Pipkin

This little rabbit was created using polymer clay, child's teeth, wood, paper and copper.

 

"Pipkin"

 6" x 6"

$100

A Muse and Her Artists

A muse, a photographer and an artist all walk into a studio. If you're a regular around here then you already know that my muse is Frankie. Her body is lean and muscular; her eyes big and brown. I recently asked my friend Ken Miner to photograph her for me.

 

 

 

Pretty great photos, huh? I took my favorite one and started painting, collaging and adding found objects on top of the mounted photo. This is what happened.

 

 

"Frankie Musing"

with Ken Miner

 

8" x 10"

mixed medium on board

$175

 

 

 

 

 

If you'd like to know more about the photography of Ken Miner, you can check him out here: http://www.zuludog.ca/

 

 

Not for Sushi

After years of being a vegetarian, I once ordered a large platter of sushi that came with octopus. The waitress warned me that the octopus was considered "challenging" to eat. It was. It wasn't the texture that bothered me. It was the idea of eating a creature with such high intelligence and a strong sense of playfulness and curiosity. I couldn't do it. In fact, the very idea of it broke my heart.

 

"Octopus"

6" x 6"

polymer clay, paper and found objects on wood

 

$200

 

 

 

"Octopus Bowl"

felted knit bowl featuring 3 octopus

100% wool

 

$200

 

Currently I Am Wearing Kneesocks

I just loved a letter I received the other day in the mail in which my friend answered a checklist of what she was currently doing. I was inspired to answer those questions for myself and then to create a piece of art from those answers. It might even be fun to repeat this art project at the end of the year to see what has changed.

Currently I am:

Loving: blue hair

Liking: factoring polynomials

Not liking: grocery shopping

Feeling: chubby

Needing: a new tattoo

Trying: to not be so camera shy

Achieving: hugging people I want to know

Remembering: to play

Forgetting: that my heart is broken

Wearing: knee socks

Eating: organic milk chocolate

Drinking: Saigon cinnamon in my coffee

Enjoying: Frankie at my feet

 

This collage is constructed from inchies and twinchies (one inch and two inch paintings), recycled paper and found objects on wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memory Blankets

 

This photo of my two main fellas was taken about 13 years ago. When they started to outgrow their clothes I couldn't bear to part with them, nor could I box them up for the moths to eat. Instead I chose to make a memory blanket; comprised of 6 inch fabric pieces in four main colors of blue, red, grey and cream, this was a blanket we all came to cherish. The boys and I would snuggle up for story time, but first they wanted to know where each square, pocket and embroidered teddy came from. "Was that mine?" Over the years the familiar scent of babies has faded, but I can still tell you who's piece of clothing each square came from.

 

 

 

 

After the making of this first blanket, I've gone on to make many memory blankets over the years. Although none of my own baby clothes survived for such a project I did inherit a stack of wool blankets. These blankets were brought over from England by my grandmother before I was even born. The orange one became my childhood favorite. Over the years, the blankets became torn, stained and moth eaten. I was able to cut enough 6 inch squares from four of these blankets to create a new memory blanket for myself. And yes, it is as thick, woolly and warm as it looks!

 

 

I recently started knitting blankets. The memories of these are different; newer. I can look at this thick double knit stripy blanket and remember every sweater whose left over yarn contributed to its creation.

 

 

"Fireside"

wool blanket

$200

 

"Crow" pillow from The Wren House.

 

 

This puffy work in progress is knit entirely from left over sock yarns, making it both colorful and washable.

 

 

The latest blanket I made took over a decade to plan. My husband plays Ultimate and disc golf. The summer I met him he traveled across Canada to attend the Nationals. He loved collecting t-shirts from these events. One of them even pre-dates our 19 year relationship! Oh, how sad he looked whenever he wore one out and threw it into the rag bin. Little did he know, I rescued these t-shirts. For years I collected his tournament t-shirts and his first few hand made father's day t-shirts. This Christmas I sewed them into a giant t-shirt memory blanket backed with thick fleece. It might not be the prettiest blanket in my house but it sure has inspired some epic napping sessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Sculptures

 

 

Does my sexiness upset you

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

 

Maya Angelou

 

 

"Live Out Loud" #7

polymer clay on wood

(2 1/2 " x 2 1/2" x 1 1/2 ")

$40

 

Pajama party
Pouncing up, down on mattress,
Who needs sleep tonight ?

Ros Shrapnel

 

 

"Pajama Party"

polymer clay on wood

(2 1/2 " x 2 1/2" x 1 1/2 ")

$40

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Conspiracy of Love

I'm totally one of those people; the kind who is deliriously in love with Christmas. I could in fact watch my favorite Christmas movie (Love Actually) everyday. I will watch any Christmas movie I can get my pvr on. There's something special about Christmas movies, even the cheesy ones. There's always going to be this moment; the sweet spot, the part in the movie where you get goosebumps and go, "There it is". The magic of love.

I love a handmade Christmas from the heart. I spend months knitting, sewing, baking and painting little treasures. You won't catch me in any mall; you won't catch me yelling at someone who just stole my parking spot. You will catch me buying a latte for a stranger, letting the person behind me in the grocery checkout go ahead of me (because I'm never in a hurry). You will catch me buying a hot lunch for a homeless person. Incidentally, I do these little things all year long.

I'm the person you love to hate; the person who on Dec 6 has the presents wrapped and under the tree (yes, already),who has the cards and parcels in the mail, who has the Christmas lights up on the house and who is driving around in my car listening to the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (have been for days now).

But, I love you; I'm thinking of you, and if you see me I will hug you like I mean it.

 

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world

in a conspiracy of love."

Hamilton Wright Mabi

This week I am featuring digital art created by my 13 year old son, Mason (who is also deliriously in love with Christmas). If you would like to buy Christmas cards from Mason, email me at bdstudio@telus.net, or visit my studio this weekend for our Christmas sale.

 

"The Long Wait"

C.G.I

Mason Menzies

 

 

"Frosty is Peeking"

C.G.I

Mason Menzies