January 2012
11 posts
Maybe halfway
Cornell and I worked this afternoon. He spent his first day at the studio and wasn’t a lot of help — but his pure delight with EVERYTHING kept me smiling all day. This piece is coming along. I have a vague plan on tracing paper but I’m mainly enjoying the freedom to let the foliage develop — lights and darks with decisions based on what happened in previous layers....
December 2011
19 posts
8 tags
Now I have proof....
I’ve been feeling somewhat befuddled — slightly askew. It started when I quit making lists and grew worse when I stopped wearing a watch. I’m not complaining - it works for me most of the time. All the same, I’ve been suspecting that I’ve gone off the deep end. At the end of the day today I looked at my work space — and got VISUAL confirmation. A major...
After Stella....
An underpainting in wax - that’s what this is. I’m building layers of wax medium over broad brushed color to “push it back” and then I’ll start developing my limbs and foliage. This could work — I have to believe! I like where it is right now although I’m a little concerned that it’s too strong at this point. Okay…back to believing.
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4 tags
Pain Pill Please...
I photographed this in New York a few months ago…near the Library somewhere. I loved it and unfortunately, it applied today. My plan to walk the dogs and get an early start at the studio were lambasted by a migraine. At 3am I realized my day wasn’t going to follow my plan — and after years of dealing with migraines, I’ve learned it does NO good to be angry. More...
5 tags
Why aren't you HERE?
George’s evil eye is very effective. George is pretty intense about everything, actually. He thinks I should come back to work and he’s right. Tomorrow is the day.
I also need to cut some wood shelves for this rack. It’s going to serve as a holding rack for encaustics in process. Finding a way to store them so that surfaces won’t get damaged is a problem —...
7 tags
Happy Holidays!
Whether your goal is to enjoy or survive — I hope you making it through! I think it’s a complicated season for most people - for lots of reasons, tons of reasons actually. For me, the change in routine is enough to throw me off. Although the month of December isn’t as crazy as it used to be for me, I’m still ready for my studio schedule by January 2. And usually,...
Going Natural
This is where I’m going next….I think. After the holiday weekend, I plan to begin a piece using this fig tree as my reference. This tree is a few blocks from my house and is gorgeous when laden with fruit. The branches were propped up by 2x4’s this summer. Really nice.
And….I’m slowly being overcome by green wax! I have a full griddle of it - and some...
Is there a good reason?
A good reason to NOT paint, that is? I feel a little guilty tonight but very little….
Today there were two good reasons. Meet Sam. This photo says it all :). After two years in a pen, he’s lovin’ some freedom and can barely contain himself. No kidding, this dog is NOT contained. We’re working on it.
And then there was Daisy. I brought her to Huntsville to live...
Weathered
Finished. This piece has more wax build up :). There is more haze over the color and I’m not sure why — I don’t have more layers. In fact, in areas the wax medium is very thin. The haze is a nice effect in places so I’m still thinking about how I feel about it.
An Early Start
My day started at 6am with this little guy. Rocky and I picked up Amber and the three of us headed to Tennessee to meet their ride. Rocky and Amber have forever homes waiting for them several states north of us….and they’ll arrive very late tonight. I enjoyed giving them a lift out of Alabama on a cold, rainy day. Have a great life, kids.
The rest of the day I worked on this...
5 tags
From Benny to Sundown
I have a new man in my life.
Who can resist a smile like this? He’s been stuck at Huntsville Animal Services since October because of a golf ball size growth on his chest, causing adopters to pass him by. He’s my new foster buddy and he’ll be working with me at the studio for a while. Meet my newest assistant, Benny.
I contiued today on my second railroad piece....
It was a nice day because.....
I worked on this piece yesterday and continued today — the wax is getting thin in places so it’s challenging. By the end of my day today, all of the exposed board was covered. The really nice news of the day is……
Our little Punky found a home!! This lovely couple drove up from Birmingham and took her home as a Christmas surprise for their girls. Only problem was...
Guard Ducks
I don’t put a lot of energy into it — some of the same stuff has been in my studio for years. On the other hand, new things come in every month and yet somehow, it never fills up. My studio is simply my place. I feel like whatever I think or make or do is okay here. I guess that is what a studio should do for an artist.
And if anyone has a problem with that, my Guard Ducks...
2 tags
Leaving
Leaving the studio tonight, she caught my eye. She has watched over my watercolor table for years and now I’m working in a different room. I don’t know whether to move her or get another old soul to watch over me while I work with wax. For some reason, moving her doesn’t seem like a good idea.
I’ll think about it.
Speaking of old, I drive by the Tip Top every...
In the line of .....
I’m sure the Otter Box wasn’t designed for this I’m scraping wax off my phone at the end of each work day. I could move my phone but I have SO many cords and this one only reaches THIS far. And I’m changing Pandora regularly, answering texts, looking at emails. A little wax won’t hurt.
It was a peaceful day. I cleared a spot for Carmela and she made...
6 tags
Tools
From the beginning, my fascination has been with the beeswax. The smell, feel, and very nature of it is a wonder to me and I knew it would be a huge challenge. Working in this medium actually had me stumped for longer than I expected - I did a LOT of staring at the board, walking away, popping the top on a Diet Mountain Dew (a trusted delay tactic) and then staring some more.
What I’ve...
5 tags
Clear Mind, Open Mind
Distractions. I create them if they don’t surface on their own. A wide open studio day can stretch out in front of me and I’ll still sabotage my work day. Today at noon, I was still popping out of my chair for one thing after another. I felt unsettled and I’ve been recognizing for a while that I’m not allowing my mind to flow with my work. I’m dealing with...
It was beautiful outside today but Noah and I were in the same kind of mood. He was in his safe spot on the cabinet and I was in mine behind the encaustic table. I didn’t get there till after 11am because I transported a pup this morning, but I finally made it.
I worked on the undercarriage of my railroad car today, starting to create STUFF. I’m starting with the elements that...
Changing tracks
Today was a good studio day. I finished the fire escape piece and completed the drawing pictured here. My board is prepared with wax medium and I’m ready to start. I have two griddles packed with containers of beautiful colors, some full and others just have a smidgen of pigmented wax — they’re all from the last two pieces I’ve completed. As I look at them on the...