Bodhisartva ..... Art/Spirit/Life

Shrine - in progress

I learned so much in my class with Stephanie Lee.  She made me more brave when it comes to handling the butane torch and taking chances.  I started this little shrine in her class but I've been waiting for inspiration to finish it.

Here's what I have so far.

The background paper is a waxed handmade paper with a skeleton leaf on top.  Hanging in front is a pendant with a bodhisatva.  On the back side of the pendant is a little cut out in the shape of a bodhi leaf.  I love it! 

Getting the handle on was a real test of perseverance.  I knew I wanted to thread the wire through the shrine to hang the pendant.  I added enough chain to the pendant to get the right length.  I added a bead from a broken mala on each side to give it stability.    That mala was my first and it broke my heart when it fell apart.  I couldn't find all the beads so I couldn't restring it. And I thought the sandlewood beads from the mala would be like a little secret, hidden away in the shrine.

I got everything ready and drew a bead on one end and constructed the hanging.  I figured I would just expose the other end of the wire to the butane and draw another bead at that end so the handle wouldn't slip off. 

Well.  The first bead dropped like a charm in about 25 seconds.  When I was ready for the other end, I cranked up the torch....and waited....and waited...50 seconds, 70 seconds...what the heck?  It started to smell really lovely about that time and a bit of smoke wafted up the top of the shrine.  Oops.

I now know that because the wire was connected to a larger piece of metal, the heat was dispersing into the shrine and the wire never got hot enough to melt to a bead at the tip.  It sure got hot enough to blister the finish on the mala beads, though!

Happy Birthday, Mom

I wish I could talk to you today, Mom. I'd tell you one thing. That now, I understand. Miss you.

Birthday Gifts

I  finally spent some time in the studio.  I'll give you a peek later at the little "thing" I'm working on. 

But first, I needed to make up for missing two birthdays.  We have a great crew at work and I wanted to do something handmade for them.

Cathy's a green gal, so these are hers.  Freshwater pearls and silver.

Mel was actually wearing a turquoise top when I gave her these!

How Sweet It Is

What is up with the sweet peas this year?  Usually, by Mother's Day, they are just barely holding on.  This year, they are overwhelming me and just when I thought I might have to give up on them.

Being in the studio now is like being in a garden.  The fragrance fills the room and the light coming through the window is tinted by the flowers and refracted by the prisms.  It's magic.

 

Happy Birthday, Dad

Happy Birthday, Dad.  We will miss you all the days of our lives.

This song was written for dad by my husband and his brother.  As fellow musicians, they shared a love of music that just goes on and on. 

Picture of You  by Steve and Joe Delgado

I saw a picture of you today
I saw it in your eyes
All the words that you didn't say
I saw it in your eyes

The love of family was so strong, I know
Deep inner strength, I saw it in your eyes
The joy of simple things, oh the smiles you'd bring
How you'd love to teach, I saw it in your eyes

You kept searching for a way
Struggling on, now you're free
So much more that you had to say
We heard every word, just look and see

I saw a picture of you today
I saw it in your eyes
How the time it just slipped away
I saw it in your eyes

All the love you taught is living on today
The world's a better place because you came along
I never will forget all the words you said
it's not finished yet,it just goes on and on

I saw a picture of you today
I saw it in your eyes
All the love you just gave away
I see it in MY eyes

Crazy for Mini-gardens

I guess Tamara got me started with the little dish gardens last week.  They reminded me of the terraria I used to make, so I decided to make more!  I just love how these smell when you lift the lid.  Ah...like a little walk in the woods.

Growing up in the Midwest, I was used to that lovely mossy, musky woodsy smell.  Out here in L.A., you never get that fragrance unless you make it yourself!  Oh, and here's another dish garden, out on the porch...yummy...

The best job in the world

Happy Mother's Day to every woman who mothers!   Whether you are called "mother" or not, you are the one who keeps the faith - who slogs through the tough times, falls down and gets up, sings with joy when you look upon the face of your child and bursts with pride just knowing you had something to do with placing a magnificent person on this earth. 

A toast to my three graces for allowing me the gift of being your mom.  I treasure each of you.  Here's to fairies in the garden, green slime races, tea parties, thunder storms, puddles, Christmas cookies, walks to the bookstore and you in my heart.

A toast to the mothers:  Here's to the job that makes the difference.  May you have joy, peace and pleasure in your loved ones, today and every day.

A toast with thanks to those who came before - love and gratitude and wishing you were here.

Warning! Shameless Copying! Blatant Arterism!

Is that right?  I mean if you steal some writing, it's plagerism.  If you steal someone's art, isn't it arterism?  Well, whatever it is, I have done it. Done it on purpose, Done it intentionally (oh, wait, that's the same thing, isn't it?). Done it without regret or shame.

So here it is, the blatant theft:

And just to seal the deal, here's a close-up.

Now, I will 'fess up.  If you live anywhere in Southern California, you have to stop by Zinnia in South Pasadena to see the original, the one, the only, the magnificent inspiration for this, created by none other than the talented Tamara Tolkin.

And in particular, I recommend showing up on Saturday evening for the opening of her new show, "Tattered and Tangled Garden Party".  I've seen a preview and it is so wonderful!  Sort of a Grey Gardens worn and battered look.  Lots of great stuff to buy (like the bench and tools above!) and artwork by a whole collection of folks.  And, if that wasn't enough, the lovely Angela Cartwright will be there to autograph her new collaborative book, "In This Garden".  Makes sense, no? 

See you there!

Mayday!! Mayday!!

Oh, no...wait...that's not right.  We aren't talking the international distress signal. 

We're talking the ancient, sweet, pagan, sacred, victorian celebration of fecundity.

I love May Day.  Love the history, love the flowers, love the silliness, love the love.  You're supposed to hang it on the door of neighbors and friends in the early dawn....ring the bell and run like....heck.   Here is my basket for this year.

I didn't get to actually hang, ring, run and hide this year.  I did hang one on my own front door for Gina to find when she arrived on May Day.   And then, I hung the one you see here on the door later for my Sara to find when she came home. 

I've had these cones since October 2007 with this day in mind.   I, um, am glad I found them again finally (did I say I have too much in my studio?).  The metal cone originally was white.  I rubbed on quinacridone gold and  quinacridone burnt orange and a little green/gold (Golden acrylics).  The tip is filled with reindeer moss and the water cup is wrapped with sheet moss.  And I wish you could really see the paper rope it's hanging from; very rustic.  Thank goodness I had enough flowers in my garden for all these gifties.  Everyone got a different card - laughter, peace, grace..... See that little danglie on the tip?  It's a real leaf, coated in copper and hanging from....a fancy paperclip. 

So, happy May Day...a little late.