DAWNS ART BLOG

l u c k & g r a t i t u d e

2011-11-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

I am fortunate enough to be in the presence of some pretty amazing things.

Things that some people only get to experience vicariously.

This...I'm pretty sure isn't one of them. However I am a fan.

When these little babies start hitting the stores it means autumn is here.

My favorite season, given I'm in the pacific northwest.

Autumn makes everything seem

magical

delicious

tantalizing
cocooning

and

joyous.

Indoor plants appear more comfortable.

They bask in what little sunlight makes it's way through those impenetrable clouds.

I recently went on a waterfall hunt.

I took a friend.

It was a project of sorts.

The rains brings out the best in a rocks surface.

It allows for it's true essence to show itself.

As if it were hiding until the autumn rains.

Given the crisp temperature and the amount of rain that was falling,

we weren't expecting this little guy.

Although he had just advanced from his year of life in the

water he seemed like he didn't have a place to go.

Like he was too late, he missed his chance to enjoy the summer.

My friend and I took many photos of our excursion.
Some of these are hers and some are mine.

Like I said...I am so lucky to have all of THIS around me in my daily life.

See what I mean.

The road less traveled is always free from conformity.

Just another canvas.

One of many.

My life is truly amazing.

o
m y

t i n y a r t

c l i c k i t

When I see and hear things like this it always makes me smile...

Daily Musings

2011-11-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Teeny-tiny bells hanging in the doorway of a closet.

Frida waits patiently amongst the other contestants.

Rain-boots are always a comfort in the Pacific Northwest.

Just don't wear them out in the snow even for a minute...CRACK!

A place to hide for a while.

Feeling small in a big world.

If you don't catch it, it will be gone in a flash.

Glowing foliage mystifies the soul.

Perpetual motion.

Drive by trees.

Done for a while.
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A tiny space of my very own to daydream, rejuvenate and breathe.

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And a little ditty...
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Sculptue, Gigantic Sushi & Scarey Clowns

2011-09-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Of course I brought my camera along when my husband & I took a day to explore the intriguing culture of "antiquing". Which in my opinion is a very loose term. Via my artistic eye I saw a sculptural elements in many of the displays. And what a clever concept...to draw the attention of shoppers who are searching through a mecca of knick-knack-patty-whacks. This piece can stand on it's own for too many anti-depressant needing clown faces in one spot may set some people over the edge (Eddie B.).

Of course when encountered with an emotionally disturbed hand painted clown figurine, one cannot help but recall their little brother hiding under a Moose Lodge family picnic table with a death grip on his grandfather's leg, screaming out in fear that the clown hired to entertain children may torture and destroy his very existence...or something to that nature for he was six and really couldn't articulate under such circumstances. Moving on...

Then there are pretty things. And lots of them. Which are typically the pieces you have to budget in, for their sparkly esthetic attraction comes at a premium price. After claiming one of these must haves you may realize to your dismay, that they are much more appealing in their group setting...a sculptural setting was the hook.

Speaking of sparkle....who cares if the label "antique shop" was on the store front??? Silver glitter grouped in perfect little glass jars all lined up in stadium format as if they are dressed in their best and out on the town in big high fashion, brings a twinkle to any gals eye. Reflective as they are...again....not as glamorous as a single representation. Almost like seeing one Rocket during a NYC Christmas performance. Around the corner...

...you hit these babies. Several family members used to paint these in many cigarette smoke filled dining rooms (with protective plastic table clothes of course). Here they rest as if a country club graveyard of hang-able flat backed ceramic existed in this very glass case. They still appear to be as happy as the first day they were cast so I don't feel too disappointed that they all ended up here. They aren't cheap either. Over 100 bucks and you too can bring this treasure home. I think the optimal place should be eye level next to a commode. You may not notice it at first but in your peripheral vision your propriosenses kick in and you turn your head.....oh yeah...super-c r e e p y-perfect.

I'm a sucker for metal objects. The more patina'd the better. These little jewels are sculptural enough to stand on their own. I purchased the one in the middle front and use it as a business card holder for my art cards. On my next trip I'd like to get a larger one to help store my paint brushes. That too will be an appeasing sculptural element on my over crowded desk. When you look up...

...you take a gander at this beauty. How can you not resist concocting a story when you lay eyes on this?!?!? I'm guessing it's a 1950s - '60's era costume and crafted exquisitely. It was hung high above, out of arms reach. No touching this relic of someone's life journey...see the clerk at the front counter. At the booth across the isle...

...here sits (awkwardly but maybe that's how he maintains his cut abs) the one armed Ken with white rubber low-heeled shoes and high wasted matching pants. Hmmm...if I only remembered where I placed my Ken doll arm collection from the 70's. Damn. I missed out on this one. But the counter down the hall....

...flashed me back to fifth grade. I had this exact style rotary phone in bright red to match my red & white room, complete with red looped carpet and canopy head board my creative mother designed. My room was so cool that I didn't even take into consideration I shared it with my sister eight years my junior. I was pretty bossy, I took over the space. I prominently displayed this classic piece of sculpture on my dresser next to my bed. Hands off to anyone who wasn't me. Well...I may of allowed my friend Lisa D. to use it when she needed a ride home after I got mad at her for not wanting to do things my way. And after experiencing several years of missing or damaged clothing during my sisters pre-teen years, I'm pretty sure she touched it any chance she got when I wasn't looking. After feeling pretty special about my red phone I glanced over at....

...this epic concept. I should of had one of these when I was talking on my red phone....I should have one of these now. Yet another project to indulge in when time allows. I couldn't purchase it. That would of been way too easy and demeaning of my artful essence of being. That silver glitter will no doubt be the perfect glitz to my new crown. Just when my mind was in the narcissistic zone of self centered bliss...

...I looked up and saw this. Really??? A pipe smoking baby in a top hat & ascot. What part of art history is this in? It's obviously created from a mold which means someone thought it was a good idea to make more of these. It's large eyes do have a familiar resemblance to the Greek limestone Archaic funeral memorial kore/kouros figures of 600 BC (less the contrapposto pose of course). Could that be a hint of an Archaic smile? All this stimulation calls for...

...gigantic sushi the size of your face from Saburo in SE Portland. No joke. You get more for your money than any other sushi place. I chuckle each time my order is placed in front of me. The best approach is to have at least one person wait inline 30 min. prior to their opening. The line forms fast (People know this, it's no secret. You can tell by the expressions of woe & defeat on the drivers faces pulling up out front to drop of their chosen line person, when arriving just minutes late). Which leaves one or more of your party free to get Starbucks from across the street. This is particularly handy when it is winter and raining. Have your mind set prior to being seated for the competitive ordering has now begun and if your completed sushi menu isn't raised in your hand within a few minutes...bummer for you...you're now at the back of the sushi assembly line. The process is so worth it. You'll love it. Even the part when you're the one freezing in the rain in January. But no...you're the smart one and made sure you wore your PAC-NW layering system of clothing and protective gear and have your smartphone charged with plenty of entertainment on it. That way you won't be thinking of nasty names to call your companion(s) when they come back from the warm swanky atmosphere of Starbucks.

Direct.

2011-09-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Post it note art for a Gala event.

Charcoal markings for a class project.

An acrylic painting from a tree sketch in the park.

My studio for a day...

...to paint a mural.

A busy schedule packed with freelance work, full time school, two part-time jobs plus my family has me running on a tight schedule. It's refreshing to have a spot to just be short, sweet & to the point.
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A MINI ART NOTE

I have recently been

introduced to the painting

of Andrew Wyeth.

An American artist

who's work I am

drawn to

like a

vortex of

creative

inspiration.

I'm excited to see

how my next

painting turns out.

[CLICK ME]

Glass Drunk

2011-07-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hello my name is Dawn & I'm a glass-aholic.

Sometimes I save, sometimes I purchase but now I'm on the wagon.

I can't tell you when or how it began. All I remember is one day....

I realized...I had a lot of glass.

I have "collected" & "stored" several pieces in kitchen cupboards, just waiting for the right moment to use them in fused glass art projects. I'm not sure if "saved" household glass is something that can effectively be melted & fused but I have a friend that will support my glass habit in conducting this experiment.

Sometimes my glass reminds me of my great grandparents.

Other times it's my glass that may remind my great grandchildren of me.

[CLICK ME]

Herb & Dorthy Aspirations (sort of) & A 3 Day Paint Job

2011-07-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

How can one not find art in the garden? OK...in my case, containers on the front porch with plants in them. Nature has a skillful process of producing perfect color palettes. In the case of the tomato plant, a hue of green that has a close value range paired impeccably with it's complimentary yellow orange in the cherry toms. Blackberries develop into a deep rich purple (slightly shifted to the red side in my opinion yet maintaining a strong blue) contrasting it's green surroundings. This time of year they are a light value of green w/a bit of yellow but representing blue in a delicate way. Mid August will bring delicious berries gently warmed by the sun, of which I will flash freeze and enjoy all year long. In the PacNW we have a love-hate relationship with these aggressive fruit barriers. They are monsters that consume all vegetation, buildings and space. There's no stopping them. The birds "release" seeds after they are finished dining on their sweetness, which covers just about every bit of land. They are everywhere and grow in an instant. After harvesting this summer I will put on protective gear (nasty huge painful thorns) and hack them down as far as I can.

As I've been spending a lot of time on my front porch these past few weeks, I decided to fill a space on my home above the porch swing with a canvas. I have a habit of seeing voids and filling them. I am careful not to cover every inch of space, rather, create a balance in conjunction with the voids. Only time will tell if I can maintain this practice. Who knows, in 30 years I may have filled every square inch, inside and out. My imagination recalls the story of Herb & Dorothy Vogel. My space will be filled with my own art and the hope of it being worth even an eighth of their collection. In the mean time I will paint when I'm inspired and rest in the space until the process cycles to fill another space.

This painting is on top of another, one I didn't care for and even taped sheets of paper over areas I was so displeased with. This canvas was resurrected well after a year. With a closer view (or a more skilled photographer) hidden textures reveal shapes of the old mixed media painting. I think I've stumbled upon a concept for my next creation after zipping through this free flowing piece. Having no expectations and releasing the mind of clutter is an amazing place to create from.
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A MINI ART NOTE

On my flight home from a recent AZ trip I busted out

my sketchbook. I think the first sketch pretty much states

my subject and the other....I was wingin' it (no pun intended).

The image is clickable so you can get a closer look.

I capitalized on my captivity in the middle seat

while listening to this [C L I C K ME!!!!]. I find my

sketchbook to be a great source of inspiration for I am

typically creating (read doodling) without an intent.

Being sandwiched between a solo eight year old well

rounded traveler and an older gentleman who seemed

to enjoy my progress, made for

the perfect recipe for

uninhibited

masterpieces.

Does this have to have a title? I don't think so.

2011-07-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

The kitchen chalkboard is a forever evolving substrate of random creativity by heterogeneous artists. It always begins with a grocery list and my own impromptu sketch. It's handy exposure is like a magnet to my children and their friends. Little by little the space gets filled with bits and pieces of peoples minds. As I've mentioned before...the grocery list, in time, gets buried in the artiness of it all.

My lavender is just about to fully explode! I tried to capture this visitor but am still getting to understand the many functions of my new camera and didn't get as good of a shot as I had hoped.

I've added a little reuse-sculpture above my fence mural. I'm so attracted to things that rust. The bright contrast of it's coiling wire against the black post pops with interest. It's one of those things that will patina in time, forever changing how it exists in the space. It's neighboring post calls for something more substantial. My mind is churning for the perfect elements...in rust of course.

Mid month during the full moon I spent some time on my front porch...with my camera of course. After the one I love turned in for the night, I was left to explore one on one with my new toy/tool/appendage/eye/?. Most images turned out blurry (could the vino have been an accomplice?). Too intrigued to go upstairs and get my tripod I found that holding my breath while leaning against something sturdy pacified my need for a clear, flash-less, glowing composition. Next time...the tripod.
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A MINI ART NOTE

Above is a final for an Art History project I did
at the end of last semester. I chose 1920's soft-cubism
artist Tamara de Lempicka to represent an artist
between the Renaissance and WWII in a composition
depicting a modern use (a cover of Portland's Willamette Week
news publication). I used my 20+ years of graphic
design skills in Illustrator to complete the piece. I was
informed WW's editor Richard Meeker became fond of
it as it was displayed on a gallery wall at school. The
school purchased it and gave it to him as a gift.

Such a cool thing.

I am truly honored.

What is it? What's it all about? Who cares.

2011-07-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

I have an old 1920's bungalow home that provides the perfect canvas to create amazing works of art on, in and around. The whimsical fence mural now rests on my fence, basking in the summer sunshine. I have no idea what it is, all I know is that I had no expectations with the process and tried my best to keep my mind clear of thoughts in any direction. I was on auto-pilot. Perhaps from a psychodynamic perspective (Freudian) this concept came from my subconscious. Even so...I still have no idea what it is. I do know it is balanced within the space with it's wiggling multiple lines heavy on the left-view side and it's solid open deep black space on it's right and it has texture in it's many black intersecting lines which sends your eye back allowing the vibrant yellow-green to jump forward.

So who really cares what it is? It's one of those images that has people looking at it in wonder. The kind of public art that breaks up a person's daily routine providing them with a brief moment in time to focus on something other than where they have to be and what they have to do next in order to be producing responsible organized time. It's almost like a psychological mini vacation and they don't really realize exists. Of course this is my subjective interpretation of what it could be for others and I'll truly never understand how it places in the dynamic of it all. For me it was a process of letting go of expectations and authorizing myself to be in the present moment. If it can alter someones chaotic day for just one minute of peace or creative thought, then all the better.

I have a new camera (on the art barter system!) and had fun snapping shots of random Portland things over the weekend while getting familiar with it's functions. I was on Mississippi Avenue exploring it's wonders when I came across some hens in a quaint garden shop. After returning home, the inspiration remained strong and I captured small spaces of my own garden. The mural photos were taken with my phone. I'm still getting to know my new Canon but so far we're getting along just fine.

Un-hung Art.

2011-06-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

What does one do with un-hung art? I seem to be stashing mine under furniture, on top of art storage bins and neatly filing those that fit next to one another against the wall in my studio. I recently sifted several pieces out to display for a friend in hopes of hanging the un-hungables in local windows this summer.

The charcoal and graphite tree is still a work in progress (as most art can be). However the bottom two panels can be omitted if I were to chose this piece to hang. It was designed to fit into a corner of my living room where a kennel once was tucked away for our Basset Hound Bogart (RIP Aug. '10). I created it for a final project in a drawing class fall semester.

The encaustic collage diptych was another final project in a 2D Design class this past spring. I am bartering the right panel for a camera. The process these panels provided was one I hope to practice more often. The careful planning and assemblage of the lightly painted water color paper rectangles brought a sense of productivity to my work. Encasing each shape in encaustic wax and carving details to enhance their depth and character was hypnotic. A definite present moment experience. It's not often I do just one thing a a time.

I've been working an afternoon each week this summer in a friends flower shop. The stunning selection of floral and fauna never fails to inspire me.

Process, Texture & Self Reflection

2011-06-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

My busy life has not allowed for much time to share what I've been up to via this platform. Now that the summer schedule has begun I'm hoping to get back to typing out my artful thoughts on random topics and the beauty I find in everyday happenings.

This last semester I have explored acrylic paints in a much different way than I have ever used them in the past. Above are some experiments in color and texture.

My self portrait represents what springtime weather is typically like in the Pacific Northwest on any given day. I remember pondering what I was about to accomplish with my five classes nearing the end of spring semester. It was a lot to think about but came with a calm sense of appreciation for the opportunity to be present in my life in such an astounding way.

My last entry is a collage assignment I had in a Visual Elements: 2D class. All the charcoal textures are from rubbings from various surfaces all cut or ripped to come together in a photo inspired composition. I would definitely do this again and incorporate elements and concepts from this process into other mixed media works. I did spray fix the final piece, which darkened the value but was worth the sacrifice rather than the piece get smudged entirely during transportation. Yes it took a very long time. Yes I enjoyed the process. I found I got lost in the "do one thing at a time" space it allowed me to be in. Something I do not practice often but should.

Sunday Sconeday

2011-03-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend kicks off my spring break from school. Although I will be working two jobs plus creating artwork for a gallery submission and completing a few homework assignments it will be a welcomed "brain" break from my otherwise normally chaotic schedule.

Saturday was "veg" day. A movie on the couch was about all I had in me, plus a few loads of laundry; a walk to the store and a chat with my love at his place of work.

Today is Sunday. A quiet morning with fresh baked scones. Canadian bacon w/grilled onion & aged white cheddar cheese (plus a little whole wheat flour to lessen the guilt) are a savory start to the day with a delicious cup of coffee.

These blueberry-strawberry vanilla scones are waiting their turn in the oven. Savory first...dessert second.

The scone aftermath in the kitchen is so worth the effort, don't cha think?!?!

This is the most perfect scone making music on a lazy Sunday morning.....

February Snow & The Nines Hotel

2011-03-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

I have photos and no words. Except for these...

February snow in the Columbia Gorge and

an Art Auction Fundraiser st The Nines Hotel [click me] in Portland.

Besides school and incomplete sentences that's what I've been up to.

Oh yeah and a whole lotta this...

Hot LOVE (think wholesome now)

2011-02-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

Could there be anything more universal than the word LOVE?

Yes...COOKIES!

(a birds-eye shot of water about to boil w/floating drops of olive oil.

I did a little photoshopping to bring it all together)

(go ahead and click on it...check it out)

A very Happy Valentines Day to anyone out there who may need it!

Snacking - Baking - Breathing - OMing

2011-02-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

My life leaves only room for small simple indulgences these days.

Fresh cracked pepper atop a coagulation of organic olive oil and balsamic vinegar always amazes my eyes. Dipping a rustic clump of delectable Dave's Killer Bread "Peace Bomb" into the smooth contour lines of balsamic and oil makes for a satisfying artistic interaction.

Fresh baked cinnamon rolls brings smiles to sleepy noses & faces (and gets them out of bed on a lazy chilly weekend morning).

Not all the icing makes it onto the rolls, much of it travels via finger tips directly into hungry mouths. A healthy snack soothes the stresses of the day. Baking for others adds to my relaxing process.

Remembering to breathe before, during and after a busy day reassures my tenacious spirit that all of my crazy efforts are what makes my life enriching.

Breathing to this nourishes the process...about nine minutes of complete stillness starts the day out right...namaste.

The Nuclear Middle Gray Process

2011-01-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

So when I started posting these photos I had just come out of this "middle gray" experience, then my 14 year old had to use the computer to write an obituary for Adam West. Don't worry the Caped Crusader is still alive. It was a fictitious theme for a Washington State history project. So days later..I am left with my original photos & zero prose of my attempt at achieving middle gray.

I will now proceed to ad-lib...

...but I have to be present for his piano rehearsal right now so...

...here's the short of it... #6 is my best attempt at mixing titanium white and mars black acrylic paints to achieve a middle gray. The process was not a quick one. I do remember to keep my head from feeling like this [click me], I felt the need to listen to this [click me], so then I thought about this [click me].

Capturing the Sunshine

2011-01-23T15:35:00.000-08:00

Walking in the Columbia Gorge on a mild winter day requires

a coat, hat, chapstick and a camera.

Capturing the sunshine is the theme of the day.

It showed up in mysterious ways.

It rested on this overworked metal pipe

like a cozy hand crocheted afghan.

It radiated through the clouds as

if it was searching to break through.

A traveling ribbon of cloud hovered diligently above the

Columbia river as if it were it's

own personal extra thick layer of sunscreen.

Every now and then the sunshine

was free to roam from the cyan sky.

Cotton ball clouds scattered and

danced as if running naked in the sun.

Stepping on the sky was allowed today.

I was careful not to startle the sunshine for it seemed

so happy to be free.

Today a little bit of sunshine illuminated the important things.

It stirred questions. It brought new perspectives to light.

It warmed my heart & soul.

Denver, A 7 yr Old & a 2 Day Art Binge

2011-01-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

To prepare for a two day art binge one must first take proper care of their teeth; protect the table; then set up the mediums of choice for easy accessibility.

First creation: A Happy Banner. All things that made my niece happy we listed, illustrated in pencil contour line forms; overlaid in black Sharpe; added water colors and strung onto a thick cotton string. When I asked if she had a hole punch she replied, "YES! It is in the shape of a fairy". I thought, of course...is there any other kind? The banner is proudly swagged in her room under a netting of butterflies. A perfect location.

Second creation: Themed Bunnies. Using our art journals we composed a page of floppy eared cuties. Sadie used pre-cut marker drawings she sketched & cut out the day before and a silly band. I used scrap tissue paper & a Sharpe w/an Alice in Wonderland flare.

Third creation: Themed Butterflies. Art journal pages turned vibrant with water colors and accurate markings of beautiful butterflies.

Fourth creation: A photo from the last art project we worked on in August of 2010. It hangs above the kitchen cabinets in it's all it's pastel chalk colorful wonder.

Fifth creation: A My Little Pony photo shoot on the living room ottoman. Those ponies find there way into daily activities via song & dance performances, story telling, illustrations, figurine play time and our photo shoot. I was informed of their individual names but cannot accurately repeat them at this time. They are very busy little ponies.

Break time: We put our feet up and took a Wii break. We played so diligently that Sadie's hair electrified with static.

Sixth creation: Our house with functioning windows. Two layers of construction paper carefully glued and cut. Active and decorative color pencil illustrations to capture a happy household of love.

Seventh creation: Themed Sea Creatures. We shared a DVD clip art computer screen and selected the best sea creatures to sketch in our journals. Sadie chose pencil and I, a Sharpe. Well done.

Two determined passionate artists in Denver Colorado on a Two day art binge. A very successful mission accomplished.

PDX, DEN, BRECK, DEN, PDX,

2011-01-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Landing in Denver during their first snow storm of the season was a mild adventure. My mind initially thought of crazy scenarios of landing sideways on two wheels, spinning into snowbanks and leaping onto an inflatable carnival style slide to safety. When it came down to it, the mandatory cab ride from the airport to my sisters had my attention more than the routine landing. Blowing snow brought low visibility and icy roads made for an icy windshield. My driver handled the sliding & swooshing with humor and poise. When I asked his name he said "it's easy... B...Z...that's easy...BZ!"

Patches of clouds broke way to expose the city lights after dropping through levels of the atmosphere that weren't so pleasant. It was images like this that calmed my over active imagination while delivering a small splash of disappointment realizing I wouldn't have the exhilarating experience of safely whooshing down that inflatable slide.

The next day we were off to Breckenridge for the weekend with big plans for indulging in winter activities.

...but -16 degree temps took my breathe away.

I could only vicariously enjoy the winter sports... literally my breathe was unable to function normally thus limiting my activity, it was a first. I still found joy in snapping photos of the incredible vistas. I would of rather been on cross country skies deep in the forest capturing white floppy eared bunnies scampering for food in the soft powdery snow. Does that even really exist or am I extending my dangerous plane landing imagination into the mountains?

a few days later...back to Denver where the skies were peculiar and my breath returned to normal. I enjoyed a long walk with my sister around Wash Park.

I found it odd that some of the broad leaf trees wouldn't give up their leaves for the season. It was as if they were shivering from the cold in a coat that was too thin. The sound was like a very tall rain stick only to stop when the wind subsided. (well that would make sense wouldn't it?!)

Hockey with one chic! She held her own. Either that or the guys were afraid of getting whacked by her stick.

It's always nice to get away and it's always comforting to return home. I'm quite content in the Pacific Northwest and thankful I have my camera to help share my story. This [CLICK ME] would of been something to see if there were more time in a day. There is a local Breckenridge gal who makes the most splendid things [CLICK ME TOO].

2010 Hiked Over & Out

2010-12-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

A hike in the Pacific Northwest is always a magical feast for the senses. This was my last one of the year.

I find moss covered rocks and remnants of fall leaves soothing & cocooning. I know it will be here for me when I return time & time again yet I still take photos and they always expose new perspectives.

The forest emanates mystery with a content stillness. It's living and happy to do so right where it is.

A mythical creature could appear and for some reason it would seem like a natural occurrence.

The smell of a freshly cut Doug Fir was thick in the crisp air, cut down before it clobbered a hiker by accident.

Nature creates the most amazing art. How could I not take a photo of this??

This hike hosted historical treasures of bygone days and a way of life that is no longer necessary (although to create survival skills through critical and creative thinking while executing a good sound work ethic are virtues I believe are important during any lifetime).

To say I was inspired by my surroundings would be an understatement.

Swirlly Candy Canes in the Kitchen

2010-12-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

In a wee little nook of my kitchen I have created a chalkboard space for doodling, listing and dreaming.

The way it works is...I begin with a whimsical drawing; grocery lists begin to sprout; random sketches (usually of 14 & 21 year old boyish nature) develop until the board is fulled to the edges and flowing with creativity (which seems to make the grocery lists unimportant).

The nook gets a lot of foot traffic passing by. The inspired brains of this household dabble here and there, breaking up their busy day for just a moment or two.

This time around I was inspired by 1990's clip art.

It just wouldn't be me not to include the swirly, spirally coils I seem to be so fond of.

Of course I had to make it my own with sprinkling polka-dots and twisted candy cane boarders.

I recently had the opportunity to create a stop motion animation video. Someday I will post it, in the meantime...I am thoroughly impressed with the process and talented folk who endure the long hours and tedious details it requires. I can see the efforts in this one...

Tiny Encaustic Goddesses all in a Row

2010-12-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

Tiny Ballerinas...

Tiny Beauties...

Tiny Divine Goddesses...

Tiny Hearts...

Tiny Mermaids...

and Teenie Tiny Goddesses.

A 52 piece collection of tiny art for a holiday sale in Portland. Priced so affordable you'll think I've lost my mind! The introduction of these sculptural encaustic nuggets marks the beginning of exploration into their many personalities. I am currently working on specialty themes to add to their persona and will post them on my etsy site. As oddity art they provide whimsy with a giggle as they exemplify the Goddess within every women.

All Goddess blocks are re-purposed wood scraps from previous projects. They are original doodles and altered copies of my original mixed media art...soon to come on etsy as well. They all have hanging options and some stand alone. All are encased in encaustic wax medium. Click on them to get a better view and check the etsy site in the near future if your interested in having or giving some of your own. You can always send me an email of interest in the meantime!!

Enjoying this as I create....

A little Bit of This A Little Bit of That

2010-11-26T17:35:00.000-08:00

A few projects that have kept me busy. An encaustic triptych; a charcoal portrait and an illustrated vintage diva queen encased in encaustic medium, all while enjoying things like this...

The Portland Six

2010-11-14T17:32:00.000-08:00

With my so-so camera I walked a misty path around the city streets of Portland with my husband Saturday night. Shooting from vantage points atop the seventh floor of a parking garage to the point blank position in front of street vendors. When the ceiling is low the city sounds are muffled and appear more intimate. The rhythm of a five-gallon bucket street performer echoed yet clung to the thick air. The architectural detail of the old buildings never bore me. Public art is abundant in this city creating a playground for my senses. Nostalgia, restoration, renovations and new construction meld to envelop my version of an urban utopia. I didn't have my ipod but if I did I would of been listening to this...

Who the heck am I anyway?

2010-10-27T20:13:00.003-07:00

So what's it called when a person is so involved every minute of everyday that they loose track of time and wonders "who am I?" Progress? Craziness? Perseverance? Accomplishment? Insanity? Yes is my answer to all. I miss my camera. Every now and then I'll put it in my bag and never take it out. If I'm not entrenched in homework, class time or work I'm running through the streets of Portland to get in my car to drive the long commute home. Sometimes I run in the direction of where I parked days before only to realize at 7am that morning I parked somewhere else. I eventually find my car, which sucks up more time. Now as the daylight is shorter I'm relieved when my bottom hits the bucket seat. I plug in my ipod (typically start with something like this CLICK ME!)(makes me feel a bit surreal in my urban crawl), crank up the seat warmer, take a few deep breaths and wiggle my way onto the interstate. In the home stretch I listen to my youngest practice the piano for a half an hour live via my cars killer stereo bluetooth feature.

Someday these amazing life's efforts will funnel into something spectacular. Not to say the experience is anything less but big things are stirring and I'm rather inquisitive as to where they'll land.

Along the Way...

2010-09-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

There are times I wish my eyes could preserve a captured moment for reproduction instead of having to reach for the camera and possibly losing the moment. In doing it the fumbling time consuming way...I've documented some bits of time recently, things I saw that caught my attention. Possibly music or environmental sounds are attached to the experience, possibly silence...although with this selection not likely. This remake [click] makes for magnificent bridge traveling. This [click] makes for some introspective city strolling (and the stop motion video makes me smile).

Pensive Sunshine

2010-08-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

Summer's in full swing and I'm soakin' up the sunshine.

This is all I've got...[click]

Official Inspiration

2010-07-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

Inspiration from the garden.

Inspiration from someone else's garden.

Officially inspired.
[click]

Lettin' It All Go

2010-07-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

Spending time at the coast refreshes the creative flow,

cleanses the fragmented mind,

enriches the...well.....you get it.

I brought along this [click], this [click]
and this [click] to pass the time.

Bare feet are required:

while cracking crab

shooting oysters

and grilling salmon.

Realize pedicures & sand don't mix,

beware of expired sunscreen

and by all means sit on a rock in a big floppy hat and stare for a while

then soak in that hot tub until there isn't anything to think about

(not that there really was to begin with)

This & That w/no Surprises or Pizazz

2010-07-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

This July 4th I chose to stay behind and comfort an old friend. One who has had his fair share of explosive holidays (13 to be exact). It sounds like a war zone out there. In our part of the country fireworks are magnificently large and readily available to anyone willing to support the local organizations that sell them at the sidewalk stands. Our streets are lined with American Flags and the sweet smell of BBQ invisibly streams through the air.

Hand whipped made from scratch Vanilla Lemon Blueberry Mousse for my people as the firework mortars blast outside my kitchen window.

A hike to Elowah Falls on a warm sunny summer day.

Taking it all in.

A graphically prepared photo ready for encaustic work.

A cropping of a mixed media painting in it's infant stage, many weeks to go until completion.

Summer Solstice

2010-06-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Studio desk.

Old art.

Finally some sunshine.

And tasty fruit.

I've got some things going on that take time. Time to be in the moment, take it all in and move from that spot without expectations. That's when my imagination flows best. I am preparing for a gallery jury, slowly working on commission pieces, preparing encaustic photography and conquering anything that falls between the lines. Summer means my life will continue on it's fast pace yet the lazy days will reign over any stress and chaos. The family disperses during the day and always comes together on the front porch at dusk. There's an odd sense of relaxation when the sun sets at 10pm. As if there's plenty of time to accomplish everything that needs to get done. This [click] and this [click] are making me smile.

Silly Rain

2010-06-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

A little something the rain made me do.

(click on play even if you don't see a screen)

Bee Girl

2010-06-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my Bee Girl painting a year after starting it. There's a story in there somewhere. I couldn't help but write it in my head as I painted. I used old torn book pages, mica disks, oil bars, aluminum & copper leafing, acrylics, colored inks and a stablio pencil to complete her. I think the only thing I left out was the encaustic wax. She has turned out to be a mixed media piece, as all my painting do. She's already SOLD! but booked for a few appearances here and there before traveling to her new home in a sweet little girls room. I find it amazing each and every time I complete a piece, their final state is typically very different from the vision I originally create in my head.

Boredom leads to Porch Time

2010-05-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

This week's been filled with mostly essay writing & preparing for finals. I did however squeeze in a home art project out of boredom, found an art piece I had forgotten about and spent some well deserved porch time with the person who makes me laugh the most. In attempting to "capture" the moment of sheer contentment I found myself distracted in taking shots of the lanterns that covered my porch. I failed by comparison and need some work in my photographic skills but did manage to snap what I believe to be some so so shots with my limited resources. Grace is how I was feeling one day when that peace was created. Not a typical feeling but welcomed when it arrives. My stairs were in need of refreshing, black paint and a silver sharpie did the trick for that little extra personality. Lissie's music is ringing in my ears [click].

The Weather Made Me Do It

2010-05-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

I've been snapping a lot of photos lately and altering them with new yummy tricks & filters. It's been raining an awful lot in the Portland area and perhaps that boosts my inspiration. I feel nurtured and in somewhat of a cocooned state when it's gray and rainy. What's left of the magnificent peony in my kitchen window is the remnants of a hostess gift from dear friends I had over for a dinner party a week ago. The tiny cobalt blue bottles cast a brilliant hue into the kitchen (more brilliant with less dust on them). The striped tights are of a stunning young artist type girl that was waiting to use the lieu at The Pied Cow [click] who graciously let me snap a shot when she caught my eye. The self portraits are taken in my dormer walk in closet in my 1920's bungalow. It's painted a light ballerina pink (no boys allowed) with random piles of laziness and personal treasures. It's my own little space full of icons of my personality. Check this song out [click] and this one [click] they are two of my new favorites right now...especially the second one ♥ ♥ ♥.

Bonus Scraps & Fresh Air

2010-05-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Bonus scraps of misc. ephemera stained with inks & encased in encaustic medium. Not sure what I'll do with these exactly. The bottom one I did use for a thank you note. Below I show the work I did today. While I have the encaustic mediums melted I try to use them for as many projects as I can. I'm covered in wax splatter and need some fresh air. Although my studio is well ventilated working so close to melted beeswax & pine resin makes it difficult to completely avoid the fumes. This [click] and this [click] were amongst the musing that flowed through my head while lost in my process...all...day...long. It was one GREAT day.

Speedy Shots Encased in Wax

2010-05-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of encaustic work. Seems if I don't schedule a day to do art, art gets bumped to those spaces of time that feel crammed and hurried then I get crabby and impatient. The photos were taken on a walk in late winter, I textured salvaged blocks of wood, tinted them with inks, encased everything in encaustic medium then gently rubbed a white oil stick into the dimples and scratches. These are part of a line of organic/earthy art for a local shop. OK...only the bottom was taken on a walk the other two were 75 mph drive by shots while on vacation in January. No we did not vacation in that desolate area, merely passing through on an adventure. I can tell you...this song was was playing on the ipod [click here].

Passing the Time

2010-05-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

So last weekend I went into Portland, parked at the Lloyd Center Mall and hopped on the free MAXline to the Oregon Convention Center where my friend Shawn (a talented metal smith) was selling her jewelry at a show. In the same building were the woodworkers, glass & pottery guild shows as well as a thing called Crafty Wonderland. The artist poured their souls out into their work for all to enjoy. The top photo is of the park at the Lloyd Center MAXline. A sweet spot to cop a squat. The next is some giant art in the Convention Center and the third are art journal entries. I don't have lavish overly creative journal pages but I do spill out a lot of ideas that turn into projects. I also tape in magazine clippings of the things that catch my eye. A showcase of inspirational artistic fantasy no matter how simple or elaborate.

+ Substrates & - Time

2010-04-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

I noticed today I have enough random substrates lying around I could keep busy for months without spending any $$$. I have substrates; I haven't completed (Bee Girl), I've worked on-disliked-and regesso'd (word?), scrapped from construction projects, re-purposed, impulse bought, shoved under and behind furniture and have not used up. I also drive some around in the back of my vehicle from time to time. All that surface waiting to be used. What the heck am I waiting for??? Divine intervention? More time? Someone to say GO? Currently I have one project in the works but I haven't touched it in weeks. I look at it, pick it up, admire it's limited progress but haven't made the time to empty my imagination out enough to give it a purpose. What ever it is that's limiting my ambition it must leave. Go away. Beat it!

Triple Whammy

2010-04-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I did some self portraits so tonight I went for the triple whammy. They are not taken in a creative place...well perhaps my "tub room" is a space for thinking creatively and it's really nice but it's not Bali or anything. The top photo is processed with a cross patching filter. The middle one, very disco (with a modern twist [click here]), is a focal flash type of process and the last one I couldn't figure out anything different to do so I layered multiple filters several times over to come up with something golden. It's good to take self portraits every once in a while. It seems to become more comfortable each time I try. Good, bad or indifferent. It is what it is and how could I ask for anything more.

Green tea and poppy-seed cake...of course

2010-03-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Green tea and poppy-seed cake.

This is one of those pieces that took a while to move through. Possibly the lengthy process has to do with all the big decisions and big unknowns I have in my life presently. Escaping to create is my "safe zone". Creating a pleasing piece while not letting go of a heavy mind took sporadic effort. I had a love hate relationship with this piece through every stage. I must say...I do seem to be in a more pleasant relaxed state of thinking after deciding this piece was complete. It's a beautiful thing...working through and allowing life to be in the present moment, comfortable or not. I will be submitting fresh works to be juried by the Portland's Audubon Society Wild Arts Festival for next November. Last year was my first show and I couldn't of been more pleased with each and every part of the experience. Keeping my fingers crossed for another acceptance letter. This piece qualifies w/their nature and bird theme and will be part of my selected pieces. Being that it was such a struggle to come to this point of Green tea & poppy-seed cake, I have to wonder why and who will connect with the piece. I am aware of all the faces of those who have purchased my works in the past and have my own visualization of how they came to be together. On a much different note...had floor seats for the John Mayer/Michael Franti-Spearhead concert at the Rose Garden last night. Mayer is a flawless musician but Michale Franti---ROCKS MY WORLD!!! [click here] and prepare to shake what your mama gave ya!

Snapshots of my future

2010-03-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

I've been processing nature photos I've taken since the first of the year for an upcoming encaustic photography project. To my surprise I have quite a few that interested me for this medium. Randomly snapping shots in the moment have proven reliable when I need to draw from a creative source. Being that they are my own makes the process that much more fulfilling. If you click on them you may be able to see them in a larger format. The top shot was taken in my home town. It is the top of a cement barrier that is intended to protect our water treatment plant from a potential flooding of the adjacent creek. The majestic walnut tree has yet to sprout it's leaves and is the perfect hang out for red breasted robins passing through on their seasonal road trip home. My kayak made for a great vantage point when the winter waters were serene. It was 44 degrees out with zero wind and you would of never known it in the last photo. Currently I am waiting for paint to dry. I've chosen to spend this day adding a second layer of black paint to my tub room's built-in cupboards. It's only been a year and a half in between coast. Geez. Something to put a bounce in your step today [click here]

Crafty vessels for my stuff

2010-03-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Thank God for public school clay & ceramics classes! I would be hard pressed to find such stunning functional pieces to house my art supply odds & ends. Nestled amongst my mixed media extravaganza are tiny vases, boxes and one of a kind masterpieces. There are even a few candles I received several years ago as Mother's Day gifts that I can't bring myself to melt. I will forever appreciate and treasure these items. I also don't see any less trinkets in my future and am relieved I have one more child left at home with a sculpting future ahead. If you click on them you can see them up close and personal. How do they do this?? [click here]

Lucid. Quiet. Peace. Lullaby.

2010-03-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

Some China Town shots in Portland. The Chinese Gardens [click here] is my all time favorite place to be in the city. If I could have any side or backyard landscape it would replicate this space. In the summer months the multi-textured stone floor surfaces are warmed by the sun and taking a stroll through the garden barefoot is something I think is a bit unique. I have yet to experience it at night but the photos are spectacular. The last pic was my view every Monday for the last 11 weeks. I would do the bulk of my homework reading in front of the fire, sometimes even dosing off when the material got monotonous. Perhaps that's an age thing? None-the-less it was an amazing way to get through my studies. I now have a two week break in between quarters and am a bit closer to my Art Therapist degree (of which I still have a long road ahead). I am craving some photo shoot time and need to prepare some mixed media art for the submission process for a show in November. I just realized the book I'm reading in the photo is The Artists Way, not home work at all. Hmmm...I must have snuck that in. I'm at the part where writing a letter to "Sister Ann Rita" telling her to stick it, then mailing it to yourself is a gesture of freedom. Shhhhh...I need another nap...[click here]

Blue Sky, Grey Sky, White Sky, Sunshine.

2010-03-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

I began my Saturday with creative journal writing on my chaise in front of the dormer window in my designated art space. The sun broke through the thick flannel blanket of clouds to blind my eyeballs. I had to hide under my afghan to escape the intensity. Of course I had my camera handy, doesn't everyone?? This shot pretty much captures how I felt in that moment of warmed comfort. This is the song that was playing in that moment [click here].

I then went for a walk. The sun was covered in the beginning. The wet ground made for a sound protection of sorts. Once a noise flew by it was sucked into the wet earth. The snow on the mountains must of been beamed with a ray of sunshine for they are blown out of my photo. Either that or I was so memorized by the rest of the landscape I forgot to include it in my focus.

The foot bridge leading to the cove is always of interest to me. It's architecture is never boring. It's an extra special treat to encounter someone on horseback while passing through. Come summertime it is a popular housing area for massive spider webs as big as your face.

The blue sky began to open up just as the wind began to chill my neck. I walked faster after snapping this shot. These trees put on a magnificent show throughout every season. Beneath them lies a popular camping ground for summer festival campers. I can't say that I've noticed them getting any taller in the past six years I've been walking by. It's almost like they are preserved in time. The sky put on a good show during my brisk end of winter walk. I'm glad I decided to go. I still can't figure out how to do spell check with the new blogging format, I am now exposed for my spelling imperfections!

2010-03-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

One of my classes this quarter is a Health & Wellness course. One of my assignment topics was Art Therapy, which happens to be the route I am academically on. This piece is 6"w x 18"h on water color paper. I used acrylics, water, gel medium, inks, magazine clippings and misc. ephemera. It stands for something, of which I am not at liberty to share. However...I think it came together rather well and proudly have it hanging in my studio waiting to be securely fastened to an ampersand 2" cradle box. I've labled it Heart-in-Hand. I've been working on a few smaller pieces the past few weeks and reading the book The Artists Way [click here]. I am in the first week of the book, actually the first day. It's definitely interesting and aims to do miraculous things for you if followed precisely. We'll see. I am always a cynic first. Perhaps that is something I will address in this process?

Nook n Cranny

2010-02-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

The Anthropologie store [click here] in Portland's Pearl District [click here] consistently uses recycled products in their decorating schemes. An entire display window was filled with a floral display of plastic bottles. Refreshingly lovely.

Portland's nooks and crannies of old brick and cobblestone alleyways creates a labyrinth of treasured aesthetic boutiques and restaurants.

Even the electric company has artistic flare!

Once cherished prize possessions waiting to be recycled and re-loved are abundant are displayed to entice your imagination. Picture yourself in this little number jammin' to this.....[click here]

Heart Rockin' Valentine

2010-02-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

In my bathroom reno I siliconed locally found stones mixed with glass tiles to creatively disguise the rough edge of slate. I'm always amazed at the heart shaped stones that keep popping up in my searches.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Saved by the Soul of Creativity

2010-02-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

When a plethora of opportunistic directions all converge at once is that considered a gift? Everything seems optimistic yet a great sense of pressure and confusion lies in the decision making process. Which route to take? What is my best avenue for my future? Is there a wrong decision? If I don't chose one will I regret it? If I'm supposed to be in the now, how will this resolve the decisions I must make (if any) for my future? Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

I felt it necessary to post these drive by photos of last months road trip when my decision making process was relaxed, content and focused with a sprinkle of whimsy. Keeping my creative side flowing allows me to remain in a much calmer state. I feel as if I need to be saved from my confusions. I'm in much need of "being still" and "letting be". This version of this song helps release the unwanted frustrations (thanks to a friend "RO" for posting it so I can share it) [CLICK HERE]. Turn up the speakers and let it out! I BETTER GET BUSY!

Stripper Shoes & A Homemade Prom Dress

2010-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

Nothin' says a good time like a pair of stripper shoes and a homemade strapless lavendar-laced prom dress! A fabulous street called Hawthorne [CLICK HERE] in Portland hosts an abundance of second hand shops, boutiques & cafes. On a lazy Sunday afternoon I brought my camera along just incase I found something interesting to shoot. Voila! I am not the typical gal to have these items laying around my closet so I took interest in a mini photo shoot while sitting on an extremely uncomfortable 1960's? chaise lounger. I had a Molly Ringwald moment [CLICK HERE]. P.S. the $20 dress & $14 shoes are still available at the House of vintage, the brown & black tights with the hole in the big toe are all mine.

I mentioned in a prior post I was working with conte crayons...I stand corrected. They are neocolor II water-souluble wax pastels [CLICK HERE]. (fancy schmancy) This is a journal entry using the crayons. I have been nelecting my art journal. Spending just under an hour with no goal or plan felt pretty darn good. Lately my life has a ridgid structure loaded with deadlines and due dates. I was on a roll for about three consecutive days until I went to Hawthorne and found the shoes! My creative journalling skipped a day but of course I have all intentions of jumping right back in today ;-)

Chillin' with the Crayons

2010-01-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

Winter photos from around the yard is the sum of my creativity lately. I've been consumed with homework and haven't spent time in my studio for way too long. Currently homework does not include art. Today I stopped to take an hour for a journal entry (a biweekly pact some artsy fartsy friends on facebook and I have made). I chose water soluable conte crayons, a stablio pencil & a white gel pen. I like-a the conte crayons. I'll post more of those colorings/paintings later. I am amazed at the tension release creating art allows me to have. Although I'm saving my school work for tomorrow, my mind is less cluttered now.

I have no idea but...I do know this...

2009-12-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

My Bee Girl painting is still alive. Not finished but alive just the same. This has turned into my "go to" piece. I spend a small amount of time with it then move on to something else. It's always waiting for me when I need it. It has gone through a developmental art phase right along side of me. I have no idea how it will look when I finally decided to call it quits but have grandioso ideas of where it could go. I've even had flinting ideas of branching it into a childrens book. Currently it's not even close. I do know this...when I stop posting in this blog I fall away from the creative mode I intended to keep rolling by making this blog in the first place. Subconscious or not it-is-what-it-is. Here's a little something I've been listening to lately while cocooning. [CLICK HERE] and [HERE]

Productive Cocooning

2009-12-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

After spending the last four days in a total cocooning state of mind I decided to hang what encaustic art I have tucked away on the walls of my old coffee house. I just received a new shipment of moo mini business cards I ordered from moo.com [CLICK HERE]. Those are shown next to each piece I hung. Coming out of that cocoon I felt a sense of accomplishment after spending three hours hanging my work, even though I had spent much more time with it during each creation. Hmmm, time well spent and it has sparked a wee bit of inspiration to get back into the studio. That's always a good thing.

The Art of Vegas Baby!

2009-12-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

As Kent drove up and down the strip I captured many iconic shots of Las Vegas Blvd. Shown here is a quick snap of New York New York (the Five Irishman bar/restaurant has an incredible menu) I couldn't go on a brief vacation and not turn something into an art project. It will take time to assemble my vision so don't expect anything soon. In the interim here are a few photos I posted in celebration that art is everywhere!!

We stayed at the Bellagio. The mosaic tile work, windows & ceilings were definite works of art with old world charm.

A GIANT Holiday

2009-12-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

The conservatory at the Bellagio was decorated in a giant way. Vegas flare & sparkle was well represented.

Giant snowmen made of carnations were kind of creepy yet festive in their own way.

Palio packs on the pounds

2009-12-17T21:18:00.000-08:00

Incredible pastries (for Kent) coupled with Illy espresso drinks (decaf for me) made for a killer way to begin each morning at Palio in the Bellagio [CLICK HERE], Las Vegas, NV.

Dale Chihuly in Vegas

2009-12-17T21:14:00.000-08:00

A Dale Chihuly [CLICK HERE] ceiling in the lobby of the Bellagio, Las Vegas NV, an ultimate creative experience.

C H E E R S!!

2009-12-09T20:38:00.001-08:00

So now what?

2009-11-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

So I've spent the last half a year creating as much encaustic art as I possibly could in preparartion for last weekends show...now what? I ponder this throughout my day of normal tasks. It seems I function more fluidly when I have an assignment so to speak. A goal to reach. A subject to keep me focused. Not to say I have blinders on and do not veer off my path but rather create with a prescribed theme, medium or concept leaving plenty of room for the unexpected burst of inspiration. I have responsibilities that require creative organization, that are much less demanding at this point in time, leaving me with a void in productiveness. There was no question of what to do with myself in the past few months. That is the chunk of time I now am pondering, wandering & soaking in.

My personal Vanna White & my messy studio

2009-11-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

This mess is my tiny art studio. I created 54 encaustic works of art for the Audubon Wild Arts Festival last weekend sitting in that single spot on my chaise next to he electric skillet of wax, over the last five months. I organized a pivot like space so I wouldn't have to climb through the tangle of wires (1920's house). No sense in cleaning anything up. That made it soooo much easier to return to the work at any given moment. I now have to clean it up for I need the space for my mixed media acrylic collage work. For me, having a few mediums to work with keeps the boredom at bay.

With thanks given to my friend Brenda for the idea of using old doors for my booth walls I was able to affordably create my own little gallery space within the show of over 40 artists. I chose hollow core to keep them light, painted them black with the help of my 13yr. old Keaton and hinged them in small sets with my husband. A big YAHOO!! to the Gorge Rebuild-it Center [CLICK HERE] in Hood River, OR for having exactly what I needed at the budget I had to work with and the flexibility to accomodate my lack of immediate cash situation (cash or check only).

Encaustic art = encaustic sign. I love this medium!!!!!!!

I had a lot of help in preparing the details for this show. My friend Andrea (not pictured :( ) was my own personal Vanna White. She looked like a super model and rocked at organization & helping me with what ever I needed throughout the weekend.

I have so many wonderful friends and family who support me through my artistic ventures. Pictured here is Susie, me & Venka at the show. Truly a magnificent experience all around. I'm thankful for the opportunity to showcase my pieces that come from my imagination. I met incredible people who had questions and praise for my work. Many inquired how that could take a class from me. I'm flattered but not prepared to do so at this time. With returning full time to school my plate will be quite full. I do have a business plan in the works for opening an art studio here in Stevenson but have no idea when that idea will come to frutation.

Astounding Gasps of Wonder

2009-11-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

Alright...here's a rather large chunk of art for my show this weekend. I'm comfortably prepared, taking things in stride and enjoying every step of the process. Could it be my age that has me so relaxed? Sure, I'll chalk it up to the wisdom of a life thus led. It's not a bad place to be. Here's some of my inspiration this week in getting to that space [CLICK HERE] and [HERE]. Clicking to enlarge the images will result in astounding gasps of wonder.

2009-11-15T18:35:00.000-08:00

Some of this & some of that = layers of wax, wax etching, aluminum foiling & copy transfering.

2009-11-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

Front & side. I think some of the sides could stand alone.

2009-11-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

Tweet.

2009-11-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

Front & side.

2009-11-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

I shot this photo while hanging out my bedroom window last winter. The snow had made everything so quiet. It was created on a Romeo Y Julieta cigar box, 2.5" deep. This second photo shows one of the sides.

2009-11-15T18:20:00.001-08:00

2009-11-15T18:19:00.001-08:00

2009-11-15T18:17:00.001-08:00

Little boxes...on the......walls all over the place

2009-11-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

After each piece is complete it must cure. The encaustic medium is soft. I have been hanging them everywhere I can successfully pound a nail. They now cover the built in shelving that house books, art supplies, ceramic gifts from my children's art classes, old music cd's, dvd's & vhs tapes I can't part with that display favorite family interests from the late 80's. I have been mused by an eclectic mix of music throughout this process [CLICK HERE] and [HERE]. The entries to follow portray a peak into my recent process in preparing for the Audubon's Wild Arts Festival the weekend of Nov. 21 & 22 [CLICK HERE]

2009-11-07T11:43:00.000-08:00

My encaustic alchemist palette. I sit in my art space in an upstairs dormer room of my home, fan blowing out the open window to keep the air clear. I can't begin the thought of cleaning up my space until this creation process is complete. When I commit to the time it takes to melt down the wax in my old electric skillet and flow into the creation process, I typically am able to complete five original works of art. This productive time seems to occur a few times each week. With the show date arriving November 20 & 21st, I am on a sturdy path to having a well stocked art booth for the weekend.

2009-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

I have been recycling cigar boxes as some of my substrates. I appreciate the depth they bring to each piece as it hangs flush to the wall. I'm saving the lids for a future unknown project.

2009-11-07T11:32:00.000-08:00

A sturdy cardboard box left over from a Costco run provides a trustworthy surface for working with the encaustic materials. It seems with each piece I complete the box gets coated in additional spuratic layers of strength.

2009-11-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Tools of my encaustic process domiate my computer desk. I still squeeze into the teeny spot where I can manouver my mouse and lift the palms of my hands to reach the keyboard better.

Spellcheckless Encaustic Works

2009-10-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

I use this photo frequently in my encaustic work. The way it's composed works well with my dimension choices & medium. I did splurge and purchase a couple premade encaustic paint pots. I like the affordability of mixing my own but so appreciate the perfection & lusciousness of the premixed paints. Warning...if you click on the art don't be shocked by it's intense stunning detail, you may be mildly phased but this will pass :) My blog host has done some software updating. Either I can't find the spell check button or it hasn't been added yet. I'm adjusting to the new formatting procedures with frustration & mild whining. Nothing ever remains the same does it?!?!?! Adapt or get left behind. Forge ahead. Crying and hairpulling are optional. Here is a local Portland artist who's music has inspired me while I lost myself in the passion of creating. [CLICK HERE]

2009-10-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

A cigar box substrate provided the perfect "reuse-recycle" material for this box. I've noticed my recent choices in reading material [click here] play an inspirational roll in the process and out come of my work.

2009-10-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

My husband has been saving cigar boxes from our store for me to use with this project. Of course I had no idea what I was going to use them for a year ago. I slice the tops off, flip them over and transform them one by one. I used white pigment to tint the encaustic medium to a dense opacity, transfered my photo onto the wax, layered plain beeswax and rubbed in an oil bar in the shade of payne's gray.

2009-10-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

Photos I have taken in the Columbia Gorge lend themselves to the Audubon's bird & nature theme. They are the focus of some of the encaustic pieces.This one was snapped out my back door last winter.

Encaustic Journey

2009-10-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

A year ago when I sold my coffeehouse I had no idea what I would do next. I've always had a plan or at least a notion of what to research to take me subsequently into the next phase of my life. I knew it had to do something with art but that's a pretty broad subject. I purchased Golden acrylic paint tubes in colors that caught my eye, many, many canvases and begun to paint. It actually took six weeks until I painted something for I was frozen in fear I would ruin the expensive product I had just invested in. I recall passing a section in the art store that had encaustic materials. I was curious but totally turned off by the sample that hung on the wall. I walked away and thought who would ever spend their money on such a medium. I was apparently stuck in the small business mind frame and lacked vision and the openness it took to think outside my frugal box. Above is one of my latest encaustic creations, below will explain more of my journey. Click on it & check it out a bit closer.

I received a new camera from my husband for Christmas. I snapped photos of everything that triggered an interest. Sunlit dancing shadows, textures of household objects and the insane snowfall we had last winter. I ended up taking a beginners encaustic class given by local Portland artist Amy Stoner at the Collage DIY Lounge store on Alberta Street. The sample that hung on the art store wall haunted my thoughts. Not that "I could do better" but more of a challenge to explore that strange medium. Amy was a great teacher and I took my two class projects and hung them proudly in my art space at home. They are nothing like what I have morphed into recently with incorporating my photography into my encaustic pieces but they symbolise a step into the unknown. In taking that class I opened a door within the depths of my creativity that I did not know existed. Go ahead...Click on it, it's cool.

Through my exploration of mixed media, taking photos constantly, posting in this art blog, discovering new magazines in the trade of mixed media art and brewing them together to created encaustic pieces...I have surprised myself with a path of creativity that feels sooooo right. It's taken a year of self discovery and conquering simple fears (but fears none the less) that has landed me in this spot. Hard to believe a whole 12 months have gone by. I don't do much acrylic painting these days. My canvases sit snug behind my desk & under a chaise....patiently waiting. I have been accepted into an art show for the Portland Audubon Society's annual fundraiser Wild Arts Festival at the end of November. A first for me. I'm working on creating my booth space as well as a well stocked arsenal of encaustic art all in the theme of birds and nature. Yet another path in the new journey of my life.

My Mermaid R O C K S!!!

2009-10-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good mermaid?! I LOVE the process these mixed media projects take from concept to completion. Grabbing a color pallet and winging it begins the first phase. The art takes on it's own form and leads you along. If you think you messed up, keep going and what transforms is amazing. I had absolutely no idea this was to turn out as it did and a mermaid...who knew???. I seem to fancy sewing on a button here or there. Buttons of which were purchased at a local antique store (that has been "going out of business" since before I moved here six years ago - I'm glad it hasn't) in an old jelly jar for $3.00. If those buttons could talk I'm sure they would say some pretty interesting things about the lives & situations they have been privy to. Mmmmm...finding something that makes you content, excited & bursting with joy is definitely a thing you'd like to keep around. To have something to look forward to without expectations isn't always the natural path to allow. Our thoughts seem to get in the way in most cases. We're all right where we're supposed to be, I've read, been told & believe. I like this place I have landed for now. Click it for a closer look.

"My Thing"

2009-10-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

A piece of art to keep the creative flowin'-goin'. After I made the decision to stop working on this project I took a step back and appreciated my efforts. I like it. I really do. I labeled it "ballet" for the simple reason of the black toe shoes she is wearing. I am so enjoying this medium and the new tricks I have learned. Her face came out somewhat like a china doll. How I did that I have no idea. It's all about the color pallet I presume. I'm lovin' the sewn on buttons and funky adornments I decided to use. I do think arm & leg tights will be "my thing" for a while. I am working on ideas for it's presentation. Framing it instead of creating it in a journal format. I'm thinkin' something with aged hand detailed tin will fit the bill. If you click on the image you'll be able to check out the detail.

How Bizarre How Bizarre

2009-10-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

So I've been on a creative roll since I've learned a few new techniques. Actually more than a few...many. I've locked myself away for two solid days doing nothing but art. This piece I've labeled "Divine". I thought I ruined it right out of the gate and wanted to set it aside for a "more convenient time" to make something out of it. Instead I kept the creative juices flowing and pulled off something I love. I don't usually like anything I do, it's always been that way. A shift in my perception has been made with this particular project. How bizarre that this "Divine" work of art represents a different view for how I look at what I create, or lack of view would be a better way of describing it. I kept going and pulled through an awkward stage resulting in something that makes me smile. The intent was.....well.....there wasn't any. That made the entire process all the more joyous. I was present, without thought and this is what happened. I like that.

Creative Seed Planting

2009-10-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

For the past two days I have been doing nothing but art. I enrolled in a mixed media 2-day course with the artist Misty Mawn at Art & Soul Portland. She instructed us along the path to create an art journal using various mixed media components.

I have chosen to clip my finished cover piece to show the depth & richness of the products once combined. Acrylcs, inks, stencils, ephemera, artist crayons, markers, razorblades & water all came together to form a basically unplanned piece of art with a lot of scraping, sanding, rubbing and pounding.

What transformed was an amazing, eclectic conception that my imagination kept rolling with as each texture morphed into another.

I had the pleasure of meeting some beautiful women who were in that same place at that same time all in the name of creativity and inspiration. Misty covered a lot of information. The seed is planted.

The Art of Going Back

2009-09-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

Returning to Arizona to visit my family is always a mixed bag of emotions. Living in Washington State in a small river town there is an abundance of surreal natural beauty. An over population of rich greens & fairytale waterfalls provides a much needed sense of calm. In revisiting where I did a lot of growing up, I do not have such a connection. It is empty to me, as if my creativity was stripped away.

The dense populous lends itself to someone other than me. I have grown to feel embraced by my current surroundings which in turn unselfishly shares it's innate source of imagination and comfort.

The views at sunset are consistently awesome but I crave the misty rain and foggy blanket the pacific northwest possesses. I feel cocooned, ready to create after awakening into the crisp mornings.

The in-your-face mega consumerism coupled with the need to drive everywhere you have to go is so foreign. The more time I spend still, the more I come to the realization of what I like and can do without. Spending time creating of my own mind brings a wholeness like no other.

The family is what makes these trips possible. If it weren't for both of my parents living in Arizona I don't think I'd ever go back. I would much rather have my friends/family visit me here where I can share my fascinating discoveries of a life so different. Living in a small river town is an art of it's own, a dying lifestyle protected in my little bubble of the world.

Borrowed Abandon

2009-09-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

I have been lead by this wonderful artist [CLICK] to this wonderful artist [CLICK]. With all of the creative ideas flying around in my head I am at a loss as to grasping a focus on any of them. With that said...I have chosen to follow Liss' "abandon" theme for a photo graphical pull out of the crevasses of my mind.

An abandon scrap of chain link fence from an impromptu back yard demo, sparked by the need for more entrance space. It is a constant reminder of the beginning of a larger demo project for next summer.

A once needed walnut has been abandoned by a local squirrel. It's necessary parts have served their purpose. I'm counting on that squirrel to have done it's job for know one needs 60ft. tall trees growing out of the foundation of their home.

A home left behind...by force or choice?

Important tools to start the morning abandoned until the next day for laundry or reuse...their fate depends on the mom....moi.

A Dave Matthews weekend of creativity

2009-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of freeway passenger photography. Most times my attempts are complete blurs, which allows for those few and far between appealing shots to be all the more glorious & rewarding. This barn was beckoning to be captured as we flew by. We had a long approach curving along HWY 90 near Ellensburg, WA, thus providing me with enough time to fumble my camera out of my bag. I like it. It's simple. It's colors are soothing. It represents a confident, content solitude amongst the constant fleeting traffic. On a more personal note... it brought to rest our 3 day 30k people camp out at the annual Dave Matthews [CLICK] concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre [CLICK HERE].

Seeing as how I can NOT stop seeing interest & beauty in my daily life, I have the disease of taking photos of just about every single one of them. Family trips are full of stopping moments of snapshots of the obscure. My camera travels with me like one of my children (it is a bit more behaved at times). I am forever haunted with the images of uncaptured (is that a word??) shots by those few cases of which I had forgotten to bring it along, even if for a 30 minute jolt to the store. When the sun hit the fence line at our 3 day DMB concert camp, it lit up the color contrast between the fresh crisp grass green and the rusty red wood stained panels on the fence...just for me.

The weather that weekend was an art show of itself. Thunderous skies broke into spectacular double arched rainbows. It did not scare off any of the tens of thousands of campers of which got to enjoy the art in the sky. A reward of sorts. CLICK ON THE PHOTOS to catch a closer look.

2009-08-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

A fellow artist (who's blog I follow) has declared each and every summer Wednesday...self portrait day. I am never ever on time for this celebration of one's self for it is Friday and I've just now snapped a few shots. Could it be that I can not relax enough to muster up the nerve to capture my true essence until the days of the week have passed and the release of a Friday afternoon sends me into somewhat of a comfort zone?

I rest my camera's eye to my feet most of all. They are the work horse of where we go and where we've been. Pedicured or not. They always look happy to be right where they are.

One of my many treasures are three punched tin mirrors I have in my kitchen that I purchased 10 years ago at the Urban Outfitters on Mill Ave in Tempe, AZ. They simply hang chest high over a half moon glass, swirled forged iron, wall mount table from Z Gallerie (also on Mill), w/a gifted bamboo plant on top, in a corner of my kitchen. From time to time I use these mirrors to slap on some lipstick or check my teeth for arugula as I pass by them semi-squatting to catch a 4" x 4", muted glimpse of my appearance.

In my most favorite element I stacked votive candle holders under my camera atop of my dog's kennel. Setting my 10 second timer, I slid into my "made just for me" super thick afghan throw from a friend, Overstock.com, iron porch swing. What a great way to capture a celebration of myself this breezy summer afternoon.

A Bit of Small Town Americana

2009-08-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Living in our county seat brings into my life dollops of small town Americana. Residing down the street from the county fair grounds creates an even more intimate connection. From our front porch & open windows dramatic screams of the carnival ride participants drift through the air. Traveling by foot during the five day event countless times to drink in the simple delights it offers is something I look forward to each August. In my philosophy that "inspiration is everywhere" this tiny carnival packs a big punch. My favorite is viewing the children's art. No doubt submitted with triple-extra-large pride in hopes of earning a shiny, royal blue ribbon (and 3 bucks!). The fairgrounds are now left sparse with remnants of summer memories, some of which I have captured on camera, that will last a lifetime.

The Art of Food

2009-08-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

There's something magical about picking my own food from the garden...any one's garden and creating simple yet flavor exploding meals on a whim. Plucking juicy, plump, sun-warmed blackberries from their gnarly vine along the road, in the back lot or while on a hike in August is a scrumptious treat. Late in the summer doughnut peaches have my heart for I find the idyllic saucer like, natural portion size to be a perfect refreshment. I have four tomato plants this season that are in desperate need of a miracle. Even though they are producing a somewhat fair amount of fruit, they are spindly, weak and all around pathetic looking. I made Black Russian Cupcakes for this years county fair entry and shared a few with the neighbors on the way, coming home with a sack of fresh, crisp, red plums as a friendly barter. Go ahead click on the photo...it may make you hungry.

A Perfect Sunday Morning!

2009-08-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

It must of been the Saturday sunset cruise along the Columbia River in our '52 Chevy that led me in this blissful state of mind.

Beginning the day kneading organic whole wheat flour into a rustic quiche crust sets a pace of contentment.

Filling it with delightful Havarti, honey ham & sauteed mushrooms and onions, using egg whites and organic 1% milk to complete the savory flavors, made for a delicious brunch time meal (even though I can not eat such a wonderful dish for I am allergic to eggs and due to low blood sugar I do not eat any type of grain :(, I do enjoy creating the meal for my family)

Flow: to rise & advance, as in the tide.

2009-08-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

A compiled inspiration of a roughly painted background, Tim Burton [CLICK HERE], 1990's graphic design books & my imagination...of course. I look forward to the moments I can steal away from an ordinary day to add color and life to her and her bees.

I named her "Bee Girl" [CLICK HERE]. It seems obvious but the thought didn't occur until I was showing my husband when I was nearly finished with the base painting on the substrate.

These smaller canvases have been based with a semi-dry chalkboard paint, drizzled w/an ivory house trim, center-index-finger smudged with an eggshell white house paint, mod podged tissue paper gingerly torn at the edges and Sharpe doodled on. I have been in the flow of creativity and have learned to ride it until the ebb inevitably takes over. I am most at peace and content during the flow of my art. My prevailing disposition is to put the ebb into a flux of significant inspirational chunks of time. In that same moment my great power of cogitation steers me to possess the patience for the next creative tide to flow.

Mermaid & Friends

2009-07-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today I set aside all the projects I have started that keep me away from doing my art. I created a mermaid painting for a friend's daughter's birthday & two hand painted art postcards for my niece and a friend's young daughter. Possibly they will brighten someones day as they travel through the US Postal system. I was diligent with my acrylic paints on this hot hot summer day, breaking only to watch my youngest son demonstrate how he created his latest duck tape gun, to make a scratch batch of oatmeal-pecan-walnut-jumbo chocolate chip-peanut butter cookies and bake a homemade pizza containing three different flavors to appease all members of my family at once.

Mercurial doodle

2009-07-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

A whimsical acrylic that flowed perfectly from my imagination to my sketch book to my canvas. I have come to recognize the ease in referencing my doodles, that can be mercurial at times, when in need of inspiration. Flipping through it's tatter-edged pages in search of a prescribed image of past emotions to affiliate my current mood, typically results in an ideal connection of which to persevere. I've given it the name of "A Good Hair Day".

Simple. Nature. Soothing.

2009-06-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

I hike for the exercise and the connection to the organics of what this earth produces. I can not hike without being enveloped with the colors and textures the forest displays. I stop along the way to create an unnatural composition of natural matter in simple form. I leave it behind for others to possibly notice and for the earth to take it back to it's uncontrolled arrangement. Andy Goldsworthy [CLICK HERE] is a master at this craft for which I am grateful to discover.

Low mural = negative circulation

2009-06-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I completed a mural this afternoon for a little girl who is relocating to a new town and a brand new home. This 2nd grader was confident in her design composition, new floral trim to accompany her new floral linens. Very elegant in her taste at quite a young age. It's been a while since my last mural. I had forgotten that while leaning on one hip on the floor and supporting my weight with a bent wrist for an 8 hour stretch of time, cuts off the circulation in the tip of my index finger for 3 days.

Effervescent Enthusiasm HEY YA!!

2009-06-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday evening my husband & I accomplished the final assembly on the 3rd grade mosaic art project. A two and a half month creation reaching fruition. With the help of many volunteers & teachers along with their vision and devotion to this project coupled with the effervescent enthusiasm each and every one of those students brought to the process, it will hang in the school entryway with a comfortable enjoyment of achievement.

Each student shared their own stamp of style on each 5.5" sq. block with the tesserae provided and a color guide which was laid beneath the fiberglass mesh they adhered to. Not much of a composition individually until puzzled together to form the big picture. A lot like a pointillism piece of artwork it is best viewed from a distance.

With careful consideration for those who tiled "outside the box" we placed two different heights of blocks under the originals to raise the surfaces to three separate levels so the enigma will be a better fit. The official unveiling will take place this Friday, 12:30 at the elementary school. We will complete the celebration with an improvisational dance to Outkast's Hey Ya! [CLICK HERE]

A Venue to Satisfying the Senses

2009-05-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

A comfort space for which to be inspired.

A garden art treasure purchased at a lavender festival freckles the flowers with a bit of whimsy.

A nook & cranny to perch & ponder while absorbing the morning sun from undercover.

A peek of "die Behaglichkeit" from the inside.

The Sand Dollar Escapes

2009-05-19T18:55:00.001-07:00

While at the Oregon coast this weekend I found solitude in dragging the inside of my right foot in coils around a broken sand dollar. When my knee let me know when to stop, the spiral was 8 ft. wide in diameter. My family & I took a walk along the misty, foggy, eerie shore with our surroundings in the hue of pantone warm gray 1 (uncoated). When we returned the tide had encroached it's place and took it out to sea leaving faint ripples for me to photograph.

Shaking My Confidence Daily

2009-05-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

The beginning of something I call Cecilia CLICK HERE. A sketch originally started on our February road trip to Southern Cal. A canvas acrylic started in April. The goal....to get the Cecilia onto the canvas with the vision I have in my head. To be detached from the results is the mental block keeping her from getting there as well as the necessary solitude. I am consumed with the 3rd grade mosaic project. I'm in a constant ebb and flow of creating, organizing and preparing. It's a process that has fluidity even though the minutiae comes in great magnitudes.

Artistically Molding the Minds of Adolescents

2009-05-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

With the aide of my trusty husband we constructed the substrate for the 3rd grade mosaic tile project (an unwritten law of marriage that binds him to doing the brunt work of my "big idea" projects & that he in himself is an incredibly talented, intelligent, generous, dependable and clever guy...thank you!) Together a 4' x 8' donated piece of plywood and a sheet of cement board creates the base the children will adhere the black boarder tile to. The center space left blank with plywood will house the 5.5" x 5.5" "grid" blocks the students will individually create then puzzle together to compose the larger design shown below.

Last Friday was the first interaction with the 8/9 year olds. thanks to the help of volunteers and their teachers we taped down layers of art, plastic wrap and the fiberglass mesh they will tile...this Friday. The boys especially were enthralled with the thick blue painters tape. They chose to use the most pieces and to mummy their friends heads and tape their mouths (genius minds at work). Silly boys. This Friday should be interesting. Above shows the painted grid uncut for little fingers to transmogrify.

Thought Free Think Tank

2009-05-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is where I retreat for a mental cleanse of my cluttered prolific mind. When a multitude of images crowd inside my head or if all imagery has left me destitute....I can depend on a quality soak to soothe the senses. A $250 perfectly patina'd, salvaged, cast iron clawfoot tub with gentle bumps & bruises spanning 92 years, served with a chilled goblet of lime flavored "Acqua Minerale Naturale" from San Lorenzo Italy while enjoing the jazzy tunes of Melody Gardot-CLICK HERE, decompresses my self inflicted rubbish into fragments that no longer matter.