nature, pets, art and life
The piece is progressing along slowly. I’ve run out of balsa wood and need to replenish. More botanical cuts to make and a couple to re-cut due to mistakes. 10 out of 20 panels isn’t too bad. Each square is 4″x4″x1/2″. Still need to find some very small eye-screws and links to attach each panel together. A frame also needs figuring out.
January has been filled with rain, snow, ice and a couple of warmish sunny days. Perfect weather to be working indoors on art projects. The Art About Ag show is my main creating focus for the next couple of months. With any luck, project #1 might be completed before the community open drop date on January 29th. Having it out of the studio could free up some space. It still has a long ways to go, but at least it’s moving in the correct direction.
Here are some photos of what’s brewing…
Creation space: table full of dried plants, cut paper, drawings & ideas.
Plant drawing ideas:
Some initial cut paper silhouettes: pine needles, dried foxglove stem, dried thistle heads
4″x4″ screen squares: filbert cut paper trial
Next project ideas brewing: How do I turn this into something cool? I had been waiting for it to drop at Peavy Arboretum. One wet, windy day I found it near the lower pond. Yippee! Just wish there had been more paper surrounding the egg cases. That’s what I’m really after. Had to dry it out in the oven and now it stinks. Earthy-old paper sort of smell.
The news arrived this morning that a sweet friend passed away surrounded by her family. Mari Le Glatin Keis introduced many of us to the idea of sketching our way through a country, recording bits and pieces into journals cementing images more strongly than a photograph ever would. We explored the countryside of her homeland, Brittany France, and to desert climate of Oaxaca Mexico during Dia de los Muertos.
Mari sketching under an ancient dolmen, Brittany, France 2004.
Afternoon discussion at Casa Arnel, Oaxaca Mexico, 2005.
Mari sketching while waiting for the bus to Teotitlan from Sta. Maria del Tule, 2005.
You touched so many lives around the world and will continue to inspire many to sketch our way through life. Thank you Mari. We love you so much!
The coast house has been in need of a little TLC which Kim, Dave & I were able to provide. Our list is still long, mainly yard work, but some jobs were completed. Above photo is sunset at Patterson beach just south of Waldport on Jan 2.
We set Dave to work on the smoke stack problem. The rain protection shield had blown off a month+ ago. Dave figured out how to reattach the shield with no problems. He also found vent covers to keep the birds out of the roof in the spring. Bird poo on the west facing windows last summer was kind of a drag.
Kim and I worked on clearing the patio space plus cutting back the asparagus and beet beds. Nice weeds Kim!
George helping out…
We were rather surprised to find out how large beets can grow when left to their own for over two seasons.
The beet certainly resembled a heart…. disturbing!
The wax seal has broken on the garage/studio toilet. Guess that will have to wait until the next visit. Maybe we can even get the plastic pots removed from the shower too. My mother had interesting storage ideas for sterilized bins. We had a great time just hanging out together and are looking forward to spending time there every month. As my dad says “Use it or loose it!”. Using it seems to be the best option.
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 10,000 times in 2010. That’s about 24 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 120 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 221 posts. There were 289 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 57mb. That’s about 6 pictures per week.
The busiest day of the year was February 6th with 163 views. The most popular post that day was The End.
The top referring sites in 2010 were stranamasterov.ru, blogger.com, carolchapel.com, blocs.xtec.cat, and insomniapottery.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for tunnel book, tunnel books, tunnel book tutorial, collagraph, and sticks stones and paperstew.
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
The End February 2010
12 comments
Basic Tunnel Book Tutorial May 2009
3 comments and 1 Like on WordPress.com,
Bookbinding at Sitka: Part 2 June 2009
4 comments
Bookbinding at Sitka with Ann Kresge- Part 1 June 2009
2 comments
Oregon Coast Flight July 2009
1 comment
Albany Oregon Sunrise, December 31, 2010
What a year 2010 has been and we’re super happy to start fresh again!
Happy 2011 to you all!
Sorry, no spectacular sunrise image for 1/1/11. I was still sleeping off the wine, beer and rum.
🙂
Since I was on a card theme, it was about time to unveil the completed card and it’s process. It ended up being 4 color screens & could have been less if I had planned it better. The complete process was not recorded but you should get the idea.
We start with blank cards
Screen work: Drawing fluid
Screen filler
First Color
Second Screen:
Drying process that takes over all available flat surfaces:
Some of the completed cards drying:
Completed image: Peace-Quat Wreath (as in kumquats). A little goofy but it worked.
I’ve been the main card producer in our household during the holidays but this year there was a change! Dave decided he really wanted to create personalized cards specifically for his nieces and nephews. He wondered if I “had enough paper to create cards”. Too funny! Guess he really hasn’t looked around the studio space much. Anyway, I wanted to post a couple of photos of him creating the Texas cards. The Chicago crowd received fun tree images without snow (since they have plenty around their house). Texas received the snow people cards.
I really enjoyed seeing my studio space getting used by someone other than myself. Plus pulling out the craftier types of tools was great fun. Can’t go wrong with a snowflake punch during winter! Dave becomes quite serious when he creates. I think he needs to do more of it…. like getting back into glass blowing!
I think this card went to Alvin, the athletic one. Love the skis Dave!
Last week I wandered out the mail box expecting bills and the usual junk mail. There was a large envelope at the bottom of the pile. I thought it must be for Dave, since he receives the majority of those types of things. However, it was addressed to me and was from Art About Agriculture. Upon opening I discovered an invitation to participate in the 2011 show. WOW!! What an honor.
For almost 30 years, Oregon State University’s Art About Agriculture has offered abundant views of the lands and produce around us. From the coastal waters over the valley and mountains to the high desert of eastern Oregon, all areas have been represented. The show will be up in May at OSU for one month then journey to the Rogue Gallery in Medford for another month.
Wednesday I placed the acceptance letter into the mailbox. The prospectus indicates three works can be submitted, 3D work can not exceed 32″ in height & length plus no more than 11″in depth. Humm, think there will be some problem solving to tackle. At this point I realize anything submitted will be new work, no reaching back into the limited piles for finished pieces (due mainly to size constraints). No submitting the leaf coat due to it’s size. Drat! The really large triptych is also off the plans. Looks like I’ll be spending the next week figuring out where to start first and gather together some sort of game plan. Could I really accomplish 3 works and get them photographed by Harold Wood before March? Guess it’s totally possible. Two would be lovely and they might even select one to exhibit. Scratch those thoughts! Just think about the first project to dive into and worry about the other stuff later.
Time to finish the holiday card and keep moving forward!
I received word yesterday that the Fern Luminaria sold to a great pair of friends (both ceramic artists). Ted & Sandy purchased it during the Arts Center fundraiser. The money I earn will help pay for MY purchase from the same show. Can’t wait to pick it up. It’s from a glass artist friend Jerri Bartholomew. How is it that artists seem to be the ones purchasing work? Guess it’s because we understand how important it is to keep the money and support flowing.
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 