I recently finished my piece for The Light Show. The Light Show is a fundraiser for Living Art of Montana. I am really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this event. Not only does it benefit a wonderful organization that has great people doing great work, but it is so much more.

It emphasizes the power of light; the light that exists within all of us. It is a reminder to not only let our own light shine, but also to allow the light within others to shine and grow. It reminds those of us who are not faced with terminal illnesses to live, and not take this precious time for granted. It helps put things in perspective.

And, in addition to all of this, it celebrates art and creativity. Not only for this one night as it brings many artists together to benefit Living Art of MT, but at the core of the organization and mission. The power of creativity, of art, is celebrated and that is something that resonates.

Below are some work-in-progress shots as well as pictures of it lit up. As is not unusual with my pieces, it became something other than what I had originally envisioned. I think that it always becomes what it needs to be though, and that is one of the beautiful things about the creative process.

I wish Living Art of Montana much success with The Light Show!

Pattern drawn on a sheet of copper:

Shape cut out and center punched for drilling.

A couple rounds of hammering in:

The outside shell mostly shaped:

Inside shape cut out and drilled.

Detail of piece:

Inside view of lit piece:

My 2011 Light Show light, lit up:

I have recently had the opportunity to dig out my metal tools and supplies and hammer out some jewelry. Ohhhh. Boooyyyy! It has been so much fun. I find myself in almost a trance like state, completely unaware of time or space. I find a rhythm and a flow, and I just…. create. Pierce, pound, texture, etch, anneal, harden…. and repeat. I am creating all of the metal elements out of sheet metals or metal wire, and since I had a lot of copper already, primarily out of copper.

I love working with metal. It was one of those things that took me by surprise too. I really only too metalsmithing in college to avoid taking ceramics. But I quickly fell in love with the process and the idea of taking something cold, flat, and rigid and turning it into something dimensional.

It had been approximately 8 years since I had really had the opportunity to work with metal. I did a couple small projects here and there, but this is the first time I have had all my tools and had the space, place, and time to really dig in. When I worked with metal before, I was more interested in sculptural pieces than jewelry. I am enjoying the jewelry making now, but hope to do more sculptural work in the future.

I have really enjoyed it and hope to make the most of it while it is available to me! I am in the middle of setting up an etsy shop, and will post a link as soon as I get things posted. Here are a few more pictures of what I have been working on:

These two paintings are based off of photos I took in Jasper National Park on my way back from Alaska to Montana. The Fall colors were beautiful and against a beautiful crisp Fall sky. As soon as I took these pictures, I knew I wanted to use them for encautic paintings. I just think there is something beautiful in the simple and fragile beauty they represent.

Both paintings are 6″x6″ encaustic pieces.

They can also be found in my etsy shop.

This painting was inspired during my drive back from Alaska. The highway is just cut through the vast trees in most places so all you see driving down the highway is tree trunks. I have a fondness for trees, and they are often a subject I use in my pieces.

I am continuing to experiment with the possibilities of encaustic and the ability to layer. On this piece, I started with the layer of trees directly on the wood, then created a mid layer of outlined trees, finishing with the white trees on the foreground. The trees in the foreground are raised slightly from the rest of the painting, but I wasn’t able to get a photo that captured that relief to be able to show it here.

It is also, in a way, a collaboration with my Grandpa. He built many of the cradled wood panels I use to paint on, including this one. He also is responsible for the title of this piece. I showed him the first layer and he said he couldn’t tell at first that they were trees and joked that he couldn’t see the forest for the trees. So, thanks Gramps for your contributions!

This painting can be seen & purchased in my etsy shop here.

I haven’t participated in Illustration Friday in some time. Life has been busy to say the least, and I have not yet found a good rhythm to flow by, and consequently, I have found myself struggling to get caught up. I will eventually though… (ever the optimist) And boy do I have some good and fun stuff a’ brewing that I can’t wait to work on. In the meantime I am posting an ink transfer image that I did years ago so I can try to get back in the habit of participating. Some good old fashioned transportation!

My last few weeks in Alaska were filled with wonderful experiences including attending the beautiful wedding of Dave & Debbie King. This painting was commissioned for the couple by my friend Angela who had invited me to join her at the wedding. The painting was a collaborative effort with Angela who helped gather the pieces we put together here, and her son Kevin who helped us locate the things we needed to gather. We took elements from the wedding such as the colors, flowers similar to the ones in the bride’s hair, and the branches and leaves on the right are a touch back to the decorations that were used at the reception. The photo is of the bride & groom that I took during the ceremony and the text is an excerpt from the poem that Debbie read during the ceremony. (And then, when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you could ever dream.)

I was really glad to have met the wonderful couple and the great company they keep in their friends and family, and to be witness to such a beautiful day. Congrats to the newlyweds!

The Amazing Bee! This is the final piece for my September show at Bernice’s Bakery in Missoula, Montana celebrating the bee and the influence it has in nature. I finished it on the road, and was able to ship it back to Missoula just in time for First Friday. Phew…!

It is an Encaustic Mixed Media Piece made up of three 8″x10″ panels.

Please stop by Bernice’s Bakery this Friday evening and say hello to my friend John who has been so kind as to hang the show for me! And while you are there, grab some tasty treats!

Sunflower Bee - Encaustic - 6"x6"

Strawberry Bees - Encaustic (beeswax & resin) Mixed Media (pressed flowers, oil paint)

Apple Bees - Encaustic

Almond Bees - Encaustic

If you find yourself in Missoula, please stop by Bernice’s Bakery and see them in person!

This is the first in a series I am working on paying tribute to what role bees play in nature, from pollination to honey… and of course beeswax! This is an encaustic mixed-media piece incorporating ink, encaustic, and oil paint. (9″x16″)

Detail of relief:

And one of the flowers & bees: