Sunday, August 31, 2014

Wide Open Beginnings

Hello from the porch portion of the studio! These are some good days weather-wise and it’s been nice on our porch with a big table to work on. In the upstairs studio, there are still bears underway. My porch project is the next bears&boxes piece I have undertaken.

I’m trying a different method this time. It’s probably not a whole lot different but I hope it will help contain the proliferation of supplies and materials. Enter The Box. See arrow below. This box is meant to contain possibilities and options.

I have a germ of an idea and to get going on it, I have visited almost all of my stashes and gathered an assortment of items which may (or may not) make it into the finished project.

In fact, once that first bit of paint or glue or medium goes on, I might end up going in a completely different direction.

As it stands now though, the direction I want to go seems pretty clear and I probably need to rein in some of the options. It will be interesting to look back when it is complete and see how many and which of these items makes it into finished piece.

Right now, at the beginning, it is wide open. I can see how each item could contribute to the overall theme. I can see them transformed. I can visualize this going in a lot of different directions but . . .

a lot of what goes into one of my pieces is as much about what I choose to leave out or leave off as it is what to include.

It’s a case of more not always being necessarily better.

So I shall begin and see where I end up. Hopefully with something fun – maybe cool.  Hopefully.

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Works and Naps in Progress

There’s always something going on in the studio – mostly things under construction as you see in the photo below.

Topher has his own agenda – sometimes it is to distract me from projects like the ones pictured here.  And sometimes it’s to make the most of any available lap.

Today was a great day for working on the porch.  Tomorrow might be different because I heard the humidity is returning along with warmer temperatures.

Yep, some of us have works in progress and others of us have naps in progress.

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Friday, August 22, 2014

Artists Tables at TBAI

During set up for the show at TBAI, I had a few minutes to walk around and take a few photos. I knew that once the show opened it would be much more difficult to get photos. Not all of the artists are included here because I only took photos of those tables that were completely, or near so, arranged and ready to go. I did try to get a few pictures of individual bears if they were available. Let’s start the tour!

Dagmar Seibel – DS Baren, Germany

Darlene Allen – Raspbeary Bears, Florida

Pam Kisner – The Bear Maker, West Virginia

Art Rogers – Chatham Village Bears, Missouri

Amy Thornton – Mutz Tootsz, Wisconsin

Stevi T – Stevi T’s Alpaca Encounters, Pennsylvania

Martha Bumala – Waverly Crossing Bears, Virginia

Susan McKay – Bears of the Abbey, Ontario, Canada

Barbara Ayers – Bug Bee Bears, Florida

Dian Pete – Bears for Pete Sake, Florida

Martha Burch – Martha’s Bears, Wisconsin

Armella Dana- Bears ‘n Buds by Armella, Iowa

Sharon Edwards – Bear Hugs, Ontario, Canada

Donna Griffin – Donna and the Bears, Virginia

Candy Cannavino – Candy’s Bears, West Virginia

Penny French – Penny’s Backmountain Bears, Pennsylvania

There was quite a bit of temptation in the showroom and so much more to see than I have included here.  The bonus to attending TBAI, as with all the shows, is that you get to pick up and hold these furry friends.  Some are weighted and some are soft and squishy.  That’s one thing this little bit of technology can’t quite convey.  I hope you enjoyed this stroll around the showroom before it was officially a showroom! 

Until next time,

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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

TBAI 2014 – More Gallery Pieces

Continuing my post from yesterday, I present the rest of the gallery pieces. It was during the opening of the gallery that the People’s Choice Awards were voted on. There were two categories Over 8 Inches and Under 8 Inches. We were able to vote for our top three choices. Take a look and imagine if you had been there, which pieces would you have voted for?


Barbara Ayars – “Suzanne” Memories from the 1950’s


Susan Smith – First Love Floating on Cloud Nine!


Candi Taylor - Endangered Species


Margaret Jackson - Hagar the Horrible–The Mottley Crew


Dagmar Seibel – Rainforest in Asia


Shane Elliott – Doodle


Ginger Brame – Stairway to Imagination (looks vaguely familiar, right?)


Amy Thornton – NOLA (New Orleans, LA)


Donna Manthey – Almost One…..Hickory, Dickory, Dock


Johni Jacobsen – Three Men In A Tub


Cindy Malchoff – Rockford Peaches-Millie


Dian Pete – Pierre


Lin Chamberlain – Hello Dolly!  Dollibear!


Judith Eppolito – Wildlife Preserves


Darlene Allen – Alice Through the Looking Glass


Sharon Edwards – Poseidon, King of the Sea


Pam Pontious – Inchworm Express Mail


Susan McKay - Beagle & Batwing


Mary Kolar – Titanic Polar Bear


Larry Ransom – Lion King


Martha Burch – I Made Miniatures-A Fairy Forest


Donna Nielsen – In the Rainforest


Vicki Stephan – Tom’s Fence Paintin’ Revelation

It is difficult to choose just three in each category, isn’t it? It was definitely a challenge. After a lovely dinner with all kinds of delicious dishes, they announced the winners. In the Over 8 Inches category the winners were:

1st place: Stevie T – Searching for a Friend
2nd place: JoAnne O’Hanlon – America, the Beautiful – Fourth of July Parade
3rd place: Candi Taylor – Endangered Species

In the Under 8 Inches category, the winners were:

1st place: Ginger Brame – Stairway to Imagination (This was wonderfully exciting!)
2nd place: Katherine Hallam – Alice Falls Down
3rd place: Martha Burch – I Made Miniatures Fairy Forest

Here’s a photo of the winners.

Here’s the crystal they gave the first place winners. Pretty cool huh?

My next post will feature a selection of artist tables that I managed to photograph during set up for the show. See you then!

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