Wow! I totally forgot I had this art blog.
I found a lot of things that I never posted, but merely left as drafts.
These go back as far as 2010!
So for the previous 5 or 6 posts that is what their about.
Wow!
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Brush cleaning?
Summer 2010 : Is it REALLY bad form to suck the paint out of your brushes?
Spring 2023 : Yes.
New Lamps for the workspace
So I got my new lamps in my office today, and they complete my workspace. I got them at a local antique store. Someone had glued a bunch of copper pennies (are there any other kind?) to the circular - uh, thingies on the posts, and it was not working with the stainless and brushed steel composition. So I painted the pennies black, and then affixed a stainless washer to the front of each one using a bubble of hot glue for each. The finishing touch is to cover up the clear blobbule of glue poking through each centre with a dab of clear opalescent nail polish. Fini! And the shades cast a dazzling gobo all over my already geometrical art. It s a feast for the eyes! It's a 120 watt headache. It's a lighting director's nightmare...
...but I LIKE it.
Art Update: WIP (Work In Progress)
This is the back of a piece currently in progress called "Alliance Kitchen", named after the Alliance High School.
The short story...
one of my original tasks was to help appoint the kitchen/lunchroom. I bought these metallic stained plastic silverware that the students could use at lunch time. Well they put them in the dishwasher and promptly melted them into odd twisty shapes. I saved them for 2 years, thinking to myself, "these could end up being part of an art project someday, somehow."
And this is one of the results.
The LONG story...
The Alliance High School was started 3 years ago, as an alternative to the local public high school. There is only one high school in our town. For elementary and middle school grades, there were multiple options: the public school, the private christian school, the fine arts charter school, and the web academy.
At the time there was a demand for educational alternatives (there still is), and so, the Alliance HS was formed, with students being officially listed as "home schoolers" but meeting together daily during normal school hours 7:50am - 3pm. We were fortunate in that many of the parents who were interested were also teachers themselves, and so with their help and the help of volunteer parent proctors, we were able to provide and excellent alternative. We used acreddited curriculum, and each student was enrolled in a transcripting/diploma program to make sure they were on track as well as participating in the regional ESD/state testing programs.
Unfortunately, by its 3rd year in existence, several of our families moved out of, or across the state. At this point it became apparent that our ability to provide an excellent education was hampered. And we didn't want to go on just for the sake of going on. We wanted more than was available. If we couldn't provide it, why go on? So my daughter spent her junior year at the local public school and because she had gotten so many credits while at the Alliance, she was now able to fulfill her graduation requirements by the end of her junior year.
I Thought To Myself
Many people sit in church taking notes about the sermon.
I take a sketch book, and listen to God.
This is a result of a sketch I did, on the dangerous, circular nature of "thinking to ones self."
Fighting
Sometimes a painting fights me. There was one that found itself, three times, cast on top of the burn pile in the backyard. Literally. Some how, it managed to get itself removed each time. Don't bloody ask me how. I am sure that I only did it once. Anyway, it went through MANY incarnations and partial "paint-overs" and eventually became a thing which my good friend in Ohio said, "This is your best work". Fine! You may end up with it. See what your wife says about THAT?!
;o)
So this particular piece today (and last month. And the month before.) has been fighting me.
Finally some one showed up (I think. *crosses fingers and hopes*).
The thought in my head as I see it now is, "1000 Heroes Could Not Free The Serpents From Her Hair."
Yeah. Maybe stupid and lame. Blame it on my bad hair day...but this person is not me.
Anyway, it is a blessing when things form a shape and take on life.
Baby's Breath Topiary
(My first choice of product name was "ANti-Gedes Topiary" but I figured I would get some copyright flack over that one.)
Everybody in a group shot.
It all started with a simple visit to an appliance dump out on BLM land. Over the course of 50 or 60 years, this particular piece of land had been used by people to dump their appliances and derelict cars etc. We went out for a photoshoot, and in the process, Kristi found an old dolly head who had apparently been used for target practice. She propped him up on some of the old vehicles and appliances and he became one of our subjects that day. Due to the bullet hole right between the eyes, it left him with a bit of an odd expression on his face. "Quizzical" is how Kristi categorised it and so, that became his name. Because we took a number of photos of him in the old Chevelle, he was christened "Quizzical Chevelle." As the light faded we made our way back to Kristi's house for an evening of board game playing (Settlers of Catan and Citadels) and to have eats. During the course of the evening Quizzical kinda developed this persona and at one point was even given game space, with other players helping him "take his turn" due to the fact that he has no hands. Or arms, legs or body. I told Kristi she should keep Quizzical in her house and put him on a shelf for future reference. She did. Only to find out later that Quizzical bore a horrific and vomit inducing stink on him. A year later, I recieved Quizzical for a CHristmas gift, all wrapped up in glorious festive boz, ribbons and bows. He spent the following year in the same box becasue to take him out was to prepare to puke the stench was SO BAD! This spring I rolled up my sleeves, got a bucket and soaked him outside on the back deck in almost pure bleach, for 3 days and 3 nights. Then I pondered how I might "return the Gift" to his rightful home. Well Kristi had her birthday yesterday and inspiration struck :
Windowbox Inset/Detail
Everybody in a group shot.
It all started with a simple visit to an appliance dump out on BLM land. Over the course of 50 or 60 years, this particular piece of land had been used by people to dump their appliances and derelict cars etc. We went out for a photoshoot, and in the process, Kristi found an old dolly head who had apparently been used for target practice. She propped him up on some of the old vehicles and appliances and he became one of our subjects that day. Due to the bullet hole right between the eyes, it left him with a bit of an odd expression on his face. "Quizzical" is how Kristi categorised it and so, that became his name. Because we took a number of photos of him in the old Chevelle, he was christened "Quizzical Chevelle." As the light faded we made our way back to Kristi's house for an evening of board game playing (Settlers of Catan and Citadels) and to have eats. During the course of the evening Quizzical kinda developed this persona and at one point was even given game space, with other players helping him "take his turn" due to the fact that he has no hands. Or arms, legs or body. I told Kristi she should keep Quizzical in her house and put him on a shelf for future reference. She did. Only to find out later that Quizzical bore a horrific and vomit inducing stink on him. A year later, I recieved Quizzical for a CHristmas gift, all wrapped up in glorious festive boz, ribbons and bows. He spent the following year in the same box becasue to take him out was to prepare to puke the stench was SO BAD! This spring I rolled up my sleeves, got a bucket and soaked him outside on the back deck in almost pure bleach, for 3 days and 3 nights. Then I pondered how I might "return the Gift" to his rightful home. Well Kristi had her birthday yesterday and inspiration struck :
Amazingly enough, because there were parts left over, I ended up making a couple more of these scary baby topiarys. Today I took one in for another friend of ours to look at, and her co-workers all made a big deal and I sold 2 of them with an order for a windowbox creation of similar style.
So today I cleaned out the local Habitat for Humanity Thrifts Store, St V DePaul, Humane Society Thriftstore and the Opportunity Foundation THrift Store of their Dollies. I took the creations to 3 seperate stores. All of them were interested in consigning them with a suggested retail of between $25-$30.
So as of today, my inventory is :
WILLIAM TELL
SPRING BLING (Back)
SPRING BLING (Front)
SPRING BLING (Front)
MARCIA COFFEE
(We all looked at this after the fact and decided that this little person resembled Auntie Marcia!)
This is "Lizzical" who was the 2nd creation. Thanks to Lizzy Hansen for spotting this wonderful baby head in a thrifts store last month at the beach. I fond out today that this head is actually quite valuable. So I am not selling this one. I am keeping it and we have named it in Lizzy's honour.
Bamboo Baby
This is a sample window box. I am not selling this one but have already got 2 prototypes going and almost ready to sell.
Windowbox Inset/Detail
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)