From the inspiration bin

It's amazing what you come across when you go through and (try to) make sense of everything you own isn't it? These are a few paintings, drawings, sketches, tracings, clippings, cutouts, etc. I have made or used in past work. I keep them all in a big bin and sift through from time to time and pick out what is inspiring or catches my eye. These are today's choices, as I take a little break from my massive studio organization. I can almost see the floor now.

Now I need a chocolate break.  Who's got the chocolate?

H

a little brown story

Hi,
It's a slow, thick grey morning around here, one where I woke up thinking, this is a good morning for frothy in the coffee. I don't get to make it every day, because it's another step, but on studio days, I consider it a little treat.

When I was collecting and arranging these leaves yesterday {leaves seem to be a running theme for me this autumn and oh, one is cut paper} I remembered as a child everything I owned was brown. My mom made my curtains and bed pillows and they were brown, the bedspread, carpet and little sleeper sofa were all brown. Most of the furniture was made of wood, by my dad, and of course wood is brown. And since I have brown hair, I was always given dolls with the same. My sister is a blonde so when we'd watch Charlie's Angels, I would always have to "be" Jaclyn Smith or Kate Jackson, while my sister was Cheryl Ladd. I remember wishing for something other than brown. And now I wish I wouldn't wish for something other than what I have.

. . . . .

Have you seen Gretchen's beautiful print for The Working Proof?

Off for a sip more coffee,
H

Process | arrangements + painting

There's something about the process of making arrangements from paper and tiny bits that I like.  It's a kind of brain exercise to move separate objects about and figure out how they can go together, to make a new story.  Sometimes when I am in a transition, I will make an arrangement. I know  taking a photograph is an important part of the process too, to see the grouping as a whole on the screen. I believe it helps me make compositional decisions in a different work in progress. This particular arrangement {above} incorporates elements that I either used directly {the blue shapes and white pinhole paper on the left} to make a painting or inspired some part of one.  I like this arrangement large so I made a desktop calendar out of it, just for fun.

Another form of "brain release" for me is to paint, with the only objective being TO PAINT. Not for anyone or anything, or with an end destination in mind, but simply to paint. So last night, {while M. was in a meeting, and even though it was dinner time and I was hungry} I took an hour or two to be quiet in my studio. I added watercolor into a lithography print series I am working on and I made an art card {seen below}.  I feel like time is going by so fast, that I am only able to scrape at the edges of all that I want to do. That is the idea behind the sky scraper painting. Do you ever feel that way?

So this weekend I hope to make a nest for myself in the studio and try to catch some ideas that may get away from me otherwise. I also hope to visit a few artists' studios, as part of the Lawrence ArtWalk this weekend.  What are you up to?

H

Little things continued

I made a new arrangement yesterday. If you click the image you will be directed to the details of the items.

Last night we walked by the former home of William Burroughs. I was surprised at how "normal" it was; a humble cottage/bungalow style house with an old one car garage tucked in the back. Probably built in the early 1900's. The color of it all? A color nameable perhaps somewhere between ruby and barn red.

Have you seen these surreal and beautiful collages by Alexis Anne Mackenzie?

Have a good Friday and thank you for visiting this week,
H

bits of joy

items found while digging around the garden yesterday

Good morning,

I hope you had a bright weekend! We had a yummy little brunch yesterday and then worked in the garden all afternoon, M. planting peppers and I weeding. I also made a couple baguettes that tasted more scrumptious than their appearance would lead one to believe.

I'm working on my find joy list...
one. Spend at least a few moments each day working in the garden. {Maybe I can get the weeds more under control!}
two. Make bread at least once a week. {I realize I miss it when I haven't made bread for weeks!}
three. Be sure to hug my husband and each of our three cats at least once daily. {That shouldn't be hard to do, pretty much do that already, but you know, those crazy busy days can sometimes slip by. ;)}

} I really wish I had some polaroid film or could still get it around here, so I could take part in this.
} I think there's lots of beauty here.
} M. and I took more photos of his project this weekend so hopefully this week I'll share the upstairs and exterior with you.

alrighty, hbm!
H