The Studios of Stacey Kirby

This month I’ve had opportunities to work on a variety of unusual projects, and surfaces!

I just got home from the Orleans County Fair, where I’ve been facepainting multitudes of little kids (and some of their parents) for hours. I started facepainting when I was about 12, and kept going through college as a fun way to earn that much needed collegiate cash. I also painted at the fair here in NY three or four times during that period. Even though it’s been several years, when the Fair Board suggested offering facepainting for free to the public- and paying me by the hour instead of charging customers- I couldn’t say no.

I created a sample board of generic things like daisies and sunshines, and then made a second one of some of my favorite bizarre creations like the fire-breathing green chicken and a flying carrot. I was truly surprised to find that there were hardly any requests for the generic stuff and I ended up painting about fifty fire-breathing chickens over the four days I worked. As well as five flaming skulls, a fire-breathing snake and a fire-breathing cow. People have a thing for flames I guess. It always makes me happy when people choose outside the box- I think the most creative request was an american flag-colored horse. That one came out really well. I wish I had a photo!

Here are the results of my participation in the Perry Chalk Festival, on the subject of “What Inspires Me”. Combining their weekly farmers market with the chalk event provided a whole other dimension then I would expect at an arts festival. It worked really well. And I was lucky enough to be working directly across from the music tent, which featured an awesome bluegrass band. (I was also fortunate to be working on the shady side of the street!)

The surface surprised me – I didn’t think we would be drawing on the street, so I had planned to work in my usual detailed style. But as soon as the chalk hit the asphalt, I realized that I had to change my plans. Such a rough texture demands simpler forms, so I found myself working faster and looser, making it up as I went. Which is my favorite way to develop a painting anyway!

All of the artists were well taken care – the organizers were offering us drinks and snacks every 20 minutes, helping us stay hydrated. Even though Perry is a pretty good distance from my area, I would encourage artists from Rochester/Orleans County to participate. The $50 stipend definitely takes the sting out of travel costs, and participating in a group arts event is always a refreshing change from studio or commission work.

About a month ago I went on a consultation for a couple that live on a sandstone quarry. They had installed a beautiful piece of sandstone as a sort of signpost by the road, with the intension of commissioning a mural for it. Initially they asked to have the painting done directly on the stone, but considering the porosity of the surface and it’s exposure to WNY weather, I definitely didn’t recommend it. Luckily they were not difficult to convince. I’ve struggled with clients on issues like this before, so it was a relief that my current clients are so agreeable! I’ve begun another large mural commission this week, so it may be a little while before I get to the sandstone project.

To tie up the subject of my title, I’ve also been asked to paint on an old metal saw. For some reason, requests to paint on saws have never excited me. I don’t know if it’s because it seems so crafty…. but I’ve avoided it in the past. Just like I used to avoid painting furniture. But the painted furniture commission that I accepted last winter taught me nhow much fun it can be when you try something new, that you may have been avoiding, so I accepted the saw commission. We’ll see how it goes, I think I’ll enjoy it.

The last entry in my catalog of unusual projects for July is my brother’s soccer back stop. Their summer team won the regional championship, so to commemorate the event I helped him paint the wall with about five of his friends. It’s actually the first truly collaborative mural I’ve ever done, and it was a lot of fun!

I’ve always felt a little trepidation about handing over the paint brush to someone else, especially someone with no painting experience, but this project helped me to realize how much fun it can be. You might end up with something totally different then expected, but that’s what makes it interesting. And you will also see someone connect with art, or a paintbrush, or their own creativity… maybe for the first time.

There are two mural projects in the works for next Spring that have a lot of collaborative potential. I hope they work out, I’m really looking forward to doing more group painting.