A cabin in the snow! The art studio journey continues.

So here we are at the end of February 2015 and the "cold winter" predictions have come true!

Just one of a number  this winter!

Last winter collage and our cabin before renovations!

New England continues to dig out from yet another snowstorm...I think I read 7 feet of snow in 4 storms in 1 month! And we wait for a new system to come in tonight-one in which NO one seems to know what will happen (ice, sleet, little snow, lots of 
snow?)





We have purposefully kept our large art studio cooler since we don't want to burn through too much propane. That means I can move a lot of my silk work inside the house to my office. 

There is a definite space advantage after the kids leave home!

IN my next post I'll share some of the silk projects I am doing but right now here are a few of the images of the progress we are making with our "Cabin in the Woods" which will actually be a smaller studio but still a cabin feel to it!

Enjoy our DIY efforts!

My artist hubby working late at night (with the help of a portable heater)

The mudding of the sheetrock is now DONE!

Watercolor Wednesdays coming!

 WATERCOLOR WEDNESDAYS

Wednesday December 4 and December 11,  6:00 - 8:00 Instructor Steve
Wake Forest Art and Frame Shop, 139 S. White St, Wake Forest NC 27567
First, I'd like you to take a look at the watercolors of barns in a snowy landscape. They were painted by first time watercolor students. Just to let you know that watercolor is not "difficult" nor is "harder than oils or acrylics." In fact all you need is a cup of water, a brush, a few watercolor paints and a piece of paper. That's it. Well, a pencil might come in handy, but none of the fumes or smells that you get from acrylics and oil paints. You can paint on your kitchen table without worrying. Simple.
Our first class will look at the types of watercolor paints, brushes and papers. (The water is pretty much standard, what you get from your faucet will work fine.)
We will experiment with the materials and try different techniques. And of course, we will create a painting, after all, leaving a class with a finished painting sort of makes it worth while.
I will provide you with paint and materials for this first class. I will also discuss and give you a list of recommend paints and brushes. If you have any paints and brushes at home, please bring them along. We will take a look at what you have and how you can use it.
Our second class we will continue by creating another painting the easy way, playing with our new toys.

Now a side note, a few years ago Theresa and I took some swing dance lessons. What I learned from those lessons was that when you go to the second class, you probably could use some review of the previous lesson before jumping into some new steps because I had completely forgotten them. And the practice we did at home, well it probably could have been better. (The instructors didn't seem to have any trouble, but boy was I lost in that second class when they began telling us to do steps that they assumed we not only remembered but were able to do.)  So our second painting will also consist of some time reviewing what we learned, and we will do that the easy way. by painting another watercolor.
Continuing Classes  We will be continuing these classes, sometimes working on a single theme and other times going in individual directions. There might be homework.
Please take a look at the bottom of this page, there as some examples of my watercolors for you to look at. After all, you do want to know what your instructor can do, don't you.
Only $50. for both classes in December.
 You can register on line with Paypal or Credit Card. Please select the option, then click the "Add to Cart" button. You can select the number of students you wish to register at the next step.

Gift certificates available!

Watercolors by your instructor, Stephen Filarsky

The bread and butter of creating!

No doubt about it-Christmas is a motivating factor for people thinking about a portrait!
Below are two collages with quick glimpses of what this fall has been like so far...I am leaving out the ones that are gifts that could be seen!
My silk art as well as abstracts have sold as well so a collage composite will be along soon.
I love my job!

The art of creating!

Some images of just a few of October's artwork!

Some of the silk work and the volunteer stick horses (amazingly time consuming!)

Creating my artwork in all its various forms from portraits to abstracts to silk art to stick horses (a volunteer fundraiser project) has left little room for putting things back where they belong and on my list today are the deceptively simple words "clean studio."

It sounds so simple to just put back the art supplies, yet in the midst of creating and running out the door, everything gets moved around, set down randomly, put in and out of car, not empty trash cans, clean up messes, and not return items to their designated spots....multiply that by the 27 straight days of shows that we have also been doing and those two little words become a HUGE item on a long list! So crossing off just this one thing on my list can be an all day event and I have just two days before the shows begin again!


Both Steve and I paint a lot at the shows while we are there but once back at the studio, I personally need an uncluttered space to recharge and be productive! 


So without any more procrastination....off the computer and into the studio to tackle...well at least my half!

Maybe I'll post a photo of "after!"

Expanding the Art Studio....again!

 I admit that when I write for one of my blogs, I often "copy and paste" to the other if the information is something I know people would like to see :-). Such is the case for the post below that I put up on my art page blog!  

Frankly, my intent is to move the many art supplies I am using for my art journaling, silk painting, etc into the new space after doing some renovation (needs MORE light and serious sheetrock over the insulation!) and regain our painting studio...well....that's the plan!

Adding a new art studio

We're happy with our art studio.  In fact artists are always telling us how much they love where we are.

Late afternoon in front of Art Studio

As our art expands into new and different directions..what was big enough for two artists with full time art careers begins to take on a life of its own!

It's hard not to be emotionally attached to something you built with your own hands. We salvaged much from a 1910 house, Habitat for Humanity, thrift and salvage stores and with the help of friends and family and much sweat and patience, the 24 x 30 art studio with its 10 ft. high ceilings eventually came into shape! 
We started out SO neat! But the reality of loading and unloading vans, equipment, art supplies
paintings and then storage. Oh my. Storage! We have a pull down attic that can accommodate a lot but only those items we are not using regularly.

We were so neat in the beginning!

They say photos are worth a thousand words so maybe it's easier to show you what I mean!

But a solution presented itself ...we actually fought it for awhile...thinking just one more thing to fill up but scroll down to see the newest addition to our art compound :-)

Salvaged cupboards-I wish I had 5 more!

No, it's not moonshine-just Steve's secret oil medium curing on the front porch railings!

Steve's work table

Working on a silk scarf and oil painting at the same time!

Positioning and offloading the new building.

The newest building was brought here from just down the road-a 12 x 20 vinyl covered, insulated and wired building for a great price...I mean, how could we not?  The previous owner had even wired the building for 220 voltage to accommodate her kiln!  Well we won't be doing any kiln work anytime soon and there is some serious cleaning, fixing and painting to do but I am looking forward to moving supplies from the big studio to the shelves in the smaller studio....and will keep you in the loop of my progress :-)   I just hope it makes a dent in the large one!

Chickens AND bees :-)

It was not a hard decision to add bees to our menagerie. 
I've often stopped at the bee displays at State Fairs and such and as everyone else, was intrigued with the glassed displays that allow you to watch the bees in action. And our studio is surrounded by wild roses, plum trees, our gardens and an assortment of tiny, beautiful little wildflowers growing throughout our yard. The decision came after some research and phone calls and a return call from a "Bee mentor" that kicked out butts into gear and a frantic scramble for hive supplies as the packaged bees were coming (fast) sort of made the decision for us :-) And for us, it was not about the honey. Lord knows there are plenty of honey producers out there. No it was about the pollination....and then discovering that hives world wide are declining. Maybe, just maybe, our one little hive can make a difference. 

Steve heading out with sugar water to fill the bee feeders

And we know one thing-they won't starve around here!

Blooming wild plum trees

The ponies make sure there are few wild daisies in the pasture but our "borrowed" pasture next door is now lush with wild plums, blackberries and thickets of high grass. The birds at our feeders have multiplied tremendously because of nearby cover that encourages their quantities :-)

It's been a cold spring and I am not sure if the roses will begin their early May parade but every year, the old roses are stunning.

Peonies in May

The May peonies are stunning as well with large cabbage sized pink balls of petals that I hope will prove appetizing to our bees.

Seven Sisters Roses growing around the perimeter of the herb and flower garden

Our herb and flower garden is next to the hive and last year our native plants such as Rubeckia, gloriosa daisies and coriopsis were stunning. Whatever bees were here before could not stay away from them or the Monarda. So in some deep inner core, we're feeling more than our visual connection with our subjects and surroundings. It's more of being one with where we are. We live here, our art studio is here and everything basic that has connected man to the earth is here. How much more do you really need?

Add to that, our Dorking hens (an ancient Roman breed with 5 toes) just laid their first egg yesterday! Time to build the nest boxes!  

Our first egg!

 HAPPY EASTER everyone!

Visit us as www.onroadartists.com

The Art of Chickens

Artists seem to ponder the most absurd things sometimes.....take the chicken for instance-good for baking, casseroles, frying and yum-lots of eggs.That's about where most people end their thoughts about this versatile bird.
But sometimes the smallest and least conspicuous thing in your day to day world can have the most  interesting history, tantalizing colors and absorbing social scene. And the chicken has it all.
We just added chickens back to our mini "homestead" farm and art studio. We had them 10 or so years ago but lacked the proper fencing.....oh we had plenty of fencing and the bills to show it...just not the type to totally foolproof ranging neighborhood dogs. The numbers dwindled and we gave the last few roosters to a farmer.  
Now I had chickens when my children were small-in fact in another life (it seems) I had a Grade A Dairy Goat farm licensed for making feta cheese. My chickens were the Aracaunas and other mixes so we routinely collected pale blue and green "Easter Egg" eggs plus the white and brown. So I am very familiar with the work and rewards of such a life :-)And it is hard to sty away from!

The first batch 6 weeks old March 1. 10 of them!

So the first batch we picked up locally and they are a trip. Alert, inquisitive-s a few very friendly ones, the others a bit stand-offish. Their treat is bread pieces. A mixture of Buff Barringtons, Speckled as well as purebred.

5 month old Dorkings

The next ones are also local-from a Dorking breeder outside Louisburg, NC. Ancient breed-pretty feathers-4 hens about old enough to lay...5 toes...originally brought over to the British Isles by Romans! Regal aren't they? 



Ah well, the kids interaction with a chicken is no problem! The youngsters below were at an art lesson at our studio and did not hesitate to walk in with the chicks and hold our gentle ones!

So as artists we find ourselves studying the colors.  As humans we find ourselves smiling at their antics.....listening to the multitude of sounds-clicks, murmurings, croonings that are unique to a chicken....and hey, who knows how we, and our many students of all ages,  will incorporate feathers and colors into our art?

I'll keep you updated!

Gold leaf in Art

The beauty of art journaling is that it is your creativity when it comes to your art in whatever form you decide to take it :-) My husband, Steve, is an oil painter with a large following of dedicated collectors. But in a previous life (ie: before the computer) he was a sign artist and painter. 
He still does beautiful handlettered work in one of his specialties, Goldleaf, and recently took one of my journals and began to play around with the cover. The results of the brilliant gold and the colors he chose to use can be seen (so much better in person!) below.  He calls this "The Golden Forest"

Goldleaf with colored inks

On the back, he opted for silver-a metallic patina of which he is deciding whether or not to add any artwork. The metals are more than paper thin, so imperfections in the surface will be seen and can be used to one's advantage to create!

Keep an eye out for additional art that he will be creating using Gold and silver leaf. IN his lettering he uses the real thing 22 KT gold. In May we will hold a workshop at our studio where he'll share his tips and techniques for adding this beautiful look to your art!