Wednesday's Wall Mask

King of Cups or King Neptune measures 10" x 17" acrylic, beads, glitter, cheesecloth, clay, wire and fabric. He hangs with about eight other pieces of art over my bathtub in a salon style. It's quite a mood with candles lit and steamy bath water. The walls are a light tinted rose and they glow in candlelight.

Several years ago three of us picked a tarot card and each made a mask. It was great fun researching the card and the connecting mythology. It's not that I have so many walls (my home is small) but I change the art...always moving things out and around and I have a little shed outside where I keep art and seasonal clothes.

We are leaving next week for a vacation so I've been out of the studio doing ordinary life...stop at the drug store, vitamin store, grocery store and cleaners. Last minute shopping for travel essentials...we are driving so there is no end to the amount of essentials! Pablo says he is a spatial relations expert and I am giving him a challenge. Packing my Styrofoam 4ft noodle for swimming (I can't swim without it)and beach towels for the pool and bags of books should be interesting!

To the Depth of Dichotomy

Productive weekend in finding directions...Deena and I were unable to work together in my studio so we connected by phone and email. After lighting a candle and beginning with Deena's skillful coaching questions we both answered and discussed and planned our studio day. We hung up and worked for over two hours and then called one another again for reorganizing and recapping our efforts. I feel very good about the results and am on my way to explore this direction in a lively more connected way. The compass will play an important part in the new imagery. Deena gained insight into her journey as well and we both know we are better for our support system and friendship. Later we scanned to each other our beginning work and emailed our plans for the next couple of weeks.

I have also decided to join up with another free creativity coaching opportunity with Eric Maisel. I'm passing this information on to anyone out there in blogland that feels they would like to avail themselves of some free creativity (writing, painting,etc.) coaching.

From Eric Maisel's newsletter: If you choose the free creativity coaching opportunity, I would need the following information from you" a paragraph on you and a paragraph on what you would like to work on with a creativity coach." I need this information so that coaches-in-training can make informed decisions as they choose clients to work with. Send your information to me to ericmaisel@hotmail.com with the appropriate subject line, "free creativity coaching" This will be email-based coaching, conducted at your own pace and aimed at meeting your needs, If you think this might serve you, jump on it! You might also let your friends know about this opportunity. As they may want a bit more information than is contained in this email, feel free to have them visit http://www.ericmaisel.com/ .

I have been a client two times and I felt very satisfied, I had friends that had mixed results but again it is an opportunity so please follow your intuition on this one.

Unkown Outcome

Acrylic on Rives BFK paper, measures 18" x 18" . The second approach and I would say it is in a precarious position. I'll need to journal, look, watch and paint some more but right now it's not holding my interest. I have been wrong before in not believing a piece has potential but we shall see. I recently read an article on

textures shapes and color about extroverts and introverts and big surprise...I am an introvert. I'm also a Scorpio and I like to keep secrets and veiled aspects of myself and the work. The article said an introvert needs time to go to feelings and examine meanings and that is so me. If I can't find a REAL reason for painting this painting then it is on shaky ground. So far, I see my love for the artist Hundertwasser and maybe I can follow that lead otherwise I will either save the good parts or gesso over the whole thing...drives Pablo crazy seeing things around her appear and disappear. I'll post something if there is anything new. Tomorrow I am having Deena over for some studio play time We both need to just talk and explore and get out of our regular lives for awhile and maybe next week I will return to this piece with "new eyes".

Weekend entertainment will include the movie "State of Play" starring an A-list cast. Also major interest in the MBA playoffs. Monday I am having my windows washed inside and out...that should open the world to us as the windows are awful from all the winter rain. Have a great weekend....eat your asparagus!

Wednesday's Wall errr Corner Tour

Measures 35" x 20", acrylic, stones, wire, glitter on Cd's. I keep this mobile in a corner of my studio...it was one of those "I'd like to create a mobile before I die" projects. I saw the instructions in a craft book so I set about making an aquarium themed mobile. I collaged exotic fish eyes I found in an old National Geographic magazine and then with paint, making the discs feel like eyes, fish, water in movement. I added stones and glitter for the underwater mystery and I can tell you it was total playtime. I never know what to say or think at aquarium windows...watching the fish swim by...large schools, big lone ones...I always try to connect eye to eye...? click to enlarge.

The heatwave finally broke...Pablo took the portable fan out to the shed, the thick fog has rolled in....what a contrast! The pool is still heated to 84 but I don't have the courage to put on my bathing suit and wade in and keep myself under the water!

Life is pretty simple here at the beach....we have a new "Whole Foods" store and Pablo and I spent the evening walking the aisles and even had dinner at the deli....a Farmers Market Sandwich: Mozzarella cheese, basil, spring mix, chicken on sour dough sliced bread with the addition of balsamic vinegar....we added Tabbouleh for a salad...WOW! Life is good!

Two Directions

Clay, silver and acrylic paint, approx. 5" x 7". This month is the celebration of poetry and on that note here is a favorite of mine...pure and simple by Billy Collins:

In the Evening

The heads of roses begin to droop.

The bee who has been hauling his gold

all day finds a hexagon in which to rest.

In the sky, traces of clouds.

the last few darting birds.

watercolors on the horizon.

The white cat sits facing a wall.

The horse in the field is asleep on its feet.

I light a candle on the wood table.

I take another sip of wine.

I pick up an onion and a knife.

And the past and the future?

Nothing but an only child with two different masks.

Today is a surprisingly hot day for Springtime at the beach. Our neighborhood pool is opened and if this heat continues, I will take my first swim of the year tomorrow.

On my reading list is "Drawing Closer to Nature" by Peter London, a very thoughtful book on art making but not a casual read.

Third of the Three Roads

"Yggdrasill Tears" measures 20" x 20" canvas, acrylic, paper collage, stones, copper leaf and metal rings. I've long been interested in Norse mythology and on this third road (exploration) I found the world tree among paint drips and blotches. Layers later I added the stones and it all seemed to represent my need at times to paint stories. I like this "way" of discovering imagery and will continue down this road for awhile. My compass is almost in the center.

I have a big grin on my face!! Katherine of

Treffinger Daily is featuring me today on her blog, both my art piece and writing and it all looks wonderful! Her question was: "What meaning does doing art have for you? Why do you show up in your studio or wherever, and pick up your tools day after day?Please stop by and enjoy her blog...you will love seeing her work.

Today is a happy day...Leslie at textures shapes and color has included my comments on her sidebar pertaining to her four questions. Her site is a must see!

On a personal note: My sidebar is featuring the results of my glue gun wreath creation. A tidy shell wreath...I actually like it on the red door and I used blue glass flat marbles to express droplets of water....easy fun!

Second of the Three Roads

" Cartouche 2" measures 20" x 20" canvas, mixed media, acrylic,fabric trim, paper collage and oil pastel. I can't even begin to ask why? I remember painting one square which led to another and on and on. Exploration into painting in a new old way has been a challenge. I played with crackle compound around the edges and I did like creating narrow rows of little squares. The collaged images are from old work fragments. It's as if I'm traveling down a road and realize this isn't where I want to be after all...that sums up my effort on this second of the three roads. Click to enlarge. I finished the third attempt and will post it this week.

I went to the craft store and bought a string of shells, a straw wreath and rafia. I have a glue gun so now I'm going to challenge myself to make a new Spring-Summer wreath for the front door. For winter I bought a berry wreath and enjoyed it but now I'm ready for a change and how hard could it be? ha

I hope every one's holiday was sweet with family and good food. I visited my friend D. and we drank coffee in the morning sunlight and talked art...a gift we both needed.

Tonight I am watching the third episode of "Little Dorrit" on Masterpiece Theatre on my PBS station. It isn't my favorite Dickens but I just so enjoy the characters. Is anyone else out there in Blogland watching too?

Wednesday"s Wall Art Tour

"Night Sky Headdress" papier-mache', measures 16" x 24", acrylic, beads, wire and netting. Silly me, some days I'm in my studio creating masks with papier-mache' . I have made many masks with lots of different materials, this headdress emerged out of my memories of my mother's hats complete with mysterious veils. In later years she would let my sister and I try them on and imagine ourselves in a 1930-40's movies. From that memory I created this veiled headdress adding beads, representing stars, planets and moons, even the veil torn and sewn together carries stars. (click to enlarge) I believe all artists would benefit from occasionally making masks or any other form of unfamiliar art project ...a way of breaking out of routines. I would suggest a great Maskmaking book by Carole Sivin . Here is a quote I found in her book :"Whether ritual, funerary or for any spectacle, the mask is an instrument of ecstasy. He who wears one is no longer himself...he becomes 'other' even when the mask is his own portrait." Miricia Eliade, Encyclopedia of World Art

Try it as a spirit lifter, energizer and general refresher and maybe even as a transformational piece...who knows, art making isn't always about building a career and sometimes silly and fun is good medicine!

One of the Three Roads

"The Playing Pieces" measures 18" x 18", canvas, acrylic, fabric and collaged items. This was an experiment in found squares, the composition created itself from a buildup of painted squares. I began painting on a canvas already painted so I was dealing with ready-made texture. Funny how a shape can capture one's imagination. This being the first of three, I painted the sides, top and bottom black as a way of connecting them. I am completely neutral on this one and the others too...my investment was time, energy and just the pleasure (or pain) of working...the square . I'm still focused on the square but now writing in my journal and doing some research for the next attempt at new work! You can hardly see it but I have a compass stamped in one of the squares and it shows up in all three. click to enlarge.

On a personal note: Spring cleaning in and outside. Today I'm having a replacement of some rotten boards near the roof. Next window washing and sometime very soon, carpet cleaning. Next on the Spring cleaning comes me...pedicure, manicure, haircut and a spray tan! ha

Always good to have it all done before the holidays! We are having just the two of us for holiday dinner...traditional and some surprises. For dessert we are having Strawberry and rhubarb crisp...a special request. Will there be traditional recipes or some new adventures in blogland neighborhoods?

"Pastel Ozone Eaters"

Photography by Kim Ray, measures 16" x 29" framed. I bought this several years ago and I've hung it in a variety of places in different homes not always in the kitchen area. Ray was taking photography classes at the local college and was in a student show...it has been magic for me! The images of these big pastel refrigerators brought fond memories of kitchens in my childhood. We always had white appliances but I do remember pink, green, gold and even coppertone appliances of my school mates in the late 50's and 60's. The amazing thing is these old beauties still work but have become environmentally undesirable!

In the studio I'm finishing up three canvas pieces...related and non-related to one another. I'm not obligated to stay consistent to a gallery or a following so it has been fun to do some exploring. Work I have done these past few weeks has been a break from my practised habitual hand...in the studio I have gone down some new roads...or so it seems. These do not relate directly with my abstract pieces on flickr and different as well from the Oasis series. I wanted to "try on" some ways of art making that I would find different for me such as the fun of filling in squares (back to my coloring book days) adding fabric to things from times I enjoyed decorating, crafty gifts and story telling depicting imagery connected to me and my favorite mythologies. Tall order for three canvas pieces but I did have fun playing with materials, and some disappointments too. For me it's inventing a different way and also about following an inner recognizable DNA.

My beginning thought was to lead myself to "Restoration of my soul" and from my journal I gleaned squares and from that the four directions and from that a compass...each of the three carries a compass...still looking for "my new old way"!ha