November 8 -- a very full day

Gosh -- a lot happened today but I don't have photos for everything and I also don't want to talk about everything in detail.  I got some incredibly great preliminary news and it comes as a huge relief, I am so grateful...I can start to breathe a little...feels so good.

A lot of the morning was spent taking photos of new work...I think I mentioned I got myself a new tripod since I seem to have given my old one away somewhere between here and the move from Southfield (several years ago now).  I have to make postcards and I want to do some Moo business cards while I am at it so that means going through a lot of photos and making sure they fit specs, etc.

I am also trying to polish and finish my artist statement.  We will be working on my website for some minimal content, including the "about" page on Tuesday -- probably most of the day.  I really dislike writing -- especially about myself.  It is right up there with painting/applying paint on my rather-not-do-this list.  But it has to be done and I will get it done in time.  

But I will say that the "very wet" collage looked great with yesterday's additions.  I just had to re-do the eye on one of the creatures.  This collage is looking pretty darn nice.  I wish the frame I have for it didn't cover as much of the edge of the collage as it does, but that is my only complaint about that.  No photos.

I worked on another small collage and after the success with the "very wet" collage I used some small amounts of marbled paper on it.  The marbled paper is two-sided and I can grab some colors I don't have otherwise if I turn the marbling side over...comes in really handy!  Here is a peak at what I mean.

The collage is underneath the papers -- it is a little girly monster...you can barely see the left edge of the collage showing her ear and part of her eye...and the gorgeous marbled papers.

Oh -- and my wonderful nextdoor neighbor took the wood and dowels for the two bases I needed to put together for He Dreams and Baby Beast.  He took the parts to work with Him because He had access to all sorts of tools last night.  Today She called me and said the bases were ready.  I love my new-ish neighbors.  I figured out how I wanted the bases for these guys and went out and got the parts cut and the long screws that wouldn't split the wood but I was struggling with the pilot holes...I needed a drill press -- or better yet -- someone to do it for me who knew what they were doing.

Baby Beast and He Dreams He is a Tree with their assembled bases.  I am so lucky to have such great neighbors!

And tonight I began papering the bases.  Baby Beast will be for sale but He Dreams will not be.  They will both be in the show, though.  So -- I am making the base for He Dreams to please me and the base for Baby Beast will be a bit more neutral.

The two bases with the bottoms and partial sides done/drying.  I had a "Duh!" moment when I realized I could turn them upside down to dry and not touch the table.

I am really jacked up physically from all of the sitting-at-the-table time yesterday and today.  I wanted to give the really long horns guy his new eyes and finish his wet plaster cloth tonight but I just can't.  I need to elevate my feet/legs.  I hope to work something else tonight...maybe writing, maybe looking through sketchbooks for images for the bigger collages...dunno.

November 7 -- back at it again

I missed blogging yesterday because I had a really really hard day.  Sometimes it comes down to me needing to stop fighting the emotion(s) and just surrendering and riding it out then getting back on track...and that is all I want to say about yesterday.

Okay -- this morning I took a look at the totally dry "really wet" collage.  Sue and I looked at it yesterday and each time I turned it and changed the orientation we both saw different creatures...but it was going to need more done to it no matter what.  Today when I turned it I immediately saw two horses...that is what this one is about.  With all of the build up of the matte medium the collage nearly looks like an encaustic (for a brief second).  The color of the green marbled paper is called "Forest" so I think I will be calling these guys Forest Horses, or something along that theme.  

The "really wet" collage is now very dry.

I needed to tear some paper for ears for both of them and a few pieces for faces but I really love this collage (so far).  

These are the shapes I needed to tear new paper for.

The other thing I need to address today is the eye situation for the really long horns guy and for the (former) rocking (horse) creature.  Luckily I think I can dig out the old eyes and replace them with different ones and repair the missing chunks by the time I go to bed.  I cannot afford to let them go much beyond tonight because I am starting to get into crunch time for the plaster cloth to dry and get papered and do the final surface and seal it with a protective coat of varnish if I want to have them in the show and I DO want/need them in the show, for sure!

Here is the (former) rocking (horse) creature with the new eyes already in place.  I am very happy with the way the eyes are "aimed" -- I will never ever get them perfect...I am not a machine, I am not a trained/schooled sculptor...I just make stuff up as I go along.  

The new eyes for the (former) rocking (horse) creature.  They look even better in person.  I don't think the camera can see exactly what a person can.

And here is the really long horns guy.  His eyes were a lot tougher to dig/chisel out.  I wasn't able to save them...the edges cracked and chipped...oh well.  I need to re-figure his forehead, too.

I narrowed my choice down to just these two pairs of taxidermy eyes...the blue ones meant for a carousel horse (in the catalog) that I have are just too large for this guy.

The new eyes are a lot larger than the ones I tried out first.

And here is approximately how he would look with each set of eyes.  Obviously, the goat eyes make all kinds of sense but I think I like the look of the other ones more.

The goat eyes.

The other eyes -- I think they are some kind of big cat eyes.

November 5 -- a whole different direction

I had my list for today that included assembling the hardware parts/ready made frames for the first few collages, papering the last three blank canvases, papering the last three plaster cloth guys, and then sewing in the evening.  It was very do-able...except I ended up sleeping for part of the afternoon.  I think it was partly due to overdoing it last night, the lawn guys picking up the leaves and stirring up all of those allergens, and my new medication.  I didn't even realize I had been sleeping.

So a few hours ago I was going to start on the framing but I felt the pull to paper the collages first.  I put the tacks+mono filament line on the backs of the 3 blanks (I like to hang them up to dry).  I put a sheet of neutral paper on this smaller canvas with no problems.

Then I took that canvas into the studio and when I looked at the guy that has the orange lines that have been giving me trouble I felt/heard a very strong "this is not for now...maybe later" and when I get something that strong I follow it.  I realize how hokey this sounds, but this is a very real thing that happens when I am working on stuff.

The "very wet" canvas starting out.

So I took that guy out and slathered on some matte medium and tore up a sheet of paper and started to lay first piece on when I got an incredibly strong "wet" suggestion.  That guy is made from a lot of torn circle-y pieces of black Unryu paper and I figured the "wet" meant that he would need a lot of matte medium to be able to glue down the papers.  I kept everything very wet as I worked.  The feeling/suggestion/direction kept getting more insistent with the "wet -- very wet" thing.  I kept covering the collage and felt like I was sent back into the studio for different paper -- I went through the pile of papers kept getting drawn to the marbled ones.  I have never used those in collages, only for covering parts of plaster cloth guys.  I tried to choose something else but the "very wet" was persistent and so was the "need" to choose the very blue/copper marbled paper and a sort of matching blue Unryu paper.  Okay -- I'm not going to argue.

The marbled blue/copper paper.

Bringing in the green papers -- both of them are two-sided.

The ridiculous green paper -- I think I bought this with the thought that it would be good for contrast in trees and leaves and groundcovers.

I tore the paper and laid it into a very wet swipe of matte medium then I tore a piece or two of the Unryu paper and covered over the marbled paper...it is all a very wet canvas at this point...and still the "very wet" kept up.  I was pushed to get more marbled paper (this time the green one called "forest") and a cover up piece of pale green...but I was also very drawn to the really ridiculous green Unryu paper that I have never used yet.  I did fight this -- at first.  I had to give in and use one piece of it.  Still the "very wet" thing is nearly overwhelming.  I have no clue what it is about or what orientation it goes in, but here is the result of the layers of papering.  I am so curious to see what it looks like when it dries.

"Very wet" -- can't wait to see how it dries!

As soon as I hung up the "very wet" collage I knew I was done with collage for tonight because I felt this sort of whoosh -- like the feeling when you have been laying down and you sit up really fast...or when you have been bending over at the waist to tie your shoes and you stand back up too quickly.  And then the pain hit.  Man.  Neck muscles I didn't even know I had, the muscles in my right arm pit and shoulder and my ribs on the right side.  I think I have been overdoing the large, sweeping motions.  Like all of the paint roller-ing yesterday, and lifting the cat girl from the floor to the table several times, and the applying matte medium last night and today.  I am sure I am okay.  It just feels like my arm wants to be folded up against me like a wing and my hand wants to rest on my left collar bone...and wearing a binder of some sort to keep all of that area compressed together.

Sewing was also on my list so I guess that is what I will be doing -- if anything -- when I plant myself in front of tv for the night.  It's all good...I need to get the sewing done, too...and I know my limits there.

Here are the things I have to choose from to work on...oh, and the totally-dry-now cat girl.  Here skirt doesn't look exactly like what I had in mind but I think it will be fine.  I have some new ideas forming for it.

Pile o' sewing...including the newest snake who is only a bunch of stripes right now.

Cat girl and the way all of the layers of green paint ended up.  I don't even want to think about the mess from last night -- mixing all of those colors -- ha ha ha.

November 4 -- getting a lot of tasks done

Today is mostly being filled with the dreaded base coat painting of the plaster cloth cat girl.  Man, I really dislike painting of ANY kind and yet I am driven to make things that will eventually need some sort of painting done to them.  Ah well.

I have some tester pots of a three or four shades of green that I got when I was trying to choose the paint color for my house.  I want to use one of the lighter shades as the under coat and then use a darker one on top that is a bit more than dry brushed over it and that will be the cat girl storyteller's background color combo for her skirt.  So I got the first coat on -- it took forEVER.  While it was drying I made a quick run out to the grocery store.

First coat without the parts that needed to be brushed on.

I found it pretty amusing that the name of this color is Humorous Green.

Second coat of Humorous Green and then I moved the tables around a bit and rolled on the same color to two of the blank canvases.  It is funny to me that the room looks so much bigger with the tables and chairs scattered around the room.

Next it was time to put a layer of tissue paper on the big head (former horse) creature.  Someone please remind me the next time I consider making something this small in plaster cloth that it is really difficult to maneuver the paper onto the legs and underneath the guy...except I have the other former horse to do, too...I already made him so you don't need to tell me about that guy.

I love this big head guy so much.  I know I will have him in the show but I don't know yet if I will want to have him be for sale.

After that I was still pretty charged up even though I really needed to stop for a break to feed the cats and then make my dinner.  So (instead) I papered another one of the blank canvases.  My intention is/was to use a neutral paper as the background and project images onto it to paint (see what I was saying earlier?) or collage.  But when I hung it up on the wall to dry I was seeing images coming forward in just that first layer.  I have three more blank canvases I can still do the projecting with...I really want to do that.

Every time I look at this photo I see more guys trying to come forward...I saw a different one when the canvas was still laying flat on the table.

Okay...now I will take that break and feed the cats and then make my dinner...10:15 -- that's not too bad.  After dinner the cats are going back into the bedroom so I can put that darker base color onto the cat girl's skirt.  I will most likely paper the last three canvases as well.  I don't have it in me to do anymore papering of plaster cloth guys tonight.

November 3 -- more multi-tasking

Today I have been going through sketchbooks and notes, etc. to look at creatures I've been jotting down.  I am trying to come up with compositions for the blank canvases.  I will use the overhead projector to help me size and transfer the images to the canvases.  Peggy came by this afternoon to bring the projector down from the loft in Studio B and I tried it out just to make sure it was still in working condition and to make sure that write-on film wasn't a waste of money...it wasn't...yay.  The image is sort of hard to see because the room was so bright, but it is the robot on the wall between the windows.  I won't be using that for a collage -- it was just easy to trace yesterday.

I papered the top half of the long horns guy all the way around -- hard to believe two hours flew past and that was only as far as I got...it is all the curves and non-flat surfaces I guess.  I intend to go back and finish him tonight.  I hope to get one or two of the smaller new guys papered tonight, too.

It is a bit daunting when I think of all I still have to do by the deadline...I can do this...I will do this... I want to do this.

November 2 -- lots of small things

Today I picked up Wolfy from the theater.  He will be back on display in December.

The plaster cloth drips on the cat girl's skirt were thin enough to wipe off (mostly) with a damp paper towel.  It needs to dry overnight and then I will need to vacuum the paper towel crumbs off.  I think that will be good enough to cover with one of the exterior paint testers I got when I was choosing the green for my house...I have several of them.  I will be painting and/or papering over it anyway.  The plaster cloth on the upper part of the cat girl was a lot heavier -- that is why I had to put tissue paper over that part.

Good thing I have high ceilings in the dining room!

These plaster cloth drips are wiping off pretty well without soaking the surface.

I think the exterior paint will cover this just fine as a base coat.

I also stopped by Northville Lumber to see if they could cut some wood and dowels for me.  I think that using the dowels with the wood bases will stabilize Baby Beast and He Dreams He is a Tree for display at the show.  He Dreams is NFS but Baby Beast will be.  I will screw the dowels to the boards with long skinny screws that I got today (I might end up needing help with this part in order to drill straight pilot holes so that the dowels don't crack or split), but first I will paper the bases (or paint them) to finish them off.

I also final coated 5 collages in my spray booth (really, the studio bathroom...the only room with a really good exhaust fan) and they are drying in Studio B.  I have the ready made frames for them and the hanging hardware is ready to go...I want them to dry for a couple of days first.

And then there was this collage that I need to paint thin lines on.  Tonight I tried putting on a third coat of orange paint but it is just beyond me...the lines are getting sloppier and wider but not more orange.  I tried cutting decorative paper into very thin strips and put them on with matte medium but it is just not working...the paper is dissolving before I can pick it up and lay it on the canvas...I tried to patch it but it just isn't working.  I am disappointed but not defeated.  I will figure this out.

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THIRD coat of orange paint!

Super thin strips of paper...

...just not working.

I also got some "write-on" transparency film (while I wait for the ink jet film I ordered to arrive) and some special pens for writing on the film.  I traced an old sketch just to see how it would look.  But, of course, when I went to get the overhead projector I found that it was back up in the loft in Studio B.  Peggy is coming by tomorrow to bring it down for me. 

I will have to wait until late tomorrow afternoon to see how it worked.

  OH -- and I hired someone to help me with my website -- YAY!

Okay -- that's enough for tonight...I'm kinda beat.

November 1 -- Countdown to Solo Show Deadline

Wow -- it has been a long, long time since I posted to this blog!  

Whenever I would daydream of having my own solo show I usually pictured it at The Village Theater on Cherry Hill in Canton.  I really love that venue.  And a few weeks ago my dream actually came true -- I was offered my first ever solo show -- AND -- it will be at the Village Theater!

This opportunity arrived totally out of the blue and I did not have a whole lot of completed work on hand but I didn't want to turn down this incredible offer.  I am scrambling to get enough work finished for my deadline of November 30.  I have a few pieces that are complete and ready to show.  I have several others that are also show-ready but that are coming from my collection and will not be for sale.  I have a few other pieces that will be on loan from the new owners of those works.  I know I can pull this together in time and I will.

I have made lists of tasks and I am trying to accomplish as many as possible in the order I listed them.  I have a LOT to do including photographing the work, coming up with the postcard design, and writing an artist statement.  I also need to give everything a title and price, and deliver an inventory sheet on the drop off date.  I've gotten through a couple of lists so far but in order to keep me on a tight schedule I decided to start the blog again so that I have something I feel I need to account to each night.  I won't be showing completed pieces in their entirety but I may consider showing detail shots later on (just so I can look back at the blog to see where I was).

Okay -- today I have been working on prepping the plaster cloth cat girl.  I reworked her face a short while ago and gave her taxidermy eyes.  I have thought of a new back story for her and I want to make her into a storyteller.  Her new outfit will reflect this.  

Throughout today (and tonight) I have been applying tissue paper in preparation for her new surface decoration.  While I reworked her I got a lot of plaster cloth drips and splashes on her and I tried washing it off but it makes her just too wet.  Instead I have gone back to the tissue paper method that has worked for me in the past.  A layer or two of tissue paper smooths out the imperfections a bit and makes a decent surface to either paint or add decorative papers to.  I had originally hoped to be done with this by tonight but I found it took much longer than I had expected.  Physically I just cannot do anymore tonight.  Below are photos from today.

This is a shot of those too busy body boys of mine...just after being shooed away from the tissue bags.

Bootsy stares down the cat girl.

This was the point where I took my first break...SO many pieces of paper!

Session two got me about this far...on just the back.

Session three got me around the front side and down to her waist all the way around.

Well, I feel that this -- combined with laundry, cat box washing, and a load of dishes  -- is plenty of work for today.  I am really out of practice with posting and it feels strange to be writing again -- I am feeling pretty self conscious -- but maybe blogging will do double duty and help me with writing the copy for the postcard and artist statement.   I know much of today's post is awkwardly worded but I imagine I will fall back into the rhythm of it in a few days.  I hope I keep my resolve to stick with the nightly blog post check-ins.