The Journey

trio, mixed media, sold

who are your companions

do you listen to their voices?

can you let them into your world?

do you hold their hand

or 

do you set up barriers

too difficult to penetrate 

so you walk alone?

Found Poems

'feels like i dropped into a warm cozy cave waiting for only me,'  journal page, 2011 

ruthless is not a word i usually use for myself.  but that is what i feel like 

as i clear out my stuff from

poetry  books from the days when writing poetry took up my full psyche

piles of papers sorted out kept for what?  collage one day?

old paper patterns used when i to sewed all of my clothes, that's been decades, 

dolls that collect dust

books that i read, loved and thought i'd read again...one day

knitting books with colorful, delightful pictures of potential projects

everything takes up space; both physical, also psychic...and maybe even 

emotional space.  for now i am starting with clearing out the physical space.  

one section at a time.  

already i feel a difference.  i have done his before, cleared out the stuff but 

had always felt the void, the vacuum created and just as quickly filled it.  

i don't have that desire this time. i found a blog post titled de-owning.  I like that.  

i am trying not to make this a big deal 

but it sure is taking up lots of my time.

ps

and i am feeling a wee bit proud of myself too.

when is a piece finished?

do we know because of an inner feeling or are there objective criteria?

if it comes to fruition quickly, can we call it done?

does the artist need to struggle over the final details?

who answers these questions?

....just a few sunday questions

i took a beginning painting class last year.  one of the 

assignments was to make a copy of a van gogh.

when you do this it is suggested that you select an artist 

with different style from your own.  the teacher claims that your art will 

improve dramatically after  three different copies are painted.

  i don't know whether my art changed or 

improved after the van gogh but i did learn about using texture.  

i am now painting a copy of a portion of james ensosr's

christ's entry into brussels (1889).  i became familiar with 

with his work through an exhibit, the scandalous art of 

james ensor, at the getty.   i love his brilliant use of color and 

the exaggerated characters  he created.  so i am giving it a whirl.

i have been printing with a small group for less than 

a year.  i have not found my way with this technique.

this summer i worked with the talented printer, public artist and 

educator, caryl levy at her chinatown  studio.  

we learned to mix our oil based printers inks inks

to a creamy consistency,

and learned how to listen to the brayer when we 

roll through the ink spreading it evenly on the brayer.

how to soak the paper, blot it dry so it is no longer shiny

and is ready to accept the ink.  then rolled it through this press.

here are a few of the pieces i printed.

sold

i have been printing with water based inks. 

i fell in love with the rich colors that result from the oils inks.

while most of the steps were not new to me working for two 

days with a skilled teacher gave me  more confidence

in approaching a blank sheet.  i hope to do this again 

and am in search for a local press i can use.

the day started like this.

two hours later....

already!

it is going to be a hot one.

sending cool thoughts to paint party friday friends.

grateful to kristin and eva for creating this weekly community.

ever since i was in college i have loved swap meets.

the nostalgia, the hunt for a bargain, the bartering,

the odd assemblage of items that were once owned by a 

stranger, that had another mysterious life.   every door in my

house has 1920-40 glass knobs and every  glass drawer pull 

is from the swap meet.  they are high maintenance, 

imperfect  and i love them. 

 a bit of wabi wabi style.

over the years i have scoured swaps for various collections.

like dishes, table mirrors, quilts, table ware, fiesta ware, 

bauer pottery, glass floats found in the ocean, green glass jars,

baskets, bakelite, ginger jars, little colored creamers,

you even see some strange and wild flowers

1940's rayon dresses, black cordite purses....

to name a few.  i have passed many of these things on

to other homes as i outgrew them.

now when i go, i focus on old paper items, a few old photos,

correspondence, journals that i can use for future collages.

and i enjoy seeing creative ways people display their wares 

 and the company of a friend as we walk for hours. 

“But tonight,

 the lion of contentment 

has placed a warm heavy paw on my chest. ” 

― Billy Collins

off to early morning journaling at the ranch 

market  with the scantest of supplies.

first i did some non dominant hand  journaling.

then drawing, also with my non dominant hand.  

i like the lack of control that results.

added some tissue paper.

and thought it needed a little more.

by this time, i've been to take up some

coffee shop real estate.

but in my little neighborhood, there are maybe 4 of us

having coffee at the early morning hour.  

thought it needed a bit of orange.  i don't know whether  i am 

finished but it was a pleasant morning. 

and i am on my way.  

i am going simple these days.  not starting anything 

large or complicated.  it goes along with

lightening my load, clearing out closets,

papers, garage, drawers.

i'm liking the process.  

cheers

X O X O