P.T. Artist Sandra Stowell

I have made three few individual cast of figures from The Mediation piece, now that I have a good material for the purpose. So I am considering exactly where and how these two will appear in a new work. One way I experiment is to use my computer. I place the figures in various existing or modified “scenes” from my photos and drawings. Also I arrange and photograph the actual cast figures on various backgrounds.

Sometimes I enjoy the photos of these temporary arrangements, or the digitally manipulated variations of the photos. I could even use a printed background for the actual figures, to be determined! So here are images of various arrangements; all unlikely to be finalized as more than prints.

One dilemma has been my desire to make a durable outdoor piece. I cast the figures with a water/weather proof material, which should quite durable outside. Although very thin and brittle, they will be strong enough mounted on an appropriate surface. I do like them on some of my existing images, but I can’t use those for an outdoor piece. They may provide inspiration. I will resolve the dilemma, one way or another, when I place these two into their “right” environment.

I like the figures in the heavy oval frame … but no. The size is wrong because these figures just need to be further apart. The frame size forces them too close together. And although I thought I would enjoy using one of my bones prints, these do not seem right either. Eventually I will find where these two figures from The Mediation really belong or I will set them aside and move on.

I have been doing a bit artwork between walks and garden chores, I have been making small figures. But I just got to posting my recent work due to this busy time of year. Despite all the mowing, watering, weeding and more, these figures have happened in my studio. I see these as the beginning of a new series: Walkers & Sentinels.

You can probably guess which one is the prototype Sentinel, and which are the first two Walkers!

Some day soon I hope to start work on a larger “Walker”.

Several older small Beetle People have joined my two new Beetles in the House . My two recently made tiny beetles have returned to the house, and they brought several friends. I have eleven tiny beetle people in the house, now permanently affixed to my shower wall. They seem fairly happy to be there.

Look at the first photo to see a strictly unnecessary decorative beetle track. I placed this above the niche used for shampoo and soap so it will mostly be high and dry out of the primary shower area. Eight beetles, all less than 1.5 inches, enjoy this curving branched track. I do not want the beetles to collect water and grow mildew. I won’t be cleaning tiny beetles all the time!

As of today there are three new beetles in the house. Perhaps they multiply on their own!

The three latest beetles follow a long repair track above the built-in seating bench so these will also be out of the normal shower spray area. I think these will be the final additions. The two beetles created from extra repair material have brought enough friends to the house.

Afterwards I decided to sign my work, since I am both the artist and the repair person. It seems good to give myself the credit. And I did this most properly, by using the same sculptural “clay” material I used for the repairs. In order to sign the repair I placed a single “S” at the end of the three beetle track. I formed the “S” with a handy seal designed for use with sealing wax. Remember sealing wax, anyone?

Every walk is an art walk for me, for some years now, but it is wonderful to take an art walk at the beach! Here are a sampling of my photos and artistic manipulations from my most recent beach walk.

In springtime photos shine: reflecting sunlight, holding the rain, or just shining with the color of new growth. Who can resist this? And I cannot resist adding more shine. I return home to tweak, crop, adjust and I hope enhance many of my photos. Of course I am photo mad any time of year, but it is springtime now and the sunshine is so much brighter! The birdsong coaxes me out for longer walks, and there is more to see and photograph.

Above are just a few photos taken in the woods, some enhanced, others not so much. But the opportunities for shine and color are everywhere! Most of my walks are close to home, in the surrounding neighborhoods, but I find new things to catch my eye every day, on every walk. And If I venture downtown, or to the boatyard, the opportunities are boundless.

Digital alterations sometimes make those springtime photos shine more, or sometimes just distract from the original beauty. The viewer must be the judge. I am not sure about the emerald sky, but there it is. And springtime greenery can turn to violent violet purple with one of my favorite digital alterations. I spend far to long “fixing” the digital shine I want to have enhance my photos, rather than overwhelm them.