yaysockpuppet

YOU CAN SCULPT!: Mysteries of the Sculpting Mediums Revealed!

2012-01-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

So, here it is! General info about every reasonable building material that I can think of that is NOT ceramic clay in one exhaustive post. Are there lots of others? Oh, indeed! Add a comment if you've worked with one that you'd like to recommend! At some point in another post I will cover various armature-making methods because I think that would be helpful for someone.

Here we go!

Polymer clay:
For polymer clay, there's really only one awesome option, Super Sculpey. There are other polymer clays, and Sculpey makes lots of different varieties as well, but honestly, I just wouldn't touch 'em. I am completely partial, and I just think Super Sculpey is the best.

What I love: Unlimited working time. Sculpt a bit, grab a drink, sculpt a bit, go out to eat, come back, tinker with it, etc., etc. The only thing that I should point out, if you are working with Super Sculpey over a vinyl toy or a vinyl doll form or whathaveyou, you have about a two week working time before the clay becomes a bit crack-y. The clay's oils will over time start to "soak" into the substrate. Not sure why exactly and I don't want to risk sounding like a dork trying to make up something that sounds smart. Also, if you are going to commit to working with Super Sculpey, you'll need to get a Clay Conditioning Machine (a.k.a. a pasta roller thing) to condition your clay. A must.

What I hate: You have to REALLY watch what you use as an armature. Everything you sculpt upon has to be able to withstand a 275 degree oven. That means NO STYROFOAM! I've also used clay over dolls that sort of got a little melty in the oven and created a seam. After everything comes out and re-hardens, you can fix that stuff with some epoxy clay (see below) but it's usually a big pain in the ass. So yeah, the unpredictability factor is a big negative. And while polymer clay is pretty durable, you can't expect to sculpt long, thin pieces without an armature. It WILL most likely crack if you're an average klutz like me. It all boils down to what qualities in a sculpture medium are important to you. If you like an unlimited working time like me, then polymer clay is your only option.

Click HERE to see a piece made using polymer clay.

Air-dry clay:
Holy crap, I risk getting the majority of the art doll community's panties in a bunch for saying this, but I DON'T GET IT! I just find this material weird and wet. O.k., I have to insert that, like what you order at the bar, everyone has their preference. This stuff just isn't mine. BUT, well over 80% of the doll/figure making artists in the universe use air-dry clay, almost EXCLUSIVELY Creative Paperclay Modeling Material. And don't let the "Paperclay" name throw you off, this stuff's made with ash, talc, water, wood pulp, and preservative (I was super curious and had to look it up - it doesn't say on the package). Let me give you the pros and cons (with an obvious bias)...

The pros are that it sands better than any medium listed in this post AND you can sculpt over literally ANYTHING. Like there is absolutely no worry of a physical or chemical reaction to anything you wrap the material in. Also, it dries over several days, which to ME seems like a con, BUT this can be a bonus if you know how to use the medium and wish to use the varying levels of hardness to continue sculpting upon. That being said, it has great adhesion to itself, and there is virtually no weird, uneven warping. THAT being said, there IS a bit of cracking that usually happens throughout the drying process that needs to be addressed. Smaller cracks can be fixed with just a large gooping of gesso, but in the instructions (and this kills me) it says, "Fill any cracks or seams that develop in drying with a bit of fresh material." Like they KNOW their product will have fucked up results. I think that takes balls.

O.k., now the cons... It feels like very wet, moist Play-Doh, which you're all like, "That's a con?", but I find it TOO squishy. AND because I'm used to working with polymer clay, I HATE the feeling of the clock ticking as far as optimum workability. You HAVE to keep a spray bottle next to you as you work because this stuff starts to harden around the edges super quick. I personally find it hard to sculpt fine detail, and I feel like once you get something just right, all you need to do is breathe and you eff your shit up. Like it took me over 30 minutes to sculpt a pretty respectable ear, a frustrating task if you've ever sculpted one, then I turned the piece over to do something small on the back of the ear and BAM, the whole thing went sort of squishy. Grrr... I also hate waiting for it to dry. I also hate the feeling of the final product not feeling sturdy. Like it's super light. That weirds me out. BUT I for sure think you need to purchase a pack and try it for yourself. Tons of people use it and make amazing stuff!

For a link to one of my all-time favorite doll artists who uses Paperclay click HERE.

Two-part epoxy clay:
And even MORE bias... I LOVE this material! I use the brandApoxie Sculpt. Again, I do NOT like the feeling of the clock ticking while I'm sculpting (there's about an hour window of optimum workability depending on how warm your studio is), but the tick-tock is outweighed by this product's awesomeness.

This stuff has better adhesion to vinyl toys and other items than polymer clay, and with a bit of water will feather edge wonderfully. After you mix the A and B together the material is quite sticky, but if you leave it sit for a few minutes you're golden. It works about the same as polymer clay and has about the same density. You DO need a cup of water nearby to help smooth out the cracks and whatnot. I like to dip a crappy paintbrush in water for smoothing purposes and to quasi sculpt with. I like the fact that even while it's in it's final hardening stage it can be slightly manipulated.

The only con with this stuff is it's difficult to find in a local retail situation and clean up is tricky. You really don't want to get any down the drain and I've had product stuck to my fingernails days after using it.

Click HERE to see a customized toy where Apoxie Sculpt was used.

Papier mache clay:
This stuff is not an ideal sculpting medium, but it certainly has its place. I'm actually making a piece now using papier mache clay, and it's going well so far. Here's the deal... If you buy a pre-made pulp product, the sticky part is usually built in. If you make it from scratch (HERE's a great recipe link!), you have to add the adhesive yourself in perfect amounts or you are doomed. The whole medium is already a crap shoot, but if there's not enough binder/adhesive then you just have a wad of wet paper.

Papier mache clay added on top of a cardboard armature makes for interesting results. The piece will bend and warp creating an unintentional but often super unique/awesome final product. Using the product by itself as a sculpting clay is an iffy endeavor. I've historically experienced a lot of cracking and uneven shrinking paired with little opportunity for fine detail work. BUT, great things are indeed possible with papier mache clay! What brand? I prefer Amaco's Claycrete, but there are others which are equally adequate.

CLICK HERE to read an article about the place where I work and to see an amazing piece created by artist John Emanuele using papier mache clay over cardboard.

Traditional Papier mache materials:
I'm a big fan of old-school sculpting methods, so this is one of my personal favorite ways to build. And CHEAP! Ripped up newspaper, paste, armature - BAM! What's the best paste to use? Personally, I prefer wall paper paste, specifically, THIS STUFF. It makes a goo that looks EXACTLY like snot, and a tiny bit of powder makes tons of the stuff! Do I suggest balloons or some item that will shrink over time as armatures? No, I do not. Unless you want to spend hours upon hours building up a gajillion layers of papier mache so that there are no saggy or weird jumbly sections. I'm guessing you've got better things to do with your time.

Here's how I work with this whole deal. I dip my hands in the goo, spread it on the armature, then add a layers, spread more goo, etc., etc. It's super easy to wash off your hands and goes way quicker than any other method I've tried.

Click HERE to see a piece made using traditional papier mache methods.

Plaster cloth:
This is a cool material that works about the same way papier mache does. Strips are cut and layered, but this time with just warm water to moisten the strips. The warm water activates the plaster which takes just a short time to harden. Same thing about balloons, etc. DOUBLY applies for plaster cloth. For some reason, it seems to perform much better on a stiff armature. I've used it on balloons before and it DID work well, but I did a similar project with a group of folks once, and it was a disaster. The plaster was super floppy in many spots after the balloon collapsed.

Part of the success of this method relies on how well you work the plaster through the cloth as you layer your pieces. You have to pretty muchmassage the pieces as you go to get the plaster squished throughout the cloth. Which brand to use? I prefer Activa Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth. It is for sure not the most economical one out there, but I've had the most success with this brand. If you want to try plaster cloth, perhaps start here to get used to the medium and then shop around for cheaper brands as you start to feel confident.

Click HERE to see a piece made with plaster cloth.

Other materials:

Amaco (brand) Self-Hardening Clay: Honestly, I'm not sure who buys this stuff. These are those dusty, 5-lb. boxes of clay that you see on every bottom shelf of the clay section of every craft supply store. I think the company keeps this product line due to enough curious school teachers thinking that this will be a great way for kids to make little pots for Mother's Day. Joke's on you school teachers, this stuff is impossible to get squishy enough for ANYone, especially kids, to work with.
Plastilina clay: This is the generic term for an oil-based clay that never-ever hardens. As a medium intended for a permanent piece, this isn't an option. This is more like the type of clay stop-motion claymation artists use and what folks use to create mold positives. But I am not an expert, so don't quote this in a book report.
Salt dough: Commercially, this is sold as Play-Doh. Not really great for a permanent sculpture that you're gonna put in a gallery or for a piece to sell to a real-live person, but super fun to work with and great for a group project! THIS WEBSITE has a great collection of recipes for dough.
Auto body filler: That's right. Bondo. True story: I used to work for a company that manufactured a similar product, and there was an artist who sent in photos of huge sculptures that he created using body filler. It would for sure be a way to skim coat a very large armature for way cheaper than an art store medium. Is it safe? Not really. Can it combust or cause long term health problems? Probably.
Stucco, plaster, various building materials: These are another (probably safer) option for coating large armatures. I've used mastic and dry wall putty over cardboard with success. The texture it leaves is rather nice as well. Neither these nor body filler (above) can be sculpted with as a medium on their own, they can merely be used to cover a well-sculpted armature.

What about molds?

Oh, geez... The subject of mold-making stresses me out. I periodically stand in the sculpting section of Dick Blick and just stare with my mouth open at the 20+ options for mold-making materials, and then I have an anxiety attack and run out. It's confusing, and I've never taken a class on this stuff, soooo for total stupids like me, I recommend Amazing Mold Putty. You can make a push mold for various clays with it. I'm pretty sure a baby can use this product.

Good luck!

A Late Happy New Year

2012-01-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

Oops! I meant to write some brilliant words of wisdom to herald in the new year a lot closer to the day of the new year. But hey, joke's on you, I never had any words of wisdom to begin with! I know, you're all like, "Damn, I was really waiting on something to spark my chakras or chis (or cheese?) or auras or whathaveyou, but hey, I'm not a magician (but I dream that I am quite often!).

What WILL be coming to you shortly in the new year is me bitching about the MOUNTAIN of appendix bills that currently sits next to my computer (or maybe not, I might have gotten that out just now), aaaaaaaand a valuable lesson on modelling media - like just about everything you can think of that you can model with that's not ceramic BAM! in one jam-packed post. In true yaysockpuppet fashion, I often enjoy posting about stuff that I really wish I could find out there in the interwebs. This is (will be) a post that I truly wish had been written (and maybe it has been, but I haven't found one as awesome as mine will be).

Stay tuned!!!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T09:40:00.001-08:00

The Real-Live Dirt on the First Week of Post-Appendectomy Recovery

2011-12-05T06:33:00.000-08:00

First off, I just want to point out that I AM NOT A DOCTOR! This advice is purely from one real-live person to another, and if anything adverse happens to you as a result of this info, then that's totally all on you.

Movin' on...

Holy shit, I went on-line to get some answers to the daily morphing my body was going through after my appendectomy, and there is just a sea of crap out there to swim through. Everything from "Do not resume regular activity for six months." to "I just had my surgery on Sunday. Is it cool to go surfing on Friday?" I am going to tag the crap out of this post in an effort to hopefully help some poor soul find a totally normal person's (normal is relative) perspective as to what to expect. This is something I wish I could have found, so I'm guessing there will be others who might benefit from the following stuff. I included the part where I get to the hospital as well as the post-op info.

Patient: 43-year-old female, average health, in pretty good shape

Saturday, November 26th, around 11pm: I seriously thought I was having a heart attack. I'm super embarrassed that I jumped to that conclusion, but I've been light-headed a lot lately, and my chest hurt, so we called the EMT folks and went to the emergency room. At this point, my stomach hurt (I had been feeling nauseated since about 3pm that day), but I didn't even slightly suspect appendicitis. Later that night (into Sunday), my appendix area KILLLLLLED and I kept throwing up, then they did the thing where they send you into the tube, and lo and behold, it was swollen. Appendicitis.

Sunday, November 27th, sometime in the afternoon: Had the surgery via laparoscopy, went back to my room. Thought I was going to die. Threw up a bunch more. In blinding pain. My stomach looked like a stab murder scene. Thought they put a baby in there because I looked 7 months pregnant. Ate a few bites of jello that day. Threw that up.

Monday, November 28th: Started to feel a miniscule bit better as long as I stayed on top of pain management. Didn't feel nauseated. Ate real food. The thought of doing anything for myself seemed overwhelming, but the-surgeon-who-smelled-like-cigarettes told me I could go home. Got home with much pain and suffering. My biggest incision (bellybutton) started bleeding. Called nurse. She said that it wasn't abnormal. Felt like there was an alien trying to get out of my stomach (further validating my suspicion that they had but a "being" in there). Was told that it was probably all of the gas they pumped into my body cavity during surgery. At this point I felt like there was much poo in my body that needed to come out, but I ignored that feeling as there was no way I was ready to tackle that. AND HOLY SHIT! I went into the hospital weighing 127 and come out weighing 134!!! WTF!

Tuesday, November 29th: Had my first shower since Saturday. OMG! This was HUGE in the "feeling better" process! Finding clothes to wear was a challenge. Chose to wear a stretchy skirt that I pulled up to my new "natural waist" which was now right below my armpits. Slept a good portion of the day. Still hurt to do normal stuff. Stayed in bed or at the computer most of the day. Couldn't really be productive in the studio because the Percocet makes you just want to look out the window all day. Stomach looks a little less scary.

Wednesday, November 30th: Still feel the need for pain meds all day, but took an attempt at spreading out the dosage. Hurt to stand up straight. FIRST POO!!! It felt epic (had been taking 6 total Senna tablets per day since coming home from the hospital). Did NOTHING to reduce my swollen belly. WhatEVER! Friend came over to watch t.v. with me that night. That was great!

Thursday, December 1st: Stomach still swollen, but seeing some reduction. Feeling overwhelmingly depressed. Got flowers from work today and sobbed uncontrollably. Thinking it has something to do with coming off pain meds plus guilt about taking off so much work-time. Really want to go to the Thumb Box opening that night. Not feeling quite ready to leave the house. Adds to total depression. Only took two pain meds that day. By the end of the day, things were hurtin'! Belly started turning all yellow and bruise-y.

Friday, December 2nd: Still depressed. Holy crap, belly looks like it had been kicked Kill Bill-style. Pretty much the whole thing is yellow with bruise, and below the main incision it's all purple. Equal parts disgusting and cool. Feeling super productive today. Took total of two pain meds. didn't really neeeed second one, but was feeling emo, so took it anyway. Still hurts to wear pants. Still sporting the skirt look.

Saturday, December 3rd: If I don't get out of the house, I will stab someone! Needed some groceries. Hubby took me out to eat then to pick up a few things. Had to hold my stomach in the car because it hurt a little to go over bumps or turns. Ate half of dinner then had to hurry through the grocery store because my colon was about to explode. Saw considerable reduction in belly size. I managed to put some work-out pants on under my skirt (I know, you're all like, "WTF", but I think I fooled people into thinking it was "a look"). Took a pain med for evening t.v. time.

Sunday, December 4th: ONE WEEK! Starting to feel like I'm approaching fantastic. REALLY want to go back to work on Wednesday. Lifted something around 10 pounds and was fine. BACK TO PRE-SURGERY WEIGHT! Stomach still looks weird, but feel like I'll for sure be ready for real pants by Wednesday. Stomach only slightly bulge-y. One pain med before bed. Amen.

So there! You can do it! One week and you will be at least 80%. I'm at about 87.5% Hope this was helpful! I want to thank my ever-so-patient husband for dealing with me this past week. You rule!

Appendicitis

2011-11-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like someone cut you open and ripped out one of your organs? But maybe they replaced the organ with a baby because when you finally get home and weigh yourself (even though you've eaten only a couple of spoonfuls of Jello) you've gained like FIVE POUNDS! And then you are sure the baby has started kicking because there is definitely something trying to forcefully work its way out of your body cavity. Not to mention, you LOOK about five months pregnant, and just for decoration you have what looks like three bullet holes in your stomach.

Grrr...

On the plus side, I still was able to finish and turn in (thanks Dave!) pieces for Ohio Art League's Thumb Box Exhibition that opens tomorrow night (thanks guys for giving me a little extra time!). Almost all of my coworkers, and many of my beloved MAW group will have pieces displayed as well as tons of other talented members! Someone take pictures of the reception for me!

Styrofoam Fail

2011-11-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

There are some hard lessons you learn along the way. I learned one today, and I really want to share it with you so that you do not also make this heinous error. DO NOT USE STYROFOAM AS AN ARMATURE FOR POLYMER CLAY! It will seriously eff your shit up! Styrofoam is a kind of plastic which apparently acts as a foamy Shrinky Dink in the oven, taking your sculpture along with it as it transforms.

I really wanted a smooth armature for my pieces, so I thought a round Styrofoam ball would be perfect. What I should have choosen instead if I wanted to use polymer clay is a foil ball or a wooden ball. Another option would have been to use air-dry clay over Styrofoam.

I'm hoping to repair my pieces with Apoxie Sculpt, but I estimate that that will take another hour. Time is money and stupidity is expensive!

So what now?

2011-11-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

So you're not getting any younger. Have you done all the things you wanted to do in your lifetime? Have you even done half of them? Ten of them?

Dave just asked me tonight, "When you were seventeen, what did you think you wanted to do with your life?" Holy shit! I just wanted to listen to music then someday go to England to listen to my favorite bands live then learn how to make music videos then be hired by my favorite bands to make THEIR music videos.

None of those last several things happened.

The older you get the more your friends want to get together to talk about their "life lists". Most of my friends have made and shared their lists and take pleasure at crossing off things on their lists. We revel together in their larger accomplishments and there's generally good juju surrounding the whole affair.

In regards to my own life list:
-I get stressed out at
-Even
-Getting
-Started

Why? It's super easy. You just write down things you want to do before you die.

But what if you don't think you can do the things?

Then you fail. At life.

OMG, Sharon! Snap out of it! Why don't you start with a small list of 20? Here's some things you can think about...

-If you had a year left to live, what would you spend that time doing? Or if you were on your deathbed, what would you regret not having done?
-When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
-Who are your heroes? Why? Is there something about them that you can incorporate into your life?
-What would your three Genie wishes be? What if he gave you 20? Remember that with a Genie, time and money are not factors.
-Is there anywhere that you want to go? Even if it could change your life?

That's something to start on.

Maybe that's something for YOU to start on too?

Let's get started...

Easy Steps To Repurpose a Store Bought-Puppet Theater

2011-10-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

I have a little puppet show coming up at the end of the month, so instead of building a theater from scratch (daunting), I decided to save time and purchase an inexpensive one to customize (ka-bam!). After looking on-line I decided to go with the one linked below due to its low cost, looking pretty sturdy, and being made of wood. When I brought it home and assembled it (with the help of my awesome mom who was visiting) I was actually pretty surprised at how well-designed it was. The only thing I didn't like was the kiddie paint job/color scheme (although if you purchase this for your kids they'll probably love it!). SO, maybe you ALSO have a puppet show coming up and want an easy and inexpensive way to customize your theater. I thought so. I'll share with you what I did...

LIST OF STUFF:
-Imaginarium Puppet Theater (I ordered on-line and picked up at the store to avoid shipping costs)
-E-6000 Adhesive, 3.7 Ounce
-Sandpaper
-Krylon All Purpose Primers 12 oz. can white
-Craft paint - colors of your choice (I prefer the brand Delta as it often has a higher pigment load compared to most brands)
-Aleene's 8 oz. Original Tacky Glue
-Creativity Street Natural Wood Shapes - 1000 Piece Assortment (this is WAY more than you need, but you'll have tons extra for more projects!)
-Foam letters - optional (available in most craft supply stores)
-Ric rac - optional
-Dazzling Metallic Glaze Acrylic Paint 2 Ounces-Medieval Gold - optional

So before (in the last post) I mentioned how this thing could be accomplished for about 50 bucks. Maybe I'm assuming that everyone is a craft supply hoarder (like someone with two thumbs typing a blog post) and has all of this stuff in their home already (sans theater). Even if you have just a few of the things, you probably will stay safely around the $50 range. And guess what, if you have something similar that can be substituted you should do that.

THE HOW-TO PART:
1. Start by (duh) putting together the theater by following the instructions. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST! Don't be like OTHER people who THINK they know how to put it together only to find after the last knob is attached they find an important part is backwards. Those people are losers. Whose name might begin with an S.
2. Sand down the paint job because that stuff is slippery and paint just won't stick to it.
3. If you want the theater to stay a theater forevermore, apply a bead of E-6000 to all of the joints, especially at the bottom. I plan to be famous and will need to get the theater in and out of my car many, many times, so I need my sh#t to stick together.
4. Spray a coat of primer.
5. Apply a base coat of whatever paint you are using. Here's a money-saver, if you know someone who just painted a room a cool color, ask if you can have a bit of it. When choosing a color scheme however, remember the curtains that come with the kit are red. You can always just make your own to match YOUR colors, but using the ones included is way less time consuming.
6. While that stuff is drying, go through the wood shapes and find some that you like and play around with a cool design. I stacked some on top of each other to give an added layer/cool effect. Here's a little hint, if you're doing layers and want them different colors, paint them before attaching them together.
7. When you have your design worked out, paint the shapes, let them dry, then glue them together with tacky glue.
8. When your base coat is dry, decide if it needs a second coat (mine did) then proceed accordingly. When all is nice and coated, paint any accent colors and glue the shapes onto the theater with tacky glue.
9. Here's an optional thing you can do if you want to add a little "something extra". Apply a thin layer of metallic glaze with a cloth then rub most of it off with another cloth. It will leave a subtle but awesome effect that will resemble vintage theaters (at least that's what I was going for).
10. If you have ric rac or some such embellishment, you can glue that stuff on as well. Did I just happen to have red ric rac that matches the curtains exactly? Probably.

So here's a picture of my finished theater. The photo SUCKS because my children have destroyed my expensive camera because I have a camera curse.

Good luck!

The Secret

2011-09-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

So, a couple years ago I watched "The Secret" with some friends, and while I was secretly all like, "These people really take this shit seriously!" another part of me superduper wanted to believe that if you think up these dream situations then they will eventually collide into your reality. Coincidentally (or not?) I tend to win things. Like random things. Like $20 on a scratch off or a nice prize at a raffle. In my head I am "a winner", and I actually win enough stuff that I joke with those around me in gaming situations that I will probably win because I am that person who wins things. But since I think I'm "a winner" (games winning, not Sheen winning) according to "The Secret" I'm asking for winning to come to me. Pretty simple I guess.

I think I had a point to this story...

Oh yeah! I'm secreting my way into a new business that will be wildly successful! You will not be able to stop buying the products! I will make a living making things! Amen.

There.

So next Tuesday you should come see my friend Mollie have some work at the McConnell Arts Center. Then Thursday you can come see the Strands show at The Carnegie Gallery. Then if you're not doing anything next Saturday, you can see some PBR inspired artwork and see some awesome music at the Megacity Music Marathon (where I'll have a piece that I wanna enter to try for a FREE YEAR OF BEER!)!

I love you guys!!!

SHOW FLYERS!

2011-08-30T16:27:00.001-07:00

Road Trip

2011-07-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

So, I'm getting really bad about posting. BLAHGH! I love to write too, so that's sad. AAAAAAANYway, Dave and I are going on our honeymoon road trip starting TOMORROW!!! I think this is the first vacation of ANY sort that I've had in at LEAST 7 years. I'm soooooooo excited to experience new things with my bestest friend/husband. We're going down SOUTH to Berea, KY, then to visit Dave's dead relatives in Cradle Bow Cemetery (also in KY), then to Asheville, NC, then to visit all of Dave's old co-workers in Raleigh, NC. My agenda is to stop at lots of fucked-up shit along the way. I'm even tempted to visit a Baptist church on Sunday morning in some remote part of Kentucky. This will all rule! And the trip should also serve as a vessel to crossing off several things from my bucket list!

When I get back, I will finish one million pieces for the two shows in September, do a small piece for another show (also I think in September?), do a doll for a person, do some pieces for Por Vida then I DON'T WANT TO DO ANY MORE SHOWS EXCEPT FOR A ONE ITEM TYPE OF DEAL NOW AND THEN! EVER! All I want in the world is to make puppets, pull toys, and piggy banks. That's really it. And the other stuff that comes with being a part of a family and all.

I LOVE YOU IF YOU'RE READING THIS!!! Go to the bathroom, make a kiss face, then say, "That's from Sharon!"

Hitched!

2011-07-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

So I got married! And this one's awesome! I'm so happy! I also married into some kids who are great. All of the combined kids together is like having a houseful of squirrels. But really cute squirrels.

Proud Momma

2011-06-02T04:29:00.001-07:00

This little girl has worked soooooo hard this year, and winning two school awards that put a documented stamp on that is HUGE for us! Nora has worked through some learning issues and has fought to keep up with her peers like a prize fighter. She is my not-so-little-anymore-heavyweight-champion-of-the-world!

Enormous thanks to the entire staff at her school for helping to make this possible.

Cock on the Range

2011-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

So in between the half dozen other events this weekend, you'll totally stop by the JVC tent at Rock on the Range to see me, right? And bring me a beer, right? I'll be making a sculpture of a rooster/man during the event as well as customizing some toys and doing some smaller paintings/drawings.

Just got back from dropping off these pieces with Josh and Nathan. Super nice guys! Super excited to hang out this weekend! Super excited to meet Glenn Danzig (I know it will happen!). Super excited to see YOU when you stop by!

Grrr...

2011-05-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

How are you guys doing? I hope you're all well. I'm by myself in the house after a "blended family" weekend, and the quiet is almost unsettling. Dave gets so paranoid that I'm going to snap with so many kids in the house, but it really does just amplify the funny ass shit that comes with having a number of smaller humans in one living space. Free entertainment!
So May... There's Cinco de Mayo... Mother's Day... Memorial Day... Oh, and JUDGEMENT DAY!!! Holy shit, I had no idea until I drove down High Street and saw the guy holding the sign. I called Dave and asked if he knew about this, and he said that it's a religious "movement" and that these people have been around for a while. Duuuude! I told him that we should probably get married beforehand. Just in case.

Schpring!

2011-04-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Doing doing doing! It's Spring! Let's celebrate! Are you going to Michael's show deal-i-o on Saturday? That would be cool to see you there? I have to turn in a piece this weekend for another show. I have a pic-in-progress of that. WHATWHAT??? Gotta get ready to go dancing! CATTTTTTTT!!!!!!

Gifts

2011-03-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

So I was going to just show pics of some awesome things that were given to me because I am so blown away at these people's thoughtfulness, but when I went to get the photos off the camera I was surprised with a ton of other pictures that my kids took that I had no idea were on there (apparently permission is no longer needed to borrow my last working camera). But the kid's pictures were so incredibly cool, and the whole thing re-reminded me that there is redemption that can occur in all things. Treasures. Gifts.

But since my first intention was to show you some amazing things, without further ado, below is a little guy I'm naming Renaldo that was given to me by my friend Megan. She found him next door and thought "Sharon will want this!" That is so incredibly thoughtful. I love her. And Renaldo.

Since we're on the subject of awesome dead things, next up is a metal-casted bat skull that David got me from one of my favorite stores of all time, Collier West.

And since we're on the subject of David, who is the best boyfriend in the whole world, below is a mask that he bought me today from Euro Classics in Clintonville. I LOVE THIS MASK! We're not entirely sure of his origins, but he is wooden and I'm pretty sure he has human hair for his hairy parts.

I am blessed.

Virutual Mayhem

2011-03-05T06:01:00.000-08:00

So once you've played World of Warcraft, there's a virus that infects you that shows up at various times in your life like a canker sore. You could be washing dishes or driving to work and BAM! It hits you. But unlike a virus that just basically sucks, you miss WoW when you are separated from it and think warm, fuzzy thoughts about it. You start thinking about what your character could be accomplishing if you weren't washing dishes or driving your car... How many missed opportunities your character has endured because you were busy with "jobs".

Our family used to play a LOT many years ago, but life became crazy, and computers were needed for "important" things, and we just stopped playing. After I dropped one of my extra employment situations, WoW started speaking to me again, first in a whisper. "Shaaaron, there is a world of wonder waiting for you... I think there is a warrior inside you that needs to show herself..." It really did whisper that. Then it became like, "Sharon, seriously! your job is stressful, you need to come home and kick some ass!" So, I gave in.

This is Dilda, my Dwarf Warrior.

Have you been doing more productive things, Sharon? Well, I just finished a piece for my dentist's office. It looks like this.

And I know this sounds weird, but there will be an actual reception on April 28th at the office because this guy has a KILLER collection (like he even has a HUGE Aminah Robinson piece!), so he's going to have a party and show off his stuff and try to get more clients. More details to come.

Later this week, I hope to show you the finished doll that I'm making for my friend Megan. Let's take a bet to see which comes first: Dilda leveling to 15 or Megan's doll being finished this week.

And lastly, I'm sick again. I will try to not infect you. No promises.

Redundant

2011-02-06T06:41:00.001-08:00

It's a cat on a (in progress) cat painting. Get it? Redundant?

And here's the picture of one of the most awesome-ist birthday presents EVAHRRRRRR!!! As soon as I finish some stuff, he will be getting a makeover. And if you know of his historical origins PLEASE let me know as we have spent HOURS researching this guy, and we still do not know who he is.

Have a great SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!
PeaceOUT!

Ummm... I scared...

2011-02-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

It's a horizontal ski resort out there (coated in ice), and as you can see I am avoiding getting ready for work. I'm already one of the WORSTEST drivers in the world. So I'm mentally preparing myself for a morning and evening commute filled with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Good thing we're stocked up on adult diapers at work!
So how is everyone? Winter is CRAP for seeing peeps. I can't wait until it gets warm and we get a chance to hang out at some social outdoor somethingorother. I'll share my snacks with you.
That will be nice.
I wish I had something fun to show you. Oh, my birthday is tomorrow, and I'll take a photo of the ABSOLUTELY INSANELY AWESOME antique dummy that Dave got me. He has composition head and hand pieces. We can't identify who he is even though we've spent a combined several hours of researching. He will blow your mind!!!
BLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!

What little bunnies are made of...

2011-01-02T17:35:00.000-08:00

So today I just bought a baby head armature, a pound of Super Sculpey, some dehydrated rabbit ears, and a half dozen rabbit's feet. These along with some other parts will become a bunny container(s). It's really cool in my head. I hope it doesn't suck.

I think I've spent at least 12 hours this weekend sourcing materials for my new "thing I'm going to do". (Sharon, the "things" seem to come more frequently these days...) My new "thing" (I'm ignoring that voice) is containers (you know, for trinkets and whatnot) featuring some taxidermy items and some sculpted baby heads that will open and close and be the top of a container (like a tin can) that you can put stuff in. I'm thinking it will be a great gift for the friend or relative that has everything. The supplies are a lot more than just finding junk babies at the thrift store, but I'm hoping that people will appreciate the custom heads. We'll see. Or maybe I'll chicken out and not make them. I'll let you know either way.

How are you doing? I hope you're doing awesome! I hope you made resolutions, and I hope you're on your way to fulfilling all of your dreams. I hope you buy yourself something special that you've always wanted this week, even if it's just ice cream that only you will eat or that you hide WAY back in the refrigerator behind the big bag of frozen okra. You deserve it.

The Best Show EVER!!!

2010-12-24T06:45:00.001-08:00

O.k., so after YEARS of not even a real television viewing situation, I now have CABLE! Yeah, we only have the basic package, but we have the most important station of all, Discovery Channel. And so I'm flipping through the stations last night in bed like real Americans do, and I find THIS on my favorite station. Hooooooly shit! It's like someone said, "What would be the most perfect show in the universe for Sharon!" Seriously. Really, the only shows I can stay awake for (besides Vampire Diaries) are the "finding the antique shit" shows, and Oddities has that AND crazy-ass, creepy-ass crap! It's kinda like Borgin and Burkes from Harry Potter. Squeeeeeeee!

Speaking of antiques, meet my new Christmas present!!! His name changes every day, but today I've been calling him "Raj" (he's an Indian elephant because he has small ears).

Really, it's after 10:00? Sigh... I'd better go. Work to do!

Bye!!!

Holy Shit, Another Sale!

2010-12-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

I just put a bunch more stuff in the store. And I reduced the prices of stuff that's been sitting there awhile. I'm sure there's someone on your list that needs a sock puppet? Or some other creepy somethingorother?

So I moved, and that's awesome except for my kid's bus stop being over a mile from my house. That's so not awesome. What's super awesome is all the wonderful help we received transporting our belongings. I couldn't believe how quick all the work went! I want you all to come over at some point to see the place! Just look for the most beautiful street in Old Towne East. Dave and I have matching desks next to each other in the office. Yes, it will make you throw up.

And the old house is now for rent. $1250 for a 4BR/2BA near campus. You should seriously consider this...

Wanna buy a house?

2010-11-15T15:09:00.001-08:00

Checked off of my bucket list is "owning a home in my own name". Wow, not as glamorous as it sounds! So like every time we re-financed, it tacked on a gajillion dollars to our mortgage so that my real estate guy said, "You'll be lucky to not owe a few thousand at the closing." Awesome! But someone is going to get an amazing house that I've worked very hard at fixing up. That feels pretty good. Will that someone be you? Will you buy my house? I think you'll be happy here. And you just got brand new kitchen plumbing today!

Art-wise, not much is going on, besides color matching wall paint and cutting kitchen tiles. But that's cool too. Right? Right? Sigh...

Friday and Saturday!

2010-10-29T05:27:00.001-07:00

So here we are again...

2010-10-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

I am not just days but WEEKS past my 2nd job deadline, but I thought, "GREAT TIME TO BLOG!" My house is a forking TRAIN WRECK with the jobs and the kids and the, well, mostly those two things. Oh, and the move. Did I mention that we're moving? I'm pretty ridiculously STOKED! Did I mention that we will have CABLE? Whaaaaaaat??? I knowwwwwww! I want to sleep in front of the t.v. the first few weeks.

Did I mention that I still love my job? I really/truly do. I wish there was a way that I could be a millionaire though and just volunteer there and not have to do the godawful paperwork.

Hey, do you need a house to buy or rent? You should contact me if you do.

Did I mention that my boyfriend made me a plush bat for Halloween? Oh, MAN!

I like cats...

2010-10-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it was possible. I'm allergic to them. But from a distance, HOLY COW, cats are cute! So instead of feeding them antifreeze, I suppose we'll take at least one cat with us when we move on December 1st to OLD TOWNE EAST!!! I'm super stoked to shed a house full of past and move on to a bright and shiny future in an adorable apartment. There will be a party after we unpack, and you can come if you want.

The September That I Almost Became a Bucket of Goo

2010-09-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Perhaps not the "becoming of goo" of the whole physical body with all of the "systems" included, like the ever-rigid "skeletal system", but at least the "nervous system". Basically my "brain" and "brain stem" and the other stuff attached to the "brain" but not including the "nerves". Goo.

These are the "top 10" of the goo-inducing items, which if listed singly do not initiate a goo-making, but all of them together in one month... Goo.

1. Making 6 puppets with stands
2. Arranging a sculpture to make live for a beer-related event then making said sculpture while drinking beer
3. Painting and customizing a dummy then organizing a mediocre performance with said dummy
4. Making a collaborative art piece
5. Making 3 plush pieces
6. Re-financing the house
7. Preparing for a divorce
8. Obtaining a divorce
9. Getting tattooed wedding band covered up with a mind-blowing tattoo that made me cry happy tears of gratitude
10. Making another plush piece with stand

And that doesn't even include the full-time job and the part-time job! DUUUDE! But today I am FINISHED FOR SEPTEMBER!!! And October is looking all tumbleweedy by comparison. I hope you are saying silently to yourself, "You go, Sharon!" (you can take off the exclamation point if you're having trouble saying it silently)

I leave you with my PRODUCT OF THE MONTH (this is a feature that I just now made up). It's on the shelf by the lice shampoo, and if you have a SERIOUS issue with ped·i·cul·o·pho·bi·a as I do, then this is a gift from God stocked onto shelves by angels. Click on the image to go to their website.

Puppets!

2010-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

The m-f-ing show is finally installed along with a seriously cheesyish goth window display with !20 YARDS! of black tulle. Holy crap! All of our stuff looks so cool with each other's stuff! I looove Kelson's (that's him in the picture up there) and Paul's puppets, but I had no idea the mind-blowingness of seeing so many awesome things in one space. I can't wait to see what people think. I only had three sock puppets totally completed, so I put those on their stands, and the other three will be there on Wednesday (the store is closed Monday and Tuesday). There will be a few other things too, I think. Now, to prepare my dummy Ambrose for his performance!

More puppet news! At Open Door Art Studio I've been working with my friend Randall making finger puppets based on his drawings. We've been selling these little creations called "Ran-Dollz" for ten bucks a pop. They're pretty cute. Randall picks the sketch to use, the fabric, the notions, then I just sew it up for him. If you're in the market for a finger puppet, totally stop by and take a look. Try to come by in the afternoon (1:30-4:30 T-F) so you can meet Randall, he totally rules.

Two Stuffs

2010-09-02T02:40:00.000-07:00

So, have I bugged you enough about the mother effing puppet show? So, we install it on Sunday, but the "event" is Friday the 17th. That's when the people in the show will do a performance with their puppets, and you totally want to be there! I just peeked at Kelson's theater that he just built for his show, and it is FABULOUS! I have no idea what Paul is doing, but I have a bet it will be disturbing and inappropriate. I am customizing a vintage dummy to use for my performance, and the dummy will HAVE HIS OWN SOCK PUPPET! I am not clear what our act will be like, but I've gone through it in my head, and to be honest, I am somewhat frightened at what might come out of my dummy's (Ambrose) mouth. He truly DOES have a mind of his own!

THEEEEENNNNNNNNN!!! As soon as that is installed, I am finishing up plush pieces to send to Seattle THEN making sketches for the Pabst Blue Rendezvous. I was so happy to be invited to do this again because I get to work next to adopted sibling Dan Gerdeman for a whole day once more!

Oops, forgot about the Exquisite Corpse show at ARTillery. That's also coming up soon. CRAP! I need to get busy. But first, some coffee...

New Obsession and SALE!

2010-08-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

OMG! So we all had to do some raku stuff for the last show, and I was all like, "Um, none of us are ceramicists. Why is this a good idea?" THEN, after making some clay pieces and glazing them, and best yet, FIRING THEM, I'm like, "HOLY SHIT! I NEED TO MAKE MORE!!!" So my co-worker, Allison Buenger is gonna sell me a broken regular kiln to make a DIY raku kiln. And this isn't one of those things where the thrill wears off in a week like the dozens of other "great ideas" (I thought you were insane for making lampwork doll eyes a month ago, Sharon...) (Shut up! I still might make glass doll eyes. You don't know. You don't know me.)

So there's that. ANNNNNNND I just put some new junk in the new store (some old junk too). Actually, it's all old junk left over from shows, but that just means everything is SALE PRICED! That's right, SALE PRICED! And there's a bunch of other shows coming up too, so check back around holiday shopping time for some other REJECTS!!!

While you were sleeping...

2010-08-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I go to bed pretty early. My kids stay up super late. I never know what they've been up to until I check the web history in the morning or go downstairs to see if anything's been set on fire.

This morning I awoke to find Siamese twins on my bedroom floor.

Greeen!

2010-07-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Dave is almost finished painting the bathroom. It's greeen! I can't wait to get new towels and other shit to go with the new walls and the new sink. There's sooooo much to do with this crazy house. The front yard is a JUNGLE! We're gonna level that, oh yeah, oh yeah. Guess what I hate to do? Garden. We lived with many people over the years with good gardening intentions, but now that I am queen of this house, it all GOES! If anyone wants to stop by and try to salvage any of the dying flowers or veggies, feel free. Guess what else is green besides my bathroom? Sod. Green is good.

Oh, yeah, guess what ELSE is green besides my bathroom and sod? Money. I'm gonna actually put the old store stuff in the new store and add a couple of things like the little heart devil that Daniel and I made and this cute bunny made out of matchboxes that I had in this show in Seattle called "Lit".

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

Breathe...

2010-07-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

ACK! So many shows coming up in such a short time!!! I get sooooo excited when there's a whirlwind of art-making that needs to happen. I wish I had a thing to fold space and time so's that I can squeeze a day that doesn't exist to anyone else here-and-there in between the real-life days. Two shows that I don't have up on the side yet are the next awesome installment of Por Vida (click on link for info!) and this cool fundraiser show organized by Columbus Artmobile called Exquisite Corpse. These are going to be awesome!

Just had an organizational meeting for the puppet show today, and we came up with a title. It's "Alternative Socks and String Theories". I think this is going to be soooo fun! Kelson is planning quite an elaborate four-act show. I have not written my script yet, but in my head it is cool. I think the shows will start around 8:30 that night. Don't know what Paul has planned yet. SQUEEEEEE!!!

Almost finished with the bodies for the pieces for the Plush You! show. I think me and the boyfriend are actually going to fly out for the show! I can't remember the last time I went on a trip. Magic.

I am loooooooving the new job. It is so hard, but sooooo rewarding. It's been difficult initially to "figure it all out", but I think it's all starting to click, and in another month it will all be off the hook! My co-workers are so awesome and amazing. I am blessed.

O.k., that's it for now. Must do a bunch of stuff then try to get to bed before midnight. SO MUCH TO DOOOOOOOOO!!!

NEW!!!

2010-06-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

OMG! So much new in The Shaz's life! One of the biggies is a NEW JOB!!! I can't even believe it's a job! I get to work with an awesome group of people at Open Door Art Studio (the picture in this post is a portrait of me made by the AMAZING Wallace Peck!). I used to sell plush creatures there a couple of years ago (when I had time to make "extra" things), and I remember thinking, "MAN, this would be a DREAM job!", and secretly wishing something would happen to Ashley so that I could try to work there (just kidding, Ashley!). And then at the PERFECT TIME, a job opened up there! It's sooooooooo crazy!!!
I need to update the side bar and stuff and change the headings to match the NEW BANNER (which will double as business cards!), but one show that's not up there yet is the Plush You! show in Seattle in October. I just found out that I got in, and I know this is a pretty big deal, so I am truly humbled. I've already started on two pieces (out of three), and I hope they will stack up against the amazing folks that will be a part of this show.
I'm also still in the process of designing the puppet theater skirt for the puppet show at Wholly Craft. We have a meeting about that show coming up, and I am stooooooooked!
GARRRRRHHHHH!!! Everything is going unimaginably well right now. It's almost like living in a fairy tale. Everybody is super awesome. I love you!

Update

2010-05-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

So again, I have real live work deadlines and whatnot, so inevitably, I blog instead. It's like a little thing goes off in my head that says, "Sharon, why don't you wait until like MINUTES before your projects are due to actually start, THEN make everyone in your house miserable just to be in proximity to you. By all means PLEASE take some time to blog and maybe shop around on iTunes or make a playlist or Google hairstyles..."
You get the idea...

O.k., so are you going to OAL's One Night event, "Absolutely Absurd" this weekend? I LOOOOOVE the One Night events. They are always magical. AAAAAAAnd it's Alissa's birthday, so you HAVE to come and buy her some sort of drink. O.k.? So see ya there!

Balls

2010-05-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

So, if you couldn't figure out this one on your own, being a full-time-working single mom who HAS to find time to make things in order to keep sane is supersucky. It's pretty much a stick of poo wrapped up in guilt and regret. Where do you get more time? It just doesn't happen. I seriously need to meet a wizard.

Anyway, so Walker at Columbus Underground did a little interview if you want to read it. HERE's the link.

See you tonight at Sean Christopher Gallery!!!

Oh, Holy Mother of Pearl...

2010-04-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

So, I helped Alissa build her "easy" to put together Ikea bed tonight. Three beers is about the long and short of that. I also discovered spitless tobacco. You, go, Shazzy! Not to mention the iTunes addiction. I guess things could be worse...

So, what you really want to do next Saturday, in addition to going to my friend Daniel's show at Rivet, is come see some effing brain-melting artwork at Sean Christopher Gallery. It's the Mother Artists at Work show called "Hard Labor". I really hope to have a piece finished in time, but my distractions are many at the moment, and I just totally fucked up the frame. Grrrr... And I don't even have a sketch on the panel or ARRRRRGH!!! In my mind it's awesome, but you'll have to come to the show to see what actually gets put on the wall.

Ummm... So just a couple of more days to see the show at Rivet where I have a couple of things among tons of GREAT stuff. I work there on Sunday. Totally come. I'll be finishing up my piece for the MAW show (that's what I HOPE to be doing anyway). Bring a project to work on, and hang out!!!

I will share more stuff soon!

first REAL post!

2010-04-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

What a motherf#@king whirlwind it's been.
Anyway, moving on...
PUPPETS!
"What's the story, Shaz?"
There's three parts to the story...
#1. I just really effing love puppets.
#2. I had been drinking when I came up with "yaysockpuppet".
#3. One of the first things I made that sparked my art flame (my "coming out" experience, if you will) was a sock puppet. I made a dozen of them as party favors for my older daughter's fifth birthday party. I was fascinated that a sock could be resurrected as a plaything, an animated "being", a work of art. After that, I couldn't stop making stuff and drawing stuff and painting stuff. Funny how as your life gets MORE demanding you then find NEW time consuming activities that your soul needs in order to stay happy. I'm sure there's a Murphy's Law in there somewhere.

Anyway, I have a few fun shows coming up, but the one I'm pretty much thinking about every spare minute is the puppet show one at Wholly Craft. I have a GRAAAND idea for a self-contained puppet theater that I can't wait to show you. I hope you'll come.

Also stay tuned for a new banner up top. I need to make my first mind-blowing puppet to use in the place of the drawing. But first, I need to find a few more spare minutes...