Studiology

Art on the Block

November has arrived, it's time for blue skies and quaint walks. How about a day in Occoquan, Virginia, looking at new art, artist's receptions and demonstrations? Held this Saturday, November 8th, from 1 to 5 PM, it's called "Art on the Block". My space at Art A La Carte is restructured with a few new pieces.

Here's a view of my art corner:

The latest addition is the "Angel's Journal", another sketch book shell or cover. Designed to house a journal, which can be removed or replaced. 

Here is the detail on another journal cover, made with an old, rusted sardine can.

There are also numerous encaustic pieces, two of which are shown in detail here:

Lots of changes planned for the next 2 months. New projects coming together. Plan a visit if you can.
 

And the Beat Goes On...

Spent a lovely morning at Green Spring Gardens, giving a lecture on photography. I was happy to spend time with enthusiastic photographers and wanted to thank all who came. The light outside was just right, overcast, like the sky was one big lightbox. One of my favorite plants was in bloom, the biennial Angelica gigas, and of course I couldn't help but take a few photographs.

There were many containers but one simply filled with pilea. Really stunning and grown to perfection.

Next a trip to Art A La Carte to deliver new artwork. This latest sketch book cover is titled "Music Inspired Her". 

Included is a standard size sketchbook that slides into the space on the back cover. It's a very three dimensional piece, let's just say I'm learning how to use the hacksaw and for this one it worked perfect. 

Garden Photography

Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria is one of my favorite places to photograph plants so I'm excited to be giving my first lecture there on flower photography. The presentation will be more than just flowers, I will include composition tips, ideas for recording your garden and lots of creative directions. Registration is required and the class is Saturday, July 26th at 9:30 AM.  The fee is $18. for members of Green Spring, and $20. if you're not. Click this link for registration.

I suggest you bring your camera because you never know when y0u will run into something as lovely as Asclepias viridis. 

The lecture will last an hour and I will bring some printed and framed samples. 

Photogenic Plants in the Garden

Not all plants are photogenic and for me that's a good thing because I tend to buy the ones that are for just that reason. And it gets expensive. 

Here are two that are currently blooming in my garden. Allium flavum is very different because it's yellow (most are purple). Also fragrant in a nice way, not many alliums or onions can say that. Use Allium flavum in the sunny rock garden, it's only 8" tall with exquisite buds. I bought some Christmas ornaments last year just because they reminded me of these flower buds.  

Rusty foxglove is Digitalis ferruginea. A biennial, it takes a few years to get a good stand because you're waiting for seedlings to reach maturity, they flower in their second year. After 4 years I now have lots and I just love it. About 3 feet tall, the flowers have a nice lower lip that's covered in hair, I'm sure to provide a non-skid landing site for visiting pollinators. Bumblebees frequent it the most, but honeybees and lesser bees can be found too. Do not remove the spent flower heads because you need that seed to regenerate plants in order to keep it in your garden. I also find that mulch inhibits germination, don't mulch where you plant biennials, the seeds need light to germinate. 

Digitalis prefers a little shade but not so much that it falls over. I have found that a west exposure or a slightly south eastern exposure is best. Since they are highly poisonous, the deer won't eat them, which can also be said of the allium. In fact allium is the only member of the lily family that deer don't eat. Yay!

Odd Plants in the Garden

In the 70's, when indoor plants were all the rage, I owned lots of odd plants. Now, full circle 2014, I own some of the same plants but have a camera. Or have a better camera and an appreciation for the intricacies of unusual plants. One new acquisition is the old plant called the Mother of Thousands. Small plantlets are formed along each leaf edge, growing from a little bowl that's formed by the leaf to hold the babies, literally the thousands of babies. Now, if you had asked me in 1976 how these new plants grew on the mother plant, I mean exactly how, I wouldn't have been able to explain it. Which brings me to the beauty of photography, especially macro photography.  Now I understand the formation of the small bowls at the edge of the leaves, and how the baby plants grow into miniatures of the mother plant prior to falling off.

 

The plant is technically called Bryophyllum daigremontianum, a native of Madagascar. Previously linked with kalanchoe with the species named for Monsieur and Madame Daigremont. A tropical plant, the thousands of perfectly formed replicas of mom won't be a threat as they will perish with cold temperatures. In the mean time, it's a perfect subject for abstract photography.

I have also planted cassia, specifically Cassia didymobotrya, more easily called the popcorn cassia. This one is a native of Africa where it grows into a small tree. The flower buds smell like buttered popcorn. Just another wonderful subject for photography with black bracts and bright yellow petals. 

The gardener needs his camera, or a sketch book and keen eye. 

 

Photography with a DSLR

If you're interested in photography and have a new digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera with interchangable lenses, there are 2 spots open in my next class at The Center for the Arts in Manassas, VA. It's a full day of important basic operations and creative applications. This is a beginners class where I cover the world of digital photography, issues that are specific to digital application. Attendants need to bring their camera, lenses and manual. The date is June 28th (Saturday), from 10 to 4.

 

Last of the Snow Flowers

Anticipating this snow, I bought some ranunculus and did the deed. Freezing them in a block of ice is the beginning, setting that block out in the snow is the end. Ranunculus are one of the best flowers for freezing, at least with the technique I use. There is a new way to compose them in my containers, now I use magnets to hold them in place. With the magnets, you wire one to the bottom of the stem, let it sit flat or horizontal. The weight will hold the stem at the bottom of your plastic container. After you fill the container with water, use a magnet on the outside bottom to move the flowers where you want. If the magnets get too close, they will stick together, which can also work, but not always. I find that 2 stems is better than 3, only because it's almost impossible to not have the 3 magnets become attracted to each other. The buoyancy of the water will hold the flowers upright, which works better than my former, upside down way. The first photograph is of the ranunculus shortly after taking them out of the freezer (and out of the plastic container). The second is of the block of ice in the snow, several hours later. All of these photographs were taken outside, in the snow. I use a tethered (to camera) flash for fill light.

As you can see, the water bubbles freeze and the ice cracks. I often add a texture layer to the photograph, which can be very effective. 


 

New Work

New work has been put in gallery 902 for the month of February. We have been allowed 5 pieces for this coming month, and a number of mine are new to the Lorton Workhouse. One is a triptych, based on the book "A Game of Thrones", it features Daenerys, the mistress of dragons. This piece has 6 panels, it's complete on the front and back. Measuring 17" across, the technique is stamping, embossing and printing, all on treated and untreated muslin fabric. A few sections are also sewn.

I also added this encaustic work. The original photograph is glued to a board, sanded and then coated in wax with some oil painting on top to finish. I named her "Fireflys" and I think it's kind of obvious why.

I am one of the Associate Artists, our work is displayed in building #9, room 902 (same building as the museum). There is also a particularly great match with the featured artists (also Associates) in building 16 for February. I encourage all to visit this coming Saturday, which will be "Second Saturday", a party in every building with featured artists and great food (6-9). It looks like the storm will arrive Sunday, so it's all clear. Come join us. 

 

The Judge

Although not the first time I have done this, my judging of a photography show today was fun and challenging. The last time I judged photography was for the Prince William County Fair, it was low key, none of the participants were there, lots of fun. This was different. Today I worked with Mark Saylor (a fellow judge and photographer) to pick one first place winner, out of 135 submissions. All high school students, which (by the way) were allowed to watch while we made our selections. Whew!

The good news..... we agreed. The competition was called "Photo Smash", put on by The Center for the Arts. It was really a 2 part art show and challenge. Downstairs, in the gallery, there are various pieces of art, some photography but more drawing and painting work. All high school students. The work is great, creative and inspirational. Upstairs we held the photography judging with a projector and computer. 

The winner of the Photo Smash, is Rose Curiel and she titled it "Call it Rachel", which she also had framed in the lower gallery. A lovely work with perfect light and a great, creative composition. She is clearly a budding future photography with lots of talent. 

I did photograph a couple of other pieces that I thought were exceptional. This one is a charcoal drawing by Hope Martin, titled "Emily". 

This piece is by Luke Kim, computer graphics, rich in content, just lovely.

The stippling was from a leafed out tree.

I suggest that you see the show if you're in Manassas. The gallery art will hang until January 29th and you can click on this link to learn more.

 

 

Winter and Spring Presentations for 2014

I have a few lectures lined up for 2014. Listed below are details, some of the websites have not been updated yet, so links will be added as they become available:

January 11, 2014

Center for the Arts, Manassas, Virginia

"Understanding and Using your DSLR camera"     Full/no more registrations

10-4 with a break for lunch

This class is for the budding photographer that has moved up to a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera. The link above will take you to the Center for the Arts website for registration. I will be covering the various issues associated with digital photography. Some examples of topics I cover are white balance, ISO, understanding the histogram and file formats. Feel free to email me if you have any questions ([email protected]).

January 26, 2014

Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, Virginia

"Quest for the Best"

1:30-3:00

If you've ever been curious about plant names and their association with the collectors, you will love this lecture. I follow a timeline that begins in  1637 with John Tradescant and move up to modern times with more recent explorers and their stories and connections. It's a real interconnected world with daring twists.  

February 1, 2014

Merrifield Gardens, Gainesville location

"Garden Design"

10:00

This free lecture is about the power of mass or heavier plant material and its relationship to other plants in the scheme of your landscape design. I will talk about creating a natural flow in your garden space, helping you plan placement for shrubs as well as perennials and annuals.

March 1, 2014

Merrifield Gardens, Fair Oaks Location 

"Perennials with Personality"

10:00

This is currently my favorite lecture, and it's free! If you are gardening with perennials this is a must. I help you understand the various ways perennials interact by breaking them down into categories based on growth. Once you understand this simple concept, it will be easier to put them together and plan for their maintenance. 

March 22, 2014

Merrifield Gardens, Merrifield or Gallows location

10:00

"Photographing Flowers"

No boring lecture here, I include some really fun, artistic tips for photographing your gardens and flowers throughout the year. Just in time for the spring explosion. No fee.

March 29, 2014

Virginia Tech, The Hahn Horticulture Garden

"Garden Flow"

time and address will be added

When it comes to garden design, this is my favorite lecture. I have spent years trying to understand the concept of mobility in a garden space. Part welcome, part curiosity, I've collected the many variables that move the visitor or gardener along when they step into your garden.