Fish Artwork

Another project I was working on some weeks ago was to produce a body of artwork on paper or canvas for wall display. Regular old art to hang on the wall. A novel concept for me. This is an ongoing project, and I look forward to getting back to it in a few weeks when I have time. I made some nice pieces, I think. They are mostly on paper. It was hard to stop!



I first stretch the paper, with water, on my work table, to keep it flat when it gets wet while I work.

Click on the images to see them bigger!

These two matching pieces are on canvas.

Wooden Stool

During the busy last few weeks, I also painted this small wooden stool. In the backround you can see the ver beginning of the Fruit Floorcloth (3 posts ago!)
The theme is modern, and with lots of rich chocolate brown colours. There is a little metalic detail to give it sparkle and sophistication.
Very nice!

Compass Rose Floorcloth Begun

Here is a new project in the works..
..another floorcloth, based on a compass rose, with silver metallic detail.



To accommodate the width of this floorcloth, I will paint it on the wall. To be able to staple the canvas to the wall, I have to put plywood up.The cement wall is too hard to staple into.

Floorcloths are primed on the back side several times, then turned over, re- attached to the wall (or table) and primed again several times before the artwork is started.

Here you can see I have finished the priming and I meticulously draw out the design in chalk all at once in the beginning-rare for me. Since its a very specific design, I carefully measure and center it. In the end I will probably paint over a lot of this painstaking measuring and have to do some of it again as I continue to paint over different bits.

Fruit Floorcloth

I have been too busy to keep this Blog updated!
Here is one of the projects I have been working on....a canvas floorcloth. Here is a picture of the paper artwork sketch, held in front of the almost completed floorcloth.




Click on the images to see them larger.


Here is the floorcloth after varnishing.

And here it is with the edges trimmed and sealed.



And on the ground!
This floorcloth will be in an entrance hall in New York City.

Tile Installation Day!

The moment of truth!

And the moment of satisfaction for everyone to finally see these tiles on the wall...even though the kitchen itself is not completed. I will try to get back to this post later, and add pictures from a later date showing the finished kitchen.

I am always very appreciative of the care and intuition that a good tile installer brings to the installation of these custom tile jobs. The tiles in a mural, particularly, are irreplaceable, and each tile has to be handled with utmost care. These guys did a great job.

Click on the images to see them bigger!

To see more of these tiles before installation, and even before firing (interesting) scroll down this blog page to December 23 2007, and January 23,2008.

FINALLY! Tile Project Completed.

This kitchen back splash is finally ready to install! A couple of logistical things slowed the last stages: final measurements for the stove area (shown here) were hard to determine, and the narrow border pieces took a while to source, and to arrive...I wanted to have 2 full kiln loads for the last 2 firings...so I just kept painting sections as they were ready, and keeping it all for firing later. I did some extra little bowls and tiles for fun, and art work proposals for projects coming up now in January-February, while I waited...and now, at last, the back splash is all done. It has all fired beautifully...I am very excited that soon I will be able to see it all on the walls!

Remember! you can always click on the pictures to see them much larger!

Here you can see what these pieces looked like before firing

These smaller tiles are part of the section

that runs under the kitchen window.

Special Custom Pottery

Over the last 2 weeks or so I have had a few special orders for custom mugs and teapots.

This teapot is embellished with calligraphy. The unique shape of the teapot really lends itself to the liturgical theme.

These are two matching mugs depicting

two specific horses. It it always a challenge to portray an individual like this, and it is gratifying when the work turns out to not only look good, but to have captured something really recognizable that is unique to that personality. Apparently that was the case here!

This is a special order teapot, that will be followed in the next few days by some other matching pieces, not yet completed.