Full Circle

it always surprises me when i see my own work, what my inner voices are calling me to do. i won't call them inner demons at the moment although the last two rabbit paintings have been quite dark. that, according to my son. i prefer to call them surreal.

the folk art assignment

i signed up for an online workshop with Misty Mawn called Full Circle Workshop to get me back to my other passion...painting.

What an amazing workshop, filled with videos and tutorials, all the possible creative tools for those of us who love photography, mixed media, poetry and painting.

my interpretation of the "phases of the moon assignment"

not that i don't have ideas whirling through my head all the time, but nothing better than the occasional trigger.  

the mandala assignment

misty has put together a magical workshop of inspiration, a true full circle workshop.

the tonal assignment

many of the exercises i had never thought of doing, realizing now how

important they are to loosen up and give paintings a less flatter look.  if only i had more time... i need to really practice in this area call tonal value.

in the meantime just enjoying experimenting with textural backgrounds and larger formats.

the two bunny paintings above-mentioned

a practice in my grey paper journal that i love with a strong leaning towards my love of folk art.

the icon assignment

so complete is the workshop, that i will probably be with it for the full year it will be available, except for small breaks to sew a little something

but ofcourse many more things have happened in between.  our plantings in the garden, sweet peas appearing.  many many "all creatures great and small"

books arriving, home made tamales being cooked, plans for a chile trip in november being made, and little excursions to other art-related happenings being fulfilled.  so stay tuned for my theatre shadowbox created at french general over past weekend.

but to finish this long post

my beautiful surpise in the mail from ellen benson who i met in oaxaca and who is now back in her PA.  

"Keep a Green Bough in Your Heart, and the Singing Bird will Come".

 

stay in the 

A Travel Journal about ZNE Convenzione 2008

I had to let a few days go by to let things sink in after ZNE Convenzione. As with all things in life, there were the good things, the bad things and the in between things. And I will choose to remember the GOOD things. As I ponder on the purpose, my purpose, I did the right thing in going. I am a Fondante member and in spite of the fact that it was not within my budget to go (I got sponsored by a dear friend) I thought it my duty to be there. Being a 95% Nature person, the choice of "The House on the Hill" was perfect, up a winding road in Livermore with the most spectacular view I have seen in years. My surroundings were rolling hills everywhere , turkeys crossing the street, horses out to graze in the early morning, swallows dancing for me as I sat on the terrace for my morning coffee and the city lights down below in the evening. To greet us, a gem of a person, Jenna with whom I felt an instant connection; soft spoken, kind, warm, intuitive and earthy with no airs about her and a flexibility with all of us. And I really lucked out with my housemates, especially meeting my all time favorite ZNE artist JoAnna Pierotti of Moss Hill Studio. These were the heavenly scenes of this journey. These are the treasures I bring back with me.

When we travel, we just go about our days absorbing it all. Everything doesn't hit you all at once, it takes the distance to realize what the overall effect was.

Lani's finished piece after class with Mossy

So I guess the few treasures I brought back with me, human treasures more than anything else as well as the memory of the natural surroundings are here. All the more valuable!

1. Chrysti Hydeck and her boyfriend (real people) who drove all the way from North Carolina hoping to make a vacation out of this. They were funny, spontaneous and warm.

2. Jenna

3. JoAnna who I imagined so different and who turned out to be much more interesting in person.

4. Susan Tuttle, my instructor, a superior soul with an amazing artistic talent. I learned so much in her class and loved her stories at lunch.

5.Dawn De Vries-Sokol and her book 1000 Journal Pages and her personal journal which I actually got to hold in my hands. Her tributes to her dog Judy are heart-wrenching. Wish I had had more time to talk to her in extenso.

6. The Movie presentation of 1000 Journals at the amador Theatre. Incredible. Lani Kent got to sing at this presentation and just blew us away with her voice and physical beauty.

7. Meeting Gina Gabriell and our common love for Isabel Allende.

8. The drive home with my son Jon, stopping for lunch in San Francisco with his girlfriend Ashley and talking about his music all the way home.

9. Realizing how beautiful Ashley really is.

10. And so as not to be altogether negative about the commercial feeling of the event, I have to acknowledge that the accomplishment by Chel in organizing and pulling it off as well as she did is commendable. SHE DID IT and that is success in itself.

Would I do it again? I'm not so sure. It took alot out of me. Would I recommend it YES: Community is the way to go, networking with like spirits, knowing that you are not alone in the world and that there are similar stories out there. Since it was our first time meeting, we only got pieces of the whole. We could have spent a little more time together getting to know each other.

We go out in search, we touch a surface, we yearn for its essence, we come away with a result. In this case.....there was a little too much background NOISE. Noise, noise, noise everywhere. Maybe we can keep it even simpler for next time.

It's not so bad after all

Already Wednesday and just waiting for the job calls to come in. I have sent out a few applications and resumes yet no calls. I wonder if it's my age. They probably imagine that at 52 I look like a dowdy, plump, grey haired spinster and just go on to the next one. I must stay strong and focused and believe in myself. Getting back into the "real" world is scary but I have soooooo many qualifications in spite of my artsyness that someone is bound to spot me in the crowd.

In the meantime, what have I done to make my life peaceful and joyous? Plant, plant, plant living things. I started some more container pots with chives, lemongrass and coleus and today I will get to work on the basil, salvia and coreopsis.

Freddy is missing. we miss him so much. all his friends have come looking for him, linger around the garden for a while and realize he's not here. His girlfriend also came looking for him last night. Where are you Freddy?

And sewing. I made another Cornwall Cottage with white felt and embroidery. I love these. I think I'll make a Shakespeare cottage next and continue with my painting. I also signed up for a fabric ATC swap and made a pink and white ATC for Miss Frugality in England.

Free Again

(Shuttle Bug by Stephanie Rubiano)

Oh what a feeling of freedom. So many wonderful things happening in my new found journey. Jorge Salas called me all the way from Chile and we talked all about the past and his four failed marriages and how he loved me so at one time and the two daughters he has. One is named Canela Jesus, what a gorgeous name. I thought the creation pictured here may look a bit like her.

Visited my love Bill in Santa Barbara over the weekend. breakfast in bed, walks to have a night shot of wheat grass and a good movie (US Marshalls-I love Tommy Lee Jones) on the telly. Then a Cajun breakfast out on the town and back to sit and chat on the couch over coffee and friendship. Glorious after the droll of the last few months in Camarillo.

Saturday eve drove clear across the mountains into Topanga Canyon to visit Martin and Andrea. It was Andrea's birthday and all her friends from the canyon were there. Everybody brought some sort of home made salad or dish and I fell in love with Seth's seeweed, carrot and avocado salad. I must have repeated myself three times. Love music and dancing and a quiet night in that beautiful California place. Couldn't quite fall asleep so picked up one of Martin's books Son's and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence which I had missed and relished it tucked under Tylers comforter.

Jorge Figueroa arrived the next morning from Bahia, Brazil and we caught up on all the new ventures he is striking at. Farming in Bahia, a grape seed oil he is trying to produce in Chile and a new love there too by the name of Pilar. He is such a nice nice man; funny that he has stayed linked to the family since the mid 1970's. I guess he's part of the family now since her's living with Martin up in the canyon now too.

It's only Monday and I miss my Bill so much and Freddy is missing for two days now. Oh, well, every day has it's surprises. The ZNE poetry group has come up with some really funny poems lately and I'm glad I have been able to contribute something in spite of my dazed and confused state.

Page from unknown Magazine

Page from unknown Magazine
Originally uploaded by peregrine blue

As chaotic as Christmas can be, it also slowly brings us back to the essentials. I can finally gather my thoughts and choose to bake brownies, go for a long walk, light the fireplace and watch an oldie, read some of those magazines i never have time to read, commit to some of those recipes and begin an inventory of the year.

Yes, there will be resolutions, not many but four or five. Most importantly it will be to focus in order to stick to them. How else can that dream deferred begin to unfurl?

Melancholy envelopes me when I stop to think of Chile. So so so many memories of that country I only began to touch on the surface. I will make an inventory of dreams to accomplish there too.

Wrapping up the year I choose to sing. Sing, "When I was 51, it was a very good year".

A Scent of Cinnamon and Cloves

November and December have been a frenzy. The year moves at a fairly normal pace until after Thanksgiving, my favorite day of the year. We lit the fireplace and family gathered at the Hughes' all love and warmth and simplicity. I don't know what happens after that; the whole ambiance in the air changes to frenzy. As much as I have vowed not to fall victim to the Christmas season, I always do. Yet, I can't just switch the lights off and skip the season altogether.

At least my lists are reasonable this year and Christmas cards were mailed on time. Funny thing, as I shop for sons and lovers, I always end up with a thing or two for myself that I've been craving. I guess I can get away with it by telling myself that is "lo
v ing myself" or taking care of "numero uno". ATC Collection over the years

Originally uploaded by peregrine blueAnd so, these framed ATCS are a product of years of collecting. I gave myself permission to buy the most expensive shadowbox to give them the respect they deserve. I was lucky to find Album Cover frames on sale so grabbed 3 of those too and framed my Jethro Tull and Joni Mitchell covers and ordered a classic Cream album to complete the third. I think Album Covers make the coolest artwork. There are some awesome covers over the years. I will take pictures of these later and include them here.

I have been working around the clock, too, fulfilling custom orders for etsy customers all over the world. Knitted three children's sweaters in chocolate, red and moss green shipping to Canada and made all sorts of neck warmers and cuffs too.

The house now smells of Cloves and Cinnamon and the mixer awaits the ingredients for homemade fudge and cookies, and we are in earnest for the 14th. Christmas Carol Concert at Padre Serra Catholic Church
As long as we keep the meaning of Christmas in focus, all should alright.