We are buried under snow right now. Well, not literally. But it is snowy, and cold, and miserable. While painting this, I thought of glistening snow surrounding a crisp fallen leaf. I tried to find peace it. It made me look out the window and reflect on nature. I thought about how my children look at the world with fresh and wondrous amazement. My use of glitter is meant to imply this innocent way of looking at the world.
I mustn’t forget that the world is glorious.
I inherited my grandmothers very large collection of costume jewelry. For the last several months I have been using the damaged beads and odds and ends in my handmade watercolors. The green bead on the bottom came from her collection and inspired the luna moth above.
Am I better? Am I worse? I don’t know. I have always been bad.
My brain just thinks visually. Impulsively. I have always made art with my intuition. Writing is not like that. It’s planned, it’s ordered. There are rules. Bear with me while I figure mine out.
I am kind of having fun though, figuring out my words. So thank you for sticking with me.
She was exhibited for several months, and now she is home with me! When I exhibit in a gallery I have to share between 40%-60% with the gallery. Now that she is home with me, I was able to drop the price a bit! I spent 3 intense months on her and she is made with a LOT of 24k gold, gems, and other mixed-media. I have shipped prints of her all over the world, but there is nothing like the original. She sparkles, shines, and glows. She is an experience. Full price includes a frame of your choice, but on sale she comes without a frame.
Statement for the Nest:
First, there was the Deer. A painting that was inspired by an incident that involved a deer that was shot on my property, and the subsequent months that followed, watching the animal return to the earth. When only fur was left, I collected some, but left most of it. The day after I collected the fur, a giant oak tree fell on where the body once rested. Months later, in early spring, the pandemic had started and I spent more than a month inside. Scared. Finally, I forced myself to go outside and explore the woods. And that is when I found it. A bird had made a nest out of deer fur! The Deer’s fur. This piece was inspired by the feelings I had at that moment of discovery.
Using a variety of techniques, I create artworks that explore themes of natural history, historical occurrence, memory, and cycles. My materials are found and handmade—my most precious material is my grandmother’s antique jewelry that I crush and use to make handmade watercolors. This piece also includes rubies, emeralds, 24k gold, deer fur, geodes, and glass.
View the piece in action on youtube: https://youtu.be/1aG3WBkRUIk
I seem to always start and end with a Bumblebee! This is day 100 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
The Cicadas are emerging! This is day 99 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
Yes, you know me and my moons! This is day 98 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting of the moon! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
This is an original painting of a dung beetle. Day 97 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels, a broken geode, and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
Day 96 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels. Adorned with 24k gold leaf. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
Day 95 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels. Adorned with 24k gold leaf. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
This is an original painting of a dandelion. Day 94 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
This is an original painting of a mouse. Day 93 of My 100 Days of Gold. It is a sweet, elegant, golden painting! Made with handmade watercolors that I made out of my grandmother’s jewels and 24k gold. It comes in a double mat that will fit in a 5’’x7’’ frame.
I have been asked so often lately about my materials. I have a really hard time answering, because my material list has gotten rather complicated over the last year. I don’t think I can answer the question in one post, but I will try to start talking about it more here and there, starting now.
I guess today I would like to prelude the question with some background. I was a painter, then I was a printmaker, and now I am an artist. I am an alchemist. I am a witch. And that is how I look at my process and materials.
I am often asked at art fairs how long I have been doing this. And I always say, forever. I had an overwhelming impulse to make things from a young age. I think this is fairly common amongst artists. My clearest memory is sewing quilts, and creatures, and things. Then, I tried to work with every material and technique I could get my hands on. I am an only child, and I was always trying to occupy my mind. But the impulse never went away. Except after graduate school for a handful of years, but that is a story for another day.
Other artists out there, what is your experience? When did you start your journey as an artist?
Oh boy, this writing thing is hard to do when life interferes. That paired with finding writing difficult to begin with, I just don’t wanna do it! But I must. And I will. Because this is kind of important to me.
So, now I am sick too! Sore throat and misery all over. Rose is still sick. Brennan is cranky, but I don’t know. My pediatrician informed me that kids under 2 can get sick 10-14 times a year! And this is the back-to-back season for babies. It’s been rough, to say the least.
I won’t say anything will be back to normal soon. Because with two toddlers, nothing is ever normal.
What is normal, anyway.
Yesterdays post was delayed. My daughter has a virus and has a terrible cough at night. I have had to stay up with her through the night, and I am exhausted! Steamy showers, VICS, repeat. Anyone have any other tips for a 1 year old sick baby?
Today I am in the studio, enjoying a day of painting, writing, and fighting off the exhaustion after two nights of no sleep. Luckily I have help with the kids today, so I can finish up a few commissions and write a little bit about my materials. There seem to be quite a few people interested in this.
Please keep the questions coming. This gives me something to write about!
Today was just a something day. I had to run the kids to a couple appointments. Far less painting went on that I had anticipated. But, I guess you could say I had a breakthrough moment after finishing this painting on panel. It has been far too long since I worked on panel, and I think I am finally ready to add it to my repertoire.
I don’t know what to write about today. There are a lot of ideas running through my head. But also nothing in particular to go on about. I mostly took care of Brennan and Rose, and ran errands during the day. In the last hour, I was finally able to finish the new series of moons. I will post them on my website later this week.
Today I went sledding with Brennan and Rose. I was reminded how inspiring winter can be. I am one that easily get caught up in the negative aspects of winter. Season depression hits me hard, and I hate the cold. But today it was so bright, and the snow was light and sparkled like one of my paintings. That paired with watching the joy on my children’s winter kissed faces, how could I not be inspired. I have to remind myself that spring is birthed out of winter. So there must be good in it.
I also ran into my high school art teacher. This was a huge thrill, because it was the first time I had seen her since I graduated 13 years ago. So many memories came flooding back. Ugh, the frustrating years of adolescence. The angst, the pain, the agony! Art was my therapy. And now it is my day job. Mrs. Ragotzy was a big part of those first few years, so I have a lot to thank her for.
These pigment prints are printed on handmade paper that I make myself. They will be shipped in 2 weeks time from ordering. If you need something by a specific date, email me and I will try to speed up the process.
The 11’’x14’ and 17’’x22’’’ are statement pieces! I have to recommend one of those. But I want to make prints affordable, so I have smaller sizes. Please note that detail is lost the smaller the print. This is a limited edition pigment print on handmade paper. Based off of my painting the Nest.
Prints are signed and each one is one of a kind due to the nature of the handmade paper.
Prints can come matted and ready to fit in a standard size frame.
5’’x7’’ / 8’’x10’’ Double Mat
8’’x10’’ / 11’’x14’’ Double Mat
11’’x14’’ / 16’’x20’’ Mat
(New!) 17’’x22’’ /24x36’’ Mat
Statement for the Nest:
First, there was the Deer. A painting that was inspired by an incident that involved a deer that was shot on my property, and the subsequent months that followed, watching the animal return to the earth. When only fur was left, I collected some, but left most of it. The day after I collected the fur, a giant oak tree fell on where the body once rested. Months later, in early spring, the pandemic had started and I spent more than a month inside. Scared. Finally, I forced myself to go outside and explore the woods. And that is when I found it. A bird had made a nest out of deer fur! The Deer’s fur. This piece was inspired by the feelings I had at that moment of discovery.
Using a variety of techniques, I create artworks that explore themes of natural history, historical occurrence, memory, and cycles. My materials are found and handmade—my most precious material is my grandmother’s antique jewelry that I crush and use to make handmade watercolors. This piece also includes rubies, emeralds, 24k gold, deer fur, geodes, and glass.
View the original: https://youtu.be/1aG3WBkRUIk