Intentions

These scraps are partially scrubbed and rinsed of flour paste and paint. The plan is to create a mosaic...grout lines. The ultimate intention is to reveal an ancient mosaic ... a fragment of a beautiful wall or floor. I've been inspired by recent discoveries of mosaic walls featured in my latest archeology magazine. I'll use an assortment of treatments but for me it's a slow process of trying this or that and stretches of unknowable next steps BUT eventually reaching a place that feels like a finished journey. Wish me luck!

Two in Pink

Two very different pieces but plenty of pink! The first one "Silent Alcove" is from my Citadel series and the second one is titled "Morning Prayers". Both are mixed media on paper. This is my contribution to the Roy G Biv day ... PINK! I'm interested in seeing more pink here on blogland ... first stop will be Jennifer Coyne Qudeen

Lifetime of a tree

"Tree of my Life", 14"x23", cotton cloth on muslin, hand stitching, machine stitching, hand stamped with my own cut stamp and 1/4" trim tape on top with rusted string at the bottom. Sides are printed cloth with stitching and creme glass beads cover one leaf. I have kept this cloth piece in neutral colors from the tree to the leaves. One leaf is covered in glass beads and is quite striking but doesn't show up much here ... it reminds me, with myself smiling, of a favorite barroom serenade "The Last Leaf" by Tom Waits. I'll look for the song and see if I might post it!
It feels good to complete this series and take the time to sit back on these slow summer days and review my other adventures: "Traveling to Distant Planets", "Sacred Vessels", "Finding Directions"", "The Citadel", and "Walking the Desert" to name a few. For me it's always about the next journey ... the one I take in the comfort of my studio!! It all began when my sister and I would sit on the big scratchy sofa( I was 5 or 6) and have waking dreams of ourselves in different lives ... a little psychotic but it has served me in art making.  I plan on putting together a couple of cloth pieces on wood panels as a connector to the new/old direction.

Keeping a Journal

This is an example of my favorite journals. I was lucky and picked them up for .50 at a "back to school" sale. I've been writing between one and three pages a day since the 80's! It began at local coffee houses "The Blackwater" and the "House of Shaw" where I'd set myself up with a richly brewed coffee and just start writing. Trust me, the writing wasn't about re-reading ...I wrote down all I could without much thought ... anger, joy, plans, regrets and occasionally a poem would show up. My habit was to use a highlighter pen on these gems and then at the end of the year when I'd glance through the books getting them ready for the shredder ... I would rip out and put the little jewels aside. Sometimes I draw a thumbnail sketch having to do with seeing a balance of shapes and layout but mostly it is blah, blah and more blah. With that said I believe the actual writing down or letting out of thoughts and feelings no matter how dull has actually saved my life or at least my sanity.Today I don't frequent coffeehouses but I try to write at least a page and I do have my particular box of black fine point pens and again these composition books stacked and ready. Tell me, do you keep a journal? I see beautiful art journals in blogland but that seems different ...more readable.