The holiday season always seems to get to me quite a bit... This one is especially gloomy.  The new year better bring good things.
A couple of lovely songs to accompany my fun.

Deer Tick is pretty much awesome.  I would love to see them live!

Artist: Deer Tick
Album: Born On Flag Day
Song: Houston, TX

Artist: Deer Tick
Album: Born On Flag Day
Song: Smith Hill

Newer postcards....  I still like making them, I just wish the original reason was still the reason.
I don't love having a vertical card, so I may be going over that one.  They all still need more work.
Click on them for a larger image.

Hopeless Romantic Postcard Series

Though I'm still excited about my other project, I've decided to do something that involves all the materials that I already own and does not require expensive silicone materials or kilns...
I'm currently working on a series of postcards that I hope in the end creates a "book" of 25 cards.  I'm going with the theme of "Hopeless Romantic" and want to get them published in a neat little box set with some insightful title and purpose.  This of course is the image side and the other will be the more traditional blank space with a ghost image of the front.  If nothing else, its keeping my hands busy while I hurry up and wait.
I still just getting started and have to readdress what I've done thus far, but here is a sample.

New Project and it's a big one....

I'm excited to get my new project worked out and like the concept, imagery and difficulty level that will be addressed all throughout.
I made this trophy head at Penland that was a realistic male head life-size and it was on a wood mount, with a brass name plaque and a glass Pinocchio nose.  I basically loved getting around to the different studios and working with different people so we as mixed media as possible.
For this project, I'm going to continue the trophy head idea, but all female forms!  I haven't made a female form for quite awhile.  They will also have the wood mounts and brass name plaques like the first one.  These ladies will however be made from oil-based clay, then cast in silicone and rubbers so I can implant hair, eyebrows and eyelashes directly into the form/material.  I will also add cast eyeballs and teeth when they are visible.
This whole thing should be a long and difficult process, but I've been anxiously waiting to finally go this route even if its just a brief detour!  My bedroom/studio is... well, it is what it is.
The conceptual framework is about memory and the lack thereof, regret, happiness and acceptance.
Image is from my phone this morning, I've worked on this one (the first one) for about four days while watching tv and playing Legos, doing sidewalk drawings and football with my two nephews and one niece.  Its been swell.

I've also rescued this little adorable kitten (on right) that was being rejected by its mean mother the other day.  The kittens name is Frankie Nubbins. My other cat Bigsby is still feeling out the situation and is really curious.

You learn from your mistakes

As you progress through your clay hurdles, one of the most basic things to remember is to always take photos prior to firing any of your work.  Even though I haven't blown up any of my own work in quite some time, you just don't assume anything with this vile material.  Here are some of the little things that were made at Penland.

Penland Show and Tell, I was just out of the Raku kiln with PandaBrian to make most of the show.

a couple of little sketches and the little guy.

Penland Images are slowly being uploaded!

The great crew we had in Lower Clay has started posting some pictures and I'm grabbing them to post here! More will hopefully be on the way soon.  I know there were some pretty hilarious moments and I can't wait to see them again.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Steve Dixon

Christy Culp being adorable and patriotic as per usual.

Deda with poise under pressure.

Shona (Canada), Regine (Germany), and Irene (France) enjoying American values.

Penland was amazing!

I just spent the last two weeks assisting Steve Dixon at Penland School of Crafts and very much loved the experience.  I was fortunate to have a great class full of warm and funny characters and tons of other great people around in various departments.  So much fun, hard work and I wish it wasn't already over.......

We did (I believe) 13 Raku firings in a row and I had a great team to help.  We were all exhausted daily, but made up for it by good company and great times!  Penland is so much fun and Susan Feagin knows how to do it right.  I can't wait to go back!

I'll have to upload some new pictures soon, but must catch up on about 9 million emails and other business first.

Panda Brian in process.

Panda Brian in process 2

Penland is pretty.

New guy for Penland

So, since I'm heading to Penland School of Crafts on Friday I figured that I should get my hands working again.... I've worked on this little guy for about 4 in consistent days.

Still fishing, but with better results...

Still fishing almost daily, but now that I've talked to a few locals and experimented with various baits, I'm starting to think more clearly.  And by that I mean, I'm now using little cubes of leftover steak and chicken as my bait.  The fish love it, who knew?

Heading to my favorite part of the lake.  I get to captain my roommate Drew's boat.  I enjoi it very much :)

Scouting the sweet spot for other fishing goons.

Biggest fish I've caught so far.. Not sure what it is either :/  Had really sharp teeth and was a good fighter!

One of Drew's contributions for the day....

Big Catfish while fishing at Lake Sante Fe.  05.21.11

He was a slippery little devil and about 1 1/2 foot or so..

Danger close to gators, but some goons were in my normal spot when I got there.  :/

Catching catfish, this ones a little guy but at this point it was nice to start catching fish!

Clearly in the moment when the bobber is jumping.  So much tension in this great hunters eyes...

Ohh, and now that I'm purging most of my items, this one had to go through a slow squishy death by way of rain.  Perhaps I'll keep the armature and finish this one another time...

I'm on a boat..... or was

Took roommates boat out for some wakeboarding, skurfing and big lake fishing.
It was a really fun time and though I didn't get to catch any fish (I still suck at fishing), I got to drive the boat pretty much the whole time which was great.  I've never really got to captain a boat so this was a nice little treat.  Lake Santa Fe, FL