Los Gatos and Home Again

What a whirlwind weekend it was. Katie and I flew into Los Gatos on Thursday to teach 2 day classes at Cindy's Artful Journey workshops. My plaster class was on Friday and Katie's was a mixed media class on Saturday. On Sunday we both flew home; her to Seattle and me to Portland. I'm still waiting for pieces of myself to come back together; I feel beamed up but still missing a few molecules.

Cindy provided beautiful food for the attendees and saw to our every need, running errands for me in the middle of class (I apologize, Cindy, for needing you to do that) and providing a beautiful place for the teachers to stay. We swam at night in her heated pool and started each day with strong coffee from her espresso machine. It was divine.

Here are the happy ladies at the end of the first day.

On the left is Sharon Tomlinson, a long time blog friend, who flew in from Texas to play. She made the aprons pictured above; Zorana's was even reversible with secret words and images on the back side. If you click on Sharon's link you can read more about the aprons on her blog.

This is a detail; isn't it beautiful?

And also allow me to introduce you to Gypsyfroggie, who has the most beautiful tatoo on her arm. She is another blog friend that I finally got to meet in person; can you say fab-u-lous?

Here is a close up of the magnificent art. I love the starry sky at the top, the hair, face, and well, everything!

Now I'll show you some of the plaster painting that was done in class. I didn't think to start snapping pictures until a number of the students had left and I humbly apologize to the students for that. I try to include everyone.

In this class I urged the students to try a little of everything in their pieces . . . to create a sampler of techniques to remind them of the possibilities of plaster.

I brought some collage elements: inkjet on tracing paper, vintage writing, carbon copies to transfer.

We worked with both Plaster of Paris and Limestone clay concoctions. In comparing the two, Plaster of Paris is much harder.

We had the option of finishing the plaster or clay with hot or cold wax. The results are quite different.

We transferred onto the surface and used stains, glazes and paint as well as stencils, stamps, carving, sanding and layering the plaster.

Now I am home with a pile of mail, e-mail, Art Unraveled stencils to prepare, bills to pay and bags to unpack.

I need a new computer but lack the time to set it up.

And all the roses need dead-heading. Life is full and my sweet memories will float along with me today as I prepare samples for a special collaboration project (full heart happiness is working with another artist on a shared vision), and try to cover all the bases.

Look serene. You are a beautiful swan. No one can see the mad paddling beneath the surface of the water.

And the Livin' is Easy

Finished a new plaster piece. I have some others too that I'll show you in time. Love the plaster; a fine, cloudy mess.

Went to Kitten's for the 4th (John's tongue-in-cheek nickname for our daughter Stephanie). Moose is showing us how he keeps cool in the 90 degree heat. He is the funniest dog; kept stepping on my sandaled feet with his big clumsy paws and shaking off the water while in the middle of us. That kept all of us cool.

These didn't hurt either. This is the summer of Blackberry Margaritas. Quite refreshing.

A few journal pages. As I look at these I remember clearly the bumpy emotional ride that has been this summer. Thank heavens I'm in a sunny space; sometimes my thoughts take me to other places.

Learning to ride the currents; isn't that the challenge for some of us? Not to be discouraged when the mind plays its *funny* tricks.

The subject in our family this week has been Hashimoto's Disease. It is a condition that our daughter Shellie (Pumpkin) has just discovered she has; for years she's complained of a tight throat, depression, panic attacks and mania. After therapy, anti-depressants and more therapy she's gone on thyroid meds and all those symptoms have disappeared plus she is losing weight (a good thing for her) and having increased energy. Sometimes it's not just in your head.

Cooper's happy that Shellie is finally being treated for her Hashimoto's Disease. So are we all.

Here is part of John's garlic harvest for this season. It smells wonderful drying on the deck.

My idea of fun. A nap in the cold, air-conditioned house after a hot session at the grill. Happy 5th of July; wish I could share a scoop of lemon verbena home-made ice cream with each of you.

Summer Dreams

I can't remember a lazier summer. All I want to do is be with friends, to putter on the computer or to push paint in my journal. Sure I'm getting ready to fly to Las Gatos and teach the Plaster Painting class on July 10th, am gathering my wits for that juicy bit of fun, but I'm also taking time to eat lots of watermelon and blow soap bubbles with my friends.

Remember the purple house that I wrote about before, belonging to John's cousin Jonna? Well, I shot these photos at her Birthday Party last Saturday afternoon and the house is as purple as ever.

There were lots of people, conversation, children, food (ah, barbequed everything; my favorite!) and adult beverages. Good times.

Mia is one of Jonna's grand-daughters. Aren't her feet precious in her little jellies with the pink hearts?

Our persimmon tree is in riotous bloom. I'm always surprised by the number of people who have never tasted persimmons. They are a wonderful autumn delight. We have several trees on the place now.

Here is Jonna with some of her little party goers. Years ago she was a doula and I joked to her that these were the children she delivered. While she didn't deliver these, there was one child there that she delivered (no photo of her - sorry).

Pensive moment for one of the little bubble blowers.

This is our Matilija Poppy showing off again. Dinner plate sized blooms; everyone stops and asks about them.

And the cows are all calving; here is a newcomer with panda eyes. After one birthing we counted 3 quarrelsome buzzards in the pasture cleaning up and fighting over the afterbirth. It's like living inside an episode of Animal World TV.

Gardenias blooming on my entryway. Make me happy.

Jonna on the right and her sister Tracy on the left. These two women are just as fun and witty and hilarious as their big smiles suggest; I just sit back and watch the show.

Here is a picture for anyone who needs a lift; if this little smile doesn't lighten your heart I don't know what would. The world is as good as it ever was; be grateful for life and hug a child. xo

things and ships and sealing wax...

Today I finished making a paper boat for a project that fired my imagination. It's for a fundraiser for Mary-Ann's cottage, a living history museum in Soctland run by volunteers from the Caithness Heritage Trust. There is a blog showing the boats already submitted from all over the world here and so far surprisingly few are from the U. S. If nothing else go and admire the boats already collected; they are fabulous. You have until August 10th if you care to participate. Artists make good things happen! (More photos at the end of this post.)

I've been busy. Walking in the park with John.

Admiring the Queen Anne's Lace that grows along the path.

Basking in the sun that warms the meadow.

Meeting friends in the Hawthorne District to discuss art, travel, writing, Art Fiberfest, the desert.

Relationships, friendships, community and caring for each other.

Rice invited me to journal one afternoon at Reed College where Art Fiberfest was being held so I showed up and worked on my paper boat while Teesha and Tracy worked on their journal pages.

It was fun. Their journals are so beautiful and so uniquely their own. I always get inspired around journalers.

Meanwhile Rice taped and videoed and interviewed the people in the room for her next book. I learned a lot about the early days of stamping. (Check out Tiphoni and Theo's sites too.)

Admired somebody's beautiful tattoos. She's got the skin I would have in a wild dream.

This is one of the boats you will see when you visit the paper boat site. The tiny handmade books fit inside the boat.

Mine is paper, acrylic paint, amber shellac, india ink, beeswax and resin. For awhile it glued itself together and I thought all was lost but I persevered and it worked.

I put in the burning house to signify life's brevity; with the passing of several great artists this week I'm again reminded that we burn through our days; they pass as effortlessly as paper boats on the current.