End of Year

I had the choice of going into the studio or going to the movies.  I chose the movies to see Big Eyes.  I figured it was art related so I could count it as studio time.  I enjoyed it and found the story interesting and well told. Christoph Waltz did a great job playing such a tool.  I recommend seeing it because it probably won't be in theaters very long.  It was just me and two other women at the matinee.

If I had gone to the studio I would have continued working on this:

I kind of threw this together for the ill fated RISD show but I felt it could be much more.  I love the main pieces - the bird's nest with robin egg shell, the base and the wire form which I found rolling down the street on a windy day.  With some valuable input from a colleague and some new found objects I think I have what it needs.  Tune in later to see what it becomes.

Wishing all a Happy and Better New Year.

Post Holiday Blues

It seems to me that the week between Christmas and New Year's is very long.  I just want to put the old year behind and begin anew.

Working is retail makes this process hard to put aside.  People are still in shopping mode and are especially sloppy and rude.  It really brings out the cheap in everyone and patience wears thin.  I had a woman today who could not grasp the concept of Buy One, Get the Second One Half Price.  And don't get me started with the woman who didn't understand sales tax.  Math obviously was not her forte.

Anyhoo (I hate this expression) this was the conversation with Buy One woman:

BO:  How much?

Me: $59

BO: How about the coupon?

Me:  Does not take coupon.  It is our six day special.

BO:  Why?

Me:  It's a sale.

BO:  Wait, I'll get another one.

A few minutes pass and she comes back with another blouse.

BO:  How much is that?  (She points to the first blouse.)

Me:  $59.00

BO:  How much is that one?  (She points to the second blouse)

Me:  $29.50

BO:  Well I'll take that one.

Me:  That's not the way it works.

We went back and forth a few more times and I don't remember the outcome because I wanted to erase it from my memory banks forever.

But on a lighter note, here are a couple of new pieces I did for holiday shows..  These frames were from the Salvation Army.

New Work

I was working feverishly up to the RISD show and I had these to the mix.

 Tis one was made with some metal scraps found at the RISD second hand store.

 This one was made with pieces from my stash.  You can't tell from the picture but the body is a mirror.  I am happy to report that this one is sold.

This one is something I made a while ago.  I like it but maybe it needs some more added and then it would seem like new.

Post RISD

This is the time of year when every thing becomes compressed. If you work retail, the job demands much of your time and renders the holiday season practically non existent and sucks all the joy out of it if there is any to begin with.  I have vowed to work only my scheduled hours and get some of my life back before the end of the year.

When I last posted, I was working to do the RISD show which I can thankfully say has come and gone.  It was not a good day for me.  I only made three sales and barely covered my parking expenses.  The show was well attended and there were plenty of bags going but no one was interested in my work.  Will do this show again?  Not likely.  Should I do the spring show on Benefit Street?  Nope.  I see fewer bags at that show.

So what was the problem?  I think my art is too scattered.  Am I a painter, assemblage artist, photographer?  I like it all so I just do a little bit of everything because I like it and I can.

Here are a few pictures of my booth.  I'm thinking it looked a little sloppy compared to the professionals around me.

New Work

Busy working to prepare for the RISD show on Dec. 13 but I took the day off to go to the movies.  I saw Interstellar which was very good but almost three hours.  Just the thing to do on a cold and rainy day.  There were only six people in the theater.  A private showing!

Here are some new examples of 12 x 12 cold wax pieces:

Here is a little variation from the formula:

This is 10 x 10 with some rusty pieces attached.  I like the shadows cast by the wire.  I may go in this direction for a while.

Hard at Work

I have been hard at work in the studio getting ready for the RISD Christmas show on December 13th.  I finished up a couple of cold wax pieces and I have been experimenting with some loose mixed media pieces.

I met with my art group and presented my challenge piece which was "simple pleasures".

I collaged the paper but then I put too much gesso over it so you can't see any of it.  I really liked that back ground.  This is gesso and india ink.  The letters are rub ons which I cut up into small squares and glues.

Not wanting to make the same mistake by obliterating the collaged background, I knocked this one out pretty quickly:

I used the same process as above but I went easy on the gesso and rubbed out the ink at the bottom.  I may do more of these.

Gearing Up

I'm gearing up for the holiday season.  I have my stuff spread out over several venues including the holiday show at Mad Dog Studios where I have my studio space.  I am also participating in South County's sale, South Shore Art Center, and Save the Bay.  I also put my name on the waiting list for the RISD holiday and I never expected a call but they did!  Now that really makes me nervous because I have no idea what to bring.

I spent a few hours figuring out a display format for the show and I think it is going to work out.  It is a good thing that I kept my old display racks from Yesteryear.