Day Olds - July 31st, 2007

Death Takes a Holiday

I used to make this design all the time. I haven't in ages. Perhaps I should. Skulls are everywhere, though I have read that they are going out of style. I, for one, love my skull and crossbones shoes, but I have always been partial to the "memento mori" medieval artworks too. We are all mortal after all.

For some reason I loved giving the skull a fedora the most. Once when my brother and I were making things we tried all the styles of hats we could think of, including a fez, a cowboy hat, a bowler, a ball cap; there must have been more. It was hilarious to us and I remember laughing a lot as we tried each of the hats on this head. Go figure.

I was curious as to who would buy this pin and it turned out many times to be retired ladies, giving it as gifts to friends, or to people sick at home or in the hospital! A little bit of black humour goes a long way. I imagine you'd have to know the recipient really well to give them this though. The wrong person could take it really badly.

Day Olds - July 30th, 2007

When I Was Young

I've made many scenarios with a plastic hand holding something: fork, roast turkey, cat, cup, etc. One of my all-time favorites is this one: holding a frog. I've never done this myself, I imagine it'd be quite icky, but it strikes me as something you'd only do as a kid, and as a researcher of some sort perhaps. Maybe as a naturalist I suppose. I made this particular plastic ensemble quite a few years ago and I've just kept it, which is rare for me. I'm quite superstitious about letting my things go. I feel that if I don't I am telling the universe/the gods/ my creative self, "That's it, I'm done, I'm where I want to be. I don't need to make anything new thanks." I doubt I'll ever feel this way, and if I do, it is many many years hence.

Book #16 Bootylicious

To see this in book form, print out as an 8.5 x 11 image, then fold, and cut, per the instructions in the post "One Page Books".

One Page Books

These are the instructions for making an 8 page book from one piece of paper. Two artist friends and I did this last year. Our challenge to ourselves was to make a one-page book every week. I made 42 of them in 2006. I didn't get 52, but 42 is not bad. I was just looking through my jpgs and I don't know why I stopped making these books. I may start again.

Shoe Montage

Poll Results: 100% Have never seen a pigeon in a tree

Well it seems we have a unanimous opinion about the pigeons in a tree query. 100% have never seen a pigeon in a tree except in this blog, though of the 5 that voted, I believe that 2 were with me when I took the photo, and that doesn't include me so that's 3/5 who were with me as I took the photo and another 2 outside of the afore mentioned five who have never seen a pigeon in a tree except here.

Look for another exciting and informative poll tomorrow.

Made Fresh Today - July 29th, 2007

I was challenged to make a chameleon out of the friendly plastic that's called "chameleon" and this is what I made. This particular colour shines both green and purple depending on how you view it, hence the name.

On the left, you'll see the raw pieces cut out for the chameleon, and then on the right is the finished thing. This little guy has personality, and what looks like a human nose. For the life of me I cannot picture a chameleon's nose, so "go with what you know" applies here. I opted for googly eyes on this one. I find a judicious use of the googly eye can enhance the odd creation. It is not good to apply them willy-nilly but with a firm hand and with a sense of purpose.

Made Fresh Today - July 28th, 2007

Rare Bird / Chick Magnet / Groovy Chick

I've used all these titles to describe this bird design. They all work. This bird is fun to make because it works out the best when you put clashing colours right next to each other. When all the colours clash, the whole ends up being muted in some odd way. I love experimenting with colour like this... though this bird is fairly tame.

I took this shot of the bird on my lime green luggage. There's a weird ghosting effect probably from me moving when I snapped the shot. I kind of like it. I've been thinking vacation and car ride lately. I'd love to head to Nova Scotia again before school starts up again, but alas, the finances aren't there for a week long tour. Rats. Usually I don't let things like this deter me, but I want to go to Key West this winter and if I have to choose, I'll wait and go to Key West again. Maybe I'll get a short camping trip in before school starts. That's the best I can hope for I fear.

Made Fresh Today - July 27th, 2007.

Dream BiG

What does a dog dream of? Lots of walks and lots of treats must be near the top of a dog's deepest desires.

I have done a series of animal dreamers as a regular part of my work for years now. I guess I am such a dreamer that I expect every living this does this too.


Anthropomorphism has been very very good to me...

Made Fresh Today - July 26th, 2007.

The Happy Fat Cat

I've always had cats. And most of them have been fat cats. It seems that lots of other people have fat cats as well. Usually this design brings a lot of knowing nods and smiles and inevitably I end up in at least one or two cat conversations due to this design alone. I don't mind it. I love cats.

This cat design was part of an experiment in which I tried to figure out the least amount of pieces that I would need in order to make this "cat-like". I discovered that whiskers are optional. Four legs or two legs, also optional. But a tail and ears, necessary, as is a cute nose. And cat people just want cats that are "cat-like". Dog people are much more specific, but there are greater variations in dog bodies than cats. Cat variations usually come down to coat colours and maybe a skinnier body that what appears here. But to my eyes, this is a cat: round head, round body, fluffy tail. Cat.

See my cat Kitty X below:

round head, fat body and in charge. A happy fat cat for sure.

Made Fresh Today. July 25th, 2007.

The Big Nut

I've made this image of the squirrel triumphantly displaying a great big nut before. To me, this is success. Big, shiny success: can't hide it, don't want to, there for all the world to see and it's mine mine mine. I've had some of these moments in my life. Some small victories, some big. A lot of victories that aren't seen out there by others as obviously as if they were a giant golden peanut, but they were important too. Maybe more so.

It's good to feel this way, but like the "overnight success", ten years in the making, you have to find satisfaction all the way along the road. And you have to be okay if you don't get the big nut. There's no guarantee to any of us of anything, but if we don't try we really won't get there. Take your Big Nut moments when you can get them. I do.

It took 10 days. July 24th, 2007.

Ten days ago I mused about starting a friendly plastic piece based on a famous painting. I had this book in mind as my source material. My brother lent me this book a few months ago, and as you can see, it takes me a while from idea to execution but the time has come. there are lots of great projects in this book, and what makes a paint by numbers book so fabulous is that the areas of colour and the shapes themselves are already simplified, so crating this piece has one of the problems already worked out. In the past, I have looked at stained glass patterns for this same reason: simplified shapes. Friendly plastic flows, I always compare it to wax when it is warm, and so you can only get so much detail. It isn't like paint, though I think of it as paint and approach it as paint, but the reality of working it is not the same.




Here are my tools. Very basic. Toaster oven. Fiskars, a pin of some sort, push pin is best but in this case I have a bar pin that fell off of my Carp Market badge, a flat head screwdriver, a blade/exacto knife, piece of glass and a surface to place the glass on when it is hot.


And nothing can be done without inspiration: my cat Kitty X, beautiful cut sunflowers in a handmade vase by Chandler Swain, and a summer's day.

Done For Another Year. July 22nd, 2007.

And it's over. Art in Minto Park, year two, is history. It was a funny show this year. I think it was the weather. We've had such lousy weekends all summer, kind of cool and with at least one rainy weekend day every weekend, that this weekend people were just taking in the sun. They were strolling, and eyeing things casually, in no particular hurry. It makes for a nice atmosphere, and a relaxing time, if you remember you're working outside and it's not cool, and not rainy, but sales can be slow with people just taking in the sun. I had a good show, and I enjoyed myself, and I came up with countless get-rich-quick schemes, none of which will come to fruition, but interesting ideas nonetheless. I also got some great pictures to think on.
This one's a favorite. Here's a little guy earning his keep as a pack animal. I was dying to know what were in those pouches. Treats? Doggie bags to attend to his business?? I'll never know. They were here and gone.








And then at the end of the show we saw this:











I know it's hard to tell what it is, maybe this will help:


Like the Sasquatch, we were all amazed to see two pigeons in a tree. When have you ever seen a pigeon in a tree? Rooftop? Yes. Street? Yep. Statue? Cliche. But a tree? Me? I'd never seen this before. It's kind of fitting that my great 10x zoom camera got this lousy shot of the pigeons in a tree. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't believe that that's what they were, but I saw them, and I know it's true.

One down. One to go. July 21st, 2007

It was a perfect day out there today. A little bit of a breeze, sunshine, lots of laughs, real coffee, and Boko bakery baked goods. Oh, and the Minto Park Art in the Park went okay too. We'll see how it ends up tomorrow. With shows, you just can't tell until it's over. This makes me want to talk shows and show lore and show wisdom gained over 16 years of doing shows, but not tonight. I'll have a headache if I do. And I still have tomorrow to do. And that's show stuff too. It comes down to basic survival skills: drink your water, eat good food, get a good night's sleep. And probably for me tomorrow: don't forget to wear your sunglasses. My eyes are really tired tonight.


Here's my set-up from today. I use a lot of sticks, (1x2's) to hang my paintings from. When we put them up this morning it felt a little like a jail cell. I've never thought that before. I may change my setup now that I thought that... I can't imagine anything more effective and inexpensive though... and lightweight. If you click on this image you'll be able to see what I had there today. A decent sampling of things. I was pleased with it overall.


So I thought I'd show you something amusing from the show. Oh! First off, it was little dog heaven! There were so many small dogs that when a big dog came by it looked like a freakish giant of a dog. I always find it amusing to remind myself that every little dog we see is descended from the wolf. I was reminding my neighbours of this all day long, to see of they can see the wolf-like traits in those little dogs, even if they are well hidden.

What made me laugh was the dog named Muffin. I painted this painting of a little dog that I called Muffin (more on him later)

And then, right after set up, someone was walking their little dog and they called him by name: Muffin!

The Muffin painting came to be last weekend at the Ottawa Farmers' Market when a man lifted his little shaggy dog up to greet noses with the same kind, but different colour shaggy dog who was riding along in her master's carry bag aboard a walker. The two dogs greeted right in front of our stand and then we overheard that one dog was called Muffy and the other Buffy! Strangers to each other yet united in spirit. All that created Muffin the painting. See where ideas come from? That's how it happens for me when I'm lucky.

And here's my favorite painting that I made new for this show.

My animals or characters often reflect my own state of mind. They're like my wishes sent out into the world, and this little guy is stretched out, belly showing, at peace and relaxed, but something's caught his eye. Hard to know if he's getting up or not.

I'm getting up and going to bed. Right now. Adieu.

Relax

acrylic on canvas 24" x 36"

Preview for Minto Art in the Park

Three Billy Goats Bluff

24" x 24" acrylic on canvas painting

So this is a sample of what I've been hard at work on all this week. It's why this has been a week of Day Olds without any Fresh Plastic to show you. I'm trying to get as many paintings done for this weekend's Art in the Park as I can.

Here in Ottawa we now have 3 of these shows during the summer. This is the newest, being the second year for the show, in a great downtown location. Being new you never know what kind of crowd it will be, or even if there will be a crowd. The good thing though is there's a coffee place across the street and my friends will be there with me.

Of course I hope to sell things, I make my living with my art, but I do the best I can, show up, and then have a good time being there. Pretty much everything else is out of my control. And if you want to do this kind of work, you have to accept that.

Let's hope the weatherman is right and it's a nice summery day tomorrow.

Drop By Details: Minto Art in the Park

Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Elgin Street, Downtown, across from Jack Purcell Community Center

Saturday 10 - 7 Sunday 10 - 6

Booth #15

Day Olds - July 20th, 2007

Detective 27

Now this was hard. A really good challenge. I adore the Batman. A real favorite of mine. I especially liked the DC comic book series called Elseworlds which has a Victorian era Batman as one of its first issues. Loved it. Need to read more.

It's sometimes hard to match the plastic I have to the colours I see on something when trying to reproduce it. Shading is especially difficult but not impossible. Here too, the lettering was important and the foamie came through for me again. I eliminated some of the smaller type... way too much and tried to keep the over all feeling of the cover. I think it worked and since I've dug these two samples up, I'd like to try more reproductions.

Day-Olds July 19th, 2007

Little Lulu No. 1

I made this reproduction of a comic book cover for a February art show at the Comic Book Shop here in town. I received many great comments and was surprised at how many people haven't even heard of Little Lulu in spite of this event being held at a comic book store. I re-read many Little Lulu's as I tried to decide which cover to attempt and I fell back in love with this spirited little girl. It's a good comic. Check it out.

What I loved best about making this were all the tiny Lulu's around the edges. I felt totally crazy making them all, getting their poses correct. And the lettering! Being a calligraphy student in the past, I am personally crazy for lettering and with comics the titles are essential to reproduce. I used "foamie" foam for the letters. It turned out surprisingly well.

The image doesn't show it but the reproduction in plastic is life size.

Day Olds - July 18th, 2007

Garden Glove Praying Mantis

The assignment for this was to create something from a dollar store item that suggested the item itself. I found some garden gloves and used them to make a free-standing sculpture of a praying mantis. It's sewn and glued and stuffed with pink netting all on a wire frame.

Sorry for not making any new plastic pieces. Seems I always get into a crunch every few weeks or so and I'm in that crunch now. I have an Art in The Park this weekend and I am busy painting for it. Much to do. Much to do. My major problem is I can't think of what to make for my bigger pieces. I am hoping I'll get some inspiration overnight and wake up with an idea or two. This often works for me. But, if it doesn't, then I'll make some of my "classics" and maybe an idea will spark as I do my tried and true. I hope.

Day Olds - July 17th, 2007

Bog Queen

This is one of my all-time favorite friendly plastic pieces. Done for a client in Vancouver, it was a request for a friend who loved all things stylish yet ugly. She said she was known as "the bog queen" and if that inspired me then all the better.

I love the little frog's face the best.

Made Fresh Today - July 16th, 2007

Rain

I based this piece on an image from a newspaper photo showing a person trying to hurry down the street in heavy rain. Attempting to capture the movement of the feet was tough, as well as the steep angle of the face beneath the umbrella, which in the end ended up being just an umbrella pulled down to obscure the face. The ribs of the umbrella were odd. It's a strange angle with the umbrella tipped forward over the face and the body actually hunching toward the viewer. A challenge that I didn't quite nail I'm afraid, but a good first try.

Day-Olds. July 15th, 2007

The Love Triangle 2003 8" x 6" acrylic in canvas

It's Sunday night and after another busy market weekend I am exhausted.

I'm not going to attempt to make anything.

This is a lesson learned over the years. At times I have had to force myself to keep working, keep working, keep working.. etc... This is usually in preparation for a Big Show Somewhere and it's the week before we leave, or a day or two before the show starts. I have often tried to make things when I am worn out and I know what happens. Things take 3x the time, then I drop my tools, or lose the eyes I've laid out for my characters, or misplace the list of stuff I am working on, and then when the plastic is hot, I'll wreck it by forcing something, or being too impatient for it to cool, or trying to make too many at once. It never works.

I've learned it's more productive to take a rest. I'll get more done in the long run by stepping back and taking the time to relax. It's not worth it to push push push.

Tonight, it's just like that.

See you tomorrow.

Self Portrait in Four Elements

24 x 36 acrylic on canvas

The task was to create a painting that represented who you were but to use four objects to represent yourself. This is what I came up with. I was very happy with this piece. I really connected to it for myself, and others saw other things in it beyond what I intended.

Day Olds - July 14, 2007

Plan in Motion...

I'm going to begin work on a reproduction of a famous painting, all done in friendly plastic. Since this will take a few days to work through I'll just post my progress
as I go along. I'll update you with pictures and maybe you can see how I build one of these designs. It's a project I've been meaning to do for a while. May as well try it now.

Meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure, here's an artwork from a few years ago that I love. The words were done in shrink plastic, Einstein in friendly plastic, and the background is acrylic paint on a 16 x 20 canvas.

Gravitation 16 x 20 modelling plastic, acrylic paint on canvas 2004
Quote: Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. -- Albert Einstein

Made Fresh Today - Friday July 13th, 2007

For a Friend

This kayaker and orca are part of a special mirror I am making for a client. She told me her friend has triumphed over some struggles and she wanted a gift that would mark that and also point to a happier future. I am hoping to do her justice with this mirror. I rarely do anything with sports, so I welcome the chance to try my hand at something new. That's what this blog is all about and why I try to make one thing a day. It's forcing me to make new things. The mirror will be complete tomorrow. Check back and you'll see the finished thing.

This is the completed mirror of positive affirmation. I gave her the mirror this morning and she loved it saying it captured her friend's spirit. Yay!

Here and Gone

Never Shy Away From Battle
8" x 24" acrylic on canvas

I painted this last week, debuting it at the Ottawa Farmers' Market last Sunday. It sold the same day. I really enjoyed painting it. The dragon was just so charming to me. Every stroke of paint made me feel that creature. I enjoy pairing up unlikely subjects with clashing colours. It's interesting to see how all that works out.

I'm working on several paintings now, getting ready for Art in Minto Park on Elgin Street July 21/22. I'm hoping to have several new works and a couple of extra large pieces as well. This year has been very strong for me creatively. I seem to have a lot of energy for making things. I credit going to school with that. It makes me happy to learn things and that happiness fuels my art. It's not always easy, and creativity does not always flow, so I appreciate times like these when it does.

Made Fresh Today - July 12th, 2007

Fly Away Home

I'm hoping one day to own my own house. I'd love to be off the grid.
I'd love one of those houses you see on Weird Homes. I worry that by the time I get a house, I'll be too old to make it interesting, too old to renovate and build giant concrete sculptures in the backyard, or glue all sort of found objects on the walls. I'd take a small house with a large garden. I would love to be near water, big water, ocean maybe. I'd like to be near other artists and a farmers' market.

I don't know where a home for me like this may be. I do know that right now I live here and it has to be home for one good reason; I may never get a home that I own. I'm trying to enjoy what I've got: a postage stamp backyard that's full of riotous plant life. A cat who enjoys patrolling the borders of our fence. Windows in two directions and three floors of living space for two of us plus one cat. It's all good, but a girl can still dream.

Made Fresh Today - July 11th, 2007

Chair-sitters vs. Standers

There's a lot of talk in the local media about people who attend music festivals and whether they should be allowed to bring a chair or not. Some say not everyone can stand for hours and why penalize them? Let them have their chairs! Others say, those chairs take up so much space, space that 3 or 4 people could crowd into. The Bluesfest made a chair only section, but they didn't enforce it, so some chair people moved their chairs into other areas and then got into conflict with those who were standing, thereby blocking their view. This was amusing when we were at the Bluesfest to see the White Stripes. Pre-concert as we were hanging out on the grass, having decided to leave our honking big chairs at home because:

• they were heavy to carry
• we'd have to keep track of them all night long
• I wanted to see if I still could stand for a concert

It was the right decision for all those reasons and as the music played the crowd grew and grew and they mashed in close to us, and most of those chair people folded their chairs and stood, cause they wouldn't see anything without doing so, and many filed past us through the crowd, chairs slung over their shoulders.

Oh I digressed.

So, I was going to say, we were waiting on the grass for the concert (over 2 hours) and there were these double camp chairs connected to each other by a canvas table just sitting there empty. They were holding space for at least an hour and a half; no one in them, no one revelling in their luxuriousness. Eventually as we had all settled in accommodating the chairs, the people sitting on the grass next to the chairs nudged them over an inch or two. Then a bit more, and a bit more. We were behind the chairs and my guy made a motion to lift the chairs and we could crowd surf them back a few rows. We didn't do it, boy everyone wanted to. You could feel it. As he said,

"Listen they don't know how far up they really are, they're just looking for their chairs. So what it they're 6 rows back? They'll never notice."

I've been trying to figure out why those chairs annoyed us so much. Definitely they really took up way way too much space. And their connectedness was annoying. I suppose if you're the happy couple sharing those chairs, you'd call me a cynic but it was irritating. When they returned they sat down, oblivious to the scowls aimed at them, never knowing how lucky they were to see their chairs where they left them (almost) and the eventually the concert
started, the crowd surged forward and they were blocked in. They were forced to stand and the female who belonged to those chairs was probably 5' tall if that. There was no hope for her to see the stage or even the big screen. I am 5'6" and I got glimpses only. It wasn't long before they packed their chair into the carry bag and made their way out of the crowd.

Is this right or wrong? I know the crowd 5 rows back trying to get closer doesn't care there's a chair in the way. People weave in and out looking for the smallest space to move forward or to claim for themselves. A chair in this kind of space will not win. Sure you can insist on sitting but you won't see a thing. It's your choice.

A guy said to me when we surged forward, after the chair people had left,

"Hey, you were one of the Get-Rid-Of-The-Chair-Faction
people right? "Yes I was," I said. "Peer pressure wins again."

Made Fresh Today - July 10th, 2007

National Capital Banana Growers Foundation

My brother is telling everyone who'll listen that he's got a banana tree, grown from seed, in a pot in his backyard and it flowered and now it's got fruit on it.

We're talking a tropical fruit in northern climes.

He doesn't remember what kind of banana it is, and it may even be inedible, and the reason for this, he tells me, is that the seeds took 6 months + to germinate and he threw out the markers he had placed in the soil with the seeds thinking it was a lost cause.

Now, it's a surprise.

The family's gathering at his place at the end of August for harvest time. We will all share in the banana together, enjoying a centimeter of the sweet fruit per person. Oh happy day!

Extreme Crafting No. 1

Knitting an Atom Bomb

Oh in the wrong hands... what havoc can be wrought upon civilization!


This is my first in a series called Extreme Crafters. I love this method of ceramic construction: flat yet not flat. Two slabs, joined in some spots, separate at others.

I am new to ceramic work, but I am totally enthralled by its possibilities. the process is much longer and more tedious that what I am used to. You really have to slow down. Ceramics are fraught with tension from beginning to end. All I know is you'd better enjoy your clay thing at every stage because it may not get from lump of clay to finished thing in spite of your best efforts. Hope and perseverance and patience. That's what's required of a ceramic artist. That's not a bad thing to learn no matter what kind of work you do.

Made Fresh Today - July 9th, 2007

Lightning God in My Garden

This morning we had a fantastic thunder storm complete with several flashes of lightning that lit up the sky. We haven't had any significant rain in a few weeks, so much so that just digging around my plants in the backyard here the soil is sandy-dry for several inches. It's just not good. And if it's not good for my little plant charges, it's even worse for the fields of corn and for all growing things. Now's the season. July. Summer. Everything's got to grow grow grow.

I look forward to great thunderstorms with lightning. The most memorable for me was walking down a snow-filled street in January when the sky above started to rumble and we had several lightning flashes. I didn't think that you could have a thunderstorm in the dead of winter. It stopped me in my tracks and just goes to show me that just when I thought things were the way they are, they aren't. Follow? Yeah.

This is the Lightning God found in petroglyphs from the Anasazi culture in the Southwest U.S. I have a particular fondness for the US Southwest. I had a dream once that I was on a senior's bus tour out of Las Vegas. I had boarded the bus and as I sat down realized I had no idea where we were going. Someone told me "you're going to the desert". We travelled a few hours and stopped at a red cliff. Everyone got off the bus in the middle of nowhere which really concerned me. It was really dark and I looked around and saw an orange glow up in the cliffs. I headed towards it and there was a campfire in the center of a cave. There were pillows set up around it to sit down on and I wondered as I sat whether we'd be there for the night. I was very worried and I looked around fearfully until I dimly made out some lines on the walls of the rocks behind me. I walked up to it and saw it was a petroglyph, a hand print, and as I reached to touch it my hand fit perfectly into the hand on the wall of rock. It was instant comfort.

I woke up from this dream many years ago feeling that indeed I was an artist, no doubt going very very far back with me. I had this dream before I took my first plane ride, to Phoenix and the Sonoran desert, and later to Sedona and my beloved red rocks. I am very very comfortable in that desert land, even though these days you just know that the desert was not made to accommodate so many thirsty folk.

Made Fresh Today - July 8th, 2007

White Stripes


In honour of their appearance tonight at the Bluesfest I am doing a pair of White Stripes to represent Meg and Jack. Thank you for righting my soul. Awesome. There is nothing like unbridled creativity in action, whatever form it takes. Thanks.

Made Fresh Today - July 7th, 2007

Red Daisy

The weather isn't very summery here. It's kind of cold. Time for the unbearable heat to return. I always think I need x number of very hot days to balance the x number of very cold days we are sure to have later on. Nevertheless, today's plastic piece is all about summer and enjoying the flowers that warm weather and sunshine bring. Daisies are some of my favorites. And red ones would be great.

Made Fresh Today - July 6th, 2007

Fiskars - a love affair that never ends

Ah my fiskars scissors. My primary friendly plastic tool. I cut everything with my fiskars. No loops for your fingers to go through so no callouses on my hands. Soft rubbery cushy grip. Tiny pointy sharp scissor ends to make small inticate cuts. A spring to keep the two halves ready to go at any time. A quality product. I bought my first pair of fiskars and used them, without exaggeration, everyday for ten years. Then the orange closer thing broke, and then the spring came off, and then they had to be replaced. Sadly, subsequent pairs have taken to breaking at the same part faster than 10 years, like 2 or 3 years, but still. I love these scissors. Fiskars, if you ever need a testimonial, come to me.

Big Box Store Scream

I feel like we all have a version of The Scream inside us if we paint... and other screams, non-painterly of course, abound all around us. Here's mine: Big Box Stores and their big parking lots, open all hours of the day, pavement for miles, selling stuff and more stuff.

AHHHHH. Will it never end?

Fish Faces

I completed these just minutes ago, took my trusty camera and recorded them for all posterity.

Four fabulous fish faces.
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas paintings.

Made Fresh Today - July 5th, 2007

Bluesman



We've got tickets to see the White Stripes this Sunday evening at the Bluesfest.
I'm looking forward to it.

Hopefully we'll catch some old blues guy at the show that night too.

But today I have a few paintings to deal with and the weekend farmer's markets to think about and get ready for so I am off to do that.

Made Fresh Today - July 4th, 2007

The Happy Cannibal

Unrepentant Joy.

He is what he is, no excuses.

Not only is he what he is, he is happy about it.
A lesson for us all.

Made Fresh Today - July 3, 2007

Happy Birthday to 2 Very Important People in my life.

To my Monkey who is always at my side, supporting me and growing with me. We've been together a long time now and if we spend another 50 years together it still will not have been enough time.

much love to you.

To my friend Karen M.

Oh Karen! When I think of you I think of glorious words... words like
persevere, charming, elusive, brilliant, thoughtful, sensitive,
talented, quiet, shy, strong, good, supportive, funny,
attentive, clever...

You are a person of great character and the world is way way better for you being here. I think of you often even if we don't actually see each other very much these days though we are always in touch.

Perhaps we'll make time for coffee soon... artist date perchance?

All the best and much more than that!

Happy Birthday :)

Made Fresh Today - July 2nd, 2007

Happy Sea Monkey

This is based on my 10th year anniversary gift from

my significant other, a sea monkey dashboard (we don't have a car) bobblehead.

Awesome!

We also went to see Rocky Horror that night... my first time...

Happy Hospital Happy Hospital

I decided to go and get something to show you where I am at with my painting.

Three panels, all 16 x 20, acrylic paint on canvas. Small canvases. I am never happy with the small canvas. Minimum size that makes me really happy? 16 x 20.
Does that mean I don't do really small things? Nope. But I digress.

I did this at school for my final assignment. I really loved it. And it has no title and that's odd for me. I love titles.

The assignment was make a triptych using a battle scene or a corpse, both of which were modelled for us in class. For this I just kept thinking "happy hospital happy hospital". Go figure.

One Friendly Plastic Thing A Day

I'm going to use this blog to get back to basics, which for me is making things out of friendly plastic.

I love this stuff.

I have been very lax in my use of it of late. My attention is equally taken by painting so I go back and forth in these creative realms, but I need to just start making things again, so I am going to post one new fp thing a day starting today. I say new cause I've made a lot of things over the last 16 years since I found fp. One of the best things I ever made was a ferret with a beard. It was a commission from a customer. And then, after I made the cute little guy, about a year later he shows up and hands me a crumpled, lint infested, mangled piece of black plastic and asks me if I remember it. Nope. Well, he said the ferret with a beard made it through the washer (must have been washing in cold cause warm or hot would DESTROY it) but the dryer did it. Dead. Melted. Over. Need a new one. Can you make me another? Well, can I I says...

So I've made two ferrets with a beard. It brings a smile to me poor ol' heart it does.

So I am off to make something. I shall return with the proof that I did so.