things that I remember

I remember piles of wire nuts on my dad's nightstand and in his pockets. I recently acquired some, and they sit in a container on my coffee table.

I'm forever indebted to my dad, who was the father he didn't have to be. I'm forever thankful and have the greatest respect because he loved me when he didn't have to. Thank you, to my dad, who provided safety and stability in my life.

These photos are inspiration for works ahead. Funny how there's so much more to some little orange object, means nothing but it's function for everyone else, but for me, it stimulates memory, respect, and gratitude for the hardest working man I know.

The tacks are also a memory, not so pleasant though.

SIX11 CREATIVE

I'm totally stoked about this upcoming exhibit at 611 Creative with Natalie Miller. I have loads of new work, and new concepts I've been exploring. It'll be interesting to finally see a body of my work in a "legit" gallery space. Furthermore, I think the space really lends itself to my work, especially the latest "concrete" series- modern and somewhat minimal.

I don't know Natalie, but I've seen her work at a few local events, and it's really beautiful and whimsical.

Thank you to my pals, Amanda & Dylan Bradway at DNA Galleries, for the invite. If you aren't familiar, DNA is a very hip gallery space in the Plaza District, packed with artful delights and locally made goods. They have some rad gifts, apparel, jewelry, prints, accessories, cool things for la casa, and my personal favorite, the Oklahoma T's. . .

Saturday, February 27th, 7-11pm

More on Concrete

This piece, (still in progress), "I bring you red roses because they were your favorite" is 48x48 concrete, acrylic, prisma pencil, graph paper, graphite on board. The above images are sections of the painting in detail. I thinned the concrete out to a thick soupy texture, and painted it on a damp surface.

I've learned a lot in the past few weeks about concrete products, sealants, and bonders. What I've found most effective for my work is, epoxy! I love epoxy. After the painting is complete I coat, or paint epoxy in areas of interest and concern. What I dig the most, is you can draw into the epoxy, subtract it, ad it, build it, it's totally interesting and it's become part of the media.

I included the photo above of the silk rose, because this rose is from my grandpa's grave. I take him red roses every week, because they were his favorite. I replace the sun-faded roses with a new batch, which I stock up on from the "Dollar Tree", and keep in my car. My grandpa ran a concrete construction business, thus my determination and obsession with the material. I know many of us are close to our grandparents, but mine played major parental rolls in my life, and they have a most special place in my heart.

Concrete Details

For my next series, I'm experimenting with concrete on canvas, as a major element in the painting. I haven't been able to find any examples of this, I'm finding that the concrete doesn't like to adhere to gesso. Guess I should've known...

On the subject of media, I've had several suggestions from my piers, to use other elements in place of concrete, i.e. plaster, calking, wax... While I try to always welcome input and suggestions, I feel like I have to conquer this concrete "thing". I specifically chose this media for it's personal, sentimental value to me. In addition to my memory and story, I'm interested in the color, the grey, the cold, the stone-hard qualities, and the cracking, crumbling, expanding, organic qualities of concrete. I think of squares and rectangles, I see lines, I see basic geometric elements and space studies, (and Dolese trucks).

DNA Longboard Show!

Oct. twenty-third 7-11 pm GO SEE awesome artwork and check out a unique gallery/shop. All works are done on longboard decks, offering a fresh and unique take on "surface"!

Above is an image of my deck design, blueprints are adhered and geometric shapes are cut into the surface to create tid bits of negative space. A graphite drawing of the interior of the Florence Cathedral is highlighted in areas of architectural interest in the transparent red/orange. I wanted it to be transparent so that you can still experience and follow the line-work on the deck, lines that extend and wrap around the pre-existing lines in the blue prints. Also attached are two photographs, playing on industrial vs nature, and the beauty of opposites.

every day you save my life

Every day you save my life: 30x60 mixed media on wood

A present for my husband on his birthday: oil on wood, photographs of my husband and I, and one of our wedding day. Also incorporated, a letter from my husband on our wedding day, a feather from the vineyard where we wed, and image transfers for textural surfaces. We are celebrating our 1st anniversary this weekend!

Kaboom

I was only looking for the good apples: 30x30 mixed media on wood

Kaboom: 30x30 mixed media on wood

For me, beautiful represents a time. A simpler place and time when ignorance means peace, and family means protection and normalcy. I am taken back to a time where normal meant all things familiar and consistent, like the smell of freshly hung sheets on a clothesline, and the taste of fresh tortillas with butter, finding the good apples, and exploring the ally behind our green house.

Beautiful, was a time of ignorance and oblivion… no concern for money, addiction, liability, divorce, or health.

By contrast, KaBoom. A time of angst, panic, and frustration. Both of these pieces are dealing with time and cycles, and the changes that occur, for me, some have come and gone far too early.