Penelope's face and some crows

They have changed my blog page so I'm having trouble arranging images and labeling.  I've run out of time to begin again,so these are some of the work I've done these past few months.  As you can see, the Bagby inspired woman, Penelope has a face and a dress though she isn't finished.  I went to Boston before Halloween and wasn't able to finsh this project (is that suprising), and as soon as I got back from Boston, I needed to work on jewels and books for up coming shows.

Inspiration from Anne Bagby and Gustav Klimt

Today I watched a video by Anne Bagby   http://www.annebagby.com/Anne_Bagby/home.html whose work reminds me of Gustav Klimt (one of my very favorite artist -he was a Viennese secessionist of the early 20th c and a leader of the Symbolist and Art Nouveau, The Kiss probably the most recognized of his work-his Father was an engraver of gold an silver and no doubt that attributes to Klimt's ease with gold-he was also trained as a decorative artist).  But I digress-Anne Bagby is a meticulous artist whose work has always captured my attention as she creates the most beautiful images full of texture and faces.  above is the beginnings of painting deli paper on which I will stamp.

I used hand carved stamps as Anne does, though she is much more careful then I. She is very precise.

Above is what she calls complicated papers.  I have collaged a bunch of papers onto deli papers.  She uses the stamped paper as well as others to create these unique papers.  I will slice mine up and use it to create a weave.

 

This gets pretty busy but I have never been a minimalist.

Above I laid out 5 canvas within which I will find a figure by painting in an abstract manner until I see a one.  I got one out of five the first round (these canvases started as white).  One has to adjust one's mind to paint the negative shapes to create the positive.

This canvas has a few layers of black and then white and then black to find this "Olympianesk" figure.

You can see how I have started to collage the negative space.  The papers on the top half are the ones I created with the stamp on black.  I have begun to glaze over them with copper. I'm loving this process!!!

These papers that I have collaged with are from the fine paper section of any reputable art store.  The spiral is very Klimt.  I got a lot done today and can't wait for tomorrow!!!

EFT and tapping yiour way to emotional happiness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoSzivsQkVI&feature=fvw
check this out.  Start your day on with positive energy and thoughts.  Emotional Freedom Technique is fantastic.  I've been exploring this modality for a few months now and have had tremendous results.  This link offers is a fun way to start the day. 

Collages or are they assemblage?

Cuba Red
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

Buddha Mango
5" x 5"
Mixed Media

I have a bunch of jewelry to finish but have been inspired to make these simple collages. I have a show this weekend in SB- Jill of All Trades at the Presidio Motel on upper State St. 11- 7pm. should be fun with good music, food and lots of Indie Arts and Crafts.

Eggs
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I'm not sure I am finished with this. It looks so much different in person. These pieces are small and intimate and on the computer they are more imposing.

Big Sky
5" x 5"
Mixed Media
I love this one. I am inspired to do some landscapes.

meditation, health and a full life

I truly apologize to anyone who comes to my blog and finds that I have not up dated forever. I have open a shop on etsy and that eats up so much of my time. On top of that I have made a promise to myself to exercise and meditate daily before I go to the Art Clinic. That means I have to get up early to at least meditate before Ruth gets up otherwise I'll never fit it in. The exercise I have chosen is bike riding and I travel across town on bike paths for 45 min. I have gone everyday save one for over 3 wks now and have noticed an improvement in my butt!!! Thank god, because I am a lousy dieter!!!
The meditation is something I have done on and off for years but never made it a priority. I've decided, as I turn 50 next week, it is important to finally make the commitment to my improved health both physically and spiritually as that in turn will help my emotional self (though today was really hard, I probably should have stayed in bed, but I am better now).
While I ride my bike I borrow Ruth's MP3 player (it's called a Creative Zen) and I listen to inspirational audio books. At this time I have been listening to Deepak Chopra recite the Bhagavad-Gita, something I have wanted to read but never got very far. He does a wonderful job explaining the metaphor of the story and the power of language. I highly recommend this audio book. I borrowed it from the library. It is called, "Sacred Verses, Healing Sounds."

I am truly grateful for my life.

Gocco Prints into Mini Books

Do you remember my book printing escapade which I started a few months ago? Well, I'm almost finished with the cover- but before I could do that cover I had to make a prototype for it 'cause I wasn't sure of things would print-so that process became a whole other series of limited edition books.
I call these Matchbook Books because they are in the style of a matchbook. They are about 2" x 3" and have watercolor paper inside. The one above is called "Safe Journey" which is an affirmation for the journey we all take in life no matter the map (or lack of one).

This one above (the close up and open view) is called, "Four Crows on a wire".

Above is "Pomegranate Abundance" and is the image that started this whole thing. I want to use this similar idea for the cover of my limited edition journal, you know the one I started way back in May.

Just today as I was putting this book on my etsy site I realized I spelled Pomegranate wrong!!!
This is how my brain works and one of the so called faults that used to make me cringe. But tonight as I realized my mistake I know I have done a lot of growth lately as I am laughing rather than feeling like a complete idiot and thinking"what will they think of my intelligence?" As for now, I think it is okay and adds a bit more uniqueness to the piece. These are Art Books after all. Who says I didn't plan it that way!!!!

New Hair for a New Year

Ruth wanted a new do for the new school year. We talked about donating hair to Locks of Love, but Ruth chickened out, (which is totally understandable when you have such beautiful hair). As I watched her get her cut I thought, I'm going to do it too!!!

So I did it and I love it!!!

This is the anti-wrinkle version. The last time I cut my hair was when Ruth was born. I was intending to send the hair to Locks of love, but was too attached. This time I sent in all 11".

San Francisco has the best food!!!!

A couple of weeks ago I went up north to hang with my family and my mom took Ruth for a day so I could go to San Francisco with my cousin Teresa. Now Tia lives in Santa Barbara, but she used to live in SF when I was a wee teenager. I used to take the ferry from Marin (where I grew up) and walk the streets (window shopping). I loved it. At 16, when I got my license, my parents let me borrow the car and I would go hang out with Teresa, aka Tia. I learned how to drive pretty well on those hills driving a stick!!! Oh, and I know how to parallel park too.
Flash forward to August 2009 and this is the wonderful dessert Tia and I shared at B Star Restaurant on Clement. It is Burmese Fusion and fantastic. Below is a close up of the lotus fries.

Below is the pulled pork sandwich we shared. (Notice Tia's coconut? I had a Thai iced tea.)

Below is the most wonderful salad we shared. It is called Tea Leaf Salad and is beautifully served with dried lentils, dried garlic, jalapenos,tomatoes, sunflower seeds and fermented tea leafs- all on a bed of Romaine Lettuce. The waiter (very cute) brought it to the table, squeezed the lemon and tossed it for us. It was the best!!!! (Tia and I asked the waiter if we could taste the tea leaves before he tossed it-they were fantastic!!!!)

Can you see the City in the background? Before we ate lunch we visited the Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum and were given a private tour of the John Baldessari exhibit http://www.baldessari.org/ which, had I not gotten the docent tour, I would not have understood or appreciated. I love art- and even more when I understand where the artist head is at while creating. One of his pieces is a page full of the sentence, "I will not create boring art." And it wasn't!!!!

Arts Outreach and jewelry with things you might otherwise put in the waste can

Here are some photos of some of the jewelry made by a group of girls (9-12) who took my class at Arts Outreach in Los Olivos this past week. We had a rgreat time and these gals were so prolific as you can see by these photos!!!

Notice Mykaela's cool necklace made from soda pop tops. I love this necklace!!!

The bottle tops and large disc with buttons(bottom of a soda can) are filled with resin.

I believe Kaela was the most prolific.

Book Arts or Animals??? Arts Outreach summer program

These are the cover for books the younger group of kids made. Are they not gorgeous?!!

Here we see the inspiration for drawing.

These elephants have the best eyes, but you gotta double click on the photo to really see them.

Below was the work of one young man who was not interested in an elephant nor a horse. He made a dog book which I personally found inspirational.

jewelry, metal clay, hearts with wings

Syd says that Ken says that Barbie is easy but I heard that Barbie says that Ken is easy. Look at the size of that Ruby!!!

I am very happy with the direction my jewelry is going. That tree is raised up and riveted in place.Though the picture is out of focus, you get the idea.

Book making with the Gocco printer

Today I worked on printing the last page of my limited edition book. Above is my attempt to use up the ink. I made wrapping paper. You can see it sitting on top of the Gocco printer.

I love multiples!!!

This is the last image for my pages. The original was a linoleum plate I cut while teaching at Dunn School. I printed it on a page from a math book (the symbols in the upper left), and took that print and reduced it to make the plate for the Gocco printer. Now all I have to do is decide on a design for the cover, print that, and put the book together. I will use a coptic stitch if i can remember how to do that special binding. I have a book to remind me.

Felting at the Art clinic

This is what Ruth and I did today. We went to a class at the Art Clinic and learned to make this beautiful scarf using Pre-felts. Barbara Carr was the teacher. Ruth was the designer and brought me along as her assistant. Felting does take a bit of muscle and really gives a good upper arm workout. I highly recommend it!!!

Theresa is a fabulous designer. Here she is just starting. Go to www.artclinic.blogspot.com to see a more completed design.

(Above) this is Jennifer Moreno's piece as she rubs those fibers together. I love those trees!

Ruth and Jennifer feeling the felting love.