A shout out to - Jose Luis Contreras

In 1991 I was remodeling a home as the contractor and met Jose Luis Contreras. I was in a little over my head (I also had a toddler and a new born) and I knew it but I also knew I would figure it out step by step. I hired Luis to cut a few panels out of my new front door. He did a beautiful job. Then he relocated some cabinets, then enclosed a patio, tore a wall out of my kitchen (support wall).........the list went on and on. I think we worked together on the first house 6 months 6-7 days a week. Since that first job Luis and I remodeled two homes in El Paso, one home in New Orleans (and built a 1500 square foot addition to it) , and two homes in Houston Texas. Luis speaks Spanish and I only speak English (sadly) but that didn't matter we just connected and communicated beautifully. I use my hands a lot and Luis is really good at interpreting my sign language. Everything I dreamed up Luis new how to accomplish it. I learned so much about construction from him. He could build an entire home by himself if you would let him. I couldn't let him due to city codes, however  he would have done a better job than most licensed plumbers and electricians. 

It has been over ten years since I have remodeled a home so I have not seen Luis since 2004. He lives in El Paso. December of 2015 he started helping my sister in El Paso remodel a townhouse so Luis I were able to reconnect.

Janet travis fortune, Jose Luis Contreras, and me  

A few months later I received the beautiful 1800's dome trunk. See  below. 

1800's Domed trunk  under Mexican colonial drafting table .  

Below are pictures of two small but unique projects Luis and I  pulled off. I think of him and smile every time I look at my sink and my chandelier. 

Powder room sink collaboration

I relocated a powder room to under my stairs. I could not find a sink small enough to fit the space. I did find a small copper pot big enough to wash two hands in - barely fit  two hands in. I also had 3  ball and claw feet to set it on and a scrap of marble. Luis put the whole thing together and mounted the small marble ledge. He made it look so easy. 

In the early 90's I decided to make an antler chandler. I bought a newel post and already had my antlers. I knew how I wanted to build it but I did not have any skills. Luis saved the day. He drilled all the holes perfectly straight. I am still not sure how he did that.  

Chandelier collaboration from 1991

I sent a photo of the domed  trunk refinished  to Luis through his daughter on Facebook. She sent me the fallowing message. 

Text from Luis's daughter Melina.  

A family treasure from one of my favorite and most talented friends. 

Here's to you (salute) Jose Luis Contreras.  

Muchas gracias mi amigo. 

forgotten soul – S. ERICKSON

S. Erickson was one of the thousands who died at the Oregon state mental hospital whose ashes were abandoned inside one of 3500 copper urns. I saw his picture in the newspaper and could not forget him. He has a quiet presence about him that stayed with me.  I tore out his picture and put on my bulletin board.  S. Erickson's  file stated he was a laborer and suffered from senility, he came to New York in 1883 from Norway.  Mr. Erickson was one of the forgotten souls but I could not forget him. 

Picture from the newspaper  

Fyi- ​"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" was filmed at Oregon state mental hospital. 

forgotten soul - S. Erickson  

Armature and wax 

I made the armature so that with a pull of the cord I could remove it from the wax. This way I can cast my sculpture without making a mold. You could never mold the beard I sculpted.  

Building up the facial features.  

Hay makes an awesome matted beard and hair.  

Sprue system for building a mold.  

The next step is to dip the piece creating a ceramic shell. The wax and hay will then be burnt out in a furnace. Then the bronze will be poured into the cavity of the shell. 

After the bronze cools I begin breaking off the shell. The beard is very difficult.  

.  

It is a very slow process to remove the shell from a heavily textured surface. This is why almost a bronze is smooth-ish. But I love texture so I have to do the work to get it. 

The shell is removed.  

The next step is to patina the surface. 

forgotten soul - S. Erickson 

11"X 12" X 9" 2014 

"Fetch" I - VI

I took these with my cell phone before I bought the new bulbs. The pictures I took in the studio are still on my camera. 

The entire "fetch" series on the 50" X 60" Stonehenge collage and ink. 

Part of my "shake shake shake " work

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

photo shoot in my new studio.

My first event is getting some good photos of some recent works. I have new 120 V 500 W bulbs. They put off a ton of heat. Now if I can just get the light on the work. 

Shake shake shake - fetch I

New inspiration.

 People always ask me where I get my inspiration so here is a post about something that inspires me that may inspire a future project. 

I listen to a lot of podcast (as I try to get my 10,000 fit bit steps in) and was moved by a poem in the one I heard this morning. I tracked down the words and have cut and pasted them below. 

           "Where I live"  

 "I live in a world where most people are too afraid to go. Surrounded by tall, concrete walls, steel bars, where razor wire have a way of cutting away at the hopes for a brighter tomorrow.

I live in a world that kill people who kill people in order to teach people that killing people is wrong. Imagine that. Better yet, imagine a world where healed people helped hurt people heal and become strong. Maybe then we would all be singin' "Redemption Song."

I live in a world that has been called "hell on Earth" by those trapped inside. But I've come to the stark realization that prison --it really is what you make it. You see, in spite of the harshness of my reality, there is a silver lining. I knew that my freedom was gonna come, it was just a matter of time. And so I treated my first steps as if they were my last mile, and I realized that you don't have to be free in order to experience freedom.

And just because you're free, doesn't mean that you have freedom. Many of us, for years, have been battling our inner demons. We walk around smiling when inside we're really screamin':freedom!

Don't you get it? We're all serving time;we're just in different places. As for me, I choose to be free from the prisons I've created. The key:forgiveness. Action's my witness. If we want freedom, then we gotta think different. Because freedom ...it isn't a place. It's a mind setting"    

                           - James Cavett  

I share James' philosophy about happiness - It comes from within. It is too bad more people do not get this concept. He did a beautiful job of articulating his experience with the mind set. He is an artist of language and I am in awe. 

I will put this poem in my folder of inspiration. The place I go to when I want to start a new drawing or new sculpture. I highly recommend listening to him recite the piece. His voice is very strong. 

here is a link to the pod cast. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tedtalks-audio/id160904630?mt=2&i=372012863

The title of the Ted  talk is "redemption | john legend".  

You also get to hear john legends song.  

We will see where this takes me on my journey............. 

New studio/key to Disneyland

Considering I have been working in an un air conditioned space (in Houston) this is a HUGE welcomed step in my artistic journey. August 1st I picked up the key. Last May I was accepted along with 8 other artist into the BLOCK program at the MFAH Glassell Studio School. In the Block program I have an air conditioned studio (my own)  on the property and I am able to use the facilities (every department) 24 hrs a day. It is like getting the key to Disneyland. The other tremendous benefit of being selected in this program are the studio visits.  Every Thursday Patrick Palmer the Dean has hand selected people in the art community to visit in our studios and discuss our work. It is an amazing opportunity and I plan on soaking up everything I can for the next two years. 

1/2 of the space  

The longest wall. It has an awkward weird column right down the middle - but I can deal with it. 

I can't wait - Disneyland everyday. 

Taking a break from my art

My water garden needs some pruning so I will get in and clean it up instead of working in my  studio. 

The before picture - the lilies are taking over. 

It is really crowded.  

Killer purple Lillie.  This bloom is about 6" wide. 

Close up of my albino bullfrog. he is a a baby about 4"long sitting down.  

A teeny tiny toad.  He is maybe 1/2" 

A step back from the toad with night blooming Lillie in the background. 

Done. 

Frank Stella Retrospective.

After seeing the show at Artspace 111  we were lucky to catch the Frank Stella Retrospective at                      the Fort Worth Modern Museum. It is one of my favorite museums.  After seeing the exhibit we always have an amazing meal in the museum restaurant. It is located on a large contemporary body of water with beautiful floor to cieling windows in the round. It is farm to table, the chef is world class and it is the perfect place to discuss the show, and have some coffee before driving back to H town.

Curtis taking in some Frank Stella. His body language and orange shirt was interestingly similar to the piece to his right. It almost looked like an abstract of Curtis. He retired this month from thirty + years as a CPA with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Congrats to Curtis.

Now he can go with me to see art more often. 

Below are a few pieces  I liked in the show.  

My favorite piece in the show. I would have loved watching the installation of this piece. 

Cool materials  

This gives you an idea of the size of his work.  

Artspace 111 Regional show juried by Eric Lee the Director of the Kimball Museum of Art.

The show closes this weekend so Curtis and I drove up to Fort Worth to check it out.  

The modest entrance  

My "shake shake shake I and II" lenticular in the show.  

Artspace 111 was a real pleasure to visit. The Gallery located in an old, red brick warehouse backs up to  the railroad  tracks. Back in the day it was an old furniture factory. The historic architectural features have been preserved. I just love old buildings.  This one has beautiful old brick walls and massive industrial rolling doors. There is a large garden for events with industrial concrete columns that  have been turned into cocktail tables.  It is a beautiful space. 

Industrial rolling doors used in the exhibit to hang a painting of a warehouse. 

Another door - the textures are so rich. 

Features from the building that make it a special venue.  

Amazing iron work on these sliding doors. 

The sculpture garden.  

Cranescape - lenticular

This lenticular is made from two pieces "dance of the cranes" interlaced with "sunset cranes".  

I am trying to decide on a title for this piece ???????????  

  Growing up in a small border town, seeing a  skyline of construction cranes is invigorating and exciting. The cranes as a subject matter are a symbol of opportunity to me. I drew the four pieces in the series spring/summer of 2015 because of my personal connection with the Houston cranes.

This past year while traveling I noticed that Miami, Washington DC, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and New York City all have  skylines littered with construction cranes. With a bit of research I learned that the US is experiencing a construction boom.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2016/02/10/building-boom-towns-the-metro-areas-with-the-most-new-construction/#e0dba195a5e0

These Cranescapes record this moment in US economic history (469.5 billion in construction starts in 2015). My abstract interpretation of this moment could be any city experiencing a construction boom. This gives the work universal appeal for anyone interested in American contemporary art.

"listening to my heart" I have been experimenting with clay, abstract figures this summer.

Raising kids I found that I could have all the facts needed to carefully  make a wise thoughtout life decision and still be unsure what road to take. I remember searching the Internet for facts and still not having an obvious path.  When this is the case I learned  to listen to my heart to make the right choice. This sculpture depicts a man taking a moment to listen, think and feel with his heart. He is relying on his primal instinct as opposed to his cerebral cortex. He is relying on the wisdom of his years. This piece is "listening to my heart". 

"listeningto my heart".                    unglazed stoneware.                                       Side and profile view.  

His hand is over his heart and  his head is tilted as he checks with his heart. 

He has a man bun which I think gives him a primal look. His head is extended up but tilted to one side. His chin points to his heart and his hand is covering his heart. His eyes are just sockets giving him the look of having his eyes closed as he connects with his primal instinct - his heart. 

Close up of his face. 

He has a buddy who is still in the kiln.

I will probably put a glaze wash on him next week.  

new wire sculpture "shake shake shake-jump".

 "Shake shake shake" started with 5 simple abstract drawings of dogs shaking water off their coats. Here is the back story-

Easter of 2015 - grateful to have both kids in town we decided to go to the Buffalo Bayou Dog Park - all of us. My son Griffin took a slow mo video of our elderly Labrador Kitty. Kitty loved the dog park and would retrieve tennis balls from the pond like she was a two-year-old pup.  She would consistently drop the ball at your feet and as you would bend over to pick it up shake all the water off her coat right on to all those standing near by. My son’s video inspired my “shake shake shake” series. In the drawings I used bubbles to express not only the action but the joy. The next  challenge was to capture the same magical moment in 3D with wire sculptures. I have completed two sculptures and I have 3 more in my head. Then I felt the need to capture the dogs intense hyper focus on the ball before he is released to chase it down so I made  "sit". "Sit " is on exhibit at MFAH Glassell studio school Interspace Gallery in the 2016 student juried show. This series of sculptures and drawings seems to continually lead to more work. I completed 6 - 50" X 60" drawings I call "fetch". The fetch pieces are more about the water as the dogs splash through water to get their balls. These pieces are all about ears and splashing.  Still I feel I need 1 more piece to complete the story.  The past 3+ weeks I have been working on another wire sculpture "jump".                                  My goal is to capture that moment when time seems to freeze for a split second, the energy is calm and focused before the big splash landing in a lake. The point of view is  from in the water and below the dog. Here is my drawing of "jump".

"Jump" 

30"X 22" 

ink, charcoal collage

Below I have documented the process of making Jump.  

"Jump" The sculpture will  hang off the cieling at least 7' off the ground. Starting was easy as I was able to work on a table. 

Step 1 make a design his face with  ears flying up and tongue hanging out. 

His head is now hanging from the runners on my garage door. Please no one open the door.  

Add a couple of hind legs, a tail and 1 front leg. 

Still working  

Hiding the garage door runner with paper. The wires get lost if the background isn't pure white.  

It turns out hanging it off the garage door was not a good idea. I have been banned from working off the runners.  Sorry Curtis. 

Here I am trying to firm up the piece. In doing so I have over worked the outline. At least it isn't falling apart. Working in mid air (no table) on a ladder is not easy

. ......trying to get rid of any structure I don't have to have and creative beautiful lines, symmetry, and create that moment of flying/jumping/floating before the big splash. 

Working in the sculpture room at Glassell. I am the only person here everyday. I am getting spoiled having such a great space to my self. 

Struggling

Tweeking  and struggling

tweeking  tweeking tweeking 

I love the legs - the head is much more challenging. 

Better

I like this angle  

I decide the tongue hanging out was ruining the focus of the dogs energy. Here is the new mouth.  

Getting better I think??? 

i am almost there.  

Reworked the face  

A few adjustments in his forehead.  

A few more ear tweeks tomorrow.  

"Jump"  

wire  

I will upgrade these photos when I get in my new studio.  

"Chickens can save the planet too......" Pentaptych of drawings

Inspired by Griffin and Alex's video "Chickens can save the planet too...."

 "Chickens can save the planet too V"

charcoal  

30" X 22" on Stonehenge  

 "Chickens can save the planet too IV"

charcoal  

30" X 22" on Stonehenge  

 "Chickens can save the planet too III "

charcoal  

30" X 22" on Stonehenge  

 "Chickens can save the planet too II"

charcoal  

30" X 22" on Stonehenge  

 "Chickens can save the planet too I"

charcoal  

30" X 22" on Stonehenge  

pentaptych

A few pieces from June and July

"Shisa the Japanese lion dog "

 After a few weeks of straight wire work I need to loosen up - so I drew last night. I am the collaging the pieces  today. 

"Shisa the Japanese lion dog" s

46" X 54" 

Collage, ink on Stonehenge.  

"Jump"

I was struggling with a wire sculpture "jump" so I decided maybe I should  R e l a X and draw "jump" . This would help me have a clearer understanding of the lines and the energy I want to project with the piece. This is the drawing

#abstractart #abstractdrawing #labradorretriever

"Jump"  

30" X 22" ink and charcoal on Stonehenge.  

Accepted-

I am so pleased to have my work selected by Eric Lee Director of the Kimbal Museum for the regional juried.

 https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10154257767402485&id=57224432484

"fetch"

I have decided I want to be able to show more splash,  more energy more action that the 30" X 22" paper is allowing. I though about redrawing them on larger paper 50" X 60". After considering all the options  I decided to collage them to the larger paper. I was not sure if I would place each one on the paper the same or vary the position. In order to figure it out I set up 6  50" X 60" sheets in a room. 

The six drawings push pinned on bigger paper.  

The large Stonehenge is not as white as the 30" X 22" stonehenge I did the drawings on. In order to integrate the two colors of white  I collaged large circles of each color of Stonehenge on both the drawing and new paper. I think the two colors is gong to be great. 

Getting ready to collage.  

 adding the ink and  bubbles.  

Bubble detail.

The before and close up of the larger drawing. 

shake shake shake - fetch IV

50" X 60"  

ink, charcoal, collage  

The brighter white paper the dog is on really makes him pop in person. The larger piece looses something on line but in person where you can get close it works great. Now just 5 more to finish. 

Shake shake shake - fetch I (sparrow)  

50" X 60" 

"fetch"

A few weeks ago I started a series of drawings that will be apart of my "shake shake shake" body of work. "Fetch" captures the moment and the energy when a retriever jumps into a lake. Water sprays and splashes in all directions, ears fly, and tails wag yet  eyes and energy are focused on retrieving the ball. Fetch will be a number of drawings and at least one wire sculpture. 

 Below is the start. 

shake shake shake - fetch drawings I - VI

ink, and charcoal on Stonehenge. 

30" X 22"  

shake shake shake - wire I and II

I have decided to see if I can come up with a better way to express the water shaking off their coats.  

First I have collected everything I can think of that might work. 

Bubble wrap of two sizes

plastic tubing of every size 

A variety of threads

wire of many colors and sizes

Potential materials  

Can you see it on the far right?  

Water shaking off  

This might be a solution. I need to step away and re look at it tomorrow. 💧💦