SPRING FORWARD

This has been an odd winter in Northern Nevada, due to the fact that we haven't had much of a winter down here in the valley.   Our poor confused trees are starting to bud, flowers are emerging out of the cold ground and fresh grass is even is even starting to pop through the dry remnants of last years lawn.  In the past 24 hours we have gone from sunny 70 degrees to howling wind and snow flurries.  Everyone on TV and various social media sites have been talking about spring, but it's just hard to think about when we've barely had a dusting of snow here and there.  And with our crazy weather, snow is a possibility for the next three months- last year I followed the tested rule, don't plant your tomatoes until all of the snow is off Peavine, and low and behold we had snow in June and I finally planted my tomatoes July 4th weekend! Before I had started planting, I had gotten pictures of my family in Alabama's overabundant crops, piles and piles of tomatoes.  I was so jealous.  Anyway, this story does have a point.... GARDEN MARKERS!

Stamping the clay for the markers

On this blustery snowy day I've been working away in my studio creating Herb & Vegetable Markers.  Even though the weather has been crazily unpredictable, people are starting to think about their gardens and even start their seeds indoors. This is the third year I have been creating my Garden Markers and they are always a hit!  Every show I go to, I always get great suggestions.  Right now my collection has about 40 varieties and is still growing.  New for this kiln round is Catnip, an idea from my favorite group of gals who come to the studio for private mosaic classes.  Last year I had someone request a set of specialized peppers- Anaheim, Jalapeno, Mexibell and Poblano.  I even had some friends that planted a rose garden and wanted each of the bushes labeled accordingly- those were some funny names!  My favorite is a set of two that say Fairy Crossing.  I always have a couple of those in stock :)

These Garden Markers make a unique gift for the gardener in your life.  I know several of my clients have their own mini-supply of them on hand to give as hostess gifts.  I recycle silverware so no two pieces will ever be alike.  I try to find unique pieces and the more flowery, the better!  I use stoneware that is fired to cone 6 and I use a cement adhesive, so they will hold up to the best that Mother Nature will throw at you.  I use two different fonts and two different finishes, so you can get a variety or have them all match, it's up to you!  They are $5 each, no minimum order required. Please contact me to see what I have in stock and if we need to do a special order, it'll be about a week longer to process.  There is a link to my Etsy store on the side bar of this blog or contact me through my website.

HAPPY PLANTING!

Rose Garden Markers

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I am working away in my studio creating a wide range of Valentine inspired mosaics.  I have brought back the "Key to My Heart" series, and have a new line of "conversation hearts"~ 4" x 4" mosaics cute on their own or great in multiples!  I have Valentine mosaics from modern to traditional, bright to neutral color palates, and many that would be great for HIM!  I have posted many of my mosaics on Etsy, but I have dozens more that I will be finishing up this week for two shows....

The first show is this Thursday, February 9th from 4pm-7pm at Ryrie's Art & Home on Lakeside in Reno.  Ryrie will be hosting this special artisan show featuring my new line of valentine mosaics, the beautiful fused glass art of Bryn McCubbins-Design4Soul, and the whimsical mixed media creations of Randi Case-Blue Moon International.  Come meet the artists and pick up something special for your valentine!


The second show is Beer & Brats for Babes, this Saturday February 11th from 3-5pm at an eclectic art house in Reno located at 2421 Riviera Street, near Idylwild Park.  There will be beer and brats on the barbie for all you Valentine babes!  Several artists were selected for this unique show and will include yard art, homemade truffles, fused glass, large scale digital art, and of course my mosaics.

  

  

If you can't make it to one of these shows and would like to get your sweetie a very unique valentine, please contact me to set up a time to come by the studio and look through my stock.  If we need to ship, let me know by Thursday to ensure timely delivery.  Happy Valentine's Day!

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Custom Wedding Mosaics

One of my favorite types of projects since incorporating words into my mosaics is creating custom wedding gifts.  Over the past couple of years I have made at least a dozen of these and I'd like to share with you pictures of a few of the ones I like best!

Mosaic based on wedding invitaiton

    

A VERY special proposal!

   

Wedding song of a couple remarrying each other

"The next chapter..." was their wedding quote

It's fun to work with the client to make it really special for the recipients!  It could be based on the invitation, a special song or simply to go perfectly in the home they will soon share.  I only need two or three weeks lead-time to make one of these beautiful creations.  Please contact me if you have a special event coming up that you would like a one of a kind gift that they will truly love.

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Burning Man - The Ultimate Artistic Inspiration

I recently returned from my annual pilgrimage to the desert for a little event called Burning Man. For those of you not familiar, once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada's Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary city dedicated to community, art, self expression and radical self reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever.  Burning Man is different things for different people.  It can be that wild and hedonistic place you hear stories of, but it can also be a place to connect to something greater and recharge your spirit.  For me it is the latter and every year I come back with a little more inspiration and more importantly in this era, faith in humanity.  It's a place where love is the currency and acceptance (and encouragement) of all self-expression abounds.

 

It always astonishes me to think about what it must take to get some of these installations out into the desert and this year was no exception.  As an artist, it just blows my mind to see what people come up with, many work all year long to create their art to share with the community, and many times to watch it burn by the end of the event.  I love seeing other people's pictures and discovering art and camps that I didn't see while I was there.  It is wild that you can spend a week in a city and not see everything!

The Man

The Man Burning Saturday night

There is something very therapeutic about watching something burn and the release of energy that it creates.  When the Man burns on Saturday night, it is the biggest party on the playa. However, for many, the climax of the event is when the Temple burns on Sunday.  Throughout the week, people visit the temple offering messages, photos and often times physical mementos of something or someone they wish to release; whether it be a loved one that has passed on, the end of a relationship, or even a past version of themselves, so that they can move on to create their fuller potential.  When the Temple burns it's as though you can watch all of these intentions float away on the embers.  Unlike the previous night, there is a reverence throughout the crowd of tens of thousands and you could hear a pin drop in the silence.  It's a very powerful experience and if you go to Burning Man, I highly recommend staying the extra day for it.

The Temple of Transition

The Temple burning Sunday night

So as I move on with my life and my work, I am encouraged to be that better, giving and loving person that comes out freely on the playa.  I know that it will reflect in my art and in my relationships and in my connection with Spirit.  And I look forward to next year and all that this concept called Burning Man encompasses.

     

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Lazy Days of Summer...YEAH RIGHT!

I have been absent way too long from my well-intentioned goal of blogging.  However, I am happy to have had such a jam-packed summer!  Thanks to all who came out to visit me at my many events.   From Reno to Kirkwood to Lake Tahoe to Carson to Sparks it has been a fun whirlwind of shows and festivals.  I am taking September to regroup and then it starts again in October with fall and holiday shows, six events already booked!  Below are some pictures of my booth at some of the shows this summer.  I know, rough life, huh?

Art in the Lake Tahoe Garden

Lavender Ridge

Wildflower Festival at Kirkwood Resort, CA

So, my goal this next month is to get more in the habit of blogging, because besides all of the festivals, I've created some really fun custom projects that I need to catch up on posting!

The arts scene in Reno is bustling this weekend!

This Saturday, June 18th, is going to be BUSY BUSY BUSY!  I will be in two shows.  The first is Taylor St Market at Pickled Tink-Artistree Studio on Taylor Street between Virginia & Center Street. There will be over 25 vendors selling their "vintage inspired or insanely cute" wares.  Such a fun show with great vendors! The market will be held from 8am-2pm.  I will then pack it up and move uptown a half a mile to the Nevada Museum of Art.  They are celebrating their birthday with a traveling Egyptian exhibit.  They are hosting an Egyptian Bazaar complete with vendors, stiltwalkers, sword swallowers, fortune tellers and acrobats.  Both events are free and there is even free admission to the museum that evening!  I will be there from 3pm-8pm.  California Merchant's Association is having a craft fair as well, NadaDada is set up in motels across downtown and I think it's wine walk weekend on the river.  So get out and enjoy this beautiful weather and check out the local art scene!

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello! My name is Katie and I am an artist living and creating in the beautiful high desert of Northern Nevada.  I share my studio with my precocious black lab Buddy and occasionally my fluffy black cat Sam graces us with her presence.  I have created this blog to share all of the fun projects that I am lucky enough to be a part of.


Copper Cat Studio is the brainchild of me and two of my most creative friends Linda and Ann.  Ann and I came up with it on a very creatively~productive adventure to the Pacific Northwest.  I was telling my friend Linda about our ideas without telling her the name, she came up with the exact same name.  I guess it was meant to be!  Linda and her creative talents brought it to life. Copper Cat Studio gives me the platform to continue with my painting, mosaics, ceramics, fused glass and soon copper enameling!

If we are meeting for the first time, I will give you little background on my story~

I grew up in Oklahoma, where the majority of my family still calls home.  I went to college in Edmond and at that time I was buying into the "starving artist" myth, so I got a degree in Interior Design.  My first job out of college (and still one of my favorites) was a designer for a high end custom furniture manufacturer in Newcastle, OK. After a couple of years, I got the itch to move away and strike out on my own, and as luck would have it, my brother had just moved to Reno.  So I thought I would try it out for a couple of years and 13 years later, here I am! I worked for an Interior Design firm for 7 years here in Reno, all the while nurturing my on-the-side mural business and finally in the fall of 2007 I made the leap and became a full time artist. All kinds of great things immediately followed: meeting my future husband, branching out into mosaics (and landing a killer job for the Peppermill Casino), many other exciting projects, travels and generally life changing experiences.  It's funny how when you are doing what brings you so much joy, everything just seems to align....

So this blog will be be used to document all of my current projects, shows and other fun tidbits.  And I will be backtracking a bit as well, because I just have too much fun stuff to share!!!