artings

Christmas. . . Rooster

2011-12-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

My new studio mate.

more about this later.

I just wanted to get this up today.

Drawing for Spring Green Holiday Shopping

2011-11-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

This was fun to draw... . . . . . .

It is the full page holiday ad for Arcadia Books, Convivio, Driftless Depot and Spring Green Timber Growers...

all of Spring Green, Wisconsin.

I drew a full page for Convivio last year.

Kelen White-line Print as card

2011-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

You can now get this as a card!

....and this one, too!

This one is a watercolor, but, it too, is now available.

White-Line print block

2011-10-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

8pm last night I finally took the print off the block!

The print itself looks like a well slept in bed sheet, so is under weighted glass being flattened.

This is only the block.

Fall Art Tour, Spring Green, Wisconsin

2011-10-07T06:15:00.000-07:00

This year I seemed to have turned into the General Contractor for my new studio.

It will be down the road a bit, and on the other side of the hill...

that's where you'll all be going for the 2012 Fall Art Tour.

This year's Tour will also probably be the last year in this studio, which is really sad.

It has been my home and safe place for so many years...

but, I have outgrown it.

The etching press might stay for a while,

and maybe I'll use the space for something special.

As more and more of my time seems to be eatten by this new studio,

I have simplified my arting goals to simply trying to complete the second print

off the "I live here" white-line wood block.

(The first print sold in my show at the Anaba Tea Room show last November.)

If all goes right, I'll be able to get it photographed and have prints on hand,

as well as prints of the one in the photo above.

I'm also aiming for half-sized prints of the "40 days and 40 nights" woodprints.

"I live here", artist print #2, in progess.

If all goes right.....

If not, prints WILL be available a little later.
Those who ask will be notified first,
and finally I will have something official to sell through my Etsy site.
This Fall Art Tour, I will be demonstrating how I do this White-Line woodblock printing.
I'll be pulling out a lot of arting that I've had packed away on purpose...
the original "40 days and 40 nights" woodprints will be on display,
and whatever else I can manage to pull out will be out.

Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center

2011-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

The Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center

Poster drawn by Linda Kelen

Frank Lloyd Wright's Wyoming Valley School Fund Raiser!

2011-08-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

Helping to raise money for the school, which is now supported by grants and gifts,

I made eleven of the 50 paper mache apples that will be sold or auctioned.

worm.. ant...

green bug...

bee with metal wings...

dragonfly on leaf...

worm...

yellow dragonfly...

blue dragonfly...

ladybug...

Stay tuned!

Linda Kelen's Artings at CrossRoads Coffeehouse

2011-08-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

CrossRoads Coffeehouse, a good place to recharge,

is showing postcards from the Garden of Eden, which are part of my Ephemera of the Driftless Area artings...

along with some White-line wood prints...AND my SardineTins!

All of the show cards now have:

stamped on the backs.

White-Line wood prints in San Antonio show.

2011-05-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

These three of my White-Line wood prints will be in the show Reliefs4Relief

A Juried Exhibition of Prints benefitting Japan Disaster Relief

Lyle Williams, McNay Museum Curator of Prints & Drawings was the Juror

at the Centro Cultural Aztlan Gallery

in San Antonio, Texas.

I was moving fast to get them framed, boxed and into the hands of FX,

so I didn't get the chance to take better photos of them in their fine frames before they left.

The Electric Companyis outfitted in a handmade frame.

The RedHerring Partywas awarded 3rd place!

and framed in a simple antique pine frame.

The Pondfit the most wonderful old frame I found in the basement.

I'll post more show information later.

Blacksmith class at Driftless Folk School.

2011-05-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

I took a one day blacksmith classat Driftless Folk School in Viroqua, WI

with my interesting inventor friend, Matt Erdman.

This forge wouldn't stay lit,

so instructor Nick Smolenshowed us how to work at the big forge...

and how to begin a simple hook.

That was the morning...learning how to deal with coal,

working on our hooks, some went on to make BBQ forks in the afternoon.

I stuck to the hooks, making a second...

and nails with which to stick them to the wall.

whiteline print - Red Herring Party

2011-05-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Red Herring Party, artist print #1...on Nishinouchi paper.

11.5" wide x 15.5" high

Small show of Artings

2011-03-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

I will be showing a small collection of fish related artings:

Artings can be seen through end of April.

White Line Woodprint in progress

2011-02-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

"Party"
It's a White Line wood print in progress...cut into sugar pine...and it's looking really good.
Hope to finish it tomorrow.

Small Paintings

2010-11-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

These two 6" square paintings, oil on linen, will be auctioned off sometime in January.

SardineTin #9, #17, & #18

2010-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

It's in the show!

...so are SardineTins # 12, #13, #14, #16, #17, #18, #19, #23, #25, and # 26.

Yes, I've been really busy.

I did finally get back to the Anaba Tea Room/gallery

to photograph the latest sardine tins.

It wasn't the same as photographing them here, but I think they'll be ok.

The lighting is what was available in the gallery.....and I'm not really all that good at this part.

SardineTin #17

SardineTin#18

Linda Kelen's Solo Show

2010-11-15T05:38:00.000-08:00

Linda Kelen's Solo Show, "Anything but Driftless".....

November 4 through January 2, 2011...

at the Anaba Tea Room

2107 E. Capitol Drive

Shorewood, Wisconsin 53211

(414) 963-9510

The woodblock prints of Booger's 40 Day and 40 Night disappearance are exhibited,

which are all true supposed events, worries and happenings...except those that are very real.

It's an eclectic sampling of my arting, including the newest SardineTins.

SALVAGE ART Show & Auction, Oct 1st - 29th

2010-08-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

the Small Dog of Power...print #1... in the show.

Image is 10.6" wide by 16" tall on 12.75" by 18.25" Japanese Nishinouchi paper.

has been SOLD.

It is printed from an old pine barn board that was of the recycled barn wood

used in the construction of this original house 90 years ago.

The house was lost in a fire.

This board, and whatever wasn't completely burned up,

was saved for possible second lives.

You can see the woodblock just to the left:

The Small Dog of Power is framed in a 21" x 26" solid oak frame which also survived the fire........................................

although the Grant Wood print did not.

These are larger pictures than I'd normally post,

due to some of the interested may not be able to attend in person.

If you've any questions, just ask.

The auction is now over.

woodblock printing update

2010-07-23T08:50:00.004-07:00

I've been cutting the last major block for the "Strong, Brave, & Handsome" set...

and printing 6-7 prints from each of the blocks,

I'm readying for a solo show in Shorewood, Wisconsin.

I used to hate printing,

never able to get all that I believed I had cut into a block,

and eventually wrote myself off as just a crappy printer.

Barbara Mason, a solarplate wizard I met at a Japanese printing bootcamp some years back,

and a couple others on the Baren Forum,

suggested I try the Japanese Kitakata.

Alex Prentis, of iMcClains Printmaking Supplies, supported the Kitakata choice,

and suggested I try the Gamblin Relief ink.

The combination of the two for my blocks changed everything.

I'm seeing a delicacy showing up that I knew was there, but couldn't get.

These now are unmistakeably WOOD prints....and they are wonderful.

Landscape- woodprint

2010-07-03T20:02:00.002-07:00

Once it's flattened, I'll get a better photo of it,

and the correct dimensions...it's about 26 or 27 inches wide.

I Live Here...

Framed White-Line Print

2010-06-19T10:12:00.001-07:00

I'm back to making my own frames.

This is of Red Oak, which grows here in Southwest Wisconsin

measuring 11.75" wide, 15.75" high, and is .75" thick.

That's the second print off the Patron Saint of Shrews woodblock,

printed on handmade Japanese Gampi paper.

White-Line woodblock prints II

2010-05-25T19:07:00.002-07:00

Needing a block of wood to begin cutting the next in the 40 Day and 40 Night series,
I took a break and printed these:(coffee)

(Crooner)

First white-line woodblock prints

2010-03-02T05:47:00.000-08:00

Complications prevented me from taking the printing workshop with Paul Yank in Cedarburg,
so now's time to give white-line woodblock printing another go.

6"x11", cut into Shina Plywood, printed on Kizuki Hanga (left), Nishinouchi (right), with watercolors.

4.5"x7" the Patron Saint of Shrews

LEFT: Print #1, on Kizuki Hanga (sold) RIGHT: Print #2, on Gampi (showing at WomanMadeGallery, July 9-August 26, 2010)

This is the one I just completed. I have to photograph the print, scanning just isn't working.

At least you can see where it's going.

Electric Company, print #1....Printed on Kizuki Hanga paper.

SOUP is about the same size as the Patron SaintThis is print #1.

This is MeMe...2.25"x7" image on Gampi small experiment...needed to try something.7.5"x8.5" ..... Bird Dog...print#1

Woodblock proof, work in progress

2010-02-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

I am finally doing the last bit of cutting on this block.
I've cut more since this proof..................
I need to print again to see where I'm at.

The idea of having to clean up after proofing was too much for me yesterday...
so I slapped on the snow shoes and took off for the afternoon.

Burger Guy-Somersault test

2010-01-24T06:03:00.000-08:00

I'll probably eventually post this over at LindaKelen-Freelance...
I just got started here.
The computer and connection is SO slow, I didn't want to get involved in moving it now...
that will happen later...
so for all you art fans who never knew I freelanced...
now you know.

I've got to give big credit to Peter of Blogger Tips and Tricks

where I found the instructions for posting a gif animation.

This BurgerGuy is one of my "crew" who I allowed to freelance for the Weber-Stephen Product company...you know, Weber Grill?
I used to do the drawings for their Grill Out Times Newsletters for years..
point of purchase ads, product drawings...and even watercolors for their restaurant....
which I've got scans of somewhere...
AND instructions on Grill Cleaning...staring the BurgerGuy.
One day Weber decided to change direction and moved into high-tech/internet/digital photography...
but, they are happy..
and I am busy...
I definately miss it though...it was so much fun.

I use Gif Construction Set.

Direct Link is:
http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/lindakelen-artings/gif%20animation/Burger-weber-kelen.gif

Milwaukee

2010-01-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

I'm visiting friends in Milwaukee...
met Deborah Kern, owner of the Garden Room + Anaba Tea Room...
in Shorewood Wisconsin....
where I will be having a show of my artings in September of this year....(more about that later)....

I also met with Paul Yank
with whom I may be studying/working/learning about one whopper printing press this spring....
I've never seen a press this large in an artist studio...
ever................................(more about THIS later)......

I'm ALSO learning how to deal with a MacIntosh computer...
on a VERY snappy connection....
which makes me feel like I've temporarily left my cave....
I've updated...
FAST...OH, so fast...
my Freelance blog's posting
about the coffee labels I've drawn up for Convivio Coffee...
sold at a fine little shop in Spring Green Wisconsin.

Collagraphy

2010-01-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

I've been working on spoons for so long and so intensely..
I needed something different..
I'm working on aluminum plates.
I miss drawing...and am doing something about it.

<-that's my press.

Since I don't have a gallery where my artings can usually be found,
I've started an Etsy Shop....LindaKelenArtings...
so, little by little there will be more and more to see there also.

Pastoral

2010-01-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

sI've always liked this one.

New Year's Eve in the Driftless Area

2009-12-31T06:37:00.000-08:00

In hidden gathering places of the Driftless Area...
within the hour between the Old and New Years...
unusually powerful energies can be seen without their facades.

the Religionator, Edition Variation 3, giclee 7/35

2009-12-30T19:41:00.000-08:00

Archivally varnished, Giclee of hand colored collagraph print...

"Religionator in the Garden, Edition Variation #3"

with golden edges ...

words are hand printed on the back....

"7th in an edition of 35" written in pencil.

2.5" x 3.5"

Metro Elves...Santa's Helpers...a Holiday reposting.

2009-12-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

One year I painted an "Elves Shop Here" sign for the local gallery/art supply shop
MetropolitanArt, which, sadly, no longer is.
The TownPeople were not believers and challenged such a statement....
so, I took pictures.
These are my "photographs" of the actual Elves that annually came from the North
to use the gallery as their workshop.
No one said another word.

"Jeb is pleased to see Elves use white gloves...leaving no finger prints on paper."

"These elves lost their shopping list...."

"Elves love cookies."

"Mega, (studio dog)........................................is a handy mode of transportation."

"Some Elves are too short."

"After a successful shopping spree...
Elves carry the last of their supplies out to the sleigh....(parked around the corner)."

Sardine Tin #16

2009-11-29T17:12:00.000-08:00

It's smaller than the others..

I forgot to measure it...

but, will post it's size next time I come back from the studio.

After the Fall Art Tour

2009-11-02T06:26:00.000-08:00

A slow computer on a dial-up/land-line connection
has been preventing more regular posts...
but, here's a quick update:
Victoria Lansford is including my spoon efforts in her new DVD about Eastern Repousse...
I'll announce when it's available.
Mary Machare wrote a wonderful piece about her visit to my studio during the Fall Art Tour...
If you missed the Fall Art Tour................
you can still "wander" through my studio...

I did finally make a proof of the woodblock in progress....

and will be posting it soon...

along with the wood prints done so far

in Booger's 40 day and 40 Night disappearance...

and I'm ever so slowly opening up an ETSY account....

SardineTins #13, #14, #15

2009-09-20T10:21:00.001-07:00

Sardine Tin #13...6" high x 5"wide

Sardine Tin #14....4.75"high x 5" wide

Sardine Tin #15...7"long x 5" high

Art for Documentary

2009-08-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is my latest project:

For Dave Erickson's documentary about the Lower Wisconsin River
the Paddlefish is one of the features...
the event and documentary for which this is being done is called
Rhythm of the River...
right now, my concern is this fish.............................................................................................................

"Dave Erickson...
award winning filmmaker...
starting with his first...Raising Crane,
which he made at the International
Crane Foundation
has won several national awards...
(you've probably seen it.. it's about the saving of the Sandhill Cranes...
it's a very cool...very wonderful film)
Dave has produced 40-50 films since...
Many of his films are funded by the Wisconsin Arts Board and the Wisconsin Humanities Council.
"He's excited about he $10,000 Humanities grant he's received for his current river project.

"It's my seed money."
He's trying to raise $30,000 more from corporations, businesses and private donations.
The Humanities Grant is from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
He's partnering with Wisconsin Public TV.
His films are picked up for airing all over the United States on public TV networks. "

Paoli Artisan Gallery Art Show

2009-07-19T05:10:00.000-07:00

These were my auction offerings....
Sardine Tins #14, #11, and #10...
they have been sold.

SardineTin#14...sardine tin, copper, hand forged copper

SardineTin#11...(the Fishermen and the Serra), sardine tin, copper, leather, a little paint.

SardineTin #10....sardine tin, copper, aluminum

a Juried show,
"Featuring Art made with Found Objects, Construction Materials, or otherwise Re-Used Things"....

This is a month long silent auction...
bidding will happen throughout the month in the gallery, or on line...
at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore Website.

watercolor #2

2009-06-18T18:49:00.001-07:00

It might be done...
needs flattening...
but, I photographed it anyway.

Wedding Procession 22"X30"

Drawing for watercolor #1...

WakeMaker...(drawing)...7.5"X8"

chased/repoussed copper spoon #3

2009-06-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

I forgot to get its measurements...

I think no more than 5.75" long...

I'll get exacts and post them later on...

I'll tell it's story later...

right now I'm just wanting to get it up to keep going with a conversation.

more later..

Copper Spoon

2009-06-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have made a functional item!

~My First Spoon~

chased/repoussed copper,5.75"long spoon on wall hook

The Fibulas

2009-05-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

You can see all 8 of the pieces that were in the Mercury show:
Fibulas at the Mercury!

Quadrupedal 2009, Bike through S.W.Wisconsin

2009-04-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

Here's information about the 2009 ICHS QuadruPedal Spring Century...
an excellent charity bike ride through the hills of SW Wisconsin...
35-100 miles...routes climbing from between 1500-9000 feet.
All proceeds from this ride benefit the animals at the Iowa County Humane Society.

................and the Quadrupedal t-shirt has CATS!

I wired up a couple pins..........
(cat on left: 4.5"high by 3.75" wide, copper and other wire, aluminum flashing, etching ink and archival varnish........ SOLD
cat on right: 5.25"wide by 4" high, glass eyes, copper and other wire, aluminum flashing, etching ink, archival varnish...SOLD.
The handmade velvet wall support is about 2.5" thick, and each with hook...SOLD)

Watercolor #1

2009-04-23T15:14:00.001-07:00

It's done...

(WakeMaker...22"x30" on TwinRocker Handmade Paper )

watercolor, chasing/repousse in progress

2009-04-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

Haven't posted in a long time...
this is some of what I've been up to.

(22"x30" watercolor...WakeMaker)

There'll be better photos when they are completed.

(various incompleted small poundings)

I never looked at a watercolor with the poundings like this....they feel good together...guess it does make sense...same mind....same world...so these must be some of the remnants of the world I'm always arting...like an historian collecting things from the places he goes to document.

Fibulas...at the Mercury! Madison, Wisconsin

2009-03-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Here are the Fibulas I brought to the Mercury show...

in the order I made them:

copper wire, sardine tins

Copper wire, aluminum flashingcopper wire, eyes, coke can copper wire, eyes
unknown wire, copper, eyes

steel wire, copper, eyes

steel wire, copper wire, glass eye, some kind of jaw with teeth
copper, chased/repoussed aluminum flashing, printing ink, glass eyes

Convent Gallery Show Gang is Back!! - by L. Kelen

2009-03-10T19:12:00.001-07:00

absolutearts.com Portfolio

WATCH YOUR HEAD! a silly little art show

One Night Only....
MARCH 14th, 2009 6-9PM

The Mercury Cafe & Lounge
117 E. Mifflin Street
Madison, Wisconsin

featuring works by:
Adrienne Applegate
Mark Cullen
Linda Kelen
Edwin Maguire
Rebecca Sadler
Dan Schuknecht
Linda Takaha

absolutearts.com Portfolio

Watercolor in Progress

2009-02-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

I was trying to decide between turning this into a multiple color woodblock print
or just stick to one color...but, it needed to get out fast....

(WakeMaker...in progress)

this is the first watercolor I've done since before the house burned down....(it's laying in a flat-file drawer)
it is interesting that I used to think 22x30 was a huge piece of paper....
now I'm wondering why I started on something so small.
It's not done...

SardineTins for Woman Made Gallery

2009-01-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Pounded (chasing/repousse) sardine tins...

re-assembled with necessary materials: which might be copper, steel, aluminum, leather, a paperclip or two...sometimes glass eyes...and a little paint....

They will be in the
Woman Made Gallery's "and You Think That's Funny?" show...
January 23rd-February 26th

SardineTin#10...7"wide, 4"high, 1.5"deep ($1200)

SardineTin#11...5"wide, 5"high, 1.15"deep ($900)

SardineTin#12...3.25"wide, 7"high, 1.15"deep ($1000)

Artist Statement: "My arting has to do with whatever is in front of me,
although, I do seem to have an on/off relationship with fish...RedHerrings in particular...
which I've never been able to see as stinky fish to avoid, but beginnings of fit and beautiful and humourous visions.
Sardines, a relative of the herring, travel in wonderful containers."
Written for the show, but was lost.

Sardine Tins in Progress!

2009-01-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

A perfect day:
13 hours in the studio on the last day of the year
preparing SardineTins for a show in Chicago....
almost done....I'll post official photos in a few days...

Altered "Camper Birdhouse"

2008-12-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

A friend found this at a local variety store called Nina's in Spring Green, Wisconsin...

(made in China)

bought it...
handed it to me, saying something like...
"Here, maybe you can do something with this for Tony's Christmas present...don't you think?"

That was three weeks ago.

8.25" long, 5.5" high, 4.5"wide, some kind of poured resin...
now with wood, 2-part epoxy, paint and acrylic (glass) windows

$9.00 Trailer

2008-12-15T18:02:00.001-08:00

"Here...maybe you can doctor this up for Tony..."
or words like that got this up and running.
(Tony never looks at this blog...
so if you see this, and know him...please don't mention you saw what I'm up to.)
It's a $9.00 birdhouse....
and he's been collecting trailers...
so......
Tomorrow I'll varnish the "paintings"...and finish the wheels...next day the "glass" goes in.....
I'll post it when it's completely done.

Metro Elves

2008-12-04T20:23:00.000-08:00

(I've gotten a lot of encouragement to repost this....so here are they are....Happy Holidays!
oh, these are photographs that I actually painted on...wish you could see the originals, which look way cooler in person than anything photoshop or digital manipulation could do.)

I just found my "photographs" of the Elves that annually moved into
the local gallery/art supply shop...
MetropolitanArt, which, sadly, no long is.

(special photographs of actual Elves in Santa's Dodgeville workshop, made by Linda Kelen)

I painted a sign for the gallery-art supply store, which said, "Elves Shop Here"....
and to PROVE it....(because some "town people" were not believers)
I made these pictures.

No one said another word.

"Jeb is pleased to see Elves use white gloves...leaving no finger prints on paper."

"These elves lost their shopping list...."

"Elves love cookies."

"Mega, (studio dog)........................................is a handy mode of transportation."

"Some Elves are too short."

"After a successful shopping spree...
Elves carry the last of their supplies out to the sleigh....(parked around the corner)."

Uneventful Tuesday before Thanksgiving

2008-12-02T07:50:00.002-08:00

(Uneventful Tuesday before Thanksgiving)

5"x7" artist proof, original print, drypoint with mezzotint on plate of aluminum flashing...

printed on Mulberry paper....2008

Drypoint-Diogenes

2008-11-18T13:02:00.001-08:00

4.5"x6" drypoint on 6"x8.5"Arches BFK, artist proof...printed with Renaissance Black Ink

Sick today

2008-11-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

nope, don't like this...although, the Nurse Dogs have been excellent as bed warmers and worried companions....but, I'm suited up...taking a thermos of hot ginger tea and one of these kleenex-eating mentholated-curs with me...heading to the studio........it's a better place to be sick.

Fall Art Tour Fish

2008-11-05T07:42:00.002-08:00

I hand colored a print of the plate I was working on during the Fall Art Tour...

4"x6" , printed on Rives BFK

Because I can't leave well enough alone
there are no two plates which are the same....
I think the official term for this is "Edition Variation #2"...
$80.00
yes, there is a #1....

Drypoint...(not titled yet)

2008-11-03T07:49:00.000-08:00

printed on a 6.75x8.5 BFK...handcolored

I Voted!

2008-10-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Center for Patient Partnership....Shoe Auction

2008-10-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

My shoe..."Never Mess with Guido's Woman"....

and the rest of the shoes, arted by other artists, can be previewed here.

More views of my shoe can be found here, here, here, here, and here.

If the Shoe Fits...Auction & Fundraiser
to benefit
The Center for Patient Partnerships
Thursday, Novemeber 6, 2008
5:30pm until 8:30pm
Nakoma Golf Club
4145 Country Club Road
Madison, Wisconsin
$45.00 per person in advance...$50.00 at the door
Questions? call the Center for Patient Partnerships at 608-265-6267

The Religionator in the Garden

2008-09-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

...or part of the Garden...
it's a very large Garden....

2.5"x3.5"...printed from scrap aluminum flashing

The Fall Art Tour is October 17-18-19....I am number "24".

Not Etching

2008-09-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

Collagraphs.
5x7 collagraph, printed on RivesBFK

5x7 printed on Rives Lightweight

I'll demonstrate what I'm doing here at the FallArtTour.

Carved Flames

2008-08-31T13:12:00.002-07:00

These are being installed this afternoon
over the back wheels of a "Rascal Scooter"....I've been promised pictures of them in place.

about 14-15" wide, 1" thick, hand carved, painted

Collagraphy Experiments--two more

2008-08-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

I was messing with the resists...
the top one was barely tacky...
the bottom one was absolutely dry.

(two 3.25"x5" aluminum flashing plates)

I wasn't so careful in putting the resist coatings on,

and left very slight ridges from the edges of the brush...

hardly visable when they dried, but they actually PRINT!

geez.....

ok, so I learned something else.

Collagraph for Auction

2008-08-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm still working with the collagraph idea from the book INTAGLIO....
donating this one to 4PeteSake along with a couple woodprints.

The Soil of the Red Planet is Toxic
3.25x5" aluminum flashing
printed on rives lightweight

Collagraph Experiments

2008-08-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm using the process from the book INTAGLIO...
not happy with two coats of Lascaux hard ground, topped with one of soft...
I went to 4 coats of hard ground and two of the soft.
I let each coat dry before the next
and let the whole mess dry overnight...
I've had problems with the grounds tearing/pulling....I believe my plates are clean, and properly prepared.

Once I wanted to see how easy it would be to get off an older experiment....
ha...no way...probably going to have to buy the Lascaux remover.

I've no idea if the soft ground is just the hard ground with additive to slow the drying...
but, it seems that it's easier to work/scratch through than their hard ground...
(this is definately not an etching needle gliding smoothly through hard ground on a polished plate)

Booger (also from next post) was done with the 2 & 1.

I recoated it with two more coats of the hard ground and another couple of the soft...
scratched through it when it was really dry and printed...Rives lightweight..

Toxic on the left is the best print (GraphicChemical paper) I could get with the 2 and 1....

a couple more coats of hard, and another two of the soft....

more scratching through...and the two prints on the left are what I got last night.

The one of me started with 4 coats of hard and two of the soft....
and the lines were deeper....

My problem is either in my printing...getting used to the press...
or I'm just needing practice...probably...
or maybe this is just what I'm going to get with this...
but, there is more information on the plates than is printing.

In the book is mention of finer pigmented ink for drypoints..
when wiping the plates...these feel like drypoints...especially in the blacks.

I'm using Graphic Chemical etching ink.
My plates are aluminum flashing....3.5" x 5".

First Collagraph Print

2008-08-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

I need something that gives more immediate results than these metal poundings I've been doing.
Painting on the "shoe" piece is good....
the watercolors are good...
but, I'm needing to draw INTO something.
Etching would be perfect...wouldn't be wandering far from this metal thing I've got....
but I'm really not set up to etch plates....
so, using acrylic resists, and my trusty needle I started experimenting....and it feels good.

the muse, Booger 3.5x5,aluminum flashing printed on Rives LtWt.

Small Poundings

2008-08-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

The amount of time each piece of metal holds is still an amazement to me....
These are a few of my small silver and copper poundings.
I'm learning to solder....
rivets are next....
and in between I'm trying to get a handle on Lascaux hard and soft grounds.
I really would love to do some etching,
I'm way not prepared to deal with etching....
but, in Robert Adam and Carol Robertson's book INTAGLIO, on page 164,
I see something that might give me some satisfaction....
so, experiments are beginning.

Aluminum pounded into Man of Teeth

2008-06-30T15:28:00.001-07:00

Two weeks at Haystack has had impact beyond what I was warned about...
I can't put it quickly into words right now...
and can't find any of the words sent to friends which did...
or I'd be using them....
it has, however, been showing up in the arting done since....

(work in progress)

I am attacking the studio, head on.....
making some readjustments which will enable me to keep going...
moving a big bucket of wood ashes in for steel annealing....
my big surprize was what it did to aluminum!

I swore I'd own what I learned out there....
it's mine...
and I'm not stopping.

I'll post pictures soon.

Brian Brock...raised by robots

2008-05-24T19:06:00.002-07:00

Brian Brock is a friend of mine....a musician...composer...writer of curious tales...
I love his clean, carbonated mind...
where it goes...and how he sees.
He's a very special favorite of mine.

He sent me his Raised By Robots (work in progress) CD to listen to....
I listen to it often...
when people ask what it's like...
I find myself telling them...that for me.....
it falls somewhere between Peter and the Wolf and Kandinski's paintings.

Brian played today at the General Store...
tomorrow he will play at BobFest.
Brian and Lea, whose artings I also just love...
moved out west...
but, he's here this weekend....and I'll be in the audience again tomorrow.

Clear flux copper color surprize

2008-05-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

(I'm posting this to help illustrate a question I'm asking)

I'm short on time...
but I wanted to show you what I was talking about...
I just put it on the scanner...
not the best picture,
but I think you can see what was going on...
it's a champleve piece...(not sure about that spelling..)
but instead of filling in the etched out spaces like I was supposed to...
(learning and just forgot)
I just dusted the whole piece with clear flux enamel..unleaded...

Will this kind of metalic/irridescent greens-blues-reds happen each time?
So, lucky I was...
I added some extra flux in the "flames" ...fluxless in the first firing...
it did not darken like the others did, but turned a great red, perfect for "flames"...
When fired several times more, the other pieces
did nothing but get darker and darker...no additional flux added...
yes, there were colors that looked like they were deep inside...
but, very hard to see without bright light.

I'm wanting to get this again...
is this something that normally happens, or can one encourage it?
I don't care if the colors happen in unpredictable places...I can work with that...
but, I'm really interested in this now...

Pitch Bowl

2008-05-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

It was difficult...
hated to stop...
but, I brought my pitch bowl into the house

in order pack off to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts...
where I will meet up with it and my tools
in order to take the class taught by Kirsten Skiles.
Marcia Lewis, of ChasingMetal.com told me I'm going to learn a lot from her.
(she says "Hi" Kirsten!)
I guess I could keep figuring it out myself....
but, taking this class will speed things up for me...
answer lots of questions...
and who knows what all.

I'm leaving this one in the pitch
because I want to know if there are tools I can learn to make
that will do some things I can't do right now...
so it's coming with me.

It is an odd feeling, though, sending my tools off to "camp"....
but, I'll be busy...
there's a woodcut to work on...
another to start...
a painting to complete...
a couple drawings to finish....
I'll still be arting.

Waiting Room

2008-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Booger WAS at the Dentist...
I suppose my relationship with him is a bit over the line...
(the tech's last words to me as they walked down the hall
were something about
"if there are any serious complications, which happen at times.....")
eeuw...
but, Booger is special...

he was WeberGrill's newsletter, the GrillOutTimes official star
developing quite a following...
even getting fan mail...

he is the dog who was gone 40 days and 40 nights to return on Tony's birthday.....
part one of the tale I'll finish sooner or later in woodblock form...

he died on the operating table the next year when they took his gall bladder out...
but, tough little dog that he is, decided not to leave just yet...
so, he's into his 3rd life...

He IS the embodyment of the Small Dog of Power...

Strong, brave and handsome....in PERSON!

So this is what took my mind off "complications"....

Driver Painting

2008-04-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

It's still wet....

another for my series of driver artings. (10 1/2" X 17")

Painting

2008-04-16T07:01:00.001-07:00

I couldn't do anything else...
had to get something out...
didn't expect any paintings this year...
but, then...

sometimes you got to just step aside.

Aluminum poundings...(chasing & repousse)

2008-03-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

I really have no idea what I'm going to do with these...

3.25"x4"x1" 2.25"x3.35"x1"

.....not yet.

Quadrupedal.........fund raising bike ride

2008-03-17T13:06:00.001-07:00

I was able to do another drawing for the Quadrupedal....

which will be on a t-shirt that can be purchased through the QUADRUPEDAL website.

Last year I did a woodblock print...
one of which I'm donating to the spring Artists to the Rescue auction coming up pretty soon now, art is due by the 24th....

All proceeds from the Quadrupedal and the auction go directly to the Iowa County Humane Society.

It is for the animals....and I try to do what I can.

L. Kelen absolutearts.com Portfolio

Driftless Area Land Conservancy--Silent Auction

2008-03-06T19:13:00.001-08:00

L. Kelen absolutearts.com Portfolio

I am one of many artists who have donated art to the Driftless Area Land Conservancy... http://www.driftlesslandtrust.org/ for a silent auction being held at
the House on the Rock Resort...(near American Players Theater)
in Spring Green, Wisconsin...
Sunday, March 9th from 3-6pm
$30 per person reservation
Feel free to contact me through this website...
you can post a comment and it will get to me...
or the contact information on the driftlesslandtrust.org website.
Details:

All donations go to the Driftless Area Land Conservancy...which I fully support.
3-3:30...socializing, tasty hors d'oeuvres & dessert tarts, complimentary wine/coffee
3:30...Doug Cieslak, Executive Director..opening remarks, challenges met
4:00...David Lowe, researcher...Prehistoric Rock ARt of Southwestern Wisconsin
4:45...Silent auction/socializing continues until the 5:05 bell ending auction.
5:15...Mark Mittelstadt, president...anticipations...closing remarks.

That's the line up....
Other artists are:
Karen Bassler, Kathy Cahill, Pamela Callahan, Karen Fitzsimons, Kathy Halverson, Sue Moore, Lauren Thuli, Ramona Palzkill, Jeb Prazak, Sue Quale, Geri Schrab.
This is the best I can do...
contact me if you've got questions.

I've got everything else scribbled out on paper here
since, I've managed to misplace the invitation with all the details....
or MeMe ate it.

"Wedding Procession led by the
Small Dog of Power. Once a
common sight...this and
other traditions of the
Driftless Area have been
forced by mondern mans
activity and expansion
into deeper seclusion." Kelen 2008

"Accustomed to formal attire
when performing in St. Elmo's
Circus of Indigenous Animals
which traveled about the
Driftless Area...the Small Dog
of Power continues to dress
appropriately for various
processions." Kelen 2008

L. Kelen absolutearts.com Portfolio

Art Show~~February13-March29

2008-02-17T07:15:00.002-08:00

This was an interesting show for me to participate in.
Focusing on "THINGS" I love... my mind bounced about
landing on thoughts and ideas
which caused some interesting writings to slip out my pencil
producing my "commentary".

It's a strong show.
From February 13 through March 29, near the top of the hill,
Carol Spelic' and Richard Moninski's Green Lantern Studios
will have something that may just stick in your head for some time.

I let all my words out the one time, on the paper that is hanging with my THINGS....

I'll post it all, complete with the words, when the show comes down...

trying to remember what I wrote for each

would be like trying to remember word for word a conversation....

so you will have to wait...

or go see it for yourselves.

Captive Heart

2008-02-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

Completed...framed...and delivered to the Verona Rapsody Center Art Gallery
for Valentine Show.

(don't have the details handy, so check back...I'll get that stuff posted)

"Captured Heart"...work in progress

2008-01-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted in a while...

been busy...arting....

it's not done yet.............but, here's a peak....

New Year's Eve Custom

2007-12-31T10:18:00.002-08:00

On the New Year's Eve, in some parts of the Driftless Area...

the Indigenous go door to door

asking in Rude Rhyme for cake or money.

When the wench does yelp
God us do help
Who knows what will be
In the year ahead of ye
There may be riches
Or there may be bitches
But what is in the air
Will our eyes dare
To let us breathe
and Let it all be

by S. Donnelly, December 31,2007

who very kindly allowed me to print it here.

Pounded Copper Christmas Present

2007-12-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

One of the latest poundings...
Tony's Christmas Present...

Wiro..the Electric Boy in a 3 3/8" square piece of scrap copper...

It's a work in progress...as I don't know enough about working with metal to be able to take this further...

at least not yet.
I'm figuring it out as I go...
I'm taking Wayne Farra's soldering (riveting) class in February, which will definately help with a lot of these other things I've been pounding on.
I want to know about patinas, so I ordered the book Japanese Patinas, by Eitoku Sugimori.

I found it in the Ganoksin archives.
This next year I'm making the studio friendlier to this whole process.
It's too much fun to be fighting with the awkward nature of how it is now.

Rocket...Stars and Saturn.....

2007-12-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

the first of more.....

(Stars are 4 1/2", 5", 3 1/2")...........(Saturn is 10" wide)

Rocket size coming...I forgot to measure it...

(one group picture still coming)

the Squirrels

2007-11-17T05:32:00.000-08:00

I've never been successful at buying anyone any kind of gift...
so, I made this set to bring to a baby shower...

(actual small painting on canvasof their home)

studio pictures

2007-11-14T15:07:00.001-08:00

I posted 9 more pictures of the studio over at
SardineQueen, which seems a better place to house them.

When the studio is made "presentable", it just doesn't work for me.

Sardine Tins #7 and #8

2007-10-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

SardineTin#7...front....

back...

SardineTin #8...front...

back...

SardineTin Number 4

2007-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

SardineTin#4...sardine tin, paint, wireit is sold.

Self-Portraits

2007-09-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

During last year's FallArtTour,
I lined these four up in one of my flat file drawers...

Self-Portraits and PokeyMan

liked them too much to break up...and closed the drawer.

Yesterday I brought them into the house...
I'll get them hinged onto something archival,
and I'm willing to bet Tony will frame them.

Perserverance and the WoodBlock Print

2007-09-17T09:56:00.002-07:00

It was a couple years ago, right after I attended a Japanese Printmaking "bootcamp"
that Gravity finally got the better of the architecture which carries me about....
rudely interrupting an intense arting wave I was riding.

A year later, a tendon traffic jam forced the Right hand to retire....
not expected to be re-activated until this month...

I won't accept NO arting....
so the Left was drafted..

Early this year I started pushing things...
between the exercises for my back...
and those for my wrist...
I opened my notes,
and began "bootcamp" again...
spending the good part of this year
working on that tricky balance between water, paper, rice paste and color....

I'm floored by what I'm looking at...

color quality that can only be achieved by woodblocks printing watercolor on paper.

There's no way to repair a bad print....
I've tried...

there 's no short-cut to a good print,
except by printing...printing...printing...printing...printing...printing...printing....printing....

OK...I can cut wood....
and yeh, I could get a print from that wood....
but, it was a so-what result....
I wanted more....
I wanted thrill and carbonation I know I get from arting....
I know it's there...it has to be...
or this process could not have lasted all these years.
The first time I got it right...
that first time I knew I was printing well enough...consistantly...
to maybe get a head nod from my instructor of 2 years ago....
..HA!....I was carbonated.
Now...I'm hooked....
this whole process is so intensely addictive....for me...

It's probably the most difficult thing I've ever attempted...

it will be years before I can say I'm good at this.....
but, it's the challenge...
...I love the challenge....

Some FallArtTour visitors might think I've changed directions a bit....
it's only me picking up where I left off two years ago....
when LittleEve was next....

well....
LittleEve needs one more color....
one more printing...
and then I move on to the next one.

Sardine Tin #6

2007-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

Completed. . .

Sardine Tin #6

Sardine Tin #2

2007-08-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Sardine Tin #2

Sardine Tin #1

2007-08-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

It's been sold!

You can see #1, and others in progress.

The Pig

2007-07-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

....He's under 5 feet tall at the top of his ear...

His job is to let people know when LocalChoice is open...

and what's "special"...
living in the market when he's not working.

I make odd signs just for me...

My first for someone else was a tabletop salt&pepper sign for

HerbsSpices&More in Arena Wisconsin...

(there's a picture in the emails I'll find and post)
When LocalChoice started to happen in Spring Green...

and I was asked for just a road-side sign.....

(I'll post the original drawings...which will give some idea of what happened.)

It's almost a year now.

I finally got a camera...so now you can see.

He's been named Franklin.

Green Bridge 2007

2007-07-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

I finally got this scanned and assembled to show you...

7 x 32 inches on Mulberry paper.

One of my most favorite places to just be....

It will be framed and present at the 2007 FallArtTour.

Sardine Tins #5 and #6....and a Honeybee

2007-06-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is the what happened to my poundings after meeting up with Kirsten Skiles...

Sardine Tin #5

the first sawed-out Bee....

Sardine Tin #6

Chasing Tools

2007-06-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

THE best tools you can buy, are those made by artists who know how to use them.
Latest tools are from Kirsten Skiles, artist/blacksmith:

they were left over from a tool making workshop, which I will take when she does one again.
Kirsten's arting is simply wonderful...
I'll post links to a few pieces...railings, wall pieces....she's good...really good.

Friends told me about her months ago,
but, I ran into her/her arting on my own
with my pounding curiosities.
I met her the first time when I bought the tools....
and I met her husband, Bill Fiorini,
making a powerful duo....
(Bill also raises amazing finches)
I'm really happy to have made their aquaintance...love their energy.

These are the tools I got from Rene Bluhm...gold & silversmith...

go see what he can do with these....
his site loads slow on my 26.6-28Kbps connection...but it's worth the wait.

(12-27-07...here's the latest work in progress with all these tools.)

HoneyBees

2007-05-20T07:37:00.001-07:00

latest poundings:

Bee1..1.25 " x 1.32", copper (all poundings so far are works in progress)

Bee2...1.34" x 1.32", copper

Sardines Tins

2007-05-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

sardine tin #1

Sardine tin #1, completed and waiting for it's support

SardineTin #1, done...

It's at NoRules Gallery...Spring Green, Wisconsin, 588-7509...$65.00...and has been sold!

sardine tin #2

sardine tin #3

ardine tin #4

...woke up thinking about #4...and gave it one last good pounding to puff it's body out a bit...

now it's done...for a while.

The Religionator....pounded aluminum icon

2007-05-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

(I had to see it....)

(3 3/8" tall...the relief is too deep for the scanner, so this is the best look I can give you right now.)

Aluminum Poundings

2007-04-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

(chasing tools from Rene Bluhm on Ebay)

QuadruPedal...the event

2007-04-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

If you are planning on riding the 35, 55, 86, or God forbid, the 100 mile QuadruPedal Century on May 6th, AND
you want to receive this year's special T-shirt designed by artist Linda Kelen (me)

http://www.absolutearts.com/kelen/ ,

we need to have your electronic or paper registration in our hands by next Wednesday (that's when we place our T-shirt order).

I think it's now too late...but you can give it a try....

To register online: http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1420256

To register the old fashioned way (print and send) : http://www.ichs.net/quadrupedal2007signup.pdf

Remember that all proceeds go to support the Iowa County Humane Society
Please consider joining us in the cause.

Would you like to help us promote this event? Please consider printing our poster and pinning it up at your work or gym: http://www.dairylanddare.com/dld2007/ICHSposter_ver2.pdf

Ride on,

-Stew

Quadrupedal woodcut--1st, 2nd rubbings

2007-04-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

(Found a piece of basswood in the basement...
softer than I would have liked it to be...
but...
well....
no time to be fussy.
You can follow along with these rubbings...)

(April 6th rubbing)