Advent Calendar

For the last three years, my mom has sent her art across many miles, in a discarded wine box, always in time for December 1. My mom's creativity amazes and inspires me anyway and for the month of December I am especially in admiration. The excitement of childhood to discover what is behind little paper doors each day has carried over to adulthood...

I pulled off the cardboard that separates the two layers of images to be met with Olive's little face, replicated in watercolor. Underneath each mini-painting is a little gift, sometimes marked with and "A", sometimes a "J", and, most always, little treats for the beloved grand-dog. 

Olive and Jamie get just as excited as I do to see what each day holds. Olive eagerly shoves her nose into the box,  finding the days that hold presents for her. 

Although the box has traveled almost all the way across the country, it makes me feel close to home, to Maine, and to both my parents. Dad's influence and artistry is also present, coming in the form of mini Nepalese prayer flags and a handmade wooden puzzle, carved by his own hands.

It makes me realize, even more deeply, where my own love for creativity comes when I see the talents that both my parents possess.

The Joy of Learning

Tonight was my first Illustrator class.  Having not been in school for seven years, I forgot how wonderful it is to sit and be taught something, to soak in knowledge that you previously did not know.  I got a taste of this a little over a year ago, when I was thinking about acupuncture school and took a biology class. After working for eight hours I would go sit in a classroom and just be wide awake as I learned about the human body, the make-up of organisms, and the stages of the earth's development. I felt the same way tonight as John, our young architect instructor, walked us through just some of the many tools in Illustrator.  Suddenly I could picture myself as a designer, could see being creative in front of a computer screen.  Moments like that give me hope that I am on the right path...that through exploration of the things that interest me some greater occupational knowledge will occur. That one morning I will wake up just knowing that I am meant to be....It is also a good lesson to live each day and listen to those little urges that make you take a class, try a new sport, go up a new trail, read a new book. The lessons are daily and they all lead you somewhere.

Pods

I am obsessed with pods, in nature and in art. The shapes, the textures, the colors, what can be hidden inside.  

I came around the corner of the Emerson Center in Bozeman and saw this pod light hanging over a large table, housing a light bulb that allowed it to glow. I was immediately taken with it and took photos so that one day I can replicate it. Getting rid of the ugly chandeliers that hang above my dinner table and hallway is on the what-I-want-to-do- with my-house list....I think pods (at least one) would be a good addition.

The Emerson Center for Arts & Culture is amazing and I can't believe that in the five years I have been visiting Bozeman I have never been there. It is an old high school, the one Jamie went to his senior year, and it still has the feel, smell, creaks, and rooms of a school.  There is a theater (Martin Sexton had just played there), public art gallery spaces, and artists studios, many of which act as work areas and shops.  I loved the Emerson and wish that our own Jackson Center for the Arts had a little of it's grittiness and local flavor. Check it out at www.theemerson.org

This is for my Mom....

Holding little Emilia was pretty amazing, her perfection, innocence, and warmth radiating, and watching Jamie hold her was pretty special as well. Although I don't want one soon, I can see a baby in my future. There is hope Mom :)

Encaustic for Claire

I knew before I got too far on this piece that it was for my best friend Claire. The red, the smiling little girl, the playfulness....it had Dibble written all over it. 

Encaustic is a medium that is made up of beeswax and damar resin.  You can add pigment to it and use it like a paint or you can keep it clear and use it to seal collages and found objects to boards and paper. The later is what we did in the encaustic workshop with Judith Hoyt. I found myself much more engaged with the wax when it is used as a layer, not as a paint. 

I have ordered supplies and my friend Babs and I are going to set up an encaustic station in her studio. A heat gun, for fusing the layers of wax, and good ventilation are the most important necessities for this type of art-making....

Agility

We were moving very quickly. 

Or rather, Olive was moving quickly and I was trying to keep up. Therefore, Jamie's photo is quite blurry but does show how fast this little dog of ours is. She was moving so rapidly that on the teeter-totter she took a flying leap off of the end, a big deduction of points and slightly dangerous for her. 

It is hard slowing a fast dog down. 

Agility has introduced me to people that I probably would never have otherwise met, a population brought together because we all really love our dogs, love working with them. I look forward to going to the arena, the smell of horses strong in the air, and setting up obstacles that challenge Olive's mind. 

She is my little champion, even when she goes flying off of the teeter totter.

Being an Artist

It feels good to be an artist. It feels good to spend hours, watching pieces evolve and grow, putting paint to paper. It feels good to put up a body of work and see how hard you have worked, how much time you have spent on an act so precious and unique to you.

I was part of the Art Association's local art fair, Takin' It to the Streets, this September. It is a wonderful, small fair, with good people and an appreciative crowd.  It was a gorgeous day, although chilly setting up, and I was nestled in between my good friends Kate and Todd and Micah, an acquaintance-turned-friend. 

This is what I want my reality to be. I want to be an artist forever.

A long day deserves some Grateful's

It was a long day today, starting in a sluggish run and ending in a headache. So I thought it was more than appropriate to finish the day with five grateful's.

1. Waking from a really deep sleep, refreshed and full of dreams.

2. Speaking with Del Ray the Jackson Hole Radio DJ who always gets me smiling.

3. The bank teller giving my little doggie dog treats when I did my deposit.

4. Hearing Claire's voice and knowing she was safe and alright after kayaking.

5.  Being able to buy good food while supporting our hard-working local supermarket.

Okay six...

6. Climbing with Jamie and feeling my muscles work to get me up the walls.

Tomorrow will be a more peaceful day.

Painting Again

After days of rain, all one can do is paint....It has been a great excuse to stay inside and be productive with the paints.  When you live in an active town like Jackson it is sometimes hard to remember that down time is good time, healthy for the body and the mind. And during that down time I am going to try to do more art and keep this blog more alive and colorful. 

I just got back from seeing The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and feel so happy, even though most of the movie was incredibly sad. Eliah and I sat transfixed in the theater. Even the sounds of ice in a cup and the crunching of popcorn did not distract as the beautifully filmed movie evolved on the screen.

Based on a true story and created from the book by the same title, this movie chronicles the trials of a once fashionable and handsome man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who has been stricken by a stroke and completely paralyzed save for one eye. Through this eye we experience Jean-Do's environment and see his new world from his perspective. He can hear but cannot speak and over the course of time establishes communication through blinking. Many shots are like paintings, colorful and compositionally comforting. The movie concludes with Jean-Do having written a book about his experience, all with the help of a translator, who dutifully repeated letters until he blinked a "yes".

This movie was a powerful portrayal of the strength of life; how even what seems impossible can be overcome and become a thing of beauty.

A recommendation for sure.

Getting back to This

I go and look at Claires blog ( http://dibblephoto.blogspot.com/) and feel inspired by her dedication to her writing, her photos and her postings. This could be me too. The excuse that it is easier to upload photos than photos of paintings can not suffice anymore.

Above and below is one of the latest pieces I am working on. There are still many unanswered questions in the painting and although I am liking it more and more I am struggling with how to find the answers. I like doing landscapes and am finding that I like the vistas that come from my head even more than the ones from real life.




Today I took Olive for a walk in the eerily warm temperature, soft snow crunching and gentle wind blowing. We walked the trail less traveled. It is one of my favorites when there is wind because the tall firs rub against each other, the only sound, creating a soundtrack for our romp. It is such a mysterious sound, the meeting of two trees, and Olive often mistakes the noise for squirrels. The snow that was falling from high above in clumps due to the thaw reminded me of this painting. Maybe these white shapes are snow drifts....maybe they are figures....



What the week holds: Pilates, a return to running, swimming, hopefully a Galactic concert although all tickets are claimed, the start of my new job, laughter, Valentines Day, art openings....and many more surprises I am sure.

An Appropriate Horoscope for 2008

Comfort is vital to Capricorns born on January 15. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually, they do what they can to make the world better. They gravitate toward good feelings, good works, and good intentions. They enjoy living in the lap of luxury but never lose sight of the intangibles that make life worth living.

Friends and Lovers: People born on this day are loners yet possess a magnetism that draws people to them. They are loyal and supportive to friends. They have trouble making sense of all but the most intense relationships and usually give their heart only once. They have little problem keeping relationships separate from personal expectations.

Children and Family: Family matters have an important place for those born on January 15. They have leadership potential and are often regarded as the scion of the family. As parents, they encourage their youngsters to develop independence and self-sufficiency yet are anxious to protect them from failures and disappointments.

Health: Although blessed with general good health, January 15 individuals possess an extremely sensitive nature that can negatively affect their physical well-being. In order to retain emotional and physical equilibrium, it's important for them to practice meditation, especially before bedtime.

Career and Finances: January 15 natives know how to take care of business. Career goals play a vital role in their lives, though it may take a long time for them to discover where their deepest interests lie. When they do settle on a career, they give their all. They enjoy making money, although that isn't an especially important factor in their career choice.

Dreams and Goals: Although they wear the mask of practicality with conviction, people born on January 15 have a complicated nature. They want to create a legacy. Their dreams may be far more fanciful and creative than those who know them might expect. For this reason, they often turn to the creative arts for personal expression. Painting, writing, or music help them achieve their inner potential.

Last day as a 28 year old.

It isn't only because so many people have told me that 29 was a huge year for them, an age when change was rampant and clarity common, but I have a feeling that it is going to be an amazing one for me. Already, in the past week, I feel like everything makes sense in life, that taking this unemployed time has brought me more gifts then originally imagined.

These are some of my hopes for my 29th year of life:

-To remain open-minded and positive with people, situations, and choices
-To continue to see my art as intensely important to the person that I am
-To give
-To be gentle with myself when I get frustrated, confused or scared
-To immerse myself in study that brings meaning, education and purpose
-To travel, this country and others
-To see my family and friends more regularly

I am sure there are many more small hopes but these are the larger ones that stand out in my mind. I also hope to be a more regular and consistent blogger, getting over the laborious task of photographing my paintings so that they look good on the computer.