Arresting Resists: The Week (3) Ahead

Potato starch paste: Dribble from spoon, spread and scratch

This is what we will be covering in my Arresting Resists class this week. Can't wait to see what my students do with these resists...

Cornstarch paste: Applied with plastic wrap, spread and scratch

Potato starch paste: Applied with plastic wrap, applied with cake decorator

Baking powder paste: Applied with plastic wrap, applied with bristle brush

  

Gelatin: Applied with bristle brush, rubbing with plastic spreader

Gelatin: Stenciled and printed

Re-crystallized salt: Color washes and printing

Sorting it Out but First...

Clematis from Laura's garden, Virginia Beach

Sapphire of the garden...

Jellyfish on the bay beach, Virginia Beach

Ruby of the sea...

I have to get back in the studio today. Some projects are nagging at me. I need to test out a few things before the next session of Arresting Resists. I want to experiment with an idea for F.I.N.E. I need to get some things together for the Gallery Shop of Strohl Galleries in Chautauqua (i.e. create some new pieces). I have to think about Mom's 80th coming up next month...do I want to make something for her?

Time to sort some things out...

Hamsas, Hamsas, Hamsas

Last night, I spent part of the evening in the thick of it with hamsas.

Hamsas seem to be pouring out of me these days.

Not sure what that means.

 

But curious to see where it leads.

Driftwood

While I was on the beach last weekend, I came upon this beautiful piece of driftwood. It was the most amazing silvery white, like the bone of some ancient creature.

The Finished Hamsa

During the past two Wednesdays, in between my day and evening classes, I've been working on my friend's hamsa (see April 17 post, Hamsa for My Friend). Even though I really want to do a stitched or inlaid polymer clay version of this for her, I decided to complete it in colored pencil first so I could give it to her as soon as possible.

Sketch of hamsa

I spoke with her on Tuesday and her chemo seems to be going well. Hope my hamsa brings her my three wishes...protection, strength and love. I know that creating it for her, with my full focus on her during the process, has helped me.

Virginia Beach: Tree Textures

This tree reminded me of a dragon.

A sampling of some of the tree textures I discovered at Virginia Beach. It's amazing what you see when you really stop to look.

 

 

   

 

 

 

I'm off to teach Arresting Resists and Exploring Surface Design...

Virginia Beach: Sand Surface Design

Fiddler crab hole

The camera finally arrived this evening. Here are a few photos of found surface design during my walk with Laura on the bay beach.

Fiddler crab hole

Watermarks

Bird prints

Arresting Resists: The Week Ahead

Blended Oatmeal Resist: Spoon Dribbles and Crackle Technique

As I am still waiting for my camera to arrive, I thought I'd post some photos of the resists we will be covering this week in my Arresting Resists class.

In addition to Matzoh (see Playing in the Kitchen: Matzoh Resist series), we will be spending time playing with:

Cooked Rice Flour

Cooked Rice Flour: Applied with plastic wrap and Scratch Technique

Cooked Cornmeal

Cooked Cornmeal: Crackle Technique and Rubbing

Cooked Grits

Cooked Grits: Resist applied with bristle brushes

and two Oatmeal recipes...

Cooked Oatmeal: Applied with bristle brush and printed with a lemon

Blended Oatmeal: Applied with plastic wrap and Scratch Technique

Blended Oatmeal: Applied with bristle brush and printed

You'll never look at breakfast the same way again.

A Weekend to Remember

Arriving home: taken with my husband's Blackberry

Home from Virginia Beach...unfortunately, sans camera. After taking it everywhere with me, snapping photos up until 11:30 last night, I left it at my friend, Laura's. Ugh! She is sending it along express mail tomorrow.

I can't wait to share my weekend with you...

Imagine...perfect blue skies, the 70s, NO humidity or insects.

Imagine pristine beaches before the summer crowds...a 2 hour walk on the bay beach on Friday and another 2 hour walk on the ocean side on Saturday.

Imagine a friend, that although you live hours apart, you can pick up a conversation as if you had seen each other the day before.

Imagine a lively dinner party with extraordinary women creating flower garden scarves and sharing a stimulating discussion about Mark Doty's book, Still Life with Oysters and Lemon.

That was my weekend. Photos to follow.

A Girls Weekend

I'm off to a girls weekend at my friend, Laura's (see February 12 post) in Virginia Beach. I'm looking forward to nature walks (the beach!!!), great food and conversation, maybe even a little kayaking. It will be topped off by a meeting of her book club. Laura has arranged a special art date for her group...painting scarves!

Of course I'll have my camera along...but not my laptop (still old school technology). So the blog will be on hiatus until Sunday when I return.

Til then....

Beginning Anew

Sheryle Yount

Betty Ford

Catherine Muehleib

Catherine Muehleib

Susan Prytherch

Mary Ellen Campbell

Mary Ellen Campbell

Sheryle Yount

Poems? The beginnings of stories? What do you think?

Another semester of Exploring Surface Design begins today. I'm eager to see what stories my students have to tell.