More new work

A few new pieces inspired by the season.


Squirrel (sold)



New England Gothic



Manitoba Friends

I'll be at SOWA this Sunday 10-4. Come out and enjoy the art, food and fun! Only 3 Sundays left in the season. Don't miss out!

Birds in Trees

I guess I have been going through a "bird phase". These were done last spring. Bird song in the spring is so wonderful after the New England winter.







These pieces have sold but I will be offering limited edition prints and small waxed reproductions for sale at my shows and soon online in my etsy store.

SOWA this Sunday

I will be at SOWA on Harrison Ave in Boston this Sunday from 10-4 with my friends from Boston Handmade. Come celebrate handmade and find some one of a kind goodies! The holidays are fast approaching. Only 80 days until Christmas and Hanukkah begins in 57 days!

Here are a few more new pieces I will have on hand.


Birds on a Wire


Hyde Park Bunny


Poppies

New work!

I have been horrible at blogging and I am going to try to start up again. Summer was busy with the kids and I gave myself a pass on most everything. How many summers is my daughter going to be 4? and my son 8? So we had some slow summer days at the beach collecting things and building things and just enjoying time together. It really cements what is important when you turn your attention away from the grind that constantly pulls at you to focus intently on those you treasure the most. Listening closely to their ideas about things and their questions can give new perspective and a few giggles.
Anyway, I am here and still working at my encaustics. I have started to incorporate my own drawings and paintings, embedding them in the layers of wax. Here are a few.


"Together"


"Cutting Line"


"Mid-west Dream"


"Third Chapter"

Needle Felting Skill Share Workshop

One of my favorite things about Boston Handmade, and there are many, are the skill share workshops offered by the talented members. Last Friday I got to try something I have always wanted to learn, needle felting! Lynne, from Cozy Cottage Creations, graciously opened her home to us and gave instructions on how to get started.



Here are Kerry from Kerry Hawkins Photography and Christa from Pink Sequin Designs working the wool.
Lynne had a collection of childrens toys and animals to use as models for the shapes of our animals. I chose to do a bird in my favorite color blue.



Here it is taking shape.



The biggest impression I was left with was just how tricky it could be. It takes a real feel for the wool to get the shape the way you want it. It also takes a lot of time and concentration. No chatting in a "needle felting circle" unless you bring a first aid kit! We had a few finger pokes but I lost count after 6. I think we all left with a little left to finish on our projects. I still had to fine tune the shape and finish the eyes.



Kerry was really close to finishing her fish.



Christa was still working on her flamingo.



And Lynne was making the cutest elephant!



It was a great morning! Thank you, Lynne. I can't wait to start another creature!
... and yes the first thing my daughter said was "oh, mommy, can I have it in my room?"

Am I Having Fun Yet? YES!

I am always pretty miserable in the late months of winter. The holiday season drains me and there is a void in the quiet afterward. I always feel I should push myself - "Keep making things, Amy. Don't stop." There is a kind of guilt there too, that I should beef up my Etsy shop, organize, do taxes... Really, being in business there is always something to do. I did organize a bit and my tax stuff is much more together than last year, so taking a deep breathe, I tried to let it go.

I did my "Mommy duties" - the house looked pretty good! The laundry was done and in the drawers! We actually had people over for dinner and I could use my dining room! While doing the "chores", I found my mind wandering to new ideas, things I had always wanted to try. Eventually I was dropping the laundry, half folded, and running to google something to find out techniques and where to find supplies.

Printing is where I landed. I have always loved woodcuts and block printing and I wanted to see if I could incorporate it into my work.

Here are some blocks that I cut.



And here are some bags in process,



and some finished ones.







I also intend to incorporate these prints into my encaustic mixed media. Here is one piece that is in process.



It has been so rewarding and I look forward to what may develop in the future. One thing is for sure, dinner parties may need to be out on the porch. Good thing the weather is getting better!

My dining room:

Long House

Last fall, on a trip to see friends, we took an afternoon to go walk the gardens at Long House in East Hampton, NY. It was a typical cloudy fall day but it took nothing away from the beauty of these gardens.



Long House is the residence of Jack Lenor Larsen, an internationally famous textile designer and founder of Larsen the Company, part of Cowtan & Tout since 1998. It sits on 16 acres of gardens that serve as a backdrop to stunning contemporary art and sculpture.

"The mission of LongHouse Reserve is to exemplify living with art in all forms."















I highly recommend a trip if you are ever in the area and I hope to return to see how it changes through the seasons. Oh, and next time I'll be sure to have more than just my iphone for pictures!