Made It: More Experiments

I've been on a tear playing with new materials and throwing caution to the wind!

Let's start with the skeletons (all sizes are 5 x 7 inches unless otherwise noted):

matboard, tea-stained old book page, acrylic paint, vinyl

matboard, found sheet music, acrylic paint, vinyl

I painted over the vinyl and tried to scrape it off...works better on the thick black vinyl.

matboard, painted found sheet music, vinyl

squiggle time

matboard, painted found book page, vinyl

matboard, found seed catalog page, paint, vinyl

8 x 10--salvaged wood, acrylic paint, vinyl
I actually have a tentative title for this one:
"Fill My Hollow Bones"

9 x 11.5--salvaged wood, acrylic paint, fabric paper, vinyl, gel medium

Gotta finish those edges!

Hearts!

matboard, found book page, vinyl, acrylic paint

matboard, painted found book page, vinyl, acrylic paint

 I painted over the top of this and then scraped it off, sgraffito style

matboard, layers of found, painted, and/or made papers, vinyl, paint

 throwback:

matboard, found painted hymnal page, vinyl

matboard, found and painted collaged paper, vinyl, acrylic paint

domestic goddesses:
matboard, music pages, paint, vinyl

 I have so many ideas, and I'm just not going to settle for one image style.  I love the weird, macabre skeleton and heart images, because everyone brings something different to those, depending on their history and feelings about health, guts, death, life, color, whathaveyou.  And the retro images just make me happy.  More of a Pop Art feel comes from those, and having some levity in a line of work isn't a bad thing.

I have a one day show this weekend in Lee's Summit, MO, during a bike race--Tour of Kansas City-- so I'm pumping out lots of stickers and other fun cycling-related paraphernalia.  Plus, it's the first day of summer, and I love spending the solstice outside all day.

Here's to the makers out there.  Keep plugging away!

Made It: Experimentals & Flower Clocks

I've been tinkering around with many different materials the last couple weeks.  First, let's see some new desk clocks:

California Poppy

Field Daisy

Partridge-Peas

Thistle

Mayflower

I found a 1964 field guide to North America's wild flowers, and the images are just the perfect size to fit my mini table top clocks.  They're listed on Etsy.  I want to make a gazillion more, but I also want to make a different line of work that is categorized as "non-clock" and I'm really trying to actually plan this stuff out.  So I've been having fun playing around.

Here's some of the prototypes:

Large painted nails and string from the barn, leftover wood for the frame,
and salvaged painted wood as the backer.

8 x 10 matboard, early 1900s booklet pages, paint, vinyl.

5 x 7 matboard, painted hymnal page, vinyl.

5 x 7 matboard, 1970s seed catalog page, paint, vinyl.

I don't know quite where I'm going yet with the nail things, but I'm ruminating...I really like the TV and the skeletons, which will fit in with my small anatomical hearts...

But here's a biggie!
10 x 12 including frame; found wood, paint, "fabric paper," vinyl

I have many more painted papers to play with, so watch out!

I'm getting ready for a yard sale this weekend--my first ever!  There are two or three bins of old art I'm going to try to unload and maybe some clocks that just never sold but are fine otherwise.  If you're in KC, check out the Hyde Park Neighborhood Yard Sale on Saturday, June 14th (my half-birthday, BTW, in case you want to drop by some cupcakes or half of a whole cake).  Hopefully it won't be sweltering and/or raining...?

Tulsa and things

I had a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Mayfest!  It was my first time in that city, and I can say that the people there are just as nice as the people in OKC.  And to think I grew up around the jerks I did just three hours north of there!  (KIDDING!  Kansans are a swell group of folks!)

Due to the ridiculous weather in Oklahoma, I decided to rent a tent rather than bank on my flimsy EZUP to withstand whatever happened over the weekend, but I still had plenty to pack:

See also: my brain.

Love my new camper shell!  So much protection!

After set up I walked around a bit.  We were in the Deco District of Tulsa, which is a beautiful area.  The night was mild and I was able to find some ice cream (well, gelato, at Mod's), which is a very important part to getting to know a city.

 After a night's rest, we opened, and I had four days of Tulsa's best coming through to check out my clocks, 8 x 10s, and heart blocks.  

8 x 10s, including originals and new poppy reproductions

Astro Kitty!

State stickers are always a crowd pleaser.

There's always a bit of time on my hands when I'm at a show, and I decided to put those
hands to work.  I brought some scraps and blanks and did what I do.

Finished 5 x 5 made at the show, sold at the show! 

I try to avoid fair food, but this is a deep fried Oreo...I'm weak!

Awesome guy William Franklin, who owns Decopolis (5th and Boston) picked out several
clocks to have in his store!  I'm so thrilled to be represented by this great place!

Paul, an architect from Tulsa who is a fellow KU alum, was a wonderful advocate
for my work and was actuallythe matchmaker between myself and Decopolis.
 Always nice to find new friends at art shows!

After a wonderful weekend with nice weather and almost no rain, I walked around downtown on Monday a bit before heading home.  It was a little windy...

This is supposed to be straight up, but wind won this battle.
Image the bits of dirt hitting my skin as I walked around.  Tons of fun.

But luckily the buildings withstood what Mother Nature had to offer and I was rewarded with peeping some beautiful Art Deco architecture (and some other stuff thrown in, too).

View from my hotel room.

William's store and hangout place.  Go there if you can!

I just liked the fire escape here.

Saw this on my way to Braum's.  Adorable.

Upon returning home (and resting for a day), Elsie decided to try and help me unload the truck.
She was worthless.

So, Tulsa!  Thanks for everything!

Don't forget to check out Decopolis at 607 S Boston.

I have a couple weeks before a one day showing at a bike race in KC...many bike themed things to come!  I've been trying to stock up my Etsy store and work on inventory for the Des Moines show at the end of the month.  

Until next time...