365 Day 110

darn it!

I didn't hear the buzzer go off -- I was doing the last bit of touch up -- close painting stuff -- and I missed my deadline by minutes! Midnight:02...darn it!

Tonight I did all of the finishing up stuff -- whiskers, eyebrows, outlines, lettering. Man. Why does a non-painter, non-letterer insist on doing things that need to be painted and lettered?

365 Day 109

still working on 'Nipped

I have been painting the faces on 'Nipped and his companion piece. Slow process (for me) -- you know me and the painting thing.

365 Day 108

it seemed like a good idea at the time...

I usually check my email and Facebook before I go to bed. Well, last night/early this morning I saw a call for art from the Northville Arthouse for their show called West of Center. (And yes, they are "west" of Center St.) I have wanted to submit something there for a while but I haven't been able to fit anything I already had in progress OR make something specific that I was happy with.

I went to bed and I naturally started thinking about what I could do for Left of Center. Then the ideas wouldn't quit and after an hour I eventually had to give in and just get up because there was no way I was going to fall asleep. I was thinking of several things I had in the basement that could have been bases for a plaster cloth creature. I brought some of them up to the studio and I couldn't quite get things to gel.

Then it came to me to try and use a couple of things that I had in progress but had "set aside for later". I made these when I was first trying out plaster cloth and they were pretty misshapen and wonky. I worked with them for a bit and things started coming together.

I like both of them a lot but they are both in the very very very beginning stages and most likely will end up looking quite a bit different than their basic shapes.

The canine-ish head was already a fairly substantial clump of plaster cloth. The only thing I knew about it for sure was the tilting ears looking like he hears something. Actually, that cracks me up...even when I've had enough sleep. I think this piece will be a take off on one of my drawings/characters called "Wolfy". When I started out the head was more of a rectangle and had sort of flat (but very bumpy and crater-y) surfaces. I added the nose and tried to get a rounder shape for the head. I also added a thick neck...it originally had a wrapping paper tube neck. It is sitting on top of an upside down tomato cage. (I have a number of the cages that I bought specifically to make papier mache things with -- big creatures...I am still working my way up to that and I have switched from papier mache to plaster cloth.) This guy is about 48 inches tall.







harsh early-morning-it's-snowing light is not great for lighting objects for photos




























































The catlike guy started out tonight as just an aluminum foil covered balloon on a wrapping paper tube neck. When I started playing with it I found that the balloon was not as inflated as it once was. I compressed it a bit and shaped it a little and made the markers for ears. I added stuff around it to give it more of a body shape and this is where I am so far. The arms are just lightly taped so I could see how they might work. This guy is about 21 inches tall.

365 Day 107

documenting process (and progress)

This blog keeps me moving forward. It helps me to keep on track, to stay focused and to feel productive because I can look back and see what I've done each day.

But it also functions as a way for me to remember how I did something...what the steps were, in what order I did something, etc.

Today I found that I still needed to add more yellow underneath another layer of orange. Yesterday I was thinking I was ready to move on to the next step(s)...but today it was pretty clear that I needed to go one more layer to build up the colors.

I am a person who likes to work with paper. I love cutting paper images for collages. I enjoy wrapping gifts. There are all kinds of things I do with paper. Today I can say that I am enjoying adding color with layers of tissue paper. Even though in reality there is probably a lot less control over the results, I feel more in control than with paint. I am not comfortable with paint. I don't understand paint(s) and I don't really care for it as a material/supply. I paint because I have to sometimes. I stomp, I pout, I procrastinate, I whine and complain...but I usually end up painting. Accidentally "discovering" that I can add color with paper a few days ago -- today I feel really enthusiastic about it. I don't dread it. I feel like I was led to it. Yay.

I am going on and on about this because I know at some point I will be re-reading this drivel and I will see that I needed to work through all of this and find my true comfort levels and the things I am really truly drawn to. I just basically need to document things for myself.










starting off today with my "tools"...triangles of tissue paper, brush and matte medium













adding a yellow triangle of paper















every edge, every surface gets touched and smoothed...I like this
















building up the colors -- not very time efficient, but boy oh boy is it ever satisfying (to me)












stepping back to take a look








letting it dry for a bit

365 Day 106

general work day

Today I have been working on sorting and clearing up things, packing up auctions that closed, running very close/short errands and then working on 'Nipped.






before







It may be sort of hard to see it, but I put two layers of color on today. The before photo shows how the various painted layers were still showing through most of the piece. The next photo show the orange-over-a-layer-of-yellow detail.






after







I am starting to get more close to being done now and I don't want to show overall shots until after the opening of Meth & Hot Dogs 2. I will continue to show close up shots and teasers.

365 Day 105

It's finally here! (updated at the end of the post with a link to photos)
Tonight is the Opening Reception for Come Play With Me -- a juried exhibit of dolls, toys and games by Michigan artists -- at Paint Creek Center for the Arts in Rochester, MI.

I am so excited I can hardly stand it -- the waiting/anticipation is excruciatingly fun.

I swiped the info below directly from PCCA, because they say it best:
"Works in this show include a variety of hand sewn dolls and soft toys; a selection of toys made from old books; ceramic dolls and robots; a set of bottle cap figures; a beautifully crafted hand-cranked flip book toy; the King Kong Panic Playset; a refrigerator magnet set complete with refrigerator door; a collection of marble games and puzzles; wooden animal pull toys; paper doll sets; an elaborate marble game construction that may be played alone or with multiple players; masks and a headdress made from found objects and small toys; a visual game based on fictional Tall Tales about the origins of Detroit landmarks; a Grey Gardens board game; a pair of simple but challenging flash video games; surrealist games made up of objects and small parts that hold their own absurd logic; and the lovely Chime Cat Visits Cloud City, a musical pull toy featuring an oversized cat on a wheeled cart. Participating artists range from veteran artists familiar to many in the Detroit area, to newcomers exhibiting their work for the first time. We’re excited to see the sheer variety of approaches to the theme, and the excellent craftsmanship that went into all these beautiful toys."

Here is the list of participating artists -- I cannot be-lieve I am in such extraordinary company!
(I have included a link to the artist's website/Etsy shop where available)

• Madeleine Barkey -- Ferndale, MI
• Jeanne Bieri -- Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
• Loralei Byatt -- Detroit, MI
• Sandra Cardew -- Royal Oak, MI
• Renee Dooley -- Detroit, MI
• Took Gallagher -- Northville, MI
• Marcia Hovland -- Royal Oak, MI
• Amy Kelly -- Hamtramck, MI
• Andrew Krieger -- Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
• Andy Malone -- Royal Oak, MI
• Michael McGillis -- Royal Oak, MI
• Joey Merchant -- Ferndale, MI
• Ryan Molloy -- Ann Arbor, MI
• Juana Moore -- Ferndale, MI
• Scott Northrup -- Dearborn, MI
• Jaclyn Novak -- Canton, MI
• Catherine Peet -- Royal Oak, MI
• Teresa Petersen -- Detroit, MI
• Gina Scolellaro -- Amherstberg, Ontario
• Mike Sivak -- Ann Arbor, MI
• Doug Spalding -- Royal Oak, MI
• Starr Williams -- Berkley, MI

And...as if that wasn't enough:
"As part of this exhibit, we’ve scheduled a Saturday afternoon Play Date for Saturday, April 30th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Come on in and play with the toys the artists have created. Children accompanied by their parents are welcome to participate. We’ll also have some materials and ideas on hand for kids to make their own toys and games."

I will do my best to take as many photos as possible tonight!

Update: here is a LINK to the photos I took.

365 Day 104 (almost made it -- but slightly late)

well, five minutes past my self-imposed deadline...

It may say midnight but it is actually 12:05 a.m. -- oh well. Close enough.

I finished papering 'Nipped (first layer) (?) It may not look too bad afterall.









'Nipped fully papered, head and neck...below that will be a shirt that I don't want paper on







Then I put another layer of paint on the middle ghost. He was blue, now he is chartreuse.









middle ghost, blue







middle ghost, chartreuse