Throwaways?

 Glass sgraffito sketch made with powdered black glass on white sheet glass

This is a photo of a demo sketch I did at an art show somewhere last show season. It's a 'throwaway' of sorts.  Because there is no way to melt the glass on site, it all gets dumped back in the jar or brushed away into the grass when it's time to go.  

People don't like it when I do that, for some reason.

Here is another sketch from a different show, only this time I forgot to bring the powdered glass to demo with.  Aye… and I was on the schedule at 1pm...

This sketch was made from dirt that I found along the riverbank.  Turns out, it works just like powdered glass. 

Can you keep it?  Nope.   Can you sell it?   Only if it's a cornflake that looks like the Virgin Mary. 

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The beauty in these 'throwaways' becomes my sketchbook.  The lessons they teach me while I'm sitting at shows with nothing to do can't be replaced, redone, or made better by keeping them in a physical sense.

I've learned not to get so attached to a piece that I forget to think about why I am creating it.

Blowing these sketches into the wind is very freeing.  I would recommend it to artists in all media.  Smash a pot, burn a painting, build a sandcastle, speak your heart into a dog's ear...You never lose, you only get better.

Another lesson I learned from dirt painting is that it's an excellent way to teach kids to draw.  Dry erase board + dirt + kid,  there is no end to what they can make.

Something Old (sort of), and Something New

"As Luck Would Have It", Kiln-formed glass panel.  Kelly Alge ©2013.

This is my entry for Day 2 of Leslie Saeta's '30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge' … I made this 3 months ago, so it isn't exactly old, but it is definitely not something new I suppose.  To truly be in the spirit of this challenge I should have made it today, but life got in the way and I didn't make anything art related.  (boooooo!)  I'll make up for it in the end.

Anyway, in keeping day 2 of my resolution to learn something new everyday, I can tell you that I've learned several new things today…

I learned how many sorts of sutures surgeons have to learn and what each kind is good for the thing you need to suture.  I read about all the different filaments that are used, which ones are strongest in certain situations, and I learned that some of the self-dissolving ones are made from catgut or beef tendons. Interesting.  The patterns and technical knowledge, along with years of practice develop the suturing skills of the physician until he or she can do them perfectly.  Kind of like art, isn't it?  

Two weeks ago today I had hand surgery to correct a tendon problem.  It's healing nicely, and my sutures were actually pretty interesting to look at. Very precisely done, and surprisingly not like any stitches I'd ever seen.  I was supposed to schedule a followup to have them taken out, but instead I got busy with the holidays and such.  Deciding to try to remove them myself,  I found my tiny scissors and tweezers. When I couldn't figure out where the snips should be,  I resorted to the internet.  How many things do you think go wrong when consulting the internet?  This time things went well and I wasn't "left in a stitch".  

Another important lesson from today… as a new user of a smooth cooktop stove, of course I've been freaking out about ruining it somehow.  After I made dinner I carefully squirted the polish on, then put my teakettle on the back burner to heat.  Wrong burner.  When I turned around I noticed that my polish was boiling and the water was not, so in a dash from the sink I instinctively tried to quickly wipe it off with one of my orange dishtowels.  UMMMM… I won't be buying anything but cotton dishtowels from here on out.  That's all for tonight.

My Dad's Paints

My Dad's oil paints from college~ that makes them 50 Years old and he is happy to see that they are being used again.  I am very proud of my Dad, and love that I have his paints:) I know we are all genetically influenced by our parents, and I am certain that I got my love of art from him.

Today's effort was to finish this, and I like it.

This is an "underpainting", which is a strange concept to me.  I am learning that my mind doesn't automatically think in terms of what to do in order of steps, so this is hard for me to begin from.  I don't like outlining things and would rather just start throwing in areas of color, but am finding that unlike underwear sticking out of someone's pants, 'underpainting' is nice when you let it show through the top layers of paint. 

Painting, Painting, Painting

Last night something finally clicked... I learned that I am supposed to wipe my brush clean after every stroke, and that oil paint is it's own bird.  I can't expect it to behave like watercolor or acrylic, and now I can understand how watercolor might be difficult for an oil painter.  Pressing on, I know I am behind, but I am looking at this challenge in a more excited state of mind.  Finally I can begin to grasp these little things that are helping me see what I am doing wrong so I can correct them... 

30 in 30 Painting Challenge is stinking HARD!!!

 So... This idea I had of joining Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 Days Challenge was crazier than I suspected.  I am finding out that although I am struggling, I am learning a lot.  Starting out in a new medium is always frustrating as you learn the 'ins and outs' of what works and what does not, and patience is elusive.  Of course, I know exactly what I want to do, and think I can make it happen, but my lack of experience and high expectations are at war with each other...

The painting on the left (the wiped out one) was supposed to be part of a payphone. It looked easy in the reference photo, but quickly ended up to be 'simply impossible'.  I was mad,  then I quit.

A few days later, I un-quit and decided to suck it up and try again.  On the left is the painting I did of the failure earlier in the week.  Really, no matter how bad my paintings get I am still learning, and my brain is thinking in wonderful ways that are causing me to be more attentive to things such as stacks of orange barrels and backhoes, and inattentive to important things like...driving.  I am going down the road thinking about the juxtaposition of everything around me... values, colors, textures, lines...  Wondering what colors would I mix to get that blue tone I see in the snow, and what order would I lay out the colors... UGHHHHHHH!  Everything is suddenly beautiful and interesting enough to stare too long...  I am no longer safe to drive or be out in public.

I will vow to finish my painting for today before midnight, which is a scene from a vacation photo my parents took while in Europe.  Even though my paintings keep getting screwier, I will finish this challenge if I have to paint 10 paintings on the last day.

Full Speed Ahead

Wow, it's already June... how can this be??

It's been a great start to these busy summer months~ the nice weather has brought large, happy, non-sweaty crowds to shows in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.  I have met some very lovely people, and some of my favorite pieces have gone home to live with their new caretakers.

This week begins an exciting time for glass artists, the International Glass Art Society's convention is coming to Toledo to celebrate the roots of studio glass in America.  I am very anxious to go, it is practically in my back yard and it will be my first time to be able to attend.  It is hard to sit still in anticipation of seeing in person the works of so many very talented artists I admire from all over the world.  I traded working time for a reduced admission fee to the convention, and I will be assisting on the tour busses.  That sounds like a great place to meet new 'glass friends' to me.  I'll be sure to post LOTS of details from the week, and heaven forbid I should have my camera with me... Ha.

Tomorrow and Sunday I will be at home in my studio (my favorite place in all the world) with a new class of sgraffito folks.  I am really looking forward to sharing the technique and seeing what they will come up with.  I truly love teaching, and I never tire of witnessing the A-ha moments when creativity is happening right before my eyes.  

Next weekend I will be taking off on Friday night from the GAS Conference and heading to Worthington, OH for an art show with my glass and jewelry work.  Last year it poured rain and hail the entire weekend and still the crowds came... with really cool artsy umbrellas!

I should probably be going to bed sometime in the near future.  Until tomorrow....

Broad Ripple Art Fair, A new season begins!

Well, here I am in Indianapolis, IN for the first art show of the 2012 season. Already? And as usual, I have a small slew of things to work on at the hotel. Somehow I can never be finished with things before it's time to go, and I usually forget something...this time I forgot my headphones (a tragedy!) medication, double rats....come tomorrow, I will have a nice list of " I forgot..." I have never been to Indianapolis, except for a Jane's Addiction concert in the 90's which doesn't really count. Broad Ripple is a beautiful place to have a show. I have to admit that it is scary to be showing only work that is truly dear to my heart. It is much easier for me to sell jewelry; people buy it for different reasons. The work I brought to this show will likely not sell as quickly, and because it is dear to me, every comment is seared into my soul. I chose the subjects for my work without caring what colors are 'in', and the connection I feel to these pieces far outweighs the feelings I have for making glass jewelry. Nijinsky's Grave, children playing on a playground in Cleveland, a little boy reading...I shaped their faces and paid attention to the wrinkles in their clothes. I made sure the twinkle in their eyes showed life... It is much harder to stand there waiting for 'the person' who will love them to come in and connect with them than it is to pack up a pair of earrings. Tomorrow is a new day. God watches over me. I am going to sleep:)

Experimental Class... Want to Peek?

Wow!  The experimental fused glass powder drawing class was a success! 


VIEW THE SLIDESHOW OF THE CLASS HERE


As you may already know, the class was a tester to find out if I could offer this as a workshop in the future. There were four 'guinea pigs', each with different levels of art experience.  Three of the students had no experience in glass, one claimed not to be able to draw, one is a successful painter, another- a computer guy who likes metalsmithing and lapidary work, and finally, a girl who attends my church that wanted to learn the process.


Day one was spent on demos and fun little games of experimentation with different 'tools', and set up some right-brain thinking.  We discussed layout and composition, practiced cutting glass, and chose photos to work from. At first, everyone seemed a bit unsure of their ability to do this and they were pretty sure they would be 'bad' at doing the drawings.  However, by the end of the day everyone had started on their drawings and we were well on our way...but...


Something was bothering me.  My 'non-drawing guinea' seemed frustrated. The piece I started as a demo was a river scene of Venice, and it involved a lot of architectural details.  I think it was too deep too fast. SO...


Day two I cleaned off the work table and took away all of the pieces from day one, and everyone was a bit surprised and unsettled when came back and saw their things missing.  HA!


We started Day Two in a way that I should have started Day One.  I took away all of the tools and we spent about half an hour working to music using only our fingers in the glass powder on a large piece of glass.  We ditched our chairs and got into 'performance mode'.  Everyone seemed to loosen up, and we rotated pieces so we all worked without worrying about things being perfect.  To be quite honest, some of the quick pieces we did during these exercises really would have been great to fire and keep!  I do think that working in a non-committed way helps to take away the fear of making mistakes, and opens up a new version of creativity in each of us.  


We worked on some smaller tester pieces, which we put in the small kiln and watched during the firing to see what results different tools gave.  I was curious to know which tools my guineas liked the best... a small feather, a piece of aluminum grate, silicone tipped painting tools, and card stock.  Cardstock is my favorite too.  


As of today, the kiln is loaded and waiting for the passing thunderstorm to go away so I can start the big firing!  I will post pics of the finished works and student comments in the next blog later this week, but for now, enjoy the slideshow of the class :)

Standing Naked

I did my first real art show in 1998, in my hometown of Findlay, Ohio.  Terrified, I sat in the back of my booth waiting impatiently for someone to walk in and look through the things I had made.  I remember the feeling was like being on the verge of having a heart attack.  What if they look and say nothing? What if they don't like my work?  I don't know what to say....I can't even look them in the eye.


The things I make really matter to me.  The stress of putting these things I made with my hands and my heart before the eyes of the public was hard.  Even harder was to stand there and worry about how they would be received. I truly felt as if I were standing naked before the world, waiting for them to pick out my fears, my faults, my imperfections....  


That show ended well, in spite of the fact that an unexpected storm picked up my tent and blew it a good block and a half down the street.  Wet assembly directions in hand, I left the show with pieces of a tent I took apart upside down, but with a smile in my heart.  


I have been successful at 'being an artist', but now I am once again 'standing naked'.  Never did I think I would write a blog or have a website to sell from, I love meeting the people who buy my art in person.  I am hoping that I can connect now in a different way, one that would allow me to spend more time MAKING art and less time in a hot tent.... Also, I think it's time to share what I have learned a bit.  :)