June 17, 2008

In yesterday's blog I wrote a bit about artists using recyclable materials when creating pieces of art. Many of the typical recyclable materials are creating pieces that are 3 Dimensional (with the exception of photographs or prints of said pieces. But there are also ways to create 2 Dimensional pieces as well. Paper artists are always combining papers many use recycled papers already. Painters have been using wood, stone and masonite for many many years. In fact I once saw two of Frida Kahlo's pieces in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. I was surprised to find that both pieces were painted on masonite having incorrectly assumed that masonite was a modern building material. Since both paintings were done in the late 30s, I came home and started asking my "builder" friends about the origin of masonite. We were all surprised to find that masonitte had been created in 1924. After inspired by Ms. Kahlo's use of masonite I used a left-over scrap from reconstructing my house. This piece is called "Carnivale Cruise on the Cuyahoga" It was created in 2004. The materials are acrylic on recycled masonite which had to be primed with gesso before I could paint on it.

This piece was painted after I took a friend of mine (the reoccurring redhead) to the Cleveland Clinic for a detoxing procedure. The trip was a week long with lots of illness, vomiting and crying from my friend and my pathetic attempts at nursemaid. When we got home both our families were annoyed at been left to their own devises and decided we had taken a vacation-thus the title.

Sorry for the sales pitch but like everything life is expensive and there are always bills to be paid. If you like my work and want to support my endeavors please consider purchasing a painting. I have just put up the painting, ""A Silver Titter Stole My Baby"" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. It is acrylic paint on organic cotton and hemp canvas. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.

June 16, 2008

The recent issue (July/August 2008) of Art Calendar is focused on environmental issues. Like the rest of the world the art community is involved with sustainable art practices that have a positive impact on our planet whilst creating thought-provoking, beauty and wondrous art.

Today as I walked in the woods I reflected on "green" art. I will use the next few posts to write a bit about art and the environment

One of the thing artists can do (and have done in the past) is to use found objects in their work.

An Australian artist, John Dahlsen is a wonderful example of someone who is creating beauty from discarded object. Living on the Victorian coastline of Australian he uses found objects to create totems, landscapes and installations.

Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Louise Nevelson and Duchamp have all created amazing art from found objects.

In 1998 I painted "The Dishes Hadn't Been Done" on a metal tray that was rescued from the discard pile at a friends home. Using reclaimed materials lends itself to thinking outside the box. There is also an opportunity for more creativity as you have to work with an object already created not started from scratch.With the metal tray I had to contend with a round shape as well as the scallops along the edges. Although initially this is harder the art created can be more interesting than if you start with standard unused art paper, canvas, stretchers, etc.

Sorry for the sales pitch but like everything life is expensive and there are always bills to be paid. If you like my work and want to support my endeavors please consider purchasing a painting. I have just put up the painting, "A Silver Titter Stole my Baby" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. It is acrylic paint on organic cotton and hemp canvas. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.

June 15, 2008 Father's Day

Tonight I met my daughter and her dad at Quaker Steak and Lube for a Father's Day Dinner. Now if you were anticipating some sort of intersting art observation there is none. the food, menu and atmosphere was all uninspired. For a vegan the food choices were non exsistent. Nevertheless we had a good time reminiscing of the first Father's Day we celebated which would have been two months before my daughter was born. A celebration of the most co-creative thing I have done to date. Happy Father's Day Rick

June 14, 2008

In 1998 I finished a piece called "The Menstruation Theater". I had been making puppet theaters for my daughter at the time (shadow, small figure and hand puppet theaters) and decided to make a larger scale theater for what some people have referred to as the "menstruating puppet". The puppet herself was made of all recycled materials including an old pair of linen pants that had stopped being wearable and some jewels from my Grandmother's costume jewelry collection. There are some areas on the puppet that were painted canvas (her nipples and eyes) The hair was purchased doll hair. The theatre itself was linen tablecloth wrapped around a cheap wooden microwave cart. There are four scenes on the bottom: physical challenge, menses maintenance, emotional turmoil and environmental impact. The shadow figures on the sides of the front were from an old school educational packet-I suppose cut-outs for a bulletin board-for anti-drug campaign which I embellished with acrylic paint. The theatre stands 30" x 52" x 18". It was my original intention that this piece would be viewed in a quiet room with empty chairs that people could come and view. It is a static exhibition. On my website there is a fictional story about the theatre and additional information. This piece is also included on the website: Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health

Sorry for the sales pitch but like everything life is expensive and there are always bills to be paid. If you like my work and want to support my endeavors please consider purchasing a painting. I have just put up the painting, "A Silver Titter Stole My Baby" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.

June 13, 2008

Tonight I attended the high school graduation of the son of a close friend. If you've ever attended a graduation I'm sure you'll nod your head in agreement that most of it is fairly boring and yawn inspiring. Finally one of the speakers graceiously used his speaking time to quote someone who was much more a wordsmith than the speaker at the podeum. The poem quoted was Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson. First thing I did when I came home (after I heated a cup of chai, fed the animals and poured myself a bowl of rice cereal was to look up the quote on the computer with the idea that it might be useful in the context of today's post. The first site I go to states that it has been inaccuratly attributed to R.W.E. and was possibbly penned by another poet, Bessie Stanley. Nevertheless it is a nice poem and I am reproducing it here in this post


To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.



I have just put up the painting, "A Silver Titter Stole my Baby"" on Ebay. It is a painting I'm proud for artistically as well as socially. Please feel free to pass the link to friends and family members and if you are so inclined feel free to purchase this painting for yourself.


Peace always

Sharon

June 12, 2008

When I started out as an artist I studied graphic design with the intention of going into typography. I left Pratt Institute and moved to central Pennsylvania to continue studying graphic design at Penn State. The head of the graphic design department was a memorable teacher who made me question my passion for art and whether I could truly lead a creative lifestyle. (A few years ago I read a book by Chip Kidd called The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel In Two Semesters which was about this very teacher and art program) Years went by and I tried to stifle creativity. Then about 3 or 4 years later I decided to take a basic weaving class. After the first class was over I decided to study fibers learn to spin, took more classes at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona studying color, fibers, weaving patterns, etc.

It wasn't until my daughter entered kindergarten that I started to paint after being encouraged by a few neighbors and friends who wanted to start an art critique group. My first paintings were graphic stylized representations of animals with different patterns: lizards, chicken heads, frogs, fish, etc. The lines were all even and basically they were flat painted patterns.

As happens I was influenced by some of the other members in the art critique group. One woman Sue Matsui would painted these fun narratives in miniature with detailed plates of food, scenes from medieval stories and little slices of life. I started to see the potential of art as a more expressive medium. Graphic Design is all about form and function and the only meaning is that you need to buy an item or idea whereas painting has no such boundaries. My first "real" piece of art was done in 1998. I used acrylic paint and painted over a small broken metal toy that had been discarded by my daughter. I titled this piece "The Housewife".

June 11, 2008

No painting started although I have a general idea of which direction I want to take. My plan is to be secretive about this painting until I'm sure it's well on it's way as I sometimes change my mind mid painting and wouldn't want to restrict that instinct because I had publicly stated my painting's intention. However I always have a creative idea or two brewing books to write , magazines to publish, photographs, videos, sewing, knitting, gardening you name it and I'll figure out a way to introduce emotion, color and pattern into that activity or thing(s).

A friend and I are going on a two-hour drive with some of his buddies to drive in a 4 x 4 park. Please don't expect me to explain the thrill of driving through mud and terrifying hills for me driving is a most un-enjoyed chore and if I could and live close to a town I would ride my bicycle and gladly give up driving. However my friend's passion is for driving in conditions and in places that appear to be undriveable and this was a birthday gift from me to him. I am planning on visually documenting as much as I can both through a video and digital still camera and an additional mounted camera. I have no experience in taking these types of photos and/or videos-but I like the challenge and really like the opportunity to combine my search for aesthetics, beauty and patterns in something that doesn't on the surface appear to be what would normally be considered to have a potential subject matter for art.