. . .at the work for the show tomorrow – shards everywhere!
Sneak peek . . .
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. . .at the work for the show tomorrow – shards everywhere!
Category Archives: Other Artists
Spirit work –
This is just another sample of some of the spirit doll photos that people send me when they use my shard faces for their work. I am overwhelmed with the creativity and soulfulness that these little soft sculptures possess. Thanks to the artisans who crafted them and sent me the pictures. Our Spirit Doll workshop on the 3rd of March is going to be exciting! It’s full, but I’m thinking of having another one in May.
Faces in new places
I’m wrapping up the weekend with some photos from other artists who have used my shard faces in their work. Two of these are Spirit Dolls (we’ll be making our own in the workshop on March 3rd). One is from Otter in Canada and the other is from Angela, who lives in Maine. The other photo I just got today from Chris, who took the shard face workshop on Sunday (there’s another one on Feb. 17th) and finished her necklaces today. Nice work! It’s inspiring to see how others use these little faces.
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- Angela’s Spirit Doll
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- Otter’s Spirit Doll
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- Chris’s Face Shard Necklaces
Steven DaLuz’s Neo-Luminism
Probably everyone knows an artist whose work consistently inspires and amazes – the paintings of San Antonio artist Steven DaLuz do that for me. He balances content and technique so deftly without making it look too commercial or too slick. Take a look at his portfolio – he’s equally masterful with representational and non-representational subjects. In an interview with the JR Mooney Gallery, he says, “I strive to create work that I am personally passionate about…work that I hope will make the viewer pause for a moment and just FEEL something. I hope to connect with a person by focusing on my own expression of aesthetic ‘beauty’. It often reflects upon primal questions about origins, the expressive beauty of the human figure and the sublime. If there is something in the work that connects with a viewer and stirs their spirit in some way, then I have done my job.”
I think you’ll agree that he does his job – here’s his website and portfolio.
Steven DaLuz webpage
Joanna, Spirit Dolls and new faces . . .
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
Art documentaries not to be missed
This is just a short post (mostly so I’ll remember go back to it when I have time) listing 19 art/artist documentaries compiled by Alyson Stanfield, author of I’d Rather Be in the Studio.
Here’s a link to her list, and here’s one of the videos, Rothko’s Rooms – it’s only a minute long but has a good joke. If you’ve ever been to the Rothko Chapel in Houston, you understand the power of his resonant canvases –
Meeting friends at the new studio
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
Nueva Street Gallery
I went down to La Villita yesterday to visit with Susan Carlin, one of the owners of Nueva Street Gallery. It always does my heart good to walk into that beautiful light-filled space. It’s the gallery where I showed my work back in the 80’s an 90’s when Richard Conn owned it – it was lovely then, but it seems to have a whole new persona since Susan and Uger made it their own. Susan has given me the whole table in the middle of the gallery for my work display. Yay! There are some Shard Faces there, some little Earthshard dishes, and some of my small collage-on-canvas work.
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- Small collages-on-canvas with earthenware
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- This is a part of the Bridge series
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- One more in the Bridge series – these are 8×8 canvases
When I got to the gallery, Susan had just received a new piece by Reggie Troilo that I loved! I think it’s called “the Gathering” – but it is fantastic. Brian St. John also shows there – he’s the San Antonio Art League’s Artist of the Year. Here’s the gallery – I’ve always been a huge fan of the place, and not just because my work is there. It’s a wonderful space to stop by, hang out – and a perfect starting place for exploring historic La Villita during the holiday season. I just love San Antonio!
Winning Workshop (and Scent Shard Winner)
I never imagined that the space in La Vida Gallery could be so perfect for a workshop, but it was. We were surrounded by art and inspiration this afternoon at the gallery with light coming in from the large windows looking out onto the Southtown neighborhood. Carole Weissler, gallery owner, was a host and participant – she’s a talented artist in her own right. This group was motivated and creative – the finished products really glowed with colors and textures. One particular participant complained about the quality of the glue sticks, but I noticed that it didn’t keep her from making two lovely votive cards. She also showed me a much better way to make the center cut. Sigh, live and learn. The whole afternoon was fun – see the video.
But wait – before the video starts, the winner of the Scent Shard (name drawn by Carol Mylar from Colorado Springs) is . . . . . . .Sherry Palmer, who signed up for the mailing list during the last open studio and then subscribed to the Shards blog. Congratulations, Sherry – let me know how you’d like to claim your prize. I’ll be glad to mail it to you or you are more than welcome to come pick it up. I’d love to see you.
Now, back to the video:
Create a Candle, Win a Shard
Special workshop this Sunday at La Vida Gallery in lovely Southown from 3-5! I’ll be showing you how to make these unique votive candle cards, which are gifts in themselves. When you open one, it becomes a glowing screen for a votive candle, but it folds up to fit in an envelope. These cards were featured in an article I wrote for the current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. You’ll take home several of these cards and can personalize them in any way you want. To save a spot (limit ten, there are five spaces left), click on this PayPal link – tuition is $39 and proceeds go to the San Antonio Food Bank. All materials are provided.
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- Scent Shard prize for winning workshop participant/blog subscriber
But wait – there’s more (as usual). Workshop participants and SHARDS blog subscribers will be entered in a drawing to win this Scent Shard with Ylang-Ylang/Bitter Orange essential oil and a brochure and gift bag. My dear friend and former studio partner Carol Mylar is visiting me from Colorado and she will do the drawing Sunday night. If you can’t come play with us on Sunday, subscribe to the Shard blog.
Scent Shard prize for winning workshop participant/blog subscriber
And finally, 30 Shades of Twilight opens at La Vida tonight at 7:00 but I’m too nervous to talk about that, so bye for now.:)