Inner Works

Here's a new piece I created a couple of weeks ago. It depicts the inner workings of our mind. (Or maybe just mine...)

I covered the box  and doll head with an old mechanical drawing printed on tissue paper I found at an estate sale.

4:Resurrection and Serendipity

First, I want to tell you that I have a piece,
This piece:

in a show which opens THIS Friday, February 15, 2013 from 6pm-11pm at 464 Gallery @ 464 Ashland Avenue Buffalo, NY. The show is called 4:Resurrection. The 4 is for the gallery's 4 year anniversary, and the Resurrection is for the theme of the show which is basically repurpose and reuse. The Gallery wanted pieces of artwork created from found objects made new again. Right up my alley, right? Right! I'm excited to see what else will be there!!

And now for part deux...

Serendipity, meaning happy accident or pleasant surprise.

Two years ago, I was selling my artwork at a Holiday Bazaar in Rochester, NY. I sold ALOT of artwork that weekend, including a small art doll in a box I called Donatus. It had been one of my favorite pieces, and when the man came up to me with it in his hand, I felt a pang in my heart. To say I was sad to it go would be an understatement. I thought about it often. Sometimes as an artist, we develop a special attachment to the pieces we create, but we know we can't keep them all or we'd starve. This was one of those pieces.

I thought about Donatus alot after that, like I said before, often wishing I had held on to it. Really, it was a small piece, it wouldn't have taken up much space... I could have brought something else to sell instead of that...Why couldn't I have just held on to it?? (These are the things that would go through my head) Well, apparently, the Universe heard me and...

Fast forward to the end of last summer~I had joined a mixed media art group on FB and was contacted by a fellow member. Turns out, she lived in Rochester. Turns out, she knew the man who had purchased Donatus. Turns out, she had Donatus! Turns out, she wants to return it to me! Now, normally that might have offended me, but not in this case. I had actually just been lamenting (again) over my decision to sell Donatus only just a few days before!

M. had said the piece had been purchased for a family member, who's taste in art was quite different than what the purchaser had thought. Donatus then moved into M.'s house, where he stayed quietly on a shelf. Long story short, M. offered to return Donatus to me. I gladly accepted and offered to replace it. M. has never taken me up on my offer, and instead, sent along another gift (as if the return of Donatus wasn't enough!).

How perfect! I just love them! I wore them way past Halloween and around Christmas, decided to put them away for a while, but boy do they make me smile!! Thank you, M.! For everything!!

How serendipitous...

Downstairs Upstairs and Two Jacks

Went downstairs today and made a Jack-in-the-Box.

 

 

 

 Then I went upstairs and created a pumpkin-head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack-in-the-box and Jack-O-Lantern

New work, no title

New artwork, but I don't have a name for it. Any ideas?

It's Not Always Pretty

It's not always pretty. That's the name of my new piece. And I must warn you, it ain't pretty! And its full of angst!!

Many of my fellow artists have felt this very same way at some point in their career. I'm sure of it. It's just that not all of us have ever really voiced our frustrations over these "dark days", I'll call them.

I'm talking about the art and/or craft festivals, where either no one comes, or those that do are looking for something else. Something like a wooden cut-out of a pumpkin on a stick, a dried eucalyptus swag, a melted flat wine bottle windchime or a crocheted toilet paper cover.

After a while, it can get to you. This past summer it finally did for me. At a local art festival, where attendance was down, and those who were there were carrying around the above mentioned items and turning up their noses at my work, I had finally had it! Don't get me wrong, I didn't take it out on any of the "customers", but I did write a few rants in my journal. (which I'll share with you on another day.) After having told the umpteenth person that, NO! The Japanese lanterns are NOT FOR SALE!, I decided to focus my energies elsewhere. I will not be returning to that show. Ever.

In fact, I've secretly titled this piece, "An Ode..."

Boy, do I feel better!!

: )

I'm Back!

Oh my gosh! I can't believe I haven't posted since Halloween! Well, between the holidays and my husband's health, I (we) have been very busy.

After taking a week or so to clean and reorganize my studio, I was finally able to get in there and start working again this week. I'm currently working on a couple of things, but I was able to finish this!

I have an idea to focus on "toys" and circus related projects, tho not exclusively (as you'll see coming soon).

For now, I'm taking old dolls and giving them a new life in performance. Who knew they had so much talent? I can't wait to make more performers for my circus.

Be back soon!