Raindrops

Here's a collage I began last night...

...I left it out of yesterday's post because I wasn't sure what I thought of it.  

Today it got its second layer...

...a reflection on watching raindrops on the surface of the water on a walk in the rain at Huntley Meadows.

In other news, the kiln is repaired and firing and I built one more frame for this new collage.

Help, supervision and new layers...

I'm especially thankful today for all the help from my family.  Chad applied the wax finish to my frames today so I could glue in the collages.  Pup acted as supervisor...

...paying close attention to detail...

This evening Chad and the boys added wire to all the eye hooks they put in last night.  Kevin even found one collage Id framed upside down.  

This evening I added a few new layers to collages...

This last one will get a new photo transfer tomorrow...

Sanding and finishing work

Today I spent a couple hours sanding frames and putting finishing nails in larger frames for extra reinforcement.  Not a lot to show for this work but it feels good to take this time and care completing things.

We spent the evening joining my parents for a celebration of my dad's 70th birthday - fun to see pictures, hear stories and especially to enjoy the music of his high school band.  

Here's my photo for the day of his initial surprise at seeing all who gathered for his celebration...

New fence...and big frames

Today I made molding for several larger frames.  This required a higher fence for the router table so I started by making that.  It took time away from making molding but then, once it was done, it was so much easier to cut the larger pieces.  It felt good to take the time to do this right.

I made 4 large frames today for color wheels and photos.

After dinner the whole family pitched in to help with adding eye hooks to frames while I cut matts for photos.  I love the energy of family making...

Finishing...

I set aside some time this morning to work on completing collages.

This one received a new layer of paper over the photo transfer...

This is a new collage...

...and here it is with the photo layer added...

I also made a trip to DC to buy museum board for matting my photos and picked up wood for frames for the photos on the way home.  It will be a busy weekend of framing but think I'm on track to be ready to hang work at Huntley Meadows next week.

Expectation ... And waiting

Today I loaded 4 layers of ceramics in the kiln, hoping to complete a final firing to prepar for my show at Huntley Meadows.  I was most excited to see all the different colors in my new color wheel of mini pots.  I loaded them on the top shelf and took this picture...

...and then I turned on the kiln and got a message that the thermocouple had failed.  A new part is ordered and will ship tomorrow...firing will have to wait til next week.

I made a frame with larger molding and seeing it completed decided I want it even bigger.  That will mean a trip into DC tomorrow to the art store for bigger matt board and then another try making molding and a larger frame.  More to come soon...

Making a mess...

Today I worked on a lot of middle steps in my process.  Loading the kiln, glazing clay, printing photos and trying to work out how to make a thicker kind of framing molding.

There isn't as much to show for these middle messy steps but I do feel I took solid steps toward completion.  

Here are some of my mini pots during the glazing process...

And the dragonflies with clear glaze on top...

This evening I got to enjoy a beautiful quiet moment in one of my favorite spaces, the sanctuary at St Aidan's.  The labyrinth is visiting for a workshop tonight...

Collaboration...

I've posted a few photos of my process glazing these tiles for a labyrinth sign for the St Aidan's labyrinth.  It's complete - thanks to the amazing work of Mike Brynczak who mounted the tiles, built the structure, painted the wood and installed the sign today.

It is very exciting to see it all put together and in place.  And I'm so thankful for Mike's technical expertise to build such a beautiful structure to mount it.  

Thanks too to Elizabeth, John and Lisa for their text editing and to Peg for her great eye for size and color and the use of her laser printer.

In this last photo, Kevin does the finger labyrinth while Ryan walks (runs) the labyrinth...I think they were racing...

Hands in clay...

It felt good to have my hands in clay today - forming new labyrinth touchstones.

They are pictured here with our new porch door - trying to get it primed and painted to hang before too many bugs take up residence in the porch...

Dragonflies...

Made from impressions of maple seeds in clay...

Making plans...

Today I'm thankful to my friend, Jenna, for her help with planning next steps to get ready for my show at Huntley Meadows.  

I unloaded the kiln, including this pile of mini pots - ready for glazing...

Working outside...

Today was a beautiful day and I appreciated it that much more after all the rain.  I particularly enjoy working in my carport workshop on days like today. I get to enjoy the fresh air and natural light while also having shade for my work and tools.

I created another set of framing molding and several frames.  

Green

Lots of work with collage and transfers today.  Here's a new one...lots of green.

In-process

New photo transfers - just applied the photos and will wait overnight for them to dry to remove paper backing...

...not too exciting at this stage.

And the beginning of a new collage - lots of spring green at Huntley Meadows.

Finishing touches...and remaking

So tonight I revisited a few more collages.

One just needed a few finishing touches...

While two others began a new collage later that almost remade the entire image - you can see just a few traces of the papers with the photo transfers underneath....

Listening...

I was home again today - continuing to rest.  I took some time to listen to two amazing interviews.  David Isay is the founder of Story Corps and Rachel Naomi Remen is a physician who believes in the power of story in healing.  Both were interviewed by Krista Tippett for On Being.  The theme of deep and present listening was part of both talks and helped to ground me today.

I revisited a couple collages and tried to listen for what was next for each.  

Many mini pots...

So it was another day at home with cough, cold and fever.  Between naps I created a few dozen more mini pots...

Making time to rest...

I've been fighting off a cold and cough - today I mostly made time to rest.

This evening I created 6 small pots from bits of clay...

...it's a small bit of making at the end of a restful rainy day.  

Frames, mini frames and a walk in the rain...

Today I made s few more frames.  And I used the small extra pieces of molding to cut some mini frames.  They are 2 by 3 inches - the size of my art-o-mat collages.

I also thought about practice and the idea of commitment.  Today I delivered postcards to Huntley Meadows for the show.  I've committed to walk in the park once a week but just haven't felt like it this week with all the rain.  Today I thought I'd just go a little ways down the path.  It was dryer than I'd expected under the cover of trees and the sound of rain on branches combined with the glow of all the green was sort of magical.  

It was a shorter walk - just a little ways onto the boardwalk and I was rewarded by getting to see this fellow...

I'm glad for my commitment to a weekly walk to get me out even in the rain.

Witness to my process...

Today I was back to revisiting and completing collages.  I met with my friend, Anna, and was reminded how important it is to have witnesses to creative process.  Sometimes I can get stuck and just the opportunity to share my process is enough to get me moving and making again.  Anna asks good questions and mostly she noticed and listens.  In sharing my process I am also better able to see it myself.

Here are today's completed creations...

Making and sharing space...

Today I focused on making space for others to create.

I spent the early afternoon with high school students and preschoolers.  I was there to talk about process-based art with the teen teachers and to demonstrate by offering opportunities for them to create with the kids.  

The best part was how the teens found themselves enjoying the space along with the young kids.  Several even noted how the process was surprisingly stress relieving and meditative.  I noticed the quiet in the room and the focus.

In the evening I led Sanctuary Studio time at St Aidan's and again again enjoyed the energy of sharing creative space.  In the quiet I noticed the rhythm and energy of drawing and coloring as others worked. My own practice focused on collage.

Here's the beginning of a new series of collages for art-o-mat...

Seed pods...

...soon to be dragonflies.

Revisiting, framing, collecting...

I did more revisiting of collages today.

I added some drawing to this one...

This is an old one where the transfer didn't work with the background - I tried a new background, combining paper and paint

And redid the transfer on top...

Here are some new frames - and a close up of framing molding just off the router and ready for mitre cuts...

Finally I spent some time this evening collecting...

...the maple seed pods that were EVERYWHERE last week are almost gone.

There are plenty of the tiny ones still on the trees.  The larger ones are harder to find now - most of the ones in my driveway are wet and torn.  I'll have to be on the lookout for them...more dragonflies coming soon.