Art Makes Anchorage

Giant, 5' tall letters to be displayed at the opening of the district's art show. The "R" is made of recycled, plastic bottle caps and the "T" is wrapped in paper recycled coffee cup sleeves. 

This week I have the opportunity to assist with the Anchorage School District's art show at the Anchorage Museum. We have approximately 350 - 400 pieces of art to display that were juried by district art teachers for grades K -12. I have been so inspired by the work that I've seen! This is one of my favorite events to attend and being able to be part of the installation team has been an honor. Anchorage is fortunate to have incredibly talented art teachers at every level. Over 30 years ago I was selected to participate in this very exhibit and I can honestly say that the support and encouragement I received from my art teachers helped to chart the course for a successful career in Art Making.

Anchorage School District  

District Wide Art Department’s 

40^th Anniversary Year in recognition of 

National Youth Art Month 

March 2 – April 1, 2012

Art Makes Anchorage

Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center

This large, paper maché Lion is almost 6' tall.

My pin I'm pointing to is from the Anchorage School District Youth Art Month 30 years ago, "You Gotta' Have Art" when I had an oil painting selected for display in the very same place! I remember how proud my family and I were to attend the show and have a piece of my art in a museum that was painted by a kid! I shared this fond memory with the team and we took great care honoring and hanging each piece of student created art.

We had two large walls for the
elementary 2-D art, large museum display
cases for the 3-D works and the upper
level of the Museum will
display Senior high works including
pieces of jewelry, pottery and fiber.

A Student with a sense of…

DESIGN can create and appreciate human-made objects that go beyond function and may be perceived as beautiful, whimsical, extraordinary, unique or emotionally engaging;

STORY communicates effectively with others by creating, as well as appreciating a compelling narrative;

SYMPHONY synthesizes ideas, sees the big picture, crosses boundaries, and combines disparate pieces into a meaningful whole;

EMPATHY understands another’s point of view, is able to forge relationships and feels compassion for others;

PLAY creatively engages in problem-solving, benefits personally and socially from flexibility, humor, risk-taking, curiosity, inventive thinking and games;

MEANING pursues more significant endeavors, desires and enduring idea, has a sense of purpose, inspiration, fulfillment, and responsibility in making informed choices towards higher-order thinking skills and transformation.

             -courtesy ASD 2012 Art Makes Anchorage bookmark/brochure

Student created fabric wrapped birch branches made for a FAB backdrop to the hand painted "Starry Night Piano."

Detail from one of several large banners that hang in the Atrium of the Anchorage Museum.

Personalizing

I ordered some woven labels from “It’s Mine!” to sew to the back of my art quilts. I had been using a fine point sharpie to write the title of the quilt along with my name but wanted to add a more professional touch. Sometimes the sharpie was hard to see against the darker fabrics and feel that these labels, once sewn on, will also last a bit longer with the work. “It’s Mine!” offers a number of different styles and it was hard to choose which style would be the most versatile. Before I ordered I looked through my growing stack of small art quilts and settled on the white stitching on navy, simple, horizontal design. The labels arrived as promised and even earlier than stated! Just in time for a couple of special gift-giving projects I’ve finished. With the large selection of styles and sizes, these labels are also perfect for artisans working in fiber arts, sew in clothing for kids going to day care, camp or for an elder person's belongings in an assisted living facility.

The last couple of weeks I’ve had loyal customers call and request gift certificates for Holiday gift-giving. If customers were not able to find what they wanted at the Gallery, or wanted something specially created, a gift certificate works great. I need to take care and stash the money I receive from the certificates so I’ve not spent it before the work is completed –not so easily done, especially during the Holidays! I purchased some cool paper and larger presentation folders at the office supply store to use for the certificates (printed up in word using a fancy-italic font, Sterling, along with my logo) and added my new gold foil labels for a touch of sparkle. I feel the added touches make for better gift giving instead of just an ordinary white envelope. For a finishing touch, I’m going to tie a lovely sheer purple ribbon around the outside of the folders after the customer views the certificate –and double checks my spelling!

"hiBEARnation" art quilt detail. I had fun free-motion stitching the den grass in gold and brown threads and the ice and snows in aqua and blue threads.

And speaking of finished –the bear in a den quilt is finished. I’m thinking of turning him into a pattern because it was so much fun to make! I enjoyed cutting the swirling browns of the den, the blues and whites of the ice and snow. I was thinking he could even be a brown bear if somebody chose. Oh, and before I forget, here is a wonderful link to some FREE Holiday Gift Tags! “How About Orange” one of my favorite creative Blogs is offering these downloadable and very cool labels for FREE! I was thinking of printing them onto whole sheet label paper and tah-daa they are ready to address and stick on your gifts (you are finished with your shopping-right?)! Here is the link to the cool, FREE GIFT TAGS!

Completed "hiBEARnation" art quilt, 14" x 14".

The Creative Process –and all of the ugliness that entails…

It’s pouring rain this morning. Great for the grass and garden, horrible for plasma cutting. The moisture in the air causes twice as many consumables to be used on the tips of my plasma cutter. That means it’s twice as expensive for me to cut when it’s raining. I’m fussy because I have a stack of work to do but am finding it hard to find the “internal power” I like to have when I’m art making. I’ve also been a bit moody and contemplative with way too many existential thoughts (I'm even burning some lovely Nag Champa Agarbatti incense in the studio right now). Because of the rain, I was going to do some illustration work but my studio had projects and materials (cr@p) stacked everywhere –didn’t I just ORGANIZE this place?! The clean area where I have the best light and work surface for illustration work needed cleaning and organizing –even my computer area isn’t very inspiring to work at with it so crowded. So, I took back my studio and made my illustrating area more “me” and inviting. I think I’m also in a “mood” because as I thought more about it, yesterday was the first day in 21 years of “back to school” first days I didn’t get to walk my kid into the school building. At least Gus let me get a quick picture of him on his first day of 8^th grade with a look of “C’mon Mom my friends are waiting for me!”

I picked up this book at the Thrift store this week titled The Visual Arts As Human Experience. I’m always looking for a clear cut explanation of how us artists work or academic opinions on art that will hopefully provide affirmations that I am a “real artist.” Sadly, I’m unable to identify with the majority of observations and explanations. I would like a guidebook to help me through my highs and lows of being an artist. I realize it’s probably called therapy –but I don’t do

groups or therapy. I think it’s kind of like SAD -Seasonal Affective Disorder –except I LOVE fall and winter. Maybe it’s just called PAD, Pouting Artist Disorder! The final chapter did have an interesting excerpt;

“The means required by the artist to progress from stage to stage toward an order objectively embodied in a work of art are evolved from the most recent stage. In this respect, his moving toward completion of his work is similar to physical or chemical chain reactions. But in differentiation to these senseless reactions, the progressive stages in the process of creative activity are managed through laborious effort and often painful toil. The intermittent rewards come with the knowledge of each successive stage achieved toward unity. And with the final work of embodiment and order achieved toward unity. And with the final work of embodiment and order achieved, with the objective form at last given to what started as a shapeless ghost, the artist experiences the joy of equilibrium existing between the old and the new. Yet if he really be an artist, his completed work will suffice only as another experience that will serve to reactivate him toward a renewed vision and the embodiment in artistic from of still another unique insight.”

The Visual Arts As Human Experience, The Creative Process: A summary of Its Nature by DONALD L. WEISMANN

Lavender, Art and Color, OH MY!

Gus and I are in Sequim, (rhymes with swim) WA on the Olympic Peninsula. My parents retired to Sequim from Alaska a few years ago seeking weather that was a bit more hospitable to year round golf and doesn’t require the ownership of a snowblower. Lucky for us wecan now visit not only family but a vibrant and inspiring arts community. This weekend is the annual Sequim Lavender Farm Faire and Tour and the annual Sequim Studio Tour.

At least 30,000 people are expected to visit Sequim this weekend to attend this legacy rich area and

tour some of the worlds’ most beautiful Lavender farms. In addition to all of the COLOR, the arts and craft fairs, demonstrations, farm tours, culinary programs, music and other city-wide events, the Sequim Artists are opening up their studios all weekend.

Another artful treat is that my Dad and Mom both have their art on display this month! Mom’s work is included in a group show “A Tribute To Blooms” at the Sequim Museum and Arts Center and one of her ceramic sunflower vases had the magic red dot on it! Dad is the featured artist at the Blue Whole Gallery, 129 Washington Street in downtown Sequim. His assemblage work is in the front

window area for all the Lavender Festival visitors to see (and buy!). While gallery hopping yesterday I liked the work of Karin Anderson. Her work is illustrative and happy and I purchased some of her Giclee art cards. I’m filling my little black Moleskine book with ideas and inspirations –all of this color has my head exploding with ideas! I’m filling my memory card with digital images of color and textures too. OK, more later, we’re off to the rolling acres of all things PURPLE! Thank you to Daddy-O and Willie who are covering form me and are on doggie and Market duty this week.

xOx

I'm keeping color swatches of ideas filling up my little black Moleskine book!

On the Edmonds-Kingston ferry.

Feeling Like A Bad Girl!

Good thing too, the 2009 Bad Girls of the North Show opens today at 4:00 p.m. and I’m READY! My hands are scratched up from wire and puffy, caffeine has never tasted so good and I was wide awake at 4:30 a.m. unable to get back to sleep. This is one of my favorite art events to do. Vicki and Carol, the show’s organizers strive for a first class event for both the artists and customers. The venue historically has been held in a major hotel ballroom creating a professional, festive atmosphere and which enables customers to enjoy FREE appetizers and a no host bar. So to say the least, tomorrow morning, I normally don’t have a voice left and I’m moving a little slow –but all in the good spirit of bringing ART to the people. Willie boy is on line again to help me load in and set up. With both of our trucks we should do it in one trip. The weather is totally cooperating being balmy and above freezing. I can hardly believe our weather luck –last year it was so cold the steel grid wall racks froze to Willie and my hands and I lost my load of racks on 9^th Avenue on the icy road! Gus has been wishing for snow but no luck yet here in the Anchorage bowl. Gus says our weather must be  “stuck!” Fine by me, at least until we tear down tomorrow night.

Above are a couple of pictures of another steel/clay work that will be at the Show. It’s called “Sedna, the Inuit Goddess of the Sea.” I used metal kelp and starfish to hold the ^04 fired clay work in place. I really like the direction of the work and hopefully will work on some more pieces in other types of clay, soon... I have been inspired for years of the Inuit legend of Sedna and would like to experiment with her form as soon as I can get more clay and glazes ordered.  OK, I’m ready to start my long day, send your positive energy and thoughts to the Universe's Creative Spirit Guardians, blessing all of the Bad Girl Artists to have kind customers, approved credit cards, good company and renewed friendships, oh and tasty Alaskan Amber & Ales on tap!

A Full Blog Post for a Very Full Day

After the morning storm, the day gave way to sunny Fall skies and we could see how much the snow advanced down the Chugach Mountains. Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage.

The blowing wind and pouring rain woke me up yesterday morning at 4:30 a.m. Fine by me because I didn’t want to over sleep and be late to teach my Artful Journaling class at Camp Erin. Though there was really no chance of that because I admit I was excited and nervous for my volunteer gig to go well and hadn’t slept very well –I didn’t want to let the kids down. The 40 minute drive north to Mirror Lake at Camp Carlquist (which is an Alaska Boys Scouts of America facility) was dark and slick on the rain soaked highway, rain gave way to sleet half way there. I was glad all of the camper’s Creative Activities were indoors. Journaling Class was successful but made for a very full day –I had four groups of all age kids from “Littles,” “Middles,” “Tweens,” to “Teens.” To minimize mess and spills I divided the extra long dining hall table into art medium sections. I placed dry collage elements (my son Will's old Snowboard magazines and Cat & Dog Fancy I picked up at the Thrift stores were a hit, the Adult Buddies, perused my old Martha's, O and Simple Living's) with tons of stickers (“Middles” girl’s favorite) at one end and moved to markers, pastels, crayons (for texture rubbings), glue sticks, tape, a water colors and acrylics tray, a basket of rubber stamps and pads, glitter glue sticks (an all-ages favorite), and Mod Podge trays for final collage works. A separate drying table area was also necessary to set up. I was surprised at the diversity of 

interests and mediums used to start their Artful Journaling. Many started with their covers, while some dove right into creating pages. I had to include a photo of the sticker and paper collage area EXPLOSION! I was a bit (A LOT!) panicked after that first group because of the energy the kids used to dive into EVERY supply and their willingness to explore and try it all. A group of particularly inspired “Middles” even hand colored sheets of paper towels using watercolors and glitter glue. As these beautiful sheets were fluttering near the drying table, they looked like sparkling batik fabrics I would want a skirt made of.

One charming “Little” who earlier had a hard time of fitting into his group, bloomed as he created an entire catalog of every rubber stamps I had in the basket. He had a page full of stamps and wanted to stamp your hand. I suggested he stamp and number each stamp (over 30!) in his journal so camp

ers and volunteers could better tell which one they wanted him to stamp. He was so energized by his finished Journal pages he started a “business” to offer for sale (free) stamps of your choice on the wrists of everybody in the camp.

He even had a page of “limited editions!” He was running around “selling” his stamps and said “wow, I’m having a great sales day, I just sold two more!” Very ingenious and hard to resist, I “bought” two, #25 and #9.

Volunteers helped me swab the deck so to speak after each of the 4 sessions. We refilled water containers, washed brushes and sanitized the plastic coated table top. In hindsight, I was probably a bit over prepared with all of the projects I had made curriculum sheets for, but will be able to reuse them.

I did hand out a lot of the blank Mandala patterns that the “Tweens” found cool to color and embellish, but not very many other projects sheets.

With such a diverse group I thought it would be better to be over prepared than under supplied. Another good idea was as I pulled various supplies from my studio, I kept repeating to myself  “don’t bring anything that you aren’t prepared to lose or sacrifice.”  It seems campers and adult buddies were excited to try all of the various mediums especially the large box of pastels –oh and bend my huge wooden Manikin I had brought for a conversation centerpiece. The miniature Maniken had to go in my jeans pocket during the first 5 minutes of the first session, his upper body poked out of my jeans throughout the remainder of the day! The adult volunteers named the large Maniken “George” for a particular camper who had put the poor wooden 

Maniken in a WWF throwdown hold… My Maniken man survived and even won the respect of the other Campers who became protective of him.

Cleanup was fast and furious because I wanted to catch the second half of Gus’ football game. Driving back to Anchorage I was happy to give my back a rest, eat a small bag of Cheetos and smiled as I glanced at the back of my stamped hands on the steering wheel, #25 a Piggy and #9 a Cat. The skies 

had cleared and after the storm and the snow line had advanced significantly down the mountains. My boys were lucky to play in true fall football weather and I was able to arrive during the 3^rd quarter. Coach Daddy-O and Gus’ 5^th & 6^th Grade Eagles won the final game of the season, capping off an undefeated season.  To celebrate the day, I swung by City Market and picked up a Chocolate Mousse Cake, grabbed a couple of Brown Ale Growlers and we grilled burgers on the Lucky Grille. As the Ale went down smoothly, fall leaves covered the wet deck and the last of the day's sunshine peaked through the trees, Derek and I  warmed ourselves standing by the Grille. It was hard to believe that 4:30 a.m. was less than 16 hours ago!

Blueberry Love in Girdwood

The sun shone in Girdwood for Love and Blueberries. The Alyeska Resort Blueberry Mountain Arts & Music Festival was held under sunny skies and fresh mountain air. I had a chance to see two of my favorite artists who had booths at the event. Anna Waschke of Wandering

Star Studio had wonderful new boxes and mixed media dolls. I’ve given several of her boxes as gifts to family and friends. Anna will be at the November Bad Girls of the North Show with me in November. I first met Lance Lekander when our kids went to elementary school together in Anchorage. Lance’s vivid and highly illustrative designs have been transformed into hip buttons, note cards, plush animals and sculptural wall art. I was able to pick up a birthday gift for Daddy-O (whose birthday is Monday, so I can’t show what I bought because he’ll be reading this post probably today!).

 o xXx o 

What a better way to top off a day filled with music, great art and fresh mountain air than with an outdoor wedding! Meet Mr. & Mrs. Luke Peroni. Our good friends Luke & Jules were married yesterday near the lovely log home of Rita & Steve Mace in Girdwood. Rita has a huge second story Quilting Studio that on most winter days you can find Jules and Rita creating. Guests were asked to walk down the bike path to an overlook at the Meadow where the ceremony took place. With glaciers and grassy meadow

streams as a backdrop, as if on cue the Alaska Railroad rounded the bend loaded with tourists and sounded it’s horn to the cheers of the wedding party! The champagne and paired wines poured as we danced to the Photonz, ate incredible food prepared by Luke’s friend, Chef Al Levinson of the Kincaid Grill and renewed friendships. Guests were asked to wear Aloha attire which fitperfectly as the fragrance of fresh Hawaiian lei’s were in the air. A wedding cake was specially created by Creative Cakes by Jeryll who won the Food Network Champion Cupcake Challenge. With everyone dancing, celebrating and feeling the Girdwood Love, the three-tiered

 wedding cake was never cut! So on the way home I swung by the Double Musky for 3 pieces of Musky Pie to go. Always a packed house, it felt good to go straight to the bar and get my to-go order and say hi to a few friends. With a

 view of the mountain we had a late night dessert on the deck

around our fire pit telling stories. Now that’s love.

o xXx o

Denizen of the Deep Blue Sea

This is one piece I was getting ready to pack up to ship to Fireweed Gallery in Homer and thought I’d get a quick shot of it first. It is a plasma cut and welded steel wall sculpture of one of my favorite subjects, sea life. At 42” wide x 15” tall it is a little smaller than I normally work, but this time of year the customer base will be more locals than visitors and the pricing needs to be sensitive to the season. I will send the Gallery some other fun, smaller works, maybe even some of the new clay work in time for Valentines Day shoppers. Art always makes the best gift to those you LOVE!

“Visit Me Oh Creative Spirit" Shrine-a-rella

“Visit Me Oh Creative Spirit”
I designed this original "Shrine-a-rella" as a call to the creative spirits. The small box containing the “wish” is a vintage keepsake box with the message of “visit me oh creative spirit.” The open arms represent my willingness and openness to be guided by the gift of creative inspiration from somewhere outside of myself. The Milagros of hearts, keys and wings are symbols of my desire to be true to the creative spirit, wherever that may come from. The pink shell and small iconic ballerina are symbols of my girl self atop of the desires of the alter. There are used paintbrushes and hand painted enamel finishes.

Above Left: Shrine-a-rella's from my Show in June at Half Moon Creek Gallery. The image at the left shows “Visit Me Oh Creative Spirit” in progress. I like to start with wood bases of reclaimed pine and thrift store finds of small boxes or frames. Liquid Nails works well for construction, but my new Bostitch Finish Nailer with compressor ROCKS!