2026 03 Kan Kandinsky Kan Kan

Out at Shake Rag Alley on one of my art adventures there, Christina Kubasta, the Executive Director, brought an old mirror frame to the workshop. Her cat had knocked it over for the last time as the mirror was now broken. Did I want the frame?

I originally had this idea to incorporate the found objects you see above but somehow I lost the violin. Yes, I lost a violin.

What I did end up doing is covering the wood with pattern paper and then painting in the areas suggested by the shapes on the pattern paper. As I was painting, it occurred to me that this was beginning to look like a Kandinsky.

Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter and art theorist who lived and practiced in Germany. He mixes music theory and art production in such a fashion that when I tried to read his book I found myself confused by everything in it included "and" and "the" (thank you, Dorothy Parker). 

Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky, Composition VIII, 1923

This is as far as this got at Shake Rag Alley

Once home I continued to paint on it

In March of 2026, it was time for another Make What Ya Brung at Shake Rag Alley so I decided it was time to finish this piece. 

Thus we have, Kan Kandinsky Kan Kan? It is 40"H X 21" X 2". It consists of a Mirror Frame, Paper and Paint. 

2026 03 Stray Dogs Pick The Moon’s Bone Clean

Here is the history of the project I made in Oaxaca, Mexico, with Michael deMeng in the workshop Fandango Fantastico: Puppet Creatures Inspired by Oaxacan Carnival. Here is Michael's course description: “I think it’s about time for a weird little fiesta! In this wall-hanging workshop of wildness, we’ll be channeling the beautifully bizarre energy of Oaxacan Carnival—those costumed characters you see dancing through the streets—and shrinking it down just enough to fit on your wall without scaring the neighbors too much. Each piece clocks in around 14–16 inches tall, with a flowing painted fabric body and a noggin that’s part clay, part found-object fever dream. These aren’t just decorations—they’re puppet-sized protectors, grumpy growling party guests, and maybe one or two trickster deities. You’ll start with some humble scraps, a piece of canvas, and a few gloriously weird bits from your stash. Then we’ll coax these creatures into being with clay, paint, a dash of trickery, and a whole lot of imagination. Just a little chaos, a lot of charm, and a creature that looks like it stumbled out of a dream and got lost in a mercado. Let the Fandango begin!”

I bought this art from the state of Guerrero. Art like this, with a wood carved head and a linen body, is what inspired Michael to create this project for this workshop

Here are the class samples created by Michael deMeng

From home I brought a Bat Man plastic mask, a drawer pull and a few other odds and ends to add to my canvas body. Let's just say things changed when I got to Oaxaca. 

For a previous deMeng workshop Michael had taught us how to paint a brick road. I also saw an exhibition in the Quad Cities of an artist who did Salvador Dali like paintings with stone as his main background. Both inspired me to make my creature a stone guy. 

I was very fortunate that a generous fellow workshop attendee brought stuff to share including fabric, beads and findings. All of her stuff got incorporated into my work. 

It may surprise you to know the exposure was a complete accident.

That's better

Michael's workshops always end with a class critique,

the highlight of the workshop for me

Thus we have Stray Dogs Pick The Moon’s Bone Clean. The title comes from the poem Days And Occasions by Octavio Paz. The piece is 23"H X 10"W X 2"D. It consists of a Batman Mask, Drawer Handle, Muslin, Mirrors, Metal Rings, Fabric, Cloth Ring, Sari Ribbon, Waxed Linen Thread, Casting Plaster, Aves Clay, Beads, and Paint.

2026 02 Oaxaca Mexico For the Michael deMeng Workshop Fandango Fantastico Day Eleven and Twelve

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

After getting breakfast at 7:30 a.m.this morning at the hotel I helped Michael throw tables around in the studio so we will be ready for the famous Michael deMeng critique that ends all his workshops. 

The group gathered at 9:30 in the workshop to hear Michael talk about our projects. This is the highlight of any Michael deMeng workshop for two reasons. One, you get a critique from Michael to understand where you came with this piece. Two, you get to hear Michael say the same things to other artists and you can always glean information from that presentation as well.

This piece has a front and a back

Denice worked much smaller than anyone else in the workshop. 

This is as far as mine got in Oaxaca. I think of all the Michael deMeng workshops I have taken in the last nineteen years, this might be the closest I ever stayed to the actual workshop samples. 

I worked on my Oaxaca piece when I got home, making some "improvements."

Back in Oaxaca, the rest of the day was a free day. The Bugenhagens and the Niebuhrs walked to the Aripo artisans market on the aqueduct road, C. de Manuel García Vigil. Denice and I bought a table runner for our front room and an ornament for our Christmas tree to remember this trip.

Next we walked up to Porfero Diaz street to go to Marilyn and Dan’s chocolate shop. However we walked through the Gii market first. 

Then we crossed the street to go to Rito Chocolatería & Tienda. Marilyn and Dan had gone there on their food tour and we returned so folks could buy stuff. 

We next got distracted by the second hand store (my third visit) where I bought an address sign from a house. 

We decided to run our purchases back to the hotel and that proved a buzz kill for going back out into the heat. However we did decided to play some cards and that was fun.

When Denice decided at 3:30 p.m. that she wanted to go swimming, I decided I wanted to see the brand new exhibit at the Museo de los Pintores Oaxaquenos. 

WALKABOUT #7

On the walk I stopped into the Alka Ro21 Galleria and El Tinglado Grafico Art Gallery.

Jon discovered that since we had been to the Museo de los Pintores Oaxaquenos last week Wednesday the staff had hung a new exhibit called Carga Emocional (Emotional Burden) by Julien de Casabianca. He is a French and Corsican artist, He is currently collaging works of art on abandoned objects. I am so glad I had a chance to see these works before I left Oaxaca—they are so inspiring. 

While I would not have known what I would have missed I am so glad that I saw these works. 

After the MUPO I walked to Frida Kahlo Art Store and bought some Pinto paints I love—they are so crappy but very bright and almost have a metallic quality. 

I made a visit to the Templo y Convento de San Agustin. 

By 6:00 p.m. I had walked to Brio Cocina where we are having our farewell dinner. With Marilyn Werst on my left, Denice on my right and the Bugenhagens across the table, it proved to be a open air terrace setting, terrific food and good conversation. We also sang Wholly Bully every time the waitress poured mole (mole) over someone’s meal.

We walked back to the hotel to pack our suitcases and go to bed early. We have to get up tomorrow for an early flight out. 

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Marilyn Werst, Holly and us are all out of Oaxaca this morning early. We booked taxis to the airport for our 7:40 a.m. flight to Houston, TX, USA. We arrived at 10:20 a.m. Denice and I had a two hour layover before we boarded our flight to Milwaukee. After all was said and done, we flew home, taxied to our house and we were unpacking by 3:30 p.m.

I had a great time in Oaxaca, Mexico, thanks to Michael deMeng, Mija Matriz, and Jon Labrousse. I want to thank my relative Marilyn and Dan Bugenhagen for joining us in this place that I love so much and giving me a chance to show them around. Thanks to all my fellow workshop participants for making our stay here and the workshop so much fun.