Friday, December 27, 2013






the experimenting continues since my classes and workshops are on hiatus.

i am making collage papers using  citrasolve squished into national geographic pages.  

i am hoping it would be a good presentation for my

experimental art group.  a lot of it comes out an inky mess but there are some gems.






in the meantime i received this beautiful journal 

in the mail from my generous friend, john.  

since he retired from teaching special ed he has

a creative fire lit under him.  check his blog to

see what he has been doing. 











i decided to use this journal for citrasolv experiments




here's my first page




during the closing of a year, i reflect on 

the words of the insightful poet, mary oliver


i am sorry not to know who posted this from pinterest


i am grateful to walk the creative path with 

friends, family and my health that support me.

i think of the people in my immediate circle and extended 

friendships who are challenged with health,

emotional issues or losses.  i wish i could wrap 

them in wings of love.  


view coming as i approached home





blessings to all in the new year.

XOXO


posting today with friends at paint party friday



Monday, December 23, 2013



dear blog followers and first time visitors,

it warms my heart to read your comments

knowing that you took the time

to write your thoughts.  

i wish you a time of meaningful and fun connections

with family and friends

to remember the essence of this time of year.






i was given this book from my dear friend and 

innovative artist lorraine.






seven artists from studio 1482 started a blogwith the same title

to encourage folks to get their art on, one drawing at a time.

seems like a good idea.




day one 

while waiting at the lab to get some testing 





and lastly,

i have been experimenting with acrylic inks and 

making gift tags.   i made a few tags and left them to dry.  

later in  the day after we finished decorating our tree my son brought 

gifts to put under the tree.  guess what he used for tags?....

so i can't show you how they turned out.




i hope to see you in the new year.

XO





Friday, December 20, 2013

it is great to be back in the studio painting faces.

i am going to try my first oil portrait.

here is the underpainting.

wsh me luck!






today i am joining 
the gang at paint party friday 

Wednesday, December 18, 2013


a quick morning warm up before coffee

makes me feel good to have put color down 

without a plan, 

just playing with my portolios and inks


wishing you a lovely day



Tuesday, December 17, 2013

journal spread


Sleeping in the Forest


I thought the earth remembered me, she


took me back so tenderly, arranging her dark skirts, her pockets



full of lichens and seeds. I slept as never before, a stone



on the riverbed, nothing



between me and the white fire of the stars but my thoughts, and they floated




light as moths among the branches


of the perfect trees. All night




I heard the small kingdoms breathing


around me, the insects, and the birds




who do their work in the darkness. All night


I rose and fell, as if in water, grappling with a luminous doom. By morning I had 



vanished at least a dozen times



into something better. 



~~Mary Oliver


Sunday, December 15, 2013

a collaboration of sorts...

i asked Lori Seavey-Christian to chose a color, any color and 

put it on my blank pages. I moved paint around 

then asked her to add another color. 

It was so much fun and very freeing.




if you have the opportunity to create with a friend, in a group, in a workshop,

i would recommend it.   while i love to create alone as well,  i find that

there is a synergistic energy that is created when more than two are gathered.

i have been a part of a weekly workshop for several years as well as a

new weekly printing workshop and an open studio.  each group has

its own personality and texture.  some artists like to create in solitude

others, like moi, enjoy community.


Saturday, December 14, 2013

i'm a mixed media artist and and an acrylic painter.

that's what i would answer if asked me. since i began painting a few years ago i have always

painted in acrylics.  i love the colors, the creamy application, the quick drying time,

the ability to layer, the freedom.  recently i learned to oil paint.   

 i thought i'd show you what i've done in this beginning class.  









 the first month i resisted the class, the teacher, the drive.... everyone in the class could have been

my child or grandchild, we had specific (tedious) assignments that 

i saw no point to, the instructor 'lectured' to the class, i had to drive an hour 

to get there,  you get the idea.  i had many reasons why it was a burden.






then i decided to either drop the class or commit.

when i decided to stay and commit and the resistance was dropped,












it became much easier to go.  isn't that the case many times?

our mind does its incessent yudda yudda rap and zaps the fun out of things.

 yesterday was our 'final.'   we laid out the semester assignments along the wall like this.



will i use it?  will i paint in this style?  i am not sure.

it probably will be incorporated in some way.  but for now,

my fingers are itching to get back to acrylics, to cutting and pasting,

and paint in my journals, to experiment on a few techniques

that have been burning inside me, to just play.



i'd love to hear about your creative process.

XO




Thursday, December 5, 2013

in the quiet of the morning

i am with my journal





it's an exciting and scary thing at the same time

what words, what images will emerge

whose voice will be channeled?





looking through the pages, reading,

seeing the images chosen in the moment

like spying on someone's life





momemts forgotten but for 

fragments captured here in this 

luck and pluck journal





joining friends today at paint party friday


Friday, November 15, 2013



the end stretch 

a few more sessions left to go 

in my ongoing painting workshop,

online collage workshop and beginning oil painting.

i am looking forward to cooking thanksgiving dinner

for my family and friends and have put off a lot of experimenting







this is a little collage using a part of this painting i did for my son.

i wonder whether when winter will come for those of us in 

southern california.  it's been in the 80's this week.

have a lovely weekend to all

XO


posting with paint party friday today

Friday, November 8, 2013



when in doubt

ask

your own heart



wishing you a happy weekend.

XO


today i am connecting with 
friends at paint party friday

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Again





finding myself

but 

when was it that I

lost myself

again?






transitioning seasons,

transitioning to daylight savings,

squash, gourds and root vegetables abound






inspiration to dig inward, stir the cauldron

notice the riches, the roots

the bounty within











Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Tolerating Chaos



the very word

imagination

imagination

IMAGINATION




implies

that YOU are 

into territory





NO ONE

has been before.

Corita Kent



i am finding inspiration from
Learning by Heart
Corita Kent and Jan Steward

if you don't know the book
well, i would highly recommend it

sending hugs to you

XO



Saturday, October 26, 2013

Rip and Paste


i have saved paper for years.  among my treasures 

is a box of 'little pieces.'  i used some of these

random bits in 5 minute collages this week.

i am taking an online collage workshop

hoping to glean new skills.




blue whirl




facing west




where are these animals running from?  

or are they running to?


i also would like to share the work of the multi talented artist,

terry braunstein.  i had the pleasure of meeting her many years

ago and admire her work.

http://terrybraunstein.com/portfolio/

nuclear summer, terry braunstein


check out some of the creative offerings 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

29 Faces Art Challenge


a few faces that were posted to the 

facebook group but i was unable to

post them to my blog while out of town














it was a challenge.   i enjoyed 

seeing other artist face and am still

doing some blog catch up.

i was especially impressed with the different

styles and creative mediums that were used.

look forward to the next challenge 

in february.







Monday, October 7, 2013

Power of Art




Redondo Beach Art Group Presents: Power of Art 2013 - Connections
Friday, October 18 at 6:00pm
Elks B P O E in Redondo Beach, California



i am proud to announce that 

these two paintings will be

shown at 

power of art




mixed media on wood panel



woman in red


mixed media on canvas

do i know you?