Making a plaster cast

Today I sculpted a small hanging form out of a homemade oil based clay
and my ol' pal Isaac helped me make a plaster cast. I'm having fun
playing around with a few things like this, now that the rat race is
nearly over for this semester at school.

Adventures in printmaking

Last week our figure drawing class got a quick demonstration on relief printing and then went back upstairs to draw our model. It was a really fun experience to just go for it and start carving away at our MDF boards. After the first class, I went back to my studio and started soaking some unprimed cotton canvas in a cauldron of vinegar, water, and rusty metal. Over the coarse of the week, I stirred the concoction and let air hit different areas. Yesterday I rinsed my fabric out, let it dry, and steam ironed it. I was so pleased with the awesome results I got from the rusting. You just can't buy anything like it. So this morning when we started running our prints, I got to print my woodcut onto my fabric. I LOVED the way it all turned out.

Nest Building

Please click the HQ (high quality) button for a better viewing experience (if you have a high speed connection). This is a time lapse video of my recently completed mixed media sculpture called, "That Which is Empty, May Be Filled". Enjoy...



Or click on this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okFlMkgtu6M

Woodcut Demo

This week in figure drawing we're experimenting with printmaking.
We're drawing directly onto the wood while we have the nude model,
then we'll cut the block and then, print next week. Fun!!

Woman Sized Leather Wings

These wings are made of LEATHER! They are about 7 feet from tip to tip and are painted with acrylics. I made several layers of leather and stitched it all together using sinew. It was made using a wet form process. It took awhile to make them, but overall it was worth it.

Now is the time when we Dance

My nest inspired this spontaneous performance piece. Haha

Beach wedding

This morning we're shooting a wedding at Wrightsville Beach. What a
glorious day for it too. The sky is so blue, and the sand is calling
out for me to dig my toes into it. Luckily it's a very casual wedding,
so no one will be fussy over their clothes and can just enjoy the
experience of celebrating the beginning of this couple's life
together. I love new beginnings!

Feel the Burn

So today I picked up a little blow torch from Harbor Freight and Tool,
one of my favorite haunts. Anyway, if you can make it past my
haggered, end-of-semester look, you'll see that I'm burning a wing
that I cut from wood. The piece I was previously working called "Ode
to Icarus" needed another wing panel, so I cut it and burned it. Next
I'll be adding detail with my wood burning tool and then adding layers
of wax. It's meant to be like a relic.

Bookmaking workshop

Sewing is FUN!! Today I'm taking part in a bookmaking workshop with the textile students. Stay tuned for my finished
product.

Kymia Nawabi, Studio Visit

Had a good chat with Kymia Nawabi about my work when she came to ECU to do a talk. Check out her website: www.kymianawabi.com