The What I Love Series #3: Road Trips

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

Poetry Monday: The Guest House

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

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.