Category Archives: Uncategorized

Back to Books and Basics

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I’ve been working so much on large paintings that I’ve missed doing the smaller works that I love, like journals and mixed-media collages. Fortunately, the wonderful Nueva Street Gallery owners sent out a call to me for more of both. I just complete six journals for them in a format that was developed especially for their lovely gallery in historic La Villita. Part of that format includes incorporating face shards in the design. Here are some photos. These will be available at Nueva Street Gallery as soon as I get down there tomorrow or Tuesday. I put a new little label on the library card that goes inside the journals – it says La Vida es Buena – Life is Good. Yep!

PS If you’ve read this far, the Overdue Friday Freebie will be a journal like one of these – all subscribers to Shards are in the pot! You can choose your favorite and I’ll make one for you that is similar.

 

Heather Ash and Michelle Belto

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How did I get so lucky to have these two extraordinary teachers in my life? On Monday evening, Heather Ash Amara will be at the Studio for an informal, enlightening talk about creativity and intent – and how to spark both. Carla Pineda from Viva Bookstore will be there to share some of Heather Ash’s publications. This is the perfect start to a thoughtful spring (and if you come, I’ll have a new basket of take-home shards). Refreshments and conversation, too.

And I’m counting the days to Michelle Belto’s workshop. I’m really excited about this, and so is Michelle. Please consider joining us.

logo copyOff to do a happy dance 🙂

Nope, haven’t forgotten the Friday Freebie either – stay tuned!

Art for art’s sake?

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I belong to a LinkedIn list for art discussion and thought this comment in response to pricing abstract art was thought-provoking:

Melanie Rae Zero • And Mike, if you’re making art for solely for sale, that would be decoration and ornamentation. That’s not art at all. You need to have an idea and e conveying a message. Otherwise, it’s just art for the sake of art. Art for the sake of art is nothing at all, it begs the question. Pointless. Find some value in your life and work from that, otherwise you’re working from the point of view that you’re life is not valuable at all. If you’re life’s not valuable, what’s the point of painting?

I don’t know Melanie Rae Zero, but she has – to say the least – an interesting website: http://shittyartist.com/

It all seems to go back to the discussion we had at the Spirit Doll workshop – is there Intention behind the creation? Is a Spirit Doll or Spirit Box just an ornament or is it art? Or something else? Hmmmmmmmm . . .

Spirit Box - just an ornament?

Spirit Box – just an ornament?

PS Spirit Box workshop on the 21st!

Spirit Dolls, Opening Night

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The second big Studio event in two days was just as enjoyable as the poetry reading in a different way – a nice crowd of artisans and friends gathered to see the Spirit Dolls and to ask questions about their construction and uses. There was lots of curiosity and admiration for the work, especially when the guests learned that the dolls had been constructed in just two hours during the workshop. Once again, many of the people who came tonight saw old friends that they hadn’t seen in years or discovered new connections with people they hadn’t met before. I love it when that happens! There’s something about that Studio space that encourages those kinds of connections . . ..  . and here’s a video from this lovely evening:

 

Pat’s Unconstricted Boa

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Yesterday afternoon I was at the Studio getting ready for the Seeing Art San Antonio tour (which was great fun) when my friend Pat Schulz dropped by to show me her beautiful prayer flags and a most remarkable boa. Here’s a photo of Pat modelling her creation – take a look and see if you can guess what she used to construct this amazing piece of fiber art:

patboaGive up? Pat constructed this from used Olay facial washcloths that had been dyed by Laura Pitts. She stacked, cut and stitched hundreds and hundreds of layers over many hours. The texture is remarkable and the colors are subtle and rich. And it is loooooooong – I love this kind of ingenuity! She calls the piece “OlĂ©” because she couldn’t get permission from the Olay people to use their trade name.  I think “OlĂ©” is a fine name because the piece looks like a fiber Fiesta. Viva Pat!

 

That’s the spirit . . .

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This is apparently Event Week at the Studio – there’s the Seeing Art San Antonio Tour on spiritdollopeningflatWednesday night, the exciting (yep, poetry is exciting) Word of Mouth Poetry Reading on Thursday, and the magical Spirit Doll Exhibit on Friday nigh – it’ll be a gathering of all of the spirits.

But if I need energy to keep me going, I look at yesterday’s Spirit Doll workshop video – the energy in the Studio just hummed with joy and fun. It was a very cool afternoon – thanks, everyone! See you at the opening on Friday!

Last-minute Friday Freebie

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*Dear* Shards Subscribers,

I was so involved at the Studio today, working on wrist malas and prayer flags for Sunday’s workshop, that I almost forgot the Friday Freebie. So as a natural extension of that, the freebie will be a wrist mala for meditation that I will make for you. It won’t be fancy, but it will be made with love ♥. And if you’d rather make it for yourself, I’ll give you the beads and cord and instructions.

Because I’m so late with this, I’ll wait until Sunday after the workshop to draw the name from all the awesome Shards subscribers. And (ahem) we still have two spaces left in the workshop, so if you sign up, you can join us at the Studio and watch me make your mala! Send me an email if you want to come – it should be fun. Happy weekend!

malaexamp

 

First Friday and Yvette Shadrock

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It’s always great to go to La Vida Gallery on First Friday, and tonight one of my favorite artists, Yvette Shadrock, was exhibiting. Yvette is a genius at assemblage – she puts together objects in whimsical, scary, funny and profound ways to make works that look as if they came from another place or another time. I have one of her small pieces that I bought at her last show and I hope to be able to have a larger one someday soon. The only problem is, which one to choose? They are all wonderful.

 

 

Sunday inspiration

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Don’t you think this is a great quote?

“What is ‘no’? Either you have asked the wrong question or you have asked the wrong person. Find a way to get the ‘yes’.”

This applies perfectly to our doubts about our own worth as creative people – I have heard so many stories from friends who say they are not “creative” or “artistic” because someone in the past criticized their attempts . Seems to me that you just have to approach it from another direction that is your own, and create with joy that feels right to you and not be influenced by someone else’s judgment. Find a way to get the “Yes.” OK, off the soap box, but I really get frustrated when creative people don’t realize how talented they can be.

This quote came, via a friend in England, from a book that I just ordered,  “Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?” by Jeanette Winterson (2011). You can read some of her thoughts about this book on her blog. Here’s an online review excerpt:

It’s a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a religious zealot disguised as a mother who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the dresser, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in an north England industrial town now changed beyond recognition; about the Universe as Cosmic Dustbin.

I don’t often talk about a book that I haven’t read, but this one sounds like a keeper – will let you know what I think about it a little later. In the meantime, I’ll remind myself that there are different ways to get to “Yes,” and that if my work (below) that I took to the juried Art League show yesterday is rejected, I’ve just been asking the wrong people!

sombrassm copy

 

 

Ye olden days

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Way back in the late 50’s, my dad (everyone called him “The Colonel”) was stationed in London. We lived there five years before I came to San Antonio in 1959 – culture shock when I saw my first glob of guacamole :(!

Anyway, at the last Open Studio, my friend Marilyn told me she had been to the same school in London about the same time (amazing synchronicity) and put me in touch with the alumni page. I found my picture in the London Central High School annual – here it is – check out those white collars that were guaranteed to make you look geeky. And FYI, if you find your own old photos, here’s a great link to repairing and restoring them – if you actually want to!
http://www.easyelements.com/old-photo-repair.html
bushey