Ruminations at the airport -

It was a long airport day. My flight and my daughter's were leaving at the same time, but since hers was an international one we had to be there very early. She met up with her lucky Great-Britain-going group and shooed me off...

...which gave me time to contemplate the various sculptures and installations seen in my concourse for this flight. Seatac airport has many -

-some of which are downright bizarre! (this one always reminds me of intestinal segments...)

This large window installation reminds me of Eastern European folk art...

- Folk art and mythology... It is lovely and even easier to see on a grey day.

Directly across from my gate, I could see the-daughter's concourse (although her plane was around the other side of it). I had to wave good-bye from across the drizzly tarmac...

...while the various airplane tails circled and moved over the pavement in a way rather reminiscent of shark fins in the grey water. (Maybe I'm just missing her, traveling "alone", for such a long way, for the first time. :-)

More Spring-ish signs -

Besides the backyard being full of birds (I can hardly keep my feeders filled) -

- I got this charming package in the mail, winging its lovely way from far away England, from Wiltshire artist, Karen Davis -

She sells these gorgeous, hand painted hearts at her Etsy store.
I am tickled pink (or in this case, turquoise?) to have this one!


- And I have *finally* gotten a couple of flats of seeds planted. I've only been trying to get to that all month! I still have a basket of packets of "early spring" seeds that need put into the ground ASAP - as it becomes less early-spring by the day.

But, alas, that will have to wait for a bit. It is now spring break. My daughter is flying off on a school trip to England and Scotland tomorrow, and I was SO not invited to chaperon :-( - so I am winging my own way off to spend a few days with my folks, while my husband also heads out of town on business.

Flying for everyone! Happy spring.

(Maybe it will think about warming up a little by the time I get back).

Sure sign that it's spring?

- It must be - because, no drawing is happening and I've spent the bulk of the week knee deep in manure! :-)

I recruited a couple of my now-absent-son's burly friends to help unload three trailer-loads full and have spread them across all the garden beds (and have expanded a couple. I'm more than doubling the size of the day lily strip. Day lilies are a pleasant edible flower, but you need a lot of them if you want to eat buds and visually enjoy blossoms as well.

I've mostly cleaned out all the raised beds - a few kale and giant spring onion remain.

I still have to re-set the strawberry bed... And see if I can manage to get some peas and spinach and arugula planted...

"Babies" are coming up - arugula rustica, chervil, some radish and lettuces. I got to snack on newly emerged french sorrel and violets while raking. (The chickens are furious with me. I'm not letting them range freely at the moment, since they scratch up all the above mentioned babies.)

And there are buds swelling on the grapes and currents and kiwis and blueberries. That's always exciting. Exciting enough that I'm apparently working outside rather than in the studio this week.
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So the manure is spread, the beds are all weeded, a bunch are edged (a never-ending work in progress) and I'm *thinking* about actually planting something. It feels like maybe it's spring.

Life Drawing -

Our model today was amazing - she is a serious dancer (such graceful shape and muscle definition!) and came with waist length dreads, arms tattoos, and various other piercings and decorative scaring. So interesting - in both appearance and gesture.

While the model was full of awesome, it was super short pose day and it was all I could do to begin to get her down on paper. Will have to see if we can get her again for longer poses.

Happy St. Pat's Day!

'Had a very enjoyable St. Patrick's Day evening with some of my fellow POBLites who were having an arty evening.

A few of us went to dinner at a very atmospheric, old and renovated firehouse-turned-restaurant. In one of the dining rooms, Jo Gershman is having a mini-solo-show of her lovely still lifes (is that the plural of still life? lives? life's?) this month.

After dinner, we walked a couple of blocks to the independent book store down the street where Kathleen Kemly was being featured in a holiday book event -reading "Shannon and the World's Tallest Leprechaun" -

- followed by Irish step dancers, gold and green treats and a shamrock hunt.

Then she got to sign books for her admirers (which include all of us. Way to go Kathleen!).
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And since it is St. Paddy's day, I will end here with my absolute favorite Celtic musician for your viewing and listening pleasure. Enjoy!
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(and a patched together Bonny Swans - I don't know if a complete version of this exists? I adore the visuals on this though:)

WIP - "Greensleeves"

Worked on at the retreat last weekend.

New composition, anatomy revision, and background detailing.

Sunday Sketching -

Started in on my Moleskine for my weekly please-keep-me-awake drawings in church -

then a couple of hours later I attended my daughter's youth symphony concert (by which time I was even more sleepy)

Since they turn off the lights during the actual playing, I could only sketch between segments (and people were moving around much too much to be good posers) - so I got down a few ideas for a piece I've been wanting to do based on the character of Medusa. Got it worked out enough in my head to proceed to the photo shoot stage this evening. I've got some very dramatic shots of a very lovely (and very good sport of a friend) model.

I even got my desk 75% cleared today, so maybe I can actually get some art work done this week!

Wishin', and hopin', and thinkin', and prayin' and planning and dreamin'.....

Life Drawing -

Today was 'clothed figure' day at life drawing. I love this model - she has such long limbs and long, graceful lines to her (look at that neck! and profile!)

She reminded me a bit of Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' - in feel, if not in actuality.

I've decided that my drawing-from-life ability is directly proportional to how well I was able to sleep the night before... (more sleep would be better!) I quit futzing with these long before I was satisfied with them, but that seemed to be about all the umph I had for detail this week...

Spring Retreat - Part IV

Our spring retreat is supposed to be a little more low-key than our fall one - it's a bit shorter, and we try to be much less ambitious with the food... Except for the amazing High Tea put together by the amazing POBLite, Sarah -

Can I say - too much yum, and too much fun?

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Spring Retreat - Part III

Just some of the scenic scenery.... 'cuz it was scenic... :-)

Spring Retreat - Part II

Our retreat get-togethers are a flurry of creative activity!

From drawing -

-to painting (on paper and/or canvas) -

-or painting on silk-

-or sculpting! (these girls are creating in wax in preparation for casting in bronze)

We generally wind up with a group show-and-tell/critique -

- we don't want to miss anything!

I did quite a bit of drawing - and will post some of the results soon...

Spring Retreat - Part I

For our spring retreat, we got to stay at a friend-of-a-friend's waterfront cottage along the Hood Canal - somewhere between Skokomish and Hoodsport. Look at those east/canal-facing windows! The view of water and sky was breathtaking and constantly changing -

Despite the distraction of sun and clouds and glittering water a glance away, we accomplished a great deal. But more on that tomorrow...