It Happened Once and it's Happening Again...

PAPERGIRL NORTHAMPTON

(sweet, sweet poster design by the one and only Brendan McCauley)

A hip-happening global project has found a home in the valley thanks to the fab people at Now.For.Art (I'd also like to add they are friends of mine...) So get up on it and contribute some work to this totally awesome, totally cool, totally bodacious project. Read more here...and here...and here (see! it's everywhere.)

**Also please do not misinterpret my lack of updates as my lack of progress or creation. On the contrary my dear friends - I have been making, seeing and doing a lot...so much that I haven't gotten to update the good ol' blog in what is going on three weeks. But trust your humble blogger...I'll be back. OH...I'll be back.**

...and hey, thanks for reading! 

Studio Update

Hi Friends, 

Things are going well and I am really enjoying working with paint again.  I think I mentioned it before, but I am very aware that some of the things I am doing with paint this time around couldn't have happened with out my two year love affair with pastel.  No new finished paintings to report but below are a few shots of my studio as it stands. 

When I came back from Hambidge I overhauled my studio trying to get it up to par with what I had in the Fischer Studio. It's not quite as clean, and no where near as huge, but taking these photos tonight made me realize how much I really do love my space. I'm lucky to have a studio that allows me to work (somewhat) large and to "spread out" as they say -- and I'm okay with not having a living room.  I'm very excited about the painting I'm working on which you can see in the first image.  Being at Hambidge gave me the time, solitude and confidence I needed to really explore and push through to new places in my work, I am happy to say that this has continued since my return and the reason I think I am so excited to get in the studio every night after work. 

The view from my studio stoop, it's even better at sunset. 

So that's that for now my friends.  I'll be back, and thanks for reading! 

Unloading the kiln.

Guess what? This is my 100th post! 
Below are photos from the much awaited Anagama Kiln Unloading -- this happened the final Saturday of my time at Hambidge so I only stayed for a short period of time since I wanted to be painting up until my final hour. This was a very collaborative and communal undertaking and if any of you have a chance to be a a part of an Anagama firing I would say to definitely, DEFINITELY, participate. If for no other reason than to drink beer at 2:00 in the morning next to a giant contained fire pit that is around twelve hundred degrees.  

So there you have it folks.  This was really cool to watch and some really awesome vessels were pulled out of the kiln. Some objects looked so much different than the artist expected that they didn't even recognize it as their own! Things also blew up and fused together forcing two artists to discuss who was the rightful owner of the piece! I won't be doing any more posts about my time at Hambidge, though I could do many, many more...and who knows, pictures from Hambidge might pop up now and again, but it is time to concentrate on the here and now. I am hoping to resume posting on a regular basis regarding the condition of my condition.  

Three cheers for you my friends, thanks for reading, and here's to another hundred more! 

Just Beyond the Garden

Hi Friends, 

Here is an image of Just Beyond the Garden, the last finished painting I created while at Hambidge (my studio at Hambidge [Fisher] was located just beyond another studio by the name of Garden, hence the title). You may recognize this painting from such posts as In Case You Were Wondering. I made a decent amount of progress on another painting after the completion of Garden, though time did not allow for it's completion. I have yet to decide to finish it or let it be since it would become a totally different beast now that I am back in Beverly.  I am thankful for both of these paintings as they led to what I am currently working on and all revved up about.  Also, Just Beyond the Garden is hanging in the lobby of Raymond James Financial Services in the plaza right next to Casa de Moda.  They are very friendly, go have a look see! 

Just Beyond the Garden, 42" x 60". Acrylic on canvas. 2010.

Also, I'm done messing around. Operation: Find a Photographer Friend to Photograph My Work has COMMENCED! Know anyone? 

You're oh so kind for reading.  I'll be back soon!

I know, I know...

...I am a total slacker (not really though.)  I haven't posted since leaving Hambidge on May 9th.  My re-entry into the real world has been tougher than I thought it would be. I really found happiness at Hambidge, and now know what I need and want to do with my life, having had this experience makes it tough to come back to oil changes, bills, email, returning phone calls, etc. I was spoiled with the Fischer Studio, so upon my return I needed to overhaul my studio space at home (again) to make is a bit more suitable for painting.  Having used the space for charcoal and pastel for the past two years, everything (everything, really) was covered in dust, and that dust was getting in my paint. I had to do a lot of sweeping and vacuuming to get things in to better shape.  I have been painting and drawing since my return, but have found it tough to get back on a regular blogging schedule.  I will get a post up about the unloading of the Anagama kiln and then get back to posting regularly about studio work.  I promise...just give me a few more days. Rest assured my friends, all is well and good and things are happening! Oh, things are happening! 

A Fond Farewell.

Well friends, the time has come for me to bid adieu to the Hambidge Center.  My time here has been meaningful and fruitful. I created a number of works that I can say I am happy with (and sold a few too!) but I also made an amazing move forward as I made the jump back into painting after years of working with pastel.  I also formed strong friendships here,  people from all over the country with a strong passion for their art, I hope to stay in touch with all of them.  I must say I am a bit sad leaving my beautiful studio and this wonderful environment but I am ready to bring the momentum and energy I gained here back North (where I'm not the one with the accent) and I am excited to see what comes next.  Of course it is a beautiful, sunny day here making my departure that much harder. A few images:

Mr. Big the Hambidge Kitty, helped to see me off, and an image of the Fischer Studio returned (almost) to it's original state, with one addition.  I'm proud to join the hundreds of other Fellows that have passed through the Hambidge Center, it's signing the stairs that makes me an official Hambidge Fellow for life!

My trip home includes stops in D.C and Rhode Island and I will be posting along the way. I will also do another few posts once I am back North to update you on my last week at Hambidge (including the unloading of the Anagama kiln...) So stay tuned friends, and thanks for listening! 

Up next: Bea goes to DC! ETA: 6:00pm

Well I Did Something Really Cool This Weekend...

...I got to help fire an Anagama Kiln! An Anagama Kiln is a beast.  It is a wood firing kiln that originates from Korea and China and takes 48 hours to fire and a week to cool down.  This is not one of those electric kilns that you press a few buttons and come back the next day to your finished wares. The beautiful thing about an Anagama kiln is that unexpected things happen. The temperature is controlled by the amount of wood loaded and the amount of air allowed in to the kiln. Since most people can't stay up for forty-eight hours, four hour shifts are assigned to couples that may or may not have vessels in the kiln. I was lucky enough to assist Chase with his 1:00AM to 4:00AM shift...it was great! We sat around talking with other people watching the kiln.  The heat was immense, but the glow the kiln had was beautiful.  Below are a few photos taken of the firing, the kiln is cooling off until Saturday so I will update you with images from the unloading and the treasures that result from this amazing process!

That last photo is the team that came before Chase and I. The woman on the right is opening up the door to the kiln and the man on the right is loading the wood in.  It's a dance, and it takes rhythm and synchronization since the temperature can change drastically if the door is open for more than a second or two. 

I will update you all with studio images tomorrow.  I am very excited about the painting I just finished!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!