Monday, March 16, 2009

An inspirational return home


Last week I was in the Phoenix area where I've spent most of my life. I revisited a favorite restaurant Rancho De Tia Rosa. Good food and an outstanding atmosphere. I have enclosed a snapshot of an inside doorway with a saguaro ribbed ceiling. The architecture and over all decor enriches my inspirational mind.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Forge ahead!


It's comforting to know the rhododendron's are forging ahead with their objective despite the snowy weather. They are an initial presence of the floral and foliage detonation to come.

A simple snowy March Monday



These old & new bottles have a front row seat to Mother Natures grand performances. They sit perched on a 89 year old window ledge observing the ever changing Gorge weather, seeming perfectly content to be there without resistance. A simple flick for an uncomplicated day.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Scintillating sunshine



Today one moment it's snowing, the next the sky brightens with full fledged sunshine clear to the hue of pantone 297 blue. Considering the sunshine as spring...there was some serious house cleaning going on. Dust from the deep crevasses of winter begone! I reorganized my art space and repurposed an old (freakishly large) ottoman as a chaise. I now have a cozy reading nook against the upstairs dormer window with plenty of scintillating sunshine to bask in. I completed my gift of three wax boxes for a dear friend and will deliver them tomorrow. I chose to embellished them with more wax than usual. I made black & white striped paper ribbons with a touch of 1970's harvest gold paint, imperfectly smudged with my fingers.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Simple


The sectioning of a ruby red grapefruit as a small child was a nurturing ritual with a plastic picnic knife my mother let me use. I abandoned the simple process for a few decades for I had more important interests: discovering who I thought I should be, earning an education, frivolous shopping, inconsequential attention from boys, a madcap venturesome exertion to climb the corporate ladder, dedicating my efforts to reaching material and superficial goals based on my interpretation of the media and the society of which I lived, co creating a family, then finally embarking on the discovery of simplifying my previous quests and establishments. I have reconnected with the patience and appreciation of the time and process it takes to portion each segment with my very own grown up utensil.

Put those buck teeth to work


Our family bottle opener is quite the creative icon in the kitchen. Those buck teeth are powerful tools. As for the denotation of the two sets of eyes I am clueless. Any suggestions?

Doodle here - doodle there


A doodle or three in a moment of listlessness.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Total encapsulation


Although this is my first attempt at this style of encaustic photography, I rather like the way they turned out. I'm usually my worst critic and pick apart my projects to the point of doom. I am making an additional set for a friend and want to cover all sides of the box in wax with some snazzy embellishments along the sides. I'm liking my vision of total wax encapsulation.

A single nail


I hung each of the wax boxes on a single nail with "UHU" temporary adhesive at two of the back corners to keep them even.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Instant patina


Well it's about time! I finally concocted my beeswax mixture to seal my Hearst Castle kitchen photos, mounted on artist panels. It's my first attempt at this medium outside of a class two months ago. They will hang proudly in my own kitchen. The beeswax was filtered but not bleached, giving a yellow patina hue to the classic vintage utensils and fixtures. When I was shooting these I couldn't stop thinking about how many times that kitchen was messed up and cleaned up after all those gala events. He had two beer taps in that kitchen as well. One main hub for refrigeration.