Monday, June 23, 2008

Class is over




Class is finished. It was certainly a lot of fun. I can honestly say that everyone attacked each project with enthusiasm and that made my job easy. We made some great projects: pattern bars, small plates, and silk screened tiles. I am not sure what everyone's favorites were.

Thank you to Wayne at the FSU Mastercraftsman program for inviting me and thank you to a great group of Leon County teachers for a splendid class!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Class!

I was excited when I was asked to teach a class this summer at the Master Craftsmen Studios at FSU. Excited and a bit nervous. It is always the question of "What to teach?" They had thought about advanced classes and I really am not sure what advanced is in this medium. I wanted to students, even if they have had an introduction to have the feel of making something with a finished piece in mind. There are some more complicated procedures that you could spend a whole week or two on but the class was for Art Educators so I wasn't sure about that. I chose to think about projects that had some historical meaning, multiple applications, and different skill levels.
First day I was a bit nervous but things went right into motion and its been a great group. As always we tend to think we can get more done than we can but we are moving right along. Class at my Studio today was great. We cut our pattern bars and then created a plate with them. They are in the kiln now and it will be Christmas in the morning!
We also quickly made our silk screened tiles. The silk screens were made from EZ screen print, a quick UV curing mesh that can be used with paints or glass or enamel frits. They will also be coming out of the kiln tomorrow.
I hope my students will leave me some feedback on the course that might help me in the future. Hint Hint!

FSU Artists League GO Green

Although it was sad to see the children's art from the Story show taken down, it was interesting to see the Artists' League response to the Go Green theme.
There were some very interesting pieces. I especially liked the bicycle lawnmower combination. However, I felt pretty old when a young women asked me about what the front push mower was!
My piece is Salvaged Nature. It is a large flat piece made from all my scraps with a window of clear that has a silk screened tree and sandblasted leaves on the back. I was a bit surprised to see it up on the pedestal because I thought of it on the floor and maybe even outside, but I liked it up like that. As always, Wayne does a great job of lighting.
In some ways I think that the Go Green theme goes well with artists, we tend to be a fairly thrifty group; materials being precious.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Airport Show and Class


This is a busy week for me. For one and most obvious, I decided to start a blog about what I am doing with my art. However, I really have no idea what I am doing with my blog so this will be a new adventure.

Secondly and most importantly, I am preparing to teach a week long course at Florida State University's Master Craftsmen Program. I have been working all week on the curriculum and emphasis for the course that is offered through the Educators program. I think we will have fun. We will be working on pattern bars that we will come back to my home studio to slice up to include in our final project. I think it will be fun.

I am also delivering a piece, "Dancing with Van Gogh" to the Tallahassee Airport Gallery to be included in a show for members of the NW Florida Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Friday I am going to the opening of "Go Green" an exhibition of art by the Florida State University's Museum of Fine Art Artists League. This year we choose an environmental theme. It was juried by Commissioner Cliff Thaell and his wife, Georgjean Marchulis.
I will let you know about the opening and keep you posted on my class.