Vespers

I had a client ask for a larger loon painting after viewing my little alphabet. This is the result. I hope he likes it. I'm pretty happy with it. I chose the name"Vespers" after looking up synonyms for dusk. It has a nice ecclesiastical ring. I find the haunting sound of the loon very spiritual.

Fabric!!

I love the little caravan makeover I noted on my site. Originally, I was going to go whole hog and go ultra bohemian but the little camper is in pretty good shape for a 33 year-old piece so I am pulling back some and going more conventional. I do have to CAMP in it and Bruce might be overwhelmed by the red/orange/purple scheme I had originally intended.

I have a terrible tendency not to be able to pass up decorator fabric when I find it at yard sales/thrift stores. I have yards of this fabric so I think I can make curtains and recover all the cushions.

I am thinking of painting the outside. It's just too mundane the way it is. Caroline sent me a link to the Cowgirl Caravan, you have to check out all the beautiful caravans!!: http://www.sistersonthefly.com

I need a great name. Any suggestions?

Still miss her!

This is a photo of my mother taken during the war years near Galveston. I like the butterfly detail on her dress. Today was her birthday.

This is an inspirational caravan re-decorating: http://happylovesrosie.blogspot.com/2009/08/vintage-caravan-done.html

New Toy

WE purchased an older camper trailer on the weekend. I can hardly wait to go camping in it.

Check out the funky 70's lino.

The curtains and pillow covers need replacing but the rest is in pretty decent shape considering how old it is.
Now when I'm not madly painting, or gardening, I will be sewing.

The Avian Alphabet and EAgle Song

Well, what a ride that was. It just started as an idea from a request from my local library (who are very dear to me) to make some art for the walls during a convening of librarians. It tied in to our "Wings over the Rockies" event. I have received a lot of good feedback from the little show. I was invoking Robert Burridge's advice to work in a series. I am pleased with the results and will try to tackle another series in the not to far future. Right now, I have a swell of ideas for figure studies and deadlines, deadlines, deadlines!!

Minutes later: I just got back from walking the dog. A group of FOUR bald eagles flew directly over me making a perfect circle and singing their eagle song. What a blessing!

Big drum roll....Z

It took some searching to come up with Z but I happened to notice the latin name for one of my favorite birds. I love their soft, lonely sound.

I would actually like to learn Latin. That used to be the choice at our High School, Latin or French. I took french because I thought it sounded so wonderful. But Latin is very uselful especially if you are studying sciences. I had an art major in university but I nearly had a science minor (biology and botany). E Pluribus Unum, Caveat Emptor and, of course, exit!

Y

I like blackbirds. When I lived near a pond, I used to go out in the fall and clap my hands. Huge masses of blackbirds would rise and swirl in a formidable formation. It was like conducting music.

Smiling Kirra

This is one of the few pictures of my dog smiling. She hates being photographed and usually looks like I have just humiliated her. She is a shar-pei/ lab cross, very strong-headed (least obedient), sweet-tempered, thoroughly elegant dog. She is eleven now, and slowing down, beginning to lose her eyesight and hearing.

I am looking for a new dog, not to replace her, but I need something sharp to alert me of things when I am walking through bear country. I am holding out for a working breed mix, who likes cats, people and other dogs and will be easy to train. I worked with Kirra A LOT and much as I love her, she was very hard to train. "Come" was not in her vocabulary but lots of other words are, like "squirrel", "truck- ride" and" peanut butter".

If money was not an object, I would get a Swedish Vallhound.

The one you've been waiting for!

I thought I was rather clever with this one. I ripped up an aerial map of the valley, flew some crows over it (as the crow flies) and gave them a co-ordinate (you are here). Now they can fly in and join us for Valley Appreciation Days.

I live at the tip of that lower blue lake. Hey Jennifer, do you miss us?

"The mind stand in the way of the eye." Arthur Stern. Check out art quotes at the Painters Key.

W is for waxwing

"An artist feels vulnerable to begin with; and yet the only answer is to recklessly discard more armour." Eric Maisel

I find waxwings such distinguished looking birds. I love to watch them work their way through a mountain sumac when the berries have "fermented". They have an awfully good time.

Stuff that Cuts

"Criticism is easy, art is difficult." (Destouches)
"It isn't what they say about you, it's what they whisper." (Errol Flynn)


I know it's hard and lonely being an artist. That's why I love my blog and my artist friends.

Crazy Ravens Studio Logo

I decided to try to work out a logo. This will have to do for now. The idea is based on the aerial acrobatics of Ravens as they play.

Stuff about me:

Favorite Places: Okanagon vineyards, lonely ancient pueblos, Amish farms, grasslands, dryland wheat fields. interesting old graveyards (Beacon Hill Cemetary in Victoria, BC for instance).

What are your favorite places?

I am using the heat in the top shelf of my greenhouse to thaw out my hamburger for dinner and to make sun tea. How's that for solar power.

Prom Time Paper Dolls

I found this great 1962 paper doll book at the community garage sale. The set is only slightly worn and complete! I love the fashions.

I especially like this yellow one, just love the gloves and fur jacket.

Horrors!

I searched the house for my jacket (in the house that eats things). I can't find it anywhere. I have a sinking feeling that in a moment of weakness, I let it slip away. Aaaargh! I can only hope that I stashed it in a spot I haven't thought of yet and that the house will cough it up like a furball.

I should be painting, but I spent yesterday attending the community garage sale, picking up trash for the community clean-up and trying to buy a small, older, camper trailer from a guy named Conrad. If anyone has any great ideas for decorating a trailer, I would like to see them. I am thinking along the lines of RAlph Lauren's or Miranda Lambert's airstream

Tyvek beads

These are some beads that I made when my daughter was visiting. I cut long triangular strips of tyvek (painted in acrylic on both sides) rolled them around a wooden skewer and melted them with a heat gun. Honestly, how do people come up with these ideas? But I think they are cool and hope to do something with them.

Somewhere in the house I have a fringed leather jacket. I bought it years ago and quite like it but didn't have the nerve to wear it much. I have decided that Stacey and Clinton can go to hell and I'm going to dig out that jacket.

V is for vulture

I like how the stamped background of this one gives it a sort of macho, pseudo-military air. The motif of the triple point cross was an emblem my Dad taught me to draw using a 6 dot grid when I was very young. He jokingly called it the Cravens coat of arms (I checked, it isn't) but I still find it intriguing. I never discovered where he learned to make it.

U is for underwater

"Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the paint of not working." Stephen DeStaebler
(There is a great article on this at: http://k-cartwright.blogspot.com/)

I seem to have been doing everything but painting. Todays list: sew a blouse, apply for next year's shows at nearby galleries, deliver paintings for viewing at a resort, negotiate to be carried in a nearby gallery. It is not the painting that eats up the time and the miles, it's the marketing! Wish me luck.

Wings Over the Rockies Walk

I only went on one Wings hike this year and it was with a local man, Grant Howse. Grant is metis and well versed in native lore and local history. He took us along the east side of Columbia Lake which is, thankfully, crown land and reserved as animal habitat. I hope it always remains so. It was a beautiful morning and a very interesting hike. Grant's grandfather was the Howse that Howse pass is named for.

T is for turkey

We have lots of wild turkey around here. I like how they are so pre-historic looking. I'd like to do a painting some day of the turkeys and big bulls hanging out together at Coy's Ranch.

How about those Canucks!

S is for swan

I dislike having to lead off with negative stuff but I have discovered that allowing comment by Chinese contributor's just leads to porn sites. Has anyone else had problems with this?

I checked the site: "Is this your name" and discovered my power animal. Who knew!

R

We have a fat robin that shows up every year and does constant battle with himself in the reflection in the basement window. For weeks, the tap, tap, tap of his beak can be heard through out the house. There is a break though, when Jinx decides to curl up on the window sill and dream about grabbing this fat fellow.

Q

I love this one. Quail are so darned cute. I made the background pattern using a candle that had a design stamped into it. I layed a coat of paint on the candle then rolled it across my tissue paper, first in one color, then another. I like the effect.

My friend Karen

This is a painting by my friend Karen Arrowsmith, a terrific watercolorist. Karen and her husband are taking off on a cross Canada trip this summer. I am so envious! Be sure to keep an eye on her blog as she is determined to paint her way across the country.

May day

My daughter was down for a visit. We shopped, gardened, watched hockey (go Canucks!) and got crafty. We made tyvek wallets (shown) and beads. It was great.

If you want to make a tyvek wallet, look up the tutorial on youtube.