Posts

Showing posts from November, 2008

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Image
I set out on a pre-Thanksgiving walkabout, part of a 3-week challenge I signed up at the last possible moment. The program was developed by Marguerite Bryant and I read about it on a post, I think on Creative Every Day.  Her method blends daily morning pages (remember Julia Cameron's groundbreaking stream-of-consciousness cleansing) and art journaling, prayer, partnering with buddies, with a focus on a creative goal. Mine is to stop worrying about what I didn't do, ran out of time for, left unfinished on the table... Take a 30 minute walk? I could do a wash on the series of three canvases I'm starting; I could wrap my mind around the two swaps I've stalled on... I could start a blog post.... It's well documented that writers and artists walk, though, and my feet are in good enough shape to facilitate so I grabbed my camera and, as my bff Karen does daily, took a time out to renew my vision. So, I ended up walking way longer than 30 minutes and finding some interest

I Got Mine!

Image
One of the (many:) issues of being compulsive is pre-ordering. Of course, what else is one to do when reading about the impending publication of such a delicioso book! I'm a fan of Susan Tuttle's and I have to tell you, I've been carrying this book around for an entire day now only peeking in now and then. I'd like to say that I stayed up until 2 a.m. devouring it, but anyone who knows me would spit out their coffee laughing at that thought. (auto-immune disorder - sleep = no-person's land).  It's like trying to make a candy bar last a reaaalllllyyyyyyy long time. Only a nibble. One of the difficulties is, that she's a great writer, and I want to read it. Savor each page and make it last. What an inspiration. If you click the book photo it will take you to Amazon, where you can look inside and see what I'm talking about. However! Please consider ordering your copy from Jane at Random Arts , or another independent artist working their tush off to make our

The Amazing Jane Does it Again!

Image
Jane Powell, proprietress of Random Arts, in Saluda, NC, one of my favorite havens on earth, issued a challenge in September (I think?) that was answered by 75 people! Our assignment: make a 5 x 7 journal page using the ingredients she sent each of us in an envelope. That's all, no further instruction.  That sure didn't help me one bit. I stewed and procrastinated, all normal so far, and then I asked if she'd be posting any early... like an incentive. She saw right through that one and told me to have fun. Well. One day I was looking at the envelope and saw an image stamped on the back: We are Famous, Glamorous Artists. Finally, some inspiration! I cut apart the envelope and went to work. I've not done much art journaling and I still think my page is kinda kooky, but I did have fun.  In November, once she had a whopping stack of envelopes, Jane started posting 5 entries every day on her blog ( Random Notes ). From there they went to the 'tower' in her shop. Once

Take a Look!

Image
My bff (remember Frog & Toad?) Karen, recently finished a Biographia project, compiling, distilling, translating an amazing woman's life journey into gorgeous, handmade books. Karen is a master at listening, something we could all use a lesson or two in, and her writing is, well, visit her blog and you'll see.  If there are people who have at least one of everything they need, I can assure you this is the kind of gift that opens itself for generations to come.  Another childhood friend, Carol VanZandt , whose work is in collections around the world, creates stunning works that are unlike anything I've imagined. In Boston and then while living in Japan, she studied with masters of the art of Japanese Calligraphy; I find that meditating on her images, even tiny and on screen, charges the creative neurons. My friend Karin,  Beyond Words , posted yesterday one of the most amazing journal pages on pain and its relationship to spirit and body. Her recent surgery and lingering

new collage

Image
amid the glitter and gold of holiday production, I managed to set aside some time to work on my development as a creative... an... art person. artist. ok, I said it. I still somehow manage not to consider myself an artist - in fact, this piece is the latest of a very small handful that aren't functional in any way.  I mean, the clock doesn't even work. ha.  the collage I used for my banner is another non-utilitarian piece - I made it long before I had an inkling that I'd blog. I don't hesitate to  make art on journal covers and ornaments and switch plates, but  working on canvas is still somewhat foreign ground. so I started with a small one.    

My First Holiday Show

Image
Last night Traditional Bank hosted their first annual "Connections... Holiday Bazaar." We have had a relationship with the bank as both a customer and vendor (they have been an EdmonDesign graphic design/marketing client) for more than a dozen years; when we started working together I established a very fabulous friendship with my contact there, who is now the president - and still one of my all time favorite people. The event was designed to bring community women in, serve them fabulous food and wine and offer a selection of holiday gift and decor items, from jewelry and giftware to catering, skin care and a variety of specialty items. And, they were kind enough to invite me to display my Altered Attic holiday art. Jim also framed several of his illustrations to add a little variety to the scene. Each booth was 'personed' by women, in my case our business manager Kristyn, me and Alice, my wonderful daughter, without whom I could not have managed - let me tell you,

Leave it to Jane

Image
So what makes art fine, anyway? Is it fine art photography, like the panoramic photo published by my friend (and recent groom) Jeff Rogers, that appears on the coffee table book, Kentucky Wide ? (for which I wrote the forward:) What makes art, for that matter... Is it my son marching with the Thriller ensemble, channeling his passion in rehearsed and spontaneous rhythm through his drumsticks? Or the grace and amazing beauty of my daughter, who has been a ballerina for 7 of her 11 years... I admit it may have been a bit petty to even post the cartoon below, and Jane's comment is beyond perfect. But after living for years as an 'invisible' artist, with a painter who has a BFA in Fine Art (and earns our living at our graphic design business ), I was curious to see what kind, if any, response it elicited.  According to my dictionary an artist is "a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby; a person who practices any of the various creative arts, s

Comments? Please?

Image
I'm tucked away in the Altered Attic, on a blustery, chilly, gorgeous fall day, making ornaments... a little crafty project that I hope will help me pay for some art supplies. There was a time when this might have offended me, and I know fine artists who would jump at the chance to be even further validated. I'm not sure where the line is between art and craft and if mixed media has blurred it - I'd like to know what you think.... 

A Day at the Beach

Image
Jetting off to Florida for a beach wedding.... how romantic, even if it wasn't ours. I've never done it, so of course it sounded exotic. So, we'll try not to think about how we got up at 5:00 for a dry run (missed our original 7:00 a.m. flight), were selected for additional security and the bracelet that was stuck halfway up my arm went undetected 27 times. Jim (dh) had to turn the propellor so the plane would start... But the pilots were waving and the flights were short. Once we arrived in Fort Walton Beach, we rented a GPS, along with a brand new Jeep. It didn't understand that the WaterColor Beach area is all so new that none of the streets are in the system but our arrival was only delayed by 45 minutes. And what an arrival! The 4500 square foot house we stayed in (on the market for 2.5 million) was grander than we'd ever imagined. The bedroom was fit for royalty, or newlyweds:) And after traveling for 15 hours it didn't take us long to crash on Saturday ni