Flea Market Finds

Last week I was fortunate to be Artist in Residence at the Terrace Inn in Bay View, just outside of Petoskey, Michigan.  Bay View is a Methodist Chautaqua, a very peaceful place as well as being very spiritual.  The Terrace Inn is a lovely old hotel and restaurant located on the grounds of BayView.  If you have a chance to stay there or even just go for lunch or dinner, I think you'll like it.  The staff is friendly, the food is good and there is usually a resident artist on hand so you can see art in the making.
I did a lot of sketching and worked on three new pieces.  One is still in process, , Newgate Prison Gate, a 14 x 11 watercolor on 140 lb Windsor Newton paper.

The other two, both 8 x8,  are the beginning of a new series.... Flea Market Finds.  The first is a rack of old luggage and the second is a bunch of wooden baskets.

Here's a bit of the other things I played with while I was there.... a sketch of the ice cream parlor entrance at the Inn and a couple collages

And now, back to reality, have to get ready for a show that hangs next week.

Rigging Minis

I did more thinking than painting this week; however, I did manage to get three miniatures finished.  These are three separate pieces, each 2" x  2".  Eventually they will go in a frame that has 3 openings.  That's a project for another day.

I'm still thinking about "Saying Yes."  Sorting out where I am and where I'm going.  Next week I will be away for a week as Artist in Residence at a resort.  It's a quiet resort and away from those home obligations that so often get in the way of making art and just plain thinking.  Hopefully I'll be able to spend more time meditating this.

Walking around in our garden

I've just finished reading "Saying Yes" by Cindy West.  The sub-title, "accepting God's amazing invitation to artists and the church.  I loved the book; Cindy said some things I needed to hear.  A question on the back cover... What will you do with the powerful gift of art?  What will I do with it?  I'm at a place where my art and my faith have to come together.  I'm not sure yet how that will happen but I know it's where I need to go.

After finishing the book I took a walk around our garden, went back in the house and got my camera and took some photos of God's glory right in our back yard.  Normally I would have taken my sketchbook too but it's cold out there this morning.

I recall Timothy Clark talking about why he paints gardens... it's a combination of God made and man made.  I like that thought.  I believe I'll keep it in my head for awhile.  Here are a few images I snapped this morning.

 

 

New Miniatures

 

I have no idea why the Keene Farm (lower right) came out this odd shape in the photo, it is actually the same size and configuration as the two top pieces.  I'm better at painting than at photography.  The three that are similar are 2" and the frames are collaged using New York Times Magazine pages that I have sprayed with Citra-Solv and then given them an Encaustic coating for protection.  The odd one is 1 1/2" and the frame has been collaged with an old navigation chart and coated as the others were.  This one doesn't have a glass or plexi glaze, instead I coated it with an acrylic glaze for protection.

 

Last weekend we celebrated our anniversary by taking a trip to our favorite big city.... Chicago.  We went to see the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago which is beautiful and full of wonderful works.  While we were there we also visited the Cultural Center and I was awestruck by the wonderful mosaic work. 

All of it was wonderful but the crown... the beautiful dome by Tiffany. 

I'm not only attracted to old and beautiful... things that are worn out also get my attention... here are a few shots of sidewalk.... I think they'll make good starts for abstract pieces.

A new way to post

Thank you Diahn from Ottworks.  My problem is solved and I'm a happy camper again.  These aren't knew but I don't believe I've shown them before.  Prior to my husband's hospital visit I was working on framing and these are two that I finally got framed and ready to go to a gallery.  Now I have to decide if I want to take them across the state for a special exhibit or if they should go to our gallery.  At this point, across the state is winning just because I haven't been able to get much newer done and across the state is only for the month of June.  If they don't sell there, they will be back her in time for the busiest part of the tourist season.    

Trouble with blogger

Well, I'm at a loss.  I can't upload any images in blogger draft version and I can't seem to get out of the draft version.  Since I'm using this blog for art, not being able to post images makes it, well.... useless.  I'm not giving up yet.  I'll still try and figure out a way to get around all this and if I can't, I'll look for another blog host.  I will try to keep you posted.

Here's the trellis

The entry just before this explains the trellis and my absence.  Now if I can figure out how I managed to get this photo uploaded I'll be a happy camper.