Crafts

George Gets Crafty

I sometimes have the urge to try something crafty for fun, plus to develop some lower price point items to sell, perhaps at future craft fairs and not only at the art gallery. A couple years ago I made a wreath from ribbon and Christmas bulbs, and tried my hand briefly at needlepoint which I didn’t enjoy much. It’s important to play and experiment to see what you like and what you don’t. As a child I also made some crafty things besides drawing, and in college years I experimented with traditional crafts like ceramics (enjoying hand building with clay, but couldn’t throw much on a wheel!). This year I successfully made my first seashell tree (10 inches tall!) which sold. I also made pine cone ornaments, after learning the process of sanitizing and prepping them. The repetitive nature of putting certain things together can be quite relaxing. The idea of using locally found objects in the local area, like seashells on the beach, and pine cones in the nature trails or parks, is of particular interest to me. I recently completed a seashell cross using only jingle shells which are lighter, semi-transparent and shiny. If you look carefully you will see it's more of an abstract crucifix, as the darker central shells are meant to suggest a body.