Summer Daze

It’s official. As I flip the calendar from May to June our summer begins. Alaskans tend to pack a year’s worth of gardening, barbequing, fishing and general warm, outdoor activities into the next 90 days –yes, June, July and August is about all we have for summer living! I’m dancing to a whole new schedule this summer with our commitment to selling Fresh Art at the Spenard Farmers Market. I feel consistency is key to sales and keeping my customers happy which hopefully will keep me in fresh metal. June also kicks off more intense volunteer duties as the Alaska Botanical Garden Art Show Coordinator, one of my FAVORITE events. I’m rounding up the artists, encouraging our participating new artists, sending out e-mails and following up with communications to layout and design the artists brochure and signage. The fundraising Gala is June 24 and the Garden Fair is June 26 & 27 this year –they usually sell out but there’s still time to get your tickets to the outdoor Gala!

One of the pieces I’m working on for the ABG Outdoor Art Show is taking the forms I welded “Steel Wool” from and making topiary sheep.

The wonderful folks at Sutton’s Brown Thumb Greenhouse sold me 3 bags of (Gold!) Spaghnum Moss to fill out the bodies of the adult sheep and two baby sheep. What a great greenhouse and Patty was so helpful showing me their examples of topiaries in progress. The large photo at the top of the post is a shot of their topiary work area. Here is a link on how to make living walls and another resource for making topiary's (thank you for the lead Julianne!)

I also picked up a few new hanging baskets to embellish my welded plant stands that we sell.

This weekend is the Festival of Flowers and Anchorage is a HUGE city of flowers…I think it’s due to our long, dark winters that make us all go a little crazy for all things colorful and LIVING! For FRESH ART this weekend, Daddy-O will be manning our booth at the Speanrd Farmers Market and I will be at our booth downtown at the Town Square from 12– 6pm on Saturday. My own garden still needs some attention

and the veggie beds need to get put in but holding customer’s purchased pieces has filled it up so it doesn’t look lonely at all! Customers have bought plant stands and sculptures for surprise birthday, wedding and Father’s Day gifts and asked if we could hold the artwork for them until their special day. The photo at the bottom shows the crowed front garden –plus a STACK of upcycled duct work that I cut the “Steel Wool” curls out of that now needs to go to the metal recyclers -it's on my "to-do later" list! I’m more concerned about caring for the hanging baskets that were sold with the plant stands –I don’t want them to wilt with the sunny weather we’ve been having so I’ve hung them on

the cool, back doorstep. Not a problem babysitting though, I love having all the hanging baskets and (SOLD!) happy art waiting for their new homes.

End of the month also meant I got to take a road trip up to Half Moon Creek Gallery to do the month end inventory. Sales were fantastic and Chris, Christian, Sarah and Abigail (pictured) have the Gallery looking beautiful as usual. Check out their web site or FB link for summer glass torchwork, mosaic and fusing classes & workshops.

New Inspirations

First, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all my mommy friends, and especially to MY Mom! I’m lucky because I get to share Mother’s Day with my Mom today as the folks arrived in Anchorage Thursday night for my nephew’s graduation on Monday. The mama llama's are celebrating with the whole family by going to the opening of the Saturday Market and eat funnel cake and Gyro's! The card I found for my Mom

shows a cover photo of a crowded beach scene with hundreds of sunbathers and says “Can you spot the Mom in the photo?” After my Dad, Gus and Derek looked at the photo for a few minutes and took their guesses the inside of the card

reads “She’s the one still back at the car unloading the coolers, beach blankets, beach chairs and toys!”

With all the art delivered up to Half Moon Creek on Thursday, I was able to fully enjoy

Gus’ 6^th grade, all day field trip to Seward on Friday. Daddy-O and I were lucky to be included as chaperones to the Alaska SeaLife Center and then on a Grey Whale watch cruise with the class. We learned all about

cephalopods with hands on science at the Center and took water samples aboard the cruise. The Alaska SeaLife Center has always inspired me and Friday was no exception! I took a lot of digital pictures and will start sorting and printing new images that will hopefully soon become the impetus for new artmaking!

The Show yesterday at Half Moon Creek Gallery was wonderful under clear-blue, sunny skies.

We decided it would best be described as a “soft opening” as the girls still have so much work to do to get the Gallery as they really want it to be. The new Bullseye Glass Center was a hit even as crates of new inventory were being unloaded. With only a fraction of works from other artists on display, we had a huge supportive crowd that was happily hauling my metal work out the door to new homes! Thank you to everyone who made the Show a success. I’ve been so inspired the last few weeks and being able to visit with all the GREAT customers truly re-energized me to make even more art for the upcoming Spenard Farmers Market on May 22. Mark your calendars -there's more art and fun ahead!

Loyal Half Moon Creek Gallery customers, Lloyd and Joanne with Joanne's Mother's Day gift from Lloyd!

Happy Mother's Day Joanne!

Load 'Em Up, We're Heading To Palmer

It’s (almost) show time at the new Half Moon Creek Gallery in Palmer! Willie and I loaded an entire U-Haul of my art this morning and I delivered all the pieces to the Gallery!! I couldn't believe we filled it up -both of our trucks wouldn't hold all the pieces but the 14' rental worked fine, full but fine. What fun it was putting the HAUL in U-Haul -ha! Or as Daddy-O says "drive it like you stole it!" My favorite part of a Show is the “day of” because the schedule leading up to a Show is a killer. It’s not only all the work of making things (the fun part) but it’s the business end of being an artist that I dislike dedicating time to –pricing

(absolutely my least favorite part), inventorying, tagging, delivery and set up. For large Show’s like the Half Moon Show and Bad Girls of the North, over the years I’ve kept track of the number of items I’ve made, their price points and what things sold best. Each year I like to have new ideas and completely new designs for returning customers but there are certainly customer favorites. The one year I didn’t make any Garden Ravens customers screamed! I thought maybe customers were getting burned out

on seeing my “Ravens on a stick!” Gladly, no they weren’t and my Garden Ravens have been a production staple for 8 years running. Other customer favorites are the large Garden Chimes –I may change up the design but customers year after year love the wind chimes that can also hold a outdoor hanging basket. Another favorite I had almost forgot about until I was reviewing last year's list are Dragonflies. The ones in the photo are for hanging on the wall. After seeing these finished I forgot how much I liked them -I think I’m going to make some giant ones that are mounted to a base and “float” above the garden for the upcoming Alaska Botanical Garden Fair…hmmm.

I stress most about whether or not I have made enough pieces for my annual Garden Show at Half Moon Creek. Sadly, as a one woman operation, I physically can never make enough stuff to sell and it causes me

anxiety when I know there is a tremendous selling opportunity and not an endless supply of art! It’s tough trying to balance making money and not burning out –or worse making crap art just to fill out inventory. What has been helpful for me in Show planning is referring to last year’s inventory list and planning months ahead for a REALISTIC production schedule. I need to remember I’m only one person who can only make so many pieces in a given amount of time. Sometimes, I’m a time idealist or get sidetracked by inspiration and deviate from my best laid production plans(!) - though usually that’s when some of my best work happens –think of the Sheep... I also

stress about cash flow. Like it or not it takes money to crank up the production machine –there is metal and clay to buy, hardware and fittings, welding wire, gas for my tanks, consumables for the plasma cutter, paints and glazes, grinder and sanding pads, chop saw blades, drill bits and the occasional daily special at Taco King! Hopefully, I’ve planned and priced well –I mostly hope I’ve CREATED well… we’ll soon see, the customer has the final say. If you’re in Palmer, Alaska this Saturday stop by Half Moon Creek Gallery because one thing is for sure –the place will look GREAT and those girls know how to throw a party!

At the intersection in Palmer...

What's The Opposite of Shearing A Sheep?

I’m in love again. It’s a good thing my show at Half Moon Creek Gallery, “The Artful Garden,” is still a few weeks away, because otherwise, the price for my new Sheep sculptures would be one million dollars each! I’ve Blogged before about loving certain pieces I make a little too much to realistically put a price on them to sell, but I know the love affair will end and I’ll soon be able to part with them. I’ll probably be out of love by this weekend because I’ve got so

many other ideas percolating right now that my artmaking is in high gear. Good timing with all of the Shows coming up I need to be highly creative AND productive –which isn’t necessarily something I can conjure up on demand.

Based on my patterns and maquettes, SteelFab got the bodies of the Sheep cut out in record time. I plasma cut out their curls from some of Half Moon Creek’s up-cycled galvanized duct work they tore out of

the new Gallery building. As I was welding the metal “wool” to their bodies I was laughing to myself thinking what the opposite of shearing a sheep would be?! The adult Sheep stand about 30” tall and their lamb is about 15” tall. Their steel bodies will have a nice rust patina over time while the galvanized “wool” will contrast and stay bright and shiny. I want to make

a whole flock… we’ll see how my stamina holds out! They would have photographed so much better on a pasture of green grass, BUT we still have a yard full of snow.

Mother’s Day weekend is going to be jam packed for our family, not only do I have “The Artful Garden” show opening but my parents are coming up here that same weekend for my nephew’s high school graduation. It’s probably a good idea that Alaska Airlines charges so much for extra baggage because I think my Mom is going to have to come up with another way to sneak some of these sheep home to her garden…

The middle son William, my ever handy shop helper, delivery guy, sculpture installer, traded his Chevy Tahoe for another open bed truck –YAHOO! Just in time for Garden Show season! Will’s trucks over the years have been so much easier to haul my larger works in than in our Tundra which has a topper on it. He’s smiling because FREE gas from Mom is ever-so-nice.

Full On

Thursday?! What happened to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday?! This week is flying by like I knew it would. From here on out before we know it I’ll be raking leaves! No, it’s not pessimistic thinking, it’s the life-long Alaskan in me speaking from experience! Our family “jokes” we pack an entire year’s worth of events into the craziest, busiest, best 90 days of weather Alaska offers in June, July and August. My other time trigger that kicks me into high gear production is my annual Half Moon Creek Gallery Garden Show. This year is even more special because the Gallery has moved to Palmer into a brand-new building and will be celebrating their Grand Opening with my Show the “Artful Garden,” Saturday, May 8. I LOVE to do this show because the customer turn-out is so fantastic and I get to make ANYTHING I want to. Because of the incredible support and popularity, I tend to make some of my most creative pieces. Along with the Half Moon Show around the corner, there are several other shows and art events I’ll be participating in during the fast and furious days of summer -well the sun shines until midnight up here, so what the heck. Plans are also underway for my other favorite event, The Alaska Botanical Garden Fair and Gala, June 24 and 26 & 27. I’m the volunteer coordinator for the Outdoor Art Show and will be rounding up artists starting next week.

After all the eggs this weekend I was inspired to make a couple of “Garden Hens,” similar to some I made a few years ago, only these are free standing, about 6’ tall and a bit plumper than a life-size hen. Continuing the farm theme the right side of my brain was in, I made up patterns for some life-size sheep. My mom actually inspired the sheep sculptures with some photos she sent me.

On larger works sometimes I will draw out an idea then cut the components out of tag board and assemble a mock-up. The heavier paper, or even foam core, is more rigid and can give me a better idea of how the shapes will or won’t form in steel. On the large sheep I’ll have SteelFab cut them using their large bed plasma cutter after we refine the digital file. I want to have the bases out of steel and curly galvanized metal circles swirling all around their fat bodies. While remodeling the new building, the Half Moon Creek girls dropped off a load of duct work that I wanted to up-cycle and use for the sheep’s curls! With my bounty of metal, the side yard is quite a sight… it’s probably a good thing we don’t have a homeowners association policing the grounds in 99503 -ha!

Derek’s Aunt & Uncle in AZ follow my Blog and sent me this bumper sticker they won with some goodies at their Community Center. Kay thought it would be perfect to hang above my kiln and I agree. THANKS for thinking of me guys!

ROCKIN' THE CASBAH! -A 4.6 earthquake rocked Southcentral Alaska yesterday morning. Not a biggie, but enough to make you feel insignificant! Gus and I were eating our Wheaties, getting ready for school and the whole house shook. But as quick as it began, it was over. Bunny Foo-Foo was in the studio thumping away! The rabbit senses earthquakes before they happen. The other weird thing was, is that I heard this earthquake before we actually felt it...

Supporting the Cause on the First Friday Art Walk

I’m Gallery hopping Friday night for the October First Friday Art Walk –or in Anchorages case, Art Drive, because there is so much to see and so many places to go! I’m for sure hitting the recently opened Gallery of 2 Friends because the Casting For Recovery Art Bra Project opens Friday night. I haven’t had a chance to visit 2 Friends and am looking forward to not only seeing the Gallery space but all of the creative Bras that were made for this very special event, including my “Alaskan Women’s Training Bra.”

Foundations For Recovery Exhibit & Silent Auction Opening 

Friday, October 2 ~ 5:00 – 8:00 pm

at 2 Friends Gallery ~ 341 E. Benson Blvd.

All of the Art Bras will be on parade throughout the month of October at various Anchorage Galleries including Artique, Fiddlehead Gallery, Sevigny Gallery, Aurora Fine Art, ZoeZ Gallery and Half Moon Creek Gallery. There will be a Final Show and Auction Close for all of the Bras on Friday, November 6 (First Friday for November) from 5:00 -8:00 p.m. at Half Moon Creek Gallery, 510 West Tudor Road in Anchorage, their phone

 number is 907-929-4080. All proceeds from the month-long silent auctions benefit Casting For Recovery Alaska.

Finished the special order Sunflower Sculpture this week and I’m delivering them to the Gallery today. I was so happy that Mother Nature cooperated and actually rained night before last just in time to give the patina bath just the right oxidized finish the customer wanted (I hope)  –at least it’s the same finish as the Sold Sunflowers at the Gallery.

Scroll Down… And don’t forget to leave a comment to win one of the two cool stickers in my GIVEAWAY! I’ll pick two names Friday at 5:00 –right before I go out the door to drive around to the Art Walk! I’ll post the winners late Friday night or Saturday morning. As always, thanks to everyone for reading my Blog. 

Show Time

It's show time, or at least preparing for my upcoming Shows has put me in full-on production and deadline mode. I've been reading about several other artist's who are in the same boat. In addition to a few upcoming shows, I also needed to fill wholesale orders (with packaging and shipping being my least favorite thing to do -glazing follows a close second!). I've been a little whiny-fussy-sassy because of this -and there is really no good reason for my disagreeable mood, so I forced myself to SNAP OUT OF IT! I think creative types are particularly susceptible to mood swings and my fussiness is the counterpart to bursts of my much needed inspiration. One of the best things I can do to snap out of a fussy mood (besides going out for Mexican Food) is to create something I WANT to create and not feel I HAVE to create. For my upcoming annual Show at Half Moon Creek Gallery I worked on one of the feature outdoor sculptures I've been thinking about for a while now... a Praying Mantis that will hold a small pot of flowers. Here are a couple of photos of Mr. Mantis in production. I used different size of rebar for his frame, because it's less expensive that the smooth cold rolled round stock I normally use. The sculpture is over 6' tall and his leg span is about 6' wide as well! I needed the hubby to help me get him out of the Shop and in the garden area to patina (I call it the weathering pen). We were laughing the whole time because we're not sure he is going to fit through the Gallery doors -ha! This is soooo me, I NEVER, EVER measure ANYTHING! Oh well. I'm not sure the finish I want to use, but I know I won't rust him. I'm thinking of trying a new patina that will give him a verdigris greenish finish but I need to talk to my friend Marieke about some cool metal patinas  she uses and has offered to share with me. This would be the perfect project to try those out on. I was also thinking of slumping some large, fused glass eyes and weld them in place with little brackets or clips. How cool would that look?! 

For Mr. Mantis, I was inspired by a lovely little book I bought in Seattle years ago called "Backyard Bugs" by Robin Kittrell Laughlin. This book also partly inspired the name for my Show at Half Moon Creek Gallery. "IMBY -In My Back Yard" opens Friday, June 5th in Anchorage at Half Moon Creek and will feature sculptural works for the home and garden. I'm going to start on a Grasshopper sculpture tomorrow that I did a little graphite drawing of. I was thinking, if the Praying Mantis doesn't fit through the Gallery doors I'll put him in the Annual Alaska Botanical Garden Fair Outdoor Art Show & Sale June 20th and 21st. There is a wonderful, special Gala event the Thursday prior to the Fair on June 18th, that features the Outdoor Art Ex

hibit, music in the garden and a outdoor buffet with a wine and beer bar. Usually 75% of the works in the Outdoor Art Exhibit sell the night of the Gala, with 50% of the proceeds benefiting the Garden and 50% to the artists. I volunteer coordinate the Outdoor Art Exhibit and LOVE this event

 because of the incredible venue and opportunity that artists have to create larger, outdoor works that are featured with a beautiful backdrop that only can be found at the Alaska Botanical Gardens.

 

Big Fatty Flakes

This weekend the Mountain was calling! Big, fatty flakes fell all weekend and Mother Nature put on a different show every day. This is the view of Mt. Alyeska from our deck. For some incredible shots of skiing in Turnagain Pass, check out our photographer friend Heather's Blog.

Before celebrating the long weekend skiing, I put together some great wall tiles for Half Moon Creek Gallery in Anchorage. The tiles were slab rolled and made using the seascape molds Bill and I made, Seamist and White Tile clay bisque fired at ^ o4, then fired at ^05 using a variety of beautiful Amaco and Speedball commercial gloss and matt glazes. I plasma cut out some steel crabs, kelp and starfish 

components, finished with a natural rust patina and then wired everything together.  I had collected the driftwood last summer from the beach in Homer. There are at least 4 milk crates filled 

with various driftwood pieces in the shop. Of course these crates look like treasure chests of gold to the dogs! We were sure to gather plenty of extra because Tauzer gets a couple long sticks each week to munch while I work. The Gallery said a few of the SeaWall Tiles had already found new homes for Valentines Day.