Gathering momentum

It's definitely getting "crispy" around here. The leaves are turning and starting to swirl in the not-too-chilly-yet wind. The last Gravenstine apple was picked from the tree... every bite savored to the core. Since winter seems to be my most productive painting time, fall is my time to gather momentum. I love books that spur me on and I've been gathering some good ones. The latest are "I'd Rather Be In The Studio" by Alyson B. Stanfield and "Creative Time and Space - Making room for Making Art" by Rice Freeman-Zachery, available from Amazon.com. I'm almost looking forward to that big fall storm as an excuse to hunker down with my new books.

Embracing the New Season

Autumn is such a tease...but in a good way. How else could our psyches go from the beauty of spring and summer to the dismal gray of winter? I've got to figure out a way to embrace winter. Any ideas?

Shared moments

The last of the summer sun and sandals. A shared moment with my beautiful little granddaughter, wandering downtown to some of our creative artists' open studios. (Her feet are definitely cuter than mine.)

Indian Summer

Ah -- Another Indian summer in the Pacific Northwest. At least that is what it is today. With one more Saturday (for me) at the summer farmer's market, my mind turns to more creative endeavors. I'm anxious to get back to the drawing board (if I can find it under all the flotsam that has accumulated in the past 4 months) and work through the reference photos I've been gathering. My plan is to explore a particular composition from a number of different angles/mediums, beginning with a wild blind contour drawing and maybe ending up with something more realistic....maybe not. I'm really hoping to discover something new...something exciting to carry me emotionally through a soggy fall and winter. I can go a long time on a good artsy tangent.

Vision in Orange

I continue to be amazed at the endless artistic inspiration I can glean from the farmer's market (this is a photo). I wish my own tomatoes would be so inspirational. Only 3 more Saturdays for my summer season at the market. It has gone by so fast. Another year of good fun and friendship.

Miles of Cabbage

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

The fall season is inching closer and the farmers markets are filled with wonderful produce... a feast for the artistic eye. I only wish I could paint this well. Try, try again.

Life is short

Well, I've ventured out with the etched metal and have posted my first two Mixed Rhetoric pendants on Etsy. I'm still very enamored by the process of creating these little metal pieces with such a simple element.... salt and water. Who knew? Well actually, my father knew. As a commercial fisherman, he would secure a zinc plate to the bottom of his fishing boat so that the salt water wouldn't eat his propeller. Made absolutely no sense to me then. Forty years later... I get it.

This pendant is sold.