Thinking Ahead

Above: visitors during our Open Studios 2011.

Studio 19 (myself and the Zymoglyphic Museum) will be open all three weekends during Open Studios this year. The dates are May 5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 & 20, from 11 to 5.

When I mail my work to shows, I don't get to hear people's comments very often. Actually talking to someone in person about what they see when they look at my work is so valuable. Even "oh my!" or "I'd like to get inside your head" provides valuable "fuel" that can keep me going in those dark days when I feel discouraged. And "This one doesn't work for me" also makes me think about why? Did I overlook something? Could I have done better? Or maybe it's their preference for a certain technique or material?

I recently had some good feedback from Alicia Bailey, of Abecedarian gallery, on In My Dreams We Travel in Boats. In her blog she said it had "a solidity of weight quite at odds with its subject." This made me think, again, about materials, goals for my work, how to distance myself from the process and see the bigger picture. I don't necessarily have answers, but it's good to be reminded to constantly consider these things.

All this is just to say that my primary goal in doing Open Studios is not selling things - it's contact with people and seeing the work through other eyes that makes the time and effort feel worthwhile.

To read a similar idea about the benefits of showing your work - and being able to talk to people about it - check out Alyson Stanfield's article on why exhibiting your art is good for you. She says "exhibiting your art allows you to have a dialogue with people about the work. You can’t help but learn and grow from these experiences."

Pinhole Day is coming - do you have a camera?

This is one of my matchbox pinhole cameras. It takes 35mm film and is very easy to build and use. alspix has a great tutorial. Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is April 29th this year. You still have plenty of time to prepare. There is lots of interesting info on Without Lenses, including a great video by Nancy Breslin about pinhole photography. The Populist, designed by Nick Dvoracek, is another pinhole camera that takes 35mm film. If you have access to a darkroom, you could make Stewart Woodruff's oatmeal box pinhole camera that takes light-sensitive photo paper. Here's another camera that takes light-sensitive photo paper, and probably took me 20 minutes to make. Here's a part of my pinhole camera collection. This photo is on Camera-wiki's homemade pinhole camera page. Here's my entry for last year's WPPD. Taken with Tyrannosaurus photo ventris.

The Zymoglyphic Mermaid, pinhole photo, taken with my handmade Zymo 127 pinhole camera, will be in the Statewide Photography Competition and Exhibition at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, CA. The show is up from February 18 to April 22, 2012. The artist's reception is February 24, 7 to 9 pm. You can see more photos in this series here.

Play with pinhole cameras

Two of my photos, appear in "Play! Toy Camera Photographers for Tots: A Collection of Sixty-three Toy Camera Photographs Made by Thirty-six Photographers in Twelve- Countries" published by CWIPress, edited by Jody Shipka with Nic Nichols. They are "In my Dream the Boy and I are Chased across the beach by a huge dinosaur," taken with Oneiro and "Photo of the Late Cretaceous by Tyrannosaurus Photo Ventris" taken with Tyrannosaurus photo ventris. They appear on pages 66 and 67. You can see a preview of the entire book (possibly only for a short time), and purchase a copy at the link above. At some point there may be a download option available - when font issues get resolved.

This is the first time one of my photos has been published on it's own. Before this the cameras seemed to be an integral part of the project, and I wasn't sure the photos could stand on their own. I am pleased about the whole thing.

Incorrect dinosaur

I'm working on a sketchbook for the 2012 Sketchbook Project. In part I'm using photos of my plastic dinosaurs, so I'm also having some fun taking quickie digital shots. I love this plastic dinosaur - he's so uncorrect yet so amusing. He's got this great all-over texture, plus some warty bumps. His pose is stiff, his tail drags on the ground. But he's my favorite.

The Distance of the Moon is a Google Doodle

This was the Google doodle for Italy on October 15th, 2011, the 88th birthday of Italo Calvino. The image illustrates "The Distance of the Moon," the first story in Cosmicomics. This is my all time favorite book and story. It's beautiful, poetic and full of imagination.


I was so inspired by the story I made an artist's book to illustrate it.

Spectacles for Viewing Christmas on Mars for My Mom

Spectacles for Viewing Christmas on Mars. ©2011 Life size paper Christmas card spectacles. This pair was printed on Epson's double sided Premium Presentation Paper. The slip case is red cardstock. The pattern is a free download here. On the same page there is also a plain pair (no collage) that you could decorate yourself or use as a pattern to design your own. Merry Christmas, really early! Spectacles for a Fish Goddess ©1993, 3 x 6-1/2 x 6-1/4 inches, Brass, copper, sterling silver, 14 karat & 18 karat gold, shell, coral beads.

For years I have fantasized about making some paper spectacles. I made a whole series of spectacles years ago in metal, plastic and found materials. More recently I thought they could be done in paper - fun, fast and much easier. I thought the simple ones could become another free download to add to my web site. I have a part of a maquette on my work table for a simple pair that has been chewed on by cats.

But I haven't made them, until now. The tipping point was my mom. She asked for some homemade Christmas cards. She is 88 and has some dementia. Mom often says to me "you know what I would love? Some handmade Christmas cards!" Or "A handmade birthday card would be so nice." Is she thinking I'm 10 and bored? In my 30's and broke? I'm not sure. But it's fun, and she's so sweet and upbeat, which is remarkable given how much her life has changed in the last few years. When I think of my sources of inspiration I don't consider my mom. I should. She has been there cheering me on all of my life. What a gift.

Christmas on mars, ©1988, 3-1/2 x 7-1/4 x 1/2 inches (open). Cover: brass, fabricated. Pages: collaged watercolor paper. I wonder where people go when they die? What do they do for Christmas?

The two pairs of paper spectacles I just made are based on a little book I made years ago, Christmas on Mars. I don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but I'm also not crazy about using "Seasons Greetings" on cards. It sounds like a generic, all-purpose solution. But I do like the stamp, it was the best of the batch I had in terms of color and orientation.

Now I have to get back to the cover for my Spirits Under Glass book. After I make 20 more cards.