The Art and Blog of Printmaker, Debra James Percival

This is my friend, Debra Percival, who is a very accomplished printmaker. Below is a proof of a print she's been working on this week. I stopped by her blog today for a peek, and she has some gorgeous photos from her studio, copper plates, etc.

Let's Go Fly A Kite, 2009. By Debra James Percival

To see today's blog post, and to check out more of Debra's gorgeous work, go visit her blog! And tell her that Robin sent you! :)

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Chinese New Year will be here before we know it! Surely I'm not the only person out there who's been busy preparing for the coming year--the Year of the Ox. Right now I'm looking for just the right ox figurine, and preparing our home for the changes to come. It's been a very busy time, so I haven't done much art. You just wait, though! Once we get past the 26th (New Year's Day!), I'll be busy in the studio!

There's so much change going on right now; particularly POSITIVE change. It feels great; so energizing. I can already feel a shift in our environment.

Just a few days ago, I found the cutest little "money cat" at Pacific Ocean Market. After installing a single AA battery, he began waving . . . "here, money! Come in here!" . . . so cute, so "kitschy" (hey, I LOVE kitsch!). I also picked up some bright red, beautifully decorated New Year's envelopes; which I'll use for friends, family, and coworkers. Now I need to get some bright read string and start tying coins together. Busy, busy!



I'm not doing a whole lot of spending, though. Mostly, I've been busy cleaning the house, moving things around (stirring up that yang chi!), rearranging furniture, checking each room to be sure the energy is flowing well, reorganizing the books in my library, organizing my studio & office, and getting a new haircut/style. Already, positive things are beginning to happen. Don't you just love the science of feng shui?

So, what have YOU been doing to make room for new and wonderful experiences and energy? I'd love to hear from you!

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"