Post-weekend

It was an interesting weekend.

On Friday, I made it to a third "collecting" post on Poppytalk! Talk about a nice way to wrap up the week. It has geared me up to get back into the studio and maybe even update my poor, languishing Etsy shop. I'd like to generate some more interest in my work online, and make an active effort to sell more. Sadly, I've gotta pay the bills somehow. What better way than to sell the work I love to make?

Speaking of which, I sold this piece over the weekend to one of my online friends! She has been collecting my work over the past few years, and since this is one of my favorite recent collages, I am happy that it will be going to live with her.


U-Men, mixed media, 9" x 10.25", 2009

And I am thrilled that the same patron has renewed my Pro account over at Flickr, which means that you can once again see all my photos, including the ART Set. I hated not having access to everything, so this is just wonderful. It's like Christmas! So thank you, J.!

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On Saturday, I taught my collage class again—just three more sessions to go! This time I had the three students work for twenty minutes on a collage, any subject matter, any size, etc. Then, they passed their collage to the nest student, who would then work on it for another 20 minutes, adding to it however they wish, on to the next, and so on until each collage was returned to its originator. (Actually, I ended up participating in this, too, since there were just three students.)

I must say, the collages turned out fantastic, way surpassing any expectations I had myself. I will take photos and post them here this coming Saturday to share with you. I really enjoy working with my little group of teenagers and it seems like they are really opening themselves up to the hands-on process of collage, too. Can you believe that none of them had ever tried it before?

Next week, we are moving onto digital collage (sadly, I think), but I am going to encourage them to mix and match between cut and paste techniques and scanning and digital manipulation. I'm sure they will come up with some cool ideas.

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As for me, I want to gift myself with some much-needed studio time this week.

Autumn Color Week: Brown

Drop, oil and colored pencil on wood panel, 2007


Two Questions, oil and colored pencil on canvas, 12" x 18", 2007


Include Me Out, acrylic and colored pencil on wood panel, 2009

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In other news, this morning I had the pleasure of teaching a small group of students from the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts over at the Buffalo Arts Studio a little workshop making movable paper puppets! A while ago, I discovered the book Paper Puppet Palooza and started making some paper pals of my own. It's a really fun, fairly easy and not-too-messy creative activity that is actually quite addicting! So, I was happy to share my new obsession with the seven students and their three teachers. We didn't have much time together, but true to kid form, they all dove right in and got quite a bit accomplished—from a tiger and a wolf to a robot, and more! I'll have to take some photos of the ones I've recently made— a vintage-styled Mexican Lucha wrestler with interchangeable heads and a running horse.

Each time I end up working with youngsters, it fuels my desire that much more to become certified to teach K-12. I find them so interesting and inspirational! I guess we'll see what the future holds, there is so much I'd like to do... in the meantime I at least have the opportunity to work with area arts organizations to fill in that gap in my artistic life.

I feel lucky.

Autumn Color Week: Orange

First of all, I am thrilled that one of my GREEN paintings was included in a Poppytalk post yesterday! Thank you, Poppytalk, I am honored!

Today's color is ORANGE, and I have a few pieces to share. These are actually some of my favorite small works in the past few years. Orange is such a great color to work with.


Heart & Lungs, Knees & Toes, mixed media, 2009


Franco Nero, mixed media, 2009


Please, mixed media, 2004

Autumn Color Week: Green

Today is Poppytalk's GREEN day, and here are a few of my paintings that fit the bill.


Gertrude and Francis, oil on canvas, 60" x 48", 2007


The Dumpster Incident, oil on canvas, 48" x 60", 2007


6801 Maple Rd., acrylic on canvas, 60" x 48", 2009

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In other GREEN, albeit sad news, our two bonsai trees were stolen from our front porch sometime between yesterday morning and the evening before. I am just heartbroken about this. One was a little juniper and the other was a pretty Chinese elm whose leaves were about to turn. I know this sounds silly, but I am actually worried about them in a similar way that I'd be worried about losing one of our kitties. I can only hope that whomever took them actually knows about bonsai and how to care for them (they were outdoor plants, for instance), but sadly I fear that either some young ruffians took them and just threw them away somewhere, or some other unfortunate end.

RIP Bonsai of the Bungalow... you are sorely missed. (You can see them in the photo below on the right hand side, one each on top of the two columns—sadly, I never got good photos of them.)

Autumn Color Week: Yellow

This is rather unusual for me, but I have decided to follow along Poppytalk's Autumn Color Week. It struck as a fun way to try to blog here a little more regularly, and maybe get involved with something bigger than me and the blog, even for a week. I've been keeping myself rather isolated these days... what a nicer way to break out a little?

So, today is YELLOW day. I'm featuring a painting I did a few years ago and was subsequently collected by a dear friend and brilliant writer, Teri. It's titled, "When I Was 27, Everything Was Lined in Silver". Acrylic and colored pencil on colored paper. The drawing was based on a photograph I took of myself... you guessed it... when I was 27. Looking back, it seems like an odd, magical time but I also know it was a difficult time overall, too... very transitional and uncertain. As perhaps 27 is wont to be.

(You can click on the image for a larger view.)