First Oaxaca

My feet are back on familiar ground after a month of art, language study and absorbing all I could in three cities of Mexico. John and I left Portland on the first of February and arrived home again in the early hours of this morning. I uncharacteristically did not shoot as many photos as on previous trips but here is a sampling from Oaxaca.

We spent about half of our time in Oaxaca; the landscape above will give testimony to its beauty. Sitting in a valley south of Mexico City, it's a hub for the arts; painting, botany, culinary. In addition I never fail to feel a deep connection to the history and vibe of the city. All of Mexico is magical and Oaxaca in addition is a center of diversity; rich inspiration for the artist.

I ran into friends here, women from the art retreat world, friends of a dearest friend, women who invited me in and made me feel welcome and even fed me dinner at their lodging. Nothing is warmer than friends who prepare food for you and talk into the night about art. Our time together was a highlight of the trip. (visit Ellen Benson's work here!)

The Bed & Breakfast where we stayed went out of their way to prepare vegan meals for us. 

These plates were breakfasts; local organic food served each day with fruit, juices, breads and coffee, locally made chocolate or tea.  *sigh*

Our friends from San Miguel joined us around the halfway point of the trip and the food enjoyment continued while we visited museums, the town of Teotitlan, exhibits and markets.

A window inside the Santo Domingo Cultural Center. 

Outside was a huge exhibit of 2501 ceramic statues by the artist Alejandro Santiago. Watch the wonderful explanation and more photos here; better photographs than mine and a moving story of the sculptures.

This is what they looked like on site. 

We visited the Tamayo Museum of Prehispanic Art ...

the Stamp Museum, Textile Museum, Contemporary Art Museum and took many long and serious siestas in addition to attending 3 hour daily language classes and doing HOMEWORK! So lots of study and as much resting as we could squeeze in too. Tomorrow I'll write a little about Puebla and then San Miguel as we traveled with our friends northward. (No, no banditos. There's no more crime in Mexico than there is here.)

After that we'll return to our regular programming. Thanks for not giving up on me during my long time away from the blog. Over and out!

My Dream

This is from a dream I've had several times. In it I begin as a seed in a river bank, break loose from that lodging, and am swept downstream. It's painted in the big big Art Book; 16x23".  

Checking In Before Checking Out

This is my big-big Art Journal. It's over 16x23 inches opened up and has sheets of 300# Arches paper for pages in a coptic bound format. The cover was inspired by an illustration by an artist whose name I had and then lost again (if I can find it I'll amend this post). His monkey was on a tiger which represented the id but my id is so slow lately that an elephant was more in line with truth. An elephant on skittery wheels. 

The artist on the Catherine Wheel was painted on the back cover after a late night session with a group of friends where the suffering of artists was the topic of conversation. We don't suffer because we're artists; we're artists because we feel everything so deeply. And because we are driven to communicate in a language only our tribe understands. To the rest of the world we are just weird, weepy or mental. 

Still, we wouldn't trade our lives with anyone. Not one of us, we agreed, would trade our age for youth. We love the puddles in which we find ourselves.

I've been sick for a week now; subjecting a house guest to my gusty sneezes and trips to the doctor. Haven't felt like talking at all.

Painting in the big-big Art Book has been my consolation. Thank you Misty for the ongoing inspiration. I could name some names here. So many good and loving friends who keep me going and make me feel worthwhile. Who seriously know the way and carry the lantern for others. 

I painted this one over a copied drawing. It was still hard.

And now some recent journal pages. 

I'll be scarce in February or reporting from southern climes. Going to do some high-tailing.

Have a sitter who will send out Hot Wax DVD's for me and help me stay in touch though. And I'll be responding to the Mixed Media Journal Class sign-ups.

In the meanwhile, get your flu shots and wear a scarf outdoors. Listen to music that moves you and keep in touch with the people who make you happy. Let the sun shine down on your days. I'll be back asap.

Renewal

Four friends grabbed their suitcases, boxes of produce and favorite snacks, and headed to the Oregon coast this weekend to escape the pressures of home and business. Quiet time for writing, painting, sewing, doing whatever presented itself while the rest of the world made do without us.

We did a lot of talking (as women do), tea drinking, and sharing recipes. The weather was our 5th companion for the weekend.

We got a little bit of everything, from rain to wind to blue skies to hail and snow.

The surf roared while the sand blowed and we tucked safely into our warm beds each evening.

If I could give every artist or anyone for that matter a weekend like this I'm sure the world would be better for it. Sharing what we know.

Telling our secrets and dreams and troubles.

Allowing ourselves to be open and trusting with our deepest desires. 

It rarely snows on the Oregon coast but on the third morning we woke up to a white beach. It was a sparkly surprise.

This photo above was taken by Jen Goff and she gave me permission to share. Ahhhhh ...

And also she took the picture of the firmly rooted tree, so dreamy in the snowy field.

We all watched the horizon for the fabled green flare and instead we got this dramatic sunset that looked like fire at sea.

I am renewed spiritually but maybe coming down with a cold. Sweet earth, thank you for your staggering beauty. For the colors, the cold, the fragrances, the hard and the easy. But most of all for so many beautiful human beings to befriend and enjoy. Right besides each of us; there's one now. Love the one you're with. xo

Singing with all my Heart

I have a beautiful share; this post from the Dishwasher's Tears. Check it out and then come back. (But you might need to add him to your blog lines.)

I love underwater things. It's the best metaphor for the subconscious, rich and fecund. It's full of hidden treasure; better than a pirate's gaudy bijoux by far. The subconscious is where I go diving and what I bring back is the self-knowledge that keeps me whole. 

 The etching in the photograph is one that I got from a friend (Kevin Moore) back in the '70's when we were printmakers in the same studio. It's very large; over 21x35" which is a lot of zinc plate to wipe by hand. The print hangs in our bedroom and reminds me of the quiet deep; the hidden mysteries. My private sea fever.

Here's Laurie's song in case you want to hear it again. Although reading the poetry as written in Scott's blog is a beautiful experience in itself.

http://youtu.be/xkeB-J9IlAI

So two brief announcements here.

Numero Uno

The first is that I'm opening up sign-ups now for the Mixed Media Journaling online class that I've been working on for the past 2 months. We'll start on March 12th and work together for 4 weeks doing art and writing in our personal journals. This is a class that's been very popular at numerous art retreats and because we have 4 weeks we'll be able to do more writing and self exploration. Go here to read more about the class and sign up.

Numero Dos

While the Hot Wax online class ended nearly two months ago, I now have the entire class available on DVD as an eBook. This eBook, beautifully designed by Laurie Jacobsen with internal and external links, contains all the videos, lessons, questions and answers and is downloadable to your desktop or to read directly from the DVD to save space on your hard drive. You can read about the topics covered in the class and order it here.

I'm preparing for a beach weekend with a group of women; can't think of a better winter break right now. I'll sneak in some watery, sea fevery photos for you soon. mmmm salt water dreams.

What A Year!

I'm over here working my buns off for the next online class (mixed media journaling) which of course will contain everything but the kitchen sink. I cut the stencil above as part of one of the demos; my father, mom and older sister from a photo taken before I was born. Daddy left for Guam shortly after this was taken; he was an airplane mechanic and it's probable that I was already in the oven here. That was all so long ago. 

The brown paper bag journal bug has bit again and hard. More about that in a moment.

I'm living in smoothie-ville now. I'm always the last one on the turnip wagon. There's a food revolution going on in the country (or is it just Portland?) and everybody's getting healthy. At least until the next trip to Mexico. The purple smoothie is red cabbage, blueberries, mango, banana, almond milk, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, lime juice and spinach. We're eating more vegetables than Bugs Bunny. 

I've been hunkered down low trying to get all the videos made for the March class before we take off in a month. It's been so dark and rainy here that we're really looking forward to breaking free and getting out into some sunshine. We hardly got to wear our summer clothes this year so maybe we can go where it's summer all the time. 

This long, sweet week between Christmas and New Year's Day is the perfect time to dream, count blessings, bid adieu to the old, and to conjure up the coming year. Like a good witch I like to think I have a hand in what happens; not that I'm in control of anything but that I can choose to help things in the right direction here and there. I feel like it's my responsibility as a pushy old gal. 

I used to choose words for the coming year but recently I've stopped at Grace. I don't think there are many better words than that. To be willing to accept what comes whether you like it or not. To hold it in your heart toward others, especially when they try your patience.   

I like to sit for long sessions with my journal and write it all out. How the miracles just keep coming. How glad I am to be a creator instead of a destroyer, politician or meanie. I have great sadness for those people and for the very wealthy. I think it would be a curse to be rich or famous. I love being a nobody. And I love other nobodies. I think we're the bomb.

See my little fingers conjuring up a wonderful new year?

Nathan and his new camera. Just because. Did I ever mention his beautiful hands? No? 

So here's the latest brown bag book. First the measured papers, soaked, scrunched, flattened.

Then dried quickly on the red hot woodstove between gulps of coffee.

The dried pages looking like a stack of tobacco leaves.

Ironed lightly and folded into folios.

And sewn with aqua linen book binder's thread into a coptic journal.

This is one of the other brown bag books that I wrote about here.

And the first brown bag book that I wrote about here. Long live the brown bag book. I'm going to try milk paint on the pages of this new one. White milk paint. I can't wait. And then I'll show you. Because it's so much fun to get excited and see if I can get some of you excited too. 

Happy New Year 2012. May grace, beauty, magic, and miracles follow wherever you find yourself in the coming year. xo