Whimsical Women, Woo Hoo!

Last May, I visited the Whimsical Women spring show, held just west of Chapel Hill, NC. There I met many terrific artists, some I already knew.  I just didn't know they led secret lives--being members of this well known and wonderful organization.  (Visit their blog at:  http://whimsical-women.blogspot.com/)  Also, I spoke with Linda Palladino, one of the founders, showed her a photo of my cat fish, and described some of my other work.  She decreed that I qualify as a Whimsical Woman!  She could have said, Whacky, Way Out, Weird, even, but she said Whimsical--and I love that....

So I'll be bringing my work to their Fall show, held November 21 on the farm of Luli Sanderford (Linda's sister), in Winston-Salem.  Rain date is November 22.  Hope to see you there!

That's me, 10th from the right--does the red skirt make me look fat?   ;-)

Seriously, if you'd like an invitation, email me at:

cbiles@triad.rr.com 

and I'll e-mail or snail mail one to you.

I've been working on large pieces for Carolina Designer Craftsmen (which happens over Thanksgiving weekend), as well as a good sized piece for the 12 Days of Christmas show at Benjamin Vineyards, here in Saxapahaw, where we live.  With Whimsical Women and another potential show (the latter later this month, yikes!), I just started making more small dogs and some teeny cat fish, which was so much fun.  

It's been a tough summer, what with the loss of our last horse and my father, but I  have been plugging along with my art, as my father said he wanted me to do.  I continue to think about him constantly, and have had the privilege of meeting many people along the way who have lost a parent.  They assure me that my reaction is normal, and it will take time to feel like myself again.

Although I am thoroughly enjoying making the big pieces, they are challenging and require a lot of concentration.  Not constantly--I do have periods of autopilot and spontaneity, but there is also plenty of brow furrowing.  But last night was like a little vacation.  I was grinning, laughing and, yes, even talking to the small dogs that were materializing from the little lumps of clay in my fingers.  Great fun!

So, thank you, Linda--I hadn't felt Whimsical for a while.   You gave me a wonderful gift!

The Clay Speaks--Update on Bodyguard

I have just finished the first layer of underglazes on Bodyguard.  To avoid having to fire the piece too many times, I applied underglazes to the unfired work (greenware).  

Although my plan was to have a fair skinned girl with red hair and blue eyes, the more I looked at the sculpture, the more I felt the need to go in a different direction--brown haired girl with brown eyes.  As you can see, the faces of girl and dog are at the same level, with facial features lined up.  Also, the dog's eyes are quite anthropomorphic.  I wanted the eyes of both to be the same color.  Although Boston terriers, like other dogs, can have blue eyes, I felt that might be a bit much.  So the brown eyes work.

Here is an early photo--I have more recent ones, but need to update my iPhoto.  In the meantime, I wanted to get this entry posted.  

After firing, the  girl's skin will be a little darker.  I'll layer on more underglazes (in slightly different colors) and refire.

Because these two "own each other," the dog has a collar, to which I will attach a bone-shaped license tag, with numbers that correspond to my name:

2-9-12-5-19 for BILES.

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Well, here's something spooky--heard from my brother the other day, who had seen my earlier post (before any underglazes were applied) and said, "I see you in this piece."   That reminded me of when I was a Tween, had longer, straight hair and was thin--and, yes, there is quite a resemblance!  So that may have been a subconscious influence on my hair and eye color choices.  Growing up, we had only one dog, a cairn terrier mix my Uncle Gino rescued from the animal shelter.  His name was Mickey, after a dog my father had in his childhood.  Mickey and I were inseparable.  Spoo-ky....

Art for the Animals

WOW-I am one of 7 artists invited to exhibit in a show called "In Our Care" at the Center for Creative Leadership, located on Route 220, just north of Greensboro, NC.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, when Laura Gibson, the art coordinator and an animal advocate, invited me, I was thrilled.  This is a very prestigious place to exhibit and I had the privilege of showing there a couple of years ago as a member of Alamance Artisans Guild.  I'm still yelling "WooHoo" out loud, but probably at this point the people in downtown Raleigh can't hear me, just those around the outer Beltline.

I got to see some of the exhibit when I brought my work to the Center--it is great.  The work is very diverse, but Laura knows how to hang a show.  

The other artists are:

Addren Doss-pastel and oil--wonderful!

Louise Francke--watercolor and oil--Exquisite!

Elaine O'Neil-beautiful and intricate textile collage

Rose Rosely-folk sculpture--she paints on wood and metal and you can't resist smiling when you see her work

Traer Scott--beautiful photography that really captures the spirit and sould of her subjects

Now, I mentioned 7 artists--the 7th is a canine.  Netop, the painting dog, will be at the reception--he loves creating art and makes excellent work!  Seriously, some of his work reminds me of Chinese watercolor--I took a class in that--it wasn't easy!

Doh!  Netop's got a website, too--so he's one up on me:

http://www.netopthedog.com/

As you can see, I'm the only clay artist in the show.  Five of my big dogs will be there.  Here's a taste:

Fawn.  I gave her big paws because a pug owner told me hers was a big dog in a little body.  I got a visual image of a lion, then the big lions in from of the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC.  So I made Fawn's paws like those you might see on a lion statue.  There really is a method to my madness!

Roxie (the tennis ball is also clay, with underglaze).  I like the idea of the dog looking more toylike than her toy.

Also in the show are Opal (the only sculpture that looks like one of our dogs), Madge, and Pepper.  I'll post those photos after the reception.  There is one more big dog, Paisley (a pied brindle French bulldog), but she developed a hairline crack on her third firing, so she'll be staying with me.  That happens when clay gets fired multiple times, though I have to admit I have been very lucky.  I hated to see it happen, since she was a lot of work, but I'm happy to keep her.

   Paisley

When I took the dogs to Jason Dowdle, my awesome photographer, his dogs (Roscoe and Riley) started sniffing them.  Roscoe also got very excited when he saw the tennis ball--he wanted me to throw it!

The show runs from August 10 to November 19.   There will be a reception on August 28, from 5:00 to 7:00, and artists will bring smaller pieces to sell then.  (I'll be bringing my small dogs and llamas.)  

These rottweillers take a lot of time to make, so I have only a few at this point.  But I'll also bring some other breeds.  NOTE:  Also mentioned in an earlier blog, although there are realistic elements in my work, I do like to have some fun as I create and often include some anthropomorphism (often in the eyes or gesture), exaggeration, etc.  As these dogs say, "We don't meet breed standards, but neither do most people!"

   Llamas

A portion of every sale at the reception will help support Red Dog Farm, in Greensboro, NC.  They rescue and find foster homes for cats, dogs, farm animals, alpacas, you name it.  

For more information about Red Dog Farm, see

http://www.reddogfarm.com/

I hope you will check out their website and find out how you can help.  If everyone did a little something, it would make such a difference in the lives of these precious creatures!

If you'd like to see the show, but can't attend the reception, please call Laura at (336) 510-0975.  

Scruffy Is In

If you come to the studio, you may meet one of our dogs.  

My name is Scruffy because, when I was born, my Mommy said,"What a Scruffy Puppy!"  The name stuck.  She's always telling me how gorgeous I am.  I'm very sweet, but a little shy, so couldn't sit still when she got in my face with the camera.
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I've been telling them they need to get part time jobs.  Hey, dog food is not cheap!  I have a specific project in mind for Toby--can't say much about it yet--have to finish writing the job description and see if he accepts.  I think he will--he loves clay!  So much, I have to pick up any I drop on the floor.  Immediately.  Geesh!  You'd think we never feed these guys.

My name is Toby, and I am a busy boy! This is not a special effect. It's almost impossible to get a still shot of me. I'm also the inspiration for the little clay dogs with the tennis balls in their mouths.

Meanwhile, other pooches may be in the studio keeping me company, greeting visitors, modeling  (for free--so don't tell them about unions!) or soaking up sun.  There is plenty for them to do.