Visiting the Mystery House

I have wanted to visit the Winchester Mystery House since I first read about it as a kid.  The idea of a house so expansive and rambling as the Mystery House held great appeal to me.  This house was built by workmen hired by Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, to work around the clock for nearly 40 years.  The house boasts doors to nowhere, stairways that lead right to the ceiling, windows in the floor, and a winding 7 flight, 44 step staircase that takes you a total of 10 vertical feet to the next level.  Mrs. Winchester seemed to think that she would be safe from the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle if she kept building onto her house.  It is a marvel to behold and an amazing feat of architecture for someone who never studied the discipline, nor drew up a single blueprint.

 

Lynne Ann in San Jose

Many of you know that in addition to sculpting, my main job is as assistant to Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg.  She is going to be teaching an amazing class in San Jose on April 5 and 6.  This class will be a hybrid class where the students will not only learn her floral caning (making 3 different flowers) but will also learn her wood grain and pendant construction techniques.  If you would like to join us in San Jose email us at riverpoet@comcast.net or visit the South Bay Polymer Clay Guild at www.sbpcg.com and they can get you signed up. 

Tommie

The OTHER Polymer Clay: Eldritch Design

Bill Basso is the sculptor and head of operations at Eldritch Design.  As you can see he specializes in macabre busts.  The detail is very impressive in these imaginative busts.  Basso holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design and has worked on films like Jurassic Park and Interview with a Vampire.  Take a look at the pages where he shows his sculpting process. 

The other Polymer Clay

Okay folks… I have decided that with all the buzz about the history and (where we are and and where are we going and why are we in this handbasket) whatever that has been brought about from the Synergy Conference, I would do some education also.  Periodically I am going to present you with information about those from outside the Polymer Clay, Craft, etc. “community” that was mainly represented at Synergy.  I will title each of these entries The OTHER Polymer Clay: Specific Title.  We will look at things like Garage Kits, Model Making, Toy Making, Special Effects, Theatrical Make-up, etc.  With blogs like Polymer Clay Daily, Polymer Clay Notes, and others… There is no need to repeat what they are doing.  There IS a need for education about what others are doing.  So Here goes…

Tommie

We’re not in Kansas anymore…

We just got back from Kansas, where Lynne Ann taught at the Heartland Bead Market in Lenexa.  They have a great group there and a really good classroom space.  I got a chance to visit my aunt and uncle who live in Central Kansas while we were out that way.  It was a very nice time for me.  It was odd to see how my youthful stomping grounds had changed so much over the years.  My Jr. High is now some kind of a church/social service agency.  The little zoo is a shambles of chain-link fence while the little community pool that shares the same park has become some kind of mini waterpark.  Of course many things remain the same… the little gravestones that mark where my mom and dad are buried, they are still the same and still kind of hurt to look at. 

All in all, Kansas remains as it has always been… flyover country to most of the nation, but a place of memory and wonder for those of us who grew up there and have grown up enough to appreciate it.

Tommie

New stuff finally

Well folks it has been a while, but I hope to be more on the ball in the future.  Sometimes things get very busy and there are so many things taking up ones time.  Anyway… the next two posts are my most recent finished pieces.  The first is a small bit of political humor (small may be the operative word). The second piece was finished just last night and well… I will tell the story of that one in the post.  Look for the posts soon.

Just a quick couple of thanks and answers

Thanks everyone for the kind comments on the Buddha.  I have never been big on “Hey look at me!!!” kind of stuff… but it is nice to have a bit of recognition for something I created.  The bottle I used is something around 3 3/4 inches tall the sculpt is just under double that.  The cap to the bottle is actually the Buddha’s head.  Thanks again for the compliments.  I hope to have a full website up soon, til then keep checking in here for stuff.

Tommie

The CHA Drama of which Sarah spoke

Basically what happened was this… When we arrived at the Amaco booth, Lynne Ann tried to shield the display case from me.  Well the Hope symbol that the Buddha was holding up had been broken at some point during transit along the lines somewhere.  So when there was a break in the crowd we got some clay from the booth and we went to have some lunch and recreate the sign.  We used Cat’s camera to take a photo of the hope sign, we used Ponsowan’s folder and (free) excel craft knife and pretty much improvised a recreation of the piece.  Linda Peterson was doing a demo at the Amaco booth when I got back and I used her heat gun to give it a quick set and I put it on the piece just in front of the broken bit because people were voting.  Finally after most people were gone I put the fixed bit back into Lisa Pavelka’s oven and then we cut off the old broken bit and glued the new piece on. 

So that was the drama of CHA and the Buddha Bottle.

Tommie

Just getting back up on the web

Okay folks… I have domains and all that just haven’t worked out the hosting yet… but for now I wanted to just have a spot to which I can send people to see a picture or two, or read a rant or three.  Thanks for stopping by… the first real post will be about CHA and the Amaco Bottles of Hope Challenge.

Tommie