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.

Charting Wisdom

16"x22", digital images on silk, collage, painted cotton, 1" black bias tape, machine stitching and hand stitching.
I see this piece as more of a chart ... a display of how the "Ten Crowns" might appear. The crowns speak of a spiritual conscious, beyond power, royalty or even beauty. The early writings refer to the ten crowns as a part of the higher worlds and the wisdom declares that this power pours it's light down as a cascading waterfall which inspired me to sew the closely spaced vertical aqua stitches.
I've so enjoyed this series of art making from the combined study of ancient writings and the beauty of archaeological discoveries.
The crown on the lower left was my first attempt at sewing (drawing) without the feed dog operational ... need more practice! Onto the tenth and last gate of this series. A couple of years ago I would never have thought I would be so deep into cloth and stitching?!

Violet you say?!

It's been an extended search on Roy G Biv day. I have a couple of examples of violet in cloth and a couple on paper using mixed media. This first piece "Call to Flight" the story of Icarus, is a favorite of mine and I used it as the cover for my 2008-2012 catalog. A visit to the site of Jennifer Coyne Qudeen will give you a list of other searchers of violet.