Hanging out with Bob Burkett

Bob is amazing. Check out these tools he forged yesterday. They are made out of stainless steel rods that have been torched until molten, then manipulated with a hammer and vice grips. I tried the technique out and I felt really strong, like I should forge something every day.

This is a mouse head that my friend Laura made while also hanging out with Bob. He has that effect on most creative types. You can't be in the same room without picking up a tool and melting some wax. I thought she did a good job on her tiny little mouse charm.

My friend J'aime made this little cutie out of all the techniques she learned that day. I love how its head plume is also the bail. I made an octopus to match his sweet fish (I'm thinking of a charm bracelet) and Greg started a poison dart frog. Hopefully he'll finish it tonight so I can show pictures of it. Bob is a great teacher and I'm so happy he isn't stingy with the info, which is sadly the case with so many instructors. If your interested in taking a class on wax work from Bob, email us and we'll try and put a class together.

We've had a lot of company come through the last couple of weeks and I've enjoyed being around other artists. Its nice to share ideas and show off projects without having to explain why, or try to justify its purpose, since artists understand why one makes art in the first place. I find it completely relaxing to have a group of friends gathered around a table making things, music playing, good wine, tasty food.....what could be better? Of course, a beachfront view would improve the situation, but for now, I'm content with mountains filling my windows.

fishy-fishy

What do you think of Bob's new fish? I love it. I called dibs on the first batch. He's making a whole mess o' fishes that are small and cute! I am too slow and have nothing to present today, but will soon. We have been learning to set small stones for casting (like the eyes in the fish) and its a lot of fun. Of course I 'm thinking how cool it would be to make tiny crowns that favor plant forms, studded with jewels and tinkling with shimmery droplets, but we'll have to see if I can carve what I'm imagining! I can never start simply, I always want to make the most challenging things as first projects.

The past week I spent cleaning and organizing my space, attempting to get it ready for the next round of frenzied, creative bliss. Contrary to popular belief, creativity needs encouragement, and the right atmoshere is the best way to get started. I'm not a neat freak, but I like to have my tools ready at hand, my space clear and my materials free from dust. So, it takes some noodling before I'm good to go. Generally, I like to have little stations, or traveling studios to move around the house with me (right now my upstairs studio is like an oven, so I work at the kitchen table). Anyway, we're working hard on new pieces, gathered in the dining room, having a great time.

texture tools!

The wait is over! We have four designs to sell at Bead Fest. These are the same tools we made a year or so ago and stopped producing due to lack of time. Greg already has so much to do: filling orders, all the business stuff, website, designing, casting and doing trade shows. So we are so pleased that these are hand cast in Ohio! We were adamant that our work be made in the U.S. from quality materials, by folks receiving a fair wage. So much of what people buy today is made somewhere else, which doesn't really help our economy. Anyway, these tools will be available this weekend for 15 dollars each. I'll make up some samples to display the designs, but if you have my book Enchanted Adornments, the tools are used on many of the pieces.

We will be donating 3 dollars from the sale of each tool to Bob Burkett's daughter, Lisa. She has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and we want to help alleviate the huge financial burden this illness creates. Other products will be available with proceeds going to this cause. Bob will be there too, (with loads of pretty turtles and swirly octopi!) to help raise money. So, if you are going to be in the area, stop by and say hello to Greg and Bob and take a look at some of our new goods.

Ohio

View from the cone-shaped pebble house at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, OH. I felt so peaceful in this garden, watching gold koi fish glide through lotus leaves. One day, I'd like to build a magical garden like this one.



Our friends Tony and Mark sculpted and cast this huge pitcher plant for the conservatory. The pieces in the Savage Garden collection include a glowing sundew, giant saracenia pitcher plants and a venus fly trap, all much larger than life.


Throughout the garden one can find many glass pieces from Dale Chihuly, an artist known for his chandeliers that put me in mind of great big pepper bundles. The floating glass orbs in the waterfall pond were such beautiful bright points amongst all the greenery.


While is Cincinnatti, we went to Parky's Farm, a quaint little spot perfect for kids. My girl had a good time riding a pony and chasing goats around a pen. I admired the miniature donkey and pot bellied pigs, wondering if my neighbors would mind if I started my own farm.

School will be starting in a few days, which means more time for me to work! I've made it my goal to finish my doll within the next two weeks. I've slacked off a lot lately, running around town, hanging out with my buddies, hosting doll craft parties and making miniature food with Azalea. Our dolls have quite a feast to choose from! Our tiny pizza's look super tasty. On another note, Bob Burkett just rolled into town, so you know new pieces are around the corner! Lately, I've been thinking about lace and how it would look translated in metal. Many of the women in my family have made lace, either by tatting or crochet, so I have lots of samples to examine. It might be interesting, to galvanize something so delicate and fragile. I'm imagining a roundish shape, floral with lots of negative space, a piece that would look awesome on a leather cuff. That's the other thing on my list to finish in the next couple weeks, wish me luck.

Lexington, KY

Tiny dangle earrings for my friend Eva, perfect since she has a baby that likes to grab jewelry. These are made with 14K gold findings, rainbow sapphires and faceted crystal.

Lexington favors horses in a major way, erecting beautiful statues of them all over town. We loved the variety of techniques used to decorate them, especially this decoupaged crazy quilt.

This one is an homage to Van Goghs 'Starry Night', executed in mosaic. It was so beautifully done.

This beauty was our favorite, one we spotted while driving. Azalea made it our quest to find The Magic Wishing Horse. It took awhile (and many blisters later) but we found her!

Our friends live in this amazing house! Its filled with gorgeous details, like carved railings and decoratively etched doorknobs, each fitted with intricate keyholes. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that fairies lived in the garden and brownies in the floorboards! We really enjoyed our visit to Lexington, especially since we get along so great with our friends that live there. Luxuriant chocolate tastings and True Blood-we are so alike. I can't wait to visit again.

Max dressed up and ready to charm!


Greg and I trying to look cool and comfortable, despite the heat.


Our little family posing in front of the National Archives. Look how beat those kids are, worn out after trekking through the Smithsonian Natural History Musuem and the National Gallery of Art.

My panda girl, happy to see her favorite animal.

My fave, the red panda.

Anyone want to guess this mystery flower? I wouldn't mind planting these next to the mailbox.

Three days in D.C. is not enough time to really enjoy even a small portion of what the city has to offer. We meandered through, between wedding activities, soaking up bits and pieces, longing to explore everything. I love the abundance and variety of food, art and architecture. Although Asheville is artsy, its far from being a big city. Sometimes I long for big museums and the feeling that it would take weeks to see everything. You can see all of Asheville in a matter of days. I love it here, but its easy to miss city life. Anyway, I'm bursting with ideas from having our creative batteries recharged. I'm thinking of making silver cuff bracelets, maybe butterflies or a swirly octopus. Exotic creatures are on my mind and I'm ready to sketch away.

Work on the doll is speeding along, but its still a very slow process. I work in a reductive and additive way, meaning I carve away clay, then add layers on top. Carving baked polymer is very satisfying, as its texture is so dense, it reminds me a little of soap. Adding clay on top allows details that are much finer than carving.








The body is still in the shaping stage. Figuring out anatomy and jointing are the hardest parts of this doll. Making a figure that is completely correct is really difficult and somewhat odd looking, its as though softening muscle structure adds to the realism. Or, I just don't like seeing ropey tendens and bunchy muscles on my dolls. Anyway, I'm excited to get to the noodly bits, like hands and feet, which are so much fun to carve. The joints are going to be a pain, but I like a challenge.


Max likes sleeping in the afternoon sun, something he gets from me, I'm sure. I have memories of stretching out in front of the patio door after school, the sun streaming in and warming the carpet. Perfect napping conditions.

Max is a good baby. Quiet, relaxed and very good natured. He has moments when things aren't working for him and he lets me know (loudly). He loves riding around in his stroller, looking at everything and occasionally grabbing at objects that are close (like big sister).

Here's the family after enjoying the Southern Highlands show held downtown at the Civic Center. Its always fun to see all the amazing crafts, like carved birds and hand woven scarves. I really like witchy-looking wooden spoons and utensils and always find nice ones at the show. We found a twisty wood broom carved from a persimmon vine, collected from forests around town. Its nice and light and Azalea promptly claimed it as her 'magic broom, that's actually a princess in disguise'.

Well, the signing was less difficult than I imagined. It still felt odd, though, talking to people about the book, explaining what its about, how easy it is. Public relations is not my strong point. I do not enjoy center stage. I have no fear of talking in front of people, I'm not even shy, its just I'd rather be doing so many other things, like working on my doll. I'm so glad my friend J'aime came along and sat with me, helping to lighten the awkwardness. It turned out to be a good time, surprisingly enough.

This past week held a lot of instances of change for me. I've mentioned that I'm not very social, so organizing a get-together with my online doll friends is a bit different for me. Greg was very encouraging, baking fresh strawberry cupcakes for me to bring. We met at the new Barnes and Noble, and sat in a circle for a round of show and tell. It was nice to meet people that were into dolls as much as I am, getting excited over dress designs, shoe making and jewelry. I felt a little like an addict, nodding with understanding when someone would talk about the 'next doll'. I had so much fun, I decided it was o.k. to be social and had a craft night the next evening. I haven't always been so reclusive, I used to throw parties nearly every month and went on trips at a moments notice. Things are different now, I don't leave the house often and visit with friends only every once and awhile. I'm making an effort to widen my circle, so we'll see where it goes.

Doll head sculpted from polymer clay and destined to be used as the master for a porcelain ball-jointed doll. This piece still needs ears, a good sanding, a coat of primer, another sanding, then if everything looks perfect, she goes into the mold. I work on her every time I have a spare moment, between feeding Max or reading with Azalea. I'm hoping to have her finished within the next couple of weeks.

A sketch of my most favorite people of all! I've had an image of this in my head as a photograph for awhile now. I just need to construct the bird wagon and pixie wings.

A nice sketch of Azalea at the bookstore, designing fairy houses for us to build. Its under construction, a process delayed by rain, heat and mosquitos.

The previous few days were spent in various states of befuddlement, annoyance and oddly, productivity. Too many emotions fighting for attention, I suppose. I couldn't sleep, so I stayed up really late, carving my doll with an xacto knife. I moved around like I was doll myself, stiff and wide eyed, my expression fixed in a daze. There were problems of all sorts to contend with, some with protecting our copyrights, scheduling conflicts, misunderstandings and arranging a doll meeting. Largest of my anxieties was the nervous tension surrounding my first signing of Enchanted Adornments. Which, by the way, will be at Chevron Trading Post in Asheville, NC this Saturday 2-5 pm. For some reason, I'm filled with an irrational worry that I might burst into tears or hysterical laughter, or talk non stop . I've spoken in front of groups of people countless times, yet here I am, swaying between excitement and dread. I asked one of my friends to sit with me, that way, if no one shows up, I wouldn't have to sit in utter mortification alone. Anyway, I can hardly think about it without imagining all manner of silly things happening. If you're in the Asheville area on Saturday, please stop by and say hello, it'll be fun! Plus, the store is wonderful, well stocked and totally worth visiting.

simple earrings

I made these the other day, thinking I'd send them to one of the magazines I submit to. I changed my mind and kept them. So many things are like that around here! Necklaces, bracelets, doll heads, beads.....my work table is overflowing again.

I really love these skull beads and I think they are a perfect match with these amazing black rutilated quartz drops.

These links are part of the new collection of pieces and are fun because you can choose between two designs. The drops are faceted andalucite, a beautiful stone that shifts between a champagne pink and foresty green, depending how you look at them in the light. The silver loop earrings are made by Saki Silver and are of very good quality.

liquid sand

This big and beautiful bead was made by the talented Martha Proctor, of Liquid Sand Studio . Greg was set up near her at the Baltimore show and picked up a small collection of her beads and marbles for me. This one has such gorgeous colors! I am not sure how I'm going to use this bead........

Greg collects handmade glass marbles and thought this luminous bead looked like a burst of stars in a celestial blaze. It put me in mind of tiny beings floating in the ocean or fiery balls flitting through the sky. There was some debate of the best description for this particular piece.

These are smaller beads, but still reminicent of undersea creatures and outerspace. I collect glass beads and use very few of them in jewelry. I think the bead with the greenish bumps is calling for handmade chain and maybe labradorite or green amethyst.