Just In Case

Just in case I don't get back here on Saturday, I want to post the next knife I am starting this weekend.  This is a knife profile cut by Tim Stevens, my friend who urged me to make feathers and to make them a cornerstone of my business.
I am thinking of inlaying some turquoise in this handle.  It had a coating of rust on it yesterday when I made this photo.  Today, the rust is removed and it looks like it is going to be a great knife in the near future.

My Great Grandfather Was A Blacksmith

My Great Grandfather Alan Robinson was a blacksmith in addition to being a farmer.  My living grandmother remembers her mother, or her grandmother calling him from the fields by hammering a spoon on his anvil!  She told me that story about him.  These are two shoes I found in his workshop, that became her fathers workshop, then my fathers workshop as the house stayed in the family.  My logo is constructed and inspired by this image I merged....his two shoes, my two crescents.
I do not have the genealogy of his linage after him, nor do I have the correct spelling of his name....I suspect.  I could not find his stone in the Robinson Cemetary.  But grandma says, "he is buried there" so I would guess he was one of the unreadable stones I saw the day I visited.

Next Knife To Be Finished

Here is a knife blade, and partially cut deer antler that seem like a good combo.  This blade is an unknown steel.  I am not sure what I am dealing with.  I may have to attempt to heat treat and temper this before I will know for sure.  It will be a pretty knife no matter what the steel.  I may try to inlay some turquoise in this one...  I will keep you posted for sure.  I have many knives on the bench that are further along than this one....but low on the supplies to finish them.  I will work with what I got at the moment, and hopefully some relief is coming my way soon.  I decided to frame my great grandfathers horseshoes. 

Busy, Busy, Girl!

Thank the Goddess for Jan my neighbor, who provided me with the glue this morning to glue and clamp the knife sheath.  Thank the Powers That Be for my maintenance man who scrounged up a whole bottle of propane.  I learned on a plumbers torch.  It is like going from a Cadillac to a K car...but I can do it!

I soldered a copper ring, and twisted on this bear fetish.  I am getting by on repair jobs as I wait on my big knife commission.  In the meantime, there is rumor in the wind that there is a woodcarvers meeting nearby...so half my kitchen is set up for knife making, and woodworking at the present.  The next knife up on the bench will be tomorrows blog.  Stay tuned dear readers....I am just getting warmed up!

In My Absence

In my absence on Tuesday, you can be sure I am going to work on something, and try to finish something.  Everything I go to do, I am out of something crucial to do it...like fire.....like glue!  I hope those bitches that ripped me off are doing without crucial things too, and I hope they think of me as they are doing without.  Lord make it be so!

 Here is a lego I cast about 10 years ago.  It fits a real lego perfectly, and will make a very neat ring or something a lego lover will want.  It looks like a good candidate for Etsy or Ebay if I can get it in photo form!  I do not have a good picture of it... most everything I have made....that is the case.  Back to the drawing board....without good pictures, there will be no grants...that I can be sure of.

Oldie But Goodie

OK...so I am scanning old photos today.  This is my second attempt to get this onto my blog.  Anybody know how to flip it around so I can actually use it to submit for an art show or something?  I have been here 3 hours, and it seems like I haven't gotten anything done.  Some days are like that.  My weakness in terms of the grant writing is that I don't have good photos.  This photo was a pretty good photo....but Staples at the time was not able to get a good resolution in terms of a post card.  I am hoping after all these years that this library will be able to do what Staples could not do in 1997....and maybe I can put this photo in the Ohio Artist Registry instead of the one I have in there now!  So much to do, and it seems not enough hours in the day to do them.

I am out of glue, so the knife sheath is on hold till I can come up with some money to get it.  The all purpose cement that I used up, I got over 20 years ago from a craft store that was on Mt. Vernon Ave.  I sure do miss that place, and the old woman who ran it out of her house.  I am sure Hobby Lobby, and Michaels will not be able to take that old womans place.  She was in her 80's the last time I saw her.  It was right across the street from Bobby's Guitars, which is also out of business!  I guess nothing really goes all that well on that corner in that area....unless it is a carry out, or a tatoo parlor.  I am not sure why....it is the three C Highway.....back in the day it was thriving!
  OK....gotta get back to work.  I hope to be able to repost my meteor picture some day soon....and I hope to post this cable knife finished some day soon.  I picked up some feathers on the ground today, and am playing around with how to hang them....it all seems to be pointing to glue, and I don't have any glue today.  Maybe tomorrow, I will jump back over to paint and canvas.....I don't need fire, or glue for those....now that I got Mars Black there might be no end to what I can paint!

 

Library Open On Sundays.....Soon I hope.

I had to bring up my great grandfathers old pipe anvil this week to work on all the knife projects in the wings.  This pipe anvil was always a fixture in my fathers woodshop.  He used it for everything.  When my mother died and the house was on the market, I got a few of the tools and tool boxes from the shop.  I found out by talking with my grandmother (still living) that this pipe anvil was her fathers pipe anvil.  He worked for Pure Oil company.  My grandmothers grandfather (Alan Robison) was a blacksmith, as well as a farmer....apparantly multitasking isn't such a new thing after all.  These horseshoes were from his shop.  I have a project in mind for these, and I may get to that project on Sunday when this library is closed.  It will be open on Sunday's soon as school is starting back up.  Wow....that summer breezed before I could really appreciate it!  Time fly's when it is not draggin, I say!

Weekend Project

This blade is really shaping up.  15 cents at the hardware store this morning for the nut and washer to tighten down the blade guard.  So far, I have stayed within the theme of the piece.  I will be constructing the sheath on Sunday, and moving on to other knives and other projects.  I am still out of acetylene, so I am limited to non fire projects till I get my check next weekend.  I can't wait to show you the things I am finishing up dearest readership.  The weather has been perfect.  My cat is happy.  Life is good!

Civil War Fork And Spoon

A couple years ago, I was a member of SOFA (Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil).  I would love to renew my membership.  The day that I went to Troy to experience a Saturday open forge, this fellow did a demo on how to make a replica of the spoon and fork from the Civil War era.  I guess the modern version of this would be the spork.  I look forward to locating a friend of mine who is a local blacksmith.  Robert (my blacksmith friend) and I were college friends.  I had no idea that since that time, he became a smith!

Working With Leather

I will be working with leather, and hide to try and make a knife sheath for this cable knife on Wednesday.  I posted this on Wednesday, as I am conserving my gas.  I am out of acetelene...so I have to work with art that does not require gas (acetelene), and I have to watch my gasoline till the 1st....then I am off to Columbus to take care of loose ends.

Syd And Lotza

Syd likes the new mannequin....or womanequin in this instance.  That cat has to find every new or changed surfacewithin minuites of its creattion!  My girlfriends all agree that if I raise the mannequin 9 inches, it will appear to be part of SHE (the sculpture above).  I named the womanequin Lotza...for lots of what you need!

My Next Trick

In order to paint the moon on glass, I need to insert a background.  This nice big piece of black cardboard will do for starters.  Now, all I have to do is figure out how to reverse the images I have of the moon, so I can flip the painting over when I am finished.  It doesn't make any sense to paint the moon on the front of the glass, when I could protect the painting by putting it on the back.  The easel is barely stong enough for this glass, so moving it around is going to create problems.  Just one cat deciding to bump up against it, could bring the whole thing crashing down.  Because of these obsticles, I need to work quickly, and get the painting somewhere safe from harm.

I Promise You The Moon

I have been protecting and carrying around this big round piece of glass for years.  4 moves to be exact!  I am going to paint a big full moon on it, and if I can rig some sort of light behind it, and an invisible frame, the moon will change phases as I manipulate the light.  It has taken a long time to get everything in place to do this project....but the time has come.  I have everything I need to do this, except the frame mechanism.  The other paintings are coming along, and I will soon begin framing them, and entering them in appropriate shows.  I have repair work on the bench, and an upcoming knife project....to go along with my non paying knife projects.  Life is good.

Next Painting?

I am scoping out my next landscape painting project.  This building is vacant right now.  It is one of those places though, that has the potential to be a thriving business.  Hopefully, they won't put another tatoo parlor int there.  We already have a surplus of those here in town. 

Meet Lotza

A new art supply fell into my lap on Wednesday.  I have always been fascinated by manikins...this one is a womanikin:)  I am calling her Lotza....lots a what you need!  She fits perfectly in my home.

Guided By What I Have

I am still missing a couple things I need to finish this knife....but I am starting the sheath.  I might have to make an awl, or a punch....but I am confident that this will be a good use of these hides, leather pieces, and raw hide cord, I have been carrying around with me for years.  The bead trade/barter idea has been approved and is in the works.  More will be posted on that as it gets closer to the time.  I am happily busy.

Bad Dream Catcher

So far we have barbed wire, recycled and retired American flag, dog tags, bullets, bells, and whistles.  This is looking more like a weaving as time goes by, and I am going to finally be able to use all those little items, I have been keeping in my jewelry boxes my whole life.  The piece is calling for chain maille me thinkest!

Moving Right Along

What do bullets, arrowheads, and deer antler have in common?  I don't know, but I am about to find out!  I will keep you posted.

The Trick Is

I don't have an exact count of how many knives I am putting together this month.  It increases almost daily.  I found two that were lost, a friend who is not feeling well sent me some more, and I had 9 I was already working on.  The trick will be to try and best my first one.  I still get a lot of compliments on this knife.  My second knife, is out there, and I have not received any feedback for it.  I need a picture of it for my documentation.  So many moves have put these projects on the shelf, and have buried my existing pictures.  I am still unpacking from a move I made 18 years ago....so I am still finding stuff, that I had planned on using and finishing.  There is a good possibility that I will be in Columbus either today (Tues) or tomorrow.  I am gathering materials to finish my projects, and hopefully visiting with some friends I haven't seen in a while.

What Is Before Me & What Is Behind Me

It looks like I need to scrap my silver and make some cash!  I may be in Columbus tomorrow.  Hope to see some of you there!  The copper reindeer need cut out (they were to be a Christmas present for someone who screwed me over!), and I need to finish up this knife.  I will post some close ups later for your inspection.  The knife is recycled cable of course!  I need to put a blade gurard on it, heat treat it, and then make the perfect sheath. 

Full Speed Ahead

After my reception, I hung two paintings on my kitchen wall in order to get my kitchen table back.  It wasn't long though, before two more blank canvasses creeped in to take their place.  I inherited six nearly finished knives, more antler, and some badly needed assorted amo for my American Dream Catcher piece.  I am not sure, what needs worked on first.  I will keep you posted, as things develop dear readers.

The Devil Is In The Details

I went back to the Sparta after closing the other day to snap some shots of the statue, outside table, and the little tree.  I want these in the painting, and they are not visible in the photos I already have.  It sucks that I still can't seem to get the hang of this camera.  Somehow, I am stuck on a setting for black and white!  I will go back sometime today and try to get this in color.  In the meantime, I took a commission on a knife at my reception.  It isn't official yet, but it is time to start gathering all that I need to do that project...while finishing up the art that is begging to be finished.  There is still much to be done in the grant writing department, but without pictures (great ones) my efforts are futile.

Thursday Road Trip

I am off to Columbus today, to get some jewelry making supplies to finish up some projects.  I took a commission at my reception.  I am anxious to get started on that.  I need some things in order to start, and you can't get the things around here.  So.....I am going to Columbus....off to adventure land.  I still have a song in my heart and a great memory to hold onto.  The first photo is from my birthday party in 1999.  The other photo is from my Tuesday night art reception.  I am still strummin away, when I am not making art....I am making music.

We Almost Had A Hootenanny!

Thanks Lisa D. for this photo from my reception.  There were about 40 some people that came.  We had shrimp, cheese and crackers, lemonaid, cookies.....my friend Hapi made her Mississippi caviar.  It was wonderful.  We played a few tunes on my guitar....I am a bit rusty, but shoot....if I had to practice before playing at something like this....I would probably not be able to have a reception at all!  May there always be a hootenanny in progress somewhere.  Thanks for commin out.  I had a wonderous time.  Today, I am back to work, trying to write the next grant to fund my next projects.  Stay tuned dearest readership!  Thanks for your support.

Old Friends And New Friends

I have asked musicians to bring their instruments and voices to my reception today.  I have been blessed over the years to have met, and sang with some of the finest musicians in our county.  The reception will be in room b at the Licking County Library 6-8pm.  Please come, and bring a friend.

Hell Ain't Got No Telephone Booths

I have been noticing how many damaged and unusable phone booths there are around town.   I use public phones all the time, and am on the hunt for where they all are located. 
I am trying to get the hang of my new camera.  It looks like there is a setting for only black and white, and that somehow, this picture was taken on that setting.  This was not intentional, but I can see how it might come in use in the future.  Personally, I hate to see the vanishing public phone booth.  Cell phones have mostly made these obsolete.  It would take only a short power outage of a  few days to render most folks phones powerless....the other folks who have car chargers would need to run out of gas and battery power to feel that pain.  It may happen sooner than you think as our economy is more fragile than we know, and dependant on cheep energy.  When it costs a dollar to mine a dollars worth of energy, they will leave it in the ground.
  At least this phone in the picture can double as a cup holder, most of the new ones do not have a level surface which can be maddening if you need to set something down, to look for something in a purse....or write something.  I know I hate the new style plastic curved phone booths.  My friend Sukie from South Bend wrote a song called Hell Ain't Got No Telephone Booths which I have recorded and even added a verse to.  I wonder what Sukie makes of the new phone booths:)

  I am still preparing for my artist reception tomorrow, and I will be on the fly.  The Accessible Expressions Ohio Exhibit and tour that includes my metal quilt "The Quilt Of Elizabeth Brim"  Please attend if you can.  Tuesday August 6th, at 6pm room B at the Licking County Public Library.  I have tried in a short amount of time to contact everyone I know who might want to attend.  Feel free to bring a new friend for me to meet.  The more the merrier!  I will post a pre blog today, in case I get caught up in a whirlwind last minute things to do.

Sunday Morning Painting Session

I am getting close to finishing up my Sparta painting.  I can imagine finishing up on it Sunday morning, when the library is closed and I can't promote my reception.  I hope to see some of you August 6th 6pm-8pm the Newark Public Library room b (right inside the front entrance).  The Quilt Of Elizabeth Brim and other works from the Accessible Expressions tour will be on display on the second floor of the library for the whole month of August.  Dan tells me, that the library may host next years show as well!

The Quilt Of Elizabeth Brim Comes To Newark

This is what the display looks like as of Saturday morning.  I added one of my "recycle" signs.  The reception is Tuesday August 6th, 6-8pm, at the Newark Public Library room B (right inside the front entrance).  The Newark Advocate ran a notice Friday...so I am expecting a good crowd.  I hope to see you there.  If you can't come to the reception, The Quilt Of Elizabeth Brim will be on display on the 2nd floor for the whole month of August along with several other pieces from the Accessible Expressions tour.  The library Foundation center resource center, The Ohio Arts Council grant that I was awarded made this entry possible.  It happened pretty quick.  I got word of the grant December 19th, and entered the show by borrowing the entry fee...the grant arrived, and I paid my friend back the entry fee money.  Had I not gotten the grant, it is not likely that I would have entered the show.  Had I not used the libraries grant writing center, I most certainly would not have applied for the grant.  The news paper erroneously printed that the metal quilt was made as a result of the grant, and as a result of the Foundation center.....not quite true as The Quilt Of Elizabeth Brim was a commissioned piece....it was finished before the grant application...so....once again the Newark Advocate doesn't quite get their facts in order.  No surprise to me, as they have yet to retract the errors they printed last August about The Granville Labyrinth project of 1995!  Most everyone I know calls it the Newark Aggravate!

Hanging The Show Today

The Accessible Expressions Ohio tour has arrived at the Licking County Library this morning.  Morgan Green from The Ohio Art Council brought the art.  Also in the photo is the librarian Deirdra McIntire who has been most helpful in my artistic process this summer.  The show will remain throughout August, and the reception will be August 6th in room b here at the library.  I have invited 366 people through Facebook.  I don't expect everyone to attend, but I just wanted all my friends to share the glory with me this month.  My piece, The Quilt Of Elizabeth brim took 3rd place in the emerging artist category.  I was so pleased, and surprised!  It was a great day, after a tumultuous time.  I have felt so empowered this year due to the support of The Ohio Art Council...and my librarians.  I fondly call refer to them "my librarians".  I don't know what I would do without each and every one of them!

Canon Power Shot

I have the most generous friends and fans in the world.  Yesterday, I was gifted with a Canon Power Shot A520.  It takes pretty good pictures.  I won't have to miss a beat:)  These paintings are almost finished.  I hope to have them finished by the weekend, so that I can have my kitchen table back.  Don't forget about my upcoming reception at the library on August 6th, 6pm room b.  If in doubt, bring your musical instruments!