drawing for fun

Sometimes I feel it has all gotten so serious with my art - it's my livelihood and all my life. What about sometimes doing things just for fun and no other purpose? So - when Pikaland announced you could win a participation in arthousecoop's sketchbook project I decided to take the chance and gamble. And I won. The other day I got my sketchbook with the theme Grey side of life (perfect for me). Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project - so what are you waiting for? In 2008 I participated in another of Art House Co-op's projects: the scavenger project.

concrete cake ready

While waiting for the watercolour to dry I've been unwrapping and checking my little concrete samples in the studio. Now they've hardened enough and can be let to dry.  I was a bit worried when turning my "cake form" over to get the simplified Snow White out. But it went without any problem! I had made an experiment mixing concrete with different pigments for a painterly effect. It worked on one side only. So it was no big deal I got that crack... The good thing is that I can reuse my form as planned for trying out variations.

this is that horrible horrible concrete dog I wrote about earlier. Good experiment though; I made a quick kind of relief drawing/shape in soft clay, put plastic wrap on top (so the clay wouldn't suck the water out of the concrete). then put concrete with brownish pigment as dots for nose and eyes, then added normal grey concrete on top. When the dog had hardened for a day I removed it from the form and painted it with yellow brown clay water which reacts in a way with the not yet dried concrete. (if you wanted to know how it was done) It turned out my son liked it so much better than Snow White above ...

concrete; my cake form

My idea here was to make a form that I could reuse like a sand cake form; when you turn it over and bang it a bit with your plastic spade -  you get your cake out. I wanted to have this form to make different tests and variations in concrete in my studio.  After making it I gave it all sorts of love, care and attention,  I waited three days for it to dry before using it.  But that wasn't enough ...  I knew I was pushing it...  ... the plaster hadn't dried enough  ... and because of that the shellac (lacquer) didn't stick properly  ... and the plaster sucked all the water out of the concrete over night  ... and I got a "nice crack".  (This might also mean that the concrete got stuck to the plaster and I can't reuse my form, but I won't know until I have the time to go to my studio in two weeks) Shit. Patience is a virtue. Hopefully I'll not make the same mistake again ....

concrete: getting more ambitious

baking a little cake

cutting away

Ready for the Owen

... and then some cream [no - it wasn't cookie dough and cream]

concrete: one step further

not anything ready-made this time. 100% Alexandra made.

When I teach screenprinting I always try to get my students to understand that experimenting and really learning the new material and techniques is the main thing on a course and that you should never hope to make something good when experimenting. And then I very often show them my first totally boring screenprint (when I learn a new technique or material I always at first make awful or boring stuff). So at the concrete course I tried to keep that open mind myself (but of course I secretly anyway always - deep inside - hope to make a master piece). I made a lot of tests and experiment (I won't show you a horrible horrible little dog I made - good experiment though).  As I got totally blank - not one single good idea - I just reused Snow white with accessories from my commission (she became a bit too sweet though). This piece isn't really finished yet - it should harden for 3 weeks and then I'll treat the surface in different ways and show you.

my first concrete casting

a simple way of casting: a ready made form (old plastic cookie box) with my rubber shapes glued to the bottom. (if any one wonders: it's a basket with apples)

two days later

when the concrete is dry (and paler): colouring with copper sulphate

the right one (isn't mine) is coloured with iron sulphate

Gerlesborg

the schoolbuilding where the restaurant is also located, and where I had my room as well. Gerlesborg has an Art School (many of the students continue studying Fine Art a the schools that really count) with boarding. At summer and during school vacation - when the school is empty - they offer a program of art courses for people in general; mostly in watercolour. The concrete casting course is kind of an exception as it's more intended for professional artists/art teachers/architects.

Gerlesborg was the watercolour master Arne Isaksson's place.

there was a watercolour course going on at the same time. When I arrived they were painting sea creatures Even though the landscape was stunning, the food superb and the accommodation good - that was not my reason to be here. I was here to learn how to cast in concrete. And tomorrow I'll let you in on what I learned.

Gerlesborg: landscape

Yesterday I came back from Gerlesborg where I spend a wonderful six days learning about concrete. This part of Bohuslän has a very dramatic landscape and I enjoyed the scenery immensely. But the first night, just after dinner, I learned that my so had broken his leg in a bike accident and then I couldn't sleep all night ... the very next day I pulled myself together though; me not enjoying my stay and the course wouldn't make him feel any better, would it? (he's got a wonderful father being very capable of taking care of him)