phase 1 redux - appreciate and develop expertise

adding, wall mounting, and arranging...

I've been traveling (again), so I was away from the studio for most of the week, but I had lots of para-art fun at the Southeastern College Art Conference! I saw friends, had a work in a juried members exhibition, and delivered a paper (on accretional identity explained through a gorgeous painting - "Self-portrait as a Wunderkabinett" - fun times ;)). There was lots to see.

In the lobby
(that's a giant eagle statue behind me - very patriotic)

I wanted to see a throne for an upcoming work
and voila!

I made this just before I left...

then there was a parrot on the bus (!!)

and I made this one as soon as I got home
 including beautiful new letter tape

this was just pretty :)
and my lovely tolerant friend was with me
as I took pictures on the bus,
and in the lobby, and in the parking lot...

Since I was away from the studio, I decided to make a chart to help me think through phase 1R (appreciate and develop expertise). I decided "expertise" was too vague and tried to draw out - which expertise? It took me a while to get to the pretty chart (but lots of messy lists and diagrams later...)

I used drawing as the largest linking element and went outward from there. The things I'm looking for have a few characteristics in common - they can all be used toward rendering. I think rendering is important in my work because I'm asking the viewer to go to a fantastical place with me, so I feel like I should give something familiar in exchange for the request to suspend belief. (hmmmmm.) Also, there are some physical limitations. Everything is light and/or modular so that I can move it myself.

Making the chart was fun, but I can't help thinking that thinking is good, but not the same as doing, which is not the same as doing well (oy), so back to the drawing board I go [mental refrain: practice, practice, practice - lalalalaaaaa ;)]

drawing, drawing, drawing

go, go, go!

Look what I've been up to for the last 3 days :)

My neon purple socked foot is included for scale ;)

A detail from the shield
 ( anew rendition of mini #14 -
http://www.tatianaklacsmann.com/power-in-precision-project-miniatures.html)
 I got to test out my new .03 mm lead :)

Did this level of mess really occur within a 24 hour period?
- Yes. Yes it did.)

But it's ok - I clean the studio every day.
Sometimes, I think my job could accurately be described as
"professional mess-maker"

I used all of these for this piece.

Another potential description:

"shepherd of lost pencils"

Also, I framed this one, and it's on its way to New York :)

My feline assistants are not impressed by
the "kitty-free zone until I get this off the floor"
zone" concept

Ha!

I'm so excited, I couldn't wait to post this - a visual update:

Ha! wall mounted and everything :)!

My feline assistants inspired the addition of  the shiny gold bell :)

Birthday-Art-Playtime

The forest has a deer!

(haven't quite permanently attached all the parts yet...)

pieces everywhere

A very busy week of drawing 

a crown for the human yet to be drawn...

Creating a different type of "hybrid' creature
fusing figure drawing and faces from memory

Also figuring out how to
wall mount these

a second layer of paper on foam core with grommets
and wire (and the wings left unattached to the foam core
so they'll flap gently as things around them move ;))

I made  rainbow cookies

with family and friend at the Met!

and saw lots of  art 

It's one of my happy places and I still see new things every time :)

and there's beautiful things
on the street too

and look what I found at MoMA! (and a Maqritte exhibition too!)

and I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral

twice

:D! (!!!)

Exciting News!

A special post of good news :)

limited edition of 50, silk screen, 12" x 12" burgundy ink on gray paper

1) Have you ever wanted an owl by Tatiana? (Happy making answer: but of course! :))

This lovely print, "Owl 1" is now available from Culture + Commerce Project in Hudson! Culture + Commerce is one of those rare and exquisite places where, there's nothing inside I wouldn't be happy to take home with me (sigh!)...plus, they take phone orders and ship all over the world (unsubtle hint, hint ;)). Honestly though, beautiful things, and I'm proud that the owl is among them.

I'm really happy with the way the print turned out - it's a limited edition of 50, 12" x 12" burgundy ink on gray paper, based on my tiny block print, and silk-screened by Troy Cloth and Paper (an excellent and creature-friendly printing company - recommend :)).

Phase 1 redux has been about appreciating expertise, and some of that has been thinking about what skills I'd like to learn more about and try to develop, but another part (possible harder) has been recognizing, accepting, and appreciating skills that I think it unlikely that I will ever have. Editioning is one of the latter. I am so proud of how these turned out - the edition is crisp and even throughout...and way (way) better than I would have been able to print  myself on this scale (and safer for living things too). Process is so important to me, that it was hard to let go of any aspect, but I think it was the right call here. Fingers crossed that it goes well, (and then I can make more (more!) - I have a grand plan...[steeples fingers, pets cat]).

2) And (and, and)...The "Allegory of Art" will be at Limner Gallery (123 Warren St) in the juried show "A Show of Heads," October 24 - November 24, 2013, with reception: Saturday, October 26, 5-7pm, also online.

"An Allegory of Art," 40 x 44," mixed media collage 

3) My drawing "Open-Hearted" is featured in Direct Art, vol. 20 (page 71) - out now. Lots of interesting work!

"Open-Hearted," 24 x 24," mixed media on panel

4) More to come on on this one (I wouldn't want to be overwhelming ;)), but recognize this?

Yay for Art!

phase 1 redux - appreciate and develop expertise

I think this one is my favorite
(black and white stripes -love, love)

the blue paper is cut to fit around the leaves (oy!)

We have flowers! The plan is to use them in a wall mounted collage, inspired by mille-fleur tapestry design (like in the Unicorn Tapestries). (Of course, this means I need more...a lot more - it's a work in progress ;)).

charcoal and watercolor pencil, app. 36 x 48"

One of my assistants,
 hard at work

I started working on this Saturday afternoon and Sunday (around regularly-scheduled-life-duties)). It's going to be a deer with a human head and golden antlers (to frolick among the flowers, naturally :)). I've been observing and photographing deer on my walks, and felt ready to tackle it (and don't want to jinx it by saying anything more).


I also did some baking! It's been over two week since I made anything - a sure sign that I haven't been feeling well, since baked goods (along with pictures) are my choice means of communication. It was lots of fun coming up with this Mondrian-inspired birthday cake for one of the artist's biggest fans, the lovely Melissa. (The black is licorice, and the white is icing with coconut. Dark chocolate M & M's make up the primary colors). Mmmmmmm.

 Mini continues to grow.

phase 1 Redux - appreciate and develop expertise

Life-scale (whole sheet app. 25 x 48")

The sheet is so large that I have to turn it to reach (but that's ok because I'm cutting the 
plants out for a new room-scale installation). The flowers are left open and will be collage

 (a collage within a collage...)

Process Chart

mid-way: I tested out the process (twice) to make sure it would work (and I think it does - thumbs up!)

but I heart my new acrylic paint!

pencil drawing never goes out of style...

I was sick (with the flu) earlier in the week and frustrated about losing time; but happily, I'm on the mend, and my feline assistants are here to help.

Caption: "Mom, this is what we think of your alarm clock and your 'to do' list."

A doting aside: Mini is almost as big as Sunny now(!) This week I got her her first "big kitty" collar (neon yellow with bell - she's wearing it in the picture, but because they're shifting to their "winter fluff" mode, it's a bit hard to see). I wouldn't want to show favoritism among my equally beloved assistants, so Sunny got a little present too - a larger and more sonorous new bell (which has the added benefit that I can now keep track of my assistants by sound without needing to look up from drawing - excellent ;)).