Runamuck Studio Blog by Dennis Haynes

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's December, and in some places (not San Francisco where I live) there is snow and snow people. Here is a tutorial making a fun snowman ("Mr. Blizzard"). The main ingredient is Creative Paperclay ®.

Ingredients for fun:
Creative Paperclay ® Modeling Material
3 sizes of foam ball
bamboo skewer
glue
wire hangers
hand-dyed bottle brush tree
mini garland
acrylic paint
glitter
wood base
floral tape
3" screws
decorations and trinkets that you already have

First I cut a smidge off the bottom of the largest foam ball so it would sit well. Then I skewered the balls together with glue between them.

Next, I opened the wire hangers up, straightened them and stuck 5 through holes I made in the middle foam ball with another skewer. (I had to then use a chopstick to make the hole big enough for the wires.)

I wrapped the wires with floral tape all the way to the ends and around the fingers to bind the wires together and finish the fingers. Bend the arms and position the fingers as you would like. Paint and seal the arms with browns to resemble branches.

I used a pasta machine to roll the modeling material and used a paint brush to paint glue on the balls right before adding the Creative Paperclay ®. Keep water nearby (I use an old butter tub) to wet your fingers and tools when blending.

Cover the entire body with modeling material making eyes, mouth or any other details you want. I pushed a rubber heart stamp into the wet material to add a nice touch. Let dry.

[Note: if you get any cracks as the material dries, simply paint some glue into the crack and add some more paperclay.

When dry, sand and paint (gesso first if you like). I added a bit of wire hanger pushed into the nose to support the large carrot (also made of Creative Paperclay ®).

I painted 2 coats of white acrylic paint. I sprinkled glitter in the second coat of wet paint. I painted the eyes and sealed with a matte finish coat on the arms and eyes. I used some cut up skewer bits for the coal mouth.

I painted and sealed a wood base like a holly leaf. I pre-drilled 3 holes in the base and put 3 long screws about 3" long each from the bottom into the body of the snowman (with glue) to secure it to the base.

Now comes the fun of "accessorizing". I created a wreath from the mini garland, decorated the bottle brush tree and top hat. A piece of an old silk tie is his scarf.

This one took some time and we're keeping him! Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. You can make just about anything with Creative Paperclay ®.

Getting Ready for Christmas Lollies

2011-11-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Lollipops are great for every season but Christmas is the perfect setting for hand-made ones. I decided to make these as ornaments but they can be used as the "garnish" for wrapping presents, or if made thin enough, you might use them in scrapbooking.

Supplies:

Creative Paperclay Modeling Material ®

Popsicle sticks

Acrylic paint

Glue

Latex or PVC gloves

Wire

Glitter nail polish

24 gauge wire

First, I take a chunk off the block of modeling clay and put some dark red acrylic paint in the middle of it. Knead the paint into the clay until it is thoroughly mixed. You can keep adding paint to get to the color you want. I wanted the color to be between red and pink.

It will look something like this. The rubber gloves keep your hands from becoming a mess.

Next, you'll roll out a bit of the red and plain clay to make two ropes of equal length.

Put a light line of glue on the top of both ropes and roll to the side so the back rope is glued to the front rope and the front rope is ready to adhere to the coil you're about to make.

Start coiling the two ropes. If they start sticking to your work surface, add a little water. Keep coiling until you get to the end. I've cut a slight angle on the red here so it will fold in easier.

Next, I used a wet Exacto blade to make the starting slit for the popsicle stick. Place a little glue on the top of the stick to allow for firm attachment. Then I took a wet paint brush and smoothed down any rough parts in the clay and also spread out any extra glue.

I tried different combinations like coiling the ropes first and then coiling again OR you can put the two ropes together and roll them together into a single rope, twist, then coil... Let dry on aluminum foil or wax paper.

After they were dry, I spiced them up with clear nail polish with glitter.

I made some small loops with 24 gauge wire and pushed them into the top of the lollipops with more glue so I can hang them.

You can experiment and find out which style is the most appealing to you. Whatever you do, though, make sure you have fun!

The Creative Paperclay® Design Team is On the Move!

2011-10-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to you know that I was chosen to be part of the Creative Paperclay ® Design Team! Once a month, each of us on the team will be posting a "how to" project that uses this fantastic modeling material. For the next six months, I'll be feverishly trying to come up with something new and exciting that will have folks want to try their hand at creating. This is going to be fun and exciting and a really great challenge. You're all invited to go to the Creative Paperclay® page on Facebook to see all the new and exciting projects!

For more information on Creative Paperclay®, please click HERE and you can visit their blog by clicking HERE.

Creative Paperclay Halloween Ornament

2011-10-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

I love Paperclay! I decided to create a Halloween ornament...well, a bunch of ornaments. I love Halloween and below is the step-by-step on how I made this Jack-o-lantern ornament.

Supplies:
Creative Paperclay
Aluminum foil
Wire
Wire clippers
sculpting tools (you can use anything available)
Acrylic paint and sealer
Pasta Machine (if you have one)
or rolling pin
Gesso
Fine grit sandpaper
Bamboo skewer
Water
Soft Paint brush

To Get Started:

Take a piece of aluminum foil (or you can use a styrofoam or paper maché shape) and make a basic ball shape. Take a bamboo skewer or ice pick and gently pierce the shape so you can run the wire through the ball. Make a small hook at the end of the wire (this will be on the bottom of your shape) and glue it to the bottom of the shape.

Break off a little less than 1/6th of an 8oz brick of Paperclay and roll out (or thickest setting on the pasta machine) so that it is around 1/8th inch thick or so. This will give you plenty of room to mold your face and the sections of the pumpkin. Apply glue to the shape to help hold the Paperclay.

Wrap the Paperclay around the object. If you have air bubbles, you may use a toothpick to poke a little hole in the Paperclay and gently press out the air. (Keep in mind that Paperclay will start drying as soon as it is exposed to air. Keep all unused Paperclay in a sealed container. I used a ziploc bag.)

Wet your fingers slightly and use enough water to smooth all the seams together and start making your final shape without it being soggy.

Add features like the face and segments with your sculpting tools. I used a dowel end to make the eyes and a cap to make the crooked smile.

Use a wet, soft paint brush to smooth out any tight places that are hard to smooth with your fingers.

Next, let your piece dry for a few days to make sure it's completely dry. (Note: some artists will bake their pieces in the oven at a low temp to speed up the drying process. Please make sure that the material you use inside your piece can go in the oven. Aluminum foil is good....plastic/styrofoam is bad. :)

Once dry, sand your piece and wipe all the dust off. You may want to put a coat of Gesso on first to give your paint a less-absorbent surface. I like to tint my gesso with a little acrylic paint. This makes the final coat go on quite nicely.

Let it dry completely and then paint your piece with the final colors you've chosen. When dry, you can use a paint-on sealer or a spray sealer. Let the sealer dry and then you're ready to hang your new ornament on your Halloween tree or package it up for a gift!

For more information on Creative Paperclay, please click HERE and you can visit their blog by clicking HERE.

2011-10-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

I love Paperclay! I even joined the crowds of people demanding from Michael's that they change their minds about removing Creative Paperclay from their shelves. (I created this project from Paperclay recently purchased from Micheal's...maybe our campaign worked!)

I decided to create a Halloween ornament...well, a bunch of ornaments. I love Halloween and below is the step-by-step on how I made this Jack-o-lantern ornament.

For more information on Creative Paperclay, please click HERE and you can visit their blog by clicking HERE.

Supplies:
Creative

Much Ado About Art Shows

2011-09-27T15:33:00.001-07:00

After much ado, one of my art shows is complete. I noticed that many of the little details (like a free crepe button with purchase, black cat-stamped tissue paper and logo sticker on my bags) seemed to go unnoticed. I also notice that I enjoyed making everything so much that I don't really care!

The venue was a tightly-packed room - 3' to share with the neighbors table to my back - and well-lit. There were lots of art supply vendors and some finished-piece artists. All-in-all, it was a good first run at the Trunk Show - mine and theirs. I made a smidge of profit and have a much better idea of what is selling this season. Smaller stuff seemed to be favored over bigger, harder-to-store items. I noticed at Halloween & Vine that the largest items seemed to sit and sit, some never leaving their tables.

Robert and I had a little get-together with some of the artists from Halloween & Vine and it was such a great time meeting FB friends and having everyone get to know each other. I was so present to comfort and excitement being with such like-minded folks. They are all sweet, talented, clever and warm people!

I think we will plan for another get-together next year - maybe a pot luck in our club room so there is plenty of room for mingling. We'll see....

Now it's time to get all my Glitterfest buttons made, some more ornaments done, retool some things and...oh yeah....find a new job. I have 3 weeks to get ready for Glitterfest and a lot less time to find that "perfect" job. Course, a temp job will suffice until I find "The One".

I appreciate all of the kinds words, the generosity of tips and techniques and the "industry" as a whole. I know there are plenty of collectors/investors out there for all of us and look forward to a continued camaraderie where we all support each other. ( I know, sounds like we're going to hold hands a sing "Kumbaya", but you get the picture.)

test

2011-09-27T15:29:00.001-07:00

testing the glitchiness...hopefully, this will automatically load to FB...We'll see.

2011-09-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Art Shows are Nigh!!!!!

2011-09-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

The final stretch is underway to get ready for my two shows. The Art Trunk Show (Art is...You) http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/arttrunkwestcoast.htm is this weekend. It's on the same day as Halloween and Vine but is in the evening from 6pm - 9pm. I need to finish up some pieces but mostly everything is ready. I even mocked up my booth in my studio yesterday.

I'm excited to be assisting Iva Wilcox during Halloween and Vine during the morning rush! That will be such a blast watching the doors open and seeing the serious collectors running to their favorite artist's booth. So exciting! This will also be an opportunity to meet some of my Facebook friends for the first time. Great fun!

The next show is Glitterfest in Santa Ana, CA. It's about 7 hours drive south but we'll stop at Hobby Lobby (the only one in CA) on the way down. Robert and I will be staying at a dear friend, Heather's house and we can't wait!

Heather will be joining us for this weekend. She is flying up, picking me up from work on Friday in a limousine and after some shopping, we'll luxuriate our way to Petaluma to get ready for a little get-together at our house on Friday night.

I've been contemplating leaving my booth mock up intact for my friends to see but I could just pack it all up and not have to rush on Saturday after H&V. I think I'll just see how it goes....

Maybe next year I'll be able to participate in Halloween and Vine as an artist. That would be a dream fulfilled. Until that happens, I'll be working hard and creating away!

Reality and What's Real

2011-08-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just read a blog post about comparisons. An artist making a point that comparing yourself to others has the potential to make you feel better than someone or less than someone. It is that very comparison that we cannot avoid. We do it on so many levels of our everyday existence:

1. "Will I ever be able to sew doll clothes without gluing on the hard parts? That other artist doesn't seem to have to glue anything..."

2. "Why can't my butt/abs/arms/eyes/hair (insert any body part here) look like that!"

3. "Duh, you should already know all the uses for crépe streamers!"

4. "How can some people be so dang calm/create so many pieces/be such a genius?"

5. "I wish I could afford a California Closet studio!"

6. [your comparisons here]

I'm usually left dis-empowered or feeling like a jerk for thinking I'm better. Sometimes (read "most times") I know I'm right about this or that. I can see all the reasons I'm right OR if I'm wrong, I can see all the evidence proving how right I am about how wrong I am. Being human is so wonky!

Comparisons when regarding art are a foregone conclusion. The brain can't help compare one artist to another (your stuff looks like that artist) or mediums (this is REAL art; that is just craft.) or any other myriad ways to compare.

Since comparisons are part of our animal history (The ewe chooses the best of the rams after they butt heads, the pea hen chooses the best/biggest-showing peacock.....), we cannot help compare this to that, me to that, that event to this event, his to mine, hers to his, theirs to ours. I even wonder if this blog post will be as well-received as some other blogger that is SUCH a great writer/artist/model/son/gardener/forensic pathologist/ice cream maker/immaculate-studio artist.

This is just a reminder for me to keep all these comparisons in perspective. My self-esteem is designed to depend on others' opinions, assessments, judgements and MY comparisons, opinions, assessments, judgements only because of the culture in which I've been raised. Luckily, I'm not stuck with this hand. My point of this is to keep some objective perspective. Just because you or someone has an opinion doesn't mean it's "real". While it definitely is an opinion, it isn't necessarily factual or scientifically measurable. Comparisons as a whole are like this, too. I need to be reminded every day (more like every hour) that I am the way I am. I'm not him, her, it, them. I'm only me.

Comparing is like worrying - it's a misuse of the imagination. It's a waste of energy in all ways, always. But since comparisons are here to stay, I may as well use them. I can be inspired, challenged, encouraged and adventurous because of comparisons as long as I use them for that and not for "evil" [see above].

I see this posted all the time on blogs and noticed the same thought came up for myself,"I haven't blogged in a while because I didn't have anything really good to post and you don't want to hear my daily life - yawn..." (3 comparisons in one sentence!) and now I write a new post waxing philosophical! Feel free to compare.

Glitterfest Fall 2011

2011-06-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'll be participating in Glitterfest this Fall in Santa Ana, CA. Last year was my first show and first Glitterfest and it was a fairly good first show for me! The Trunk Show in Petaluma will be 9/25 and Glitterfest is 10/15 so there is a nice gap between the two. I'll be bringing some steampunk items as well as my usual creations. I'm excited to get to work on the extra things like getting price tags made, business cards printed, booth decor and displays finished...oh, and making some more creations! For the first time, I'll also have some supplies. I will have bottle brush trees - 5 sizes - in all colors. I sold quite a few last fall and so I'll have more - lots more.

If you can come out to either, I would love to see you or meet you if I haven't already. I'm looking forward to this fun time of the year!

Petaluma Art is You: Art Trunk Show

2011-05-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be part of Petaluma's "Art is You" Art Trunk Show this fall (9/24/11). It is held the evening after Halloween and Vine. I've never been to this one before and it is exciting to be a part of it, nonetheless! Another great fact is that it is less than a 3-minute drive from our apartment. So, I'll not have to travel like I did for Glitterfest (7.5 hour drive).

I plan to have an exciting booth filled with some new characters and the return of some old. I will have a varied inventory so that I have something in all price points and something for everyone. (That's a task in and of itself...)

I'll have greeting cards, sculptures, Day of the Dead items...maybe a few feather trees - all of which I'm making by hand. Now I just have to get to work.

Hope those of you in the area can come out and say hi. I'll be sending a reminder out as we get closer to the date.

Available Now: Just Trying to Get a Head

2011-05-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

I just got this piece back from Llewellyn Gallery as they are changing out their theme. He is available for purchase now. This is one of my favorite pieces - the heads are interchangeable! "Just Trying to Get a Head" is signed and dated by me. Thank you for taking a look!

Just let me know if you'd like to purchase him. I accept Paypal. dennis@runamuckstudio.com

Letting My Mind Wander

2011-05-03T11:44:00.001-07:00

By taking myself off the one-track-minded approach to my creations, I've been playing. I'm creating a bunch of jewelry out of large abalone shells (yes, I'm being careful of the toxic dust) and millinery pursuits as well. Halloween creations will be quite varied this year as I'm playing with ornaments, hats, assemblage and whatever else catches my eye.

It's been nice to not have the "have to's" that have colored my artistic experience as of late. I have to be known, I have to get in Halloween & Vine, I have to get more people interested in my work, I have to sell more.....on and on the list goes. I've given up my attachments to each of these and couldn't be happier. While it would be nice to have these come to fruition, I no longer have to have these. My life will move right along without any of them.

Now that is not to say that I'm not working toward most of these, but I'm going to have it be more creative, intuitive, organic. This is an exploration in crafts (yes, I said the "c" word) and art. An exploration that can be ADD and mercurial and me. "Runamuck" wasn't chosen lightly!

There should be some new additions to my Etsy store soon and more posts on this blog as well. Stay tuned and we'll see what shows up, what connections I make, what fun I have and what difference I make.

Easter Creations

2011-04-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Please take a look at my Etsy store and buy, buy, buy! I have a great time making these and hope they bring a smile to you. http://www.etsy.com/shop/dennisghaynes?ref=si_shop

Etsy Sale for some fun Halloween items

2011-04-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm having a sale at my Etsy shop. Stop on by and check out my Halloween items and fun blingy party hats!

Dennis Haynes Etsy Shop

Easter Creations 2011

2011-04-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't spend a lot of time on Easter this year. Just got finished moving and setting up my studio. Now I'm embarking on an exploration the rest of the year. I'm going to try bunches of different things - jewelry, assemblage art, different kinds of ornaments, dolls, puppets, mosaics...who knows.

Recently, I realized that I was headed down a path as an artist that would have me do just one thing. After much thinking, I'm clear that I will never be happy doing that. I am most happy trying new things. I am most happy exploring the unknown, challenging myself to take on something that looks daunting and if I have the thought, "How did they do that?", then I have to try it.

Now, it's not going to be anything and everything goes, just the things that light me up, intrigue me or move me.

For me, my life is too short to focus on one thing. Be it ADD or being a Gemini or just wanting to taste lots of life (I don't really know or care), I'm gonna have me some fun and make some great things at the same time.

Networked Blogs - Experimenting with Networking

2011-03-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

I've seen "NetworkedBlogs" showing up and decided to try this myself. It's linked to Face Book. I'll give it a go and see how it works/looks. Let me know what you think..... :)

Las Vegas is Actually Kind of Fun!

2011-02-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

I'm coming out of the closet.....I'm a Fanilow. My Aunt Mary and I just went to see Barry Manilow in concert here in Las Vegas! What a riot! He sounded really good and the show was great! I'm going to a jewelry show on Tues morning and seeing Blue Man group on Tues night. This has been quite a trip...and I thought I was only going to be working here.

I used to dislike Vegas. I don't gamble, smoke or act like a fool (most of the time). I visited once and thought some of the "architecture" was cool (i.e. the 1/8 scale Eiffel Tower) and everything was tongue-in- cheek.

My company sent me to Las Vegas for the 2nd time to work on hotel registration for a big event here and that is what I'm doing. I'm a temp employee at the company and anytime over 8 hours is time & a half, which would get billed to the client. Consequently, I only am allowed to work 8 hours a day. My coworkers that are full time, work 10-12 hour days. That has left me with free time to spend with my Uncle Bill, Aunt Mary and cousin Kate who live in Vegas. I've spent more time with my aunt and uncle in the past 3 days than in the past 40 years combined! I'm spending more time with them this coming week as well and it's been so much fun!

Last night, Bill and Mary took me to dinner and then we went to the Bellagio. The Bellagio is decorated for Chinese new year and it was a site to behold. In their giant "solarium", there is a 15' Chinese god and a full size "junk" boat in the pond. I will post pics when I get back and can get the pics off my camera. Then we went across the street (while the Bellagio fountains where waving to and fro) to the Cosmopolitan, which is swanky and draped with ropes of crystal. When I got back to my hotel, I walked around the square just outside the Venetian (where I'm staying) and just admired the Italian architecture sample that is the Venetian. I know it's fake but it's as close as I've been to Italy at this point.

There are so many things that are "un-seemly" but Las Vegas has a sweet charm. I have had an incredible time so far. By day, I'm a data entry robot, but by night I'm absorbing this crazy city with child-like wonder.

Well We're Moving on Up!

2011-01-31T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well, we're almost completely packed. The studio has now been divided up into dozens of boxes and are patiently waiting to be moved to a larger space! We are moving to the coveted Petaluma, CA (home of Halloween & Vine and a very active art scene) on Feb. 12 into a 3-level town home apartment and I'm so stoked! One of the amazing things is that this complex is 95% smoke-free! I didn't even know those things existed. I'll have a one-car garage to spread out and get efficient and organized.

I know, hard to believe for an artist, but I'm ready to create a bitchin' space that might even be cool enough to be in a magazine. (It's YOUR fault, Dani :)

This also means that creating anything is on hold....not that I've created very much since I got my office job. But thanks to getting a real calendar book and a commitment to 2011 being a raucous, good art year, I think I'll be upping my output (read: quality and output) and increasing my skill level.

Still going to be exploring different media and styles. I get bored easily with doing the same thing over and over again. Must be the Gemini in me or the fact that I've been labeled ADD or hyper my whole life. Whatever! I just like trying out new things. Life is too short to live in the same place my whole life or do the same thing over and over and over..... It works stunningly for a lot of people, just not me.

My intention is that you see some fun, exciting, edgy (and improved skill) and darling things come out of Runamuck Studio. This is a growth year....time to catch up with all the folks that awe me!! ;)

Jewelry by Marty Haynes

2010-12-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is jewelry created by my mom, Marty. She is a beading goddess and loves jewelry.

Her own blog will be live soon with LOTS more necklaces. To purchase, you can contact her at martysbeads@gmail.com.

Llewellyn Gallery Opening Night!

2010-12-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the Grand Opening of Llewellyn Gallery in Forestville, CA. It was packed with great people, there was fantastic food and the art was varied and beautiful. This was a journey, or quest, that took many players and lots of intentionality. I sold 4 pieces and gave out lots of business cards. I'm interested to see if I get some new friends from this. The gallery looked beautiful and was done on a shoe string budget for the most part. The alarm system and insurance weren't that inexpensive, but it had to be included in this adventure.

We also learned a lot. It would have been advantageous if we had name tags for the owner and the artists. When it was packed with people, it was hard to know which end was up! Also, I should have put a sign on the Christmas tree that said the ornaments were for sale. Our new phrase for the month is "LAL" - Live and Learn! All in all, it was one of the nicest experiences I've had in a while. I'm looking forward to being part of more things like this!

Llewellyn Gallery Invitation

2010-12-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the invitation for the gallery opening. You are all invited!

Some new vintage-inspired ornaments for Llewellyn Gallery

2010-11-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

I just took a few photos of some of my new ornaments that will be displayed/on sale at the new Llewellyn Gallery. The opening date is 12/12. More information to follow! I'll have some of my sculptures there as well.

This has been a great adventure and has felt like playing a fun game of gallery creation with Jamuna Llewellyn of Llewellyn Gallery. Buying the lighting, organizing the space, creating pieces for my first gallery show and encouraging Jamuna have made it fun and quite the new experience for me.

I will be making some more ornaments and some fun holiday-themed sculptures for the opening. Stay tuned for more photos and information!

A New Fine Art Gallery is Opening Soon! Llewellyn Gallery

2010-11-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Jamuna, is starting her own art gallery. She is one of those evolved art gallery owners that want to advance the power of the artist. She is committed to showcasing well-known artists and artists new to the scene. This gallery is in Forestville, CA - just outside Santa Rosa, CA.

Opening day will be December 12, 2010.

The address is: 6525-A First Street, Forestville, CA 95436

There will be live music, beautiful art (including mine :) and nice things to nosh.

Jamuna shared her dream with me and I've been encouraging her the whole way. She used to be a nude model for several artists and also worked in a fine art gallery. She is surrounding herself with knowledgeable mentors and is on the verge of setting the art world on it's proverbial ear!

I am honored to be one of her first artists to be shown. Sandra Oseguera will be the other artist. http://lithoart.net/

My Halloween Sale on Etsy

2010-10-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've just placed several pieces of my Halloween group on Etsy. Please feel free to browse and buy! :)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/dennisghaynes?ref=seller_info

These are all one-of-a-kind, hand-made by me. I hope you enjoy!

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

I was worried that Halloween was already "over" for me due to the fact that I've been in major Halloween mode for about 6 months already and participated in Glitterfest. I see that Halloween is right on track. It just took getting the decorations out of storage and putting our Halloween tree together.

This has been a great year of exploration, discovery and joy. I met fantastic new people, networked like never before and saw my potential starting to be realized. I have major plans for next year. Expanding my abilities, knowledge, "fan" base (that's a new one!) and living life with integrity, grace and passionate self-expression.

I know this isn't the end of the year but it feels like it. Like I'm on the edge of something really great and hella fun. It feels like I'm starting my next chapter in a long life. Creating what's next for me vs waiting to see what will happen, causing goals to become fulfilled, making a difference, having fun and laughing a lot are what my life is about.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate you more than you know. Stay tuned. My intention is to blow 2010 out of the water in 2011.

Glitterfest: Not Too Shabby for The First Show!

2010-10-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Glitterfest is now done. Santa Ana was hot and humid and Glitterfest had no A/C. Still, with lots of hand fans waving to cool off, Glitterfest was a great start for me and Heather. I made some profit and made some fantastic connections. I'm looking forward to Glitterfest Spring 2011 now. Heather will expand her inventory as will I so we will have our own tables. We will also be competing for one of the 3 coveted "Best Booth" ribbons. We won one of them today! Our first show! With my crépe paper and Heather's Halloween tree, we must have done something right!

I had a couple of people tell me that they researched me online so they knew about my pieces and I met some more artists that I only knew of online. All in all, it was a good event for me and I'll do it again in the spring!

Halloween Queens - Queen for a Day Giveaway

2010-09-19T21:21:00.001-07:00

What a totally fun giveaway. The Halloween Queens are doing a honkin' huge giveaway. Check out this link for details!

http://artisticthalloweenqueens.blogspot.com/2010/09/queen-for-day-giveaway.html

The Great Owl Challenge

2010-09-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I am challenging folks to create...who, whoo...wait for it... an owl(s). I would love to see the owl be a part of Halloween again on equal billing with all the other Halloween icons. And since there seems to be a graying between Fall holidays and Winter holidays (see how I cleverly worded that? ;), why not an owl for all seasons? How about a Christmas owl or a Thanksgiving owl or all of the above?

Due to my limited sculpting skills, creating an owl is an actual challenge. For you, maybe not so much!

Any medium is fair game or combination there of.

Let me know if you wanna play. Squeeze it into your schedule and challenge yourself to a duel of skills!

COME ON! (You can rest when you die!)

The Great Owl Challenge

2010-09-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

New Business Page on Facebook

2010-08-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Due to some down time at work, I was speaking with some of my fellow rookies and they suggested that I had a business page for Runamuck Studio on Facebook. Duh, I never considered it...actually, I never paid any attention to it. So I got some tutoring and found the right page to start and now it is started. I don't have any pictures here at work so that will be downloaded from home tonight. Who knows, maybe it will be a useful tool.

Along the lines of selling my work, I might have an internet event right after Glitterfest for some of my pieces. I will show a few teasers and see if I can generate any interest. Probably will be on Etsy. More details to follow.

I've just joined Spooky Time Jingles "Hive" that allows me to be a part of STJ even when they are at capacity with their usual artists. There is quite a lot of traffic there and when I get some time, I'll probably do some of the marketing tricks they have. I never knew that I would have so many opportunities as an artist. I love that people are inventive and not willing to take NO in life. This is a folk art movement of epic proportions. The amount of advertising, marketing and energy around furthering "fine folk art" is growing everyday and thanks to the internet, it seems to be an exponential phenomenon now. http://creatingthehive.com/

Thanks to Facebook, I've met some of the sweetest and most talented people that I've ever known. While I haven't met them face-to-face yet (which will change some what at Halloween and Vine), I share our common passion for our creations and that is a bonding agent like no other!

Surrounding myself with creative people is a dream come true. Finding so many people with the same passion is easy with groups that are local like the Iris Society or Gun club. Finding a local art group that focuses on a specific genre is less likely. I suppose being exposed to artists of different genre would expand my proverbial horizon and possibly expose me to new processes, mediums and styles so I will look into it and see if there are artists groups that I want to be a part of in the North Bay area. Since there are tons of artists around here, there are bound to be a few groups around. I'll ask my limited group of friends and see what's out there.

Finally, I am working now as I mentioned at the top of this post. Working at a corporate event company in San Rafael. We are getting ready to launch registration for a massive event in Las Vegas so my down time will be quickly diminished when they go live. The folks are really nice and this would be a great place to work for a long while if they decide to hire me from the temp agency that got me the job. We'll see....

Thanks for being patient with these posts. I don't post that often because I don't have that much new news to report. I'll be posting again after Glitterfest with photos, etc.

Until then, keep creating and take some time to run amuck, it'll do you good!

Glitterfest 2010

2010-08-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE: Glitterfest October 2, 2010; 10am - 3pm, Elks Lodge, Santa Ana, CA
http://glitterfest.com/GeneralInformation.html

Several of my pieces shown on Facebook and my website will be at the show. Come see me there if you can!

My Work is Being Posted by a Collector

2010-08-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

http://catinthepumpkinmoon.blogspot.com I sold my Voodoo Priest to a great woman the other day and now she's posted a pic of it on her blog.

This is SO the direction I've been wanting to go and I am so happy that it's finally heading that way. I can't wait for Glitterfest to see if more of this is going to happen. Yehawwww!

Art Show Minutia - Oy!

2010-08-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

OK, so GLITTERFEST is on October 2. Sheesh there are a lot of little particles to manage for a 5-hour show! Since I've never done a show like this before, I'm reinvented the proverbial wheel. I have a check list or 3 and I'm slowly checking them off. Did I mention "slowly"?

What I've also been doing is adding to the TO DO lists. I'm having to make myself feel a sense of accomplishment because it's not coming naturally. "Stop and smell the roses" was created for folks like me that could slow down a little bit and enjoy life, the journey, a sense of accomplishment.

I am complaining a little bit, but mostly this is really exciting for me and Heather (my booth-mate and crafter friend extraordinair). I keep coming up with new and interesting ways to decorate the 8' x30" table and still be able to showcase as much as we can all at once! Heather is trying to get things done with her sister and kids and dog visiting for 2 weeks...trying.

Seems I am determined to have some sort of "outfit" for the show as well. I have some crepe paper ideas that I found in an old Dennison's Bogie Book from the early 1900's so I'll probably go that route. Some of the folks that I idolize show up to their art shows dressed like something out of the 1800's - all vintage and macabre! I have other timelines to follow and since I don't know how to sew clothes yet, I'll wing it with sewing crepe paper. (Heather doesn't know it yet, but I'm making her one, too! She doesn't read my blog, so I don't have to worry about spoiling the eye roll that I'll get when she is presented with it! LOL)

I met a great lady, Suzie Stowell, the other day. She bought my Voodoo Priest! She is a wealth of knowledge, opinions and good energy. I asked her for all of it. Reinventing the wheel for a lot of things when I don't have to is just lunacy, I tell you! It's hard not to get some grand illusions that I'll sell a boat load and make a boat load. (I have to put out a boat load of $$ before I even get to the show.) But just breaking even is not an option. I'm still intending to cover all the costs and make some profit. "Starving Artist" be damned!!!! LOL

I just finished formatting my labels so I can get them printed, punched and ribboned, inventory spreadsheet is started, business cards need to be ordered....

Last night, I started some paper maché things. Wow, I thought I had patience but it takes a few hundred layers to seem strong enough. I'll probably finish them with paperclay so I can feel sure it will hold up over time. Christmas ideas are starting to flood my brain and might as well open that can of worms and get started.

Still looking for a job, creating like crazy and smelling the "roses"... It's the journey - Being and Doing and Having that fills up my life. Not half bad!

New Member of Halloween Artists!

2010-07-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

I'm now a member of Halloween Artists (HA31). They are a dynamic group committed to taking artist marketing to the next level. I'm very excited!

http://www.halloweenartists.com/

My NEW Run Amuck Studio Website is live now!

2010-07-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

After hours and hours of work from the two website guys, they deemed the website ready to view. There will be a few tweaks here and there but "Run Amuck Studio" is now operational.

This is a mile stone for me in my journey as an artist. For some reason I feel a bit more legitimate and very proud of what Jayred and his business partner came up with. Please take a look around and see what you think.

Make sure you run amuck a little today. It might do you some good!

Fondly running amuck,
Dennis
http://www.runamuckstudio.com/

EHAG Emporium giveaway

2010-07-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

I just entered to win 3 really great Halloween pieces by 3 different artists - one of which is one of my idols - Allen Cunningham. If I blog about it, too, I get entered another time. EHAG has an amazing group of artists. I am not one of them - yet. It's a juried group and it's gonna take something to get approved by their jury. All in good time. AND if not, then not. Give them a look-see. You'll be glad you did.

ehagemporium.blogspot.com

Glitterfest, Here I Come!

2010-07-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know that most artists that do art shows would think this is corny, but I'm hella excited to be doing my first. Heather Rider is my crafting friend that will be sharing my booth with me. She is an all-around crafter extraordinaire. She does what I call Micro cross stitch - She does cross stitch for doll houses. She actually counts the very fine woven fabric to make her tiny creations. She also does everything else! And the things she can do with a bell jar - SO imaginative. Together we will have around 100 items at Glitterfest and I can't wait! Here's the link: http://glitterfest.com

I was approved this week by the Glitterfest jury and just have to pop the hard copy of the application, seller's permit and check in the mail. Now I have to get the other side of an art show complete - the business side. Business cards, a cash box, the display, inventory lists, bags, display racks...............

I'm glad I'm ahead of the game. Glitterfest is on October 2nd in Santa Ana, CA at the Elks Lodge. Time to get everything else complete so I'm not rushing at the last minute like usual!

2010-07-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

Some new pieces for Halloween/Glitterfest

2010-07-13T15:17:00.001-07:00

Thank You Art Buyers!

2010-07-05T19:26:00.001-07:00

As an artist that creates holiday-themed art, I know there is never time to sit on my proverbial laurels. Seems that it takes hours and hours to create enough pieces for an event - art show or internet. Seems like I make a few things and then, BAM!, it's two weeks later! Well, that is how it goes, time flies...

Halloween is actually 4 months away but it feels like it's just around the corner. I will be in my first folk art show the first week in October and may do a Christmas show in November! I need to get my Halloween completed in the next month or so and get to creating Christmas/Winter items. Most people in their right minds are enjoying the summer. I'm doing that, too, while looking for a full time job and getting my pieces from mind to paper to completion.

What I find interesting is the way buyers view our stuff. We can work hours on a piece, worry out the problems, discover a new technique and bask in the satisfaction of completion. A person can walk by my art and say, "That's cute!" or "I like it." and keep walking. Or they'll pick it up, look it over and set it down. That's a labor of love there and they'll never know what it took to make it. They'll never know the item they just glanced over took hours of work.

So what.

I didn't make my art to have everyone know what it took to make it. I made my art because I love to create. If someone buys the pieces that I make, then that's the bonus! (It also means that I get to make more pieces!)

Thank you, consumers-of-art! Because of you, it allows us artists to continue expanding, creating, growing and laughing. Because of you buying art of every imaginable medium and combination of mediums, the culture that is our modern civilization thrives and evolves.

Buyers keep buying and we'll keep creating. It's a win-win, symbiotic relationship that I'm happy and proud to be a part of.

I'm now a member of the Halloween Art Guild

2010-06-29T14:40:00.001-07:00

http://halloweenart.ning.com

Halloween is almost tomorrow for us artists!

2010-06-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've just completed two more of my Halloween pieces for Glitterfest in October (Still have to get myself registered in that, too!) I'll be starting work on some more elaborate pieces. One or two will even have automata features! Stay tuned!

Sculpting faces aint easy!

2010-06-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how hard it is to sculpt a face. I have to look at a picture of someone to remember where things are on the face! LOL. Below is an example of my attempts (she got collagen lip injections). Getting to know some of my favorite artists (as much as one can "know" someone from Facebook) has inspired me to push the envelope with my skill level. I know I'll get better as I go along, but I'm having a blast with the journey.

I would love to learn how to use my expensive sewing machine for something other than upholstery, but that will happen in time. I have so many other ideas in my head that don't involve making clothes. And yet, there are some ideas that will require it. Alan Cunningham has given me some tips that involve the library and even paper towel patterns, so I will take them on soon.

I am experimenting with paperclay and am finding that it is a bit wimpy compared to Sculpey. 'Course, I've only made 3 things with it so far!

I just met a wonderful boutique owner today when mailing one of my Day of the Dead pieces and she might like to let me sell some of my work via consignment in her shop. She is planning on dedicating an area in her shop for just local artists. I love that! Her website is http://www.bestwisheswinecountry.com/. Now I have to get back to the half-finished projects on my table. They are wanting to be completed. I'M wanting them to be completed. When they are done, I have some automata ideas. I know, lots to chew - so little time!

Creating, Creating, Creating!

2010-06-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm in Santa Rosa, I have a small window of time to create stuff before I find a job. I have started about 8 projects that I'm working on simultaneously. As one dries, I paint/glitter/sculpt another. It's quite the game I'm playing to get these all done by the time I get a job. I can still work on pieces when I have a "real" job, but not 8 hours a day!

Also, I'm getting some reality around what it takes to do a show (Glitterfest)! There are registration fees, booth fees, seller's permit fees, Credit card capability fees (account, machine, mucho charges). This ain't my momma's garage sale!

Inside all of this, I'm enjoying the journey of it. I feel like I'm an explorer trying new things, finding new techniques and even new mediums.

At the risk of sounding like a true dork, I just discovered Paperclay and found out how to use it by watching a video of Martha Stewart on Youtube! I'm used to polymer clay (aka Sculpey) and paperclay is very different - dries out fast and no baking. But it is so soft and blends together very well. I'm making a devil with it and just used scissors to cut the ears and horns - a trick I learned on "Cake Boss". (Love that show!)

Well, enough typing for now, I need to eat breakfast and get to painting, baking and whatever else needs to be done - oh yeah, watering my flower pots!

Yesterday and Today

2010-06-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've been delightfully surprised at the great response to my work. Yesterday alone, I had over 20 comments on my Facebook art album. Wow! Thanks to a few wonderful artists that have mentored me (including Robert Brawley), I now have an Etsy shop (sold my first piece yesterday to Chicken Lips David) and today have been invited to join the Magical Holiday Artists on Etsy. (Links coming soon!)

Now it's time to get crackin' on some new stuff. So many ideas I want to create - so little time.....

Life is Good!

2010-06-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

Life is good. I have a great partner (Robert), I live in a beautiful part of the country and I have free time to create. I got a call from a placement agency yesterday saying they might have the perfect position for me and I plan on having 9-5 employment very soon (more like 7-4 but you get the idea).

Another thing that is beyond exhilarating is that I've tapped into the most amazing group of artists that do "fine folk art" like me. I guess, you could call it "fine craft" as well. I went to a gallery one time to show them my stained glass portfolio and the girl says, "Oh...we don't do crafts." I was too appalled to think clearly or I would have told her to look at the paintings, glass work and sculpture in her gallery and tell me how they were made if not "crafted". (Bitter much? ;)

Well, Crafters have come a long way since then (all of 5 years ago) and I really like what I see. Thanks to Facebook, Blogspot by Google and the internet in general, these enterprising artists have created their own galleries of sorts with shops on Ebay and Etsy. There are groups of these artists that hold challenges like "All White" and then sell the amazing results in a highly publicized sale - complete with teaser notices.

The most exciting thing for me to discover about these folk folks is the camaraderie and willingness to share tips and techniques. I found myself surprised when an artist I'd watched for a while in magazines and the internet responded to a comment I placed on his Facebook page. He was encouraging me to do my own thing to set myself apart from others and to keep at it.

Another artist I met at Glitterfest in Santa Ana, CA spent 20 minutes with me telling me about where she got the different wool for her doll's hair and how she finds the fabric for the dress/clothes. Another let me in on a technique of smoothing out paperclay with a wet paint brush. It felt like I was getting some of their top secrets. I guess I was expecting these artists to be secretive and competitive. All I've received so far is genuine graciousness and generosity.

I consider myself to be one of those artists and am taking this all in as I "learn the ropes". I've been researching different blogs and websites ad nauseum and, quite honestly, don't want a 9-5 job so I can devote my time to making fun stuff. I have noticed, however, that making things requires money and so I'll take that 9-5'er as a stepping stone to full time artist. Many of these artists are in or were in my same boat. So I know it's possible. (It helps to be REALLY good.)

All in all, it's been a great experience watching how these artists market and create a following and sell things on the internet and at shows. I'll be participating at Glitterfest as an artist on October 2nd in Santa Ana. I will continue to absorb this culture of artists and make a name for myself and not only sell things that people might like, but to continue on the journey as an artist, cuz I like making stuff.

dennisghaynes@gmail.com

2010-05-28T12:17:00.001-07:00

Homage to Ed Hardy: Live Life on Fire

2010-05-17T19:01:00.002-07:00

The New Devil

2010-05-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

Art shows are popping up like crazy!

2010-05-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

I've been working like crazy on finding a job AND creating pieces for my upcoming show at LAUTHR Salon & Gallery. On Friday, I'll drive down to Los Angeles (8hrs) to meet up with a friend and go to Glitterfest. I would love to be in these shows and probably will do "Glitterfest" and visit "Tinsel and Treasure" in the Fall.

Here are some of my newest pieces.

The Hunt is on!

2010-03-28T16:31:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm in Santa Rosa, I'm unpacked and my crushed finger is healing, I am on a dual quest. One quest is the hunt for a job, that is, a steady form of income working for "the man". The other quest is to find the art community around here that creates like-minded pieces. In short, I want to get a group together. Artists seem to be these solitary creatures that seem to crave re-inventing the wheel. I'm clear after some major research on the internet that this is an ignorant waste of time. :)

There are some artists that excel at business while most don't. I intend to get some of each so that we can support each other in each being a thriving artist. While there are online groups like EHAG that sell on Ebay and Halloween Queens that sell from a central website, I'm sure there are lots of artists out there that won't be "accepted" by those juried groups and feel just a wee bit alone.

I will be showing some of my work in a gallery in Petaluma, CA in the summer with a promise that I can rotate art in and out ongoingly throughout the year. The owner and daughter loved my work and are happy to show it. I'm happy, too!

There are so many venues online and a few shows nearby that I'm going to try to be a part of while I get in gear locally. Stay tuned for some new pieces including a few marionettes....

2010-02-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

2010-02-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

A 15 year-old's dilemna

2010-02-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

When I was 15, my life was as ordinary as anyone's. I was in a middle class family in a smallish town near Houston. I was skinny, had really big hair and was a preppy nerd...just picture it in your mind's eye. :)

There was this girl at school that was 2 years ahead of me that had a blouse that resembled a maternity top. When she would wear it, I would kid with her and say, "When's the baby due?" We would laugh and continue on to class.

One day, I saw my brother's girlfriend (who happened to be the only one of his girlfriends I ever liked) walking down the hall at school. Michelle was wearing a top that looked like a maternity top, too. Being an immature 15-yr old, I walked up to her and said, "When's the baby due?" She had this peculiar look on her face that I'd never seen.

"January," was all she said. ("huh!!!??") I said, "You're kidding, right?"
"uh....yeah, I'm just kidding."

We said quick goodbyes so we could make it to class, and I was left with a weird feeling. Why was she so weird about that? Why did she give me a date? I eventually got distracted and forgot about it until a few days later. A mutual friend of ours, Joanna, came up to my table in the cafeteria during lunch and sat down next to me. She never really gave me the time of day before then (or after, really:) so I wondered what was going on, but looked like she had something to say.

"You know when you asked Michelle when the baby was due and she said 'January'?" I nodded. "Well, she really is pregnant," she said.

"Who's the father?" I asked stupidly. She rolled her eyes.
"Who do you think?"
"Doug?" She nodded.

Instead of being horrified that such a blatant disregard for morals and reputation had been committed on my family and our town, I was more excited then I could remember.

"I'm going to be an uncle at 16 years old!!!" I started thinking "What's it like to be an uncle?"...it was a paradigm shift for me as a person. I now was going to have the title: UNCLE.

"Most people don't know and I think your parents aren't going to talk to you about it. That's why Michelle asked me to tell you." Thank you, Wet Blanket Woman!

My elation had been replaced with anger and hurt within the microsecond after the words came out of her mouth. Why wouldn't they talk to me about it? What's the big deal? Don't they trust me? My life as I knew it was turned on it's ear again - twice in less than one hour.

The rest of the day was surreal. I wasn't really paying any attention in any of my classes and had a pit in my stomach. There was this disorientation; a slight buzzing in my head - not a headache but just as annoying. I couldn't keep from jumping from "Uncle" to "it's a secret" to "Uncle" to "it's a secret".

I understood how reputations were closely monitored in our small town. It was just small enough that news traveled fast and there was never a shortage of gossips. I'd heard of other girls getting pregnant before and didn't really think much of it. I didn't see why this was a bad thing. I didn't know why my parents wouldn't think that they could talk to me about it, but my parents didn't really talk much about anything "grown up" to us. We never got "the speech" about sex, we never heard about money issues, Dad's work, or other stuff like that. (I later found out it was by design. They wanted us to be able to be kids and have a happy childhood without grown-up worries.)

In my world o'hurt state-of-mind, I decided that I would pretend I didn't know and see how long it took for them to tell me. It wasn't long before Joanna told her mom, who then told my mom that I knew about the pregnancy.

My parents sat me down in their bedroom. I asked why they wouldn't tell me. My mom said they didn't want me to have to deal with this. I said, "I've been dealing with this at school. It's not a big secret, you know!" My dad was on edge with this whole conversation. He told me I was to pretend it wasn't happening and if anyone asked me at school, I was to tell them I didn't know what they were talking about.

"This can't be happening!" I thought. Who are these people I thought were my parents? I was even more disoriented. The regular, every day, normal life I had wasn't possible anymore. I wouldn't ever be the same. Are my parents crazy? How in the hell could this possibly be this bad that my dad would say all this to me and make these requests of me? And my mom is going along with it??

To top it off, my brother was scared out of his gourd. I don't know what conversations he had with my parents, but he was scared. He was having all the feelings that someone would go through when they were a teenager with a pregnant girlfriend. Now, I've never been in those shoes. I've never had to handle that kind of societal stress. I had my own issues to deal with and didn't envy Doug and Michelle.

As time went on and Michelle started showing, there was no question about the rumor. There was a bunch of wispering and then it eventually died off. Probably some other "scandal" happened and was newer and more exciting to gossip about. Michelle and Doug started fighting - about what, I have no idea. Soon I'd heard rumors that Doug was being a jerk to Michelle and her parents were disagreeing with my parents about how things should be handled. I wish I knew more details but I was the bystander, kept out of conversations that would forever shape the outcome.

Doug and Michelle broke up and Michelle started dating a guy named Earnie. He was willing to take care of the baby and wanted to be with Michelle. Doug got into arguments with Earnie and Michelle's parents finally put the proverbial foot down and told Doug to stay away from Michelle.

In January, Justin was born. I couldn't have been more elated! What a cool thing - I'm an uncle now. Without telling anyone, I went to see Michelle and Justin when he was newly born and what a sight he was! He was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen. I was so moved by this little boy that I couldn't believe it. Here was my nephew - MY nephew. On my way home, I knew what I had to do. My dad had made me promise not to tell my little sisters. I decided to break that promise. When the parents were out of the house, I told them about everything and asked them if they wanted to go see Justin. Of course they did! Diana was 12 and Debbie was 10. So, I got them in the car and headed out for Michelle's house. When I got to the neighborhood, I couldn't remember which house it was. They all looked the same. We didn't have cell phones at the time and I didn't know Michelle's phone number. We drove around that neighborhood for 2 hours and never found the house.

Later, I told Michelle that I tried to bring the girls to see Justin. She told Joanna. Blabber mouth Joanna told her mom, and blabber mouth Sylvia told my mom. One day, my mom and I were sitting on the couch and she was folding clothes. She turned to me and said, "I heard that you took the girls to see Justin." (GULP!) I said, "I did."

"Why did you do that?" She asked.
"Because I didn't want them to hate me like I hate ya'll!" I said. My mom reacted like I'd slapped her. I didn't even know what was coming out of my mouth. I kept going: "I didn't want them to find out down the road that we kept this from them. I wanted them to know. They deserve to know that they're aunts now...it was useless anyway, I couldn't find the house."

"Just so you know, your father forbade me to talk to my friends about it. I can't talk to anyone. I am upset about this, too."

Eventually, Michelle and Earnie got married and he officially adopted Justin.

One day, near Christmas, I remember walking into my mom's bedroom and seeing a big Tonka truck on the floor. I asked if that was for Justin and mom shook her head, yes, and started crying. I'd rarely ever seen her cry and it broke my heart.

"We can't be a part of Justin's life. Michelle's parents told us to butt out and leave them alone. We are to not see him anymore." The overwhelming sadness and disbelief covered over me. That disorientation -the buzzing - was there. What the hell happened? How can they tell us we can't be a part of his life. How could they rip me off of being an uncle? Do they have any idea what this is doing to my mom?

We're good people. We mean well. We honor people's wishes. I guess we felt we owed Michelle and Earnie for the pain and anguish a few of us caused. We kept out of their lives. I always hoped that I would be a part of Justin's life - to watch him grow up, to be some sort of mentor or friend or whatever. What I eventually did was give up. It was too hard to see him at the mall and know that I'm not supposed to talk to them. I just numbed out. I stopped wondering what being an uncle would be like...I gave up. Though I thought about him from time to time, wondering how he was doing. What did he look like? Did he look like us? Was he artistic like us? Was he happy?

My mom would give me updates from time to time. She would see him at the Country Club where he was playing tennis. Michelle would talk with my mom but Justin just knew her as "Mrs. Haynes". It was the best my mom could do. She desperately wanted to be a grandmother to Justin - she always had. So seeing him even as a stranger was better than nothing.

Sixteen years after Justin was born, I was home for Christmas and Mom told me that we were going to meet Justin. Both his grandparents had passed away and the "iron curtain" came down. He walked in our door and I met him. He was a good-looking kid and seemed very polite. It is hard describe all the emotions, feelings that I felt all at the same time. I was as happy as when I first found out I would be an uncle. It was a bit awkward because I didn't know him at all. But, he was back in our lives! All the years I wanted to be a part of his life, all the years of supressing; of wondering. It was the first time I realized what a dummy I was for agreeing to any of it. I was an innocent bystander in all of this. I didn't have to agree to any of it.

Luckily, I got distracted with my family and I put that self-deprecation away. I took our first complete family photo - complete with Mr. Justin. We've never all been together since. We've never taken another one like it. It is very special to me.

Flash forward twelve years. I asked my mom if she'd heard from Justin. Are we going to see him this Christmas? She said no one had heard from him in a while. He didn't return calls. At that exact point in time, I realized that I had given up again. I had been thinking, "He's busy with his own life, he has a family and that's what his attention is on, not some group of loud people that he doesn't know. He has to visit lots of other folks and probably doesn't have time for us."

I realized who I was being and decided that at least I would see him this Christmas. I found him on Facebook and told him I wanted to see him. No obligation. Color me surprised when he responded with, "You are more than welcome to come out to the house when you guys are down. Let me know when and who so we can cook."

Everyone was shocked that I was able to get a response and that he wanted us to come to his house. I got people organized and we went to Justin's house. He fryed a turkey and Crystal, his wife, made bacon-wrapped jalepenos. We had a great time. My grandparents came with and we took 5-generations photos.

I finally think I get my nephew and niece in-law. Very creative, very generous and their hospitality was fantastic. Their two children are cute as well...my great-nephew and neice....whoda thunk it! It feels like they are really part of our family.

Doug has been beating himself up all of Justin's life because of his actions and behavior so long ago. He has never forgiven himself for what he as a teenager put them through. I didn't know that when Earnie adopted Justin, Doug had to sign a piece of paper that said we would stay out of Justin's life. I just found this out this Christmas. My wish is that all can be healed. It's in the past - can't change the past no matter how bitter, sad, upset, resentful or regretful we are. It's just what was; what happened.

I guess the moral to this story is better late than never. I'm sorry I missed out on his childhood - I think we all are. But I'm excited about our relationship with Justin and his beautiful family moving forward.

2010-02-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

Today, Robert called me to say he was heading into San Francisco for the first time since he moved down there. He was going over the Golden Gate Bridge when he called me. I can't flippin' wait to get there!!!

Once I get down there, I'm looking for artists that create the stuff that I do to find out their tricks for selling and pricing and networking. The one thing that I will finally get done is a website. I have a friend working on it for me it will be called "Run Amock Studio". I still have a long way to go, -- there is no website yet.

The other action to take once I get there is to create a group of like-minded artists and pool our resources. I've seen this happening a lot lately. Either they are selling on Ebay, Etsy or at special events that seem to draw a good crowd of buyers. I have no clue what will happen except that I intend to cause prosperity for Robert, me and people around me. Penny-pinching is getting old, d'you know?

I also might start writing. I've had a full life so far and have some amazing stories of times in my life that were dramatic, gut-wrenching and down right, ridiculous. A friend at work has been giving me her poetry to 'critique' - which involves me proofreading and that's about it. Her stuff is really good. She inspires me to put my life - the part I feel is interesting enough to share with others - in a tangible form. It's actually really fun. Thank you to all my FAN out there following my blog. That would be you, Crystal. :)

The Countdown Begins!

2010-02-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Wow, I'm actually moving to Santa Rosa, CA on April 1, 2010! My partner, Robert, has been giving me play-by-plays on the different towns in that area and it looks like a great & friendly place to live. Old buildings/new shops, easy to walk everywhere and free parking...can't wait!

I am chomping at the proverbial bit to get the hell out of here but need to wait so we have enough money to move with.

I'm excited about the exploration into a new culture and the excitement of meeting new people and, yes, (groan) finding a new job. You know, I could have that be part of the excitement, but I'm pulled to groan. I must think I'll end up with yet another 'job' with low pay that goes nowhere. Like that is a forgone conclusion...NOT!

We'll see...we'll see.

2009-11-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more Pedestal People. (These were commissions)

Below are the directions to make one of these. The order is in reverse...I'm new to this blog thang. Enjoy!

2009-11-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

Cut a small circle of poster board or card stock and hot glue 2 layers of the streamer to the paper.

Paint the candle stick and remove the brass insert.

Paint the eyes and teeth on a piece of copy paper and cut to fit inside the eyes and mouth.

Use a screw inside the center of the pumpkin to secure it through the streamer into the candle stick.

I use self-adhesive felt for the bottom of the stand.

USE A BATTERY tea light. A real candle will catch the whole thing on fire. As you can see, there is no limit to what you create!

2009-11-09T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sew 2 party streamers together with a loose straight stitch. You can then gather it together by pulling one of the threads.

2009-11-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Attach the horns with hot glue and glitter the inside with paint and glitter. The paint has a tendency to seperate and cause gaps inside.

Paint and then pour your glitter on the wet paint and swirl around. This will hold the paint together.

2009-11-09T20:29:00.001-08:00

First carve the pumpkin: Make sure you use a #11 Exacto blade. The foam will dull the blade very quickly. (I used 3 on this one)

Then mold the horns with polymer clay and press them into the pumpkin where you want them located so that the bases form to the pumpkin. Bake the horns according to the directions on the package.

2009-11-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Supplies:

carvable pumpkin

wood candle stick

party streamers, polymer clay

glitter, paint, hot glue,

Wood glue.

Pedestal Devil - How To

2009-11-09T20:24:00.001-08:00

This is one of the Pedestal People: Devil Man!

Here are the steps to making one for yourself.

I love making commission pieces. This one is sold.

How to Make a Pedestal Decoration

2009-10-02T22:32:00.000-07:00

In the next few weeks, I'll be blogging and creating. Halloween is fast approaching and I will show the steps to creating a skull guy on a pedestal. To see pics of the originals, click on "older posts" below.
Stay tuned!

It's time to expand my world

2009-10-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll try the actual blogging part.

Life is ramping up on the adventure scale. Packing up my studio, putting our house on the market and moving to Santa Rosa, CA in January, 2010. Since I've never even visited Santa Rosa, life is soon going to be about exploration and discovery - about everything new.

I can't get over the opportunities that this move allows. The chance of re-inventing myself as anything I want to create. A successful artist, perhaps?? A THRIVING artist?? I'm in a seminar right now that has me re-evaluating who I am and also considering for the first time that I'm not stuck with who I've become in life. I can create being anyone and do anything.

The funny thing is, I keep thinking the move is going to make this possible AND I am actually capable of this at any time I want. I have the power to have my life work any way I design it to go - along with the circumstances that life provides. I get to say what friends I have, what kinds of conversations I have, what I do and who I live with.

It's simply recognizing the automated life that I lead day-to-day that will have me evolve. Arriving at work and realizing I wasn't present for most of the drive, gossipping and not realizing it until I'm in the middle of it, even down to the order in which I dry myself after a shower...same way each time. How much of my life am I "unconscious", going through life, letting my habits run me so that I'm surviving?? I think MOST of it.

So, this blog will be part of that journey and part art/'fine craft'. Maybe landscaping. It's a blog - no rules, right? If you're just here to look at my creations - that's perfect.

Here's to a journey of adventure, discovery and cool stuff being made and sold; a journey of having fun, laughing and exploring. It's time to expand my world.

2009-10-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

This is "Tula". She is excited to finally be invited to THE Halloween party of the year. Has her mask and her invitation. This box was sent in to be juried and never made it back.... Same with the little witch picture nearby. Live and learn! :)

2009-10-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

These are some of my newest creations. There is actually more of a story in my mind about these characters before I start the creation. Most of my work comes from a challenge to create something new.

2009-10-01T06:02:00.001-07:00

This is a commission piece. Seems the new owner has 2 sides to her personality. I'm glad I don't.......... ;) SOLD

2009-10-01T05:58:00.000-07:00

2009-09-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

This is my Day of the Dead (Dio De los Muertos) Party Hat. All hand-made, he is a joyful expression of the November celebration.For Sale: $40

2009-09-29T23:08:00.000-07:00

The Very Devil was inspired by vintage jack o'lanterns with their paper expressions! As you can see, I love the glitter! SOLD

My Maiden Voyage into Blogging!

2009-09-29T22:49:00.001-07:00

I'm an artist. I create things and love the challenge that comes from working on something new. Halloween is the best holiday with Christmas bringing up a close second. Witch Penny is one of five "Pedestals" that I created for Halloween. These were fun and challenging in their own ways.
For Sale: $40