adventures in art & life by Kerri

An evening at Journal club...

2012-01-29T12:53:00.002-05:00

Thank you, Marilyn and Melanie, for a wonderful evening of instruction, cameraderie and inspiration. See you in February!!

My soundtrack for 2012...

2012-01-09T10:00:00.003-05:00

Does each of your years have a soundtrack?
So that when you hear a song, it brings you back to that place in time where you first heard it, reviving memories you thought were long gone. It's just one of the amazing gift that music gives us. It audibly marks a place in time.
Every now and then I hear a new artist or band that just transports me – a new album that, although I’ve never heard it before, is already in my bones…like the songs were already a part of me and my whole being was just waiting for them to finally be written and played and sung.
I heard just one of this band's songs and I knew I would love them. I bought the cd without hearing another note, and I feel like these guys are old friends, (okay, young friends) who've been singing me awake for years... the beginning of my soundtrack for 2012.
And just so that you can appreciate the whole picture of how I love my music, I play it really really loud from my iPod dock and dance around my living room like I am the star in my own music video -- sometimes I even add this drum or tambourine.

Eli Young Band – Life at Best"…keep on dreamin’ even if it breaks your heart"

A mischievous elf...

2012-01-08T10:08:00.004-05:00

Avery at Christmas, 2011.
I hijacked this picture off of my sister's ofoto account. I think it was supposed to be our Christmas card, but either I've been dropped from the mailing list or (more likely) my sister didn't have a chance to send cards. I know, she looks so grown up, doesn't she? She'll be eight in April, but like so many precocious little girls, she is often seven going on seventeen.

She had a brief overnight in the hospital just before Christmas due to an intestinal bug and some dehydration, but overall, she is doing awesome, and we don't ever take this smile for granted!!

A favorite place

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Peebles Island, Cohoes NY. Early mornings with Mike and the dogs are the best time, but Max can be a handful so I don't usually take my camera. But last week my very first best friend from childhood visited, and I left Max behind so that we could take in the sights and capture some of them in pictures. It was a gray day, but no less amazing for lack of bright sun. A bald eagle flew across our path and over the water during our walk, but neither of us could move fast enough to get a photo, so we just stood in awe of it's beauty and wing span and all it represents.

525,600 minutes...

2012-01-04T13:41:00.004-05:00

I am thinking about how best to use the 525,600 minutes that make up 2012. Admittedly, I've already frittered away at least 2,880 of them. It's only January 4, but I spent most of January 1 and 2 as a sofa spud, having enjoyed the last few days of 2011 celebrating life and love and friendship to thoroughly.

After the anticlimax of that ten-second countdown to midnight each year, when -- in spite of decades of dashed hopes -- I still continue to expect something magical to happen, I really do love the beginning of a new year. Like a new pair of boots or a new haircut, it's more than just another day -- it's the promise of a fresh start, and it never ceases to invigorate me. And clearly, as you have to wait in line for a treadmill at the local gym only during the month of January, I am not alone in this feeling.

But by mid-year (if not before), many of our good intentions have fallen away, and we settle back into old, comfortable, familiar routines. So how do we harness the energy of the new year, or any other catalyst for change that comes our way, so that we can continue to remain motivated to achieve our dreams?

The things that motivate each of us can be different, but I like to start with a word -- a word that demands thought or action or reminds me of where it is I want my dreams to take me. Rather than a list of resolutions, which can be too long and specific and daunting, my word is the common thread in all that I try to accomplish in a given year.

My words for the past four years have been health, wealth, believe, and authentic. Each has served me well in different ways, and has made me faithful to this practice. I worried about announcing my word this year, because it is one that I think can be perceived very negatively, for women in particular. But I have my reasons and my personal interpretation of what this word means to me and how it will guide me. I almost changed it for a second runner up word at the last minute, but (at the risk of sounding very flaky right now), this word just keeps coming back to me... my word for 2012 is POWER. -- I know, right? It sounds like I am aiming for world domination or something, but that's not quite what I envision.

I'd love to know how you experience the new year, and if you have a word, or another form of resolution or intention, please share it!

All I want for Christmas is more time, Santa...

2011-12-03T17:32:00.006-05:00

I am learning, as I grow (older), to take (my) time. Even in December, when the rush to get so much done in so little time looms, I no longer give in to the craziness. To be honest, I can't do it and still feel charitable toward humanity. I love people(some of them), but I hate crowds of holiday shoppers)(and general mall rats), and while I used to be able to shrug it off, I realize I don't shrug so easily anymore, so I try not to subject myself to more than my fragile (peri-menopausal) state can handle.

I should add that I am incredibly lucky (fortunate & grateful), to have a job and a life that allows me some time to take time... but even if you don't think you have any at all, you need to find some -- or make some...we offer our best selves to others when we take time for ourselves first. This is not selfish in my opinion, it's just fact. (and it's also just awesome!)

So that's my opener to what I did today... I visited the most amazing visual delight
within at least a hundred miles of my home (even though it's 10 miles away). and that is Artifacts Store...and open house (literally) the Cunningham house, open, for the holidays, along with their
store, which happens to be next door. I cannot begin to describe how magical this place and all its treasures is all year long, but particularly during the holidays. Here are just a few glimpses of my treasures. The first photo is of a sign that now sits above the "art door" in my dining room.

Beth Cunningham and her "holiday helpers" adorn the bags with bells and ribbon, there are guest artists and artisans in her "open house" with one-of-a-kind wares, and the ride to Melrose on a cold, clear December day is a total indulgence.

Thought for the day...

2011-11-29T12:42:00.001-05:00

Photoshop fun...

2011-11-28T14:53:00.004-05:00

Sometimes when I am in between art projects and need to fuel my creativity, I take a piece of art I've already created, scan or photograph it, and then alter it in Photoshop. Playing with typography and words (and photoshop layers) satisfies my soul.

Plaster Encaustic Fusion-The Evidence

2011-11-22T07:51:00.005-05:00

Here's a peek at the incredible art that our students created during our Plaster Encaustic Fusion workshop held at Captured Moments in late Oct. and early Nov. It never ceases to amaze and inspire me how everyone takes our instruction and elevates it to new heights. Also worth noticing is how we all begin with exactly the same basic materials, and end with entirely different pieces of art - the alchemy of creativity and vision. This class was also a textural delight of beeswax, wood, wire, corrugated cardboard, acrylic paints, and exotic papers...and also the most fun and creative group of women around.

Marilyn and I are finished with classes for 2011 so that, like you, we can enjoy time with family and friends during the busy holiday season. We will return refreshed and inspired in 2012.

Thank you to all who pop in to see what's new, and to all of you who take classes. I am grateful to know you and to share this fabulous, messy, creative life.

Peace.

Footnote: Marilyn has also posted pictures of our class...stop by her blog to close ups...and also credits to our students (I too planned to credit our students but I am still under the mistaken impression that I will remember things without writing them down... and then I remember...oh, that's right...I forget things! ;o)

Searching for my meraki...

2011-10-21T10:38:00.004-04:00

One of my good friends recently decided to pursue a career change. It's a completely different field, and she's pretty much starting from scratch. It will mean hard work, long hours and several years of study before she is finished. But instead of feeling overwhelmed by the challenges that certainly await her, she is excited and invigorated in a way she hasn't felt in ages -- her words, not mine, and they made me question the last time I felt really excited about a job or a new project.

It's not that I don't enjoy my work -- I am incredibly fortunate to work with great people, in a field that I still find satisfying, most days. And my side line in mixed media is also a source of enjoyment and creative expression. But I am feeling like much of what I do comes too easily these days. I am not challenged enough -- not afraid enough? -- something like that. I am not even sure what it is I am looking to do, but I am looking. I want to feel more alive, and I don't know what is is that will make that happen for me.

I recently read an article that suggested boredom and busyness were two sides of the same coin. The author explained that boredom was a lack of quality work/play and that busyness was the unavoidable chores and "to dos" that take time away from finding quality work/play. This is my life -- I have lots of things to do, many of which I feel are unavoidable - my day job, laundry & housework, mowing & raking, bill-paying & paperwork, and by the end of the week, I've gotten all of these things done at the expense of QUALITY work and play time.

So this weekend I am going to make time to do something new, in the hope that exposure to new places and things will lead me to my next creative adventure. And in order to do this, something else on my unavoidable "to do list" won't get done. For me, this will be the hard part.

--I just finished writing this post, and meanwhile my favorite astrologist (Rob Brezsny, featured in Metroland) gave me this weekly horoscope...Meraki is a Greek word that refers to the bliss you feel when you're engaged in a task that's important to you and that you're doing really well. It's your theme right now, Libra. According to my reading of the astrological omens, everything's in place for you to experience meraki in abundance. Furthermore, that's exactly what your destiny is pushing for. So please get out there and do everything you can to cooperate: Make this a meraki-filled week.

Trick or treat, I'm packin' heat...

2011-10-20T13:25:00.004-04:00

I am going to a costume party for Halloween, and I wanted a fake gun to go with my Halloween costume. Due to gun violence and kids getting shot and all that stuff that ruins the innocent fun of blood and guts and Halloween, you can't buy a decent fake 9mm in the toy department anymore (or even the dollar store, thank you, China). I will add that you can still buy fake hatchets, machetes, and bloody fake body parts, however, so all is not lost.

So I went online for my fake gun. As luck would have it, I found the perfect little plastic model through Amazon for 75 cents -- with $3.25 shipping and handling, I still considered this a bargain. It arrived yesterday. Here it is...

No, this is not a re-enactment of Lincoln's assassination, nor is it a photo commentary on the state of the economy. It is my 75-cent gun, and yes, it is smaller than a penny. In my defense, that's not how it looked in the online photo when I placed the order. However, if I had clicked photo number 2, I would have seen this guy, and that might have clued me in...

I am still going to strap this baby to my thigh, with a piece of scotch tape. Can you say sexxxxxxy?

Altered egos journal

2011-09-19T07:35:00.008-04:00

Marilyn and I have spent two of the best Sundays with an amazing group of women, creating art journals that express our "altered" egos. Inspired by Christy Tomlinson's she-art online workshop, Marilyn had the brilliant idea to teach a similar class in an art journal format. If she hasn't done so already, Marilyn plans to post samples of students' work on her blog, so pop over to take a look later this week.

For me, the class was part collage and mixed media, part paper dolls, and lots of whimsy. Here are some of my pages so far...

Look.

2011-09-17T18:47:00.004-04:00

I am feeling very connected to all living things today...not in the Facebook, smart phone, internet way...but the real warm-blooded looking into another's eyes sort of way...from my sweet Max, always ready for play, to the flock of geese who were resting in the grass by my car at work, to the squirrel I narrowly missed on my street (while driving a smidge over the speed limit and then cringing), to the tiny, barely walking little, little girl with diaper-padded purple leggings, holding her dad's hand and trying to match his pace at the supermarket today. What a world I live in when I take the time to look.

I see a bright light, casting shadows through my window...

2011-09-09T11:46:00.004-04:00

Could it be?
Yes, it's the sun!!!! Me so happy!!!

During the past couple of weeks of rain and generally dismal end of summer weather, I did treat myself to an online art class by Christy Tomlinson (her blog link is in my list at right). It was my first-ever online class, but I can see this will be a wonderful way to pass the long, long winter in upstate NY!!!

Here's my first canvas from Christy's She-art workshop, which was an amazing bargain -- dozens of class videos with amazing mixed-media, drawing, painting and texture techniques and PDFs available for download. Thank you, Christy!!

Sunflower on a rainy day...

2011-09-08T07:37:00.005-04:00

I am grateful.
I really am.
Every minute of every day.
But enough of this f**king rain already.

Phew. Not quite poetry but I feel better.

Some perspectives on living in the moment...

2011-09-01T06:53:00.008-04:00

From the book Spark by Julie Berstein:
Richard Serra was freeing himself from the constraints of making art, by approaching it as play. --

"I'm interested in the notion of play; I'm not interested in the end, I'm interested in the activity itself; I'm interested in not worrying in a self-conscious way about what I have to make."

--Richard Serra, sculptor

or, as Zac Brown puts it:

"soak it all in, it's a game you can't win, enjoy the ride."
(from the song Quiet your Mind by Zac Brown Band)

The messages of process over product and living in the here and now resonate strongly with me these days.

So I'm off to live today like there's no tomorrow!

Show up...

2011-08-26T18:35:00.004-04:00

"I don't wait for inspiration. If you wait for the clouds to part and to be struck in the head with a bolt of lightening, you're likely to be waiting the rest of your life. But if you simply get going, something will occur to you."

"Inspiration is for amateurs, and the rest of us just show up and get to work."
--Chuck Close

When I stumbled upon this quote, it made me smile. It is something I have known for ages, but I love how he says it so simply.

Aug 20 Sale - Update!! - Questions answered!!

2011-08-17T12:09:00.002-04:00
I posted the sale on Craig's list and received a few questions, so I thought I'd answer them here as well.

1. There are literally THOUSANDS of rubber stamps for sale. Gently used and even unused -- Magenta, Stamp in the Hand, Dawn Houser, Rubbermoom, Hero Arts, and dozens of great companies -- many are designs that are no longer manufactured. All types - holidays, words & phrases, flowers, animals, fabric stamps and more.

2. No stamp (of mine - I have some friends stuff and have to confirm with them) will be priced higher than $3 -- even those that were originally $10 or more. And I am doing a 25 for $25 of any size - Anyone who purchases at least 25 will pay no more than $1 for each.

3. I have polymer clay and clay tools, fabric, velvet for stamping, ink pads, brushes, embellishments, punches, art papers, beads, stampable items, containers, storage units, tins...

For those who may not know, I taught classes and stamped for about 20 years, so I've had decades to collect and enjoy these things and as my art evolves, I want them put to good use!!

I do hope those of you who are local can make it!!

HUGE ART SUPPLY SALE THIS SAT. AUG 20 AT MY HOUSE!

2011-08-13T13:52:00.005-04:00

Next Saturday, Aug 20, for five hours only, from 9 to 2pm, I am having a HUGE rubber stamp & art supply blowout sale (that means really cheap prices). The sale will include not only my own gently used (and sometimes brand new) materials, but those of a few good friends. There will also be a freebie bin full of "priceless" creative stuff that is yours for the taking. Many of our rubber stamps are new or barely used and no longer available. There are also papers, collage materials, art tools, ink pads, punches, and artful items that defy description!

This is a one-time only event. After 2pm on Saturday, all items will be packed up for donation.(so if anyone knows of a local organization in need of these kinds of things, I welcome recommendations)

Please feel free to spread the word to your creative friends, and I hope to see you next Saturday!!!

where: 89 Old Loudon Road, Latham NY (corner of Eva St)
when: 9 am - 2 pm

I am headed to a summer party after 2 pm, so the sale will end at 2 sharp!!

For non-artists (poor souls) ther will also be some regular yard sale items for sale (baskets, storage boxes, books, clothing. etc.)

Heading to Boston for a weekend with my peeps...

2011-08-05T07:10:00.005-04:00
It's time for our annual girly weekend -- Female Bonding Weekend is the official term -- and it's a tradition we've kept up for about 20 years now. To be honest, I don't remember the exact year it began, but I think it was the late 90s. My stepdaughters, who are now 30 and 32 (happy birthday today, Sarah!!) were around 12 and 14 for the first one, which they both attended. It has evolved, as have we, but the basic essence of it remains the same. We eat, drink, shop, laugh, and thoroughly enjoy each other's company...and after about 2.5 days, we've had exactly enough of one another and go home!!!

And speaking of females that I am fond of, here is a set of 3 little paintings that I made for a friend's birthday which is coming up very soon...

Detail...

Sneak preview...

2011-07-28T21:52:00.005-04:00

This is a sneak preview of a project that Marilyn and I will teach in one of our upcoming fall classes. We're calling it Plaster Encaustic Fusion, but it's also just plain fun -- lots of tactile satisfaction for those who like to work with texture and layers. We will have dates and details for this and other classes soon, so visit often or ask to be added to our email list for class announcements (see sidebar.)

Summer is just flying by, and with the exception of an uncomfortably steamy week or two, I am enjoying every minute. Sunshine, gardening, friends, family, concerts, parties, some boating -- all of the best of such a short season in upstate NY. Needless to say, blogging has fallen pretty low on my to do list these days!!!

...And another sunny Saturday beckons, so I am off for now!!! I hope you are all enjoying life.

Sweet Sixteen!

2011-07-01T21:32:00.006-04:00
This one was created for someone special...

detail:

Here is something about art and being in the moment that I always find magical, no matter how often I experience it. I had been thinking about this painting (a 16th birthday gift), for awhile. On the day that I had finally carved out time to make it, I started, as I always do, with my baskets (many) and bins (also many) of collage materials -- mostly paper but also all sorts of ephemera and found objects. And what I continually find amazing is that without alot of searching among what is admittedly an overwhelming amount of (artful) stuff, the right pieces landed in my vision and my hands with almost no effort to bring this artwork into being. It was like I had willed each piece of ephemera into my hands to create this very personal piece.

I know that this is a common experience among anyone who has ever had an idea and allowed that idea to germinate. It both grows roots and reaches for the sun, and all you have to do is water it with your imagination and something both expected and surprising emerges.

Oh, to be 16, and or sweet again!

The heart remembers

2011-06-15T21:21:00.006-04:00

Summer is usually a time for me to regroup and redirect my creative energies outdoors, but some recent rainy days have been a great time to hang indoors and paint. (beats cleaning!)

14 x 11
plaster, mixed media and collage on canvas

Promoting a local fundraiser...

2011-06-09T07:23:00.005-04:00
Announcing -- A Round Robin Stamp Class to benefit
the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

What:
Make 10 unique greeting cards

When:
Saturday June 18th

Where: Captured Moments
2088 Curry Road, Rotterdam, NY

Cost:
$25

My talented friend, Annette, is offering an incredible card-making class to
raise $1500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, to walk a half marathon in Lake Placid on June 12.

If you just a couple of free hours in your summer schedule, I highly recommend it. You'll leave with 10 finished cards and the satisfaction of having donated to a great cause. There are even refreshments and raffle prizes -- I have donated sets of handmade greeting cards and an original painting to the raffle.

Here are the details...
In a Round Robin, crafters move from station to station to find a sample card, simple instructions, and supplies needed to make 10 individual projects. It’s anticipated that you will need 2 – 2 ½ hours to complete the cards depending on speed and the number of other crafters.

Participants should bring scissors and adhesive (tape runner, glue stick or double stick tape).

New and experienced stampers welcome! Raffles and light refreshments included.

Reserve your spot by emailing Annette Holleger at jetsfan88@aol.com or calling 860-8970. Thanks for your support.

Thank you to Captured Moments for donating the use of the space and to Stampassion for preparing two beautiful cards and donating the supplies for those cards.

Thoughts...

2011-05-26T18:47:00.005-04:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my art, my life, my blog, and all the aspects of creative expression that I try to juggle. At the risk of repeating myself, (because after 5 years of blog posts, it's pretty likely), I am observing a regular ebb and flow to all that I do. Sometimes the ideas flow like water, easily and clearly. And at other times, they seem just beyond my grasp. Some days are simple and relaxed, while others seem frantic and crazy, but when I step back and take a look at the whole of it, there's a pattern that makes sense to me.
Ironically, I sometimes panic a little over the fact there is nothing to panic over. Does that make any sense? My days are not always perfect, but my life fits me lately in a way that it never has before. And I am so unaccustomed to this feeling. It is uncomfortable to feel comfortable...but what a great dilemma to have.
Wow -- I was about to follow that last paragraph with the admission that I have strayed from my "one word" intention this year, because I couldn't even remember what it was, so I just looked it up from my end of Dec. blog post, and it was the word "authentic." How crazy is that? Even without consciously thinking of this word, it has been working for me all this time.

Just a quick Avery update...

2011-05-16T11:15:00.007-04:00

Avery turned 7 in April, and she's now on her first sports team -- the teams are all named after the major leagues, and it was a total coincidence that she ended up on the Red Sox. As one of the last kids to sign up, it was a real fluke.

Like so many families in the Northeast, we have a Red Sox/Yankees rivalry among our clan -- in fact, last year, Avery told her parents (diehard Sox fans) that she was Yankee fan -- in spite of the fact that Red Sox manager Terry Francona had paid Avery at least two personal visits while she was at Children's waiting for her transplant. She even knew Yankee Manager Joe Girardi by name.

It will be interesting to see where her loyalties lie now that she's playing for the Sox mini minors!!

(And ironically, her glove is a Rawlings Derek Jeter -- it was the only one they could get locally, in the Boston area, by the time she signed up to play)

I also asked my sister if any of the teams was named after the Yankees and she responded "Of course not! No one would let their kids play on that team here!!"

Caution!

2011-05-11T12:37:00.003-04:00

This cautionary graphic was on the protective bag that my new laptop came in.
I don't know why human stupidity strikes me as so funny, but since we're exposed to so much of it, I suppose it's good to find humor in it. Now, I know this is cautioning me not to leave this where my baby might find it and put it over his head and suffocate, (DUH!!), but since a picture is worth a thousand words, I amused myself coming up with some other possible cautionary notes, just in case I was wrong with my first guess:

It could mean --

No square-headed babies!, or
Don't let you baby crawl around with a laptop on her head!, or maybe,
Don't let your square-headed baby use the laptop in this bag!, or
If you find yourself in this position with a bag on your head, you are in no condition to be using a laptop.

Other possibilities???

Visit me at Art Saves this week!

2011-04-24T06:00:00.001-04:00
Jenny Doh, over at Crescendoh, invited me back to be an alumni curator, so I invite you to pop on over to this link, scroll down, check out my monoprinting demo, with step-by-step photos, and visit some great art-related blogs.

Thanks again, Jenny!

"You can freeze them!"

2011-04-22T13:46:00.002-04:00
You all know what I'm talking about. This statement is the clever sales pitch of the most ingenious marketers on the planet. And you know who they are -- those little girls in green, who knock on our doors, selling their totally addictive, crack-like, thigh-expanding cookies. They're the daughters of our neighbors and co-workers, and they're the only door-to-door salespeople we actually look forward to seeing, year after year.

They're Girl Scouts.
And every year, I buy more boxes than a person who lives alone with a dog should ever buy. And I do this because the phrase "You can freeze them!" allows me to pretend, as I buy way too many boxes of cookies, that I will allow myself, -- oh, let's say, two cookies a day until they come around again next year.

Now, it's absolutely true that you can freeze them. I know. Because this year, I did just that. I froze them. And you know how that worked out? I'll bet you do...

I ate entire sleeves of cookies, night after night, just like I always do.. only this year, they were FROZEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art is everywhere...

2011-04-21T13:16:00.003-04:00
This is the view of the street just outside my gym. The pattern and subtle variation of colors and shapes of flattened chewing gum always catches my eye...

Aaaaah, spring...

2011-04-12T15:40:00.003-04:00

I spent a wonderful day in my garden on Sunday, cleaning up and readying my pots for herbs and flowers. Though I am impatient to have them, I will be waiting until mid-May, when threats of frost in upstate NY have passed. Meanwhile, I am just enjoying temperatures above freezing, open windows, singing birds and sunny days.

Under the snow...

2011-03-26T14:03:00.004-04:00
While cleaning sticks and debris from my lawn this week (which has finally revealed itself after this long, long, winter), I found this lace-y piece of decayed paper trash, and I thought it was quite beautiful. I am going to make it the focal point of an art piece. It reminds me of handmade paper with inclusions. Mother nature, a total bitch for sure, but also the most inspiring artist...

Use your stuff!!!

2011-03-15T11:34:00.003-04:00
On Sunday, my good friend Marilyn and I taught our first class of the season, entitled Let's Get Plastered. Below is my sample, created in class. I shared my technique for using drywall spackle to create texture, form and dimension, and Marilyn did a great texture study, using found objects and textural elements. (my sample for this technique also pictured below).

When we teach, Marilyn and I always come laden with boxes and bins of "stuff" to share with out students during class - things collected through many years of art making: collage papers, one of a kind books and ledgers, buttons, vintage lace, dress patterns, stencils, beads and charms... whatever we think might be fun and useful during class. And our students are always excited to look through our "stuff" for the perfect elements to enhance their creations.

Frequently, they marvel at our ability to part with such treasures. I will admit that there was a time when I hoarded my "stuff." Even now, I do have a few favorite finds that I cannot bear to use OR share -- for now. But one of the many things that I have learned as I make art and collect the found objects that make their way into my art is that there will always be more "stuff." And that allowing my favorite finds to gather dust in my art room does not do them the honor that I envisioned when I found them.

I don't want to be the one who dies with the most toys (or stuff). For me, that's not winning. Really, I don't want to die at all, but so far, I haven't figured a way around that one. So, in the meantime, I will share my "stuff," as well as my ideas, and my passion for living a full and creative life, with everyone I am blessed to know.

Let's get plastered!

2011-02-23T17:15:00.005-05:00
My good friend and artist, Marilyn and I are getting ready to teach spring workshops. The first, entitled Let's get plastered, (apropos, I know) will be held on Sunday, March 13, from 10 am to 3 pm at Captured Moments, one of our favorite places to shop and gather for creative inspiration.

The two canvasses below are examples of what students will learn to make in class -- an 8 x 10 mixed media piece made with spackle, acrylic paint & collage.

For more information or to sign up, send me an email (listed on the sidebar at the right.) We will send you a full class description, materials list and payment information as each class is planned.

Journal sketch & Photoshop alteration #3

2011-02-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

I love taking a raw pencil sketch and playing around with color and Photoshop filters to see what emerges.

Journal sketch & digital alteration

2011-02-08T10:57:00.003-05:00

Journal sketch & photoshop alterations...

2011-02-01T14:30:00.001-05:00

A sketch a day...

2011-01-31T15:05:00.004-05:00
I received these great Moleskin monthly planners for Christmas and decided to use them as daily sketchbooks... I've turned the first sketch into a new blog header with some Photoshop fun...

A fun little Valentine project...

2011-01-25T14:35:00.006-05:00

While teaching mixed media art classes (with my rockin' bud, Marilyn)at Captured Moments, last year, I saw a set of clothespin magnets similar to these, and I've wanted to make my own ever since. It has taken me a year to get around to it, but they're a cute little gift for friends, and a piece of functional art as well. Here's how I made them:

Materials:clothespins
scrapbook papers (mine are Valentine-themed)- cut to 3/8 inch strips
sheet music
Gel medium of glue of choice
buttons
acrylic paints/paint brush
buttons
roll of adhesive magnet back 1/2 inch wide
brown ink pad (I used Brilliance, chocolate)
rubber stamp - I chose a decorative swirl - from Memory Box (maybe!)
brown & rose colored mat board (cut to 4 x 3 inches) - I buy cheap scraps from an art supply store that does framing and mat cutting.

Instructions:Paint clothespins with acrylic paints.
Glue strips of scrapbook papers to the front of each clothespin.
Cut the adhesive magnet into long 1/4 inch strips & adhere to back of each clothespin.
Antique the edges of the clothespins by tapping into brown stamp pad
Glue a button on to some of the clothespins.
Tear a piece of sheet music and adhere to the mat board
Stamp bottom of mat board with swirl & brown ink.
Attach clothespin magnets to mat board to give as a Valentine treat or for any occasion.

MINUS...FREAKIN'...TEN...DEGREES

2011-01-24T12:04:00.004-05:00

That was the temperature at 6 am today, when I attempted to walk Max... who went on strike and sat in the driveway...not because of the extreme cold, but because of the extreme humiliation of having to wear his wool dog sweater. So I removed the sweater, and he pee'd, but then immediately lifted his paws from the cold, so that was the extent of our morning walk... which was fine by me.

We are both cranky and a bit stir crazy from this weather, which promises to get worse, with another big storm on the way. When did I become such a complete winter weanie?

Here's the view out my back deck... Kinda cool, I must admit. (I would have taken a picture of Max in his doggie sweater, but he was flipping me off.)

Some of the stuff you will see in my office if you look around...

2011-01-20T17:05:00.003-05:00

Clearly I have hit rock bottom with blog content. I suppose I could take artistic photos of snow and ice, but I am already so sick of winter that I am past the point of appreciating it right now. So this is it folks. Wow. Does this post sound cranky or what? I'm really not. Oh, and look... It's 5:09 pm. Time to leave work!!!

Home improvements

2011-01-12T10:23:00.004-05:00

I love my little house, but it has been begging for fresh paint & new decor for ages. So I decided that I'd tackle it one room at a time during the winter months, when my garden and lawn are not begging for attention. I probably should have done a before and after, but I didn't think about it until it was finished. This is my smallest bedroom, which hasn't actually been a bedroom until now...fresh paint, stained hardwood, a daybed, shelves, (thanks Wanzer!) and some linens. I need to add a painting to the wall, but that is still in the works!...I will probably be shoveling snow rather than painting tonight, however!

One word.

2010-12-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

As 2011 approaches (4890 minutes from now, give or take), I've been thinking about the one word that will guide me through the coming year and help me to live my best life. Okay, maybe I am watching a little too much Ellen, or reading more "O" magazine than is good for me, because that last phrase sounds like I stole it, for sure, but WTF. I am a true believer in the "power of attraction," "positive-thinking," "reap what you sow," "golden rule" ways of life, so it works for me.

The past couple of years have been a real journey for me...a journey back to who I am. I spent a very long time before this journey in a state of reacting... to another's thoughts, moods, whims, etc., and it is amazing how far off track this way of living can send a person. Combine this with the fact that I am sometimes too much of a peace-maker, and it is easy to lose who you are after awhile. So my word for 2011 was chosen to keep me honest, quite literally...

authentic
(dictionary definition: true to one's own personality, spirit or character' not false or imitation: real, actual.)

From the way I treat my loved ones, to the way I take care of myself, approach my artwork, and tell my stories, I want to do it with this in mind - authenticity. What do I know about who I am and how I perceive the world, and how do I make decisions every day that best represent who I am and what I believe in?

I would love to hear from those of you who practice choosing "one word" for the new year. Please share your word and/or your rationale in a comment or with a link to your own blog.

I wish you all a happy, authentic 2011.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T16:32:00.000-05:00

I will leave you with a picture of Max, waiting for Santa (or, more likely, a squirrel).

Sing it Tammy!

2010-12-22T14:04:00.007-05:00

My D-I-V-O-R-C-E became final today (actually yesterday!!)

My divorce is official! The long-awaited paperwork with the official red seal arrived in the mail last evening! And per the New York State Supreme Court, I "may resume use of my premarital surname."

I want to thank you all for your notes of support, encouragement, and most of all, laughter. I am a very fortunate woman!!

Where did this year go???

2010-12-01T16:27:00.005-05:00
I can hardly believe it's December already. Somewhere in between holiday decorating, shopping and celebrating, December is my time to take stock... of the year, my life, my art, my journey.
I am giving thought to my "word" for 2011. The one that will guide me for the next 12 months.
This year my word was BELIEVE, and while I am in a very good place in my life, and I think it is a magical word, I am not sure I took advantage of the power of this word as I should have during the year. I could have believed in myself more, taken more risks, trusted the Universe to provide.

So, on this first day of December, I will leave you all with another picture of snow people - these were created by my niece Avery on a recent visit. I should add that when I created my first bunch, with a group of friends, we spent an entire day choosing scarves, headgear and embellishments. Avery, on the other hand, with her youthful enthusiasm and total lack of creative inhibition, whipped these guys up in about thirty minutes and wanted to know "what's next?"

I BELIEVE IN YOU, AVERY WRINN. XO

Thanks, Take Ten!

2010-11-18T17:08:00.004-05:00

Every now and then, I send some of my creations off to my favorite magazines for publication consideration. Sometimes they keep submissions until they have the right publication or "fit" for the submissions, and that must have been the case with these. I think I created these cards more than a year ago, and re-purposed a dollar-store box to contain them. So it was a pleasant surprise to see my cards in Stampington's Take Ten Winter 2011 issue (pgs 88-91).

It's always an honor to be included in their publications as the the quality of their publications and photography are unmatched.

Thanks again, Take Ten & Stampington!!

The best kind of snow day...

2010-11-08T15:28:00.005-05:00

Not a flake fell from the sky, but it was still a great snow day... I spent much of the day Saturday with a few friends to try our hand at making some magical, glittery snowmen and women. Many thanks to artist Sue Pelletier, whose article (and cover art) in an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors inspired us. This was truly some of the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on!

There really is something about sharing a creative day with like-minded souls that is utterly satisfying. We enjoyed great food, lots of laughter, amazing creativity and an assortment of materials that would make any mixed media artist weak in the knees!!

The first two photos are "group shots" of our creations before we (reluctantly) left for the day. Due to drying time & transport issues, we all had to do our "glittering" at home, so these were taken pre-glitter. The glitter really makes them magical, as you can see in the last shot, which is a line up of my first (but definitely not last, snow people). It has been suggested that they make great gifts, but I do not see myself able to part with any of mine anytime soon!!!

...and as if on cue, today we had our first real snowfall!!! Somehow, looking forward to making more snow people makes an early November snowfall just a little more tolerable.

Post party depression

2010-11-01T17:26:00.004-04:00
My incredibly fun and funny cousin Bonnie, (or Zondra, as I prefer to call her), came for an overnight and to accompany me to Halloween costume party on Saturday evening... There is just something (OKAY everything) about this picture that makes us both crack up...

We have always been partners in crime, or if not crime, just general mischief, since we were kids... and Saturday night was no exception. Love you Bon Zon!! xo

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

...and happy birthday dad & Unc!!

The most fun I've ever had in a roomful of Lawyers...

2010-10-25T14:18:00.003-04:00
Sometimes it's difficult to find the right words -- or words that seem adequate to express the myriad of emotions that this experience made me feel. Two months later, I have no better words, so here goes...

As some of you know, a year ago last August my niece Avery (then five years old) received a heart transplant. More than one year later, she is a happy, energetic six-year old, and regular biopsies report zero percent rejection of her new heart. Avery was critically ill for a long time before her transplant, so our family had a lot of time to think seriously about what it would mean for Avery to get a new heart -- not just for us, but for the donor family, whomever they might be.

In August of this year, while vacationing together on Martha's Vineyard, our family was able to personally thank the family of the little boy whose heart now beats in Avery. More than just an opportunity to thank them for making the decision that saved Avery's life (and the lives of several others), it was a chance for us to learn about and celebrate the life of their oldest son, Dalton Lawyer.

Spending time with his parents and three younger brothers was at once, poignant, comfortable, and quite simply, fun. I don't have many opportunities to be around "little boy" energy, which is much different and laid back than the "little girl" energy to which I am accustomed...

From the arcade: you need MORE quarters????
To the beach: closed for E-Coli????
To shopping: where are your shoes???? and, Was that Obama???
To Texas hold 'em: so you're a 6-year old card shark???
To arts & crafts: peace, love & Beadniks!!
To words of wisdom: "I just don't get her sometimes!" (and alas, you never will, Austin!)
...I think it's safe to say a good time was had by all.

Thank you Jim, Jeri, Ty, Miles & Austin. I think of you all, and of Dalton, whom I've never met, and yet feel like I knew, more often than you might imagine.

Rockin' the Monoprint...

2010-10-18T16:53:00.007-04:00
Marilyn and I had a fabulous time sharing our monoprint techniques with an incredible group of enthusiastic art lovers. Here is visual diary of the class, and the hundreds of monoprints that students created...

A special thank you, as always, to the Captured Moments family, and their fabulous workshop space & store.

Fall fotoshop fun

2010-10-15T14:32:00.003-04:00
Charlotte, before photoshop...

Charlotte, after photoshop...

A fall weekend...

2010-10-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

These were taken on a recent visit to my sister's house Massachusetts. Max and I got out for a leisurely stroll at a nearby state park.

Another peak at a monoprint...

2010-10-06T16:05:00.002-04:00

turned greeting card...
Another sample of the type of printmaking that Marilyn and I will be teaching on Oct. 17. See details on the sidebar at the right to sign up.

In addition to the Elastack printing plate that you will get to keep, you'll make dozens of prints on an assortment of paper substrates. We'll also be providing handouts that include printmaking tips.

Getting ready to teach monoprint class

2010-09-28T14:48:00.006-04:00

Whenever I start to plan a new class, I like to do a little bit of research, followed by lots of experimentation. I love asking "What if...?" "What if" I use this instead of that?

The monoprinting class that I am preparing to teach with Marilyn (see sidebar on my blog for more info) is a perfect example. Monoprint techniques have been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, but there are always new materials and techniques, that when combined with -- or in place of -- age-old traditions, can yield some exciting results. I can't wait to share our discoveries in class on October 17. Sign up now! Space is limited!!

If you want to see a brief sneak peak, check out this link on Marilyn's blog.

Marilyn will also be giving a brief demo at the Captured Moments open house on Saturday, Oct 2, Her demo is just one of many that will take place that day, so stop by!! The Open house runs from 10 am - 3 pm, and Marilyn will be there from 10 to noon, just fyi!!

More monoprints...

2010-09-17T16:40:00.002-04:00

..with some Pitt pen line art enhancements. I am working on a monoprint class (that I'll be teaching with my pal Marilyn). Stay tuned!!

Some monoprint fun.

2010-09-16T16:47:00.005-04:00

...and an excuse to use my new camera!!

I am head over heels in LOVE!!!

2010-09-14T13:48:00.006-04:00
... with the sexiest thing on the planet...

My camera broke in the spring, and I have finally replaced it with a new and improved version of the same one (in this fabulous green color!!!). I just took it out of the box and charged the battery, but lunch hour is just about up and I have to wait until work is over to read the manual(ugh)and figure out how to take panoramic images and video (oh, and just plain old pictures too!!)

PS -If you were expecting declarations of another kind, I apologize for the tease. That's just about the only thing off limits on my blog!

PPS - But I do have a post in progress to tell of my time on the Vineyard with some really amazing people (not the Obamas!)

I'm the boss!!!

2010-09-09T16:29:00.001-04:00

I was recently reminded by a long-time friend (that would be you, Victor) whom I haven't seen in years that I was a totally bossy, uncompromising bully of a kid growing up. -- These are my words, by the way, not his (though I am fairly certain that he would not argue with my choice of adjectives). He merely reminded me that I was "the Boss" of the neighborhood "clubhouse" when we were kids. The "clubhouse" was actually a small shed that my dad erected at the far corner of our property. I believe his intention was to house wood & tools from the elements in the Northeast, but we quickly moved in little chairs and a rusty make-believe kitchen set, and, presto-change-o, we had a clubhouse. I think dad exercised his property rights in the winter, but for several summers, it was our little fiefdom in which to inflict childhood insults and injuries.

It could be that my take-charge attitude stemmed from the fact that the shed was built by my dad on our property, and that I was the oldest of our group of neighborhood kids, and I took full advantage of that esteemed position. But whatever the reasons, I remember now that I liked being the boss. I made and enforced rules, instituted dues, and changed them all to suit myself. I was a perfectly corrupt little dictator, to be sure, but I was also a confident. outspoken, take-charge individual, and this recollection surprised me.

Because somehow, slowly, over the years, in the process of becoming an adult (and a woman) I have frequently abandoned my obvious zest for leadership. In so many of my life's roles, I have taken on a passive or secondary position, even when I would have done well for myself and others to take the reins. Victor reminded me that I was once a force to be reckoned with, and as I (FINALLY) approach the signing of some very important papers that release me to the next chapter of my life, I needed that reminder.

Art Saves!

2010-08-16T17:25:00.004-04:00
Hi there readers. I was recently invited by the talented and inexhaustible Jenny Doh to be guest curator at Crescendoh this week. Please visit. Her site is filled with artistic inspiration and each day I've selected some of my favorite online links for you to explore.

I am off to Martha's Vineyard for a very special family vacation, and I hope to have some photos and stories (as well as time to post them) when I return!!

Hope you are enjoying the second stretch of summer!!!

On the one-year anniversary of Avery's new heart...

2010-08-07T13:26:00.005-04:00

Excerpted from a letter written by Avery's mom... (I could not have said it better!)

Life, loss and new beginnings...

Hi everyone!!

A year ago today, (Aug 6) Avery received the gift that would save her life! At 2:00 am this morning we received the page we never thought would come to let us know "the perfect heart had been found!"
At 5:00 am she went into the operating room at Children's and 18 hours later at 11:30 pm she came out of the OR and into the cardiac ICU...bleeding and very very sick - to spend the following few months healing and recovering.

As you may remember - Avery was also 100% sensitized to her donor due to the 9 open heart surgeries (8 of which required CV bypass) , 4 ecmo runs and thousands of blood products in her 5 years life. This basically placed her at a VERY (the highest) risk for rejection within her first year especially.

On Monday - Avery had her 1 year biopsy and her results were 100% CLEAN !! No cellular or humoral rejection -- her heart function is perfect and for the first time in her entire life -- she has run , bounced, jumped and giggled as much as she can without turning blue...gasping for air or coughing to catch her breath.

She truly is celebrating a new "birth" (life) day and we are so incredibly fortunate for the miracles we have been blessed with!

What makes this year a DOUBLE gift for us...is something beyond anything we could hope for last year at this time.

A week from today - we will be meeting Avery's donor family for the first time. We have been fortunate to be in touch since last Thanksgiving -- having sent a letter through the New England Organ Bank.

Next week - we will meet his family. We will spend a week together...celebrating the life and getting to know more about the beautiful little boy who now "beats life" into Avery...as well as the extraordinary family who are beyond incredible to share what they have and will with us.

So - as we reflect on how fortunate we were to see Avery start the life she never had before this day last year...we are reminded intimately at what cost that came to another family and what they were able to gift to us at the most horrific time of their life.

They are and will always be our family...

(I will be joining them for part of this trip, and I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity.)

The next phase of my liberation!!!

2010-07-15T15:10:00.005-04:00

Below, my recent horoscope. I think I loved this because of the phrase about my liberation, plus, I am so tired of seeing didactically.

It's time to think comprehensively, not defensively...to see futuristically, not didactically...to fantasize fantastically, not diplomatically. Your assignment is to stop reacting to every little blip that leaps into your field of vision, and start surveying the long-term cycles of your life from an expansive vista. Be a proactive visionary, Libra. Be a high-minded explorer. Weave all the disparate threads into a tapestry that reveals the big picture. The next phase of your liberation requires you to slough off petty concerns and trivial details.

words.

2010-07-08T12:23:00.003-04:00

Words usually come easily to me. These days, I find myself choking on them. I suspect it’s because the thoughts and feelings I need to express are not pleasant, and I don’t want to put them on paper and make them real. Own them. Admit to them. I am an expert at pushing it all down and putting on a happy face, but if you don’t own the bad stuff along with the good, it comes up with a vengeance, like a projectile vomit of bad words and feelings that leave a horrid taste in the mouth and a feeling like a boulder pressing on my chest.
Wow. WTF? Did I just say that?
Someone made a comment over the weekend that really pissed me off.I am not sure if it was intentional and mean, or just stupid and thoughtless. Either way, I should have said something at the time, but the circumstances were such that I chose to put it off for too long. And now it's festering inside me. If I say something now, it seems like way too little too late. So instead, I take it out on canvas.

Drowning.
8 x 8 mixed media & collage on canvas
This is one of two pieces that will be in the next Art de Cure exhibit from July 19-Oct 15. The theme is "Make a Splash."

Priceless...

2010-06-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

13 party dresses ruined with tie dye--$585.
13 tie-dyed t-shirts--$130.
One grandmother in a rented shark costume--$82...
And the local police responding to the 9-1-1 call from a
terrified 5-year old at Avery's party--PRICELESS.

So this is how it went down. First, I told my sister that I saw no reason for the girls to wear smocks to do TIE DYE. (DYE being the operative word here folks). I had done it myself and didn't make a mess, so I had every confidence that a group of 13 little girls hopped up on sugar would also be perfectly neat and tidy. -- Oh, and I wanted to dress like a hippie in honor of the craft, but my headband made me look like much more like Pocahontas than Joni Mitchell. Meanwhile, the "theme" of the party was Avery's favorite cartoon - Charlie & Lola. And Avery also likes sharks, so grandma Gigi volunteered to sport the (very warm, on a summer day) shark suit. Any other ideas we can roll into one birthday??

So first, it was introductions, pretty party dresses, and pizza. Then tie dye, very messy party dresses, and tears from one little girl who actually cared that her dress was totally trashed.

And then there was a knock at the door! The shark arrived! Five little girls screamed, four little girls cried, three little girls laughed, AND one little girl calmly retreated to the home office and called 9-1-1... The police officer was very nice. He didn't handcuff Gigi the shark and he wished Avery a very happy birthday.

Happy Birthday Avery!! This one's going to be hard to top!

Lost and found

2010-06-23T09:05:00.001-04:00

I found this little girl's ballet slipper while walking Max the other day. We walk on a path that passes a local elementary school, so it's not entirely uncommon to find all sorts of things that kids lose along the way. In this case, it wasn't exactly lost as I had to wrestle it off the little ballerina's foot, and she put up quite a fuss for a seven-year old, but it was worth it!

Okay, I'm kidding.
Really. I would never do such a thing.
Ever. Almost never.
Not even for my art.
Well, maybe.

Anyway, it may be years before I find the perfect art piece in which to incorporate this well-worn little slipper. It's owner may well be starring in Swan Lake by that time. Or perhaps after our little altercation she has decided to play soccer instead!

And the winners are...

2010-06-22T10:09:00.001-04:00
It's serendipitous that it worked this way- but all three winners received their first choice, and the three winning names chose #1, #2, and #3, in that order.

--Mylyne, #1
-- Laura, #2
-- Annette, #3

Mylyne, please email me at kerristabile@gmail.com with your mailing address, and I'll get your collage in the mail right away. Laura, I have your address, so yours is coming soon, and Annette, if it's not too much trouble, I can save postage if you stop by my house!

Thank you all for your comments about the rain. You all reminded me that when I am not coercing my dog to walk or wiping my limp locks out of my face, there are dozens of reasons to love a rainy day. Now it's back to some much needed housework! I had a yard sale over the weekend, and while my rooms and closets are more spacious, I left utter chaos in my wake, and I have to clean it up before I go on to the next project!

400th blog post - an an art giveaway

2010-06-15T11:00:00.003-04:00
Normally, I hate rainy days. I don't like how dark and damp and cold my house gets. I hate venturing out through puddles, saddled with an umbrella that never works right. Walking Max is monumental chore in the rain, since he can't hold his own umbrella and he hates getting wet. And rainy days are synonymous with bad hair days in my world...

But it was drought-like in Upstate NY until the beginning of June, when it poured buckets, and for once I embraced a dark, damp day by curling up on my sofa with Max, a cup of coffee, an an overdose of HGTV. I also turned on my beeswax pot, and made a few little 5 x 5 beeswax collages...

Here they are:

Which brings me to my blog giveaway!

#1 my heart, thy heart
#2 twilight comes
#3 garden fairie

Just leave a comment telling me what you like about rainy days - and also rank from 1-3 which of these pieces you would like to receive if you win. On Monday, June 21, (the longest day of the year!!) I will pull three names at random as the recipients. The first name chosen will get their first choice, and I will try to honor your choice if you're second or third, based on what's left. I will announce the three winners on June 22, and ask you to contact me via email with your mailing address.

FYI, for those of you who've participated in past giveaways, I have learned a lot during my 400 blog posts - and one thing I've finally learned is to have the giveaway items wrapped & ready to go BEFORE offering the giveaway (I was not always so efficient!!). So these pieces are ready and waiting for mailing addresses and I promise you will not wait ages to receive them if you win.

I want to thank you all so much for visiting, and sharing your thoughts and support and inspiration with me.

And the winner is...

2010-06-14T15:20:00.007-04:00

La Dolce Vita! Congratulations, Caterina. I've sent your email address to my contact at CSN stores and they will be sending you an online store gift certificate worth $50 toward any of their merchandise.

And, funny how things work - I promised that post number 400 would be a handmade giveaway... forgetting that the next post would be this announcement...BUT in a strange twist of fate, I didn't know that blogger counts blog "drafts" as posts...so this post is actually number 399, and my next post -- number 400 will be my handmade giveaway tomorrow... so stay tuned!!!

FYI - This digital collage was inspired by Caterina's favorite thing about summer (and definitly one of mine)...the color GREEN!!!

Post #399 - with a giveaway...

2010-06-07T13:44:00.006-04:00
Hi there, friends!

Do you need a new sofa? dog bed? hammock? bar? I was recently contacted by CSN stores to offer a free $50 blog giveaway, and I thought that blog post number 399 would be a great time to say thanks to my faithful readers as well as new readers who may visit, by passing this offer on to you.*

Here's how it works.
Leave a comment telling me what you love best about summertime, between now and next Monday, June 14. On June 15, I will pick a name at random as the winner. I will need to contact the winner and provide CSN stores with your email address -- they will send you a $50 gift certificate via email for online shopping at one of their 200 online stores. If you do not wish to leave your email address in the comments section of my blog, then leave your comment on my blog and send your email address to me separately (at kerristabile@gmail.com).

Here are a few of my favorite CSN stores...

http://www.everyhomebar.com/
http://www.theoutdoorartstore.com/
http://www.everyhammock.com/
http://www.allkitchencarts.com/

*Unfortunately, because this giveaway is being sponsored by an online store, it is only available to readers in the U.S. and Canada, where they ship their products. I do apologize for this limitation... but just fyi, I will be posting my own giveaway for blog post #400, and I have no shipping limitations, so stay tuned!

Quote of the day...

2010-06-02T17:06:00.003-04:00
I don't want to get to the end of my life an find I have lived just the length of it. I want to live the width of it as well.
-- Diane Ackerman

I am busy living the length and width of my life these days, so I've had little time to post. Okay, in truth, I've been playing in my garden and soaking up sunshine (and chardonnay) - that counts, right? It's been sunny and warm in Upstate NY these days, and I have no desire to be at a computer when the sun is shining.

Also, I have a new camera, but I am suffering from my typical new-technology inertia, and have yet to use it or load the software on my computer... and a blog without photos is, well, just words (duh!).

Happy June! I'll be back again when it rains!!

Art Gone Wild 2010

2010-05-19T16:06:00.003-04:00
I knew when I signed on for this exhibit that I would enjoy creating works for it. I don't think there exists a more powerful and endless source of creativity than we can find in nature. Last night, without much thought, I just decided I wanted to work with beeswax. I haven't done beeswax collage for awhile, and the little crock of hardened wax and quilting iron were calling to me (even before the glass of wine!). I stayed up way too late because once I started, I didn't want to stop. The result of my late night was these three beeswax collage canvasses. FYI, for those who may wonder, I used regular children's crayons to tint the wax. The process is so satisfying, from the aroma of hot beeswax to the flow of colors as they melt and move, to the composition, I just can't wait to make a few more tonight.

happiness once there
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas

went away
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas

they hold the key
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas

Unfortunately, while my work will be on display with my fellow artists, I will miss the opening day event on June 5, which includes some very cool demos. I would encourage anyone who has some free time on June 5 and lives in the Albany, NY area to stop by. The Five Rivers nature preserve is worth the visit on any day, and the demos just add to a great day out for both kids and adults

Please join us at First Friday in Albany...

2010-05-06T12:53:00.006-04:00

On the 1st Friday of every month, downtown Albany (NY) celebrates a "fun and funky" arts night, administered by the Upstate Artists Guild. Participating art galleries, museums, bars and clubs offer live music art exhibits, open houses and special events.

Along with my fellow artists and friends Marilyn Rock and Carole Fults, we will be exhibiting new works at the Albany Art Room, -- 457 Madison Avenue -- with an opening reception tomorrow night, May 7, from 5-7 pm, and we'd love it if you stopped by. (Technically, the opening is from 5-9 pm, but I am not sure that any of the artists are able to stay that late, so you may miss us if you arrive after 7 pm).

The title of our exhibit is Alternate Substrates and includes artworks created on fence posts, antique tools, cabinet doors and window screens to name a few. Here is one of my pieces that will be in the exhibit...

R.I.P. - SONY Cybershot - 2006-2010

2010-05-05T13:41:00.004-04:00

At long last, I took my camera for repair, and the parts/labor will cost more than $120, so I will be shopping for a new digital camera very soon. If those of you reading this have any input, I welcome it. I am looking for something under $200, that can take rapid shots and is small/very portable (not quite like yours Marilyn!) The one thing I have never liked about my Cybershot is that unlike the original tv commercial that showed a woman leaping out of her restaurant chair to get a super-fast photo of Steven Tyler, it took forever for the camera to focus and shoot. It's amazing that I was able to capture nature or action of any kind, and I frequently missed the "moment."

Holy Toledo, it's ta da list time!!!!

2010-05-03T15:51:00.008-04:00
Where did the month of April go? As usual, I have bitten off a bit more than I can chew these days, and I am looking at my calendar with feelings of both joyful anticipation and dread at the same time. Does this happen to everyone, or just me? I think I am going to have to get into the habit of actually penning onto my calendar some down time, and scheduling the act of doing nothing in the same way that I schedule everything else.

In spite of how daunting my calendar looks these days, I am really feeling exhilarated by life lately. I don't know exactly what has changed - me perhaps? Could that be? I just know that the more distance I put between me and my marriage, and life "before," the better I feel, about everything. I feel like I am becoming me, more and more. And truthfully, I had no idea how un-me I had become -- how much energy I invested in reacting to someone else, instead of living my own life.

So this is what's been keeping me busy this month...
I taught art journal class number three with Marilyn;
Designed a new logo for my friend Brenda's business..."Cleo's House of Crafts/Home Collection";
Experimented in monoprinting (and a flip video) using Elastack;
Made plans for a fabric-paper workshop with Marilyn coming in June;
Participated in an art exhibit called Art de Cure to benefit diabetes research (and sold two out of three pieces so far!!)
Enjoyed a wonderful art date with my friend Peggy to make heart paintings (super fun day!!);
Created a swap journal page for/with my friend Melanie;
Began a new web design with Melissa from Stampassion (it's coming, I swear!!);
and,
Hung artwork for a new exhibit that opens Friday at the Albany Art Room (called Alternate Substrates)...

These are two of several pieces that will be in the show.
Fly Home

18 x 24, mixed media assemblage on window screen

Letters Home
9 x 12, mixed media assemblage on mailbox door

Art connects us...

2010-04-28T10:20:00.007-04:00

Late last week, I received word that another of my pieces in the Art de Cure exhibit had sold. This time, the note came from the person who purchased it, and I was truly moved that she had taken the time to write to me, and to share with me that she identified with this piece.

My art is an extension of myself - a visual expression of my ideas and beliefs, my experiences, my thoughts and feelings - and when someone wants to own a piece of it, I feel so connected to our source, to our common experiences.

And I feel so grateful for living my true life and doing what I know I was put here to do.

Sold!

2010-04-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

I was thrilled to learn that one of my pieces sold on opening night of an exhibit that benefits Art de Cure, a local charitable organization. I am usually pretty comfortable participating in art exhibits, but I was self-conscious as I left my pieces for this show, as my work is mixed media, and very non-traditional. When I looked around the room, most of the other work that I saw was very traditional --matted and framed paintings -- and I felt as though my pieces would stick out like a sore thumb and looked too casual and haphazard.

So it's nice to know that someone "got me" so to speak.
See the listing at the right if you are interested in visiting this exhibit, which will be on display until mid-June.

Happy Birthday Cutes!!!

2010-04-21T14:19:00.005-04:00

"A whole circle" older!

My niece Avery turns six years old today. During a recent conversation about her time in the hospital from 2008 to 2009, she commented that it was "a whole circle!"

I love the way kids -- and this one in particular -- look at life and make observations. I've done 45 circles myself, and I'm suddenly feeling dizzy!!!

The voices in my head...

2010-04-19T11:44:00.003-04:00

Those who know me well know that I can talk alot. A LOT. A really, really lot. But if you could hear the inner dialogue, the one in my head that virtually never shuts up, you'd wonder how I could ever have a coherent thought or idea. And you'd no doubt be grateful that for all that I talk about, there is so much that I don't share. Because, in fact, a lot of it is imaginary.

Imaginary conversations, imaginary arguments, little scenarios that I run through my mind when things are bothering me but I have yet to act on them. Sometimes I am trying certain ideas on for size, and seeing what might or might not work. And sometimes this is good, but often, I think it's just a very big waste of mental energy on what-ifs. On problems that don't even really exist, but that I make up in my overactive imagination. I don't think I am alone in this. Or maybe I am. I am told that meditation helps, but it may come as no surprise that I am not very good at meditation BECAUSE I CAN'T SHUT MY MIND UP!!

For me, art is my best form of meditation. It anchors me in the here and now. It quiets my overactive mind. Instead of mulling over the I should haves and the I wish I hadn'ts and the what ifs, I engage my eyes and hands and mind in a form of creation. Art is real. It is now.

We've flipped!!!

2010-04-12T13:21:00.005-04:00
My amazing friend and artist Marilyn recorded me doing a demo last Thursday night with her flip video. We're preparing for an exhibit and demos at the 5 Rivers Nature Preserve in Delmar, NY in June, and Marilyn has a new toy... a Flip video recorder.

The link is below, if you're interested, but I feel the need to preface it with a few explanations:

1. I am not endorsing Bandaids, although I should, and I recommend the flexible fabric kind. Prior to this video, I had been working outdoors and ended up with blisters on both hands. I think it's a great look when doing an art demo.

2. I am not bleeding in the video. That's acrylic paint all over my hands. I have no idea how I became covered in acrylic paint 40 seconds into the recording, but why should I be any neater on film than I usually am?

3. I am not using acrylic "ink" as I repeatedly say in the video. I am using acrylic paint - regular inexpensive craft store acrylic paint.

4. I was doing okay up until the 4-minute mark, where I forgot a step -- and turned a perfectly good monoprint into a complete mess. I actually knew when I messed up, and I should have yelled "CUT," but I was mesmerized by the fact that it was being filmed and I didn't want to mess up the flow, so I just acted as though I totally intended to smoosh all that paint over a perfectly good monoprint and obliterate it.

5. FYI...this is a very early sneak peak of a class on printmaking that I will be doing in the fall. By then, I'll have new bandaids in new places!

6. I do mumble a bit in spots. I apologize. I thought I was speaking out loud, but the video doesn't lie!

In spite of the flaws, I had fun with this, and Marilyn and I plan to offer more techniques & sneak peeks in the future.

So, if, after that intro, you are still interested, here it is!

Journal swap page...

2010-04-09T11:14:00.003-04:00

My friend Melanie and I began a swap journal TEN years ago, which we never finished. A number of circumstances in our lives at the time made us set aside our journals, and new opportunities in life and art kept us from resuming our swap...until this year, when my friend Marilyn and I began teaching a new art journal class. So Mel and I decided to pick up where we left off. This swap is unique in that we both started with an expandable "scrapbook" type of journal, where the pages can be removed. It's a great way to swap because we can work on pages and then just give the pages to one another to insert into our own journals. Although we each designed our own covers, the insides of our journals are essentially the same because when we swap pages, we also make one for ourselves. So (in theory) at the end of this swap, we will each have a very similar, if not identical journal with a personalized cover. I say "in theory" because in this case, I have finished Mel's page, but not the one for my own journal. And I have so many projects on my plate these days that I fear I will never get to it. So for the sake of remembering what the page looks like before I pass it on, here it is. We went with a spring time theme, since we've been enjoying some wonderful springtime weather lately --and also because, by April in upstate NY, we are sooooo ready for spring, even if it takes its time getting here.

I may still add just a few additional details, but I was pretty pleased with the overall composition.

A prayer in spring

2010-04-07T15:27:00.001-04:00

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

--Robert Frost

Creativity...

2010-04-06T15:07:00.000-04:00

I recently finished reading Sonia Choquette's book, The Answer is Simple...Love Yourself, Live Your Spirit!, and I have just come across a quote that I love...

One of the problems that distances so many of us from our creative Spirit is the notion that being creative is synonymous with being a professional or aspiring artist. It's not. It simply means making something new out of something that presently exists.

When we look at creativity that way, who among us can say they're not creative? We are always altering our world. Anyone who has ever cooked a meal has made something new out of something that presently exists. Or anyone who has ever written a letter. Or wrapped a gift. Or torn a page out of a magazine. We are in the constant act creating and re-creating our world.

So go create something...
(I would like to create a nap right about now).

Above: Carborundum print-heart with wing on scrap paper.

Yikes, it's April 1 already...

2010-04-01T12:39:00.004-04:00
And I did say I was going to get my act together and do my Ta Da list for March, so I am sure you're all holding your breath. So. exhale!

I co-taught the second in a three-part series of art journal classes with my friend Marilyn;
I took a class at the Troy Arts Center in carborundum printing;
I celebrated Marilyn's birthday, along with our friend Melanie, at The Pottery Place in Stuyvesant Plaza, where we made sterling silver jewelry pieces out of sterling silver clay (more on that in a future post);
I attended the opening of an art exhibit featuring work by my Art-Round-Town friends Marilyn and Carole Fults at the Jonesville Store;
I taught myself how to tie dye in preparation for teaching the birthday craft at Avery's sixth birthday later in April;
and I had dinner with my friend Debbie, and we brainstormed some ideas for greetings to go with her new line of illustrated postcards;

I also have a lot of half-finished canvasses and a lot of artful messes around my house right now. I am in a bit of a push to get some of them done for upcoming exhibits, and to get others done just because the sun is beginning to shine in upstate NY and as much as I love my art I also love my garden -- digging in the dirt, planting, and pruning; inhaling deeply the fresh fragrances of spring -- the grass & soil, lilacs & rainstorms. And just plain sitting out on my deck in the sunshine with a good book and a glass of wine.
Breathe.

Carborundum print #1, fyi.
A brief explanation Carborundum grit is a fine metal-like sand. Mixed with white gesso & spread onto a piece of matte board, you can "draw" into the surface. When dry, it is an extremely hard, strong and textural printing plate. Apply oil-based printing inks, lay the plate onto a heavy watercolor paper and run through a printing press. You can get several prints of different intensities before re-inking the plate.

Believe.

2010-03-22T09:00:00.000-04:00
This is my word for the year. A one word resolution -- or revolution -- as it may be. In the previous two years, I chose first health, and then wealth, and I worried a little when I chose this word that it was not specific enough, not as action-oriented like the other two.

But after 2009 and all that transpired for my niece (and my family),I knew that this word is probably the most powerful of all.

As a result, things are happening that I have been working and hoping and praying for, for a long time. I cannot share them all yet, but I wanted to encourage you to try it...

Desire
Ask
BELIEVE
receive

The universe wants to deliver your dreams to you. Believe it.

My long-forgotten ta-da list

2010-03-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

One of my faithful blog followers and long-distance artist-friends Sherry Ellison, reminded me recently that I used to write a monthly ta da list. Anyone who reads my blog knows by my own frequent admission that I am a compulsive list-maker (and checker-offer). Something about this practice makes me feel like I am getting things done, ironically more than the actual accomplishment does at times.

Unfortunately the things on my list(s) are of the mundane garden variety, from groceries, to house chores, to errands. But my ta da list is special. It's a list of the ways in which I have been creative or achieved a goal in any given month because, as I explained in previous posts, time flies by and I often feel like I've gotten everything done except the best stuff - like my art. But when I make my ta da list, I discover that it's my flawed thinking and not reality. In part, it's because I am always adding to my lists -- both creative and otherwise -- all of the things I want to do. So even though I am accomplishing a lot, my lists always seem to grow longer, and this tricks my mind into thinking I am spinning my wheels.

But I've decided that my long lists are actually the evidence of a creative mind (and a touch of OCD,) so I am planning to reinstate my ta da list at the end of every month again! Stay tuned for the end of March - the only thing going out like a lamb will be my wool sweaters, packed away for next winter!!

Journal workshop...so far

2010-03-18T13:33:00.003-04:00

I am trying to live in the present these days, and it is very, very challenging for me. I am a planner, a compulsive list-maker, calendar-keeper, a budget-balancer, etc. etc., and all of these things involve looking into the future - at what's next rather than at what's NOW!!!! I don't think I waste too much time in the past, although I do occasionally indulge in the shoulda, coulda's and of course, by it's nature, this blog typically tells the story of what I'm planning (future!!) or what I've done (past!!), so clearly, I'm screwed.

And speaking of the past, (phewf, so glad to be out of the future), here's a glimpse of my journal cover - from the workshop series I am teaching with my friend, artist Marilyn Rock.

Marilyn and I also recently took a class in carborundum printing at the Troy Arts Center, (in the recent past) and our creative wheels are turning with regard to offering our own less traditional variations of print-making. When? you might ask? Well, in the future, of course!! We'll be offering one more local workshop together this spring, and then I plan to take much of the summer off from teaching to enjoy outdoor activities before we regroup in the fall.

I will be sharing some of my carborundum prints in another blog post.

What's new with Avery...

2010-03-09T15:16:00.003-05:00

Although I am still walking around with a broken camera (my fault - I hate techie places and I'll have to go to one in order to find out if it can be saved), my sister's camera is working fine, so I thought I'd share a few recent pics of Avery. She has lost her two front teeth and will be celebrating her 6th birthday at the end of April. These are just a few of her thousands of expressions.

My favorite is the one in the bottom right corner. Love the curlers and coffee. Lerleen, is that you???

Blog, sweet blog...

2010-02-22T15:05:00.005-05:00
I feel like I've been away from home on my blog lately. One reason is a technological catastrophe -- my digital camera is broken -- I see a weird blur through the viewfinder rather than any clear idea of what I am photographing, and while I can still take pictures, they look like this --kind of like I typically feel after a particularly fun night out...

Anyway, I need to find someone locally who can look at my four-year-old SONY Cybershot and tell me if there's any hope -- or if I just need to start shopping for a new one.

Meanwhile, a funnier story about technology... I mentioned several posts ago that I finally upgraded my cable package to include DVR ability. One thing I still often forget is that I can fast-forward through commercials. So I was catching up on some DVR programs last night and I listened to the weather guy report on the impending storm, and I awoke this morning to clear skies and no accumulation. Now, normally this is because let's face it, the weather people and all of their doppler radar and fancy graphics still have no better idea than you and I about what the weather will be like. But in this case, it was because I was listening to last week's weather report.

So I really want to be able to fix this camera and not have to learn to use a new one. Or else get used to lots of images like this on my blog...

Begin. Reach. Act.

2010-02-12T17:05:00.003-05:00

Peace

Series of three.
5 x 5 acrylic, collage & mixed media on canvas.

VD is about to plague us again...

2010-02-09T15:40:00.004-05:00

Valentine's Day that is.
I hear very mixed opinions about this holiday. Most of my single girlfriends -and for that matter, married girlfriends- grumble about the potential for disappointment. And the men I know grumble about the fact that they know they are going to disappoint someone. If there is even one guy out there who reads my blog, here is what most women I know say: a well-chosen card, with a few well chosen words inside, is enough. Now, is that true?? Personally, I would also like Chinese take-out and a back rub, but that's just me- still, it's not expensive. I think I can speak for most of us that what we want is for you to think of us, and to give us a little effort - a little time and attention. That's it. And we're more than willing to do the same...in fact, most of the women I know do that every day.

Works in progress...

2010-02-01T17:00:00.003-05:00

Started some 5 x 5 mini canvasses this weekend. Not sure if they'll be hearts or something else. With V'day coming, hearts are the logical choice. But art is not logical. We'll see where the muse takes me.

Also a picture of my favorite guy - Max. Playing coy - really just looking away from the flash. He'll be six years old at the end of February. Time flies.

A digitally altered painting...

2010-01-21T16:20:00.004-05:00

Always...

Just a little Photoshop fun - wide swings of color balance, a little typography, and some transparent layers. Here was the original painting, in greens and yellows, and below is the altered version.

The beginning is half of every action.

2010-01-08T15:12:00.005-05:00

That was in a fortune cookie I had this week, and I think it's pretty accurate. So just begin. And the momentum will propel the next steps.

Speaking of which, I made 30 "have a dream" cards. If beginning is half of every action, I should be well on my way. So why does mailing them always seem like such a chore?

Look what I just bought...

2010-01-07T12:43:00.005-05:00

While surfing for some fun new ideas to incorporate into our Art Journal workshop in February, I found these totally cool Japanese washi masking tapes, and my head almost exploded with ideas for using them. The company I ordered from is Ginko Papers. In addition to a wide array of colorful patterned tapes, they have a unique assortment of stationery items and Japanese gifts. And moments after placing my order, I received a personal email from the owner of the company, thanking me and confirming the shipment. I ordered these two colors, along with pink and blue.

Here are a few of the ways that I plan to use them:
* on gifts, like self-stick ribbon
* to decorate the top of a plain brown bag
* for greeting card mosaics
* for art journal borders & bindings
* for attaching things in my journals
* to label things
* as gift tags
* for sunbathing (ha ha!)
* to decorate my dog (or maybe just his collar)
* to share with journal class participants
* to make crafts with Avery
* to make the world a brighter place -- Okay, that's a little gay, but shouldn't all masking tape look like this, rather than plain?? If you were masking tape, wouldn't you want to be this kind?

Have a dream...

2010-01-06T13:34:00.009-05:00

I used to love to make and send Christmas cards. For years, decades even, I would plan my cards well in advance of the holidays, with plenty of time to make fifty or more for friends and relatives. I enjoyed the process, and it never felt like an obligation.

In recent years, however, the holidays seem one moment to be ages away, and then BAM!!!, they're over, and with them, so are all of my good intentions to make cards, cook, bake, and find little ways to say thanks and show appreciation for my friends and relatives.

But I've discovered that I love the first weeks of a new year - ALL THAT PROMISE!!- 365 new days to do more and better than before. And of course, to drop the ball way before it drops in Times Square (but that's no doubt a future post). With the holidays behind me, all of a sudden I have time again.

So I started last night. I didn't even know what I was starting. I had bought a few discontinued fabric swatch books in the fall, and the colors and textures have been calling to me. So I began cutting. Hearts. I know. More hearts. But I love them. And they're not done with me yet. And the obvious choice with all these hearts would be to send Valentines, but I'm thinking that I may take inspiration from Martin Luther King, and send Have a Dream cards.

Just a little reminder to listen to your heart.

Fantastic Fabriano Art Journal Workshop I & II

2010-01-02T13:25:00.009-05:00
That's the name of the next workshop Marilyn and I will be teaching. See my sidebar at the right for details. It's a two-part workshop (nine hours total)that is jam-packed with techniques for art-journal enthusiasts or anyone who wants to know what art journaling is all about.

Pssst....Participants will also get one of these limited edition notebooks featuring an art print by me or Marilyn on the cover!! Great to use as an idea book or gratitude journal or a super-fancy grocery list!!

One word.

2009-12-29T09:20:00.003-05:00

Two years ago, I found Christine Kane's blog -- she explained in this post why new year's resolutions generally don't work, and why choosing a single word to be your guide for the year might be a more effective way of achieving goals and making dreams come true. I have been using this practice for two years, and it has been amazingly effective for me.

In 2008, I chose the word health, and I shed a bad marriage, lots of pounds, and a good deal of mental baggage. In 2009, I chose the word wealth, and while I still have to work for a living, I am in a much better place than I was a year ago, and I am wealthy beyond belief in love, family, friends, joy, gratitude, and good health.

For about two weeks, I've been thinking about what word to choose for 2010. Like Christine, I believe that a single word is more effective and focused than choosing several, so the word I choose is important to what I hope to manifest in my life in 2010.

This morning, when I woke up and began my day, I tried to focus on the most appropriate word. I am a morning person, and early in the day is when I have the most clarity, so I was sure it would come to me. I had it narrowed down to about a half dozen, and as I turned on the coffee pot, made my bed, and bundled up for my walk with Max, I let them pass through my mind, trying them on for size.

When I returned from our walk, I went into my bedroom, coffee cup in hand, and glanced at my reflection in the mirror, holding this cup that I had purchased just a few weeks ago. It wasn't even one of the words on my list, but I was absolutely certain it was the one I sought.

It is the word that has sustained my sister (and our entire family) during every one of Avery's surgeries, and I know it will serve me well in 2010.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy New Year.

Merry Christmas...

2009-12-19T15:00:00.001-05:00

I wish you all a magical, miraculous holiday season. Once again, I thank you all for your prayers, support, encouragement and friendship during this past year. I am blessed beyond all measure.

I don't know when I'll have an opportunity to post again during the next week or so as I'll be off to spend Christmas in Boston with my mom, sisters, and especially, Avery. I am looking forward to waking up to her beautiful face on Christmas morning.

This montage of photos was taken on thanksgiving day this year. Last year, Avery's journey began on Thanksgiving day, and we could never have imagined all that would take place in the next twelve months.

This year, many of my thoughts and prayers will be with the family of Avery's donor, and the angel with whom she shares a heart.

A regal visitor...

2009-12-18T15:00:00.004-05:00

I posted a similar photo last year sometime, I think, but these beautiful creatures never cease to amaze me, so I may tell the same story twice. This hawk perched on my deck railing for a good fifteen minutes yesterday morning. There are bird feeders to his left and right, so I suspect that he had either just feasted on one of my little visitors, or attempted to and was just re-grouping before heading off. I know it's sad, but that's the way nature works. And he has to eat too.