Christmas Tree that Celebrates the Arts

Each year there is a Christmas Tree display in the lobby of the Barrow Theater in downtown Franklin, PA. The trees are decorated by various civic organizations, clubs, schools, and individuals in the area. I have had the privilege of setting up and decorating the tree for the Franklin Fine Arts Council. If you look carefully at the photo of the tree, you will see that it is a celebration of all of the arts. There is an old metal clarinet and sheet music to represent musical arts, a number of small paintings and paint brushes to represent visual arts, and a pair of ballet slippers to represent dance and theater arts. The tree topper is a wooden palette with a big bow. Right below the palette is a miniature painting of the Venango County Courthouse tower with fireworks in the night sky to celebrate Franklin's annual light-up night that opens the Christmas season.

Gingerbread Man

Last week my friend and I spent a day painting wooden gingerbread man plates. These plates can be used in a variety of ways. We have included a glass dish as a liner. This way, you can use the plate as a candy dish, cookie server, candle plate. With the glass liner the plate itself is completely protected.

Christmas Make-It-Take-It

I have to teach a make-it-take-it in a couple of weeks. The requirements are that you have to provide 15 kits that include directions, the surface, a line drawing, everything you need to complete the project. I had these two different styles of laser cut snowflakes, but I only had 12 of each so I needed to come up with a design that works on both styles. I stared at these snowflakes for months waiting for them to tell me what they wanted to be. Finally, I found a piece of clip art that would work nicely. If you want to make similar ornaments, here are the steps to follow:

1. With a barely damp paper towel, wipe DecoArt Warm White across the ornament from about the center to the bottom edge. Repeat with DecoArt Winter Blue from the center to the top edge. The colors should overlap where they meet. You are essentially staining the wood.

2. Sponge the back of the ornament with Winter Blue to cover.

3. Sponge the metallic of your choice around the edge of the ornament making an uneven edge around the design area. (I used Silver on the large ornament and Champagne Gold on the small one).

4. Trace your design onto the center of the ornament using blue Chaco transfer paper.

5. Paint the design. For my design I used Lamp Black. Your design may be different and you may need to use more or different colors.

6. Varnish the piece and when it is dry, thread a piece of narrow blue ribbon through the top of the ornament to make a hanger.

On my Easel

Here is my latest piece. This is a male brown pelican during mating season. They turn a brilliant shade of blue. I worked from a photograph taken by one of my students in Florida. The piece is approximately 5x10 and is done in pastels.

PRESENTING........

Gingerfred Astaire and The Sugarplum Fairy!!!!

Town and Country Decorative Painters held their annual basket luncheon on Sunday. This year the theme was Parade of the Gingerbread Men. The centerpieces were 10-inch tall gingerbread man cutouts. I created Gingerfred and Sugarplum. I wanted to do something a little different.

Chambersburg Arts Council Show

I got a letter yesterday telling me that one of the pieces I submitted was juried into the annual Miniature Show sponsored by the Arts Council in Chambersburg, PA. I have been honored to have at least one piece selected for the show every year for the last several years. I am especially pleased with this piece. "Lily" is a graphite rendering of my friends' cat. The show runs from the beginning of November through the end of the year at the Arts Council offices in downtown Chambersburg.

Lily
graphite on paper, 3.5x3.5

Something new on my easel

I just got started on a new project. I am only as far as the rough sketch and I haven't even made any final decisions about what medium I will use. He may be colored pencil, perhaps charcoal or graphite, or maybe even pastel. This is a basket vendor from Colonial Williamsburg. Our CWF interpretor is carrying at least 30 baskets of all different sizes and shapes. While it had to be a challenge for him to walk through town, it will be a huge challenge to render him and his wares. The origianl photograph shows wonderful shadow patterns. Watch for progress. This will be a project for the long winter months ahead.