Sunday, February 10, 2013

Good Intentions

"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions." -Augusten Burroughs

good-intentions
Good Intentions
encaustic mixed media
8x8 inches
sold

And so, of course, I had to follow through with that serendipitous stacking of papers that led to the last bowl painting. I am happy to report that "Good Intentions" has found a new home and will be on its way out west later this week.

Yesterday I had a full day in the studio and I gave myself time to work on some plaster and encaustic books that have been in my head for a long time. I have a few workshops this year where one of the book forms I will be teaching is books made of plaster pages and incorporating encaustic and mixed media techniques. I wanted to make a few to use as samples and so I finally carved some time out to do them yesterday. For me, making a book, is a totally different process than when I paint. It's like I have to turn off one part of my brain and engage a different part. All creative process is about problem-solving, but book art is especially engaged in that kind of searching because you have to think about structure.

Work in progress
gathering materials while my wax melted in the morning

I will share images of those books as soon as I am able to take photos of them. But if you are interested in seeing my workshop offerings this year, please visit my workshops page on my website.

I am excited to be teaching in three places close to my heart. The first one will be in April on beautiful Whidbey Island in Washington at the Pacific NorthWest Art School. I'm excited to be flying into Seattle, the place I called home for 6 years. Then in May I will be teaching a workshop back here in Evanston, IL at PerficalSense Studio and Salon, the town just north of Chicago and where I went to college. And then in October, I will be teaching at the Red Thread Retreat in western Maryland. I grew up in Maryland and have a soft spot for the landscape there. So strange how it has worked out for me this year- the three places that have a hold on me. Three places that I call home.

11 comments:

  1. It is thrilling to see that random stack turn into this beautiful work. The colors and so warm, rich and deep. Wish I could be one of those lucky students at one of your workshops.

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    1. I wish I could be one of your students too Seth!

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  2. Good Intentions is so yummy I could eat it!...glad it's gone to a good home.

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  3. Hooray! I signed up for the Red Thread retreat...I missed it last year, but when I saw YOU were teaching, I felt like it was really meant to be, this year! My BIG birthday present to myself! Looking forward to it!

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    1. Hooray! Looking forward to it too. Thanks Mary Jo!

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  4. I love the colors and textures in Good Intentions!

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    1. thanks Pam, lots of different media in this one!

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  5. Augusten is really something. Have you read his brother's book?
    http://www.johnrobison.com/
    he's quite interesting.

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    1. no, I haven't read anything by him. Will check it out. Thanks Megan!

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    2. I've only read Running with Scissors, which to be honest, I never finished! I may give it a go again, but I remember something about it really bothering me.

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