May 26, 2009

This one's more like it.

Leggett, CA

This one is more like the one I'm working on, or wishing I was working on. I'm very inspired to work right now, but it will be at least a week before I can get back to art work.
Such is life.
Why is it that I can be sitting looking at a canvas with no inspiration, and all the time in the world, and then at another moment have a head full of ideas and no time to sit at the canvas.

May 23, 2009

Windows and Doors


Glass Mosaics by Karen Robbins

I love these.
Karen Robbins makes custom stained glass mosaics at 161 Ocean Ave. Cayucos, Ca 93430. They are made using old window and door frames.

May 22, 2009

Hippo in the Woods?

I went on a road trip this last week with my husband. We were surprised to find this concrete hippo at a wooded rest stop near Confusion Hill.

May 18, 2009

Swains Flat Ice Box

Ice Box at Swains Flat Store

Here is a photo of an ice box similar to the one that I'm currently working on. Still going and in much better shape than mine.
Ice Box

May 17, 2009

Stinky


Stinky's Tag

Stinky in its new home.

Stinky was going to be one of Encased in Concrete 88, but something went wrong. When I went to coat it in concrete I couldn't believe how bad it smelled. Something gooey must have ended up inside with the garbage. I wasn't sure if it would still smell after the concrete went on, so I used a different one for Encased in Concrete 88. Stinky now sits out in our orchard under the apple tree we planted when we first bought our property. So far Stinky is not stinky anymore!

May 16, 2009

Ice Box uncovered...

Ice Box in progress
After a few hours work, removing blackberry vines and poison oak (some how I didn't catch any) I have the Ice Box uncovered. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I stared it a few years ago, but now I'm ready to go. I have to reopen the front and put more garbage in it. The garbage I originally filled it with has settled, so I can fit in more, yay. I want to mosaic this one after the concrete work is done. Nothing has fully matured in my head yet though. Maybe, blues and whites.
I'll try to take a photo of an ice box that is still in good shape to give a better representation of what it used to be like, and post it later this week.

May 10, 2009

Mother's Day!!

Genetic Engineering

These 2 pieces are part of a series I did in the 1990's on genetic engineering. I was living in Davis at the time, and they were trying to make the perfect tomato. Also, at that time there was a lot of testing going on with human parts and pigs.


When I was 6 or 7 my mom was a graduate student at Tulane University in New Orleans. I remember there was a floor in the school that had babies/fetuses in jars (all development levels, extra limbs, etc.). I was fascinated! I was always asking to be taken up to see the "babies".
I'm sure this was part of my want for children. I wanted one of those babies of my own, well not in a jar, but to love and hold. I have been blessed with 3.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!



May 09, 2009

Vacuum?

Vacuum

I've been doing housework now for almost 30 yrs. Once, when I was feeling a little fed up with the process I encased my vacuum in concrete.

May 07, 2009

Old...New Project...Ice Box


Ice Box
I had forgotten about this project, as can be seen by the blackberries taking it over. It's an old ice box that I filled with debris when we first moved to our fixer-upper in the woods. Tomorrow, I'll pick up some expanded metal and get to work on wrapping it up for concrete. I'm thinking about mosaicking it, too. The flat sides are wonderful for mosaic work. It measures approximately 2.5 x 5 x 4 feet with a slopped edge were there use to be doors.

Also, I was reviewed in the North Coast Journal today, and on May 5th Redheaded Blackbelt mentioned a past piece I made titled "Nicker".

May 06, 2009

Rain


Rain, rain, and more rain! Even though it was raining quite a few people came to the opening and walked around and admired Encased in Concrete 88. I also did a short radio interview with KHUM, which was a first for me.
I've been thinking about my next projects. I want to get Muddy Gnome Ceramics going this year. A garden oriented ceramics business my husband and I are working on together. Also, on the encased in concrete end I've already started on more boxes of garbage for The Block Wall.

May 01, 2009

Everything is set for the opening!

Today, my husband and I weeded and picked up garbage at the Museum to get ready for the opening tomorrow night. While my work is there my husband and I are donating time to keeping the sculpture garden clean. I am saving all of the garbage we pick up and making a sculpture for the museum at the end of the show. It will represent how much garbage passes through the Melvin Schuler Sculpture Garden over the next 8 months.
Opening reception is tomorrow 6-9pm come by if you can, and if not tomorrow Encased in Concrete 88 will be at the museum for the next 8 months, so try to go by.
Morris Graves Museum of Art
Eureka, CA