Politics and hope

Hope doesn’t come from calculating whether the good news is winning out over the bad. It’s simply a choice to take action.

Anna Lappe, O Magazine, June 2003

I try to stay out of politics generally on this blog, it is not what I usually like to write about. The past election has been forefront in everyone’s mind, I would like to bring a little hope for everyone about this coming up generation x. This is an email I received from a college student who is working her way through school. She is young enough to be my daughter as we met when I went back to school and got my degree at my advanced age….So it really doesn’t matter what your political beliefs are, we are all human and believe in human rights, and hope for the future. It was thrilling for me to read this from her and wanted to share the hope and joy that she feels with all.

“for the first time i am really excited to be an american. that may sound bad to so many patriotic americans out there, but i question whether we are the best. it sounds too arrogant to me. whats wrong with an EU nation or canada?
but now, i am living in an exciting time in america. we have finally moved forward. we will have a black president. i was too young to appreciate the berlin wall and while the twin towers was momentous – is that something you want to live through (plus, i was in germany at the time). so, THIS is an amazing piece of hitory.
i wish now that i had paid more attention to the election, that i’d gone to the rally in orlando.
I don’t think i really paid much attention to the clinton administration, but after 8 years there is a president who is more in line with my views. I suppose i am a late bloomer but at the tender age of nearly 30 i am getting slightly more interested in politics. – in so much as it affects me and the environment. honestly, i’m much more interested in plants and food and nature than i am in the government. just like chemistry.
so, what is all this rambling?
I’M JUST EXCITED!! so much hope lies in barack obama. president elect.
if you have not seen his victory speech please watch it (full screen)

…….just thought i’d share.
Barack Obama has made ME excited about government and america. that is amazing.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this, it was not her complete email, but the general gist of it all.I just wanted everyone to share her joy and hope for the future. May we all see better days ahead…..

Angels

God not only sends special angels into our lives, but sometimes He even sends them back again if we forget to take notes the first time!  ~Quoted in The Angels’ Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

I always feel sad when doing custom work for a customer whose pet has died and wants a figurine or ornament made from their photo. I miss each and every one of my beloved pets as they wait for me at the rainbow bridge.I saw this poem online and had to share, what love…what devotion….

for anyone who has lost the pet they love….

My Angel
Chris S. Nail
She freezes when I touch her
So as not to stop the feeling
Of my hand rubbing
Her soft red fur
At the moment that I do stop
She turns quickly to
Look deeply into my eyes
Acknowledging my touch
Her big brown eyes
So expressive
Convey a love so deep
And a commitment so complete
She truly is
This man’s best friend
My guardian
My Angel
By my side
Through the good times and bad
Always my friend
Be I happy or sad
She loves my touch
And will sit for hours
Or as long as I want
To share the gentle caresses from my hand
As she has now grown quite old
And lost most of her hearing
I am again amazed by her
Thoughtful act of love
As I lay sleeping in my bed
She lies against both the bed and my wheelchair
So as not to miss
My slightest stir
And when she feels the movement
As the bed shakes or the chair
She turns to see
For what she should prepare
Am I turning for another round of sleep
Or is the insomnia taking its toll
In which case the comfort of a friend
Is always welcome ~ and you bet she’s there
If it is time for me to get up
She gladly follows with me
From room to room she moves
Tirelessly without despair
Always ready if I need her
Always ready if I want her
My Angel is anxious
To be with me anywhere
For she truly is
This man’s best friend
My guardian
My Angel

My Shannon Angel

Making Chocolate Labs

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep.  ~Scott Adams

No, not real chocolate, but brown colored Labrador retrievers.I thought I would show how I work on some ornaments. I usually spend ine day a week mixing up clay and making clay colors. Some colors are more difficult to make and to use. Mixing up black and brown are difficult due to the amount and type of stains used in the clay body. Brown is difficult due to the fact that it is hard to remove the stain from your hands, which gets on all of the other colors I use.

You can see the brown stain all over the finders as I sculpt. I have towels and water handy at al times and have to change the sculpting cloth as soon as I am done with the color.

After I have made a couple I add on the color details. As you can see, my fingers were not clean enough when adding the angel wings, just touching the brown before adding the white transfers the stain. So I start over and remove the wing and replace it.

My idea of an assembly line!

I usually only make a few at a time, and I try to make them all different, otherwise, I would go insane! These little dogs must dry a couple of weeks, then go in the kiln to be bisque fired, clear glazed,then re -fired to porcelain temperatures of 2400 degrees! Thats for looking at how I make these little critters.

The Artisans Shoppe

An artist cannot talk about his art any more than a plant can discuss horticulture.  ~Jean Cocteau

I find it hard to talk about my art, each time I blog, and I have found many artists feel the same way, for we all seem to enjoy showing off other artists works on our blogs and not much of our own! So in that train of thought….. I am now a member of an artisans online co-op called the Artisans Shoppe. There are 30 wonderful artists there and I am excited to be a part of this new venture. I have found many new and exciting things from other artists there, and  plan on doing all of my Christmas shopping there. These artists and crafters are amazing and produce new and unusual work.

I am thrilled to present this artist to anyone who has not seen her work..it is simply stunning, she has everything from large works of art to Christmas ornaments, and she is another EFA artist (Etsy for Animals)! Something I always need to promote.

Deer Mountain Wood Art

Curiosity – Fall Celebration

This is an intarsia scene depicting a little deer’s curiosity of the world around her. It measures 17″ x 11″ tall and is created from various exotic and domestic hardwood that is in it’s natural color – none of my intarsia pieces are stained or painted with the exception of the backing which I often paint black… Some of the woods used are Padauk, Walnut, Cedar, Aspen, Redwood, Sipo mahogany, spalted sycamore, and Gaboon Ebony.
A list of woods used is now included with my intarsia pieces along with instructions on care and handling…
10% of all sales go to the EFA Charity of the Month!

Please visit the Artisans Shoppe today, remember, buy handmade, buy local!

Art shows

The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work – Emile Zola

I was at the Lake Mary/Heathrow art show this past weekend, what a wonderful weekend. I was a gorgeous day on Saturday, high of 78 and sunny and breezy. The public was very appreciative of all the art. Sunday, we had rain, but it gave us time to chat with fellow artists, and I received some great advice from some longtime artisans. It made me feel like a newbie, but this was my first real show in Florida from a 5 years semi-retirement and move from Texas. I know the show circuit in Texas, but here in Florida is like starting over. I am looking forward to seeing my new artist friends again at another show. My next show will be in 3 weeks at Uptown Altamonte at Crane’s Roost Park, November 22 and 23.

Shows are a lot of work, I set up the tent and tables on Friday, and at 6 am I was unpacking and setting up all of the Very Breakable porcelain figurines. I can never decide how to arrange them and usually try 3 or 4 different arrangements during the course of a show. At five after a long day, I repack everything up for the evening, just to start again the next morning. And the next day, start all over again, re-decide where to put everything, and at 5 pm, pack everything back up, load up the vehicle, take down the tent….It is exhausting. But  it is always a lot of fun meeting new people and seeing how they react to my work, what they like, what they dislike. It is a great way of trying out new ideas, seeing how the public responds to new items and new ideas.

Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts

This weekend, I will be at this art festival. Feel free to come see me and loads of other artists, anyone who see this blog and buys something from me at the festival, gets a 10% discount by mentioning you saw this blog!

http://www.lakemaryheathrowarts.com/Home_Page.html

Join us at the 22nd Annual Lake Mary-Heathrow Festival of the Arts. This Festival is recognized as a premiere, juried art show that combines first class entertainment with world class art and craft exhibits.

This year, the Festival will draw more than 50,000 people who will view our Artists’ extraordinary offerings this November.

In 2008, the Festival returns to the beautiful, natural setting at Oval Park in Heathrow off International Parkway. This outdoor marketplace will see the return of  the Festival’s signature Classic Car Show along with other surprises that will be announced in the coming months.

The Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts is designed to inspire and appreciation for quality art forms as well as to award scholarships to local students desiring a higher education.

Be sure to mark your calendars now and join us November 1-2, 2008 for a day you and yours won’t forget.

Blog Talk Radio/EFA/Blockhead Rod

Don’t forget to vote in the artisans challenge!  http://www.artisanschallenge.blogspot.com/

I was the featured, surprise artist last night on EFA’s blog talk radio show. It was a lot of fun, and interesting also for those who love animals.

EFA Artists helping Animals

EFA Artists Helping Animals is a group of more than 500 independent artists, independent craftspeople, independent vintage suppliers, and independent art and craft suppliers that combine their efforts to provide charitable relief to animals. EFA can be found as a Team on Etsy.com, an online marketplace for buying and selling handmade items. Currently, all members of EFA are also Etsy members. You can visit the EFA store at http://etsyforanimals.etsy.com All the inventory in the shop is donated by EFA members and 100% of the sales amount goes to the designated charity of the month. For more information see http://efaartistshelpinganimals.org

Another Great Show on Blog talk radio also on Monday nights……

The Blockhead Rod Show

Covering The Etsy Challenge, Etsy Spotlight On, a Blog on etsy Blogs. Internet news and updates. Tips and tricks on how to promote yourself and ’spice’ up your sites. Guests, co-hosts, listener call in, and so much more.

The Artisans Challenge

Ok, everyone, it’s Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, mine was busy!

This week I am in the Artisans Challenge, with my sculpture whaich I featured in my blog a few weeks ago, my manatee on driftwood. This manatee is 12″ long, he is made from colored porcelain clay and glazed with a clear glaze. He is entirely made by hand with no molds or casting used. The driftwood was beach found by me.

Please, if you get the chance vote for me or your favorite artist.

Here is the link    www.the artisanschallenge.blogspot.com

Christmas Cats

So, yesterday I posted about my Christmas cats, today is about some adorable ones I found on Etsy. I adore Christmas, as since I was a small child I have collected Christmas cats, which is why I make Christmas ornaments now for a living. Please enjoy these as much as I do, remember, shop local and shop Handmade this Christmas.

Its good for all of us.

www. westcorinthstudio.etsy.com

Charlie and his friends Napoleon and Willy love to sing carols. Here they are singing “We wish you a Meowy Christmas”!

_______________________________________________________

“Meowy Christmas” is an original oil painting on a 8 x 11 inch stretched canvas, painted in 2006.

The gallery-wrapped edges of the canvas are .75″ deep and painted black. The back is wired so you can hang it right up as soon as you unwrap it!
______________________

www.handcraftcottage.etsy .com

This item is approx. 5 x 7. It features assorted Spectrum opal glass and clear hammered glass. It is finished in black patina and has been polished.

JudyBFreeman.etsy.com

Up for adoption is this sweet little kitty that started out as a lump of clay. I threw the body on the potters wheel and then added handbuilt additions to bring this little guy to life. I envision all of my cats as singing a song and this one is no exception. His arms are outstretched as if he’s a little opera star singing an aria. This particular cat bell is ready for Christmas, wearing a festive Santa cap and a bow of green tied around his neck.

This kitty measures right around 4.5″ (11.43 cm) in height.

www.matouenpeluche.etsy.com

This tiny little guy is blissfully asleep under a star studded midnight sky. I bet he’s purring softly to himself.

Kitten is a digital print created from an original pen and ink drawing. He measures approximately 10.5cm X 14.5cm and comes with his very own periwinkle blue envelope. He and his envelope will be placed into a clear plastic s;eeve for protection.

Kitten is a series two card.

Artwork copyright © 2007 Samantha Battersby

Cats and bread dough….

Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function

( Unknown )

I really enjoy cats. Cats and art. What an interesting combination. Cats are what got me started in making Christmas Ornaments. I had a tree, and no money, so I wanted to make some ornaments. I thought, I have cats,  I could make an ornament to match each kitty. So, how do I make them? I learned how to make bread dough ornaments. From there I sculpted in bread dough, making several hundred of these ornaments, selling them at craft shows, friends and family. Then I got frustrated. I couldn’t do with the dough what I wanted to do, so I took a pottery class and learned how to work in fired clay, bought a kiln, now 16 years later, here I am still making kitties! This was what one of my kitties looked like many years ago, she has passed on to the rainbow bridge now, I still have her bread dough ornament, I hang it on my tree every year!

No heaven will not ever Heaven be
Unless my cats are there to welcome me.
~Author Unknown

Dough Ornament Recipe

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1-2 cups water
• 1 cup salt
• I cup cornstarch
  
• Gold or silver wire
• food coloring
• Polyurethane varnish

Step 1

Place the flour,cornstarch,and salt in a large mixing bowl and add water and stir until a stiff ball forms

Step 2

Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it several times.

If wanted -Add food coloring to small pieces of dough for colors.Or you can paint them with acrylic paints before varnishing after baking.

Step 3

Separate small pieces of dough and use your fingers to create shapes for your Christmas ornament.Or cut out with cookie cutters.

Step 4

Bend the gold or silver wire into loops and insert them into the ornament for hanging.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and bake the bread dough ornaments on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 200 and bake the ornaments until they are solid, about 30 more minutes.

Step 6

Remove the bread dough ornaments from the oven and allow them to cool on wire racks.

Step 7

Paint a thin coat of polyurethane varnish on the ornaments with a sponge brush and allow them to dry. Use the acrylic paints to draw small details on the ornaments. Allow the ornaments to dry completely before you hang them on the tree.

Inspiration and action

We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.

Frank Tibolt

What Inspires me? Some days, anything, other days, nothing. That is the way it goes. It can be just hard to be creative everyday. Life can inspire. Usually creating one item leads to another for me. I make a dog for example, then suddenly I have an idea for another, from there, another is born, or another animal. I have ideas that never get made, but also ideas that get re-made. I will see something that will suddenly make me think, that will make a great Christmas design, or what a cool thought,I  can incorporate something like that into one of my fantasy creatures. The again, I have my off days, nothing I create comes out right, or I see something and say “Why didn’t I think of that?”  I try not to let the little green monster take over. It can ruin your day.

I try to remember, I do the work, I am the creator.  If I do not make it, no one will.

(Even if it is just a cute little puppy!)

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

A good conscience is a continual Christmas.

Benjamin Franklin

It is time. I put if off as long as I could, but it is here, for me anyway. It is time for the music, and the lights. It is time for peace and beauty.I admit it. I love Christmas. Not nessacarily the day, but the feeling. I look the glitter of ights even in the big box stores. I stop everywhere I see a tree, just to look at the lights, the decorations. Christmas is the most hectic busy time of year for me. I don’t care, I love it. People want custom work, people arguing that it just doesn’t look like Christmas here in Florida. It is not the temperature, or the snow, its the feeling in the air. After what this country, and the world, has been through the past few months, we need Christmas. We need this feeling to return to our lives. I think this year, more than most, we will see a return to more traditonal values, more traditional Christmas. People thinking before buying, will they really like this sweater, or something more personal, more unique. Remember, buying handmade and local used to be the norm, then we got caught up in cheap toys and inexpensive products from overseas. This year, lets go back to basics, buy Handmade, buy local, support your local artists and crafters. And Enjoy this Holiday season, no matter what your nationality, race or religion. Maybe it is not in your religion to have Christmas. You can still enjoy the love, laughter and joy of being around those you love. These are the good old days! These are the happiest of days, be joyful, and love life.

To be cute or not cute? that is the question

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.

Henry Ward Beecher

If this quote is as true a most would believe, than I have a problem. My  true nature rears its ugly head as a cute little puppy. (or a pretty, pink Puff Dragonling)

While I may love to work in realism, spending hours sculpting or painting one particular item, my true gift is creating the whimsical, cute, and just plain adorable. It just comes naturally.I can’t help it. The harder I try to create the amazing likeness of realism, the cuter it gets. Take these two unicorns, one I created over several hours of sculpting, working, studying form , function, how the leg turns, how the muscle would move, the other as a whimsical figurine, in less than a quarter of time the other takes, so what sells? The downright, comical,  “awww, its sooo cute”. The other barely gets a passing glance.

I accept my gifts, as much as I try to rebel sometimes, I want to be a serious artist, but I guess I am a whimsical, fanciful, comical, silly, cute artist. My true nature at work…

Other super Cute art work I found on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15953416

This adorable reindeer is hand dipped in your choice of scented wax and then uniquely posed to make a great decorative air freshener for your home or office.

See Crazy Times Candles at Etsy for more cute items

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14555939

This is a beautiful 2.5×3.5 inch fine art ACEO print. This is a professional print of my original mixed media painting, printed on premium matte paper so you can see all the beautiful details without glare. The print is rated to last at the very least for 100 years under glass, so you don’t have to worry about it fading!

See more at Little Sapphire’s Shop on Etsy

Going wrong….

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.

Joseph Chilton Pearce

I love that quote. How many times have I been wrong? too many. The only way to explore new ideas, new thoughts is to try them out. I make many things that are “One of a kind” , usually they are one of a kind because A- I didn’t want to do that again. B- I could not do it again if I tried…, or C- I will never do that again!

I had been changing some techniques lately. I had some suggestions from another artist on making the eyes look more alive. It had been going well. The first pieces I made  have been sculptured , fired, and glazed. I really liked how they came out. These are cute, I thought. I think I like this.

Once in a while things just don’t work out. I was minding my own business, working along as usual, then suddenly, it happened. I made something that didn’t really look like something I would make. It kind of had a WB cartoon look.Then the next one was worse. It had bug eyes, and looked as though it was being chased by Wiley Coyote. What was up? my hands are not different than yesterday or even earlier?  Was the brain was malfunctioning? Why can’t I get these guys to work right for me? The harder I tried the less I liked the work I was doing.I  Suddenly I created a monster, the eyes kept getting bigger and bigger.  Soon I will hve just a giant eyeball on the sculpting table! AAAHHHH nightmares!    Ok, it must be time for a coffe break….    Not fair. ….Sometimes you have to cut your losses and quit for the next hour or two. Do something else, some paperwork, cleaning up….After  all, tomorrow is another day…..

Inspiration and procrastination

Art is a part of life and cannot exist independently from real life.
Art must be objective. If it fails to be accepted by another person, it loses its essence of universality and can no longer exist as art. If a work of art fails to embody truth, goodness and beauty, it cannot be regarded as a true work of art.

-Chen Chong Swee

Inspiration is sometimes hard work. I can spend hours procrastinating, wondering what I want to make, what I should make.Those are usually two different things, which makes it even harder to create something. I know I have to make what sells, this is what I do for a living. There are some days I wake up and just know… ok, I must make this today or I have this wholesale order that has to be there by the end of the month, so I have to create exactly what someone else demands of me.This is a lot different than other types of artists who create works that will hang in galleries, waiting to be loved, purchased and taken home. You get the good with the bad in this case, if I make what I want all of the time,   I wouldn’t be able to support my own habits of buying clay…eating food. So in the meantime, I charge up my muses who inspire me to create. How do I do this, my muses are music, reading, movies, fantasy, animals, wildlife, the sky, the air, the sunlight shining through the leaves. This early morning, I went outside to pull some weeds, putter in the garden, and refresh my spirit. After the orders are completed, then, and only then do I get to go back to creating what I want, letting my personal muses take over the artistic process.

Now,………..time to make the …….(fill in the blank)…..