STUDIO TOUR 2014

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

It's been a couple of weeks now since the Port Townsend Studio Tour and it's time to post some images and say a few words. It was a spectacular and beautiful weekend ... GreyBird Barn looked spiffy ... the property was clean and trim ... the apple trees were full of apples as if they knew this was their time to shine ... there was a wonderful sense of camaraderie among the participating artists ... and there were lots of guests checking out the scene. This sale is always the perfect time to reconnect with friends ... clients ... and to make some new connections. It was also a perfect time for me to share my almost completed loft studio space in the barn. It's been a long time coming. I spent a lot of the weekend trooping up and down the stairs ...pointing out special features in the loft ... and sharing my enthusiasm for this remarkable space. You can learn more about the loft in the previous post.

There are a few people I want to thank. Pulling off this event would be so much harder without a little help. A big 'thank you' to Carrie Ehrhardt for always coming through with some delicious home made cookies for our guests ... and to Wendy Jarvis (Linda's sister) and Bob Snow (Donna's husband) for helping us on clean up day before the sale ...and another huge 'thank you' to Bob for parking cars for us for two days. He was so good at it that he's putting it on his resume. I also want to thank Melinda Bryden and Northwind Arts Center for organizing this event ... with over 30 studios on the tour this is no easy feat. And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank the artists of GreyBird Barn. It's always such a pleasure and a treat to spend time with you all and to share our visions ...our processes ... and our passions with each other.

REMEMBER TO CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE




Linda Jarvis with Diane Haddon ... a fabulous assemblage artist and dear friend.


Donna Snow demonstrating her collage process.


Lots of people gathered around Shirley Moss and her hand made chain jewelry.


Linda Jarvis, Steve Parmelee ( another fabulous assemblage artist), and me ... Shane Miller.


Lynn Anju (a friend, jeweler, and past participant of GreyBird Barn) giving a look that only she can pull off. You can just make out Loran Scruggs in the background. She was a new participant this year and we all so enjoyed getting to know her and her wonderful tin and bottle cap creations.




Linda Jarvis and our dear friend, Zo.


Diane Haddon and Shane.


Zo and Shane


Jay Haskins visiting with Donna Snow. Jay is an integral part of Northwind Arts Center.


Bob Snow taking a much needed break from parking cars. He's a Mac guy (you can tell by his reading material) and we teased him about setting up a genius bar in the cupola that has not yet been mounted on the barn .... he could answer all kinds of Mac questions during the sale.


A couple of kids, Jupiter and Lola, (you've just got to love those names) checking out my tractor, Bliss.

AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

What is it about barns and lofts and spaces for creating. Whatever it is, I am completely captivated by it.

I've had my barn for quite a few years now ... it was originally built back when I was making steel outdoor garden sculpture. It seemed a better solution than to continue paying rent in a storage space ... which I did for years. The year I turned 50 and felt done with grinding and cutting steel, the barn became a storage area and stayed that way for a few years. Over time I began doing my work as a jeweler in the barn ... no heat ... no insulation. One winter I even set up my 10' x 10' show canopy in the barn and heated the space with a propane heater. I could raise the temperature a few degrees but overall it was not very successful. In the fall of 2010 my friend, Ron Myhre, a fine craftsman and builder of gypsy wagons and treehouses, helped me put in 2/3 of the loft. It was a vast improvement and I moved my jewelry making into this space. It was still unheated and uninsulated but it felt doable. There were some cold winters and some days when I could not force myself into the barn to work. Then in 2013 the sale of my family's pasture, back in Arkansas, gave me the means to continue working on the barn. It was manna from heaven and felt so appropriate that the proceeds from the sale of that pasture ... the same pasture where, as kids, we rode horses ... would now help me improve my barn. Ron and I started working on the loft again that fall.

My goal was to have an insulated and heated workspace and also open up the possibility of teaching some workshops. I've also wanted to live in a barn my entire life .... so maybe I would include a space where that could be possible one day. There is still a bit to be done....the floors need to be stained ... and some trim put up .... a little more paint here and there ....and the entire downstairs is yet to be insulated ... but for the most part the loft is ready. Now it's time to create ... and dream up new art projects .... and to revel in the privilege of getting to hang out in this incredible space ... I feel so lucky. I've even been sleeping in the loft since the night of August 22. I love it ... the morning light streaming through the windows and casting shadows on the opposite wall ... the vaulted corrugated ceiling ... the feeling of being in a treehouse up level with the leaves .... what's not to love?

The barn footprint is 24' x 30' and the loft measures 16' x 30'.

So here are some images of the loft project in process and the finished space. Remember you can click on any image to enlarge.



Here you can see the beginning of framing in the jewelry studio....the south facing 1/3 of the loft.


These are the stairs leading up and the north facing end wall.


Ron hanging the sliding barn doors that separate the jewelry studio from the rest of the loft. This makes it possible to only have to heat the area I'm working in. I am heating the jewelry studio space with a Dickinson Marine propane boat heater....the P12000 ... made to heat up to a 36' boat.


Lots of chaos with several ladders, extension cords, and saw dust.


The last panel of galvanized corrugated ceiling goes up in the jewelry studio. This metal, when new, is too bright and shiny for my tastes so I treated each piece with apple cider vinegar and a 3M scrubbie pad ... and a lot of elbow grease to tone down the shine.


The triangle above the sliding doors is made up of salvaged windows ... all different styles and types. A few of these windows I have carried around with me for years waiting for a chance to use them. The sections without windows will eventually be filled in with glass. The big center window opens so I can have some cross ventilation in the summer.


By the time we got to the center section I was able to borrow some scaffolding from my friend, Chuck Iffland ... a remarkable artist and sculptor. The scaffolding made the ceiling sooooo much easier,


This is the beginning of the chevron wall on the north side. The step through window will eventually lead to a small deck up high on the same level with the leaves of a big leaf maple and a view of a wonderful forest. Eventually there might be a screened in porch section where I could sleep in the summer.


The north end finally gets it's ceiling.


Many times Ron had to use his climbing gear to get on the roof. Eventually there will be a cupola with a window on each side.


This is the finished product looking south toward the jewelry studio. The center 1/3rd of the loft will be about book arts ... a place to print and assemble ... a slightly cleaner section than the jewelry studio.


My pencil sharpener and vintage toy truck collection in one of the leaded glass windows.




Heaven on earth!


A great cabinet for holding all my paper goods.




This is the trap door leading downstairs ...with hand rails attached. Eventually there will be a railing around the opening. This door is a heavy sucker and I still have to work out a system of compound pulleys or a counter-weight for raising and lowering it.


I love these vintage enamel warehouse lights ... they really finish off the look I was going for.

PORT TOWNSEND 16th ANNUAL ARTIST STUDIO TOUR AT GREYBIRD BARN

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

SAVE THE DATE
PORT TOWNSEND OPEN STUDIO TOUR
AUGUST 23-24 HOURS: 10AM TO 4PM

Mark you calendars ... fill your car with gas ... put on your comfortable shoes ... grab some cash and a visa ... and prepare yourself for a couple of days of exploring the art scene in and around Port Townsend. It's time for the 16th ANNUAL STUDIO TOUR. Be sure to check out this link to see examples of each artists work and directions to each individual studio. We are #11 on the list ... GREYBIRD BARN GROUP. Brochures with the art studio listings and maps are also available at the Northwind Arts Center, 2409 Jefferson Street and other locations, as well as the Visitor’s Center.

The artists of GreyBird Barn invite you to come visit us .... have a cookie ...and just hang out for a while. This year we are shifting our dates from our usual show in October to August 23-24th so that we can be in the good company of many other studios open on the same weekend in our area. At GreyBird Barn there will be five artists showing their work and demonstrating their individual processes.

Linda Jarvis ... 3D mixed media assemblage
My passion is observing the amazing and beautiful essence of wildlife and depicting them in nature or often in humorous situations using mixed media. Additionally I use found object, giving them a new purpose within mixed media sculptures.

Shane Miller ... photo etching
I have worked with metal for over 20 years and most recently have been using the process of photo etching on sterling silver jewelry and 3D photo etched narrative boxes. I am a story teller by nature and there always seems to be a narrative running through my work.

Shirley Moss ... jewelry chain making
I feel making handmade chains is a meditation in metal.

Loran Scruggs ... tin can sculpture
I am interested in joy. Color is joyous for me, so I use printed tin cans for their color and glint. A lot of my work references childhood and play, for myself play is a time of being in the moment, no past or future worries, a time of joy. I hope that my work puts an amused smile on people’s faces, for when we smile we are in the moment, engaged, attentive and happy.

Donna Snow ... mixed media collage
Since I was a kid two constants in my life have been the urge to draw and the urge to tell tall tales. Eventually both desires merged into what I call narrative collage: Find old images and cut, paste and over paint them to make a new “story” — often preposterous and humorous. And some are slowly emerging into art books.

DIRECTIONS:
Watch for our signs just outside of Port Townsend. Off of Sims Way/HWY 20 take Frederick Street east to Otto Street. Turn left on Otto and follow signs to the bottom of the hill. Turn left into driveway where a friendly crocodile sculpture greets you.

THE ROSE GRANT

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Long ago I meant to write a post about The Rose Grant and somehow time slipped past me.....but today seems like the perfect moment. Back in 2012 I was asked by Anne Gendreau, a friend and registrar of Bainbridge Arts and Crafts, to design and create some sterling silver lapel pins in a stylized shape of a rose. Anne explained to me that her daughter, Lucie Rose, had recently passed away and that in her memory a grant was being created through Bainbridge High School to acknowledge and encourage Bainbridge teens to pursue a passion. The Rose Grant provides awards that fund classes, lessons, or tuition. The intent of the grantors is to emphasize the award aspect of the grant given to teens who, for whatever reasons, could use an extra show of support.

The challenge was to create a design of a rose that would work for male or female....and not be too overly feminine. Recipients of the Rose Grant would also receive one of these pins which are photo etched in sterling silver ...about the size of a nickel ... and have a tie tac type pin back.

I am so pleased to be a small part of this endeavor and like the rain, that forms tributaries that become rivers and streams and eventually flow into the ocean, the trickle down effect of this grant has the potential to be powerful.

ZO'S BEE PIN

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

My friend, Zo, has recently been very intrigued by honeybees and their plight in today's world. For the 2014 Rhody Parade, part of the annual Rhododendron Festival here in Port Townsend, Zo helped organize a group of people to dress as bees. This served as both a celebration of bee-ness and as a way of bringing attention to the dwindling number of honeybees around the world. Honeybees, which have been described as the glue that holds our agricultural system together, have been on the decline due to the use of pesticides and a still unsolved malady called colony collapse disorder. Another issue is that as our farms become monocultures with crops like wheat and corn ... plants that provide little pollen for foraging bees ... honeybees are literally starving to death.

To celebrate spring ... the Rhody parade ... and bees in general, I wanted to make Zo a bee lapel pin. This one is photo etched sterling silver with a tie tac type pin back. A slight 3D effect was achieved by cutting out the bee and soldering it on top of the etched honeycomb.


Because bubbles are a big part of Zo's life and were essential for the bees on parade, a bubble machine was placed inside the hive. In addition, each bee participant was outfitted with wands and good bubble juice. That's Zo being a bee on the far right.


You've just got to love those big pollen pouches Zo sewed onto her hips.

FIELD NOTES

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

I call this collection of bird images ... FIELD NOTES. They remind me of sketches one might find in a biologist's notebook or sketch book. After I made the sculpture called FISHERS, I knew I wanted to eventually make individual collectable figures. They make a wonderful display on a mantel or shelf and cast a cool shadow if the light is right. These are photo etched nickel with a copper leg and a cherry base. They are from left to right....a pelican...a cormorant...a black-crowned night heron...a great blue heron...and a kingfisher.....all some of my favorite birds. Eventually I hope to add some other wildlife like a fox....bear....salmon...etc. They would make a great gift for your biologist, ornithologist, ichthyologists, environmentally conscious friends. I also think they would make wonderful game pieces for a board game....stay tuned...I might do that one day. These birds range in height from 3.5" to 5.5".

THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

I had a request recently for a small boat sculpture that depicted the bedtime classic ... THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT. I didn't grow up with this story being read to me so I had to read it a few times to get a sense of the characters. My client, however, and her brother, considered this story one of their prime childhood memories. When the brother's house burned with all the keepsakes of their youth, I was asked me to make this piece as a touchstone of their childhood.

The boat is made of copper wire...and the figures are photo etched brass, copper and nickel. The overall size is approx. 8" long by 3.5" wide by 4.5" tall.

I used a photo I had of a friend's cat. I love the sprawling posture and the look on the owl's face that clearly says, "oh bother."

THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried,
But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

Edward Lear, 1812 - 1888

ICARUS WING AT THE BAINBRIDGE ISLAND MUSEUM OF ART

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
SHANE MILLER AND CYNTHIA SEARS

I am so pleased to announce that my Icarus wing, titled IF FOUND RETURN TO ICARUS, is on display at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art from October through January. This is just the second round of exhibits in this wonderful new museum which is just a delight to explore.

The 20,000-square-foot art museum includes a reception area with a two-story atrium and grand staircase, seven formal galleries, two classrooms, a 95-seat auditorium, conference room, community gallery, bistro, museum store, and a green roof garden and patio. The focus is on contemporary work by artists from the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas and the western Puget Sound region. We are so fortunate to have this museum in our own backyard and as an artist, I am so proud to be a small part of the whole.

This past Friday I traveled to Bainbridge with my friend Linda Jarvis and her sister, Wendy. We wanted an art day and none of us had yet seen the newest exhibition at the museum....so it seemed like the perfect place to go. Cynthia Sears, one of the founding board members of the museum, treated us to lunch in the newly opened bistro on the lower floor. The food....the conversation....the sharing of stories was just delicious. It was the kind of exquisite day that transforms into a long term memory. I managed to get my photo taken with Cynthia beside the Icarus Wing. She is a wonderful supporter of art and artists in general and it is because of her purchase that my Icarus Wing has a home in the museum.

On the first floor we were delighted by the work of Richard Jesse Watson. His exhibit is titled INNER ZOO : OUTER ORBIT. He is a children's book author and illustrator of the highest order. I loved his obvious imagination ...his found object sculptures ... and especially his industrial looking easel that is on display complete with goggles hanging from several rear view mirrors attached to the easel. I am a goggles girl all the way and I am pro almost anything with an industrial vibe ... so getting to see where he actually creates was a high point for me. Beyond his exhibit were the works of many more artists ... some new to me and some I have the pleasure of calling them my friend. Having a piece of my art here among all this incredible talent feels somehow beyond a dream. My work is among sweet company.

After lunch we wandered upstairs to the Sherry Grover Gallery and the newest exhibit called CHAPTER TWO. This space is all about artists made books. Cynthia has a large eclectic collection of artists made books and it is intriguing, to say the least, to get to spend a little time with them. It was fun to see Linda discover that she had two pieces of her art on display. A surprise to us all. And our mutual friend, Donna Snow, had her magnun opus book on display called FIGMENTOSUM OCEANUM. It is a large book with many two sided lose pages and could have been a real challenge to display but , of course, they pulled it off beautifully. My newly acquired photo etched book called A BOOK IS LIKE A GARDEN YOU CARRY IN YOUR POCKET was also on display.


I am newly intrigued with the whole idea of artist made books and to have one of my first attempts in this collection is thrilling. It, too, is in incredibly good company. Many of the books on display I have only previously seen in commercially printed books such as the LARK 500 HANDMADE BOOKS. To have the chance to see these books in person and to get a glimpse of the binding ... the content ... the craftsmanship ....well, all I can say is that it is a rich experience.

Also upstairs were the incredible paintings of landscape artist, Gayle Bard. After walking just a few paces into her exhibit we all realized that we were almost whispering ... there was such a feeling of reverence. Her work is large and meditative and memorable.

So, in the end, a good day was had by all.

LOOKING BACK

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

It's been a couple of weeks since the Artist's Sale at GreyBird Barn and it seems like a good time to look back at the event ... dredge up some memories ... look at some fun photos ... and pat ourselves on the back just a little. If you were unable to attend ... and you missed out on the hot cider and homemade cookies ... and you didn't get a chance to visit with each artist ... then maybe these images will help soothe the disappointment. If that's the case, well, we sure did miss you and hope to see you next year if not sooner.


Sue explaining how she carefully harvests the cedar from her property.


So many details to study!!!


Diana hiding in the corner.


Linda Jarvis and friends.





This is me talking with my hand with my friend, Zo.


Part of my display.


Paula listing to the port side.


The motley crew...from left to right... Paula Gill ... Linda Jarvis ... Sue Skelly ... Diana Cronin ... Shane Miller ... Lynn Anju.


We like to call this image MOTHER AND CHILD.