Migration

This is the first in a series of fish prints that I made this summer. Each fish was caught by Fred in Washington, over this summer, then I painted the fish with dye and rubbed it onto a piece of fabric. Once the print was made I cleaned the dye off of the fish (and we ate it). The multi step process of printing the fish takes several days. It is very labor intensive.

Once I returned to Colorado I applied many of the pieces of plastic, shell and other items that I found on the beach or saved from household trash. The fish print was then painted, dyed and embellished with many different layers of machine quilting. This was a lot of work, but I enjoyed the entire process. It was fun to see the fish become a painting and come to life. My friend Ken Juliano gallery mounted the piece and took this photograph.

To explain my philosophy I have added a copy of my artist statement:

Artist Statement

After years of working in glass, sculpture and fabric I have started to work my knowledge of different mediums into each piece. I fabricate art from found objects and embellishments, adding dimension and making my work interactive with the viewer. Looking closely at my work the viewer can discover plastic wrap, buttons, copper and silver wire, beads, shells, and pieces of discarded items I have found on the shore. The found objects have become coral, fish eye, scales, flowers, insects and much more. The incorporation of man made objects to represent items in nature is to ask the question: “Where is the separation of man and nature?”

In this series, Salmon Migration, the fish is swimming through natural and man made debris to her final destination. Some of the coral and ocean floor is recovering nature as it grows through the plastic, making it part of the scene.

About Shakers, Buddhists and Mike Vick

I was talking with my friend Judy, and realized I didn't do as I said, make art today.

I wrote a lot today, to Mike Vick of the dog fighting fame, and to generous supporters of education the Gates Family (of Colorado). My letter to Mike was inspired by the 60 Minutes interview he did yesterday. I do hope he will be a good influence on younger people now. He didn't look sincere, but in this age of constant coaching it was refreshing in its own way that he wasn't convincing. Maybe he was just sincere and not a good actor? I have 2 rescued dogs (Buddy and Blue), I really feel horrible that there is dog fighting and animal abuse in the world. Can Mike Vick help? Maybe. At least we know more of the horrors of dog fighting because a famous person was convicted of it. Kobe Bryant? Now there is a man with no remorse.

I also wrote to one of my distant relatives about the Shakers. The Shakers were a religious group who did everything in their lives as well as they could. They lived plainly and they were craftsmen. I remember seeing a documentary about the last of the Shaker women. I think there were 2 left, in their 90's. They dressed much like the Amish, but they didn't have children (ahead of their time, ecologically-but not good for keeping up their religion). The furniture they made was lovely, and perfect (and plain). To own some small treasue made by the quakers is wonderful. It is a hand crafted object, made with love~you can actually see and the love in the item. The women interviewed in the documentary talked about their beliefs and how even making a pie was an act of prayer. Yes, a prayer. So when they made anything they made it as perfectly as they possibly could. Wow. Perfection. And so Buddhist as well.

So, friend, whatever you do, do it as best you can~with focus, determination and love, and intent. Then it will be perfect. But do it, that is step one.

The Work

It is all about the work. I read recently that many of the most successful writers make themselves adhere to a schedule. They write, and write and write. I also have a friend who has promised himself that he will paint one painting a day this year. His work is really showing some great progress. He was a great painter before. But now he is able to compose a painting in a day. A good painting. He is inspired, he is focused. His work is great.

So, today I was thinking that if we call our art "work" I should be adhering to some sort of work ethic. When I first started making glass beads as a living I decided to work every day. Doing my glass work was something I was ready to do, to explore. But some days I didn't want to melt glass, and some days weren't working out for me artistically, etc. So I cleaned out my cabinets, washed glass, sorted out glass rods and made frit. This sounds like avoidance, but it was actually good for me to get going and get organized-because I am not a an organized person or a cleaning nut.

And then I discovered a better and more creative way to make frit (ground up glass that is used in making glass beads) and a new way to make glass beads. I now make the most awesome color frits, in a multitude of color ways that can not be bought anywhere. It has changed how I make beads.

On the same tack-My mom is a really talented artist. however. All of her adult life-with great potential and good art education she has muddled along. This is because she has let so many things get in her way: a clean house, what other people want her to do, what other people think...

So don't let anything get in the way.

OK, the first rule of Blogging, keep on posting. Well, that didn't happen. So here I go again!

I spent the last few months trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. I guess this is it, create. Without adding more junk to the planet, using what is easily available and nearby. Using pieces of nature that are not using it up. And avoiding waste. Wow, that is an idea, isn't it?

I have been collecting dryer sheets for about a year now. I thought they were some kind of natural fiber (boy was I wrong) and could be repurposed into art (I was right about something). So, now, I ask that you help me by saving any you have that are used. I will make them into something, I won't tell you what-yet. By the way they are awful. Plastic, turtle food and ecological waste. Total "cover the earth in human debris" stuff. Icky! I don't buy them any more. I called Bounce and they told me they are PLASTIC! Call them like I did, 1-800-526-8623, to check it out. Meanwhile, save them and I will give you some ideas for repurposing them. Or tell me your ideas!

About 2 years ago I also started saving beer bottle tops. So please save them for me as well, if you can. I am making a sculpture out of them. The idea here is to use the common trash, repurpose it, make it into art and increase awareness of what we are throwing away. )I can't believe how much beer my friends drink!) And this is metal, mined metals that are in the earth and being thrown away as trash, that I can make into sculpture. Hey, you may think it is a little thing, but you can come on over and see the BOXES of beer bottle tops I have accumulated....

And on to dear husband Fred. Such a nice guy. He goes along with all of this stuff for me, or because of me. Hope that someday he digs out from my trash..... and resurfaces in the right decade.

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