A Face A Day

New Year, New Classes- JJewelry making basics- Felting

2012-01-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

Jewelry making 101 Sat. January 28^th 10-3pm $45 plus materials

Do you have jewelry projects that need to be finished, but you are unsure of how to proceed? This class focuses on finishing_ what findings to use, how to wire wrap beads, how to make a clasp. I will even teach you how to use a micro torch so can finish wire off with a nice round silver bead.

Other areas covered will be riveting and Keum boo for those interested.

Kuem Boo is an ancient Korean technique for bonding metals, in this case, 24k gold to Fine Silver. If you have taken Metal clay classes with me and have a fine silver piece you can add gold accents to it with this process. I have had requests to teach.

Riveting is a way of making a cold connection (without solder) between two metals.

Supply list:

Jewelry pliers, round nose, chain nose, cutters

For riveting, a riviting hammer http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Riveting-Hammers/112195?pos=9

A chasing hammer is good too-http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Chasing-Hammer/112227?pos=6

For torch work- Micro torches are great. http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Blazer-Butane-Torch/500230?pos=2

Fine silver for fusing, 24k gold foil for kuem boo- let me know if you are interested in this as we can order together to get the best price.

Wire for wirewrapping - let me know if you want sterling silver wire and we can order as a group to get the best price.

Barbara Carr is offering a Felting class on Saturday, Feb 18. 10 am- 4 pm. $65. Includes supplies and materials needed.

We will be felting with roving as well as commercial pre-felt making flat felt for a scarf or ...

Soon Carol will be posting about a new journaling class I am putting together- Heart Journals- tools for creating your very best self.

Day of the Dead at the Art Clinic

2011-10-25T22:13:00.001-07:00

Come to the Art Clinic on Tuesday from 5-7pm and vote for your favorite art piece. Bring a rememberance for the Alter. Food,wine and art activities.

posted from Bloggeroid

Jewelry studio with store front

2011-09-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

I finally got a jewelers bench. I needed a more ergonomic situation especially for sawing as I was sitting too high downstairs in the art clinic proper. This is called a mini bench and it sits on a table I found at a store called "Pink Trash" which is owned and operated by a mother and her two daughters who love to collect stuff. Sound familiar? The large drawer under the bench pin is used to collect all metal scraps and dust (silver is sooo expensive to not let any go to waste!!). I found that my saw was hitting the drawer so I use the drawer in the table to collect the silver.

I've been wanting to work closer to my soldering station which is located on the street level landing and the back entrance of the Art Clinic. You can see the windows that look out onto a drive that leads to public parking.

The foot traffic has been increasing since Knit Fit an arts and crafts store opened on the corner, Fresco Cafe opened across the parking lot and Art at Sevtap Wine Tasting opened up his business to share the back patio with the Art Clinic. There are people around!!!! My friend Shelly Niro washed the windows and I painted the walls and moved my studio into the corner, left of the door. I also painted a peg board to hold my tools. I collaged and stenciled it as well. I was afraid it would be too busy for such a tight space, but no-- I absolutely love it!!!

I am slowly creating a storefront to sell the wares made at the Art Clinic. More photos to follow... if you haven't been to the art Clinic for awhile your in for a surprise. Come by and say"hi".

Art and showing art

2011-08-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

One Night Stand

Last Saturday in Santa Barbara there was an opening for a show called "One Night Stand". It was a fund raiser for Art From Scrap and I heard it went very well. Lots of money made for a viable ecological and art education facility. I was not able to attend as I was sick in bed, not wanting to do anything- a cold caught from my family after attending my family reunion and hanging out with my mom and sisters in San Rafael, CA.

I noticed on the website for Art From Scrap under "The Morning After" heading, that a not so great picture of the piece I entered was up, indicating that my piece did not sell. I am not too sad about that (lest the hurt to my ego), because I really liked the piece I did, and since the "unveiling" is over I can post a picture here:

This is a tribute to how I, in the very far past, felt after allowing myself the frivolous encounter of a One Night Stand.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this piece- something I started in Michael deMeng's class.

And though, in my life I have made choices that have not been to my greatest benefit, I am here to say that life is good, that this moment is an opportunity to make a great choice for me, that I have everything I need, including a fabulous husband, kids and extended family and that I love making art!!!!

Metal Clay- Private classes

2011-08-03T02:00:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of hosting private parties for classes. Below are some pictures of the fantastic creations made. Send me an email- lifsart@verizon.net for more information if you are interested in making some incredible jewelry in 99.9% pure silver.

This is what seven people made in a day class- 2 to 4 pendants each.

(click on photo to get a better look at the silver pieces)

Thank you guys for all the fun!!!

Michael deMeng teaching at the Art Clinic

2011-08-03T01:37:00.000-07:00

I know this was last month (time flies when you are having fun)- but here are some pictures of the creations from the great class we had with Michael deMeng in July. Michael is a fantastic teacher who is very generous with his knowledge and know how, and he is quite entertaining!!!

Pretty Vial Things:

Cold Blooded Journals:

Michael and his great and informative critique:

Shirt redesign-

2011-07-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have had time to rethink this. Camp Serenity is in the redwoods so the tree should be a redwood!!!
I like this so much better.

Family Reunion

2011-07-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

My family reunion is coming up in August. We have a very lively and loud family, very loving and special. Every three years we have a get together at my parents property in Mendocino County, 20 miles west of Ukiah and 20 miles east of Mendocino proper. There is a few decks for sleeping on and a large fire pit for cooking the food. My dad built a sauna with a tradition Finnish wood burning stove to heat the rocks. He also built, with other family members, a cesspool for one flush toilet. You sit on the "throne" and look out over a forest of trees, redwood, firs, madrone and lots of beech trees. I have been thinking about a design for the t-shirt for a few months but didn't have the time to work on it until recently. I made a few designs, one of which I liked but decided it wasn't unisex so in the eleventh hour I went with a freehand sketch of a tree. I forgot most everything I learned in my graphic software classes so I really had to keep it simple, but I'm happy with it. Sometimes less is more, especially when you are out of time. I hope my family likes it.

This is the front of the shirt

and this is the back, (Ruth's idea)

Vacation,sun and recharging creativity

2011-06-18T15:38:00.001-07:00

Although we never played volleyball, the water was so much fun.The waves were a blast to ride and the temperature was perfect. You can stay in the water for a long time unlike the cold water of home. I spent a bit toouch time in the sun. My belly is really red! Ouch!!!!

posted from Bloggeroid

Art of the Cage Doll

2011-06-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

I have been spending that last few weeks making dolls for a show at Indigo, one of my favorite galleries in Santa Barbara. Though Indigo is not technically an Art Gallery, as they specialize in fine furnishings for the home, it is like being in a galley as the owners and buyers for the shop have exquisite taste that lean towards the east.
Genny, one of the owners has purchased my jewelry before for her shop, and now I will have two Cage Dolls on display (and for sale) along with 16 other artists. The opening is 1st Thursday (that is tonight) from 5pm-7:30pm at Indigo, 1323 State Street, Santa Barbara, next to the Arlington. This show will be up through June 18, 2011.

Notice the egg shells in the nest which house a little book. I made six in all that speak of the power of Crow.

Within and Without-Crow Totem

The Mouth of a Wise Woman is in her Heart


The heart is Keum Bo which is an ancient Korean Technique of bonding metals. This heart is pure silver with 24k gold.

While making these two pieces it occurred to me that I was touching all of the genre of art that I love to make, from costumes (the crows robes and the crinoline frame), painting ,metal smithing, bookmaking, assemblage and something I've not done a lot of, sculpture. I am ready to explore sculpture more, especially in Silver!!!

Sugar-The bitter Truth

2011-05-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I am a self proclaimed sugar addict. I have had a sweet tooth since I can remember, and with adulthood, I have no one regulating how much I eat. I am undisciplined in this regard as well, and as I am now in my 5th decade I am caring around an extra 30 lbs plus. My family and I are going on vacation in June and though I do not kid myself to think I could get into a bikini- I would like to be able to wear my clothes!!! So I started to research how to combat my sugar addiction. I found this very throughly informative video lecture by UCSF professor, Robert Lustig.
You have got to watch this- give yourself the gift of knowledge-takes over an hour but it is life saving information and since this epidemic in our food will not be regulated by the government, we must all be proactive for our lives (something I advocate anyway as the government certainly does not know what is best for me)!!! and in case you are afraid he will tell you that you can only eat veggies to be healthy, I'll let you in on the end diet he recommends for his patients, who are obese kids:
No sugary drinks only water and milk
Eat carbs with fiber
Wait 20 mins before having seconds
Exercise or movement min by min for screen time
Following these 4 things and they have had great success. The thing that made it not work was drinking sugary drinks. (Gatorade and other"sports" drinks are lethal).
this is a great video, I'm making my family watch it!!!!

Faces in Enamel

2011-03-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

I'm painting faces with enamel again. I have been meaning to get back to it as I have sold all of the faces I made previously. A kind patron, who admired my work this past December at a show in San Francisco, Bazaar Bizarre, has requested a ring in her size. I have spent the last few days making some faces for her to choose from. It is not an easy process, painting with enamel, as there are many variables involved in getting a good face. I have a large pile of not so great pieces that go along with this assortment of little beauties. That is the price for not practicing the craft. I have learned my lesson.

Aren't they sweet?

This is a great book if you are interested in learning about enamaling

Altered Book spread,Visual Journaling Video

2011-03-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I have been teaching art for my daughter Ruth's 5th grade class. We have been making visual Journals and I been using the lessons as a jumping off point for me to create some video's. I published my first attempt on the on UTUBE. I enjoyed the experience so much I cannot wait to do the next. I have been thinking about putting together an online version of the Journal Espirit classes I used to teach. I have so many ideas flowing into my head. Thankfully I now how to write them down for the time I can put the ideas out into the world. I have been asked to offer a class for teenagers, especially kids in the foster system. I am very excited about this adventure as I think I can offer some great tools for strengthening ones sense of self. Life is good.
Check out my video and let me know what you think. Please do forgive the back of my head. I am just learning!!!

4th year Anniversary at the Art Clinic

2011-02-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we are celebrating 4 years at the ART CLINIC?!!

Please come help us eat, and make art FRIDAY, FEB 11,4 till 8ish

There will be cupcakes as well as other eatables,

Valentine making, paper flower bouquet making, a haiku contest,

ATC making and you can even make a little love shack.

So stop by and join in the fun..... 1576 Copenhagen, Solvang

Check out our blog for more info http://artclinic.blogspot.com

Carol's Email- lifsart@verizon.net phone 588 0876

Blue Jays, Magic, Mystery and Art

2011-02-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

This morning, while doing the Sun Salutation, a Blue Jay flew onto the little bird feeder we have in our backyard, which is barely able to handle the droves of finches that congregate there (my husband calls it the smorgasbord for the feather express). He was swiftly knocking all of the small seeds out of the way in search of the larger sunflower seeds. I opened the door and quietly reminded him that he was much too large for that feeder. Of course he flew off the feeder as soon as I opened the door, but rather than flying away like the less fearless finches, he perched on the fence and looked at me quizzically. I went back in the house and grabbed a handful of seed and proceeded to place it on the table outside while suggesting to the jay that he may find the table easier to navigate. I went back into the house and without missing a single beat of his bird heart, the jay was on the table having his fill of sunflower seeds.

Those who know me know that I love the mystery and magic of the universe (yes, I said magic), and that everything is a sign to me. So without a pause, I went directly to Ted Andrews book, Animal- Speak and, once again the universe did not disappoint.

Blue Jay it seems is symbolic of the Proper use of Power. The name Jay comes from the Late Latin gāius, or gāia which is a name for Mother Earth. In fact, in Greek Mythology, Gāia, the Goddess of the Earth (from the formless, void came the broad-breasted Gāia) not only conceived, but birthed (may I add, without the help of a male, I’m just saying), Uranus and married him to boot, the prodigy whom from said union were the Titans. Whoa…who needs coffee when you have all this going on?

So, now I know that Jay’s name is symbolic of the Earth and Heaven –Uranus is the Father of Heaven and birds represent heaven ‘cus of there feather’s- hence the title, messengers of God) and that speaks “much of the intrinsic power associated with the Jay. It has the ability to link heavens and earth, to access each for greater power. T.A. Animal speak pg.121

There’s more…

Jay is often thought of as a thief, I remember my mother lamenting the “nasty Jay’s and there git,git git” scolding voice, chasing the other birds away. And yes, those qualities are true but he holds other lessons to look at. Firstly, that fearlessness, not unlike his cousin the Crow, is a tremendous attribute. Carpe diem!!! If we live in fear we miss out on all those scrumptious sunflower seeds!!!

The Jay’s lesson to me is about not abusing or squandering my power- I’m getting goose bumps. In Andrew’s treatise, he speaks of the problem with dabbling in both worlds, of spirit (heaven) and physical (earth), that one may dabble without becoming a master. I cannot tell you how much I relate to this. If you have noticed on my blog, I dabble in a lot of things. Last year was the first time I truly committed to only pursuing one vehicle for expression, jewelry, and even that was commingled with printing and bookmaking, painting (enamel) and assemblage (albeit still under the jewelry umbrella). And for those who read these words and do not know me, I am a seeker and I study about many philosophies about the meaning of life. My spiritual practice is made up of a number of tools which help to keep me grounded and inspired.

And there is so much more… but I will not bore you with more details. Suffice it to say that I have been given a gift from that Jay, not only of inspiration for art work (I’m on my way to the Art Clinic to do some drawings of Blue Jays which will eventually turn into jewelry in case you were wondering if I was wandering off my path), but also tremendous food for thought about how I have been approaching my life’s path. Blue Jay stays around for winter so that means I have time to pursue this line of thinking and he’ll be around to support me.

2011-02-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

Carol and Syd at the Art Clinic are excited to announce

The amazing and “deMented” assemblage artist,
Michael deMeng

who will be teaching not one, but two assemblage workshops here in Solvang!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

9:30-4:30

“Cold Blooded Journal”

“Sssssssssssssss” –translation from snake language: “Howdy”.

This class is all about reptiles and snaky things, and the reason is that I recently came across a product that creates a nice scaly surface. Ssssso it dawned on me that this would be an interesting technique to use one a semi-sculptural surface, and to make it even more interesting I thought that it would be interesting to make that surface an object that could be used everyday. That surface? A sketchbook, for the cold-blooded. Of course you can fill the sketchbook with whatever you like but the exterior is going to be built up and scaled up to the point in which if you’re not noticed walking down the street with this…well…there probably isn’t anyone on the street. Ssssssounds sssssssswell doesssssssn’t it? Yesssssssssssss!

Sunday,July 10, 2011,

9:30 to 4:30

“Pretty Vial Things”

When I was a kid I loved the idea of magic potions. Remember how Alice drank from the bottle to become very very tall, and of course Dr. Jekyll turned into his hairy eye-browed buddy Mr. Hyde the same way…different recipe apparently. There must be some very interesting mojo in those little containers …some good…some not so good. In this class we are not going to be making the elixirs (that might be illegal in some states) but rather we are going to be designing the little bottles that house these strange liquids. We will be using various assemblage techniques to create some pretty vial things; part of the fun is deciding what they are going to hold and coming up with the appropriate housing. Whether it for turning into hairy monsters (which comes in handy), a potion for invisibility (also very handy), or a place to store the water from the fountain of youth (send me two right away), the containers will be as rich and strange as the contents. Down the hatch!

The details:

Each class is $125. Space is limited so send an email to get on the list and then send a check payable to Carol Kemp 1216 Jason Drive, Lompoc,CA 93436, or if you prefer PayPal email your name and contact info to lifsart@verizon.net and you will be sent an invoice. Your payment holds your spot and when received, you will be emailed the supply list. For your convenience, you may pay a nonrefundable deposit of $50 to hold your seat with the remainder due by June 9, 2011. If we do not receive the remainder by this time you forfeit your seat. When spaces are full we will start a waiting list.

The Art Clinic is located at 1576 Copenhagen...between Sevtap Wine tasting and the Wine Valley Inn.

For those not familiar with Michael here is his website...enjoy. http://www.michaeldemeng.com

for more info email Carol Kemp lifsart@verizon.net

or Syd McCutcheon floozy@verizon.net

Linda Welch, Book Arts and Crows

2011-01-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

Life is good.

Art making is fabulous.

This past week I made a bunch of really cool books that can’t be opened- (can you see the Crow in the slide?) they have prayers inside and are bound up very tightly.

The special box is made of slides.

The books live in a special box I made from slides, so that when you take the book out of the box and put the box up to the light you see a 3D image.

See I can do 3D too!!!

My friend asked me if I was going to be able to sell them and I replied that these books are Fine Art- art for the purpose of art; expanding and exercising your curiosity muscle for no other reason but to commune with the awe of the universe. If someone gets the same juice from looking at them as I do, they will want one for their own.

Last year when I moved my son to Portland I visited a gallery there called 23 Sandy Gallery
They were having a show on Book arts and I absolutely fell in love with Linda Welch - Concealed Within Series
I purchased two from the "Concealed Within Series" and have loved those books- they sit on a shelf above my printing station, and I have longed to make my version of these mini masterpieces and was so pleased to add my rendition. Thank you Linda for the inspiration.

My books are made from papers I use in preparation for print making and some are from papers I used for life drawing warm-ups, paper that would otherwise be thrown out. All of the books have prayers of peace and prosperity in them.

It has been a busy time, as the end of the year always is, but now I need to replenish myself as I gear up to get ready for the shows of the new year.

I allowed myself the time to make these books because I needed to do something other then jewelry. I was later able to go back to my jewelry worktable and finish some items that needed work etc… Not that I don’t enjoy making jewelry, but at times I need to make art just to make art, and I miss getting my hands in the glue and paint.

Inspiration from Stephanie Lee and Kate McKinnon-Lush Jewelry Creations

2010-12-01T21:48:00.000-08:00

Above is an example of a cast charm made with lead-free solder. The contrast of the charm with the Peruvian Opal and Ruby is demanded by the Dragon, a very powerful symbol the world over. The necklace is made from Garnets.

Above is an example of an painting in enamel that has been soldered onto brass. I love that I can use the enamel with the solder.

Above are etched brass ready for me to roll through my rolling mill so I can stamp some silver. The brass plates will be used for some jewelry when I can no longer get an impression from them in silver.

This is a ring I made after reading Kate McKinnon's book, Structural Metal Clay/ I love the Jade Buddha being wrapped about by the lotus pods. A very cool ring- but not to be worn while vacuuming.

This is my first nest necklace made using Stephanie Lee's technique. I love how fun it was to make and plann to make a bunch more.

Another Nest necklace. This one is adjustable from 16" to 18" length, and has many ways in which you can wear it adding to it's versatility.

This are the beginnings of some heart with Wing necklaces I have been making. My friend Christina Codazzi, a fantastic healer has been the inspiration for this theme I keep coming back to. Who doesn't like flying hearts?

I love this book. Stephanie is concise and entertaining. Great ideas to expand on.

New book about using plaster by Stephanie Lee and Judy Wise

2010-11-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

okay, for some reason blogger will not allow me to upload my images as I have to have permission to use my images. Go figure. I will add to my site at www.carolkempart.com. Meanwhile, I have been taking a class with Stephanie Lee on line and love the techniques I am learning. Stephanie Lee has been an inspiration in my work for a few years now and I am so happy she has a class online as I just haven't been able to take one of her workshops. Happy Thanksgiving. I am going to June Lake with my kids to stay at my son's gfriends grandparents cabin. I am not takling any work with me. What will I do with my hands for the next 5 days. I can't believe i am taking this time as I have 2 shows coming up and so much i want to complete. But my higher self is telling me to BE. Yes, just BE. what a concept.
Okay the best healing for you and your world is Ho'oponopono. Check it out. You will be amazed at it's power. I love you, thank you, I'm sorry, please forgive me.

New work-Enamel Art Jewelry and Gocco Prints

2010-08-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Transformation Hand water colored Gocco Print. I have been super productive these past few months. I started selling at the Santa Barbara Beach Walk. Come by and say "hi" if you are in SB on a sunday. It has been a great experience. The summer has flown by with all Ruth's activities keeping me on my toes (as well as my own). I really do need an assistent!!! Selling at the beach means everything has to be handmade, and original, which of course, is what I do anyway, but they won't,as of this writing, allow me to show work that has reproductions of my work, such as collages made with my repos. That encouraged me to start printing with my gocco printer and experiment with registration, which to those of you who are print makers may take for granted, but I am not so precise so it has been a challenge. I love it though, as I am learning a lot. And as if I don't have enough work, I have begun learning how to create websites (I am actively making one for my artwork) and sites for affiliate marketing. It is a lot of info to learn, and it takes a lot of time, but I truly enjoy it. I am determined to figure this stuff out!!! I am hoping that soon, when you come to this page in the future you will be redirected to my new website at www.carolkempart.com at the moment it is under construction, but soon it will be ready to view. I'll let you know!!!


Magenta Finch, Gocco Print 5.25x5.25inch

Nestling Gocco Print on dictionary paper. Each print is a bit different due to the paper.

Power of the Nest Gocco Print

Nest II Gocco Print

Pomegranates Gocco Prints

Black Crows,Red Dot II Gocco Print

Black Crows, Red Dot I Gocco Print

Enamel Landscape on copper with etched copper frame and Ammonite. This is a project to include my enamel skills. I loved making these pieces and they have been selling well I am happy to report.

Enamel Landscape on copper with etched copper frame with sterling silver sticks (notice the Egyptian hieroglyphics).

Enamel with ss sticks side view

Enamel Landscape on copper with etched copper frame and pen quill (is that what you can the point?)

Back of above piece. Notice the etched bird on the back. I created all of these on used etched plates which I could no longer get a good stamp in silver. Nothing goes to waste!!!

I've come out of the closet

2010-04-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

I have now become a minister of the Universal Life Church, a non-denominational ministry. Though I am not Christian in the traditional sense, my sister asked me to officiate her wedding and while doing research I found this site and decided the time had come for me to join my calling. I am a healer and why not take on this form of vestment. Please do not think for one moment that I am making a joke, as I am very serious about the responsibility of this title. According to the Universal Life Church web site, I am now legally able to officiate at weddings, funerals, baptisms and absolve sins. This last part seems intriguing as I am not a proponent of "sin" certainly not the "original Sin" as I was not brought up with this sort of dogma. However, I am aware that there are many people who have been brought up to believe in this idea, and if anyone wants me to help them feel better about themselves in the face of God I am happy to help. And though I write here that I was not indoctrinated into a religion that expounded on "Sin" per se, I was brought up in the US of A and one cannot help but have a helping of sin laid on one's plate. For me the work of absolution comes in getting to know one's self, deeply, so deeply that you discover the source of any dis- ease you feel in your life. We are our own best prosecutors and persecutors, the inquisitor in our head is alive and well. Until you are ready to meet it head on with honesty and integrity and a lot of forgiveness and love, the inquisition lives on!!!
The following is a practice I have been doing for quite some time which helps me to feel strong and vibrant everyday:

I state over and over this affirmation: I am perfect I am whole, I am strong, I am powerful, I am loving, harmonious, happy and healthy.

Say it at least 15 times and then through out the day anytime you are feeling low energy.
They say that we think over 60,000 thoughts a day!!!! And a lot of those thoughts are negative, so I try to put this little jingle into my mind for those moments when I am not consciously aware of what I am thinking. Over the years it has become a mainstay in my extraneous thoughts.

2010-04-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

When people ask me the question, " do you believe in God"? I say, absolutely, but my concept of God is not the traditional. I believe that God is all things, the all creative force. Therefore, we are the experience of God. Here is a utube interview that I truly resonate with as he his saying things that I have thought for years. Check it out here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrwtAnY4o_8&feature=related

Painting with Enamel- faces

2010-04-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have been learning how to enamel.

These faces are created with enamel paint and a torch.

Now I am working on making bezels.
More soon.

goddess worship through jewelry, roman glass, resin, collage, too much fun!!!

2010-02-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

I have been taking a jewelry class in Santa Barbara at Adult Ed. in order to improve my soldering skills. Above is a Sterling Silver pendant I made with Roman Glass beads. Forgive the bad color as I left my tripod (that my hubby gave me for xmas) at the Art Clinic. I will take a better picture but wanted to add it here tonight. The spiral has been soldered to the bezel, which I made (tra la) and the cool textured background is made with a tool in class, which I do not know the name of, but it is like a mini pneumatic hammer which leaves a small pit in the silver which picks up the patina so nicely. Oh, and those are roman glass beads that come from an excavation site in Afghanistan- those beads are about 2000 years old!!! From some old garbage heap I bet.

I just recently purchased a video from Interweave publishing on Resin by Susan Lenart Kasmer.

she is very creative and although I have been using resin for bottle caps for awhile now, SLK takes the product to another level. Above is a piece of paper that I coated with resin on a silver open bezel. When I trimmed the resin, the paper fell off so I stitched it on with ss wire, an idea I will explore more. Below is the backside.

Below is another lousy picture- this is a bezel I made to house this goddess collage.Originally I was not going to use resin but got carried away when playing with the other pieces. This was supposed to have a mica top with a ss frame cold connected together so that the shells and gears inside could move freely. I will make another later. I do like this composition, non the less.

Below is a save job on a bezel I created in class. Both of these have texture on the back by the way.

Only the center of this has resin. That way the little spokes of silver can move. I really like the way this turned out. Behind the paper collage is copper mesh. That egg shapes houses the tree of life, in case you didn't recognize it.

Remains of the Day Journal and printed fabric

2010-01-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

Below is my cover for a book I made in an online class called,"Remains of the Day". The Cover is made from Fabric scraps and the pages are made from paper scrapes, all of which i have a lot. I could make hundreds of these journals if I had the time. The teacher of the class is Mary Ann Moss and you can find her here, http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com/ While I was on her site watching the videos for the class, Mary Ann mentioned some beautiful hand printed fabric on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/maramiki whose site I promptly went to and bought some of her scraps (Syd and I shared the remnants, one of which you can see just slightly on the far right of the open book cover, little red leaves), and since I had been printing paper I thought I should try to print some fabric. That is the pomegranate surrounded with words that you see on the left and below and the silhouette of crows on the top. You can also see an example of my printed fabric on the page below, the bird in a nest being held up by a woman's arm. I have been working on some small zippered pouches in my spare time. I truly loved making this journal though I didn't follow directions very closely as May Ann works more in production line and I filled in the pages as I went. The beauty of this journal is that you use up all of the stuff you may not ever use otherwise but hate to through away. Hence the name, Remains of the Day. I have not,as yet written in my journal nor finished filling all the pockets. Soon I will.

Thanks Mary Ann. I truly enjoyed this odyssey.

Zen Habits: loving-kindness meditation from the Dalai Lama

2010-01-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

I just got this email from a site I subscribe to, Zen Habits [zenhabits@gmail.com] and had to share it with you:

The practice of loving-kindness can knit us together.
Loving-kindness is an ancient spiritual practice. As Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield says, “Love and compassion are not the possession of any group or religious system. They are woven into our human spirit.”
I want to share with you a very simple loving-kindness meditation which the Dalai Lama teaches:

As you breathe in – cherish yourself.
As you breathe out – cherish all beings

If you find it difficult to cherish yourself, lay a hand gently on your heart as you do this meditation.
This is my back-pocket meditation. It’s the one I pull out at odd moments during the day. When my alarm clock goes off in the morning, or when I’m waiting for the water to run hot in the shower; when I stand at the window looking out at the rain, or walk under tall trees. Breathing in, I cherish myself; breathing out, I cherish all beings.
It’s simple. But it can transform life.
This meditation will make you happier, especially if you make it a daily practice. As your heart’s capacity for love and kindness grows, you’ll find a great fullness of being, and discover a warm kinship with all beings.
Mary Jaksch is a Zen Master and writer. Read more on her blog Goodlife ZEN and join her free Virtual Zen Retreat The Miracle of Kindness.

Crow's intelligence

2010-01-09T21:51:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know I love crows. Often I am asked why I love crows so much and what is their significance. Crow represents creation, intelligence, tenacity, adaptability and survival. One of my favorite stories about crows comes from Ted Andrews in his book, Animal Speak, in which he explains that his Grandfather told him "Crow was the smartest of all birds. What's more, it even knew it was the smartest bird and enjoyed it to the fullest. In fact, it was so smart it chose to stay a crow, rather than move onto some other area of evolution." This link to a presentation on TED is very telling in a scientific way for those not inclined toward ancient knowings.
http://www.wimp.com/intelligencecrows/ It will be well worth your time.

Penelope's face and some crows

2009-12-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

They have changed my blog page so I'm having trouble arranging images and labeling. I've run out of time to begin again,so these are some of the work I've done these past few months. As you can see, the Bagby inspired woman, Penelope has a face and a dress though she isn't finished. I went to Boston before Halloween and wasn't able to finsh this project (is that suprising), and as soon as I got back from Boston, I needed to work on jewels and books for up coming shows.

Inspiration from Anne Bagby and Gustav Klimt

2009-10-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

Today I watched a video by Anne Bagby http://www.annebagby.com/Anne_Bagby/home.html whose work reminds me of Gustav Klimt (one of my very favorite artist -he was a Viennese secessionist of the early 20th c and a leader of the Symbolist and Art Nouveau, The Kiss probably the most recognized of his work-his Father was an engraver of gold an silver and no doubt that attributes to Klimt's ease with gold-he was also trained as a decorative artist). But I digress-Anne Bagby is a meticulous artist whose work has always captured my attention as she creates the most beautiful images full of texture and faces. above is the beginnings of painting deli paper on which I will stamp.

I used hand carved stamps as Anne does, though she is much more careful then I. She is very precise.

Above is what she calls complicated papers. I have collaged a bunch of papers onto deli papers. She uses the stamped paper as well as others to create these unique papers. I will slice mine up and use it to create a weave.

This gets pretty busy but I have never been a minimalist.

Above I laid out 5 canvas within which I will find a figure by painting in an abstract manner until I see a one. I got one out of five the first round (these canvases started as white). One has to adjust one's mind to paint the negative shapes to create the positive.

This canvas has a few layers of black and then white and then black to find this "Olympianesk" figure.

You can see how I have started to collage the negative space. The papers on the top half are the ones I created with the stamp on black. I have begun to glaze over them with copper. I'm loving this process!!!

These papers that I have collaged with are from the fine paper section of any reputable art store. The spiral is very Klimt. I got a lot done today and can't wait for tomorrow!!!

EFT and tapping yiour way to emotional happiness

2009-10-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoSzivsQkVI&feature=fvw
check this out. Start your day on with positive energy and thoughts. Emotional Freedom Technique is fantastic. I've been exploring this modality for a few months now and have had tremendous results. This link offers is a fun way to start the day.

Collages or are they assemblage?

2009-09-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Cuba Red
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

Buddha Mango
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

I have a bunch of jewelry to finish but have been inspired to make these simple collages. I have a show this weekend in SB- Jill of All Trades at the Presidio Motel on upper State St. 11- 7pm. should be fun with good music, food and lots of Indie Arts and Crafts.

Eggs
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I'm not sure I am finished with this. It looks so much different in person. These pieces are small and intimate and on the computer they are more imposing.

Big Sky
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I love this one. I am inspired to do some landscapes.

meditation, health and a full life

2009-09-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

I truly apologize to anyone who comes to my blog and finds that I have not up dated forever. I have open a shop on etsy and that eats up so much of my time. On top of that I have made a promise to myself to exercise and meditate daily before I go to the Art Clinic. That means I have to get up early to at least meditate before Ruth gets up otherwise I'll never fit it in. The exercise I have chosen is bike riding and I travel across town on bike paths for 45 min. I have gone everyday save one for over 3 wks now and have noticed an improvement in my butt!!! Thank god, because I am a lousy dieter!!!
The meditation is something I have done on and off for years but never made it a priority. I've decided, as I turn 50 next week, it is important to finally make the commitment to my improved health both physically and spiritually as that in turn will help my emotional self (though today was really hard, I probably should have stayed in bed, but I am better now).
While I ride my bike I borrow Ruth's MP3 player (it's called a Creative Zen) and I listen to inspirational audio books. At this time I have been listening to Deepak Chopra recite the Bhagavad-Gita, something I have wanted to read but never got very far. He does a wonderful job explaining the metaphor of the story and the power of language. I highly recommend this audio book. I borrowed it from the library. It is called, "Sacred Verses, Healing Sounds."

I am truly grateful for my life.

Gocco Prints into Mini Books

2009-09-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my book printing escapade which I started a few months ago? Well, I'm almost finished with the cover- but before I could do that cover I had to make a prototype for it 'cause I wasn't sure of things would print-so that process became a whole other series of limited edition books.
I call these Matchbook Books because they are in the style of a matchbook. They are about 2" x 3" and have watercolor paper inside. The one above is called "Safe Journey" which is an affirmation for the journey we all take in life no matter the map (or lack of one).

This one above (the close up and open view) is called, "Four Crows on a wire".

Above is "Pomegranate Abundance" and is the image that started this whole thing. I want to use this similar idea for the cover of my limited edition journal, you know the one I started way back in May.

Just today as I was putting this book on my etsy site I realized I spelled Pomegranate wrong!!!
This is how my brain works and one of the so called faults that used to make me cringe. But tonight as I realized my mistake I know I have done a lot of growth lately as I am laughing rather than feeling like a complete idiot and thinking"what will they think of my intelligence?" As for now, I think it is okay and adds a bit more uniqueness to the piece. These are Art Books after all. Who says I didn't plan it that way!!!!

New Hair for a New Year

2009-08-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ruth wanted a new do for the new school year. We talked about donating hair to Locks of Love, but Ruth chickened out, (which is totally understandable when you have such beautiful hair). As I watched her get her cut I thought, I'm going to do it too!!!

So I did it and I love it!!!

This is the anti-wrinkle version. The last time I cut my hair was when Ruth was born. I was intending to send the hair to Locks of love, but was too attached. This time I sent in all 11".

San Francisco has the best food!!!!

2009-08-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I went up north to hang with my family and my mom took Ruth for a day so I could go to San Francisco with my cousin Teresa. Now Tia lives in Santa Barbara, but she used to live in SF when I was a wee teenager. I used to take the ferry from Marin (where I grew up) and walk the streets (window shopping). I loved it. At 16, when I got my license, my parents let me borrow the car and I would go hang out with Teresa, aka Tia. I learned how to drive pretty well on those hills driving a stick!!! Oh, and I know how to parallel park too.
Flash forward to August 2009 and this is the wonderful dessert Tia and I shared at B Star Restaurant on Clement. It is Burmese Fusion and fantastic. Below is a close up of the lotus fries.

Below is the pulled pork sandwich we shared. (Notice Tia's coconut? I had a Thai iced tea.)

Below is the most wonderful salad we shared. It is called Tea Leaf Salad and is beautifully served with dried lentils, dried garlic, jalapenos,tomatoes, sunflower seeds and fermented tea leafs- all on a bed of Romaine Lettuce. The waiter (very cute) brought it to the table, squeezed the lemon and tossed it for us. It was the best!!!! (Tia and I asked the waiter if we could taste the tea leaves before he tossed it-they were fantastic!!!!)

Can you see the City in the background? Before we ate lunch we visited the Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum and were given a private tour of the John Baldessari exhibit http://www.baldessari.org/ which, had I not gotten the docent tour, I would not have understood or appreciated. I love art- and even more when I understand where the artist head is at while creating. One of his pieces is a page full of the sentence, "I will not create boring art." And it wasn't!!!!

Arts Outreach and jewelry with things you might otherwise put in the waste can

2009-08-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of some of the jewelry made by a group of girls (9-12) who took my class at Arts Outreach in Los Olivos this past week. We had a rgreat time and these gals were so prolific as you can see by these photos!!!

Notice Mykaela's cool necklace made from soda pop tops. I love this necklace!!!

The bottle tops and large disc with buttons(bottom of a soda can) are filled with resin.

I believe Kaela was the most prolific.

Book Arts or Animals??? Arts Outreach summer program

2009-08-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

These are the cover for books the younger group of kids made. Are they not gorgeous?!!

Here we see the inspiration for drawing.

These elephants have the best eyes, but you gotta double click on the photo to really see them.

Below was the work of one young man who was not interested in an elephant nor a horse. He made a dog book which I personally found inspirational.

jewelry, metal clay, hearts with wings

2009-07-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Syd says that Ken says that Barbie is easy but I heard that Barbie says that Ken is easy. Look at the size of that Ruby!!!

I am very happy with the direction my jewelry is going. That tree is raised up and riveted in place.Though the picture is out of focus, you get the idea.

Book making with the Gocco printer

2009-07-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Today I worked on printing the last page of my limited edition book. Above is my attempt to use up the ink. I made wrapping paper. You can see it sitting on top of the Gocco printer.

I love multiples!!!

This is the last image for my pages. The original was a linoleum plate I cut while teaching at Dunn School. I printed it on a page from a math book (the symbols in the upper left), and took that print and reduced it to make the plate for the Gocco printer. Now all I have to do is decide on a design for the cover, print that, and put the book together. I will use a coptic stitch if i can remember how to do that special binding. I have a book to remind me.

Felting at the Art clinic

2009-07-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

This is what Ruth and I did today. We went to a class at the Art Clinic and learned to make this beautiful scarf using Pre-felts. Barbara Carr was the teacher. Ruth was the designer and brought me along as her assistant. Felting does take a bit of muscle and really gives a good upper arm workout. I highly recommend it!!!

Theresa is a fabulous designer. Here she is just starting. Go to www.artclinic.blogspot.com to see a more completed design.

(Above) this is Jennifer Moreno's piece as she rubs those fibers together. I love those trees!

Ruth and Jennifer feeling the felting love.

Published work Mixed media printing

2009-06-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

June has brought two books which I have work in. In the one above I have three prints and below a collaboration with Syd McCutcheon and Mary Price.

Check them out (click on book to get link)

Bird in a hat

2009-06-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Do you love my hat? This is the final costume project for my daughter's school play- "Rogue of the Railway". This fantastic hat is for the character, "Theodora" who is a thespian in a medicine show traveling through a small town in South Dakota. "Rogue" is a melodrama musical and very campy as evidenced by this hat.

I have been so busy these past few weeks. Tomorrow is dress rehearsal and I have to help finish painting rocks for the scenery. I must say the costumes look pretty good.

color added to the limited edition Gocco printed journal

2009-04-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, my daughter was off for a overnight school trip so my husband invited me to dinner. When he got to work "they" informed him of a meeting the next day so he called to cancel our date as he had to stay late to prepare. I had to stay at the Art Clinic and work on printing. Syd was there too as her husband was at a meeting. We commiserated our abandoned state over paint and ink. We got to work until 9:30pm!!!! What joy!!! This seed pod drawing was screaming for red so I broke with the black ink. I love multiples. Have I expressed that before?

Stamp used to create resist for etching

2009-04-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Above is a stamp I carved (the black and white horse) and to the left a copper plate that has been etched. You can see the silver bird that was stamped(with the rolling mill) from the etched copper. If you want to learn how to do this join my class on May 30th at the Art Clinic. email me at lifsart@verizon.net

Gocco printing and ATC's

2009-04-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

I worked on this printing project 2 days last week but have so many things going on it has been hard to get back to- I can't wait though to start printing again. I'm almost done with the pages. I've changed my mind a thousand times about the covers.
UP loading these pictures, I was marveling at the tecknology- it really is astounding what these computers are able to do!!!

Above is "Conversation" a print on the one of the pages of the book and behind you can see the drawing that it was taken from.

Below is the screen that has been taped to dam the single image I want to print.

Below is the Gocco printer with the registration board inked up and ready to print. Check out our new Printing/hammering area, (Syd and I seem to always have "areas" or stations to work on paricular projects, but that doesn't mean other projects don't invade); this is a heavy duty folding table that was donated to the Art Clinic by Wendy G. and her family. Her husband and son had to deliver it cause it is sooooo heavy. I use it to pound metal and it works really well. The stuff on the table only partially shakes around(ha ha). On the day thes photos were taken there wasn't any hammering going on!
When I finish the 21 pages I hate to waste ink so usually run a bunch of ATC's if the image is the right size. I wish I was able to have gone to the ATC swap in SB tday 'cause i got loads of ATC's.

Below are a few of the pages. I just love multiples!!!

Etched copper with Silver frame Necklace

2009-03-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the best photo I have of the newest etched pieces. The "Tolerence" part moves. Soon I will have the time to take better photos, though my photographer is leaving on a business trip :( I'll have to step up to the task. Next week is spring break for me. Maybe I can do it then.

Painting, Etching and Silver

2009-03-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

Polka Dot Finch
Watercolor

I have been working on new etchings for jewelry. Below is an image I am particularly fond of. What I am fond of is the idea that I can take a watercolor painting (above) and from it create an stamped image in Silver!!! I am easily amused I realize, but to me this is magic, one of the reasons I love art so much.

This work below, is the cover of an altered book that has it's pages painted and is ready for someone to add their thoughts and expression. The people who buy these are exploring colorful journals but have not yet ventured into putting down the paint themselves, or they like what I have done!!! I'm happy with this cover which includes collage, painting (crow at top) and a Gocco print- sorry the photo is not the greatest, but you get the idea.

Gocco Printing

2009-03-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Because I have nothing else to do (Ha!!), I decided to start a large project using my Gocco printer which I have had for a very,very long time (since Ruth's birth) and have not used much. I have recently discovered how very wonderful this little printer is and have used it to make ATC's and, as you may recall, my family reunion T-shirt.
The other day while procrastinating while working on my Illustrator homework, I fell upon (if that is what one does in cyberspace), an engaging site
web home of Shu-Ju Wang www.fingerstothebone.com who is a prolific painter, print maker/ teacher and all around fantastic artist. She was showing some of her exploits using her Gocco and I just had to do something too!!!
In truth the idea of making a limited edition of a journal has been rolling around in my head for sometime now as I begin to get my coffers full of art stuff to sell for the various shows I will be participating in that are swiftly approaching in 2009. When my class was canceled on Monday, I seized the opportunity to begin the project. I spent most of the day on Tuesday working on it as well and above and below are two mock-ups for printing plates containing some of the imagery I will be printing.
The books I am making are journals so the images appear on the edges and in the corners of the pages. I am making an edition of 20 so it took a few hours just to make the mock-up.
Printing is always fun but does take a bit of forethought which is not always my strength.

These animals sitting around drinking come from a large composition I once did as an idea for a mural that would go onto the wall of a jazz club. I love their expressive nature.

Wouldn't you know that when I went to begin making my master plates I realized I didn't have enough bulbs to "flash" my masters!!! I printed what I could and have since ordered and received the materials I need to complete this task. Now it is just a matter of time!!!
By the way, Gocco, which is manufactured in Japan has recently stopped making the printers and slowly the supplies are dwindling in the US of A. If you want a more detailed disscription of Gocco's and what that is all about just google "Gocco". Basically it is a machine that allows one to make a silk screen type of plate using heat and carbon.
Now I really must start work on my Digital Drawing Mid-term argh!!!

Working with Illustrator

2009-03-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

SelfPortrait I: Aspects of me.
Here I moved into the realm of abstraction to represent parts of me- and of course there are much more to me than just three, but the ones that seem to loom largest are here; mother, artist and thinker. ( I'm not sure how well you can see the baby, the paintbrush (no that is not a cigerette holder) and the artist beret.

These two images are my submission for a class project in which we were to create two self-portraits, a project which would seem right up my ally. However, working with a computer, a mouse and thankfully a stylus is a world apart from a pencil, paint and a paint brush. What I lack in experience using the software, I am grateful to have in experience. I have been learning a lot in my classes, but mostly I am learning how much there is to learn!!! I recognize the potential of these graphic programs, in Illustrator I can create perfectly symmetrical imagery which I would be hard pressed to produce on my own ( I was never good a drawing a straight line even with a rule which inevitable always moved as I drew the line): in photoshop the possibilities for creating unique imagery for my collage and bookcover work is endless. So I move forward and truly I enjoy school. I always have, especially when I don't have to write papers!!!

Self protrait II- Frustration
This piece represents the frustration I encounter while trying to do certain things within Illustrator and not knowing how to acheive the desired results. One huge luxury in working on the computer is the increable color palette and the ease in which to try out different color schemes. And on the same note, one can save endless versions until you create what you like!!!

2009-02-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

It is about time I got back to my blog. I am writing this in my class at
SBCC. I have gone back to school and am taking classes in the SOMA dept. -and that is not the drug that keeps you happy. SOMA stands for School of Media Arts. I am taking a class in
Illustrator and learning a lot but my time is well taken trying to keep up with the young lads and lassies who have silicon ion their blood.

New work

2008-11-11T21:22:00.001-08:00

I was so pleased with my booth at the Queen of Arts Show this past weekend. The red boxes are a testament to marketing classes I've taken-it just took awhile to sink in (about 8 years!!!). I sold like crazy. Of course I did have some very nice necklaces at the right price.

A few of the new books I made for the show

This one even has a short story about chairs.

Here is the front of the finished Tree Bracelet

Notice the crow on the sides.

I'm happy to report that this piece sold to one happy customer. She recognized it's uniqueness.

This is an example of using the rolling press with the Keum-bo technique.

The top crow has a soldered bail which is new for me.

Below I soldered a silver tube to act as the bail. I love it.

)please excuse the out of focus picture).

Below are the latest silver spoon bracelets.

Freedom horse

Happy Halloween

2008-10-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of ghoals. I for one find the one below extremely scary. Especially in about 5 years!!!! Yikes, what a devil. By the way, she won "most scary" at the Girl Scout Halloween party.

Below is the beginnings of a bracelet I am making using sterling silver that has been stamped with my rolling mill using a copper plate that I etched. I love the possibilities!!!

Keum Boo

2008-10-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

The art clinic held a class this weekend on Keum boo and Carl Stanley, Silversmith and teacher extrodinair taught a very enthusiastic group. That was Saturday and today, Tuesday I spent a few hours bonding 24k gold to some of my metal clay (fine silver) pieces. Keum boo is an ancient Korean metalsmithing technique in which gold is bonded to silver. It is relatively simple, you just need the right equipment. I have wnated to learn this technique for years and had practically everything needed, but i was scared to do it!?! Why you may ask. Sometimes I get freakout by heat, but that is changing. Carl Stanley http://carlstanleyjewelryarts.com/is an excellent, giving, caring teacher. We want him back at the ART CLINIC.

I made these in the class. I am longing for a disc cutter.
My husband bought me a rolling press because he spoils me. We went to Harbor Freight to look at a hydraulic press and they had a rolling press. I didn't twist his arm, just looked longingly at it. I haven't played a lot with it as I need to bolt it down. So far I love it!!! The silver below was pressed with sequin scrap.
The silver below was pressed with a piece of copper that I had etched previously.

New Jewelry Ideas

2008-10-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

I am gearing up for the holiday season which, for me as an artist/jeweler is a busy time indeed.

Below you can see that I have been working with sheet metal (sterling and fine silver), a hammer and a torch and loving it. At the end of the day I am beat, my eyes are tired and I need to sleep, but I am enjoying forging the metal and learning new things constantly. I guess that is the part that I love the most, the challenge, the new ideas and ways of working.

Yesterday, I received my copy of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" . It is jam packed with information, but truthfully, I've not had a chance to look at it. I will though, soon. I'm sure I can learn a thing or two!!!!

New jewelry designs-Mixed Media Self Portraits out

2008-10-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today I received my addition of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" so the book is out!!! How fun to see it in print. I've not had a chance to read it, but it looks packed with info and lots of gorgeous self portraits!!! Even Ruth got a her name in it as she was the photographer of my picture, how fun is that?!!!

Art Show- the face Of It Sept.2 - 30, 2008

2008-09-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

The reason I have not been posting lately is because I have been sooooo busy. As soon as I got back from my family reunion, I was in studio cutting mats getting ready for my one woman show at the Grossman Gallery in Lompoc. It is a very big space and I hung it with Syd on the 2nd of September. Sixty Six pieces in all and I went home with a few that wouldn't fit!!! I based it on the work I did on this blog A Face A Day, though not all the pieces are from this project. I'm happy with how it looks and have sold a few pieces. I hope to sell more so I can cover the cost of frames!!!! My goal is to get to a place where I can afford to have the work framed by someone else!!!

As they say, when it rains it pours. While busy working on this show, I got a couple of calls from businesses that wanted my jewelry in their shops- and now!!! So I really had my work cut out for me, and i don't see an end in sight as I gear up for the holidays. I am having a blast working with jewelry. The ideas are more than I have time for!!!

Family Reunion 2008

2008-09-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

I have not stopped since I got back home from my family reunion in August. Above is a preliminary design for the official Tee shirt that I screen printed one by one on Sat and Sun with the help of a few of my cousins. It was an art weekend for me as I also lead the group of us in making books for my Mother Roberta and her sister, my Aunty Janice with whom we all celbrated their 80th and 85thBirthdays perspectively.

This is the group shot from my camera, but there where a lot of photos taken as two freinds from Finland got the job of taking the picture of all the family. they both had 5 or 6 cameras to shot. There were over 50 people who came from all over the state and country, and seven people from Finland all camping in the redwoods of Mendocino County. We had one flush toilet, no hot water, (we did have the use of the sauna) and way too much food!!!. Camp Serenity truly is an incredible place.

Here are the two octagenarians, Roberta and Janice. They really are quite spry!

As soon as I got back it was into the studio as I have a lot of shows going on.

I've been have too much fun drilling Mermaid tears (sea glass) and rocks.

I love these bracelets.

2008-07-05T22:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/v/ed20HTRU-Sk
My cousin Lise Henriksen came the the Old Mission Show Alternative Art show of July 4th and sent me this link of a poem by Shel Silverstein that she put to my crow images. It is short and sweet so take a look.

Getting ready for a few shows

2008-07-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

I have been working long hours getting ready for a show in Santa Barbara. On the 4th of July, Syd and I will be showing and selling our wares at the Alternate Mission Art Show at 2227 Garden Ave at the corner of Pueblo and Garden from 10am-5pm, and on the 6th we will be at Dinosaur Caves at Shell Beach off the 101. I have books, paintings and jewelry. Below are a few things. Sorry the photos are lousy but my photographer is on vacation!!

Red Belly

acrylic

6" x 6"

Yellow Belly on Cigar box Lid

Acrylic

6" x 8"

Buddha Spoon Bracelet

Sterling Silver Spoon with fine Silver, copper, turquoise, and coral

"Delphos"

Sterling Silver Spoon, Fine Silver, Copper, Peruvian Opal,
Coral and Carnelian

Did you know that Delphos means both fish and womb in greek and that the fish is a symbol of the Great Goddess BC? I love history.

Mixed Media Self Portraits- I'm featured in the preview

2008-06-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the preview of "Mixed Media Self Portraits" in which an "eye" primer I wrote is featured:

http://www.quiltingarts.com/shop/MixedMediaSelfPortraits.html

I can't wait to see the whole book which will be out Sept. 1st 2008!!!

Meanwhile I have been working very hard in Studio. I promise to share photos soon.

Mixed Media Jewelry- Weaving and Metal Clay

2008-06-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have been having a lot of fun making jewelry. This one below is woven-remember making baskets with pine needles. Very similar, but with SS wire on a bottle cap. I love finding uses for all those bottle caps I save!!

"Crow Weave"

Found Objects ,Sterling Silver, Collage, Mica

"Dancing Women"

Fine Silver, Iolite

I made a impression with two part silicon from a friend's glass perfume bottle and cast metal clay.

"WHoly Man"

fine Silver, Brass, Citrine, Garnet, sterling silver,24K gold

This is a hollow bead, the form was made with cork clay. I sculpted the face and added 24k goldcasting grains for the eyes.

"Three egg Nest"

Fine Silver, Sterling Silver, Pearls, Garnet

I have not been successful photographing these nests I make. Sorry for the poor picture.

"Buddha with Coral"

Fine Silver, Sterling Silver, Coral, Turquoise

I don't tire of the Bhudda.

Featured Artist for 1st Thursday

2008-06-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

June 5th was the 1st thursday of the month and I was featured at Santa Barbara Arts at 128 E. Canon Perdido in Santa barbara.

I gave a demonstration on Metal Clay which was well received.
Thanks to Georganne Alex, Shelly Niro and Lynn Adams, the arrangement of my work looked pretty good,

and abundant in the Gallery. One man accused me of hogging all the creativity, which of course is absurd.

The weather at the show at Dinosaur Caves on June 1st was hot. Unfortunately, I got a sunburn as I was thinking it would be like last month. Silly me. Next month, I think Syd and I will use a tent.

Lots of deadlines keep me busy and creative

2008-06-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Art From Scrap in Santa Barbara is having their annual Assemblage and Benifit Show on June 14 at the AFS Gallery on garden St. in S.B. Below is my entry. I had such a great time making it. I hope it gets in!!!

Hubert the Earless

Assemblage

6" x 11"

Hubert the Earless- detail

Often on Medeval and Renaissance paintings you will find a tablet usually with the artist's name and date of execution and possibly some information about the scene or the artist. Here we learn about Hubert's reputation as a "rascally yea-forsooth knave".

Chickens continue to appear in my work

2008-06-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

I have been extremely busy with teaching and shows. Life is good, full, rich, and chickens continue to be in demand.

Captain Cockerel J. Calhoun

Acrylic

5.5 x 7.5

close up

Mixed Media Self Portraits and MM jewelry

2008-05-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of spoon bracelets I made on Monday. I went to an estate sale over the weekend and they had these beautiful Sterling Silver spoons. They work much better than the first one I made. The teaspoon fits much better on the wrist. Also, I borrowed Syd's daughters bracelet mandrel which helped a lot. I really enjoy pounding metal.

Dragonfly
Presence Creates Peace

Here is the cover of Mixed Media Self Portraits, a book I made a few self portraits for and wrote an article about my process. I also did a brief tutorial on how to create eyes. Not sure what was printed from what I submitted, as I have not seen the book yet. It is supposed to be out in September 2009

2008-05-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

In April my family and I went to the Yucatan to visit one of the seven wonders of the modern world. It was awe inspiring as the Maya were a complex people. The carving on all of the ruins were fantastic.

We stayed in Cancun at a very nice hotel. It was a rather bizarre experience as I didn't feel like I was in Mexico, except when I stepped out of the hotel.
Incredible color of water. Ruth was in the pool most of the time
or playing in the sand.
I think I drank more in those few days then all of last year!!!

Persephone in Spring is a piece I have been working on for awhile. I'm not yet happy with it.
Here is "Fin Maiden" a piece I've not yet finished, but I'm liking it.
Syd and I are showing and selling our wares at Shell Beach Dinosaur Caves every 1st Sunday for a few months. May 4th was very cold. I hope it warms up!!

Eve's Map

Silk Screen on Map

The following collages main image is a print I made from a drawing I did.

The print is made with my Gocco printer.

Sun Rooster

Year of the Rooster

Pagoda Rooster

Travel Chicken

Keith LoBue and Tools of the Trade

2008-04-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Monday night I drove to San Diego to attend a class at the Shepherdess with Keith LoBue, who is on his yearly teaching romp around the states. Although Keith is from the USA, he resides with his family downunder in Sydney, Australia. The class was "Tools of the Trade" and I am very glad I took it. I feel like I have so much more ability with my jewelry and object art making pursuits.

A man and his tools.
Keith is a fantastic artists and a great teacher as he is open, willing to share and a wealth of knowledge. Check out his website for a journey into a incredable mind.

http://www.lobue-art.com/

It is Wednesday and I am leaving for Cancun, Mexico tonight to relax at the beach for a few days. Too bad I can't drink the water!!!!

2008-04-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Ruth and I had a great time in San Rafael visiting my mother and sisters. We stopped in San Francisco to have tea at the Japenese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park-I really had to restrain myself from going into the De Young Museum as that was not Ruth's choice. We went to Japantown and Ruth bought a beautiful Orange (black on the inside)teapot with cups. I forgot my camera, so no pictures of that :(. We stopped in San Luis Obispo at border"s for a rest on the drive home and I purchased Stephanie Lee's new book, Semi-Predious Salvage. Below are some peices inspired from her book.

I've used plaster to make molds for paper casting, but now I can use the casts of plaster. Endless possibilities!!!!

You can't see it well, but I learned a new way to make a bar to hold a bead. (above)

Stephanie shows how to make a bracelet with a spoon, but she stamped the letters into the metal. My letters slid all over the place so I made a metal collage. I was very happy with the rivets, something I learned from Keith LoBue at Artfest two years ago.

Crows

2008-03-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've been making a few crows while my creative mind incubates some ideas I can't wait to get working on but won't be able to until I get back from a family vacation. I know I need to relax, but my favorite thing to do is make art. What can I say?

Crow VI

Watercolor

5" x 7"

Little Crow

watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

Little Crow II

watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

Little Crow IV

Watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

Little Crow

Watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

Crow I

Watercolor

5" x 7"

Crow II

Watercolor

5" x 7"

Crow III

Watercolor

5" x 7"

Crow IV

Watercolor

5" x 7"

Crow V

Watercolor

5" x 7"

More Mixed Media Jewelry

2008-03-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated with the juxtapositon (don't you love that word?) of fine gem stones (garnets and peruvian opals) and fine silver against a bottle cap-a found object, trash from some unthinking individual. Lovely.

Again another bottle cap with coral, pearl, turquoise and sterling silver wound around a bottle, and yes there is a message in the bottle, a prayer for peace for all mankind.

Mixed Media Jewelry

2008-03-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the necklaces I made today. I was supposed to be drawing faces of demons for a piece i am working on and just couldn't get to it. I overtly allowed myself to be sidetracked by reading http://www.susanlenartkazmer.net/Susan Lenart Kazmer's new book "making connections" which is chalked full of ideas for making cold connections and other inspirations. Being a self-taught jewelry artist, I am happy to report that I have used many of these techniques (ego talking). I learned a bundle though, and had so much fun.

The pendant is a copper piece that has been etched and pounded into a bowl shape. I drew beads of silver from my wire to create headpins, and used a"bezel" from the top of a chopstick I had and stuffed it with a roled-up piece of an altered page of paper from a book, on which I wrote a prayer for peace, held together with a pin of wire, the ends of which I hammered flat. this was connected to a thick rondel of coral. The wire hanging in back has a piece of amber with a fine silver pendant with a hand.

The photos do not do this piece justice as it is striking if i do say so myself.

Gocco Printer

2008-03-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

This Thursday at the Art Clinic we are hosting a ATC trade- the first of which will be held on the Third Thursday of the month. I've been thinking about printing some ATC's as I just don't have the time to make a lot (I tend to spend a lot of time on them) soooo

I pulled out my Gocco printer. I'm not sure why I haven't been playing with it sooner!!! It was so much fun!!

With a Gocco printer the plate is a mesh screen which one squeezes the ink through onto you paper or cloth. The plate is made by a reaction of heat and carbon.
I made a few drawings using graphite, the pear and egg were done with charcoal, the bird is from a lino block print and the fairies were made from a gouache resist painting. It was so much fun and I realize the potential. Why have I waited so long to play with my Gocco printer??
I love how the egg came out, the plate picks up all of the subtle values so well. I printed a bunch on all kinds of paper as you can see by these pictures.

If you want an ATC- let me know!!!

New Art

2008-03-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

I have been inspired by the work of an artist by the name of Anne Bagby. One of the things she does that I like (because I love faces and patterns) is she cuts her own stamps and prints unique papers which she uses with her lovely drawings of faces and hands. I have admired her work for a few years now and have finally decided to try my hand at making characters using paper, faces and hands. Some of the papers are decorated with my hand cut stamps, something I have enjoyed creating for a long time, and I needed a good excuse to practice drawing hands (more faces too).

Below are two I did today and the beginning of a new passion, as the possibilities are endless.

"Huburt the Earless"

Collage

4" x 8"

"Count Niko"

Collage

8" x 10"

"Prunilla"

Acrylic

5" x 7"

Here is the latest in my collection of chickens which are now showing and selling atThe Quackenbush Cafe and Gallery in Los Alamos. I also have jewelry there. It is an honor to have my work there hanging with my friends Syd McCutcheon, Sue Sattler, Jo Helgesen and Susan Buchanan as well as with all the other artists that the Gallery shows. The food is really good too!!

Ebb and Flow

2008-03-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

This is my journal page from a project I lead in my visual journaling class. Everyone was given a collection of stuff (they chose it from a bag), and asked to create a page or spread. I also showed them a product call "Metal Magic" which gives a cool metal patina effect to all sorts of materials including paper. After they made the page they were asked to create a sentence from a page torn from a unknown book. It was a great class and I was very pleased with the participants work. Below is a close up of the face on my page.

Working at SB arts

2008-03-03T22:47:00.000-08:00

Today I worked at Santa Barbara Arts on Canon Perdedo between Anacapa and Santa Barbara streets. I just rented a space there this month and have sold a few pieces already!! Made my rent which I take as a sing for the best.

I enjoyed my day working with Lynn Adams who is a lovely person with an abundance of positive energy. She is a hardworking advocate of the arts, an artist herself a graduate of Brooks institute, and also a dedicated supporter of animals. She rescues many, both ferrel and abandoned as well as wild animals. I appreciate the effort she extends to our community.

Some of my stuff-sorry about the poor photos.
Journals, one of which I sold today,yeah!
watercolor called, "Lifes a Beach"

A new Face

2008-02-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

I have been extremely busy lately, thankfully teaching, getting ready for art shows and hanging out with my kids!!! But I'm making art everyday, though not necessarily able to show everything now as some of it is for a collaborative show at ART FROM SCRAP in Santa Barbara.

I'm very excited about those pieces (which I will post when the show opens), as the experience was very informative about who I am as an artist. More on that later.

Below is a portrait, a face to aid to my collection. I was working on a board coated with joint compound which I painted and drew on.

"Blonde I"

Acrylic and Graphite on textured Mat Board

4" x 6"

" Two Pears"

Watercolor

3"x3"

Valentine ATC's

2008-01-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

Below are some valentine ATC's plus a few other pieces I've made in the past few days.

If you are interested in trading ATC's, let me email me at lifsart@verizon.net

"I Love,Therefore I Am"
ATC
"Marilyn Love"

coin envelope pocket for valentine card
"A House is a House"
"A Mermaids Life"
these two peices are book covers- examples for a childrens class I'm teaching. The kids painted the paper using gesso as the under design with color on top, then shapes are cut out.

"XO"

ATC

"Be Mine"

ATC

"Be My Untamed Love"

ATC

Visual Journals Rock

2008-01-18T21:40:00.000-08:00

Here is the advent calender style self portrait page from my journal. I embellished an idea I read about in Linda Woods' and Karen Dinino's book Visual Chronicles, the no fear guide to creating art journals,creative manifestos and altered books, in which they spoke of creating a self portrait from symbols that represent you. It was Christmas time and I love those little doors in advent calenders. I used a slide mount as a template and created a grid of little doors and windows on a piece of watercolor paper that had been created for another project that just didn't work. I found a bunch of images or symbols that represent me.

I had my students do this in my visual journaling class and they loved it as much as I did. You gotta try it. I still have a few windows and doors to fill-up. I know I'll do this again in another journal as this one is almost full!!!

This eye is the remnant paint from my palette as I was playing with oils. When I was a kid my friend Mary's parents had a drawing of a Geisha in pen and ink on newspaper in their home. I enjoyed looking at that that piece then and continue to love the look of artwork done on such a common surface. I must do more oils on newspaper.

Working on non-objective paintings

2008-01-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Below is one stage of progression of a series of three pieces I am working on. The work is so rewarding I wanted to show them here even though they are not finished. They are large, 26" x 30".

The color of this one (above) is the most true of all of the pieces and I post it here because of that.

they have so much depth already and I'm not finished. I must proceed with caution.

The way that they are taking on a life of their own is the magic I love about art.

Walking Meditation

2008-01-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

On the first of this year, I went for a walk. This is one of the things I love about where I live. The land around the Mission is a very sacred space for me and I try to walk there as much as possible. This day I brought my camera as it is also a place of inspiration for my work.

Can you believe this sky in January?
I love the cactus. The shapes are so simple though one must be very agile to navigate through them.
Here I begin my trek up. I like to chant silently as I ascend the path breathing through my nose. The repetition of AH helps me to clear my mind and the breath forces me to breathe deep. the smells of this place are incredable to my sences as well.
The imprints in the sand tell me so much about the life we live. Ultimately we are all going to end up in the same place, though our different ways of following the path trick us into thinking thats not so.
When I turn back I see this part of the Mission. The patron saint of this mission is the Virgin Mary. the true meaning of the word "virgin" is a woman who owns herself. I also see this and,
this. In the summer the flowers are quiet beautiful.
Here is the entrance to what I call the "healing tunnel of trees". It is a very magical experience walking through here.
going down
Ah, the end of the path and back to the duties of life.

Ruth's 8th Birthday Party

2008-01-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Today was the only day we could celebrate Ruth's b-day as I teach on the rest of the Saturdays this month. So within 4 days, Ruth and I pulled it off.

This is the "Pin the Tail on the Monkey" monkey I painted for Ruth as she didn't want the usual "Donkey". She was disappointed that the monkey wasn't brown, but she probably wasn't too surprised by her mother's color choices.
Ruth in front of the "Volcano" ice cream cake she requested.
Yum
Here are the houses the girls collaged. We used Martha Stewarts' favor boxes as a substraite (I found on sale at Micheal's). These houses are so much fun to make.
Musical chairs
Bobbing for Apples (the girls made me do it!)
Here they where looking at a tray to memorize the contents.
Happy Birthday Ruth

2008-01-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

Brenda Bliss commented on my last post asking me what else was on my life's goal list. I wish I knew where that list was. I remember writing five things and one was being published, another was getting my masters or higher (go figure) and another had something to do with being successful as an artist. I don't remember them all. I wrote that list when my son was 3 years old and he will be turning 20 in March. I have always had good results with list writing and encourage it for anyone who has something they want in their life, even if they have no idea of how they would achieve or receive that which is written. My experience has been that I have always gotten what I ask for, it just takes awhile and sometimes it isn't what I thought it would be. Remember the adage, careful what you ask for as you might get it.

When I graduated collage with a BA in Dramatic Arts with an emphasis in Costuming I had no idea how I would support myself as theatre didn't pay well, but I said I was going to teach art. When I went to apply for the teaching progam I was completely intimidated by my first interview on the phone and continued my job as a waitress. 15 years later I was teaching art and have continued that vocation in one manner or another since (and though I did do the course work in teaching, I never got my credential) working with local community groups in elementary schools (as what I call an itenerat art teacher) and 4 years as a high school art teacher at a private prep school (Dunn School). Now I run the Art Clinic with my friend Syd McCutcheon where I get to work and teach. By the way, though I never got my credential, the school district in which I live has no problem hiring me for long term jobs when they need me, because I know my business and thankfully I never did get my credential 'cause then I never would have taken the risks I have because I would have been making decent money as a teacher but my butt would be really big due to my eating too much for comfort and I would be really unhappy- and I say that not to disrespect puplic teachers on the contrary, just that I know myself and I know how unfulfilled I would be in that situation, especially now that my dream of making art constantly is happening.

Okay, since you asked Brenda, I have one last story about my list writing coming true.

When my daughter was one year old and I was 41, unwed and on my own I decided I determined that I did indeed want a man in my life both for me and my children, but I had some very specific characteristics I wanted in that relationship and in that man, so I wrote a list. I was very specific as to what I wanted in terms of values and emotional and spiritual evolution and involvement. I am happy to report that I met my husband quiet swiftly after writing that list, and he met the majority of those attributes I asked for. He is a great man and supports the arts, woman and children and I mean that physically, emotionally, spiritually as wall as financially.

Cloth Paper Scissors

2008-01-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

Years ago, I wrote a list of life goals and one them was to get published. At that time I was thinking I would write a book in my old age, but low and behold I can cross that one item, being published, off my list as the below article is in the Jan/Feb 2008 (16th issue)of Cloth Paper Scissors a Mixed Media Art Magazine. I was so excited whenI saw the spread. The article has three of my paintings included as well as the technique I described, both visually and literally. This is a fantastic New Years gift. If you are interested in reading the article, Cloth Paper Scissors is sold at Borders and Barnes and Noble.

The Getty Museum in Los Angeles

2008-01-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

My cousin Teresa invited me for an outing, my choice for my birthday which was in September. I was finally able to take a day (Jan.2) and I chose The Getty. I love this museum as it is such a beautiful space. The exhibits we saw were visiting shows so I wasn't allowed to take photos, (I learned as I was taking pics)but i included here some images of the gardens which are so spectacular against the panarama of Los Angeles. The weather was warm and clear, well as clear as L.A. gets. Really we are so spoiled in California!!!

We saw a lot of great art, including a retrospective of nude photography, a huge show of photographer Graciela Iturbide (fantastic), Medievil Treasures from the Cleavland Museum of Art- this show was full of incredable jewelry,reliquery, illuminate manuscripts and icons from early christian europe- China on Paper which had some beautiful works from china some showing christian influence, and lastly, Taddeo and Federico Zuccaro-Artist Brothers in Renaissance Rome- lovely drawings and paintings too.

I love the cactus garden but my photos do not show off the aesthetically pleasing brilliance of the gardens especially juxtaposed to the concrete jungle behind it.

This is the main garden and very enjoyable to stroll through, though Teresa and I did not get a chance to as we went to five different exhibits!!! Boy my dogs are still yapping!

We ended are art crawl with a trip to Sawtelle St to hit a few Japanese shops and this Gallery of Alternative art called The Giant Robot. Very cool stuff.

Visual Journaling with modest supplies

2008-01-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

As a mother of a school aged child, my schedule changes radically during school breaks. For me it means more time to hang with the family, but my creative needs are not completely quenched with all the cooking I've been doing. I live 30 min. from my studio, so I haven't been there for a week, ugh!!! And though I do have a studio space at my home, the materials are very limited and being located in the garage it is cold. Besides I wanted to at least be in the same room with my family so I thought I would challenge myself by working in a writing journal I found in my drawer ( I hadn't written in for over a year) and using limited supplies, such as a glue stick (I am a gel medium fan but I'm looking for low mess), a pen, stickers I made from magazines and a zyron I've been saving (for this I guess), and a bird paper punch I found in the Martha Stewart section at Micheal's on sale. Oh, I forgot to mention the Mary Engelbright stickers I found at Micheals too. (Micheal's just opened in the town where I live, which is sort of bittersweet; sweet because it is nice to have an art and craft store near by and bitter because I always find stuff I don't need but have to have, like the paper punch and the stickers!!!)

When working in my visual journals, I tend to rely on gesso and paint so these pages seem a bit white to me, though on the crow above I used paint and colored pencils help lessen the white of the paper. Notice the bird, both positive and negative image used on the borders. Also I love the black pen. It really lends itself to simple illustrations.

It is amazing how much satifaction I get from a bit of work in my journal. My art withdrawls have been alleviated for now.

Gingerbread Houses

2008-01-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

These are the gingerbread house Cousin Danielle, Ruth and Nikolai created )poor Sophia's house fell apart during the drying of the mortar(frosting)). I made the walls and roofs, but they weren't very uniform. The kids did a great job making there houses. Nik just finished an art history class so he made his version of Chartles Cathedral with a rose window. It had a cross at the top for awhile. Danielle's wasn't up to code as the house was completely in ruins the next morning. A good time was had by all.

Ruth was very serious in her school Christmas play. The kids did a great job as usual.

snowmen

2007-12-31T21:27:00.000-08:00

Snowboarding snowman

and lots of carolers

ATC snowmen
"oh no, Mr Bill"

Don't you just love these smowmen (the ones in value of purple) from my Art with Children class at the Art Clinic?

Food Faces by Ruth

2007-12-07T20:38:00.000-08:00

Our cousin Teresa gave Ruth her first cookbook, "Pretend Soup" by Katzen and Henderson of Moosewood fame. The first recipe Ruth made was Face Bagels. She and her stepdad Ric made a few for breakfast.

Mrs. Squaidward (notice the hair)
Mr. Squidward
Ric before shaving
Mr. Happy
Look at all this great food she chopped up!!

for dinner we had green spaghetti (a pesto dish). Yum!!!

Art from the kids at CMS

2007-12-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

Boy has time been flying. I have been so busy and I apologize for not putting anything on this space for those of you who have lookilood in the past weeks to find the same old images! So here are some pictures of some of the stuff I've been up to lately. Lots of art lessons at my daughter's school, Children's Montessori School of Lompoc:

This is a contour drawing of a whisk by Thomas who is six years old and quite the artist.
Above is hannah who also chose the whisk to draw.
This is Thomas who likes to draw dinosaurus as do the other boys in the class.
Here are a bunch of Horse Ornaments the students made out of corks. I just love them, and no, I did not drink all of the wine to get these corks!!
Ruth made this fabulous cake with the skull on top and candles on the side. I know I'm partial to her work, but i just love this!!!

More Book Covers

2007-10-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Again, these covers are just that so the right side is the front of the book.

Book Covers

2007-10-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some covers for books. As you can see I've not yet added the signature (papers) so the books are open with the cover on the right side. I have been working on Queen of Arts stuff as well as some other projects that have kepted me so busy I'm hardly on the computer.

This past weekend I went to my 3oth High School Reunion from Tam High in Mill Valley, CA. It was an interesting experience. Once on the fringe, always on the fringe. I enjoyed the dancing and reminiscing about Interrelated Studies the school within the school that help me make it through high school with fellow IRS class members. Also I met up with a student whose artistic skills I admired way back then. I told him I still have a few of his drawings in my portfolio of special art. His name is Kevin Kihn and he is a fantasy and science fiction artist.

2007-10-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

"Idealist"

Mixed Media Journal page

9" x 12"

This was my example for a project in my "Friday Night Date Night" class I teach about journaling. It has been a very productive class due to an open group of students.

2007-10-09T22:20:00.000-07:00

"Cosmic Egg"

Watercolor w/pen

ATC

"Feathers and Skulls"

Watercolor w/Pen

ATC

"Red Crow"

Watercolor

ATC

"Yellow Feather of Truth"

Watercolor w/Pen

ATC

2007-10-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

Check out Belinda Spiwak's blog for an interview she did of me! It was fun to answer her questions. http://www.alteredbelly.blogspot.com/

2007-10-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy lately. I can't believe I haven't posted in almost two weeks. I hope I haven't lost all my lookyloers.
I have been working on a few projects that will be published soon. I'll let you know when it happens!! These feathers are what I do when I need a change of pace. I don't know what it is about text behind an image. I love it.
Not only have I been writing and painting, but I have been teaching at the Art Clinic and at Ruth's school Children's Montessori School. Actually at Ruth's school I start the formal lessons on Wed. Last week I helped the kids make horses out of wine corks.(No I didn't drink all of the wine.) I just love them. I will get a picture up as soon as I remember to take my camera to Ruth's school!!! check out http://www.artclinic.blogspot.com/ to see what my students have been making at the art clinic.

ATC"S Any one Trading?

2007-09-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

"Will's Skull

Mixed Media

ATC

"Nomads"

Mixed Media

ATC

"Delihla II"

Collagraph on Watercolor

ATC

"Delihla III"

Chine Colle

ATC

"Reflective Life"

Mixed Media

ATC

Etheric Paintings

2007-09-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

I worked in a High School Honors English class today. I was a "shadow" substitute, there only because of beauracratic b.s.. The teacher Mrs. Boortz was excellent and the students were very creative. They gave presentations on Greek gods and goddesses, most of which were power point presentations. Those kids are so talented with power point!!! I was able to finish a few ATC's I had started previously. And I got paid!!!

"Bathe"

Mixed Media

2.5" x 3.5

"Dance"

Mixed Media

2.5" x 3.5"

"Nora"

Mixed Media

2.5" x 3.5"

"Big Sky House"

Mixed Media

2.5" x 3.5"

"Thinking Man"

Watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

2007-09-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

"Paulettte"

Watercolor

2.5" x 3.5"

ATC's for Swapped not Sold September 26 at Art From Scrap in Santa Barbara

2007-09-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

More ATC's for the Show.

2007-09-18T23:32:00.000-07:00

"Gratitude"

Mixed Media

ATC

"Ace of Hearts"

"Two of Hearts"

"Three of Hearts"

"Four of Hearts"

Water Soluable Pencil on Gessoed Playing Card

ATC

I've been working on ATC's as I am involved in an interactive ATC show at Art From Scrap in Santa Barbara. The active traders in the group are each filling up a frame of our favorite cards as well as making a bunch of cards to trade with the viewers of the show. There are workshops set up for people to make cards to trade. It should be a lot of fun.

These cards I've posted here are all being sent out across the country to folks I am trading with online and won't be at the show. I really love making ATC's, but don't always have the time to make them.