Day 292 - 365/2014

Day Two Hundred Ninety-Two

Today I hosted Sanda Cook and her Abstract Art Workshop at my house.  In attendance: Took, Terri, Juana, Peggy, and Franciney.  Sanda brought all the materials we needed and showed us some techniques for painting in an abstract way with acrylics.  This is much different from anything any of us usually do and it was great fun!  Here are some photos from today:

Sanda arrives with some of her supplies.

Skip drove Sanda to my house...he is looking around a bit.

Sanda unpacking her supplies.

Here we are -- ready to get started.  (Me/unseen), Terri, Juana, Sanda, Peggy, and Franciney.

Sanda gave us each a canvas that had she had started with textures and gesso.

Sanda starting her talk.

Showing us about drawing around the textures and also making outlines to fill in.

I chose to outline the texture on mine...later I drew a freestyle shape.

Sanda talking about her process with a previous painting of hers.

Here is what I have so far...what could be a bear or bear-like creature and a blue blob...maybe slightly rabbit-shaped.

In this direction it looks more like a map to me...this is how I will work on it.

Sanda works on a painting along with us.

Peggy and Franciney working.

Terri and Juana working...Sanda at the end of the table.

My "map" shaping up a bit.  I think I will continue to add more things after it is dry enough and I think about it a bit more.

Sanda shows her painting.

Sanda taking a photo of Terri and her painting.

Sanda talking to Juana about her painting.

Peggy couldn't decided which direction she preferred...landscape or portrait...

...Peggy decided she liked this direction best.  I agree.

Juana still working on her painting.

Franciney still working on her painting.

Terri's finished painting.

Franciney -- almost done.

Juana with her completed painting.

Ta-daaa...Franciney is done!

Detail of Franciney's painting.

Sanda's completed painting...she gifted it to me!

Sanda's palette.

Skip arrived to pick Sanda up.

Final chats.

Wow...it's like they were never even here -- no mess!

We all had a really great time today and we all painted in ways we never would have on our own.  We are very happy with our paintings.  THANK YOU, Sanda -- maybe we can do this again some time!

Day 265 - 365/2014

Day Two Hundred Sixty-Five

Part One -  I worked on this guy early this morning (which was really late last night because I hadn't gone to bed yet).  I wanted to play around with the plaster cloth but I didn't want to tackle anything large.  I saw this guy in the materials bin in the basement and brought him upstairs.  I got him at a garage sale for under a dollar and I never intended to do anything with him but plaster cloth him into a new creature.

I really dislike this guy in his original state...except I like his dangly legs.

another view

I think he is supposed to be a pig or a boar but that doesn't seem like a very piggy or boary tail.

So I had to fill in all of the space between the original ears and forehead/nose area.  This is maybe just the first stage for this guy.  I don't know what I want him to be yet, other than just a creature.

First he gets the masking tape cover up.

The body and feet get the plaster cloth...tail tbd.

I love his dangly legs -- but I wanted to not have them be cloven hooves anymore.

I like them so much I made a little movie of them...like to see it?  Here it goes:

Part Two -- Juana and I visited Sanda Cook at her studio!  We had fun talking and getting to know each other and looking at her wonderful artwork.

Yep, I "made" Sanda do this pose.

Sanda and Juana.

Take two.

Take one -- much too serious.

That's better!

Day 254 - 365/2014

Day Two Hundred Fifty-Two

I am a bit overwhelmed today by two incredible things that happened.  Luckily, my good friend Terri came over tonight.  Terri provided me much appreciated temporary distraction from my overthinking of things. 

We both had artwork in the recent Detroit Artists Market Show If You Build It, They Will Come.  Alas, neither of our pieces sold during the show and since Terri lives not far from DAM, she offered to pick up Woodlee for me as well as the wonderful piece I purchased from the show.  

Woodlee is back home again!

Woodlee joins the gang.

Then and Now... by Sanda Cook.  I love this piece!

I also recently snatched up a few of Terri's delightful Mystery Acumen Oracle collages from her Etsy store The Farrago Factory.  Terri brought them with her tonight, too!  I just love all of them -- it was really hard to choose only four.  You really must visit her store via the link and grab a couple for yourself before they are all gone!

My four new Terri Light Mystery Acumen Oracle collages!  I will find the perfect spot for the group of them ASAP!

Then we went to dinner at Tuscan Cafe and talked and talked and talked and caught up on each others' news and talked and talked and talked.  Then we came back to my house so that Terri could tell me the materials she needed me to email to her so that she can make the labels and placard for me for the latest edition of my Animal People for Art-o-mat.  This has been the major thing that has been holding me up on sending them in to HQ.  I don't have the program I used to use to make my own labels and I just do not have the computer/design chops that Terri does.  She offered to do this for me and I finally said "yes, please" and now I can get back to doing the finishing touches on the collages and get them ready for their labels.  Thank You SOOOOOOO much, Terri!  (Terri promised that she would tell me when I can return the favor and help her with something that comes easily to me but hard for her.)