All About Books

I grew up loving books and loving to read. As a tiny tot, I thought the most amazing thing anyone could ever do was to be an author. Books were truly magical. And before I knew how many books there were in the world, my goal was to read them all. By the time I was 10, I wanted to write children’s books and even had an idea for my first book. Years later, I did finally write and illustrate a book for my niece when she was born.

So, books have been part of my DNA all my life and it’s no wonder that in 2016 I began creating paintings with books attached to the surface of the painted canvas.

Now, as I await the launch of the Creative LifeBook on Wednesday, I find myself reflecting on how I have somehow managed to experience the joy and delight of being involved in a handful of book projects through the years (even when my primary focus has been on painting). These have so satisfied my original and foundational desires. And as I reflect on all of this, I thought I would share my published book history:

Back in the 1990’s, I collaborated on the creation of the Lakota Sweat Lodge Card: Spiritual Teachings of the Sioux (card deck and book). This endeavor became a reality through the teachings of Archie Fire Lame Deer, the tenacity of Helene Sarkis, and the beautiful words of Ann Louise Goulene.

In 2012, I was inspired to produce and publish The Gratitude Habit: A 365 Day Journal and Workbook. For several years, The Gratitude Habit had lots of success on Amazon and it even spent some time on the top 100 list of books in Happiness.

So, in 2015, I followed that up by creating and publishing Parenting The Gratitude Habit: a journal and resource for fostering gratitude in your heart, home, and family. And recently, I found my notes for a third book in the series, which I was too busy painting to complete.

Now, it’s 2023, and I am so grateful to have stumbled into an amazing book project with an impressive and supportive community on the Creative LifeBook. I so appreciate Jessica Hughes vision for this book and her remarkable ability to make this collaborative effort a reality.

NOTE: The Creative Lifebook became an Amazon bestseller in 23 categories and in 5 countries shortly after it launched. It is now available in Kindle and in paperback editions. Soon to be out in hardcover as well.

Threads in Art

I love to use threads in my artwork, to have them appear as lines of stitching on cloth, and to watch them hang down below the defined border of a canvas. I love when they become another element in a painting as a jumble of tangled strings or simply provide texture on the surface below a layer of paint.

One of my friends on Instagram asked me the following question… Do the threads have meaning for me, do they represent something or symbolize something?

This is my answer… I am so attracted to the look and movement of threads, the way they meander and flow. For me, their meaning shifts depending on the specific piece of artwork.

In general, at the core, they are the threads of our connection to one another, to all life on the planet - past, present, and future, and to the Divine. They are the threads of a prayer shawl and those in the tapestry of life. They are the link that bind us to our collective history, to the pictographs and cave paintings, to the philosophers of ancient Greece and the builders of the pyramids. They are our heart connections and the very threads that pull at our heart strings.

And like the magnificent underground network of mycelium that enables communication between plant life, threads represent the unseen connections between all living things.

New Beginnings

“Opening to the Next Chapter” 18” x 18” Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

New Year, New Beginnings

I recently completed a painting for the New Beginnings show at Pajaro Valley Arts. I not only want to share images of the painting and it’s parts, but I’m also here to share the words that have been incorporated into the painting. The concept, words, and construction were all created in tandem. 

When I first heard about the show’s theme, I immediately wanted to incorporate a book into the painting I would create. That’s when I began to ponder the concept that as a new year begins, we are just starting to write the next chapter of our lives. The painting is titled, “Opening to the Next Chapter” and it is built with a cloth folded open to reveal the place to begin writing that new chapter.

As I began to develop the canvas and the pieces that would become part of the whole, I wrote. I wanted to clarify and understand the concept that I was building the painting around. And in the end, I included quite a bit of text into the work… much of it hidden under paint or cloth. I thought I would share some of it here along with images of the whole and it’s parts. 

These are the words that can be found under the piece of cloth on the left side of the painting: 

This is your past. You know what it holds. It no longer exists except for the place you choose to give it in your mind, in your memories. And you may add layers to it from a new perspective, from a different vantage point. You may try to hold onto some of the past with a firm grip while letting others fade away. As you stand in your now, with the new pages before you, can a firm grip on the past impede your ability to write your new chapter? Your new chapter begins today. What lies ahead?

Here are some details images of “Opening to the Next Chapter”

And if you are in the area, visit the show. It is filled with fabulous and fascinating pieces of art from local artists.

Pajaro Valley Arts Annual Membership Show
NEW BEGINNINGS - Exhibit dates: Jan. 18 – Feb. 26, 2023

Opening Reception: Sunday, January 22, 2023
from 2:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: 37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00AM – 4:00PM
Open: Wednesday – Sunday

MASKS ENCOURAGED

Santa Cruz Love Note

“Santa Cruz Love Note" 18" x 18" Acrylic, cloth, papers, strings, and threads on canvas.

“Santa cruz love note” is currently hanging in a Local show.

Here are the details:

Exhibit: Local Visions
at: Pajaro valley arts
(pvarts.org)

When: Now until July 31, 2022

Opening reception:
Sunday, June 26
From 2PM - 4PM

"Santa Cruz Love Note” in process

I created “Santa Cruz Love Note” specifically for the Local Visions show at Pajaro Valley Arts, a membership exhibit. We were told to have fun with the theme and that’s exactly what I did. I filled the painting and layers of raw canvas with the many things I love about living here in Santa Cruz. And I could have added even more. In the lower right hand corner of the painting, I’ve attached something of a love note about the area. These words are somewhat visible under the paint.

Pajaro Valley Arts

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Santa Cruz, it’s a happy place, surrounded by natural beauty. There’s plenty to love about Santa Cruz County… with the magnificent redwoods, the hiking trails, the forests, the coast, the beaches, the arts, the people, the culture, the beauty, and so much more. Since I began developing this painting, my appreciation for the area has continues to grow.

Gallery Information:
37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday-Sunday
Masks Encouraged

Here are some details of the completed painting:

Connection and Disconnection

Threads of Connection and Illusion of Disconnection are two of my recent paintings. They are currently hanging in the tri-gallery “This is Now’ show at Curated by the Sea, in downtown Santa Cruz. The show is being held in partnership with Arts Council Santa Cruz, and showcasing the artists of the Visual Arts Network. It focuses on works created within the past two years that relate to current issues in our world.

First Friday reception April 1st, 6 pm - 8 pm
with live jazz music

About the Paintings: Although we think of ourselves as individuals, separate from one another, we are all connected through an intricate web of energetic threads. We are like single cells that come together to form the whole organism. Our actions, reactions, thoughts, and beliefs are not isolated within our small piece of the world but emanate out in unseen ripples to all. This was never more apparent to me than at the beginning of the pandemic when the worries and concerns of the collective unconscious seemed to be present in air. Meanwhile, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in a mentality of separation, an exaggeration of our differences, and an avoidance of finding common ground.

“Threads of Connection”

So, as soon as I heard the theme for This is Now, I wanted to create a pair of paintings around the concept of our connection to one another and the illusion of separateness we experience.“Threads of Connection” and “Illusion of Disconnection” were painted in tandem, stepping them through the process of development together, side by side. 

“Illusion of Disconnection”

In “Threads of Connection,” the cloth cut-outs on the top layer have been connected like a web, with each of the holes tied to all of its adjacent cut-outs. There are two quotes that reference our connections. One is by Martin Luther King and the second is from Mitch Albom.

With “Illusion of Disconnection,” the cut-out squares from the upper layers of painted cloth seem to hang in their separate spaces yet they are still connected, by the red threads, to the whole. I’ve placed the words of Albert Einstein in the painting, present but barely seen under the paint.

Show will be closing on
Saturday, April 9th.

Curated by the Sea:
Address: 703 Front Street, Santa Cruz
Hours: Thursday through Saturday noon - 4 pm

Sketchbook Love

Sketchbook Page: Playful Joy

It’s a joy to get lost in a sketchbook page. The art play that’s done in a sketchbook is a gift an artist can give themselves. I love being able to fill the pages with anything that’s calling to me. It could be pure experimentation and pure play. Any page can be unique and totally different from any other, or it could become part of a series of multiple images, exploring a single concept. The focus might be on an idea that’s been in mind for a while or just playing around with paint and materials with no idea in mind. And each creation becomes part of a hand held collection of ideas, a history of moments in time in an artistic journey.

Each of the 5 sketchbook pages being shared on this post, were a creation in joy. Although they are very different from my works on canvas, I’m fully aware of how my sketchbook art can end up influencing my paintings.

Playful Joy: The sketchbook page above, was started with the paints that remained on the palette from works on canvas. It was a playful process, filled with joy and gratitude. The marks, the colors, the writing, the cloth pieces (remnants of the current work on canvas), all coming together in a sketchbook experience.

Sketchbook Page: Grid First

Grid First: This painting was begun by drawing out a grid and once again, using up the leftover paint on the palette. The goal was to just play with paint, pencil writing, adding a bit of paper collage, and some scrapes and scribbles. The quote that I added was within arms reach, the first one I saw. Usually the quotes I use are related to the focus of the work, but this was for the fun of it.

Sketchbook Page: A Dialogue

A Dialogue: I began the page with the following written words: “a painting is a container for a conversation… dialogue between the artist and the Divine, between the created and the creator. It’s a give and take, a shared creation, a joint effort - the co-creative process.” When I paint, I am well aware of the dialogue taking place… the questions asked, the answers given. With this page, the focus was on that conversation… on the co-creative process that resulted in a playful sketchbook experience with a different look and feel.

Sketchbook Page: Color Play

Color Play: The goal here was to use a different palette, one that’s out of my comfort zone. The first colors I thought of were purple and quinacridone crimson. Then with some pink, red, and a bit of orange added in, this collection of colors didn’t look at all like me and what I am used to. I found this color palette to be too loud for me. I prefer a quieter, more earthy set of colors. Yet, I have to admit, I found the experience to be totally enjoyable and look forward to playing with new mixes of colors in the future.

Sketchbook Page: Playing with Paint

Playing with Paint: My primary focus here was to take the opportunity to get lost in a sketchbook page… to fill it with paint and then flick some sprays of paint off an old toothbrush I use for such things. I wanted to keep up with the sketchbook even though my days were being filled with the development of a new series. That’s where my head was at the time. So, I stepped away from the new works on canvas and gave myself a playful sketchbook experience.

I have lots of ideas on how I want to use the sketchbook moving forward. For now, I am more focused on the works I’ve been developing on my easel. But maybe this post is a reminder to take some time, from time to time, to show up and experience the joy that can be found on a sketchbook page.

You may also be interested in:
Finding Inspiration in the Sketchbook

Finding Inspiration in the Sketchbook

Recently, I completed a 30 day sketchbook challenge course from Cheryl Taves of Insight Creative. The completed pages were shared on Instagram and reposted to Facebook. Although I would love to share many of the images from that experience, today I’m focusing on the artwork which has been inspiring me outside of the sketchbook.

A pocket to hold notes in my sketchbook.

I’ll begin with the page that filled me with joy and delight, both in the conception of it and in its creation. Now, I’m thinking of taking this idea and creating a similar piece in a larger size… and it has already inspired some titles for additional paintings. (Maybe a series?) I amused myself with this one by creating a pocket to hold my “notes”… while using my most favorite material: raw canvas. And the addition of the circle, paper, and threads made me quite the happy artist.

Sketchbook page with text on cloth.

For several years, I’ve held a vision of a painting I wanted to create on canvas. So with some cloth and the words of Albert Einstein in hand, I proceeded to play with the idea on a sketchbook page. I loved the experience of seeing my idea come to life in an altered form. Now, both the original idea I had in mind, along with this sketchbook creation, have taken up residence within me, inspiring a desire to play with it more. (Variations on the theme on canvas?).

Sketchbook page using cutouts from prior page.

At this point, I might as well share this page too. I couldn’t resist taking the cloth pieces I cutout from the prior page and placing them in the same location they would have been but on a new page. (Playing with my first variation on the theme!) Once again I used the words of Albert Einstein and added some asemic writing scraped into the paint, a red square, and a similar black background.

Sketchbook page created with limited palette in a limited time.

I fell in love with a new color palette in the creation of this painted page. Since I was getting ready to leave for the day, it made sense to limit the time spent on the sketchbook page to 30 minutes. I grabbed some ivory black, titanium white, and yellow oxide paint to work with a limited palette, in order to create something in a limited time. I finished off the page with some text and music scraps that were on the art table within reach, and managed to achieve the 30 minute limit. Since that day, I have been inspired to use this color palette again and again.

I’ve loved experiencing the gifts of this sketchbook challenge… playing with ideas that have lived in my mind, exploring concepts that stimulate my creative thinking, trying things out that I would hesitate to do on canvas, and being reminded that we can continue our sketchbook practice even when time is limited.

So much inspiration can be found on the pages of a sketchbook.

You may also be interested in:
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages - Part 2

Circle Trios

“Expansive” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

“Meditations No. 6” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

As I recently looked back on my use of Circles over the years, I noticed how often I’ve created works with three circles in a row. The imagery of the three circles is so reminiscent of a stack of stones and the beauty of the way they connect.

Where the circular shape, in itself, carries a simplistic expression of peace and wholeness, the threesome seems to portray a bit of drama. Like the stones, the image seems to have the unsettling possibility of looking like it could topple over.

Recent paintings and sketchbook pages with the image of the 3 circles.

You may also be interested in: The Circle: a Meaningful Symbol

The Circle: A Meaningful Symbol

Some of the circles that have shown up in my art in the past 1-1/2 years.

Day 15 of 30 day sketchbook project

The circle has been a reoccurring theme in my artwork through the years. My first “real” painting that established my own artistic style, back in high school, was designed around two overlapping circles. Since then, the shape has shown up in different forms and in a number of series of paintings… mandalas and landscapes, in paint and collage, as closed circles and open.

Last summer, during the 30 day sketchbook challenge, I became reacquainted with this meaningful shape and all it can represent. I went from playing with a shape to connecting with it on a much deeper level. And with that, a bridge was created between my recent artwork and the work of the past. I felt empowered by a renewal of meaning in having these circles appear in my paintings.

Happy Birthday in Phoenician - acrylic mixed media on paper. 6” x 9”

The symbol of the circle holds so much meaning. Circles are our connection to the whole within us and to the whole of humanity, to all living things… the circle of life… our Oneness.

This unending  shape without a beginning and end, has been used by cultures throughout time. It is thought of as a sacred symbol and used to symbolize the cosmos and heaven. Circles have been used to represent the cycles of life, the seasons, and the unending nature of time itself.

I’ve found both comfort and meaning in this reintegration of circles into my artwork. It is likely to be a recurring element in the future as in the past.

Meditations #1 - acrylic mixed media on paper. 4-1/2” x 6”

“Meditations No. 4” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

New Series: Portals of Joy

“Scatter Joy” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

After filling many sketchbook pages with circles and grids, I finally admitted that my artwork was moving in a new direction. I needed to explore the use of geometric shapes and to get back to spending most of my time working on canvas. First I had to let go of my attachment to the Transcriptions series and allow a new creative flow to take shape. Once I explored the symbolism of this new focus, I was able to assign meaning to the paintings I would be creating and move forward with a new series. At the same time, joy had become more and more of a major influence in my life. This is how the Portals of Joy series came into being.

“Hooked on a Feeling” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

This series is a reaction to the year we have been experiencing and the times we now live in. These paintings are created in joy, with a focus on joy, and with the intention of putting more joy out into a world at a time when it’s needed. The paintings each have a quote about Joy embedded into the background of the design, under the paint, present yet not readable… as JOY seems to be more often held under the surface this year, although still present in our lives. The grid of colors represents us as individuals but part of the whole. And the presence of the circular shape represents the wholeness, oneness, and unity that we all share, beyond the illusion of what we are seeing in the outside world.

“Uplifted” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

“Ennobled” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

“Third Story” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

“Integral Flow” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

The Portals of Joy paintings will be available here at the Website on December 5th. Prints and products of this series are currently available at Pixels.com

You may be interested in a recent post… Joy: a Morning Practice
and for more on these paintings… A Process Story

Working in a Series

I love to work in a series, to watch an idea or concept develop from one painting to the next as I explore the variations on a theme. It gives me a creative focus in which to grow my artwork and myself.

Not only do I find a theme to develop throughout the series, but I begin with a framework or recipe of elements that becomes the foundation for each of the pieces. As a series evolves, an organic process unfolds, with each painting being a stepping stone to the next as I explore new ways of expressing the blueprint they have in common.

Ancient Wisdom Minis - in process

The chosen focus needs to be something I want to immerse myself in and wish to elevate. In the Transcriptions series, it was ancient books and prayers. The Ancient Wisdom Minis, highlighted the words of Kabir, poet and mystic. The Windowframes series was a reflection of the beauty in aging. And now, the Portals of Joy series allows me to spend my days focused on shape and color as I elevate joy in a world that could use more joyful expressions.

2020 Reframed

“2020 Reframed" 24" x 24" Acrylic, cloth, papers, strings, and threads on canvas.

“2020 Reframed” has been accepted into the MAH’s upcoming exhibit.

Exhibit: In These Uncertain Times
at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH)
beginning on January 15, 2021

2020 is no ordinary year… filled with layers of challenges and unlike any we’ve experienced. Early in the year, I started to notice an unusual presence of RE-WORDS showing up in my life and in the world around me. I am referring to an abundance of words beginning with the letters RE. (Retreat, rediscover, recreate, reinvent, recover...) It’s been a year in which we’ve all had reasons to RE-vise our plans, RE-assess our priorities, and RE-define our lives. We have waited for businesses to RE-open and wondered if and when we might RE-turn to “normal.”

"2020 Reframed” in process

Back in May, I created a RE-WORDS concertina sketchbook, an eight page book built to highlight these words. Once it was completed, I felt a strong need to continue working on this project, but in a larger format. So I printed my collection of re-words in different fonts and sizes and began constructing a painting. “2020 Reframed” is loaded with words appearing on layers and strips of raw canvas. The prepared layers have been stitched together and are sewn onto a 24” x 24” stretched canvas. The loose threads and textures further represent a time in which our personal and societal threads have been laid bare.

Here are some details of the completed painting:

AND not long after the completion of this painting, a new word emerged: RE-population. It’s used when fire evacuees are returned to their homes. (Luckier than many, we are very thankful to have had a home to return to.)

A Week with Circles

During the past week I completed 6 small circle paintings. I wanted these to serve as a continuation of the themes and images that developed during the sketchbook challenge. As I began this series, my focus was on the concepts of wholeness and unity represented by the circular form.

I split the sheet into six segments for six individual paintings to be completed one a day. The color palette was to stay pretty much the same throughout. Although it was unplanned, their proximity to one another had an influence on the adjacent pieces.

I want to continue this exploration on paper before shifting to canvas.

Sketchbook Challenge: Week 4

During the last week of the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge, I had fun playing with shapes and color, exploring new ideas, and continuing to develop concepts from prior pages. One of the pages was inspired by an Andy Goldsworthy photograph and another by a historical event. I experimented with mark making and new textural methods, while filling the pages with papers, acrylics, and all types of pencils (drawing pencils, watercolor pencils, charcoal pencil, colored pencils).

Day 22/30

Day 23/30

Day 27/30

Day 26/30

The piece I created on Day 26 was inspired by the Tulsa Race Massacre. The massacre has been referenced quite a bit recently so I decided to research it. And I couldn’t let it go. I continued to read a bit more each day and finally had to paint something on the subject. The atrocities of that event took place in 1921, in the wealthy black neighborhood of Greenwood. Hundreds of people were killed (estimates vary), and many are believed to be buried in mass graves. 35 square blocks were burned to the ground, leaving 10,000 homeless. I won’t share more here, now, but I do recommend you learn about “the single worst incident of racial violence in American history. “

On Day 28, I wanted to do something different and just be messier… a thoroughly enjoyable process. The idea of dedicating a week of sketchbook play to just messy pages sounds like a great exercise for me.

Day 28/30

Day 24/30

Day 25/30

As I neared the end of the challenge, I felt as if I had to make the most of the last few entries. But the reality is, my sketchbook play does not end with this challenge. I have another 30 pages left in this book and other sketchbooks on hand. I am likely to experiment more in the days ahead and finally get back to the painting I began weeks ago.

Day 29/30

Day 30/30

I have so enjoyed this challenge and the opportunity to develop a great relationship with sketchbooking. It will be interesting to see how this experience helps to shape the work I create in the coming weeks and months. I will be considering the ah-ha’s that showed up during these thirty days, the concepts I want to get back to, and the list of ideas I didn’t get to yet.

I am so very thankful for Cheryl Taves, and for all her beautifully thoughtful sharing, her time, and the effort she put into hosting this fabulous sketchbook journey. It has been 30 days filled with riches.

More posts from the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

Sketchbook Challenge: Week 3

Something happened , something shifted as I began the third week of the 30 Day Sketchbook challenge. Up until this week, I was intrigued by the circular cutouts and felt drawn to using them on the pages of this book. But suddenly, as I developed the Day 15 image, the power of these shapes rose to the surface and my use of them became encircled in meaning.

Day 15/30

So in week 3, I’ve continued to play with this circular shape and reflect on my connection to it, meanwhile feeling as if I am also taking shape.

And now for the rest of the week…
(all images can be found below)

Day 16: “Black and Blue” was a reaction to Black Out Tuesday (the day before) and the presence of black squares on many and most Instagram feeds, in solidarity of Black Lives Matter and the events of this week.

Day 17: An image that didn’t develop as I thought it would, providing the exercise in letting go, learning, exploring, and moving forward to the next page.

Day 18: Playing with a variation on an earlier page with a similar color palette and elements but with a different layout and design. I love exploring variations on a theme!

Day 19: “ A Complex Society” is a variation on the Day 16 image. During these few weeks, I’ve been playing with new ideas, shapes, and colors, with a need to revisit prior pages and create variations on those images.

Day 19/30

Day 16/30

 Day 20: This was an effort to experiment with some mark making. I’m pretty shy and reserved when it comes to adding marks to a painting. So, I began by filling the page with marks and then painting a thin layer over it. After adding more marks on top of the paint, I ended up covering most of them up with paint, leaving just a bit showing.

Day 17/30

Day 20/30

Day 21: Shortly before this sketchbook challenge, I opened my new sketchbook and scribbled some stream of consciousness words in pencil to form a paragraph. My idea was to cover it with papers and paint but allow some of it to show through. Then during the challenge, I got caught up in using the clean fresh pages and didn’t get back to it... until the 21st day of the challenge. The added pencil lines are my attempt at mark making. I was much more comfortable with these not too bold lines.

Day 21/30

Day 18/30

As the week ended, I reflected on the experiences of these days I’m spending with my sketchbook and where it has already taken me. And I wondered what would unfold in the coming week, both in the world and in my sketchbook.

More posts from the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 4

Sketchbook Challenge: Week 2

During the second week of the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge, I continued to find similar and differing ways to highlight the circular shape that’s become the primary element on these pages.

Day 8/30

Day 9/30

Day 13/30

It seems that each painted image in this sketchbook, ends up calling on me to return and create one or more variations on that idea or concept. That’s no surprise. I love working within a series of paintings, with each piece a stepping stone to the next. This sketchbook journey has become something of a dance, steps forwards and backwards, 1-2-3. Each time I satisfy my need for revisiting a completed page, I find myself focused on another to revisit.

Day 10/30

Day 12/30

This week, as I explored the circular theme, I played with textures and layers, strings and threads, and various color palettes. I had fun scraping paint with a serrated knife, adding raw canvas, and limiting the colors on some of the pages. I’ve found delight in placing one or more red elements (like a dot or circle) for a pop of color.

Day 12/30

Day 14/30

Each day has been a new creative adventure that I look forward to with wonder. I suspect I haven’t finished playing with the circular shape and I would expect them to continue showing up in the week ahead.

More posts from the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge:
Week 1
Week 3
Week 4

Sketchbook Challenge: Week 1

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to join in on a 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge. As I watched other artists beginning to get involved, I kept getting a nudge to play in my sketchbook too!! So with a fairly new 6” x 6” sketchbook, I began creating a page a day. I’m having fun and loving the sense of wonder in what I will come up with next as I use a variety of materials and tools. So far, I’ve played with cut paper, ink, chalk, charcoal pencil, crayon, pencils, acrylic, watercolor pencils, and thread.

Day 1/30

Day 2/30

Day 5/30

In the past, sketchbooks were something I used to brainstorm ideas for a new painting or series, for morning drawing meditations, and to express dreams or concepts. I don’t think I’ve ever used a sketchbook to just play. So as I began this challenge, I was stepping out of my norm and very excited to do so.

I have been loving the process of working in a sketchbook each day. I have found that in the pages of this small book, I’ve been working past the point of ‘done-ness’, continuing to add to what I have. Pushing it beyond and then a bit further. It’s been a wonderful exercise. And being a sketchbook page, it’s easier to take risks. 

Day 4/30

Day 6/30

Day 7/30

In this week of daily sketchbook entries, two elements have presented themselves… the open circle and the grid. I’ve become interested in exploring what I might create with them in the future, individually and in combination. My mind has been flooded with ideas of images to explore on these pages. Each day I wonder, “What creative experiences will be present in the adventure of producing the next page.”

Much thanks to Cheryl Taves for creating this fabulous challenge. I am thrilled to be a part of it. To view the many other sketchbook entries for this challenge visit, #insightcreative30daychallenge

More posts from the 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge:
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4

Hearts in the Art

“Love Sound” 6” x 6” mixed media on canvas. (Available through the Hearts for the Arts fundraiser.)

“Love Sound” in process.

As young children, we are introduced to the shape of the heart. It is recognized throughout the world as a symbol for love. I’m not normally one who paints hearts or adds the heart shape in my artwork. But… somehow, in the past couple of months I have produced two paintings with cloth hearts sewn into the design. Now that Valentine’s Day is only days away, I thought I would share them here.

Both paintings are part of the series of Ancient Wisdom Minis, designed around a quote from Kabir that includes a heart reference. (Kabir was a 15th century poet and mystic.) The canvases in the series are small (6” x 6”) acrylic paintings featuring words of wisdom from the past. The first step in the process is to cut, fray, and prepare the raw canvas that will create texture and form the focal point for the painting.

“Lift the Veil” 6” x 6” mixed media on canvas. SOLD

“Love Sound” is currently part of the Hearts for the Arts fundraiser being held at Artisans Gallery, in downtown Santa Cruz (details below). It displays the following quote: “The flute of the infinite is played without ceasing, and it’s sound is love.” ~Kabir.

“Lift the Veil” features these words: “Lift the veil that obscures the heart, and there you will find what you are looking for.” ~Kabir

The 2020 Hearts for the Arts fundraiser benefits the Santa Cruz Arts Council’s arts education programs (SPECTRA and Mariposa Arts). The donated works are currently on display at Artisans as part of a silent auction for the first 13 days in February (bidding begins on February 1st and closes on February 13th).

For those in the area: The auction will be part of the First Friday Art Tour on February 7th and the Arts Council will host an Artists’ Reception from 3-5 on Sunday, February 9th.

I plan to be there on Sunday. Maybe I’ll see you there!!

Breath and Beyond

“Breath and Beyond” 12" x 12" acrylic, cloth, threads, and paper on canvas.

“Breath and Beyond” was the first painting I worked on and completed after returning from packing up my parent’s home. (We were getting it ready for sale.) Although I returned with several new projects in mind, I decided to get busy with the raw canvas I had prepared before leaving. My first goal was to create a thread filled environment in which to paint.

“Breath and Beyond” in process.

I began by sewing lines of stitches in something of a checkerboard pattern, leaving loose threads at the ends of each line. I had already cut five squares into the cloth before the trip.

“Breath and Beyond” didn’t develop as I had originally envisioned. So, I let go, allowing the process to lead me, and I was able to enjoy every step along the way.

I kept adding color, then some text, and then more color. The background canvas became a deep brownish mauve to peek through the openings in the cloth.

The text in the painting is the mantra, So Hum, meaning: "I Am That." It is used in meditation as one focuses on their breath.

“Breath and Beyond” in process.

I always have a title in mind by the time a painting is complete… but not this time. The painting had journeyed so far from the original idea and I felt like I was just along for the ride, not knowing where we were going. I had to brainstorm ideas for a name.

When the title, “Breath and Beyond” came to mind, I knew it was right. I could see how the painted cloth had become a tapestry OR a tapestry of life. I had chosen a mantra that represents the breath OR breath of life. And the cutouts had become windows to the beyond.

Breath and Beyond is available for purchase, here.

“Breath and Beyond” in process. Sewing the painted cloth to the back canvas.

Painting with the Kaddish

"Kaddish 1" 12" x 12" acrylic, paper, string, and cloth on canvas.

With the recent loss of my parents, it seemed the perfect time to create a painting with a focus on the Kaddish, a Hebrew prayer often referred to as the Mourner’s Kaddish. I have always loved the flow of rhythmic sounds as these Hebrew words are recited aloud, particularly in a group. There is a cadence to these sounds that becomes a shared journey.

Text strips prepared for “Kaddish 1”

First, I spent a day preparing strips of canvas cloth for the lines of text I would be using in the painting. I probably created enough strips to produce multiple paintings. Hence, the name Kaddish 1.

Detail of “Kaddish 1”

While working on Kaddish 1, I never had a clear vision of where it was going. The painting seemed to keep showing me what my next steps were in it’s development. It took some time before the design layout for the text strips became clear. You might be able to see how the strips are not laying flat, but each one has an area which is raised up (image down below). And… I have to say, I became quite jazzed at the idea of adding the three lines of text to the left side of the background canvas, after placing single rows of text on the other three sides.

For now, this painting will remain with me and won’t be available for purchase. But I do plan to do more like it.

Detail of “Kaddish 1”