Blog

I am sitting near a wood stove in my cozy mountain home in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California.  After a long recovery from a terrible fall off a ladder in April, 2023, I just finished a major clean out of my studio and home.  My art studio remains a major part of my current life.  I am dreaming about new work to come, actually creating the work I love, and getting it framed and ready to sell. As many of artists ponder whether to include a response to contemporary life in their artwork, I find the work gives me much needed distance from contemporary life in order to keep a healthy perspective. Balance in my life and artwork has become increasingly important.  

 I am simplify the photographing of my work on my iPhone and using Snapseed for editing.  I truly want to spend more time creating artwork!!

I am so pleased to be returning to my FASO website after a break of 9 months.  I fell off a ladder on April 1, 2023,  and suffered 25 fractures on the left side of my back. I spent weeks in ICU, hospital, rehab, and finally returned home on June 29.  I lost the ability to walk temporarily.  My speech and cognitive  thought processes were affected.  After taking a leave of absence from my 2D wall at my gallery in Placerville, CA, I focused my energy on healing physically, emotionally, and artistically.  Just like I had to relearn to walk, I have been revisiting basic art and creative foundations. I don't look at repeating old artwork or processes; instead I am inspired by what is next for my creative flow.  I still coil baskets and show those at my gallery.  I have included them in new uploads. 

I recall where I was a year ago when the first hint of a new virus reached me.  AS per usual, I had been traveling to L.A. to visit my precious granddaughter, volunteer at her school, share playtime and artmaking space. When we hugged farewell, I assured her I would be back soon. Well, here we are a year later.  I won't bother to go into the political or societal ramifications of the pandemic.  What I do want to write about is the long-term effect the pandemic has had on the world's children. We now hear about the mental health crisis we have to address while we get children back into the classroom.  The experience of being separated from other children will be with our young ones for their lifetimes.  They don't want to hear about the virus, why grandparents can't be in the same room, and most importantly, why playing with other children is risky. I get by sending my GD little boxes of fabric and 2 sided tape to contribute to her doll clothing designs, listening to her read from delightful children literature on the phone or SKYPE.  She is not thrilled about being on screen time with me because she goes to school on ZOOM. I support my fellow artists at our coop gallery that still is not open full time because of the risk of exposure for our  vulnerable artists. I embrace this time to create nurturing images. ONE DAY AT A TIME.....

As I sit here enjoying the vast quiet of the predawn forest, I am grateful for many things.  I am grateful my home has survived another year of California wildfires.  I am grateful for the health of the trees on my acre of land, and appreciate the cycles of nature that inspire my studio work.  The havoc of recent American history is draining to the spirit and body.  The polarization experienced by many does not seem to serve any purpose but add dangerous fuel to the rise of hatred and distrust.  Crossing the great divide between people of all political and social strata can start with art.  I recommit myself to nurturing the good in people and contributing to a world where my granddaughter can thrive.

Gathering silk after utilizing gesso to attach the outer layers of the silk and then painting with oils allows me to create a multi-dimensional representation of the nature of wise and mature sensuality.

This painting is the first in a series of nature imagery I am doing utilizing the following process:  I start with a gessoed stretched canvas; then I paint a wash of oil color (in this painting are found values of blue). Next I drape silk fabric on the canvas, leaving lots of loose fabric to play with once I have secured it to the back of the stretched canvas stretcher bars.  Using clear gesso, I start to shape the selected imagery I want to highlight.  In this painting, I choose to portray the kinds of snow storms we are having in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  I want to be able to see the color wash beneath the silk.