Judith HeartSong

sit here, sit there

2012-02-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

Out the door early yesterday we made a stop to pick up a slew of Ikea bags - which come in handy for all sorts of things, looked at granite countertops, sat on furniture and laid on beds. It was like the story of The Three Bears and trips to that wonderful Connecticut Hotel The Lighthouse Inn (with all the seating in all the rooms) all wrapped up in one.
16

wwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhindy

2012-02-12T07:52:00.001-05:00

Tremendous wind gusts throughout the night last night... at times woooshing down our chimney and across the room. It did not make for sound sleeping. My spring cleaning continues and whatever is not useful and immediately needed is being bagged up to go elsewhere.

Today is 17

PANTONE COLORS

2012-02-11T09:14:00.001-05:00

Thinking about color.......................

PANTONE

18

new things for Spring

2012-02-10T07:30:00.002-05:00

I have Spring on the brain with lots of change coming and thoughts of gardens and green grass........

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only a few snowflakes

2012-02-09T06:32:00.000-05:00

Luckily a snow event never happened yesterday... with just a rain and snow mix that never stuck to the ground which makes life so much easier in the environs of DC. It was a good day to tuck in with a fire in the fireplace, and I sorted through some belongings and made sense of some stacks on my shelves. I have gone through my file cabinet and tidied up personal legal records, and still need to organize a few more things in my home office area. Much of my personal stuff went to storage when they replaced the windows in this building (on one of the coldest days of the winter last year) so there is not a lot here besides clothes and business stuff and the art on the walls.

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bizarre winter weather

2012-02-08T07:51:00.000-05:00

I had windows in my office open yesterday afternoon, and now today we are getting a forecast for 1 to 2 inches of snow today. This is the strangest winter I can ever recall. I may have to take the camera out tromping later if it does snow. In my garden at the studio blooms are starting to come up.
Eastern Europe scrambles to deal with brutal winter

Europe's winter death toll rises

making some lists and checking them twice

2012-02-07T06:31:00.000-05:00

We are making a lot of lists right now, so many things to get in order. I finally finished all my tax preparations for my wonderful accountant - recommended to me by an artist friend when I realized how complicated my taxes were here in the state of Maryland years ago. He will be delighted that I now have an adding machine to provide confirmation of all those numbers I give him from all my receipts... and he is just a wonderful guy!

I also started work on spring cleaning yesterday and tackled my closet (or it tackled me.) I straightened and sorted and cleaned out, and spring cleaning will move on to other areas and possibly the studio as well!

so THAT'S how it works

2012-02-06T07:20:00.000-05:00

Virginia always says there's a work-around for everything, and yesterday was no exception. With so much going on she went online to find additional instructions for my slick new adding machine and I now understand it and have tapes running for my accountant and all the end of the year stuff he handles for me.

Things are good and busy with some great excitement looming.... lots of new things to learn and figure out. Now if I could just figure out quickbooks:):):) I am spring cleaning and freshening up, since we never had a winter this year I figured I might as well start!

some valentines

2012-02-05T07:52:00.000-05:00

happy friday

2012-02-03T06:38:00.002-05:00

an important survey for metro DC artists.... we need your help!

2012-02-02T06:34:00.000-05:00

Capitol Arts Network is seeking responses to a brief survey about artists studio space needs in the metro DC area. Please consider taking a few minutes to share your thoughts and pass this link on to any and all local artists:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TP23WPW

Please forward! This is an important opportunity, and we would like to spread this survey all over the metro area!

Thank you,
Judith

tackle those taxes

2012-02-01T06:46:00.000-05:00

I have been working on organizing all my receipts and stacking them in neatly stapled piles.... and now I have to figure out that snorky adding machine that Virginia gave me for my birthday. (I did at least figure out how to program the date into it... and I learned how to insert the paper...) I think today is the day to get everything added up and ready for the accountant because something big is on the way:)

on the horizon

2012-01-31T06:23:00.001-05:00

Some great things are in the works for 2012..... just breathe......

it's all about the pictures, blogger

2012-01-30T06:03:00.001-05:00

it appears that the only way that pictures publish properly now (after whatever tinkering blogger has done behind the scenes) is if you post them extra large...... not an acceptable solution in my template with most pictures.

hey blogspot... what's with the blurry??????

2012-01-29T06:44:00.001-05:00

******So the picture yesterday was blurry.... and the picture today is blurry...... if you click on the image and go to flickr, my photograph is not blurry there...... what's up blogger???????? It's all about the visual blogspot - somebody please fix it!!!!******

One year ago tomorrow I LEAPED off the ledge and moved my studio (with the help of 18 dear and wonderful friends) to its new studio and gallery location in Glen Echo, Maryland. Friends come, workshops happen, and discussion groups meet there regularly - filling my space with life and energy.

Friends are visiting this weekend from southern Virginia, and something WONDERFUL is in the works for me.

sweets

2012-01-27T06:35:00.001-05:00

The hearts are coming along nicely.... still needing sequins and beads hammered in with brass nails before I finish and hang them on the metal tree outside my studio for the month of February. They remind me of sugar cookies.

blue marble - earth

2012-01-26T05:44:00.000-05:00

"A ‘Blue Marble’ image of the Earth taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA’s most recently launched Earth-observing satellite – Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth’s surface taken on January 4, 2012. "

today I am sending you elsewhere :):):)

2012-01-25T06:17:00.000-05:00

Grace Bonney over at Design*Sponge has a regular series of posts called BIZ LADIES, penned by a number of contributors to the blog........... While you're there check out a range of design insights and inspirations.

Go forth and explore!Design*Sponge BIZ LADIES

thinking of a friend today.......

2012-01-24T06:29:00.000-05:00

Sending lots of love and light and laughter.... as another old friend of mine always used to say! Enjoy every second of today:)

mysteries

2012-01-23T07:12:00.000-05:00

Something new is happening in the studio just for fun..........

the red lored parrot

2012-01-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

The parrot commission is complete in the studio, and I am looking forward to presenting the piece to the new owners. On to the white owl!

some art to start the day

2012-01-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

being, doing

2012-01-19T06:19:00.000-05:00

I was on the road at 6:45 am yesterday for a quick stop at the grocery store and the ride to the studio with music playing in the car. With a busy day ahead I swept the flagstone patio and went inside to prepare for guests. This month's salon - an artful conversation was scheduled for 6 pm with Lesley Riley and I set up the gallery with seating for 20, freshened up the kitchen and bathroom, and put out candles and flowers.

With everything ready for later in the day I got to work on the commissioned painting (and yes you'll see process pictures soon, I am saving them to show you all at once with the finished piece) and worked for several hours to get the piece mostly completed. I am so happy with the Red Lored portrait for good friends... and this is a bird I had the opportunity to know, so it makes the request for a painting that much more special.

Our salon get-together with Lisey Riley of Art and Soul Radio was wonderful with great attendance and a good discussion that segued into blogging for artists...... a topic near and dear to my heart. My interview with Lesley will air next month, and I will provide a link to the interview here!

At the end of the evening some folks stayed to help clean up and I was home by 9 pm........ a great art-filled day!

and just like that the new year is really underway

2012-01-17T05:59:00.000-05:00

The special commission in the studio is well on its way to completion, our next salon - an artful conversation is filling up and lots of possibility is in the air...... it is going to be a busy year!

teetering between hot and cold

2012-01-16T06:45:00.000-05:00

We snuck away for a winter weekend in Delaware, to our favorite small town hotel with jacuzzis in the large guest suites and access to one of our favorite remote beaches. With temperatures in the upper twenties and low to mid-thirties both days, we wore a lot of layers and really bundled up for the beach.
We arrived mid-day Saturday to see floating white armadas of thousands of snow geese just off shore, and we walked for a bit and collected sea glass and stones before heading to the hotel to check in and warm up in the jacuzzi for hours of good conversation and a late dinner.

On Sunday mid-morning we checked out of the hotel after making good use of the jacuzzi to find colder temperatures as we headed back to the beach, adding every layer we had in the cold chill.

Back out to the beach we went to spend a few hours, and the snow geese were there once again, so we walked all the way down the beach and settled in to watch them on the cold sand until we were just too cold to stay any longer. The wind was biting on the walk back down the beach and we protected our exposed skin with scarves.... glad to get back to the warmth of the car.

It was a wonderful weekend away to rest and relax and soak our bones in the jacuzzi.... we had a great time!

a weird weird winter

2012-01-13T06:16:00.000-05:00

I had windows in my office open all day yesterday, and on the drive home my windows and sunroof open, and when I got home we opened the sliding glass door and kept it cracked throughout the evening...... and it was January 12th....... today it is supposed to be 34 degrees and windy. I am thinking about planting my gardens at the studio in the Spring:)

rain, some paint, a warm cup of tea, and recorded voices

2012-01-12T06:37:00.000-05:00

I left for the studio early yesterday and slowly made my way in toward DC with rush hour traffic. It was a forty minute ride on this day. Arriving at the studio I put out my sign and swept my flagstone patio with light sprinkles of rain starting to fall. With everything freshened up outside I moved inside to turn on the lights and start a kettle of hot water for tea on my studio stove. (I am so lucky.)

With hot tea in hand I made some notes for later in the day with rain falling steadily outside and then filled a big bowl with fresh water to begin to paint. Onto my palette I laid out some cadmium yellow, titanium white, and permanent green and spritzed it all with my spray bottle before sitting down to work. The commissioned Red Lored is coming along well with process pictures coming soon, and I worked for hours on his feathers. A quick break for some yogurt at 12:30 and I went back to painting feathers for a bit before a phone interview with Lesley Riley of Art and Soul Radio.

Lesley provided a call-in number and I settled into my comfy leather chair for a chat, looking out the french doors toward the Potomac, just a stone's throw from the Clara Barton Parkway. We had a great talk that lasted for more than an hour, and after saying our goodbyes I tidied up the studio, turned out the lights, and headed home. Last night we shopped at Whole Foods as they were having a fundraiser for Second Chance Wildlife Center and we wanted to support their work, driving home in the rain at the end of a long day.

I will let you know when the radio interview is available for the hearing.

make that a double

2012-01-11T06:29:00.001-05:00

The forecast calls for a chilly and rainy day, and I will work on the commission painting along with preparing for an interview with Lesley Riley of Art and Soul Radio. As an artist I like to let my work speak for itself, but in these tech savvy internet days that we live in, the challenge is to put thoughts and feelings about my work into words that others can share on a much broader scale and to a wider circle that stretches around the globe..... another part of the business of art! This might just call for a big cup of hot chocolate.

a bright spot in the winter

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

I taught a big painting workshop yesterday and created two vases of bright flowers for the subject matter to cheer the participants during this winter-time. The post-holiday letdown has set in for many and the blahs are not far behind, so I wanted to share a bright and cheery spot of color in hopes of heading off the winter blues. It was a great afternoon of painting and everyone used the floral references to best advantage to create some great watercolor studies.

the trifolds in the gallery

2012-01-09T06:26:00.000-05:00

mail art mail call

2012-01-06T05:49:00.002-05:00

I put out a call to mail art friends all over the world a couple of months ago, inviting them to create a piece of mail art on a gorgeous tri-fold watercolor card that I would provide. Large heavy vellum envelopes went out to these artists from many countries, and they had until 11/11/11 to return the pieces for display in my gallery.

The pieces all came back, and I just completed the antique drawer that will display them - allowing guests at the gallery to study and handle these beautiful tri-folds. I also get mail art from these and other artists on a regular basis, and you are welcome to come and peruse my collection in the gallery. The stunning variety and artistry is something to behold.

Art is everywhere.

stew at the studio

2012-01-05T06:29:00.000-05:00

I left the house as the sun came up yesterday and went to our neighborhood grocery to buy:

two onions
three potatoes
a bunch of organic carrots
two ripe tomatoes
tomato paste with herbs
six pounds of stew beef
a nice soft braid of challah bread

I drove in to the studio, just 15 minutes from DC with gloves and a scarf all bundled..... and after sweeping the leaves away from my patio as I do every morning and opening all my blinds, I began to make a hearty beef stew in my studio kitchen. With lots of spices and thick chunks of onion the smell began to waft through the building to all of my building neighbors, who were invited for lunch at noon.

With a high temperature of 30 degrees F forecast, I thought it was the perfect day to make a hot lunch for everyone..... and it was a blast to really cook in that tiny kitchen. Everyone came and ate and laughed and caught up after the holiday, and I saved a bowl and some bread for one latecomer, with leftovers to spare.

statute of limitations

2012-01-04T05:55:00.000-05:00

An important story on NPR that Virginia pointed me to can be seen here. Readers here know that I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and my perpetrator has never paid for his crimes. The statute of limitations had already closed by the time I was on my own and strong enough to make a case against him.

NPR States Weigh Time Frame For Child Sex Abuse Suits

oh baby it's cold outside

2012-01-03T06:26:00.000-05:00

At least temporarily it is very chilly outside, and hot tea was a requirement at the studio yesterday as I began work on the red lored parrot. I took some process shots to show you when the bird is a little farther along, and I am hard at work to get this commission completed and on its way to its new owners. The high temperature in DC today is forecast to be 30 degrees F. I saw snowflakes falling on my way home yesterday and really hope that we have an easy winter after the last two. Snow, snow go away.

new year

2012-01-02T06:07:00.000-05:00

Looking at this relentlessly blinking cursor I have so many thoughts...... not all as yet fully formed. This past week of vacation, such a rare thing for me and I cannot really remember the last time I had a vacation, has been good for me in allowing some down time and time to rest. I did not realize how exhausted I was until this past week when I finally got to sleep and slow down.

2012 is now here and I am thinking about how I want to use my time and how things are working in this busy life of mine with work and teaching and studio time and business. I am fortunate to know where my focus is, and any and all chaos and dis-order needs to be removed far far away so that I can think and honor that focus. Some judicious pruning and editing might be in order, and the good news is that I can think on it for a while. My desires for this year.... happiness and peace.... for me and those around me.

and we turn the page.......

2012-01-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

What is it about a new calendar and a new year to make us think of fresh starts and new beginnings? I am doing just that... dreaming dreams and thinking thoughts of possibility. Lately I have found myself staring off into the distance more, and more than ever before I am prioritizing the work I want to complete, no longer saving ideas for a rainy day. The time is now, and we do not know how many tomorrows we might have.

With toes in water for this new year I look and dream and see and touch. What are you waiting for?

so THAT'S a good night's sleep.......

2011-12-30T13:43:00.000-05:00

Three of the last five days I have slept in....... sometimes til 8 am!!! Most of you know that I am up at five am just about 365 days a year, and with this rare week off I have slept in, stayed up later, enjoyed lots of quiet drumming by the fire, and have contemplated the coming of 2012 and what I am hoping for and working toward. Hope... it is all about hope, and my life is all about hope!

So today's post at 2:00 in the afternoon is a departure....... but in a good way! I hope you are thinking about this coming new year too.... all shiny and filled with possibility and anything could happen. I am working on the commission, and my series in the studio - a snowy owl is next, and a business venture with my good friend. The turning inward of winter will lead to thoughts of spring and flower gardens and new adventures.... and the cycle continues.

I am resting and relaxing a bit, and thinking of friends near and far...... wishing you a peace-filled new year, with some dreams to hold close, and some dreams come true.

my favorite picture of 2011

2011-12-29T06:06:00.000-05:00

I looked back through the images I captured in 2011 and most of them were taken at the new studio and gallery that has been the focus of my attention in the last year as I moved and grew my business in this fantastic new location. I have documented the move (February 2011 - right after a tremendous snow storm), the outfitting, the planting of gardens, advertising, and events at the new space....... keeping a camera with me all the time.

It has been an amazing and gratifying time, seeing a dream coming true and working hard to nurture and support the arts community in metro DC while I also work hard in the studio. Looking back through all of the images I captured this year, I think that my favorite photograph was taken just a short five minute walk from my new space, at the Dentzel Carousel at Glen Echo Park. Interesting, considering my favorite Aunt Mickey (who was also an artist) once painted a carousel.... and at some point I would like to work on some carousel paintings as well.

some downtime

2011-12-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have taken some rare time off here at the end of this year to rest and re-group. I have taken a little time here and there to configure my ipad and download some applications to help me work away from the computer... I also want to see if I can edit my monthly newsletter from the ipad as well. Hopefully a trip to Blackwater and the beach are in the works, and as tradition demands, I will need to put my feet in water somewhere to celebrate the new year.

I hope this year end is peaceful for you.

beautiful tree

2011-12-27T08:32:00.000-05:00

There is a tall tall tree next to the building that is next door to my studio building in Glen Echo. I notice it every day coming and going, and the other day the morning light on that bare tree was so perfect that I had to walk over and take some pictures before my studio day started. I love the bare winter trees.

holidayish

2011-12-26T07:41:00.000-05:00

Christmas eve was spent in front of our own fireplace, opening gifts and wrapping gifts for others. We spent Christmas day with family... a peaceful day of cooking and laughing and visiting. I made cherry rice, something I have not made in years, and just enjoyed seeing everyone together. It is so nice to be surrounded by loving people - family of choice - people who are always there for you.

I hope your holiday is just right... filled with treats and treasures and love that warms your heart.

birds on the brain

2011-12-24T07:42:00.001-05:00

I am working on the Red Lored Amazon Parrot commission and I have been doing some research on the web.... in the process I found a video of Amazon Parrots in free flight that is just a joyous celebration of birds being birds.......... enjoy!

More on free flight... here.

early winter

2011-12-23T06:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday one of the owners of our building came to visit and I got to show her what I have been working on and we got a chance to talk and catch up. It is wonderful to show them what we have done with our parts of the building and we all are so happy in this sheltering and welcoming space in this incredible neighborhood. Life is very good and it has been a great year of building my business in this place that feels like home.

a very special commission

2011-12-22T06:44:00.000-05:00

I am working on a special painting commission in the studio, a portrait of a particular very special Red Lored Amazon Parrot for some very good friends of mine. I had a chance to know this very special bird and since then he has passed away..... the commission a surprise for one of my friends. The sketch is complete on the easel and there will be more to come soon. A bright burst of color..............

a little apple under my tree

2011-12-21T06:48:00.000-05:00

Last night we went shopping.... I wanted to get a new cd player to replace my old one, and Virginia had also been talking about ipads and showing me videos of what the ipad 2 can do. With a lot of artist friends who have them and extoll the virtues of owning one, I already knew that they were a perfect way to have reference photos for paintings on hand without constantly printing images, the ability to video chat and show my work at a moment's notice and so much more.... I just never thought I would own one.

Virginia had done all the research and wanted to make this my Christmas gift........ WOW! I picked out a white one with a green cover, and a keyboard for when I want it. I am so excited to figure it out and learn how to use it, and it wove its way through my dreams all night. Thank you Virginia!

MacArthur Boulevard

2011-12-20T06:39:00.000-05:00

A little more of my neighborhood environs with a view up to MacArthur Boulevard from our street. MacArthur Boulevard and Canal Road are commuter routes into Washington, DC.... a fifteen minute ride in traffic.

the cinnamon bear is complete for the new year

2011-12-19T06:44:00.000-05:00

I finished the cinnamon bear in the studio on Friday and am delighted with the finished painting (all complete save for the sides of the canvas). The bear is playful with kind eyes, and exactly what I was seeing in my minds' eye...... even after needing to start the sketch over - I cannot remember the last time that happened! The bear is such an important part of this ABC series and I am excited to choose the next animal or animals. First I have a very special commissioned painting to complete for a very good friend.... a Very Special Bird... indeed.

it's the most wonderful time.... of the year

2011-12-18T09:26:00.000-05:00

I have been saving some metal snowflakes I recently found and African baskets that I purchased at the fair this summer for a special purpose, and they found their purpose Friday as I realized that our nice landscape crew (the folks who take such good care of my studio environs) were cutting down a sick tree at the back of our parking lot where our property meets the Irish Inn.

I went out to see the crew chief, and asked if I could have a couple of branches, and he asked me to pick out the specific branches and to show him just where I wanted them cut so that he could trim them to size with a handsaw. I took them back inside and put them in a wonderful vase on my studio work table. I decorated the winter tree branches with the beaded baskets and snowflakes, and was so happy that a part of the tree could stay with me. When I am done with the tree in the studio I will use the branches for our winter fire ceremonies at each full moon.

****

Yesterday we made plans to meet a Dear One at the studio, and then drive into DC together to see the national Christmas Tree and Yule Log.... a yearly tradition. With major repair work happening on the metro red line, we decided (for the first time ever) to drive into the city. Virginia drove us in to Union Station and we laughed and had so much fun while navigating unfamiliar streets and she did a fantastic job of getting us there!! Once at Union Station we stopped for shopping and food - seeing the damage they are still repairing from the earthquake, and in the metro tunnel realized that close to an hour delay for the next metro train was possible, so we cabbed over to the Elipse in the cold. We looked at each of the state trees, and the new National Tree (we lost the last one in a storm) right in front of the White House. Some will remember another Christmas visit to the tree, and my wayward pot of lip balm that rolled under the White House fence and the ensuing hilarity.... and then there was the time that I got to throw the yule log on the fire while the crowd counted down. I had so much fun last night with my Dear Family, driving back out of the city along the Clara Barton Parkway and back to my studio....... and I wish you a joyful holiday season with yours.

Winter Solstice - Thursday, December 22, 2011

the pot is on for tea

2011-12-17T08:43:00.000-05:00

The new bench against the back wall can seat three good friends, with lots of cushions and pillows for lounging. The bear painting is complete and I have a very interesting holiday tree to show you in the studio when I next post:):):)

fill in the blank....

2011-12-16T06:42:00.000-05:00

.... rather that blank space at the back of the gallery. A new bench has arrived to join Mario's pieces (Historical Salvage) and to create additional seating. Picture coming soon!

cleaning up for the new year

2011-12-15T06:35:00.000-05:00

I spent yesterday morning putting away all the folding chairs, vacuuming crumbs and scrubbing a chocolate stain out of a futon bench cushion after the big gathering at my studio the night before. Then I began work on cleaning some closets there to freshen up for the new year to straighten and make room.

I think and work best when things are clean and neat and organized, and with the new year on the way there is no better time! I still have a couple of supply closets to go through and sort and re-organize.... I am so fortunate to have multiple closets in this flat to utilize and I make the most of the space.

Amazing to think now that I went from 144 square feet in a glass fish bowl almost a year ago to this... February will mark my first year here. I am so fortunate and am inspired every day by my surroundings.

salon - an artful conversation (December)

2011-12-14T06:47:00.002-05:00

Our December salon was held last night and Carolyn Edlund of Artsy Shark was our guest with 18 participants gathered in my gallery for good conversation, discussion, and lots of information traded.

Metro DC artists, photographers, and arts professionals bring food to share and lots of enthusiasm for this gathering that is growing and evolving.

New members are being invited to join us and Missy Loewe and I are planning the next six months of speakers and special guests. I am so excited that this project is taking on a life of its own!

Lesley Riley of Art and Soul Radio will be our guest in January.

being a part of the community

2011-12-13T06:31:00.000-05:00

I spent the day out of the studio yesterday teaching a workshop at a retirement center where I have been teaching for more than a year now. There is a lovely group of women who regularly attend, and yesterday they missed a folk concert scheduled at the same time in order to be there for the workshop. Sometimes the ladies are unable to come to a particular workshop and they often stop in to say hello and let us know what is happening in their day, and the fact that this regularly scheduled activity has come to mean so much to so many of them means the world to me. They often mention the laughter that flows easily while we work, and the sense of community is just heartwarming. Their work has grown and blossomed in the time that I have been there, and I am proud of their efforts. They bring articles for me to read and books for me to look at, and sometimes they bring little stones and shells home from their travels for me. They look forward to coming back to work in my studio.... which will have to wait until it is warmer in the Spring.... and they all checked the date of our next workshop before leaving at the end of the session.

Last night I visited with a local cub scout troop at the request of a friend of mine at the beginning of their meeting. They asked lots of questions about art and being an artist, and I asked them some questions too. We talked about the many varied jobs that are suited to artists, and about being a professional artist. They then got on to making art, and I left them to their work to earn their pin. A police officer was visiting a younger group of boys downstairs as I left.... his patrol car parked next to my car filled with painting supplies....... it made me smile to see our cars parked there like that. It was a great evening and a great group of young people!

careers in the arts

2011-12-12T07:14:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am going to speak to a cub scout troup about artists and careers in the arts as they earn a badge with their troop leader. I am always so delighted when people want to focus kids' attention on art and the arts, as art education is really taking a back seat in public schools in these uncertain economic times. The fact that artistic practice is a stress-reliever and has been shown to boost creative thinking and problem-solving does not seem to be enough to make it matter as much as sports in school districts, but I keep doing what I can in my little corner of the world.

Arts and Smarts

Edutopia

will somebody please clean up around here?!?!?!?!?!

2011-12-11T09:58:00.001-05:00

shhhhh.... it's a secret. 2012 is right around the corner. A shiny new year filled with new possibilities (and look LOOK what happened LAST year!!!!) and it is time to get ready to welcome that new year with open arms.

This morning I completed one of my FAVORITE new year tasks, which is almost like sweeping all the cobwebs out of my amazing computer. Several years ago I started creating image and document files per year.... one for art (and each new painting will have its own folder of process and finished images) art documents (sub-folders for all events and projects), personal documents, and a new folder for images that will be posted to FLICKR with LOTS of sub-folders with more sub-folders inside of them as well. It became easier to know where to look for things, and to remember which paintings are created in which year...... and I LIKE organization.

With a very busy schedule, this kind of organizations saves me time, and time is valuable beyond measure. I am all tidied up and ready to go!

For a girl who hardly ever goes shopping, yesterday was quite a day. I bought another bench for the gallery, food for our salon - an artful conversation this week that will host Carolyn Edlund of Artsy Shark, and flowers for a watercolor workshop that I am leading this week. A busy and fruitful day!

celebrating friends and birthdays

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

The tenants of our building, where my studio resides, all come together for birthday lunches when someone in the building has a birthday. We all got together yesterday for a lunch to celebrate another birthday, and as I stood with this group laughing and sharing stories and time, I thought about how fortunate we are.... to be here in this place, with caring people who have become friends. We all watch out for each other and often visit between the three floors of the building, and in just a year we have built some wonderful bonds all together and altogether. I have so much to be grateful for.

it is getting brrr shiver chilly and a google satellite map just for fun

2011-12-09T06:35:00.000-05:00

Fall has finally passed us by and yesterday I trimmed back the butterfly bush for the winter.... I hope it survives! All of the plant pots have been emptied and cleaned for the winter and all is tidied up for the cold season. I love it when the leaves come off the trees and we can see across the Clara Barton Parkway to the Potomac River. One of these days I need to photograph more of the fascinating neighborhood that my studio calls home........ you would love it here!

View Larger Map

at least a part of the reason I do what I do

2011-12-08T06:32:00.000-05:00

It is Diego Rivera's birthday, born 125 years ago. The man who brought art to the people and had a tempestuous relationship with Frida Kahlo inspired me to paint murals when I was a teenager, and eventually I muraled at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. The twists and turns life takes! Yesterday I got to meet Lesley Riley of Art and Soul Radio when she came to visit and tour my studio. We had a wonderful chat and an interview is coming soon.

skulls and paper crowns

2011-12-07T06:23:00.000-05:00

I bought this skull in Southern Virginia recently, and when deciding where to hang it in the studio (I have always loved skulls and bones and antlers) I decided to add something for a humorous touch.

et voila...... a wire tree

2011-12-06T06:09:00.001-05:00

Working on the wire tree in the studio..... 500 feet of wire, 12 cuts and scratches, one bandaid........ end result: priceless.

I had so much fun creating this tree in the last couple of days when I decided I wanted something handcrafted outside my studio door for the holidays. After Christmas the ornaments can be replaced with snowflakes (note to self: get snowflakes) and the tree is a fun addition to my patio.

300 feet of wire and counting

2011-12-05T06:36:00.000-05:00

I am working on that fun piece for outside my studio door and have so far used 300 feet of 14 gauge wire, and have 400 feet of 16 gauge wire waiting for me on the work table. Think Dr. Seuss.

and sometimes it's just all about a focal point

2011-12-04T07:04:00.000-05:00

The cooler temperatures appear to be here for good, and yesterday Virginia and I bought snow shovels for our cars with collapsible handles. I have also been advised by a ceramic artist friend of mine who has moved to the wilds of New Mexico that I should bring in my ceramic heads for the winter - the ones that greet visitors at the studio - and so I bought the raw materials at Home Depot to make something very special for outside the studio front door. The raw materials include yards and yards of wire......... hmmmmm......... process pics are coming.

perhaps customer service is not dead? or not..........

2011-12-03T08:15:00.002-05:00

For many years now we have all lamented the fact that with big box stores driving out local businesses and family owned mom & pop shops, customer service has gone the way of the dinosaur and we are at the mercy of companies whose only focus is the bottom line.... leaving the idea of customer respect and customer service in the dust.

In the last couple of weeks I have had reason to do some shopping (that I could not do with artists or artisans) and I ended up at a Target and a Pier I Imports. While wandering the aisles of Target we encountered an employee who cheerfully approached us and asked if she could assist us in any way or if we needed help. We laughed and thanked her and said that we were all set but thank you so much for asking (!!!!!!), and she carried on down the aisle.

Wow.

I was thunderstruck.

I was so surprised that I stopped and stood there.

I was so surprised that I commented on it.

Our shopping adventure continued for a few minutes more and we headed to the registers to wait in line, and a manager type with a walkie talkie stood surveying the checkouts and issuing instructions to team members who scurried away. Then he rather self-importantly bellowed into the walkie talkie something like the following, "at the top of the hour every team member make contact with a guest and offer assistance... at the top of the hour.... get ready..... counting down.... NOW!"

Are you kidding me?????

At the top of the hour?????

Darn. That manager type had burst my soapy bubble of delight with a vengeance.

I had thought that maybe, just maybe, a big box store had somehow found their soul and decided that in this economically challenged time when every dollar counts it was time to go back to the age-old idea of customer service.

Well, I guess they had in a way....... at the top of the hour.... and only at the top of the hour.

At the next stop, a Pier I Imports, they fared a bit better. Staff smiled and walked around engaging customers.... one staff member in particular made me smile........ No less than 5 times during our 20 minute visit she approached me rather vacantly and asked if I needed assistance... each time as if she had never seen me before. By the fifth contact I realized that she really had no idea that she had already asked me, she was just bouncing around like that little metal ball in a pinball machine... asking the same question of every human being she encountered. At least they tried.

During the holiday season, seasonal employees swell the ranks of retail workers, and that learning curve has got to be steep to not only learn the job, but to also deal with tense and frenzied shoppers. Having worked in retail, I can only imagine how tough that has got to be. How much training do seasonal employees receive? I honestly don't know.

So what does this mean? Do people care about customer service any more? Do you? Does big business? Are we willing to give up cheerful assistance and caring and respect if the prices are lower at our favorite store?

As much as I can I shop with artists and artisans, locally owned businesses and businesses like our local Ten Thousand Villages - whose manager knows me by name and hands out my show postcards to customers whenever I drop by with them and always asks how my painting is going. I try to target whatever dollars I do spend toward businesses who need and deserve them, and businesses who seem to value me as a customer.

I wonder what it will (or would) take for big business to go back to training staff to be polite and personable and helpful to every guest they encounter.... to plug in, to tune in, and to pay attention to making the customer experience positive and satisfying.... to make the customer feel like they matter once again. I wonder.

Some of you will have noticed that I have featured artists and artisans over the course of the last several days on this blog.... artists who are having open studios and holiday sales all around the country. I am on all of these artists' mailing lists, and they keep me informed of their activities, send out warm notes and monthly newsletters, and go the extra mile to engage me and encourage me to support their efforts as professionals and business people.

I too send out notes to customers and collectors, a monthly newsletter designed to engage and inform people on my mailing list about what I am up to and studio events and happenings. It is a lot of work, and it matters to me and my collectors.... they want to feel special and cared about, and they want to know what is happening without feeling harassed or pressured to buy. They are along on a journey with me, and I respect the fact that they care enough to want to stay informed, and I treat them like gold in my dealings with them, because without them I would not have a business.

In your very neighborhood there are similar artists, artisans, and small business owners who work hard every day to earn and keep your business, to go the extra mile and provide the best possible customer service they can give you. Check out their shops and their studios, get on their mailing lists, and drop by from time to time to see what they are doing. Get to know them well enough to be on a first-name basis, and take your friends to see them as well.

Life is all about relationships, and in our daily life we choose how to spend our time and our money...... choose wisely.
The 3/50 Project

arty shopping in California with artist Jane Norling

2011-12-02T07:01:00.000-05:00

Reminder to stop by Judy Levit's and Jane Norling's Holiday Studio Sale. New abstract & landscape paintings in sizes 4"x4" to 40"x40", intriguing new digital works, reproduction prints of paintings, note cards, drawings, nature photography, posters. Prices start at $4. Browse shelves for earlier figurative and still life works. Come by for holiday cheer and of course, Corinne's Cookies (place your holiday order).

HOLIDAY STUDIO SALE

Saturday & Sunday
December 3 & 4
10am - 5pm

JANE NORLING STUDIO
3298 Lakeshore Ave, Studio B
Oakland CA 94610
510-704-1509
www.janenorling.com

art in Chicago - Ed Hinkley Studio

2011-12-01T06:44:00.000-05:00

Holiday Open House and Studio Sale
at the Ed Hinkley Studio in Chicago

12th Annual Holiday Open House, December 2-4

This Friday, from 6 to 9pm, stop by for opening night festivities at the Ed Hinkley/Eric Jensen Studio space. Featuring paintings by Ed Hinkley and Diane McKeever, photography by Guy Nicol, and ceramics by Eric Jensen and Laurie Shaman. Join them for some holiday refreshments, art and conversation.

Open House Hours:
Friday, December 2 ....... 6 to 9pm
Saturday, December 3 ....1 to 5pm
Sunday, December 4 ......1 to 5pm

The 12th Annual Holiday Open House and Studio Sale will take place at the Ed Hinkley Studio, 4052 N. Western Avenue, Chicago.

Free parking. Google map and directions here.

Check out
my friend
Laurie Shaman's work here.

and if you are shopping in Vermont....... Cotton Mill Open Studio and Holiday Sale

2011-11-30T05:43:00.001-05:00

Where can you go to see potters, glass blowers, circus performers, musicians, painters, candlemakers, jam makers, jewelers, booksellers, bakers, dancers and more all under one roof, all while you get your holiday shopping done?

Announcing the 13th Annual Cotton Mill Open Studio and Holiday Sale at the historic Cotton Mill building in Brattleboro,VT.

Admission and parking are free.

2011 Time and Dates:
Friday, December 2 - 10 am to 7 pm
Saturday, December 3 - 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday, December 4 - 10 am to 5 pm

Location:
74 Cotton Mill Hill - Brattleboro, VT

This once-a-year celebration features the work of many artists and artisans and promises something of interest for all ages. Walk away with handmade crafts, candles, candy, handmade jewelry, freshly made Jam, garden sculpture, cool books and so much more. Meet the artisans in their studios as you find beautifully handcrafted gifts for the holiday season.

Explore a diverse array of entertainment and artist demonstrations. There will be trapeze and dance, glassblowing, ceramics, woodworking, painting, film, a free raffle and more.

For more information visit the Cotton Mill online at www.thecottonmill.org or call 802-257-7731

GET DIRECTIONS!
A Map to the Cottonmill

****And while you are there, please be sure to check out the gorgeous glass work of Randi Solin, who was just interviewed by Katherine Jamieson for the current issue of American Craft Magazine!****

the Torpedo Factory does it RIGHT!

2011-11-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Shop for original artwork
in a dynamic and inspiring setting,
and support artists
who are working hard this holiday season!

Add a little Aloha to your holidays at the Torpedo Factory's Holiday Open House! Wear your favorite Hawaiian outfit to this Hawaiian-themed bash, and enjoy fun festivities as you stock up on affordable, original artwork for everyone on your list.

• Holiday Shopping in Studios and Galleries
Check out our Holiday Gift Guide for fun, unique gift ideas!

• Live Music and Refreshments
Enjoy live music by the Aloha Boys and refreshments by Bittersweet Cafe

• Art-inspired Dance Performances
Performances by Karen Reedy Dance inspired by 3 Torpedo Factory artists

•Holiday Food and Toy Drives

This Thursday, Dec 1, 6-9pm
FREE Annual Holiday Bash
Click here for more Information!

always sunny

2011-11-28T05:54:00.000-05:00

Would love to share a cup of tea and some laughter with you sometime soon..........

Manon Cleary 1942 - 2011

2011-11-27T08:19:00.002-05:00

I just heard this morning that Manon Cleary has passed away. There is no way to adequately describe her talent and passion and she will be missed by the art community and so many here.

Artist Profile

A Retrospective

Art of Pain

Queen of Beverly Court

avoid the malls

2011-11-26T07:49:00.000-05:00

Think ART.

the cinnamon bear is now MORE cinnamon-y

2011-11-25T07:01:00.000-05:00

A couple of process shots captured with my phone as the camera was not at the studio..... the bear is on his way to completion.

an attitude of gratitude

2011-11-23T06:52:00.000-05:00

This time of year we have a lot to be grateful for, and as an artist my list includes all of the people who have supported and believed in my unique view of the world and the vision I have worked hard to share. So many people have gone to such great lengths to help and assist me over the course of thirty years of working as a professional artist, and so many other artists have shared and commiserated as we travel this road together. I look at my support system now, peopled with tremendous artist friends, collectors, followers, and readers of this blog and my monthly newsletter - and I am in awe of this great circle.

Thank you for taking the journey with me, for supporting me with kind words and deeds, and for always being there.

Happy Thanksgiving!

nestling in and working on the bear

2011-11-22T06:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a cool and rainy day and perfect to nestle in at the studio and work with slippers on and some music to listen to. I swept leaves away from my patio and stairs first thing in the morning and two ladies walking by toured the gallery and stayed to chat. One was leaving for a month in Amsterdam to learn to draw, and I expect I will see them again. The wonderful thing about this neighborhood is that people are always walking by and stopping in...... so much livelier here than the art center and I am grateful every day that I made this leap.

new friends and old friends

2011-11-21T06:44:00.000-05:00

We traveled to Southern Virginia this past weekend to spend time with our very good friends Patty and Joseph. They live on a mountaintop with a whole host of two-legged and four-legged friends - including my good friend Indigo - a grandfather oak tree, and a quiet solitude that always brings me back. We haven't gotten to see them in a while..... the last time we were driving through on business we met at a restaurant to share a meal and some conversation. This visit we stayed over and it was great to see them again. Patty cooked eggs from her hens for breakfast and the eggshells were green:):) Oh I wish I'd gotten a photograph of those lovely eggs!

While in Lynchburg we also visited Mario Halkyer of Historical Salvage...... the tremendous furniture-maker who built the benches in my gallery. We got to see his shop and his workshop, and in his workshop he showed us the amazing pieces he is working on now. I want one of his tabletop cutting boards! Several friends have been interested in custom pieces, and Mario frequently drives deliveries up here to the metro DC area.

It was a great weekend to sleep in and rest and relax and re-charged my batteries a bit.... still a part of the birthday celebration. I hope it will be a good year:)

the last of Fall at the studio

2011-11-20T05:49:00.003-05:00

Piles of leaves need to be swept off my flagstone patio every morning, and little by little the trees are going to sleep for the winter..... it is a beautiful time here in the metro DC area and visits to the Smithsonian museums can now commence. I love fall and the winter season.

just what the doctor ordered:)

2011-11-19T06:17:00.000-05:00

I decided that some good tea would be just the thing after the Alice adventure of yesterday, and for my birthday I was gifted with a glass teapot and flower tea for the studio - perfect! The round ball of tea contains a flower that opens as the tea steeps in the glass pot, and it is beautiful to look at. (Thank you Nancy!) A quiet day in my lovely studio yesterday set things right once again and all is well.

peering at the rabbit hole and trying not to fall in

2011-11-18T06:54:00.000-05:00

Every year around this time I get a card from my mother trying to mitigate her guilt...... wanting to somehow make amends. This year she took a different tact and said she hopes that "you are reasonably happy and 'contented' with life and that you are doing what you were meant to do with your time on earth." She also says she is praying for me.

I have been so tempted to write a long letter, letting her know what I have done in spite of the lack of support and love from my family of origin, and that I am managing all right alone, thank you. I would like to say that there are people who love me, and that I matter to some small group of people on this planet, and that I am working so hard every day to make a difference and to build a life..... and that I am beyond bone tired from trying so hard.

I know it is best to leave that door shut, and that writing the letter I need to write would only open the door to further contact from her... something I don't want as I have been burned one too many times and I have finally realized that I have no family... and so once again I set the card aside and leave things be, and yet I am still left feeling as though I should justify my existence - and it doesn't feel good.

salon - an artful conversation, on my birthday:)

2011-11-17T06:02:00.000-05:00

Last night was the November salon... hosted at my studio with metro DC artists, photographers, and arts professionals. Friends brought a cake for everyone to share, one friend brought me a cigar box, and another brought roses, and there are a couple of gifts I have yet to open.... totally unexpected and I thank you all.

It was a great night to be with an amazing bunch of people and our presenters talked about PR from a reporter's perspective.... David Mould was our special guest for the evening. A very good way to start the next year of my creative life, and to share it with tremendous professionals!

happy happy joy joy

2011-11-16T06:13:00.002-05:00

an early birthday celebration (or no rest for the weary)

2011-11-15T06:04:00.001-05:00

We celebrated my birthday at the studio Sunday afternoon.... days early because of work commitments on my actual birthday. We picked out a perfect cake (mostly for its photographic possibilities, as I have begun a series of yearly birthday cake pictures and look forward to photographing the cake and candles every year.) I opened the studio french doors wide so that we could enjoy the mild temperatures and then opened presents. I got new adding machine with lots of bells and whistles - which my accountant will be SO happy about, a fancy new scrabble board, a scrabble wordbook to go with my scrabble dictionary, and two meteorites that Virginia had picked out for me. I photographed the cake and we played a game of scrabble, and it was a wonderful, gentle afternoon that made me feel cherished and cared about. Thanks for the special day, Virginia.

my treasures from the gem show at GMU....................

2011-11-14T06:59:00.000-05:00

20th annual gem, mineral and fossil show at George Mason University

2011-11-13T07:21:00.001-05:00

We spent the day at the show yesterday and were shuttled to and from the event by geology students who were graciously helping out - they were cheerful and kind and deserve a lot of credit for making visitors feel welcome!

With more than twenty dealers in attendance it was an orgy of rocks and fossils, and I looked at (and touched) almost everything in the hall. The best part of the day was the conversations I had with rock hounds, and we even got some tips about new places for hunting.

It was a great day and three of us went to lunch after and unwrapped my trove of newly purchased treasures out on the restaurant table while we enjoyed a leisurely lunch together. I will photograph them in the next day or so...... inspiring colors and shapes and textures for this artist!

http://www.novamineralclub.org/

curtain of glass

2011-11-12T06:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was able to finish the piece for the window of my front hall at the studio, and got it hung just before leaving for the day. We stopped in at our neighborhood friends' open house in Rockville and then attended the Washington School of Photography's 35th anniversary celebration in Bethesda last night. It was fantastic to see everyone celebrating all their good work at the packed opening, and it's always good to see our friends there. Great things are coming for the school and it is an exciting time for a tremendous team of professionals who run a top-notch organization.

at the Smithsonian

2011-11-11T06:45:00.001-05:00

At the Museum of Natural History we saw a great exhibit (and me only with my phone camera!) that was fascinating and fun and totally delighted all the little kids nearby......... having painted some murals that included bioluminescent creatures, I was enthralled to read more about the exhibit that I saw.

When Art Meets Science: Exhibition Inspired by Bioluminescence

Video of the project

back to that mysterious vertebrae in the studio........

2011-11-10T06:38:00.000-05:00

My fingers are tired! I spent the entire day yesterday at the work table tying beads and crystals into fishing line, making hundreds of knots, and now and then picking up the piece to see it sparkle in the light.

I got out my collection of two chandeliers worth of crystals that were rescued from fixtures destined for the trash some time ago now that I have been saving for a special purpose, as well as special beads and findings. It was a quiet day for good thinking and contemplating, and I am nine strings away from being done so that you can see the finished piece.

give to the max - November 9th

2011-11-09T05:53:00.010-05:00

GIVE TO THE MAX on November 9
SUPPORT ARTREACH AT THE CORCORAN

Give to the Max Day is a one-day fundraising event on November 9 that will unite Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., communities to support local nonprofit organizations. During the 24 hours of November 9, the Corcoran will compete with over 500 nonprofit organizations to raise money for ArtReach. The event is organized and sponsored by the United Way of the National Capital Area, the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, and Razoo.

To get a better idea of what ArtReach is about, please watch the video on the Corcoran's ArtReach page and meet three young Washington, D.C., residents--Alex, Kayla, and Marie--who are learning about the world and themselves through art.ArtReach, the Corcoran's community art program, is celebrating its 20th year of high-quality visual arts education for the youth in our community. The program extends the resources of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the College of Art + Design to diverse neighborhoods in our city. Partnering with community organizations around Washington, ArtReach provides after-school programs, summer classes, and art workshops to underserved youth and their families. The program serves more than 300 students each year.

On November 9, we will attempt to raise as much money as possible for our ArtReach students, but your participation in Give to the Max Day is critical. Each contribution, no matter how large or small, gives ArtReach a better chance to win over $100,000 in prize money. As vital members of the Corcoran community, you are invited to mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 9, to donate and help us spread the word.

On November 9, we will send you another email with a link to the Corcoran's donation page, along with instructions on how you can make a difference for ArtReach students. Corcoran representatives will also be located at ArtReach donation stations in the Corcoran's Atrium on Give to the Max Day to help with the fundraising efforts. Please stop by to show your support!

Thank you in advance for your participation. We hope you choose to support ArtReach students on November 9!

Photo: Denny Henry

The other worthy non-profit organizations that I recommend** for GIVE TO THE MAX Donations are as follows:

Washington Project for the Arts
Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc.
Washington School of Photography
Create Arts Center
DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, Inc.
Imagination Stage, Inc.
Sitar Arts Center
Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc.
Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts
Lorton Arts Foundation, Inc.

** These are healthy, thriving organizations in the metro DC area that also engage the community and serve wide-ranging demographics

a mystery

2011-11-08T06:54:00.000-05:00

On the work table at the studio....... What could this possibly be? More to come soon.

a shopping trip and a bunny

2011-11-07T06:24:00.000-05:00

We decided to visit a fun grocery store called Wegmans yesterday... it is about 35 minutes from here, and got in my adventuremobile to leave. I pulled out of my parking spot and there was a black bunny, right on the grass in front of my spot. With rich black fur he was lovely, and I automatically said, "oh! A bunny!!" Virginia immediately got out of the car to go after him and he took off like a shot under a car. After several tries we realized we weren't going to catch him, and decided to get bunny treats to lure him at the grocery.

When we returned Virginia found him right away under a car, and began talking to him and tempting him with a carrot. Somehow, after about 20 minutes, she managed to catch him safely and he just immediately nestled up against her. He was clean and well fed, and we debated taking him to the Montgomery County Humane Society..... I once had a lop named Cadberry and have talked about getting a pet rabbit again..... but it seemed the wisest thing to do was to take him so that vets could check him out and if people were looking for him, they would call the humane society. His temporary name there is "Fennel" and a sweeter rabbit you will never meet! Virginia is the rabbit whisperer.

a little more on the cinnamon bear

2011-11-06T07:18:00.001-05:00

I spent a quiet day at the studio yesterday.... sweeping away the fall leaves, watering plants, making an iced decaf coffee (soon it will be too cold there for that) and working on the bear and a couple of other studio projects. Several people came by and some regular visitors were so charmed by the copper birds that I made with artist Mimi Harris that they asked for her contact information to buy some.... delightful!!!!

I cut in around the bear to begin to show off his chunky wonderful fur, and a base of Payne's Gray on his foot pads will be covered with a pattern of grooved and crevasses. I have been studying a lot of bear paws online and in reference books. More to do with his fur, but this is a good start.... I want to keep these portraits loose and washy (sometimes with drips, like the tiger.... that drip in the lower left corner is my favorite part of the painting!) and I am so looking forward to finishing this piece. Who will be next?

I will need a wonderful font for the ABC letters in the book that I will create from these portraits.... you know:

B is for Bear

with a great font style for the alphabet letter.... does anyone have any ideas for a font?

the cinnamon bear

2011-11-05T06:23:00.000-05:00

A marathon painting session has moved the progress of the bear forward. After a lot of thought about this bear I had decided to make him cinnamon-colored to make him more playful and engaging....... there will be no scary animals in this series, surreal yes - scary no. I cannot wait to get back to work on him.

starlings in flight

2011-11-04T05:38:00.000-05:00

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.
A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena.

We saw a mumuration three or four years ago..... at Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. The birds formed one long, seemingly endless undulating ribbon in the sky. It was one of the more stunning wildlife experiences I have enjoyed. What would we do without the birds??????

wssc clean water poster contest for a 2012 calendar

2011-11-03T05:38:00.000-05:00

A trip to Laurel last night to help judge the entries for the 2nd Annual WSSC Clean Water Poster Contest, with a theme of “Our Part of the Chesapeake Bay: Let’s Keep Our Water Clean.” The winning entries will be featured in a calendar available for purchase, and it was wonderful to see all of the creative and thoughtful entries from second through fifth grade artists. Winners will be announced soon!

calendars... lovely little bits

2011-11-02T05:57:00.000-05:00

I like calendars. I keep big ones here and there, even a desk blotter size one where I keep schedules and appointments. I keep one in my planner that is with me most of the time, and several in the different locales that I inhabit. Truth be told, I LOVE calendars. Oh the visuals!!! Several artists that I know put out calendars... some more successfully than others. One calendar I always look forward to is put out by Teresa McCue and she now sells notecards as well! It is time to go shopping for a calendar, and I cannot wait!

whew..... we made it to November!

2011-11-01T05:50:00.000-05:00

I had my doubts there for a while! With a lot of events and things going on, October roared through. We spent Halloween with Dear Ones and got to catch up a bit..... it was a great family evening. I am looking forward to getting back in the studio to work on the animal series, and as Fall moves into Winter I look forward to slowing down some and just having an abundance of studio time.

I need to start my search for the perfect calendar for next year!

don't worry, be happy

2011-10-31T06:43:00.001-05:00

I had a fantastic weekend with Virginia and my wonderful old friends, and yesterday we toured the Smithsonian Museums and cabbed around DC to see the monuments at the end of the day. This 9th anniversary has been joyful and uplifting and it has me thinking a lot about happiness and how I try make a little of my own each day. Here are two great articles about happiness.... go get yourself some!

The Happiness Project

3 ways to be happier now

a couple of days with my good friends

2011-10-30T04:24:00.000-05:00

Two of my great forever friends are here visiting, and how fitting that they should be here right now. I knew them when my daughter was small some twenty-four or twenty-five years ago and we hung out together all the time with their small daughter. We swam in the pool and shared laughter and time and meals together, and they brightened a difficult existence for me. They drove through the freak snowstorm yesterday to get here and I am just so thrilled that they would pick this time to come, and that they have the opportunity to meet Virginia. A lot of laughter and sharing and life is so very good.

celebrations and sea glass

2011-10-29T06:54:00.002-05:00

On this day nine years ago I boarded a plane at Orlando International Airport, bound for Maryland, after leaving my old home the night before with only a suitcase and police protection after my soon-to-be x ripped my checkbook, bankcard and car keys out of my hands.... driving away in a rage in my car as the police were called to help me.

This insanity followed his excitedly agreeing to a divorce and gladly taking me to file court papers to get the process in motion in the days before. When he took all those things from me that night, he had no idea that I would leave the state the next morning with the help of a lot of friends, and he looked for me all over town for days.

I left Florida on a hot and sunny morning and flew to Maryland in the rain on October 29th, and as the plane landed I saw spectacular Fall foliage outside the plane's windows. I got off that plane in that cold rain and never looked back. It seems like yesterday.... and it seems like a lifetime ago. I am now a different person.

Fast forward to 2011.................

Yesterday we took off, and literally took off for the beach. What better place to spend this anniversary time than at our favorite secluded beach in Delaware. We made the long drive and got there at lunch time, packing some snacks and water for lunch out on the beach. Today we wore sweaters and jackets as the temperature hovered around 50 degrees F.

In sorting my sea glass for all the pictures I took this summer, I had realized that I had some sea glass that was not quite worn enough and had been saving the glass to return to the waters that it came from originally, so we took that along as well.... I am sure that I will find some of it once again over time.

I put each piece back into the water with a wish or hope.... very fitting for this day of remembering. I no longer hope for people to come back to me as I did for so many years - I wish them wisdom and an opening of their eyes to the truth of what has happened, and a knowledge of the love they have willingly walked away from. I can do no more. Now I can only focus on what and who I do have in my life, and finding the good in each and every moment of this life of mine that I saved on that October day.

On down the beach and around a quiet inlet I made a plank bridge so that Virginia could cross a mucky wet spot while holding my hand to keep her shoes and feet dry - and we made a spot for a picnic lunch as I took off my own wet shoes and socks to dry a bit as we settled on the sand, warmed a bit by the sun.

A seagull was flying by and I lifted my hand with a morsel of food and called up to ask if she or he would like a bit of cheese. The gull immediately floated down to land on the sand....... and Virginia said "this bird has been to Rehoboth" (where lots of people feed birds) and we chuckled. We proceeded to feed our lunch to the seagulls who had gathered, and when we were done, wished we had brought more for them. Only Virginia would join me in giving our lunch away.... and we laughed.

We walked back down this lonely and wonderful beach, looking for fossils and sea glass and treasures that get washed up by the tides and storms, talking and being together..... and by the time I turned our car toward home it was late in the day and getting on toward dusk. It was a wonderful and perfect day, a celebration of beginning and becoming and growing, building a life and finding my peace.

Today is a sacred day... of honoring some small spark in me that finally rose up and refused to live in an abusive relationship anymore. I still don't know how I did it after twenty years of being emotionally battered...... not knowing at that time just how much I would lose in that desperate gamble. And maybe it is best that I didn't know... maybe that flying leap just had to be made.... running off the edge of a cliff with no ground below me to tumble and fall.......

........and finally to begin to fly.

a powerful reminder

2011-10-28T05:24:00.000-05:00

On this day nine years ago the biggest shake-up of my life occurred - a change beyond reckoning, an ending and a beginning. It took all the strength and courage I had to leave. Today, for the first time I will celebrate the beginning, as opposed to the ending of leaving my old home.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day I flew to Maryland.... so long ago now. I am looking at all that I have gained, and the life that I have built with my own two hands, and I am fortunate to be alive and living each day with the support of some incredible people. I am grateful beyond measure and always optimistic..... looking for the bright spots in every single day. I am the luckiest person in the world.

trick or treat? trick.... definitely trick.........

2011-10-27T05:35:00.002-05:00

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celebrating the season and a big anniversary

2011-10-26T05:47:00.000-05:00

This year, for the first time since I came here, I am feeling like celebrating this anniversary of moving here - more for what I have gained than what I have lost. Nine years. It is a new perspective and honors the journey and all the hard work with new appreciation.

I decided a long time ago to get busy living and so many people have been involved in that journey - loving and supporting me - I look at my daily life now and I would never have believed the twists and turns this road has taken to bring me to this point. There is joy in every day, in all the small moments and little things, the routine of my everyday existence. For me the glass is full to overflowing, and I am so very fortunate.

Who knows what adventures await, I don't want to waste a second.