Tiny prints, drapery, biomass plant

A busy week in Artlandia! 

New block in process

I started carving the large drapery block - thumbs up! Funny story about this - I almost always tone my blocks light, teal-blue, but this block felt like it should be green instead...and then looking back at the original, smaller block on which the template is based, I realized - it's on gomuban...so it's green, haha.  

 
 We can also see that Mo has really taken to his new role as Feline Assistant Junior!  He's already learned how to enter a photo of a block to help provide a sense of scale (good kitty).  I'm very excited that he seems to enjoy being with me in the studio - I foresee a brilliant career ahead for the newest member of our studio team!

Other art work going on this past week - I printed 72 mini prints from 15 blocks to give to students and faculty that I had a chance to work with as a visiting artist at the Hotchkiss School.  I think it was a good visit, and I'm happy that I could give students a piece of my work to remember by.

In creature news this week - Mini and Momiji seem to be bonding very well!  

One Kitty, Two Kitty

It's hard work being the cutest kitten!

And an adorable Honey picture from this past week,
because the kitties aren't the only beloved creatures in the house :).

 In place of landscapes this week, I got to visit and photograph inside Hotchkiss's biomass heating facility - I thought this was totally awesome in both it's aesthetic form and environmentally friendlier function. Not sure yet what I'll do with the photos, but I loved having the chance to see and photograph it.

 

Visiting Artist, Sphinx and Mo!

A busy week in Artlandia!

I glued down and sewed parts on a new 30 x 22" collage - thumbs up! I think It will still need a full sheet backing, and some more sewing to secure the parts, but it's well on it's way.

I also prepared a life-scale drapery block based on the 12 x 15 drapery block from October 2017

I was a visiting artist at the Hotchkiss School for part of the week and got to talk about my work in the Tremaine Gallery and demonstrate paper marbling techniques.

 In other art adventures, I went a reading of Kahn and Selesnick's "100 Views of the Drowning World," which was excellent, and the opening of Travelogue at Jack Shainman Gallery's The School also excellent.

And (...drumroll...!) I welcomed home Momiji!

He is the sweetest little kitty and already runs up to me when I enter the room and follows me and wants to sit on my lap (good boy! His foster mom taught him well :) ).  Mini seems to be adjusting to his arrival very well as does Honey.

He is his own sweet self, but of course his homecoming reminds me of when I first brought Sunny and Mini home.  He love's his toys and watching his intense concentration while we play reminds me of baby Sunny.

Baby Sunny

Baby Momiji

The way he most reminds me of baby Mini is in his love for his big sister.  Mini adored Sunny from day 1 and Mo seems to have a similar affection for Mini.

Mini with baby Momiji

Sunny with baby Mini

...of course, Mini seems much more receptive to his affection than Sunny was -
this is what I woke up to on his second day home,
whereas it took months before Sunny would let Mini sleep that close
(see above photo :p ).

 Honey has seen Mo, sniffed and wagged her tail: "Oh, there's a tiny one now?!"  I've been giving them some extra leeway as we adjust, so naturally Honey wanted to see if I would let her sleep in the bed (no), and Mini snuggled up to the sewing machine (still theoretically a kitty-free zone) - it's hard to resist those little faces!

Landscape shots of the week - some good ones (the trees totally remind me of the tree block!)

Preparing for Feline Assistant, Jr., Dia Beacon, and sphinx collage

A busy week in Artlandia!

Getting ready to bring this
 adorable creature home!

I rarely take days off from the studio, but this past week I took a few days out to clean, paint, reorganize my bedroom in preparation of my feline baby's arrival.  Naturally, Mini helped, and apparently it was exhausting. I also did a lot of work in the garden, since I feel like between the late spring and show preparations things had gotten a little behind. I think we're back on track.

Mini exhausted by hanging the tapestry.

Honey helping in the garden

It was also Mother's Day, and I got to spend it with my Mom, Grandma, brother and brother's girlfriend at Dia Beacon - family togetherness amidst art!

Yes, I took a selfie with my favorite -
Robert Irwin's "Excursus:
Homage to the Square^3"
https://www.diaart.org/collection/
collection/irwin-robert-excursus-homage
-to-the-square-
19982015-1999-013 

Celebrating Mother's Day surrounded by Dorothea Roackburne's work at
 Dia Beacon

 It was good to spend a few days taking care of non-studio related things, but I don't like to be away too long.  I reprinted this little gem, which for various reasons, keeps getting edited out and is yet to make it into a finished collage.

With the exception of the rocks, a lot of these parts hadn't made it into a collage yet, and I think it's time :).

30 x 22" collage in process

In a blast from the past - this chimera figure with a snow leopard body and my head in a dark landscape goes way (way) back to my school days, pre-blog. Here it is in a piece from January 2008 - my techniques have changed a lot since then, but I still heart chimeras, and it's funny to me how much the current collage in process reminds me of this student work.

Throw back to a collage of mine from January 2008! 12 x 12" graphite, color pencil, thread, decorative paper.

 Lots of landscapes this week and adventures with Honey.

I really, really like this tree in my neighborhood and am thinking that feline
baby's name is going to be Momiji, Japanese for red maple :)

Opening at Tremaine!

Me and my Nana!

It's up!  A big week this week with the opening of solo show "Ex Animo" at Tremaine Gallery in Lakeville, CT. After delivering a second round of artwork, checking and adjusting hanging hardware, and installing the unicorn piece, I handed the reins over to gallery co-director Terri Moore who curated and hung the show.  Saturday was the opening, and I think it looks great - thumbs up! It's always exciting to see the final results, and it was the first time for me seeing many of these pieces on the wall. It was a lovely opening and I'm very thankful to those who helped, came out to support, and sent good wishes (heart!). I was extra-excited that my sweet cousin came with her family and brought my grandmother. It was so much fun sharing the artwork and seeing family and friends. 

me trying to work the "pano" feature on the camera to get the whole room

Honey in her favorite swimming spot :) The human even
waded in a little bit.

Between the final delivery day and the opening, I rested a little bit and took Honey, Wonder-pup to her favorite swimming spot. I also gave Honey a bath and the next day, we hiked all the way to the Hudson River. Naturally, Honey went right in one of the muddy creeks along the way (doh. - but it made her so happy!) 

In a slightly muddier spot, but still one happy pup!

Now that the shows are up, I had a lot of cleaning to do...thankfully my Feline Assistant kept me company while I got things back in order.

Before

After

The studio isn't the only area that needs a little spring cleaning.  I also cleaned in my bedroom, taking everything out, washing the rug and curtains, etc getting things all ready for my new kitten's homecoming.  He isn't even home yet and already has a cache of things: collar, scratching post, toys, and I broke down after years of resisting and bought a cat tree. 

Mini came right over to investigate - she definitely knows something is up.

Honey seems to know too. 

 Spring came all at once and I feel like I'm a little behind on the yard. I made my first trip to the nursery for some of my favorites.

Last but not least, this week's landscape shots