The Crazy Quilt of Life

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

I’ve made the commitment to post on Thursdays each week over my lunch hour to keep the new art out there, rather than just hanging out in my studio space waiting for grout! Here’s to low-pressure resolutions! Watch for new art each Thursday!

Two new pieces today. The first is a piece that I’ve been thinking about making for some time now. After I complete a piece there are inadvertently little bits and scraps left over that aren’t enough to create another piece with, but that I can’t bear to think about throwing away. So, I have this little buckets of these bits here and there around my studio. I recently decided to dump them together and make a piece akin to a “crazy quilt” with them. For those of you who didn’t grow up with a gramma who sewed quilts, a “crazy quilt” was a quilt made of all the leftover fabric scraps from previous quilts that the quilter couldn’t bear to throw away.

Here’s my glass crazy quilt mirror:

Crazy quilt mosaic mirrorI have lots more “scraps” and so I am currently working on a picture frame in the same style and may very well create a few more–all bits and baubles and a crazy blend of colors and textures. (I’ve been told I’m a bit lacking in sharing of dimensions of my pieces…this one is 10″x10″ or so.)

The second piece is bigger–maybe 2′x2′ or so and started with a figure sketch in the center of a woman sitting in a sort of sloppy version of “easy seated pose” from my yoga practice. (My yoga teacher would be aghast at the figure’s posture, I’m sure.) I sketched her and then didn’t start the mosaic process for a couple of weeks. Some projects needs more time to marinate than others, I guess. Anyway, here she is:

I’m not sure what to call this piece–ideas that are floating around in my head are “Perceptions” or “Pondering” or “Easy Seated Pose.” It was fun to play with mixed media within each color to create a complete picture that had unique stand alone elements within it. I plan to grout this piece this weekend so that I can afix the final touches–some tiny sparkly stars on the tile stars at her forehead, her throat and her belly…plus a few more that will be added on her person somewhere.

Let me know if you think of an inspiring name I should consider.

Happy Thursday!

Rachel

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Happy 2012 and Thoughts on Balance

Posted on January 19, 2012 by

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I think I always say that–or at least I seem to be saying that a lot in the recent past. After spending all day long at a computer for my day job, it’s hard to want to hop on the computer at home, even if it is for something really cool like sharing my art on this blog.

What can I say? 2011 was a doosie and I’m sort of glad to see it go. Not that life magically changes or gets easier when the calendar resets to January 1st, but I’m letting bygones be bygones. Water under the bridge, you know? 2012 is all about balance for me–at least that’s the theme that I see emerging in the 19 days so far. With that in mind (and a gut instinct that the theme was balance–of life, of activities, of time, of mind), I started this piece on New Year’s Day. It’s big–the base is a repurposed door that I got off of Craigslist. 

As of right now, it’s called “Tree” after my favorite yoga pose by the same name. You know, this pose:

Okay, now here’s a picture of the actual art. Here’s a snapshot of the upper part of her body:

And no, she isn’t stinky–my sweet labrador puppy brought me my deoderant out of my gym bag just before I took this photo. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the foresight to move it before I took the photo! (Doh!)

Here’s a close up of her face:

Now, I need to get a good full body shot to post! It’s been fun to play with greens and browns…not my usual go to color scheme, but it seemed fitting for a tree. I have a few ideas in mind for her background, but I haven’t decided on one yet…so I will save that for later.

There are a bunch of other pieces that I’ve been working on–and some that are even grouted now! I will see about getting pictures tonight so that I can post them here.

Here’s to a happy and balanced 2012. May it be your best year yet!

Rachel

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More challenge pieces and trying like heck to be “floopy”

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

I know it’s been a bit quiet here, but the good news is that is because I have been working dutifully on my art. I currently have nine pieces waiting to be grouted, three of which I am going to share with you today!

Life being what it is, I’ve had my hands full and I’ve been battling the dreary sadness that comes with trials and hardships and an impending winter. Uff da–I am not ready for snow! Anyway, the other day I posted that I was feeling down on Facebook and a wonderful friend from graduate school where I was the odd-guy-out (an artist at heart in a room full of professed business types) reminded me to be my “floopy” self.

“Floopy” means creative, different, silly, joyous.

It was a good reminder when I wasn’t feeling my floopiest. So, I got to work and channelled my woes and here’s some of the results. Three new pieces to share (not all created since the “floopy” reminder, but three new pieces just the same!)

Here’s the first one:

I call her “Our Lady of the Cherry Blossoms.” Lilly found her at a yard sale this summer and she’s the finest bisque china…stamped “Japan” on the bottom. I did a little research and it appears that there were a number of figurines made in this style in Japan. I cant wait to grout her to seal up the white gaps that you can see between the pieces…

Here’s the second one:

I found this prayer card at a church basement sale and was taken with the fact that Our Lady is holding a female child, presumably, based on the pink gown. A little Google research shows that this image is known as “Our Lady of the Streets” and so that seems fitting for my name as well, with a twist. I call her, “Fugue, Our Lady of the Streets.” For those of you that aren’t musicians by nature, a fugue is a short melody or phrase that is introduced by one part/instrument in a piece and is successively taken up by others. Seemed fitting.

Finally, the third piece:

My first sugar skull, in honor of the coming Dia de los Muertos celebration next week. The first, but certainly not the last sugar skull that I plan to do, this piece has a few more finishing touches to add once the grouting is finished, particularly in the eyes which are just plain mirror right now. These final embellishments are a little too fragile to hold up to the grouting process…so, I will soon post the finished product! And, a second sugar skull is drawn and started on my table right now! I can’t wait. They are joyful and whimsical and traditionally not the least bit scary, which suits my lack of interest in the gory and spooky side of the Halloween season that is upon us! I promise to try to get some close up detail shots too–there’s lots of little details in this piece that the picture doesn’t show off very well.

Anyway, I am back at my work table, funneling life’s experiences into my works and trying my darnedest to be “floopy!”

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” ~Pablo Picasso

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Location:Lakeland Ave N,Minneapolis,United States

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Challenge piece #3, plus a few others for good measure!

Posted on September 23, 2011 by

Again, I’ve been tardy in posting my works as they are completely tiled and ready for grout. But I’ve been working! This challenge has morphed a bit, changed into a way to start working on the pieces that have been bouncing around in my brain for awhile–and those that occur to me out of the blue.

Here’s the 3rd challenge piece–my very own self portrait. When I took photography classes in college that was one of the assignments–at least one self portrait. I figured it would be a cool challenge to do in mosaic as well…so here it is, not yet grouted.

It looks a bit like me, I think. I was inspired to create this piece by some amazing vitreous tile that I found at Mosaic on a Stick. It’s this cool dark brown shot through with glittery copper. Lovely colors that I hope to add to my short mop soon!

Here’s another piece–one from the spur of the moment category. I call this one “Little Old” as in little old lady. LOL

I just sort of started piecing bits and pieces together, little bits and baubles that I would expect to find in the house of a cute little old lady. It wasn’t something that I thought much about…just put it together. I’m interested to see how it looks grouted!

Here’s a miniature piece the echoes my star themed pieces from last year, this year with a little Scrabble tile love.

This time I’ve used antique vitreous tile instead of my usual stained glass and glitter glass tile instead of my mirror tiles. The scrabble tiles will get their special coating soon and then, grout!

The last piece for this week is a business card holder for my cube, mosaic style! Can’t wait to get it finished and to work. Loved that the colors in the Japanese china and the ceramic flower pot I found were such a cool match!

It’s been a busy week…and the weekend is upon me…so there is sure to be more soon! (Also, I’ve found a few pieces that I completed but haven’t posted here yet, so I will need to do that as well!)

Happy Friday night!
Rachel

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” ~Pablo Picasso

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Challenge Piece #2, Plus 2 More, Finished!

Posted on September 6, 2011 by

So, you might wonder what I’ve been up to as I haven’t posted in a bit. I’ve been steadily working on a new piece and it’s very different than the stuff I normally do, so it’s taken me a bit longer than I originally thought it might.

Here’s a pic of the newest piece, working title, “Under Night’s Blanket.”

I am anxious to see how she looks once she is grouted. I am new to doing faces and I don’t want her to look ghostly, but I also need her to be somewhat representational in look/feel as her body is composed of textured spirals. So, we shall see. As soon as I get her grouted, I will post an update.

In addition to the piece above, I’ve finished two others and so I thought I would post them here so that you can see them.

Madonna on the Rocks (finally grouted!)

Here she is close up…

And here’s my mermaid (first challenge piece) all grouted and ready to go!

She’s so much lovelier in real life–the photo just doesn’t do her justice!

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been busy doing. An update soon on the “Night” piece and I’ve already got another piece cooking so, watch for updates!

Cheers!

Rachel

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First piece of new mosaic challenge!

Posted on August 12, 2011 by

20110812-122806.jpg

So, I’ve been slacking in the posting-new-work department lately. I admit it. Life’s been a little chaotic and I only recently just got back into my studio and started making art.

I’ve missed it. I can admit that.

So, I’m challenging myself to complete a new piece each week between now and December 1st in an effort to be ready for a one-day holiday sale I plan to participate in. (More details soon…) Ideally, this means that each piece will be grouted and prepped for sale each week. More realistically, that means that each piece will be completely tiled and ready for a mass grouting. (wry grin)

Whether I grout each week or all at once, the challenge is on!

To get started on the the right foot, here’s my first piece, in process. Working title: Mermaid. Something better to come soon, I’m sure.

Cheers,

Rachel

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“Fiddle Fern” Checks in From Vermont!

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

Fiddle Fern at home in Britta's garden in Vermont!

Last year I made a gazing ball for my cousin, Britta, and her-then-fiance-now-husband, Will for their wedding gift. Fiddle Fern is so named because of the winding spiral pattern that the mirror makes with the green–it reminded me of my cousin’s love of these plant wonders. So, it was a perfect fit! (And considering my cousin’s wedding dress was gorgeous green, the color was right too!)

I wasn’t able to make it out East to the ceremony, but I was there in spirit for sure and definitely oogled their pictures since then. Last fall they came back to Minnesota and I was able to send Fiddle Fern home with them on their road trip across the country. I made Britta promise to send me picture of the gazing ball once it found it’s outside home at their place in Vermont.

Today she sent me a picture! I’m so tickled, I could pop!

Thanks for the picture, Britta! Now I have to work on a piece to celebrate the imminent arrival of Bacon Bit! (hug)

 

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Inspired by Niki de Saint Phalle!

Posted on April 18, 2011 by

So, yesterday I took my first concrete sculpting class and started the armiture (skeleton) of my “real woman” female torso. The artist that teaches the class, Lori Greene, introduced me to the work of a woman named Niki de Saint Phalle. She was an amazingly gifted (and self-taught) sculptor, painter, mosaicist–and she even designed theatrical sets and costumes.

You can imagine my utter glee when I started looking at her work and was immediately enthralled by her use of color and texture, her whimsical style, and love of the female form. Until now I had not known of an artist whose work spoke to me at the very core…she is amazing and I am plotting to take a trip and see her work in person if I can, somewhere. Hopefully at least one of her works is somewhere near here!

Anyway, I was so enamored that I had to pirate a few shots to share her work with you. I hope you enjoy!

              

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Having Faith: Confessions from a Control Freak

Posted on April 7, 2011 by
Have Faith - Confessions from a Control Freak

A reminder to have faith...

Hi. My name is Rachel and I am a control freak.

There.

I admitted it publicly.

Or maybe it’s not so much that I am a control freak as the fact that I have a hard time trusting other people to work on my best behalf when I can’t for whatever reason.

It’s not that I think they will do me wrong, I just feel like I could do it better. (wicked grin)

Okay, so maybe I AM a control freak.

It’s weird to be both an artist AND a control freak. I’m not particularly rigid about my art or how I make art. My loving other half would attest that I can most often be found surrounded by bits and baubles and chunks of class from three pieces that are already in process and there I sit, starting another one.

It has more to do with big life stuff–like subletting an apartment when you’ve already found the place you want. (Guess what’s going on in my life right now?) We have lots of interested applicants who are likely to take over our lease–I just can’t make it move as fast as I would like.

I just do my best to create a plan and then become an utter stress puppy when I can’t assure that things will go as planned. I wonder where on earth I managed to get those tendencies. (wicked grin)

At any rate, those tendencies don’t really serve me very well. They can easily throw me off kilter and make me a wreck to live with. (I love you honey!)

So, this little sign is going to hang in the kitchen of my new house very soon–to remind me to have faith and trust that I will be taken care of.

(Better picture coming soon–sorry for the shadows!)

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Taking a Quick Time Out

Posted on April 5, 2011 by
Time-Out-to-Garden-Stool

Seat of a garden stool in process.

So, recently life has been super busy and I haven’t been able to get to the studio like I want. I find this frustrating, especially since I network with other artists that work in mediums that appear to me to be “faster art.” (I realize that this is most likely FAR from the case, but it’s a feeling not necessarily a fact.) And this feeling that my art is to S-L-O-W bugs me.

But every time I contemplate the options: 1) choose a different medium, 2) refuse to sleep more than 20 hours a week or 3) quit my art all together, the resounding answer that I get back from my heart is, “Heck no!”

So, I guess you could say that this is my very own personal time out to remind myself that art is a process. What’s more it’s an INDIVIDUAL process that can’t be compared to someone else’s experience, work or timeline.

So, there you have it. My very own reminder to trust the art, trust my gut, and take time outs for attitude readjustment whenever necessary.

:)

PS–Seriously Whimsical has big news! We will be showing art at NEMAA’s Art-a-Whirl in May and the studio is moving to a new location on May 1st! PLUS, I am a very lucky girl in that I get to take a concrete sculpting class starting on April 19th! More info (and pictures) to come very soon!

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