Alice Waters: The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution
L.K. Ludwig: Mixed-Media Nature Journals: New Techniques for Exploring Nature, Life, and Memories
Muhammad Yunus: Banker To The Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty
Rainer Maria Rilke: Letters on Life: New Prose Translations (Modern Library Classics)
I discovered a new blog today. Debra at A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk makes fabulous and fun scrap journals with her handpainted and stamped papers. One lucky reader is going to win one of her journals. Take a peek and enter the drawing.
I was walking on an unfamiliar street several days ago and happened upon this house of poetry. It was filled with poems to take. I love this sort of art giveaway.
I've managed to photograph some of the work I did in my Eclectic Thought art class last weekend. The class was aptly named. After struggling the first day trying to sort out what I should work on a friend mentioned that this instructor usually asks that students complete three pieces. Needing some sort of direction, I latched onto this. I didn't know what I'd do but I committed to myself to complete three pieces. In the end I nearly completed two and have a good start on a third and left with my brain brimming over with ideas.
Images from the sketchbook I kept in class.
This last image are the ideas for the third piece I'll be trying to finish this week.
The first book developed without any sort of plan. I've never worked without a plan and I think it was an important step.
When the book was nearing completion, I'd felt it was looking too "tidy" and I thougth it needed some darkness and chaos so I was considering adding ink. I was conflicted about it though as I didn't want to "ruin" what I'd done. Hearing this, the instructor challenged me to pour ink on and then respond to whatever happened. It was precisely what was necessary on many levels.
The second book was in response to an exercise to list 10 ways to draw. I considered only applying a pen or pencil to paper to be drawing. It isn't something I'm practiced at and I haven't enjoyed drawing in this way. In just a day I realized how I'd limited my ideas to the conventional. This little book is a record of 10 ways to draw. Here are a few of my favorites.
sewing
embossing & scorching
rubbing & drawing with wire
I couldn't be happier with the outcomes of this workshop. I've taken classes to learn techniques. I don't enjoy completing projects that are designed by other people. I have never completed a project as designed by someone else. This is the the most productive I've been in a class and I think it's because the focus was not on a project or learning technique. It was taking my own work to another level and not being attached to outcome. I understand now why it's so important not to fall in love with what I'm working on. That attachment keeps me from pushing through, from responding to what's happening in a piece. In effect, the work doesn't realize it's full potential and neither do I because I've stopped the flow. The challenge will be to remember this, especially when I'm frustrated.
This is from LK's blog.
"The idea: We have words that touch us, move into our hearts and resonate, creating a feeling, taking us some place- past, present, future- perhaps some place we have never been and may never go, but for whatever reasons, the words pulse in our blood. Meeting new words, new poets, new poems, new ways for my heart to beat, is an intruiging concept. Want to go on this adventure with me? It will be easy to travel along.
Many of us already do this sharing; this idea is just to help us find each other and hear the words we have to share.
The Date: Wednesday, November 19.
The Plan: on your blog, post a poem that moves inside you, touches you, reaches you. (quotes and song lyrics welcome). Include the author (or composer or musician) and source (book, album)- perhaps also the amazon link if there is one. no explanation required, no other revelation necessary.
ne last thing- Perhaps add an image. a photo. a video. a painting. a collage., if you would."
Come here to this post. Add a comment with your link.
The Request: If you are intrigued enough, post on your blog about this Day of Sharing Words- encourage your friends to post. Who couldn't use a few new poems in their treasury or new songs in their hearts?
This is a fabulous idea. A virtual circle of words that inspires us. Won't you join me?
I finished my jewelry/metalsmithing class and just finished a 4 day mixed media workshop that was meant to help attendees find their language. It was amazing to be in a single class working on my own art for 4 days. I've never had such an extended time and came out of it feeling energized and focused. My instructor was Larry Calkins. An amazing local sculptor, painter, photographer. I'm considering taking his encaustics workshop next quarter.
I worked on two books and one hanging piece. I'll try to photograph them today. I also learned how to make prussian blue ink and milk paint, how to use a wood burning tool for encaustic painting, how to make acetone transfers onto multiple types of surfaces including enamels, and I'm sure other things I'm not remembering.
Thanks to Jane Wynn I found this fun swapsite called Swap-bot where you can sign up for all types of swaps. I signed up for a holiday ornament swap. I've participated in an ornament swap for the last 3 or 4 years but am not part of the online group where I did that so I'm thrilled to have found this. (aargh! I can't figure out why the swap logo isn't working. I'll try again later with it)
Here's my theme song these days.
This first set is french blue and melon on the front. The plain blue is what's on the back of all three of these.
This next set is sky blue and butter yellow. The blue is the color that's on the back of all three pieces.
These pieces are unfinished. Flame red and I don't recall the name of the green. I haven't enameled the backsides yet. I'm thinking I'm going to include both of these one on top of the other as one necklace but I haven't tried it out yet.
It's stormy out today so these photos aren't very good but you get the idea. Sadly I had to work all day today to make up for not going in yesterday.
I'll be setting up an etsy shop soon and these will all go there.
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell
We're still staring at the closed door in disbelief. Yesterday Debbie was layed-off, along with 7 others. She'd learned earlier in the week that the company she was working for may be sold. We knew that may mean she'd be layed-off but we expected it to happen in a few months, if at all. Not the few days that it turned out to be. She's been with this company since they opened their doors. Started as a massage therapist, managed their products, created and managed the warehouse, and moved into being just their purchaser. She loved it there. Enjoyed what she did, liked the people, was proud of the role she'd had in the companies growth...it was a shocking sad day.To make it worse, I wasn't able to get away from work for more than a quick lunch as I'm up to my eyeballs in it there. I'll sign off here and put in a few more hours today, bringing my grand total hours worked to about 50 this week. Not high by some peoples standards but unacceptable by mine. I have a full life outside of work with Tanner, his school and homework, art class, that jewelry making and painting I want to do, a house to maintain, an extended family to see, friends... It's been a bit overwhelming.
Debbie's taken Tanner to do some volunteer work at the school. I'd hoped to be able to do some metalsmithing while they were gone but there's too much that has to be finished before I get back to the office on Monday. I'm off to try to whittle the pile down. Think good thoughts for us. Say a prayer, light a candle, whatever it is you do. We'll be fine but could use your support just now. Thanks.
This is one of my journal pages that was included in LK Ludwig's latest book, True Vision. I was honored to be included. I never could have imagined that I'd have the courage to submit such an intimate piece and it would have been even crazier to think it would actually be chosen. But there it is. I was provided exactly what I wanted even though I was too afraid to even tell myself what it was.
Change seems to be my theme these days. The changing of the seasons, Tanner starting school has required a dramatic change in how I spend my evenings, I'm changing how my ideas about food and how our family will eat, I'm changing how I spend my money, and I seem to be in the middle of a change of work of some sort.
I've been searching for how to do the work I love and without planning it, I made arrangements to listen to the perfect person speak on exactly this topic. This weekend I decided I needed to get to church because work is so stressful and going to continue to be for quite some time.
The speaker week was Tama Kieves , a career coach and teacher. I didn't know she'd be there but she was exactly who I needed to hear. During her talk she said "If you're this succesful doing work you don't love, what could you do with work you do love". I felt like my world had tumbled upside down. I burst into tears. I couldn't catch my breath. It was a moment I hope to always remember.
It had never occurred to me that I could actually succeed wildly doing what I loved. I've always worried about how but I see now I couldn't have planned getting to this point in my life ten years ago. I didn't know how it was going to happen. I knew this was what I wanted, or at least what I thought I wanted. It's what I thought would give me the security I needed to do what I really wanted. Well, I got exactly, and I do mean exactly, what I envisioned for myself. Now I need to start visioning what my heart really wants. Never mind the how. Never mind the fear. It's time to step out on a little faith. I'm looking forward to it.
Getting ready for LK's class is going to be a fabulous journey in itself this autumn and winter.
I also received my copy of a collaborative book I was involved with. This project was organized by Penelope Harris in Canada and the topic was the story of colors. I enjoyed the care with which she wrapped this lovely little package.
The thoughtfulness of the book design is wonderful as well. Each color has it's own tab. Every contributor wrote an small original story to highlight the personality of their color and created a piece of art to accompany it.
I enjoy collaborations such as this occasionally. I think I need to limit myself to one, possibly two a year though. They provide an opportunity to stretch myself since I'm working to someone elses "rules" and the final product is lovely. I find that I can let them distract me from painting and jewelry making though. An easy excuse.
I've been re-reading Art and Fear. I'm realizing I have created countless pieces in my head that never get worked out on the canvas or with the metal because I get frustrated with not being able to execute my vision. Of course, the way to be able to execute the projects I conceive is to keep on making more art but I just keep forgetting that. Things like the day job, the child, my partner, legitimately consume the bulk of my time.
What I've been avoiding examining is what's taking the rest of my time. I also need to look at how I can capture more time. None of this is unique or new. The artists I most admire have figured out how to make work in spite of the challenges. I know they haven't figured it all out all the time but they seem to have struck a balance I'm not finding yet.
Ah well, with that completely unoriginal idea, I'm off to bed.
P.S. I forgot to take photos of the artwork inside while it was daylight. I'll do that next time.
