Hi, readers. I will be showing my sculpture at an outdoor art show for the first time in a while this Saturday, October 17th from 10am to 4pm at Ladybug Farm.
I will have some new holiday seasonal items (Yes, my one-of-a-kind ornaments too!) available at this show! This is the only time they will be available until we hang the holiday show at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts in mid November. So, if you want the first choices…
There will be many other fine craft artists with their beautiful artwork at the Ladybug show. Check out the show website to see a full roster, and examples.
As you can imagine, I have a lot to finish getting ready for this weekend, so I’ll leave you with a few photos, and hope to see you out on the farm this weekend!!!!
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.
Hi, I know it has been quite some time since I posted anything new here. I have been quite busy with things in and out of my studio. A redesign of my website is just one of those tasks. In fact, I am still in the process of the redesign, so if you click around, things might be different next time you return. This post is also a check, to make sure that the redesign still allows those of you who have graciously subscribed to my blog to still receive them.
The biggest change in my site is that I now have a static home page that doesn’t update with each post. That page is still very much a Work-In-Progress. My posts will now live here on the Blog page. Posting will not occur with as much regularity as in the past. But, I will write each time there is an event, or new development in my work I want to share with you.
I have updated my Current Gallery page, and will be working to keep it as up-to-date as possible. I am playing around with making some items directly available for purchase from time to time. That requires some interplay between this site, and my Square sales to allow for convenient and secure transactions.
I may also try to work a BlueSky embed into my new home page. That way you can see what I post there (daily) without needing to have your own account… I think?
New Work
Here are some pieces that I have worked on since the last time I posted.
Love is NurturedBoho SlowLuna MouseAvoid Shiny ObjectsFledgedFamily PhotoRabbit MoonVenetian Canard
There do seem to be quie a few new pieces here that I had not posted about!
Several are for my upcoming featured artist show at the end of July. I will tell you about them in the run up to the opening. A couple, Luna Mouse and Venetian Canard, have already sold. Boho Slow is currently available at The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts.
All, are my usual construction of needle felted wool over a wire and batting armature. Some have unique qualities like the embroidery on Venetian Canard. I incorporated upcycled denim in Avoid Shiny Objects, and Rabbit Moon and Family Photo both are hanging display mobiles. Fledged, is unique in that is doesn’t include a figure, only the suggestion of one.
I have two pieces this week that are ready for spring to arrive. One is a mystical looking deer with antlers that form blooming branches. The second is a Pollinator Purse for the HGA spring Pop-Up event.
Spring
Spring
My interpretation of Spring is a melding of botanical and animal. I wanted this meditative looking ungulate to appear to be pulled from some boreal mythology. I’m not sure exactly what magic this creature possesses, but I’m guessing that it is ancient and powerful.
Spring is needle felted wool over a wire, batting, and wood (antlers) frame. I fashioned the unique antlers from chopsticks, skewers, and tooth picks drilling and gluing them peg fashion. The flowers and leaves are glued and felted to the antlers and the yarn wrap “bark.” You can watch a time-lapse of his creation on my YouTube channel.
Spring features sequin and bead dappled spots on his back, and iridescent glass bead eyes.
Pollinator Purse
Pollinator Purse
My Pollinator Purse features a needle felted and embroidered bee and dandelion design. This bag is also an example of upcycling, as the base of the pouch is a section cut from the leg of an old pair of jeans. Two pockets, one on the back, and one sewn to the interior lining came from the same pair of blue jeans. The cross body length strap was recycled from another denim bag. The zipper of the bag was also recycled, and the pull was changed out for bee charm and copper beads.
Pollinator Purse zipper and lining detail
A slide show process video of this bag can also be found on my YouTube channel. I think that I will be hanging on to this bag until the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts’ Spring/Mother’s day Pop-Up event on May 10th.
Bonus Work!
I had a couple of other pieces, one just completed and another from a couple of months back that were both gifts. They were both just delivered, so I can now share them with you!
The first was a sea life hanging mobile sculpture for above a baby crib. It is tricky to get an image of the whole mobile at once as all the elements are moving and twisting. So, instead here is a little collage of all of the seperate parts.
The other sculpture is a small snowy owl on a natural wood base. Both pieces traveled to their new home this week.
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
I decided to create a second piece for next month’s “It’s all About The Story” show. When scrolling through our guest poet, Jeffery Beam’s work, a second short poem caught my attention. It is simply titled The Whale.
I love creating sculptures of these mammoth marine mammals. I’m not sure what the pull on my imagination is. Perhaps it is the juxtaposition of something that is both hulking and graceful? Or, maybe it is how they are entwined into so many stories and mythologies? What ever the reason, I have returned to the whale several times. Ironically, one time I steered away from whales was for a Herman Melville inspired show. I figured there would be enough cetaceans in attendance there.
Bubbling Leviathan
Not A White Whale
My whale piece is titled, “Bubbling Leviathan”. Like whale themselves, I find the word leviathan intriguing. Somehow, it strikes me as one of those words that sounds like what it is, large and hulking. Unfortunately, it is also usually equated as dark, sinister, or even evil. I didn’t want my leviathan to be evil, so I encorporated something light and bubbly. Literally bubbles, or more specifially the feeding technique of creating bubble nets that humpback whales use. Humpbacks blow bubbles from their blowhole while turning in a circle as the swim upward. This concentrates the small krill that they feed on within the bubbly enclosure as the whale swims upward with its mouth open.
Bubbling Leviathan (back view)
My Leviathan is embellished with swirling gold patterns, glass elements, and metalic embroidery. I was striving to meld the natural and mythological I find combined in these creatures. Glass beads are suspended above and trail off the whale creating the illusion of movement and spinning of the bubble net. The sculpture is suspended from a thin bamboo ring. A spiral connector, and metalic ring complete the hanging connection.
I took some time this week to do a little wet felting. I tried the technique where you wrap a resist object, a balloon in this case, with some yarn first. Then I layered white and black wool. After wet felting, and popping the balloon, the resulting form was turned inside out to reveal that the yarn was incorporated into the felt as well. I worked the top edge a bit with my needles to create a finished edge. I had originally planned for this wet felt to become a bag, but I worked it into such a nice spherical shape, that it screamed to be left alone. My most trusted art critics agreed with this creative choice. So, Vessel # 12 it is. This piece will show up at HGA as soon as I get a chance to add it to inventory and drop it off.
Valentines?
I have a small selection of my hand pulled gel mono-print cards in floral and heart designs available at the gallery. Sketching a few other ideas. I’ll let you know if I come up with anything else.
I thought I’d share the last few one-of-a-kind ornaments for your merry display, before we put a cap on this year’s gift giving season. Last minute shoppers deserve a good selection too.
Panda Santa
Panda Santa is a round little elf with a brightly wrapped gift for someone special.
Deck The Halls
Deck The Halls is a cheery little squirrel with a festive Christmas wreath. It may be a bad tease to include him in this group, as he sold right after I brought him in to the gallery earlier this week. This is a common occurance this time of the year, especially with seasonal items.
Ice Stag
Ice Stag will be heading in to the gallery this morning. He is more of a mythical solstice type creature, and will provide sparkle to any yule display. The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts will be open 10-2 today for those last minute purchases.
Gathering
Gathering will also arrive at HGA this morning. This cheery little rabbit is dressed warmly in matching boots, mittens, and scarf. He is gathering holiday greenery with bright red berries in his basket.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I hope you have a wonderful, warm, and cheery holiday. If you are out and about today, stop by HGA and say hello to the gallerists on duty. They will be happy to help you find that perfect hand-crafted item.
I will be back with updates soon. My attention will be turning to items for early 2025 group shows, and my own feature later next year. The first show going up at HGA in January will be a special invitational show with some non-member artist that we admire. So, I will not have any work in that show, but, as always will have work throughout the rest of the gallery. I will share details about the invitational show after it installs in the first week of the new year.
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.
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.
