I'm off to San Diego to see our son graduate from marine boot camp...I'm so glad to soon see him...boy do I hate graduations...I leave you with this whimsy...I'll be back Saturday and tell you all about our trip

an apple hat for baby MiKayla ....I made booties too but the hat is cuter

" the old man and the tree"

statement finished

With thanks to Gabrielle who has faithfully coached me along and Valeri for suggesting the final wording I have an artist statement that is good and says who and what I am.


Creating art illuminates and reveals a narrative story which reflects my voice.

statements

1. The creation of art is intended to illuminate and reveal a narrative story that is a reflection of my voice.

2. My intention is to create art that illuminates and reveals a narrative story that reflects my voice.

3. The art is created to illuminate and reveal a narrative story that reflects my voice.

Which one or none???

avoidance and creativity

Sometimes.....OK lots of times ....I use my creativity to avoid doing things I don't like doing very much...like toilet cleaning and bill paying and things...this weekend I did both of those disgusting things and cleaned the laundry mess out of Conrad's room (who is in boot camp and he promised to do this before he left) and swept floors and cleaned out the freezer and made some phone calls I have been putting off...but one item is left ...I need to change my artist statement so that it doesn't include "I" and "I" am avoiding that...my brain cannot even get around how to say that this is my statement without saying ME ME ME ...hum ...so I have been looking at the wardrobe for the trip to San Diego next week ( for the boot camp graduation ) and it seems lacking...mostly cause I want to make some kind of statement with my clothing like " I raised liberal kids " or something... so I gingerfied a few things including this jacket ...I like these little ladies so much they might become a " series " how do you like that you shoe gals??? ....but first I have to make that not"I" statement ....and maybe a not"I" quilt...but not right now ...I'm avoiding

back of jacket

right front of jacket

5 words that describe why I create

Narrate....Reveal....Illuminate....Reflect...Voice

I have enjoyed thinking about Gabrielle's challenge to the ring to describe why we create. I " heard " her ask me for those 5 words...I wrote down a lot of words on my 50 minute drive to work the other day and I think these are the best. Now I need to write them in a sentence!!!

" I create art to illuminate and reveal a narrative story that is a reflection of my voice. "

I am a Great Aunt...this is MiKayla Rose ....she was born yesterday afternoon and isn't she gorgeous!!!

new work

Hey!! Did you guys see the pieces I posted under the "weekend naration" there are 2 newly finished bits down there!! Just checking....

another finished piece from this weekends " creative inspired by dyeing force " we will have to shorten that to CIBDyF ..this force is palpable...and can induce strong reactions...like going through your pile of started creations and finishing them!!! really..

Weekend Adventures

I had a busy weekend of art and family. I attended a new gallery opening here in Stayton. We seem to recycle these fairly often and I am not sure why we think that an art gallery will work here. We live in a small town with stereotypical small town sensbilities when it comes to art. The same few folks assemble and try and support the effort and it seems to end the same way always....but....we had a nice evening my Mother had her art up and my daughter came and brought her harp and played for a couple of hours....we will see what this new gallery does.

I spent yesterday dyeing and creating as well as enjoying Mariah being home for the day...she played for a wedding at a county park nearby ...it rained like crazy but the park had a covered area...always wise in Oregon.

Then today I drove to Roseburg to collect a cat for my mother who hasn't felt well enough to drive any distance lately...we hope she gets over this latest bought of allergy???asthma?? or???soon....anyway these folks bought a Burmese cat from my Aunt, who lives in Grass Valley CA, about 4 years ago and due to illness can't keep her so my Aunt asked my Mom if she would take this cat, named Sophie, and it finally became my job to spend 6 hours driving to collect the cat. She is a very tiny thing with the biggest yellow eyes you have ever seen. I'll have to get a photo up ..she is pretty but very unhappy at the moment and yowled in her carrier all the way home. She will live at Mom's and will supposedly be an indoor cat ...although that will be an interesting endevor out here in the country where the doors seem to be open often...so see what I did??

This next week will be quiet ....although I must attend the library foundation meeting tomorrow night....makes an extremely long day for me ...but after that I am alone as my husband will be out of town...maybe I'll post more photos of the quilts I finished up this weekend!!!

The last couple of weekends I have been dyeing ...inspired by my fellow bloggers..thankyou girls!! I have lots of nice pieces that have pushed me to finish some quilt art!!!

This new piece has it's roots in the ideal of giving and sharing...I think I will call it " I give you my..."

I started this quilt in 2004 at the oregon dental convention. I find I can listen better if my hands are busy. It needs an oral health related title. Any thoughts?

It is our 25th wedding anniversary today....and this is an art quilt visual look at our marriage thus far...there have been joys and etc...etc