calder

'i paint in shapes.'

~ alexander calder

blue feather c. 1948

this is the abs challenge piece for july... and since being announced it has been dancing around in my head... turns out it is at the calder foundation in nyc - but not for public viewing... darn... my goal was to see it because that top piece of sheet nagged at me the whole time - what color is it? what shape?

i wanted to create movement in my piece, to create something that was 3 dimensional, sculptural... my first thought was enamel for the sheet - but i switched over to resin... 

for the first time i tinted resin and was happy with the result... calder is all about movement and so this focal is made of 2 pieces that are riveted together but with a spacer so that the triangle swings... it has vintage paper that reads 'blue' 'feather'... the black paddles move and there is floss to add to the idea of movement as well... at the same time i attempted to keep this simple and clean, allowing shape and color to speak... 

'my whole theory about art is the disparity that exists

between forms, masses and movement.'

~ calder

on being a guest from home...

it's nice!

i was invited to be a guest of fundametals.net - as such, jeanette sent me some items to 'play' with... let's see if you can guess what one of them was - stop by their blog to read more... 

this design is based upon the egyptian shen ring... it is compromised of a circle for the cycles in life and a line across the bottom to represent the infinite... egyptians used lapis and turquoise in their adornment... lapis blue represented the heavens, water and the primeval flood... turquoise represented joy... 

'when we discover the truth is already in us

we are all at once our original selves.'

~ the dogen

we are complete as represented by the circle... but need to branch out and stretch to grow... winding fibers lead to faceted spectrolite which imparts strength and supports transformation... 

'(wo)man is harder than iron,

stronger than stone

and more fragile than a rose.'

~ turkish proverb

'fragile strength' earrings reiterate this point in numerous ways... etched metal appears delicate yet is sturdy... fibers made of silk... kyanite enhances tranquility and calm while quartz ensures grounding... 

work in progress... 

'a guest never forgets the host 

who has treated him kindly.'

~ homer

thank you jeanette for this opportunity... and i have other goodies to play with... so there will be another post about that!

this balanced? seriously?

camera located - yay!
favorite pliers misplaced - boo! 


i like this kind of balance:

'life is like riding a bicycle.

to keep your balance you must keep moving.'

forward, onward, upward... and hopefully backward by only one step!

going to participate in a show to benefit a local bike shop, second life bikes - we have to use bike parts in the work we make... it is being held by the belmar arts council  ... local arts councils are so great (as i am learning)... em and nick took a beginning digital photography class there last night and loved it... 

i am working on things - but not yet finished pieces... and the abs is underway here as well... 

in summer, henna is a tradition... here are some of the tats we are sporting!

nick

em

'equality and truth'

me

'courage' in tolkien's elvish

final sneak peek (for now!)

'if we're growing, 

we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.'

~ john maxwell 

true, true... 


am i relieved to have the actual, physical work done? yes (a resounding yes)... but more than that, it was turning another corner with a little less fear... completing a project that i found a bit intimidating... 

and i am oh so happy to now be able to sink my teeth into the abs calder challenge... perhaps it won't even be an 11th hour submission - but one can never be sure...

a huge thank you to emily for playing with my blog format - and for the gorgeous picture she took at her job... she works at the hot sand glass blowing studio on the boardwalk in asbury park... 


oh, we saw 'despicable me' - it was so wacky and cute - loved it!

incredible company, sneak peek and freedom -

this beauty of a magazine is where my first accepted article resides... i have been a bit off the map and will admit that only last night did i sit down and page through the entire thing... and am i humbled... in the company of such talented artists/designers as barbara lewis, nancy schindler, ruth rae, lynn davis, christine damm, diane cook and riki schumacher... of course, all of the other work is wonderful - i just don't know the other ladies! it is still on the shelves at barnes & noble... 

that's me - the little picture on the bottom left! i cannot imagine what it must be like for those of you seeing books on the shelves, i was giddy to see two periodicals at the same time... here i get to hang out with friends kerry bogert and judith glende... 

at the show i was in last weekend or so ago, i had the mags on my table with their corresponding work... people watching is always interesting... i was worried that having the mags out might be seen as braggy... not at all how it was intentioned... and it was met with interest for the most part... one response i had not expected was for a woman to ask me if i had copied the magazine and was selling my version... 'no!' i responded, 'i would never do that.' 'why are you then?' to which i explained that was ME in there! she seemed a bit dubious but satisfied with my answer... i think i cleared the original work police check... also got asked if i was the seller for the people who made what was on my table... 

what would my blog be of late without a sneak peek - heads up, you will only have 1 left after this... yay (for all of us!)... 

and a piece i finally finished... not sure what to do with it - 

'the secret of happiness is freedom.

the secret of freedom is courage.

~ thucydides

roar... said the evolving lion

thread by thread i will extricate myself from the web... until i am able to fly away gently as a butterfly... 

keeping the faith

'hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.'

~ george iles

as tiresome as sneak peeks may be for you, they mean (to me) that progress is being made! 

'never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. 

there is always something to make you wonder

 in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.'

 ~ albert schweitzer

new things for my speakingyourtruth shop::

noticing a lot of really rundown ladies out there - don't know what is going around, but i empathize... here's hoping the weekend allows you some time to do what feeds you ~

non-attachment, gratitude, and quest for authenticity

'feeling gratitude and not expressing it

is like wrapping a present and not giving it.'

~ william arthur ward

hamsa hand urban milagro

pilar isabel pollock sent this beautiful milagro to me... so hard to know where to start - her thoughtfulness? my admiration of her talent? the fact that this means so much to me? she even used the words 'love' and 'nascent' (my word for the year) on the ribbons... pilar works magic with fibers (and she creates digital art as well) - i encourage you to stop by her blog and her etsy and art fire shops... this is why i restrain myself from taking out my mom's sewing machine, i fear i would become obsessed... this beautiful hamsa hangs in my work area... thank you so very much, pilar... 

i had a show at the boardwalk yesterday - and the weather was beautiful... lots of people - and thanks to judy, a good amount of sales... you see, judy shared information about propay, a service that allows one to accept credit cards with your cell phone! most people do not bring pocketbooks, checkbooks or much cash to the beach... they are simply not going to leave that sitting on a towel or in a bag while they go down to the water... but plastic? they have that... and this time i was able to accept it... those that couldn't decide which 'one' would sometimes buy both... nice! oh, and thank you very very much!


and thank you to those who reach out even though i have pretty much been m.i.a... i think i am on my way back... your kindness is appreciated... 


i am fully aware of the importance of non-attachment... question: what would you do if you couldn't find your camera... like, ANYWHERE? would you accept that you shouldn't be upset because it is in your best interest not to be attached to it? or would you be stressed out because you couldn't take any pictures? i am vascillating between the two - probably doesn't hurt that i had given em a camera for graduation - how fortuitous!

'your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.

don't be trapped by dogma - which is living 

with the results of other people's thinking.

don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.

and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

they somehow already know what you truly want to become.

everything else is secondary.'

~steve jobs

more sneak peeks::

i think i need that steve job's quote tattooed on my inner arm... the past couple of weeks i had to have music on in the background to work - something i seriously never do... i like quiet... but i was finding dave matthews to be calming and necessary... today maybe i can work without background noise... we'll see... 

no compromise this time...

lots of things in the personal realm are leaving me feeling apart - i am a true libra, harmony seeker, peace maker, always willing to compromise... good things, right? but as with everything, there is a balance to be struck (life lessons - my symbol is the scales... yes, i am catching on here) - and willingness to compromise should not add up to giving it all away... yourself that is... as in who you are, as in who you want to be, as in what you dream of... fulfilling your goals... 


while i struggle with feelings of selfishness, i am working on a project that i am not supposed to share... i love the show-and-tell spirit of this community, so i am following the leads of those who provide sneak peaks... and have my fingers crossed that it will not be frowned upon... 

'if you limit your choices only to what seems 

possible or reasonable,

you disconnect yourself from what you truly want,

and all that is left is compromise.'

~ robert fritz

~~~

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and how exactly did we get to july? is half of this calendar year truly behind us? enjoy your 4th of july weekend... i am hoping to see some fireworks by the beach...