Hawthorne Hill Art Farm: Vintage Market, September 2014

I just did my first market at Hawthorne Hill Farm last weekend and I loved it! I'll be back for the October market (Harvest and Halloween) and November market (Decorate!), as well.

 The booth!

The view from my cash stand into Jenny's booth (she has some great vintage game items!)

Some of my vintage brooches and two 1950s pearl collars from Japan

 

One of my new pendant designs

My new buddy, Bertha Veenis (acquired from one of the other vendors) is checking out my hair clips to tame her tresses.

Slay-A-Thon

Sending this pendant off to the Slay-A-Thon Benefit happening on June 21st (figured I'd stay in the Whedonverse with my donation). Tumbled and drilled glass with hand aged paper (well sealed with acrylic) on a 20" triple strand of recycled silk with a toggle clasp. Like it? Want it? Come on out to Dave and Buster's In Chicago on June 21st  to benefit the Illinois Make-A-Wish Foundation.

WisCon 2014

I can't believe that I didn't post this earlier! My Battleground sculpture that I had made for WisCon this year won an award at the con!

Pretty spiffy! Unfortunately, I wasn't there when the awards were announced, so I only found out about it when I came to pick up my work when art show was closing on Monday. It would have been nice to have been there.

Bay View Gallery Night, June 6th.

Despite it being  *cough* a few years since I’ve hung out in skater circles, I decided to take Brian from Bigfoot Bike and Skate up on his challenge for this year’s Bay View Gallery Night.  He had some brand new retro 80s style maple skate decks made for the event and asked local artists to decorate them (to be sold to be used as functional boards) in their best 80’s graphic style. Since it wasn’t initially specified that he meant NINETEEN 80’s style…Brian agreed that sure…he’d also accept EIGHTEEN 80’s style, thus opening up the possibility for steampunkery and the like.

  As for me, I couldn’t decide whether to create a homage to late 19^th century imagery or late 20^th century, so I made a bit of a mashup of both esthetics…

 Back in the day, every skatepunk I knew covered their deck with dozens of stickers (of bands…gear and wear…ads…random graphics…beer labels…hazard signs peeled off of other things…et al), often topped off or layered with stenciled spray paint. Considering my fascination with Victorian mourning practices, I decided to apply this concept to the morbid trends of the 1880s. Hence…we have images of funeral cards, mortuary logos, ads for mourning wear, sheet music for popular funeral tunes, and the like, cleaned up digitally before being hand aged and collaged onto the board.  As a further nod to 1980’s skate culture, I cut a skull image to stencil over the clippings. 

Dropped off the board this afternoon and it seemed to go over well. Again, having been out of skate culture for quite a while, I let Brian at Bigfoot set the price for me ($125). It'll be on display at the shop for BVGN this coming Friday. 

In addition to the event at Bigfoot, there are also DOZENS of more exhibitions and other happenings in the Bay View area next Friday for BVGN... a jazz fest, artists' market, even a bike tour of the various sites. Definitely worth checking out...

Battleground

Going off to Wiscon's art show this weekend: Battleground, a female form created from 1200+  individually fused plastic soldiers. She's life sized (and approximately a US size 16) and is able to be wall mounted or free standing.

 

This is a much more political work than my usual fare. She was inspired by the battles of body that we experience as women...from the exploitation of women's bodies as spoils of war to the battles we wage amongst/within ourselves about what it means to be woman-bodied.

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.

Milwaukee Casket Company

I spotted this while taking a short cut through an industrial area of Milwaukee (St. Paul Street in the Menominee Valley).

Currently it houses Action Heating and Cooling, but the facade remains. A bit more info on the building (with pictures) is at can be found at Wisconsin Historical Society.

Playing with steel wire

It's been a long winter and while I wish I could say that I've spent the last few months making 8 billion new pieces to show everyone, I'm just not at the "show-off" point. I've done quite a bit...but I just need to get things photographed and posted onto Etsy soon.

In the meantime, I'll show you a work in progress. I'm currently working on a piece for a challenge that requires me to use only reclaimed/recycled materials. Here's a portion of the project, about 17 inches of handmade chain of 16 gauge steel with twisted double strands of 20 gauge steel for jump rings. Annealed...but my hands still ache. I also took steel wool to each link to bring up a bit of shine and applied Renaissance Wax to deter rusting.



Photos of the finished piece to follow (my deadline is 4/1 for the challenge), as well as other endeavors!

DIY Party Girl

Since we're getting in the thick of the swank shindig season, I thought I'd share some of the tutorials that I've found lately for some posh (but super inexpensive) sartorial stylings:

I love this super-easy and inexpensive tulle skirt project from Cotton and Curls. Ever want to sport a poofy skirt like Carrie from the opening of Sex in The City? Now you can!

Another terrific bargain project is this scarf from Sea Lo Que Sea's blog, taking inspiration from an $1100 piece.

Lindsay over at Impatiently Crafty gives a great tutorial for glitter shoes. The best part? She also gives some great examples of what NOT to do.

If your (or your partner's) style is a bit more on the butch end of the spectrum, there's always this necktie project from The Purl Bee. Not only could you do this in ANY woven fabric pattern or solid, you could also customize your fabric with a DIY screen print using Mod Podge with this tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens.

The Art of AdORNAMENTS at the RAM, December 6-29th 2013

I had nearly forgotten about Racine Art Museum's call for artists for their The Art of AdORNAMENTS exhibition this month until last night...at 6 p.m...the night before submissions were due. Still wanting to participate, even if I couldn't whip up something stellar on short notice, I did manage to get an ornament together and deliver it to the museum on my lunch hour.

All components are from my scrap stash. The butterfly wings are plastic that I painted with iron paint (love that stuff!) and rusted with my salt and vinegar mix. The rhinestones are a vintage buckle and a brass skeleton key is attached with a coil of salvaged copper wire. Vintage glass beads and pearls are attached with more repurposed wire bits. Not an epic and ornate work by any means, but I rather like it.

 

The exhibition opens at 6 p.m on Friday, December 6th during Racine's monthly First Friday festivities, which is always a fun evening. In addition to the AdORNAMENTS show opening, the museum is featuring a exhibition of blown glass ornaments from the Mathis Collection and a number of downtown galleries and studio spaces are open late for the First Friday event.

Upcycled earring display

During the summer, I’d found a chrome laundry hamper frame and decided to salvage it to use as a display piece at shows.  Since it was too new- looking to fit with the rest of my fixtures, I gave it a couple of coats of iron paint followed by a wash of salted vinegar to rust it. I hung it on a chain from one of the beams under the hayloft at the Holy Hill Art Farm Market in October, and used clothespins to attach earring cards to create sort of an “earring chandelier” for my booth. Using a swivel clip at the end of the chain also allowed it to be turned by the customer to show all sides.

 (forgive the grainy camera phone shot, this is my only photo of the piece in action in this incarnation)

While it worked wonderfully as a hanging piece, I knew I wouldn’t usually have a ceiling to hang it from at most shows and it would take up a lot of space as a tabletop piece. I needed to figure out a way of making it freestanding.

I found this coat rack at Goodwill for $4.99 and hit upon an idea. The rack comes apart in sections, each with an upright screw post to attach it to the next. This would make it easy to break down for transporting to and from shows.

I removed the top portion with the coat pegs and added a scrap craft plaque (thrifted) that I'd stained to match the coat rack, screwed into the top post. Between this plaque and another, I added a lazy susan mechanism (salvaged) which would allow the display to rotate. The hamper then rests on top, with four upright screws between the cross supports of the hamper. These upright screws fit into holes in another plaque on top of the stack and are secured using easy-to-remove wing nuts.

 This top plaque not only holds the hamper to the coat rack base, but also allows it to be removed for events where I can use it in “chandelier” form. The wing nuts also provide a socket to hold signage for the rack. 

Here we have the new rounder "in action" at the Holiday Craftacular in Madison last weekend. 

Unfortunately, I managed to crack one of the legs when a tote fell against it in my car, so I had to McGuyver a packing tape solution on-site. A bit of wood glue, a screw, and a clamp to hold it until the glue sets and it'll be back in the game for the next event!

Craftacular Madison 2013

 

 I'm super excited to be vending at Craftacular this year! This is an awesome annual market of alternative crafters in the vein of Chicago's Renegade and Milwaukee's Art vs. Craft markets.

Join us Saturday November 23rd for Madison's Original Independent Craft Show! We will once again be returning to the gorgeous Masonic Center located in the heart of downtown Madison and will be showcasing over 70 artists & crafters.

Some awesome findings from past shows:

Paper collage skulls

Admittedly, not the best shot of my paper collage skulls. I brought a dozen to the Holy Hill Art Farm last weekend and only managed to get this shot with my camera phone before they completely sold out! I had them on the tables and filled the doll cradle at the opening to my booth with them, the latter of which was the key, I think. Everyone heading up the stairs to the loft saw them, so they quickly found new homes.

More paper collage may happen soon and, if I have time, a tutorial.

Nightmare on Chicago Street 10/26/2013

I just received confirmation yesterday that I'll be vending in the "Safe Zone" at Nightmare on Chicago Street in Elgin, Illinois on Saturday the 26th. It'll be my first time even attending this event and I hear that it's HUGE... over 6,000 attendees last year (their 2nd year) and projections of over 8,000 this year. It sounds like incredible fun with live bands, roving street entertainment, and such.More info on the event may be found at http://www.nightmareonchicagostreet.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nightmareonchicagostreet

Cassette tape case to retro valise

I found a couple of these 1970s hard shell cassette tape carrying cases at the thrifts a while back for about a dollar each (Yay Value Village!). After removing the cracked plastic dividers, I lined the case with some dusty plum drapery fabric (also thrifted). Easy project and it'll make a nifty display for my upcoming shows.

• Here's a basic tutorial for the process if you'd like to make your own version.

• Check out thrift stores and tag sales for interesting cases and boxes (remove stale smells with baking soda and lavender oil)

•  Don't forget to take a peek at the clothing and housewares sections of the shop/sale when scouting for boxes and cases. Often you can find repurposable velvet garments and other textiles at a fraction of the price that you'd pay for the fabric at a craft store.

Repurposed revolving necklace rack

 A quickie project from yesterday:

About a month ago, I found this lamp as-is at a local thrift for $.90 ($1.80 on a half-off day). With hanging wires and an altogether Bordello Baroque look, its appeal was probably lost on most folks...but I snatched it up IMMEDIATELY. It's a hollow but heavy cast metal, so I knew it would make a sturdy base for *something*. I also picked up a battered tart plate for $.25 (again...$.50, with the half-off special).

Wiring removed, a swivel and screw pegs added from my hardware stash, the whole thing painted with some on-hand oil enamel...and I have a new revolving necklace rack for next weekend's show. With the wide flat top, I can also use this as a pedestal for a bowl of charms or signage.

Not bad for a $1.15 outlay!

September Market at Holy Hill Art Farm

 

So very excited! It's almost time for the September market weekend at the Holy Hill Art Farm. I love-love-love this show! Art...antiques...great food...live music...all at a 160 year old Wisconsin farmstead. This is an awesome autumn event. Come check it out September 21st and 22nd, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

 

I'll be in the main barn, under the hayloft, so come by and say hello!