I took a break from gallery work to do a new Kindle cover - am also working on a commission cover. This one is called Coco's Cat. It sold almost immediately - a tribute to the enduring allure of Coco Chanel, no doubt! I am looking forward to doing some more covers this summer. It's such an effective way to "sketch" and try out new techniques and media.
Here's something really - well, disturbing and whacky. Saw these while looking for Easter basket treats.
They're rabbit-design camouflage plastic Easter eggs with an attached package of little toy soldiers shooting at other plastic soldiers that you apparently stuff in the eggs as prizes. What??? That's nuts!
Quick - give me a peaceful organic antidote! Here's a cool video on natural egg dyes from CurblyVideos. Whew, I feel better now.
I really, really like this piece. It seems like more than the sum of the parts. It's called Luna. Mixed media, 24x28" framed. Even the details are interesting - it's great when art works. Favorite discovery - rice paper over silver leaf layered with walnut ink - wow.
It's getting close to the end of semester and there will be time to read the books in my TBR pile, see what other people are doing via their blogs, reimagine stuff around in the house, and try some new things in the studio - including getting back to some new ideas for Kindle covers. Here are some blogs I intend to peruse for inspiration with when I have vacation time:
That was the title of an painting by 15th century artist Albrecth Durer - I liked the painting and just finished a collage that has both pears and a Madonna. It features two versions of the same photo that I took of a pear but with different lighting. It really looks sort of Dali-esque to me. This work is 20x24" framed. It was a tough piece to complete and went through a lot of phases but I like the results. I used a lot of gold leaf on this one. Here's Durer's painting - check out the weird expression on the madonna's face. Underneath it is the collage I finished this evening - really different!
It is a joy to see my friend, Stevie Kesner Ricks, doing new work and exhibiting again. She has inspired me for a very long time. I'm looking forward to lots more time with her, sharing thoughts about art and life. Thanks, Stevie!
I guess the beach R&R worked - before we left, I had prepared a piece of black board with some clear gloss medium, but didn't like the shiny-looking results when we got back yesterday, so I painted it with gray house paint and started a new piece. This is it! It's called "Intercession" and it measures 14x20 framed, so it's a bit smaller. I'm using some new photos of yard eggs that I took last week, great colors. It went together like a story that couldn't wait to be told.
I just got home from spending the weekend in Port Aransas, Texas with old friends. Taking time away from the studio had me concerned, but it was a good trip, very relaxing. Here is a very short video I took yesterday morning just after sunrise and just before my walk.
The beach was almost completely deserted except for the gulls and pipers. There was reddish seaweed everywhere that had been scraped into long piles along the water's edge, but apparently the birds loved it because they were digging in it finding whelks and mussels.
Our group went back down together a couple of hours later and there were people and tents and canopies all over the place, so this was a very lovely time to be there by myself.
I wish there were a way to capture the color of that peach-y gray sky. Maybe the next kimono I fold will have those colors as an inspiration.
I took a break from gallery work to do a new Kindle cover - am also working on a commission cover. This one is called Coco's Cat. It sold almost immediately - a tribute to the enduring allure of Coco Chanel, no doubt! I am looking forward to doing some more covers this summer. It's such an effective way to "sketch" and try out new techniques and media.
