Here I am in front of a sculpture by Sedona artist Susan Kliewar, at the Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery in Chandler, AZ.
For those of us from Arizona, we recognize the name Basha from the grocery stores around the state, including the one in my home town of Sedona, AZ.
Eddie Basha began collecting art as a hobby during the 1970's under the guidance of his Aunt Zelma, hence the gallery name. He focused on western and American Indian Art. Truly, I have never seen so many Joe Beeler bronze sculptures; paintings and cartoons in one location.
Beeler was a founding member of the "Cowboy Artists of America" , well represented in this collection. This group started here in Sedona,while in the Oak Creek Tavern. Now an upscale restaurant, it was the local bar with tacky red vinyl booths and a stuffed poler bear in the corner. I remember it well. Ah those were the days. Living in Sedona for thirty years, I am, and have been acquainted, with both Susan and Joe.
The Basha Collection is housed at the corporate headquarters, which has been there since the 1930's. Walls of covered adobe give the collection an historical setting. Small rooms; hallways, and nooks, are painted vibrant colors to better show off the paintings; sculptures; baskets, and ceramics. The Gallery Director, who I had previously met, was kind enough to give us some more insight into the man who created this gallery, and the fun he had collecting.
Admission is free, and it is open most days from 9 to 4 pm.
Custom Calligraphy. What fun . What a process. Recently, a very nice client hired me to write out her own poem in calligraphy. She had seen and purchased my calligraphy before, so she knew my capabilities. I was only given final dimensions for the finished work, which came to me via the computer. There was quite a bit of writing.
There is always that element of surprise in custom work. What is told about the job and what it actually entails are often somewhat different. Once I saw the poetry, my mind started imagining about how best to go about this. Which alphabet would work the best? Not a lot of room for flourishes. The Uncial style is a good alphabet for a lot of words in a small space, with all the letters in one line. I had been given free reign on what to do, so that gives excitement, but also a sense of responsibility. Of course I want the client to be happy.
We had originally talked about black and white, but I was thinking color. Black and white often looks like merely a copy, and I wanted to show off the originality of this work. Being asked to do reproductions of this work, matted as above, I liked the idea of color to add depth to the work. Dark blue or green was her request.
I chose a very dark blue watercolor to write out the letters. Due to the very nature of watercolor, there are hues within each stroke. When I first dip my pen, it comes out dark and opaque. As I write on, the color gets lighter, then dark again as I dip my pen into my palette. I always like to leave plenty of space, so that the words stand out.
I would like to say I nailed it on the first try, but that would be a lie. I had trial and errors; changes while visualizing and actually writing; and lot of breaths before this calligrapher could lay down her pen and say. " It is complete. I am satisfied."
Here I am in my latest artistic adventure. I am one of the authors in this recently published book entitled "Passing It On, Moving Stories of Activists -1960 to 2000," by Bev Jenai Myers.
I like to write, hence my blog. It was nice being a part of a larger aesthetic venue.
You can find me on page 143, under the chapter entitled " Equal Rights". There are eight Sedona writers in this volume. Bev went far and wide for her stories, so authors are from all over.
I lived in Venice, CA. back in the seventies and early eighties. I got involved in politics, kind of by default. The quote from my chapter reads": I know it made me angry that outsiders could come into my community with nary a thought of the humans they impacted. If my ocean view was going away, then I wanted it to mean something".
We fought city hall for the developers to include low cost housing. We lost.
I know it took a lot out of me. When I left the city in 1984, I was looking to take a breather from politics. I found this small community called Sedona, in northern Arizona. Here I thought I would simply create my ceramics and seek new new horizons with my calligraphy. Politics in the wilderness? Well, yes.
The human condition is always with us, isn't it?
Where does a clay vessel start? This is a picture of a mug I threw on the potter's wheel about three days ago. Right now, it is merely dried mud. Hit it with your hand and it will break apart. Put it into water and it will dissolve into particles of porcelain clay at the bottom of the bucket.This is called greenware, as it has not yet been fired in the kiln.
It is really two pieces joined together. There is the body itself. Then comes the handle, which must be attached when it is still damp enough to fuse the two pieces. The glue that binds ceramics together when still wet is called slip. Really it is merely wet, mushy clay. You scratch and put this mixture on the opposing pieces, then join them together. I always add a little coil to give some strength. A good idea to cover overnight. Clay doesn't like to be rushed.
Finally I take my carving tool and carve out my interpretation of these mountains I see outside of my studio here in Sedona. Artistic allowance is always permitted.I call this my" mountain mug" when complete.
I have to wait now, make sure it is completely dry, before I put it into the kiln. I can carefully hold it to my cheek to feel if it has more moisture, which feels cold; when warm, it is dry. Very scientific, n'est-ce-pas?
So here you have my creative process of making the actual mug. The end result will take a while. Stay tuned!
Here I am ready for a favorite holiday, Halloween. I love this time of year, the fall, and the excitement and fun of seeing how others invent themselves for this most ancient of occasions. This is not a new holiday. Some say it really hearkens back to the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain. Carried forward to the he Christian observance of All Hollowtide,which starts on October 31st, with a three day observance dedicated to remembering the dead. This includes the saints, or hallows, martyrs, and the faithfully departed. In the 16th century, there was the custom of going house to house in costume. The crved pumpkin would represent the souls of the dead This was brought to the new world by the Irish and Scottish immigrants. I love the style of the Mexican observance, Dia de Muertas. I have been in Mexico at this time before and found it to be very ancient in feeling. Everyone goes out to the graveyards in a processions led by the priest. There was a even a really awful band . I remember in one very small pueblo, I was next the a grave and saw some bones sticking out. Death is not so very far away. My face is my canvas this year. First came the white face paint; then the black; then the color. I am grateful for Adrienne's help in show me the path in this new media. I took this experience back and was able to draw on my friend's face for the evening .As I looked around the room, I felt my canvas was one of the better, and I was immortalized by wandering photographers. But they never knew who I was, did they? Masks hide all.
Here I am on the San Francisco peaks. I took the chair lift up with all the other tourists, looking down on the golden aspens. I actually expected to see even more color, but mother nature showed a lovely canvas.
I like fall. The air gets cooler, as do we. It is a change, which is not a bad thing. Nature beckons. I gain insights and inspiration living in this incredible environment. The holiday seasons are approaching, all of them. As artists, we can no longer put off that final productive surge, and those due dates exist. Christmas will not be postponed, simply because we are not quite ready!
A fellow craftsman welcomes what he calls this " creative tension", as he starts a new project, or tackles a problem in a new design. I try to keep this thought in mind, even as I sit down to write this blog.
Soon I will go into my calligraphy studio. It's time for some serious thinking on this idea that has been floating around in my head for a while. That is the first step in my creative process.
It is time to get into my autumn inspiration.
It's a rainy day in Sedona. Again. I had plans to go up Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Places to go; things to do; people to see. I started out in the morning. The rain got heavier. There were rivers of water rushing down the road. I know rocks fall from the walls above the road I was traveling. Did I really want to do this?
It is usually a joyful ride up the canyon, always something new to see. I have traversed this path often, but people unknowing of this journey could make it dangerous. My inner voice kept saying" you don't want to do this. Your life is important to you, Victoria.Do not go."
So I didn't. I turned around and came back from whence I started. Cancelled everything via the phone.Since I gave up this plan I would be creative, by golly. I joyfully entered my clay studio and rolled out a very large slab of clay. There, I was committed to making something very large, or more smaller creations. I chose the latter.
I had been selling my porcelain pueblos, so it seemed to make sense to continue with what the public wanted. I always think I will make too much stock and then have lots of back up. Somehow, it does sell, and then I am a bit panicked.
Creation is only the first step with clay. Next comes clean up, and then more. Continuing with the first firing, then clean up, then more. Afterwards glazing, then.... you get the picture.The longest journey always begins with but the first step, and I was taking that road this rainy day.
