Heading South - Road Trip Part 1

Well the journey to relocate to Arizona started on Sunday Oct 12th with my bestest buddie Evelia and my dog Sonny after a wonderful evening with our dear friends, Rob & Cheri O'Brien and perhaps a little too much wine. The first part of the drive was pretty uneventful as we headed over the I-90 pass and over to eastern WA. We became very aware of the lack of traffic and even wondered where all the people were. Our first night was spent in Baker City OR. The next morning my friend called to say they had snow on the ground in the Provo area where we were headed. We were driving into Idaho when we found our first scenic stop - picture to left - but I swear I don't even remember the name of this place - started with an "M".

Anyways, on thru Idaho stopping in Boise just for gas and some food and when we came upon Twin Falls, the area was quiet with a blanket of snow across the fields. The mountains were white and I hoped that there wasn't still snow in Utah. We got to Salt Lake as the sun was going down and the almost full moon was incredible. Evelia stood out the moon roof of the car taking pictures. I'm sure she was a sight for some of the locals. We stayed the night with my friend/ex-sister in law in Lehi and had some impromtu family time with her kids. The snow had all melted and the roads were clear but my mind was racing from being in the area again - not wanting to run into anyone or anything that knew or reminded me of my exhusband - ugh!

Now the real scenic travels begin. On Tuesday morning we headed southeast to see Bryce Canyon debating on visiting Zion or hoping to see both.

As we drove into Bryce we first came upon the
Red Cliffs and I had to imediatley pull over.
This place was beautiful. I had never been to these canyons before even with all my previous trips to UT when my kids were little.

We spent a good part of our day at Bryce and were leaving as the sun was going down so decided we to make it to Kanab for the night. It was so dark that I let a semi lead me through the windy roads of highway 89. It worked great until an aggressive semi pulled in behind me. I had to ditch them both at a passing lane and found my way thru the dark to Kanab. The old woman at the motel counter did her calculations for tax and change with pencil and paper and I helped her with the change part letting her off the hook as she was obvously tired and couldn't do anymore counting.

The moon was now full and was incredible over the Utah mountains. Kanab ended up being one of our favorite stops believe it or not as we dicovered a wonderful little restaurant that had a gallery upstairs. We enjoyed a top quality vegitarian meal and a few drinks and Victor, the owner was a pleasure and we thanked him for having such a spectacular little place in such an unexpected location. the Rocking V Cafe

September

September is almost gone and it is my favorite month, here in WA and also back home in MI. The trees start to turn color, the skies are still often blue and the sun is shining (well most of the time). When those first leaves start to drop and they find their way indoors, on the bottom of my shoes or a breeze thru an open door, I leave them on the floor as an artful reminder that the days are getting shorter and I need to take the time to enjoy every moment. This photo was taken a year ago when my friend Binky and I took a day trip up to La Conner and the Skagit Valley. It definitely represents the feeling that things are changing, the color of the landscape, the golden light hitting the leaves on the trees. I guess I just needed to post this for myself and say, its beautiful day!

Catching Up

Its been 2 months since I last posted - shame on me! Life just keeps getting int he way. So here's the latest. Binky and I are showing downtown Seattle at Local Color - check it out.

New Business

I'm very excited to finally start my new web design business, Creative Intentions Design, so had to make a quick post about it. This business allows me to combine my years of artistic background with my education in computers to create a space that meets both my left and ride side brain needs. I plan to focus on helping artists and creative organizations provide a professional and creative presence on the internet.

I'm still teaching at the studio, will also start teaching at Edmonds Comm College Arts Now program this month and will continue to sell and show my printmaking, mixed media and encaustic artwork.

Pushing into 3-D

Just got home from a 3 day advanced encaustic workshop with Larry Calkins thru the La Conner Art Workshops in Mt Vernon. First of all, I love Mt Vernon - wish I lived there and if I wasn't heading to Tucson in the fall, I'd move there.

Anyways, took this workshop with my friends Binky Bergsman and Judith Jackson and also met some new friends. I find I don't work well in a workshop environment but if I focus and get into my zone, I can make stuff happen. I'm used to working alone, especially when creating art, so the distraction of others, although often inspiring, oh yeah - you should see some of the stuff that was created there - anyways, the distractions can pull me out of the zone from time to time but it is worth it to learn the new skills and be inspired by the other art being created all around me.

So I had moved a bit toward the 3-d with my window pieces but in the workshop I was introduced to boxes. Larry supplied wood and saws and all sorts of tools and this allowed me to create "out of the box" pun intended, over what I would normally create in my studio. I see now I will have to venture out and purchase a few more tools, including a band saw. Below are the 2 boxes I finished and I have another in process - the third with a window to look in but of course, I haven't figured out what is going to go inside yet. I'll keep you posted of the 3-d developments and my new "box series".

Thanks a bunch to Larry for turning me on to new techniques and to Robyn for hosting the workshop.


Tranquility Box #1 Tranquility Box #2 Tranquility Box #2 detail

PS - box names and I found myself asking for tranquility on the first day as I was a bit stressed and needed something to focus on.

Encaustic Show in Seattle

My friend and fellow artist, Binky Bergsman and I hung some of our encaustic artwork at Uncle Elizabeth's Internet Cafe in Capital Hill last week. Our art will be there thru July and we will probably be there or in the area next month for the artwalk which is the 2nd Tuesday of the month. It's cool having our work shown together and we will be showing again in September at Local Color in the Pike's Place Market area. What I really enjoy about showing with Binky is that we get to hang out and spend time together. She is a wonderful woman, a great artist and a treasured friend.

I think I've spent too much time in the boonies because Capital Hill was a little funky for me and really - I'm usually quite comfortable with the funk - I'm part funk myself - LOL! But really - when the big city really feels like the big city, you know you need to get out more. HA!

And yes - the walls really were that yellow!

Illustration Blue Devils

This piece I created in response to an assignment in a design class to illustrate a story called "The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue" by Poe Ballantine. The mixed media encaustic piece includes imagery from the story including flies, venus flytraps, cigarette butts and of course blue devils, a popular drug of the sixties.

I am such an anti-smoking person that it was difficult and disgusting to collect the butts but I have found them to be interesting collage elements for my work. I am drawn to more 3d work and will be leaning in that direction on some new pieces I am working on.