The Spell

the aspens

W.I.P. (work in progress)

Winter

(work in progress)

...but I'd rather speak

in fantastic riddles

when every quiet moment

brings sounds that paint

words in my mind

The Sea

Sand and beach and surf

footprints and dangling toes

in icy cold waters

hot sun and cool wind

tingly salt water smell

and taste

Vacationing On The Island

Chincoteague Island (photo source: wikipedia)

Sorry for the delay in my postings. I've been writing tons, just not anything to share as of yet. Meanwhile, I am visiting the lovely Chincoteague Island in Va. We don't usually take vacation during Pony Penning Week, and while we have seen the wild ponies from far away, it's been exciting to see them up close! Hoping to get inspired and come back with renewed vitality! (Click on the link under the picture to read more about Pony Penning Week.)

I've been thinking of what I want to do with the large painting I am re-working; the one w/the moon and butterflies. Based on the idea that "you can't put a price on nature," this painting is a response to the destruction that is imposed on the earth in the name of corporate profit. I started painting it in 2003. Originally, the stripes and numbers were meant to symbolize a bar code. (The white areas are where I gessoed over the stripes.) I was painting this when I was first pregnant with Duncan. I kept imagining that I was having a girl so the pink color and dress entered the painting. The pinks stripes and the dress don't really seem to make sense to me now so I am re-working it.....round two!

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Perfect Day

.............................................................................................
ditched the trip to Philly

for Central PA's Festival of the Arts

saw art

listened to good music

bought some art and

a little journal that is fat

like a little piece of cake

with handmade paper pages

it was hot

walked home

showered

had tea

rested

got dressed again

set out for more art

and music

took artsy photos

and got rained on

got really rained on

while obsessively taking photos

ducked into art's fest's

little known secret

'Say Sushi'

and practically had the restaurant to ourselves

wrang my dress out in the bathroom

and wiped the water off my skin with paper towels

miso soup

hot jasmine tea

sushi

glad that I packed a sweater.

(click on the artist's name to check out their website)

Kirstin Demer

Chris Plummer

Girl with Fireflies

Girl with Fireflies (preliminary sketch)

Little Log Rafts

I made some little rafts from the sticks I found. First, I lashed them together with waxed thread and added a mast and leaf sail...they floated right down the creek! FUN!

While Walking in the Woods

While walking in the woods,

I came upon these broken twigs

with red and gray-brown bark

these small fallen branches

they caught my eye

and made me think

of childhood and forts

and tree houses and stick fences

and winter and snow and hot chocolate

and warm fires....all in the middle of summer!

Painting With Nine Lives

My work often involves taking a painting to the brink of destruction and then resurrecting or unearthing the image.

The sky in the above rendition was flat and uninteresting with too much white.

I created more depth in the background and ended up with clouds that were warm and had more depth. Not bad, but I trapped Lachesis and gave her no place to fly.

The Three Fates: Lachesis

Finally.

One Hour Later....

I think this is finished but I'm going to sleep on it for now.

Enjoy!

The Three Fates: Lachesis

"Maybe I like to court danger", she said.

While Klotho combs the wool and spins the thread of life,

Atropos weaves the thread into the fabric of her actions

and Lachesis looks upon her with anticipation,

for it is Lachesis who waits to cut the thread

when the length of her life has been determined.

Detail, The Three Fates: Lachesis

Unfinished and Untitled ..... so far....

Fortune Friday Results!

This is the last Fortune Friday. No winnings to report and chance is taking me elsewhere for now....

Girl with Bee Skep

Just got this book in the mail! Can't wait to start reading it!

Fortune Friday!!!

Look for the results on Monday!

Two Girls with Butterfly Jar

Sneak Peeks, W.I.P. and Ideas

painting over an old idea

Unfinished Idea #23

Unfinished Idea #24

Unfinished Idea #25

Old Journal Entry

2007.02.25

Reemerging, coming out

of the embryonic fluid

of raising two

to raising one

interest in my work again.

I call it my work.

I have much work that I do.

All of my work is about

creating.

Fortune Friday!!!

Sorry about last Friday! Went camping and didn't get to get take out! Better luck next week! New painting in the works, so stay tuned!

Well, the numbers are in and I only had one, 04. *sad face*

I'm going to try the Power Ball next week! :) Have a good week and check back later for more creative developments (ie: new paintings and philosophical ramblings)!

Latest Painting

All the Beautiful Things...

Fortune Friday!!!

Here's the fortune for this Friday! Now to play the numbers!!

Tonight, I am remembering childhood games of chance..."eeny, meeny, miney, mo," "rock, paper scissors," and paper fortune tellers.

Chance Operations

Ellsworth Kelly

I recently visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art and saw works by some of my favorite Modern artists. My thought process went something like this: Fortune cookie, lucky numbers, lottery, chance, Elsworth Kelley, John Cage, chance operations, fortune cookie, lucky numbers, lottery, chance, my work, chance operations?.......

Chance as it occurs in life has always intrigued me. Things that occur by chance, beyond my control and that have an effect on my life; things that occur by chance and that demand a response or that change the course of my experience. These things have always made me wonder about the origin of the energy behind what could be considered 'chance events'. Does the universe randomly generate things according to the laws of chance or on purpose? Is that what life is, a series of chance events and our response to them?

I remember the first time I experienced Deja Vu. I was five or six, standing beside a tree next to a honeysuckle bush watching a trail of ants go under the root of the tree when I happened to look up at the sky and the clouds and I had this overwhelming feeling that I had been there before. Not as in yesterday or even in my lifetime but in some other time, long ago and far away. I remember running into the house and describing the feeling to my mom and she said, quite matter-of-factly, "Oh, that's Deja Vu." I think this is when my fascination began.

Chance has always played a part in my work. Chance meetings of subject matter and materials, each informs the other as I work. I work fluidly allowing chance to dictate certain things in my work, while my vision dictates other things. Perhaps I work alongside chance.

Still under investigation: while researching chance operations, I came upon this little tidbit of 'food for thought':

Chance Operations (from http://www.toddholoubek.com/classes/livingart/?page_id=26)

What is a chance operation and what is it’s place in the creative process?


First let’s begin with a definition of random:


Random is the occurrence of events in a manner of such complexity that human cognition cannot find either a cause or a pattern between the events.



Does chance = random?



Consider chance as an attempt to achieve something natural.
Consider chance operations as a means of making a decision and how relinquishing control changes the outcome.

Fortune Friday Results!

Well, no winning ticket yet! But, I did have two numbers on two rows! Chance is so much fun!

Fortune Friday!!!

Every friday I will obtain a fortune cookie, hopefully from chinese takeout so I don't have to cook dinner! (wink wink)

I will read the fortune and then take the lucky numbers to my local convenient store and buy a lottery ticket. I will wait patiently until monday to see if I win! Then I will post the results here for all to see!

I'm thinkin'

**LUCKY**CHANCE**

Carnival Dress

Carnival Dress 2010 (unfinished)

This painting is unfinished but I wanted to post it anyway because I like it at this stage. It measures about 9" x 7".

I've been working with Circus and Carnival themes for some time, but not in conjunction with my dresses until now.

I almost always have a direct intent when creating work but sometimes other things are apparent that I may not be aware of. So, I really appreciate comments that allow me to learn what the viewer sees or takes from my work. I hope you feel compelled to tell me what YOU see....

Blue Birdcage Dress Painting

As promised, here are the details of the birds from the 'Blue Birdcage Dress' painting. Notice the areas toward the left and to the top that are out of focus. I dropped my camera a while back and it fell with the lens open. I just noticed that the lens is a little crooked and makes things out of focus on one side. I really need a new camera....hmm....

The lighter yellow color you see in the detail above is more true to the actual painting. I did the painting on paper and just adhered it to a panel. Couldn't get rid of all of the air bubbles...unfortunate. I'll have to try to do something about that if possible.

day four: works in progress

Poppies 2010 (watercolor pencil and pen)

Poppies 2010 (detail)

City Sidewalk 2001

day two: works in progress

Triptych

P's Box

P's Box (detail)

P's Box