It doesn't add up?

This piece is currently being scrutinized for what went wrong.  I love the individual parts but not the sum of the whole.  The colors are so much better in person and you can really see the shine of the wax.  The picture  was taken on the cuff in my work area.  I was hoping to be able to see and figure out what to do to make me like this piece.  I already have so many that I  don't like that i hate to add to the pile.  After several more days of sitting I will probably quickly do something that will either help or be destructive.  Don't get me wrong.  I want it to work  but I do love melting the was whatever the outcome and as I tell my students you can always scrape it off.  Costly but possible solution.

Now I do love this piece but probably not this orientation.  One of the laments of abstract artists.  The picture does not capture the lovely pale cream slightly yellow of this work.  This is one of the small pieces, 12"x12" that I made to help with the creative flow.  I think this one is staying home because of the small piece of peace I feel when I look at it.  It is already framed in a simple black outline.  I can turn and change its perspective as often as I wish.

I also did some citra solve papers that are drying.  Hopefully I will be able to share tomorrow.  I became a member of the "Love Mixed Media" group and they had a technique section which discussed these.  I tried the process several years ago and never did anything with the paper.  The stuff was still in my cabinet and I decided to use it up.  I had space on the table so I loaded up the magazine and am letting it cook away. 

The weather turned cooler.  I am so happy with a cool morning.  I really don't want to turn on the a/c in February.  The always wishing for the opposite of what we are given is so human and I definitely am terribly human.  Listening yesterday to Dr. Maya Angelou on NPR radio was so enlightening as to the human condition and how as humans we are all more alike than we are alien to each other.  I learn so much during Black History Month. 

Well, I have to do some housework so there is time to play later.  Hope you get to play also!!!!

Le petite jardin mobile.

I spent a lot of time working on art and this was my greatest accomplishment this week.  I created a small rusted garden on wheels.  The wooden base is a scrap piece of wood from the garage. It may have come from one of the rent house remodels.  I did have to cut to length.  Love the power tools.  The little tart tins were aged and rusted by me but they were purchased at estate sales.  I also used nails bought from estate sales.  I love the rusted metal casters.  They are operational and have to be positioned to balance the weight in order for the garden to stay upright.  The red in the center of the flowers is encaustic wax.  I may try other versions of this with blue. 

These are not the best pictures.  I am still shopping for a new camera.  My poor coffee table shows wear but I love it.  It is a cut down kitchen table so it is large.  As the name of my blog says I live a dusty rusty life and don't worry about the scratches on my furniture. 

I still need to create the larger hanging pieces I need for the upcoming reception.  The boards are made and ready to be worked.  Dealing with stage fright is not pleasant.  Using large amounts of wax is daunting.  Using small pieces to loosen up and allow the creativity to flow. 

Crazy wax sculpting video.

It takes a lot of courage to use this much wax in such an innovative way.  Thinking of taking the wax into a more 3-dimensional area.  It is amazing how the wax hardens and becomes substantial with time.  Small scapings and waxed papers are as far as I've gotten.  I have also been working with a freestanding substrate.  Will post pictures as soon as I have something to share.

On a personal note:  The gallery where I do workshops and have art has decided to celebrate me with a reception on Friday, March 11.  I am busy working to have new art to display and be worthy of the main wall .  New boards are being made that are bigger than my normal work.  The leap to big with wax is a huge task.  I need a larger clear work surface.  I knocked over a pot of red wax and was busy scraping wax off the desk for twenty minutes.

The act of creating is a little harder while I am dealing with this "skin treatment".  My dermatologist has me on a topical skin ointment to treat the pre-cancer spots on my face and arms.  It has me looking like my face is covered with herpes.  It is not pretty and it is very uncomfortable.   Just saying that this week is the worse but it is supposed to be better and better.  Just saying that there is a certain level of frustration that I think is hampering creativity.

To Valentines or not to Valentines?

I have very mixed emotions about Valentines Day.  The very commercialization of the day makes me cringe, but I have to realize that my generation had a whole lot to do with that.  Also the cheap decorations from China.  The beauty of love makes you want to celebrate the day with everyone, your spouse, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community, your city, your state, your country.  Spread the love, right?

The old fashioned valentines are my favorites.  Vintage sweetness.  I also love the altered anything with a heart thrown on it.  The cold and snow have me playing with scraps and I came up with these three hearts.  Still trying to use up what I have on hand so sometimes I would think of the perfect thing but I didn't have it so I looked for what I liked and these are what I came up. 

This last one is my favorite although the picture shows the red as orange.  I am still taking pictures with my iphone and these were taken in the workspace under awful lighting on the desktop.  The message of using scrap felt, material, thread, buttons, crocheted pieces and charms comes through.  The hearts are about four to six inches across.  Not big, not tiny.  Just right for a little love.

Still housebound.....(making a break today)

Took pictures of moments around my house then grunged them.  Kinda like this one.  The almost straight lines of cracks juxtaposed over the round croquet ball nestled with glass orbs looks like I feel.  Out of wank.  The roads are clean enough to get out of the house today but it is still so cold.  Temperature still in the teens.  Who would have thought we would be pulling for twenty something degree temps.  Just have to get through today and then we are supposed to get above freezing tomorrow.

I have a lot of art materials (glass, wood, metal) out in the work space of the new garage.  Then my new work space in the old garage just hasn't been warm enough even running a heater night and day.  The work area in my bedroom has mostly jewelry but I keep wanting something from one of the other spaces.  Haven't accomplished any art in this down time.  Some kitchen cabinets are now more tidy with a lot of old stuff being thrown away.  Need to be able to move from one area to another.  Grab this, grab that, see how it looks, grad something else.  The wax is out in the new garage and I just cannot ventilate when it is so cold, so the wax is just solid.  This paragraph is just full of artistic angst.

Be sure and look at the Jack White videos in previous posts.  The man is full of energy and intelligence.  Love everthing he does. 

Wanda Jackson feat. Jack White 'Thunder On The Mountain' OFFICAL HD VIDEO

I love Jack White. He is gorgeous and genius in one body.

Bored randomness.

Oh, the joy of sunshine and tropical breezes. 

I hate being cold.  I hate being stuck at home.  Those are my first thougths about the last two days of frigid temperatures and ice covered ground.  The road in front of the house is passable but our driveway is still a little treacherous.  The son drove to the store and watching him spin  and slide over the driveway and out into the street was a little scary for me to contemplate doing myself. 

Who would have thought I would be nostalgic for the snowstorm of 2010.  That was beautiful and over much quicker. 

I am tempted to just reconcile that it will be cold for the remainder of February.  But you know secretly in my heart I am thinking it just might be warm for a day or two. The 70 degree days last week just make this week even harder to bear.  I am lucky that we have been spared a rolling blackout so far.  We may possibly be in a grid with the nursing/rehabilitation home down the street.  Our city is setting up shelter at the rec center to house others who have lost power. My husband's aunt has been without power all day and may have to spend the night with her sister. 

I would like to have a holiday in the park kind of day.  Warm sunshine peeking though the trees while we sit in the shade and dream of happy times.

Stay warm and safe.