I survived this morning’s tooth pulling (hooray), and, almost like a reward, the article my friend Jasmina Wellinghoff wrote about my new work came out today in SA Woman Magazine. She did a fabulous job of organizing my randomness. And Janet Rogers took a photo that made me wish I looked like that 🙂 – I am very grateful to both of them. Click on the photo to read the article if you’re interested. Now back to the ice pack.
I worked at the Studio today (big “S” means new studio) and took some photos for a short video about the space. You guys, I am so excited! It is still a work in progress, but it’s going to be the most wonderful place for workshops and meetings. I wish everyone could come for the opening party in a couple of weeks. The first workshop is scheduled for January 20th, and I think I’ll have an open house the afternoon before that, on Saturday January 19th, 3-7 pm. But Shards Blog people are the first to know – and if you’re on the mailing list, you might get it twice. Arg, sorry about that, but that way you’ll remember – please come 🙂 . Anyway, here’s the video – yay!!
Joanna Powell Colbert appeared in my life at a serendipitous time – she ordered some of my little faces for a Spirit Doll workshop last year and, in doing so, opened a door to lots of new connections for my shard faces. You’ve seen some of the photos of Spirit Dolls that people have sent me – now Joanna has made her booklet describing how to make these small spiritual sculpture available to everyone. What a cool gift!
How To Make a Spirit Doll by Joanna Powell Colbert
I’ve had lots of new orders for faces and, as a result, I spent last night making new ones, about 100 of them. Every one of them seems to have a different story to tell. It’s kind of meditative to work the clay and see the expression in each face. Here are a few, ready to finish drying and go into the kiln. Thank, as always, to Joanna for her example and inspiration! We’ll be making Spirit Dolls at The Studio in the spring 🙂
Terra Cotta faces
My Etsy friends, sister-artists Linda (from Dallas) and Cindy (from Chicago), came to San Antonio today for a visit. We met at my brand new unfinished but spiffy studio. After a quick tour of the new space (stay tuned for more photos and updates) and a visit to Ann Pearce’s bead studio next door, we went to lunch at Twin Sisters Cafe and Bakery. We talked art and beads and foods and friends and classes. It was great fun. Linda gave me one of her wonderful pendants – see below. It has moveable parts that you can play with – I love it!
Sisters Cindy and Linda visit my new studio
Look at this fine chair and ottoman I got at Goodwill on Friday – it matches the Kandinsky-esque rug like it was designed for it!
This corner of the studio feels comfortable already – that leaves only about 80% of empty space to fill! Gulp.
Pendant by Linda Moody – mixed metals and bronze handcrafted square bead
Today, December 26th, is Boxing Day in England where I spent part of my childhood (our father was stationed at Ruislip Base in London for five years). There are all kinds of reasons why it’s called that – giving boxes of Christmas goodies to service workers is one – but I’m going to give you a challenge instead. I decided I wanted to learn how to make a new kind of paper box, and this little mulberry-paper container the result. Simple, right? Not. Even with the video, it’s tricky. See if you can do it. It took me a couple of tries to figure out that x#@% last part.
Origami paper box
PS The person’s hands in the video are impossibly smooth – I think it’s a plastic robot, personally 🙂
Link address to copy if you want to save it – http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-box-with-paper/
Thanks to everyone who subscribes to my blog, Shards – I designed some holiday gift tags for you. You can print them out and cut them apart and fold them – they make even a brown bag look pretty. These are some of the same images I use on my own tags – thanks to my friend Maria for many of them.
Access you gift tags here – print them on card stock if you can. There are three different designs, six cards on each sheet. I hope you like them, and happy holidays!
I’ve just come across the work of potter artist Alice Ballard. It’s one of those revelation “aha” moments – this came right after my favorite local nursery, Shades of Green, requested my work for their shop yesterday. They are putting air plants in my Sprig Shards (thanks, Gloria, for showing them) and it’s made me rethink the form and function aspects of my earthenware. Take a look at Alice Ballard’s work, particularly this Pod series. Beautiful.
