Here I am in Claude Monet's gardens outside of his house in Giverny. Finally after so many years of visiting France, I was here, in person.
As you wander through the gardens, seeing all the colors of flowers ,plants,water in the ponds, it is easy to see how he could paint his " impressions" of what lay before him.
Giverny is a Very small town. In fact you have to take a train to Vernon from Paris, and then a bus or the " little train" eight kilometers to arrive there. What a clean little town.Flowers everywhere.
It was a popular summer retreat for many painters,including Americans, but Monsieur Monet was the best known in town. His visitors included Mary Cassatt, Cezanne and others. Now there are other French artists who have galleries along the one main street. It was fun talking about their art, in French, with them.
Monet bought his rather large house in 1890, after he started selling in America, then bought more land nearby for the Jardin d'eau, the water garden.The house is pink with green shutters.In 1916, he built a large studio, which I think is now the gift shop. Here he worked on his large canvases of the ponds and water lilies.They are now in L'Orangerie museum in Paris. Each canvas covers a wall.
It was fascinating to watch the wind play with the lilies on the water, while I sat on a bench and just observed. The green leaves would stand up like little butterfly wings, and then lay down again. I think maybe that is one of my fondest impressions of the Garden in Giverny.
Did you know the oldest mask found was dated 7000 BC.? I didn't . This " Small Spirit" is dated 2018, a recent addition to my portfolio. It measures about eight inches, including all its decorative additions. I am having a show starting this October at the Jerome Artists' Cooperative .
I enjoy creating new surprises to display. I am now entranced with adding stones and beads to the copper wire I use to hang this ceramic image.They seem to float. If you look closely, you can see the two blue beads I created. Easier to match colors, although clay is always risky.
It also got me wondering about all the masks every where, which are so much a part of our world culture.
In 13th century Venice, Italy, masks were worn at Carnival, perhaps to get around the rigid society of its time. Dia de las Muertes in Mexico invites the Calveras, or skull, honoring the dead and acknowledging that it will visit us all at one point. Africa has long been a source of these images. In China they show up at the celebration to bring in the new Year.Masks are used for protection;disguise; ritual, and entertainment, and come in all sizes and materials.
My passion is clay, and certainly in my travels I have seen others who use this medium. I started making the miniature size because they seemed so detailed and yet so ...small. Something you can even hold in your hand. Surely there is a space in everyone's life for something so petit and yet intriguing?
Here I am in my clay studio, in Sedona, AZ. Behind me are the shelves with my ceramics at various stages of completion. In my hands is one of my miniature masks in its " green ware form." What that means is I am dealing with just dried clay in a shape that can break if I hold it wrong, or use a tool incorrectly. It is in its most fragile state now. Here's where the touch of experience comes in, or tries not to.
Next job: put it into the kiln and low fire to the bisque stage. This actually comes from the term used hundreds of years ago by the British potteries, back when everything was totally carried out by hand. Once fired, the clay would have the consistency of a biscuit.
It is now more difficult to break, hence easier to handle, and able to take glaze.That's an important step toward completion. To my right is the mask that has had its purple glaze and awaits the final firing. As you can see, it is white. After firing, it turns dark, and the color stand out . Native American in the southwest make their pottery in a similar style.
Then it gets complicated. I need Lots of Time for the assemblage: copper wire wrapped , then gently covered with yarn ; bent finger ; leather backing, ; burnt fingers on hot glue ; find handmade bead to decorate, Or I have to make it! and finally, Give a hair cut.
The Art of the studio, and ...in the studio.
Beach Creativity is a good theme for all artists. For me this is going to the beach for a week in the hot summer days of Sedona, AZ. Here I am in California, mesmerized by the hypnotic quality of the endless waves. They start way out under the sea, then crash in by the shore, engaging all my senses.
You see it. You can smell it, and certainly you can watch it endlessly.
It is also finding the perfect wave, and riding into shore on my trusty boogie board. Hopefully I don't wipe out too badly, step on a sting ray, or swallow the ocean. Then it is a good run.
Why do I call it Beach creativity? For one thing, you focus on the "now" right in front of you, as you must when starting into your creative work. Also, I think we all need a break, a vacation from living in our minds. These sights and sounds often help forget all the " shoulds " we tell ourselves to be doing. We are only present in the nature before us.
And finally there seems to be clearing of the mind , a readiness to go on, when this beach is only a memory. Is there inspiration drifting in my mind as I return to my ceramics or calligraphy ? I hope so.
I just completed these porcelain mugs that have no handles. So would they be called cups?
I think so. Japanese tea cups traditionally have no handles. This is the shape and design of my high fired mountain mugs that have handles. My turquoise glaze and hand carved design of the red rocks I see outside of my studio are my trademark. The stain is the same iron oxide that makes our hills reddish in color. A true Sedona experience.
The client request was to have no handles. This is someone who likes to feel the warmth of the liquid within; who wants to be a part of the enjoyment of the drink they are having at that time.
I like to make a round, organic shape when I am throwing this style vessel . I do want the hands to fit around the cup . Feel, as well as shape has always been a factor in my clay work. I do a lot of hand building but this is really my wheel thrown style for the mug/ cup. So it was a fun adventure to make a mug that is really a cup.
The birds are in the air now, but this one is hanging on a gallery wall here in Sedona, AZ., where I live and have my studio.
It is part of my "Birdman " series of miniature ceramic masks. It measures around 5 inches tall- fits in the palm of your hand, if you so desire. Much less likely to fly away than the real one.
I started making my smaller masks some time ago. I love working big, yet everyone seems to have too many larger items on their wall. I enjoy creating an item that can fit in the palm of your hand, or find a tiny wall where they could "perch". People seem to be drawn to birds, as I am. So this seemed a good art piece for springtime.
I create these creatures from porcelain clay, my preference for all things ceramics. However, I want the bright colors and contrast with the dark background. Hence, this little guy is fired at a lower temperature, and then goes into the primitive firing with combustibles.
After that, I make the hanger, and decorate with feathers. Since birds naturally molt, I get the colorful ones from my friend with an aviary.
Now my customer can look at birds in the sky, or maybe on their own walls.
