Summer Sunflowers

This week Pablo brought home Sunflowers. I photographed three as I didn't want to dismantle my arrangement. Pretty! Several years ago I lived near the David Sunflower Seed Farm out in the central part of CA. This time of the year the fields were filled with tall beautiful sunflowers. They were working fields so people were not welcome to wander about but I must say it was very "Van Gogh" like driving by those sunflowers lining the country Highway.

I have what I think is my finished old fashioned (for me) collage titled Masada in the sidebar. Too much imagery for me and I all but beat these beautiful photos of ancient artifacts back to rubble and dust. Ha It's a slow summer in the studio and my explorations so far have not been lighting my fires. New piece to start on Friday.

Tonight is the Capitola Twilight Concerts...every Wednesday a different band plays on the Esplanade during the peak summer months from 6-8pm. The village beach can turn into a parking nightmare but once settled the beach, music, dancing and eateries are a load of fun....everyone turns out and from old ladies to children there is some dancing going on! Tonight the "Harpin Johnny & The Primadons will be rockin.

"Rain" for Willow

It doesn't rain in the summer here at the beach and sometimes I miss the sounds, especially at night. Willow and others in blogland were discussing a big storm coming through their towns and when I received this I thought how perfect....Rain...errr the sounds of rain....close enough! I would suggest turning the sound way up and closing your eyes! ENJOY!

Summer Bouquet

Perfect roses for this summer night on the deck... we will have grilled salmon, potatoes and salad. I'm serving a Plum Crumble thanks to Willow at Willow Manor for dessert. With these colors, I'm turning on the chili pepper lights and having a festive evening!! It still works for us...Pablo brings the flowers and I cook the dinner...we share the clean up!

Tomorrow, Deena and I are having a mini retreat here in the studio....monotypes! I've spent the day sweeping, cleaning up the soaking tray and freshening up the blankets for our creative flight. This time I hope I remember to take some photos.

Update on my Marcy (stationery bike) mileage gains. I am now logging in at 276.47 miles which places me past the city of Fresno CA metaphorically speaking. My plan is to cycle to the Mexican border and maybe turn around and cycle to the Canadian border?!! Metaphorically that is! My real cycling is done every morning just off my deck to the accompaniment of classical music. I have also added bands to my morning exercise routine for strength and flexibility. I don't have great expectations but it would be nice to hold off decrepit for a while longer. ha

Enjoy your July weekend! The collage in the sidebar has changed again....I'm getting close to finishing and I will post the end result.

Summer Studio Hours

I'll be showing up at the work table in the studio this Monday as always. I'm keeping my three day a week schedule so I won't lose touch with the new work.
These two are on paper, One measures 18"x18" and the other 16"x16". First attempt....acrylic paint, collage. It is mostly a base coat so where they go from here will be a surprise to me as I'm willing to find some new ways and methods for my imagery. I also ordered several books from Amazon so I have a summer reading list to begin soon.

The local farmers market has been bountiful....melons, tomatoes and wonderful fruits especially the peaches. I like kosher salt on my watermelon, tomatoes and peaches....Pablo says yuck!

700 Year Old Village

A photo sent to me by a friend. A 700 year old village in Iran. I don't know anything else...electricity, plumbing but I found this photo fascinating. There were several other photos of doorways, apartments and staircases all in an amazing rock formation!

Summer at the beach is enticing me to play. It's either the pool or the beach or something fun pulling me. I am keeping to my Monday, Wednesday, Friday studio schedule but not accomplishing so much. Reading a book on the archaeological finds at the site Masada too. I have set a goal of 10 new works for my entrance into creating a website so my excitement is high, only lately the call of fun is overpowering. Expect a slowdown on posts in the next few weeks but I'll still be visiting all of you....always have time for a visit and comment!!

Remembering Dad

Wood and brass and glass. Approx. 6feet tall created by my father. An addition of branches, golden moon and acrylic painting by me. The painting is patterned after a very old museum drawing of Adam and Eve. Click to enlarge for detail.

My father could build anything. He built my crib and even fashioned the springs by hand. One winter he sat down and sewed tweed coats for my sister and I. My fondest memories were of watching him finish furniture...shellac and sanding! He built an A-frame cabin when he was around 70 and before he turned 80 he built four of these clock cabinets, one for me, two for grandchildren and one for himself and my mom. He asked me how I wanted it finished and I said "very light finish", at some point he decided he would stain it dark so in reaction I decided to paint Adam and Eve...we both had our own ideas and both stubborn. His occupation was in accounting but he had grown up in difficult times which required that he be self sufficient. I believe he was a true artisan but he saw himself as just simply making things for his family. He would just shake his head when attending some of my shows but he loved me and he would smile and say I was the one with the imagination. He was kind, good, funny and yes, Taurus stubborn. I still miss him and his wonderfully funny remarks...!

Rocks, Pebbles, Stones

10"x10", foam core, crackle paste, acrylic, photo transfer (not emulsion) and KIWI brown shoe polish. My father is smiling in heaven about me using his shoe polish for my art but I needed a wax finish! ha

My new/old obsession with rocks, pebbles and stones has begun again. I'm taking a break from the compass series as I have posted the set in the sidebar...if you go to my flickr account and click on sets you will view my other sets as well. I am fascinated by the archaeological discoveries at Masada...talk about rocks, stones and such. In my journal writing the concept of familiar yet ancient home is a running theme and Masada discoveries carry the mysteries even deeper for me. So my vision of resting (oasis) and rocks, stones and pebbles play an important role in personal peace making and art making in this summer 09. I'll share some of what I've written as it poetically speaks of my new/old vision. The pebbles photographed and transferred are what I have found on the beach and placed in my bird bath.

Emulsion Exploration=Madwoman!

Sitting here in the wasteland of exploration gone sadly astray.!(maybe a little too dramatic?) A matter of four simple steps to achieve an emulsion transfer... but not today. The carrier sheet, (polypropylene borrowed from Deena)would help create a white emulsion "skin" that would accept pigmented ink. I layered this sheet with several mixtures with an overnight drying time between coats. All together it was a four day process to create this white surface. Mine unfortunately was a little bumpy but I thought maybe smooth enough to go through the printer. I had the photographs loaded and ready to press the print button. I placed this bumpy carrier sheet into my printer only to realize it was about 1/2 larger than would fit. I couldn't trim it as it was borrowed so ---k it! It probably wouldn't have printed well with the bumps. Deena is out of town on vacation otherwise I would have asked to have her put this in her printer. I will do this again but with a different carrier sheet and a better attitude. So I removed the emulsion and dumped it into this wastebasket to add to a few other failures creating photo transfers. I come from a family of people that always believes they can make anything work...I almost never read instructions, I seem to be able to wing it most times but in this case it was just not checking a simple measurement. I'm starting to smile about it all now. I'll have a little lunch, paint and brush only for the rest of the day!

Going to a neighborhood barbecue tomorrow, all the fixings, hamburgers, corn, salads and pie. Hope everyone enjoys their holiday with family and friends!