Studiology

Excellent

Sometimes, after a lot of preparation, things come together. While I am in the thick of reorganizing and moving, the overwhelm is a constant, so any progress in that direction is excellent. Today was one of those days that was just that and more. A meeting with the Aldie Horticultural Society at Oak Hill was a real highlight, not just seeing the gardens, but meeting old friends. We talked horticulture, something I hadn't missed until I was in the thick of it again. 

There was also the matter of giving away furniture, lovely teak pieces that needed a loving home. Also accomplished today, something that has been many days, possibly months, in the making. How do we manage to gather so many things in our lives? 

And last week, in an emergency situation, I had a tooth pulled. A big one, a molar, which did not make for an excellent day. While I'm in the doctor's chair, I notice that he likes photography. Knowing that one of my next chores was to give away some large, framed prints, I asked if he might like them for his office. He is opening a new office and was excited at the prospect, so those were also dropped off today to a very grateful tooth puller. Now a person may not think highly of a visit to get a tooth pulled, but the pain involved in keeping that tooth is far worse, so I was happy to make him happy.

There has also been the making of art to jury into a gallery in Charlottsville. Since it's been many, many years since I've had to jury into a gallery, I was a bit undecided as to how this was going to go. The good news; I'm in! So the beginning of another adventure, something you will hear a lot about. I submitted these as new works and took a few things to Art A La Carte in Occoquan, where I will be keeping a space. 

When fall arrives I always think of masks, so I have 3 finished, and I may keep going. More to come on that topic. 

And lastly, the thing that makes me super happy was just a little thing. As many of you know, I am usually driving my little Volkswagon GTI, a hatchback that works perfectly for loading lots of stuff - plants, tools, framed prints, etc..... I passed another, almost identical to mine on Route 15 and the driver flashed me a peace sign. Without hesitation, I flashed him one back, all in a split second. I know this is of little to no consequence to most of you, but ever since I've been driving this car, I've wanted to reach out to other GTI drivers. I see 1 or 2 in my travels on a regular basis (really not that many). As it turns out, it is expected (google GTI drivers and peace sign), so I will delightfully be peace signing away, just another reason I love my car!

So an excellent day indeed. Next week is party week for me and sisters at the house in Charlottsville. Just a little sista time before the final thrust to really get stuff done. There are enough beds and places to sit, I just have to bring more forks.

 

Top Five

In a recent Fox 5, zip trip to Occoquan, five "must stops" were highlighted, places that warrant a visit to the little town of Occoquan which sits next to the Occoquan river. Some crazy, peculiar luck found me watching the segment live on TV, only to find out that our little gallery, Art A La Carte, was in the top five and the only shop featured, as the others were restaurants and a regional park. A complete surprise which has put me on cloud 9 ever since. And as luck would have it, we had already planned a big reception to celebrate 12 years in business and to honor the town's name - Occoquan, which means "end of water". To team up with events already planned, the town of Occoquan is holding a weeklong series of celebrations and we are holding an artist's reception on Saturday, August 14th (from 2-4), the same day as the towns "Duck Splash" where hundreds of rubber ducks are dropped from the bridge, all numbered, to race down the river and see who the winners are for cash prizes.  

Our event is called "The Water Show" and our artists have been creating water themed art to honor the towns meaning and come together with a single purpose. There will be wine tastings and small bites for the reception, as well as many forms of watery art. I have completed 3, working on a larger 4th, along with our 25 artists, so we can be fully stocked with new work for the month of August. There will be daily Facebook and Instagram postings to highlight each day, so consider following us on this amazing celebration and endorsement of our little art gallery that has earned the title of a "must stop"!

Here are my 3 finished pieces, with a few extra photographs of progress and/or details. 

And just a reminder, we are open 7 days a week from 11-5 with a different artist every day. Swim, paddle, or float on over.

 

Finishing Things

Time in the studio has been good, many things have been completed and more are underway. Literally finished last night and delivered to the gallery today is a piece titled "Swan Ride".  This one was difficult to assemble, it made little sense to me, and it included a doll, which I hate doing because they always look like a doll. Some bits of "stuff" altered her appearance some, but I knew that this piece meant being brave with the paint because bottom line, it's quite weird. In the end I was delighted with the paint and felt that it owned up to the build, another growth spurt for me (and that's how it feels).

Today was a workday in the gallery so I was able to gauge people's opinion of "Swan Ride", sorry for the lack of creativity in the name, but she was a big hit, despite her weirdness.

Others that have been completed are all up and I have to say that today in the gallery was a blast with fun people all day long.

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 7th, is another workday for me and I encourage you to visit this most awesome little gallery that makes my heart go pitter pat.

The address is 310 Mill Street, the main drag through Occoquan, VA. Come for food, come for art.

 

New Art Work

There's been a lull in my art work. I attribute it to a few things, one of which is the ongoing war in Ukraine, which put me in a major funk! Which ever part of the brain was in a bad mood was directly affecting my creative side. There were some pieces that came together with time and determination, but I sensed a shift in my artistic flow. And then came a break-through, an embrace of sorts with the really ugly narrative; create art that incorporates the state of affairs. So a few have come together and others are in the works. Much like artists embracing the pandemic with pandemic art, so it goes now. This piece is titled "Scheming", sort of like a David and Goliath story. The little man holds a tiny sledge hammer for a weapon.

I also finished this "Defender of the Woods", a deer as an action figure (hero) who is here to defend the trees. 

The piece on the easel now is built of broken porcelain doll faces. It will be interesting to see where it goes and how much I paint on the faces. Sometimes the painting takes as long as the building, it's never an exact science and can sway from day to day, minute to minute. 

Lots left to do and undoubtedly some moments of angst to preserve the emotion in this one. Updates to follow. Peace Out!

 

Hibernating- Not

Wintertime (for the gardener) is soft socks, oversized fuzzy shirts, and fat pants. There is the wonderful sleeping in with no alarm clock, except for a little dog that needs to pee. Most days are working in the studio or walking the dog who has taken a liking to a hike that crosses a creek. Yesterday she lunged over the creek, still tethered to her retractable leash, which caught me off guard and headfirst I fell down an embankment in slushy frozen water, with a face splat on rocks. My boots filled with water, my Tilley hat floated downstream, my face grew a giant, bulging bruise, and I still had a mile to walk to get home, very wet! Today the bulge is a light purple, I may end up with a black eye and there might be a fingernail that falls off. I will spare you the gross pictures, it hurts to smile, and I look like someone clubbed me. But, in the meantime there is time to restock the art gallery, which will happen slowly but surely, and time can be spent alone without explanation in my workspace. 

I have finished 2 pieces; both have parts that either move or can be altered. With the first one, the wheel rotates like a pointer. Titled "Star Guide", the center piece can be lifted out of the holder, once again I used magnets to hold it in place. 

Next was something more complex with 3 alternative inserts.  A wand of sorts with options. Partly inspired by a bumblebee jasper stone that was gifted to me, and grew into a citrine crystal, and third eye choice. Sort of like predicting your day or week with positive energy from 3 options. Magnets are also used to help hold them in place, both in the main piece and in a holder that is not quite done. To finish the painting, the background needed to agree with all 3 inserts, which really took more time than I had ever imagined. 

There will be a side piece that holds the 2 while they are not in use, which is also taking more time to paint than I thought it would. A few other projects are in the works, and oh how I love January!

Merry, Merry

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and warm wishes for good things. The challenges seem to keep on coming but I certainly have much to be grateful for. With a hectic schedule that is now in the rearview mirror, there will be lots of time for artwork, walks with Birdie, and cleaning the house (a continual struggle). The art gallery has had a stupendous month and our new artists are selling like crazy. On my end I eeked out some light bulb ornaments and another Krampus. Sales have been so good that my space looks very vacant, and no complaints here. 

The last Krampus is named Phil, and I continue to make them creepy but paint is applied in soft pastel colors. The Ying and Yang of Krampus!

Making arrangements at Merrifield Garden Center was also good and my return to the fold with my favorite working buddies was a blast. We cranked out work with a creative flair, and I wish I had some documented outtakes of our antics. Humor is always a good thing. Keep your spirits high, cheers to 2021, and our days will begin to get longer - a good thing.

Sup

So much is up, and it's all good. I am rearranging my life right now with a few major changes. I have retired from Oak Hill, after 15 years. The drive out of the estate on my last day may have been one of the saddest of my life. That job was so wonderful and such a happy place, it will be greatly missed. For me it was time and the physical aspect of the job was taking a toll, I would like to save a bit of that for myself and maybe my garden. I took this photograph on my last day at work, my view on a daily basis and a glorious one at that.

Then there was the jump over to Merrifield Gardens for my annual holiday flower arranging. That will end at Christmas and I encourage anyone that is looking for an arrangement, advent wreath, or outdoor pot decorations to come and visit. Of the 3 locations, I am at Fair Oaks on a full time basis. Few things cheer someone up like a bouquet of flowers. 

In my creative space it is time for Krampus. These were delivered to the gallery yesterday. 

Prior to that it was Thanksgiving with my daughter's family and grandkids. Felicity is sprouting up and a delightful person, Quinn is the constant zombie killer (yeah, no zombies here), and little Junie is just adorable. 

So for now, the wassup is all good, and the forward trajectory is filled with twists and turns. I hope your journeys and daily events are all positive. I know that's impossible, but maybe more good than bad, how's that?

Street Art, Plant Art, Art Art in Mexico

From the everyday meals or walking the cobblestone streets, art and color come in so many glorious forms in Oaxaca, Mexico. Elevated for Day of the Dead, as it is for the Radish Festival, the Guelaguetza  (Ethnic Folk Festival), or The Festival for the Virgin of Guadalupe, flowers are present in abundance, brightly colored dress is commonplace and decorations compete from door to door, shop to shop. These are some of the store fronts and large Catrina's set up along the main cobblestone street. The majority of shops and our hotel have a low tray for customers to step into and then dry as a form of sanitizing your shoes. Many also took your temperature and all gave you hand sanitizer as you entered.

The use of plants, particularly as architectural accents is amazing. This bench and climbing epiphyllum were in the stamp museum, the others in a small shopping mall.

Street art is rich and apparently wildly accepted.

I could add an entire blog just about the cooking class, which included a stop at the market for these fresh squash blossoms, among other things:

The house where the class was held, the courtyard, the table settings and food, everything was artfully creative.

And the reason for being there was a class for building a heart shrine. Our host, the talented and fun to be around Michael deMeng guided us through the various styles of heart symbolism and we set out to complete at least 1 project. I created 2 and was very happy with them, which is not always the case, but put me in a very good mood (plus a little mescal).

I added some ribbon down each side once home, so now it's really finished.

    

In the end, I was so happy that I bravely traveled to Mexico. Once I was deposited in the hotel and met my fellow art family, it was a week of companionship and art. I leave this adventure with a few more photographs of street people and ofrendas.

 

 

 

Show Time

October is my month, a deadline, a theme, and a purpose. My goal every year for my show month is to have 20 new pieces and I made it to 19. The show is in the gallery I manage and in the space as you enter the door. Who ever operates as manager is allowed to hang their art in this prime piece of real estate in a gallery that houses 24 other artists. Over the years I have covered various themes; dreams, sea, circus, travelers, and saints (with sinners). This year it's fairy tale with a focus on Alice in Wonderland. The real excitement for me is to see it all come together, when every piece is hung on the wall. 

But of course there is nothing like seeing it in person and taking it all in. The show will be there for the month with a reception on Saturday, October 16th, from 3 to 5. To help you understand, I am showing some process photographs, taken in the studio as early as January when I began the real building of various pieces. Alice falling took the longest because of challenges in the process. It began with a frame, Styrofoam, aluminum wrap, and a coffee can. The roots are rolled up paper held together with wall paper paste. The final layer was paper mache and mulberry paper. 

This masks begin as a simple plastic form and is modified with cardboard, bits and pieces of things and covered in paper mache with tissue paper as the last layer. I used some clay, beads, and a glass eye  and like the others, there is a wall hanger so it can hang like a piece of art, or be worn to a party.

Rabbits rule and are made of various materials. I'm extremely happy with this one with the background painted in an abstract pattern. 

With each show I learn something new and this show was filled with new techniques. Possibly my favorite was bending wire and then coating it with paste to harden. The process allowed me to create vines and filigree additions. Jack in the Beanstalk was really good for this and the little pea pods dangly loosely.  

The Mad Hatter's hands were also made this way as he holds his tea cup.

The piece de resistance is my crazy March Hare mask. He should be worn with a large wig and a crazy outfit. I painted bravely and it scared me. But it worked.

As one final note, this is as colorful a show as my circus themed year. I humbly believe it's a real joy to behold and something that will bring a smile to your face. 

 

 

Down the Rabbit Hole

I think we are all falling down a rabbit hole of one sort or another, caught in a voyage or an escape. For myself it's been a delightful escape into fantasy and fairy tale, all happening in my small studio to prepare for the fall show of the same title. I have shared a bit of the rabbit builds and now I can share some of the other characters, all slated to be for sale from October 1st to the 31st at Art A La Carte Gallery in Occoquan, Va. A "Meet the Artist" evening is scheduled for Saturday, October 16th from 3 to 5 and I'm sure there will be discussion on how things were built. 

These first 2 are in boxes that rotate, so Little Red Riding Hood becomes the Big Bad Wolf and the crazy March Hare becomes the White Rabbit.

Knowing the title, there has to be a Mad Hatter, in this case we've caught him on a tea break.

And just finished, the piece that is quite literally the fall down the rabbit hole, Alice and the White Rabbit. Her skirts are made of mulberry paper, layer after layer of treated mulberry paper.

This last piece was started in January and measures 34 inches tall and 18 inches wide. The tree began as a coffee can, the roots are rolled up paper treated with wall paper paste and covered with many layers of paper Mache. The core is Styrofoam, foil, and some cardboard. The painting literally took weeks as I swung back and forth on low and highlights. As mixed media as any one object can be, this was a real stretch for me, a project that left me with more questions than answers but ended up just as I imagined it would.  So look at your calendars, take some time to come see these and many more in October.