Advent 2013: Day Ten: Holly Fantasy
Advent 2013: Day Three: Swedish Wreath
Advent 2013: Day Two: Holiday Mandala
Here and Now.
Back on the blog. Trying to be a good girl and get back to talking about the daily this and thats--sharing the stuff that keeps streaming out of the tip on my magical digital pencil.
That's right...all those pictures just flow out of the sharp end of my digital pencil...and all I have to do is hold on tight, and see what happens. Stream of consciousness...parts and pieces emerging... I have been streaming things from my recent trips, and from some of my rage at being American. Though, frankly, from the antics of the last few weeks, it all has left me breathless and gasping, trying to figure out what happened to rational negotiation, conversation and compromise--and instead bullying, brash and combattive behavior mirroring the passionate child, stomping and storming to get attention due to the lack of sleep, lack of attention, hunger or patience. If only we could just hug these radicals and calm them down through little plates of food and quiet talk....but this is the hippy mommy moment that just isn't "real". I am still puzzling over where we go from here...from the brink to another brink? How can we be a bigger community of people who have more in common than the small things that separate us?
Rob and I are sitting looking out over the lake with the rich, full autumnal clouds hovering over a purple lake listening to all the good radio we have here.... and having a little study hall. I am pondering the aspect of what is "Adirondack"--what is the style, the heart, the philosophy? What is it to be Adirondack? Is it all about camping and campfires? Is it old forests, deep woods, and dark skies? Is it mirrored water and scented balsam? Is it historical or is it now? Can it be both? What romance is there? How to people react to Adirondack beyond that that Ralph Lauren has fashioned?
I am also thinking about the local food movement--and the sad note that our unbelievably wonderful CSA is closing (not just for the season--but for now). This will change things for 400 families in our area which is an opportunity either for someone to buy this place and run it as it has been run or for another farm to fill that need. It also points up that the Tburg Farmers Market has a place to step into the void if it wants to beyond our Wednesday market we currently sponsor. Something to consider.
Rob is pondering bigger, more intricate things....and the coffee keeps flowing. Feels almost like a vacation. A vacation with furniture moving (getting all the porch stuff stowed away)...and emptying the fridge (science projects have not been too extraordinary). There goes Rob again, doing something else productive...and I just sit here gabbing to you.
Big week of travel for Rob this week. Big week of holiday planning and production for me. My god. November is just five days away. I will have things at Sundrees and at Felicias for their Black Friday Event (local goods and services with brunch and Black Friday cocktails like the "Doorbuster"). So cards galore and little kits of the small stuff (I am currently calling that stuff "Tiny Table" as it is all kitchen, food, eating related), the cameos, and food jewels. We even have gummy bear necklaces (resin gummies)....Fun. But a heaping helping of extra work on top of the holidays. Plus, there is Thanksgiving to start prepping.
Yikes. What happened to that vacation feeling?
quietly, gently.
Not much to say. Lots going on. Some nice travel (Rochester for a Rob speech, Sagamore twice for Sagabusiness). Been keeping busy with illustration, work, and the burgeoning card and trinkets business (big time burgeoning with two outlets)...and a lot of thinking about how to spread my stationery wings. There have been questions insofar as my silence, so I will at least post pix, and when there are short things to say, I will say them. Sorry for the silence--but I have been busy trying to get my act together.
This wreath is from the My America Series. I got going on a jag thanks to my lovely time in South Utah, the red rocks, the pictograms, the inspiration which took me to local food (duh) and the three sisters (the cornerstone to the Native American culinary palette) : squash, corn and beans--a symbiotic triad from how they grow to the nutritional support they provide. Then, I of course, segued to wheat and corn for the US diet--GMO and otherwise...and I couldnt resist the pull of Swedish wheat, and french wheat arrangements. These are my "takes" on them....with brushes and illustrator trickery to allow me to make things human hands only wish they could do. There are squash, there are squash, squash blossoms, and corn galore. I havent had the patience to render beans yet--but it is coming....I promise.
Christmas: Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty Five, Christmas Peace
Peace be with you and yours on this day that reminds us that each new day is a new birth, a new opportunity to grow, change, give and love each other. Have a lovely and warm Christmas with those you hold dear.
Advent is done. Christmas is here. However, if you want to review the images created for this years Advent Calendar, they are all compiled here (and a few more I didnt post)… its right here
Christmas Eve Bonus: Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Silent Night
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty Three
Love to all my friends and family here and abroad on this Christmas Eve 2012. The day looks to be promising, filled with light, people gathering, and the space for all of us to assess all that we have to be thankful for—in the past, present and hope for the future. May you soak in the day—with those you love.
Just in: Accepted Society of Illustrators Illustration West 51 Juried Show
Sunday Special: Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Bonus: A Little Happy Time
I know its off topic, and I know it really isnt part of the proper advent calendar, but it was created only last week, so I will post this as a bonus on a beautiful Sunday before a week of celebration and joy.
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty Three: Kawaii Snow Globe
We got some snow yesterday. So, it is feeling a bit more like winter. Kitty made a ton of earrings out of the dollhouse treasures—and sold $70. worth to friends during the course of the day. Alex visited with friends and helped Rob get the tree. I wrapped presents while waiting for my computer to boot up from the numerous crashes while making tomorrow’s picture for the next to final Advent Calendar project. I love what is going on with this picture and my mind is whirring about what is next. So, this body of work drove technique inspired by content, and now the content is evolving for the next collection of images inspired by the new techniques. The Catherine Wheel of insipiration keeps proving itself to me.
A person saw my food brooches at Sundrees and contacted me to create a holiday feast without the pins to give to his wife for a holiday gift. I have a bunch of small pine tables and whomped up platters of cookies, veggies, a turkey, tea in cups with lemon, bread in a bread basket, a pie and more…so cute…I think I have another product to sell for Valentines Day? I need to get the valentine printed…and create a few to sell. Maybe this little deer would like to be part of a Kawaii valentine? Or the head of antoher stratosphere suit. Why didnt I see that yesterday? Jeez. Not much time to reflect on what is being thrown out the door.
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty Two: Christmas Whirlie Tops
Welcome to the Weekend Bonus: Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Ornament wreath
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty One: Sugar Shocked
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty: Punch in the Box
Alright, I couldn’t resist. There were two Jack in the Boxes done for Jennifer Houghtaling….the happy and cute one posted earlier, and the Punch in the Box (as in Punch and Judy) that I had to do (if anything, to see if I could make a monster brush, which I could)… and so, I need to post that right now as a counterpoint to cute. Punch does not have his club, but as you all know, he uses his head as a battering ram on his poor scapegoat of a wife, Judy. I hope Judy gets a break over the holiday….
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Twenty: HappyJack
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Nineteen: Santa Lucia
A Week and Counting: Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Cookies from the Digital Kitchen
My dear boy is home. We await the Princess.
Sugar Coated Advent 2012: Day Eighteen: Special Delivery: Parachute Santa
Kitty and Alex are coming home today, so I figured someone jolly dropping in might be a fun point/counterpoint to our expectations! This little dude is again inspired by that wigged out show we saw at the new Museum and my fascination with stratosphere, diving and space suits (particularly the early ones)…articulated in stripes and candycanes. How I have gotten from Gingerbread houses to Stratosphere suits is a little beyond me, but in the context of 6-8 images make a thesis project, by the end of this process, there would be plenty to pick for one slash two thesis (in different flavors). I was watching a few YouTube videos on some techiques I am working into my digital mis en place and am fascinated to see where this is going. I was delighted with an illustration I did last week when I had to do a reduction illo of a tractor and put type on it—using drawing to better integrate the type with the image. New tools= more control and confidence in really rocking with it…And it was significantly faster too.Such a fabulous surprise!
Its another grey and rainy day with dark clouds, heavy droplets and the suggestion of snow or something slushy later today. I have dethawed a pork roast from the half pig we bought and am slow cooking it for the soon-to-be arrivals along with a mess of tomatoes I froze after cooking and foodmilling this summer. I have a box of chopped basil to make fresh pesto for Alex (who is pining for big eating). Now, what to cook for Christmas dinner. Hmmm.
Later. More advent stuff (am contemplating another bonus image today!).