Oceans, mermaids and crowns

For someone who is afraid of water and does not know how to swim I sure have a fascination with the ocean. I have only visited ocean three times twice off the coast of New Jersey and once in Italy. I am afraid of swimming pools but not afraid of the ocean. I could watch it for hours. My love of the deep blue is reflected alot in my work. I once created a mermaid out of Plexiglas, wire, copper screen and aluminum that was 7 feet tall.  Those seas shells were bigger than the palm of my hand. Here is is 10 years ago hanging in the window of The Lagniappe . I think someone bought her and took her to Kansas City.  I make "Zombie" fish and frequently use the beach as a theme when teaching drawing to my students. This year I have created a n exhibit for my Student Art Show called the coral reef. All year my students have been creating pieces just for the roof. Origami clams, branch coral and sea stars, sea turtles, jelly fish, sea urchins and tropical fish. Very nice- but then I had to add a twist to it- this exhibit will be viewed under black lights. I have been working on it the past week.

Another project I have been working on are crowns. Love, love, love crowns. I am pretty sure in a former life I was a princess. So here is my mermaid crown using Plexiglas, wire, beads, cheese cloth and RHINESTONES! Pretty cool huh? This one isn't perfect and I need to tweak the bending process some but I am pretty pleased with the results.

What HAS she been up to?

I realize I have been MIA- missing in art I like to call it- lately. Between teaching classes and kids home on spring break and fighting with my depression I have not posted much of my work lately.

So- good news- I have been working! Just finished these today.

This is a journal/album that I recycled. I used these wonderful papers made by my friend Shari. I keep trying to get her to sell these papers on Etsy. They are so unique! Her process involves gelatin printing, textures, rubber stamps, stencils and anything else she can find to make it all come together.  At our Art Retreat last month I got to try my hand at Shari's printing process- what fun! I just don't have the same feel for it that Shari does though. I love her papers and am lucky enough to receive some as gifts every now and then. The original book was just a photo album. I kept the original clear pocket pages and added in some lavender and purple card stock paper. I like journals where you can tuck items into it and write on the pages at the same time.

This little piece was the 3-D challenge from last month's Art Retreat.  Again it's an up cycled item that I picked up at my local thrift store. Using the papers I designed in the gelatin printing session of the retreat, some sea shells and a few clay fish beads I created this treasure chest fir for any mermaid! This box measures about 3" x 5" and the drawer pulls out. Sorry this picture washed out a little on me.

And finally- I saw an altered spoon for the first time as I was blog hoping the other day. I love altered art and as soon as I saw it I had to try for myself. I used a vintage serving spoon- measures 9" long and the bowl holds 1/4 of liquid.  I have been fascinated with all things Alice and a spoon needs a tea party right? I had this vintage image of a young lady and her dolls having a tea party from my favorite place to get images- Altered Artifacts-

a couple of brass crowns, a clock face and the words "tea time" in glass alphabet beads and I was on my way to altering my first spoon.

All of these items are available in my Etsy shop. Now, I need to figure out what I want to do with this pile of rhinestone jewelry and a travel case that needs some TLC....