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Art of Being Together

My work “Rootedness” (pictured above) has been chosen as a finalist for the L’Arche juried show “The Art of Being Together.”  If you are in the Vancouver area, the opening will be next Saturday, March 6th from 1-5 pm.  More details can be found here.  The piece is also eligible for Judges Choice and People’s Choice awards, so come out to the event if you can!

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in the studio today

I went back at it today to wrap up this piece by adding a dried hydrangea and a few extra layers of wax.   (The images aren’t the best, so I’ll take more later, but I wanted to get these up right away!)  Here’s the result of “By Its Cover” #4:

And I managed to crank out another one (Number 5).  I was on a roll and forgot to take pictures of it in progress, but here’s the end result:

For this piece, I kept going with the landscape concept by cutting up a green book entitled “Creation Revealed,” and curled book pages creating the soil.

And I made some finishing tweaks to Number 3.  Here’s the result:

This series has been really fun to work on and has pushed me to be more sculptural in my work.  I’m taking a break from the studio this weekend, but hope to make more progress next week…

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in the studio today

For the last two days, I’ve been fighting a cold.  It’s the first time since coming to Vancouver that I’ve gotten a cold– I blame it on the weather going from see-my-own-breath cold to I-can-wear-flip-flops warm.

Regardless, I knew if I wanted to make the most of my break from classes, I had better get in the studio some today!

This piece will be number 4 in the “By Its Cover” series *when it’s finished.*  In the last few days, I’ve decided to experiment with different frames.  The idea occurred to me that using meaningful objects (that have been recycled) would not only be a cheap option, but also add to the overall concept of each piece.

Here’s the process (and result) of this piece so far:

A trusty green vintage suitcase ($1 at a local thrift store), and a lot of tools to try to separate the top from the bottom.

When I had the top and bottom halves separated, I began to tear out the old fabric that was lining the suitcase.

Next, I gathered up some old books (also thrift store finds), tore off their covers to reveal ragged, natural tan and brown colored spines.  Knowing the depth of the suitcase they’d go in, I then began cutting each book down to size with a ruler and an xacto knife.

This is a common sighting in my studio: tons and tons of torn book pages.  Materials for a future piece, perhaps?

Next, I set the cut books into place to create an earth-y landscape.

Next, I carefully poured hot wax into the suitcase.  I titled the suitcase to ensure that the wax was trickling down through the “landscape” (book spines).  I did this several times – fusing between layers – to be sure the books were staying in place.

Here’s the piece so far.  Tomorrow, I’ll pour more layers of wax in, add a “tree” (another dried hyndrangea?), and brainstorm how to secure wire to the back so the piece can hang.

But for now, I think I’m going to try to find some chicken-noodle-soup and 7 up and watch the Olympics!

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in the studio today

This is new piece I worked on all day today in the studio.  I attempted to create a pseudo-landscape by using book covers and threaded spines as the land, and a dried hydrangea (resembling a tree) growing out from it.

While I’m content with this piece for now, I hope to push this concept further in future pieces.  For now, though – here’s “By It’s Cover” Number 3.

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in the studio today

I spent a couple of hours in the studio today messing around and having good conversations with my materials.  A large part of art-making, I’ve come to conclude, is dialoguing with the “stuff” to see what works and what doesn’t.  Sometimes the materials push back, and sometimes they do exactly as they’re told.  :)

Old books with gorgeous covers + raw beeswax.  I’m trying to keep my materials simple, my experimentation playful, and my mind open to where this series will go.  Although it’s not entirely finished, here’s a sneak peek at “By Its Cover” Numero 2.

(close up)

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some augenschmaus

Here are some pieces of art that I can’t take my eyes off.

I am stewing on these – both conceptually and visually – as I prepare to get back into the studio this weekend and begin some new pieces.  Nothing like some augenschmaus to inspire and motivate!

Inside Out

Jacqueline Rush Lee

Breathing Into

Daniella Woolf

Tenderness Held

Cari Hernandez

Don’t Have One of Your Fits

Judith Kindler

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my biggest fan

This post is way overdue.  My incredible husband, Erik, deserves some formal recognition for his role in helping me be an artist.  He is my biggest supporter and I’m so lucky to have him.

Thanks, Erik for:

* supporting me in trying to be a full-time artist

* coming to all my openings

* being my hand-model and dipping your hands in hot wax (ouch!)

* keeping me accountable to art-making (especially when I don’t feel very creative)

* building my portfolio site

* building frames and panels and helping me wire every piece of art I make

* taking amazing pictures and making my work look good

* and building massive (very impressive) crates for packing and shipping my art

You are the most creative and sincere man I know.  I’m so glad I married my best friend and fellow artist!

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Georgia’s on my mind

For the last few weeks, I’ve been daydreaming about Georgia.  Atlanta, GA feels like “home” in many ways and as far as I can tell, the next time I’ll be back is this June.  (that’s only 5 months away!)

I will be doing an artist residency June 15-27 in the lovely north GA mountains at a place called Hambidge.

I’m not sure yet which studio I’ll be given, but this one looks pretty sweet!  (a 1940’s mill)

As for what I plan to work on during those 2 weeks of solitude, that remains a mystery.  5 months from now – is a long time away still; plenty of time to develop some of my new work and dream about new things I want to push myself to do.  Besides, I don’t want to live in the future — there’s much to be done and celebrated today.  :)

Note: Fellow artists and artsy-friends reading this blog, go apply for a residency.  It will refresh and invigorate you and your artwork!

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January 23

If you’re in the Vancouver, BC area – come out and join us at Mainly Sweet Cafe!

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New Year, new aesthetic

2010 looks to be a promising year of growth, artistically.  Judging by the work I produced in the last 2 weeks, my work seems to be heading in a more sculptural direction, and my aesthetic is changing into a more simplified, organic color palette with stylized ink drawings, layered translucent dress patterns, pantyhose and book pages.  Here’s a little collage of some elements of my newer pieces.  (To see my new work, please visit my portfolio site.)