Well, another one of Vickie's (AKA The Real Artist) children has left the nest.
This one found its way to the southern United States and becomes part of an absolutely wonderful art collection.
It is truly an honour to see your work hanging in such company and we hope that they enjoy their "new addition" to the family for many years to come.
On December 11, after a very difficult year, we celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary. Don't ask me why and how Vickie has put up with me for that long. Heck I don't even know how I got her to marry me in the first place!
It was a wonderful evening with bubbly sipped from the modified flutes sent to us 5 years ago by our good friend Ted (who lives in Australia).
We found the flute revisions didn't affect the taste one bit! Of course, when you live in Nova Scotia, you have to have lobster.
And we had plenty!
What made it even better was that we got to share it with our daughter Sandra and son-in-law Sean who live in Dartmouth.
And also, via Zoom, with our other daughter Lisa and son-in-law Jarrod who live in Freeport, Grand Bahama and our dear friend Charlene who lives in southern Ontario.
All in all, it made the year, on balance, a great year!
Best wishes to you all.
Junk Journals have become one of the hottest art forms of late. And while there are lots of variations, there are some common threads.
These journals come in all sizes and shapes and are generally made from found or upcycled materials. They can be used in a variety of ways. It may be to record memories, ideas or events and as such become a work of art in itself. But they can also be used to inspire.
As such, they then become a sort of "prepared canvass" that allows other artists/ scrapbookers to complete the creative process in their own personal manner.
So whether it's used as a piece of tabletop art, a creative gift or a starting point for your creative efforts we have a great selection put together by a mixed media artist who, trust me, has one of everything!
Inside, you might find original art, ephemera, fabric- you name it!
The pictured ones are priced between $95 and $125 and remember, we ship. So if you see something you like and want to see more pages, we'd be happy to send them but if you are local, come on by and see and feel them for yourself.
This post is for the nice golfer and his son (big Celtics fan I gather) who bought several items. When you realize that you don't have the small painting, contact me and I'll send it to you no charge.
I'm posting here since I gave you my card and encouraged you to check out the blog.
And don't forget, we accept repeat visitors. Next time we'll talk golf!
One of the downsides of living in a house built in 1849 is a leaky stone wall basement. But in between mopping it up, I've had the time to work on earrings.
The first order of business was to make a second display. I used the same format as for the guitar string earring display
Next came the anchor.
And finally, the shell. (sorry for the bad pic)
Now I am starting on the local agate and jasper I finished and drilled last summer. I plan on dressing them up a bit with some of the beautiful copper beads in my inventory and I'm pretty happy with the first pair.
So much for my day job. Normally, I make Viking Knit Chain in the evenings using 24 gauge copper wire but I am currently experimenting with a slightly thicker 22 gauge and really liking the result.
The real artist, not to be outdone, has finished her first sketch book using her home made dyes This beauty is totally hand fashioned, including the binding and we might have a few in the store by next season.
Stay healthy and sane!
As some who read this blog know, the "Real Artist", who lets me share her studio as long as I keep my mouth shut, is also a "Real Viking". Wencke, (her Norwegian name, we call her Vickie) is not one of those fake Vikings who wear the horned hats and watch Minnesota play football. She is a pure blood. And as such she is always off on new voyages of discovery. This time, it's all about dying (the colour not the event).
So now I'm back to the point in time when our daughters were young and I was always afraid to open a door in fear of the science experiment that lay behind it. This morning I found this sitting in the kitchen.
What is it, you say? My guess was an old tin can wrapped in fabric but according to Vickie, I was sadly mistaken. This was a can that she had carefully prepared to be covered with rust- not just rust but premium rust- so that when she folded some material around it, it got dyed by the rust. This, apparently elevates it from junk and rags to...ART!
Here is another cloth that has been dyed lavender by a liquid derived by soaking black turtle beans which, apparently we will now eat. Oh joy.
And this is only part of the voyage which, according to the Viking, will take two years. It didn't take that long for them to discover America! Another aspect will be to use the dyes and hand fashioned objects to make marks and thus transform a mess into an "object d'art".
Trust me, those hands will never be clean again.
Apparently we are having the beans tonight.
Pray for me.
Now that the clocks have changed, we change our hours to reflect it. Unless we are away, we are open every day until 5 unless the weather is really bad. We will close for the winter December 15th but will open the shop for those who call ahead- especially you local knitters. If you want to make sure we are open, call at 902 482-2188 or email me at ptoceanwaves@gmail.com
Also, since our winter winds can get really bad (and since we have already fished one store sign out of the marsh) we will be taking down the large store sign by the road. However, we will still be hanging our "Open" sign so if it is up, come on in!
The Artist's Mark has now been open for 6 years now and countless visitors have asked how we got the name and/or is my name Mark. So here's the answer.
My wife Vickie (AKA The Real Artist) is a process painter at heart and her signature is the distinct marks she includes in her work.
Vickie will literally use anything that can transport pigment to make a mark- sticks, feathers, leather, rope, fingers, wire- if it's handy, she'll use it. Over the winter, she decided to make herself some mark making brushes by upcycling things found, especially on the beach across the street. When she had finished, she showed them to some of her art friends and they all wanted one. So after filling those requests, she's made a few for the shop and here's what they look like.
We call them Artist's Mark Brushes and while they are great for making marks, they also make an amazing souvenir of your trip to Digby Neck. In the second pic up from the bottom, you can even see that she personalized it by putting the person's name in norse runic characters and others are decorated in various ways (wood burning, beadwork, leather work etc.). She loves making them so by the time we open this spring, we should have a good selection. If you would like one and can't get here, just send us an email to the address at the top of the blog and we can give you some options.
I have also taken to leaving my mark- signs of my process- on my jewelry pieces so people can see that a human being actually took the time to make what you are wearing.
So now you know why we are The Artist's Mark and we hope to see you in person. And my name is Peter.
Every so often, the "Lady With The Agate Eye" has to remind me who the real artist is around here (hint: It ain't me!).
Along with the rest of the world, we are coping with the isolation and myriad other effects of the covid situation. And while we haven't had any cases in our area, we dearly miss seeing family, friends and...tourist customers! Empathetic, logical people feel it worse than others and Vickie is such a person. So a while back I suggested she "retreat" to a place of her making and we decided to call it "Vickieville". She, of course, is the mayor but I got to be Director of Sanitation! The theory is to create an environment where you, not the government bureaucrats, call the shots. And it seems to be working because after months of artistic ennui, she is back at her passion. Here is the first result.
If you are not coping well, I suggest you give this idea a try. True, everyone has a different set of circumstances but remember, if you don't feel good about yourself, you can't have a very positive effect on those around you. We don't look upon this as ignoring reality. It's still there. But this creates a bit of a mental and emotional "buffer zone" that is helping us to have a more positive outlook.
We fear that this covid cloud is going to be with us for a long time- possibly the rest of our lives- and I can tell you that life is pretty good in Vickieville these days!
I'd love to get your thoughts.
Cheers and stay healthy and sane.
In the five years we have had our shop open on Digby Neck, literally thousands of people have come through the door and many have left with one or more of our pieces. Often, they or their friends contact us later about purchasing items online.
Although there have been no cases of the Covid virus in our area, we were unable to open this summer because of government restrictions and we really missed greeting new guests.
Introducing The Seawall Emporium
Our daughter Lisa, has established herself as a world class hand dyer of premium yarns which are sold through her company, Seawall Fibres. We sold thousands of skeins through our shop and since she already had an on-line presence, we decided to piggyback on it.
At the Seawall Emporium, you will find four small shops belonging to artists and craftsmen driven by quality and uniqueness.
At Lisa's store-Seawall Fibres, you will find an extensive and beautiful selection of hand dyed yarn in all weights.
If you are a knitter or know a knitter, you owe it to yourself to check it out!
Then there is Mitchell Brook where Sandra Mitchell offers her selection of premium goods geared to travel and leisure. She often creates what she can't find so you will be sure to find something truly unique such as these beautiful key chains containing gemstones from the Seawall on Digby Neck.
Next, you come to Seawall Art. Vickie Turner is a mixed media abstract artist recognized as a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artist but she literally creates everything! Since she is also an acclaimed teacher in the field of polymer clay, you will find gorgeous, museum quality jewelry along with fine art, whimsy and, from time to time, the artist's own "secret stash"!
And finally, there's The Lap of Lapidary, where retired geologist Peter Turner turns gemstones into rock jewelry and unique and beautiful stone guitar picks.
So take a step back in time and visit the Seawall Emporium- where there is no need to wear a mask or practice social distancing. Grab a cup of your favourite beverage and visit four unique shops, all from the comfort of your own home.
Today I'm going to show you how I wire wrap pendant stones that have been grooved around the edge. I'll use the three stones I featured in yesterday's video. Actually, I'll use two of the three as one had a small chip come off in the groove cutting process and the customer chose a new stone.
A few words about the video. First you will notice that the venue has changed. That's because I'm working on my assembly bench located within the spacious confines of the studio belonging to the real artist in the family- Vickie. And secondly, I apologize for the overuse of the phrase "So now" as well as the phantom voice over "one" that my highly trained videographer threw in. You truly do get what you paid for!
Several people have pointed out that the third tip was missing from yesterday's video so I included it at the beginning of today's. I'd like to say that I did it as a teaser but it was just a glitch. Hey, I'm old!
So here goes:
The results were very satisfying as I ended up with three stones that are very tightly wrapped and look awesome. So the next step will be to choose the leather cords. Stay tuned.
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| Today's Output- 3 wire wrapped Petrified Wood Cabs |
