Featured at Tulsa, Ok First Friday Art Crawl- Lindsay Ketterer Gates

The work of Lindsay Ketterer Gates, was also featured at this month's First Friday Art Crawl in Tulsa, OK.   She is from Milford, PA and focuses on transforming mundane materials into extraordinary works of art, combining textile and fashion design techniques.  She combines industrial materials with tedious, but graceful wire-looping.

Year of the Snake
Stainless mesh, paint, coated opper wire
16" x 15" x 7"

I did not catch the name of this one, but it was a lovely composition.

Detail of work above

Calendula
Stainless mesh, paint, coated coppe wire, steel, patina
29" x 13" x 5"

Celestial Navigation

Stainless mesh, paint, coated copper wire, steel, patina

24" X 12" X 6"

Kylix in Blue

Stainles mesh, paint, coated copper wire

19" x 11.5" x 6"

Detail of Kylix in Blue

Tangled
Stainless and copper mesh, paint, coated copper wire, steel patina
18" x 24" x 15"

Metamorphosis
Wire, aluminum rings, steel, patina, paint, stainless screening
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Hear Lindsay Ketterer Gates' NPR interview at Studio Tulsa

NPR Studio Tulsa: Rich Fisher interviews Lindsay Ketterer Gates




You can find her website at:

Lindsay Ketter Gates' website

The RUSTY TRIO OF 2014

One of my passions in art is to incorporate found objects. I confess that my affection for rust has found a huge space in my very overcrowded studio, but a select few have morphed into art works...

BUFFALO ROAMED

Ironically, this car hood  found on Rt. 66 is the ONLY found object that I have claimed and knew from the moment I saw it what I planned to do with it.  My immediate response to this hood cast aside on the road was how carelessly that people discard such items on our beautiful countryside. This is my statement that we should not find such debris, and that we would be better served to find our Oklahoma wildlife along these roadsides.

Here it is on my dinig table, where I spent five hours cleaning it.  

And here it is a few weeks later propped against the back of my pickup, ready to go to a Native American art show.

BEDTIME STORY

I found this child-sized bed headboard in a countryside creek bed.  A bed in a bed? Why do people dump their garbage in creeks...that has never made sense to me!

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Here it is finished with a snarling, salivating wolf.  A twofold purpose:  My wolf is angry about the litter and this is a reminder to be careful of the stories we tell our children when we tuck them into bed.  (Big bad wolf....now go to sleep, Junior.)

HORSE POWER

Perhaps some heavy roadway equipment ran over this item???  I found  this flattened rusty bucket on Highway 20  near Claremore, OK, the home of a very famous Oklahoman, Will Rogers.   It was clearly labeled "Butt Can" in white letters on both sides.  Such irony!...that this item was used to keep people from littering their cigarette butts, but later it became litter itself.  I'm sure if we could consult Will that he would have a humorous line about that!

I pondered and debateded about the rough surfaces on this found object and how I could incorporate them with wildlife...I thought about painting a spider its web,  a turtle, an eagle...

  Nothing seemed right until one of my fellow artists mentioned that this reminded him of an old feed bucket.  Frrom that moment on I couldn't see anything on this rusty can except a horse.  The rounded bottom of the can made a nice Native American shield which I painted with colors of  the Keetoowah Cherokee flag and embellished it with beadwork, jute, leather and feathers.  Feathers on the sheild came from an exotic animal rescue reserve.  My cousin provided the horsehair  from her three beautiful animals.  Thanks, Donna!

ZALLER ART SOCIETY

The three works above are currently displayed with ZALLER ART SOCIETY's fine art exhibit at the Student Union Gallery,  Tulsa Connunity College Southeast Campus,  through Jan.29, 2015, along with some of my other Native American influenced artwork.   My fellow artists are very talented...Great show...go see!

"State of the Arts" at Crystal Bridges

I mentioned earlier that I discovered the greatest museum over in Arkansas...a nice Saturday morning drive from me .  A must see show for all mixed media artists is "State of the Arts."  Last day for this is Jan. 19, 2014.
Here is a taste of the delights at this show.  Of course, pictures never do justice to being there.

Bonnet made from over 200,000 pearl head straight pins, created by an Arizona artist.

It's hand carved wood....need I say more?  Amazing....

These creations remind me of giant spindles.  Created mostly from medicine bottles, straws, beads, and rope. Just beautiful!

Ever read a paperback romance? How about making art from thousands of them?

Detail of Forever above/>>>>>>>

This is NOT your grandma's traditional Native American beadwork....well, it is, but it isn't.

This painting was huge. Just guessing, perhaps 7 feet across?  If not impressed by the size alone, perhaps that it was a study in focus, done a brushstroke at a time. Beautifully rendered....

Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas

This  beautiful sculpture greets you at the entrance of Crystal Bridges.  The museum is free of charge, including audio earphones which guide you through the artworks.    Lots of seating throughout both bridges (museum area) so  you can relax as you tour.  I enjoyed the museum store almost as much as the museum.

Georgia O'Keefe?  I was surprised to find that the artist was one I knew well...I wouldn't have guessed that this was her work.

 Rosie was painted by Norman Rockwell.

This is titled "The Lantern Bearers" by Maxwell Parrish

And this beautiful sculpture was one of my favorites at Crystal Bridges....

Summer Art and Activities

Nowata, Oklahoma...Bowling Ball Art

Was not prepared to find this treat when I followed a highway sign to this remote location.  Mr. Barbee has been collecting bowling balls for only eight years, but his art fills a huge space.  It is well worth the drive.  Here are a few of the treasures:

Fence made of bowling balls...

 The pink breast cancer ribbon  and American flag   made from  bowling balls















      Pool table with bowling balls.  In background see the alphabet.



                                     
                           

 A building made of bowling balls...Inside are more art pieces made of bowling balls.

Ft. Wayne Museum of Art: Glass

I am always inspired by viewing the art of other artists and I visit as many museums and art shows as possible when I travel.    Two summers ago I happened up on a wonderful glass show in Ft. Wayne Indiana.  The show was titled 2013 Summer of Glass.   One of the few mediums that I have never tried is glass! (but I collect broken bits of colored glass..Does that count?)

When I returned to the same museum the next year, (2014) I was very surprised to see another wonderful glass show!  The following photos were taken there:

I fell in love with the contemporary glass works.  Dale Chihuly's Secret Garden was on display along with the award winners from the 41st Annual International Glass Invitational.  And there were also works from The Next Generatioin of Studio Glass. Sorry for the overused word, but the show was AWESOME!

Doodles Are Wasted Time? NOPE!

Doodles are a way to pass time when you are waiting for an appointment, traveling, or chatting on the phone.  How many of you have phone books filled with little doodles? Or your napkins at dinnertime turn into mini doodle canvases?  Now don't run off....... doodling can help you in a classroom setting....even in science!  NO....you are not tuning out.  Just the opposite. Want to have better retention and higher levels of concentration?  Studies show that you gain more from class discussions when you doodle!

Click on this link to see why doodling is important.  

Our presidents were doodlers all the way back to George Washington. Yes, it's true!  Click here to see this article. 

Doc Angi is conducting a doodle challenge this month (April, 2014)   in her group, Authentic heART.   While you are there check  out all the groups, workshops and challenges . .  . Something for everyone. 

My group at this site is called Studio A B See. This group is geared to inspire artists to be more productive.  Consider this an invitation.   Would love to have you join in the fun!

Hello, Dolly! A video link for you...

Helllllllloooooo, Dollllllllly!  

I watched this video when I should have been sleeping.  It is so inspiring to someone like me who has drawers of found objects.  My stash is divided into metals, plastics, cloth, natural items, paper, old photos, and unidentified.  I want to use these so I will have an excuse to find new ones.  When I viewed the video above, I thought I had everything except the faces.  I pondered whether to cut faces from magazines and glue them on the sculptural pieces.........but NO!

Ever have an ah-ha moment? 

My aunt was a teacher for almost 39 years.  She passed away at age 99 a few years ago and I rescued an entire set of photos of her fourth grade students from the 1950's.   Someone had tossed these precious faces into the trash after her death.   I did not know then what I was going to do with them...but now I do.  

Won't those sweet faced children from a time gone by make adorable dolls?   Oh I just cannot wait to get started.

Joint Compound Strikes Again!...another YouTube fin

This video that I found on You Tube also shows joint compound techniques similar to the ones that I like to use in my work.  I also like his framing method.  Something that I do not own the tools to accomplish, but perhaps I should investigate.   Hmmmm.....

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