Opening Reception JF Gallery, West Palm Beach

If you are in South Florida this Saturday I hope you can make it to JF Gallery for the "Pictures of Nothing Exhibit". The opening reception is March 17, 2012 from 6 - 9 pm. Here's a link to their facebook page and a link to the gallery website.

One of the pieces  in the show is No Thing and the other is a double figure called Na Da. (get the tie in for the show?) I know... I am a total dork. Looking at the picture I adore the figure with Na on its chest, the pot belly is too much and sadly it reminds me of... me! Bwah! Hope you're there, because I am worried since it's St. Patrick's Day and most people I know are going to be out swilling beer (as they should be).

You're My Bud...

I fired the Chrissy the kiln Sunday and didn't unload until late Sunday night. I was actually looking at the clock and suffering from daylight savings-itus saying "please God... let it cool so I can unload and go to bed". Monday was back to work and suffering from end of spring break-itus. So I just went outside and picked a big honking hibiscus flower from the front yard and shot some images of my work. I know, I know... the flower is bigger than her head. I looked lecherously at a purple orchid I have in my tree and said Vic...don't do it.

These new pieces are "bud vases" in two ways. The can hold a single bud or flower and they can become your new little buds. The ones posted here represent the blondes and brunettes. The blonde is about 10 inches high and the brunette is about 9 inches high. I think my latest crazy obsession is polka-dots, can you tell? Actually I have always loved them even though migraine sufferers are supposed to avoid bold patterns I am strangely drawn to stripes and dots. I hope to put some of the new work on Etsy in the next few days. Do stay tuned.

Oh, and if you are in the area I have a couple of pieces in a show that opens this Saturday at JF Gallery in West Palm Beach. Hope you can make it.

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.

From Too Big to Ta Da!

I just got back from the Craft Gallery where the ever Lovely Betty Wilson fired my too big piece. I think the title will stay King Richard. She is a big girl measuring about 23 inches from head to toe and on the leash is King Richard the bird who isn't sure what he is. Part grackle (one of my FAVORITE birds), the red of a cardinal, part crow, part Labrador.

 Little Chrissy my kiln is only 18 inches high and I tried just about everything to make the large figure fit. Even took the bottom shelf out, leaned her sideways (the figure not the kiln). It was a no go and not meant to be. So thank you Betty. If you're a ceramic artist in Palm Beach County... go to Betty Wilson at the Craft Gallery for supplies and firing. Love you Betty.

I am still debating where to show her. The options; at Piedmont Craftsmen Things with Wings show, or over at Clay Glass Metal Stone gallery. I actually have a table full of art again, so you'll know I will be firing little Chrissy again this weekend. Maybe I'll get all of the stuff sorted that didn't fit in the firing this weekend.

Angel of Love Tutorial

Please stop by your local bookstore and ask for the most recent copy of Art Doll Quarterly because I have written a tutorial on sculpting a figure. You may notice on the cover it says Sculpting an Angel of Love by Victoria Rose Martin. It's actually the little angel figure you see accompanying this blog. I put her over in the gallery in Lake Worth and she sold, I keep meaning to give a shout out to Joyce at Clay Glass Metal Stone, to let her know if the persons who bought the angel buys the magazine they can watch step by step this figure being made. There are TONS of photos accompanying the tutorial. (FYI: I shoot my work with a Sony NEX-5)

 Aside from bookstores, you can also get copies online at the Stampington/ Art Doll Quarterly web site. A huge thanks to magazine Editor Jana Holstein for running the story.

You can be sure I will be ordering extra copies online.

Tooo Big

I loaded a kiln late last night and fired it today but why you ask is my bottom lip is all pouty and quivering? Because one of my girls was too big for the kiln. (big sigh... she's 23.5 inches tall) I get so darned impatient to see them fired. Maybe that is why the universe guided me to clay in the first place because it is really about patience. If clay is too wet it falls, and you patiently have to wait for it to dry. And then you have to wait for the work to dry before putting it into a kiln. Then if you heat a kiln too fast the work blows up, so you have to take it slow. When the kiln reaches temperature and begins cooling I pace like a father in the delivery room. Sticking paper in the peeps to see if it catches on fire, blowing fans towards the kiln and an ever vigilant ear listening for pinging and popping meaning it's cooling too fast and in danger of breaking. Oh... patience. So once this gal dries I can bring her to the Craft Gallery and have Betty, my clay angel fire my baby. I'll post a picture of her when she's done.

Nada, Nothing

It's been a busy few weeks getting work together for shows near and far. It's a good feeling having the work ready when deadlines are just over the horizon. I submitted this piece  for a show at JF Gallery here in the West Palm Beach area called Pictures of Nothing... hence the words on the chest. This spicy little gal is NO THING; she's a hot tamale. I am really having fun with the little circus inspired outfits on my pieces lately. Hope you like her.