A few days ago I drove across the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge to see Lynne. The road I took is called State Line Highway... one side of it is in California, the other Oregon... the waters seemed extra blue that day.
We shared art projects, I love these windows in one of her journals, I tried to capture the vibrant colors here for you to see.
I took pictures of Lynne walking on her trail by the creek. She is like a sprite in the forest, so quick and graceful. So sure footed even in flip-flops...
We walked along Rush Creek, which her land follows. This area is still moist and lush. Beauty everywhere, natural and manmade.
"She began to sing"
These are two other pages I loved in one of her linen traveling journals. The browns in the trees are amazing, (click for a closer view).
My heart was singing too, just to be out in nature and away from worries.
You can see more of her work and about our day here.
We came to "the green shrine tree". This beautiful old tree was hollowed out, I think by lightening, and she found these old tins and glass inside of it....
This is the tree flag she made especially for this day, this tree.
Walking back she showed me a special spot of her creek, where she had hung another flag...
Overlooking this part of the creek she had beautiful beads hanging from the limbs of the pines. She said they were not her best, from her days as a bead maker, and I could have any I wanted... to me they were beautiful... new treasures.
I threaded them on these branches...
And these... oh I love these... I will wear them happily... the longer beads are fish and remind me of the water at rush creek.
This is one of her walls in her studio...
and a corner where she sits in the evenings...
She gave me this beautiful Barely There book that she made. I already started working in it...
The pages I have almost finished... I found that I could easily collage on the pages using matt medium, stamps, and acrylic paint loved the surface... thank you so much Lynne!
New pages in another journal. The pencil sketch on the left is a copy of one that my mother had done of my daughter and I, and the photo's on the left of the three of us, when Amanda was about in the fourth grade. I have been cutting out words out of old paperbacks and making poems out of them.
These pages give me comfort.
Although this summer has had beautiful moments, like my day with Lynn ... it has been hard for me. I still don't have a teaching assignment for September... First, the sadness of losing my art job and now this uncertainty has been driving me crazy!
"before the sun takes leave" and "underneath the sky"
And a second painting for my "branch out" series. You can see my my first here...(you have to scroll down a bit).
This is called "dance upon the earth."
And finally, a sneak peek at the pages I did for Jill's book in our collaborative book exchange for Inner Works... they took me quite a long time to get just "right" and I loved working on them. This beautiful book is on it's way to lovely Rita right now.
May your midsummer days be filled with soft breezes and clear blue waters.
Hi Roxanne,
What a lovely post. It was so serene and relaxing, I felt as if I was there with you.
Sorry to hear about you job hopefully something wonderful is just around the bend.
Posted by: The Adventurous Art Teacher | August 29, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Gorgeous colors everywhere...oh, and, tag you're it!
xxo
Posted by: sarah | August 28, 2009 at 07:23 PM
Thank you for sharing your lovely day with us...and your lovely art...and your lovely friend.
Posted by: nelda ream | August 28, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Wow, the journals, the trees, the beads on a twig...lovely, lovely, lovely. All of it!
Posted by: Lisa | August 28, 2009 at 02:01 PM
talk about a sharing blogger! your blog is so full of adventure and lovely NO! gorgeous! work...yours and others..beautiful places and spaces
seth directed me to find you and the directions were not in the least a diappointment!
congratulations for being highlighted today on the Altered Page..
:)
Posted by: mar | August 28, 2009 at 07:43 AM
Oh, my, Roxanne, this is a love letter to a friend, it is so beautiful and evocative and touching, and inspirational.
Isn't it life-affirming to be in nature? And with a friend? And to get a journal from a friend?
I'm sorry about this difficult time. Friends make so much difference.
Posted by: Chris | August 27, 2009 at 09:56 AM
I came back, lured by the photo of the stack of stones, and by the pine cones at the tree altar. I love stone; I'm drawn to the idea of an altar ...
Posted by: Toni Brown | August 27, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Each & EVERY single piece of this moves me on such a DEEP level! As you always do...Words don't begin to convey or articulate...
I keep wondering if you are meant to develop a Non Profit that takes what you do into the schools that you have worked in. It is time that we find new ways...creative ways :)...whether it is in the discovery of what we are meant to do...or as in your case a new way to get paid doing what you do so well...It is your art...& it is SO much more than that...Sacred...Heart...Soul...are some of the words that come to mind...I am curious to see what & where this is taking you...
Posted by: Cyndee Greene | August 26, 2009 at 06:54 PM
What a wonderful post Roxanne, full of love and friendship and light.
Lovely to share your walk with Lynne and to experience some of the places you visited.
Beautiful art as always and I really love your Barely There book from Lynne. Your page is lovely (and sounds like you are enjoying the process...I know I love using fabric in art, especially with paper and mod-podge!!!!)
Always such a lovely place to visit.
Jacky xox
Posted by: Jacky | August 26, 2009 at 05:12 AM
If you check my blog tomorrow afternoon(August 26) I have a little something for you.
Posted by: Veronica Funk | August 25, 2009 at 12:52 PM
what a divine day -- wish i could have joined you on your magical adventure:)
Posted by: Susan Tuttle | August 25, 2009 at 09:45 AM
rivers of contentment thru me, have read this post 11 times, focusing each time on something different - a color, the line of a hiker's back, the delicacy of the 'almost there' journal, the wash of paint colors, the laid-back blue water ... I wish your words and images could somehow be distilled, together, into seaglass bottles with chiseled stone toppers that I could open on days when tranquility and inspiration are needed, hand in hand.
Posted by: Toni Brown | August 24, 2009 at 09:16 AM
Thank you, first of all, for stopping by MY blog and leaving me a comment!! I have subscribed to your blog! Such a lovely place!! And a fellow Oregonian!! Good things all around... Best of luck on your teaching!! I can tell you are a teacher in your soul.
Posted by: rachel whetzel | August 23, 2009 at 01:47 PM
Just thought I'd stopped by quickly, but no can do...must come back after my ride and continue. You live in the most magical of places..you and Lynn. Your work evokes this magic.
x..x
Posted by: Stephanie | August 23, 2009 at 07:46 AM
Wow..what a lovely connection and trip you had with Lynne..two beautiful creative souls.
I trust that all will work out with your upcoming teaching assignment...and that your gifts will be enjoyed by many other students to come in the days beyond.
Thanks for posting such lovely images of your work on Jill's book.
Supria
Posted by: Supria Karmakar | August 22, 2009 at 03:31 PM
What a special time the two of you must have had. Work journal and canvas work is exceptional, as always. And I love what you created for Jill!
Posted by: Seth | August 20, 2009 at 08:19 PM
I just love everything about this post and the day you shared with Lynne. I loved reading about it on her blog too. Your work is so inviting.
Posted by: Leslie M. | August 20, 2009 at 04:03 PM
I'd love to come visit where you live - it's absolutely beautiful!
Posted by: Ms.Tee | August 20, 2009 at 07:28 AM
a truly beautiful "sharing" between two soulfull people! Am enchanted by this place called "the green shrine tree". Can you blame me?
ahhh! Hope your desires for sharing and teaching manifest with grace! You show so much of it,naturally.
xo
Posted by: mansuetude | August 19, 2009 at 07:10 PM
This is such a lovely post, Roxanne. I was wondering about your returning to teaching. I was under the impression that you did have an assignment, but wasn't too thrilled about it. I do hope something opens up for you. You are too fine a giver not to teach.
Everything here was a treasure to look at. Your friend's property is beautiful and serene. Her "not so great" beads are teriffic. I'd like to see her good ones! Grin.
As usual, I love all your artwork. I like seeing your work in progress; it gives me encouragement.
Good luck to you, whatever comes your way.
Posted by: katiejane | August 19, 2009 at 04:31 PM
where to start, roxanne! first i'll just thank you for not showing any pics of me that make me look too dorky, hee!
i love what you did with the beads on the branch - that's so perfect! and all of your pics are gorgeous -- what a nice job you did of describing our time together with photos and words... and the pics of your new work, both in the muslin book, the other journals, and your painting are beautiful. your muslin book is going to be wonderful!
oh, and the wildlife refuge photos... i must go there... maybe we can meet there...
thank you for all of this... i am thinking about you and trusting that you know which classroom you're going to have and can now move forward.
love...
Posted by: lynne | August 19, 2009 at 02:57 PM
I've just scrolled through this most thougtful post...I'm off to lunch but will be back to take my time and "take in" the richness...Beautiful, Roxanne, beautiful.
Posted by: mary ann | August 19, 2009 at 02:22 PM