Sketchbook Challenge - August

I thought I had all last weekend to have this post ready but was interrupted by a visit from Tropical Storm Irene. There was quite a bit of damage throughout the state but I am one of the very lucky ones who's home did not loose power. The yard was covered with tree branches and debris, so we had a couple days worth of clean up to do. My only small inconvenience was not having a land line phone or Internet until late in the week. 
A big Thank You to all the workers who have arrived from other states to help restore power which I read is expected to be at one hundred percent by this Wednesday. 

August theme - Everyday Objects
This past month was an interesting study of things I see and use everyday - the many common objects that are designed for function. It's probably the first time I ever looked at my toothbrush, umbrella, and salt shaker with an appreciation for the unique beauty in each item.

Two of my everyday objects: the mug I drink my morning coffee from and the handbag I throw over my shoulder each day as I leave for work.

Just picked today!

I guess I planted all mid to late season varieties this year because my tomatoes are just now getting ripe enough to pick. I love the yellow and orange varieties that I discovered a couple years ago and they are now a "must have" in my garden. Being lower in acid they have a little less bite. This years yellow variety is called Carolina Gold. 

I came across this simple recipe for a pesto dressing in a pile of saved recipe clippings. I wish I knew where I found it so I could give credit but I didn't make any notes and I just can't remember. It's delicious and goes perfectly with the seasons fresh tomatoes.

Pesto Dressing

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 cup Olive Oil
¼ cup lightly packed fresh Basil Leaves
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ tsp each Salt and Sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese 

In blender or food processor combine vinegar, basil, salt, sugar, cheese and oil. Process until smooth. Slice tomatoes and arrange on a serving dish. Drizzle tomatoes with dressing.

Collages - Making Progress

My table is even a bigger mess then it was back here as I can't pull myself away from  working on more of these collages. I brought in a folding table so I could have more room to spread out all the materials I'm using. There are still several in various stages of being done but... 

I did manage to pull together and finish 8 panels in the last month or so to complete two pieces that I entered in the Mystic Arts Center's 55th Regional Juried Show. I'm so happy to say that this one was accepted for the show!
 

'Second Chance' 17" x 33.25"  Kathy Johnson

This is a detail of one of the panels. You can see the other panel details here along with the second completed collage.

'Second Chance' detail of panel 4

I have not seen the show yet so I am looking forward to the the opening reception this Thursday the 11th. In addition to all the wonderful art on view for the The Regional Show is a solo exhibition by artist Jennifer Wheeler. One of her colorful works was the first place winner in last years Regional Show. Both shows continue through September 24th.

Sketchbook Challenge - July

July's theme - Element

Elements of Weather - With all the hot and humid weather lately I tried to capture the opposite with this black and white collage giving a sense of cold, snow and wind. The elements used to make the collage: the insides of security envelopes, mulberry paper and an unfolded paper bag handle.

Elements of Water and Air - A collage of the water and sky meeting in the distant horizon. I used painted tissue paper, more security envelopes and a little bit of stacked journaling introduced in a post by Judy Hurwitt one of the Sketchbook Challenge hosts.

Element of Air - Grasses leaning in a warm gentle breeze. A colored pencil and watercolor sketch.

A Fun Saturday Workshop

A couple weeks ago I took a Folding Book Sculpture workshop with my good friend and inspirational teacher Laura Gaffke at Above Elite Studio in Westerly, RI. It was a beautiful summer morning and we students were greeted with coffee and homemade cranberry scones! If you have taken one of Laura's classes here I'm sure you would agree that her studio is such a welcoming space with wonderful natural light and a great creative energy.

For our book sculptures we painted backgrounds for the pages, painted on old book pages to use later as collage elements, then painted some more, cut, collaged, stenciled and stamped. We were having so much fun that the day flew right by. As usual, since I work on the slow side I did not finish my book by the end of class but did keep my promise to complete it by the end of the week.

I've been enjoying working in my garden so much this year that what else would my book theme be but about gardening. I created pages with three generations of gardeners in mind as I was thinking about where my love and appreciation for plants and gardening came from. I mentioned my Mom's special summer Hollyhocks in my last post and although my grandmother was known for her collection of indoor African Violets what I remember most are the Bleeding Hearts in her yard every spring. I thought they had the prettiest and most unusual flower - I still find them amazing. My page is about the Cosmos. I love the bright colors of the flowers and delicate feathery leaves. I can't imagine my garden passing into the fall season without those hardy flowers. 

  

Something New in the Garden

My Mom always had hollyhocks growing along the fence in the summer but this is the first hollyhock I've planted in my own garden. I just love these pink flowers that bloom their way up the tall stalk. They remind me of the fluffy crepe paper flowers we used to make in grade school. Why did I wait so long to plant one? I don't know but I will definitely have to add a few more next year.

Sketchbook Challenge - June

June's theme - Pathways

Drawings of a few things growing in the garden.
Eating well this summer - a pathway to good health and nutrition.  

Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy. ~Astrid Alauda

Fabric Swatch Exchange

I received my copy of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine in the mail yesterday. As I was flipping through the pages I saw the fabric swatch that I designed and sent in as part of an exchange. How exciting is that!

July/August 2011 issue

Page 82, upper left corner - that's me!

my fabric swatch - their photo is much better than mine.

The object of the exchange was to design an 18” x 36” piece of fabric using any technique (stamp, paint, dye, transfer, etc) you wanted. Cut into 9”x 9” squares and shipped to the magazine to be exchanged. In return, to each participant, the magazine sent 6 randomly chosen swatches designed by some of the other 200 artists who took part in the exchange. I love the variety of swatches I received and it will be fun thinking of ways to use them

Here are a few of the swatches I received. Aren't they beautiful?

designed by Victoria Gordon

designed by Judy Arbuckle

designed by Lisa Encabo

Can't throw it away...

Some new collages in the works. Not quite sure where they're going but having fun using all these bits and pieces that would otherwise end up in the trash or
recycle bin.

  

I love Moss!

When I moved back to the New England eight years ago I fell in love with the green moss, ferns and other shade loving plants that grow here. It was so different from the sunny gardens I had gotten used to in much drier Southern California. When I started thinking about creating a garden I envisioned a place that would capture the lush look and cool feeling I’ve experienced walking in local places like the Connecticut College Arboretum, Harkness Memorial State Park,  and Bluff Point State Park. I poured through the many catalogs arriving in the mail and the few books I had on North East gardening dreaming of the plants I wanted to include and how they would all look together.

"before" winter 2007

There is much more to do but after replacing the barberry hedge with a cedar fence, adding a black metal fence with a gate to contain the space and give it that separate room feel, building a small arbor from 2 trellises, transplanting moss to grow between stepping stones and getting the first plants in the ground last fall this is what it looked like a few weeks ago when the tulips and bleeding hearts were still blooming. Fences, arbor and heavy rock lifting - all courtesy of my most helpful and handy husband.

 

Most of the plants are gifts from gardening friends and family. These are always the most treasured because I’m reminded of these special people every time I spend time in the space and it gives the garden history. Others are transplants from different spots in the yard or from the many wonderful local garden club plant sales that go on each spring – the Ledyard Garden Club plant sale is my absolute favorite!

 Still on the "to do" list:
- one more planting bed
- pea gravel pathway
- make more hypertufa containers
- small water feature?