TU Artisan Showcase

Here's my table last weekend, during the TU Artisan Showcase.

Handmade bookmarks, notebooks, and various art journals I have made.

2014 calendars - Ireland, Hawaii, Nature, Beaches 1 & Beaches 2.

Leather mini-book necklaces and new 2014 calendars with my photographs.

My friend Grace sat with me the whole event (a few hours) and was so wonderful and helpful!

The first time the event was held indoors (because of rain threat), at the Auditorium hallway.

This is the journal I sold. An acrylic painted cover with rough watercolor paper inside.

Beautiful bowls by fellow artisan and Chemistry professor, Michelle Bushey. I swapped the one on the right for a notebook and some bookmarks of mine and then bought the one on the left. Already had a wonderful meal in them last night.

New Exhibit Venue and Presentation for Book Necklaces

Last Friday, I was excited to learn that I was chosen to become part of the Trinity University Artisan Showcase during Alumni Weekend! It will be October 12, from 11:30-1:30 p.m. at the Holt Center. There will be a tent on the grounds of the Holt Center, where the lunch is held.

For my new mini-book necklaces, I wanted a way to present them neatly in a package. Using a painting I had done as background for a label, I printed "Book of Dreams" for the front. For a holder, I upcycled some mat board samples I had ordered when I was cutting mats for my paintings. They already had a hole at the top where I could thread the necklace through the back. Then, I recycled some strong twisties that came on some new garden hoses to hold the books to the card. Finally, I made a label for the back describing the piece and some web addresses.

How have you recycled or upcycled items for new purposes?

Art & Fear Lessons

Another word for creativity is courage. -- George Prince

 

Usually, I do not struggle too much with Art & Fear. But a recent experience proved otherwise.

Initially, I was afraid of accepting the invitation to create an altar to benefit the Celebration Circle church. Once I received my raw wooden piece, I was afraid to start it. Once I started it, I was afraid to ruin it. Once I finished it, I was afraid to turn it in. Once I turned it in, it was greeted with lots of compliments and interest.

All my fears melted.

I felt honored. I felt like a REAL artist. I felt a part of a group of 54 others. I felt so glad I accepted this challenge, faced my fears, worked through them, and finished an altar I am very proud of.

This was huge step on my path. I will remember it next time I'm faced with the next bout of Art & Fear.

One People, Many Paths: The Sacred Art of Altars

Everyone is invited to attend the opening of "One People, Many Paths: the Sacred Art of Altars", next Sunday, September 1st, at 6 p.m., in the Bijou Theater Gallery at Wonderland Mall. Along with 49 local artists, I have created a shrine to benefit the Celebration Circle church. Silent auction bidding is open all month and exhibit viewing is free during theater hours.

A full description of my step-by-step progression of my shrine is highlighted here on my blog, during the months of July and August.

Seal It and Add a 3-D Element

The last things I did before turning in the altar to the Celebration Circle was to seal the painting on the inside and gesso and stencils on the outside.



Taking a shell lei I had gotten during my last visit to Hawaii, I wrapped it up in some bookbinders white linen thread and used a flower designed carpet tack to attach it to the top. I painted the tack to harmonize with the white theme. Now the shells can swing gently!

It was hard saying good-bye to the altar but I am so glad I decided to do this.

Come visit this piece and 49 others at the Bijou Theatre Gallery in Wonderland Mall. It will be on exhibit the whole month of September. Silent auction bidding is open all month. On Septeber 30th, the auction will close, there is a reception, light buffet and special screening of a movie. Full details here: here

Relaxin' in Rockport

After a stressful month of dealing with my Mom’s health problems, we got away for a few days of rest and relaxation at the coast. It’s not Hawaii (where I lived as a child), it’s not Ireland (which I dearly love), but Rockport is very nice. Even in August, it's 10 degrees cooler than our megacity.

We loved the place where we stayed, just a few steps from the water and a marina. Brown pelicans and seagulls live here, too.

At the Rockport Center for the Arts, we saw a new exhibit called “Standing Out” having pieces from five different artists. I loved the variety, the setting, the friendly people here. The building is on Aransas Bay.

Jamie Speck (below) has a lot of 3-D works on both wood and canvas. Her work really appealed to me.

Mary Downing enlarges vintage photos and postcards, prints them on canvas, and then paints chickens around the focal points. Very original and fun. “The Preacher and the Chicks” (below, left) made me laugh.

Speaking of unique, Ed Boyd’s medium is vinyl film—I can’t imagine how long it must take to cut and apply strips to create paintings on frames, surf boards, and boogie boards.

I was energized after seeing this exhibit—been too long since I’ve seen new art!

Current Exhibit, "Feminique"

Here are four paintings of mine in the current joint exhibit, "Feminique". Pardon the glare but it's hard to get a good group photo since there is shelving just opposite this area and no room to get perspective. My paintings are the abstract works, not the portraits.

Las Tres Lunas (left)
Acrylic on paper, 20 x 16

2007

Canyon (left)
Acrylic on paper, 16 x 12
2007

Emerging (left)
Acrylic on paper, 12 x 16
2007

Blossoms Above Mountains (left)

Watercolor crayon over acrylic on paper, 16 x 12

2007