Playground Found

This issue of Somerset Studio on page 23 features a technique article on a mixed media piece I created several months ago. Many thanks to Jenny Doh for the fun title to the article! This particular piece took several weeks to create. I worked at it for awhile- played with the composition quite abit and as my usual self, became very non-committal in regards to just getting the hammer and glue out and moving foreword. This was more of a art therapy piece for me as well, as I was going through some difficult times and found that I needed to express more of me in this piece. Life really can throw a few curve balls on occasion, and art is such a beautiful vehicle for emotional release, forgiveness, and recovery.My thoughts at the time of creation, today and probably tomorrow...


Is there enough going on here? I really tried to incorporate all aspects of my art onto one piece. The mixed media piece measure about 12x24". It was a challenge but well worth it...

I'm ready for more...

Froggy playing the violin.
I believe he came from a vintage Rummy set that has a hilarious set of animals doing all kinds of silly things...

Doll legs and dominoes.

Using wood as the substrate enabled me to hammer or screw most everything down. A thin layer of wax was layered over the top too as the finishing touch.

I'm so addicted to beeswax...

One of my favorite sections of this piece is the vintage cabinet lock hammered onto patinead copper with staples crudely hammered into place.

And for those of you interested I am teaching this as a workshop at Art and Soul and at ZNE in California this summer and fall. Art and Soul is closed but there might be a couple spots at ZNE.

Thanks for stopping by...

(click on any image for a larger view)

Spring's Glory

Spring is such a miracle to me. I always revel in the beauty of the newest little beauties that burst out of the ground or unfurl from the branches. The forest floors are truly magical, filled with all sorts of living organisms and life giving elements God has perfectly created...
Two friends side by side...


Beautiful stone steps leading up... At least that is the way I see it... Photo of a turn of the century church in Silverton Oregon. I was really taken with this building. Its solitary existence for so many years next to a cemetery.

Many memories this building holds...

Photo of an inlet just outside of the Lewis and Clark's base camp here in Oregon. I captured this pic in the wee hours of a foggy morning. It looks like there are two deer in the back left..
Look close...

This is some of the photography I have taken over the years. I treasure all my photos and I especially treasure the photos of my family. Recently I happened upon a couple of blogs that brought up a topic that all bloggers, artists, and generally anyone in the creative field should take very seriously. Please read this excerpt...

This is text from the Illustrator Partnership web site:

Due to the lack of publicity about this bill, the most innocent victims of this plunder – those who put images online - are still completely unaware of it. Who am I talking about? Average American families who have enjoyed the Internet as a way to share the happiest, and even saddest, moments of their lives with their friends and family across the country, and even around the world, through the wonders of technology. Google has already said they plan to use these orphan works in the millions. Why should companies like this be allowed to to harvest our property from private web pages, blog sites, share sites and the like?

Please respond to this by sending a letter directly to your senator- It's very simple and I have included the link. Took me about a minute to send it off...

I won't try to get too political here because that is not what this blog is about, but this new legislation is just another classic example of "Big Brother" getting into bed with the mega corps at the expense of the people. If they do this, what's next...???

Collections and Obsessions

Lynne Perrella's newest book "Art -Making, Collections and Obsessions" has been out on the book shelves since February of this year. I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the collaboration of this book. I think Lynne really captured the essence of the collective spirit that we mixed media artists share . It is chock full of great eye-candy too. Going through it once again inspired me to revisit some of my favorite collections in the studio.This mixed media cake creation is one of the submissions featured in her book

along with 2 art dollies. Only one is pictured below.

Back and side view of the cake.This dolly has a copper skirt and Victorian rhinestone trim...

Hard to find these days...

I'm sure many of you can relate to the phrase " what is one man's garbage is another man's treasure" How many of us have collections that nobody else gets but other artist friends? We all share that adventurous spirit of the great find just around the corner. That's how I felt when these little doll legs arrived in the mail one day. I love to collect old articulated rulers and any type of vintage measuring tapes. I'm terrible at math, but there is something about numbers that I am continually fascinated with...

I keep some of my favorite anagram game letters neatly arranged in a storage box so that if certain letters get low, I know that it is time to hunt for more. The less favorable ones are all in a big pile somewhere in a corner of the studio.Well this isn't really a collection in a treasure hunt sense, but it is my favorite collection of Sennelier oil pastels... Love them and the juicy colors they produce!

Every girl needs a stash of salvage...


and bling too...

And last but certainly not least, I have a very lovely collection of papers and old vintage books that grows daily. Pictured above is an old English land deed called an indenture, circa 1700 something. It is so beautiful to look at that I will probably save it, at least for awhile..
Happy treasure hunting!

Blog Talk Radio

Hi there,

Here is the link that has the archived conversation with Chelise over at ZNE.. It is about an hour in length so be sure to listen to the feed while you are blogging, doing dishes, making art etc. Just be sure to open up another window on the computer if you plan to cruise

around while it is playing...

It was fun and Chel is just delightful!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ZNEart/2008/05/14/Circa-Arte-Interview-with-Lisa-Kaus

Trunk Show and ZNE Radio

This Mother's Day weekend I participated in a trunk show here in Portland Oregon hosted by the Jealous Gardener. I wanted to just say thanks to all who stopped by to say hello. I had such a delightful time chatting with some really lovely individuals. I am sharing some pics with you of the display before the opening. This is one of my most favorite shops in town and I encourage anyone visiting to stop in.
I love the way the wreaths are intermixed with the art. It is so inviting and takes the edge off of all the rectangular and square pieces. I also think it is so fun to stack artwork up on walls verses the usual gallery look of side by side widely spaced. Don't get me wrong, I think that is great too, and definitely has its place but it is so warm and inviting to have all your favorite pieces layered on walls with all the different textures, colors and depths of the canvases...

(Click on any image for a larger view)

One other note:

Tonight Chelise Stroud Hery of ZNE is doing a live internet radio

interview/chat with me

at 6:30 PM.

If you can't make tonights show, they are archived for future reference. When there is a link to that I will post it as soon as I am able.

See you there!

Wings to fly...

This last weekend for the first time in my newest studio space I held my

first set of workshops.

The tables were set...

We colored...

We painted...

We doodled and smudged...

We made a big mess and enjoyed every minute of it!

Here's me mixing up a batch of paint...

Thanks to all of you lovely ladies who came and participated
in one and/or both of my weekend workshops...

Left to right Debbie Foushee, Kim Wagner, Lisa Call, Kat , Cindy Shute, Michelle Haynes
and her sister Aleta Breeze.

The creative energy is so intoxicating at art making and celebrating events. It makes coming back to Mondays always so difficult. Everyone brought so much diversity and
talent to the table both days.

Look at those fabulous houses!

Thanks so much for sharing your time and creativity with me...
Many blessings to you all...