Elysian Field Originals

A  few days ago I posted some pictures of assorted leaves I’d done and what they look like before I draw or paint them.  I thought today I’d show you a progression of how some look so far.  I have so many ideas and things I’d like to try but for now here are a few pics of current works in progress.

Julie Hagar!  Congratulations on being chosen to receive my Pixie Led Necklace.

Thanks to all who entered my giveaway this month. Please bookmark my blog as I will be doing a giveaway once a month.  The next giveaway will be listed on March 7th!!!

Old Man Winter is really giving us all a run for our money this year, and me?   I’d like to step outside and give him a good kick in the snowballs and tell him to take a hike!!   How about you?

In between taking care of my grandsons, and dodging snowflakes I’ve been mixing new batches of clay and pressing leaves for new pieces.   Sometimes it’s fun to experiment with the clay to see how far you can take it with color or strength.  I use Kato clay for it’s durability and strength, plus it has a nice “give” to it also that is good in wearable art pieces.

I tried Lumina for the first time and have mixed feelings about it.   It is very flexible and can take quite a bit of stress, but it’s not easy to draw on and has a rubbery feel to it.  I may explore using it on a bracelet cuff idea I’ve been tossing about in my brain.  The white leaves in the pics are Lumina.   Next batch I will color and see how it takes.

The fun part comes next when I’ll pull a few leaf pieces that appeal to me and see what kind of spirit face they’ll have.   My next post will be work in progress pics.

Stay warm, stay safe, and don’t forget February 28th we’ll be drawing someone to receive my Pixie Led Necklace!

In honor of Valentine’s Day I am giving away this one of a kind necklace!

Anyone who  leaves a comment is eligible!  I will draw a name on Sunday, February 28th, and I will be doing a giveaway each month. Each piece will be something one of a kind created by me. It may be jewelry, a sculpture, home decor…something to show my appreciation for those who pop in regularly!!  So please leave a comment and make sure there is an email either in the post or a link back so I can contact you!   Thanks and Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!!

Good luck and love to all!

Piece is a hand sculpted polymer clay heart colored with mica powders, 16″ sterling plated chain accented with assorted Czech beads, pewter charms, raw silk interwoven through the chain , and sterling silver spirals. One of a kind.

It’s a new year with many new things happening here at Elysian Field Originals.  I took a break from figurative sculpture in 2009 and started a line of wearable art pieces I call Nature Spirits, based on flora and fauna.  I am having so much fun with them and they are traveling all over the globe to new homes, but I miss sculpting those crazy quirky characters you all love.  So this year I will be doing a few sculptures along with my jewelry, and wearable art pieces.

I will also be doing a giveaway each month on my blog , posting some tutorials, and I will…drumroll please…blog more frequently.  It is definitely a habit that I have to learn.  Those who know me, know I am never at a lack of anything to say but writing it down is another story.

The FAE magazine article was a wonderful jumpstart for the new year and new friends and contacts.  If you’ve not seen it you can pick it up on their website or in Borders, Barnes & Nobles, Books A Million, Hastings, & Indigo/Chapter bookstores.

For fun I’ve been creating some whimsical character earrings that are super lightweight and are accented with precious and semi precious gemstones for a bit of pizazz… here’s a peek!

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably…
Never regret anything that made you smile. “

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted to my blog!  Things have been busy here on my end, getting ready for the holidays, sculpting new pieces, and creating some neat jewelry.  Instead of a bunch of posts I created a collage to show a few pieces I’ve recently completed.

I’ll be posting more in a day or so when I finish up a commission and my thumb recuperates!  Nothing like slamming it in a car door and having it rendered useless for a few days to really put you behind the eight ball!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones and are having fun getting ready for the holidays!

Love ya.

Yes, I know, dear reader, I am a bad blogger, and as many of my artist friends would say, “Valerie stand in the corner!”

Ok…now that my stint in the corner is over, I’ve trudged back over to my laptop in tutu and combat boots to write to you.  (I am very unorthodox fey you see in dress and deed)

For those of you who are newly come to my art…WELCOME!  For my regular readers and friends, I’m glad to see your lovely shining faces once again.

Things have been crazy busy at Elysian Fields, many new techniques to try out and I’ve been working on stretching the boundaries in my work with polymer clay.  I’m also thrilled that the medium is enjoying new kudos and has begun to be taken more seriously as “fine art”. Many amazing artists have pioneered and paved the way to make it easier for the rest of us to focus on creating, and for that I am truly grateful and inspired.

I also want to give a very special Thank You to Karen Kay, editor of FAE Magazine in the UK, for launching my first exclusive feature as an emerging fantasy artist.  She is a truly amazing lady and I’m looking forward to the day I can fly over to give her a hug in person.  Thank you also to the many emails I’ve received from all of you on my art as well, it really is great to hear from people and connect with you all…it is inspiring and always a welcome surprise when I open my mail.

So, now the seasons are changing and we’re heading into Winter, and that means all ten fingers and toes will be very busy creating new and unusual Nature Spirits, as well as a return to some

of my popular miniature sculpts.  If nothing else that will silence, Silas, my house Brownie, who loves to sit amongst them like he is High King of it all and they his court paying homage.  I don’t dare correct him for fear I’ll lose another necklace to his mini rampages.  In the past if I forget to leave him his milk and honey he wreaks havoc around here and scowls most ferociously at me.  I act duly chastened but really love the scolding he gives me, he sounds like a squirrel chattering away.

That’s it for the moment…I’m busy today finishing up on some new pieces to add to my Etsy shop.  For those unfamiliar with Etsy it is a venue for all things hand made and a neat place to show and sell my art.  Stop in, take a peek around and let me know if I can help you with anything, if I’m busy I’m sure Silas would love to help, although I’d keep a close eye on any sparklies you may be wearing…

Valerie & Silas

I first heard about Type O Negative a two years ago when my son introduced me to their music. He was right. I loved the sound, lyrics and most of all the voice of lead singer, Peter Steele. When listening to music there are those far and few between times when a song really touches something deep inside that you can really relate to. I’d never seen the band, never heard of them before but the music on some level really spoke to me. (Then again at my age it could be dementia but I prefer to think of it as inspiration.)

I saw them for the first time this past year and was mesmerized by the show they put on. As a group they were amazing and I became an instant fan (can I say that without sounding cheesy?).  Steele puts his soul out there for all of us to hear and feel. It’s both a joy to hear and painful at the same time because you can sense that this is a guy who’s gone through some tough times, albeit self inflicted, and still is.  I’m glad to hear he’s come through the fire recently and am interested to hear how it plays out in his music.

One of his songs called “Greenman“, is one I really like. This past week while it was raining I was working on some of my leaf pendants and after I heard this song decided to put a likeness of Peter’s face to an Oak leaf. I think he’d like it. Here’s the result and the lyrics to Type O Negative’s   Greenman:

GREENMAN
Spring won’t come, the need of strife
To struggle to be freed from hard ground
The evening mists that creep and crawl
Will drench in the dew and so drownI’m the green man
The green man

Sol in prime sweet summertime
Cast shadows of doubt on my face
A midday sun, it’s caustic hues
Refracting within the still lake

Autumn in her flaming dress
Of orange, brown, gold fallen leaves
My mistress of the frigid night
I worship pray to on my knees

Winter’s breath of filthy snow
Befrosted paths to the unknown
Have my lips turned true purple
Life is coming to an end
So says me, me wiccan friend
Nature coming full circle

I’m the green man
The green man

October Rust, 1996

This is a commissioned piece that I just completed for a client in Arizona. She requested a Red Maple leaf with a 14 kt gold bail. I almost want to keep her for myself, lol.

I spent a most enjoyable day with Peter today in my yard, he lounging, watching the races, and I working on some new leaf pieces. I kept hearing something hit the screen house and every time I’d look up nothing would be there so I’d go back to work again. This went on for quite some time and finally I looked up to see a huge dragonfly buzzing around my screen house. I went out to investigate and the dragonfly began to do it’s strange flight around me, diving and flitting about my head. This went on for almost an hour, I’d never seen behavior like this before and it really made me wonder why? When I went back inside the screen house, the dragonfly flew against the screen house a few more times before eventually giving up. I guess it realized I did not want to come out to play anymore.

I wonder if it will visit tomorrow?