LeucadiArtwalk Sunday August 24th

I'll be showing my work at one of my favorite neighborhood events- LeucadiArtwalk- this Sunday, August 24th from 10 am- 5 pm.
I'll be set up in the parking lot of the Corner Frame Shop (1038 N Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, CA) at the intersection of N Coast Hwy 101 and Diana St.
I've got several new pieces that will be making their debut. Come on down and enjoy a day of art and music in my own 'hood.

Etsy Store Revamp

I've been so focused on creating new work that I have put off updating my Etsy Store. Shame on me. I've made the changes and I'll be listing new work as I finish it.

I finished this piece, Night Flight, a few days ago but couldn't photograph it because my lovely subject broke my camera. I think this may have influenced my choice of background.
But now I do have a new camera and, frankly, it works better than the old one!

The Spaces in Between

This is my latest piece, a portrait of my eldest with a somewhat unusual hair style (I think she looks a little like Ziggy Stardust).
I enjoyed using negative space- my tendency to to fill a surface with all sorts of details or colors. Now there is room to breathe.

Been too busy making art...

I confess- I've been too busy actually making art to post it to my blog. Here are a few new pieces...

I'm not sure this one is done. It's got me stymied.

I've got another one I'm working on that I need to get back to. Enjoy!

Paper Doll Portraits

Last year my daughters made their own paper dolls from a template. They had a wonderful time coloring, cutting and finally assembling the articulated dolls. The results were so expressive and ... bizarre.

Of course I had to give it a try.

Paloma and the Chicken

Mahalia with Raven

There is something oddly satisfying about making paper dolls of my offspring- I felt a bit like a mad scientist or puppeteer. Let's face it, paper dolls as a concept are loaded with meaning.

When I showed my daughters the finished pieces, they were genuinely baffled that I chose to affix the dolls to the background. "What's the point of that?", my oldest asked.

To me these dolls have become art, but to my kids they will always be toys meant to play and create with.

More works in progress

Been working on a couple of new mixed media collages (more like stumbling through). Managed to do things in a rather bass-ackwards manner, but that's how I learn.

Combining different elements like the drawing, collage and old woodblocks is a challenge. It's sort of like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. But I think I'm figuring out what works, mostly by seeing what doesn't.

Icicle Lavender Field Art Festival

I'll be showing my work at the Icicle Lavender Field Art Festival (held in my friend's garden in funky Leucadia) this Saturday, December 1st,  12 noon- 4 pm with several other local artists. It's a friendly neighborhood event. Hope you can come on by!

Out of Chaos...

Had 2 shows to get ready for last week (plus the usual and unusual that life had to throw at me) so I hit the 'manic' button. Got a lot done but my studio... well, see for yourself.

I figure it's worth the mess if this can come out of it.

and this.

You can see these new works (and a few more) at the Encinitas City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA 92024 through October 8, 2012.

Neighbors

I've been working on a series of portraits of people in my neighborhood. It seemed fitting- I have a show at the Encinitas City Hall August 30- October 8 and a few of my neighbors are willing to put up with me taking a zillion photos of them while they go about their business.

I thought that it would be straightforward- a simple portrait of each of these people.

Well... it's an interesting process and a different challenge. I'm having fun and learning something new with every piece.

Reminds me: I need to get my camera and hunt down a few more of my neighbors.

Process

I always try to document the making of a new piece- taking photos at different stages. Often I'm so engrossed with the actual creation that I forget (isn't that how it's supposed to be?). Well, I remembered most of the time. I missed out on a few steps.

Drawing the subject, not once but twice.

Drawing with highlights in white gouache.

Spray painting the plywood using leaves as stencils.

The finished piece (untitled as of yet). 

I submit...

I gave up and gave in, and it shows in my newest piece. Mixed media using stuff I have (old woodblock prints, plywood from the shed) and using techniques I've been tinkering with anyway (that explains the spray paint).

Have no idea how it will hold up, or if it's even any good. But I liked making it... and I still have tons of plywood out in the shed.

Tiger, tiger...

Finally, finally, finally it is done.


I must admit I take a distinct pleasure in cutting up my old woodblock prints (ones culled from the edition- don't worry). It ends up being a mishmash but I've been so damned careful for so long that it feels great to play fast and loose with all these different elements.
Oh yeah, I guess it's call 'play'.

Just done

This summer has been busier than I thought it would be but I managed make another new piece (and use another box- remember that cabinet full of cigar boxes?).

Sometimes the work just flows and that's great. But I'm rusty, get interrupted a lot and this media is all new to me (those are my excuses). Most of the time I have this 'what the heck am I doing and where is it going?' feeling.

But that's all part of learning something new, right? And if I can combine cleaning up the plastic debris my kids scatter all over and making art, that's just fine by me.

Indulging the wackiness

Just completed a new piece. Well... almost completed- I haven't come up with a title yet. In any case, I had a lot of fun with this. All I had to do was remember how my daughters approach art. Scribble, cut, paste, use as many bright colors as possible and have a good story to tell about it.



I must admit I'm a bit rusty with the whole fun part of creating (sad, isn't it?) but I'm lucky that my inspiration lives in my own house (and is constantly running underfoot). I positively burst with pleasure when she approves of a color choice I've made or likes the way I've rendered a face.



Lucky me.