Spring "Vistas"

This has been the most extraordinary spring in my memory. It has shifted my thinking about place and change. I thought I needed a change and a "vista." But, in spite of a late snowfall and slow-to-arrive spring, I have been very happy. Why? 

An April 18th snowfall had birds digging for food.

Four weeks of travel in late March and early April meant that I was ready to be home. When on the road it's hard for me to do art. Upon arriving home, I began a painting project that had been brewing for some time. I wanted to provide a background for the hummingbird alebrijes that I purchased from Jacobo and Maria's workshop in Oaxaca. I had the background image in my mind. On my 2016 trip to Oaxaca I stayed in a lovely home with a balcony that looked out on an orange-flowering tree (African Tulip Tree or Flame of the Forest). The distant mountains, the valley, and the gigantic yellow edged blossoms were all a background for lively hummingbirds every day. My photo was OK, but had too many distractions. I decided I could paint the background I needed, so I started an adventure learning to apply acrylic paint to masonite. Whenever I got stuck I either asked an artist friend or went to YouTube. What a treasure of information! I'm pretty pleased with the results. I still like working with pastels better, but in a kitchen, I need a scrub-able surface. 

   
Meanwhile, birds were arriving. And they stayed. I've never seen so many beautiful spring birds for so long a time. I was in awe. We literally would shout out what window had what birds at the feeders: "Scarlet tanagers at the suet by the bedroom!" "Indigo bunting on the thistle feeder out in back!" Most years I feel lucky if I see one or two colorful spring birds.

This is what we typically see in the spring. A slight movement in the bushes.
A yellow-rumped spring warbler. Nice, but not outstanding.

The indigo buntings shared the thistle feeder.

Scarlet tanagers at the suet feeder.
At one point there were 7 on the bush behind the feeder.

Lots of orioles. They liked both the oranges and the grape jelly.

We never found the nest, but this watchful mom had three babies screaming for food.
(It's a barred owl.)

Not a view from our yard, but in the Arboretum, a rookery of Great Blue Herons.
We had never seen it here before.

In addition to painting and bird watching, another project was happening. Jim was installing a window. I do my concrete work in a small, smelly shed with two tiny windows. We had saved two big windows from the Chiripa remodeling that sat in the shed for more than ten years. I had been whining that they either had to go or had to be installed. One is now installed and it will create a new feeling in my little space. Thank you, Jim. I can't wait to get working on my next concrete project.

 My new shed window. Notice the credit card signs on the left.
I think I'll keep them to remind me of where this came from.

And so, I now have a new appreciation for "vista."
1) I recreated a stunning vista from Oaxaca that I will see every day.
2) The spring birds created a vista out of every window in my house.
3) My shed has a new window giving light and air into a space that will evolve. 

I'm happy. Lots of work to do.

Coloring 2017

I am a fan of Amy Rice, a Minneapolis artist who I met through greeting cards published by Artists to Watch. Amy put out a coloring calendar for 2017 and I decided to make it my incentive to take time to create art. Could I give myself permission to go to my basement room and feel free to create something each month?

Mind you, I am disdainful of the current coloring fad. As a child I always colored inside the lines. I was neat, but not creative. I never considered coloring to be art. In order to keep myself going on a twelve month project I needed to make it my own. I would make each month's drawing a collage that reflected something about me and I would add text to each piece. 

To begin I used watercolor and markers on the front piece to test the stock. It's hardy, but will curl when wet. Most months I taped and clipped the edges to hold things flat. It seldom was enough.

January

Quote: Wake me up when it's all over. -Avicii

Media: Fabric, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

 

It was a season of sadness and despondence. Donald Trump would become president and a good friend would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. All I wanted was to crawl back under the covers and make it all go away.

February

Quote: Oh to dance in the air and float on the breeze. -Terri Guillmets

Media: Paper (maps), lace, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

The month I was to go off to Mexico to see the Monarch Migration in Michoacan, Mexico, Amy presented me with a drawing of butterflies. Perfect. I added a collage of Wisconsin maps indicating that the monarch butterflies migrate from Wisconsin to Mexico. 

March

Quote: If we had no winter the spring would not be so pleasant. -Anne Bradstreet

Media: Lace, fabric, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

 I was in Mexico for most of March and thus avoided much of this usually depressing month. I chose the quote as a form of wishful thinking. I really don't need winter anymore.

April 

Quote: If a child is to keep alive her inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, she needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with her the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.
-Rachel Carson (gender adjusted for girl in drawing)

Media: Rice paper, ink jet, paper, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

I love Rachel Carson and thought the quote fit the image. (I did cover up hollyhocks to give space to the quote.)

May

Quote: All things seem possible in May. -Edwin Way Teale

Media: Fabric, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

May is my birthday month and it does always seem like a very optimistic time. I enjoyed playing with this chicken-loving girl.

June

Quote: It never gets easier, you just go faster. -Greg LeMond

Media: Paper, tissue paper, glitter, watercolor, colored pencil, and marker.

I had fun with this one. Every June we ride our bikes with the Pancremaniacs in the Tour de Cure in Minneapolis. (That's a pancreas logo on the shirt designed by Treden Wagoner of Minneapolis.) You can join us to fight diabetes or make a contribution at The Pancremaniacs home page. Note the leaf patterns in the sky: I had just completed nature journaling and a watercolor class with Cynthia Quinn.

July

Quote: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.

Try again. Fail again. Fail better.  

-tattoo on Stan Wawrinka's arm by Samuel Beckett.

Media: Postage stamps, fabric, magazine paper, masking tape, watercolor, and marker.

This was my favorite month to adapt Amy's image into a relevant piece for me. It was just an accident that the US Postal Service put out sports balls as one of their commemorative stamp sets. And that one of the balls was a tennis ball. (I will be using the others for many months!) I watched a lot of Wimbledon while I was working and I cut out tennis enhancements from USTA's Tennis magazine. Flower stems became the arms of stars tossing the ball for serves. And the quote was so perfect. Even the carrots work for me. What's your carrot? 

August

Quote: Time collapses and expands like an erratic accordion  -Bel Kaufman.

Media: Fabric, paper, glitter, pencil, watercolor, and marker.

I knew I had to include Walter (the singing dog) in this accordion themed drawing. Walter sings when Julia (my great niece) practices her instrument. I got a photo of Walter and found out Julia's favorite song, The Happy Wanderer, and added other sheet mustic for the background. 

For the most part, I think another time I would not add my monthly activities. But this page reminds me that I was probably distracting myself because my friend with pancreatic cancer died on the 11th of August.

September

Quote: People leave strange little memories of themselves when they die. -unknown

Media: Acetate, ink, pan pastel, colored pencil, watercolor, and marker.

And September is the really sad month when three years ago both of my parents died in just over a week's time. I have returned to pastels and decided to coat everything with a soft grey pan pastel. But, flowers would stay bright. And the quote is so true. Little things will trigger unexpected memories. (I didn't know if the pastel would wear off, so I put the acetate over it only to see now that the ink is chipping off the acetate. Oh well, a year of experiments. . .)

October

Quote: You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know. -Antilope

Media: Metalic paper, colored pencil, watercolor, and marker.

The tenth month was the hardest and actually the last to be completed. I was busy. And I'm not really a Halloween person; more Day of the Dead, but that's not until November. But as costumes go, this one appealed to me the most. I found various Wonder Woman images online and did a composite of what I thought this girl would wear. (And l loved the movie!)

November

 

Quote: Seaons happen and things get colder and harder. -Charlotte Ericksson

Media: Turkey feathers, colored pencil, and marker.

 

We have lots of turkeys in our yard, so this seamed a natural. And my dread of the coming cold and dreary season  is apparent.

December

Quote: . . . it's reason for being was nothing more than prettiness. -Mary Oliver

Media: Glitter, colored pencil, acrylic paint, pastel, and marker.

I love snow globes so I transformed a rectangle into a globe. You can still see the original vertical line right behind the dog's tail. We all need a little glitter in our lives.

I'm anxious to see what the new year brings.

New Directions in 2018

My blog is my personal journal and it no longer feels relevant. I seldom get around to recording my thoughts, and it is a task master for trips. I don't need that extra stress. Facebook keeps track of travels and events if I choose to make them public. I had thought about "quitting" this, but as a look at my aging process, I may want to revive it. 

What I would like to do is record some of the art that I am creating. A look back will be the first of those posts.