Sunday, June 30, 2013

Rusted, tea stained, leaf printed and waxed

This is what I call fun!
Eco-printed journal holders:
Rusted, tea stained, leaf printed, and waxed watercolor paper folded into a box-like journal holder with a fun foam button and crow. Inside two little journals - one with watercolor paper, the other with calligraphy paper.



Wednesday, June 19, 2013

New Adventures

This week has been the big push to finalize my artist statement/bio and entries for the 14th Annual Maritime Exhibition at the Harbor Museum in Gig Harbor. I have no idea if my work will meet their needs/desires, but ready or not I am about to hit "send". We will see what comes of this effort. I did have three of my books accepted it into the Puget Sound Book Artist Exhibition at the University of Puget Sound but EGADS - tomorrow there will be a meet the artist & conversation night. Sheez...

Honestly, entering these shows has really pushed me - made me ask myself hard questions about my motivations, materials, meaning and brand. Not a bad thing to do once in a while. The good news is I have been working consistently on my art in spite of my added caregiving duties. In fact, just the other day, I had an ah ha moment. I realized that I was no longer making excuses why I wasn't making any art, I was making excuses why the house wasn't picked up or the laundry done! While slightly embarrassed over the mess, I was ecstatic that I had finally climbed over this gigantic 'mental' hurdle. I am ready now to call quietly call myself an artist.


Title: Land and Water Meet Air  - An Intertidal Assemblage
3 sea shell books with images of eel grass calligraphy, lugworm castings,
and heart rocks.
Sea urchin and kelp made out of phonebook pages.
Paper clam with barnacles,
kelp fronds and eel grass
on a suminagashi base.
 
 
 
 
Title: They Came By Ship
Boat covered with tea bag papers, 2 lines of ancestors names,
handmade paper sail with grandmother's thrums

 
 
Title: Sailing Away
Photos of Commencement Bay printed on rice paper,
2 driftwood skiffs,
and a rock ship amid beach litter.

 
Using my photos, printing on different papers, waxing the surfaces, recycling phonebook pages or other waste stream materials, adding natural elements,
makes for what I call ADVENTURE!
 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Respite

I have been on duty since April 26 managing healthcare decisions for dad. I have gotten an eye full of the medical world, Alzheimer's, lawyers and brokers. It is a world unto its own. There are no patterns of comfort, routine, or status quo. To participate in this unique world one must be "in the moment" at all times. The good part is every day will be different. The bad part is every day will be different.

So...even though my farm chores aren't done a respite seemed much more important. Getting out into nature I was sure would be the balm to soothe and restore me. I was right. Destination: Nisqually Wildlife Reserve

Just off the parking area - two young ones

              




And within a few more feet we saw our first wings:

 
and then something so precious and delicate
on it's first walk about
 
 
 bobbing for salmonberries...

 

The day was 68 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze... it just doesn't get better!



 
A male towhee was just one of the many singing the praises of the day.