The Jealous Curator & Carylann Loeppky sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G

My new favorite artist I found thanks to my new favorite blog!!!

Blog? The Jealous Curator. http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/ Each blog entry showcases the work of a new and/or amazing artist. Just scanning this blog has introduced me to so many artists I hadn't heard of before.

Artist? Carylann Loeppky. http://www.carylann.com/ She does the most amazing portraits. I'm drawn (heh, drawn?) to creating portraits but my work pales in comparision on Carylann.

This is the post that did it for me: http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/2009/11/23/im-jealous-of-carylann-loeppky/

Birdhouse In Your Soul

Tiny canvas' make me paint tiny subject matter. Inspired by the They Must Be Giants song Birdhouse In Your Soul.

Circle of Cool

I just used the phrase Circle of Cool and then thought hmmm, that'd be a great theme. I've had in my head for a long time a mixed media piece called House of Influences. It would be a glass house and each wall I would draw a different artist (visual or musical) that I was influenced by.

The Circle of Cool would be simular. But I can't make a complete circle. so far:

Jack White --> Meg White --> Jackson Smith --> Patti Smith --> ______

I don't know a connection from Patti back to Jack. Shoot.

Slotin's November Masterpiece Auction

Last night was the viewing for this weekends Slotin's auction.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/19841 <---- Day 1

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/19897 <---- Day 2

Though we get 2 catalogs in the mail for every auction I never make up my mind about the lots until I see them in person. Often times items I've completely overlooked in the catalog end up being amazing works of art.

Thus was the case last night. I saw so many beautiful pieces that I hadn't even noticed before. Things that don't photography particularly well, like the oils on reverse glass paintings (AMAZING!)... or the 465 lots Steve added AFTER the catalog was mailed!!!! This auction has been split into 2 days. I won't get to watch day 2 because I'm in a PMC class all day. So I purposely didn't look too closely at those lots because I didn't want to fall in love with anything I couldn't even bid on.

But there are items I feel in love with on day 1. Sadly, my budget won't allow me to bid on anything this auction. I usually only get to bid on items in the Slotin's March Masterpiece Auction (can you say TAX RETURN?)

It's the morning after the viewing and there are a few pieces I can't get out of my head.

I saw this in the catalog and knew it would be good. I then saw it in person and changed good to fabulous. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6766256 It's a large piece on unstretched canvas. Once stretched and framed I think it will be extremely dynamic. The estimate is low so I'll be very interested to see the final price.

The oil on reverse glass paintings are lots 701 -708. This one is my favorite. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6766266 This photograph doesn't even hint at how cool it is.

I'm partial to crows and this is the best one I've seen at Slotin's. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6766360 I'm not familiar with the artist. I do love what they did here though.

This is 2 separate paintings. I love the whole black sheep/white sheep concept. And I love the decorative-arts style. This would be perfect in someones Folk Art Kitchen. (Mine?) http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6766369

I've always wanted a David Tinsley. From all the lots (564 - 569) this is my favorite: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6766128

Another artist I've always admired and thought it'd be nifty to own in Malcolm McKesson. This auction Steve acquired 2 rare colored McKesson's. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6765862 and http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6765863 The first one is my favorite but I honestly think both are fabulous.

Woodie Long, Florida Folk Artist, died a few weeks ago (and weeks after the auction catalog was published.) I'm extremely interested in seeing what recent events do for these sales. Though Mr. Long has always sold well, now that we have a finite number of paintings, what's going to happen to the price? His paintings are lots 312, 313 & 314.

Erich Staub is another artist whose work I've followed. His are lots 349 - 351. His subject matter can be a little cutesy at times. But his technique is simply amazing. Someone once tried to convince me he was using punchinella (sequin waste) but I don't believe that to be the case. I think each dot is his own handwork. Here's my favorite from the group: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6765908

We (me, Ben & my sister) ALL feel in love with the Robert Brady paintings. There were quite a few. (Lots 144 - 151) Most were nude portraits. But oddly of the grouping this was my favorite: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6765709 It did for me what Folk Art always does. It made me laugh!!! (not to mention it was just a fabulous painting!!! And as me and my sister decided, very much in the style of a Max Beckmann)

So this morning I'm already registered and logged into the Live Auctioneer website. Unless something goes UNBELIEVABLY cheap, I won't be able to bid. But I'm still very interested to see what my favorites go for.

talisman

talisman (TAL-is-man, -iz-) noun
1. An object marked with magic signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection.
2. Something that apparently has magic power.

I felt the need to make a talisman for Someone. I found a great book called Amulets And Talismans by Robert Dancik where he made some unusual objects using found objects, clay, PMC, and so on. I've had the book for awhile but never done more than flip thru the pictures.

Then last week I read it. I found it very interesting, full of wonderful tips on how to do certain techniques, how to work with certain materials, some must-have tools, etc.

I didn't currently have access to several of the materials or tools he spoke of (though my day-long PMC workshop is next Sunday; YEAH!). But I can work with found object, polymer clay, wires, woods and metals.

I made the body of the piece out of pearlized polymer clay. I carved a mountains on one side (with a well-worn path) and pressed a geode into the other. I removed the geode and fired. Once my fired piece had cooled I inlaid more polymer clay in green and red into my mountain and path. I fired again. After the last firing, I placed my geode back in and attached with a two-part epoxy putty. I then got busy working on my base.

I took 2 small pieces of wood slightly larger than the body of the talisman. The bottom piece is wrapped in wire mesh. The top piece is wrapped is a soft sheet of copper. I used small purple glass beads as spacers and the feet are wood cubes painted black.

The body of the talisman was then screwed into the top piece of wood. I wanted to use the minimal amount of glues as possible so it's just held on with a screw. I wrapped a red wire (22 gage) around the top of the talisman and decorated with assorted glass beads and Milagros.

I then tea-stained a piece of paper which I had removed from my moleskin journal. I tore it into strips in various sizes, making sure each side had a rough, torn edge. I then wrote some of my favorite quotes about dreams, goals and following your path on each.

time to breathe

Our weeks are so full lately. When you count football (I do) and scheduled art time (yes, I do schedule it in though spontanious art is ALWAYS welcome) it barely leaves time for adventure.
We did manage to squeeze in a hike a few weekends ago.

But we're long overdue for jumping in Abby and driving around the mountains.

This weekend was supposed to be devoted to making my kiln-space weather-tight. We've worked out how to make that happen. But we need a few sunny days to get that done. Though they keep saying it's going to be nice this weekend, it's currently pouring!!!

And speaking of sunny, I need more sunny days to work on my bottle wall. I'm stalled out at 3 layers. All my friends have been contributing to the cause! Between what I've already collected and is waiting for me in the barn... and what my friends have given me, I've got several hundred wine bottles waiting to go into the wall. At roughly 46 bottles a layers, I've got about 4 or 5 more layers I can add. But I need 2 days of sun guaranteed to make sure the cement cures.

Next weekend is pretty empty. On Halloween night we're going to see 101 Dalmatians, the musical. The rest of the weekend is open but I don't want to do so much manual labor I'm feeling too tired for the trip into Atlanta.

The following weekend, November 6, 7 & 8 will be a busy one. This is the weekend for Slotins Folk Art auction. http://www.slotinfolkart.com/ Traditionally, we go to the viewing on Friday night. When we've had our fill and searched every single nook and cranny, we walk over the tracks to have dinner in one of the great restaurants in Historic Buford. But I'm sad to say all my favorite places have closed down or gotten new chefs and changed their formats. I'm sure we'll still go out to eat. But I don't know where.

Then, if we find art we NEED to have, we come back on Saturday, the 7th. Steve Slotin knows how to treat his customers well. He caters breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks plus has an open bar the whole day (complete with irish coffees and bloody mary's at 8 am). This year I don't think our budget will allow us to purchase anything. We tend to mostly buy during the March auctions (can you say "Tax Return"???). So I don't know if we'll go back on Saturday.

Plus, due to an odd series of events, we're also going to a musical downtown November 7th! It's called In The Height and I've never heard of it. But we're going! I love musicals. It should be fun.

Then on Sunday the 8th I'm taking an all-day PMC class. It was the same day as the Paint With The Artist at Around Back At Rocky's Place. But I'll catch the next one.

In addition, I started 2 new canvas's last night. I think I'm going to like them both a lot. I've been painting lately on flat canvas's. Then I watched a tutorial on The blog of Maron Doyle http://manondoyle.blogspot.com/ the other day and I remembered how much I LOVE painting on textured canvas's. So I prepared 2 yesterday afternoon and I can't wait to get home and paint!!!

Whew!!! Deep breath and breatheeeeeee......

Buddha and a Thousand Candles pendant

Today's necklace uses the pendant made from my Buddha Ohm Ring painting. I printed a picture of the painting on heavy photo paper at about 1/2 inch square. Then I cut out the majority of the picture to leave just the subject matter. I also printed out my favorite Buddhist quote to the size of 1/2 square of regular printer paper:

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life the candle will not be shortened

Happiness never decreases by being shared

First I placed the quote in the pendant blank. On top of that I placed my picture of Buddha. I then added a 2 part resin mixture and allowed it to drive overnight. It becomes hard within a few hours but it's still sticky to the touch for about 24 hours. For the first 2 hours you need to periodically check and blow out any air bubbles that appear.

After the resin had completely cured I added it to a multi-chain necklace I had made. I embellished with a few blue glass beads and an Ohm pendant. Lastly I added a toggle clasp to secure.

Pendant Crazy

the Merlot Crow hung on a gold chain

Where's My Vote?

AFP on leppard

Walking On Cobblestones

Stockings

Serenity

Robert Johnson

Buddha and a Thousand Candles


I've missed making jewelry lately. I'm soon going to be taking a PMC certification class (which will allow me to both teach and purchase supplies at wholesale). But in the meantime I thought I'd play with some pendant blanks and resin.

All the pictures used are thumbnails of my own paintings. I printed them all in miniture and added to the pendant blanks.

I need to work on my resin techniques. Too many air bubbles. But I'll get that fixed. Also, these pictures are WAYYYY enlarged. The bubbles are not as noticable in real life.

Diagnostic Right Mammogram; Most Such Findings Benign

I painted this over the weekend. I knew I'd put the last letter from my Dr. to good use.

Mixed media & acrylics on canvas

I would not have you lose your hearts in the singing

Something very different for me. It started with a quote by Kahlil Gibran from The Prophet.

Pleasure is a freedom song,
But it is not freedom.
It is the blossoming of your desires,
But it is not their fruit.
It is the depth calling unto a height,
But it is not the deep nor the high.
It is the caged taking wing,
But it is not space encompassed.
Ay, in very truth,
pleasure is a freedom-song.
And I fain would have you sing it with fullness of heart;
yet I would not have you lose your hearts in the singing.



I thought I would end up with something else but this is what came from it.