My "opal" inlay rose brooch

In creating all of the abstract opals, I finally had an idea to make some actual inlays of familiarly shaped items. Yesterday, I made a bluebird and a butterfly (no photo, sorry) and took those down with the abstract pieces to the gallery. Then I came home and decided to make a rose brooch for myself to wear to the show tonight. So this is my design...and if the glaze cures enough by tonight, I'll wear it!

I'm really happy with the way these are coming out. I'm frustrated with the glaze curing time - but hey, my studio is basement level and it's freezing, so these jewels take longer to cure this time of year. I've brought the rose upstairs for the rest of the day, so maybe the warmer temp up here will help it set up okay by tonight. I wish they'd make a glaze which would dry IMMEDIATELY - yes, I'm an instant-gratification-kind-of-person. :) I'm thinking of picking up some Kato liquid clay today - I hear that cures fairly clear and I might not need to use the glaze. Hopefully I can find it, but with my luck lately, I'll probably have to come up with another solution. Especially since HL is doing inventory....read "empty shelves". UGH.

Jai

Opal inlay art jewelry made from polymer clay

What's going on in the studio this week? Opalescent inlay art jewelry - all created from polymer clay and with a touch of genuine gold leaf in freeform pins and pendants.

We're having a show at the gallery tomorrow night, and I learned a few tricks on making my faux opal jewelry which enable me to make more pieces faster.

So I've whipped up a bunch of pins and pendants to take to the gallery. Everyone likes to see something new and different, so I'll be taking out my old pieces and placing these there.

In addition to these, I'm also starting to make some inlays in shapes - on the table now is a butterfly and a bird, which I hope to get done this morning.

I thought my polymer clay friends would like to see these.

Hope you enjoy!

Jai

Two new brick paintings - Horse & Magnolia

Finally! Two more brick paintings completed. After 3 days of not being left alone, I finally stole the day yesterday and worked. The horse didn't turn out exactly as I had originally planned, but I like it.

The magnolia is more "white" than it looks on my screen, but then my monitor tends to show things darker. It turned out fantastic!

The plan is to do another magnolia today (a pink pair of them). Who knows if I'll get that accomplished...LOL. Unfortunately I saw a show on HGTV a few moments ago that gave me some ideas with my acrylic paint and polymer for jewelry. Sigh. I need to quit watching HGTV. So many cool things to try that spawn creative ideas in me! Oh well, at least I'm learning new things and having fun! :)

BTW, the brick paintings are on auction this week - go take a look if you have time! :)

Jai

Today I'm working on...

....a horse painting on brick. I'm doing a white horse against a dark background. The background is done, and I'm waiting on it to dry before I start the horse.

I'm trying to infuse a rainbow of colors in my new works on the bricks. Something which is white looks totally flat if you just use white paint, so this will really give me a chance to experiment with the different color combinations.

My neighbors saw the three first brick paintings today and they loved them! So that made me feel good to see a positive reaction from a human...LOL! They do look so much nicer in person than online....in person you can see more of the brushstrokes and feel the texture in areas. My neighbors also saw my digital painting of Max framed up in the living room, and they liked that too. They pointed out I really need a spotlight on that one, and I think they are right!

Earlier this morning I added scanned images of the brick art rather than photos. My scanner produces things very dark it seems, but I lighten it to the correct shades via my software so it looks comparable in colors to the real thing. I decided to put some of these images on products in my Cafepress shop, so I did that this morning too. Here's the link. Hope you enjoy seeing my new brick art! Already my mind is brimming with subjects. I was thinking of a seascape grouping for the bathroom, as I have oceanic colors in there, and I think that would be really neat. Also a "faux" aquarium for the living room....perhaps a grouping of 6 to 12 bricks which can be placed together somehow. In fact, that just might be what my stone fireplace mantle needs to set it off! :)

Jai

New art - brick paintings

Okay, as promised...here's my new art creations. For a long time I've wanted to do these. I decided since my digital art is SO STRENUOUS to get it all just perfect for all the products it has to go on, I needed to do another type of painting to relax. So I've taken off with my brick painting idea and am painting whatever the heck I want, in a loose, impressionist style, on various styles of individual bricks.

Each painting is an original work of art. The ones on the standard sized paver bricks like these are 7.5" x 3.75" and can be displayed in homes and offices in various ways. I can already tell from placing these three in my home I'll be able to add a variety of art in places I never thought I could! (bookends on my end tables for instance!)

Each one is also painted on the back, and I've applied gold dust to the back as well. Heck, everyone needs a little sparkle in their life, right? :) I've included a white area on the back where I sign and date there, as well as write the name of the piece and the brick number.

Here are shown the first 3 I've completed. Of course, I ALWAYS start any new project by doing sunflowers (my favorite flower) and then by doing a tulip (I love their sleek, elegant look!) and then what would an office be without a soothing beach scene to look at every so often?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! I will post more as I get them done.

Jai

Life Update from Jai

Good evening. Just thought I'd pop in and say hello on this blog. I got a new pup for Christmas - here's a painting I did featuring him titled "The Observer". So I've been really busy with him since the holidays.

His call name is Max, and yes, he's a German Shepherd. After 29 years, I've finally got the breed I wanted! And he's quite smart and quite protective. Once he's grown, I will no longer have to worry about people getting in my car to steal my hard-earned money, and no longer will I have to worry about being harrassed on walks. He's only 13 weeks, and already people hesitate to approach unless I say it's okay. Suits me fine! It was either get a gun, or get a guard dog. Although I can and have fired a gun, I'm find them to be inanimate and cold objects, which wouldn't add NEAR the joy to my life an animal would. So I opted for the guard dog, who can also be a companion for my family. And loyal....oh yes! You want loyalty, admiration, respect, consideration, and acceptance for who you are? Get a dog. Seriously! I've had people ask me about my brother and what's happening there...I haven't heard from him since I went to FL in June, he hasn't contacted me at all since he screwed up his life and deserted his son completely. So I tell those people now, I don't have a brother anymore I guess. But I have a dog! And I tell you what, this is much more rewarding than most of my relationships! I guess that might sound pretty sorry....but hey, IT IS WHAT IT IS. People in my real life have treated me like crap, not-respected me, used and abused me, and stepped on me or pushed me aside like I was nothing. Now folks.....now I am SOMETHING to SOMEONE. Even if it is a 4-legged friend! (which in my book, takes the cake hands down to the majority of my "people" relationships!)

As for other new things, in addition to my digital art, I'm also beginning painting on a new surface, and in a new manner. I find myself getting so anal and particular about my work, and I wanted to do something just for fun. So I've begun some impressionist work in miniature and not on a traditional canvas or support. I'll wait until I have a photo ready of one to show before I share that. :) Yes, I love keeping people in suspense, and no, I'm not painting with polymer clay this time. :)

Hope all is well with all of you,
Jai

P.S. In case you're wondering about the A Ring A Day blog...first of all, there seemed to be little interest in it at all, and then since my new family member came aboard, he takes precendence.