Cheryl’s Art

The worst part of the day is from about 2pm to 7pm. During that time period the apartment gets up to 88 or even 90 degrees. No AC in my place, no AC in my glass studio. About the only thing I can tolerate is just sleeping, and even that I can only do if I have a fan blowing right on me. We are supposed to have a cool down coming over the next several days so I’ll be able to get some art done. I am so ready for Fall! I fantasize about snow. The fact that I am perimenopausal and have one hot flash after another just makes it worse.

I was looking at some of the Etsy teams. I left the CCCOE Yahoo group but apparently I’m still a member of the actual team. Most of the teams are juried so you can’t just join them. I can’t guarantee that I’ll have a certain percentage of glass beads or polymer clay beads or whatever in my shop at any one time. My art is based not just on what my Muse wants to do at the time but also on environmental conditions. If it’s so hot in my apartment that the clay melts in my hands, then I don’t try to work with it. If it’s so hot in my glass studio that I feel like I’m going to pass out into my torch, then I don’t make glass beads. If I want to fire up the torch, I have to go very early in the morning and if I don’t get a good night’s sleep which is a symptom of perimenopause, then I can’t drag myself out of bed that early. I know, bitch bitch bitch. Tomorrow I’ll pack up my clay and head to TAC and work in the air conditioning with other polymer clay artists. Lampwork will wait till the weekend when it’s cooler.

I didn’t make any beads today. We went to Chalk on the Walk and to lunch, then watched movies this evening. I may hit the torch tomorrow, since I have to go to the house where my studio is and water plants.

I was happily torching away, experimenting with frits when I got sleepy. I finally gave up and came home. I’ll take a nap and try it again later. The weather is great for torching. Must take advantage!

I have this frit called “red violet”. It was given to me, so I don’t even know who makes it. But it works great on CIM Stoneground.

The farmer’s market is this afternoon. They have fresh figs! I love figs. Last time I only got one basket. Today I’m getting a 3-pak!

I’ve always loved to draw and paint, and many’s the time I’ve tried to combine drawing and painting with polymer clay. I made some of these painted pendants several years ago and decided to do some more. These are polymer clay painted with Genesis Heat Set oil paints. Hand-painted by yours truly.

Although I’ve felt a bit out of sorts today, I did manage to get some work done. I did some drawings a while back that I transferred onto polymer clay, so I made a few pendants. Mostly along the lines of a prototype for a future design. I also made a necklace; nothing fancy, just some beads strung on wire, no needle and thread involved. I have some classes coming up at the Tehachapi Art Center, so I have to get the class brochures ready. I haven’t taught in years so I’m a bit nervous about it but I’ve always enjoyed teaching so once I get rolling I’m sure I’ll be fine. I still haven’t gotten the new print head for my Kodak printer! Hopefully it will show up next week.

I’m thrilled to say that I have sold five sets of new lampwork orphans from my Etsy store. I just listed them a couple days ago. It’s a good thing people like my orphans because I think I’m becoming the orphan bead queen! I have a hard time making a large set of anything, though I am getting better at it. It’s actually fun to toggle between lampwork and polymer clay. I can make polymer clay and lampwork beads that match each other.

I keep saying I’m going to go work on my torch and make some glass beads, but I haven’t. I have been working with the clay, although I went through several days of not being able to get motivated. I’ve been working with polymer clay a lot more than glass lately, but I got two fresh bottles of propane so maybe today is the day for glass.

This bead is one of my new outer space series. I haven’t come up with an official name for this series, although I like “Deep Space View”. This is polymer clay.