Funny papers, Turkish lanterns, Pharell Williams and big dreams...
I was dizzy for a week, even after medication, so my doctor took a cautious road and had me go to the hospital. So far, all that has turned up is my EKG not being up to snuff. I told my nurse all about my projects when she came to collect my water bottle, so as soon as I got home I was dying to try out some new ideas. Thankfully, I had a rogue bag of bottles in the garage left from one of the dozens of 'good fairies' that collect them for me. I often come home to a sack of recycled bottles on my doorstep.
Today, I played around with Sargent Art's glitter glaze and peal medium with the comics or 'funny papers' as my mother calls them. They took on a mosaic glass look, especially the crossword puzzle!
I also filed my nails because my Jamberry nail kit comes tomorrow. In my enthusiasm for color and OCD over having all the colors in the crayon box, I signed up to represent another company that offers the opportunity to pop a surprise of color in my outfits. Prepare for Miche/ Jamberry pairings in my wardrobe though I resisted the beanie I found on eBay even though it is very fashion forward as I discovered this morning when I watch a lovely interview with Pharrel Williams. The best part was when he was asked how he feels about being the 'happy' music guy. "I feel blessed" was his reply and in the course of the interview continued to attribute his success to all of the people in his life that supported his dreams. I've got a lot of those folks too, and some big dreams brewing so hold onto your hats friends.
Small dream: Make 2 liter bottles look like this...
a bridge over water that looks like this : or this:
And someday, somewhere, a fair trade workshop that looks like this:
My artistic process: Dizzy decaf delirium...
I used to tell my kids that boredom is a gift because it drives you to find something interesting to do. I've been holed up not feeling well all week and coming down with an acute case of cabin fever, so I delved into some ideas for my recycled work that I've had percolating for quite some time.
I want to do a landscape using the recycled plastic bottles and to experiment with texture, so, taking the paints and leftover bottles I had on hand, I started 'quilting' a landscape. I am loosely following a Van Gogh study I painted years ago that hangs over our fireplace. I probably wouldn't have chosen this particular painting, but was too tired, lazy, and/or caffeine deprived to hunt down something else. I know it is going to evolve into something completely different . (That is really a disclaimer since the panel of bottles doesn't look even remotely similar to my painting. )
Above is a photo of bottles done in different cuts that I am hoping will yield interesting texture. I'm envisioning something along the lines of a weaving done with different types of yarns and materials. (Note: I don't like Lipton tea but I've been dizzy so don't want to drive to the store to get my P&G Tips. We are also out of coffee which could explain the dizziness and my use of the word 'percolate' in my first paragraph.)
Here's my painting on the mantel I was too lazy to clear off before snapping this photo, so you get a glimpse of my daughter and son-in-law at their wedding and Danielle's screen print bebop of color she gave me for Christmas. 
This is the beginning of my plastic interpretation which I will manipulate further with a heat gun. I am contemplating making a large branch across the view using bottles wrapped in newspaper before they are cut.
Also on the back burner: cloudy white gallon jugs and texture made by soldering iron holes, but it's all over if I run out of Lipton.
Cherry blossom season and the meaning of spring...
One of the best things about my work in recycled plastic is hearing from people all over the world who are using my tutorials. My favorite thing is to receive pictures, but I always get side-tracked and forget to share them here. The latest is from a woman who visited me at AnnMarie Garden in Maryland. She gave me permission to share her photos. Her hanging baskets reminds me that it is cherry blossom season in DC, not too far from where she lives.
It makes me smile to think of all of the thousands of bottles that now happily litter the landscape across the planet, not as refuse, but as art. Does it get any better than that? Psalm 103 describes God removing our transgressions as far from us as the east is from the west, and the measure of his mercy and loving-kindness is as high above the earth as is the sky. I think that might be the same distance as that of trash to treasure.
Fussy chair...
The Mustard Seed of Central Florida has an annual fund-raising event for which artists decorate chairs that will be auctioned off. Here's my entry. I was thinking about the mustard seed story in the Bible. Even though it is a tiny seed, it grows into a plant that offers shade and becomes a home and shelter to birds and animals. The chair I used is wooden, originating from a tree, and then found it's way to The Mustard Seed's thrift shop. The plastic bottles are a lower material than that, our community going to great lengths to dispose of them. Combining them with the chair to create something beautiful, reminds me of the hope of renewal and the work at Mustard Seed offers as they seek to rebuild lives that may be broken or even discarded. Hope is an amazing source of transformation. Their event is tonight at 6 pm if you want to see the chairs in person and put in a bid for this lovely.
A prize in every box...
I just sold this beauty on Etsy so I packaged it in a candy box, and yes, there is a prize but no peanuts. I stamped a little brass bird charm with the letters 'p-r-i-z-e.' I'm loving keeping it fun! 
Good morning whimsy!
I meant to post these birds on Dr. Seuss's birthday. I gave my dad a gift of colored porcelain clays and he was trying out all of the colors. My mother was a bit worried he had 'lost it.' We fell in love with his flock and fought over who got what.
My latest obsession is vintage Crackerjack toys. Now THAT's a party around your neck! They have a similar silliness, though with a little bit of feistiness. They remind me of my dad's Halloween pumpkin. His versions always looked mischievous.
Sometimes I wonder about these Crackerjack charms. Isn't this bird hysterical? It's kind of creepy and has a a whole lot of attitude.
Paints, paper, pens, and purses... grab color wherever you can!
Sargent Art sent me a big box full of paints to play with before I present a workshop for them at the National Art Educators Association conference in San Diego next week. When I started doing my bottle installations I dreamed, even prayed (which is probably the same thing), that I could go around the country creating collaborative projects. I forgot about that prayer until recently, after having done installations here in Florida, in Michigan, Maryland, and now in California.
I'm obsessed with Sargent's liquid water colors called Watercolor Magic. I realized that playing with color cheers me up so I played on paper:
I love taking a fine point permanent marker and outlining all the little archipelagos the salt blooms create. (far right) Watercolor with salt on good paper can be torn into what ends up looking like little landscapes, then attached to create mini landscapes on note cards. I want to do a workshop on this! By the way, I love Arches paper because it is gorgeous, French, and it has a long tradition ;the company was established in 1492.
I played on the computer:
Made this postcard to take with me to NAEA with my artist statement and bio on the back. Maybe I'll pick up more gigs!
I played with painting tissue paper and newspaper to create a new technique:
Last but not least, I played with purses! I'm so excited and thankful for my 15 member team and am proud to display this killer collection.
Putting it on paper...
I've been cleaning out my studio. So far I have a colosal mess! I got rid of bookcases, but not the stuff on the bookcases. Then, I get distracted by projects, like using up all my sterling silver. These drawings were in the rubble, so I took them to a printer to look into making postcards on a nice heavy paper with a tooth to it that resembles watercolor paper. I've been thinking about having these printed for years, so I think I'll bite the bullet. There are 4 drawings and I'm thought it would be fun to print the black and white ones and include a little watercolor sets so you can paint them yourself. Ultimately, I think it would be fun to do a gallery show with drawings and the pieces that inspired them.
Be still my hot pink little heart...
I got so much done today! That's what having a car in the shop will do for you. On days like this I think the stars align and all of the socks find their mates. Here are some beauties that came out of the kiln. They are sort of hot pink, almost fluorescent. Makes my heart go pitter patter. 
Back to my silver roots...
No, not my hair! I'm in love with silver glass. Pair it with sterling silver wire and findings, and everyone is happy! My glass, the silver, and me. Perfect harmony.
Hidden pictures, mirror glass, and MD Anderson...
I read a book of tutorials on silver glass as we travelled to and from Houston to MD Anderson to meet with John's doctor. I am so thankful and numb with relief over the good lab results, that I took the day to listen to music (Pandora set to "Beach House") and unwind in my studio.
I am hooked on playing silver glass, so named because it contains silver. It is pricey and if you don't treat it just right you end up with a muddy mess that looks like sludge. I could hardly wait to try out some new techniques and am pretty happy with some of the results. Now the trick is to photograph them without my reflection in the mirror effects. Actually, I like the image where you can see my hands and camera. It reminds me of Highlight's Magazine hidden pictures. 
Charley Meyrick World Tour with a side of rice...
Today, Natalie and her boyfriend Johnny came down to see my celebrity chef god-brother Jesse Wong who is visiting to do some cooking with my mom and take her mind off of losing my dad. We had a lovely lunch of hot and sour soup, steamed pork filled buns, and spicy tofu. I suggested to Natalie and Johnny that they might want to follow my map and go see the four outdoor sculptures my dad did in Sarasota and Natalie invited me to come along. We stopped and picked up flowers along the way and left tulips at each one. I call it our "Charley Meyrick Sarasota World Tour." What an unexpected whirlwind of sweetness, only to be completed by a
delicious meal Jesse prepared while we were out: Ox Tail stew, pork short ribs, squid in lemon garlic sauce, and a vegetable that sounds like "good choice, Mom." When I was taking seconds, I asked for the lovely greens. Natalie said something that sounded like "good choice mom" naming the vegetable. I thought 'Gee, she must be complimenting me because I took greens instead of rice." I am so thankful for Johnny and Natalie embracing my spur of the moment idea and Jesse is here to refuel our bodies and souls. I will treasure this day for a long, long, time.
Birds have their nests and streets of golden glass...
My dad passed away on the evening of January 22nd. A couple of days before his passing I showed him this platter I had started. Only the chickadee was drawn. He weakly lifted his arm and pointed the empty space and whispered "nest." Turns out chickadees nest in hollows of trees, so this is what I have so far. My dear friend Susan Meyer, porcelain artist extraordinaire, likes the look of my line when I loosen my grip. Sometimes, like students I have taught, my goal leans toward graphic design/ bold delineated images. I tried to let go of 'perfect' which is partly driven in our culture by advertising design. It's getting there, but it still needs something in the foreground under the bird.
Last night I had the weirdest experience. I was suddenly wide awake in the middle of the night and stongly felt a presence, though I am not given to sensing things like that. In fact, this is the only time I have had an experience like this. I've always been afraid of the dark, so I had left the closet light on as a nightlight, opening the louvered doors just enough to make them fold accordion style, like a Japanese screen. The light coming through the cracks looked incandescent, radiating parallel beams of white gold, casting a wide golden beam onto the dresser mirror to the left of the closet. It was beautiful.
As my dad was dying I reminded him several times to check out why gold is like glass in heaven (Rev. 21:21) and get back with me about it. I looked at the glowing stripes glowing through the closet doors and the remarkable light column on the glass mirror. The column was a range of color..yellow to gold to brown in an ombre scale that almost made it look rounded. I understood and said : "Thanks Dad. The gold is like glass because of the Light."
Monopoly on fun...
Every year I work to come up with a new idea as my birthday gift to my friend Susan Meyer. I was late to the party. I got lost 'passing go' a few too many times. Though I arrived frazzled, the 3 necklaces that layer to make a wearable 'get out of jail free card' was a big hit. If I make enough of them maybe I can buy cute yellow Marvin Gardens.
Repurposing with a purpose...form and function.
It's that time of year again, when the consequences of the holidays bring on the compulsion to purge and organize. After searching for a rack of some sort to tidy up my collection of wire and chain, I remembered a corner shelf I had stored in a back closet. Turned on its side, it offers shelves, graduated in size and slots from which I can hang unspooled lengths. For wire off of the roll, I used inexpensive shower curtain hooks which were also handy for tiny clasps to hold short scraps of chain. I'm pretty pleased with the look, the function, and the price: free!
Merry Christmas to my bride-to-be...
Heather is getting married January 11th. Since I am very behind with Christmas decorating, I decided on an all white tree. I added carved bone seahorses. They symbolize family.
Navy uniform emblem and buttons...
Buttons and emblems from my father's Naval uniform turned into a nice Christmas gift for my mom.
Brownie knife, the long and short of it...
Pretty fun necklace. It includes a vintage brownie knife which reads "Be wise, beware, use me with care" and a girlscout pin, not to mention a dinosaur, chunks of pyrite, a quartz crystal (Herkimer diamond) and slices of agate on copper chain. The knife hangs from a vintage swivel clasp that dangles from a glass tablet in red orange and silver glass. A brass bird flies below a second smaller tablet and next to it is a glass shell in swirls of green streaked in cream.
A second layer of brass chain creates a nice layer when worn short, or serves as an extension to wear it long. $275