what's up Wednesday, part 2

These guys are just starting to take shape. They are incorporating reliquary objects like the Hadad's,Vernor's summer bottle. I don't have much to say about them yet. But I can share the history of the reliqary objects.

The bowl part of the new Monkey Bowl is a small Chinese bowl. It was gifted to me by one of my dog-walking clients in Brooklyn. She left it for me, full of homemade cookies! She said take the bowl with you and remember me and my dog. Along the way the bowl broke, but I kept it. It reminds me of her and her sweet little dog, of a bowl full of love.

The Blue Valentine Monkey, has pink eyes made from 2 beads from an old necklace that belonged to my grandmother, I believe it is from the 1920's. I wore it a lot when I was in art school. The blue heart charm is from an old friend I lived with for a few years, while I was going through hard times. She gave me the blue heart and I wore it everyday during that time. The bottle is another gift from a dog walking client. Who left for Spain with her new husband to start an exciting new life there. It is full of the memories of 6 years spent walking her sweet Golden Retriever, on the streets of Manhattan near CBGB's and The Mars Bar.

These items have one thing in common, love. What a powerful medium to work with!

onward-
Onward Monkeys!

what's up Wednesday

This piece is still not quite finnished but it is almost there. It was inspired by a trip to Hadad's Lake here in Richmond VA. Hadad's is like an 80's teen camp movie set. With all the trimmings. But the most distinct thing about it is the magical color of the water, or should I say frightening! It is the most unnatural color of blue green-ever. Yes, I did swim in that crazy coo-coo water, and lived to tell the tail.

The bottle is a Vernor's bottle. Vernor's soda or should I say pop, was a big part of growing up in Detroit. Made in Detroit! It made your tummy feel good when you were sick, it made your tummy extra happy when it was combined with ice-cream--yummy! It was medicine and a treat and the big sign was there smiling over Woodward Ave. I still keep a few bottles around just incase I need it for my stomach, head or to taste a bit of my childhood.

The crystals and star piece are things I found in NY and have kept for years. I used to find crystals shed off of chandlers when I walked dogs in the city. Louis a big ol Rhodesian Ridgeback and I walked past a parking lot that served as a flea market on the weekends. Each Monday I looked forward to snagging a few crystal treasures from the asphalt lot and stuffing them in my pocket, like shells on a beach.

My friend Tere has been doing reliquaries, one new one each week, check them all out, her work is amazing. It inspired me to dip into my treasures, the relics of my life for some of the new work. In this case it is incapsulating odd summer memories from my hometowns, Detroit, NY and Richmond...what a strange trip it has been!

Finally, it is all topped off with the creepy summer moon smiling down on my memories.

Onward!

I have been busy like a bee

Like a vacation, I took a little trip into the world of illustration. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the process of bringing words to life. The story, a children's book, is about a conference of little critters airing their grievances with man. The story takes us to another world an illuminated place, with a much different perspective then the one we as people have. It teaches empathy and hope.
One day while I was working on the illustration a bee landed on my window screen. The light shown through his body and illuminated him like a light. He seemed to be there to cheer me on and also to remind me that though this illuminated world I was visiting was swell--I needed to get back to my Monkeys!

I finished up the illustration and lickety split, got my tail back to the monkeys!

onward!

What's up Wednesday

This lovely Wednesday finds me regrouping. I have an illustration due soon and need to get rolling on it. First step, making clean surfaces in my studio. While organizing I found a bucket of old brushes soaking in turpentine, only the turps had long ago evaporated. I was taught and always believed: "take care of your brushes and they will take care of you"! I normally would never leave brushes over long periods of time soaking and for sure not in turpentine. Linseed oil is far better soaking bath for the brushes. Ideally washing them after painting is best. I let these brushes down. From caked on thick goo on the handles, to the brush hairs being dried and bent with paint on them and still more goo. It was a mess. First the brushes soaked in fresh tups for a day. Next, I gave them an over night bath in a combination of oxy clean and my old friend Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Oil Soap. It worked like a charm. They are happily drying on my counter and will join the other brushes soon--ready for action!

Yet another step towards painting!
onward Monkeys!

Monkey Bowl bathed in light

It still needs a few little things attended to but basically it is done! I really had to emerse myself completely to find my way out. In the process I discovered the only way was through wax. I took a few days to learn about encaustic painting. I learned that combining beeswax, Dammar crystals and Milk Paint on a electric pancake griddle was the secret behind the illusive curtain of Encaustic painting! So I pulled that curtain back and set up shop--in my Kitchen.

Those of you who have followed my progress over the past few years know that bees have been major players in my world. Finding this way to utilize beeswax is both thrilling and meaningful. I have been using Milk Paint recently and have already painted a few sculptures with it. The fact that this path is continuing and being enriched, is taking it to the next level. The third ingredient is Dammar Crystals (pine tar resin), my old friend, I have been painting with you for years and now I find a new and exciting way to keep you on my team!

I painted all the pieces with my homemade encaustic wax. The inside of the main bowl being the most layered. As you can see it is quite translucent and the light brings the piece to life. I achieved this by adding many layers of wax and buffing the crap out of it, between layers. I joked that I was "buffing my Monkey" a little sexual humor to keep me going. I rubbed the heck out of it for days and days!

But the translucent bowl would be nothing if not contrasted by the solid white interior of the middle Monkeys body. It looks like there is a light in that vessel. The little man is reaching upward from the center, with his Micky Mouse ears on. From where he stands he can only see the swirling translucent walls of the main bowl that look like a stormy sky.

I won't lie there were times I got lost--lost hope, but I kept going and surrendered to it in the end. Let go of ego, all thoughts and control, no "I" just "it". I set out to make a sacred object and I feel I did. There are no short cuts. I gave everything I have.

The fourth ingredient is love.

Onward with gusto!

Yay Kirsten!

As readers of this blog know I am represented at the Eric Schindler Gallery here in Richmond. There is a cool story on my favorit gallery director Kirsten Grey here! She is all that and more! I feel very lucky to have her in my life and honored to be in her stable of artists.

On the subject of local publicity, I got a little myself this month. You can find the photo above in the September/October issue of R-Home magazine on page 24. They were looking for work under 300. I am currently making some things that will fit that bill. But none of it is camera ready. I dug up a few older things and they chose this little painting I did way back in the 80's. It is a sweet little painting and for 200 bucks it could be yours! If anyone out there would like to come by for a studio visit and search my archive, there are some deals to be had. Kirsten also has some drawings and small wire sculptures of mine at the gallery that are under 100 bucks--yes it is true!

Onward!

What's up Wednesday

I have been trying to post a view of what is going on in the studio each Wednesday. Today I have a new painting to share. It is small, 9x12 and painted with Milk Paint on wood then sealed with Sweet Orange Oil. It was my first attempt at a Milk Paint painting. I like working with Milk Paint, but each time I stray further from Oil Paint I feel I am actually pulling myself closer to coming back to it. Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.

I started painting the Monkey Bowl, this is just the first coat of many. Adding color to sculpture completely changes how I see the piece and relate to it. It completely changes everything, leaving me to wonder how will it all end. I do love the Mickey Mouse ears! One thing I am sure of-- the little man is going to have red underpants...

Onward Monkeys!