Silver Apples of the Moon

Music Monday - Ladyhawke

2012-01-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

The transformation scene three quarters of the way through the dark medieval fairy-tale of an 80s movie, Ladyhawke, is possibly one of the most wrenching thwarted-love scenes in all of cinema.

I believe this movie holds up quite well despite the intervening decades. The cast is is strong (and features an incomparably beautiful young Michelle Pfieffer), the locations stunning, and the story full of action, pathos and humor in nearly equal parts. I've always held an affection for its Alan Parson's produced soundtrack - albeit, so very 80s in feel. The opening credits are still a nice watch - they are designed so beautifully.

Sunday Sketching -

2012-01-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee....

Music Monday - O Mistress Mine

2012-01-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

(I know it's Tuesday, but I wanted to do the Big Workshop Website kickoff announcement yesterday).

This weekend I watched the 2011 version of The Tempest, directed by Julie Taymor - whose artistic vision and choices are always interesting, often surprising and many times very very beautiful (I lost count of how many times I gasped at her stage production of The Lion King). Her version of The Tempest is nearly a musical, and although Shakespeare did have quite a bit of sung verse in the script, she also imported a song originally in Twelfth Night (see Ben Kingsley singing it here). It fits well and Reeve Carney sings it sweetly (be warned that half of this video is a musical introduction... It is ultimately a short little ditty, and sadly I do not see the clip from the actual movie anywhere on youtube):

Workshop Website is Live!

2012-01-16T22:06:00.000-08:00

Announcing an exciting, new Professional Art Series for 2012. Located in the greater Seattle area, each weekend workshop is packed with one-on-one interaction and instruction from some of the most brilliant illustrators and art professionals working today. These select intensives offer the professional illustrator the opportunity to work side-by-side with the best in the industry - infuse new life and confidence into your work. See all the details at TLCWorkshops.blogspot.com

Workshops Offered
Beyond Reference: How to Imbue your Characters with Characters with Justin Gerard. Fri-Sun, March 30-April 1 $375.

Idealized Realism and the Human Figure with Terese Nielson, Fri-Sun, August 24-26. $500.

Self-Promotion: the Portfolio and Beyond with Jon Schindehette (Senior Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast. Blog here). Sat-Sun, Sept 15-16. $300.

Planning Great Images, From the Ground Up with Greg Manchess, Fri-Sun, Nov 9-11. $500.

To inquire about availability, ask questions or to reserve your spot, contact Tara Chang: TLCWorkshops1@gmail.com.

Snowy Sunday

2012-01-15T17:15:00.000-08:00

Snow fell for much of today....

It makes things close down here fairly quickly - the roads ice over at a drop of a hat.

The window feeder was frequented by juncos - much to the cats' delight.

This is Max's first snowfall. He's not quite sure what to make of it.

Figure Friday

2012-01-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

Very chilly life drawing today!

This was compounded by us being locked out of our studio (batteries dead in the number-pad combo lock). There were at least a dozen of us milling around waiting for the master key to arrive...

We finally got in and got to draw our layered costume model.

Fun, albeit abbreviated session.....

WIP Wednesday - 2012 Workshops launch-imminent!

2012-01-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

Working hard at putting together all of the details for the Soon To Be Announced Professional series of workshops that I'm hosting this year.

(here's a teaser for the first upcoming awesome looking workshop for 2012).

Hope to have it all up and live by the end of the week. Stay tuned.

Sunday Sketching -

2012-01-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

Drawn from a magazine in my lap instead of from life (as I'm tiring of those, and I don't seem to be making much progress there at any rate) - in the tiny purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee....

Figure Friday

2012-01-06T23:30:00.000-08:00

Short pose day. Quickie poses....

Lovely model....

WIP Wednesday - overt plagarism

2012-01-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

- also known as Master Copies.... I am a big admirer of Justin Gerard's work (so much so in fact, that I am importing him to teach a Professional Series workshop in March. More on that anon -)

I love the WIP's he posts on his blog. His post on warthogs is full of such beautiful drawings...

..and his character studies are wonderful to behold.

I also purchased one of his sketchbooks this year -which is the best he's produced by far thus far. (Trying to push my copies a little closer to what I'd draw here)... Anyway - fun to do!

Music Monday - Bohemian Rhapsody, William Shatner style!

2012-01-02T23:25:00.000-08:00

What a way to kick off a new year! The freakish-awesome that is Bill Shatner!

Sunday Sketching -

2012-01-01T23:57:00.000-08:00

Finished up the last spread in the purse Moleskine....

Thought I had a back-up one, but sadly no...

Had to resort to the a Strathmore until I get a new one.

In the teensy purse Strathmore pad balanced upon my knee....

And a happy brand new 2012 to you ! I especially enjoyed Neil Gaiman's blog entry on the subject. Especially the wish for 'making mistakes'. Good, and true! Go read it.

Happy New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T15:48:00.000-08:00

Music Monday - actually, Buddha's Hand

2011-12-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

Not a music video, but fascinating description of of this funky Asian fruit that resembles hands, squid, or the head of Cthuhlu!

Crazy, isn't it? Saw one in person for the first time today when browsing the Asian market. They do smell divine. I brought home one that looks like an octopus. :-) Wanna see more scary Asian market finds?

Bin of 'fingered citrons'.

Cthulhu head....

Double-layered jelly-fish?

Many, many large and frightening fish....

(of which you can purchase the frightening part only...). There was every internal bit of pigs (even parts that I couldn't identify), dried and frozen bits of seafood, steamed purple tentacles of octopus, live lobsters, crabs and shellfish....

and of course, it wouldn't be a PNW Asian market if there wasn't a selection of our indigenous, vaguely obscene, geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck") clams...

I think they need at least a PG-13 rating... Maybe an R...? *shudder*

Merry Christmas...

2011-12-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

(Editor's note; Due to internet issues, this did not post yesterday as planned).

I hope your day was warm, lovely and filled with love and loved-ones...

(one of my favorite songs of the season...)

Happy Christmas Adam!

2011-12-23T23:48:00.000-08:00

(isn't that what you call the night before Christmas Eve?)

(my Christmas mailer for this year. Does it count that it's 2 days before Christmas?)

Also - one of my favorite songs off of Jewel's Christmas CD. I love finding new, original songs to add to the cannon of my traditional Christmas favorites.

Warm wishes to you!

WIP Wednesday - Christmas prep, and Happy Solstice!

2011-12-21T23:54:00.001-08:00

I find this compilation by Tori Amos strangely compelling and addtictive...

(plus, in the Holly and the Ivy choruses, you can kind of get a vibe of it's pagan origins...)

(Oh, and Kim, I found a version with visuals *entirely* by Thomas Kincaid! With Kincaid bubbles!)

While marking the longest night of year and the return of the light, I am finishing up my lingering Christmas gifts... It has been a treat for me this year - it's the first Christmas in about 5 years that I haven't been slammed with deadlines.

I've been able to make use of my bounty of herbs - both the ones I've dried throughout the year and the ones I am able to harvest fresh in the winter-weather....

I combined those with my small harvest of apples to make herbal jellies (this year, sage, marjoram and rosemary), along with intensely scented pomander balls made from the apple pulp (see above. They look kind of like truffles :-).

I also squeezed in some homemade sugar-scrubs and herb-infused scouring powders...

Recycled tins holding the most aromatic mixed mint/lavender/rosemary/thyme potpourri imaginable!

Add in some herbal-scented bath-salt and 'gingerbread' facial scrub and I had the makings of some delicious smelling gift bags. :-)

A few more bags to deliver. A few more presents to wrap. A few late cards to address. Then maybe I can put my feet up and do a puzzle or something.

Tonight, I am meditating over my "Solstice resolutions" however. It feels like an even more significant and appropriate night than New Years in the quiet darkness of it all....

I hope you are warm and reflective where ever you are.... :-)

Music Monday - Carol of the Bells, by Libera

2011-12-19T19:34:00.001-08:00

Such angelic voices....

Sunday Sketching...

2011-12-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

Only one spread left in this Moleskine. Looks like I will fill it up this year after all.

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee...

Figure Friday -

2011-12-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

Last life drawing session of the year -

Looking forward to 2012!

WIP Wednesday - Book Dummy

2011-12-14T23:57:00.000-08:00

There aren't enough Mondays in December to post as many Christmas music videos as I'd like, so I'm squeezing in another lovely version of one of my favorite holiday songs:

In addition to listening to Christmas music and making herbal seasonal treats, I've been working through my initial pass on the Troll book dummy (manuscript by the fabulous Jane Yolen):

It ultimately is a huge, multi-character proposition -

-but oh! what fun characters! :-)

Music Monday - River

2011-12-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

A little seasonal melancholy from Sarah McLachlan....

It doesn't snow much here and it does stay pretty green -

a thing which is very apparent in December in the PNW......

I got to visit The Hermit's Grove this week to pick up some herbs I do not have... It is lovely even in the middle of December.

Their woods are full of ferns and moss...

Even the trees are full of moss and fern...

(this is looking up through tree branches..)

Happy green December!

Sunday Sketching...

2011-12-11T23:21:00.000-08:00

Only a few more pages left in this Moleskine...

Only 2 more Sundays in 2011 however, so I probably won't quite finish before the end of the year (good goal though!).

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee...

Succulent Saturday - winter mushrooms

2011-12-10T02:32:00.000-08:00

When coming back in the house this afternoon, I glanced at the large bed underneath the conifer trees in my front yard....

It was *covered* with mushrooms -

-all different kinds, sizes, shapes....

Don't think I've ever seen so many out there....

It must mean *something*... Intense pre-solstice fairy activity?

Figure Friday - Historical drapery fun

2011-12-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

Had a really fun costumed model today for life drawing.

Five minute poses.

15 minutes (conte crayon).

20 minutes (conte crayon).

40 minutes (charcoal).

I think I'd rather draw big, froofy dresses than almost anything!

WIP Wednesday - decked out

2011-12-07T01:57:00.000-08:00

Got to spend an atmospheric evening this week doing crafts for Christmas...

The lovely Michelle hosted a craft night at Arts Umbrella (where I moderate my life drawing sessions)

My life drawing sessions are during the day so I've actually never seen Country Village at night, especially bedecked for Christmas. (Arts Umbrella is down there at the end of this corridor. :-)

The shops throughout the Village are sumptuously decorated...

...inside and out.

There be dragons in the pond...

...and ducks, both in light and in person (although I could not get them to show up with my flash...)

Twas a beautiful night.

Music Monday - The Wexford Carol (Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma)

2011-12-05T22:38:00.000-08:00

What a spare, exquisite version of this carol!

(am totally digging the uillean pipes in the background!)

Figure Friday -

2011-12-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

Short, short pose day -

Our model is this amazing modern dancer -

So the poses were unusual and interesting -

It's not easy capturing her grace and lyricism, but I gave it my best shot.

(30-seconds, 2 minutes, 5 mins and a 10).

WIP Wednesday - with studio kitteh

2011-11-30T23:20:00.000-08:00

Finally painting this holiday mailer
(which has been dragging on and on...)

With studio kitteh keeping me company on the desk corner-which he is quickly outgrowing:

I'm going to have to get him a bigger cat bed soon. Maybe a desk of his own...

Music Monday - (vintage!) I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing...

2011-11-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

Feeling nostalgic today for earlier times....

Loved this song as a kid (despite not liking nor drinking Coca Cola). Here is your holiday version.

If you prefer the original.... I still appreciate the sentiment.

And the song that grew out of the jingle:

Sunday Sketching...

2011-11-27T20:24:00.000-08:00

In the teensy purse Moleskine, balanced upon my knee....

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T23:46:00.000-08:00

Had a fabulous Thanksgiving feast today with friends. We split the menu three ways, so there was a great deal of it - the food completely covers two tables!

Happy pre-feast faces. :-)

The husband carves the bird - a thing of scrumptous beauty...

After eating ourselves rather into oblivion, we took a breather to rest and clean up, because -

-there was still pie! (The one at the bottom here is the raw apple pie I made. Surprisingly delicious.)

Post-eating faces. Had to sit for awhile with the sleep-ies to deal with it all. But there were still games to be played and visiting to be done. Fabulous day.

I'm grateful for so much! All these lovely people in my life, fabulous food, a warm hearth and home, freedom to spend a day just enjoying each others' company, and all else that God has blessed me with.

Hope your day was also lovely and blessed.

WIP Wednesday - Christmas mailer....

2011-11-23T23:34:00.000-08:00

I started my Christmas mailer at our retreat in Sept...

(my first rough attempt. Cute, but not so interesting..)

Pushed the gesture and the design. I like this one better.

Now to clean it up and see if I can get it done and still have any hope of getting it printed and in the post in time for Christmas! (Wish me luck).

Music Monday - This Woman's Work

2011-11-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

I heard a cover of this song on TV the other night. It was ok, but made me nostalgic for the much more moving original...

Sunday Sketching -

2011-11-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

In the teensy purse Moleskine upon my knee...

Figure Friday -

2011-11-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Long pose day... Model was lyrical - my gestures not so much (kept trying though...)

Hmph... anyway...

Music Monday - Snow White and the Huntsman

2011-11-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

Not music exactly (although the backing music for the trailer from Tron makes for a very interesting counterpoint) - but a really good looking trailer!

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 3

2011-11-13T23:05:00.000-08:00

It is sadly the *last* day of our workshop with the fabulous Greg...

So.Much.Stuff! The day(s) flew by.

Lecture, lecture -

work, work -

lecture, lecture -

work, work (study, reference...)-

lecture, lecture, critique, draw some *more*.

Lots attempted. Lots done. Lots learned. Lots talked about. Lots to think about and keep applying. Lots of great people to get to know and work with. SO good overall.

-so much so, we continued to talk, share and deliberate even after coming home to decompress... (Part of the fun for me was having a third of the class staying at my house for the duration. :-)

At any rate, I came home with ideas for a number of new pieces to explore, and hopefully expanded skills with which to attempt them.

Thanks all you workshop folks - it was a weekend to remember.
And thanks so much Greg for sharing your fabulousness.

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 2

2011-11-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

Day #2 - and we're slaving away!

(We are few in number, and therefore get good one-on-one attention from slave-driver, Greg...)

Plus, demos!

And lectures, punctuated by many examples of many peoples' praise-worthy art,

and art techniques...

(with a slight interruption by a relatively brief power-outage. Who says workshops aren't full of surprises and excitement?)

The most exciting part however, is seeing how ones' own compositions can be pushed and strengthened even *further* by such a keen and experienced eye. Really inspiring to see!

Sadly, last day is tomorrow...

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 1

2011-11-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

Greg Manchess workshop started today!

Greg is his usual charming, self-depreciating, warm and approachable self (despite a lingering cold).

We're mostly covering preliminary work - lots of hammering on thumbnails and composition. He put us right to work - drawingdrawingdrawingdrawing (I nearly sharpened through two pencils)...

....interspersed with lectures and examples. I still maintain that Greg does the most beautiful thumbnails of anyone on the planet.

(frantic, scattered pages of compositional disarray!)

Greg - so wise, experienced and generous with sharing his knowledge...

(Tara - so befuddled and 'challenged'... Maybe someday I'll 'get' all this stuff. When I grow up..?)

Class ran over by an hour. Then a bunch of us went to dinner and talked yet *more* art for 3 more hours! (See us hanging on his every word!).

Class #2 tomorrow...

WIP Wednesday - Guest Room

2011-11-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Work on the fluffy, pink guest bedroom is nearing an end -

I have apparently decorated this with my mother in mind...

...and it has become *so* pink that my daughter refuses to sleep in it when she's visiting..

I don't know, I kinda like the sparkles...

There has to be a place for pink, I think....

Music Monday - Qntal

2011-11-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

Just felt like it was the right time of year to watch this again....

(Visuals by Brian Froud, et all).
If you can't see the video, try looking here.

Sunday Sketching -

2011-11-06T23:14:00.000-08:00

'was too sleepy today to draw much (as much as I love the end of Daylight Savings Time, the change in time always throws me for a few days...)

In the teensy purse Moleskine upon my knee...

Succulent Saturday - house, catching up

2011-11-05T23:58:00.000-07:00

After working on the house for over *two months*, I am finally getting close to being finished...

There has been new carpet, old-carpet cleaning, lots and lots of painting -

-and lots of sorting and purging...

I think I've gone over nearly every inch of this house now (although I still need to broach the insanity that is the closet-under-the-stairs..)

And, I've even gotten to the decorating stage in places! (happily, since we had scheduled a dinner party weeks ago for tonight. Up until yesterday, I was despairing that I'd never get the living space presentable for people. *whew*!)

Figure Friday

2011-11-04T23:54:00.000-07:00

Short pose day (2 and 5 minutes..)

(10 and 20 minutes... charcoal on newsprint.)

Halloween coming -

2011-10-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

- which this movie looks entirely appropriate for. (Sadly, *it* is not coming out for Halloween..)

WIP Wednesday - Studio Swap, continued...

2011-10-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

I've been working so hard (painting walls vs. my painting Christmas mailer which I want to be working on)that I wasn't even on the computer yesterday to post the WIP!

Old Studio (which shall now be known as the new Guest Room) has been painted shiny 'wedding white' and has had its carpets cleaned (industrial fan roaring away attempting to dry even as I type).

Now it needs to have the closet put back together, and then be furnished. Ikea run tomorrow.

Endless studio unpacking continues (see all those emptied and flattened boxes there on the right? Many of them filled more than once). Still trying to sort and figure out what to do with the *rest* of this stuff...

Aaaand - my ginormous desk. Right now, I need a stepladder and a pillow on my chair to be tall enough for it. Need a better setup for climbing up. On the plus side, the desktop is large enough for the cat bed - so Max is sleeping up here in the corner keeping me company.

I'm giving myself one more week - and then all this house stuff should be sorted!

Music Monday - the Dead are Dancing....

2011-10-24T23:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the boring visual, but this is one of my favorite seasonal, atmospheric songs..

Sunday Sketching...

2011-10-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

From the last couple of weeks...

...in the teensy purse Moleskine upon my knee....

Figure Friday -

2011-10-21T23:29:00.000-07:00

1-minute gestures..

Left - 20 minutes, right - 40 minutes.

About 40 minutes - conte on smooth newsprint.

Steamcon - Part Last

2011-10-21T01:07:00.000-07:00

And just some miscellany to wrap up -

(am not entirely sure what pink bunny-headed girl reading the Steamcon Gazette was about...)

Connish folk mixing a bit with startled 'mundanes' in the hotel atrium...

This gal did the Most Amazing live, free-hand silhouette cuttings I have ever seen!

Fabulous day. Fabulous convention. Can't wait to go again next year!

Steamcon - Part VI

2011-10-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

And then there was all the cool steampunked *stuff* -

(whiskey barrel submersible - with moving parts)

A day full of wondrous eye-candy for sure...

Steamcon - Part V

2011-10-20T01:33:00.000-07:00

Group shots! I loved seeing the couples who dressed up and attended together, as well as multiple people who went as a group -

(the men of the waxed mustaches.)

Accouterments of Unusual Size!

And teeny-boppers who travel in packs.

(Loved this guy's hat. And Converse tennies.
And cane which shoots sparks.)

Happy happy steampunkers. Hurrah!

Steamcon - Part IV

2011-10-20T01:17:00.000-07:00

It's fun seeing everyone's faces, but the backs of so many of these costumes are also full of awesome -

(See? Not all Steampunk is brown.
This must be the Victorian version of Katy Perry...)

(Steampunkers at the eatery - love the clash of worlds...)

WIP Wednesday - Studio Swap

2011-10-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to some energetic young men, the old studio is finally *empty*! I've wiped down the walls and the baseboards and spackled all the many many holes in the walls so that I can begin painting it tomorrow. (I will miss the view of the gardens and chickens from that window).

I also need to call the carpet cleaners (see the imprint of the filing cabinets - complete with rusty spots..) Then, on to acquiring new bedroom furniture and accouterments for its final transformation into the new guestroom.

So now pretty much everything has been moved downstairs to the shiny new studio space. Is total chaos. How the heck did all this stuff fit in that half-as-large room upstairs? (Here it is a couple of years ago, when it wasn't quite so crowded..)

Transitions - so slow and labor intensive. Am hoping to *finish* this soon! Actual art is anxiously awaiting completion!

Steamcon - Part III

2011-10-18T23:29:00.001-07:00

This entry is in honor of all the overtly aquatically themed at Steamcon (being that the theme was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea):

(Cthulhu-face! :-)

(loved the eyeballs on her wrist :-)

(close-up of tentacle hair! :-)

I suspect this gal was sweltering - but, cool costume!

So fun to see all the imaginative creativity!

Music Monday - Steamcon Part II

2011-10-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

Went to a fun Sea (Sky) Shanty panel at Steamcon. (Here is a live performance by my fav shanty singers, Great Big Sea):

Local Folk Musician/Eclecticist, Naill Townley gave a fabulous presentation on everything you ever wanted to know about sea shantys, but didn't know to ask...

Great presentation, great voice. Lots of singing-along. :-) (You can see the framework of the presentation here. Plus a bunch more shanties for your listening pleasure.)

I also got to hear a fun presentation by the artist GOH, Gary Gianni - graphic novel artist extraordinaire. Lots of talk about his research and process in illustrating 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (see below):

Had a lovely chat about his book, his current projects and the state of the art world.

(got this great Cap'n Nemo drawing when he signed my copy!)

But the best part of Steamcon is experiencing it with your friends. :-) I got to go again this year with the awesome Laundry Faerie - who was unfortunately hatless...

(a thing I thought needed to be remedied. I made her try on a number of options - there are so many fabulous possibilities!)

Here's the one she ended up with. :-)

We saw so many things of wonder. Am sad we have to wait an Entire Year before going again!

Alas, am packing away the steampunkery until then....

Steamcon! Part I

2011-10-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

Spent an afternoon full of steampunkish awesome at this years' Steamcon-

(below is the first installment of photos - I took so many... Today is for highlighting individuals' sense of style and substance -)

People of ALL ages were all dressed up and in attendance -

(This was probably my very favorite costume of the day. Loved this flying bat-woman!)

Figure Friday -

2011-10-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Couldn't post yesterday as my computer was all disconnected and in the process of moving from old studio to new studio... Had a fun costumed model to draw this time (although it was a bit hard trying to get all that coat detail in!)

1-2 minute gestures...

5 minute-

20 minutes -

About an hour....

WIP Wednesday - Greenman Geocoin

2011-10-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

My internet has been sporadic since we started rearranging things (like the modems and routers!), so this did not get posted yesterday -

Here's my finished design for the Greenman geocoin. It's off awaiting approval or revisions.

On to the next thing, and back to packing up the studio.

Music Monday - The Falling Leaves

2011-10-10T23:36:00.001-07:00

It is quickly shifting into autumn here...

(lovely version by the late Eva Cassidy.)

It is also the season of pumpkin sightings!

Everywhere it seems.

I'm gratified to see more varieties every year. Cheese pumpkins, ghost pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, fairy tale pumpkins, *lunch lady* pumpkins (see the warty ones bottom left?)

Additionally all the cool gourds!

I love autumn.

Figure Friday -

2011-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

Due to my newly acquired head-cold, I only managed half a life drawing session today....

(It's interesting attempting to draw through foggy brains and stuffy sinuses...)

(sort of like trying to swim underwater while only half awake...?)

I was also tucked in the corner behind the light stand so could only see parts of the model. (Charcoal on newsprint, 1, 2 and 5 minute poses).

Better luck next time. :-)

Retreat - Part Last (the art)

2011-10-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

So much wonderful stuff happens on our retreats - visiting, hiking, eating(!), communing of all sorts in general, but the primary purpose is to be making art! At the end of our stay, we try to hold a brief critique/show and tell to look over what we've worked on during the week-

Rebecca plowed through a pile of wonderful things! Bright creatures all (warm-up paintings here) -

She made it through nearly an entire deck of these fabulous-critters-as-tarot-characters.

Aren't they fabulous? We're all hoping she gets them printed so we can buy our own.

Gudrun dabbled in various mediums - pencil, colored pencil, watercolor pencils, clay and felted critters. Lovely, delicate things...

Kathleen, who does such wonderfully expressive drawings, is experimenting with translating them into painting.

(and it is so *fabulous* to have so much ready input here together at our fingertips. Immediate feedback!)

The fabulous Michelle - lots of mini-landscapes and Sculpy sculptures....

Suzy continues to work on her underwater-themed silk paintings...

(as well as sketching some chicken-based designs for future paintings. So adorable.)

Jo is slaving away on her current book (look at how amazing those teensy color comps are!)

And as for me, I set a significant personal record for things accomplished. My best retreat thus far, *by* far.

Retreat - Part IX (art 'mascot')

2011-10-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

We had an interesting phenomenon spontaneously occur this year-

-Kathleen has been taking a class, and did this lovely little pastel still life for an exercise. We all really liked it,

and throughout our time there, most of us ended up doing a version of it in our own preferred medium (a fun, new exercise for all of us to try).

It became the week's art equivalent of a 'mascot'. :-)

(This was my watercolor version. I was not only attempting to copy a pastel in a water medium, but was trying out some M. Graham pigments as well. They are luscious!)

So, here are various versions - the original pastel, acryla-gouache, watercolor, watercolor-miniature, pencil and watercolor on Yupo... (you can click on this for a larger view).

So, I was not only trying out a new brand of paint, but a very limited 3-color primary palette. Fun exercise!

Retreat - Part VIII (POBL members)

2011-10-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Another project I dabbled in whilst at the retreat was to watch the Wendy Froud DVD with Michelle. We both spent an evening with my mini-DVD player and a batch of Sculpy....

(Michelle was sculpting a benign witch - I was attempting a troll... Fun, but need more practice for sure!)

The thing that *makes* the retreat of course, is the lovely lovely co-attendees. They are all creative, committed, accomplished women. We work very hard -

-by the fire, in the evening...

..or out soaking up the sun during the day (it was gorgeous out this year..)

We work in so many different mediums up there... Suzy is painting gorgeous underwater themed silk scarves.

Kathleen is experimenting with oils, Jo's painting in watercolor, Michelle is playing with sculpy, Gudrun is drawing in pencil, Suzy is doing color comps, and Gudrun also sculpts (felting here, also in clay..), etc....

(and then of course, there is the always amazing food we have on our retreats. These women cook like artists as well. :-)

And of course, besides the working and the cooking and the visiting there is the walking in the woods and the relaxing in the sunshine... So rejuvenating on so many levels...

Music Monday - Since You Asked (and October garden)

2011-10-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

My very favorite Dan Fogelberg song -

And, amazingly, it is *October* already. After having our warmest weather of the season in late September, the garden is in pretty good shape...

(My 'Audrey II' cabbages, a la Little Shop of Horrors...)

The last lingering flowers of the season... Calendula and bee balm...

Retreat - Part VII (downed trees)

2011-10-02T23:43:00.000-07:00

One of the main projects I wanted to work on at the retreat was a book dummy based on a poem that Jane Yolen wrote in response to my IMC Trolls at Tea piece -

It is a riotous romp through a number of problematic meals with mythological critters. SO fun to think about and design. I'm trying to put together a finished enough dummy to shop around since this happened rather spontaneously rather than commissioned. There will be updates!

I have no good segue into this entry's visuals. :-)

As I mentioned in a previous post, there were quite a few downed trees this year, some brand new - such as this tree. You can't really tell the scale of the root ball here, but it is a good 3 feet taller than I am. *Enormous*. Our hostess called it the Inception tree - you stand next to those roots and it feels like the rest of the world is tipped sideways...

Another recently downed tree - it's branches festooned with long tufts of celadon moss...

A longer time downed tree - whose roots now look like the entry to a fairly scruffy fairy lair....

More twisty tree trunks..

Always cool peeling bark.. Up close, it's like an abstract painting.

Always lots to see, and lots to love...

Retreat - Part VI (stumps and chips)

2011-10-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

In a class I took last year it was strongly suggested that we develop a memorable signature for our work. It could be our name or a graphic element based on our name/initials. I played with some graphic ideas then,(notepaper on left) -

Tried some more fitting options at the retreat (on the right) but am now looking forward to finessing something with the help of some of my font books at home-

And speaking of 'graphic elements', I always find the stark beauty of skeletal roots, driftwood and tree shards sparsely beautiful...

The man-made-lake-that-used-to-be-forest still has quite a few 100+ year old stumps around..

Apparently at the end of every summer, all the dead wood that floats to the end of the lake near the spillway is gathered up in preparation to be burned...

(see how *huge* this one single pile is! There are multiple piles. That's going to be quite a bonfire.)

The lake shore is literally carpeted in places with wood chips....

Rustically beautiful...

Starkly, graphically beautiful...

Retreat - Part V (the lake)

2011-10-02T01:08:00.000-07:00

Another long-neglected project that I made good progress on was a rough of an historical/fantasy map...

(I love maps... Am hoping this project gets the green-light to go forward..)

Speaking of shorelines, here are some views of the lovely lake that the cabin is on the edge of...

(it is a man-made lake - still showing signs of the trees that were cleared for its existence. There are always protruding stumps in the fall that didn't get cleared before the river was dammed and the lake was filled).

It is ringed by mountain tops...

Our hostess, who has been studying the history up there for years, showed us archaeological remains along the shore line....

We did a little beach combing - remains of a 100-year old cabin are still in evidence (rusted nails and cables, weathered planks, broken crockery - still there!)

The pottery bits are probably from said flattened cabin - and possibly some of the molded and frosty glass. Other pieces - more current glass, pine cone cores and an osprey feather...

Always new and different things to see...

Retreat - Part IV (Dragon's Eggs!)

2011-10-01T00:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago I did The First Day of Christmas as my holiday mailer.

This year I've decided to do the second day. Did an initial sketch for it the second day of the retreat. :-)

Some of you may recall that last year, I did caroling dragons....

This year up in the cabin environs there were many many downed trees (they had a near hurricane last winter). They've been tipped over for months now and the dirt in the roots has washed out, exposing quite large rocks tangled in the roots which looked remarkably like nested dragon's eggs!

(Here are some 'eggs' still underground - seen before the 'nests' are fully exposed...)

Aerial dragon's nest - can you see the rocks held in the upper roots?

Ground nest - with the 'eggs' gently nestled in some soft dirt....

'Eggs' precariously hanging in the air...

'Eggs' in a hollowed stump...

Dragon's eggs nearly everywhere we looked! I suspect we'll have to watch our step next year if they've all hatched by then.

Retreat - Part III (the critters)

2011-09-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

The magical environment we stay in naturally hosts all kinds of fascinating creatures -

(some possible denizens - actually copies of Jean-baptiste Monge drawings. Done the first evening there...)

ACTUAL critters we saw - Tracks of elk and deer, ravens and eagles.

Northern alligator lizard!

And this year (the first time in the 10 years we've been going) we actually got to see Chinook salmon running.

This river runs practically next to the cabin. We followed it upstream to where there were gravel beds for spawning...

(Our hostess got right up to the water for the best view of both live spawning fish as well as a number of finished dead ones... Also got to see signs of river otters who had obviously been enjoying the spent ones.)

If you look very closely, you can see a Chinook salmon in the bottom center third....

This was not a big mushroom year - but there were a few out there (here is a fine specimen of chicken in the woods) -

-and here is part of a larger hedgehog mushroom growth (looks like coral) - which we had for dinner. :-)

I neglected to photograph the new bones of this year (drat!) which was a very darling probable bobcat skull. It was quite small, with very worn teeth, so it had obviously lived a long life...

Why are bones so awesome?

And meet our new mascot! (As predicted, last fall was our last time with our beloved Great Dane...). This is Kharma - a rescued street dog from *India*. Really. Did you know you could do that?

She is a sweetie. Very energetic (she's only 5 months old, still a puppy!), friendly, agreeable and always busy. Her favorite activity of the weekend was rolling in dead salmon remains. :-) See her here digging a hole back to India...

Apparently a favorite pose. She even sleeps in that position.

She is a lovely addition.

Retreat - Part II (the forest)

2011-09-27T23:18:00.000-07:00

One of the projects I worked on was a greatly belated Greenman geocoin design -

-it seemed most apropos considering our beautiful arboreal surroundings...

(this is my favorite sit-above-the-stream-log-to-meditate-on. See how twisty..? neat!)

Such a lovely, sun-dappled place to be.... Near perfect surroundings, IMO....

Music Monday - Cymbeline and Retreat Overview

2011-09-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Loreena McKennitt always seems appropriate for mountains, forests and the Autumnal Equinox -

Just back from yet another fabulous fall retreat -

The water, sky,

mountains, ancient trees,

the cabin,

bones and wildlife,

sun, forest,

rivers, streams,

many, many rooty nests filled with 'dragon's eggs',

so much art, food, good company and many many things to love....

More photos and reports anon!

WIP Wednesday - Fare thee well (retreat time!)

2011-09-21T01:51:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving in the morning for our annual autumn retreat. Much good food, good company and good art happens. I have great plans to make some serious headway on the troll book. Wish me luck! I will report upon my return.

Music Monday - more Dan (Sketches)

2011-09-19T22:31:00.001-07:00

Here's another little known Dan Fogelberg from the Nether Lands album (my third favorite of his. :-):

Figure Friday -

2011-09-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

Warm-up drawing - about 15 minutes (conte crayon).

Longer drawing - about 2 hours. Charcoal pencil.

Therapeutic Thursday - Halloween Berries..

2011-09-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

As a nice break from all the painting and packing in the house, I got to spend some time out in the garden today. Picked a small amount of a bunch of things (fava beans, gogi berries, Himalayan 'chocolate' berries, figs, cherry tomatoes, chamomile blossoms) and completely stripped the aronia and seabuckthorn bushes.

They are so intensely colored -

Came in with thoroughly stained hands and forearms (which you only get a taste of in this photo) - dark purple juice, orange 'dust' and smears of red from all the thorns on the seaberry bush...

Neither berry is all that great to eat straight off the bush (bland in the case of the aronia and super-tart for the seaberries), but are chocked-full of anti-oxidant goodness and are great frozen and added to my smoothies all winter.

The only thing that would make them better would be having them ripen closer to the end of October. :-)

WIP Wednesday - Petroglyphs...

2011-09-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

Still working on the basement - have re-painted and touched up pretty much everything, and am now boxing up the shelf contents of the family room so that the carpet-layers can move the shelves around next week.

And since none of the painting I'm doing on my walls is very interesting to look at, let me share some of the amazing surface decoration we saw down in southern Utah -

We drove down to an area called Parowan Gap to see the centuries-old petroglyphs there.

According to Utah.com: Several centuries ago Native Americans traveling through the area stopped and pecked designs onto the smooth faces of large boulders found on the east side of the gap.

Over the years many of the boulders have been covered with these chiseled figures known as petroglyphs.

The petroglyphs here are thought to be the work of several cultural groups and represent a long period of use by Native cultures.

What these designs mean is still unknown.

Archaeologists debate that they represent concepts, ideas or actual happenings.

Perhaps they were part of a religious activity or hunting ritual.

The local Native Americans consider them to be an important part of their cultural history relating stories of their ancestor's lifeways.

New dating techniques are being developed that will allow petroglyphs to be placed in time.

While we don't know the precise age of these petroglyphs yet, we do know that the agriculturally based Sevier-Fremont lived in the area over a thousand years ago.

There is little doubt that some of the designs were made by this group, or perhaps even the earlier nomadic Archaic peoples.

Researchers believe that the semi-nomadic ancestors of the present day Southern Paiute also created some of these figures.

They were really impressive to see up close. And beautiful.

(The modern contributions - not so much...)

Music Monday - Netherlands....

2011-09-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

Late, but truly worth a listen. My very favorite Dan Fogelberg song. Listened to it over and over again in high school and college:

Sunday Sketching...

2011-09-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

in teeny purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee....

Figure Friday - Back to Life Drawing

2011-09-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

Starting Life Drawing back up again this week -

(after our summer hiatus, I felt pretty darn rusty, but it was nice getting back into it again).

Our model wore beach-wear as a last hurrah to summer (and ironically, it was probably the warmest day we've had yet this year). Listened to lots of Beach Boys and Isreal Kamamawiwo'ole for ambience. :-)

(my photo of my final version here is really tilted - but you get a better idea of angle above).

Charcoal on smooth newsprint, about an hour.

WIP Wednesday - stuff

2011-09-07T22:32:00.000-07:00

The only paintbrush I've been able to wield of late is a large, rough, household one -

With both kids gone, along with their bedroom furniture, I decided it's time to repaint and re-carpet down in the basement -

- which took a bit of doing considering that both of their rooms were a fairly intense shade of blue (my daughter's room was literally the same shade of blue as the painter's tape). Lots of prepping and priming...

- but they are both now painted a nice warm, creamy white (along with all the trim, doors and ceilings). I'll have to wait until daylight to see if this is sufficient or if any of that deep blue is still showing through.

They will soon have new designations and much re-arranging is still to come...

In the studio, I've been doing a bit of modern-master copies as prep for the current book dummy I'm working on. Here's page of Jean-Baptiste Monge,

-and a pen study of William Stout. (it's disconcertingly SO much easier to copy somebody than originate one's own.. Fun though. :-)

Music Monday - Cemeteries..

2011-09-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

This book promo on Duriwaigh Films is gorgeous (there is no embeddable file as far as I can tell, but scroll down to the bottom to the Guardian: Cemeteries and their Sentinels)- both in imagery, and in music.

Seemed appropriate to include some photos of the old and charming Parowan cemetery we visited a couple of weeks ago (click on any of the pictures to see larger versions with more detail):

It was full of lovely, upright grave markers - many from the original settlers of this small area...

One of the things that seems unique these old tombstones is that many include inspirational quotes...

Large variety of stone carving -

-shapes (so many with lambs...which are used for the very young... sad and touching to see)-

-sizes-

-and ornamentation-

It was a surprisingly sweet, sunlit, pleasant place....

Sunday Sketching...

2011-09-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee....

Succulent Saturday - Cedar Breaks

2011-09-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

We did a little bit of sight-seeing whilst we were down in Southern Utah a couple of weeks ago. One place of breath-taking splendor was the ampitheater canyon of Cedar Breaks National Monument:

It is 10,000 feet above sea level in the midst of Dixie National Forest -

The wildflowers were pretty spectacular. I think they said that there are over 150 varieties blooming at the height of the season.

There were also critters about - birds, ground squirrels readily seen - happily, no mountain lion sightings.

And after walking past some of the trees and meadows, you come upon the ampitheater -

The canyon is apparently over 2000 feet deep -

- the sky so blue and you could see what felt like forever -

The color variations (which my camera does not begin to do justice to) were beautiful - reds, ochres, siennas, creams, purples...

Pinnacles, upcroppings and bristlecone pine stud the lower walls..

(there is a short little video at the top of the official Cedar Breaks site which better shows the color and the scope of the canyon.. Go see!)

Spectacular time with the parents!

Wondrous Wednesday - Store of Delights

2011-08-31T01:34:00.000-07:00

One place I got to visit whilst away was this magical store of delights

There is a huge variety of sweetness available -

-including a very generous selection of vintage offerings -

(plus this ginormous candy tree... really? wow.)

(and sculpture of Indian-lolly-head...)

And then there's the toy section!

- contemporary toys mixed in amongst vintage toys on display...

Eclectic pairings...

A quirky selection of plushy puppets -

"Trophy" heads upon the wall...

Costumes! (including this plush Quidditch cap. :-) Ha!)

It was a pretty amazing place. Could have spent so much money there....

Music Monday - Time

2011-08-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for a building, crescendoing, climactic soundtrack theme. There are many composers who do this well. One of my favorites is Hans Zimmer's 'Time' from Inception:

(If you want to hear it in the background of the actual footage, see here).

Sunday Sketching - while traveling..

2011-08-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Slightly more emphasis on the chapels since they are different than ours....

...in the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee....

Fun Friday - the Utah Shakespeare Festival

2011-08-26T23:45:00.000-07:00

A week ago I was in Cedar City, Utah
for the 50th Annual Shakespeare Festival -

It's held on the lovely Southern Utah University campus -

(big year!)

I went with my parents, who also enjoyed Will and company :-) (see my father above - the same one who posed for my biker-ogre in the previous post. Kinda out of character!)

There were all kinds of ancillary wonderful things to see and do. There were many displays showing tidbits from the past five decades...

There are walls of photos of stars from past productions -

There were play orientations and all kinds of lectures and discussions throughout the day -

There was original art in some of the lobbies (here is a wall full of James Christensen Shakespearean sketches and color studies for sale. Fabulous!!)

My favorite thing was probably the costume design retrospective -

Besides the actual costumes on display, there were walls full of framed designs from the past 50 years, many complete with luscious fabric swatches.

And then there was the outdoor theater - Tudor-esque, and reminiscent of the Globe theater (albeit, not round).

(inside view)

The courtyard is lovely, atmospheric and full of costumed vendors and characters -

(one of the Elizabethan treat sellers. It smelled heavenly in the courtyard).

(mobile seller of treats) -

My mother with the Queen...

There were also a number of outdoor performers -

-singing, dancing, juggling, comedy...

It was really a fabulously wonderful weekend - the company and the performances were outstanding.

Thanks for it all, Will!

Troll Tuesday - quickie preview

2011-08-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I posted my IMC piece both here and on facebook. It was so much fun to do, I definitely wanted to do more in the same vein. In a surprising and rather thrilling turn of events, the amazing and world-renowned author Jane Yolen took a fancy to it and was inspired to write a manuscript to accompany it (she has a brief blog entry mentioning it here) - which includes a number of other creatures in addition to trolls.

So, one of my objectives for my visit to family this past week was to utilize as many of them as possible as reference-creatures for this hilarious manuscript.

Here is my cuddly teddy-bear of a father being a terrifically good sport as the punk/goth-biker ogre character. :-) More to follow anon.....

Music Monday - The Woman in Black

2011-08-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so not really music, but have you seen the new trailer for this Victorian ghost story, starring a handsome and grown-up looking Daniel Radcliffe?

(If you want to actually see the the *entire* thing rather than the cut-off version here on my blog, go see it here).

Succulent Saturday - the wonder of Shakespeare....

2011-08-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

I am away... (as the neglect of my blog may reflect). I've left the husband and daughter at home to tend the chickens and kitten and am visiting my family in Utah. SOOO many pictures taken of wonderful things - but that will have to wait until my return next week. In the meantime, we've just returned from a fantabulous weekend at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. Really really good productions. So until I get home and can actually show you pictures, I'll just post a couple of Shakespeare-related trailers for you (to stave off the withdrawals...)-

(so love this movie. Practically perfect. And if you like your Shakespeare in Love with a large dollop of Loreena McKennitt, see this lovely and surprisingly moving music video made with clips to 'The Old Ways').

And have you seen the trailer for the Shakespearean thriller Anonymous?

Looks intense and gorgeously visually historical at least.

What is your favorite Shakespeare (about him, not by him) movie?

But speaking of 'by him' - here's my favorite scene from the iconic 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet. The music... the costumes!! so so good...

Happy Birthday Baby -

2011-08-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

My first-born has been home visiting this week. Lots of playing has happened, including a slightly belated birthday celebration -

(cupcakes along with sweet Chinese dessert buns of wonder - )

It's also been fun to see these two big kids together again... :-)

(the goofballs..)

Love these babies.... (how'd they get so old??!)

Music Monday - Good Enough...

2011-08-08T23:13:00.001-07:00

Sunday Sketching...

2011-08-07T23:47:00.001-07:00

Super cute baby a few rows in front of me - which would not accommodate me by posing. Alas...

Teeny purse Moleskine upon my knee....

Succulent Saturday - Garden + Kitten update

2011-08-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

Just a snippet of what things look like in August....

Raspberry patch is all but played out for the year...

The grapes are completely covering the fence and beyond -

Jerusalem artichokes along the fence (they'll probably grow another couple of feet before they're done).

And then there's Max... A whole four months old!

- and still climbing up my body (this is a view of my belly..)

And Max in his favorite cat bed (which he fills more and more each month).

Happy August!

Music Monday - more Harry...

2011-08-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Yeah - I forgot to post this yesterday (was busy!)

(just in case you haven't already seen it on facebook. Very clever! However, if you'd like to see the non-cut-off version, go to youtube here.)(Why is my blogger column so darned narrow??)

Sunday Sketching - Scottish Festival Part II

2011-07-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing at the Scottish Games is always the music. After the Massing of the Pipes, I adore the Wicked Tinkers -

Known for their "Celtic Tribal" sound -

-they are some of my favorite live performers, ever!

They are heavy on the drum sound -

-and audience interaction -

-world-class piping!

-and the addition of tribal sounds of the Australian didgeridoo and the Bronze Age Irish horn...

(I actually drew this Saturday - but here's attempts to sketch the band members in motion..)

I'll leave you with some taped Wicked Tinker performances (although they lose something by not being there in person. The energy of the live performances is difficult to replicate) -

You can kind of see how their shows look in this one - the spontaneous dancing, and their getting off-stage and playing in the audience... The guy with the fans was there yesterday as well - he was also pretty amazing to watch.

A promo sort of video giving you a taste of their performances (there is lots of twirling in their 'traditionally worn' kilts...)

And a performance on Craig Ferguson. Love them!

Succulent Saturday - The Scottish Games Part I

2011-07-30T23:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend I made my annual pilgrimage to the Scottish Highland Games at the base of Mt. Rainier.....

We were greeted by the Massing of the Pipes (my favorite thing!)

Made a token visit to my Clan tent (one of several I am descended from..)

Got to watch big, burly kilted men toss the caber -

And then there is the fair food!

..the paraphernalia...

The dogs in the Scottish Kennel show (the biggest wolf hound I think I've ever seen! Plus the sheepdog with his own fan since it was such a hot day :-).

The spontaneous dancers...

This gal was fun to watch - loved her use of 'wings' as she danced....

And the cute people!

(loved this kid - pulling the wagon with a couple of swords, a cooler and all their belongings..)

Fun day!

Fabulous Friday - The Bellevue Art Fair

2011-07-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

Got to spend the day visiting the big, fancy
Bellevue Festival of the Arts -

The featured artist works with yarn (the banners above? yes, yarn) -

She even knitted lamp post covers - all down the street (the 'kid street' - full of chalk drawings...)

There were also interactive pieces - these metal frames that had been primed with some yarn. Anyone who wanted were given a ball of brightly colored yarn to add to the pieces. At the end of the day, these will be moved into the museum, and new ones will be put out for tomorrow (again - kids especially love it).

And then on to all the booths and vendors -

Love this guys' outdoor, kinetic sculptures.

There were a number of musicians selling, and performing on exotic instruments.

Loved this guys' wire sculptures. (I bought one of his wire beetles).

This gal's work was really neat. Photographic prints of actual insects, but cut and mounted dimensionally.

Chris Griffin had a delightfully crowded booth of repurposed vintageness turned into darling clocks.

And so on. There were paintings (look at the darling metal-circle painting label on the right) -

-glass and pottery galore.

And there were a number of booths selling funky hats :-) (filled with older women trying them on).

This gal's paintings were enormous and stunning.

Gardens of glass...

There were hundreds of other impressive artists. A couple of standouts that didn't allow photos (and that you should look up) are Diana Voohries Kinky Shoe sculptures (so cool) and Lorra Lee Rose's absolutely breath-taking life size feather sculptures. They were some of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

But maybe the funnest part of the entire day were all the great artists that we got to talk to (momo here, with my POBL friend Michelle - from Jamaica, now from San Franscisco. She learned paper marbleing in Turkey. She has a great French-Jamaican accent. She has traveled the world and has done many many interesting things).

Fun, arty day!