a touch of light

Walking through the hall today my prism caught the sun and displayed the most beautiful array of colors on my wall...of course I had to grab my camera and pray they would still be there when I returned...they were...and then I pondered...how such beautiful colors, WITHOUT the help of Photoshop, can exist??...this was the real thing, a prism speaking the language of color...cool huh?

I thought I would post my newest Tableaux I have just added to my Etsy store...just in time for Valentine's Day....

tableaux 183

tableaux 179
tableaux 178

tableaux 177

tableaux 182

tableaux 181
tableaux 180

cha...cha...cha

Yesterday I made my way with my pal Connie (below) to Anaheim and the CHA - Crafts & Hobby Show.

Visiting with some of my art friends....Kristen Robinson, Ruth Rae, Catherine (from Quarry Books) and Stephanie Girard, Traci Bautista, Bernie Berlin, Bonnie from Ranger, Jenny Doh from Stampington & Co. and Claudine Hellmuth.

We oohed and ahhed over Claudine's new line of paints and accessories which I have been using and really love. She was busy demonstrating them at the Ranger Ink booth. And we showered Jenny with compliments on her outfit inspired by Stampington's new publication Apron.ology . I LOVE aprons, and wear them often over pants...but I love the many layers that created this outfit.

And how cool are these lovely little free motion stitched dresses created by Ruth Rae...If you love handstitched goodies check out Ruth's etsy store...
Stampington has so many new and exciting publications...look for my article in the next issue of "Somerset Digital" Magazine and at the end of the year I'll be in "Where Women Create," where you will view first hand the digs where I make my art...

The most exciting part of the day was when I arrived at the Quarry booth and getting to see and sign my brand new book "In This Garden"I co-authored and collaborated on with Sarah Fishburn.... It's hot off the press and it looks amazing...It won't be in stores for a month or so...but it's on it's way...How thrilling is that???

lunch with jesse...

What a week...I took this picture of the two of us taking a break and hitting one of our fav spots for a bite to eat.

history is made...

farewell my friend...

Rest In Peace Bobby...

BOB MAY
1940 - 2009

teacher.mentor.muse

Sunday I went with my pal CW to an event at VIVA the Valley Institute of Visual Arts to hear some contemporary artist/teachers speak and to view some of their work. It was extremely interesting, inspiring and motivating. It was clearly time to fill up...and just seeing art ...does that for me. (Several of the art pieces below were there to view in person)
Take a look below...I also added some quips from the discussion the artists had with their audience...

"Art is not a profession...but a broadening..."

Gerald Brommer
"It's finished when someone buys it."

Referring to a blank canvas..."Walk on it...everything you do will improve it."


Franklyn Liegel

"...transferring from one piece to another...like you are growing a garden..."

Katherine Chang Liu

"I have no fear because I know it will go wrong..."

Jim Morphesis
"Art is a sense of wonder..."

"As an artist...you know what you are supposed to be..."
You may not resonate with any or all of this artwork...but does it matter? Doesn't it just make you want to grab a paintbrush and create?

some january thoughts....

trippin' to vegas

My brother Chris and I took to the road for a New Years visit with my parents.
Look how Brit has grown. A barrel full of energy that keeps my parents on their toes.

It was cold in Las Vegas. The sunsets from my parents backyard were outstanding.

My Dad's daily ritual of feeding the swans and ducks...A couple games of Bingo...I so suck at Bingo...

Chris and I got a bee in our bonnets to paint my parents kitchen cupboards black...they needed sprucing up, and looked so cool when we were done. Nothing like paint to make a quick difference.

done...


It's always fun to visit Mom and Dad, and great to see them as they couldn't make it into LA at Christmastime.

NEWSFLASH!!!

"Can you hear me now? New '24' season starts January 11th"
"We hear ya Jack...loud and clear"

dancin' in the shadows

Back in August I mentioned an article I had written about my daughter moving into her own abode and the art that spilled out of me from that event. I received my copy of the new Somerset Studios magazine, which is on newsstands now, with the article I wrote about my shadow panels...It's the January/February 2009 issue, and it's jammed packed with cool art and articles. I must say this is one series of art I created that is close to my heart. And it was this artwork that inspired my Unruly Shadow Stamps...





Here's a couple of panels they didn't use in the article...



I am glad to see that the book Transparent Art is still available through Stampington & Company as well as through Amazon. If you are at all interested in transparencies and how they can be incorporated into your art, this book it filled with cool ideas. I wrote the Introduction for the book and gathered together some really cool artists to use my transparencies in their art pieces that Stampington and Company had created from my photo images. In fact...that was how I first met Sarah Fishburn...by phone actually. Art pal Kelly Kilmer had told me I should give her a call...and I did...and well we just hit it off...and we have written 2 books together since, In This House and the soon to be released In This Garden, and we write the tri-yearly Pasticcio Quartz (QUality ART Zine) together...(we are working on Issue 6 right now)...One thing just led to the next and it's funny how life does that if you walk into it with open arms...