Out of the Box

So I have been told most of my life that I march to my own drum. Well, I like to think I am an out of the box.... Thinker, painter, doer, etc. Many things in my life aren't what the "Normal" would do. So I thought I'd share a few of my Out of the box pieces of art with you. The first one is the latest one I've done. It is actually santa with 2 deers on his shoulders but I got to thinking, why does this piece have to be for Christmas only?? My brother, Sean, is a hunter, so why not make it a hunting piece instead of Christmas. I liked the sign on it but was drawing a blank as to what to put on it for HUNTING theme. The only thing that kept coming to me was DINNER. I know, I apologize to all you PETA people out there, but truth is God put animal on this Earth as food and well, I do love me some good venison!! So, I asked for opinions and we came up with a family name. So enjoy my hunter and please let me know how you like these out of the boxers!!

Since we pour a lot of our own pieces in the studio, we have the luxury of creating our own in a way. I don't have a picture of it but I have a lattice plate where the edge is a couple rows of lattice and a solid center. this plate is very fragile in the greenware (Pre fired) state cos the lattice is so fine. I poured several and the lattice would break off as I was cleaning the plate for firing. After scraping several to turn back into slip (liquid clay), I decided to purposefully break off a row. I fired it, painted it and fired it anyway. When it came out I ran a ribbon thru the, now only row, of lattice and wrote, "Make it Your Own" on the center and it now hangs in my studio. After all, isn't art all in the eyes of the beholder?? I have poured this particular frame (Below) many times and decided not to cut the center out. When it came out, I painted the center a light color and use it as a dry erase menu board. No more asking what's for dinner, it's on the "frame". Or I could use it to leave reminders for the kids and set it right infront of the TV or in the fridge (2 places I know they will see it). It's just so versatile. I poured a second and painted the center with chalkboard paint so now I have 2 with 2 different medium sources.

I dislike throwing away things that aren't completely trashed!! During that explosion in November 2016, I had a few pieces of greenware that were drying and got hit and parts broke off. I loved this pumpkin totem. It's got like 6 pumpkins total that are to be on it. Well instead of scraping the whole thing cos these 2 bottom ones were in perfect shape just lost the top ones. I painted them and fired them (Sorry, no recent pic) and I am looking forward to making it into a couple options this summer. One, I can add it to a garden for height and fill it with dirt and put a plant out the top or my original thought was to put an air plant in the top of it. THe top being open, I could use it even to hold pumpkin knives for the season or a taper candle inside of it. May be able to fit a votive candle with trimming the bottom a little to fit good. How could you use it??

The last example I have is similar to the first. It's a wreath but today you can find a wreath for almost every holiday or occasion. So I took the wreath ornament and painted it the typical green but a lighter green then you would for Christmas and put purple "blooms" on it and a purple ribbon. Lets face it Purple is the Easter Color for Christians at least. I love the pastel colors that are associated with Easter and Spring but for me there is something about a deep Purple at Easter time that just speaks loudly. So I painted it purple and on the inside edge I painted the word RISEN. A reminder for me of what Christ did for me during our Easter season. I have a metal tree that has hooks on the ends of the "branches" that I typically hang transparent eggs that have a wooden cross in them for Easter. This tree has a large metal ribbon at the top and I think I may hang my wreath on it this year instead or along with.

SO, here at the Create it studio we value individuality and creativity in ALL forms. There is no idea or thought here that would be bashed. Please let me know how you like my Out of the box thinking, and painting. Or come in to the studios and create some of your own!! Get your Paint on.