Spa Show Ends Sunday!

Today I will move my car back seats down and layout the packing blankets for tomorrow. I will load 15 pieces of art with cardboard and towels between to protect frames. I've done this on and off for years and it's easy to get back into this quick efficient loading system. The show was up for two months. I sold "Evening Prayers" and "Silver Ladder" which can be viewed on my flicker badge in the sidebar. I also sold "Flying Fearless Freyja" a portrait of my muse and I will post it in my sidebar too. I was surprised at this sale and so pleased. Painting her gave me the gift of courage in starting new work and I hope whoever purchased this piece will find the joy in owning as I had in creating this image! I spend a good part of my life in my own thoughts and imagination that I am so pleased when these pieces go out into the world... like little birds taking flight! I'm a believer in the fifth creative step: "Take your work out into the world" but lately I have been more interested in setting up a website than hanging work on walls. I am retired and mostly out of the local mix...a website offers me a way to show and share while giving me more time to focus on new work...the focus on these last chapters of my life...so to speak! ha

The house is humming with an active washer and dryer. Pablo returned home from five days in Reno. He was in temperatures around 95 and drove into our driveway marking 59 degrees...quite a range! He came home loaded with gifts for me... Speedy Cut by Speedball...a high density rubber block good for easy carving for my printmaking and a bag of m&m's dark chocolate candy! ha I'm doing laundry, watching cooking shows on PBS and looking forward to a homecoming barbecue. Sunday evening another "Wallander" on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS...life is good!

Deliverance 1

This is my first effort with my compass collagraph collage. Rives BFK, measures 16" x 16", acrylic, compass stamp, collage and oil pastel. I was having so much fun and then I noticed the piece was getting dark and then too dark for me. I went into rescue mode with a scrubbing of Phthalo blue and white and I think it now has an underwater feel or maybe an outer space motif. I have decided to stop and start on two smaller pieces for tomorrows agenda, using more of the collagraphs. Click on image to see more detail.

Pablo is out of town for a few days and I'm really putting in the studio time. I'm eating light...even have some take-out planned for later in the week.

There is this wonderful cafe called the Dharma and they have an American saute that is sensational...so fresh. What is your favorite take-out dish? Our Whole Foods has some scrumptious deli dishes...it's amazing what is out there and fully prepared!

Collagraph prints as collage

This photo includes both the plates and prints for my compass series. I'm using the compass as a metaphor for searching for my new direction in art making. I took an afternoon to create the plates using matt board as a base and adding "stuff" to create the compass with texture. After sealing the plate, I inked and printed using my old off set press with a crack in one of the wooden rollers and a big wrought iron turning wheel. I even overprinted with other plates for more texture. I used a thin paper that didn't require moisture and I used acrylic inks in just red & black . The blue compass was from rubber stamping on blue paint. I haven't printed in a long time, it was fun, it was focused and it was hard work and messy! Each print was a surprise with some disappointing and others interesting. I cut the circle shapes out and will use these in my next painting/collage. I'm sticking with my three days + studio days and I see a shift where I am moving from my center now and feeling stronger. I am a believer of taking first steps and the powers, the Universe, the muses step in with more strength and energy until it's a symphony of art making....my studio is humming again!

I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend, I don't know all that we are doing but I do know I'm making potato salad and maybe we will go to a barbecue or just stay at home and eat our potato salad! The weather here is morning fog and afternoon sun...I'll put out the flag!

Architecture Tour

These are the few photos of the first home on our tour yesterday. Can you imagine the fun of redwood trees inside your front door?

A great staircase with a bridge between rooms ! The kitchen had beautiful hardware, Irish marble (green) and a green cement farmer's sink. click to enlarge.The home is a block from "Pleasure Point" beach (big surfer spot) and the home will become a rental. At the second home I was told no cameras so I left it in the car for the rest of the tour. The homes were lovely, natural materials and native plants...I sure saw a variety of kitchens and most of the yards had outdoor showers because of the beach! Next year we plan on more garden tours in early Spring.

Has anyone been watching "Wallander" on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS? We have watched two episodes and like the series...good pace, interesting characters and a good story set in Sweden. Let me know what you think?

Reporting on my studio day: collagraph prints all morning....potential good! Very Tired!

Post to 4-24 Unknown Outcome

Still acrylic on Rives BFK paper, still measures 18" x 18". I am reporting a couple more approaches of several hours and I feel it is done. The columns speak to me in many ways and several of the spirals were made with a rugged stamping process. There was writing on the bottom, light colors, stripes but the bottom of the piece is dark now, the writing covered and it seems to anchor the columns...I like it. I thought of the artist Hundertwasser through out so you might say this is my ode to him and his dedication to the natural line and shapes.

This week has been the start of my new studio hours ...mon., wed., fri., several hours each day. Tuesday and Thursday I push all my obligations...laundry, shopping, banking, and swimming or movies and although it makes two full days, it allows empty hours for work. I am serious about building new work for a website.

Lately I have been feeling like an artistic dinosaur....I was on a site recently site.booksmartstudio.com/blog/ viewing a show called ALTERNATIVE DIGITAL PRINTING EXHIBITIONS by selected artists. I didn't have a clue on how most of the work was completed. I just know I loved several pieces in the show. One especially by Deena Haynes (friend)... her piece is a digital image heat pressed on metal!!! Beautiful! Drop by the site just for a look...some lovely pieces. As for being a dinosaur, well, I just don't have these skills but I so admire the art...the question I ask myself, do I continue with my skills for my vision or do I take on new more modern skills for my visions? I will compromise and read a book titled "Digital Art Studio"...we shall see?!

This Saturday we are going on an Architectural Home Tour. We will review a map and travel to each home. The money for the map goes to support Habitat for Humanity so it's a good cause and I get to do what I love...check out other people's homes!! Have a good weekend!

Still Dreaming

Papier mache' collage, acrylic, measures 14" x 18". Did you ever make a mask by inserting straws up your nose and then allowing an artist to wrap your face in wet plaster? I was okay with the process until it began to dry and then I remember feeling a little creepy and antsy but it worked out with some strong self talk. When the mask was off me and dry, I used it as a form for papier mache' masks like this one. I added a headdress above the face and collaged sky and dream images. I was trying to capture the ever moving images in sleep. This piece is a couple years old but I thought I'd share. click to enlarge.

We are home now and very well rested. Our room was lovely, restaurants great and our patio had a spa fed by deep spring waters. We had perfume packets to put in the water to cut the slight egg scent of the water but beyond that the water was so warm and relaxing. It was around 85 most days, perfect for swimming and visiting wineries. I brought my camera but left the "card" in the computer at home. My camera is an old digital model so finding a card was close to impossible. I instead bought a throw away camera and Pablo is taking it to the drug store for developing. It was difficult taking a photo and not seeing the results instantly! We changed our mind about driving home along the coast and drove home on #101 and stopped at sleepy San Juan Bautista (another mission town...this mission was used in the filming of "Vertigo"). We had a great Mexican lunch in a beautiful garden....a perfect ending to our vacation.

I'm unpacked and the washer is on it's first load...the suitcases are put away....it's all a sweet memory!

Cowboy Wine Country

A photo I took a couple of years ago of an area on the grounds of Mission San Miguel, Arcangel. I believe this mission is closed for repairs after a recent earthquake. It was built in 1797 and is very fragile and beautiful. We will be staying in a town about 9 miles south of this mission in an area called "The Cowboy Wine Country". It has grown over the years with winery after winery and people are enjoying the area as a destination. We will be staying at a great Inn with pool and in room spa so I'm happy! If you remember the movie "Sideways" then you might remember the film featured the area dotted with wineries and pretty countryside. When we head home we will travel over to the ocean and travel up the coast on Hwy 1 which is a really beautiful curvy road.

Tomorrow we pack the suitcases and Pablo works his magic and packs the car...I take everything when we go for a few days...need my pillow, books and he is the same way! He is taking his laptop and I think it will be interesting if I can stay away from blogland for a few days...if I can't then I know I can use his computer. Happy Trails!!!!