Summer time is usually my most  productive  time of year for creating art. This summer in early July I  had a  welding accident. I was working on  getting a  piece finished for a  art show and caught myself on fire. After 7  hours in the  ER I was sent home with third degree burns from my  lower belly to just below my  breasts.

It had  been  a year since I started working on the owner of the building to  let me rent a  portion of his shop. I got my  keys in May and  power for the  welder and plasma cutter in June.Finally my  own  work shop!  I was getting settled in and I was excited to have my own space to  create! .

After the  accident I was not certain I would  do welding any  more, I  would go to the  shop each week and  move things around and  with each  visit I could feel my blood  pressure  rise and the stress and tension in my  neck and shoulders would triple.

Yesterday I went to the shop with the intention to work. I  cleaned and moved things around for 3 hours.I had lunch , talked to my neighbor about  what he was working on. When my neighbor  asked me if I was ready to  get back in the saddle. I  told him I was thinking about  giving it a go. After organizing a shelf of paint cans I put on my apron, tied back my hair and put my welding helmet on my  head. I  set up a project to  work on, turned on the welder and then my phone rang!  I was so relieved,  I turned everything off and went and sat on the tailgate of my pickup to  chat with a  friend. I now  know how it feels to be saved by the  bell!

After my phone conversation I  went to my  welder without hesitation  turned it on and got back to work.

This photo was taken a year ago  by CDStuder. I am  currently  working on a  new bird and yesterday I  started adding the  wire feathers. I am  starting at the  bottom of the  bird this time. 😉

I am thankful for the  phone  call as it  distracted me  just enough to  allow me to not  hesitate or let fear and stress keep me from getting back to work.

Last night my friend Ken Vensel phoned and said, “Hey do you want to go to the mountain tonight to see the full moon? ” I  said, “sure” and then I called a friend and left a message  saying , “oh I wish you didn’t have class tonight I am  going to the  mountain for a midnight hike.” within moments I had a call back saying,  we can skip class a  midnight hike sounds lovely!  3 hours later,  we were up at  Sunrise hiking in the moonlight!  Evening hikes have become my all time favorite!  To see more photos of Kens adventures visit http://500px.com/kcvensel

For me there is not much more exciting than to have a customer send me a photo of a piece they purchased in its new home. I am not the greatest  photographer so its  super wonderful to  get  nice photos of my work! Turning Tides is on the  right side of the doorway.

Thank you  Alki arts, for having me in your lovely gallery!

July was a tough month for me. Catching myself on fire slowed me down a bit. I am still feeling a bit gun shy so before I get back to welding I decided to work on some craft projects  that don’t require welding  or tools that could be harmful to used if careless.

Yesterday I worked on some custom bird feeders for an upcoming art walk where I will be stationed at Experience Tea in Issaquah. I have 11 completed they come with a cute copper wire chain and some bird seed. $35 each

This piece is heavier than at looks! 6 x 6 inches tall  longest tubes comes out about 5 inches  This one of a  kind piece can  be displayed on its side of  flat. $1525

Currently at Gallery Context  suite  262

5701 6th Ave S #378, Seattle, WA 98108

Ever wonder how  siblings with the  same parents can end up so different? These three birds were created to hang out indoors or outdoors. They are still hanging out in my work shop, waiting for a new place to build a nest!

SOLD!

My last few projects might have been inspired by my recent role of teaching my youngest offspring to drive.

Take it Slow:$1250 : 22″ tall, 18″x18″ top

  Yield: $1500   24″ tall, 24″x 24″ top

Stop: $1800 36″ tall, top is 24″x24″

Available at  Gallery (context)

Suite  262  Seattle Design Center

5701 6th Ave S #378, Seattle, WA 98108

*The used street signs were purchased.

People often  say that artists suffer for their art. This is a  short re cap of a  painful  lesson I learned recently.

In preparing for our July 3rd Thursday event at the Seattle Design Center I was working overtime trying to get a few last minute projects ready for the show. To understand what happened I need to back up just a bit.

It was Thursday July 12 and a friend came over and helped me clean out my closet. I have some awesome cotton shirts that were in less than perfect condition and my friend suggested that I toss them out. I decided to  keep one as it was  my favorite and since it was  cotton as I could wear it to work in.

Now you might be thinking oh no,  I know where this is going and you are probably correct.

Later that day I was  trying to get things finished up and I had that awesome shirt on that my friend had suggested I toss out.I needed to do some welding so I stuck my long sleeve shirt over the top and buttoned the top three buttons to keep from getting any flash burn on my neck.

I was working away and tipped the piece upside down to do a few more welds.  I was  kneeling on the ground and since a lot of my art supplies are old car parts I am used to having some of my pieces burn off old grease so a flame now and then does not usually surprise me. However, I am not used to having flames shoot up 2  feet over my helmet. Apparently cotton made outside the United States is not really cotton. My favorite shirt went up in flames. I yelled, Fire! Fire! Fire! Lucky  for me I had a  friend helping me out and he came running and managed to help put me out. I asked my friend to help  get the  tools  put away then I  told him I  think I better go to the hospital.

By the time I reached the ER my husband had already checked me in and I was taken back to a room right away. On the way to the room I did apologize for not being more prepared for bikini season as I had not planned to be walking around in my bra. The male nurse did not seem to have much of a sense of humor.

Three hours at the ER with a nice pain med IV, the staff cleaned my wounds. I had third degree burns from my panty line to just below my breasts. It would have been so much worse if I had not had the 2nd shirt on as it worked to block the fire.
Friends have told me, “You need to invest in leathers.” I have had to admit that I already own leathers. I had them covering some parts of the art so that it would not get hit with sparks! Another friend told me, that the healing begins when you figure out that your body needs protecting not your art.

I did go back to my shop a  few days  later and finish the piece I was working on for the July 18th  show. While there I modeled my old favorite shirt. ( see above photo)

The finished pieces are  currently in the window of  Gallery ( Context) suite  262 at  Seattle Design Center.

I don’t think I will be starting anything new until the burns heal.

Greg Bartol aka  the real Bird Man, thanks for saying you  should make a bird…  No really here is the paper work!

Denny Croston aka  Junk yard art  Icon of Issaquah,  for saying make a bird , and  for supplying the  neck and  for giving me a reference.

Brad Isley for helping me  find what I needed and for all the  hours of help you gave me!  I knew what I wanted to do and you  told me how to make it work! 

My family, thank you for  not complaining about all the hours I was  spending in Prosser with not much to  show for it besides  burn holes in my clothes. 

I am grateful for my new friend CDStuder Photography for all the  hours  she spent taking photos of my  processes! Without her Sundance would  be  just a memory. He sold the  day I dropped him off! 

After spending months  getting  all moved in to my  new  shop space and  making sure that I could  weld without burning the  place down  I  was finally able to spend a  day in my shop!

I  started off with a  few  small  projects so I  could   see if I have  set things up in a  way that makes sense for working.  From  left to  right meet  Flora. Gala, and  Helen.

After spending a day in the  shop I  decided I should invest in  a  metal  garbage  can , and a  broom.