Making money (or art?)

It seems that in some people's minds, money and artists don't go together. Some years ago, in conversation with a young woman I said that what I was making was not financially viable. She was horrified that I would see my work in that way because "it's art''....and it wasn't until later that I thought of a smart (ish) comeback ( don't you hate when that happens?) ...I don't pay any less than anyone else for gas or food because what I do is 'art'. I'll admit that like many creative people I do give away my time and then grumble about people expecting something for nothing.
So - this time I didn't say "it's ok, it took only an hour". I've never yet met a solicitor or plumber who said that, which could be why I've never seen one driving a 15-yr old car either.
It possibly took a little longer than an hour...

Covered in cling-film (saran wrap in the USA, I think) and covered with alternate layers of newspaper and white paper...

....and some extra shape added with paper towel and masking tape...

more layers .... this is working at my lowest level of skill...

...and so is this...

I cut up sacking and glued it on...it was like a cross between putting sprinkles on a cake and sprinkling on glitter ....at this point I'm thinking they look like buns covered in bits of shredded coconut, which isn't that far off the mark...

...because it's a coconut bra.
I didn't enquire too closely at the time - I think it's for a man who is playing a mermaid in a stage performance...and a real coconut was too small.

Is it "Art"? If it is, then I didn't charge nearly enough for it.

Making decisions

On March 6th there was a phone call from a local school - would I be interested in doing something with the whole school for a morning on the 16th? Whole school = 18 pupils aged from 5-12. The age spread sounds a little tricky, but I say yes.
I come up with a plan, spend some hours doing research, gather materials and images for reference..the evening before have a little panic, wonder if  what I've planned is possible...

...but load the car anyway...

It was a full-on morning...and as usual when I'm running workshops, I'm too busy to remember to take many pictures. We made shadow puppets, masks and big puppets for a performance of the story of St. Patrick (what else do you do the day before St. P's Day?)

These are the sheep he minded while he was a slave..

and here is the High King of Ireland being constructed..

and this is Pope Celestine...
There were a LOT of shadow puppet pirates, and an amazing ship...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

I've started a rug for my sister, who wants these colours. This one could take a while; it's proving hard to get enough of the right pink (there are about five different ones in there so far) and what looks like blue on the photo is actually a dark teal, which is even harder to find in suitable fabrics, so it may be a stop-start job.
Today I received via email, images of her latest rug from Lin, an American rug hooker whom I met on Pinterest.  I wish I could hide under the table...her website is on - www.iloverughooking.com
It's good to have something to aspire to, even if you know you're unlikely to ever get there.

Also today I finally finished the front of the patchwork. After dithering for a couple of days whether to add a border of 4 inches or 6 inches, the 4 inch won. Muttering to myself as I made notes on scraps of paper...19x4=76, add 4 each side...9 strips=396/ 10 strips=440 - I worked out that I did have just enough fabric. Having pinned nearly all of one side I realised I'd made a mistake, so it's unpin and repin. Then I decided I wanted a triangle on the corners..unpin again. (Seriously, it can't be only me in the whole world who does this sort of thing - can it?)
Now- do I want all four triangles the same? Making decisions takes longer sometimes than the actual making.

I wanted it bright...
And I've done what I always do - make the front and then puzzle over how to do the back...and I hardly ever have a big enough piece of fabric. Do I piece this backing, or have a plain one?
Decisions, decisions....

Making over

Making over, transfer possession of (thing to person) ...Concise Oxford Dictionary

Wrapped in clingfilm and bubble-wrap, securely padded with sofa cushions, the ram was made over today..

Made it...

Having asked yet another favour from Seamus and Adam, transport is arranged for the ram tomorrow...so I had to finish it by today or be very embarrassed.
Last week layers of paper went on - alternating newspaper with white, with extra layering (some of it as muslin soaked in PVA) on the added bits like hooves and knees...and a lot of waiting while it dried thoroughly.

5th March...only three days left...the final layer is on.

7th March...legs and face painted with 'not-black' (raw umber+ultramarine+cadmium red), starting to sponge the darkest shade...covering first one bit then another with cling-film and/or paper towels...Lying on the floor to paint the underneath.
Have to stop when daylight goes. Not happy with how it's looking.

Today, 5pm...some 'technical advice' (as he called it) from Adam, whose eye for colour is amazing ...he mixed a colour that looks much, much better... and the base coat is repainted, then two more coats of sponging, progressively lighter...more lying on the floor, pressing a sponge into rear-end crevices.

6.00 pm...and more covering of various bits as the horns are painted with a very dilute wash of raw umber, then it's into the dark/light roundabout...touch up the dark edges, accidentally touch off the light part...touch up the light area...see a bit you missed. At this point I'm almost standing on my head while trying to see around all angles of the horns. NB - if I should ever make anything like this again, I'd paint the horns before joining head to body...having the ears/horns/neck so close to close to each other on this side has made it very tricky to paint...although I did know it would.

6.30 pm... now to tie my hands behind my back, so I'll stop fiddling..it's finished.

I just wish I could have a better picture of it....

Making space

The two workshops last weekend were fine...on Sunday, contrary to my worst case scenario anticipations, everyone had brought the necessary machine accessories, all machines worked ok, and by the end of the day everyone had made a cushion with either a zip or buttonholes and piping. Here are three of them...as no-one wanted to do applique we missed that bit out and it was just as well - it would have taken too long.

My house is not big...to make space for working on the ram, the furniture has had to be pushed right back and even so it's rather cramped. By Monday he was finally dry enough but I was too tired to start.
Whichever way up he is, it's hard on the knees and the back as I'm constantly bending, crouching, kneeling, stretching. The mantra of the moment is 'it will be done when it's done'...the sky will not fall on my head if it's not ready by the 10th.

This is the first layer of paper after a coat of  builder's PVA on the plaster. The aim was 100% adhesion, which I think I achieved. Although he is much lighter now, I had to ask for help to turn him over. So now I'm refining the shape - scraping away lumps, filling in hollows and adding details such as knees and hooves.

On Friday I agreed to another commission - making a coconut bra for a large man to wear in a stage play. He tried real coconut halves but they were much too small apparently. So there we were, holding saucers of various sizes up to his chest to get an idea of the circumference I need to work to...how do I price that one?