Friday, October 29, 2010

Paintings to Journals

these paintings are part of the assignment given us from Julie's and Chris's texture town class..
these pieces show the top 2 and the bottom left have layers and 1 glaze i left the 4th to show the dramatic difference each layer will make..


I have some glare here but this shows all my glazes in place and the texture layer added...where we were to enhance our texture with writing...i did 4 pieces because i decided that they will become journal covers...so 2 of each as close as possible textures and glaze applications

this one resembles slate to me...
so now i make signatures and then stitch them together with 2 journals for gifting..:)
thank you for looking
and if you haven't been to the new website
please check that out...i will place these journals there when completed

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Next Lesson


the next lesson Julie had us doing involved the heavy gel medium...then picking 1 of the palettes to work our color from to enhance the texture we created from the gel medium...this is my second piece the first one ended up such a disaster...i re-did it 4 times and i still have issues with it...i deduced part of my problem to i see pictures in my textures...we are supposed to be working more in abstract
which is a struggle for me t begin with...i see scenes
so i cam a LONG way in this piece
my next struggle is getting decent pictures..the piece isn't nearly as yellowy as it kinda shows
altho the other picture i initially put on the class site had a lot more yellow hue to it
this one better represents the project...
i am moving on to our next lesson...!
if you haven't checked out my new site please take a moment to..
thanks for coming by!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Bleu Vase...AND!!!!

This vase is cobalt blue..cathedral (see through) glass...even if my photo doesn't show the clarity the glass possesses it is the perfect candle vase. I was going for a more nuggety look like the red vase...but forgot I had the kiln going and over fired it a bit...and it became the more drippy edged series i do as well more than the lace edge...still a nice vase.

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

www.maryshuntstudio.com

Christy finished my website...I am all put together. I wish I had more past work to place up for example, but on the move up here all my photo albums were lost on the travel...I think Jack mountain got them...but as I find them stashed here and there in books and such I plan to scan and upload them MYSELF thank you very much! so over time the website will become fuller.

The perks of this new site I never had on any of my other sites (I have had sites previous to this but I couldn't work on them and over time gave them up) It has been 10 years since I had a site..
this site :::
will house a classroom for my on-line classes!
a store, to sell pieces!
updating gallery!
announcements page...and the blog can be accessed from it...

I am excited!

I hope you will check out the progress...thank you...

have a terrific day!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Knowing Our Color Pallet...


In this lesson of Julie's class we had three pallete lists of colors we were to blend and texturize for our sample story boards
left to right
Blue board, Red board, Brown board
I didn't take a bunch of pictures of how I got to this point because I don't think that is fair to Julie's class.
Check out her classes she has a lot to offer...from novice to expert...I just think everyone could get benefit from her lessons...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Texture Lesson

this is the final picture results but look at the bottom piece..i added just the smallest amount of the rusty brown color i mixed and the depth (to me) leaped off the canvas...
this is a Julia prichard Chris cozzen class called texture town....now i was truly thinking i didn't need this class... texture is texture and anyone can have it...but i have already in just 3 videos learned heaps!!! HEAPS!
This lesson was called implied texture...meaning everything is on one plane no textural products have been added just blending and shade...stamps and stencils...
definitely brings you more comfort to the texture zone...
thanks for looking and check Julie out
all her classes are interesting and have great projects...i can safely say everyone will come away with some new knowledge or tip...!
thank you dave for correcting me!!!!
:)

The Red Vase

glass is hard to photograph! this candle vase measures 5 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches wide.
day 1 in the kiln is fusing glass to make the slab that in day 2 in the kiln is sagged over a cone mold to give the draping shape...this one i call my lace edge.
It is more cathedral than the picture shows...meaning clearer where the candle will flicker nicely...another additional benefit with this kind of edge is the flame nicely casts shadows upon the wall making for a nice ambiance...

these run around 20 dollars depending if you want simple as shown or intricate design work...

thank you for stopping in!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Platters...

I tried photographing them with zero light and tipping the flash so it would go above the subject
I still have a little glare..
Here are both platters together this one shows the colors fairly well the colors are a little faded in the picture but this picture gives the best essence of the look.
These are not decals!
They are painted using finely crushed glass with the pigments of ores and minerals added for their color...fired in the high temps of the kiln to fuse the design to the substrate.
Labor intensive process not anything like using hobby paints that fire in the oven...more closely resembles glazing of ceramics.
Thanks for following along and visiting... have a great week!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Critter Fight...critter lost...

Roach looks worse than Baby...(below) most of his injury is to his lip and it is swollen pretty good.
Baby has most of her injury to the eye area and it is becoming swollen as well..2 raccoon fights!
Good thing is though both of them had their rabies shots like just a month ago (we get them every year just for such occasions) so we know they won't have to be put down...
headed out with the compresses...they did real well hunting for the crowd though! They got each a star.
Aren't they pitiful looking though....

Platter One...Done!

Between these 3 photo's it might be possible that you can get a sense of the final results of this turkey platter.
Glass it difficult to photograph and I can't seem to make my flash turn off...I have done it before but either the feature now won't co-operate, or I am not doing the turn off thing right...so the pictures have some glare.

This side to picture has the least glare....
This is not a decal...the process for vitreous staining and enameling to glass has been explained before on this blog so I will kind of just highlight.
The colors are fine ground glass chips with minerals and ores in the mix and flux as well to help imbed the mixture down into the glass creating new glass with a specific design.
High kiln heat fuses the mixture into the substrate and each color has a specific maturation temperature...too much that color fires out.. the chips remain they are glass
the ores are touchy.
So you need to schedule the different color layers according to temperature.
Yesterday marked the last kiln visit for this platter...
Thank you for stopping in!


Thursday, October 14, 2010

Pond Repair...

I changed the name from working projects to what's happening..I more write in this thought, so it makes my posts more cohesive.

This is the pond that needed repair from when we had that flood of rains that erupted the pipe at the road...it tried to wash out the dam at this pond as well...so we needed to make repairs.
This is JR (son) talking with Phil (helps JR) they helped to do the cement over the broken rabble rock that will filter the overflow of water to the creek.

Ryan is manning the cement truck and he does an awesome job of moving this beast.


This is the job pretty much finished...the cement holds the rubble in place...so the water flows under it but at the same time it acts as a dam to hold the pond in place.
HUH! no mispellings...I amaze myself sometimes
:)
have a great day!



Tuesday, October 12, 2010

CowGal...

We rent out the pasture where cow/calf pairs nourish during the spring and summer or until it gets too dry.
BUT, there is a section of CRP they are not allowed...where they look over the fence ans see the lush tall grass and pond to cool their tummies and nifty trees to go get lost in during the heat of the day...darn fence.
UntiL!!! that is someone leaves the fence OPEN...mooooooo come on girls lets go check this out.
Well it is night time when we discover their party and they are bedding down so we plan to herd them out of there first light in the morning.
I hope my trusty steed Hondo! (picture above...Hondo moonlights as a sprayrigger)...load up and moooove out.

They were all down in the bottom which kind of made it somewhat sorta easy to herd them up to the fence they needed to go through.
They are all nestled up to the fence and I am thinking wow
that went lots easier than I thought it would...this is only like my second time to ever herd a cow.
We are up to the fence as I say...and I am staying in my spot that is supposed to deter them from heading the wrong direction...
when
some young calf thinks he doesn't wanna go across the fence and crossed the pond instead and all the rest of them
follow
suuuuure...

now Hondo and I have to cross the pond...have i told you ..mud and i are not friends...well i get across

and travel up up and more up to keep the herd from going any further into these trees..I DO have a helper
Craig is on the other side trying to push the herd to me and we then move them on...only...
hondo experiences an issue...and Craig had to come revive it and the cows dispersed...where is JOHN! the cowmaster...well... he is opening gates over the west end which is near to his dads place
and he decided to move the day to take the herd from our pasture over to his dads corral...so
i am now going to move this herd...
only first I have to get over TO them..I ask on the radio just which was is best...they gave such general directions like I am supposed to know what to do to get them..yeah right...okay so I see john and motor on...up some pretty rickety stuff...I really thought for sure a couple of times I was going to flip...but I made it!
Craig says you came from THERE!?...
well yeah..
why!? didn't you come that way
because I didn't KNOW about that way..well I can't believe you made it up that place that has to be THE worst spot on the whole place..
maybe (i say in my mind...not out loud)...I am a better rider than you! P...
well it actually all went pretty smooth from this point...i just followed the critters along and kept any from branching off but
I suspect it is because there were now three of us and not two....so
that is the cow story...
mauoooo


Sunday, October 10, 2010

Guidance for this Challenge

This has been a horrible challenging week. So I thought I would share a piece I did years ago...my young angel. She is done on mouth blown antique glass using frit powders and vitreous staining and enameling techniques....methods worked through in the high temperatures only a kiln can provide. But lets hope she can breath a little peace into the beginning of our new week.

This past week has been busy and some of it the stories are humorous and I will share those later this week maybe after I calm down.
But Wednesday met with a turbulent cause and effect that stems directly from a negligent parent.
Said parent was visiting at my sons place, he lives in the country.
Country living means parents should be watchful over their children.
This said, Brian (the visitor) brings his 2 children with him out to JR's (my son).

Brian's 2 children are unruly horrible little brats. They are vicious to the animals...poking their eyes with sticks, twirling the cat by the tail this kind of behaviour. And Brian does not correct his little beasts.
Jen (DIL) generally tries to keep what control over these children what she can by the older one plays usually with their child in the house or right at the door, but the smaller boy won't be anywhere but with the father, as he was this day. IN THE FATHERS CARE!

Who was more interested in sipping his beer and smoking a cigarette visiting JR in the shed.
NOT watching the smaller child.
10 minutes is a long time to not check on a youngun.
As in this case the next thing heard was screaming.

No one sees what might have happened to this child but his lip is split and needs a drs stitches.
He could have fallen on the rocks (probable)
the dog Bo might have bitten him from abusive behaviour (most likely)
the cat may have bitten the child again due to abusive behaviour...but
no one saw what happened so no one knows.

The first response of Brian is he ran in the house accusing BO of biting the child...then he is off to the clinic for 4 stitches.
The next day (Thursday)
the cat is being accused of biting the child.

The certificate for rabies could be found for BO but not for the cat.
Voluntarily!!! JR and I take the cat (a valued member to the family) up to the vet clinic in town CDAC
for OBSERVATION...10 days to guarantee the cat has not got rabies...

The receptionist Vickie, assures us, guarantees to us NOTHING will happen to this cat! he is SAFE with them.
During the course of the day the Health department lady calls asking us to put the cat down to undergo the test for rabies
an adamant NO was recorded to the health department. When the health department heard the rest of the story they said further investigation was needed about this incident...they were not even aware of the dog...so
the calls were made to the clinics
medical clinic in town and the vet clinic...that the cat would sit the full 10 days for observation.

It is 4:00 pm now and the children have been picked up from school and JR was by to talk to his father about a cement job they were planning and all the family were loaded up to go see the kitty at the vets...
they get to the vets and Vickie the receptionist said the cat had been shot ..his head was on the way to Pierre for the rabies test.
!
What gave you the right to kill our cat...WHO gave YOU authorization!!!?????????
she says: "the medical clinic called! and DR Hagge ordered the test"...
that does not give you the right to kill our cat

who killed the cat...Vickie says WE did
WHO did we ask...she would only say We the CliniC killed the cat....

where is Jay the VET and owner??? he isn't here today...who is certified to kill the cat...
no answer
(no one at the clinic this day was even a certified technician...there is a receptionist and 2 dog walkers)

they assumed the role of owner and vet and took it upon themselves to execute this animal on the supposed call from the medical clinic...(there is still no proof said dr made this call, it could have been anyone)

These 3 workers did not stop...make a call to the owner of the cat, make a call to the owner of the clinic, make a call to the health department (which had made the call to them remember that this cat was to NOT be killed) there was not a court order nothing!

They killed this cat and sent him on the UPS truck in a hurry to make the 430 departure from town.

The owner vet Jay returns and discovers the events as just described. He is heart sick, as is the family of this cat.
The test came back negative by the way...and the injured child is going through the rabies series shots anyway
because

NO ONE saw what REALLY happened...anything could have bitten this child..if it was a bite
he could have fallen on the rocks

a stray cat roaming through the property, a raccoon...anything could have occurred, as NO ONE was watching the child.

the parent was negligent and then got to the dr clinic and lied...
he didn't want the dr to know he was sucking a cigarette and downing a beer while his child was unsupervised, and thus in there needing stitches.

He admitted to Craig, (my husband ) that he did not know for sure what happened...the neglegent parent did by phone on Oct.7 at 12:27

And Vickie LIED the cat was not safe with the clinic, entrusted to their care, they did not protect their client.

Due to LIES an innocent member of our family was killed.

The children are suffering nightmares and want to know when they can wake up daddy's cat.
JR was the closest to this member of the family the cat helped him therapeutically calm down at night de-stress and finally rest himself after a painful day at work.
This was a very special kitty (as everyone sees their animals that are members of the family)

Twyla Edwin Hunt will be greatly missed!
We hope there are angels among us who will help him be guided as a spirit to watch over the family as they continue to mourn his passing.

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Egret SplogsThrough the Marsh

The last update had the added brown paint..
which i thought too drab..
so i added the sienna and a maroon...which perks the piece up a lot!

i loved working with the wax...talk about layers of textures to work over.

if you let the layer dry well the texture sets up good and the next layer picks over that texture
it all works so well together

i still have to add the coat of wax to seal it
but for practical purposes this project is complete.

Thank you Christy for adding to my repertoire of arts...gosh that word looks funny..but spell check says that is it...
Christy is nearly done with my website...

and beans update
they were finished today and the last truck is in line for empty tomorrow
i think (i am not 100% sure) but we keep this afternoons price intact through the dumping tomorrow morning

He isn't acting very devastated so i guess we did okay
once the planting/feeding/herbicides/more spraying/harvesting/trucking expenses are deducted
we might have food and heat for the winter
and get the wheat into the ground...
and then the next worry begins
:)

thanks for coming by!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

WWWWWWWHHHHOOOOPpiiieee

came home from grass cutting and they were harvesting my beans!!!
see that gold stuff on top of the combine...my beans....which is excellent

saturday the market crashed on the bean prices they were 12.50 a bushel then 10.70
and this evening 9.00 a bushel

so the faster john harvest them and has them in the truck and in line first thing in the morning
we stand a better chance of getting this price as opposed to the next low price...i doubt they will come back up...

hopefully we do better than just break even but i even hope we do not go further and lose!!!

john does not usually harvest on a sunday
we were scheduled to begin tomorrow
his prudence can bring in a HUGE difference for us

thank you john!!!!!!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

To Egret...

hmmm i might have gone to dark...but brown says marsh to me...i added green too
i find that fine details are hard with this wax method...but texture is awesome
in person you can see all kinds of layering textures
subtle and not so subtle
i tried stamping
that didn't do too well...i tried adding marsh fronds of grass...that didn't look too right either...
i am really not sure what else to do with this except another layer lighter over the brown...
???

and christy is ever closer to launch!!!...probably lunch too...which is what it looks like it you glance quick

have a terrific day

i am off to mow...part of the last of my season..then i am jobless again!...i might not eat or heat but i will be creating.. :)

First Frost

In 1998 when I had just arrived to SD yesterday 10/1 it was 32 degrees and that afternoon it snowed...yesterday 2010 was the first major weather change again true to form, it cooled up dramatically yesterday afternoon and last night we had the first frost. This picture is kind of bleary when i use the night time setting it does that. Regular setting did not work yet there must not be enough sun up.
Here is steam coming off the lake bed across at Harold's place and you can see the frost as well on my pretty grass, which is usually dead this time of year but with all the rain this year
is still green...which is why i still am employed cutting grass!!!..but it is all beginning to stop growing now
it will most likely be the last time i cut this weeks areas.
Christy is nearly ready to launch my website
I AM SOOOO EXCITED
she has a classroom where I can offer classes
she has a cart where if i choose to sell pieces through my site i can
as well as show what i offer at etsy
and
my blog can be accessed through my site
and all my information is in one place....wonderful!
have a good weekend
i hope to work some more on the egret wax piece I think it has set up enough for continuing...so check back
:)
and i also hope for a few minutes to be visiting y'all!!! see ya