Martin Cheek Workshop Coming To A Work of Art Studio April 2014!

Breathing Your Work

"I am focused on the work. I am constantly creating. I am a

 busy girl. I live and breathe my work. I love what I do. I 

believe in the message. There's no stopping. I didn't create

 the fame, the fame created me." 

— Lady Gaga

I am so blessed to be constantly creating in my work and art,  thus at the end of the work day I don't often have the energy or breath to blog.

(I say "every work day" because I create every day whether at the studio/salon or at home where I often work on my commission projects). This is my excuse for not having a blog entry for…months?

In my brain is one continuous blog entry complete with pictures, but unfortunately not with written instructions. Living with this ongoing vision board  is  exhilarating and exhausting and often leaves me a bit twitchy after a long day, especially one filled with constant client dialog. 

The point is that while I have the talent to write, I find it one of the more exhausting creative endeavors.

After many long days at a very productive studio it is easier to share bits of information and pictures on the famous social media site (which must not be named) where most of my family, friends and clients see and share my activities. 

Wow, that was the longest most drawn out excuse for not blogging you have probably ever seen.

Here is what has been keeping me too busy to blog about it…

A Work of Art Studio Christmas in Lakeview 2013

2013 Christmas in Lakeview proved another successful crafty day at A Work of Art Studio & Salon. On Saturday, December 7 there were over fifty willing crafty elves of all ages and their adults taking a turn to create a felted snowman pin. 

Most of the elves were determined “do-it-yourselfers”, some even pushing their adult’s hands away when trying to assist in gluing, mainly the two year old artists.

This particular elf was heard to say, “Oh...no it's broken mommy.”.. But the master elf told him it was only melting.

There was a bit of contention among a few elves who fondly remembered making gumdrop trees at past Studio workshops. “Noted”, said the master elf. 

Much thanks to all those who visited the workshop to create a work of art and especially to Santa’s helpers Debbie Lake and Jackie Bissonette for ordering enough snow to play with.

Pay attention to 

www.lakeviewtimes.com for future notices of upcoming kids art classes.

This is the commission mosaic I have been working on mostly nights and weekends at home (after a full day at the salon) where I can focus without client interuptus. It is based on the client's memory of a family vacation in Wyoming. She sent me several pictures of her trip which I interpreted in my drawing. This is a direct installation on boards which will be attached behind her kitchen stove.
It pays to get pictures of your work out there. This client found a picture of my last custom mosaic on Pinterest.

Which can be seen here: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/162622236516303496/

I will be loading my mosaic process in pictures (easiest way to blog) when this is complete.

Imagine my genuine surprise at two wonderful friends' interest in adding antiques to the shop atmosphere. Not really, I suggested the idea to them. It has been a bit slow but word of mouth takes time, right?


The apples were plentiful this year and I took advantage of harvesting from my own backyard tree for the first time. This sink's worth alone provided about 6 bags of chopped and 4 bags of cooked applesauce. This took up about two weekends of wrist strength (before I started my mosaic commission).

 My husband worked on two different weeks of vacation to take down our shed in the backyard (it was collapsing anyway). We now have a lovely sitting area that faces the back of our house. I noticed the brick wall was pretty bare and so designed and mostly finished this metal bottle cap sculpture of a sunflower. Mostly because the mosaic commission beckoned. Oh well, Spring is 6 months away.

 Making homemade toothpaste with coconut oil, baking soda, tea tree oil and white oak bark.

And a few classes in the studio…..
Ongoing mosaic class
Jewelry making bracelet class
stained glass
Jigsawing  trees for a Costume jewelry Christmas tree class

And a two weekender: Halloween. I created my son and friend's medieval knight costumes on black t-shirts with red duct tape and cardboard painted and duct taped logo. The cool castle in the background is a border I installed in my son's bedroom years ago. It was the perfect backdrop for their costumes.


Is that enough of an excuse to not blog?
It was for me. Also been preparing for:
 Coming in April at A Work of Art Studio:
The Amazing Martin Cheek- world renown mosaic artist is coming to teach a weekend mosaic workshop. Check out his work at:
http://www.martincheek.co.uk

Peace be with you all, and happy breathing whilst you create. Molly

Summer Evening Stroll

"If you never stepped on anybody's toes, 

you never been for a walk." 

— Barbara Kingsolver (Prodigal Summer)

I have always been fascinated with my little town cemetery. I played there as a child, rode bike around the curves in the road and down the large hill at the entrance again and again. I met one of my best friends walking to kindergarden because she came from the cemetery road where she lived in a house right outside the gates. I loved this prime chunk of land on the edge of our lake and wondered if someday I would have a lake view. Some of the same trees grow there, crabapples that we used to climb and ravage fruit from to throw at each other. I made a mental note on my stroll tonight to check if crabapples were edible because we used to chew on them as kids.

I always wondered how my friend could sleep in her bed in her house right on the edge of that cemetery without the "Bogey Man" visiting her every night. I had enough trouble being scared of the dark and monsters under the bed that I didn't need to live within shouting distance of the ghosties. I very often run through the graveyard with my dog leashed to my waist; he knows my exact route and keeps it unless he needs a necessary pitstop. While we were running today I decided to come back near sunset and photograph some of my favorite spots and stones. So, without further delay...

 I also wanted to ride around the lake and check out the scenery from the "living" section of town.

 This is where I ended my picture tour, at my shop in the middle of town, a lovely spot to grab the last of the day's sun. I am so blessed to walk, run and ride through this little beauty of a town whenever I have the energy. It never disappoints in blessing me and refilling my empty cup.

"I'd give all the wealth that years have piled, 

the slow result of life's decay,

 
To be once more a little child for one bright summer day." 

— Lewis Carroll

Patchwork Quilt

"There are random moments - tossing a salad, coming up the driveway to the house, ironing the seams flat on a quilt square, standing at the kitchen window and looking out at the delphiniums, hearing a burst of laughter from one of my children's rooms - when I feel a wavelike rush of joy. This is my true religion: arbitrary moments of of nearly painful happiness for a life I feel privileged to lead." 
— Elizabeth Berg 

Still room to start this amazing class next Tuesday, August 20. We will be making one quilt block a month and end up with a twin sized quilt! Just do it, call and join this class!

989-352-8222 A Work of Art Studio & Salon

Here are some pictures of the first quilting class

You know you want to learn to quilt, it is not so difficult as you think!

Call Molly today and place your spot in this quilting class.

If Molly can do it, so can you.

$35.- to make a twin quilt, plus your material.

Let go of your fears and come and meet some amazingly creative people.

Here is the Facebook link for the class.

Peace, Molly

https://www.facebook.com/AWorkofArtStudio