Adjustments

This past week has been an adventure in eating adjustments.  I’ve been slowly transitioning myself to a vegan, gluten free, low glycemic diet.  After getting sick on pizza last weekend I decided I could not longer make exceptions to the diet and went 100%.  I hope it helps.  I’ve had increasing digestive problems for about five years now. 

I’m trying not to focus on what I can’t eat, and more on what I can.  Smoothies, salads, rice/quinoa dishes, gluten free baked goods and pasta are some of my choices.  It will take a little getting used to.   I must say that my stomach no longer feels heavy after eating, and I have lost a few pounds.  I can still eat my favorite snack, popcorn (topped with olive oil, nutritional yeast, and spices). 

If you have any recipes or resources for me, please pass them along!  I hope to get back to making art this week.  More to come!

Clay Commission

"Crow Dreaming", ceramic with pearls and beads, 8 x 11", 2012

Over a month ago a friend commissioned me to create a clay piece for her atrium.  She needed art that could handle being outside.  Clay is perfect for that.  She told me I could create anything I like as long as it hangs on a wall and is not too large.  The possibilities were endless.  Hundreds of ideas ran through my head.  Finally I settled on an idea that had a personal connection to my friend.  After a couple of sketches I constructed the piece.  I had so much fun!  It was like drawing without a pencil.  This is my first relief sculpture, and certainly not my last.  I enjoy the process of working with clay.  It combines my fine art and crafting skills, 2D and 3D, and is a nice break from painting and jewelry.

Building Slime Mold (on Canvas)

I’ve been playing around with slime mold paintings.  They are like relief paintings, made with Golden brand Acrylic Molding Paste.  Recently I blogged about using cake decorating tools to control the medium.  Here is a photo of me at work, and another finished piece.

Untitled, acrylic and micro beads on canvas, 2 x 3", 2012

Evolution of a Slime Mold Painting

I thought it would be fun to document the evolution of one of my new paintings.  Unfortunately, I didn’t do such a good job.  After photographing the under painting I got carried away with the work and the photo series makes sudden drastic changes.  I just couldn’t bear to stop and take pictures while I was in the process of creating.  I also have a little fear of immortalizing the work at an unfinished stage.  This painting is tiny, just 2 x 3"!  Here is what I did capture:

Drawing

Molding Paste with a little color added

Layer of Underpainting

Color!

Glitter!  It is finished!

 

Lichen and Dragonflies

I just finished this painting.  The second in what may be a series of acrylic, myco, and glitter paintings.  The green objects are Cladonia Chlorophaea (lichen) from Scotland and the dragonfly is a darner.

My pendants inspired the painting.  I have several more in progress.  I’m not sure where the work is going, but I’m having fun on the journey.

More to come soon!!!

Mornin' Sunshine!

Almost every morning I make myself a green smoothie.  If I fail at eating well for the rest of the day (hopefully I won’t), at least I started the day out right.  Surprisingly, I notice that if I start the day this way I have fewer cravings for the bad stuff (sugar, fat, salty snacks, etc).  There are an infinite number of ways to make a green smoothie.  Mine contains: ½ a large cucumber, a celery stalk, an apple, a small carrot, 2-3 kale leaves, a couple handfuls of spinach, half an avocado, hemp seeds, spirulina powder, chlorella powder, cinnamon, coconut water, and ice.  All these ingredients are organic.  My smoothie will hold me until lunchtime. It tastes fresh and delicious and lightly sweet.  Everything get’s blended in my Vitamix in about 15 seconds.  Now I have energy to make some art! 

Cheers!

Studio News

 

For the last 12 hours of studio time I’ve been working at forming new clay pieces to become future pendants.  It’s more time consuming than I thought.  I’m making many more than I did in my first batch.  I roll out the clay, let it sit and dry for hours, cut out shapes, smooth and form them with my fingers, then set them to dry again.  When they are completely dry I’ll lightly sand them so I have a smooth side to draw on, and so they feel good against the skin.  Then they will be ready for the kiln.  It’s not the most exciting work; I like doing the drawing better.  But, I’m excited to have at least 130 tiny canvases.