She did give me an idea though. I had been looking at this teapot wanting to do something with it. I love the shape and bought it to use but the handle was really uncomfortable to grasp so I delegated it to the studio for recycling. I wasn't sure what I was going to cover it with until my day with Maria. I found some glue at work that was for repairing broken dishes and is supposed to be heat and dishwasher proof so I was hoping the teapot would still be usable. The glue is pretty iffy though. Glass on stainless steel is not an easy stick. So it is decorative. I did a craft fair a couple of weeks ago and it was a good attention getter.
Speaking of the art fair, it was a total bust but a good learning experience. I put together this sign for it, so will have it to use again, and I made the tack sets below, which turned out really cool (I think).
Each piece of glass has a little teeny tiny holy card picture behind it. My Catholic is showing through! I am a sucker for holy cards, icons, and glow in the dark Jesus and Mary statues. I especially love folkart shrines made with seashells. I have plastic and plaster statues. I have one big collection in my studio, and bits and pieces elsewhere, like in the bus. My mind is very fond of fruitless rabbit trails...little reminders of what I would really rather be thinking about help me alot. I call these Remembrance tacks precisely for that reason.
I want to share here a purse my daughter made for me out of a favorite sweater. I bought the sweater used in South Dakota and wore it for about 6 years. I washed it a few too many times though, and it being wool, it got smaller and smaller. So I asked her to make me something out of it. She had it for months and said she had not inspiration. Then she woke up one morning with a vision of this purse, so she got up and made it! It has wonderful floppy pockets inside too. It is my winter purse...a real treasure.
So this is what I am working on now. I started with a pencil drawing that took me a couple of days and was pure enjoyment. She is on nice water color paper. I intended her to be painted from the git go. I did her face in acrylics mixed with medium to give it the translucent look. I did not get as good a depth or coverage on the paper as I have on other surfaces. Her face came out a bit mottled, but I have done some work to it since these picture were taken. In fact I am almost done with her...
I made a mess of the roses when I painted them so she went from being 11x14 to 11x12, but its all good. I have since gold leafed her halo. The whole background is painted dark blue. All I have to do is add some silver leaf stars and decide what to frame her in. I picture an embossed time frame like the ones so popular in Mexican art, but we will see.
Its time for me to sign off...I am getting that look from my other half...the "are you going to be on that thing all night?" look. With any luck I will be back before another month is gone...
annie
