Journal Musings

Fingers dipped in paint, mushed around on pages.  

Can think of nothing better to bring you to 

the present moment.

It would have been so subtle-

like the sensation you might feel

as you passed through the moment

at the exact center of your life

or as you crossed the equator at night in a boat.

Tipping Point, Billy Collins

A Few This and Thats

I might  have turned into a hermit

I've been in my room playing in journals

sketching faces, some really scary ones

happy as a clam

windows so clean I feel like I'm in a bubble up here

blue skies, trees, tiled roof tops and glimpse of the pacific.

Hours, sometimes days pass.

Oh, dear, I may never leave

Will I be rescued soon?

While I have been in the mode I'm doing a little rearranging,

organizing and clearing clutter so I can walk into the room

without tripping on a stack of stuff.

In an earlier post I (proudly) showed you my new shelf where 

I can see many of my art supplies and easily get them when I need them.  

This is a little thing but. . . 

it makes me smile.  

I discovered if instead of standing the many bottles of craft paints up,

I laid them down and can even take out a bottle 

and the space stays for it  to be returned.    

I told you it was a little thing.

I posted this you tube on my facebook but thought you might enjoy seeing

Phillip Scott Johnson's 500 Years of Female Portraits in Western Art.

A generous visitor to my blog told me that he had difficulty leaving a comment because of Blogger word verification, that annoying weird word scramble you are subjected to before your comment will be published.  I checked my blog for this but Blogger does not make the author of the blog go through this.  So I did not know that you had to endure this.
If you have blogger and want to turn the verification off, 
here is a simple tutorial by JA Bennett.   It took two minutes. 


XO

Transform

as darkness recedes

the emerging light reveals

a forgotten dream

3 atc trades atop lost and found journal page

These cards were created to swap with an ATC group.  The theme this time is 'transform.'
The cards are sitting on a journal spreadwith a 1944 photo of Japanese American men

who resisted being drafted into the army after they were interned.  They were taken from their
family and interned separately.  It was a sad and difficult period for the Japanese Americans
and for all of my family.  From this painful experience came some good:  a sense of commitment

to believe in the strength their convictions,  pride in their heritage, joy in the present moment,

 and trust in the inherent love within family.

transform

My family and the Japanese Americans 

transformed 

the war experience, moved on 

and taught their children to do the same.  

Transformation means possibility.

With possibility comes hope.

With hope there is joy.

xxo




i am linked today with rebecca at  haiku my heart where every friday 
lovers of small words gather.  come visit to read more haikus better yet,  join in on the fun.

Luminosity

a few weeks ago on my way home

a car was stopped in the middle of the street,

door open, the driver stood 

next to it with her arms outstretched, 

camera in hand, facing the pacific.  i had to swerve around

her car and thought, she could have at least

pulled over to the curve.

yesterday, i did the same thing, thinking

in a moment i might miss this 

luminous light.

today i am linked to postcards from paradise.

please visit and see paradise from other's vantage point.

Happy Sunday 

xxo

Feast

inhale the beauty

delight in the annual

display of wonder

My iris never fail to bring delicate pleasure for the few days they visit every year.

I am linked with Rebecca and others who embrace the weekly practice of 

haiku.  Please visit Haiku My Heart for a special treat.

Exciting News about One Artist Journal

Orly Avineri is a true creative being.  

She lives a life in color, texture, creativity and finds her

personal calling in mentoring others along their journey of discovering the artist within.
In her workshops you don't merely learn techniques but she creates an atmosphere
in which you can have a full experience.

orly enthusiasticwhile teaching

Now she has even created her own, unique venue for transforming her art journal into a book

called One Artist Journal.  The book is composed of the rich, insightful and visually beautiful blog posting  that she has offered over the last four years. 

The best way to buy her book is through her eStore.  Also carried at Amazon 

or available at her workshops.  

maya, orly's sweet daughter and orly with me in the center at artfest

Win a chance to receive a free book by leaving a comment on her blog. The winner will be announced next Friday, the 25th.  This post is a part of a group blog hop with some of Orly's friends.  Here are the others.  Visit them and read their comments on Orly's book.

Brian Kasstle

Carla Sonheim

Cindy Woods O'Leary

Donna Cetorelli

Dorit Elisha

Faith Allen 

Gina Rossi Armfield

Glanda Hoagland

Jane La Fazio

Jill Berry

Kelly Kilmer

Liesel Lund

Monica Moran

Pnina Gold

Rachael Urista

Seth Apter

Teesha Moore

Encounter

On a walk this week I encountered many peacock going about their daily rituals.

 in trees,

standing upright and regal,

in full display to in hopes of attracting a mate.  

They were probably wondering what I was doing with my 

little black box in front of my face clicking away.

Throughout history peacocks have symbolized eternal life 

in the Christian religion; benevolence, patience, kindness and 

compassion for the Hindu;  and were the guardian of royalty to the Persian

and Babylonians.  I feel fortunate whenever I encounter a peacock

and never take this magnificent bird for granted.

Every Mother Counts

sidewalk face

Over the years I watched my friends' son, Alex Ebert grow to be a talented artist.  

Still the gentle soul I always knew him to be, he wrote a poem entitled 'Mother.'  

He recently recorded a song with the same title with his band

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  Starbucks is featuring the album

Every Mother Counts with an amazing line up of stars, Alex among them.

Listen Alex here and enjoy your Mother's day

http://www.spinner.ca/2012/04/13/edward-sharpe-and-the-magnetic-zeros-mother/

xxo

Carving Space This Week

I found the perfect storage of some of my paints in my studio.  It allows

me to see colors and frees up much needed shelf space.

All is not in the clear though. . . . there is still the 

stacks on  my desktop to contend with. 

Still I was able to I make this little five inch square book from rosen paper.  I applied a thick 

layer of gesso, let it dry and did the same for the other side.  I textured some pages by

using stencils or the back side of a paint brush.  Then I cut 5 x 10

inch pieces and painted them with various shades of blue and some white.

I used the coptic stitch to sew the pages together.  This book feels so 

soft and supple in my hands.  One of the pages tore as I sewed it 

so I added some blue tape and it is fine.  Don't know whether

there was less gesso on that particular page but after

collaging in the book the pages seem sturdy.

I worked on this photo more and  added it to my new journal.

I need a lot of practice so that the paint is not applied

too heavy a handed but I like seeing the 

photo come to life with color and of course

I like thinking of my sweet mom

on this Mother's Day weekend.

Also after getting away from basic sketching I practiced a few faces

and a journal page with another painted photo copy.

I have been working on this painting for a while.  I wasn't exactly giving 

me problems but it was not clear what it wanted to become.  

This week I finished it.  It is always  a gift when 

I can see what the next step is as I apply paint.

To me it is akin to some sort of magic.

I didn't think I spent much time creating art this week but when I sat down to blog 

I found that I did more than I realized.  

Does that ever minimize yourself~ think you did not

create much until you stop and really look?

I also want to pass on some  good news about a friend.

Orly Avineri's book, One Artist's Journal,  has been 

published this week.  It is now available

here https://www.createspace.com/3868179.  

Beauty

original stencil, transparency, acrylic, pencil

You were a beauty

The helm of our family

An ocean of love

A sharing in honor of all mothers.  

Today I am posting in connection

with Rebecca Brooks at Haiku My Heart

Please visit her welcoming site.

Bits and Pieces

more from green journal

. . . .This is the bright home

in which I live,

this is where 

I ask

my friends

to come,

this is where I want 

to love all the things

it has taken me so long

to learn to love.

David White from The House of Belonging

Green Journal

quote by orly avineri, stencil by teesha moore

I have almost completed the little green journal that I made in 

Misty's workshop at Artfest.

The pages seemed very bright and new when I started so 

I sanded the edges and all the pages, added 

some distress inks and now the 

pages feel like old friends.

photo taken in san migues de allende

There are a lot of photos of family members that

I hadn't thought of in a while.

photo of my grandmother and a letter to here

I will show you more in the next few days.  

view from my studio at sunset

I hope your weekend has been creative and fun.

XXO