Autumn Suite: Sumac

Those rich, red sumacs! One of my favorite things about fall here on the Missouri River....they line the banks of the river in our back yard. While most of the year the sumacs are not all that interesting, not to mention highly invasive, it is in the height of autumn that I fall in love with them all over again. I forgive them all previous annoyances!

Autumn Suite: October no.2 / Sumac

This is the latest in the Autumn Suite series, inspired by those beautiful sumacs. If you want to see the drawing in closer detail, follow the link above, which will take you to my Etsy shop where there are some closer shots. The leaves are made with many, many tiny dots in various colors....mostly red, of course, but also green, orange and brown. The beeswax only makes it richer.

I'll leave you with another little surprise....a few weeks ago, I started combining some of the little bits from the artworks (unfinished and/or cast aside) laying about the studio. I guess I was inspired by all the prints laying in piles all over the ping pong table in the large open area my husband and I share. He had been cleaning out the flat files and I laid claim to a pile that was going to be thrown away. My husband, Johntimothy, is a printmaker and this pile contained all sorts of yummy printed paper....woodcut, silkscreen, intaglio....it's a goldmine! I made a couple of tiny collage/mixed media pieces....this is one below. It measures probably 3" tall and is practically dominated by that big round button at the bottom that feels to me like a kind of wheel. I can see a whole installation of tiny 3-d collage pieces pinned randomly on a large gallery wall.....I'll continue to make these little items as the spirit strikes!

Temperatures are dropping here....tonight we have our first freeze warning....really???? This autumn business is getting serious and sounding suspiciously like winter is on its way soon. Enjoy the rest of your week! Cheers!

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Back to the Practice or, Some Things Are Not For Sale

Greetings friends....hope you are enjoying the start of December. Here in South Dakota, where one might expect winter to be in full swing, we are enjoying a sunny day with 59 degree temperatures...what gives? I am NOT complaining about this and am hoping that the winter weather holds off for us until after Christmas travel....so far, it's working!

So....I've been thinking....and coming to some realizations. Maybe many of you who have read past posts on this blog are clued into the ambivalence I feel about making art "for" the marketplace or making art which entails marketing it afterward. I started the daily drawing practice in early January of this year, which became a new Etsy shop, MissouriBendMusings and I kept that up pretty well until October of this year when a number of events coincided, including a case of burnout. I stopped making the "dailies" for many reasons and nothing new has been posted in that shop in quite some time. While I took the time to regroup, I began making other work and have felt less and less inclined to add them to the Etsy shop and have just put most of these latest new pieces on my website. I did find that I missed that daily practice and what I began to understand was that I had heaped the marketing and selling on top of a practice that was based in all things opposite, one that was more spiritual in nature. For me, a daily practice is about quiet moments, about the joy of making and about leaving a trace of having been. The joy was/is indeed in the making and in the ritual, while the photographing, the posting, the marketing became a chore. There are nuances here that are important, because it's easy to fall in step with that constant drumbeat to brand, brand, brand and market the work on all possible sites. Lots of people enjoy that process and I applaud them, but it's not so much a part of me, it seems. What I do enjoy is the sharing and the conversation and that's what I'm doing here on this blog....yes, there's always been a bit of marketing, but this blog is about sharing the work and enjoying the friendships I've made with people across the globe.

There's a new daily practice taking shape and I'm happy to share them with you, but they aren't going into a shop or on a website....they are quietly making a stack on the table in my studio, the date of their making written in pencil on the back.....here is a week's worth of 3x3" daily collage pieces.

I'm just quietly gluing bits of paper, most of which are Japanese paper of various kinds. There is a tiny leap of joy to see what happens when one piece of paper covers another, creating a layering and a muting of color....sometimes the brightly colored bits are on top, but sometimes there is more beauty in the layering that creates subtlety. The pieces are tiny and fit just so perfectly in the palm of your hand....I'm happy to make them and not have to market them. I'll share them with you here from time to time, but not on a regular basis....this is about the practice.

But, I do have a few other new items to share and these can be found either in the MissouriBendStudio shop or on my website. If there is a link underneath the image, it will take you to the Etsy shop, otherwise if you would like a better look, please feel free to visit my website: www.robertspizzuto.com

Meditation no.5

Meditation no.6

The pieces above are the latest in the Meditation series, where I am again making use of the layering. The tiny bits of text from books are glued to the sheet of Japanese paper underneath the beeswaxed sheet. The red fragment of paste paper is stitched to the top. I think no. 5 measures approximately 15"x 9" and no.6 is about 8"x8". Somehow my ruler has taken a walk and I can't measure them at the moment!

The Pairing

I found a couple of pieces bristol board with the teabags adhered to them, so this piece came about from some fragments of earlier pieces that didn't get finished. Actually those little cups were initially part of a side panel on the latest Ancestors piece, which I'll show you next, but in the end, that piece became much more spare and the cups found a home here! Almost forgot that newest Notes from the Ancestors piece, no.13, which can be found on my website.

Notes From The Ancestors no.13

I'm trying to simplify life a bit, so I can spend more time in the studio, reading books, and getting back to reading other blogs. So many interests to pursue! Always glad to hear from you with questions and comments. Wishing you a happy, safe holiday season....I'll be back before too long.....until then, enjoy!

Quiet Meditations

Hello everyone....Thanksgiving is behind us and that means that the Holiday Season is upon us in earnest! There is no snow here yet and the temperatures are fluctuating between rather cold and positively mild, but that's just fine, as I'm sure that when winter really arrives, it will be here quite long enough.

Those quiet, little Navigations pieces I showed you last time are continuing...thank you so much for the positive feedback! But, the name "Navigations" didn't seem quite right and I realized that they are more meditative....so the series is renamed Meditations. Here a couple more of them....but again, very hard to see, unfortunately. The very qualities that I love about them....the quiet lack of contrast and the delicate marks and stitching....make them most difficult to photograph. Let's see how these latest two show up, along with their details for a better view. I will get them onto my website soon, but in the meantime, if you would like to see better views and/or more details, don't hesitate to ask.

Meditation no.3

Meditation no.3 (detail)

Meditation no.4

Meditation  no.4 (detail)

We had a trip to St. Paul, MN to be with some of my husband's family for Thanksgiving....way too much good food, of course! Good to be back home now, getting caught up on laundry, etc. and settling back into a routine. Something about this cold weather makes me want to cozy up with a book and a taste of scotch (my latest interest!) to warm the bones! Hope you are enjoying a fine day!

Craving Simplicity

Hello! It's good to be back after quite a long absence. Thank you all so much for the kind words and warm wishes after the death of my father-in-law. Life becomes very complicated after such a transition....negotiating transitions, trusts, estates, aging parents, etc.  Somehow all this will settle down again, but it's been somewhat overwhelming lately. I'm sure many of you can relate. With life so complicated, I've been craving moments of quiet and the simplicity of open space.

Navigations no.1

Navigations no.1 (detail)

Navigations no.2

Navigations no.2 (detail)

I have some long, narrow pieces of Japanese paper that have been lightly coated with beeswax and I made these two pieces in a time of quiet this morning. They are intentionally quite subtle, which unfortunately makes them very difficult to photograph. The first piece has two vintage buttons in either top corner and a fragment of a book page (also beeswaxed) that captures a bit of text and a blank margin....this little piece is stitched with multiple lines of off-white thread in the margin. That's all....quiet and simplicity. The second piece has a cut bit of old book page attached with horizontal rows of stitching. The shape is somewhat architectural....above it is a free-form shape of random stitches, something like a cloud. It is offset by a tiny pearl to the left. In the left corner another tiny text fragment is stitched....helping to hold it to a backing sheet.  Navigations is a working title for what may become a series. I'll be showing them on my website in the next day or so...

I like these simple, quiet explorations....at a time when I can't seem to feel in control of my life (always an illusion anyway, isn't it?) making these pieces helps me to create the quiet I crave. 

It's good to be back....I have missed the conversation and so value the friendship I've found here! Hope you all have a fine weekend. 

The Structure of Daily Rituals

Daily Drawing, October 20, 2011

Here we are on the verge of another weekend....December is racing by.....I've even turned another year older since my last post.  It never seems to end and as the years accumulate, I find it shocking that I'm not still in my mid-thirties!  In the flurry of trying to complete the Nocturnes, I had kind of forgotten about the "daily drawings" I was making in Wyoming.  I've just photographed another group of them, which are really a combination of collage and drawing and will share a few here.  I just added the drawing from October 21st to my Etsy shop and will continue to add the others over time. I started out numbering them, but have gotten myself very confused, so now will list them by their creation date.

Daily Drawing, October 21, 2011

These pieces make me realize how much better I feel and how much more productive I am when I have a real structure to my day....the repetition and the rhythm allow for all manner of rich possibilities to unfold. Contrary to what you might think, the daily repetition of tasks can keep you centered and in the moment. I had that kind of rhythm to my day while I was in Wyoming and at home, naturally, there are many ways I am thrown off the path.  Posting these Daily Drawings is a nice reminder for me to get back to the kind of daily structure in which I thrive.

Daily Drawing, October 24, 2011

Hope you have a fine weekend....see you next week!

The Latest

Fragments no. 12

Fragments no.13 

(those are my fingerprints that form the background!)

I'm gaining on those weeds!  I'm yanking them out by the barrelful, along with all the volunteer mulberry trees (tenacious buggers), sumac, daisies and the rest.  I've cut most things back so I can see what I actually have...lovely to discover the phlox in bloom, barely visible before I whacked and pulled enough stuff to let the sun shine on them.  We also finally got the poor tomato plants staked up...so top heavy they had pulled their cages over.  Despite the fact that we've not had any rain to speak of for weeks (after a spring of practical deluge!) they are hanging in there.  Of course, we planted way too many squash plants for the space we have....I guess we never quite believe anything is going to actually grow, so we hedge our bets!

The internet was SUPPOSED to be fixed by now, but no one came this afternoon....but here we are up and running...for now.  I've seen more of the inside of our local McDonalds (using their internet access) in the last couple weeks than in the previous five years I'm sure.  So, maybe tomorrow?

I also hope to have some really good news to share in a few days.  Just waiting to see if this opportunity will become a reality and then I'll share it with you.  Hate to keep you on the edge, but don't want to jinx anything!  A couple of the latest Fragments....no. 15 will be listed tomorrow.

Fragments no. 14

Fragments no.15

See you in a few days....hope you all have a great week!

A New Week Full of New Possibilities

Fragments no.7

I'm working in the studio in fits and starts these days, as I continue the Fragments pieces at a slower pace, as well as mull over what is next. Still playing with those little wooden discs, all yet unfinished, as it remains unclear just where they want to go and what they want to be.  For someone who thinks through their hands, as I do, I must constantly remind myself that not much of value will happen for me staring off into space....I just have to keep at it, even when the energy and the will are at a low point.  It will happen when I least expect it...it always does.  It's like keeping your eyes glued to the front window waiting for the visitor to arrive, but you almost always get surprised when they come in the back door....good thing it was left open!  Here are a few of the latest Fragments pieces I've not yet posted here.  

Fragments no.10

Fragments no. 11

Took advantage of Johntimothy being home today and on a whim, we did a bit of rearranging in the studio.  It's been quite a mess lately (could be part of my low motivation!) and since it was time to regroup anyway, I was suddenly moved to do a little shifting here and there....that's always a bit of an energy boost to come into a fresh looking space, with all the cluttered bits tucked safely back in their places....until tomorrow when it will probably be a mess again!

A neighbor reported the other day the river is down a few inches...which may not sound like a big deal, but at this point, every inch means something!  Another couple of weeks and they'll slowly begin backing off on the releases from the dam.  Should see some changes after that.  

Hope you all have a great week...see you in a few days, if not before!

Cheers!

The Perfect Day

Today is the perfect day....at least in terms of the weather.  This morning we sat outside to have breakfast and the mosquitoes weren't bothersome, the air was fresh and cool and the river, though high, seemed to be moving rather calmly and didn't feel quite so menacing.  We turned off the air conditioner, opened the windows and I've just been outside to eat lunch and it's still absolutely perfect.  The sun is shining, birds are chirping, their songs echoing through the cottonwoods whose leaves have the just the slightest rustle...the air is just the right temperature and the water on the river is still relatively calm.  And why do I need to get back inside, I ask myself?  Whose time clock am I punching, but my own....there is nothing that says I must be inside at the computer or in the studio to justify my day...nothing except my own relentless strictness.  My dear husband, much more relaxed than I, would certainly have no problem encouraging me relax and enjoy the day....although he is up at school, working hard and getting ready for the next  couple of weeks of printmaking workshops that will bring people in from all over the country.

So, even as I continue to drive myself to make more work, pursuing this new series that will take advantage of all the fragments from the mountains of unfinished work I keep finding, I remind myself that I do already have over 150 items in my shop....and must I break my neck to keep adding new work? Or, perhaps, another side of me chimes in, I should expand my horizons and learn a new skill.  I've been looking into taking a beading class up in Sioux Falls, which will be a nice treat and a diversion while John is so tied up these next few weeks.  I have this notion in the back of my head that combines sticks and beads.....hmmmm.

For now, here's the first piece in a series I'm calling Fragments, that will be tiny collages from bits and pieces of my "scrap" pile! There's a full shot and a detail below.

Fragments no.1

Fragments no.1 (detail)

Think I'll go back outside....isn't this what I waited all winter for?  See you fine folks in a couple days!

Pearls on a String...the first in a series

Pearls on a String, no.1

Here's the first in a series of new intuitive and meditative drawings underway...everything seems to come together here...my interest in language and text plays itself out in the lower portion with the layers of  handwritten quasi-language...it just nice to feel your hand move across the page in the act of writing/drawing...and in some ways, aren't they one and the same?  Pearls on a string is a metaphor for words and language, but also for something much larger...aren't we all particular pearls on a string...of history, of the continuum of time...links in a chain in a way...that goes on indefinitely.

The little collaged pieces are drawings done in India ink on dry used teabags, which are then dipped in beeswax.  I fell in love once I stumbled onto this....there are more in the works.

Enjoy and love to have questions, comments and conversation!

Cheers!

Black and White and Red All Over

This is a view of a recent handmade blank book I now have available at MissouriBendStudio...another little homage to collage!  I love the way that different bits of text look when they bump up against each other...different paper, type sizes and styles...so fun!  And sewing on handmade paper dipped in beeswax...nothing better!

Summer no.1 (Season Cycles Series)

It's the first piece in honor of summer in the Season Cycles series.  Like the others in the series, a petite 5 x 5" and mixed media on handmade paper...painting, drawing, collage and embroidery...my favorite combination!  I am experimenting in a new format with the little 1 1/2" square in the middle.  It may prove to be too limiting, but we'll just have to see!  Love to hear comments!

Inspired and Energized

This is one of the collaged blank cards I have started making.  Went away last week to Chicago, with my husband, to celebrate our 16th anniversary!  We saw Steve Martin play at the Ravinia Festival, which was quite a treat, as he is a wonderful banjo player...John and I are learning to play the banjo and it's always fun to see people perform.  One of the other highlights of our trip was the day at the Art Institute of Chicago, where we saw so much wonderful art, that we were both ready to come right home and get to work in the studio!  We made an appointment at the Print and Drawing Room and were able to see a few amazing works that they'd pulled out for us -- prints for John and collages for me.  I had always been somewhat ambivalent  about Kurt Schwitters collages...until last week when I had them in front of me.  They were stunning!  I was struck going through the museum, taking in only a fraction of what we could have seen, that one is drawn to different works as life and the creative pursuit goes on.  When I was in my twenties I was fascinated by Picasso and Dubuffet, Gorky and a whole host of other artists...now there is a different group of people that command my attention...one of them being Kurt Schwitters.  Saw a lot of Joseph Cornell boxes and collages and I continue to love his work.  So, here I am, back at home, ready to dive into new work...inspired and energized!

Dreaming in Collage

This is the front cover of another little book I just posted this afternoon in my shop (www.etsy.com/shop/missouribendstudio).  Lately I have been very much immersed in collage, partly because of the new work I'm making on my own and also because my husband, Johntimothy, and I have a show together at Black Hills State University late in the summer.  He's a printmaker and I would say a master of collage, pattern and surface so we are immersing ourselves in figuring out the work for the show...sort of the logistics of how our collaborative effort will work to make a whole new group of pieces for both of us.  Challenging, but fun!  In the meantime, I am making collages for covers on small pamphlet books, cards, etc. I'm dreaming of collage in my sleep, as I often do when my inner self is trying to figure things out.  It's best that I stay out of the way!

Handmade Blank Book With Collage Cover

I've started making a few simple, pamphlet-stitch blank books with the handmade paper my husband Johntimothy made.  This is the paper I use for almost everything...it's just so wonderful to work with.  The paper ends up painted in most of the work that I do, but here it is shown dipped in beeswax.  The paper starts out pretty white with light flecks in it, but the beeswax turns it much darker and greenish...still beautiful!  I'm making little collages for the covers and I must say, they are ever so much fun!  Listed this piece on Etsy this afternoon, along with another one, and had a sale almost right away.  More books to come!

House Sanctuary

I'm back to sewing on paper for a time.  I suppose I'll continue to juggle these slightly different bodies of work, as they all have a different emphasis and allow me to play with different processes.  The 5x5" mixed work based on the seasons will continue with a couple more for Spring, before moving into Summer.  The watercolor/pen & ink pieces that play with pattern against pattern are fun as they allow for more direct drawing.  But the more I worked on those, the more I missed sewing on that lovely handmade paper that my husband, Johntimothy, makes...I use it for almost all my work, except the watercolors.  So now I've started these new pieces that combine acrylic, embroidery, collage, beads in that house/sanctuary shape that allows for so many possibilities.  If only we had several lifetimes to explore everything life has to offer!  

Pictured above is House Sanctuary, listed yesterday on Etsy.  Below is shot of a section of the embroidery thread in one of the baskets in my studio.  People who saw some snapshots of my studio somehow got the impression that I am quite the neat-nik....so I took a photo of the chaos I keep in my baskets of embroidery thread!  I could keep all the colors separated and in order, but really, isn't this jumble of color and line a delight to behold?  That is, until you need to get at that bit of yellow thread that is ever so tangled up with the blue and the red!

Heading downstairs to the studio for the day, with some time in the garden this afternoon!

Sewn Paper

Just finished up Season Cycles/Spring no. 13 and no. 14 and added to MissouriBendStudio on etsy.com.  In my last post I showed this piece (Spring no. 14) before any of the embroidery and beads were added.  Here it is in its finished state, many hours later!  It's fun to watch what happens as each stitch is added...a very slow and meditative way of drawing!

The Four Seasons

For some reason, this year the change of seasons has been on my mind alot.  I'm not only keenly aware of the change in weather, but also thinking about rhythms, cycles and the ebb and flow of time.  The heavy snows of winter have melted away finally and things are quickly beginning to turn green and come back up through the ground to begin anew. Coming to South Dakota only five years ago after decades of living in Florida, I am still astounded when the plants come back to life!

I've begun a new series of work, Season Cycles, focused on the four seasons.  We're in the early stages of spring now and the first of many pieces have been posted in my shop (www.etsy.com/shop/missouribendstudio).  The pieces will remain a consistent 5x5" with the idea that they can be mixed up a bit and shown in any combination of multiples.  All are mixed media works on handmade paper, combining painting, drawing, embroidery, collage and beads, mounted on masonite and ready for hanging.  The first in the series is shown below!

Please send any comments or queries about the work and I welcome your thoughts about how the change of seasons affects the rhythms in your life!