"When I'm painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a get acquainted period that I see what I've been about." Jackson Pollock Abstract Painting This is a portion (maybe a third) of an abstract painting I worked on a couple of weeks ago. Very vivid colors, including gold which doesn't always photograph well. I believe I may be working on a series of this kind of abstract, as half a dozen more along this line sit in my studio. I'm in the "get acquainted" phase that Pollock mentions, and am discovering the meanings for me.
"You begin with the possibilities of the material."Robert Rauschenberg
Sunday Meditation This so inspiring well done video is worth viewing. It was created and is copyrighted by Elia Saikaly in an attempt to share the spirit of a man who carried a message of hope and understood life. Sean Egan died on a Mt Everest climb in 2005 living a dream. Sean said "How sad it is, for a man to grow old and not know the beauty and strength of which the body is made. Your soul and the body function together." He encourages us to live in our bodies, enjoy and appreciate our environment, as he did in a grand fashion.
What had promised to be a very busy packed week, instead became a week of rest, contemplation, tea and soup. I am finally feeling over my flu today, it's time move about, go for a walk, maybe enjoy the hummingbirds in our yard feeders from outdoors instead of from behind the windows and look forward to the possiblities of spring coming.
"So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness." Sidney Poitier And this is how I feel today, random, tangled... I had to look up a quote as the words are not flowing easily. I've managed to come down with fever and a cold or flu. So it's hot tea and chicken soup for me for the next week.
Meanwhile, a bit of creativity from a week or so ago. This basket (about 7.5 inches across and 4.5 inches deep) I made in our sewing guild, a whole day spent learning how to ply the wet fiber into a shape. A whole day of random weaving. I think that's why I signed up for that workshop. The randomness is so appealing. No pre-ordained pattern, nor rows, nor specified colors or anything. Just weave as your hand leads. There's a kind of Zen feeling to this randomness, just tapping into spirit and letting the piece evolve as it will. Looking straight down at it, I see a mandala..... So, here is my Sunday meditation (on Tuesday). Randomness is a good thing and I shall meander in my art creating more often. Not think too much. Let the rhythm of making take over and lead me on. And for today I shall savor tea and let the ideas come.
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast..." from Alice in Wonderland The Sketchbook Project Above is the outside cover from my sketchbook "Lights in the Distance" just submitted to the ArtHouse Co-op a couple of days ago. This previous posting talks a bit about it. I made 2 originals, so I could keep one. I used the moleskin sketchbook sent by ArtHouse, but removed most of the 80 pages. My book has 16 finished pages plus the outside/inside covers..... The paper was so flimsy, so I glued some of the ones I left in the book together, then collaged/ gessoed more on top of them to make them more sturdy. I included a few sketches but found my subject lent itself more to some personal photos (altered in Photoshop), and previous artwork (also altered in Photoshop). All in all a very fun and productive art project. Some of the the pages will lead to other pieces of art, paintings or 3d, for example the one above. I have used this photo in other art pieces and it's one of my favorites. I've posted the ArtHouse tour schedule for the sketchbooks (thousands of them from around the globe) in my sidebar. Additionally, ArtHouse will be digitizing and posting quite a few of them online too in a couple of months. If you click on the link, scroll down to see what they are about, since they currently have a special message for the sketchers at the top.
Organizing Art Speaking of impossible things - maybe this year will be the year? I've seen at least half a dozen blogs talking about cleaning out the studio's. Hmmm, I wonder, is "organized art" an oxymoron? I think I need a certain amount of chaos or jumble to stimulate ideas, you know, unexpected things or colors randomly colliding in a great way...
I have art all over the house, some is organized (kind of) and some not so much. I think it's because my art from very early years evolved from watercolor painting and some sewing into "why not try everything". I suppose it's an organic process & grew so much with all kinds of art, that I didn't create "homes" for some things. So that's my thought now - instead of getting lost in the details too much - to envision "homes" for everything, how all the space in the house would be most useful, and then reorganize from there. And at the same time, consolidate some things that are scattered. It would eliminate some occasional "search & rescue" missions for tools or supplies I sometimes can't find. Here's a very small glimpse of my art messiness... And here are examples of some things, but not all, that I do now; at least it's a start.... Labeled clear drawers or plastic boxes - "Adhesives" drawer for wet, stick or tacky tape; "Tape" drawer for masking, dble-sided, washi, packing, etc.; "Tools" for some larger ones (hand drill, heat gun, etc); "Sewing Notions"; "Ribbons"; "Threads"; "Felting"; "Embroidery", "Stencils", "Inks", "Pens, Colored Pencils, etc", and more Zip plastic bags (the kind linens or sheets come in) - easy to find & take along somewhere. I have one bag that is all about matting, framing paintings & hanging up a painting show. I have one that is for bookbinding kind of tools..... And then a misc general tool bag. Small clear boxes - for pricey tube acrylic paints; separate ones for watercolor tube paints. Old thrift store wooden CD holders - for cheap $1 acrylics Wood CD holders & wire baskets & closed cabinet - for fabric quarters & larger pieces Clear Over-Door Shoe Holder - great for art mediums, gesso's, etc. Plastic bags for projects - I haven't been doing this consciously, but I always have a bag with one or two small handstitching projects (fabric books, embroidery, collage, beading) ready to be worked on. And another bag with my small sketchbooks, journal with pens & mini-palette & waterbrush also at the ready. I do make time every night working on something as I wind down maybe watching tv at the same time. But I think I might expand this, and "bag" up more at-the- ready projects that are small and portable. Or possible "art experiments" I have been dreaming up and wanting to try.
I don't know about any of you, but I've decided that as part of figuring out how best to use & reorganize my space, I must include a "staging" area. As well as arting alone, I often come in and out of the house - going to sewing or painting groups, meeting friends, a workshop now & then - so tools/supplies/art projects come in or go out with me... and often don't get put away, then I'm scrounging to find something later. I'd love to hear some ideas for this problem!
Sunday Meditation In spite of the post New Year's organizing frenzy, do remember this: all those lovely art tools and supplies are there for a reason - to support your creativity, nurture your inner soul, provide ways to express yourself... Maybe it's ok to have them visible to remind oneself to take the time, to make the time, to just be, just play. And maybe it's about a balancing act between how much time you owe to play and how much to maintenance. Perhaps an organized space is possible with time for play too...
A quote from Einstein: “... although I have a regular work schedule, I take time to go for long walks on the beach so that I can listen to what is going on inside my head. If my work isn’t going well, I lie down in the middle of a workday and gaze at the ceiling while I listen and visualize what goes on in my imagination.” Meanwhile, here's an interesting blog read that I've followed off and on, and added to my sidebar, Zen Habits. Here's what they say in their "About" page..."Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness." How true.
Taking time for art, it's so relaxing... Kaewyn Gallery Miniature Show Their annual show is still on until January 25, so if you are local don't miss the opportunity to see lots of wonderful small art pieces in the gallery. You can find the address and hours at the link to their website.
This and That Lately I have created an array of art pieces that I have yet to post.... some fabric dying & stamping, a collaged hand-stitched fabric piece I resurrected from two years ago that I never finished, a couple of small experimental abstract canvases, two 10x10 mixed media pieces that I submitted for possible publication, two mixed media sketchbooks - almost done, and some journaling. One of the sketchbooks is for me and the other is for the ArtHouse Coop challenge to add to their Brooklyn library, it's due January 15... so I'm managing to stay focused on that project. I decided I needed to have one to keep, that's why I'm overachieving by making 2.
But meanwhile, this week in three fiber groups I belong to, I'll be experimenting with making simple books, dying fabric shibori style, and checking out a museum exhibit. And I decided to sign up for Mary Ann Moss Remains of the Day sewn fiber journal. I'm sure there's more on my plate, I just can't think of it now!
An artist's life is never dull... too bad the housework doesn't do itself....
Time for reflection, savoring the wintry weather, darkness leading to light...Playing with my camera, this is a night shot of our holiday trip to Canada a couple of weeks ago. We were just there in October too, we can't seem to get enough of going to this peaceful quiet exquisitely beautiful place. I love the way they leave the lights up in the trees at night - all year long, making it seem magical for those evening walks in the cold air and letting the imagination take the lead.
And this is a lovely dawning of another day in this valley of mountains.... Winter Solstice this week, Dec 21 came in with a special heralding this year.... and I managed to see a small part of the total eclipse of the Moon as it had started - a banana sized sliver with that dark shadow over it. Then we had our Northwest cloud cover.... Imagine, the last Moon total eclipse was over 400 years ago... As the winter officially begins I think of the cycles and seasons of earth, life, myself. Winter is a time when the seeds dropped earlier in the fall lie dormant underground, but gestate towards emerging into new life in the spring light... as we do. I wonder at it. What random seed was planted in our consciousness, something we glimpsed, some small remark received, an experience lived and felt, that waits for the wintering to bring it forth... are we not all so full of possibilities waiting for the light?
I gazed out the window at the lovely huge soft snowflakes falling from heaven... Our first snow of the season fell today, their slow glide like a white moving lacy curtain outside our windows. But, they did not stay long as our temperatures were not quite cold enough.
I have been playing this past couple of weeks with fanciful things. I made a "fascinator" which is a frufru cocktail hat (good for parties I suppose or just fun), I dyed and stamped fabric, stitched fabric crows, created small cards with a favorite photo, painted, sketched and mixed here and there. Today I made a couple of minor changes on this blog and am thinking to change the design soon. And worked on which paintings will go into 2 upcoming shows in the next week or so. And we just returned from a trip to the Washington coast late Thursday which I will share about in a later post.
A Canada Trip Meanwhile, here's a few quick sketches from our anniversary trip to British Columbia in October... It was stunningly beautiful. We took a side trip to a creek that was running with many many bright orange spawning salmon, as you may have heard Canada was having a record return of the salmon this year, it is a fantastic sight and great to hear good news like this. We took a scenic boat ride up the Harrison River, great sunny crispy cool weather, and the fall skies and light with shadows, perfect for lots of photography with my new camera and relaxing with the sketchbook.... Fishermen were everywhere, on the shore, in the water with hip waders on, standing up in boats... We had dinner one night in a Chinese restaurant... always fun to save those good fortunes.. People lined up for Tea Time in the hotel after their pool time, dressed in their white robes and bathing suits... What could be better than a hot cup of lemon black tea with cookies on a cool fall day?
Sometimes the colors are so luscious, I want to swim in them..... Fall Colors We've been out on several occasions lately just to see the fall colors of the trees with the leaves turning. We don't really have to go very far to see the changes. Amazingly beautiful reds, oranges, yellows - cast against blue/white skies and grassy greens... My photo's here are from a nearby park and along the side of the street. Great inspiration for painting!
The New Camera Lucky me, I have been taking even more photo's, as I finally have a new camera, a Canon G-12 Powershot. If you are in the market, this is a terrific camera. It's the latest model called an "advanced digital point and shoot", that is, it has the features of an automatic, but also has many more options that a SLR would have, while maintaining it's compactness (14 oz). I did quite a bit of research before getting this camera and now that I'm using it, I can say, I'm glad I chose this one. No shutter delay, great low-light pix, a viewfinder and a move-able LED screen, shoots RAW, gorgeous sharp photo's. I will be discovering and learning quite a while what I can do with this camera!
I have to say, I balked at the 14 oz size at first when I was researching camera's because the one I've been using forever was only 5.5 oz. And, I have to have something that will fit easily in my purse and go with me everywhere... SO, I looked in my kitchen cabinet and found a can of artichokes that weighed 14 oz and put it in my purse to see if I could stand to carry that around. I am learning to carry less baggage around in my purse (and otherwise). The artichokes passed the test, hence the new camera!
There was one other camera that I liked quite a lot, a Panasonic Lumix, that was half the weight and size, but it did not have a viewfinder, nor as good a zoom. Otherwise it was comparable and is the camera that my virtual travel friends recommend. But for me, a viewfinder was a must, as often the LED disappears in strong sunlight, and a better zoom, well, what can I say?
Another tip, I bought my camera at Kenmore Camera, a great local shop in Kenmore, WA with very experienced people. An annoying thing I've found lately about electronic things, is that often you get an abbreviated handbook with the item, while the detailed handbook is on-line. When I asked about this, Kenmore Camera offered and printed out the 213 page Camera User guide for me (2 pages on each side, saves paper) -- so I can take it with me as I learn how to use all the features. I took the pages to Kinko's and had them coil bound for about $4 or so with plastic covers.
So, for researching which camera to buy, I used the latest Consumer Reports reviews- which I could access free from my local library. Plus a website called Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10091412canong12.asp), among others. Hope all this helps anyone looking for a new camera.
"Art is more than a product of your efforts – it should be about feeling, life, attitude, soul." Sergei Bongart, Russian Master Painter
Fine Art Prints - My Paintings and Photographs
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"There is no one just like you, and there never will be anyone just like you, so there's no reason not to be original." Sergei Bongart, Russian Master Painter
A watercolor and mixed media artist experimenting with various painting and non-painting art forms: collage, fiber, felting, dolls, embroidery and beads, bookbinding-bookmaking, collage, digital photography & photoshop, etc. Inspired by the natural world. Words and poetry to embellish and add meaning. Drawn to the metaphors and stories of life expressed through art as a healing of the spirit, a way to draw out the beauty, maybe to inspire and bring a little light.
Peace is every step. The shining red sun is my heart. Each flower smiles with me. How green, how fresh all that grows. How cool the wind blows. Peace is every step. It turns the endless path to joy. Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist Monk, Teacher, Author, Poet, and Peace Activist
2013 Art Shows - See My Art
Ongoing - Northwest Hospital and Medical Center, Breast Cancer Center, 1550 N 115th St, Seattle, WA
Ongoing - Northwest Hospital and Medical Center, Dining Cafeteria, 1550 N 115th St, Seattle, WA
"I don't follow any system. All the laws you can lay down are only so many props to be cast aside when the hour of creation arrives." Raoul Dufy (1877-1953), French Fauvist Painter
"The world is holy. We are holy. All life is holy. Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whisperings of grasses, the shimmering of leaves." ~ Terry Tempest Williams, From Talking to God: Portrait of a World at Prayer (anthology)
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead, American Cultural Anthropologist
My Etsy Shop #1 - Fine Art Paintings and Mixed Media
Fine Art Prints available here
Artists Websites
1001 Journal #2286
Go to the 1001 Journal site to see journal #2286 which I started and hosted in our local community center. This and other journals are rich with artwork and wonderful writings from a diverse bunch of people everywhere. Go here to the originating 1000 Journal project to read about the project started by "Someguy" who gave away, left journals in locations, and mailed out a total of 1000 blank journals randomly with an invitation in them to create, write, pass on, post on the web, and return them.... Many, many inspiring images and writings.
Abstract Painting
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