00

I've been working on several projects and none of them are quite finished yet. Here's a preview of a new encaustic I started a few weeks ago. I've been working on it slowly as I am really unsure where to go with it. This one is big 18"x24 which I think is part of the problem. I started by attatching a bunch of used passes from students coming to class late. That's what all of the vague rectangles are. Then I painted over them with acrylics and started layering on the book pages and muslin with wax.

One of my students donated a really old math book after he saw the old page I used in my other encaustic. Anyone who knows me knows how laughable it is that I have a page from a math book in my artwork. I am terrible at math! I know enough to figure out how to make proportional grid drawings, glaze calculations and other art related math. But maybe that is the reason I'm having trouble figuring out where to go with this painting....well maybe not. It is a work in progress! I'm going to an encaustic workshop this saturday and I'm hoping that I'll be chock full of ideas afterwards!

Valentines Day

2011-02-14T08:51:00.003-06:00

My daughter May wanted to make her valentines herself, of course! So I found this great polymer clay valentine tutorial on Poppytalk.

We improvised a little as we didn't have the letter stamps but I think they turned out really cute! She accidently got glitter on them before we baked them and I was worried that it would burn in the oven. But it didn't! So now we know you can safely put glitter on your Fimo before you bake it so it will stick.

We strung some red embroidery thread on them as the finishing touch. We're not really sure what they can be used for but I'm sure the kids will find a way!

My husband and I really don't celebrate Valentine's day with gifts and candy and such but I have to admit that I do have fun with all the girly pinks, reds, and hearts.

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

Knit Not!

2011-02-07T21:49:00.000-06:00

So it's been a while since I've done any knitting, and I don't really like following a pattern. I like customing things and making them my own.

I found this pretty blue cotton baby yarn and really wanted to make one of those cute baby hats like I see on etsy with the really long tail.

It looks pretty good in the photos and I really couldn't tell anything was wrong until it was completely finished. I even looked up a video on you tube to learn how to properly sew it together instead of just guessing like I had done previously.

As you can see that didn't turn out very well. But it wasn't until my husband started snickering and said isn't that just a little big? I, of course, got defensive. There was no way I could have miscalculated my stitches that badly, right?

So if you know anyone who has a baby with an unfortunately large head let me know! I have a perfect gift for you to give them!

Snow Day

2011-02-02T16:45:00.002-06:00

Well you could say we got a little bit of snow! I took a couple of before and after shots which really don't look too bad. But it's all a matter of perspective. The photos on the left were taken after it had already been snowing most of the day. We had about 3-4 inches during the day but the real blizzard was just beginning. By the time I took the photos on the right this morning we had about 18 inches of snow. Notice that the bird bath has been buried!

And here's the front steps on my front porch. The was incredibly windy and it created huge snow drifts. So for those of you unfamiliar with snow the blowing wind will pile it up into drifts many feet high and leave it almost bare in other areas.

I took a few pictures before I went to bed last night. I couldn't believe the awesome shape left on the windows.

Perfect snowy circles peering out into the night!

And what a night it was!

Blowing snow and wind whistling very loudly outside.

Here are the windows in the morning. I still think they look like eyes!

I can't believe how huge the drifts were on our front porch.

This is a picture of the biggest drift on the south side of the house.You can see the windows peeking over the top of the drift.

Here comes the first snow plow of the day. We were just glad that it came by before we shoveled the end of our driveway.

Of course the best thing about a snow day is no school! I think the sled hills and snow forts hold a very close second though.

We have been told that there is another snow day tomorrow too!

Happy Snow Day :)

New Encaustic

2011-01-27T15:17:00.001-06:00

Chapter VI

I have signed up for an encaustic workshop with my husband and I am so excited about it that I couldn't wait. It's being taught by Chicago artist Bridgette Guerzon Mills and you can check out her amazing blog Contemplating the Moon, here. So this is my second attempt at a mixed media encaustic.

I'm still experimenting with the whole process, figuring out how to fuse the layers just right and how to work with the transparency of the materials. I knew they would become translucent I just had no idea how much!

I began by painting a blackish border onto a piece of illustration board and then I fused a page torn from an old art book to it with wax. I have absolutely no idea what kind of wax I have. There were giant slabs of it in my classroom and I have an idea they are about as old as I am!

Then I layered on a piece of torn muslin fabric that I had typed on, but because it was so transparent you couldn't read it with the print from the book underneath it. I ended up putting some gesso over the area and typed on a smaller piece of muslin to place on top of the gesso.

I have all sorts of pressed leaves so I chose this decayed leaf to imbed in the wax along with some blue thread. I really wanted to sew some red x's around the fabric before I layered it on but I had no red thread and I couldn't find a needle. So I was impatient and just improvised. But overall not too bad! I just can't wait to learn more at the workshop!

Handmade by Bookhou

2011-01-26T19:41:00.000-06:00

Back in December my husband took business trip to Toronto. I told him that he had to go to a store called Bookhou and get me one of the snap wallets.

Arounna and her husband John make the most beautiful textiles and woodwork. They screen print all their own fabrics and she sews everything herself.

I found Bookhou's blog (which you really must visit just to see pictures of their adorable daughter) and their Etsy store Bookhou at Home which has beautiful artwork for sale.

Anyways, the day my husband went to the store, it was closed, and since there were no wallets in the Etsy store I emailed Arounna to see if I there was anyway I could purchase one. Well she was sooooo kind to send it to me free of charge because the store was closed!

I was so excited to get my wallet in the mail and I love it! It's the perfect size. I use it for everything from my money and credit cards to my phone and zune.

Thanks Arounna!

May's Venture

2011-01-24T19:41:00.000-06:00

My daughter May and a couple of her friends from school have decided to start a business making things out of duct tape!

They even have business cards made up that list all of the items they can make and their prices listed on the back. The first photo is my favorite-the purse. She also made a phone case and bows on headbands.

These are pencils wrapped to look like flowers. I love the fact that all of these are her own designs and she figured out how to make them all by herself.

My other daughter Rose liked the idea too so she made this wallet.

Maybe when May is in high school she should try for that scholarship where you have to make your prom dress and suit all from duct tape. I think I'll buy a different color tape for that though!

Simple Silver Ring

2011-01-21T15:09:00.002-06:00

I haven't made any jewelry in a really long time. And in all of my years teaching jewelry and metals I've never made a ring. I was always going for the well planned design and rings just never seemed to fit into my creative realm. Don't get me wrong, I love rings! I guess I felt I would never be able to make one I liked because I really don't know how to cast well. But this ring is made from a piece of flat silver wire and is incredibly simple to make.

Any how, I thought I'd make an example for my students (again!) so they could learn how to solder a simple joint. The ring would be perfect practice for them. I decided to add a hammered texture to mine for a little more interest.

The photos were hard to get right. I'm definitely no photographer. Or hand model for that matter, ugh! I wanted to show the texture of the ring close up but it's been so cloudy here the lighting was difficult to get right. It's also been incredibly cold. This morning was -9 degrees F! And don't get me started on the wind chill factor.

Have a great weekend all!

Altered Book

2011-01-17T14:07:00.001-06:00

A couple of years ago I began an altered book as an example for a project my students were given. I've added to it slowly and I currently have four spreads finished. Well almost...

This spread has a "window" cut out to reveal an illustration a few pages down which you can see in the first photo. Then I cut that page to work like doors revealing a quote inside by Kenneth Patton.

The passage on this page by Henry David Thoreau I thought was very relevant today even though it was written over 150 years ago. The tree was drawn in tech pen and then painted with watercolors. The leaves were cut from a patterned paper and attached.

This spread was inspired by the story of Dan Eldon. This one is still incomplete and I'm really stuck on it. My original intention was to collage photos and ephemera on it ~a la Dan Eldon journal style~ but I began drawing on the page one day when I was summoned for jury duty and had to sit around waiting with nothing to do for a couple of hours.

This was the first page I did in the book and while I like it, it was my first attempt at mixed media ever so it's not very unified. It's hard to read but it says "I dreamt that I lived in France and everything was red, gold and green. I had images of the movie Amelie in my head while I was creating this page.

This last spread is probably one of my favorites. Maybe because there's birds on it! Never realized how much I use them in my art! The theme for this one was inspired by the passage typed on the muslin fabric. It's from a song by Sting which seems very kitsch I know. But I've always thought that crows and ravens make great subjects because they seem to add an air of mystery and have a dark quality to them that other birds don't portray. The pseudo religious sentiments in the song lyrics contrasting with the imagery of a "murder of crows" appealed to me at the time as a great visual juxtaposition.

The green page in the middle has latin phrases written on it but I did it so long ago I can't remember what they were about. The cut out area in the center reveals an illustration in the book of a sculptural frieze in a gothic cathedral of the birth of Christ. I also put gold leaf on the torn edges.

And here is the unassuming cover. I don't know if I will decorate it. I like the fact that it looks so simple and yet it holds something completely unexpected inside.

First new art of 2011!

2011-01-12T16:50:00.002-06:00

The Three Birds, mixed media

Well I couldn't wait any longer! After perusing some of my favorite blogs and being so inspired over the holidays I finished a mixed media piece. Oh definitely feel better! Very satisfying after such a long break.

I had intended to post some sneak peeks of it yesterday but somewhere between work and home the photos I uploaded didn't show up on my computer. So I decided I better just finish it now!

I took the last two photos below and then decided I really wanted to paint the bird. He just seemed incomplete still and I think I made the right choice to paint him. What do you think?

I began by using a piece of illustration board that I had layered with glue and then burned with a torch. I found some photos on a website with ephemera and I really liked the ones of old matchbox covers. I never realized how pretty matchboxes were. Then I started layering on diamond shaped pieces of magazines and torn paper with matte medium. I drew the bird in white acrylic ink and cut out some fuzzy circles and a piece of string to add to the composition. I also had an old piece of screen that I coated with paint and pressed onto the board for a pattern. I really just wanted to paint that bird too but I still wanted to see the layers underneath so I made sure the paint was translucent.

Overall I am pretty pleased with it! I wish I could do that all day long!

Easing in

2011-01-10T14:38:00.000-06:00

Well it certainly has been a long time since I posted anything. Since the chaos of the holidays I have been busy with work finishing the end of the semester and crazy preparing for a new semester with new students and new classes. This one pitiful sphere (an example for my students) is the only artwork I have made in weeks! Needless to say I am going a little stir crazy. But I am knitting again in the evenings so that has definitely helped. I should be done with another baby hat soon.

I have plans of making an art space (not really a studio) in my house so I can have a place to create artwork at home that isn't smack in the middle of the kitchen! And as this new year opens I have been tossing around the idea of selling my artwork online with my husband. We, of course, need to make things to sell first, so we are easing in to this idea and not stressing about it. Because who needs more stress? Although I have to say that I find the prospect of creating an online store to sell our artwork a very attractive idea. Something new and completely different for both of us. We'll see...

Chiapaintta Arts & Photography

2011-01-02T17:47:00.001-06:00

Chiapaintta Arts & Photography

A friend of mine just got her new blog up and running. She is an amazing photographer! She has such an eye for finding beautiful compositions and places to use as settings for photos. I am setting up a session with her soon. Take a look at her new blog!

Chicago vacation

2010-12-22T17:23:00.001-06:00

Last year we all went to Chicago for couple of days before Christmas and decided to do it again this year. We live so close to the city and just don't get there as often as we'd like so we act like tourists when we're there fitting as much as we can into a short amount of time.

We started off at the Kris Kindle Market which is outside and it was very cold when we were there. So the first thing we did was enjoy a hot cup of mulled cider.

Towering over the Kris Kindle Market is Picasso's sculpture.

Of course we had to go to the Art Institute where the lions out front are always decked out in their holiday finery!

This is an awesome new display on the grand stair case.

The next day we went to Navy Pier to the Winter Wonderfest. Our kids are a little old for it but they still have a lot of fun. The place is decorated beautifully. There's no way anyone could leave there not feeling the Christmas spirit!

We ended our trip with the Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. They are truly beautiful! My camera does not do them justice!

We arrived just in time to see the ice sculptors work their magic.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Cake boss kids!

2010-12-22T16:26:00.000-06:00

My cousin is excellent at baking and especially decorating cakes and cookies. So when my daughter became obsessed with the show Cake Boss I asked my cousin if she would be able to teach them a little. Well she went all out and they had a blast making cupcake snowmen and decorating their very own small flower basket cake.

Our "fondant" was rolled out starburst and laffy taffy!

The finished snowmen!

This one is Rose's....

And this one is May's.

I remember when I was younger my cousin Pam made me the most beautiful cake with this same basket weave and filled with frosting flowers. I think it's so wonderful that she has taught my kids how to do it now!

Not bad for a 12 year old first timer!

May's totally decked out cake.

Rose's elegant cake.

What a fun day we had! Thank you so much Pam for doing this for the girls. It was a great Christmas present and they made a lot of great memories that day.

And this is the squirrel Emily who paid us a visit while we were decorating. Pam's husband Tom very patiently trained this cute little squirrel to take nuts from his hand and we got to see it for ourselves when we were there!

Spoiler Alert Mom

2010-12-16T16:11:00.000-06:00

Spoiler alert! If you are my mom and you are reading this then look no further or else you'll spoil your Christmas gift. These are just so beautiful I just couldn't wait to post!

So now that I have gotten that warning out of the way I have to tell you that I am so excited to have my very own Otchipotchi pot! I ordered a pebble vase pictured below for myself and my mom and I also got her a gingko herbarium stone. They are wrapped in the prettiest little packages so the gifts to my mother remain wrapped. But I couldn't wait to open mine!

If you've never been to see the Otchipotchi blog you should definitely take a look. Paula's work is so delicate, organic and smooth. I just love my little vase. Now I just need to find some thing pretty to put in it!

Art Faire today!

2010-12-11T20:21:00.000-06:00

Here's what people saw when they first walked in.

This is the first table with student photography on the wall above.

Here are my mugs and you can see part of a scarf that was knit by one of my students with some help from grandma!

The chess board and the cutting board are beautiful. They were made by an art club student who is currently in the wood class. Too bad we didn't have time to make the chess pieces!

This is the second table that is in a niche in the wall under the stairs.

These display racks are tomato plant stands that I basically garbage picked! Tacky? Yes! But they work. I turned them upsidedown curled the wires on top and spray painted them gold. I'm pretty happy with my recycling!

We had necklaces, crane ornaments and the little crane earrings on the recycled tomato plant stands.

This last table held all the note cards and more student photography as well as some prints of student work.

Well this is it! We had a lot more stuff than I realized. It all just looked so small when it was all packed up in my office. But now that I see it all set up we have a considerable amount. I really hope it all sells! I figured since this is the first time we are doing this that the people coming to the Madrigal might not have money with them. The only kind of advertising I had was in the school newsletter and on the art department facebook page. But there are two more performances tomorrow so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Art Faire sneak peek

2010-12-07T18:51:00.001-06:00

student work

teacher art work

Well I finally finished organizing and printing all the note cards for our art faire. And I'm spelling it with an "e" because we are having it during the Madrigal performances with the whole renaissance theme.

The first picture is of all the cards that are printed with student work and the next photo features work by me and the other art teacher. Thanks Kelly!

They are all bundled and ready to go along with much of the other artwork I've posted in the past like the earrings (which were stolen :( but I made a bunch more) the nutty seed pod things and the mugs. The students have printed a whole bunch of photos and made lots of bracelets and necklaces and other pottery. Hope we have enough work to last through all three performances!

Snowy Saturday

2010-12-04T10:56:00.000-06:00

Well the first real snow of the year just fell and it's still snowing. I literally woke up and leaned out the back door and took some pictures of the back yard. Of course the goats are nowhere to be seen! I'm glad it snowed on a Saturday though so I didn't have to drive in it to work!

This now makes me realize that the kids still need snow pants and mittens so off to the store we go! And maybe I'll be able to get in some more Christmas shopping too.

For the Art Faire

2010-12-01T22:33:00.000-06:00

I feel like it has been forever since I posted last! But I've been busy making more things for the Art Faire the art department is having. Lots of cranes! I've seen them around as earrings and necklaces so I thought I'd try my hand at it too. These earrings are super tiny but they are really cute! And we are also making a bunch of them into Christmas ornaments too.

Finished Birds

2010-11-24T13:39:00.002-06:00

Well here they are all glazed and shiny. It's been so cloudy here that getting a good photo has been really difficult so of course they look better in person then they do here. All I have to do is put a pretty ribbon on them so they can be hung up.

Three new birds

2010-11-22T19:40:00.000-06:00

Here are some new birdy tiles I've been working on. These tiles were bisque fired and then I drew on them with a special pencil that won't burn off in the kiln. I covered them with glaze right after I photographed them here and they are in the kiln firing as I type this. So hopefully I'll have the finished birds to show you very soon.

The one in the center has a yellow discoloration from the water I washed it with. I'm not really sure why this happens to only some of them but it will burn off when it's fired.

Pinecones and needles

2010-11-21T15:31:00.000-06:00

There is a beautiful park across the street from my house and I was able to take only a few pictures before my camera ran out of batteries! Guess I should check them before I leave the house next time. But I did collect a few things on my walk and made a couple of quick sketches yesterday.

Not much to post right now but I have alot of new things coming so I'll be updating more this week.

Encaustic Revisited

2010-11-14T11:56:00.001-06:00

My students have been busy working on a mixed media project so I thought I'd repost one of my favorite mixed media projects from my old blog.

This is a mixed media encaustic painting which is a painting made with wax and lots of other media too! I started by burning glue on a piece of illustration board and layered on wax. Then I carved into the wax and rubbed in some oil pastel and imbedded pieces of an old film strip. I love the spontaneous nature of this process!

Wooly Bear

2010-11-14T11:49:00.001-06:00

We rescued this cute Wooly Bear caterpillar from our dog who thought it was a treat! We've seen so many of these fuzzy guys around this fall and I don't ever remember seeing them before. I put him in the wood pile next to our house so he would feel at home.

Christmas Cactus

2010-11-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

Well my christmas cactus is starting to flower already so I guess that means the holiday season can't be that far behind. I still cannot believe it's November already! I am loving the cooler weather but I am not looking forward to the months of snow and bitter cold. I am hoping that the season of hibernation will inspire me to pick up knitting again. I only started it last winter and stopped when life got busy in the spring but I really enjoyed it.

My friend Cheryl is an aspiring photographer and she took this beautiful photo and used my hat as a prop. It's the first thing that I had ever knit so I'm glad it actually fit!

Kate MacDowell

2010-11-02T11:22:00.001-05:00

My friend Kelly introduced me to the work of Kate MacDowell a while ago when she showed MacDowell's work on her art blog. I cannot get enough of it! Her work is classic in it's detail and construction, and there is an obvious influence from mythology. But the combination of the traditional with the modern statements about the fragility of our environment and our relationship with the natural world brings about a macabre and uncomfortable feeling. I am so attracted to her beautiful porcelain forms and yet the disturbing nature of her subjects creates a unique sort of conflict in me.

Coasters

2010-11-01T13:20:00.001-05:00

Here are some new things I've been working on. I thought that making coasters would be an easy thing to do for the Art Faire considering we can make lots of them at one time and also hoping that they will be an easy item to sell too!

The ones here have been bisque fired and I've sanded them down to try to even out the edges and make the bottoms really smooth so they won't scratch table tops.

I think I'll try to paint some underglaze into some of the leaf impressions to emphasize them a little more. I really like them without any color though too so I'll experiment to see which ones I like best.

I just finished making these here and I used some of the gingko leaves I collected from my trip to the botanical gardens. I used a slightly different technique this time so I hope they wind up more evenly round than the first ones. Less sanding would definitely be a good thing!

Goats for company

2010-10-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I updated my blog. I've been very busy the past two weeks with finals and the start of the new term. Not to mention a few very busy weekends. Today I finally got a chance to plant all my fall bulbs and had the goats keeping me company.

This guy was hilarious climbing the fence to reach the plants.

As many of you already know my backyard backs up to a heritage farm and today the goats were out and about. I found out first hand that they are fainting goats when I accidently startled one and watched his legs legs stiffen up and then he keeled over. I have to admit I laughed hysterically!

Maki was upset that she couldn't get closer to the fence to check out the goats for herself.

Even though we had some cloudy rainy weather this weekend it was really warm and beautiful outside.

Hope it's this nice for the trick or treaters next weekend!

Photo Scavenger Hunt

2010-10-15T12:40:00.000-05:00

cover of invitation

inside

My daughter May is turning 11 soon and this is the invitation I made to send to her friends. We decided to reuse a theme that we did for my other daughter's birthday a couple of years ago which was a photography scavenger hunt. The party was such a hit that May didn't mind copying her sister's party idea. The kids are divided into groups and each group is given a camera and a list of pictures they have to take. Some of the ideas we used are....

recreate a scene from a Disney movie

how close can you get and still have everyone's face in the picture, and

everyone jump! All feet must be off the ground.

When the kids are done we have the teams pick their favorite pictures from the other teams photos. By the end of the party we burn cd's for all the kids with all the photos on it to take home and if that doesn't work we will include them in with the thank you notes!

Birdie Ornaments

2010-10-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking ahead this year for once. Christmas seems to come way too quickly and I never get finished with the gifts I'd like to give! So I'm getting ready now to make more of these birdie tiles to make into ornaments.

Raku!

2010-10-02T12:16:00.001-05:00

What a beautiful day for raku! Raku is a method of firing pottery outside using a modernized version of an ancient Japanese technique. Raku is different because the glazes get beautiful metallic lusters and flashing. Some glazes are crackle and any area of exposed clay where there is no glaze will turn sooty black.

Student pottery that has been glazed and is waiting to be fired.

The pots are loaded into the kiln where they will be fired to about 2000 degrees fahrenheit. The process is quick compared to other glaze fire methods. The kiln reaches temperature in about 30 minutes.

The pots here are glowing red hot and the surface is liquid. Now the fun begins!

The pots are removed from the kiln when they are glowing red hot and put into the reduction chambers (aka garbage cans!) with combustible materials like straw or paper.

The contents light on fire and then the lid is put on to cause a reduction or "starve" the oxygen from the atmosphere inside the chamber. That's how the glazes get all their special effects.

Lots of smoke is produced but we put wet towels over the cans to try and keep it from becoming too bad.

The pots are taken from the garbage cans after about ten minutes. They are still very hot and we quench them in water to freeze the effects in place.

Look at all the student work! And this is only about half of what we completed.

There are some periods where we are waiting around for the pots to fire so we drag a couple of wheels outside so students can practice throwing on the wheel.

We also make horse hair pottery during the workshop. The pots are fired until red hot and then horse hair is burned onto the hot clay surface. It really only sticks to unglazed areas and this student did half glaze and half horse hair.

This is my work for the day! I have to admit that I did not throw the large vase but I did glaze it.

I'm hoping this will be one of our big ticket items at our Art Faire!

Botanical Gardens

2010-09-26T21:02:00.002-05:00

Japanese Gardens

Bonsai tree

rosehips

Fall harvest

What a beautiful fall day at the Botanical Gardens! These are just a few of my photos and I haven't retouched any of them in photoshop yet. I will definitely be using these for some of my drawings.

New Pottery

2010-09-25T11:34:00.002-05:00

This is what came out of the kiln yesterday! I am trying to make items to sell with the art club kids for our very first Art Faire. We will be doing it in conjunction with the Madrigal Dinner which will draw a large audience over the course of the three days they are performing.

Remember the nuts from the post on my other site? Well here they are all done! I will be making a whole bunch of these and will probably sell them in a group of three. I decided to brush them with an iron oxide stain and it turned out exactly the way I wanted. The picture below shows how big they really are. They would be a really great fall decoration but since the Art Faire isn't until December I might be missing the window of opportunity with these.

I'm pleased with the mugs because I've never been good at making them. They are easy to throw but I'm not good at making them look uniform...so I figured who cares! They are handmade so don't expect any two to look alike! But what really helps is the new way I've been making the handles. Pulling handles was always an effort in futility so with a little help from the new extruder at the school I've finally been able to make a mug I would actually use. A good coffee mug is a very personal thing to many people. The weight of it, the way it balances in your hand, the size of the handle, thickness of the lip, etc... I figured mugs would be a good money maker regardless of the season so I hope to crank out a whole bunch of these. And maybe make some as Christmas gifts for family and friends.

A B C's

2010-09-23T21:13:00.002-05:00

I started this alphabet project almost two years ago as a gift for a friend who had just had her first baby. Needless to say I never finished it but I'd like to! I really just made it such a huge project that I am having a hard time trying to find enough ideas to complete it. Each letter is about 4"x4" and everything within the space relates to the letter.

A~at, apple, apple seeds

B~ blue bird, brown, buttons, branch

C~Coca Cola, Christmas colors, castle

D~drawn D, DaVinci (can you see the Mona Lisa in there?)

E~envelope, elephant, eight, E, e (it's on the back of the stamp) and I like the way the envelope closes with a figure eight.

F~ frayed fabric, feather, five

G~ green, gold, ginko, grass

H~hearts card, happy, rose petal heart

R~ raised, rough, red

S~ sandpaper, seeds, stamps, scribble, starfish

T~toothpicks, texture, tie dye
The M, P and Z are unfinished

The M is from the Magikist sign. Anyone who lives in Chicago remembers the Magikist lips off of the Kennedy! And the P is polkadotted... The Z is made of a holographic zigzag on a background of zebras.

My favorite blog artists

2010-09-22T21:02:00.003-05:00

Queen Anne's lace drawing next to my favorite Raku bowl.

Seeds inspired by Arounna from Bookhou

These sketchbook drawings were inspired by two of my favorite blogger artists. Geninne's Art Blog is so colorful and whimsical and it makes me happy every time I go to her site. And Bookhou at Home is a site by one half of a husband /wife artist team whose work is so simple, clean and comfortable. Take a look at their blogs too!

From my sketchbook

2010-09-21T17:22:00.000-05:00

Now What?

This is a sketch from a few years ago that I drew on our flight to Florida for Spring Break. There were about thirty of us in all going on a cruise in the Caribbean and I couldn't wait to get to some nice weather! I'll post more sketchbook drawings tomorrow.

Berries

2010-09-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

Here's a simple watercolor I did a few weeks ago. I think I might scan this and use this for a design for a note card. Is it "christmasy" enough for a Christmas card?

My First Post

2010-09-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

I thought I should start a blog in order to force myself to do more art work. I had another small site that I treated like a blog but I wanted to create something more. So here goes nothing!