Thursday, November 11, 2010

paper cookies



Prep a nice fine pulp, colored or plain. You can make bags full, ahead of casting session. Wet pulp keeps well under refrigeration. We also dry it in blocks and rehydrate as needed for small projects.
 Fill the mold with wet pulp. This piece has a facing of white wild-flower seeded sheet, pressed first, with a backing sheet of colored pulp.
Lay absorbent felt or towelling over the mold and press evenly to remove water and compress fibers. We love microfiber towels for this; big sponges work well too.Press with hand, stomp brush, sponge or small roller. Finish with tea towels or paper napkins to check with fingertips for complete water press-out.

 STOMP - big flat head stencil brush shown  next to a very wet towel, in place over pulp in mold.

 To remove cast, first free edges all around,
then gently lift towards the center
working from a few outside starting points. 
 Support paper from underneath as you remove it. Wet paper is quite fragile.
Finished cast, next to mold.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

concrete - painting the gator


In the beginning - hosed off a bit, drying.

Bad teeth! Good cast.





up close and personal :
and some time later...                                              .
a much more colorful gator!


 today need to do the irises. Irii? and seal it.



bite me.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

paper

rrgh waiting for some online bookkeepeeng downloads.
Takes fo'eva..
.the upside? Had time to find this blog again!
 This post = tapping fingers on desk.
Visualize us
sitting with legs crossed (below the knees) in our 40s secretarial glamor, tapping a wellshod foot to some vintage swing...moderate, patient as ever.

Something like this...
oh wait, not that one. 
This one?
hm hah, nope, not that one. Don't we WISH we were in studio carving.
Or moving along with Testing slip. This was on sculpey, greenware, and NSP kleenklay. *Note: try this again, covered and damp-boxed. They dried too fast on the edges and 

of course then
they cracked.
ok all downloads done...thanks for your time  :~).. ttfn


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

really, molds this time. more on the concrete line

YIN Yang

Om Sweet Om
eight spoked wheel of Buddhism

moldmaking and other events

Kickin Devil Cafe will finally get a big ol' bronco on the front of the cafe. Size about 6' x 6'; plan is to paint the open stencil areas black with a sponge/giant stomp, then go in with a brush later IF it cools off enough to work outside on the same day we have no rain, on the same day two tall ladders are available, and WHEN mj picks up a gallon of black exterior latex.
The image is spliced onto two 3' strips, then cut out with yer basic exacto. Love those razor sharp edges of a new blade! Makes it so easy.  *Note to Mom, "Look Ma, no blood!"

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Dream & Do

SO, this has been a Very Longtime Dream.
A place of our own, a space for inspiration and exploration
 with many tools and toys
and open discussion of how, what and a glimpse of why   I create.

 Starting with some pictures from my back pages...these are some stepping stones cast in concrete. Started as carvings...some of them were foam blocks, some plaster, some plastilena, some clay and several were combinations, like plaster over foam. 
The intent was to create stone circles for garden paths using the symbols of Eight major world religions.  The garden is for many of us, our spiritual home. The ground zero, if you will, of our connectivity with the web of life.  
I don't really consider myself a good gardener but mm mm I love dirt. My dog's a digger. Both of us really appreciate that good clean dirt smell. Pine needle dirt, clay dirt, garden loam dirt, hot dry gravel on a mountainside dirt. There's a million kind of dirt smells.
I see wine appreciation courses offered around town. Anyone up for a refreshing introductory class on the deliciousness of dirt?  
Is this deletable?