The Art Dept

       Here’s a  couple pages from my current illustrated journal, entitled Autumn to Winter 2019.        Both pages pretty much tell the story of life in the studio.          I am full tilt in production mode in the studio. I have three shows- yes, three- in November; one in Indiana and two in Florida. Here’s my schedule . I am happy to have shows on my calendar because it keeps me in production mode. I’m also thrilled to be heading to Florida because I am going to meet my first grandchild!! And visit family and friends and do two art shows.   My workday in the studio starts with a page of the journal. I add color, then (if my cat doesn’t walk through it) come back the next day and add to it. Eventually the journal gets filled and it’s time to start another one. The collection of journals is growing, and each one is full of ideas for future paintings and mixed media pieces. It wi...

       People often ask the artist, when seeing a painting, “How long did that take?” The simple honest answer is something like two hours and forty some years. Two hours of painting, and forty some years of work, design, research, trial and error, determination, struggle, blood sweat and tears.         Looking back at 40 years or so of making art, and what I have learned:           When I was in Design 2 in the Art program of my University, our professor gave us an assignment. It was called “I Am-This Is.” The idea was to describe who we are and then give a visual representation of it. Since I had recently gotten involved with a Christian ministry and was learning how to live according to God’s Word, I wanted my story to reflect the Word in my life. My idea was to build a house- like a doll house, where each room displayed an aspect of my life, and then somehow have one room that was full of lig...

It’s one of my favorite lines at a show, but I’m not just making it up. It’s true.  “I made this for you before we met!” When I set up at a show it’s with my entire repertoire of handmade wearable art. Most of the pieces I have crafted in my country studio in the middle of winter with the wood stove cranking and no one around but the cats. At times when I’m working away in my studio, I look at a finished piece and think to myself,  “Who would wear that? What was I thinking? Am I crazy?” And on and on. Then lo and behold, I go to a show, and something wonderful happens. I meet the one I made it for.  It happened several times at my last show, which was Penrod in Indianapolis.  This is a necklace I made as a show piece, which means it was photographed and used to jury into art shows.  It is a unique piece, entitled “Yoke” because of the style of the necklace.        I put it in my showcase at Penrod and eventually she came. She and Yo...

Thirty years ago, when I first started my Parts of Art jewelry line, I had a little shop about the size of a walk in closet, where I sold hand painted clothing.   I would order tees and sweatshirts, fleece jackets and denim dusters, and paint custom designs on them.  This denim duster is the one and only piece of vintage denim that I have kept all these years.  This month I decided to paint it and make it my inaugural comeback into hand painted clothing. To place a custom order or make a purchase, visit my Etsy store here

    To the ancients, sage was connected with immortality, or at least longevity, and it was believed to increase mental capacity. The genus name is derived from the Latin word for salvation. The plant was at one time used to counteract snakebites. It was also sought after for drinking tea, even by the Chinese, who eagerly traded their own fine green tea for it at a ratio of 4 to 1.   The oils in sage have been said to have antiseptic, astringent and irritant properties, and have been used to dry perspiration, treat sore throats and mouth sores, and even lower blood sugar in diabetes.  So what do I like about it? The color, of course! Here’s the young sage in my herb garden back in June: And here it is now, at the end of August:    Now for a description of sage green from the classic color book: Bustonobys Color Manual:  "Grayish green of a dull character, resembling the undried narrow, wrinkled leaves of the sage plant, used as ...

      It starts with several pieces of textured and variegated purple dried acrylic paint which have been peeled from the artist palette. They are layered, designed, embellished until it becomes a piece of wearable art from the palette.  They are adhered to a red violet painted strip  of soft leather and finished off with a silver toggle.  There are also vintage beads, clay, glass and handmade paper in the equation, all in delicious shades and tints of purple.  Finished length is 8”. What’s not to love?  For more information or to add this to your collection, go to my Etsy Store here . Enjoy!

    It’s officially the Dog Days of Summer, folks. If, like me, you find it challenging to make every day count when it’s hot and dry and you’re tired and it’s easy to get in a funk, here’s some ideas:    1.   Do the same thing every day . Since when has routine become a bad word? My routine is what gets me out of bed in the morning. It’s what keeps me from going in circles or wasting time wondering what the heck I should be doing. All I have to do is look at my Google Calendar and it tells me that at 7 AM it’s time to get up, make coffee, and get into God’s word. At 9 it’s time to clock in to the studio. At noon I go inside and clean one room. (There are 7 rooms in my house, one for each day) If it’s Tuesday my routine includes driving to my favorite coffee shop for a great coffee and some serious internet time.         This being said, there are no two days or hours or minutes that are the same. Ever notice?! The daily rou...