Again? Shall I try again?

 I have been taking a Creative Writing for Older Adults class at the local community college, and seem to have found my tribe! Well, one of my tribes: there are also the Theatre folks, and the Sketchbook and other arts folks, and we can't forget the Quilters. And the singers. Oh, golly--I seem to be almost OVER-extended, don't I? But I'm not ready to give any of them yet.

But in the Writing Class the other day one of my classmates mentioned that HE has a blog, and encouraged others to jump in. Remembering this old page, I decided to test the waters. Let's see if THIS time I can stick with it, shall we?

11 February 2021

Apparently, this blog is still available, even though the last entry was made in 2017. I was aware that consistency and follow-through are not my strongest qualities, but 5 years is a long time between.

So I will start small, because life has changed quite a bit, and I have a renewed interest in being consistent; and I have actually achieved some goals by practicing every day (or nearly) that had seemed out of reach.

In March of 2020, daily life became constricted and limiting with the COVID-19 coronavirus affecting much of the world. Staying home has become the norm for me, and I began to take advantage of being here with my tools and supplies and toys. I finished the Calla Lily Quilt I had started for my daughter, completed a quilt for my new grand-nephew in Arizona, and continued doing ART with Helen, although not in person.

Then in July, Ron Drotos began a YouTube series of "lessons", a workshop for beginners, in Rock and Roll on the piano. 20 minutes every day. I did it, and when August came along, I continued with the Jazz workshop for beginners, and I've played nearly every day since then.

Why does it take so long for us to accept what we KNOW is true? If you practice something everyday, you will get better at it?

Well, I haven't given up yet

I started to update this blog last summer. It is what it is.

Months go by. So much happens. Here's the latest (sort of). In April 2016, PG&E came and replaced some gas lines on my street, and then in early June sent a contractor to fix the hole that had been left in the street (appropriately covered, I hasten to add). A gorgeous CAT backhoe showed up out front, and I ran out to take photos to share with my 4-year-old grandson and his sister. I liked the photo, so posted it on Instagram and facebook, and one of my online "friends" commented that I should be drawing it. I replied that at 100 degrees Farenheit outside I wasn't interested, but might try something from a photo. She immediately suggested we BOTH do a sketch from the photo. I liked that idea, but it took me a while to get around to doing it. (Expert procrastinator here.)

Speaking of procrastination--it is now February 2017, and I am finally getting around to making this blog update. I had to figure out how to add the .jpg to the blog. Not difficult when I finally did it...

The original I actually had framed (it fits in an 8.5x11 frame with a small mat) and gave to the grandson for Christmas! It's sketchy. I thought I would do a "better" one, but it is what it is. So there.

I keep telling myself I will get the sketchbook out, but I don't do it. Until this morning. Danny Gregory posted a Friday challenge: Draw a piece of toast. I did!

Saturday I went to a musical event, Local Women's Music Festival, at a nearby vineyard's redwood grove. As I listened to the music, I played with my watercolors, and this is the result. A few of us in the Everyday Matters online group have been discussing the differences between "real" watercolor vs. watercolor with added ink lines. To me it is a toss up. Sometimes I draw the piece in ink first, then add watercolor. That's fun. But sometimes, as here, I just jump in with the watercolor. I am not unhappy with the results here, but I often wonder "Would ink improve this? A little more definition in the trees and leaves?" But if I add the ink then don't like the result, what then?

So I tweaked the photo (I tried both photo and scanning, and think the photo worked better in this case) a little, and then printed two copies. My plan is to play with the copies, adding ink. I hope to post the results of that experiment soon, but now, I must go usher at the local symphony. Life is so hard here....

Wow! cloud

It has been a challenge for me to get around to posting anything because of my desire to include visual content. The time to sketch or stitch anything post-worthy has escaped me (I am the Empress of Procrastination--don't argue! I hold the title.) But the other day I took a walk, and although we weren't going to get any more rain, the air was still "unstable" which produced dramatic clouds.

You do see what I mean? And I have not been totally noncreative lately. I have been dipping my pen into the "poetry pool", producing collections of words that might become poems. I just have to keep working on them a bit longer. The last "poem" only took 34 years? The newer ones will happen faster. I have fewer seriously emotional distractions. Please keep coming back. Leave a comment if you will.

Acoustic Café

Last night the group Dgiin played fabulous music (kinda Gypsy swing) and we danced and danced. I took time for a quick sketch as the light was fading. It was a wonderful evening. 

I am limping back into blogging. It doesn't seem right to me to post something without a photo for inspiration, and I didn't have this photo on my computer yet (even though I finished the quilt in July). I made it for my newest grandchild, before knowing her identity. I tend to like "gender-neutral" in any case. Most of the baby quilts I make are in the 32x45" range, and this is no exception. I like the longest side to be close to 45", the usual width of cotton quilting fabrics. The fabric on the back was the inspiration for the color choices on the front, and as you can see, I inserted a strip of patchwork on the back--partly for interest, partly (mainly?) to make it long enough. I am really happy with it, and I think it suits Rylan Claudia Hanley.

Next post I'll include a watercolor. Do come back often! Leave comments.

I am in the throes of converting to a newer iPhone; not everything seems to be working the way I think it should (maybe I should just change my idea of how it ought to be?). But the Sunday of the Labor Day weekend I spent several hours on the banks of the Spring Lake (Santa Rosa) swim lagoon, chatting with friends. I got out my watercolor supplies, and for old times' sake, painted a couple of post cards of two trees that I have painted over and over for more than 20 years. Still satisfying.

And now I can't seem to get my scanner to work, so the iPhone took these photos. At least that worked.

Last week my cousin's daughter posted a photo on facebook of an old oak tree in Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa. Several years ago, I took a similar photo, and using that image, combined with a couple of others, as inspiration, designed and made an art quilt I call Spring Lake Evening. It is about 24" x 34", not large, but I like it a lot. It was a challenge, and fun to do, to figure out how to represent the different textures. I think it must be time to start on another such project. But which photo???

Coincidentally, I spent several hours yesterday at Spring Lake Park, visiting with friends I hadn't seen for years. For about 15 years, we all camped there together for a week or so each summer. It was great fun to reconnect.

Not Quite Square

The inspiration for this small (17" square) came from an article in Quilting Arts mag a couple of years ago. Finally doing it was so rewarding! Makes me want to start another. 

Phone Man

This morning I found myself with time on my hands, waiting to collect my brother-in-law from a medical appointment in another town, so I took myself to Peet's Coffee for refreshment. A pleasant-looking fellow was seated at a table for two, and I asked if I might join him. He welcomed me enthusiastically, telling me (phone in hand) that he was just working on his blog. As I sat down and took my notebook and pen from my bag, I urged him to continue; I was looking forward to writing my usual morning outpouring.

Well, instead of writing (me) or continuing with a blog update (him), for the next hour or so we chatted. We covered lots of ground, and it is because of his encouragement that I am finally getting back to this blog.

I had intended to include a photo of my latest Art Quilt project, but I am having technical challenges, so that will have to wait. Not long, I hope. My intention now is to post more diligently. To engage your senses, however, I am including a photo that I took last January, near Crescent City CA.

I haven't forgotten

Okay, so it has been almost two years since I posted anything here. What can I say? Life gets busy, and my creative impulses have tended in the direction of theater, which makes less interesting posts. I guess a photo? But it's not like a watercolor, or an art quilt.

But I'm visiting a friend in Münich, and I brought my watercolors and painted a little postcard. I hope I can remember how to post a picture if it.

New Art Quilt Group

How can it have been April when I last posted? That's months ago. Life is good and busy.

So here's the news: There's a new art quilt group in town, Rag Tag Quilters, and we are going to have a small show in the local co-op gallery. In case the poster isn't quite legible, here are the details: August 5, 2011 opening during the First Friday Art Walk, 5-8 pm (or so). The show will be up until August 26, 2011. Location? Corner Gallery annex, State and Church Sts, Ukiah CA.

We sure hope to see you there.

23 April 2011
Have you wondered where I've been? Is anyone still reading my feeble little blog? I love to write, and when I started this venture I thought I would contribute much more than I have done. Life sometimes gets in the way.

Since my last post there have been some challenging changes in my life that have gotten in the way of my "being here". But I'm back. And still doing watercolors and trying to keep an illustrated journal (but I use more words than pictures still). But I have been concentrating more on art quilts. SMALL art quilts. The quilt in the picture accompanying this post is about 9" by 12", and is a sort of reverse applique. I put 5 layers of fabric together, stitched the design, then started cutting through the layers to reveal what was beneath--some hand-dyed (by ME) fabric, some commercial fabric. And then I framed it with dupioni silk. I love it. Hope you like it, too. I plan to do more of this, maybe even some a little bigger. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Visiting Germany

Yes, I am in Germany, Muenchen, (Munich) to be exact, staying with a friend for a bit. After a challenging summer and fall, I felt rewarding myself with this trip a good idea. Winter in Germany is a lot different that winter where I live, in Northern California. It is colder, although the first few days here were quite pleasant, almost spring-like. The snow returned, though, and yesterday we took a ride to Starnbergersee and strolled in the snow on the shores of the lake. Lovely. Snow on the ground, and light snow falling. Dressed for the weather, it was quite wonderful. I took pictures, but cannot upload from here. Later! I promise.

It's October!

How can the whole month of August AND the whole month of September have gone by since I posted? Well, of course I have been busy. Haven't done much art work, but have taken a couple of nice photos. I'll post one here--the lovely hydrangea on the alley side of my house. Last year it had 2 blossoms total. This year it has been lush, covered with blossoms, falling over into the alleyway. Early in its season the blooms are quite blue, but as time goes by the newer ones are greener, very interesting colors. This shot is midseason and I think quite enchanting. Hope you like it, too.

Green is Such a Challenge

Recently I had the opportunity to sit in a friend's back yard garden with my watercolors and my large Moleskine sketchbook. The variety of greens assaulting my eyes was almost overwhelming. I had thought I would do a full page of the lushness, but just had to scale down. So here is my page of vignettes, and another small piece, a watercolor postcard of the fabulous BLUE chairs. I must get out more.

Photoshop Final Project

So I have been taking this Photoshop class, as I may have reported. Here is my final project, a self-portrait. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, although after I finished I thought of several other things I could have done. And this wasn't the FIRST thing I tried. For me, the hardest part is deciding WHAT to do. Figuring out HOW to do it is the fun part.

Twice in one day?

Somehow I got it backwards. The Weibel painting was done with the Winsor and Newton set, and the Campovida was done with the Sennelier. Does this really make a difference to anyone but me? Why did I bring 2 travel sets in my bag? The obvious answer is I am totally nuts. Duh.