• A recent article in Eco-Artwear Notes featuring our recycled pieces  reminded me that I need to start making mailboxes again.  

With the advent of  email and texting in addition to postal rate hikes and less "snail mail", I was questioning if we even need mailboxes anymore. 

But after some thought on the matter, I realize we do.  Ever since I was a kid the sound of the postman coming up to the door meant the possibility of something just "for me".

As a resident of a neighborhood with older homes, we have the luxury of a mailbox mounted on our porch.  I know the sound of the lid being closed, signaling that the postman "cometh" and among the (albeit fewer) pieces of junk mail, bills and pizza coupons there may be some correspondence of the old fashioned personal kind.  

So, I am going to re-visit my stash of "orphan mailboxes" I have acquired over the years and start tiling!  Maybe the "build it, they will come" idea will work.  A beautiful mosaic mailbox with a real handwritten letter tucked inside waiting for the recipient.  Nothing better! 

The Mirror Kats are in their new home!

After months of work, the Mirror Kats are out of the studio and happily greeting patients at the dental office where they now reside. For the full story of the creation, progress and installation check out the video and photos at: Mirror Kats Story.

Now it's time to finish the final pieces for Cincinnati SummerFair next weekend. Join us in the "purple parkway", booth 5U, June 4-6th.

Indiana Art Fair February 20-21

Looking for ways to find color during the blah winter months? Let the seventh annual Indiana Art Fair add some flavor to your season. The event features some of the best artists Indiana has to offer and this year, there will be even more to see. As in years past, guests are able to enjoy the museum while browsing the work of more than 93 artists representing 30 Indiana counties. Preview this year's event by checking out the list of artists on the museum website. This year's show promises to more than lighten your mood, but also heighten your senses! And don't miss a chance to check out the museum's Abraham Lincoln exhibitions. Visit the museum's website for more information.

Deja Vu One More Time

The Deja Vu Show featuring artists who creatively reuse and recycle materials is this Saturday, November 7 at the YES Cinema, downtown Columbus, Indiana.

Our studio is filled with "works in progress" that hopefully will be progressing rapidly in the next two days, in time for the show.

Wonder Woman ornaments, made from vintage aluminum drink coasters, along with recycled wreathes and "upcycled" clocks enrobed with thrift store treasures and vintage jewelry are just a few of the pieces that will be in the booth on Saturday.

'Just finished: "Yoga Frog". Set on a "mat" of recycled glass, this whimsical frog in monkey pose is a reminder of my own neglected practice. 'Back to the mat tomorrow morning!

Feline Groovy!

We're headed to Nashville, Tn this weekend for the TACA Fall Art Festival.  It's been awhile since we've been to the music city, but good friends and great art show beckon our return.  The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists produces a three day fair, held in Centennial Park featuring 200 artists.  

Usually during our van-packing we are joined by Gita, our Siamese who thinks she should travel whenever the van doors are open.  Many times we've discovered her a few miles down the road on our way to a show.  Packed in the van this time (in place of Gita) will be "Feline Groovy" our latest kit and kaboodle sculpture created using recycled materials.  This piece stands almost 3 feet tall and collecting all the "stuff" used in it's creation took some time. Many pieces on this work are courtesy of Martina Celerin.  Martina is an exceptional artist who spends almost as many hours scouring the recycling centers as well creating beautiful dimensional weavings.  We're happy she thinks of us!  Check out her latest work here: martinacelerin.blogspot.com/

We hope some of you will be able to join us in Nashville!  

Ringo Flamingo

9/09/09 is here!  The re-mastered version of the Beatles catalogue is released, and Ringo Flamingo is loaded in the van for a debut at the Penrod Art Fair this weekend in Indianapolis.  Strictly a coincidence, or cosmic convergence?

Check out Ringo and all the other fab mosaics at Moe's Ache Studio's booth (Green 86) at The Penrod Art Fair this Saturday, September 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  www.penrod.org/artsfair.html

July is going too fast!

We just returned from Krasl Art Fair in St. Joe, Michigan.   With perfect weather, great crowds and a double booth to show off all the pieces we've been working on, it was a good show.

Now it's back to the studio to get ready for two of our favorite shows.

The Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts, Labor Day weekend, and Penrod the following weekend.  It sounds like a long way off, but the way July has slipped by, they both will be here before I'm ready.

I'm in the process of cleaning out the studio for the first annual "Artists' Yard Sale" to take place August 21-22.  I know this will be a great sale, because artists always have the best "stuff".  More info to come, but be prepared for a great yard sale!

Tropical Paradise Show Is A Go!

It's been a wild month preparing for the Queeney Park Art Fair this weekend in Saint Louis, as well as finishing and delivering work to the Orchard Gallery in Fort Wayne for the "Tropical Paradise" show opening today. My friend, talented fiber artist, and coconspirator, Martina had this say about the show:

Bloomington artists Cappi Phillips and Martina Celerin have collaborated to create a vibrant art exhibit, “Tropical Paradise.”
The collection of works is on display at The Orchard Gallery, 6312 Covington Road, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
The Galley is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m Monday through Saturday with extended hours to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.
The show will be up from April 2 to 30, 2009.

“Even though our media are completely opposite, I work with hard objects, glass, stone, metal, plastics, and Martina works with soft materials, yarns, wool, cotton, fleece, we both share a whimsical side and create pieces that encourage smiles as well as tactile responses. Patrons discover the unexpected when viewing (or touching!) our work,” said Phillips, of Moe's Ache's studio. “When the gallery invited us to participate, it was the cold dreary days of December. The thought of starting on pieces for a ‘Tropical Paradise’ show seemed like such a warm, happy way to be working!” recalls Phillips.

“Cappi and I both use reclaimed and recycled materials to create our art. We’re always on a treasure hunt. As I was making the piece ‘Sangria!’ I realized that I needed plastic ice cubes to complement (and contrast with) the needle felted fruit. Of course the first and only person that I had to called was Cappi!” recalls Celerin.

The artists encourage people who can’t attend the show to visit their web sites to get a little sparkle in their smile (www.MartinaCelerin.com and www.moesache.blogspot.com)

Indiana Art Fair February 21-22

The time has almost arrived. The Indiana Art Fair is right round the corner! And with that, the Signature Artist piece has been revealed and will be on display in the Indianapolis museum’s Frank O’Bannon Great Hall leading up to the event. Though plans for the event are pretty much finalized there is one last point of business – there is not title for the Signature Artist piece!
Here is your chance to get involved with a real piece of art. We are looking for a title for this year’s 2009 Indiana Art Fair Signature Piece by Bloomington, Indiana artist Cappi Phillips. To contribute, visit the Indiana Art Fair on Feb. 21 or 22 and visit Cappi’s booth (#1) to get an up close view of the piece and leave your title suggestions. The chosen title will be shared via the museum’s website by the end February. For more information about the Art Fair visit: http://www.in.gov/ism/PublicPrograms/SpecialEvents/inartfair.aspx

Moe's Ache Studio is honored to be able to create this year's signature piece for the Indiana Art Fair. Why a television you may ask? As a resident of Bloomington, Indiana which was once home to RCA whose televisions are featured in the museum’s collection the idea of a mosaic tv seemed like a perfect fit. We created glass tiles depicting iconic television programming. These tiles were incorporated with cut glass mosaic pieces and applied to a vintage television set that at one time was in the museum collection. Although the television is no longer receiving a signal, we hope it's still capable of transmitting signals and memories you'll find entertaining.

The television can be viewed at the Indiana State Museum's Indiana Art Fair February 21-22, 2009