Intertwined at The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts 7/27/26-8/23/26
Hi Audience, I know it has been a while since my last post. As many of you are already aware, my featured artist show at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts this year is titled Intertwined and will run from July 27th through August 23rd. There will be a Last Friday Art Walk opening reception on Friday, July 31st from 6-9pm, and an artist talk on Saturday, August 15th at 4pm.
This year my sculpture will show alongside the work of painters Nancy Smith, and Chris Graebner.
Here is your blog subscriber’s preview of some of the new work I have created…
PrimordialBumble-PhantDande-DragonMythicTeaQilinDewRemarkably BrightPas De DeuxBloom At NightHoneyMoon Dance
They are all a bit more magical this year. It feels like a bit of magic is needed right now.
Hope you get the chance to check them out in person!
Each year at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, we host a preview show for the Orange County Artists’ Guild’s Studio Tour. The tour runs the first two weekends of November. When the studio tour ends… the holidays begin at HGA!
For several years now I have created mostly one-of-a-kind needle felted ornaments. Each is a unique mini-sculpture, and they seem to be quite popular. Here’s a link to a YouTube video that I created a few weeks back showing many of the ornaments I have sculpted for this season.
This year, I’ve decided to do a little marketing experiment. I’m making several ornaments available online for the next two weeks. You can get to my sales page by clicking on the Curling Rabbit ornament below, or through the image gallery currently on this site’s home page. I will add new ornaments if these find new homes quickly, but they will only be available online through November 10th!
Curling Rabbit
Other New Work.
Since, I stopped making regular blog posts, I haven’t shared much in the way of new work. Here are a few recent pieces:
Cozy Badger
Cozy Badger – Needle felted wool/mixed media. Anthropomorphic badger figure with a blue and white stripped nightcap, slippers, and “pince nez” glasses, sits on a natural wood log reading a book, with a cup of tea beside him. This piece will be available at HGA for the holiday show.
Harvest
Harvest – is an anthropomorphic mouse figure with a pumpkin. Needle felted wool. This piece is currently available at HGA.
Fish Out Of Water
Fish Out Of Water – is a re-work of an earlier sculpture. Seated needle felted koi figure holds a blue decorated parasol, and has a obi belt fashioned from the fabric stash of a beloved art quilter. This sculpture is also currently available at HGA.
Here’s a little of what I’ve been creating the past few weeks. Recently three figures have emerged from my studio. As I wrote last time, I have been mostly posting process videos of those works-in-progress (WIP) on YouTube, or sharing on my BlueSky feed.
La-La-La-Llama
La-La-La-Llama is a small anthropomorphic llama figure that I recenlty described as lovin’ life. This “just for the fun of it” sculpture features a brightly colored almost “Klimpt-esque” pattern. Llamas are rather comical looking animals, and this one’s title is inspired by Sesame Street “La La La” song by Bert and Ernie. She is needle felted wool over a wire and batting armature.
March Hare..
March Hare
My March Hare might not be crazy, but certainly appears to be on the move. As with the Llama, I was continuing to play with bold surface patterns. I used a small weighted concrete base (encased in the little mound of earth) to counterbalance this figure, and make it appear to defy gravity.
I just took photos of this completed figure piece yesterday, but I feel she may as yet still be a work-in-progress. It continues to be hard to just produce light hearted work, as things in the world continue to be insane in a larger sense. So, as I was sketching in my journal, the idea of a winged liberty pulling herself off the ground emerged. This piece is what had developed. Unfortunately, I have to admit, she’s too cute, not beat up enough to convey what I was thinking. So, for the time being, I have set her aside, and will work on her again in the future. You can catch the WIP video of me creating her
Reminder…
This coming Sunday, February 23rd there is a special event at The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts from 4-6 pm. The poet Jeffery Beam that we’ve collaborated with for our current gallery show will be doing a reading. Stop by and check it out
Meet “Milk and Apples”. They are the latest anthropomorphic sculpture to emerge from my work table.
I must admit, they took some time. Not with regard to the actual sculpting time, but more in a manner of conception. I think I experienced something similar to a writer’s block, but not in the area of coming up with ideas, but more the desire to create? Events of the past week or so, don’t exactly inspire light joy-filled work. During this time, I also took a bit of a social media break. The owners of some of the platforms I use decided to dispense with fact checking and decency. So, I decided I didn’t want to consume their products. I’m not sure if I want to go back. In fact, if you want to follow me on social media (minus the ads, bots, and crazies) I did start a BlueSky account. You can check out things I post there at:
This little social media break also made me reconsider what I do here. I will be honest with you. Maintaining my website as a blog is really just another chore I’ve assigned myself that really doesn’t do much. I have more interaction with the spam bots that manage to evade the filters every time I post or update, than I do with actual readers. I’m still considering options. I will update you if/when I make any decisions on that front.
Back to Milk and Apples
These two rather contented looking porcine characters were inspired by a quote from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, “It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples.” For those not familiar, this is an explaination offered to the other farm animals as to why only the pigs would be enjoying those particular goods. This seemed timely to me. So, I felted my dismay into a light hearted wool wrapping. I don’t know if this has made me feel any better, but it did inspire some charming art.
Apples
The pigs are needle felted wool over a wire and quilt batting armature. They each have hand sewn iridescent glass bead eyes. Individual elements (pigs, bowl of apples, milk can) are stitched and felted through the top two layers of the base. The base is made of three layers of heavy wool felt: green, brown, and grey (not shown).
Milk
I am not sure if Milk and Apples will show up at HGA right away. I may hang on to them for my feature show. That show opens the last week of July.
I will get to the future soon enough. I missed sharing with you a couple of ornaments that went to the gallery during the the last few days before Christmas. Below are Puffin Present and Sloth Lights.
Puffin PresentSloth Lights
As you can see, I didn’t take images of them before I dropped them off. One of the other HGA artists helped me out, and took a couple of shots with her phone before they found new homes.
I’d also like you to meet Turk. He is an African Penguin. I made this little sculpture for the desk of a very special museum professional who works with African Pengins on a regular basis. I didn’t share him, as he was a surprise for Christmas morning. He was a present himself.
Looking to the Future
Lastly two pieces for the near, and somewhat more distant future. The first, is one of two works I have planned for our gallery’s yearly “It’s All About The Story” show. That show features artwork that responds to written work by one of the area’s many authors. This year we are working with the poet Jeffery Beam. The “Story” show will run from February 11th through March 23rd. There will be a reading hosted by the gallery on February 23rd, and a reception during the February Last Friday Art Walk on February 28th.
The first work I’ve created for the February show I’m titling “Dryad Slumber.” I will share the poem she is in response to later. For now, I thought that I’d just share her as her own visual art self. She is the first “human” figure that I’ve created in a while.
I will tell more about this piece as we get closer to that show’s installation.
In the very near future, The Hillsborough Gallery will be hosting “Moving Heaven and Earth”. This is an invitational show of non-HGA artists who’s work we enjoy. I was in the gallery today and saw some of the work that is included. It is a fabulous show, and well worth checking out. It will be installed tomorrow, January 6th, and will run through February 9th. Here is a list of the guest artist included: Jane Filer, Sarah Graham, Katie Hayes, Ian Herdell, Alexis Joyner, Ley Killeya, Oami Powers, Suzan Scribner-Reed, Darcy Szeremi, Nadine Zenobi
For a bit farther into the future
I ended up creating the first ornament for the 2025 holiday season, though not on purpose. The initial snail that I made for “Dryad Slumber” was entirely too big. So I plucked him off, and made the smaller version you see in the Dryad Slumber images. The larger snail received a Santa’s hat and a hanging loop. He will deliver presents next winter at a slightly slower pace. I’m not sure that I will share all of the ornaments next year, it got a bit exhausting this time around.
As there is still a week until Christmas, I doubt this is my last batch of ornaments for this season. These new One-Of-A-Kind (OOAK) ornaments will be headed to the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts later today. Each is a unique original sculpture. I do repeat themes. Some ideas seem to capture the eye more than others. For example, there was a brown bear on a sled a few weeks ago. This week I created a polar bear cub with a long magenta vintage style hat and scarf piloting a sled. He is titled Polar Slide.
Polar Slide
Earlier, I had a pair of polar bear cubs teamed up to hang a star. This week it is a giraffe who needs no partner to reach the top of the tree. This one is titled No Ladder Needed.
No Ladder Needed
Warm Wool is the next OOAK ornament in the batch. I haven’t done a sheep this season. There were others who didn’t really need their winter accessories either, but they look so fetching!
Warm Wool
Also, completely new this season is Checking Santa’s List. This little owl with spectacles is helping out St. Nick. He has his reading glasses on, so he can double check Who! is naughty and Who! is nice.
Checking Santa’s List
The last ornament (at least in this batch) is Ornament Care. He is a Male emperor penguin. Ornament Care is protecting an ornate glass ornament in the same manner the male penguins incubate their eggs. They balance the eggs on their feet, and squat down to cover them with their bodies.
Ornament Care
Coming Soon…
All of these new little friends will be at HGA later today. I’m guessing there will be at least one more posting for the holiday season. Next, we have some group shows for January and February. I will be telling you all about those soon.
The dance reference is my attempt to describe the activity in my studio during this time of the holiday season. I am in no way complaining that my one-of-a-kind ornaments are popular. I love that visitors to the gallery seem kind of facinated with these little mini-sculptures. But, I do find myself feeling like I am constantly playing catch up. Needless to say, I have not been creating much else. Some of the ornaments even go in to the gallery without me taking the time to photograph them. I did manage to take a few shots since the pop-up event.
Pig In A BlanketOkapi HolidaysWas This for Santa?Mousedeer
For now, the images will have to speak for themselves. I know this post is a little short, I’m off to dance some more!
Thank you, to all who came out to the Holiday Pop-Up last week. It was a little chilly out in the tent, but the good cheer and great conversations with visitors made it all worthwhile. All of us artist elves have been busy creating. There is still an amazing selection of original art gifts for the holidays and beyond, so stop by the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts if you’re looking for something special.
This Friday is “Black Friday” and It is also the Last Friday Art Walk in Hillsborough. After your Thursday feasting, head down to Hillsborough for extended holiday shopping hours, art, good companly, and maybe a glass of holiday cheer. The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts is all dressed up for the season, and our artist/elves are continuously busy creating amazing hand crafted art. Many of my one-of-a-kind ornaments have already traveled out the door. So, I will continue to work on new designs, and keep refilling my two copper display trees.
Chickadee BallChickadee Ball (back view)
I will add the “Chickadee Ball’ dryer ball ornament when I go in for the Black Friday – Last Friday festivities from 6-9.
Pop-Up Next Saturday!
Next Saturday, December 7th the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts will host it’s second annual Holiday Pop-Up from 12-4. Tents will go up outside the gallery and by noon, there will be additional offerings by many of our artists for your holiday gift giving. We make a special effort to make these expecially giftable items.
Last year, I introduced my needle felted one-of-a-kind ornaments. As you know, each is an original mini-sculpture. They were so popular, this year I have created all one-of-a-kind (OOAK) ornaments so far. To switch it up for the Pop-Up this year, I decided to create two “Limited Edition” ornaments. Several people asked me if I would make additional copies of “Hanging Lights”, an opossum hanging lights in a ring.
Hanging Lights
Well, no, sorry, I do try to keep the one-of-a-kinds one of a kind (he sold rather quickly.) But, that doesn’t mean I can’t do something similar. So, I will be making a batch of single tail hanging opossums for the Pop-Up.
Limited Edition Opossum
In addition, I am miniturizing my mini-mush sculptures a little bit more, and making them into hanging ornaments.
Trio of Mini-Mush Ornaments
The opossums, and mini-mush ornaments will be available at HGA starting at the Pop-Up next Saturday, December 7th. I’m not sure what number I will limit these orament batches at (10?12?) It depends how far I get in their creation this week along with a few other items.
I will be at the gallery for both the Last Friday Art walk this week, and the Holiday Pop-Up, hope you can make it out too.
A number of my one-of-a-kind ornaments featuring needle felted anthropomorphic creatures have already moved on to new homes. So, I am busy creating new ones to fill the spaces on my two copper display trees. I dropped off “Cookies!” the mouse cookie chef last evening, and will get “Wrapping Is Easy” the octopus in to HGA soon.
Wrapping Is Easy (with 8 arms)
I dropped off two others, “Battle Ready” the hedgehog and “Not The Christmas Goose You’re Looking For” this past Saturday. You’ll have to stop by the gallery to see them, as I didn’t take the opportunity to take images of those before I brought them in.
Replacement For The Window
I also was occupied creating a replacement for “It’s Snowing” the hanging polar bear sculpture that was displayed in the front window, as he already found a new home too. I still have a selection of bamboo hoops of varying sizes, so I played with the same theme, and created “Star Gazing.” This hanging sculpture features a pair of needle felted anthropomorphic polar bear cubs, swinging on the ring, and looking up at sparkling stars of needle felted wool and glass beads.
Star Gazing
I recorded some time lapse videos of the process of creating this sculpture. Below is a compilation video of those clips: (*video doesn’t show on email version of post, must view in browser on wartskisculpture.com)
HMaking Star Gazing
Holiday Pop-Up!
Saturday, December 7th from noon to 4pm, the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts will host it’s second annual Holiday Pop-up event. There will be tents set up outside of the gallery with an even larger selection of hand crafted art and fine crafts. Many of the artists take the opportunity to produce even more gift-able items. This event will coincide with that week’s “Sip n’ Shop” event (each Saturday in December before Christmas.) So, it will be a busy festive day with a tent pop-up, gift card drawing, and refreshments. Mark your calendars!
Each year the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts presents its special holiday show titled “The Art of Giving.” Our member artists create a wonderland of art and fine crafts to provide a wide variety of gift giving choices. Tomorrow, the gallery will be transformed with our work and some lights into this magical art emporium.
For The Art Of Giving
I’ve been working the past few weeks creating new sculptures, and one-of-a-kind ornaments for our holiday installation. Two of the new sculptures are specifically holiday themed. I shared one of them, Holly & Mistletoe, with you a few weeks ago. He was the raccoon with a working lantern who was collecing holly and mistletoe. The second is titled “It’s Snowing!” and features a reclining polar bear inside a bamboo ring who seems fascinated by the falling snow. You can find this hanging sculpture in the window of HGA starting tomorrow.
It’s Snowing!
Don’t forget, I am bringing in a varied selection of one-of-a-kind ornaments as well. Each is an original mini-sculpture that can hopefully become a cherished part of your holiday traditions.
Acorn Gift
Bling! mini
Peppermint Cocoa
Festive Print Mixing
Sugarplum Mouse
Star Placement
Jolabokaflod
Overland Tree Delivery
Ornament Transit
Aurora Reflection needle felted wool “painting” on a dryer ball ornament
White Stag
Festive
Musk Elf
Speedy
Elf Cottages
Christmas Past
Deco-lobster
Armed
Jingle Jelly
Special Delivery
Santa Whale
Cardinal Ball
Moose Twilight
Long Scarf
Hockey Bunny
Ski Mouse
Rein-chicken
Snowball Fight
Cozy Chick
Polar Cub Cocoa
Xmas Kisses ornament
Come check out the work of all my artist/owner parners. There will be something to catch everyone’s eye. The opening reception for the Art of Giving show will be the evening of Black Friday, November 29th from 6-9 pm. HGA will also again have a special “Holiday Pop-up” sale on Saturday, December 7th. I will share more infomation on that event in a future post.
