Merry Christmas

Solstice deer   16x16 acrylic

Wishing  everyone a very merry Christmas.

'Tis the season

Starry night   16x16 acrylic

Time for some Christmas theme work.

Seeing spots

Because leopard is the new neutral!

Check out more fashion at:  http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.ca/2014/11/visiblemonday-143-long-vintage-dress-is.html

and a chipmunk.

Lost

I don't know what to paint. I'm not even sure if I want to paint. All the upheaval of moving seems to have blasted all my creative systems. I can hardly sit down to tackle anything.

So, I'm making a plan. I am going to make some copies of Schiele drawings to learn about hands. I am going to tear up a bunch of 8x8 watercolor papers and just play on them until something happens that I like. I am going to force myself to experiment and not worry about ANY outcome. I am searching for workshops of artists that I admire to maybe go to one of their workshops next year.

I may be lost but I am not hopeless.

In Memory

This post is for Cloyd R. Cravens whose ship went down in the Bay of Pigs, December 1943. My father's brother who resembled him very much. The Uncle I never got to know.

Getting Artsy

I had been wanting an altered denim vest. I found a 1980's circa denim jacket (complete with fringe down the arms and on the back) at our local thrift store. I tore off the fringe and hacked away at the sleeves and sides of the jacket until a made a shape I was rather happy with and added some little ethnic embroidery bits that I have been packing around for a decade or so. Thrifted skirt and boots, a new lightweight turtleneck and jewelry I have had for years rounded out the outfit. I think I look quite artsy-fartsy!

 

And a rather ancient collage thrown in for good measure so that you know I'm an artist as well as a person who has fun with clothes. 

Hey, go check out lots of other fashions at:   http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.ca/2014/11/visible-monday-142-all-favorite-colors.html

skullduggery 4

 

My wonderful scarf from the bat cave in Arizona. Must remember to wear today!

skullduggery 3

I like to wear my saints and skulls bracelets.

skullduggery2

 

My La Catrina t-shirt (bought in New Mexico) and my skull and crossbones scarf are getting lots of wear.

Rose skull reprise

Just received a request from my younger daughter for prints of my sugar skulls.

skullduggery 1

I like skulls and skeletons and found out that I have a number of skull themed pieces of clothing that I like to wear in the fall. Here are my new birthday socks and my little runners.

that time of year

Birthday and thanksgiving over, now it's time to consider Halloween.

YAR! TAlk like a Pirate

Ahoy, mateys! 'Tis time to flap yer jaws like a buccaneer. September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate day.

Wondering what it's all about, go here:  http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

Show me your pirate face.

Still creative...sorta

I have to admit, I am having some trouble settling in. Two major moves in one year seem to have upset my Libran scales. I may not be painting paintings but I am working on things like my sideboard top/Tchotchke holder thingy.

 

I bought this top a couple of years ago at a yard sale and have been lugging it around. It's quite heavy and was missing the centre mirror and the second side panel. The wood was in pretty rough shape.

Now it adorns my dining room wall. The panels were replaced with masonite board covered in textured wallpaper until such time as I can afford to replace one/all of them with mirror. Thanks to HGTV for the inspiration. I really like accents of brightly painted furniture. I can hardly wait to decorate this for Day of the Dead.

asymmetrical tunic

 

I found the big scary dress at the thrift shop. I thought I would just play with it and see if I could turn it into a lagenlook piece. Of course the socks just make that outfit.

I rather like it taken in, with shortened sleeves and an asymmetrical hem.

It's loose and cool and I think I will wear it to a lecture tonight. Now if I could just get my dang feet in the picture...

Check out better photographers at:  http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.ca/2014/08/visible-monday-137-how-to-do-warm.html

Let's hear it for New Denver

Smoky Sunset

I am trying to raise the profile of my "Notes from New Denver" blog. If you could do me a favor and take a quick look at:  http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/

I would really appreciate it. A comment would be terrific!

Thanks.

Crazy Grandma times

On July 28th, my older daughter was hard at labor to produce her daughter. We were separated by many miles but as I stood with my feet in the water of Slocan Lake trying to send her strength and love, I felt the presence of her grand and great grand parents.

great grandmother "Mom Cox"

great grandmother Laura

grandparents Paul and Doris

 who would have been thrilled with this first and only (so far) great grand child...

 Welcome L.J.

I looked at the water moving away in ripples from my feet and felt connected. Ripples moving out. Bless all the parents and the children and the children to come.

Viva!

When people think about Canada, they generally don't think about how hot it can be in summer. I ordered this dress on the internet for those hot, sunny days. While it is lovely, colorful and cool, it really was quite "muu-muu-ish".

 

So I took in and shortened the sleeves, shortened the hem, added a belt and a hat and I am ready for the Farmer's Market. 

You can check out my town's farmer's market here:  http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/2014/07/new-denver-farmers-market.html

Be sure to check out the Visible Monday fashions at:  http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.ca/2014/07/visible-monday-135-mad-for-summer-plaid.html

Summer Days

Nymph     20x16 acrylic

I painted this image several years ago. It was inspired by a vintage photo. It reminds me of my Mother (I don't know why, but I gave her the red hair anyway). It has become one of my keepers and is going to be hung in the bath.

That 70's show

 

The macrame dress I made for one of my college art classes.

just because it's monday

Dark Wine Goddess  16x20 acrylic collage

I made these silly collages several years ago but

I still like them. They have stuffed velvet arms and plastic bunches of grapes. Plus some crocheted grapes!

White Wine Goddess  16x20 acrylic collage

I may have to find room for them in the dining room.

You can check out the New Denver library here:   http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/2014/07/the-reading-centre.html

I will buy my materials elsewhere..

Hobby Lobby health insurance is said to cover viagra and vasectomies. Why are just women being singled out?

I will continue to boycott Hobby Lobby and any other company that I am aware of that discriminates against women.

because it's wednesday

Pinkie's Prom Dress   16x16 acrylic

This is a painting from several years ago. I made it after attending a terrific workshop with Mike Svob. He had a great affect on my interest in bright colors. Mike is certainly not a beige kinda guy. I've grown so fond of this painting and the fact that it signaled a significant direction in my style that she has become part of my permanent collection. Pinkie is currently watching over me in the kitchen.

And check out a new post at:  http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/

Post Canada Day---and Norma Bates

Canada flag on weathered boards

I must say that I enjoyed my first Canada Day as a Canadian citizen. You can check out my Canada Day parade experience at:  http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/2014/07/canada-day.html

Does anyone else really like the clothes that Norma Bates is wearing on the series Bates Motel?

Happy Canada Day

Hope you have a happy Canada Day. We are off to the festivities in Silverton.

You can also check out my new blog at :  http://notesfromnd.blogspot.ca/
It's about my new hometown.

Lady E.

Lady E.   12x12 acrylic

Lady Elizabeth Bruce, wife of Randolph Bruce was enthusiastically welcomed to the community. In reading old newspaper articles, it appears that Lady Elizabeth was an active and valued member of the local society, hosting parties and the Red Cross Society of Canada meetings at her Wilmer home. Pynelogs was built for her. Sadly, she passed away before she could live there.

The relaxed and open feeling of the photograph as she enjoyed her garden in the lovely summer sunshine inspired this painting.

Ack, deadlines

Pynelogs is having a party of the century gala to celebrate their 100th birthday. 100 artists are submitting a painting. 100 people who buy tickets will get a painting. I have to get my painting done!

This is a lovely photograph of Lady Elizabeth Bruce, the woman Pynelogs was built for. I think her gentle spirit still lingers so I am trying to get a painting done with this photo for a reference.

 

Well, I have the layout done.

Ghost town

I had the good fortune to be involved with a creative installation at the Nikkei Centre yesterday.

Steve Nunoda created hundreds of scale models of the internment shacks that Japanese Canadians were moved to during WW2. He had an old box company create the templates out of tar paper, a durable, flexible material that the buildings were roofed with.

A scale model 

based on one of the original shacks.

Many hands make light work. For me, this was the best part, touching and smelling the tar paper while Steve and some of the Japanese elders recalled stories about the internment.

We made 98 models.

 

The models were moved to the beautiful Kohan Reflection Garden.

We placed rocks inside each building so that they wouldn't be blown away.

 

Momoko Ito, our Nikkei internment museum director helps with placement.

Momoko and Steve do some fine tuning.

 

And voila, a ghost town commemorating the 220,000 Japanese Canadians that were displaced during WW2. There were several camps in the West Kootenay. Now hardly any trace is left. 

If you are interested in more about this historic event, check out:  http://www.nikkeinewdenver.ca/