Barefoot Series

Another beach scene from the Barefoot series.

Scenes from a Beach

This is one of the images I have in "The Green Show." It's part of a larger series of beach scenes which I'll have available at some upcoming shows this summer. They are gelatin transfer prints to acrylic-glazed cradled claybord.

The Green Show: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I have two pieces in "The Green Show" at the King Hooper Mansion in Marblehead. The Opening Reception is Sunday, April 5, but I visited the exhibit today because I will be in Rhode Island tomorrow for my brother and his wife's baby shower. The exhibit is displayed in various rooms throughout the mansion, which is home to the Marblehead Arts Association. The pieces are gorgeous, and depict:

NATURE AT ITS BEST conveyed in landscapes and seascapes, pristine vistas of nature
That which is DETRIMENTAL to nature and the environment
and artwork using RECYCLED MATERIALS and FOUND OBJECTS

In Love with Screenprinting

The problem with trying new things is that they can quickly become addictive and I am certain this will be the case with screenprinting on fabric.

Last weekend I attended a workshop given by Boston Handmade member and fiber artist Linda Branch Dunn at her studio at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA. The class was titled "Improv Screenprinting" and we learned how to make screens using a thermofax machine, and various ways on printing on fabric. I brought the fabric that I had previously dyed using gelatin printmaking methods, and layered over it with a screen of one of the tree photos I took at Brooksby Farm. And Linda let use some of her screens as well.

The result? I am in love with screenprinting and surface design in general. So much so that I have registered for classes with fiber artist Wen Redmond in New Hampshire. Her work is stunning (as is Linda's) and I can't wait to absorb some of her expertise.

A March through the Marshes

Joe had an art class assignment this weekend that involved taking panoramic photos which he will eventually reference for a watercolor painting. We went to a few places in Salem that he wasn't happy with. I wasn't happy that it was so cold, I was hungry, we had marched all over the place, and as always, it was a last minute thing. That's high school I guess!

Anyway, out of nowhere he said, "the marshes! the marshes behind the school!" behind his high school in Danvers, MA. So we went, and while Joe took his panoramic photos, I took photos of Joe.

Apple Orchard Mixed Media

I had some leftover canvases so I thought I'd try to do something with some of the photos I took of Brooksby Farm. I made a black and white line print of one of the shots of brances and printed it on rice paper, then adhered it to the canvas. From there it took on a life of its own with many, many layers of acrylics, pearlescent pigments, and fiber. The result is definitely inspired by the orchard in summer. One can just wait for the warmer weather.

The piece is listed on etsy http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22506235.

Goodbye Back Issues, I'll Miss You

I remember the first time I saw "Somerset Studios" magazine and still remember how the art and craft inside immediately struck me. I was hooked! Since 2002 I have been collecting these magazines (not ALL of them) but dozens and dozens fill my studio. Not just "Somerset Studio" magazine, but also "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" and "Quilting Arts" and many others.

My tastes have changed. Now I'm reading "Surface Design" and "Art New England" and some others. And since I can't seem to stop buying magazines, I need to make room in my studio. So I am listing dozens and dozens and dozens of back issues on EBAY.

As of this moment there are about a dozen, and I will be adding more over the next few days.

Goodbye old friends, I hope you find good homes and continue to inspire.

Notes for Spring

Well, there wasn't much to do today other than wish the snow away. So here are some new digi-collages that I'll convert to gelatin fresco prints. The birds and trees are all from photos I've taken this winter from my deck, and from Brooksby Farm in Peabody.

Disintegration Part II

Back in January I joined in a collaborative effort instigated by Seth Apter of The Altered Page called "Disintegration." Says Seth, bundles of every imaginable material, shape, and color are hung, tied, buried, and submerged all around the world. Nature is working her magic with snow, rain, hail, sun, wind, earth, fire, and water all interacting with and disintegrating bundles of bundles. On May 1, each artist will reveal the results on their own blog.

I am periodically updating my original disintegration blog post which you can read about here. Ahhh, the trials and tribulations of paper and string.

Last year our friend Evelyn brought a lovely bouquet, which I of course photographed and layered with a photo of an acrylic mess I had created. Today I used that image to transfer to a glazed gelatin fresco surface. This is the result. I like the depth from the variety of layers.

Available on etsy.

Exhibiting this Summer

Is there such a thing as application season? I know right now it's tax season, but for artists looking to exhibit at shows this summer, it seems like all the application deadlines are here or approaching soon! 

So far I know I will be at the South End Open Market, and semi-related shows like the South End Open Studios and Baked Fresh. I just sent my application in for Twist Fair in Northampton, which I hear is fairly new, but fabulous. And there are all these other applications in front of me...

Here's one of the new pieces I've been playing with for upcoming shows.

Stay tuned!

Remember when there was just ONE?

Remember when most people just had one online presence? Just the website? When there was just the one place where you could find out what was happening with your favorite artist? Now there are so many online options available...so no matter whether you are a facebooker or twitterer....you can most likely find out what I'm doing. On the other hand, I'm trying to figure out when enough is enough....shops...social marketing sites...blogs. What has become of my lonely old website?

As evidenced by the growing list of "where to find me" links on this blog, here are the many ways you can find me online nowadays, where at least ONE of them may be up-to-date.!
My Blog (You are here!)
Etsy . 1000 Markets . Trunkt (You can shop!)
Facebook (You can become a Fan!)
Twitter (You can Follow Me!)

New Horizons in Printmaking

Just heard about this today, and am heading off to Bedford for the Artist Talk and Demo of "New Horizons in Printmaking." I took an alternative digital printmaking workshop with Mary Taylor a few years back...today she will demonstrate techniques for creating unique monoprints using non-toxic block printing inks and gelatin, then collage the prints into concertina style book binding.

Something the economy has me acutely aware of is the cost of art materials. Thanks to tips from Bonny Lhotka, one of the authors of Digital Art Studio, I have begun using MDF (medium density fiberboard) as a substrate for my artwork. Using an alternative digital printmaking process, the digital collage is transferred to the MDF and I'm so happy with the results. One example is above. It's part of a triptych. The other 2 pieces are drying. I'll post the full piece when it's done.

"energy" digital collage

How about a vibrant, energetic collage to brighten an otherwise grey February day?

Do you see colors in music?

For the longest time, my son and I have not been able to understand why my husband doesn't "see" the shapes and movement we do when listening to music. Then today I read an article about "synthesesia" which is a neurological happening that can take many forms (not necessarily what happens to my son and I), but where you can "see" colors in sounds.

In the article I read, this particular child would go to the symphony with his parents and assumed that the lights went down so that everyone could see the colors better. "I mean, why else would they do it?" he said. He didn't realize that his parents didn't see any colors based on the music. According to the article, he never knew that his condition had a name until he happened to be researching the genetics of perfect pitch, which has been anecdotally linked with synesthesia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

No particular point here, other than it's fascinating to me how our brains work. I'm thinking again about my fascination with how Temple Grandin describes visual perception as an autistic person. And how animal language is complex and intricate, conveying an intelligence that we can't comprehend. I'm wondering how, with all of these comlexities, standardized tests are used to put kids in nice, neat, labeled boxes. The mind boggles...

BE MINE: 2nd Annual Boston Handmade Valentine Show

I'll be selling these sweet, original Valentine cards, along with several new works at Be Mine: The 2nd Annual Boston Handmade Valentine Show.
Friday, February 6 ~ 5pm to 9pm
450 Harrison Avenue - Gallery #31 - 31 Thayer Street
South End, Boston, MA

This one-night-only event coincides with the First Friday open studios and gallery receptions in the SoWa arts district of Boston's South End. Local artists, artisans and craftspeople will be exhibiting their one-of-a-kind and limited edition works, along with live acoustic music by Peter Paulousky and new exhibitor designs created especially for the winter season and Valentine's Day.

Hope to see you there!

Disintegration

Inspired by Seth Apter of The Altered Page, I've begun somewhat of a mystery of a project called "Disintegration." The idea is to be inspired by the natural evolution of time, in collaboration with nature. I chose to use signatures from an old "1939 Supplement to French's Catalog of Plays" which I have been holding onto for quite a while. I have a feeling that our New England winter will be a wonderful collaborator! I have absolutely no idea how this will play out, but I look forward to the big reveal in spring, when I will figure out how to use the results.

2/26/09 -- Checked my bundles today and it looked like two of them were missing! There were four to begin with, including the cover of the 1939 booklet that I loved so much. And that one was missing.

So, I looked all around, and found both of the missing bundles. One was about 10 feet away huddled against a bench underneath my porch, and the other was hidden underneath a sled! How did it get there? Does it not want to be part of this project? Does it want to come back to the studio where it was nice and warm?

Anyway, I tucked both bundles back where they belong, and hopefully they will stay there this time.

in celebration

River of Hope
1/20/09

I just love this new print...another abstract based on those gelatin prints a while back, and incorporating a photo I took of trees (I think it was in Gloucester, MA). This is available on my etsy shop at http://chrisenc.etsy.com.

People, Places and Things: Documenting Our World Through Art

Getting ready for a new season of art at the Salem Arts Association! CinemaSalem will exhibit member works throughout February 2009.

My studio companions

I know some people would go stark raving mad if they had to work by themselves and not have much daily contact with co-workers or clients. Much of what I do involves working alone in my studio...and it suits me just fine. Of course, I do have these constant companions each day to keep me company! Sammy (the cat) and Little Bit (the mini-daschund) -- my favorite lunch partners -- were willing participants the other day while I tried out my new Canon Rebel digital SLR camera. I'm looking forward to a day when the weather is above 20 degrees so I can take it out for a spin!

New Online Shop at 1000 Markets

I've recently joined 1000 Markets, a new online market of small, independent, artisan businesses built by people who love their craft. Many of my Boston Handmade friends have joined as well. So far I've listed prints of my new abstract designs. Stay tuned for more!

More fun with photos and frescoes

I've been veering more and more to these abstract images which combine my photographs (this one incorporates an image taken from high atop Boston at the Harvard Club) with scans of gelatin monoprints, which are so fun to make. This whole series will soon be available as frescoed, textured panels.

Is that your breakfast, or is it an art project?

Saturday morning my husband asked whether I was making breakfast, or working on an art project. Even though I found his question hysterical, the more I thought about it, I can understand his confusion. Many times my projects consist of ingredients like knox gelatine, and other vague looking powdery substances. And, although most of my work is done in a separate studio room, I do sometimes take over the kitchen counter.

So, for the record, the bowl at the top is a bowl filled with pancake mix. The bowl at the bottom has some clear liquid gelatin, and the measuring cup is filled with marble powder -- not a breakfast recipe -- but a recipe for making frescoes.

It's such a strange time of year, when some things are ending and others just beginning. Last night marked the end of Boston Handmade's one month holiday gallery in Downtown Crossing. It was so much fun, and a fitting end to a year in which my main goal was to become involved with other local artists, and get my work out in front of people. I'm so thankful to have joined Boston Handmade and the Salem Arts Association, and for the opportunities that presented themselves in 2008.

So now it's on to new goals for 2009. There are several juried art shows/festivals locally that I will apply to for the first time, and I plan on marketing myself online and with printed materials in a more frequent, consistent manner. But the three main goals I have for myself this year are to:
1. Work 5 days a week in the studio
2. See my work in three new galleries
3. License one or more of my designs

Are goals 2 and 3 at odds with each other? I don't know the answer to that yet. But I'm excited about new opportunities ahead, even during an economy that seems to be going further and further down the drain. The way I see it though, is that just being there is half the battle, and I'm there.

Suspended for the Season

With the kids on school vacation, and all of the holiday shopping, gift wrapping, cooking, and housecleaning to do, my creative life has come to a complete halt. Frozen for the season...much like the view from my front door. Christmas is nice, but is it selfish of me to want to sneak into my studio and just play for a few hours? Sigh.

I just realilzed this is a complete 180 from my last post. Guess I need my art fix more often than I thought!

It was a perfect day to decorate the tree today. Snow storm outside...not the kind of day to be driving anywhere...just right for staying in and doing Christmas things.

Tomorrow I will be at Boston Handmade Downtown once again. It's the last weekend we have for Christmas shopping, so head to the gallery in Downtown Crossing for the most unique gifts you'll find this season!

p.s. if you were wondering about Katie, she is doing fine :-)

So I normally try to blog about what sort of artwork I'm working on. I read other blogs where people describe what's happening in their lives, and while it's interesting, I usually don't do that. But tonight threw me a little.

This is my daughter Katie, who is 11. Earlier tonight she and her brother called me upstairs because of a "mess." The mess turned out to be blood from some sort of pillow fight. Yes, blood from a pillow fight. I am not sure how it happened, given that there was no blood on the actual pillow in question, but anyway...

I have just returned from a two hour emergency trip to the dentist during which Katie had her gums stitched back to the rest of her mouth. The dentist told me that in 35 years he has only seen one other case like hers, and that child had been hit by a car. Let me repeat, Katie wound up at the dentist because of a pillow fight.

They say most accidents happen closest to home. Last weekend our family drove home from Florida to Massachusetts in what turned out to be an excruciatingly long drive in constant rain and terrible driving conditions, and yet we made it through unscathed. Now this.

Katie is on two basketball teams, and sports is what she lives for. I am SO hoping that when we go back on Wednesday for a follow-up that she doesn't have to go in for surgery, and that she heals well in order to get back to what she loves.

Being a parent really sucks sometimes. Okay, end of my pity party.

And thanks so much to Dr. Zicherman :-)

Abstract Collage with Trees

Here's another digi-collage based on the gelatin prints that were so fun to make. This one incorporates a shot of trees taken last summer in Gloucester. I am loving working with these abstract images.

Boston Handmade Downtown Crossing Gallery!

From November 28 through December 28, over 30 local artisans will be exhibiting our handmade arts, crafts and wares at our Downtown Crossing retail gallery at 505 Washington Street in Boston.

We're busy prepping and painting, and while I don't have any photos of the space, fellow BH members Nancy McCallum and Jessica Burko have some great photos at http://nancyrosetta.blogspot.com/2008/11/renovations-have-begun.html and http://bostonhandmade.blogspot.com/2008/11/boston-handmade-downtown-is-on-its-way.html.

Be sure to come and shop handmade for the holidays!

Digital collages inspired by gelatin prints

So the digital girl in me has taken over this weekend. I had some minor surgery late last week (very minor, and mostly annoying) so I have been having a restful time photoshopping. You might remember the gelatin prints I made on fabric not too long ago. I had photographed them in various positions, so I decided to see what kind of digital collages I could make with them, and here are a couple. I added in a layer of trees from photos I took over the summer. I have several of these collages done, and am playing with some more.

TAG You're It!

OK, I've been tagged by fab photographer
Lucie Wicker.

The rules of tagging:
1. Link to tagger & display these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blog.
4. Let them know they've been tagged by commenting on their blogs.

7 Random & Weird Facts About Chris:

1. I love to travel, but staying in Artimino (see the beautiful Tuscan hamlet above) was so stressful because it was at the top of a ridiculously steep hairpin turning hill, I cried every time we drove up or down. Would I go back? Most definitely...with a sedative.
2. I don't eat fish.
3. Two of my brothers are musicians and have performed with and for some very famous people.
4. Although I prefer not to, I am not above drinking wine from a box.
5. I married my childhood sweetheart.
6. My miniature daschund "Little Bit" sleeps under her own little blanket on my bed.
7. My favorite places to visit are places where there are ALL types of people, like New York City, London and Montreal.

Tagging the following:

Linda Branch Dunn
Sedie - Yarn Obsession
Marla - Sea Glass Things
Muchacha Katy
Jaye - Thirteenth Story
Betsy - Stonehouse Studio
Louise - The Whole Thing

Fun with Gelatin Printmaking

THIS was a ridiculous amount of fun. I haven't "played" lately as I've been doing shows, completing orders, hanging work, etc. So today I spent the morning trying techniques in Rayna Gillman's book, "Create your own printed cloth" -- and it was a blast. I didn't get too complex, just using bubble wrap, string, and some other items handy in my kitchen, along with a gelatin plate for printmaking. Simple stuff by any standard, but it was really fun, and I found a use for the extra fabric that I used to cover my dining room chairs.

"Inner Noise" Exhibit at Caladan Gallery

I am so pleased to be included in the online juried exhibit "Inner Noise" at Caladan Gallery. Here is the enticing write-up they had for my mixed media collage pieces:

It is with the layering of texture combined with the subject that this artist creates the visual representation of memory in its most elusive and typical form. She has created a model of consciousness, distant and intriguing, as in the tradition of the process of storing memory. From time to time one can pick out images, bring them to consciousness, and then turn and keep them locked in a box, ready for the next interlude of personal investigation. These images by Christine O'Brien remind us that our memories are available to us, if even momentarily.

Boston Handmade at SoWa was a blast!

We had such a fun time today in the South End at the SoWa Open Market. Our Boston Handmade group was out in full force -- artists, jewelers, crafters, clothing artisans and more -- with our very own row of tents.

I shared my tent with Sedie who made the most beautiful knitted neck warmers.

Can't wait to do it again.

Boston Handmade at SoWa THIS SUNDAY

UPDATE: I just found out we are going to have MUSIC for this show, from noon to 4pm. How awesome is that?!!

(and now back to my original blog post...)At the beginning of this year I joined a group called Boston Handmade, a collection of artisans who sell work on etsy. It's a fabulous group of talented crafters and artists from whom I have learned so much. This Sunday, a large number of Boston Handmade members will be exhibiting (including me!) at the Sowa Open Market on Harrison Avenue in Boston's South End.

Come down and visit!

Showing and selling handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, house wares, art, photography, toys, and sculpture. Boston Handmade promotes local independent businesses and individuals creating one-of-a-kind and limited edition handmade works in small studio environments, not factories. For more info about Boston Handmade visit:
www.bostonhandmade.org

Arts Positions of the 2008 Presidential Candidates

Baked Fresh, Sunday October 5 -- Don't Miss It!

This Sunday, October 5, I'll have a booth at Baked Fresh, which seems like it'll be the coolest indie-art festival in town!  Lots of art, music, good weather...come on down to the South End and check it out.

The Joi of Koi

During the summer we take the kids to a mini-golf course near our house and they have a great koi pond at the entrance. I took dozens and dozens of photos and played with them for a while to come up with these fairly abstract collages. I think they make a nice set.

The Guilty Pleasure of Looking at Other Studio Spaces

Seth Apter over at The Altered Page always shares some great artistic information. This month he's got a super collection of studio shots that are so addicting to look at. One, because it's fun to see what materials other artists are using. And two, because it makes me feel better about how messy my own space is! (as evidenced above). If you have a few minutes to wander, it's worth a peek.

Sowa Open Studios this weekend!

While I wonder how I'll survive doing a two-day show, you can enjoy the eye candy for this weekend's 21st Annual South End Open Studios! The most widely attended and most popular Open Studios event in Boston with over 300 Artists with their studio doors open to visitors. I will have my booth at the SOWA Open Market, Saturday & Sunday - 10 to 5 where there will be over 120 artist vendors. PLEASE COME VISIT!

"Thresholds" Exhibit at the Salem Arts Association Gallery

Lots of new events & upcoming shows to tell you about. The first is the "Thresholds" exhibit at the Salem Arts Association Gallery on Artists Row in Salem, MA. Exploring the theme "thresholds," the exhibit includes various 2-D and 3-D pieces (including mine...I also designed the marketing materials you see here), AND includes over 80 pieces of mezuzah. What is a mezuzah? It is a kind of holder of biblical scripture, affixed to the doorpost (or threshold) of a Jewish home. I am not Jewish, but I love the sentiment of crossing that threshold from outside life into your own sacred space. If you're on the North Shore, take a visit to Artists Row and check out the exhibit, or stop into Experimental Art Gallery & Studio, which is also very cool.