Trash into Treasure

Indian Pony, acrylic on clayboard, 8" x 10"

Today, while at Art Works Downtown, I happily discovered in the trash three canvases that the artist tossed even before the painting had hardly begun. Given the nature of the economic/world situation, I quickly retrieved the "orphans" and made them my own. One "Clay Board", costs $12.95 at an art store, and my heart was breaking as I saw it unloved and unused to its full potential. So, I now have painted my beloved equus with my newest discovered "metallic" paint in gold and purples. The other two canvases, one on gessoed board, and the other a traditional fabric canvas, have been turned into a beautiful diptych of an abstracted version of "Neptune's Horses", and a more realistic looking dappled grey, my all time favorite "winter" colored horses commonly seen in Rockwell paintings. It's hard to believe that the paintings (photos to follow), started out as "trash".

More Eggshelling on glass

At 5:37 in the morning, I can hear the crows cawing for their breakfast - peanuts my husband throws out for them. Now that the hustle and bustle of summer opera has come to a rip roaring finish and I'm almost over my summer flu bug, I'm gearing up to finish my next big project. On July 2 and 3, submissions for the upcoming show, You, Me, Us and Them: Contemporary Portaiture, at OHCA, is due. In addition to submitting my first eggshelled portrait of my husband Georg, who spells his name without an "e", I am eggshelling a photo of him and my pet cockatiel Koko, who celebrated his 11th birthday on June 4. Where does the time go? If the number 11 does symbolize relationships, then this picture I took as a series of 75 shots says it all. What does it say? Koko loves to snuggle.

There I go digressing again.

I learned how to program in HTML. It really is a feat especially since I told myself for the life of the Internet that all that gobbeldygook was "too hard" and consequently never developed my website. Now that's a story in itself and you get the gist of its magnitude when you go on-line to research how to build a website. It must be pretty daunting for folks to look at a blank page because the number of templates now available are amazing. Everything from personal to professional sites - it seems there are no limits to what you can do with HTML. But, as technology clicks along, HTML is soon becoming a dinosaur of the past. Website development just got easier with Flash, a code based on vector graphics, which will make my website move like the wind, with full animation of my galloping, frolicking horses.

Speaking of horses - I'm painting up a storm these days with acrylic. Given my utter disdain for the synthetic muk that is polluting Mother Earth, I never knew how wonderful acrylic paint can be. I have discovered a media that gives me complete control of my painting process. I recentlty discovered the beauty of multiple overlays possible through adding the media to quick drying mediums. Now, I can paint multiple layers of paint in lickety split. I'm also being conscientious of proper disposal of my waste rinse waters and am collecting them in separate containers for future runs to the hazardous chemical disposal plant. I'm also collecting my rags, Handiwipes and paper towels now "decorated" with the vibrant colors from my painting sessions, for who knows what? Future fiber art projects integrated with my dryer lint and felt projects. The sky is the limit in the world of pure creativity and material girl bliss.

Listing on ART Slant

I'm now registered on the website for artists called ART Slant. To see my work, go to http://www.artslant.com/sf/artists/show/108104-elise-cheval

Call For Entries for July and August at OHCA

Georg, Eggshell Mosaic on Glass, 4" x 6"

The O'Hanlon Center for the Arts is having two more shows! In July, look for their exhibit, called "You, Me, Us, Them: Exploring Contemporary Portraiture, juried by Irene Belknap. Then, in August, Donna Seagar returns to jury the "Bay Area Women's Artist's" show. For the prospectus, go to http://www.ohanloncenter.org/. For the portraiture show, I will submit my eggshell mosaics piece called "Georg", named after my husband. Then, in August, I'll be high-stepping and walking on eggshells, in matching shoes, hat and clutch to go with my eggshelled vinyl and velcro dress that will be on view at the Marin County Fair until July 5.

"Walkin' on Eggshells" and "Return to Oz" Accepted in Marin County Fair

I called the Fair office and learned that two of my artworks were accepted
into the Marin County Fair. They'll be on view until July 5. For ticket information, go to www.marincountyfair.org.

Elise Cheval Performs with Contemporary Opera Marin during the Tiburon Music Festival

The Seasonings by PDQ Bach

Prohibition Songs

We're having a blast performing on stage with Contemporary Opera Marin. Our Opening Night was a sell-out. Let's hope that our Closing Night, Saturday, June 26 will be a sell-out, too! Check out these stills I captured from the Flip Video my husband filmed.

Hi Ho Silver, Silverpoint Drawing

"Hi Ho Silver", silverpoint drawing, 11" x 14"

Last semester, while taking Materials and Techniques, with Chester Arnold, I learned about an ancient drawing technique called silverpoint or metalpoint, where the artist makes marks with a piece of metal wire onto a gessoed clayboard. I loved the concept of being able to make marks with a piece of metal wire, so I created the piece, "Hi Ho Silver" for the Marin County Fair. Since I was a little girl, I always got excited when our horses would rear up on their hind legs. The title reminds one of the famous Lone Ranger, who shouted to his loyal white steed named Silver, "Hi Ho Silver away", but I got my inspiration for the title from a play on words on the media silverpoint.