Finding Home

  

I created this piece (“Finding Home”) for the annual Milwaukee Habitat For Humanity/ReStore  Recycled Art contest. This year’s theme was “COMMUNITY” and required artists to utilize primarily reclaimed/recycled materials found at the ReStore in their work. The piece features hand-wrought links from scrap steel wire, a chandelier crystal, various hardware components, ephemera (map, snapshot of a family gathering, etc) and other recycled materials, displayed in a salvaged maple drawer repurposed as a shadow box.

 Details of the event, as well as the chance to vote on challenge entries, may be found at  http://milwaukeehabitat.org/shop/recycled-art-contest/.  If you're so inclined, I'd appreciate a vote for #15E. The top 5 artists receive gift certificates for the ReStore and one would go a long way toward adding to my tool bin and scrap supply stash.

As a side note, this piece is also available for purchase via Milwaukee Habitat For Humanity/ReStore and inquiries may be made at the above website. I have it priced at $60 and will be donating the full amount of the sale to Habitat For Humanity.

Bony Rabbit

My take on the RAM's 5th Annual International PEEPs Exhibition . Acrylic on 11x14 canvas, with vintage wood frame. Phosphorescent paint was used on the bones to emit a soft glow in low light and glass bead suspension medium was used as a glaze to mimic a sugar crust, as well as pearlescent medium.

I don't usually do painted canvases, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone since my original idea was vexing me (next. year.). I tried to keep the calaca cute, befitting a marshmallow, but this is probably going to be the darkest entry of the challenge. This is what happens when a diabetic with spooky tastes starts thinking about Easter candy...

Acorn pendant

I didn't have time to make anything new and exciting for my mom's birthday this weekend, so I sent her one of the oak pendants that I'd made for the shows at the farm last fall. 

(I'm SUPER behind on posting new items to my Etsy shop. I did these 6+ months ago and still I haven't managed to take the time to write copy and take photos.)

The Avatrix

I was reviewing some shots of older (and long since sold) pieces in preparation for a juried application and came across The Avatrix

This was done for a steampunk event in 2009 or so. Cast bronze finish focal, with beveled-corner Czech glass cube beads, bronze spacers, glass and freshwater pearls, and a repurposed cloak clasp. I *know" I have another focal like this somewhere in my supply stash and this inspires me to go looking for it.