Turning The Page: One Bird At A Time.

As many of you know I LOVE birds. Always have, always will. All birds, rare and common.  We keep chicken and ducks. I have been raising chickens now for over 25 years.  I have my favorite breeds. I am always googling "buy magpie, crow, usa."  If I lived in the UK I would already have them by now. The USA is a bit stringent on keeping wild birds. I was told Magpies are not a protected bird. So that's why I go by Polkadot Magpie...freedom from Government "protection." Perhaps when we no longer have our poultry a corvid will come to me.  I've always believed that what I am seeking is also seeking me.  I know in my heart...one will come. In the meantime, 28 chickens and 6 ducks will keep me busy!

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There are some true stories on the internet about relationships with wild birds. One that has thrilled me beyond all others is "Penguin the Magpie."  An Australian boy and his family rescued a baby magpie (not the NorthAmerican version). She's black and white- more of the markings of a Pied Crow. They have an Instagram page I have been following: penguinthemagpie.  A book is due out soon. The photos are incredible.  Recently she has flown away. She's of mating age, and is probably doing what a wild bird does.  We are hoping she returns with her babies.  We've had ducks fly away for weeks knowing they had a nest somewhere. They came back. I hope Penguin will too.  Molly the owl delighted millions with her Owl Cam. The world watched through the internet her first hatch with such rapt attention...you'd think they were the first birds to ever hatch on the planet!  So I know I have lots of avian friends.

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I rarely show work in progress. But I am happy to show quick sketches in my sketchbook. I have been thinking of a series of crazy birds. There are so many real ones, that are fun.  Some will be turned into solar plates, some into Collographs. It should be fun. Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift, open now.

xo
Suz




NO PHOTOS FROM THIS BLOG MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY WAY WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE BLOGGER AND POLKADOT MAGPIE.

Final Days in Catalonia

Photo Gravures of Sam   

I have truly fallen in love with the life on a Catalonian beach town. The people, the food, the Sea! Few folk speak english here, and so I have had much time to reflect, make art, enjoy nature, and enjoy "Vitamin Sea."  The pace from my everyday whirlwind life-a real gift. And getting new memories since my last visit with Kelley, has been super healing.  Tonight I will go for a final swim in the Mediterranean.  Then begin my packing. Plates are packed, now the prints.

Sam went to the Post this morning. What an adventure that was!  Much different than the USPS. In America my post office workers are always helpful. People haven't got a thing to complain about, and I will make it a point to let them know when I am home. Thank goodness my host Jordi went with me and navigated the first opposition: "It's too large to ship!" to "Contents" that are on a non published list. We chose "medical equipment" as that was the closest box to check from the secret list.  Her box was under all weight and size requirements that the woman working there with the blue speckled hair was skeptical about.  She'll stay in Germany, until our next trip to the EU. I thank my friends Regi and Tom for hosting her.

I had my favorite Catalonian toast for lunch with my salad.  So easy, and delicious. Missing my tomato sandwiches from my garden, they are a welcome replacement.  Toast good crusty bread, cool to room temp. Rub 1/2 a tomato over the bread "just enough for flavor, but not too much to make bread soggy." Then a drizzle of olive oil, and pinch of sea salt.  OMG, I am not a bread or toast eater, and I could eat a whole loaf like this.

My hosts have been amazing people to get to know. They are a power couple by American standards. They work the best print shop I have ever been in, each with their own expertise, and talents.  I want to come back, but don't know if I ever will. I thank Jordi and Claudia for EVERYTHING!  And I will miss my friend "Duardo" the cat, and his constant love.

Each day is a gift, open now!

xo,
Suz




NO PHOTOS FROM THIS BLOG MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY WAY WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE BLOGGER AND POLKADOT MAGPIE.

My Other Shop

More prints are finding their way into my shop.  I continue to add new items daily to ThePolkadotMagpie.   I am thrilled to have them out of the flat file and up in my Etsy shop.

Most of them are Italy inspired from my time at Santa Reperata Art School.   I collaged pieces of paper into these monoprints.  Above "La Lettre."

"Della Robbia"

Thanks for looking!  For some reason the images look washed out on the blog...well you get the idea.

Each day is a gift, open now.

xo,

Suz

What I Bought on Etsy

"Kelley's Cow"  Old School Suz in my new shop: ThePolkadotMagpie

This starts a new feature on my blog.  I was first a shopper, before I had two of my own shops.  I am still a shopper on Etsy.  It is a land of amazing finds. Vintage is a category I could live in all day.  There seems to be some mathematical formula between what item I want to buy and the shipping being as much if not more than the cost of this wanted piece. Be it on the other side of the world, or 500 pounds...usually those are the things I REALLY want.  The art and illustration shops are also amazing.

I worked my ass off this year.  True, I did it in my pajamas half the time.  There is something to be said for working the entire morning in one's sleepwear.  I love it.  As a reward I wanted to buy myself something.  I love the surreal work that is photography based.  So I decided to set myself a budget of $100.00 and went shopping at some of my favorite shops.  The following two pieces are part of my gift to self.  I have them up on an easel in my studio.  I plan to rotate pieces there like the front page of Etsy. However not every hour. :-)  I bought 5 pieces.

Top is "The Wing Collector" by ThisYearsGirl  on Etsy.com

Below it is "Theodore W. Elwood"  by Emporium51 on Etsy.com

One makes me laugh and one makes me cry.  Ahhhh life.

Everyday is a gift, open now.

xo,

Suz

What is a Collograph ??

"Spring" from the 4 Seasons Collection

Many of you know only my jewelry on Etsy.  With the opening my new shop, I will be selling original prints as well as cards, and copies of original prints that sold and are popular.  I don't have a good printer where I live for this.  So I am open to names nation wide if you have one.  For years I explored collographs.  Inspired by a local artist and fellow printmaker Tony Abyeta.  Few people knew how to make a line with this method of printmaking.  I was determined I could.  And did.

A collograph can be made may ways. These were made by carving, layering paper, leaves and then gessoing over them.  When it all dries, I coat the plate with acrylic so the ink does not permeate the plate and break it down while printing. The plates get quite thick and I used carpet padding as a blanket when printin.    The 4 Seasons Crosses were multiple plate images.  Each plate holding a different color.  Registration is complex, but doable.  Below are the Winter, Summer, and Fall from this series.

"Winter"

"Summer"

"Fall"

I had the slides converted to digital files.  I am not a photoshop person, so the colors are a bit off. "Summer" is actually a peach with the blue.   One step at a time.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift...open now.

xo,

Suz