I just wanted to see what my bundle looked like at night – its so dark up here in the mountains I had to use a pen light to shine on it so I could get a photo of it. Its really windy tonight, so I hope I don’t wake up to find it flown away by the wind.
These photos look a little Blair Witch-y — but I think this is really fun. I am imagining what my neighbors will think. They know I am strange anyway! I only have a front yard so can’t really hide it away – its out there for the world to see.
I have decided to join Seth Apter’s “Disintegration Manifestation” at The Altered Page (http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/). I’ve made a bundle to hang outside until May 1, 2009 to see how much it disintegrates. My bundle is called “Departure,” and now carries my wishes to leave central Oregon. I am curious to see how it disintegrates and what the outcome for me will be, as well. We don’t get much rain here, but the snow should do a good job of disintegration! In keeping with thoughts of departure, I used foreign currency, old airline tickets, some used envelopes with postage still attached, a pretty piece of paste paper I made from another project, and a few metal objects, just to see how they age.
Four months old and all dressed up for his Christening Day. I will see him in April. My daughter sends me tons of pictures and we have set up video cams so I can visit him in real time too, its not quite the same — but the best we can manage right now. I find the depth of innocence and intelligence in his eyes so beautifully compelling.
Winter is back again, snowing and cold. I was thinking last night of a stand of Birch trees (they might have been Alder?), I used to pass on the way to the coast when I lived in Portland – they always seemed mysterious, standing so quietly with their moon-skinned bark and delicate branches going every which way. I know, I know, I need to practice birds! These were just repesentationally abstract bird thoughts – not actual birds. Today is lazy. The sun goes in and out, as it snows and rests, snows and rests….
My grandson was christened today. I couldn’t make the event, too much to do at work to be gone several days, and new management doesn’t approve of actually taking vacation days. I am just biding time with this and hope the economy will turn before too long and jobs become available again. I will see my grandboy in April.
I was thinking today about not wanting to sell work to people we don’t like. Is that too crazy? Someone recently asked me to do a painting for them, but I don’t really want to because I don’t like them. Valerie at Acornmoon says to go ahead and sell the painting, it will outlast me or the buyer, and its always good to get one’s work out there. This makes sense to me, but still there is that residue of distaste.
Another journal page that began as a doodle – this is usually what happens – I make a sketch or a doodle and leave it alone for awhile, then I go back to it and doodle some more. This page already had a background of gesso and acrylic, but it was very pale. I was just playing with paint when the three figures began to emerge. They have something to say, but I am not sure what it is, the words: “It’s really more important than you may realize,” came in with the junk mail, and the leftover wrappers just seemed to need a place to be stuck. I pasted a receipt from a couple of years ago in the window, it was from a place I stayed at the beach – called Alsea Evening Star – I don’t think you can still see that, but I know its there. Perhaps the figures are evening stars just waiting to shine. I used gesso, acrylic, graphite, soft pastel, and gouache.
After all the Christmas rush to get my handmade gifts completed, I can’t seem to get going again. I am stuck – and although I have lots of ideas, Idon’t know where to begin. I’ve been working 50 plus hours a week at my mundane job, so that probably has something to do with it, and its cold upstairs where the studio is because even though I’ve been told that heat rises, it never seems to bother coming upstairs in this house, which is fine for sleeping, but not so fine for creating. And then I find myself all huddled up and trying not to shiver, and bundled up looking like an 18th century rag picker with all manner of clothing layered, tied and knotted so that the dog eyes me suspiciously and scurries out of the way to carefully watch my next move! It doesn’t take much figuring out that the best thing to do is just jump into the bed, which is only across the hall, and warm. So another night of creativity lost to the winter night. I noticed the moon last night was deep gold and just a silly eyeless grin….it isn’t funny!
4 Rooms and the Moon 