What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. -Yiddish Proverb

"A human being weighing 70 kilograms contains among other things:
-45 litres of water
-Enough chalk to whiten a chicken pen
-Enough phosphorus for 2,200 matches
-Enough fat to make approximately 70 bars of soap
-Enough iron to make a two inch nail
-Enough carbon for 9,000 pencil points
-A spoonful of magnesium ."

— Erlend Loe (Naive. Super)




I don't know if "human fat" would be good for lathering? But we discovered that coconut oil is great to make soap bubbly.
Here is a great article about Soap Making by a great artist and "A Work of Art"

teacher, James Tanis. We all had a super fun time making soap a few weeks ago. James is threatening to have soap making parties at his house with milk from his goats!

By James Tanis

Break out the lard and your favorite Little House on the Prairie book, because the Work of Art Studio and Salon had an old fashioned soap making class! Julie Sullivan brought all of the supplies for this class. Participants chose either all oils for their soap, or a combination of oil and lard, which is pig fat. I chose the lard because I’m a diehard Little House fan. 

The only part that made me a little nervous was adding the lye to the water. It was amazing to watch the chemical reaction when the lye was added—it reached over 200 degrees! We all wore protective gear and masks just in case.

Then we added the lye mixture to our oils and lard and stirred and stirred and stirred…I thought our arms would fall off! Eventually, the mixture began to trace, which means it became thicker and I could see the “wave” where my wooden spoon had been.

We all chose various dyes and scents. I chose lavender color and scent, as the pictures show. After mixing these together, it was time to pour the soap into a PVC pipe that I had greased with petroleum jelly. I put paper over each end of the PVC pipe to seal in the liquid, and set it on a shelf for two days.

After 48 hours, I returned to the studio to cut the soap. First, I had to push the soap out of the PVC pipe. Next, I placed it on the wooden soap cutter. Then I sliced one-inch pieces of soap.  Now the bars must cure for six weeks, which will be just in time for gift giving for Christmas. Thank you, Julie for this wonderful class!

If you are interested in learning the art of soap making, there is another class being offered this Saturday, November 19. Also, there is a stained glass tree ornament class commencing Tuesday, November 22 at 6 pm. Call Molly Perusse at Work of Art Studio and Salon to sign up at 352-8222.

 Here is Julie Sullivan measuring out the lye.

 This is soap that has been poured into pvc pipe with butcher paper and duct tape.

 Pat is stirring with style!

 Kathy and Pat are mixing their lye into water until it reaches the correct temperature, sitting in the front of the shop on Main Street.

 What the pvc pipe soap looks like after it's cut. This is lemon with calendula (marigold) petals.

Sisters, Julie and Kathy pouring the lye/water mixture into the oil mixture once they are the same temperature.

Perseverance!

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."

— Charles H. Spurgeon

Just 244 hours to finish my kitchen backsplash mosaic commission. 

I felt like a snail at times, or rather like a slug.

But, baby steps and a bit every day is the key. Imagine if we were given everything we wanted all at once; we wouldn't know what to do or where to start first. Now to just get it to upstate New York and see it installed.

Now onto the next several projects that have been on hold. Happy projecting;) Molly

Not For the Faint of Heart!

Amazing thought for today and every day.

 Get out there and speak your mind for the betterment of others.

"Don't exist. 
Live. 
Get out, explore. 
Thrive. 
Challenge authority. Challenge yourself. 
Evolve. 
Change forever. 
Become who you say you always will. Keep moving. Don't stop. Start the revolution. Become a freedom fighter. Become a superhero. Just because everyone doesn't know your name doesn't mean you dont matter. 
Are you happy? Have you ever been happy? What have you done today to matter? Did you exist or did you live? How did you thrive? 
Become a chameleon-fit in anywhere. Be a rockstar-stand out everywhere. Do nothing, do everything. Forget everything, remember everyone. Care, don't just pretend to. Listen to everyone. Love everyone and nothing at the same time. Its impossible to be everything,but you can't stop trying to do it all. 
All I know is that I have no idea where I am right now. I feel like I am in training for something, making progress with every step I take. I fear standing still. It is my greatest weakness. 
I talk big, but often don't follow through. That's my biggest problem. I don't even know what to think right now. It's about time I start to take a jump. F**k starting to take. Just jump-over everything. Leap. 
It's time to be aggressive. You've started to speak your mind, now keep going with it, but not with the intention of sparking controversy or picking a germane fight. Get your gloves on, it's time for rebirth. There IS no room for the nice guys in the history books. 
THIS IS THE START OF A REVOLUTION. THE REVOLUTION IS YOUR LIFE. THE GOAL IS IMMORTALITY. LET'S LIVE, BABY. LET'S FEEL ALIVE AT ALL TIMES. TAKE NO PRISONERS. HOLD NO SOUL UNACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY NOT YOUR OWN. IF SOMETHING DOESN'T HAPPEN, IT'S YOUR FAULT. 
Make this moment your reckoning. Your head has been held under water for too long and now it is time to rise up and take your first true breath. 
Do everything with exact calculation, nothing without meaning. Do not make careful your words, but make no excuses for what you say. F**k em' all. Set a goal for everyday and never be tired." 
— Brian Krans (A Constant Suicide)

Let your goal today to check out this website and get talking! Peace be with you.

http://www.occupymi.org/

The Potential To Create

"There are two basic motivating forces:

 fear and love. 

When 

we are afraid, we pull back from life. 

When we are in love,

 we 

open to all that life has to offer 

with passion, excitement, and 

acceptance. 

We need to learn to love ourselves first, 

in all our 

glory and our imperfections. 

If we cannot love ourselves, we 

cannot fully open to our ability to love others 

or our potential to create. 

Evolution and all hopes for a better world 

rest in the 

fearlessness and open-hearted vision 

of people who embrace 

life." 

— John Lennon

I was allowed to let my creative juices flow today when I learned how to 

cut linoleum and make a print from my pattern. It is my new

favorite potential art form.

John Bergmeier, a very talented lino cutting print artist, 

came all the way from Pontiac, MI to teach this awesome class in my shop.

Here is John's artist statement from his website: www.johnbergmeier.com,

ARTIST STATEMENT

Piece by piece, the experience of each real or imagined person is depicted by certain icons left behind in time, such as images from old children's books, passages from Sunday School, photographs of family, farm tools or other implements, and more.  While referencing familiar or traditional themes, these images, as applied in each piece, become intriguingly profound and layered in meaning.  These narrative works reflect my fascination with choice and how coincidences converge in our lives to comprise the personal path each of us ultimately walks during our lifetime.

  This is one of John's beautiful prints. He brought several to show as examples. This one has several

overlays of different cuts to give it an awesome layered effect. He quite often glues other mixed media to his prints in order to make a more textural statement. John was such a patient and informative

teacher that I credit him with my ease of taking to the craft.  

 Here is an example of the many "cuts" John uses to create his amazing prints. He quite often

uses plexi-glass to mount the lino cuts to for ease of placement when printing.

 Here is John illustrating how to make the cuts on a piece of linoleum.

 After using a brayer to spread some black water soluble ink on a piece of plexi-glass, he is rolling the ink on to his lino block and then checking to make sure it is evenly covered.

 Here are the lucky students cutting away on their lino blocks.

 And here is my lino block after inking it up; this was so much fun that I was giddy!

 This is Tillie, one of John's very talented daughters, who is currently getting her Art degree with a minor in lino cutting and block printing. You can see some of her wonderful prints behind her hanging in my shop.Read more about her work here: 

 http://aworkofartstudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/life-without-art.html

She is also a very talented musician, listen to her perform here: http://www.reverbnation.com/tilliebergmeier

 And the great Ben Lambright, who taught writing classes at the shop earlier this year.

Read his beautiful writings here:

http://benwriteswords.wordpress.com/tag/benjamin-t-lambright/

 This is what Ben's inked block looked like. Very apropos for the upcoming "Dio De Los Muertos", otherwise known as Halloween. This was Ben's first lino cutting experience also. I get to hang with such a talented bunch of peeps!

And this is my lino block and the print that came from it.

I can't tell you how gratifying it was to carve on this block; way better than peeling old wallpaper off the wall.

Thanks again to John Bergmeier (and his lovely family) for coming to the shop today; what a great pleasure to spend the afternoon with such a talented bunch.

Speak the Language of the Flowers

"Once I spoke the language of the flowers, 

                                                             Once I understood each word the caterpillar said, 

Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings, 

And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed.

 Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets,

 And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow,

 Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . . How did it go? How did it go?" 

                                                           — Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends)

I've been working on mosaic flowers this weekend; trying to speak their language.

I'd like to think I am succeeding, once they are all completed I will work out

the background color (which is tickling my imagination as I glance at these pix).

I will finish all the flowers before I even contemplate too much on the background.

You'll just have to wait and see, just like me;)

I am toying with the idea of arranging to install this myself, this would really put  me more at ease, even though the trip will be to upstate New York. I will work more on this idea (and on my husband who will drive me) when I am closer to finishing. Stay tuned for more updates...

In the meantime, don't forget to stop and admire the flowers, even if they are mosaic, and have a safe and happy Labor Day. I will be laboring over a mosaic with happiness.  Peace.

Fingers Interlock Like a Beautiful Zipper of Prayer

"people used to tell me that i had beautiful hands 
told me so often, in fact, that one day i started to believe them until i asked my photographer father, “hey daddy could i be a hand model” 

to which he said no way, 

i dont remember the reason he gave me and i wouldve been upset, 

but there were far too many stuffed animals to hold 
too many homework assignment to write, 
too many boys to wave at 
too many years to grow, 

we used to have a game, my dad and i about holding hands cus we held hands everywhere, and every time either he or i would whisper a great 
big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands that we were sure, this one had to be 8 million 2 thousand 7 hundred and fifty three. 

hands learn more than minds do, 
hands learn how to hold other hands, 
how to grip pencils and mold poetry, 
how to tickle pianos and dribble a basketball, 
and grip the handles of a bicycle 
how to hold old people, and touch babies , 
i love hands like i love people, 

they're the maps and compasses in which we navigate our way through life, some people read palms to tell your future, 

but i read hands to tell your past, 
each scar marks the story worth telling, 
each calloused palm, 
each cracked knuckle is a missed punch 
or years in a factory, 

now ive seen middle eastern hands clenched in middle eastern fists pounding against each other like war drums, each country sees their fists as warriors and others as enemies. 

even if fists alone are only hands. but this is not about politics, no hands arent about politics, this is a poem about love, and fingers. fingers interlock like a beautiful zipper of prayer. 

one time i grabbed my dads hands so that our fingers interlocked perfectly but he changed positions, saying no that hand hold is for your mom. 

kids high five, but grown ups, we learn how to shake hands, you need a firm hand shake,but dont hold on too tight, but dont let go too soon, but dont hold down for too long, 

but hands are not about politics, when did it become so complicated. i always thought its simple. 

the other day my dad looked at my hands, as if seeing them for the first time, and with laughter behind his eye lids, with all the seriousness a man of his humor could muster, he said you know you got nice hands, you could’ve been a hand model, and before the laughter can escape me, i shake my head at him, and squeeze his hand, 8 million 2 thousand 7hundred and fifty four." 
— Sarah Kay

Just thought this was so beautiful and wanted to share it, with a few pictures of my father holding hands. He was so very good at it.

Expand Your Brain Cells with an Art Class!

So very excited for the Fall line-up of Art classes at Aworkofartstudio.com! (Click on "Studio schedule").
But for those of you who are too giddy to wait, here is the beginning of the line-up, there will be more to come!
  Beginning Stained Glass-with James Tanis

    Saturday, August 27, 11 am - 2 pm.  $30.- all materials included.

Learn all the basics of beginning stained glass creation and leave with

a wonderful heart sun catcher! One 3 hour class. RSVP required.

Polymer Clay Steampunk Jewelry- with Maureen Roslanic

Make a pendant/pin and earrings out of polymer clay base with added 

mixed junk parts (watch parts, buttons, old jewelry, etc). Class $20.- 

including materials. 2 Saturdays: Sept 24 at 11 am to make base from

polymer clay, Oct 1 to glue parts to finish pieces after they are baked.

Beginning Photography (Camera Basics)- with Jack Johnson

Saturday, September 17, 11 am - 1 pm. $15.-. Bring Camera, instruction

booklet and questions. 

Introduction to Linocut Printmaking- with John Bergmeier

www.johnbergmeier.com 

 Saturday, October 15- 2 - 4 pm. (Price to come...) 

Linocut printing is a relief printing process where a design is carved into a block of linoleum using a sharp v-shaped tool. The relief printing process is similar to using an inkpad and stamp in that the image and ink to be transferred to the paper is taken from the surface of the printing block.

This beginning class starts with an introduction to the linocut techniques. Demonstration of techniques will follow with time allowed for all to cut printing blocks and to print them.

Bring a Design and/or drawing that you will make into a print. Supplies will be available for purchase at the shop on the day of the class.

John Bergmeier received his BA from Hastings College, Nebraska and his MFA from Wichita State University, Kansas with a focus on printmaking. He has recently been making prints as a participant of the Wayne State Printmaking Workshop in Detroit. His work has been included in numerous group exhibitions internationally and he has been the recipient of numerous awards in national juried print exhibitions.

Beginning Mosaic Class with Molly Moblo Perusse

   Starting again Tuesday, September 6.  (4-8 weeks, depending on intricacy of your chosen

design), 6-9 pm. Come and learn the art of direct application on a 12”x12”

wood surface, how to cut, glue and grout a basic mosaic. $60.- including

materials. Or come with your own surface to mosaic. $20.- per square foot, including materials. Pre-registration required.

All classes require an RSVP to 989-352-8222!

Also coming soon:

Oil Painting with Dick Goedge in the "Bob Ross" method (starting in September on Tuesdays), cost is $25.- per 2 week session where you leave with a finished painting.

Braided Wool Rug Class or Broomstick Rug Class with Julie Sullivan: www.Rewovendesigns.etsy.com 

And many more. Call today @ 989-352-8222

 Also wondering if there is much interest in an after-school program for kids?

Would love some feedback about that option. Email me @aworkofartstudio@me.com.