lotus pod doll and atomic

December 9, 2011 by Calan | Leave a comment

Here’s a pic of the latest lotus pod art doll Kareena.  She will not be joining me at Atomic Holiday Bazaar this weekend because she’s already been sold and I imagine she’s busy with her new family getting ready for the holidays.

I will have several new skull bud vases, some sgraffito pottery, loads of illustrated jewelry and of course, GingerDead cards including the Holiday Collection.  I’m also adding some art doll prints this year and some new clay jewelry designs.  If I find time today to paint him, I’ll have a chubby snowman art doll with me too.

This is one of the best craft oriented shows of the year mostly because it’s got a more alternative, edgy, iteresting vibe.  We all look forward to vending here each year and  I do a lot of my holiday shopping at this show too because I can always find really unique items.  I hope you’ll come check it out.  It runs 10 -4 :30 on Sat and 12 – 5:30 on Sunday in the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium.

 

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My Bitchin’ Muse

November 16, 2011 by Calan | 5 Comments

I wanted to wait to share my piece for the Bitchin show at Blue Lucy gallery until there were photos online of all the works.  In case you missed it, the show featured 12 female artists.  For me, it was the perfect reason to finally complete the wasp hive art doll I started quite a while back.  The theme of the show made me really think about inspiration and how ‘the muse’ is generally thought of as a female persona.  I also thought about where my ideas come from.  Is it my head?  My heart?  Well, it’s bit of both but the most strongest emotions, I feel in my solar plexus.  Anyway, the piece began to make perfect sense to me and I was able to complete her for the show.   My hope is that she would inspire people.  The writer of Art-Taco told me the idea of a nest or hive made him think of community, like the piece wasn’t just about my own inspiration but about inspiring a community.  He’s right.

So, here she is:

Muse is made from lightweight stone clay, wasp nest, sea grass roots, pecans, wood and is finished in pastel and acrylic paints.  She will be on display at Blue Lucy gallery until December 9th.  After that she’ll go to her new home, so if you want to see her check out the show.

You can see all the pieces from the Bitchin’ show on this handy dandy Bitchin’ Show Tumbler!  As you get to the bottom of page one you’ll see the start of the close ups of the art.  Congrats to all the artists for an incredible show and a big thank you to Chad Mize of Blue Lucy (a badass artist in his own right and creator of the Bitchin’ logo which was…well bitchin’!


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pesky penguin

November 14, 2011 by Calan | 2 Comments

So I was trying to make an earthenware vessel for sgraffito decoration.  Most recently I’ve been making more organic shapes by just sort of tossing the clay around and rolling the edges here and there until I like the shape at which point I slice it in half, hollow it out and then cut the opening in the top.  Anyway, as I was softly manipulating the shape I kept seeing this penguin.  I kept trying to see the vessel and the pesky penguin would appear.  I worried if I didn’t make him he’d keep popping up.  I imagined  having my morning coffee and instead of seeing the love of my life sitting across from me, there would be a chubby penguin wearing a tiny Wellington hat.  So I gave in and the penguin was born…

He was then painted in underglazes, fired and then brushed with a clear glaze which I then rubbed off so that I’d have a mixture of glossy and matte surfaces.   His little hat is removable…just because it’s fun to take it on and off and it will make it safer for shipping or transport.

Bitchin’ Update – The show was so much fun!  My next blog update will have photos of my piece as well as a link to the flickr gallery of the show.

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Bitchin’ Art Show

November 12, 2011 by Calan | Leave a comment

I can’t wait to show you the piece I created for the all female art show at Blue Lucy gallery this Saturday.  The art show features the works of 12 local female artists.  If you are in the Tampa Bay area, please come by and check out the show as well as all the art action on the 600 block that night – there are several exhibitions as well as a window display competition between the boutiques.  The festivities happen between 7 and 11 pm.

If you live too far away,  stay tuned.  I’ll post some photos of my piece after the opening.  Her name is Muse…

 

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skull bud vases

November 3, 2011 by Calan | Leave a comment

I’m really digging these little bud  vases. For me the  mixture of charm and skulls is a perfect marriage.  It’s the sort of piece that you can have out all year because it has elegance and doesn’t scream halloween or dia de los muertos.  These have been selling before I can get them home from the studio!  I know a few of you were interested so I want to let you know that you might find one still available at Florida Craftsmen Gallery and I’ll have several at the Art on the Bay event in front of the history museum on saturday – downtown St. Petersburg.  If you aren’t local you can always contact me and I’ll send photos of what is available.

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dream come true

November 2, 2011 by Calan | 2 Comments

A big thank you to my dear friend and fellow artist Frank Strunk III for snagging me a kiln!  Frank mentioned he was working on getting me a kiln that wasn’t being used but I really never dreamed he’d get it.  He hated seeing me stress out waiting to see if I’d get my stuff fired in time for our show and decided he was going to get this kiln for me.  She goes to cone 8 which means not only can I still do my earthenware, but I can also do some mid-fire clay too which is what I prefer for my monster shot glasses!  For now and for larger items or cool wood or gas firing,  I’ll still use St. Pete Clay Company which is a fantastic resource for clay artists, but as soon as I get her checked out and replace a part or two I can do a lot of my normal firing myself.  I can’t tell you how lucky I am and how grateful.  I can’t stop staring at it.  It’s a bit scary too because I’m pretty clueless but I’ve found a manual online and I think I located a place that services them so I can make sure she’s in tip top shape and get some supplies I’ll  need to get started.   I’ll keep you posted on how it goes when I finally get to start using her.

Holy cow, I’m still in shock… anyway, here’s a pic. (It’s an Evenheat Model 810 with a Kiln Sitter Model LT-3K.  Everything looks good except I think the tube inside where you rest the cone needs replacing. )

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more clay love

October 17, 2011 by Calan | 5 Comments

The exhibition For the Love of Clay at Studio@620 was really something.  So many incredible clay artists in the Tampa Bay area…wow.  I feel very inspired and am honored to have been accepted in to the show.  I’m especially honored to have had one of my pieces selected to receive First Place.  A little recognition sure can go a long way in the encouragement department.  With or without a prize, the positive response from the attendees was wonderful.  The piece that won was an art doll by the name of Jool.  She is a piece that incorporates clay, lotus pod,  sea grass roots, rusty washers and a couple of buttons.

 

As I’ve recently explained working with clay is really what I know I’m meant to do, so this feels like a celebration on my new focus.  Out of the ceramic pieces I put out, I sold all but two.  Even though my pottery included skull bud vases and monster themed platter and shot glasses.  They sold.  This was not an alternative show.   This was a show that clay and art enthusiasts attend annually.  It’s really great when people get my style and it makes them smile.  It means the world to me.  I can only make things that tug at my own heart strings and appeal to my own wonky aesthetics, but you just never know for sure if it will translate to the rest of the world.  Will they see that your heart and humor are in that piece?  I think the answer is that if you really are true to yourself, it will show through and touch other people.  I’ve also seen this with my jewelry, comic and cards.   Even though I’ve learned the lesson before, it still amazes me..and that’s probably a good thing.

Here are a couple of other pieces from the show -

 

Not the best photos, but I’m still working on how to photograph glazed surfaces when you don’t have a lightbox!  I need to build  one I think.  Anyway, you get the idea.  This is the sort of work I’ve been up to.  Site updates including a new gallery for ceramic work as well as a way to buy online will come soon.  Right now I’m just focusing on creating.  If you are located in the Tampa Bay area, I do have a few pieces available at Florida Craftsmen, so stop by and check those out!

A big thanks to Wendy Durand and Don Williams for putting together this annual exhibition and sale.  I can’t wait ’til next year…

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For the Love of Clay

October 15, 2011 by Calan | Leave a comment

Tonight I hope to see you at Studio@620 for the annual juried exhibition and sale – For the Love of Clay.  I’ll be showing 10 pieces of my new ceramic work including a few skull bud vases like these:

 

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Re-emerging with Monsters

October 6, 2011 by Calan | 1 Comment

So, I’ve sort of disappeared for the last few months.  No GingerDead comic.  No blog posts or gallery additions.  Nothing.  I only feel a little bad about this, because  I had to allow myself this time to completely immerse myself in my re-found love for traditional clay.  I seriously had to.  No choice.  With clay, I feel like I’ve come home.  After 4 months of study, experimentation and an incredible amount of hours I’m starting to step out of hiding and show what I’ve been up to.  Last week I showed some of my ceramic work for the first time over at Kahwa Cafe South  in St. Pete and I had a really great response.  I’ve nearly sold everything I put up.  This weekend, I’ll have a lot more to show over at Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend.  The following Sat, I’m in a juried exhibition called For The Love of Clay over at Studio@620.  After that I’ll be able to settle down and start updating both websites again which will include adding a new ceramic gallery to this site and may involve a brand new etsy store.

For now here’s a little peek at just one of the series I’ve been working on.  I made these in honor of the Ultimate Horror Weekend that I’m heading to tomorrow.  Much more to come when I’m done with the art shows and can catch my breath and share everything with you.  I can’t wait for you to see the sgraffito work…and the skull vases…and….just stay tuned!

 

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Wander – New Art Doll

July 25, 2011 by Calan | Leave a comment


If Wander had a last name it would probably be ‘Lust’.  She loves journeys and her favorite method of travel is jumping trains.  Wander finds nothing more relaxing than the rocking motion of an old train chugging along and she find nothing more exhilarating than waking up and not being sure where she is.  The unknown is disorienting and the only way to solve that is by exploring a place and becoming familiar with it.  Once she feels comfortable in a place, it’s time to move on.  Wander loves drinking gin and singing songs around blazing trash can.  (It’s really just gingerale, but no one dares point that out to little Wander).  If you are thinking you’d like to give Wander a permanent home, that’s wonderful but you’ll need to have an adventurous spirit of your own.  She will probably disappear from time to time, but will always come back home to you if you share her lust for life.

Wander is a mixed media art doll and part of my lotus girl series.  Each girl is inspired by a dried lotus pod.  She is completely hand -made and one of a kind.  She is made primarily of a lightweight stone clay, wire and includes details  made from found natural objects such as  dried roots collected along the Gulf of Mexico,  some shredded coconut gathered along the coast of the Atlantic ocean and of course a lotus pod!  Her little hat has been delicately hammered from a small tin and then rusted using iron and acid which is topped with a rusty bottle cap, a bit of paint and a scrap of fabric.  She is just under 8 inches tall and approx 4 inches wide.  She is signed on the bottom.

     

 

Wander is available through my etsy store - here.

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