Mining your Sketchbook for Inspiration

My teacher/mentor always said never throw out old drawings, sketches, ideas but put them all in the sketchbook no matter how silly they may seem,even if you don't like them or can't figure out how to use them. She warned me that even if I didn't like something or couldn't figure out how to technically implement an idea at the time I might like it in the future or develop skills that would

Coral & Graffiti at Domes Beach Puerto Rico

Domes Beach




Most sites talk about the surfing and the beach





I haven't seen any reference to the coral that washes up on the shore or the graffiti. Despite most sites stating the beach gets crowded we were the only one's there and had the beach to ourselves (December). Most surfers seemed to be further down the shoreline. Some of the coral was really beautiful. This website talks about

Christmas Trees in Puerto Rico-Squawk!

A fellow traveler and I were fascinated with the way the many of the christmas trees were decorated in Puerto Rico. Many were covered in parrots, so we took a drive to The Lazy Parrot in the hills of Rincon thinking they MUST have some. It was a lovely drive but alas no Christmas tree parrots. The gracious owned did tell us where to find them though, at the Christmas Store (Almacen Navideño) in

Subversive Embroidery and the KISS

I am NOT pulling out the stitches on the face again, this is my third attempt and like it or not, it stays. It has been a learning experience though. The first two times I realized the scale of the stitches were too big for the size of the form and they were too uniform. So here it is unstretched, but bascially finished (just need to add my sig)
I am not too crazy on the head of the poppet doll

Old San Juan Cemetery

Cemeterio Maria Magadelena De PazzisOld San Juan, Puerto Rico
December 2009






Can one say a cemetery is beautiful? This one was with it's white marble everywhere, gravestones, statues etc. This statue was my favourite and while the figure is in contemplation, one couldn't help contemplate also while looking at it. There was a certain poignancy that came with hearing the gentle waves and

The Puerto Rico Connection

Old San JuanDecember 2009


The Connection


I read a great article in the New York Times about Carmen Herrera being the hot new thing in the art world at the age of 94. Tony Bechara, said “We have a saying in Puerto Rico,” “The bus — la guagua — always comes for those who wait.” I LOVE her response and whole attitude, she said "“Well, Tony, I’ve been at the bus stop for 94 years!” LOL! There

Footprints

We all Leave Them

One way or another


"A powerful idea communicates some of its strength to him who challenges it." Marcel Proust
Knitta Please and Racial/Class Issues in Crafts
O stated"*Scratching my head* I really am not sure why there is any ambiguity when the group name is actually a play on a racial slur that has strong class implications."

The ambiguity is simple to explain, I wasn't

Repost about cheating in Art

Caravaggio Cheatedwell, not really, he just did what many artists have done throughout historyCaravaggio used 'photography' to create dramatic masterpieces.


Amor Vincit Omnia by Caravaggio
There are many purists/art snobs/dilettantes who claim that the use of projector/photograph is cheating and will dismiss the work of an artist who does use them. The problem with that view is that they

Liu Bolin and the art of camouflage

Considering how I enjoy doing camouflage dolls in some of the jafagirl yarnbombing Dayton Street, Yellow Springs, Ohiothis artists work below is just my cup of tea.

Just amazing, AND putting ideas into 



Liu Bolin Studio Website

Home Made Holiday Cards

This year I used my cheeky winter penguin photo





Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, Ohio
still have a few of these I made last year



I seemed to go mad making all the felt birdies last Christmas.They were fun though. I took a photo of a bird then used adobe to get the look above.

Is it Culture, class or Age?

1971 (16 years old) and first major embroidery piece Donated Transfer, old pillowcase, and whatever embroidery thread I could find.


Well there are some things I am just not getting, maybe it's cultural (British vs American), maybe it is class roots and age?On a blog about yarnbombing a commentator stated her concern over the "racial overtone" of the name knitta please, but didn't elaborate

Hand Maid

A little play on words for shana since we are talking about hand made being "in" and the feminine aesthetic.



A Birds EyeI decided to experiment with stitching on the flower. Not sure what to call the stitch as I just made it up, but basically it's weaving with thread.


Turkish EmbroideryIn Turkey "textiles of all kinds were so closely connected with the Turkish way of life, embroidery was

The Healing Hand

Gosh all I've done is moan these last few posts, but since this blog is about the creative meanderings of an artists life, then whatever happens, good or bad, affects those creative meanderings.


I like what this author says: "When we make art, we tap into our creativity and into a meditative space, no matter what we are creating. We also ignite healing and peaceful responses in our bodies."