This and that

Fatline Experiment, Q. Cassetti, 2011, faber castell pitt fat brush pen, pentel presto whiteout marker

Well…it’s Monday. What a quiet day I gave myself yesterday with some reading, relaxing and drawing. Shady and the cats and I hung out at the Lake for the bulk of the day. I chipped away at The Emperor of All Maladies which is really good, but something I can only do an hour at a time. Its not a cuddly coze that you can dig into and enjoy the ride. There is too much to process, to think about albeit it is in laymans language and a totally engaging story.

Alex will be back with us today. It sounds like he is plum exhausted (I spoke to him on the phone)== and that the food provided was not working for him either. He says he isnt feeling 100%— So, I think we will get him off the bus and shovel him right into the comfy bed with a fan turned on. Quiet and warm. Poor guy. (I wrote this prior to his coming home)…and it was all true…He was spent. Totally. And today he has a track meet. This boy needs quiet time with his eyes closed. Sounds like pasta when he gets home.

My freezer totally crapped out. Second full meltdown. I am beginning to think that this machine has it in for me. Fury, fury, furious. All the chopping and pitting, skinning and seeding, and prep for nice evenings in the winter…all shot. It was discovered as most of the freezer had totally melted down…I have rescued the bushel of sour cherries and am presently cooking them down with more sugar—to put them in jars (and use my pressure cooker to pop the tops)…But jeez… I am truly fed up. Rob thinks maybe the freezer wasnt level, his reasoning for why the door popped open and wouldnt shut. I had duct taped it closed….but it popped open despite that. Oy.

I had a nice design day yesterday for my art client. I am going to be interested to see how things develop with them. Hanford Mills is on the lineup. I need to wrap up my portraits and other work for the Museum.

Gotta go.

Inspired

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

Steve Jobs

“My heart is in the work.”

Andrew Carnegie

Because.

Mr. Chicken, Watkins Glen NY 10.08.2011, Q. CassettiWhy Mr. Chicken? Well, because. Love the sign, love the decor of chicken do-dads, the funny primative quality of the seating, the outdoor venue and their offering of “a tub of chicken” which is this chopped tiny bird, thrown into a food service paper shell with a piece of waxed paper. Of course, it comes with some very doughy, very white rolls (4) with little wrapped rectangles of salted butter (that we leave at the counter). We had lunch at Mr. Chicken en route to Corning—which was satisfying and funny.  I think Rob sees more in Mr. Chicken than I do, but their tee shirts could win me over to being a more vocal supporter. And then, their neon in a little house shape is pretty good. The actual chicken, hmmm? Not totally mmmm.

Maybe a bit of Yelpifying on Mr. Chicken? I am sorry,but are you familiar with Yelp? I love Yelp! Yelp is a website that you can leave reviews of local restaurants, businesses and services, post pictures and kind of keep track of your own loves and likes. I particularly love using Yelp when I am in a different town and need to find lunch or a hotel or whatever in the area—and the locator device on my IPad connects with Yelp, and there right in front of me is what to expect in the neighborhood. We have never been disappointed by the finds we have gotten on Yelp (from the real deal mexican we found in Amherst/Hadley, to the bar/restaurant/gallery/music venue we found in Providence. We yelped in Baldwinsville NY in the expectation of a starving son…and found a heavenly pizza by the slice place that fit the bill. So, if you are not a yelper, join in! If you don’t want to write, then just use it to make the day more fun…

From the Chicken Collection at Mr. Chicken, Watkins Glen, NY, Q. CassettiRob is riding the recalcitrant mower—which after a few tries with breakfast in between decided to start. Or maybe it was after I made the proclamation that I was tired of all these broken machines and that more money spent fixing them might be better spent on something more worthy…and real (vs. the toys we have). I bet it was that. “Junk heap or start?”…you can hear the mower thinking….”Start!”. The lake grass is amazingly long and lush. A green rug which is a gorgeous foil for the changing leaves. Amazing for early October.

The cats are sitting on the dining room table watching for critters and butterflies. Shady is parked underfoot so I am guaranteed to trip or fall on her if I do not watch out.

The day is glorious. I hope my littles are having fun: Alex on the rollie coasters (that’s what we call them in the other Burgh, PBurgh), Kitty in Greenwich Village. Amazing my babies are on their own—hanging with their friends, making their lives as fun as can be. Alex will be back tomorrow. Kitty goes back to the Shire on Tuesday. A bit shocking for someone used to having so much pivot on my activity. Takes the pressure off a bit. But lets me think and act a bit more freely. Should be an interesting time. It also is interesting to view Columbus Day weekend as a vital time to take off. Never reallly thought of it as a programmable time, but after running into two adorable Tburgers at Two Goats in the parking lot—and hearing about their Columbus Day tour of camping, visiting, seeing…literally driving all over NYState in a few days, I was stunned and inspired. And there was the tiny “Scamp”trailer for sale on 414. Q. and Robbie v.2. (or is it v.3?).

I have a new group of people I am going to be working with. Hip Hip Hipsters! These guys on top of ART, and Artbooks and art catalogs and sell them to libraries (either in the mode of pick out so many books for us monthly and send them to us, or on an order by order basis). They have a tough company name, and an out dated logotype, and havent done much promotion ever. I am going to help them. Maybe in exchange for esoterica to drive my art. Could be cool. My head is spinning on this one…as it really isnt about books, its about art. I am doing a bit of doodling with their mark…and the simple stuff just to get out of the gate, but the trick here is to change the thinking a bit of how yes, they sell books and service…but it is all driven out of an understanding and love of art. How to rachet up that thinking and the fun factor on a shoestring budget? Good challenge. Interesting people. Cool business.

I have decided that the time spent on the Hangar Theatre posters and graphics will be given to local farmers and producers to help them establish a look and brand locally. Works for me. There is a cidery in the mix (biodynamic organic apples that will sell cider and also a you pick apple orchard) along with a lovely farm in Mecklenburg. I figure I can do 3-4 of these in the time I spent on the posters and move the needle for a bunch more people, and get a happy factor along with it. Need to schedule the meetings. Everyone is raring to go.

Gourds

Glass Farmers Market at the Corning Museum of Glass, 10/08/2011, Q. CassettiPicture perfect day. Alex was up early to get on a gorgeous bus to take him to Ohio to ride the roller coasters, “enjoy” the buffet breakfasts, and hang with the bros. He had a nice evening with friends back from college—a catch up with the new freshmen and all they are experiencing, missing, confounded by. Great to hear it a year or so in advance.

Rob and I tootled down to the Corning Museum of Glass’ Columbus Day spectacular, the Glass Farmers Market. It was a gorgeous drive with the color finally beginning to pop. There was grape in the air…in the warm, humid air that made it even more sweet. A lovely drive with pumpkins, yard sales,and produce..the last of the tomatoes and the beginnings of beets, potatoes and carrots.

Yes, The Corning Museum had all sorts of gourds and pumpkins in glass available to take home (and they do not stink, mold or rot). I bought a few for friends and a tortoise shell one for me. I have a little collection of them…and its fun to add to the grouping. Many of mine are clear (from the Studio Sale) but I have some orange ones, a green one…and now brown. I love this one so much, I could see doing tortoise shell ones entirely. I fess up, I LOOOVE tortoise shell. I cannot say why, but the aesthetic is one; the history of how we have tortoise shell is two, and just how it works…for me. It was fun mixing it up with my museum friends, seeing the enormous numbers of asian and indian tourists (and how smoothly the whole thing was)—An amazing hat trick that these lovely people seem to do with great humor and aplomb. They had great wooden boxes filled with apples (as a give away) inspired by the Tully Cross Country event we attend every year and how the great treat are the free apples. The crowd loved it (Tully and today).

On the way back, we stopped at the Seneca Lake microbrewery, Two Goats and were impressed by the packed deck, the piles of cool people and the tasty brew offered. We ran into some old Corning chums full of good energy having come back from helping with a grape harvest for a friend.

And now, lakeside…the cats scamper. There is manure thick on the air….but the rosy sun is setting on the lake and its not quite 7. And the year rolls by.

Game changer

Fatline Experiment, Q. Cassetti, 2011What a day yesterday was! Exhausting and quite startling.Lots of information delivered that is going to take some time to process, fully grasp and be able to act on it. It was amazingly stressful (second time) but after a nights sleep, it seems more tangible. We have lots of new work to do…for the betterment and improvement of the quality of learning for our boy.

It is good to be back to the nine to five (the eight to eight…but who is counting) with Shady and the Cats, and potential to make meatballs after work tonight. 

I have a bunch of project refinements for today. Have some printing to do for the Library project. There are a ton of little hangie things…that I would like to get resolved.  Fat line work continues….we will see.

It is the world’s loss that Steve Jobs (1955-2011) has left us….richer for his insight, ideas, imagination and drive to make personal computing personal, entertaining more personal, and our lives, more interconnected through his tools that he has left us. How many people can single handedly change the culture in so few years as Steve Jobs, providing leadership and money to take the risks, to take on the culture bred in the industrial age, and transform it to the information age? How many leaders embrace design as a way of doing business versus the flourish or cherry on top the way Jobs has with Apple and Pixar— moving creative people to be equal to that of the business boys, and money folks. Steve Jobs “got it” and through modelling this risky, “why not”, brash behavior, changed our world for the better. It is rare when an individual can be cited for this truly paradigm shift. Steve Jobs was one who we can point to—and say that he was someone who really made a difference. He made the world a brighter, bigger community—linking us all, changing our way of doing things…connecting us electronically. He shrank distances and grouped people. He changed what communications mean…and how we communicate. He established the new global village.

Heaven is richer with him amongst the angels. Wireless….! RIP.

Keyhole backwards.

Vecdtor doodle, Q. Cassetti, 2011If you were to describe the perfect autumn day, you would describe today. Cloudless sky. Perfectly brilliant, “lets take a portrait” sun, with the leaves all on the verge of color…many of them still lush and green, but the horse chestnuts are yellow as the maples begin their progression towards crimson. We were up and going before the sun came up—so we had the show of pinks and cream on the farm horizons as we sped towards Rochester for an 8 a.m. appointment. Today was the final leg of getting some clarity on how  A. learns and we got an interesting summation which explains a lot of what we have been seeing both in his work, and the way he takes in information. It has been so worth it—but surprisingly emotionally draining for all of us. If the boys feel anything like I do, we have all been dragged through the keyhole backwards….and are just trying to get our heads, our hearts and our understanding all in line. The come away is that our A. is an amazing young man who has been fighting the good fight without the benefit of my understanding and protection. That is going to change right now. I am not a really happy bunny about all that is past and will coach others to not do what I do…but to get on it and not to trust any institution to do anything beyond the status quo. When I write those checks in September to the school—it doesn’t feel real sweet. Status quo is the best we can do for our kids….its about getting through and not necessarily about either enjoying learning or even learning to learn. Just getting through. However, moving forward, we have things to do, things to change, things to try.

We had a very interesting time talking with the Rotarians about their exchange program last night. Alex interviewed and we should find out if he makes the cut in a day or so. From that, more interviews…and then we will see. I hope something like this could happen for him. If not, we will dive into other programs that do similar things. It is an involved program that seems to really cover all the bases. We should have some idea of where we are going mid November or so. We also have the college applications to do…so busy…YIKES>

I have Rob to myself this p.m. Alex is off to play practice. Then tomorrow night, Rob has town government, and I have Alex. We all  have each other on Friday. Saturday through Monday, Alex goes with his class on a trip to Cedar Point, Ohio to ride the huge number of roller coasters. They even have one in the dark! Lucky boy.

Steve Brodner sent a lulu of a great sketch exploration on politico, Art Pope. Check it out>> I love the display of reference, the sketch process, how youtube can give you expressions that a still might not…and then the final piece. Sweet process…totallly a pro. He rocks.

The big fat pen continues to move.

Night scanner.

Fat Line experiment, Q. Cassetti, 2011Last night was a beautiful black night. No clouds. Sprinkles of twinkling stars were out in the cool, silence that Shady and I delighted in. I havent told you about Shady Grove’s most favorite game in the whole universe which I am always delighted in, and amazed by her olifactory abilities. She loves to chase cones in the dark. If I throw them, she will go searching—particularly into the brush, in the velvety black of the evenings. She will drill right in—diligently scanning—left and right, overlapping lines of looking, of smelling, of searching exclusively with her nose for that cone with her slobber and my handprints as the reference. She loves it regardless of weather, snow, rain, dark or light…but dark cool evenings are the most challenging and her most favorite evenings. I had the delight of listening to Pandora—my classic Indian Music channel which really married with the depth and beauty of the black night.

I had a nice one hour wander through Wegmans last night. I lingered in the indian food center along with the nice organic section. The washed and colorblocked veggies were glorious as were the promises of Autumn food, squash and orange plants. Alex and I had a nice chat in the car about this and that, about passion and progress. He runs today (in the rain) and immediately after he gets off the bus, he has an interview with the Rotary for a possible opportunity to do their abroad program.

There is work at hand. So, I need to make it quick. Hello and hi. Sorry I am so hollow today.

Blessings.

We had the Farmers Market event yesterday afternoon. It pointed up to me, the significant contribution of volunteers from the fundraising for the building, to the teams of makers, builders, laborers, detaillers, designers, architects, village employees and more. The reason we have this market is sheer will and effort of people who truly WANT a Farmers Market. People who put their energies behind what they believe in. There wouldnt be the wonderful park we have without this common belief and effort of our fellow Tburgers. We are all beneficiaries of this common belief and effort behind doing things right.  I think very few of us understand that this expression of community at our Farmers Market and how very, very special this is. We are indeed blessed.

Now the challenge is to harness this marvelous mechanism to create wonderful things for community to spin more community and then some. This is what I will be leaning into.

I had a great conversation on Friday with Kevin from the Hanford Mills Museum. Have I mentioned this museum to you before? Hanford Mills describes their mission here:

“Hanford Mills Museum’s mission is to be a leading interpreter of the evolution of power generation and technology and how it contributed to the unsettling of rural America. The Museum is dedicated to:

  • preserving and presenting the mill site
  • understanding how the Hanford and Pizza families adapted their business operations to respond to changes in technology, markets, and transportation
  • illustrating how these activities affected the community

Hanford Mills has a mill and a millpond that they actively use to create products and show how vital a mill, waterpower etc. to yesteryear and also, I think to demonstrate the viability today. In  February every year, they induce people to leave their warm houses to go out and cut ice for their icehouse during their Ice Harvest Festival. There is soup, hot cider and all sorts of fun with a 1922 gas powered ice saw to help folks to “embrace winter” and to “harvest one of the winter’s most abundant crops”. I love this event, so Kevin and I are going to create some images and branding around this fun…to drive more recognition and maybe sell some gear to drive more revenue for this wonderful little museum outside of Oneonta NY. You Tube has a little happy clip on it>>

Another announcement is that instead of donating time and illustration to the Hangar Theatre next year, I am going to provide pro bono logos and illustration to  local producers and farmers  to move the image of their products ahead. I feel that this is the place that I can be truly more effective for the time put in and the emotional payout that comes back to me.

The week is busy. Alex has a ton of afterschool stuff. Rob has a ton of afterwork stuff. We have Wednesday in Rochester for more testing. Friday is the beginning of the Columbus Day Holiday for Alex…with the weekend senior trip to Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio. I hope this week can be as productive as it feels like it could be.

Onward.

I was on Trend Hunter.

Fatline Experiments, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and ink, white out.I was googling myself the other day to find out that my Green Man illustrations (from Behance) was highlighted in “TrendHunter” (08/18/2011) which then spun all sorts of others doing the same…Vital Signs Report>  Rowanberry> and others. I am happy that the work got some traction, however, it would have been appropriate for the editor, Leslie Chen, who surfaced my work, to communicate to me that this was going live, and was it okay for her to post the work. Trend Hunter is a for real, legit aggregator—and thus, my expectations for more above board, more appropriate editorial behavior…but hey. What fantasyland am I pretending to live in?This gives me a bit of a boost re the Green Man imagery. So, I am entering a few of them into the Society of Illustrators NY and the same for LA. Those entries are coming due (LA yesterday, NY a month from yesterday). It is always a good thing to see what pops up out of the blurr of the web, the fuzz of pages of googling. You just never, ever know what will hit—and who will pick that up and where you will end up.

I am working with heavy lines and whiteout these days using medieval woodcuts as the reference. It is another look at the same thing…but bolder, faster, blunter, and more primitive. I do not know where this will go, but it should be fun to do a little deep dive into the medieval, it’s people, greenery, landscape, magic, alchemy. Playing Cards. Holbein. Lines and flatness.

Tomorrow is our Thank You for the Farmers Market. Just checking out what the weather looks like—-dismal and sad…cold and rainy. Yuck. We will be there with cider and pound cake, bread and cheese….and I hope we get one or two people If not, we can pack it all in….and do it again…Maybe.

Today is my Birthday. A quiet, dark, cold day. I was sent some flowers by a friend, a plant from a family member and a hug from my son. We went to the lake to see the work done on the attic. I cut chicken and prepped leeks, celery and soup. Non eventful….another day.

Swirly scribble

decorative banner1, Q. Cassetti, 2011, vectorCruising. The work is coming and I seem to be keeping more on top of it versus swamped. Moved the big rocks before Sagamore so the leaves that are landing (the light projects that pile up) and I am able to move them without the mental burden that there were significant things that needed to be done. I have the holiday card on my desktop and am working away with lines/vectors and the wonderful live paint feature which is perfection for this project. I had to get my how to book out and between the switching of my glasses and the youtube videos—I think have a handle on this.

I am enjoying this work with images and logotypes. I am working on a logotype for a local distillery—and have been revelling in the shapes, the images, the barley stems and a scandia chic typography which is a real break with the woodtype/ antique image that this already branded farm has. It was fun to let it flow…and just to tweak and tune. All of this has helped me (along with two days of sleeping and stupidity) to really look at my work and how I spend my 40 hrs (+) a week. if I could squeeze more illustration and logo design (illustration that you can charge for)—it would really balance out the work/happiness factor more. If I took the logos and promoted them like I am promoting illustration, would I get a little more action? If I called the big logo shops in NYC and suggested I act as a stringer for them….would there be a bit more action? if I participated more actively in the world of logotypes online…would there be a bit more action?

The big fat pen is poised to move today on some swirly scribble.  Lets see what happens. 

Motors running

Vector Messing around, Q. Cassetti.Working away. Sending all sorts of illustration derivative projects out…they come back, I amend, they go out again, I amend, they go out, they come back…you get the idea. And, inch by inch, sketch by sketch, we get closer and closer to finish! Now, to the holday card that is not “holiday”, a portrait and a pile of thises and thats.

Having a little time to be stupid has lasting postitive effects. I am feeling energetic and “can do” unlike the last 3 months. Time off is no longer a “nice” but a necessity. A day or two more would have erased my brain enough that I might be able to think in a fresh manner again. Just when I was so stunned, I thought I would never be jazzed up again, I cracked open this book yesterday…and away we go.

I am looking at the work of David Lance Goines (b.1945) ( David Lance Goines Posters 1970-1994 from Ten Speed Press) and am challenged and excited by his work. I think we graphic designers claim Goines more than the illustration community…so as hybrid to hybrid, I am happy to wallow through his enormous body of posters with his lovely, bibliophile inspired layouts and colorways, and the pile of work that he cranked out on a regular and consistent basis. Goines came to posters through publishing, running his own letterpress shop (waaaay before it was as chic as it is now)—Saint Hieronymus Press (1968) and getting into poster making to showcase his loves and passions in the most exquisite way. My attraction comes from his deep understanding of classic page design, typography and form that is the quiet underpinnings to his elegant work. To see some examples>> I love his link and gifts of image to Alice Waters and her Chez Panisse Restaurant. Goines put a face on that extrordinary enterprise…crafted as finely as her cuisine. Another prompt to keep working with the local food producer community here…it DOES add up.

A great article featuring Mr. Goines: Collectors Weekly, Featured Interview: An Interview with Poster Designer David Lance Goines by Maribeth Keane, Collectors Weekly Staff

People for the Ethical Treatment of Typography (July 29, 2009) surfaces some lovely text and images>

I am working with a big fat pen, a big juicy pentel whiteout pen (Presto!) and seeing how fast, how bold, how graphic I can go…could be fun. Maybe some barley, some grains…Maybe some florals and birds. Little miss fluffybug. That’s me. Line work and flat color…really basic stuff would be cool. Need a little illo vacation..a style change might do the trick.

Rain promises. Rob is in Toledo. Alex will be running. The CSA promises tiny turnips, carrots and lettuce. I think I might cook a bit (and freeze a bit) tonight. I am feeling the energy.

Together

09.24.2011, Baldwinsville, New York: TBXC Varsity (left to right) Ben Maracle, Alex Cassetti, Cal Randle, Tyler Sutherland, Alex Kenny, Steven Dunn, Kevin VanDeldenWe went up to Baldwinsville yesterday for the annual Bee Ville XC meet. Always a favorite for the team but also as a parent as the course is so beautiful and the anniversary quality that this meet evokes. We have been going to BeeVille since Alex was in seventh grade with the little modified runners, so this being his senior year, we have been able to compare from year to year to measure his growth as an athlete, as an individual and as our boy. How wonderful and bittersweet. Tyler Sutherland was, to use Alex’s phrase “killing it”—bringing home a very good time and finish being the first of the group of varsity runners. The shorter guys in the middle of the shot were the lead dogs in this race. Double excellent as they are sophomores and juniors—so the team has some terrific horsepower for a couple more seasons!  They all seemed to have a jolly time with good results and great comraderie amongst themselves. So, the season is on, the season of brotherly love and friendship, hard races but good times. Sweetness on the edge of frost. The dualities are remarkable.

I guess I was wiped out. We got home and I decided to take a nap as I was winking out on the drive home. And so I did. I napped and then read a junky book. It got darker and darker until it was time to get out of my nest to see if there was another place to plop down. And so I did. Alex came home from a movie date. Rob went to a funeral and was back late…and then it was time to sleep again. I am still wiped out. I am gauging it my my impatience for stuff that normally doesnt drive me crazy, but I can push to the side of my perifery and disengage. I am all loose ends and frazzled. So, instead of attending Porch Fest all day, I think I will catch up with some email, do a bit of reading and maybe close my eyes again. I am just feeling so strung out. I need to get myself back to the point where I do not have to leave the room to prevent a rude outburst on my part or some sort of physical nastiness.

I just finished the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and enjoyed it immensely despite the sadness of the story and the end result to the family of Mrs. Lacks. I was stunned to read about scientific experiments performed on the poor in recent history—mad scientists gone wild that rivelled some of the antics of the German scientists during WWII. We should be teaching this stuff to our kids…that this sort of inconvievable behavior and treatment of others happened right here in our happy little big island…and not just “over there”. Additionally, it pointed up the import of HIPAA and the rights and privacies we are guaranteed with our medical information and data. However, how are our personal cells and tissue material tracked. Do we have the right to that material and how it is used? or once blood is drawn, or a specimen taken, or birth is given—all of those byproducts we no longer have a right to? Though we are much further ahead than the mid-fifties—there are miles to go to better understand our rights to our own cells and the information they hold about us. One of the big take aways from the HeLa cell book was the gift Mrs Lacks gave (unknown to her, her family) to better mankind— through the truly immortal HeLa cells—was an singular one. Why her family was never notified, were treated badly and stupidly by doctors (all horrible communicators and frankly thoughtless people), and were unable to be treated or helped medically as they could not even afford health insurance while big Pharma made money (millions) due to the work they had done with their mother’s cell. This is just wrong all around.

I loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks so much, that I am now on a path for more of that sort of reading. I have The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. This book started as a blog or diary of a young doctor and his fellowship focusing on oncology. From that pretext, Dr. Mukherjee begins to simply tell the story of cancer to laymen. I have just started but am engaged and intrigued by the elegant way the writer is peeling away the complexity of the ideas—and making them pristine and memorable. He presents cancer as a character—the hero and villain—a character of great stealth, dimension and scope. I am looking foward to diving into this.

I am beginning to get more than stupid right now. I hear the siren song of my pillow.

How wonderful!

Blue Mountain Lake, Q. Cassetti, 2011We got up to Sagamore just a minute before the dinner bell rang yesterday. It was a wonderful drive—albeit a bit new for us as we missed a turn, so “Talkin’ Tina” our GPS took us through the italian section of Rome, NY to see the wonders (and italian delis) of that little industrial town prior to meeting up with the great northern way that took us to Old Forge. What a fun drive with my boyfriend seeing new sights, talking about this and that…and knowing that we had a few days to decompress a bit.

Rob needed sweaters and I needed a raincoat so we stopped at the Gillinghams type emporium in Old Forge for both. Gillinghams, for the record, is one of my most favorite stores in the United States of America. It is located in Woodstock, VT and they have everything from nutcrackers to cheese, shoes to salad bowls, organic hand balm to penny candy—a veritable yankee’s version of Aladdin’s cave. I always burn through a bunch of money there and never regret my purchase. The Old Forge version had just what we were looking for at a good (not great) price. We were sure that if we had bought sweaters and a raincoat, it would guarantee perfect warm weather during our short stay at the utopia in the Adirondacks, The Great Camp Sagamore. And outside of the small, violent downpours today, we have had that.

We were granted the best room in the Main lodge. Our room has a huge stone fireplace along with a bathroom we do not have to share. We even have a fan (brilliant Rob even brought one along for a just in case). It is lovely and we are so delighted for the extra treat.

My random chit chat about this and that went over well after Elizabeth Buchinger charmed and delighted the room into thinking about image, brand, and focus around how to be successful with lots of pushing the people into groups to figure it out as teams. I had some good questions (about copyright, about creative commons) and I think if I didn’t put them to sleep, mesmerize them—they at least were courteous and nice not to go to sleep. A lovely young woman who works at a historic house in the NYC area greeted me with tears saying that I confirmed that one should pursue your passion…and I guess she needed to hear that today. It was quite heartening though I must admit, I was a bit on autopilot, so goodness knows what I said that struck that amazing chord. I am happy that the crew got something to take home and think about.

I am loving the people here and cannot say enough about them. The Sagamore meeting always affirms to me what is good and great about New York State. Strong and smart people from the Hanford Mills Museum, to the witty museum professional from NYC, to the shrewd manager of a Historic House Museum— they all have chops, confidence and a bushytailed aspect of learning and growing from each other. This is an amazing event that happens quietly, annually in these historic woods, and it changes lives. How often does that happen. I am blessed to have been included.

Lunch was packed at breakfast time, so we went off to have lunch at Uncas, the other Great Camp just “down the driveway” from Sagamore. It was wonderful to be in that lovely space again amongst the heavy wrought iron, the stones and wood, the ancient taxidermy and the adorable little lake that lapped up on the beach close to the house. The entire architecture as it interfaces nature is perfection there…and as Beverly told us, it was because it was sited by the original architect of this camp—not a wealthy patron who was in the chain of those who acquired the property and the magic that comes with it. I love how livable Uncas is—with space to stretch out to read, to think, to be one with the elements. The amazing Uncas fireplace complete with the original ironwork (with turtles and the word Uncas in the designs) has an inglenood…and again according to Beverly, is one of the largest fireplaces in the string of famous Adirondack camps.

We had a nice discussion this afternoon about public programming and then off to the Adirondack Museum to hang out and smell the flowers (and see the exhibits). I was stunned by the pink hydrangeas and the masses of Japanese anemones growing upward and outward with deep purple buds covered by small bees trying to get the last bits of yumminess before the frosts begin. The mists were covering the tops of the mountain right above us on Blue Mountain Lake— and I took great delicious breaths of air and tried to print it all on my small brain. We had a fun chat with a new friend on beekeeping, on collections. on Vermont and on Cooperstown, and with another on Antarctica, on fund raising, on national press and on dreams. all of this with the changing skycap over Blue Mountain Lake below us—going from stormy, to cloudy to clear…all over the twinking water and evergreen backdrop.  My head needs to stop ticking…it is great stuff.

I bought balsam in a bag… so I can bring that Adirondack scent home with me.

And now my obligations are complete. I can take tomorrow off perhaps to dream and draw albeit today’s drawings were of trees for my client’s holiday cards. Maybe my pictures will happen tomorrow.

still here...barely.

Team Captains: Mom and Dad!Just back from the xc meet at the school. This is an annual event that always has been a beautiful early evening….always. But the dark skies and promise of rain in the morning, it seemed impossible that this iconic fall day which we always have was within reach. And then after all the flurry and rage of the day— a culmination of days and weekends of work, the skies cleared and we had blue skies, red trees and all the glorious kids running and eating with happy gabbing parents on the sidelines. It was so lovely…and as it has been Alex’s 6th year (since 7th grade) and bittersweet seeing the little seventh graders so ardently running with the new parents not seeing the path they are on. It is our last year and it doesn’t seem like the end of the time with our boy. When my pal Paul B. reacted to Alex’s interest in XC as the sport that is great and for the whole family, and he has been so, so right. I feel I am blessed.

The fun today came from the xc event with Alex and friends and the divine Charlotte (I promise, I will post pix) to picking up our share at Sweetland, visiting with a wonderful inspired friend who suggested we cook together (she is a rockstar so its a bit paralyzing…but a gigantic complement). It was a welcome break to commune with the broccoli, the smooshy onions, basil, parsley, and carrots (to my delight…these carrots are sensational). When things free up, hello basil picking and raspberries. My cool friend has been making beans with dill to her delight and pleasure. She was very directive about going out into the bed s and picking the youngest and finest kale…tender and sublime. Between my friend and the amazing Anna Root (bentobymom.com)…the interpretation of how to access and use our CSA changes and evolves as I engage in the world of our CSA.

I am crazy with vectors. I have been trying to do some very grown up work on a project…and driving myself crazy reading Von Glitscka’s Vector BootCamp, watching videos on how to use the arc and spiral tools, and the methodology that is not as impulsive and insane my go to place is. So, new notebook, new mechanical pencil and eraser signifies that I am trying. It is not simple to make the perfect compound curve let alone, see them. However…when it all works…wow.

Titania of XCTomorrow, Rob and I go off to Sagamore. I have the rough presentation in the computer. We need a bit of time away from the melee to really help the ideas to gel. I really do not want to come back to Tburg with a fully loaded schedule of all the things I need to do, and when I need to do it. It has truly been the week of do one thing, send it out, do a noter thing, send it out, correct the first version, correct the second version, send them out…and then it continues. There has been about 10 project in the mix-spinning like plates in a chinese acrobatic act. I hope that as we have been pushing out the iterations…maybe we can retire a few of these projects.

Gloria is here in a few weeks. Mary and Ron have guests that will be in the guest room. Jacob K. from the summer came back for Sunday dinner which was lovely and flattering as he said that the time we spent together really did change him. That time, those intense conversations really did make the difference— and he continues to share, think and talk with us. How lucky are we??

Our comfy sleep awaits. Just wanted to say I am still here…barely.

 

 

Sunshine Award: from Peg Nocciolino, Grafikmuse

Peg passed along a little honor, a little sunshine to me from the blogosphere and I wanted to thank her for the recognition and notice. Her blog, Grafikmuse is a gentle and lovely piece filled with Peg’s lyrical and poetic work, her vision as an illustrator/designer, her travels, her vision and world. I love visiting Grafikmuse as its a vacation for the shortest moment—to live in the studio with Peg. So, thank you so much for your bow…and I hail you back!

The rules for receiving the award:
- Thank the person who gave you the award.
- Write a post about it.
- Answer the questions below.
- Pass it on to 10 bloggers who you think really deserve it and send them a message to let them know.

My answers to the questions:
01. My favorite color:  black and white
02. My favorite animal: dog
03. My favorite number: seven
04. My favorite non-alcoholic drink:  seltzer water with lime or brewed iced tea.
05. Facebook or Twitter? both
06. My passion: making pictures
07. Getting or giving presents? giving presents definitely
08. My favorite pattern: tigerstripes
09. My favorite day of the week: Sunday
10. My favorite flower: peonies

Ten Inspiring Blogs

Digby’s Hullabaloo

Leif Peng’s Today’s Inspiration

Bento by Mom from Anna Root

Morbid Anatomy

Bibliodyssey

Amy Brill/Totally Brill

50 Watts

Paul Zdepski’s Zillustration Studio News

Ursula Roma’s Odds+ Ends

Squint: The Hartford Art School MFA in Illustration Blog

catch up a little.

Quiet. I am sorry I have been quite quiet. Monday was an up and back to Rochester for an appointment for Alex which was interesting and surprisingly draining for all of us. I was zonked. We have another session with this professional who may be able to help us understand a few things so as to be more effective and focused in the future. I am optimistic…but it is hard work for us all.I got back to the office and got back to doing work. Got some good/ interesting news on a project that they may do a little more than we had projected in the beginning. It could be great…but I am not holding my breath. Left foot, right foot.

No big computer still…it may deliver today. The computer definitely has decided to collect unemployment.

Yesterday, it was an appointment for me—and then the afternoon to catch up, do paperwork and planning for Sagamore. I am in the process of putting up a “Resources + Ideas” section (at the top) to share some of my ideas, vendors, resources etc. I will not have it all done by next Wednesday, but I will have enough. I want to put up links to all my favorite free, digital libraries— I am also making a slide show of stuff and hopefully, the more I push on this thing, the more focused it will be.

There has been no reading or drawing. I am right up against it…and need a moment to slow my thinking down.

green to olive

Rob came home yesterday with tales of wonder from Miami particularly those of the amazing Standard: Lido Spa Hotel (right off the Venetian Causeway). There are DIY mudbaths by the sea, frigid plunge pools, an enormous infinity pool that goes from 0 feet to 8….a water gradient…and as expected a magnificent styling bow to a time we do not hold fondly, the seventies. Hilarious but not to be revered (down to wide wale corderoy sectionals and oak diagonal siding (ouch!). We all have a thing for the Standard, so a new one to add to the pearls of wonder is a treasure. Seems like they got it right one more time. I will have to visit with the team to give you a full report—but, from what I hear, worth the try if you are going to be in Miami in the near future. I am looking forward to that. His trip was fun and quite productive. It was nice to see him back home with spring in his step.

I was almost late to the cross-country breakfast I was sponsoring. So, thanks to the coaching from Alex and Rob, it was simple—and all wrapped up on platters and bowls in the back of my station wagon. I pulled up to my spot, popped the back and away we went. Loved the way that worked. And, thanks to the coaching, all the food and drink were consumed. Happily. We got back to 2 Camp, and I fell apart—literally unable to string ideas together and getting mad about small stuff (like the raccoons who invaded the garbage room and shredding and spewing all the trash about) as a starter. Alex was pretty much feeling the same…so we both wished each other a nice nap and settled in. I was pretty much a zombie from the time I woke up until bed. However, I processed a bunch of chicken stock (separating the fat off the top and straining it), and pitted, peeled and chopped a basket of peaches (now frozen with lemon juice and a little bit of sugar) for either a pie or freezer jam when I am feeling a bit more spry.

I made a peach pie this week using a recipe that had cardamon which was luscious. Peaches can be spiced with all sorts of things to make a lovely change. Ginger is great…and now cardamon.

Tomorrow we go to Rochester to do some future related things with Alex. The week is getting smaller and smaller with all the meetings, travel and plans in place that planning is going to have to happen this evening so as not to totally fry by Friday. I am getting some thinking around my Sagamore talk…and instead of making it outward, telling folks what they should do, I should talk about what I know—getting my work out there, getting noticed and how I do it on a shoestring. Things like staying relevant, trying to stay abreast of trends and web happenings, the power of sites like Kickstarter, and the power of friends. That could fill a nonpreachy hour. Now, to write the outline.

The osage oranges are huge. The lake is really high-and quite impressive. The grass is thick and green thanks to the weather and rain. The trees green have morphed to olive and then we know what is next. We are getting the chimneys cleaned and readied for fall and winter.
Rob is getting ready to tell me his schedule for the week—and I need to attend.

The Hand of the Mysteries

The Hand Of The Mysteries
Artist Augustus Knapp

Redrawn from an early 18th century watercolor. (Artist Unknown.)The original drawings from which this plate was taken is designated the hand of the philosopher which is extended to those who enter into the mysteries. When the disciple of the Great Art first beholds this hand, it is closed, and he must discover a method of opening it before the mysteries contained therein may be revealed. In alchemy the hand signifies the formula for the preparation of the tincture physicorum. The fish is mercury and the flame-bounded sea in which it swims is sulfur, while each of the fingers bears the emblem of a Divine Agent through the combined operations of which the great work is accomplished. The unknown artist says of the diagram: “The wise take their oath by this hand that they will not teach the Art without parables.” To the Qabbalist the figure signifies the operation of the One Power [the crowded thumb] in the four worlds (the fingers with their emblems).
Besides its alchemical and Qabbalistic meanings, the figure symbolizes the hand of a Master Mason with which he “raises” the martyred Builder of the Divine House. Philosophically, the key represents the Mysteries themselves, without whose aid man cannot unlock the numerous chambers of his own being. The lantern is human knowledge, for it is a spark of the Universal Fire captured in a man-made vessel; it is the light of those who dwell in the inferior universe and with the aid of which theyseek to follow in the footsteps of Truth. The sun, which may be termed the ” light of the world,” represents the luminescence of creation through which man may learn the mystery of all creatures which express through form and number. The star is the
Universal Light which reveals cosmic and celestial verities. The crown is Absolute Light— unknown and unrevealed—whose power shines through all the lesser lights that are but sparks of this Eternal Effulgence. Thus is set forth the right hand, or active principle, of Deity, whose works are all contained within the” hollow of His hand.

(From the Secret Teachings of All Ages)