Experimenting with Gifs Gone Rogue

Joyita Series (little jewel) layered resin ink paintings

New small work available - stay tuned for the Nyack Center's new art/craft fair Nov. 29th!2015

All my resin experimenting is beginning to pay off as I am beginning to return to older paintings and repaint layers between the resin, and re-coating. The result is intriguing to me as it mimics my escapades with warm fused glass and the layering of fused glass blocks that I used to do. It demands a lot of patience ...and is ridiculously difficult to photograph, as you can't see the dimension or depth in the photo as you can when the piece is in your hand...but part of me likes that defying of virtual space.

Joyita (little jewel series)

Starting Over. Again. Dog fight

So it has been a year since I turned to the companionship of my blog. I have now joined the ranks of all of us who have learned about mourning a living person and the pain of traveling somewhere alongside someone that you shared so much with, just to have to walk back alone... the infamous break up...It has been a brutally painful road back, learning that intimacy and your authenticity does not guarantee someone else's or that your best friend is actually a stranger who is a phenomenal actor, able to substitute you, forget and abandon you instantaneously. It has been fascinating to see the time, energy and money some people are able to invest in inculcating themselves into your daily life and home just to cut you off and disappear.

How is it we can fall so in love, so completely give everything, so deeply, with someone who tells you, 'never let go - hold on tight with all your might' and then mocks you for not letting go when they change their mind? How is it everyday so many of us fall madly in love with fiction? That is art - ART...lies.

I have needed to accept my responsibility in giving so much loyalty and attachment to one person. Trusting, believing- in and falling for the same pain twice...leaving myself with absolutely no one in my daily circle. No one. Learning to be alone, replaying moments of betrayal until there is no more to extricate. Not to mention dealing with the social isolation of even this 21st century tech addicted group of which I and so many friends are a part of.

The most essential thing that I can do is to return to myself- no matter how old I'm getting, find my way back to 'my' own dreams that I had replaced with the ever present 'us' and 'ours' and continue to pursue happiness. Force that illusive sleep, stop the invisible missing from dominating and see the visible present, eat fruit, nuts and smile. That last one - put on a smile- post the pics, get the FB likes and try desperately to trick my brain into feeling not so alone, not so sad. Brain science says we can make new neurons and change our brain patterns so maybe there's something to faking a smile!

My most recent work in progress, Dog Fight. Enjoy.

Dog Fight Work in Progress by M.Diaz

Update on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 09:55PM by Amarettogirl

Here is the pntg/illustration more finalized, as I contemplate what true romantic love like no other thing actually is, as it 'epically' palpitates, lives almost transcendentally believing you have something no two others have and as it finally manifests when pride and ego rip it apart leaving it for dead, we walk away.

Ink illustration by M. Diaz detail of love tattoo by m.diaz wolf bearing witness detail by m.diazdead birds/dreams detail by m.diaz

Newest Work- Wood Cut-out Illustrations

'The friend comes into my body Looking for the center, unable to find it, Draws a blade and strikes anywhere'- Rumi Wood Cut-Out Illustration by M. Diaz art in the trunk getting ready for a five hour drive and an art install... hanging, 'The friend comes into my body Looking for the center, unable to find it, Draws a blade and strikes anywhere'- Rumi

So the newest direction I have been growing into with my work is illustrating both on and with wood. This piece is a self-portrait and has pencil drawing on it along with image transfers of pomegranate slices. For many years, in fact from my first glassblowing experience around 16 years ago, I have been deeply affected by the work of the Sufi poet Rumi. Therefore this is the only piece in which the title is an inherent part for me of experiencing the art.

The title,

"The friend comes into my body Looking for the center, unable to find it, Draws a blade and strikes anywhere"- Rumi

Was the guide on how I developed this work, which is often NOT how I work, a title is usually secondary in my thought process, not first. The choice of pomegranates for me was at once about a forbidden fruit, as much as, a visceral, color and textural internal effect. The choice to image transfer allowed me to present them as slices or metaphorical 'cuts' on the analogy of wood as flesh.

Make a Wordle!

my blog Amarettogirl's Wordle One of my students just taught me what 'Word Clouds' are and they introduced me to Wordle. Now I'm hooked!

A word cloud scans a body of text (or a blog or website) for key/repetitive words and pulls them, then it arranges them in a funky layout. You can modify font, layout stye and color palette. If you're a blogger (or not) try it it you'll like it...also imagine doing it with a poem or interviews or anything! Its a fantastic graphic design toy!

If you make a wordle because of this post- leave me a link to it in my comments so that I can see it!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

Today is my Solo Exhibit at Azucarera...

If you're in the Azucarera Gallery area (Harlem, NYC 145th between Convent and Nicholas Avenue)tonight between 7-9pm stop by! We'll have some finger foods, wine, animal masks and art!

Thought this might be a good time to explain the title:
Bestia Fera is Latin for Beast, Beast, but if you're a Spanish speaker (like me) you'll note Fera is related to Feral which is defined as Salvaje/Wild. Hence making the title imply something more like Wild Beast to some. Still, my intent for Beast/Beast is purposeful since many of my subjects are half animal half human. I chose Latin as opposed to Spanish to drive the antiquity of the meaning home.

And I'm so happy to learn the event has been posted on ARTSLANT !

There are some new never before seen pieces in the show and there are some classics that started it all.

detail of watercolor piece entitled ' I entered the saltwater and She Consumed Me' by marisol diaz Run rabbit Run by marisol diaz

There are still a few loose ends to tie up, but after that I can exhale and be done! This show has been a bit more difficult than the other two exhibits from this previous year - I guess that's the feeling a solo generates. Not to mention, I had forgotten about the booking of this exhibit up until a month ago (and since I'm not a just-show-old-work-kind of girl) I had to produce the majority of all the work in the past three weeks. Then I got bronchitis, teach full-time and well - life happens. The show has only four previous pieces and that is because they play a significant conceptual role in what I'm doing today.

The Flyer to My Opening This Weekend

My Flyer for the Azucarera Exhibit by m. diaz

Basically, I ran out of funds this time (go figure - for my first solo in a long while) and couldn't order a postcard so I had to resort to making a flyer. I like it though - hope you do to. Wish you could ALL come! My goal is to have images from the show available for sale as small prints on the SHOP NOW! button up on my top menu bar so if you love a design it is accessible and afforadable.

- Ciao Amarettogirl!

New Work...is on its way...

Since I have to get back to work (art making that is) for my up and coming exhibit at the Azucarera gallery (April 10th - 30th), I spent the majority of yesterday preparing the ground on my paper. I revived good 'ol tea-staining and experimented with marbling. I actually love the results and then I stood up until 3:30am starting the first piece. Thought you all might like to see what I'm up to.

If you're interested in tea-staining be sure to have a whole night - the results are much better with good quality rag paper and an overnight soak.

black tea staininga detail shot of the overnight results of tea-staining prepared grounds with experiments in marbling and my first piece on its way pic by m.diaz my newest piece in progress by marisol diaz a detail shot art and photo by marisol diaz

I really don't know what direction this will all go in - but its seems I'm still caught up in the last Unearthly woman concept...We'll see where it wall takes me.

-Ciao Amarettogirl

Amarettogirl Craft Book Review- The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry by Jennifer Perkins

Since I'm big on reinventing the function of small plastic toys into jewelry (such as my Mai Sweet Shop Altered Rement line) I was beaming with intrigue when I saw the new book by Jennifer Perkins (yes the DIY network's Craft Lab host herself!) has a new book with her trademark kitschy style, entitled The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry.

One day, in a hurried rush I browsed through the book in the bookstore, but I was too tired from a hard days work (teaching is not easy) and I didn't immediately purchase it. Then my fave Threadbanger podcasts had a Naughty Secretary Resin Bracelet demo on their weekly show with Jennifer Perkins and her book. The demo was so informative and thorough that the second I got on Spring Break I went back and bought the book. Boy am I glad I did, since a big chunk of my vacation was all about crafting with Jennifer!

The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins

• Paperback: 144 pages

• Publisher: North Light Books (August 11, 2008)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 1600611168

• ISBN-13: 978-1600611162

So here are some of the many strengths and little weaknesses of the book:

Excellent for beginners and inspiring enough for experienced folk (like me). Jennifer's overall mission is to get creatives and non, to see outside the normal confines of jewelry making and in this -recycle and reuse way- to see potential in anything, and I mean anything.

excerpt from pg. 14 of The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins

So on the negative side, if fun colorful, larger than life kitsch, garden gnomes, telephone cords, swizzle sticks, plastic toys, eyeglass necklaces, pencil earrings and watch headbands are too over the top for your traditionalist-little-beady-jewelry-makin'-mind than this book is not for you.

Ms. Perkins applies a secretary (9-5 gal) theme throughout the book with funny little side-notes, hot-tips and blurbs on the working girls history, holidays and lore. She includes what I think are hysterical, informative tidbits on the art of true, multi-tasking ability, ie., six other uses for coffee filters and a list of eight other uses for pantyhoses!

So in honor of the first day of Spring I tried my hand at an over-the top plastic, fantastic bracelet inspired by Ms. Perkin's Secretary's Bouquet Bracelet on pg. 120. excerpt from The Naughty Secretary Club by Jennifer Perkins I was super lucky to find a cha-cha bracelet blank (yes thats what its called) at A.C. Moore (Michael's didn't have any). However the cha-cha bracelet blank that I found had only one loop running across it, as opposed to the two loops on the blank that Jennifer uses in the book. I'm sure if I would have found the correct blank my Spring Chic bracelet would have come out a lot meatier. Instead I opted for the longer hula-skirt style.

Another great aspect of the book is that is categorizes every project in chapters of difficulty. This bracelet is a three star difficulty (highest level in book). In addition, she explains that this bracelet is great for the collector and Lord knows thats what I am truly master of.

My Spring Chic Bracelet inspired by The Naughty Secretary Club Spring Chic

So if you're interested in adorning your body with original, funky, re-cycled, joyful and often whimsical jewelry BUY this book!!

Art House Co-Op Sketchbook Complete-

all the images for the Art House Sketchbook project in a mosaic

Well here is a slightly zoomed in version of the completed sketchbook for the Art House Co-op Sketchbook volume 3 exhbit- just in time to run to the post office and have it postmarked by the deadline. The next time I do this I think I'll start well before two and half weeks (its easy to underestimate the amount of spreads -there were over thirty- in one of those little moleskines!)

If you would like to see the sketchbook in person (along with hundreds of other amazing sketchbooks) this is the list of cities the Sketchbook Volume 3 Exhibit will travel to around the US:

EVENT at Art House Gallery Feb 27th, 2009 Atlanta, GA The Sketchbook Project Tour - Atlanta Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Museum of Contemporary Art DC March 3, 2009Washington, DC The Sketchbook Project Tour - Washington, DC Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Chris' Jazz Cafe March 4, 2009Philadelphia, PA The Sketchbook Project Tour - Philadelphia Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Laconia Gallery March 6, 2009Boston, MA The Sketchbook Project Tour - Boston Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Antena Gallery March 8, 2009Chicago, IL The Sketchbook Project Tour - Chicago Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Soulard Art Market March 11, 2009St. Louis, MO The Sketchbook Project Tour - St. Louis Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at 3rd Ward March 13, 2009Brooklyn, NY The Sketchbook Project Tour - Brooklyn Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.

EVENT at Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) April 2, 2009Atlanta, GA The Sketchbook Project Tour - Atlanta Over 2,700 sketchbooks from around the globe.