Have you ever been mellow?

I’ve been digging this art thing – or whatever passes for it in my case. Samples of my laboratory experiments are featured in a new gallery page accessible from the menu bar at the top. There are only a few works presented, as I have many more failures than successes.

Mostly, I’ve been playing around with tile coasters, and I’ve been so into it that I semi-forgot about writing. Sometimes not everything needs to be said. Do you remember that song by Olivia Newton-John – Have You Ever Been Mellow?

There was a time when I was in a hurry as you are

I was like you

There was a day when I just had to tell my point of view

I was like you

Now I don’t mean to make you frown

No, I just want you to slow down

Have you never been mellow?

Have you never tried to find a comfort from inside you?

Have you never been happy just to hear your song?

Have you never let someone else be strong?

I have found comfort from inside, and I also think art is teaching me to fail better. Some of the mistakes actually turn out great, and some are just learning experiences, but I’m not spending much money on this little endeavor, and it’s fun to tinker.

After I made the cannabis display tile, I decided they should be coasters. I made a few more from the slate tiles and backed them with cork. They look fabulous, except I discovered the hard way slate is not level on both sides, and a drink on top is prone to tipping over. Dale said he could help me level them, but 4 x 4 slate tiles are difficult to find anyway, so I’m unlikely to continue on that path.

Travertine is way easier to find, and it’s perfectly level, but I do believe it’s a bit harder to work with. In the gallery, I posted a picture of my Travertine tile featuring whiskey in a glass (neat). I love how it turned out, but some of my other forays have been less successful. Sometimes the image doesn’t transfer the way I’d like.

The good news is Home Depot carries the small Travertine tiles, and they are cheap. While Travertine does come in varying shades, most are white, which doesn’t appeal to me. I appreciate variations and imperfections in the stone, so I didn’t want to paint over it. I got the idea for a color wash. I mixed up a little turmeric with water and brushed on a light coat. That’s what you see in the picture above.

Now I want to try other natural dyes – tea, beets – you name it. I was even thinking of carving something into a beet and using it as a stamp. That may not sound exciting to you, but to me, it’s revolutionary. Until a few weeks ago, nothing like this would have ever crossed my mind.

In other news, I was on my way into a thrift shop in search of goodies to play with in my art studio garage. Just feeling groovy, when something caught my eye, I tripped over a parking divider and trashed myself up pretty good. My chin took the brunt of it, requiring two stitches. I’m grateful I didn’t break anything.

So, as the canary in the coal mine, I’m still encouraging you to explore your inner artist. But if you’ve never been mellow, please proceed with caution. It’s dangerous out there.