Finished work

Finished work

 

I actually finished this a few days ago but, haven't taken the time to post it.  I guess I should have cropped it. This actually is not finished because I haven't sprayed a sealer on it.

So, I am dog sitting for a couple of days while my son and his family are out of town.  It is rainy and cold. Not good conditions to do what I need to in the studio.  Not that I will have any problem finding something productive to do.  Maybe make a couple of sample copper pieces for a potential customer. I think that is what I will concentrate on today and that will most likely be the topic of the next post.

I am glad that I was able to get the protective coating on this yesterday before the humidity was too high. You can see how it brightens the image.

The picture was also taken under better lighting.  I do not have a good photo editing program on this mini. Actually I am still having trouble uploading and remembering how I did it the last time. Mainly making sure the watermark copyright notice is there.

Until next time, I hope your days are filled with health and happiness.

Work in progress

Work In Progress

I know, it has been a while since I have posted anything new.  Sorry.  

Last posting I said I would try and show you some of my work.  Well, I got it in my head that I wanted to do a new colored pencil drawing of some kind of animal. While going through my reference pictures I came across a stack of photos I had taken when I was working for a bird breeder here in Florida. 

Art work doesn't always pay all the bills so, there have been lots of times that I took on other work and I try to take jobs that I am very good at or that I really enjoy.

I like animals and birds are my favorite and they are smarter than people give them credit.  I have about about 12 years of experience working with breeders of exotic animals and birds. 

There was this Cockatoo that came to the farm because his owners for some reason couldn't keep him anymore.  Probably the noise.  Cockatoos scream very loudly twice a day, morning and evening.  "Calling their flock."  Anyway, this guy was very sulky and sad.  I made it a point to take some extra time with him each day and after about three months he started talking to me.  

First words were "step up".  Step up is the first thing that you want to teach a companion bird and this boy knew what it meant.  He would reach his foot through the cage and try to step up on my hand.  Well, I ended up buying him and taking him home and for days tried to guess what his name had been.  Then one day as I was testing name on him he says "hello Sundance" like he figured out what I was doing.  His name was Sundance.    He talked like crazy and I found out he knew more cuss word than me.  

I was only able to keep him for three years because I moved to an area where the neighbors would not put up with his twice daily screaming.  So, he went back to the farm and was able to be introduced to a female and they accepted each other as mates.  He is happy.   

Colored Pencils

One of my favorite mediums to work in are colored pencils because of the detail that I can achieve. Prismacolor are what I use.  I like a soft waxy lead that I keep very sharp and blend the colors between layers with a very hard (6h or 8h) drawing pencil.

This is a drawing of a Macaw.

Next post will have the finished picture.  Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures but the battery needs to be replaced in my camera and I am taking these with my phone, emailing them to myself, downloading to my photo program to edit and watermark.

Home Again

Home Again

I had been working out of town for eight days and got back home Sunday evening. It is so good to be back and into my own studio again.

First things first.

For those of you that don't know, I live with my son who works out of town and is only here on the weekends. It works for both of us. I help take care of his place and have a location for my studio.

He got us a replacement dishwasher for Christmas and started the installation but needed different fittings for the water intake and got them at Lowe's (and a new push lawn mower for me.)  He didn't have time to finish the hook-up before he had to leave for the work week.

So, I put on the fitting and hooked-up the water line.  Would have been very simple except, no plummer's tape.  Instead I used a thin coat of silicone mold making material I use.  If needed it will allow the fitting to come out but prevents leaks.  

Glad I thought of using that.  The dishwasher works great.

Next was to take a day and get the house clean and orderly again.

Catch Up

Of course I had to take some time to catch up on the email, Facebook, groups and the rest.  Doing that between loads of laundry.

Fun Stuff

Now I am working on a cute pillow design I am doing for someone to give as gifts to kidney donor and recipient. I will post a picture after the customer has received and seen them (next week.)

This afternoon I will put the handle on the new mower and start spring cleanup outside.

Some of you run, go to the gym or exercise class; I work outside in the yard or garden.  It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something while maintaining my health and it is something I love to do.

Time to get back to the sewing machine and get those pillows stuffed.

Will post again in a few days.  With some pictures of artwork I have done so you can get to know what I can do.

You all have a great day.

Stay Healthy

Stay Healthy

As I am working this morning, working on a contract painting job and my hands are swollen, I think now is the time to remind everyone to pay attention to your health.

Your eyes, hands and brain are your most important tools. Keep them healthy and in good shape along with the rest of your body.

Arthritis is nothing new to me. It started when I was in my late twenties. I was working on some very large wood carvings. Mallet and chisel. So needless to say, may hands (and the rest of my body) give me a lot of trouble especially in the cold, damp weather. All those old injuries come back to haunt us in later life.

Moving on.

There are many concerns that artists face and may not be obvious.

Of course there are the obvious things to be concerned with, nutrition, weight, exercise, and overall physical health.

Keep you brain and mind healthy.  That is where the creation process is born and grows.

Safety

Always consider eye protect.  Protect them from possible damage from flying debris and chemicals. When I am doing mosaics and working with glass I do not make any cuts unless I have on safety goggles.  Also, many of the products we work with are poison and the fumes can be harmful to the eyes and enter the body via the eyes.

We expose ourselves to poisons and carcinogens by way of glues, paints, solvents, and dust that can build up in the lungs. Never feel like a sissy for wearing protective gear such as goggles, masks and gloves.

I'll cover all of this in later posts but I had to mention this before I got side tracked.

Until next time, stay healthy.

I'll Try This

I'll Try This

I am an artist and new to blogging. This is something I have wanted to do for some time.  So, here goes. Remember, I am an artist, not a writer.  There will be mistakes.

An Artist's Life Illustrated

My plan is to share with you:

• Some of the things I have learned over the 40+ years of my art career
• Favorite mediums
• Techniques
• Materials
• Things that inspire me
• My past works
• Current projects
• Past experiences
• Current interests
• Things that I think are important
• My gardening
• A few random ramblings
• May throw in a great recipe now and then 

Check back often as I continue this creative process.

Photo is sunset after one of our afternoon Florida thunderstorms