Non-Linear-Arts

Waterways Project Christmas Card 2009

2009-12-13T14:41:00.004-06:00

Waterways Snow Globe
Watercolor and ink on paper

The card is finished so now all we have to do is mail it out! Is it just me or does the season seem to be moving at warp speed this year. Still have lots to do!

I want to wish all of you the very best this Winter Season. May you have peaceful moments, cherished memories, and lots of creative energy. Blessings to all.

This blog will be resting a bit while I finish preparations.

Waterways December Sketchbook

2009-12-08T19:52:00.008-06:00

By the river, storm arriving
December 09 sketchbook
watercolor and ink on paper

Not much time for a fancy post but here are a few pages from my sketchbook. I'm working on the annual Christmas card and we need to get those out soon!
It snowed here last night and more is on the way so it's really feeling like winter has arrived.

Bare trees, quiet woods
December 09 sketchbook

Thatcher Pond beginning to freeze
Watercolor and ink
December sketchbook

A Better Scan

2009-12-06T20:00:00.003-06:00

Here is a better scan of my new Flying Pictures Project. The colors looked really washed out in the photo below.

Animators Life Told in Sticky Notes

2009-12-05T06:59:00.004-06:00

I recently watched this video about the challenges of a creative life. It is all told in sticky notes. I was inspired to think about sticky notes after seeing this exhibit post.

I'm thinking about starting a new(mini) project and wondering is so much fun.

Seems I work best when I have several things going at once. So much to create: so little time (sigh),

The Grand Finale for Flying Pictures

2009-12-03T14:53:00.002-06:00

All the books have been packed up and are winging their way home across the Atlantic. The project is over now and what a great time we had.

Now that the show is over, I decided to re cover my book and finally attach the back. I like it much better now.

The days are getting so short now and the holiday's are approaching. Time to crack out the hot chocolate and seasonal music.

New back covered in an unfinished Waterways canvas

When cleaning out the studio, I found more of the blue paper and re made the inside envelope too.

Fire and Water: Waterway Matches?

2009-11-26T07:20:00.004-06:00

I must have some sort of "making" disease because I really can't help myself. These are large kitchen matchboxes that my twisted imagination could not resist covering with some Waterways images. Yes Paste works great. My mother will probably laugh when she see them.

Happy Thanksgiving. And I'm so fortunate to have your support here! Thanks everyone.

Waterways Project: November Sketchbook

2009-11-23T14:35:00.010-06:00

Mid November

I'm a bit behind posting my sketchbook for this month. We've had really warm weather this month after so much rain in October. Not much chance to see the fall colors...the rain washed all the leaves off.

Much as I love spring and the light of summer, there is something really compelling in the linear quality of the trees and the gray light.

Light Rain

Bright Day

Natures' Lace

And this one left over from summer. I almost abandoned it but after a bit of reworking, I thought it worth posting.

Left over from summer
Fox river

The Charter for Compassion

2009-11-19T17:36:00.000-06:00

Waterways Project: Controlled Burn

2009-11-18T10:58:00.004-06:00

Controlled Burn

Walking the trail a couple of weeks ago, I smelled a peculiar, acrid smell that I had never noticed before. As I approached this spot on the Des Plaines River Trail,
this was what I saw! Over the weekend, the County had performed a controlled burn and this is a great gift for the land. Next spring, so many native species will finally have the space to populate this patch of land.

The burn is also a rich metaphor for renewal in life after disaster has struck. Everything looks dead now but clearing away all the brushes and invasive species will make room for woodland flowers. It's also a fine metaphor for creative life: the times I feel empty and drained creatively are only a pause, a rest for the inner landscape. There will be plenty of room for new images, ideas and projects.

Posted Notice

All Sorts of New Work

2009-11-16T20:59:00.008-06:00

8" x 12"
watercolor, ink and Japanese paper collage on
400 lb watercolor paper

I've been very busy here resurrecting the Flying Pictures Project. Last Thursday's talk went very well and I could almost feel the wing beats of my fellow flyer's somewhere in the room with me.

I've also been working on the Tools of the Trade project and you can see a new piece and read a book review here on the blog.

I'm having a job review this week too. Just when I think my life is nice and sane, stuff piles up. The semester ends in a few weeks and I'm soooooo ready!

Waterways Project:Japanese Paper Play

2009-11-11T09:38:00.003-06:00

Watercolor, acrylic ink, India ink
300 lb watercolor paper

I've been playing around with some Japanese paper and collage. But mostly, I'm preparing for a speaking engagement tomorrow night. If you are around, stop by and you can see all the books in person. I've just up loaded
Nina's whole book also.

More later!

Studio Warm Ups

2009-11-04T13:29:00.003-06:00

4" x 4"
watercolor and ink on paper

I've been using these small sheets of paper as studio warm ups. Great way to get the hand and the paint moving around.

A recent favorite pod cast is this one on stem cell research. Did you know that fetal stem cells are too developed to be used in research. Takes some of the emotional punch right out of the arguments not to use them!

Pamphlet Stitch Journal Tutorial

2009-11-02T01:23:00.002-06:00

Assorted Pamphlet Books
All made from recycled materials
Making a Simple Pamphlet Journal

In anticipation of my demonstration at the library, I wanted to post this demo for creating your own pamphlet stitched journal. I used a discarded watercolor drawing for most of the journal covers shown here and a cereal box for the one in the upper right had corner. A cereal box makes a wonderful, light weight, inexpensive cover for the books. The cardboard is just the right weight and can be embellished any way you wish. This one has a picture of a Robert Motherwell drawing on the side not shown and I call this book "A Spoonful of Motherwell" in homage to the master.

My books are created with a rather casual approach as I'm interested in filling them up more than creating a perfectly bound book. Keeping a relaxed attitude helps make the process "no tears" too.

So here are the instructions:

Tools
Awl or nail to punch holes
Card stock for cover
Filling paper
Sturdy thread and a needle
Bone folder or spoon to crease signatures and cover

Choose a cover paper or cardboard and the paper you wish for the signatures. I usually make the signatures first and fit the cover to it. To make this book, I folded a sheet of 8.5" x 11" resume paper in half (the hamburger way not the hot dog way, though you could make a book in that shape if you wished.) You can use 3,4 or 5 sheets of paper to make your journal but the more pages in your signature, the larger the swell will be. Make sure you use the bone folder to crease each page and then nest the pages. Bone fold the completed signature too.

Make the cover 1/8 " larger on the top, bottom and opening edge.

Make a jig
A jig is simply a pattern used to create holes in the spine of the cover and the signautres that line up perfectly. Using a piece of scrap paper, cut a piece that's 2" wide and as long as the spine. Fold it in half the long way. Fold in in half the other way. This intersection marks the middle hole for the jig. Create 2 more placement holes by folding the short edges to the center and creasing.

Line up the jig inside the folded cover and poke three holes in the spine.
Do the same for the signature.

Now you are ready for some minimal sewing. Nest the signature inside the cover, lining up the holes. Leave a nice long tail.
Thread up your needle and poke the needle through the center hole from outside to inside.
Next, poke the needle through the top hole going from inside to outside.

Now, sew through the bottom hole going from outside back to the inside.

Last stitchs: Poke the needle through the middle hole and bring it outside the spine again and tie off the 2 ends. Your finished. If you like, you can tie on beads to these end threads or make a tassel and tie that on.

Update on the Flying Pictures Project

2009-10-31T13:09:00.007-05:00

Des Plaines River
Watercolor and ink

Today's big news is that I finally scanned Glen's Flying Pictures Project journal and created a slide show over at our blog. That completes all seven books documented! I'm getting ready for my lecture/demonstration next month and having a really wonderful time reminiscing. It's so amazing having the books in my hands and reading all the annotations people wrote to go with their pictures. Getting ready for the presentation makes me miss all of my fellow flyers.

The weather has been rainy and cool all month. Almost all the leaves are down now and DH and I hope to get out side on the next sunny day. Happy Halloween everyone!

The Last Flowers of Autumn

2009-10-28T12:56:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures from my garden and neighborhood with the last few bits of floral color. I'm really loving how the more linear aspects of the trees are beginning to peek out from the falling foliage.

On my other blog , I'm taking today about my process on how to bridge the gap between an idea I have and how to express that idea visually. What do you do when confronted with a problem of visually expressing and idea?

Flying Pictures Project Grows Wings Again

2009-10-21T09:00:00.020-05:00

Five of the Seven
Flying Pictures Project Journals
(This photo would have been much better had Robyn taken it in her Italian back yard!)

In the Spring of 2008, I invited three web friends in distant countries to help me plan a traveling artist's journal project. Our group eventually became seven artists on three continents united in our desire to have fun and exchange art and we launched The Flying Pictures Project. Now the project journals,( unfortunately not the participants), will be united for a display at the Oak Park Public Library. I'll be speaking about our process, fun and art work Thursday evening November 12 at 7PM at the Oak Park Public Library. The journals will be on display for the month of November and you can see them up close on the night I'm speaking. They are really beautiful in person. The photos do not do them justice!

I'll also discuss how anyone can start a journeling project and demonstrate how to make a simple pamphlet journal. With very simple tools and daily paper ephemera anyone, even people without art training, can create a rich, satisfying visual journal.

For information about other events at the library you can look at the November calender here.

Turtle Lore

2009-10-20T20:07:00.001-05:00

Walk Slowly
Listen Gently

Sketchbooks

2009-10-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

Through some really nice contacts from the gallery, I have been offered this top notch flat file for a really great price and some sweat equity. (Thanks to DH and the other team members for shoehorning these babies into our modestly sized car!) all my paper is now safely stored and not cluttering up all the corners. It makes me feel so professional.

I've been appreciating this fallow time in the studio. I'm drifting, dreaming, collage and of course, playing in my favorite way: mixing media. Here are a few pages from my sketch book. The safest place I know to experiment is between it's black, inexpensive covers.

Tools of the Trade Sketchbook #1

Here are a few of the ideas I've been absorbing this fall. All of these ideas are fermenting away and I'm beginning to get inklings of a new direction for my work.

This show by Robert Motherwell in the Block Museum at Northwestern University was absolutely wonderful and well worth the trip.

Tools of the Trade sketchbook page #2

I've been listening to a program calledRadio Lab and their most recent episode is about death and the after life. I know this sounds like a morbid subject but actually, the show was very interesting. Given that no one has come back to tell us what life is like on the other side, RL has found many interesting takes on the subject; eleven to be exact.

Tools of the Trade Sketchbook page #3

I love this art show and for a limited time you can see this show on line: Art 21

This is an interesting series too:Craft In America

Tools of the Trade sketchbook page 4

More later......

Kiswaukee In The Rain and Norman Ackroyd

2009-09-27T07:29:00.000-05:00

As Craig and I paddled along last Sunday on the pristine Kiswaukee river, we were suddenly in a light rain. Craig had suggested, providentially, that we pack 2 ponchos and so we remained quiet dry and comfortable.

Recently,while enjoying my current art break, I've found the most beautiful etchings by Norman Ackroyd. I'm inspired by his luminous and spiritual landscapes. How elegant and simple black and white can be! Makes me want to break out the charcoal.

When I was painting plein air this summer, I went out mostly in June and became very attached to the filtered light of a rainy day. There is something other worldly about the soft focus of that light.

Conscious Tool Use

2009-09-21T12:06:00.022-05:00

North Avenue Beach
September 09
Watercolor sketchbook

I've been thinking about life's many rhythms lately.

Internal Rhythm
Breathing, heart rate, digestion and rates of healing require time and can't be rushed.

Natural Rhythms
Today is the first day of Autumn and I want to pay attention to the subtle daily changes of the season. It's my favorite time of year.

Web Rhythms
When I'm logged on to the web, my goal is to remain aware of the first two kinds of rhythm (especially my breath) while working and learning. The ability to move quickly in the digital age is a double edged sword for analog beings. I'm aiming for a more conscious use of digital tools. The computer is only one tool in a long succession for us homo sapiens.

I recently watched an interesting documentary film calledManufactured Landscapes The film follows photographer Edward Burtynsky to his chosen locations in China and Bangladesh. His photos are beautiful and haunting all at once and film is a work of art in its own right.

You can hear Edward Burtynsky speaking in thisTED Lecture.

Happy Autumn to those of us in the Norther Hemisphere.

Creative Recovery

2009-09-15T13:31:00.015-05:00

Some thoughtful friends have suggested I do a few gentle posts from time to time to let you all know I'm still alive and kicking.....and tell you how I'm recovering from creative burn out.

I'm cooking more and here's my latest cook book:
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone The author is a sympathetic omnivore with some really interesting flavor combinations.

I'm getting out doors as much as possible and preferably in a quiet, natural setting.

Visiting with family and good friends.

Not making art if I don't want to and being gentle with myself about not wanting to.

I'm doing my yoga and yoga breathing when things start to feel overwhelming.

Spending time doing nothing.

I'm living as much as possible in the REAL world. This means I won't be visiting blogs for awhile but it's been heavenly to not be feeling obligated to spend so much time on line. I was starting to feel numbed after hours on line. I also found myself obsessively checking my site stats.This is such a HUGE time waster and was strictly about vanity; a sort of adult version of the high school popularity contest. I turned blogging into a J-O-B with all the heavily weighted baggage that denotes.

I highly recommend the web restricted diet if you are feeling burned out. I'd be interested to hear how others cope with creative and web burn out.

Post Card Tag

2009-08-27T18:36:00.014-05:00

Road Man
5" x 4"
Rubber tire and paint on paper

I have somehow painted myself into a really crowded corner, so crowded in fact that my creative out put has dwindled to a trickle!

After reflecting on my last year's creative endeavors, here is my list of accomplishments:
6 shows at the police station You can see all six shows here
Began an artist residency at the Police Station and completed 30 drawings
Set up 2 web sites and a new blog
Joined Watermarks
Joined and had to take a sabbatical from Sketchersise
Completed 2 printing workshops
Taken a semester class called Experimental Drawing
Participated in a group show in August
Started painting plien air oils for the Waterways Project
4 large drawings inspired by my visit to Niagara Falls last May

Makes me tired just listing these! So I'm finding ways to rest and get back to more playful ways to be creative. I've been cooking and loafing: reading and resting.

These post cards are a fun, light weight project I'm doing to stay in touch with my with my son who has started graduate school this fall. My son, an avid cycler, will receive a post card from me and send on back with a sort of conceptual snap shot of his life at the moment. I'm very much looking forward to this visual game with him.

I have no idea where I will be going with any of my projects. This creative roller coaster has never been dull and never failed to deliver something after a long wait. I'm trying to be patient and meanwhile, my studio is looking very tidy!

Two Wheel Flock
5" x 4"
Rubber tire and paint on paper

Road Rash ( This is a bikers euphemism for what happens when soft flesh meets pavement unexpectedly)
5" x 4"
Rubber tire and paint on paper

Lake Michigan Views

2009-08-15T07:49:00.000-05:00

Craig and I are fortunate enough to live near a beautiful city. Chicago has many moods and a Byzantine political history but the jewel in our crown, is the park that runs along the length of the city and allows public access to Lake Michigan.

Dog Park

Pilons

Clouds over Lake Michigan

Chicago from the North

Churchill Park, Another One

2009-08-01T01:19:00.006-05:00

Church Hill Park Afternoon
oil on canvas
9" x 12"

I'll be taking a few weeks off from blogging but I'll leave you with an interesting link:

If you'd like the real low down on painting plein air, you can watch THIS. Plein Air paintings is not for wimps! When placing your order,please specify how many bugs you would like embedded in the paint. They cost extra. (You are paying for that pound of flesh!)

Happy Summer Everyone!

Canoing Lake Michigan Near Chicago

2009-07-30T04:56:00.000-05:00

Early one Sunday morning, Craig and I checked the Lake Michigan marine report and decided to launch Sherry from the Howard Street Beach. It was really exciting to be on the huge lake and it made me feel young and dangerous. The canoe almost swamped in a swell and we quickly figured out that we needed to turn much faster. We packed it up when the swells and the wind picked up. The weather can on Lake Michigan can turn on a dime and we did not want to be caught too far from shore.