Tuesday, June 30, 2009

What a weekend


What a full weekend I had! First off I went to see a great movie, Away We Go. It's been a while since I laughed so hard at the movies. Not only was it a funny film, but it was heartwarming and bittersweet. Also a good reminder of how differently we choose to live. As individuals, as couples, as parents, as employees, as employers, as artists, as people. Makes me really appreciate the paths I've taken in life. The little and big ways I have tried to do things on my own terms, and not just take a path or live my life without questions.
On Saturday Chad and I headed up to Loveland again to see the Wayne Thiebaud exhibit. I was surprised to find such a known artist showing his work in such a sleepy little museum, but I am so grateful for it. I was vaguely familiar with Thiebaud's work, and knew very little about it. Like everyone else, his name brought to mind paintings of cakes and pastries. But it was so much more. I am always amazed at how even the best reproductions can't do justice to seeing art in person. I enjoyed the entire show, but most of all his landscapes and cityscapes. There was always more than one point of perspective, looking at trees face on and fields at almost an arial view. Streets would run straight up and down, the cars driving on them defying gravity. I loved how the pieces became about planes of color and texture. I believe the show will be heading back to California next, and is worth checking out if you can.

The rest of the weekend was spent mostly relaxing, movie watching, talking, and getting the kitchen ready to paint. I hope you all had a great weekend too!




Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Colorado weekend


What a beautiful weekend we had here in CO. I spent a lovely day in the mountains with all the wildflowers blooming and the hummingbirds zooming everywhere. Just breathtaking. There was hiking and laughter, homemade treats, and a bbq. I even managed to get a bit of sketching in.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Revisiting a favorite


I re-watched one of my favorite movies, Great Expectations with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. The visuals are magical, and take me back to my own times growing up near the Gulf. As much as I love the music, the setting, and the chemistry in this film, it's really the paintings that do it for me. They are by Francesco Clemente and I just love how they are childlike and raw, and I am reminded that not every exacting detail need be captured to create a beautiful image.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

New Journal


This weekend I started working in a brand new, oversized watercolor Moleskine. I have been seeing some patterns in my other journal, and wanted a larger journal to hopefully push myself to play even more. I also want to experiment more with non-magazine images. I hope to add more of my own hand into this book. Paintings, drawings, personal photographs, and vintage ephemera. It will be interesting to see how this journal will differ from my other one. Also, I just discovered an incredible book by Danny Gregory, called The Creative License. I am familiar with his work, but how I missed this book is beyond me. I think sometimes things appear in life when you most need them. I have been rereading my perpetual favorites by Sabrina Ward Harrison, as well as a little SARK, so this book is fitting right in with my current lineup.

Friday, June 5, 2009

June gloom


This was a bit of a funny week, full of a lot of emotional ups and downs. I met up with my pirate sister Falcon LaGrange at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. We spent hours talking, drinking tea, and pouring over each other's journals. What a shot in the arm. But afterwards I felt blue, seeing her go. I shared something with all my pirate sisters which is hard to let go of, and just seeing Lou Ann's face, hearing her voice, and looking at her journals took me back to a very special place. 
This week was grey and gloomy, so I cheered myself up by photographing this lonely looking carnival. An odd, but strangely comforting place to go when feeling a bit gloomy myself. But there was an abandoned sense of wonder in this place, and it was fun to explore. It was just the inspiration I needed to start a project that's been on my mind. It's not ready, but I will show it soon.