Casein Painting

This is my first casein painting. I just love the softness and texture. I painted this at a Belleville Art Association Workshop, where the last Tuesday of each month one of the members share their expertise on a subject. Last month Bob Pennycook guided us through a painting.

What is casein?
It is a fast drying water soluable milk protein that has been used as long ago by Egyption painters as a kind of tempura paint. It has a glue like consistency and can be thinned by the artist, but because it is brittleness when dry it needs to be painted on a sturdy board or masonite but not on canvas. An interesting alternative to acrylics.

As far as I know casein paints may only be purchased at Curry's although there are receipes on the internet to make your on casein paints. Being the hap hazard cook that I am I will be purchasing the paints.

More Gallery Pictures

Here is the display that showed both jewellery and paintings in mushroom themes and butterfly themes .

John M. Parrot Gallery Show

April and May have been pretty hectic, but now most things are over (for a little while). Over the next few days I will be sharing some photos of new Back to Nature paintings and jewellery.

Here are pics of the Parrot Gallery display before we dismantled it yesterday. Although no paintings or cards sold, lots of jewellery did sell and the display was changing weekly. Three of the new "Back to Nature" paintings are in the display.

"Back To Nature Show" John M. Parrot Gallery

April 16, at the John M. Parrot Gallery, Belleville, I will be having a corridor display show of jewellery and art, based on the theme of "Back to Nature".

The theme was inspired by my experiences as "Artist in the Park" at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in 2009. The gallery has given me 6 large display cases to display and sell my art and jewellery.

Here is a sample of a new, never displayed painting based on my dragonfly theme. This painting is of a calico pennant and interpreted from a photograph by David Bree, Naturalist at Presqu'ile Provincial Park. All paintings at the show are from David's photoraphs of flora and fauna at the Park.

I am looking forward to painting at Presqu'ile again in 2010 starting the last week in June.

More pics of paintings and jewellery on the "Back to Nature" theme to come.

For more information on Presqui'ile and my various shows visit my website at www.shadowridgecan.com.

Information on Ocean Jasper

Ocean Jasper is sometimes called "orbicular jasper" or "moon jewel jasper" because of it's markings that look like eyes, orbs and moons. It was discovered in 1997 and can only be found in one place in the world, Madagascar. Ocean Jasper can be gathered only by boat, at low tide, along a remote shore that is not accessible by any roads. Ocean Jasper is technically an agate, an agate being translucent and a jasper being opaque. That is why some stones seem almost three dimensional.

From a metaphysical perspective this is a very soothing and protective stone. The circular patterns symbolize, as well as help one realize, that we are all interconnected and that all nature is cyclical. The "eyes" or "orbs" symbolize the protective nature of the stone.

Ocean Jasper

Ocean Jasper is one of my favourite stones to work with. It comes in so many different colours and "eye" swirls and no two stones look alike. Sometimes this can be a challenge when trying to match for earrings and pendants.

I found some really cute pink ocean jasper stones. I very rarely come across the pink colour and to have 3 stones that were relatively the same quite remarkable. I wrapped both the earrings and pendant in sterling silver which seemed to highlight the pink colour. The pendant is about 1 inch long and the earrings are about 1/2 inch long.

Here is another picture of a wrapped ocean jasper where you can clearly see a few of the "eyes".This one is wrapped in 14k gold filled wire.

Rings

I love creating rings. They are always such a challenge. Here is a custom order ring, size 7, in sterling silver with a wrapped precious opal. This pic doesn't capture the real beauty of the stone but gives a sense of what the ring is about. I have also used this same style with 14k gold filled wire.

When I am creating a ring I make sure that the wire around the ring mandral is around 1/4 to 1/2 size bigger than the size I want to allow for the extra wire coils of the wrap.

Meaning of the Tree of Life

Some people have asked me, "What is the Tree of Life" exactly. Many people have a general idea but not the specifics.

The concept of a tree of life is a many-branched tree that illustrates the idea that all life on earth is related and has been used in: science, religion, philosophy, mythology, and other areas. A tree of life is variously,

1. a motif in various world theologies, mythologies, and philosophies;

2. a mystical concept alluding to the interconnectedness of all life on our planet;

3. a metaphor for common descent in the evolutionary sense.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the tree of knowledge, connecting heaven and the underworld, and the tree of life, connecting all forms of creation, are both forms of the world tree or the cosmic tree. According to some scholars, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, portrayed in various religions and philosophies, are the same tree.

If you have seen Avatar, the tree of life is a central theme to that movie.

The pic above shows the tree of life as earrings, sterling silver, and copper wire with the same stones as in the post below.

Charkra Jewellery

I am developing a line of Chakra jewellery. Shown
to the right is a Tree of Life pendant in sterling silver
with copper as the trunk and branches and the chakra colours from the base up in garnet, carnelian, citrine, peridot, aquamarine, iolite and amethyst chips, with matching chip earrings.I am also designing chakra trees of life in 14k gold filled wire. (very nice)

Other chakra jewellery are pendants that are in the chakra order as well as chakra earrings that are mini trees of life. (pics to follow). Prices range from $15 to $40 depending on stones, size of pendants/earrings and metal used.

I also have put together chakra stone sets of various types of stones for those who would like those stones for meditation (ranging from $25 to $35).

Wrapped Round Stones and Properties of Jet

I was really having trouble how to determine to wrap round stones when I came across an online tutorial with just that theme. It was not as easy as it looked but it certainly solved my dilemma.

Pictured here is a sterling silver wrapped piece of round jet.

I find jet facinating. For those of you unfamiliar with jet, it is also known as lignite. It is a geological material but not considered a true mineral but rather a mineraloid, as it has an organic origin, being derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure (coal).

Some miscellaneous information about jet:

Unlike black glass which is cool to the touch, jet is not, due to its lesser thermal conductivity.Jet is also known as black amber because it may induce an electrical charge when rubbed like amber.

When Queen Victoria's husband Albert died she ordered that no jewellery except jet should be worn because of its austere yet modest appearance. It became THE mourning jewellery. Jet was also used for monk's rosaries.

Snowflake Pendant

I was asked before Christmas if I ever made snowflake jewellery. I never had so I gave it a try. I used stirling silver 20 gauge half hard wire for the frame. Stones are moonstone ships and rondelles and reflective faceted glass beads for accents. The pendant is a little less then 2 inches round. I liked designing it but I found the frame difficult to put together.

Guy Jewellery

I have done commissions for guy jewellery. Chokers mostly so far, some key chains. The most popular materials to date are bone and wood, for both adults and teens although I have done braided leather with a wrapped stone.

I use clasps that are either magnetic or S clasps. These are easy and fast to put on. The only problem with magnetic clasps is that sometimes, particularly in winter when wearing heavier clothes, the clasps come apart. Here are two examples of guy chokers.

Shell Jewellery

I just love using shells for jewellery. The shapes and colours are so versatile and fun. Here are some pieces I really enjoyed designing. Because the long pieces had holes drilled at the top and bottom, I was able to double strand the bracelet (below) and the choker (to the right) in an interesting way. The earring are a little off the wall but it all seems to go together.

Composition: choker on memory wire, all shells except for some clear glass beads; bracelet is all shell with a gold metal toggle clasp; earrings are all shell with 14k gold filled ear wires (tarnish resistant gold wire used to put them together).

These pieces are still available. For more pictures of shell jewellery scroll down the blog.

Trapazoid Pendants

I came across a few of these unusually shaped trapazoid pendant type stones in different colours of agate. I paired this green agate with purple amethyst, then added green aventurine rounds to complete the design. (All wire is sterling silver). This was actually created to be displayed during a wine tasting show in Prince Edward County. I thought the purple and green reminded one of grapes!

This completed jewellery is still available as well as two other orange agate trapazoids waiting to be made into jewellery.

News

It sure was a busy fall and Dec. I attended several Arts and gift shows, such as Brighton Your Christmas, the Brighton Inn Tea and Gift Sale, Christmas at Presqu'ille as well as having our own Shadowridge Christmas Art and Jewellery sale.

I also had great opportunities to get my art and jewellery out into the community such as the Riverside Music and Arts Centre, Trenton, and Lola's in Brighton. I also met with Gina Boyd of G.Boyd Boutique in Brighton, who will be carrying my 14k gold jewellery starting this January.

It was exciting to talk to these people and to find out what people liked in the way jewellery and art. I am in the process of creating new and fun jewellery pieces and paintings, and trying out new techniques and methods.

Stay tuned for pics. (and more regular updates)

Tina

Hi

Here is my newest painting called Jewel of the Ocean. It is a mixed media painting in acrylic with jem stones citrine, and peridot stones and shells. The painting was inspired by my time this summer as Artist in the Park when I was painting the pumpkinseed sunfish. This is more like a "tricked out" sunfish. I entered the painting in the Belleville Art Association's annual juried show "Water, Water Everywhere." It was just too much fun to paint and put together that it didn't seem right that it won the President's Choice award for "Impact". I was very pleased though as that was what I was aiming for. I hope you like it too!

Presq'uile Paintings

This painting of "Mycena Ileania" mushrooms was really fun to do. It is and 11X14 inch coloured pencil with a pastel background. I knew nothing about mushrooms before I started this painting. The study of mushrooms is called mycology! These mushrooms, although they look big in the painting are actually only about 1 inch tall. While they are not poisonous they do leave an orange residue on your hands and persumably in your mouth if you eat them. This painting is nicely framed and for sale at $250.

Presqu'ile Paintings

Here are some of the paintings that I worked on while I was at Presqu'ile. The "Male Widow Skimmer Dragonfly" painting, I think is my favourite. It is totally coloured pencil, size 11 by 14 inches and took me over 25 hours to complete.

HI

so sorry I haven't updated recently but it has been so hectic with being the Artist in the Park at Presqu'ile and on the Rednersville Art Tour this Labour Day Weekend.

First of all I want to share with you what it was like to be the Artist in the Park. What an amazing experience. Any artist who has the opportunity to be an Artist in the Park should jump at the chance.

Why? Because you get to paint in the most wonderful outdoor surroundings, talk to lots and lots of people, make contacts, publicise yourself and any events your participating in ( Rednersville art tour for me) and through all this also acquire the people skills to promote you and your art, plus have the opportunity for sharing your skills and knowledge to young and old alike and... learn something new for yourself!

I painted from the pictures that the Park naturalist David Bree gave to me. That provided me the opportunity to learn more for example about the differences between Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies, about dragonflies and believe it or not about mushrooms!

I painted at various locations, at the lighthouse, the marsh boardwalk and at the picnic area.

Here are some of the pics of me and painting as well as my finished works. This particular day I talked to 210 people.

Have patience as I upload these because I am still on dial up. (I am in a black hole apparently soooo no highspeed for me)

Bancroft Rockhound Jemboree crystals and stones

Friday Aug 31 I head up to Bancroft for the 46th annual Rockhound Gemboree. I found some amazing stones and crystals and brought lots back that will make very unique jewellery pieces.

At right are florite octohedrans in green, clear and purple combinations, (although the pic colour isn't completely accurate). These will make great wrapped earrings and pendants.

I brought home tons of donuts pendant stones as well as the matching drilled stones to augment the pendants, and make matching earrings,rings and bracelets.

Here is a sample of some of them as well as stone

rings. The rings I may keep as such and/or make into pendants or earrings by wrapping other stones in or around them.

The pendant samples from top to bottom, left to right are: green quartz, yellow quartz, two small turquoise, one large irregular turquoise, black agate, crazy lace agate, dalmation jasper, hematite, pyrite, tree jasper, hematite and snowflake obsidian. They are very nice quality and will make exceptional pieces.

I also brought home 3 rough fire opals top right, a amethyst cluster that looked like it had just been dug up, and some amazing (3) blue sunstones. The picture does not do them justice but they are a deep midnight blue with sparking inclusions and the perfect shapes for wrapping.

I picked up many many more interesting stones, beautiful watermelon tourmalines that will make nice earrings and pendants, red calcite that my husband will make great guy jewellery, gold and orange calcite, tiger's eye and much more.

I look forward to creating unique pieces just for you.

Tina