Carefree

Here’s the third piece of artwork created from a section of an old metal filing cabinet, titled “Carefree” –

“Carefree” mixed media (metal, copper & paint) 22×48″ SOLD

Unlike the pieces I’ve shown previously, the piece of metal wasn’t cut apart but instead I used the plasma cutter to etch & cut the design in the metal, cutting openings within the design. Here’s an image of the metal after cutting and sanding, before anything else was done to it.

The next step was to paint the entire piece black, using spray paint. 

From there it was time to start adding in all the details. I spent a lot of time sprawled out on the floor of my studio with paint pens adding each little mark! I love creating tree art, no matter what the media, so what some might see as a long, tedious task I enjoyed each moment of.

Once all the details were finished I mounted the piece on a large wood panel (also painted black) with pieces of copper sandwiched between the metal and the wood.  I am happy to report that this piece has found a wonderful home and I had the honor of being invited there to see where it had been placed. I couldn’t have been more pleased to see how it seemed like it was just made for it’s location. The light from nearby windows made it dance and change as the sun moved through the sky and the room lighting highlighted it perfectly as well. As an artist you can’t ask for more than that!

New Metal Pieces (in progress)

I have had some ideas in my journal that I have been wanting to create and, finally, Sunday afternoon gave me a few hours that I could go out & play.  My husband Mark & I like to work with metal and design everything from odd looking little critters to functional art pieces (tables, lamps, candleholders, etc.) to metal wall sculptures.  Pretty much whatever strikes our fancy.  When we first started it was just a fun adventure figuring out how to create things from the old pieces & parts he’d collected.  We quickly had a large inventory of cats, dogs, bugs, birds, turtles – just about any animal we could think of.  So we tested the waters at a few art fairs and the crazy things were selling like hotcakes.  Now, I have to explain, we differ in our approach to things, I was fine creating them and learning how to best craft them.  But my heart was in the more artistic creations.  That part was “ok” to him but he wanted to make things that sold.  Suddenly it went from playing and having fun to an assembly line.  Ten more frogs, eight cats, we need 3 birds and on it went.  BLAH!  Eventually he ran short of time and other aspects of our lives took over and it all kind of went by the wayside.  Occasionally we would do some commissioned work, and I would convince him to do a few new wall sculptures from time to time as well. It think this may be the year we get back into making more creations…although whether it’s critters or fine art remains to be seen!  

Through the process we purchased a plasma cutter to cut out metal pieces.  I LOVE THE PLASMA CUTTER!  Another tool for getting creative!  During a recent brainstorming session I drew a few sketches of some metal pieces I wanted to make using the plasma cutter.  I got these three cut out and “etched” (that’s the closest term I can think of).

 

tall, skinny tree on metal, work in progress (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker

 

sun over mountains, work in progress (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker

tree (on metal) work in progress (c) 2009, Lynne Medsker

 I envisioned them hanging on a freestanding base but now have begun to wonder if they wouldn’t look better either hanging on the wall or framed.  Hard to say how they’ll end up but at least they are started!  I want to play with some of the test pieces I did and some inks to see about adding color to them.  Although I could spray paint them I don’t think that’s the effect I want for these.  They look pretty cool just raw metal so that is an option too.  I’ll post more photos as they progress!  Although I’m excited about these I am also itching to get started on my hubcap for the landfill art project.  There is always more to do than there is time to do it!  Sigh!  But, hey, at least I don’t get bored!

Talk to you soon,

Lynne