Self-portrait Wednesday

11:46 p.m. - I'm scrambling to get this post in while it's still Wednesday!

We all wear many hats in life. Tonight, my hat is a pair of reading glasses, because I am an editor, helping my friend revise and edit an article that will be published soon. It's not unlike the work I do at school, helping my students to shape and mold their poems.

Tomorrow is "Poetry in your Pocket" day. In preparation, my class did some mixed media work with colorful tissue paper, stamps, and white polka dots. Tomorrow we'll cut 4 cards after they will glue their poems onto the back. Should look pretty cool!








¡Buenas noches!

La chispa

La chispa - the spark. Whether ignited by cherry blossoms kissing your cheek as you walk down the street on the perfect spring day, or the recognition of a kindred creative spirit by your side, it energizes and inspires - it breathes life into the core of your being. Providence has been so kind to me lately, bringing me friendships with so many people that encourage and enrich my life in myriad ways. It's as if Heaven and Earth had opened their arms to me, and I accept the embrace with gratitude.

Must see

I just took an incredible journey on the website and blog of a friend I made at Artfest, Beverly Gilbert. Go check it out. She is an amazing artist and brilliant colorist, as well as an exceptional educator. http://www.gilbertdesigns.net/

How lucky am I to be meeting all these wonderfully talented people right now in my life? Is it true what some wise person once said: "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." (Quote usually credited to Goethe, but perhaps should be ascribed to Anster. At any rate, a wonderful quote!)

Self-portrait Wednesday

Freshly-minted 50-year-old asks herself: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Self-portrait wednesday blog challenge brought to you by Misty Mawn.

Best Birthday Ever, Part 1

Look what I found in my classroom when I opened the door on Friday morning!

My 2nd Grade teammates are the best! Jennifer and Teresa snuck into the room after I left on Thursday. No wonder they were so impatient for me to go home on Thursday!

They made this banner and had the kids sign it during PE on Thursday. Sneaky! And I almost blew the surprise by walking in on the PE class, which I never do!

More signatures were added during lunch on Friday. Speaking of lunch time, as if all the decor wasn't enough, the girls also made cupcakes for everyone in the staff room and served up ice cream and mariachi music!

The balloon behind says "Over the Hill," something that's usually meant as a friendly jibe, but it made me think - maybe now I'm past all the hardest parts, and now I can coast through the second half of the century.

Sparkly!

The kids enjoyed all the decorations, and added to the fun by writing birthday cards for me. I especially loved this poem by Esbeidy:

Mi maestra es bonita

y bonita va a ser

Ella nos enseña muchísimo

y muchísimo vamos a aprender

En la mañana entramos

y la saludamos con un abrazo

que significa un cariño de mi

En el fin del día le doy un "five"

y con un abrazo también

que significa otra vez

un cariño de mi.

In the evening we reconvened with some of my work buddies along with Emily and Willow for a delicious dinner at Patstini's. (Sorry so dark!)

Jennifer and her beau Sam. (Such a good-looking couple! Like they were destined to be together!)

Jocye, Dori, and Teresa.

Mario, Karen, and Maria. Such a happy time!

After such a hearty meal we had to go out dancing. So it was off to 503 for a night of salsa and merengue, where we were joined by more friends, Blanca, Paula, and la bella Angela y su guapísimo esposo, Manny! La orquesta, Cubaneo, played great that night, and after a shaky start I was lucky to dance with some very good dancers. ¡Orale!

It was a fabulous day all day long, and I thank my wonderful teammates for making it the best birthday ever! Who knew that turning the big Five-Oh could be so much fun?! I get the feeling that the second half of the century is going to be fantastic!

Best Birthday, Part 2

The next morning, I was supposed to go to Emily's singing recital. I was very much looking forward to it, having never heard her perform solo before, BUT, she had laryngitis the day before, and couldn't hit her high notes at all, so she had to cancel. We'll look forward to a private concert for the family sometime soon!

So, it was off for an art day with Deirdra! First stop, Blackbird Farms, the lovely home and farm of our new friend from Cloth and Clay Dolls, Nancy!

Although the farm is close in, with all these gorgeous views all around you feel like you're way out in the country.

Two of Nancy's horses, Nellie and Cochise.

What a handsome fellow!

Nancy's studio - a delight to the eyes, filled with the wonderful dolls she has made or collected over the years.

All the modern appliances.

Warm and cozy feline friends.

Nancy's artistry with needle felting.

Below, Nancy shares the secret of her birthday doll...

I've got my eyes on you!

Wouldn't the bunkhouse down by the barn be a perfect space for art workshops? Good idea, Nancy!

We say thank you to Nancy for such a perfect afternoon of sharing enthusiasm for what we love to do! We look forward to visiting again soon!

After visiting with Nancy we went back home in time to see Emily all dolled up for her senior prom. Lovely!

As soon as she was off, we were off again, too. Portland artist Jesse Reno was showing his works in town - we were just going to see his work there, but after Deirdra talked with him on the phone, we were invited to his house! What a privilege. Jesse is one of those people who lives, eats, and breathes art. He shares the home and studio with his partner Lana, herself an amazing textile and mixed-media artist. Every wall, every corner of the house had something intriguing to see and ponder. I didn't take many pictures - I think I was too mesmerized just looking at the work, layer upon layer of color, texture, and symbolic imagery. Below is a detail of one of Jesse's large diptychs.

Jesse is very articulate about his work - a pleasure to listen to. I have heard that he is a wonderful teacher - I'd love to sign up for one of his workshops! Once upon a time (23 years ago?) I painted large and free - maybe someday I'll find my way back. Thanks to Jesse for sharing his time with us - it was incredibly inspiring.

After a full day of taking in visual stimulation, a body needs sustenance. Lana and Jesse suggested a nearby Mexican restaurant, which turned out to be La Calaca Comelona. ¡Qué sorpresa! It just happens to be a restaurant I'd been very eager to try out!

Like tourists in a foreign land, we snapped photos inside and out.

Our lovely hostess greeted us at the entrance.

Images of Frida and my favorite color combinations on the walls - it was just like home!

Thanks for such an amazing art day, Deirdra! So fun to celebrate my birthday this way!

When I got home I reflected on the day. We had been to two very different environments, and I loved both of them! But it made me ask myself:

Am I some of this or some of that, or somewhere in between? For now, perhaps I am only

Another page in the book of life

This is another page I completed this weekend to go into my Poetic Eye journal that I started in LK Ludwig's class. In the foreground I played with another of LK's techniques from her book True Vision (page 99, Faux landscape painting). I definitely have to play with it more to build up more texture - maybe use a heavier gel medium - but for this photo I was happy to get out my ancient etching tools to incise the surface.

Poetic eye

I

see the flip side of myself

in the mirror that is you

or a figment

of my imagination

the me I might be

in another life

if I lived in

the shadow of the moon

An open letter to Teesha & Tracy Moore

Dear Teesha & Tracy,

Only a few days after Artfest 09 and I miss it already so badly. But my heart is full of so much joy. Everyone says that Artfest is a transformative experience, and this time it was for me. I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do to bring together all these amazing souls. I don't know when I've felt so much joy and comraderie - and so much validation for who I am and what I do. My journey into arthood has not always been easy - when I was a young art student at UCLA one drawing teacher laughed at the drawing I had put up so meekly for critique. His laughing at it, in front of everyone, was so damaging to me for such a long time; but it didn't stop me from struggling along, trying to find myself. Other artforms and art teachers have been much kinder, so I have been able to limp along and even occasionally leap. But now I have sprouted wings and I am taking off on a beautiful journey - thanks, in such a large part, to all that Artfest is.

Imagine if I had had the nurturing experience of Artfest back when I was a youngster - where would I be today? No matter - I am here now, on the brink of my 50th year, ready to soar.

With tons of gratitude,

lulu

Photography 101

I am attempting to learn a little more about photography. My camera is just a point and shoot, but a nice one. I can change exposure settings and times and such.

Cherry tree at 5:45 a.m. This is what it looks like when I take Shoobie out for her walk. The sky is prussian blue, dark and inky. The pale pink blooms glow golden by the light of the lampost. I set my tripod nearby. 15 second exposure.


A 30 second exposure converts the dark sky to artificial daylight, mimicking the summer sun.

Click on it to make the image larger. I find it somewhat eerie the way the long exposure has flattened the image, giving it an otherworldly postcard effect.

Same tree at 5:45 p.m. with a cloudy sky.

Clouds of pink blossoms.

I stand beneath the tree, inhaling its delicate fragrance.

At the risk of seeming obsessively self-indulgent,

I play with the images of this tree,

so in love with everything I see.

Bits and pieces of work

Day 1: LK Ludwig's class, The Poetic Eye

Self-portraiture in mixed media with found poetry. A beautiful class. LK is amazing. Hearing her journey to becoming an artist brought tears to my eyes and hope to my heart.

Throughout the day we learned techniques for building up backgrounds, creating transluscent collaged papers, transferring imagery on wire mesh with patina, and finding poetry in random word selection.

Day 2: Judy Wise, Photographic Memory

Encaustic on paper. Continuing with the imagery and theme from LK's class, I learned more background techniques and how to apply encaustic, a beautiful medium that allows for layers of color, imagery, and mark making. The wax imbues the surface with a warm glow. It was so great to take an art class from Judy, who is an effervescent fountain of knowledge with a great sense of humor!

I quickly began combining the imagery and techniques from both classes on pages that would go into my Poetic Eye journal.

Can I just say that I just LOVE all this texture?

(Frida's face: my best gel medium transfer to date!)

I couldn't wait to keep working on my pieces after class.

Day 3: Karen O'Brien, Block Party.

Karen explained that the idea for this project came when she first saw an Art-o-Mat, a converted cigarette machine that dispenses small pieces of art rather than tobacco products (so much healthier!). Our kit included small blocks of wood and plenty of ephemera. Karen showed us more great ways to create a beautifully textured background using deli paper, paints, scraps of the ephemera, stamps and other surfaces that could be used to apply even more texture. Afterwards she showed us how to do packing tape image transfers. Using Golden fluid acrylics, we watched our imagery pop on the surface. I could definitely see mixing these techniques with those of the other two classes.

Finally, I wanted to share here something else in progress that I was intending to show in the gallery, but alas, I did not have enough time to finish it. This is another recycled bottle doll. She started her life as a vinegar bottle. Inspired by the sea monster theme, she blossomed into the creature that she is today. I look forward to finishing her.

"Re-entry" has been - not rough - but not smooth, either. I miss my art friends old and new. I think if I could stay home and immerse myself in the art is wouldn't be so hard. That's not the reality right now, but I am studying the maps to make it my reality.