Rice Gluing Adventure!

Madagascar mural project mini update:

I made some glue out of just cooked rice and boiling water. Then I went to the local graffiti wall and pasted up samples from 2 different mural fabrics: one thicker, one thinner.  Both fabric samples were painted with the paints we will use here in the U.S., and the oil paint that will be used once the mural is in Madagascar. Guess what? The glue worked amazing and adhered both samples to the wall! I think after this experiment, I decided I like the thinner fabric better...easier to put up and felt like it would stick better. 

(For other muralists: this is the Pellon 830 fabric. It's actually called "Easy Pattern" and used for pattern making. You can buy it at pellon.com . It's also pretty affordable and comes in small amounts (the other fabric only comes 250 yards at a time!)

Also, I'm going to silkscreen some of these designs on t-shirts to help me fundraise for this project and future ones. I'm so excited that this is happening!!!!!!! If you want to see what project I'm talking about,  read this. Yay!

I think I need to make this happen.

So, I've had this idea cooking in the back of my mind for quite awhile now.  I think when I get home, it's gonna be time to make it happen for reals.  The exciting part is, I found a grant to apply to that might help me make this easier, and spend less of my own money to get going.

This is what I want to do:

Malagasy Cultural Night/Art Exhibit/Benefit:

- I'll finish my Madagascar painting series (trying to have like 10-12 BIG pieces, and some smaller ones). I've done a few already - they're all inspired by different aspects of my experience in Madagascar with the Peace Corps. Everything will be for sale, along with a ton of 8 x 10 prints that I'll sell for like $20.  All or most profits will go to the organization, PSI  (Population Services International), and will be directed towards their branch in Madagascar. (This organization provides health education, birth control education and supplies, hygiene education and supplies, and things like mosquito nets for families, etc. They're just awesome, and hands down the organization I was most impressed with while I was there....besides Peace Corps of course...haha).

- I have saved a huge pile of the best art that the little kiddos made while I lived in Madagascar. I have pictures of most of the kids who drew them, so I'll have some framed kid art on display also, with their photos and a short blurb about them, beside each one.

- I might give a little talk and/or have a slideshow running of my Mada pictures.

- Of COURSE, there will be Malagasy music going...so good!

- I might invite the UofO Peace Corps Recruiter to come and have a little table there if they want.

- Food, drinks, duh!

- No cover, but a donation jar for $$$ for PSI.

-Try to pick a venue that is on the First Friday Art Walk in Eugene, so lots of people come!


So, that's it! I must do this, no?  I've been chipping away at the series, slowly....painting when I feel like it....but I think this needs to happen soon, while Mada is still sorta fresh in my mind. Yay!!

Tree Murals

Well, I know I haven't been posting lately, but it's Summertime and the kiddos are off and climbing trees and swimming in lakes (who am I kidding....they're playing their Wii's and Xbox. It's Oregon, and it's raining.).

I've been trying to stay busy during this slow and unemployed time, with my own mural business. Here's what I've been up to, professionally:

- Creating a brand new website that's completely centered on my mural career. Now that I've decided that's really the direction I want to go most in my life career-wise, I'm completely re-designing the whole thing with this focus.  If you need a website, have good computer skills (but no, you don't need to know html or any other coding for this), go to the wix website and make a site for yourself.  They have templates available for free or you can buy a package without advertising. It's AMAZINGLY awesome.  Really, try it before you spend tons of money on someone to build your site or time learning other programs yourself.

- Created a custom mural for a local non-profit.  I have been involved with Nearby Nature since I was in Middle school back in the 90's. They are an incredible, inspiring environmental and educational organization in my community. And they needed some visual magic at their headquarters.  They just re-painted their Park Host House (the house for the guardians of the wilderness park where they work)  a beautifully bright sky blue. The house looked gorgeous, except for their beaten down, scratched up door. I painted the Nearby Nature logo and a forest pathway on their door and entryway to pull everything together for them.

- Painted a custom Oak Tree mural for a client. The woman who commissioned this mural felt very connected to a local mountain, covered in Oak trees. She told me she felt a spiritual connection and peace about the trees, and wanted to bring that feeling into her home. We decided on a simple sihouette design. The challenge for this project, was pinpointing exactly what it was that would give my client this feeling from my artwork. In this case, it was really an example of the artist as a communicator, and a middle man between a client's vision and what can be manifested in real paint. It was difficult for my client to tell me exactly what she wanted because I couldn't feel what was in her heart - a feeling that was difficult for her to explain. Would longer branches do it? A shorter trunk? A wider canopy? All of these small details come together and give off a certain feeling -  one that I am trying to match to my client. In the end, after visiting the trees that inspired the project, and one round of changes, she was very happy with her bedroom mural. Another lesson in very careful and active listening, patience, and trusting instincts. A fun project that provided growth for both sides.

So that's what I've been up to! Next time you hear from me, I will be in Philadelphia, working on my mural internship with the Mural Arts Program! Can't wait! I'll keep this updated from time to time so you can see what I'm working on.

Philly-bound,

Corie