Monkey in the Window

The Arts Council of Snohomish County has put together a great program called "Art in Great Spaces" by collaborating with some building owners in Everett. It's really quite brilliant. I have a north and an east exposure so the light will be good. I am referring to this stint as "monkey in the window".

They will be putting artists into a few of the open storefronts on Colby and Hewitt Avenues for the next twelve weeks in six week shifts. By Wednesday I will be at 2702 Colby from Noon-6:00, Tuesday through Saturday. If you get a minute come on in to visit or play with art. Just bring something to work on. It should be fun.

I have been chosen as one of the six for the first shift which is July 1st-August 15th. I don't know what I will do for those six weeeks but am sure I will find a groove of some sort. My only hope is that in the six weeks I haven't moved my whole studio into the space only to have to move it back home all at once.

So, I will leave you with a couple notes. Enjoy this photo. I just love it. The ears are deer in the lake going for a swim.

Second, I know I am referring to myself as a monkey in the window but I hope none of you will come and expect me to be doing private things in public places.

Art Opening June 6, 6:00-9:00

If anyone can make it down here to the Pike Place Market tomorrow, (Saturday) I'd love to see you.

Karon Leigh and I are showing some work there for the moth of June..

Wine Cozy

Here are some pictures of a Wine cozy I made for the Arts Council Sip and Wine Fundraiser last night. It is mixed media and encaustic and was loads of fun. The idea was to decorate a magnum (HUGE) but since I work with a blow torch in my hand I didn't think it would be good for the wine to be heated up. I also don't think that encaustic works well with glass. After seeing someone's encaustic sculptures leave wax on some tables, I didn't want to have it touch the ground either.

So, those were a few limitations. This piece can be slid right off of the wine magnum and displayed on a stand. I didn't get to live with it more than a few hours because I finished it at the last minute, of course.

Now, for some sunshine.

Art, Art, Art

The sunshines on us here in Washington State. We are having the weather that makes all the winter rains worthwhile.

I get a hint of energy this time of year. I'm working on a special project that I will blog by Thursday. That is the day it will be auctioned off by the Arts Council. The money will be going towards the new art center being built in Everett.

My task, and I did choose to do it, was to decorate a magnum of wine using encaustic. I said yes, but then started thinking about my restrictions. For one, a magnum is HUGE! The label had to show, and since it was glass I couldn't use encaustic on it. I also didn't want to apply my blow torch and it's heat to the side of a nice big bottle of wine. A nice little group of problems. I love problems in art. I really feel my most alive when I am solving puzzles in my art. I think of it as one of my strengths.

Since you can't see that project yet I will leave you with this painting above. The painting is 32" X 36". It's called Soaring. It goes this week to Local Color in Seattle where I will be showing with my arty friend Karon Leigh for the month of June.

I'm back and this time I promise to stay. I think that sometimes I get in the rut of thinking I have nothing to say. I always think other people are much more interesting. I think it's because I have heard everything I have to say over and over in my head.

So, I return with a flagrant self promotional post.

This card, which is too small to read, is an invitation to my show at Wise Designz in Everett Saturday, 16 May from 4:00-7:00. I'd love it if you could come and check it out. There is a lot of color there but my favorite piece is a white on white. I'm still loving that combination. All the work is in encaustic.

I'll see you soon with a post on a new book I have been published in.

A Bunch of Stuff

Have any of you been on Facebook? It is a totally time sucking pastime. That's where I have been. I've been sucked in. It's so much easier to use than blogger but it has a different audience. I am definitely going to have to find that blogging without guilt banner somewhere. It nags at me that I haven't posted and the nagging makes me not want to post. How the heck does that work?

Artfest is coming! It's just a couple weeks away and I'm getting pumped about it. I love being in the classroom, most any classroom, but this is the best. Five days away, three days of new teachers, and someone cooking every delicious meal. I hope we have the same people cooking as last year. I've been dreaming about it.

My classes are all painting classes this time. I feel like I never got to use the classes I took last year and for the money I need a return on investment. There are supplies up the ying yang to be found and purchased.

Now I need to begin working on some trades. The theme opf sea monsters this year has kind of put me off . They're supposed to be pretty sea monsters. Huh??

The photo I posted here is one of my recent encaustics. It has nothing to do with the post but I thought you might like a peek at it. I hope you can click on it and see it large. I'm not sure.

3:00 AM In The Morning

It's 3:00AM. Do you know where your mind is? Mine is acting like a fireworks booth in flames. I can't seem to shut it down so I'm waiting for it to burn itself out.

Some things I am wondering about:

What/Who controls the medium I work in? I have quite a few shows coming up and want to do something different, something that isn't encaustic. I wonder if I am expected to show encaustic paintings only. I feel like it is what people want to see. Do I need to take the upper hand and do the art for myself rather than the looker? That is the direction I am leaning but I do worry about how it will be recieved.

Is this economy going to pick up any time soon? In this household we are both self employed. The phone is deadly silent. That means no money is coming in. I am thinking I need to find a grocery store that wants to trade signs for food. How do people deal with these times? What are you all doing about the economy and your shringking wallets?

Facebook is a very easy place to lose time. I love getting to know cousins that I haven't seen in many years, or never, but most of what happens there is fluff and fun. I feel like it has replaced my blogging time. That's not good.

Snow...It just seems to keep on coming. It's a really odd weather year here in the northwest.

Again with the food. I think I need to plant a garden this year and do some canning. I wonder how I would go about keeping the beavers and deer away. It's an awful lot of work and would all have to be done by hand.

I had a wonderful visit with a favorite aunt yesterday. We strolled the streets of Portland and ended up eating in a very nice italian place. I've never had polenta so tall and fluffy. I'll be working on that recipe. I suspect egg whites and ricottta have been folded into the polenta before it is baked. It sure was tasty.

I am excited about my Artfest trip in April. I'm looking forward to the time to put all of my energy into art and friends and living in the moment. It'll also be grand having someone else do the cooking.


Hmmmm. These things don't seem worth laying awake for. What is up? No photos this morning but I swear I will be back with some very soon.

Encaustic Peace

I've missed you all lately but have not missed reading your blogs. What wondeful things are being posted.

This is a recent 2' X 2' encaustic painting of mine. I like the gritty, worn, earthiness of it. I also like the message. I hope we are now moving toward that Peace in our world.

I seem to be fascinated by grafitti lately and would love an in depth class in it. Because of my experience with lettering I can see that there is more to it than meets the eye. It fascinates me.

You can see this painting, and others, at the Edmonds Conference Center until mid march. The picure really doesn't do it justice.