Just the Blues II

Just the Blues II

Another in the series of sewing machine drawers.

I am really enjoying the creation of this littles and I hope you are as well.

This series is finite though, as I made several last year and sold them all.

Unless I find another dilapidated sewing machine, or one really cheap!

These drawers came from a sewing machine our neighbor had that had been stored outside.

She wanted Chris to refinish it, but the veneer was just too far gone to save.

So, he stripped the wood off the iron frame and replaced the top part with solid oak.

The drawer veneer was an issue as well, so she said just throw them away.

These drawers will live on as frames for hopefully another 100 years.

Chris also stripped the sewing machine itself as it was completely locked up. 

The head became part of the weight under his lathe.

The sewing machine parts are very interesting and form part of my steampunk box to design paintings.

So, the parts and pieces of the machine will live on, just in other ways.

I love it!

We ran errands this morning, going to Lowes to pick up paint for the trailer.

 Chris is building a trailer to pull behind the RV when we go to shows.

IT is coated in poor mans fiberglass, using waterproof glue to hold sheets tight against the wood.

It will also have about 3 or 4 coats of paint.

Fingers crossed that it is waterproof, because it will be carrying all my equipment.

We are one month out from the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

It still could get the ax again this year because Covid numbers are still so very high.

I am praying fervently that is not the case for this year as it is one of my favorite shows.

It is also a fairly local show as it's only an hour from home.

Our plans are to stay down there this year because it could be very big as far as sales go and you have to stay open at night to take advantage of the concert crowds.

I also have two booths, so there will be additional challenges there.

I still have to finalize the layout for the double booth 

because the second booth is my steampunk paintings.

I had someone share the alligator last week telling her friend these were my "alter ego" works.

I kind of like that, "alter ego" works because it is so different from my normal marine life pieces.

It is also why we have a separate booth for the pieces as I want them judged as their own collection.

I have had them in the booth together before, but people get really confused.

 They are so radically unusual that folks find it hard to believe I paint them.

They are in shock when they look around several times, then ask while pointing at the steampunk.

"You?"

I nod and they are in disbelief because most of the time this is an art form that is for a younger generation.

Truth be told though, this art has been around in one form or another for over 100 years.

Think Jules Verne 20,000 leagues under the sea written in 1872!

His science fiction inspired many advances because people started thinking what if?

My steampunk is typically different as mine focuses on steam engines, but also has car parts, farm machinery, vcr gears, clockworks, vintage woodwork, and whatever else I can find to fit into my current piece.

People love to look at them, talk about them, and ultimately purchase them!

Speaking of which, I need to set up the next one!

Just the Blues II, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 71 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021