Contemplation

Contemplation
Assemblage $25

Assemblage Techniques Workshop

Yesterday my friend Nancy and I attended Sue Latta's Assemblage Techniques Workshop. We got a LOT of information on just about everything you can find at a hardware store and possible applications for your art. I now know the difference between a screw and a bolt and even know about tap and die. We went through all the different kinds of glues available and the application processes. Who knew there was such a thing as liquid tape?

Using the "third hand"

Sue explaining difference between a rivet and a grommet
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Now, it's time for me to apply all I learned to my art!

Dia De Los Muertos 2010

My little home display that I have set up. With my art, my daughter's art (the mirror in the center) and a piece I bought from Michael DeMeng at Art & Soul in Portland last year.

I bought this piece last year when taking Micheal's class at Art and Soul in Portland and then when I was at my friend Marianne's last night I saw this magazine with the cover article on how he makes these pieces.
Here is my version but instead of plastic I used a porcelain sculpture and a metal lamp fixture. I antiqued it, covered it with a varnish and added some Apoxie clay since last posting of it.

McBird House

McBird House
Found Object Assemblage

I am typing this blog while sitting on the new handmade bench we won at a raffle last weekend. The weather is absolutely beautiful, tons of birds chattering in the multicolored trees...red, maroon, yellow, yellow- green, green. It's the perfect temperature in the 70's- sunny and no wind. I hear the cold and rain is on it's way, so I will enjoy it while I can.

The assemblage above has been "percolating" for a while as I gather items. Last night was studio night at Marianne's so it was the perfect opportunity to put the piece together. Nancy, Marianne and I, three dogs and Margie all got to visit and have fun while creating art and drinking wine together.

The base was purchased in an old barn near my cousin's in New York State. I highlighted the base with interference red paint.

The next piece up is a spool that someone gave me. I gessoed it, and then collaged over that and added paint and glass beads. Next is the bird house itself that I found at a thrift store in TX. I antiqued it with paint and added a tree branch, bird and some greenery. I attached these pieces with 2 part apoxy clay and then painted the clay.

I took this piece to an Antique store today that also sells some found object art, thinking that this would be something she would be interested in. Her response upon seeing it, "Oh, it's crafts, no thank you." No it's not -but I was polite and with a smile said, "you have a very nice store, thank you" and left. :)

Boise Open Studios and some new work...

This weekend was the open studios event in Boise were artists open their studios and a map is published and people can just go around and see artists making art in their natural habitat. Marianne (click on her name to see her take on the weekend) showed her work at my house since her studio isn't finished and we invited Nancy to come make art with us while we hung out for 6 hours yesterday and today. The piece above was one I finished by making a collage for the frame, prior to that I had a couple cut out of a J. Crew Catalog in the frame, this looks much better.

Another piece I completed..."Dia De Los Muertos Cake Topper" made out of a piece of german porcelain with a headless woman (featured in a former blog post) that I gave a gold skeleton head with a hat on top of an old light fixture bought at an antique store in NY state. Various stories circulated as to why the woman was a skeleton, but not the man...such as that the woman knew what she was in for by getting married.

Picture of my studio. The print box on the floor by the printer was brought to me by a woman that came by and saw what I did and then came back by and dropped it off for me to have!

Marianne's mixed media art

Marianne adding more gel medium.

Another piece I finished based on a month I spent in Greece back in 1984 with another Marianne.

A piece I made for Halloween titled "Contemplation"

Every Day is an Adventure

Every Day is an Adventure: Photography

Every Day is an Adventure: Surfing

Every Day is an Adventure: Love

Every Day is an Adventure: Skiing

Every Day is an Adventure: Road Trip

Last spring a local shop was moving across town. They were having a sale so I went to check it out. They had these cardboard signs on chains that was some kind of sales thingy for the clothing company "Horny Toad" each card says "Every Day is an Adventure" at the bottom. I thought they were pretty cool and maybe I could do something with them. I asked how much and she said I could have them. So they sat around for a while, then I gessoed all the boards but left the quote at the bottom. In the process of going through all the objects I collected on my travels the idea for what to do with them gelled. And now I have a series called "Every Day is an Adventure" They are $20 a piece.