Completion...

I'm muddling through a lingering headache today but found a focus in adding finishing touches to these two collages...one more to complete and then on to framing...

I returned to my weekly practice of walking at Huntley Meadows this morning. Fun to notice how much the landscape is already beginning to change toward fall.

Subtle changes

Not much to show today - I continue to work on my collages, adding a bit here and there and seeing how things dry.

Getting close to completion - doing more standing back to look and see how it's all coming together...

Showing up...

Today was largely about continuing to show up to these current collages.  I procrastinated a lot in the morning just not sure what was next.

In the afternoon I set aside the last half hour before going to pick up kids and decided I would just add something and see where it went.  Once I began, there was lots to do.

Here are the latest versions of the collages from today...

This one is still wet from scrubbing a new layer of photo transfer...

Coming along...

Still wet from scrubbing - the transfer is much more workable this time...

And a great afternoon exploring printing with teachers from Emmanuel Preschool.

Time and slowness...

Working on my Bald Head Island collages today.

I added some new layers of color to this one...

This second one is almost entirely redone with a new layer of collage over the entire surface.  The photo transfer came out much too dark in the first try.  I've reprinted a lighter image and will try again tomorrow.  Last week I worked quickly - just needing to begin and get things going.  This week I'm trying to slow down and pay attention to lessons learned in my process last week.  As much as I'm eager to see the new transfer, I'm going to wait until tomorrow to be sure this layer is really dry.  

Oh, and an update on Java's portrait...he liked it so much he wanted to sign it - see lower right corner.

Clay and quiet on the porch

I spent the afternoon creating this batch of touchstones for Art-o-mat.  Lovely to enjoy the cool fall afternoon on the back porch with clay in my hands.

More play with pup portraits....

Canine portraiture and fairness...

So the kids said that to be fair I had to do a watercolor of Kona too.

Here's my best so far...

Inspired by this photo of our sweet girl...

Portrait attempt...

It's the process not the product...I enjoyed the process even as I see the product needs a lot of work. Interesting to play with darker shades and shadows...inspired by the photo by Kathy Callahan seen below.

Different kinds of making...

Today I joined a group of teachers in exploring design with loose parts.
On the way home I stopped along the GW parkway to photograph these beautiful yellow flowers along the Potomac River...

Tonight I made cookies and ended the evening with this small watercolor - once again inspired by the salt marsh at Bald Head Island...

Bald Head Island photo transfers...

So these photo transfers are interesting - some work better than others.  It is definitely a more rigorous physical process to rub the paper off a larger surface.  Here they are still damp after some scrubbing this evening...

The lighthouse makes me happiest right now - particularly because this last minute experiment last night worked...

...I put the collage color right on the photo with acrylic and it still transferred.

Bald Head Island...

I set aside the morning just to work on my images of Bald Head Island.

Here are the resulting new collages...

...and one that received new layers...

This evening I set up my new laser printer and printed the photos for the transfer.  Each was printed in two parts on legal size paper and then the halves pieced together to cover the foot square surface.  They will dry overnight and I get to see how they look tomorrow.

Mini collages...

Continuing to practice with two more mini collages for a slowly growing Art-o-mat series...

And a family joke for Chad who starts his new job at a wastewater treatment plant tomorrow...

Making - websites and collages...

I updated my website with more photos of works shown at Huntley Meadows...

http://www.kathrynconeway.com/huntley-meadows.html

And this evening I took another small step toward more regular practice with these two collages for art-o-mat...

Routines and practice...

We are settling in to fall routines here.  Getting settled after time away this week and excited for Chad to begin a new job Monday.  In the midst of the general business of fall and September, I am trying to set up routines for myself to get back to a more regular practice of art making.  A big part of that is clearing out and organizing supplies and setting up work spaces.

In the midst of these bigger tasks to create better spaces - in time and space - I am also trying to stick to my commitment of daily making.  

Tonight I imagined a bigger project but found myself tired and unable to find the wooden base I intended to work on. 

Then I remembered art-o-mat.  These mini collages are a good small step toward returning to more regular daily practice. 

Cooking...

Today most of my making was cooking...baking bread and cookies as well as trying a new recipe for dinner.  My son liked it enough he wanted a picture...

There's something satisfying about working in the kitchen - things have places and routines for prep, baking and clean-up are pretty well set.  Hoping to bring some of this same intentionality to setting up space for my art making this fall.  

I also got back to my practice of weekly walks at Huntley Meadows - loving the colors there today...

Sanctuary studio...

For our sanctuary studio time tonight at St Aidan's, we began with arranging small natural objects.

The second step was to observe carefully by drawing the arrangement...

I was thankful for the courage of those who joined in, particularly in taking on the challenge of drawing.  

Prayer beads...

I began today with repair.  The string of prayer beads I received as a gift from the chaplain at art camp broke in my tote bag and needed to be restrung.  I began with that repair (beads on the left) and then went on to string a set of my own beads inspired by the same pattern...

Last minute watercolor...

I painted this watercolor this evening in low light on the balcony of our hotel.  Thankful for the ocean view and a colorful sky and this time to relax...

Making together...

I spent the day with my nieces and nephew and their mom.

My niece and I made markers with her marker maker - a pretty cool contraption by crayola.  We also made pretzels - my first experience baking with an easy bake oven.

Chad and my nephew did some making of their own, constructing a ramp for his cars from cardboard and tape...

Chance portrait...

Today I made a quick portrait of our neighbor's dog...my sons walk him everyday for her and he's just so happy - I wanted to capture that.

Here he is...his name is Chance.

Preparation...

I spent time today in the preparation stage of making.  Downloading photos, printing and xeroxing as well as researching laser printers.

I purchased a simple HP laser printer.  It will arrive next week and will allow me to create photo transfers from images printed at home, taking out the step of needing to go Xerox images.  

For today I played with a new image that will go on this collage once I add some more color...

Messy photo transfer...

Here's my collage with the photo transfer I applied the other day...

...It came out darker than I'd expected so I ended up trying to scrub off some of the black with a bristle brush.  I'm not sure what's next with this one do I may let it rest a bit and start anew and see where that leads.

New collage paper arrived this morning so I plan to set aside the morning tomorrow for some dedicated making time.

Ephemeral Art Making...

I spent the morning with teachers planning for studio activities for 2,3 and 4 year olds.  One theme we discussed was using loose parts and the opportunity to work just with designing with objects.

It was a fitting connection that this evening our theme for the Community of Hope gathering at St Aidans was Art and Nature.  We spent our quiet time arranging natural objects on a round cork base. 

Here is my creation...

And here are the others created in the group...

...so fun to see all the variety in both the materials chosen and how they are used.

Photo transfer in process...

I xeroxed this image in 4 parts and then matched them to create one large image to transfer...

Applied with gel medium and going to let it dry overnight...

Visual Note Taking...

We made the most of the last day of summer and spent the day kayaking Little Hunting Creek and then enjoying the last day of the season at the neighborhood pool.

My pool photo is about making memories...

On our kayak ride I enjoyed observing light and forms and imagining them in new collages...