Is it over? Really?

I just realized school starts in a little over a week and I haven't DONE anything this summer.

Where does the time go?

375 kids participated in art and craft classes this summer. Some days were pretty wild and crazy but we had a lot of fun. And it doesn't seem like it but this is my last week of summer classes.

 
One of my new classes this summer was Altered Doll Houses. We used cigar boxes to create miniature doll houses. There were two haunted houses, one mermaid house and a couple of wodland fairy houses. Who says kids today don't have an imagination?

Some of the details they put into their houses was amazing. Somer's haunted house has fourtune telling room with a crystal ball and a glow in the dark lantern. Her rocking chair wasade out of balsa wood.


Katie's mermaid house has a bed a mermaid would be proud of. made from two scallop shells and a shiney blue and silver blanket. She also made a sea shell framed mirror with a drift wood shelf and an armoire for all those mermaid accessories. The other room in her house is where her mermaid keeps all her treasures. This one is a work in progress because we keep finding things that would be perfect in the treasure room and keep adding to it.

I like the use of wood slices for tables and chairs in Melissa's woodland fairy house. The window with the half circle at the top in the blue room has a magazine picture behind it of an outdoor woods scene. 

This summer we built sand castles out of sand clay, tree houses out of branches and wove rugs using old t-shirts. We created pictures from broken bits of glass and picture frames from sea shells. We painted t-shirts and decorated canvas tennis shoes and made headbands that anyone would love to wear. We altered books and records and made lanterns from cupcake liners.....

Ahhhh...summertime.....

AND just where have YOU been?

Iif you have stopped by the studio and have not found me here you are not stopping at the right time. It feels like I live here at times. Pulled a couple of late nights last week and went in over the weekend to get the place cleaned up. It was looking a bit rough around the edges out in the front room. In the meantime I have been working on some projects. I finally took the time to go out with my camera and play with it. Get to know it better.

I bought a new camera in December because my old one- which served me well- refused to work anymore. I didn't have the time to figure out all the new bells and whistles then so I was able to go out and do so today. I came across this in the lot behind the Mexican restaurant down the street. While messing around in photo shop I created this composition. My homage to Georgia O'Keefe. Her work is fascinating. She was an amazing woman who broke many biases and barriers in a male driven art world.



I also got a commission to create the cover for a children's musical CD called "Dogs, Frogs and Nature Songs" so I HAD to work on that piece because I had a deadline.

My inspiration for this piece was from one of my favorite artists/authors Eric Carle.  His work is so colorful and fresh and vibrant and ALIVE! Creating this piece made me appreciate his process even more. Most every line in the picture was made by cutting papers. Except the details around the dog face. I just couldn't cut the lines fine enough to make it look good.  And now they want me to create another piece for the CD itself- deadline Tuesday. I will get it done.

I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head it's good to finally get some of them out and onto paper.

where's the beach?

"The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--

Of cabbages--and kings--

And why the sea is boiling hot--

And whether pigs have wings......."

It's been a cold, wet rainy June-except when it's been over 90 with 98% humidity. Makes it hard to get outside and enjoy summer. So what do you do when you can't get to the beach?

You bring the beach to you! That's what we did today- we made sandcastle sculptures in the studio. The recipe is easy and prep time is simple. If you want to recipe leave a message and how to contact you.

this is why I do it

Every now and then a person comes into your life who reaffirms why you do what you do. I love working with young people especially when they 'get' it and can step outside the box and run with an idea...

 This is Sam's book filled with poetry and images that mean something to her. It's been a fun process working with this young woman. 

Thanks Sam for 'getting' it'.

I just can't decide!

I found this wonderful table

 at my local thrift store and I want to cover the top with a mosaic.




 The problem? I can't decide what I want on it.

Maybe a fish












or Van Gogh's sunflowers

or a mermaid or maybe a stylized sun?

or one with more detail. Oh what to do? If this was for someone else I wouldn't have this problem. Can you help me decide? Please?