2016 ends outside...

Pretty days to end the year and begin another.

The Tree

Gingerbread Kids 2016

                                        

 

Gingers get decorated once again. Still seems a way to get the most candy on them as possible, but they have fun, so may they keep on wanting to play this way!

Table in Progress...still....

This was a simple one, by design...to see how fast.  Ahem..taking longer than the more complicated ones because of the time it is taking to get in the kiln in the various processes as well as a long wait for an out of stock in one of the glazes.  Still waiting for pieces.  There are flecks on the pink piece -- can't see in photo. I think there is something here that underlines "passion" in creation.  Had more passion in the other tables...a reason...this was an experiment, and tried to make it simple....but it isn't inspiring to me...maybe better when finished, but my take away is that, while creating simple (even simpler than this simple thing)  can absolutely be the most powerful, the passion part has to be in there too. Not yet here!  Simple design that exclamation mark..yes, meaning behind it, but even an arc would do.  Next time!

Crowns...ceramic..awaiting their jewels

Balloons.. with the mouse shape in them..my favorite

Must have had something to do with the proximity of the fellow below....

Wreath Making

Park services event fun again this year -- they trim things off local trees in parks..and take a bit of trimmings from local Christmas tree lots.  Brought the little one this year...she made a wreath of her own as well.  Making a wreath of local real stuff, view of the bay, and family = priceless.

Snowman Wood Cut out in Work..for outdoors.

Growing up, when the Farris family put up their trio of near life size (wooden) choir boys singing in their yard...you knew Christmas was approaching.  Finally, wooden snowman to honor the memory and enjoy in present.  Cut him out last year, but didn't get to the decorating....and cutting it a little close now, but he should make it up by this Christmas!  He is about 5 feet tall..mushroom umbrella to give color added, and a little more here and there.

2016 Holiday Cards...Handmade

Ok..it is supposed to look like a gift...and it was in my mind is filled with peace and love.

I was going to tag it that way, but then thought, goofball, the tag is for the name, not the contents..(I figured that out before I made the cards, but not before I concepted). But, I liked the tags for color and "3D" addition..so, they stayed. Not sure my handwriting is up to writing recipients name on there...might just be the "expectation" part of a blank name on a gift...like..."surprise" and  "good things to come" in terms of the stuff that physical packages often can't hold.

Dec 3rd...what it looked like from here

On a walk by the ocean...nearby the best picnic table placement in the world.

Tile Table -- in work -- simple shapes

Has taken a while to get this out of the kiln...and a piece missing now..so another delay!  But, proceeding.   Concept sketch below. About 24" x 48" in tile..a bit more when I make the wooden sides.

Moon

Looked more yellow and clear than how it is captured here with iPad.  Info on when to look said Sunday at 3:23, and this was close.  But the full moon tomorrow is also said to be biggest/closest since 1948....ha...see the difference?!  In real eye life it was more yellow and brilliant...but never mind the date, looking at the moon is special every day, and likely not enough sunset or moon watching going on overall.

Chalk designs -- guest artist

 As a neighbor so nicely said -- nothing improves a road more than chalk drawings from a kid.
Guest artist.  Hopscotch cognizant..yippee!

Construction Process -- Playing with Idea

 Friend gave me a seed of project -- paint collaboratively.  Turn out the canvases were foam core board.  So, I thought of 3D construction rather than "painting." Drew in notability...since not much of a sketcher, and eye used to screen images, played in Notability.

Then mapped it out dimension-wise, and converted those to back of board.
Primed the board, to find when it dried that the primer cause warping because had only done one side...pull with pull back.  My structure has little openings here and there because of this (well, some b/c of this, some b/c my cuts not always exact). The collaboration part is my commission for David's painting on side of building.   :)

Anyhow...this was a lark for an hour or so, but reminded me of the process of making. I was constructing this inside the shop part of his garage...tools, peg boards, etc. Reminded me so much of childhood views. First off -- of all those years of watching my father construct art in his studio -- so much of it created in his heart and mind first, and via his hands "free form ," but also the measuring part...there were parts that needed to be put together with exactness. All that subtle viewing of a kid...seeing it being made.   Then, all those years watching Susan's Dad work in his shop or on something by the lake. Then, watching David do process on physical projects -- working together on benches, watching him tackle some home project.

I thought how lucky I had been to be exposed to all this -- watching people make something with their hands and minds. I've know how lucky I have been to have these people in my life, but I begin to think of what may not be as prevalent today -- beyond having the fortune of having a father as an artist, those other parts of my watching -- the repair or creation of utilitarian things rather than the buying of things.  As we know, so much seems nowadays easier to re-buy than fix. May the view of making by hands be available to all those who would benefit.  Tech/computer creation and re-buying works for many and does of course teach a different kind of building, but doing it yourself works the mind and hands in different ways.

Boooooo

To be braided...with ensemble below to render as scary doll.

Hand Made Stencil used on Ceramics

Took a paper cut design and applied to clay -- then put under glaze over the design element.  Fired. 

Ceramic Crown

Not yet fired or bejeweled...but in the works.  It is not butter....it's clay! Oh, that should not become the official title...as I am morphing two memories into one....it was Imperial margarine, not Parkay...so my rhyme fun short circuited.

My inspiration came from celebration of King Charles IV 700th birthday -- a few exhibits, and "king" touches around recent travels.  They seem to really like him there..he worked to create systems of in the lands he ruled to foster peace, supported the arts, brought new ideas, etc.  He was the decendent  of two Saints, so that seemed to give him a "leg up" too in terms of fondness.    One exhibit had a coat he wore, with descriptive saying that the then Pope or some "authoritative" figure of his reign said that is was too tight and unseemly for a King to wear.  Charles IV had had an "outside" culture exposure life prior to assuming the reign -- and he thought the coat just fine.  The cultural impact of clothing....I suppose there are many many books on that.  I wonder how it would be if we all wore crowns? Hard to take a hike with I suppose..and of course, Sneetch story line to ensue.

Totem of Some Sort

Totem of textures with my favorite pink luminosity. Ceramics, Plexiglas, and sunshine. 

Circle Tile Layout -- Ceramic Table

Using some circles from an abandoned project as well as some test tiles to play with design for table. 

Table layout -- ceramic tile project

Ok..trying something different -- non-commissioned, balance of a little different but not too different.
Glazes are where the "little different" will mainly be I believe.  Decided "by hand" shapes rather than exact ones to help with the "little different" as well.  Second oval is a bit off on alignment..will see if I can cut it to be more on its "measured" axis, or if it will be just a bit off kilter...like they likely may all end up! Interesting how the eye can do it fairly well without a ruler...what is that?  No ruler! Oh...that explains it the preference.

In progress- glaze before fire, curved platter

Using a paper cut -- by hand -- as a stencil...pressed into slab.  Then ombre of some under glaze. 

Put into sloped dish to give some bend.  Now to dry and fire. 

Shadow Play ...Skeleton

The light was coming in just the right way to throw the shadow up on the ceiling...long and spooky. 

Painting shapes

Larger canvas, acyrlics...simple shapes...inspired by another, so not organically from me.  Why???? Hmmm.  Not that I did it as good as the inspiration either.  A bit more to go here, but on the way.

Great Graffiti

Saw this on my walk up the street....such commentary, so nicely done...yes, not good that did it on the wall, but....

Obeci Dum (Municipal House) Prague -- Rooms and Tiles

                              
Mucha Room..designed and adorned by Mucha at Obeci Dum/ Municipal House.  The man with beard there is  Comenius / Komensky there...key figure in education -- teaching and learning.  (Saw Slav Epic by Mucha at Trade Fair Palace....exhibit soon to travel...enormous canvases depicting history / legend of Slavic people.)

 

Yet another room in Municipal House

 Ceiling of another room

Moscaic work...Nemcova Room

 Tiles to be seen in public areas of Municipal House in Prague.  Take the tour too..wonderful rooms that you won't be able to see unless take tour or go to event there.

 Floor tiles. 

 How is this for a/c grate?!