SO HAPPY TO PART OF THIS SHOW

 

DOOR SHOW:

the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.

It all started with a phone call from Mary Lou Zeek about 4 months ago with an invitation to join 15 other artists in her door show.  Mary Lou has been doing a door show for several years but this year she has built a twist into it with a request of making the door into a table and the permission to be creative and celebrate your own style. I was assigned the coffee table.

 I found a 100 year old farm house pocket door with about 8 layers of different colored paint. The paint was chipped and was so worn that all the different colors showed in patches. I loved the aged look and thought I would use it that way but after a good hot wash it still looked dirty. So I decided to strip off all the paint. It took about a gallon of stripper and three days of sanding before it was returned to the beautiful old wood it once was.

 I had in mind a plan and went about collecting all the parts. I also made a phone call to my son Nick and ask if he could help with carpentry skills I do not possess. We began a very enjoyable collaboration.

 Some of the pieces were hard to part with, I have been hanging on to this old cash register drawer for a few years and love it but knew it would be perfect for this project.

 Nick welded anchor screws into the shoes to create a very sturdy leg.

 Old door knobs got a similar treatment. My granddaughter Bean thought the glass knobs were very beautiful and requested some for her bedroom door.

 It was all coming together but still required hours of sanding. And the hanging of the cash register drawer proved to be stinker but in the end came out wonderful. It opens like a dream and glides on keyboard slides.

 I'm so happy with the way it turned out. The top of the table has an old post office box door with working key and a built in box below so you can actually lock up a little treasure. I love the way the different types of wood show their own unique character and a very little bit of the old paint peeks out in spots. I hope someone falls in love with it and wants to take it home but it would be fun to have it in my living room.

 

 This happy little table looks like it could just take off dancing through your living room.

Save the date below and come see everyones tables/doors I would love to see you. It will be the only night all the doors/tables will be together. Or take the down town tour to see them during the month in local businesses. Pick up your Door Show Art Walk brochure at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery.

PREVIEW PARTY: an advantageous or pleasurable or combination of circumstances of some duration and often of questionable character.
Location: 365 Ferry Street (below the Liberty Street Parkade)
Saturday Evening, April 27th, 7-9ish
call the gallery to add your name to our list 503-581-3229

 

Time Flies

What have I been doing for almost two months?

Thank goodness for photos it's easier to tell the story.

 I had two great Story Teller classes at the Art Department in down town Salem, one in Feb and one in March. I so enjoyed these classes with the nicest women.

I had two colds but not when I had to teach thank goodness. They were horrid it's been such a bad year almost everyone I know has been sick.

 Hanging out in the house did give me time to play with clay. The photo above was funny because I was feeling a bit lonely then looked up....yikes.

 The heads make thier way to finished pieces just in time to go to a gallery.

I became a new member at Lunaria Gallery in Silverton, OR. And right away had to gallery sit for an 8 hr shift. It was busy for a Monday with all sorts of sales...trial by fire. 

A few weeks ago I bought a new van YAHOO!!!! It is so nice I can haul tools and dogs and stuff. All the stuff I want and even a little more stuff! I missed having a van can ya tell.

 Then.....One night I was taking apart dolls for a workshop and ended up with a bag of wigs when poor trusting Radish came into the room. Gads I got the giggles and still laugh everytime I look at these pictures.

Funny aren't they.

I had to get down to business and make some new class samples.

 Above is Bun she likes fiber and is collecting it for a big project coming up.

 Here she is with Roca who can only think of getting some new shoes.

I may need to rework Roca but for now I hope it will give my students some ideas on how to put together a fun assemblage.

This last pic is for my friend Vay who has a board on Pinterest it will fit into.
Actually I was working very late in the studio trying not to wake the chicken farmer and had not but one light on when I noticed the very strong shadow on the plain door.
April 1st I'm driving to Kansas City, MO see you then.....

It rained all weekend

 It rained all weekend and I had very little to do so I stayed in the studio playing.

 This idea of a clown started with the little dog. I was thinking of Radish learning how to sit up laughing when he fell over backwards. He did get better after only a few days.

I have been photographing some of my work in a dark room with a black backdrop as below and some on colored fabric like above.

Most of the time art work is photographed on white but I think I like mixing it up a bit.

Next weekend is the opening reception of the Sacred Scraps Exhibition and we thought it would be fun to make an art gift to put in a drawing for our guests to try and win. This is a assemblage journal made from old wood, a broken picture frame, and many other little bits. I will really enjoy seeing someone win it.

 

 It's 10:12 I just watched Downton Abbey and getting ready for bed but look who beat me to it. He sleeps with that chewed turtle every night.

"Radish the Amazing Circus Dog"

Sacred Scraps

An Exhibition

 My friend and fellow artist Dayna Collins ask me last year to be part of this unique show, I jumped on it. She also invited assemblage artists Shelly Caldwell, Stephanie Brockway and Jennifer Campbell to join in and display their work. We are all very excited to be seen in this setting by the students of the university and the surrounding communities.

My piece incorporates my love of clay sculpture and the assemblage of found objects. I seem to not be able to create a sculpture without a story popping into my head. Here is the partial story of the Scrap Man.

 “He has been picking scraps for most of his life but this is the first time he has ever found a creature needing so much of him”.

 “She sat very still as the wagon creaked down the wooded trail, watching and waiting for it to happen”.

 “His concerns were with the woodland creature, he knew he could protect her through the night and the dark hours but how could he quiet her fears”.
__________________________________________

I now have the urge to continue the story maybe create a few more characters. I might need to go out and collect more assemblage parts….oh dear.

 We have created a web page with each artists bio if you would like to read more about us.Just click on the photo above.

 One aspect that I love about assemblage art is that each piece is one of a kind. The five artists participating share the same love of hunting down “sacred scraps”. We all have been hunting for many years and as one could imagine we have accumulated an impressive stash. For me some items I have found are rare and precious to me creating a little problem, I tell myself it’s the start to a small collection and I should never use them……there’s the problem.

The demensions of this piece are - Scrap Man 14" tall -Woodland Girl 10" tall - the entire piece is 23" long.

Opening night and reception is Friday February 1st , 4:30-6:30 pm. For directions and information, please visit sacred-scraps.com

Fun with the "Story Tellers"

 So often the artist wants control of their medium and has an image in mind of what the end piece should look like. But if you can let go and except what can happen you will be pleasantly surprised to find the story about your art. In my case it's the small clay people I create.

 When I start a sculpture I try not to have any pre conceived ideas. The above piece I knew I wanted a cap with antlers and ears. But the rest no idea. Her round sweet face just happened as well as her long slender bare foot legs. I think when I saw what she would look like I knew she would want the freedom to run with out shoes.And her story starts.

 Miss Cumin wanted to be a birder but had so many questions. Her little eyebrows knit with worry.

 Being a Brokenshire I feel I might be related to the above fellow.

It's fun to make and sell the little people but I find more pleasure seeing a student create their own sculpture. It is such a pleasure when their Story Teller comes to life for them and they tell me their history. It's hard to explain that giddy feeling we share, it's like we are kids playing for the day.

Give yourself a gift, find an art retreat and take a class from teachers who want to share the joy of creating something.

Salem Art Group (SAG) has a play day.

 Nancy Ing had the group over for a day of encaustics. The first thing you notice is the sweet smell of honey that is the wax. We had a tour of the house and beautiful studio space then got to work.

 Nancy and Katy gave us a short tutorial and we were off and running.

 I wish I had pictures of the groups pieces each so unique.

 We had take out for lunch....then

 we tryed a Dragon fruit from Veitnam.

 Watched a funny short video on how to open it. Not too hard cut it in half.

 We clicked spoons and all tasted it. It tasted like a very bland watermelon, we were not very impressed. The build up was the adventure. 

 This is my piece "Owl in the Woods"  the panel was black and I painted with white wax. I'm looking forward to trying this again.