Beatrice

I've been working on some illustrations for an article on color

and choosing your clothes for the day,

written by Susan Tillett, director of Mesa Refuge.

The article will be published in the third edition of Simply . . .Color

(Ahem. Notice my name on Amazon as the illustrator?)

by my friend Diantha Harris.

Beatrice is the name of my subject. And she has chosen

the Chakra colors to help support her in her daily activities.

Beatrice is collaged together from painted paper and placed

onto a drawing depicting her surroundings.

Check out the transformation of Beatrice from my post, Busy Week.

Think of her as sort of a pigeon kind of gal. 

This has the first and the seventh Chakras.

Here are the second and fourth Chakras. 

Third and fifth Chakras.

I must get a real camera.

And finally the 6th Chakra.

An interesting assignment. When asked if I knew anything

about Chakras, I said "no, but I'm willing to learn."

                                             - Harold Ramis, Stripes

So . . . 

I can't wait to read the article!!

Studio Still Life #4

Making A Relief Mold

First ya got your prototype. That's this little guy below. 

And a mold is in order as I'll need 248

of these little babies, 30 of them with Bs.

So I've learned, the interesting way, to be ready

BEFORE  I mix the plaster.  

My next step is to put the mold walls together.

This is a simple and handy system easily

adapted to a number of sized molds.

So simple its almost beautiful.

Four  boards with a chunk of wood

screwed to one end of each board.

It's much easier to use C clamps

But I used the clamps I had.

Definitely overkill.

You can see where I've caulked the corner seams with plasticine clay.

Once placed over the prototype I'll caulk the bottom seam also.

Around the prototype,

tacked into place with a few glumps of clay

& caulked.

Bag-O-Plaster, bucket of water.

Sprinkle . . .

Until continents start to form.

Give it a few more sprinkles just because.

All mixed and smooth. 

But not before I got my hand into that

clingy, slimy, wet, smooth, silky, creamy cool plaster

to eliminate those inevitable lumps.

One hand only!

Must keep one hand clean and free.

A personal rule. It comes in handy. 

OK!

The mold with the plaster. No leaks. 

Jiggle the set-up or use a sander without paper

to work the air bubbles out and to the top.

Now time to wait. 

First hot, then cold, then hard for sure.

Then open!

Clamps off. The walls literally fall away.

Mold and prototype.

The prototype is in excellent condition. 

Often the prototype is destroyed. Very happy.

This will come in handy down the line!! 

So pretty!

After giving the plaster a bit of time to dry, I'll post the making of the tiles.

Peace.

Art Walk Studio Shots and New Brush Heads!!

In Fish Head Press now. garden art totem and flowers.

New Ginny Pinny Pins

And, not there yet but by Monday . . .

New Brush Heads!

Carlotta and the crazy dudes!

And 

Future Brush Heads!!

Busy Week!

While every week is a busy week for us all, last week

was particularly busy with events and studio time.

A few of the things that happened.

In the studio I've been working

on illustrations for an article on color and clothing.

And contemplating colors for new flowers.

The week cranked up out of the studio around Thursday

with an all-day session for Art Mundo's summer art camp for children.

(Previously posted.)

Check out the wonderful art that the students made this summer

at this week's Art Walk in The Orange Avenue Studios.

Worked on flowers for Main Street's Reverse Raffle

and Ginny Minnie Pinnies for Fish Head Press.

One flower is very short, too short for a stem, 

so I investigated a few ideas for its incorporation into another piece,

scribbled on the table.

On Saturday . . .

Julie Lounibos, Anita Prentice and I painted bamboo

at The Sailfish Brewing Company.

It was a day of artists. Many were painting large landscape rocks,

there was live music, and great food and drink

provided by Sailfish and Tillman's BarBQ. 

(Thank you both for making the day so pleasant!)

The finished installation at Sailfish Brewing Company. 

A good and hot time was had by all!

And on Sunday?

 Aaaaaaaah, so nice! 

Gelatin Printing At Art Camp

This week was the last week of Art Mundo's summer art camp for children.

I had the pleasure to be the instructor on Thursday.

We made Brush Heads and printed with gelatin plates.

I had three delightful young artists. The youngest one (8 years old)

is featured here printing with her gelatin plate.

I was pleased and amazed at her level

of comprehension and creativity with the printing process.

She not only used a blend on her plate. She used three consecutively

and followed up with the removal of ink from the plate,

using her hand for the process. 

 

  

 

The finished print! Nice!

Notice her Discover The Artist Within apron?

I think she's already there!

What a great experience to have shared the day with these three talented young artists.

Thank you Art Mundo, for the opportunity. I learned a lot!

Studio Still Life #3