Academy of Art Homework Day

My school week goes Tuesday to Monday so Monday's are dedicated solely to art. I always have a nice start on my projects from the week before but it takes an entire day get everything "submission worthy." I spend most of the day completing my assignments; then I edit, touch up, photograph, correct, photograph, correct again, photograph once more while whispering a prayer...then I enhance the images and post my work. I also have to participate in the discussions and take tests for both of my classes. It is a challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating detail oriented day of discovery. Most times, I love it. Once in a while, it is horrific. Today was fun...

Last week we had to create a Chinese take-out box and chop sticks holder for my Graphic Design class.


This week I had to create two gift boxes. One was from a template they provided and the other was up to us. They also encouraged us to modify the supplied template to make it "our own". I decided to do a floral motif throughout. I transformed the provided bow box into a whimsical "bloom box."

I used an adorable flower print from K & Company and converted the bow closure into a flower that matched the flowers in the paper. My other project was a petal box (in keeping with the motif) which I did with another K & Company print that reminded me of Monet's "Waterlilies."

For my Analysis of Form class, I had to start working on a structure /automobile drawing to be done in pen and ink. We are learning 2 point perspective via architecture. I did a thumbnail of a building with a tiny European car in front. I am working from a very interesting photograph I found on google images.

I will not be posting my thumbnail because it is pitiful. It was a useful exercise however, in that I was able to work out some of the angles and determine proper placement of the various details.

I love the feeling of a pen on paper when I am drawing, but it is also scary because you can't erase. This fact has caused me to learn a lot about how my hands express what I see. My default tendancy is to draw with my feelings rather than with thought. I can now see how lazy and impulsive my hand is when I am not focused on my subject. I have to laugh at those times when I was trying to hurry or I was distracted and I scratched out a crappy drawing. I would get so frustrated because I could not understand why it turned out so bad. I was holding on to some elusive fantasy that I would suddenly get struck "Di Vinci"and then masterpeices would roll out of me effortlessly. I now know that to create art, you must work. You have to throw everything into it. You have to take in that that you see and then express it with your hands. Your eyes tell one part of your brain and that part tells another part and then a message is sent to your hand to move this way and that way so that lines appear on paper and eventually, your sight is given life. One has to be aware of this process if one is going to master it. And so today I began learning.

Etsy Extravaganza!!!

Holy Moly - I've been a beading fool these last couple of weeks. I am way behind in just about everything and instead of tackling "the list", I bead beautiful, whimsical things and I feel happy and safe and calm in a world that does not feel familiar to me. Our times seem uncertain, volitle and troubled and yet, when I sit quietly and create for the sole sake of creative expression, I am Ok. This is my reprive, my repose, my oasis. (smile) Thank God.

I have updated my Etsy Shop with most of the new items although I have a few more to photograph. I have also set aside a couple of pieces for Christmas gifts.

Hand made book instructions and fun with drawing

My graphic design class was awesome this last week. We created hand made books. I LOVE this method and will be doing more for Christmas gifts as mini albums.

Here are the instructions. It is a really fun project and they turn out great!
Inside Pages (the pages will all be connected by tiling – taped together to form an accordion fold):

• text weight paper U.S. legal size 11" x 14" or U.S. tabloid size 11" x 17"

Covers:
• 2 pieces of chipboard- each piece is size 6" wide x 9.5" high
• 2 pieces of cover weight paper, patterned or solid color, one for the vertical front cover and one for the vertical back cover (recycle anything colorful including calendars, posters, magazine covers, or any cover weight decorative paper); each piece is size 6" wide x 17.5" high
• 2 pieces of text weight paper, patterned or solid color, one for the horizontal front cover and one for the horizontal back cover (for contrast, pick something different from the vertical cover materials above); each piece is size 10" wide x 9.5" high

Spine:

• 1 piece of light cover weight or text weight paper, patterned or solid color, used as spine of the brochure (for contrast, pick something different from the vertical or horizontal cover materials above); size is 4.5" wide x 9.5" high

Other tools/supplies needed:

• ruler
• burnisher
• cutting mat
• X-acto knife with spare blades
• double stick tape

Creating Brochure Pages

When ready with your materials, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create the brochure pages. Use a U.S. legal size paper (14" wide x 11" high). Score and fold in half the 14" wide side. Each side is now 7" wide x 11" high. Measure and trim only the panel on the left at 6" wide. The panel on the right should be matched with the left panel so it folds on the 6" width. Fold down. Add a half-inch on the right and trim. While the pages are still folded together, trim the height to 9.5". You will end up with two pages each at 6" wide x 9.5" high with a half-inch flap on the right side. (The half-inch flap is what you’ll use to connect with the next piece; later you will either use double-sided tape or magic tape to connect with the next brochure page.) Make sure to fold down the middle fold of the left page and the right; fold up the half-inch. Your brochure pages will have accordion folds.

Step 2: Repeat step 1 to create another inside page.

Step 3: Create an inside end page. Use a U.S. tabloid size text weight paper (11" x 17"). Using the longest side of the paper, measure and mark 3 panels: the first panel is size 3" wide, next to it is the second panel (size 6" wide), and next to that is the third panel (also size 6" wide). Add a half-inch flap next to the third panel. Score and fold where the measurement marks are. Between the 3" first panel and second panel (6"), fold up; between the second panel (6") and the third panel (6"), fold down. The last fold is between the third panel (6") and the half-inch flap: fold up. Your folded paper should now resemble an accordion. While this is folded, trim the height to 9.5".

Step 4: Repeat step 3 to create another inside end page. Turn around this piece. The only difference is that this second inside end page should not have any half-inch flap; trim this off. You will end up with 6" wide page; fold it down next to the other 6" wide page; fold that up next to the 3" panel.

Step 5: You should end up with 4 pieces of folded papers. Organize. First position one end page on the left (3" wide will be on the left side, followed by 6" wide page, another 6" wide page, followed by a half-inch flap). Next to the end page, position an inside page (6" wide page will be on the left side, followed by 6" wide page, followed by a half-inch flap). Next to this inside page, position another inside page (6" wide will be on the left side, followed by 6" and a half-inch panel). Finally, next to the second inside page, position your last end page, (6" wide page, another 6" wide page, and a 3" panel).

Step 6: Use your double-sided tape to connect the pieces of paper. Tape on the half-inch flap (make sure you tape it edge to edge and conceal it). Burnish down flat. Arrange the folded pages like an accordion. The left end page should start with the 3" panel, followed by the 6" wide pages, and the right end page should end with the 3" panel. Set this aside.

Step 7: Prepare the cardboard shell for the front cover and the back cover. Use at least 2-ply cover weight. You may recycle the back cardboard of your tracing paper pad. Trim two pieces of cardboard each to size 6" wide x 9.5" high. Set this aside.

Step 8: Create the vertical front cover and the vertical back cover. Both are identical so you may produce two pieces the same way. Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight for this. Trim two pieces (could be the same or different color); each piece is 6" wide by 17.5" high. Each piece should be placed in a vertical position. Score and fold up from the top: 4" high x 9.5" high x 4" high.

Step 9: Create the horizontal front cover and the horizontal back cover. Both are identical so you may produce two pieces the same way. Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight for this. Trim two pieces (could be the same or different color); each piece is 10" wide by 9.5" high. Each piece should be placed in a horizontal position. Score and fold down from the side: 2" wide x 6" wide x 2" wide.

Step 10: Create a spine (use to connect both the front and back covers). Use text weight paper (patterned or solid color). You may use a light cover weight paper for this. For added contrast, find a paper completely different from the above. Decide what weight of paper works best based on the front cover and inside front cover materials you are using. Overlapping heavy papers together often times will not work. You will need to create a “dummy” to test your paper weight-combinations.

Trim one piece of paper size 4.5" wide x 9.5" high. Score with the burnisher the center of your paper (vertical side). You may need to adjust the score in the middle of your spine based on the thickness of your brochure. Set this aside.

Step 11: Assemble the front cover and the back cover. Take the vertical cover paper and wrap around the cardboard shell (no tape needed). The scores of the vertical paper should wrap around the cardboard shell. One side is exposed. It will not completely cover the cardboard on the back. Take the horizontal cover paper and wrap around to cover the exposed side of the brochure cover. Tuck in the flaps of the horizontal paper inside the vertical paper. This should keep the cover flat even without the use of tape. Repeat this on the second cover.

Step 12: You should have two covers and loose accordion pages. You will now connect the inside pages with the covers. Tuck in the first 3" panel of the inside pages inside the vertical front cover. Tuck in the other end, the last 3" panel of the inside pages inside the other vertical cover (back cover). 

Step 13: The last step is to add the spine in order to create a clean look to your brochure. The spine will also keep the assembly strong. On the outside, tuck in one end of the spine inside the front cover and the other end inside the back cover. Use your burnisher to keep it flat and even.

For extra credit, we made paper vases. This one is mine. I did not have large enough paper on hand, so I used the funny papers.

This last assignment - you know the "challenge" I spoke of was super intimidating at first but it quickly transformed into a delight. I can't describe the "high" I got from drawing. It felt amazing to live in that part of my brain. It recharged my batteries and after a session of drawing I had so much more to give to my kids and I was totally present for my life. I LOVE ART!
The drawing is a two week assignment. I think it is coming along but after stepping away from it, I can see I have some troubled areas to work out. The chin needs to be extended out on the right. The nose is the wrong angle and is not wide enough. The ball at the tip needs to be enlarged. The eyes are too close together and I think the ear may need to go to the right providing a little more area on the right cheek. Also, the hair is off, but those are final rendering details. The BIG bummer here is that I used my charcoal pencil so I may not be able to erase. I'm posting it in the workshop so I can get some tips on how to move things with the least amount of reconstruction. I'm nervous that I may have to start all over - but then again, it was so fun the first time that if I have to, I'm OK with it.

I made my first payment towards Inspired this week. Thank you to those who have contributed to my fund!!! I am thrilled that I get to attend again this year. I'll be roomies with my fellow art school student and the woman who started me on my adventure - the talented and skinny Heather. You can see her amazing work at Runs with Trimmer. We were in the same group at last April's Inspired and she kept me in stitches the whole time. Among her many talents (including a pilots license lol) she has the best sense of humor! Sooz and Aimee just signed up too so I think Jen is our only WASSIMA sis who hasn't enrolled. We are crossing our fingers!

Challenges

Challenges - They are everywhere today. I've got one running on my blog (Gratitude Album Challenge), one in my kitchen (a clogged sink) and one in kindergarten (- he's 5 and 3/4 and cannot stop making sound effects of giving or being punched, shooting, crashing and/or fast motors -btw, I googled this "condition" and found nothing on the subject.) I have another challenge on my head (my bangs are too long), one in my car (cheese-it bag explosion) and one Big, Fat challenge sitting my desk:


This is my latest homework assignment for my Analysis of Form class. Draw Einstein (or is this Walter Matthau playing Einstein?) from a black and white photograph and bring the piece to life with your own voice. An interesting drawing assignment right? Now look at this...


Yes, he is up-side-down on purpose - I'm supposed to draw him this way. Yea - I'm going to have to call this one as a challenge. I know that this is a commen technique used to train an artist to see the lines and values rather than the picture as a whole, but this guy starts out with an IQ of 180 and has the mug to match. I'm thinking, if I have to use my voice to bring him to life, I'm going to need my mind to see the whole picture, right? Well, we'll just have to see....

I know one thing for sure. If I approach it as "an opportunity to learn" rater than "a challange", I'm bound to do better. It is that glass-half-empty vs. glass-half-full thing. (sigh...another challenge - having a positive attitude.)

Gratitude Mini album challenge - week1

I have had so much fun working on this challenge. I've been so busy participating in the things I'm grateful for, that I have not had much time to scrapbook so this made me pull out my trimmer. I have felt a strong pull to work on this project after completing my 7 days of gratitude lists. Here are pictures of 1-7.

I obviously did not stick to my original plan of pockets and 4 x 6 pages. I blame it on the rain. The down pour on Saturday night gave me a great excuse to get lost in my supplies and the next thing I knew I had the 20 inside pages started. I have not made my front cover yet but when I do it will read I AM GRATEFUL FOR... Each tab has a number on it so I elected not to put numbers by my captions. This is the raw cut - I will probably go back and add a few embellishments when time permits. I'm anxious to see everyone else's so please leave a comment when you've posted your pages!

I have a better attitude because of my gratitude - Day 7

It has been 1 week and I cannot deny how much better my spirit feels today versus 7 days ago. Somehow this gratitude has made me feel peaceful with my life as it stands right here and now. And knowing that other people in different parts of the world are doing their gratitude lists at the same time fills me a sense of connectedness that puts things in perspective. This is going to sound really corny but I just feel like at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is love. And while I may not be rich in money, I am very wealthy in love.

Day 7 - I am grateful for:

1. The internet and how it has helped me stay in touch with so many INCREDIBLE woman
2. blueberries
3. courage
4. mysteries
5. my baseball cap
6. the drive created my fascination
   
7. that I can visit the snow and the ocean in a matter of hours
8. forgiveness
9. the new produce market that just opened up next to Trader Joe's "Real Produce"
10. crossing guards
    
11. my moral compass
12. that I get to work from home
13. central heating
14. the clean laundry I discovered this morning because my husband stayed up late to do it
15. honesty
16. caller ID
17. hot baths
18. freecycle and craig's list
19. that feeling of love that makes your heart swell and your blood warm up just a little.
20. My life, the good, the bad and the ugly...
    

Gratitude List - Day 6

Well the kids are sick again so we did not get much sleep last night so I'm kind of grumpy and looking forward to today's list.

Day 6 - I am grateful for...

1. Do-overs
2. hope
3. that feeling you get when you do spontaneously do something kind for someone
4. feeling a part of
5. wisdom
6. motivation even though I am pooped out and grumpy
7. color
   
8. my warm jacket
9. animals
10. my white get pen
11. a good cup of coffee
12. my body and all it does for me
13. change
14. the way music makes me feel
15. grilled cheese sandwiches
    
16. humility
17. friends that know me and like me anyway
18. warm days in February
19. the amazing infrastructure in my city, state, country and beyond that allows us to communicate, travel orderly, safely and quickly, removes hazards and responds when there is a breakdown or interruption in service.
20. the library
    

Gratitude - Day 5

These daily gratitude lists have been so good for my outlook on life that I thought of a fun challenge! I’ve designed it to be really low maintenance because most of us have a lot going on already… I hope you will join me in this celebration of the good things in life.

Gratitude Challenge:

• Buy or make a 4 x 6 mini album (or whatever size you want) with 22 pages (11 pages because we’ll need front and back covers plus 10 inside pages using both front and back) The album can be made of chipboard, card stock, or you can purchase an album made from acrylic, envelopes, vinyl or just plain paper.

• Each day for the next 20 days take a picture of something you are grateful for. It can be a person, place or thing. It can be a metaphor for something or a photo that captures a feeling. This book is for you so you are the only one who has to understand what the picture means. If you miss a day or five or 20 – don’t sweat it, you can make up by taking multiple pictures in one day or pulling from pictures you already have. The point of a picture a day is to keep you thinking about the things you are grateful for each day for the next 20 days, not to make you feel stressed or guilty.

• Take a minute to jot down the significance/ meaning of each photo. What is in this picture that expresses what you are grateful for? It can be a word, a phrase or a journal entry – it is totally up to you. Be sure to number it so that you have numbers 1 – 20 for the book and an entry beside it. We’ll incorporate this list at the end.

• Next comes formatting your pictures. You can totally leave them exactly as they are or you can format them to punctuate the thing that you are grateful for. I am going to use Ali Edwards as my influence because I just love how she crops and scales pictures so that they are down right poetic (click here for example). If you have Photoshop or something equivalent, you can use the program to write the number and word(s) stating what you are grateful for right on the photo.

• Print your photos – you can do one each day on your own printer or have all 20 developed when you are finished. It is up to you.

• Adhere your photos to the album. I am going to adhere each photo around 3 sides so that it becomes a pocket. Some pockets will open at the top and some will open at the side. Later, I am going to place tags tied with ribbon, twine, and other embellishments in each pocket (more on that in a minute).

• Adhere or write your numbered gratitude list (1 for each photo) on each page. You can do this directly on your photo or if your album is larger, on the page. I will be printing out my list then cutting each line item and gluing it on the photo. I will then write how this photo represents the thing I am grateful for or the specific memory of that photo on a tag and tuck it in the pocket behind the photo. Get creative or keep it simple. The point is that you have a photo and a coordinating label that expresses what you are grateful for.
• Lastly, decorate your cover. You can adhere chipboard letters or stickers that say “I’m grateful for…” or “my gratitude list 2008…” or you can use embellishments to decorate it. It is totally up to you.

I will post pictures as I progress with the project

Day 5 gratitude list..

1. the warmth of morning sunshine on my back
2. redwood trees
3. the sound of crickets on a hot summer night
4. uninhibited dancing with my kids
5. my right to vote (today!) and being a part of something so much bigger than my little world
6. those moments of clarity when everything is just as it should be ( i just had one )
7. St. Timothy's school and everyone there who is helping us raise our children
8. the sound of the ocean
9. swimming holes
10. to have food in my cupboards
11. that we have medical insurance
12. babies
13. helpful people
14. opportunities to be in service to others
15. that force inside me that keeps me from saying things I don't really mean when I get mad
16. all of the utilities that come straight into our home and the trash service that never misses a week
17. human contact
18. the SPCA
19. my washing machine
20. hair conditioner

Day 4 - Happy Monday!

I am grateful for:

1. parks
2. drive through banking
3. farmers markets
4. yoga
5. garage sales
6. Trager and the amazing woman who administers it (I can't wait until Wednesday!)
7. the sound of silence
8. a smile from a stranger
9. Billybob and 12 x 2 plus all the trimmings
   
10. uninterrupted deep sleep
11. the incredible bond I feel with my kids
12. I do not live with anger inside of me
13. the generosity of others
14. those that lead by example and make great sacrifices to improve conditions for others
15. teachers
16. the many, many times I "dodged a bullet" disguised as a breakup, failure or rejection
17. Those individuals that protect and serve - our armed forces, police, firefighters, the legal system and all the support staff that defend our freedom, rights, safety and way of life.
18. a grocery store, post office, hardware store, several restaurants and numerous other conveniences are within a mile of my home. Many, many people around the world do not enjoy that luxury.
19. I am healthy
20. UGRA
    

Today I'm going to be fabulous and day 3 of gratitude

I was just visiting my friend Cynthia at Technicolor Postcards and she had a very thought-provoking entry about what our teenage self would think of our life today if she had a chance to see it. It got me thinking about my own perception of myself as I sit in front of the computer in my PJ's with my cup of coffee, procrastinating, before I have to dig into life. My self concept was not very fabulous so this gratitude list is dedicated to changing my perception today. The first 10 will be qualities I enjoy about myself. The second half will be about 10 things I enjoy about my life.

1. my artistic talent
2. my mommy skills
3. my ability to multi-task
4. my culinary skills
5. ability to make a home for my family
6. my computer aptitude
   
7. my sense of humor
8. my metabolism
9. knack for stretching a dollar
10. my enthusiasm
    
11. that I get to be so involved in my kids school
12. that I have so many wonderful friendships in my life
13. that my family lives so close by and that I get to see them so often
14. I can share my spirituality with my loved ones
15. my clients, especially Lauren
16. I got to go to Inspired last May
17. my husband is so helpful around the house and with the kids
    
18. I have so many resources available to me
19. I live in Northern CA
20. I did so much traveling before I started a family
    

Gratitude-Day 2

Gosh, I woke up this morning feeling a lot of fear. The kind of anxiety that fogs my judgment and gets in the way of being kind to those I love the most. I couldn't put my finger on any one thing that was causing the flurry of feelings - it was a hodge podge of garbage that had been piling up in the back of my mind and it needs to get dumped. A Public blog isn't the appropriate place for this sort of purging but I will share a few things because I think a few of my readers can identify.

I'm suffering from I-want-it-all-itis so I'm volunteering at my kids school, in Art school and busy with three clients plus trying to keep up a house, marriage and some kind of self care. The net-net, is that I fall short on many of the things - mostly neglecting the tasks that aren't visable to others focusing most of my energy on ego based or guilt preventing activities (i.e.- working at the school, art school and work). The good news is that I'm getting a lot of great feedback in those areas which makes me feel good about myself, provides us with financial resources and most of all, makes my kids happy. The bad news is that I'm not taking care of myself, my home, my personal responsibilities and my most importent relationship - with my spouse. Those shortcomings eat at me and today I felt it. I have no idea how to resolve this dilema but I do know that it is an inside job. So this gratitude list is dedicated to healing my current state of discomfort.

I am grateful for:

1. second chances
2. rainy days that make being completely lazy with my family really easy
3. naps
4. the support we get from our parents
   
5. my husband and I can squawck at each other and be totally fine 5 minutes later
6. that I have my whole life to work on being the best me I can be
7. I don't struggle with saying that I am sorry
8. my community
9. pay per view
10. the Dave Matthews band
    
11. my art room and studio
12. salads
13. children's tylonal
14. Random Acts of kindnrss
15. that my family gives me time to do art
16. flowers
17. hot showers
18. I don't have any desire to be the prettiest girl in the room
19. I have my problems versus the problems millions of others have around the world (starvation, disease, lack of freedom)
20. That my fears have nothing to do with my personal safety or my family's.
    

Gratitude - day 1

When I am feeling frustrated, short changed, insufficient or victomized, I have a wise friend who reminds me that you can't feel self pity and gratitude at the same time. She has suggested on many, many occasions that the best way to combat feelings of resentment, jealousy, disappointment, inadequacy and sadness is to make a gratitude list. Her Rx for a "spell" of bad feelings (lasting more than a few days) is to make a gratitude list of 20 things everyday for a week. You are not to duplicate things you are grateful for, and in my practice, I try not to make a list of specific people because it prevents me from digging deep. My WASSIMA gals and I decided we were going to do a week together. Some of us were feeling low, others just liked the idea of it and I think it is a great way to go into November, which holds Thanksgiving and to officially kick off the Holiday Season. So here is Day 1:

1. deep belly laughter that makes your cheeks hurt and heeps creeping back long after the funny has ended.
2. To have born in a time where a woman and an African American competed for a party nomination for a Presidential election.
3. Spell check
4. 400 thread count sheets
5. my education
6. that my husband still tells me I am beautiful everyday
7. I have my sight
8. I was able to go trick or treating and walk to school by myself when I was a kid
9. Digital Cameras
10. for the roof over my head
11. My creativity
12. I have such a great relationship with my mother
13. to be a parent
    
14. I am teachable
15. for all the people who have dedicated their lives to educating te public and changing the course of global warming
16. the Television program, Lost
    
17. tat most of the time I have faith that everything is going to be OK
18. love
19. that I am a free and a citizen of the USA
20. I have a loving relationship with a God of my understanding

Wow, my heart is swollen with blessings. i can't wait until tomorrow.

More Artful Living

I'm finally up and around after being wretchedly sick for a week. I completely lost my voice and I cannot tell you how frustrated I was. How in the world do you get a 5 1/2 and 3 year old ready for school when you can't talk? Especially when your throat is sore and your body is aching. I was not in the best of spirits but, like all toil, good came from it.

Coming out of my silence and discomfort gifted me an appreciation for this very moment. I am powerless over the economy, the laundry pile that never stops growing, my newly sprouted gray hairs and the leaves that keep falling from the trees in our yard. I can do this or that to deal with these things but I do not have the power within my body to make these things be anything different than they are so why do I spend so much time feeling worried, ashamed or guilty about them? In other words, it is time to lighten up.


Planning is way over rated and is contrary to the kind of person I want to be. You can invest for your future and still end up broke. You can eat right and exercise but you are still going to get old. You can wash clothes every day and you'll still never be done. Living in the moment means that you make a CHOICE to do things that make you happy or unhappy. If they make you unhappy but need to be taken care of (we all have to file our taxes) then make the choice to change your mindset... be in charge of your perspective and get it done.

Most of all be grateful. We are all blessed - each and everyone of us. It is not our job to count OTHERS blessings, just our own. Its not a race, a contest nor are we being graded. This is life. We eat, we drink, we sleep, we breath, we go potty and everything else is human-made. It is all just a backdrop, props, dialog, feelings, perspectives, experiences, memories. I find that when I whittle my life down to the bare bones, I become one of many, a human among humans and I get my power back. My power to be happy. My power to pursue things that I love. My power to make decisions- not because I have to but because I GET to (unlike so many in other parts of the world). I see things more clearly and appreciate the beauty of my lawn covered with reds, oranges and browns. What my neighbors think about my front yard does not even enter my mind. I see my kids as playful, innocent, curious little people and I am able to explore with them instead of ordering them to stay put and worrying how their behavior reflects on me. It is when I am in this place that I feel a warmth in my heart which I believe to be a connection with God - the Universe, Buddha, whatever spirit, power or energy source you know. It is the most amazing feeling to be united with this source of love and today, I am making the conscious choice to be connected.

That being said, here is what I've been up to...


I am nearly finished with my torso. I need to make a couple of adjustments to the value transitions but I have to say that I had a fabulous time doing this and have decided to persue Fine Art rather than Graphic Design. It just happened one day - I knew that I was meant to go down that path and I feel so light and centered about it!


I finished a heap of UGRA projects so I could hand them off at the last UGRA play date which was a BLAST. Many, many thanks to Sharla for her gracious hospitality and for the incredible projects.


We made a Halloween accordian album from CD sleeves and a handmade book of 6 signatures in just a few hours. There were 6 totally fabulous atist in attendance and I soaked up all of the creative energy like a dyhydrated sponge. By the time I left I was dripping with inspiration.



I've also been busy with one of my clients albums which is turning out to be so wonderful. I'm really pleased and can't wait to show her the most recent pages. While the administrative part of our life feels daunting, we, our family is just doing great. It takes up every moment of every day but we choose to live our life that way and we are really happy.

Self Exploration through Art

I know that title sounds deep but I am not referring to anything profound when I make that statement I just wanted an intriguing introduction before I went on to share what I recently discovered through my classes, projects and my creative voice.

For the past 2 weeks, we've been working on drapery which is even harder than it looks, yet it is a hypnotic experience when you get into the zone. I found myself eager to delve in, ready for the challenge but as the folds began to run in to each other I became confused and I stopped "feeling" the drawing. Always a problem solver, I decided to post stickys on each of the folds with a number so I could keep track of their flow into one another. When I finished, you could no longer see the fabric because the stickys where everywhere plus they left their own shadows which messed with my blending... ARGHHHHHH! The methodical logic that served me well writing term papers and managing business accounts was not the correct approach for this assignment. No- I had to become more invested in the fabric, the movement, the relationships between light and darkness scattered about. I had to SEE more. When I began to do this, I fell into a trance like state - it was most definitely meditative in nature. Time stood still, my hands and brain worked together to create something that my inner voice knew little about. It isn't a masterpiece by any means but guess what? I did something that I did not believe I could do and that is a priceless feeling.

My Graphic Design class has become challenging too. Last week we had to draw typeset with colored pencils in preselected fonts for a Olive Oil label we are mocking up. It is tracing right? Not as easy as it seems my friend. They expect the finished product to look like it was printed off of the computer. This taught me so much about using colored pencils in hard and soft lead. I never realized that handling these simple instruments would require so much practice.


This week we had to create 20 logo images based on 5 different concepts. This was also an incredible learning experience because we did some visual brainstorming which caused me to use that same part of my brain that I used when I did my drapery. It is a wonderful feeling to spend access my right brain for long, uninterrupted periods of time while simultaneously using my left brain to remain focused on my concept. Rarely do my right and left brain spend time together in this way. I was really pleased with my work - obviously, some are better than others, but I gave the assignment everything I had. Last night as I looked over the finished work I felt like a true artist for the first time.

Life in the fast lane

Boy, September really shifted our gears from 4th to 5th. We have been BUSY! I am in awe of parents around the world and all they have to juggle to get kids to school, keep up a home and family schedule plus workHow in the world do they find time for social activities, nurturing their marriage, exercise and any sort of hobby or passion? Of course I said the same sort of thing after the birth of my first child and again when we had a second, and several more times since then and I know it will all come together in due time (about 5 minutes before the next big change :D)

So here is life in a nutshell - I'm juggling 3 clients right now which is awesome but challenging and totally necessary since Tim has not worked but a couple weeks since July. This housing market crisis effects the economy beyond the banking industry and realtor commissions. He is an electrician and there just isn't anything being built. The Union hall is filled with guys trying to figure out how they are going to put food on the table for their families. It is scary stuff and I have to admit I feel utterly powerless. I try to focus on the good stuff though - like the fact that Tim has been able to take on so many of the house manager responsibilities I usually do and he's been taking and picking up the kids from school. He has taken a huge chunk of the life stuff off of my plate which has given me time to provide my clients with great work and allowed me to focus on school which is sooooooooooooo much more challenging than I imagined. I hate cubes.

I am an "A" student. I just am. I get A's because I work hard and have good study habits but in Art those traits aren't enough. So I'm into my 4th week and I've gotten marks that were NOT A's. And on assignments that I really worked hard on. I mean over the top, totally invested kind of work.

So I'm learning something about humility from a lot of different areas of my life and I feel clumsy.

On a lighter note, this month has been filled with celebration, expanded horizons and artful fellowship. A few weeks ago we clebrated Eva's third bithday with a fairy princess tea party. It was a magical day - one I'll treasure and I'm hoping she'll be able to cherish some of the memories too.


I also went on a women's retreat to a native american sweat lodge which was remarkable. My dear friend Michele treated me to this incredible experience and I am so very grateful to her. While I don't subscribe to all of the beliefs and practices, I found many gifts that I really needed at this time in my life. The most amazing was meeting my spirit guide - a big black bear who does not have the answers nor does he lead me one way or another. He is just with me and I take comfort in that image. I was with two of my best friends and the other attendees were also remarkable women so I was nestled in a safe and loveing environment, away from my responsibilities allowing me to get reaquainted with my authentic self. It can often get masked by expectations, obligations and other's needs, but without my connection to my auhentic self I rob my children of the gifts I can offer them, I rob those close to me of what God intended me to share with them, I rob my art of my true voice and most of all, I cheat myself from having the experiences I am meant to have.

I also had a WONDERFUL playdate with several of my fellow UgRA-ites.



I hostessed the soire at my house and we worked on a project called "my perfect day" it was a delight to spend time in the studio with these amazingly accomplished artists and to explore what a perfect day REALLY looks like. The project was a bit "ambitious" for an afternoon but we all agreed that working on it from home would be a pleasant chore.
I am desperately trying to find a way to get to Donna Downey's Inspired next May. There is absolutely no money for this (not even the payment plan) but I cannot image not going so I am putting it out there in the Universe hoping that the airfare to N. Carolina, the hotel costs and the workshop fees won't be an obsticle. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how i make this happen. Last April's workshop changed me as an artist and a person. It is a remarkable program and I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO ATTEND! :D - Any ideas? Please send them my way.

That is all for now my friends! Wishing you well on your journey.