Closing-A new beginning

Well if you saw on the website, we are going out of business on January 31st. Sometimes things evolve and just don't work out as planned. We gave it a go and did the best we could with what we had. I have learned more than I expected and met so many great people so I would never take back the experience.

Every ending creates a new beginning and although I don't know exactly what I will do, it will be a fresh start. I'm not taking any baggage with me into my new path so no need to be down or sad. Speaking of baggage, stop by the shop between now and January 31st for great deals on art, boutique gifts, supplies and furniture.

I also want to thank all of my great customers. Without your positive response and continued support we might not have made it this long. I will be sure to let you all know what the next step is and if I will have classes, art shows or other things you might be interested in.

Now... on to the next adventure!

The dog with no color

So, I finally got my pig, bear, dog all done up and lookin' good. He finally spoke up and told me what he wanted to look like.  I know I haven't posted in a while - soul searching and figuring out what new direction I want the blog to take. Plus crazy busy with art fairs, classes, store rearranging and the usual marketing, bookkeeping and floor mopping.

But back to the dog... here he is in all his encaustic glory. His new name is Indigo.

Another winner

Congratulations to Heather E for winning the October drawing. Encaustics is such a great class to explore when you are looking for new mediums and techniques to take your art even further!

Be sure to enter for this months drawing for $25 worth of boutique items to give as gifts for the holidays. Enter at www.omahaartmill.com.

And the winner is...

Elizabeth R. is our on-line painting class giveaway winner. October's give away is another encaustic bar session as many of you registered to win. Its oh so much fun and great in the fall to warm your hands by.

Be sure to register to win free stuff at www.omahaartmill.com!

Sale Time

We are having a dot sale on almost everything in the store. The dots will correspond with a percentage off each item from 20% up to 50%. Some stuff is already reduced and will have that beloved Red dot of 50% off.

Come get your holiday gifts now and then you don't have to freak out about the crowds and traffic in November!

Sale starts Friday, Sept. 24 through October 7th.
(get in soon for the great deals on one-of-a-kind gifts before they are gone)

Visual Fusion Project

We have a new project for The Art Mill. We want to get creative people involved in projects and art openings. Supporting emerging artists and beginners is our main goal and these projects are our way to get more people involved.

You purchase a "kit", follow the instructions (they are few), submit your creative work by the deadline and have your work on display (and for sale) for an art opening and exhibit. Each project will have different challenges, surprises and ideas for you to try out.  To get involved in these events you buy the kit which includes...
• your canvas, board, paper or other required surface
• fun papers and/or ephemera
• two hours of free studio time at The Art Mill to be used on specified dates (which gives you access to all of our supplies and goodies)
• the theme or challenge for the artwork submitted

The fee for the kit also covers marketing and promotion for the opening and exhibition to get your art sold. There is more information about all the commission fees, deadlines and the like on the website. (on its way on-line soon)

Our first project is a "Visual Fusion" project. Included in your kit are words that you will visually interpret in your own unique way. You may choose to use all of the words or just one. The rest is up to your imagination.

The kits will go on sale on August 1st so be sure to pick one up and get involved in what should be a fun project and exhibition.
The deadline for buying a kit is August 21st.
Submit your artwork by Sept.15
Exhibition Sept. 24 - 30
Art opening on Sept. 24th.
Cost: $16.95

Focus in a Can!

 

Yikes! I guess I've been slackering on the blog posting. I did take a wonderful vacation to Austin, TX. Love that city. I played on the lake until muscles I didn't even know I had were sore. Since I've been back I think I've been going through PVD (post vacation depression). 

So I've decided to re-energize and focus. I resort to caffeine to stay energized but then I get distracted by shiny things, dust bunnies, the internet....  I thought that focus should come canned so that I quit wandering around hopped up on caffeine jumping from one idea to the next and accomplishing nothing. Above is my Andy Warhol-esque poster for this wonderful product that is bound to be a international success if only someone can invent the ingredients. Obviously it will first need to be bottled so that it can be oh so exciting when it comes in a can!

Since I am tooting around the internet I thought I'd share one thing I came across that I loved. It's this hilarious illustration. Then back to work I promise. Just 5 more minutes...

Free stuff

Congratulations to Amy S on winning the May drawing for a free painting class. Be sure to register for June's drawing for Free clay! Whenever I write these entries I always want to talk like a radio announcer that is super excited. Can you hear it in my tone of type?

Check the website every month to see what we are giving away. Plus when you do you are put on our mailing list for coupons and such. I haven't started that just yet but its coming.  We also have a coupon in the Spartan so be sure to look for that as well.

Clay Dog/pig/bear

Well... The dog is still drying. I struggled with this little guy. Although the paper ball head looked like a dog head, once I wrapped it in clay it looked like a pig. I had to do his face three times before I was even partially ok with him. So as promised, here he is. The last photo is how I was looking at him while I made him, so its my favorite view. Now he just has to make it through the firing without exploding! We shall see...

Oh and funny story, my Mom commented on liking his "circles". I explained that they were his SPOTS. But now I think there will be a little story about Jane and her dog Circle. See Jane. See Circle. See Jane talk to her silly Mom.

Shop dogs

This is a new project I'm working on. I've been seeing adorable sculptures in clay and paper mache of dogs and I wanted to make one. Depending on how long it takes I might make more "pets" for myself and the shop. I somehow managed to get a wad of paper to look like a dogs head. He looks a bit like the dog from "There's Something about Mary" after he flies out the window and has a full body cast.

I can't wait to make and show the finished product.  I had to do a little photo shoot with my actual dogs since they were in the shop with me yesterday. They hated every second of it as they don't tend to get along with other dogs.  I may have chased them with it, making barking sounds, before these photos were taken. They are practicing avoidance.

I am a little sad I can't have actual shop dogs. My two love to bark at everyone. With this new addition to my dog pack I can have a quiet and loyal pet at work.

Explosion Proof

So Brit-iferd (imagine a man with a smoking jacket, monocle and British accent ) and I were having a deeply intellectual conversation about my vent over my kiln. Just so you know Brit-iferd is my Mr. B, my hubster, my -insert code name used by prolific bloggers who refer to their husbands-. I had noticed a sticker on the vent that says "not explosion proof" which sparked (pardon the pun) a hilarious conversation about how things can read differently to others than originally intended.

I read "not explosion proof" to mean that at some point I may be working away in my kiln room and... kaploowey! My vent will randomly explode. The end.

Brit-iferd read it to mean that if I cause an explosion in my building or kiln room through misuse of art supplies that the vent will not survive the blast. That I will be going through all my junk in the kiln room crying over burnt scraps of wood and melted Christmas elves only to discover that while my kiln has survived the blast my vent is beyond repair. Oh the horror!

So, I've been tempted to call the manufacturer and sort out the meaning of their label. It's a little vague and really if it is as I read it... I'd like to know how not to have a vent explosion. Is there a way to prevent it? Then again with all the law suits in the world against businesses for silly things I wonder if they just slap a label like that on anything.

I'm thinking of putting that label on all my art. You decide if I mean it will explode or if there is an explosion that it was not in-fact "explosion proof".

Encaustic boy

This is one of my favorite encaustic pieces I've done to date. I worked and worked on the painting underneath him trying to figure out what to make. Then this boy came out. I love how the texture underneath made the ground look like sand (what I was trying to achieve in color).

He has a good home now, living with a local artist that visits the Art Mill now and again. I'm looking forward to the next encaustic open bar in June. Its so hard to explain the joy of painting with wax but once you try it you will want to try it again and again.

If you didn't know already... we carry R&F encaustic supplies here at the store if you are ever looking for a local source for an amazing product line.

Here is another one of my encaustic creations where I played with blowing it around with the heat gun.

Porcelain experiments

So I've been playing with porcelain and glass and these are my creations so far. I'm a little disappointed in how gray the clay turns out. After the bisque fire (the low firing that you do before glazing) they were bright white but once I fired to temp they were all gray. Ok for the little cups but the glass items were suppose to be for pendants but I don't love them. Guess I have to buy more clay to play with. I was experimenting with a cone 6 clay since I don't want to wear out my kiln trying to fire to cone 10.

If that all seems like gibberish talk to you that's ok. Its gibberish to me too but its like speaking the same language as your dishwasher. I want to wash my dishes on pots and pans with a steam dry and jet dry sparkle wash. See... same thing.  All that really matters is how they look when you open the lid. 

The bird cup is inspired by this artist on etsy. Love her stuff.  I couldn't help but do a bird. I think I might be kindred spirits with this woman as she uses bikes and birds in her work also. Now if only she did silverware on the cups. But then where would that leave me and my work.

Where does the time go!

Our April winner for the reusable Envirosax bags is Barbara. All our winners are chosen by using random.org. Don't forget to check out what we will be giving away in May at www.omahaartmill.com.

Creative bumps

This is one of my favorite images that I love to use in my ads. Great colors and its an old image of when they used to do head bump mapping. The bump in my creative sector has been growing! I'm going through a bit of a philosophical research phase and its sparked a lot of ideas for my art. Not to mention my trips to the book stores to peruse art magazines and decor mags and a recent visit to the Joslyn Art Museum.

I promise that I am working on my art that I will share here. I've just got to get my June class samples all ready to go and then I can focus. Ok...along with a million other things but isn't that the story for so many of us.

Here is a hint about what I am working on... I just went and bought some glass frit to play with in my pottery.  Ooooh, what could I be doing?! If you don't get to see it in two weeks - give me a comment about my procrastination.

Just keep swimming

I've been happily busy trying to make the changes to the business that I've been promising for months. (Whether to myself or to customers) I finally got my brochure done now that I think I know what direction I want the store to take. Still plenty of options but much more simplified for people to understand.  I've rearranged the store a few times in the last month as well as ordered in tons of art supplies for upcoming projects and classes. I'm still working on class samples and will continue to create new ones each month. I can't complain though, nothing I would rather be doing than painting, creating with clay and sharing what I learn and do with others.

I keep coming up with ideas for my own art that I want to pursue and promising myself that I will get to it next month. I think I might have to set aside a morning here and there to do my own art - things that I won't teach in a class, things that I will submit to galleries. I plan to share my process here so look for that in the coming months.

Until then you get to see the back page of my new tiny brochure packed full of information. If you want to see the whole thing stop into the store and pick one up.

April giveaway

In honor of Earth Day, The Art Mill is giving away two Envirosax. The bird design and one surprise bag. Keep for yourself or give them away as handy gifts. They roll up into small balls great for throwing in your purse (we all know its enormous and can fit one or two). No more forgetting that "green" bag in your car and being too lazy to go get it.  Be sure to go to www.omahaartmill.com to enter for the drawing.

The birds are flying home

Congratulations Brett B. you won these mini birds. They are so excited to come live with you they have been chirping my ear off.  They love spring and don't hardly poo at all. And just to clarify it is not my husband Brit that won these.

Too cute to wait

So I wanted to post these tomorrow so I have something new a few days a week but... well I'm actually blogging and they are just so stinking cute I want to share real quick. I'll think of something really good to post about later in the week. Hmmm.... maybe something on missing your "muchness" (Alice in wonderland reference as I just saw that tonight).

These are tiny birdhouses for sale handmade by a couple in KS. They even crinkle the tin roofs themselves. I want a giant bushel of them not because I have tiny birds that live in my yard, but because I like the looks of piles of cuteness. My yard has giant birds that the neighbor feeds and then they poop all over the fence and deck. There is also a hawk family that I'm afraid might carry off Watson one day. I digress yet again onto the topic of birds...

Putting on a Show

I know I've blogged before about being an ADD (attention deficit disorder) artist that loves to skip from one project to the next with no cohesive flow or "body of work". I always hemmed and hawed at the fact that galleries want a cohesive body of work that focuses on one topic, concept or at the least in medium. I would explain "I just don't work that way". I still don't work that way because my brain would revolt from such organization and constraints to make one piece tie to the next even in concept. However, and here comes the admission of something, it makes hanging for an art show soooooo much easier when the pieces flow with each other. They just seem to hang themselves and look beautiful without any effort on the "hanger's" part. Plus then there is the argument that it makes for better art when you really explore a concept in as many ways as possible before moving on so that you push your art and discover new and better ways to express the same idea. I do this in a way but I sprinkle in randomness. (for example I work on "memory paintings" in between working on my concept of exploring a way to express my intrigue in the "lost lives" of the photographs of people discarded and sold at antique markets, while working on funky pottery - but that's another long blog entry)

So I have a new admiration for museum and gallery curators. To make connections between artists work and have them all fit into a concentric theme is an art in and of itself. Then to take the artwork and hang it so the viewer 1. understands the artists intention and 2. so they move about the space letting their minds flow from one artist to the next without a jarring break (although I think they do that on purpose sometimes).

With my unusual set up at The Art Mill I have to hang things in an almost "retail" way and still make the individual art pieces hold their own. Sometimes when art is crammed together they lose their power. Needless to say I wrestled with that as I do on an ongoing basis. Is it a retail space? Is it a gallery? Is it a studio? It's all of the above and must all work together.

I could go on and on... if you want to know more just stay tuned. I'm sure I'll post again on this topic as I hope to do more art openings featuring new artists. I'm thinking of doing the next show with a whimsy theme or maybe one that is centered on each artist creating a piece that fits an "assignment". I'll let you know in about a week. Until then enjoy the photos of the space and be sure to stop in a see these pieces in person as these photos don't do them justice.

Hop into spring

We created these little paperclay bunnies last Saturday (just now getting to posting photos) I am not showing mine as it is not nearly as cute. The featured bunny is by Barb S. Way to go Barb it turned out so cute.

We have another bunny class on Saturday March 27th at 1:00 p.m.  Kids are welcome and its only $35 with all the supplies included. Be sure to sign up in advance so we have all the supplies and bunny parts ready to go.

I can't believe Easter and spring is just around the corner. At least the calendar says it is.  Looking outside at our snow storm we are having convinces me otherwise. I'm keeping on my positive pants and am just enjoying my comfy and warm snow boots. Might be the last time I get to wear them for a while.

Here a few more angles on the bunny that I shall henceforth refer to as... Sammy.

Winner winner chicken dinner

 

Congrats to Donna our February art winner. Check out what our give away is for March. I'll bet you never guess...

ok its birds! Tee hee. But they are mini birds and cute as a bugs ear.

Hilarity for the masses

So... I came across a blog Dooce® two years ago or so that is funny while being bluntly honest. She has a bazillion followers and I think they said 1.6 million twitter readers. I am not one as I just don't care about twitter. If I care what you are doing I'll call you, but otherwise its just stalking.

If you need some internetting diversion its a great place to lose track of an hour of your life. I just wanted to share that little nugget along with this one...  I too (like Heather of Dooce) have a crazy Australian Shepherd. I put things on his head and take photos of him. Who knew people wanted to see these things and buy calendars of the photos. My photos are not nearly has fab. I'm just reaching for a way to be as cool as her. I have two Aussies so that makes me twice as cool or twice as crazy. Read her blog and you'll understand.

Watson a.k.a. Wat sporting Mrs. Potato Head glasses. Fashionable? Yes.

Today is ours and today alone.

Working with both children and adults that are learning art gives me quite the perspective on how people feel about the art they make. Children freely jump into their projects without needing samples or detailed instruction to make it their own. Sometime I barely am able to finish my instructions before they start with reckless abandon. I try to talk about my samples to explain bits and pieces of art history - why the artist did what they did and what it says about the artist. But they look at me wide-eyed waiting for me to give them the go ahead to draw or paint or dig into their clay. They don't care what came before them they just want to make what they have in their heads and hearts. When they are finished you can see the pride on their faces as they talk about what the made and why.

Adults are another story. Not that they don't jump in whole hog, but they make wincing and contorted faces as they glace at others and back at their own piece. When I ask about the piece they just made I rarely hear pride in the voice or even praises for themselves. I know that as adults we think people will judge us as cocky if we like what we create. I think its time for a change. Embrace your "mistakes" and differences and celebrate the fact that you are creating. You are learning and improving every time you pick up your brush or ball of clay.

I chose the piece featured at the top, a painting I have hanging by the front counter, to express the need for embracing our present. Our present level of perceived skill at an art form, our present era of art and available mediums. We may not be where we want to be but if we don't love where we are today how are we to move forward tomorrow?

What did you create today? Did you look at it and say "hello art, I like you."? No?! Well you should.

The Fear in Art

Hello all... I bet you think I'm going to talk about the birds again. Haha I am not! I just like to have pictures to entertain and amuse.

Instead, I'll talk about a book I found at a cute little book store and coffee shop in the Haymarket in Lincoln over the weekend - not overwhelming full of books. I felt like I could actually find something without finding 18 of the same type of book and wondering which one to get because they were all about the same. I purchased the new Dr. Seuss book "My Many Colored Days" that he wrote back in 1973 but was illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher after Dr. Seuss' death. Although that was a great find (didn't know it existed) my favorite find of the day was "Art/fear - An Artist's Survival Guide" by authors David Bayles and Ted Orland. I've read maybe a third and everything thing they say about creating art is everything I've ever thought and questioned put into eloquent words.

I wish I could assign the book to everyone and have a little book club meeting to talk about all the things they bring up line by line. But, since that isn't going to happen I'll just share little treasures from the book along with a few of my ramblings and jumbled up sentences to go with it. Let me also just state that this isn't just a book for painters or ceramicists but for writers, designers, quilters, crafters, and anyone who ever thought "why did I stop making ____? or How do I do this art thing like all those successful artists?"

For those of you out there that do make art I'm sure like me you have wondered if you are doing it right.  What if when you pick up your brush you take the potential the supplies offer and mess it up? What if you start something and it goes nowhere or if you finish it and its horrible (even if only to you) Sometimes you blame the paint or the weather or the sunlight (or lack thereof) and of course your "talent" as the reason your art just isn't good enough. In the book I'm reading they talk about this uncertainty in creating art and they say...

"Its always like that. Art is like beginning a sentence before you know its ending. The risks are obvious: you may never get to the end of the sentence at all – or having gotten there, you may not have said anything. ... In making art you need to give yourself room to respond authentically, both to your subject matter and to your materials."

I'm encouraged, inspired and intrigued everytime I pick up this book. Its like a special understanding hug just for artists and artists at heart.

Color me ready for spring

Before my trip to Austin I finished up a painting that was requested to go with a previous painting of a little girl with a baloon. I spent three days working on this watercolor creation. I teach watercolor and obviously paint with watercolors occasionally, but I prefer the quick drying, easy to paint over my mistakes acrylic. I find that I happily spend time on the details of a person and thier clothes but when it comes to the background I'm all about getting it over with. I should do more with watercolor and see if there is a way to paint with it that I actually love.

I'm working on a large watercolor painting of a hillside in Greece. I'll have to post it when I get all those Greek houses painted. I'm going for outrageous colors and lots of details. Stay posted...

House vases... getting closer

I've been slacking on my blogging for a bit. I'm back and plan to share so much in the next few weeks. I took a lovely little vacation to see family in Texas. Saw Austin for the first time and loved it. It was so nice to escape snow and below freezing temps to see grass and the sun! Any whooooo....

I wanted to show some of the houses that are completed for the Houses for Haiti. My glazing volunteers disappeared into the snowey night and I haven't seen them since. I hope to get the rest glazed this week so I can share the whole little village. For now you will have to oooh and aaaah over the four that are ready to go.