Friends

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Every so often, I get a note from a friend that I really want to share with you all – here’s one from Paige, a writer (and much more). I think I’ll tape the quote to my work desk.

Heartiest congratulations for a sparkling 2013 in your new studio – what a great start!  I am so happy for you – and for all of us who will be nurtured in this space, and, hopefully, will be moved to nurture in response. It’s the give and take that makes life sing – the space between the notes that makes the music.

In that spirit, I want to share a quote for the New Year by Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco. Each January I start the New Year with a focus thought rather than a resolution. This is one that extends the Golden Rule and sounds like a “Beatitude” but isn’t: “Blessed are those who give without remembering and take without forgetting.”

dance

 

A magical space . .

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I worked at the Studio today (big “S” means new studio) and took some photos for a short video about the space. You guys, I am so excited! It is still a work in progress, but it’s going to be the most wonderful place for workshops and meetings. I wish everyone could come for the opening party in a couple of weeks. The first workshop is scheduled for January 20th, and I think I’ll have an open house the afternoon before that, on Saturday January 19th, 3-7 pm. But Shards Blog people are the first to know – and if you’re on the mailing list, you might get it twice. Arg, sorry about that, but that way you’ll remember – please come 🙂 . Anyway, here’s the video – yay!!

Painting space

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That has two meanings, room to paint and painting a representation of a space. This is the first large painting I’ve started in the new studio (obviously not finished, but it helps me to look at a photo in progress to see where I want to go). It’s 30×40″ and I thought it would be hard to adjust to a large canvas after the 10×10″ Twilight series, but it’s not. Working title of this painting is Valley of the Shadow. I discovered a great color today by mixing burnt umber with violet. Wow.Work in progress, acrylic on 30x40 canvas

Work in progress, acrylic on 30×40 canvas

So many good things have been coming together lately that I wanted to post Deepak Chopra’s definition of synchronicity –

Synchronicity. This is a mysterious ingredient from the unconscious that all great leaders harness. Synchronicity is the ability to create good luck and find invisible support that carries a leader beyond predicted outcomes to a higher plane. In spiritual terms, synchronicity is the ultimate ability to connect any need with an answer from the soul.

Two-faced

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Everyone who is a subscriber by Friday, including you loyal old guys <grin>, will be entered in the face shard drawing – and just to make it nicer in case it sounded confusing, I’ll draw for two faces – will notify the two subscriber/winners on Friday evening. Thanks so much for the friendship and support!

fsm8

 

Joanna, Spirit Dolls and new faces . . .

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Joanna Powell Colbert appeared in my life at a serendipitous time – she ordered some of my little faces for a Spirit Doll workshop last year and, in doing so, opened a door to lots of new connections for my shard faces. You’ve seen some of the photos of Spirit Dolls that people have sent me – now Joanna has made her booklet describing how to make these small spiritual sculpture available to everyone. What a cool gift!
How To Make a Spirit Doll by Joanna Powell Colbertspiritdollbook

I’ve had lots of new orders for faces and, as a result, I spent last night making new ones, about 100 of them. Every one of them seems to have a different story to tell. It’s kind of meditative to work the clay and see the expression in each face. Here are a few, ready to finish drying and go into the kiln. Thank, as always, to Joanna for her example and inspiration! We’ll be making Spirit Dolls at The Studio in the spring 🙂White clay faces before firingWhite clay faces before firing

Terra Cotta faces

Terra Cotta faces

 

Art documentaries not to be missed

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This is just a short post (mostly so I’ll remember go back to it when I have time) listing 19 art/artist documentaries compiled by Alyson Stanfield, author of I’d Rather Be in the Studio.

Here’s a link to her list, and here’s one of the videos, Rothko’s Rooms – it’s only a minute long but has a good joke.  If you’ve ever been to the Rothko Chapel in Houston, you understand the power of his resonant canvases –

 

Meeting friends at the new studio

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My Etsy friends, sister-artists Linda (from Dallas) and Cindy (from Chicago), came to San Antonio today for a visit. We met at my brand new unfinished but spiffy studio. After a quick tour of the new space (stay tuned for more photos and updates) and a visit to Ann Pearce’s bead studio next door, we went to lunch at Twin Sisters Cafe and Bakery. We talked art and beads and foods and friends and classes. It was great fun. Linda gave me one of her wonderful pendants – see below. It has moveable parts that you can play with – I love it!

Sisters Cindy and Linda visit my new studio

Sisters Cindy and Linda visit my new studio

Look at this fine chair and ottoman I got a Goodwill on Friday

Look at this fine chair and ottoman I got at Goodwill on Friday – it matches the Kandinsky-esque rug like it was designed for it!

This corner of teh studio feels comfortable already - that leaves only about 80% of empty space to fill!

This corner of the studio feels comfortable already – that leaves only about 80% of empty space to fill! Gulp.

Pendant by Linda Moody - mixed metals and bronze handcrafted square bead

Pendant by Linda Moody – mixed metals and bronze handcrafted square bead

Boxing Day Challenge

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Today, December 26th, is Boxing Day in England where I spent part of my childhood (our father was stationed at Ruislip Base in London for five years). There are all kinds of reasons why it’s called that – giving boxes of Christmas goodies to service workers is one – but I’m going to give you a challenge instead. I decided I wanted to learn how to make a new kind of paper box, and this little mulberry-paper container the result. Simple, right? Not. Even with the video, it’s tricky. See if you can do it. It took me a couple of tries to figure out that x#@% last part.

Origami paper box

Origami paper box

PS The person’s hands in the video are impossibly smooth – I think it’s a plastic robot, personally 🙂

Link address to copy if you want to save it – http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-box-with-paper/

December 25, 2012

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bird on vitex

My friend Ramesh took this photo of a little bird outside the kitchen window on the Vitex tree

Quick gift you can make

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These cosalts2ol bath salts are one of the examples I show in my aromatherapy classes (see the site at Chemaroma.com ). My biochemist friend Dr. Bill Kurtin knows all of the reasons essential oils work scientifically, but you can do this project without knowing any chemistry – whew :). You’ll need some Epsom Salts, some essential oil (Sprouts, Central Market, Whole Foods) and some lunch bags. You can make these for less than a dollar each and they smell wonderful and work great on sore muscles or stressed out psyches. You can store them in your linen closet to make the towels smell fresh. Easy, cheap and nice – there ya have it.

Here’s a video I made for our aromatherapy class site that explains the how-to. Think hostess gifts and stocking stuffers. You can even toss a small handful of the salts into your shower and get the therapeutic effects of the essential oils without soaking!