Cath Sheard Art

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  • Art calendar challenge 2014

    When I saw the art calendar challenge 2014 at The Kathryn Wheel blog I knew I had to join in; you can find all the details by following the link. I love Kathryn’s examples and we share a name, so how could I resist! I am working on loose sheets, 2 A4 pages at a time, and will bind them at the end of the year. I’m finding my work is increasingly detailed and fussy, which is not really me at all, but I’m enjoying it so who cares…

    For these pages I used Dylusions ink spray and a Donna Downey stencil, then gesso and Tim Holtz Distress Paints with one of Michelle Ward’s stencils. I used archival ink to stamp some text here and there, and to add a fine black border round the outside edge of the pages. I used the Dylusions again,with two Tim Holtz stencils, the bubbles and the stars. I cut a bunch of 1.5×1.5 squares, edged them with black archival ink, wiped gesso across the centres, and wrote in the dates with a Stabilo pen. I stamped the month and year with black Archival and some old Memory Makers foam stamps, then added some details with a White Signo pen.

    January 14 art calendar

  • Working in my art journals

    This year I am organising an art journal round robin, so spent last night and this morning starting to decorate the cover. This involved gesso, Dylusions inks, stencils and gold heavy body acrylic. Then today I have been preparing a couple of pages in another journal and, guess what? Yes, I used mainly the same supplies… I’m consistent if nothing else! I find a page that has paint, gesso and a bit of texture is often enough to get me writing, and then all kinds of thoughts spill out onto the page.

    007 006 005 004

  • My word for 2014

    Every year I choose a word that is my keystone. In previous years I have had – mapping, balance, determined and, last year, learn. Each has served its purpose, constantly bringing me back to what I want for myself for the year, both at work and at home.

    2013 was not an easy year for us; Mum died in mid-December 2012 and then Tony retired in January 2013. We both had some health issues, mine caused by an accident with a drunk driver the year before. There is some hard stuff in 2014 for Tony and me, starting with major surgery for him on the 13th of January and, hopefully, a knee replacement for me later in the year. My job continues to grow, as do my professional commitments and, as always, I want to grow my art life.

    In 2013 I took an online library MOOC through San Jose University which helped clarify my values and what drives me. The word I came back to time and time again is kindness. I even spoke about kindness in the workplace at our annual LIANZA conference in Hamilton. So that’s my word for 2014. Kindness:

    • to myself
    • to my husband
    • to others in my personal life
    • and in my professional life.
      black heart edited copy

  • New Legato work finished

    This commemorates my Mother’s birth father, Fred McKenna. Sadly, Mum never knew him, but in later life got to know her half-sisters. One of them, Margaret, provided some photos and information so I could make this piece of work, which is going to Italy later this year for the 2014 Legato exhibition in Cassino. Fred served in WWI and this year’s Legato is the ideal place to honour the grandfather I never knew.

    I have been working on this piece for days; it’s 18×24″ on stretched canvas. I haven’t varnished it yet, just in case; there’s one small spot that might get adjusted yet. I have photographed the entire piece, and then there’s some close-up shots to show the details and layers. 

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    016 015 014 010 009 008 007

  • What stood out in 2013?

    I’ve been looking back at 2013 and here’s a wrap of the year I had:

    • January – my wrist was incredibly painful, Tony retired from the Ambulance Service and I was pretty obsessed with poppies.
    • February – most of my posts were about family; I was missing Mum and, 22 years after Dad died, I was really feeling it. I was also struggling with the artworks I was trying to get done for Legato in Italy.
    • March – spent a lot of time making gelli prints, and Tony & I celebrated our 18th anniversary.
    • April – the gelli prints and journal pages continued, and I spoke at the ANZAC Day service in Waverley.
    • May – Tony spent some Granddad time with Rory in Christchurch, and it was my first Mother’s Day without Mum.
    • June – more gelli prints and a lightening of my palette to match my lighter mode.
    • July – started feeling more myself, 6 months after Mum died, and began working on the artworks for my presentation at the LIANZA conference in October.
    • August – participated in the International Signature Swap, and decided it was time to get myself better organised.
    • September – got completely stuck on the artworks for my presentation, discovered I need two new knees, and started a new library course though San Jose University.
    • October – completed my 3 yearly professional registration, attended and presented at the annual LIANZA conference and was awarded Associateship.
    • November –  got into my artwork, and discovered that Mum’s birth father served in WWI so there’s a new artwork being planned for Italy.
    • December  – we discovered Tony needs more surgery because the femoral crossover surgery from November last year has failed, and then the surgery was postponed, I also spent a lot of time making Christmas cards.