Great Classes

First and foremost I would like to thank my students. I had the most pleasurable and rewarding time with everyone. I fell in love with the state of Virginia, but I think mostly because of the people of the east coast. I look forward to visiting again and spending more time, seeing many of you next year.

Remember to click on any picture to enlarge it.
Upon arrival to Virginia, I was overtaken by the beauty of the landscape. The trees, birds, and water are wonderful. But what I soon learned was that Virginia is a Garden State.

After unpacking and preparing for classes I was able to sneak away for some sightseeing. My 1st stop was Ft. Monroe. This active military installation was famed during the Civil War as the "Freedom Fort" by blacks escaping from slavery. General Benjamin Butler refusing to return runaway slaves, kept them as "Contrabands" of war, assuring their freedom. Confederate President Jefferson Davis' prison cell is located in the museum. Fort Monroe was built between 1819 and 1834.

The 570 acre site includes the largest stone fort ever built by the United States. It consists of seven fronts and covers approximately 63 acres of ground and is surrounded by a water filled moat.

Felting was the 1st class. Intimate group of ladies laughing and creating. What a wonderful day.

We created a bag, soap, flowers, and felted decorative balls.

Some of the class with their unique artwork.

Too be continued..... More classes...and Williamsburg.

Flying today

I'm off to Virginia today and so looking forward to seeing a new site, teaching some classes and visiting with friends, I will be back on line Tuesday with stories and photos, see you then.

Giveaway and trip to the coast

Everyone loves free art so The Portland Art Collective started a monthly giveaway, all you need to do is make a comment on the giveaway post and your name will go into a hat at the end of the month a drawing will take place, you may be notified that you are the winner . This month the piece was donated by Paula McNamee, it is a beautiful crochet beaded necklace. Please go to the Portland Art Collective blog and read all about it. On the right side bar there are directions on how to make a comment if this will be your first time, good luck.

My weekend at the coast was to celebrate my husband’s 60th birthday and was all put on by his children. The entire weekend was dedicated to gathering seafood one of my husband’s favorite things, a deep sea fishing trip for halibut, crabbing in his boat and clamming at low tide. I didn’t find time to do any photography but snapped some of the seafood.

His grandchildren helped make the weekend a party.

Some fish for the freezer.

Oregon dungeness a beautiful orange color and so very good to eat.

These are purple varnish clams, I don't eat them but love the color I wish I could do some art with the shells.

Happy Birthday Honey!

Friday Desk Photo- Wire Sculpture

Since I started with the Fri desk photos I see how I really work in about a 6"x 6" square of tools and supplies. I think I will make it a goal to increase my real estate to 12"x 12".
This sculpture is going with me to Hampton, Va. as a class example, I just finished it this morning but now think the head looks to big and a bit like a bird, not my goal. The good thing is I can take it off and make a new one. I am pleased with the posture and general attitude of the figure.

I ripped up old linen for the inside of the body in person it looks light and airy. I'm off to the coast this afternoon and looking forward to doing some photography.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Sunshine Today

It doesn't get much better than this! 75 degrees in Portland an out door lunch with friends and a walk around looking for goodies to make art with.... you can't beat it!

After the Portland Art Collective meeting today Dayna, Steph and I went looking for treasures, I having enough treasures in my very small house decided I would collect them with my camera and I was not disappointed.

Can't pass up our image in the window.

Gnarly and so beautiful...

part of a mermaid ?...

a shadow with the wall and bike color ...

I like the curve...

the texture...

great paint job...

rust and shadows... fun day.

Friday Desk Photo- Clay & Assemblage Men

Today I'm working on some soldering for Art & Soul Hampton, only 12 days away, I'm so excited for the classes I know we will have great time. Click here to see some sculptures we will be making in the class.
Some tips from the desk,tip 1) the scroungy red mats are photo mat boards and are the very best thing I have found to work on for soldering, I have been using these same ones for two years with no risk of burning my desk top, tip 2) baby wipes are handy to clean your hands after touching the flux, it burns me, tip 3) spend the money on a heavy soldering iron stand, I bought this one at a garage sale for 50 cents, tip 4) the little desk vise has been my third hand and has saved me from some frustration and many burns, I also use alligator clips to hold things.

What a week for my computer first it got a virus and the day after it came home from the repair shop the back light on the screen went out and would cost nearly $300 to fix. I bought a cheep monitor for $80 and am back in business.

This last week I was really enjoying making these three gents. As you can see each one has his own personality, name and story.

I just love their knobby knees, this one looks as if he his about to hike up a mountain in the Alps.

" I was only that far from it!"

"Being prepared doesn't always help I'm sure I feel a little ill".

The pill box hat.

Have a great weekend it is suppose to be warm and dry here in the great northwest, yahoo!

Friday Desk Photo- Calender

I started the day with a nice cup of coffee and as tomorrow is May 1st I needed to put some art on the May page in my calender. I bought a inexpensive ugly one to redo to my liking and have had fun each month painting, drawing and gluing items in. It has turned out to be a test kitchen of sorts to tryout a new pen, crayon or idea. This month I used the stencil and a small piece of fabric from the bags I was making. I was going to show more photos of the calender but my computer rolled over and died, I'm borrowing my husbands to post today and will be heading to the fix it shop.
The little bag in the top right hand corner is actually a makeup bag with clear pockets, a few years ago a few of use made travel art supply kits and boy has it worked out well. It is the right size to hold pencils, paints and even a small journal, perfect for a car trip or on a plane.
Have a nice weekend, warm weather and the garden are calling.

The making of an art bag.

Last year for some classes I was teaching I made fabric bags to put the hand outs and supplies in, they were well received so I decided to make more for this year. I would like to share how I do this and show you how easy it is to make a unique little bag.

I start with 6 yards of very inexpensive muslin, I tear it down to a manageable size in my case no larger than a 6 foot table. I gather old text from books, a 2" paint brush and plastic sheeting to work on.

I then mix 1 part white glue to 1 part water. I brush the muslin first with the glue mixture then place the text on it and brush the text layer with the glue mixture. I prefer to work in smalls sections, when the entire piece of muslin is covered I let it dry over night. After it is dry you can paint and sew on as any other fabric.

The other half of the bag is made from the same muslin, I dyed it with beet juice then splattered paint on it and hung it out side to dry.

In the mean time I made a few stencils.

I tore the fabric to the desired size and stenciled with acrylics and spray paint.

I was not in love with the dyed fabric to say the least but after I put the bird stencil down and added the black spray paint it dulled it up to my liking.

Before you sew it together you can add a pocket, I used a small piece of vinyl. I also put all my seems on the outside I just think it looks better for this project.

I then cut the text paper to the correct size and ripped a piece of nice cotton fabric to about 3" wide, this is sewn between the two hand made fabrics to make the depth of the bag. I then sewed on two torn pieces of cotton so the bag could be closed.

There you have it a fun little art bag.

Friday Desk Photo- Santos Clothes

This week I brought out the fabric and paints, making a little jacket for a new Santos.

Jacket details, I stamped russet numbers and highlighted them with pearl X. The edging is made from resin paper on antique text.

I bought this wrapping paper the other day to cut up and will use it on the skirt.

I made a little Santos from a drawing doll, it will sit on my desk and hopefully help me when I need it. Not much personality, I might have to draw on a smile or give it a funny hat.

More fun in photoshop, the mat is what I work on every day almost a piece of art on it's own or at least colorful to look at.
Click on the photo to better read the poem by Picasso. I don't think the doll is a receptacle of emotions however, hee hee. Have a nice week end!

A near miss and nature!

I walked to the garden this morning with a cup of coffee and my senses had an over load. The taste of a good cup, the honking sound of geese just lifting of the river so close I could hear the air on their wings, I picked a fresh stem of Lily of the Valley one of my favorites and inhaled the rich sweetness of it.

My eyes had a color palette laid before them, I had to get the camera.

My neighbor is running in the Boston marathon today and I was ask to feed the dog and watch over the farm. This is a Hair sheep no wool and you never need to sheer them it just falls out, to bad I would love to have some wool to felt.

This is Patch he watches the sheep, and boy do they watch him.

I had a fresh egg for breakfast today, lucky me.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED

photo from google images

I had just come home from the farm when a branch came past my head at about 60mph and hit 10 feet in front of me. An over dose of adrenalin coursed through my body as I tried to find who hurled the missile, I looked skyward and saw a large Osprey with a small branch in it's talons.

Photo by Tory
I had my camera still around my neck .

This is no song bird, can you imagine the size of the nest this stick was meant for.

I love the adventure of life!