Update

Hi,
a little update, my website is back up at www.thebutterflypeople.com and has been super simplified, I removed the about section which explained how the butterfly people came about, removed the links on how to become a NYC street artist, removed the links to other sites, the tutorials, the inspiration campaigns, the accomplishments section with Kenneth Cole and ceramics-related stuff. At the moment there are only three links, one to a gallery page showing some of my favorite pieces of the past few years, a street vending page to update people about how and where to find me, and also a link here to this blog, simple and easy it all is. The blog here was also updated, I now have a bar on the right that will help you navigate old posts if you need to, as well as adding some much needed color to the blog.

I have been unable to street vend due to things like cleaning, laundry, taxes, etc. Tomorrow is going to be cool and wet so I will simply continue creating until free time, and mother nature align and I can safely and comfortably vend my babies.

Blanket of stars

NEW NEW NEW
A fairy was born today. Not fairy, I mean a butterfly person, that’s what I mean. A true butterfly person with real butterfly wings and a beautiful hand painted blanket with glitter stars on it, the piece is very attractive in the dark or dimly lit rooms because the stars in her cloth are move visible and the subtle gold in her wings catch the available light. I made her on a base to lift the piece off the ground, elevate it, I am trying to make a habit of this but old habits die hard and not all new pieces are on a base; it is stained to look like textured rock.

I happened upon a cool finding today which was a neat case which was broken, I repaired it and put the little gal in it, its cool cause the door can be opened and the view of the figure is a nice full-frontal view that the boxes do not give, she is easily visible and more like a little treasure actually.

The pumpkin represents Harvest/Abundance
The river of stars represents limitlessness/Unlimited self
We are made of stars.

Self portrait

kinda evil lookin, no?

So out of place

Wondering where to start? Use The Process!

Warning, this blog may give insight about my belief systems.
With the disclaimer out of the way, I must say that the latest piece is what I need to begin my journey back into the streets of NYC and make a living and also make an experience. People must realize that these small sculptures are like little records, as time progresses so do they, and they currently embody what some people call prayers, others call affirmations, others call meditations, others call creative visualizations. We are all RIGHT, prayer, affirmation, belief, whatever you call it is all about making something out of nothing. If you have a loved one who is ill in the hospital, you may take some quiet time and talk to God and ask for the person to be healed, and miraculously, they get better, or that promotion you wanted, or the car you wanted, etc. The Secret is a very popular subject right now, but people like Shakti Gawain and Kelly Howell have spoken about this for years. Anyway, my little figures are like physical reminders of this way of thinking, the current one displayed in this entry is amazing, she is how you make things happen in your life, from a new lover, to a new career, to taking out the trash, it all starts with something I call The Process.
The process is simple and we all use it, the problem is we don’t know about its power and take it for granted, leaving some things to chance while carefully planning others. The Process begins with an Idea/goal, my personal one in this case is to get back out into the street artist scene. These thoughts are fueled by excitement and anticipation, this good energy is needed to continue, you have to believe and also feel it, not just say its going to happen but expect bad results, expect good things! This enthusiasm gives way to ACTION! Action is important, because as much as we think of things, we have to do something to get the ball rolling, my personal thing in this case is doing this blog, talking to people, making a new website, and also getting my table and sculptures ready. After you have done something (action), you have to believe, really know that (im my case) its possible to be an artist/craftsperson and make a living selling your art directly to the public, longheld stereotypes about the starving artist (or whatever you may be conditioned into thinking) must be eliminated to allow beautiful things to happen. For example, thinking rich people are horrid will never allow you to enjoy money! With all this in place, sit back and watch the results come in, I should have written success in the end because only success can be found when these steps are taken.
By the way, this Process is not simply theoretical, my very existence in NYC attests to it, as well as my being in college and even being an artist, things I could have only dreamed of have become reality. Hopefully some of you out there will take these steps, you have nothing to loose!

Below are some pics of the oh so stunning woman that emerged from the clay.
You must click on the images to see them big!
The sketch was done on the bus but the actual piece is oh so much more stunning.

how to make polymer clay flowers - lily of the valley

Spring is here and to celebrate lets make some lily of the valley flowers, they are relatively simple once you have the basics down. These were made very fast, so if you were to take your time with good craftsmanship yours will be even more impressive!


Get some clay together, the flowers each use very little clay, roll the clay flat through a roller or pasta machine.


Cut a rectangle like so and remove the excess clay.

Cut a zig-zag pattern on top so that you end up with four or five points, these will be the upturned petals of the flower.

Wrap this around the end of a pencil or tool

It will look like a crown

Flip it over and close off the open bottom of the flower.

Shape it a bit, make it more rotund.

Next step is to turn the points/petals upward

Press the bottom to flatten it.

Form the style and stigma to put in the center of the flower, use your needle tool to be sure it is attached properly.

Here is a “secret” that I have never revealed, but maybe people already practice this, it is called paper clay in ceramic terms, but works with polymer clay as well, its mixing toliet paper and polymer clay together, it makes a very strong workable material.

Just mush it all together.

I use a needle to make the stem holding the flowers and put a coil of paper clay on it. Your flower is done and so is your stem. Stop here or continue to make a whole stem of flowers.

Form young flower buds by simply working the clay into the desired shape.

Some buds can be made more interesting and realistic by taking a needle tool and pressing lines into the bud like so.

These four rectangles will become mature flowers to put on a stem, you already know the steps so I will not narrate.