Winter Spring and Summer

This piece "Silver Ladder" is one of two works inspired by my writing and reading about Labyrinths, meditation trails and images from antiquity. The fabric collage and stitching are almost obscured by layers and layers of oil pastel and joint compound. The silver leaf is a shiny contrast to shades of dull pink, red and yellow. In low light this piece has a glow that I really like.
Great weekend...cool , a little too cool for me but not cool enough to keep the tourists away. The pull of the Boardwalk and beaches too great to discourage weekenders or day trippers. Monday, Deena and I worked on the exchange of my summer clothes from winter and chose items for Goodwill or for consignment...almost done and I'm already feeling lighter! We also had a great day just being together and catching up!
I looked over my schedule for the week and Thursday is my only full day for studio work...not good. I must stay serious about setting more time aside for work...it's impossible to develop if I'm always in a start and stop position. As I've gotten older I'm plain weak and stupid after 7pm. I love my studio...right in the center of the house just like in my heart...materials, journals...love them all.

New Business cards

New image for my business cards..what do you think? I need to update my email as well as my new blog address. My dear friend Deena is putting it together so we can tweek it and I think we are going with a creamy white shiny card with black lettering. I have trouble with reverse printing...hard to read.

David McMahon from authorblog http://david-mcmahon.blogspot.com/ has requested his readers to post an answer to this simple question and also to post it to him so he can follow any discussions. The question is What is your dream? My dream is after coming home from 10 days in the hospital...my dream, wish, prayer is to have the lung capacity ENOUGH to love Pablo, to paint, to play.

Three Choices

We all have our unique process...our own way we hear our muse but at the same time there is a personal way ,there is a universal process. I very much relate to Coeleen Kiebert's five steps from her book"All of a Sudden The Creative Process". 1. Statement of Intention. How important is that?! How many times has the conversation over coffee begun with claims of fresh ideas, plans, dreams, desire and wishes only to never really happen...Intention. I believe, to begin one must finally take the form of true commitment.

This "Three Choices" measuring 12"x12" is the one of the series I'm most unsure of and I will probably make changes sometime next week, next year but a change for sure. The circles are made up of many fabrics and papers with silver stitching. Up close they are interesting and I've received positive comments. Sometimes I'm unable to see the beauty (Assimilate, 4Th step) so I thought I'd share anyway as the reason for this blog was to share as openly and honestly as possible. I'm not aggressively marketing this series and at most I might show this series in a small local place. For me it has been about the living, learning developing art experience rather than save the ego...!!

The Grid

The grid holds order for me. A few of these circle/squares have fingerprints printed and others look egg shaped. I couldn't help but feel a grid of possibilities...potential. The stones arranged in small sets randomly placed reminded me of the raised id tapes placed on glass x-ray plates from the 50's. The piece stands on its own but is also connected to the others with black background. It measures 12"x12" and I have floated it on a white matt board with black wood frame.

Mother's Day was great. My youngest son drove over (2 hour drive) for the weekend and besides cards and presents, helped out by preparing meals at the local Fresh Prep Kitchen. He prepared six dinners ready for the freezer for the upcoming week. Pablo only needs to use the oven and I can make salads. They have a great menu...we picked Italian meatoaf, chicken cassoulet, orange spiced Tilapia.These prep kitchens are a great idea, especially great for busy families wanting good fresh food, classic receipes,mostly organic and good price. My oldest son called in the evening so it was as I said a great day. Best present was a cd Amy Winehouse "Back to Black".

This woman, my mother
This woman I've always known
This woman I've loved from a child's heart
The years rejecting her still clear in my head
justified on all points and issues
None of my ploys work anymore
My hard heart won't stop melting
She holds the keys to my most unforgettable traits
the ones I buried and let be hers alone
Now I find joy and I see her
Now I accept my kindness and see her
my silliness, my stamina, my faith and I still see her
As her light here so clearly fades
she never questions my gifts are from hers
I humbly accept to unlock another closed room in my heart
To lighten the corners of shames refusal of a mothers imperfect yet constant love

Ride to Venus

Just for a change of pace I'm posting a piece from another series "Early Morning Ride to Venus" 26"x22" mixed media including paint and soft pastel.

This series was about my creative journey to the planet and stars via mythology and some scientific info. The dark morning departure reminds me of my early childhood. Summer vacations would begin with my parents packing up the car and getting out on the road by 4a.m....very exciting to a little girl. The clocks and dials and railway ticket is my take on a Jules Verne dashboard. The black bird as navigator and off to Venus looking to love again and given the difficulty of life on Venus...not an easy trip!

Thank you for all your well wishes for my recovery. I am getting better, slow but it is happening. Thank you to Patrice over at www.patrice-makingpeace.blogspot.com/ for featuring me and this blog...I am so grateful to have her in my life. Pablo is a stranger in the kitchen so friends and neighbors have been bringing over wonderful meals...a big part of gaining my strength!