I'd like to thank all the little people...

...but seriously folks, I found out a few days a go that I am a recipient of this blog award! I didn't have a chance to post until now because it requires nominating new winners and putting up links, and I am a very lazy blogger, in spite of being an award-winning one.

So first, I'd like to thank Robyn, an incredibly talented artist in South Africa who carves the most amazing totems and figures, who passed this award on to me. I absolutely LOVE her work and her artistic perspective. Thanks Robyn! - I would also be listing Robyn's blog among my 7 except that it would seem silly to keep sending the award back and forth. Also, I would be listing my good friend, artist Marilyn Rock, but she was a recipient just a wee bit ago, and I don't want her to feel obligated to post again --but her blog showcases the most amazing textural collage paintings and observations on art and life.

Now, I get to pass the award on to some of my favorite bloggers and their blogs. I have many favorites, most of whom have links on the right hand side of my blog, but I will choose just 7 because that's the minimum number and I am too lazy to create more than 7 links -- see rules below:

1. Put the award logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

So, without further ado, these are 7 of my favorite blogs,listed in no particular order, as I love them all...
1. Insanity is a terrible thing to waste - Debbie's blog is indeed one of my favorites, and not just because she's one of my very best friends. Her blog is filled with fabulous cartoons and funny stories about her adventures owning a farm and two precocious poodles.

2. Cindy Dean - Cindy's blog is a wonderful mix of her art and life - she makes incredible jewelry and is very real in telling her personal story.

3. Lavabo in aquam - DJ's blog is just plain funny - she's a witty writer and talented artist as well.

4. Genre cookshop - Nancy B. creates some of my favorite still life paintings that remind me of my grandmother and simpler times, and her blog showcases life, art, poetry, and incredible photography.

5. Grubby Wench - My good friend Ali doesn't blog much, but what she lacks in quantity, she makes up for in quality. She's one of the most scathingly witty women I know, and she's also an incredibly talented soap-maker.

6. Musings on collage - Laura is a mixed-media artist whose talents know no boundaries. She is good at everything, and her blog offers great art prompts on Mondays to fuel the creative spirit.

7. Thrifty collage artist - Suzan is my most recently discovered blog. Her art is rich and graphic and saturated with color, and she offers free tutorials on he blog.

Thank you for visiting my award-winning blog!!!

Two art dates in one month - woo woo!!

My friend Debbie and I love to get together for art dates, which usually include talking, web surfing, eating, and oh, yeah, also art-making. Our goal for years has been a day a month, but often life gets in the way of our plans and we don't get together as often as we'd like, so the fact that we were able to get together twice in one month is pretty amazing!!

This is the third piece I made (mixed media acrylics and collage) on mdf, to donate to the Hubbard Hall art & cultural center auction. I enjoyed making this piece more than the end result. I experimented with texture, using dress pattern tissue, embossing paste, gel medium, assorted fibers, and acrylic paints. I think it's a bit lacking in contrast, but it was very satisfying to build up the background textures.

I haven't had a lot of art-making time this summer, as I tackle the realities of single home-ownership, so my attempts at art are a bit fragmented and all over the place. I know that I will eventually strike the right balance and find my groove again. I'm not forcing it.

In addition to our art-making, Debbie brought another trunk full of rocks from her farm for me to use alongside my shed. (I cannot thank you both enough, Debbie & Len!!!) I planted some hasta around my shed in the spring, and the rocks fill in between to keep down the weeds so that I don't have to trim and mow there. They also just lend some great texture and detail to my yard. I love rocks!!! This may look like no big deal, but these babies are sooo heavy that we can only transport a dozen or so at a time by ourselves. And they'd cost a fortune if I had to buy them, so I am incredibly lucky that my friends are so willing to share them with me!

The wedding platter - part 2

Several readers have expressed interest in actually SEEING the wedding platter, and one expressed some concern that the gift-giver might see my story. Fortunately, the giver of this gift (on my soon to be ex-husband's side of the aisle), is not much of a computer user. In spite of how dreadful this gift was, I would never have posted the story if I thought she might see it and recognize herself. In fact, she is a woman possessed of such (misplaced) confidence in her sense of style that even knowing she had given us a Lefton wedding platter, I am sure she would not suspect it was her gift I was writing about. (hear strains of Carly Simon's "You're so Vain).

In truth, I wanted to post a photo, but I left the wedding platter at my sister's -- and that's PART 2. Last Halloween when my sister left her house to take my niece trick-or-treating, she decided to use the honor system for giving out candy, and she left her candy on the front steps in a very nice stainless steel bowl. When she returned, the candy -- and the bowl -- were gone. So this year, my other sister, upon hearing the story of the wedding platter, suggested it would make an excellent Halloween dish!! We can't wait to see if someone will take it once we demonstrate with tiny boxes of Raisinettes how useful it is.

In the meantime, I did several google searches to see if I could find the same platter pictured online, but it seems to be a one of a kind! This platter is much prettier, for example.

"I'm looking for broken watches..."

"...and broken clocks."
That was the first inquiry from and older gentleman who was our first visitor on Saturday morning at 8:15 am -- 45 minutes before the sale officially began. At nine on the dot, a second older gentleman -- Rudy -- asked the same question. I told him that he was the second man to ask about broken watches, and he shook his fist and exclaimed, "Bob! He always beats me to these sales!" My brother-in-law commented that he never considered selling broken things. I thought this was very telling of the times. Back when Rudy and Bob were young, people knew how to fix things, so a broken item still had value.

In spite of the fact that we advertised no earlybirds, we discovered this phrase really means "get here early or all the good stuff will be gone" to yard sale officianados. In fact, Bob, my first broken watch inquirer, was actually our second earlybird. The first was a woman who arrived 18 hours early, knocking on my sister's door on Friday afternoon, desperate to find a pocket book, jewelry, a bookcase, and little buddhas. She explained to me that she was going to be working all day Saturday, so she was hoping she could shop a day early. After I explained that we had not yet begun to sort and price things, and that I had no idea what my sister was selling, she tried to persuade me to let her stop back at 7 am the following morning on her way in to work. Since I foresaw (accurately) a late evening of wine, takeout chinese, and yard sale prep, I told her that 7 am was going to be much too early. Still, she continued to stand on my sister's porch, as though I was hiding the crown jewels inside. I could not get her to leave, so I asked if I could take her name (Lucia) and number, and promised to call her if I found any of the items she mentioned.

At around 8:30 on Friday evening, we finally sat down with aching backs, wine glasses and takeout when the doorbell rang. Lucia, the pocket book and buddha hunting earlybird, had now elevated her status to kinda scary yard sale stalker. She just happened to be picking her daughter up from karate lessons, and wondered if we'd had a chance to check on her items of interest. When I told her we had nothing she was looking for, she lingered on the steps for a rather awkward moment. I don't know what reasoning she was using to think that I would hide things that we clearly wanted to get rid of, but she seemed unconvinced as she (finally) got into her car and drove away.

After the initial rush of earlybirds, we had a steady stream of bargain hunters, including the woman in designer clothes who re-negotiated every sale, "Will you take $2 instead of $3?" ---And a local landscaper (Jeffrey) who, after piling up all his purchases, made himself comfortable in an old wing chair that was for sale, and filled me in on his entire life from college at SUNY Morrisville in the 70s, to his latest landscaping job, his need to lose 30 pounds, and his dad's recent death. He bought $40 worth of "stuff" but I think he just wanted someone to talk to. ---And the couple whose 40-plus daughter was having her first child, so they were buying all of the "baby's first" items that my sister never had the time to use for my niece.

Finally, it all ended with Celine, my sister's neighbor and great samaritan, who brought the remains to Goodwill, and meeting a needy family in the parking lot, gave them everything.

Oh, except for the wedding platter. I received a hideous piece of Lefton china as a wedding gift, which has remained in my attic in it's original box since 1989, and which I've attempted to sell (for $3) in the past three yard sales. After Celine left with a carload for Goodwill, we put 5 items at the end of my sister's driveway, marked "free." Four of the five items were furniture and toys that would not fit into Celine's car, and the fifth was the wedding platter, which was mysteriously left behind. One by one as the day wore on, we noticed that the remaining items were claimed. While my sister and I prepared dishes for a neighborhood barbecue that evening, my mom came inside and announced excitedly "Kerri, someone took the wedding platter!" It's gone, with the wooden chair. My sister and I exchanged a look, and I said, half kidding "They probably tossed the platter onto the lawn and just took the chair." One hour later, my brother-in-law confirmed that the wedding platter was sitting beside their mailbox, in a spot my mom apparently couldn't see. Some things you can't even give away!

Ta da list for June (late) and other stuff...

Wow. The month of June came and went without my monthly list of creative pursuits. I did have a lot of other things on my mind, but I was still able to do a few things:

I read a book -- More than you know by Beth Gutcheon
I made a few rings & necklaces on the Vineyard, after shopping at Beadniks
and I taught 2 classes.

For me, summer is a time to switch creative gears a bit, so this list would have been shorter than usual even without the personal junk going on. I love to spend some of my creative energies in my garden, and also fill the well by reading, visiting antique stores, and roaming the countryside, both on foot and via car, taking photos and exploring. People often think of the city when they think of New York, but the landscape upstate is ripe with rolling hills, beautiful valleys, farms, and quaint towns that beg to be appreciated at this time of year. I am also spending a lot more time with family and friends this summer.

This weekend, I head outside Boston to visit my sister and niece, along with my mom and Max. We're helping my sister with a yard sale. In addition to the regular treasures you'd expect to find, we're making up "mystery bags" to give away with every purchase!! Oh, the suspense!!! My niece has also decided to sell my mom's husband, "Poppy Dick" for "fivey-eight dollars," which I think is a bargain for a guy who can cook.

I leave you this week with a picture of my sunflowers - planted by the birds who dropped them from their feeder in the early spring. They are better gardeners than I am! My own attempts never grew like these!!

I also want to say thank you to all of my blog readers for stopping by and for those who leave comments that make me feel so fortunate. I wish I could thank you all in person with a hug and a handmade gift of thanks, but in the meantime, I want you all to know how much I appreciate you. Okay, enough mushiness, have a great weekend everyone, and if you're in the Hopkington, Mass. area, there's a mystery bag with your name on it!!

Alight...

This is the second painting I did while staying at Debbie's...Actually, this was the first painting, but I liked it less so I am posting it second. I think she has a sort of possessed look in her eyes that bothers me. I tried touching up the paint in her eyes several times and just decided to call it a day. Debbie thinks she looks more mischievous and determined than possessed. I didn't title this one when I was at Debbie's because all of my titles were somewhat critical and negative, but "alight" came to me as I was writing this.

Succulent...

This is one of the pieces I created while visiting my friend Debbie. It is a mixed media piece I created with acrylics, oil pastels, and collage on mdf. It is one of two that I created to donate to the Hubbard Hall art sale. I tried to mimic the acrylic face painting technique that Cindy Dean showed on her blog, taught by DJ Pettit. Since I only guessed the technique based on a few photos, I am sure it could be better, but I was not altogether unhappy with this piece. Debbie and her husband Len liked the other piece I did better, but I didn't like the expression on her face at all - I will be posting that one tomorrow so you can tell me what you think.

Max -n- Maggie on the farm...

I spent a wonderful day and a half with my dear friend Debbie and her husband and dogs, on their farm last week. They treated me to great company, delicious food, wonderful entertainment, peaceful relaxation, time to make art, and time to enjoy the miracles of nature on their beautiful farm. (Not to mention a trunk full of rocks - thank you Len & Debbie!) As you can see, Max and Maggie had a great time too!

She has a gift...

"I spit celery at you..."

That was one of the more memorable quotes from our girly weekend. My niece was enjoying a piece of celery during lunch, and spit the stringy part over her shoulder, where a couple happened to be sitting. She then turned around and realizing what she had done, confessed to them. I don't think they would have been quite so charmed if I had made the same confession, but you can say just about anything when you're cute and four years old.

It was a short and utterly sweet girls week on Martha's Vineyard. The weather was divine, the shopping was endless, the wine flowed generously, the food was delicious, and it was just a great time with a group of my favorite women. After two long visits to our favorite bead store -- Beadniks -- where we spent great sums of money on teeny tiny bags of beads & findings -- we made some wonderful jewelry pieces, and returned with just enough money to get our car out of hock in the ferry parking lot -- $48 for 3 days -- yikes. Add to that our fare for the ferry, and we are thinking of taking our car on the boat next year, just for the convenience. The weather reports before we left looked ominous, and while it poured buckets on the ride over and back, the trip in between was absolutely perfect. Sunny days, low humidity and cooler nights. Our girls weekend has been going on for more than 10 years with various dates and locations, and we've been blessed with unbelievably fair skies every time.

I realize that I promised funny stories, but while we laughed almost constantly, most of my stories are the "ya hadda be there" kind. Like when Liz wanted to face forward on the ferry to avoid getting sick, and the ferry kept changing direction out of the dock so she switched seats 4 times backward/forward/backward/forward. It was hilarious to watch, but see -- Not so funny here. Or when my sister's car kept stalling anytime she idled at a red light -- because she'll spend $150 on .25 oz. of designer facial moisturizer, but she won't get the part replaced that will keep her car from stalling.

But I did just think of one funny story that involves a previous year and this year...
While shopping on the Vineyard, my mom once again bought a rather expensive piece of clothing without trying it on, because she has "a gift" for being able to tell her size. This wouldn't be a big deal if she was shopping at a local retail store, but she does this on vacation in unique boutiques and then goes home before trying on the clothes. I'll begin with last year, when we stayed at my sister's house outside of Boston, and travelled to Newport, Rhode Island for the day and evening...

Mom: I love this dress. Ooh, it's expensive. Oh well, I'm on vacation. I'm buying it.
Mary: You'd better try it on first.
Mom: I don't have to. I have a gift.
Mary: A gift?
Mom: Yes. I've always been able to just look at clothing on the rack and tell if it fits me.
Mary: But we're in Newport. And we're leaving today. Don't you want to be sure?
Mom: I am sure! Look (holding it up) it fits. I can tell.
Mary: Okay, if you say so. But I'd try it on if I were you.
Mom. Nope. I'm fine.

Returning to my sister's house, hours from Newport and the swanky little boutique, we engage in one of our favorite activities -- wine-tasting. Lots and lots of tasting of entire bottles of wine. Well into bottle number three, we remember mom's dress, and ask her to try it on for us. (You can see where this is going). It's a white, flowy, lacy sundress, made of absolutely unforgivable cotton. We all agree it's very pretty and summery. She retreats to the spare bedroom, and we wait. And wait. And wait.

And wait? Was that a call for help? My sister Cheryl retreats to the bedroom, and fits of giggles ensue.

Mom: I'm stuck.
Cheryl: I see that. Let me help you (choke, laugh, gasp). Yup. There's no denying it. You have a gift, mom.

Indeed. For sure, my mom's greatest gift is the ability to laugh at herself, and to allow all of us to join in the fun. Apparently my mom's "gift" was also on vacation that week, and she came out of the room looking like 50 pounds of potatoes in a 10 pound bag. All that white, flowy cotton was deceivingly small.

Fast forward to this year on the Vineyard. We are in a sweet little boutique, and mom sees some black fabric on a display table. It gathers at the top and bottom, and has a strap at the top.

Mom: Oh, it's a purse. But wait, it has a hole in the bottom.
Kerri: That's because it's not a purse, it's a halter top.
Mom: Ooh. (holding it up). I like this.
Kerri: It's cute. It's drapy around the middle. I think it's very "you." Go try it on.
Mom: (scrunching up her nose). Naah. I don't want to. Besides, I have a gift.
Kerri: Seriously mom. A minute ago you didn't even know it was a shirt.
Mom: Yeah, but I can tell it will fit. Really.
Kerri: I can't believe you are doing this again.
Mom: I'm just getting it.
Kerri: Of course you are. Whatever!

Once again, this was our last day on the Vineyard, and we had already relinquished our house, so after shopping, we were returning to the ferry and to my sister's house for our last night. And once again, we began with wine-tasting, and then, with mom's fashion show. To our amazement, her gift had returned! The halter fit perfectly, and really really looked great.

So own your gifts. Believe in yourself. Occasionally you may fail. But that's okay. Particularly if you can laugh about it.

I'm in this book! How cool is that?

The author actually informed me that some of my journal pages were chosen a long time ago, when she was in the writing and organizing stages, and I've been waiting (and waiting) excitedly for it to finally arrive. I am a very big believer in the magic of art journaling to free the artistic soul, so I am thrilled that a few of my pages made it into this visual treat. There's a brief intro and some great prompts for journaling at the beginning of the book, and then just hundreds of pages of eye candy, along with contact information for the artists in the back.

Tomorrow I am off to an overnight with my dog to my friend Debbie's out in the gorgeous NY State countryside, where we'll make art, eat great food, hike the trails on her farm, and gab for hours. I probably won't blog again until Monday, but I hope to have some art pieces to share when I get back. We're making pieces to donate to a local auction, the proceeds of which go to an art & cultural center in her town. All in all, a perfect way to begin a summer weekend, in my book.

Happy Independence Day!

I'm back, sort of...

As any of you who visit my blog know, it is as much about my life as it is about my art, and life is changing for me these days. Although I will not go into great detail, I do feel a need to share this, so that those of you who stop by will understand why my blog and my art have been a bit neglected lately. My husband and I recently decided to separate, and although we know it's the right decision, it was not one we reached lightly. I thank you all for the comments, friendships, and support that have made blogging such a wonderful experience for me, and as the dust settles and I am able once again to focus, I will be sharing stories of girls weekend and many other adventures in my art & life.

A mini vacation...

I am off to join my sisters and (pictured here) my niece, for a vacation on Martha's Vineyard. I will return next week, with fun stories about our girly week adventures.

Bloom...

Everyone should have the opportunity... to bloom. stretch toward the sun. open, awaken, show your colors.

This post was nudged along by one of my sisters. She informed me that although my digital collage was great in the previous post, she was bored. I hadn't posted in awhile.

"Please, I know you have a lot going on, but your blog needs new material. I'm bored."

I have volumes to say, but my blog is not the forum for this topic at the moment, so I will leave you all with this painting -- hopefully the last in the "sad and doleful expressions" category. I think it was life, manifesting itself through art. My face, imposed on their faces...more later.

Digital recycling...

While I'd love to post a new piece of artwork to my blog every day -- or even every week -- time does not always cooperate. By scanning an existing piece of artwork (in this case an ATC I sent to a swap), I can alter it in Photoshop to create a new digital piece...

And since I'm on the topic of Photoshop, I am going to ask for input. If you could take a Photoshop class (or Photoshop Elements), what are the top 3 things you would like to know more about? ...I may be planning such a class, and this will help me to focus the class plan.

My ta da list for May...

The month of May is always incredibly busy for me, and I'll bet for most everyone. The outdoors beckons, both for enjoyment and for maintenance, and yet indoor chores don't cease. Maybe it's because I am a Libra, but I am always striving to maintain a balance - between indoors and outdoors, work and play, solitary and social. This month, my ta da list reflects how I am trying to lead a balanced life...

I taught 5 art classes - 4 at Stampassion, and one at the senior center;
I began taking regular weekly yoga class --one of the best things I've done for my body in ages. It really works out the aches and pains that creep up on this 40-something bod;
I read three books: The member of the wedding by Carson Mccullers, Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs, and The curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon;
I worked on plans for new summer classes - a class called stamp & collage on canvas, among them;
I planted herbs in my container garden - I love to watch my garden grow and to reap the benefits of its little harvest;
I participated in an ATC swap, themed "all keyed up;"
and I set aside two whole days for plain old artistic experimentation - so far, I used those days for painting, but I have lots of plans to fill these days

I have discovered, with the help of my creative coach, that I am very good at achieving artistic goals when they are obligations -- like class plans, which have hard and fast deadlines, but I am not so good at making time to just play. This is something I've struggled with for a long time, so I am trying to show up for one day a week, just for experimenting. The results be that I discover a new technique or idea for a class, but right now the goal is just to play, with no specific result in mind. For someone who likes a well-trimmed lawn, and a tidy house, and all the laundry folded, and all the chores checked off of her list, this is really not easy -- because the chores are never all finished.

That's where maintaining a balance is sooo important to me.
Work AND play.
All of life is duality.

The unofficial beginning of summer...

That's what this time of year signifies to me...My herb garden is planted on my deck...I shine up the gas grill for a summer of kabobs and marinades...the lawn is mowed...and mowed again...and again...hasta are split and replanted...birds are nesting all around our house...I ease into a four-day work week...and I try to remember how to relax...read a book...paint for hours...feel the warmth of the sun...roll in the grass with Max...and breathe...breathe...breathe...

How I spent my weekend...

These are samples for an upcoming class that I'll be teaching at Stampassion called Stamp & Collage on Canvas. It was my first experience using Tim Holtz Distress Crackle paints. I was skeptical, but I love the palette of colors and after getting used to the consistency of the paints (very thick), and the applicator brush - (very annoying, in my opinion,) I was pleased with the results. Rubber stamping on the painted background was a bit tricky, but I played around with techniques to make it look a bit handpainted. Like so many others, I am infatuated with birds as artful subject matter these days, and the stamps we chose for this class obviously reflect that.

Red Hot...

That was the title of this acrylic collage on canvas, which I mailed into Somerset Studio waaaaaay back in early 2007. I submitted a number of artworks for one of their themes -- "Nature Preserved" -- one was actually published, but I had completely forgotten about this piece after all that time. I love chiles -- both as an icon and as food - hot, hot, hot -- yum, yum yum, so I was very happy to see it published. I also love the color red, and I really love the simplicity of minimalist collage, so this piece gives me a warm feeling right in the center of my chest -- or is that the jalapenos I had with dinner...hmmm??

Anyway, my collage found its way into the latest edition of Somerset Gallery, and it was a treat to find this comp copy in my mailbox yesterday.

Oh, and my good friend Marilyn's wonderful house collage is in there too!!!

Far out and groovy...

A fun little illo. I drew the van just one time, then scanned, copied and rotated it to varying degrees, then added color and texture in Photoshop.

Peace, out.

Just a quick digital illo...

May... time for blue skies, mild weather...endless possibilities.

My April ta da list

It's time for my ta da list again. To anyone new to my blog, this list serves as a record and reminder for me of the ways in which I am following my creative path. Life goes by so quickly that I often feel as though I haven't accomplished as much artistically in any given month or year, as I would like to, and this list reminds me that I probably have done more than I give myself credit for. I recommend it to anyone who keeps a blog or any type of journal. It's also a chronicle of my artistic whims and the ways in which my art and interests evolve over time, which is a helpful tool in my quest for self-awareness.

Last month, I...
...purchased a year at a glance calendar & organized my events: personal/teaching/art projects/deadlines.
...wrapped up the biggest of my freelance jobs for awhile!! I've got a few more to finish, and more on the horizon, but that's for future lists!
...taught 4 classes at Stampassion, in Latham, NY
...had artist dates with my friend Debbie and my friend Lori, sharing ideas and experimenting with painting techniques.
...participated in a monthly ATC swap and also a collage swap, which was great fun!
...created a series digital illustrations on my blog, based on sketches I created years ago. This was a good/fun exercise to get my feet wet in photoshop elements, which I am preparing to teach
...took all of the photos for the altered chess set challenge -- yes participants -- I will be emailing you soon to take a peak as I write the article for submission!!
...met with Sheri, my creative coach...she always uncovers something beneath the surface that I was not conscious of, and yet once I see it, I knew it was there all along...

This time, it had to do with my need to make art that is just about play and experimentation, with no ultimate goal in mind. If I have artistic commitments -- class plans, articles to write, freelance deadlines (and by the way, I always have them), I don't allow myself to "play" until all the commitments are checked off my list. What happens, obviously, is that I never get to just play -- in truth, I never allow myself too. I keep hearing in that noisy head of mine..."you really need to plan that class today, then you can just paint." But the then rarely comes, because I always have obligations... we all do... but as artists, we need that creative play time.

Last year around this time, I told Sheri of my plan to use my summer Fridays off as art dates for myself... but as you might guess from this blog post, I made very little, if any, art on those days... and if I did make art, it was always art for a deadline or specific purpose. So Sheri has suggested that I try again. Only this time, I'm marking the days on my at a glance calendar, and I am calling them simply "creative play." I am free to do anything I want -- what a concept!!! --- but NOT class plans or freelance work. Just play. It should be wonderful, but I think it will be hard for me at first just to give myself permission.. for a real. day. off. just. for. me.!!!

By the way, this decision get serious about my creative play was prompted by this quote I read recently...

I think the hardest thing is that everyone wants to be good, to master everything in a weekend workshop. Painting is a lifelong process, and instead of worrying about making the perfect painting, you need to paint a lot." -- Patti Brady, Director Golden Working Artists Program

So go paint alot.
Or write, or draw or sew or collage.
a lot.

Images & words...

"Images and words are such fortunate cousins."

Those were the first words in a book I found at a thrift shop last summer. A book about monotypes created by artist Bruno Leti, the foreward (and that wonderful quote) were written by poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe. I am enamoured with words and images combined. I cannot resist putting a well chosen word or quote in my paintings and collages.

Even though visual images are often just as powerful on their own, perhaps it is my need to imbue a specific meaning rather than leaving a piece entirely for interpretation that compels me to add them. Sometimes it is the graphic shapes of the letters chosen for pattern and texture rather than for description. Lately, I've been inspired by my friend Marilyn's collage swap, based on the techniques of artist Kelly Rae Roberts - well chosen affirmations that motivate and uplift both the artist and the viewer.

Today, digital art allows even more exciting combinations of words and images. From digital collage artists to families capturing and recording memories with both handmade and digitally rendered scrapbooks, images and words have never been so fortunate.

Sweet slumber...

I am not at all sure why I've done two illustrations in a row of girls sleeping. I am not any more tired than usual. Who knows from where the muse comes? I have learned through many hours of frustration not to force it. If it's not coming naturally, I try to quiet my mind -- not an easy task -- and listen for clues as to what direction I should follow. Sometimes, it means leaving the art behind for a walk or a movie, and other times it means putting down my pen in lieu of a paint brush. It's the listening that's the hard part.

Good night, sleep tight...

...don't let the bed bugs bite!

That's what my dad said to us every night at bedtime when we were growing up. I don't believe, at that time, my dad new about the millions of dust mites that live on beds, and therefore the accuracy of his statement, but maybe he did and just thought it best not to mention them. It was difficult enough to get us to go to bed at all.

My bedtime as a child was embarrassingly early -- 8 pm until I hit puberty. I dreaded the bus ride to school in the morning, because my friends would all be talking about the tv shows they watched the night before --The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, among others, and I would try to pretend I had seen them too, when in reality, I had to hit the sheets after Beat the Clock and To Tell the Truth. I was sure someone would call my bluff.

Our bedtime ritual included saying our prayers, followed by a shout out to my mother the minute we were tucked in, so that we could have glass of milk. That was followed, of course, by one more trip to the bathroom, all stall tactics to postpone the inevitable.

What I would do for an 8 pm bedtime and to sleep like a child again now!!
Sweet dreams today everyone!!

Take time to smell the roses...

...and to visit friends
...and to spend time with family
...and to notice nature
...and to live in the moment.

Time seems to be moving faster and faster these days, am I wrong? It seems like just yesterday I celebrated the new year, and now it's almost May. I am trying to spend this fleeting time more wisely and productively as I get older, and to appreciate all of the people that I am so fortunate to have in my life.

Thank you for visiting.
Nemaste

Happy Earth Day!

I have done my share of damage to this precious planet, I cannot tell a lie. My vow is just to do better, buy less, recycle more, to reuse and repurpose where possible, and to encourage others to do the same.

What not to wear...

...apparently virtually everything in my wardrobe!
The arrival of spring weather necessitated that I pack up my winter wardrobe over the weekend and swap it for my summer clothes, which I store in totes in my attic. Unfortunately, as soon as I opened the lids of the totes, I could hear Stacy and Clinton in my head, exclaiming in horror at what lay beneath the lids. I could not believe that I even deemed most of this stuff worthy of packing and lugging up to my attic! So one by one, I emptied the totes and discarded (to charity) all of the items that I reluctantly admitted to myself I would not or should not ever wear again. Much to my dismay, however, this ruthless purging of my pathetic wardrobe was not met with a $5000 Visa card and a trip to NYC. Instead, I found myself staring sadly at the remaining contents of my now spacious, little, almost empty closet and pondering how many ways one can wear one pair of ivory trousers, one pair of black trousers, two floral prints skirts and four neutral tops. Now there's a creative challenge.


Here are a few of the rules I used to decide what to keep and what to donate.
It was time to let go if:
-- Aretha's "Freeway of Love" was a top ten hit when it was purchased.
-- it had shoulder pads.
-- it had text across the rear end.
-- I had cut off the sleeves, neckline or legs.
-- it reminded me of Molly Ringwald.
-- a strategically placed piece of jewelry would hid the stain.
-- I thought I should save it for a halloween costume.

Aaaaah, spring is here!

Finally. This is another illustration I dusted off, scanned and then colorized in Photoshop. Happy Spring!

Fun discovery...

While going through some of my endless file folders of papers and things I've saved, I came across a file of black & white line drawings that I created several years ago when I was entertaining the idea of starting my own rubber stamp company. Curiously, my style was very much along the lines of Impress, Savvy, and Amuse -- some pretty successful companies -- but my drawings never made it out of that file folder...until now.

I'm using Photoshop to digitally color and otherwise enhance them, and I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

The art of celebrating life...

One of the projects that has taken up a lot of my time this spring has been design work with my friend, event planner Lori Stachnik, for a Bat Mitzvah celebration.

The event took place last Saturday evening, and Lori invited me to stop by just before the guests arrived to see all of the pieces in place. My job entailed providing graphic design services and a lot of hand work for place cards, programs, tags for favors, and digital artwork for t-shirts, signage, and tote bags, to name a few. The theme was a sort of magical wonderland that included dogs, butterflies, lots of pink, an animal trainer, music and an amazing explosion of color and decor.

At first, in spite of the fact that I love to work with Lori, and that this was a great freelance job for me, I found myself disapproving of the excess that such an event necessitates. I was (inwardly) judgmental of how much such an event must cost, and how that money could be spent more responsibly.

Then I stopped by, just as the family was arriving, and I realized that I had it all wrong. I saw a mother, beaming, full of love for her daughter. I saw family members embrace and shake hands, eyes bright with surprise at all of the wonder and magic that greeted them as they entered. It was a celebration of life and an offering of gratitude that they could be together for such a happy occasion. It was not excess. It was abundance -- of life, love, family, friends, beauty, whimsy, and magic. It was also the culmination of a team of wonderfully creative and talented professionals putting their artistic mark on this event.

Of course, a small gathering of friends and family can be equally abundant and rewarding, but I went home that evening realizing that every now and then, it's okay to create an evening of magic.

The photo montage above is just a glimpse of the event, just before guests arrived.

Aaaaaah. A Sunday of Art-Making...

I played with a technique by Kelly Rae Roberts that was featured in two issues of Cloth Paper Scissors. The finished piece may be my submission for an affirmation collage swap hosted by friend and artist Marilyn Rock. I am in the process of making several more, so I am not sure which one I will swap. Marilyn cautioned that making these could become an addiction. I loved working on what affirmations I would use. It was definitely an exercise in self-awareness.

Cindy Dean is cooler than James Dean!

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I won a handmade flower pendant on Cindy Dean's blog a few weeks ago, and even though she is in the middle of moving to a new home this week, she managed to find the time to send it before the move -- but if that isn't cool enough, she sent me not ONE, but TWO (see picture) of these totally cool and stylish pendants, and they are even more fabulous in person than in pictures. Thanks again Cindy!!

I am continually amazed at the generosity and overall goodness of the artful blogging community. Cindy has inspired me to do a giveaway of my own, and I will be posting it soon!!

My March ta da list...

Is it just me or are the months flying by at the speed of light? And yet, winter still hasn't quite left us here in the Northeast, even though it is clearly notated on my calendar that spring arrived fifteen days ago!!!!!!!! I hate pulling on a hat and scarf and mittens in April. Waaaah. But enough whining. In spite of my obvious blog-neglect, I was very productive in March...

I met with my creative coach, Sheri, to help clarify my goals for 2008, and I also finished writing a brief contribution for her upcoming book!! (I will definitely tell more when it's published);
I sent a brief list of questions to my altered chess set participants to be the basis of an article that I have to get busy writing this month (thank you all for getting back to me so quickly);
I read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (a great little read about breaking through all the resistance we put in front of making our art, whatever that art may be -- even reading books about making art);
I created & taught a class at Stampassion called Polymer Clay Kitchen - we made faux recipes for jade, bone & lapis lazuli. and then turned the clay mixtures into jewelry pieces. I don't work consistently in clay, but when I plan a class like this, I am always reminded of how tactile and satisfying it is;
I taught another session of Spotlight on Art Journals at Stampassion (I love, love, love this class -- it is unbelievably satisfying to introduce students to the concept of an art journal and watch them relax and create spontaneously);
I planned and taught a class at the Watervliet Seniors center (we made cards for Easter & St. Patrick's day);
I continued to work on several freelance design jobs with a friend who is a spectacular local event planner -- Lori Stachnik Events -- contact me if you need an event planner in upstate NY. She is amazing!!!
I signed up for my first yoga class(es) and I absolutely LOVE it -- another recommendation if you're in the Troy, NY area -- she does great classes. Here's her website (I also added a link a the right);

And, I created a new class for Stampassion, called Home Sweet Inchies, inspired by artist Patti Gramza, who posted similar ones on her blog a few months ago. I love working in small formats, and I have always loved the house shape as an icon, so this was a very satisfying class to plan. I will teach the first of three classes next weekend! Here are some samples at the top of this post. I will also be creating a collage sheet for this class, and I will be offering it as a giveaway to a few lucky blog readers, so come back soon. I'll be posting the sheet early next week, along with details on what you need to do to win one!!