In like a Lion…

Maybe that should be referring to a sick lion! Hard to believe it’s already the beginning of March. Deadlines fast approaching and I’m laying in bed with over a 100 degree temp. Not quite how I envisioned my time! I have been rather reclusive these days, only going out into large groups for dinner events and with the high numbers of folks participating in Chocolate Fantasy, well, viruses can be passed along. Fortunately I did complete the prints for the “leftover print exchange” and they are ready to be mailed. Wow, actually done before the deadline on the calendar! Hurray! And while I was at it  I bundled up a blank journal for a girlfriend in Colorado. Another big Hurray! Now I need to complete the other two big projects, photograph them, finish the paperwork and extra stuff for the gallery all by the 15th.  No problemo! Well, maybe. Time will tell.

We’re also supposed to be prepping the house for the new dog. Yes, we were offered  a dog we couldn’t refuse, a German Wire haired Pointer. We met Beau last weekend at a girlfriends home near Portland. He was recently taken on by their family and determined that he was “too much to handle”. We went up thinking his energy levels/personality to be over the top of what we were used to with Mocha only to discover he was CALM. For a pointer, that’s pretty huge! Maybe he was just showing us his cute side but I’m starting to think our 16+ years with Mocha might have been, well how could I put it, extreme? She was the biggest spaz, always hyped up and ready to go. She would spin circles waiting enthusiastically for us to throw the frisbee. I would call her an “ON-OFF” dog. Once she finished sleeping the “on” switch was flipped and everything was done with gusto. She made me tired every day, but I loved the heck out of her. Beau’s size will be a large adjustment. At only just over a year in age he weighs between 65-70lbs. He’s also on the thin side and will probably bulk out with more muscle over the next year. So big changes to come! Will the month head out like a lamb? Probably not but time will tell.

Salmon Smoking Weekend

What does one do with 35 pounds of refrozen salmon? Smoke it!

Dave and I arrived Friday at our friend Alex’s in Waldport Oregon with salmon ready to defrost. After an incredible seafood gumbo, the guys settled on a brine recipe they cooked & cooled for the next morning. This was an all weekend event that extended into the early Sunday morning hours. The weather was fierce Saturday with high winds and loads of rain. An excellent day to spend indoors.

Here are photos starting from Saturday morning fish prep that included brine, drying, flavoring & loading of the smoker box.

Cleaning up salmon fillets & cutting into manageable size & brine in ziploc bags.

Nice fillets Alex!

George attended the weekend event as well, thanks to Alex opening his home to a big fur ball!

Alex’s crow friends helped clean up the waste. The windy weather kept them from taking care of the whole pile.

Fillets drying with seasonings about 2 hrs prior to loading the smoker. We flavored them with either ginger, paprika or cumin. Dave had fun filling the smoker box with apple wood chips. Seven hours of wait until batch #1 was done.

The high winds (40-50 mph gusting) blew off his neighbors smoke stack cover. Alex kindly covered it with plastic & duct tape. Shannon & Mike showed up to help. Shannon entertained herself with her “nook” during down time.

Batch #1 out of the smoker & #2 getting ready to load up.

Once the meat had cooled, it was put through the vaccume seal production line. The last batch was sealed around 3 am. Shannon & I didn’t attend that one. After bagging, it all went into the freezer. DONE!

Thanks to Dave, Alex, Mike & Bill (the smoke box creator extraordinaire!) for getting the job done.

BTW, the salmon turned out great!

Unexpected Recognition

Last night I attended the awards ceremony for the Howland Community Open at The Arts Center in Corvallis. The event draws one of the largest crowds, probably reaching the maximum capacity for the building.  It’s a chance to recognize amazing artwork created throughout the community from all age brackets and abilities. This year there were 3 youth categories ,  non-professional, professional, curators choice and the beloved People’s Choice Award.  Was there another? Probably, but I’ve forgotten.

A Walk in the Woods , yes my creation, received the Professional award this year. A total shocker since there were soooo many incredible works exhibited.  A big thanks to the exhibition committee jurors for the award and to Hester Coucke for her support.

Slug print

Week 2 print results: A block a day is not possible for me. C’est la vie! 2-3 are possible depending on subject matter.

I’ve finally called it quits on the slug print. The image modifications have been going on for several days. Here is the printed image and a color test.  Banana slugs are an interesting olive green (in our area) and will require more play and experimenting in water colors.

Now I can possibly move on to finish the fir cone print today.

Pileated woodpecker is still waiting in the wings… unfortunately this weekend we will be smoking salmon and no art will be touched. I will be up close and personal with 30 pounds of salmon. Stinky but end results should be very tasty!

Mollusk Monday

The forest art print project is still moving along.4″x4″ printed & water colored squares will eventually become attached to balsa wood frames. The carved images are quick and not perfect. It’s become more of a learning experience than anything, pushing my envelope in an area I don’t visit very often.  Plus making me work in the studio for six hours a day has it’s good and bad sides. The mollusk print was to be started later in the week but today seemed perfect and I wanted to procrastinate more on the fir cones ( for some reason the cones intimidate me more than the slug image). The total count thus far is 3 completed, one in process (the slug), and two others sketched out (one on paper, the other on a block). Tonight an order will be placed for additional materials to complete the project. Nothing like running out of carving materials!

Here are some images of the carved blocks. Below is the inking station with four blocks.

Completed fern block.  What is it with ferns this year? I can’t quite get enough of them.

Here is the slug image so far on the block. Foreground and background still need working through.

Thursday night I’ll post more completed images.

🙂

Forest Project Continued

With the initial “Walk in the Woods” project completed, gears are shifting to tackle the next. I’ve decided to approach the art through printmaking and cube construction.  A total of 7+ cubes will be created, depending on time, and will relay a visual story of a hike through the forest during the month of February.

It will start by using a lovely cube form similar to the image below. Cubes will be connected using embroidery floss and eyelets through the sides (the below image has them through the front/back), leading the viewer through glimpses of the forest.

The goal is to place a block print image on two sides of the cube (white surface).  All of the images will relate to the OSU research forest, mainly Loop 36 and Powderhouse trails. To achieve this, I plan to create a print a day (or 1.5 days) using easy-cut blocks. Below is the first test image printed with water based ink and water colors. From the test, I discovered the need to print using oil based ink in order to keep water from bleeding through the black.

Oh, the Osoberries are almost in bloom again!

Oemleria cerasiformis

A Walk in the Woods

“A Walk in the Woods”  is looking finished for the Howland Community Open today. Only part lacking are two eye screws to hang from the wall/ceiling/window. I wonder if it will make it on the “curators wall”. That would be a big honor. Drop off time is between noon and 4pm Saturday January 29th.

This week I purchased new material for photographing against but have not figured out how to do a decent set up somewhere in the house. Space is limited and the fabric always needs a good ironing before use. Wonder where I stashed the iron… probably amongst art supplies. Seems like I take over many household items for “art” use. For example, two rolling pins have been purchased and neither is used in the kitchen. Oh, they started out there and were very handy for rolling out pie crust. Now they are used for clay or printmaking. Pie crusts receive the empty wine or beer bottle treatment. Dave doesn’t complain since he never has need for one. I’m the one who makes the crusts and I don’t even like pie. A good quiche is a different story!

Filling in Squares

Progress has been slow but I might still make it for the Howland Community Open at The Arts Center in Corvallis.  Today I found perfect screw eyes to connect the squares and clear hemlock for the frame.  However, I’m realizing the screws purchased will not cover all the connections needed…. back to the hardware store! Also trying to figure out the final selection (plus one more square). Extras are cut, but not used for various reasons. I might need to take yet another trip to Peavy in search of the missing square. Twist my arm… another walk in the woods!

That might make a good title “A Walk in the Woods”.

Humm….

Smoky and Oh, Not So Good!

Here are two images of the same thing, but at different times. Can you figure out what happened?

Looking at the ceiling structure of rental #6 back in May 2010.

Looking at the same ceiling structure January 24, 2011….

Humm….. here’s one more image taken from the kitchen side.

Yikes! Carbon deposited via smoke could make a very beautiful canvas to work with, but not on the ceiling of a home and a rental for that matter. Fortunately no one was hurt. Drywall might need replacing, definitely flooring due to smoke and water damage. No major structural damage. Damage assessments today with the experts…. I’m glad I don’t have to clean this mess up!

Now, if the contractors can bring it back to this state, I’ll be very happy!