WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY
SEASON FULL OF LOVE AND GOOD CHEER!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
A Christmas Gift for You!
I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who have supported me by visiting my blog, leaving wonderful comments and sending me such lovely emails this past year. It is very much appreciated and I truly treasure your friendship.
Christmas morning is always fun for me. I enjoy opening all the gifts under the tree but the most fun and what I love most is watching the faces of my family members as they open theirs.
In my house, there is always much guessing on Christmas Eve as to what the "handmade" gift from me will be this year. I don't think anyone has guessed correctly yet... it remains a mystery until Christmas morning... 'cause I won't tell or even give any hints!
And DRATS... I have to tell you what it is. LOL
A tutorial for a 3-1/2" x 5" Vintage Photo Lantern made from glass and as a bonus for my "twinchie" friends, the tutorial also includes some prints to make a sweet 2" x 2" Christmas lantern. The little lantern has a flickering flame LED light behind it and the large lantern can have either a candle in a votive holder or two flickering flame LED lights to shine through the photos. Difficult to photograph but I guarantee... you'll love the effect!!
The tutorial photos for the large lantern are different than on the one I made for myself but they are just as lovely. Here's a preview of them....
If you hurry, you can even make one for Christmas, either as a gift for someone else or yourself! (how novel...LOL)
Download the PDF Tutorial Here
You can save the PDF to your computer. Please be patient with the download. It is a BIG pdf file....
Wishing YOU a wonderful Holiday Season! Merry Christmas everyone and see you in the New Year!
Happy Holidays
Sharon
Christmas morning is always fun for me. I enjoy opening all the gifts under the tree but the most fun and what I love most is watching the faces of my family members as they open theirs.
In my house, there is always much guessing on Christmas Eve as to what the "handmade" gift from me will be this year. I don't think anyone has guessed correctly yet... it remains a mystery until Christmas morning... 'cause I won't tell or even give any hints!
Guess what?
Santa left a present
under the tree
JUST FOR YOU
at myStoryART...
And DRATS... I have to tell you what it is. LOL
A tutorial for a 3-1/2" x 5" Vintage Photo Lantern made from glass and as a bonus for my "twinchie" friends, the tutorial also includes some prints to make a sweet 2" x 2" Christmas lantern. The little lantern has a flickering flame LED light behind it and the large lantern can have either a candle in a votive holder or two flickering flame LED lights to shine through the photos. Difficult to photograph but I guarantee... you'll love the effect!!
 |
| Twinchie 2" x 2" Christmas Lantern |
 |
| 3-1/2" x 5" Vintage Photo Glass Lantern |
If you hurry, you can even make one for Christmas, either as a gift for someone else or yourself! (how novel...LOL)
Download the PDF Tutorial Here
You can save the PDF to your computer. Please be patient with the download. It is a BIG pdf file....
Wishing YOU a wonderful Holiday Season! Merry Christmas everyone and see you in the New Year!
Happy Holidays
Sharon
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Steampunk Altoid Tins...
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of doing a demo for my claying guild, the Vancouver Island Polymer Clay Guild on covering altoid tins and giving them some ideas around "steampunking" them.
Originally we had planned to make Christmas ornaments/little gifts so I had brought along some samples of *stuff* I have been working on. Well, the moment they saw one of the altoid tins I had made as a "gift box" for a gift card I am giving a friend for Christmas, the ornaments were completely forgotten. Silence in the room. Here are a couple of photos of the tin I showed them...(my friend likes bling... so I added some "jewels" to this tin)
"Do you want to do Steampunk Altoid tins instead?" I asked innocently. GRIN.
Head nodding enthusiasm, with a few Yippes thrown in for good measure, erupted in our friend Barb's lovely art studio! And it just so happened LOL that our claying friend Barb has a formidable stash of altoid tins she was willing to share with us tucked away in one of her art table drawers.
Claying in Barb's studio is FUN! After the summer break, she graciously made her studio available for us to clay in once a month. We aren't a big group so there is lots of room to spread out. And Barb has everything... and I do mean that! Stamps, texture plates, clay, paint, Pearl Ex... you name it... Barb has it in abundance. What fun it is to have permission to "paw" through her stuff to see what you can discover! She has to be one of the most giving, fun and sharing women I know.
I spent most of my time showing some of the "newer" clayers some little tricks in preparing their clay, texturizing it and covering their tins while Barb and Deb, the more experienced clayers in our little group, just charged ahead. We used Pearl Ex to add colour to the black clay and emphasize the patterns in the clay. And Barb, bless her, just 'happened to have' some gears that she shared with everyone.
Our claying friend Janet had to leave early so I don't have a photo of her tin but here's a photo of Barb, Deb and Irene's finished products... which doesn't do them justice at all! All they need now is a coat of Future floor wax to finish them off and give them some sheen and to glue the "gears" down. Conversely, you can use "Triple Thick" to give them a wet, glossy finish if that is more to your liking.
It's hard photographing "metallics" so that they show up in all their glory... but didn't they do a *great* job??? This was Irene's first *big* claying project and she was absolutely thrilled with the results.
I usually make my little tins with small feet and a "drawer" pull and they end up looking like little jewel cases. There are lots of ideas for finishing the inside... you can glue in paper and make a little collage or just leave it plain. You can use fabric and polyfill on the inside for a lovely, soft padded effect.
There are lots of practical uses for these covered altoid tins and its use can determine how you finish it. Here are a few ideas that come to mind:
* A little sewing kit with a pin cushion, thread, tiny scissors, etc. inside.
* A "fancy tin" to store your loose change for parking meters, parking garages or a quick cup of java at the takeout window! The tins tuck nicely into your purse (or your hubby's jacket pocket) and you'll never say *$%@#& again when you dump out all of your pocketbook change to "pay" and discover that all you have are pennies, nickels or dimes!
* A gift card box... they are the perfect size.
* A key or small trinket box for little stuff.
* A place to store your IPod earbuds, batteries and the "memory" cards for your digital camera.
*You can even make one of these tins into a portable media storage tin with the addition of a "memory stick"
* An ATC card holder (I am currently working on one to hold a number of my favourite steampunk ATC's)
You can also finish the top of the tin in a number of ways. Here's another one I did adding a piece of embossed copper foil that I antiqued to the top...
Till next week,
Sharon
Originally we had planned to make Christmas ornaments/little gifts so I had brought along some samples of *stuff* I have been working on. Well, the moment they saw one of the altoid tins I had made as a "gift box" for a gift card I am giving a friend for Christmas, the ornaments were completely forgotten. Silence in the room. Here are a couple of photos of the tin I showed them...(my friend likes bling... so I added some "jewels" to this tin)
"Do you want to do Steampunk Altoid tins instead?" I asked innocently. GRIN.
Head nodding enthusiasm, with a few Yippes thrown in for good measure, erupted in our friend Barb's lovely art studio! And it just so happened LOL that our claying friend Barb has a formidable stash of altoid tins she was willing to share with us tucked away in one of her art table drawers.
Claying in Barb's studio is FUN! After the summer break, she graciously made her studio available for us to clay in once a month. We aren't a big group so there is lots of room to spread out. And Barb has everything... and I do mean that! Stamps, texture plates, clay, paint, Pearl Ex... you name it... Barb has it in abundance. What fun it is to have permission to "paw" through her stuff to see what you can discover! She has to be one of the most giving, fun and sharing women I know.
I spent most of my time showing some of the "newer" clayers some little tricks in preparing their clay, texturizing it and covering their tins while Barb and Deb, the more experienced clayers in our little group, just charged ahead. We used Pearl Ex to add colour to the black clay and emphasize the patterns in the clay. And Barb, bless her, just 'happened to have' some gears that she shared with everyone.
Our claying friend Janet had to leave early so I don't have a photo of her tin but here's a photo of Barb, Deb and Irene's finished products... which doesn't do them justice at all! All they need now is a coat of Future floor wax to finish them off and give them some sheen and to glue the "gears" down. Conversely, you can use "Triple Thick" to give them a wet, glossy finish if that is more to your liking.
It's hard photographing "metallics" so that they show up in all their glory... but didn't they do a *great* job??? This was Irene's first *big* claying project and she was absolutely thrilled with the results.
I usually make my little tins with small feet and a "drawer" pull and they end up looking like little jewel cases. There are lots of ideas for finishing the inside... you can glue in paper and make a little collage or just leave it plain. You can use fabric and polyfill on the inside for a lovely, soft padded effect.
There are lots of practical uses for these covered altoid tins and its use can determine how you finish it. Here are a few ideas that come to mind:
* A little sewing kit with a pin cushion, thread, tiny scissors, etc. inside.
* A "fancy tin" to store your loose change for parking meters, parking garages or a quick cup of java at the takeout window! The tins tuck nicely into your purse (or your hubby's jacket pocket) and you'll never say *$%@#& again when you dump out all of your pocketbook change to "pay" and discover that all you have are pennies, nickels or dimes!
* A gift card box... they are the perfect size.
* A key or small trinket box for little stuff.
* A place to store your IPod earbuds, batteries and the "memory" cards for your digital camera.
*You can even make one of these tins into a portable media storage tin with the addition of a "memory stick"
* An ATC card holder (I am currently working on one to hold a number of my favourite steampunk ATC's)
You can also finish the top of the tin in a number of ways. Here's another one I did adding a piece of embossed copper foil that I antiqued to the top...
What are some ideas you have for finishing these tins either with clay or without? Has this blog post inspired you to cover a tin for yourself or as a gift for Christmas? I'm sure all my readers would love to hear your ideas or see a photo. Leave a comment and let us know where we could see your "creation". If you don't have a blog, send me a photo, I'll publish it here for the world to see.
Sharon
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Haunted Halloween House... and a Fun, Ghostly Tale
Happy Halloween everyone! This week I have a fun, ghost story from the Pacific Northwest by one of my favourite "storytellers" Margaret Read McDonald AND a preview photo of the "Haunted Halloween House" I made in polymer clay and set into a frame.
Rosario Resort on Orcas Island occupies the former mansion of Robert Moran. In 1939 the mansion changed owners and a flamboyant lady by the name of Alice Rheem took residence. Rumour has it that her husband bought the remote property as a useful place to ensconce Alice and her drinking habit. She became a familiar figure on the island, riding around on a motor scooter, often after one drink too many, sometimes dressed only in her red nightgown. And she was known to have a proclivity for handsome young soldiers, bringing them back to the mansion whenever her husband was away. Alice eventually died in the mansion, supposedly a victim of too much drink. But she seems not to have left quite yet.
As recently as 1986 Alice was causing havoc. A tired housekeeping employee bedded down in an empty room in the mansion one night rather than drive home. Just as she was dropping off to sleep, she noticed a shadow pass across the wall. Turning on the light, she saw nothing. But the shadow moved again and something touched her hand. She waited and seeing nothing was about to trun off the light and go back to bed when she felt fingers caressing her hand. The girl bolted from the hotel, tossing the key to the desk clerk. "There's something in that room!" He shrugged, put the key back on the hook, and noticed that it was midnight.
As it happened, a trio of entertainers had been staying in the room next to her that night. They complained as they dropped off their key in the morning. "How long will that woman be staying next to us?" The desk clerk assured them that she had already left at midnight, the night before. But the entertainers had been kept awake all night, they said, by her carousing. Just before midnight they'd seen the light under the door go on and off three times. then the bed began to creak and the moans of passionate lovemaking started up. they were kept awake all night. The key to the room still hung on its hook and the desk clerk hadn't given it to anyone else. The hotel staff suspect that Alice was at work.
From the book "Ghost Stories of the Pacific Northwest" by Margaret Read McDonald
(Source: Seattle Weekly writer Kathryn Robinson)
Happy Halloween! Have fun and stay safe...
Sharon
P.S. I decided to extend the time to get the "Halloween Hilda" ATC Tutorial under Current Free Trade Downloads to November 5. If you would like this ATC tutorial package, Get it NOW as it will be retired on Nov. 5 and no longer available!! Click on Current Free Trade Downloads link under the header at the top of this page to read how you can get this tutorial.
What a lot of fun it was making this house! Our friends, Scott and Sandy, are great Halloween fans and go all out with decorating their yard. It was a source of inspiration for me when putting this polymer clay house with its embellishments together.
According to hubby, the pumpkins look downright REAL and he loves the bats swooping across the sky. I was a little disappointed in the moon... UNTIL... I turned the lights off. Made from "glow in the dark" clay, I was amazed at how long you could see the moon in the dark! The windows are made from a transparency with alcohol ink dribbled on it and then backed with silver paper. The rough frame was made from paper mache clay and then painted with metallic paints.
Of course, every haunted house deserves a spooky ghost story to go along with it. With that in mind, here is a wonderful "true" short tale from the Pacific Northwest.
The Femme Fatale of Rosario Resort
Orcas Island, WashingtonRosario Resort on Orcas Island occupies the former mansion of Robert Moran. In 1939 the mansion changed owners and a flamboyant lady by the name of Alice Rheem took residence. Rumour has it that her husband bought the remote property as a useful place to ensconce Alice and her drinking habit. She became a familiar figure on the island, riding around on a motor scooter, often after one drink too many, sometimes dressed only in her red nightgown. And she was known to have a proclivity for handsome young soldiers, bringing them back to the mansion whenever her husband was away. Alice eventually died in the mansion, supposedly a victim of too much drink. But she seems not to have left quite yet.
As recently as 1986 Alice was causing havoc. A tired housekeeping employee bedded down in an empty room in the mansion one night rather than drive home. Just as she was dropping off to sleep, she noticed a shadow pass across the wall. Turning on the light, she saw nothing. But the shadow moved again and something touched her hand. She waited and seeing nothing was about to trun off the light and go back to bed when she felt fingers caressing her hand. The girl bolted from the hotel, tossing the key to the desk clerk. "There's something in that room!" He shrugged, put the key back on the hook, and noticed that it was midnight.
As it happened, a trio of entertainers had been staying in the room next to her that night. They complained as they dropped off their key in the morning. "How long will that woman be staying next to us?" The desk clerk assured them that she had already left at midnight, the night before. But the entertainers had been kept awake all night, they said, by her carousing. Just before midnight they'd seen the light under the door go on and off three times. then the bed began to creak and the moans of passionate lovemaking started up. they were kept awake all night. The key to the room still hung on its hook and the desk clerk hadn't given it to anyone else. The hotel staff suspect that Alice was at work.
From the book "Ghost Stories of the Pacific Northwest" by Margaret Read McDonald
(Source: Seattle Weekly writer Kathryn Robinson)
Happy Halloween! Have fun and stay safe...
Sharon
P.S. I decided to extend the time to get the "Halloween Hilda" ATC Tutorial under Current Free Trade Downloads to November 5. If you would like this ATC tutorial package, Get it NOW as it will be retired on Nov. 5 and no longer available!! Click on Current Free Trade Downloads link under the header at the top of this page to read how you can get this tutorial.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sidney Fine Arts Show Juried Art Entry - "How the Cow Comes Home"
Our Internet connection was down this morning so I apologize for posting this much later than I wanted and promised to...
Today, allow me to introduce you to "How the Cow Comes Home"... a whimsical, ceramic/polymer clay cow that simply stole my heart while I was creating her.
Photos often don't do justice to some art work and this is certainly the case with "How the Cow Comes Home". It is difficult to see the subtle shading on this piece of fun loving art.
As many of you know, I don't plan my work. I just get the idea, begin the project and allow the piece to tell me what it needs and wants until it is complete. My job is simply to carry out wishes. I certainly had a barrel of laughs with this piece... she was quite the fussy gal as she came into being. LOL. With a "life purpose" of spreading warmth, joy, and laughter, this little cow snuggled right down into my heart and skipped gleefully through my soul every day I worked on her.
After another polymer clay piece, "If Pigs Could Fly" I created earlier this year sold at the Sooke Fine Arts Festival, my friend Cindy wrote me an email and asked, "Okay, so what are you going to do next?" I was still basking in the sale of my sweet Pig and hadn't really given it much thought. Off the top of my head and laughing, I wrote back "Oh cows I guess! LOL" and promptly forgot about it.
A couple of weeks later, our doorbell rang. There was the postman with a package for me from Cindy. I opened it up and burst out laughing. Inside the package was a plain vanilla ceramic bisque cow (and a very tiny little pig). I took it out of its packaging and set it on the kitchen table. The first thing that popped into my head was "I want a personality." "Okay, you've got it. But not this week." I said. Work on her began the following week.
When I "do" art, the storytelling side of my personality emerges. Just about every piece I do has a story attached to it. The story that forms and takes shape during the creation process is one I either "feel" or can articulate in actual words. And so it was with "How the Cow Comes Home". A "fable" was emerging and guiding the process! It began like this:
"Once, there was a chocolate milk brown cow named Gertrude who lived in the mountains of Switzerland. In the winter, she lived with her family in a small village at the foot of a mountain. It was a quaint little town well known across the world for the tasty cheeses and chocolate produced by the farmers from her family's milk."
And, as "Gertrude" began to take on a personality, the story began to grow. What fun I was having doing two things that I love both at the same time... art and storytelling. I found myself becoming very curious about cows. I had never really thought much about how cows ... certainly not as an adult.
If you have been following my blog for any time, you will know that when I was young, my grandpa had a dairy farm. As a child, I remember feeling very intimidated by the size and strength of those cows in that enormous barn out behind the farmhouse . They were BIG!
My grandpa was proud of his herd and each one of them (there were about 20) had a name. According to my grandfather, each of them also had their own distinct personality. I remember him and my grandmother talking about them as if they were their children... which, in a sense, they were. Those cows were at the center of their livelihood.
As this whimsical little cow progressed, "she" began to take on a personality. I could hardly wait to get up in the morning to work on her. Some of "her" ideas about how she wanted to become really did make me wonder some days! Especially the morning when I got up and decided that I had to find the perfect compass to put on her head as sort of a brim to shield her eyes and to make sure she could find her way home. Hubby roared laughing when I told him that little tidbit at the breakfast table.
"You're just having too much fun with this cow." he said with a big grin on his face. "and I'm having a great time just waiting to hear what comes next."
Fast foward... Adjudication time! When I unwrapped her at the "art centre" and brought her into the jurors room, I just told her to "go WOW those judges with your wonderful personality." Well, as you all know, she did. She was accepted for the show.
The weekend of the show, the cold I had been nursing took a turn for the worse. I felt absolutely rotten and slept most of the time. It really ticked me off that I couldn't go out and enjoy looking at all the art on display. Phooey!!!
Fortunately, hubby and I had made it to the Artists Reception before the show actually started. Both of my pieces had received great placement. They were the first pieces you saw when you walked through one of the doors. I was delighted with the way they had been showcased.
They looked so wonderfully whimsical and fun in their spot. I felt so proud of them! I hung out around them for a few minutes to judge the reaction of other attendees discovering them. Onlookers laughed or smiled when they spotted them.
One older gentleman just couldn't help himself... he had to play with the teapot. I watched as he surreptiously moved towards to the teapot. Out shot his hand. He flicked the coil beneath the little bird with his finger. He burst out laughing as the bird began to move and sway! I loved witnessing that moment. The pieces were "doing their job" ... spreading some joy and fun around.
I was surprised when I didn't receive a phone call over the weekend telling me that one or the other had sold. I had been sure that the cow would sell. Who could possibly resist that cute, whimsical bundle of laughter and fun?
I was a tad bit disappointed. On the other hand, I feel it is an honour to make it into a show and 98% of the time, it's okay with me either way if a piece sells or it doesn't.
Being accepted into a show is a thrilling experience. It tells me that the jurors deem my piece "sell worthy" for this particular show. After all, isn't this what the show's sponsor as well as the artist wants to do? But it's also a way of spreading some enjoyment around. There are bound to be some people who like what I have done. The bottom line: If my piece sells, it is a bonus. If it doesn't, that okay for me too.
Some people have asked me how I can be so okay with a piece not being accepted or selling. Here's my answer: I have never put a piece into a show that I didn't love in the first place.
If it doesn't sell, it is not a reflection on the piece. Affordability, size and "does it fit into my lifestyle?" are just some factors I believe are often considered by buyers. But I also believe that a piece of art is a very subjective to the buyer. If you fall in love with a piece, you will move heaven and earth to get it if you must. That's certainly been my experience with art I have purchased.
But you know, the best thing is that if a piece of my art doesn't sell, I get to keep it and perhaps show it again. It all depends on the "rules" of any given show. I recognize that juried art shows can't accept every piece that is submitted. They often turn away pieces that I would consider beautiful pieces of art. Art can be so subjective!! Beauty is definitely in the eyes of the beholder.
I firmly attest to the idea that attitude is everything when it comes to artists selling their art. It definitely determines your altitude. The way I look at it is this: 33-1/3% of people who see my art will love it. 33-1/3% will stand in judgment and find everything they can wrong about it or simply not like it. 33-1/3% will not care one way or the other. My attitude is... who do I want to hang out with and who do I want my art to be purchased by? The answer is self explanatory.
My heart was light. Off we went to Sidney to pick up my pieces.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that the cow had sold. I was delighted! You are about to read what I consider to be the best and most special part of this whole experience... getting to meet my buyer.
Accompanied by an art show volunteer, hubby and I went into the hall to pick up the teapot. As we stopped in front of the display area, a voice behind me said, "What a pleasure it is to meet the artist of these wonderful pieces." I turned around and there was a gentleman with a huge smile on his face. He extended his hand, introduced himself and told me that he wanted to meet the artist who had created the cow. He had purchased it and was going to take it home with him.
I was delighted. Rarely does one get the opportunity of meeting the buyer of a piece in an art show. This was a very special treat. As we chatted, I discovered that he was a volunteer at the show and wanted to meet me to tell me how much he enjoyed this whimsical little cow. "Every time I look at her, I smile" he said. "I knew that I just had to buy her and take her home with me. I just love the whimsey about her."
It was such a wonderful experience to see and hear how much he appreciated what I had done and how excited he was to have the piece as his own. I was deeply touched by his words.
I let him know that it was a rare treat to meet the buyer and one of the things I liked to do was to send a personal thank you note to the purchaser of any of my pieces. I also told him that I usually wrote the "back story" on all of my pieces once they were done and I would love to to share it with him when it was complete. He was interested in receiving it so gave me his phone number and an email address to get in touch with him.. It was truly a lovely conversation and I was thrilled to bits to have had the opportunity of meeting him.
First thing the next day, I wrote him an email thanking him again for purchasing "How the Cow Comes Home" . As well, I shared with him some of my more personal thoughts about the piece and the experience of creating it. I promised, once again, to send him the background story when it is finished.
Yesterday morning, I opened up my email and there was a reply to my email from him. Only two words can describe it... beautiful and deeply touching. As I read it, tears welled up in my eyes.
In his email he told me that he had fallen in love with her the first time he saw her during the jurying process. When he saw her in the show, he was not only delighted but knew that he just had to have her. He wanted me to know that she will be treasured and for what he believes I created her for - to provide a sense of joy, fun and comfort in her presence. "And thus the reason that I wanted to meet you. I thought that these qualities in Whimsey (her new name) must be a reflection of her creator. That appears to be the case."
What a gracious and lovely thing to say. How delighted I am that "little cow" has melted his heart. I understand. I felt the same way about her. Now if that isn't special, I don't know what is! SMILE
"Gertrude" will be christened with her new name as I finish editing the story to send to him. I'll share the fable and the interesting "cow facts" I gathered (curiosity got the better of me!) with you story lovers out there when it is finished.
Thanks for stopping by today and sharing in my good fortune.
Wishing you an artful week,
Sharon.
Today, allow me to introduce you to "How the Cow Comes Home"... a whimsical, ceramic/polymer clay cow that simply stole my heart while I was creating her.
Photos often don't do justice to some art work and this is certainly the case with "How the Cow Comes Home". It is difficult to see the subtle shading on this piece of fun loving art.
As many of you know, I don't plan my work. I just get the idea, begin the project and allow the piece to tell me what it needs and wants until it is complete. My job is simply to carry out wishes. I certainly had a barrel of laughs with this piece... she was quite the fussy gal as she came into being. LOL. With a "life purpose" of spreading warmth, joy, and laughter, this little cow snuggled right down into my heart and skipped gleefully through my soul every day I worked on her.
After another polymer clay piece, "If Pigs Could Fly" I created earlier this year sold at the Sooke Fine Arts Festival, my friend Cindy wrote me an email and asked, "Okay, so what are you going to do next?" I was still basking in the sale of my sweet Pig and hadn't really given it much thought. Off the top of my head and laughing, I wrote back "Oh cows I guess! LOL" and promptly forgot about it.
A couple of weeks later, our doorbell rang. There was the postman with a package for me from Cindy. I opened it up and burst out laughing. Inside the package was a plain vanilla ceramic bisque cow (and a very tiny little pig). I took it out of its packaging and set it on the kitchen table. The first thing that popped into my head was "I want a personality." "Okay, you've got it. But not this week." I said. Work on her began the following week.
When I "do" art, the storytelling side of my personality emerges. Just about every piece I do has a story attached to it. The story that forms and takes shape during the creation process is one I either "feel" or can articulate in actual words. And so it was with "How the Cow Comes Home". A "fable" was emerging and guiding the process! It began like this:
"Once, there was a chocolate milk brown cow named Gertrude who lived in the mountains of Switzerland. In the winter, she lived with her family in a small village at the foot of a mountain. It was a quaint little town well known across the world for the tasty cheeses and chocolate produced by the farmers from her family's milk."
And, as "Gertrude" began to take on a personality, the story began to grow. What fun I was having doing two things that I love both at the same time... art and storytelling. I found myself becoming very curious about cows. I had never really thought much about how cows ... certainly not as an adult.
If you have been following my blog for any time, you will know that when I was young, my grandpa had a dairy farm. As a child, I remember feeling very intimidated by the size and strength of those cows in that enormous barn out behind the farmhouse . They were BIG!
My grandpa was proud of his herd and each one of them (there were about 20) had a name. According to my grandfather, each of them also had their own distinct personality. I remember him and my grandmother talking about them as if they were their children... which, in a sense, they were. Those cows were at the center of their livelihood.
As this whimsical little cow progressed, "she" began to take on a personality. I could hardly wait to get up in the morning to work on her. Some of "her" ideas about how she wanted to become really did make me wonder some days! Especially the morning when I got up and decided that I had to find the perfect compass to put on her head as sort of a brim to shield her eyes and to make sure she could find her way home. Hubby roared laughing when I told him that little tidbit at the breakfast table.
"You're just having too much fun with this cow." he said with a big grin on his face. "and I'm having a great time just waiting to hear what comes next."
Fast foward... Adjudication time! When I unwrapped her at the "art centre" and brought her into the jurors room, I just told her to "go WOW those judges with your wonderful personality." Well, as you all know, she did. She was accepted for the show.
The weekend of the show, the cold I had been nursing took a turn for the worse. I felt absolutely rotten and slept most of the time. It really ticked me off that I couldn't go out and enjoy looking at all the art on display. Phooey!!!
Fortunately, hubby and I had made it to the Artists Reception before the show actually started. Both of my pieces had received great placement. They were the first pieces you saw when you walked through one of the doors. I was delighted with the way they had been showcased.
They looked so wonderfully whimsical and fun in their spot. I felt so proud of them! I hung out around them for a few minutes to judge the reaction of other attendees discovering them. Onlookers laughed or smiled when they spotted them.
One older gentleman just couldn't help himself... he had to play with the teapot. I watched as he surreptiously moved towards to the teapot. Out shot his hand. He flicked the coil beneath the little bird with his finger. He burst out laughing as the bird began to move and sway! I loved witnessing that moment. The pieces were "doing their job" ... spreading some joy and fun around.
I was surprised when I didn't receive a phone call over the weekend telling me that one or the other had sold. I had been sure that the cow would sell. Who could possibly resist that cute, whimsical bundle of laughter and fun?
I was a tad bit disappointed. On the other hand, I feel it is an honour to make it into a show and 98% of the time, it's okay with me either way if a piece sells or it doesn't.
Being accepted into a show is a thrilling experience. It tells me that the jurors deem my piece "sell worthy" for this particular show. After all, isn't this what the show's sponsor as well as the artist wants to do? But it's also a way of spreading some enjoyment around. There are bound to be some people who like what I have done. The bottom line: If my piece sells, it is a bonus. If it doesn't, that okay for me too.
Some people have asked me how I can be so okay with a piece not being accepted or selling. Here's my answer: I have never put a piece into a show that I didn't love in the first place.
If it doesn't sell, it is not a reflection on the piece. Affordability, size and "does it fit into my lifestyle?" are just some factors I believe are often considered by buyers. But I also believe that a piece of art is a very subjective to the buyer. If you fall in love with a piece, you will move heaven and earth to get it if you must. That's certainly been my experience with art I have purchased.
But you know, the best thing is that if a piece of my art doesn't sell, I get to keep it and perhaps show it again. It all depends on the "rules" of any given show. I recognize that juried art shows can't accept every piece that is submitted. They often turn away pieces that I would consider beautiful pieces of art. Art can be so subjective!! Beauty is definitely in the eyes of the beholder.
I firmly attest to the idea that attitude is everything when it comes to artists selling their art. It definitely determines your altitude. The way I look at it is this: 33-1/3% of people who see my art will love it. 33-1/3% will stand in judgment and find everything they can wrong about it or simply not like it. 33-1/3% will not care one way or the other. My attitude is... who do I want to hang out with and who do I want my art to be purchased by? The answer is self explanatory.
My heart was light. Off we went to Sidney to pick up my pieces.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that the cow had sold. I was delighted! You are about to read what I consider to be the best and most special part of this whole experience... getting to meet my buyer.
Accompanied by an art show volunteer, hubby and I went into the hall to pick up the teapot. As we stopped in front of the display area, a voice behind me said, "What a pleasure it is to meet the artist of these wonderful pieces." I turned around and there was a gentleman with a huge smile on his face. He extended his hand, introduced himself and told me that he wanted to meet the artist who had created the cow. He had purchased it and was going to take it home with him.
I was delighted. Rarely does one get the opportunity of meeting the buyer of a piece in an art show. This was a very special treat. As we chatted, I discovered that he was a volunteer at the show and wanted to meet me to tell me how much he enjoyed this whimsical little cow. "Every time I look at her, I smile" he said. "I knew that I just had to buy her and take her home with me. I just love the whimsey about her."
It was such a wonderful experience to see and hear how much he appreciated what I had done and how excited he was to have the piece as his own. I was deeply touched by his words.
I let him know that it was a rare treat to meet the buyer and one of the things I liked to do was to send a personal thank you note to the purchaser of any of my pieces. I also told him that I usually wrote the "back story" on all of my pieces once they were done and I would love to to share it with him when it was complete. He was interested in receiving it so gave me his phone number and an email address to get in touch with him.. It was truly a lovely conversation and I was thrilled to bits to have had the opportunity of meeting him.
First thing the next day, I wrote him an email thanking him again for purchasing "How the Cow Comes Home" . As well, I shared with him some of my more personal thoughts about the piece and the experience of creating it. I promised, once again, to send him the background story when it is finished.
Yesterday morning, I opened up my email and there was a reply to my email from him. Only two words can describe it... beautiful and deeply touching. As I read it, tears welled up in my eyes.
In his email he told me that he had fallen in love with her the first time he saw her during the jurying process. When he saw her in the show, he was not only delighted but knew that he just had to have her. He wanted me to know that she will be treasured and for what he believes I created her for - to provide a sense of joy, fun and comfort in her presence. "And thus the reason that I wanted to meet you. I thought that these qualities in Whimsey (her new name) must be a reflection of her creator. That appears to be the case."
What a gracious and lovely thing to say. How delighted I am that "little cow" has melted his heart. I understand. I felt the same way about her. Now if that isn't special, I don't know what is! SMILE
"Gertrude" will be christened with her new name as I finish editing the story to send to him. I'll share the fable and the interesting "cow facts" I gathered (curiosity got the better of me!) with you story lovers out there when it is finished.
Thanks for stopping by today and sharing in my good fortune.
Wishing you an artful week,
Sharon.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sidney Fine Arts Show Juried Art Entry - the "Tweet T" Teapot
Well I think I have FINALLY beat the cold that has been plauging me the last couple of weeks into total submission. LOL.
When my head cleared up, I realized that I had promised to post photos of the two polymer clay submissions that made it into the Sidney Fine Arts show earlier this month. Better late, than never... let's start with "Tweet T" and the fun story about her trip to the art show. Here's a photo of this whimsical steampunk style teapot...
I happen to love tea pots! Don't ask my why... I just do. I really enjoyed creating this clay teapot. What fun it was to see it "come to life" with all of the different textures, the faux screws, charms, vintage clay button replicas, and the clock with clay wings... just some of the "decorations" that found their way on to this creation. But somehow it felt incomplete and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. So I did what I usually do when I run up against the "incomplete feeling barrier"... I just set it aside for a couple of weeks.
One afternoon when I was making a pot of tea, the whistle on the kettle sounded and I knew instantly what was needed to finish the teapot. The image of a blackbird sitting on the end of a branch "tweeting" away was so clear in my mind I actually shuttered on the spot. LOL. The thought that followed it actually made me chuckle out loud ... "Tweet T"... a fun pun! Needless to say, I finished the teapot that afternoon.
When No. 1 son came to visit in July, he couldn't keep his eyes off "Tweet T". He fell in love with that teapot... there was something about it that just spoke to him. A least a dozen times he made comments about it until finally: "Boy I sure love that piece." popped out of his mouth. "Be a nice Christmas present." said he. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. When I told him it was destined for the Sidney Show in October, he was visibly disappointed.
A day or so before he left to go home, we were chatting over a cup of tea about some of my art . He wants his mama to be famous LOL and wondered if he could do anything to promote my work in the town where he lives. Once again, he mentioned how much he liked that teapot and said: "Well, you could make something like that for me for Christmas if you'd like." Well, I was okay with that and said, "Sure, just as long as I have time to get it done."
Fast foward. Out it went to Sidney for jurying and it got accepted for the show. When I told No. 1 son about both pieces being accepted, he was happy for me but said: "Well, don't take this the wrong way Mom but I hope Tweet T comes home with you."
Well I should have known right then and there that there wasn't a chance of it selling and going to someone else.. How dense was I anyway? GRIN. He put his name on that teapot and with that kind of energy around it, it was destined not to sell! And sure enough that is exactly what happened.
When I went to pick it up after the show, it all became crystal clear. As I was checking in, I said to the volunteer, "Well that's going to make our eldest son happy. He really covets that teapot." DUH! As it came out of my mouth, I looked at hubby and we both started to laugh. It was just TOO funny!
No. 1 son doesn't know that it didn't sell. He asked the wrong question when we chatted about the show WHEW I didn't have to fib! Imagine his surprise when he opens his Christmas present this year... the look on his face will be priceless. What a lovely thing to be able to do for such a thoughtful, kind young man.
Tune in tomorrow for the tale of "How the Cow Comes Home" and see a photo. I have a very special story to tell about the lovely gentleman who bought her at the show that deserves a post all of its own...
See you tomorrow...
Sharon
When my head cleared up, I realized that I had promised to post photos of the two polymer clay submissions that made it into the Sidney Fine Arts show earlier this month. Better late, than never... let's start with "Tweet T" and the fun story about her trip to the art show. Here's a photo of this whimsical steampunk style teapot...
I happen to love tea pots! Don't ask my why... I just do. I really enjoyed creating this clay teapot. What fun it was to see it "come to life" with all of the different textures, the faux screws, charms, vintage clay button replicas, and the clock with clay wings... just some of the "decorations" that found their way on to this creation. But somehow it felt incomplete and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. So I did what I usually do when I run up against the "incomplete feeling barrier"... I just set it aside for a couple of weeks.
One afternoon when I was making a pot of tea, the whistle on the kettle sounded and I knew instantly what was needed to finish the teapot. The image of a blackbird sitting on the end of a branch "tweeting" away was so clear in my mind I actually shuttered on the spot. LOL. The thought that followed it actually made me chuckle out loud ... "Tweet T"... a fun pun! Needless to say, I finished the teapot that afternoon.
When No. 1 son came to visit in July, he couldn't keep his eyes off "Tweet T". He fell in love with that teapot... there was something about it that just spoke to him. A least a dozen times he made comments about it until finally: "Boy I sure love that piece." popped out of his mouth. "Be a nice Christmas present." said he. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. When I told him it was destined for the Sidney Show in October, he was visibly disappointed.
A day or so before he left to go home, we were chatting over a cup of tea about some of my art . He wants his mama to be famous LOL and wondered if he could do anything to promote my work in the town where he lives. Once again, he mentioned how much he liked that teapot and said: "Well, you could make something like that for me for Christmas if you'd like." Well, I was okay with that and said, "Sure, just as long as I have time to get it done."
Fast foward. Out it went to Sidney for jurying and it got accepted for the show. When I told No. 1 son about both pieces being accepted, he was happy for me but said: "Well, don't take this the wrong way Mom but I hope Tweet T comes home with you."
Well I should have known right then and there that there wasn't a chance of it selling and going to someone else.. How dense was I anyway? GRIN. He put his name on that teapot and with that kind of energy around it, it was destined not to sell! And sure enough that is exactly what happened.
When I went to pick it up after the show, it all became crystal clear. As I was checking in, I said to the volunteer, "Well that's going to make our eldest son happy. He really covets that teapot." DUH! As it came out of my mouth, I looked at hubby and we both started to laugh. It was just TOO funny!
No. 1 son doesn't know that it didn't sell. He asked the wrong question when we chatted about the show WHEW I didn't have to fib! Imagine his surprise when he opens his Christmas present this year... the look on his face will be priceless. What a lovely thing to be able to do for such a thoughtful, kind young man.
Tune in tomorrow for the tale of "How the Cow Comes Home" and see a photo. I have a very special story to tell about the lovely gentleman who bought her at the show that deserves a post all of its own...
See you tomorrow...
Sharon
Saturday, October 2, 2010
My Favourite Top Ten Background Paper Techniques
Before I get into my blog post today, I received some absolutely wonderful news this week I would like to share with you.
BOTH of my entries into the Sidney Fine Arts show were accepted! I was thrilled to bits. To have two pieces chosen out of over 1,200 pieces of art submitted by 512 artists for adjudication and to be among the 388 pieces of art chosen for the show nearly knocked me off my chair. LOL
It was quite funny when I received the letter. We were on our way out to go pick up my large apple order at the farm where I usually buy them so stopped to pick up our mail. Aha... an envelope from the Sidney Fine Arts show announcing the results of the adjudication was among the magazines and letters I picked up. I hopped back into the car. I felt the envelope. It was "fat"... ahh... good sign! I opened the letter, taking it out of the envelope folded in half.
When I looked down at it, I immediately saw "Tweet T" had been accepted for the October show.
"Whoopee" I yelped "Tweet T got in."
Hubby glanced over as I unfolded the letter. I was so excited at getting the news that Tweet T had made it, I wasn't really looking or paying attention as I unfolded the acceptance letter.
WHOOOO HOOO!
I guess I don't have to tell you how excited I was. What a high! Hubby and I were bouncing around in our car seats CELEBRATING like... well... remember when you were a teenager and made out in a car... Need I say more? We had that car rocking and I am sure that any neighbour who happened to glance out their windows at the time were mighty curious as to what might be going on! LOL
It certainly has been a fantastic year for me in my art submissions to some of the top Fine Arts shows here on Vancouver Island. I am just thrilled that these fun, whimsical pieces that are just a joy for me to create are finding favour with the judges and the public.
The pieces I submitted were "How the Cow Comes Home", a whimsical steampunk cow and "Tweet T", a steampunk tea pot with a blackbird in the spout! I will post photos of them once the show begins in a couple of weeks.
Keep your fingers crossed for me that they are both purchased by folks who fall in love with them and want to give them a special spot of their own in their home! (Chuckle)
My Top Ten Background Techniques
Last month in my Art Techniques group, I was the hostess for the Monthly Art Technique (MAT). A number of ladies in the group tried out my "Magic Paper" technique and made some absolutely stunning background papers. Here's a photo of the magic paper I made and used on a card and a card box to match.
1. Magic Paper Technique
2. Coffee (Tea) Stained Paper and Tags
You can read about some of the paper effects you can achieve with this technique by looking at the different tags.
3. Framable Abstract Art with Perfect Pearls
I looked all over the place for my sample of this but I'll be darned if I can find it to photograph it. Of course it will turn up once I have posted this article. LOL. If and when it does, I will post it here. But I can tell you that this is a fun technique that produces some absolutely wonderful designs.
4. Dreamy Blended Oil Pastel background
5. Faux Leather Paper with Gold Accents
6. Sparkling Midnight Black Background
This technique is really difficult to photograph, so just imagine what it would look like... it shimmers and sparkles in the light!
7. Delicious Deli /Watercolor Paper Backgrounds
The paper around this little vase was made with watercolor paper, then slightly crumpled and hammered flat!
8. Peaks and Valleys Paper/Canvas
9. Embossed Patent leather paper
This technique does not photograph all that well by itself. Just imagine shiny, embossed paper and you'll get the idea.
10. Blender Pen Transfers
BOTH of my entries into the Sidney Fine Arts show were accepted! I was thrilled to bits. To have two pieces chosen out of over 1,200 pieces of art submitted by 512 artists for adjudication and to be among the 388 pieces of art chosen for the show nearly knocked me off my chair. LOL
It was quite funny when I received the letter. We were on our way out to go pick up my large apple order at the farm where I usually buy them so stopped to pick up our mail. Aha... an envelope from the Sidney Fine Arts show announcing the results of the adjudication was among the magazines and letters I picked up. I hopped back into the car. I felt the envelope. It was "fat"... ahh... good sign! I opened the letter, taking it out of the envelope folded in half.
When I looked down at it, I immediately saw "Tweet T" had been accepted for the October show.
"Whoopee" I yelped "Tweet T got in."
Hubby glanced over as I unfolded the letter. I was so excited at getting the news that Tweet T had made it, I wasn't really looking or paying attention as I unfolded the acceptance letter.
"Look again sweetie!" he said. "They accepted the cow too!"
I guess I don't have to tell you how excited I was. What a high! Hubby and I were bouncing around in our car seats CELEBRATING like... well... remember when you were a teenager and made out in a car... Need I say more? We had that car rocking and I am sure that any neighbour who happened to glance out their windows at the time were mighty curious as to what might be going on! LOL
It certainly has been a fantastic year for me in my art submissions to some of the top Fine Arts shows here on Vancouver Island. I am just thrilled that these fun, whimsical pieces that are just a joy for me to create are finding favour with the judges and the public.
The pieces I submitted were "How the Cow Comes Home", a whimsical steampunk cow and "Tweet T", a steampunk tea pot with a blackbird in the spout! I will post photos of them once the show begins in a couple of weeks.
Keep your fingers crossed for me that they are both purchased by folks who fall in love with them and want to give them a special spot of their own in their home! (Chuckle)
My Top Ten Background Techniques
Last month in my Art Techniques group, I was the hostess for the Monthly Art Technique (MAT). A number of ladies in the group tried out my "Magic Paper" technique and made some absolutely stunning background papers. Here's a photo of the magic paper I made and used on a card and a card box to match.
Looking around for an idea for this week's blog post, I decided that I would share with you some of my favourite background paper techniques. It was difficult picking out just ten! I have a notebook with nearly 100 techniques that I have gathered over the years.
To keep this post shorter, I decided to put the techniques along with the "how to" instructions in a PDF file. Some of the techniques may be familiar to you, some may be new or a different "twist" to one you know and some you may have forgotten you even knew! Here is the list of techniques with some photos to give you an idea of the finished product.
1. Magic Paper Technique
2. Coffee (Tea) Stained Paper and Tags
You can read about some of the paper effects you can achieve with this technique by looking at the different tags.
3. Framable Abstract Art with Perfect Pearls
I looked all over the place for my sample of this but I'll be darned if I can find it to photograph it. Of course it will turn up once I have posted this article. LOL. If and when it does, I will post it here. But I can tell you that this is a fun technique that produces some absolutely wonderful designs.
4. Dreamy Blended Oil Pastel background
5. Faux Leather Paper with Gold Accents
6. Sparkling Midnight Black Background
This technique is really difficult to photograph, so just imagine what it would look like... it shimmers and sparkles in the light!
7. Delicious Deli /Watercolor Paper Backgrounds
The paper around this little vase was made with watercolor paper, then slightly crumpled and hammered flat!
8. Peaks and Valleys Paper/Canvas
9. Embossed Patent leather paper
This technique does not photograph all that well by itself. Just imagine shiny, embossed paper and you'll get the idea.
10. Blender Pen Transfers
For the PDF download trade instructions for these 10 techniques, click here.
So get ready to stock up on some creative papers! Get out your cardstock, paint, heat gun, hair dryer, watercolour sprays, grocery bags, paper creaser, texture plates to name just a few of the supples you have stashed and tucked away and have some fun making background papers.
Hope you have fun with these techniques!
Wishing you an artsy fartsy time creating,
Sharon
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Art.. On the Tip of a Pencil
Hi! I'm back... vacation is over (sigh)! The kids have come for a visit and are back home. Our visit up Island to spend time with some old, dear friends was wonderful. The rest of the past month has been spent doing one of my favourite summertime pastimes...hanging out on the beach getting some beach therapy time in. LOL. It still amazes me how a good dose of beach therapy is so highly beneficial to my "art making" process! I get some of my best ideas there. I just let go and go with the flow... something that is dead nuts simple to do while you hang out at a quiet (sans noisy kids or teenagers) beach... and ideas bubble to the surface. I just have to remember to write them down!
Tilly at the Beach
The weather in Victoria has been absolutely gorgeous the last couple of weeks and there is no place in the world I would rather be in the summer than hanging out at one of my three favourite beaches here...reading, sleeping, eating some fruit, admiring the view, snoozing, thinking about art, drinking ice tea, snoozing again... Here's a photo of me enjoying the relaxing sound of the waves at China Beach in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and along the Juan de Fuca hiking trail on the very west, west coast of Vancouver Island. I was actually sound asleep in my chair, my Tilly hat covering my eyes, when hubby took this photo. I think it's a great photo and I call it "Tilly at the Beach".
What's a Tilly hat? Well they are an "institution" on the west coast of Canada (and are quickly becoming that around the world). The fabric they use protects you from the sun and UV rays. The hat actually floats. It has a "secret" pocket inside the crown to store valuables when you are at the beach. It even comes with an owner's manual. These hats are so durable, they never wear out. People have been known to consider them "family heirlooms" (BIG chuckle) Everyone just HAS TO HAVE a Tilly. LOL. Want to learn more? Click here
1..2..3...A...B...C
As our granddaughter has been telling us over and over and over again, school is going to begin in a couple of weeks. She is about to enter Grade 1, is really excited to be going to "big kid's" school and can hardly wait for school to begin. Naturally, the ABC's are on her mind... and she sparked gramma to think about them too!
So with that in mind, allow me to share with you, nine small 4 x 4 inch canvases I painted and collaged awhile back.
Another treat I have for you today are some fantastic photos from a most amazing Brazilian born, micro sculpture artist, Dalton Ghetti. A professional carpenter who lives in Connecticut, Dalton carefully carves the tips of graphite pencils into fantastic little works of art. Dalton has been perfecting his art for the last 25 years using only a razor blade, sewing needle and sculpting knife! Some of his tiny sculptures can take anywhere between a few months to a few years to complete. Can you purchase his art? Well no, he doesn't sell them... he only gives them away to friends as gifts. Look closely at this first photo and you will see the alphabet!
Many thanks to my friend Nancy for forwarding some info and photos for me to share with you.
Hope you have a wonderful, arty week ahead of you! As soon as I finish this post, I am about to get arty in a different way.
Today I am going to turn the twenty pounds of peaches I got from the Okanogan yesterday (the wine and fruit tree capital in the interior of British Columbia) sitting on my kitchen counter into ten peach pies for the freezer, another extra pie to nibble on today, some peach and blackberry crisp (we have tons of blackberries practically in our own backyard... HUS-BAND, go pick! LOL) and if there is anything leftover, some peach and mango chutney.
Tilly at the Beach
The weather in Victoria has been absolutely gorgeous the last couple of weeks and there is no place in the world I would rather be in the summer than hanging out at one of my three favourite beaches here...reading, sleeping, eating some fruit, admiring the view, snoozing, thinking about art, drinking ice tea, snoozing again... Here's a photo of me enjoying the relaxing sound of the waves at China Beach in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and along the Juan de Fuca hiking trail on the very west, west coast of Vancouver Island. I was actually sound asleep in my chair, my Tilly hat covering my eyes, when hubby took this photo. I think it's a great photo and I call it "Tilly at the Beach".
What's a Tilly hat? Well they are an "institution" on the west coast of Canada (and are quickly becoming that around the world). The fabric they use protects you from the sun and UV rays. The hat actually floats. It has a "secret" pocket inside the crown to store valuables when you are at the beach. It even comes with an owner's manual. These hats are so durable, they never wear out. People have been known to consider them "family heirlooms" (BIG chuckle) Everyone just HAS TO HAVE a Tilly. LOL. Want to learn more? Click here
1..2..3...A...B...C
As our granddaughter has been telling us over and over and over again, school is going to begin in a couple of weeks. She is about to enter Grade 1, is really excited to be going to "big kid's" school and can hardly wait for school to begin. Naturally, the ABC's are on her mind... and she sparked gramma to think about them too!
So with that in mind, allow me to share with you, nine small 4 x 4 inch canvases I painted and collaged awhile back.
All the letters in the alphabet were designed and printed on heavy watercolour paper, cut out (very patiently) with cuticle scissors and painted either with watercolours or acrylics. I added old dictionary paper to the painted canvases, then embellished the canvases with whatever struck my fancy LOL. Tags, fibre, marbles, a touch of glitter, paper and clay beads are just some of the things I randomly found in my stash of "stuff" to add to my little masterpieces! I am planning on putting them on the wall above the top of a double door closet in our family room... that is, of course, when I can con my TALL hubby into putting them up there. I'm afraid these SHORT legs of mine just don't cut it when it comes to putting stuff up high. Ah... just another thing to add to the "honey do" list on the fridge!
Art on the Tip of a Pencil
Hope you have a wonderful, arty week ahead of you! As soon as I finish this post, I am about to get arty in a different way.
Today I am going to turn the twenty pounds of peaches I got from the Okanogan yesterday (the wine and fruit tree capital in the interior of British Columbia) sitting on my kitchen counter into ten peach pies for the freezer, another extra pie to nibble on today, some peach and blackberry crisp (we have tons of blackberries practically in our own backyard... HUS-BAND, go pick! LOL) and if there is anything leftover, some peach and mango chutney.
I'll make sure, like I do every year, to open the windows while I am baking those pies so that the mouth watering wafts of smell from baking fruit floats about our neighbourhood. One of my neighbours once told me he can always tell when fall is approaching. I start baking pies. He loves the smell of the baking pies and gives a knock on the door every year. And yes, he gets a piece of it when they are done!
I really enjoy baking pies and pie is something my hubby loves eating. He is particularly fond of peach pie whereas I am a devoted apple pie fan! Hmmm , even still I can taste that warm peach pie with a dollop of ice cream on top already. Oh yummy says my tummy!!! Gotta go... see you soon.
Sharon
Thursday, July 22, 2010
"If Pigs Could Fly" - Sooke Fine Arts Show
As promised in a post a couple of weeks ago, here are some photos of my ceramic/polymer entry, "If Pigs Could Fly" that has been accepted in the Sooke Fine Arts Show, that begins today and runs through August 2, 2010.
With so many entries and so few pieces of art accepted, I am deeply honoured that my special piece found a place in the hearts of the jury judges and a "podium" to sit on and amuse visitors to the show.
A few "creative process" notes on "If Pigs Could Fly"
Standing approximately 14 inches high and made out of ceramic glass, a base "undercoat" of clay was applied to the ceramic and a second layer, the clay "overcoat", was added to the first layer of clay using a random method similar to putting a fabric "crazy quilt" together. Each section has a different, but compatible pattern to the next section, impressed in the black clay.
The rivets, screws, nails and aviator glass rings are made from polymer clay as well as some of the elements... the keys, old coins, "belt" separators, the keyhole with a photo transfer on clay behind it, etc...
The tail, which moves when gently touched, is made from black covered wire.
The wings were constructed from hand embossed copper metal, then distressed and antiqued.
The snout has a metal propeller that moves and spins. The propeller was made on request for me by our family friend Ray who chuckled when he heard what I was creating... this time around!!
Ray loves humourous pieces. He absolutely adored the bare naked Santa ornaments I made last Christmas... he placed a large special order with me so he could give all of his curling buddies and friends ornaments I made with Santa holding a curling rock. According to his wife Sylvia, he was absolutely thrilled when I asked him to make me a metal prototype of a propeller for my piece.
"He could hardly wait to get into his workshop", she laughed, "and the promise of some of your buttertarts for his efforts got him going as soon as we got home." Thank you again Ray!!
The aviator goggles are made from a piece of leather and multiple clay rings(with plastic lense inserts for the "glass") and the eyes are two pink "jewels", placed cross eyed on purpose!
When completed the piece was carefully dusted with various pearl ex powders, fired and a semi matte finish was applied.
It was a ton of fun making this piece which took me about a week to complete. Instead of planning "how" to do it beforehand, I let the ideas evolve as I progressed... a much more "organic" way of working that is somewhat "riskier" but a "method" of creating that I truly enjoy. I believe that the sheer amusement and joy I experienced during the process comes through in this piece.
I hope it brings a smile, a chuckle or even a giggle to the people who see it at the show. My wish is that someone who comes to the show, sees this fun, amusing creation that I fell in love with and falls completely in love with it too. I know they will just want to purchase it for a special spot in their home to remind them, each time they see it, of the important role that fun and humour plays in their life.
"If Pigs Could Fly" ... indeed ,,, what do you think pigs could discover if they could fly? I'd love to hear your answers!!
Thanks for stopping by today for a peek...
Sharon
3EVQXAVS49K9
With so many entries and so few pieces of art accepted, I am deeply honoured that my special piece found a place in the hearts of the jury judges and a "podium" to sit on and amuse visitors to the show.
A few "creative process" notes on "If Pigs Could Fly"
Standing approximately 14 inches high and made out of ceramic glass, a base "undercoat" of clay was applied to the ceramic and a second layer, the clay "overcoat", was added to the first layer of clay using a random method similar to putting a fabric "crazy quilt" together. Each section has a different, but compatible pattern to the next section, impressed in the black clay.
The rivets, screws, nails and aviator glass rings are made from polymer clay as well as some of the elements... the keys, old coins, "belt" separators, the keyhole with a photo transfer on clay behind it, etc...
The tail, which moves when gently touched, is made from black covered wire.
The wings were constructed from hand embossed copper metal, then distressed and antiqued.
The snout has a metal propeller that moves and spins. The propeller was made on request for me by our family friend Ray who chuckled when he heard what I was creating... this time around!!
Ray loves humourous pieces. He absolutely adored the bare naked Santa ornaments I made last Christmas... he placed a large special order with me so he could give all of his curling buddies and friends ornaments I made with Santa holding a curling rock. According to his wife Sylvia, he was absolutely thrilled when I asked him to make me a metal prototype of a propeller for my piece.
"He could hardly wait to get into his workshop", she laughed, "and the promise of some of your buttertarts for his efforts got him going as soon as we got home." Thank you again Ray!!
The aviator goggles are made from a piece of leather and multiple clay rings(with plastic lense inserts for the "glass") and the eyes are two pink "jewels", placed cross eyed on purpose!
When completed the piece was carefully dusted with various pearl ex powders, fired and a semi matte finish was applied.
It was a ton of fun making this piece which took me about a week to complete. Instead of planning "how" to do it beforehand, I let the ideas evolve as I progressed... a much more "organic" way of working that is somewhat "riskier" but a "method" of creating that I truly enjoy. I believe that the sheer amusement and joy I experienced during the process comes through in this piece.
I hope it brings a smile, a chuckle or even a giggle to the people who see it at the show. My wish is that someone who comes to the show, sees this fun, amusing creation that I fell in love with and falls completely in love with it too. I know they will just want to purchase it for a special spot in their home to remind them, each time they see it, of the important role that fun and humour plays in their life.
"If Pigs Could Fly" ... indeed ,,, what do you think pigs could discover if they could fly? I'd love to hear your answers!!
Thanks for stopping by today for a peek...
Sharon
3EVQXAVS49K9
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Feeling Stuck? Bogged Down? Need some Inspiration? Read on...
The last couple of days I have been thinking about what I would post this week! Personally, it's been a rather stressful week with one thing and another and nothing was coming to me... it was as if I had put my thinking cap somewhere and I'd be darned if I could find it.
I think most of us experience this from time to time and it can be very frustrating to say the least. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's finding a subject for a blog post, solving a problem, writing a story or inspiration for a new art piece. The more I try to get unstuck, the more stuck I get!
Our Oh So Serious Lives
Ever notice how bogged down you can get in work, worry, home chores,routine, paperwork, and/or "other people's agendas"? Personal, family, employment and community stressors can influence our lives so much that our "SELVES" seem to get lost in the "card shuffle" of everyday life.
Life becomes "serious" and we "should" all over ourselves... "I should but...(fill in the blank)" becomes our mantra. One day feels like the next as we start going through the motions. Our senses dull. We start snapping at the dog or uttering uncharitable words at the drivers on the freeway!
So what can we do when we find ourselves stuck in this quagmire? How can we pull ourselves out of the "muck" and recapture the excitement, surprise, wonder and serendipity that brightens our days and feeds our soul?
One word: PLAY
Excuses, Excuses
Now I am sure, like me, you could find a gazillion tried, true, familiar reasons why you might scoff at that idea. I don't need to write them down here for you. You know what they are! You might even be saying my favourite one to yourself right now "I don't have time. I've gotta get this (or that) done!"
Enough is enough!
When I sat down to write today (and nothing was coming to me), I knew that I was buying my own B.S. (basic storyline). No way I had time to play. Are you kidding? I had to get this done. No time for fooling around. BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! As I listened to myself conjure up every excuse in the book, I started to laugh. I was "wasting" time thinking up excuses. Now how silly is that? I heard my little self say to my big SELF: "Enough is enough." It was time to play.
I fired up my Internet browser. Scrolled down to the "Toybox" bookmark. A list of "web toys" appeared.
Blog Post Idea Generator - I just recently found this lovely little app by chance. I clicked on it and chuckled when I read: "Suggest ten free resources that your readers would benefit from". “Okay... that’s easy! “ I said to my SELF, “I’ll share my list of “break out” toys.” Try this one the next time you can't think of what to write about on your blog. It works!!!
Update: This site is no longer there. Try this site, Content Idea Generator instead.
One Word – One word writing prompts. This definitely can get you past writer’s block. One word with sixty seconds to write about it without thinking. A “just do it” app with a timer! You can even email what you wrote to yourself in those 60 seconds.
Imagination Prompt – Similar to the Blog Post Idea Generator, I really like this little app with it’s interesting prompts. “If your tears could speak to you, what would they say?” WHEW! I think I'll leave that one for some other time....
ShapeCollage - This is a fun toy! It takes photos or images on your computer and makes them into all sorts of different shapes. You will need to download it and install it on your computer. Only takes a few minutes to start having fun with your photos.
Picture Prompt – This one can get me going when I need some “art” inspiration. Great for those of us who need visual stimulation to break through our “stuckness”. There’s a new one every day for you to have some fun with.
Scribbler Tool – Go doodle with this one or just mess around and see what comes up. You can use your mouse or a drawing tablet… and even upload something you are currently working on.
Colour Lovers – I love messing around on this site. I could spend hours here just playing with colour and patterns. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is choose a colour, create a palette and design a new pattern. Try it! A word from the wise: Make sure you have a timer handy or an hour spent on this site might feel like it was only 10 minutes.
Kuler – from Adobe. If you like creating colour palettes, this is the site for you. Immerse yourself in colour and come up with some nifty combinations here to use in your next art drawing or digital collage.
Oblique Strategies – This is the web version of a deck of cards meant to inspire. The idea behind Oblique Strategies is that when we’re working hard or under stress, the pressure tends to push us away from the type of creative, productive thinking that we’re capable of when the pressure’s off.
Ideally you choose a card from the deck and as you read it, it breaks the deadlock to help your creative juices to start flowing again. Many of the strategies were designed with music in mind (it was developed by Brian Eno, a musician and his friend Peter Schmidt, a painter) so if the card prompt you draw doesn’t work for you, just choose another one.
I laughed to myself when I drew "Plug in your earphones!"
What a good idea... I picked up my IPod and listened to some of my favourite music for about 10 minutes. It picked my spirits up in no time!
Rum & Monkey – Lots of silly, fun “timewasters” (their words) to bring a smile to your face and get you unstuck and moving in a different direction. Little Tests to find out who you and some fun little toys to play with.
Update: Unfortunately this site is no longer there but here's another one that you might enjoy: Brain Teasers
Well that’s ten but here’s another one, ‘cause I’m on a roll …LOL
Bomomo – A fun art generator. Hold down your left mouse button and try out all the different drawing buttons! Fun and colourful....
So there you have it! The next time you are feeling bogged down, need a break from monotony, want some inspiration or just want to play, you can reference this list. You'll be back on top of your game again in no time at all.
Have a fun and inspiring week…and remember to play!
Sharon
P.S. WOW I am feeling energized and ready to roar now. I found my thinking cap again. WHEW! That's a relief (smile).
I think most of us experience this from time to time and it can be very frustrating to say the least. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's finding a subject for a blog post, solving a problem, writing a story or inspiration for a new art piece. The more I try to get unstuck, the more stuck I get!
Our Oh So Serious Lives
Ever notice how bogged down you can get in work, worry, home chores,routine, paperwork, and/or "other people's agendas"? Personal, family, employment and community stressors can influence our lives so much that our "SELVES" seem to get lost in the "card shuffle" of everyday life.
Life becomes "serious" and we "should" all over ourselves... "I should but...(fill in the blank)" becomes our mantra. One day feels like the next as we start going through the motions. Our senses dull. We start snapping at the dog or uttering uncharitable words at the drivers on the freeway!
So what can we do when we find ourselves stuck in this quagmire? How can we pull ourselves out of the "muck" and recapture the excitement, surprise, wonder and serendipity that brightens our days and feeds our soul?
One word: PLAY
Excuses, Excuses
Now I am sure, like me, you could find a gazillion tried, true, familiar reasons why you might scoff at that idea. I don't need to write them down here for you. You know what they are! You might even be saying my favourite one to yourself right now "I don't have time. I've gotta get this (or that) done!"
Enough is enough!
When I sat down to write today (and nothing was coming to me), I knew that I was buying my own B.S. (basic storyline). No way I had time to play. Are you kidding? I had to get this done. No time for fooling around. BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! As I listened to myself conjure up every excuse in the book, I started to laugh. I was "wasting" time thinking up excuses. Now how silly is that? I heard my little self say to my big SELF: "Enough is enough." It was time to play.
I fired up my Internet browser. Scrolled down to the "Toybox" bookmark. A list of "web toys" appeared.
Blog Post Idea Generator - I just recently found this lovely little app by chance. I clicked on it and chuckled when I read: "Suggest ten free resources that your readers would benefit from". “Okay... that’s easy! “ I said to my SELF, “I’ll share my list of “break out” toys.” Try this one the next time you can't think of what to write about on your blog. It works!!!
Update: This site is no longer there. Try this site, Content Idea Generator instead.
One Word – One word writing prompts. This definitely can get you past writer’s block. One word with sixty seconds to write about it without thinking. A “just do it” app with a timer! You can even email what you wrote to yourself in those 60 seconds.
Imagination Prompt – Similar to the Blog Post Idea Generator, I really like this little app with it’s interesting prompts. “If your tears could speak to you, what would they say?” WHEW! I think I'll leave that one for some other time....
ShapeCollage - This is a fun toy! It takes photos or images on your computer and makes them into all sorts of different shapes. You will need to download it and install it on your computer. Only takes a few minutes to start having fun with your photos.
Picture Prompt – This one can get me going when I need some “art” inspiration. Great for those of us who need visual stimulation to break through our “stuckness”. There’s a new one every day for you to have some fun with.
Scribbler Tool – Go doodle with this one or just mess around and see what comes up. You can use your mouse or a drawing tablet… and even upload something you are currently working on.
Colour Lovers – I love messing around on this site. I could spend hours here just playing with colour and patterns. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is choose a colour, create a palette and design a new pattern. Try it! A word from the wise: Make sure you have a timer handy or an hour spent on this site might feel like it was only 10 minutes.
Kuler – from Adobe. If you like creating colour palettes, this is the site for you. Immerse yourself in colour and come up with some nifty combinations here to use in your next art drawing or digital collage.
Oblique Strategies – This is the web version of a deck of cards meant to inspire. The idea behind Oblique Strategies is that when we’re working hard or under stress, the pressure tends to push us away from the type of creative, productive thinking that we’re capable of when the pressure’s off.
Ideally you choose a card from the deck and as you read it, it breaks the deadlock to help your creative juices to start flowing again. Many of the strategies were designed with music in mind (it was developed by Brian Eno, a musician and his friend Peter Schmidt, a painter) so if the card prompt you draw doesn’t work for you, just choose another one.
I laughed to myself when I drew "Plug in your earphones!"
What a good idea... I picked up my IPod and listened to some of my favourite music for about 10 minutes. It picked my spirits up in no time!
Rum & Monkey – Lots of silly, fun “timewasters” (their words) to bring a smile to your face and get you unstuck and moving in a different direction. Little Tests to find out who you and some fun little toys to play with.
Update: Unfortunately this site is no longer there but here's another one that you might enjoy: Brain Teasers
Well that’s ten but here’s another one, ‘cause I’m on a roll …LOL
Bomomo – A fun art generator. Hold down your left mouse button and try out all the different drawing buttons! Fun and colourful....
So there you have it! The next time you are feeling bogged down, need a break from monotony, want some inspiration or just want to play, you can reference this list. You'll be back on top of your game again in no time at all.
Have a fun and inspiring week…and remember to play!
Sharon
P.S. WOW I am feeling energized and ready to roar now. I found my thinking cap again. WHEW! That's a relief (smile).
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Having Too Much Fun...
Is there such a thing? If so, I am wallowing in it! I have been so art deprived these past couple of months that I am making up for it BIG TIME this week.
Sewing is still a little difficult since my eye operation... the close up work gives me a headache rather quickly... so I had to find something else to fill me up with "happy juice". I decided that I would play with my clay... and get the "celebration giveaway" for this week finished up while I was at it.
I have hesitated *forever* in trying to make a face cane. I wasn't sure how to go about it and didn't have a clue as to how it would turn out. I found some instructions in one of my clay books and decided to take the plunge. It took me forever to put it together (like most of the day!) and get it reduced. Well what a laugh I had when I finally got it done... it was so ugly, it was darn near cute!
Sewing is still a little difficult since my eye operation... the close up work gives me a headache rather quickly... so I had to find something else to fill me up with "happy juice". I decided that I would play with my clay... and get the "celebration giveaway" for this week finished up while I was at it.
I have hesitated *forever* in trying to make a face cane. I wasn't sure how to go about it and didn't have a clue as to how it would turn out. I found some instructions in one of my clay books and decided to take the plunge. It took me forever to put it together (like most of the day!) and get it reduced. Well what a laugh I had when I finally got it done... it was so ugly, it was darn near cute!
"OMG what am I going to do with this big, fat, homely cane?" I mused to myself. "Well let's see if I can dress it up..."
The "ButtonLady" below was fitted with a black "wig" (with a few strands of gray) and a button bonnet with a bow. I keeled over laughing... what a "honker" she has! Mouthy too. LOL. Well, she just had to have some friends, so I took a piece of the cane, reduced it down and made her some "girlfriends" to have "heart to heart" chats with. The more I look at them, the more I smile! I am beginning to like them... they are just so "real". Go figure...
They need some names. Got any ideas? One of the girlfriends is definitely a "Shirley"! Don't ask me why... I haven't got a clue... she is just a "Shirley"! Can you guess which one it is?
Let's have some fun. Leave a comment with your name ideas for these lovely ladies and I'll throw your name in the hat for the "Celebration Giveaway" to be drawn this Friday. If you left a comment on the previous post announcing the "giveaway", here's you chance to get your name in twice!
Which brings me to... a photo of the (finally) finished "Giveaway"! I had something else in mind when I first announced the giveaway but then I got together with three of my clay buddies last weekend for a "clay play day" to make raku lentil bead pendants. Well, I just had to make another one. It turned out so nicely that I decided it was the perfect gift for the giveaway draw.
We all forgot to put seed beads in our beads on the weekend but I didn't forget them when I made this one. It has tiny beads inside and when you shake it, it has a very gentle rattle. It actually has more texture on it than is showing in the photo... you know me, I'm not that great a photographer... but trust me, there is!
So there you have it! Help me name those ladies (leave your comment below) then check back on Friday (June 11) to see if you are the winner. I'll show you some more "stuff" that should be finished by then too.
Chat with you on Friday...
Sharon
Friday, May 28, 2010
Time to Celebrate...
Hi ya'll... glad to be back. While I have been off recuperating from eye surgery, I have passed a couple of milestones... another birthday (no, don't ask! chuckle), another wedding anniversary, a number of fellow artists and visitors who have made my blog one of their favourites and passing the 35,000 visitors to my blog! WOW!! I am just thrilled to bits...and now that my new bionic eyes and I have made up and decided to be friends (it was not entirely smooth sailing), it's time to catch up...
One thing I will say about eye surgery... you don't know what "white" is until you can actually see "white" again. Phooey, it is brighter than you may think it is. But I gotta tell you, if the opthamologist had told me that once I had my new "outlook" on life I would see every wrinkle, no matter how tiny, in pure, living technicolour, magnified to the "nines", I might have told her to leave me in "hazy, can't see a darn thing" mode! Phooey, my illusions are all gone... I have discovered wrinkles I didn't know I had... SIGH!
Reading is still somewhat of a challenge... my old prescription no longer works and I have been making do with a pair of glasses from two prescriptions ago. They tend to give me migraines (UGH!) so I am not spending much time reading, writing, doing close up work. Ah... just a couple of weeks now and I'll have a new pair... then watch out, I'll be in a frenzy catching up on all the stuff I have felt I have missed (LOTS).
Fortunately, I've had the time to get some finishing touches done on a few projects that needed "something" to finish them off and complete some polymer clay projects. I haven't quite been twiddling my thumbs, sitting around eating chocolate (although with Mother's Day and my birthday falling on the same day and another wedding anniversary in between, my chocolate stash has done well but alas is disappearing quickly). Amazing how much time you recover when you can't do housework (ah, such a sacrifice GRIN), gardening or going swimming most days.
My REALLY BIG news in the past month has been that three of my polymer clay steampunk creations have passed the first adjudication for a "steampunk" book that is scheduled to be published next year. More photos have been submitted of all three projects for the final adjudication and I should know the results soon! Am keeping my fingers crossed. I'd love to show you a photo... but alas, not allowed.
Hopefully within the next month, I'll have the blog mp3 player working again (I have to figure out what is causing it to misbehave) and will get back to recording some stories for you... in the meantime... if you have read this far then...
GET READY FOR A SURPRISE GIVEAWAY...
to celebrate all the milestones in the past month and a half!
All you need to do is leave a comment on today's post... make sure I can get in touch with you...and I will announce the winner on June 11th! I won't tell you what it is (because I haven't quite made up my mind yet... sigh) but I will tell you that it will be something to treasure. Does that peak your curiosity? I sure hope so.
BTW... Do you like "jocks in frocks with knives in their socks" and pipe and drum music? Translated: cute guys in kilts, with Scottish kilt knives (Sgian Dubh... pronounced "scan" "do") stuck in their socks, beating on their drums and puffing on bagpipes. If so, see my hubby and his band buddies in their GOLD medal performance at the 147th Highland Games here in Victoria last weekend. Click on the links at the bottom of this post.
Short and sweet... but glad to be back. I've really missed chatting with you all...
Have a great weekend...
Sharon
Links to UTube Videos
My hubby's band buddies competing at the 147th Victoria Highland Games (yep, it's been going that long) last weekend. Here are the links to a couple of UTube videos:
443 Marine Helicopter Squadron (Canadian Air Force) - hubby's band - two videos..the GOLD medal performance and the march off - My hubby is the guy showing off (tee hee) by twirling sticks (he's a tenor drummer)
Mass Band ... hubby's band is pretty much front and center in this video. What a stirring moment it is when one sees all the pipes and drums coming into view as they come over the rise in Topaz Park... it gives me goosebumps every time I hear and see them do this! Unfortunately you can only see them going down the hill at the end of the video. It's one of those times when you just gotta be there to appreciate it!
One thing I will say about eye surgery... you don't know what "white" is until you can actually see "white" again. Phooey, it is brighter than you may think it is. But I gotta tell you, if the opthamologist had told me that once I had my new "outlook" on life I would see every wrinkle, no matter how tiny, in pure, living technicolour, magnified to the "nines", I might have told her to leave me in "hazy, can't see a darn thing" mode! Phooey, my illusions are all gone... I have discovered wrinkles I didn't know I had... SIGH!
Reading is still somewhat of a challenge... my old prescription no longer works and I have been making do with a pair of glasses from two prescriptions ago. They tend to give me migraines (UGH!) so I am not spending much time reading, writing, doing close up work. Ah... just a couple of weeks now and I'll have a new pair... then watch out, I'll be in a frenzy catching up on all the stuff I have felt I have missed (LOTS).
Fortunately, I've had the time to get some finishing touches done on a few projects that needed "something" to finish them off and complete some polymer clay projects. I haven't quite been twiddling my thumbs, sitting around eating chocolate (although with Mother's Day and my birthday falling on the same day and another wedding anniversary in between, my chocolate stash has done well but alas is disappearing quickly). Amazing how much time you recover when you can't do housework (ah, such a sacrifice GRIN), gardening or going swimming most days.
My REALLY BIG news in the past month has been that three of my polymer clay steampunk creations have passed the first adjudication for a "steampunk" book that is scheduled to be published next year. More photos have been submitted of all three projects for the final adjudication and I should know the results soon! Am keeping my fingers crossed. I'd love to show you a photo... but alas, not allowed.
Hopefully within the next month, I'll have the blog mp3 player working again (I have to figure out what is causing it to misbehave) and will get back to recording some stories for you... in the meantime... if you have read this far then...
GET READY FOR A SURPRISE GIVEAWAY...
to celebrate all the milestones in the past month and a half!
All you need to do is leave a comment on today's post... make sure I can get in touch with you...and I will announce the winner on June 11th! I won't tell you what it is (because I haven't quite made up my mind yet... sigh) but I will tell you that it will be something to treasure. Does that peak your curiosity? I sure hope so.
BTW... Do you like "jocks in frocks with knives in their socks" and pipe and drum music? Translated: cute guys in kilts, with Scottish kilt knives (Sgian Dubh... pronounced "scan" "do") stuck in their socks, beating on their drums and puffing on bagpipes. If so, see my hubby and his band buddies in their GOLD medal performance at the 147th Highland Games here in Victoria last weekend. Click on the links at the bottom of this post.
Short and sweet... but glad to be back. I've really missed chatting with you all...
Have a great weekend...
Sharon
Links to UTube Videos
My hubby's band buddies competing at the 147th Victoria Highland Games (yep, it's been going that long) last weekend. Here are the links to a couple of UTube videos:
443 Marine Helicopter Squadron (Canadian Air Force) - hubby's band - two videos..the GOLD medal performance and the march off - My hubby is the guy showing off (tee hee) by twirling sticks (he's a tenor drummer)
Mass Band ... hubby's band is pretty much front and center in this video. What a stirring moment it is when one sees all the pipes and drums coming into view as they come over the rise in Topaz Park... it gives me goosebumps every time I hear and see them do this! Unfortunately you can only see them going down the hill at the end of the video. It's one of those times when you just gotta be there to appreciate it!
Friday, April 16, 2010
My latest "creations"...
I've been playing in my jewelry sandbox this week! I am scheduled for eye surgery later on this morning so wanted to get some playtime in before I am forced into art withdrawal. Not sure what to expect but my guess is that until all the surgeries are over in May I won't be doing much new art until June. Guess I'll have to be content with finishing up some of those projects that need some extra touches!
I have had a polymer clay project in mind that I have wanted to do for awhile now. I found it in the book, "Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay" by Irene Semancuk Dean. I did not use the "recipe" for jade in her book but one I found some time back (don't remember where now) and had written down in my clay recipe book.
Working with polymer clay always reminds me of baking. Out came the "recipe" I have for jade, got my ingredients together (clay from my stash, my "utensils", a match book to make a pattern, some chinese coin charms for decoration and gold wire for embeslishment). Put on my "art apron" and got started mixing, chopping, rolling, dicing, slicing and baking up a new pendant.
I have always liked jade... green is a favourite colour of mine...and I am always drawn to "something" oriental. It wasn't nearly as difficult to do as I had imagined in my mind and went a lot faster than I had thought it would.
The tricky part was making the clay matchbox, getting it to fit snugly and still be able to open it. It ended up being a little looser than I really wanted so I decided to glue the two pieces together. It probably would have been just fine the way it was... it seemed to stay in okay... but I know that if it ever decided to slide out on its own when I least expected or wanted it to, it would bug me to no end. So once it was cooked, "vintaged" with burnt sienna paint to show off the chinese characters, buffed and the embellishments attached, it got the E6000 treatment as a final step!
I finished it yesterday, just in time to write this post and show it off! The charms were somewhat brighter than I wanted after I had darkened the clay with the paint, so I just tinted them with "latte" alcohol ink. It toned them right down and flowed into the "nooks and crannies" of the coins very nicely. I am absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out. Whatcha think??
Digital Media as Artistic "Add On" Materials
Have you noticed over the past year or so how many artists are using more digitally created media in their art?
The art world of the mxied media, collage and craft artist has quietly expanded to include more and more print outs of digitally enhanced photographs, digitally created "background" papers, alphabets and scanned ephemera such as old letters and labels in their creations, Whether it is an altered book, beeswax collage, ATC, bookmark, greeting card, polymer clay pendant transfer or those adorable "moo" cards so popular with artists as mini "works of art" business cards, digital media "add on" material for art is here to stay simply because it expands the realm of artistic creativity with an explosion of possibility.
Last fall, my art bud and friend, Cindy Powell (Latest Trends in Mixed Media mama and co-author of two fantastic "how to" mixed media project books and a mxied media jewelry techniques book) and me started chatting one day about how artists were moving towards using more digital print outs in their art.
I told her about how, when I couldn't find an antique typewriter ribbon tin for an art piece I was working on, I decided to make one myself using a digital print out and a piece of wood shaped like an old typewriter ribbon tin. By the time I was finished painting, collaging and distressing it, you'd swear it was an old metal typewriter tin I had found in an antique store. It was definitely a moment where "mixed media" met the digital world... a "Hands On Digital" creation... the name we decided to use for our "art partnership" and blog. Since then, we have welcomed two more wonderful women into our group, our talented artists and friends, Cecilia Swatton and Sherre Hulbert (the mama of Art Techniques).
One of the projects I was working on before I left for Art Fest in March was designing"mini workshops in a kit" ... faux typewriter key jewelry using digital letters, digital label kits for the kitchen and bath using recycled jars and containers and digital art alphas for ATC's, bookmarks and altered or mixed media art. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... that should keep this post much shorter... LOL so here they are...
Recognize that bookmark? I made "moo" cards for ArtFest using this alpha that I designed. The moo cards were so popular (I gave folks a choice of whether they wanted a moo card or a poker chip) that I was out of them in no time flat!
I love this vintage type jewelry set... with the "Hugs" and "Kisses" earrings, the necklace with my initial and two "function" keys and the bracelet with one of my favourite "texting" shortforms "LOL". They cost literally pennies to make and the full "how to" instructions including a supply list and tips are included in the package. They are fun to wear and I get a lot of chuckles from people when they notice the X and O earrings. They always want to know where I bought them. It just tickles me to no end to see the look on their faces when I tell them I made them myself. The digital letters are protected by resin... which also makes them look like glass keys!
I have had a polymer clay project in mind that I have wanted to do for awhile now. I found it in the book, "Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay" by Irene Semancuk Dean. I did not use the "recipe" for jade in her book but one I found some time back (don't remember where now) and had written down in my clay recipe book.
Working with polymer clay always reminds me of baking. Out came the "recipe" I have for jade, got my ingredients together (clay from my stash, my "utensils", a match book to make a pattern, some chinese coin charms for decoration and gold wire for embeslishment). Put on my "art apron" and got started mixing, chopping, rolling, dicing, slicing and baking up a new pendant.
I have always liked jade... green is a favourite colour of mine...and I am always drawn to "something" oriental. It wasn't nearly as difficult to do as I had imagined in my mind and went a lot faster than I had thought it would.
The tricky part was making the clay matchbox, getting it to fit snugly and still be able to open it. It ended up being a little looser than I really wanted so I decided to glue the two pieces together. It probably would have been just fine the way it was... it seemed to stay in okay... but I know that if it ever decided to slide out on its own when I least expected or wanted it to, it would bug me to no end. So once it was cooked, "vintaged" with burnt sienna paint to show off the chinese characters, buffed and the embellishments attached, it got the E6000 treatment as a final step!
I finished it yesterday, just in time to write this post and show it off! The charms were somewhat brighter than I wanted after I had darkened the clay with the paint, so I just tinted them with "latte" alcohol ink. It toned them right down and flowed into the "nooks and crannies" of the coins very nicely. I am absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out. Whatcha think??
Digital Media as Artistic "Add On" Materials
Have you noticed over the past year or so how many artists are using more digitally created media in their art?
The art world of the mxied media, collage and craft artist has quietly expanded to include more and more print outs of digitally enhanced photographs, digitally created "background" papers, alphabets and scanned ephemera such as old letters and labels in their creations, Whether it is an altered book, beeswax collage, ATC, bookmark, greeting card, polymer clay pendant transfer or those adorable "moo" cards so popular with artists as mini "works of art" business cards, digital media "add on" material for art is here to stay simply because it expands the realm of artistic creativity with an explosion of possibility.
Last fall, my art bud and friend, Cindy Powell (Latest Trends in Mixed Media mama and co-author of two fantastic "how to" mixed media project books and a mxied media jewelry techniques book) and me started chatting one day about how artists were moving towards using more digital print outs in their art.
I told her about how, when I couldn't find an antique typewriter ribbon tin for an art piece I was working on, I decided to make one myself using a digital print out and a piece of wood shaped like an old typewriter ribbon tin. By the time I was finished painting, collaging and distressing it, you'd swear it was an old metal typewriter tin I had found in an antique store. It was definitely a moment where "mixed media" met the digital world... a "Hands On Digital" creation... the name we decided to use for our "art partnership" and blog. Since then, we have welcomed two more wonderful women into our group, our talented artists and friends, Cecilia Swatton and Sherre Hulbert (the mama of Art Techniques).
One of the projects I was working on before I left for Art Fest in March was designing"mini workshops in a kit" ... faux typewriter key jewelry using digital letters, digital label kits for the kitchen and bath using recycled jars and containers and digital art alphas for ATC's, bookmarks and altered or mixed media art. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... that should keep this post much shorter... LOL so here they are...
Recognize that bookmark? I made "moo" cards for ArtFest using this alpha that I designed. The moo cards were so popular (I gave folks a choice of whether they wanted a moo card or a poker chip) that I was out of them in no time flat!
I love this vintage type jewelry set... with the "Hugs" and "Kisses" earrings, the necklace with my initial and two "function" keys and the bracelet with one of my favourite "texting" shortforms "LOL". They cost literally pennies to make and the full "how to" instructions including a supply list and tips are included in the package. They are fun to wear and I get a lot of chuckles from people when they notice the X and O earrings. They always want to know where I bought them. It just tickles me to no end to see the look on their faces when I tell them I made them myself. The digital letters are protected by resin... which also makes them look like glass keys!
Here's an ATC I made by cutting out the letters in the "Just My Type #3 Vintage
Typewriter Keys" package, gluing them on chipboard and then to the background.
The combination of white keys and black keys from the
Just My Type Jewelry kit in an art piece is very stunning!
If you are interested in more information about any of these kits, they are currently available for sale (some for less than the cost of a latte at your favourite coffee shop) at DigiScrap Station.
I hope to get back to blogging as soon as I can. With any luck (knock on wood) I'll be back writing away in a couple of weeks.
Happy Arting...and have a great weekend. See you soon!
Sharon
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