Holiday Time

Goodness me, it's been too long. I've fallen in love with Instagram (@Vixterina) and have neglected my good old trusted blog. Just in from a long Monday at work and seeing all sorts of marketing for the holidays I thought to myself I should do a holiday sale.

Churning it over in my brain. But not on my little cups, the big stuff. The expensive stuff. Just for a day or two. See who is watching. Did I mention only the expensive stuff? Feels sort of naughty and fun just thinking about it.

Updated my studio

The good news is I revamped my studio. Light and bright. Lately I am so into white. Maybe I am subconsciously craving snow? (Ah, no!!) Here's a picture I snapped last night.

The good news is I love it, the bad news while laying the bamboo flooring I dropped heavy planks on my "good foot" and am waiting for x-rays to see if there are broken bones. Can't put a shoe on my foot, but who would want to with that fuzzy rug? (I joke) Well, half joke. Thinking about painting my ware boards white. Fingers crossed I don't need another cast. Will keep you posted.

Painting Butterflies

I am on spring break and that means studio time. This morning I was painting this girl covered with monarch butterflies.

I built her the night the cast was taken off my leg. What a good feeling walking again. Slowly getting better. Below is when she was green. (unfired and just built).

I am still enjoying illustrating the dolls. I don't get to paint that much and it's just so nice to sculpt and paint.

Sea Legs

As some of you may know for the past 6 weeks I have been hobbling on crutches with a cast on my leg. Use crutches and you might realize how weak your arms really are (I did). Clip clopping and being immobile was horrible. Normally I never sit still. Of course like any artist I had to make a few pieces based on my experience. Notice these girls have no legs or feet and some have no arms. And they don't mind holding still.

 This is Clip Clop. Her legs are like the bottom of my crutches.

 This is Crab Cakes. 

And this little lady is Squid. And lately I've got an ocean thing going on.

Artist Proposals: Palm Beach State Art Gallery: Lake Worth

If you're an artist and make really nice work then I want to hear from you. As you may know I am a  Professor at Palm Beach State College. Recently I was asked to take over the art gallery on our Lake Worth Campus. I am so excited to help develop the arts in South Florida. So excited! And if you're an artist in South Florida and you would the opportunity to exhibit your work in a gallery please contact me (at work). And yes I work in a really cool building. So great telling people "look for the building with the big purple triangle".

And if you're saying "awww, I don't live in South Florida" don't despair! If you think you'd be able to ship work, safely and easily. That's cool too. But I do know local can be easier setting up. We artists have to look out for one another.

 

Exhibition Opportunity: South Florida Artists

The Gallery at Lake Worth, Palm Beach State is accepting artist submissions to exhibit in the gallery. Solo and group exhibitions. Email digital submissions to Victoria Martin: MartinV@palmbeachstate.edu. Please include Art Gallery or Artist Submission in the subject line.

Or snail-mail: Victoria Martin
4200 Congress Ave., MS# 15,  Lake Worth, FL 33461.

On my Foot

Today I got so tired of sitting in bed so I dragged myself on crutches into the studio for a little while. I got really tired so I worked

fast. Foot propped up on a stool and inspired by my recent injury and feeling like a total donkey was the inspiration. Note the donkey ears.

The hoof on the left foot? The wrapped leg. If you can't laugh at yourself... I am giving her wings

because I wish I could fly and not have to clip clop around. And frankly, I was too tired and lazy to make arms and all those tiny fingers needed.

New Heads

When I screw up I always try to find the sunny side. A few weeks ago I was making a head and it just looked goofy, so in disgust I  flattened it and something funny happened; I liked it. (it was this head)

Then I made a second head and I smashed it flat too (it was this one)

And then I gave her a flower in her hair. Then I called in my husband as I often do and said "opinion?" He liked them too. I tend to be tight with my art but with these I am quite loose.

 And they're really fun to make. I get to smash  them and make them weird.

Don't worry, I even made a salt and pepper set. I am still making my crazy dolls. But these I am going to explore some more. New things just in time for New Year.

Holiday Doll Updates

I submitted my blog post for CreateMixedMedia yesterday where I updated the status on my Holiday Dolls.  Watch for that in the next week or two.

Somehow I haven't gotten any paint on the white bedding.

I have been using paint pens, micron pens and thread to decorate the dolls.

 Here you can see I have made a few different bodies.

So far I think I like these the best. But trust me the others will not go to waste. Enjoying the challenge, you should try something different too.

Artisans on the Ave: Lake Worth

Thought I'd share a link. A really nice write up on Artisans on the Ave, Lake Worth, FL. Betty and Linda are as nice as they say. No, even nicer! Thanks to Lee Hershfield for the great write up.

 

And this is John McCoy in the pic, if you ever see me swilling coffee from GORGEOUS tall coffee mugs, he's the artist who makes them. I collect his cups the way some people collect butterflies. 

Painting the Living Room: Again

If you know me at all you know I am LETHAL with a can of paint. I went to the store Home Goods and bought a blue rug and drapes and that sent me down a rabbit hole.

Then I said hmm. I think the accent wall which faces the image above (which you can't see in the pic up top) could use a little pop of drama. Here's drama how I see drama (below). I want to add a whole bunch of mirrors on the wall.

 

I've got 3 mirrors and two of my little sculptures there now. Do I love it? I think so, but I'll live with it and start hunting for mirrors. You like?

What do you think?

Just playing with ideas. I had sewn a bunch of clothing and made a bunch of wigs in the past few months that went into the "not for that figure" pile. So I took all of them and put them on a naked doll. Too weird even for me?

The first image is having fun in my favorite software addiction: Photoshop and the second is normal.

Lamps have gone to the dogs

I just finished the lamps I've been working on. Say hello to Frisbee Fred and Vicious Vic. A whole lot of fun to make and sitting pretty in my living room. Bringing them to Artisans on the Ave in downtown Lake Worth today. Watch for them lighting the night from the window.

Sculpture in the raw

I sent these images off for a bit  in Sculpture Review magazine. It's all about color, or in this case lack of. I'll let you know when to look for it. They're long legged lassies measuring about 20 inches long.

Article in Hibu magazine

I just received a link to an article on my work written by fellow ceramic artist Joyce Brown in Hibu magazine. To see the article go to page 18.

A Wee Little Doggy

I just had to show this new little piece for the show in Philadelphia, PA at the Clay Studio. The work has to be no larger than 4 inches high and I had to make a wee little tiny replica of the Doggy and his ball. It's really funny seeing the "mini me" version of the dog with the larger figure. And the larger version is only about 11 inches high but it just goes to show you one mans big is another persons small. Then as I was pecking at my work I thought let me take a photo of my work table. So you'll see the little dog again lying next to lumps of clay.

Quite often people ask me what my favorite tool is. Honestly, it's the magenta colored knife next to the dog. I've literally torn my studio apart in desperation looking for it. There are two, but the second one is playing hide and seek. Second favorite, the buff colored knife located to the left. Primarily that's all I really use for tools. And on the table: Wobbly legs are held with skewers, dry clay gets a spritz, and growling belly gets almonds.

Of course there are boards covered in canvas which I wash down with a garden hose every time a kiln is loaded. Cans and buckets of water for dirty little hands (since I don't have a sink in the studio). I thought about moving the clicker for the tv but hey, it's reality. It aint pretty but it's the view of my table.

Winter in Florida

I keep hearing all this talk on the news about snow storms up north. Well, this is the time of year we all love here in Florida. The photo above is the Lake Worth Pier. Living nearby, Jody and I walked over the bridge and visited the beach. Just thought I'd rub it in to those of you up to your eyebrows in snow.

Retracting my claws and on a less bitchy note, I've got a couple more large pieces on the table. You can compare sizes with the small figures on the wall. This photo was taken earlier while the girls were under wraps and enjoying the warm sun. In case you're not a clay person the figures are draped in plastic to keep them wet until I finish building them.  The figure on the left was starting to lean a bit from the hot sun cooking her on one side. Nothing a little spin on the banding wheel and some water couldn't cure. Will post pictures when they're a little further along. They do now have heads and are standing up on the floor. Being so "vertically challenged" I couldn't reach high enough to add facial features.

Busy Bee

Well the weather here in Florida has broken, it's perfection if I must say so myself. We've shut off the a/c and are enjoying the cooler weather. I just finished shooting images of the new work that was pulled out of the kiln today. I love the pictures that I got today. Not sure if it's the lighting outside, maybe it's the colors that I used when I glazed, I don't know but the images are just popping. The lighting is so dramatic. Probably just dumb luck (given my photography skills)

I am calling this piece Count To Nine. It's a double and it stands about 20 inches high. The title once again making reference to siblings in my family.

I am actually really busy, I've got a commission to make a life sized double figure and more galleries are selling out and need more work. Whew.  A good complaint to have. I've actually been really bad this week, repainting my living room instead of working in the studio. I've got some new wall pieces I am going to post on Etsy. Watch for those shortly.

New Face Vase

I am on spring break and happier than a clam in high tide... or something like that. Prior to break I had said to everyone I was going to put a cot in my studio and actually I have come pretty darned close. It's so nice having so much time to sculpt. I started these pieces last night. They are vases just right for one flower. I went outside and picked a hibiscus from the front yard and stuck it in one of their heads. It's like the one on the right is like "hey bee-atch where's my flower?"

They totally remind me of the large over sprayed hairstyles of the 1950's. What were they called, beehives? Bouffants? Or one of the girl singing groups from the same era. Actually the inspiration behind these: I was sitting out on my patio looking at the clouds and for some reason they reminded me of poofy hairdo's. And yes, I am a strange girl.

Lately I've been firing on Saturdays, we'll see if I can get these girls done by then. If I do watch my Etsy for a few new pieces. Right now I have 4 of these head vases. They stand about 10 inches high. And I am probably going to have a couple of double figures too.

Palm Beach State- January 12

On January 12 there are big changes at PBCC. That is the day we become Palm Beach State College. The College began offering its first Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision and Management in fall 2009. It is seeking state approval to offer additional bachelor's degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in nursing and B.A.S. in information management technology. Rumor mill has it that a BFA may soon be on its way!

Show at the Craft Gallery

Two weeks ago there were 4 openings that featured my work. This weekend there is one at the Craft Gallery in Lake Worth, Florida. Other artists participating in the show are Debra Fritts and Nancy Kubale Wicker. They are very talented artists and I really admire their work.
In need of more artwork to show I have been sculpting like a mad woman. As you can see from the photo it is a life size head, that will just barely fit into my little kiln (Chrissy). The piece is completely handbuilt. I kept a small mirror on the table while working and it is funny to see slight resemblances to my own face in the clay form. The piece stands 18 inches high and is green (unfired) in the photo accompanying this entry.