this week 

in this studio

i tried to capture the magic light that beckons every morning

this started as a painted canvas that has been sitting unfinished.  

it needed more than paint

so i collaged using mainly printed tissue papers. 

i made a copy of a previous painting and tore it.

then glued it into my journal and painted another face.

on the adjacent page i made a pcket.

on individual pieces of paper i wrote

different dares and what i thought might

happen if i dared do it.  it was a 

revealing exercise.

another copy of a previous face glued to 

my journal.  i painted, stenciled

and then collaged a dress 

these next are teabags.

hello to paint party friday friends and 

others visiting me today.

that's it for my creative week.  

how was your week?

mixed media journal spread

and then the day came

when the risk to remain

tight in a bud

was greater than

the risk it took

to bloom.

anis nin

today a few images and a favorite poem 

We all learn as much as we wish to 

and no more. We learn in different ways, 

sometimes by not learning…. 

My way is by trial and error, 

by groping, stumbling, questioning.

Henry Miller

journal spread, collage, acrylic and ink

graphite sketch in altered book

graphite sketch in altered book

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good. 

You do not have to walk on your knees

or a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. 

You only have to let the soft animal of your body 

love what it loves. 

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. 

Meanwhile the world goes on. 

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain 

are moving across the landscapes, 

over the prairies and the deep trees, 

the mountains and the rivers. 

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, 

 are heading home again. 

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 

the world offers itself to your imagination, 

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting— 

 over and over announcing your place 

 in the family of things.

Mary Oliver 

in memory of shirley

i have been on an adventure.

where do i start?  first, start with a

reunion of five art friends who met 

together one afternoon on my deck for a magical

afternoon of art journaling and our sharing lives.

john from a seattle suburb, terry from minnesota,

brian from long beach and jacki from orange county.

we were quite happy to be together as you can see.

john, terry and brian team taught an art 

journaling extravaganza.

                        

with thirteen artists for three full days and even 

some of us crazy enough to come back for more 

after a  group dinner out.    there were many moments,

memories, spectacular sunrise and sunsets.   the best

was the deepening of friendships old and new.  

now back to paint paint paint.  i have added a tab 

at the top of my page which lists all of the paintings 

to be shown at the third annual gallery in the garden

hosted by my friend, diane dunn.  i hope you have time

for a virtual visit.  

a journal spread.  t's orange influenced by jacki long

a wonderful weekend to all!

it's friday and i am posting with paint party friday

art journaling

when did you last tell your story?

did anyone listen?

did anyone hear?

posting with wwyww, 

what's on your work desk wednesday

posting today with what's on your work desk wednesday

day 11, 30 paintings in 30 days

the way

i continue to explore abstract painting, trying to stay loose and open....

and, of course, having fun.   this i painted in my journal.

sometimes that feels less intimidating.

journal page

resolution

i will spill 

the dust from my lap,

climb the great

wide trunk

inspiration from anthropologie displays

of an ancient tree

fingernails embedded

in the bark,

scramble up the 

most elegant branch,

and drink sloppily from the luscious juice

from the ripest vermillion fruit.

rosanne sterne

painted canvas

i met rosanne while we worked with sharon olds on a small workshop

at esalen.she was a promising poet and talented musician as well.

i don't know how i got the nerve to apply but  was honored 

and so nervous to have been accepted to  the workshop.  

i will never forget the experience working  with other poets in the 

garden landscape along the big sur coast,

the scrumptious vegetarian food grown from the gardens and

the lively conversations with people from all over the country. 

start out wandering

looking for the light

destination unknown

journal spread

'and your very flesh

shall be a great

poem'

sabrina ward harrison