A Messy Studio

Sometimes the studio work is organizing and TIDYING. I tend to be very messy when I work. When I run out of room, I clean up. As I prepare for a craft show, the studio becomes chaotic. I work on many projects at once. I was hoping to make some more metal embossed mirrors, more felted Santas, more hair clips (to finish), and some cards. Pam has asked me to help with the awards for the Lodi Art Center's Small Works Show; we like to make wonderful small "ribbons"/awards for this show. This year we are going to make wired awards. I made a few prototypes this morning. We are hoping to work on them tomorrow. Wednesday through Sunday, we will be having guests and doing some visiting. I will be attempting to continue work on the above projects when I can.

Today I must also do some house cleaning-aargh!!!

and onto polymer wreaths

i began working with skinner blends using a pasta machine to roll out the polymer clay (sculpey) i was using what i had (not much) to make 3 " circles and had to piece pieces of blended clay, which is time consuming and not really a reliable way to do this. but mostly lovely. i also just undermixed the colors so that the blends weren't continuous gradations, but with a bit more steaking of colors. i finally made it to Joann's and renewed my supply of clay to finish this first and maybe, more wreaths. only bought red, blue, yellow, and a bit of green ( to facilitate some color blending).

i will continue to work on this project. i am finding the goal of completing one medium a week is quite impractical, but a good starting point and also a guideline, not a rule. because i am enjoying the wire so immensely and working with it in a satisfying way, i am continuing on that particular path while the inspiration is there. forays with the polymer will be completed this week - for the wreaths. hope to use more skinner blends, cookie cutter shape and perhaps some image transfers.

as i have committed myself to a holiday craft fair in mid November, i am also continuing to finish some beaded necklaces and earrings, and more of the felted barrettes, which i adore! i bought a glass head and added a voluptuous halloween wig to display some barrettes, and also a gourd with purple sticky-uppy hair to display others. i want to attract some interest with the display.

so i have once again gone in many directions at once. my goal was to focus on one medium or technique at a time, but this is just not a possiblity in my world! it's what i aim for, but often the materials take me on an adventure. i must go! i feel good if i am working in the studio, enjoying the work, and hopefully, the results.

it's all good.

more wire sculptures

i am really having fun with wire faces: all one continuous piece of wire- annealed black 16 gauge. these are hanging on the side of my garage/studio. orbs are another group of assorted sizes i have made and continue to make. i am picturing a room full of hanging orbs; many hanging wire spheres with special lighting. cool! but a big project. will continue to cogitate on this one. the images have been altered; i am liking the ones that become a line drawing with no dimension... i need to take a few more photos with my camera instead of my phone. (couldn't find the camera this morning and instead of searching endlessly, i opted to go with the alternative).

studio tour is over and now....

i had a very fun and successful studio tour, if tiring. met lots of wonderful people, sold some jewelry and cards, and my two wire sculptures: the face and the fish.

i was asked to make more wire sculptures, which i hope to do this next month. but, for my 52 weeks project i am hoping to make some small wreaths for which i have forms: 2 wire hearts, and 3 rattan (?) circles. i am thinking perhaps felt and beading, but i will do some research today to see if i can incorporate some new materials.

i see now that in order to devote myself full-time to my 52 weeks project, art-wise, is not really possible as new ideas inspire other new, but maybe unrelated ideas. plus, life just has other things in store: my granddaughter, for example. and studio tours, art shows, housekeeping (not high on my list, but still there.)

i have also noticed how difficult it is for me to write daily. but in reality, this is the truth of my personality: if i don't have anything to say, i remain quiet. there is also the factor of getting back to writing after not writing for a bit. out of the groove and getting back in.

c'est la vie!

Hooked on Spheres

orb in the sky and orb in the zinnias. my shadow to the right!

I have made 4 wire spheres of varying size this week; the first 2 are made from annealed wire (baling wire) and the 2 smaller ones are made from a copper wire. Both wires are 18 gauge, stiff yet pliable. I wind them as if I am winding a ball of yarn. I have tried to make small wire rou

nd beads, but have not yet been successful. They are not even close to being round. But I have not given up! I have also made a small 2 dimensional wire bird.

I bought some materials to make a 3 dimensional wire marble track, which I will continue to work on, as well as more wire twistings.

While the wire is great fun, it is also very hard on the hands. My thumbs do protest!

Wire wrapping and sculpture

I have been working very small with 26 gauge wire, knitting & crocheting. I decided I needed to move on and go BIGGER! But I really had no idea what I wanted to do... So, i went online and started looking at wire sculptures from other artists. Inspiration! I have a roll of baling wire- it's thick, malleable, perfect for bending and holding a shape. I decided to do a face, starting with the eye and then on to the nose, ear, and the rest using only 1 piece of wire. I remembered when a high school class exhibited their 3D fish sculptures of baling wire at the Art Center. They were fabulous! Really creative, simple, and excellent when hung from the ceiling.

I had always wanted to try my hand at wire sculpture, but just never got around to it until now. This 52 weeks project definitely keeps me moving in new directions. And it's gloriously fun!

I also made a wire ball, wrapped like a ball of yarn. I intend to enter it in the Art Center's Small Works Show. Working with wire is instant gratification! Good for us impatient sorts.

it is about time! week 10

it's amazing how fast time flies by when you are trying to adhere to a schedule! i am not a disciplined person; i find it difficult to follow a set routine. boredom? undisciplined? i prefer to think of it as the wacky way of the creative personality! however, this project is my attempt to learn to work consistently while also exploring and expanding my boundaries. this is certainly challenging.

of course, life does affect the keeping to the challenge: i have spent almost 2 weeks out of town in september.

week 9 and part of week 8 are lost... i hope to make up those 2 weeks, or perhaps this is part of the experiment? life happens. ipart of the time was spent drawing zentangles (just a few). on the last trip i made no artistic efforts other than to deliver my felted lollipop flowers wall hanging to my sister-in-law and her new husband! also, how can one possibly work with an adorable granddaughter around?

can work hard in my studio, but life holds other experiences that make the accomplishment of portions of this work nearly

impossible to complete. that is certainly a valuable lesson.

Week 10 is a meshing of work i have started in the past and not completed with some wire work with which i hope to finish these projects and perhaps begin some new ones. i love to needle-felt wool and have made numerous flowers to use as bracelet/cuffs. the problem was making a band which was adjustable.

i began with a felted strap held closed with velcro for some room for adjustment, but wrists just vary too much to make a band one size.

my daughter, emi, suggested i crochet the strap and use a button to slip through the stitches to close the bracelet. brilliant idea! my crochet skills are very limited. my knitting skill is a bit

more elevated: i can knit. i did want to use a more durable material than yarn, so i used a 26 gauge wire. i have wanted to play with wire knitting and crocheting after seeing some bracelets made of wire and beads. the work becomes lacy and weblike, yet strong.

i will try to do some crocheting- wish me luck!

i will continue also to clean and tidy the studio for the studio tour on the 17 & 18 of october. it's a wonderfully busy autumn!