New Homes

These two paintings from the show at the Palos Verdes Art Center  have new homes.

I hope the new owners are as thrilled as I am.

Speaking of new homes. . ..

I saw through Pam Garrison's blog that 

Rebecca at Haiti by Hand 

is collecting fabric, backpacks, glasses and various 

other items for those in need.  Should you be interested in 

recycling your unwanted items,

click to see  how you can help.

A Week in LA

LA is a sprawling city.  It is said you can find about anything here.  

I am not sure about that but this week I found

fresh fruit juices at the farmers' market,

a chandelier hanging from a tree while people

breakfast, listen to live music or shop for fresh

fruits and vegetables,

a home grown musician, Paul Chesne of the Paul Chesne Band 

playing in the outdoor patio of Primitivo on the 

hip street, Abbott Kinney,

an exhibit, In Wonderland, featuring surrealist women artists,

Frida Kahlo 1919-1954

one of which is Frida Kahlo.

quick sketch in my journal

After the exhibit I dug out this book

and was reminded of the Frida's vibrant works.

I thought you might be interested 

in seeing 

a few of her pages

and become inspired yourself

 to play in your journal.

I have linked this post to Rebecca Brook's  Postcards from Paradise.  

I hope you get a chance to visit her.

Journal Pages

I used to knit.  That's an understatement.  I loved knitting.  I learned from my mother as a nine year old.  

I collected  beautiful yarns from every country I visited and  from yarn stores in my hometown.  

I would select the yarns for my next project, sit them in a basket in the passenger seat 

and design the next  sweater and knit it.  When my car was at a stop light, 

I would pick up the needles and knit a few stitches.   

People would see me knit.  Often they said

'I wish I knew how to knit."  So

I taught many friends to knit.

I  knit while watching tv.  I'd knit while waiting for my son at school.

I'd knit in the movies.  I knit until I developed tendonitis and had to stop.

I tell you this because I belonged to a knit club sponsored by a local yarn store.  

Monthly newsletters with  a sweater pattern were sent out.  

I made this journal from the newsletters. 

cover

The pages are gessoed first.

Then the layers begin.

Here are a few pages.

Artfest Spillings

I know a powerful experience when I continue to revisit the memories,

to mine the gold that comes of a deep well, to ponder on

the relationships started in just a short bit of time,

to wonder at the creative explosion that happens

when like meets like.

And so was my time at Artfest.   I put the 'trades' made by 

others into a small Moleskine journal.  Now it, too spills open

Franchesca

with evidence of creative hearts wanting to share.

Pages overflow with as many trades as will fit.

I was reunited with Kim and Heidi, my Journalfest friends.

How luck Maya Avineri was to join her mother, Orly for the retreat and to take classes. 

I couldn't help but wonder how my life would have been different had I 

joined my mother at an art retreat.  Though these are fleeting wanderings

of the mind for I am quite content to have found art at all.  And I 

remember my dear grandmother Iwataki who wrote poetry 

but began painting at the age of 74.  

For now, my little journal sits on my kitchen counter

smiling open, a touchstone of a magical time.

 Spring in Redondo Beach

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

XXO

Unraveling Mysteries

Interpreting the 

mysterious cloud writing

for eyes gazed upward.

This post is linked to Rebecca's Haiku My Heart.  Please visit here to read more inspired haikus.

Maya and Orly 

My eyes gaze toward recent memories of Artfests 

so that while I am here at my home studio 

a part of me is thinking of old friends and new, 

of learned art techniques, of the seagulls at dusk, 

Katy

of Puget Sound, of the excited buzz and conversations of classes, 

products, teachers,  projects over shared meals, of laughing with dorm mates, 

of sharing what was created during the day, of joint journaling at night 

Carlanda

to the music of a live band and belly dancer, of life stories told at shared tables 

as hands move and create, of carting art supplies to classrooms

 through Port Townsend drizzle and much more.

                                                                       

Meals in the Commons

There are a more Artfest photos and stories to tell you but for now I need to figure out how to solve a technical issue of getting more photo space for my blog.  It all started when I tried to make a photo collage for my blog.  It seemed Picasa was a good way to go.  Instead Picasa  uploaded all of my iphoto photos from my computer  which  in the process used up all of my allowed disk space for my blog.   I didn't know there was a limit.   Hmm, another mystery to unravel.  It might take some time.  I hope not too much time.  If your picture is not here yet, it is because of this space issue. . . . and if anyone can shed some light on this issue, please contact me.  

Until then.  

XXO

Misty Love

Misty, Misty, Misty.  

Earlier this year I took her amazing five week Open Studio online workshop.  

  As you can imagine,  I was overjoyed to be able to take 

a class with her in person.

We made little square journals, first painting the pages in one color palate.

I chose greens and yellows because normally I gravitate toward warmer colors.

Watching as Misty demonstrates the tricky kettle stitch.

To my surprise and delight the talented and creative Franchesca Di Leo, 

also an Open Studio participant was in the class.

As was Carlanda Brown Williamson, Jodi Kincaid and Phyllis Peterson.

Misty joins the group shenanigans.

My finished project and pose with our fearless leader.  It was so much fun.

I have to admit, as much as I love being with my tribe,

I do enjoy being back home, to see signs of spring,

having longer than 10 minutes for a shower, a comfy bed

and Southern California sunsets.

                           

I will post more photos - hoping to learn how to create a photo collage.

Artfest

A journal page in anticipation of Artfest.  My first time  to join 550 other for an art camp.   

Although I am don't normally gravitate toward large groups,

I just had to attend this last Artfest retreat to be given by 

Tracy and Teesha Moore in picturesque 

 Fort Worden outside of Port Townsend, Washington.  The 19th century fort sits on a bluff

overlooking Puget Sound.  The setting alone is restful and restorative.  

For three full days I worked with different instructors

learning new techniques and tricks to add to my art arsenal.  

I was lucky enough to see deer grazing near my favorite tree.

I watched them, they watched me.

My first workshop was spent with Lynne Perella.  

I love her color sense and the detailed interest she 

adds to her  art.  We were asked to bring 

photocopies  of a historic figure.  

I chose my samurai great grandfather.

He is my real life family historic hero.

Lynne guided us through layering and layering with 

stencils, stamps, masks, gesso, texturing 

. . . .you can  never have too many layers she says.   

I will definitely add more layers to future works.

I like the depth, the movement and of course, 

the fun it is to add these layers.  I layer a lot in my work

but I am going to kick it up a notch and layer even more.

I am dragging my heels in unpacking my things, wanting to stretch out as long

as possible the memories.  Each item holds a reminder of the fun  I had.

. . . .more on Artfest to come.