The opening reception for “Art Colors Life”, my featured artist show with painters Chris Graebner and Marcy Lansman, is this evening during the Hillsborough “Last Friday” Art Walk. If you are local, I hope that you can brave the heat and stop by the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts to enjoy the art (and our air-conditioning!) Downtown Hillsborough will be alive, with music, art and activities.
If you are not local, here’s a link to a YouTube video I put together after we installed the show on Monday…
Last Minute Details
I’d love to write some more, but have some things to do to get ready for this evening. Hope to see you tonight.
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 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.
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.
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!
