Frint side of Left leg
Right leg
Left leg side view
Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 26 “bringing home the bacon”
Building the ears and adding baling wire before the plaster.
Looking nose to nose
Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 25.5 “bringing home the bacon”
International WaterMedia Exhibition - Invited
One of the most coveted words an artist can hear or receive in an email is “invited”
I am so pleased and grateful to have a piece selected. 🙏
Seven cyclist
Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 2 “brining home the bacon”
Step one - I find or take a photo to use as a reference. Many times I take screen shots from videos I find online. This time I took photos of Griffin and Alex. At the time I was planning on sculpting “The Guy In the Astros Cap”. I had Griffin carry Alex and I took photos as he walked. I can still use the pictures of Griffin walking. Alex is too cute and tiny to stand in for the pig. I will have to wing the pig.
Photo if Griffin’s feet.
Step 2- I start with the armature for the feet, piecing them together from the small leftover scraps of my last sculpture.
Left foot, right foot
I really like the pigeon toed aspect of this photo.
Even though I like work from photos I feel free to change anything I want.
Harvey Heroes- Houston Responds
Back in October I received a phone call from Jeff Schultz of Houston Responds. Jeff was holding a conference the following week for local churches. He was trying to recruit volunteers to help those who still need help getting their lives back after Hurricane Harvey. He needed images for his Bible study booklet. I was thrilled to help out. I never received a copy of the booklet, but here are a few screen shot from the email he sent me.
Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 1 “bringing home the bacon”
My first thought was to make a sculpture to be exhibited with the drawings of a man rescuing a woman and a baby. I loved how obvious it is in this drawing that they are strangers. He is carrying her but with his body language he could be carrying a sack of potatoes. His energy is focused inward, perhaps he is worried about his own family. She is the same, she is affectionate with the baby but she is not snuggling into her rescuer. There is not a history between the rescuer and the girl.
“The guy in the Astros cap”
After some consideration, I have decided to make the sculpture a livestock piece. I changed my mind because I feel the livestock pieces need to be very large to properly convey the extraordinary feats some people went to in order to save their livestock. I also like the fact that it is unexpected to make the sculpture of a pig rescue. I can always make a sculpture from the other drawing later.
“Bringing home the bacon”
“Glyphosate” Airing the devestating impact that pesticides have on pollinators
I am expanding my regenerative agriculture/sustainable living work. This additional work will air the devastating impact that pesticides have on pollinators. I have decided that, to portray the reported impact of pesticides on this basic ingredient for life, the artistic language for communicating this message will be scale, placement, technique, and media.
Scale- My paper is 44” T X 30” W. The pollinators size will be magnified approximately twenty times.
(Should I go bigger?)
Placement- The bee will be on its back, and dead at the bottom of the page.
Media- I will use watercolor as it immolates the water properties of pesticides.
Technique-I will attempt to apply the media so that It speaks of the pesticide spray, pollen dust and disintegration. Getting the perfect technique down is one of trial and error. Below are trials I-VI.
Attempt #1
#2 getting better.
#3 is the ghost of #2
On day two I have decided to try adding more colors in the black and maybe blast it with a spray bottle of water and then print it.
11/20/2018
Day 2
Glysophate #4
I added color more color but it is not showing up as I would like. The wings are much better.
glysophate #5
I added more color and.......in this photo you can’t see it. In person it is Subtle. I kind of like it.
I sprayed my plate with water after the last print and now I wait for it to dry. It is in puddles, it may never dry.
Glysophate #6
It has occurred to me that, working with individual bees, I am not addressing the colony collapse and disorder that will result. Should I? Do I need to?
Any thoughts to share?
Harvey Heroes- LIVEstock - “bringing home the bacon”
I stared a new section in my Hurricane Harvey series of Harvey Heroes. These will all be LIVEstock rescues.
I made the first one today,
“Bring home the bacon.”
44” X 30” watercolor monotype
This is my first large monotype.
I have always wanted to go larger, but the temporary location of the Glassell School of Art did not have a big press. The pieces in this part of the series will all be 44” X 30” The Glassell printmaking studio has fabulous light, is super clean, and I love working in it. Alexander Squier, the head of the department and instructor makes sure everyone keeps it spick and span. This is the fourth time I have taken the class, print making is addicting and you need a press to feed your addiction. Plus Alexander is great.
Here is the ghost print. Something happened to the ghost. I am not sure what caused the mark that runs through the middle. When it dries I will try to fix it.
Before fixing-
The ghost - “bringing home the bacon”
Fixed
My work space in the Glassell printmaking studio
Me fake working for a photo op.
Hurricane Harvey Project - confronted with humanity- Harvey Heroes - Solving installation problems
Have I done enough? Which should I edit? Include the cot, don’t include the cot???? How should I compose them as a group?
Performance art - getting out of my comfort zone is playing with fire.
The Glade Arts Foundation had a Halloween event, for which they booked a local graffiti artist to create a piece during the event. At the last moment, he had a conflict. I was asked if I knew anyone that could fill in, I couldn’t find any takers They needed an artist to create art during the event that would be fitting of Halloween. I am a sucker for anyone in need and offered to come up with something. I wrestled with a few ideas that I thought would be fun to watch - ink bubbles or lemon juice and fire. I went with fire. When my son was 8 years old, we threw him a magician birthday party. I wrote the invitations with invisible ink, (lemon juice) with instructions to apply fire to the invitation to make the words appear like magic. With that experience over twenty years ago in mind, I showed up at the Glade Arts Foundation with my torch, lighter, graphite stick, charcoal, and stick of white pastel and jumped.
Below are the results that landed:
The portrait was the finale and about 48”wide. The others were my experimental play. I always try new materials on images I am familiar with.
These were the prizes for the best costumes. The winners requested that I sign the front.
It was really fun to interact with the guest and to be a link in the human chain of life.
Hurricane Harvey Project - confronted with humanity #12- adding 1 light element
Art based on a natural disaster can weigh on one’s emotions. With that in mind, and the fact that I would like the viewer to have a positive inner feeling after looking at my work, I am playing with adding a shaking dog to the body of work. I want the dog to be generic so that everyone can see their dog in it and I would like the dog’s energy to leave the viewer with a smile.
Below are my first attempts. I hope one works.
Cranes- through the window
A year ago, I made two works on paper; “Cranes Through the Window I and II”. The inspiration came when I stopped at a red light. Peering through the fogged and rain drenched car window, drops trickled down into tiny rivers, carving new landscapes in the glass. Beyond the miniature rivulets, dark and dusky clouds loomed in the shadows while others stood out in rays of hope. Through the puffs of gray, rooftops were stacked, and construction cranes delicately cross stitched in saffron and goldenrod garnished their capstones.
cranes through the window I
30” X 22”
cranes through the window II
30” X 22”
When asked if I had any cranescapes that were not monumental in size, I realized I had not posted these two pieces.
Hurricane Harvey Project - confronted with humanity #7
A piece from a large series of work inspired by the everyday heroes of hurricane Harvey.
Who saved whom
the ghost
Hurricane Harvey Project - confronted with humanity #4
A piece from a large series of work inspired by the everyday heroes of hurricane Harvey.
He was wearing overalls
22” X 30”
the ghost print
Picasso Museum in Paris
Three of his and a few of mine.
Dove/pigeon - bronze
Doves/pigeon and a fish
Dove/pigeon
Two of my Herman Beak trumpeter pigeons with leg muffs in charcoal
Two frill back pigeon is one in Talc powder and one in charcoal.
Installation day - “feminam”
“Feminam” is Latin for feminine. I gave this piece a Latin name because she was purchased by two physicians. Over a year ago I agreed to sell G.G., my female wire cloth sculpture, titled “January 21st, 2017” as she saw it in our 2017 Spring Block Exhibition. I was amazed that G.G. asked me if she could buy the piece because I was already anticipating the problem of where I was going to keep her. G.G. was the first person who came to mind. G.G. loves art, is a very particular collector and any artist would be lucky to have their work in G.G. and Mark’s collection. A year later I was still having studio visits with people that I wanted to see “January 21st, 2017." However, I had said I would sell her so it was time to give her up. I decided to make another one for my studio. I started the second piece and showed her to G.G. and the new piece is really a better fit for G.G’s collection. She has a beautiful run just off center down her middle and she has more whit plaster on the surface. I am really pleased with the new piece. I wanted G.G. to have her pick and it worked out GG. for both of us. When I first met G.G. I automatically liked her, I tried to channel her inner beauty into this new piece, “feminam.”
Diane and Nate of Level Arts were very patient as G.G. and I decided on the perfect height.
They were also extremely patient as we played with the lighting. And I can play with lighting all day, it is so much fun.
Job well done. I could not be more thrilled to work with Nate and Diane of level Arts.
G.G. And me- both happy
I
“score”- Seeing sound #36
Thinking about my sculpture I googled seeing sound. I found the below link that explains how scientist now have cameras that record what sound looks like.
https://www.npr.org/2014/04/09/300563606/what-does-sound-look-like
I also found the below fasinating article regarding the Nuerology of sight, sound.
https://www.livescience.com/5045-scientists-sound.html
I love it when scienc and art cross paths.
sketch I did in preparation for the sculpture.
New piece - Hurricane Harvey confronted with humanity #1
When you witness or experience a horrific event there are images that hold onto you; images that will forever be conjoined to the experience.
Weathering Houston’s hurricane Harvey, I was glued to the TV and Houston’s social media postings. My eyes soaked up videos of contaminated waters creeping in the homes of nearby neighborhoods. I witnessed daring rescues of families as they were evacuated. In amazement, I watched mothers and children pile into garbage trucks, elderly folks in wheel chairs airlifted by helicopters. Through social media calls for help, it became obvious our cities first responders could not get to every home in need. Proudly, I saw brave Texans convert their flat bottom fishing boats, and jacked up pickup trucks into liferafts and search for those who called for help. No Texan would be left behind.
When our street drained, turning off the news and putting my social media in my pocket, I packed up my dry survivor’s guilt and headed down to the George R. Brown convention center to volunteer and treat my pain and my conscience. The Red Cross had turned one-third of the GRB into a families with pets section. Entering the building with dilated pupils I wove my way through the walk ways created by the clusters of cots and kennels occupied by families and their pets. It struck me that even in the midst of a disaster we humans create neighborhoods and small communities, we are pack animals. I headed towards the pop up pet supply store well stocked from donations made by citizens and the volunteer veterinary clinic where I would be helping out. Careful not to disturb the sleeping citizens of the newly formed families with pets city, I was confronted by a single cot. It was freshly dressed in a crisp white sheet accessorized with a fluffy white pillow and tucked in by a cozy, white flannel blanket decorated with tiny Red Cross logos all over. It was isolated from the others waiting for the next victim of Harvey to tuck themselves in and comfort them with safety. With all the rescue images of people trudging through unsanitary water, homes floating in floodwater fresh in my memory bank that cot was shockingly - humanity. Thirty thousand GRB citizens would be relieved to make it their new homestead. It was heart breaking and beautiful all at the same time. I could imagine if I had been rescued that cot would have been a long-awaited relief. I would not have asked the sheet thread count or if the cotton was grown pesticide free. My heart hurt for all those who were grateful to have such a cot. That cot, that crystal clear image of stripped down humanity, is the Harvey image that holds onto me.
Within weeks, I made two watercolor monotype pieces of the cot. One as I saw it and one with a pet waiting for its owner. I was pleased with their crispness and the delicate watery shapes seen when closely inspected. It occurs to me that the cot was so symbolic to me because of the constant looped eyewitness news reporting and abundance of social media posts. I was seeing the same strong images over and over. From my dry den, I too experienced Harvey.
I have taken photos of my television screen and collected screen shots of these images and will use them as inspiration for additional works to go with the cot. It will be interesting to see if it is interesting to anyone but me.
This is a study for the project. I am experimenting with the type of images I want to use, the sizes of the images and how much they can be abstracted and still be recognizable.
I want to use only black ink on white paper. If I were to make the pieces color ink, I would need to address skin tones and ethnicity. And the truth is that during Harvey, skin color, political and religious affiliations (things that often divide us) were not an issue to the point that they were not even part of the commentary, and that was beautiful. It is a very shuttle way to make a strong statement. I hope it is heard.