Vintage Feathers

So I like to wear hats, flowers and feathers in my hair. This does not go unnoticed, sometimes more admiringly than other times which means sometimes less but that is ok I wear these things because I like them. So an elderly woman that I know enjoyed the feathers I wear and said she had something for me. I stopped by her home to visit one day and she brought out what looked like a little purple bird nest. It was a headband she wore in the 40s' her husband thought her a little silly but she said it always made her feel special and pretty. I was very grateful that she wanted to share this with me. I brought it home and did the needed repairs and added some vintage buttons to pep it up a bit. Interesting enough the tag was still in the inside and it says West Germany. I have worn it a few times because as you may expect I have to plan the whole outfit around it. I wore it again this Sunday and she was thrilled. So nice that something that is 60 years old is still bringing joy to her and now to the both of us. I wanted to share a picture, it is not great but you can see it is very pretty.

Surprise Commission

This past week I heard from a friend I had lost touch with, she has a friend in need of an art piece quickly. She had tried to contact me on facebook but I didn't see it right away so by the time I contacted her and we finalized the idea with her and the client it was already Tuesday afternoon, she needed it Thursday morning before her flight to where she would give it to her friend. I already had plans that evening so just had a little time to draw out the design on Tuesday and it had to wait until the next day for completion. She gave me the colors and a photo of how to write a name in Hebrew. An idea quickly formed in my brain and the painting just worked. I always have ideas in my head for paintings but it is rare for me to actually get that exact idea on the canvas ( don't tell anyone but I am a much better painter in my head ) anyway this one came together nicely and easily. I am very happy with the results and I have come to find out my friend is too and so is her friend the actual client. So great outcome for all. Thanks friend for thinking of me.

Artist in Residence Art project

For two weeks I had the honor of teaching k5 thru 4th a fabric painting technique. I will post more photos and instructions in a later post. I met with each class giving them a little info about me and the art I do and silk painting. We then talked about an artist and received inspiration from their work and started the project. The photos below show some of the painted work drying, some of the finished work drying and kids painting and washing it out in water. The kids all did great and it was a fun two weeks.

New hand made screen

This is my second screen, room divider, something pretty to hide stuff behind. My husband needed this for his new office to hide the kitchen corner. He is trying to keep his office simple and clean, basically unlike our house. So I thought that this would work. I build these from the ground up, paint the wood, staple on the fabric and then paint a design. He likes it and it really does the trick.

Yippee for Broken Pottery

So I broke up some pottery yesterday. I am trying to get motivated because I have friends doing a show in April that want to show some, I want to have some in the shop I rent in and a local clothing boutique wants some. I can't go any further tho until I get a diamond bit I hope that will do the trick.

First Broken Pottery Piece

I have planned to make these for ages as so many other projects that I have the materials setting around for. Last year a local Flea Market type place closed after I had been shopping and selling and trading with for over a decade. I had made many purchases in the last weeks and of course stopped in on the last day. I again made some last great purchases and started to say good bye to the owner and share my gratitude for her years of service to the community thru her great store for all things second hand, antique and vintage. I was showing interest in the last of the stacks of china and her knowing I was a local artist turning many of my finds there into recycled art, she gave me all the leftover plates. I left grateful with a stuffed mini van and gave a sad goodbye to one of my favorites places to quietly walk the isles searching for treasures. So now after months of storage the plates again are making a debut to the world in a new form. This is my first piece, I am still refining my technique but am happy with this first result.

Happy spring

So I have been blogging for awhile but not regularly at all. I have tried, but failed. I have now decided to break up my blogging by doing occasional home blogging which will be for more detailed posts and what I call mobile blogging, short, random posts with pictures using my new iPhone. So here is my first showing a picture of my new Spring art display and 50s art deco pottery collection.