Journey to the Unknown

april 9 2010 - spring forward!

2010-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm done worrying about the popularity of my work. (not really, but I'm trying!) My show is up at the Lodi Art Center. I had a wonderful turn out for the First Friday Art Hop reception. Lots of Art Hop regulars and artist friends. I felt so unsure of the show: a combo of old and new work, featuring the use of color. An interesting combination of techniques and projects: felted hangings, paintings, metal embossed and collage mirrors, masks bursting with color, a collograph, jewelry...

So... on to the next thing. I have been reading Embellish, Stitch, Felt: Using the Embellisher Machine and Needle-Punch Techniques, by Sheila Smith. Such an inspiring book! I am particularly inspired by the layers of wool and fabric which are needle felted and then, wet felted or stitched. She uses layer after layer to create a wonderfully unique cloth for use in 3D objects, journal covers, wall hangings, etc. The embellisher is a needle felting machine, which allows the user to needle-felt large areas in a shorter time.

I am drawn to the use of multi-layering in collage, painting, and fabrics. You can make a thin needle-felted and/or wet felted pre-felt, then use this as a layer in another piece. You can add fabrics, stitching, embroidery. Play with color, texture, pattern. Felt is an excellent medium for layering techniques.

During my shift today at the Gallery, I begin work on needle-felting some pieces (without an embellisher), for use in multi-layered pieces with fabric and stitching, as well as felt.

I have also decided to focus on developing a project I can work on, to help me in my journey towards strengthening my spiritual practice through my work. Exploring my thoughts and emotions with my work in a more directed way.

march 26 so many questions

2010-03-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

You would think that by age 55 I would have a good sense of my direction in life. I suppose that I have figured out a lot. Yet in the area of my creative self, I have become lost. It's not too huge. This happens every so often. I am a questioner and not necessarily a believer. I have decided to recommit to my creative artistic self. I am hoping to head in a new direction.

If you think about a totally new direction, something not done before (by you), then you realize that it's an act of discovery , experimentation and risk. Go out and be brave! How can you know something when you don't know what it is...?

While this may be frustrating, it is also very exciting: a step in uncharted territory.

I am the featured artist at the Lodi Art Center for the month of April. I have chosen the work to show for "It's All About the Color". There will be lots of color- masks, felt work, jewelry and cards. First Friday on April 1 is the reception- 6-8:30pm.

friday and....

2010-03-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

What's next? Worked in the studio yesterday ona simple collage project,

covering some composition books that I bought on sale. It was good. I was ferocious. Also cut up

2 felt pieces and framed them.

march 18 frustration

2010-03-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

at a low ebb.

experimenting with wet felting. some successes and some failures. it is very physically demanding work. i worked on a felted origami hat yesterday. creating blocks of color using a resist in center to create a 2-layer square. realized that i just do not have enough space or facilities to work larger in felting. i believe i will continue to work small for

the moment, experimenting with texture and color. frustrated, but not giving up.

renewing my efforts to understand myself and pushing forward creatively into the unknown. ah yes, the journey to the unknown!

ok. i have just

posted pics of what i have been working on and i have learned a lot. had some good lessons and results. i do appreciate the positives. i especially love the nuno felted purse. i like the fabric, colors, and materials. will try more along these lines.

felted spheres

2010-03-04T11:07:00.000-08:00

One of my first projects with felting is felted spheres. These spheres begin with a styrofoam orb which is then covered with strands of wool roving and various decorative yarns. The technique then is to stuff these delicately covered balls into a leg of a panty hose. I was not too successful with this technique, so I wrapped a square of a fine tulle around each wool-draped orb, and holding tight, dunked it into a tub of soapy water. Then began the felting rolling in my hands, with the tulle acting as a wool containment and provider of extra friction to accomplish the felting a bit sooner. I was happy with this process. I just walked around my garden in the sun, and talked on the phone, rolling, rolling, rolling. How quick and exciting the results were.

I decided to also try the washing machine method: wrapping then the hosiery legs, knotting between balls, and then throwing them in the washing machine on hot for a short cycle. I then, (probably not a good idea), tossed them in the dryer. These felted spheres were not as tightly shrunken around the styrofoam core as were the ones I did by hand. And so into the dryer they went! They turned out well-felted, but in all the tossing and turning, some ended up with flat sides, and uneven felt layers. The unevenness adds to the delight of this project, However, I prefer the hand method over which I have more control.

The wonderful felted spheres are now displayed in a tall cylindrical vase. I am thinking of leaving some as simply felted spheres and perhaps embellishing others to create a simple hanging.

I still have some styrofoam balls left... perhaps I'll play a bit later.

The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.

Hans Hofmann - abstract artist

the next 13 weeks...FELTING

2010-02-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

Finally, after 3 months I was able to attend to the cleaning up of my studio. It was a mess, so it was easy to tidy. The papers everywhere situation has been delaying my clean-up; I have wanted to sort images and pattern and types of paper. But I have been reluctant to begin this big reorganization. I finally realized that perhaps I am not yet ready to do so: not sure how to organize. So, I just tucked papers away in drawers and VOILA! they are off the work table! I still have several projects around the table: Wooden bases for mirrors - a metal embossing project of which I have completed one fabulous mirror! Misc. chaff all over.

Anyway, the cleaning up has begun enough to start my newest infatuation: wet felting. I have 2 new books: UNIQUELY FELT, by Christine White and EMBELLISH, STITCH, FELT by Sheila Smith. Both books have inspired me AND given me the tools I need to explore the medium of felting more intensely. I have begun at the beginning of Christine White's book with experimentation and simple projects: cording, nuno felting, felted balls. Wet felting is hard on my back, even tho I am trying to be correct in my posture.
But, I am so thrilled with the materials and the results, I can't wait to try the next "thing"!

To add to the studio clean-up, I have managed to, finally, clean out some cabinets downstairs that began as my first storage space for my artistic endeavors with my children and myself. I was cleaning up to ready for my youngest daughter's visit, when I just decided to JUST DO IT. 3 hours later, the garbage and recycling bins were filled up and a new pile of materials were added to my studio. Of course, these are still in boxes, bags, etc., on the studio floor. But, I am so happy to have accomplished the big clean out.

This does seem to be the year of cleaning out old stuff...what do i really need to save? After over 20 years in a house, all the small objects and piles that are saved and hidden in drawers need to be cleared out to make way for the new!

new year monday morning

2010-01-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

I have been mulling and mulling, which is what i often do and i have decided on a course of action. My 52 weeks project, which only went for 14 weeks, or a quarter of a year, a season, is on hold for perhaps another 14 weeks.

I am working on my felting. mira encouraged me to enter felt pieces for a book by Lark Books, 500 Felt Objects. So, i am currently working on a triptych: small felt circles on felt squares on larger squares. It's all about colors and shapes. The colors of my wool roving are so wonderful. I just love playing around with putting these colors together. One section is greens, another purples, and the third, is blues. The backgrounds are oranges and reds. After some experimentation with how to attach shapes to the background- red tape & needle felting- i decided on sewing with embroidery thread with quilt-like ties. I had wanted to leave the circles/squares unmarked by stitches; just wanting them to hang miraculously alone. However, when this didn't work out, i decided to stitch them with small tight ties, on the corners and in the middle. The first one looks good.

I had hoped to make them all the same size and perfectly spaced, but of course that is not how i work. I work by feel and eyeballing, and i love the imperfections in the end. A sense of ordering the chaos. Each individual piece is slightly different from the next, but there is a sense of commonality: colors and shapes are related to one another.

I am unsure whether to embellish these more... or to leave them minimal which is my first instinct. First instincts are good, but I am on a path to go beyond what I know. So, the question is
" Should I embellish or keep it minimal?"

I want to peel away layers and go with simplicity of form. Yet I am so attracted to small lovely embellishments which are layer upon layer. I am torn. I am fearful of ruining the simplicity of a piece and over-working it. Losing the original intent. But, I want to take risks and not be afraid to move into unknown territory and embellish.

I think I just talked myself into keeping it simple. Perhaps I will frame them with some sort of embellishments....Not yet sure.
What do you think? I have posted the first "completed" section. Minimal is good, or not enough....???

(Note: the colors are not as vivid as in person. This is another challenge: photographing the work.)

"ONIF"! (oh no, it's Friday!)

2009-12-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Quite a strange sentiment. I am working on accepting my life for what it is and how it progresses. Standing aside and allowing it unfold. (Thanks Gail :-) So, yes it is Friday and no, I haven't been in the studio all week. So much else to attend to! And so it goes. This is life. Trying to balance the demands of my life with the demands of my art. Sometimes, the artistic and the everyday merge and energize the other. Synergistic. And other times, one excludes the other.

My interests go in so many directions that I am continually distracted. This is who I am. I live in a chaotic world that is challenging at times, but also creative and unpredictable. I work on trying to focus my attentions to be able to enjoy some continuity in my life and in my art. The purpose of a large goal - the 52 weeks.

It's all about BALANCE- the intuitive sense....

"There's no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves: - Frank Herbert, author

the first day of the last month of the year

2009-12-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

Time goes faster and faster, spinning us throught the universe at a dizzying clip! I work on this and that, and the day is done!

Time slows down when I watch the entertaining show of squirrels, birds, dogs, and cats outside my office window. This small corner of the yard is a vortex, drawing in all nearby animals.

Time becomes suspended when creating art. No-time. An altered reality. These times also become part of my spiritual practice. Now that is a revelation!

I haven't been in the studio for 2 weeks, although I have done some felting in the house. I am longing to go out and work/clean up after my 2 week avoidance. Perhaps not so much an avoidance, as a change in priorities. I find myself drawn to work in the studio and totally disregard other responsibilities. So sometimes I choose to go that direction, then I follow up with a period of catching up on eBay, cleaning, etsy, friends and family. Although, I must say that if my daughter or granddaughter are around or need/want me to be with them, that usually is my priority. I also like to feed my husband John well after he returns from a day at work, bringing home the bacon.

I hope to make room in the studio for work on Ribbon Angels. And perhaps, also do a bit of wire bending in 3D.

In love and light.
lisa

NOVEMBER 30 - what's been happening....

2009-11-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

The month of November has proved to be a difficult one for me as far as keeping to my 52 weeks goals. I have been distracted by life- visitors, my granddaughter, cooking, cleaning (not so much), shopping... My appreciation for the devotion of artists who can manage to adhere to a daily or weekly regimen of art has increased greatly. I suspected that this would be a difficult, but worthwhile practise for me to establish. So hard to focus, easy to move on to other pursuits.

I have finally overcome my guilt (yes!) enough to return to my blog and re-establish a flow. This past month, I have done a lot of needle-felting- Santas, angels and a hat for Maya. I am so pleased with these felted projects. At the craft faire I showed at mid-month, I didn't make money, but I did meet some wonderful and helpful people. Jamie sent a link to a wonderful website - a line of boiled wool, embellished coats. Amazing! http://www.coveloclothing.com/index.htm

I also met the most lovely woman, Linda, who complimented me on my work and encouraged me to go to a quilt show as a vendor, where I might be better appreciated. She was absolutely positively inspiring!

I must add that my fellow vendors were kind, friendly, and more suited to this kind of craft faire. I remembered why I haven't done this kind of show for such a long time; it's hit or miss. I prepared for a big hit & I missed. However, the connections I made were serendipitous. Some new paths have appeared before me....

Shall I try to sell my crafted work at a Quilt Show in the Bay Area? A new venue out of my comfort zone, with the possibility of success.
I am drawn to the idea of coat designing and embellishing out of wool...New techniques and a serious new area of study.

Before I can delve into these possiblities, I feel that I must decide how to proceed on my 52 weeks project after my Month of Distraction.

Shall I dive back into the project? Which direction? Medium?
Do I want to pursue a particular course of study for a more prolonged length of time? (such as designing & felting large scale projects)
Has the project served its purpose? Or do I need to continue?

I will continue with the project...hopefully for a full year. The weeks that have gone by without any particulart clear focus or projects have served as learning experiences. I am learning so much about the creative process, MY CREATIVE PROCESS. Rises and falls. My mode of operation. Having a goal like this is a good way to push myself to explore options and ideas in a timely manner. So many years of saying, "I'd like to try that someday." Someday is here!

This week I want to try to make some Ribbon Fairies which I saw on Lisa Volraths website, http://www.tentwostudios.com Thank you Chris Em for the link.

Enough words for now.

A Messy Studio

2009-11-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the studio work is organizing and TIDYING. I tend to be very messy when I work. When I run out of room, I clean up. As I prepare for a craft show, the studio becomes chaotic. I work on many projects at once. I was hoping to make some more metal embossed mirrors, more felted Santas, more hair clips (to finish), and some cards. Pam has asked me to help with the awards for the Lodi Art Center's Small Works Show; we like to make wonderful small "ribbons"/awards for this show. This year we are going to make wired awards. I made a few prototypes this morning. We are hoping to work on them tomorrow. Wednesday through Sunday, we will be having guests and doing some visiting. I will be attempting to continue work on the above projects when I can.

Today I must also do some house cleaning-aargh!!!

end of week 13 and on to week 14

2009-11-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

it's been a busy week: felting and finishing polymer wreaths. had to take down my mask show on tuesday. have to find new places for them as i filled the wall space with other work for the studio tour. i have been working on my displays for the craft fair. i am putting the felted barrettes on halloween wigs. here is the unfinished display for the small hair clips with zinnia. she loves to pose for pictures! the wig is attached to a large gourd which i have had for years... i have 2 more wigs to display hair clips.

oops! & yahoo!

2009-10-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

worked on finishing 2 wreaths yesterday. attached one upside down to base and cracked a piece of the other one while gluing on spanish moss! (both similar circular red/green) i made about 8 marbled clay ornaments, which looked so beautiful. upon seeing them again, they are so plain, no depth. so today, i will attempt to attach gold foil, emboss, and stamp these to add some more dimension.

i created some Xmas ornaments when staffing the community art center on tuesday. i am so

pleased with these felted santas! i needle felted them using Wendsleydale curly wool. beautiful stuff!!! it's hard to see: they are embellished - eyes and mouth- with beads. not sure whether to use these as ornaments or pins...

trying to be patient with polymer clay

2009-10-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

i love the colors, the texture when still soft, the look after baking, polymer clay takes detail so well and patience for the detailing i have not. at least not in this area. i love mixing colors and achieving a tye-dyed, swirled color effect -each time unpredictable, beautifully different.

but working small in this medium is almost a must: so i use it in special situations. i have made a couple of masks from polymer clay, and now working on 3 wreaths. the first 2 are a series of overlapping circles. made of skinner blends - red to yellow and yellow to blue. each circle will have a half of a rolled bead on it. i used a special gloss varnish from fimo as i was not sure about using any of my other finishes; i under

stand that pieces can become sticky and this is not a good thing. i sprinkled some gold metallic perfect pearls powder over the first group of circles and mixed the powder and varnish then applied it, on the second set. 2 coats. should i coat the back???

third set is cooking: an angel and stars in a mix of silver and red, textured with a piece of lace. interesting and unexpected. if a common holiday theme.

and onto polymer wreaths

2009-10-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

i began working with skinner blends using a pasta machine to roll out the polymer clay (sculpey) i was using what i had (not much) to make 3 " circles and had to piece pieces of blended clay, which is time consuming and not really a reliable way to do this. but mostly lovely. i also just undermixed the colors so that the blends weren't continuous gradations, but with a bit more steaking of colors. i finally made it to Joann's and renewed my supply of clay to finish this first and maybe, more wreaths. only bought red, blue, yellow, and a bit of green ( to facilitate some color blending).

i will continue to work on this project. i am finding the goal of completing one medium a week is quite impractical, but a good starting point and also a guideline, not a rule. because i am enjoying the wire so immensely and working with it in a satisfying way, i am continuing on that particular path while the inspiration is there. forays with the polymer will be completed this week - for the wreaths. hope to use more skinner blends, cookie cutter shape and perhaps some image transfers.

as i have committed myself to a holiday craft fair in mid November, i am also continuing to finish some beaded necklaces and earrings, and more of the felted barrettes, which i adore! i bought a glass head and added a voluptuous halloween wig to display some barrettes, and also a gourd with purple sticky-uppy hair to display others. i want to attract some interest with the display.

so i have once again gone in many directions at once. my goal was to focus on one medium or technique at a time, but this is just not a possiblity in my world! it's what i aim for, but often the materials take me on an adventure. i must go! i feel good if i am working in the studio, enjoying the work, and hopefully, the results.

it's all good.

more wire sculptures

2009-10-25T11:30:00.001-07:00

i am really having fun with wire faces: all one continuous piece of wire- annealed black 16 gauge. these are hanging on the side of my garage/studio. orbs are another group of assorted sizes i have made and continue to make. i am picturing a room full of hanging orbs; many hanging wire spheres with special lighting. cool! but a big project. will continue to cogitate on this one. the images have been altered; i am liking the ones that become a line drawing with no dimension... i need to take a few more photos with my camera instead of my phone. (couldn't find the camera this morning and instead of searching endlessly, i opted to go with the alternative).

studio tour is over and now....

2009-10-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

i had a very fun and successful studio tour, if tiring. met lots of wonderful people, sold some jewelry and cards, and my two wire sculptures: the face and the fish.

i was asked to make more wire sculptures, which i hope to do this next month. but, for my 52 weeks project i am hoping to make some small wreaths for which i have forms: 2 wire hearts, and 3 rattan (?) circles. i am thinking perhaps felt and beading, but i will do some research today to see if i can incorporate some new materials.

i see now that in order to devote myself full-time to my 52 weeks project, art-wise, is not really possible as new ideas inspire other new, but maybe unrelated ideas. plus, life just has other things in store: my granddaughter, for example. and studio tours, art shows, housekeeping (not high on my list, but still there.)

i have also noticed how difficult it is for me to write daily. but in reality, this is the truth of my personality: if i don't have anything to say, i remain quiet. there is also the factor of getting back to writing after not writing for a bit. out of the groove and getting back in.

c'est la vie!

Hooked on Spheres

2009-10-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

orb in the sky and orb in the zinnias. my shadow to the right!

I have made 4 wire spheres of varying size this week; the first 2 are made from annealed wire (baling wire) and the 2 smaller ones are made from a copper wire. Both wires are 18 gauge, stiff yet pliable. I wind them as if I am winding a ball of yarn. I have tried to make small wire rou

nd beads, but have not yet been successful. They are not even close to being round. But I have not given up! I have also made a small 2 dimensional wire bird.

I bought some materials to make a 3 dimensional wire marble track, which I will continue to work on, as well as more wire twistings.

While the wire is great fun, it is also very hard on the hands. My thumbs do protest!

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

I took a photograph of my wire sphere in the sunlight and was taken by the way the wire reflected the light- it is black. So I altered the photo a bit further, saturating the color. I also love the unintentional shadow of myself at the bottom of the photo.

I am hoping to create some more wire sculptures today. Not sure what....

I also have a felted project which I began, but have been uncertain how to finish. I am thinking of embellishing with wire. I'll be certain to post results.

Wire wrapping and sculpture

2009-10-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have been working very small with 26 gauge wire, knitting & crocheting. I decided I needed to move on and go BIGGER! But I really had no idea what I wanted to do... So, i went online and started looking at wire sculptures from other artists. Inspiration! I have a roll of baling wire- it's thick, malleable, perfect for bending and holding a shape. I decided to do a face, starting with the eye and then on to the nose, ear, and the rest using only 1 piece of wire. I remembered when a high school class exhibited their 3D fish sculptures of baling wire at the Art Center. They were fabulous! Really creative, simple, and excellent when hung from the ceiling.

I had always wanted to try my hand at wire sculpture, but just never got around to it until now. This 52 weeks project definitely keeps me moving in new directions. And it's gloriously fun!

I also made a wire ball, wrapped like a ball of yarn. I intend to enter it in the Art Center's Small Works Show. Working with wire is instant gratification! Good for us impatient sorts.

a beautiful fall day

2009-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

cool morning. a perfect day for working and feeling the sun.

i am readying for the studio tour. began to set up outdoor tables and think about layout. because i love to move furniture so much (really), i want to change my studio around a bit. first, i am going around the room discarding, sweeping, finding new homes for stray items. it seems there is always piles of unfinished projects - not necessarily a bad thing, but seeing the same old projects unfinished can be demoralizing or a call to action. i did finish a wind chimes that i began when i first started fusing glass; completed it and hung it up! that really juices me up!

i'm ready for more!

finished another knitted wire band. also managed to crochet a bit of wire, just simply, as well. want to create a piece with these, but no ideas yet...

it is about time! week 10

2009-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

it's amazing how fast time flies by when you are trying to adhere to a schedule! i am not a disciplined person; i find it difficult to follow a set routine. boredom? undisciplined? i prefer to think of it as the wacky way of the creative personality! however, this project is my attempt to learn to work consistently while also exploring and expanding my boundaries. this is certainly challenging.

of course, life does affect the keeping to the challenge: i have spent almost 2 weeks out of town in september.

week 9 and part of week 8 are lost... i hope to make up those 2 weeks, or perhaps this is part of the experiment? life happens. ipart of the time was spent drawing zentangles (just a few). on the last trip i made no artistic efforts other than to deliver my felted lollipop flowers wall hanging to my sister-in-law and her new husband! also, how can one possibly work with an adorable granddaughter around?

can work hard in my studio, but life holds other experiences that make the accomplishment of portions of this work nearly

impossible to complete. that is certainly a valuable lesson.

Week 10 is a meshing of work i have started in the past and not completed with some wire work with which i hope to finish these projects and perhaps begin some new ones. i love to needle-felt wool and have made numerous flowers to use as bracelet/cuffs. the problem was making a band which was adjustable.

i began with a felted strap held closed with velcro for some room for adjustment, but wrists just vary too much to make a band one size.

my daughter, emi, suggested i crochet the strap and use a button to slip through the stitches to close the bracelet. brilliant idea! my crochet skills are very limited. my knitting skill is a bit

more elevated: i can knit. i did want to use a more durable material than yarn, so i used a 26 gauge wire. i have wanted to play with wire knitting and crocheting after seeing some bracelets made of wire and beads. the work becomes lacy and weblike, yet strong.

i will try to do some crocheting- wish me luck!

i will continue also to clean and tidy the studio for the studio tour on the 17 & 18 of october. it's a wonderfully busy autumn!

In the groove

2009-09-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

so good to be home and working in the studio. most of my masks are faces only, no hair, etc. so i have been re-examining them to see which ones need tweaking. the garden goddess has received green wool felted hair. i am happy with the result (i think). she needed some softening. i have a tendency to keep on embellishing, overworking- not knowing when to stop. it is a difficult balance to achieve: just enough, but not too much.

“There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves”

Frank Herbert

(American science fiction Author and Writer 1920-1986)

i believe this is week 7

2009-09-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

my trip to chicago interrupted week 6. my intention was to zentangle myself silly. however, not much time was devoted to drawing. i have posted my meager efforts. it is different working out of one's home environment. disciplin becomes much more important: setting up a time and a place to work.

this week i will be finishing up masks, labels, etc for my solo mask show october 2-31 at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi, California. The reception is on October 2 from 5:30 -8:30pm- with wine, music, and friends.

my theme for this week will be felting- i will work on creating a few atcs, and finishing up some hair clips, brooches, and perhaps fashion a felt mask of mira's lovely face!

i am flexible with my themes. what i work on is affected by what is going on in my life, not just a projected creative work flow. hence, since i need to work on felting projects, that is what i shall work on! i am happy as long as i am creating, experimenting, and learning.

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
- Ursula Le Guin

back home

2009-09-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

i'm home again. my visit to chicago was filled with lots of other stuff; not much time for drawing! i did some zens in the airport and on the plane.

upon my return, i also completed my 2 sewn paper masks:

i decided they needed some "hair". i believe this was an improvement. i sewed some shredded money onto the masks.

ZENS in CHICAGO

2009-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

must leave soon for plane with sister Andrea to Chicago for cousin's wedding. my plan for my 52 weeks is to draw zentangles. doodle meditation. a sketchbook and a pen. easy peasy. will try to write while gone....

i did manage to complete a wonderful mask made from papier mache and bark with a small embossed metal eye. this mask assembled itself with a bit of help from me!

the bark is from a river birch tree from my friend amy's house and sycamore bark from my local park- gleaned from the ground.

clean up /finishing day

2009-08-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

when i am in between projects, cleaning my studio clears my head. my work space becomes very chaotic which is fine when i'm in the midst of the chaos. but when i am not involved in a bunch of projects, i look at the wonderful mess and feel the urge to tidy up. clean up and create some space for new ideas. it's a matter of the physics principle of entropy:

from Wikipedia - "Entropy has often been loosely associated with the amount of order, disorder and/or chaos in a thermodynamic system . The traditional qualitative description of entropy is that it refers to changes in the status quo of the system and is a measure of "molecular disorder" and the amount of wasted energy in a dynamical energy transformation from one state or form to another.

"In Greek myth, Chaos is the original dark void from which everything else appeared. According to Hesiod's Theogony (the origin of the gods), Chaos was the nothingness out of which the first objects of existence appeared. In a similar way, the book of Genesis in the Bible refers to the earliest conditions of the Earth as "without form, and void."

Out of the disordered, dark state of chaos comes everything! That's my story and i'm stickin' to it!

sewn paper mask 2

2009-08-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

i used the shimmery watercolors by luminarte to paint the mask. beautiful colors and beautiful glimmer. they are solid watercolors in small jars. i wanted the gold stitching to show up more prominently. i'm not sure if this was the result, perhaps a bit more visible. the colors are exciting! it's either all or no color for me!
i finished off the outside and inside with a polyurythane varnish for extra shine.

a thread of connection

2009-08-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

i have discovered in an aha moment that my work involves creating a whole from many dissimilar parts. paper collage certainly is in this category, as is the mosaic work which i love to do (my patio, small mixed media pieces).

i love the idea of patchwork: making sense of a jumble of different materials, images colors, textures. to make order out of the chaos. that is what i do. i looked up patchwork in the thesaurus and found the word "salmagundi". a wonderful word. i reintegrate salamagundi- take the pieces and put them together to create a new "whole".

week #4 already?

2009-08-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

week number 4 and i am thinking about is my solo mask show the first friday of october, the art center studio tour that i am participating in mid-october, leaving for chicago in 1-1/2 weeks and going to bend, oregon at the end of september. lots to do to get ready and lots of time spent going other places!

i am excited about my travels- to chicago and bend for weddings. i finished 2 felted pieces for wedding gifts. (see august 14) i have framed the one for my cousin Rachel. it looks wonderful! i need to figure out how to wrap it so i can bring it with me on the plane. the piece for my sister-in-law isn't yet framed but will be going to a wonderful local framer before i leave for chicago. i am recycling an old frame that i can use with a double matte.

i have a sewn mask made of paper from an asian poetry book, an old textbook, old sheet music, and my 1800s 2-volume dictionary. i used gold metallic thread, which doesn't show up well on the white paper. i am thinking of using my shimmery watercolors to show off the stitching. although i do love just the effect of the white and black of the text. i was so tempted to just glue the collage mask with matte medium, but i decided to adhere to my method for the week and sew the mask in sections which i then glued down onto the papier mache mask. i will be taking this week to finish this mask, and the other sewn mask, which needs something....

the 3rd papier mache mask which i started is being covered with sycamore bark. the bark was waiting for me at the park and it just called to be made into a mask! it is leading me away from my paper sewing, but also leading into this week's new material, BARK!!! i have already made several of my sewn atcs with river birch bark which is very layered and papery. it works wonderfully well with the paper. the sycamore bark is too thick to be sewn through, though i may be able to wrap it and stitch on the paper base, in addition to using heavy gel medium.

i am going where the materials and projects are taking me, in an unexpected direction, which i love! this is what 52 weeks is about! so, finish up all three masks: painting, embellishing, and glueing and sewing bark.

a good week

2009-08-21T08:55:00.001-07:00

i completed 3 papier mache masks: my face, my mom's and one from my daughter as a child. papier mache is so easy: flour, water, and newspaper. i usually have these ingredients.

my mother's face is almost complete. i sewed the faced in several sections, then sewed them all together before placing on the mask. this mask came together easily. i have included a photo of my mom and sisters, a mailman to represent my father, and several related texts.

i have begun work on my face: i gathered some sycamore bark from the park which when broken into 3 pieces seemed to fit the face. i adhered them, hopefully with heavy gel medium. i haven't checked to see how that went.

more sewing atcs and 2 felted ones. i am hoping to improve my ability to capture my work in photos .

masks today!

2009-08-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

i have 2 plaster life masks - myself and of my mom. i have covered them with aluminum foil and will get to covering them with papier mache and then sewn paper. the paper sewing is becoming fun. i have sewn multiple small sewn collaged pieces together to create the first mask. it all came together so fast! i just started sewing paper that was in my reach and the creative juices led me on!

yes, it is the end of week 3!

2009-08-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

whoa! the last 2 weeks were spent struggling with the sewing of paper to fabric and to paper. paper to fabric is more difficult, unless of course the fabric is not too thick and is stiff. i discovered that machine sewing paper to paper can be fun and have wonderful results. i did have trouble with free form sewing on the machine.... i didn't drop my feed dogs! must try doing this today.

my project for week 4 will be the creation of a mask out of stitched paper affixed to a plaster life mask. i believe i now have a few skills to be able to accomplish this.

more machine sewn atcs

2009-08-15T09:00:00.001-07:00

the first 2 cards were tacked onto parchment paper
with matte medium, then sewn when dry. the next atc was built from the top down: sewing 2 pieces together, then adding another piece below it, etc. this was a good way to sew together paper without having to tack or preplan design. it took shape more organically than the others.

the last atc shown here was built with 2 larger and sturdier pieces of paper - the green paper and the sheet of music. the other pieces were just sewn on top without a need to tack into place.

sewing small paper collages

2009-08-14T10:33:00.001-07:00

i decided to scale back my sewing collage projects and worked on card size collages and atc collages. here are 2 of the atcs. the card collages on posted on my flickr.

i realized that is was so much easier to keep the small work organized for sewing by dabbing a bit of matte medium on each piece which i then attached to a piece of cooking parchment paper. this helped to give these small collages a bit of stability and so much easier to sew. today i will work on a few more small paper sewn pieces.

felting on the side

2009-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

i have been felting the last month and cannot seem to stop. i ordered some wonderful felt from sara's texture crafts on etsy. the colors are amazing! i have become enamored of felt squares and circles. http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

i am attending 2 weddings in september and decided to make the gifts - felted wall hangings. i have made them both. i haven't decided how to frame them; but will take them in to be framed next week. perhaps in a double matted glassed frame. i am hesitant about leaving the felt open to the elements (dirt/dust in particular).

the felting itself is very calming. i love forming it with my hands. fiber sculpture, sort of...
and of course, i am continuing to make brooches and hair clips from felt. i am documenting all this here so i don't forget that i was busy with other projects beside the main 52 week projects. a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

i have a very clever friend, mira, who has reminded me that if i look back on what i have done, i will be able to see the common threads which run through my work and define me as an artist. one revelation i had this morning while driving in the car, is this: i work in bold strokes and am less interested in the details, than the whole. i have been looking at some beautifully detailed and crafted needle felting with embroidery. i love the hand sewing detail, but it is just not my thing! i become too impatient! i am more of an expressionist in my work. the process is my focus and what excites me most, especially when it expresses my vision.

thursday already?

2009-08-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

i thought i had written in the blog in the last couple days, but i guess i just thought about it! i was very frustrated with my green fabric and paper stuffed collage project. i let it sit a day and then decided i could fix it by cutting off a piece. here is the unfinished, as yet green collage and 2 cut off pieces. i made atcs from the small cut offs. i am going to try to fix the filling and iron the piece to see if i can "straighten" it out.

monday afternoon

2009-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

i did figure out the poor green paper/fabric collage. i cut off the end where the fabric seemed bunched, took out some stitching and re-stitched. am getting ready to iron and finish the sides and back. yay! it seems that i do best when really having to overcome a project that has gone awry. it certainly is a good way to push myself beyond my usual stuff and creating something new and exciting. if maybe not always fantastic, the process is transformative.

i have taken the smaller piece of this piece i cut off and cut it into 2 pieces, zig-zagged the edges and will mount them onto an atc blank. cool.

saw some fabulous fabric atc cards on sanna's blog: transferred photos on fabric, then embellished, felted, bejeweled. more inspiration! thanks, sanna. (sannasartmind.blogspot.com)

monday morning....

2009-08-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

recovering from a really bad art day. i worked on my green paste paper on fabric with quilting wall hanging. i am not an experienced quilter, nor am i a patient and meticulous person. so i just tried to blaze away on my sewing machine (i did pin everything together!). alas, i used lots of stuffing and created a sort of a puckery piece. i just kept sewing away hoping to tame the folds, but gave up when i became totally frustrated. always a good idea to step away when things go bad...

this is a potential problem with this 52 weeks project: i tend to need to step away from projects for awhile when they don't go as planned, or the plan hasn't revealed itself to me. this is a good disciplin for me. so difficult to be consistent and keep it moving. today i will return to the scene of the crime and investigate.

after the green collage fiasco, i attempted some atcs and they just weren't coming together.
i decided to avoid the studio for the rest of the day!

today is going to be another scorcher - 100 degrees or so... so, i will take zoe (my dog) to the park to play, then head to the studio to work. i did receive an exceptionally inspirational set of atcs from my friend phyllis. on one she sewing a photo fragment "Papiers" (pictured to the right.) i like the idea of embellishing with sewing paper, photos, tags, etc. perhaps i will head in this direction. thanks phyllis! you rock!

favorite tool week 2

2009-08-08T16:12:00.001-07:00

MY SEWING MACHINE IN ITS NEW HOME.

week 2 sewing paper

2009-08-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

sewing paper has been interesting. scrapbooking weight paper is not ideal nor fun to sew. it's better to glue! sewing with a thinner weight paper, tissue, or rice paper is so much easier and hangs better due to its suppleness. also, it's not a battle getting the needle through the paper! i do really like the look of the paper sewn to fabric and then quilted with a layer of batting. great soft sculptural look and feel.

i have also loved using just one color family together. i tend to sort my collections of stuff by color. hmmmmm... i have another paper/fabric collage started: it is being sewn by machine and then quilted.

i did not accomplish a lot of projects this week, however, i did manage to find a spot for my sewing machine in the studio and arranged my fabrics all in one location. this is also part of my year long project: to adapt my studio to my art needs.

for week three, i will finish my green collage and make a collection of atcs sewn by hand and/or machine. i also hope to do more fabric/paper monochromatic collages or projects.

purple paper sewing - week 2

2009-08-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

this is the first of the projects for this week: sewing paper! i sewed the papers onto a rectangular piece of fabric by hand, added the batting (sp?) layer, and another fabric on the back. folded over frayed edges onto front and sewed with machine, then did a bit of machine quilting to create more texture and cohesiveness. it is approximately 6" x 12".

sewing regular scrapbooking type papers is not fun and they get creased and really show the mistakes! the paste paper and tissue paper i used was fun to sew, although i get very impatient: i want to go faster! i must remind myself to take a deep breathe and relax.

i spent several hours this morning cleaning out a corner of the studio to create a sewing area. found a spot for fabric, a sewing table (had to move my stamping and embossing stuff to the big desk). this is the second part of my 52 weeks: further organizing my studio, refining material selection (throwing stuff away!), making the space more user friendly. after all, the studio space is filled with many years (34?) of accumulated materials of all sorts. i can't use materials if i cannot find them! so i did my final machine sewing in the studio.

i have some fabric and paper cut out for a green mixed sewing piece. will start tomorrow as i must get ready to go to sacramento in an hour.

yes it is week 2!

2009-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

i have decided to pursue some more paper projects and techniques: weaving and sewing.
the first project which i have started is a monocolor paper on fabric strip collage. i have several purple patterned papers, tissue paper, and some paste paper from another time. i have torn and "glue basted" in place the paper onto the fabric. i will be sewing this piece by hand. off to work!

end of week 1

2009-08-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

my "tortured" book became a "deconstructed" book. i was happy with the results after i let go of expectations of what the finished book "should" or "could" look like. the key is enjoying and getting into the creating process. there were techniques i didn't utilize while manipulating my paper without paint or additional images. i did use glue, acrylic medium, string, a button, and a bit of charcoal (on the embossed ship page to reveal the image and age the frame).

this was a good warm up project/week. i have fallen in love with pockets. the book project is complete without pockets, so i did a couple of sample ATCs with paper pockets. (thanks Trish)

as i worked this week, i realized some important things:

it helps to give myself an assignment with limitations. i tend to be indecisive about which direction(s) to go when i am working. it is wonderful to say, "this is your challenge... you may only use the textbook (printed paper) with no additional images or color or objects." i did mostly follow the rules, but since i made the rules i can also break them when i have good reason to! getting focused!

i am so happy to be sharing my project with other artists. thank you so much.

i will be making ATCs to save as samples of the week's work. they are small; easily created and saved due to size (2.5" x 3.5") . this will be a good way for me to document what i have been doing and learning in addition to other projects.

i like pockets and putting things in them.

just about finished -deconstructed book

2009-07-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

i love it! i pulled it apart, glued it back together, wove pages, tied, wrapped, and now i believe it's finished. it has a nautical, explorer feel to it. "a journey into the wilderness" is one of the quotes.
i believe that i need to add a detail on the front (a button or such), but haven't found it yet. it was indeed a journey, or perhaps the prelude to the larger journey....
some more pictures...

book progressing...

2009-07-29T11:19:00.001-07:00

i do like what is becoming of the tortured book. it has become a de-contructed book. all the folding and tying, etc, that i did at first in the beginning of the book was all crowded and made no sense. so i ripped it out, a piece at a time, and added it somewhere else. i am glad that i stuck with the book, even though i wasn't really liking it too much. after a couple of days not working on it, some ideas popped into my head and renewed my interest in continuing to work on it. i also just kept telling myself that i was not doing this necessarily to achieve a certain finished product, which i think was in the back of my mind when i began.
i said (to myself) "just enjoy the process. try new things, don't think about what you are doing too much. just work as the creative self guides you."

it does help me to talk to talk to myself. how about you?

i do like it

2009-07-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

i do like the tortured book. i decided to accept it for what it is....

i am trying to mold some of the paper in the cut out frame. it's a plastic raised image of a ship, but it may not be raised enough to really impress the heavy book pages. i may need to do some rubbing over the template.

it is going to be difficult to do a project in one medium at a time. i usually like to work on something until i am stuck (sometimes that doesn't take long) and then work on something else. i need time for what i see to sink in and until i can see something i want to do or feel the inspiration to proceed. truly a challenge to push to continue to work!

on a path

2009-07-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

well, i have decided to create a year long project for myself to find a direction! i find myself wandering around different materials and dabbling, but it all feels so disconnected and purposeless. i don't usually have a problem playing in the studio, but i am in need of structure! i will be experimenting and learning about new techniques using paper, fabric, felting, metal, yarn, string, clay... one new technique a week. i will create materials for use in other projects and create small projects each week. i am hoping to have fun and to also have some sort of artistic epiphanies! i must keep my work; well, at least, show it.

i began with an altered book: it is a book from 1898- a textbook. i had mixed feelings about cutting, tearing, etc. this lovely old book, however, it has just been on a shelf and of no interest to anyone. So, i fearfully began to fold, cut, rip, tie pages at random. i just wanted to manipulate the pages without adding color or outside images. it is a bit strange, but a new thing for me. i still have some additions to make.

my altered book in progress...
it looks so tortured, folded , cut, tied....