WINTER DOLDRUMS

Haven't been very active in my studio this winter...not very inspired and a bit distracted, dismayed and saddened by what is happening to our country and as a result affecting our foreign relationships around the world and the direction of the political system. However, I will stay optimistic and do all I can to bring our country back to some sense of sanity and support and vote for those I know will keep democracy alive.

But let's leave that subject behind so as to have a brighter outlook. My studio has calling for my attention, for sure, despite my ignoring said calls. It is in much need of clearing-out and freshening-up, thus creating a clean slate to start anew. I am overwhelmed by the prospect of the purge, but will gain more energy for climbing out of hibernation and digging-in as our days get longer with more hours of light...ah, the light...we need that light.

Thanks for sticking with me despite the lack of posts. Keep checking is as I may just surprise you...and thanks for your patience and persistence in pursuing these pages...your attention and support are much appreciated.

Here is a close-up detail of a piece I did a number of years ago... 
BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON -  seems appropriate for the moment.

 

MOMENTS FROM LOST AND FOUND

On our way traveling to the Lost and Found exhibit at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery on Bainbridge Island with my sister, Wendy and Shane Miller, artist friend and participant in this show, we stopped for a meal of soup and salad. When we arrived at the gallery we found it all a-buzz, filled with a sea of art enthusiasts from front to back. As we swam our way through the crowd some congratulations went to Shane for the sale of her large piece, If Found...Return to Icarus, pictured below. Next to the wing is a listing in the lost and found section of a Roman publication. This fun and clever lost listing is part of the charm of this If Found...Return to Icarus piece. There is a wonderful story from Greek Mythology about Icarus and his dad, Daedalus that this piece was inspired from.

Above is a quiet conversation between Karen Hackenberg, right, and Barbara Berger, friend/artist/author who has spent much of her career as a children's book writer and illustrator. The image that is visible at the left is a portion of one of Karen's large pieces. It is worth driving a distance to Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery in Winslow to see her skillfully rendered body of work and the rest of this Lost and Found exhibit.

WHERE THE MOON GOES TO RECHARGE

This is another of my pieces, Where the Moon Goes To Recharge...Our moon has always fascinated me. She does her waxing thing coming around full circle every month shining so brightly and full then wanes to do the cycle all over again. It made me visualize her need for a recharge thus this fanciful piece came about.
I hope to achieve and post a more detailed photo to show a closer look at what the components are.

ANCIENT FUTURE SPECIES

This piece above pretty much created itself as I wandered around my studio picking up various found objects...being that it did not really have a seed to start from other than it's own sense of birthing the title was slow to reveal itself, but once it did, after a little brainstorming session with Shane Miller, I came up with Ancient Future Species. The old electrical wiring I used in this piece has a wonderful copper mesh on the outside of it. By pulling the wire from inside the mesh it becomes easy to manipulate and in this case formed into plant like shapes...they look a bit other worldly and the rectangular shape pipe from which is sprouts gives a somewhat futuristic look to it... 

This piece below was fun to actualize utilizing an old thread spool, springs and other found objects...yes...had to do it...had to call it Spring Roll.

 SPRING ROLL 

Shane Miller, me, Linda Jarvis and Ron Ho

The most highlighted moment from the opening for me was meeting and engaging in conversation with Ron Ho, Seattle's own. I have tagged him, The Legendary Master of Found Objects Art Jeweler. He is a delight and very willing to engage and talk story and laugh. The magnificent piece he is wearing is one he launched into the world years ago and sometime recently learned from the Bellevue Arts Museum that the person who originally bought it had been thinking of selling it. From that knowledge the opportunity came to him to purchase the piece back as he did not possess one of his own pieces. In this photo he proudly wears this piece, now his again....

 

In the above photo he explains about the elements as he points to his Lost and Found show piece, Tibtan Reliquary, pictured and described in my previous post. His work is so carefully and skillfully crafted and shows hours of thought-out design as he works with his treasured found elements and worldly artifacts.

If you have not had the opportunity to see Ron Ho's work in person be sure to get by Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery. This entire show is wonderful, full of many pieces created by 10 artists (listed in previous post) with various creative approaches using lost and found objects we have collected during our artistic journeys. 

Mr. Ho has a wonderful book/catalog, still available which was released in 2006, the second in a series of monographs published by Bellevue Arts Museum, shown above. Dim Sum at the On-On Tea Room: The Jewelry of Ron Ho. This book traces the remarkable richness and diversity of the achievements of this talented Seattle-based artist.

The energy of the opening quieted down by the closing of the evening. This is me next to one of my pieces, The Allure of Reflected Light, a mirror with a raven being pulled by the reflected light on the wonderful collectables he would love to grab and gather, such as ravens and crows do. By the end of all the evening's inter-actions I was talked out and ready to head home...I look a bit weary in this shot, but all in all it was a very memorable gathering.

Thank you Susan, David, Victoria, Anne, Lynette, Wendy, Sara and the rest of the wonderful crew at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery. You all work so diligently to accomadate and represent us. It is much appreciated.

Well I guess I can't close without mentioning A Brush With Fate even though it was mentioned in my previous post which you can read about there.

 A BRUSH WITH FATE

Remember you can enlarge the images by clicking on the photos.

FOX ON THE CALM

BEWITCHED BY THE DARK 

SIDE OF THE MOON

This piece was photographed prior to it's completion, so if you are looking closely, it may strike you as having an incomplete look to it. I started with a sketch of a red fox on heavy weight, acid-free vellum, then came in with various washes, then moved forward painting layers upon layers of acrylic paint and colored pencil to capture the essence of the fox's fur.  A second piece of vellum was adhered to the painting to create more rigidity. Once adhered I used a sharp X-acto knife to cut out the fox. I put spacers between the background and the glass. The fox image sits between two narrower spacer at the bottom so it "floats" within the 1" deep frame, away from the background. The moon is a found object that has a dark, mottled, textured color to it.

In BEWITCHED BY THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, the fox appears mesmerized by the mystery and magic of the shadowy, darker side of the moon which we, from time to time, get to witness but perhaps not as full as depicted. It measures 8" X 10".

Click on the image to enlarge it.

MOONLIT REPOSE

This piece, MOONLIT REPOSE, is again of a red fox having a still, quiet moment under the fullness of the moon, which is thick, heavy, pulpy paper that I painted to resemble the moon's surface. It measures 10" X 10".

You may have noticed in the previous posts that I have been using cradle boards/artist panels (a wood panel with sides that can be 1/8th inch deep to 2 inches deep). I have been experimenting to see if this is a surface I want to pursue indefinitely or occasionally...we shall see.

Remember to click on the image to enlarge it.