Season's Greetings

T'was the night before Christmas, 

when all through the house,

 not a creature was stirring, 

not even a mouse.

~ Clement Clarke Moore

Finding the Unexpected

I have been feeling very disorganized in my studio lately and have been looking for a way that I could neatly contain all the papers and other materials I collect for my collage work. I need easy access to them but can't stand it when there are piles everywhere - it just feels like clutter. 

Last Saturday morning I was in New London to meet with friends at one of our favorite coffee houses Muddy Waters Cafe before dropping off some work for the Hygienic Galleries Art=Gift Holiday show. After leaving the gallery and on the way to the parking lot I stopped in at the Homeward Bound Thrift Store around the corner to check in with a friend who was inside shopping.

As I was walking down the stores main aisle I saw it,  a book case - almost 6 feet tall, 5 shelves of varying heights and only 12" deep. Would this work in my studio and help with my clutter problem? I decided the answer was yes so after getting it home I immediately put a coat of primer on it.

By the time the primer dried it was too cold to paint outside anymore so my husband and I brought it inside to the laundry room. It was tight squeeze but I got the first coat of yellow paint on and the next morning finished it with the second coat.

Here's the bookcase in its new home in the studio - now I just need to find some baskets and containers and I'm hoping it will feel like I have supplies and materials again instead of clutter once everything is neatly stored away.

***

Here are two from the 6 piece series "Terrain" I recently finished that are on exhibit at the Hygienic's Art=Gift show.

Terrain #2' 4" x 4" mixed media on wood

Terrain #4' 4" x 4" mixed media on wood

 The show runs until Sunday, December 22nd.

You can also see the work of these artists that I admire and who just also happen to be friends too: Laura Gaffke, Diana Sartor, Maria Scaglioni and Annie Wildey. 

Painted Paper and New Collage

A new collage in the works.

 I just love the way the paint takes to this paper, especially along the torn edges. 

August Break 2013 - Week 5

This is it!  

Day 31 - the last day of Susannah Conway's August Break 2013.

A month of photo prompts to post on our blogs, with little or no words.

From the almost 4,000 photos added to the groups Flickr page it looks like everyone had as much fun as I did taking photos all month long. It was interesting and very inspiring to see how the prompts were interpreted by everyone.

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

August Break 2012

August Break 2013 - Week 4

Still having fun with Susannah Conway and more than 700 others participating in 

August Break 2013 

A month of photo prompts to post on our blogs, with little or no words.

Day 19 

Day 20 

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

August Break 2012

August Break 2013 - Week 3

Another week with Susannah Conway and more than 600 700 others participating in 

August Break 2013 

A month of photo prompts to post on our blogs, with little or no words.

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

August Break 2012

August Break 2013 - Week 2

Having fun with Susannah Conway and more than 600 others participating in 

August Break 2013 

A month of photo prompts to post on our blogs, with little or no words.

Day 5 - Close up

Day 6 - Diagonals

Day 7 - Skyline

Day 8 - Selfie

Day 9 - Taste

Day 10 - Red

Day 11 - Play

August Break 2012

August Break 2013 - Week 1

Thanks to Louise Gale I heard about Susannah Conway's August Break 2013.

I'll be joining more than 600 others who are going to take one photo each day in the month of August. Susannah gives a list of prompts that can, but don't have to be be followed. You can add words or not, post daily or not - no rules, just fun. Quoting Susannah "This is all about being present and enjoying taking photos just for the hell of it.'

My plan is to post once a week - we'll see how it goes.
Here's week one: 

Day 1 - Breakfast

Day 2 - Circles

Day 3 - Yellow

Day 4 - Love

August Break 2012

July Excitement

What a busy and exciting month it has been. I had the wonderful and unexpected opportunity to have my first solo show at the i5 Gallery in Gales Ferry, CT. 

- 

The opening reception was such a fun and exciting night. It was a joy to be surrounded by the many friends, family members and visitors who came to help celebrate.

I knew I'd been working hard the last year or so but was still surprised to see just how much I had accomplished when I got to see all my work displayed like this in one place for the first time. I am grateful to Marge Anderson, the owner/director of the i5 Gallery who did such a fantastic job of pulling everything together for the show and the opening.

 One of the pieces from the show that went off to a new home.
"Lucky Fish" in the office of Trade Labels Inc. 

Just outside that window is this beautiful koi pond full of live lucky fish.