REHUBS!

America is crazy for folk art. Not art that is necessarily "fine" but art nonetheless. We see art in many things. We look at potato chips and see forms we identify as familiar. We look at tree bark and see shapes that look like people. We mold sand, butter and chocolate and create sculptures that are unbelieveable even when produced in a mainstream medium such as clay. 

It is the same with my hubcap art. When I find a hubcap, I immediately begin to imagine the possibilties of design. There are so many styles of hubcaps, the images really jump out - could it be a butterfly, a ship's wheel, a crazy sun face or a beautiful garden flower. But wait - what color? Pink, purple, yellow? 

Artists actually can have a hard time deciding what to paint - or at least what to do first since we often get so many ideas. That is why a sketch book is an absolute neccessity.  You can use it to get your idea out of your mind to make room for to the next one!

"Can't wait for Spring";  "When will winter EVER be over?"; "Gosh, I hate winter". Most of us have said something like that a few times. It's natural to want sunny, warm days, flowers in bloom and wildlife out and about. There is merit in having a wintery enough winter that gives us something to look forward to. Winter is good for us. We can clear away the holiday stress and clutter. Clean out a closet. Paint a room. Finish (or prolong) a project. Read a book. 

It is also a time to begin thinking about how we can treat our surroundings better. Sort of a New Year's resolution for the environment. Try to cut down on chemicals for the yard and go to a turf seminar for natural solutions. Plant a small garden. We had seven varieties of hot peppers on our deck - and lots of hot curry dinners, too! Start a compost box. Remember to put a good lid on it to deter raccoons. This might also be the year for a rain barrel.  

Decorate your yard with repurposed things like broken pottery in a rock garden or painted bricks in colorful designs. Put out dryer lint for birds beginning their nests. There are lots of these ideas in home improvement books.

Winter is also downtime for the body and brain. It is also time when, like the crocus poking up, our brains are clear enough that ideas float to the surface. 

The art on my repurposed REHUBS! is, to me, beauty from the mundane; far removed from the car industry but inexplicably tied to it by the many different hubcap shapes someone has artfully designed. A mechanical egineer is an industrial artist and even the programmer of the CAD design had to have a eye for form. As an artist, my ideas come from lots of sources - magazines, flower books and even advertising. The new 2012 hubcap designs will includeTiffany inspired stained glass, Irish chain, patriotic themes, the zodiac, a porthole (ok, that was someone else's ideas, but I'm going with it) blue crabs and seahorses. So many new ideas, I can't wait to show them at my first event, the Gloucester Daffodil Festival March 24 & 25. 

Being creative is a blessing. It is also not quite a curse, but you feel the need to act quickly or the idea will be lost. A sketchbook really helps to get those ideas on paper and fine tune them or experiment with their color. But I can't find my colored pencils right now. Happy Winter!

Merry Christmas. Happy Hannukuh. Happy Holidays. Whatever you say during this time of year, spread a little bit of merriment during your day. Things can be rough out there but what everyone has in common is wanting peace and prosperity. 

Show your special people how much they mean to you. Talk with them, hug them, send them a note or a gift. Tell them something you have wanted to recently or for a long time. Remember your kids. They are people who want respect, understanding and  your time - even if they are unruly teenagers. 

I am grateful for this quirky gift of hubcap art and grateful to you who have shown interest in it as well! I promise you many new designs for 2012 and welcome any suggestions you have - college teams, NASCAR, NFL are now availble by special order. Personalized and custom are always fun and make a terrific special occasion present.

2012 Challenge - 4 custom hubcaps to ACTUALLY GO ON A CAR. If anyone is game, let's do it!

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - no matter what the Mayans appear to have said!

Andrea Deagle

As we wind down from the dog days of summer here in Virginia, we can finally get out a sweater, rake leaves and think about the holidays. And if thinking about the holidays gives you shopping anxiety, why not simplify things by giving a REHUB. This is a terrific gift for someone who has everything but still likes to decorate their home or garden.

A REHUB is also the solution to the family that draws names. You dont have to know a size or shape - one size "fits" all! A REHUB is just the thing for an office gift exchange since it is gender free and can be traded off as in the Chinese Gift Exchange.

A REHUB is a great alternative to hanging a wreath at your door. The Holiday designs include poinsettias, snowmen, snow flake and star. If you have a privacy fence or potting shed,  a REHUB brightens up the back yard as well.

So go green this holiday season. I've found the hubcaps, cleaned them and painted them for you. Give one and see someone smile!