Create without Fear!

 While the kiln was firing I spent some time with my small journal of gel printed pages.

I have been trying to let the backgrounds tell me what to do with them. There was an oval of lighter pink paint on the left side of this one that looked like it should be an elongated face.

I just took it from there. The journal is a great place form me to get in some lettering practice.

I struggled with this green and yellow print. I added some old book pages, stamped a background, then doodled the flowers using a simple sharpie marker. When I look at it now, I know what I would do differently. I would probably apply some gesso with a brayer to give it more of an "aged" look. I try not to be disappointed with end results. Journals are the place to explore and make mistakes. Create art for yourself and without fear!

I will leave you with a random butterfly. It's been great year for them.

Experimentation

 A couple of weeks ago I was going through an old box of art supplies and came across a set of oil pastels. I bought these nearly twenty years ago when I was taking a drawing class at the NH Institute of Art. They looked like they were barely used. I knew nothing about working with oil pastels so I went to my old friend YouTube to get some tips.

What I discovered is that they aren't easy to work with. It's really hard create something that doesn't look like a kids coloring book! I heard that blending multiple shades of one color is one way to avoid the "coloring book" look. Easier said than done!

I had some fun with it, not sure I will spend much time using these.

I did learn a little history about oil pastels while researching techniques. Sakura Cray-pas came out in 1925. They were the first company to combine a non-toxic crayon with pastels. In 1949 Henri Sennelier created fine art pastels for Pablo Picasso and Henri Goetz. Sennelier's company still makes the finest oil pastels on the market. It seems most artists use less expensive oil pastels for their base work and then finish with Sennelier oil pastels. Cray-pas are still very affordable at around $9 for a box of 16. Sennelier, on the other hand are between three and five dollars a stick.

Now it's back to clay. I have some sponge holders in the studio that need finishing and two bisque kilns to unload. Jeff fired both the gas kiln and the electric kiln between Monday and Tuesday morning. I see lots of glazing in my future.

Busy Hands

 Here is a little sampling of things I have been working on.

I watched a few YouTube videos this summer about making glassine envelopes using deli paper.

I spent an afternoon printing the deli paper using my larger gel plate. The printing process is always fun. Not every print is a success the first time around, but you can almost always print layers over it and turn it into something cool. I keep everything I print and often use scraps in other projects.

The envelopes were fun to assemble and add details to them. These were made in random sizes and I will probably use them as little gift bags. I plan to make more that are a standard card size. Not good for mailing, but nice for in person gift giving or to tuck in a box to be shipped.

I have a finished a fourth coptic stitch bound book. I made this one for my daughter who loves all things French. I bought a set of Paris stamps some time ago and thought they would be perfect for this project. I used a combination of parchment and glassine papers for the signatures and they were much easier to bind than watercolor paper. I gel printed the cover papers with this book in mind.

And YES, I still make pots! I am currently overwhelmed with piggy bank and salt pig orders. In between making those I am trying to make a few cheese stones for each firing. They are starting to sell online, which is a good thing since our gallery is still closed for in person shopping.

Have a great week, and if you are in the path of hurricane Sally, or the terrible wild fires on the west coast, I hope that you stay safe.

Always remember the three W's.

Wear

Wash

Wait

In My Own Little Bubble...

 

Some months back I bound this journal using a simple method using handmade washi-tape along with electrical tape. The pages and cover were all made with gel prints on an inexpensive water color paper. In the handmade journal world, this probably falls into the "junk journal" category. My challenge has been creating artwork over the printed backgrounds. I have to admit that some pages have me stumped!

There are two page spreads with the same prints. Those are easier to be inspired by. I started the mermaid as a practice for a soap pump order. The buyer requested a mermaid scene. I hadn't drawn mermaids in a few years. I started this drawing/painting a couple of months ago and finally finished it this week. It took me that long to figure out where it was headed. The soap dispenser has long been carved, fired, and shipped to it's new owner. Lucky for her it didn't take me two months to figure that out.

I used acrylic paint, colored pencils, pen and ink, then finished it off with sparkly "stickles", a product from Ranger... basically a good quality glitter glue. Who doesn't like a little sparkle in their life?

I am happier with it now, but I know what direction the next one will go in.

 

 I find the pages with competing prints to be difficult. If I cover over one side it's a little easier to find a starting point. This week I added more washi-tape to a page and created a doodle inspired by my own end of summer flowers. It was quick sketch and relaxing to complete. I really enjoyed the Summer of 2020. There were some difficult times, and sleepless nights. Decisions to be made about business, concerns over the state of our country, and humanity... all of which weighed heavy at times. Despite all of this, Jeff and I fell into a rhythm of work, gardening, and cooking. Uninterrupted. Enjoying the moment. Our little bubble is a good place to "just be".

Garden Walk

My favorite part of the day is spending time in the garden in the early evening. I usually bring a basket or bowl and pick vegetables and herbs that will become part of our dinner.

Jeff has built an arbor for our green beans to climb on. It is magical to walk through. We currently have a nest of newly hatched birds, nestled in vines. I am not sure what type of birds they are. The mother flies into a nearby try as soon as we go to the garden. I hear her chirping, but haven't gotten a glimpse of her. I take a quick peek at her babies and then leave them alone.

I planted these sunflowers late in the season. I think it may have been July when the seeds went into the ground. I am impressed with how quickly they grew and bloomed. The ones I planted in May have already gone by. I am going to remember to stagger the planting next season too.

The nasturtiums are growing beneath the sunflowers. These were planted at the same time. I had some in the front of the house but I think that they got too much late afternoon sun, and subsequently died. I was glad I found some extra seeds to plant in this little flower garden. They seem to enjoy the morning sun.

We have lots of poblanos and jalapenos this year. I have done a lot of experimenting with stuffing the poblanos in a variety of ways. I think my favorite is black beans, rice, salsa, and a little cheese. I roast them at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes... yum!

The buchu (Korean chive aka garlic chive) is in full bloom. We have so much of this growing in various locations! I try to incorporate it into every stir fry. My new favorite thing to make is "Egg Roll in a Bowl". I add it to that too. Here is a link to the recipe: Egg Roll In A Bowl

It's good with ground pork, but I usually use ground turkey or chicken.

Our tomatoes are slowing down and the plants are looking rather brown. We will miss them when they are gone. The butternut squash is crazy this year. It's even climbing into the trees. I find it comical to see such a heavy vegetable hanging so high off of the ground!

It's hard to believe that here we are in September already. Nearly six months into the pandemic. Six months of no socializing with family or friends. The life of a potter is often isolated but we do miss having friends and neighbors dropping in to say hello, as well as the occasional dinner guests. I have used this time to enjoy our yard more and also learn some new skills, but there are days when it wears me thin.

I miss taking an afternoon off and heading to Marshall's for retail therapy! The grocery store just doesn't cut it for me.

... and I REALLY need new socks right now.

Be Well, and Remember...