I have to stop thinking….

I was wondering if I could incorporate a Pennsylvania bird into the surreal image. Ravens are Pennsylvania birds, but what about a barred owl? So I added it and it looks so cute. The owl is probably a bit too light, but does make the image different. It’s certainly unexpected.

Here’s the original with the raven.

Then I wondered if a combo Raven and owl would work. Is that surreal or just weird? I do like her eye looking down at the bird.

So I need your thoughts. Please weigh in. The choices are raven, owl, or combo bird. Or maybe a completely different bird.

Here’s the show advertisement. 

For the owl.

Unspoken 

As I worked on this surreal image it became a portrait of home.

A Pennsylvania white oak rooted in dark water and a barred owl keeping watch.

She is rooted here, holding what can no longer stay buried.

It doesn't come out as words.

It breaks through the surface as light.

For the raven

Unspoken

I started out just trying to make a surreal image. It turned into something more personal — a reflection on isolation and what it feels like to hold things inside for too long.

The moon feels distant. The raven is simply present. She remains rooted in the dark water, carrying something that can no longer stay buried.

It doesn’t come out as words.

It breaks through the surface as light.

Thanks for reading. 

Chris

Editing a photo in prep for creating

 I decided to work on the composition for the recycle show before creating a pattern.

The theme is once upon a time for the show next April. I’m doing the streetcar image that I call the last journey.

Here’s the image.

I decided to edit out the streetcars that you can barely see. This is what I get as the image after that. Still editing to do when I make the pattern to work from and while I create the piece in plastic bags. I’m excited to start working on it. Visually creating those textures and rust will be interesting especially in plastic. 

The Last Journey

Once upon a time, these streetcars were filled with people going places. Over the years they fell into disrepair and now sit quietly on decaying tracks.

I grew up in Pittsburgh and rode streetcars to school, to art classes, and into the city. They carry many memories for me—of places I went, things I saw, and a time that is now gone. They are my once upon a time.

I chose to make this piece from discarded plastic bags because, unlike the streetcars of my childhood, plastic does not fade into memory or quietly disappear. It remains. By using this stubborn, leftover material to portray something I remember with affection, the work brings together two very different remnants of the past: one cherished, the other an enduring consequence of what we leave behind.

Thanks for reading.

Chris

The meaning of an art piece

After struggling with this surreal piece so long I began thinking about whether it had any deeper meaning. Was it more than just a pretty image? What does the piece actually mean to me? I began to think about a title and an artist statement. I wanted a short simple title and a personal artist statement. I wanted a statement that went beyond just describing the elements in the piece…a woman tree, a raven, a moon. If you ask AI for a statement it basically does just that. It looks at the image and describes the elements in it. In other words it does not do a good job. So if you want an artist statement you have to do that for yourself.

Unspoken 24 inches by 30 inches 

Unspoken

Artist statement 

“This one started out as me just trying to come up with an interesting surreal image for the show. I kept going back to my original idea of the woman in the tree, with the moon and raven framing her.

As I worked on the image, though, it started to become more personal than I expected. I began thinking about isolation and what it feels like to hold things inside for too long.

The moon feels distant. The raven is simply present. She remains rooted in the dark water, carrying something that can no longer stay buried.

Sometimes words just aren’t enough. Whatever she has been holding in doesn’t come out as words. It breaks through the surface as light.”

I’ve mentioned that I will be using Jennifer Sampou sky ombré fabrics to create this beautiful moody image in fabric. Here’s a plan for it. The title is different because AI chose that as the title. Although that’s not a bad title. 

For this surreal show I wanted to create an image that was not just a bunch of surreal things thrown together. I wanted more than that. I hope I accomplished my goal.

Thanks for reading.

Chris

The family and their hats

My husband and I have always laughed at this photo of my family from the 60’s with our hats on. If you lived through that time you will remember that everyone wore hats especially to church. So I decided to use that photo in the table runner for my sister’s birthday gift. 

I used AI to enhance the photo because it was really faded. Then I used AI to add a Halloween background to it. I printed it on EQ printable fabric and added the pumpkins and Halloween backing. 

My sister likes both sides and has displayed her vintage Halloween things on both sides. I had no idea she would be thrilled about the backside of the quilt. Good thing I picked a good one. I guess the lesson is to think about the backing and not just the front of a quilt.

Thanks for reading.

Chris