On with the Show!

And I’m Off and Running…

Hello, Friends!

First, let me thank you for supporting the release of my AWE Collection. I appreciate the interest and lovely comments, the excitement of the collectors, and the opportunity to share the wondrous Australian flora with you through my artwork. Several pieces went to previous collectors, and some flew to new homes. What a delight for me to release these beings into new hearts and hands! ❤️ 👐!

If you did not have time to peruse the AWE Collection or would like to hear more about the individual pieces, you can listen to the videos that I shared on social media (@michellehaydenartist on both FB and IG). Telling the stories aloud brings back wonderful memories and allows the ripple effect of positive experiences to be shared beyond my isolated experience.

And now that the newly purchased works have arrived in homes across the country, I am embarking on the next phase— preparing for KY Crafted: The Market, which opens in less than a month!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! ➡ Saturday, March 11 (10a-5p) and Sunday, March 12 (10a -4p) are open to the public.

The primary event of the KY Arts Council, “The ‘Market’ features the best visual and craft artists in the commonwealth, along with two days of live music, local publishers and food, and art activities for the kids.

There is no admission fee for this year's show. Instead, the arts council encourages donations to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund. Visitors can make a cash donation on-site at the event or give online at the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund website.” (KAC website)

Now passing 6 months since the deadly catastrophic flooding occurred, there remain 243 families living in state-provided campers and close to 30 families displaced in cabins in state parks. Let’s do what we can to contribute to their vast needs ❤️.

Last year’s admission donations were quite generous and went to Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund for that deadly and massively destructive tornado. I am proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes caring for those in our communities across the state of Kentucky.

(Light at the end of a tunnel in Melbourne, Australia…)

Jumping back into making work fueled by a backlog of ideas that have been itching to come out of the shadows, I am INVIGORATED! I have been waiting for this time to explore and play, despite deadlines that are around the corner. Having depleted my entire stock of encaustic medium, I ordered 50 pounds of beeswax and 10 pounds of damar resin and spent and entire day making fresh medium (oh, that fragrance!)

Like all artists, numerous moving parts must be completed before becoming a finished piece. Approaching these invisible steps as a form of meditation helps to calm the ants in my pants and deepens my appreciation for starting over. My mind can’t help but wander and imagine what fresh sculptures and carvings will emerge from these panels. It is such a reminder that all good things take time. I am committed to creating artwork that absorbs all of this time and energy, putting in my best effort into making art that will breathe new life wherever it lands.

(Not pictured… the other 9 cradled panels, 12 flat boards, and 3 circular panels being primed— the area around me was as treacherous as the over-filled table!). This is the truth of working in an art space that occupies the corner of the living room. Thankfully, all 3 cats avoided the area (a rarity)!.

Beneath the blue painter’s tape lie edges that have been finished with Shou Sugi Ban (“yakisugi” may be the proper term?), a traditional Japanese wood preservation technique that preserves the wood through burning. The charred grain then gets lightly sanded with a wire brush and can be sealed with any number of finishes, making the wood weatherproof and beautiful. There are many tutorials on this 18th century method and although messy, is quite a lot of fun! It’s a good excuse to get outside, light my torch, and burn my art panels! (large metal protective surface on the ground on a very still day ;)). Have you tried this method?

(Photo by Gantas Vaičiulėnas @ pexels.com)

Here is a peek at the newest project awaiting interpretation. I could not resist working with my favorite find from the South Sea, buried in a tide pool, face down, except for a tiny spot. I thought the texture lof the back of the shell looked more reddish than the sand, but was astonished to see the iridescent inside when I flipped it over. What a gem— I could hardly believe my eyes!!

And lastly, speaking of treasures, I began training online yesterday for “Healing Trauma in Children with Clay Field” Therapy through the Institute for Sensorimotor Art Therapy in Australia. Having just completed my certification in person for Healing Trauma in the Clay Field with Adults mere months ago, seeing founder and director Cornelia Elbrecht and her team on the screen brought a smile ear to ear and very much wamred my heart.. She has a gift for humbly sharing her wealth of knowledge and a depth of expertise that spans almost 50 years of work in the Clay Field with founder of this incredible method, Professor Heinz Deuser!

There will be a huge amount of work involved in getting this second level of Clay Field certification, but it is worth the investment on all levels. I know I will be learning and healing on all levels and am incredibly grateful for the gift of this opportunity.

I will leave you with a gentle drop of rain that is hanging by a thread… the bud of this Australian branch is less than a quarter of an inch. What magical worlds we can enter when we slow down long enough to see.

Love to all, Michelle ❤️