Category Archives: Mixed Media

Creating with invisible directions

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It’s hard to explain how it feels when the parts take over and show you where they need to go – sounds kind of weird. But I just finished a Shardian assemblage that did just that. This figurative piece had never existed before, so there were no directions, but the pieces fit together so smoothly that every piece that was put in place felt exactly right. I love it when that happens! Hmmm . . .this piece started right after my visit to Papa Jim’s . . . (hearing theme from Twilight Zone) . . .

 

Huipiles and votives and shards – oh, my!

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Studio update – it was a busy, creative, rewarding weekend in a zillion ways. Our show and sale of Guatemalan artisan goods for Friendship Bridge was a huge success – both money and awareness were raised! Thanks for all who came to shop and learn – here are some photos:

Sunday was a day of rest – well, not exactly, but I had a wonderful time at our relaxing Votive Workshop. Seven of us sat around the table creating these little candle screens. It was the perfect way to spend a cold and drizzly afternoon. The Studio is a magical place sometimes.

Finally, last night, this girl realized she need to get to work and get her hands in some clay! These little faces will go into the kiln today and perhaps turn into Spirit Dolls, assemblages or Etsy send-outs to someone else for their own creations. Have a happy week, Y’all, and stay warm.

Lyn and Lesta and paper surface design (and a fine afternoon was had by all)

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29Lesta Frank and I have known each other since high school, and we finally got together to collaborate as teachers for a half-day workshop at the Studio on Sunday. I learned a lot from Lesta about paper surface designs – she’s pretty fearless with stencils and rollers! And I taught everyone how to do stamping on-the-cheap with a foam plate and black construction paper, and then how to showcase our designs on the cover of an origami Lotus book.

We know that once you see this video, you’ll wish you were there 🙂, so we’re gonna do a second session early in the new year. Check it out! And thanks, Lesta, for the inspiration!

Trust the process . . .but visit Papa Jim’s

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I’m showing some new work at La Vida Gallery, opening on December 5th, and, in my typical procrastinative way, I’m still figuring out exactly what to do. So far, I know that some of the new work will be earthenware assemblage. Here are a few of the pieces in no particular order that are in my “Trust the process, you’ll get an idea” pile.

So for extra inspiration, I took a visit to that old San Antonio icon of eclectic voodoo and spirituality, Papa Jim’s Botanica. Here, you can find anything you might need for protection, luck, attracting a mate, getting art ideas, or paying a jail bond.

I did pass up the opportunity to buy the Special Mojo Bag ( IT WILL CONTAIN HERBS, STONES, TALISMAN, POWDERS, MEDALS, AND ANIMAL PARTS SUCH AS RATTLESNAKE FANG), but I came away with some nice incense and a fresh supply of ideas. Look! Something is starting to emerge from the “Trust the process” pile . . . . ooooooh . . . .stay tuned.

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Hey, Lyn – it’s Friday, so where’s the Freebie??

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Ok, OK, it’s been a busy week – but, never fear, I do have a Friday Freebie for a lucky SHARDS subscriber whose name will be drawn Sunday night. One of the things that’s kept me busy is getting ready for the Trinity University Alumni Artistans Showcase tomorrow. It’s an event that I dearly love (I’m a Trinity grad as well as faculty member) and I try to participate in it every year. This year, I’m showing Milagro Journals. I love making these.

Milagro Journals

Milagro Journals

On the inside, there is a library card pocket (boy, do I miss those old-fashioned book checkouts) with a quote about the little miracles (milagros) in our lives. Yay! minside

So if you’re a SHARDS subscriber, old or new, by Sunday night, you’re in the drawing for one of these Milagro Journals. And if you’re a Trinity grad, like me, c’mon by the Artisan Showcase at the Holt Center tomorrow from 11:30-1:30.  Happy weekend, everyone – and expect a miracle (like that cold front that’s finally supposed to make it on Saturday :).

My (right-this-minute) Etsy Favorite 5

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You know Etsy, right? If not, I’m gonna get you in a lot of trouble, cause it’s an amazing online global marketplace of creative delights. Look at some of the things you can find today on Etsy. These are my current favorite shops (but it may change with every new discovery :)):

etsy1Tomyres Boutique – Ugur Daskan’s art-to-wear collection. Ugur is from Turkey and has a wonderfully creative way with paper and fiber. This is her Wire Statement Necklace w/ Blooming Flowers. The lovely white cocoon necklace that I showed in my last post came from Ugur. She featured the post on her FB page. 

 

 

 

 

etsy2Casa de Charms Shop from McAllen, Texas is where I order milagros for my own artwork. Amador, the owner, is easy to work with and has fair prices and quick shipping. He also has larger milagros and really funny Day-of-the-Dead shopping bags.

 

 

 

 

 

etsy3House of Ceramics – despite its generic name, this studio site has some beautifully designed work like these fired and glazed apples. Una, the artist/owner, is from Fresno, California.

 

 

 

etsy4Buster Bean Knows – this Etsy shop is pretty unique. Here you can find natural stuff, rusty stuff, kitschy stuff – here’s what the owner says about herself – “I live near Sedona about midway between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix with my 3 dogs, Buster (the namesake of my shop), Duncan & Paloma. Buster knows the meaning of life… be creative and enjoy every moment you can.”  Pretty cool.

 

 

 

etsy5Hoooked Soap, form Peralta, NM. I think I like this shop as much for the names and the colors and textures as I do for the soaps themselves. This one is called Dragon’s Blood Exfoliating Soap with Poppy Seeds. Talk about power to the shower – but I think there is something so appealing about artisan-made personal goods, and this shop has that kind of appeal.

It’s easy to get mesmerized while looking around on Etsy – when I was putting this post together, I went down a lot of rabbit holes checking out other stuff and got lots of ideas an inspiration! But now I need to get to work finishing some faces for my own Etsy shop, EarthShards (sneaky segue). Have a great weekend, everyone!

Work, work, work – rust, rust, rust

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handHiya – I’m popping in for a minute to show the latest results from my summer vacation painting month at the Studio – these are the first two in a series called “Sympathetic Resonance.” They are a continuation of my explorations into rust and patina, their color and texture. I love the way these are presented – a craftsman friend constructed heavy cedar boxes that stand by themselves as objects or hang on the wall as frames – either way, the pieces seem to work. The cedar compliments the patinas.If you can’t see the pieces in your email (and if you’re interested), you can look at them in browser view.

Yay! Art is so much fun when things are going well. I am taking a few of these pieces to Dan Pfeiffer’s Gallery in Kerrville next weekend to see if they are a good fit for his space. He is a fantastic woodworker/artist. So I’ll be laboring away on Labor Day doing what I love – hope you will be, too! More soon, happy weekend.

Gourd art?

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If you were a thirsty pioneer, you’d have a trusty dipper gourd to ladle up a drink of well water. But, dang, would you be surprised at the stuff I saw yesterday at the Texas Gourd Society‘s Exhibit in New Braunfels. Gourd skulls, gourd fish with swiveling scales, gourd Santa Clauses – many of these pieces were quite beautiful (well, maybe not the Santa Clauses – kinda creepy).

My favorites were the ones in which the artist incorporated natural materials like pine needles to accentuate the organic form of the gourds (pine needles were big this year, lots of bundles for sale). And it truth be known, I especially loved the plain ol’ unadorned gourds for their shapes, color and texture. I sat in on a gourd-growing lecture (“Anybody can grow a gourd, but not everybody can grow a good gourd”).  I made a quick video tour of the show for you guys, and if it makes you want to starting gourding, there are many good tutorials on You Tube by a gourd artist named Miriam Joy.

New work, new face, new mix-up

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I’ve just finished work for the Fotoseptiembre show at Northwest Vista College – it’s called Mixing It Up. These two pieces are indeed a mix-up of media – heat phototransfer on fabric with encaustic and mixed media over stretched canvas. My model, Ellis, is a good friend’s daughter whom I’ve known since she was a baby – what a wonderful face. She did a half-hour photo session with me and I was inspired by her expressive eyes to create this duo called “Bound” and “Determined.” (I borrowed the dove in the second piece from my friend, Ramesh, a fantastic photographer who is now on a safari shoot in Africa – I steal only from the best 🙂) This exhibit opens on September 18th, but there will be a celebration of art through photography all over the city. Viva Fotoseptiembre USA! And now, to the Friday Freebie winner . . .


Dani Wildason was the randomly drawn winner of the five-pack TerraSkin mixed-media stone paper. Dani, let me know how you’d like to claim your prize – hope you’ll drop by the Studio and say hi! Speaking of claiming Friday Freebies, Rob in Australia, I owe you a Studio t-shirt! Your name was drawn way back in January – check the end of this post!