Tuesday, December 30, 2008

bookmarks



These are one of a kind bookmarks I made for the gallery. I took some old paintings and 'resized' them into bookmarks. I have some foot surgery coming up and I'm trying to think of small things that can be done upstairs so I don't have to go down to my studio. I think I'll spend a lot of time with my foot elevated and working on the computer cleaning up files and manipulating photos of dancers, but I have some small small projects in mind. I'm preparing the materials and bringing it upstairs. I've got some collages in mind and perhaps a few more icons.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

White Christmas




For all the White Christmas fans, this is quite a year. Personally, I'm not a fan- okay, it's pretty. It's dangerous and my favorite snow cleanup person is getting worn out and so am I!

We spent ten Christmases in Phoenix with my family and a saguaro cactus with Christmas lights is my kind of decoration!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

REJOICING ANGELS



Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!


James Montgomery 1816

Photo of Turning Pointe dancers by Virginia Wieringa 2006

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Waiting


"Contemplative waiting, purposeful waiting is what makes Christmas an experience rather than simply an event. It is a lesson meant to color the entire year." by Sr. Joan Chittister, read more at http://www.benetvision.org/Ideas_In_Passing/12_15_08.html

I found this on the Image and Spirit blog and added my own image WAITING.

We are praying for traveling mercies for many of our loved ones who are in transit through this storm and waiting for them to arrive safely. Church was cancelled today so we are singing our own Advent songs.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

This is hilarious!



My niece wrote about her daughter's birthday party and it's just hilarious- especially if you've ever had a quirky six year old girl yourself. This is a photo of my dear niece and her husband and my very own girl when she was six- only about 20 years ago now!!

Check it out for a good laugh.
http://www.saradeboer.com/

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"Ready my heart"- Lois Shuford


A song we've used at our church for Advent the last few years is very meaningful to me. Called "Ready my heart", it's written by Lois Shuford. The first two verses are:

"Ready my heart for the birth of Immanuel.
Ready my heart for the Prince of Peace.
Heap the straw of my heart for the baby to lie on.
Light the candle of hope; let the Child come in.

Mine is the home that is poor and is barren.
Mine is the stable of cold and stone.
Break the light to each corner of doubt and of darkness.
Now the Word is made flesh for the birth of me."


The image is my mixed media piece CELESTIAL TIMING #3

I wonder



I wonder where this painting is. I've been wandering through some files on the computer and came across this painting. I recently went through some stacks of work and I don't remember seeing this one. I think it's got some merit (at least on the screen). If I ever come across it, I should name it "I wonder".

This is part of the process of getting back to work after mounting a large show or finishing a series. Now what? The studio has been tidied up and the empty canvas and paper is at the ready. Time to smear some paint.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

an experiment with embedding

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us



In the olden days, I was an art teacher for Kindergarten through 6th graders. I was pressed into service today when the craft with the lesson my husband was going to teach his 1st and 2nd grade Sunday school was too complex. The main idea was that Jesus is God and the light of the world.
It's important to me that the kids do the work themselves, but we had 10 minutes, so I chose carefully what I would leave up to them. What I made ready at home was : 2 and a half inch circles of card stock, 5 inch squares of card stock. With sparkle paint I painted around where the first circle would be and drew some messy sparkly lines. In class, we talked about what was so special about the baby Jesus and decided that it was that he was both a baby and the son of God. I quickly showed them the steps. I had them draw the baby Jesus on the circle. Any way they did it was fine. Some drew swaddling clothes (which do make him look rather like a caterpillar- but that metaphor works too!) Others added straw for him to lie on, a manger, etc. Some children started the drawing too small and used the other side for a second try. When they were done with the drawing we put a little glue on the back of the circle and had them position it. They then took a scissors cut triangles out to make it look like a star (as I had shown them in my demo). We punched a hole and tied a gold ribbon through it and we were done. If they had done all the cutting and all the gluing and the sparkle painting, it would have taken at least 30 minutes and made more mess, but as it was it took 10-15 and while some kids were finishing, others cleaned up and we were done. They'd drawn the baby and they had cut the points of the star. Not as creative as I would normally want, but they still had some input, it wasn't just assembly. I wish I had taken pictures of theirs, but it was pretty quick!

The verse we glued on the back was John 1:14a The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

ADVENT STARRY NIGHT #2



The Dec 13th post on the Image and Spirit blog http://imageandspirit.blogspot.com/ asked permission to use this painting with a lovely meditation about Advent. I'ts a wonderful blog to look through. Beautiful images and thoughtful meditations.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

PENTWATER PATH #1



I probably posted this years ago- it was done in 2002. I just took it out of the frame to get a good photo and I was struck by the similarity of the paths in the Advent Starry Night and here. Something about a path that disappears around a corner is beckoning. There's a trail we walk sometimes that's on an old railroad right of way. I find it boring because there aren't any twists and turns. You can see everything ahead. No surprises.

Monday, December 08, 2008

The Holy star



THE HOLY STAR

As shadows cast by cloud and sun
Flit o'er the summer grass,
So, in thy sight, Almighty One,
Earth's generations pass.
And while the years, an endless host,
Come pressing swiftly on,
The brightest names that earth can boast
Just glisten and are gone.
Yet doth the Star of Bethlehem shed
A lustre pure and sweet,
And still it leads, as once it led,
To the Messiah's feet.
O Father, may that holy star
Grow every year more bright,
And send its glorious beams afar
To fill the world with light.

William Cullen Bryant 1875


I know I've posted my painting Advent Starry Night 1 before, but I found this poem on a blog (http://larin-offerings.blogspot.com/) and thought it was a great fit for this time of year.

Friday, December 05, 2008

Reception at the Terryberry Gallery

















This was a fun evening. We had about 40 people come through and a few pieces sold. I finally remembered to take some photos at the end. Of course, I forgot to have anyone take a picture of me! John and Ann and Mark and Martha stayed till the end and helped with the dismantling of the reception. The artwork will be there until January 31 and they are open from 9-5, M-F.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Terryberry show hung at St Cecilia

What a relief. Today I go hang the labels and I'll take some pictures of the installation.

Except, of course, I was too tired to take photos. Maybe I'll remember at the reception tomorrow (from 5-8).

Rachel Zylstra

A gifted young friend of mine just put out a new CD. Listen to some of the tunes at:
http://www.myspace.com/rachelzylstra

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Today's the day




This afternoon, I will hang the show with the help of Fred and two friends at the Terryberry Gallery downtown in the lower level of St. Cecilia. It's exciting, and I can't wait to get it done!! I'll post pictures soon of the results. The Roadside Poppies above will be a featured painting.

It's unbelievable the planning that goes into a show. I think non-artists would be amazed at everything that goes into preparing for this beyond creating the art and framing it. Details: Measuring space calculating what pieces would look good together in which space, typing labels, printing, cutting, creating postcards, addressing, trips to the post office and Office Depot. Making sure there's enough sticky tack, packing things into boxes, hoisting and packing and protecting surfaces. Yikes, and today's the day. I'm ready, I think.