Surgery Center!

I spent some time yesterday at the Surgery Center. This is where you check in. No, I did not have a broken arm, nor did I have an ingrown toe nail needing attention. I was HANGING MY ART at the surgery center where it will be shown (or as Cris says, "on loan" ) for a couple of months! Just like it was at the Town Square Library in July and August. That's my "California Gold" and "Seeds of Hope I" behind this hospital nurse. I have art in the waiting room, along with another artist's photography, she and I are both there

as members of the local art gallery. These are 2 of Anne's beautiful photos.

"Life's Crazy Pieces" hangs there too.

"Black and White Frayed Roses" got a huge wall in the entry way. So she is the first piece to be seen upon entering the Center.

I like these two smaller pieces in the front office. They will be safe there and still can be seen well from the other side of the front desk.

"Swirls" is enjoying a whirl in the huge sunny waiting room.

It looks dynamite on that yellow wall.

My "grand kids" watercolor is hanging in a pre/post surgery room.

All of my watercolors are in one of these little rooms with a bed, and two chairs.

It's where the patient waits before surgery and after before going home.

I think this is a center for same day surgery and then they are released.

I hope my art cheers them up a bit before & after their ordeals there. I'm really excited to be having another "show"!

One of the hospital workers was head over heels in love

with all my fiber art pieces. She just went on and on about how much she liked them.

They and I are always happy to hear such positive feedback.

;-)

Getting Ready for Art and Soul

You will have to hold this photo in front of a mirror to see that it spells out "Art and Soul" 2010! I am getting ready (a month ahead of schedule, but that is my way!) to attend this art retreat in Portland, Oregon. I have signed up for two days of classes. Remember those art aprons I made from my Son in Law's old jeans last year at this time and sold on ETSY and the two I made for my little grand kids? Well, the list of necessary supplies for Art and Soul included an apron so I whipped one up on my sewing machine for myself using jeans I still had from the bundle SIL gave me. I used fabric ink marking pens to draw on the apron...and as seen above I splashed and sprayed fabric paint on it too to make it look well used!

This holey knee needed a patch so I used this heart fabric that is going into some of the recent pocket books I am making to back the loose threads!

You can see how busy I have been in my sewing area/art studio...It becomes messy while working, but I can clean it up pretty fast when done or between projects. Please note beautiful floors! ;-)

These are my tickets for Art and Soul. I have registered for two classes with Judy Wise:

One is called Road Map To The Creative Life. We will be making art journals in that class.

The next day I take Judy's class called Mix It Up With Wax. Here I will be learning the art of Encaustics. Both something I've wanted to do for a long time. (Well probably two years since I got these ideas in my head from reading about them on Judy's and other's blogs and in magazines like Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

Here are my tickets and my new sketchbook I will be turning into that journal... I have packed two plastic tool boxes with my art supplies....paint brushes, pens, white pens, ex-acto knife,

acrylic paints, Soft Gel Medium, Gesso, acrylic matte medium, pencils, glue stick, paint pallet.

oil based crayons..........

I am ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure you will hear more about this from me as the time draws nearer.

In the meantime wishing everyone a pleasant weekend. What are your plans?

Things That Made Me Smile This Week On Grateful Thursday!

This is my beautiful oldest grand daughter, the one who recently went off to college at age 16. She'll be 17 this month! I have no idea how she is doing there, haven't heard, or seen anything she has written on facebook. Perhaps she is too busy studying to write on facebook? This is where I found Henry this morning. Obviously DH left his drawer open and Henry found it and decided it made a comfy bed!

I like finding shapes to photograph...

and flowers caught in spider webs

and trees that look like they are dancing... I found this big bin of leather scraps at the thrift store (my first big spend there since we switched from buying to donating.) I wonder what I can turn them into?

I am grateful

for

being

alive

!

Happy Animal Wednesday!

It's Animal Wednesday and I found this swingin' frog on my afternoon walk yesterday! Right after I'd received word that two of my handmade "pocket books" had reached their new homes...

each decorated in a manner making them viable contestants for Animal Wednesday (I just realized!) ;-)

I seemed to be quite smitten by trees...

this one calling out to me to "STOP!" and take it's picture, to which I immediately complied...

"Ah", it said, "here you see the very first signs of fall"...

And I couldn't agree more with this flag that assures me what I already know to be true

that "Life is Sweet"!

Of course Animal Wednesday would not be complete without a mention of his highness

Henry V...caught here snoozing in the sun.

Wishing you good day and an enjoyable week!

Bloomin' Hammock Flowers on Tuesday

My next door neighbor has trees in his backyard that hang over our shared fence and the wind seems to blow their lovely flowers onto my hammock... These photos I took are just as they were found, not arranged by me, but by the wind...

in beautiful pictures that pleased me no end.

I had an absolutely LOVEly day today at home alone (well, me and the cat, but he spends so much time outdoors I hardly saw him at all).

I had time to tidy up the place; make some calls; do a little creating...

and still had time to take a good book out side to read while laying in my hammock!

Happy Bloomin' Tuesday!

Sunday Fun!

It was another beautiful sunny day, but not hot so I decided it was perfect for making more fabric paper. I tore four big sheets of muslin this time and slathered them in glue/water mixture with a wide paintbrush then layered on the torn tissue papers and brushed wet water/glue on top. Then I laid them out on the hammock to dry. And dry they did.

This is an example of how the fabric paper is used as the lining for a cover on one of the little fabric pocket books I make. I had four orders for them and got busy this weekend.

I finished two of the four. But since the buyers all purchased via email and have not advertised their purchases, nor have they of course received them as yet...

I am showing just a few hints of what they look like...

as they should be surprised when they arrive...don't you agree?

It's fun and relaxing to make them. Takes a couple to three days to do two. I especially enjoy the handwork in the evening sitting in the recliner with feet up. I also liked hunting for special do dads that seemed a special touch for that particular person(s). I hope they like them as much as I liked making them.

Now to get started on the next two!

Student And Member Show at Vacaville Art Gallery

Saturday was another busy day for me which included a stop at the local art gallery to see the latest student and member show. I had a delightful talk with artist Estelle Kirkendall, who works part time at the gallery. Estelle had told me she painted in acrylics, but this was the first time she had entered one of her paintings in a show. I was interested in the Native American woman she painted wearing an elk tooth dress, much like those we'd seen in museums in the mid west on our car trip travels. Estelle shared with me that she was part Apache and Tarahumara. The details of the beads and hair on this woman are simply wonderful. I sure hope to see more of Estelle's work in future shows. Thank you Estelle for taking so much time to talk to me about your art and life.

There were a few other visitors there while I was there in this room with other members art.

And on this wall you might see two of my pieces that you are familiar with. The fabric group work "Stone Soup" on the left, and watercolor "High School Girls Walking" on the far lower right.

This is the fabric quilt made by 15 artists from around the world that I pieced together.

I like how the outdoor reflection of trees on the left of this frame complemented the painting so well.

My watercolor, "High School Boys Walking" had a nice wall space too!

You will recognize this painting from my blog banner.

The highlighted artists were this father (Jack Shiner) and son duo, the teen (Frank Shiner) being a mere 15 year old, and below you see his art. It is stupendous!

These were done by the father.

Perhaps this article about the boy is legible when enlarged. I hope so.

It's a good show. I'm glad I stopped in.

I never quite believe I am seeing my own work on actual walls in a show!

Who me?

;-)