Open Studios - Andy Moerlein and Donna Dodson

Fall in Boston is all about open studios events. Almost every
weekendyou can wander and relish the amazing art community
in our midst. Last weekend studios were open and tents appeared
in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Since I was blitzing for
Roxbury Open Studios, I couldn't wander too much, but did
manage to get over to see a few friends and finally meet sculptors
Donna Dodson and her partner Andy Moerlein. I've been on
Donna's email list for a while, but our schedules never connected.
Andy came down from New Hampshire for the weekend, so I
had the opportunity to talk to both and see some of their work
and to hear a bit more about their residency in Verbier,
Switzerland creating monumental on a mountain top! The
project is written up in Andy's blog: http://andymoerlein.blogspot.com/
and Donna's:http://www.donnadodsonartist.blogspot.com/
The image above (taken on my phone) is a close up of the base
of one of Andy's large pieces displayed outside. I'm drawn in by
the mythic core of their work, and strong bird imagery in Andy's.
I look forward to staying connected.

This weekend is Roxbury's turn - my neighborhood. Complete
info at: http://www.discoverroxbury.org/roxbury-open-studios
Discover Roxbury has used my eye journal image to connect
with their phrase "All Eyes are on Roxbury Open Studios."

Four days of events begin with tonight's showing of
"Waste Land": http://www.wastelandmovie.com/ at the School
of Art and Design - The film documents the journey of artist
Vik Muniz from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil
where he involves workers at the world's largest garbage dump,
Jardim Gramacho, just outside Rio to create art. If you haven't
see this film, I definitely recommend it. It's a testimony to the
transformative nature of art.

Tomorrow we have our festive opening/reception at the
National Center for African American Art : http://www.ncaaa.org/
and Saturday and Sunday studios and venues will be open from
11-6. A dragon will greet you as you enter my home studio
and other creatures and books welcome you in, including this
guy who just showed up, asking " Will I see You?" I hope so!



Some new storytellers also appeared this week...images of
them in my next blog. After Open Studios, I'll pack up
everything to go to Northampton next weekend for
the Paradise City Arts Festival: http://paradisecityarts.com/
Hope to see some of you here in Roxbury or in Northampton!

Adventure on! Wendy

"The Way we See" sculpture and Ben Mitchell's photography

For a while now, "how we see" has been an important
theme in my work...how each of us see from a different
perspective and in different ways. During these ponderings,
this guy showed up. He's holding old optical lenses used to
check eyesight, each with a different correction. Looking
through them, including the one on the tail, offers a different
view of the world. I've titled him "The Way we See",
but I'm sure he'll tell me his proper name soon.

He seemed a bit lonely, so this little fellow bounced in
to add a bit of fun!:



The photos above were taken by Ben Mitchell during our photo
session at his place in New York City. As was this great photo
of one of my eye journals:



I'm looking forward to continuing working with Ben!

Here's the photo he took of Krystuli and Spike, the Pupbeast.
He captured their spirit well:



Now off to finish a few more pieces for ArtRox Open Studios
next weekend Oct. 1-2 11-6PM. Anyone in the area, please come
by my studio - conversation, cookies, and beverage await.
Should be a great weekend of fun and art!

Adventure on! Wendy

Male avian creature shows up

Once hearing that his companion was off to NYC for a photo shoot,
the second avian I was working on convinced me to finish him as
well. I say "him" since once finished, they did seem like a male and
female duo.

Here are some images of how he evolved. His head shot opens this
blog. Here is a back view:



Instead of just paint, I decided to bead this guy's wings.
I realize the poor avian would never get off the ground, but
felt better when my hubby observed that it was obvious the
wings of this species are just used for display and attracting their
mates. That might explain the fancier wings on the male!



Here is a side view taken in my greenhouse/photo set up
area in Roxbury:



And finally, here is the duo posing together in New York. I
took this snap shot with Ben Mitchell's permission when we
were setting up the duo for their shoot in his studio.



I'm still working on their names and stories, listening hard.
Thank you everyone for all the great name suggestions via
facebook and email! Stay tuned for what they decide on.

I managed to finish another figure for the shoot as well...
Images of it in the next blog.

This week we're off to Oregon for my hubby's 50th high
school reunion....how quickly the years pass!! Perhaps I'll
pick up some stones on the farm where my hubby was
raised and see what creatures emerge.

Adventure on! Wendy

Another new creature in search of a name..

Hurricane Irene changed my plans for a trip to NYC last week.
It seemed wiser to stay at home where new creatures were
asking to be completed. So...as winds and rain whipped around,
this creature came to life. Seemed appropriate to be working on
a water avian of sorts. I'm thinking it must possess a little bit
of magic since amazingly our electric power never went off.
Considering the number of trees next to power lines in our
neighborhood, this is remarkable. A few major limbs snapped
in our trees:





But a few branches pales to the damage in so many places
all over New England...and this for a storm "not as bad
as expected."

Back to the new avian...Here is the beginning work on
his head (with myself reflected in the window...).
Spokes are sea urchin spines from a necklace which
used to belong to my mom. Beak is an antler tip:



I used rawhide for the wings - wet formed and painted:



and beaded the legs, of course:



He/she was finished yesterday. Here he/she is posing in
the sun for a few snapshots!





No name yet. I had such fun hearing the names suggested
on facebook for my previous creature...I'll try that again...
also open to hearing suggestions here!

Now off to finish another figure before heading to
the photographer in NYC next Friday. Hope to get
some good new photos.

Adventure on! Wendy

Creatures march forward...

Back from VA where I spent a wonderful 10 days with
grandkids...did a little stitching of eye journals there, but
creatures had to stay home and wait.....They were patient.

Muslin is on most of the new armatures:



It's fun to see the form change as bulk and
wrapping is added. You might remember this
guy from my previous blog:



Here it is with complete body shape in place:



I played with some new head and tail decoration :



Added leather and textile (a piece from an old Japanese Obi) , beads and
paint and a creature emerged! Name? He/she hasn't told me yet.
Anyone have any ideas?



Next Monday I have an appointment to work with a new
photographer in NYC. Am taking the guy above and a
few others to "play" with. I'll share what we come up
with....and demonstrate the difference between casual
and professional photography!

One last note: Thanks to Toby Froud's facebook page,
I heard about his mom's beautiful blog: http://realmoffroud.blogspot.com/
and from it about the show Wendy, Brian, and Toby will
be having at the Animazing gallery in NY, opening
this December: http://www.animazing.com/gallery/pages/2011FROUD/index.html
I met them all several years back at Mythic Journeys in Atlanta,
have been wanting to reconnect. Definitely plan on trying to be
at the opening!

More creatures are calling from the studio...so off for now...

Adventure on! Wendy

Sculptures at transformed elementary school in Orinda, CA

Last week on our way to our nephew's wedding in Northern
California, we dropped by Orinda, just over the Berkeley hills,
for a jaunt down memory lane. I lived there from age 1-6 1/2 .
Last time there, we discovered my old elementary school had
been turned into a community center, but didn't stop by. This
time we walked up the steps, walked in to find this sculpture:



Outside, I was thrilled to find the building and connected
library plaza surrounded by sculpture.



The sculpture below is the one at the top of the
steps pictured above. It's made from nails!



Did you see the jumping frog in the photo with the
library? Here are a couple views from the bottom of
of those stairs. Steel sculpture is by Gale Wagner,
entitled "Outtahere" - www.galewagner.com Putting
it in the waterfall setting is ideal!





I loved the range of sculpture...from joyfully jumping frog
to intense "Truce" by Albert Dicruttalo on the path to the
side of the library - website: www.albertdicruttalo.com





To a fun whirling motion filled peacock by Patricia
Vader which can be seen through other steel sculptures...



and close up - Patricia's website www.patriciavader.com
has more information on the sculpture.



There was even a little yarn bombing present..
Bike racks decorated thanks to the group behind
with the blog: streetcolor.wordpress.com



Orinda has always meant live oaks, windy, hilly streets
and memories of a wading pool with a waterfall (sadly
no longer by the swimming pool we used to go to)...
now it means a vibrant, appreciative art community
as well! My apologies for not getting all of the artists'
names. Kudos to Orinda's Art in Public Places Program.

This week I'm off to spend some time with granddaughters
in VA so their parents can spend a week in Paris. I'll be getting
some stitching done while there and some feedback on a story
I'm writing. Creatures in last post have moved forward...but
aren't not ready for more photos quite yet.

Hope everyone's summer is going well..

Adventure on!

New creatures begin...

And so begins a new season of creatures. The guys above
began when I spied the antler tips in the studio and realized
they'd be perfect beaks. Each also has hidden rocks, part
to add story, part to add ballast.



I enjoyed my "Tadaah" figure who could stand on its
head so am playing with a few more figures who see
from different angles.




And...more heads,hands, and feet of clay are needed to keep
more storytellers wandering forth:



Lined up and ready to fire in the kiln:



Fun to think of the places these creatures will see!
Next post...more process photos..

Adventure on! Wendy