Encased in Concrete

Marj3 Tiling Work is Done!

2012-01-29T17:06:00.000-08:00

Tiling work done on all 3 Marj3 pieces. Now onto the grouting!

Today's starting place.

1 hour in.

3 hours in.

4 hours total today!

Placing Tiles

2012-01-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

Todays Work

2012-01-21T20:58:00.000-08:00

Marj3 close-up

One of the Marj3 pieces ready for grout.

Circus Circus Bear (more photos of this one on my facebook page)

Tiling, tiling, tiling...

2012-01-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

Starting 2012

2012-01-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

Tags for Marj3

Marj3 will be my first project to finish in 2012.

Working on more mosaic work today and placing the tags.

Marj3 Continues.

2011-12-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

I continued to mosaic Marj3 today. There should be about a week more of tile work, and then I can move on to grouting. Feeling good about how everything is going!

Inside

2011-12-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today we moved all 3 of the Marj3 pieces inside to a warmer working environment.

Happy Holidays.

2011-12-25T05:40:00.000-08:00

More on Marj3

2011-12-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

Katy Perry and Mosaic Work.

Continuing to Mosaic

2011-12-19T13:52:00.001-08:00

More work on Marj3.

Mosaicing Marj3!

2011-12-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

Window Sill

2011-12-16T06:53:00.000-08:00

Breaking Tile

2011-12-09T07:27:00.001-08:00

Setting Up To Mosaic!

2011-12-06T14:00:00.001-08:00

I cleaned the studio today, and moved in 2 of the Marj 3 pieces.

The 3rd one is set-up outside. It was to big and heavy to bring into the studio.

Tomorrow morning I will be breaking tile, and if all goes well Thursday the mosaicing will start!

Recently Traveled

2011-12-03T06:48:00.001-08:00

Airport in Las Vegas.

Concrete Work Done on Marj 3

2011-11-16T17:38:00.001-08:00

Marj 3 - Concrete

2011-11-10T18:06:00.001-08:00

Almost done with the concrete work on Marj 3.

Starting to think about tile.

before

after

Concrete

2011-11-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

In the garden.

2011-11-06T06:59:00.001-08:00

More Concrete...

2011-11-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today...

2011-10-30T06:33:00.001-07:00

Work on Marj 3

2011-10-27T16:49:00.001-07:00

1st concrete on "Marj 3" today.

Pumpkin Carving Day

2011-10-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

Webs

2011-10-22T09:33:00.001-07:00

Rained Out

2011-10-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

No work today.

October 1st Photo

2011-10-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

work area

Starting "Marj3"

2011-09-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

I've started work on a new project this week

"Marj3"

3 mosaic boulders approximately 15, 20, and 27 inches in diameter.

Filling

clean non-recyclable garbage

3 bags ready to be wrapped in aviary netting.

Ready for concrete.

New project staring in September!

2011-08-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

I just got a commission to make 3 mosaic boulders (similar to the ones in Encased in Concrete 88) for a home in Eureka, CA.

Did a little work today.

2011-05-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

5 boxes of non-recyclable garbage.

Wrapped in reclaimed garbage bags and aviary netting.

1 Circus Circus Bear wrapped in Aviary netting.

More "little paintings"

2011-02-28T19:38:00.000-08:00

35 left to go.

I'm liking this one!

Blue Morning

2011-02-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

Blue Morning

Muddy Gnome Post

2011-02-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

Posted on the Muddy Gnome blog.

Overnight Rolls

New Concrete Work Area

2011-01-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today we put up a floor for my new concrete work area. Now I can work in the shade. Going to making some concrete planters next week and wrapping up non-recyclables in wire mesh.

Leon and Korbin making sure there are no mice under the new floor.

The Garbage is piling up.

2011-01-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

It has been more than a year since I last worked in concrete, and it is starting to show around the yard. With the days getting warmer I am starting to think about encasing things in concrete again.

There are bags and boxes of non-recyclable garbage that are ready to be wrapped in wire, and covered with concrete. Soon to look like this Garbage Wall that I started a few years ago.

Planters and Gnomes

2011-01-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

Past Projects - Mosaic Work done on Concrete Planters

New Kiln Location

2011-01-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

Muddy Gnome Kiln Location

Current Project "little paintings"

2010-05-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

85 little paintings in process

A New Blog to Follow

2010-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

photo by Cassie Carmona

Here is a blog that is close to my heart, check it out!

India's Roses - A Humboldt Girl Away From Humboldt

Thinking

2010-02-21T21:25:00.000-08:00

Moving Art

2010-01-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

Moving Art
by
Leo Schill

43 of 88 Home

2010-01-27T16:46:00.000-08:00

Bringing It Home

2010-01-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

Today, my husband and I started the 4-5 day process of moving
Encased in Concrete 88
home.

2 More Weeks

2010-01-12T05:59:00.000-08:00

Encased in Concrete 88
at the
Morris Graves Museum of Art
Eureka, CA
until January 26th, 2010

2 more weeks and then it moves home!

Better

2010-01-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

First inspiration in months!

The New Year

2010-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Cleaning up the Studio

I want to make art, but I don't want to be an artist anymore.

2009-10-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Mosaics Everywhere

2009-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at this sign for years thinking, wow even Safeway used to be into mosaic work!
Eureka, CA
unknown artist

The List

2009-09-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

24 unfinished projects!
Well, this should keep me busy for a long time!

Starting the List

2009-09-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

85 Little Paintings

The first unfinished project for my list is "85 Little Paintings".
I started this on April 10, 2006 (wow, 3 years ago). I have a mentor that gets stuck in my head from time to time, and I have to do a project with him in mind, so I started this series of paintings, and every time I finish one I photo copy it, and send him the original to hold on to until they are all done (I wonder if he still has them). They are 4 x 9 3/8 inches, and I currently have 25 completed and sent.

Las Vegas

2009-09-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Mosaics at the Wynn and Encore in Las Vegas.
Not me, I still need to look up the artist who made these.

Arts Alive!

2009-09-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Come out to Arts Alive! in Eureka, Ca tonight from 6-9pm! I'll be at the Morris Graves Museum of Art checking on
Encased in Concrete 88!

Unfinished Table Top

2009-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

I started this table top a while ago, and just dug it out today thinking I should finish this.
I seem to have a lot of partially finished projects at the moment. I'm feeling the need to wrap some of them up. So, when I get back from LasVegas in a week I'm going to make a list (I love lists, I am one with the list) of all of my unfinished art projects, and start tackling them.

Thank You

2009-08-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

Thank You to the anonymous weeder who weeded the Melvin Schuler Sculpture Garden last week.

My husband and I were pleasantly surprised when we stopped by the Morris Graves Museum to check on Encased in Concrete 88.

Nature

2009-07-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Nature doesn't care that I'm procrastinating over the Ice Box project.

Distraction

2009-07-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Distraction Project seems to be turning into a Puzzle Project.

Distraction Project

2009-07-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

I became distracted by this piece of scrap wood in my studio today. I think it used to be a gate, maybe.

So, I painted it with black gesso.
I'm hoping working on this will get me started on the concrete work I'm wanting to do, but not doing.
Looking for inspiration.

Puzzle Pieces

2009-07-14T21:39:00.000-07:00

Puzzle Pieces
132 inches x 18 inches, hanging in a gallery in Eureka, CA 2007
Each pieces is cut out of an old chair back from the Eureka Theater in Eureka, CA.

Puzzle Pieces
Hanging in their current home, my studio.

Egg Art

2009-07-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Eggs, Paint, Canvas...

2009-07-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

My grandson and I are doing an art project together.
We're going to throw eggs full of house paint at a 8 foot by 8 foot plywood backdrop. The backdrop is where the Nicker piece used to hang, but it it being repaired before it moves off to a new home.

Character Counts

2009-06-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

Concept drawing.

Character Counts Mosaic Mural
Agnes J. Johnson School Weott, CA
June 1999

One World Installation

2009-06-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Blank wall ready for mural.

First 2 panels up.

The students worked on the squares along the outside edges. Each younger student was paired with an older one to work as a teem. The interior design was done by me working on my living room floor (no studio space yet).

All 4 large panels up, and 4 smaller side panels in place, ready for the last of the tiling to be done.

World finished and last hand added.

Tiling finished ready for grouting.

One World

2009-06-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

"One World"
mosaic mural at Agnes J. Johnson School Weott, CA
February 1999

This was a joint project between me, Mr. and Mrs. Andersen's classes (kindergarten and 5th grade I believe at the time), husband Leo (help with installation), daughter Mara (help with the kids), son Justin (also help with installation), and daughter India (who was in Mr. Andersen's class)

detail

Fountain

2009-06-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ferro Cement and Mosaic Fountain

Hippo?

2009-05-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Hippo is gone...

This one's more like it.

2009-05-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Leggett, CA

This one is more like the one I'm working on, or wishing I was working on. I'm very inspired to work right now, but it will be at least a week before I can get back to art work.
Such is life.
Why is it that I can be sitting looking at a canvas with no inspiration, and all the time in the world, and then at another moment have a head full of ideas and no time to sit at the canvas.

Half Moon Bay

2009-05-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Rooster in Half Moon Bay, Ca.

Windows and Doors

2009-05-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Glass Mosaics by Karen Robbins

I love these.
Karen Robbins makes custom stained glass mosaics at 161 Ocean Ave. Cayucos, Ca 93430. They are made using old window and door frames.

Hippo in the Woods?

2009-05-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

I went on a road trip this last week with my husband. We were surprised to find this concrete hippo at a wooded rest stop near Confusion Hill.

Swains Flat Ice Box

2009-05-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Ice Box at Swains Flat Store

Here is a photo of an ice box similar to the one that I'm currently working on. Still going and in much better shape than mine.
Ice Box

Stinky

2009-05-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Stinky's Tag

Stinky in its new home.

Stinky was going to be one of Encased in Concrete 88, but something went wrong. When I went to coat it in concrete I couldn't believe how bad it smelled. Something gooey must have ended up inside with the garbage. I wasn't sure if it would still smell after the concrete went on, so I used a different one for Encased in Concrete 88. Stinky now sits out in our orchard under the apple tree we planted when we first bought our property. So far Stinky is not stinky anymore!

Ice Box uncovered...

2009-05-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Ice Box in progress

After a few hours work, removing blackberry vines and poison oak (some how I didn't catch any) I have the Ice Box uncovered. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I stared it a few years ago, but now I'm ready to go. I have to reopen the front and put more garbage in it. The garbage I originally filled it with has settled, so I can fit in more, yay. I want to mosaic this one after the concrete work is done. Nothing has fully matured in my head yet though. Maybe, blues and whites.
I'll try to take a photo of an ice box that is still in good shape to give a better representation of what it used to be like, and post it later this week.

Mother's Day!!

2009-05-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Genetic Engineering

These 2 pieces are part of a series I did in the 1990's on genetic engineering. I was living in Davis at the time, and they were trying to make the perfect tomato. Also, at that time there was a lot of testing going on with human parts and pigs.

When I was 6 or 7 my mom was a graduate student at Tulane University in New Orleans. I remember there was a floor in the school that had babies/fetuses in jars (all development levels, extra limbs, etc.). I was fascinated! I was always asking to be taken up to see the "babies".
I'm sure this was part of my want for children. I wanted one of those babies of my own, well not in a jar, but to love and hold. I have been blessed with 3.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Vacuum?

2009-05-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Vacuum

I've been doing housework now for almost 30 yrs. Once, when I was feeling a little fed up with the process I encased my vacuum in concrete.

Old...New Project...Ice Box

2009-05-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ice Box
I had forgotten about this project, as can be seen by the blackberries taking it over. It's an old ice box that I filled with debris when we first moved to our fixer-upper in the woods. Tomorrow, I'll pick up some expanded metal and get to work on wrapping it up for concrete. I'm thinking about mosaicking it, too. The flat sides are wonderful for mosaic work. It measures approximately 2.5 x 5 x 4 feet with a slopped edge were there use to be doors.

Also, I was reviewed in the North Coast Journal today, and on May 5th Redheaded Blackbelt mentioned a past piece I made titled "Nicker".

Rain

2009-05-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Rain, rain, and more rain! Even though it was raining quite a few people came to the opening and walked around and admired Encased in Concrete 88. I also did a short radio interview with KHUM, which was a first for me.
I've been thinking about my next projects. I want to get Muddy Gnome Ceramics going this year. A garden oriented ceramics business my husband and I are working on together. Also, on the encased in concrete end I've already started on more boxes of garbage for The Block Wall.

Everything is set for the opening!

2009-05-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Today, my husband and I weeded and picked up garbage at the Museum to get ready for the opening tomorrow night. While my work is there my husband and I are donating time to keeping the sculpture garden clean. I am saving all of the garbage we pick up and making a sculpture for the museum at the end of the show. It will represent how much garbage passes through the Melvin Schuler Sculpture Garden over the next 8 months.
Opening reception is tomorrow 6-9pm come by if you can, and if not tomorrow Encased in Concrete 88 will be at the museum for the next 8 months, so try to go by.
Morris Graves Museum of Art
Eureka, CA

Arts Alive! Saturday May 2nd

2009-04-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Encased in Concrete 88 is having its opening reception this Saturday May 2nd 6-9pm at
The Morris Graves Museum of Art at 636 F Street, Eureka, CA. www.humboldtarts.org/
Come by and take a look. I'll be there all evening.

Also, two local blogs have mentioned my show

http://artwalks.blogspot.com

http://kymk.wordpress.com
check them out.

The Big One Moves to the Museum

2009-04-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the yard ready to move.

In the truck at the museum.

The Big One in place at The Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, Ca.
All 88 of the pieces are now at the museum. Tuesday I'll be working on getting them into their final positions for the opening on Saturday May 2nd.

22 set-up

2009-04-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

22 pieces unloaded and placed at the museum today!

Moving to the museum

2009-04-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Encased in Concrete 88 at my home.

First load ready to go.

Encased in Concrete 88 is done.

2009-04-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to finish the last 3 yesterday!!!

397 hours and 40 minutes total working time.
88 bags of non-recyclable garbage.
Hundreds of feet of wire.
123.21 square feet of recycled broken tile.
88 inches of recycled copper pipe
80 70lb. bags of sand.
27 94lb. bags of cement.
18 trips to town for materials.
And,
at least 398 hours of procrastination time.

#19 & #83

2009-04-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

#19

#83

Encased in Concrete 88 is almost done.
I have the last 8 started, and if all goes well I will be done on Friday!

Today

2009-03-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today, I finished 3 more pieces. That leaves me with 12 to get done over the next couple of days. Then, I can start working on up-dating my web-site (www.schillart.com), and mailing out the postcards for the show. If you would like to receive one, send your snail-mail address to my e-mail. monicaschill@schillart.com

The End is Near...

2009-03-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

17 more to go!

The Big One is Done!

2009-03-26T13:05:00.002-07:00

I grouted the biggest and the last mosaic piece today. I now have 21 more concrete pieces to finish, and then Encased in Concrete 88 will be done!

Finished tiling ...

2009-03-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

#81
I finished tiling the biggest mosaic piece today! Now all it needs is grout.

#73 #28 #43

2009-03-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

#43 is 21 inches at its widest point.

#28 is 24 inches at the widest point.

#73 is 19 inches at its widest point.

Here are the 3 that I finished on Saturday. Today, I finished 5 more and worked on several others. Tomorrow, I will finally finish tiling the last mosaicked piece in this series.

Snow Day Again!

2009-03-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

It's snowing again!
Well I did a count today. I have 58 pieces done, so doing the math, that leaves me with 30 more to complete in the next 10 days.

Postcard

2009-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is the photo that will be on the postcard announcing the up coming show.

They're multiplying!

2009-03-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today it's starting to feel like I'll be able to fill the space at the museum. I'm over half of the way done now. With 49 of the 88 fully completed.

Fun

2009-03-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Past myspace photo.

Work, Work, Work...

2009-03-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for my covered work space. Rain is in the forecast and I still have to work.

Garbage Wall

2009-03-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is a on going project that I have been working on at my home. Similar to Encased in Concrete 88, all the blocks are boxes filled with non-recyclable garbage. I've already started gathering more garbage for this now that I have all I need for Encased in Concrete 88. The wall is turning into quite the habitat. There are lizards and birds that spend their day playing in and on the wall.

#48 & #72

2009-03-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

#48

#72

These are small ones, less that 18 inches in diameter.
Today is all about the concrete. I should have 3 more completely done and several more started by the end of the day.

Some days...

2009-03-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Some days it is hard to find the motivation to work. Even though art is what I want to do with my time and life there are still days with no inspiration, and I find that I have to force myself to work.
Today is one of those days.

#21 #3 #55

2009-03-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

Detail of #21

#21 is approximately 20-30 inches in diameter.

#55 is approximately 17-19 inches in diameter.

#3 is approximately 22-24 inches in diameter.

Last One to Tile!

2009-03-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

This is the last one of my pieces in Encased in concrete 88 that has to be tiled. Currently it is about 20 % done. This is the big one that is almost 4 feet across. It should take me the next week to finish it mixed in with finishing several of the plain concrete ones.

More Work Done

2009-03-04T18:08:00.000-08:00

Still tiling.
I've been tiling today and doing a little concrete work. Also, I spent part of today taking publicity photos for the upcoming show.
Tomorrow is all about the tiling. I'll be finishing the 3 pieces in the photo above.
With the dead line getting so close I've been starting to think about the logistics of getting the pieces moved from my home to the museum. I've been offered help from my daughter, son-in-law, and my husband (of course). Which will give me 4 trucks to work with. Now I have to think about packing materials.

#41

2009-03-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

I just finished grouting #41 this morning and will be spending the rest of my day tiling.
As of today, I have 30 days to get everything done. I can't wait to see the whole project laid out at the museum in May.

#32 and #66

2009-02-25T21:28:00.000-08:00

2 more mosaic pieces done, numbers 32 and 66, yay! Only 6 more to go. I also, wrapped 13 more bags of garbage with aviary wire over the last 2 days, so they are ready for concrete.