Sort of Like Cows on Parade

[Alessandra Kelley]

I'm excited and a little nervous. I've been accepted as one of the artists to paint a 1.6 meter-diameter fiberglass globe to be placed in Grant Park on the Chicago lakefront this summer. (see http://www.coolglobes.com/about.htm )

This is outside of my usual range of artworks, but it's a cause I'm willing to support (They wanted solutions and ideas to combat global warming, something it would be nice if the USA got on the ball about). It also has to be weatherproof, so it's back to the ol' acrylics, rather than my usual run of egg tempera. Also I can't fit it into the house, so I'll have to paint it in the unheated detached garage -- I'm really hoping this cold snap ends soon.

Also it's WAY more public than most of the work I've done. It's kind of exciting. I'm under no illusions that this will bring fame to the artists, but I'm pleased to be a part of the project. Glee!

[Bert Congdon]

Congratulations Alessandra. I'm really proud of you :!:

[PhilS]

Bravo, Alessandra!
What are you going to paint? (How about George W sitting in a liferaft saying, "Well, at least I made America safe from TERRORISTS!" and a big ol' shark about to bite the bottom of the boat).

[RobM]

Wow.....I could become rather politically incorrect about the issue of global warming and GWB's denial of the problem and am rather interested in the general US views of this really serious situation.
Well done Alessandra, get THE message across, it is a global issue which (close to home) will be a problem in my grandson's life-time!!!!! Already we in the UK are feeling the effects of it....changes in weather patterns, the wild life not knowing whether it is winter, spring or summer, serious coastal errosion........I could go on.

Remaining politically correct :-?
RM

[PhilS]

Sorry, couldn't resist a little political "humor."
But seriously, Alessandra, global warming is an issue that a significant number of people are still in denial about. Any effort to illuminate this problem and possibly propose solutions is a worthwhile endeavor.
Maybe you could post pictures of your completed globe(?)
Phil

[Alessandra Kelley]

Maybe so. I haven't actually got the thing yet. And yes, the situation is serious. I have said so for about ten years now. The self-serving denial of global warming has been annoying, if not infuriating, for all that time. But better to try to do something about it than grind my teeth over the naysayers.

My design as approved by the Cool Globes committee is Wind Power. It's going to be bands of scenes, blue-and-green for eco-friendly scenes, orange-and-brown for bad choices, and the whole thing is supposed to resemble Jupiter from a distance. Of course, this plan still has to be implemented and we'll see how it comes out in reality.

And yes, I am aware that wind power is nuanced and has its own difficulties. I'm just trying to get across a simple message.

Maybe I should post some of my regular work here first so people can see the sort of stuff I paint normally. Or you can check out my website at http://www.alessandrakelley.com/ -- I haven't updated it in awhile, but there are some good images there.

[Bert Congdon]

Al, I make no political statement, but I wonder if there are doubts about the adherence of whatever paint your going to use. Please write me if there are doubts.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Dunno yet, but thanks very much for the offer, Bert.

I was at a salon last night and met a couple of other artists who are also going to be working on the Globes project. They already have contracts (I don't -- apparently my concept doesn't have a sponsor yet), which include information on priming (which we will have to do ourselves) and varnishing.

The artist couldn't recall the particulars, but thought the priming was something toxic. Oh boy. Happily I have a respirator and a garage.

Beyond that, I was planning on using acrylic paints.

[JanMoore]

Congratulations! You're going to enjoy this project.

I did a Dala Horse for a hospital fundraiser here. Our fiberglass horses were ready to paint -- we didn't need to prime them except that the fiber glass was gray. I started by painting it with white latex paint. I used latex for the body color along with acrylic for the other colors. You can also mix in a product from Golden called GAC 200 which is positively indestructible and nearly impossible to remove (it will stick to anything). I used it for the saddle because I didn't have the color I wanted so I made my own. Afterward I sprayed it with an acrylic sealer.

I don't have a digital picture but you can find the Dala horses through the websited for Swedish Hospital: www.swedishhospital.com, then search the site for Dala Horses. You'll get two matches -- click on the one that is Artists' profiles and you'll find pictures of all the horses. Mine is Merry-go-Dala, second row, right end.

Good luck. Have fun. Keep your sense of humor!

Direct link.....
http://www.swedishhospital.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCustomContentID=BA6EC024-3A32-47EB-9E66-9697E932D610

[Alessandra Kelley]

Oh, neat, they're like the Swedish folk horse carvings.

Well, I now have a contract and a sponsor (don't know who yet, though).

I will have to prime the globe. They "strongly" recommend a "shellac based primer" such as Zinzer or Kilns, whatever those are. And for varnishing they suggest "Lascaux(Swiss) UV Varnish", but "Please do not use Pebeo". I don't know what Pebeo is, although I vaguely associate the name with really cheap, low quality art supplies.

I guess I'll go do some web research, and call on the expertise of Bert and others with more experience than I in these things.

I am planning on using acrylics (mostly Golden) between the priming and the varnish.

Got to get the contract back now so I can get my globe. They have to be finished by 22nd April. Whee!

[JanMoore]

Pebeo and Lascaux are both brand names. I would imagine that this process is dictated by the climate and elements to which it will be exposed.

Your sponsor may want to direct what you paint. I made up some drawings of possible designs before I met with my sponsor. She chose the Carousel Horse idea. We also could include the sponsor's logo once, but not very large. Mine is on the breastplate of the horse's harness (can't be seen on the side view, but there is another group picture that you can see it slightly).

[sabine]

It seems a great project :-) Just too bad you can't use tempera... Stupid question: ET wouldn't resist outside?

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

We had A Cow Parade in Athens, summer '06, I gave in 2 ideas one was with 1000 Flying Red Hearts on 23 3/4 gold leaf gold purchasing value was estimated at $1800.

no I didn't get a contract, thank god.

several of my friends did, next time I guess.

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

:arrow: Best of luck Alessandra and make sure you get your real $ fee :!:

p.s. dont forget to post us a picture 8-)

[Bert Congdon]

Al, I have been recommending XIM to people.I see no reason to leave you out. You can buy it at most paint stores. It comes in quarts and gallons; clear and white. Either one may be tinted. Drys quickly, non-toxic,
sticks to everything, and anything can be painted over it. Used as a primer on glass, plastic, galvsnized gutters, etc.

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

a buddy of mine has been offered to mend several cows from the Athens '06 event as the polyester models cracked due to heat, bad construction or no real primer before the final paint used, so take good care with the final product.

http://www.greekhandicraft.com/

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

:arrow: Oh, btw, several artist sent over kids at night to spray paint their cow parade art work with political messages, this naturally got them in the media spot light the next day and was part of the PR game. :idea:

8-) 8-) 8-)

[Bert Congdon]

Check on the kilns. You might find that to be KILZ. A good primer. Comes in white only, but can be tinted to any color. Non toxic if you don't drink it.
Sticks to everything, and fast drying. Good product. Both KILZ and XIM are oil based.

[jeff]

This is great Alessandra. It is such an important issue to raise people's awareness on. I spent many years working in an environmental NGO on the issue of global warming in the 90s. To see it only moving in public awareness in Australia now has been a relief - but it has only come about because of the warming induced drought that is decimating 60% of the country. I just hope that 10 years too late is not really too late.

I'm sure your contribution will be thoughtful and inspiring like your paintings always seem to be.

jeff

[Rosemary]

Hi Alessandra,

I think you are referring to Kilz above. It is a white pigmented shellac and is used to isolate anything that might be solvent, oil or resin based that could bleed through subsequent layers. The solvent is denatured alcohol.

It does stick to anything very well.

I have only used it for house painting, not fine art painting. It works wonders over old oil stains, etc. on a wall.

Best wishes,
Rosemary

[Bert Congdon]

Sorry, Kilz is not shellac. Bulls-eye is white pigmented shellac. Ki;z ia thinned with Turps or mineral spirits. Not that it matters.

[Dennis H]

Just to further complicate matters, Kilz now makes a water-based, latex product.
I used to buy Kilz white-pigmented shellac many years ago. What they replaced it with is an alkyd resin primer that thins with mineral spirits. The only shellac-based primer I've been able to find lately is made by Zinsser, called B-I-N. Zinsser also makes Bulls-Eye primers in oil- and water-based versions.
B-I-N will stick to about anything and stop just about any stain from bleeding through, like pine wood knots and ballpoint pen. But, it skins over quickly, so keeping a "wet edge" may be difficult and roller overlaps will be more apparent than with latex or "oil" primers.
Dennis

[Alessandra Kelley]

Just a quick post (got to read the kids bedtime stories...). I've been in contact with Golden Acrylics, and they say they "strongly disagree and state NOT to use a shellac based primer for outdoor applications."

I'm probably going to use acrylic gesso mixed with some tough, hard version of acrylic medium (because I can't get an auto shop to prime it, which was another recommendation), use my best judgement and diligence for durability, and hope.

It's helpful to be dealing with outdoor weather issues, since what I deal with normally is so indoors and sheltered.

[Bert Congdon]

They don't disagree with me because, I did not recommend shellac for outdoor priming. I recommended XIM. I have used Zinsser products for 60 years. B.I.N. use to be called Bulls Eye, useless except for touch up indoors. I do not recommend Kilz for long lasting outdoor priming.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Thanks so much, Bert, for your generous help. It's nice to have someone with so much experience willing to share.

On the globe front, I haven't got mine yet, and when I contacted them they told me they were having unexpected delays in the production of the things (I think the project is much bigger than they first expected, too). They hope to have mine to me within a week or so.

[Bert Congdon]

It's my pleasure Al. This is one of the little joys I have in life.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Hooray, I've got my globe! They delivered it Monday noon and I spent the afternoon priming it. Right now I'm in the wait-24-hours-after-priming-before-painting period, so I actually have time to post. I don't know if I'll have much time once I've started painting, particularly since the deadline is so tight.

The thing is big, a good bit taller than I am. I have to use a ladder to paint the North Polar region. Oddly enough, it looks bigger from a distance and seems to get more manageable as you get closer.

Thanks for all your well wishes. Here I go.

[sabine]

Good work and ggod luck :-)

[Alessandra Kelley]

It's done, apart from the isolation coat. The Cool Globes people are taking care of the varnishing, which is a great relief.

I'll do the isolation coat tomorrow, and that will be It.

The original deadline was 22nd April (Earth Day, by happy coincidence), and I've made it. Phew.

Also, my neighborhood newspaper asked me some questions and took some pictures, so there might be an online article soon.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Yes! My globe's in a story in my neighborhood newspaper! The following link will work for only one week from today -- the Herald does not archive online, it just replaces each week's paper with the next one.

So, for ONE WEEK ONLY: http://www.hpherald.com/pg3.html


(Editors Note..The article is now shown on page 3 of this topic.)

[David McKay]

Hi Alessandra:

Thanks for the post. Nice for you to have the publicity, and nice for us to get to see what you look like. Congratulations! Now you can breath a sigh of relief. David

[RobM]

http://www.eggtempera.com/forumimages/aknewsarticle.jpg

[Alessandra Kelley]

Yes, that's me all right ... under about five layers of insulation. Apparently we had record-breaking cold this April, starting just when I started painting. So through rain, wind, sleet, and snow, I and my little hair dryer* persevered.

*Apparently acrylic paint won't dry when the temperature is below 10 degrees celsius (If I calculated that right. My paint says 49 degrees F). Most days I had to use a hair dryer to get the paint dry. On the plus side, that meant I had the time to blend acrylics like oils and could "set" them whenever I was happy with the results.

[RobM]

It just goes to show what it is all about.......we are having a record breaking April with temperatures into the 70's!!!!...warmer than the Med. In a newspaper article they compared the 18th April 2006 and 2007....the first photo showed snow and folks well wrapped up.......the 2007 photo showed folks on the beach in swim wear!!!
Rob

[Alessandra Kelley]

Yeah, the climate is out of whack. That's the point. I think I mentioned how increasingly irritated I have been by every person who cites a cooler-than-average period as "proof" there is no global warming. The thing is, if you pump more heat into a weather system, it gets more chaotic, not (simply) warmer. You get worse storms more often and, paradoxically, more drought. Commentators who daydream about vacationing on Hudson Bay in the future when it's nice and warm upset me with their naivete.

However, I did not log on today to rant (Oops. Too late.). I just wanted to say that the Cool Globes people have just carted away my globe, and the next time I see it it will be in situ on the lakefront.

[RobM]

If you have any photos of the finished globe by all means e-mail them to me and I'll get them posted here.
rob@robmilliken.co.uk

[Alessandra Kelley]

I'm sorry, I can't do that. My contract says I can't "publish" (i.e. publically post) images of my globe until after the show is over this September.

I'd be glad to link to any news photos that turn up, or any innocent tourist postings, but I myself can't show pix until next fall.

[RobM]

By all means link to any photos.....if none are available we'll all have to wait until later this year!!

[Alessandra Kelley]

I've just been sent a copy of the site map, and it looks like my globe will be first on the right as you enter Navy Pier (rather than in the larger group near the Field Museum). It looks like a terrific location. My DH & I took the children to the Field Museum last weekend, and we saw a number of the globes up already. Not so many as we might have expected, given the opening date, but presumably they will get them up in time. The ones we saw looked gorgeous. Touch-up days are next Tuesday and Wednesday; there's an official press conference Friday, 1st June; and a kickoff dinner at the museum Saturday evening.

[Alessandra Kelley]

Now there are photos available online! There's a nice writeup of my and a few others' globes at

http://www.chicagoarts-lifestyle.com/art-series-cool-globe-artists-2-one-earth-multiple-resources/#more-355

[Alessandra Kelley]

Forgot to mention there's a more "official" portrait of me on that site, too.

Anyway, I just finished a "mini" version of my globe last week by special request of the exhibitors. They are using small, about 12" (sorry, too groggy to convert that into metric right now) resin globes for some auxiliary travelling exhibits. The mini version is not exactly like the large one, becuase of changes of scale, impact, etc., but is recognizably the same composition. And cute.

Please excuse any typos. I tried to fix this up, but my typing is full of mistakes right now. I had minor foot surgery yesterday, and the drugs and anesthesia had a pretty major effect on me. Ironically, my foot is just fine. Only my head is messed up.