Anne Hartman, a.k.a. Ginger

Leaving for Nigeria

In the past week, I have finished up two grad school classes, had two interviews for a new job, sold one pair of earrings, and applied to host a foreign exchange student next year.  Tomorrow morning I am leaving for Nigeria, with a medical missions team.  The first week, we will be working at this hospital in Zing, Taraba State, in the northern part of the country.

 

Then we will travel to Pero and do a free eye surgery program, and the goal is to do over 100 free surgeries in a week.

  

We will also visit schools, a nursing school, and this orphanage.

 

Aren't these kids adorable? The orphanage is full, and there are twice the number of kids it can hold on the waiting list.  

I will be back July 1st! 

Spring Flowers

Our latest project around the house:

 

We had some overgrown shrubs in this spot in front of our dining room window, and a couple of years ago, we pulled them out.  We haven't been able to find exactly what we wanted, so it has been sitting empty since then.  Last weekend, we got this ceramic planter and some caladium, ivy and little blue and white flowers to fill it up.  It is a bright, cheery addition (as long as I can keep the plants alive)!

Ceramic Beads

 

Here is my first batch of ceramic beads, glazed and ready to go into the kiln:

 

I am anxious to see how they turn out!  I am trying a couple of different kinds of glazes.  I will be taking a beadmaking class with Jennifer Heynen in a couple of weeks, and I know I will learn a lot then.  I wanted to at least try some basics before the class - you know, so that I can make a few of those "beginner's mistakes" in the privacy of my studio, rather than in front of a group!  And I have learned a lot already.  I was surprised to read on the undercoats and glazes that many of them recommend 3 coats.  3 coats of undercoat, followed by 3 coats of glaze?  I had no idea that the process was that involved!  And firing in a kiln takes a lot longer than I anticipated.  And does anyone know why "clear glaze" is pink and not clear?  If anyone has tips on getting started making ceramic beads, let me know.  I am using low-fire clay and glazes, and I have Jennifer's book which is very helpful.

New Backgrounds

I started on some new paintings today.  I did the backgrounds with the Golden Open acrylics, and I really like them!  They have a slower drying time, and this was the first time I have used them.

 

The orange one I think will be a Nigerian scene with a mud hut. 

The others I don't know about yet, but it felt good to be painting!

Rejected!

 

In the last couple of weeks, I have received a rejection letter from a professional award I was nominated for, an email form letter rejection from a job I applied for, and a really nasty email response from an item I submitted for a swap.  The swap recipient ridiculed my work and said it was going straight in the trash, and it was an item I had put a considerable amount of effort into, and had received lots of compliments on.

So, I wonder, why 3 rejections all at the same time?  Coincidence?  Or maybe God thinks I have a lesson to learn here?  I don't know, and I think that in general, I have fairly thick skin.  I teach nursing students, and have received some pretty harsh criticism, usually when I catch them cheating.  However, I have to admit, receiving 3 rejections so close together is bugging me.

I know that part of making anything creative, and sending it out into the world, is opening yourself up to the opinions of others, and I know that artistic people are not always supportive of each other's work.  I know that part of looking for a job is recieving rejection letters, and I know that even being nominated for the award was an honor.  I know all of these things, but I also find myself doubting my abilities and my worth, based on this lack of recognition from others. 

I have prayed about my work situation - I enjoy my current job but need to be working and earning more.  I believe it when my pastor says that when God seems to be saying "no" to something we have asked for, it is because He has something better planned for us!  I believe it, but I am wondering - what, God, and when???

Has anyone else experienced the same kind of thing?  I would love to hear how you dealt with it.

 

Earring Giveaway

  

I am giving away this pair of earrings, made with sterling silver findings, Swarovski crystals, and fairy face ceramic beads by Gaea.  I will draw the winner on Wednesday at noon.  I will be doing a giveaway every month, so check back often!  To enter, please reply to this post and tell me 2 things about yourself that I don't already know.  2 things about me - I am the youngest of 5 kids, and I love to read cookbooks. I actually do cook from them sometimes - last night we had grilled marlin with fresh mango salsa, and it was great!  It was a beautiful evening, and we ate outside. I love evenings like that! 

Quilt Square Swap - Lenna Andrews

Lenna Andrews is hosting a 12 inch quilt square swap, with the theme new fabric technique, and reuse and recycle.  I am wanting to do more with fabric, and thought this swap might be the perfect way to get started.  Last, December, Fabienne Lunel (a participant in an earlier swap of Lenna's, from France) posted a pic of this applique tulip she had made in a class, and was giving it away to anyone who commented and said they wanted it!  I commented, and she sent it to me, and I decided it would be the perfect thing to use in this swap.

 

I wanted to add some color and some trim to give it texture.  I was hoping to do some machine quilting this time, but my machine quit so that didn't work out!   Here is the finished product:

 

I trimmed the tulip square, added some silk cord border around the tupli and the sun, some beads, and some ribbon.  I had fun doing it, and hope to do more quilt square swaps in the future.  My 11-year-old daughter went to the fabric store with me to buy the background fabric for this (and helped me pick out the fabric for the sun), and she loved the store and wants to take some sewing classes there!  They are also offering a series of art quilting classes, which I hope to complete in May.

Photoshop Fun

My daughter took this picture of me and told me she liked it.  I didn't think it was great, I never like pictures of myself.  She told me she thought it would make a good "artsy profile pic" so I decided to see what I could do with it in Photoshop.  Here's the original:

 

I used the artistic brushstrokes feature to do this:

 

Then sharpened the edges and adjusted color to this:

 

Then used the diffuse glow feature and got this:

 

Let me know if you like them, which one you like best, and if you have any other ideas for altering photos in Photoshop!  It was fun and I like all of them better than the original pic.

It's here - My new kiln! And a Ceramic Bead-making class with Jennifer Heynen of Jangles!

I have been wanting to work with silver and bronze clay, and make ceramic beads, for quite some time now.  But it costs so much to get started and to do it right.  I realized that to be able to do what I really want to do, I need a kiln, with a digital controller.  I finally ordered one, a Paragon Caldera, and it arrived today!  I also have some Art Clay Silver and some Bronzclay - and I have a 2-week break from grad school and a week off from work next week for Spring Break!  Time to play!

 

And, I will be taking a class with Jennifer Heynen of Jangles Beads!  June 2, in Milwaukee, at the Bead and Button Show.  Anyone want to come join me???

If you have suggestions for getting started in metal clay or ceramic bead-making, let me know.

Lots going on right now - I am expecting to hear any time that I have a new great-niece!

A Painting in Progress

Here is a painting I have been working on.  I like it okay in general, but it needs something - more color in the background maybe.  I added a couple of layers tonight because I didn't like some of the background I had done before.  If anyone has suggestions I would love to hear them!