Weather Effects

Winters are different in all parts of the world, but for the most part they bring temperature changes, winds, rain, or something else that's different than summer. Northern California, where I am right now, has a temperate climate. The first week here in mid January was exactly like the week I was here in August. Sunny, high sixties, deep blue skies. The rains have started now, and unlike the torrents that whip through Texas, they are soft and sweet, gently bathing the thirsty vegetation.

Yesterday I watched the rain from this comfy leather chair where I have my laptop set up. This is my favorite seat in the house, so I also sat here to work on a couple of concept drawings. I'll do some more of that today, since it's not going to be a good day to go hiking, kayaking, or even walking around the neighborhood with my camera.

Creative Concepts

Lots of things inspire me, but bringing a creative concept to completion is always a challenge. When I did the carving (above) as a concept for a cast piece for hotel room art, it presented a huge challenge. I had no idea how to even start. So I started with a sketch, did a lot of internet research, bought high density foam and carving tools and went at it. Had the mold made, and we made a casting which was hung over the tub in the model room. The designer loved it. Apparently she was the only one. The owners said it looked too tropical for a resort located in the hill country of central Texas. With that as the only comment, I was commissioned to create a new piece.

It has been on my mind for a couple weeks now. I didn't know what direction to take it. I tried modifying the original design. Didn't work. I thought of other plants and trees located in the area that I could abstract into something cool. I did extensive internet research. I drew some digital designs. Nothing really worked until I got out a pencil and paper and came up with this:


I sent it to my client who replied "that's my girl". Yay! Have not heard from the designer yet, but I'm confident I'm on the right track. Once the design is approved I will go through the whole carving, moldmaking and casting process again. And these are big pieces, 36" x 36". But there are over 900 rooms in this project and that sculpture will be in every one of them.

I am having a similar experience with the cast resin shell project, only it's proceeding much slower. I've had a purchase order for awhile, but getting all the information from my client and the designer is proving to be a real challenge. This is an instance where my client insists on being in the middle, and not allowing me to discuss the details with the designer directly. I don't understand that at all. It's just not efficient, as I talked about in my last post. We are disagreeing on the mounting method. Now I have agreed to make a small sample piece with a cleat embedded in the resin for the designer to approve. I won't even get into what a waste of time I think that is, because the customer is always right -- right?

In other good news, yesterday was Purchase Order Friday -- and this one is all photography for a healthcare project.

I'm rocking and rolling, it's Spring, birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and I'm headed off to a Meditative Photography session with a new friend. I'll report back.

Illustration

I wasn't trained as a fine artist. That's one of the reasons I accept challenges to create things I have no idea how to do. Most things are fairly straightforward. Like these drawings for a hotel in Hawaii. This is the drawing of the taro (elephant ear) which is native to Hawaii. There are three other images, all crustaceans.

Now that this project is completed, I'm back to the design for the cast piece for the giant resort project. I finished a design this afternoon and sent it off to my client. I won't hear a response until tomorrow. I went ahead and ordered the modeling foam so I can carve the positive to make the mold from. Another thing I've never done before!

Back to the Drawing Table

It's been a long time since I've done any actual drawings, but I have a new project that's exactly that. I'm doing a series of detailed botanical illustrations. I have never done this before, but my client obviously has enough confidence in my ability to deliver that they sent me a purchase order!

Another new project involves a registration desk assemblage. This one I get to design, so that's what I'm working on today so I can get pricing out.

Then there's the cast piece that I'm doing design work for right now.

And I have two new paintings for Texas Clinic on the studio wall. Not physically started yet, but I can see them in my mind.

I'm so glad to have the show up and off my calendar so I can get to these other things that actually pay me!