Sources Of Inspiration

 When the snow flies and the sun sets much too early, even I have a hard time remembering the many colors leaves can be. I'm sure I could find a few people who can recall walking with me in the Fall, and wondering why I would suddenly stop short and lunge for the ground! Did I trip? Was I having a seizure? No, I would spot a beautifully colored leaf and would grab it for later reference! Unfortunately, leaf colors don't keep past a day or two. BUT, (Reason number 87 as to why I love digital cameras...!) with my camera, I can freeze the diverse leaf colors in time and refer to them whenever I want!

I discovered most of these leaves last weekend, when the wind was gusting to 50 miles an hour and I had a yard full of leaves from trees that were probably miles away - that's why most of these are under plastic. I wanted to take the pics in the daylight, when the colors would be truer, but they were trying to take off!

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The most colorful and diverse tree in my yard has to be this Japanese Maple - I was disappointed when I first bought it - it had been mismarked and the leaves turned out a plain green in the summer and I wanted a red one. But once it matured, I discovered that its Fall color was breathtaking! The five leaves below all came from this one tree.

The two oval leaves are from a "Burning Bush " (Euonymus). Proof that I can paint a leaf PINK and it will still be realistic!

The underside of a waterlily pad...

Even a shot of my red Castor Bean...

And.... a couple of "my" leaves inspired by my Autumn finds!

Last Show 2011~ Harrison Rally Day

...A cool, cloudy mid September morning in a small NW Ohio community. This was fun, because it is a downtown street festival and it has a mix of the activities a lot of people think of when they hear "street festival" in the Midwest. 

One being: historical celebrations :

This event is named for a rally held in Perrysburg in the 1800s for William Henry Harrison. If you've heard of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too", it was the Whig party's campaign song based on General Harrison's exploits at the Battle of Tippecanoe fought in 1811 against Chief Tecumseh, and his vice presidential running mate, John Tyler. Mr. Tyler, the 10th president, succeeded Mr. Harrison on April 4, 1841, a month after Mr. Harrison's inauguration. (This last bit of info was totally copied from another website: I generally run as far away from History as I can as a rule...)

Quite a large "small" Festival, 240 booth/tents were set up along the streets of Perrysburg,Ohio.

...Here's mine!

And it wouldn't be a Midwest street fair without a parade!

 

 Of course, the local high school's marching band, too...

 

Always displayed proudly at my booth!

 

And we all love our classic cars! My Dad actually had a black '57 Chevy that I still remember riding in! He sold it when I was 10 :-(...

 

Then the sun came out and totally transformed the day (Although, as you can see, our booth was WAY too close to the railroad tracks!) 

 

The local fire department showing off for the kids...

 

I HAD to get a picture of THIS guy! I didn't even ask to take his picture - I figure that if one walks around with two dogs in doggie harnesses hanging on him , he should expect it! Don't think anyone would have believed me anyway if I hadn't provided proof!

 

 My Hibiscus Blossom display

 

And the Faerie Doors! TWO more are now out in the world attracting our tiny friends =-)

 

I'm so thrilled with digital cameras, because I always take such important and well thought out photos, like the sun glinting off my FunGi....

 

I always like to take an "artist's eye" shot from inside the booth! Good parting shot, too. Later!

Transforming Nature To Art

What it takes to complete a cast leaf pendant and necklace...

Sometimes I'm asked, "How long did this take you to make?" or, not as pleasantly, "Why do these necklaces cost so much?" Since a lot of people just do not realize the time and labor it takes to create craft or art pieces, I decided to add up the time it takes to make just one of my pendants (because, actually, I want to know, too!)

(The numbers in parentheses represent the approximate time for each phase).

First, I have to select a leaf. Do I just run out to the garden and cut a leaf off a plant? No. The leaf has to be without rips, bends, bites, or blemishes, it has to be pleasingly uniform and the right size, and if I'm making earrings they also have to match! THAT alone is a toughie! (10). Then I have to mix the cement and carefully spread it on this light, flyaway 1" leaf. If the air temperature is not just right, it may be too thin and I then have to apply another layer in a day. (20) I then have to peel the leaf off a day or two later, file any messy edges and soak it in water a few days so it cures (20). Then I hand paint it (15). Next the bail is glued on and the "dewdrop" is attached (FYI, I make the dewdrops by actually SPLITTING beads in half!) (15).

 The final procedure is mixing the two part polyurethane THOROUGHLY and spreading the sticky, messy compound on the leaf, going back several times to brush off the excess that pools on the piece (60) It takes 24 hours to dry, and if at that time I discover it had not been mixed enough, the poly will be cloudy and the piece is junk! There is no way to determine that while it is setting. This polyurethane was developed for furniture and the like ~ as usual for me, I use a lot of products for reasons NOT intended for that product, so I have to improvise ~ there are no guidelines or instructions!

SO... once that is finished, I can choose to sell it as a loose pendant, in which case I only have to place them in ziploc bags, punch a hole in it to hang, place a card of heavy black paper (I cut out myself) behind it with the name of the leaf written on it, place the care and description card (also written, printed and cut out by hand) in the bag, and price it! (10)

I sell these for $18.50 (plus tax). So, for 2 1/2 hours of work,this comes to $7.40 hr.

If I do make one of the custom neckchains for it, with the "organic" components such as Freshwater pearls, beads made from semiprecious stones or shell, terra cotta, brass, silver, copper, horn, etc., that adds at least another 45 minutes to the piece (along with the extra cost of the beads). Stringing beads is not brain surgery, BUT it does take time to think about the design and determine which colors and components to use. I sell the pendants with these for about $28, which sets me at the same hourly wage.This is not counting ANY materials cost! Unfortunately,for a lot of artisans, these are GOOD wages, too!

Do they LOOK as if all that work goes into them? I don't think so, and I don't feel that they SHOULD ~ they should look as if the leaf and colors just quietly came together. And that's what I believe is just an element of good Art.

Magic Always Exists If You Believe

As I have taken on the responsibility of creating the doors/portals the Faeries require for their homes, I am always looking for new and unique flora to create them from. A few weeks ago, I decided that the flowers of my three Hibiscus plants would make awesome doors. However, when I went to see how many blossoms were out, I was disappointed to not find a single flower left! But that's how Hibiscus are ~ they only bloom for a certain period of time, then they're done. 

Strangely, though, the very next day, a pink blossom appeared, although I hadn't noticed any more buds.

I grabbed it and cast a door from it (I really hated to pick the last blossom of the year without enjoying it all day, but I couldn't pass it up!). It turned out perfectly, and I was content that I was able to create at least ONE Hibiscus Faerie Door this year.

But then, that same week, MANY new blooms appeared, almost as if someone had somehow rejuvenated the blossoming process!

I myself have never had a hardy Hibiscus rebloom and wasn't aware that they even could, but there they were... and as of this posting, three weeks later and also into OCTOBER, they are still blooming! AND I have created several more Doors from them.

Did the Faeries

help me out? Was there a little Magic Dust involved? I like to think so :-)

Beadaholicicity

If you ever ask, I will usually tell you that I really have no vices to speak of. Well, that's probably not entirely accurate...and I may have to rewrite that statement! No, I don't drink (a lot)  or smoke, the usual vices that are referred to, but - oh baby, get me near a bead store, and all my control is gone!

...So the spousal unit had to work this past weekend, and that was my chance to go shoppin'! He did accompany me to a bead store in Ann Arbor a few years ago, and ever since that day, I haven't been able to drag him to another (LOL!). No matter - this is a trip best accomplished alone!

 Yes, I still have thousands of beads, and no, I don't create much in the way of beadwork anymore - but since the Faerie Doors have been doing pretty well, I'm running low on the "Faerie" related components (stars, moons, butterflies, etc.). Thus, I persuaded myself that I just HAD to run over there for "a few" of those.

My very favorite bead place in town is "Meant To Bead" - they've been around for years now, and I think they "get" us bead freaks, that is, they have just about anything a beader could want or need! Findings, pearls, Swarovski crystals, wire, tools, thread, - and BEADS! Glass, vintage, pewter, sterling, ceramic, stone, shell, etc., etc. - BAZILLIONS of 'em! In all fairness, I can find less expensive components at my favorite catalog/online store (Fire Mountain) - but if I want unusual beads ASAP, this is the place to go in Toledo (www.meant2bead.com). I rarely don't find what I need there!

These (below) were awesome! Any kind of glassworking, especially lampworked beads, is the same as magic in my eyes...someday, maybe...but for now, I just admire and appreciate the stuff. I almost purchased the top center piece, but since I generally wear my own jewelry (to advertise), I talked myself out of it......for now. ;-)

Levis Commons 2010 - In Retrospect

Art shows are such an experience! I often wonder if I could live my life on the art show circuit - could NOT having a 9 to 5 job make up for the physical labor and worry it takes to do shows? Probably not, especially with my medium - if I had fiber or jewelry, something easily transported, and could fit everything I would ever need into a truck or van, I think I could handle it. OR if I was 20 years younger! ;-)

Anyway, I did participate in the Levis Commons Art Fair this past weekend, and did quite well! Despite a near washout on Saturday and being windblown on Sunday, it didn't seem to faze a lot of the shoppers, and of course, it doesn't harm anything I sell! All of the birdbaths are displayed outside of the canopy, so the display factor was increased Saturday by showing off how just well the birdbaths looked filled with water!

Saw some old friends (Rhonda/Ken and Janine/Jeff!)...and made new friends!....

And I really like to talk to the other artists - every one of them have interesting stories OR great tips on what they do in various situations (like how to keep your canopy's top from filling with water! LOL). I learn something new every show. With this show, I was somewhat concerned that our display was too "homemade" looking compared to everyone else's, but no one seemed to notice or worry about it - they were more interested in my work - as it should be!

I do have to mention The (Michigan) Guild of Artists and Artisans, the same association that organizes Levis Commons as well as the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair . When I saw all the rules and regulations regarding the show, I actually lost sleep over all of it! Yikes! What if "they" don't like this? What if "they" don't want me to have these things over here? Well, I should not have worried. Evidently those are just set out so if someone IS being inconsiderate or unreasonable, there is something in writing.

Actually, everything was well organized (and VERY well advertised, so I stopped whining so much about the cost to be there). We always pack sandwiches and sundry food items for a show, but they had a very well stocked "hospitality" tent for the artists, with donuts, bagels, water, coffee, bananas (and my sincere appreciation goes out to a couple of local businesses, namely Andrew Z's- for providing PIZZA on Saturday and Max & Erma's for the WARM chocolate chip cookies on Sunday!), so we didn't want for much.

My work, as usual, didn't receive any awards, which is not surprising at an art show like this - there is just too much around I myself would consider extremely Fine Art, but it would be nice to at least SEE a judge glance my way once in a while! Hmmph...

 

Did have fun, nonetheless, despite the rain,the long hours, the wind, the dumb questions ("Oh, does this one hang?" - While pointing to a leaf HANGING up on the lattice... ), and getting thru the inevitable period of time during each setup and takedown where Hubby and I fight the urge to punch each other in the eye! (He's very organized; I'm not - need I say more)?

A New Venue! Levis Commons Fine Art Fair 2010

On August 21 & 22,  I will be set up at the Levis Commons 6th Annual Fine Art Fair. This is the closest to a "real" art fair I have participated in so far, since it is promoted by The Guild of Artists & Artisans in Ann Arbor, MI., which also handles the Ann Arbor Street Fair, the largest art fair in this area of the country. I have not, and probably never will, be involved with that one, since A) I would need 3-4 times the amount of inventory I currently have and B) I would not want to go beyond the capacity of our truck just to haul more cement!

Plus I'm cheap~Levis Commons is costing me plenty, and Ann Arbor would be way beyond that! Of course, it is true that you have to spend money to make money sometimes, but I have my limit. There is a rule of thumb I have heard from other artists, and that is you should make ten times what you spend on the booth fees for it to be considered a very good / great show. Since the fees are conservatively around $700.00 (USD) for one space, and I have maybe, on a GOOD day, $3000.00 in my TOTAL stock, you see how I could never reach that goal (believe me, three grand would make me happy enough, but that would be every last thing I had!)

But, back to Levis Commons ~ expensive though it may be, I'm happy as a rat in a restaurant dumpster to be participating this year. It is a very nice event, plus this is the first year I am finally confident enough to want to be included in the big leagues, and am looking forward to the experience!

Art In The Park 2010

~In the middle of my angst-ridden summer, reveling in and appreciating the acclaim I am receiving from my events and the Kuhlman Corporation exhibit, while at the same time fretting about the shows every two weeks and if I'm going to be able to keep up this pace with no vacation time left from my "real" job!

I would almost kill to have all the vacation time I had at my old job (in the days before "Creative Castings", when I didn't really need it!), while conversely, I would not want the irritation and stress of that same job! I have never been a realist. A realist would say, "This is the way it is, and no use whining about it", instead of buying Lotto tickets, wishing for an unknown wealthy relative to expire and leave me an inheritance, or for Robert Redford to come along and offer me a million bucks to have sex with him so I could quit!

But on to the useful information. :-) My next event is this Saturday and Sunday, in Port Clinton Ohio, at Lakeview Park.

Lakeview Park...

...and the lake! (Erie)

This is our first time here ~ all I want is good weather, and the rest will have to be up to us! Hope you can stop by, see my new pieces and the birdbaths that have shells (I actually found on this same beach) incorporated into them. I risked life and limb to get them (see below).

Ran across this beautiful creature while picking shells. But all involved went their separate ways without incident!

"In Another Garden" 2010

Despite the thunderstorm we awakened to at 4:30 AM that began the day, it had stopped by the time we arrived at our destination at 6:00, and despite the weather predictions of very hot, very humid, and stormy, they did not come to pass. Yes, it was warm (it's SUMMER, after all), but the humidity was tolerable, plus there was a perfect breeze much of the time. The location of our booth was on a pretty stained and stamped concrete driveway with the white garage door behind, as a result I think I now finally have some decent "booth shots" for art shows.

Oops, my bins are showing! I hate when that happens... 

The view from inside the booth, facing the adjoining garden...

...And the best part! The owners of the aforementioned garden also displayed one of MY leaves in the flowerbed! Wish they would have washed it out though. It rained the night before and the gardener probably overlooked it. Did not get to meet them, but I was very excited to see one of my "babies"!

At The Market 2010

Some of the sights at this year's Farmer's Market Flower Day weekend...good weekend, but 4:00 AM sure came awfully early Saturday morning!

The setup this time, with the Maumee River right behind us...

OMG! How cute can I get? (BTW, that is NOT a baby bottle under the stroller, but I saw it in use - it's a portable doggy water dish!)

Surrounded by flora ~ I'm in my element!

As I've mentioned before, I have leaf ~ themed everything! Purses, jewelry, checks, sunglasses - plus my leaf clothing, some of which you'll never see me wear in REAL life! I'll only wear it at shows, and deny everything at work the next day!   ...which might be difficult after I post this picture...