April 10
April 15
April 19
April 23 9:00am
April 24 10:00am
April 24 12:00 pm
April 24 12:30 pm
April 24 5:30 pm
Has a light fragrance, sort of similar to Narcissus.
April 24 5:50 pm
April 24 6:23 pm
April 24 6:58 pm
April 24 7:30 pm
April 24 8:21 pm
April 25 9:10 am
April 26 11:00 am
April 26 2:00 pm
April 27 10:00 am
April 29 8:47 am
April 30 10:50 am
May 11 Trapped Cactus Parent Plant
Succulent Flower
Dietes
Hibiscus
Lilac
Cutting from a plant in my orchard.
Nigella
Passion Flower
Salvia
I am working on a piece that has the code–contemplate something beautiful. The code is based on a masonic cipher. Or the common Pigpen Cipher.
I upcycled some green painters’ paper that was used as a template for a previous project. Made the blocks from tree wrap and cotton twine. Used safety pins and cotton thread to attach to the blocks to the background. Then used a solution of salt, peroxide, and white vinegar to age the metal. Unfortunately I used stainless washers for the twine icord at the top.
This morning the piece still wasn’t dry so I placed it outside to finish drying. When I checked on it, I found that a spent Brugmansia flower had fallen onto it.
I think it looks beautiful as part of the piece. Will I keep it? Maybe…
Alstroemeria
Brugmansia
Cerinthe
Cistus
Cymbidium
Daffodil
Evening Primrose
Freesia
Hellebore
Knotweed
Pussy Willow (cutting)
Sweet Pea Shrub
Wisteria
In mid December I checked out the green waste bin looking for potential art materials. Saw a sweet little oak cutting. I snagged it.
Looked like a wee stump with a few twigs. Thought that it might be fun to use in a piece. Popped it in some water hoping it would prevent it from drying out before I had an opportunity to look at it closer. It has been growing new leaves, no roots. Pretty sure this is not a tree that can be propagated in water.
Last week I moved it upstairs. I thought it would get better light during the day.
I totally forgot to water the little oak one day. It requires loads of water.
Unfortunately, it’s started to lose leaves and some of the twig-like branches died.
I pruned the dried dead bits.
I think the green section may survive. How, not sure.
This leaf gave me pause.
Nature offers amazingly beautiful gifts!
Another piece that I am attempting to complete.
The quote in code is–The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.
January 10 2021
Attached code blocks to tree wrap squares with safety pins.
Drifts from Truth Layout, January 9 2021
Had thought about maybe stitching the blocks together.
March 9 2021
When I revisited the piece last week, I decided that I liked the safety pins.
Attached the blocks to a piece of thin paper with PVA. After a thorough drying, attached the blocks to a piece of roofing felt. Then I applied clear shellac. Didn’t expect the result to be so glossy.
I used the same processes and materials for the separate test piece. After a thorough drying, I sanded the exposed white bamboo areas, then applied a product that I hoped would replace roofing tar.
Not sure what I think of the result.
The second test–To dull the finish and age it a bit, I applied a thin application of Rust-Oleum 2X Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover Matte Clear Spray Paint.
Before I decide how to complete the piece, I am thinking about trying another test with paste wax.
I think that sanding the piece so that some of the code is frayed would be appropriate for the quote.
.
The quote is often attributed to George Orwell, but it seems that the author is Selwyn Duke.
Materials–Bamboo paper towel (white fabric), bamboo thread, safety pins, tree wrap, roofing felt, PVA, shellac.
20220306
I moved the plant to a warmer and brighter location.
20220321
Fungi
Fungi growth at base of bulb.
Fungi Removed
Amaryllis Seedlings
The seed was harvested from the plant last year.
I am in the process of completing all of the pieces that are in progress. A Gnawing Ache is a piece that I started in 2018 when I was dealing with grief.
I aged the razor blades, hardware cloth, and pins with a patina.
It occurred to be after I used patina on the pins that they would be stronger if I hadn’t covered the entire pin. The patina made the metal a bit fragile.
Code Used
One horizontal square for dots; two vertical squares for a dash.
Materials
Cotton, Hardware Cloth, Razor Blades, Pins, Patina, Wood (from an old swing), Cork, Stain, PVA, Sealant
The spikes were aged with a patina.
The pieces received an application of clear shellac with a solution of cloves in denatured alcohol.
Panel 1
The code at the top of the first panel has the–Take Notice.
Panel 2
Materials
Wood, Hardware Cloth, Cotton, Metal Spikes, Cork, Wool, Shellac, Denatured Alcohol, Cloves