New Monotype birds

Just a quick fly in to show and tell a few of my new works on paper...
These monotypes (the backgrounds) have been percolating for the past year. I loved the rusty look of the orange and the multi-subtle colors of the ink on gelatin too much to go further with them for what seemed like ages. Then I saw the electrical lines inside most of the images.
The colors always seemed sort of junkyard industrial rusting metal peeling billboard signish to me.
Now the birds have roosted there and I am happy to call them done. I have about 20 in all - unveiling them through flickr, popping them into my etsy and into artstreamstudios shop as well.
Happy weekend, mother's day (isn't it the finest holiday ever invented?) and most of all happy spring.
We are off to the garden with fresh-from-freshman-year-finished daughter Grace and almost-14-Chloe.

Overnight Art!

I have my installation date now for my Overnight Art piece. You are all invited. I think we are going to have a "cherry picker" involved and no, I won't have to be in it.
(phew) This is very exciting for me and I hope some of you will feel free to come along and join me celebrate... here are the details:

Piece: Large Scale Banner & Window Decal at Parking Garage
Location: Hanover Street Parking Garage, Portsmouth, NH
Installation Date: Wednesday, May 21, 10 a.m.

I will also have the original (8x10inches)work and other similar "birds" on paper available at Nahcotta throughout the summer.

stacey esslinger tea pot

stacey esslinger tea pot, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

We just opened up some new beautiful ceramics from stacey esslinger- a nh artist who has been making handbuilt ceramics with her family heirlooms now for about 5 years.
This teapot has a matching sugar and creamer and teacups. It is so incredibly made that a mere photograph does it little justice...buttons and texture with a form that is quite unique....she slipglazes all the details. Makes my head spin! In the shop this week. Click through the photo to see more of what we unpacked!

Paper Mache - Little Projects Tutorial

first you tape together two recycled styrofoam cups and then add a third for the top!

then you mix up the goo (white glue and water) and dip your paper strips in!

you paint it pretty colors with acrylic paint and then add visual texture with bubble wrap - POP!

pick some stray branches up outside and take small tissue squares and wad them up.
dip them into a little white glue and press them onto the branches!

With a couple of my younger students we made some mother's day gifts with recycled foam cups, paper mache and acrylic paint. Yesterday we made little "flowering" branches to tuck inside.
Sweet and handmade. Just the way we like it!

Heather Palmer glass nests

New colors of glass nests just arrived from Heather Palmer. Ruby red is now my favorite!
Rootbeer, charcoal, clear, seablue,steelblue and a pretty deep lilac. All in the shop!

Busy wonderful weekend!

Hello Monday! The sun has finally arrived back in our neck of the woods and is a welcomed sight after a long rainy week/end. Our Modern Spring opening was a smash and we are thrilled to offer such a variety of work through this exhibit, both online and in person (do drop in!)
mary o malley's wall
In other news, we have joined the large community of sporting leagues - *yes you read that right* here in Rochester and we now support a girls softball league. GO team artstream! Opening day was Saturday and the off and on showers did NOT dampen our team's spirits. They are a great strong group of girls and we are proud to be part of the gang. Someone mentioned that we should unfurl a piece of large artwork during the 7th inning stretch...
artstream team

team artstream member at the opening of Modern Spring
A couple of shots of the gallery from Saturday when we were just about done for the day. View more of them at my flickr and online shop.

albina mcphail

Modern Spring Opens!

Happy Friday all - we have the show up in the shop and it's ready to roll ... here's a little photo from last night's hanging and set up. Hope to see you tonight... or just drop by the shop!