A “Why?” from a viewer at the K.C. Museum

I enjoy viewing sculptures, paintings and anything else that has to do with art. However, every once in awhile, I am left scratching my head–but doing it in a very cool manner so that others with hipster skinny ties and black horn rimmed sunglasses don’t whisper to their equally hip girlfriend, “She doesn’t get it, does she?”.

I was ecstatic when my brother asked me to join him at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

We enjoyed the grandness of the museum…

…the restaurant which we wanted to partake of, but ran out of time….

…and the chinese temple that’s been displayed for over 80 years.

We saw the new, the not so new and the ancient. I enjoyed every sculpture, painting and “interpretation” of life. When it comes to art, I often don’t ask “why”.

Heck, I know I sometimes can’t answer the “why” behind my own art.

But, seriously-Why?

Simple Textured Raven

Remodeling offers odd benefits.
Not only are you equipped with hard callouses that are quite attractive on a lady’s hand, but you get to keep the spoils of your remodeling leftovers.
You can make this modern silhouette quickly and for pennies on the dollar. I like that.

My ‘Raven’ was made from a piece of duroc (some call it hardi-backer: this is the material they line shower walls with).
Duroc has a great texture to it and is oftentimes filled with holes and riddled with crazy patterns. It resembles a piece of rough concrete.

Here’s what you’ll need for you very simple duroc art:
Piece of leftover duroc or hardi-backer
Skilsaw with a masonry blade
Wood Stain-very small amount
Plastic cup, lintless rag, and gloves to apply stain
Marker
Oops paint & foamy brush

Begin by measuring the space on your wall you would like to fill with your purty art. Cut your duroc to fit the space using a masonry blade.
My purty piece measures about 1.5’ by 2.5’.

Fill a plastic cup about halfway with water and dilute your stain, adding about a tablespoon at a time until you are happy with the color.
You need to dilute the stain so that it will flow easily over the duroc.

Use a lintless rag to apply the stain onto your duroc.
I would recommend wearing gloves…or if you are like me, live with the disgusting dirty nail consequences.

Once your stain is dry, use a marker to outline your preferred silhouette.

Paint your creation onto your duroc using oops paint and a foamy brush.
Let your piece of art dry while enjoying a cold beverage.

We hung ‘Raven’ by screwing drywall screws directly through the piece and into the wall. I touched up the screw heads with more black paint, which are now incognito. I am very, very sneaky.
I am also very pleased with my one-of-a-kind ‘Raven’ that cost me less than a latte from you-know-where.
Make your silhouette of anything you fancy; a flower, an owl, a child’s face, your own face…
And use any color of paint your little heart desires to paint your silhouetter; orange, yellow, blue, fuschia…
Get bold. Get crazy. Get creative!

Gold Clay Deer Antlers

I have no desire to stand out in the freezing cold, toting a rifle and not talking for hours in order to ‘hunt’ deer.
But, I really wanted a pair of deer antlers for my office.
I don’t know why. I don’t wear plaid or own a gun rack. (But, to be fair, I did make a coat rack from deer hooves…)
If you aren’t into the whole ‘antler’ thing, you can use this same tutorial and make what you do fancy such as a cute bird, a turtle, or you child’s hand impression.
Get crazy. Get creative.

Circumventing the whole ‘fun’ hunting experience, I decided to make my own deer antlers from clay that you can bake in the oven.
I believe Bambi is happy with my decision, which makes me happy.

What you’ll need to make your own set of antlers, or anything else you fancy:
Oven Bake Clay
Picture Frame
Gold (or your preference) spray paint
Scissors & ruler
Fabric (I used faux black fur with a short nap)
Scrap Plywood
Hot Glue Gun
Staple gun & staples
(2)Screws
Drill with a drill bit the same size as your screws
Jig Saw

Trace the inside of your frame onto your scrap plywood.
My fancy ‘frame’ is actually a light cover that I picked up at Habitat for Humanity for $1. Boo yeah.

Using your jig saw with a wood blade, cut out your traced image.
Before covering your piece of plywood with your fabric, make sure that it fits into your frame first. Cut or sand off any necessary edges.

Find the center of your piece of plywood and measure an equal distance from the center to the right and left if you are doing antlers.
If not, you are on your own to decide where you would like your creation to screw into the plywood.

Pre-drill holes into your plywood that will receive your screws.

Cut out enough fabric that will wrap around the edges of your plywood. Use your staple gun to attach the fabric to your plywood.
Hammer those staples down if they get ornery and try to stick up.

Cut away the excess material from your piece of plywood. Cut out a second piece of fabric that will cover the back of the plywood, attaching it with a hot glue gun.
I recommend before you cover your plywood completely with fabric, flip over your plywood to the front and stick a couple of nails through the fabric, into the pre-drilled holes.

Time to make your fun creation from the oven bake clay!
I used a knife, a chopstick and my little mittens to shape out some cute antlers.
Again, get crazy and get creative. It’s my mantra today.

Stick your screws into the bottom or the backside of you creation. Make sure the clay is completely surrounding the screw and there is no play.
Bake your creation according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Spray your creation with your choice of spray paint with several light coats to avoid drips.

Gently hand tighten your creation into the plywood. I got a little crazy and broke the screws free from my antlers as I was tightening them in.
But, I fixed it with super glue. It held the screws in much better and it didn’t bat an eye at my apparently enormous muscles….

I love the antlers, but I could also see a cute, gold bird in the center of this frame too. Or an apple. Or a butterfly.
And I do have some leftover clay and a glass of red wine…hm….

Recycled Wood Art

A bag of hardwood flooring bits have been sitting in my shed.
For awhile.
The last time they fell from the shelf and hit me in the head, I decided it was time to show those bits who’s boss.

I love making ironic pieces. And I really love it when they cost me absolutely nothing.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own variation of Recycled Mod Art:
Hardwood scraps-ask a flooring man to save a bag full for you
Plywood scrap (mine was about a 2’x3’)
Stain
Polyurethane
Foamy Brush
Sand Paper-forget the palm sander–not needed
Oops Paint & roller
Nail gun w/ appropriate nails or gorilla glue
Table Saw & Chop Saw
Level
Hammer
Sharpie

Paint your plywood scrap with a bold color. I chose red because we had it on hand. But I really would have preferred orange.
Oh well. That’s the way the paint chips crumble…

Set up your table saw and create a ‘push stick’ for yourself if you don’t already have one.
Cut the tongues off of your wood bits.
Sounds gruesome, I know.

Using your chop saw, cut the lips off of your wood pieces.

Your little wood bits should look like this when you are finished hacking them to pieces.

Hand sand any little burrs from your wood bits using a very masculine and furry hand model for the occasion.

Stain your wood bits with your choice o’ color and let dry.
I would suggest wearing gloves, unless you like the street urchin look.

After deciding what pattern you like, you can either use your brad nailer to shoot your wood bits to your plywood scrap or attach them with gorilla glue.
I was tempted to go with a box that became smaller and smaller, or a random flowing line of wood bits…but ‘The City’ called to me and I wouldn’t deny it.

If you do opt for gorilla glue, I would recommend doing this ghetto method, or getting fancy and using real wood clamps to hold your bits into place overnight.

I drew my title for the piece freehand using a sharpie.

Use your foamy brush to apply a thin coat of polyurethane on the entire piece and let dry according to the manufacturers directions.
Or in my case, until it no longer sticks to your fingers.

Behold….

…your masterpiece beckons to be hung on the wall.