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Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner. This weeks winner is Shannon Westmeyer of After Hours Art Glass. Congratulations! You have won a Flower Pendant with Sari Ribbon from the studio of Jennifer Heynen. Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you. |
This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.
Oscar the Fish!
In a previous Studio Saturday early in the year, I was telling you I wanted to paint. Mixed media it is! Above is the fish I created in Michigan while staying with my friend Margaret. We were in Lake Leelanau for a week. It is such a beautiful place, right on the lake. Margaret is such a great person and fellow artist. She and I taught together for a couple of years in Cincinnati.
When traveling I am always looking for new inspirations. Strolling through the shops and galleries in Sutton’s Bay we came across these fantastic fish by Jesse Hickman decorated with all sorts of items. Of course we both look at each and say “we can make those!”
So to go with the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose” theme, my son keeps pounding in us, comes the fish. Oscar here is made from a picnic table board that was being replaced. The idea of using soda cans came to me as I was falling asleep one night. After the tops and bottoms are cut off the cans you can cut the aluminum easily into strips. From there into scales. I used very small nails to attach them to the board. That had it’s own difficulties being so small and after so many your hand begins to cramp.
Scales
Say Cheese!
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Oscar’s teeth are made with nails. Interesting dilemma, you can’t get a drill in a small space and have it drive in straight. Cool crooked teeth!
Birdhouse
This is my newest project, decorative birdhouse. It’s not really made to go outside. The roof has soda can shingles. The siding is made from paper beads/tubes. The ValPak coupons are the perfect length, only a little bit of trimming after you roll them. I glued my charms on it and dangled pewter bird charms from them. Feet are beads, a couple coats of varnish and voila!
With kids and a husband at home for the summer these projects could be picked up and put down through out the day. I didn’t have to worry about clay drying out. It’s been busy this summer visiting college campuses with my son. I have to keep my hands busy.
My question is: Leave a comment and you could win a LUV2TRVL button for all of your adventures this summer!  Happy Traveling and enjoy the summer! School definitely needs to start soon!
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Erin Strother
July 24, 2010 at 4:47 pmno big summer projects, but a bunch of little ones I'm trying to get to. I've been collecting bottle caps I find–jewelry to come!
Erin S
Tari of ClayButtons.com
July 24, 2010 at 4:57 pmErin, bottle cap jewelry sounds like a lot of fun!
Thanks for stopping by!
Carol
July 24, 2010 at 5:04 pmI have no big projects at all. Summer is spent outdoors for me, in the garden and socializing. Starting in the fall I occupy myself with projects, waiting for summer to arrive again~lol~. I really should move to a warmer climate!!
Alice
July 24, 2010 at 5:44 pmWow, that mixed media fish must have taken a lot of time to create! I'm not sure I would have the patience to cut out all those scales.
My big project for the summer is the Homesteaders Metalsmithing ecourse with Stephanie Lee. I'm both excited and aprehensive–but so ready!
Erin, I've been collecting bottle caps too! Not sure what I will do with them, but I just picked up some from the Lost Soda bottles. The caps are gold with a cowboy on a horse and the word 'yahoo'. Cute!
Marie Cramp
July 24, 2010 at 6:29 pmI am reading up on PMC. I have been dying to try it for so long and I am finally going to be able to take a class this fall, so I want to know as much as possible about first!
Elizabeth
July 24, 2010 at 8:35 pmMy main summer project is not to die from heat exhaustion, LOL. Actually, I'm into new bead types. More primitive and odd shapes.
I love Oscar!! He is so inspiring.
Thanks for sharing him with us.
TesoriTrovati
July 24, 2010 at 9:26 pmFunny, but I am collecting bottle cap too!
I am mounting the largest project ever…my first ever gallery exhibit! It opens in exactly 3 weeks! Gah! I better get back to work!
Love the fish and birdhouses. Kitschy and cool.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Eileen Bergen
July 24, 2010 at 9:29 pmI've been working on a doodle collage. It's almost done!
I tried water color pencils for the first time ever (I know, where have I been?). I love 'em.
I want to try resin casting a and have gone so far as to buy all the supplies. That doesn't mean I will actually try them in the foreseeable future. lol
GailW.
July 24, 2010 at 10:49 pmI'm doing several things this summer,time just flies by and before you know it,it's too late.First,my husband is teaching me mig welding.I've done lots of stain glass,and I want to work on some larger things.He's a plumber-you would not believe the stuff he has!Second,I'm doing a mosaic project on an old garden bench.But,as we all know,it's just so hot,my enthusiasm melts,so I'm kinda waiting to October.
Edie
July 24, 2010 at 11:17 pmOscar is just too far out! I love him!
I am working on various polymer clay skill building things this summer – no huge projects, just acclimating myself to the medium.
Oh, and as ever, I am a hunter gatherer of anything that could possibly, in any tim-space continuum, be used as an art supply.
edie
maker of odd things
Preserve Jewelry Studio
July 25, 2010 at 10:22 amI keep thinking about pulling out my pasta machine to roll some clay. I recently bought polymer clay buttons on Etsy to use in my designs. I really think I could do a few of these myself. The problem I seem to have with this project is it really requires a few hours of uninterrupted time or a rainy day. Neither has happened yet 🙁
WireMySoul
July 25, 2010 at 3:28 pmLove the fish! I've been crocheting odds and ends more than anything this summer, though I have spent some time playing with some polymer clay, making rolled paper beads and am currently gathering materials to make paper clay beads to paint.
Hazel Ward
July 25, 2010 at 3:47 pmI trying out some more polymer clay techniques too – I've not been able to get results out of liquid clay, so I'm determined to get something out of it!
Anonymous
July 25, 2010 at 5:55 pmNew project? many but the most importa one is working up on my mind I want to design a pice of jewelry in memory of my Mom she past away a month ago and I am having a hard time leting go…
I've also been collecting bottle cap not sure how to used them but they are so pretty, a way of recycling and FREE!
I recently bought some resin that I have plans to use for trapping memories but I am all over the place, like I hyper kid, lots of ideas no concentration in any given task. Do worry I get my self together soon………
Enjoy your summer!
Mariela
Tari of ClayButtons.com
July 26, 2010 at 2:44 amThank you everyone for all your comments. It's been a busy weekend, my apologies for not making many comments.
Everyone is working on (or thinking about) some great projects!
There seems to be a bottle cap theme going on here.
Mariela, give it time. That is what will help heal. Along with art. Keep your mind and hands busy. Talk, talk, talk.
xoxoxoxo —-> ABS readers.
Sabine
July 26, 2010 at 7:05 pmAll my summer craft projects have been put on hold while I have been remodeling my grandparent's house. We have unearthed wonderful old stained glass french doors!
Ann
http://www.mycriticaleye.com
Larry "Bubba" Harmon
July 27, 2010 at 6:06 pmWe are spending the summer trying to get organized. Our supplies have taken over the house and it has been getting harder to find things!
Rebecca
July 28, 2010 at 4:24 pmMy summer project is my wedding jewellery – both for me and my bridesmaids! But instead, I'm here blog hopping…must get back to the beading table! As for something I'd like to try…there are so many things. I'd especially love to have a go at resin – it's toxic nature really puts me off though. And also the copper and bronze clays now available – I've taken a couple of classes with silver clay but it is just so very expensive.