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

Posted in Mosaic Musings, Work in Progress | Tagged | 1 Comment

“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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Flower for Miss Barb!

Posted on March 6, 2011 by

Flower for Barb, close upAwhile back a good friend commissioned me to make a piece for her living room. It took awhile for me to catch the inspiration bug, but I did and here’s what the piece looks like!

Here are two more images, one of the piece in process and one shot of the whole piece after it was done.

Flower for Barb Barbs Flower in Progress!

What a fun piece to create! Once I got the inspiration, it took a matter of hours!

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