Goal reached! Thank you!

Thanks to a flurry of activity this afternoon, we've hit- and surpassed- the goal of $800! Many, many thanks for your pledges and for passing the word along! You've just been wonderful! 

Any funds over the goal amount will go to support the costs of mounting an exhibition, as well as hiring some great traditional music to liven up the opening, tentatively scheduled for April 2017. 

i am psyched about getting back into the studio and start working on all the inspiration I've gathered up. It does take time to make this work, but I will keep you updated here, with photos of work in progress and other news. Please message me if you need to know anything at all about my project. 

Go raibh maith agat!!!  Thank YOU! 

Final Night in the British Museum

As part of my new British Museum membership, I was delighted to be able to attend a Members' Night on January 25. 

Strolling through the Great Court, there was a wonderful Scottish harpist playing a reproduction of a centuries-old harp. 

In among the Greek marble goddesses was a talented storyteller spinning tales of Lilith. 

And best of all, right outside the exhibition, Celtic artifacts put right into my hands in a "Hands On" session! 

The Museum hosts these throughout the galleries, something truly astounding- objects in the collection that are sturdy and able to be handled are presented by museum staff for close up inspection by visitors.  

I spent my final hour at the Museum in the Celts exhibit, in the blissfully calm, uncrowded galleries, closely examining some favorites. Even on this, my fifth trip through the show, it was still time to discover something new to savor and learn from. It was the perfect end to my week. It would be hard to imagine, in a week's time, being able to have seen and done more. 

I have been delighted to see the response and pledges come in over the past couple days. Many, many thanks to all of you who have joined in! I am looking forward to a busy time in the studio, thinking through all I have been witness to in this journey, and to getting to work on special sculptures for my supporters. As I post this, I am only $137 from the goal of $800. If you have a friend who might be interested, won't you pass this along? I'd be so appreciative. 

Thanks again! 

Laura T

Celts at The British Museum

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I've been heading over to the museum just as it opens each day, to avoid the large crowds which have been coming to see Celts: Art and Identity. I tried one afternoon, but it was impossible to see some of the smaller pieces up close. In the morning, it is been wonderful -and I've been able to stay almost 2 hours making some sketches, reading, comparing objects, and thinking through some ideas that they are starting to inspire. I've added a few of my sketches here. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed within this exhibition. The catalog, however, is extraordinary, with excellent essays and lots of great photography.

I attended two lectures, both featuring curator and Iron Age scholar Julia Farley. The second lecture also highlighted some work by famous Brit anthropologist, professor and author Alice Roberts. The two have slightly variant theories about the Celts and what makes something Celtic. The exhibit itself takes a stand on this. There is a continuous implication that the Celts are linked far more closely by technology, ideas, art and languages than they are by blood. The identity aspect of the exhibition traces the Celtic revival and offers a nod towards the role of art and poetry in politics.

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There is lots to mull over and discuss, and some worthy pubs in which to do so. A shoutout here to the new favorite, The Bricklayers Arms. Other close by discoveries were a remarkable art supply store right near the hotel, and the storied Hobgoblin Music. Stacked with instruments, all focus on folk and traditional music.

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Tomorrow the grand finale of the trip- Members Night - during which members stay late at the Museum, hear presentations, music and enjoy specialized tours.

See you all back in Rhode Island soon! Laura T

Perfect Landing

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What an extraordinarily, magically easy trip over to London! A half empty red-eye flight (with the ability to stretch out, so almost 4 hours actual sleep ) convenient Heathrow Connect train to Paddington, and a splurge on a cab ride to the hotel right around the corner from the British Museum. A stroll through the Bloomsbury neighborhood, discovery of the perfect wee cafe with requisite Big Salad and Full English ( breakfast that is) a steakhouse that looks promising and the possibility of endless free wi fi all around will mean less time searching for basic needs and more time at the Museum.

Resting up for tonight (I get paralyzing jet lag) to get focused with books and the Museum magazine and plan my approach for a long, happy day tomorrow at "Celts".

Many, many thanks to all of you who kicked in so far.

Update #3


Jan 19 2016

Stone Rubbings on Fabric

Perhaps you've once upon a time taken a rubbing from an old gravestone- a practice now frowned upon, often illegal, as it hastens the breakdown of the surface of the carved stone. It's an exciting technique, as the surface textures are captured and the image comes to life under our fingers. With a little skill, the process can produce incredibly beautiful work. Alas, in the interest of maintaining our historic stonework in cemeteries and on monuments, we must restrain our hand. 

No such restriction applies to my own stone work in relief, and one day I got nudged by someone close to try the idea of a rubbing from my own carving, just so he could have it hung up to enjoy in his study every day. After some experimentation I discovered a way to make it work, which involved high quality, firm art crayons and heavy papers.

large rubbing on paper, "Torn"

I kind of hate caring for paper! and the large rolls getting crushed and the difficulty and expense of framing some of the larger pieces. So, I tried it on cloth, seeking out colors and textures in the fabrics that echoed the stone, lichens, old trees and mosses often found in the many places of the standing stones. 

making a rubbing

You can try it as well, from some of my previously completed relief work right in my studio. This is a first time ever, one time only offer extended only through this Kickstarter. Though I have taught a class in how to carve relief to get the best rubbings, I have NEVER before allowed anyone to take rubbings from my work besides me! For a pledge of $75, we'll spend a couple hours in my studio creating your rubbing with your choice of the available fabrics and colors. It's composition, size and shape will be up to you. We'll have a pot of tea and some snacks while we work, either one on one or in a small group

And, if you would like a rubbing of your own, without heading to the mills of Warren, RI, we can arrange that as well. For a pledge of $50, I will send you one of the rubbings of this piece, a special favorite, with a couple possible color/style options available. Just message me about your preferences or interests...for example, perhaps you'd like a mostly blues and greens rubbing, or that you would love one in earth tones. And, if some different image of my relief stonework or its rubbing captures your attention, let me know, and we may be able to customize a rubbing just for you! 

New Moon

"New Moon" double rubbing

I am packing wildly this morning, as the plane leaves tonight for the big trip to London! If you'd pledge before I leave it would be so very encouraging! 

-Laura T

Update #2


Jan 15 2016
Almost Brigid's Day












One of my rewards is a traditional Brigid's cross, handmade by me from reeds I gather near my little studio in South Kingstown Rhode Island, packed as a unique gift. I've been making these for many years, and sharing them on my Etsy shop.

Brigid's Day is February 1, and make no mistake about it, I chose that as my last day of this Kickstarter for a reason. Brigid's Day, also known as Candlemas or Imbolc, marks a division in the winter season, the quickening of life as sap starts to rise in the trees and lambs are born. The holiday is utterly Celtic, and still celebrated in Ireland by the gathering of reeds and the making of these small crosses. Brigid herself is second only to Patrick among the saints of Ireland and is the patroness of fire, smithing, tools, animal husbandry, hospitality and poetry.

Since she's in charge of the iron tools I use, the season we are about to enter, and remains the most Celtic of saints, I thought it appropriate to share something of Brigid in this project! As the first tiny stirrings before Spring come our way I'll be in the studio, forming inspiration - slowly,gradually -into stonework.

I include a card that explains the traditions and customs surrounding the Brigid's cross with every package. I've shipped these all over the world, even to Ireland. They make a lovely housewarming gift or a special favor for a hostess. Put one near your hearth to protect your home from fire.

Many, many thanks to all who have pledged so far. I'm busily packing for my trip and finishing up work in the studio. I am looking forward to hearing from a few more of you soon, before I get on that plane on Tuesday! Any questions at all, please contact me!

-Laura

Want to take a class? Decide before February 1: it will support my Kickstarter!

Update #1 

Jan 12 2016

Stone Carving Classes as Your Reward

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Hey everyone! I thought I'd take a few minutes to tell you about my stone carving class and workshop coming right up, to give everyone a more complete picture of what that reward looks like! If you choose to support my project at the $125 level,  you will be able to choose ANY class I offer in 2016 or 2017 as your reward, or you may give the reward as a gift to a friend or family member and let them choose the right experience for themselves. 

These examples are scheduled- and are certainly available to supporters! But, if these dates don't suit, no worries, I'm planning to set up supporters with special dates, not available to the general public. You'll get your choice of a spot in a regularly scheduled class (and I will have several possibilities) or a "supporters only" group. Any questions at all, just contact me! 

carving a water smoothed beach stone

Weekend Workshop: Relief Carving Intensive in Limestone at Laura Travis Carving: Spend a weekend learning to carve stone! All levels are welcome in this two day workshop, February 20-21, 9:30 am -4 pm at Laura Travis Carving, 219A. Ages 14 and up. Beginners are a specialty! Bring an idea for a design or find one when you get here. $125 includes use of all tools and one stone.

what are all these tools for? find out!

NEW! Tuesdays Rock! Weekly Stone carving class at Laura Travis Carving March 1 to 22 6 to 8:30 pm. A highly personalized, in-studio class in carving stone for a limit of 5 people. If you ever wanted to “dig in” in a small group, with every tool at your fingertips, and work towards completing a special project, this is the class for you. It’s great for relief carvers looking to get some experience in carving in the round. Beginners are always welcome and will find this a very supportive setting. Soapstone carving in the round and limestone carving in the round or in relief are all options. $125 for four weeks of class at studio 219A, stone and some materials additional. 

I've had a number of folks purchase one of my classes as a special gift. Another favorite way to enjoy a class has been fathers and sons or sisters or several members of a school arts faculty take the class together! And you'll be pleased to know that most people do some pretty impressive work even during the first class. Have a look:

student work in a carving class

 and then there was this group of hotshots:

student work

 If you are inspired to take one of my classes as your reward, I'd be thrilled! Since this Kickstarter only lasts until February 1, if you make a pledge now, you've assured your place in a special session for supporters, or the class of your choice, going forward. Same goes if you decide to make this a gift. Please send me any and all questions! 

And thank you! 

-Laura

Here it is!

this is the man I'm meeting in London.

Am I really retired?

I am in my new studio, lying on the couch, a day or two after year has turned. It's now 2016, I'm on the couch in my new studio. I've been retired since June from my hectic, all- absorbing high school art teaching job. Right now,  I am contemplating a long list of things I need to do in the month of January. I don't feel very retired!

But they say, artists don't retire. They never retire. And the last thing I want to do is retire from being an artist. I am about to launch my very first for kick starter campaign, and I'm hopeful, but truly wondering if I will get support for it. The kick starter is to support the longest journey I'll probably ever make just to look at Art. It's for me to go to London to visit the British Museum, which is hosting the largest collection of Celtic art ever assembled. And it's closing the end of January, so I better move fast.

People use kick starter to get lots of things done, including amass giant wads of money to get certain objects manufactured and also print out CDs, which is how most of the people I know have had use for crowdfunding. My manufacturing process is simple: get me a chisel and hammer and a chunk of limestone and wait a couple weeks, or a month, and then you can have some art. Almost nothing can speed this up. I think this is a good thing.

But this is like a band going on tour, or going to 100 workshops made just to suit me. I have to get there. I will get there, it's just that when I get back, I'm going to want to bury myself in limestone and hammers and chisels and not come out until spring or maybe even June. And if I don't get some help, instead I might have to go and get some kind of part time employment. To pay the bills from the trip. And the work won't get as done as fast. And the thing is, the work- the sculpture, the ideas, the making-  that's why am doing the kick starter, really. The trip is inspiration for the work. And the real plan is to have a show with in a year and a half of the work I produced as a result of seeing this absolutely landmark show. It's a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit for me to see. Doing a kick starter will not only force me to make work to give to the supporters of this kick starter, it will force me to have a show of the work that I made. 

And, it will force me to get this blog started again! So welcome back! 

Happy HopArts! 

HopArts Studio Trail is my favorite Fall weekend...not only because its so much fun to see old friends and fellow artists from around South County RI- seeing a little less of them since I moved my most of the time home to Providence last Fall- but because its' just a blast to be part of why people love New England in the Autumn.

Picture this: Peak foliage weekend, a drive in small town rural RI, air dry and crisp, pumpkins and apples everywhere, and 36 artists' studios to ramble through...artists demonstrating outdoors, inside, the warm smells of mulled cider...perhaps the hint of an old dance tune on the breeze...

and then you see it: the perfect holiday gift thing for your Aunt Madge. Next stop sews up the presents for nieces and nephews..and so on, down the road from Richmond to Hopkinton...

Blue Fragments, stone rubbing on fabric

I have been busy the last few days with some smaller pieces based on the "tryout pieces" I do to get ready to do a stone rubbing on a larger fabric length. I'm pricing these well, and will have at least five of them at HopArts this weekend.

Gold Fragments stone rubbing

Fiddling with Little Red

I am delighted to be returning to show at Susan Shaw's wonderful pottery studio. There's FIVE artists at our stop on the studio trail...Susan and her pottery, paintings and more in the beautiful shop, her husband John Buscaglia demonstrating turning wood outdoors and selling his wares, the chatty and talented Jon Campbell holding court at the end of the kitchen with sculptures and unique handcrafted jewelry, Jude Larzelere, quilter extraordinaire and recent Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship awardee, and me in the pottery studio, demonstrating stone carving and making rubbings. I will also have lots of Brigid Crosses on hand to hand out around the holidays as hostess gifts to make you a favorite guest!

Piper of Clonmacnoise in a different framing

See all the details at hoparts.org, including map and directions. Find me at Stop Number 11 at Shaw Pottery, and be sure to say hello!

NetWorks RI

My official NetWorks portrait by Scott Lapham, 

probably one of the three or four photos of me I ever really liked. 

Here is the video that Richard Goulis made last spring 

to document my work as part of the NetWorks RI project. 

 February Vacation

Midwinter break from school was marked by warm weather and a chance to get into the studio. For awhile now I have had the idea of setting two slabs (or maybe more) together to make a piece that would stand firmly on its own, and be connected, but dis-connect-able. I made a smallish one to try out the idea and I think it is working pretty well, and now I am carving one of the pieces with a take off on a very old design from one of my cherished ancient Celtic scabbard pieces.  I have a whole book of this sort of design, primarily from metal work, that inspires some interesting carving for stone. It's called Celtic Designs from the British Museum. 

These designs were created to embellish sword sheaths, many of them were found with the rotted bits of iron of the sword inside.

The round metal mallet is very handy for work on a harder piece
of stone or for removing material in a firm but controlled way.
I balanced the edge of the piece with sandbags and some extra stone

I had been fiddling with these two pieces of stone for months now, separately. One of them is featured in my NetWorks video; I am chopping away on it and the hammer is drowning out what I am talking about. The other used to be part of some sort of bench or step, and features a sweep of the edge of the old architectural carving that I wanted to preserve, and use to best effect.


With a bit more heaving the pieces off and on the table, I decided that there was a good way to work it out to have them fit together as per my plan. They were fairly heavy, being thick, so I thought I would try something different. The 'elbow' cut I made allowed for the large piece to weigh down the smaller one that supports it, and I was pleased at how stable the set up was.

Now to decide whether or what to carve on it!

The turn of the year

Brigid's Well in Kildare

The year turns for me on Brigid's Day. The beginning of it is of course a bit earlier, but it is at that first bit of February when you get an inkling of how long the winter will be, what the prospects are for the seasons to come; it is the deep part of winter when you can hear yourself think, and make a plan. 

It is, as traditionally celebrated, the very first stirring of a new season. 

This year, I'm making lots of Brigid Crosses for my Etsy site and for friends, and I'm sharing how to make them in a workshop at the Irish Ceili Club of RI on January 26. Another  workshop is slated in Providence for February 2.  

Irish harpist and singer Aine Minogue has some wonderful stories of the mighty Saint and her goddess ancestor- and last year, she presented some of these along with her matchless music at a concert at the Blackstone River Theatre where I was pleased to be able to offer my Brigid Crosses for sale.  Remembering that fine evening, I sought out Aine's excellent web site, a whole section of which is devoted to Brigid of Ireland. 

Writes Aine:

 "To me Brigid's Day is simply bursting with significance as the start of the year, the opening of nature's door to new growth, new life - possibility. Rituals linked to Brigid seem to connect us to this, to force us to notice nature's cycle, to engage us in the magic of wishing for what we desire, while at the same time seeking protection during a time of change. Brigid had the right idea when she developed the ritual of cross making. It connects us in a very simple way with the earth, with life, with spirit. I smell the new growth as I walk down by the Blackwater river here in Lismore. I move out amongst the deep green-coloured reeds, bend my head to the land to gather clumps of them and again smell the earth's sap rising. "

New Matics

Under the general headline of "tooling up", this summer I decided to invest in a pneumatic hammer, something of a specialty item, in an effort to speed up some of my process a wee bit. The hammer, for those who might not realize what they are, uses compressed air to drive a chisel and, if handled properly, hits the chisel an awful lot faster and more often than I can. 

I am a long way from handling it properly. But I am trying to practice, and the tool itself is a thing of beauty. It is made by Trow and Holden of Barre, Vermont, where the old factory still stands. The granite workers of Vermont swear by the tools they make there, and so do I. The tools are tough beyond belief and  the people who make them will discuss your needs in detail with you, and I have ordered custom tooth chisels and special small flats from them in the past and been delighted with the results. 

A bit of work in the studio was indicated to prepare for the new set up.

I have a big workbench, so I cleared the end closest to the door, screwed some shelves into the wall. The new compressor sits off the end of this, and the hose can reach outside so I can work there. The shelves hold the hammer and chisels, fittings and the wrench that fits! 

It's taken awhile to get warmed up with this tool, and I am far from confident with it so far, but I am hoping for nice clear weekends, crisp Fall weather and a chance to get some work done! 

The Middlebridge Group

A few years back I decided that I should host some weekend workshops in stone carving at my own studio here in South Kingstown. I was inspired by the utter lack of interest that was shown the classes when I signed up to teach- several years running-  with the South County Neighborhood Guild. The Guild hosts literally hundreds of classes in everything from youth camps to senior yoga, and are about as busy and as active as an outfit can be. I suppose the specialty nature of what I have to offer had a way of just getting lost in the shuffle, despite whatever publicity I could assemble on my own.

So, one summer a few years back I decided to host in my own yard. I soon had two classes full to capacity, and because if the incredible convenience of strolling out my door to work, I was able to offer these at a good discount.

We also potlucked out lunches together, having a fantastic time as a result. I laid on the ice tea and sodas, and we stayed cool under my awning. Some of the work produced has been great, even though everyone was essentially a beginner. I've decided to call us The Middlebridge Group.

I've been doing it every summer since.  Sometimes the class runs, sometimes not quite enough people sign up and we have to skip it, but whenever we do get to have the class, we all agree it to be quite worthwhile.

This year, the classes will be July 23-24 and August 20-21. 10 am to 4 pm- Middlebridge, RI (my studio near the Narrow River, in South Kingstown) Students can choose between using limestone to do a relief carving or soapstone to work in the round. The price for the weekend, $90, includes two days instruction, access to all the tools you need and one piece of stone, as well as cold drinks all day, and the fun or sharing it all! More info and to enroll, laura@as220.org