The Artful Eye

I'll Miss You Dad

2010-03-30T18:00:00.001-07:00

Anthony Eppolito

October 13, 1930 - March 30, 2010

Too much grief lately. I'll miss you Dad.

My other blog: "The Way I See It"

Becoming Whole

2010-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

It's been some time, hasn't it? and what's with all the
comment spam? I guess when you vacate the premises
for a few months, the neighborhood goes downhill and
the riff raff begins to sniff around. I hope it's just a
passing trend. I'd hate to start messing with comment
verification, boo hoo.

My time away has not been filled with wonder and
adventure, but filled with coping and rebuilding a broken
heart. The path I've been on has been interesting in that
I have had to find great strength and acceptance in the face
of fear, sadness and grief. Many valuable lessons are being
learned while a warrior rebuilds herself. These are not, I
repeat, NOT easy lessons, do not try this alone.

In my previous post I was an empty cavity. I wasn't quite
sure how I would rebuild myself. I stared at this self-portrait
now for months and at each stage contemplated how she
spoke to me as I began to patch myself up and refill the coffers.

I painted and scored my heart many times, different colors
before I decided it felt more like BLUE. It didn't feel right
being red or yellow and by this time it was no longer a
black blob.

I felt blue, still suffocating by my insurgent thoughts,
reining terror on my overloaded mind, but healing, slowly.

My blue heart had to stand out. So I painted
the background a fiery red. The imagery and
words stamped into the dress pattern paper were to be
read as affirmations, food for thought.

"100 percent authentic, quality, strength,
durability, safety, approved, for amusement only,
the game of life, start at the beginning, playing by
the rules" Rules? there are no rules.

The pattern numbers, reminded me of longitude and
latitude, the meridians of my particular place in all of
this change, where was I ? where was I headed?

The pattern symbols notches, arrows, fold lines
strategically placed with scratches and stitches added to
depict wounds.

The faces reminded me of family, friends, support.

If you look closely you can see my spine, strong
enough to carry some weight, some call it baggage.
I'd like to refer to it as experience except now without
burden and with acceptance.

Learned.
The First NobleTruth- "Dukkha" Sanskrit for 'the truth
of suffering' The existence of impermanence.

Simply. "Nothing Good or Bad Lasts Forever"

In all of this I have thought of YOU, those who have
greater suffering, can suffering be measured? or is it how
we choose to acknowledge it? YOU are in my prayers,
my dear family, my friends and those I've yet to meet
I send you comfort, love, compassion and peace.

~ Andrea aka "ThE ArTfuL EyE" and "The Way I See It"

Empty Cavity

2009-10-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'll call this grief art. Not grunge, grief.

My beginnings of a self-portrait art doll.
Here I am building the armature, the structural
framework for what will come next.

My posture is contemplative. I am staring down
into an empty cavity.

Where is my heart?
It looks like a black blob.
This is how I feel. Empty, hollow.

This armature will be covered with
paper mache in the coming days.

Hopefully my head will stay in place.

I really like the eerieness of the armature at
this stage with the shadows that the light has
cast, as though I have multiple arms and my
body like that of an xray. I can see through
myself, not for long.

"There are as many nights as days, and one
is just as long as the other in a years course.
A happy life cannot be without a measure of
darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose it's
meaning if not balanced by 'sadness'. -Carl Jung

Looking for balance and harmony.

Thank you for your visits and kind words.
~ Andrea

My other blog "The Way I See It"

Identity Crisis

2009-10-07T19:05:00.001-07:00

9 x 12 140# cold press watercolor paper
collage fodder a.k.a. stuff papers, old and new
foam stamps, Caran d'ache water soluble
crayons,

Aren't long vacations supposed to help revive a person?

For the past couple of weeks I feel like I'm chasing
my fish tail, that's right my fish tale.

Long story short...
Swimming upstream, a single wing damselfly in distress,
an incomplete metamorphosis, toting a single hawk
wing. All dressed up an no place to go.

But wait, I do have an asparagus crown. Does this count for
something?

Our vacation was wonderful, a single flight to
the great city of New York where we picked up our
rented vehicle and traveled to places far and near,
visiting new haunts and old, with family and friends
some old acquaintenances and some new.

Gerard and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet
another blog friend John Mora of Typos.Daylight.Fate
it was a fragment in time at Fire Island National Seashore
with his lovely wife Marie and 3 beautiful children.
A moment we'll treasure.

We travelled through the Pennyslvania Dutch Country,
eyeing beautiful lush green pastures, fields of corn,
red covered bridges, picking up roadside produce from
our sweet Amish and Mennonite friends who work
tirelessly tilling soil and managing livestock and farms.
Hardworking, beautiful people.

Trekking down to Gettysburg, PA
to pay respect to those who fought valiantly for a country
divided, hallowed grounds- now common.

Onward toward to our great capital city Washington, D.C.
to spend time with my sister, brother-in-law and
my new twin nieces.

Next stop Virginia Beach, and Cape Hatteras on
the North Carolina's spectacular OuterBanks.
Breaking shore, dipping sun, warm ocean breeze,
breathtaking, refreshing, mind cleansing.

Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk where the Wright Bros.
took to their first flight.
Magnificent.

Further trekking now heading west through
North Carolina in search of the Great Smoky and
and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I believed I had seen green trees before but never,
NEVER have I ever seen so many beautiful varieties
of trees in one location. Deciduous,
Coniferous, Evergreen all there, canopies that
go on forever, enchanted forests, lakes and mountains.

Final stretch and our destination for departure
Nashville, TN home of the Grand Ole Opry and...
believe it or not... an exact replica of the Parthenon
as it was in ancient Greece, right in the middle of
downtown Nashville.

I know now why I'm still gathering my wits. It
was a great joy ride, and now it's back in the saddle.
I just need to find it.

Soon, yeah soon... I'll be posting pics of our trip
at my other blog locale "The Way I See It".

Peace and Love.. ain't it good to be back home again.
~Andrea

My First Copper Bracelet

2009-08-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Copper-periodic table Cu / Atomic No. 29

Turquoise- hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum
chemical element CuAl₆
Copper healing properties based on metal energy linked
to mental, physical and spirtual health chakras.

Turquoise- the stone of wisdom and spiritual journeys,
self-expression, creativity, peace of mind, spiritual
grounding, absorbs negativity.

Playing around with cold connections, different metals,
assorted beads, jewelry saws, yadda yadda. Filled with
frustration because all of this metal-smithing work is
really new to me and I'm like an immediate gratification,
kinda gal and you need patience...grasshopper...lots of
patience. None of which I have.

It was the end of the day and I had a strip of copper, I
said to myself come on now, how hard can this be.
I rounded the edges of the copper with a file, took
a sharp flat head screw driver, hammered out the
open windows. Pummeled the heck out of it with a
ball peen hammer, bent it around some PVC pipe,
picked up a scrap piece of 18g sterling silver, drew
a bead on each end with a torch, made a few loops
hammered the heck out of it, tested to see if the length
was long enough to go from window opening to window
opening.. hmmm...looked like it might work,looked
over at my stash of beads, spotted the round turquoise
threw it in the middle and cinched up the stone with
copper wire. Done. Half hour max.

I couldn't replicate this if I tried. It was a
copper/turquoise cold-connection spiritual
journey.

I think I want to patina it.

May all your days be filled with new and exciting
journeys.

Thanks for stopping by.

My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

~ Andrea

DisCo Redux

2009-08-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

My Big Reveal for DisCo
My little BIG book of all things recycled.

The Disintegration Collaboration Project- dreamt up
and hosted by none other than Seth Apter fellow
artist extraordinaire a.k.a. "The Altered Page"

You can read about how DisCo got started here.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is the name of my
little BIG book, now a journal and keeper of
dreams.

The early days
Phase 1
outside in the elements.

First reveal May 1
Tired, patina'd and still holding on.

the final reveal- a new chapter, new design
DisCo Redux

small bundles of recycled painted papers, stiffened
and made into a small signature.

canvas cut in half, small circles now remind me of
the earth, and what we need to do to contribute
to it's health and well being. Reduce, reuse and recycle.

top view

and back. Small coin which used to hang from
canvas tag is a reminder of the small changes we
need to make to make a difference. It is now used
as a closure to this book.

Thank-you for your visits and kind words.

and a special thank-you to Seth for always
inspiring and prodding the artist within each of us.

~ Andrea

House of the Rising Sun

2009-06-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be apropos to have you listen to the
song that inspired this creation. Ah...the summer of love.

"House of the Rising Sun" at
#2 Melodia Lane

mixed media on wood
18" x 6" x 1 "
asst. ephemera
rubber stamps
mica
acrylic paint
oil pastels
beeswax

...one can only surmise what
lies behind closed doors

our madam is smiling whilst
errant notes speak "look for the sun"

Here at #2 Melodia Lane beyond the
ornate gate the door appears buttoned
tightly, and a light is a glow in the
window, beckons the next caller.

Do you dare?

I'm being silly, these days I feel I don't
need to be precocious. I've enjoyed
my time away, making, doing and just being
after all isn't that what we are supposed to do.

Our world is in a different place these days and
we need to be more observant, more vigilant,
perhaps even play a different role. While our
world is evolving, so must we. What can we do
differently with our days to make them richer
and to calm our souls? How do we interact with
each other?

My hope is that you are all well and in good
space filled with good health and happiness.

I think of you often.

Thank you for your visits and kind words even
while I'm away.

Check out my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Disintegration Collaboration- The Reveal

2009-05-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Back in January, Seth of "The Altered Page" had a
project in mind, he called it "Disintegration
Collaboration".

He wondered what would happen if he created an
art bundle, left it outside, and called on mother
nature to be his collaborator.

Little did he know he would inspire so many more
to join him in this endeavor. Today there are 120+
artists who are playing along. There are art
bundles everywhere- across state lines and
international borders.

On May 1st, we were to reveal our art
bundles to see how they have changed over the
course of several months.

You can see more 'befores' posted on the side
bar of Seth's blog and then visit the individual
artist's blogs to see their 'after' reveals.

Next up... Part II is to use some part
or all of the original (now somewhat disintegrated)
bundles to create a new work of art. No rules.

The next reveal will be August 1st.

The "before" in the wind...

the rain...

and the frost.

The "After" May 1st.

The copper has patina'd and lifted, some papers
have curled or fallen over.

I think the reflective copper tape and hanging
canvas have kept the birds from perching.

Overall the piece has stayed pretty much in tact.
Last week it was 104. So it had a chance to
bake in the sun.

Stay tuned for what comes next.

Thank-you Seth for encouraging us along
with this fun project!

Something to think about:

"Insight into change teaches us to embrace our
experiences without clinging to them -- to get
the most out of them in the present moment
by fully appreciating their intensity, in full
knowledge that we will soon have to let them
go to embrace whatever comes next.

Insight into change teaches us hope. Because
change is built into the nature of things,
nothing is inherently fixed, not even our own
identity. No matter how bad the situation,
anything is possible. We can do whatever we
want to do, create whatever world we want to
live in, and become whatever we want to be."

Bird Haus

2009-03-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

mixed media on wood
18" x 6" x 1 "
salvaged ephemera
asst. rubber stamps
acrylic paint
oil pastels
beeswax

Inspired by fellow artist Lisa Kaus,
a last minute decision to take the day off, and a group of
incredibly talented artist friends... I embarked on a
different sort of extreme home makeover.

I didn't have a name for this house when I started
but it slowly evolved into a "Bird Haus". When
you open the little door you will find a bird's nest.

I really enjoy painting these wood houses and
have already planned a master community. They
are very relaxing to do and a fun way to incorporate
stuff that's been laying around, looking for a home.

You can click on these images to enlarge.

Keep a watchful eye as more of these houses
come to fruition. I always wanted to
be a general contractor, no money down, just
lots of love. Perfect for this economy.

"Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul"
- They Might Be Giants

Thank-you for your visits and kind words.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Listening

2009-03-22T19:38:00.001-07:00

18 x 14 mixed media canvas consisting of:
image transfers, permanent india ink, acrylic paints,
asst. collage fodder, rub-ons, beeswax.

"I am listening but pretending that I'm not,
like I'm living exclusively in my own private world."

What might it feel like to live in our own private world?
Would we invite friends?
What does private mean anyway?

My private world is noisy,
full of thoughts clamoring to be heard
I'm in charge,
free to acknowledge or ignore
sometimes distracting
here alone,
with my thoughts-listening.

Thinking of all you my sweet friends .
My best to you, wherever you are as the seasons
change and we start anew.
Thank- you for your visits and kind words.

My other locale: "The Way I See It"

Dreaming of Italy

2009-03-05T20:42:00.001-08:00

digital collage

Me and my shadow dreaming of a visit to Italy.

I've was going through boxes of slides that I liked to
have scanned to digital and I came across pics of my travel
in Italy in'92. I traveled throughout the country for one
month.

The city of Florence (image used here in my digital collage)
was just one of the many beautiful places I
visited during this time, but the Cinque Terre known
has the "Five lands" was by far one of my favorites
and most memorable. It was here in the town Vernazza
that I stayed in a small fully equipped apartment with a
balcony overlooking the Ligurian sea.

"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for
travel's sake. The great affair is to move. "
~ Robert Louis Stevenson

I hope your days are filled with all good things.
Thank you for your visits and kindness.

Andrea~ "The Way I See It"

Disintegration Collaboration

2009-02-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

My artist friend Seth over at the Altered Page started a
fun winter project and has encouraged others to play
along.

His project is called Disintegration Collaboration. It is a
art collaboration with mother nature . The premise is to
create a bundle of papers, ephemera etc. and tie it up,
and then place your bundle outdoors to live for a
couple of months.

How will your piece disintegrate and evolve over time
when left at the hands of mother nature? We'll find out.

Here are pics today of my bundle left in the hands of mother nature.

On May 1st, all participating artists will update photos of
their bundles to reveal their evolution over time.

The wind and rain have already taken hold.

My disintegration piece is made up of a block
of scrap wood, copper snail bait tape, spiral shank nails,
piece of scrap canvas, a canadian coin, piece of collage
art cut with circle punch, vintage text, found puzzle piece,
paper flower, used painted towels, wire, eyehooks,
wooden skewers, scrap punchinella, water
soluble oil pastels.

My patio may just turn into a rainbow of color.
I'll be watching and photographing the process.

Thanks for stopping by!

My other blogspot is here: The Way I See It"

Have A Heart

2009-02-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

I collect heart-shaped rocks. Are you surprised?

Here is my latest heart find, so I'm sending love to all
of you.

Today should be like any other day, filled with love.

My heart also lives here: "The Way I See It"

Untitled

2009-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

30" x 36" Red Rosin paper mixed media collage

Still contemplating what I'll do with this piece.
I'll either make another folded book or tear it
up or..?

I've flipped it over so you can easily get a
glimpse of the other side.

I really enjoy these free-wheeling explorations
into the unknown. This started out as a large
painting of a Madonna and Child. I had stared
at it (unfinished) long enough to decide I was
not satisfied and I needed to move on. She now
lives beneath the many layers of paint and gel
medium. Gone but not forgotten.

Thought for today:
"A good laugh is sunshine in the house"

Hope you all enjoy your week.
Thanks for stopping by!
My other blog: "The Way I See It".

A Walk In The Woods

2009-02-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

A peaceful walk in the woods, deafening silence.
No one is home. The only thing you hear is the sound
of the hard-packed snow breaking beneath your feet.
The birds are hibernating. You can see your breath,
so you know you're alive.

"We do not remember days, we remember moments"
c. 1940 -Italian poet, Cesare Pavese

May you all have precious moments that mark your
journey. My best and thank-you for your kind words.

My other blogspot is here: "The Way I See It"

Immaculate Heart of Mary

2009-01-22T20:42:00.001-08:00

12 x 12 gallery wrapped canvas, paper clay, acrylic paint
vintage mass card

Niche
–noun
1. an ornamental recess in a wall or the like, usually
semicircular in plan and arched, as for a statue or other
decorative object.

I have always had a great interest in ornate and
decorative, religious art. I started this canvas a few
months ago painted with a black gesso base. I knew
I wanted to create a 'niche' and heavily texture, age
and patina the canvas. I created the canvas texture
with molding paste, acrylic paint and rubber stamps.
I had struggled with the texture and color for some time.
I wanted the niche to be made from Paperclay. Finding
the right consistency for the paperclay to adhere to the
canvas was no easy feat.

I am not a quitter, and I won't go down easy. I fought
with the paperclay and gel medium until I found the
right consistency to create the 'niche' I envisioned.
I wanted it to be ornate and look like metal.

The image of Immaculate Heart of Mary is a vintage
mass card I had collected which I enlarged on the printer
and used as an image transfer onto the canvas.

This painting was an experiment. I am happy with
what I have learned.

Now I'm off to Lake Tahoe, CA Heavenly for some
much needed R & R and a romp in the snow.

Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts.

See you soon. My other blog "The Way I See It"

Our 44th President Mr. Barack Obama

2009-01-20T05:14:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama by L.A. Artist- David Choe

I found this wonderfully talented artist while perusing
the web. Look here at David Choe and here at Juxtapoz .
This young man is pure refreshing talent.

Gorgeous image to celebrate this glorious day in our
nation's history.

As our great nation wakes on this inauguration day we
we find ourselves invigorated and fueled with
excitement about this great day in history.

Welcome - Mr. Barack Obama, our 44th President!
Embrace this day.

My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Tolerance

2009-01-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

My girl "Tolerance" shall hold my place here to
greet you with this subtle reminder until I have
completed some works in progress.

She is entirely handmade by me, cloth duds and all.

My inspiration for her was a documentary I
watched some time ago called "Paper Clips"
see trailer here:

You can learn more about their project here at
www.paperclipsmovie.com

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's
indifference.The opposite of art is not
ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith
is not heresy, it's indifference. The opposite of
life is not death, it's indifference.- Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel
(awarded Nobel Prize for Peace in 1986) and
his wife Marion established the "Elie Wiesel
Foundation for Humanity" I am a strong
supporter of their foundation, mission
statement and goals to educate people
about the injustice, indifference and
intolerance that still exists in our world today.

I was saddened to here how this
wonderful charitable organization has been
bilked by the corrupt Bernard Madoff and now
their foundation is at risk. You can learn
more about their foundation here.

Another wonderful center I fondly support is
The Simon Wiesenthal Center-
Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles, CA

While chaos ensues in the Middle East,
we are reminded, we still have a long way to
go.

Be tolerant, be mindful, be charitable. Peace.

Thank you for your kind words and visits.
My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Happy New Year!

2008-12-30T21:28:00.001-08:00

12 x 12 black construction paper, Sakura crayons

This doodle is dedicated to my friend Sue for
inspiring me to get loose and doodle. Check out
her doodles here.

"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams! Live the life you've imagined.
As you simplify your life, the laws of the
universe will be simpler." Henry David Thoreau

I want to thank each and every one of you
for being a special part of my life this past year,
for your kind words and inspiration. Most of
all for allowing me the opportunity to walk
beside you on this journey we call life.

To my family: I love you past the sky.
To my husband: To infinity and beyond!

Happy New Year!!

Godspeed- Andrea

My other blog is here: "The Way I See It"

Wired Heart Cage

2008-12-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

Yes... it's been some time, but the truth is I have enjoyed
the serenity of just doing and being in the moment, none
of which has included blogging, however it doesn't mean
that I haven't thought of YOU- my fellow blogging artists.
Actually, I think of you often and hope that each and
everyone of you are doing well and finding peace in
this holiday season.

For a while now I have felt my heart in a stranglehold, a bit
lost, not my usual self perhaps this is what has inspired my
wired heart cage. It holds a myriad of game pieces, some
beach glass which I have stamped with a dragonfly, a toy
compass, a found rock upon which I have inscribed the word
"listen", a found coin token, a broken seashell. I used bailing
wire, copper wire, and silver wire to create the enclosure
and a vintage skeleton key.

I believe the message in this piece is significant for this time
in my life. I'm in the midst of some sort of change, new
direction and that there are still missing pieces to be found.
The key is to listen closely and pay attention.

I must say it was really challenging trying to stabilize these
little game pieces while wire wrapping but I really did enjoy
the process. The finished piece is about 4" x 5".

My next intention was to create a base for this heart, some
sort of background. I started to work this mosaic and I had
the idea of making the part where the heart would be
placed to be only mirrored pieces so that it would allow
for the heart to stand out and the small game pieces would
be reflected back into the mirror.

Nope, nadda, no good. It was not the right idea. Too busy.
Now I'm not quite sure how I will finish this mosaic but
I am certain of the next move for my heart.

I do appreciate your patience and kind words while I've
been away. My daily full time job has been busy and
mentally draining these past few weeks.

I'm hopeful that the New Year will induce a new
creative spirit and a little more peace into my daily
existence and YOURS.

One thing I know for sure is that I've learned not to worry
about what comes next. It's a grand adventure and I'm
along for the ride. Thank you for joining me.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

RaNdOm sToRyBoOk

2008-11-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

In my never-ending quest to uncover the great mysteries
that beseige my mind, I took another class. This time taught
by a fellow artist named Karen O'Brien.

I consistantly ask myself, why do I need another
class on collage, on paint, on whatever? what more is it that
I must know, that I haven't already figured out and then like
a slap in the face I remind myself that while life is ebbing
and flowing so are my creative endeavors. There is a
constant discovery and re-discovery of new and old. There is
always something new to discover.

While Karen's class-"Uncover the Mystery" was about collage
techniques and the use of new and old products, I found it
taught me more about freedom and reckless abandon in the
creative process. The ability to abandon one's pre-concieved
idea, or knowledge about a certain technique, or process
and to just create quickly, too quick to know what will
happen next.

I generally create my pieces without pre-conceived ideas
but then as they mysteriously begin to unfold, I work them
more methodically.

We all started with an 18 X 24 piece of Red Rosin paper
made up of 100% recycled fibers. This paper is used in
building materials sometimes first layer of roofing or as
paint drop cloth. (Home Depot or Lowe's on a roll)

We randomly covered this paper in gesso to give the paper
a reliable surface for painting.

18 X 24 Red Rosin paper, random collage imagery,
layers of paint, gel medium, monoprinting, stamping,
water soluble oil pastels and ink.

I've flipped the paper around and worked both sides. I
wanted to make a single-cut maze folded book. Once the
collaged paper was complete and dry enough to manipulate
it was folded into halves and then quarters and a single cut
was made to allow the paper to be folded into a book.

The back cover and the pages in between seen below:

Here is my randomly collaged, painted storybook, which
I ran through the sewing machine for some zig-zag stitching.

I've really enjoyed this process of working quickly and
with spontaneity. This is a great exercise to relieve your
artist's block and to free your creative process. I've already
prepped some larger pieces of Red Rosin paper for more fast
and furious exploration.

Thought for today: "If you don't know what your passion is,
realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find
it"

I thank you for your kind words and your visits. My other
blog locale is here: "The Way I See It"

Please remember to exercise your right to "V O T E " Tuesday, November 4th.

Road Trip

2008-10-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Dusk at Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Ah..relaxed and rejuvenated. I'm sure some of you were
beginning to wonder if I'd ever return. 10 States, 9 National
Parks, 817 photos, a birthday and 4,850 miles to be exact.
I've thought of you, 'my friends' and hoped that everyone's
life would carry-on in good health and good fortune while I
was out gallivanting around the country. I've got lot's of
catching up to do. You see I haven't even looked at my
blogs,nor any others this entire time and I am now eager to
see how you are all doing.

We are glad to be back home. Our vacation was remarkable
and impossible to put into words. We visited many new
places, re-acquainted ourselves with old places, visited with
old friends, made some new friends and had the pleasure of
meeting my new blog friend Sue for dinner.

There is nothing like traveling this great country of ours the
old fashioned way, by car, seeing what you see, taking the
roads less traveled, through ghost towns, quaint prairie
towns, mountain towns, and big cities. We have traveled
to the desert, through the prairies, through the mountains,
to the coastal waters, back home to California. It reminded
of the song "America the Beautiful".

Now if we'd only get our our politics in order.

Having arrived home so rejuvenated and my mind another
year older, I couldn't remember how to use my iweb
application or my ftp app or anything else. My mind was
tabula rasa, empty, blank. I had 817 pics to catalog, sort
through and decide which to put on a web page. I've posted
a link to our pics here "Tour of the Northwest" because I
know some of you will be interested in seeing them. If you
double click on the album it will open to thumbnails for
individual viewing or by slideshow.

It's amazing how long it takes to get through 2 weeks of
mail at home, at work and get the house back in order. I
should be posting something artful soon.

I look forward to visiting with all of you and getting my
groove back. In the meantime... please make your voice
heard and VOTE!

Thanks for visiting! My other blogspot "The Way I See It"

Mixed Media Botanical

2008-08-29T21:14:00.001-07:00

5 x 7 stampboard, layered mixed media collage

Playing around with multiple layered transfers
also taught by my friend, teacher, mentor Chris Cozen at the
last Golden workshop. The vintage text was a transfer
from gel medium and the botanical overlay was yet another
gel medium transfer. The Australian postage stamp was
embedded in bead gel. Once I completed the collage
I then overlayed a digital flower image.

Busy days here and I've been amiss at visiting most
of you and I am regretful. The doldrums of the 8-5
otherwise known as the greater than 10 hour day had
a death grip on me, but today I broke free from the
shackles and begin my vacation.

My husband and I are traveling the great Northwest,
heading to Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks in
Utah, through Colorado to visit with family on up to
South Dakota for a glimpse of those giant heads carved
into a hillside (Mt. Rushmore). From there we will travel
to visit Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Tetons
and then up and over the hills to Glacier National Park in
Montana. We'll proceed heading west through the Idaho,
to Washington and Oregon for visits to the Columbia River
Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier
We'll head back south on the scenic Hwy 1 inching our way
back to California.

This is a much needed respite. I will be taking lots of photos
to share upon our return.

Thank you all for your kindness and friendship.
May everyday be a new journey for you, filled with great hope,
good health, happiness and a grand adventure no matter how
big or small. I'll catch up with you soon.

Ciao! "The Way I See It"

Playing with Paint

2008-08-17T20:35:00.001-07:00

Well it was another great weekend with Chris Cozen from
Golden Paints working artists program. Chris is a wonderful
mentor and an extremely talented artist. About four times a
year she travels from Pasadena, CA to our local art store
Stamping Details to demonstrate new techniques and new
Golden products.

I love to paint backgrounds that I can use for collage
and other art projects. These are a few of the
samples I painted and embossed from our class.

All papers were painted with Golden acrylics. Some papers
were embossed prior to painting and others were embossed
after paint. Some of the papers used: watercolor paper, canvas
paper, and acrylic paper.

The base paper here is black with applied layers
of Golden fluid acrylics, stamps, stencils and
texturing tools.

Check here for the working artists in your area.

More to come...with Golden's new digital mediums.
There was alot to take in and I'm still experimenting
with these products. Imagine printing on metal and
foil.

Stay tuned.. Thanks for your kind word and visits!
My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"
Thought for today:
"In confrontation between the stream and the rock, the
stream always wins, not through strength but through
persistence" -Buddha

Polymer Mosaic Mirror

2008-08-09T20:25:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a myriad of fun projects. This one in
particular is a polymer mosaic hanging mirror. It was made
as a gift. The persons' names are actually on two of the
tiles but have been blurred out for this post to not spoil the
surprise should they visit. You can click to enlarge.

The finished piece measures 14" in diameter. The finished
clay pieces were adhered with Weldbond glue.
Most of the clay pieces have been painted with PearlEx
powdered pigments. I have also incorporated bits of
ephemera, glass beads and assorted commercial glass and
ceramic tile.

Here are some close-ups. Your embellishments should
be able to take the heat. Glass and metal are good.

Small glass seed beads in Diamond glaze are used to fill
space left over.

You can attach smaller Polymer elements with liquid Polymer
prior to baking. Here you can see the commercial tile
incorporated and also the brighter handpainted while
tiles.

I also wanted you to see this piece its beginning stage (below)
so you could see the polymer tiles before they were
embellished and baked.

Working in the round was a real challenge. I first had this
idea for a sun/mandala and then decided to incorporate a
mirror. I decided to use a vinyl record album as the base.
First I textured the album with AcrylPro tile adhesive so I
could insure the tiles would have an acceptable surface. I
then spray painted both sides with a matte silver spray paint.

The few colored tiles you see were hand painted on baked
white polymer clay. Your hand painted color will always be
more lively on the white clay than on a colored or metallic
clay. You can click on picture to enlarge.

At this stage, the clay has been rolled to about 1/8" thickness,
stamped or textured and I'm cutting pieces and trying to
decide their placement until all spots are filled. Once I have
the design in place I remove all the tile pieces and then begin
the process of painting and embellishing. The tiles are then
baked following the recommended time on the clay package.
I've used Premo and SculpeyII for this project. I also use a
thermometer in my toaster oven to determine the real
temperature. I have found that temperatures are not as true
as the dial. (I don't use my toaster oven for food once I've
used it for clay)

If you haven't seen my first polymer mosaic you can see
it posted here and here.

Thank-you for your visits and kind words!

Thought for today:
"Take care that the face that looks out from the mirror in the
morning is a pleasant face. You may not see it again during
the day, but others will"

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Putting it all in Perspective

2008-07-20T19:57:00.001-07:00

8.5 x 11 cut paper collage

So much going on here past two weeks. My 8 yr. old niece
Nicole had made the All Star team in fast pitch softball.
Their team was second in their 8U division and so they
qualified for the junior Olympics. The California State
Games were held here this past weekend in San Diego at
Qualcomm Stadium. It was a wonderful event for all the kids
and parents. Lots of fun activities interspersed with many
tournament games.

After everyone left of course I managed to catch a cold.
My days at work have been busy, can't seem to catch up.
In trying to keep everything in perspective, I'm managing
to find great pleasure by just relaxing and letting go as I
attempt to find my way back to good health.

I've been working on a few collages, another polymer mosaic
and some jewelry pieces which I hope to post soon.

Now I must venture off to see what all my talented friends
have been up to.

Thought for the day:
"Sometimes in life the glass seems half empty, sometimes
it seems half full, and sometimes the glass is twice as large
as it needs to be."

My best to all of you. I hope you are all enjoying the season.

My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Memoire Savoir

2008-06-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

mixed media assemblage- diet coke can, ex-halogen bulb,
CD, old camera part, spiral wire bind, acrylic paint, asst.
buttons and doo dads a.k.a. thing a ma jiggies.

detail of top portion

My mantra reduce, reuse, and recycle. I've finally figured
out that 'reduce' really means to 'save from landfill' and
store in my garage, because there is no reduction of stuff
here. It's been saved for re-purpose and use in future
creative projects. I must say though, that I've got it all tidily
packed into labeled containers so it's easily accessible,
however our three-car garage is currently functioning as a
one-car garage due to the love for our hobbies. My husband
enjoys vintage car restoration which... is a one car at a time,
sorta deal so there is plenty of room for machinery, tools,
kilns and art paraphernalia.

The soda can assemblage was inspired from a class I
took from Michael de Meng who is one remarkable mixed
media assemblage artist and storyteller. His book
"The Secret of Rusty Things" is filled with his visual
treasures, wonderful mythical storytelling and exploration
of technique. If you ever get a chance to take one of his
classes, just do it.

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Independence Day.
Free from negative thoughts, free from work, free from the
everyday drudgery.

"Carpe diem" and claim your independence! My best to all and
thank-you for your visits and kind words.

My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Young Liz

2008-06-17T19:54:00.001-07:00

12 x 12 x 3 gallery wrapped canvas

I initially prepped and textured the canvas with black gesso.
A while back I had found a magazine image of a woman who
reminded me of Frida Kahlo. She didn't really look like Frida,
but her face spoke to me and I was determined to create
a Frida because I am enamored by this artist, her work and
tenacity.

I transfered the image to the canvas and began to paint my
Frida. She was coming along quite nicely and I was beginning
to think how I might embellish her hair and her neckline.

Somewhere along the way I decided to divide the canvas into
6 sections by painting 3 random black lines, right through the
center of her likeness. I gave each section a sheer transparent
color wash of it's own. I had created unique multiple sections
of Frida and was delighted by the outcome and then... as if I
had gone mad, I reached for the unthinkable- a black
permanent Sharpie marker and began to sketch feverishly
around the painted image.

Now I had done it, gone too far, and hated it.

I immediately reached for the titan buff acrylic paint a tried to
go over my permanent markings and to no avail, my
permanent marks remained. What was I to do next?

I ran for the sandpaper, coarse, knubby sandpaper and began
ferociously sanding away at the entire canvas.

In the reveal, parts of initial black gesso were coming forward
and parts of the image transfer were vanishing away. There
were more light washes of titan buff, more sanding, canvas
scrubbing and then I stopped, canvas in my left hand while
brushing the paint dust remnants away with my right, I looked
at the canvas and decided that I was happy. I stared at my
canvas I saw a new familiar likeness, but this time, it was one
of a young Liz Taylor.

My Frida never evolved, but I was happy working tenaciously in
her spirit. This was to be my happy ending, a ressurection of my
artistic accident.

"The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I
paint always whatever passes through my head, without any
further consideration." -Frida Kahlo

As always, I thank you sincerely for your kind words and visits!

My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Escape

2008-06-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

8 x 8 mixed media polymer mosaic

My completed polymer clay mosaic, ready to hang. My previous post shows the pieces I had created for completing this project. It took me a bit longer than I had hoped, but more importantly I enjoyed the process. It was an escape, a detour if you will, from my usual creative path. There is a kind of mindfulness that takes place when trying to decide what pieces will go where. It was a relaxing and meditative process until... you find that you have an area that needs a tile which has yet to be created. I need to stockpile tiles. Incorporated in the final piece are commercial glass/stone tiles and beads.

This was my first mosaic.

Thought for today: "Hiding places there are innumerable, escape is only one, but possibilities of escape, again, are as many as hiding places. "- Franz Kafka

Perhaps we all need to find an escape, a diversion from our normal routine, a change of pace.

Thank you for your kind words and visits. Do stop by "The Way I See It" my other blogspot.

Polymer Mosaic-In Progress

2008-06-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Work in progress here... thought you might be interested in seeing this one unfold.

I have worked with polymer clay intermittently over the years and had forgotten all the great wonderful things you can do with this medium. This past Sunday, I was instantly re-inspired. I had the opportunity to spend 8 glorious hours with Laurie Mika, an extremely talented polymer clay mosaic artist. If you are interested in polymer/ mixed media and you ever get a chance to take one of Laurie's classes, do it. Check out her current events/ workshops and book.

Here are some images of the clay tiles I created. I stamped into the polymer clay using rubber stamps, found objects etc. applied gold leaf paper, pearl ex powders, acrylic paint, small bits and pieces of ephemera, jewelry parts, buttons, beads...you get the idea.

You can click on the following images for a closer look.

Next step will be to arrange these tile pieces onto this
8 x 8 metallic gold painted frame and to incorporate
other glass and ceramic tiles to create a one-of-a-kind mosaic.
I will also create a collage for the center.

Stay tuned... with any luck and time on my side.
I'll have this done tomorrow.

Thought for today:
"Remember that the best relationship is the one where
your love for each other is greater than your need for
each other"

Have a wonderful week, I'm glad you stopped by and as always
I'm grateful for your kind words.

My other blog locale is here: "The Way I See It"

Mr. Rob's

2008-05-24T16:17:00.001-07:00

9 x 13 watercolor paper
Golden acyrlics, Catherine Moore stamped images, other collage mishmash

It is a fact of life, we as humans view our reality in parts. We think in terms of left brain, right brain, we believe we are comprised of mind, body and spirit. We live different lives at work, play, in our relationships and in personal self growth.

We are the kings and queens of compartmentalisation. We are a giant multiple personality disorder. Now it is only logical that if we view ourselves in parts and we live our reality in parts that at some point, we will experience conflict.
Conflict because our parts don't always agree.

We want the sum of our parts to become whole. At least I do.

It's about living in the present, a present filled with individual moments. Moments which can be measured in time, seconds, minutes, hours, or days, by events etc.
and each moment can be explored with infinite possibilities to be who we really are.

It is in these individual moments that we are whole.

My intention is to pull my self together, find the sum of my parts and live in the moment, as much as possible.

I think Mr. Rob is Carlos Casteneda's alter ego. Carlos Casteneda, the Peruvian born, American author (1925- 1998) had some interesting thoughts about all of this in this in his early writings in "The Teachings of Don Juan".

Here's to living in the moment, may they be plentiful.

Thank-you for your visits and kind words, as always my best to you. My other blog locale: "The Way I See It"

Passion and Freedom

2008-05-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

12 x 12 gallery wrapped canvas, heavy molding paste texture
Golden fluid acrylics

He sensed through passion he would find his freedom.

The only 'completely' free person, is the person who is free from their own self or their own weaknesses. Most of us suffer from our own inner tyrant, sub-personalities, moodiness, parts of ourselves that come up that are not our authentic self and behind these masks are our true free consciousness.
A willingness to be open.

To be free is to be the master of our own soul, our own life, our own destiny. We must exercise our free will. Those who are not free are those who willingly restrain their own thoughts. Sometimes we are so busy trying to change the world and each other that we lose our focus.

Find your own truth, live your own truth, dream and live a life of passion.

Socrates once said, "If you want to change the world, you have to change yourself first."

Live life passionately. Passion is not only about love, but about life.

Live your life in truth and real purpose.

My friends- I leave you with this quote:
"We must be the change, we wish to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you for your kindness and sweet words. Now go out and make it a great day!

My other locale is here: "The Way I See It"

Measure of Dreams

2008-05-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

9 x 13 watercolor paper, mask, collage fodder
Golden acrylic paints, paint pens

How do we measure our dreams in the night,
when by morning they seem to have vanished?

John Steinbeck one of the greatest writer's of our time
believed in nocturnal productivity. He has said,
"It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night
is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.”

The shorter version of this has become the cliché, "Sleep on it!"

Sigmund Freud believed that dreaming was the "safety valve" for unconcious desires.

Researchers used to think that dreams only occurred during the REM (rapid eye movement) state of sleep, but now most experts agree that we can dream at any time during the night. However, the dreams which occur during our REM state are the most memorable and realistic.

I rarely experience this deep state of sleep, so best I can do, is wake long enough to write down my idea, or some worrisome detail and then place it precariously on my nightstand, it is here where this tidbit of information will incubate-- outside of my mind, sort of in vitro.
This will usually help my overactive mind free up for some ordinary sleep.

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe

Thanks for your visits and kind words!
My other local : "The Way I See It"

EyE Candy

2008-04-29T20:36:00.001-07:00

9 x 13 journal page, golden acrylics, spray paint, stencil,
masking tape, rub-ons, Caran d'Ache neocolor crayons

candy is in the EyE of the beholder,
something EyE wrapped up in tape,
a gift EyE gave to myself,
no strings attached, a lace,
and many small windows from which to see.

Thank you for your visits and kind words.

Best to all of you. My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Self Portrait

2008-04-26T13:18:00.001-07:00

colored pencil effect

pop art effect

Having fun with Mac's Photobooth software, for
2thingsphotochallenge "Self-Portrait"

My new header is actually my new business card created in PS, layers my painting and photo of my eye with assorted filters. Another self portrait of types. I left out my name and address but you get the gist.

Lovely weekend to all who visit here and thank you for your kind comments.

Cheers! My other blogspot:" The Way I See It"

Revival

2008-04-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

12 x 12 canvas, Golden Fluid acrylics

I had painted this canvas once before and it was awful. Awful canvases don't get thrown away, they get revived, resuscitated, a new life gets bestowed upon them.

I am now actually very pleased with the outcome. My initial intent was to use this canvas, as a collage, mixed media background. I struggled with attacking the surface with yet another medium. I couldn't find an opening, I waited patiently for an in, and then it dawned on me this painting was complete, as is. I have since become enamored with the color and randomness of it all.

the struggle
the patience
the willingness to let go

Thought I'd revive some 'old blue eyes' for your listening pleasure.

and I leave you with this final thought:
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy."

Have a wonderful week! My best to all of you.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Life, it's Ephemeral

2008-04-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

11 x 14 gallery wrap canvas, Golden acrylics, spray paint,
stencils, game piece, collage fodder, paint pens

fleeting moments,
give way to new experiences,
enriching our lives beyond measure. -ThE ArTfuL EyE

For curious minds, wondering how I come up with this stuff, read on.
When working with collage or mixed media, I generally do not have a pre-concieved idea as I begin a piece of work. I have an extremely overactive mind which works overtime, thinking, thinking, reflecting, daydreaming and the cycle repeats over and over. No rest for the weary here, but I would not have it any other way.

I usually begin by painting or placing random images down on paper. I pay attention to the color, and try to mix up my palette. Lately, I'm really trying to force myself out comfort colors and more into experimenting in color palettes that are more foreign. I find this helps me to be a better painter and expand my knowledge for color mixing.

Sometimes ideas will begin to develop along the way and my overactive mind will attach a thought to something I have placed on the canvas, or the lyrics to a song will come to mind, leading down a path of reminiscing, and reflection. Most times it isn't until the very end, when I look at the piece and hope it speaks to me.

As I was nearing the end of this piece, I was reminded of an old song by R.E.M.
"The Man on the Moon" and it all came together. I realized that this song was about embracing faith, even when you think you should know better. It's about the game of life, pop culture, fact or fiction, which made me think that life in itself is ephemeral.

Hence the name, "Life, it's Ephemeral"

Ephemeral- translated from Greek εφήμερος - ephemeros, literally means"lasting only one day, transitory, existing only briefly

In the game of life, we make up our own rules and then there are some rules already in place. Our lives are ephemeral in bits and pieces- each transitory moment, experience, each day touches us briefly, fleeting and make up our todays, give us our yesterday's, provide us our memories. Like most ephemera some things we won't ever experience again and some things will stand the test of time. Each of these moments is a part of our whole life experience, some moments richer than others, while some won't be worth remembering, yet all will be meaningful.

For your listening and viewing pleasure,

R.E.M. - "The Man on the Moon"

I'll leave you with this quote, "Ephemera is the window into our past."

Thank-you for enriching my life, by your visits and kind words.
Don't forget to mosey on over to my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

IF-Homage PEACE SYMBOL

2008-03-31T21:47:00.001-07:00

For this week's challenge at Illustration Friday

I pay homage to The Peace Symbol

9 x 13 Journal Page, Book of Eve
Golden Acrylics
Ink Pen
Oil Pastels for Resist
hand carved-Peace stamp

What this piece might look like if it were a poster, under a black light.
Remember owning one of these?

photoshop redux

The PEACE symbol turns 50 years old, this April on the 4th day, 2008. "This symbol was created by a British pacifist textile designer, Gerard Holtom and made its debut in London's Trafalgar Square where many gathered to support "ban the bomb" movement and to march to Aldermaston where atomic weapons research was being done."

It was originally designed for the DAC (Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War) and was adopted as its badge for the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) in Britain. It was later generalised to be an international icon for the 1960's anti-war movement and adopted by the counterculture of the time.

These were the times, I was present, young and impressionable.

Music to think PEACE by:

John Lennon - Give Peace a Chance

Cat Stevens - Peace Train

Salaam, Shalom, Pace, Paix, Vrede, Frieden, 和平, Paz, Ειρήνη,
Peace Out

To all my friends may you find some peace on the road of life.

"The Way I See It"

Native/Exotic

2008-03-30T18:12:00.001-07:00

I just couldn't let this 2thingsphotochallenge get away.

I've been mulling over this one all week and then it finally came to me. The Eucalyptus tree is the exotic. It is not a native tree to our country. It reigns from Australia, where there are more that 700 species, mostly native to this continent. Most of the Eucalyptus trees found in other regions of the world have been planted.

The picture of the Eucalyptus below was taken in my backyard. It stands approximately 100 feet tall. Just below this Eucalyptus are many live oaks, some blue and some scrub oak, which are native to this area.

Here are some pics of the scrub oak, but look, underneath the oak is another exotic it's an Agave, otherwise known as a "Century Plant".

There are some 125 species of this plant in Mexico while there are only 15 in the U.S. This species is an Agave atroviriens, it can weigh over two tons. This plant here is actually 10 ft. tall.

Here's a closer look. I should have placed my husband next to it's prickly leaves to give you some perspective. These stalks are well over 6 ft. long and approximately 15 ft. across. This particular genus will die once it flowers which is about 20 years, it's starting to flower.

click on photos to enlarge:

Now for the fun trivia:
The Agaves have been used as food source as far back as 1000 A.D.
Today, just across the border in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, in the town of Tequila, they are extracting Mescal to distill for Tequila from this Agave. By law it's the only Mescal that can be called Tequila.

Perhaps I should consider tapping into this sucker for my Margarita's this summer.

You do not want to be pricked by this cactus nor try to dismantle it without proper protection as it will cause numbing to your limbs, temporarily of course. Now you could suck the Mescal from the plant and your numbing problems will subside.

Have a lovely week! Thanks as always for your comments and visits!

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

YoU aRe NoT HeRe...

2008-03-22T18:25:00.001-07:00

11 x 14 canvas board, gel image transfers, Golden acrylic paints
rub-ons, paint pens, rubber stamp

My contribution to Illustration Friday's challenge "Pet Peeves"

I've got a few pet peeves, but this one particular 'peeve' is on top of my list and it's about refusing to ask for directions.

Have you ever gotten in the car with someone who will drive around in circles, travel for miles and insist they know where they are going? and it's clear that they are lost and you are not getting any closer to your destination? Then you ask that miserable question, "Why don't you ask for directions?" and the person retorts with a smug remark, Why? I'm not lost I know exactly where I'm going, then your face begins to scrunch up and you're ready to go to battle. If you're lucky you somehow arrive at your destination with the driver acting like they knew all along how to get there or they finally concede they are lost and beg for mercy.

-or wait there's a better one...
they ask for directions and then do something completely different because they don't believe the information they've been given to be true and you remain lost.

Other pet peeves:
cellphone use in restaurants, while driving
dogs left unattended barking continuously
shopping carts left randomly askew in parking lots
ignorance

I'll leave you with the following quote:
"If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn't need motivation to speed him up.
What he needs is education to turn him around." - Jim Rohn

Thank-you for your visits and kind words.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

jUsT anOtHeR dAy in PaRaDise

2008-03-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

The girls... me, Julie, Kim (our visiting blog friend from Wisconsin a.k.a. the North Pole) started the weekend off Saturday morning, at o'dark thirty...6:45 a.m. first stop Starbuck's, then off to the local swap meet.

Now mind you, our day wasn't complete until we had traveled to a myriad of thrift stores, a stamp supply store, a fabric store (which we quickly left because we were overcome by color and texture) followed by lunch, Border's for more art books, Dick Blick's, Artist's and Craftman Supply, Dick Blick's again... because A&C didn't have a colors we were after and then off to the beach to meet Heather, kick the sand, pick up shells and watch the sun go down, which was topped off at "The Harbor Beach Cafe" with a cold refreshment, some delicious fish tacos and wonderful company.

Flowers at the swap meet

Carlsbad State Beach- Carlsbad, CA

the boy

the sand

the surf

the end to a perfect weekend

Now it wouldn't be a perfect weekend without a splash of creativity and more camaraderie.

The same group of girls along with a few other friends, got together early Sunday a.m. to take class from our favorite Chris Cozen who is a "working artist" for Golden Paints.

Chris is a remarkable teacher and has just released a new book called "Altered Surfaces" which is chock full of instructions for creating all types of interesting surfaces utilizing the wide range of Golden products.

With Chris our classes generally begin with some type of color study on different papers or substrates. Today we began by choosing our favorite color palettes and painting background papers, using watercolor paper, canvas paper and some type of acrylic/linen paper.

Once our papers were complete we put together small collages and embellishments for our glass paperweight and then decided which portion of our paper we would use for the background.

Here is a sampling of my background papers:

Below are my finished glass paperweights.
These were a bit tricky to photograph due to the glass and reflection but you get the idea.

Thanks for your visits and kind words.

Have a wonderful week! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Thank God It's Friday!

2008-03-07T19:36:00.001-08:00

This canvas board was painted with my favorite Golden acrylic paints, and the image transfers were made using Golden Acrylic Ground for Pastels and Golden Glass Bead Gel.

The image transfer of the sun was done with the bead gel. I found the bead gel difficult to work with in that the paper does not want to release easily from the beads once the transfer is made, I think I need more practice or... I need to ditch the medium. I'll give it a few more trys. I usually don't give up that easily.

I then took the image into Photoshop and added a posterize and film grain filter. I liked the results.

This has been one crazy week and I found that slaying dragons and doing good deeds can be hard work, so TGIF. I've been able to make my rounds and found most of you busily creating all week long and have thoroughly enjoyed my trip. Keep up the great work!

I'm off this weekend to pillage flea markets and search for more stuff to stockpile for future creative use and... to enjoy the SUN.

Here Comes the Sun-

"Little darling, it's been a long cold, lonely winter.."

See you soon! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Dream State

2008-03-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

8x10 colored pencil/pencil/collage material/distress inks

"Twirl me about, and twirl me around
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground
And when I look up at you looking down,
Say it was only a dream"
- Mary Chapin Carpenter

I really should be cleaning up my studio, so that I can get back into that room and work. I have two work tables in there that have somehow been overcome by events. Events as in projects.

My workspace has now expanded to our x-large kitchen table, leaving my husband 1/3 of the table to enjoy his breakfast and read his paper. He doesn't seem to mind. I do check with him on occasion when things begin to look like they are getting out of control.

Note to self: things are out of control.

I'm going to do something about this chaos and clean up my act.

Dreamer!

I'll leave you with this thought:
"Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream"-Kahlil Gibran

Thanks for visiting! Don't forget to mosey on over to my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Old/New

2008-03-01T13:07:00.001-08:00

My contribution to this week's 2thingsphotochallenge Old/New

Old/
Here's a photo of Yosemite Valley I took last time my dad came to visit from New York.

This is your first view of Yosemite, located on the lower western end of the valley as you enter the park. It's breathtaking. You can see the sheer granite face of El Capitan on the left, Cathedral Rocks on the right and just below Bridalveil Falls.
Click on image to get a closer look.

Most of the granite features of Yosemite Valley were created during the Cretaceous Period when intrusions of igneous rock comprised of solidified molten magna formed plutons beneath the earth's surface. The earliest of these granite intrusions appeared 114 million years ago.
Plutons, named after Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld.

New/

Here is a recent photo of the Roman Colosseum or Coliseum. One of the greatest works of Roman Architecture and the largest amphitheater ever built in the Roman Empire. It's relatively new in comparison to Yosemite Valley, as it was completed in 80 A.D. under the rule of the Roman Emperor Titus.

It was capable of seating 50,000 or so spectators for gladiator sports, animal hunts, mock sea battles and executions. Last recorded event was in the 6th century.

and another Old/ for old time sake.

my contribution Box/Car 2things challenge. I'm throwing in my image for Box/Car at the request of D.C. Confidential . I thought I was too late last Sunday, so I had deleted it. Might be worth a peek and now it's old.

This was actually a folded box car template that once assembled became a carrier for a child's hamburger.

Thanks for stopping by! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

"Standing on the water's edge...

2008-02-22T05:20:00.001-08:00

reverse painting on acetate with alcohol inks, college ephemera
stamp by 100 Proof Press

standing on the water's edge,

reflecting,

some things seem larger than life.

All you have here my friends is merely a re-exploration of a medium I had forgotten about, alcohol inks. Some time ago I had worked with these inks on heavy glossy paper and really liked the results. This time around, I thought I try them on acetate and enjoyed the result. I didn't want to throw my test away, so I made a collage around it.

I leave you with this thought:
"Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."

I wish you all many experiences and that you will continue to grow and prosper through each one.

For you collage fanatics, blog to note here: Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz

Thank-you for your kind words and visits, as always- Andrea
My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

OnLy WhEn I Am fOuNd, CaN I bE Me

2008-02-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

9x12x1.5 mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas
Golden Fluid and Heavy Body Acrylic, molding paste, collage material

My contribution to Illustration Friday's pick o'tha week "Theory"

My theory is "only when I am found, can I be me". so where am I? am I hiding from myself? or am I hiding in plain sight? These are the thoughts I ponder.

What about you? Are you lost or found?

Here's a cool site to see what other's have found while they were out looking:
www.foundmagazine.com created by Davy Rothbart and some of the great "Found" books by the same author here .

"Found is an uncommon tribute to and commentary on everyday life-- a collage of disparate "found" items sent by readers across the nation, ranging from love letters to doodles to shopping lists"

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh, at yourself"

Now quit lingering and go find yourself!
xoxox my other side "TheWay I See It"

on the road less travelled, I will choose ...

2008-02-10T16:49:00.001-08:00

11x14 journal page

This week's contribution to Illustration Friday's challenge "Choose"

..the fork in the road.

I was on the road less travelled when I came upon a sign that read, "Fork in the Road ahead". The road meandered for some time past this sign, I'd say about 1/4 mile or so, when all of a sudden there was a fork in the road.

Now this was no ordinary fork in the road, like you read about...some diverging path. This was a real fork, the kind that would complete your table setting. What do you suppose this meant?

Was this fork a metaphor for something in my life? There it stood firmly planted in the ground with four shiny metal tines, were the tines representing the parts of my life I needed to acknowledge?

What would I see next, a spoon, or a knife? Was this to remind me that I am part of a set? Am I looking to complete myself, would I be made whole? Would finding a spoon feed my soul? Would the knife cut my journey short?

...so many questions on the road less travelled. I am a non-conventional thinker. I will continue on my journey, welcoming change, mixing things up, looking for new interpretations of the old . I will relish the opportunity to take more chances, for the only regrets in life we have, are the chances we never took.

I leave you with Robert Frost's poem c.1920

ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Happy Trails!

Thank-you one and all :
for your visits,
for your kind words,
for making me laugh,
for making me smile,
for making me cry,
for making me think, for this I am grateful.

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

the JoY of PlaY:invitation response

2008-02-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

My contribution to Sue O'Kieffe's : Invitation to Play at Sacred Circle Mandalas

Sue O'Kieffe and John Mora Typos.Daylight.Fate have recently begun to collaborate on some of their creative efforts.

John's original image "stay" can be viewed here where he sampled a lovely photo from Babaloo here. Sue's mandala, is a collaborative work with John can be seen is here .

Thank-you to Great Grannie Bobbie for suggesting this round robin challenge.

"No images have been hurt in this creative exercise, only my ego as I struggle to learn the tools"

All rights to these images belong to the original artists who are extremely talented and whom I am grateful to have met through this venue. Thank you for your permission to *play*

Have a wonderful day! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

The Year of the Rat ...fink

2008-02-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

pre-gesso'd black journal paper, Golden Fluid Acrylics- Interference green and gold, Cobalt Blue,Quinacridone Magenta, and my favorite Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint on asian stamp for initial background texture.

The rats are cut out of paper towels I had used to clean my brushes and saved.
chinese coin stamp and asian lady stamped with Stazon black on acetate.

My contribution to Wednesday Stamper's theme for this week "Asia"

Happy Chinese New Year! "The Year of the Rat" note the years listed on the right on my collage are 'rat years', which occur every twelve years.

Are you a Rat?

Characteristics of Rat:
smart, magnetic, well-liked, problem solvers, self-sufficient, quick-witted, surreptitious, selfish, protective, calculating hmmm...

Right now I'm thinking my husband is a rat, but now he was born in '61.
Is it possible to be on the cusp of rat?

This city girl, (who now lives in the country) is pining for her husband who abandoned her early this week for another country, not another woman, but another country. Italy. 'Povero Bambino!" This is where the *fink* part comes in as in *rat fink*. and he took our good digital hence crappy photos.

I needed to drown my sorrows, so I decided to mosey on over to the Barrel Room a local vintage wine bar and bistro to meet some friends. Here I opted for the 'champagne and caviar dreams package' a.k.a. glass of "J" Cuvee from J Winery in Sonoma. We cracked some bread, peeled back some prosciutto, and nibbled on baby lamb chops. We laughed, we people watched, and we laughed some more and I still wasn't feeling like I was any where nearer to the Trevi Fountain. Another "J' please, and can I buy a vowel? Like a "U" for u rat fink.

I'm just joshing because I'm actually delighted my husband had a chance to get away to such a lovely place and have it paid for by the company.

So city girl heads back home to country, tired and lonely for her traveling man. Now mind you it has been raining alot up here this past weekend, it's been frigid cold in the a.m. 27 degrees with frost all around. Our yard backs up to the Cleveland National Forest, (no we don't live in Ohio) and the wildlife is restless. Our little birds are tapping on the bedroom windows, I'm feeling like Tippi Hendren in "The Birds". There are the frogs, what sounds like meeeelllions of frogs, croaking away, pining for bug bites, coyotes pining for the moon, and the barn owls that nest in our trees pining for the rats! So I cozy on up to the sounds of my wildlife friends and ring in the New Year.

P.S. Here's a real pic of Rat Fink (anyone remember this hot-rod character by Ed Roth) from Kustom Kulture. My husband used to have these trading cards.

Thank you for visiting and your kind words, as always-

"Enjoy yourself it's later than you think"
My other blogspot: The Way I See It"

Buddha in the Northern Light

2008-02-05T06:01:00.001-08:00

My contribution to this weeks 2things challenge Night/Light.

"Enlightment must come little by little---- or it will overwhelm us."

Namaste.

("salutatory gesture," 1948, from Hindi, from Sanskrit namas "bowing" + te, dat. of tuam "you" (sing.). Used as a word of greeting from 1967. )

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

WS-Charms

2008-02-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

single pendant charm- each side
asst'd. collage snippets, 7gypsies rub-ons, Stamper's Anonymous cube stamp

My contribution to this weeks Wednesday Stamper challenge "Charms"

"No man is useless, while he is a friend" Thanks for stopping by!

My other blog: "The Way I See It"

Sally's New Bustier

2008-01-30T04:24:00.000-08:00

I took an old slide, dismantled the innards and created a minature collage. Painted small piece of watercolor paper with twinkling H2O's and Golden Interference Green. Half stamped/half drawn image, piece of mica and a broken piece of sea shell to represent a bustier.

I must say, that it is not as easy as you would think- to confine yourself to such a miniscule space, so here in lies the challenge.

"I've Gotta Hand it To Ya"

Cold pressed (rough) watercolor paper, oil pastels, funky patina'd charm and scrap text in black slide frame.

I leave you with the following thought:
"If we can go deep into ourselves we will find that we possess exactly what we desire"

(though it wouldn't hurt to have have a bustier as tough as Sally's)

Thanks for visiting. My other blogspot is here: "The Way I See It"

Altered Fractal

2008-01-27T19:02:00.001-08:00

I was in the mood for PS today...note the "M" is missing. This is good thing for all you folks out there in the blogosphere. What?! no sillies, "M" stands for manipulation, oh... and PS stands for Photoshop. I had created a fractal awhile back and decided to throw a couple of PS filters at it like motion blur, liquefy, and colored pencil. Also manipulating each filters individual tools. Now it looks like a lovely knitted chenille blanket. No, I'm not drinking or on drugs and yes I do know how to knit. It's just me in my usual state of happy.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, or not... still love ya anyway.

Don't forget to mosey on by my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

My UpSiDe DoWn WoRld

2008-01-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

When you're feeling like your world is upside down, why fight it?! This is what I saw when I looked out the window. I immediately grabbed the camera and ran outside to capture this reflection in our swimming pool. It was a sign... of the times... and a forecast for the weather.

me and my upside down shadow

Nothing like a different perspective to stir things up.

Remember this song, "Signs" circa 1971 from "The Five Man Electrical Band"

Things will be looking up soon. Thanks for stopping!

Won't you please visit my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Replenish the Coffers

2008-01-22T19:36:00.001-08:00

8 x 11.5 Mixed Media Collage on pre-painted watercolor paper,
assorted fibers, german foil, Golden fluid acrylic

Mandala: [Sanskrit maṇḍalam, circle.]
-in Jungian psychology a symbol representing the effort to reunify the self.
-any of various geometric designs (usually circular) symbolizing the universe; used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism, as an aid to meditation

This collage was to be 'MY' aid in meditation. My attempt at filling the coffers. The coffers = to my depleted spirit and deported demeanor. Now, I for one have never been able to sit still and meditate for more than 5 minutes before my mind goes off reeling in a million different directions. So I found that cutting pieces of paper, many pieces of paper for hours on end will serve this purpose.

Peacefully cutting, meandering in non-linear thought, merrily I go, snip-snip-snip in my euphoric state when all of a sudden in my zoned out overzealous cutting spree I took a chunk of my finger. Luckily for me, I was in that state where people can walk over hot coals and don't feel a thing. Hee..same idea, the pain didn't come but the blood did and in great amounts. Barbie bandaid to the rescue as evidenced by this pic below: (forgive me while this is not my index fingers best side)

I restored my sense of peace and resumed... snip-snip-snip. Now, my next step in mindfulness training was to randomly, incohesively fashion these snippets of colorful papers, asst. cut up greeting cards, wrapping paper, vintage text and fibers into a circle utilizing a watercolor painting I had done awhile back but was not fond of (never throw this stuff away). Now I admit, the one thought that did cross my mind was that I wanted the background of this colorful circle to eventually be black so the color would vibrantly stand out.

I stayed with this process quietly, delicately placing snippet over snippet until my circle was complete. I was now ready for the finale, the layer of black paint to cover the existing watercolor. As I began randomly, splashing black paint over exposed color I noticed what appeared to be a bird emerging in the bottom left hand corner. My 'aha' moment, so I worked around the color in black and my bird came to be.

My zen state is just about resonating to an end when my container of Golden Carbon Black paint launches out of my hand and in sssllloooowww motioooon finds it's way to the white stone tile floor exploding all over my walls, face and clothing. Now let me say that for a short moment I was back in that "hot coal walking state" when I got up and decided to take a paper towel the size of a postage stamp to clean up this mess...then fight or flight kicked in and I realized I'm in trouble and need more Brawny.

Now this is a sure fire way to crack the meditative code. Let me now tell you as a sidenote: WARNING! do not let Golden Carbon Black Paint sit for ANY length of time on any surface especially white stone floors as this paint does not move as quickly as it does when you squeeze it out of the bottle.

Next meditation aid: clean floors on hands and knees scrubbing with scouring pad to get black out of grout and off of tile. Oh, grasshopper!

I learned patience.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

CoMiC StRiPs

2008-01-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

8 x 11.5 mixed media collage

comic strip

many layers of acrylic paint over black gesso

distressed embossing

As a child I was a dreamer, well I'm still a dreamer. I liked comic books like Archie , Betty and Veronica, Jughead, Richie Rich, Little Lulu, Krazy Kat and Nancy to name a few. I liked to take long leisurely strolls. I'd kick a few stones, wave to the neighbors on their stoops and pluck a dandelion or two and make a wish-- while on my way to the corner fountain shop where I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. It was here I would capitalize on my $1, release the stronghold grip on my coin purse and score a handful of delectable treats.

I could buy an Archie comic book for .12 cents and a brown paper bag fulled with penny candies and a Yoo Hoo or a chocolate egg cream and still have change left over. I couldn't wait for Sundays because the New York Times had the best funnies section and the colors were so vibrant. I'd launch my Silly Putty from it's molded egg plastic case, smell it, stretch it and start capturing the images of the comics, distorting them and changing the way they looked. Those were the days.

As I grew older, I took a liking to Snoopy and Charlie Brown, Ziggy and Mad magazine, remember Alfred E. Neuman? My taste grew to "Calvin and Hobbes" and "The Far Side" and "Dilbert" in my travels to Italy and France at the local newspaper stands, I'd stumble upon copies of Gato Felix (Felix the Cat), Occhi Bracchio di Ferro(Popeye the Sailorman), Picchiarello(Woody Woodpecker), Topolino(Mickey Mouse) and "The Adventures of TinTin". I have always admired the work of the great Winsor McCay, late 19th century, American cartoonist and animator. One of my favorites compilations "Little Nemo in Slumberland"

Today, I still own Silly Putty, I like the smell ( it's probably toxic) I no longer enjoy reading the comics and I choose to manipulate things in a different way. Don't forget to laugh!

Thanks for stopping by. My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

"F" Street ala Peter Max

2008-01-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

While my friend Julie and I were meandering through the streets of Little Italy, making our way to Dick Blick's for more art supplies, I decided I would hold my camera out the window and rapid fire.

Who did I think I was kidding? I am. just. not. that. good at utilizing the 'rapido' fire button on my camera and... especially since I kept accidently closing the lens instead of shooting the picture, leaving me with some 'not so' interesting subjects, like this street light on F.

So, I decided to give it an extreme photo makeover ala Peter Max utilizing PS's neon glow filter, manipulating the brightness levels and enhancing the image.

Hey, I'm a child of the 60's, I love Peter Max. Learn more about him here .

My other blogspot "The Way I See It" Thanks for stopping by!

WS-Fortuna

2008-01-13T01:35:00.000-08:00

Found a new 3X5 card surface from which to embellish upon last evening at R. O'Sullivans Irish Pub and Steakhouse in Escondido, CA... known to me for the longest time as the NIB (Neighborhood Irish Bar) long story for another day.

The waitress came to the table and threw down a slew of these sturdy 3x5 coasters that had really neat photos of California surfers and on the backside they were postcards, ready for mailing. They were actually made to support a Fat Tire Beer. My mind was reeling...while everyone was placing their drink orders I was calculating how I could abscond a few of these for the sake of art without looking too obvious. I'll take a Grey Goose Lemon drop martini, please... before she returned I started to slowly shuffle a few of these in my direction leaving behind a token few.

Now mind you in addition to drink coasters, this place has wonderful Shepard's Pie, Bangers and Mash, Guinness Stew and plenty of good 'ole Guinness Stout. It's 9p.m.-- no cover charge- Andy Walo Blues/Rock guitarist. We had seen this guy here before and he is one talented guitarist he can play a mean Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Cash, John Lee Hooker, J.J. Cale to name a few. I'll have another Grey Goose Lemon Drop Martini, please...

So here is my reincarnated coaster titled "Fortuna" il "Patrono San di acquisto domestico" "The Patron Saint of Homebuyers" My contribution to this weeks Wednesday Stamper challenge

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to mosey on over to my other blogspot "The Way I See It"

Our Backyard Friend

2008-01-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to our backyard friend who came to visit this past summer. We couldn't be anything but in the moment for this little fellow to stop by, as it is most unusual for these wild finches to ever come close to a human. My husband and I decided to stand absolutely motionless, watching about 15 of these guys feed off of a thistle bag I have hanging on a shepard's hook in my yard.

We placed a small amount of thistle seed in our hands and stood, motionless, like statues with our hands extended to see any one of our feathered friends which venture into unknown territory, when all of a sudden this little one took a liking-- first to my husband.

He clung to his shirt and then slowly made his way to his hand for some feed. My husband then gently picked him up and placed him on my hand for this photo op. Everyday for approximately 12 or so days, as soon as one of us stepped outside he would fly to us, land on our shoulder, shorts, arms. He'd sit with us on the patio swing, keeping us company, feed and visit for as long as we'd have him and then one day I think one of his fine feathered friends convinced him it was best to move on. This intimate interaction with our little friend was one of life's simple joys. It reminded me of being in the moment and how good it felt. It reminded me of the warm summer days.

Thanks for stopping by. "The Way I See It"

It wAs A CoLd and StoRmY NiGhT

2008-01-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

8 1/2 X 11 journal page

"Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."- Susan Ertz

It was a "CoLd and StoRmY NiGhT", indeed. We have finally received the much needed rain that we have missed for so long. Rain is good, the earth needs a drink, our coffers need replenishing. I for one have plenty to do on this rainy Sunday afternoon. What about you?

What will you do today? I hope that whether the sun is basking your space in warmth, or the winter's snow lay at your feet that you will do what is necessary to feed your soul. After all...immortality is 'an endless life' in our mind.

Thank you for your kind words. My other blogspot "The Way I See It"

Remembering ABE

2008-01-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

REMEMBER
"SOMETIMES WE MUST INTERFERE. WHEN HUMAN LIVES ARE ENDANGERED, WHEN HUMAN DIGNITY IS IN JEOPARDY, NATIONAL BORDERS AND SENSITIVITIES BECOME IRRELEVANT. WHENEVER MEN OR WOMEN ARE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, RELIGION, OR POLITICAL VIEWS, THAT PLACE MUST-AT THAT MOMENT-BECOME THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. " - Elie Wiesel

I'm not really sure where to begin. I had signed up for a Shoe shrine class in July of last year with Michael deMeng. I brought my shoe to shrine and I had also brought with me this thought, memory if you will that I've carried for a long time. I couldn't finish it then. It's finished now.

I've wanted to do a piece about the Holocaust for many years. My husband and I had visited the Museum of Tolerance at the Simon Wiesenthal Plaza in L.A. on numerous occasions. The passport I had received upon entering on this given day was for Abraham Beem.

I dedicate my shoe shrine to Abraham Beem and his sister Eva. Hence the name ABE.

It has taken me this long to feel right about this piece. The shoe represents the walk that these children endured, likely without shoes. I didn't have a photo for Eva at the time so I used a rubber stamp I had that depicted a young girl with a blank stare. The puzzle pieces represent the 'fragments' of their lives. The overstamped saying on the large puzzle piece is a Harriet Tubman quote," The sun came like gold through the trees and over the fields and I felt like I was in heaven". I wanted the confusion with the overstamping to represent the transition these children had from their living hell to our interpretation of heaven. I'll leave the rest to you.

Here is a pic I recently found of sweet Eva Beem.

originally uploaded to Flicker
by rosewithoutathorn 84
on November 25, 2007

We must NEVER forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. Educate your children... Here is a documentary I own and recommend "Paper Clips" see trailer here:

Be sure to stop by my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Hope

2007-12-31T18:43:00.001-08:00

2" x 3" mixed media collage
-with the following ingredients, some hope and imagination:

collage image
a piece rubber shelf lining (painted with *Modern Options)
aluminum sheet (run through crimper)
picture hanger
Radio Shack resistor
multi-color seed beeds
cool button
metal heart(painted with *Modern Options)
wave crimper
"hope" metal ephemera
brads
wire 24g
metal slide
knock out seal(painted with *Modern Options)

As you see here "Hope" comes in all shapes and sizes.

Here's a photo I took off of Highway 67 in Ramona, CA just after the Cedar Fires in 2003. I wasn't living here then, but we had happened to take a weekend drive and I came upon this photo op. It was fitting for the time and it seems fitting now.

Hope for 2008.
we find each other in good health
we are surrounded by loved ones
we continue to share with others
we reach out to those in need
we practice kindness
we find forgiveness
we practice peace
in this spirit, we are happy

To my friends, Happy New Year! 2008 ... thanks for the visits and your kind words on my blogs :"The Way I See It" and "The Artful Eye"

SuRpRisE!

2007-12-29T16:12:00.001-08:00

4X4 canvas Golden Fluid acrylics, gel medium,
7 gypsies-rubber stamps Alpha Stamps - collage sheet

"Surprise"! another from my clown series. I will be posting more from this series in the upcoming weeks.

It's been a cold day here for San Diego, CA. I don't believe the temp has gone above 55 degrees. and I'm enjoying the fact that it feels a bit wintry. Now I'm sure my sunny socal friends would shoot me for saying this and my midwest/eastcoast friends are laughing because these temps are balmy... but this is what I miss about the seasons. Now if it would just snow a teeny, weensy bit.

I guess I need to head back to Julian, CA for snow. Don't forget to stop by my other blogspot for news just in from : "The Way I See It"

Rear View Mirror

2007-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

8 x 11 journal page

rubber stamped image from "Paperbag Studios"

Rear view mirrors are interesting, they exist and

people rarely use them. We pass miles of road, sometimes

daydreaming and not realizing what is now behind us.

Are you ever tempted to look back?

Reflecting back hopefully gives us insight to

what lies ahead. Our experiences past and present,

prepare us for the future.

Today becomes tomorrow.

What will we take away from this moment?

Ever notice in your rear view mirror the etched statement-

"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear"

This notice reminds me that I need to pay attention because

the answers are right here in front of me.

for next Friday's journal challenge: "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night..."

Feel free to stop by my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

OuT Of My gOuRd- Part II

2007-12-12T21:31:00.001-08:00

In an earlier post I had mentioned this gourd art medium was new to me. I think I surprised myself in how things turned out. This is the second of three I've completed so far. Closed coil and yarn wrapped coil, embellished with turquoise scarab, shells, beach rock and seagrass.

Another view.

Thanks for stopping by!

I leave you with this "Glimpse of the Day" by Sogyal Rinpoche

"Doubt is not a disease but merely a symptom of a lack of what we in our tradition call the View, which is the realization of the nature of mind, and so of the nature of reality. When the View is there completely, there will be no possibility for the slightest trace of doubt, for then we'll be looking at reality through its own eyes. But until we reach enlightenment there will inevitable be doubts, because doubt is a fundamental activity of the unenlightened mind,

and "the only way to deal with doubts is neither to suppress nor indulge them.""

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to take a glimpse

at my other blog "The Way I See It"

Sunflower

2007-12-11T06:10:00.000-08:00

The image of this sunflower calms me.

It brings back a memory of quiet and stillness.

I've been going through a learning curve with my new

IMAC and I'm not sure it's a curve anymore, it's more like a cliff.

Lot's to learn about this new OS, but I'm sure once I get it down- I'll be a screamin' mimi.

Have a great day!

Take a stroll over to: "The Way I See It" my other blogspot.

"EyE kNoW tHerE pLenTy oF fiSh iN The SeA"

2007-12-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

8 X 11 black gesso'd cardstock, golden fluid acrylics
gel pens, stamps, collage imagery, fishing swivels

I had mentioned a challenge a friend and I had commenced upon

in a recent post. The topic for this week was "What I know about fishing..."

What I know about fishing is that it is very relaxing until you get caught fishing without a license. Yup.. Dillion Reservoir, Breckenridge, Colorado. I like fishing but I have a problem with removing the fish once I've caught it. Now to some this may not be a problem, but to the 'lil ole fish, this puts them in an awful predicament.

I have my own graphite rod, a fishing vest with all sorts of gadgets, hooks, fish eggs, spinners, lures, and weights and I've always wanted my very own creel basket. (Don't have one.) and I have not done much fishing lately.

How bad do you want to make your buddies feel on your next fishing trip? Well here's a 'fishy tale' for y'all about "the big one" or should I say the basket o' fish I had caught on a fishing trip in the Maroon Bells in Aspen, CO. (area was just like this)

My friends and I parted ways to what we each thought were better fishing locals. While on my own path, I had met a couple who had caught a whole bunch o'fish but were not interested in eating them so they offered them up to me. I put them in my bucket on ice and trekked back to our campsite and awaited my friends return. When they showed up empty handed, I presented them with my bounty (never disclosing how I actually got them). In the end... my story unraveled and we all had some great laughs and so that is my tale.

One day before I transition from this life, I'd like to try fly fishing in Montana standing in a 'cool river' with full set of hip waders, casting my fly rod into the chilly waters, as I gaze into the great blue yonder, hair blowin' in the wind, surrounded by puffy white clouds- that look like this...

Oh.. and did I mention I like "Fish and Chips."

Remember every week Friday we'll pick a topic and set upon on separate ways to create a journal page on this randomly chosen topic. No rules. Feel free to join in and post a link to your collage in the comments.

The topic for next week's Friday collage is "Rear view mirrors"

Please stop on by my other blogspot "The Way I See It" Thanks for visiting!

Hey.. I can make that

2007-12-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

I know as artists we've all stumbled upon this quandry at one time or another where you see something you like and think, "Hey I can make that.. then the next question is, "But will I really?" and do I have time etc. etc. You know what I mean. Well this was one of those times for me. A friend of mine had come to work with this really cool vinyl bag and I immediately fell in love. Then after some precise fondling and carefully perusing over the details of how this bag was made I immediately sprung into action. I went to my desk, sketched the details and went to work. I already had the newspaper, I had collage material, I needed large grommets a sewing machine and aquarium tubing and ViOLa! A vinyl bag was born.

Another view and both sides are collaged.

So when the urge strikes, just do it!
(Now do I have to pay Nike for this?)

Oh.. and for those inquiring minds the store where my friend
purchased her bag was Anthropologie a fine purveyor of drygoods.

Thanks for stopping by. My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Questions for the Dalai Lama

2007-12-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

Vineyard Haven, MA on Martha's Vineyard

"In the present circumstances, no one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems. Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged."-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

If you had a question for the Dalai Lama what would it be?

My other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Wheee..

2007-12-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I wish there was snow.. because I love sledding
and you just can't do it without the white stuff.

Here's another acrylic block 2"X 5 ". Reverse painting, collage imagery, gel medium. I'm telling you these are so fun and rewarding you must give this technique a try.

Feel free to stroll on by my other spot: "The Way I See It"

A Place for Everything and Everything in It's Place

2007-11-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

My friend Graciela and I have recently created a challenge for ourselves. The idea was for each of us to write down a topic, question, thought, random word, group of words, anything that came to mind. We each had to come up with 50 topics. We placed them in a bag and each week on Friday we both draw from the bag, one of these topics. Our challenge is to create a journal page on the chosen topic. We work on our journal page independantly until the following Friday when we get together to share our journal page and thoughts about the topic. This journey is about finding out who we are, getting to know each other and to produce some critical thinking. We never know what topic we'll pick so there is no planning ahead.

This week's topic was "A Place for Everything and Everything in It's Place".

Next week's topic- "What I know about fishing...

I will post a new journal page every Friday. If you feel like meeting the challenge, please do.. no rules, no committments, just do it when it feels right. Post a comment with a link to your page.

Cheers, off to Monterey until Sunday.

Don't forget to stroll on by my other local "The Way I See It"

:::This just in from my news desk:::

2007-11-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

I'm perking up...I just got done posting on my other blog when I decided to look outside and check on our local raging Santa Ana winds. (You know those winds that help fuel all our firestorms in sunny California) and once I recovered from the electrical shock I received through my body from all the static electricity due to the dryness and lack of humidity. I found not one but TWO packages left by UPS on my doorstep.

Inside first package- 3 humongous catalogs from
Rio Grande filled with tons of goodness to buy. Can't wait!

Inside second package:

My recent order from : WholeLottaWhimsy

I'm officially an addict, a "silver clay addict" that is...see my syringe of clay, rubber block, agate burnisher, 45grams of pure silver clay, cork clay, a .999 stamp, 2 cute red containers of smelly liver of sulphur and a gift baggie of candy.

I'm on the mends! New mantra "must get better soon, must get better soon..."

My other blog "The Way I See It"

Glass House-Vintage Christmas

2007-11-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

Front of the house

Back of the house

Side (1) of the house

Side (2) of the house

The glass house front panels are 9" tall
(collage between 2 pc's. of glass x2)

The pitched roof of side panels measure 4" X 7"
(collage between 2 pc's. of glass x2)

The lower side panels measure 5"X 7"
(collage between 2 pc's. of glass x2)
---some sewing included

All individual panels were copper foiled and soldered, then panels were soldered to form the house. The house sits over a "tap" light that can be turned on to illuminate the imagery.

Thought for the day-
"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones."

--- something made of glass can easily break; it is vulnerable. We are all vulnerable in different ways. Sometimes we forget our own vulnerability and "throw stones" at other people in the form of criticism. In other words, check yourself before casting a stone or an unkind word.
I bet you're far from perfect.

BTW -No one lives in this glass house, just good 'ole friendly spirits of the past.

Thanks for stopping by!

Be sure to stroll on over to my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

OuR NeSt

2007-11-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

What I present to you here, is a 9" x 12" collaged shadowbox. There is a glass front to this box which is hard to tell by this pic, which slides open to the right. The small box within shown with stamped writing and image of birdsnest opens to present a small speckled blue robin's egg. There are painted thread spools for the feet. This box currently hangs on a wall.

Off to create some journal pages...Wish me luck.

Be sure to visit my other blogspot: "The Way I See It"

Ada

2007-11-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

My sad news today is that my dear mother-in-law Ada passed away yesterday. I contemplated writing a post that comes with such sadness, but the truth is that 'death' is also a part of life so it must be faced no matter how awful it feels. I am blessed to have known such an incredible woman, one who has met many challenges in her lifetime... and throughout these challenges was always inspired to bring joy and comfort to so many others. She lived a pure life, filled with unconditional love and faith. I'll take good care of your son. Rest in peace, dear Ada.

Please stop by "The Way I See It"

Wild Turkey

2007-11-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

I found this beautiful painting by Rebecca Latham while I was searching for turkeys online.
This particular painting is acrylic on panel.

Top 3 reasons to be searching for turkeys online:

1) cooking instructions
2) to see what a wild turkey really looks like

(the wild turkeys in my neighborhood don't look this good) I think this is a Hollywood Turkey!

3) to see if it was anyone I knew

Check out the beautiful wildlife artwork done here
"The Wildlife & Nature Art of Latham Studios

Happy Thanksgiving One and All!
Don't forget to visit: "The Way I See It"

WhEn I GROw UP I WAnt To BE a PiLoT

2007-11-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

5X5 Acrylic Block, vintage photocopy,Golden Fluid Acrylics

My plan is to work 1/2 day tomorrow- Wednesday.
There..I wrote it down, that should bring me closer to my intention.
Now listen and watch below.: Don't forget to fly by: "The Way I See It"

A Mother's Love

2007-11-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

5X5 acrylic block, Golden paints, gel medium, vintage image

This is one of my favorite all time projects. I took a class awhile back from Chris Cozen at Stamping Details. Chris is a working artist for Golden Paints. If you ever get an opportunity to take a class from her, just do it. I loved this project so much that I went out and bought sheets of 1/4- 1/2 inch thick acrylic and had it cut up into many assorted block sizes so that on any whim I can create a little masterpiece. When these pieces are placed near a window they look like stained glass.

Check out my other post: "The Way I See It"

If I had a hammer...

2007-11-18T06:19:00.000-08:00

I know right now there's a few of you humming that song and you know which one I'm talking about. Okay... It's getting to be that time of year where the desire to 'illuminate' is great. Here's a fun project for those of you with time on your hands and a hammer.

What you'll need:
coffee can (who drinks canned coffee? check around the office)

water
hammer
sharp nail or awl
10 or 12 gauge wire

I spray painted a cleaned out coffee can to look rusty. (inside and out) Using a combination of matte brown, green and copper Krylon spray paint (any brand will do) You can use sandpaper to scratch through some of the paint and add some worn looking texture to the can.

Once dry, fill the can with water and freeze to a solid mass. Now here comes the fun part...

Using your hammer with a sharp nail or awl start tapping a design into the can. The tough part here is holding the freezing cold can. I sat on the concrete on a nice sunny day and placed a towel on the ground around the can securing a good position to hammer away. Once you are satisfied with your pattern. There is one more thing to consider and that is, will this luminary stand or be hung. If you decide you'd like to hang it, tap side holes for your 10/12 gauge which you will attach to the can. Let the water melt and pour out. warning : Be careful when trying to dry out the inside of the hammered can because of sharp edges caused by hammer and awl. You can use a metal file to smooth those edges down. Now it's ready to make it's debut at your entry, on your patio table, around the pool. Insert votive and viola! These are very pretty when lit and can stand being outdoors for long periods of time. Now if this seems like to much work and your desperate to illuminate, go buy a Yankee candle. By far the best fragrance candle ever made.

Don't forget to stop by my other place "The Way I See It"

Have a great day!

"In the Spirit of TOO"

2007-11-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Tasks, Overwhelming, Overload. It's that time of year folks, where there is "TOO" much going on, "TOO" much to prepare for, "TOO much stimuli, "TOO" much food. Aye... why does it have to be this way...and I have so many excuses as to why I'm here at "TOO" time. Only to blame myself. Lately, I've really tried to pay attention to how my days are spent and I was surprised by some of the many 'timewaster' activities that distract me. Try it sometime, try to pay attention to your every move. You'll see what I'm talking about. TOOday I'm trying to stay on task. TOOmorrow is another day.

Here's a pic from Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard to slow us down. Cheers!

Be sure to check out my other blogspot- "The Way I See It "

Take a Breath

2007-11-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

" Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy"- Apollinaire

Grace

2007-11-14T06:16:00.000-08:00

This is small 3X3 pre-gesso'd canvas. I like to see these as "collage on the fly" they are small enough that you don't get wrapped up in the details. Doesn't she look "Madonna-esque"?

How Do You Like Me Now

2007-11-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is an 8 X 8 wood board, about 1/2" thick. I started this piece with absolutely no plan. First I spackled board with heavy gel medium to create texture, leaving a circular area in center for something. Then I gesso'd the board. I starting laying down color- starting with my usual Golden favs and then got bold and threw in some Cobalt Blue. I did a gel medium transfer on top of the color. Used rubber stamps with Stazon and layers of collage pattern paper.

Evening Talk

2007-11-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

This little 3"X 3" canvas collage incorporates an aged and handtinted photo, beeswax and acrylic paint. Snippets from a textbook attached to canvas with beewax. Small glass vial attached with beeswax house tiny watch part elements.

Taught by the fun and fabulous: Tim Holtz here at Stamping Details

All You Need is Love

2007-11-10T17:38:00.001-08:00

I love this site. Go there now Typogenerator.net and check it out. Type in text and blammo, out of the generator emerges this cool graphic. Who thinks of this stuff? I love you.

Fetish Necklace

2007-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

I've been working to complete so many projects I had started when I enlisted myself in myriad of classes at my favorite local craft supply store Stamping Details. This particular class was taught by a wonderful artist named Sandra McCall. I have to say, this necklace was no easy feat for a beginner like myself. All the wire work is handmade and most of the embellishments were also handmade with wire and found objects. If you ever get a chance to take one of Sandra's classes you should. Thank you Sandra for sharing your knowledge.

Flower Meditation

2007-11-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

"The sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven."

-Harriet Tubman

New Beginnings

2007-10-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

With every day's end there are new beginnings. I recently celebrated my 50th birthday, September 5th, 2007 in Cape Cod, MA. This photo was taken at Truro Beach just outside of Provincetown, MA. My first memory of the Cape as a young girl was in 1962, now 45 years later I wanted to go back to that place, which was free spirited and bohemian, take in the salt air, and clear my head for my next 50 years. That's right.. I plan I being around for a long time and yes... it was exactly like I remembered it.

My Superman

2007-10-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

My husband, Gerard.

He is my rock,

my sanity check,

the calm in my storm.

Thank you. xo

My Teachers, My Mentors

2007-10-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

This was truly the beginning - a love affair for my parents, their first child and my thirst for all things art.

My parents met as freelance artists, early 50's at an ad agency called Tobias, Meyer and Nebanzhal, in Manhattan, N.Y.C. , my father was an art director. After they married my mom took a job at J.C. Penney ad agency. In those days married people were not allowed to work at the same establishment. Soon after I was born my mom was working from home, I would sit on the floor by the art table and wait for the scraps of letraset, pantone colored paper and black and white layout imagery to fall to the floor. I'd borrow the rubber cement and ask permission to use their art pens and then go to work creating collages from scraps in delight. The one pen set I could not get my hands on was their rapidograph.

Mom and Dad, I owe it all to you.

About Friendship

2007-10-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

"A friend isn't someone who will carry you to your destination, so much as someone who will walk along with you for awhile."

-Arlo Guthrie

I hope this is the beginning of many new friendships. I begin my blog today with some apprehension. Not sure what I'm fearful of, never been afraid to write or meet new people. (coming from someone with a real gift of gab) I guess it's just 'putting yourself out there'. Airing the dirty laundry, no worries - there won't be dirty laundry here. Just good clean fun.

Welcome to my blog, "The Artful Eye". I'm going to attempt to post something everyday, whether it be a completed project, a work in progress, a random quote, photo or just something I'd like to share. I do hope you'll stop by for a visit.