Hiding In My Studio

My 2009 NAN donation

I've been hiding in my studio this week. Not only preparing my NAN donation for official presentation, but trying to get my own personal showstring in order so I could attend a show in upstate NY.

I haven't been to a live show in years. Possibly five years to be exact so when I figured out that the Hudson Valley Classic show was close to our very good friends near Hurley I decided to present the possibility of making a family excursion upstate and having a blast the entire weekend, not only showing (for me) but hanging with our very good friends whom we really miss very much. It was all getting planned when I got the letter. My very best friend from home (whom was my partner in crime when we attended Marywood College) is FINALLY...FINALLY....FINALLY getting married!!!

WHOOO doggies!!!!!

It took YEARS for that boy of her to finally pop the question and this year we FINALLY get to celebrate! But, what weekend does all this fun start? Yep, the weekend of the Hurley show and I could never, in a million years, miss out on any part of Abbi's wedding festivities. So, the show is out and I'll be headed to PA for fun and new memories with my best friend from home.

Not all is lost though. The Hudson Valley Classic happens again in the fall and perhaps I can attend then AND Im a bit ahead on getting my show crew ready because I FINALLY managed to paint some....FOR MYSELF!!! It's truly a MIRACLE!!!

Meet my boy "NYC VIP"

This boy came to me as a trade and his many issues, like three missing legs, was not disclosed before the trade took place. I had always wanted this resin and when I finally got him my heart sank because he was in such awful shape. It has taken me this long to get him finished. I'm rather proud since I discovered some new ways to deal with missing parts on horses. He is a much older resin, but I still adore him. I'm very happy to see him completed and standing proudly in my china cabinet.

Speaking of best friends I was thrilled that this week was also the week that Sylvia came back to Brooklyn for a visit. It was so wonderful to spend time with her yesterday. We had many laughs and some good talking over many cups of coffee. I sure do miss our Friday pastel parties. Nothing brings me back to those fun days yukin it up in her apartment over there on 28th Street like the smell of Testors.

Good times with Syl

Well, my ceramic work is calling me. I have the Chaney drafter just about ready to be presented to the world. I tried some new things with the china paints on him and my theories and ideas worked well. I believe this is probably the best china piece I've painted to date. So, till tomorrow...

Chaney china getting final layers

Hello Weekend!

Some critters getting tweaks

Hello Memorial Day weekend!

This weekend starts the official BBQ season for us. The charcoals are purchased, the wood chips soaking, the BBQs out and ready. Ribs, chicken, dogs and burgers are the mainstay here. It's the weekend where we dust of Mary in the half shell in the garden and slurp down clams on the half shell till we burst! It's going to be a fun weekend with family and friends and out of all the summer celebrations it's my personal favorite. Winter is gone...over...good bye and summer is here for many, many glorious weeks.

To those who have served and who are currently serving this most blessed country of ours, THANK YOU for your service.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Pouring plaques and cleaning clay

Kitchen Work

Peek at kitchen table

Some days I pack up the studio and bring it to my kitchen table. Pouring slip and cleaning clay are just easier in the kitchen. I'm not sure why it just is and as you can see I am bookin' with a ton of ceramic projects at the moment. The Working Girl came along for the ride because she needed shoes. I decided I loved the way Sarah Rose's bay girl turned out with shoes on and made epoxy ones for mine. My husband had been working on a small and intricate epoxy project recently and gave me insight into dealing better with very thinly rolled out epoxy. It worked and I'm pleased I could use it on Working Girl.

Once Again: OVERDRIVE!

Amazing example of bronze production

Since March I had been wanting to get back to the Met to catch the "Cast in Bronze" exhibit. Today, I finally had that opportunity and viewed the most incredible pieces from the French Renaissance to the Revolution. I'm not even sure where to begin in my critique of the exhibit because I really and truly found myself speechless. In my opinion it was an amazing exhibit and just what I needed to look at at this point in my sculptural journey. The pieces just made my head whirl about in every direction. I don't think I blinked at all. I will mention though that photography was not allowed (B I G grumble) and the guards were being rather stern about this policy. Of course, I could NOT resist snapping a shot of the beastie above when the guard walked away. Look at those sprues!

It was a casting mistake, but how wonderful that it occured because it gives the viewer an insight into the intricacies of bronze pouring. I have to say that this piece (which was along side a finished and polished version) just mystified me. I am still in awe over how intricate the sprue production is on this thing. And to think I was feeling rather proud of myself for making a six part mold! HA!

To my dismay my favorite room in the European Decorative Arts section was closed today, but this gave me an opportunity to venture into a new area just waiting for my discovery. The glass case full of these precious little porcelains just delighted me.

Porcelain by Etienne Maurice Falconet

There was something familiar about them. Something so "me" I guess you could say. They immediately helped bring back to the surface an idea I had with my "Brianna"sculpture. I think I am going to revisit her. All these pieces were bisque porcelain and the sheer elegance of the material further accentuated the moment captured in sculpture. It was a simplistic marriage that was purely satisfying. No reason why my Brianna can't offer the same satisfaction. In resin, she jars the visual palete. She needs to be devoid of paint and modern elements. She needs to be reborn in porcelain and become timeless.

Overall, I am on overdrive at the moment. My mind is wandering in a million different inspired directions. I'm very glad I made the time to get out. I firmly believe that artists MUST get out of their studios every now and then and do nothing but take in new inspirations.

WOW!

WOW!

I so want to see this! This is just too cool:

Please come to Broadway!

No Idea....

Working Girl resin in bay tobiano
(almost done)

I have no idea how I managed to get work done yesterday with the cuteness that is bursting from the studio and the new ratties, but I did manage to bring the Working Girl resin closer to finish. I have decided that she will be my NAN 09 donation. I am a bit disappointed that I couldn't finish my "LIl Pumpkin" sculpture in time, but the problems on her legs are still a problem for me and I don't know how to solve the problem. I need a leg. Literally, I need to go and touch some horse legs for an afternoon. I'm honestly just lost when it comes to what is underneath and I need to feel it.

Wrinkles on a rattie, however, are quickly becoming something new I love to sketch and probably soon, flesh out in wax.

How snuggly soft!

My little piggly wiggly!

Day Trip

Snoozin' after a long hard day of travel

The best part about living in New York City is being able to hop a train (or plane for that matter) and go pretty much anywhere with ease. Today I took a day trip out to Mount Arlington, New Jersey to pick up the new rattie babies. The trip was very scenic and the time away from the familiar was welcomed. I can't thank the Meghan of Paper Heart Rattery enough for allowing me to adopt these two cute little gals from her and for being so kind and wonderful today.

The gals have settled in already and it's been such a nice change of pace watching young, healthy pets bounding about their cage. I had been watching sickies since February. My entire crew were up in age and got sick and then passed and each passing was just heartbreaking because I had spent every day with these pets. I almost forgot what it was like to have a young rattie in the house. Its nice and I've already started to bond with Petunia. I believe she will be the first to train. The other one found the famous hiding spot near the wheel and as you can see, is utilizing it. That is ok. All in good time.

Today was a long, but fruitful day even if I didn't do a stitch of art work. The time away has replenished my urge to work and has inspired me.

Petunia's first photo shoot

Smile!

Weekend Highlights

Bouquet for Mother's Day

Highlights from the weekend:

~ Prepping quite a few horses who are all now ready for painting.
~ Being woken softly on Mother's Day by my son who was so excited about giving me his handmade gift.
~ Crying over that gift because it was so beautiful.
~ Enjoying so much BBQ my husband cooked I wanted to burst. Life IS delicious, indeed!
~ Attending a KICKIN' wedding in the Bronx! Congrats Cousin Lauren!!!

A great weekend most definitely!
How was yours?

The most beautiful flower in the world

Chopping Fun

The new stud

That Halla mold had been tempting me for days. I had been dying to chop into it and yesterday when I couldn't stand my mind going on and on about chopping...I chopped! BOY, it felt good to be customizing again. Last night I started adding the filling in the neck and this morning I'll add a bit more. I'm very jazzed about this guy. He's taking away all those feelings of dread and failure with my Pumpkin sculpture. I'm hoping to solve some problems on Pumpkin through this guy. I'll share more of him later.

Today is a Good Day

Peek on my desk

Today is a good day to:

~ Work on something for myself in whatever color I want. (I choose the Rayne)
~ Sneak a small bowl of Capt n Crunch in when no one is looking.
~ Enjoy the cherry blossom tree one last time before the petals are totally gone.
~.Watch my son paint.
~ Give my husband a huge hug when he gets home and tell him how much I appreciate all he does for us.
~ Get lost in painting the Working Girl resin later on.
~ Have fun trying to name some of my models.
~ Snuggle with my boys before each goes to sleep.

Cause....

A study in house paint and fur

Cause...

...it's just so much fun to look at these old photos. I still have these horses, including the study in house paint and fur. She gave up her back legs eventually for a broken Indian Pony (who refused to stay fixed) and is in my body box here in Brooklyn. I have no idea why I felt the need to let her tag along. Perhaps I will use her head for a project some day. Maybe someday soon!


San Domingo struttin'
and Black Beauty winning a rough race.
Notice the hoof prints in the sand? I remember
that scene being very labor intensive.

I was given another "How to" article to write for JAH and this article will revolve around some simple remaking of a horse head. Nothing too over the top, just a how to add markings to a head. They sent me two of my favorite molds for the project. The Yellow Mount mold and the Halla mold.

I LOVE Halla. She was a great piece to play with when I was young (I have my original mold here in my Brooklyn collection too) and I am dying to chop the head off the new one that arrived. I want to lower the neck and create a pretty cm remake. It's been a while since I made a plastic remake. It seems like it was just yesterday when that was the only type of remaking there was in our industry. Time sure flies!

Saturday

Francesco at the camera

"You ok?" Asked my husband as I returned from JFK. After all this time together he just knows me. He knows that there is always a sense of sadness that always overcomes me when I have to drop one of my very best friends April off at the airport.

For about two years I had connections up in the Buffalo area. Lets just call those "bad decisions" that turned into hard learned lessons. Honestly, I hated it there and wound up really hating the place after the summer of 92'. I vowed never to return. I had seen the Falls and been there, done that and was unimpressed with everything that was "REALLY upstate NY".

But years later I am plotting and trying to figure a way to get up to the Buffalo/Rochester area to visit April whom I met on my small and private "Pastel Club" Yahoo group (now gone). For years now she has been making a yearly trip to see me here in Brooklyn. It's time I go up and visit her and my fear of flying just overcomes me, but perhaps the 7 hour drive won't be so bad. It's funny how years of conversing over this computer can bring people closer together. It can bridge gaps that miles leave. I'm so fortunate to have her in my life. Her visits are always fun. Her visits are always filled with laughter, horses galore, lots of coffee, memories and relaxation. It's always time to sit back, enjoy our love of model horses no matter how silly it may seem. I'm always just "me" with April.

Board games and laughs

I feel rejuvinated and inspired now. It's a blessing to have such a wonderful friend. I thank God every night for her and many others I've met through this silly "box" called the computer.

Spring Visit

Finished SM Breyer

Joy! April is here once again for her yearly visit and it's been fantastic just talking and talking and talking over many cups of coffee. Scoured the internet together yesterday just taking in all the artist blogs and new works on MHSP. It's always so much more fun to "window shop" on MHSP with a close friend.

Today is mold pouring day. I hope the new medallion molds pour well. I'd also love it if she were to take a few photos of me trying to complete my next JAH article. Well, let's rephrase that...take photos of me trying to START the project! LOL I normally have to take my photos myself and to have someone help take a shot or two would not only give me better photos for the article but it will offer newer angles.

Coffee is calling.