BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

Life has spread me thin of late. Seems there's been one thing after another that has thrown me off track, taking priority though still preventing me from finding my way into my studio. And, I have to say, my muse has not been visiting through these various distractions...But alas, a carrot out in front of me always spurs me on allowing me to shift gears. I am feeling The Calling again, thus I am back in the saddle and ready to ride.

That carrot I speak of is our 7th Artist Studio Sale at GreyBird Barn. If you are not familiar with our events, take a peek at a past gathering here. I won't say too much in this post other than I am looking forward to hanging out with these four other artists for the weekend of Oct 8 & 9. The line up this year is myself (Chimacum), Shane Miller (Port Townsend - it is her wonderful barn/studio we transform for this event each year), Diane Haddon (Suquamish - this is her first year with us. Welcome, Diane!), Loran Scruggs (Port Townsend - this will be her 2nd year with us. Welcome back, Loran!) and Lynn Anju (Port Townsend - this will be her 5th year with us. Always a joy, Lynn). 

I hope you will come back soon to see my post regarding the GreyBird Barn Event to reveal details in hopes you can stop by and visit and take in all the magical visuals.

Thanks for checking in. See you next post...

The Calling

JOURNALS OF A WANDERING TRAVELER

 

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

 

This is another piece for the COMING UNBOUND: BOOK AS SCULPTURE show that is opening this Saturday, April 6th at Northwind Arts Center that I mentioned in my previous post.  I wish I had taken some photos of the small journals as I was creating them. It was a fun process and the first time I have built a book using signatures. It is quite a process and makes me respect books and bookmakers even more now.

This piece is one I call JOURNALS OF A WANDERING TRAVELER. It is approximately 7" tall and 4" X 4" when the journals aren't pulled out at all.

Remember you can click on the photo for a larger image.

And thank you for coming back to see what comes forth from my studio in the woods.

BOOKS AND BEYOND

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

After a long quiet time of few or no words or visuals, I am once again here to greet you from the birthing canal of the Spring Equinox...the signs of spring are everywhere and I feel like I am rebirthing from, not quite dormancy, but perhaps a slothish winter retreat. But with more sunny days, buds are being pushed open with emerging flowers, there's the uprising of underground sleeping plant life and, of course, the heart full twitters of returning birds seeking mates while flittering about collecting remnants for garnering their nests, I am happily embracing it all with open arms and senses. 

Of late I have been gestating ideas for a BOOK show which opens April 6th at the Northwind Arts Center in Port Townsend. With the nearing D Day (Delivery Day) on April 2nd and I am diligently at work on numerous pieces simultaneously and recently completed this one above, REFUGE WITHIN. 

My relationship with books has been a vehicle of sorts in which I am taken away from my daily life providing a gateway to imagination within a world of words.  Bringing the idea of books into a sculptural concept, to tell a story without words, has stretched my creativity provoking a way to visualize books as a metaphor. In my first approach (below, REFUGE WITHIN) I found that fabricating a book to resemble a tree as a safe haven was profoundly symbolic to me. 

Books have a way of taking us places in our creative aspects very much like art does. This project, titled Coming Unbound: Book As Sculpture, presented me with some challenges by testing my inventiveness. My use of natural and found elements lent themselves well to create and express books in a sculptural art form which expanded my artistic sensibilities and has opened up my imagination much like opening a book.

The cover of the book was made using some bark covered plywood given to me by a multi-facted, fellow artist friend, Ron. I darkened the edges to blend witlh the color of the bark. The pages were assembled with old computer paper I cut to the desired size, then cutout the niche to house the nest I fashioned out of lichen. I made and painted a polymer clay egg to rest in the lichen. I then tea dyed the pages to give them an antiquated feel and look. And what is a tree without branches...so I set foot outside my studio door into our moist woods and gleaned some old, dead Salal branches, scraped off the bark and discovered a dark surface that continued the cohesiveness of overall color.

If you are in the Port Townsend area April 6th drop into the Northwind Arts Center for the opening 5:30 to 8pm. It will be hanging through April 29th.  Visit the Northwind Arts Center for more information.

REMEMBER to click on the photos for a larger image.

THE OPENING

The Nature of Things opened with a good steady crowd to the very end of the evening. Along with the interested public, many friends and family members attended to support the artists so it was a wonderful time for talking art, techniques, and simply catching up.

The show is beautiful with many thanks going to  Jay Haskins, print-maker and Northwinds Arts Center's gallery manager, whose eye for placement and grouping of artists' work as he hangs a show is exceptional (hanging help from Don Tiller. It is one of his paintings that graces the front of the Northwind Arts Gallery - see photo).

Our work goes very well together so it flows with a nice continuity to it. The four of us all have an affinity and reverence for the natural and mysterious. You will notice that crows, ravens, various other birds, dogs, and other wonderful animals appear in our work in various scenarios evoking emotion and laughter.

The two pieces I posted previously on March 12th, Looking For a Place to Call Home, and March 24th, Seeking Reflection, sold the day before so it opened up and moved the energy to generate more sales for me, Rae, Ellen and Kathleen. Ellen Reichart sold 2 pieces opening night. We're holding visions of more red dots for Kathleen Snow and Rae Belkin and all of us for that matter. We all worked diligently to make this show as beautiful as it is.

If you are in the area I hope you can get by the gallery. For more info on the Northwind Arts Center click here.

Thanks to all who came out to see the show Saturday during the opening and throughout the duration of the show...May 4 through 27, 2012.

POST BARN SALE

This is the complete crew from our 2010 Artist Studio Barns Sale. From left to right:

Shirley Moss, Kristi Templeton, Shane Miller, Beverly Saito, Carrie Eckhart (our cookie maker), me (Linda Jarvis), kneeling in front of me, my dear sister Wendy (who helps out wearing many different hats-we couldn't do it without her!), and Diane Gale. We had a blast all weekend, made new friends and visited with our previous visitors and loyal patrons. Thanks to all for making it a wonderful 2nd Annual,

2nd ANNUAL STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN

SAVE THE DATE!!! June 26th and 27th

Mark your calendar for our 2nd ANNUAL STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN in Port Townsend, WA. Five wonderful artists: Diane Gale....Linda Jarvis...Shane Miller...Shirley Moss....and Beverly Saito will be featured in a variety of mediums.



Our good friends at Diana Cronin's Egg & I Pottery Studio in Chimacum, WA will be celebrating their 5th Annual Open Studio & Pottery Sale. Once again GreyBird Barn Studio Sale will coincide with the Egg & I Pottery Sale. Read more info about Egg & I Pottery Sale here.

Bring your friends and family and come for a delicious day of art and fun.....Port Townsend is beautiful in June.

(remember that you can click on any image to see it larger)

Have questions?...Or would you like to be added to our email list?...
Contact Shane Miller

CHAIR AFFAIR 2010

It is time again for the Chair Affair.
The ArtScape web-site is not currently updated when I last looked today, but you can read about ArtScape's vision and mission.

My chair this year is a retro piece I did back in '94. It was a time when I was emerging myself with a spiritual affinity for the Native Americans and the reverence they share for nature and Earth. I titled it Strong Heart.

I hope those of you who live on the Olympic Peninsula can come by to see all the wonderful chairs and tables donated by our local artists Saturday, May 1st in the Mt. Baker Building,
2nd floor, 5:30-8pm. Live music and refreshments...
Don't forget to bring your wallets...this is a great cause...
Thank you