Art on Autopilot

Not really "autopilot." but after being frustrated with photographing the larger pieces, my new Kindle covers went together so well and relatively quickly - and each one is different. I finished three of them over the weekend and got an inquiry about another custom cover today. I also got an inquiry from someone who wanted to know how to make her own, so I gave her the link on this blog - it's just great to share stuff.
Hope she has as much fun as I do. Here are the new covers - the titles are Temple Bell, Gypsy Ledger and Florian's Song. You can see other views on my Etsy Gallery.

Framing and Photo Frustrations

I completed two pieces that I really like today and just finished cutting the mats and assembling the frames - one has a four inch mat and one has a three inch mat. I think I like the wider one, but am just not sure. And I am so frustrated about not being able to get good photos of these larger pieces. My light box isn't big enough. I do take photos before they are framed. Any tips out there? It's something I need to work on and figure out, especially if I want to make a giclée print of the one on the right.
The two pieces are titled "Inedible Fruit" (right) and "The Architecture of Dreaming" (left) and both are 22x24" framed.

Processing the Process

My girlfriend Gina came over yesterday for a studio visit. I was cutting a mat for a piece that was finished (I thought). We decided to go down to La Vida Gallery, so I put off framing the new collage. This morning I got up at five and realized it really wasn't finished. It was an incomplete story. The fact that I had already matted it didn't matter, it just needed another small dimension. Here is the before and after. It's not necessarily better, just different, and I am much happier with it. The "before" is the top image. After I added the second profile on the right, it brought the focus back into the center of the collage. This one is titled The Cat's Dilemma. There's a whole mini-drama behind what's going on in this composition but that's for me to know and you to figure out!

The Art of Tamales

The day before New Year's Eve, a group of friends gathered at Casa Belisle to make tamales. What was I thinking? But we did it! Ten intrepid tamale makers, including our expert, the fabulous Elaina, spread homemade masa (lard-y and veggie) on shucks, filled the tamales with beef, pork, beans, squash, chiles, cheese - all manner of wonderful things, rolled folded stacked and steamed. The result? At least 16 dozen of what were undoubtedly the best tamales we've ever eaten. It was a holiday miracle - good intentions, lots of laughter, and one person who knows what to do and can show the rest of us works. Special thanks to Elaina, who can pull steaming tamales our of the pot with her bare hands to check to see if they are done, to Raven and Sandra for washing mounds of dishes, to the wine and cheese bringers, to Jim for being a good sport at a grownup party, to Michael for making masa and fillings, to Sherry for the awesome shredded pork, to Stuart for the veggie inspirations, to Carol for the Lady of Guadalupe that blessed the venture - and a happy new year to all!
Viva Tamales!