more presents ...

Thank you so much to everyone for the wonderful comments and sweet emails about Scottie.  It has helped so much just knowing that you all are out there and care.  I can not tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness.  

I could not ignore the timing of losing Scottie and starting the 'Present and Accounted For' project since one of the main concepts is about appreciating the many gifts of our lives then passing along those gifts we've received.  So it has been difficult for me to think about my next post.  But the flood of requests for presents and the many pictures that have been steadily coming in, are nudging me back.

Before Thanksgiving, I received more request for presents than I had, so I went straight to work making the small army of presents you see above!  

Then boxed for shipping.

Of course no ordinary shipping label or box would do .... 

You can imagine the scenario at the post office with the line of people behind me and my stunned reaction that the postal stickers have to go on top of my carefully handcrafted "bow" labels and "ribbon" tape! :)  

Scene:

Karen enters post office with fifteen separate packages to ship.  Suddenly all at once, many people get in line behind her.

Postal worker:  How may I help you?

Karen: I have fifteen packages to ship, each going to a different address.

(groans and sighs from the line can clearly be heard as the postal worker prepares the shipping)

Postal worker: This package is going to Canada, you will need to fill out the customs form.  

Karen:  I have five going to Canada

Postal worker:  Then each one will need a separate customs form.

(more sighs and groans)

Karen: I'm not sure what to list under "contents" for the form.

Postal worker:  What is inside?

Karen: Well... it... it's sort of a present.

Postal worker:  If it is a gift, check the box that says "gift" and list what the gift is

Karen: No, it's not actually a gift.... it is... well... it's an art project

Postal worker:  A what?  

Karen:  Well it's a symbolic gift, it really isn't anything..

(people start leaving the line, those that stay put hands on hips and make other visual clues of dissatisfaction)

Postal worker: Well you have to claim how much the contents are worth

Karen: But it only has symbolic value... 

Postal worker: You will have to put a value of some sort...

Karen:  Well that really depends on how well this project does :)

Thanks again to everyone participating!  I have updated Present and Accounted For with new photos, and I have many many many more to post.  I will continue to make and ship presents to anyone interested.  Thank you to everyone, thank you for spreading the word about the project, thanks for the Facebook links!

I have new paintings to post about soon, but until then, my most sincere hope that you do not find yourself behind someone like me in the post office! :)

Scottie

Over Thanksgiving, my husband and I lost a huge piece of our hearts.  We were out of town for the holiday and our cat sitter caring for our two cats, gave the wrong cat insulin injections.  We are thankful that D-con, who needed the shots, survived, but we are terribly heartbroken over losing Scottie.

He never asked for anything - never meowing for food or treats.  All he seemed to want was to be near us.  He was constantly by our sides and in our hearts, and we miss him.

Present and Accounted for

I had an idea of presents being shared and passed around from person to person, until eventually presents are circling the globe - being documented along the way so that each participant could keep track of just how far their tiny present goes.  Not the most original idea, I know, but one I thought was particularly fitting for me to do.

My recent residency gave me the opportunity to test out this idea, and at first I thought it had been a colossal failure.  People kind enough to come to my reception, were also kind enough to take a present with them as instructed, but weeks and weeks later no photos of presents appeared in my inbox.  But then ...  pictures started coming in!!  Wonderful photos showing where these presents are going and what they are seeing!  I am so excited I can barely stand it!

SO.... I've started an auxiliary blog that I hope will continue to grow with new photos!  The blog is called Present And Accounted For, I hope you will follow along!  The first post is on the new blog now and tells the inspiration behind this idea.  The next post will show how the project developed and the photos of the presents and the participants will be posted as they come in!

Also, I have a couple of extra presents if anyone is interested in participating please email me and I will mail you one.  Do note, it is a symbolic present, there isn't anything inside, but you can read more about this on Present And Accounted For.

Reach Out

Well how can I possibly explain this one! :) Nothing but presents (with the occasional purse or two) for three years of this blog and suddenly Barbie in all her glory.

My very early paintings were large still life ensembles like this painting below, and Barbie made several appearances. I know this does not explain, why Barbie, why now, but here she is... she insisted..... I'm just as shocked as you may be :)

"Help"

I am utterly blown away by synchronicity! I finished this painting two weeks ago and loaded it on my website, but hadn't posted it here. What is amazing to me, is that when I decided on the title two weeks ago, I did not know the overwhelming amount of kindness and HELP that would be directed my way! Thank you so much to Sande Chase from A Gift Wrapped Life who posted my painting "Look At Me." Thank you Sande!

Plus many many thanks you to those who have emailed to let me know my paintings were also appearing on other fabulous blogs too! Thank you to Shelter , Design Darling , Patterson Maker's Tumblr , and Crush Cul de Sac, for somehow stumbling upon my paintings and being kind enough to spread the word! Thank you so much!

When I wrapped this present to paint, I tried to make the arms (ribbon) outstretched as if asking for help. I did not know I would receive it! Now I see that outstretched arms give help too!

"Look At Me" selected for show!

My recent painting, "Look At Me" was selected for the Beverly Art Competition and Exhibit. I am extremely excited and honored to be included in this exhibit!!

The reception is November 5th, from 7-9pm for anyone in the Chicago area. Yea! Now I'm off to celebrate :)

"Secure"

During my residency I worked on a collaboration project with Mark Toncray, a metal sculpture artist. He suggested working together on a project, so I started brainstorming right away on ideas.

My initial thought was to have only the ribbons of the present constructed in steel. I made this example above using a sculpting product called Paper Clay to see what it might look like. I made a framework out of wire first, then wrapped with the paper clay. I wanted the metal inside not only for support, but so I could suspend the piece off the wall (with nails and magnets) for interesting shadows.

I liked the way the clay piece looked but I felt there was something else I wanted to say with the steel. Journaling and doing tiny thumbnail sketches helps me sort through ideas, it's like thinking out loud. I realized I should incorporate the meaning of the material in some way - steel as a barrier, strong, safeguarding - so the idea for the steel box with chains as ribbon and several padlocks piled on top for a 'bow' hit me! This pic above shows the original idea of how I thought it might look.

Then Mark went to work, and appeared with the real thing! This is a picture taken during the reception. I hung the box on the wall along with the drawing and painting of piece.

The drawing is graphite on Yupo. I loved drawing and painting my chain ribbons! Working on transparent papers during the residency was a way to experiment with ideas about losing the box. And suddenly it felt like the box was saying, "oh no you don't, I'm here to stay!"

And finally the painting, "Secure" which is oil on Yupo.

I love Mark's box, it's a more subtle idea of a present, not as obvious as the multiple locks. But being the obsessive person that I am, and being really excited about potentially a strong visual statement, I made a trip to Home Depot last night for more chains, metal flashing, and 8 padlocks. :) Who knows if it will work out, I'll let you know.

Drawings

"Blueberry" - graphite, charcoal, ink pens, india ink, and white oil paint.

Lately I've been spending more and more time with the prep drawing portion of the painting - enjoying the process and loving the look of the ribbons and bows in black and white. But the drawing eventually disappears under the painting and I end up wishing I had the drawing too. So for my residency I decided to experiment with drawing and painting on papers, particularly transparent ones.

"Blueberry" was my first drawing to do during my stay, and lesson number one - I will eventually use wet media, so regular vellum is out for me. The wrinkling paper was caused by the ink wash and white oil paint I used, so sad :(

I like this drawing a lot, but as soon as it was finished I felt there was something about it that seemed too something ... not me? Too much of an illustration look..maybe ... too much with all the curling ink lines?? I'm not sure. What do you think? But I really loved the velvety appearance from the ink washes.

"Over the Top" - graphite, ink markers, india ink, white oil paint on multi media vellum

This drawing was next, and even though I am unhappy with how this turned out over all, I really started figuring out how to use the inks.

In this close up, the thin wash and lucky accident of the long triangular drip helped me see how I could manipulate the inks for a look I liked better. I really like the more purposeful graphite lines visible through the ink washes. I loved layering the washes for multiple values too, but when that drip happened .... oh I fell in love! I haven't worked with inks and didn't know that a drip continues where the surface is wet, but stops where the surface is dry. Knowing this I really started to play!

"Pink" - graphite, India ink, and white oil paint on Yupo

"Pink" was next, and Yupo feels like silk, I adore it. I believe it is typically used for watercolor, and I can see why. The ink washes slide right across the surface and layering and drips were easy and fun. It is heavier than vellum, and holds the oil paint well too. Plus I felt it was easier to get darker values with the ink layers.

The lesson here though was the initial graphite lines I like to see peeking through, lift off once washes go on. Spray fixing the graphite drawing before applying washes is what I will do from now on. Even still, this is my favorite drawing of the res.

I LOVED how this long drip made its way all the way down the center ribbon, then just magically stopped!

It is difficult to see from these photographs the effect the transparent papers have on the drawings, but once hung, the shadows from the wall itself contribute to the drawings' values. I hope to continue to play around with this now that I'm home. PLAY being the key word and one of my most important lessons learned :)

Residency Video

This video starts the moment I arrived at the Blueberry View Artist Retreat by making my first late night pot of coffee for unpacking and setting up my studio.

In 4:36 seconds I squeeze all the things I worked on while there, plus the inspiration behind these projects, then finally breaking down my studio to hang and prepare for the final reception. I've included the gorgeous surrounding areas I happened upon too - incredible beaches, farmland, and even a hummingbird I was lucky enough to get on film!

I assumed from the residency's name, I would be inspired by the blueberry fields so I ordered hundreds of blue bows shipped directly there. These blue bows and bushes never made it into my main video project, but occupied days of filming in all sorts of weather. I only wish I had ordered 5000 bows .... maybe next time :)

"Blueberry"

I'm back from my residency, and sooooooo much to tell, I don't even know how to start! But first, to any subscribers out there, I must apologize. I deleted a few older posts yesterday, and apparently this caused posts from 2009 with inactive links to re-posted. Many apologies for the confusion, and thank you to Christine Holzschuh, Chirstine Bray, Silvina Day, and Cindy Revell who emailed alerting me to this problem. Thank you so much for taking time to let me know!!

The residency was INCREDIBLE! So much in fact, I've decided to divide the photos and info over several posts because the experience was so inspiring I have a lot to share.

It is called The Blueberry View Artist Retreat, in Benton Harbor, MI, and is brand new. I was only the fourth resident, which made me feel all the more lucky and honored to have had this opportunity. It is hosted by two incredible artists, Janet Sullivan and Mark Toncray, who generously provide an artist the use of a private complete apartment with a light filled 300 square foot studio. I do not adjust easily to new studios, but somehow Janet and Mark know exactly how to make the studio and surrounding gardens filled with inspiration. They are tremendously hospitable, generous with their own time and encouragement, I could go on and on, and probably will!

I completed four paintings, five drawings, two collages, a small clay sculpture (experiment), a metal sculpture collaboration piece with Mark who is a fantastic metal sculptor, and I completed the video project I thought I would only have time to start! I've also put together another quick video to sum up my two week flurry of activity which is already on my website, but I will post here next. Needless to say, sleep was not a priority and I'm still recovering, so I only hope these posts make sense!

"Blueberry" was my first painting there. It is oil and ink marker on vellum. All of my paintings and drawings were done on papers of some sort, and during the two weeks, I taped finished works on the wall of my studio. However, for the closing reception, I hung all the works using nails and magnets. You can see in this photo the silver round magnets in the corners of the paper and the nails are about one inch off the surface, causing the painting to float off the wall, or in this case, shadow box Mark made (more on this also.)

I am forever thankful to Janet and Mark!