Starbucks Silverdale

A couple weeks ago I went with a friend to Silverdale, WA.   While she ran an errand or two, I went for a cup of chai at Starbucks, down the street.  I should know better than to order chai, as I'm not a fan of intensely sugary drinks, but when I pulled out my trusty little Moleskine and tiny watercolor kit, nothing else mattered.   I was in the Zone.  Nothing that dramatic to re-create, but then, everything is entertaining for me!

The Passing of a Great Artist

Today I lost a very special, lifelong friend and mentor.   Since before I can remember, Betty Nissen was  a driving influence on my creativity.  She was my "other mother", and as Jim has termed her, she was my "Spiritual Godmother".   This is a photo that was taken of her in 1976, in Hawaii.   Of all the photos in our old family albums, this is the one that to me expresses what I connected with the most in her personality... her sassy, relaxed, creative fire.  I will so miss this beautiful lady.

For those of you who've missed my regular postings, I apologize...  I found Facebook, and have been catching up many "friends" with the creativity you've all been sharing already!  When I finish creating my business Facebook page, I will link you to it.   I've been in denial for a long time as to what a powerful tool Facebook is!

Hope

The previous posting was a close-up of this finished sculpture.   It was photographed by Neil when Hope had just been sculpted, before she was dry and ready to be fired and painted.  She was around 30 inches tall and sold at Trios Gallery in Solana Beach, California, some months later.   The eyes invaded by light gave the impression Hope was gazing into a reality I could not see.   There was a future sculpture, Oracle, that also had those eyes.   I am so grateful many of these pieces bring me a quiet message I'm not able to glean for myself.   Now it's been a year since I've been working with clay, perhaps it's time to put my hands in it again.

Hope's Reach

This is a close-up detail of the facade of Hope, a sculpture I had done soon after 9-11.

Soft Shell

A meditative drawing on an afternoon with memories.   

Arboreal Yoga

Yet another older sepia ink sketch on parchment.  I guess this one is a little strange!  I was pushing the envelope with the tree-being concept.   

Mushrooms In Moonlight

When I had given up oil painting at the age of 30, I had already had about 20 years experience at how well it would serve my creativity, as my mother had taught me to paint with oils when I was ten.   I know, what was she thinking?  The turpentine fumes made me dizzy and nauseated, but she advised me to keep at it, and I would get over it.  I did keep at it, and when I finally gave it up, the freedom to also re-define my style was equally dizzying.... but in a good way!   It's as though finding new media also unleashed new ideas and alternate styles, as you've seen in past postings from the early-to-late 1980s.  My mother didn't seem to be too excited about my paper and ink explorations, or even the clay and sculpture adventures.   Maybe that was a good thing for me.   I was "on my own".  Uncharted territory!  I didn't know anyone who was doing monochromatic nature studies at that time, so I innocently thought I was blazing a new trail, and it got me out of the studio and into the field.   The wet, sloppy, field.   Lots of strange, little mushrooms made their home in wet cow pastures, and some of them did taste pretty good, though they seemed to "enhance" the scenery when I ate them.  Hmmmm..... maybe that explains the tree series!  Just kidding.