Fur In The Paint

Today we got the gallery all packed up and stuffed in our van. This is our first artfair of the season. We kinda empty the gallery out for these events. My husband was looking at my photo of the empty gallery posted here, and he made a derisive snort and claimed the walls were full of paintings. The walls look pretty empty to me. Normally there is no white space left when the gallery is hung.

It’s poor Buddas first weekend alone. We have a good critter sitter who checks him everyday. I always worry though. I had just finally begun to relax when leaving Oliver alone, last year. (Sigh.)

I know I just got back to posting and here I go again, but I promise to blog twice as hard when I get back, which will be Tuesday.

I am looking forward to going and dreading it all at the same time. For those not familiar with Iowa weather in May, it can be unpredictable (to say the least.) Hopefully all will be well. I have to remember to make an offering to the artfair gods. . . and maybe the weather gods. . .Oh! and maybe the vehicle functioning well gods. (probably forgetting some, must give it more thought.).

Full figured gal that I am, support is always a priority. However, that is not the support of which I speak.

Last Saturday I spent the day with my artist group. My group consists of between 6 and 12 women. I don’t think it was ever planned to be all women, that is just how it evolved. It started many years before I joined. (I have been going for nearly 10 years) We are officially called 20/21 (something to do with working in both the 20th and 21st century.) But most times we just refer to it as “group,” as in therapy. And that is just what it is, art therapy.

We generally sit around, drinking our beverage of choice and discussing art and whatever else is going on in our lives. (Loads of cat stories, and No it isn’t only me.) Some sketch, but mostly it is just talking. We all live quite a distance apart, so we only see each other during our meetings. We bring our most recent work and critique it, if asked to do so. We occasionally exhibit as a group but mostly, it is what it is. A group of women artists who have become friends, while sharing their passion for art.

The artists in my group are of a variety of talents. We are all so very different. We work differently. We use different media and inspirations. I am the only self taught artist, and the only one who sells what I do to make my living. Most are art teachers. Others, like the previously mentioned Connie Herring, are primarily installation artists. For her it is about creating a powerful message through her work. Saleability does not enter into her process, (a weird concept for me.)

The differences can sometimes cause friction between members and this has led some, to drop off for awhile. But, in the end most come back. I believe our differences can also make us stronger. It is because of my association with some of these women, that I felt confident enough to go ahead and work on a selection of paintings destined to become an exhibition. Though I have had solo showings at galleries, without group, I doubt I would have considered creating a themed exhibition.

As artists we tend to work in isolation. (I actually prefer it. Give me a critter or two and some diet coke and I am set for the afternoon.) But we all need support, and other artists are really the only ones who can fully comprehend what it is we are going through. Joining an art group, whether it be local or online can offer so much help and support. I think one of the best things an artist can do to further their education in all things art, is to join a group. Truth is, I have no extra time these days. And it gets harder and harder to attend these meetings. But most days I come away feeling it was sooo worth the effort.

Just a quick note to say that I am having some problems with my internet connections. We have called for support and they will be out to look at our equipment sometime, someday. (Heavy Sigh)

It is kinda stressing to have sporadic access to the internet. I never know if this is the last time, or if it will allow me yet another brief glance at the web sometime in the future. Amazing how comfortable and dependant I am on technology. So anywho, if you all don’t hear from me in a couple of days, no worries. I will be back. Sometime, someday.

Recently, I swapped my clay litter to try some of the natural brands on the market. I had been using Tidy Cat for years and have always been pleased with it. But being of the organic minded, natural is better mentality, we thought we’d try a few out. We used them both for Budda (single cat,) as well as the Hell Cat pack (multi-cat.)

We tried several varieties made from wheat, corn and pine. All of them performed as well as the clay litters, in everything except clumping. They do clump, but not the “rock solid” that most promote on their bag. Most often it is more like week old oatmeal. All of them did well on the odor control. Extremely important since my cat box is in the front room of the gallery. (Long story as to why) In fact, I preferred the non-smell of the naturals to the perfumey clay litter.

The brand that I was most satisfied with was Fresh Results which is made form corn and has a nice subtle pine scent to it. It clumps reasonably well. It last way longer than clay litters and is cheaper. The only downside to the naturals is they track more because they are so light. However they are far less dusty. The 99% dust free clay litters, send up billowing clouds when I would fill the box. Nothing visible from the naturals.

Silent But Deadly
My little man is growing up. He has lost some baby teeth and we have begun switching him off his kitten food to an all natural adult food. I do this slowly by mixing in, ever increasing amounts of the new food to avoid stomach upset. That being said, he has been experiencing some gas issues lately.

It goes something like this:
Me: Holding cat. Telling him how cute he is.
Budda: Rolling around in my arms, purring, stretching and nuzzling.
Me: Gee, I think I smell something. It kinda stinks. I wonder if I stepped in something. (Living on a farm that is usually the first thought that runs through my head.) Examine bottom of shoes. After another moment my eyes start watering, my ears ring and my nose begins to burn. WHEW! I plunk cat down and run from the room. Budda tripping along pleasantly behind me, hoping for more cuddles.

They may only be teeny-tiny kitten farts, but they could peel the paint of a car.

Connie Herring is a multi-talented artist. She works in a variety of media and does all sorts of fantastical and technical creations. She is primarily an installation artist, though she creates sculpture, handmade paper and books, weavings on commission, and designs personal jewelry upon request. But arguably more important than that, she is a good spirit and one of the nicest people I know. Visit her website, www.connieherring.com. I encourage you to do so.

I had asked Connie to tell me about making paper. She gave such a excellent and comprehensive answer that I thought I would post it all, in her words.

Steps for making paper
I make a variety of papers. I have paper made by recycling old library cards from card catalogs, (this paper can’t be considered archival I don’t think because of the ink they used at the time, but the cards are 100% cotton). I also make paper from Abaca, cotton, and linen linters. The linen is what I’ll bring you.

Linters are large, thick sheets of compressed fibers which I order from various paper making supply places. I tear the linters up and soak them in water over night. I usually weight the amount in each bucket so that if I have to add color, or a sizing I know how much to add to the amount of paper.

The next day I “beat” the torn up paper. I use a disposal which has been mounted under a table which is open at the bottom. I put the soaked, torn paper into the disposal and it comes out the bottom into a bucket as paper pulp. There’s lots of water involved so things get pretty wet all around. From there the pulp is put into a vat of water. There is a lot of water in relation to the pulp and the ratio of water to pulp determines the thickness of the paper. The more pulp the heavier the paper.

Next I get the mold and deckle that I want to use for the size of paper needed. The mold is a frame covered with screen. The deckle is like a frame that fits over the mold. Inside the frame, on the screen is where the sheet of paper is formed. Next I mix the pulp/water mix so the pulp is evenly suspended in the vat. I hang onto the mold and deckle on two sides and cut it into the vat. I pull the mold/deckle up, and let it drain. There is a sheet of paper on the mold at this point.

I carefully remove the deckle and couch the sheet of paper onto a felt. (A felt traditionally is a special piece of felt used specifically for paper making. I use a synthetic felt.) “Couching” is the term used to the process of turning the mold upside down and putting the paper pulp onto the felt. I will place another felt onto the paper, pull another sheet of paper and put that on top of the new felt. I will build a stack of paper like this until I have about 25 sheets.

I then put a board on top and bottom of the stack and place into a press. I tighten the press as far as possible to eliminate as much water as possible. I let the paper set in the press for at least a 1/2 hour, and while it’s setting I make another stack of paper. Once out of the press I lay the pieces of paper out to dry.

It’s really very basic, but takes awhile to get consistent sheets. I order a lot of my supplies from Twinrocker, and they have a web site www.twinrocker.com that has a couple of pictures of making paper that may be helpful.

So in an effort to better manage my time, I began yet another painting on handmade paper. This really helps me to not force my bear painting along. I can take the time I need to make decisions, without feeling guilty about not painting. I think once I actually begin putting in color on the bear, I will work exclusively on it.

This White Wolf is on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of handmade paper. It does have deckling, but in an effort to get it in one scan, (instead of two) we lost the deckled edges.

The paper is quite soft, so my usual practice of drawing and erasing really can’t happen. To work around this, I could project the image. OR I could draw it out on something else, like tracing paper. Place the final drawing over the handmade paper and redraw the lines. This forms a barely visible indentation on the handmade paper. Carbon paper would also work, but the lines would be quite harsh and may not get completely covered by the oil pastel. (Besides, finding carbon paper these days, is like looking for something out of the stone age.)

Archivability on handmade Paper
Oils can cause degradation of paper, so it is always wise to research your art materials when working with oil pastels. Since I have started working with handmade paper, archivability is a concern. Thus I began looking in earnest for more information and started experimenting.

I tried a few different gessos and found the oil pastel didn’t adhere as well, as I am used to. I had almost given up hope of working with the handmade paper, until I looked at the various oil pastel brands. Most resources said that there is no need for a gesso or primer to be applied, if the oil pastels were made using inert oils (like mineral oil). Holbein and Sennelier are made with inert oils. I couldn’t find any information regarding my other main brand Caran D’Ache. Perhaps I will contact the manufacturer. If I do so I will post about what I learn.

How to make paper
I asked Connie to explain the process of making paper. She did such an excellent informative description of the process, I thought I would post it tomorrow.

Bear drawing reworked
Here is my re-drawn bear. I am much happier with the hind leg. I may still raise the front leg up a bit more. I also adjusted my bears position in the composition. I usually try to work on boards larger than I need, so I can adjust the image size as I go. Currently this piece is 19 x 26. I need to quit fussing over it and just get after it.

Long ago in another life. . .
Bears (and wolves for that matter) are rather dear to my heart. At one time (long, l-o-n-g ago) I worked in a wildlife park where I was very hands on with bears, wolves and a myriad of other wild and dangerous beasties. I was hired when a keeper quit, after being attacked by a mountain lion. (He survived. Fortunately when the cat pounced, they fell into the electric fence.) They hired me because women tended to do better with the animals, in the area I was hired for. And because as someone with a vet tech background, I could spot a distressed or ill animal.

So you see, I haven’t always been a Midwest, middle aged woman, living the quiet life as an animal artist. No siree. There was a time when I not only danced with wolves, but I conversed with cougars, and I . . . Ummm . . . Whats a B-word that goes with bears? Brawled? No, not really. Had I brawled with bears I wouldn’t be a middle aged artist living the quiet life, now would I? Ummm bantered, bargained, boogied?

Anyway, I had a few close calls with some of the predators. (I may even post a story or two.) But frankly, it was the raccoons and pronghorn antelope that I really dreaded getting inside the pen with. Go figure.

Okay, so I changed my mind and started the rhino first. Mostly because he looked quick and easy, while the bear is going to be one challenge after the other for me. I plan to begin making drawing changes tomorrow on my bear. And will post the final drawing before beginning the color work.

I kinda took some liberties with the rhino’s coloring, (as I am wont to do on these handmade paper pieces.) I’m not thrilled with my color combination of blue and rust. However I think he will look interesting once I get him all framed up. I plan to put him on ultramarine blue suede and frame similarly to my purple buffalo.

Much like my purple buffalo was just an okay piece, so is my blue rhino. Hopefully he will sell. My buffalo sold less than 48 hours after I framed him. So maybe that just goes to show I am not so great a judge of my artwork, as I may think I am.

I think the image would be much stronger if I cropped it. Essentially losing everything to the right of the first leg. I want to keep the deckled edges so it would be a delicate operation to tear the paper to get deckling, without tearing the painting. I may just do it anyway. What do you guys think?

I’ve got a couple of good excuses as to why I haven’t been posting new artwork. Honest First of all, I finished up my article for the next issue of Apples N’ Oats magazine, a week early! That’s two times in a row. WhooHoo! Also been doing loads of bookwork, like preparing my sales tax figures. Not really a whoohoo, but nice to get it done. And then of course, tis the season for the gallery to get busy. So now that I feel perfectly righteous in my slacking off with the art thing, I thought I would go ahead and show you some of what I have been doing art-wise.

I am putting aside my draft horse by the trailer and moving on. He is almost done and I am sure I will finish him up some time this week. I am hankering for a change. So on this past Sunday, I got three different non-horse critters drawn out. The one that is calling to me the most is this, an Alaskan Brown Bear. I was actually looking for a small bear image to put onto handmade paper, but when I ran across this photo I had an Aha! moment.

So I decided to go large-ish. And of course to add to the challenge, I not only used a reference photo with water, but also decided to move his legs around. This is a zoo bear and it is overweight. Or I may have taken this photo in the fall when it was gaining for hibernation. But it is still more pudge than I want. I am not sure that my painting will reflect any particular season, so best shed a few pounds. I imagine it would be hard to keep a captive bear at its ideal weight. I mean it’s not like zoo bears are running after elk or anything.

I don’t think I am completely satisfied with this pose. I most likely will extend the foremost, hind leg back farther. This will help give him more movement and not make such a straight line along the edge of my painting. Also I may raise a front paw as well, leaving it slightly held in the air. Not sure, but I don’t like the square, boxy shape that I have right now.

Starring Chicory in I Want Out.
Ah . . . Spring. Subtle flute music plays in the background amidst the chirping birdies and fluttering butterflies. The tender green shoots of grass are bursting forth from their earthy slumber. The rains have come and everything smells clean and green.

I stand outside the barn scratching Chicory, who has almost completely shed out, but still has plenty of those crazy-making itchies. Mind you, it wasn’t so very many days ago that we could have knitted some cozy little chihuahua sized sweaters, from the fur I was pulling off him.

We quietly enjoy the warmth of the sunlight and the gentle breezes. He looks wistfully out to the pasture, of which he has been denied access to, since December.

A thought comes to him. (I could see the wheels turning) He looks at me and nickers softly. I look him in the eye, silently questioning. He looks out to the pasture, pauses a moment, then looks back me. I continue to scratch him, but don’t move. He waits for a moment, then swings his head s-l-o-w-l-y back to look at the pasture. He holds a little longer than before, then looks back at me. I smile placidly and continue to pet him. The words, “Whats that Lassie? Timmy’s stuck in the well!” roll through my head.

Chicory sighs deeply, his frustration at my apparent dull-wittedness is obvious. Since I am failing to comprehend what it is that he wants, he decides to take it to the next level with charades. He steps away from me and walks over to the gate. Makes eye contact again, then tosses his head dramatically over the gate leading to the pasture. This time he doesn’t look back at me, but rolls his eye over to see if I am paying attention. I think if he could have pantomimed the unlocking of the gate, he would have.

I walk over and pat him. “Sorry big guy, You’ll have to wait another week or two before I can turn you out.” He drops his head, and again sighs deeply. I would like to think he understands my meaning. But truthfully, I think he is just resigning himself to the fact that his human is a complete and utter idiot.