Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Tiki Sculptures




The idea here was to create five clay heads, each one representing a different element; Ahi for fire, Kai, moana for blue ocean, Papa for green earth, La for yellow day, and Po for purple night.  I tried to give them the look of a Tiki head crossed with a small Aztec idol.  Starting with almost an entire pound of clay for each sculpture, I proceeded to carve and etch marks in the figure.  I also carved out the inside so that when firing them they would not crack.   With what was left, I made horns of four kinds and on both sides of one I put handles.  After painting them, they were left to dry and were later displayed at my art show in October.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Armadillo



The armadillo, which is Spanish for "little armored one," is most famous for its armored shell, which is made from cartilage and bone. These bones provide an impressive defense and represent protection and a guardian-like quality.  Armadillos love digging and burrowing with their sharp, little claws.  Using their heightened senses they are able to detect life underground. They are masters at "hide-and-seek" and excel at finding what is hidden.  Every day, the armadillo may sleep up to a good eighteen some hours,

They also like the water, are generally found near some water, and can even walk underwater. A unique quality of this creature rarely found in others is that they are able to inflate their intestines in order to float upon water for a time, basking in the sun as they laze about the surface of an ambling stream. Its ability to maneuver effectively in water is a very important trait for us to remember about this animal. Water talks to us about going with the flow of our emotions, and the armadillo carries the same message. Are your emotions dammed up? How can the armadillo help loosen up emotional tension? Even during emotional flooding, the armadillo is a reminder we have the power available to us to float through emotional trauma.  Sometimes the only way to endure emotional storms is to coast through them. 

You could say that an armadillo’s defensive stance is its way of telling us to take up a protective position from within ourselves. Just as an armadillo curls into a sphere, therefore protecting its vital organs from threat, we too can initiate our own defense system to protect our hearts when the occasion calls for it.  According to whats-your-sign.com symbolic armadillo meanings are: trust, peace, pacifism, reclusive, neutrality, complexity, sensitivity, inquiry/curiosity, emotional excavation, and protection/guardedness. This speaks to us symbolically about searching, discovering, and getting to the "root" of the matter. If the armadillo makes an appearance, it may be time to do some research on a project you've been working. Or, perhaps it's time to dig under the surface of some questions that have been nagging you.

Whether it's launching your own investigation or doing some digging in your family genealogy, the armadillo can help.  They also can serve as a "tour-guide" to our buried secrets. When we start on a journey of exploration/research/discovery with the armadillo as our spiritual guide, we may feel more inclined to receive illumination and answers. 

People who hold the armadillo as an animal totem have a natural defense system, and can be incredibly self-protective. People like this are extremely perceptive and acutely attuned to the happenings in their environment. If you find the armadillo is your animal kin, you tend to have a bright intellect, which is fueled by a natural curiosity. Although armadillo-people can be short sighted, and may not have long-reaching vision for themselves or their world, they have a lovely sense of contentment. In fact, they are some of the best folks to hang out with because of their self-contending nature. This kind of attitude is extremely comforting.  People such as this also have great memories.  Inquisitive, introspective, thoughtful, grounded and keen to defend that which is precious.... these terms best describe those with the armadillo as their totem.

Those who hold fast to the armadillo are natural treasure hunters and can find items for us - real items, or even intangible goodies like epiphanies and insights.  Imagine an armadillo waddling out ahead of you on a hiking journey through details or data you may be going through.  When the armadillo burrows its way into your awareness as a totem or a messenger, it might be a good time to get some rest.  Relax, recover, recuperate and consider withdrawing from social engagements for a time of renewal. If the armadillo is coming into your consciousness, consider big themes like this. Is it time to mother or nurture ourselves? Is it time to become reborn?  Is it time to retreat, withdraw and become more reclusive?  These are all questions the armadillo asks us on our life's journey. 
  
Symbolic meanings of the armadillo include: Trust, Peace, Pacifism, Reclusive, Neutrality, Complexity, Sensitivity, Inquiry/Curiosity, Emotional Excavation, and Protection/Guardedness.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Rage Necklaces


  
As for how I came up with these next two pieces of jewelry, it pretty much just evolved as most other ideas do. While working with polymer clay I wanted to experiment with layering in a couple of different ways. This is what happened. I rolled out three sheets of clay with a pasta roller and stacked them on top of each other. After cutting through all three layers with a razor knife, I cut away bits and pieces until I got two shapes. One looked like a faceted gem with the other appearing as a diamond. Next, the metal was cut, filed, sanded, and polished. The sanding and polishing were done progressively through different grits descending from course to fine. As for the polishing, I used a buffing wheel followed by a polishing cloth. Riveting held each clay piece in place as prongs cut from the middle layer fastened the clay pieces in the middle of each one.




Alien Incubation: An Unexpected Delivery



Though not one of my favorite or best paintings in my opinion, its concept IS pretty neat.  It came to me one night in a dream, you see.  A large semi went past me, which later inspired this painting.   It was supposed to be made with straight lines developed on canvas by putting tape on it. Then I was going to paint where the tape wasn’t.  The tape kept paint away from the areas I didn’t wish for it to go. Afterward I would proceed to remove the tape to reveal a straight edge.  Clever, huh?  It wasn’t my idea though.  On the back is a yellow glass casing with a green gel-filled alien egg.  It has metal tentacles on all sides of it.  The top of the painting has gold, silver, and copper rays of light.  The rays of light cross over each other as though they where woven together by some heavenly power above.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, and don’t forget, I’ll have more for you as soon as possible or ASAP for you texters.