Racing into Summer

Workshop with Shanna Wheelock

Introduction to Encaustic Painting

 

 

Encaustic, meaning "to burn in" is a method of painting with a mixture of beeswax, tree resin, and pigment that dates back thousands of years. Medium is applied in a molten liquid state to prepared substrate, painted in layers and heat-fused. This one day introductory workshop is perfect for beginners who want to learn the basics. We’ll cover history, safety, materials, tools, equipment, substrate preparation, color application, layering, fusing, scraping and buffing, mark-making, etching, transfers, and pigment sticks. No previous art experience necessary. Materials are provided. All you need to bring is lunch/snacks/drink and an apron or paint shirt.

 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Tuition: $185 (includes materials)

Pre-registration is required.

Book your spot now. Limited space available.

$35 non-refundable materials fee due at time of registration

To register or for more info, email me at:

shanna@shannawheelock.com

 

Click here to find a Downloadable PDF file on my website under "Upcoming Events and News"

 

 

 

Jeff Griffiths was the first 10k runner to cross the line at the Bay of Fundy International Marathon.

 

 

Our friend Joe Phelan ran the 10k and placed 4th in his age category. Congrats, Joe!



This young man from San Diego got the crowd roaring when he crossed the finish line after running 26 miles in the Bay of Fundy International Marathon.  He was the first marathoner to greet the crowd but since he was an "early start runner" he didn't qualify in an official way. I am not sure how long it actually took him, but I was impressed!

 

I've been enjoying picking small bouquets of wildflowers for my mini vases.

 

 

 A portion of my pottery display at the Bay of Fundy Marathon EXPO.

 

 

The Lubec Arts Alive mural has a new home on the wall of Lubec Landmarks.

 

Lubec Arts Alive 2013

Saturday, July 6th

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the

Lubec Elementary School Community Playground

 

Kids - come make your own teleidoscopes!

Under 10 requires parent or guardian.

FREE and all materials will be supplied!

 

This year, LAA is working on an interactive sculpture for the kids. The six-foot tall revolving teleidoscope sculpture will be installed on the playground. The completion of the project will occur in stages, starting on July 6th and ending later this summer. During the initial installation, we invite kids to show up and learn how to make their own teleidoscopes which are similar to kaleidoscopes but rather than utilize baubles inserted into the tube, the fractalized images are made by reflections of the surroundings such as nature or people! Very nifty!

 

 

John McMurray in his studio helping out Lubec Arts Alive with this summer's project. The two axles shown here will allow the tall sculptures to rotate.

Photo by Karen Burke.

 

Someone caught me working at something other than the wheel! Jean Bookman and I are cutting a sona tube to length for the revolving teleidoscope sculpture that will be installed at the community playground at Lubec Elementary School.

Photo by Karen Burke.

 

 

John McMurray, Jean Bookman, and Karen Burke test the teleidoscopes that will be inserted into the taller six-foot revolving towers. Thanks, Nate Rosenbrooks, for doing the  research and prototype for us. 

 

The Lubec Market is up and running! Come on down on Saturdays from 9-12 to get your fill of great homegrown veggies, baked goods, meats, music, and of course....pottery!

 

 

 Live music is always a bonus at the Lubec Market. On opening day we enjoyed the soulful strumming of Bradley Trafton and Fred Pierce. Thanks, Fred, for organizing the music again this year! Cobscook Bay Music

 

 

Delicious radishes from Three Dog Farm at the Lubec Market.

 

 

Found in our front field.

 

 

I have not been able to keep up with blogging the past few weeks and because of that all kinds of great things have accumulated that I want to tell you about! First of all, the Lubec Market had a very successful season opener on June 15th! It was great to return to my 100 square foot space nestled between Claire's baked goodies and Herbminders of Maine. Tide Mill Farm and Three Dog Farm were there with all kinds of fresh garden goodies and Olde Sow Farm and Garden Side Dairy yummy cheeses and other dairy. Loring returned with his handmade birdhouses and me with my pottery. Fred Pierce is at it again bringing live music to our little but lively market. Opening day we were serenaded by the soulful guitar strummings of Fred and his accomplice Bradley Trafton.

 

This past weekend Lubec and Campobello Island hosted the first ever Bay of Fundy International Marathon. Chris and I were honored to attend to pre-race reception where Roosevelt's Cottage served a most delicious spread. It was heartening to realize just how many hand and hearts had to work together to make this unique event happen, from political dignitaries to town officials and the many volunteers who gave their time. It was such an honor to be a part of the process by making the awards and such a thrill to meet the runners as they registered at the EXPO the day before the race. It was interesting to me how uncompetitive the runners seemed.  For most, it was about accomplishing a great feat for their own personal fulfillment. As runners crossed the finish-line I felt my own excitement build and from me burst quite a few hoots and hollers, sharing in their joy of making it to the finish. The two weeks leading up to the race I felt like I had my  own mini marathon going on. I was at the wheel and carving and glazing for days on end and with Chris' help we got six bisque and glaze firings accomplished with some gorgeous results. Vending two days in a row at two different locations on about three hours of sleep a night was not optimal, but the energy of the marathon kept us going.

 

I was glad to have yesterday to decompress, enjoy brunch with a friend, and time with Chris where we weren't trying to meet a deadline. Today I got back into the studio but with this humid heat things are slow-going. The next three weeks will be pedal to the metal so to say as I prepare for the MDI Directions show in Bar Harbor July 26-28. This will be my first time selling in Bar Harbor with the Maine Crafts Guild and I am very excited to be spending three days there with about eighty awesome artisans. I showed with the guild last fall in Augusta where I was juried into the organization. My booth needed some tweaking and I have made a lot of changes that I am looking forward to debuting. It's a wild vending schedule for me this year with nearly every weekend scheduled until October. August and November will test my stamina for sure.

 

Lubec Arts Alive is busy working behind the scenes. We are very excited to be creating a sculpture for the kids and while gather main artwork will happen in stages, we invite the kids to join us on July 6th at the school community playground to learn how to create their own super nifty teleidoscopes. I posted the info for that above. Any questions, just give me a holler.

 

Other than pottery and Lubec Arts Alive, I am preparing to teach an encaustics workshop on July 17th here in Lubec. I have to plan for supplies in advance, so if you are planning on attending, get in touch with me ASAP. I can't wait to share this medium with others - which is perfect not only for painterly types, but for those who are looking for something new to try with their photography or as a surface treatment for their sculpture. Click here for workshop info.

 

I am sitting in my favorite chair enjoying a refreshing breeze as it filters through the half-shaded window. The humidity is astounding today and a far-cry from the super cool we felt just a week ago. The heavy greying sky is foretelling of a doozy of a thunder boomer. The cats are sprawled out on the floor searching for some ground level relief and the crows are going about their usual business of cawing loudly and tending their nests. I bet the marathoners sure are glad they aren't running today!

 



 

 

 

 

Catch Cobscook Pottery at one of these locations this summer!

 

 

Maine Crafts Guild at MDI Directions 2013 

July 26-28

Mount Desert High School, Mount Desert Maine

Click here for more info

 

Maine Crafts Guild at Bar Harbor 2013

August 14-16

Atlantic Oceanside Hotel and Conference Center

Click here for more info

 

Lubec Market

Downtown Lubec

Saturdays beginning June 15th

9am-12pm

Last summer the market was a huge hit! Lots of great fresh produce, cheeses, baked goods, crafts, and live music!

I'll be here most Saturdays unless it's pouring rain or I am out of town  for another show.

 

Cobscook Pottery

North Lubec Road, Lubec, Maine

(just down the road from Artworks of Maine and McFadden's Market)

OPEN most days in the summer. Look for the OPEN flag (and sign!)

I am potting most days in the summer, so if you show up to shop, be warned that I will most likely be clay-covered and wheel-dizzied!

We're tucked away off the beaten path. If traveling from a distance, feel free to call or email first to be sure that we are open. To send an email, use this contact form.

 

Also.... find Cobscook Pottery at these Maine locations

Ironbound Gallery, Camden

Center for Maine Craft, West Gardiner

Northern Tides, Lubec

Red Sleigh, Perry

The Commons, Eastport

 

 

Summer Schedule Kicking In

Spark Plug at Low Tide

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

We are never at a loss for foggy mornings in Lubec.

 

 

Mark your calendar for these Summer Events!

Cobscook Pottery will be selling on location!

 

 

 

Bay of Fundy Marathon EXPO

Saturday, June 22, Noon-7pm

Lubec School Gymnasium

I made the awards for the marathon - eighteen handcarved top-placement awards, and eighty-four handcarved medallions. I'll be at the EXPO with my Herring Collectors Series pottery.

 

Bay of Fundy Marathon Race Day Celebration

Sunday, June 23, 9-?

Downtown Lubec

(I'll be with the Lubec Market folks across from the library)

 

Maine Crafts Guild at MDI Directions 2013 

July 26-28

Mount Desert High School, Mount Desert Maine

Click here for more info

 

Maine Crafts Guild at Bar Harbor 2013

August 14-16

Atlantic Oceanside Hotel and Conference Center

Click here for more info

 

Lubec Market

Downtown Lubec

Saturdays beginning June 15th

9am-12pm

Last summer the market was a huge hit! Lots of great fresh produce, cheeses, baked goods, crafts, and live music!

I'll be here most Saturdays unless it's pouring rain or I am out of town  for another show.

 

Cobscook Pottery

North Lubec Road, Lubec, Maine

(just down the road from Artworks of Maine and McFadden's Market)

OPEN most days in the summer. Look for the OPEN flag (and sign!)

I am potting most days in the summer, so if you show up to shop, be warned that I will most likely be clay-covered and wheel-dizzied!

We're tucked away off the beaten path. If traveling from a distance, feel free to call or email first to be sure that we are open. To send an email, use this contact form.

 

Also.... find Cobscook Pottery at these Maine locations

Ironbound Gallery, Camden

Center for Maine Craft, West Gardiner

Northern Tides, Lubec

Red Sleigh, Perry

The Commons, Eastport

 

 

 Guardian

Ceramic, Shanna Wheelock, 2013

Mowry Beach, Lubec, Maine

 

 

Exposed: Series 3, #6

Encaustic, Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

 

Factory C, Lubec, Maine

Digital Photo, Shanna Wheelock. 2013

 

 

 from the series:

Between the Silence

Ceramic, found objects

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

 

 

The calm before the storm. That's what today is. I've never been one to shun a good storm, and we certainly  have had plenty of that in the literal sense the past few weeks, but I am talking about the whirlwind of summer that is about to begin. Yesterday and today I am sighing a huge breath of release as several deadlines hit me all at once and now that each of those projects has come to closure, I am enjoying a couple days with my family before kicking it into high gear at the wheel. Wednesday marks the first big production day for summer pottery and this summer's schedule will prove to be the most rigorous that I have taken on, ever. Just running the shop and stocking a few Maine galleries is a full-time job, but packing wares to hit the road adds a whole other dimension. As hectic as it gets, I love it. I love it all.

 

This past weekend I packed up the car and drove about 260 miles to Kennebunk where I presented my semester's work at Heartwood College of Art. I am now in my 7th semester in the low residency/part-time MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program. Three more semesters to go and I will have those three capital letter positioned finely on my list of curriculum vitae doings. As I head into the final three semesters and the onset of my thesis work, I will be honing my personal philosophies and a body of work that represents where I am at this point in my life as an artist. I am looking forward to the couple months this summer without school work to give my noggin some recharge time, but I know that in between pots and love-peace mantras, I will be mentally formalizing my ideas.

 

That's the thing about artists...whether visual, musical, poetic...artists are ALWAYS thinking. We have these OPEN 24 HOURS kinds of brains that seriously never stop. We even dream our art. I'll admit it, even when you are having a conversation with me, my mind is juggling our conversation with ideas. When I take a walk, you know, that relaxing space of time when I am communing with nature....my mind is creating compositions and wondering what little nugget of found debris on the side of the road might be a springboard for a new piece. I guess we can use that cliché (in reference to being an artist) it is "not a job, it is a lifestyle."

 

I was relieved to finally finish up the four months of Bay of Fundy Marathon awards work. It is no big surprise, I underestimated my time for the project. Every award, including the eighty-four medallions, is handcarved. I am pleased with how they turned out and am excited about the marathon placers being able to accept an award that was made with love and care, and that these pieces will travel all over the world. I am thankful to the marathon committee who selected me to create the awards for this first year event, and that I was able to inject my own artistic voice by offering my Herring Collectors Series design. Marathon week is coming up quick and I have lots of work to prepare before the EXPO on the 22nd. Lubec has not seen such a mass of people in our little town since Chris and I have lived here. What a fabulous vision Katherine Cassidy had for our  little town. She should be so proud to see her idea come to fruition. Lubec will never be the same!

 

And speaking of our little fishing village, things in general are coming to life. Summer Keys begins in a couple weeks, the farmer's market, lots of live concerts, restaurants are open and serving eclectic and delicious meals, new shops are opening. When we first moved here it was a ghost town. Now, Lubec is found in all kids of travel destination magazines and national newspaper articles, including June's issue of Down East Magazine. It's amazing to be living here to see this transition, the revitalization of a town that was, only ten years ago, desolate and depressed. The people here are strong. They have endured a lot of hardships, but somehow like the phoenix they have risen up out of the flames.

 

 



Lubec Springs to Life

I just completed another set of columns based on factory ruins of Lubec. Creating different arrangements with the individual components has enlightened me to the difference between how the ruins "feel" vs. how they "look". The above example illustrates what I feel when I stand at the ruins of the old Columbian Factory.

 

 

 Columbian Factory ruins, Lubec, Maine

 

 

 

"Rubble"

This is how I "see" the ruins.

 

 

 "Guardians"

Surface texture translated from my "Water, Wind, and Time" drawing series that focuses on details from the factory ruins. To view some of the drawings, click here.

 

The image that inspired "Guardians".

The old pilings that emerge from the sand and seaweed look and feel like keepers of the ruins.

 

 

Bouli has a thing for the camera. As soon as the photo lights turn on she hops onto the staging and starts flashing those baby blues. I'm starting to think that she might have a career in product advertisement.

 

 I'm still working on the Bay of Fundy Marathon and 10k awards. These are the 10K awards, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, for men and women. I'm closing on the finish line....so to say. 

 

 

 The 10k and marathon medallions are now in production. I had thought I would work from a mold but decided that I prefer the handcarved look....so I am now handcarving each of the eighty-four medallions. I have my work "carved" out for me!

 

 

 

 Herring Collectors Series platter, fresh from the fire last week.

 

Spring has finally sprung in Lubec. Warm days with penetrating sun, green grass, leaf buds, and daffodils grace us. The critters are coming out en masse and our yard has been playing host to all kinds of species. The porcupine seems to have found a place in our family and the deer graze on the fresh greens awaiting the arrival of our garden. Eagles and osprey fly overhead while Blue Jays take to the tree tops. The pileated woodpecker has been drumming on one of the birches, a rhythm much deeper and louder than the downy which normally claims the decaying trunks.

 

Another signal of springtime in Lubec is the return of people who scattered to warmer climates during the winter. Those who dared to face the snow and wind here on the peninsula emerge from their dens to once again be social. The market is a bit busier and the downtown shops and restaurants show signs of opening. My dream a few nights ago of the big brown bear is sort of how I think of us here. There is a deep and rejuvenating sleep in this little town in preparation for the highly contrasted alertness of the warmer months. The segue is gradual at first with thick fog banks enveloping the shoreline, but eventually sun breaks through.

 

We moved here almost twelve years ago with the plan to stay only one year. Lubec was supposed to be a transition point for us, but instead, fate found us setting up house on a permanent basis. The journey has been trying at times, but hindsight is always 20/20 they say. I am thankful for the alignment of various events and people that brought us here and feel incredibly blessed to call this tiny seaside village "home".

 

Before we moved here, Chris' grandfather would say to us that Lubec was "the perfect place for an artist and a writer." When we arrived on that late August day in 2001 to what appeared to be a ghost town of sorts, I couldn't find the wisdom in Richard's words. But now, yes, I recognize just how very insightful, and prophetic, his words were.

 

We moved to a town that was in transition, suffering the loss of a factory industry that had allowed it to, at one time, prosper immensely.  Now, almost twelve years later, there is a renaissance occurring. The streets are again filling with people and businesses are opening. Lubec has become a tourist destination to people from all over. This once-sleepy little town has been "found-out" by musicians, artists, writers, and organic farmers who revel (in a sort of introverted way) in its humble beauty.

 

At one time I used to joke that our "big night out" was a ride around town to watch the sun set over the bay. Now there are so many things happening in this region that one cannot even begin to take it all in, from theater, to musical performances, to art openings, to community-hosted potlucks, movies, and hikes. There is no greater backdrop than the majestic bold coast where we live.

 

Lubec Market re-opens mid June, the marathon soon follows, and festival planning is in place. Lubec Arts Alive is in the thick of designing the early July event and for me personally, the prep has begun for "pottery season". I am juggling production for fairs and shops while trying to wrap up the awards for the marathon.

 

I am so excited to announce that it is official - Lubec is one of the sites selected for the 2014 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium (SISS)! You'll be hearing lots more about that as time progresses toward the event. For the short term, when enjoying the marathon festivities downtown on June 23rd, be sure to visit the Strawberry Moon Shortcake booth to enjoy some yummy fresh eats while learning about the SISS project. This is our first fundraiser for the stone sculpture that will soon grace our town and put us "on the map." Be sure to stop by!
 

 

 

 

 

Awaiting the Threshold

 WATER, WIND, and TIME: Exposed

Series 2

(three of nine drawings)

Inspired by the Columbian Canning Plant ruins, Lubec, Maine

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

 GUARDIANS

Interpretations of drawings from "Water, Wind, and Time" onto clay

(greenware forms - planning to kiln fire soon!)

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

 

 Awards for the Bay of Fundy Marathon (June 2013) are carved and drying - awaiting the first of two kiln firings. Next up: Creation of approximately 80 medallions.

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

 

Chris was a busy poet in April, as it was National Poetry month. He packed the house at UMM on the 9th, then scooted up to Bangor the next day to read at "Poet Speak" at the Bangor Public Library. He was one of three poets who represented a new journal "The Catch".

 

 Production pottery is back in full swing. Mugs, mugs, and more mugs. (and a few bowls, sake jugs, vases.....etc.)

 

 

This big spiky guy has been in the front yard the past two evenings. A few days ago, the deer. Wondering what critter will take to feasting on the fresh new greens next. Big hole dug on lawn as well. I think the culprit is the skunk that was scuttling about in our driveway. Last night a raccoon woke me while trying to steal our bagged garbage. Yep. Spring has arrived.

 

 

 

Yesterday I met with friends for an afternoon social. We sat in a cabin poised next to a large window overlooking the serene bay at low tide, sipping locally-crafted crimson berry tea and snacking on homemade nut-meal cookies. The conversation was, as usual, energetic and hopeful; a sharing of ideas and current creative endeavors.

 

Getting to the point of gathering the three of us in one spot for any length of time is quite the task. To coordinate this afternoon visit, we had met for five minutes in a parking lot two weeks previous with our datebooks in hand. While the organization for a visit is challenging, there is, on some sort of intuitive level, a knowing that these mini gatherings are important and that we should make every effort possible to make them happen.

 

Our conversation, at one point, turned to the recent Boston marathon bombing. The event has inundated the media this past week and less than 24 hours earlier, a nineteen year old was taken into custody after an intense overnight shootout and manhunt. Boston and surrounding towns had essentially been "shut-down", the streets void of people and transit lest for the hundreds of cops and other tactical teams. My mother recalled that she had not seen anything like this since she lived in Boston in the sixties when the "Boston Strangler" was at-large and there was an after-dark curfew for women. In a city that is normally active with pedestrians and the whir of vehicles, the silence was eerie.

 

In our round table discussion, we offered our feelings on the subject. The conversation was inevitably politically-tinged and we all did not have the same thoughts on how the country as a whole should proceed or prevent further violent acts of this nature. While our politics differed, one thing stood out: Despite deeply held individual beliefs, we gather in peace, compassion, and respect on a common ground of friendship, healing, and art.

 

This has had me thinking how very rare it is that people of opposing views can be in each others' presence in these turbulent, highly-divided political times and still find "the common ground" that links us. We hear politicians talk about "meeting in the middle" but seldom does that actually occur. Seldom can we even gather polar opposites without a real knock-down drag-out verbal boxing round. We are a country at odds, and in the bigger picture, that won't fare well for us or the young people that are growing up in these times.

 

We live surrounded by (an acceptance of) the culture of violence. While the recent bombing in Boston shook us at the core and stripped us of yet another layer of what little bit of security that we felt, we continue on with our lives and for me personally, I wonder, what really can, or will, be done to change this course of self-destruction.

 

Even after the Newtown shooting that claimed the lives of twenty-five young children and two adults, a slight majority of our political "leaders" would not budge to allow a simple background check before a person buys a gun. This was after a knowing that 90% of Americans favored such legislation. What will it take?  How many more heartbreaking acts of violence will finally put us over that threshold where EVERYONE says that "enough is enough".

 

When will we start looking to real solutions that begin to rebuild us a healthy, compassionate, peaceful society?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back from Heartwood Residency: Fired up and ready to roll!

Upcoming ART Workshops

with Shanna Wheelock in her Lubec studio

 

The Clay Goddess Workshop for Women

Images of females, animals, and nature that date back thousands of years empower today’s women along their own journey. Learn about ancient art, mythology, and feminine symbology while hand-sculpting with clay in a relaxing and inspirational studio environment. Participants will be guided to discover with which deities and symbols they most connect. Make figurines, wall plaques, pottery, and amulets, whatever your soul desires!

 

Wednesday April 17, 2013

5:30-8:30 p.m.

Tuition: $65 (includes materials and firing fee)

Pre-registration is required. Limited space available. To register or for more info, email me at:

shanna@shannawheelock.com

Click here to find a Downloadable PDF file on my website under "Upcoming Events and News"

 

 

 

 Introduction to Encaustic Painting

Encaustic, meaning "to burn in" is a method of painting with a mixture of beeswax, tree resin, and pigment that dates back thousands of years. Medium is applied in a molten liquid state to prepared substrate, painted in layers and heat-fused. This one day introductory workshop is perfect for beginners who want to learn the basics. We’ll cover history, safety, materials, tools, equipment, substrate preparation, color application, layering, fusing, scraping and buffing, mark-making, etching, transfers, and pigment sticks. No previous art experience necessary. Materials are provided. All you need to bring is lunch/snacks/drink and an apron or paint shirt.

 

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Tuition: $185 (includes materials)

Pre-registration is required. Limited space available. To register or for more info, email me at:

shanna@shannawheelock.com

Click here to find a Downloadable PDF file on my website under "Upcoming Events and News"

 

 

WATER, WIND, and TIME: Factory C Drawing series

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

12" x 15"

ink

 

This is the beginning stage for the drawing seen above....I am feeling kind of drawn to it's simplicity.

 

 

Guardian

One of a series in study of Factory C.

Greenware (in progress)

Shanna Wheelock, 2013

 

Our MFA pod during residency weekend at Heartwood College of Art.

 

 

 Sherry Ashby Cunningham explains symbolism in her painting during our "Spirituality in Women's Art" presentation at the Machias Women's Forum.

 

 

 Elizabeth Ostrander discusses her sculpture during our "Spirituality in Women's Art" presentation at the Machias Women's Forum.

 

 

 

 Bouli preens before the Machias presentation. She must have thought that she would be joining us at the talk. Maybe next time, Bouli.

 



 

I'm recently returned from MFA residency weekend in Kennebunk. Twice a semester I am on campus at Heartwood College of Art and ALWAYS it is an amazing event. Fourteen women artists gathered for camaraderie and creation during the intensive weekend. We began on Friday with potluck and critique. As usual, the food was fabulous and eclectic and the artwork was diverse and inspirational: nudes on fabric, stuffed pantyhose, seven-foot felted pillars, dogwood and feather arrows....drawing, printing, painting, and sculpture galore! The weekend was packed with an all-day Saturday hands-on workshop followed by a delicious evening out at Academe. It was a good thing that we filled our bellies (and minds!) with fuel because Sunday found us at the round table for a lively discussion of William James' writing. Let's just say that the book talks can get a wee bit fiery. (Or maybe that's just me?!) I didn't realize this at the time of our discussion, but James was a Swedenborgian theologian. One of my favorite Portland church-hopping memories in the early 90's was the Swedenborg church. Just an interesting connection.

 

I returned from residency weekend fired-up and ready to roll in the studio. That's the thing about being an artist. When the inspiration strikes one MUST act upon it lest one be quite miserable. (This I learned long ago). I am blessed to have the flexibility and time to act upon my creative impulses but have been through many years in the past where that was not always possible. I am truly grateful for this gift of time and freedom. Lately my urges have moved mostly toward drawing. I have always loved to draw but the pottery, weaving, and sculpture has consumed me. This current study of Factory C offered up so many seductive images that screamed for illustration. The drawing is grounding me and allowing meditative reflection and an in-depth look at the finer construction details in this massive dilapidated structure. I could seriously spend years studying this one ruin.

 

My typical day of late consists of nine to eleven hours of intense, obsessive studio time, hopping between the cave, the nook, and the drawing table. When not in the studio, I can be found at a community arts meeting or walking. March was particularly busy with appointments as well. The detailed drawings prompted me to finally get glasses! There is definitely an adjustment period, but so far, I am finding them helpful while drawing thousands of tiny lines.

 

In March I presented art talks at two venues. This past week I joined artists Sherry Ashby Cunningham and Elizabeth Ostrander to speak at the Machias Women's Forum on the topic of spirituality in women's art. The venue was quickly outgrown by the attendees but somehow we all squeezed-in. There were even a few men in the audience which I have a feeling might be a bit unusual for this forum. Nice to see!  I loved listening to both Sherry and Elizabeth realizing how much we have in common in our spiritual paths and creative inspirations. Estrogen and "girl-power" was flowing full force this evening and I found it to be truly empowering!

 

 

Creating Modern Day Artifacts

Visit Shanna Wheelock's website

 

 

Machias Women's Forum presents

Spirituality in Women's Art

 

 

Presenters: Sherry Ashby Cunningham, Elizabeth Ostrander, and Shanna Wheelock

Thursday, March 21, 2013

in the meeting room at Helen's Restaurant, Machias

Dinner from the menu at 5:30 p.m., presentation at 6:30 p.m.

Although this is the Women's Forum, men are encouraged to attend this special event!

Click here for more info.

 

 

 

 

Art Workshops

With Instructor Shanna Wheelock

Lubec, Maine

Clay Goddess: April 17

Introduction to Encaustic Painting: July 10

For more info, send an inquiry here.

 

 

 

 

 The corner of my drawing table.

Note the old Grumbacher box.

This is the same box that years ago held my mom's drawing charcoal.

 

 

"The Nook"

 I have been spending most of my time here lately

 working out ideas, sketching, reading, researching, and designing workshop fliers.

 

 

I completed nine ink drawings in the "Factory C"series and have now begun to transcribe them onto clay. 

 

 

Some things to keep in mind....

 

 

So many things happen in a week that it is hard to keep track of it all. I am in a mad flurry of art activity as the obsession with Factory C grows. I have felt an urgency to get the ideas down and this week that all began to make sense. I heard a tidbit of news that the dilapidated remains may, in part, be removed. Though I understand the safety issues with a building in such a state, I am saddened at the thought of anything changing by the hands of humans. Until now, the building's condition has been at the whim of the natural elements and the result has been one that exudes a silent and powerful sense of reverence. As my work unfolds over the next few months, I hope to capture some of that feeling in ink, clay, and wax, not only for my own creative self-indulgence, but also to serve as some sort of historical modern-day artifact.

 

This past week's agenda contained a sprinkling of business, health, spiritual, and art meetings along with a talk that Elizabeth Ostrander and I presented at The Eastport Arts Center.  I am always a bit  nervous before speaking in public. Even with more than thirteen years teaching under my belt this feeling has never gone away. I was comforted by the peaceful ambiance of the center and the presence of a few familiar and friendly faces in the crowd. For my portion of the presentation I had created a slide show of some of the key women in my life who have somehow contributed to my development as an artist. Though I focused on only a handful of women, there are in fact so many more who deserve mention. Listening to Elizabeth's account of her art experiences and journey that has sustained her through seventy years of art-making, I realized that my forty-three years on this planet has been eased and benefited by all the women who came before me, who fought for their place in what has traditionally been a "man's world." I am fortunate to have men in my life, as well, who have supported my journey, men who have broken through the traditional roles and stereotypes to value women's contributions to the art world and life in general.

 

The next few days I will prepare for my MFA seventh semester's residency, spend time with creative friends, and work on another "talk". Along with two other artists, Sherry Ashby Cunningham and Elizabeth Ostrander, I will present at the Machias Women's Forum on March 21. The topic is spirituality in women's art. I am still gathering my thoughts for this presentation as it will differ from last week's talk in Eastport. Right now the thought is that I will focus primarily on my fiber works. But we'll see. A lot can change in my mind over the course of four days.

 

No doubt some are singing Irish folk songs, eating boiled cabbage, and drinking green beer by the time they read this blog entry, being St. Patty's Day and all. My Celtic roots are strong but I will most likely be found in the studio with hands steeped in gritty mud. My internal clock, still adjusting to the time change, finds me in bed an hour longer than usual most days but burning the midnight oil to get the work done. Though the temps dipped again this week, there is a feeling of spring in the air. Foolish to think such thoughts perhaps. The calendar suggests that Spring Equinox arrives soon, but local meteorology threatens snow. Several inches. Plowable.

Back to the Drawing Table

 Sunday, March 10, 2013
Women's Art: A Conversation with Elizabeth Ostrander and Shanna Wheelock
3:00 p.m.at the Eastport Arts Center
36 Washington Street, Eastport, Maine
Click here for Shanna Wheelock's website.
Click here Elizabeth Ostrander's website
Click here for the Eastport Art Center website.

 

 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Machias Women's Forum

5:30-8:00 p.m.

Helen's Restaurant, Machias, ME

Presenters: Shanna Wheelock, Elizabeth Ostrander, and Sherry Ashby Cunningham

Topic: How Spirituality informs and inspires our artwork

Save the date and check back for more info.

 

 

Been drawing images of "Factory C" 

(Shanna Wheelock, Lubec, Maine)

 

 

Factory C

(Lubec, Maine)

 

 

Interior View of "Factory C"

(Shanna Wheelock, Lubec, Maine)

 

Photo of "Factory C"

(Lubec, Maine)

 

Back in early college years my ceramics professor told me that being able to draw is a critical skill, even for a potter. Though I enjoyed drawing I fumbled around quite a bit. The fine arts program leaned on the heavy side of drawing credits and for that I am thankful. From those years I developed a love of figure drawing and conte. Drawing for me, though, is one of those things that gets put to the side when there are dozens of mugs or a sculpture needing to be done. I do genuinely love to draw, and just as with weaving or clay work, I can get lost for hours in shading and line.

 

Soon after I visited the ruins at Factory C, I knew that I wanted to draw the images that were burned so deeply in my mind. What I didn't account for was that it had been at least three years since I had picked up a drawing tool to do a serious drawing.

 

I was a bit apprehensive as my logical self laid out ideas for matching paper sizes and a grouping of drawings all executed in one material. I soon realized that I was far more rusty with my drawing skills than previously thought. A few rough starts in pencil then grumblings with shading and tendencies toward detail even thought the material was not well suited for that, I forged onward. A mix of pleasure and pain, if you will. I eventually got into my groove and reminded myself that I don't need to have it all figured out before the first line is even drawn.

 

Four drawings later, I am starting to find my zone and zero in on what I'd like to do. The first few drawings are like getting back to the wheel after a few months away. At first it feels awkward but eventually the hands remember the right pressure and speed. Drawing is meditative in the same was as clay or fiber, and messy in its own right.

 

I plan to use the drawings as a means to an end. They will be studied, dissected, enlarged, then transferred in some fashion. Right now I just catch glimpses of a plan in mind's eye. As with most of my projects, I don't know the end result until I know the end.

 

Drawing can be addictive but right now I have quite a few things to juggle so that obsession will have to be squeezed into allotted blocks of time over the next few weeks. I just spent the past two weeks fully immersed in the factory study from clay work to drawing, ruin site visits, time at the library, and online research. I took a small hiatus from the bulk of meetings that I normally attend and other semi-social functions for that focus, but the roster is once again full and I am at that moment in the calendar year where I take a deep breath, hold up my feet, and move full steam ahead. The next few months until January 2014 are blocked with commissions, vending, stocking shops, speaking engagements, workshops, MFA classes, farmer's market, and community work with Lubec Arts Alive and (newly added) committee work for the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium project.  (YES! It looks like Lubec, in most high probability, will be one of the 2014 sites! I'll post updates as I know them.)

 

Happy Birthday Mom!

 

 

We just returned from the Samoset where we celebrated my mom's 70th birthday with a lovely evening out on the town. The visit was too short but ended on a fun note with mom and Chris singing all kinds of songs from the 50's. Let's just say that Elvis was one of the faves and when the first line of Hound Dog began the two of them were twisting across the room while belting out the lyrics. It sure was a sight! I hope that I am this energetic and free-spirited at seventy. Crossing my fingers those genes are well ingrained. Thanks, Mom, for forty three years of unconditional love and nurturing, and thank you for being such a wonderful guide and supporter of my artist self.

 

In the downeast area this coming weekend?

 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Women's Art: A Conversation with Elizabeth Ostrander and Shanna Wheelock

3:00 p.m.at the Eastport Arts Center

 

While I was in Rockland and tooling around the streets, I came upon this lovely mermaid resting contently in a window box along Main Street. This is the work of Elizabeth Ostrander, an Eastport artist with whom I will share the stage this coming Sunday as we present a talk at the Eastport Arts Center.

 

Mermaid by Elizabeth Ostrander