getting ready

I am working to get ready for the demonstration. I am making things in different steps of pre-assembly. I had more at the studio. I made several faces. I made features: eyes, mouths, etc. These were glued to sketch paper so I could fine them. I made the flowered dress, just the white, with the pink trim, and with the flowers. I made a whole bunch of flowers - that could be glued on after I demonstrated how to make one.

The uniforms are not yet resolved. I have to figure out how to make the plaid and then break that down into steps. The arms and hands would have similar treatment. Then I think, the girls will have accessories: purse, lunch bag, back pack, etc. But, I am almost ready to give a demonstration that would flow. I think it would be like watching Martha Stewart bake a cake. She says to bake it for 20 minutes and then - viola - pulls out an already baked cake.

Facial features: eyes, noses, mouths.
School uniform pieces:





Flowered dress - in parts.

Demonstration

I have been asked to do a demonstration of my process, specifically in creating a paper doll card. This would be filmed (more details as they become firm.) After thinking about it, I decided I needed to make one and see how that could be done in the time frame given. I worked all day and here is what I was able to accomplish.


I am not happy with it. The hands need work, maybe the boots should be red? I think she looks angry. But, as I said - I worked all day.

I think I need to pre-assemble the card I demonstrate and have several versions in various stages available. I could demonstrate making one flower and then pull a paper dress out with all the flowers attached, and so forth.

I think the one I would like to make would be Little Betty Jane in her Catholic school uniform. It was green plaid with a green beanie.

I think I need to be ready by next week. I hope I can pull it off. Stay tuned...

Back at the studio

Since I finished grading last night, I was able to get to the studio today. I worked on some sketchages. I thought this would help me get back into the studio mindset.



I like using the negative space. I pasted the paper with the image cut out. I had pasted the image to another drawing. But, the shape of the cut out is interesting to me.

More Progress

I had a little time to work today. I think I worked on this for a couple of hours. Time flies....
After going to the exhibition "Slash" at the MAD in NYC, I mostly felt that I should be working much larger - you know - making a bigger SpLASH. But, instead I start this piece with tiny paper mosaic tiles. I guess you can't fight your own inclinations. I just don't feel a need to make big, other than that is what you see in shows like "Slash."

There was work in the show that was more intimate by Andrea Dezso. Oh, and also Kara Walker.

But, I guess - I left feeling overwhelmed by the larger works.

Continuing Progress

Back at the studio today. The first image is after 2 hours of work. The final two - after an additional 1 1/2 hours.

Today's work

I've been sketching at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am in love with all things Medeival. There is a mosaic that I have been thinking about. I made a very basic drawing. It's the first image. Then at the studio, I thought I would work with a magazine I found in the laundry room. It seems to be a magazine from Bergdorf Goodman. Really just a big advertisement. I wanted to try to make the mosaic using a couple of photographs of models from this magazine/advertisement. As you can see it starts out rather simply. And, then when I start adding the tiny pieces of skin tones from the photos, it starts to get interesting. I got about half way through the face. I was there for about three hours. But, it is great fun.








This last image shows the source photo with all the little pieces cut away from her face.

Group Show: November 24- December 19, 2009

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Flipbook animation

I recently submitted my flipbook for the Art House Coop Original Motion Picture project. But, I wasn't satisfied with just having the still images available. I made this little animation from the jpgs. You can see Little Betty Jane put herself together, magically get a grass skirt, and do the hula.

Soho20 Chelsea - Moving to a new space

Soho20 gallery is moving to a new space on 27th Street. We are having an affordable art sale and benefit party on October 24th from 6-10 pm. We will have donated artwork for sale, drinks and hors d'oeuvres along with entertainment. There will also be a preview day on Friday the 23rd from 12 - 6 pm. (Work will be available for sale on Friday as well as Saturday. If you want the best selection, you should go on Friday and then attend the party on Saturday as well.)

Drawing Away

Working on the sketchbook today. I took a drawing that I made at the Met - of an architectural bas relief of two animals fighting - and stuck it into my sketchbook (for the sketchbook project). Then I just continued the animals - the bas relief was just a fragment of something much bigger. Then, Little Betty Jane(s) wanted to get into the act. One is sitting on the dragon with a spear in her hand. The other is in the lion's claw. Lastly, I pasted some drawings of leaves from a medieval tapestry fragment around the figural grouping. The drawing was done with a graphite pencil that becomes a wash when wet. It has a really deep buttery black that I really like. There is a detail shot under the full image. The theme of my sketchbook is "Danger, Danger."

Uccelo Dragon

As you know, I am working on a sketchbook for the Art House Coop. The link to them is in the previous entry. I was working on that this morning. I made this dragon out of the cut away paper from the printed Little Betty Jane paper dolls. I love the feel of the printed paper. And, black ink is so yummy. There are so many different shades of black. These prints were done in two sessions - one black was much more blue than the other.

I was working from a Uccelo painting - "St. George and the Dragon." As you know St. George was forever slaying dragons. At least in paintings that is. Well, I just LOVE this dragon. I am not sure the collage is finished....

sketch-age

I have been working on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Library project for the Art House coop. I know - if you go to that link - you will see some sketchbooks that make mine look lame. But, I really like mine. So much so, I don't know if I want to send it in - when the time comes. I had such a good time working on it. I have been collecting things for a while - things that I find interesting visually and conceptually. I have been somewhat inhibited about putting them to use. But, today - it just flowed. Here are three of the spreads I like. There are detail shots. I could post them if anyone is interested.

Chain of Paper Dolls

Today, I decided to attach the dolls by their hands. Duh! That's pretty obvious. Not that I did it, but that I should have thought of it sooner. Now, I have a million ideas about how to dress them. But, I think....she wants to be a geisha. I feel like she is leading me - I think that is how novelists feel - like the characters are really telling them what will happen next.

Today's work

These LBJ collages are not what I set out to do at the studio today. I had other work I planned to work on. But, for some reason, I find it irresistible to stick Little Betty Jane onto whatever - mostly religious imagery. You can see here that she is moving on to being an equal opportunity blasphemer.




I like the cup. It is a postcard from my trip to London. Zurburan's "Cup of Water and a Rose." LBJ is coming through a slit in the card. Then I collaged on some black hair, eybrows, eyes, nose, mouth.
This is probably not completed. I don't know what else will happen - but something.

Really Weird Thing

I'm working in the studio today - this morning - I am home now writing this while I should be preparing my classes (which start next week - yike!). Anyway, I'm working away and I suddenly think - this is a really weird thing I am making. What is it? Is it a collage, an assemblage, appropriated nonsense? I really don't know. Somehow I don't stop making it - I go along. Here is the piece that inspired such thinking. It is a collage with a collagraph print of Little Betty Jane on a page from an art history book - an image of the Madonna and Child - Betty Jane is now in the position of the child. Then I put it on corrugated cardboard and starting making these tree and leave forms around it and then I added some praying monks and lastly there are two angles who will be down on the grass- one strumming an instrument, one picking flowers. The monks and angels are not yet completed. The first image is a bit blurry, but you kind of get the idea.

Little Betty Jane - Dance

I'm working on videos with Little Betty Jane. She is going to dance. I made a little leotard and shoes in black for her practice session. I made a ballet bar out of corrugated cardboard - my new favorite material. Next, I made a tutu and hairband out of a mesh bag. The fabric is would be a blue voile. This was a little drawstring bag with a sample of night cream. I got this as part of a goodie bag from the Southeby's City Arts Auction. I made the tutu and the hairband out of the bag. The skirt has a drawstring waist - using the blue ribbon drawstring to tie it in the back. I cut off a bit of that ribbon to make her head band. Here she is in tutu.


Here is a little practice video. You can see a few practice moves. It is very basic.

Somthing Different

And now for something completely different. Well, maybe not entirely different. The following collage is made from After All #21 - it's a visual culture magazine. Don't ask me what it means. That question has been troubling me while I am trying to work lately. But, I push it away because thinking about it - will break the spell.


this one is made from things I got a the National Gallery in London. And, it is after a painting of a Woman by Robert Campin. (It just began with that.) You would not be able to tell by looking at it. The large white area is a part of the bag that my postcards were put in - at the cash register.