Painting favorites

Sorry the quality of this picture isn't that greatest. I realized I have forgotten the cord to load photos, so I decided that was not going to stop me. I finagled my phone, camera, and computer to get it to do what I wanted wahahahahaha!

This was my most recent commission That was purchased by a good friend of mine. She wanted something with chickadees. I was always told a person should avoid things they know very well, or things you love because you are so attached to them that you get over critical over what you do. You start to see mistakes that aren't really there and even if it is perfect to everyone else; you see every brush stroke and every flaw, so to you the piece is never finished. I grew up with chickadees so it was like drawing a family member. I have to admit it was a challenge, but in the end I was able to finish and get past all those little annoyances.

Feeding myself

This piece is not really titled. As soon as I made it, I sold it. Which is never a bad thing, and it is not something I can say happens very often. I suppose right now, starving artist could very accurately describe my current employment status, but we are going to think of the glass as half full.

As an example of my chipper outlook, people are willing to buy my art! Since this painting was sold I got 2 more commissions. One is still pretty small, but the other will be quite large. So there is hope for me yet.

Hang in there. Sarah out.

Summer Fire

"Summer Fire"

This was a Painting I donated to Rice Lake's Artscape on main. For such a tiny town they are really trying to show pride in their local artists. And even though I am no longer local, since I grew up there they still let me participate in the event.

I was watching the Frog princess and there was a scene in the movie that was so cool to me. Its the part where all the fireflies are singing. I mean I want you to, right now, say "floatin down the bayou". Puts you in a good mood just because it sounds awesome, in a redneck, noodling, backwater sort of way. Well back to the painting. It was done when the winter was just awful, and I painted as a wish that it would just end... and guess what, it did! It is now April and it is 70 degrees outside. I do believe you can thank me.... Your welcome.

Hope you enjoy the painting. Stay warm and stay sane.

Ceramic Work

Recently I was able to take a ceramics class. This allowed me to get the much needed experience on a throwing wheel. I was also able to gain experience in clay terminology, which was wonderful as well.

So me of these pieces are hand build and some are done on the wheel. I have to admit I am a little partial to the functional piece. I like to think of art as something anyone can use or find beautiful. Some of the ceramic art only has a place in a gallery, but ceramics origonal purpose was to serve, and I believe in continuing that theme in my work. I did however do a few small decorative pieces. It was a learning experience. I guess it never occurred to me until now that when you make a wall hanging out of clay, you have to plan in advance how you are gonna get that sucker to stick on the wall.
Hand built: Red body clay

Wheel thrown: cone 6 glaze

Handbuilt: White body earth ware clay

Wheel thrown: throw body clay
This is my innovative fruit bowl. Each fruit has its own specifically sized bowl within the bowl.

Wheel thrown: Used an iron oxide to get a rusty look and layered a crawl over green to antique the smooth areas of the clay.

This is one of my favorites. I wanted to create a piece that would fit my lifestyle. I have had over 50 roommates, lived in dozens of houses, and have even been homeless twice. And after moving so many times I had to get used to packing so I created this set of bowls that I could easily pack up and put away to take to my next house. Everything I need for cooking is in this little set, and it all packs away into this easy little carrier. Someone asked me why does in not have handle. Well when you are packing a box, it is really hard to get everything to fit when there are awkward handles and appendages sticking off your possessions.

Birds and mortality

I dont know what my draw is to birds. I feel like they seem to be more human than any other animal. Their personalities show through so strong in every breed of bird. Now I dont want to be mistaken for a bird watcher. I will state right now that I do not have the time nor the drive to sit and watch birds. In fact my favorite bird is the crow and raven, which most bird watchers detest. But if you want a good time watch one while you are driving, and if you see a dead crow in the road take a picture, because it never happens, they have better road skills than a semi driver. So I declare myself the anti-bird-watcher. My other fascination is dead birds. Everyone has seen a bird hit a window, its a sad experience but it is also somewhat fascinating. Its like watching a car accident, we all are horrified but we cant look away. The little guy was just cuisin along, then BAM!!!

In lue of my facination with the mortality of birds, I started a series of sketches and painting that compared birds to humans. I wanted to use birds as a vehicle to cross into human experiences. Such as death (which happens to us all lets not assume because I like death that I am emo) and change in our lives. I incorporated human bone structure into the birds to illustrate the way some people end up being labeled different or strange.

These may be used later in other works of art, may it be painting or digital, I have not decided. We shall see.

Marginal Miracles

Have you ever been sitting in a class or a meeting, or just talking to someone who really likes to repeat themselves on the phone. You just happen to have a pencil in your hand, and after about 15 minutes you realize this master piece, or just a raw output of creative mark-making has appeared before you in the margin of your note book.

This has happened to me on more than one occasion. I decided to keep my eyes peeled for other doodle savants in the world. Hopefully adding to the section of the blog which I like to call "Marginal Miracles".

Northern Pine Longboards

Northern Pine Long boards is a privately owned long board company based out of Minneapolis Minnesota. They have been extremely supportive of my art endevoursand I have had the chance to paint a few of their boards. The Board you see below is one that I made for my little brother for Christmas. The first time I ever painted on wood was on one of their boards and it inspired my latest series of art that work primarily on wood. I love how the wood shows through the paint, and how its like nature is painting with you. For those of you out there that have worked with wood or carved, you know what I mean when I say each piece of wood has a personality. This personality comes through in the painting just as it would in a carving. Your canvas picks its picture instead of the other way around.

Not to get sappy, but there is something about painting on the Northern Pine boards that seem so much more real than any other long board. The texture and personalty that the wood has comes through so strong, where on other boards I have not felt that life so much.

If you are curous about the Northern Pine boards check them out at http://nplboards.com/