Artist in Mixed Media Mosaic Collage and Jewelry

Sunday, June 30, 2013

WELCOME TO MY STUDIO . . .

I left for vacation the day this was suppose to be published.  Since I had no Wifi available to me I had my daughter  (from a totally different state/location) go in and Publish this at the time it was suppose to go out.  I just got home last night and this is not showing up as published on my Blog.   So, even though we went through it on the phone step by step, and it showed up published on her end, I am worried it did not go out properly.  SO . . . if you are getting this a second time, I apologize.  If you are only getting this for the first time, I apologize.  The Best laid plans of . . .




work by Charleen Martin
     

 AND . . . THE STUDIOS OF 19 OTHER ARTISTS!  
v This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit the studios of 2g0 Artists without having to get out of your easy chair. :)  No long drives involved, no money spent on gas,  and no embarrassing moments walking into a studio and not quite knowing what to say to the Artist about the work!  : /   You get to gush all you want (preferably!) or roll your eyes.  No one is going to tell on you.

 The Tour was the brainchild of Artist Marla Laubisch.  She sent an invitation out to several Artists who sent the invitation out to several other Artists who . . . well . . . you get the idea! So whether you are another Artist who would like to see how and where other Artists create, and possibly pick up some new ideas for your Studio, or you are an Art Enthusiast who is just curious as to how and where the Art is created, then I'm sure you'll enjoy the Tour.

 I'm going to start off by listing the other Studios so they don't get lost behind my photos.  This is an array of some wonderful Artists scattered all over the U.S. and even Canada so I know you'll have fun!  
Drive safe! :)


Welcome to my Studio.  My Studio is in my home . . . in what should be my livingroom.   Uh huh.  And yes, that is white carpeting you see.  My husband and I are at a point in our lives where it is just the two of us living at home.   We moved here from out of state 3 years ago and when we found this house, with it's 'formal, separate livingroom' . . . and it had all these windows and such great light, we both knew immediately that would become my Studio.   We really didn't have a need for a formal livingroom, and there was/is enough living space in the rest of the house to more than keep us happy and be able to entertain our friends and family.   I get around the white carpeting by painting my big, messy backgrounds outside (I have a nice covered area to do that).  The blank white wall you see was built by my husband for me.  It's moveable and allows me to separate the entry from my Studio.  It also gives me a blank wall to photograph my work on.


As the people who already know me are aware, I am primarily a Collage Artist but I also design and create Jewelry.  Below are several pictures of where I work on my Jewelry.  This space is just behind the White wall above.


I also wholesale and retail NoteCards with images of my work so what you see on the back of the white wall are several of the racks with overstock ready to go.

  

This may interest those of you who also create jewelry or have a need for storage for small items.  I love these 'nuts and bolts totes'  that I got from Home Depot.  As you can see, they are wonderful for storing and separating small items.


My actual work space for my Collages and small paintings is this wonderful large old Oak Table that I found in an Antique Mall for a very good price.  :)  (Don't cringe - the top is covered with a sheet of plexi!)  The former TV Armoire in the corner now houses extra canvas, panels, paper, Card supplies and whatever else I can stuff into it!  

                     

              Paint Storage in one corner             and                    Jewelry Supplies in another.
(and the plastic drawers on the small wooden bookshelf are where I keep my
hand-painted papers for my Collages)

          The pillow on the chair is a treasured a gift from my sister.  She had a friend make it from a copy of my Collage 'Three Sisters: The Conversation'.  It's actually me and my two sisters.  
The joke is which one of us is 'holding court'.  No . . . it's not who you think!  :)

  The original  'Three Sisters: The Conversation



This is the piece that is on my easel.  Background is painted on Ampersand Cradled Gesso board.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten any farther on him.

But . . . this is the finished Necklace that was in process on the Bead tray up above.

  

'Red Hot Red'
Bamboo Coral, African Trade Beads (Brass), Carved Bone and Black Matte Glass.

If you would like to see more of my work you can click here  
and take a quick tour.

As a Thank you to those of you that toured my Studio and signed up to either receive my monthly Newsletter (you can sign up  here ) and/or follow my Blog (over to the right) if you send me an email stating just Newsletter or Blog,  and include your mailing address, I will send you two of my ArtCards which are shown on my Website.  These are Frameable  5 x 7  single panel cards ~ really just like small prints.  If you are already signed up for either the Newsletter or Blog, and you sign up now for the other, that does qualify.

 (I'm sorry, but choices are not available.  Limited to the first 25 people who sign up and this offer runs through July 11th)

If you have any questions, comments or even suggestions,  I would love to hear from you.   And please,  feel free to forward this to anyone that you think might also enjoy the Tour.



Thank you for joining us 

Charleen

a little more of my work . . .

 
            Two Sisters:  Roots make them Sisters,                       View from the Moon      
                         Their Hearts make them Friends    

Heavy Thinking









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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT . . .


In the Dark of Night  (13027)

 I have had this Beautiful Carved Blackstone Jaguar for a very long time.  He's been waiting for just the right gemstones to compliment him and I think these Yellow Turquoise (which are really green!) do the trick.  He really needed something simple because the way he is carved makes enough of a statement.  He and the Yellow Turquoise are joined by Black Matte Glass, Brass Heishi and medium round African Trade Beads (Brass).  This fastens with an easy to open/close Toggle Clasp.  You can find more information on this piece by clicking Here .

I have been trying for a while to make things a little simpler for myself.  Like for example, Canvas with gallery wrap edges instead of wood panels for everything so I would have less framing to do.  (And to put it nicely, I 'intensely'  dislike framing!)  I do like the finished look with the canvas, especially for my bigger pieces, but it can provide a little challenge when I'm trying to 'roll on' my backgrounds or needing to put pressure on paper that I'm trying to adhere to the canvas.  The canvas has no support and stretches beneath the pressure making it a bit challenging to do what I need to do.  So . . .  I'm still working on this problem but actually I've digressed from where I was going. 
(nothing new there . . . )

If I go somewhere and I think, or know, that I might have the opportunity to do some Art while away, I can't really take my Collage materials along with me.  Maybe someone else could :/ but if you could see my studio you would know that is not an option for me.  Jars and Tubes full of Paint, Drawers full of painted paper, bits of this, that and the other, should I bring wood, should I bring canvas?  I think you get the picture.  Yes, I always have my sketchbook, but for me that's not quite the same.

Anyway, I decided I needed to just go back to painting.   Something I haven't really done in almost 15 years.   I've oil painted, worked in Watercolor and painted with Acrylics and was probably most successful with oils.   I've been so focused on my Collages for so long I'm sure that influence will show in any new work I do now but hopefully that will add to the fun of it.  And no, I am definitely not giving up my love affair with Collage ~ that will remain number one (at least for now :)  I tell you all this because below is the first painting I did this last week.  (Probably not a big deal for most, but a big first step for me) It's actually done with Acrylics (the 'water-based'  :) oils are ordered) which were easy to work with.  This is on a highly textured wood panel.   (It was already textured so I just went with it.)  I like the simplicity of it ~ something I hope I can hold on to.  (One of my Instructors once called me 'The Mistress of More'.) I never knew when to stop adding details.  Evidently that hasn't changed much since I think I just wrote a Chapter for my book here on this page! :(   

       

Dreams Beneath the Light
6 x 9" Acrylic on Wood panel

Enough already!
Have a great Day . . .

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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

AND THE WINNER IS . . .


ME!

That's because, thru my giveaway, I've met some very nice people who have signed up to receive my Newsletter and/or Blog.   So while I am not the actual winner/winner of my giveaway, I feel like I'm a winner thanks to all that signed up and took the time to also send me a note.  What a great way to meet new friends!  :)

So . . . we more or less just did the old hat trick.  Names in, hubby pulls one out, winner found.  Simple but effective.   So the winner of a box of my Assorted Midnight Series NoteCards is:

Carol Schiff
Carol is a fellow Artist from Florida and her work can be found here:

Please take the time to check it out.  Carol . . . your cards will go out tomorrow!

I know that some of you know this already but I'm still trying to recoup from shoulder surgery  (right shoulder and I'm right handed ~ not a good combo) so that still means limited time in the studio.  Since Jewelry is easier for me to do (and is what is predominantly selling right now) I've been working more on that.  Below is one of the pieces I just finished yesterday.  Within a couple of days it will be headed for the Gallery I'm in over in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  Coeur d'Alene has a big Tourist trade at this time of year and Jewelry is easy to purchase and put in a suitcase.


Shereha  (Celebration)

Here's another view of how it can be worn . . .


It's a verrrry long double strand of lots of wonderful Beads.  You can get more information on it by clicking here.

Again, Thanks to everyone who signed up.  And . . . if you know of anyone that you think might enjoy my work I'd love it if you would pass this on.

Have a great Day!
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