rest and flight

Returned to Florida from some delightful globetrotting for some much needed rest time. Traveling to different countries is enchanting, but there is something magical about returning home. The first step through the door is always the best - a big sigh, comforting smells of familiarity, and happy pup. I've felt like a happy pup these days.

But also like a migrating bird. I love change, and moving, seeing new things.
Currently spending time on the Florida gulf on a small, golf-cart driven island covered in palms and a coast dotted with white fishing boats.

Taking this time to slow down and work on drawings for an even bigger project happening soon. Reflecting on my time in Florida before I make a move out west to. Thinking about family and the good times. The adventure ahead of me. It's a good place to be.

¡HASTA LUEGO!

I'll be off for the country of Panama bright and early! Such a lush and beautiful country, and so glad I have such a wonderful host to show me around.

I will be hiking in the highlands...

Image found here.

Exploring Panama City...

Image.

And swimming in crystal clear waters...

Image.

See you on the flip side, and look out for inspired work when I return!

xo.

DESSERT ANYONE?

With a ceramic dish anyone? Check out these fresh-fired food safe dishes and bowls made for a special occasion - how about a dessert party?! That's what I would use them for... Available in the shop.

Speaking of desserts, yesterday I made these decadent paleo brownies. I substituted honey for the sugar that the recipe called for, as well as Ener-G egg replacer (which I highly recommend) for the egg. They were so rich and so so good! These were the first brownies since I began this diet a couple of months ago. This might be dangerous... but I dare you to try them out.

PAINT & THRIFT

 summer plunge 

acrylic and graphite on wood panel, 50" x 1/4" x 26"

 Here's a glimpse of some of my summer loves. I am having an absolute blast exploring this "new-found" medium. Working with color is like having a party with myself. So. much. fun. I did this one outside by the pool underneath our banana trees. Inspired by the almost-summer heat, the dappled shade, and the colorful springtime flowers that are in bloom by my turquoise pool. I just wanted to dive in (too bad the water is still pretty chilly). So... straight from Florida... to you? Currently it's resting on my mom's mantel, but it is also listed in my shop. Check it out!

 The inherited my easel from the old painting building at my alma mater. I love the smell of it. For some reason the oil soaked wood smells like gingerbread and flowers. The good earth too, as I like to call it. There's a wonderful earthy scent that I have only smelled in the Carolina mountains, and I have been lucky enough to have an easel that smells just like it! It's my favorite. I have weird favorites, I guess, but it makes me so happy every time I paint!

Here are some projects that I found on Craigslist! Such great steals. I plan on refinishing the desks to their original glory and reupholstering the wooden chair in a fun fabric. These may also be available in the shop soon! Happy springtime!

JUMP

New work.

Afternoon, folks. Sharing my art comes very unnaturally to me. Or at least putting it online for anyone to see. Even just stumbling by. I follow all sorts of design blogs and have a bevvy of favorite online artisan shops, but I've always been daunted - maybe even terrified? - of sharing my own work for others to see. It's been a dream, and I'm amazed that I'm finally taking the plunge!

I always had lofty ideals about the act of painting, the romanticism of it all, the intrigue, the lifestyle, the intensity of it all, the typical la vie boheme, etc. I simply did not enjoy being schooled on how to paint in realism or similar avenues. Such a methodical approach seemed like an oxy moron; I always just wanted to attack the canvas with paint and get it under my fingernails and end up covered from head to toe. Learning techniques (oh how terrible, I know) was simply not up my ally, but I am thankful that I have the experience and the critiques behind me. Abstract painting has been secretly floating in my head for years, and I am finally allowing myself to love painting. I feel so excited about this approach. It's truly exhilarating.

In other news, it's rainy and overcast after days of sunshiny outdoor painting on my pool deck in the woods. I have a candle burning and I'm researching my upcoming trip to Panama (!) between coffee breaks and trips to the bookstore.

KILN-FRESH

For the past couple of months I have been setting up my studio, ordering and organizing supplies, making small batches of work with ferocity, and firing the kiln for the first time. It has been quite frustrating at times, like when I am on the verge of something good, but whoops, I don't have this one random thing that is absolutely necessary in order to make what I want to make. So I do what I can, but I also start to work in other mediums to bide time. I love dabbling and jumping to new areas of work. I just hope my style stays consistent.

Yesterday morning I unloaded the first glaze kiln, and I have to say, I was mostly disappointed in the larger work that I had spent the majority of time on.

 

1. Glossy glaze is much too shiny.

2. And it's too milky.

3. Spotty glaze application.

4. The black turned out so dark! I think the combo of the black underglaze with the glossy glaze muddied the entire piece.

5. The other underglaze colors on other pieces (not shown) are too saturated for my taste.

Even so, I still do like it. I just don't love it.

But there were a couple of tiny pieces that came out of the kiln that I'm having a small love affair with! You may think I'm silly, but I am so excited about the colors, the random-ness, and the sketchiness of the underglaze pencil. It's my new favorite thing. So as I said, I inherited about 900 jars of underglaze from an amazing southern gentleman from the next back-of-the-woods-town over. Maybe he is an angel? I am seeing a beautiful story being painted with these gems, and I'm really excited to incorporate pieces like this into my wood works, plus also seeing imagery spill into my paintings, and back and forth, and blah blah blahhh. Artist talk.

Excited to see where this goes!

GLAZING DAZE

I was hoping to get my fingers dirty tonight and spend a couple hours glazing after work, but this morning I realized that I am missing a vital glaze mixing supply - a sieve! Bummer. Totally necessary though. I ordered one this morning from one of my favorite supply companies, Standard Ceramic, so it will be in the mail shortly. Guess that means more time for greenware making and bisque loads! I'm going to have such a surplus of glaze fire-ready pieces that I'll probably be SWIMMING in glaze to make it through.