Special Interest Articles

In January, I related my experiences while recovering from my flying lesson. (After riding my motorcycle into a car.) Your responses were very heart warming. Thank you.

My hubby, suggested we look into more ‘balance’ in our lives, and to train for any potential falls. We are now enrolled in Aikido, the soft art form of movement through balance. Aikido is also a martial art…of defense, without direct confrontation of forces.

Ouch! Just thinking of hitting hurts. When I throw my husband off balance to the mat, my first response is, are you all right? … honey? Then, I realize… control, balance, no force, and a feeling of personal power …(Mona Lisa smile). Plus, the half hour of stretching is great, for continued healing. And, Sensei Artie is kinda ‘huggy-bear’ cute.

While everyone enjoyed the stories in the first e-news, I hope you followed the links to the mentioned sites, for ideas.

My hubby kids me that I should have married Tim Allen, of the TV show, Home Improvement. I have not seen a tool that I did not like or had to have… for my work or the studio. My latest acquisitions were a drill press, and a disk-belt sander. My excuses are that it will speed up my work of installing the fountains, yadda, yadda, yadda. Now, where can I build that new workshop?

Tile Designs

While Fountains are still a big part of the trend toward home improvement, I am finding that there is another more subtle movement, the upgrading of the home, through the use of custom tiles. When I visit Home Depot’s Home Expo center, I can not help but notice the push to update the kitchen and bathroom by using various colors, textures, and graphics from the displayed tile companies. As I mentioned in January, I have been designing tiles for Oceanside Glass Tile Co, Carlsbad, CA., for the past two years. Now the production of those tiles are being shown, and distributed to select clients, in glass. The original designs are in ceramic, then, cast in glass.

While I do not distribute or use my ceramic versions of the Oceanside Glass Tiles, I have developed a separate “Schleiniger Ceramic Designs” line of tiles to be initially distributed through my studio, and M. A. Tiles, here in Encinitas, on El Camino Real, in the Von’s Center.

The tiles are in the standard sizes and square/rectangular shapes, with the designs in relief, or flat. They can be glazed to match color schemes, to create an artistic look, or focal point of the room.

NEW – Tile Brochure from Joyce

Remember when you last visited my Artistic Fountains studio? You may have been flooded with a lot of mixed impressions. As a sculptress, I enjoy seeing art and designing art in as many areas of life as possible. Many of you have commented on my use of tiles to high light the windows, doors, and fireplace, as well as the more traditional areas of the kitchen and bathroom. However, as much as you desired some of the same looks for yourself, the thought of you doing it may have seemed overwhelming.

Not So! And to show you how, as easy as 1-2-3, I have put together a simple little brochure on how to get started. Step 1- Design the Concept: what do you want to accomplish? Step 2- Select the Design, to include colors, materials, textures, and shapes. Step 3- Install the Design, by doing it yourself, or hire someone to do it for you.

I will have the brochures in the studio for you to pick-up, or you can download from the website, Artistic Fountains-by Joyce .com.

Value Added = $ to your Home Nest

In the ‘Home’ section of the March 21^st, San Diego Union-Tribune, the headline screamed Value Added. The sub-title read, “Impact of various home features on selling price calculated.” The article caught my attention, as a resident/owner who has watched Encinitas home values increase 27.5% between ’03-’04.

While location, and bedrooms can affect price, the number of bathrooms can raise the value 24%, a fireplace raises the value 12%. Home age can have an affect on value if it has been updated, while fixer-uppers sell for 24% less than other homes.

Wow! What this tells me is that if I continue to invest in my most valued possession, my home, my return on investment really compounds, quickly. When I think of the money spent on my home as an investment, not just as an expense, it changes my whole perspective.

How can I help you to upgrade and improve your primary investment? You can add designer tiles in the kitchen, bathroom, or around the fireplace. One couple is changing the look of their bedroom fireplace…cozy!

Whim? vs. Necessity

When does a simple rubber gasket justify a total replacement of the bathroom sink and counter? When your name is Joyce Schleiniger! That is exactly what happened when my bathroom sink started a small drip. How could I do any less you ask? When the second rubber gasket did not stop the drip, necessity was the sculptress of whim. Now you can watch what you can also do any place in your home, on my website.

I have taken photos of the process, to provide encouragement to each of you. The effort is not as daunting as you imagine. Step by step, using your imagination to create your personalized boudoir, where you can light your candles, put on soft music, fill the air with special aromas. Why not? This is your space to relax and soak in your bubble bath, or dress up to go out on the town. You want to feel special just by walking into your personal space. Celebrate your investment, in you!

Art Mediums and the Use of Tiles

Yikes, have I gone to the extreme of being philosophical? Artsy or high brow? No!

What each of us perceives as art, is reality to each of us, alone. You like different pieces of my art, or not, for your reasons, and not because an “art critic” proclaims… When you paint the walls of your home, hang a painting or picture, place flowers in a vase on the table, or arranging your furniture, you are creating “your” art.

Why have each of us gone to so much effort to decorate our home nest? The psycho-babble answers I’ll leave for “Oprah” and “Dr. Phil”. It just makes me feel good, about myself, that I am worthy, and deserve it.

To many men, just give them a can of white paint and they are happy. To a woman, color, texture, and shapes create and fulfill her mood. To many men, the kitchen or bathroom counter is just a level surface, so the food will not fall on the floor. To a woman, it can make her world. A counter covered with paint, resin, linoleum, ceramic, glass or stone tiles provides for the individualized expression of creativity. When I finish my bathroom’s custom tiled counter, and install my new sink, that I designed and produced, I will have created more art in my life.

The medium used to create your perception of art, can be anything you want. In using ‘tiles’, I create pictures, whether they hang as a thirty-four foot mural, a wall fountain, or counter top. I work with Oceanside Glass Tile, to design glass tiles. I design and produce ceramic tiles in the conventional square or rectangular shapes. And, I also produce tiles that flow around curves, and create pictures using relief or variations in depth and design.

Short Stuff

Help Needed: Since this e-letter is primarily about Tiles, I have realized that my passion is in the creation of the tile design, not production, nor retailing tiles. Oceanside Glass Tiles does all of those other functions, while I design. However, with the Ceramic Tiles, I will need a tile company to produce the tiles, and market them. If you know of a great tile producer/distributor, with integrity, I am open to your suggestions.

Child Hand Impressions: We are now in the spring of the year. Mother’s day, and Father’s day are coming. What greater gift than to be able to look at how small and cute your baby or child was at the time you had the hand impression done. Grandmothers really appreciate your thoughtfulness, to include them in the celebration of your family.

Your Art: Many of you have purchased my art pieces over the years, and enjoyed them in your homes. If you would like to share your treasures, I would like to put up your photos on my web site. A photo of how you have displayed or found your unique uses, can inspire others.

Words:

“Noise proves nothing. Often a hen that has merely laid an egg cackles as if she laid an asteroid.”

Mark Twain, on ‘communication’.

“Art speaks to the heart, …louder than words.”

Joyce Schleiniger