Working Projects

Christmas Faery!

2009-12-25T14:38:00.001-06:00

no words needed!

Blizability

2009-12-25T13:26:00.003-06:00

This is the visibility level from the truck this morning. It is worse now...as in total white out! But this was good compared to just 5 miles north. Headed to JR's to open the presents...we didn't stay long. The drifts were forming as we visited!

We are just on the edge of this blizzard...in drifts by the house here stands of 4 feet or more.

So, I can't imagine what others are experiencing.

The interstate is closed. So if you weren't where you needed to be last night

you weren't getting there.

So far we have electricity, but others aren't so fortunate. The wind is that of 30 below!!! Can you imagine living in the tepee HA!

OR worse dug into the side of the hill...no thankyou...this is as pioneer as I care to experience!

My hats off to the predecessors..they were indeed a spirited tough lot!

Have a terrific holiday and new year!

Happy Holiday

2009-12-24T11:42:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Angel of Journey

2009-12-16T09:10:00.005-06:00

A SuziBlu class...she does a fabulous coaching job !
(can click the image to enlarge and see better)

This is where the angel begins...and she progresses along

layer by layer

by layer

to completion...i think

Happy Holiday

I would like to say, classes give me inspiration, a ready project to tackle, camaraderie with a group be it on line or live.
I love a teachers enthusiasm.
When I teach I love the students enthusiasm.

Either route, class is fulfilling for a novice or a seasoned artist...

Classes give a wondrous sense of achievement...and I always...always pick up something from a class.
No two artist go about a project in the same fashion...and there will always be a different sparkle about the project at hand
even in a step by step layout.

Go find and take a class that interest you...even if just because.

Collaged Ornament

2009-12-04T15:00:00.002-06:00

This can be a messy process...but cute individualized results.

I made 2, this is just 1 with a few views

I made some dangly pieces of jewelry but I haven't attached them yet.

Took a glass Christmas ornament...they come clear but this was a
colored one.

I slopped on some gel medium and attached some torn elements,

some glitter, snowflakes, more glitter...i didn't want to use my good paint so my white is gesso

I think they are cute !!

HO HO HO!!

Vace Replace

2009-11-30T12:44:00.003-06:00

Last year, at the Dakotah Prairie Museum, one of the sales from this show was a slumped vase.

Sherri, a most helpful staff member of the museum, bought one similar to this for her brother, as a gift.

He liked the vase, so much that when it met with disaster, he wanted a replacement.

He has patiently waited for me to get to his work sheet.

From memory (a very poor memory)

I tried recreating the piece, hurriedly before Craig's surgery commenced, as he was visiting sister Sherri...would have been a nice surprise.

Except I fused up the wrong color...for some reason I was remembering a lavenderish color blue.

Well that wasn't going to work, so I did a different color, with the aide of a picture...(pictures help a lot ya know!)

I think I have it right now.

This one has a really nice draping, in my opinion perfect, sits well too.

A cathedral color blue and greens streaked together.

The picture isn't the best for capturing the piece...but the best I could do this morning.

If it isn't what they want, I will take a better picture and place it up on Ebay, along with the one I mistakenly produced.

It takes several days to produce a piece in the kiln...so 2 vases is just about 2 weeks worth of kiln work...yeah, lengthy process!

Thanks for visiting

Thinking Outloud...

2009-11-21T21:08:00.003-06:00

http://www.robenmarie.com/journal-prompts/
I saw a journal prompt on Roben's page (as I was looking at the cool new store stuff)
I really like:
What view would you like to see from your bedroom window?and why?

So I thought I would think about it a moment here
and then journal the page
and show it when I am finished...

Maybe some of you would like to join in the same question?
Let us know if you do with a link to your page...

Thinking out loud...I would love to see a waterfall
(not a huge roaring one...a trickling one with some action, but not tons of action)
out my window...not necessarily the bedroom...

Waterfalls mean peaceful to me...
and
at the same time are energetic!
they are lush...with craggy spaces and a lot of times a cave!

In my cave I would have cool stuff ...like a table and chair/probably rocking chair...a lantern
a shelf with some inspirational books to look through when i visit...
a few supplies to art with...
and maybe a hammock...for a neato nap!

The doggies would love the pool at the bottom of the falls...so I would take them out with me when I went...and they would have some quality bonding time with me...

It would be a terrific picnicking spot too...the little ones would enjoy going there with granma...
and in the winter when the falls might freeze...(cause I don't have a roaring one)
wouldn't all that frozen glory be a sight!

How about it...are we up to see what each other might come up with...

You might like a different prompt...do tell!

An Award...:)

2009-11-18T12:48:00.003-06:00

Anne http://gaalcreative.blogspot.com/ has awarded me this special sentiment award. Thank you Anne!

I am to mention 5 things about myself:

1. I grew up with the water at my backdoor, on the East coast of VA.

2. Married a 'waterman' his profession was like the series the most dangerous catch...only his harvest was hardshell clams...we have been married forever, 31 years

3. Have 2 adorable grandchildren from our son, boy and girl, and his lovely wife Jen who also brings to the family her 2 sons...so we are not a small family.

4. I don't have a favorite Holiday...I tend to think everyday is special...but important to be thankful for that day and what it brings...and remember what has been brought.

5. I had long looooong hair in my youth...I like it SHORT!

Okay...now I am supposed to pass this award along to 5 others...this is always hard

because I enjoy so many blogs and find so many of the people behind them, have become special to me...but

the idea of highlighting a few is to bring them into a spotlight of notice for those who may not have found their sites...

http://mescrap.blogspot.com/

http://circles-of-rain.blogspot.com/

http://opheliasart.blogspot.com/

http://asplendidadventure.blogspot.com/

http://jkbees.blogspot.com/

Take a few moments and visit these interesting ladies blogs and get to see what their work is all about.

Thank you Anne...you make me smile too

Fix Fence

2009-11-15T23:20:00.004-06:00

Gonna fix the rotten post in the fence today..this is one section.

Old poles removed and new poles set in.

Brace pole set in place.

Brace wire on and tightened...it is set left to right or right to left

depending on which way you want the fence to lean...like if on a hill
it is as shown here so the lean is running up the hill and the fence doesn't fall down. (technical aren't i)

Here the woven wire is set back around the post and the latch is in place the fence is repaired...took about an hour.

Did 2 sections today...then had to go to work...
it was a pretty day though, no wind! very important this time of year working outside...i wouldn't have helped if it was cold

We live in SD...see it isn't all flat like you might think when hearing about the plains...we have a creek just down this hill...it is full now...but not always.

Thanks for tagging along
:)

The 5th Draft..

2009-11-12T18:00:00.003-06:00

Here is possibility number 5. I painted 1/2 all in mosaic, the center plum as well

And 1/2 with a mosaic surrounding the center rectangle plum
pieces.

To begin the conversation I painted random colors representing the glass tesserae. But there are many ways to place the glass...this is the easiest.

Should they choose this pattern possibility.

Glass Cross Commission

2009-11-11T14:42:00.006-06:00

Follow me, we are going to go through the bones of a commission for glass.

The project is for a Cross that will be the form of the cross
mounted to the wall with back lighting.

Going in the Mont Funeral Home in Platte SD...

The cross is measuring 54 inches long...about 20 inches across each side.

In the initial meeting the discussion of colors for the glass begins the project..along with where it will go. How to place it where it goes and something about what they want to see.

Using a light box and color samples we begin the process of what colors are liked

Really all I got out of them in my initial meeting were some color choices.
She likes 5 colors and wants them in the project. 5 is a bit many to work into a decent design, so this was obstacle number 1.

number 2 is they have no idea what kind of design they want.

So, I have 4 designs. Shown are 4 designs and color schemes that may work for them. With 1 done in full pattern size.

A really pretty jeweled toned plum takes center stage in the full sized pattern. Flowing around the center are the other colors of fall she would like represented. Red, Navy, 2 choices of brown a light neutral shade and deeper brown.
Done in a kind of mosaic fashion.
An alternate mosaic border would be the true smaller version with a mixture of the color roaming around the center plum
this might be a nice pattern too
I was too tired to draw that today and may draw it this way tomorrow
although it is as easy to explain when presenting the patterns in conversation...
so i might be lazy and not draw that alternative...

This would also be well represented if she chooses just 2 of the 4 as well.

continued

2009-11-11T14:36:00.002-06:00

I have lost the color pattern for this line drawing. The center is plum flanked with the deeper brown and the larger rectangles are blue

This line drawing has a mosaic in the center...this one represents the one I like best for using all the colors

Keeping the tone to a more neutral palette with pops of the other color

choices

Here is another example...

with the color...

The furnishings they chose are mission in style so I thought that using Frank Lloyd Wright for my inspiration in designs might look nice for the cross...

Keep in mind the colors I have represented do not need to be placed as I have them, nor do all of them need to be used...
This gets decided in the next meeting with clients..
Somewhere has to begin the process of elimination and with out a few examples we can't decide what we might like better or not at all...

I will keep you posted

Carmen's Class Project

2009-11-03T14:38:00.004-06:00

This represents the beginning of my background, I think I went a tad to dark.

Adding some more color and some shapes.

Transferred the image. (An old original drawing)

Adding color.

Adding more layers

Still I think I started too dark which makes my layers hard to see.

Torbus and Co's Carmen is offering "Spill It" a class in letting loose and smear that paint.

Such a personable lady. She gets you all excited to paint.

If you want to learn transferring image, she gives a great lesson.

She stimulates a body to get into the studio and paint...go paint...

Mostly she encourages you to use YOUR work in the projects you are going to use transfers in.

Sad,

but you know I never thought to use old sketches in this manner...EXCELLENT though for recycling

or bringing life to a sketch laying in a journal someplace...go search and resurrect those pieces!

Check her out!

http://www.carmentorbus.com/blog/

Solder Sculpting

2009-10-27T15:59:00.004-05:00

I am participating in an art exchange.....any case...

These hands kind of look like deer antlers in the picture...but hands in person

I took a box I had on the shelf ...simple box that has a sheriffs badge stained lid.
(recycling thing)

Gathered some materials together to make a few alterations to the look.

Wire...for forming the hand and fingers

Paraphernalia to solder...

And began my task to make hands...like presenting a present..

Hands holding the box..

First add wire where the fingers go...

Turn the heat down on the iron and start to add solder...until you get the look you desire..fingers

Patina..in this case bronze...

Hands holding the little box...I put a little swirly element over the Deadwood part of the badge...

But I like the star...kind of a shining feature for an artist
Marshaling the students...our hero...the teaching artist...

So, I present to a teaching artist their treasure..a star...

I won't give away who I have in the exchange...but I hope they come to the post to see how it was made...

fun experience...Hope you joined in ...
it was Seth Apter...and he has received it now...:)

Thursday...

2009-10-15T18:46:00.003-05:00

Has been a busy day!

Here is a lesson using titan buff mixed with the paint palette
Notice how it softens the hue and gives it a grungy effect at the same time

Here is the sign crew...Craig's brother Billy in the plaid and Jack in the blue coat just arrived today

JR is hidden in the middle and his buddy Keaton

Doing a fine job hanging the sign

Here it is hung...it shrank some but it is still visible enough from the road as they pass by...I am standing in the road to take the picture.

Fuse update...everyone arrived at the same time and it was coincidentally the same moments apparently the glass was readiest to sag
I over sag the piece...if the ripple isn't too top heavy it will make an excellent tub
otherwise not so much it will be too tippy a tip jug...we shall see
it has to anneal 5 hours then tomorrow when it is totally cool I can open the kiln
another huge problem with an over sag is the possibility it won't come off the mold...
we shall see...

XXXXX
fingers crossed it isn't too out of proportion and it lifts off the prop...

thanks for dropping by

:)

Colorful Pallete..

2009-10-14T18:43:00.003-05:00

To say the least it is colorful...
other than practicing using waxpaper as the method to apply the paint...
I am not exactly sure what I was after...
But
I was in the studio using paper and paint and I enjoyed the process.

Also fused some glass today which will sagg tomorrow and hopefully if that behaves correctly
I will have a new tip jar for the bar
that looks like a spent shotgun shell...which is what the boss wanted...
this remains to be seen
glass is finickier than paper
and sometimes totally behaves inappropriately
I will know know more on friday about that...

Meantime..thanks for stopping in!

Sign

2009-10-10T14:26:00.004-05:00

This is an old antique Exxon gas station sign...only I think it was Esso then...Craig's grandfather started the business in the 1800's...then his Uncle Freddy inherited it....Craig's brother Byrd used it as a sign at the end of the road to announce veggies this way...then we brought it with us in the move to SD.
This is what Craig wanted painted on it to place at the end of our drive entrance.

I would love nothing better than to age its appearance...but he would freak if I was to do anything else to it.

That is BB retrieving a pheasant...Big Reb standing a pheasant and a couple of jumped flying pheasant...grasses and trees.
The rock is Sam gone wrong...he became landscape.

Painted with metal paint..not a forgiving material...but I think it will hold up the best in the elements on a metal sign. There are not a lot of colors to choose from either and mixing the few I could get my hands on was limiting.

The painting itself is done in a minimal detail style...so the brain fills in the missing pieces and the sign will appear fuller as they pass.

It is so far up no one would be able to see individual feather strokes or an eye...

Anyway it is done and ready to hang...

Thanks for visiting..

Journal Project pages

2009-10-07T19:25:00.003-05:00

Two simple sketches reflecting nature...I seem to be stuck in that mode.

Suddenly it is...32 degrees
Suddenly fall color on the trees..

Book

2009-10-05T18:06:00.004-05:00

This style book is learned from Julie Prichard's class. I liked it so well I made another.

It measures 51/2 x 81/2. With a mixture of collaged pages

and neutral painted pages for background beginnings

I kept the paints soft, but bright.

Here is a photo of the book standing open...(before the cover is added.

A new venue

2009-09-24T16:49:00.004-05:00

I am going etsy!

This is the listing I chose to begin things rolling with.

Glass platter gently rippled. the design is "painted" using the old master's techniques of crushed glass fused in the kiln...then the piece is sagged in the kiln...happy dragonflies to cheer up any space!

http://maryhuntstudio.etsy.com

come for a visit

thank you

...TwiSter...

2009-09-21T14:11:00.003-05:00

This is "ghost writing" a background technique offered in Julie Prichard's Super Nova class
http://www.julieprichard.com/lostluggage/

I decided that it would make a good beginning for the sketch in the sketchbook4project with my theme...and suddenly...

nothing is more sudden than a twister!!

I have to remember these are sketches...not finished paintings
move through them quickly!

And Suddenly....

2009-09-14T20:26:00.004-05:00

Torrential rainstorm!

Living on the Plains lends to a lot of nature drama...INTENSE storms...last week was no exception to her display for a rain shower.

The wind was swirling around and brought the rain coming down in every direction at once...just incredible!!!

in case you can't tell that is the creek filling with the run off water...FASSSST swirl there too!

Here is sketch 3 for sketchproject4 through Art House.

Acrylic washes...

Wild Angel...

2009-09-14T02:48:00.004-05:00

As tired as I am after this long weekend of work work work...I went to sleep to just wake up and not be able to get back to sleep after just an hour
so
I had a nap!

Since it will be awhile before I am caught up enough to post anything new that is being worked up on the table at the present,
I bring to you

Wild Angel

I was listening to Martina McBride belting out the tune
Wild Angel and she sprang to mind
she has the blond hair because I imagine her as Hannah (my granddaughter) when she is a teenager.
Hannah is a living angel, but the tribute is hers.

She sports colored wings...a little prankster just having crossed over to receive them.

I doubt this picture enlarges.. or if it does a little you probably won't be able to get the close up view so...
to describe her
I begin with sketching the face on draft paper
so i know where i want the stain highlights...
and then start staining glass and firing in the kiln. (time intensive and many kiln visits)
she is stained on mouth blown antique glass.

Her face isn't blemished...she has a celestial glow and emerald green eyes...with plum and gold shadow...then the gold flecks over her face as well...
It is kind of hard to see without the sun coming through and actually catching the glass from behind and allowing the piece to glow as it should...

This is an example of another panel...

Thank you for stopping in.

Collaged Book Board

2009-09-11T15:18:00.004-05:00

Putting those collaged pages to use...the book board is made! Makes an interesting chunky textural journal book!! Ready for covering with journal words or to use in so many other ways...such as background for a picture album!

Shows a page open..

Now...I KNOW better when using acrylic products...just because they are dry doesn't mean they won't stick! Here shows a stuck spot...in collaged work I really don't think it makes that much of a difference...however, in retrospect, I will uses separating pieces before I bind the book together the next time...and alleviate the sticky situation.

Thanks for looking...this is book two of Julie's class, if you didn't take her class you might wish you had...I think you can...I believe her classes are ongoing once they begin.

We are learning the 3rd booklet of the class this week...a fabric book!

Stay tuned, I also need to do another sketch soon or I will be miserably behind.

Collaging Backgrounds...

2009-09-07T21:04:00.005-05:00

Collaging can be intimidating...especially when you are careful and exacting in placement...don't.
Pick some complimentary colors...texts what have you and glue it down.

These pages will become a journal...pretty cool if you ask me... I am being inspired by Julie from lost luggage...we take this journal to the next level when part 2 of the class come into play.

We decorate the pages journaling!

I only have 6 of the 12 pages side 1 finished for this afternoon....

Even after i loosened up it is still a fairly time consuming job...it will be worth it though!!!

Her book example is amazing!

I hope I didn't go to dark...I plan to have some lighter pages too to mix into each other.

Thank you for stopping by...I enjoy our visits a lot!