Wishing Woman

Shortly after moving from Los Angeles to New Mexico,  I was feeling very artistically stagnant. My ceramic equipment was still packed nearly two years after the move. This was the first time in 14 years where I couldn't seem to draw on any inspiration.

Then, one day, I was flipping through the local paper and two things caught my attention. The first was a fifty percent off Michael's Art Store coupon. The second was a call for artists to submit a post-card size painting to the New Mexico Women's Foundation Fund Raiser.

It had been ten years since I did any painting and it was not my best medium. I was hesitant about entering since the gallery sponsoring the show was in Santa Fe.  I wanted to introduce myself and get my foot in the door to galleries in New Mexico, but I wanted it to be with my stronger medium.

With the deadline fast approaching and no imminent inspiration, I almost decided not to enter.  Even the theme :"Wishing you were here" felt so intimidating to me at that point.

I tried various sketches but nothing was panning out to the quality I wanted to enter. In my frustration, in the middle of ripping up the sketches, I saw a flash of image of a colorful painted woman. I quickly began to sketch the image of what I had seen.

It was a simple image with a certain purity and power emanating from it. I quickly kept sketching until my sketches matched exactly what I had seen in my vision.

Painting the sketches was a little more challenging. I had used acrylic paint, instead of oil, my preferred paint, for fast drying since I only had a few days to submit.

When the deadline came, I had a finished one that I felt good enough to submit.

A new series had emerged: "Wishing Woman"

As my caption reads on my website:  "Wishing Woman" captures the "Magical Spirit" of the realm of wishing, the time between "believing" and "receiving" what your heart desires.

Although this series will be a limited edition, it certainly had unlimited possibilities. I'm currently working on a ceramic series of it, too.

If you like more information or would like to see other paintings, please visit my Etsy site: Vyktoryas.etsy.com

When You Don't First Succeed....Try, Try, Again...

Out of all the mediums, I believe clay is the most challenging one of them all. In it's infancy, is an easy, moldable medium that submits to the hands of the creator. But even after it's formed, there's always this "clay consciousness" undercurrent where it seems to try to go back to the undefined, original state. Each step is a trial to keep it's progress in the direction you'd like to take it. Sometimes, even the slightest external factor will undermine the progress and interfer with the final outcome of it.

Each piece shown in the above picture has had it's set-backs. The Eve Teapot-- I'm on the fifth attempt to have a nicely securing lid. The Eve Closed Form-- cracked, even before I had done much with it and had to work a different design. The Wishing Woman Tile--- succumbed a sleeping cat, while drying it on a window seal.

But with each obstacle, comes a new inspiration. 

Soon, it's "onward and upward" for these creations---and into the fire for the next level of completion.

EVE-O-LUTION: The Next Level

The New Eve Series: "Eve-o-lution" is the combination of  some of the design elements from the prior Eve and the Naked Clay designs all merged into a synergistic story telling sculpture. This piece is constructed from both wheel-thrown and hand-built components.

This is first of many of the hybrid designs-  currently in the works.

More photos to come as the steps and stages are finalized and become a finished creation.

The Progression of Creation

The creative process is an on-going one. It starts with an inspiration. Inspiration ignites thought. Thought to action. Where it ends, it is unknown sometimes. Each step keeps building until the thought stops. A few days, weeks, months, years, and possibly decades later.

From one ball of clay, comes a many inspirations. A new creation manifested in various forms of expression.

Fortune Cookies--- Not Just a Novelty Dessert Anymore.....

The fortune cookie is a phenomenia that still entertains, centuries after its inception. Although the origin of its birth is unclear, and a few countries are still in debate, all can agree, the fortune cookie concept is highly desired, no matter what form it's in.

The former life it had as a sweet, thin, hard-shell pancake dessert, exhibited after a fine meal, with prophetic message to ponder afterward, is long gone. From dessert  plate to sky-scraper high, the Fortune Cookie has proved to be unlimited.

Featured here are my two Fortune Cookie lines:

 The Lime Green in Polymer Clay Dangle Earrings and The Pit-fired Ornaments in Ceramic.

For more information or if you are interested in purchasing any of these items, please visit my Etsy Store:  vyktoryas.etsy.com

Fashion Meets Function-The Red Zen Series

I've always considered myself more of a ceramic artist than functional potter. Pottery is challenging and very temperamental. It commands absolute precision at times, especially in functional ware-unless, of course,  you prefer a wobbly bowl or have one edge thicker than the other.

 The summer break following my college graduation, I was able to work a deal on a part-time arrangement with a local ceramics instructor. She needed a lab assistant, but couldn't afford one.  I needed to have access to a lab at a reasonable rate. It was perfect for the both of us.

 The instructor specialized in functional, production speed pottery making. She would make volumes and volumes of matching sets. I was lucky if a cup actually functioned as a cup. The edge couldn't be too thick or else it would cause the liquid to dribble all over the person trying to drink from it. The handle couldn't too wide or too small and had to allow for at least two fingers to comfortably hold it.

Lots of ergonomic engineering had to take place, in each piece, for it to be a working, usable item of functional pottery. The discipline was brutal for a free-form person like myself. After a few years of dabbling with pairs,  I decided to try my hand at doing an entire collection. The Red Zen was created.

If you like to find out more information or are interested in purchasing any of these pieces, you can find them at my website:   vyktoryas.etsy.com

NOTE: The Pitcher & Rice Bowl have SOLD.

Compass Comeback

The Compass-one of my favorite items to incorporate into my Vintage Assembly Jewelry Designs.

Right now, it's one of the most popular trends in the stylish accessory, must-have items.

The compass has been a long trusted tool for guidance along one's path. If you know at least one direction (North)-- you can pretty much figure out where you're headed. I sense the current trend is fueled by a need for an "inner compass" to aid the journey of life of the possesor and the external one is actually a symbolic representation of that desire.

Fashion or function-- it's always a great conversation piece no matter what your purpose for it may be.

This featured piece has SOLD. For more information on other one-of-a-kind creations, please visit: vyktoryas.etsy.com.