River Garden Studio

Winter Colors...finding them when it is so white outside...

I have been searching for the colors! How do you find time to see the colors in the winter? We have had storm after storm cover us with layer after snowy layer of whiteness. It seems like forever ago, but it was only last week that the picture of me in the center was taken with my cat Gem. She is not an easy cat to hold and I was lucky not to get scratched. My son and I had just driven home over the mountain. We missed a huge blizzard by one hour. In the photo I am sitting in front of a window and there was a white-out outside. Last week was really hard, my husband was in Kentucky and driving to work for my son and I was terrible. Finally, though, we got two snow days! What a wonderful break from driving. I did miss that first week feel of new students, they seem like quite a caring group both about me being their teacher again, (I taught them last year), and about ART! I am very impressed. I have just learned how to make a photo-mosaic, so I put it here on the top of this page for all to see. The iron piece is a beauty I bought outside of Jacksonville, Oregon in this metal salvage store. Actually I bought two, and they divide our master bedroom and my sun-room/studio. The little red finch was one that visits our bird feeders, the colored fabric was in a basket at the "Websters," a store in Ashland, when I went there last weekend with my dear friend Anna. The bottom corner ceramic water-lily was a gift from her. The two paintings on either side of me are ones I did last year. "Water Bird" is one of four art pieces I made yesterday. She is for the magazine Artitudezine and I am mailing this and three others as a submission for their last issue. I am not sure about sending artwork off, and if it will be accepted But at least I am trying. This is the little group of art, they represent home, light, celebration and faith and all contain a circle. They are made with various papers, paints and the ever-needed modpodge. I bought these slippers in Ashland, also last weekend, when I was shopping with Anna. I saw them on a shelf in a store, and thought what a beautiful photograph I could take of them! I have never bought slippers like these, much less slippers at all. Usually I wear socks around the house. Below is how they looked in the store... Here are two other photographs from the same day. Still searching for colors... Well, here I am again, legs stretched out and feet on the coffee table, my lap top on my lap and Gem close by keeping me warm. We both watch the birds outside and their is a brief reprieve from the snow. We are all home and all safe. I can hear my son playing his acoustic base for my husband back in the family room. Those beautiful words, faith, home light and celebration are with me now.

Pathways in the sky

The other night the moon was full and spectacular as it rose over the river. i took this photograph of it as I stood out on our snow-covered deck under our maple, (that until nightfall is filled with birds). The color of the evening sky made me remember this delicate silver necklace that my son and husband gave me once. I took the necklace outside and hung in over a small branch and begin to take photo's. Somehow I captured the moon directly over it. This only happened once, as I tried over and over, then I got too cold and had to come back inside...... This low flying water bird is an Egret. I got several shots of her out at the Wildlife Refuge near our house. Her take off was incredible, but the grace of her taking flight was so purposeful and elegant that I chose this photo to display here. Her sky-path was clear before her. I hope my path can be this clear, and I can glide toward it with grace........ These are the very old windows in my art room at the school where I teach. My students painted over them with acrylic paints, warm colors, and then we collaged designs inside the square panels. Somehow this touch of color distracts one's eyes from the foil insulation which sits over them on the walls and ceiling in shambles. ( My friend and I covered most of it with solid colored fabric, also in solid warm colors when I first got this job.) The sky was so blue today that the contrast just begged for a picture. What do I wish for my students to see as they look up through these windows? A touch of color in an unlikely setting. That beauty can be created anywhere. That their future is out past the sky, but their world to be creative in is here and now.

Weekends and art

The weekend goes by too fast, I have so many art projects I want to do and so little time. I am trying a new kind of collage technique to portray the color turquoise for the Summerset magazine. The deadline is mid February. It has been fun, messy and hard, hard because I am trying to be spontaneous as to what goes where and I like to plan things. Turquoise is usually an accent color for me when I paint so I kept on using contrasting colors instead! Some things I have that are turquoise... I wanted to take more photo's outside but it just didn't work out. The next photo is of a wall in my bathroom. The beautiful fairy is a gift from my sister, Stephanie. Actually so is the rose-hanger. It is amazing how looking at gifts can remind one so much of the giver. So many images keep whirling around my head that I couldn't sleep last night. I'd like to photograph the simple beauty of nature, a red dogwood branch, a bud, an old iron gate. Maybe next weekend. As my Sunday comes to an end I think of the people I love. I am so thankful for my friends and family. You inspire me and cheer me on!