fbpx

Bird in Birch series

Birds are always a favorite art subject for me. This series was handbuilt using red clay. During the leather hard stage, I painted blue underglaze washes, green underglaze, and white slip. It’s a very simple color palette, but the carved pattern creates energy. I plan to expand this series to include a variety of shapes and sizes…maybe even a vase or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Ward Art Festival: Be Part of Art

I will be participating in the Third Ward Art Festival Labor Day weekend. Look for me in Booth 39 on Broadway between St. Paul Ave. and Buffalo St. This is the first time I will be showing my work in this art fair. I’m very excited to be included among some really talented artists!

 

For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.

Fox in Trees handpainted upcycled plate

Home Is Where The Art Is

Starting March 10, the Milwaukee Art Museum will celebrate local art treasures. Their Milwaukee Collects exhibition focuses on our community’s personal perspective on art. In conjunction with this exhibit, the gift shop will be featuring local artists’ work. I am thrilled to have my illustrative pottery included! Come by the gift shop and add my one-of-a-kind pieces to your own art collection.

My raccoon plate and platter were included in the Feb-May issue of the member magazine.

 

Blue Collection

Below are selections of my pottery pieces using black, gray, and blue slips or underglazes. Each piece is hand-built using white clay and hand-painted with one of my original designs.

Bird in Vines dinner plate

 

Bunny in the Weeds platter

 

Owl at Night scalloped-edge platter

 

Squirrel in the Evergreens platter

 

Bir

Bird in the Blue Clouds platter

 

Coral Collection

Below are selections of my pottery pieces using black, gray, and coral slips or underglazes. Each piece is hand-built using white clay and hand-painted with one of my original designs.

Hidden Raccoons platter. Can you see them?

 

Raccoon Washing his Hands dinner plate

 

Scowling Owl vase

 

Sneaky Raccoon platter

 

Fox Among the Branches platter

 

Seeing Things

When I was a child, my  great-aunt Alice’s paintings filled our home. They were wild abstracts with splotches of colors and shapes. I loved looking at these paintings and seeing things that the shapes created. It might be a dog looking into a field. Or a cat in a pillbox hat jumping across the canvas. Or a lizard walking with a tall pot. My imagination created many different ideas on what wonderful things were within the paintings.

It is this same imagination and creativity I use when looking at a secondhand plate for my own paintings.

 

Here’s a plate I recently painted. Look at the imprint and think about what you see. I picked this plate because there were so many possibilities in its fantastic folk art design.

 

I saw a big cat. Can you see it now? The circle patterns make the eyes and nose. The whiskers and mouth below them. I start with a sketch, usually on tracing paper or a somewhat transparent graphic paper. That way I can determine the basic shape and size of my subject. And how it works with the existing pattern.

 

My next step is to apply the base colors. This is a slow process. Because of the nature of the slick porcelain surface, I have to apply 3-4 layers before I get a nice foundation.

 

Now on to the fun part. I don’t plan what happens next. I let my artistic instincts take over. Though I am influenced by the existing pattern and apply this in my painting. My style of bold, graphic patterns begins to form.

 

Once I am satisfied, I apply a matte protective coating. I like the matte varnish because it contrasts with the plate’s shiny surface. I add the hanger and it’s ready to find its happy place in your home!

Initial Impressions

My monogram plates are now being sold at The Painted Swing, W262N596 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, Wisc. They were at hit at the recent Strawberry Festival, so I had to make some more plates to add to my collection. Each of these plates are unique and one-of-a-kind. So if you like one, contact me or stop by this wonderful new store in Cedarburg’s historic downtown shopping district. There won’t be another one like it!

Update: Unfortunately The Painted Swing closed in 2018. You can find my monogram plates at The Vintage Glass Garden, 5700 W. Vliet St., in Milwaukee.

 

 

Into the Woods

I just finished a new series of plates in time for Holy Hill Art Farm this Saturday and Sunday. My theme was woodland animals. Though I see bunnies, raccoons, squirrels, and deer in my urban garden here in Wisconsin. 

Three bunnies hand-painted on large plate

Rarely is it just one bunny hopping around in my yard. These three curious bunnies are hand-painted on a large dinner plate. The original tulip imprint is incorporated into the middle bunny’s body.

Hand-painted and Scratched Floppy Bunny

This floppy-eared bunny reminds me of the ones I visit at the state fair. The long ears on this bunny are decorated with the wheat and floral design that encircles this dinner plate’s edge.

Hand-painted Jack Rabbits on small plate

For this small plate I decided to paint a more lively and ornate design. These are jack rabbits and they call for a little more energy as they hop across.

Deer decorated with yarn art patterns

This was a very unusual plate that I found at Goodwill. The main design was a reproduction of needlepoint art with a gold art deco pattern around the rim. I thought it would be fun to keep the theme going and paint this deer with patterns inspired by yarn art.

Pretty in Pink painted stag plate

This pretty in pink plate needed a sturdy stag to balance it out. The browns and ochres look beautiful with the pale pinks. He wears pink well, doesn’t he?

Yellow and ochre raccoon on small plate

The striking graphic pattern around the rim of this plate inspired me to create a raccoon with similar graphic details. The yellow tones mixed with dark and light grays really pop off the plate.

Curious little raccoon painted on large plate

This whimsical creature’s body incorporates the all-over floral pattern on this large plate. The shape of the original floral imprint reminded me of the arching back of a raccoon. I was pleased how I was able to include most of flowers in the body, tail and head of the raccoon. Trying to visualize how I can unite my painting with the original imprint is definitely part of the joy in my art.

Pale peach and yellow hand-painted squirrel plate

Another fun example of how I meld the existing design with my own art is shown in this cute squirrel. Yellow roses become part of the design in his tail.

Upcycled hand-painted plates vary in size from 7 to 11 inches in diameter. Price for small plated is $36 and large plates are $48 without tax and shipping. For more information on purchasing my original one-of-a-kind (OOAK) art, please contact me referencing the plate in your email. 

I can paint a custom unique design in your choice of color scheme on a variety of thrift shop plates. Note that these plates are for decoration only and come ready to hang.  

Art Angels

I just finished and shipped this custom-painted angel plate. When it comes to winged creatures, I normally paint birds. But the angel was a nice shift in subject. I found this beautiful cream plate with delicate flowers and ornate pattern along the edge. I like to incorporate existing patterns on the plate into part of the painting. In this case, the plate’s flowers become the angel’s wings and a cloud in the sky.

My choice of purple as the dominant vibrant color was purposeful. From a visual standpoint, the purple pops against the warm yellow and gold tones in the plate. Symbolically purple is associated with royalty, spirituality, and mysticism. It’s the color of Roman emperors and Roman Catholic priests. We joke in the art guild I attend that when in doubt, add purple!

When researching angels, I found beautiful examples at Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, Italy. Ten angels line the bridge, each holding a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus. I chose less religious symbolism with my angel offering a bounty of flowers instead. I especially love the flowing curls and feathered wings in the sculptures. I tried to recreate these characteristics in my angel too.

If you have a favorite subject you’d like me to paint, I am happy to take on the challenge! Please contact me referencing custom plates in your email. Each design is an original one-of-a-kind (OOAK) work of art. Vintage and thrift shop plates serve as the canvas for my designs so specific patterns cannot be requested. Sizes vary from 7-12 inches. The cost ranges from $40-$60 plus shipping and handling. Note that these plates are for decoration only and come ready to hang.