Flat Screen Eugene

I have a second-hand tv in my studio, that often keeps me company while I work. I call it Eugene, and when I'm not using it, it hides behind two doors in a niche. It's great for background noise, and I sometimes play music on it. But I mostly use it to listen to PBS specials and old movies. I say listen, because most of the time I can't look at the screen while I'm working. So I sometimes find myself looping the same media a few times back to back to hear everything.
Today I nerded out to Nova while painting. I "watched" a special about my favorite stone, amber, and its prehistoric origins. Then another about the Parthenon. Couldn't look, but I painted and yelled architectural terms over my shoulder at the screen as they discussed theories about the original construction and rebuilding of the Parthenon. (Doric! Ionic! That's entasis, people! Come on, say it!). My art history professor might be proud to know that stuff stuck with me all these years, lol.
Anyway, when I flick Eugene on and get busy, time always flies. Paintings painted, forms sculpted, photos taken, descriptions written, orders packed, whatever needs to be done. But it feels like time well spent, and I love it. ♥

Go With the Flow

I used to annoy my Art School professors with my insistence on doing things [creatively] in a manner different from the established approach. I wanted to sketch things from what they sometimes called "oblique" or awkward angles. I would start a project with a step that was typically designated for midway through. I would sit down at the computer to build a graphic layout of letters and symbols without first spending hours brainstorming with pencil and paper (a mortal sin, according to my award-winning typography teacher). But aggravating them had little or nothing to do with my motivation. My motivation, which has admittedly taken years even for me to understand, was to find a comfortable starting point. To break a creative goal down into bite-sized pieces and start with the easiest to digest. This approach saved me all the times when I was clueless as to where or how to start, and even when I knew what I wanted to create, but was overwhelmed with how to do it. For me, to this day, the point is to start. To use whatever inkling I have, rub it together with a little focus and discipline until I catch a spark and the embers of inspiration begin to grow. Pablo Picasso said "inspiration exists, but it has to find you working". Picture standing on a trail with a bike, undecided where you want to go. Then once you get on and start peddling, the path opens up to you, and you're on an exciting ride with some awesome scenery. Forcing has never worked for me creatively.

But going with the flow, and tinkering with the [small] portion I'm clear on works all the time. It almost always gets the ball rolling.
I recently posted about a wire figure I had started, and today I finally found a few minutes to finish the wire portion of that sculpture. With a piece like this, more often than not, I do go the traditional route of planning prior to starting, even if it's just a quick sketch to decide.
But in this case, I pictured in my mind the form, size, style, and textures before I decided one big thing. The pose! I formed the frame and even the base on which it will stand. I decided what will happen with the surface once the pose is chosen. But I won't just do "eeny meenie" and settle on, say, "I'm a little teapot" or something. I want something good. So I'll probably pause on this one again until I really connect with the perfect pose/energy.
My point is, take a task, creative or otherwise, by the horns, or the snout, or the foot, or the tail. Not necessarily what someone else tells you is the "right" way to do it. Whatever it takes to get rolling. Before you know it, you've finished.  And hopefully I will, too! I'll update this post with a link to this piece when it's complete.

Various Dummies

It's a little known fact that I have my very own team of models for my online shops. Well, actually, if you've browsed the jewelry section of my shops, you might have spotted them working their magic for the camera. I'm talking about my quirky collection of busts. 

I have slowly, over many years, accumulated a group of various types of display busts in my studio. Some I made myself, some that came from a store. But they each offer a different vibe to suit pretty much any piece of jewelry I want to figure out how to complete or  to display in a [somewhat] human way to help people picture pieces on themselves.  Here they are!

click to enlarge

A. Stella is a miniature dummy created using a store bought papier mache form. She's due for a makeover, because, well, branding. I made her wire base from scratch and decoupaged scrap paper on her. I have some newer paper that will give her the perfect look!

B. The Cyclades are papier mache forms I made, which look a little like bowling pins, but are intentionally stark so the focus is on the item they display. The big guy is finished, his buddies are new ones in progress.

C. Jezebel was ordered online. She's pretty sassy, with her low cut neckline. She has an ear with a hole, so I use her mostly to display earrings.

D. Cooper is the coolest DIY bust, made years ago using the instructions found here. This one is made from heavy card with muslin glued onto it prior to folding. This blog demonstrates a great similar approach. You could make all the busts you'd ever need, in all sizes and colors using this easy technique.

E.  Ebony is a traditional black flocked store bought bust. She's great for elegant pieces, but she attracts lint like a cat lady's sofa, so she has her own lint roller.

F. India was started eons ago, using papier mache, before I knew all the tips and tricks I would learn by just doing. I finally finished her a couple of years ago. Her top layer is pretty printed tissue, salvaged from a purse I bought ages ago (do they even stuff purses with tissue anymore?). She has adhesive backed copper tape on her neck, and yes, that's a papier mache pear where her head would be. You could ask, but I don't know why a pear, lol. I felt I needed to put something up there, and it was laying around the studio, so. Anyway, her job is usually to display long pieces or lots of pieces together.

G. Abbie- a small, store bought linen covered bust often helps me when I need to design or pin options together onto a bust for customers to consider.

H. Eve- my very first bust, was made by me in papier mache. You can tell she's been hanging around the studio for many years, because she has paint splatters all over, but I think that only adds to her charm. And she's proof that you don't need much to get started.

And that's all of them (for now)! Now that you've met them, how bout something extra?
Browse the jewelry section of my web store, shop Created by Renée, and paste a link in comments on this post to a jewelry item featuring one of the gang in its pictures. I will then email you a discount code for 20% off that *piece!  This offer is good through 11:59 ET Sunday, 10/4, so hop to it! I'll be accepting links until then, and the coupon will be good through 11:59 ET the following Sunday, 10/11.

*Must provide a link to a jewelry item in my webstore (linked here) and a valid email. No links will be accepted after 11:59pm 10/4/15. Offer good for one piece only through Sunday, 10/11/15. Free domestic shipping. Discount does not apply to international or expedited shipping costs.

Creative [Personal] History

I love wire sculpture. I don't often have the time to do it, but today I made some time for the sake of an idea that's been hounding me for a while. Here's the work in progress: 

   

The idea is an offshoot of an exercise an art teacher gave me to do when I was a kid. She showed me how to sketch what I called "scribble" people, so I could practice figure drawing. Soon I was drawing them constantly, in various poses, then referring to them for more traditional sketches.

click to enlarge

I think they helped my understanding and technique in life drawing. 

At least, my life drawing professor at college years later seemed to appreciate what I was producing by the time I reached him. I had left the figures on the page and had been constructing figures in clay, wire, and whatever else was handy, culminating in a life sized wire figure sculpture, which won me his seal of approval and a spot in a student exhibition.

Fast forward to today, and I'm picking up an old love to use in new work. I'm a big believer that whether we seek it or not, life mandates an accumulation of bits and pieces that fit together into a bigger picture. It sometimes takes time to reveal itself, but makes so much sense in the end. Sorta like pointillism, lol.

I made a quick video to demonstrate, but as I was working around things propped and finagled to get the angle right, my hand and the sketch are kinda clumsy. I hope you get the idea, lol. 

Try some scribble people yourself!

Wordless Wednesday: Texture (and a Guessing Game)

↓↓↓↓

agave

Wordless Wednesday

follow me on Instagram for more!

How-To: Salvaged Paper Envelopes

Earlier today I posted a pic on Instagram of some fancy bubble mailers I made from salvaged mailers and calendars. I also mentioned having made regular letter and note card envelopes from magazine pages. Well, I wanted to share a quick (please be quick, please be quick!!!) how-to on those, for anyone who wants to make some for themselves. Here's the breakdown:

click to enlarge

You will need:

1. Templates. Find them online and print them out or pull open extra envelopes you have laying around and trace them. I like to trace them onto heavy old fiber board that I've saved from the backs of writing pads. They are a pain to cut out, but the heavier they are, the longer your templates will last.
2. Glue sticks. I've used the fancy "strong" ones made by the popular brands, but, to be totally honest, the cheap ones seem to allow for pulling off and repositioning, and seem to hold best once dry. I don't like to have to go back and glue edges and corners again.
3. Scissors that cut fancy edges. These are totally optional, just nice for a fancy finishing touch. 
4. Regular scissors.
5. Salvaged magazine, catalog, calendar or other pages with colors and images you like. 
6. Colored printer paper. 

Not shown: Ink pen.

Quick, easy steps:

a) Lay your envelope template onto a salvaged page and trace. It's best to trace onto the BACK of the page/image you want to use, so you don't have pen marks visible on your finished envelope.

b) Cut the envelope shape out of the salvaged page. 

c) Use the glue stick to attach the cut out to a piece of coordinating colored paper. This will be the lining for strength and, well, style. If you want to get extra fancy, use a printer to print things (quotes, initials) onto the colored paper BEFORE gluing it to envelope cut outs.

d) Cut the envelope out of the colored paper and fold together, with the colored paper inside and the salvaged paper outside.  Glue the folded in edges together. Use glue stick, tape or a seal to close the envelope.

The bubble mailers I mentioned are made similarly.

 Simply snip the top edge (including used adhesive flap) off clean. Coat sides and apply salvaged paper, one side at a time, folding over wherever possible. Leave enough excess salvaged paper at the top to create a fold over flap. Trim edges after gluing paper on, if necessary. Optional: trim flap with fancy edge scissors to create a zig zag, wave, or other edge. Seal with glue stick or tape to mail. Hope that's quick, easy, and clear! Feel free to hit the share buttons and pass it on, or add your own tips, ideas, or spin on this project in comments!

Updated to add: The USPS does accept these for mail (I've mailed them!), and they do call for either printed or handwritten address labels.  I recommend white paper you can tape on, or adhesive backed white labels.

Wordless Wednesday

Who is Handmade

The biggest shopping season of the year is upon us, and many of us are preparing to swarm the big box retailers to gather all kinds of deeply discounted [mass produced] items. Meanwhile a niche of the global community is toiling away, creating things that can't be found in those stores. Makers in places near and far are designing, painting, carving, stitching, weaving, and building magical things, including a revival of small business values, such as attention to detail, customer service, ownership. But who is handmade, and why should you buy from them?

While I can't speak for every other creative person hoping to win your favor and your business, I can clarify in short, from my years in making and selling my art, what I do, why it has value, and why you should patronize makers and small business in general.

In fact, I'll just run down a quick list of what it takes for me to present something I make for you to add to your collection. I hope this list, in some ways, is a nod to what many creative professionals do, but I don't flatter myself to think I know their business like I do mine. Anyway, here's the quick rundown. In my [one woman] company, from the point of idea, to arrival at your door:

1. Concept/design: including sketches, measurements, various details.
2. Research unknown aspects needed for the piece.
3. Acquisition of supplies.
4. Trial and error, which happens even with an established, repeatedly created design.
5. Completion of the piece.
6. Pricing (including research) the new item.
7. Photographing, photo editing, copywriting, for the new item.
8. Shop/website administration
9. Marketing and  promotion to help you find the item.
10. Package design/packing/shipping.
11. Customer service.
12. Bookkeeping.

I'm sure I've left steps out, and they vary from one project/piece to another. Also, this list does not factor in the costs (such as advertising, overhead, supplies) to create original work and offer it to the public. It's a lot, and it takes organization, hard work, and dedication. When you invest in handmade/creative services/small business, you contribute to economic independence over big business, self sufficience over corporate control, and old fashioned ingenuity, resourcefulness, and creativity over mass-distributed indifference. I don't mean to turn a shopping choice into a political statement, lol, but the statement "we vote with our wallets" does have a ring of truth to it. What's more important for me to convey is the care and attention that goes into something you buy handmade. And choosing even one of the gifts you give from a small business, instead of one of millions off a conveyor belt this holiday season speaks volumes.

If you've read this far into my little crusade for "the little guy", thank you! And if you've patronized a small/creative business, thank you again! A very handmade holiday to you.

25 Random Facts About Me

So I've read a few places that people like to know an artist's story. Apparently, folks like to have a connection between the creator and her work, perhaps as a context for the work. Well, my creative existence consists largely of packing orders, planning, and paint-speckled clothes. The mail lady and the neighbors might think I'm nuts, but I can't be glamorous while I'm doing messy work. That's the short of it. But for anyone interested in knowing more, here are twenty random facts about me, the writer of this blog, creator of the things featured in it, and all around "unique" person.

my favorite chocolate chip recipe

1. I love to bake chocolate chip cookies (and other sweets!) from scratch. I like the chocolate, but I pick up the cookies with the fewest chips, so I can savor the brown sugary, chewy cookie goodness around the chips more.

2. I can whistle and yell exceptionally loud (and long). Not sure why I was equipped with these lungs, but they've come in handy under special circumstances.

3. I can throw a baseball quite far. I mean I don't know the exact distance, but I'm strong and I can definitely get rid of one. Strangely, I didn't play a lot of sports in school. But I do like to be active and consider myself athletic.

4.  I'm a two point parallel parker. Three on a bad day. (Maybe there's a correlation between that and my last name, Parker?)

5. I'm fascinated by animals, I like most, but I don't have any pets.

6. I wouldn't clinically diagnose it, but I can be a bit of a germaphobe. As in, I will use too much cleaner and wipe a surface multiple times until it "feels" clean. I know I've driven a few people crazy with this. I rarely get sick, and I think that's partly because I wash my hands a LOT. Not one of those rubbing the skin off situations, but I frequently go from one thing to another, from cooking to painting, to packing, to cleaning, and I wash my hands between tasks.

7. Jazz (traditional, not easy listening elevator stuff) is one of my favorite music genres, and I happen to be a pretty decent shower singer. But I cannot scat. I get embarrassed attempting it even when I'm all alone.

sprouts from Spring

8. I love the outdoors and eating healthy. This past Spring, I got back into container gardening, and am growing a variety of (mostly edible) plants to one day be part of my dream garden.

9. I love languages, I speak a little of several, and pronunciation is my strength (while grammar is my weakness). I love to discover old Latin phases, and decipher bits of languages using their common root words. I studied French in school, and don't remember everything I learned, but I spontaneously practice it while I'm working in my studio, cooking, or in the shower. (I know, I'm a dork) Often when I meet someone from another country, I ask them to teach me a few words (no, not those kind of words). Surprisingly, they've come in handy. I've got a couple of good stories around catching people off guard (in good and bad ways) by knowing what they were saying or speaking a few words that created a connection.

10. I'm a country girl whose grandparents were raised on and around farms in the South. I love being out in the country, but I love a taste of urban life, too.

11. I'm an introvert. Not the antisocial kind. The kind that likes to go places and do things, but needs her "me" time, to feed my brain, rest, and reflect. I like to get out, have fun, people watch, talk to friends, see scenery, etc. but I'm always glad to get home again.

12. I love old movies and tv. Classic black and white, colorized, and even a few campy 80's gems. They inspire both my personal and creative style.

13. I have absolutely NO use for horror movies or anything with graphic violence. They stress me out and affect my outlook. I'd rather watch a funny sitcom, historical documentary, or cartoons.

14. I've never "fit in". Luckily, most of my life I didn't mind it.

15. I've been a coffee drinker since I was about 2. Started making my own by the time I was 6. (Back then I was often up before my parents, so one morning I figured it out).

16. I'm closer now to what I hoped I'd be doing when I grew up than I really thought I'd get. My creative pursuits are not always mistake-free, easy, or fun, but I think little old Renée will one day say "yep! I did it! And it was worth it! Heh heeehh!"

17. I think of myself as deeply spiritual, I value my faith, and I think it keeps me balanced. I don't go around prophesying, but I don't mind being asked about my beliefs.

18. One of my favorite things about me is my resourcefulness. I once cooked a casserole in a skillet on a grill during a power outage (and light rain). Yes, being hungry takes those abilities up a notch.

19. I love to dance, and I'm pretty good at it. But it takes me longer than most people to learn dance routines or line dances.

20. I don't have any tattoos. Birthmarks, yes (not saying where!), tattoos, no. I'm not exactly against them, and I've admired some. I just don't think I could ever commit to one.

21. Sometimes facing a blank canvas intimidates the heck outta me! NOT, however, if I'm going at it with a specific inspiration in mind. Creating from a place of inspiration and passion wins out every time over creating out of a robotic sense of "must make something now!"

22. I like to collect and hoard pretty greeting cards and stationery. I use them when I feel a person or occasion is worthy of my pretties.  I also like to send things via snail mail for a nice surprise.

23. I'm pretty handy and I'm good at building and fixing things.

24. I started drawing, painting, sculpting, building at a young age, and just never stopped.

25. I have to get messy for my work, but I love to get all done up to go out. I love stylish, sexy clothes and shoes, but don't always have time for them.

And there ya go. Probably more than you ever wanted or needed to know. So, are we kindred spirits on anything? 

Appy Birthday to Me

So, in case you didn't guess from the title of this post, today is my birthday. And instead of spending my self-mandated afternoon off in idle luxury, I'm researching apps and brainstorming,  because I think I want to make a creative app. So, one could deduce that, either I am insane, or that I view my work as a fun puzzle to tweak and prod and play with everyday till I get the results I want. Or both. I love being an artist.

That aside, thinking about my birthday and the prospect of me creating an actual app for people to use (me?!), well, drummed up memories of my very first experiences coding creative stuff. I'm gonna age myself here, for sure, but I don't care. Raise your hand (okay, just comment) if you remember this:

Commodore 64 "Microcomputer"

Okay, so, that's about seven of you. But I will confirm loud and proud that my childhood included a genuine Commodore 64 computer. Which came with a huge, spiral-bound instruction book. And blank blue screen with blinking white cursor.

fireball level

My younger brother and I spent many afternoons playing Pac-Man and Donkey Kong (the chunky, old-school cartridges you blew into when they wouldn't play) on that computer. These were the pre-internet days! And I got my first experience coding by typing pages and pages of code to create one short "rocket blast off" sound effect on it. Imagine my young heart's dismay if I had made one tiny error in that pages-long code and the effect hadn't worked, lol. And I never expected to be still writing (and copying, and pasting) code this many years later!

remember "syntax error"?!

That's crazy to me, and it confirms how, if we pay attention, we realize we are on a journey, and everything we pick up along the way (good or bad) pours something into our direction in life. I love that "aha moment" I have when I realize certain experiences throughout my life equipped me with something (even if it was just a clue or a preview) applicable to the current chapter of my journey. I pay more attention to that now more than ever. Life really does come full circle.

So, I'm spending the day enjoying the things that make my heart happy (research, reading, walking, sunshine, nature, making, planning, designing, dreaming, laughing, sharing, oh, and eating cake), even if some of them might be considered work to some folks. This has been a damn good, blessed 39 years (even the crappy times), I'm excited to have made it to the 4-0 milestone, and the craziest, loveliest, creative best is yet to come!

Wordless Wednesday