So much to be thankful for - hope you've had a blessed day. xo
Tag: lucky girl
-
Come play in NYC – August classes
A new class for August 13 – FLIP OVER NYC. Get it? It's a flip-style book you will flip over. Ha! Super fun to work on this one. Come take the class with me at The Ink Pad. Call (212) 463-9876 to register. Then on August 14 we will be making a Frond Chronicle Journal. Learn how to make your own stencil/mask sets (from four different materials), then use them as tools with paint. This one is a favorite and often requested. See samples below. Hope to see you in class!
-
and just like that, April is over
As April approached I had a grand plan to blog each week under theme of autism awareness. Turns out the month got away from me. Here we are on the last day already. It's been busy, but oh so fulfilling. Thank you to our friends who have supported our new shop. 73 sales is pretty good for our launch month. We also had two commissions – just mailed the second one off today. I had a meeting with our DVR counselor this week. That's a state appointed person who tracks your progress in securing a job – she had referred us to two different agencies to assist with the process. As you know, after three years with no prospects we decided to go out on our own and build a business. She was very kind and went to bat for us with her supervisor to see if they could support us in any way – thanks, but we don't need anything. We got this. While I appreciated her effort, it ended up being a frustrating experience. Because I couldn't supply her with a tax ID and financial reports they regard our enterprise as a hobby, not employment,and have earmarked his file as a non-success. I left the meeting feeling deflated because they don't get it. Profit is not a goal. It's Purpose we are after. And Purpose we created. And Purpose fills our days and brings satisfaction and happiness. Who cares what the files say, we are doing it our way.
On launch day Sam received a bouquet of roses from our friend Janet – a sweet lady I only know through this blog and our email conversations. Thank you Janet – not only for making April 1st a very special day, but you've introduced us to a really fabulous enterprise: Roses for Autism. If you ever want to send roses, this is the place. Visit the site to learn more about their exceptional staff, HERE.
Just after Sam's birthday, he participated in a talent/fashion show at our high school with his peers. It was the most amazing evening seeing these special kids parade across the stage, and sing, and dance. Sam had a display of his cards with two other entrepreneurs; a friend who makes candles and air fresheners, and another artist who paints and illustrates. Super fun night and utterly heartwarming.
As I mentioned, in addition to painting cards, we were commissioned by friends to create special packages. Veering from our usual routine was something Sam took in stride but he can't wait to get back to painting next week. He whizzes through the labeling and packaging because he knows that once that is done he can get back to the easel.
Tomorrow is May. I remember making May Day offerings out of construction paper and filling with leftover Easter grass and a handful of treats to leave at the door of friends. Ring the bell, hang a surprise on the doorknob, and run! It was a tradition in my neighborhood that we continued with our kids. Anyone else do May Day cones or baskets?
-
documented life project!
What an honor to be invited to participate as a Guest Artist for The Documented Life Project. These girls have been inspiring artists for almost two years with their wonderful art and generous weekly challenge site. When Roben-Marie sent my assignment back in January I was thrilled. Stamps, Stencils & Masks are right up my alley. Not only do I love using retail products, but I also love to custom make all of these tools for making art. I have tutorials on both Stamp Carving and Stencil Cutting if the process is new to you or you want a refresher.
A few words about process….I love to work spontaneously, with no plan, no agenda. But I also love thinking about a project in specific detail, especially if I have an assignment. I make notes and some sketches, and try to discern what I want to express, or more importantly, what is channeling into my thoughts after being prompted with a subject. I love being immersed in the pre-project-thought-process as you give consideration to all the ways your ideas could be manifested. Here are my notes from January:
Last week I revisited the prompts, handcarved stamp and tapestry, and still found myself focused on a mental visual of the things I jotted down earlier in the year. Tapestry > foliage > trees > leaves > Autumn.
This is what I imagine when I think Tapestry. Woven, worn, rich. Lots of color, but a subtle range.
A word that kept repeating itself in my notes – Autumn. A strong influence – we are in full Fall colors here…. although most leaves are now on the ground. I am drawn in by the vibrant colors….especially the reds. I have a favorite quote that I think I will include. We'll see.
So how to interpret this through my own filters, with my own style? Make a few color selections and build a palette, then draw a few things that could be transferred to soft block and carved. Then start painting and see what happens.
The tree I carved is 4" with alot of intricate details so there may be an issue getting a good imprint on a page that has already been layered with gesso and acrylic. Going into this I knew that I wouldn't attempt to stamp the entire tree directly on the page. Through an experience of working on a project with a large (12" x 12") carving, I stumbled upon a trick that I like to rely on when applying an image to a page. Pre-paint loose paper (I used gessoed tissue paper) then stamp with black paint onto several sheets (paint on paint is better than ink on paint). Cut up all the "good" portions and splice together to recreate the image. It's like a paper quilt and makes the composition more interesting. Here is the piece where I learned my lesson of layering, 12" square framed collage painting made from a carved stamp:
My plan was to be tapestry-like but I ended up more quilt-like. This is a good example of how you can take inspiration from a prompt and have some loose intentions, then let the piece begin to work itself out while you are in-process.
I really admire these girls for launching their challenge site in 2014, then beginning again with weekly prompts for 2015. Having hosted my own monthly challenge site for six years I know how much work it is AND I know how much it means to get feedback. It's validating and encouraging. So be sure to chime in when you visit their site and offer your kind words.
Again, here is the link to The Documented Life Project: Art to the 5th Stop by and see what magic the hostesses have conjured up for this week's prompt.
-
“show me a garden”
I've said this before, I choose to celebrate my sister's life on our birthday, May 17. Then comes July 10, her departure for heaven, one of those dates on the calendar that weighs heavy and I wish we could skip over. To fend off the sorrow I revisit photos that make me happy…like the one below of Shannon with Fallon from July 1998. Fallon was not quite three. In the back you can see a young Peter, nearly eight, with my brother John. We were in Minnesota for the 4th of July and spent the day doing fun stuff with the whole family. Happy memories.
I haven't shown you my rose garden yet this year. Here are two sections showing about two thirds of the roses. They were late bloomers this year but when they did finally come out it was glorious. A sign of connection. Sam and I walk the neighborhood in the evenings and we always take a path to visit the local tribe of deer…another sign.
Tonight while I was alone in a store, this song came on. I was checking out and close to tears. Escaped to the car and it was on the radio. Another sign. Chasing Cars will always tug at my heart. I listened to it on my ipod repeatedly when at the hospital with her. It's such a sweet and gentle song. Every now and then I will hear it, and I know she's there. It's good to remember the things that make you smile in remembrance, but it's good to cry too. She mattered.
A page from my sister journal, April 2009. I was so thrilled to see my roses, after their first winter, come "bursting into life".
-
five seventeen
1972 – I remember this so clearly…..a sunny day at my grandparent's lake home. Two boxes, with matching wrappings from the department store were presented. Two floral broomstick sundresses – one too short, one too long. We probably had Welch's grape juice, Fritos, ham sandwiches, and birthday cake from the bakery in a fancy window box – eight candles for me, four for her. Within a few days we were likely at my other grandparent's lake home for the opening of fishing season. In jeans and hoodies, sitting in the boat with our little plastic rods, putting minnows on hooks and trolling for walleyes, or using worms to catch sunfish. Happy memories.
-
three fours on five five
On May fifth I found my first four leaf clovers of the year – three of them! I love walking through the neighborhood and visiting my lucky spots – especially before the grass gets mowed. I couldn't even count the number of clovers I have saved – for sure nearing five thousand.
-
A Life Lesson
Last week I went home to Minnesota for my Grandmother's funeral. While it was definitely tearful, and she will be dearly missed, it was also, in a way, a celebration of her life and how present she was in all our lives. Born in 1913 as Mary Batchelder, grew up in Granite Falls, MN, attended University of Minnesota, married Fallon Kelly in 1935, had four children – Kitty, John (my dad), Anne, and Molly, who gave her 18 grandchildren, and they gave her more than thirty great grandchildren. In the last few weeks I've been filling a journal with stories of her, from my childhood until now. Lots of beautiful, sweet, funny, and sentimental memories. I smile as I think of them even this very minute. I've flipped through photos, both here and at my parents home, and even more memories flooded in. It's hard to think of her not being at the other end of the phone, or opposite me at the dining table, but it was her time, and we are grateful for a full, happy, healthy life she enjoyed.
After the funeral last Friday we had a family dinner with all the relatives (there were alot!) and there was encouraging chatter about sharing stories. You may not know this about me, but I am a total chicken when it comes to standing up in front of a crowd, even if they are loved ones. Several of my cousins got things started and confidently stood up to share a favorite memory or two. This one spoke, then that one. We laughed, we toasted. Dad spoke. Mom spoke. I squirmed in my seat, wondering which story to share, hoping I could muster the courage to join in, and refrain from crying before I finished. I wasn't sure I could do it. But I didn't want to miss the chance to say she mattered. That evening It became a running joke between cousins, as each took a turn, claiming they were the favorite grandchild. When I did leave the safety of my chair at the corner table, I managed to squeak out a few sentences before my throat clenched and the well of tears was ready to burst. I said that we each knew Grandma's qualities, which were many – including hunter, hostess, golfer, great listener, matriarch….but that she also knew everything about US. She *got* us. Each and every one of us, of every age. She knew what we were each about, what we were into, what was going on in our lives, because she was genuinely interested in even the smallest of details. For years she was sending me newspaper clippings of articles I would enjoy, she was the first person to take me to an art museum (Walker Art Center), she gave me my first book of poetry, ….. later she wanted to know what my latest project was, we'd exchange thoughts about books we'd read, she wanted to know what Graham was cooking, where Peter was working, what Sam was doing, what Fallon was studying. It was the same with all my cousins and their families. It occurred to me, after I sat down, that in addition to making the statement that she *got* us, that it was obvious I left out one important observation. I can't get a re-do, so I will finish my thoughts here. I can see now that the reason we each felt like we were the favorite grandchild, was because that was her gift. That connection of feeling important and special is what she gave us, and hopefully she felt in return. What a great life lesson. To make each person in your life – relative or friend, feel like they are your favorite. Thank you Grandma. I will try to live up to your example for the rest of my days.
Here's a small view into her life….
My last photo with her, August 2014. She lived to 102….we were so lucky!