Another Treasury!

ACEO Portrait of Edgar Allen Poe, as featured in this EBSQ Team Sampler Treasury (click for link)


Yet another pleasant surprise today! Delighted to find my wee little Poe portrait being included in this fine Etsy Treasury featuring fellow EBSQ artists as created by Theodora Demetriades.

It feels especially timely for me too, as it was only two days ago that I was coincidentally reading what must be my most favorite E. Allen Poe short story aloud to a small group of high school-age literature students. I adore reading aloud anyway, but being able to interpret my favorite Poe tale, 'The Cask of Amontillado', all while adding my own personal touches of light drama and pregnant pauses, to a receptive and accommodating audience was especially fun! There's just something about that particular potboiler, clever and moody character study that it is, complete with foreshadowing, foreboding, macabre humor, reverse psychology, suspense, irony, treachery, and of course the requisite creepily gothy and angst-ridden Poe ending, that has stuck with me all these long years after first reading it when I must have been around their age. In any case, just my little homage to that masterful, classic American poet and storyteller, and honored to have it featured in this way -- thank you, Theodora.....!

"Spring"

Ahhhhh, Spring....

And indeed yes, it truly IS Spring, though the recent chilly temps we've been enduring currently here in Illinois would surely have ANYONE believing otherwise (teeth chattering as I type). Regardless, I was delightfully surprised this morning to discover my little "Spring" ACEO above was featured in today's 'Must Have Monday" collection via the EBSQ blog -- thanks EBSQ...! (click for link) (My ONLY regret is not having a more accurate picture of it -- it's not at all as washed out in person as it appears here. Why oh why is it just SO difficult to get accurate/decent images for the web??? Oy...!).

March 2011 Nibblefest Art Contest: "Cube-y Ruby"

ACEO: "Cube-y Ruby" (click for auction link)




Yet another Nibblefest Art Contest rolls around (and ending today actually -- need to be more timely in my blog updates!)..., the theme for this month being 'Abstract'.

As much as I look forward to participating in this contest (every single) month, I do have to admit the theme of this one in particular had me dragging my feet ever just a little wee bit. It's not that I don't like abstract art -- I do, highly. Still, while I've personally dabbled in the genre over the years I guess it had been awhile, because I just wasn't sure at first exactly how I wanted to approach this theme. Ultimately I decided to try taking a stab at a few historic styles in Abstractionism, including Cubism -- and lo! In spite of myself I ended up enjoying my projects this time around far more than I was initially anticipating. So much so in fact I'm tempted to try my hand at more like this -- overall a good challenge for me and I do appreciate the mental exercise of breaking down a subject into its basic components of line, color and shape....

At any rate, here's my auction description (and I do wish you could see her in person -- this flat scan just really doesn't do her justice):

"Cube-y Ruby"

One of my ACEO entries for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC), the theme for March being 'Abstract'.

Anyone even remotely familiar with my artwork will recognize this is a radical departure from my usual style...! When reflecting upon this month's theme, I thought about the various historical styles of Abstract art, and decided for fun to try my hand at a few of them. Using a portrait format (of a woman named 'Ruby'), this is my own personal interpretation of Cubism (the style often associated with the classic master, Picasso). It was very much an experiment for me, but I liked it...! (note the original is much more colorful and defined in person than demonstrated in this flat scan).....

Unique and one-of-a-kind, 'Life 'Cubey Ruby' would make a lovely addition to any ACEO art collection ....

ACEO's (or Art Cards, Editions and Originals) are small works of art that always come in 2.5" x 3.5" size (the same size as standard sports trading cards). ACEO's are fun to trade and make lovely gifts. They allow for the collecting of original artwork to be accessible by anyone.


....Nibblest is a monthly, themed art contest which begins on the 20th of each month. To see more fabulous art entries starting at a mere .99 cents, please search NFAC....

'Statue of Liberty' Commission Revisited , Part II: Adventures in Crating and Shipping....

Lady Liberty Hits the Road....



So the day I finally wrapped up my big Statue of Liberty project last summer was a giddy one indeed -- except that it was actually as of yet only PART of the whole story. She still needed to somehow make her merry way across the country, safely and intact, on an epic journey of 2,000 miles in order to be united with her new owner on the west coast. Being 8 feet tall (minus her two-feet of ever-practical detachable arm) this was going to be no minor feat....

Calling around, I'd already established connections with a suitable shipping company I wanted to work with. Once a few logistics were worked out, I needed to think about contructing for her a strong, sturdy container in which to travel. I was warned multiple times by my shipping rep that she needed to be as carefully packaged as possible, for the long trip was bound to be a rough one. Not wanting any 'mishaps', I took that to heart. Thankfully my teenage son was home at the time, and willing and able to help, designing and putting together for me a large, sturdy, handy-dandy and highly serviceable wooden crate.....


(Wooden Crate: 8'-6" x 4' x 4'-6". And heavy as heck!)



Once everything was all set up and ready to go, it was time to schedule a delivery date. I admit the day of her pick-up from our house by the shipping company last October was a nerve-wracking one, for it was a matter of getting her well situated within her crate as securely as possible (and all the while just sort of figuring out exactly how to go about that as we went along)...

I'd begun by wrapping her up like a mummy in packing material that I'd been saving/hoarding, as well as any number of old sheets and plastic tarps, and taping it all securely in place. Then, with the help of my husband and daughter, we were able to schlep her outside and position her within the box, tying her snugly in with taut clothesline so that there would be little risk of her rattling around in there, while at the same time bolting her base to one the end of the crate with wood screws. With these measures in place, there was no way she would be flopping about very easily, regardless of how roughly or carelessly she might be handled along the way:



Well, needless to say the whole shebang was REALLY quite heavy -- between the Statue and her weighty wooden sarcophagus, the entire kitn'kaboodle had to be well over 400 pounds....:



But, finally she was ready, all properly tucked in and secure within her big box, so we could attach the remaining side of the crate on with a network of wood screws:



She was ready to hit the road, and in fine style. By now it was only a matter of waiting for the truck to show up at our house, which it did, eventually, much later in the afternoon (as in, MUCH later -- all I can say is, thank goodness it was a dry, sunshiny day!)....

Once the truck pulled up, and the trucker and I exchanged our various paperwork, we found wheeling the thing down my (gravel) driveway toward the semi not the easiest task -- but between the trucker, his little power-dolly thingie, and myself, we managed to roll her (if awkwardly) out into the street:


(Mister poor trucking guy is behind there somewhere).......



With the trucker then getting her up into the truck bed:

(Thank goodness for the hydraulic lift on the back!)



And with that? Away she went, on to her new west coast home, and much to my extreme relief....!




So while the whole entire project may have taken a few years off my life, heh, I'm so glad and grateful to have had the opportunity to be involved in such a fun challenge, and very much appreciate the experience. So long, my Lady...!

Breast Cancer Series: "Plumage".....

Breast Cancer Series: "Plumage"....


Yesterday my family received the extremely unhappy news that my husband's aunt, who has battled breast cancer in the last few years, is now to be receiving hospice care. The last time I saw her, a little over a year ago perhaps, was when her family was visiting from several states away, and she was ostensibly in remission, while I myself was still actively in treatment, somewhere between chemo and radiation. I recall how we compared notes, in that way that cancer patients/'survivors' (not crazy about this term personally -- wish there was any other..., but what to use?) when they meet up are apt to do. She was glad at the time to have it all seemingly behind her. It's quite terrible sometimes how quickly things can change. Her teenage son is exactly one month younger than my own....

It all serves to remind me how I have had occasion and privilege to meet so many women living with cancer by now (and so many of them young and relatively young), along the way in my own cancer journey -- and each and every one of them with their own stories to tell. In this piece, the third in my Breast Cancer Series, I think I tried in a way to symbolize them all.....

The title, "Plumage", as per my ongoing 'bird' theme, refers to the often colorful, patterned, and artfully tied headscarves worn by women during active treatment. Although I myself frequently preferred personally to just go 'au naturelle' in my chemo-induced hairlessness (it was summer at the time, and hot), I still wore my share of hats and scarves, amassing quite a collection of them (many made and given to me by friends). I always admired the women who could manage to sport theirs with real style and flair. As for myself, the pretty-but-silky scarves often slipped around on my naked scalp, or were tight, or uncomfortably hot -- so sometimes just going without anything at all seemed the easiest and most comfortable and practical solution to me. Thus, during my bald phase, I ran around 'natural' in large cities and small towns and everywhere in between, yet never with any undue attention. In fact barely anyone even batted an eye -- I do believe everyone's seen it all these days (or at least has had enough friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, etc, go through cancer treatment to understand what's going on). However, while I myself felt practically liberated by my own state of baldness, I certainly can empathize with my fellow cancer patients who choose instead to remain covered up, with their very own manner of 'plumage'......

'Statue of Liberty' Commission, Revisited...(Part I)....

My 'Statue of Liberty' replica, in all her 10 feet of meticulous (and near-insanity producing) papier-mache Glory...


Ya know....? Looking over my blog archives here, I realized I never did post the very final-FINAL, finished photos of my epic 'Statue of Liberty' papier mache commission from last fall. To be honest, I think once it was finally completed and out of my hair, I might have been a little PTSD about the whole thing, despite how much I really did enjoy both the project, as well as the challenge (because I always ALWAYS do love me a Challenge). Now that several months have passed however, giving me some distance, I think I can safely revisit those last several weeks of the project, the finishing of her and the shipping of her (an adventure of epic proportions in and of itself) without seeing spots swim before my eyes, heh....

So, onward to some pics (from 10/2010). Behold, 'Miss Liberty':

Side View (noting the ever-practical Detachable Arm):




Back View (Plus does not my October yard look here like the most verdant of green jungles? Oh Spring, we're a'waitin' on ya...!):




And, for Size Reference: (thanks here to our good buddy, Alexandra, for modeling):



Indeed, m'lady came quite a long way from THIS, eh? Pretty humble beginnings I must say -- not to mention I surely had my moments of frustration and doubt along the way, but whew, it all came together in the end....

(And please stay tuned for Part II, '(Harrowing) Adventures in Crating and Shipping', coming soon....!)