My "Graduation" Gift - Creative Thursday

I came back weary from the exhibition (my work will continue to hang in the Gail Harker Creative Studies Studio throughout the summer)about ten days ago and found both these lovely flowers...


and an envelope from Mommy & Daddy. The Professor added his gift to this and this week's Creative Thursday was born. My dining room could be reclaimed from the studio...



a hide-away studio wall would replace the chaos in which we have lived for the two years of the course.
The first challenge was to empty the contents of the above room into the living room, the Professor's office, and hallway of our snug digs...



some of the pieces found new homes elsewhere, others were re-purposed...



the glass shelves were reconfigured into a lone tower...



and two trips to our closest IKEA location, across the border in Canada by the way, took place. I found a smokin' deal on some laundry storage and bought what I thought would be enough. HA! Always trying to "make do" cost me the second trip, a 3 1/2 hour fiasco in record heat without air conditioning to purchase two more units...which were sold out, so I quickly bought three of the smaller units and the necessary drawers. As counting has never been my strongest suit, I will have to make yet another IKEA run.
But I have recovered my dining table and will be able to have friends and family over soon...



once the drawers are purchased or at least the curtains made and hung.
I am terribly pleased with my handiwork and feeling like a "real artist" now. Thank you, Mom & Dad.



But mostly, thank YOU, Professor. Your patience with the disarray of the past couple of years, encouragement not to give up and unflagging your support got me through. Your example of re-creating yourself has been my standard. Thank you for your courage and your love.

Six Heads Are Better?

Earlier this week I posted a very late entry to the Week 1 Creative Challenge from Gitzen Girl and today I'm posting my Week 2 creative goodie. On time because I'm procrastinating preparing for next weekend's final exhibition at Gail Harker's Creative Studies.

A few months ago I found a smokin' deal on styrofoam wig stands and decided I had to have them. But not to hang wigs on, thank you very much! Those of you who have spent any time with me know that I can never resist the "treasures" most would label trash. So I scooped up a number (I'm not admitting to how many) of these wonderful, expressionless heads. Those of you who have spent time in my studio know there is little room for treasures of this size...or this quantity, if you must know. So they remained in the trunk of my car.

This week I found the single type of spray paint that does not dissolve styrofoam.

and applied it to about 6 of my new-found friends



The 6th head I decided to cut and attach to a canvas for a piece I'm thinking of calling Emerging



She may need a bit more tweaking, but I'm calling the finding. purchasing and using the amazing Krylon H2O spray paint my creative goodie.

Hope you all enjoy your wanderings today. I certainly will.

A Creative Challenge

I've decided to join Gitzen Girl's New Challenge:



In case you'd like to join, too, let me explain in the words of Gitzen Girl herself...

"Every Thursday, each of us participating will share one thing that we took the time to create that week. And that can be ANYTHING. Anything we take a moment to stop and do for just for me... anything that helps shape who I am as a person.

Because, here’s thing, as much as this is called YOU:create, it could just as easily be called create:YOU. When you stop for a minute and create something, accomplish something, finish a goal that would in some way fulfill a yearning you have inside, you are giving yourself the space to be you. To express yourself. To feel good about something you want to do rather than all those things you HAVE to do.

That creates joy in your life. And you all know I’m all about the joy."

And so am I... Thank you for the reminder and the challenge. So here's what I did FOR ME this week. Since I didn't have any photos of my son and his wonderful wife in the house, I decided to do something about that. I perused some of my favorites (a pleasant occupation in itself) and from those I chose 3 images. From the images, 3 small canvases, some light molding paste and black and white paint, emerged these treasures.





So consider sharing this adventure with me. I'd love to have you along...