Not my usual artwork

Sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone or do something different to entertain your mind. I decided to make my first terrariums. They might still look funky but I loved making them.

This was a challenging project because of the small opening of couple of the bottles. It turned out good, it's already raining inside! My little ecosystem is almost maintenance free, just what a busy artist-mom needs.

Blogging from my phone

Is it that what is going to take to keep updating my blog? I hope so. Now being always on the go and having very little time to sit in front of the computer this app might help.

I'm so rusty about talking here that I find myself frozen, not knowing what to say and in the same time with a lot of good news. I was telling my friends fellow artists who are stuck on unproductive days to get going by either taking small steps or taking a class so you are socially forced to do more and finish projects. Now this is my social commitment, my art is still going.

See you soon!

To Do List

Nothing better than make public your to do list to feel the pressure to get it done or just visualize your goals.
This is what I  need to do:

• Change my ugly banner using Photoshop this time
• Finish framing my pastel paintings
• Go 100% papeless office, now I'm 70% not bad
• Pick up old work an replace it with new stuff
• Sikiu, you should teach a class again!
• Update my website
• Keep up with good work and not let anybody to bother you :)

This is good for now.

Love to com back,

Sikiu

Gone shopping

I do all my shopping online, even my groceries, now I'm trying to find some supplies but the page is not opening, maybe it's a sign saying Don't do it! but I really want those kiln bead racks, new glazes and professional brushes. Do you see? I'm not talking about shoes and make up.
By the way, I wonder why my updates here aren't going to my Facebook fan page hmmm I need to fix this issue soon.

The ugliest plaster molds

I'm not ashamed or frustrated, let's say I found it funny. I can't recall how many years of experience I have making plaster molds for my work, this time I just made the ugliest ever. Tomorrow they should be dry enough for their first run and I hope the bad corners won't give too much of  trouble. Why I made them like this? because of the lack of time between feedings. Motherhood is not easy, I'm lucky enough to have few minutes of peace to work. When you are rushing you tend to forget important steps of what your are making, like protecting the original piece from humidity and remembering to seal the corners well.

mini tile mold for my Etsy

Another little job finished this weekend is my husband's website, take a look here the logo was my biggest challenge because I wasn't familiar with Adobe Illustrator but loved learning while making it.

Dear Blog I haven't forgotten you

It seems I'll posting every other month when used to be every other day! I definitely have a lot to share but my hands are always busy with something. I wish my words just type direct from my thoughts. We are still in 2010, maybe Apple will make an application someday LOL.

Art-wise I'm making some beads in glazed terra-cotta, maybe a big production will make me rich, or maybe not but at least my fingers are waking up from the carpal tunnel and my brain from a dormant stage.

2010 © Sikiu Clay Designs 

This is my logo, finally decently made in Photoshop. I made it during class and now I'm working on my husband's for his web site and prints. You see? I haven't been totally inactive, just busy of being a mom. 

Still creating art

Because I haven't post here in a while, doesn't mean I had stopped working. I have actually being busier than ever. To enumerate few of my most recent activities:

1. For a two months exhibition May-June in Indigenous Gallery in Cincinnati Ohio.
2. The stations of the cross, commissioned work for a church in Clinton, CT.
3. Two miniature sculptures at the Alexey Von Schlippe Gallery in the beautiful coast of Groton Long Point. Exhibiting until July.

And my most precious piece of art is a my baby boy Brandon. I love being a mother again, he is just perfect and my biggest inspiration. 

I'm waiting for my carpal tunel due to pregnancy to go away, then to start modeling again; I need my fingertips to feel textures again, please!

Loving my bird tiles

Before I use new glazes, I have to make the test tiles because whatever you do it is almost impossible to fix. It took me about a month between firing the bisque, documenting the color, applying, firing for the second time and finally having them available as a reference for painting.
I used a combination of different textures, opacity and colors, the only thing they have in common is the firing temperature. Maybe in the future I'll play with an additional firing with metallic glazes. For now I'm very happy with my birdie tiles, and as always showing the beautiful color and texture of the terracotta.

And mini tiles for my Etsy store

Trying to go back

Hello again, I've been testing my live video chat and I think it is all set. In the beginning the audio wasn't working now works fine. I can't promise being online everyday for long hours but at least will record every time my show broadcast. You can take a look of what I'm doing, if you are lucky enough we can connect at the same time.
This coming week the show will be about glaze finishing tiles that are going for an exhibition, testing new colors and working on some mini birds.
This is the last video, made today.

My set of lights

Photographing art is not as easy as artists usually think. I discovered it many years ago, then I decided to learn how to use the available tools to create my digital portfolio. I bought a cheap camera with manual and automatic settings - it broke few months ago. Later I got another one I dislike, so what to bother to keep a set of lights that could never plug in? The answer is, set them up in an useable way without the hassle of putting them away. That's is what I did, placing them on the sides of the sofa in the studio they aren't in my way anymore and better of all, I can use the sofa as a support for some shots. The power pack is hiding on the side. I definitely use my creativity to arrange things in a small place.