Studiology

Paint it Green for 2021

New paint experiments are a good way to start the year. I've had red years, blue years, this is my green year, further bolstered by new inventory. Three new pieces have been finished and I continue to work with shaping forms from bare wire to faces and bodies. This allows for more conceptual creations, letting the mind run free. The first two are leprechauns holding little four leaf clover bouquets. 

Also finished is another circus stage with clown and seal, both held in place with a magnet, so they can be switched.

More to come. 

 

 

 

 

Hands at Work

The month of December has been a whirlwind and I have been dropped off on the other side. Landing with a deep breath and happy to be healthy, the crunch of work in making holiday greens and flower arrangements was exhilarating. I failed at taking many photographs but have a lovely arrangement on my table as a reminder.

As art sales were good for the holidays, my mind has been contemplating the next step to fill up empty space in the gallery. The plan is to build some lucky leprechauns, something we all need, holding bouquets of 4 leaf clovers. The first step is to build the heads and then the bodies. The heads are small, plastic skulls, covered in clay to bring out the flesh. The bodies are wire, layered over with clay which ends with their clothes. I have 3 that are well on their way, but one has been fired because he's too ghoulish. Another head is in the works.

All leprechauns will be in a wall mounted frame or box, wearing leprechaun suits and shoes. Skinny legs will have striped tights. Life is good!

 

New Stuff

I decided to revisit the altered light bulb ornaments this year but wanted to tackle a common problem that need resolved. With a new design, I have finished  7 and they have been delivered to the gallery. The tops are old wood finials, the base is a light bulb that has been cut at the top, leaving a bit of the metal rim to work with. 

   

I also finished an altered hot wheels. The small figure on top is someone I have saved for two years, waiting for the perfect set-up. I call him a diver but suspect that he is not. No matter, he works well here;

Lastly I built this hookah smoking caterpillar who's name is Absolem. He came together even better than I had anticipated and sold very quickly. 

And for those of you that missed the "Dream Show", I have this photograph taken by John Padbury (with many thanks). It has been a good show and I was very happy with the pieces that came together for the theme. 

There are still plenty of items, made by myself and over 20 other artists, all handmade by (mostly) local artisans, so if  you are stuck on gift items, this is a big hint. Plus 20% off if it's your first order on our website. Merry, merry!

 

 

 

The Dream Show

October has arrived, the deadline to finish my year long undertaking, The Dream Show. Delivery was made, the wall rearraigned and all went swell. I worked in the gallery on that day, and it was an incredible day, customer's were receptive and ever so interesting. I love a day of meeting people that you can have good conversations with. 

Reception day is October 24th from 2 to 4 and I would love to see some you there. Three new pieces will be added; as it goes with many deadlines, I didn't quite finish everything. There are signs in the shop that explain my thoughts as I built these, but it's always fun to hear it from the artist. The gallery also has a remastered website which contains most of my assemblage art as well as some photography. The Dream Show builds are there and you can have a look here:

https://www.artalacartegallery.com/karen-rexrode

First time shoppers receive 20% off, which is a really good deal. 

A Dream Preview

My October show is titled "The Dream Show" and every artist is questioning how to have a reception or show given the pandemic. October 24th has been chosen with hopes of some personal attendance in the gallery, but I will also plan on a live show of some sort. Quite a few pieces have been finished and I am building more. At one point I considered building some to replicate dreams I have but they seem so far fetched. As a for instance, last night I visited Morocco and toured the country side. One rabbit farmer was raising rabbits that look like fluffy, stuffed rabbits that don't exactly hop but flip, like summersaults. That was after I stole a car and was hopelessly lost until I started driving toward the city lights.

This may give you some indication of the lunacy that resides in my head and then creates this art work, so we will just leave it at that. The first piece was created with Mexican Folk-art in mind. I used to have a mirror with colorful metal flowers that surrounded the frame and I was trying to copy them as I remember how bright and cheerful it was. This is titled "Floral Dreams" and it is a big leap from my usual style.

I also created one titled "Daydreams" and it represents the four stages of daydreaming. First you are listening to someone or thing, a decision is made that maybe it's not that important. Your mind begins to leave the conversation and the volume of their voice diminishes. Flickers of other thoughts start to enter your mind, maybe something you have to do or memories of things you have done in the past. The third phase has you deep in the daydream with details that flicker like they were yesterday. In the fourth phase you can't hear anything they are saying, deeply involved in a memory. I used several alternatives to this; the vacation to Australia, seeing dolphins swimming, the dog chasing a large bird or the dog that never dies, and wants you to throw the ball one more time. The bottom piece looks like a person that is staring at you while you are repeatedly asked to answer a question you never heard. 

This next one is titled "Dream Flight" for when you have those amazing dreams where you fly. I tend to jump high and sort of fly, but on occasion I have actually flown. 

This piece is more in tune with my last show, but it came together for this one. The whole piece is over 30" tall, the whale's eyes are large glass eyes, human eyes. I even added little barnacles to the tail and flipper.

As it stands, the "meet the artist" is scheduled for October 24, from 2 to 4. The location is Art A La Carte Gallery or 310 Mill Street, Occoquan, VA. The show opens on October 1st and there will plenty of other dream pieces. I hope to see some of you but there will be a live show in case you can't make it, maybe that same day.  Items will be on the website as well; www.artalacartegallery.com. 

 

 

Beam Me Up

The website for the gallery in Occoquan has been revamped and I'm very happy to see it in its new and ever progressing form. As time passes, the artists in the gallery will add their wares, we are 20+ strong, so there is real potential for a fun and eclectic array of art. 

The website is capable of printing limited edition prints and photographs on various surfaces through Bay Photo, a lab that I always used when I sold photography. Sizes up to 5 and 6 feet  are options as well as viewing them on a wall in context to surroundings and existing wall paint colors. For the visual shopper, this is a huge plus. Because of these options, I have added some of my favorite and best selling photographs as well as my assemblage art. 

Given the situation with the pandemic and social restrictions, we found it necessary to expand on ways to shop our art. Everything from jewelry, to oil paintings, and woodwork are here. Please take a look but visit again as we continue to add more artists. It may not be the same as coming into the store and really seeing everything, but close.

https://www.artalacartegallery.com/

October is my "show" month, and the 24th is reception day. One way or another there will be the offering of new art as I've been working on this for months! The title is "The Dream Show" which will include many small and large dream scenes and if it's an online event, then so be it. 

With that I leave you with a little piece I created years ago, painted with fluorescent or glow in the dark paint. That sense of curiosity.... keep that thought.

 

 

 

Pandemic Art Two

This is how some of us have felt during the pandemic, isolated, missing our friends, missing our friend's hugs. This piece is built from an antique clock case, there is an hour glass that doesn't move at the bottom, a clock that has only one hand stuck in one place, and a face stuck in a box. There are also two men stand at the top with a good bit of distance between them. I titled it "Isolation". 

 

At the gallery in Occoquan, we are trying to organize and open the store. There may even be a couple of open days this weekend, with restrictions of course. The pandemic pieces will be there as well as other recent work (other artists have been busy too). The chance to go into shops this weekend will be so extravagant, or so I feel, of course we will be keeping up with CCD guidelines and wiping surfaces, but you will be able to see the art! There is also the option of buying items on our website if everything seems too overwhelming. And let's not forget curbside pickup. 

 

Pandemic Art

Creativity can ooze out of an artist during tough times, which is not exactly what happened here, I was invited to join a group that would exchange pandemic art and I said yes. Keeping with wands, specifically wands that are meant to ward off the bad mojo, I made two. 

Both are partially held in with magnets, this second one has supports that it slides onto as well.

Once detached the beads and medals swing around and make pleasing anti-pandemic vibrations. A little chant might help - "Avoid this house, no one shall be sick with this pandemic".   

I am currently working on a much larger piece which is titled "Isolation" and will reveal that one soon.

Available here with free shipping. 

Take care!

 

In the Studio

With closed doors at the art gallery in Occoquan, I have continued to work on assemblage pieces, both big and small. A few are for the October show which I am calling "The Dream Show". But in anticipation of opening doors to the public, I have concentrated on some smaller pieces, and creating them with a sense of humor. Several artists are creating "Pandemic Art"  and I have been as well but I'm not quite ready for the reveal. Soon, very soon.

There is also a new Facebook Group, titled "The Occoquan Marketplace" and only vendors from town can list their wares. Some wonderful things have been listed and sales are good, despite the closed shops. I will be putting these on that site and am sharing them here first. 

This first one is a circus scene, much like others I have done in the past. The clown and seal are positioned with magnets and can be switched around.

The title is "Chuckles and his Sidekick".

I  have another piece titled "A Bird in Hand", also a wall hanging, measuring 8 x 3.5". 

So much uncertainty about shops opening and our art gallery is a coop and I feel some artists may be unwilling to "man the store" even if we do open. These are trying times for artists but many are joining the ranks of online sales. There is work underfoot to polish our website and list many more items, another thing that takes a lot of time and effort. Bottom line, it's a good time to reach out to artists if you have had something on your wish list. Free shipping and discounts are abundant.

Both of these wall hanging pieces are $120. with free shipping, so reach out to me if you are interested.

 

Peepzan and other Things

As a representative of the gallery Art A La Carte in Occoquan, VA, I created our Peep Show for 2020. The title is "Peepzan" as in Tarzan and Jane (of the jungle). The diorama is a jungle scene with tourists taking cell phone pictures and looking at exotic flowers and birds with a binocular. The cast of characters include two tour guides, two tourists, Peepzan, and Jane (of the jungle). 

Jane hasn't seen a hairdresser in awhile, which is quite evident! She is wearing a little (tiny) coconut shell bikini top, and Tarzan is sporting a loincloth, made of faux fur. The pipe cleaner legs and arms speak to his strength and bulging muscles.

The jungle tour guides have seen it all before and wait in the buggy, just another day of taking tourists to see the jungle and Peepzan. 

The Occoquan Peep Show is all online this year so here is a link if you are interesting in voting for my jungle scene and Peepzan, (voting will open for Easter).

Otherwise I have been working on some art projects, here are two small ones, the altered Pez dispensers are Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. As identical twins, they are not as identical as I would like, and I am surprised at how tiny nuances can make one  so different from the other, but they are cute.

I also finished this small box assemblage which I titled "Catch an Angel, Make a Wish". 

Take care everyone, stay healthy!