When Babb-ble makes sense

My studio is a small room, probably intended for an office or wee den. As I enter there are bookshelves lining one wall on the right and cabinets and a flat file on the left. Ahead is a lovely big window overlooking a drawing table that is wedged between the bookshelves and storage cabinets. It is my place. I can shut the door to the dishwashing, floor sweeping, meal-fixing world and enter this squidgy little spec of universe that abounds with creative tools just for me. However, even universe corners sometimes gather dust bunnies. There are about 600 books all begging to be opened and used. And I respond. Selected stacks of books move out to the kitchen table, the sofa and the bedside table. A few go for rides in the car. Then, comes a time to switch, but being sooooo busy, I don’t take the time to put them back in order on the shelf. They are lovingly stacked on the floor in a hold position until I “get time”. And just where did I think I was going to ”get time”? The spare time store? Soon the Great Wall of China is morphed into The Great Wall of Vade Mecum. Only when there is no more space for my desk chair to swivel do I FINALLY stop and restore order. Had to do that last week. When this happens I re-organize and discover old friends. One was a book called Go To Your Studio and Make Stuff by Fred Babb. What a treasure! What wonderful words and inviting art! I am re-invigorated.

Here is an exerpt from his book. "(But my studio is more than a physical space.) ... it's much more than that. It's my refuge, a safe haven in a world full of distractions. It's where my true nature can breathe freely. The studio can allow you the space to view your SELF - the SELF that artists and philosophers have sought to catch glimpses of for centuries. But looking inside ourselves is not easy. It can be surprising, even scary. So into our studio we lug heavy baggage filled with defenses that we carefully stack up to block the view. It's important that we take responsibility for putting these obstacles in place. For when we do, it becomes clear to us that we alone can remove them. The simple words 'I am willing to see myself differently' are a powerful, healing statement. With this invitation to the creative process, your art will begin to flow."

Breakfast with the Widows

The Hubby and I took a spin into Cave Creek for a Sunday pancake breakfast. What the Oaks lacks in ambiance, it makes up in human interest. The average clientele can cause severe neck-swivelitis. There is New York bling, bikers, fellas just off the range, squinty-eyed loners, and the servers all call you, “Honey”. That day it was better than usual. The Winchester Widows were in town, dressed in their 1890’s black and all packing. Here in AZ , one does not need a permit to carry a gun and these gals weren’t carrying 22 caliber pea-shooters. Horse riders carrying Winchester rifles, they were participating in a local parade that day. I talked to a few of them about their outfits. All are authentic widow’s weeds from the late 1800’s. I recognized some snappy looks from my great-grandmother’s photos. The dresses were original antiques/made from original patterns with traditional fabric/a blend of both. Everyone had some antique piece on, a broach, the gun belt slung around the hips, a hat, lace at the throat. They looked right at home in Cave Creek. The Widows help support the Challenge Ranch – a nonprofit riding program for underprivileged and disadvantaged youths in San Diego.

Alchemy - Pewter to Dragon

Turning pewter into a dragon isn't 'embossible', to borrow the phrase from Lynda Abare, Repujado artist. It all started in the wispy dawn in a dark room with 10 students eager to explore the secrets of metal magic. Many hours later under the tutelage of our mentor, we transformed slabs of pewter into a Illuminated motif bookmark with polished stone paper. The paper technique was another poof, poof, poof transformation.
No break for underlings, straight into a silver tone cachet to hold dried bat blood, frog tongues or just stray safety pins. This pewter sheet became a fire-breathing, scaly horned dragon in my hands.
And finally, the Embossing Guru led us through the intricacies of The Precious Art Book. What invites a reader to touch, open and page through a book? Of course, the cover. Every student explored and produced a different exqisite example of repujado to enhance the cover. Oh yes, we measured, cut and pasted and did all the prep work, no magic here. There is more finessing to be done before it is published. Not to mention the contents that have to be created.

Printmakers are thought of as people who scritch and scratch on metal plates, fill the air with acid fumes and then die young and poor. Go forth Sculpy artists and produce! Sculpy is a craft clay often used for beads, figures and hobby stuff. It also makes a great little relief/intaglio plate. I warmed and worked up a piece of this product (flesh color seems to work best) and then rolled it out like cookie dough. It takes impressions very well. I used fibers, buttons, pencil, stylus and anything that I could press into the surface. Baked it per the directions. I found out that taping the bottom with drafting/blue painting tape helps preserve it through many press runs. It is fun, non-toxic and cheap. Twisting Sun is about 5" across and I used Charbonnel Aqua Wash Ink.