A Pictoral Birthday Report

Well, I am woefully behind on every form of communication these days. Starting your own business a pretty demanding task I tell ya! But, I did have time to have a birthday and it was quite a wonderful one. I felt positively run over by love and cheers and sweet cards and notes and gifts. It was kind of a birthday week as things trickled in, and I relished each day full of its own surprises. A BIG thank you for all my dear friends and family who loved on me. I feel very cared for and supported. Here are some pictures of the birthday festivities.

A gorgeous old book in its new home.

A new favorite piece of art work - A human heart with flowers drawn/painted on quilted fabric! Love!

3 Beautiful new icons. One for the dining room, one for the bedroom, one to live above my desk in the studio.

Some super fun gifts.

Some of my new books! So much to learn and read. I am so excited.

Other pieces of visual wonderfulness to inspire me.

The writing on this card is equal to about $1000 in the bank of phaedra's heart.

Cheery birthday cards!

These packages came wrapped in my favorite color combination.

This is a super creative Korean birthday tradition. I loved it!

This city of mushrooms captured my fancy on a walk with David.

Look at this crazy seed/berry/pod thing!

Assorted Fungi to delight my eye.

These birthday flowers from David lasted until yesterday! They smelled amazing. Looking at them from above was like looking onto some crazy-beautiful planetary landscape.

A fig tart with cardamon frangipane, pomegranates and a graham crust! So amazing!

A beautiful story with equally beautiful illustrations.

Wrapping to delight my eyes.

Dinner at Sitar: lamb korma, vegetable fritters, chicken saag, lentil dosai.

Coffee, mandelhornchen, cards and journaling at Gugelhupf.

Indian deserts at Sitar.

Wow, I ended up with quite a lot of pictures. I had so many lovely things happen I just could not decide which to include. I'm off to plan an art lesson, make some muffins, put a chicken in the oven, and try to ignore the gloomy rainy day . I hope your day is happy!

Heart Sleeves

Heart Sleeves

This piece is titled "Heart Sleeves" and it is mostly about my memories of myself as a child. I drew the girl based on a photograph from my first day of school. We wore gray pinafores, black and yellow striped ties, and white shirts. I am pretty sure the pinafores were awful itchy, and I probably hated wearing them, but I don't remember now. What I do remember is that I was not afraid. This is important because later on I was afraid a lot, and it is good to remember a time when I was only brave. I also remember that walking to school, through the park, I usually found interesting things to entertain myself. One day I remember stopping for a very long time to watch a butterfly open and close its wings. It probably made me late to school, but I don't remember.

With my brother, wearing our uniforms

I remember a long row of coat hooks where we hung up our coats, and put our outside shoes into our shoe bags. We only wore Plimsolls inside the school. Scotland is a muddy place most of the year. The shoe bags were bright neon colors. They had black images of butterflies, or flowers, or cars on the front, along with a place to write your name, so you didn't end up wearing the wrong shoes home. I remember my teacher's name was Miss Rose and she had rosy cheeks. I also have vivid memories of wooden, ladder-type structures attached to the wall of windows in the large gym room. I have no idea what their function was, but I do know we were not allowed to climb on them, ever. It was so terrible being tempted by a whole huge wall of ladders, knowing that real trouble was in store for you if you so much as put a foot on one. It must have been excruciating for the boys.


I remember there was a boy that sat behind me named Andrew, who used to ping eraser bits at me all day. Another boy, whose name might have been Barry, used to talk to me about how spicy American hot-dogs were. One time he made me guess if a lump on his hand was a wart or a blob of dried glue. I guessed glue and I was wrong.


We had hot lunches on real plates, and I think there was usually some sort of wobbly British custard for desert which I avoided. I did lots of playing house in the little scratch of forest at play-time. Outside in the cold we ate our play-pieces (snacks). Mine were usually bags of salt and vinegar, chicken, or prawn-flavored crisps (chips). I remember a girl named Lisa who lived on the hill by the church. Her father was the rector, and I always thought it was strange that she was not afraid to live next to the graveyard. I also remember that she was quiet and kind to everyone. She was really good at drawing people.


It was quite wonderful I think. I know that I enjoyed school, and the other students. I talked a lot, I got in trouble sometimes for it. I liked reading, and learning, and reciting the poetry of Robert Burns. I liked walking to school, lining up to go in, putting my shoes into the bag with my name on the front. All of this is to say, I rather wore all my hearts on my sleeves at that age. Unabashedly soaking up my life, enjoying what was happening around, and as far as I could tell, unafraid. Unfortunately the world beyond that time proved to be a little spiky, just like that Hatpin Sea Urchin in the top corner of the drawing. It was waiting for me, made with poisonous protrusions that could puncture all the soft and vulnerable hearts I wore on the outside of myself.


Between me and the spiky world there must have been something. Something good and true and beautiful. Something that made it okay for me to wear my hearts on the outside, and something that I would not really know until much later. If there had not been anything between me and the looming sharp points, I think that today I would be a cracked and torn version of a human. Today I am not the girl in the picture on her first day of school, but I hope I am still a girl with hearts on her sleeves. Perhaps not as many. I think I might have lost some in the war with the Hatpin Sea Urchin. But I am glad to have retained some of the hearts, and I hope the others will grow back as I learn to be unafraid again.

On Going Goings On

Sand Dunes at #2 beach, Cape Hatteras National Shoreline

Last week my parents came to town and we visited the Outer Banks. It was glorious and calm and beautiful. I collected sea shells, stuffed myself with fresh seafood, and felt like a kid walking with my barefeet in the soft, warm sand.

A Pier in Nags Head

The clean, long Nags Head Beach

Right before the visit, David and I flew to Texas to attend the wedding of a dear friend. It was fun and strange to be in Texas. We ate Tex-Mex three times, played with some of our nieces and nephews, had mad, fast, catch-up conversations with family, and hugged a lot of lovely people that we miss.

Ready for take-off

Now we are back, and life is swirling. A big thanks to all of you who suggested names for my art classes. I have decided to go with ArtMachine Studios (thanks Leslie!) It's simple, and memorable, and playful. The new website can be found at: www.artmachinestudios.net. Right now I just have a temporary page up, but early next week it will be filled out with class information, fun links, my ideas on teaching, and lots more. David wrote a fun and very kind blog about it here. If you know anyone in the Durham or Chapel Hill area that would be interested, please feel free to tell them all about it. I can't wait to meet my new students!

My flickr page has also been updated with images of my new series. I am posting two blogs tonight. This little update, and a blog about a piece in the new series. I always love learning about what is going on inside an artist's mind when they are making work; it helps me enter in to their world. Hopefully this next blog will help you enter into mine. I really enjoyed making these new pieces, so I hope you enjoy hearing about them.

Have a lovely week!

Dunes

Inspiration Tuesday!

Good morning!

These delightful pieces are by Toshiyuki Fukuda. I just found this illustrator/artist through another fun blog (Majeak Ann) and I must say I am quite smitten. I love his whimsical, textured, colorful, clean pieces. I would own them all. I wish I could figure out how to get my hands on some of his postcards. I think I might have to go to Japan to find them, but I have been wanting to go to Japan anyway. :)

I am posting lots of images for you to enjoy and swoon over. You can find many more at his website here.

Enjoy! Be inspired! Make art!

Oh my! Don't you just feel giddy?

Laser wounds...

This is a very brief post dedicated to my brother. When we were younger he would run through the house with his toast eaten into the shape of a gun. His toast gun always made a "pew" sound because I guess that's what it sounds like when you get shot with dry toast. Some humor for your Sunday evening. :)

St. Francis meets his match

"Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness..." (Keats)

For me it is a new kind of September. We are beginning to see the edges of the trees change color and the morning temperatures merit a sweater. Not having ever lived in a place where the trees change in the autumn, I keep thinking "oh no, that tree is dying". I still have to remind myself that I am not in Texas anymore!

Oh! come October!

Today it is cloudy and grey in Durham. This is great for my nasturtium seedlings, but not great for feeling zippy and getting lots of things done. I certainly need that zippy feeling as I have lots of things to accomplish. Now that we are unpacked, and life has pretty much settled into a good rhythm, it is time for me to work. On my studio bulletin board I have three to-do lists. The first list is for my art making projects, it is full of things like: "color correct photos", "write blog about new pieces", and "work on commission". I also have a general to-do list, which is populated by things as varied as: "make jazz c.d for grandparents", "set up Skype", and "finish thank you cards".

The other list I have posted is the one I am most excited about. It is titled: "To-do list for art classes". Yes! I have been working hard to start my own little business teaching art classes for children. I have a terrific space, some interested families, and a brain full of ideas I can't wait to put into action. My days are full of making slide shows of art works sorted by color to use to teach color and art history together. I have been finding children's books about famous artists, working on my teaching philosophy, and writing answers to questions like "Why should a 4 year old take art?" It is so much fun and so much work. I am very excited to begin.

Here is where you come in: I need your help brainstorming a name for my classes. I would like to use "Art Machine" as part of the name. That way all my art related endeavors are connected. My plan is to add something to make it attractive to kids and families. All kinds of silly things rhyme with art machine, but I don't think I want to name my business: "Green Bean Art Machine". Do you have any ideas? I would love to hear your thoughts. If you wish you can leave me a comment with your suggestions. Thank you!

The classes are due to start mid October and I have a lot of work to do between now and then.

I will eventually get to the line item on my art to-do list that is: "write blog about new pieces". In the mean time here are a few more pictures to tide you over. I am off to write a lesson plan on the color blue. Enjoy your day!

Heart Sleeves (6x14)- Watercolor, colored pencil, paint pen

Stavanger: Birth (6x10)- Watercolor, colored pencil, paint pen

All is well, don't send the St. Bernard

I have not died, nor have I been raptured and left you behind, nor have I become Amish. I have, however, moved to North Carolina, and now live in a house without an internet connection. When you're unpacking a whole house, driving out to find one of only 4 (Alas!) coffee shops in town is rather low on the list of priorities. Today I am camping out at Joe Van Gogh catching up on many emails, connecting with people to find a job, and finishing this blog, which I started last week.

Some things are different in this land of Norte Carolinia, and I have made a little list to organize a few of the more entertaining differences. If you make it to the end of the list you will also find some images from my show at the Laity lodge, which I hung one week before the big moving truck came to our door. I have been dying to share the images with you, but it seemed more important to unpack the dishes first.

Our carito rojo driving under the Durham sign

Things to know about living in the home of The Mountain Goats (listen here):

1. It rains a lot. Almost every day right now. Sometimes all day, sometimes right in the middle of the day for an hour. Regardless of when it rains it's fabulous after the drought of Texas.

2. The grey squirrel is the state mammal. No Texas red squirrels here.

3. Humidity is a real and tangible force to be reckoned with. It deserves personification.

4. Per number three my hair is curlier and a bit more frizzy.

5. Southern hospitality is alive a well. Two complete strangers stopped by this week to invite us to church.

6. Street lights are few.

7. Street signs are low and small.

8. Street names change frequently.

9. Per numbers six, seven and eight, it's pretty hard to get around. Goggle maps can't even help.

10. Limes are really expensive.

11. A Texas accent aint nothin' on a North Carolina accent. Charlotte is "Shaw-lit", tower is "tar". Hearing it makes me want to slow right on down.

12. Don't wear light blue.

13. People still smoke inside buildings.

14. Spiders are huge! HUGE!

15. Food on a biscuit is a pretty big deal roun' here.

All joking aside, I quite like Durham and all its quirkiness. Adjusting to a new place is always rather fun for me. Getting our lives in order just takes a long time. So, until the studio is up and running again, here are some promised images from the show. I was quite happy with the way it turned out. It's always so satisfying to look at all the pieces hanging together with their big fat mats and plain black frames. Thank you so much to Ginger Geyer for inviting me out, for all her work hanging, writing up statements, and making title cards.

These images are just a taste. As soon as we have internet at the house I plan on blogging on each new piece. I'll explain some of what I was thinking when I made them, and a bit about the themes of this new series. I am working on getting all the images onto my flicker, with sizes and prices for those of you interested in purchasing. The work will be on display at the Laity Lodge until the end of October. Any pieces not sold will come to North Carolina where I am looking for a space to show them.

With Gladness and Singleness of Heart

All the pieces in the new series have to do with actual memories or memories of feelings from childhood. The show is titled: "Adventurers and Adventuresses".

Help Appears to the Kingfisher Unexpectedly

Bears! No, Small Horses.