Ink and Graphite and Henry

I got into using my fountain pen along with graphite and a bit blending this week for this 20 minute study. I continue working and trying to get the lines to capture even the smallest curve such as the deltoid muscle, and the tibialis anterior muscle. You may be wondering why the heck I am using the anatomical terms, but my old classical drawing teacher is behind me (not literally) and

WIP Hand Embroidery of Bird Stencil

 I just really liked the way the paint cracked on the cd, and thought I would include that in the embroidery.








I can't seem to make enough of these bird cd's fast enough.



No sooner I put them out they get snapped up. This one I am keeping for myself. As for the embroidery, I plan to incorporate that into a painting much like this one below.



 the face is embroidery stitch






and

Sharing Inspiring Ideas

At the beginning of the year I made some ice hands clutching an ice balloon for the Art Park in town. I was initially inspired by this post and made a whole batch of ice balloons to decorate the front lawn of the YS Bed & Breakfast for my daughters wedding.

 Free Art Friday Grand Rapids was also inspired when they saw my ice hands: check out their cool ice hand installation.  I hope Grand

Drawing from Perception

Yesterday started with life Drawing for 2½ hours and I seemed to want to play a little and do parts and add coils. Then I got serious and worked on this.


20 min study







5 min study






















It's a really awkward angle, particularly the head, which I didn't have time to work on. I spent most of the time trying to get the curve of her toes just right.



After life drawing a

Shrine Altoid Tin for FAFyes

I don't usually sit and do these BOX-isms in one sitting but add a little here,  a little there over the weeks. I find scraps of old velvet,old earnings, bead trim etc, and see what happens. The box I had started several weeks ago, but the  Buddha is from a mold I made last week and painted with gold leaf.



“Whatever makes youmore compassionate,more sensible,more detached,more loving,more

Pushing IT!

As in I am having fun seeing how far I can take one simple stencil of a spuggy and expanding on it. The eye is not a stencil but a collage taken from a fashion mag.  

I wasn't liking the paint on the old cd, how it cracked and was messy, but somehow it really worked after I stenciled it. 


14 Tips to Stretch Yourself Creatively
To Stay Creative, Let "Preciousness" Go

I sure wish I could

Tattoo's of the Day

Heres a little something from Danielle Silva and Matt Decker

Tattoo By Matt Decker

Tattoo By Matt Decker

Tattoo by Danielle Silva

Tattoo By Danielle Silva

Well Done!

Tuesdays are a good day at the shop. Everyone is well rested and excited to start the week. Here's a peek at some of yesterdays happenings. 

Matt Decker tattooing our client Ruby

 Ruby's cover-up by Matt Decker

Finished Cover-up by Matt Decker

Brett Baumgart Tattooing a local Police officer

 Tattoo by Brett Baumgart

City Birds in Cincinnati

 A group of us in Yellow Springs are doing "put a bird on it" around town, but I couldn't resist this perfect shot for leaving a spuggy stencil cd in Cinci.
If anyone doesn't recognize the birds on the building, the mural was done in 2012 by Artworks in honor of artist Charley Harper.
~

I was chuffed as mintballs to see that the owl box I'd sent for the International Free Art Friday in

Stencil Magic

No, not mine, I WISH!  Mine are rather simple but I'm inspired to develop them further.








So many amazing stencil artists out there. I once heard someone state they didn't think stencils were real  art because anyone can do them. I wish that were true. Sure if you copy an image and don't design it yourself, but even then the complexity or size, subject/context and location are not so easy

Obi Kaufmann, wild life, and portrait reveal!

Obi Kaufmann a local artist, blogger(www.coyoteandthunder.com), and all around great guy stopped by the shop this week. Matt Decker tattooed a pretty wonderful testament to life  on Obi's fingers. 

      

and......drumroll please.........Portrait Reveal!

Tattoo by Brett Baumgart

ugh, do people not GET it

Expensive racist crap from Anthropologie


Not only is it UGLY but why? why promote an image that is so painful and offensive. 

News Story





Jim Crow Museum

A Visitation in a Dream

I met Colin Firth at his house and we had a bet that if he went out in public nobody would recognize him. So we took a walk and got on a very large bus with rows of seats like a movie theatre.  Weren't many seats left and so we separated and I sat near the front, he at the back.  A young native american tried to climb over the seat next to me but fell. When I tried to help him up a voice behind

Knees and Lines

20 minute pose

Not sure why but I seemed to get stuck on knees yesterday at life drawing, and picking the most awkward angles too. Awkward angles were on purpose as I wanted the challenge that comes with stepping OUT of my comfort zone.

Being uncomfortable changes the dynamics of the drawing session. Since I already presume I won't leave with a finished drawing, let alone a masterpiece, I

Tuesday

Almost there! Brett Baumgart working on a sketch for a client. 

 Portrait in progress...Stay tuned for the finished piece!

Danielle Silva rosary in progress

Finished Rosary by Danielle Silva

Tattoo by Matt Decker

Matt Decker posing for the camera! 

Winter Wedding: Decorating with Ice Balloons

The Wedding Morning



started with decorating the front of the Yellow Springs Country Bed & Breakfast with colour ice balls. I had seen a photo of them on Pinterest and thought it was a fun idea and perfect if there is snow on the ground (which obliged us the day before).







I think I put too much colour in mine, next time I make any I will add just a hint. 

Spuggy Sez Tweet

What is a Spuggy?

Some of you know already, but that is my family nickname and Geordie slang for my maiden name.  






I thought for the Put a Bird on It in Yellow Springs I would make a stencil of my fave studio bird. I think it adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the local rubbish bins, don't you?  Old cd's have their uses, a bit spray paint and ta da, and for those who might be concerned, it

Weaving Our Way through Loss

Lighting a candle for Rufus and watching the flame dance and flicker.

A huge cold flatness grips at the soul and



this morning we had to escape the dead quiet of a house once filled with the daily habits and noises of an 8lb furry little bundle.

It was a comforting drive, the sun sparkled on the snow, the fields and pine trees.  Gardens with snow animals made us smile. I tried to capture

Farewell to a Faithful Friend

RUFUS

1999-Jan 1st 2013



He was a present from my husband, and since that day in 1999 Rufus brought such joy to us all. He was my studio pal, 





frisbee catcher, deer chaser, biccy stealer, snuggy bunny, and he loved marmite too.  Somehow we thought he was our pet, HAH, were we in for a suprise, we were his ;) and if he wasn't scrabble sitting


he was at the Saturday morning family

A New Year

and it's a Winter Wonderland out there.



I think we are going to snuggle in and enjoy the view from the windows.

No resolutions

BUT

This is the year for "putting a bird on it" in Yellow Springs, Ohio.



and it starts with the beautiful peacock henna I got on Turkish Wedding Henna Night.



May your New Year be filled with, good health, happy thoughts, wishes and dreams come true.