Jackie's Art

Bismarck Art Show BAGA

2012-02-13T17:38:00.004-06:00

Life is a whirlwind - and I love it! A trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague, then to Puerto Rico and sandwiched-in visits to our daughters and grandkids. I don't put my suitcase away these days, just wash laundry when I get home and repack for the next trip!

My show at the Bismarck Art Gallery opens on Feb. 28. The reception is March 2 - everyone is invited, the more the merrier! My exhibit is called "Can You See the Forest for the Trees & Prairie Snapshots". I'm posting a few photos here.

Waiting patiently for spring in the north country...

Holiday Art Ornaments, Vases, Jewelry

2011-11-23T08:13:00.004-06:00

Holiday Art Ornaments, Vases, Jewelry.

I've been on the run from home to Wichita to help our daughter and her family while she is on bed rest and pregnant. It has been a special time for me!

I have found time to make some art for the holidays: tree ornaments and holiday decorations, one of a kind art like my Abstract Autumn fused glass work, necklaces, vases, paintings for my show in Oct. at the downtown bakery, and work for the 3rd annual Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show, which was held Nov. 11, 12 and 13.

The sale was a huge success and I raised over $2,000 for our local homeless mission. I donate 1/2 of my art sales to that organization. Check out my etsy shop and know that your purchases help the homeless!

I hope you and yours have a well-blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas, too!

How to teach painting to toddlers

2011-08-15T08:04:00.003-05:00

How to teach painting to toddlers? We recently had our 16 month old grand daughter visiting from Wichita...and I wanted her to have her first painting experience in my studio while she was here.

Important points to remember:

Have your camera ready to catch the artist in action.
Have several old washcloths and a bucket of water handy.
Get everything set up before you bring the child to the painting 'center'.
Use only non - toxic, water based poster or tempera paint!
Don't use water colors. They are too frustrating for young kids as the colors make 'mud' quickly.
Limit the number of colors to 2 or 3, with white, to start with. For more 'attractive' finished pieces use colors that are adjacent on the color wheel, like purple, red and blue. If you want to have the child use colors that are opposite on the color wheel, like purple and yellow, use one color then let it dry before using the second color. You may still get a little mixing (therefore brown/grays) but not nearly as much.
Tape up a really large piece of heavy paper, illustration board or scrap mat board on a wall. Make sure it is really securely attached. And try to keep the tape only on the back or the very edges of the painting surface. Or use a child's easel if you have one...they are great gifts.
Use chubby brushes, with short handles.
Lids from ice cream pails work great as palettes, if you want to wash it or toss it. See below.
Put a paint shirt on the child, and an apron on yourself and wear old clothes both of you!
Let the child 'have at it' - show how to dip the brush in the paint and then on the paper. Give praise!
Encourage explorations - of color mixing, line and mark making. Please don't worry about rinsing out the brush between colors. Kids will lose interest quickly and mixing paint is most of the fun...as you will see on the palette!
Let the child paint her/his hands and 'print' them on the paper, too.
Most toddlers will be 'finished' quickly!
Let the painting dry. Come back to it later to add more or frame it up! Preschool paintings are especially cute framed with a photo of the child making the art work in a double mat inside one frame. One more idea: use a thick paper palette - like another piece of illustration board or mat board and frame that with the art and the photo!

Have fun!

How to use E6000 glue Tips for E6000

2011-05-19T09:03:00.003-05:00

Have you had frustrations with E6000 glue failure? Me, too!

The main things I've learned:
Be sure things to be glued are very clean, free of dust, grime and grease.

Be sure everything is dry.

Use E6000 SPARINGLY! More is not better! The reason: E6000 does not stick well to itself. I put a small amount on the jewelry bail and the matching glass pendant, or a small amount on the glass butterfly and the matching mat board, for example. Next I spread it out very thinly on both surfaces with a small piece of heavy cardboard or a scrap of mat board. After waiting about 1-2 minutes, I press the two surfaces together and apply some weight. I don't move the piece for 24 hrs. to give the bond a good cure time.

I've not had any glue failure after applying the 'less is more' principle with E 6000. I would love to hear any tips or frustrations or comments you may have about E 6000. Or your recommendations about other glues that are 'out there'.

Be sure to browse my etsy shop! I have lots of fun pottery, fused glass, gourds, whimsical acrylic paintings and more. www.jackiesart.etsy.com

Glass Craft and Bead Expo

2011-04-08T13:45:00.002-05:00

We just returned from the Glass Craft and Bead Expo in Las Vegas at the South Point Hotel and Casino. Great place and great educational opportunity - I recommend it, even though the classes are expensive.

I took classes from Dan Jenkins (slip cast mold making), Petra and Wolfgang Kaiser (using Kaiser Lee Board for molds for fused glass) and Photopolymer Masking by Sharon and Barry Kaiser. All the classes were well organized and worthwhile. Now I need to lay in some new supplies so I can practice the techniques I learned.

Another note: I have finished some small clay sculptures that are part of my Whimsical Snapshots of Life on the Prairie series (first part of the series: small acrylic paintings). I plan to get some photos taken and posted here in May...or perhaps earlier.

I get to babysit our grand daughter, Brooke, for two weeks - she normally lives in Wichita but will be a North Dakota baby for a few weeks! Yay!

Laugh a Lot Pottery Jackies Art Jewelry Fused Glass

2011-02-27T08:25:00.004-06:00

I finally spent 2-1/2 days in my pottery studio...working on my own stuff! Hooray! I made covered butter dishes with a variety of knobs: butter churns, cats and flowers and two with "I am the Bread of Life" stamped on the side and a loaf of bread for the knob. I also made bowls and a large plate with "laugh a lot" stamped in the center...I really like how they turned out. I also made ice cream bowls, business card holders and pencil holders. Now I grant you they are not out of the bisque kiln! It is fun to have pottery in progress.

We had a week with our grandkids who live in Minnesota. We were so busy having fun - tea parties, ice skating, making art, playing the Wizard of Oz. Little Jacob, one year old, was Toto the dog...but he didn't know it! I was sad to see them leave!

My art students have started some stone carving projects. They are really just using rasps and files, but we are studying Michelangelo so I wanted them to have some sort of stone experience. I have lots of stone scraps from my own projects.

Take care...spring is on the way (I think!)

Fused Glass Art Kiln Pressed Glass How to Remove Kiln Wash

2011-01-31T08:50:00.002-06:00

Just wondering if anyone knows how to remove kiln wash from fused glass - other than sandblasting. We don't have sandblasting equipment. We do have a grinder, lap wheel, and a dremel with attachnments. I don't know how I can hang on to the piece to hold it on the lap wheel as it is only about 4" in diameter, and flat (1/8" thick). Any ideas appreciated!

I will attend the Glass Craft and Bead Expo in Las Vegas the beginning of March - looking to learn new techniques and excited to see all the new supplies and glass.

I hosted a tie dye birthday party in my studio yesterday. The kids made tie dyed pillow cases, balloon animals and origami book marks. It was great - the kids were all well mannered and fun!

We are looking forward to babysitting our grandkids while their parents have winter vacations in Jamaica and Peru...glad they didn't make plans to go see the Giza Pyramids in Cairo!

I tried making a small piece of kiln pressed glass this weekend. The technique worked well so I was pleased with that...but now to get the excess kiln wash off. If I can figure that out, I will post a photo.

Stay warm...windchill is minus 31 here today. Brrr!

2010-12-07T20:34:00.002-06:00

To Italy and back home again...an awesome journey to a place where art is plentiful, often majestic and totally inspiring! What a blessing to have had this experience.

The Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show was a wonderful success. We are looking forward to next year's event the second weekend in November 2011. I was able to raise over $1200 for the Northlands Rescue Mission; other artists donated to their favorite causes, too.

Hoping your pre-holiday season is relaxed and fun. Merry Christmas!

Holiday Glow November Art Sale & Charity Benefit

2010-10-14T16:21:00.003-05:00

Fused and stained glass, handcarved wooden Santas, Scandinavian decorative art, gourds, textile and fabric art, handmade soap, metal art, natural jewelry, mixed media...these types of art and many more coming soon to Grand Forks. November 12, 5-9pm and Nov. 13, 10am - 5pm.

All artists will be home to invite you in for holiday treats and to view the art in cozy, informal surroundings. A percentage of sales will be donated to the following charities: Kim Wilson (Mountain Brooke PsychoSocial Center), Marian Gates and Terry Kuntz (Community Violence Intervention Center), Sheila Dalgliesh, Karla Nelson, Sandy Johnson and Dianne Paulsen (ArtWise), Paula Kallinen (Fraternal Order of Police), Tom Johnson and Jean Westman (Salvation Army), Carolyn Meisel (Humane Society Circle of Friends), Tom Perdue and Pieper Bloomquist (American Cancer Society) and Jackie Uthus (Northlands Rescue Mission).

Go to: www.jackiesart.com for more information.

Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show Visual Art Grand Forks

2010-09-08T09:22:00.003-05:00

Oh, my gosh, I can't believe the whole summer has happened! We had a wonderful time with family and friends celebrating our daughter's wedding in June, a grand daughter's baptism in July and lots of other fun but more normal summer time events: water fights, time at the lake, garage sales, etc. Monday I start with my weekly art kids!

I've created a whole series of 44 nostalgic paintings called "Whimsical Snapshots of Life on the Prairie". Included: a windmill, oil rig, small town bank, bar, jail, clothesline, horse, cow, chicken and coop, '57 Chevy, Model T, vintage farm truck, sunflower, wheat stalk, grain elevator, grain bin, dilapidated house, barn, night sky, milk truck, one room school house, school bus and many more. I'm listing them on etsy a few at a time...

I have the artists in place for the second annual Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show. The sale will be Nov. 12, 5-9pm and Nov. 13, 1-5pm. Fourteen artists will have 10 open houses to show their art in cozy and informal settings. Refreshments will be served and no admission charged. It will be a wonderful time to shop for special Holiday gifts!

How to use glass paint markers, Jackies Art, fused glass

2010-07-09T07:57:00.003-05:00

Life since December has been a busy blur: Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show in December, grandson Jacob born February 3 in Morris, MN, a trip with my parents the end of that month, granddaughter Brooke born in Wichita in March with some post-birth complications that necessitated me staying to help for almost a month, a family meeting in Bismarck, Jacob's baptism, our middle daughter's wedding in MN in June, Brooke's baptism in Wichita last weekend...I'm still trying to catch up!

I've managed to make a few new art pieces, though. I had fun making pottery frames for felted whimsical houses, that I then embellished with beads and sequins. And I've given away many fused glass houses that I've personalized with names and dates. For example, Johnson House, Est. 2010. This week I'm designing fused glass guardian angels. I really like the little kiln we bought this summer!

A class I offered for kids this summer was painting on glass. At our daughter's wedding we didn't have a traditional guest book. Instead we had a large white platter that everyone signed. We used Vitrea 160 glass paints. After drying for 24 hours I baked it in our conventional oven for 40 minutes at 325. Now the new couple can actually use their guest book. It is even dishwasher safe, although I'd recommend washing it by hand.

For my kids' glass class we used the same paints and markers. Be sure to wash and dry the dish ware first, and clean with a cotton ball soaked in denatured alcohol if it is still greasy at all. Don't skip the 24 hour drying period - longer is better if the paint is applied thickly. Don't use a baking pan, just set the finished art on the oven racks. Turn the oven on, when the preheat light goes off, turn on your timer for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, turn off the oven, open the door. Remove the dishes when they are cool enough to touch. Viola! Lovely art to use, or to hang on the wall.

I'm taking a fused glass class in Winnipeg in Sept. taught by Patty Gray...hope to learn lots and get inspired for creating new art for the 2010 Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show Nov. 12 & 13.

1000Markets.com Pottery Art Sculpture

2010-05-14T08:32:00.004-05:00

http://www.1000markets.com/users/jackiesart

I've listed abstract, simplified ceramic sculptures on my new shop with 1000Markets. Check it out! I also listed two other fun and funky pottery pieces - a 'flower bed' - it holds a little terra cotta pot that is perfect for a mini-cactus or a bedding plant. And I listed a frog plant stand - it, too, holds a little terra cotta pot. It is one of my 'Perfect NM (No Maintenance) Pottery Pets'. Froggy comes complete with a removable tag that promise good behavior!

I've also updated my website: www.jackiesart.com and my etsy shop: www.jackiesart.etsy.com. Cool, unusual and unique items that you won't find any where else. Happy shopping!

Time to Create Art? Fused Glass, Pottery, 1000 Markets, Etsy?

2010-05-08T11:36:00.002-05:00

Two new grand babies - a boy on Feb. 3 and a girl on March 23 - have totally absorbed me the past several months. We've been blessed with healthy babies who are gaining weight and daughters who are recovering well from the child birth process...hooray!

I'm trying to get things updated on my website - I have about 100 art pieces, mostly fused glass and pottery, that need to be photographed and put up for sale. My hubby is helping me get on top of the situation. I'll be updating my etsy shop and starting a shop at 1000 Markets.com, too. I'm excited to try that venue for sales. Has anyone had good success with 1000Markets?

My art and pottery students have finished making the cutest clay rattles and whimsical houses. They are bisque firing at the moment - so next week we can underglaze, glaze and acrylic paint. It will be fun to see their work finished up. We missed several scheduled sessions because I was gone longer than originally anticipated to help with new babies.

After a June wedding, I plan to teach a few kids' classes in June and do some traveling during the rest of the summer. Aspen, Lake Sacakawea, Wichita and in November: Italy!!!

How to create kids' collagraphs

2010-02-18T08:44:00.003-06:00

My art kids have been working with printmaking for a few weeks. They are making a limited edition of 7 to 9 signed and numbered, hand-pulled prints. Most of them are turning out really nice...here are my helpful hints:

1. Give them a piece of mat board, for their collagraph plate, to work on that is a little smaller than the paper they will print with...they will have a nice white border on the edges of their prints and space to sign, title and number them.

2. Encourage them to use lots of glue to hold their pieces in place...gluing right out to the edges.

3. Suggest they cut shapes and pieces from materials that are fairly similar in thickness...like string, yarn, cereal board cardboard (chip board), fabric, etc. If they cut one or more of their shapes from something much thicker it may cause some of the less thick shapes not to print.

4. Spray shellac over the entire collagraph plate, after the glue is entirely dry...drying overnight is best. Be sure the shellac is completely dry, too, before inking the plate. Don't skimp on the shellac.

5. Tape the inking tray to the table, so it doesn't scoot around, before the kids start rolling out the ink. Spritz the inking tray with a little water before adding water soluble ink with a flexible palette knife. Roll the ink and water to mix.

6. Add a spritz of water and a small dab of ink, roll to mix, before inking the plate again or before inking the next plate.

7. Center the paper over the plate, lay it on the bed of the press, adjust the pressure, roll it through. You may need to hold the paper to the plate as it comes through the press...sometimes it will slide around otherwise.

8. Have a bucket of warm, soapy water and some toweling handy so they can keep their hands clean. Prints, sans fingerprints, are much more attractive!

Happy Printing!

PS We have the most beautiful day blessing us...the trees and bushes are totally white with hoar frost. It is gorgeous!

Pro life centers YBL Your Baby Lives

2010-01-16T08:49:00.004-06:00

I dream of establishing a non-profit that would build/set upYBL Alternative Choice Centers (Your Baby Lives) near abortion clinics around the United States.

I'm thinking of non-denominational places where women could go for free contraception (the 'pill' and 'rubbers'/contraceptive creams) and/or natural family planning advice; free medical services; emotional, job and financial counseling; adoption services and free housing through the term of their pregnancies, if that is what they need. I dream of a one-stop place that would support women, and fulfill all their needs so they have a real alternative to abortion.

In how many places near abortion clinics do such YBL places already exist?

What are the statistics that indicate the top five or ten reasons a woman chooses abortion over life? Financial, job, medical or a myriad of other reasons, I'm sure. I'd like to know what the top needs of a woman would be - what are the most important services to offer so that life would be a feasible option in more instances?

January art - inspiration from the cold?

2010-01-02T08:29:00.002-06:00

Minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit! Is it possible to draw artistic inspiration from the cold weather? In North Dakota we try not to let the temperature restrict our activities too much. We go to work, shop and some people play outside...cross country ski, hockey, skate. I'll do my daily walk outside if the wind chill temperature is zero or above. Otherwise I head to the fitness center.

But what kind of inspiration can I or my young students or others with artistic leanings draw from the icebox that we live in? Everything is white - the ground, the roofs, the trees, the sky, the exhaust coming from our constantly running furnaces, the breath we exhale. Snow beneath our feet crunches and squeaks as we step on it. We hear the beep, beep of snowplows in reverse, or the grinding of our neighbors' cars or snowblowers trying to start. We keep our hands covered as everything outside is too cold to touch. The only smells are of gas and exhaust. There is little else to jolt our senses, to stimulate our creative juices. We need to draw from deep within - like Frederick the mouse in the children's story - to remember colors, sights, sounds and smells that we want to convey in our art. These will warm our heART until spring comes to the north...and it will, just not very soon!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-16T08:42:00.001-06:00

Our first ever Holiday Glow Art Sale and Show the first weekend of December was very successful. Here are some tips on hosting open houses to sell handmade art:

Put out yard signs several weeks in advance.

Serve food/drinks that people will enjoy and appreciate…and tell their friends about. We want Friday guests talking up our event on Saturday, perhaps coming back with other friends the next night! Have enough food so you don’t run out, please. We are all dependent on each other – we need to do a nice job.

Have someone as a greeter at your door if you worry about people walking out with unpaid items. Your greeter can say hello, hang coats and remind people to remove their shoes.

Be organized with your cash box, bags and boxes, tissue, etc. Also, people love on-the-spot gift wrapping!

Have holiday music playing and festive décor to set the mood and encourage purchasing gifts.

Make your business cards/brochures readily available.

Be sure your door prize (if you are offering one) is attractively presented and the slips/deposit box/pencils are user-friendly. Have a form people can sign to be on your mailing or emailing list.

Wear your nametag, smile & introduce yourself, invite questions about your work and then back off so guests can browse.

Email or send out ‘hint cards’. People fill out the card with gifts that they’d like to be given, from your selection of inventory. They return the card/email to you. You pass along the hints to their spouse/significant other.

Call and personally invite as many of your friends and acquaintances as you can. Don’t forget about people at your church, your neighbors and at your work place. People are much more likely to show up if they’ve had a phone call. We can expect a turnout of ¼ of the people who find out about our sale.

Be sure you have distributed all your postcards (hand out personally or mail). Please hang up your flyers in public places. Many businesses will allow flyers/postcards in their break rooms, even if they don’t allow them in the lobby, etc. Our signs and printed material will be wasted investments if we don’t get them out into our community.

If you know people in the smaller outlying communities, please be sure they know about our event. Ask them to put out flyers/postcards in their towns. Lots of people in these communities will come to GF for a special night out like this.

Use your email contacts and any social networking sites you belong to (such as Facebook, Plaxo, etc.) to tell people now about our event. And remind them again a day or two before our event.

Visual art sale & show, Grand Forks, ND, December 4 & 5

2009-11-04T08:05:00.002-06:00

Curious about the artists who are participating in the Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show? Fifteen artists at twelve open houses, Dec. 4 & 5, from 5-9pm, both Friday and Saturday nights. Besides myself (I like to make fused glass art; pottery (functional and sculptural); giant painted and woodburned gourds lamps and mini-gourd clocks; weavings and tapestries, and table/lamp combos that I call "lamples". I will have a variety of work to show and sell for holiday gift giving during the Holiday Glow event.

Also participating in the Holiday Glow event are: Dyan Rey, Connie Hodgson, Marian Gates, Carolyn Meisel, Pat Danielson, Terry Kuntz, Laura Look, Karla Nelson, Sheila Dalgleish, Tessa Hiney, Pirjo Berg, Paula Kallinen and Tom Perdue. These artists specialize in oil painting, water color, wood carving, mixed media, sculptural garden art and jewelry. Go to: www.jackiesart.com to see photos of artists' work as well as to obtain a printable map so you know who is participating and where the various open houses are located. Each artist will have some sort of holiday treat to share and many will give away a door prize, too! (Each home will have a yard sign and their lights on so you will know you are at the right places.)

This Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9am - 5pm I will be at the C'Mon Inn on 32nd Ave. S. in Grand Forks participating in a Holiday Art Sale. A different group of wonderful artists - come see!

Holiday Art Sale & Show (visual art) in Grand Forks,

2009-10-27T08:04:00.002-05:00

The Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show is storming ahead, full blast! It has been a lot of work so far, but I'm learning new things every day about logos, yard signs, advertising, etc. And I'm learning that a contribution of $25 per artist doesn't buy much! Next year, we'll each have to chip in more. I have enough to buy post cards, yard signs and about thirty 8 x 11 colored flyers. I was hoping to have a bit of money left for an ad in the newspaper but we'll all have to do our best to get the word out and about through our big mouths instead!

Artists will have their homes open and show their work, with holiday treats to share with those who stop by to browse and buy art for holiday gifts. I chose a weekend when the UND hockey team is out of town - otherwise too many people would be at "the Ralph"! Now if only the weather cooperates, we'll be in great shape. We don't usually have big blizzards that early in December, but we do live in North Dakota and blizzards are a definite possibility any time after mid-October.

Put Friday, Dec. 4 & Saturday, Dec. 5 from 5-9pm, on your calendar and plan to attend the Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show...no admission charged!

Holiday Art Show (visual art) in Grand Forks

2009-10-08T08:13:00.003-05:00

Holiday Glow Art Sale & Show. It's a new event I've organized for Grand Forks. Friday and Saturday evenings, Dec. 4 & 5, 5pm-9pm. Artists will open their homes (or an alternative site) and display their creative art...in time for holiday shopping! Nothing says "I care" like a gift that is hand crafted and one of a kind, not run of the mill. I'm super excited about it, as are the artists that I invited to participate. We will all serve treats, like wine & cheese, or hot chocolate or hot cider and Christmas goodies. I'm looking for an inexpensive yard sign (like political signs) that I can put the Holiday Glow logo on for the artists to put in their yards a few weeks before the event.

I've ordered a bunch of fusable glass. I'm letting my 33 art kids make their own Christmas gift this year. I'll cut blanks for them and small shapes out of various colors. They will design their own glass work, and I'll fire their pieces and have them out right before Christmas. They are super excited about it. And so am I!

Fused glass, Jackie's Art

2009-10-01T15:34:00.002-05:00

YAY! My fused glass projects came out of the kiln and I really like how they turned out! I'm hanging them this afternoon at the Dakota Harvest Bakery downtown Grand Forks. I hope to get photos taken and list them on my website shop and etsy shop.

My art kids are doing an Eric Carle unit - their stories turned out well and the cut paper collage is also going better than I expected!

Hooray!

Fused Glass, Eric Carle

2009-09-23T10:24:00.002-05:00

Time just races by! We are planning a June wedding for our middle daughter - fun and exciting! In between calls to DJ's and reception places, etc., I'm lesson planning and making art.

I made some fused glass plates last weekend. It has been too long since I did any fused glass work so it took me about an hour or two to sort of get into the right mind set. However, I finished 5 plates and got them in the kiln. Two need to be fired to a higher temp but the others I like. I'll try to get photos up here, and get them listed on etsy and my website.

I started a unit on Eric Carle with most of my art students this week. They painted beautiful, textured papers and came up with characters and a plot for an original story. I'll flesh their story ideas out onto paper, write the text and get the stories ready for cut paper illustrations, in the Eric Carle style. Next week the kids can each do a page or two. I hope the books turn out well! I'll try to post some photos of their work here, too.

Hope you and yours are well blessed in this beautiful autumn season!

Pottery Pets and Flower Beds

2009-09-11T06:55:00.003-05:00

Pottery pets and flower beds...my newest ceramic creations are for sale in two local gift shops. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to take photos and get them posted here. I'm starting my weekly art kids next week and have lots of ideas that I want to explore with them this year, including fused glass.

Today we are getting company for the weekend. Our daughter, Jennifer and her little girls, Taylor and Haley, are coming for a slumber party, according to Taylor. My birthday is Monday so they will celebrate early with us. A couple of my sisters will visit this weekend, too. One of them on her way to a wedding and the other is coming for the Brittany Spears concert. That is a big event our city is geared up for this weekend.

Our middle daughter, Sara, is engaged! They have set June12 next summer as the day they say their vows. It is fun to be planning a wedding again!

Soon I hope my life slows down a bit and I can get some pictures taken, my website updated and write about more interesting things in my blog!

Abortion, Visual Art, Weaving Coasters

2009-08-26T07:46:00.004-05:00

Some babies die by accident, none should die by choice. Wake up, abortion supporters in this country...let's not kill our youngest! Life is a miraculous gift and there are so many couples who cannot concieve. Let's encourage and support pregnant women so they follow through, carry their babies to term and give them up for adoption...bless the lives of couples who are suffering heartbreak and heartache and emptiness for want of a child. Give the gift of live to them!

Another topic: school starts soon and that means new art will be created by lots of kids. I'm excited to get my students started! We will start on Sept. 14 - I just can't decide if I want to start with some basic color theory or the principles of design. Actually, we'll probably review the art elements first and then go from there. I have lots of returning students and a few new ones, too. It is always fun to have new students as the group dynamics change and that is fun for all.

I've got a set of coasters on my table top loom...plan to get those off the loom this week and knot up or sew the edges, depending on how my time goes the rest of the week...my 'list' is long! I really want to get a denim rug woven on my floor loom, too but it needs warping first and that is SUCH a big job! I almost feel too old to get down on my hands and knees to get it done. I wonder if I can pay someone to warp it?

Last night when I was walking the ice cream truck came down the street. It had the music blaring to alert the kids that it was in their neighborhood. The not-so-seasonally appropriate song it was playing? Silent Night!

Our rabbit trap has not been successful all summer...but our window well was. Eric found the fur and skeleton of a dead rabbit in the window well last week. One down, 10,000+ to go!

How to travel 3,600+ miles in 9 days, Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright, Pennsylvania's attractions

2009-08-17T07:55:00.004-05:00

How can you travel over 3,600 miles in 9 days? Sit in your vehicle and drive like madmen for over 12 hours every day for 3 days! Stop to pee, grab a DQ blizzard and burger and get right back in your car. Drop lots of money at the toll booths. Arrive at your destination. Take 3 days off (go shopping, head to the beach). Drop off your Uhaul trailer - if you've had the non-joy of pulling one for the first 1,800 miles. Then get up and head back towards home, repeating the process. This whole business is easier if you have made hotel reservations each day before arriving at your rest stop. It is definitely not fun to drive around looking for a hotel after you've already been in the car for 12 hours. Have GPS or a AAA TripTik so you know where you are going. Have a bottle of Ibuprofen handy because your head and back and butt will ache like never before. Carry a TENS (muscle stimulator) unit with you so you can use it at night in your hotel room. Carry lots of Butterfingers to satisfy your sweet tooth and lots of sunflower seeds to help you stay awake!

We just returned home from a grueling drive out to the East coast to move our youngest daughter to New Bedford, MA for graduate school in ceramics. The U of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, has a good program that she will begin this fall. It was fun to get her settled and acquainted in this former whaling town...now in a large metro area, including Fall River and Taunton.

On our way home we took a detour south and stopped for an afternoon in Gettysburg to do a Battlefield Tour and to see Eisenhower's farm, situated right next to the Gettysburg battlefield. Both were well worth the extra driving time... The next day we stopped at the Kaufman vacation home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Kaufmans founded a department store chain, headquartered in Pittsburgh. This home was almost unbelievable. I'm still marveling at the beauty of the home in its natural setting over the water falls, as well as the cool design features that Wright included. All the furniture was built in as the home was built. There are multiple decks, in the sun or the shade, so everyone could be happy!

We loved Pennsylvania - there is so much to see and do, that we'd love to go back for a 2 week vacation some time. We had no time to see Amish land, Hershey, Pittsburgh or any of the historical attractions in Philadelphia. Driving through the tree covered mountains, in misty fog, and crossing multiple bridges was relaxing and so picturesque! We want to go back!

We had a painter working inside our home while we were gone so it was fun to get home and see the changes...now new flooring and some new furniture and this old home will be spiffed up and ready for a new school year.

Kiln motor blows, kids' pottery, Bismarck art show and rabbits avoid the trap!

2009-07-24T10:39:00.004-05:00

I can't believe we already needed to replace the blower motor on our kiln vent. It only lasted 3 years. The amount of rust and junk inside where the vent hose connects to the motor was crazy! I wonder if it is normal? I fire to cone 05 most of the time, with occasional firings to cone 5 and 6. I was shocked to find out that a new motor would be $85, plus the gas to drive 144 miles to pick it up and bring it home. When I told the guy I thought it would cost about $15- $20 he looked flabbergasted. I don't shop for motors very often...

Anyway, the kiln is full of really precious pottery - made by kids age 3-1/2 to 13 years. I can't wait to see how it turns out. Hopefully, nothing will come out cracked. I always tell the kids cracks are possible and to not fall in love with their pieces until the pots are out of the final firing.

I've made a lot of new pieces for the Bismarck (ND) Art Affair on the Capital Grounds next weekend. I hope the weather is great, not too hot because then the shoppers stay home and not too windy because then stuff gets dirty and blows over. I also hope the mosquitoes are under control - last year they were FEROCIOUS! Check out my new work - we'll get it posted to my shop (www.jackiesart.com) the middle of August.

We haven't trapped a single rabbit, despite my husband's best efforts. Someone in our neighborhood told us it is impossible to trap them in the summer because there is so much for them to eat that they aren't the least bit interested in the bait (even though it has been delicious spinach and peanut butter!) in the trap. Eric dug up 48 feet of zinnias that the rabbits chewed down to nothing. I miss the flowers that are usually so colorful by this time of year. Darn rabbits!

Visual Art, Pottery, Oil Painting, Virtual Visits, Google Street View

2009-07-14T08:48:00.004-05:00

I got this info from my art teacher exchange site. This site has ideas and help for teachers in the visual art field. I thought it was really interesting and fun and am passing it along.

"Need some inspiration for your summer art and travels? Or are you having a
"staycation" this year? Here is an interesting site to rev you up:

http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/ This is a network of artists who
virtually visit predetermined cities all over the world each month and paint
or draw from city views that appear on Google's Street View. They then post
their work on the blog. Interestingly, Google has given its okay for the
artists to use screen shots of the views and sell their work if Google is
credited in the labels or descriptions."

I went to the site to check it out and it's worth a look. I may use it with my students this year.

I'm working in my pottery studio today making 'garden guests' or 'patio pals'...I can't decide what to call them. They are little creatures like slugs and lady bugs and cats and puppies that hold terra cots pots. Which name do you like best?

How to catch a rabbit, new pottery design, other random thoughts

2009-07-08T22:04:00.002-05:00

How to catch a rabbit? We don't know! Two nights in a row we have tried and each morning the trap was empty. Tonight will be the night, though! There are lots of hints on the internet, like wash the trap and get rid of any human smell and then handle it with gloved hands, use apples and peanut butter for bait - cut the pieces small and make a line of bait leading into the trap, and set it in the path where you know they run. We have your number, neighborhood rabbits!

I've been working on pottery for the garden this week - new designs that I will have for sale soon on my website and etsy and also at the Capitol Art Fair in Bismarck, ND the first weekend in August. The first of them are in the bisque kiln right now - hopefully, I've figured the size correctly and they will indeed hold flower pots after firing. I hate doing the math to figure out the shrinkage, so I always just guess...dumb, I know.

I'll be in the kitchen tomorrow preparing a lot of food for a family reunion we are having this weekend in honor of my dad's 80th birthday. He is still working every day, even though he is retired...taking care of property and other investments, doing the yard work and vacuuming since my mom can't manage that any longer. I hope I'm still as blessed when I'm 80!

Visual Art and Wedding Gifts

2009-06-29T08:49:00.003-05:00

Visual art and weddings - do they go together? Yes, of course! What bride and groom would not love handmade, one of a kind art for a wedding gift? So many times wedding gifts are chosen from 'big box' stores where the couple has registered. Sure, these gifts are needed and wanted. But if you really want to give a special twosome a gift they will remember, think about choosing a gift made by one of your local artists, or shop online.

The Internet has made this sort of gift giving practical. There are virtually no restraints because of distance - gifts can be chosen from nearly any where and shipped to almost any where else because of secure Internet shopping. And more and more artists are finding that it is almost necessary to have a presence online...so the selection of 'handmade' has never been better.

I have lots of handmade items that are perfect gifts for bridal showers and weddings. Some items, like my sculptures, weavings and tapestries, would be perfect for decorating a new space and other items, like wine charms and pottery, are functional, handmade pieces! Check out my online shops at www.jackiesart.etsy.com and www. jackiesart.com. I will be adding more items to both shops in about 10 days - everything I make is handmade from start to finish so you can be assured that your gift will be treasured and appreciated in the years to come! Happy shopping!

Pekin Art Show, Walter Piehl, Art and Wine Walk, How to Clean a Gourd

2009-06-23T20:39:00.002-05:00

I'm excited for tomorrow - Pekin, North Dakota, a small town in the eastern part of the state, is hosting an artists reception. They are hosting their BIG art show and sale this weekend and the reception is a nice preview event. Wine and snacks will be served and Walter Piehl, premier cowboy artist, will be there. He is the judge for the art show. I wish he'd want to do a little art trading!!!

The June Art and Wine Walk was last Saturday - I had good success selling at River City Jewelers so that was awesome. I said goodbye to my grain bin piggy bank - the one with the skunk skulking nearby! It went to a good home - the editor of our local newspaper and his wife bought it. They live in the country and it seems they have a real life quonset, complete with a skunk family, on their property. Now they have one for inside the house, too!

Our daughter, Jennifer and two granddaughters were here for a long weekend. We LOVE having them and miss them dearly when they go home. They provide us with lots of fond and fun memories!

Since I've had some inquiries on my gourd art, I thought I'd share my best tips for cleaning the hard shell variety, once they are completely dried out. I take a large plastic tub, fill it half way with hot water and detergent. Add a bunch of gourds and lay old wet towels on top to try to weight them down so they stay in the water. Add more water till the tub is full. Put the lid on and wait overnight.

The next day, take the gourds out, one at a time so they stay wet. Use a copper scrubbie to remove the white and black molds, under running water. I wear rubber gloves because I think it is sort of a gross job. If some mold is stubborn, I use a butter knife to scrape it. Rinse. Set aside on a towel to air dry. Be sure there are no holes, where birds have pecked at them, or mice have nibbled, before you put them in the water to soak.

Tea Party, Visual Art Fest, Art and Wine Walk

2009-06-15T09:26:00.002-05:00

I'm just waiting for the kids who are signed up for my class: Fancy Hats and a Tea Party, too. Five little princesses will be here to decorate hats with ribbons, bows, beads and glitter. We'll feast on cookies, mints, chocolate and lemonade. I am skipping the cucumber sandwiches because I think they'd suffer rejection!

This afternoon a group is coming to learn how to draw faces. We are going to work on white boards first and then do a final drawing on art board with conte' crayon or charcoal...their choice.

This past weekend was the annual art fest here in Grand Forks. There was a wonderful turnout to celebrate the great weather and admire and buy the work of the talented artists who participated. Our daughter, Amy, had a vendor booth and was a demonstrating artist. I was a proud mother! You can check out her work at www.amyuthus.com!

Next weekend I will show and sell my art at River City Jewelers downtown...part of downtown's Art and Wine Walk. I hope we are blessed with crowds of people and good weather, too!

Art at New York City's MOMA, and the Lion King, too!

2009-06-08T21:33:00.003-05:00

Tired but energized - that is the end result of four days in New York City. Such fun at the MOMA - seeing the great paintings and sculptures, taking crazy photos! The Lion King is absolutely THE best - worth a trip to NYC just for that show! Now I'm trying to get caught up on art registrations, email, laundry and other mundane things you get to forget about while on vacation!

New York City Art Visit

2009-05-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

I'm soon off to NYC with our daughters - we are seeing some of the sights, the Lion King and hopefully, some famous art, too. We are tying in a visit to New Bedford, MA to apartment hunt for one of our daughters. Hubbie is staying home to work so we have money to spend on our trip!

We had a great week with our granddaughter, Taylor. We played Wii bowling and she got 171. Pretty good for a 3 year old! She beat me by 20+ pins! We traveled to Minneapolis over the weekend to celebrate our nephew, Brandt's wedding. It was beautiful and we were thankful we could share time with them.

Gotta pack - hoping to get back to art making when I get home! God bless you and yours!

Memorial Day, Abortion, Photographic Equipment, Ceramic & Wood Table: Visual Art for the Living Room

2009-05-22T08:49:00.005-05:00

We purchased a SLR camera, gray background paper and a set of lights and filters...a huge investment but hopefully, it will enable us to step up the quality of images we use on my website, etsy and my blog. Also, hubbie wants to be able to do some astrophotography!

The kiln is running with the last of the kids' pottery being glaze fired...always sort of sad to have a school year end and know when they come back in the fall they'll be a little more grown up. And too soon they'll be gone.

I'm dreaming about my next big ceramic project. I'm using a beautiful cross section wood plank, with ceramic puzzle-type pieces around it and diamond willow legs, bluish glazes, I think. Haven't quite decided on that. I may go with more natural earth colors. I can't wait to get started on it!

Housecleaning and grocery shopping today - company coming for the Memorial Day weekend. It is always fun to have family here. Random thoughts while cleaning: remembering the veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces, with thanksgiving for their bravery, sacrifices and patriotism. Also, remembering little babies killed by abortion because no one is protecting their right to life. How can we protect unborn eagles, nesting bird environments, whales and other living creatures and kill our own babies???

How to Create a Sculpture Project Using Wire and a Sock: Visual Art That is Abstract and Easy to Make

2009-05-15T11:02:00.007-05:00

My art kids were really curious about how we would turn pantyhose into sculpture (most of them didn't even know what pantyhose are - I asked them to check with their moms and bring in any old pantyhose with runs!).

We used a 3 foot length of strong yet bendable wire (it has to be able to hold its shape), one leg of pantyhose, white glue, Gorilla Glue, one inch foam brushes, a small block of pine wood (about 5 x 5 x 1), dried split peas, white rice, chow mein noodles and black eyed peas, big wood beads (you could use big bright colors ones, instead, and glue them on after spray painting) and spray paint (I favor gold and silver because they are so 'showy' for the kids). You'll also need a drill for drilling two holes in each wood base.

Before the kids arrived (actually the night before) I used gorilla glue to secure a wire (each end of it) into each wood base. Be sure to moisten the drilled hole in the wood with a drop or two of water before you apply the glue to the wire end and push it into the wood base. I pushed it all the way through the wood and bent it back underneath to secure it well.

Each student put the sock on their wire, pulling it over the top of the wire, down the length of the wire, and stretching it to pull it over the edge of the wood base all the way around. Then they pulled on the wire to bend and curve it - until they were pleased with the shape of the sculpture.

Next step: paint the whole thing with white glue. Let it dry and paint it again. Let it dry and paint it again! Lastly paint areas of it and place or throw (the most fun!) peas, beans, chow mein noodles and rice at the gluey areas. Some of it will stick. If you have too much glue some of the dried 'textures' will slide with the glue as it runs down, creating a nice line! Glue big wood beads for feet on the bottom corners - or all the way around - of the wood base. Let the sculpture dry again.

Take it outside and spray paint - voila! An wonderful abstract sculpture that was easy, messy and fun and inexpensive to make!

How to Add Interest to a Visual Art Blog? Art Surveys, Art News and Art Prints

2009-05-11T09:48:00.006-05:00

I've been reading articles on how to gain readership on visual art blogs. Some of the advice seems worthwhile and I thought I'd give it a try. After going to the "Add a Gadget" section for customizing a blog I was overwhelmed with the thousands of gadgets available. I don't want gadgets that are not visual art related or related to kids' art. So I searched for art gadgets - and guess what? There were only 25, not 25,000! So I picked a few (rotating famous art prints, the survey - which I added a few days ago, and a feed for art news), added them and we'll see how it goes. I'd love a comment or two from you, to let me know what you think of my additions. There are at least 17 other art gadgets to choose from so I'll change it up now and then.

I'm thinking I'll have an early summer contest - the prize will be a set of 6 pottery 'word' wine charms. Watch for the start of the contest coming soon. If you leave me a comment or become one of my 'followers' I will put your name in the drawing.

Now, about the new LONG list of labels on my blog...I didn't really understand until today what the labeling process was all about. Now that I do, I'll categorize my posts into several more common ones, so that someone who is looking for a particular subject won't have to scroll through so many labels. My understanding is there isn't a way to get rid of them once they've been used. I'm going to do some more checking on that! I guess they don't hurt anything just by existing!

I'm getting started on some new pottery this week and I'm 'itchin' to start a new weaving, too! I only have two times left with my weekly art students - the year has gone by too quickly! We have a nice day for the kids to work outside - hooray, because we are making a mess!

Yay! New listings on my website shop!

2009-05-08T15:11:00.004-05:00

Oh, what a relief! New listings are up on my website. I still have a couple of stoneware bowl sets to list, but I'm thankful for the new items that are up! Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Mother's Day we are celebrating with our daughter and her family. Her youngest has been sick with throwing up and diarrhea all week so we are praying she'll feel better soon. Maybe she needs Grandma to rock and sing the ABC song to her (even though my singing voice is atrocious, she hasn't ever looked at me and asked me to stop!).

I've been having some fun on Facebook - mostly shocking the younger people who wonder if FB is being taken over by the 50' something crowd! One of my daughters has blocked me from seeing her 'wall'...hmm, is there something I should know that I don't? Or maybe mothers don't need to know everything! I remember that was my attitude when I was 20' something.

Have a wonderful weekend.

PS I've been posting new items on my etsy shop, too!

Sunshine is energizing!

2009-05-01T18:44:00.004-05:00

The sun is shining! And it is energizing me! Today I listed a lot of new items to my etsy shop and have more to get done tonight. Then I'll be adding new items to my own website shop, too. And I placed new items at the Canad Inn, Third Street Gallery, Forks Frame Up and Dakota Harvest Bakers. It feels so good to have those tasks taken care of for a short while, anyway.

I've been researching artfulhome.com as a possible place to list my tables, lamps and lamples. It is a juried online shop and print catalog so I've been working on my application. The need for professional photos are creating a quandry for me. Should I invest in a better camera, lights and some backdrops and 'set up' a photography studio for myself? Or should I bite the bullet several times a year and pay a professional to take the photos for me? Anyone have advice for me?

I'm excited to get to work, now that it is spring, on some new tables. I want to use the diamond willow branches that my brother-in-law kindly hauled 350 miles east for me. And I want to do some new ceramic table tops to go with them...lots of ideas.

I'm really missing our little granddaughters. We had so much fun - I just finished putting together a photo album that will help them remember their visit with Grandma!

I sold 5 tatami mats this morning that have been taking up space in my closet for over 5 years. The buyers were thrilled to have them and I was thrilled they will store them instead of me!

I only have 3 times left with my weekly students before we take summer break. We are finishing up with sculpture and I'm really looking forward to that. I love three dimensional work with kids - it is something they usually don't experience!

Yes, a sculpture sale!

2009-04-22T09:51:00.002-05:00

The glaze kiln is unloaded and a sale is made! I sold an abstract sculpture of two people 'connecting' to a local guy. He purchased it as a wedding gift for his niece. I personalized it with a design using the date of their wedding and their first names. It seemed he was happy with it so that made me happy!

I'll be taking photos of the new pottery today. I had some sculptural pieces in this kiln as well as some functional work. A few of the pieces need to go into the pottery graveyard as the glazes ran too much - not all over the kiln shelves, thankfully, but enough so that I want to trash a few of the pieces instead of keep them. The old saying, 'Don't love your work until it is out of the last firing' certainly holds true. I am trying to get the hang of a few new glaze combinations so I'm sure I'll add more pots to the graveyard in the future!

Glaze kiln loaded

2009-04-20T01:39:00.002-05:00

I just fired up a glaze kiln - its almost 2am and I had a hurry-up glaze session going tonight. I taught a kids' pottery class today so as soon as they finished I cleaned up that mess and started glazing. One of the sculptural pieces in this kiln is sold - pending approval of the final appearance - and it is needed as a wedding gift. The purchaser is flying out on Wednesday so I need this sculpture out of the kiln on Tuesday, hence the rush job.

My daughter, Amy, came down at midnight and helped me finish up so that was awesome. She also made homemade chicken dumpling soup for supper! I have several styles of flower vases/centerpieces in the kiln, pasta dishes, dipping bowls for salsa, flavored oils, wasabi, etc., larger bowls, some madonnas and a couple other sculptures. I hope things turn out - glazing always makes me nervous. I'd so much rather just make the pieces and let someone else worry about glazing them!

We are missing our granddaughters - it was SO fun having them for a week. I'm putting together a photo album of our time together and will send it along with some things I forgot to pack and a few little gifts I got on sale.

I'll post photos here of my new pottery - be sure to come back and check it out!

Locked out!

2009-04-17T21:14:00.005-05:00

We were about to leave on a shopping trip for new pj's, shoes and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back when I decided I needed to bring along some Kleenex for my granddaughters. But as I turned the knob on the door, I realized it was locked. Taylor, age 3, locked the door as we went out. The key was in the house. Another memory made!

I have a lot to get done in a day and a half, after our granddaughters leave tomorrow. I need to get a bunch of bisqueware glazed and fired so I can open the kiln by Tuesday. One of the sculptural pieces is sold - to be a wedding gift next weekend! I hope it turns out!

I finished my final report today for the North Dakota Council on the Arts. They gave me a Professional Development grant to attend the NCECA conference last week. Thank you to them!

Granddaughters visit!

2009-04-15T21:19:00.002-05:00

Taylor and Haley are here visiting for the week. My kids' art and pottery classes are canceled because of Easter and spring break so this was an ideal time to have the little visitors. They are age 3 and 1. We've been outside to play, although it is still chilly most of the snow is gone, and to the indoor playground. Taylor went with me to the dentist today and thought that was great...she was really good while we were there. Yesterday we went to the library for story time. The story teller noticed we were new and asked Taylor, "What is your name?" "Hannah," Taylor answered. For whatever reason she always tells people her name is Hannah!

She has enjoyed making birthday cakes in my pottery studio - she takes a wad of clay and lays on it with her belly to flatten it. Then she adds a bunch of buttons for candles, we sing 'Happy Birthday' and have a pretend party. She went into the bathroom to wash her hands later as I was putting the clay and tools away. After a while she yells in a sing-song voice, "Grandma Jackie, water is going everywhere!". I rushed in to find she had plugged the sink drain and water was indeed going everywhere, and had been for quite some time! Grand Forks hasn't been flooded this spring but my basement has!

NCECA in Phoenix

2009-04-11T09:26:00.002-05:00

I laid awake all last night in our hotel room in Phoenix thinking over my experiences at the NCECA conference the last three days. Besides being lucky enough to win a couple of nice door prizes, I met up with a friend I met at Anderson Ranch a few years ago and had lots of shared experiences with our daughter, Amy. We met quite a few new potters, listened to some interesting lectures and discusssions, watched demonstrations by other ceramicists and potters, and learned about new tools from vendors. All in all it was a wonderful time - I hope to make good use of some or all of the new information in my work and with my young students. Hopefully, they will benefit from my time here, too.

Winter won't leave!

2009-04-03T13:00:00.002-05:00

Winter won't leave! So I'm taking off instead. Headed next week for Phoenix and NCECA, a gathering of potters/ceramicists from around the country and around the world. It is my first NCECA time, but hopefully not my last. I was lucky enough to attend a few national gatherings of art educators when I was teaching for our local school district. I expect this to be just as exciting and rejunvenating!

I'm headed to my pottery studio in a few minutes to do some cleaning and make a few pottery flower bowls. I didn't get enough pottery made before NCECA to fire the kiln so my cup for the cup exhibit/auction won't be ready. I'm kind of disappointed because it is unique, some may say weird, but I like it. It is one of a kind and big enough to be a soup cup, with a handle and some nice texture. I'll post a photo after it is out of the glaze kiln.

I have a kiln full of kids' glazed pottery, but am going to let them help unload it on Monday. It is always fun to lift off the shelves and see how things have turned out. I really encouraged them to use enough underglaze this time around. They are usually in such a hurry that the colors are spotty and not even. Maybe they did a better job this time? We'll see.

The Red River level is falling here after the third highest crest in history. Not a drop of water escaped our new levee/dike system - awesome! Prayers were answered!

Fargo flood video

2009-03-28T09:03:00.000-05:00

If you are curious about the Fargo flood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdxtwROYTgE

Flood Fight

2009-03-26T09:18:00.005-05:00

The Red River is on a rampage again this spring. We have been flooded twice by this normally placid river. In '79 it unexpectedly filled our basement while we were gone. We had gone out to my sister's, 350 miles west of here, for the weekend. One of my other sisters called on Saturday morning and said, "I have really bad news for you...your house is flooded." We thought she was joking. She wasn't. We came home - the water was within 1" of our main floor. We threw everything into junk piles for the trash trucks to pick up.

In '97 the Red rose again to unprecedented, 100 year levels. This time we hauled everything out of our basement dry, much to the disgust of our teenage daughters who were enlisted to help. ("This is so crazy - we are miles from the river - it'll never flood our house.") It did...dikes broke and all the water gushed across our flat city. We threw only one bed that somehow we had forgotten about after setting it up against the wall to get it later. And we threw carpet and sheetrock and insulation.

Now our city has a dike protection system. We are counting on it this year...everything is staying in place in our homes. This will be the first time the system is tested...so we are nervous but hopeful.

We are praying for everyone in Fargo, North Dakota who are in the flood fight of their lives. Two of my sisters live there and they have been working 'round the clock to build sandbag dikes in their neighborhoods. I can feel their aching bodies and know what is going through their minds. It is an emotional roller coaster of fear and hope. Several of my art students live next to the Red in Grand Forks. They, too, are fighting the waters, as they are outside the protection of the new dike system. Please keep the communities along the Red River in your thoughts and prayers for the next several weeks until the river crests and subsides.

On another note, there are a few days left of my grand opening sale. My website now has an online store! Go to www.jackiesart.com and click on my gallery. Everything is 20% off through the last day of March.

Saturday musings

2009-03-14T07:58:00.003-05:00

We are heading to our daughter, Jennifer's, shortly to meet up with them and our middle daughter, Sara, who is on spring break from teaching math in Wichita. I feel so blessed to have our family! I got to thinking about something I'd read a couple weeks ago about abortion, the killing of our unborn and how crazy our thinking has become.

Excerpts from another's writing: "We have become desensitized as a nation. The crime of killing an eagle is punishable by a fine of $100,000 or a year in jail. There are laws against harming an unborn eagle, but we allow the killing of unborn human babies. We save the owls, whales and trees but not our children."

I just don't get it. How can we, as a society, condone this? Let's save and protect our babies and place them in loving adoptive homes. Let them bless the lives of couples who cannot have their own children. Let's stop using abortion as birth control, support and help the women who are pregnant and don't want to be. Let's enable them, emotionally, medically and financially, to carry their babies full-term. Let's use some of the billions and billions of economic recovery dollars to develop programs for these mothers.

Praying for the baby killing to stop...and appreciating so much our family and the young people who come to me for art in their lives. May your Saturday be blessed!

Another Blizzard

2009-03-10T13:32:00.004-05:00

Oh, my gosh! We are having ANOTHER blizzard! I cancelled all my kids' classes today and school is cancelled all over the region. I decided to work in my pottery studio and have been throwing a large bowl and matching small bowls for my nephew. He is getting married the end of May. I hope he and his fiance' like chips and salsa! My hands are cold from being in water and working with the clay. My clay is sort of hard so it is being difficult and has a mind of its own.

I'm hoping to make a bisque mold today, too, so it is quicker for me to make small mother and child figurines. I'll be able to press clay into the mold, so each one will still be individually made. But because it should be a quicker process, I'll be able to price them for less. I'm looking to price them right under $30...we'll see!

The yarn I ordered a week ago finally arrived...after I called the company yesterday and complained about the lack of service. I was disappointed because last time I ordered from them, I had the yarn the following day. I'm making clog slippers for everyone in our family. I've made one pair but haven't felted them so I hope the size will be OK. We don't have a top loading washer so I'm waiting to felt them at our daughter's house this weekend.

Stay warm and if you are in a sunny place, enjoy and appreciate it!

Yay! My online shop is OPEN!

2009-03-04T21:43:00.003-06:00

My online shop is up and running! It is 3 months later than I hoped, not in time for Christmas shopping or even Valentine's Day gifts, but just in time for getting something special for St. Patrick's Day. Hmmm, I guess I do have a few green items!

Check it out at www.jackiesart.com. Go to my shop and check it out, OK? I'm offering a "It's Finally Up & Running" coupon, good for 20% off anything in the shop! You'll need to use coupon code JArt2009 when you check out (put it in the 'redemption code' box). The discount will be figured in for you. The celebration sale is on for purchases through March 31 only.

I haven't had time to list everything, like my gourd clocks and Lamples. I hope to get those in the shop in the next week or two. And I'm making a new kiln full of pottery so look for those pieces in the future, too.

Please let me know if you feel the shop is not user friendly - I'd love your feedback as I'm new to this and would like to get it right! Thanks!

PS I donate 1/2 of my sales to our local homeless shelter to help them in the good work they do in our community.

back to ceramics

2009-02-27T21:57:00.003-06:00

I made it to my pottery studio with time for myself today! It seems like ages since I've had several hours to myself - just me and my clay. I worked on sculptures today - both are of couples, kindred spirits, simplified forms. One sculpture is high and lanky, the other is short and squat. I like how they are both turning out. I covered them as they both need more work. It is good to leave them and come back at it with fresh eyes. Tomorrow I hope to throw some pots on the wheel, and then I can trim them up on Sunday.

I'm trying each day to remember how the Florida sunshine warmed body and spirit - it is so cold here, -24 degrees (F) today, with a forecast of 0 degrees tomorrow...a real warm up! Spring is coming, right?

Our daughter was accepted to graduate school in Dartmouth, Mass - in ceramics. I look forward to learning a lot from her in the future. We are going to the big ceramics conference, NCECA, in Phoenix in April. That should be fun - I can't wait to see all the exhibits/galleries/demonstrations.

Stay warm!

Florida sunshine

2009-02-23T11:14:00.003-06:00

We're back from sunny Fort Lauderdale - and trying to pretend the snow is white sand! We loved the city, the beaches, the sun and the people. What a fun place to visit. We even took in three art museums and were impressed by all three. The art museum in Fort Lauderdale, tucked away near the public library, had a special exhibit of Picasso's ceramics. That was fun to see, even though most of it didn't look like it took much time to throw together! The Bonnet House, near the ocean in Fort Lauderdale, had beautiful grounds and lots of eclectic art that the owner and his wife had created, including murals on the ceiling, a la Michaelangelo. My favorite museum was the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale. What a gem - they had a wonderful representation of art, including impressionists, contemporary, Chinese and lots of other artists. Don't miss it if you are in the area!

My students are all starting a pottery unit today - we'll be throwing on the wheel (attempting it, anyway), and some handbuilding. They are so excited - I think every one of them loves working with clay!

'catching up'

2009-02-12T08:48:00.003-06:00

My shop on my website is finally close to getting up and running. I thought it would be done the beginning of November! Do any of you have internet shops, beside etsy or one of those similar hosting sites? We are using the service Zen Cart and there has been so much to learn. I can't even say I'm doing most of it. We hired a computer expert to do most of it, then my husband got involved, too. He's been spending hours and hours on it. Finally, it was my turn. I've been taking photos, writing descriptions, weighing and measuring everything. I think I've revisited each item about 4 times. When I need to put up a new product from here on out, I'll be a lot smarter about info gathering - and get it all in one shot! It is exciting nevertheless and I look forward to having a 'Grand Opening'!

My art students finished our cartoon unit this week - they've worked hard and did an awesome job. I learned a lot, too, so that's been fun. Some of my students seem to have a real talent for cartooning, so maybe we'll see their work on the comic page when they are older. How fun would that be??? For me, anyway!

Take care and may God bless you and yours!

Mini gourd clock photos

2009-02-04T16:09:00.003-06:00

I'm posting more photos of my mini gourd clocks today. I'm hoping to start soon on a new idea I have that will combine my love for felting with ceramics and the images I like of mothers with their children or baby. I'm excited about it, and have been mulling over ideas about how to 'put it all together' for a couple weeks. We'll see how it goes.

We may have our two little granddaughters here for a week or so. That would be fun! We love having them at our house, except it is so quiet and picked up after they leave.

Our Valentine Art Show went well, although none of us sold a thing to anyone who intended it as a gift for their sweetheart. It was really cold that afternoon/early evening, like 20 below zero (F). Maybe we would've had even more traffic had the weather cooperated a bit. We're thinking of trying the same sort of 4-7pm show just before Mother's Day. We had wine leftover so we each took home a bottle!

I picked up my clocks -they'd been showing at the same place since Oct. All my ceramic clocks have sold. Two of the polymer clay clock faces had cracked so that was disappointing. I don't know if I did something wrong when I baked the faces or if the wood base I glued them to shrunk and caused the cracking. I thought the wood was really dry as we'd had it for a couple years. Disappointing but there's a lesson to be learned if I can just figure it out!

Gourd clock photos

2009-01-26T10:41:00.005-06:00

I finally got a few photos taken *actually my hubbie did it* of two of my mini gourd clocks. We had a busy weekend with our oldest daughter home, with her two little girls. They are one and three years old and both of them are happy, joyous toddlers. We LOVE having them here!

Today I'm continuing my cartooning unit with my art kids. We learned about Charles Schulz and Roy Lichtenstein the previous two weeks. Today our artist is Keith Haring. After learning about an artist we are sketching in note books. Each student will have a collection of cartoons by the end of our unit. They will then pick and choose features that they like and put together their own, unique cartoon character. Hopefully, they will use the character in a short 3 or 4 panel comic strip. It has been really fun for me to learn about cartooning and some of the artists who are famous because of the cartoon or comic strip look of their work.

I hope to get the mini-gourd clocks listed on etsy after the Valentine Art Show on Thursday.

Gourd clocks, Valentine's Day Sweetheart Show and Sale

2009-01-23T12:32:00.004-06:00

I've finished almost all the mini-gourd clocks...just haven't had time to photograph them. I'm generally really pleased with how they turned out. The one I like best, I just finished. I took the thin skin that usually holds the seeds inside the gourd out, stained it with some thin oil paint and let it dry.

Then I attached a gourd piece to the back of a small round gourd and paper mach'ed the outside of the gourd with the skin. I'm in the process of coating it with poly-acrylic, satin. It is cool, if I may say so myself! I need a few more of the mini-clocks, though. Our only outlet doesn't have any in stock (and hasn't for several weeks). I ordered 15 from Klockit, but should've ordered 20.

I'm helping organize an Art Show and Sale especially for people to shop for their Valentines. A local jewelry store is hosting - we'll serve some wine and snacks from 4-7pm and be there to mingle about. Eight artists are involved and a couple of other retails spots are going to be especially for the event, too. Hopefully, it'll be fun and a rousing success!

Gourds are next on my agenda

2009-01-08T21:45:00.003-06:00

Wow, it seems like I've been gone for a long time. I visited our daughter's family in Minnesota, helped her in her classroom with an art project (she teaches 3rd grade - we did plaster masks on our faces) and came home sick. Then it was Christmas with my parents and a couple siblings and off to Mexico for a family vacation, beach-side. How fun to ditch the winter gear, wear sandals and soak up the warm Mazatlan sun!

Now back to teaching, trying to get my online shop up and running and sewing doll clothes for our grand daughter. I finished that project this afternoon(without a pattern or measurements - I wonder how good my memory will be?), and called her to tell her the clothes are on the way to her house. She was so engrossed in telling me something or other about Cinderella and her cousins, that I don't think she ever caught on that I sent a present her way. She is three and cute as can be!

I am excited about creating a new 'batch' of gourd mini-clocks. I ordered the clock inserts tonight and hope to start cleaning the gourds and leveling the bottoms a bit so they stand without going bottoms up! I can't decide whether to stain or paint them, maybe I'll do some of each. I'm going to add some naturals, like long pine needles, twine, copper and leather lacing to some of them. I love gourds; I think they are beautiful little sculptures. I'll post some photos when I get one finished up.

I hope the new year is off to a wonderful start for you and yours!

Contest Winner

2008-12-22T14:25:00.002-06:00

Michelle is the winner of my wine charm giveaway. Congratulations, Michelle. I'll send the set of six your way as soon as I have a mailing address (unless we are gone, in which case I'll sent it when I get home again.)

We are spending some time over the holidays in Mazatlan with our daughters, son in law and one of our grand daughters. The other set of grand parents will babysit Haley, one year old. Her parents decided they would have more fun without her! Imagine that!

Merry Christmas!

Oops! Disaster slops all over!

2008-12-15T12:41:00.002-06:00

Oh, my gosh! My ice cube ornament completely fell apart! I left it outside overnight - it was minus 18 degrees (F) and brought it in the next day to take it out of the container and marvel at its beauty. The whole thing burst water out every where! Only the very outside shell was frozen and the inner part was cold water. What a mess...funny, though!

Hopefully, my kids today will have better luck as they will get a warning! I sold a felted landscape today so that was fun...sales are fun and certainly day-brighteners. Hoping you are having a bright and sunny day, whatever your weather!

I'm slowly getting more and more etsy listings...check it out. And slowly my shopping cart on my website is coming into being...maybe in another week or so. Santa, if you are listening, it would be an awesome early Christmas present!

Tree Ornaments

2008-12-13T08:58:00.003-06:00

Have any of you tried making tree ornaments that birds will appreciate next spring? I'm giving it a whirl with my art kids on Monday. We'll be stringing nuts (my husband was kind enough to drill holes in all of them- he's a peach!), cranberries, raisins, grapes and other edible things.

We'll tie those strings to a dogwood branch and stick the branch in the bottom of a milk carton. We'll tie the other end of the strings to another dogwood branch and set that on the top of the carton. Then we'll add water and little pieces of string and different colors of yarn as we fill up the carton. We'll set the whole business outside (it's been -18 degrees here - yikes!) until it freezes solid.

After it is a solid, pretty ice cube we'll tie some jute to the top branch and hang it in one of our bare trees. Hopefully, it'll be a pretty ornament to glisten through our long winter. The birds will start coming back after it has started melting and they can enjoy our little treats, and the strings will come in handy for their nest building.

I'll take a photo and post it - so you know if it works, or not!

PS What is your pet peeve during the holiday season? Mine is people who don't understand the concept of waiting in line, or else understand it and don't think it should apply to them!

May God bless your Saturday!

It's Holiday CONTEST time!

2008-12-09T08:40:00.005-06:00

Good morning!

I'm having my first blog contest! It's an easy one, too...

1. Just become a "follower" of my blog by clicking "follow this blog" in the "followers" section. This enters you in the random drawing. If you are a current follower, thank you, and I'll enter your name, too.

2. Tell your blogosphere friends about this. (Thanks!)

3. Check back on Monday, December 22 to see who wins!

What's the prize you wonder? A set of 'wordy' wine charms, each charm is a different color or pattern or has a different word. There are 6 different charms in the set with random words like hot, LOL, wino, and others! A "WINO" set is photographed here.

Join me in the followers fun! Thanks!

Australia

2008-12-08T07:43:00.000-06:00

We went to Australia, the movie, not the country (been there, done that!) over the weekend. We all really enjoyed the movie, but I wasn't expecting it to be about Aboriginal people...I thought it was a love story, without kids! Anyway, when we were there a few years ago, we learned a little bit about the past treatment of Aboriginal peoples by white society and the government. It makes me cringe to think how often people all around the world have been and still are, treated as less than human, by the rest of us. And how dare we consider our civilization and way of life as the be all and end all of civilization? We allow our babies to be killed before they are born - how civilized is that? I just don't get it.

I did get some art done this weekend - had 10 kids here to learn a little bit about Salvador Dali (we were at the SD museum in St. Petersburg two years ago - fantastic!). Each child did an acrylic painting of a dream or dreams that they could remember...it was fun!

Our youngest daughter came home, for maybe a month or so. She's been making art in Fargo and is now busy applying to MFA programs across the country. She makes beautiful pots, check her out at amyuthus.com. We both should have shopping carts on our websites in the next week or so. I'm excited for that.

I was fortunate enough to have an etsy mentor look at my etsy shop. She gave me a lot of good suggestions that I'm in the process of implementing. I hope to get a lot more listed throughout this week!

Happy Advent all - may God bless you this week!

Clock Fix & Photographing Art

2008-12-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Cindy for her hint on finishing up polymer clay with Future Floor Finish! I'm busy today redoing all my clocks and wine charms to rid them of their sticky feeling - I'll be glad to have that project finished so I can confidently box them up and ship them off to happy new 'clock watchers'. I can say they make me happy, lined up on my work counter, when I turn off the lights at night and their little buttons glo in the dark!

My hubbie is working diligently to figure out our new camera and how best to use it to photograph art. He has stools and a ladder in the living room, with clamps to hold up the lights, a cloth draped down the front of the fireplace and across a low, Japanese-style table. I'm so thankful he'll mess around with it because I don't have the patience for it!

Two of my pottery students, a fifth grader and a third grader, had success yesterday centering their ball of clay on the pottery wheel - all by themselves. They were thrilled and so was I...it is such a feeling of accomplishment for all of us!

My felted wall hangings, madonna and child, and landscapes will continue showing downtown through the holidays so that was good news. I guess they don't have another artist scheduled yet - happy accident for me! I'm going to lend my curio cabinet to our daughter, Amy, so she can show her pottery there for a month or so (go to amyuthus.com to see some of her work). We are both in the process of getting shopping carts on our websites - hopefully, that work will be done in the next 10 days or so.

Thanksgiving was such a fun time - our daughters (3) were all home, along with our son-in-law and two granddaughters. My youngest sister, Julie, and her family also came, my parents and two other sisters/hubbies. We played Wii (Mario Cart was a fave), cards, 'Katie's game' (a word/drawing game, sort of like written 'telephone') and Chase the Ace - besides eating more than plenty all weekend! Such fun to have company!

I've posted my schedule of Sunday kids' classes for January through May on my website (www.jackiesart.com). I'll add a pottery class or two a bit later...

Happy day to all!

No before Christmas show and sale...

2008-11-30T20:40:00.000-06:00

Well, the Dec. 6/7 show didn't work out. It was too short of notice for most artists that I contacted. One of the painters suggested having a Sweetheart Sale on Jan. 31. We'll try for that and with our target audience Valentine's Day shoppers. We'll work on it next week and see if it'll be a go or not.

We had a house full of company for Thanksgiving - lots of fun to have family here. The oldest was my dad, 79, and the youngest guest was our 13 month old granddaughter. Every towel in our house was used - I was surprised to find the linen closets empty when everyone left and we started doing laundry.

I have been dismayed because the acrylic spray that I used on my clock and Wino wine charms has remained tacky after 10 days of drying time. I called Krylon and they sent a Min - Wax product that I am supposed to use on top of the Krylon. Three coats with a natural brush and it should take care of the problem. I wish I didn't have to spend the time brushing that stuff on. I guess Sculpey clay has a lot of oil in it that reacts with the Krylon spray - they've had other similar calls. I think they should have a caveat on the can that it isn't good to use on Sculpey.

I had two etsy sales this week so that was fun...Namaste and LOL both sold. I hope to get some more listings up on etsy this week...now's the time for Christmas shoppers to be browsing around.

Fine Art Show & Sale

2008-11-20T20:56:00.000-06:00

I've decided to try to put together a Fine Art Show and Sale for the weekend of Dec. 6 & 7 at the Columbia Mall. I'll need to bring between 10-14 artists together to help share the cost of the space. It should be a busy weekend at the Mall, so hopefully sales will be good. I'll need to confirm with the Mall manager on Monday of next week.

I've finally gotten a few new listings into my etsy shop: some nightlights (Christmas trees and other designs) and "Wino" wine charms...perfect gifts and handmade besides! I plan to get some pottery listed, along with a few other items, too. I've been frustrated with my photos turning out bluish or greenish - this after I figured out how to get it focused on things that are close. We are liking our new camera, but I wish it didn't come with a learning curve! It's so hard to learn things the hard way, by trial and error.

Art Show Coming Down

2008-11-17T15:07:00.000-06:00

My show at the Dakota Harvest Bakery comes down today. I plan to get busy and photograph the felted landscapes and felted madonnas, along with a bunch of my newest pottery, in a pretty light green glaze, this week. I'll get them listed on etsy just in time for Christmas shoppers. I am also hopeful of revamping my website and adding a shopping cart feature to it - our good neighbor, a computer guru, is taking care of that for me.

After returning from Egypt, I started an Egyptian art unit with my 28 weekly students. We are doing tempera batiks and some clay cartouches in the pottery studio. The more I read about the ancient Egyptian culture the more interesting it becomes...and the connection between the culture and the art is SO pronounced - one could hardly exist without the other. It was fascinating to be in the tomb of one of the high priests from 4,400 years ago and see the relief carvings and learn why they were done...my kids are doing paintings of themselves doing something they enjoy in this life, that they also would like to enjoy in their next life.

One of the boys is hang gliding, Egyptian style - his face is in profile, with a frontal eye and shoulders, but feet and hips in profile. One of the girls is swimming with a long Egyptian gown on, complete with fancy pectoral collar - quite a swimsuit! We are having fun learning about and trying out some of the Egyptian art ideas.

My husband is trying to get a new TV and Wii up and running - I think I'm happy to watch our old one. It has far fewer buttons on the remote. I'm not sure I'm up to learning about the new one. We're hoping to have fun with the Wii at Thanksgiving when family will be here visiting!

Holy Land & Egypt

2008-11-07T13:04:00.000-06:00

We're back! It was an awesome trip - to walk where Jesus walked, to see the sights of Jerusalem and Jericho, to climb Mt. Sinai in the dark of the night in order to experience the darkest of skies and a magnificent red sunrise, to float in the Dead Sea (the first time in my life that I have really floated!), to have a boat ride on the Sea of Gallilee,

to pray in the Garden of Gethsamane, to have communion in the Garden Tomb site, to visit Capernaum where Jesus did much of his teaching and ministry, to go to the site of the Miracle of the Five Loaves and Fishes, to see many ancient Roman ruins and aquaducts and learn about their marvelous building accomplishments, to put our feet in the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized, to visit Bethlehem and the place where Jesus was born,

to go to the Dome of the Rock where Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac, to learn about the Bedouin nomads, to walk around the top of Masada and see the caves at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, to walk through a tunnel and touch the Western Wall that stood in Jesus' time in Jerusalem, to learn about Hasidic jews and a bit about their lifestyle and culture, to see the Treasury at Petra, one of the Wonders of the World, to see the Sinai and Sahara deserts, to ride in a tunnel under the Suez Canal,

to see the well where Moses met his wife and the site of the burning bush, to see some of King Tut's tomb treasure and his golden death mask, to see the Giza pyramids and the vendors hawking camel rides, horse rides, postcards, head scarfs, beads, photos and other merchandise, to see the Great Sphinx without his nose and beard (because French soldiers used them for target practice), to see reliefs carved in the tomb of a high priest 4,400 years ago in all their original colors, to see places where soldiers and police are everywhere, to experience the culture shock that is Cairo - this trip will be a resource for the future for me, spiritually, emotionally and artistically.

How blessed we are to live in the United States - to have the freedom to travel to other places in the world, to say what we want, when we want and not fear reprisals, to know that in large part our well-being is directly proportionate to how hard we work and what we envision for ourselves and decide to pursue!

Vacation Time

2008-10-20T13:27:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow my husband and I follow our hearts to the Holy Land and Egypt. We are going with a group from Fargo (yes, Fargo of movie fame!) and will be seeing the sights and walking where Jesus walked...pretty amazing!

The final Art and Wine Walk of the season was Saturday. I did well - my best wine walk sales of the year so that was really fun. The Dakota Harvest Bakery has a mini-show of my clocks, felted wall hangings, weavings and tapestries up until Nov. 16. When I get home I'll have to get busy and get some new things made for the Holiday Show I'll be in on Nov. 15...it'll be a rush to get things made, dry and in and out of the kiln in 9 days! I seem to do well under some time pressure, but I won't go so far as to say I thrive on it.

I switched out some things at the Canad Inn gift shop this morning - they now have some reversible words, bison, mugs and teacups, necklaces, white dry erase boards, wine charms and 'keep it dry' coasters. I picked up the "God Bless USA" desk top flags and the birdhouses. There probably isn't' a big market for birdhouses in North Dakota in the winter!

We had two of our daughters home for the weekend, along with our two granddaughters, Taylor and Haley. It is always so quiet after they leave...luckily they leave behind some messes so I can be busy with straightening up and putting away - it takes my mind off the quiet for awhile!

Will blog again when we get home - unless I have time and access from abroad! Take care...

Dragon Table Donation - Rescue Mission Silent Auction

2008-10-12T12:20:00.000-05:00

I made the decision to donate my Dragon in Suspension Table to the Grand Forks Northlands Rescue Mission for their Silent Auction benefit coming up on Oct. 23. I put a minimum bid on of $200 to cover my expenses. Hopefully, it will bring in more than that as I really believe the Mission's mission is an important one in our community.

The Mission provides support in the way of food and shelter to people who really have no where else to go. The weather is starting to get cold and nasty here in the north country - the mission is warm and safe, with strict rules and help for people to get back on their feet. I give half of my art sales to the Mission - I figure they can put it to good use and it is a way that my God given gifts can benefit others.

Waiting for my art kids to come this afternoon...we are doing take-offs with oil pastels on "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.

What makes me scream? Spiders and centipedes, worms and snakes, deep water and heights, staying alone. Is that everything? It is enough!!!

Landscapes, madonnas & clocks

2008-10-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

After an almost - all nighter, I delivered a bunch of new art to the Dakota Harvest Bakery for a mini - show they are having of my work for the next month or so. I also switched out my pottery in the curio there. I'll be displaying tea cups, mugs (large and small), matching pitcher and salt and pepper set and a small herd of buffalo.

On the wall at the bakery, will be five artsy clocks (including three that glo-in-the-dark), several felted landscapes (including a wonderful summer sunset), a felted mother and child wall hanging that I call "Mother's Love", my Creation weaving, a weaving designed to hang in a window that is complete with crystal beads called "Steely Night" and a landscape called "Moonlight on the River". I used metal warp for that one so it is shimmery like the metal trees that I incorporated to embellish the tapestry.

My art kids have been working on a "horse" unit. Hopefully, most of them will finish their paintings this week. They've been practicing drawing horses, and last week concentrated on drawing the head. Most have chosen acrylic paints to use for their finished work, and they are turning out beautifully. We looked at a lot of horses in art as a precursor to the unit. Lots of famous artists have chosen horses as subjects - they are certainly majestic, elegant animals!

Time to pick apples - lots have fallen off the trees already. We plan to make some pies, crumbles and cobblers to put in the freezer to enjoy later this fall and winter. It is great to be able to go to the freezer and get something nummy, but it will be a long day today!

Kelly in Virginia bought my "Is it Wine Time?" ceramic clock this week so it is winging its way to her this weekend. I'm sort of getting into making clocks - both ceramic and with polymer clay - they are fun!

Red buffalo, teacups, jewelry and pottery frames

2008-10-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

The red glaze came on Monday evening, and I had the kiln fired up 2 hours later. This morning I opened it to find most of my beads melted onto the kiln shelf. I learned a lot about glazing beads this time around. I wish I didn't have to learn most lessons the hard way...

But, the good news...6 little buffalo, oh, so happily, standing up nice and tall and proud! I love the new glaze - it is a rich dark red, and the feel of it is wonderful, too. I think I'll try it on some mugs and other things next time around. Everything except my jewelry and my biggest bowl came through the firing intact, with no surprises. The biggest bowl has a crack on the foot ring - darn!

I've started working on felting and weaving landscapes inside the new pottery frames...the first one is flax fields, with a river in the middle and a stormy sky. I love the wonderful blue color of flax fields and decided to incorporate it into my landscape. I'm trying to get it finished so I can hang it in at the Dakota Harvest Bakery on Friday (the show will be up until Nov. 17).

Waiting for a glaze...

2008-10-06T09:31:00.000-05:00

I ordered a new Cone 6 glaze last week and was really hoping it wouldn't take the week to arrive that the salesperson said it would...but today it has been a week. It is a red shino and I ordered it especially for my little buffalo. Everything else is glazed and sitting in the kiln, so I should be able to fire the kiln up an hour or two after receiving the glaze.

Tomorrow I'm taking some art to the Dakota Harvest Bakery. It will be in a mini-show for about 6 weeks...including the next and last Art & Wine Walk for this season. I made two new clock faces last night, with Sculpey clay so I need to pick up the clock mechanisms for those today. Hard to think that it has been 6 weeks since the Art & Wine Walks for this season started. Time marches on too quickly!

I'm working on a large felted madonna. So far the basic design is complete - the mother and her child are on the background felt. Next I'm going to either felt some shiny fibers on top, or sew them on, but I'm having trouble deciding which colors to use. I hate taking things apart so I'm trying to make the right decision from the beginning. I didn't weave a basic structure first for this one and it has worked out well, except my felting brush is so small that I'm constantly moving it. I could use a large piece of thick foam but I really like using the brush instead.

I'm hoping to post some photos this week of my new glaze and my new madonna!

New Pottery - bison, cups, teacups, frames, jewelry

2008-09-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

The kiln is firing - it is mostly full of my porcelain stuff, although there are a few pieces of my students' in there, too, and a few pieces of my stoneware. It will be fun to decide what colors to use on the cups and teacups, bowls and platter, frames for new weaving/felting projects and jewelry.

I haven't done jewelry for a long time, but was reminded how much I enjoy making it when I was in Bismarck for the street fair in August. I borrowed a necklace that I'd made as a student and given to my mom...and I received a lot of compliments on it that day. Since I have the setup to fire glazed beads I thought I should make some for fall/holiday shows. I'm excited to be working on small things!

Today I finished three felted landscapes that I created inside pottery frames that I made and had in my last firing. I really like how they turned out, as they reflect the rural landscape in which I live - fields of gold and green!

The tea cups have a place, opposite the handle, to drop the tea bag when you are finished brewing your tea. You don't have to carry a separate tea bag plate to your desk or easy chair - whatever is your favorite place for a tuppa tea!

A small herd of bison is in the kiln, too - fun to think about how to glaze those...none will be pink, that much I know! I especially love the metallic glazes that I have, and the satin white for the albino bison.

Two large bowls and a platter are also in the kiln - if they survive firing without cracking, I'll glaze those in creams and browns.

November 15, I've been invited to participate in a local holiday show. It will be fun, is a one day event so it doesn't consume the entire weekend - which is good, because I'm teaching about Egyptian art that weekend in my home studio!

Lample II is finished - recycled art

2008-09-20T21:35:00.000-05:00

Lample II is finished!

I love how it turned out...the barn wood, diamond willow and the recycled globe came together nicely. I finally had a use for 10 pieces of turquoise that I bought in New Mexico about 15 years ago. I bought them for a future project and really didn't think the future project would be 15 years down the road. But the turquoise matched the paint I used on the globe and fit nicely into the center of the diamonds in the willow trunks. I used glass amber nuggets in some of the diamonds, and left some of the diamonds unadorned.

I 'printed' leaves on the globe in turquoise and amber by painting on real leaves and them pressing them to the glass globe. The colors look nice individually and where they overlap , too. I bought a cut glass light bulb and that adds interest, too, when the light is turned on.

I debated on how best to finish the reclaimed wood and finally decided on Watco's Danish Oil. It seeps into the pores, so the wood is preserved, but doesn't add color or sheen, like varnish does, so the 'history' of the wood is retained. I love that!

My husband did an awesome job wiring the lample and putting the pieces together. It was fun to show the lamples at the Art and Wine Walk today - and fun to hear people's positive comments on them.

Red Lamp + Table = "Lample" is Finished!

2008-09-17T11:15:00.000-05:00

It's finished! Our first "lample" is a bright, cheery apple red with white legs and trimmings. The lamp globle is painted with red stripes, yellow and blue spirals and dots. I think it looks cute and it is definitely unique! I'll be bringing it to show at the Art & Wine Walk downtown this Saturday. My art kids really like it and I hope it inspires them to some art inventions of their own! It is especially pleasing to me because this white globe was destined for the landfill and now has a bright, new life!

I continue to work on the second lample - the one with the diamond willow branch legs and barnwood top and shelf. It was disgusting work cleaning the barnwood of bird poop, spider webs, bugs and other accumulated dirt gathering for 100 years. I used a good brush and wore gloves, otherwise I couldn't quite get myself to touch it! Yuk! But it did clean up beautifully and Eric, my husband, has pieces cut and glued for the table top and shelf. I'll coat those with satin finish polyurethane so they'll withstand use.

I need to get outside to get 3 more willow branches stripped. I'll be using tung oil to finish those - I tried it on a small branch and like how rich it looks. Hopefully, this lample will be done for Saturday, too!

Table + Lamp = 'Lample' and Art + 'Lample' = Cool!

2008-09-12T10:51:00.001-05:00

"Lample" - a new word I invented for my lamp and table combination! The first one, with primary colors and apple red, glossy shelves, is nearly finished. It only needs some tape removed and the cord moved and I'll be posting a photo. I'm happy with how it turned out - the light looks wonderful and it is cheery and bright - a fun addition to lots of different spaces.

I've started working on the second lample, too. I painted the globe yesterday with turquoise and amber leaves and it's very pretty, especially when lit up. I'm debating whether to make this lample coffee table height or end table height, like the first one. I know I'll have to make two, so I can do one of each! That will leave me 4 donated globes to think and dream about.

This morning I got out the wood rasps and scraped on the diamond willow until I got most of the dirt off and a small start on removing the bark. I don't think I will scrape it down to the hard wood every where because I like the roughness and the color of the under bark layer. It is a nice contrast to the hard wood, which is very light in color. I'm planning to leave the inside of the diamonds darker, too, so they show up better. Or maybe I should clean it all the way to the hard wood and apply an amber colored stain. Hmm, too many options! I'm posting a photo here of the branch/trunk I'm working on so you can see what diamond willow looks like. It is all very fun and interesting to think about - and very different from pottery so it's a wonderful change of pace.

Speaking of pottery, I really want to get another herd of buffalo in the kiln, along with some mugs, tubers (vases with tubes in the middle to hold up flower stems - the tubes have holes in the bottoms so the flowers can drink from the bowl, or whatever shape I make the pot), and soap dishes...so much to do!

2008-09-08T19:27:00.000-05:00

Weathered wood and diamond willow trees are plentiful in the Missouri River bottoms where my sister and her husband live, near Williston, North Dakota. We went there over the weekend (350 miles one way) and came home with a trunk full of wood and willow. We had a great time scavenging around their rural area - David, my brother-in-law, has lived there his entire life and so he knew great places for snooping around and finding what I wanted...and even some things that I didn't know I wanted! Did you know there is weathered wood with cool, small, round metals things nailed to it with a previous purpose of holding down tar paper and shingles? I didn't either but now I am the proud owner of several such pieces of wood! I plan to use the wood for table tops and shelves...maybe to go with my painted glass globes - or maybe not. I love thinking about the possibilities. David also knew where there is a stand of diamond willows. The trunks of the diamond willow trees have an awesome pattern of large and small diamonds up and down the length of the trunk. I'm going to remove all or most of the bark to help emphasize the patterns. Then those trunks will become table legs or posts for shelves...photos will come when I get something finished. We also brought home some trunks from a thick chokecherry bush - it bled red when it was cut! Sort of sad, but beautiful, too. I can understand how amber is formed from such gorgeous colored sap. Too bad I'm going to Minneapolis this weekend because I'm charged up and ready to go with weathered wood and willow! I'm sure the Vikings/Colt game will be fun, but I'd rather do art now that I have so much new material to work with! David and my husband and sister were great helpers, without them I'd have nothing - thanks for your enthusiastic help with my recycled art projects!

Light globe and glass paint yields visual art!

2008-09-05T13:45:00.000-05:00

The donated glass globe painted up beautifully and came out of the oven with narry a crack! Hooray! Now I'm busy getting the wood table top and middle shelf primed - they will be painted a bright red. The legs and additional fittings will be white PVC pipe and caps - I think they will look sort of industrial, bright and cheery against the red wood shelves. My husband, Eric, is helping me with some of this project, so I am grateful for that. I can't wait for it to be done, and all lit up, hopefully in time for the Art & Wine Walk on Sept. 20. I'd really like to get another one done, too - one with copper legs and barnwood shelves (I'm going to my sister's farm this weekend and hopefully will be able to scavenge some from her!) and celadon and copper frosted on the glass globe...visual art made from recycled stuff. I'd like to do another one with driftwood - too bad there are no oceans nearby! I've been trying to list items on sell-arts.com and have had so much trouble. I'm really lousy with computer stuff and lose my patience with it quickly. There are so many other things I'd like to do with my time than sit at the computer! I started on a new herd of pottery buffalo this morning, got two mom and two babies finished so they can dry over the weekend.

Recycling glass globes - trash to art

2008-09-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

A new work week - with one less day! I'm so excited because my pottery students start the fall session today. It seems like a long time since I've had the little ones in my studio. We are making plaques and learning about decorative patterns today. One new student is starting, along with the kids I had last year. One of my friends, Lyle, came over before the Labor Day holiday with 7 white glass globes for light fixtures. His business was going to throw them out, but he thought I might like to have them - thinking maybe I could do a trash-to-treasure thing with them. I'm excited to give it a try! I plan to paint them, then make a ceramic base or maybe a wood/ceramic base to hold the globe upright, with a light inside. We'll see how the experiment turns out. If it works as the dream in my head is pictured, I'll post a photo here. Of course, it'll be for sale! I've never used glass paints but when we were in Ojai, California last winter I saw some beautiful painted glass art objects in several of the art galleries there. I am hoping to get my summer students' pottery clear glazed and in the kiln this morning. Every thing came out of the bisque kiln without cracks and still standing - even all the little dinosaurs from a recent boy's birthday party, so I was happy with the firing. Time to get the day started!

Design Style Guide interview, pottery, gourd art,

2008-08-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

I'm excited! An interview about me and my art is online today! Want to check it out? Go to:

http://www.designstyleguide.blogspot.com/

Yes, I REALLY do walk outside if the temperature is at or above 15degrees F! Today I've been busy in my pottery studio, even though I have weaving waiting for me...I can almost hear the fibers whispering in my ears, "Weave me, felt me, do anything with me but leave me here in my basket, please!" But the clay spoke louder today and I'm making soap dishes, tuber vases (you know, the kind with the tube in the center to hold flowers upright) and tea cups. But what I really want to do is design an new foyer table - one that will be a catch-all...for keys and coins, chapstick and sunglasses. I'm dreaming up a design with either metal or twigs/branches incorporated into the base. Can't quite decide, but I'm having fun thinking about it while I do my 'work' in my pottery studio... Today, too, I need to trim a couple of large pieces, a bowl and a platter, that are a special order. So far, they haven't cracked so I'm happy about that! Well, I better get to it, as I want to (not really, but I'll do it anyway because I really don't want flabby, old lady arms) go to the gym and exercise, get my daily walk done, and work on a photo album for my granddaughter, Taylor. We spent last week together and I want to have a special photo album to help me (and Taylor) remember it. May God bless your day!

Pottery, new classes, weaving - so much to do!

2008-08-26T08:07:00.000-05:00

I am home for 4 days and can't believe how much I have on my list of things to do...so much to do in my pottery studio - for myself, and I need to take care of my students' work. They are waiting patiently for me to get it in and out of the kiln. I've a million things to do to get my fall art class schedule posted on my website and some lesson plans in place. Plus I have a tapestry idea that is exploding in my head and looking for fruition! I'm so blessed that "I'm bored, I've nothing to do" is not a possibility for me!

2008-08-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

I can't figure out how to put labels under my first post so guess I'll do it this way!

Jackie's Art

2008-08-24T11:10:00.001-05:00

After much encouragement, I've decided to start bloggin'.

I'm a teaching artist -into pottery, painting, weaving, giant gourds and combinations of all of those. Lately, I've been making pottery frames for my weavings and feltings of prairie landscapes and mothers with their babies. (Mary Cassatt is one of my favorite artists - I love the gentle and calm feelings so many of her paintings evoke.)

Representing the humorous side of my art:

Check out my wedding ring depositories - specially designed for the divorced or soon-to-be-divorced. What to do with the wedding ring that formerly was a symbol of love and happiness and has turned out now to be just the opposite? Well, throw it in the toilet, of course! Take the roof off my pottery outhouse and you can do just that! A perfect gift to give your friend who is in the s---house situation of divorce.

I also make personal fire hydrants for your best friend. Every good dog deserves his own fire hydrant, personalized with his name. Your pet will be the only one in his neighborhood with such a luxury.

I do make 'serious' art, too. I love embellishing GIANT gourds - some are lamps, huge sculptural bowls or centerpieces - also perfect for the pedestal or stand in your foyer.

'Madonna' and 'family' are themes I explore in my weavings and sculptural pottery. I grew up with 7 brothers and sisters and family is the most important facet of my life, along with my faith in God, the power above us all.

I fire my pottery to cone 6, and use mostly stoneware and porcelain clays. In my tapestries, I use a variety of yarns, including yarn I spin myself and specialty yarns that I find at a huge, wonderful yarn store in Winnipeg, Manitoba...a 2-1/2 hour drive from our home.

I'll soon be posting my fall schedule of classes on my website: www.jackiesart.com. You can also check out my shop: www.jackiesart.etsy.com.

My website has tons of photos of kids at work in my studios - they are great young artists and I love to help them work. I also host art birthday parties, lately tie dye has been the favorite thing to do for the birthday boy or girl, but we can do just about anything, as long as it fits the party time frame.

Our youngest daughter is an artist, too. Check her out at www.amyuthus.com. She makes beautiful functional pottery.

I strongly feel that everyone in America who wants a home, should have one. To help accomplish that goal, I donate 1/2 of my art sales to our local shelter for the homeless, the Northlands Rescue Mission. They do great work and I'm happy to be able to support them in their efforts. A small way for me to use talent God gave me to help those less lucky - but for the grace of God, I could be in that situation, too.

Have a wonderful, blessed day and check back often...I'd love to hear from you.

P.S. A click on the bottom photos will lead you to my website and a click on the top photos will lead you to my etsy shop!