Just thought I would share my family website at: family(dot)katiekennington(dot)com

I am planning several crafty projects for the girls, kind of an activity center. Stay tuned for pictures to follow.

What projects have you done lately with or for your kids?

This is a call for help. As a mother of two, I have little time to devote to myself, let alone a hobby of mine that takes several  hours weekly.

As a question to all mothers out there…how do you make time or find time for a creative outlet? Do you think it is important to have an outlet?

I want to get going again on bookmaking or basket making but I don’t know how I can do that and be a mother.

I would like to find something that I can do to be creative and something that will benefit my children. I have thought about making an art station. And then having time each day where we would color, paint or play with play doh. At least that would be something.

What have you done that works for you?

After a month of moving and visiting family and friends and lots of car driving and airplane flights…we are finally in Germany!! I keep having to tell myself that we are actually here and we are not just visiting. It really has not hit home yet. We are having a lovely quiet two weeks before the rest of my family comes home from their Utah visit. For now it is just us and my dad.

I have plans to get back into my bookmaking as soon as our shipment arrives, which will be at the end of the month. Then we have the baby to prepare for and wait for the end of August, so maybe it will be longer than that before I get into the studio again. For now I am just keeping a notebook of book ideas and projects I want to experiment with.

If anyone has a book idea or request, feel free to share or ask about it.

Well I guess not really. I do not really have a studio but it sounds cool and someday I will. Anyway, we have finally gotten some important information and have made a huge decision for the future of our family…and my artwork.

WE ARE MOVING TO EUROPE!

As most of you know, this is where I grew up and where I think I got my roots in the Arts. You can imagine how excited I am that my little new family gets to now move back there for at least two years. My husband is going to go to Graduate school in Saarbrucken, Germany and then in Nancy, France. We will get to live with my parents for a year and then we will live somewhere in France, probably in Nancy.

It is my hope that I will be able to keep up on making art…books or paintings or just keep a better sketchbook of ideas for future creativeness. I am expecting a second baby girl in August and we will be moving in September so things will be busy for a while, but I want to keep up with my skills and would love for some custom orders to keep comin my way.

My husband and I in Paris…cannot wait to go back there!

One of my favorite places in Europe…Lauterbrunen, Switzerland.

Can you say YAY for awesome material for paintings!!! I love the color palette in Germany.

Just thought I would share some awesome news. I am busy with moving and baby preparations (baby girl number two due in August) and trying to plant a garden and tons of flowers which I am soooooo excited about, our yard is going to be awesome and I will hate to leave it….so I will not be doing much art for a while, and now you know why.

Yay! I got another book finished. Elsa was an angel today and just played happily in the living room while I sat in my barricaded “office” to sew this book. Now she is taking a nap and so maybe I will get to start sewing the third book.

This is my favorite book out of the bunch…very classy and girly. (though the fabric was TERRIBLE to work with, it frays like crazy) I think it fits Elizabeth perfectly. What do you think? The clasp is kind of loose right now but I figured it will get tighter as the envelopes get filled up. I have to say that the sewing on Scott’s book looks nicer, but this one is good too. Hope you like it!!

Detail of the clasp. I had a hard time deciding what to use but I think the braided linen thread ties in nicely with the sewing.

And finally the prints…

I have a variety of prints shown here. There are wood cuts, linoleum cuts, monoprints, line etchings, aquatints, mezzotints and lithographs. Each are labled with print type, print number (how many prints/or copies I have of that piece), title and price.

#1 Linoleum cut. edition of 5. “That Night”  Price: $4.00 This was one of my first ever prints.

Linoleum cut is where you take a linoleum block (similar to the linoleum that is used for flooring) and carve out the design or image and then ink up the raised surface and then press the paper onto the block.

#2 Linoleum cut. edition of 8. “The Park” Price:$8.00 one taken, 7 still available

This piece is specifically called a Reduction cut. It is also done with a linoleum block but in stages. First I only carved out what I wanted to stay white, then inked up the block with the blue gradient and printed 10 copies. Then I took that same block and carved out all that I wanted to stay blue, then I inked the block up with the light green…and the process continues until I have carved out everything but what is the darkest green. It is a fun process, though very time consuming.

#3 Wood cut. edition of 4. “Apple Tree” Price:$9.00, one taken 3 left

Wood cut is pretty much the same idea as a Linoleum cut except you use a block of wood to carve into instead of a block of Linoleum.

#4 Monoprint. only one print. Price:$ 3.00

Monoprint is done on a plexiglass plate and there is no carving involved. You simply ink up the plexiglass plate with ink and then with q-tips or rags wipe away the design. So in the print what I wiped away shows as the white of the design. And then you put paper ontop of the plexiglass and press. That is why it is called a monoprint, because there can only be one print made.

#5 Monoprint. Price: $2.00

#6 Monoprint. Price: $4.00

#7 Monoprint with washes. Price: $6.00 TAKEN

I forget if this has a special name or not, but this print has three monoprints ontop of each other. The first layer is just the blue, and the second layer is just the orange and then ontop is printed the black wash. A wash is done when you put ink on the plexiglass and then using solvents make fun designs in the ink, then print.

#8 Line etching. edition of 4. “November 1st” Price: $4.00

Line etching is kind of complicated to explain, but basically you start with a copper or zinc plate and then you coat it with a layer of nitric acid resistant ink sort of stuff. Then when that dries you scratch out the design or image and then you put the plate in nitric acid and the lines that have been scratched away will be eaten down. Then you take the plate out of the acid and wash it off. Then you press ink down into the eaten out grooves in the plate and then print. So in line etchings the ink is in the grooves rather than on the surface like in lito, wood and mono prints.

#9 Line etching. edition of 4. “Ramatuelle” Price: $10.00, one taken 3 left

#10 Line etching. edition of 3. “Numbers without meaning” Price: $3.00

I did this print for an assignment we had to do a print about fear…can you tell what my fear is? MATH!!

#11 Line etching and aquatint. edition of 4. “Zu Hause” Price: $15.00 two taken, 2 still available

This print has a line etching done first and then an aquatint done on top. An Aquatint is a way to make shading with using the same acid as the line etching. If you really want an explanation of aquatint email me. I think it would take too long to explain it well.

I entered a colored version of this print into an art show at Snow College and won best of show and sold two prints of it. It was my first ever selling of my own artwork!! You could say this was the beginning of my art career.

#12 Line etching with aquatint. edition of 6. “Infermerie” Price: $4.00 one taken, 5 still available

#13 Mezzotint. edition of 5. “Misplaced” Price: $5.00

Mezzotint is where you scratch up the surface of a copper or zinc plate really bad, then you take a scraper and smooth down the areas where the image is. Then you print.

#14 Lithograph. edition of 13. “Question” Price: 12.00

I am not even going to try to explain what a lithograph is…look it up if you want to know.:)

closer pic of  #14

#15 Lithograph. edition of 10. “Rainwashed” Price: 10.00 one taken, 9 still available

This one was hard to get a good picture of, but it looks awesome in real life. It is my favorite lithograph.

#16 Lithograph. edition of 4. “Loose cows” Price: $8.00 one taken, 3 still available

Here come all the paintings. I did not have as many as I thought I had stored up. Most of these are just small paintings on canvas, but they could lighten up your room or home. If one or several tickles your fancy don’t hesitate to comment about it to make it yours.

I know the pictures are not pro work, but you get the idea. I was trying to hurry and get pics of them done while Elsa was taking a nap, which these days seem to be getting shorter and shorter. If you want extra pictures or more detailed pictures of ones that you like, just say so.

Thanks for lookin! Prints to come next.

#1 TAKEN Unless it says otherwise, most of these paintings are oil paint on canvas paper and they were projects from college. This first handful of paintings was in a series. We had to do different color experiments and use the same subject and I picked these seed pods.

These first two are the same painting. I just wanted to show the difference good lighting and proper cropping makes on the paintings. The pictures I took today, I took to show size easily and give the general idea of the work. So just know that they look better in person than in photograph.

Since this is all work from college it is all very cheap:

Unless otherwise stated, each painting is only $2.00

#2 color experiment: mixing some of one color into every color used. (the ruler to the left has a white paper marking the 10 inch mark)

#3 markmaking. free to good home

#4 black and white

#5 warm colors. free to good home

#6 cool colors

#7 low chroma

#8 Mother color-mixing one color into all colors used

#9 another mother color

#10 Low chroma (this is my ultimate favorite one of the series)

#11 High chroma

#12 High chroma

#13 mark making/abstract. TAKEN

#14 Narrative

#15 Mark making/abstract. TAKEN

#16 abstract

#17 Oil painting on paper with canvas add-ins. Price: $10.00

#18 color field and markmaking. TAKEN

detail of #18 - showing texture (see the color difference the light makes…these are the same picture!!)

The next bunch of paintings are watercolor on watercolor paper. Reminder: the white mark at the top of these pictures show the 10 inch mark from the left to right.

#19 TAKEN

#20 I did two versions of this one

detail of #19

#21 color field experiments. These were so fun to do!!

#22

#23

#24

#25

#26 free to good home

detail of #26

#27 free to good home

detail of #27

These last few are from my color theory class. They are acrylic paint on cold press board.

#28 we had to design our own color wheel. I think I repainted some of the colors on this one about 6 times to get them the right color. Could be fun to hang up in a classroom or at home in the playroom.

Price: $8.00

#29 Complimentary color. This one is very bright, but fun. It has a white border on it in reality

TAKEN

#30 This is so fun! You could do this with your kids as an art project. We had to pick any song and then pick colors and shapes that depicted the song. Then when we had our class critique we listened to each song and then tried to fit the song with the painting. Mine was a jazzy song that I cannot remember the name of. When Casey gets home tonight I will have him remind me what the song is called. Price: $10.00

Well, painting is certainly not my strong point. But it is fun to experiment with and if I can lighten up someone’s day with it, then that makes me happy.

I finally have one of the Johnson order of birthday books done! I am rather pleased with how it turned out. Sorry that it is taking me so long. I have had to barricade myself into a corner with my work table so Elsa cannot get to me or all the supplies. Our living room looks very funny with toys everywhere and the couch and all other furniture surrounding my table…I guess I will need to move my workstation into a room where I can close the door, but this works for now. I just hope we do not have any visitors come over to see my very messy living room.

I do not know why, but when I saw this fabric I thought of you Scott…and so it came home with me to go on the cover of your book. And I love the huge wood button. I hope you like it as much as I do!

I think the sewing on this book is the best I have ever done!! I cannot get enough of that beautiful coptic stich!! Let me know what you think. I will hopefully be able to get the other four birthday books done very soon.

Just to clarify, here are orders that have been made:

Megan: # 5 (just the two light green jugs), 20, 21, 23 and 24. All free, you pay shipping.

(I can ship them to you as soon as I have your address)

Jenny: #2, 3, 11, 25 and 26. Only $8.00, what a deal!

(I will bring them to Utah and deliver them to your door)

Leave a comment if you want to add or change your mind. THANKS!!

Let me know if you want more pictures of the ones you want or different views, details etc.

I hope the prints and paintings do as well when I post them. I have a ton of those, I am just trying to figure out the best way to get them photographed so you can get a good idea of what they look like.

#1 Handmade vase, highfire (sturdy), 16 inches tall and 7 inches across at the mouth. This is the biggest ceramic piece I have. The rest of the work shown is smaller than this. ASKING PRICE: $60.00 (this is my favorite piece)

#2 Handmade vase, highfire, about 14 inches tall. taken

#3 Handmade vase, highfire, about 9 inches tall. taken (looks great as a set with the above two vases)

#4 Small handmade vase, highfire, about 5 inches tall. Free to good home. (looks great as a set with the above four vases)

#5 Six handmade jugs with awesome tops. Highfire. Free to good home. (can separate, just was easier to photograph together) All made at same time as a set. My favorite one is the tall skinny one in the middle. That one is about 15 inches tall. The table shown is one of the two identical wood tables that I am selling also.

#6 One of several small jugs. This one does now have a small crack in the middle, but not broken. Highfire, About 5 inches tall. Free to good home.

#7 Picture is a bit blurry, sorry. Handmade jug, highfire. About 4 inches tall. ASKING PRICE: $5.00.

#8 Handmade jug with top. Highfire. About 4 inches tall. ASKING PRICE: $10.00.

#9 Handmade jug with top. Highfire. About 7 inches tall. ASKING PRICE: $10.00

# 10 Handmade vase. Highfire. About 7 inches tall. ASKING PRICE: $12.00

#11 Wheel thrown vase. Salt fire. About8 inches tall. sold

#12 Wheel thrown cup. Highfire. About 4 inches tall. Free to good home.

#13 Two wheel thrown cups with handcarving. Highfire. About 4 inches tall. Free to good home.

# 14 I have four of these wheel thrown chunky cups with handcarving. Highfire. About 3 inches tall.

ASKING PRICE: $ 2.00 EACH

#15 Wheel thrown cup with fun handcarving. Highfire with experiment glaze. About 4 inches tall.

ASKING PRICE: $6.00

#16 Wheel thrown vase with carving. Naked highfired clay. About 5 inches tall. This vase is beautiful to use with a bunch of dried roses. ASKING PRICE: $8.00

# 17 Wheel thrown cups with hand carving. Highfire. About 2 inches tall. ASKING PRICE: $2.00 EACH.

#18 Slab built vase. About 8 inches tall. This is one of my first ceramic pieces. ASKING PRICE:$ 8.00

#19 A companion piece to the above vase. Slab built. ASKING PRICE: $ 8.00

#20 Handbuilt sculpture with homemade glaze. Two of a set of three pieces. Would be fun in a garden or something. About 5 inches tall.

#21 One of set of three, goes with the above sculptures. Handbuilt with homemade glaze. About 6 inches tall and 12 across. taken

#22 Handbuilt…uh jug, vase…do not know what to call it, but it was fun to make. I think I had visions of flowers growing out of the holes. About 7 inches tall. Free to good home.

# 23 Handmade vase/sculpture. Naked highfire Black Mountain clay. About 12 inches tall. taken

#24 Handbuilt coil vases. Naked highfired clay. Tallest one is about 5 inches tall. 

#25 To be honest I hate this vase…the glaze did not turn out at all. But maybe its just what you have been looking for, who knows. If you can find a happy use for it then it is yours. It is about 20 inches tall.taken

#26 This one has the same glaze on it, so same problem. But it does have a better shape that the other vase. This one is only about 14 inches tall. taken

#27 This one was my first ever stone carving project. It has bronze poured into it to look like a puddle. The bronze is rather expensive, so if you have a hankerin’ for this one it would be about $50.00 Could look fun in a garden or something.

Thanks for looking. These are all of the ceramics that I have. If you leave a comment that you want one of these, I will change the post to read sold.

Stay tuned for prints and paintings.