FREEDOM (new piece!)

FREEDOM

She is freedom. What used to be a recurring theme in my miniature polymer clay statues has become an allegory. Freedom is here, her position with arms outstretched to her sides and head tilted far back is a bearing of her soul and not concealing it. The butterflies are also hand made by me and they symbolize ascension from restrictions. The butterfly after its struggle emerges from its cocoon or restricted habitat to become a being that soars thought the skies, that is why butterflies surround her, to further drive the message home that SHE IS FREEDOM unrestricted.

This piece is pleasing visually because of its high amount of surface texture contrast, and information which is something I have always had difficulty creating. I did it by spray painting the figure with a matte spray paint very lightly which created a stone-like surface with lots of tiny bumps all over it, this sucked up the gold paint like a sponge and distributed it evenly. This texture remains and is contrasted by the horizontal brush strokes on her dress which are very smooth and sleek. In life perhaps more than my pictures here there is a definite separation between her clothes’ smooth texture and her skins pebbly roughness. The dress’ color itself was built up over a period of time, it was originally beige-white, then blue and white, then sky blue streaks, and then painted in a gold finish which was too much like the skin, so brown paint was mixed with bronze paint which has soluble metals in it over the top. Finally it was washed over with a clean wet brush to allow some of the original blue to shine through, the effect is an astounding, amazing blend of metallics. Her hair is the third texture in the piece, the twisted coils of hair from behind are quite impressive, it took a long time to fasten each one on beginning from the nape of the neck going all the way to the front of the forehead, the effort was well worth it.

Introducing Miss America!

Introducing the REAL Miss America! I don’t think I have to spell this one out for you, but just in case, its my version of what Miss America should really look like. Shes not your Euro-ized beauty, but reminiscent the actual people who lived in the country before it was colonized by various other countries. Shes supposed to look Native at least in features not really dress, and confident.

This is the first piece really where I attempted to create a wind-blown look in the fabric, I guess I forgot about her hair :-)
expect to see more experimentation soon.

Think about it (four figures)

The latest…
I just finished up this piece last night which will be displayed as you see her here, with no wings, with no (bright) colors, with no clothes. What do you think she symbolizes? Look back at the picture and think. I can predict with much certainty that when people see her they will remark about how the piece must be about the tribulations of motherhood, as the frustrated mom looks away from her rambunctious children, but that scenario couldn’t be further from the meaning embodied in this piece. Think psyche, think Freud, Sigmund Freud. You may be familiar with the three parts of mentality, the Id, the Ego, and the Super-ego. Well, they are formed into allegories here with a woman who is teetering on psychological breakdown as the two parts of her mind which control morality and reality look on admirably, and as her Id waves to the viewer from behind her leg.

La Lengua

I have no idea what the Universe is up to, but its showering me with good things lately, there are no disappointments to report tonight. A few blogs ago I mentioned the tattoo girl, here are pics in case you forgot her. She was a statue who was sticking out her tongue and that was arguably her best feature, well, putting metallic tattoos on her just made her very deco-ornate and in bad taste, however I cant put them down too much because it is due to them that the awesome outcome was the way it was, out of experimentation always comes fresh and new techniques as the result of painting her black and sponging off the excess proved to allow some of the gold tin to shine through, reminding me of a burnished piece of earthenware clay that has been fired in a reduction kiln. Its like the best part of the tattoos remain such as the one on her chest, but they are now muted by the paint, its all about surface decoration that looks like its built up in layers and has a lot of information, is not just one solid color. I think the tattoo has somehow fractured because it almost looks like her skin is crumpled paper which is nice since she is not smooth, she is textured. I'm very proud of the way she is now as opposed to the embarrassing portrait before.
Also I found use for the polymer clay butterflies I made by gluing them onto her body as if butterflies flying about her. They are also slightly metallic but not black so they stand out against her dark body. I also am able to better see that she is sticking out her tongue which was the whole purpose.

Before and After

Click on the picture to see her cool new texture.

"Ecstasy of Paint" is done! check her out red, gold, and silver

You have to see it to believe it. I told you she was gonna be the shizz and you didn't believe me.
I must confess that some of my older customers who thought I made fairies may be a little turned off by the new stuff, but lets just say time changes all and progression is the way of the world!
This girl (pictured fresh and unpainted a couple of blogs ago) is really my first piece to depict a sexual moment. She may be alone and not really even touching herself, but it doesn't matter, the paint tells the story and ignites the event which is orgasm. RED. The color of fire, passion, heat is painted all over her, she is ablaze with heat, yet it is relieved by the pouring of cool silver and gold paints from her outstretched hand down to her chest, in between her breasts, and down between her legs, she is dripping with ecstasy and this is why she is titled so.
You have to see her in real life to believe her! Shes very nice and a more expressive piece. Also she is not wet, the latex paint will remain shiny while the gold and silver although shiny, will be matte. She is a beautiful combination of sculpture and painting.
Click on any image to see her up close and personal.

Artistic female nude miniature sculpture (DONE)

Contrast.
The blue wings make a great background for contrast against a white figurine.

Figure 3" tall, 5" with wings

A thank you blog

Okay, the grouping of text below summarizes the long exerpt below it so if you don’t want to read about my ideas and thoughts just read the little paragraph below, it’s the longer version in a nutshell.

(Short version)
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have purchased my work, past and present, you guys are awesome and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me not only financially but more importantly artistically, the flow of works allows for more work to be made which is always an experience of growth and change in itself; when you take my work, I make more and my artistic expression is allowed to continue. Thanks everyone!!!

(long version)
Street artists who do this full time have a hard life! I am not implying that I solely rely on my art to make money because I do not, but I do dedicate most of my free time to it and it’s a little more than a part-time thing. Anyway, recently I was able to have enough money for August rent due to a sale of a butterfly person in Mariposa Gallery which gives me 100% profit minus sales tax (cause they are cool like that). I always feel like people who buy my work are more than patrons, we are exchanging. Its not just a money exchange, its an exchange of so much more because hopefully the person enjoys the artwork so they are getting satisfaction of having a beautiful thing, you are satisfied with someone having your work, but also with the opportunity to create more. Many artists I know who never sell their work simply stockpile it and have many unfinished projects and stagnant stock from years ago, in my opinion there is really no way for growth if you don’t sell your work or at least give it away. Perhaps I just have a modern day craft-makers mentality which I will regret since its well known that great artists like Van Gogh never sold any work and people like Monet were criticized for their artistic style, nonetheless, for me although my figures are small, I need to always clear out space for new ones to be born. So a thank you for the people who purchase my items, you are allowing me to grow artistically and express myself which is the really fun part. A lady told me her daughter could make the figure/flower that I had for sale, and I told her that it wouldn’t have significance, meaning, that mine were special because they were made with a purpose in mind beyond being cute or to make money or worst to copy someone else’s design. Everyone knows they can get $1 figurines Made in China/Taiwan/India/Korea at the local dollar tree so why even compare? My customers are like little supports that lift you up when you need it, they cheer you on your way to becoming who you are to become and that’s really a special thing.