Reminders of Summer

The last Monarch Butterfly of the summer: 

I will be taking a blogging break for an unknown period of time.  Thank you for all of your support. 

“We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.” E.B White

These are some small mixed media paintings I am selling at "Dino's" in Loch Lomond, CA.  Dino's is a wonderful Deli and market where you can get freshly made sandwiches, salads, drinks and much more.  Loch Lomond is in Northern California a beautiful pine tree filled rural area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired by Flowers

We are continuing to have an amazing array of blooming wildflowers this year.  Gazing at them often brings tears to my eyes.

"Gratefulness is heaven itself." - William Blake

I am grateful to be participating in the creative process....making some bird houses:

a small Luna moth painting:

another bird house:

A wonderful day!

"Each Moment of the Year has it's own Beauty" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am inspired by so much this spring!  The tadpoles in Raven's pool becoming tiny tree frogs, no bigger than the fingernail on my little finger.  The growth of our garden, moths and butterflies, gold finches at the feeder, flowers, the sounds of bull frogs at night!

Since the big beautiful silk moth visited I have been experimenting with making moths and butterflies.  In this image I made their wings out of tissue paper and their bodies of clay.  The wings move in a breeze:

 Here is one that I placed on a painted board:

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." ~Hans Christian Andersen

Nature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished - Lao Tzu

I made a small tribute to our devoted friends who wait for us to come home:

and another small tribute to all the wonderful song birds who fill the air with beauty:

That the stars are adamant

everyone understands—

but I won’t give up seeking joy on each blue wave

or peace below every gray stone.

If happiness never comes, what is a life?

A lily withers in the sand

and if its nature has failed? The tide

washes the beach at night.

What is the fly looking for on the spider’s web?

What does a dayfly make of its hours?

- Edith Sondergran

Those Who Dwell Among the Beauties and Mysteries of the Earth Are Never Alone or Weary of Life - Rachel Carson

This is an art quilt I just finished.  It was inspired by a Saw Whet Owl.  These are very small owls (about the size of an American robin) who come out at dusk to hunt where I live.  They are frequently on the ground along side of the road waiting for mice to come out.  Driving home one evening recently, I came upon one of these amazing little beings waiting in the middle of the road.  I pulled over to encourage this owl to leave the middle of the road but s/he was so intent on hunting that I got right up to it before it flew off.  I am grateful for the encounter.

One of the things I have learned over the years is to pick my teachers, to the best of my ability, from my experience of what I feel their art 'transmits'.  I look for teachers who transmit, love, joy, depthfulness and heart.  The teacher I have learned about sewing, quilting and cloth from (and am still taking classes with her) is Jude Hill .  If you are interested in learning about working with cloth from a Master I highly recommend taking one or more of her classes.