Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog

Berries and the weekend

berries_july2016

The weekend was on the calm side. The weather was stormy and cool, perfect for making soup and enjoying a few movies. Sunday, I managed to prod the mighty blackberry picker to go check his crop (which happens to be HUGE this year!). He thought they wouldn’t be ripe yet. Ha! After picking about 2 gallons, he was done for the day. Give it another 2-3 days and we’ll have that much more to pick again. We froze them on sheet trays then put them through a food vacuum system to help keep freezer burn from getting at them before a cider weekend. Organic backyard grown blackberries…. so tasty!

scroll saw platform

Design work took a break this weekend because my brain was tired. Instead, I created extra support for cutting the 2ft x 2ft squares. Legs are still needing to be attached , but the piece is sanded and otherwise done for now. It will be nice not to worry about the work getting overly stressed by hanging off the metal platform as it’s being cut.

multiplepapercuts_geverettstudio2016

We had our favorite neighbor over to check out the paper-cuts thus far. The newest one, still in development, is situated in the upper right corner and will become an apple leaf/branch/fruit design. I also spent a little time on the pulp mill site for Halsey to find out that Douglas Fir is their main chip/pulp material. This means I could end up doing either a tree ring piece or some nice fir cones. The tree rings will most likely win.

Hopefully I’ll be finishing off the remaining square designs this week and start manufacturing the following. The large panel center design has been chosen(the Cross Bros. Seed & Grain building), but I still need to figure out all the connecting bits to hold everything in place. The two outer panels have yet to be designed but the subject is known.

Time for a bit of dinner and more relaxing. Monday will be here soon enough!

Clover

Clover_geverettstudio2016

This was probably the quickest hand-cut paper piece I’ve done so far. I’ll probably alter the arrangement a tad more, to keep better connection to the sides. Clover is quite an abundant crop in the Halsey area due to the local honey producers. Back in 2014, when I created the camas project, I made sure to use local beeswax from an apiary that keeps hives in that area. Clover, radish, and meadow foam are popular bee/honey crops here in the Willamette Valley.

The above work will become part of a public art piece in Halsey, Oregon as part of The Arts Center of Corvallis Art in Rural Communities program. There will be 13 metal panels focusing on agriculture in the Halsey area.

The Big Picture

From the Land_Halsey 2016_geverettstudio

I’m a tad tired today and not feeling very productive. Tomorrow is the first scheduled deadline for the project: The plan for the art installation in the specific space and short description for the community and property owner. Hopefully the above diagram will provide enough general information for all parties involved. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon working on a short description.

So far my work all focuses on plant life. I’ve been considering doing buildings and other architectural landmarks, but it just doesn’t feel right. The quilt-ish feeling of the work leans towards the Amish/Mennonite history of the area. Agriculture and the paper mill are the dominate jobs in the area. I really want to keep the three long panels as a triptych of the landscape to the west. The small center squares will show hands that are grasping or shaking (as in friendship,community, or unity). It feels like it’s coming together. Hopefully others will like the concept!

More cut paper to come. Designs to come: grass, apples/pears (home gardens), cut trees, clover?, and a couple more!

Wheat trio

wheat3.1_geverettstudio

I went a little crazy with this hand-cut paper piece. Is is do-able for the cut metal work? Probably not. The complexity is way too high! However, I can always crop and alter more. The inside cut zone is 8″ x 8″, subject is wheat. Wheat is one of the major crops grown around the Halsey area. Grass seed is still probably the largest crop and my next image to work on. Time to sideline the wheat for now and push forward with the next agricultural crop!

My body is getting better and the neurological problems are subsiding. It’s nice not to be in constant discomfort!

Perennial Rye grass and Fescue are the next subjects to explore!

Wheat and shingles

early wheat cut_geverettstudio wheat test_geverettstudio

I finished the first wheat trial and it’s received loads of interest with my FB friends. I’ll continue playing with this form by adding in a few additional stalks to the design (or going for more of a micro view by zooming in on the kernels). The work needs to cover a 2 ft x 2 ft square and it’s current rendition would leave too many loose ends and not enough connection to 3 of the 4 sides. The photos are taken on top of my light table, hence the golden background color.

ech 1_july 2016

I’ve been experiencing a different twist in my health this past week. I’m not normally one to take naps during the day, but my body craved it (and I was out for hours) Nerve pain has escalated into a bunch of my body parts, not just the feet and hips. The last time I experienced a similar feeling was during a shingles attack 6 years back. Ah ha! Can it really be that?! Not that it makes any difference, but at least I can understand the issue better.

Today I had to forgo the early morning trip to Eugene for the annual running/walking of the Butte to Butte. I had hopes of actually participating this year, but my body still isn’t happy. I’ll just hang at home with the dogs and enjoy the beautiful weather! Below it a photo of the running/walking group in the street where I grew up. My brother Mike(center), his wife and his two sons are there, my husband, plus niece and her boyfriend. The photo was taken by my sister. Happy 4th!

Wheat Start

wheat start1_geverettstudio

After lunch today, I set aside the hazelnut design and started playing with wheat. Wheat fields are so beautiful to drive by. They have such a uniform look, so perfect in height, such a soft appearance. To watch the flow of wind through a yellow ripened field…ahhhh, just lovely on a summers day. Of course, if you grind up those grains and force me to consume them, all hell breaks loose in my body! Yes, I’m a true Celiac diagnosis. At least I can appreciate the beauty of the fields as they mature in our area of Oregon.

Creating the hand-cut paper panel of Wheat is going to be a bunch of work! Lots of skinny lines and tight areas to cut. I’ll keep progressing forward and see what comes out. The above image is a small practice piece to see how it feels to cut the grains. I think it will end up looking pretty good.

Happy Friday and start to a long holiday weekend!

A+B=C?

combination of filbert_geverettstudio Sometimes adding two images together is the answer. Or not. I’m still undecided. I like the leaf cuts and I also like the developing filbert clusters. After playing around with the printer, tracing paper, shrinking & enlarging, I might have found a possible answer for this panel. Below is the 8″ x 8″ hand cut paper piece.

Filbert trial 3_geverettstudio

More to ponder now that it’s done. Probably a bit too fussy and I should just stick to the leaf composition and keep the filbert clusters to their own. Yes, it’s become overly complex for viewing at a distance….

Time to start work on the next panel: Wheat. I’ll revisit the filberts in a few weeks.

And for those wondering what I’m using for paper: The red is Canson and the black is Strathmore. All cuts are via my trusty XACTO Blade.

And yes, this is still part of the design process for an upcoming public art work to hang in Halsey, Oregon, thanks to The Arts Center of Corvallis.

Second Attempt

nut cluster_geverettstudio

Today I’m continuing work on figuring out the best way to portray the influx of Hazelnut crops into the Willamette valley. Halsey and surrounding communities have their share of newly planted orchards. The above piece focuses on the actual developing nut cluster with their wild paper coverings. The current crop is on the young side. Come fall, the brown nuts will be dropping and the farmers will be gathering them up. The above hand-cut paper image is wild and full of lots of jagged cut lines. I can see some areas I like and others that are less appealing. I’ll keep working on this image tomorrow. My fingers are about done in for the day.

Not seen the real thing? The developing shells are still a creamy yellow-green color and won’t be turning brown for a bit more time. The leaves are very soft to handle. nuts_geverettstudio2016

This design (or something similar) will become part of the public art piece in Halsey Oregon. The project is part of Art in Rural Communities through the Arts Center of Corvallis.

Filbert start

Monday I started playing with a filbert design that’s been rattling around my brain for the past couple of days. This time I jumped over a couple of design steps and went quickly to cutting on an 8″x8″ square. Below is the flip side of the work.

The distinctive developing nut clusters remains missing from this first trial. I still need to figure out an appropriate placement among the leaves. This trial is more about making sure the leaves read well enough for figuring out what the image actually represents.

Another idea is to just do the nut cluster and forget the leaves, but I really like the leaf structures. Decisions, decisions…Time will tell.

filbert trial1_geverettstudio

This work will eventually become a public art exhibit installing in Halsey, OR, mid September 2016. It’s part of the Art in Rural Communities project though the Arts Center in Corvallis, Oregon.

Working with pain

10" x 18" wood cut fern. — 10″ x 18″ wood cut fern.

Thursday hasn’t been particularly fun. I spent most of last night tossing and turning due to sciatic nerve pain. When I got up, the pain continued. I tried to take it easy, laying low, but that doesn’t make it better. So I decided to work on a couple of items for the garden sale on Saturday.
Wednesday night I queried my good friend, a major garden enthusiast, about the new design and possible color choices. She gladly put forward some excellent ideas and I’ll hopefully have a couple of new items for sale during the event.

The Cozy Rose Art Sale and Open Garden in Brownsville! Yes, I’ll really be there with botanically inspired art. A portion of ALL sales goes to help The Arts Center At-Risk Youth Education Program. So come help a great cause and fill your gardens and home with fun art! All the remaining boxes arrived today! 12 total and ready to receive cutting, once I get my designs figured out.

That’s all for today. Hopefully I’ll share the finished garden goodies tomorrow.