I received some photos of my work from Will Michele recently. His work is stunning check it out at www.madebywill.com
HAPPY DOG - on bed
4" X 8" X 11" bronze and concrete 2015
Ouch - time for new gloves.
The best gloves for sculpting are the gloves worn by ropers. They are soft enough to feel what you are doing and tough enough to protect you from sharp objects. It feels like it is time for new gloves.
"..in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty......." - a poetic moment -
On my brisk morning walk this beautiful leaf stopped me dead in my tracks. I carefully scooped her up and gently carried her home. She is so beautiful I could not take my eyes off her. I took at least 30 photographs of her. When I was through she whispered a saying I once read.
"In every change, in every falling leaf there is some pain, some beauty. And that's the way new leaves grow." - Amit Ray
A fallen leaf
I can see her pain in the veins that articulate her flesh, and I can see how that pain has entrusted in her a strength. I can see in her frailty a grace. I can see in her a beauty that can only come from falling.
- cindee
Making a pointe
I started this a few weeks ago and this is as far as it went. I am sure It will come in handy at some point.
What's the pointe?
Pointe technique is the part of classical ballet technique that concerns pointe work, in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet within pointe shoes.
- Wikipedia
Mean while I still have this giant pokey pile of recycled wire from my raid on TXRX labs last December. I need turn this s into a piece to get it out of my way. It is 1/2" wire cloth that was cut into rectangles to reinforce plaster molds used to cast aluminum parts. They were left in the elements after they were used and rusted into a beautiful patina of rust, stainless steel, and plaster.
The "gust" never seems to subside
Spruing up another piece in the series.
Wire cloth - patina
Time to burn off the stainless steel coating on some wire cloth.
faux bois - patina
Documenting the stages of patina on my
"fairy tail" faux bois chair. It is about 5 years old. Another 10and it should be perfect.
gust -
Worked on two new porcelain reliefs today .
The Women's March of 1912
I am reposting "suffrage" which celebrates how far women have come since the Victorian era. With the Women's March on Washington taking place today I am reminded of an article I read earlier this year. I have cut and pasted the story below.
http://www.lrgaf.org/articles/sidesaddles_and_suffragettes.htm
A MOUNTED CHAMPION FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Her name was Inez Milholland and it was her destiny to lead an equestrian and political revolution, the intertwined implications of which have never been previously studied.
That is why, in addition to being a suffragist, labour lawyer, correspondent, and public speaker, Inez Milholland ranks as one of the most important female equestrian leaders in American history, for it was on the back of a horse that she liberated her sisters from the sidesaddle, as well as helping obtain them the right to vote.
She did this by making three rides astride which changed the political and equestrian landscape of America in a few short months. In May, 1912 Milholland saddled up a fractious bay and led ten thousand marchers across New York.
Inez Milholland and Gray Dawn
Then she headed to the nation's capital.
Mounted on a white charger named, Gray Dawn, Inez set out early on March 3, 1913, determined to lead an immense women's suffrage parade several miles from the nation's Capital to the Treasury Building. Her Joan of Arc inspired costume was "a symbol of the free women of the future, crowned with the star of hope, circled with the blue mantle of freedom and breasted with the torch of knowledge."
Yet the suffragettes, who were marching on the eve of President Wilson's inauguration, had barely begun their long walk when they were attacked by a horde of antagonists. Cut off from her friends, and alone in the middle of the howling mob, it looked as if the drunken thugs might pull down the suffragette rider. Instead Inez spurred Gray Dawn and charged the rabble.
"You men ought to be ashamed of yourselves," she shouted, as her adversaries fled.
Thankfully, before her bluff could be called, U.S. cavalry troops galloped in from nearby Fort Myers. In the ensuing melee, the cavalrymen cantered up the avenue, crashing into civilians and clearing the way for the beleaguered suffragettes. Yet not even the cavalry could fully contain the wrath of the attackers who darted in behind the army, determined to kick, grab, curse, howl and spit at Inez and her fellow protestors. As the injuries rose, ambulances were called in to cart away hundreds of wounded spectators and suffragettes. But the women marched on.
Finally, many weary hours later, Inez and her fellow protestors reached their goal. The nation was aghast at how they had been treated. Inez, however, had no time to mourn.
Two weeks later she was in the saddle once again. This time she led ten thousand marchers through a peaceful New York. That was her last great ride and it ended at a rally witnessed by 150,000 people.
Inez MilhollandThen, like a candle that burned too bright, this mounted symbol of hope and equality died at the age of 30 from pernicious anaemia.
Her last public words were, "Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?"
The answer was, seven more long, unjust years.
A gift
My sweet husband made me this nifty pliers rack for a late Christmas gift.
It is hard you believe I have so many different types.
Future sculpture
Misty
shoe polish on Bristol
I drew this a few years ago. The idea of sculpting her has haunted me since. I recently became the owner of a freestanding ballet barre and will start her in the near future. I have not decided on the material I will use but my plan is to use the ballet bar in the piece.
I drew the sketch from an underarmour advertisement featuring Misty Copeland. I like the advertisement because Misty's body language speaks volumes. Not to mention that it is not everyday that a ballerina is paid to promote athletic wear.
Site:Brooklyn show opens tonight.
Site:Brooklyn
The Figure: Interpreted Through Contemporary Mediums
- Thu, Jan 19, 20171:00pm
Sun, Feb 19, 20176:00pm
This exhibition examines the various complexities and interpretations of the figure in contemporary art. The exhibition, selected by Barbara McAdam, succeeds in representing the most interesting and exciting reaches of contemporary figurative work. From Raphael’s “The School of Athens” to Willem de Kooning’s abstract renderings of the human body, the figure has held a central, though now, increasingly contested place in art history. With the advent of photography and mass imagery, artists have had to continually reimagine their relationship with the human form. This show exhibits a wide array of work— all of it technically masterful and visually resonant—that fruitfully engages with such a relationship.
About the Juror:
We are fortunate to have the highly respected Co-Executive Editor of ARTNews Barbara A. MacAdam. She has worked as executive editor of Art + Auction, and was an editor of Review: Latin American Literature and Arts and New York Magazine. She has written on art and design, reviewed books on art and literature for the LA Times Book Review, Newsday, and The New York Times Book Review, among others. She has been co-president of AICA-USA (the International
peace pigeon #20
Last fall I started a project - an experiment with new materials. My subject the German beak - trumpeter pigeon. He is graceful, interesting and conducive to expressing energy. Picasso drew this same pigeon and called him a the peace dove.
http://www.arttimesjournal.com/art/reviews/May_June_10_Ina_Cole/Pablo_Picasso_Ina_Cole.html
I can't seem to stop the project. Here is another pigeon.
German beak trumpeter
found object
6" X 6" X 7"
View from front
Below are two of my drawings that inspired the project.
German beak trumpeter pigeonwith leg muffs.
charcoal
24" X 19"
German beak trumpeter pigeonwith leg muffs II
charcoal
24" X 19"
The lines of my childhood.
I was in El Paso to celebrate my Dad's 89th birthday and I talked my Mom into driving with me to the rural farming community we lived in until I was 7, Dell City Texas- I think the pop. topped off at 400 about 1964. My last visit to Dell city was in the late 60's. I have often thought that the lines and shapes that keep appearing in my art and that I find my self drawn to are lines from my childhood.
Half way between El Paso and Carlsbad NM you will see the cut off sign for Dell City.
There was not a pop. sign but I think it is about 200 now.
http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/DellCityTexas/DellCityTexas.
Dell city was established when an oil company was drilling for oil and instead discovered water. This discovery made the land farmable and attracted young families to settled and establish the community. My parents were among the young families. They started the school, raised money to build a community center where they would have parties and meetings.
The Dell City community building today.
My oldest brother remembers the adults having parties or meetings at the community center. Since all the families were young they did not have older kids to babysit. When they had meetings or parties the parents would take their children to the community center with blankets and make little palettes in the corner so they could keep an eye on them as they had their meetings or parties.
My brother also remembers his first dance in Junior high school. One of the girls had a twist dance party. He loved it and had so much fun. My Mom made a point to tell the other Mom how much fun the twist party was. The other mom replied that the town Baptist preacher told her that the kids should not be allowed to dance and that there would not be any more twist parties.
Below are some photos of some of the things I saw that I think have influence my sculpting and drawing palette.
gnarly bayling wire fence.
Tumble weeds
Hay stacks
These are much larger than we ever had when I was young.
The Guadalupe Mountains - view from the side of our old house.
We used to water the crops by a ditch system. The water was pumped out of the ground into the ditches then syphoned with big hoses into rows of crops in the fields. I remember many a time my Dad frustrated trying to fix the pump. Below is what is left of one of the pumps on what used to be our farm.
Out of commission water pump.
Now the only thing that flows out of the pump is the view of the Guadalupe's. ( Which is of course where the water comes from that fills the aquifer. )
Tumble weeds, wire and cracked old post
Tracks in the dust.
The lines and textures I remember in the summer were very different this winter. I will need to go back.
National juried show - 2017 invitational -Conroe art league
I love sharing these two pieces with the public because they are both pieces that summon happy memories - and that just always feels good. In return I always try to do my part to promote the organization. Below is the information regarding the show.
" sit!" - wire
41" H X 37" D X 19" W 2016
photo by Will Micheles
"Sit" is part of a larger body of work that I hope to show in the next year.
HAPPY DOG - on bed
4" X 8" X 11" bronze and concrete
The juror was Cynthia Reid she is a fabulous artist and I hope to get to meet and thank her.
Exhibit Dates: Wednesday February 1, 2017 thru Friday, February 24, 2017
Artist Reception and Award Ceremony - Saturday, February 11, 2017, 6pm to 8pm
The Conroe Art League127 Simonton Street
Conroe, TX 77301
936-756-9572 is the phone number for the gallery. The Galley is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Faithful
Such faithful creatures. Goose, Tobi and our grand doggy Sparrow. The grand doggy son Grito was on a walk with with Griffin.
Menil
Even the graphics on the crates at the menil are cool.
I went on a tour of and about the architecture. We ended up in the basement.
Degas
Your the exhibit with the museum director
"Drifting"
"drifting"
drifting"
36" X 45" X 55"
found object wire cloth
This piece is made from upcycled wire cloth I found at Txrx labs. They pour aluminum and use these wire strips to reinforce their molds. They break out the castings and leave the wire mesh in the yard. I always pick it up when we pour bronze because it is sharp. I started playing with it while we waited for the bronze to heat. I fell in love with it's malability, rusted patina and chunks of plaster embedded between the wires.
I sculpted this when I was thinking about urban ecology and how successful birds and especially pigeons have evolved in urban environments. In contrast many of the people we see in these environments with pigeons appear to be struggling to stay present.
This figure leans in on his left side where he is clearly involved in the environment around him. His right side is patently struggling to stay present and his head/brain and right side upper body are not visible to the viewer. Evidence of their absence is depicted through the torn collar and shredded back right of shirt.
I can't to come up with the perfect base for him. Right now he is temporarily sitting in a box wrapped in paper.