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Archive for November, 2009

Art Every Day 22

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

westhills3

What a surprise it was to have blue skies and sunshine for much of today, here in Portland, Orygun. I love going down to the Rhodie Garden at sunset on a day like this. I can look out over the reservoir to the west hills and see the last bit of sunshine illuminating the sky. All photos in this post were taken with my iPhone.

westhillsview2

westhillsview

And, look, can you see the moon. We don’t often get to see the moon this time of year, so it has to be savored.

rhodiemoon

This morning, I got to see our latest art show at the Cathedral. In December, we have a show to benefit an organization, sometimes it is crafts from a third world country. This year it is work by homeless children who are mentored through a program called p:ear.  I was blown away by the work and much of the it is credited to anonymous. I used my iPhone to take some photos, but the gallery lighting really causes a glare.

pearart1

I wanted to buy the piece on the right, but it had a red dot by the time I got to it.

pearart2

pearart3

pearart4

In addition to selling the art, we are collecting art supplies for the program.

It was a jam packed day. This afternoon, we took M & M to see puppet portrayal of Rumpelstiltskin. The script was written by a fellow art’s commission friend, Sharon, about 15 years ago, for the puppet theater. We all enjoyed it very much. She had enough bawdy dialogue, to make Mr C and I laugh out loud.

In the lobby of the theater is this huge and strange chair with a sign that says, sit on me. So M & M did.

milesbigchair

miabigchair

So, my art for today was taking photos and going to the theater. Works for me!!

Art Every Day 21

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

fusedglassbugs

I did a  bit of work finetuning the design of my pink 12 X 12 piece. I need to get a metallic pink look so I pulled out possible materials to achieve the look I want.

My main art adventure for the day was a trip to the Portland Audubon Society Wild Arts Festival. It is a fund raising event for the group. Art Media, a local art store, gave out 6 X 6 inch canvases to artists to create a piece to be sold at the festival. I did a small birds on a wire piece. I don’t know if I took a photo. Here is a poster of all of the pieces. Mine is in the third row, fifth from the right side.

sixXsixphotos

Here is where they were displayed:

6X6display

The great thing was that mine had already sold. A vendor near the display told be that there was a long line of people waiting to buy these when the show opened this morning.

Those cute fused glass bugs up at the top of my blog, were purchased at the show. They are each about 3 inches long. They have little holes in their front feet to hang them on the wall.

We thoroughly enjoyed looking at all of the art in this gorgeous building that was once a Montgomery Wards.

montgomeryparkatrium

audobonartshow

We saw three gorgeous birds.

A vulture:

vulture

An beautiful Owl:

owl

And a raven – so gorgeous.

raven

It is a busy week-end. Tomorrow, we go to see Rumpelstiltskin, performed by large puppets. Mia says it is a story that can be told very quickly!! But, my friend Sharon has written the play and I am sure it will not pass by that quickly!!

Art Every Day 20 and a Birthday

Friday, November 20th, 2009

blackpaintdry

paintedwhitedry

This is what the two choreographed collages looked like this morning after they were dried and ironed. The white paint almost disappeared and the black faded considerably. I worked on my pink piece for the Twelve X Twelve December challenge. I fine tuned the design that I will use. I think about the darn thing all the time, but this is good because I keep coming up with better ideas for the layout and embellishment. So I can’t really show you my art for the day.

We had a great time celebrating Milo’s birthday. We gave him a geocahce gps and several accessories. I think the family will have a good time going out hunting for the hidden caches.

Miles wanted to go to a sushi train restaurant. He likes to be able to see what he is going to eat. He ate 5 plates of California sushi and some chicken strips.

Here are some shots from the sushi restaurant.

sushitrain1

sushitrain2

miaatsushi

milesatsushi

View into the sushi kitchen. I think those are extra large rice cookers.

sushikitchenview

They tally up the prices by counting the plates and colors.

sushiprices

Then we were off to the gelato store.

gelatostore

The birthday boy lost a front tooth today. He looks so cute, but would he smile for the camera, no!!

gelatomilo

Books are like magnets for my grandchildren.

m&mreading

The gelato store makes donuts which looked ever so yummy, but I will be having my whole wheat English muffin for breakfast.

gelatodonuts

Happy birthday, little man.

littleman

Friday, November 20th, 2009

champagne-glass

The Twelve by Twelve artists are excited twelve times over to announce that:

(drum roll, please…. )

Sterling Publications/Lark Books will soon be publishing a book on our Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt project!

We are thrilled beyond words to have this wonderful opportunity, and so happy that our art endeavors and friendships are turning us into authors, too.  We know that Lark was impressed by the loyal folks who follow our blogs and website, so thanks to all of you  friends-of-Twelves for your encouraging words through our explorations!

We’ll keep you posted as we know publication dates.

We are lifting a virtual glass of champagne to each other and to all of you for your support!

(And I am so excited!!)

Art Every Day 19

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

choreographed1

I did not have a good day today – had sort of a relapse with a really bad sinus headache and lethargy. Didn’t do much all day except veg and do some grocery shopping. After dinner (maybe it was the wine), I began to feel better.  I went down to the studio, wanting to do something. I was going to do another Expressive Drawing when I remembered something else I wanted to try.

Jason Pollen, who is the recent past president of the Surface Design Association board, in his last letter from the president gave an assignment titled, Create Two Choreographed Collages. Here are his instructions:

Materials
• 2 8-inch squares of light colored fabric
• A few small cloth fragments from your scraps
• 2 spools of contrasting colored thread for hand or machine sewing (spool and bobbin)
• A small quantity of white and black paint (acrylic or latex)
• A smallish brush
• Water and a small container for mixing the paint

Procedure
1. Sit quietly and contemplate the square of fabric and then hand- or machine-stitch two rows from edge to edge. They may or may not cross. The stitched lines may or may not be straight or sinewy.
2. Stitch two or more (not many) of your fabric bits onto this square so that they have some affinity for one another and hum in the space you have given them to dance.
3. Wet the background areas with your brush and water.
4. Paint onto this wet fabric (the background) with the tip of your brush dipped in white or black. Take your time with this and watch how the watery paint responds to capillary action.
5. Now create a second eight-inch square and proceed the same way as before. This time use the paint color you did not use in the first piece. Contrast the mood and atmosphere with the first piece.
6. Iron the pieces when dry.

This exercise is designed to make you smile.

Above, is one of my stitched pieces and here is the other.

choreographed2

Here they are with paint. I did not have time for them to dry and be ironed. Had to watch Project Runway.

choreographedwhite

choreographedblack

My paint did not really spread on the wet fabric like I expected. Maybe it was the fabric. I love the white painted piece. I am smiling just because I feel better.

I am hoping that I am at the end of whatever has been ailing me. Tomorrow, we will celebrate Milo’s 8th birthday and on Sunday, I am taking M & M to see Rumpelstiltskin performed by puppets. I also hope to get to the art show to benefit the Portland Audubon Society, on Saturday. I have a little piece in the auction.