Border Collie Print: second block

Looks like it will be a toss up between two blocks now. Block #1 took on a …. well…. lemur like ear appearance yesterday. Rather tufty and not what I wanted. Kind of difficult to add back to the block.

To satisfy my need to get things right, I started another block.

I really like certain aspects of the first block and now parts of the second. Time will tell which block wins.

I’m also reminding myself that this is all a learning experiment. More dog studies will yield better work.

(above) My design board filling with images of dog friends!

Border Collie print contd.

Rogue is slowly coming forward from the block. Some of his black spots have disappeared and his nose is a bit funky, but no worries. It’s still the boy! Kind of dreading getting into the ear section and have yet to decide how the background will come together. Also contemplating the ball… yes there is going to be a ball involved, but what sort? Do I stay with what he had (a snowball) or go for a smooth ball that could be colored in later? Hmmm. More to think about.

Animal Crackers Pet Supply is already interested in having some of the images for sale during the holiday. It’s certainly helping push my motivation! What will be the next dog to work on? Yikes!

Portals Project: day 8

Today progress was made!  The casement finally fits the sculpture. This took many hours of increasing the interior dimensions to squeeze the piece in. Lots of sanding & chisel work. Probably would have been easier if I had just gone out and purchased new wood.  I also tested the lighting just for fun.  Ahh, it’s finally coming together! Don’t forget that it will be up for auction at The Arts Center in Corvallis.

and now lighted!

I actually don’t have the lights afixed to the interior as of yet. Two strips of wood have been cut and stained for aiding the lights. A large ugly hole has been cut in the casement bottom. Time to pull out the router to clean things up. That will be tomorrow. Enough for today’s endeavors.

Portals Project: day 7

Our first frosty morning was spent cutting hemlock boards in the garage.  Cold! Why do I decide to work on wood projects during cold weather? Why not during the summer? Guess they just never surface during warmer weather… or the garage is too hot during the summer. Picky, picky, picky! 😉

This is the casement that will hold the art work. I’ll also be creating an elevated base to house the transformer & wiring for the lights. The below image was taken prior to sanding.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that working one project a day is probably not the best approach. I’m feeling like time/due dates are pressing in.  Block prints need finishing and editions run. Plus new images need to start. Splitting my day between sculpture & printmaking might be the solution. Here is the start of the new border collie print. Rogue, owned by very good friends Tracie & Sean, is the subject matter. He is laying down with a ball right next to his snout.  Block size is 5.75″ x 5.75″. You’ll be able to read it better in a few days…

Portals project: day 6?

Here are images of the covered piece. Looking  a bit like alien tissue samples or possibly dragon. Hummm….. another world!

close up look:

the flip side:

Lighting and framing to come. Picked up some short LED strips at IKEA on Sunday. Think they will work just fine except the cords are so horribly long. Shortening? I’ll have to grab my electrician to do the work and make it look pretty.

Portals Project: day 4

Today was about tubes: getting them covered, secured and starting the sewing process.

Where I started this morning: Nothing terribly new…

Close up of the coffee paper:

Covering a tube. Kind of reminds me of cow trachea or a caddis fly during their water stage.

All three tubes covered:  it will get better in a few days!

Now on to the stitching which proved harder than I originally thought!

It’s certainly taking on an organic look as it progresses.  Very reminiscent of blood vessels, trachea and what have you. My flow of energy towards this work is greatly improved.  At some point soon, I’ll be needing to compose my thoughts into writing to accompany the work. What is it’s meaning? What is it’s title?  So far I’ve been contemplating the title “Within”.  Probably lingering thoughts about how bone marrow can stop producing platelets (my mom) plus blood cancer and how works against the body (my dad). More to mull over…

Portals Project: day 3

Today was a paper testing day. Since I have only produced three sheets of the coffee dyed paper I wanted to use some of the heavily textured (& no coffee) paper as a trial for gluing techniques.

Back in August I created a “panel” to demo my concept. Now that the main work is in progress, the panel has become an excellent test unit. I curved it to fit around several tea candles and covered it with sections of paper & PVA glue.

close look at an opening

A look at the back

Closer look at the stitched area.

So far I think this will work with the new structure. I’m intrigued by the crinkled texture of the paper and how it makes me think of intestine, but more durable than the hog gut available.  There is a coat made from intestines in the Jensen Arctic Museum collection that reminds me of this appearance. The stitching was inspired by a jeweler. Actually there have been several works I’ve seen of late with interesting stitching… I think the portal piece just might have some too.

Portals Project: day 2

So, I’ve reached a break in the day and thought progress photos were called for. Plus my fingers hurt from wire work!

Here is today’s progression: Finished attaching 16g wire to staples and started stringing 22g across surface.

Tunnel starts…

3 tunnels attached… Now I have to figure out how many total to create and finish the surface wire work.

The smell of hog intestine in an enclosed home really isn’t grabbing me right now. I’ve decided to try a different method of utilizing tracing paper: texture the heck out of it and stain it with coffee grounds. A much nicer smell than salty intestines! Below is the start of my paper testing, pre coffee.

I’ll be pulling the paper out of the coffee grounds and allowing them to dry in our fall sunshine. Fingers will rest until tomorrow!

Portal Project start

The clock is ticking towards the delivery date in November for the Arts Center’s Winter Show & Silent Auction.  This years theme is “Portals” . When I initially signed up for the project, my motivation was high. Ideas were flowing left & right. Here we are at mid October and I’m wondering where did they go? Actually the ideas are still there, just taking on a little different form. The initial plan contained a sort of a worm hole or internal organ look created using wire and hog gut, framed in hemlock. The wire work is pretty straight forward, but how to attach it to a frame & not look horrible, that will be the trick.

Today I worked on interior frame that will receive wire and gut.

The wood is recycled hemlock trim from one of the doors in the house. I yanked the nails, sanded the heck out of it and stained it with a dark walnut Danish Oil. Peew! It’s still out gassing and probably not the best thing to be breathing in. The main frames are secured together using wood glue and dowels. Spacer blocks are attached using wood screws.

16 g. annealed wire is attached to staples with thinner wire.

Currently, it has the look of a bottomless fruit box with goofy looking wire trim.

It will take on an exterior covering and LED lighting system. Yes, I just can’t stay away from lit works right now.

Show dates:  November 25 to December 24, 2011.

Silent auction begins at 5:30 November 25 and ends Dec 17th.

Labradoodle print: second try

It’s always so easy to make a wrong cut when working with block prints. On examination of the first block I realized Reggie’s lower jaw had just become hair. So, I pulled out another block and started over.

It’s getting pretty close to completion now!