Wordless Wednesday

Working at Art

As I entered the art building I was greeted with a stack of boxes each containing 25lbs of clay: newly arrived order. The ceramics lab was busy even though the crowds of students are gone for the summer. David Elder was getting ready to use the extruder to make some handles for vessels that he's completing to replenish stock at a gallery that represents him. Brent Shoulders was at the potters wheel throwing one bowl after another. He's attacking a huge project mapped out on the white board of 100's of pieces ( probably a show coming up). And student Josh Hogge was painting a clown with full red lips and a ruffle at his neck.
Things in the art building are always changing: new ideas, new work. And my own work? I have done 7 more masks so far; they are waiting for bisc firing. I need to go to Santa Fe to get more of the clay I like for hand building.

Sacred Sunday

Painting on a grave stone? Yes, art is everywhere. And what a great way to decorate a final resting place. And a fitting background for the silk flowers and other trinkets that make this spot distinctive. The artist did his best to honor a friend.

Wordless Wednesday

Image Transfer

Last night I pulled Image Transfer Workshop: mixed-media techniques for successful transfers off my art book shelf ( I should take a pic of that art book shelf). I have only scanned this book since I got it, but since mixed-media is my first love I was hoping to find some new ideas. I will not rate this book because I have not gotten into it to try enough of the techniques but I certainly does cover a number of methods for image transfer and many are totally new to me. In fact I have given thought on how to incorporate transfer techniques into my ceramic pieces.
The authors: Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson have provided creative examples of using each technique. In 2009 I was in Santa Fe for the big summer art festival and talked to Darlene briefly at her booth, and I really like her work. I think it is the recognizable layers that intrigue me in her image transfer pieces. Check out their site for yourself: www.imagetransferworkshop.com.

Sacred Sunday

This is the kind of art that got me into painting. I started to look at Byzantine icons; some of course were painted but many were mosaics. I loved the strong color and the flat design like quality of the images. Of course the subjects were always Biblical; it was the churches attempt to teach illiterate people the Bible (of course there were no Bibles for them to read if they could read). This became a prominent art form that adorned the walls of churches. I found this one in the alcove of a church in New Orleans. And the images are of the Father, the Son & the Holy Ghost with probably angels at the sides. But maybe the figure on the right isn't God for he has a triangular halo which is usually reserved for a living saint. Jesus on the left is holding the word and his hand raised with palm out signifies peace. My study of icons inspired me to paint a series of modern icons with acrylic paint.

Google

Richard Scarry has created Googletown.

Wordless Wednesday