mixed media
« Previous EntriesCam’s crab shell
Tuesday, February 6th, 2024
Who sees a crab shell on the beach and thinks, “I wanna paint that thing!”? … my 12-year-old grandson. We took him to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time when he visited us during Thanksgiving last year. He also gathered a lot of shells to create a video of smashing. When I go to the beach, my imagination only ventures as far as how pretty it would be as a pastels-on-paper seascape, but true creativity knows no bounds. I love it!
Creative Minds 2023
Tuesday, August 15th, 2023
Cycad Leaf Fossil Chair, homage to the history of Earth, 29H x 29W x 29D inches up-cycled plastic vintage chair base, woven canvas strips, layers of plaster gradually cured, sanded and carved. Painted with acrylics, finished with varnish, and waxed to enhance colors. Functional art, very comfortable, durable. Now being showcased at Creative Minds – 2023 exhibition, August 15 – Oct. 15, organized by Exhibizone and powered by @Biafarin platform.
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The front of this chair is a rendition of the fossil of a Cycad leaf from the first species of palm-like trees that grew about 50 million years ago. The original Cycad leaf fossil was discovered in a Wyoming riverbed. The circumference on the back of this chair has an informal mosaic embedded with pebbles and authentic fossils of an extinct clam I found in a playground in the Dallas, Texas area. The extinct genus of shells called Myalina are estimated to be 345 – 225 – million years old.
Completing the back of the chair, the surface is textured along with patterns of the bark and leaf scars of a fossilized Paleozoic Lepidodendron, a primitive species of the very first trees on earth, reaching heights of 130 feet (40 m) tall, with leaves that grew flat directly along the bark around 400 million years ago.
Decorative vine balls
Monday, July 30th, 2018
Tidying up the garden mid-season, the periwinkle benefit from an aggressive cut-back, so these decorative balls were made with the vines that would otherwise end up in the yard waste bin. These vine balls can be created any size and the larger ones don’t require much more effort than the small. Tomato cages prop up larger balls perfectly if you don’t have hooks. Inexpensive solar lights were removed from the stakes and snuggled into the top of each woven ball where they emit a peaceful glow at night.
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How to create: use fresh periwinkle vines stripped of leaves. Dried vines are difficult to work with, and even soaking does not reconstitute them satisfactorily, so plan to make balls the same day vines are harvested.
Make a loose wreath, wire-wrapped at opposite ends. Pull out 1/4 of the vines from the main section to each side, wrapping centers with wire. You will then have 2 wreaths interlocked. Continue adding and weaving in extra groups of vines in a symmetrical fashion. Keep pulling smaller groups of vines together until the ball is compact, constantly judging and defining the shape.
Like anything made by hand, the first stages are most difficult and may seem like a chaotic mess, but stick with it and you’ll be happy you did.
Tips: 1) 24 gauge florist wire is most finger-friendly 2) the solar lights don’t sufficiently recharge if dropped inside so are placed on top where they still show off shapes nicely in the dark. 3) Virginia Creeper is excellent for this except it irritates the skin, so check into that if experimenting with other materials. 4) don’t use blackberry vines.
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Dahlias
Sunday, November 6th, 2016
Dahlias, 22H x 28W inches, modeling paste, acrylics and oil pastel on canvas board
Special Orders
Thursday, February 11th, 2016
Special order, Zen Garden 02, replicated 24H x 59W x 1D inches mixed media on canvas, special order finished, sent and received. Replications are unique from the originals.
Chrysanthemums Chair finished
Thursday, January 14th, 2016
Chrysanthemums Chair, finished front and thumbnails of underneath/back details, 29H x 29W x 29D inches one-of-a-kind refurbished vintage chair as a base, woven canvas strips, layers of plaster cured, sanded and carved. Painted with acrylics, finished with varnish and waxed to enhance colors. Durable, functional.
Chrysanthemums Chair Update
Sunday, October 18th, 2015
Chrysanthemums Chair front and back: plaster layering, sanding and painting in progress
Chrysanthemums Chair, work in progress
Tuesday, September 29th, 2015
Using knives and chisels, areas are carved away. The flower design is continually rebuilt by applying modeling paste and plaster, sanding, painting, and carving. Material is easier to control by squeezing out of baggies, like icing in a pastry bag.
Chrysanthemums Chair
Thursday, September 10th, 2015
Chrysanthemums Chair Work in progress. 29L x 29W x 29D inches refurbished chair, canvas, plaster, acrylics. Thumbnails: graphite sketch, acrylics, carving detail. Above: first application of paint over carved surface. Next, plaster will be applied to petal areas to raise the surface. When dry, the whole process will be repeated; sanded, carved and painted again. I like the white background, so may not add much green or any other color except as contrast and in shadows. This chair will coordinate with the large Chrysanthemums painting.
Symbolism and Significance of Chrysanthemums
With a history that dates back to 15th century B.C., first cultivated in China, where it is symbolic of honesty. In Egypt, Tutankhamen was reportedly buried with chrysanthemums. The plant is thought to have been introduced in Japan by Buddhist monks around the fifth century. Initially forbidden to grow except by nobility, the chrysanthemum is now a showy garden perennial common in gardens the world over, in a vast array of cultivars, shapes and sizes, with colors ranging in shades of purple, pink, red, white, yellows and greens.
In terms of design, the mandala formation demonstrates unfurling petals spiraling outward in succession from the center, like fireworks. It is easy to see why chrysanthemums symbolize optimism and joy.
A few states and sororities in the U.S. claim it as their official flower. Many European countries and parts of North America use white chrysanthemums in funeral arrangements, as they are associated with grief and mourning, whereas in Japan holds a “Festival of Happiness” to celebrate this flower each year, attributing it to the sun and happiness. There, it is a symbol of the Emperor and the Japanese Imperial Family. In Canada and the United States, the floral industry thrives on the notion that every flower has unique characteristics, and we communicate our sentiments through specific bouquets according to occasion. For example, the chrysanthemum is the November birth flower and also appointed to the 13th wedding anniversary.
Certain species of the plants are edible and contain medicinal properties. Leaves and roots can be cooked, used mainly in Asian dishes, and flower petals are boiled to make tea. Extracts of the plant, pyrethrins, are processed and preferred as an earth-friendly, biodegradable commercial insecticide.
In cold northern climates they are planted as annuals, whereas here in the Pacific NW coast they are winter- hardy, blooming each Fall. If the plants get leggy before blooms appear, they benefit from being cut back and are easily propagated. Colorful new “mums” add liveliness to flower gardens as seasons change, and they are some of the first to entice us at stores during Spring. Chrysanthemums are perfect in home bouquets, lasting longer than any other cut flower.
Moche culture jewelry: Ear Plug replica Chair
Saturday, May 2nd, 2015
Started Moche Ear Plug replica chair, faux turquoise and gold, 29 x 29 x 29 inches mixed media furniture.
The Moche culture lived on the north coast of Peru between 100 BC and AD 700. With no writing system, they left incredible representations of their activities through art on clothing, pottery, jewelry, architecture, and hunting weapons, illustrating themes like ceremonies, supernatural beings and warfare. This chair is a replica of an Ear Plug – one from a pair found in the tomb of the Lord of Sipan, one of two large tombs discovered in 1987 just north of the village with the same name. Accompanied by sacrificed members of his court and wearing beautifully crafted cotton garments, the highly regarded king died at 30 years of age and was buried with ornaments, carefully placed crowns and various types of jewelry made of gold, gilded copper, shell, feathers, and precious gems. Over 250 ceramics were found, as well as figurines, banners, helmets, scepters and rattles.
The Muscovy duck was a symbol of water abundance to Moche society, and they revered gold as symbol of the light and sun. The color gold is associated with higher ideals, spirituality, wisdom and understanding. For thousands of years, Turquoise mining and adornment has spanned all cultures, prized as a symbol of nobility, invoking luck, protection, and the power of immortality.
I love the idea of incorporating arts and cultural history in my work somehow. The up-cycled chairs are the perfect place to do this. Here are some examples of the influence of history on previous art work.
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