Holiday Shopping: Support Your Local Artist!

Winter, collage
Available on Etsy

Today is the day. The day of the year where retailers hope to go "into the black." I have a proposal for you, though: Rather than getting into your car, burning gas, and fighting crowds to buy some mass-produced item for the one you love, why not purchase a one-of-a-kind original (or limited edition) for that special person on your shopping list?

Do you have a friend/neighbor/family member who works as an artist or craftsperson? If yes, please give THEM the business! If you're starved for artist relationships, then check out Etsy.com; and you'll be surprised at the number and varitey of art & craft items available.

I belong to a group of online-selling artists--all women--and one of the ladies in our group, Sharon Shubert, has put together a gallery of works that are available for purchase through Etsy. To see what's available from the Worldwide Women Artists Online (WWAO) group, check out Sharon's "Christmas Shopping With WWAO" page, go to her website. The page is updated daily, so go back often and refresh the page!

Here Comes the Sun, Ceramic & Copper Wire
Available on Etsy

And don't forget to buy something for yourself! Happy Shopping!

Heartfelt Sympathies for Barack Obama

I just learned that Barack Obama's grandmother, 85-year old Madelyn Dunham, has passed away. My heart just breaks for him and his family.

Miss Gertrude Pumpernickel, The Mummy

This week's classes are the last before Halloween, and I want the kids to do a project that will combine fun with art history (of course, I ALWAYS think art history is fun!). I absolutely love the mummies from Faiyum. I'm also fascinated by grave goods that are found in archaeological digs throughout the world. The objects included with the deceased often tell a story.

This week, we're going to make mummies, and include grave goods with them. Actually, we'll cut the "goods" from magazines and paste them all over the mummy. I'll also encourage each student to create a story about the mummy they've created. Since I like to have a sample work for the kids to see, I'd like you to meet Miss Gertrude Pumpernickel.

The Mummy of Miss Gertrude Pumpernickel, front (above) and back (below).
Cardboard, tissue paper, magazine cut outs, newspaper, glue

This is the mummy of Miss Gertrude Pumpernickel. Among her grave goods, archaeologists found the following:

1. Her favorite chair, where she would spend hours and hours; either reading, or gazing out the window to check for changing weather patterns.

2. Her little dog, Fruit Loop; who was a constant and loyal companion.

3. Her favorite meal of all time: sushi. Especially the California and avocado rolls.

4. A cameo brooch; her most sentimental possession, which had been handed down through the generations. It originally belonged to her great-great-great-great Grandmother,
Beulah Pumpernickel.

5. Chocolate chip cookies, because she always felt that a meal wasn’t complete unless it was followed by dessert.

6. Her Mini Cooper, which she nicknamed “Zoom.” She had saved for years and years, and purchased it only a week (to the day!) before her sad and untimely death.

7. Her favorite boot. She only had one leg, but that didn’t slow her down. Every other Saturday night she went out “one stepping” with her friends. Actually, her friends only knew how to do the “two step,” but that’s beside the point.

Ex Voto: Miss Frida

Two days a week, I teach art and culture to 1st through 6th graders. During this semester, we'll cover a total of four different cultures. The first one we learned about was Native Americans. Then we moved to Mexico. While studying our unit on Mexico, I told the kids about Ex Votos (thanks paintings), and about their significance in Mexican culture.

I've learned that the best way to get the kids started on a project is to do one myself. So, for our "Mexico project," I created this Ex Voto to share with the class.

Ex Voto: Miss Frida, Crayon and Sharpie Marker, 12" x 9"

The kids in my class come from a varitey of backgrounds (and religions), so I try to "neutralize" each project as much as possible. For my Ex Voto, I left out the requisite diety (or saint), and just expressed thanks for my adorable little sidekick, Miss Frida.

I had so much fun with this project, that I created a second one . . . which ISN'T pictured here, because it's a gift for my Mom, and I don't want her to see it before she's able to receive it via U.S. Mail. Perhaps I'll post it later, though . . .

Glass Fusing 101

For the longest time I've wanted to learn glass fusing. Well, recently I had the opportunity to take a class, and it was so much fun. Following are a couple of pieces that I made, and I look forward to making more in the coming weeks and months.

Kandinsky, 2008. Fused glass, 4" x 4" x 3/8"

The first one, above, is called Kandinsky (for obvious reasons!). I love the combination of color and linear elements.

Sunny Day, below, just makes me smile every time I look at it. It reminds me of a bright, warm sunny day . . . the smell of freshly cut grass . . . flowers in bloom . . . and nature filling every inch of space around me.

Sunny Day, 2008. Fused glass, 6 1/4" x 6 1/4" x 1/4"

Revisiting the Rag Rug

I love rag rugs. They remind me of being in 1st grade, when we were each instructed to bring one in for "nap time." The only thing is, if any of us actually fell asleep, we were sent to the nurse's office, and then promptly sent home. I guess they figured that 1st graders are only truly "healthy" when they're awake and being boisterous.

Honestly, the rag rug didn't offer enough cushion for me to get that comfortable, so sleep was always out of the question. However, we were required to be quiet during this time, so I would keep my mind occupied by studying the rug's pattern, counting the number of rows, and memorizing the order that the colors were laid down. Every time I see a rag rug now, I think of 1st grade.

Rag Rug Basket, Rags and Cane

I have a rag rug. Actually, I have two. One of them is brand new (only about $2.50 at Target!). The other is at least 20 years old, and has been washed so many times that it won't lay flat any more, and some of the "rows" were beginning to migrate out and away from the others. Clearly, it is due for retirement, so I gave the straying rows a gentle tug, and they easily slipped out. Then I followed suit with the rest, and continued until I had a pile of "rags." They're so pretty, and I'm way to sentimental to just toss them. So, I turned them into a basket. In fact, I probably have enough left over to make a second basket. And now, I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for old rag rugs. Perhaps a trip to the second hand store is in order!

The Chaotic Lives of Bramble Pickers

Employment (and unemployment) is a subject that's often discussed here at home. We also talk about the pros and cons of various types of jobs, the best places to work, and reasonable vs. unreasonable commute times and distances.

Recently, while re-watching one of my favorite Britcoms, we all got a hearty laugh about a skit that takes place in an employment office. The "job seekers" had just learned that, of all the jobs that existed in that area, they were only qualified to be either babysitters or bramble pickers. Imagine that.

The Chaotic Lives of Bramble Pickers, Cut Twigs and Yarn

Well, as someone who teaches 1st through 6th graders two days a week, I often feel like a babysitter. So, in my search for a second part-time job, I need to consider other options. Which got me to thinking: what do you suppose goes on in the lives of bramble pickers? What is a typical day like? I'm guessing it's rather chaotic. Kind of like this woven sculpture.

The Chaotic Lives of Bramble Pickers, Cut Twigs and Yarn (detail)

While working on this piece, I thought about chaos and job seekers, and about the hardships of certain jobs (like being a bramble picker--whatever that might entail!).