First batch

Here is the completed card. 

Here is the first batch ready to be mounted on the card. They have to be glued and put under a brick to dry. I am happy I accomplished this yesterday. As I said it has been a few years since I did cards. See what blogging and the encouragement of blog friends can do? Thanks! 

 

Junk Mail Art 7: A Portrait and an Interview

One of Claudia McGill’s stick ladies landed in NYC and kindly agreed to a portrait and interview.  When asked about herself she cryptically replied

what said where way how
things perfect in position
the void explains

As I looked a bit puzzled, she elaborated*

I am me:
free to be who
you imagine me.
free to sparkle hand
and finger,
linger in your eye.
why?
I am me.

I’m still a bit confused…Claudia?

*somehow managing a circular poem, Jane Dougherty’s challenge for the week, a form I myself have not yet been able to master

Progress on Christmas cards

I sat down like I promised myself and worked on my cards. 

Thought I would show my process. Basically marking out squares on Arches paper, hot gluing some stars recycled from another project and going from there.  

   
Now they have to dry thoroughly. Then I’ll cut them with a paper cutter and mount them on Strathmore card stock.  Will show the finished products tomorrow. 

More cards

I’m going to sit down today and start my Christmas cards. I used to do them every year but the past few years have been a bust. Thought I’d post a few; these are not Chrismas themed. Will post those when they are done. 

Here are a few more.  

   

Questions from Charlie (Nina).

1. What literary genre do you prefer? Literary fiction and sometimes memoir. 

2. Which book do you know and love? Off the top of my head “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt but there are many others. 

3. Which book are you passionate about right now? I don’t think I get passionate per se as I more or less eat books. If I had to choose an author it would be Philip Roth, a New Jersey guy and great writer. There is also a book I’ve had with me since childhood “The World of Henry Orient” by Nora Johnson, about two NYC girls obsessed with a concert pianist. 

4. Why did you start blogging? It was Kerfe’s idea to try and motivate us to do more art work. It turned out to be a great idea. Kerfe is a really smart woman. 

5. Order or chaos? I prefer order but I live with a procrastinating paper hoarder. This has caused issues. I will leave it there. 

6. Where would you like to live? I really love my home in Montclair NJ but I wouldn’t mind living off the grid, preferably near a body of water…maybe a remote part of Maui. 

7. Starry sky or sunset. Starry sky with moon. 

8. What is the writing for you etc. I don’t see a future as a writer but sometimes I think I have a book in me. It would be autobiography lightly veiled as fiction. 

9. What do you think about social networks? I use Facebook and Instagram. And WordPress has provided a wonderful group of artist friends. 

Thanks, Charlie, for nominating us. We are honored.  

 

Questions From Charlie

Charlie at Doodlewash nominated us for a Liebster Award.  As I told him, we decided early on not to “do” awards, but I am answering the questions posed by the award in this post.  The painting above, of a boy singing, doesn’t relate to the questions, but it does remind me of a wonderful story Charlie told about singing to his grandmother in the hospital.  Charlie’s stories and art, and his daily showcases of other artists, are definitely worth checking out.

THE QUESTIONS:

1. Which literary genre do you prefer?
   I’ll read just about anything, fiction or nonfiction.  The library is one of my favorite places and I often do “choose a book by its cover”, or title.  For comfort I like a good murder mystery.
2. Which book do you know and love?
   Charlie is right, there is a bit of absurdity in this question…if it means a book I go back to again and again, I’m not really a big re-reader, but I have art and poetry books that I return to from time to time.  Always, Matisse, and a haiku anthology is a favorite right now.  Also I read the Pooh stories over and over to my children, and would do so again gladly.
3. Which book you’re passionate about now?
   I’m going to pick an author here…I love Kate Atkinson.  The Jackson Brodie books are among my favorite murder mysteries (and I wish there were more to read), and her latest, “Life After Life” and “A God in Ruins”, are two of my best reads of the past few years.  They are beautifully written with wonderful and complex characters, and there’s a lot going on underneath the words if you choose to go there.
   
4. Why did you start blogging?
   Nina and I were emailing photos of our work back and forth in an effort to be mutually inspiring to do more work.  We thought of a blog as an easier way to do this.  I remember my surprise when she first told me we had followers…it’s an amazing thing.  The blog has worked in a way we never envisioned.  Thank you everyone!
5. Order or chaos?
   I gave up on planning and organizing my life long ago.  Although I do like to be on time.
6. Where would you like to live?
   I grew up in various suburbs, after my parents moved out of the city of Cleveland when I was 5.  I knew suburban life was not for me, and New York has been a perfect choice.
7. Starry sky or sunset?
   Stars.
8. Better the paper book, rather than the ebook?
   I was given a kindle, but I don’t like reading on screens.  I’m one of those Luddites, hauling around a book all the time.
9. What is the writing for you? Do you see it as a hobby or hoping for a future as a writer?
   Writing helps me to see and think about what I’m doing.
10. What do you think about social networks?
    I don’t use any other social networks.  I barely have the time to keep up with email and blogs (and sometimes I fail at those).  It’s a wonderful way to connect, but the digital life eats away at the real life, and I don’t want to spend all my time interacting with a screen.

November

 

…is almost gone, and for the past 5 weeks I’ve been taking a photo each day out my office window.  It would have been better I suppose if I had managed to get exactly the same angle and taken it the same time each day, but it still gives a pretty good idea of the process of autumn this year on my little block in NYC.

December next week and 2016 on the horizon…yikes!

At an art show in Sarasota

We went to a schlocky outdoor art show in Florida with lots of corny dolphin sculptures and hideous seascapes. I fell in love with the work of Mel Fleck whose intaglio etchings with an Egyptian theme were beautiful. I purchased one for my fellow Aries daughter as a housewarming present. 

I hope Mr. Fleck doesn’t mind my posting his work. I intend to purchase another one that I think my dear co-blogger would love if she has any more room on her walls. The artist’s wife died eight years ago but he still credits her in his work. Both signatures are on the pieces. His email address is mfleck@bellsouth.net. 

My husband also purchased some cards with the Hebrew Chai imprinted.  

 The back of the card explains the significance of this symbol. Sorry for the wonky photo.  

 
Wishing everyone in Blogville a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude.

Long Ago and Far Away…

I know Teresa said she would link my recent self-portrait post for selfie day, but I feel like I need to post something appropriate today too.  I haven’t done any new self portraits, but I found this painting from the 70s.  Must have been during my perm days, since my hair looks a bit fluffy.  Around the time my brothers came to visit me in New York for Thanksgiving and we made lasagna instead of turkey.  My mother never got over that, every year at Thanksgiving she would bring it up…miss you mom, miss you dad.  Still have the stories and the smiles they bring.

Big Cat

A beautiful lion that I saw at the Big Cat sanctuary in Florida. A drawing could never capture the majesty of this creature. It was the closest I’ve ever been and it changed my mind a bit about animals in captivity. These guys were all rescued from zoos or Texas billionaires who didn’t want them anymore. They sleep 18-20 hours a day so why not do it in the Florida sunshine?