Mama's Still Got It Going On!

My mom was, and still is, awesome!  April 1st would have been her 77th birthday.

Last weekend, at a show in her honor at the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery, we sold one of her biggest pieces to an art patron who had been admiring it the previous month.

"Festival of Life" resonated with this new administrator of a school in Sacramento, CA.  Mom had been a principal at several elementary schools during her pre-watercolorist career, so that really touched the patron.

I just happened to be at the gallery last weekend, during the second Sacramento African American Art Collective (SAAAC) Art Walk, and this patron was there looking at the artwork for the third time.

Serendipity? Perhaps it was mom working her magic from her current plane of existence!

I so enjoyed telling the patron about mom and why this piece, in particular, was so important.  It was the first time mom had tried painting a large watercolor.  She was so proud of it that she kept it in her bedroom as a reminder that she was, indeed, a professional artist.


I am so proud that mama still got it going on and made this new patron a very happy owner of her work!

STILL TOUCHING LIVES THROUGH THE JOY OF ART

During the month of January, I always grieve the loss of my mother, gone four years now after a courageous 10-year battle with breast cancer.  

But this year a wonderful thing happened to bring me out of my annual funk.  The Kuumba Collective Art Gallery in Sacramento, CA, requested to honor my mom as the featured artist for Women's History Month in March 2011.  POR SUPUESTO! (Of course!)

TIME FLIES BUT WE NEVER FORGET

Dear mom,

On January 27th, it will be four years since you joined your deceased relatives.  Four years! How can that be, when you are with me everyday?  Just looking at these blogs, in the four years the following has happened in our lives:

America voted in a democratic Black president!

Thanks to the former president (your favorite - $%^#@!!!), the country has been in the worst recession since the great depression in which you spent your childhood and modeled your life of living within your means.

In 2007, I turned 50 years of age and went to Las Vegas for the first time.

You got your first great granddaughter, Jazmine, in December 2008, and your second great grandson, Isaiah in February 2010.  They are exactly the type of kids that you would love:  intelligent, active, interested in everything, generally well-mannered, and very cute.  I might use Photoshop to make a four-generation picture with you in it, like we were able to do with dad in real life.

Your grandson "reupped" for another tour in the Marines and is being sent to Japan for three years next month.  They packed up their house and are waiting for those orders to come through so they may visit Sacramento one last time before the new tour.

In 2009 and early 2010, I remodeled the kitchen and bathrooms, at your spirited urging.

Dad, THANKFULLY, entered a Memory Care facility in August 2009.  He has mellowed some, thanks to medications and the progression of his illness.  I enjoy being with him, especially when his fun-loving personality comes to the surface.  His wife is certainly the angel who is there with him everyday, making sure he is well-cared for.  Yes, your ex-husband is the luckiest man alive. You were his first caretaker who made it possible for him to be the great Ob/Gyn that he became. You were there with him at Ohio State encouraging him to study for his medical degree.  You were there with him when he traveled with me to Washington State to do his residency, then my sister was born.  You were there with him when he traveled to Stockton to do his internship, then my brother was born. You were there with him when he started his first medical practice on Florin Road near Franklin Blvd and you worked in his office making sure he got paid.  You were there with him when he bought his first house in Larchmont Riviera.  And you were there with him when he gave us all the news that he was leaving us to be with someone else.  And you were there with me, my sister, and brother to ensure that we did not falter, that we became excellent, productive citizens in this great country of ours.

In 2009, I got my first lump and, like your first, it was drained and has not yet returned.  But I have already vowed that if I get breast cancer down the road, I am opting for a double mastectomy with reconstruction to get a full size B cup . . . with some cleavage!

In Feb 2010, while watching the Olympics, I finally figured out how to make the African Warriors that I've dreamed of for 20 years:  the Warrior Divas were born and shown at the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery for the first time.

In early 2010, I became a metal maniac, learning from my friend Kristen how to weld recycled steel.  I made some huge outdoor sculptures! Looking forward to my first welding class of 2011 next weekend. It is possible that my first Kinetic Diva may be sold very soon; I shall miss her so much!

In July 2010, Kanika African Sculptures had a "Legacy" art show featuring your watercolors and my sculptures at the Blue Moon Gallery.  We worked hard to display work that was representative of your amazing watercolor style and it was very successful.  I put together a video slideshow of your work and you for the patrons to see.  Many of your friends and admirers came to honor you.

After being totally run-down because of all the work from earlier in the year, we went on several vacations during the summer of 2010.  I thought about you when I found the Nature Cure.

Late in 2010, a gallery approached me about making some breast cancer survivor busts, but of the real women themselves. So I learned how to do bodycasting. Now I need more volunteers to be wrapped!

So a lot has happened since you passed, but you are never forgotten, be sure of that.

Memorializing a Breast

This morning I received an inquiry asking whether I make busts of breasts.  What an unusual question. Or is it?

I remember the day before my mother was to have her mastectomy, 13 years ago.  She was overcome with the thought that she would lose a breast. She had never thought much about her breasts before until the time came when one would be forcibly removed.  My sister and I set up a video camera in her room and gave her privacy so she could express her feelings of loss and sadness.

I never saw the videotape, but I had wanted to do SOMETHING to help ease her pain.  I used clay to start a "Survivor" series of art sculptures and jewelry.  I wanted to show women going through the painful "cure" for cancer (chemotherapy, radiation, nausea, skin burns, perceived loss of femininity) that they ARE still beautiful and worthy of being happy. So each survivor necklace is hand-painted with hopeful colors and they sometimes accentuate the missing appendage - a portion of the sales goes to the Komen Race for the Cure Foundation.  Each Cancer Survivor Goddess sculpture is shining with positive energy.  Each sculptural bust is thought-provoking and beautiful.  Mom appreciated the Survivor series and proudly wore the neckpieces with many of her outfits.  In fact, "Contemplating old Wounds" won Best of Show at the Valley Sculpture Artists art competition and an Award of Merit at the California State Fair.

But back to the bust for breasts project. . .  Without anymore information from the potential client, I assumed that she wanted not just a clay representation of her breast, but maybe a casting of her torso with both breasts intact.  A body cast, like what many pregnant women do.  For many years I have wanted to explore body casting techniques where strips of plastered-coated gauze are spread over a body part(s), dried/hardened, then filled with 1/4"-1/2" of plaster or concrete or clay which is later fired in a kiln.  I have seen demos of various ways of casting, even tried using latex to cast forms, and I have made several plaster molds for some of my artwork.

With the help of the Internet, I did a bit of research on the current methods for body casting and read commentary from others who had hints and tips.  After selecting one method to try, I went to several stores to find the needed materials. Then at 4 PM, in the garage, with a black plastic sheet over the floor, I filled a bucket with water and began to cut strips of gauze.  Then I took off all of my clothes (yes, I did) and sat on the floor with dozens of gauze strips around me.  All different sizes. Very important: use lots of Vaseline on the skin that will touch plaster. Lots of Vaseline, or you may have to chisel the plaster off your skin later.

So after about a hour of criss-crossing plaster-coated gauze-like strips, my torso was covered with a hardening plaster cast.

I carefully lifted it off and set it on top of the black plastic to dry completely.

A few hours later, after dinner, I was dismayed to find that the damp garage actually softened the plaster cast! And some of the layers were coming apart!  Squeezing some glue in between the layers, I let the cast sit an hour longer, but luck was not a lady tonight! The glue had not started drying at all.  So I brought it into the warm house and let it dry overnight.  Guess what? The glue was still almost liquid and the cast still not very stiff. Arrgghh!

Home Depot had to be the answer (as usual). I bought some Plaster of Paris and drywall tape and applied another layer of tape and plaster on both sides. After a couple of hours in front of a fan, it was stiff and dry.

A 3/8" layer of clay was fitted into the crevices of the form, the excess cut away into a pleasing shape, and the form allowed to dry a few hours.

I did not want to wait for it to be leather hard overnight, so I flipped the large form over onto a towel and the clay form popped out, as hoped.  Hurrah!  After some adjustments to the clay, I took a damp sponge and evened out the rough spots.  Voila! My first body cast! Tomorrow the body will get more detailing.  The glazing for this one may end up being rather abstract or whimsical, but I won't really know until it happens.

Next time, I'll tweak this methodology a bit, but the first time ended up being pretty darn successful!  How exciting! The breast can be memorialized!

THE NATURE CURE

RENEWAL OF SPIRIT – THE NATURE CURE

After a hectic, hectic first half of 2010 preparing for my “Legacy” art show in July and other art venues, and creating a metal studio and learning how to make half a dozen Amazon-sized garden sculptures, I just sat back and realized that I’ve taken four vacations in the last three months!  And what an improvement that has made in my spirit and emotional well-being!

First was a trip to Shelter Cove, along the north coast of California, mowing my dad’s many lawns at his house which overlooks the ocean.  Dad is no longer able to live there due to Alzheimer's Disease and every few weeks his wife’s family drives 5.5 hours from Sacramento to care for the property.  

So in July, my sister and boyfriend and I volunteered to make the “sacrifice” of doing some very difficult yardwork for many hours, looking at the ocean from the kitchen window, admiring the sunset while eating dinner, watching the stars so big and bright in a sky devoid of obscuring city lights, walking along black sand beach, eating the shrimp and fries basket in the tiny “town” of Shelter Cove, exploring the tidepools, and hiking in the Kings Wilderness area. 

And I brought 50 pounds of clay and made several nature-inspired wall hangings which will be unveiled at the Crocker Art Museum Holiday Art Show the weekend after Thanksgiving.
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In early August, I bragged in my Spirituality and Art blog about not doing anything that I had planned to do (no clay, no newsletter writing, no blogging) at our annual vacation in Mendocino, CA, which is 1.5 hours or so south of Shelter Cove and two hours north of San Francisco, CA.  It was evident that I was starting to unwind from the frenetic pace I had set earlier in the year.

In mid-September, we went camping for several nights at the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. We were within walking distance of a creek a long stone’s throw from our campsite.  We were near stands of redwoods five minutes from our campsite.

 

We hiked up to see waterfalls and stunning overlooks to the mountains surrounding Big Sur.

We drove down the coastal highway to visit Hearst Castle.

We went to another waterfall which can be seen from State Highway 1.

On the way back home, we walked around Carmel, CA, and looked at several art galleries.

The weekend after the Big Sur trip, we dressed up and drove back down south for the Renaissance Faire at Casa de Fruta on the Pacheco Pass, meeting my boyfriend’s daughter there.  They went on the huge swing and we ate traditional foods such  as the Toad in a Hole, huge artichokes, cottage pasties and the like.  My favorite African import store was there – “Upsan Downs” – so I got some more African bracelets.  

And I got my first tattoo at the Renaissance Faire, to the delight of my daughter-in-law who has been clamoring for us to go together and get tats; mine was only a henna tattoo that time, but I loved it and might make it permanent.

The last trip was to the Evergreen Lodge in the Yosemite area.  And what a treasure! The weather was record-breaking 100s in Sacramento and in the low-80s at Yosemite, which was PERFECT!  Lots of hiking through unimaginably beautiful and unusual countryside. Parts of the granite mountains looked like we were on another planet.

The sunsets from our room were magnificent.  And I cannot even describe the starry starry night above.  We even saw the Milky Way!

Have you ever been trapped in a life-sized spider web?  The Evergreen Lodge had lots of fun and artsy structures for kids of all ages.

So I took the Nature Cure and am renewed and ready to embark upon a new type of creativity.  

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I prescribe the Nature Cure!  I also donate 10% of all sales of my breast cancer survivor art jewelry to breast cancer research, so if you're interested, please take a look: http://www.kanika.us/1mastectomy_pp.htm

AN ART BRA THAT SAVES LIVES

I volunteered to do a clay demonstration at the Patris S12 Gallery Art Preview Night last month.  My goal was to start and finish an art piece that would be worthy of contributing to the Third Annual Art Bra Show this year to be held at the 20th Street Gallery, 911 20th Street, Sacramento, CA.  Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) and Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation are preparing to host the Third Annual Art Bra Show to bring awareness to the plight of breast cancer in Sacramento and its effects on all women. Please join us for a special tribute art show to help bring awareness and raise funds for these two organizations. Women’s Wisdom Art, a program of SFBFS, and the Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation will be hosting Art Bra Show 3 on September 8-30, 2010.  The silent auction is on September 11th, from 5-8 PM, but you may place your bids anytime between Sept 8 and 11th.

And so on August 12th, with a 25-pound bag of red clay and a quickly put together round table and stool, I made an armature out of a pipe flange attached to a lazy susan, with a fabric-covered pipe extending from the center. I began to roll some long clay snakes on the tiny table top. I thought it would be easiest to make a coil sculpture since I had such a small space to make it in.

After I had enough snakes, I started forming the basic structure. Round and round the snakes go, using the same overlapping technique that one might use on a pie crust edging.

After an hour or so, the body was taking shape.  I made some cross-members to keep the body from expanding too much. I had forgotten my paddles and had to beat and compress the sides with my hands and the water bottle.  You can see the overlapping techniques on the top two rows.  I also used a metal rib to compress the clay and as the clay dried I was able to use the serrated side of the rib to make a cool texture on the clay. That action served to flatten out the walls of the trunk.  Because I spent a bit of time talking with customers and other artists from 5-8 PM, I did not have time to make her head while still at the gallery.

So . . . when I returned home I made a flattened piece of clay, slightly curved at the edges.  I accentuated the breasts then cut out an interesting triangle area in the middle of the chest.  You tell me what that is for . . . After drying a couple of days, I had to decide what colors to glaze the body.  I wanted it to be special for this special fundraiser but did not want the glaze to obliterate the linen-like textural quality of the skin.  

So I chose red and black iron oxide brushed on, then wiped off, with a touch of diluted clear glaze over the top to make the natural color of the red clay shine through.  But I also wanted a bit of "flavor" so I painted several purple spiral-esque tattoos on her back and the neck.  Then into the firey kiln (yes, she was only fired once).

I knew I should have made an egg shape for the head! But I didn't and the head ended up taking me much longer than making the whole body! I ended up welding some steel pieces together, wiring and and attaching them to the clay head.  This structure also served to balance the body so it wouldn't tip over.

I wanted the face to have a different sheen than the body so I used acrylics to make her look contented.  Sparkle in her eyes.  Funky hair of reds, browns and oranges, with a same color bra edged in brown leather.  What do her eyes see?  What is she smiling about?

And the finishing touch is a necklace that reflects the joyful turquoise and red colors in the tile on which she sits.  What's in a name? Everything.  I polled my Facebook Friends to help me come up with a name.  The perfect name came in after I had delivered her to Helen Plenert, the director of the Women's Wisdom Project:  "The Girl from Ipanema" - beautiful brown skin, sitting on ocean colors, skimpy bra top, sun-kissed hair.  And my dad's second favorite song in the world.

And I hope she finds the perfect home as a result of the 20th Street Gallery fundraiser, because the money she brings in could help disadvantaged women learn about breast health, as well as learn that they are beautiful, no matter what their present circumstance or malady.  I want women to have the hopeful outlook represented in the face of the "Girl from Ipanema."

Layers of Life

This month "Layers of Life" is on display at the Patris S12 gallery this month: July 8th 6-8 pm and July 10th, August 11th, and September 11th, 2010, 6-10 pm at 1200 S Street, Sacramento, CA.

Click here to read: Kanika's July Newsletter