POR AMOR AL ARTE

2009-07-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

"Flavias Dress" 11x14 Mixed Media Collage on Wood Panel
note Barty's birdie below it

i dared again, this time on a 22 by 10 inch wood panel

loving the wood so much more than canvas

Speaking of Favorite Things Part 1

2009-07-09T15:07:00.001-07:00

crochet purse by Vintage Portals

Fabric Art courtesy of Moss Hill Studio

denim, especially when it's combined with other textures and lace

Paintings by Claudio Bravo

my denim jacket

Bookshelves with lots of books

and Carmen Silva paintings Still Life paintings
Clapton is GOD

Milagros

Shrines at the Beach

Assemblage Dolls by Janet Cooper Glamping=Glamour Camping

Old suitcases from Cabbages and Roses ..and old Granny Boots

Laurie Messeroll of Earth Angels

Amanda Wright

these are the things i missed while disconnected. enjoy

2009-07-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

...and now a little bit of serenity to create "a few of my favorite things"

2009-07-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

I have been away, literally, with very little time to write. What a couple of weeks! Emotions, emotions and more emotions: the much-promised, much-awaited trip from Chile by my best friend Paty and her sister-in-law Fran plus a re-encounter with a high school friend I hadn't seen since I was 14 years old have taken me on a whirlwind week and landed me flat in bed for a three hour nap after dropping them off at the airport. Paty is a live wire, non-stop energy and excitement for life. Me being a slow mo person, an introvert and much more private went into overdrive and almost collapsed. But what memories. We have been literally everywhere in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, stopping one night in Solvang and spending and losing at the Chumash Casino.

Friends have a way of awakening things in you that you might have missed along the way. Awareness brought back into full focus. So many discussions and conversations over our different paths and tastes and the things that motivate us. We learn from each other.

2009-06-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

2009-06-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Amid the rush and confusion (my best friend is arriving from overseas on Sunday) a little time spent on making art for my MAMMA swaps. The top two are ATCS incorporating a background technique, a metal piece, a triangle and fabric (Auntie Nancy really pushed us on this one) and the bottom is a little charm that requiered, fabric and beads. This was my interpretation, breaking the rules a bit.

2009-06-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

So much going on, so little time, yet yesterday, in the middle of the day. at lunch to be precise, I made the time to meet a longstanding cyber friend who lives close to where I work. I never thought these encounters could actually happen. I have seen so many blog posts about people who finally meet after longstanding friendships online but never thought it could actually happen to me.

Dianne and I have been talking for over two years. She even helped me set up my blog back when I had a few appehensions and she has been an ardent follower of my work on etsy, buying several of my ATCs over the years. So yesterday, meeting her and seeing her beautiful eyes for the first time was such a gift to the senses.

We went to a 50s Cafe, a diner close to my work where we had hoped to drink milk shakes which we forgot to order. One hour was so not enough to get to know her. So much to talk about. I am still processing all the nuances I perceived from her. She showed up with the most beautiful bouquet of wild flowers and roses picked from her backyard. And ofcourse we talked about her Sophie, a soon-to-be-arriving baby from China she and Dave have adopted.

Ah, friendship, kindred spirits, new love flourishing.

2009-06-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

.....and right back into the swing of things

i've signed up for a lot of swaps this season and fearful of forgetting what I promised what to so going over e-mails to get things straight. quite a variety though, sewing, fibre art and a lot of summer themes.

2009-06-14T11:59:00.001-07:00

My Camera loved it here. TRIP OF A LIFETIME through the Tioaga Pass in Yosemite and all through the Eastern and Western Sierras ending up in Sequoia. Humbling and awe inspiring, I cried at the beauty on several occasions.

at Manzanar

2009-06-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

Gesso, Inks and Rubber Stamp Technique with the subject "Friends" created for none other than my MAMMA swaps.

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend"A. Camus

"A friend is someone who knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently, allows you to grow". W. Shakespeare

Friendship Rose

Making Friends for the World to See

2009-06-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

what a world my sewing machine has opened up for me. for years i resented machine sewing much preferring hand sewing. but there are feels and looks that hand sewing cannot achieve and now realize there is a place for both. i am so happy playing around with all my stashes of fabrics and combining different elements. had been wanting to do this for very long but had not had the cash to buy a new sewing machine (the old one was just not user friendly and i broke over twn needles just trying to learn how to thread it). Costco carried one the last time i was there and just cloed my eyes and went for it. it comes with all sorts of stitches and a video to guide you through all the bobbin winding and needle threading. i have still not mastered the self-threading part but who cares, i just love it. and here are my first serious attempts at machine-sewn fabric collages. i chose my favorite colors ofcourse. hope you like it.

2009-06-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

i couldn't have asked for a better challenge. my love of birds, my favorite motto

"and from the birds i learned infinite Hope, the certainty and truth of flight"

my bird art over the years, my bird art and bird collection

all pointed to this challenge by none other than my favorite MAMMA ofcourse.

2009-06-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DARLING GIRL

2009-05-29T19:53:00.001-07:00

www. MixedMediaMania.ning.com

i have been so slow this week. just running out of steam the older i get. problem is i have more ideas than ever before and so intensely want to do everything. my body and my mind though just can't handle that many stimuli any more.

however, i still like to visit other blogs and read what my fellow-artists are up to. today, after receiving a mail from Susan Sorrel happened on a fantastic blog at http://www.kcwillis.blogspot.com/. she has the most beautiful fabric collages and touches on an array of artistic subjects is you would like to visit. She also has classes at Collage Camp

and adding to her talents, a giving spirit as she is also having two terrific Giveaways this month and who doesn't like a shopping spree once in a while to pamper the soul?

2009-05-26T10:56:00.001-07:00

white on white

“As a white candle In a holy place, So is the beauty Of an aged face” Joseph Campbell

“Black spirits and white, red spirits and gray,/ Mingle, mingle, mingle, you that mingle may!” Thomas Middleton

2009-05-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

mi chile lindo, por que tan lejos?

Ay! juro amarte, juro amarte

alla hasta el fin de mi existencia

y si es delito, el adorarte

que voy a hacer, no puedo odiarte

Para que sirve enojos, para que sirve

ojos que se enamoran de un imposible

Adonde iré, que no me siga como una sombra,

tu recuerdo

si me has mentido, eternamente

ay! que valor tuvistes, para engañarme

lloro por verte ahora, ahora mismo

2009-05-23T21:14:00.001-07:00

confronted with another MAMMA challenge, i began delving into all my stacks of boxes looking for little metal findings to create the altered keys. to my surprise i realized how "sick" collecting art supplies can become. i literally have enough "stuff" to last me for the rest of my lifetime. what happens is that there is always that one something that you don't have which prompts you to run to the craft store or, what's worse, going online where there are probably more links to this addiction than porno sites. focused and intent on sticking to buying that one item, vowing to put the blindfold on this time, as soon as i walk into the store you i am in a trance and a good hour passes in absolute oblivion of time, space and promises. there are always new creative treasures appearing on the shelves and it is virtually impossible to not gorge on them. so the shoes, the pedicure, the new pair of jeans get postponed once again in exchange for an "orgy" of art supplies. if i were to have saved all the receipts from my multiple purchases i would probably come up with a sum equal to the value of an italian villa or that much-dreamed of little summer cottage up the california coast. GOD, please grant me the serenity......

2009-05-22T12:11:00.001-07:00

just loving making these altered art charms and totems

2009-05-21T11:56:00.001-07:00

Having a stash of findings among my art supplies decided to put some to use by altering this vintage glass bottle, create a mini altered doll and complete my altered key charm assignment for GAS MAMMA May challenge. Amazing how much "stuff" one can accumulate. I have boxes and boxes full of the tiniest embellishments, charms, findings and ephemera.

2009-05-18T19:10:00.001-07:00

"the nexus of creation"

digital art

2009-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

bewildered & in much need of reflexion

2009-05-15T19:18:00.001-07:00

obsessing with birds again

2009-05-12T14:03:00.001-07:00

a few freebies for you to downlaod and print for your altered artwork

2009-05-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

Spend all your time waiting for that second chance,for the break that will make it ok

there's always some reason to feel “not good enough? And it's hard at the end of the day

I need some distraction, oh beautiful release

Memories seep from my veins

They may be empty and weightless, and maybe I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of an Angel, fly away from here

From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear

You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie

You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn there's vultures and thieves at your back

The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies that you make up for all that you lack

It don't make no difference, escaping one last time

It's easier to believe in this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness

That brings me to my knees

In the arms of an Angel, far away from here

From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear

You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie in the arms of an Angel;

May you find some comfort here

2009-05-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

and they came, both dressed in my favorite color

bringing gifts of love and laughter

mother's day 2009