This is a place for me to show you what I love to do and things I love to look at. I am overwhelmed by the number of great artist out there and I want to use this space to document what I find and where it all takes me with my own creativity. I'm looking for my inspiration and I will show you where and how it comes to me. Hopefully, it will ring true for you as well and the gift will be passed on.
This is one of my three driveway lights all dressed up for Halloween. The garland and bow were easy. The ghost face took a little time to figure out. At first I just wanted to take a permanent marker and draw the face on the globe. Knowing I was not going to be able to replace all three lights after the fun was over and Halloween was past, I had to come up with a better idea. I settled on using black fabric with an adhesive backing to cut out the eyes and howling mouth. So far so good. Hopefully it will peel off easily. My sister had the idea to leave the faces on and just dress them up as singing choir boys for Christmas. That's actually not a bad idea. What do you think?
While building the wigwam during the past week, Barry Keegan has discovered evidence of Native American presence in the Arboretum! (Croton, New York)
This photo shows Barry holding chert flakes (the technical term is "debitage") which are the waste product of making arrowheads and other tools. Barry found these in the soil around the area where he's working.
A close up of the skillful hand of one Barry Keegan. He has crafted many a wigwam, primitive tools, thatched roof, and countless other gems. He has sat with his nieces and nephews to teach a lesson on arrow head making and goes so far as to fashion the rope to tie the arrow head into a necklace that would later be presented to the awe-struck teachers at school the next day.
While building the wigwam during the past week, Barry Keegan has discovered evidence of Native American presence in the Arboretum!
This photo shows Barry holding chert flakes (the technical term is "debitage") which are the waste product of making arrowheads and other tools. Barry found these in the soil around the area where he's working.
This is what life is like with a brother -in- law extraordinaire. We take a stroll around the museum where his wife had once worked (the lovely, Sara) and he bends down to a well-worn area in the dirt. I notice something pushing up through the soil. We unearth a beautiful glass bottle top that was discarded centuries ago by the colonist that lived in the area. I do a jig of glee, totally amazed with the treasure, Barry walks on, looking down to find the next moment of discovery! I will never look at the ground in the same take for granted way. Barry has the eye, the hands, and the skill, of a curator ready to teach our next history lesson.
"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all."
~Stanley Horowitz
I've had this picture for over 15 years, I think. It came in a book of Mucha postcards that I bought from the gift shop at The Museum of Modern Art. I remember the day we went to the museum, the gift shop, the book, and most of all this image. I love the look in her eyes, her gypsy kerchief, and the way she's perched in the tree listening to the call of the wilderness. Makes me think of fortune tellers, Halloween, being in the woods in Autumn. All the things I love about this time of year.
curious kangaroos: Toys from Trash: I caught this inspiring talk over at Urban Preschool . Arvind Gupta : Turning trash into toys for learning If you are intrigued take ...
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it." ~Buddha
This is a must see for all of us who want to know where wonder and imagination might lead us. This artist had the ability to trust where she was being led without any guarantees of any kind of success or outcome. Her story and art are truly inspirational. http://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman.html
I think this quote I found on Chel's Common Miracles page fits in with this artiat and her work.
“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.”
–Pema Chodron
A common miracle just occurred today. I was at the local wholesale club, shopping for the weekend. I always check out the piles of books laid out. I am a book fiend. So a book of quotes caught my eye. Randomly chose a page and the first quote I laid eyes on was "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle. Loved it. Not only am I a book fiend but a perfectionist at heart. That can be more of a hinderance to me, but it is who I am. I accept it. So, here's where the miracle pops in. I get home from the store and open my facebook acct when I get the chance. My favorite writer, Marianne Williamson has a quote posted "We are what we repeatedly do..." Wow!! Such a crystal clear message. I love it!
