And the Ornament Saga Continues

The conversation between Mr. Communicator (aka The Customer) and The Artist (aka The California Artist) continues: (Please excuse the size jumps – can’t figure that out!)

Mr. Communicator:

I tend to over-communicate, but only to ensure it all gets said.

The Artist:

Quick, tell me if the back is okay! If it isn’t, I can wipe it off with turp before it begins to dry. I abbreviated. My printing looks childish, so it won’t bother me if you nix the back.

And the front has been repaired with the yellow ribbon, pedestal and goose added (and a plant, sort of rough right now). After this layer dries (and it doesn’t seem to need to dry completely as the first layer needed) I can add the American flag. And, I hope to tighten up things a bit more.

Mr. C:

I think the back is fine. It’s definitely needed to complete the ornament.
On the front of the porch, can you add the oval window on the front door?
And can you also add in the 2 white pillars that flank the front steps? I think they need to stand out a bit along with the supporting arches.
Also the sun burst above the top window is actually white. Can you just lighten that up on the next pass?
Artist:
Good, yes, yes and yes.

Mr. C:

One last thing. It appears there’s no roof on the top of the extension to the left. Not sure how to do that because it’s behind the tree, but it does have a brown shingles roof.

Artist:

Yes, I saw that and tried to coast. . . 😎
Artist:
I answered the “good, yes yes and yes” too soon – here is a bit of disclaiming and whining and self-excusing just in case I can’t deliver on all of yesterday’s optimism.

The goose and pedestal look dumb because they are too small for my brushes. Will try again but may have to eliminate.
Didn’t see oval window on front door – hidden behind wreath! I’ll try the oval – if it doesn’t work, I’ll put the wreath.
That sunburst – I didn’t see it as white – only saw the dark spaces between the slats! Will lighten the slats around the dark spaces.
Will work on the porch posts to get them to appear better along with the “arch supports”.
All of this tiny stuff is really too small for my smallest brush, but I will go to Visalia tomorrow and see if I can locate a one-hair-brush. (You’re killing me!!)
Mr. C:

I know it’s a challenge and I’d apologize but I think you’ve already risen to the challenge!
I’ll let you decide about the goose and pedestal since you have the best view. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but you tell me.
This project is basically the antithesis of the big mural you just did!

More Ornament Eavesdropping

The conversation between Mr. Communicator and The Artist (that’s me) about the custom ornament for Christmas continues.

Mr. Communicator:
That’s great news. The hunt for that thing took me forever, so I’m glad it made it. However you decide to paint it is fine by me.  It will have to be able to survive years of being on a Christmas tree.  Maybe there’s a lacquer or coating that can be put on after to give it some strength?
Best of luck on your show tomorrow.
Mr. C:
Thanks for the update.  I can already see the entire scene; it looks great thus far.
I don’t have any objection to you posting this.  I don’t know that Dad and Mom follow your blog, but doubt it since they’re not big blog readers.  It does make me nervous (most likely irrationally so) that it might ruin the surprise.  Is it something you could post after the holiday or is time of the essence?  Otherwise we could post it with a top secret status, just in case someone might recognize the house.
The Artist:
So glad you can recognize the elements – painting at the first stages always messes with my self-confidence.
No worries about the yellow ribbon – it is in the category of microscopic last details.
If I post the progress, I will say it is TOP SECRET and Do Not Utter A Word If You Think You Recognize This House! My blogging experience is that people love love love the posts that show the progression of work.
Mr. C:
Blog away. I think it’s safe to put it up.
The Artist:

This is now hanging from the fireplace mantle drying above the woodstove again.
I’m a little fuzzy on what to do on the left, behind the house. I copied what I saw in one of your photos, but wonder if I’m on the right track here.

More details will come with each successive layer. That is where I’ll straight some of my wobbly or crooked lines. I tried on a couple of these, but it just mushed everything up I touched! (It is weird to paint on glass and on roundness) I think there will be 2 more layers, and the address will happen on the next one. Maybe. Don’t know if I can paint the backside while the front is wet or vice versa!
Mr. C:

Your second pass has filled it in quite a bit. It’s coming together.


On the front of the porch are you able to add the American flag at the top and maybe the pedestal and goose figures at the bottom right of the steps?

Thanks for all the work thus far.  I’ve never been this excited to give a Xmas gift! (usually receiving is better than giving, no matter what they say!)

To be continued. . .

Ornament Eavesdropping

Working with a customer via email or telephone without any face-to-face time is a great challenge. (By “great”, I mean both large and enjoyable.) Mr. Communicator and I are having so much fun with this process that I decided to share a bit of our conversations with you. The personal and mundane parts have been edited for your ease of reading. Enjoy eavesdropping here!

Mr. Communicator:
I realize there are just a few weeks left before Christmas, but I wanted to reach out to you to see 1) if that’s something you do (we’re not the National Christmas tree!), 2) if it’s something you could do before Christmas and 3) what it would cost. Don’t let this cause you any stress. If it can’t happen then I’ll just give them coal!
The Artist:
Let’s roll!
Mr. C:
While I’d never encroach on your artistic talents I figured I’d point out a few things on the house:
1 – Feel free to trim back some of the shrubbery under the windows and porch and fullness of the trees in the front yard to let the house stand out a bit more.  They probably all need a trim anyway! . . .
. . . 6 – Feel free to ignore all of my suggestions above, as your previous piece of the house is awesome and everything on your site is amazing.
The Artist:
Thanks for the suggestions, Mr. C. When I am chosen to do a custom piece of artwork, the most important thing to me is making the customer happy. So, any and all suggestions are welcomed! That is a frosty looking ornament – bet you had to go to a zillion stores. . . almost gives me a twitch to think of it. I’ll let you know when it arrives, and will photograph the process.
The Artist:
It is here in one piece! It was almost gift-wrapped in a silver box with a bow and then floating in a huge carton of fluffy paper. Whoa!
I was so nervous painting the ornament for the White House because what in the world would I do if I dropped it? Turned out it was plastic!!  😎
I will begin this Monday morning (have a show tomorrow). I’ll try the oil paint directly on the glass and see how it dries. Even if I put acrylic beneath it, it may scratch off, and because it is clear-ish, it will look dumb with a white blob showing through instead of the backside of the painting. We’ll just have to let your folks know it is fragile. . . no fingernails!
Clearly, this has been a long conversation. Guess I’ll leave you on this cliff-hanger and continue the story tomorrow.

Antithesis defined

Mr. Communicator aptly pointed out that the ornament is the antithesis of the mural I just finished. Oh so spot on! The word means “opposite” or “in stark contrast to”.

I’ve tightened things up even more. First, the photo. Second, the list of thoughts.

  1. This thing is almost impossible to photograph. Can’t hold it in the light because both sides are wet; the flash is too reflective and wipes out some of the detail. But, I rose to the challenge, time and time again, both for you and for Mr. Communicator.
  2. It is wet on the back because it has the family name, address and years of living in this house. You don’t get to see that part. Remember, this is a secret operation!
  3. I found a smaller brush!  Must have been saving it for this very project.
  4. I may not have charged enough. On the other hand, I may have overcharged, because Mr. Communicator has had to listen to a fair amount of whining.
  5. Can you see the goose?
  6. Some of the fuzzy/wobbly looking lines are because the paint thickness varies and the light reflects off of it unevenly.
  7. It looks better in person.
  8. Isn’t my fireplace mantel/surround pretty? It is one of the 4 things I liked about this house when we bought it 13 years ago this very month.
  9. Notice the yellow ribbon.

Ornament, corrected

My customer is a fabulous communicator. He has coached me through this project with more detail than anyone I’ve ever worked with before. Sometimes when a customer tries to direct me, I end up confused because the directions don’t make sense. Not here! When the photo doesn’t make sense to me, Mr. Communicator describes exactly what is what. He has told me what is important and what can be skipped.

Still looking a bit messy-ish. The next layer will be better!

Indoor Mural, Day 3

But Wait! There’s More! At the bottom of the staircase mural of Giant Sequoias is an open area with 6 doors leading off of it. Now, each of those 6 doors has its own identity!

Behind Door #1 is the library. Over Door #1 is dogwood, carolinus florida, or, as it is known in Three Rivers, “Karl Opitz’s tree”.

Door #2 leads into the workout room; feel happy and inspired to sweat by viewing these Bigelow Sneezeweeds.

Door #3 is a closet, and those blurry blue-ish flowers are bush lupine.

Door #4 leads to the Crew’s Quarters, and it is graced by Redbud.

Door #5 leads to the Captain’s Quarters, a room for crafts with California poppies providing inspiration.

Door #6 is the under-the-stairs closet and those are (happy sigh, love these little ones) Baby Blue Eyes.

Indoor Mural, Day 2

This California artist has completed Phase One of her indoor mural of Giant Sequoias/Redwoods/Big Trees for some exceptional people of fine taste. They have a particular fondness for these trees, and sell fabulous chairs made from some of the fallen ones (from private land – don’t gitchur knickers in a twist!). You can find them on eBay: Redwood Adirondack Chairs.

One more thing about this mural – it comes with a promise to retouch it if a grandchild goes nutso with a crayon or marker!

Secret Ornament, Day 2

The main elements are in place and it has now been hanging by my wood stove for 2 days and it isn’t dry yet!  I can hear my Oh So Wise Dad’s voice in my head, “Whatever you do, don’t panic.” Okeydokey, Daddy-O, but can we get this thing a-dryin’ here so I can get to a-paintin’?

Another odd job

From time to time I get asked to do unusual things with my art abilities. Remember the original ornament? I painted it for the White House Christmas tree in 2007. I wrote about it the following December in 4 parts on my blog.

  1. The Ornament Story, chapter one
  2. The Ornament Story, chapter two
  3. The Ornament Story, chapter three
  4. The Ornament Story, chapter four

A man recently tracked me down via my website and requested that I paint an ornament as a Christmas gift for his parents. I asked him a number of questions about available photographs, amount of detail, and his expectations in general. He answered every question and went to a great deal of trouble finding the kind of ornament he wanted and having it shipped overnight to my studio.

A giant carton arrived via FedEx. It was full of fluffy paper and in the center was a fancy silver box with a purple ribbon. Inside that was more fluff and bubble wrap and tissue. In the very center was this ornament:

Oh my goodness. I hope I don’t mess it up! My customer has great faith in my abilities and I will do my very best on this project!

Remember, it is TOP-SECRET! If you recognize the house at anytime during my showing of the process, DO NOT UTTER  A WORD TO ANY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY!

Thank you. I have faith in your ability to keep secrets. It is not as if this is the World Wide Web or anything. . . right?