This n' that

Finally getting around to painting the fish. I painted it yellow, then glazed it with Nickel Azo Gold mixed with glaze and wiped the paint off in spots.

Next I mixed Pthalo Turq with glaze and wiped it off again. Not sure if I like it, but will keep going.

The other project that was keeping me busy was faux finishing the bedroom. I painted it mint green, it looked okay...but at certain times of daylight....it looked pretty garrish. So I took some of the bathroom color, mixed it with glaze-rolled it on-wiped it around with cheesecloth. I really like the way it turned out.

Here is a closeup of a wall. Cheesecloth is nice to work with.

Marci came over last weekend. Here she is playing around with alcohol inks on Stampbord.

She started using the inks to paint pictures on acetate. I've only seen people create backgrounds with alcohol inks. Who knew? Marci got the idea of making Christmas presents using alcohol inks on glass ornament bulbs. She's getting some really cool effects. She's coming over again on Saturday. I'll post pictures of her ornaments.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sharing words

When Death Comes

When death comes

like the hungry bear in autumn;

when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;

when death comes

like the measles-pox;

when death comes

like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:

what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

and therefore I look upon everything

as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

and I look upon time as no more than an idea,

and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common

as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth

tending as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something

precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say: all my life

I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it is over, I don't want to wonder

if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,

or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

-Mary Oliver

Wallowing......

My house is a disaster, lately I can't seem to catch up with what needs to be done, much less extra curricular chores. I sit here at work wishing I were at home doing things, by the time I get home....I'm worn out. This poem is so fitting for how I am trying to shift my feelings.

Imperfection

I am falling in love
with my imperfections
The way I never get the sink really clean,
forget to check my oil,
lose my car in parking lots,
miss appointments I have written down,
am just a little late.

I am learning to love
the small bumps on my face
the big bump of my nose,
my hairless scalp,
chipped nail polish,
toes that overlap.
Learning to love
the open-ended mystery
of not knowing why

I am learning to fail
to make lists,
use my time wisely,
read the books I should.

Instead I practice inconsistency,
irrationality, forgetfulness.

Probably I should
hang my clothes neatly in the close
tall the shirts together,
then the pants,
send Christmas cards,
or better yet
a letter telling of
my perfect family

But I’d rather waste time
listening to the rain,
or lying underneath my cat
learning to purr.

-by Elizabeth Carlson

Isn't this a great poem? Wouldn't we all be happier and mentally healthier if we just let go of the shoulds and oughts not to mention the I'm not measuring up to my/others expectations? I'm looking around at all the clutter--ack the room is closing in.....can't eat dinner at the kitchen table because of the piles of papers and (?), piles of books and papers and (?) all over the living floor, clothes to be folded. It's a bit overwhelming. My brain feels as chaotic as my surroundings. Note to self, must start working on this tonite....baby steps.....perhaps with a glass of wine.......
Next weekend, Paul is going hunting-which means I have the weekend all to myself *smiling*.
Dear friend Marci and I are going to have an art retreat. I have started cleaning off one of the tables in my studio so she'll have a place to work. Oh yeah, that room is a mess too as I've been working on copper pieces for the galleries next year and a couples of plaster sculptures for gifts and one for the bathroom. At least I have a week to work on that room ;p

Plaster fish

Here is the plaster fish in progress. So far I made the wire armature and covered it in plaster. The scale texture was made by lightly pressing my fingers in the plaster and pulling up. A layer of gesso was painted on top of the plaster, now it's time for layers of acylic paint. It's pretty big -about 2 feet long. It's going to hang above the shower in the new bathroom. Scuplting is a blast having such a great time! More experiments are in the works. I'll keep you posted.....

Gad-zooks!

On my way home from work on Friday, I did my usual flipping through the channels to find something I wanted to listen to. Can you believe on Halloween day, not one but TWO radio stations where playing Christmas music?! What the?....and it will continue till the day after Christmas. Oy vay!

Potluck with the neighbors

On Sunday afternoon, after "Trick or Treat" ended, Paul and I went over to Jim and Cathy's to celebrate 2 other neighbors birthdays. Marci baked a fabulous cake....from scratch. Yellow cake with raspberry cream filling and French buttercream frosting. Yum!

This is Gust, one of the birthdays we celebrated. He and his wife are very fun, they have 4 kids that are so adorable.

Here's Joey (I mean James Bond) he is 4, what a great kid. Isn't he the cutest?

Our hosts Jim and Cathy. There was quite a houseful of family and neighbors. We live in a great little neighborhood. It's been such a kick to meet new neighbors and spend time getting to know them.

Marci (on the left) and Liz (Gust's wife). Every Saturday, Marci and I go out for breakfast and go grocery shopping and do our errands. She is the sister I never had. We have soooo much fun together. We like the same music, same colors, same just about everything. Many times we even say the same thing at the same time....funny!

Quite the spread! Cathy made a vat of beef stew, we all brought something for the potluck.

Cheesy mashed potatoes, fruit salad, coleslaw, fruit fluff, biscuits, pumpkin bars. We were all stuffed!

Getting your hands in it

Not long ago, I worked for Arnold Grummer's Papermaking. It was the best job I ever had. I did mostly administrative work there, but every now and again I was able to do creative work. I remember doing a demo at a store and a gal stopped by my table to watch. She was a graphic arts student, and everything she did was on the computer. She said she missed the tactile experience of creating art. She bought a papermaking kit so she could get her hands into making art again. That's why I love working with plaster. The process of sculpting texture with my hands on a surface is so enjoyable. I like having the push/pull of making something very smooth or having rich, nubbly texture, watching a piece evolve with layers of paint and glaze. Being up to my elbows in paint, stain, plaster....whatever. Getting totally and completely lost in making art.
For me, there's nothing else like it, nothing else comes close. Your asignment for today, go get your hands into something to have that tactile experience. Go on, I'll wait right here.......