another New Year's resolution bites the dust...

Oh well...it's done...I have not posted in months...I have no excuses...
it has been terribly cold in my Dungeon..it is an unheated/uninsulated basement...I have been sketching and planning...copious notes...lists of ideas...once the room is bit warmer to work in. I will get in gear. This next week or two, I will be getting it all organized. Unfortunately, it happens every year...we clean up the living room and kitchen and computer areas for Thanksgiving and Christmas and everything gets dumped in my area...so January is usually slow...

I notice that the other members of my group, PaperMacheArt at Yahoo groups , are also complaining about their muses being on vacation...lol...

so a smaller resolution...more postings and more photos of works in progress...and ideas...more books to inspire...

Tomorrow!

In contrast

to the total whimsy and pure fun of Sheila McGraw's Papier Mache Today...is the beauty of The Art and Craft of Papier Mache by Juliet Bawden. Whereas McGraw's has you diving in and having fun right away, Juliet Bawden is a perfect complement. She begins with a history of Papier Mache...and putting it in perspective with history and other art forms. Papier mache has been a part of the Folk Art tradition of most of the world.

Juliet uses half of the book to explain in depth the different styles of using Mache...strips, pulp, different glues...all...well written and easily understood. The pictures of her work (in explanation of each technique) are delicate works of art. Her style vs McGraws are just two sides of the multi faceted papier mache die!

Included, also, is a wonderful section on finishing techniques...with lots of decorating ideas!
The second half of the book is filled with a variety of projects. It shows the total versatility of papier mache...and leads to building a huge "to-do" list...lol



I just noticed that she has another book at Amazon Marketplace...I am definitely ordering that...I can't wait to see what she's been up to!

This book and Sheila McGraw's are two totally necessary books for the starting Papier Mache artists...both books open up the creative flow...keep a note book handy, 'cause you will forget half of the wonderful ideas you get...hehehe

ok...I'm gonna start at the beginning...

I played with papier mache as a kid.Not a lot, 'cause my mother hated messes. We had a living room that we never...EVER used..but that's another blog...lol...

When I had my kids, I took all the books on arts and crafts (of which I am a huge proponent...believing that the artistic expression feeds the soul...the mind...and doesn't allow the body to get into too much trouble!) Knock wood *taps cranium*, I have never heard any of my 4 children ever use the word "bored"...and they are all in their 20's!

But I digress. I lived in the Queen City of New Rochelle..."45 minutes from Broadway" and a half an hour by train from the heart of Manhattan. We had the most awesome Children's Library on the Planet. The Head Librarian, Louise Sonet had the most wonderful programs for children and was extremely supportive of an underground homeschooling Mom...her library was out haven.

Being a hands on Mom, I volunteered as a parent for any program my kids were involved in, which brought me back to papier mache... and introduced me to Barbara Clark, a delightful red-headed artist!

That was the Summer of '88. We papier-mached a 10-12 foot cardboard die-cut brontosaurus that the library had on display. We taped the sagging corrugated card, covered him with chicken wire, newspaper, supermarket brown bags and mottled colored tissue a la Eric Carle.
The class lasted 6 weeks...I was re-hooked....

The next Summer, we made a 6 foot whale with a fiber optic spout...

Then in 1990, Sheila McGraw published "Paper Mache Today"...I was a goner...

It is by far the best starting book for a new paper mache artist...( I would tie it with Dan Reeder's "Simple Screamer" or "Make Something Ugly"...but they are out of print...more on them tomorrow!!!)

Sheila's instructions , both written and photographic are clear and concise... Her choices of pieces are wonderful and totally involve the reader/artist..."I can make that!!!!"
She inspires such confidence...This is a must for the bookshelf and highly recommended for homeschooling Moms. Her techniques are easily adapted for history, geography...any course of study will be more fun!!!

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where have I been????

Look at all the time that has passed since I started this...I wish I could say that I've been up to my elbows in paste and have paper stuck in my hair....but sadly no....

School has finally begun...the car has died...the stove has died...the IPod died...I know I"ve replaced most everything this summer is seems...lol...

Now DH is back at school, happily ensconced in his class-room...and I'm back to having time...
so I promise that the half done projects will not remain so...and photos will attest to that...

Also, I think some book reviews for good Papier Mache books and other art books that aid in armature development and other aspects of sculpting (be it clay or paper)...that should keep me busy and hopefully, I can help some people head off into the right direction...and MAYBE get organized myself.....naw....

I am a bad girl...

yes I am...but a qualified-bad...I have hardly worked on anything in a few days...I plead my case...that my husband is a teacher and home from school for the summer...so NOTHING has been done...and just when I thought things were settling down and things MIGHT get done....we had a lightning hit to our Air Conditioning system...there is a HOLE through 1/4 inch steel...that was NOT there before the storm...
so now we our using a humongous window unit in our computer room ( 3 machines..lots of heat) which leeches cooler air into the kitchen and living room...where a fan re-circulates it...dips in the pool complement the fans and limited A/C....

while I contemplated Arctic scenarios....I planned re-vamping my studio...so in combination with finishing up some WIP's of long standing...I will also be moving a lot of stuff around...which will keep me out of trouble...

Promises to keep and Miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep...

The 'Sol' has been a project that has been sitting by my work table for many months...it has just decided how it wants to be finished, so that should actually be soon...

A favorite piece to work for me is/are pumpkins...this is my pumpkin totem... I have many others, some given as gifts, but this one stays with me...

June 21

It's summer...and I have been working on lists of projects I want and need to work on...tomorrow I'll posts some photos of works in progress, which once they are published will keep me on the straight and narrow with my art...
For today...just thoughts...tomorrow...more...

keep on attacking art...