200 Words for Snow

Across the Great Divide

2011-07-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Just back from a week's vacation in Colorado -- which promises to provide fodder for more upcoming blog posts -- and was so inspired by the landscape east of the Rockies that I couldn't wait to get back into the studio and try my hand at a landscape in pastel. Actually, that's not entirely true. Part of me couldn't wait, but another part of me was really quite afraid to take this on. Luckily, the muse is pushy and will not shut up, so today I gave it a try.

I'm working at staying looser in my style and not worrying so much about each specific rock and tree. Many years ago, at the Georgia O'Keefe museum in Santa Fe, I saw an exhibit of her landscape paintings of the area displayed next to photos of the actual landscape. It was eye opening and inspiring to see how she both captured and transformed the landscape in her paintings. I've never forgotten it.

While working on this piece today of Garden of the Gods, I just kept asking myself, what would Georgia do?

Saturday Morning Revisited

2011-07-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Pastel on paper

One of these days...

2011-06-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

About an hour and a half into the four-hour drive between my home and my Dad's is the Milk Farm sign. It's classic. It's iconic. It's old school. It's totally cool. And every time I drive by I say, "One of these days I'm going to stop and get some photos of that sign. I love that sign." One of these days...

Seize the day. The cow will thank you.

Draw a Bird Day 2011

2011-04-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

April 8 is Draw a Bird Day! This time last year a dear friend of mine was fighting for her life. She won. Last year's entry was dedicated to her. This year's entry, another swallow, is a reminder to me of every step we take on our journey and to practice gratitude every day.

The What I Love Series #8: California

2011-04-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Yup - I love my home state. Can't help it. This photo shows one reason why.

Saturday Morning: Light and Shade

2011-03-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

The What I Love Series #7: Street murals and graffiti art

2010-12-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last What I Love post. I love graffiti art and street murals. I love the colors, the techniques used, the total artistic commitment they require. Truly inspiring.

Coyote TOD: A Book About Death - Redux

2010-11-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

As one of the original artists from the first A Book About Death exhibit in NYC, I recently received an invitation to create a piece for the new Ray Johnson and A Book About Death exhibit. This piece is based partly on a long-standing argument between two aunts as I was growing up, partly on what death looks like to me over two years after losing a loved one, and partly on what Coyote continues to teach me.

Coyote TOD

Lizard Humor

2010-07-28T16:46:00.001-07:00

Folks who know me well know I've been talking a lot about Coyote lately. So much so that he really rates his own post - but that will come later. (Yes, yes, let's keep Coyote waiting and see what happens... wanna play with fire anyone?) We think of Coyote as the trickster and the funny guy - but my personal experiences have shown me many animal teachers have a sense of humor. I know a few ravens and magpies who've enjoyed endless amusement at my expense. I laugh and like to think I'm in on the joke which, no doubt, makes them laugh harder.

I was a little surprised, however, to discover Lizard's sense of humor. I had always thought of the dreamtime as a sort of serious sacred place you shouldn't poke fun at. While working on this piece in my studio, Lizard begged to differ. And I love him for it!

The What I Love Series #6: Old Signs

2010-07-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

They don't make em' like they used to. Found this one in Santa Barbara where the Greyhound bus station is tiny, gritty, and still operating. A wonderful respite and antidote to how pretty most of that town is.

It's blue, it's fuzzy, and it's gonna keep me warm this winter!

2010-06-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

Yes - the studio is still under construction, but we're getting closer to finished! This past weekend we installed the insulation using a "green" product made from recycled denim. So really, it's blue. But it's green. You can read more about it here. What they say on the website is true - it's green (I know, I know, it's blue...), it has no chemical irritants, it's fairly easy to handle, and the "oversized widths" do "ensure a tight friction fit and fill capacity" which means that, for the most part it stays where you put it. But in the interest of full disclosure, here's what else you should know. First - it's more expensive. Somewhere, somehow, someone has got to address the fact that the expense of "green" products is prohibitive to a lot of people. In fact, we had a difference of opinion in our household and it's just because I'm well loved (and stubborn) that we went with this product as opposed to having a company come in and install fiberglass insulation for almost half the cost. That's right. For almost half the cost of just the materials using the recycled denim we could have paid for both the fiberglass insulation and the installation. Thus the reason we did the installation of the denim product ourselves. If we had paid a company to install the denim it would have been three times the cost of the fiberglass. So... you really gotta wanna use this stuff.

Second - yes, it's safe and all, but it's treated with a boron-based fire retardant, which is a good thing, but I don't really want to be breathing that stuff. That, combined with the fact that we're talking about bazillions of tiny cotton fibers everywhere means we all wore dust masks. If you have a gladiator respiratory system I suppose you could forego that, but I don't. So to avoid inhaling what looked like the contents of lots and lots of dryer lint traps, we wore masks. Which made the physical work unpleasant. That, combined with the fact it was very warm this weekend, made the work more physically taxing than we thought it would be. We were pooped.

Third - while you can safely handle the stuff with your bare hands (my brother and husband did with no complaints) I chose to wear gloves. I have pretty sensitive skin so just wanted to play it safe.

Fourth - and this is kind of important - while it's light and easy to handle and stays where you put it - it's not that easy to tear/cut for those smaller spaces. We ended up doing a lot of tearing which got old pretty quickly. (I have really small hands so had a harder time. Hubby and bro did not have as much difficulty.) I should mention I've never installed any kind of insulation before so don't have anything to compare to, but my reasons for going with a green product haven't changed and I'd make the same choice again. In the end, it has to do with how I want to walk my journey on this planet. Stay tuned for more updates as we progress, including no-VOC paints (ay yay yay... what color? Definitely not blue!) and no-VOC concrete stain and sealer.

The What I Love Series #5: Polkadots

2010-06-15T18:24:00.001-07:00

Really - need I say more?

Come see the Art!

2010-05-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

In a flurry of creative activity I managed to wade through the dust and chaos of my studio (currently a construction zone) and produce some new pieces. I now have four new pieces -- just in time for the Coastside Mixed Media Artists Show and Sale going on the month of June. Here's a sampler. You can go to my Flickr page to see them closer - or, hey, come to the show!

Art Show

2010-05-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

The What I Love Series #4: Birds

2010-04-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

OK - everyone knows I love birds. But this post is a bit more specific. I'm not an extraordinary photographer. I hold my own -- barely. And I'm not sporting lots of fancy equipment. (I use a Canon S5IS - it's a hybrid SLR with a fixed lens.) Invariably, when I'm trying to photograph a bird there will come that moment when the bird looks straight at me and straight into the camera lens. And it cracks me up every time. I love when that happens.

The What I Love Series #3: Road Trips

2010-04-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

Road Trips!

If there's one thing I really need after this week it's to lift my spirits up a bit. I can't think of a better way to do that than to put more love out there. Y'know, the whole, what-you-put-out-there-comes-back-to-you thing... Soooo... here's another thing I love.

(This photo was taken somewhere in the Arizona desert the summer of 1982.)

Draw a Bird Day 2010

2010-04-07T20:14:00.001-07:00

April 8 is Draw a Bird Day - or rather - a special day just for me! I'm dedicating this post to my dear friend Meredith who was in a serious car accident yesterday. Early sailors would have swallows tattooed on each side of their chest to show they had travelled five thousand miles. Swallows can also represent good luck, the coming of spring, and rebirth. Here's to Meredith and her healing journey.

The What I Love Series #2: Cool Stuff

2010-04-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here's something I love. Prowling around thrift and antique stores and finding cool stuff. I don't know what these are. The tag on the back says, "lotto cards". I thought maybe bingo - but there are no letters. Who cares - I love the illustrations and the colors. And of course, the birds!

It's All About the Love: The What I Love Series #1

2010-04-02T21:47:00.001-07:00

Yeowzas - it's been a while since I posted. Winter was tough - but Spring is here and I'm starting a new series of posts about Love. Specifically, what I love. And for the first post of this series I'm featuring a piece I did last summer, in tribute to the passing of my cat, Rocky, entitled, It's All About the Love. Nuff said.

This is a small piece, approximately 4" across and hangs from a black cord. Here's a close up.

Inspiration

2010-01-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

Clarion Alley in San Francisco is a place to be walked with reverance and awe--and a certain amount of defiance when having to step aside for the occasional car driving through. (Don't they know there's art here?) Being a person who struggles with very linear tendencies--both in life and in art--I found inspiration in the murals and graffiti art on this alley. Form and shape first above all else.

Let there be light...

2009-11-25T14:56:00.000-08:00

There's an amazing invention out there. It's called the electric light. Electricity is a fabulous thing, and we are in the process of putting this modern miracle in my studio! This means a bit of a hiatus on studio time right now so bear with me and stay tuned.

A Book About Death - The Video

2009-11-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

To get a taste of the exhibit, check out the video on A Book About Death. Surf the Dirt (my piece) is at 8:06 on the video, but really, the entire thing is incredibly provocative.

Time warp Tuesday

2009-10-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

Yup - that's me. Always the bird girl!

Poetry Monday: The Guest House

2009-10-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.

meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

~ Jelaluddin Rumi,

translation by Coleman Barks

A Book About Death

2009-08-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Last year, after losing my dear cousin to lung cancer, I stepped into the studio filled with very strong emotions and absolutely no artistic plan. From that experience came Surf the Dirt, a mixed media piece using dirt from my yard, acrylic gel medium, and a polymer clay surfing skeleton.

That piece has now evolved into a postcard that will be displayed at the Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery in New York City as part of the A Book About Death exhibit. The exhibit opens Thursday, September 10 and will run through Tuesday, September 22. If you are anywhere near New York City during that time I encourage you to check it out and make your own book about death. You can click here to see my postcard on the exhibit blog or here to go to my gallery.

Coyote Road - the video!

2009-08-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

The video is here! Check out the transformation process of the hubcap for the Landfillart project. Click below to watch or you can go directly to YouTube.

Coyote Road

2009-08-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

The hubcap is done! Click on the image below to see a larger version.

As a mixed-media artist, I found the Landfillart program exciting on many levels. I spend a great deal of my time—in both my art and my life in general—exploring how to use or reuse “everyday” objects in ways different than they were originally intended. I am fascinated with the idea of changing our perspective about “trash”. In addition, my art is all about the exploration of our internal, personal worlds and their connection to our physical surroundings. My art is often deeply personal, working a great deal with animal teachers and the natural landscape. I love the idea of using an item like a hubcap to take these concepts to another level. I wanted to explore our relationship with our cars and, as with so many other material items in our lives, how we use them to insulate ourselves from the mess, chaos, and unpredictability of life. We have turned our cars into rolling illusions of control and safety. Coyote is the teacher in this piece—pointing out that there really is no control or safety. Life is messy. The road is messy.

This is a mixed media piece, with a rusty, “gritty” finish, using original artwork and digital images, acrylic skins, and pieces of a broken vintage mirror. The hubcap is turned around with the inside acting as a frame or nicho for the elements. The photo of the empty road in the middle of the Arizona desert is actually from a snapshot I took while on a road trip in 1982. The original drawing of Coyote was scanned and then printed onto watercolor paper using digital grounds. The title: Coyote Road.

Catching up

2009-08-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Whew - it's been a while, I know. Lots of stuff happening, both challenging and rewarding. Sadly, we lost our dear kitty, Rocky, July 22 from kidney failure and are still reeling from that. His sister, Frida is adjusting quite nicely to being the solo cat in the house and becoming quite the diva kitteh. We lost one or our ferals as well, Cinder Kitty, also in July. And in June we honored the one year anniversary of the passing of my cousin, Laurie. Lots of souls leaving us in the last couple of years... but with each departure space has opened up for new energy to enter. I am saddened and grateful and inspired with each passing.

On the art front - the hubcap is done! Look for images and video to be posted soon. I've been in the studio creating new pieces, feeling inspired, and wish I were there right now, instead of availing myself of the free wi-fi at the San Jose Airport...

My friend Melisa and I went on a neon sign photo hunt one evening last month. Here are a couple of my top picks. To see more, click here or on the Photography link on your right.

One year today

2009-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

In memory of my dear cousin, Laurie, who passed away one year ago today, her nephew put together this video.

My Rock

2009-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends is ailing. This is Rocky - aptly named for Rocky the Flying Squirrell since his feet rarely touched the ground his first few years of life. I could write reams about how special he is, but everyone thinks their cat is special so I won't bore you. Suffice it to say he owns a good-sized chunk of real estate in my heart. Rocky is currently struggling with kidney problems and things are dicey right now. Positive energy and well wishes are welcome.

Ball chains

2009-05-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Flora Non Grata

2009-04-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Ice plant is not something to be mentioned in polite California company. Environmentalists and native plant advocates agree, this non-native interloper causes big problems in many natural areas. It forms nearly impenetrable mats that dominate resources; has invaded native habitats; competes directly with threatened or endangered plant species for nutrients, water, light, and space; suppresses the growth of both native seedlings and mature native shrubs; can lower soil pH in loamy sand; change the root system morphology of at least two native shrub species... in other words, does not play well with others.

And yet... kind of pretty, huh?

Greek Fishing Float

2009-04-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

When I was very, very young some neighbors, upon returning from a trip to Greece, presented each of us neighbor kids with a glass fishing float, in it's rope netting, as a souvenir. As a small child I was underwhelmed with this gift, hung it from my bedroom curtain rod, and didn't think about it much. Oddly enough though, I have taken this item with me, through every stage of my life, and to every place I've ever lived. The string it originally hung from broke and fell apart years ago, and the rope netting has decayed to the point of being more like a loose nest for the glass float. I truly love this object now and really like watching it's evolution as it ages.

Draw a Bird Day!

2009-04-08T12:12:00.001-07:00

It's like they created a day just for me! That's right, April 8 is Draw a Bird Day. Otherwise known as, A Good Reason for Lisa to Share her Pen and Inks with the World Day - you decide.

What's a day without crows anyway?

Healing

2009-04-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

I am currently healing from a neck and arm condition that's not only impairing my computer time, but also my art time in general. I dug into my archives to share this photo.

Last fall, while raptor watching on Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands, I looked down and saw this guy. Butterfly is all about metamorphosis and change... after all, everything is always changing.

Look closely

2009-03-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

One part of what I love so much about the actual act of photography for me is the isolating and capturing of a small element of a larger picture and having it stand on its own merit. I frequently have to remind myself to look up and see the larger landscape as a whole because I am so captivated by the amazing things that are happening on a "small" level all around us. I think the macro lens was invented for us "God is in the details" type of people.

Sometimes it's obviously breathtaking, like looking closely at a blooming Protea or strands of pearls in a glass jar. Sometimes it's seeing how the cracks and bumps in an old chalkboard make an amazing texture. I think beauty really, truly is all around us if we just adjust our lens.

Yeeeeeowch! Coyote and the blank canvas.

2009-03-21T08:47:00.001-07:00

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."

When applying for the Landfill Art project, I had to come up with a basic idea of what I wanted do with an old hubcap. No problem, I thought. After some reflective thinking and meditation I knew what I wanted to do, and that Coyote is the animal teacher for this project (such a hog for the spotlight...). So it should come as no surprise that Coyote's energy is all over the place lately.

Here's something to think about. Overall, there were an estimated 250,851,833 registered passenger vehicles in the United States according to a 2006 study. OK - now think about how many different models and makes that must encompass, how hubcap designs differ, and how many more vehicles--and hubcaps--are in landfills throughout the U.S. from older models. You get some sort of idea of the variety of hubcaps that must be out there.

So. My hubcap was a surprise. And not really what I had in mind.

I can:

Cram that square peg into the round hole and try and make my original idea work, godammit, no matter what

Complain bitterly and be a whiny diva-wanna-be and ask for another hubcap to fit my detailed specifications ("I just can't work in these conditions!")

Sit back, let Coyote take me where he wants me to go, and see what this particular "canvas", and the Universe, have in mind for me and this art piece

I'm voting for number 3. Good luck with that...

Simply because I think it's cool

2009-03-19T10:33:00.001-07:00

I took this photo at Apartment 46. Check out her stuff, there's so much more where this came from. I love the composition, colors, subject matter... sharing it here just because I think it looks cool.

Sunday Bike Ride

2009-03-15T18:35:00.001-07:00

I was having one of those days where it was just too hard to shake the vivid dreams from the night before and I needed to get out, by myself, and work off the nightmare hangover. I've been eyeing this fence for months, so grabbed my camera and hopped on the bicycle. I love the colors, textures, and faded impressions where numbers used to be. The endorphins from the bike ride didn't hurt either.

Currently speechless

2009-03-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Hope and silver linings

2009-03-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been tough for most folks I know--me included. We all seem scared, sad, and tired. And, although I know we desperately need the rain, my spirit has felt grey and soggy. The incessant Spring winds are just salt in the wounds...

On the other hand, I'm frequently accused of being a Pollyana. I can't help it. My drive home today was spectacular. Yes, I'm on a four-lane highway, disgustingly increasing my carbon footprint. But I'm also driving along the San Francisco Bay, where on any day I can see several species of birds--hawks, egrets, crows, gulls to name just a few. Here I am, in a brief interlude between storms, in one of the most beautiful places in the country. The clouds are stacked miles high in a tribute to Charles Courtney Curran. The sun is shining on my left and a rainbow stretches out across the bay on my right. Oh, and the music on the radio? Perfect. It doesn't matter what it was, just fill in whatever you like for your ideal soundtrack.

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

Yellow Yarrow, Yellow Jacket

2009-03-01T10:20:00.001-08:00

Bulbs in a mason jar

2009-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Musical interlude

2009-02-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I'm not in the studio with paint on my hands, I'm still creating. Whether I'm working on my pen and ink drawings, hunting through magazines for words to clip, or photographing anything I find visually compelling I am in the artistic process. (I'm also building a "library" of my own elements to use in future mixed-media pieces, so it's a win-win type of thing.) To that note, while I'm creating new mixed media pieces and waiting for paint to dry, I'm going to post some other stuff for "your listening pleasure".

Truck Stop in Lodi

2009-02-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

February Show Information

2009-01-26T11:57:00.001-08:00

Crow Entendre

2009-01-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

Here's the other piece that will be featured in the Coastside Mixed Media Artist's show in February. This piece is 9x12 and includes acrylic paint, original artwork and digital photography.

Unlocking the Heart

2009-01-12T21:08:00.000-08:00

This new piece is 11x14 and includes original pen and ink and pencil drawings, digital photography, and acrylic paint and molding paste.

This is one of two of my pieces that will be included in the Coastside Mixed Media Artists show at M Coffee in Half Moon Bay for the month of February. To find out more about this show watch the Where to See My Stuff space in the sidebar to your right.

Year-end musings

2008-12-30T13:22:00.000-08:00

Quite frankly - I'm glad to see this year come to a close. It's not been an easy one - but it has been heeeeeyuuuuge on the personal growth front. In an attempt to get my head around stuff, here are some things that have happened or I have learned in the past year:

I lost my best friend-sister-cousin to cancer

I was able to really step up for her when she was sick. (I am extremely grateful for the generosity and caring from my employers during that time.)

The grieving process is lot like the Grand Canyon. You can't really appreciate the imensity, scope, and vastness of it until your standing in front of it.

I lost a bunch of weight. No, this was not stress-related. This was a very conscious, present process.

I am redefining who I am and my place in the world and chagrined to face my own judgements about fat and thin.

I am continuing to find my own voice in my artwork and discovered that I just may actually have some talent.

Nature - and life in general - can be messy, smelly, gorey, ugly, brutal, and in your face. And - it's not personal!

For the most part I actually like my job.

Although I started out this year a bit afraid of him, I think I understand Coyote a little better than before.

Tatiana rocks!

Life really is what happens when your busy making other plans.

Everything is always changing.

Skeletons aren't as scary as they used to be - especially when teaching you to surf.

It's really OK to f-ck up. Really. It's OK.

It is quite possible that rules really were made to be broken. Especially the ones in your head.

These last two are intrinsically connected.

Nothing is ever all good or all bad. Nothings is ever written in stone. There are no absolutes.

Sometimes it's really best to say nothing at all.

Holiday Card 2008

2008-12-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Holiday greetings!

As they say, everything is always changing, and we are announcing a change to the way we’ll be sharing our annual holiday card. In an effort to conserve both personal and global resources, this is the last year we'll be sending out paper, hard-copy Sloane-Ochoa original holiday cards.

But we’re not going away! We still want to share our original creations and best wishes with folks so, starting in 2009, we will be sending our holiday card via email and also posting it for viewing online.

That gives you a whole year to make sure we have your email address! You can send it to us at:
200wordsForSnow@gmail.com.

Reducing our footprint, one step at a time!

Another Sloane~Ochoa Original
© 2008

Celebrating Bluto

2008-12-14T15:07:00.000-08:00

Jon Carroll, one of my favorite S.F. Chronicle columnists, often gives his readers a warning before launching into a "cat column". Apparently, some of his readers dislike his accountings of feline antics. I'm not one of them--I love his cat columns--but I'm going to take a page from his notebook and give warning here and now. Warning--this is a cat posting. Moreover, this is a feral cat posting--and it's not short. Does it get any better than that?

As I've previously mentioned, I have been both blessed and cursed to share my life with a group of feral cats. I've made a commitment to each of them--they've each been spayed or neutered, microchipped, immunized, and given daily food and water--and they have returned the favor by gracing us with a peek into their different personalities and social structure.

When Bluto first arrived on the scene in May, 2001, he was what my records describe as a "Big Nasty Orange Tom". We called him Bluto because all the other cats were afraid of him. He fought with the other cats and, when I managed to trap him, he was hateful, striking at me twice through the trap. After his release Bluto gradually mellowed and had become a regular fixture by the time Taran joined the group in June of 2002. It didn't take long for Taran and Bluto to bond, often sleeping curled up together and grooming each other. By July of that year Bluto was a sweet, albeit shy, marshmallow of cat, wholly dedicated to his feral feline family. Where Taran had assumed the more paternal, leadership role, Bluto was the nurturing, snuggling maternal presence of the group. Tortilina is the mighty huntress, keeping the yard free of rats and the only member of our clan who has kept her svelte figure. Every member of the clan looks after Mama Kitty, who has always had breathing issues and they all treat her with incredible affection and tenderness. Then there is Cinder Kitty who I call our Outrider. She comes and goes as she pleases, drifting in and out of the group, and is another story for another day.

Caring for feral cats is not easy. Crazy cat lady euphemisms aside, it has been a great lesson in love and surrender and all the different ways those can both be defined. I will never be able to touch them--they will not stand for that. Occasionally someone will get close enough to sniff my hand, but I can only guess I smell unpleasant to the feral feline nose because they will recoil and move away as quickly as possible. I may feed them, but short of that initial trapping, any kind of medical attention is virtually impossible. These guys ain't gonna fall for the same trick twice and, even if I did manage to trap them again, in most cases the extreme stress involved in a trip to the vet, and the difficulty and danger of handling and treating an essentially wild animal rules this out. It's not unlike those wildlife photographers who document events, but do not become involved as life and death works itself out in front of them. The biggest difference--I have made a lifetime commitment to these cats, whatever the scope of their lifetime might mean.

So I get to watch from a very privileged, yet distant place, while these guys move through their lives. We saw Bluto's health declining. He was old by feral standards. He had become increasingly hard of hearing and we were careful not to startle him when we could tell he didn't hear us coming. He spent almost all his time in our yard so we hoped he would be safe. Often the pupils of his eyes were unequal, one being significantly more dilated than the other. His coat, once dense and thick, started to look as if he was molting. Then one of his eyes became severely infected. Critics might say it was unfair to let him suffer, but I still believe a trip to the vet would have made him suffer more--and it would have been impossible to give him any kind of ongoing treatment. So we watched as the infection grew worse and sent him healing thoughts and love as often as possible, but always from a distance.

Bluto has been missing for well over a week now and we know in our hearts that he is gone. I fear that his end was not pleasant and I hope that our love and care made some difference in the overall quality of his life while he was here. His feline family called for him for several days, but that has tapered off. As I look back I marvel over the transformation his personality underwent and what an integral part of his feline family he became--the cat who once fought with everyone.

We all miss his warm, loving, hunk of a presence in our back yard. We miss how he and Taran would curl up together on the front porch, both impossibly fitting on the one chair. We miss his constancy and his shy, sweet, unassuming self.

Crow Irony

2008-11-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Yes... more about Crow. Among other things, I like the duality of crow--the light and dark, yin and yang, and the reminder that nothing is ever all "bad" or all "good". And face it. I just plain like crows.

This piece is small, 6X6 on canvas board, acrylic, gesso, white opaque flakes, cheesecloth, and original pen and ink art.

It's my party...

2008-10-07T18:17:00.001-07:00

Or in this case, it's my blog, and I'll post what I want to. I'm tired of waiting until I have a piece completed, photographed, or scanned, before posting here. The truth is, exploration in all forms, is what this space is about, so I've decided to share some new stuff. Because, as I mention in another post, I'm freakish about not using other people's proprietary images and content, and I'm also cheap, I use my own digital photography in my mixed media pieces. My holiday present to myself last year was my Canon S5 IS with a killer zoom.

In case it's not obvious, I'm also a bit freakish about animals and am both blessed and cursed to share my life with, among others, five feral cats. Make no mistake, these guys are truly feral, and we can't get too close to them, but I discovered recently that my zoom can.

Here's some backyard wildlife photography, in order of appearance, Tortilina and Mama Kitty above, Cinder Kitty directly below, and Taran in close up at bottom.

We have the technology...

2008-09-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

At long last - here is Raven. This piece measures 24X30 and was completed in 2007. Finding a way to effectively show this piece online has been challenging so my thanks go out to Craig at Luna's Memories, and his awesome scanner. You can click on the image to see it larger, although it still lacks a little something compared to the real thing.

First, the technical stuff. This piece incorporates acrylic paints, tissue paper, digital photography, and old topographic maps. All the images (with the exception of the topo maps) are original.

This piece is highly personal to me and the process of creating it was quite a journey on technical, artistic, and emotional levels.

Because I'm not into stealing other people's imagery and violating copyright laws, and I'm inherently cheap, I decided I needed to create the components of this piece myself. I discovered that maybe I really can paint.

Although I had previously only worked on pieces no larger than 9X12 I was being called, loudly, to go bigger with this piece. Purchasing the canvas and taking it out to my car was a true act of faith.

This is the piece where I first heard my own artistic voice and was able to stay true to it while serving the muse and the magic of Raven.

Oh, and another act of courage -- sharing this very personal piece with the world.

Snake and the Rule Book

2008-06-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's a recurring theme in my life -- see Breaking the Rules if you need any kind of history here. Or, if you want more information you can read Truth about my struggles creating this piece. I worked on this piece for a long time. As I mentioned, there were both logistical/mechanical challenges as well as emotional ones.

Here's the other part.

On May 19, just as I was almost finished with this piece, my cousin was diagnosed with very advanced lung cancer. Somehow I managed to grab some time in my art studio between doctor's appointments, the emergency room, ICU, and vigilant advocacy at the hospital. I finished this piece shortly before she died on June 6.

We were very close, saying we were cousins and sisters (although I began to fear people would take us literally and really wonder about our family.) I was "her person" holding her hand throughout her illness. You can see her memorial video on YouTube.

Pain and grief are still very fresh right now so I can't completely articulate this, but I know her passing and this piece are connected. Snake teaches me to transmute, shed my skin, and embrace the power of fire. It's no mistake, ironic as it may seem right now, that the woman is smiling on the burnt pages of the rule book.

OctoPop

2008-06-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a blue frozen popsicle treat. My father turned 80 this past April and due to several unforeseen circumstances, I wasn't able to give him his birthday gift until recently. Obviously I couldn't post the picture of it until he had received the actual item, but here it is. Happy birthday Pop - you are officially an Octogenarian!
This piece is all about fun and reminder to me to lighten up once in a while. Not everything has to be deep, personal, and meaningful. Art is about expression, and there really is a lighter, goofy side to me. This is a mixture of digital artwork, using a photo I took of his dog Ruthie, textured papers, more words as visual elements, and lots of acrylic paint and medium.

Hippo Birdies to Bro

2008-04-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

The subtitle of my blog is Explorations in art, love, and speechlessness. This post is about all three.

You can't know me for long without hearing about my brother. We survived childhood together, and in our family that's no small feat. To say we're close is an understatement but I often find it difficult to tell the people most important to me how much I love them. He's a multi-talented carpenter, artist, river rafter, musician and he just turned 50. You can see his ceramics at www.sloanearts.com. Aint he something?

I made this piece for my brother, in celebration of his half-century mark this time around. This 11 X 14, mixed-media collage piece has a matte finish. The vintage photos of the mountains and digitally altered topographic map are the San Gabriel mountains, specifically Icehouse Canyon. We grew up at the root of these mountains and I think they are part of our cell structure. The photo of the two of us was taken on my 17th birthday. Hey, we all looked like that back then! Spider walked into this piece of her own accord.

Digital disclaimer: this is a scan of the unframed piece and not only is the resolution pretty poor, but it loses something without the frame. I gave it to him before I could get an image of the framed piece. If I do I'll replace this image, but use your imagination in the meantime.

Lesser Known Artists and the Kindness of the Muse

2008-04-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

When I took a hard right turn from pursuing visual art in college I landed on creative writing and earned a degree from San Francisco State. Memory is a funny thing, so I think my reflections now are very different from what was actually going on then. That being said, creative writing felt safer than art -- partly because I don't think I ever pictured myself as an actual working writer. I'm not sure I really gave fiction writing my full energies, but I did meet some incredibly gifted writers through that program, including my lifelong friend, Becky.

Poetry, on the other hand, was my strong point and there is one particular poem I wrote that, after all these years, I can still remember -- probably because it's very short. A poetry teacher took us all to the old San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (I'm not sure if that's even what it was called back then, but it was in an old building on Van Ness Street. If anyone knows the museum I'm talking about, please let me know) to see an exhibit by Lee Krasner -- an amazing abstract artist who suffered the distinction of being married to Jackson Pollock. In case you're wondering why Krasner's name is hotlinked here and Pollock's is not it's because Krasner spent her artistic career in Pollock's shadow and this is just my small way of paying tribute. If you want to know more about Jackson Pollock, use Google like everyone else...

The intent of the field trip was to use visual art as inspiration for poetry and the written word, but to me it was more about a holistic approach to art in general. Seeing those paintings was both inspiring for me and uncomfortable, but most importantly, left me feeling like I wanted to described that moment when art -- whatever genre you choose -- just works. When the muse is present and inhabits you. When the artist is the process, and the process is the artist, and every cell of your body is immersed, and when you're done it's like regaining consciousness.

Incubating

2008-03-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Carlos and Clara, the Peregrine Falcons nesting atop San Jose, California's city hall, have four eggs! They've become quite the cyberstars and you can view them by web cam at http://sanjose.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=91.

Yes, I haven't posted for a while. Given the choice between blogging about art, or getting out in the studio and doing it, I've opted for the latter. There should be some new stuff to show in a few weeks. In the meantime, enjoy watching C & C (as the falcon fanatics refer to them) and ponder the incubation process, both physical and metaphorical.

Kisses to all.

Size Matters

2008-02-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

Get your mind out of the gutter. We're talking about art. What did you think?

I'm a big techie. I like the digital age. Pretty weird for a new age, granola, hippie girl... I know. But there is one thing I'm discovering as I'm posting images of my artwork here. Size really does matter. Size is an integral component in a piece -- be it small, like an assemblage piece made from a cigarillo tin or large, like the 30" x 40" canvases I work on sometimes that are almost as big as I am. The size of a piece of art work is as important as the subject matter, color, or medium. It's easy to forget this in www-land. Seeing a digital image of a piece can be misleading. The small assemblage piece can lose some of it's intimacy. The large canvas can lose some of it's impact. We sometimes forget to place the online images we see into the context of the "real world".

I love my blog. I love being able to share my art. But most of all, I love the art -- the "real" art -- and the process of creating it. So I'll try not to forget the real world, and that everything is relative.

Breaking the Rules

2008-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

I can't remember the first time I was told you have to learn all the rules before you can know how to break them. Somehow that set up a weird process in my mind. I must learn -- and follow -- all the rules. I must not break the rules until I know all the rules. It seemed safer to simply follow the rules. Breaking them "properly" seemed so confusing and, quite frankly, dangerous. What if I broke the rules wrong? Anyone see the irony here?

So I've been pondering the idea of breaking the rules, burning the rule book, and drawing outside the lines.

Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?

Surviving the Artistic Process

2008-01-30T21:30:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in another post, I am reading Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales, a book introduced to me by my brother. We share a great love for the wilderness. We also share surviving a difficult childhood. But it was a surprise to me when writing in my last post (Truth) to realize the artistic process is a lot like the survival process. Diving into art is a bit like a walk in wilderness. Sometimes I know where I'm going, often I think I do, then the landscape changes dramatically. Sometimes the harder I stick to my original vision, the more lost I get. Sometimes I need to "remap" to get where I'm going. Sometimes I'm just plain lost.

According to Gonzales, research suggests when a person gets lost, he or she goes through five general stages, similar to the stages of grief and dying. First is the denial "that you're disoriented and press on with growing urgency, attempting to make your mental map fit what you see." Second is the realization "that you're genuinely lost, the urgency blossoms into a full-scale survival emergency." In the third stage you struggle to "form a strategy for finding some place that matches the mental map. (It is a misguided strategy, for there is no such place now: You are lost.)" Stage four is where you "deteriorate both rationally and emotionally, as the strategy fails to resolve the conflict." And stage five, is where "you must become resigned to your plight. Like it or not, you must make a new mental map of where you are... To survive, you must find yourself. Then it won't matter where you are."

Here's what I get to learn during my walk in my artistic wilderness. To be true to myself, find myself, and trust myself. It might be tough sometimes, but geeze, the view is incredible!

Truth

2008-01-25T14:35:00.001-08:00

It's time for real life. I've been sharing personal triumphs and artistic revelations in an "ain't I cool, tell me I'm cool" way. But I believe in nothing if not balance and the wholeness of the Universe and Yin and Yang. So here's what's happening.

I am blessed with ideas. I carry around a small notebook, and when I get a vision of a new art piece I write it down, complete with thumbnails, copious notes, and lots of options and ideas. This can be tricky sometimes since I'm usually driving. I'll be careful, I promise. My ideas usually start with a personal issue -- something I'm sorting out in my own life, etc. -- and then the visual concept starts to bubble to the top.

I have a day job. I have a family. I have several four-legged critters. In other words, my time is not always my own. I'm also an expert at finding reasons for not going out to the studio. It's butt-freezing cold and rainy. There is no electricity out there. It's dark.

Also. There are roadblocks. There are technical/mechanical issues with one piece. Things are not going as planned. (Note to self. It's time to mentally remap. If you don't know what that means, read Deep Survival. I'm half way through and starting to get it. The artistic process is not unlike wilderness survival. Perhaps that will be another entry.)

There's more. There's the fact that I am taking on an uncomfortable subject right now. It's a strong powerful vision and I'm excited. It also involves snakes - OK, just one snake - but that's enough. I am not snake-phobic, but I am afraid of venomous snakes. Rattlesnakes in particular. Really afraid. And I know how powerful snakes are. They show up in my dreams whenever I'm going through a particularly difficult transition in my life. So right now I am in the squirming stage of the artistic process. I think that comes somewhere after denial and bargaining, but definitely before acceptance.

Truth.

If it was a snake...

2008-01-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

Some lessons you learn over, and over, and over again. You'd think I'd finally get it...

I spent several years away from my art, using it only as an occasional diversion. Then, as the result of a very difficult time in my life, I came back to it only knowing I needed to open the door again, but not knowing what that would look like. So I cast about for a while trying to figure out how things should manifest and what kind of art I should do -- all the while sitting quite squarely in my head instead of my heart. And behind it all I knew I really love collage but figuring it just wasn't cool and "real art" enough. I can be such a snob sometimes.

Then, "for fun" I took a one-day collage class through the community college extension program and a choir of angels was heard. OK, not really. But I had a blast and came out of the class incredibly inspired and fired up. I realized what I had been looking for was there all the time. Right in front of my face. And in my heart. Same old lesson again and again.

Here's the piece that came out of that first class, constructed from elements provided by the instructor. My style has definitely evolved and come into it's own since this was done, but this one is very important to me. What started as an instructional exercise became a personal affirmation on how to move forward on my artistic journey -- and through life in general.

Girls and Horses

2008-01-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Yes. I was one of those girls. Horses everywhere. My walls were covered with posters of horses, my shelves crowded with plastic horses (each with its own name and familial relationship to the others), I drew horses all the time, and when my best friend and I played, we were horses. I wished on every star and dandelion that some day I would have a horse of my own -- and I actually got one!

What is it about girls and horses?

Here's what I think. The medicine cards teach that horses are about power. As young girls growing up in the 60's and 70's we struggled to find our own power. We knew it was out there, and certain factions were encouraging us to find it, but we weren't welcome in sports yet, it was assumed we weren't good at math, and our Barbie dolls still had dream dates and weddings, but no careers. (Take note younger women -- you are reaping what your mothers and grandmothers sowed.)

When I was pretending to be a horse I was independent and powerful and usually wild, or at least "high-spirited". When I was drawing horses I wasn't worrying about what society said I should look like (oh yes, I drew lots of really skinny, big-boobed girls too...) And when I was riding my horse it was one of the few times I was really on my own, just the horse and me in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains.

Creating this piece was one of those spontaneous words-as-elements things. In this case the words came first and the images formed around them. I love to use old topographic maps in my work (a backpacker's best friend) and the blue and gold seed beads carry the motion I was trying to convey. The words are tricky to see online -- but if you click on the image hopefully the larger image shows the words better.

I think of this piece as an affirmation and encouragment for me to go ahead and live. Get dirty, take risks, break the rules, work through the fear, be uncomfortable, trust your vision.

And people wonder why girls love horses.

Wolf Pup

2008-01-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Never take a job on commission. Especially when it's for family. Especially when it's for your teenage daughter.

OR - Go ahead and take the job. Then throw out everything they say they want and do what you want.

I have a word box. I cut out words and phrases from magazines, comic books, and catalogs and keep them in my word box. It's best if I keep this a totally right-brained activity (tricky since I think language is left-brained in origin) and not have any expectations for what I cut out. I just snip what jumps out at me. Then, when I'm constructing a piece I go through and see who wants to come out and play. While many of my smaller pieces incorporate these words, I haven't used them in my larger pieces -- yet.

My daughter, Mara, saw the words "No Accident" one day and asked that I create a piece for her with these words. After picking her brain for some inspiration I realized I couldn't work with her vision -- I had to work with my own vision for her. Wolves are important to Mara (I sometimes call her Wolf Pup) and the rest of the words chose themselves. I really wanted more of a street or graffiti art look for this piece -- something less polished and little messy. I'm not sure if I achieved that but I'm pleased with the end result. I worked with acrylic emulsions, medium, and many, many layers of different paints and papers. The digital image really doesn't do this piece justice (it's too big for my scanner -- this is a digital picture. As soon as I can get it scanned I'll repost). There's a lot of texture going on and I can't look at it without touching it and experiencing the textures. This piece, called "Mara's Wolf", is 9X12 on canvas board.

Some folks have been
puzzled by this piece. Mara and I both really like it -- so both client and artist are happy.

Things I learned:
- Feel the force, Luke. Trust yourself, you know best.
- Composition, composition, composition. It doesn't really work here, I know.
- Life is messy sometimes.
- Wolves really are teachers.

Outing the Artist...

2008-01-08T21:57:00.000-08:00

OK, OK... here's the deal. People are asking when I'm going to post more entries and art. I seem to have a billion excuses, including lack of scanner access for my bigger pieces. The truth is, coming out of the art closet is not easy. The point of this blog is to share my art and my process, which is a big step since I am most comfortable operating in stealth mode. It's a long, personal story, but there have been several incredible people who continue to support and encourage me in the process of reclaiming my art. One of them is my gypsy-pirate friend, Shawna, so here's a little something I did for her.

I've learned so much from watching her live her life and she seems to be my personal cheerleader no matter what I do! In fact, she's partly responsible for the name of this blog. When she announced she was moving out of Northern California -- again -- I couldn't let her leave the state without a small piece of art from me and my wishes for joy on her journey and the many gifts life brings.

Joy for Shawna is completely right-brained and only makes sense to me if I don't try to make sense of it. This is a small piece, just 4X6, on canvas board, with acrylic paint and medium, blue tulle (in honor of the tulle queen herself), clip art illustrations, and comic book excerpts.

So the closet door has been opened just a wee bit here, but I'm looking forward to seeing sunlight soon.

Holiday Cards. Performance Anxiety Anyone?

2007-12-23T21:35:00.000-08:00

It all started many (don't ask how many) years ago, in a tiny dorm room at San Francisco State, ironically designed by the same guy who designed San Quentin. Armed with typing paper, paint brushes, and green and red paint, I splatter painted my way into what became the first of many holiday cards. What can I say, it was the 80's and splatter paint was big. Over the years the process, and the artist, have evolved -- moving from splatter paint and potato stamps to color copies and finally desktop publishing. I've rarely missed a year, with the exception of a couple when my daughter, Mara, was small. As she's grown she's become an active partner in the process and each year has been a tougher act to follow than the last. We start asking each other in November what we'd like to do this year and we never have a clue. As a matter of fact, we rarely know what we're doing when we're actually doing it and some years, like this year, the cards go out on Christmas Eve (or later...) We've run the gamut from the rediculous to some pretty deep thinking. I'm still not sure how I feel about this year's card - but here it is.

Since I've been working a lot with images of bird, mostly corvids and raptors, I really wanted to do something with wings. I also love using words as integral visual elements, so used a favorite quote from Mother Theresa to illustrate the image of a wing and a recent poem my daughter wrote for the heart. (And for folks who want to know what the words actually say, we've put them on the back of the card this year.) The background is textured and painted acrylic medium and the whole kit and kaboodle is scanned and assembled digitally. (Gotta love Photoshop!)

Happy Holidays! The sentiment in this year's card goes out to all.

Animal Teachers

2007-11-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

Here's another constant in my life -- a deep almost unspeakable (recurring theme!) passion for and connection to animals. Discovering the Medicine Cards many years ago was the gateway to a more conscious and aware journey. Most of the animal images in my art are inspired by the teachings of the Medicine Cards as well as my personal experiences. If any of these animals teaches you something different than it teaches me, that's fine. Actually, it's more than fine. Remember, there aren't enough words to describe our own internal landscapes. 200 words for snow.

Why 200 Words for Snow?

2007-11-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

There's a common, if incorrect, expression about the Eskimos having hundreds of different words for snow. What it means here, in this context, is that there are not enough words in our language to describe two very important things to me.

One is love. I'm talking universal, heart-centered love. The love that connects us to everything. There just aren't the right words in our language to adequately describe it without sounding like you're quoting a Beatles song.

The other is art. Or at least my art. And that's mostly what this blog is about. If I do my job right it is my hope my art will touch a place in people where it can't easily be articulated. After all, that's where it comes from in me. Maybe it's the same place that love I talk about comes from -- who knows. The point is, I think when art truly moves someone, often there just aren't the right words to describe what it touches or why. And -- I think that's good. I'm OK with that.

I'm also OK with my art affecting the viewer differently than where it comes from in me. In other words -- there are no wrong answers. Most of my pieces have pretty specific meanings to me and come from a very personal place. But you are not required to figure that out. It's not a test.

By the way, the whole, words for snow thing is an urban myth. You can learn more about this by checking out the link on Wikipedia. It's pretty interesting -- but it's really intended as symbolism here, that's all.

So welcome to 200 Words for Snow. The purpose here is mostly to share my art and my artistic journey. To that note, the last thing I want to do is spend all my spare time sitting in front of a computer -- I'd rather be in my studio taking that next scary step on this path -- so I will post when there's something new to share or see. Be patient. Be nice. If you can't say something nice, find another word for snow.

Kisses!