Switching it Up

 Found carving by unknown artist.

Time to switch it up in our little house.  Time to take down this painting and put this beautiful carving, found for a song many moons ago in an antique mall, away so as to make room for a fresh-cut tree.  Time to get up in the attic and bring down the holiday boxes in order to begin the process of metamorphosis.  Time to clear off the dining room table of fabrics -- laid out in anticipation of productivity -- and the myriad stacks of prints that clutter other assorted surfaces.  Time to switch out the current mix of CDs for holiday favorites and to keep apple cider and cinnamon on low on the back stove burner to fragrance the house.    And yes, I might be just a little behind . . .  :)



Hope the season is treating you well.

Cheers!

Teal Ribbon-Waves and Frosty Fog

"Teal Ribbon-Waves"

Mixed Media Collage

It's a beautiful foggy, frosty day in Portlandia.  No chance of seeing the full eclipse of the moon, even if one had wanted to arise in the early hours to behold it.   Still working on my numerous collages, but making a short foray into the realm of sewing . . . both by hand and machine.   Feeling the need to at least put some wintery/holiday music on, since there are no visual indications of the holiday season in our home yet.

Has another week really gone by already?

Happy weekend, All!

 



Autumn Glory

Revelled in the beauty outside my windows this weekend.

Fog and frost followed by clear skies.

Went for a short drive, late,

keenly aware of the barren structure of vegetation.

Few leaves remaining, with seedheads and pods

now in their prime.

Too many miles, (though only several, actually)

traveled too quickly by car.

No time to stop to honor

each tree, bush, and patch of wild weed/flowers

while zooming along to my destination.

But in the late, late afternoon sun,

at last, a chance to walk slowly,

breathe deeply of tall cedars and firs,

and capture light

enveloping a small stand of barren bushes.

 

Mixed media on paper

Visit this flickr photostream to see images of someone who clearly takes time to honor the beauty of the natural world. Page after page of gorgeous landscape shots alternating with beautiful and interesting close-ups.

Hoping your week is off to a great start!

"Caliente" . . . New Collage

Mixed media

5 1/2" x 7"
available

Such a lovely weekend in progress!  Lots of leftover food to indulge in, compliments of others, primarily, so not much going on in the kitchen.  Plenty of time by the fireside and even some time to do a little art with Catherine and take a walk.   I'm still working on piecing my prints and embellished papers together -- hoping that an idea for a  painting is brewing somewhere in my subconscious.  Well, actually, I suppose there are several ideas brewing, so it's more a matter of settling on one and beginning.  I have derived inspiration lately from Nicholas Wilton's beautiful book of paintings completed in 2011.  (This was my birthday present to myself -- purchased early so as to get my hands on it sooner -- of course!)  I first saw Wilton's paintings several years ago at a gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona.  I loved them then and I recognized his work instantly when I came across it again on Robyn Gordon's wonderful blog, Art Propelled, many months ago.

(A scanned image of my copy of the book.)
 You can link to a view of  Wilton's entire book online: 

Here

I've also enjoyed Wilton's blog immensely.  He doesn't post often (how could one when one is so prolific?), but his posts are always thoughtful, with generous use of images, and generous sharing of information regarding technique and his personal artistic process.   Really, you should take a look.  :)



Thanks for visiting . . .

Cheers!

Thanksgiving

Mixed media

3" x 3"

Giving thanks today for all that is good.

Have a wonderful day, wherever in this world you may be.  May it be filled with love, joy and harmony.



Piecing It Together. . .New Mixed-Media Collages

here



here

Last weekend, I laid out twenty or so potential collages to be made from assorted prints, remnants of prints, embellished papers and ephemera.  This weekend, I've managed to finalize these three and a couple more.  (These are spare, on creamy art paper -- not greyish at all -- and some of the fine graphite and ink has not been fully captured in the scans.)

Yesterday, I gave up a potential afternoon in the studio to go watch our neighbor's son play his final game as the hometown quarterback at Portland State University.  There was a chill in the air, and my husband and I were "on the fence" as to whether to go or not....all things considered  (which translates into "Gee, it would be great to go and support him, but there are just too many things to do in too little time.")   We were glad we chose to go.  It was great to drop down into the city, just ten minutes away, and take the brisk walk to the outdoor stadium.  Before the game, the seniors and their families were honored on the center of the field; a bittersweet moment, to be sure.  We've watched this young man and his equally talented older brother practice ball in their backyard and play assorted sports since they were in middle school.

It is gorgeous today.  Time to stop and head out to assist my husband with a major leaf clean-up.  (Just in time for the next couple of storms that are scheduled to blow in at the beginning of the week.)

Hope you've had an enjoyable weekend with a little time for creativity!

Thank you for stopping by!

:)



Taking It In

   

Well, the November rains have arrived, and with them, the fragrance of foliage and the earth, and a wondrous fabric of leaves that is developing on the ground plane.  I managed to get out for two short walks in my neighborhood this weekend and it became all too apparent to me that "house / car / city office / car / house / car / city office" is a sure recipe for nature deprivation.  Interestingly, it was my olfactory sense that drove home the point that here, in my neighborhood, I was surrounded by vegetation and soil that was actually alive and dynamic, and that I was a part of this web of life. Nothing too profound here, mind you; it's just that it occurred to me while walking and taking in the fragrance, that during the dry summer, this fragrance of the earth, so characteristic of the Pacific Northwest, is virtually non-existent, unless one is in the woods, or better yet, deep in the forest.  And of course, it's non-existent year around in the immediate vicinity of my office downtown.  And therefore, similarly to "out of sight/out of mind," if one cannot smell the earth, one can lose track of just how long it has been since one has been out in a meadow, or a forest, or even in one's own neighborhood, taking it all in.

Hope you're not in a state of nature deprivation.  :)

Oh, and along this line, if you haven't already done so, pay a visit to Jennifer Judd-McGee's Swallowfield and take in Sophie Windsor Clive's short, beautiful video of the natural phenomenon of starling "murmurations."   And then scroll down to see Jennifer's holiday card and recent collages, before heading over to Novembergrass to see Sue's beautiful "murmuration" of stitches on her most recent work.

Have a great week!

Splendor in the Garden

  

Such a riot of color on this tree that is leaning over our fence. It was really something yesterday, against the brilliant blue sky. Anyone know what it is? And regrettably, these two small works are not new, and in fact, they've probably already appeared here. But they seemed to match the mood of the tree.  :)

Hope the week ahead brings good things your way!                                 

Good Cheer from Kristen Donegan

Such a delightful start to a recent grey and cozy Saturday in Portland . . . a lovely handprinted and stitched note, atop the cheerful package, above, from Massachussets artist, Kristen Donegan.   

Image courtesy of Kristen Donegan



And inside the package? A few of her wonderful cards. :) 

Among assorted art works, Kristen is currently featuring a series of bird-themed cards in her Etsy shop, as well as a very nicely curated selection of vintage items.  You can catch up with what she's been up to on her blog, A Sunny Spot, where she shares snippets of her artistic process and creative daily life.

And in our garden ...hydrangea leaves recently in their glory.
(But now suffering the effects of a deluge.)

Hope you are having a wonderful week!
(Hope folks back East are recovering from the storm.)

Thanks for visiting!

(I feel an artistic weekend coming on. . .)

 

 

Columbia River Gorge in the Fall

 



The Columbia River Gorge is a mere forty-five minute drive from Portland and it is particularly beautiful in autumn.   We took a short excursion, travelling east on the Oregon side of the river, and then crossing to come back on the Washington side.  It was wonderful to smell the fragrance of cedar and fir on the forested hillsides; beautiful to see the vibrant fall foliage against the deep green of the conifers and grey basalt rock.  We passed through a series of double tunnels in rock outcroppings on our way back; narrow tunnels for the trains, and slightly wider ones for the cars.  It was rather exhilarating to encounter a train speeding along in the opposite direction, so high above the river, and so close to us as we zoomed around the cliffs.

Time to transition to the week ahead.  Chilly nights are in the forecast, which means the autumn leaf color will become even more intense and the "big drop" will begin in earnest . . .

Cheers!



Flower and Dots . . . to the Shop

"Flower and Dots"

acrylic on canvas

24"x 24"x 3"

Detail

This painting has found its way to the shop.    

Thanks for visiting!

:)

In the Shop Now . . .

 "Remnants 6" 

Mixed media

7 1/2"  x  9 1/2"

"Remnants 6" was one of six mixed media collages that I made for a show in June of 2010.  Two of the pieces have sold; another one is currently in the shop and "Remnants 5", also above, will be there soon. 

And by the way, don't you just love bookhou?  Such signature style in everything they do.  A simply wonderful, graphic aesthetic.   And such a great, conversational blog: bookhau at home.   Oh, and here's their Etsy shop.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

:)

Balance

Relief prints with Gamblin Inks

5"x7"

Been a bit out of balance lately.  Too heavy on the work side and too many hours in front of the computer.  Craving time in my home and garden, time to be out and about in my city, time to prepare a good meal, time to relax with family and friends.  Easing off (just a bit) on my self-imposed pressure to produce art.  Remembering that there are only so many hours in a day and one can't do it all.   Looking forward to being outside; walking on streets strewn with freshly fallen horse chestnuts, inhaling the crisp air and feasting on the glorious colors of the autumn foliage.

Cheers!

The Garden in Fall's First Rain

 

 

 

Such beauty in the garden after a rain. 

And in today's grey light, the colors of the produce and flowers

at the farmers' market were almost too intense.

Alas, I did not have my camera with me. . .

Thank you for stopping by. :)

In progress . . .Mixed Media Collage

  

In progress - mixed media

8" x 10"

Well the sun is surely sinking down

But the moon is slowly rising

So this old world must still be spinning 'round

And I still love you

Lyrics by James Taylor - "Close your Eyes"

Among other activities this weekend, I'm attending a couple of events that are part of a rather momentous symposium in Portland.  A story, told last night by a presenting scientist, brought the above lyrics of James Taylor to mind.  Tomorrow, I will share the story and a few other "take aways" from the events.  So much to think about....

Best...

Autumnal Mixed Media

Mixed media on canvas

9" x 11"

sold

Autumn is unquestionably my favorite season.  Still, I am not quite ready for summer's wane.  The above mixed media piece suggests "deep fall" to me (if there is such a thing.)  It's in my shop now. 

Such busy days here with very little time for art.  Hope you're not in the same predicament. . .  

Have a wonderful day!  And thank you very much for visiting!

Print on Top of Print . . . Out into the World

One of my small, original monoprints (hidden in the package) recently found its way out into Blogland via Etsy. A bit of color, in the way of a digital reproduction of collaged paintings, seemed an appropriate thing to add to the front of the package.

And isn't the red of the Indian Tobacco in the field gorgeous? (I don't know what the white flower is.)

Tomorrow night, the printing inks and brayers are coming back out to the work table.  I'm looking forward to easing into the weekend while keeping those in the Hurricane Irene's path in my thoughts.