my new baby

I had already posted a link to my youtube video on facebook but am just now writing about it in my blog. You can find it by searching linda billet on youtube or here is the link.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ScUrrrmzw0 Few things I gotta say....


First- I cannot even believe I got permission from Bonobo to use their music. Kaleo had told me about this band that I would LOVE and he was right! So I figured if I could not get permission I would use generic music that the editing program provided. The whole time I was waiting to hear from Bonobo, I was editing and timing stuff to their song, "Flutter," just in case they said yes! So yeah, I was jumping around the house the day I got the OK email!


Second-The piece,"not so pretty now" would have taken 10-20 days but since I was the person filming and photographing myself the whole time (except about 5 shots that Shaundi took), it took an extra month...it didn't help when I had my kiln broken for an extended period of time. So when I opened the kiln on the morning after the last firing, I was SO relieved. At any time that I was making parts, I could have re-done that part if it came out bad. But for the final firing of the entire piece, if any dust fell onto the glass when the lid closed, or a little fly's eye rolled off the fly and melted onto the wrong place, or anything cracked, or any of a hundred possible things went wrong, then all of the time I spent filming would have had to be redone to make a video.


Third- I gotta be getting an Oscar for this! If not acting or directing, at least editing. I think "So You Think You Can Dance" will be calling me to guest on their show any day now. Seriously, I am pretty happy with it considering I had no special lighting and all video and pictures were done with a little Sony camera!

OK, today was one of those days that I was up at dark-thirty cause I couldn't wait to see how things worked out in my kiln overnight. This is not my usual subject matter but I am so happy with it and HERE'S WHY!

First-This is the piece that I worked on while making my video. The video is to help answer some of the how-to questions I get. If anything rolled out of place when I shut the kiln, or a crack occurred during firing, it would have meant that I spent a whole lot of time on nothing.

Second-I have been thinking about a bones piece for a couple of years, and something with flies for a couple of months. Combining them means I can empty out two of my brain's folders at once.

Third- I just plain like it! Its rare for me to like anything with this much red in it. Instead of water references, I was going for a "meat" and "drops of blood" feel. Really, the bones were initially going to be fish bones. The whole thing kept changing even after I started cutting parts. The working title is "not so pretty now" ( a nine inch nails song) but Rob might come up with something better. Anyway, as with all my bigger pieces, this is my new favorite....at least until the next one is done. I am hoping to have the video done this week yet.

Oh, and the coolest part about the movie? I got permission from my current favorite band to use their music. NO KIDDING! How cool is that??!!

VABeach sand sculptures

This is from the sand sculpting contest at VABeach this past weekend. Pictures do not do these justice. The guy pictured, said his team won. I think they were from Canada. The rear of the sculpture was just as impressive as the front. There was a team from Singapore and a couple from the Netherlands. These are just five of my favorites.

vacation

Last week we were on vacation in North Carolina with my son, Kaleo and his girlfriend, Kristen. Also on the trip were my mom and brother. It was a stellar week. The one big negative was that my daughter, Shaundi couldn't come along. The week happened to coincide with my birthday and the weather was perfect every day. The sky was crazy beautiful day and night which gave my camera a work-out. We were at Rob's boss's condo that we go to almost every year. We like to go there in the off season when it is not crowded and there is great potential to just CHILL. It was just what we needed. I read a book on the beach, The Shack, that I highly recommend.

While I was away, my kiln part came and it seems to be the ticket because I put some work in last night and this morning it came out perfect. Now I have so much work to do to get ready to leave for the VABeach show this weekend!

ArtLess Wednesdays

Yahoo! We are leaving in the AM to go on a much needed vacation. When I get back, my part for my kiln will be here so I don't know which I'm happier about!

Well you know I always try to be upbeat but I am just getting this said-I know right now people are worried about mortgage payments, health care, and grocery money. I found a Psychology Today article in a friend's blog that tells you why arts funding is more important than you may have realized. It is short and really interesting!

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/imagine/200902/missing-piece-in-the-economic-stimulus-hobbling-arts-hobbles-innovation

Other reasons that the article did not mention are economic reasons. One example is the Pearl District in Portland Oregon. During my first trip to Oregon in the 90's, we drove through a scary run down area of abandoned warehouses etc. Artists moved in and turned it into the Pearl District, some very expensive real estate. The arts draw people (revenue) and make hotels and restaurants busy, real estate more valuable.

WITF's website has a lot of information about arts effect on economics. After vacation, I will be showing my support along with other art businesses by blacking out the front page of my site on Wednesdays.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Einstein

what you do while your kiln is busted!

I was waiting on a part for my kiln which I finally got switched today. Even with the new part, it doesn't work. I ran it through a program with something in. I won't know till tomorrow if the piece I have in cracked because the kiln shut off too soon.

But while I have only small kilns, I figure it is a good time to mosaic! I made this black and white chess set. Some of the black glass is iridescent so depending on how the light hits, it goes Seuss on you. I used a lot of my bubble and striped glass in both black and white. Hard to see in these photos. I cut the chess pieces with a tile saw!

These were inspired by a guy from VA Beach. He thought it would be cool to hang a bunch of pendants on the wall. At that time, I was thinking about small works for an upcoming exhibit where all work entered had to be less than 12 inches any direction. So thinking about a row of pendants, I came up with what I call "straws." These little guys are 5x10 each-not including the frame. This week I will take them to Lebanon Picture Frame and Fine Art Gallery http://lebanonpictureframe.synthasite.com/events.php for their "12 and Under" group show in September. I'm hoping they keep all three. If you haven't been to Lebanon in a while, you'll be surprised at how beautiful the historic downtown Lebanon has become. This gallery, in particular, is georgeous! Their first friday event will be Sept 4th. I'll be there. Come if you can!