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)

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agave

Wordless Wednesday

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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

New Things

I've been doing some tweaking here and there around my website, my shops, and my social outlets, and I wanted to share two new things I've finally found time to get rolling. I have an ages-old, neglected Pinterest account where I'm finally actively pinning. I'm finding and sharing some awesome inspiration there, and as someone who likes to feel she's maximizing every moment, pinning is an awesome way to fill time while I stand in line, wait for an appointment, etc. Find my boards, and what's inspiring me here:


The other new outlet is my sketch blog, which can be found on my website in the drop down menu under "blog". There, I will be sharing some of my (often cryptic and crazy) sketches, some of which will become finished projects. If you've ever wanted an inside look at my work, this is one place to find it. Check out the first few posts here.

I hope you'll take a look, and connect with me there, if you have a Pinterest account!

One Tip Tuesday: Can Do

Okay, I know I haven't done a "One Tip Tuesday" in ages, but it's not because I don't love you, dear reader.

Anyway, I wanted to share a ridiculously obvious tip for studio and beyond. You may even already employ this. But I know that I personally sometimes discover a good thing, then eventually forget it and stop using it. Today I'm talking about cans. Or tins, depending on what part of the world you're in. If you are at all familiar with my work, you know I like to recycle. A guilty conscience about landfills and a love of the potential of empty vessels and forms drives me.

various sizes around my studio

Metal cans are no exception. I clean out empty cans of all sizes, and use them throughout my studio to neatly contain things and create a sense of order.  I often see fancy organizer collections at my favorite retailers (they come up with new ones EVERY season!). But if I bought every pretty container I admired, I'd have more storage than stuff to put in it. And that would defeat my ideal of less is more. So I skip the "store-bought", and slap some paint onto some classic cans.

supplies corralled into cans

                  I love the end result: pretty, organized sanity. BUT today's tip is really more about something else I do with cans, that is a little like having an extra hand.

Objects that I paint are often various shapes and sizes, and therefore tricky to work with. By accident one day I realized that most things I paint, glaze, whatever, sit nicely on cans and do not roll, slide, or fall. So I started saving extra cans just for propping things. It's so simple, I can't believe it never occurred to me before.

For heavier or more cumbersome items, I simply place rocks in the can for stability. Cans make great paint/glaze/detailing stands that help me be productive without losing it because my subject won't sit still. You could probably use this trick for other things, too. And that's the tip.

Find more  painted can inspiration on my creative reuse board on Pinterest: Click here.

Wordless Wednesday

♥