Bird in the hand "Chatterbox"

Chatterbox is the newest addition to my "bird in the hand" series. It is 12" square on a gallery wrapped canvas. The background is a pattern made by the repetition of "la la la la." The vintage glove has been painted bright red, to match "chatterbox" which has been sewn through the canvas with embroidery floss. Just as a side note, embroidery floss is catalogued by number, so those who cross stitch patterns will know what color to use where, well DMC, the manufacturer of this floss numbered this color red 666, coincidence? Perhaps they have a sense of humor!?

In any case, the little bird is some variety of wren, I love birds and can pick out a few, but I'm not quite sure on this one. In any case, this little bird has quite a voice, a true chatterbox.

After all the stress of getting ready for, and doing a show, I often arrive back in the studio pretty burned out. I find these small pieces are a good way to get back into the creative swing of things, like a warm up for the next marathon. Well, I'm part way into the next marathon as it were, "Good Egg" is on the easel, I'll post about her soon, perhaps with a few shots in progress!

"Chatterbox has sold, (yay!)

Goody Two Shoes

Goody Two Shoes was finished just in time for the show at Boca Raton! The interesting thing about this piece is all the layers. The blocks in the background alternate, there are photos of vintage shoes cut in with opaque paint, then finished with a pattern in pencil. And the 2's are stenciled over photo transfers of pages from an etiquette book from the 1920's. The sailor dress sits on top, and "goody goody goody" is stitched through the top with bright green embroidery floss.

I am interested in looking at what the ideal of being "good" is all about, especially in the context of being a "good girl." How can you be good, without being so good as to be a goody two shoes? Who decides what the rules are? And how do we know when they change?

Goody Two Shoes is 30" square on canvas, and is sold.

A commission

Even though my main body of work is often cheeky, perhaps even a bit irreverent, my commission work is almost always sweet as pie! A baptismal dress was my beginning point, and we decided on robin egg blue should be included somehow. After that I was pretty much on my own. The dress itself has lots of pretty bits of embroidery throughout, so I decided to use a similar floral pattern in the background. Many layers of paint, often in alternating layers of glazing and dry brush are applied. The final touch is a hula hoop shape of embroidered nicknames. This piece was finished late yesterday, the client was thrilled, and the piece is already home!

Now I am up to my elbows in the next one...not quite so sweet! "Goody Two Shoes" is on the easel, I'll post again when she's done!