New Day

It was difficult to pick just one thing that inspires me. So many things inspire me - feeling healthy, the smile on my husband’s face, new art supplies, looking out my studio window… It’s a different thing each day. So I realized that the best way to say this is to paint a sunrise. Each morning’s possibilities inspire me. Each day I have an opportunity to look at the world in a new way and to figure out how to represent it in my art.

Technique:
Painting in watercolor on cold press watercolor paper.

Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

No, not me. And not the Musee d’Orsay (pictured to the left as some eye candy!) My blog! A big thanks to Tracey, owner of eeep! productions, my web designer. Tracey and I realized that it had been two years since I changed my blog up. TWO YEARS! That’s far too long for a site to go without a bit of a touch-up. And besides, my art has changed so much in the past two years. So, we decided it was time for a change. So, here we are. New banner, new format, but the same art and purpose. I hope you’ll continue to visit and see what I have been up to!

New hairstyle, thanks to Angie

I can hardly believe this week has gone by so quickly! On Wednesday morning, Angie came over and trimmed up my hair to hide some of the thinning that’s gotten even worse. I didn’t expect the medications to help immediately, but I sure didn’t expect it to continue to fall out at the rate it is. The hair cut has made a huge difference. I still feel a need to wear something to cover the front and top of my head, but I also don’t feel like I can only wear hats. (Though, as you know from a post last week, I love hats!)

The past few days I’ve done a lot around the house and in the studio. We scheduled for the sprinkler guys to come and make some adjustments to our system, got an electrician in, and ordered a new door for the patio so we will have a French door, rather than a sliding door. We don’t use our patio and pool area enough because you need two hands to open up the sliding glass door the house came with. We suspect we’ll use the patio much more in the fall when we can get out there with a cup of coffee in our hands at the same time!

I’ve done a lot of organizing in the studio, as well. A lot of cleaning up and organizing. I even freecycled some things. There’s a lot more to freecycle, but at least I’m on the right track. Moving things around and placing them where I can find them is such a relief. And the studio feels much more open with each thing I remove. It’s been a great process - one that will continue, I’m sure, for a while. I’ll try to take photos this weekend.

I’ll check in more soon… I just wanted to share my joy at the change and movement that’s happening around here!

"Under the Sea" Landscape quilt 11" x 8.5"

Today I am happy to say that I completed my landscape quilt from Jane LaFazio’s class at Art Unraveled. The whole thing is hand stitched. It’s the first time I’ve ever hand-pieced a quilt and then added lots of embroidery. It was the perfect project for sitting and recovering from my treatment. It’s an abstract landscape, which was what I was going for. The embroidery added to the abstraction, and as I just went with it, I found it becoming an undersea landscape. I had thought about adding beads or buttons, but right now, I think it will stay this way for a while. I might change my mind at a later date, but for now, this is just what I want.

I got ot see Angie today for the first time since Art Unraveled. We spent the morning talking and catching up. Then we went to lunch. It was so nice to catch up with Angie and to just be together!

Catalyst 23 - What I collect/hoard

Catalyst 23
Journaling:
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the history of things, especially vintage train cases and old photographs. I can’t resist them! I have 6 or 8 train cases, one is my MIL’s, two others are from my grandmothers, and others I have collected at thrift stores and antique shops along the way. I have a lot of photographs from my family, but I also can’t resist a really cool photo in a thrift store. So, I have a whole train case filled with photographs of those people whose relatives let them “go”.

My other train cases hold other vintage ephemera - book pages in different languages, old newspaper, vintage sewing patterns, and collage sheets from these vintage pieces.

Technique highlight:
Drawing on cold press paper in Pigma Micron, watercolor using Sakura Koi watercolors.

Catalyst 22 - My Greatest Accomplishment

Here is my response:

Biggest accomplishment? This was hard to choose. From a professional and educational standpoint, I have accomplished a lot in my 40 years. The first thing that came to my mind was the usual - graduating from college and grad school. I did accomplish all of those things through the usual hurdles and additional ones that my chronic illness created, as well. But that didn’t feel right.

So I kept thinking. And I thought about all of the things that have happened since my education has been completed. I realized that who I am now is really the result of learning to take care of myself. In the past, I have taken care of others and their needs much to the detriment of my own. These days, however, I am mindful of my body, heart, and soul and the needs I have. I have learned self-care and that, I think is the greatest thing I have accomplished to date.

Technique Highlight:

Collaged background on watercolor paper. Doodles over the collage work to create new shapes. Sakura’s Gelly Roll Glaze pens and Pigma Microns for doodling.

Hat made by Lorri Scott and Jen Witmer

Wow! What a week! Art Unraveled 2008 is officially over. And while I had a lovely time and I did my best to watch my energy levels, I’m exhausted. No surprise after 12 days of friends, art, and shopping! It was well worth the time and energy. I had a lovely time seeing so many out of town friends - Katie, Judy, Shirley, Joanne, Kara, Marilyn, Tracie Lyn, Lorri… just to name a few and then to catch up with dear Maija and Angie. I really can’t say enough about them! And meeting others - Jane, Barbara and so many others I can’t even begin to list them all! In short, it was wonderful. Art Unraveled is a relaxing, energizing, and completely creative! It was so much fun to see everyone, to play with my friends, and to have meals with my friends. I did a lot of smiling, talking, laughing, and listening. It was truly fabulous.

And I had a great time at the Extravaganza vendor fair, too. I had asked Lorri if I could sit by her booth so I could rest when I got tired, and that was a blessing. I got to spend more time with Joanne, who was staffing the booth while Lorri taught and it helped me to spend the day there without being completely off balance and tired. The best part was that Lorri sold the most fabulous hats, pins, hand-dyed ribbons, and scarves. I immediately bought the hat and later ended up choosing which pin I needed to have. Isn’t that adorable? I’ve also requested the same style in another color. With the hair loss, I am going to need some hats and other hair-covering accessories for a while, and these are so comfortable!

Oh, and on the hair loss… I’m waiting to hear from the dermatologist, who took a some blood for several tests. It turns out that the hair loss is not from the medication as we thought. My dosages haven’t changed in two years and so that’s not what caused it. Something is going on in my body and we’ll take this as a symptom. The blood test results need to come back before we can figure out what’s causing the problem, but the dermatologist was fabulous and said I will not be bald. I may lose all my hair before this is over, but I won’t be bald permanently. That’s a relief. For now, I’m going to enjoy accessorizing with scarves and hats.

I’ve been working on the quilts from Jane’s class - doing some hand-embellishing, which I am really enjoying. I also did some work on some dolls I made, but they’re not quite finished yet. I hope to finish those in the next few days so I can post them here and on Etsy.

And tomorrow is my treatment - perfect timing after the 12 days of fun with friends and diminished energy! I’ll check in when the initial fatigue wears off.

My new purse!

Today I was inspired to use the pieces of a purse I had started to make several months ago. I was making a lot of totes, but I wanted something that was more of a purse - with a closure. I started it and then I couldn’t figure out how to finish it. Until yesterday, that is. Joanne took a class from Kathy Cano-Murillo, the Crafty Chica. In the class, she made a collage purse and I finally knew what I needed to do to make my purse work! I added a piece in the front to highlight the fabric collage I made from vintage kimono fabrics and I added the strap. I’ll be testing out this purse tonight at Art Unraveled. It matches the tote I made for myself back in December, so that’s kind of fun, too.

I do wish I had pockets inside, so I might try to alter it some more to add a liner with a pocket or four… But still, it is a fun purse, especially, for Art Unraveled and other artistic endeavors!

Have a great day, all!

Window painted in Whimsical Watercolor Compositions Class

Yesterday I took a very good class with Barbara Roth called, “Creating Whimsical Watercolor Compositions”. It was a relaxing environment, with just five students and the instructor in a nice intimate classroom. In the morning we did a directed exercise. We went through all the steps together and started off with the same basic drawing - a window - and all of us ended up interpreting it differently. It was interesting to see how differently the same instructions were interpreted, and it was fabulous. To the right is my interpretation of the window.

Ponte Vecchio painted in Whimsical Watercolor Compositions Class

In the afternoon, we were able to choose one of her pre-designed compositions or our own. I chose one of hers, but instead of tracing it (which was an option), I decided to give it my own twist by drawing from her image. She had us draw in pencil, which was good, since I could go back and remove things as I was going along. However, when I picked up my Pigma Micron, I chose the wrong one - one with a wide tip and so the lines are a bit more pronounced than I would like. This is from an image of the Ponte Vecchio in Firenze, Italy. I hope to go there some day… The class was a great way to see things in my photos that I can now do some work to create for myself.

After class, I was able to meet up with Joanne, Angie, Shirley, Kara (no blog, sorry!), Lorri, and DJ (even if just for a quick hello!). We were going to just have a quick dinner, but it turned into a nice long catch-up time. It’s always so awesome when friends from all over and online become friends in real life! I had a lovely evening and came home tired, but energized at the same time.

Today I have, for the most part, a resting day at home. I need to recharge! This afternoon I have a dermatology appointment to see about this hair loss and a rash I’ve been unable to get rid of. We suspect it is all from the medications, but it never hurts to have it checked.

After the appointment, I am meeting up with the group again for “happy hour” at the hotel. And then I have class with Judy Wise. I met Judy last year at AU and I couldn’t resist owning some of her prints (which are proudly sitting in my studio!). She’s been making a living with her art for a long time and the class I’m taking is on selling and marketing your artwork. I’m excited to learn more.

And now I am off to actually get moving on my day, starting with unpacking from yesterday’s class and making sure I have what I need for tonight.

Painted quilt - Female Desert Tortoise

Jane is a very relaxed instructor who gently guides people without being pushy. That’s a rare gift in an instructor and one I celebrate. We created the tops for two small quilts. One of an animal and another a “faux” landscape. Many people used photos of their pets as the “models” for the animal quilts. Others of us chose another animal. I used a photo I had from the wildlife rescue of a female desert tortoise. I liked the photo and really thought that I could go to town on the tortoise’s shell. I did!

Landscape quilt in process

For the landscape, I had considered using one of my pictures from France, but it was not meant to be. I forgot to print it out and decided to just roll with it! I used almost all batik fabrics for the landscape and just created layers and a mood. It will need a lot of stitching and embellishing to really “be” a landscape, but it’s on its way.

And, of course, today I am paying for yesterday’s long and busy day. I’m very tired and a bit off balance. I am quite glad that I scheduled just two full-day classes and that I have time off in-between. On Thursday evening, I also have a class, and I’m meeting some friends for happy hour beforehand. I really wanted to be there at the retreat location all the time to enjoy the retreat and spend time with friends, but I know that it would have really put a strain on my health. Next week is my treatment and I know that the medication is starting to diminish in my system.

Anyway, today I plan to stitch and embellish quite a bit. It’s relaxing and I can get