Archetypal Theatre

Knitted Cowl Pattern

2012-01-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

Head on over to my new blog, Magic and Moss, for a pattern I just designed for a super quick and easy, soft and cozy, earthy and mossy cowl style neck warmer!

Magic and Moss Teaser

2012-01-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

Coming Soon: Spring 2012

New Years Day is the perfect time to announce a new project in the works here at the Theatre! I am developing a new Etsy shop called Magic and Moss which will be geared towards children and the young at heart.

I am writing and illustrating books based on some of the dolls I have recently made and am currently making. The shop will carry my self-printed books and soft, waldorf inspired play dolls and animals to go along with them. Also expect whimsical knits and accessories to outfit you, your little ones and thier doll friends for woodland adventure (as well as indoor cuddling).

My little one must think every day is Christmas, as I shower her with prototype playthings. Ah well, it is only fair, as I am sure she will be asked to do some modeling work in the coming weeks =)

Stay tuned for more info, a new blog, specials and giveaway contests!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

Here is my holiday display in the dining room this year!

And this is my new exciting endeavor! Ceramic clay =) I used to use this clay in school, but when I didn't have access to a kiln, I switched to air-dry clay. Now I have a place to fire, so I bought 50 lbs of white clay to experiment with. I had forgotten how touchy it can be - Creative Paperclay is so forgiving about adding on to already dry pieces and carving back into it without cracking. But when these are fired, they will be more quite sturdy and I will feel more comfortable approaching galleries with pieces that are a more traditional. I am LOVING the new feel, the smoothness I can achieve and the challenge of something new!

Fawn

2011-11-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Fawn joins her friend Ursula on Etsy

Indian Hill Church Art Show

2011-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to be participating in this show along with so many talented artists! I will be bringing a couple portrait samples as well as some fall and winter themed landscapes. I am particularly excited about my 2 new series of paintings from my wanderings in Red Bird Hollow (here in Cincinnati) and in Southern Vermont this fall!

Ursula art doll

2011-09-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I can't help it. Just when I have absolutely no time to spend making something whimsical, it is what I feel compelled to do. Ursula just came to me in a flash and needed me to make her.

Oh well, I can honestly say that I feel more grounded and centered now that she is here, so I suppose it was the best possible use of time in the the grand scheme of things. If an artist can't follow her bliss sometimes, really, who can?!

Ursula and her baby bear are available on Etsy, and though my daughter will miss her, there will certainly be more where she came from ;)

So sweet!

2011-09-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here is the watercolor portrait I was working on this week! She gave such a sweet smile for the camera =)
I get to borrow this one back for the art fair I am participating in soon. It is a really nice juried show that I always have visited, myself, so I am very happy to be a part of it this time around. Here is the info, for those of you who plan ahead:

Hyde Park Square Art Show

Cincinnati, Ohio

October 2nd

10am-5pm

I will be bringing my portrait samples, small landscapes and slightly nervous self (this is my first art fair!)

New studio and new portraits

2011-09-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Triplets!

I moved my studio into a new room with more light. Loving it!

Here is what my palette looks like with basic portrait colors mixed and ready to go.

It's all downhill from here, as far as neatness goes =)

Harvest

2011-08-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

It is never too soon to get excited about fall - harvesting the garden, painting autumn foliage and knitting little sweaters for my bambina are all things that I am enjoying these days.

Here is today's haul from the garden. And this is just what I think I will have time to process tonight - there were plenty more herbs that are ready for drying when I find the time.

And here is my new autumn illustration tearsheet.

A view from Vermont....

and another.

This one is the view from the grave of Emerson in the Sleepy Hollow Graveyard in Concord, Mass.
These three are currently available in my Etsy shop

So, many things goings on around here including 4 new portraits that will have to wait for the next posting, because I'm off to can some tomato sauce!

New Portraits

2011-07-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

oil on canvas 24x28"

oil on canvas 24x36"

The first on was done using a grisaille under-painting and the second was done without an under-painting using the palette that Daniel Greene suggests in his video from 1989, which I just found at the library. It takes a little more faith and confidence to paint directly, but it is a never ending adventure!

Landscapes

2011-07-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

New landscapes from my trip to Vermont!

'Barn in the Mist' 8x10" oil on board

'The Field at Dusk' 5x7" oil on canvas

'Summer Road' 5x7" oil on canvas

~These new paintings are available on Etsy - just click the title for a link~

Thumblina and the swallow

2011-06-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

New sculpture! This one can hang on a wall. She is made with paperclay and all the usual hand spun, plant dyed yarn. She is available at my Etsy shop along with some other newish sculptures.

New Portraits

2011-04-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

A sweet little boy in watercolor...

...and in oils

Framed!

2011-04-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here is the watercolor portrait of my little strawbaby (from Halloween). I didn't get the most fabulous photos of the painting because I forgot to take photos before there was glass over the top! Duh! So I couldn't light it properly without major glare. It is actually a bit more vivid in person, just like the subject =)

It is also my sample for a new listing on Etsy for watercolor portraits from photos. If you want to check it out www.archetypaltheatre.etsy.com.

Tearsheet

2011-04-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

That's right. I'm making my move. I have always wanted to work as children's book illustrator. So badly, in fact, that it has been hard to decide when I felt ready to submit my work. But having a daughter has given me new inspiration and new story ideas, so I am going for it.

Balanced

2011-03-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

This new illustration is called 'Balanced' and it is based on one of my new figures. Hope you like it =) It is available for sale on Etsy. It is sort of wishful thinking for me - this creature is as calm and collected as I would like to become!

New Surreal Paintings

2011-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a new painting on the subject of Tree Mother, which I have been compelled to explore recently. I am painting in a different, more direct way straight from my intuition rather than a model. This one is larger than the two following, 18x24" I think.

Here is a smaller one 5x7" oil on cradled wood panel, as is the one that follows.

I have also been working on a bust sculpture of Psyche (which is who this is by the way!)

It is so much fun to play around with paint and color without trying to capture a likeness because it loosens me up and allows me to experiment, which in turn helps my portrait work to improve. Sometimes it feels like I am going in a million directions with my work, but it all relates, I swear!

Women's art show in Vermont

2011-02-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to be taking part in group show along with some very talented artists! Here is the info:

Gallery in the Woods
145 Main St.
Brattleboro, VT 05301
802-257-4777

Women's Show - Opening March 4, 2011

Above is my newest piece - Nest: What I am Gently Holding
Like all of my work, this one has literal and symbolic meaning for me. Of course I am a mother so, the literal is obvious =) Also it is about the aspects of oneself that are fragile and still growing. It is sometimes frustrating to wait for something to manifest in our lives, but it helps to think of it as a little seed or tiny baby that needs nurturing and patience to flower. We must be gentle with ourselves as we would be to an infant.

Small Portraits

2011-01-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

I have been working on portrait samples and deciding on size/format and prices to offer. To start with, I am offering 5x7" oil on wood panel portraits from photos provided by clients for $395. I plan to offer oil and watercolor portraits from photos through Etsy and my personal website. I have many more details on my Etsy listing page . Here are a couple of examples (done from photos of people very near and dear to my heart!)

In addition, I am planning to do more traditional portraits that are larger and more involved (similar to those I have done in the past). With these, I meet with the client to determine exactly what pose, format, clothing, mood etc. Then I take the photos myself and do some sketching from life. Most of the drawing and painting is done from these references in my studio with a short final sitting to make sure everything is spot on. Stay tuned for sample of these types of portraits. There is one on my blog already which is the one of my father.

I am so excited to be devoting more time and energy to this facet of my artwork because I have always been fascinated with drawing people. From the time I was a small child, I would stand, transfixed, in front of realistic portraits at museums, wondering how the artist accomplished it and what the subject's life was like. I finally feel like my skills are at a point where I can create portrait heirlooms for other people!

Alice in Wonderland

2010-07-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Me =)

2010-06-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

It was my birthday last week and I received two beautifully illustrated fairytale treasuries from some people who know me pretty well ;) I also gave myself a bunch of wool felt (I love to make it myself with natual dyes, but there hasn't been enough time for that lately and I am very excited about having a palette of felt to work with, I am a painter, after all!) and some lovely cotton velour. Also pictured are the two books I am reading from the library: one about Waldorf education and one with the illustrations of Carl Larsson, who is amazing!

The first thing I made is this bunting doll for my little girl, who hates to sleep alone in her crib - I hope this will comfort her a bit. The pattern came from the book Making Dolls.
Here she is pictured on the gorgeous baby quilt that one of my best friends made for us.

We went out for a nice Italian dinner the night before (I studied in Italy, so the cooking is close to my heart). Then, I took almost the whole day to be outside in the garden, pick raspberries and make sketches for the children's book I am working on. Here is my 'workspace' and my depiction of the raspberry patch.

What a great day! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen!

Alice Teaser

2010-06-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of the Alice and Wonderland blog event, I've done a watercolor study of the character as I see her in my mind's eye...

I had alot of fun painting her =) She is for sale in my Etsy shop as an original, and will soon be available as a print as well (as soon as my Dick Blick order for fancy-art printer paper arrives!)

Just for fun, here are a few classic illustrations that shaped the way we imagine Alice.

Arthur Rackham

John Tenniel

Disney

Alice Liddel (photo by Lewis Carrol)

Painting of Baby and Me

2010-05-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

Almost totally finished with this oil painting! My first experiment with a circular composition - I thought it would be appropriate for a mother and child subject. I've seen some like this in Italy, the one below is a Bottecelli.

And of course, I reviewed Marie Cassat. The other experimental aspect of this painting is that I didn't use an underpainting!

Coming along

2010-04-25T17:43:00.001-07:00

Dad's portrait is almost done - just needs a few tweeks!

Mother and child are almost finished as well

And the new project....a children's book! Nothing like becoming a mother to spur the imagination!

Some Updates

2010-04-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Like usual, I have about 20 different projects happening simultaneously, so here are the updates on where they stand as of today. First, here is the mother and child doll, almost ready to assemble as soon as I finish the hands.

Second, here is the portrait of my father with more color.

Third is the Alice in Wonderland doll that I just started for the Art Dolls Only challenge. The eyes are painted on instead of sculpted because I just don't have as much time to play around with that now that I have an infant!

And here she is!

I Win!

2010-03-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

This is a lovely creation from Artdecadence which was part of the monthly prize I won as a a follower of her wonderful blog. It made my day and now it hangs in my studio =)

Also this week, I started a rather ambitious portrait of my father. Above is the way I like to start, by refining a line drawing and transferring it to the canvas.

Here is the painting after two full days of work. The face is only done with white and burnt sienna - later I will go over it with color.

Archetypal Action Figures

2010-03-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some more things in the works! I just added these two guys to my Etsy shop.

They are the first in a series of smaller figures that are meant to stand alone or interact with each other. My dad and I are also working on some theatre boxes for them to act on that can be hung on the wall or set on a table/mantle/etc.

I am very excited about it because it reminds me of playing with a doll-house or of sand tray techniques used in play therapy. We did this at Naropa when I studied art therapy and had some amazing experiences and breakthroughs - it is such a potent way of getting into psychological issues that we suppress on a day to day basis, but that are really important to acknowledge and explore.

Of course, I have used materials that are as natural as possible - wool, plant dye, wood. It is so fun to work on projects that I can finish in a few days for a change!

Mother and Child WIP

2010-02-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to be working in the studio again after all the hustle and bustle of moving and having a baby! Naturally, I'm inspired by this magical mother and child relationship. So here is what I am working on:

Eleanor

2010-01-08T14:17:00.001-08:00

Announcing Eleanor Asbury Beaver born 11/16/09

Home Decorating

2010-01-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

"In order to survive as an artist you must have three things- the skin of a rhino. the tenacity of a bulldog, and a nice home to come home to" -Stella Adler

I just read this quote on the blog of an inspiring artist in Massachusetts (colorgirl.blogspot.com). I haven't gotten much art done in the past 6 months or so because most of my creative energy has been going into creating a cozy nest for me and my growing family.

We moved into this house in late October and I went into a nesting frenzy to get it comfortable for us and baby Eleanor. I've been using our old things in new ways - like turning old fabric and antique lace (from my great-great grandmother!) into a valentine's day banner for our fireplace. There is still alot that I plan to do, but there are some corners that I'm happy with.

One perk of being an artist is that I always have plenty of artwork to decorate my house with. Of course, I would prefer that someone else would buy it and enjoy it in their house, but until that happens I get to look at it. It's like a revolving gallery.

October

2009-10-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Pumkins on the front stoop

Elf hat for my little pumpkin-to-be

Hooded baby sweater with wooden buttons

Earth Doll in Progress (also Happy Birthday to Me!)

2009-06-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

First off, this is the wrapping on the special gift from my parents on my 30th b-day (June 19th). It represents paint for our new house and my father's offer to help get it on the walls! The photo is of my dad in his 20's showing off his muscles =) I thought it was appropriate on this Father's Day to acknowledge one of the many sweet things he does for me all year round.

On another note - these are photos of my doll for the ADO 4 Elements Challenge in progress. Just a reminder: Everyone is welcome to participate, just click on the link in my previous post.
Here she is painted. She is pretty huge. The head alone is 4". I had these lovely glass eyes and I started with that when determining the design, even though I had intended her to have a full body. Now I am reconsidering and trying to devise ways to make it a head, torso and hands composition without compromising the whole idea. Art is all about problem solving!

Here she is with the hair and with a swatch of the yarn I'm going to use to knit her a dress. She represents Earth and she will be holding a bit of sod with a flower growing from it.

The state of things

2009-06-02T08:11:00.001-07:00

On the work-table

On living room display

In the potted garden

4 Elements Art Doll Challenge

2009-05-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in this challenge - it sounds like fun!

Art Dolls Only is gearing up to host our first blog event!
We challenge you to make a a rt doll along with us.

*sign up will begin June 19th and the last day to sign up will be Thursday July 16th.

On Friday July 17th participants post their art doll to their blog.
Saturday July 18th and Sunday July 19th begins the fun of seeing all the art dolls that have been created! All participants will be listed in the ADO sidebar for easy visiting.
the theme is the elements, and we challenge you to make a art doll using one, two, three, or all four of the elements as your inspiration.

any artist is welcome to participate, including non members.
Here is your chance to explore the wonderful world of art dolls, first time doll maker, old hat, or have not created in while, all are welcome to join in on the fun!
Details will be posted on the 19th on how to sign up.
use this badge to show everyone you are participating with a link back to the ADO blog.

Finished!

2009-05-07T13:26:00.001-07:00

Ta Da!

Ophelia WIP

2009-05-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here is my Ophelia doll from Hamlet. She is still a work in progress, but I am working hard to have her finished for May 6th because that is the deadline for the ADO Shakespeare challenge. ADO members have all come up with some wonderful, unique interpretations of Shakesperian characters and there are interviews with the artists on the ADO blog.

My answers to the interview questions are thus:

1.What inspired you to undergo the (Shakespeare) Challenge? What character did you chose to create, and why?

I thought this challenge was particularly intriguing because there are so many wonderful characters and images in Shakespeare. Ophelia was the natural choice for me to do because I have been working with images of her and of submersion/emergence since my college days. This is a more literal representation than I usually do, a little less edgy, but still with some pathos.

2. What method(s) and materials did you use to create your characters?

I used Creative Paperclay for the head/hands/feet and wire/soft sculpture for the body. The costume is made from locally grown wool which I spun, felted and colored with plant dyes (it takes a lot of time, but the organic variations of shape and color are worth it!)

3. How long did it take to create your piece? What were the easier aspects of creating it? What were the more challenging parts?

I have no idea. A long time. The easy parts are sculpting the face, painting and fiber-work. Making hands that are sturdy, delicate and matching is torture for me. Oh, I started out with plans to make this a ball jointed doll which turned out to be basically a month of frustration, so I gave up on that!

4. Were you satisfied with the outcome of the art piece? Would you change anything, did you learn anything?

I like her =). She is still a work in progress, but she will be finished by the 6^th, I swear it! As usual, I feel like I made progress and learned things as an artist, but there are improvements I would make on version 2.0. There’s nothing I would like to change, just more embellishment that I might add if I had more time (but we’ll see, I have all weekend to cover her dress and hair in flowers, and that may be enough!)

Moonlight

2009-04-29T08:48:00.001-07:00

A new watercolor - can't wait to do this one in 3-D, as well!

Painting in bed

2009-04-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

I've been getting back to my artistic roots with some watercolor paintings this week. I had a wicked cold and didn't feel like getting out of bed at all, so I thought about Frida Kalho and set up a tray table by the bed with all my equipment, so I could work from there. And I only painted what came into my head, no expectations or commissions involved. It's been lovely and now that I'm feeling better, I'm looking into making prints of some of the pictures for my Etsy shop. If anyone has suggestions on reliable printer that can be used with archival inks and papers (and great color matching) let me know!

This one is based on the time I spent in Italy, years ago. These trees are quintessential Italy to me.

Reading and watching movies about Frida Kahlo was a great source of comfort to me while I was quite ill with fibromyalgia a few years ago. It is so interesting to me that her story means so much to so many people. She is a kind of archetype that we all relate to - somone who suffers great limitations and yet transcends them with grace and passion.

Seedlings!

2009-04-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Goodness, it has been a while since I posted, but that doesn't mean I haven't been making things!
Here is a painting based on one of my 'Forgotten Field' sculptures. It's oil on wood and it will be up in the Etsy shop soon.

And here is the view from my kitchen looking out through the baby haricots vert and last year's lavender (I suppose that makes it a toddler).

This thrift store cabinet turned lightbox is where I start my seedlings. So far there are beets, roma tomatoes, spinach, rosemary, and peppers.

New use for paperclay

2009-02-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Here, I used Paperclay as a 3-d framing element on a wood panel. It takes forever to get it to adhere and then build it up, sand and paint, but I think it is a nice, unique effect and it frees me from having to choose a frame that doesn't match the style of the painting. Yay!

More Snow Paintings

2009-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

These are some of the small landscapes I did this past month. They, along with others, will be at the show tonight (Essex is a two night event). I'll be there 6-10:30pm, so anyone is welcome to stop by, chat and drink some wine.
Last night, when things were slow, I sat around with my brother and his girlfriend coming up with ideas for a doll based on Shakespeare, which is the next challenge for ADO (Art Dolls Only). We thought of maybe doing a Puck that is manipulating marionettes of characters from Midsummer Night's Dream. I used to do a lot of Ophelia themed paintings, so that is also calling to me. In any case, the challenge is right up my alley!

Show this weekend!

2009-02-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

I'm showing at the Essex Studios open studio walk again this weekend. Friday and Saturday 6-11 pm. I'm not going to bring quite as much as last time, but I will have the new portrait commission, new and old sculptures as well as several new, smallish landscapes for sale (or just viewing, of course). So stop by and visit me! I am on the second floor by the elevator.

I hope you'll excuse the questionable quality of the photos, but I'm excited about my new projects and I have to share =)
The torso will have the heart inside and window panes in the body under the arms. It is based on a yoga term that describes that part of the body as the windows to the heart.

Ice Storm

2009-02-02T09:55:00.001-08:00

We had a fantastic ice storm last week! The trees and grass looked like they were made out of glass. Sherpa was in her Husky dog element.

And here are some of the paintings that I did while we were snowed in.
I think I will put them in my Etsy shop - more to come, as well! It reminded me of the time I spent living in MN and CO. Snowscapes have special meaning to me.

Andrew Wyeth

2009-01-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009)

On the Threshold

2009-01-14T15:50:00.001-08:00

"It is better to meet God on the threshold of despair than to risk our lives in a complacency that has never felt the need of forgiveness"

~Thomas Merton

I find this quote comforting because it acknowledges that we make mistakes and that we can use our struggles to become more awakened human beings. We cannot understand the beauty or power of forgiveness unless we have needed for ourselves, at some time.

I wanted this sculpture to be delicate and fragile but also bravely balanced on that threshold (both inside and out).

My father came to see this piece the other day and went to open the door and take out the quote, which is written on the scroll. And watching it gave me a strong feeling in my own body which I hadn't expected. It just was kind of intense to see someone open up a door into another body. I'm definately going to do more interactive pieces that deal with open vs closed, vulnerable vs protected. The energy it creates is very interesting to me and reminds me of concepts we worked with in the transpersonal counseling courses I took at school.

New year - New Sculpture

2009-01-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

First a photo of a familiar sight - my favorite coffee mug sitting on my painting taboret

Here is the sculpture I have been working on this week. It's still in progress, but I like to take photos as I go along because it is like an objective eye which helps me pick up on flaws that I don't notice while I'm working.

Art Show Friday

2008-12-10T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Redtree Gallery puts on alot of great shows with work from emerging artists. I'm happy that my piece 'Blessing' will be included in this one!

Almost finished

2008-12-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

I'm almost finished making new work to show at the Essex Studios this weekend. It is another open studio walk that goes from 6-11 pm on Friday and Saturday. I'll be showing the more whimsical work, including some smaller items like ornaments.

This is one who is almost done. She is another in the series that I've been doing (you might have guessed from the ears!). Her shawl is dyed with Madder Root.

I can't read knitting abbrs.!

2008-11-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

I call this one "New Growth"

The scarf was knitted (in a stitch I accidentally invented) with handspun yarn dyed with cochineal. The red is so intense!

Under the scarf are her animal ears (of course!)

Big Oil Week

2008-11-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

It has been a huge painting week here! Everything is still in progress. A painting based on the November sculpture with 3-d tree element. I'm psyched about the possibilities of combining the paperclay sculpture with paintings. Here is an artist that I came across the other day who is doing amazing combos of painting and relief sculpture www.melissaferreira.net

This one is bigger - about 2 feet high. Just an impression that flitted through my head, like a memory or light through the fall leaves.

And I went back into this one, adding foreground and tightening some things up. This is it with two different lighting schemes - the light bulb it is under really makes a difference in terms of the warmth of the painting.

Since these are near finished pieces, I thought I 'd show some that I started today. This is what my underpaintings look like.

These two are little 5x7's. I'd be pretty shocked if I sold the larger ones, but these little guys are more affordable and easy to find a place to hang. Plus they are fun to do =)

Tagged!

2008-11-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

This is a fun game =)
I've been tagged by Cat at Darkling Woods Studios. Thanks, Cat! The rules are to tell 7 little known things about yourself then tag 7 others (be sure and link everyone!)
So here are mine:
1. I like to read Mother Earth News and day dream about going 'back to the land'
2. I drove around Australia after college and worked on organic farms with people who had gone 'back to the land'!
3. Bottecelli's 'Primavera' moved me to tears
4. I sing and dance along with my music while I paint
5. The Rolling Stones (Sticky Fingers) and Janis Joplin (Pearl) are on heavy rotation these days
6. My brother and I were at Phish's last concert in Vermont and walked 12 miles from my car to the venue
7. I was a ski bum. Twice. Kind of. Is there a such thing as a cross country ski bum?

I, in turn, would like to tag these 7 wonderful bloggers!

Epicwerkes

Painted Sky Woman

The Fairies' Nest

Nenufar Blanco

The Blackberry Briar

Anouk and Boobouk

The Singing Bird

More from the field

2008-11-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

No title for this one yet. I was thinking about 'Blessings' though because s/he reminds me of a sheaf of wheat or corn stalk and the hand gestures look almost like a benediction of some kind. I don't really start out to make them spiritual - they just all seem to take off in that direction! Oh well, I don't question the muse or else she may get fed up and leave me. Maybe I'll call him/her 'November' to make it a bit less direct and that is when s/he was born. In college, I refused to name anything because I wanted the image to say everything. However, it is an opportunity to add another layer of meaning or to give some insight. I like the names that Kina Crow gives her ceramic pieces for that reason. But when I make art, I don't think verbally at all, so it feels a bit contrived to name it after the fact. I have to think some more about this...

The felt is dyed with Osage and coffee this time. The base is carved from wood, which will be better for shipping if necessary. The last one had a rock as a base - lovely, but not so practical. This one will be for sale at the Essex show December 5th and 6th.

2008-10-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the NPR show Fresh Air the other day when Charlie Kaufman (screenwriter of Endless Sunshine..., Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) was interviewed. He said some things about creating that I find so profound. Here is a link to the full interview http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96023004

And this is a quote that made me catch my breath because it felt so right to me, he says, "The things that I really relate to, is when I read something that has articulated something that I've felt but haven't been able to articulate, and I find that incredibly moving and I find an incredible sense of community in that... If I offer myself, there is a chance that somebody else will feel connected because they felt that and even if the story is sad you can be connected in your sadness and the sadness of being a human being."

It sounds to me like an explanation of how making art can be an act of great compassion and why self expression is an integral thread in the fabric of society. He is speaking about writing , but it's equally true of visual art. The visual image has the power to connect and transmit an impression/idea/emotion even more quickly to the human consciousness than words can. I know when a work of art has touched me before I understand why. I'm so in love with that feeling - that welling up of emotion - like something in me has become unblocked because someone else has expressed it and somehow that image has found it's way to me and I know that I am not alone. I think I'm such a movie fan because film blends images and spoken words, which makes for an immediate and deep impact. But I also like the slow pace of taking in a still image and the ambiguity of a single image that allows the viewer to shape his own experience of the art, whereas some movies can leave one feeling as if his emotions have been manipulated.

On a different note, here is photo of two new figures in progress.

In a forgotten field

2008-10-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

My most recent finished piece is the first of a series that is underway. It is a bit of a new direction because I have been thinking about how the materials and techniques I use resonate with the subject matter and themes. In that spirit, I've been working with wool from a local farm- felting, spinning and dying it with plant dyes. It is important to me that my art communicate a connection with nature - these new pieces feel to me like nature spirits from some forgotten past that are allowing themselves to be glimpsed again as we humans are struggling to fix what we have broken here on the planet. Each one is standing on a stone and is expressing with both face and hands the sacredness of land and its beings.

I am also beginning a series of paintings with portraits of the figures and images of of landscape and vegetation which are on scrap wood, refinished and primed for oil paint. I am inspired by alterpieces that I've seen while studying in Italy and just recently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

I don't have photos yet of the show at the Essex, but I will soon, as well as photos of changes I made to some older work.

Faeriecon was even more wonderful than I had hoped! So many artists that I love were so accessible and generous with their time and advice. It really meant so much to me to talk to meet people I've long admired like Kinuko Craft, Wendy Froud, Toby Froud, Forrest Rogers as well as meeting so many new artists to be inspired by. I'll certainly be adding more links to my site in the near future (but not until I get back from a weekend in the country, where I'm going to paint and try to process all the visual input from this past week!)

Faeriecon!

2008-10-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I'm going to Faeriecon in Philadelphia! I've been daydreaming about going to the Faerieworlds Festival in Oregon for years, so knowing that Allan Lee and the Frouds and so many other icons of the genre were going to be on my coast proved to be irresistable. So it is my treat after pushing so hard to get the art show together last week. It went swimmingly, to my great relief and thanks in very large part to my supportive family and friends who helped me set up/clean up or just stopped to see what I've been up to.

Here is the front and back of a bookmark-style flyer I made to hand out at the con.

And here is the finished Anne doll!

Anne of Green Gables

2008-09-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

I noticed it had been a while since I posted any sculpture in progress, so here is what's new! It is for a commission to do a doll of Anne of Green Gables, which couldn't be a more perfect job for me because I've read every book by L.M. Montgomery and I'm a redhead, myself. The characters in Montgomery's books encounter alot of adversity in pursuit of thier (usually creative) dreams and I find that the inspiration of that takes on new meaning for me as an adult pursuing an artistic life.

Phase 1

Sculpting

Phase 2

Painting (my favorite)

Freckles are great

In other news, I'm getting ready to show my work at Essex Studios here in Cincinnati. It's going to be on Oct. 3 -4 at their open studio walk. There are so many factors to consider! Lighting, packing my work to travel, hardware for hanging, fabric for tables - the list is enormous. But I'm really looking forward to this first opportunity to show my art and to talk to people about what I do.

Fall Landscape and the Art of Band Naming

2008-08-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Another painting done at the park. I need to cut some new boards, I can't keep up! However, I'm happy to say that I have some portrait and doll commissions to work on that will probably slow me down on producing sketches and studies like these for a while.

I found a great blog about painting - especially the technical aspects of it, like the properties of paint and various supports etc.as well as some discussion about art in general at http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/ I found it because I was looking up ways to use less solvent (I'm going to try using just oils and no mineral spirits as well as keeping my brushes submerged in oil when I'm not painting, rather than rinsing them out every day).

On another subject, I enjoy coming up with band names. I think it's funny =) I don't have a band, nor have I ever been in one, but that doesn't really hold me back in the naming department. So imagine how amused I was to find a site that will take words that you type in and generate a list of band names based on them. So the next time you are in silly mood, check out http://www.bandnamemaker.com/

I typed in 'art' and got False Art and the Power and Art of the Hasty Injury (seems to happen to me alot, especially when I'm making mixed media sculpture).

Direct

2008-08-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

sold

This is one that was a stretch for me because it is direct, wet into wet painting and I almost always use a grisaille underpainting with color glazes over top for portraits. I started it and I felt so unsure about the colors I was using that I scraped it all off and told myself that I just do grisaille and that was that! Then I went to see Ron Monsma do a portrait demonstration at a local gallery and saw that the colors he was using were not too far off what I had been trying, but I had given up before allowing the painting to resolve itself. So, I went home that night and painted this, which is not perfect, but still a big step for me. The experience drove home the importance of 1.) the value of seeing a more experienced painter work, 2.) having faith in what my eye is telling me and 3.) not being afraid or quittting when the picture feels out of control because that's actually a perfect opportunity to learn somthing new!
The painting is on an 11x11 3/4" wood panel and painted from a photo I took of a friend. She was walking through my house and the color harmony and composition with the partially open door and picture frame in the background seemed so perfect and meaningful, so I said, "Wait, stay right there while I get my camera!"

Fall in the Air

2008-08-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

This landscape study was alot of fun. I like to see how few colors I can use to make a complete palette. This one is just paynes grey, cad. yellow, tit. white and alizerin crimson.

I'm working on a quite a few things that I'm looking forward to posting about soon. I just finished a portrait commission and I'm started a new one next week, plus I've been sculpting alot and going to the park to do small plein air work. I never understood why plein air painting has such avid practitioners until I started doing it last week and, boy, now I get it! Life can hardly get any better than sitting in beautiful, natural setting, really looking at it and responding. The finished product is nice, but it's almost beside the point!

I also opened a new shop this week on Etsy. There are two different viens in my artwork, but I wanted each shop to have a coherent look. So the new one, Nature of Paint, is just paintings and portraits and Archetypal Theatre is still my art dolls.

Ohio River

2008-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a 5x7" oil sketch on my favorite surface - birchwood panel. I love the way that the wood soaks up the paint and the smooth way that colors can be blended.

En Plein Air

2008-08-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

I've started working on some smaller plein-air pieces inspired by the walk I take with Sherpa the Dog to Alms Park. We usually go when the sun starts to set and the day starts to cool off. The views of the sky over the Ohio River valley never fail to take me out of my busy-day mindset and into a transcendant bliss. So I've been taking my guerilla paint box up there to see if I can capture some of the magic. This one is 5X7" on canvas stretched over board. It is available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Vegetables, Herbs and Paintings

2008-08-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

I can't resist including a photo of my little potted garden, which has been yielding up wonderful things for the kitchen, lately. And, of course, my favorite gardening buddy, who makes sure that the yard is safe from rabbits or other vegetable-loving creatures =) It's not art related, per se, but digging in the dirt keeps me grounded and that is important to someone who spends so much time in the heady world of ideas and images!

This is the latest incarnation of the 'big' painting. It may not seem like alot has changed, but I've been tweaking the color and learning alot as I go. I've also been doing some small 5x7 oil sketches on wood panel to explore color and composition. Below are three that accidentally happen to match up quite well in a row!

Painting again

2008-07-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

More paintings this week, including some watercolor, which I haven't done much of recently. I've been inspired by some of the great illustration work that's up on Etsy, like paintings by MarmeeCraft and Kocorococo. So here are a couple of mine.

I'm working on some oil projects as well, such as this one which is about 3/4 finished - some parts are still just underpainting. It's a large piece, 24x36", so the going is slow. But my model is beautiful and I'm enjoying the challenge of trying to get a figure, portrait, landscape and still life all combined into one composition. Whew! If anyone has any tips for me, I'm all ears. My dad says that the left side of the chin has too much shadow and looks like a beard, at first I disagreed, but now that I see the painting reduced, I see it what he means - and the value is totally off because it's not really as dark as the shadow of the nose, which is the way I have it now. It's hard to see flaws when you are too 'close' to a picture. I start seeing what I intended it to look like rather than what is really there. Weird. Ya know what else is weird? That the i is not before the e in the word 'weird.' I always have to spell check that one.

Fate

2008-07-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

This is Nona, the fate who spins the thread of life. As I was making her, I came across a quote from Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, "Good and bad, happy and sad, all thoughts vanish into emptiness like the imprint of a bird in the sky." My version of the fates is not as dire and foreboding as some. Sure, she's mysterious and seems to know something we don't, but whatever life has in store for us one moment will only be a memory the next.

Finished Doll House

2008-06-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished product! She's all done and listed on Etsy. I finally tried Fabritac glue for applying the hair and it really goes to show that the right materials make all the difference! It looks and works so much better than any other glue I've tried. I'm planning a series of dolls this size in thier own little 'doll-houses' that can be hung like a painting or set on a shelf. But, mostly I'm going to turn my 9-5pm attention to some paintings (portraits and othe figure work) and have doll making be more of an after hours project for right now. We'll see how that goes - it's hard to choose between my two passions!

Niche

2008-06-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

This image needed to play out in 2D and 3D! I've sewn her a dress and I'm making a box/house for her that will look alot like the one in the painting. She is a wonderful model, she almost never needs a break =) When the painting is finished, it will have a trompe l'oiel effect of a niche in a plaster wall and bird-houses in the trees. I'm working more directly and freely with the paint this time - probably a reaction from my last picture which was done with a grisaille approach and tight rendering. Hmm, I wonder what other French art terms I can work into this posting...
It has been fun using my dolls as models and saves me from doing any more self portraits in the near future. Never-the-less I'm actively recruiting live models for my next objet d'art. (Okay, I think that exhausts my vocabulaire)

In Progress (hearts and socks)

2008-06-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Here is the painting I have working on for a couple of weeks. It is dealing with the vanitas portrait subject matter some more. It is loosely based on a portrait of Anne of Cleves which was commissioned by Henry VIII so that he could see if she was pretty enough for him to marry (incidentally, he liked the portrait, but was disappointed in the flesh and blood woman and annulled the marriage after 6 months).

It still needs a few touches, but this is pretty much it. You can see a little bit of my process here, which is to rough things in using burnt sienna and white, then glazing over that with color.

Also, another piece in progress is this little girl in red socks. I love socks. I carry a pair in my purse whenever I wear sandals out because I would hate to be caught anywhere without recourse to a comforting pair of socks. So, it was really only a matter of time before I started dressing my dolls in them.

Contemplation

2008-05-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here is my new doll, she is pose-able, 20” and she sits on her pedestal, deep in contemplation. I think she is meditating on the nature of creation:
“To create” seems to mean that from nothing you suddenly have something. I prefer to use the expression “manifestation” to the word “creation.” Look deeply, and you can understand creation in terms of manifestation. Just as we can understand a cloud as a manifestation of something that has always been there, and the rain as the end of the cloud manifestation, we can understand human beings, and even everything around us, as a manifestation that has come from somewhere and will go nowhere…I very much like the term “Wonderful Becoming.” It is close to the true meaning of creation.
~Thich Nhat Hanh
No Death, No Fear

2008-05-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about why I make art. Also, about why I make the kind of art that I do, which is mostly figure based. Last night I was reading a book called Spectacular Bodies: The art and science of the human body from Leonardo to now which deals with the convergence of anatomical models/diagrams and art. The author postulates that figurative art and medicine (and religion, for that matter) are very alike in that they are seeking to understand what it means to be human, to ‘Know Thyself,’ as the Greek aphorism goes.
I think that this is why I’m so fascinated with accurately depicting the human body. It’s like trying to figure out a piece of the puzzle. And maybe it is an act of appreciation - like the least I can do when confronted with such an awe-inspiring thing as a human being. But it’s not enough just to make a copy. The exterior must somehow describe the interior, or at least one facet or idea of it.
In this vein (no pun intended?), I’ve begun a new series of portraits that are in a traditional, Renaissance-like style of composed young women, but with jewelry that betrays something more visceral and fragile that is being kept inside. Like when someone shares something a little too honest for the situation - it is beautiful and true, but it makes everyone uncomfortable anyway. I like the idea of merging two traditional subjects, the portrait and the vanitas painting, in a way that is a bit unexpected and unsettling. The portraits are all about conveying wealth, power and beauty, whereas the vanitas paintings are all about conveying the unimportance and transitory nature of worldly things. Here is a 4x6” study for that series.
Also, here is a large (c. 3x4’) painting I just finished based on a dream I had of mushrooms and pear trees. I gotta look that one up in the dream dictionary, I guess. In the meantime, it looks good in my bedroom =)

Witch

2008-05-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

So here's progress for this week. I'm building it up slowly - really trying to understand the anatomy as I go. I've been using some great sculpture books by Bruno Lucchesi as reference. I'm also doing some smaller dolls.

Mostly, I've been developing some new paintings - more on that next Friday!

Flora

2008-04-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my new one, Flora. She is still a work in progress - I've ordered some fancier velvet and silk flowers to go with her and she will have a stand. Also, she will probably have a sheer pink drape over her because I'm getting the vibe that people are disconcerted by the nudity in my sculptures. What can I say, it doesn't bother me, but I've been drawing from the live, nude model for years (heck, I've been the live model at times!). Maybe art school is bad for cultivating modesty =) I guess I should rethink my next one, too, 'cause I sketched her half clothed. Jeez, what's wrong with me!

New Sculptures

2008-04-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here are my next two large sculptures in progress. I like working on two at a time because then one can dry while I'm working on the other and if I'm fatigued from sculpting something detailed like a hand, I can take a mental break by doing something less painstaking on the other piece.

You might also notice that I paint the faces before building the body. That is because I get impatient to really 'meet' the character and feel a connection to her. That makes it easier to delve into sculpting the body, which can be daunting at first - I start to feel like I owe this little person a beautiful body! The more finished one in the photos still needs a bit more meat on her bones and I'm working on the hands separately from the body (I'll finish and sand them before attaching them).

Back to work

2008-03-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Colorado where I had been visiting friends and doing some cross country skiing. I also showed my work to one of my favorite galleries out there and it was a positive experience. We'll see what comes of it, but at least I know what kinds of questions I should be ready to answer and that galleries will at least consider my sculpture, even though it is rather unorthodox.

I have two new large sculptures in the works and I'm feeling encouraged to get back to work on them. They take a lot of time and effort, so it would be great to know at the outset if there was a market for them. Not that I would stop making them if there wasn't - I would just have to let it be my hobby and concentrate elsewhere career-wise. Here is a photo of a head in progress. This one will be a full body sculpt based on Flora (to make a matched set). The other one looks a little like Shannon Doherty because I've been watching episodes of 'Charmed' like a fiend recently =)

Winter and new photography resolution

2008-03-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

Here are photos of the Fauna sculpture (with the marrionette theater background I made last year). I decided that I needed to step it up with the photography, especially if I want to sell things online. Although I doubt I would ever buy anything this expensive without seeing it in person! Thus I have also decided to begin approaching galleries. I'm not getting my hopes up, but at least it will lead to some feedback, I'm hoping.

I'm having a confidence crisis actually. I feel so energized and in love with my creations sometimes and then other times I'm like "Jeez, I should have a better back up plan!" Like last night when I finished the new doll (the dark haired one shown here), I was so thrilled. But now I'm worried that she's too much doll and not enough art with her dress. Also, I spent weeks sculpting her body and then covered it up! She started out as an homage to the goddess Innana/Ishtar, but at the eleventh hour, I decided that she was the embodiment of winter instead. (And I think I must be right about that beacuse the snow started coming down here right after I finished her and now we are in a full on blizzard!) But anyway, after I decided she was Winter, I couldn't very well let her go naked in the cold. So I felted a bunch of wool roving for her bodice and added some silk for her skirt.

In other news (i.e. media), I finished a new painting as well. More realistic. Sort of. And I have mixed feelings about it, too. Oh well, if I couldn't find anything to improve, I would probably get bored and quit art (and start making money?) It has two titles: The Stone Cairn or Journey's End. Once again, the image came to me before the meaning. It is a portrait of a weary traveller who has ended up where it all began, with herself. Wherever you go there you are =) I've done alot of traveling and searching for happiness outside of myself, but that's not where its at. Also it can refer to the inner exploration which is what I have always been fascinated with and approached through my art and meditation. I'm wearing my painting smock in this peice (yes, it is a self portrait). I am determined to get more models for my paintings, I just feel uncomfortable as photographer or, heaven forbid, asking someone to sit still for hours.

So now I'm resolved to do three things: take better photos, approach galleries and ensnare... er, find models. I'll report back on my progress!

Moon and her Stars

2008-02-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

A recent finished doll. She is the moon and she is holding a handful of stars (beads on copper wire). She is my first poseable doll that I'm satisfied with structurally and artistically. I've dropped a bit of lavender oil on her, too because I have a feeling that she is a spirit who helps one to sleep and have sweet dreams.

Finished Fauna

2008-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Here is Fauna all painted and with hair. She still needs a base of some kind - a lazy susan with moss covering it, probably. Also, here is the other doll, now on a full body.

Fauna and my first Etsy sale

2008-01-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

Here's Fauna as a finished sculpt. I can't wait to paint her! It takes so long to smooth everything out in paperclay - it can be hard to have faith that it is all going to come together in the end (sometimes it doesn't!). I am not a patient person by nature. I have to consciously pace myself and or I will do a haphazard job or use unsuitable materials just becuase I am so eager to see the finished product. But now I have earned my way to the next step in the process =)

Also, I sold two Chakra Dolls on Etsy! Sure, the buyer is a good friend of mine, but I'll take what I can get! The other photo is of them, cozy in thier little nest.

I've been listening to this great cd series called the Ultimate Anti-Career Guide by Rick Jarrow. It has alot of great quotes, examples of famous people's career paths and meditations. One quote was "When one door closes, another opens. But often there is a long hallway in between." I like that one! For me, it represents the door of art therapy (what I had been studying for a Masters in last year) closing and the door of being a professional artist opening. But there is a pretty long hallway in between where I need to clarify my artistic voice and put down roots in the areas I'm interested in pursuing. Ha! I just realized that life imitates art (and vice versa) perfectly here - I have been cultivating patience as I make each individual work of art and I hope that I can call upon that virtue as I wait for my career to come to fruition.

New Paintings

2008-01-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

I also have some oil paintings I'm working on that deal with the animal horn theme. Miss Reindeer Horns is finished and the one with the pointy horns is almost finished (her harnd on the left only has the first layer of paint which is just white and burnt umber, the color will be glazed on top). The other one I just started last night and she will be holding a frog in her hands. I'm inspired to make frames for these girls which will expand on the theme of the paintings. I like this idea because it makes the whole piece more cohesive and reminds me of an alterpeice. I guess I think of these women as some kinds of goddesses or at least nature spirits. So, now I'm going to go get out my power tools and bust out some frames!

Fauna progresses and new projects

2008-01-16T18:59:00.000-08:00

So, now I'm building up the paperclay as well as sanding it down as needed. That is one of the great things about this clay - you can add and subtract at any time. Fauna is still kind of skinny, but I don't want to lose the child-like quality, either. You can see the photo reference for the pose in the background.

The painted face is a doll that began with a blue fabric I love. The pale blue eyes are perfect with it and then the black hair is an interesting contrast. She reminds me of a cool evening, so that is the theme I want her to embody.

The funny, little figure on the bottom is the moon winking. She will be holding some stars suspended from her top hand. The way I am making her body is based on the techniques that Wendy Froud uses in her video demonstrating how to make a fairy doll (highly recommended, find it at www.worldoffroud.com) And, finally, we have the head of what si turning out to be an elf, which shows the early stages of a sculpt in paperclay with pre-baked fimo eyeballs.

In other news, I've opened a shop on Etsy.com with some of my paintings and sculptures. I love the new craft movement, it is really empowering for artists and buyers (and I am both!) My shop is at http://www.ArchetypalTheatre.etsy.com

Work in Progress: Fauna

2008-01-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

This doll is an experiment for me. She is the first figure I have made using store bought eyes and I love the lifelike quality they lend. I completed the head first because I like to get an idea of the personality as soon as possible (the doll makes those decisions for herself, I'm just along for the ride). So this one turns out to be a representation of Fauna, a Roman goddess of fertility, animal life, peace and healing.

The head was made by creating a foil armature, building up layers of paperclay, embedding the eyes, sanding (obsessively) and then painting with several layers of acrylics. I have begun her hands as well, but they are not yet painted. These really take the most patience because the forms are complicated and each hand has to match the other!
Next, I sketched the body proportions and made a wire and foil armature and then positioned her in the pose I want. She will be kneeling and holding a small bird - forming a nest with her hands. Oh, I'm so excited!

Welcome!

2008-01-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

The idea behind this blog is to share my process of making art and how art and life intertwine for me. I'll start by introducing myself and my background. I'm a professional artist working primarily in oil, watercolor and mixed media sculpture. The uniteing themes in my work are archetypes, myth, magic, psychology and spirituality as they relate to the human form and the natural landscape.

I grew up in Ohio, studied liberal arts (major in art and education) at Carleton College in Minnesota, painting at Studio Art Centers International in Italy and transpersonal psychology with an emphasis in art therapy at Naropa University in Colorado.

Above is a visual introduction: this is a recent self portrait that is one in a series dealing with humans with animal horns. This combination has ancient origins - make of it what you will. I started it without alot of thought as to the meaning (This is characteristic of my process. I tend to get an idea and only begin to understand it as I create the actual image). I've come to understand it as a representation of the merger of female (my image) and male (horns are traditionally related with male energy) qualities within one being. Also, the rams horns are a fitting symbol of my determined nature. And right now, I'm determined to live the artist's life!