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Horse Theme Cabinet Painting Complete!

Jul 23, 2012

I had a challenging adventure in painting the multi-surfaced table with shelf and backboard for Aspiring Heights Farm.   Take a look at my blogposting from June 28th to see the full scope of this project.

On Friday Jo Ann Robertson came to pick it up.  She had stopped by the Studio a couple of days earlier to see the four horse and pony portraits I had just painted on top of the table.

She recognized each horse with a smile and appreciation for my capturing the essence of each one.

I do my best portrait work when the photographs provided are full of light and life.   Two of the four horses had professional photographs taken back “in their day,”  but two were just small amateur snapshots and not very clear for me to see detail, lighting, or body contours.

I was very hesitant to start painting the black horse since that photo had the least clarity.  But, like jumping off a cliff, I just started to paint it.  Almost as though someone else were guiding my hand, this horse’s hightlights emerged in all the right places.

Though still a dark image, it is believable, and in fact it is one of my favorite portraits…the one I was most afraid to start.  I think it was Jo Ann’s favorite, too.

So what does that say about fear of trying the unknown?  “Just do it.”  Too bad Nike said it first.  I’d like to have coined that phrase.  Just do it!

Studio Peek: Custom Work for an Equestrian

Jun 28, 2012

I love it when someone comes to me with a dream of a work of art that they have thought about for months.  It feels so good to be entrusted with a personally meaningful project–and the outcome is a collaborative effort:  your ideas and my interpretation and implementation.

Thus, the groundwork for this project.  Jo Ann Robertson has owned and operated Aspiring Heights Farm in South Carroll County, Maryland. http://www.aspiringheightsfarm.com/index.html   Last month, she brought me an old piece of furniture–a table with a shelf and backboard to be painted to her specifications.  Clearly she had visualized the entire project as she described each entity of the project.

Here is the play by play of how the work has been progressing.  It’s not done yet, but in my next posting, I’ll show you the finished piece which will have four horse portraits and lettering on the table top.

The table came from “the barn” which means it was dirty, had cobwebs and barn swallow poop on it.  My first job:  clean, sand, minor repairs, primer coat, and base color coat.

Next, I painted the thong–no, not that kind of thong–it’s a hunting thong!

And the reins along the front of the shelf framed by bits used by Aspiring Heights Farm.

Today (and yesterday), I painted the farm scene on the back wall of the table.

It is a beautiful farm, and I really wanted the barn to glow.

The only thing left to do now is four horse portraits on the top of the table along with the name of the farm centered in the middle.  I’ll show you the finished piece when it is done.

Talley-ho!

Cherished Pets Hand-Painted on Glassware

May 22, 2012

I just finished painting a friend’s dogs on wine glasses.  It makes me feel really good to do that because I know that with every glass of wine they drink, they will hold the glass up, look at their furry loved one and smile.   Our beloved pets always leave us too soon, and we try to keep them in our hearts.  An image of him or her on a glass helps to keep their spirit alive with every toast of the day. Painting on glass really is a challenge in many ways. Come to think of it, I’ve done many of these over the past years, so I thought I’d gather a few photos to share with you.  In general I charge $50 for a custom painted glass.  The better the photograph you give me, the better my rendition can be made.  Tip:  When taking a picture, put yourself at eye level with the animal.  That’s a great place to be for a great connection with your special one.  I generally need about 10 days to complete a custom painted glass for you.  Cheers!

When you DON’T want people to notice your ART…

May 17, 2012

I usually like to put my work out there so as many eyes can see it as possible.  It’s part of the exhibitionist in me.  (Who would guess!)  But seriously most artists like to have their work noticed.  A few years ago, my good friend, Lydia, asked me for help in disguising her plastic electric switch plates in her kitchen because they detracted from her new beautiful tile walls.

Always up for something new and a challenge, I painted the plate covers so hopefully you can barely see them.  I was just at Lydia’s house the other day (brewing a Belgian Ale during Big Brew) when I asked if I could see how the switch plates were standing the test of time.  I took these pictures, and I must say, it was almost hard to find the outlets.  What do you think?   So some art hangs on your wall and no one even notices it.  But that is just fine in this case.

Fun Week at the Studio

Apr 20, 2012

Last week I received in the mail the book called TROUT by James Owens which has the reproduction on my “Brookie in Color” linocut.  It is a very nice book, and I am more than honored to be included among the illustrations in this unique book on trout.  James Owens is from Sweden, and found my art work via google-images.   He is a writer for National Geographic magazine.  So keep your eye out for more of his work.

I can’t resist and opportunity to tell people about my path in life that led me through studying biology, working in the environmental education field, and then metamorphosing into an artist of multi-media.  Last night I volunteered to be among a panel of 4 artists and photographers to present at McDaniel College–sharing my path and experiences (mostly wonderful!) on my way to being an artist today.  Seeing the students’ faces reminded me of how baffled I was at their age as to where I was going in life.  I mean, who knows?  No one knows.  You just ride the wild river and hope you can steer your kayak to the channels you want to take.  Ha!

The week started with a fun group of wild women taking a wine glass painting class ( with a little wine served on the side.)  How relaxing to sit and chat over a glass of wine while learning a new painting skill.  Let me know if you want to join the next glass painting class.  I’d love to have you with us.

And here is a new glass just posted on byrdcall.etsy.com.  Prehistoric art on a pint glass for the aboriginal hunter. Here’s the link to my etsy listing:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/98044857/imaginary-prehistoric-pictograms

And now it is Friday and I rest for a couple of days.  Peace, my friends.

Students Design their Rya Rugs

Mar 23, 2012

Last winter I made “my last rya rug” as documented in the video http://youtu.be/trl3V5Q2kG4.  During this video I explain the history of rya rug making from Scandinavia as well as my family’s background as designers and distributors of the yarn and backings.  See this post for more information: https://www.byrdcallstudio.com/?p=949.

Two of the four classes have passed.  Everyone is well on their way in knotting their rugs.  It’s great fun for me to see the ideas and energy on graph paper become living rugs right before our eyes.  The yarn colors are blended with the same effect as mixing paint.  Most students have drawn their designs on graph paper where they assign a number to each area according to the colors they combine–rather like a paint-by-number canvas.

All rugs will probably be done in a month or so, and I will post the finished photos at that time.  Too bad spring became summer so soon.  It’s a lot more comfortable holding a wool rug on your lap during the cold season.  At least it’s cool in the nights.

The studio has been busy.  Expect more picture-filled blog postings soon.  Until next time.

Melinda

Rya rug class photos by Ken Koons; Carroll County Times.

Time to Just Bee!

Nov 23, 2011

It would be easy to get stressed out over all the things that you wanted to do before the holidays rolled around, or things you wanted to do this fall–but now it feels like winter.    Personally I had every intention of painting a sheep to submit to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival to (hopefully) win the poster contest…and I meant to come up with four new holiday theme woodcuts to prepare for Christmas cards for my fall shows…and I expected to have all the walls at the new Maryland Homebrew Supply painted with cool wall murals by now, but alas….

But it is okay.  Life does that sometimes.  I did find the time to paint six wall murals at the Westminster Women’s and Children’s Homeless shelter, I took a week vacation in the Outer Banks of NC with my husband and dog, and found time to pull a muscle in my lower back that kept me from lifting or bending for two weeks.  And here it is the day before Thanksgiving…the Byrd clan is coming here tomorrow for dinner…and the next day I will be setting up a two-day show in Baltimore at the American Visionary Art Museum’s Holiday BazaART.  It just happens when you let life BEE!

So my advice to you is don’t sweat the small stuff, go with the flow of life, set goals–but if you get diverted–that’s okay too.  Enjoy today.  Give hugs and kisses generously, and forgive yourself for unfulfilled intentions.  You are probably your harshest critic, so forget about it.

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, come the BazaART!  http://www.avam.org/news-and-events/events/bazaart.shtml On Saturday it is free to the public, and you won’t find a more fun art/craft show in town for sure.  I’ll be there with my friend Sara helping me with my hand-printed shirts.

Next weekend, December 3-4, I will be part of the Carroll County Artists Studio Tour from 10 AM  to 5 PM. http://ccartists.com/ About 12 artists studios will be open to you for exploration and holiday shopping.  Come see me.  It’s the first time I’ve participated in a studio tour and I am very excited….I’m baking cookies every other day for the event, so don’t make me eat these cookies by myself!

If the holidays tend to get you down, don’t let it happen this year.  Smile, do fun things, and don’t think twice about the things you don’t accomplish.  Come have a cookie with me.  Cheers!

Melinda

Organizing towards Productivity!

Aug 28, 2011

Greetings from Byrdcall Studio:

It’s been a great summer in the studio due to the air-conditioning and good insulation. Hope you all have kept cool through the dog days.

I’m going to share a touch of personal info here.  I’ve been having distraction and productivity problems this summer.  I have had so much to do and plenty of time to do it, but the days have ticked by, goals unmet.  (Can anyone relate?)  So, I happened upon  Alyson B. Stanfield who goes by Artbizcoach.com. http://www.artbizcoach.com/go.html.   I signed up for a 3 ½ week long “Get Organized” class online.  Now I am gradually knocking off my distractions like disorganized paper filing, computer filing, and messy desk.  I am keeping a better “task list.”  There is one week left to go and then, LOOK OUT!  I will be one lean mean artist machine…well, not exactly, but I’ll make sure I have productive fun in the studio everyday.  Wish me luck.  Next time you see me, ask me how the organization is working for me…now I am accountable to you, so I’ll take my quest more seriously.

I had a great day of shirt sales (and awesome music!) at Hot August Blues Fest last Saturday.  I’ll be printing many shirt orders in the coming week so if you need a shirt or two, check out the woodcuts and linocuts on my web site and let me know your size and favorite colors.  www.byrdcallstudio.com.

Upcoming Events I want to share:

Artomatic@Frederick:   http://www.artomaticfrederick.org/ This is worth putting on your calendar.  From September 28 – Nov. 6, I will have a wall of my art work hanging along with 200+ other artists at the old Frederick County  Public School building at 115  Church Street, just a stone’s throw from the heart of Market St.  Over the 5 week period 10,000- 15,000 visitors will walk through the halls and offices to see a wide variety of art forms.  Check it out.

Mistletoe Mart: http://mistletoemart.org/wp/

Thursday – Saturday, November 10-12 at the First Ascension  Church, 23 Court St., Westminster, MD.  50 Juried artisans.  It costs $6 to get in the door, but you won’t be disappointed.  Always an excellent show.

BazaArt at American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore.  http://www.avam.org/news-and-events/events/bazaart.shtml

Sat., Nov. 26. This show is always FUN, FUN, FUN.  Check out the link for details.  Free, and did I mention FUN?

Carroll County Artists Studio Tour http://ccartists.com/index.html Sat. and Sun., December 3 and 4.  This is your invitation to drop by my studio –and 11 other studios in Carroll County.  I have never participated in this event before.  I’m really looking forward to sharing my studio with you.  Most of you only know the work that I present in my 10’ x 10’ tent.  Now you can see the vast array of art and craft I create.  Please stop in, and bring your list of people you want gifts for.  I have unique items for the ones who are hard to shop for.

Now you can see why it is so important for me to GET ORGANIZED.  Wish me luck.  Please feel free to repost or share with your friends.  Many thanks.

Melinda

“You have not SEEN what you have not DRAWN”

Jun 21, 2011

When I first heard this quote from author/artist, Frederick Franck, I thought it couldn’t be true.  Over the years, I have come to believe it.  We look at things all day, but seeing is a whole different experience.  Try this:  Think of something you see everyday… like your car keys.  Close your eyes and try to see it in your mind.  Now pick up a pencil and a scrap of paper and draw your keys.

If you can’t draw it, it is not because you don’t know how to draw, it is because you haven’t really seen your keys.  To prove this, now hold your keys in your hand, study them…look at all the angles and buttons and shadows.  Now you are starting to see.  Now relax, grab another piece of paper and draw your keys while looking at them.  Go slowly; don’t judge your drawing.  When you are done, you can now say you have seen your keys.  If you have a nice drawing of keys, that is icing on the cake, but not important in this exercise.   Now, as Frederick Franck said, go draw the 10,000 things around you.   (If you would like me to tell you next time I am planning a class on seeing/drawing, just let me know so I can put you on the list.)

For my local friends, feel free to join with me and the small summer congregation at Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalist Church in Finksburg on Sunday, June 26 at 9:30 AM.  I’ll be leading the informal service focusing on drawing as a form of meditation which leads to seeing the world around you more clearly.

Thanks, and feel free to share this with others.

Melinda

When Hobbies, Spam, and Art Merge …

Jun 12, 2011

Since I was a child (and back then, our parents didn’t even try to keep track of us!) I used to wake up before the rest of my family, pack my fishing pole, a few strips of bacon from the refrigerator, and sneak off to the pond by General Radio — about a half mile from my house (Concord, MA) to fish.  I was probably in 3rd grade at the time, but I developed a passion for sitting by water hoping for the unknown to rock my world by making my bobber bob.  It was the beginning of my love for trying to understand nature.

I’ve been down a wonderful path of learning about nature and the environment since then.  Nature , fish, insects, the blues…all have become part of my art world which I love to share with you over the years.  Almost all of the work I do in art these days goes back to the fire kindled in my early days as an unsupervised child.

Fast forward to last week.  I try to keep up on my emails.  So a week ago, I was cleaning out my spam folder…delete, delete, delete, delete, then whoa!  In the subject line was the word:  Brookie.  Well Brookie (or brook trout) is the name of one of my linocut prints.  How did THAT get in the spam folder?  I click to read the message and find that a writer in Sweden had nearly completed his book on TROUT and wants to include my “Brookie In Color” in his book.  Wow, so who the heck is this guy, James Owen?  After a few minutes of googling him I realize that he is an exceptional writer for National Geographic on subjects that fascinate me–anthropology. stone henge, Pompeii, Ancient Trees of Sweden… come on, can this be for real??

A few emails back and forth, and I am totally there.  The book:  TROUT is already being “pre ordered” on Amazon.com.  I have no idea how he found my “Brookie in Color” but that is not a problem, I’m just glad he did.  Now I can look forward to having my art published (not the first time–but a significant publication) because this is a passion which has come through all my life.

So who knows what your week has to offer you? Be careful about simply deleting SPAM.  Had I hit “delete all”, I would have missed a grand opportunity.

Art in the Park is over–great show–now I’m lookiong forward to a couple of months of creating from the heart.

Be there.

Melinda