Further refinement of a translucent female figure:
Category Archives: My Art
Spirit Boxes
As usual, thinking about what I am doing/making comes after the fact! And usually with input from others.
The sentence from my friend Maureen, used in my current art box, has provided me with a much better name for these creations. In the past I have made assemblies of “artifacts”, “shrines”, “reliquaries”, and “treasure boxes”.
Now I have a new name for all of these art pieces: spirit box. 
Here is quote from my own description of work made in about ten years ago:
I struggle to find the right words to describe the assemblies I make. Each piece houses a carefully selected collection of items that have a special meaning for me. And in a way that is outside any traditional religion, each work is somehow sacred to me. The terms shrine and reliquary come to mind, however I hope that my creations contain vigor and life, as well as natural and man-made remains.
All of the work I was trying to describe, and several other pieces made since, now seem to me best described as “spirit boxes”. The works are absolutely creations designed to feed, repair, revive, or soothe the spirit!
Playing with Light (again)
Update: I have a title for this piece now. It is “Hallelujah Spirit Box“.
This is a finely woven “silk” box given me by a friend for creative use. I have found a place for some resin pieces made several years ago & never incorporated into a finished work. I like having multiple surfaces: layers! I can attach things inside on two surfaces, and outside on both surfaces: there is no front & back (but there are sides…). And actually I can put this together in two ways: lid on, or lid behind.
It is all about playing with lights, translucency, weight/weightlessness. 
Don’t forget to click on the first photo to page through the larger lightbox view (much more impressive 🙂
Not sure what this piece is about. The kneeling figure was cast in resing from a figure I carved in soap, while spending a winter in Mexico, surrounded by Catholic churches. It is about reverence, and perhaps there is some allusion to death/ascendence? And flight, and a “lightness of being” or perhaps “not being” (death).The lenses may be about trying to see more/further.
Preparing to work … I hope!
It has been a huge challenge to get my art studio back into working order since my mother died in July.
I brought home so many things holding so many memories, stacking boxes everywhere, piles of books, blankets, linens, beautiful rocks, woven baskets, delicate ornaments, clothing, framed photos, and paintings by my grandfather.
Only two weeks ago I could barely walk across the room, but slowly, slowly things are getting distributed to family members, friends, thrift stores, or to places for use in my own house. Some things will just be stored out of the way for future consideration.
And some newly acquired furniture is now in place for use: a real desk (with drawers!) has allowed me to surplus a wide filing cabinet, and time & work has reduced the estate paperwork to a manageable quantity that can be merged into my normal storage systems. What a relief it is to have my new desk organized, and to put away that extra table & all that was on top of it.
My “new” Mutoh drafing table
A fabulous find has been added to my studio: a old Mutoh drafting table! While this is missing all the accessories & required an hour or two of scrubbing, it none the less takes a place of pride with my large format scanner and wide format printer as a choice art tool. This drafting table not only tilts easily with one hand, but is raised & lowered without effort using a foot pedal! Such luxury, as my current very large drafting table requires two people for any adjustment. Now that will be put flat as a worktable, I think.
Here it is arranged to look as if I am actually doing a little art, but not so. I am still struggling to get started! The transition has been exhausting. I do have room to work now, but I am still surrounded by so many reminders of Mother that it is hard to focus on my work. I need to somehow use all of this to make art…
Marketing drawings … I hope!
I joined a website (Society6) which sells various products with prints of your uploaded images … and I purchased two items to see how the products look.
The cushion and the mug both look good, but I realized my own error … I had failed to sign my work legibly or add my website! So I decided to rework all the various combinations & sizes of digital images, and replace them all on the website. Hours of tedious work, but done now. Now these still feature the artwork, but include attribution, so as to be good for use in marketing 🙂
Here is a vegetable combination on a square cushion, available in three sizes and with a choice of indoor or outdoor cover material. I bought the outdoor cover: it is pleasant to the touch, seems sturdy, and looks great!
The mug is a basic white ceramic mug.The image is neatly wrapped and fills the outside of the mug. It looks fine. I may send some of these as Christmas presents to friends & family!
I don’t think too many people will find / buy these, but with my name & website on them, they might catch someone’s eye if I buy them myself, and even place a few around coffee shops that have mug racks … might be worth a try.
New drawing in my 2015 Sketchbook
My art at Saatchi online
Products for sale
I just decided to try out the online company Society6, which sells mugs, prints, cushions, and more with the artwork of any artist who registers & posts artwork. Registration & posting is free, Society6 takes a commission on all sales. I am told they use quality materials and reproduction for their products. The site images certainly look nice.
It would be quite pleasing to sell a few mugs, cushions or tote bags with my work printed on them, so I have uploaded a few select images. Check out the cushions here, and there are also mugs and more…
