cutting papers

today I was trying a new approach for the fishes and birds. In the end they all died ... and then there was suddenly also a little dead mammal - smiling. I'm not working the papers - they are working me!

I still really like Adam Saks, especially his water colours

two swallows

Tomorrow I'm off to my studio to work on my own stuff for the first time since the end of February. (that's why I've been so frustrated and angry lately) YES!

I have been trying to come up with some ideas for the Of Fishes and Birds project at home at night - but it's been impossible. I'm hoping the creative atmosphere in my studio - and the possibility to leave everything in a total mess - will help me to come up with some good ideas.

Talking about exciting collaborative projects - you haven't missed to order your deck of We are a Happy Family, have you? I'm impatiently waiting to get mine, cursing that volcano ...

to make you smile: Thomas Allen

hares for tomorrow

Tomorrow I have my presentation for the tenants owners association (commission). I had planned to share here on my blog how I've been thinking with this commission and how I present the complete suggestion ... but it will have to wait some days. We have tonsillitis (me and son). But I will of course give my presentation anyway tomorrow (= self employed)

Blanket Magazine's blog - they like my art

60 minutes = many animals

No, they are not pixels - or supposed to make a bigger image all together. I just spread them on the floor to dry after making sketches in a fury; animals you find in Sweden (for the commission). Indian Ink + a calligraphy brush + Mozart's piano concerts = 60 minutes of animals. And I made more than these!

[Click the image for a bigger picture]

lots of cats

this is what I do with left over papers.
Cats

the year in pictures
Silvia B

tomorrow versus 2006

Sitting here cutting a little monkey (ape) for tomorrow (son has no preschool here in London yet) - A a as in "apa" (Swedish for monkey. Apes have no tail). Made me think of one of my paintings from 2006. It's called Aa (90x121 cm). I had those posters of the alphabet from school in mind when I painted it.

A - the beginning.

Old school

looking for a house

another children's book sketch...

tomorrow I'm off to London for a week to find an apartment. I'll still try to be here though - Internet is everywhere!

boy and bird

another of my sketches for my potential children's book.

one more thing

I almost forgot: Bibbi is opening her exhibit tomorrow - and I'm going. I've never seen her before (just read the blog) so it's going to be exciting!

even though I've been teaching full time this week I managed to make my own prints (in my lunch break) - experimental printing thinking about my children's book idea.

mixing

confession: I'm tempted to start working on a book for children.

screenprinting made easy: 1

For my class next week, and last week of April, I prepared these simple screenprints. Instead of transferring something to a plastic film through computer and copy machine/printer - I simply used some shapes I had cut earlier (playing with the offspring). I taped them on to the plastic film and transferred them to the screenframe directly (using photo emulsion). To get the irregular orange background I simply taped a shape onto an unprepared screenframe ("typical screenprint" to print a colourfield like that as a base). The white shape (in the print on the right) was originally a rhino made by using a stencil directly under the screenframe while printing.

The idea with these prints is to show how you can make screenprints in a more direct way. Sometimes that can be the best way to start out so you'll understand the underlying principles. This way of working is also referring to early poster art made with silk screen: big simple shapes in strong colours.

Lately I've gotten more interested in works on paper. Georgia Russel cuts paper (no 8 - De Baudelaire au Surréalisme is my favorite) - many of them books. Caterina Crepax makes fashion inspired paper art (check opere).

being childish - again

So, my son is sick again. We paint, cut papers and glue - and I try to create some things with the material (fast, though - he is a severe master) on the side. Just cutting and gluing what is already there. It's so fun with the colourful papers. And the speed. He makes 10 art pieces in 15 minutes!

eagle fight

As it's after Christmas I can reveal one of the gifts. This is a t-shirt with eagles printed on it - eagles fighting. But I never got enough time to make something for my son's trains... maybe something for his birthday instead?

everlasting enamel story

It's late - almost 23:00 - and I'm still working. Tomorrow I'll meet these people about the enamels for the 11 entrances. Originally it was supposed to be 11 art pieces giving identity to each entrance. Then they wanted to have the number - and then the street name - on the enamel (BIG!). And the names of the animals. I've been trying to convince them to have it on a separate enamel - but I'm not getting through to them. So now I'm trying very hard to get them to understand that having it UNDER is the way to go. Above (which they want) is like putting a lid on it, to take away the importance from the animals, to make it even more into a street sign with an illustration on it - not an art piece. Besides - I'm an artist not a graphic designer. I want to work with the picture - not the letters... (size of enamels will be approx 35x40 cm)

Cross your fingers and think "under", "under", "under"...

material - or method

I'm always looking for interesting materials to make art in, or methods for making art. Through Mikroponent you can order more or less any shape (for example a rough sketch) etched out in a metal alloy (plate). As they are etching it out - not cutting - they can make very detailed and sharp shapes. The only downside is that it's expensive to just make a few - or many in different shapes. It's like printing ... a starting cost and then cheaper per item the more of the same you order. I've talked to them (asking for prices for an idea I had) - they were very nice and excited when I wanted to make something different (then their normal orders) with their method (like art!).

I've booked the enamel ovens for next week. I'm finally going to work on those enamel plates I bought in the middle of September. I'm going to make this roosters (above) as a material test for the entrances ... and 12 other totally different ones. My own stuff - so to say (not commission!). I've bought a special enamel screening emulsion with skulls all over it. It's poison.

dear deer

It's been a looong and hard week (mostly fun though) and now it's soon 22:00 - friday night. So I should call it a day - and a week (over!). Today I went and picked up my prints (above) from this week. I made more then I need. Any buyers?

being childish

THE GAME: my 2,5 year old son cuts and tears pieces of coloured papers. He hands them to me and I have to glue them to a white paper. Without delay. Then he gives me another one and another one ... and I have to make something out of it (pen being aloud to use if fast). If I have the time I try to shape the pieces by tearing them a bit.

ABOVE: a cooperative artwork of ours - fixed a little bit extra by me.

Erwin Olaf's art is not childish. I like it...