AN ALTERED LIFE

The Joys Of Dumpster Diving

2010-03-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes me happier, or sparks my creativity more, than the discovery of discarded furniture on the side of the road. I am fortunate to live in a neighborhood where the residents can't be bothered going to the dump and everything they don't want ends up on the curb. Imagine my delight when I found this wheelchair by the garbage dumpster this morning!

It is definitely unusual, I have never seen a chair quite like it, it has a bit of a "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" vibe to it. It is quite narrow compared to modern wheelchairs and has a very high back, I can't wait to alter it, I think It will be my new work desk chair. The foot rest slides way out and as you can see it holds one cat perfectly.

The back of the chair has this interesting bar to make pushing it easy.

I think the most difficult part of working on this chair is going to be keeping this one off of it. She loves it and has already claimed it for herself.

Tsunami Art

2010-03-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

When tsunami sirens start blaring at 6:00 in the morning and you find you have an unexpected day off from work what do you do? I really wanted to go back to bed but by the time I realized I was going to be in for the day I had finished off a pot of coffee making the possibility of sleep slim. I could either head to the roof with a case of beer, like many of my neighbors, or I could stay in and work on something. Since it was still what I consider early morning hours beer didn't seem like the appropriate choice so I stayed in and did this piece. The beer came later.......

Christmas In February

2010-02-22T12:34:00.000-08:00

I am probably known for my lateness in gift giving. Despite my best efforts
I never seem to get the package in the mail on time. And as much as I love Christmas, I find I am usually not in the mood to celebrate it until mid January, when the frenzy of the season has subsided. I guess I have always followed a different calendar than everyone else. So when a friend says they are going to be late sending a gift it makes me giddy with anticipation, I just love extending a celebration! That being said I was beyond happy when Erin sent my Christmas present last week. I think this piece she made was well worth the wait! And not only did she make this for me she sent flying monkeys and plush scum! I have said it before and I will say it again, my friends are just the best.
Merry Christmas!

(This is made of wood and glass with fabric applique on the outside, it is amazing).

King David, The Birthday Boy

2010-01-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

I forgot to photograph the crown I made so I thought I would share this photo one of my coworkers sent me. This is my boss on his birthday. Unfortunately you can't see the green bicyclist that started all of this!

Does This Happen To You?

2010-01-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

It started out simply enough. It always does right?

I decided to make a crown for my boss. It is his birthday this week and he seems very excited about it. He is an adorable 70 + year old man, with a fabulous sense of humor and a fascinating history behind him. He deserves a crown! I decided to keep it relatively simple with a few references to his passions (rebuilding tossed out chairs and biking). As I recalled I had the perfect adornment for one area of the crown, a small green bicyclist, I knew it would be perfect. And that is where the trouble began.

Try as I might I just can't seem to organize my art supplies. They are oozing out of every corner in my small apartment. I have them housed in clear boxes, cardboard boxes, shoe boxes, cigar boxes, large tins, large plastic jars, plastic bags, it goes on and on. And yet amid all of that stash I knew I had a small green bicyclist.

I was sure it was somewhere on my work desk, in a bag, or maybe it was in a box. I went through everything I could easily access, no luck. I went through the boxes on the shelves to the right of the desk, again no luck. I went through the massive drum size tins under my desk, dumping the contents and sifting through them. I found troll dolls, plastic squid, centipedes, rubber finger puppets, plastic babies, dog house charms, army soldiers, bowlers, and hula dancers, but no green bicyclist! By that point I had worked myself into a frenzy, I was obsessed, nothing else would work on that spot of the crown but that specific plastic green bicyclist!!! I moved more boxes and went through the broken jewelry, the containers of beads and feathers, still no luck. Maybe I had used it in something, or perhaps I tossed it out during one of my feeble attempts to clean up.

I don't take defeat easily but after almost 2 hours of searching I decided I was going to have to rethink that portion of the crown and find something else. If I still had the bicyclist I would probably find it 6 months from now while looking for something else. I had met defeat. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw a shoebox I missed, it was wedged under another box. Was it worth pulling out and going through? Probably not, but why not. So I pulled the box out started going through the contents-Styrofoam balls, toothpicks, tubes of glitter, scarabs, monopoly money, and there in the corner I saw it, a lone green bicyclist!

So now I am sneezing like a fool from all the dust I stirred up but my work area is a bit cleaner and most importantly my boss has a small green bicyclist on his crown!

Happy Birthday David.

At Last....

2010-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

Now that I have successfully remembered my password I can re-engage myself on here! I hope the holidays were full of good times for everyone and 2010 proves to be the year we all want it to be.

Here is a bit of what I have been up to (I apologize for the goofy layout, I can't seem to master the posting of photos on here)..........

This is an encaustic piece I made as a house warming for Erin. Another apology, I photographed it at night and the flash bounced off the mirrors and wax no matter what I did, hence the bad glare. That is pretty much true of all these photos, sorry.

Close up detail......

These are Christmas gifts I made for some of my favorite people.

I made this for Erin, my creative muse.

(back view)

This one was for Miss Kim, who definitely lives life la vida loca!

This was for Marek'a, Mistress of the cosmic universe.

M E T A M O R P H O S I S

2009-09-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

Butterflies have been crossing my path a lot lately and when I think about them and what they represent I guess it is no coincidence that I came up with this Metamorphosis piece. A lot of times when I am working on an art piece I find it directly ties into what is on my mind or what I am going through, even if I was not conscious of it at the time I was executing it.

I can't believe it is Labor Day weekend already, where did summer go?!? I must admit I am actually glad summer is gone, I have always been more of a fall person. Growing up in the northwest I loved the crispness of September air and the earthy colors of falling leaves. I loved putting an extra blanket on the bed at night and spending late afternoons in front of a fire drawing or painting. Of course now that I live in the "tropics" September usually marks a season of even hotter, more humid weather. There is no crisp air, there is heavy damp air. There are no falling leaves or a need for extra blankets. There is a need for finding the coolest, most air conditioned theater, book store or restaurant you can find and spending time there, lots of time....

Despite that I still find the fall season a time of renewal. The shifting of energy is palatable and it seems like anything is possible this time of year. I don't know if it is brought on by the seasonal changes or if it is tied into a larger cycle of life (September is my birth month), whatever it is I always find renewed energy and an overwhelming desire to spread my wings and go off in a new direction come September.

This September I have started a new job which I am very excited about. Not only do I get to work with local artists once again I get to help keep the diverse heritage of this community alive, something I think is important for any community. I have a lot of challenges ahead of me but I am energized by all of the possibilities. I really do feel a bit like a butterfly fluttering through the sky.

Sirens Of The Sea

2009-06-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

Father's Day was a festival of mermaids at my friends gallery. It was the first annual Mermaid Fest and it featured The Mermaids of Hawaii, a synchronized swimming group, artist demos and an array of work celebrating the sea and it's mythical creatures. Here are a few of the encaustic pieces I did.

The wax really enhanced the underwater feel of the pieces, adding a murky layer to some pieces and giving the effect of encrusted buried treasure
to others.

I must admit mermaids are not a theme I would consider doing but it turned out to be fun, and I got to use up a lot of the shells I had laying around the house. And the fact that the pieces sold, well, that was like discovering the pearl inside of the oyster, something you hope for and yet you are surprised and delighted by when it happens........

Hawaiiana Calls...

2009-05-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who owns an art gallery in Waikiki. It is full of what I refer to as "tourist art", photos, paintings, and prints of palm trees, sunsets and waves. She only sells work made here in Hawaii and it must be reflective of the islands. I sell lava and kukui nut jewelry there and do quite well with it but it isn't a direction I would normally go in. I am more inclined to make dramatic costume inspired neck pieces or leis of recycled items I picked up off the street. But the kukui nut bracelets help pay the rent and sadly that is what it is all about these days.

Anyway, she has been after me from day one to do some art work for her, paintings or the collage boxes I am known for. The problem is, what I am known for and what she offers in her gallery are not the same thing and I have not been able to generate any enthusiasm for making "tourist art". But times are tough and I could use the money so... I thought about melting some wax....

I decided I could stay true to myself and do some tongue in cheek Hawaiiana works that would not be offensive to me or her clientele. And adding wax to the images definitely makes them stand out from all the other offerings out there in the tourist market. Hopefully I have made them interesting enough for anyone to consider.

1 Fetus + 1 Tile = Infantile

2009-04-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Once again I wonder where time has gone and why I haven't been on here more. OK, well I know why I haven't been on here more but time does slip by at a fast rate these days. I got hit with that nasty flu bug that was going around, it knocked me off my feet much longer than it should have. Then there was the death of someone who was very special to me, that has left me numb and blue and not feeling up to much of anything. I have finally rallied a bit and felt some art therapy was in order!

If you have been following my ramblings on here you know my friend Erin sent me a blank metal tile which was calling for some makeover magic. Also, a very long time ago she sent out a plastic fetus, not only to me but to many of her artist friends (you have to love a gal who has a bag full of plastic fetuses). I think everyone has used them in some creative way but I still had not done anything with the two I received and I was beginning to feel guilty about that. I still have a project in mind for one of them but I decided to take the other one and combine it with the tile to make an infant-tile :)

The finished piece is called Infantile de Infanta,

the infant child of Portuguese royalty.

I am feeling better already..........

Hand Made

2009-03-02T23:23:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes a bad day better than coming home to a box of goodies from an artist friend! I am incredibly lucky to have such talented and giving friends, but my friend Erin out did herself this time and I just have to share with you what she sent me.

First of the goodies is the fun metal tile she altered, I think it is going to look perfect in my kitchen. She also sent me a blank tile so I am going to make her something fun in return. I know exactly what I am going to do with it so stay tuned for an update on that.

If that wasn't enough, she also sent this amazing piece, I just love it! She got a sewing machine for Christmas and is experimenting with fiber. I think she did a great job and I am so excited to have a new edition to my ever growing hand collection.

And to round out the goodies she included this fun piece by her husband who makes lots of wonderful ceramic things. I think this guy has a heavy Hawaiian tiki vibe going on and he is a welcome addition to all of my little curios.

In these uncertain times knowing our friends are there to support and encourage us makes a huge difference. It's these gestures of friendship and sharing the creative spirit that will sustain me, that much I know for sure. So to Erin, and all of my kindred friends, thank you so much for sharing your talent with me, you inspire me and nurture me more than you know!

2009-02-28T20:36:00.001-08:00

Ok, I admit it, I am being a bit lazy here. I promised some poetry and I just haven't been writing anything lately. Because of that I decided to re-post some of the writings I posted on my myspace page. I know some of you have read these before but it is all new to some of you too, and hey, the artwork is all new :) And speaking of artwork, the image below looks a bit blurry because it is covered in wax, it is a detail of a larger piece I was working on. I am not real happy with the finished piece which is why I am only showing a bit of it......

You Were The One

I am not easy
Yet that never seemed to bother you
You didn't look too deep
Between the cracks
To discover what was beneath the surface
Yet you always seemed to know
What was in my core...
You were the one
Who didn't get my jokes
Or understand my view of the world
And yet
You were the one
Who quietly let me wrap my spirit
Around yours
Who embraced me for being the one
Who made you smile
Who soothed your soul
And let you be the one
Everyone else
Tried to change....
We understood the world
We made
And in the history of our mangled lives
When I was
Less than rational
And you were not armed for combat
I unwrapped myself
From your center...
And once again you could breathe.

Telling Tales

2009-02-28T19:39:00.001-08:00

You were a master storyteller
talking to my body with yours
creating mysteries
exploring plots
always careful
to navigate

between the lines

As rain dripped down
steamy windows
in the cold of darkest nights
you bound yourself to me
and transformed us...

As characters in another time
you spun tales
of gods and goddesses
who much like us
fought their demons
and reveled in their dreams
finding comfort in the arms
of lovers well spent

Heaven unfolded upon the ceiling
as you created a universe
for me
of loving hope
and sacred lust

You pointed to distant stars
and said our home was there
up in the heavens
beyond the reality

of dark nights

and bitter rain.

The Queen Of Pentacles

2009-02-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

For quite some time now I have been wanting to create an altered book of spells and rituals. I have also wanted to do one on the properties of gemstones and herbs. And, I have been wanting to do a tarot deck for what seems like forever.

I have scraps of paper everywhere with notes and ideas, all just waiting for the perfect old book to come along to be altered. I love the idea of a large voluminous book holding secrets and possibilities. But I just have not been able to find the book that fits my vision so I have given up. Instead I have decided to do a journal of sorts combing all of the projects in one place. I think I am going to make it a loose leaf binder so I can add or subtract pages and "chapters" as the mood strikes me.

I started with a tarot page based on the Queen of Pentacles. With the economy being on every ones mind these days I guess starting with the Queen of Pentacles was only right. After all, money, success, and wealth in all things important are what we all hope for.

Beads, Beads, And More Beads............

2009-01-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

I finally finished yet another long over due project. I started making this beaded cuff for a friend last year, and after a few delays I managed to complete it in time to give it to her for Christmas this year. This is another example of me thinking "how hard can it be to bead a little bracelet?". Well, it wasn't really all that difficult but I do have a hard time seeing those tiny little bead holes, then I misplaced all the semi precious bead chips I got to edge the bracelet with, then there were a few issues with the clasps on the back..... It was an ongoing adventure to be sure, but all in all I think it turned out ok.

Second Attempt.............

2008-12-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

I decided to do another encaustic piece because I am totally addicted to this medium. As I mentioned before I find it very soothing to melt the wax and move it around, and soothing is something I was in heavy need of this week. Anyway, what I intended to do with the piece and what I ended up with are two entirely different things. This started out much different but the one thing I have learned along the way is, if my work takes off in a different direction I just follow it and let it become what it wants to be. I am not so sure in this case that was a good idea. I don't really like the layout of the piece, her head is too low but I was working on canvas so I couldn't cut the top off to make it right and it seems a bit bare and yet a bit too busy too. I really am not sure how I feel about the final outcome, hmmmm, what do you think?

This is a close up but even this doesn't really show the wax detail. I decided to add some color to the wax and found a gorgeous metallic gold to add, I just wasn't prepared for the richness of the color, it saturated the surface with a bit more color than I wanted. But still, I think it is ok, I think............

The Altered Trees Of Christmas

2008-11-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

While all the other boys and girls were out playing this week I was at home making more altered Christmas trees. My fellow employees may not understand them but the Contemporary Museum wants to sell them in their shop, yay! ( It is so important to find ones niche :) ) Anyway, here are a few of the ones I made..........

A House Of Wax

2008-11-15T23:02:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try encaustic painting for awhile now and thanks to Yoli and her shortcut tricks (who knew a quilting iron could be so versatile!) I decided to give it a try. There is something very soothing about melting wax and spreading it around. I am afraid my new found obsession may lead to me encasing everything in wax, I just love doing this!

Anyway...... here you have it, my first encaustic mixed medium piece. I wish the wax detail showed up better in this photo, (despite the fact I use to teach darkroom procedures I can not take a decent photo, even with a digital camera, or maybe I should say especially with a digital camera, at any rate...............).

I love the way the wax makes everything cloudy, adding layers of mystery, not to mention it is a great way to cover up ones mistakes :)

Thanks Yoli, you just may have created a wax melting monster!

Nights In White Satin

2008-11-09T21:42:00.000-08:00

Friends come and go that is just part of life, and all to often childhood friends fall away and get lost in our transition to adulthood. I have been lucky to reconnect with some friends from the past and pick up right where we left off. I guess a true friend is not measured by time or distance and they will come back into your life when, and if, they are meant to.

I have one friend from high school, Strelsa, whom I have not seen or heard from since graduation. I am curious as to what has become of her and I would love to see her again. She was a bit of a wounded soul and I found comfort in that. We spent a lot of time together in our senior year, each battling our demons, she tried to commit suicide, I was dealing with the sudden death of my father, we were tragic myths in the making. But after graduation I moved to another town with my mom and I heard she married a boy from our class. We got on with our lives, grew up, and moved further away from one another. The other day I was perusing one of the high school reunion sites and saw that Strel's older sister had joined. What the hell I thought, I am going to send her a message and ask her to let Strel know I would love to hear from her. I know my message was read but there was no reply and I have yet to hear from Strel.

The last thing I heard about her was she had divorced, her high school boyfriend-husband came out of the closet a year or so into the marriage, she was devastated I'm sure. Looking back on it, all the signs were there but what did we know of such things in 1973? We were sheltered from a lot in our little town and no one spoke about such things. I heard she was modeling, good for her I thought. She was darling, all of five feet tall (obviously doing petite modeling) with the longest eyelashes and thickest hair I had ever seen on anyone. She had the ability to light up a room just by entering it, she had a special charisma about her.

But in hind site I suspect she always felt like an outsider. I didn't think about it back then but her father ran a junkyard of sorts so I suppose they weren't exactly well off. She would wear her little brothers pajama tops to school (yes she was that small), and while she looked very chic in them I doubt that is why she was wearing them. I found her refreshing, and fun, and a bit quirky. In a lot of ways she kept to herself but she was my friend, and she made the world a much more interesting place.

I can understand why she distanced herself from that world and got away from it, and I can understand why I will probably never hear from her. But I still wonder about her and remember all of the fun times we had together, to this day I can not listen to Nights In White Satin with out thinking of her. She LOVED that song and would play it over, and over, and over again. I would love to see her again but in all probablitiy I won't. Wherever you are Strel this old friend hopes you are happy, healthy, and comfortable in your own skin.

Tis The Season

2008-10-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

I am always up for a challenge but I was a bit daunted when I was told I had to decorate a 12" Christmas tree for a contest at work. Not only do I work for a rather conservative company, I was limited to using supplies we actually sell in the store. Normally I would embrace such a challenge but I knew I needed to tow the line, so to speak, and my usually bawdy humor needed to take a back seat as well. Plus, I am not big on anything "traditional" so I knew striking a balance between acceptable for work vs. what I would really like to do was going to be tricky. At any rate, I sucked it all up (I did sneak in a few elements from my own personal stash of materials) and came up with my "Spirit of Christmas" tree. Fa, la, la...........

I Remember

2008-07-27T01:59:00.000-07:00

I remember

Long ago

In a blameless time

An improbable man

Drifted into my life

Casting shadows on my soul

Filling my mind with possibilities

And my heart

With boundless excitement

I remember

A gentle man with tranquil ways

Who spoke in hushed tones

And physical gestures

As he delivered knowing glances

And secret smiles

I remember

Feeling safe and loved

As I toyed with reckless abandon

And released laughter

Like a playful child

Standing in gritty dunes of sand

While salty wind brushed my hair

I recognized the fact

That I was home

I remember

You......

Frida's In The House

2008-07-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

Like everyone else I know I am a huge fan of Frida Kahlo. I was taken in by her talent long before she became the current media darling she is today, and I have probably read every book and article ever written about her. When I heard more of her personal memorabilia was discovered and a traveling museum show was being put together I was ecstatic. Reality set in when I realized the show would never make it to this island and as much as I would love to fly to the mainland to see it I don't see that happening anytime soon. So, I did the next best thing and ordered a copy of "Self Portrait In A Velvet Dress...Frida's Wardrobe", an exquisite book showcasing Frida's wardrobe, complete with photographs of her I haven't seen before. How wonderful is this book? If you are fascinated by every aspect of this woman's life as I am you will think you have died and gone to heaven when you look at this book. An added bonus are photographs taken by Graciela Iturbide, one of my favorite photographers. Not that I needed to see Frida's bloody hospital gown or her prosthetic leg wearing one of her fabulous red boots, and yet the strength of the images surely captures the strength Frida must have had in her life. This book is definitely eye candy for fridaholics as well as anyone interested in textiles and fashion. Now if I could just find someone to replicate those red, wedge heeled boots for me....

2008-07-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

I keep talking about all the things I am working on yet nothing ever seems to get done. The twin feti are still nestled together on top of my printer waiting for a permanent home on an art piece and the quilt project is looking like it is going to go on all summer. I have discovered there is a good reason why I don't sew, I don't really care for it. It's not so much a dislike of the sewing itself it is the sewing machine I am having issues with. Besides the fact that I don't know what I am doing I can't see what I am doing most of the time either. The little toy machine has a very teeny tiny needle and bobbin area which results in great frustration for me. None the less I am sticking with it and hope to have the quilt completed (and usable) sometime soon. But the real reason I am not getting anything done is this lovely creature! Every time I begin to work I lay the pieces of the quilt out on my bed so I can see how things are progressing and try to formulate a game plan for my next move. And the minute I turn my back to rummage for more fabric my cat, Gris Gris, has to get in the middle of it all. This morning I thought she was going to take a quick peek then get down, she didn't seem all that interested, but the next thing I knew there she was, all stretched out for a nap. (How does one get mad at that?!?!)

Anyway, as proof that I really am working on this thing here are a few close up shots (as I said earlier I am quilting it in sections). And since I don't sew well I am going for an alternative quilting look :)
This is turning out to be way more difficult than I expected it to be, well not exactly more difficult, more time consuming, definitely more time consuming. But it's getting there.

If I could just keep GrisGris off it...........

2008-07-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted on here. Oh, I am a bad blogger, shame on me! What can I say, I have a million excuses but I am blaming it on summer. Summer finds me oh so lazy, I guess it is the never ending heat and humidity that turn me into a puddle of nothingness this time of year.

I use to love summer. Endless days at the beach followed by an all night long get together with friends and strangers. But at some point all that stopped and it became more about getting through the work day, staying cool, and trying to sleep in the suffocating heat. Summer has definitely lost it's glamour for me. Every year I hope to rediscover the excitement and relaxation of summers past but somehow that always seems to escape me.

This year summer is being spent moving my mom into senior housing. A bittersweet adventure down life's path that neither one of us really cares to embark upon. My days off from work are spent culling through the treasures of her life, deciding which ones stay and which ones go. She hates to part with them and I hate to see her toss her material life away. That of course means I box the things up and bring them home with me. Family heirlooms, meaningful to only two.

So as everyone else seems to be living in a Target ad of barbecues and pool parties I am slaving away at my day job, trying to keep up with my art projects, and organizing the contents of a life lived out loud for 82 years. It's going to be a long summer...........

2008-06-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

I have jewelry to make for a gallery in town and samples to make for a new account, I have swap projects to finish, belated birthday gifts to make, a house to clean, family and pets to care for , and a day job. I have a lot to do with too few hours in the day to do it all, and with all of these projects and requirements facing me I have decided to make a quilt! I'm not sure, but this may be the first sign I am losing my mind.

I am in desperate need of new bedding and I can't find anything out there I like, let alone love enough to pay $300.00 or more for. So I have decided to make a quilt. How hard can it be?!? I love fabrics and textiles so I have amassed an interesting collection of colors, patterns and textures to make a quilt. Again, how hard can it be to sew squares together, at least that is my original thought. But I know how I am and I am sure sewn squares will become squares of collage and applique, ribbons and lace, hand painting and embroidery. I am not really a basic kind of gal so a simple square quilt probably won't satisfy me.

Did I mention I don't really sew and have limited quilt making experience? In college I decided to make a quilt for an art class. Each square had a stuffed applique on it and when assembled each puffy shape made a beautiful pattern. Because the quilt was king size and involved more puffy appliques than quilting the finished piece was too heavy to pick up, let alone sleep under! I truly think it weighed more that a futon bed when it was completed. I don't recall what I ended up doing with it but I suspect somewhere out there a homeless family is using it for a bed.

Anyway......so I don't really sew well, my tiny little sewing machine is more of a toy than a miracle making machine, and I have limited working space. With the tiny sewing machine and no work space I don't know how I will even be able to machine quilt a queen size quilt, there just isn't any room for all of that fabric. I think I may quilt finished blocks and then somehow sew them all together to make one large quilt, can you do that? I'm sure if any quilters are reading this they are shuddering at the thought. What can I say, sometimes you must be creative in unexpected ways and those are the times you come up with some really great discoveries. At least that is what I am hoping. I am determined to make a wonderfully funky, one of a kind quilt for my bed so stay tuned, this ought to be interesting......

Artful Reading

2008-06-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

I have a serious addiction to art books and magazines, there, I have said it out loud! I love nothing more than a fresh stack of publications and a lazy afternoon spent going over each one from cover to cover. I marvel at all the wonderful things people come up with and more often than not I discover a new tangent for my own work.

Yesterday I picked up the latest copy of "Artful Blogging" by Somerset Studio and a book by Rice Freeman-Zachery called "Living The Creative Life". Do yourself a favor and run out right now and buy both!

Since I am new to the whole world of blogging I was quite happy to find a publication I could turn to for tips and ideas. And since it is published by Somerset Studio I knew it was going to be good! I can't tell you how happy I am I have found this publication, it will definitely be added to my regular arsenal of must reads. I realize I have far to go in the world of blogging but this publication is going to make my journey easier and more fun. It really reinforced my beliefs that art can be found anywhere and everywhere and there is an entire community of individuals out there with different perspectives but the same viewpoint. If you are a seasoned blogger or considering getting into it, even if you have no intention of ever blogging in your life, take a look at this publication! The images and art work are beautiful, and the writing is heartfelt and inspiring.

And then there is "Living The Creative Life". If you are a fan of Somerset Studio you will love this book as it features many of the artists who regularly contribute to Somerset Studios publications, artists like Sas Colby, Claudine Hellmuth, and Michael DeMeng. Not only is "Living The Creative Life" full of inspiring ideas to kick start your creativity and help you move past those god awful artistic blocks it is full of amazing artwork by diverse artists like Scott Radke, Rebekah Hodous, Susan Shie and others. This is a gem of a book and I know it is going to become dog eared over time as I will return to it for rejuvenation time and time again.

So why are you still sitting there, go out and buy these publications!!!

Etsy

2008-05-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Whew, I finally got my Etsy site up and running! Why is it these things are never as easy as they should be? I guess all my years of inhaling paint and glue fumes have dulled my technical capabilities. At any rate, it is now up and running so please check it out if you have the time. And now I have to go make some more things.....

http://www.surebets.etsy.com/

Friends

2008-05-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

I love my friends.

I have truly great friends.

I have friends I have known since I was 12 years old, and friends I have known for 12 months, they are all my family. My friends make fun of me when I do something obviously stupid (like falling down the stairs while gawking at my new neighbor), my friends humor me when I get way too excited over a new glitter color, and my friends are there for me when I am sick, or upset over my latest love interest. But the best thing about my friends is the way they constantly surprise, amuse, and inspire me.

Today my friend Erin sent me a package. She sent me a beautiful little painting she did of a hand to add to my collection, and along with that she sent me a plastic fetus. Not just one, but two, I have twin feti, how great is that?!?! Only my friends can appreciate how exciting this is for me and how the warped wheels of my brain are now turning. What fabulous and questionable assemblage can I put together with these wonderful plastic baubles? I guess you will have to check back to see what tasteless and tacky thing I come up with. Whatever it is I know my friends will love it ( that's why they are my friends). Thanks Erin, you're the best!

Without You

2008-05-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

How was I to know
Where the distant road would lead
The night I turned my back
And walked briskly
Out of your life

So inexperienced in the ways of survival
So head strong in my own ideals
I thought you would be easy to replicate
I did not honor the sanctity
Your soul held with mine

How could I have known
The love and loss
I was to face
Surprisingly sweet
Yet bland
By the absence of your laugh
And the lightness of your touch

I know what I have become
Without you
An adventurer
Seeking thrills in foreign beds
Never paying for my dreams with my dignity
Yet never satiating the hunger in my soul
For someone who knew me
As you did

How could I become who I expected to be
When so much of what I believed
Myself to be
Was wrapped up in you.

Fragments

2008-05-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

The stained walls of my mind
House dark memories
And molded fragments
Of a story left untold

Ours was a happy ending which never came
Yet I lingered there far too long
Hoping for another chapter
Wanting to rewrite the summary of our fate

I dwelt in passing moments
As images became blurred by vision
Deliberately left out of focus
It was easier to believe
Yet harder to forget

Dreams float just out of reach
Somehow they seem closer
Feel warmer
Become more hopeful than they are

Images close enough to taste
Not near enough to touch
Create an ache for more
If only in a fragmented dream

Endings, like beginnings
Peel away ones soul
Like brittle wall paper
You become fragile and exposed.

Just Another Day In Paradise

2008-05-04T01:09:00.000-07:00

My morning began as it usually does, tossing my garbage in the trash dumpster in the driveway behind my building as I rushed to catch the bus. I have the routine down and rarely pay attention as I slam dunk the bundled trash into the bin. My aim was a bit off this morning and although I made the shot it barely missed the shoulder of the man who had decided the side of our garbage dumpster was the perfect place for him to relieve himself. He seemed startled and annoyed with me, ha, how dare I interrupt his public urination! Yep, it was going to be one of those days......

Trying to clear my mind of the trash incident I sat down at the bus stop and decided to focus on the cemetery across the street. It is a small, long forgotten cemetery that I find peaceful in a Gothic sort of way. The unkempt grounds and black iron gates set it apart from the lush green cemeteries that are abundant here. As I was studying one of the dead trees in there I noticed a woman in the midst of the grave sites doing her morning workout. I must admit that I myself stroll through there from time to time, but I am usually looking for dropped pods and other flora, never has it crossed my mind to unlatch the gate and enter to do an aerobics routine. But there she was, doing squats and jumping jacks, and I'm not sure what else, in full view of all the morning commuters and spirits who were trying to rest in peace. For some reason I found that more unsettling than the man peeing in my driveway. Out in the world for all of 10 minutes and I could tell my day was going to be a bit askew.

By the time I got on the bus and saw the psychotic man who is always on there I was ready for anything. But this morning he was acting more normal than usual (normal being a relative term). Not once did he face me and lift his shirt over his head, or stand up and announce each stop while sticking his tongue out at me. Instead he sat quietly in the front seat eating a huge bag of Frito's, every so often offering one to his imaginary friend. Hmmmm, it did seem like everything was out of whack today.

I muddled through my day feeling a bit like I was observing it all from a distance. Common things seemed disturbingly wrong and bizarre behavior seemed normal. I wonder if all these little oddities are encountered by everyone? Do these types of things go on everywhere and just get ignored by most of us or is my life just a freak show? I was contemplating these things as I was waiting for my friend to meet me at Starbucks after work. I found an empty table outside where we could hang out undisturbed, she could smoke and we could talk through the sunset. I was minding my own business, reading the Weekly, as I waited for her. Without warning a very unkempt, dirty, and I assume homeless man, approached me. He leaned forward and put his hand in my face to show me what he had to offer. For a mere $10.00 I could buy a half used book of Christmas stamps! He seemed bewildered as to why I wouldn't want to make such a purchase. As he walked away muttering to himself I had to remind myself that this was just another day in paradise.

What Inspires You?

2008-04-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

I collect things. Lots of things. Big things, little things, silly things, serious things. I have surrounded myself with clutter which I am sure is meaningful to no one but me. And as I look around my home, studying all of my many collections, I wonder why I so love to collect things. And after much consideration I realize I find not only comfort in my collections but inspiration.

One of my favorite things to collect are hand images. I have sculptures, paintings, jewelry, I even have hands tattooed on my back. What is it about hands that inspire me so? I really have no idea. Maybe it is the delicate, rough, graceful, thin, pudgy possibilities that are created with 5 digits. Is it all the pulling, pinching, and punching they can do? Or the elegant way they can tell a story? Perhaps the idea that our very destiny is written in our palms. I look at the lines on my hands and see a road map of possibilities. And I know that these hands can create wonderful things, they can speak of possibilities my words cannot articulate.

I know when I am in the midst of an artistic block, and a loudly stark piece of white paper is staring back at me, I will often start with the image of a hand. Talk to the hand, let that hand talk to you, it directs me and gets me back on my path of creating.

So tell me, what inspires you?

More or Less?

2008-04-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

What would you do if you could be another version of yourself?

Would you be kinder

more reserved

less righteous?

Would you love with an open mind

or a closed heart?

Would you soar freely through your life

or meander down more meaningful paths?

Would you spin through the galaxy

or flutter down to earth? Would you still be my friend?

Would you love me more

or less?

Welcome

2008-04-27T15:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to have a blog these days, and even though it isn't in my nature to follow the crowd, I find myself doing exactly that by starting this blog. I have kept diaries and sketchbooks over the years and find it is a good way to refresh my soul and restart my creativity. I hope to do that with this blog as well as inspire all of my artist friends the way they have inspired me with their generosity of talent. I can't promise a format with this, it will change with my moods, and since I find "art" in really random ways I suspect this will become quite a random page. So indulge me if you can, share your thoughts with me,and let's see what we can create!