wordless with pears 9.15.22

watercolor portrait 8.18.2022

My youngest child Berit married her sweetheart Brian earlier this month. I gifted them with a watercolor portrait. Brian and Berit, ink and watercolor on 140 lb cold press watercolor paper, 9x12 This is the reference photo. Here's a very early stage of the painting. And me with the finished, framed piece:)

wordless and green 6.30.2022

Flattening watercolor paintings 6.16.2022

When I create a watercolor painting, sometimes the paper buckles and warps, depending how much water I use in the painting. This post shows how I flatten those warped paintings. Here you can see how my small paintings warped. Start with a flat board or surface. I'm using a clean piece of paper, too, because …

making bisque molds – 5.19.2022

In my small ceramics studio, I use a variety of homemade bisque molds to make some of my ceramic forms. Bisque (also referred to as biscuit) molds are clay forms I fire to about 1915 degrees, or cone 04. I wrote about how I use the bisque molds here. In this post, I'll explain how …

spring art sales 4.21.2022

I'm participating in two art events this spring, both in Madison, Wisconsin. The Marquette-Atwood Neighborhood Art Walk is Sunday, May 1, 2022, from 11am – 5pm. I'll be selling my ceramics out of my garage, so I'll be there rain or shine. I'll be at 2802 Center Avenue in Madison, and my garage is behind …

using bisque molds 4.7.2022

As a ceramic handbuilder, it's nice to have molds on hand. I can use a mold to make several matching pieces, or to quickly create a form to build off of. Molds are typically made from plaster, but I don't want plaster in my home studio because 1) it takes more equipment that I don't …

recycling packing materials 3.10.2022

I've long lived by the motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," and I bring that philosophy into my art studio, too. One way I do that is with recycled packaging materials. I sell ceramics in my Etsy shop, and shipping those pieces requires careful packaging and shipping. Ceramics are a delicate and breakable, and need lots of …

blind contour self-portraits 2.24.2022

I've started a series of self portraits using the blind contour method of drawing. Blind contour drawing is a technique that some suggest improves hand-eye coordination and hones observation skills. But I use it for the results I get. It's my favorite drawing method. In blind contour drawing, the artist looks only at the subject …

art quote – vedder 2.10.2022

Our job is not to make records that people like. Our job is to make the music that makes us feel proud. I’ve been pondering your questions: Is there something I’m missing here? Am I supposed to be thinking about what other people are thinking? Because with songwriting it’s almost like you can’t think about it in …