Robt & Shana ParkeHarrison
One of the twig photos for the border
So I have a minute whiole I am waiting for the chicken bones to come to a boil- making this weeks batch of soup broth. I've been working like crazy and have to take a break anyway to get caught up with 'other' things, like life.
First, back to crit group: My twig self portrait was met with the usual silence and chorus of ummmmms, then they all sort of say something like of course I can pull it off. I guess that they don't see me as a pile of twigs which I am taking as good news. Not too many of us had new work so we were home in time for the Red Sox final game- great news, after 86 years, eh?
Thuyrsday I picked up Laura who is in town for a lecture and 2 workshops with QC. She was staying at Joan Gulovsen's house and when i walked in I was very surprised to see MY quilt hanging in her front hall- the old one of Pueblo de Taos. I never knew she had it! When I was selling off all that stuff at the garage sale, there were so many people and so much was flying out the door that I didn't kee track of what went. Then, when I packed to move all the quilts got rolled up and they have remained rolled in the storre room for 5 years now. One of these days I'll go see what's left.
Back to Laura though- we went to the Mac storre and found her a laptop, and me my iPod. Unfortunately I want the color one, out since Tuesday, but priced at $499. Guess I don't need it to hold 25,000 photos, and I guess I don't need a color screen either but damn, I lusted after that thing. Didn't buy it, AND I didn't buy the laptop either. I will thought, as soon as my ship comes in and I sell something else. What are the chances... We also hit SIgnature Gallery because they are now at 50% off everything left in the shop. I got some ceramic vegetables because I was feeling sorry for myself that my lamp had sold- that's what I get for waiting.
Then we picked up Molly and went to the DeCordova to see the exhibit there- we both loved it- it was staged photography of the artist, who made all his props and costumes, then he collages photos together and paints the surface so it looks just like a sepia toned old time photograph. I want one, but failing that, I really want the book of all his work- but it was $60 so will wait on that too- maybe if I write out exactl;y what I want I will get some gifts I like this year. It was good to see Laura- w e have never spent any real time together and I feel we have a lot in common- lord knows we never stopped talking for a minute.
Had to drop her and rush home to get rready for the condo meeting, so got absolutely NO work done all day.
Friday I was in the studio all day so I made up for it.
October 26, 2004
White Shining Boat Snores Time
Fear of Braising-
now, how in hell did she get between those bars? She repeated the preformance today as I was sauteeing pork for Red Sox chili, but she couldn't find the way in- she seems to think there is only one section large enouygh and she tried them all to no avail. Next tiome I know she will gain 6 oz. while inside and will have to become anorexic to get back out.
Off to crit group tonight and I have something to show! Yeaaa! I spent the whole day filling little cells with paint and sewing together my self-portrait. Even got a 1" border of shiny red stuff on the edge which will help keep the satin in square while I am working on it. I started priinting border fabric but it's kinda icky looking, was trying to avoid doing all that Photoshop around a thousand twigs but it looks like that's the only way. Maybe I will just do two or three sections and flip them so they don't look the same for reuse. Photos tomorrow if I get back from the car dealership in time for leading a life.
October 23, 2004
Claremont Archangel Incapacity
One of the twig photos- there are about 18
Went to my class the other night and I was the only one there- got full attention from John, but he is pushing me to experiment with things I am not all that excited about. He stapled down some wire garden fence onto my canvas and told me to fill the little cells with medium, wax, and paint mixture- well, that's OK but I threw down a purple ground to start with which really pushed my comfort zone and limited me to making little greenish/ yellowish, and rusty cells. I worked and worked and only got maybe twenty or thirty done. They still aren't dry, and I am hoping tomorrow to fill more of the squares so it will be dry enough in a few days to yank the green grid off.
You don't know what I'm talking about do you?
Someone apparently mentioned my name or my website on QA the other day and I woke up to several lesson orders in my mailbox, a nice surprise, especially since I don't have to print any. Wish I could herd a few more folks past the lessons- I think they're a bargain, though if they get four it approaches the cost of a book almost. Of course if it were a book, I wouldn't be the onc eating the printing costs. Every one I sell brings me a tad closer to brreaking even- only about 200 left to go . What am I laughing about, geesh!
I managed to print all my self-portrait photos yesterday on satin and learned a bit in the process- I have to lighten and change to conbtrast to very mionimal to make the photo not print too dark. I now have it set to lighetn and remove contrast both at 60%, and it is almost there- I thinnk I will cut a bunch more chunks of satin and re-do the first six or seven prints- I may be able to use the dark ones for border or some other part. I am also thinking of taking more pictures of the twigs and blowing them us as large as I can to fuse down over the surface. I'm getting there I think...I jsut don't have the studio time I want lately with the puppy and The Ralph both making demands- I may have to go back to what I was doing when the kids were little, putting them to bed and working all night.
Molly got all upset and me braising lamb shanks today, I think it was because last time I braised some meat the smoke alarm went off and she freaked. Anyway she wedged herself into the security bars on the floor window in the studio. It's at floor level so she stands there barking at cars and people walking by, but never got in between the bars before. I finally lured her out with a promise of a walk- and she OOZED between the bars which are only about 3" apart, it was amazing to watch. Thankfully I didn't have to remove all the bolts to get her out since I don't have a proper tool- could have taken days. Anyway, she is freaked out by braising noises. Like I need that.
As if you didn't get it from the lamb shank reference, I have folks coming for dinner tonight- Lamb and Red Sox are on the menu. Hope I can get everything served before the game starts.
October 21, 2004
Beautiful Hairy Kitchen
right-detail of the Palmtree Lino Print
left-the full Palmtree print, 8" x 10" (see the previous post for my photo that started this)
Brunner Baby Zippy 1824 cotton hat and vest with Lox turtles from the Mission Falls 'Wee Knits' book
This print is a reductive print, lino cut for my expreme painting class. Basically you start with one lino block and work backwards removing a bit more for each successive color from light to dark- this one has been printed five times, cream, beige, bronze, blue and black. I'm still working on the Molly print, same technique but have found that I cannot print on top of metallic inks- the paper itself lifts. Of course I already have three layers of ink before I find this out, but worst case scenario I will use 10 Mollies for collage.
I have also figured out how to use the simply hideous self-portrait I was working on, Today I took many photos of the innards of it and the pictures have come out great- nice contrast and the red twigs against the silver and gold look smashing- I might have to do a quilt again, am thinking how wonderful it would print on satin so I am busy the rest of the day on that (hope I have enough ink for this thirsty printer.)
The Halloween Countdown: I bought 6 squash this year and will hollow them out to serve butternut chipotle soup. No more pumpkins except in a can for me. I used to spend hours making the best jack-o-lanterns in town and then the older trick-or-treaters would throw them in the driveway or roll them down the hill. Gave up the whole thing. Once we moved into the condo we didn't have kids coming by any more, I can remember how nuts the poor dogs would go with the doorbell ringing every few minutes, how nuts I would be over where MY kids were and when they would be back (after they were old enough to go it alone without me in my annual bear mask). I did love Halloween when the kids were little, what turned me off was the sugar and costume HIGH that lasted an entire month- but ya know, maybe it was my own sugar high now that I think back... a month ahead I would buy Halloween candy I didn't even like so I wouldn't eat it, then of course would eat it and go out and buy another bag of some other kind- and eat that too. by the day before Halloween I was up to buying only *unwrapped* candy I loved so it wouldn't slow me down. Then of course I had to go out again and buy *wrapped* candy for the visitors.
Now, what the hell, I just buy the biggest Clark bars I can find and eat them in the car on the way home.
October 16, 2004
Calculate Antigorite Spud Pomposity
The palm photo that I used for my print- now that I see it here it's a much better view than the print I am working from- in mine I can't see any definition in the left side at all- it's just black. Of course, it makes for a much easier print that way . These trees are probably fallen after all the hurricane damage in Florida. Hope not, I love the bark!
Hey, no pictures of Molly today! It's not that sahe hasn't done anything cute today, it is just that she is a mess and waiting for her 'day of beauty' at noon- little does she realize she is set for a bikini wax and pedicure. I have a full day ahead getting to the bead show in Watertown with my dollar-off admission ticket, then also getting to the print lecture at the New Art Center at 2. Ralph is heading for the Redsox tonight so he's happy- should be fun since he is taking his BIL who has never been to Fenway in spite of loving baseball. And to see a playoff game against the Yankees is a great way to ease into it!
My deconstructed prints from the one lino block are coming along nicely for my first attempt- I added two more layers on Thursday and only have one more black print to do- IF the damn things ever get dry enough to add to! They are spread all over the dining room table and after three days are still sticky, and I've even used the heat gun on them. I also want to work on the other one I started of the dog, but need more white ink before I get involved there.
I picked up Sylvia and we went to Lowell the other day to see the Man-Made show at the NEQM. Boy, it wasn't very interesting. There were two, maybe three, pieces that deserved to be there. I loved one of palm trees taken from below, I think it was Shaun Quinlans, and Mac's with all the body builders where he added different heads was amazing. I was only sorry it wasn't the feature quilt as you come up the stairs! He had sent Sylvia a running commentary of his thoughts on what was there and had us in stitches. I have to say I agreed with most of his takes.
Anyway, we left off our Quilted Cuisine show pieces and met the new curator, Anita, and trotted off to La Boniche where they never even questioned me about taking my quilt down from the front window! I introduced Sylvia to Friends Fabric Art where we bought some stuff, and off we went to the show at the Brush before it closes in a few days. There were maybe two pieces there that we liked- mostly it was that overwrought, over-techniqued, beaded and ruched and stamped and twisted stuff I hate. I don't know when technique started passing as 'art' instead of being just a vehicle to get there! Anyway, I was disappointed- but the good thing is that I don't remember if I was rejected or not.
So, that was my art day on Thursday. All day yesterday I spent knitting the little 'Ziggy' vest for Deb's new grandson. I am not happy with the red-magenta trim I bought so may stop back at the shop and exchange it for blue or green and get some buttons- it's going very fast. After this I think I will make a few to keep on hand for other new babies.. I'll probably have a picture of this soon.
And so off I go to a busy day-
October 12, 2004
Custodian Hydrodynamic Bridegroom Alveoli
Treebook, in progress
MOLLYWOOD wearing her new Doggles
Well the Redsox are embarrassing me as usual. I even left the room since I seem to be the cause of them losing whenever I watch, but then I remembered that they were down 2 before I even turned on the tv. Things don't look good, but they never do in that department.
I've been knitting away on that stupid triangle pattern sweater I got on eBay- I don't even like the bloody thing. But all is not lost because I found a fabulous book by a woman who does freeform knitting so I am gonna start a project like that next.
The latest Kaffe Fassett book is called 'Caravan of Quilts' and my name isn't on the cover any more. The photography is wonderful but frankly the quilts leave me cold- all the colors are sorta chalky and not a pallet I much care for but you can't argue with success. I have to get in touch with the shop in Jupiter to see if they want me to teach my little freeform quilt... See it here: http://www.ctpub.com/productdetails.cfm?SKU=15052
or a better picture including interior shots here: http://www.colourway.co.uk/rowan/cara/cara.htm. Mine is at the right hand side of the second row.
Spent most of the day with my lino prints, tweo in progress now but I ran out of printing inks and tried acrylics without any luck- the paint was so tacky that it pulled up pieces of paper so I ceased and desisted until tomorrow when I can get more of the real stuff. I am quite anxious to get them done for class Thursday to show him I am not a complete dilitante! At least I got a lot cut today and am ready for inking on both.
October 11, 2004
curious livestock sideline
A few things that struck me on this weekends foray into Western New York, no man's land, and certainly not This Woman's either:
Saw a sign for "Grage Sale" and tut-tutted on the misspelling. Sign looked like it was done in #3 oil (pronounce the 'r') on a shingle. I was feeling high and mighty and, yes, even educated and oh boy, there was ANOTHER sign on another 'grage sale' spelled the same. No wonder I can't spell- it's all the fault of the New York State Board of Regents!
Heard on the radio around Rochester: "So Come on down to Beverly Jean's Furniture Store for the Apple and Wine festival all weekend!" Huh?
Leslie Uggums was performing at the Buffalo Philharmonic. She is 62 now, though I bet not a one of you was worried about her.
Saw three Muslim men on a rug at a rest stop on the Thruway, on the grass over by a picnic table. Molly was very interested in why they were in the doggie 'play' position, but I pulled her away.
There was a fully renovated gothic church advertised for $795,000. It has seating in an auditorium for 1000, and plenty of room for commercial as well as residential spaces. Not a bad area. In Boston that would buy an ordinary 2 bedroom apartment. It was beautiful in the picture- flying buttresses and all.
I stayed again at the Holiday Inn because they have several 'pet friendly' rooms and this weekend they were having the Big International ICS show- banners all over the building and loads of vans with darkened windows. All the participants were carrying in huge boxes that were covered with fabric that looked like slip-covers. So what's the ICS you ask (like I did)- canaries. Yes folks, there are actually canary shows, just like dog shows or cat shows. It sure beats me how they can tell one from another.
Saw an old Jaguar on the Thruway with New Jersey plates. It was well cared for and in good shape, and had an international sticker on the back- you know the ones I'm talking about? Oval with the country-of-origin code in in. Well this guy had "Exit 63" on his. I laughed out loud.
And finally, I counted EIGHT different football games on tv Saturday afternoon. There were three golf matches, one channel of Japanese anime and the only other channel was re-running the previous night's debate with that little flailing person in the bottom corner for the deaf viewers. I was forced to read.
Maybe my spelling will improve.
October 05, 2004
Bichromate Arccos Trout
Molly in her Zebra Jacket, very embarrassed.
Yeah I've been knitting again and finished the sweater the other day. Both kids think it's a tad over the top. Wait till they see the new Doggles I have ordered for her!
Amazing what a mess I can make in the studio with all this paiting and printing. Today I am procrastinating clean-up and doing this instead. Yesterday I spent most of the day pulling the first print fo the Molly woodblock. I get so confused on the order of doing this reductive print- maybe it would be easier if I did something simpler to start rather than this picture with 4 colors of beige. Too late now.
Yesterday the dog trainer came for the last class- I have to work with the dog more, but she is so cute that it's hard to be tough. The other day she ate the zipper right off her crate so now we have to lift her in through the top. Cute. Rack up $150 for the stupid thing, now rendered ineffective.
Also went to the Maul to see about finding a gift for Mandy and jamie's first anniversary- it had to be made of paper and I found a great wall piece that you'd swear was ceramic. I liked one of them better than the one I got but got this one because it had red in it- hope they like it. Anyway, the point of this is that the gallery is going out of business after 20 years and I'm distraught since it's where I go for all my gifts (yeah, even gifts for me). The good thing is that every Friday they take the prices down another 10% so I have to get back there regularly to check what's left.
Enough hanging out doing things I don't need to- back to work so I have something to show.
October 01, 2004
Classify Mascara Asymptote
MOLLY AS A WOODBLOCK PRINT
PAPERHUT BOOK 8" x 9"
New Art Center
Well, I know what 'mascara' is, but never heard of an 'asymptote'! I might have to start looking up all these spam words. nah, that would be too much like self-improvement.
Haven't done this in a while, mostly because I am just doing other things in between Molly walks. I started my Extreme Painting class last week and it is truning out to be more of a printing experience which is fine with me- anything to get me trying other stuff. my assignment for next week is to get a linoleum block and anm image for a multi-color print. So I did the image thing this morning- found a picture of Molly and it has limited color so will work great. I doubt he will be thrilled I am working from a photo but ***tough***. This is the photo above.
Last weeks assignenment was a self portrait out of paper mache. Can I begin to tell how much I hate paper mache? I used a huge soy protein can as my base and filled it full of painted twigs, then cut out holes to see what's inside. Then he wanted me to paint it and I fell apart. I was slopping all these ugly ass pastels over the top and it was just getting 'worser and worser' so I gave it a squirt bath in the sink and lost a lot of color. I did play around with some gels and did a couple of interesting panels last night- backgrounds. I have to pick them up today and hopefully they are dry enough to transport.
I've also been making little books, like the marble book before- Here is another one of a little hut shape that was fun . I have also got a tree book in progress but have just started printing images on the pages so will hold off pictures until it's in better viewable shape/
I really have to write this more often...
No comments :
Post a Comment