Tag Archive for 'robayre' Page 2 of 3

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

My first official Encaustic piece

Published
by
robayre
on June 26, 2010
in General Update
. 4 Comments

Encaustic means “to burn in”: An art form where you use hot wax to paint and/or encase layers.

For years I’ve been wanting to explore more into encaustic. I remember being jealous of my friend Bethany who took an encaustic class, or maybe it was a painting class, but they got to work in encaustic for part of it. I’ve always loved the dreamy quality encaustic pieces have from the layers and opacity of the beeswax. I played around with beeswax on my own before and used it over a few of my collage/mixed media mailart pieces, but I really didn’t know what I was doing and worried that it would just crack off the piece eventually.

Today I finally got the opportunity to officially learn more and experiment with encaustic at a workshop. I had such a good time. The finished piece is basically 2D, but you work in a 3D manner to get the results. You layer flat as well as dimensional items, and play with texture and surface in layer after layer of encaustic medium. It was so exciting and freeing to have to think in entirely different ways than I’m used to working.

Here are pictures of the pieces I created today. The top one was my first piece and the second one was more a last minute piece and I think I might work on it some more. At the workshop someone mentioned the idea of creating a series and displaying them all together, so that was the idea of the second piece. I’d like to make a third or fourth to go with these.

Here are a few good references for working in encaustic:
Book: The Encaustic Workshop by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch

Video: Getting Started in Encaustic with Kathryn Bevier

Supplies: Apparently if you live in the Northern Illinois area the Blick store in Schaumberg has a variety of supplies, but they also seem to carry a bit online as well.

I’m a nerd

Published
by
robayre
on May 28, 2010
in Cool Links, My Artwork, Projects, etsy and shop update
. 5 Comments

Here is my second animated gif for number 2 on my to-do list. Here’s number one from earlier this year.  This time I made it bigger so you can actually see what’s going on.

Last week I was walking from my car to our house when I saw the brightest yellow finch. It’s been so long since I’ve seen one, I thought it was an escaped pet bird at first. The very next day I was at a BBQ birthday party and saw the boldest Indigo Bunting. It kept flying up to the bird feeder just a few feet away from us. THEN the very next day I was on a bike ride and a bright red Cardinal swooped right in front of me. I view brightly colored birds as a sign, and remembered this mail art piece I made and decided to list it for sale in my Etsy shop.

I recently discovered the coolest (new-to-me) artist through flickr. Alyn Carlson is a very talented artist, graphic designer and actress. She makes the most wonderful art hats, and they can be found in her Etsy shop here. I love how she posts often about colors, often in a Pantone theme, which really speaks to the graphic designer in me too. Well, lo and behold, this week she featured a photograph I took of my tootsie in grass, on this post. And then today, she shared my silver cast and handspun yarn Grass Ring. A woman who also loves grass is a woman after my own heart.

A special day

Published
by
robayre
on May 26, 2010
in Fun, General Update, My Artwork, goals and life
. 2 Comments

Last week was my sister’s birthday. Happy Birthday Chris! I hope you had a great birthday and will have an AMAZING year ahead! She has always been a supporter of my artwork and is ALWAYS there for me when I need help, or an opinion and guidance.

For her birthday she wanted to go to the Museum of Science and Industry. It was an awesome day. I haven’t been there since I was in elementary school and could have spent a couple days there before reaching everything they have to offer.

Unexpectedly, I was also able to (semi) cross off two items on my To-Do-List for 2010. At the MSI now, your tickets to get in become a “sci-pass” where you can record the activities you participate in and then access them online later. They had a sound booth that was similar to the storycorp idea, where you could go in and interview other people. I went in and recorded a short interview with my sister, which was one part of number 23 on my list.

Number 12 on my to-do list was to get an old-timey picture done. In my mind, that meant REAL old photograph techniques, like daguerreotypes, as mentioned in a few posts ago, rather than some quick digital pics that have been converted to grayscale or sepia tone. That being said…  MSI had a photo studio set up where you can take quick digital old-timey pics in an old car, so we played.

I’m the one in the back with the straw hat on, my sister is next to me and my brother in front of me, and his friend Chad next to him. The portrait woman was cracking up at Chad’s leg sticking out.

I have some art to share, as usual. This was the fourth grass painting in the series. I know I always say it, but it has to be said again. I LOVED this painting. It has a watercolor look to it, but it’s acrylic on canvas. It went to my sister for her birthday. I also made her the brooch in the above picture (orange and aqua at the top right).

I also made her a ring, and then made this one for myself. I used this tutorial  from Makeitdo, that I found through the craft blog.

It’s Tuesday and that means…

Published
by
robayre
on May 25, 2010
in Found Art, General Update and My Artwork
. 2 Comments

FOUND ART TUESDAY! As usual, I wait until last moment and then frantically try to think of a place to leave my artwork. A place where it will be safe from the elements, not too populous so that I’m watched, and not too vacant so that the piece goes un-found.

Last week I was in Chicago, but could I be prepared enough to create a piece beforehand AND bring it along? Of course not. So, where did I leave today’s piece? Well, I had to run to the post office and drop off a package, so I figured I’d make it a two for one and leave my artwork in the lobby. As I left it I started worrying I could get in trouble for leaving my artwork. Hope not.

I hope the person who finds and keeps the painting enjoys it. As usual.

Join the Found Art Tuesday fun at facebook and flickr

New Paper Wrapped/Coiled Rings

Published
by
robayre
on March 22, 2010
in etsy and shop update
. 1 Comment

I’ve added 4 new paper wrapped spiral/stratum rings to my Etsy shop, click on the images to take you to their listing.
I am in love with the one above. It’s made from a world map.

And this one is made from a road map. I think they are so beautiful from afar, and if you look up close you can see that it actually map pages.

 

I also made these two, an orange and a pink ring. They are equally stunning. I just love the details.

365 project update - And Robayre around the Internet

Published
by
robayre
on March 15, 2010
in Coverage and General Update
. 0 Comments

I’m 50 days into my Lazy Man’s 365 project. This means it’s time to present my second mosaic. (1st set)

Last week was pretty cool. I was excited to be featured several places.

 

First there were a couple green/spring themed treasuries on Etsy.

Then I was featured in this gorgeous spot at The Craft Begins. I love Bri’s Friday Favorites, so it was an honor to be included.

Then I got a message that my grass journal was featured on Ruby’s Playground.

And lastly, I was VERY EXCITED to be able to contribute to one of my favorite sites, photobooth.net. I always keep my eyes peeled for photobooth/strip sightings in movies and tv and when no one else had submitted the sighting on Lost, I jumped all over it. So, read my lovely description, then check out the rest of the site and track down a photobooth near you. Don’t forget to bring props :D

some collages

Published
by
robayre
on March 8, 2010
in General Update and My Artwork
. 2 Comments

  

Just a couple collages I did recently. The left has a “postage stamp” I painted in watercolors, and the right one contains the CMYK color samples we printed at my work years ago and have provided miles and miles of material for my collage work.

Day Nineteen - Framed YoYo Quilt Set in Pink Gingham

Published
by
robayre
on February 19, 2010
in General Update, etsy and shop update
. 1 Comment

Today I was inspired by an Etsy front page that had all pale, soft pinks, whites and naturals. You can see the collection here. I immediately went up to my studio and grabbed this pale pink gingham and made one of my framed yoyo sets. I’ve been making yoyos (a quilt, vests, jewelry) for 17 years and making and selling these framed sets for 5 years. It was perfect because I actually had two other sets finished, but I just had not taken pictures of them yet, so finishing this set got me into action and now all three have been added to my Etsy shop here.

day 8 quarter circle

Published
by
robayre
on August 12, 2009
in General Update, My Artwork, Projects and etsy
. 1 Comment

I finished today’s piece very late, so the sun was already down and any picture this late is gonna look bad. I’ll take better pictures when I finish and complete tomorrow’s piece. This piece took a bit more time. It is inspired by my circle series pieces. There are a few of those pieces still available in my etsy shop as well. I even incorporated my own handspun yarn into this piece.

I stayed home today. I basically stayed in bed, in pajamas and glasses all day long. Thank you everyone who sent me well wishes.

It’s funny how on regular days off, the day can slip by so quickly, but on sick days when you are confined to bed and feeling miserable the day can linger on and on. I am glad I took the day off. It’s one thing I’ve realized within the last 5 years; If I just bite the bullet and take a sick day I will get better almost immediately. If I try to be proud and strong and go to work, I will have one of those horrible colds/flus that linger for weeks. So, I took off the day and I am feeling much better already.

day 7 - straw hat

Published
by
robayre
on August 11, 2009
in General Update, My Artwork, Projects, etsy and life
. 1 Comment

Today’s piece is a study in blue and brown. Available in my shop.

I’m feeling a bit blue myself today. Not sad, just under the weather. I was still able to complete today’s piece, but I think I will take a nap next.

First, a couple quick links:

I found this wonderful site today. I guess it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, for so long without knowing it. It’s called Gives Me Hope. It’s a site filled with short entries that users have submitted. Each item is something that has given the writer hope. Beware, if you are an emotional person, it will make you cry. While I was reading, I kept gasping (something a friend has nicknamed “icewater” because it sounds like someone just dumped icewater down my back). Matt would ask me what it said and I wouldn’t be able to read it without my voice cracking and my eyes tearing.

The next thing is something I discovered from a flickr/twitter contact. I noticed the other day that Brenna was posting daily creations as well, only, she is participating in a larger project NAARMAMO apparently it is National Art Making Month. Huh, who knew? Must just be in my veins.

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »