What I've been doing

Time has flown by the past couple of months. I've been getting ready for two arts and crafts shows. The first is December 1 & 2 and then one week later I have another. I'm making ornaments and beaded angels like crazy. Hardly have time for computer stuff, just barely read my email. Can't wait for these two shows to be over so I can get back to normal life...and then there's Christmas. *sigh*

Here is a picture of the ornaments I'm making and a beaded bowl I made for another Christmas Art show in Gresham. That show runs through December 14th. If I don't sell a lot of ornaments or beaded angels, guess what everyone is getting Christmas morning! I'll get a pic of the angels up by Sunday. I have to get them organized, carded and bagged.

I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

Home

Here is another piece that I've completed recently. It was an experiment with a technique from one of the art magazines I buy. I can't seem to find the article about this fun way to use cardboard. Anyway...I had fun and now need to frame this piece.

Awards for the Art Doll

I am SO PSYCHED! I didn't get a chance to go to the state fair to see my art doll exhibited. When I got her back on Thursday she was sporting these ribbons! One is a First Award and the other is Best in Class. I tried to call on Friday to see how many other exhibitors were in my catagory, but got no answer. I'll call again on Monday. This is the first time for more than a First Award. Can you see my smile shining over Mt. Hood? Yep, I'm psyched!

Scribbles

Finally got this up tonight. Been having a little trouble with the computer lately. Don't we just love all this technology? Enjoy.

Just a few scribbles

A new channel has popped up on DirectTV called Ovation. http://www.ovationtv.com It's all about art. All kinds of art and it has inspired me. I was watching Art or Not on Saturday night and saw an artist that uses just a line to make abstract work. Of course, his line is all over his canvas and comes in a number of colors. I should have written down his name because now I can't remember it. BUT...I tried my own scribble line and this is what I came up with. Using regular watercolor paper and 8 different colors of Sharpie Fine Point markers I had fun. After scanning it, I will be able to use it for backgrounds for other art I'll be doing.
(I also saw a piece on Jackson Pollock and that, too, inspired me.)

OK...I can't seem to download my picture right now. I'll try to do it tomorrow. In the mean time, go and check out Ovation TV.

Mona's Roosters

I finished working on Mona and her roosters. I needed a clock in my workshop, so I wouldn't have to be going in and out of the house to see what time it was. I trimmed down the picture and attached it with gel medium, after I had worked on the background on the canvas board. I fancied up the clock face, added some old CDs behind it, for depth, and put the clock together. For someone who is not a painter, except walls, I think this turned out very well.

Station 3

Here are a couple of pictures of another addition to the workshop. I used this dark green paint that I had planned on using for the bedroom. Then "papered" the wall with some wrapping paper that I had in abundance. The table and shelf are from my inlaws. I'm going to add an old mirror across the wall between the shelf and table. It should help add some reflected light in this space. I've been using my new workshop almost every day. It gives me an excellent excuse to avoid any kind of housework! At least until I run out of underwear or silverware.

Been a long time...

...since I posted. Can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks. I've been working on the workshop and in the workshop and getting some arty things started that are simmering in the back of my mind.

Here is one piece that I finished and will be doing more of in the future. It is a vintage button with "coral" beaded fringe spilling from the button holes. This is a fun way to use your vintage, or not so vintage, buttons that have holes through the center. The exciting part, of making this brooch, is shopping for or finding some unique beads to use in the fringe. Using the same technique, earrings can be made to match or compliment the brooch. I have a large antler button and smaller antler buttons to work on, so will be looking for beads that go with an outdoor theme.

Another View...

...of Sue's exhibit

If you have the time or are traveling down the Columbia Gorge. Take a side trip to walk through a bit of history and see some inspiring and intriguing art books.

Gadzooks!

What a great name for a show! Actually the full name is - Gadzooks! Amazing Books by Northwest Artists. It's open now until November 15th at the Maryhill Museum of Art in Washington. It was a wonderful opening and fabulous artist books from 15 different artists.

Here is my friend, Sue Allen, with her books of Japanese lanterns through the seasons. She is a screen printer and made the box to hold the books in, too. A very talented artist!

Art Books and Art Doll

This week I have decided to enter one of my art dolls in the Oregon State Fair. It is a piece I made, a year ago last winter, for another show with the theme of Contrasts. She is named Both Sides of the Soul. She is made of white and black linen, a glow-in-the-dark polymer clay face, an inkjet iron transfer, lots and lots of beads and a Tinker Toy base. The back of this piece is the inspiration for the Yin/Yang necklace. Now...off I go to the fair website, download the info, print out the form and fill it all out. Whatever happened to a paperless society?

After a busy week of housecleaning,(I hate housecleaning!) playing art with my friend, Sherrie, and then take down and rehanging of my guild's theme show, I'm tired. Tomorrow another guild member and I will go up to Maryhill Museum of Art to see the show, Gadzooks! Amazing Books by Northwest Artists. www.maryhillmuseum.org Sue Allen is part of this show of some very creative artists and the books they have made. I volunteered to go with her, not only because I want to see the show, but it's a long drive and it's nice to have company on the way. If I can remember to take my camera, I'll try to take some pics of the books, if the museum will let me. It looks to be a fun time!

Mona's Rooster in progress

Here is the promised pic of Mona's Rooster. I will be adhering this picture to a larger canvas to make framing easier. Even though I'm not a big collector of chickens and roosters, I like the idea of adding at least one to my painted art. I think I may need to go shopping for chicken images. Oh! The things we do for our art!

I've been remiss....

...in getting to my blog. I've been having a great time working in my new workshop. First are two pages that I experimented with, using a technique that I saw in the current Cloth-Paper-Scissors by Chrysti Hydeck. Very cool backgrounds and a trove of ideas have popped into my mind on how and what to use them for. While working on the pages and waiting for them to dry, I started another piece. The piece, "Mona's Rooster", was my attempt at remembering how to play with my acrylic paints from a class by Suzie Wolfer at Paperdoll, (www.paperdoll-co.com). AND...while waiting for that to dry, I worked on an art doll/shrine that I call a Guardian. He has been waiting for me to get to him for some time. He is made from recycled bits and is for a swap. I like the way he is coming together and while working on him, a brother popped up in my creative design center, aka my brain. It seems I may have to make a number of these Guardians.

Oh bother, I forgot to download the pictures from my camera. I'll have to do that tomorrow. I do have a pic of the picture I worked on, in my class with Suzie, and have put that up instead. I named it Rosa's Chickens.

Z'annes Bazaar Workshop.....

and All Around Busy Place. Here are the pics from Phase II of bench building. It went up very quickly and I now have TONS of space to work on a number of projects. Next comes more clearing of the garage and arranging of tables and shelves. I'll be moving my embossing materials out to the workshop. This way I'll have more ventilation and easier clean up of the powders. HB bought me some mats, from Harbor Freight, to lay on the floor in front of the benches. This is very helpful for legs and backs, because standing on concrete is not all that good for the body. Once this nasty heat goes away, I'll be able to get out there and work on those projects that are piling up in my head.

New Workshop

I've been wanting and waiting to build an outdoor studio for years. This week it's coming true! I commandeered the garage last fall and got it cleaned out. (A major project in itself!) Had an area set up with shelves to hold all my 3D art supply objects and than waited for better weather. Finally the time was right. HB and I set about constructing a work bench made from sawhorses and plywood. Finished up the wall to the laundry room, attached the bench and put up the cupboard I had taken down from the kitchen. (I "papered" the inset of the cupboard doors with decorative paper, can't be staring at boring doors, can we?) With a leftover piece of plywood, I made a shelf under the saw horses. Can't have enough storage! We just finished up building the second bench and I'm waiting for the paint to dry. I am SO psyched!
Here are a few pics of the first bench going up. I'll get the rest of the pics up tonight or tomorrow.

Down the Driveway

Looking down the driveway to Mount St. Helens in the distance.
This is where I get some of my inspiration.

Yin/Yang Necklace

This was an experiment that went very well. I ironed an inkjet transfer to white linen and beaded it as I would a regular cabochon. Added fringe and a spiral necklace to match the black and white theme. I am very pleased with the outcome and will be doing more of these kinds of necklaces and brooches this year.

The centerpieces will range in size from 3" to as small as 1/2" in diameter and come in various shapes. The color of the beads will be complimentary or contrasting to the picture. The best part about doing this technique is, any picture can be added as the centerpiece.

Pearls and Copper Necklace

This is a piece I finished earlier this month. It consists of 1 large flat-backed glass piece and 3 small ones. I backed these cabochons with holographic wrapping paper to give them a dichroic look. (Very cool!) Then went looking for some beads that would go well with them. The copper-lined beads and pearls fit just right. The necklace is a spiral technique with size 10 copper-lined and size 11 green seed beads. The clasp is button and loop, using a vintage button.

Finally getting my blog going so I can get my art out there. I will be posting my pieces here as I finish them. I had some completed for the early June Art and Wine Stroll. As soon as I get pics of these, I will post them. One is a fun idea that I hope takes off.

In the mean time, here is a picture of my favorite barrette. I call it Silver Raven. Some people see an owl and some see a Mardi Gras mask. What do you see?