Studiology

New Orleans Bound

Once again the time has come for my annual trip to New Orleans. Tonight I will be seated in Preservation Hall, listening to traditional jazz in the heart of the French Quarter. Few things make me happier. 

This will be the usual art workshop, my excursion for 11 (or so) years and I'm excited to meet up with my other family, some I've known from the first trip. The big reveal for my costume is the ghost of Frida Khalo. Ghostly makeup can be challenging, both to put on and take off. All will be disclosed when I return.

In the hustle of getting things done, I did manage to finish another wand as in magic wand. Not that I rushed it, there were complications. The subject matter was an octopus, having learned that they have a doughnut shaped brain, are highly intelligent and have a bundle of nerve cells in each of their legs which can function independently, even if cut off. Consider it a wand for the intelligent, or the person with a highly developed intellect. The concept was simple, build an octopus on a long wooden spindle. The head shape had to be right, not too round, elongated and bulbous. The core of the head is a plastic easter egg. The legs are clay covered wire. 

The back was once the front of a dresser drawer and antique metal drawer pulls enhance the top and bottom. Silk fabric stretches down both sides and is wrapped around the wand. Leather straps hold it in place, cut from an old belt. The paint layers include various shades of blue to imitate the ocean, my favorite blue - manganese blue, is the foundational color. Once mounted on its base, the size from top to bottom is 36". Titled simply "The Octopus Wand" it is displayed at Art A La Carte Gallery.

 

January Art

The latest piece of art was built from a wooden shelf unit that looks like a little house. The unit was very old and somewhat crooked, leaning like an old log cabin might. It was also covered in crumbling paint, which was really challenging. 

After removing some of the shelves, I was finally able to move forward with a plan. This is an item that has been in my possession for a long time and has always been a source of frustration with its many compartments. After multiple false starts, I finally came up with a solution which I call "The Bird Angel". The 3 guineas at the top mimic their behavior so perfectly, I'm sure that anyone that has owned guinea fowl will be enchanted with this piece. 

There was a week long incidence here where our last surviving guinea was downed from a tree almost every night for a week. The predator was unknown, possibly an owl or maybe a raccoon. One of the old chicken coops was repaired and moved to the house, rebuilt to function and left for the next attack (if the guinea actually survived another). The decision had to be made as our guinea had spent one night in my studio (what a mess) and two nights in the kitchen, sleeping on a dowel wired to kitchen chairs. 

At 10:40 PM, the day of the chicken coop move, the guinea was attacked again, this time screaming and standing at the kitchen door, beside him a barred owl. As I rushed to see what the commotion was, the owl was lifting himself for the final kill, having already removed many of our guinea's feathers. As the owl flew off, the guinea was picked up (I have never come close enough to actually touch him), and was secured in the coop. 

That happened a month ago and all is well, at least the guinea is alive, but often refuses to go in for the night, preferring an old cryptomeria tree. I am astonished that this bird has survived for so long on its own, everyday is a surprise. And you see, this was the source of my desire to build this assemblage piece. 

This piece was built and then covered with metal paint that will rust when sprayed with an oxidizer. The stage of rust you desire can be halted by applying matte medium paint, diluted with water. I have found that the rusting process often continues, so the art will alter over time. 

As usual, these items are available at Art A La Carte Gallery in Occoquan, Virginia.

Uplifting Reads and Downloads for Winter

Our geographical location may not rob us entirely of gardening options in winter. Between pruning, cold crops under cover, or indoor seed sowing, the gardener can find preoccupation. Alas it's not nearly the daily submersion of other seasons so I would like to suggest a few alternatives to fill your days and keep the motivation high.

For those of us that like to sit with a good book, I have two suggestions. "The Cabaret of Plants" by Richard Mabey is an extraordinary read. Basically a history of plants, the author is British but includes subjects that are historically rich in diverse locations. Each chapter leads the reader on an exploration, beginning with cave drawings and finishing with recent findings of communication between tree roots or the chatter that takes place underground. Available as an audio book as well, the narrator speaks with a British accent, his botanical names contradicting my own pronunciation which often leaves me laughing out loud. I own both versions and have listened to the audio book numerous times, it's that good.

Another book titled "Head Gardeners" by Ambra Edwards is also a British publication that devotes 13 chapters to individual head gardeners working in England. Chapter titles vary from "Mission Impossible" to "The Naturalist" with a interview style approach where the individual explains their attraction to a place and/or facet of gardening. As an estate gardener I found it very entertaining but would argue that any gardener would find it interesting. 

Podcasts are something I listen to every week, daily when seasons are in full swing. Naturally a gardener wants something local, which can be challenging; the podcast world is no different than other social media platforms, building a bigger audience can be their objective. Lucky for us "The Native Plant Podcast" is the audio blog of John Magee of Middleburg, Va. The subject matter is primarily native plants, as John interviews nursery owners, garden designers, and writers. In recent years the spotlight has been shared with Preston Montague of Raleigh, NC and the format is loosely predictable as they share phenology (the cycle of bloom events in relation to climate), humorous dialog, a dog or pet story, and then share a local brew or craft beer. In John's most recent post, future podcasts will also be hosted by his wife Susana and Chris Felhaber of Chanticleer Gardens. Good news for local gardeners.

Another (very new) podcast is titled "Wild Plant Culture" by Jared Rosenbaum. The subject matter is field botany, herbal medicine, and regenerative practices. Jared's humor is quick and smart, the content highly elevated. Give this a listen if your horticultural interests include the local, native landscape. 

My last recommendation is based on my own curiosity as I prepare for a lecture on citizen scientists. Titled "Citizen Science: Podcast Brunch Club by Adela", it is wildly entertaining. Subject matter is not strictly horticulture but still worth a listen as citizens are working with scientists under various platforms, some with little structure, others more formulated, to procure information to share. Bird migration and invasive plant spread are just a couple of topics that have been enhanced with input from everyday people. Call it a merger between eyes on the ground and data seeking scientists. 

So welcome to 2020, a new year with new sources of inspiration as we wait for spring to arrive. 

 

 

This and That

The garden is dormant and snow is an inch deep, with more predicted. For a full 4 weeks, if not more, my Galanthus 'Potter's Prelude' has been blooming, withstanding temperatures as low as 20 degrees fahrenheit. So happy am I with its spread, it is even naturalizing a bit. I paid a whopping $40. per bulb and see that they have risen to $59. each, in a modest way I am rich!

Christmas marked the end of my full time work and it was spent with my daughter and grandchildren. Juniper, the little red headed granddaughter was walking with me while we held hands and I explained to her that I needed to go inside and help her mother with the kitchen duties and lickety split, she maneuvered me into the kitchen. Her place is on a stool, high enough to stir, wash dishes, and be helpful. As it turns out, she loves helping in the kitchen.

Yes that's an ice cream scoop stirring the mac and cheese. 

The weather was beautiful and most of the day was spent outside, the way I like it.

Now I have plenty of time for studio work and plenty of time to fix a piece that fell from a wall and broke into 3 pieces. Purchased in 2015 as part of my Saints and Sinner's Show, the recipient asked if I might be able to fix it. I was delighted to get her back, despite the broken parts because it gave me the opportunity to see how far I have come since 2015 and didn't feel challenged when I saw how she had broken. That show was my first of all assemblaged art. I had moved from various forms of photography to 3D and the build part was challenging enough, the paint may have been more. Here is Saint Catherine in 2015:

Here is the repaired piece with a new repaint.

The radiating points are made from skewers, the case is an old clock frame. Saint Catherine was the Patron Saint of intellectuals, schoolchildren, and professions involving wheels, hence the contents. Almost always shown with a palm leaf. Parts of her were missing so some creative clay molding fixed that. 

The most current studio work is large and  complicated, involving various birds. I have been building miniature guinea fowl and have been following our single guinea around the yard to make sure that I get the finer points correct.

There are also new Hot Wheels, which take another kind of creativity to put together, the "think tiny" assemblage artist.

So you see the year ended and began with a little of this and that, as most people's lives do. My blog can take many twists and turns and as I have always said, I bore easily. So the topics will vary, but in looking back, not by too much, depending on the the time of year. A steady ride into the new year with gently curves is best, those unexpected detours can be challenging. Thanks for riding along and I hope your new year is filled with family, friends, gardening, and art - a gentle dose of all.