Thursday, January 13

egg shells


The top pile of shells is cleaned and the lower pile is yet to be cleaned



Mr.Eleven asked "what are those eggshells doing in the Kitchen, it is starting to get kookie looking". He is right! I keep collecting shells and it is time to start dealing with them. By the way these are not the same egg shells as the ones in the photo above this is another pile yet to be dealt with.

A few weeks ago my mom suggested I look into doing egg shell mosaics on my sculptures, I did look them up and it is an ancient art as well as one being explored today here is one example. I loved the idea as it fit into what I have been doing over the past few years in my art, eggs, things from the home, the delicate/ordinary becoming substantial. As you can see I have collected a huge amount in a very short time.

The first step is to separate the membrane from the shell. This is extremely tedious! But I managed to make a nice pile of clean shells in one sitting and will attack the rest as needed. I will next, paint the sculpture surface with milk paint, then use white glue to afix the shells to the surface, in a nice mosaic pattern. The entire thing will be sealed with a water based polyurethane, unless I can find a less toxic alternative. I don't know how wax would work so I am not going down that road.

You have to crack a few eggs to make good art!
onward monkeys!

Wednesday, December 29

The kids are alright


Queen Bella



Bella looking at me and Frankenstein looking out the window



Frankenstein still looking out the window



Truman ignoring a piece of mango and me, with one eye, with the other, she sees everything!

Happy New Year Everyone,
check in next year for more Monkeys, Monkey Faced dogs and Truman too!

onward..

Super duper Monkey Ball


small seated Monkey and small monkey head



Monkey Mask with no eye holes has ears now!



Monkey Ball getting closer



Detail Monkey Ball

I just discovered that Monkey Ball is in fact a video game, called Super Monkey Ball. I still like the name.

Holidays come and go but this elf just keeps on working! It seems like I have been working on these pieces forever. But progress sometimes comes in small victories, like one ear then a day later the other.

onward Monkeys!

Wednesday, December 22

Oops no eye holes




Monkey mask! I forgot to put holes in for eyes so it isn't a proper mask, but I am calling it one just the same. It needs ears but is getting very close to color time. I am thinking of using the colors/markings of a Cedar Wax Wing bird for him. I have been lucky to have Wax Wings come and visit my bird bath recently, each morn a small flock ring the birdbath. I think the encaustic will enable me to get the yellow and red wax of the waxwing just right!

Onward!

Monkey Ball





Monkey Ball! He is coming along and a bit further along than seen here. It is a slow process of sanding, adding new clay then drying and sanding again. I have plans to use broken mirror to mosaic the ball part of Monkey Ball. The monkey will be painted and sealed with encaustic.

Onward Monkeys!

Back up and running!

We are back! I had a bit of computer trouble but I have been as busy as an elf!



Bella and Frankenstein have been enjoying long naps in the the best sunny spots the house has to offer. Also playing in what is left of the snow.


Truman is in heat, so I hooked her up with a portable mirror, now she has a lizard buddy to hang out with on her perch. You can't see it in this photo but she also has a new plush rug on her perch, it is very fur like. She loves soft furry surfaces!


Over view of some of the monkeys. Check out the Monkey Ball in the corner, he is coming along and looking good!


onward Monkeys!