Irons in Fires

I am exhausted in that particular way you are after of day of creative production.
I've got a short time until our "Cabin Fever" open studios and after party coming up on February 22. I am finishing up several necklaces. This piece already has suitors lined up, lots of interest already.

Brandi and I got a lot done on this piece for an installation in the gallery elevator. Here as we were setting up for projection. You'll have to wait and see what it is...

So hard to keep WIPS under wraps before a show...definitely requires a cold one or two. I am so damn fancy I put my beer or chandelier crystals in the cooler. These were found in a dumpster, when I asked Bran why the Hell anybody would throw away a treasure chest full of crystals she replied "'Cause all they know how to do is purchase".

Well Gods bless 'em, that's my valued customer. Purchase my wares!

Valentine's Day

A few things about Love today.
No matter your current relationship status, remember:
You were someone's first love.

You are someone's pride and joy. You are a spark in a long line of family tradition, you are the light of someone's life.

From birth, you are a miraculous gift who changed lives for the better, forever. You are the center of someone's universe.

You are someone's peamite, sugar plum or pumpkin seed.

You were a first best friend, a sibling, aunt, father, partner or hero.

There are people who would walk over hot coals for you in a heartbeat. You are the object of someone's undying affection. You are someone's muse. You are the unobtainable heart's desire to some poor soul. You are the person many people depend on and love, admire, respect and desire.

Not everyone else except you, you are. So any time you might find yourself suffering from poor-ol'-me syndrome, you think about that.
There's more love for you than all the tea in China.

Today I was farm bound.

It was my very favorite kind of weather, cold, misty, foggy, moody.

The drive out there is a one hour, 35 mile meditation, a tradition dating back to about age 5. Once you turn off Hi. 601 it is country the whole way out. And while a lot has changed, it still offers gorgeous views as far as the eye can see. I soak up all the familiar landmarks, like my own personal historic markers.

Driving out there alone, on a day so easy on the eyes, listening to favorite music, I don't speed. I am in no rush for the ride to be over, my minds wanders to all kinds of enjoyable places. And it is like a ride, there are steep hills and curves, and somehow the drive guides your mind to wandering.

I headed back home just at dark. The very last sliver of light in the west is a little wisp over the horizon. Even in the dark, it is a beautiful drive.

I took my sweet time, coming back to boring old Charlotte which I am awfully non-nostalgic about for my hometown. It's as if traveling between the city and the Farm requires an hour adjustment period, so you don't get the bends, like a built in decompression chamber.
So I crank the heat up, roll the windows down, and listening to the early spring tree frogs chirp in the cold, another kind of meditation, another kind of ride.
Preparing to leave wonderland and head back to the land of traffic lights, discarded cigarette buts and pharmacy chains.
And it's still magic.

Livin' The Dream

More stuff organizing, it is something that is never ending. It's Zen-like to me and a great way to get a little inspiration, pilfering through the stock.
This little dollface has been staring up at me with eyeless sockets for a couple of years now, it's time to get her together. I cut a mask shape off the head of thrift store doll to use in necklaces. I love faces and using them in jewelry. 

I have filed and sanded and shaped the plastic to fit perfectly in this gorgeous gold bezel, looks very "Catholicy" to me. I haven't yet started on all the rest of what this piece will be, but I know this face belongs in that bezel. The epoxy is setting right now...I can hardly contain my excitement!

Wish I had gotten a picture before I left of all my epoxied assemblages that will be set up and ready to go upon my return. The anticipation of coming into the shop after glue is set and clamps can come off furniture and epoxied metal is ready to be worked is absolutely intoxicating!

I have 4 or 5 things setting in 6 hour cure epoxy that I wanted to do last night before bed so I could get right back on them this morning but when I hit a wall, I hit a wall and I am done. I am always sad to wrap things up at the end of the night and start my long, nearly neurotic, necessary  bedtime ritual.
One last longing look at my workbench before bed!

I had a fairly productive day and as per usual once I got into my zone things were falling into place, in that natural, nearly effortless way that is so pleasurable. Didn't even bust my first saw blade until about 10:30!

My sister and I often discuss our process. The more I make art, the more interesting I find each person's particular process and experience of flow. I find that when I sit down to work and am uninspired I can simply engage in any type of "grunt work" relating to what I'm working on and get some things done while I await inspiration to creep in. I might organize my stash and tools, or start rough cutting some metal, or lengths of silver fretwork for cuffs. Brandi who makes paper mache sculpture, often creating hollow spheres around inflated balls, so she will just make a bunch of hollow forms when her creative gumption is lacking. Then at least you are being productive and usually by the very act of dipping your toe in those creative waters, sooner or later you get swept away in the current.
Then next thing I know I'm covered in a thin layer of dust and aching all over.
By the way have I mentioned lately how much I love our new studio? It is a constant ongoing process of getting this place together, but rest assured that I am going to go ahead and throw some fanciness together amidst the chaos. Finally, surroundings befitting of my to die for art deco buffet and mirror with gorgeous lamps casting a warm glow on top. In my last house-which I adored-I had a really gyppy dining room where this vignette went and took up an entire wall, it was just so cramped, but in this gorgeous old brick carriage house, it finally has room to breathe.

I am a make-do-with-what-you've-got-when-you've-got-it girl from way back, but it is so wonderful to finally have the space to create and conjure, work, live, breathe.
I feel like an absolutely spoiled queen and I'm afraid from now on I will accept nothing less than a combined working and living space.
It's not too bad having entirely attainable dreams.