It started with a funky empty box

April 30, 2024 | JP Dawes Artist

from the Goodwill store. It was too good to pass up. I saw possibilities. And so it began. It had a closed in front with a tiny gate that opened. I couldn’t get my hand inside so the first thing I did was cut the front out to open it up. Then I could see the beginnings of a shrine.

Tiny mirror tiles on the inside floor and back wall. Painting the little Buddha for the inside. Glueing brass nails and a medallion on the top. It was coming together. I needed to paint the case to bring out the little carvings of flowers and vines.

I was waiting for an order of silver leaf and gold leaf to arrive. I was so happy when it arrived. I’ve never used it before so of course I watched a lot of online videos about it. It all looked so easy! Well let me tell you it is not easy to work with! I was still pleased with the finished look of aged, crinkled precious metals. The final finish was to use black furniture wax on the entire piece. It looks like I envisioned so it was worth it.

Tree Bones

March 4, 2024 | JP Dawes Artist

Do you think of trees as having bones? Noun: the basic or essential framework of something. I love tree bones. It’s the time of year that they are visible before the warm weather decks them out in their green finery.

An early spring camping trip was an occasion to explore the bones. I normally would have set up my easel and oil paints for some plein air painting. It was too windy no matter how I placed the easel against the wind. So I broke out the ink and watercolor.

My Little White Singer Treasure

April 21, 2017 | JP Dawes Artist

**My apologies to my Facebook friends who have already heard this story.** This is the sad unloved condition of my little 221K when I found her. This was my first sighting of an albino featherweight and I was smitten. But, so much dirt! I think the people at the thrift shop must have thought she was a toy since no self respecting sewist would let his/her tools get in this condition. You can see there were places that stickers had been removed and the back of the case has some red magic marker on it. But, do you see that price??? Be still my heart!

I had gone to the thrift shop to look at a black Singer to check the serial number for the model. I had decided it wasn’t one I wanted so I was just wandering the shop. As I came around a corner there was a couple in front of me. The man said….”what’s that?” The woman said….”the tag says Singer”. My heart stopped. Even if it was an empty case I would have bought it. I stayed back, lurking, looking uninterested but making sure nobody was coming up behind me. I was going to defend that aisle and the thing tagged Singer if that couple moved on.

Oh my gosh….they moved on! I swooped in and snatched up the case. An eagle after a rabbit couldn’t have been faster. It was heavier than a box so it had something in it. I gently raised the lid and peeked inside, not even taking the machine out so I didn’t risk a sneak attack by another shopper. Keeping a straight, uninterested face I made my way to the front to pay. Then my heart nearly stopped as the cashier said, “What’s this?” and opened it. Then she said,” looks like a pretty dirty toy”. Not saying anything I kept a poker face,paid for it and calmly walked to the door. Ron was waiting in the car and he knew by the way I was smiling as I came out that I had found a treasure.

It took me 2 days to make sure she was properly cleaned and oiled. I am still working on getting the flywheel off. So many vintage machines had WD40 used on them. That stuff turns to varnish over the years and glues metal together. But she sews. And she sews perfectly.

Blocking Out the Light

August 15, 2016 | JP Dawes Artist

The light pouring in the 4 large 6ft wide windows in the front of the gallery shop should have been a blessing. But it was a curse. The scorching summer sun was frying some of the textiles. So we have been forced to block the windows with shutters and curtains. The curtains will be pulled back when we are open to the public but will remain closed all other times.