I got to pick a treasury today of all the beautiful artists I've recently seen. I've been exploring other's blogs and decided to send out some props to my fellow Etsy artists. I am amazed everyday by their talent.
EJ at Beach 2007
I was checking out my fabulous friends at FLickr, and noticed a few people mentioning words like LOMO and DUMPR. Well, I wasn't at all familiar with these terms, so I set out to explore a bit further. I immediately found the coolest website, Dumpr.net, and 2 hours and 50 photographs later, I've found another addiction to chip away at my "free" time. What a blast! So, here is the Lomo effect on a picture of my son taken this past summer. "Lomography deals with photoshooting using LOMO cameras. These are russian camera makes who make a color-intensive and blurry lenses. Nowadays, lomography is art and you are welcome to participate!" as stated in their website. It's really cool... Yeah- Dumpr.net, everybody's doing it....
Branches & Blossoms
A new batch of my hand painted fused glass pendants just came out of the kiln. I am excited to share them. I've been looking through all those home decor catalogs I've been receiving in the mail. Scouring through the pages of all the gorgeous things I don't have. Wondering...who really gets to live in those houses with all those things... maybe someday. Ya know what? I can create beautiful things myself. So why not rejoice in the trendy spring colors that they call Melon and Crisp Blue...
I have focused on spring flowering branches. White blooms dancing along stark brown, twisting branches. I hand painted the flowers on melon green, crisp blue and the palest pink glass I could find. * smile to myself * Let me know what you think.
Leaf Castings
I'm really hoping to be able to work with concrete more this spring. I've really enjoyed making leaf casting over the past 2 years. I'm from New England, and have only a window of time to use leaves in our area. Not too many tropical plants with giant leaves grow in my yard. I try to grab all my large leaves before the bugs eat their way through them, making their own designs that never seem to coincide with what I'm trying to create. I've found that rhubarb is one of my favorites. It's got decent surface space and raised and textured veins that show up great in the cement. Hosta leaves, cabbage, arrowleaf ferns all are fun too. I prefer a more dimensional look to my castings, but you can also try banana leaves and large elephant ears. I am also experimenting with coloring the leaves. I've tinted the cement, and I've also painted the leaves after they've cured. Some of the most brilliant leaves I've seen in art books are colored with pure pigments. I haven't tried that just yet. It's on the list. And that list is long...
The next batch of leaves I cast, I'll try to take some photos of the actual process. It's a down and dirty one indeed. I always seem to gravitate toward the messy projects.
Where's the warmth?
Spring Gods.
I really need to get out there and pour some concrete and make some more cement castings. It's no fun slapping concrete when it's just about 40 degrees out.
Come on...I'll even pick out the sticky ones!
Visiting Artist Series
I'm very excited to be working on a few mosaics for the spring. I'm also getting ready for my new Visiting Artist Series which includes a few demonstrations and workshops at some local venues. My first outing is a FREE demonstration the last week in April at Hart's Greenhouse & Florist in Norwich, CT. I actually worked there for many years and they sincerely have the best flowers and plants around. On Saturday April 26th, 2007 between 11 am and 1 pm I'll be demonstrating mosaic techniques such as cutting tile and glass, adhesives, applying grout, sealing and polishing an original piece of my garden art. What fun! I'll also have my artwork on display for that weekend only. I plan to bring my mosaic garden art, birdbath bowls, cast concrete leaves and my fused glass jewelry. I'm hoping for some nice weather and a great crowd.
If your in the area stop by Hart's greenhouse & Florist
43 Clinton Ave. Norwich, CT 06330 (860) 886-4278
or if you're interested in a workshop or demo,
contact me at artsaladstudio@yahoo.com
My cat's boyfriend
My cat Sophie absolutely loves our
dog Sebbie. I just get a kick out of her.
She doesn't like our other cat...
noooo,
she perfers the tall, dark, and handsome
type I guess.
Actually,
so do I.
Get your smile back
Today was a day to attempt to finish up my loose ends. I did my best by following up on emails, re-photographing my fused glass pendants for my shop ( and didn't end up with anything better after all that work), pleaded with friends to give me feedback on my shop and artwork, started thank you notes from my daughter's party, found my lost dog, pumped out my flooded basement...ya know, anything and everything that kept me away from something fun and creative! Through out all that dawdling I revisited one of my favorite shops on Etsy, Shoozles, and I got my smile back. I consider her a fabulous artist, an inspiration, and a friend. You can get lost in her fused glass pendants. The layers, swirls, and color combinations will have you singing a high tune of delight. I have asked her how she does it, and to teach me. I think she thinks I was kidding, but I wasn't. I'm in awe.
My Birthday Girl
Our family gathered to celebrate my daughter's second birthday on Friday. We had a lovely evening of good food, drink and conversation. I personally had a lot of fun decorating the cake. It's a bit Eastery looking, but we were going with the chick theme anyways. It was a hit.
Mosaics on my mind
On the doorstep of spring is when I really start getting the garden itch. Along with the dreams of gardening, come the thoughts and ideas for a new line of outdoor mosaics. Working mainly with fused glass these past 8 months has spoiled me with brilliant color. I still want more. I have sketched some ideas for some new garden bowls. I'm still my organic self, but I vision more use of color. Here are a few of my past garden bowls to keep the inspiration flowing. I'm excited to be teaching more this spring as well. Lyndsay of Meiklem Kilnworks will add me on board to her late spring and summer class schedule. I'm ready to break some glass!
Call her Jake...
...and she is my Best Friend and today is her Birthday. She is one of the strongest and most loyal people I know. Her dedication to her career is unmatched, she strives and achieves the BEST. She met her soulmate last year and is happily married to a wonderful man who thinks she is wonderful. I am so happy for her. Her dependability and support as a friend has been amazing over the many years I've known her. She is someone you want to be - Proud to have as a daughter - Lucky to have as a wife - Fortunate to be on the same team- Honored to have as a friend. This is an ode to my Best Friend on her Birthday. Can't wait to celebrate with you! All my love to you!
A Wedding Bouquet
My dear friend Matt asked me to help out with his sister's wedding flowers this past Friday. I was thrilled. He knows how much I love to design with flowers. He had full creative control which was even better. We took a trip to the flower wholesaler and picked fresh from their coolers. We chose beautiful white hydrangea, unique Hypnose roses, green hypericum, white lisianthus, Queen Anne's lace, peach stock, sunset leptos, bells of Ireland, hybrid waxflower and seeded eucalyptus. What a romantic, yet modern collection of blooms. Everything turned out beautiful. Congratulations to Angela & Tim!
Aspiration for Spring
The start of my blog
Today I woke up and thought- today is the day I will enter the social media world. So far I've been trying to read up on code, tags, widgets...you name it. I am trying to learn as I go. Right now I would just be happy if my layout didn't consist of a giant photograph. Hopefully I will soon figure it out. Off to have PB&J with the kids.
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