Fall-Candy

There is something about autumn that speaks to my soul. The colors, so vibrant, signify life and death in the same light. There is a snap in the air that is fresher than any breath I have taken in months. I welcome the earthy-sweet scent of sap and detritus blending and breathe deep the smell of damp soil. This could be the time of year were I find myself overcome with the melancholy beauty of it all.

It's been a while. The chaos of life took over (and I know that's no excuse) but here I am now, revived and ready. In order to catch you up on where I've been, I give you "The Top Ten Things I Have Seen in the Last Two Months (in no particular order)."

1) Autumn in Seattle. The colors - I don't even know what to do with them but I tell you what, they put my paint mixing abilities to shame!

2) My little sister in a wedding dress - enough said!

3) A sunset sky the exact color of Rainbow's Orange Sherbet with Raspberry swirls. The sunsets in Florida truly have no competition.

4) The first ceramic pieces I have thrown in two years, arriving at my door, glazed in colors that made me squeal (the very first forced-collaborative project with my Ti).

5) My amazing man in a pair of larger-than-life aviators. Somehow equally goofy and sexy, just the way I love him.

6) My own pedicured toes (you first must understand how sadly rare this is, only then will you understand how good they looked).

7) The look on Miss Jessica G's face when she realized I could act (or deceive, depending on how you look at it) to the point of forced tears.

8) The Snoqualamie Falls - the complete scene involved watery but warm afternoon sunlight, soft cheese and crisp apples, the beautifully intense scent of wet moss combined with decaying leaves, the everlasting sound of the Falls tumbling, crashing, splashing, and of course, the view of the valley sodden and sparkling far below.

9) The slow development of my "cherry blossom" painting (not its real name), the painting I have been working on for almost six months, the painting that has re-taught me how to struggle for my work, the painting I have almost given up on many times. Its almost there.

10) The brick wall outside my studio that daily sends me this message: Whatever your poetry is, keep it alive. It is your soul.

Red Post

Summertime in the PNW. This day at the beach did not require a bathing suit, but rather, a hoodie and a hat - nothing like the summer-beach memories of Santa Barbara or even Santa Cruz. No, my beaches now hold an exquisite melancholy, full of beauty and the perfect setting for long contemplative thoughts. This day was grey and drizzly, low 60s, but I just kept finding warmth. The bright colors seemed to jump up from the sandy shore and I made for myself a nest of red to ward off the chill while I sat and watched the waters.

Inspiration

This beautiful plate (a gift from my Dad) is by ceramic artist Ayumi. I am so in love with her work, and of course this plate in particular. It has not left my desk since its arrival because I love seeing it every time I sit down.

On a (seemingly) unrelated note: I have been working on a whole series of mixed media pieces that are small enough to travel between the studio and my home. They begin with silk screened images, then come home to be sewn and drawn on. As I sit here working on one of them, I realized just how influenced I am by the beautiful objects of inspiration that I keep close, with color in particular. Ayumi's choices have leaped off her plate and onto my paper, in the red pencils and blue thread. And I am thankful for the shared energy in our art.

I Still Have a Long Way to Go

I have been thinking about the labyrinth a lot lately (and not the David Bowie movie, although I confess I have watched it and bring it up in discussion a bit too often). The labryinth is a visual reminder of the spiritual journey that we are taking, it is a tool for meditation and the practice of quieting the outter chaos in order to hear more clearly. In this, I still have a long way to go, but it is good.