Pictures of My Work

Here are some pictures of my work.  Let me know what you think!

Entire Word Chimes painting/collage.

Lady pin, fine silver, glass beads and polymer clay.

'Tibetan Running Bird', Precious Metal Clay and colored pencil by Meredith Arnold

Word Chimes #2

Another painting/collage in the Word Chimes series.

This is almost the entire painting.  I love the Japanese poetry writing paper!

The Privilege of Teaching

Lynn South and Meredith in Miami, March, 2009

As a professional teaching artist that also travel teaches, I have the great privilege of meeting and working with many people.  I’m sure I’ve posted about this before but it bears repeating…sort of like the lesson you learn again through your life in different ways.  I hope you know what I mean?

This picture  was sent to me from Lynn South (aka Crash) that was taken when I was teaching in Florida, the last stop of a short teaching tour this Spring.   I laughed at how I ended up being framed by the curtains behind me like we’re in some sort of make shift theater (maybe we were!).   This was taken during a class on polymer clay that I was teaching for the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild (www.sfjag.org).  This was a really great group and I enjoyed teaching for them a lot.  It wasn’t just that I was taken to a party every night from the time I got off the plane.  Really!

Lynn was there when I was introduced to Limoncello for the first time.  I know – middle aged and never had Limoncello?  I don’t get out much, really.  My 1992 Geo just turned to 89,000 miles and I’ve owned it since it had 8 miles on it so that sort of gives you an idea?

The Limoncello was made with grain alcohol so it didn’t take much and I’m sure Lynn was laughing at how goofy I got.  Gerry Rudoff makes some pretty strong Limoncello but it’s tasty.  He kept asking if I wanted more and I had visions of having to be carried to the car, dragged into their house and carted off to bed.   I just couldn’t see doing that as a good guest and all.  Besides I think I had to teach that next day (picture above!).

Anyway, I am always struck by the amazing talent that I get to witness as a teacher.  I am really just a conduit in that sense:  I show how something is done and the students take those techniques their own incredible directions.  It is always humbling and awesome to see,  a privilege really.

Beautiful cake made by a member of MEOW for classmates potluck!

I never know what variety of talents will unfold in a class either, since I don’t usually know much about the people I’m teaching.  Classes are a bit of a “hit and run” that way.  I come in and teach what I know, briefly working with each person in some way and then I’m gone.  When I first started teaching artists it was hard not to bug them to show me what they’re doing later down the road!

Now check out this cake.  I recently taught a group called MEOW, the Machine Embroiderers of Oregon and Washington.  There were members from different local chapters such as the Seattle Cats MEOW, etc. and each brought things for a potluck lunch to share.  The spread was unbelievable.  I HAD to take a picture of this beautiful cake made by one of their members.  Isn’t it exquisite?  What a lovely thing to do and share.  This was one of those times that I cursed mightily at being allergic to wheat!

More Brilliant Turning Points

So another brilliant turning point is another non-woven, felted-like, material known as Ultrasuede.    It’s that expensive stuff that feels like suede leather and you can buy it in the fabric store either in 9″ x 12″ sheets or by the yard off the roll but it’s washable and breathable, unlike real suede leather.

Ultrasuede is an amazing durable, ultra-microfiber invented by the people at Toray Industries, an American company with primary manufacturing and research facilities in Italy and 240 other locations worldwide.  The fiber used to make Ultrasuede is 24 times finer then a human hair.

A few months after this ultra-microfiber was invented, Toray Industries figured out how to make this fiber into what we now know as Ultrasuede.

Ultrasuede begins as spun polymer ultra-microfibers that are extremely light.  The manufacturer’s say that a strand 50 miles long would weigh LESS then a gram.  These ultra-microfibers are then extruded through protective spinnarets that result in each ultra-microfiber floating in a strand of polymer coating, (similar to multi-cabled wire encased in vinyl that jewelry makers use).  The resulting fibers are then ironed, curled and essentially needle felted to make Ultrasuede fabric.  Once the fabric is formed, the polymer coating is dissolved and the material is further processed to make it soft and pliable.

I also use Ultrasuede in bookbinding and as an art supply.  It’s durability, interesting texture and versatility have made it a staple in my studio.  I’ve used it for making refillable bound polymer books for the spine/hinge mechanism, backing for jewelry pieces, as incorporated bits in other things.  It is so strong that it can be used as the mechanical piece for a moving hinge but still look nice, too.

Selection of Ultrasuede from Michiko's (ultrasuedeshop.com)

I find Ultrasuede garments at the thrift store and cut them up for my purposes.  It’s less expensive this way.  But there are over 60 colors of Ultrasuede including zebra and other animal prints and patterns that are hard to find.  Good resources are:  suedeshop.com, Pacific Fabrics (www.pacificfabrics.com) among others if you’re interested.

Ahhh, technology is at it’s finest when used as art!

Brilliant Turning Points

There are quite a few inventions that impact our culture and world today.  The obvious ones are telephones, cell phones, television, computers, mp3 players… but what about Tyvek?  Okay, I can hear lots of people wondering what the heck Tyvek is.  Have you ever seen those white, sort of fabric like, flimsy feeling, postal envelopes for larger stuff?  That’s Tyvek.

Tyvek cover for one of the first ever Debit Cards from 1988.

Tyvek is a non-woven, felted -like, synthetic material.  It was creatd 54 years ago, in 1955, by DuPont.  What’s so special about Tyvek that it could be considered a turning point?  It has an interesting property: one side is permeable and one side is not.  This means that water can go through from direction but not the other.   What’s so great about this is that whatever is wrapped in Tyvek can breathe because moisture can get out but the Tyvek is still waterproof on the outside.  I don’t know how they do that and I’m pretty sure they’re probably not telling but whoever thought of this was brilliant.

Back side of Debit Card cover, 1988.

As you can see in the pictures here, Tyvek started appearing as envelopes and on a more wide spread basis in the late 1980’s.  The pictures show the original slip sleeve I got with my very first ATM card back in 1988.  We didn’t know how to use a Debit Card then since they were so new.  I still use this slip sleeve for every ATM card I get.  Does it look 21 years old?  I have never washed it so that’s pretty amazing when you think about how often a bathroom needs cleaning!

New buildings are wrapped in Tyvek as a moisture barrier.  Both sides look pretty much the same unless you work with Tyvek a lot,  (I do!).  They print the word ‘Tyvek’  or U.S. Postal Service or whatever on the waterproof side so everyone knows which side goes out.

I started using Tyvek as an art material years ago when I began making books.  Any time someone would send me something in a Tyvek envelope,  I’ve saved it.  Tyvek can be used to make a really strong spine for a ‘perfect bound’ book, as long as you put the waterproof side out so any adhesive can dry properly.  The term ‘perfect bound’ refers to an adhesive method of bookbinding so it’s not a vanity thing!

Tyvek can be painted, melted, sewn, cut with scissors or punches but won’t rip.  It’s a very interesting material to work with since it’s a lot like fabric paper and is so light, tough and strong.   Be sure to have good ventilation if you do melt it because who knows what sort of chemicals you’re creating when you do that.  It’s not worth permanently damaging your only pair of lungs, right?

Who knew one day that we would be wrapping houses to making books and art with this thing called Tyvek?   I’m pretty sure DuPont had some specific idea that this was invented for and even they didn’t comprehend how it would osmose into such a cutting edge material more then 50 years later.

I’m still waiting for that Tyvek wrapped bathroom though…

Sharkey Has a Plan!

Sharkey is still out of the bathroom and hanging around.  He’s been like this for a week.  At first I couldn’t understand what he was doing.  I thought he wanted into the refridgerator because he wants to eat everything.  That may have been part of it originally but now I’m catching on that it’s really something else.

Sharkey trying to send a message.

After looking at all the signs, I think Sharkey is trying to tell me that he wants to fly!  See him posing next to the raven picture?  See how he has something in his mouth like the bird does?  It’s taken me a whole week to figure this out because I am not well versed in Sharkey sign language.  I figured the only sign Sharkey knew was menacing with his toothy gape.

I’ll let you know when he gets bored trying to be a bird… until then:

Fly Sharkey, Fly!

The Word Chimes Series

Earlier this year I started the word chimes series of mixed media, collage pieces.  I was just having fun getting back to painting and collage again.  Here is a sample:

A cropped section of Word Chimes 2.

iPod, Summer and the View

Clouds above my house at the beginning of sunset.

I live close enough to the water to see some pretty wonderous effects of sunset.   I know it’s summer when the sky lures me to the beach at the end of the day to watch the spectacular show of the sun slipping into the water.   I see the view and I always think ‘what a wonderful, wonderful, world’.

Okay, that said, this may be a leap for some but I just have to say it.  There is technology that makes me think the same thing.  The brilliance that went into the iPod Touch/iPhone burns so brightly to me that it makes me think of the same brilliance I witness watching a sunset.   I am in awe of this brilliance on either score.

For example, there is a program for the iTouch called Stanza which is an eReader. In other words, you can read ebooks or .pdf files with it, among other things. There is a free version and then a stepped up version that you pay for. I just got the free version and found some ebooks in the public domain that I would like to read. The books? They’re old Victorian Gothic novels, mysteries, written by Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, a favorite of mine since Jr. High school.

Anyway, it’s really cool. A feature of the program actually gives you the visual of turning pages. While I miss the smell of the paper this is so easy to read and convenient. I don’t have the weight of a book to haul around and I can even have newspapers on my iPod, too. The most important thing: it’s easy to read and it’s in color (unlike Kindle). This will really simplify traveling for me. I can even take movies with me now.
The best feature I’ve found for my purposes so far is that I can maintain my calendar AND ArtWorks’ calendar at the same time on my iPod. With both calendars, WiFi capability for email and the internet, books, newspapers, and videos in my pocket I won’t need to travel with my laptop either. Less wear and tear on me and my laptop both.

Hotel Scottsdale pool, 2008. Talk about paradise!

Blasts from the Past

Peony Tree in bloom this Spring. It was huge!

This has been quite the week for blasts from the past.  It began with a message posted to my Facebook page by an old friend, Dorian Muncey.  Dorian and I were in elementary school together, oh so long ago.  I suppose being the artistic ones, we hung out together even into Junior High.  Dorian is now a very talented interior designer in the Seattle area (www.DorianGMuncyinteriors.com) which doesn’t surprise me one bit.

When we were in sixth grade, our teacher taught us about architectural renderings and blue prints.  She had us draw floor plans using universal symbols for windows and doors.  Well, Dorian and I seized upon this like crazy.  It became an obsession to draw up plans for houses we wanted to build or live in.  Every spare moment was devoted to working on yet another plan. Each plan became more elaborate, interesting and creative.   We must have drawn up 50 of these things apiece before the year was up. My favorite one has been something I still wish for: a house with glass floors that has a creek running underneath.  I would pipe the sound in with volume controls.  At night it would be dramatically lit when you wanted it to.  Imagine watching the wild life that would come to drink from the creek.

Interior detail of Hotel Scottsdale in Arizona

Sharky Shark is Moving Around

I’ve read that a shark’s sense of smell is very keen.  I now have true proof: Sharky Shark has been trying to bite his way into our refridgerator for a few days now.  I wonder what makes him think he can get into the fridge considering the scale of it compared to his puniness?   Sharky Shark must be compensating for being so small a shark.  His poor ego makes him menace 24 hours a day, biting everything in his path, threatening anything and anyone he can as much as possible.   Really, Sharky, could you tone it down for a bit?

Sharky tries to get into the refridgerator.

Sharky must think that it’s the refridgerator magnets that keep the door closed because he keeps biting them, too.  If the refridgerator were all that were keeping our fridge together we would have a miniature shark inside the fridge by now.   I can only imagine what he would do to the food in there.

Do you think he’s figured out that’s where I’ve started keeping my bathing suit or is he just perpetually hungry??