What is your creative labor of love for this Labor Day weekend?
This Labor Day will differ from any other in recent memory, with the pandemic and everyone trying to cope with all the uncertainty. As we head into Labor Day, the appreciation of this day, the federal holiday to celebrate, honor, and recognize the American laborer's movement and the works to the United States' development and achievements is beyond words this year.
Honoring workers, doctors, and others is essential, and we in Art Yard already honored the heroes in our community in CREATE. This time we want to highlight our creative community as well.
New York Times has interviewed artists, booksellers, comedians, and five others to share their stories of coping with all the uncertainty during this Labor Day.
From this artistic platform, an Art Yard Bklyn artist, I ask all of you to share your creativity in Labor Day?
As an artist, What does the labor of love of this Labor Day weekend mean to you?
Have you already been working at an art piece in the early days of the quarantine until now?
Just a simple fact, did you know that Oregon was the first state to celebrate Labor Day as a legal holiday in 1887 in the United States.
Drawing using a pencil, markers, and watercolor. "Labor of Love"
The New York Times Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/arts/labor-day-workers-arts-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=1
My kitty Frances hurt her leg and the doctor checked it. I have lots of student drawings and paintings to look at and comment on. I hope to get some figure drawing in.Hope your kitty Frances will get well soon.
@bitterwonder So sorry to hear about Frances' leg! I hope she heals swiftly.
Thank you. She is sleeping off the medicine. I am just relieved nothing is broken or dislocated. I checked her arms myself, but am so glad the doctor could see her.
I just completed my first BIG painting since the quarantine started in March.
It was absolutely a Labor of Love! Funny how I sort of forgot the ins and outs of painting that big. I was sorry to get a huge blob of black down the front of my only Mermaid Parade shirt with a white background. There is a stain I can not get out.
Congratulation on completing your Quarantine painting; it looks terrific. Regarding your T-shirt stain, you could use a General Pencil Kiss-Off Stain Remover or Jack Richeson Linseed Studio Soap (this one is more for brushes; I add a small amount over any stain). I bought both of them from Amazon, and they do a great job removing any paint from fabric.
@sarah.a.g great suggestions. I will give them a try!
Apropos of my last post... I am wearing this year’s Mermaid Parade t-shirt. Usually I get a t-shirt when I am there as a judge at the parade. Or sometimes in one of those mystery boxes one can buy at the Coney Island USA benefits. Both in-person events I miss.
As far as Labor Day goes, CIUSA, like ART YARD was dreamed up by and for a vibrant community of artists. A true labor of love. My hope is that all of us doing this kind of work can weather the storm we are living through now.
To do my tiny part to support CIUSA I bought this great tshirt through their website!
Currently, we are all learning to adapt under conditions but It is wonderful to see everyone push though
I have been working on this family portrait, as I working in Job ( finding time )
I like it 😍
I love the portrait. I remember you telling me about your uncle giving haircuts at your house, I continue to cut my own hair, as I always have. And I’ve cut other people’s hair in the kitchen. I think of hair cutting as a thing to do at home and relate to the image very much.
As For the technical aspects of the piece — I really like the strong areas of color create a dynamic composition. And as usual, Vera, you’ve done a great job on the portraits who are solidly in space.
Excellent work!
In fall 2017, I started knitting a jumbo yarn with a US 50 needle. I worked on it for almost 1 to 2 weeks, and then I quit it; it is entirely stressful using a jumbo-size needle and yarn. With Labor Love, I decided to finish it so I can use it this winter of 2020.
WOW Sarah!!! I love it. I have those same size 50 needles but never knew exactly what type of yarn to get to make something with them. I think you'll need to give me virtual lessons on how to knit in that scale. I'm sure it's hard work - physically - but I'm glad you're giving it a final go.
My understanding of felting is that it is washed wool. It that your process?
I can't recall the name of the artist now, but I saw a very moving and spooky installation once filled with gloves that had been washed (wool and leather). The result was rather ghostly and ghoulish in that "shrunken head" kind of a way. But very good.
My 'labor of love' seem less creative than Sarah's knitting, but labor intensive it is. Thru-out this pandemic period, I've been part of a volunteer committee in our building - cooking and delivering meals to those who might not (or probably should not) be going out grocery shopping. Anyway - my assignment changed from shopping and cooking for meals (for 3 months!) to making and delivering the desserts! I was glad about that. I regret that I hadn't photographed them all but they included delicious sweets like brownies, banana puddings, coconut custard pies, homemade ice cream, fruit salads, cookies - and much more. Pictured here are the Italian Ricotta Cheesecake and the Rizskoch (Hungarian rice pudding cake).
Hmmmm ..... didn't realize until now that they look quite similar in color and texture. I'd better make a chocolate cake or find some more colorful recipes!
I love what you are doing in your building by helping others in this challenging time; it is absolutely a lovely idea. The sweets look absolutely delicious.
Dennis you are a master baker!! And the presentation is beautiful. Post your chocolate cake for sure!
I’m still working on my trees from the ArtYard summer session. Little bits of progress—I added grass to the brown, cardboard tree and a more braiding on the wire tree, now mounted on a stone. One day I plan to add beads and hanging decorations to the tree limbs. These remain works in progress.
Marilyn - these are gorgeous, and the photographs are spectacular! Thanks for sharing.