Creative Rebel Gal

Day 2

2012-01-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

Started my day watching the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena - my friend Teresa took this photo of the Girl Scout float celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouts - I was a Brownie and Girl Scout and my Mom was always our leader back in the Washington, D.C. area where I grew up - I was able to donate $5 each and they put my Mom's and my name on one of the little viles that are holding each of those yellow roses - my Mom (who's recouping in rehab from a fall) was thrilled when I told her - I thought it was pretty cool myself! Still have my uniforms and my badge sash - it was in Girl Scouts that I first explored visual art!

Spending this day off re-grouping - with my Mom's fall and dealing with all the medical personnel long-distance for the month of December, I wasn't able to prep for the new year - so taking today to make plans and do as much as I can so I don't feel the overwhelm of the year moving on without me ready that is sure to take over the rest of the week - that's how my head works!

Signed up for a wonderful year long project online - free - called Book of Days - you can still sign up - going to prep my book tonite and jump in -http://wildpreciouslife.com/

Also participating in the Sketchbook Project (2012) again - thru Art House Co-op - of course I haven't done one sketch but have all month and will jump into that as well - http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject2012

Am also getting my pages ready for the Fat Book technique project at Art Unraveled 2012 - that will be auctioned off at the Conference in August - if you've never been - check it out - this year will be their 10th anniversary and having attended for many years, I can tell you it's worth every penny! www.artunraveled.com

Brainstorming with ideas for places I can teach - both online and in-person - if you know of any please feel free to share with me - as well as places I can sell my art -

Off to get things in order and continue on my day ... hope you too are getting ready for a great year ahead!

New Beginnings - 2012

2012-01-01T23:40:00.000-08:00

Saying adieu to 2011 and saying hello to 2012 is a welcome task for me - to say 2011 was a tough year is putting it mildly (for many of us) - but with endings come new beginnings - a chance to begin anew - to breathe a bit easier anticipating the unknown and have your heart skip a beat with excitement - that's how it is for me - I like the look of how the numbers 2012 look visually - there's just something very comforting about those numbers...

I don't do resolutions - but rather set goals for myself - goals that are measurable and that I can create action steps to accomplish them - and then I pick one word to guide my year - last year it was "self-care" - this year ... I have given myself till tomorrow to decide (since tomorrow is a holiday!) but it will be something that relates to helping me to step into the spotlight and let me shine - to become visible with my art and all that relates to it - I come to this decision since I have always been the support for others and their creative endeavors - now it's time for me to support me! I will be sharing this things here to keep myself accountable -

A couple of things are in the works to be announced very soon - first, I will be teaching one or two online classes at reasonable rates - stay tuned for that announcement shortly - I will also be teaching some workshops here in LA and hopefully some in other locations - TBA -

And now some good news ... a piece of my artwork was selected in a blind judging by a curator from LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to be in a catalog for sale - mine was selected from 1066 submissions - one of 93 pieces to be in the catalog - it will be affiliated with an international women's art group celebrating their 40th anniversary and having their convention in LA in February - very excited! Those of us selected to be in the catalog will be honored at a reception at 825 Gallery in LA - What makes this even more special is that my Great Grandmother's photo is part of this piece - it's as if she is smiling down with approval and support for me -

This piece of my art can also be seen as the cover art on Kelly Kilmer's yahoo group "Art Gang LA" -

That's it for now ...more to follow during this 1st week of 2012 - leap year - wishing each of you and yours a very healthy, happy and creative new year - hugs - Reva (Los Angeles)

Day 5 - Every Day Art Month

2011-11-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've been doing art every day this month but haven't posted every day .... I'm signed up for the Art Every Day Month challenge online - and find the prompts keeping me active - basically been sketching briefly and continuing to make my vision accordion book for my goals/plans for the rest of the year and next year as well -

http://creativeeveryday.com/art-every-day-month

front and back covers - accordion book

front/back cover inside before attaching to accordion book

Accordion book beginning stages

Faces

Bird wing

Art Every Day Month

2011-11-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Have decided to step away from Facebook and Twitter and return to my original blog - and the best way to do that for me is to reconnect to the Blogging community and to create art every day - so I found Leah Piken Kolidas' blog where she is offering a daily connection for the month of November - since she's done this for the past 9 years (where have I been?) I decided to jump in - so here it is day 1 -

http://creativeeveryday.com/aedmlogored.gif

So I start with a quickly made accordion book - using water colors on scrap paper - I will be adding pockets to the pages and then creating tags with activities and goals (something like a vision board but in book form) to help me plan the next three months and beyond into 2012. My idea is not to make the most creative or beautiful book but just something likable thrown together quickly to serve a purpose.

I plan to do a variety of things this month - giving myself permission to just do whatever I feel like - as long as it's art - that can be drawing in my journal - prepping for classes - making pages for the chunky technique book for Art Unraveled 2012 - working in my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project - or whatever else comes up - just as long as I do something! I'm trying to create a habit that seems to have fallen by the wayside for a variety of reasons - most of which don't really matter - just getting back on the horse so to speak! So stay tuned and see what comes out of this motivational experiment - want to join me? You can still sign up by clicking on the link and signing up with Leah - what have you got to lose? Happy Creating!!!

One Time Only Opportunity!

2009-11-10T01:02:00.000-08:00

I could spend a lot of time explaining why my blog has been silent since August - but I'm anxious to tell you about my exciting offer - so I'll say it simply....Facebook!

I'm very excited to be teaching a one day class at a new venue here in California on Sunday 11/15/09 - it's out in Augora - horse country - in a beautiful space owned by Lisa LaRosa. (lisalarosa.blogspot.com) As many of you know, besides my work as an artist, I am also a Creative Life Coach and work with all types of creative people. I like to incorporate some of my coaching tools into my classes so that my students come away with more than just art techniques and a completed project, but also have new skills to use in other areas of their lives as well.

I know that money is tight for everyone so I am making this special one-time offer - when you pay for this class I have made special arrangements with Lisa to include lunch with my class - and for the next 5 students to sign up - you will get a one hour phone-coaching session with me (value $100) for free. So for $140 - you get a one day class - a free lunch and a one hour phone coaching session valued at $100 - amazing!

If you're still on the fence about taking this class or spending the money on yourself....think about this - the techniques you will learn in this class and the project you will create could be a gift for a friend or loved one for the upcoming holidays. One gift out of the way and a day of art and relaxation for you!

So go over to the site - click on my class and sign up - be one of the lucky 5 who get the extra perks! I promise you a day filled with art, laughter and more - after all this is all about you!

The Gifts of Teaching ....

2009-08-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Finally coming up for air after another amazing week in Phoenix at the 7th annual Art Unraveled. I must admit that I've been having withdrawal - as many have. If you've never been to an art retreat and to AU in particular, there's magic that happens from the moment you set foot in the door of the venue. Life as you know it in the "real world" is temporarily suspended and it's like being at camp, a carnival, school, and a big sleep over with your favorite cousins. Thank you, Linda, Chuck and crew and all the talented teachers for another wonderful event...more about my trip in a later post.

This past Sunday, I had the distinct privilege to do something else that I adore - teach a class. For me, teaching is like nothing else I do in my life. When I teach, I'm able to guide others in exploration and experimentation, while being of service to my students. While doing this, I too get gifts from my students...the joy I see when they discover that they can indeed create; the switch they make from feeling intimidated to exploring the tools, medium and their creativity with enthusiasm; and experiencing the students exuberance and gratitude at the end of the class.

Nancy Dolan - from nurse to artist

Another gift of teaching for me is introducing eager new students to the world of collage and mixed media and art in general. Yesterday I had that privilege. I watched as one of my students with no knowledge of this medium or the tools we use, dove in and created a beautiful book. Watching her walk through uncertainty, which turned to smiles and laughter as she allowed herself to play and get in touch with her creativity, warmed my heart. Being in her shoes not too long ago, I was thrilled to pass the torch.

Carol Rothman - former kindergarten teacher now 2nd grade teacher to artist

Marjorie Grace-Sayers - music teacher/musician - mother of four - turned artist

Yesterday, a small group of students joined me in a spontaneous last minute announced class at VIVA Gallery upstairs studio in Sherman Oaks. As we gathered, an opening for a new exhibit was happening downstairs in the gallery, which made for a festive mood and an inspiration for my students. The class was called "All About Me". We discussed how as women, we are nurturers and caretakers in many areas of our lives. I asked the students to give themselves permission to focus on "me" (each of them) for this class. Some found that it was a difficult task making that switch.

Carol Rothman with her completed book - her word was "evolving"

Carol's back cover

Carol's front cover - with stitched pocket and hand made silk tie-died ribbons

Nancy Dolan's book - her word was "becoming"

Nancy's back cover

Nancy's front cover using found objects

Each student was asked to think of a word or words that best described where they were in their lives at this time. They were to keep that word in mind as they created their accordian book. Using beautiful papers, crackle paints, distress inks, stamps, ephemera and more, the students created "a place" just for them and their thoughts and dreams. The results were beautiful and the few hours spent creating art and focusing on themselves was enlightening for all who participated.

Marjorie with completed book - she chose "All About Me" as her words

Marjorie's front cover

I am so grateful for the gift of teaching and for the students who allow me to share what I know with them as they explore their incredible creativity. Life is good and I am truly blessed.

Disintegration Project - The Big Reveal

2009-08-01T16:25:00.001-07:00

Taaa- taaa- taaa- daaaaaaa! Get ready for the big reveal of the result of participating in Seth Apter's wonderful Disintegration Project on his blog The Altered Page - over 100 artists participated starting back in January of this year. We were to place all kinds of ephemera etc out in the elements and leave them until August 1 when we would share what happened on our blogs. Living in Southern California I was at a bit of a disadvantage compared to my northern and east coast artist participants. I placed my pages of an old dictionary tied with twine and some shipping tags on my little balcony and made sure that when I watered my plants I watered my art experiment too. Since we have very little rain where I live I figured that would be okay to help it along a bit and add to the aging of the sun on my pages.

My original post (January 28, 2009 - Disintegration - Seth's Project) on this blog about this project allows me to see the difference in aging and disintegration that transpired over eight months. I began to create an art piece as I looked at my aged dictionary pages. Here's what I created using the rolled dictionary pages, the aged dictionary cover, aged and weathered shipping tags, some netting and twine all glued to cardboard (the backing for watercolor paper tablet that I saved).

The tags say: Words Without Knowledge Bind Thinking...I came up with them after completing the binding of the dictionary pages under the netting. I love words and learning and teaching and somehow this art piece speaks to me.

A million thank you's to Seth and to all the other wonderful artists who participated.

If nothing else comes from this art piece - this is enough. Enjoy and I welcome your comments!

PS - a small disclaimer about my photos - had to take them with my cell phone because my camera died last night! Double click on the photos to see a larger version with details.

Confessions of a Facebook Newbie

2009-05-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

2006 me at the top of Masada, Israel

Okay...I admit it! I have a new addiction - oy! I finally took the plunge and joined Facebook. I had resisted for some time because I know myself and I knew that anything new with lists or photos or such will become an obsession for me. I'm one of those weird people that gets a new directory for an organization I belong to and immediately have to read every name and highlight the ones I know. Or if there's a bibliography in the back of a book, I have to highlight all the books I've read from the list. A true addict. I know myself. So, knowing this whenever I would get e-mails from friends asking me to join FB, I deleted them to avoid the temptation. But as time went by, and everyone was on MySpace, FB, and Twitter, I began to feel left out. It made me feel old and out of the newest hip thing. I began to question my thinking - what was I missing? What do they know that I don't? It reminded me of when I was not invited to a party in school or not invited to join the top club. I have always wanted to be part of the group. But after 19 years of sobriety and now confronting my addiction to food (I have now lost 25 lbs and 20 1/2 inches and am on week 22 of giving away my weight), I know myself.

Upstairs room at the church at Fountain & Fairfax - my very first AA mtg. 3/1/1990

Then someone I know who I really respect, went on and on about how Facebook is a great way to promote her business. That was it. The excuse I had secretly been searching for. I could join FB without any guilt to promote my Creative Coaching business and mixed media and writing classes. And besides it's free! Without another thought, excuse or hesitation, I found myself filling in my info on the FB registration. In less than 30 seconds I was in! I was at the party. I was in the club. Wow! Pretty harmless.

1981 - Me - Club Med show - Playa Blanca, Mexico

It was all pretty user friendly and I'm a quick study so within a couple of minutes I got how it all worked. At first I thought it was ridiculous. People posting that they're leaving work or posting things as if they're speaking just to me. Stupid, I thought. Why would people do that? Why would anyone care? I was wrong. This won't be addictive. As an old PR person, I'll only use it to promote business things. And that would have happened, if only I didn't discover that I could look at other folks friends lists. Once I discovered this, my addiction took hold and I found hours had passed by without moving from my computer. Okay, this is really embarrassing but I would click on a friend to request that they join my friend list. And then I would have to look at their list to see if I knew anyone on their friend page, which I most likely did. And then I'd see someone I knew from the past and click on their list. Just like when you hold a mirror up to another mirror to see "infinity" that's what FB became for me.

1978 - me channeling Ms. Streisand - Atlanta, GA

On a positive note...I've been a member of FB for over a week now and the novelty has worn off somewhat. I've connected with old high school friends and friends from productions I worked on almost thirty years ago. I'm actually going to meet a few of them for lunch. I do promote business things on my FB page. But I admit I now tell my "friends" when I'm off to the vet or going to a screening at the TV Academy and I do check FB many times during the day. I notice that I feel better connected to the outside world. There's an expression that says "contempt prior to investigation". I think I understand that phrase much better now :) But don't ask me join Twitter....

Remembering a Legend...

2009-04-03T02:18:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that today marks 41 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. He was the youngest person (age 35) ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. That year - 1968 - was a year of unrest and unbelievable events. Not only was Dr. King murdered but also Robert F. Kennedy - right here in Los Angeles at the Ambassador Hotel. Powerful voices silenced by hate and prejudice. I remember that day and I remember them. (I lived in Atlanta during the time Dr. King lived and preached there. And I lived in Los Angeles and worked on a film project at the Ambassador hotel after it was turned into a production house for film projects. I was working there when the LA Riots broke out and watched from the roof as our city burned all around the hotel and beyond.)

Each leader spoke out with their truth even when voices tried to silence them. As I reflect on this historic sad and shameful day in our history, I ask myself questions. What lessons can I learn from these brave men to practice in my own life? How do I silence myself when I think my voice will speak a different point of view? How am I a light in the world by being of service to others? Do I allow my creative voice to speak or do I censor myself because it is not the voice I hear others speak? Do I speak out when I see injustice in the world, my country, my community or do I think that someone else will do it for me? And I wonder what our world would be like today if these voices had not been silenced?

Happy B'day to Me!

2009-03-29T00:24:00.001-07:00

Thoughts...

Me around age 3 or 4 - posing for my Poppy - my personal photographer!

Decided to share this with y'all as I seem to be on a roller coaster of emotions on this birthday - I was fine - even happy about my b'day until it hit midnight and then I seem to be a bit melancholy - my family is 3,000 miles away on the East coast and I really hate being so far away - I do have plans to meet friends tomorrow for a late lunch and then we're walking across the street to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to spend the afternoon - the weather is supposed to be beautiful so it should be fun - but ... I find myself seeing the years slip by more quickly with each passing year - I don't look my age (or act it either - according to some) and feel like I'm in my 30's but in reality haven't seen 30's or 40's or more for many years - I was reading Misty Mawn's blog and she was lamenting that she was leaving 32 behind - and I was thinking how great it would be t to be 33 again! I guess it's all relative - don't get me wrong - I'm happy and grateful to be alive and healthy and have good friends and my sobriety and my art and all of you out there that I have come to cherish - but as I get older, I find myself wishing there was more time - and wishing that I had a special someone in my life to share that time with - I have been told that happens in G-d's time and that I have to be patient - Love comes when we are not looking - so for all of you who are in loving committed relationships - hug your partner and remember to say you love them - you are truly blessed!

Always the "fashionista" - even at this young age! Note the purse which I insisted on taking to the zoo in Washington, D.C. Still a sucker for a good bag.

So - as any true Aries will tell you - moods pass quickly in our world - and now that I've blogged about what I'm feeling - this too has passed and I'm back to my old happy me - must be time to go to bed (what?! before 2 am?) -

Elvis on his favorite perch. Thank you! Thank you very much - just TKB!

I'm off to give Elvis his insulin shot -

Vinnie - age 17 - also known as Vincenzo - Vin Man - Voodie and Monkey Mouse ....

remind Vinnie - my toothless wonder - where his water bowl is - he has kitty- dementia -

Me ... back in the day... doing a Steisand impersonation - don't ask!

and know that when I wake in the morning all will be bright and sunny for me and I hope for you as well -

aaahh-hem ... and the winner is...

2009-02-27T17:55:00.002-08:00

Since I haven't heard from the winner of the Oscar contest, we will go to the 1st runner up - picked by the lovely orange kitty .... Elvis (Also known as Elvie Bear) - and the runner up and new winner is Linda Lou! Please contact me privately at scribewizards@juno.com - and congratulations!

And the Winner Is....

2009-02-22T22:56:00.000-08:00

Elvis (age 15) perched on his favorite post awaiting instructions to 'paw' the winner in case there's a tie vote.

Then Vinnie woke up - he's 17 and mostly sleeps all day ... he wanted in on the action...He was overheard saying, "I'm old but I'm still cute!"

Thanks to the 32 women who posted guesses on my Oscar give-away post - there was a 3-way tie - but before I begin the drum roll and give you the results - here's how the voting went down -

Art Direction:
The Duchess - 6
Dark Knight - 15
Benjamin Button (Winner) 6
Revolutionary Road - 4
Changeling 1

Costume:
The Duchess (Winner) 15
Benjamin Button 8
Australia 9

After waiting patiently for about 5 minutes - it all got to be too long a wait - and it was back to snoozing for Ol' Vincenzo Vinnie Boy!

Okay - start the drum roll - three people guessed both winners correctly - Benjamin Button (Art Director) and The Duchess (Costume) - they were Sharon (from the Netherlands), Linda Lou and Biscuit1 - Linda - so I put all three names in a bowl and had the lovely 'Elvis' paw the winner - (He also decided it was a treat and promptly chewed it!) a little wet and chewy the winner is 'bisquit1 - Linda' - CONGRATULATIONS! could you e-mail me privately at scribewizards@juno.com - and give me your snail mail address so I can send your winning packet -

So, did I do good? Huh? Did I...? No more Paparazzi, speak to my agent and press people for the correct spelling of my name.... :)

Sigh...back to what I do best .... until my agent gets me another gig ... oh, btw, now that I have a following, I only work for treats!

Thanks to everyone who played - hope you enjoyed the Oscars - I personally thought it was one of the best ever - well produced and different from the usual boring award shows - and I must say that I am personally thrilled that Sean Penn won best actor for portraying Harvey Milk in Milk and was able to speak up for equality on a public forum - (my 2nd choice was Mickey Rourke) - have a good evening and stay tuned to my blog for future give-aways - this was fun!

Oscar Give-away

2009-02-20T17:55:00.000-08:00

If you live any place other than the Hollywood area, you might not know that this Sunday - February 22nd (at 5 pm PST (8 pm EST) on ABC) over a billion (yes that's with a "B") people worldwide will be glued to their televisions to see an Aussie (Hugh Jackman) open the 81st Annual Academy Awards - not to mention all you fashionistas glued two hours earlier to see who's wearing who on the red carpet - All this hub-bub just down the street from my apartment at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland. Well, it might not mean anything in Peoria or Portland (both Oregon and Maine) but in my town time stops - streets are closed off and traffic is directed down my street - helicopters circle over my 3rd floor apartment - Klieg lights can be seen for miles, while every limo in this and surrounding areas are filled with recognizable celebrities that are in a traffic jam waiting to stop at the red carpet, now wanting the papparazzi to flash their pictures - All the local newscasts lead off with what the weather will be on Sunday - hopefully no rain - even though they have plastic up over the red carpet .... just in case. Other than Halloween - also known as the West Hollywood (Boy's Town to those in the know) New Year's Eve - when over a 1/2 a million folks show up on Santa Monica Blvd. in professional costumes that they've spent way more than a month's salary on (yes...adults only!) - Academy Award Sunday and the days leading up to it are the most important days in this industry town! And we, of course, are surprised to hear that some of you in other parts of the country have not seen all (or any) of the nominated films and don't really care.

81st Academy Awards official poster

Now if you're thinking all of us L.A. folks are breaking out our Monolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choo's with our Valentino and Carolina Herrara gowns waiting for the limo to take us up to Hollywood Blvd. you really aren't in the know. Unless you work for a celebrity, are a celebrity who is nominated or presenting, or are a stylist, hair dresser, make-up artist, etc working that day, you wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near the Kodak Theatre - It's strictly for tourists - sorry to burst that bubble! We "common folk" - even those of us who work in the entertainment industry will be at friends homes or at parties with ballots printed off the internet - just like some of you - but the difference is we take this whole Oscar thing pretty seriously because depending on who wins and who's nominated it can generate work for those of us who work in the industry for the coming year. Just as Mardis Gras is everything to New Orleans - Oscar night is to Hollywood. We will mark our party ballots prior to the first award given out - drop $10 or whatever the going amount is in the fishbowl or hat at the party we're attending - and hang on every word when the awards are given out to check our ballot so that we might be the winner of hundreds of $$$$ based on who gets the most categories correct. So there it is - my life in Hollywood - - and even though I'm not a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences who vote on the Oscars (but am a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and we vote on the Emmys) I am caught up in the whirlwind that is Academy Award week - Soooo.... in honor of my 31st year in Hollywood working in the "industry" and the 81st Oscars, I decided to announce my very first blog giveaway -

Mr. Oscar himself...

Here's how it will go down: post on my blog who you think will win the Oscar for Best Art Direction* and also for Best Costume Design (hey...we're artists, right and those are the two categories that come closest to what we do) Those nominated for these two awards are listed at the end of this post - (you can see all the categories and nominations at Oscars.org) - You must post your vote for both categories on this blog by 3 pm PST on Sunday 2/22 - The person who picks the Best Art Direction winner correctly will win - if more than one person gets it correct then I will use the Best Costume category as the tie breaker - the people who tie then must also get Best Costume Designer correct as well - if no one does I will put the tie winners in a hat and have my big orange cat-boy - Elvis - paw the winner - if I can wake him!

Elvis - also known as Elvie Bear - without a care in the world!

Oh! the prize - a nice bag of assorted ephemera - ribbons etc including some Hollywood ephemera that you can't get in your home town! Consider this prize your "Hollywood swag bag" - better than the nominees will get backstage on Sunday! Here are the nominations - get busy and join in the Hollywood hype. Ohhhhh... c'mon - you know you want to - Elvis is waiting!

Elvis - just hangin' waiting for your vote on my blog...

* Art Director: is the head decorator, designer of a film. He/she is the one who aesthetically develops infrastructure for a film to make it beautiful or create the world as defined by the script and works closely with the Director to complete her/his vision of the film that you see on the screen. So everything you see other than the actors in costume is under this person's domain - the total look of the set and everything on it - from the color scheme - the design - all the nuances large and small - This person must make you believe what you are seeing on the screen.

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION:
“Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
“The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
“The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
“Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN:
“Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
“The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
“Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
“Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

I will announce the winner either late Sunday night or Monday morning on this blog. Good luck!

Disintegration - Seth's project

2009-01-28T01:32:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite blogs is The Altered Page by Seth Apter in NYC - he always has such interesting projects and connections - one of his latest projects "Disintegration" is one where he took pages from a book and wrapped them with twine and then put them outdoors for the elements to join in as a natural collaborator to his project - his idea - as I understand it - is to allow nature to do her work until Spring and see what happens - he then invited anyone who was interested to join in and do their own projects - we will be able to see how nature affects the pieces in different parts of the country - it intrigued me and so I did a twist on his idea - I started thinking about pages and words on pages - then went to a literal connection and found an old dictionary - tore out 36 pages and rolled them individually tying them with twine - then bound them in two piles of 18 each and bound each of them - I photographed the pages on top of the dictionary they were torn from -

I live in Southern California so our weather is much different from the rest of the country so it should be interesting to see what happens to my pages - I will put them on my small balcony outside my apartment - actually the balcony sits just outside my former dining area which I now use as my studio - I'll take photos in the daytime - I think I'll take photos periodically to chronicle the progress of the weathering of my pages - I did not add gesso or anything to my pages - anyone else interested in joining in? go to Seth's blog to see his pages - This should be fun! Thanks, Seth, for the invite.

FREEDOM!!!

2009-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Today over 1 million people braved the frigid weather in my hometown - Washington, D.C. - to see the historic inauguration of our 44th President of the United States. Never have I been prouder to have been born in our Nation's Capitol and to be an American. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever even thought about being proud to be an American. Not because I'm not, but it was just not something I ever thought about before this election. But today, as I watched with tears streaming down my face once again, as Barack Obama took the oath of office with his hand on Lincoln's bible on the steps of the capitol that were built by slaves, I am truly proud. As a child of the South with all of my family from NYC, I think it somehow resonates in a different way for me. I've shared on this blog in the past, my memories of seeing water fountains marked "colored" and "white" and balconies in movie theatres marked "colored only". I remember hearing Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his "I have a Dream" speech and for the first time realizing that change could actually happen. And now change has come to our country.

President Obama has challenged each of us, change must start with me....and you. I will take his challenge to heart. To begin with, I choose to be a participant of my world, my country, my community, not just an observer. And to do it as a kinder more inclusive person. I will share my creative talents with others...not keep them to myself. And I pledge to be of service to others whatever that looks like, whether formally designed or as things are presented to me on a daily basis. I am ecstatic beyond words today and feel lighter, hopeful and in awe. My heart is full and I feel joy! I have always believed that if I am not part of the solution then I am part of the problem. Today I choose to be part of the solution, even if I don't know what that looks like yet.

I challenge all of you in our community to stop and think what you pledge to do starting today. I look forward to hearing your commitments. What will you do? How will you do your part? How will you step up to the plate as we begin this new era in our country's extraordinary history? And I encourage each of you to pay it forward - challenge your friends and family, co-workers and students. It is up to us to make the change and turn things around. As creative people, we can literally change the world with our images. So what are you waiting for? This is our time, this is our chance, this is our world. This is our day!

(all photos from Yahoo.com)

Happy New Year ...and more!

2009-01-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

Time has a way of rushing by - it's hard to believe that it's a new year - 2009 already! Why is it that when we were kids time seemed to move so slowly - waiting for that clock in the front of the classroom to strike 3 pm or waiting for your birthday or for your Dad to come home from work? And as adults, life seems to be on fast forward - never enough time to complete things or fit everything into our lives - deadlines seem to arrive almost instantly and vacations are over all too quickly - And the switch from time moving too slowly to time moving too quickly happens without fanfare and without notice until one day we wake up and we're in fast forward mode!

I realize that I haven't blogged in over a month - instead of sharing what was going on here I chose to disappear for a few weeks and deal with everything silently - now I realize after reading everyone's blogs that I probably should have worked it all out with all of you - but things are looking up so here's the mini-version to catch y'all up ....

My Mom at home

On November 15th my Mom's significant other - George H. passed away - they had been seeing each other for almost ten years - they were both 83 years young - and I have never seen my Mom happier - they lived in the same gated community in Daytona Beach, Florida and chose to live apart in their own homes - he had lost his wife a year or so before he and my Mom started seeing each other - my Mom knew his wife - they belonged to the Women's Club in their community together - for almost ten years George would drive over to my Mom's house at about 5 pm - My Mom would fix dinner - they'd eat and talk - and then watch TV or play cards or dominoes - then every evening about 10:15 pm - he'd kiss her goodnight and drive home - they loved to travel and they'd go on yearly cruises to the Caribbean - never got off the ship - and have a wonderful time together - the last trip they took together was last July - George could no longer fly so they had one of his daughters and her husband drive them back to his hometown in West Virginia so he could see it for the last time and my Mom could see where he grew up and see the places where all his stories originated - George had suffered from emphysema for many years - he had smoked for many years as a young man - and then they found a spot on his lung - Cancer - he chose not to have treatment - In September he was no longer able to walk and had to be on oxygen most of the time in order to breathe - my Mom stayed with him at his house from September until the end - She was there when Hospice visited and the doctor and the visiting nurses - she never left his side - and all of his children came to visit him before he passed - on the last day his two daughters visited and left for home - he napped for a bit - he could no longer speak in anything but a hoarse whisper - and called out for my mother - he held her hand and told her he loved her and then he closed his eyes and he was gone -

Ironically he died on what would have been my parents 66th wedding anniversary - my Dad passed away 26 years ago this January 29th - so once again my Mom is alone - and it is so sad on the one hand but when I think about it, they had almost ten years of happiness together - how many of us can say that - or have the opportunity to have two wonderful loves in their lifetime? I went home to be with my Mom and spent time with her as she made her transition to being alone again - it was difficult because each person handles their grief differently and my Mom's way is just being quiet - I tried to honor that while I was there - I let her talk when she needed to and not when she wanted to be quiet with her own thoughts -

I know the holidays were very difficult for Mom - she managed to get through them - my Mom is a very active person and I am happy that she is not sitting home but getting out some and her friends have been great to her as well as George's children -

I was not close to George - to be honest I had a bit of trouble accepting him at first - even though I wanted my Mom to be happy and not be lonely after my Dad but George was not the kind of guy I would have chosen for my Mom - he was ultra conservative - not Jewish (actually was a Southern Baptist and very active in his church) - told offensive jokes - was a bit rough around the edges - but on the other hand, he was most generous and very good father to his children and step- children - and the truth is it didn't matter what I thought - and I eventually came around to accept him because I saw how happy my Mom was and how good he was to her - and I was very sad to see him go -

So I tried to think what I could do 3,000 miles away from my Mom to help her through all this - I call her several times during the week - and I know that George always sent her a dozen red roses - so I sent her a dozen roses - 6 red from George and 6 white from me - and then I created a book for her all about George - (which I completely forgot to take photos of) - I know how pleased she was - it helped me complete my feelings past and present about George - thru my art - and helped my Mom through her grieving process -

My Mom and me at my 2nd niece's wedding in San Antonio

So here we are in 2009 - a year of change - I will write more later about my intentions and goals for the new year - Wishing everyone a year of peace, abundance, creativity, friendship, love and laughter! Happy New Year!

A "Mish Mosh" of things...

2008-11-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

Got a bit behind in posting things I wanted to share with everyone - so forgive me as I throw it all in one post to catch up and in no particular order...

I've always loved books. As a matter of fact I still have some of my original picture books from when I was a child - three of my favorites - Madeline; Make Way for Ducklings; and Eloise - sit in my collection of hundreds of children's books most of them signed by their authors - so it's no mistake that I have a new love in my recent incarnation of the adult me - making books - I created a class that I call "A Gaggle of Books in a Box"

My book samples for the class ...
where students create five different mini-books - a scroll book, a star book, a corrugated paper bag book, an accordion book and a shipping tag book - that all fit in a box (actually in an altered oatmeal tub) - and this Sunday I was thrilled to be able to teach this intense but fun class at VIVA Gallery upstairs studio - thanks to Erella, Joann and Nancy for coming to play with me! Yes, play - they each walked away with their five mini-books and their parting gift from me - a little rubber duckie and a mini-water color set.

Erella with her star book

Nancy holding her star book - Joann's yellow star book on table and Erella's red accordion book in the background

Erella and Joann at "Show & Tell" at end of class

Joann's tea book - it's her corrugated book using tea bag packages for pages instead of paper bags - beautiful!

Joann and Nancy looking at student work

Joann and Nancy working on scroll books
Erella working on scroll books

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A shameless plug for my next class - Saturday - 11/22/08 at a private home studio in Sherman Oaks from 11 am - 4 pm - and includes a light lunch served by our fabulous host for the day - contact me privately to sign up - the class is "Reflections - A wall hanging/banner" based on the "Freedom wall hanging/banner" I won 3rd place in the Art Unraveled art competition this past August - spaces are filling quickly so contact me for more info -

Four-panel "Freedom" wall hanging/banner

Close up of a panel

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A couple of months ago I signed up for a chunky book swap on Art Techniques Yahoo group - we had to sign up for a technique to demonstrate in our pages and there could be no duplicate techniques in the book - it started out as a normal chunky book 4 x 4 swap - where they may grow to as many as 35 or 40 sign-ups which means you make that many original (no photo copies) 4 x 4 pages - somehow this book grew and grew and grew and GREW! When it got to 50 participants someone suggested that we form group two - but everyone protested - after all it was a technique book and no one wanted to miss out on a single technique - and then it grew to 60 participants - then 75 - then 80 - 90 - 95 and then gasp! a 100! But wait ... it didn't stop there - the final count was 120 sign-ups! Yes ... you got it - we had to make 120 - 4 x 4 pages of our technique - no photo copies and send them to our fearless (and now celebrated) leader - Sherre - at first it seemed overwhelming - I brought them twice to my mixed media group to work on - and still I wasn't finished - but then it became "Zen like" exercise - and I finished and sent them off - poor Sherre and crew had 120 priority boxes in her dining room & living room to be stuffed with sorted 120 pages times 120 entries - yikes! Then the icing on the cake - my box arrived with 120 different fabulous technique pages to peruse and hopefully try on my own - I decided to figure out a way to bind my pages into a book - what a surprise since I'm a "book person" - here's the result - It was so much fun - I signed up for a chunky book swap for AU with only a mere 30 pages - piece of cake!

Pages I made for AU Technique chunky book (30 pages) (very similar to page I made for Chunky Fat book (120 pages)

Ribbon binding - Chunky Fat book 120 - 4 x 4 pages

Front of fat book - this is one of the pages used as the cover

Overhead view of bound book

Side view of 120 pages bound

The book!

It's bound loosely enough that it can lay flat to use when working on a technique - each page has the technique described on the back

I divided the 120 pages into 5 sections (signatures) and bound each one separately on the Bind-it-All machine - then tied the 5 bound signatures together with colored ribbons

The pages all together - it's such an amazing book! I feel like all 120 of us are in a special international club - connected by our technique pages -

A New Nation...

2008-11-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

Tears stream down my face as the announcement came at 11 pm* that we have a new President. My heart is full. As a young Jewish girl raised in the South, I remember seeing water fountains marked "white only" and "colored" - there were white and "colored" schools - African Americans could not eat in the same restaurants as me - or go to the same restroom as me - growing up I never saw a black person in anything but a menial or blue collar job. I went to school with only white students until my senior year when 9 black students were bussed to our school of 3500. The only black people I knew were maids in a white friend's home. In school the only thing I studied about black people was about slavery and the Middle Passage and the Civil War - all from a white perspective. From today on when young people look in their history books a new face will be seen on the page with all the Presidents - all white men - 12 were slave owners - from today on they will see a new face as the President of the United States - Barack Obama - the 44th President of the United States - an African American face for all of the people. Never in my lifetime - never during the Civil Rights Movement - never was this idea ever in the realm of my imagination.

I'm trying to get my head around this - I'm overjoyed and can finally say "G-d Bless America!" and be proud of this country and the people who had the hope and courage to see something in this person to lead us in these dark and troubled times. And to know that my home state of Virginia turned the tide and voted Democratic for the first time in over forty years! If only Tim Russert and Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy could be with us to see this historic day. I like to think that the healing of the deep wounds of our great country are finally beginning to heal after over 200 years. This gives all minorities hope for things to come in our lifetime. America has turned the corner today and I am so proud to be an American!

* 11 pm - interesting fact - when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation - word got out to the country at 11 pm - it was 11 pm last night that the announcement broke by the various news stations that Barack Obama had enough electoral votes and was indeed the next President of the United States - I can't help but think about the fact that it was slave labor that built the steps of the Capitol in Washington,D.C. that our new President Barack Obama will stand on January 20th to take the Oath of Office.
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I was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the suburbs in Virginia (the part that the Republicans said didn't count) - Fairfax County - When I was in high school my father was elected Chair of the Fairfax County School Board - a lifelong Nixon Republican - he was given the difficult task of deciding along with the Board whether to integrate the schools - he struggled long and hard with his decision - he was always one to do the right thing - there was a tie when the Board voted - it was his vote that decided that indeed the schools would be integrated - the toll of this decision and the stress my Dad was under during these difficult times took a toll on him - but he was a part of history and change that was good - I didn't understand the magnitude of all of this at the time - I recently read the newspaper clippings that he saved accounting these meetings - I never really told my Dad how proud I was of his decision and the courage he had at the time - he passed away 25 years ago - and although our politics were never the same - which made for lively dinner table conversations over the years - I'm pretty sure my Dad would have been supporting McCain but I know that my Dad would have been proud of our country's courage to do the right thing - I love you, Poppy and I'm so very proud of the work you did at a time that wasn't easy - but then the path of courage never is.

VOTE! Like your life depends on it...

2008-11-03T23:13:00.000-08:00

because it does! I thought long and hard about commenting on this blog about voting and the election - and was not going to discuss political choices in a place where I present my creative endeavors - but after reading so many of your blogs - artists that I really respect for their artistic and creative savvy - I was shocked at how many well known names have clickable buttons to vote yes on Prop 8 here in California - so I can no longer hold my tongue - The artistic community has always been forward thinking and full of folks who are willing to march to the beat of their own drummers - I urge each of you to search your heart and soul before you mark your ballot and vote for discrimination - because that's what you'll be doing if you vote for Prop 8 - you will actually be voting against a large population - a large part of this artistic community - you are saying that people you know and work with and call friends deserve to have 2nd class citizen rights and that we need change our state constitution to do this - this is not a vote about the bedroom - this is a vote for discrimination and against human rights - it is distorted facts and half-truths begun by the powerful and wealthy Mormon Church and picked up by other religious right groups - Don't believe them - don't just listen to propaganda but do some research and read the facts -

Not that long ago women were discriminated against because they were thought of as 2nd class citizens and did not have the right to vote - Japanese Americans were rounded up and against their will placed in camps right here in America - Armenian Americans were not allowed to buy homes in sections of this state - and African Americans and Latinos and others were - by law- told who they could and could not marry - and now it is my Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters that are being discriminated against - take a stand for human rights - think about all the art friends you enjoy working with and call friends and how this will affect all of us - do the right thing - join me and many others in this community and VOTE NO! ON PROP 8 tomorrow - (and a vote for Obama too!)

Updated Photos for My November Class

2008-10-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

Did some more work on the sample mini-books for the November 9th workshop I'm teaching at Viva Gallery in Sherman Oaks - Working on the box to hold them all - contact me privately to sign up for the workshop -

(Just a reminder that all artwork, photographs and writing content on this blog, is the property of the artist and may not be copied, or posted anywhere without written consent. Thank you for respecting the hours and hours of work that goes into creating this site and its contents.)

Five mini-books will be housed in a box

Five mini-books opened

Book 1 - Scroll Book - tied closed

Scroll book opened - back

Scroll Book - opened interior

Book #2 - Accordion book - stamped cover - front view - tied closed

Accordion book - interior - side one opened

Accordion book - side 2 - opened

Accordion book - stamped back cover

Book #3 - Cover - cardboard paper bag book

Inside cover - cardboard paperbag book

Book #4 - Vintage starbook closed

Vintage starbook opened

Book #5 - Tag book

November Mixed Media Classes and more

2008-10-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post - I'm off to a screening at the Israeli Film Festival 2008 of a documentary - Praying in Her Own Voice - about the struggle of the famed "Women of the Wall" movement. This group has spearheaded the battle for female equality in the religious world. Their main focus has been on the Western Wall (Wailing Wall in Jerusalem) - the holiest site for Jews where Orthodox, Conservative and Reform women are not allowed to gather and pray in community. For the past decade they have challenged the Israeli government and the entire Jewish world by raising a lot of media attention both through colorful protests and by their unstoppable legal battle - which has ended several times at the Israeli Supreme Court which made some very controversial rulings. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker- Ravit Markus and Myra Newman - member of the Pluralism and Religious Diversity in Israel Committee of the LA- Tel Aviv Partnership. When I was in Israel at the Wall, we were herded into a small section on the side with a tall fence dividing the main area where men and boys prayed. Mothers, sisters and other female family members were not allowed to attend their son's bar mitzvahs happening on the other side of the wall because they were women. Should be an interesting evening!

I am teaching the following classes in LA - open to traveling and teaching in your area - contact me privately to discuss -

NOVEMBER MIXED MEDIA CLASSES/WORKSHOPS - Los Angeles

Please save these dates and RSVP:

Sunday, November 9th - 1pm – 5 pm - @ VIVA Gallery upstairs studio, Sherman Oaks - $70 – MUST RSVP to me prior to class date - A GAGGLE OF BOOKS IN A BOX – in this workshop we will create 5 mini-books of various styles that are housed in a box – After picking a theme for your books through some short exercises to get your “juices going”, instruction will be given for making each book – a star book, a corrugated cardboard/paper bag book, a shipping tag book, a scroll book and an accordion book. After creating the 5 books, each student will be encouraged to collage/decorate/embellish the books and the box to reflect their own style using the five samples taught in class. The class is designed for all student levels. No prior experience required.

Miniature corrugated cardboard/paper bag book

Shipping tag mini-book

Vintage miniature star book

(photos of scroll book and accordion book will be posted later)

Saturday, November 22nd – 11 am – 4 pm - @ a studio in a private home in Thousand Oaks - $70 - MUST RSVP to me prior to class date – THEMED WALL HANGING/BANNER – this workshop will be based on the “Freedom Banner/Wall Hanging” that I created and won 3rd Place at the Art Unraveled Art Contest 2008. Consisting of four panels with hanging word tags using collage, aging materials, crackle paints, ribbons, buttons and more, this art piece addressed the idea of Freedom – both personal and political – by using a few short exercises and a guided meditation, each student will pick a theme for their project and then incorporate the words and ideas that come from the exercises while creating this paper wall hanging/banner.

Each panel begins with an ordinary collage exercise (this is panel #4)

Completed wallhanging/banner

Watch for other dates and locations – TBA… I will send photo links in the next few days but wanted to get this info out to the group – thanks!
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Sunday, November 2nd – Monthly gathering for So. Cal. Mixed Media Group – 1 pm – 5 pm - @ VIVA Gallery – upstairs studio in Sherman Oaks – must be approved and join the Yahoo Group connected to this group. Contact me privately for further info.

FYI - I am a Creative Life Coach (10 years), mixed media artist, published writer, and teacher. I am celebrating 30 years in the entertainment industry including TV/Film/Theatre/Music and have taught creative journal writing classes for over twenty years and mixed media classes for the past year and a half - I combine mixed media projects with thoughtful self-reflection exercises encouraging my students to dig deeper into thought as they create their art projects, thereby blending process, project and creative thought into a meaningful art piece for their personal enjoyment.

20th International Sketchcrawl Day!

2008-10-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Meant to post this earlier but .... anyway today is the 20th International Sketchcrawl Day - Oct 25th - in case you're not familiar with this event - here's the site - but basically the idea is that on this day people all over the world either gather together at a location in their town and sketch or go out on your own and sketch - there are no rules - anyone can participate - sketch for 20 minutes at one location or spend the day traveling to several locations - any level - from beginner to professional - any age - from kids to seniors - The cool thing about this is that as you are out and about sketching know that people from all over the world - literally - are doing the same thing (be sure to check out the forum on the site to see what others are doing on this day all over the world) - it's such a simple but wonderful idea - would love to hear from anyone who goes out and participates today and let us see what you've sketched - have a wonderful day! and a special thank you and shout out to the founder and creator of Sketchcrawl - Enrico Caruso (that's his logo at the opening of this post) - such a simple but joyful and inclusive idea - if only more people in the world thought this way - artists rule!

Downtown Columbus Walking Tour - Part 3 (cont'd.)

2008-10-20T00:21:00.000-07:00

Didn't realize I took so many pictures on this walk - here's the next section - enjoy!

Beautiful tree on the way back to the hotel.

Plaque on the wall outside the Court House - it was quite small - maybe 4 x 6 - placed on low wall as you go up the steps to walk to the door of the building - not prominantly posted - note it says: "No Weapons Allowed - pursuant to the Ohio revised code" - does that mean that before posting this sign and the revision to the code you could bring weapons into the court house?

American flag made out of flowers outside the Court House.

Sunflower installation photographed from across the street.

This was at the base of a flag pole in front of the Court House - the base had 4 seals - one representing each of the armed forces - I only photographed the Army and Air Force - for my brother (Army Colonel retired) and my niece's husband who just completed his 3rd tour in Iraq/Afghanistan - age 25

The description plaque reads: "Dedicated to the Men and Women of Ohio Who Have Served in the Armed Forces of the United States"

Air Force Seal...

Entrance to the Court House

Close up of one of the doors

There were several of these trash cans lining the walkway up to the court house doors

The sunflowers ...again!

This is a portion of a large curved art installation just to the side of the Court House - each one of the sections is a letter from a member of the US Armed Forces who is deployed to a war zone - Some from WW I , WW II, Viet Nam, Iraq, Korea and some earlier - The wall is simply the letters - no explanation - no embellishments or trim - simply the letters - very powerful to see in person -

Close up of one of the letters - It reads: " Dear Darlene, Yes, I've seen the Iraqi POW's. They're just like normal people. Most were soldiers in their country by threat that if they didn't fight, their families would be killed. Most surrendered. So when at first we were returning them, they were killed. It's such a sad story. Then there were the babies that were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can't wait to come home. Looks like May. I'm ready to get back to the great US of A. Love, Shirley"

Directly across from the Wall of Letters - very close was this fountain ...

More letters...

Walking from the Wall of Letters to the street to go back to the hotel, there was a cluster of several of these trees - not sure but they might be 'buckeyes' - wanted to pick one but decided against it -

Looking back and across the street at the sunflower installation to include the painted poster on the wall of the building that reads "Home & Flower Show" and has a huge sunflower painted on the poster - what's up with Ohio and sunflowers?

This plaque is a tall street sign that sits almost at the corner of State Street. It is even more relevant today as we count down the last few days of the presidential campaign. Think about the fact that the events talked about in this sign are about slavery in the United States of America and people helping slaves to escape via the underground railroad. Human beings having to be hidden and escaping to freedom in the dead of night here in our own country just a little over 150 years ago. And today 2008, a black man is running for the Presidency and is in the lead. No matter who you are voting for, that is a remarkable sign of the times. The plaque reads:

BLACK CONDUCTORS OF COLUMBUS – HISTORIC UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Early legislators did not want slavery in Ohio, nor did they want Blacks to settle here. Declaring people of color a menace, they passed the Black Laws. Outside the Statehouse, Blacks weren’t unnoticed. The turnover of black waiters and porters at the Buckeye House aroused no suspicion. White customers overlooked barbers James Poindexter and Andrew Redmond. No one saw John T. Ward, clerk at Zettler’s. These men were invisible to all but the desperate faces secreted in attics, barns, smokehouses, and in wagons traveling northward at night to Clintonville. Teamsters Louis Washington and his son Thomas were drivers. “The UGRR was actually going on here in Columbus when I came in 1828,” recounted James Poindexter. Conductors David Jenkins, NB Ferguson, and John Bookel were all members of Poindexter’s Antislavery Baptist Church.

In 1842, John T. Ward began assisting Shepherd Alexander to convey runaway slaves through Columbus. William Washington, William Ferguson, Jeremiah Freeland, and others were involved as well. “ Some one or the other of us was with Alexander on every trip, “ stated Ward.

(Co-sponsorship of ODOT and Friends of Freedom Society)

Downtown Columbus Walking Tour - Part 2 (cont'd.)

2008-10-18T23:03:00.000-07:00

So here are more photos from my walking tour of downtown Columbus just before getting ready for my cousin Amy's wedding while winds from hurricane Ike gathered strength...enjoy!

Small courtyard at front of church...

Front door of church ...

Close-up of church's front door...

Church courtyard from another angle ...

Ohio state office building...

Across from an official state office building was this amusing art installation... three giant metal sunflowers rising from the parking lot next to the sidewalk ...

This adorable little house is actually the office for a parking lot - if you look closely in the window you can see my reflection taking this photo...
A new high rise office building just down from the Hyatt Hotel with a large poster advertising an Andy Warhol art exhibit in town...

Close up of Andy Warhol poster....

located at State Street...

Curtains on the window of one of the older official state office buildings next to the Capitol...

Entrance to that same building...

Loved the lamp posts at the building entrance...

Another old church in the same block ... this one Presbyterian...

Close up of church door...

Railing around this church courtyard...

Old tree in the small courtyard...

Fire hydrants downtown were painted orange - this one's for you Andrew!

Just past the church was a small park filled with very old trees - if you look closely you'll see a big nest on one of it's branches...

Another angle of the small park - surrounded by state capitol buildings...

Just past the trees - was this amazing tribute to fallen firefighters and police officers - this statue is of a firefighter, a police officer and a young child wearing a firefighter's jacket holding a helmet ...
The above statue faces this dedication and flags...

I looked down at the ground and saw that the patio was made of bricks - and each one had a dedication to a specific fallen public servant or a group of them... very moving...

All around the patio were benches like this one - this one reads " in Honor of all Cleveland Police Officers who make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty - Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association"
Back view of the statue above ...

Walking back to the hotel - The Renaissance - I noticed that the trees along the curb each had this around them...

Old fashioned parking meter ...

Another church in that same block ....

Interesting bark on tree along the sidewalk....

Older office building ....

Fountain in the back of Hyatt -

Close up of fountain ....

Close up from another angle ...

Another larger park down the street from the smaller one... metal barriers for security ...

Decorative iron fence lining the side of the park...

Tree on the park border ... looks like it would be fun to climb...

Entrance to underground public parking at the park ...

To be continued....

Columbus, Ohio at the End of Hurricane Ike

2008-10-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

My cousin Amy got married on Sept 14th to a great guy she met at her best friend's wedding - we later found out that her best friend and her new husband had arranged for them to meet at the wedding. Amy is the daughter of my cousin Judy who is the daughter of my Mom's identical twin sister Marge (who passed away several years ago). Confused yet? The wedding was held in Columbus, Ohio where Amy grew up rather than in New York City where she now lives due to the cost of having a formal wedding for 200 of their "closest" friends. Unfortunately, neither my Mom nor I got to actually see the wedding because my Mom got very ill and I took her back to the hotel just after family photos were taken at the synagogue. The trip back to the hotel was interesting because the tail end of hurricane Ike decided to hit Columbus just at that moment that we began the twenty minute drive back to downtown where the hotel was located. We literally dodged tree limbs flying in front of the windshield and watched huge trees topple over on the side of the road. Electricity went out all over town, but luckily not at the hotel.

Me & my mom at the synagogue lobby - Mom's wearing her twin's dress that Aunt Marge wore at her daughter's wedding 25 years ago (in honor of her memory) I'm wearing the jewelry I bought at AU vendors day and the necklace made by Jane Wynn.

My cousin Amy with her Dad Gerry

The morning of the wedding, I took a long walk in deserted downtown near the hotel as the winds began to gather strength. Ala, Andrew and Kelly Kilmer's blogs, I photographed things that I thought were interesting. After photographing these pictures, I literally was blown back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding I would not attend :) Enjoy!

Couch in the lounge area of the hotel lobby

Close up of couch pattern

Sculpture in hotel lobby

Another sculpture in the hotel lobby

Carribbean Restaurant less than a block from the hotel - with entrance in the alley - wonder why?

The other wall of the same alley

Lamp in alley - not sure if it's an origianl or copy made to look old - love the lines of the lamp
Part of a frieze on the wall in the alley

Old fashioned andy store window just outside and around the corner from the alley - the tubs are wrapped with newspaper comic strips!

Another part of the candy store window display

Old fashioned barrell filled with peanuts in the candy store window - note the reflection of the American flag from the street caught in the photo
Street clock outside the candy store - downtown has been re-developed but kept the old feel with new items such as this clock

Down the street and around another corner - looking towards the state capitol - an old sign advertising the Columbus newspaper - as I turned this corner to take the photo the wind picked up and I was pushed into the building behind me by the force of the wind - but I still didn't make the connection to Hurricane Ike at this time!

Same sign closer
After taking the photo of the newspaper sign, I turned around and realized I was standing in front of a sculpture in front of a State office building named for him - James A. Rhodes

One of several old churches in a large downtown block just on the other side of the capitol building

Plaque from the above church - Episcopal - organized 1817 this building erected 1869 (and still actively in use).

Part of the lovely little front lawn of the church - love the iron fence

More photos in my next posting . . .

Time Flies

2008-10-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since mid-September - lots happening both personally and professionally - will give updates in snippets in my next few posts - and they most likely won't be in chronological order - Here's a little tease for the topics to be addressed (so I won't forget) will include my trip to Colombus, Ohio for my cousin Amy's wedding - our So. Cal. Mixed Media groups 2nd gathering - my trip to Thousand Oaks for another great class with Kelly Kilmer - this one at Staci Staler's wonderful studio in her home - upcoming classes I'm teaching - the election and registering to vote -what I learned during the Jewish High Holy Days this year - fat book page swap - this one with 120 pages - yikes! and so much more...

So we (So Cal Mixed Media Group) had our 2nd gathering on Sunday, October 5th at Viva Gallery upstairs studio - again we had an amazing turnout - ten women gathered and shared completed and works-in-progress with the group - what great talent in one room! We also explained what we were working on that day and then in-between great conversations and snacking on the several delicious homemade baked goods - wow! people actually bake?! - we all worked on our individual projects - five o'clock came all too soon and we made plans to meet again at the same location on November 2nd (Sunday) from 1 - 5 pm - please join us - several gals from our group attended Art & Soul in Portland and will be telling us about their experiences, classes and showing what they created when they were in Portland -

Carole, Carmen and Tina

Renee and Staci

Amy Elise and Terrill

Artwork display table - view #1

Artwork display table - view #2

Then my batteries in my camera went dead and I didn't have any fresh ones with me ...

****

I belong to a Yahoo group called "ArtTechniques" - one of the leaders of the group - Sherre H. offered an idea for a fat book 4 x 4 swap - a book simply showing various techniques with explanation of how to do it on the back - no frills, no embellishments - simply the technique - each person signing up had to have a unique technique - no duplicates - most fat book swaps are about 40 - 45 pages or less - well, this one began to grow in popularity - when we got to about 45 plus - Sherre asked if we wanted to start a second book - but no one wanted to miss out on the techniques that might be in that book and not the book we signed up for - so we voted to have just one book - unfortunately there was no cut off on the number of artists that could join - and it grew and grew and grew - we began posting back and forth on the Yahoo group that this was no longer a "fat" book but an "obese" book :) We ended up with 120 pages!

A portion of the 120 pages 4 x 4 originals for fat book swap - ArtTechniques Yahoo group

For those that have never done a swap that means 120 ORIGINAL 4 x 4 pages with a typed explanation pasted on the back of each!

Close-up (upside down :) 4 x 4 antique patina on cardboard

The deadline to send them to Sherre was Oct 15th - a call went out for anyone living near Sherre in Northern CA that could help her sort the pages to volunteer - people began posting that they were sending Sherre and her "crew" gifts of popcorn and chocolate and tea and cookies and more to help them as they put together 120 flat rate priority boxes and sort the 14,400 pages sent to her - (120 participants x 120 pages each = 14,400) to send out to us next month - Sherre posted a photo of her house filled with these boxes and the gals helping her - Bless you all! as much of a chore as it was to create 120 pages, I'm so glad I participated and can't wait to see everyone else's work - and we just learned that Sherre has submitted the idea to a magazine for publication! Here are my pages - my technique was the antique patina on cardboard - My challenge now is how to bind 120 4 x 4 pages into a book! Any suggestions are welcomed -

More photos from Mixed Media gathering

2008-09-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more photos from our first mixed media gathering that were sent to me by Pat M. from our group - thanks!

Carole from Claremont works on her painting.

Renee from West LA creating a calligraphy mixed media page in her book.

Me pretending to know how to work a sewing machine to stitch my first puffy heart.

Carmen from West Hills completing some pages for her book.

Me again! (hey, it's my blog!) With my first completed puffy heart.

We had eleven women show up for our first gathering at the beautiful upstairs studio above the Valley artists gallery. Amazing!

Our next gathering will be held Sunday, October 5th from 1pm - 5pm at VIVA Gallery in Sherman Oaks. We are encouraging members to bring a piece of completed work or a work-in-progress to share with the group - giving a short explanation of your process or if you prefer to display your work on our display table as we work on our own projects. Last time Terrill generously brought homemade snacks to share - we encourage food sharing at our gatherings!

If you live in LA and want to attend our next mixed media gathering, please contact me privately or check out our Yahoo Group. It is really thrilling to see the response from LA artists that want to participate in creating a mixed media community.

So Cal Mixed Media Group - 1st Gathering

2008-09-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Carole from Claremont

After a bunch of us talked at Art Unraveled in August, our goal was to create an art community here in LA . We felt a bit lost here after returning because everything is so spread out and everyone is driving their cars everywhere so no chance of meeting on the street like in NYC or San Francisco. Saturday was an amazing day! After having 30 artists sign up for our new Yahoo Group, 11 amazing women showed up at VIVA Gallery studio for our groups first gathering - Thanks to Renee, JoAnn, Pat, Terrill, Carmen, Amy Elise (my co-moderator), Kara, Laurel, Carole and Tally!Terrill from Claremont - my first friend from Art Unraveled 2007!

Amy Elise - co-moderator of our So Cal Mixed Media Group - She taught the fabric puffy hearts.

Pat M. - we met on the phone a few months ago - both students of Kelly Kilmer.

Renee - mixed media artist who is also an extraordinary Calligrapher!

I forgot to take pictures before some left and I also forgot to take photos of everyone's artwork - both the completed projects on our display table and things they were working on in the studio. Hopefully they will post it on our Yahoo Group or send a jpg version to me so I can post them.

Amy Elise brought her sewing machine and lots and lots of vintage fabric, buttons, sequins, ribbons and lace and generously let us use her materials. She decided to teach us how to make fabric puffy hearts as described in Belinda Spiwak's great article with photos (Cloth,Paper, Scissors - Sept/Oct 2008 pp. 50-52). It was so much fun and I loved them so much, I've been working on some at home. Will post them as soon as I finish them.

My first attempt at fabric puffy hearts - Hey, Mom - Don't faint, I used a sewing machine!

Terrill made an apricot cobbler to die for with apricots off her tree in her yard - What a treat - also forgot to take a photo of that - guess she'll just have to make another one for our next gathering in October!

We had a great start and look forward to more next month. Feel free to join our group if it interests you. We will be meeting the first Sunday of the month (except for July) from 1 pm - 5 pm at VIVA gallery studio (upstairs). Our next gathering will be Sunday, October 5th. I will be teaching a class (TBA) in that same studio - Sunday, October 12th from 1 pm - 5 pm. Will be posting info on my blog and on the VIVA Gallery website in the next few days.

Food for thought - from a postcard on my fridge:

"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Gays and Lesbians, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't Gay or Lesbian. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was Protestant. Then they came for me - and by that time no one was left to speak up." ...Pastor Martin Niemoller

Stand Up To Cancer

2008-09-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 8 pm - on all three major networks for one hour - will be a show filled with over 50 celebrities and performers to create awareness and raise $$$ for cancer research. Most government funding has been taken away from research, so the $$$ collected will be earmarked for research purposes to find a cure in the next few years. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people in the United States will be diagnosed with some form of the disease. Most of us have more than one friend, family member or business acquaintance that is a survivor or dealing with treatment at this time, or sadly passed away. For me, I have had several family members pass away from cancer - my Dad, my mom's twin sister - my Aunt Marge, my Grandma Rosset (my Mom's mother), and survivor friends, Kara, Amy Elise, and Alan (my friend Erin's husband) and my neighbor Mark and so many more. I choose to wear a Live Strong bracelet everyday for awareness.

So tonite watch any of the networks at 8 pm for one hour or set your TIVO for Stand Up To Cancer - make a donation or go online - make a donation - buy a T-shirt - buy the necklace. No amount of donation is too small. This disease doesn't discriminate - it doesn't matter if you are a celebrity or the guy/girl next door. Here's a way to be of service and to help others with a click of your mouse.

So Cal Mixed Media Art Group

2008-09-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

I seem to have a knack for starting groups. I've started a couple of writing groups, re-created and headed the women's group at my synagogue, served on Boards of Women in Theatre and Women in Film, created and taught writing and journal classes, life coaching workshops/classes, and taught mixed media art classes and book/journal making classes. It's not a difficult thing for me to do. I'm not bragging. It's just something I do easily. So when several fellow artists at Art Unraveled spoke about wanting our fabulous week to continue throughout the year, I suggested that we form a group. Everyone was enthusiastic about it, but no one really wanted to head it up. Until I met my new friend, Amy Elise Roberts. We both had the same enthusiasm and both were eager to get the group going. So I said I'd do the set up if she'd help run it with me. She said yes, and we were off and running. We also got the support of a group in Phoenix who had formed a group last year after AU and offered to be our "sister" group.

I set up a Yahoo Group - SoCalArtUnraveled and rented a studio at VIVA gallery - an artists collective in the San Fernando Valley. And after many e-mails back and forth, our first gathering will be this Saturday - from 1 - 5 pm - with future once-a-month gatherings to be held on the 1st Sunday of each month (except July). We will have a peer led activity - a "make and take" - a table to share completed projects and the rest of the time to work on existing projects or to start new ones. The enthusiasm and interest has been amazing. As of this writing, we have 30 people signed up on our Yahoo Group list. Hopefully, many of them will show up on Saturday! I will post photos and give an update on this blog. Wish us luck and if you're in the LA area sign up and come join us.

Something New - Monoprint Class Results

2008-08-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

Monday night I had the opportunity to take a class with Tally Oliveau at VIVA Gallery in Sherman Oaks.

I met Tally in Juliana Coles class that was taught at Carol Parks Studio in March. Tally has a wonderful greeting card line that can be found at Whole Foods and other places. The class interested me because it was a technique class advertised as monoprint making using gelatin.

Tally is a wonderful teacher and the class proved to be both fun and informative. I met several new artists in the class including a woman who was visiting from Utah and got to re-visit with Julie Molina who I met at this year's Art Unraveled.

I didn't bring any paper to print on but found some discarded papers from the architect who rents space in the building. Tally suggested that I use that paper and really liked the results.

You can see the architectual plots peaking thru the prints I made.

Tally is into using found and natural objects and provided the class with lots of leaves, grasses, etc. to use in our monoprints.

One of the things that became problematic for me was that my gelatin began to melt and absorbed my paints. So rather than throw it away I applied paint to my paper with a brayer and stuck the leaves in the paper to get some interesting results.

This was so much fun. I will definitely try this again at home. Thanks, Tally!

Withdrawal from Art Unraveled 2008

2008-08-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Had an easy trip home from AU 2008 - Elvis was at the door to greet me (no...not that Elvis - my orange kitty Elvis Bear) and Vinnie (my gray boy) gave me that look - you know the one - I'm going to act blase' at your homecoming because I told you I didn't want you to go but you went anyway look - and of course the yellow duckies were just where I left them!

Elvis & Vinnie lounging

My rubber duckie collection on my bathroom window!

Will post details later but wanted to begin to update my thoughts and art work -

First a very special "thank you" to Linda Young and family for a wonderfully organized and well planned week - and once again a thank you filled with gratitude for asking me to be the keynote speaker to start things off - I enjoyed speaking and had lots of comments throughout the week that led me to believe that people were actually listening! :)

Chuck & Linda Young, Art Unraveled Creators/Producers

"Yours truly" delivering the "keynote" speech - Art Unraveled 2008 8/03/08

Had a special surprise when my name was called and announced that I won 3rd prize in the art contest - the first time I ever entered my artwork anywhere - and it was especially rewarding because it was a piece that I had created to teach in a class in LA earlier in the year - thanks so much!

Art Unraveled 2008 - 3rd Place winner - 1st panel of my 4 panel Freedom Banner

4 panel Freedom Banner - paper, acrylic crackle paint, collage, stamps, inks, ribbons - (click on photo to see close up)

2008 Art Unraveled Art Contest winners - 2nd place Cecelia, 1st place Geri and 3rd place Reva at Awards dinner

To all my new and old art friends - I send out big hugs and want you to know how much your friendship means to me - as I unwind and slip into sadness that AU is over I know that I will have many conversations with all of you until our next meeting in 2009 - the Yahoo group and our "get togethers" keep me going - I agree with all those who said they wished life could be like AU - it's nice to be in the company of like-minded talented creative folks -

Thank you to all the wonderful instructors this year - what a difficult choice to narrow down the classes I wanted to take this time - but a very special thank you to my teachers - Anne Grgich, Robin Dudley-Howes, Jane LaFazio, Carla Sonheim, Leighanna Light, Raina Gentry and Michael de Meng - it doesn't get better than that! Each class took so much planning and each was wonderful in it's own way - Most of my projects I worked on are works-in-progress (okay, I didn't finish them) but am posting them as they are today and will post them as they are completed - I did finish my work in Anne Grgich's class, Michael de Meng's and Carla Sonheim - I am very pleased with all three -

Instructor/artist Jan La Fazio - Sketch & Watercolor class

My first ever sketch and water color attempt
2nd attempt a flower from class

Robin Dudley-Howes holding finished Tassle- what I hope mine will look like one day!

The under "skirt" and base of my tassel - I painted the blank wooden cup

Outer skirt and weaving of my tassle - the weaving took forever! The underskirt and painted wooden cup are under the outer skirt -

Instructor/artists - Carla Sonheim and me - Drawing class

My first attempt at drawing class - we chose a picture from a magazine and drew it - using pencil, charcoal, and water soluble crayon - My lion -

Instructor/artists Leighanna Light and me at the end of her Metal Deck class - thanks for introducing me to metal and all the fun it holds!

These are the metal cards in my deck - I have only started with semi-completed backgrounds - next I will add the embellishments like buttons, etc that I will wire (not glue!) onto the cards

This close-up shows the blank metal card before anything has been added - the only thing done to this is that I snipped the corners to round them -

The fabulous Michael de Meng - could students and traveling be too much for him in this photo?

My assemblage (with a French accent!) piece from Michael's Outlet class - The rooster at the top I found at Hannah Grey's booth and the round letters say "Shalom"

My 'work-in-progress' from Raina Gentry's class - my first painting class

From Anne Grgich's class - can't figure out how to turn it right side up :)

A right-side up view but bottom of piece cut off in photo :)

My 2nd piece from Anne Grgich's class - love her classes!

My new friend Amy from Simi Valley and I are starting an AU art group for the LA area - we are fashioning it after the successful one in Phoenix - watch for an announcement about our first gathering here in LA -

Tomorrow I'm going with Kara and Terrill (AU friends from LA) to Pasadena to Harbor Freight to look at power tools - a phrase I never thought this "nice Jewish girl" would be uttering - but I must say I'm excited and can't wait!

Will be in touch with all those I met but for now this blog will have to do - I got home to a stack of DVDs to view for voting on the Emmy Awards - so have my work cut out for me - and will be doing some work for Shirley Jones (yes - Partridge Family Shirley Jones) who we work with regularly -

Also am offering a free tele-coaching session to anyone who attended AU - students and instructors - just e-mail me and we can set something up - am looking for a couple of full time coaching clients, so this is a good way to see if you might want to sign up - to find out more about coaching check out my Scribe Wizards website -

Stay in touch - continue to make art - and see you next year in Phoenix!

2nd post today - LA Rock 'n Roll

2008-07-29T15:29:00.001-07:00

At 11:42 am my apartment began to sway back and forth for a full 30 seconds that felt like more - found out we had a 5.4 earthquake - all the pictures in my apartment were turned sideways - cupboards opened and only one sculpture on the top of a bookcase fell off the shelf but fell on carpeting so didn't break! Lots and lots of aftershocks but I'll take them rather than a hurricane or tornado! Just wanted everyone to know that we are safe-

My First Art Portfolio for AU 2008

2008-07-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Detail Close up - "Rabbi's Wedding" - mixed media - acrylic on canvas

Detail - Close Up - "Rabbi's Wedding" - paper cranes from wedding incorporated in art piece

Top panel from "Freedom Banner" (paper, crackle paint, stamps/ink)

Trying to be organized in my efforts to get ready to go to Art Unraveled 2008 - but the to-do list grows longer and the days grow shorter - Realized that I had not gathered my art work to display at Meet the Artists - I am honored to be able to have a table with the other instructors/artists on the first night after my kick off speech - as I looked through my work I realized that my favorite and best pieces were given away as gifts - but luckily I have lots of photos of each - so decided to print out 8 1/2 x 11 glossy photo prints and create a portfolio to display along with works-in-progress and completed projects - as it usually happens things take longer than I plan - and wow! printing large color photos takes up lots and lots of ink - had to go up to Staples to get another color cartridge - I know it would have been cheaper to burn a disc and take it to Kinko's but time is a factor so I made the judgment call to do it myself -

Page from handmade book - Kelly Kilmer's Class - work-in-progress

I look at going to Art Unraveled 2008 like going away to art camp - some folks are lucky enough to be able to just sign up with no worries about the money factor - but I actually set up a special AU 2008 to save all year to attend - so I want to make the most of my time there - I'm taking lots of classes and pushing myself to take classes that "scare" me - I want to stretch myself and grow in my art skills - a few years ago I wouldn't have been willing to try things that seemed difficult or out of my capabilities - today I am able to step outside of my comfort zone and try - I give myself permission to just show up and not have to do things perfectly - to put myself in the "student/learning" mode - I find it allows me to actually have fun in class - what a concept! :)

Three from my "Faces" illustration portfolio - Tombo markers

So here are the classes I'm taking - to check out the artists/instructors - go to www.artunraveled.com and click on the artists -

PAINTERLY PORTRAIT BOOK - Anne Grgich

ETHNIC ECCLECTIC TASSEL – Robin Dudley-Howes

SKETCHING/WATERCOLOR JOURNAL – Jane Lafazio

DRAWING BLAST– Carla Sonheim

VINTAGE METAL DECK – Leighanna Light

DRAWING OUT INNER ARTIST (controlled chaos) – Raina Gentry

CREATIVE OUTLETS – Micahel deMeng

Please respect my art - all art the property of the artist Reva Solomon and not to be copied without permission. Thank you!

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock

2008-07-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

Art Unraveled 2008 Tag Book Cover (made from mini-checker board)

Have you ever noticed how time can play tricks on us? When we're sitting, waiting, anticipating something that we are looking forward to happening, an event, a trip, seeing a loved one, etc., the clock seems to move so slowly almost in slow motion. It seems like the day will never arrive - almost as if there are more hours in the day. But, when we have a deadline or so much to do before the appointed date, the clock seems to speed up, almost as if there are less than twenty-four hours in the day! That's exactly what's been happening with me as I anticipate attending a full week of Art Unraveled 2008 for the first time. Up until Monday, the event seemed so far away, like the day would never arrive when I would get on that plane with all my stuff to fly the short trip to Phoenix. But somehow when Monday arrived, as if on cue, the clock sped up and here it is Thursday and I am feeling overwhelmed with all that needs to get done before I leave. I'll spare you the specific items on my long, long list, but the feelings are those of overwhelm, stress, nervousness, and stagnation. So I'm writing this down so I can turn those things into positives.

Someone much wiser than myself, once told me that sometimes I confuse fear and excitement. That the energy expended for both is the same. And when I look at myself today as I'm in that place of overwhelm that causes me to be paralyzed and not be able to do anything on my list, I think of those wise words. So instead of focusing on the negative thoughts that are spinning in my head, I am choosing to look at the ones that are sitting quietly waiting for me to notice them. They are excitement and anticipation and joy and laughter and friendships and learning and creativity and more...I believe that what energies and thoughts we put out into the world, are what we get back.

So I resolve to let go of the negative thoughts and to focus on the positive ones. I will label my feelings as excitement and let fear sit alone with no place in my head and my heart as the days go by, not with less hours, but the same twenty-four as I know intellectually are there. I create my own reality and must not let all those negative thoughts take over. So here I go - taking my long list in hand - looking forward to crossing things off one by one getting ready for my trip that I have worked so hard to save for and learn skills all year for and create my own art to share with others. I'm excited and can't wait to step off the plane in 100 plus temperature to greet old and new friends who all are there as artists, and that is a very exciting thing! Make it a great day!

2nd post today - My First Art Commission!

2008-07-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day this year, I decided to create a tribute book for my Mom to thank her for all she has done for me in my life and how much she means to me.

My Mom loved the book and has it displayed in her kitchen. When her bridge group came over to play last week, everyone wanted to look at the book. They all loved it. One of the gals asked to get in touch with me. When we spoke she told me she wanted me to make a book just like my Mom's as a tribute to her granddaughter's graduation from college. I was thrilled and so begins my first art commission. Can't wait to get started on her book! Thanks, Doreen!

6 x 6 board book - acrylics and mixed media - Mother's Day Tribute Book (me on the cover at age 3)

Handmade paper beads and buttons and stamped tags

These are the photos of the book that sparked my first commission - the book I made for my Mom for Mother's Day 2008.

All contents on this post and this blog are NOT to be copied without permission. Thank you.

Giving Back with a Gift of Art...

2008-07-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was able to repay a dear teacher and friend of mine with a gift of my art. Rabbi Lisa Edwards of Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC) in Los Angeles was my first teacher as I explored my faith and my Judaism. My family was not religious when I was growing up and as I went out on my own I began searching for my roots and my beliefs.

9x12 Canvas - acrylic and mixed vintage media - June 13, 2008 Marriage

When I moved to Los Angeles I signed up for a women's journal writing class that was being taught at BCC. It was in class sitting in that synagogue that I found myself wanting to learn more about Judaism. There was a wonderful woman in the class named Tracy Moore and we became friends. She suggested that I take the Judaism 101 class from Rabbi Lisa Edwards (who happened to be her partner). I took the class and that began my journey to learn more about my faith.

Rabbi Lisa Edwards

Although I do not belong to this congregation, Rabbi Lisa still remains a spiritual advisor and friend. So it was with great joy that we all greeted the news on June 16, 2008 that the California courts overturned the ban on Gay/Lesbian Marriage and it was now legal. In 1995, I attended the Jewish wedding of Lisa and Tracy. With about 300 people in attendance, including Lisa's parents and family, her brother (also a Rabbi) and another local Rabbi married them. But it was not a legal wedding in the eyes of the secular world. Now with the ruling overturned, Lisa and Tracy, together in a monogamous relationship since 1985, could finally legally be married under the eyes of California law. And so last Sunday they signed the papers legalizing their marriage in front of a large group of friends.

Rabbi Lisa Edwards & Tracy Moore

I found out about the signing on Thursday evening when I saw them at a film festival. I immediately went home and searched for something I had been saving - and not knowing why - for thirteen years since their wedding. It was two Origami paper cranes that each guest was given at the wedding. There is a Japanese legend that if you make 1000 paper cranes, you will have good health, happiness and peace. For some reason, I saved those two paper cranes over the years, often pinning them to my bulletin board over my desk. Whenever I tried to throw them out, something stopped me and I just saved them. Now I knew why. I took those two paper cranes from Tracy and Lisa's wedding and created this art piece to give to them on Sunday when they were finally recognized as a legally married couple. And so I was finally able to give back and thank them for all that they have given to me over the years.

Close up of 13 year old paper cranes from 1995 Jewish wedding

Love is love. And they are the most loving couple I know. They were thrilled as they opened my gift and even more thrilled when they realized that the two cranes were incorporated in the piece. Tracy and Lisa - may you grow old together in love and happiness and may G-d continue to bless you in your lives.

Close ups of marriage gift of art

NYC and back again...

2008-07-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

Newlyweds - Raluca and Derek - She's a nurse and he's a new ER doctor - they are moving from Philadelphia to Connecticut - they met at the hospital!

Came back from NYC and hit the ground running so haven't posted for a while - NY was fabulous as always - my cousin Derek married a wonderful Romanian gal named Raluca and our two families had a great party in my cousin Gene's backyard - my Dad was the baby of eight kids so I have lots of cousins and we got to spend time together catching up -

The Solomon Cousins - with a few missing

Raluca's Mom, Cousin Jed,Cousin Gene (Derek's Mom), Newlyweds Raluca and Derek, Raluca's Dad (Mitch) is hiding behind the couple

While I was in NY I took a class at a wonderful stamp store in the West Village called The Ink Pad - our very generous teacher was Estrella - we made "inchies" - enjoyed meeting everyone from around the world in our class but realized that inchies are not my forte - live and learn - the store was filled floor to ceiling with amazing stamps - bought way too many - but real estate is at a premium in the city and the store was so small that it was crowded when two people stood side by side! They closed the store at 7 pm and then let all ten of us students in, set up tables and somehow we all fit!

Earlier that day I met my cousin Rhoda down on the Lower East Side to tour the oldest synagogue there - The Eldridge Street Synagogue- it was built in the 1800's when that neighborhood was filled with Jewish immigrants - now it's an Asian neighborhood - the synagogue was just restored and still houses a small Orthodox congregation of 40 people - the rest of the time the synagogue is a museum and they give tours which we took - you can take a tour on their website - it's also used as a gathering place for music events and lectures for the whole community - The building began to decay in the 1950's and the upstairs where the sanctuary is was locked until the 1980's and they only used the downstairs for services - The synagogue restoration was taken on as a project to restore it in the 1980's and finally just finished - these pictures don't do it justice - it's beautifully restored and you can feel the history when you stand in the sanctuary -

The Rabbi's would deliver their sermons from this lectern on the Bimah (pulpit) at the front of the synagogue

View of the restored sanctuary from the Bimah

Close-up of the restored lighting - these were originally gas lights but have been restored as electric but used the original glass and brass

View of two stories of windows on the side of the sanctuary

view of the steps up to the Bimah from sanctuary view

view from the center doors looking to the front of the synagogue

View from the women's section upstairs looking down onto the main floor of the sanctuary (Men and women sit separately in Orthodox synagogues even today)

Restored stained glass window upstairs faces Eldridge Street

Velvet covered wooden table in the center of the sanctuary - used to hold Torah for readings during services - The Torah (The five books of the bible hand written with special quill in Hebrew on goat skin scroll) are housed in a special ark at the front of the synagogue and taken out and unrolled to that week's Torah portion and read during a special part of the service
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View of one section of the women's section upstairs - note the marble poles (they are actually faux painted in the restoration because actual marble reminiscent of that era is too costly - but even up close you can not tell they are painted!) also note center on the back wall - a section of the wall is unfinished to show what it was like before restoration began -

The museum relies completely on donations so if you feel inclined check out how you can donate on their website -

Another great place to visit while down on the Lower East Side is The Tenement Museum on Orchard Street - it is an old boarding house from the 1800's that has several apartments restored - while I was there last year I visited the Jewish apartment and the Italian apartment - they have just completed an Irish apartment and they have a fabulous gift shop -

Phoenix in August!

2008-06-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

c Original artwork - Reva Solomon 2008

And now a shameless plug - self-promotion - but then that's part of what blogs are for, right? Right!

I am beyond thrilled to announce that I have the distinct honor of being the keynote speaker to kick off Art Unlimited 2008 held in Phoenix, Arizona from August 3 - 10 at the Embassy Suites Hotel. I'll be delivering an interactive speech which includes making tag pages for a book to be auctioned off at the silent auction and displayed during AU 2008. Following my speech will be a Meet the Artists reception, where my art work will be displayed along with fabulous instructors who will be teaching at AU! There is no charge to attend if you are registered for classes. Oh! and did I mention that there's a prize worth $400 to be won by a lucky registered participant who attends my speech? Thank you, Linda Young for giving me this opportunity!

As most of you know, I'm celebrating ten years as a Creative Life Coach, working with various creative clients from those in the entertainment industry to visual artists. I have clients all over the country who I help get in touch with their dream, break it down into "baby steps", and make a plan to turn that dream into reality. We look at how all parts of our lives affect our creativity. I work with the extremely successful award winning creative folks to newbies just starting out. I love what I do and I get to see artists move to the next level in their dreams. All of us have doubts about our abilities and our work. We could all use a cheerleader, mentor, confidant at some time. I get to fulfill that role for my clients on a daily basis. My talk - Discover Your Muse: Follow Your Heart and Find Yourself - will combine coaching and art expertise that will help each artist "discover her muse" and have new tools to help spark creativity at home in the studio when creative thoughts are replaced with doubts.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Phoenix - and if you were thinking you might skip the opening, I encourage you change your mind - I'd love to have you there and I can guarantee a fun time!

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions and of course, comments are welcomed - See you in Phoenix!

My Poppy...My Hero

2008-06-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

Rather than write it twice, I've posted my tribute to my Poppy on my other blog - Dream Big...A Star is Born - Please click over and enjoy my photos and tribute to Samuel Sidney Solomon - my hero...My Poppy!

Creativity Awakened

2008-06-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the distinct pleasure to take yet one more class from the fabulous Kelly Kilmer at Stampin'from the Heart in Culver City. I know she'll get totally embarrassed when she reads this, but I have to say it. I have taken more than eight or nine classes from Kelly. She is the most generous and giving teacher. She teaches with no judgment and encourages each student in their work in a way that makes you feel like you are taking a private class with her.

In this particular class I had an epiphany about my creativity and my art. As we quickly slapped paint on the pages of the folded book, I realized that I was feeling confident, creative and knowledgeable about what I was doing. I no longer was comparing my work with anyone else in the class. I was focused and enthusiastic about what I was creating. And my work felt perfect, just as it was. I don't mean that in a conceited way, but coming from a place of being "in the zone". I don't know when this shift happened for me, but in that room, surrounded by like minded women and a supportive, encouraging teacher, I felt good about my work and about myself. What a wonderful place to be. So, thank you, Kelly! Without your guidance and friendship I would not have had this chance to discover these things about myself.

Upcoming class with samples

2008-06-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

I will be teaching another class on June 7th, Saturday (note it's Saturday NOT Sunday this time) at Many Paths Bookstore in the NoHo Theatre District from 2 - 5 pm. Would appreciate an e-mail letting me know your interest in taking the class. This class - Personal Freedom Banners - will explore the questions: how do we define freedom both personally and globally? How does our definition affect us personally and what do we want to take away from this discussion to incorporate our definition on a more conscious level in our lives? We will then select three to four words that represent that definition and those thoughts to incorparate in our banners - Look forward to seeing you in class -

Thought it might be interesting to dissect the finished art piece - enjoy! Please remember that many hours of work went into the design and creation of this and all my artwork - please look, feel free to use as a template for your own work, but do not copy either photos or the work itself - as artists we must respect each other's work and come from a place of integrity - food for thought! Would love your comments -

PERSONAL FREEDOM BANNERS...

Started with a sketch in my journal for Personal Freedom Triangle banner

Another journal sketch with a variation for Personal Freedom Journal

Selected papers to create the variation banner

Papers unaltered for USA Freedom Banner

Unaltered Personal Freedom Banner

Selected various ephemera to collage the banner panels:

Panel close-up distressed with inks

Panel close-ups distressed with inks and crackle paints

Distressed/altered freedom word tags:

My Spring Accordion Visual Journal

2008-05-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

Front cover

Forgot to post my sample book - still a work in progress - for the last workshop I taught - The covers are light cardboard or tagboard cut into 6 3/4" x 6 3/4" squares covered with paper - the accordion is made out of 12 x 12 pages from the Spring collection book of paper from JoAnn's - folded in 1/2 and then in 1/2 again to form folded squares then glued together to form the accordion - the covers were added last - I added an extra long ribbon (glued between back cover and last accordion fold) so that I can wrap it a few times around the book (criss-crossed) and then tied in a bow in the front - other materials used were crackle paints, colored pens, inks, stamps, Neocolor II watersoluble crayons, baby wipes, acrylic paints, water colors. Comments and questions are welcomed - Enjoy!

Front cover untied - the word "HOPE" came to light after a guided meditation and becomes the theme of the book

Accordion book opened - the left hand pages are the completed pages - the pages on the right hand side are pastel pages untouched

First 2-page spread - pocket with tags on left - lift tab and journaling on right

Page 1 close-up of pocket(A Journey...) with tags - "Every Success Starts with a Plan" and "What Are You Thinking?"

Close-up page 2 - with flap closed marked "Start" - lift up wooden painted heart to reveal...

...the message "A Lesson in Becoming Myself" - with flap opened

Flap closed - marked "Start"

Back Cover in various stages - showing close-up of crackle paint

Spring Visual Accordion Journal

2008-04-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday it registered 100 degrees in the San Fernando Valley where I taught my workshop at - Many Paths Bookstore - despite the heat eight fabulous people showed up to create amazing books - my design was an accordion journal with two hard covers that tied with a wrapped ribbon - at the beginning of the workshop I led the group in a meditation exercise to find the words and/or visuals that would lead them to the theme of their journal - here are the results - Thank you Doug, Angelique, Terrill, Carole, Estrid, Tina, Debbie, and Karen - Y'all made my day!

Angelique - new to LA - a Brooklyn transplant...

And her friend - the fabulous Doug...

My friend Karen - we met at Art Unraveled 2007 ...

Debbie - taking a break ...it's about the journey...

Estrid - the fastest journal maker in the west!

Debbie and Tina ...

Carole and Terrill...Terrill is another friend that I met at Art Unraveled 2007 and is joining me at AU 2008 - can't wait!

The completed books - aren't they beautiful?

Spring Visual Journal Workshop

2008-04-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

If you're in the LA area on Sunday come spend the afternoon with us - guaranteed to be fun and insightful! Here's the announcement - see you there - and watch for a new series of classes to be taught at another location in June - I will continue to teach a monthly class at the bookstore as well -

SPRING VISUAL JOURNAL WORKSHOP

Join REVA SOLOMON (writer, artist, Creative Life Coach) in creating a Visual Journal that focuses on a specific goal or project. Through discussion, coaching and a visual meditation exercise, each participant will identify a project, and then create a small journal with photos, pictures from magazines and other mementos to help motivate you to take steps to complete your project or selected goal.

No prior art or writing experience required. Please bring your own scissors (if you have them), pictures from magazines, photos (if you want to use them again make photocopies to use in your book), and any other personal items you might want to add to your book. All other materials provided. According to past workshop participants, this workshop is fun and enlightening. Come see for yourself… Give yourself a gift of creativity and play!

Sunday, April 27th
2 pm - 5 pm
Workshop & Materials: $25
RSVP - scribewizards@juno.com
@ Many Paths Bookstore (www.manypathsbookstore.com)
5152A Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
in the NoHo Arts District @ Magnolia next door to the Ecclectic Cafe
818/762-4789
Walk-ins okay – Please pay at the door

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

Vintage Handkerchief Journal

2008-03-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

Okay - just one more post before I sign off - is this a record? 4 in one day? must be making up for not posting for a month! I looooooooove this journal - not completed yet but love what I have so far - created this in Lilia Meredith's wonderful class - not only did we learn new techniques but she got me to use a sewing machine for the first time in my life! (don't laugh) The class was a great group including Mary - who owns Sweetpeas and Snapshots - treated us to adorable bite sized cupcakes and champagne for those who cared to indulge! I, of course, was the "designated driver" since I don't partake of the vine -

I chose to create my own version of this Vintage Journal using photos of my Great Grandparents in a tribute to them. I never knew them. They died before I was born. They lived in a shtetl in Russia under the rule of the Czar (in the 1800's), raising several children. Jews were persecuted there and when their son and daughter - my paternal Grandfather and my Great Aunt Esther were old enough they escaped and emigrated to America crammed into steerage deck of a ship that arrived after two weeks or more at Ellis Island. There they prayed that they would pass the intense medical inspection and be allowed to cross over into New York. But little did they know that the stories of streets in America being paved with gold were just that - stories. They lived in tenements on the Lower East Side of the city - streets crammed with humanity, garbage, street vendors and heavy wool clothing (the style of the day) in all types of weather. My Grandfather raised eight children (my Daddy was the baby) - My Great Grandfather came to visit my Grandfather in New York once with the idea of maybe moving there but when he saw how immigrants were assimilating into the culture and working on the Sabbath, he left and never returned. My Great Grandmother never visited America. So I made this tribute to them - Rivkah and Shmuel -

Close up detail of the cover - we used a vintage handkerchief to cover canvas and then stitched it on the sewing machine using a variety of stitches - my Great Grandmother's photo was printed from my computer using sepia tones - the pearls and the heart charm were items I found at a thrift store in Burbank - I also got the flowers at that same store - the tag next to flowers says "yesterday" - The letters spelling out their names are brass letters I found at Aaron Bros. when they were phasing out their scrapbook supplies - the detail on the letters are perfect for the vintage period -

The inside of the cover looks like gold fabric but it is actually an amazing piece of flocked wallpaper! Lilia you rock!

This is the center two-page spread - the left side is not completed yet - on the right side is my Great Grandfather - the metal piece in the left hand corner is the back of an old broken Mezuzah that I saved from the garbage - it is brass and has the words "made in Israel" stamped on it - My Great Grandparents didn't live long enough to see the birth of the State of Israel so I thought it was appropriate to use it on this page - and the left side of the spread is from a calendar - a Tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) - my Great Grandfather would never have had such a fancy one but wanted him to have it in this tribute book -

More Kelly Kilmer Class work

2008-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Next I took Kelly Kilmer's "About Face" class - We brought in various faces torn from our favorite fashion magazines and using the photo as a guide created our own 'masterpieces' - this was a really fun class because we got to mix our own colors and come away with a picture that looks completely different from the original photo!

The most recent class I took from Kelly was a Daily Journal class - the idea behind it is that you create a page a day for a month - I of course have it on my
"to do" list :)

The cover is acrylics and stamps -

I did a couple of pages in class - the idea was to use pens to look like stitching -

Kelly Kilmer's Classes

2008-03-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

I am lucky to live in Los Angeles where many wonderful teachers offer classes throughout the city - My very first art class was taught by Kelly Kilmer - a collage journal which I have posted before - but can really see my progress by looking at the various journals I've made since - I think I've taken 5 or 6 classes with Kelly - so here are a few of the things I've created in her classes - if you ever get the chance to take a class from Kelly don't hesitate (she teaches all over the country) - she is such a generous teacher and you will have a lot of fun along the way!

In this class we created a bound book with four signatures using acrylics and stamps on chipboard and canvas:

This is the journal cover -

And here's the binding -

These are a few of the inside pages - not completed but cut them in various sizes and cutouts and covered with acrylic and various tapes (Kelly's favorite thing!) ready for collage work -

I'm baaaaaaaaack....again!

2008-03-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Can't believe so much time has gone by since I've blogged - as I was looking at my last post showing photos of my Wish List class I realized I don't have any photos of me or of the sample book I made for the class. Mark Jacobs - the owner of Many Paths Bookstore where I teach, took a couple and I will post them as soon as he sends them to me - but I do have a few photos of the booklet I made before the class - enjoy!

By the way, for those of you in Los Angeles - I have been asked back to teach another class - so SAVE THE DATE - Sunday, April 27th from 2pm - 5 pm - come join us for a fun and creative afternoon as we identify a project or a goal and make a Vision Journal to help us focus on these tasks. Think Vision Board but this time in the form of a journal.

Wish List Workshop in NoHo

2008-02-11T23:32:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Southern California and the perfect day to be at the beach or hiking in the hills - but a few talented women showed up in the San Fernando Valley at Many Paths Bookstore for my Valentine to Yourself - Wish List Workshop - We created a list of things we want to do in our lifetime (an ongoing list) and then chose three things to focus on and make an action plan to begin making them happen -

Then came the fun part of the workshop - we designed and created paper bag journals - and incorporated our wish lists into the journal - some put their lists on tags in pockets in the books and others added lists - Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves - and I got great feedback saying the Wish List plus the action plan was something they would not have done on their own - Thanks to Lorraine, Anna, Joan and Robin for coming out to play with me! I will be teaching another workshop at the bookstore in April date tba - My workshops combine my creative coaching with art - and I'm available to teach in private homes, churches, synagogues, or through clubs or organizations - please contact me if you would like to discuss booking my workshops for you and your friends or your organization -

Enjoy the photos from my workshop - Remember - don't wait for someone else to give you flowers or a valentine - give them to yourself - you deserve it!

Robin's Book

Joan's Book

Anna's Book

Lorraine's Book

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2008 Valentine to Yourself Workshop

2008-02-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

Now that you've set goals for 2008, join me as we make a life long wish list - similar to the list made by the guys in the film "The Bucket List" - we will be making journals to keep the list in - Sunday February 10th from 2 pm - 5 pm at Many Paths Bookstore in North Hollywood in the NoHo Theatre District - and you'll be out in time to watch the Grammy's!

A VALENTINE FOR YOURSELF
Join REVA SOLOMON, writer, artist, Creative Life Coach, on the heels of her sold
out January goals workshop. Remember watching classmates open their valentines,
hoping that special someone would send one to you? This year guarantee that you
are remembered by someone who loves you - YOU! This workshop will spark your creativity
and focus on you - something most of us never do! We will create a Valentine's
journal that includes our version of "The Bucket List" (a lifetime wish list) and
an action plan to begin to carry it out - a love letter to yourself. No prior art
or writing experience required. All materials included but please bring your own
scissors, if you have them. Give yourself a gift of creativity and play!
Sunday, February 10th
2 pm - 5 pm
Workshop & Materials: $25
RSVP - scribewizards@juno.com
@ Many Paths Bookstore (www.manypathsbookstore.com)
5152A Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
in the NoHo Arts District @ Magnolia next door to the Ecclectic Cafe
818/762-4789
Walk-ins okay - Please pay at the door
PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

2008 Goals Accordian Book Workshop

2008-02-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

Finally getting around to posting photos from my sold out workshop back in January - I was amazed that so many people showed up in torrential rains in North Hollywood at Many Paths Bookstore - rains in LA are like many feet of snow in other parts of the country - LA storm drains were built in the 1930's and can't hold the water when it comes so streets flood quickly - and the intersection where the store is always floods badly - I would have taken a photo but it was raining so hard, I couldn't get one - here are the photos from the workshop - smiling faces - long lists of goals for 2008 in all areas of our lives - thanks to everyone who showed up - you made some amazing books (forgot to take photos of the accordian books opened) and had a great list of goals for 2008 - Have you started working on your lists? It's only February so get going! It takes just one small thing to begin - enjoy!

2008 Goals Workshop - Accordian Book

2008-01-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I will be teaching my workshop here in Los Angeles - actually in North Hollywood at the Many Paths Bookstore (www.manypathsbookstore.com) tomorrow - Sunday, January 6 from 2 pm - 5 pm - the cost is $25 at the door all materials included - We will be examining eight areas of our life - Career, Health, Money, Significant Other, Spiritual Growth, Personal Environment, Friends & Family, and Fun & Recreation - looking at where we are with each and what values are most important to us in each area - then we will be creating an accordian book where we will include all our intentions and goals for the new year broken down by the eight categories - I just got back from shopping at JoAnn's and Michael's - we're going to have a lot of fun - so if you're in the LA area - come join us - all you need to bring is a pair of scissors - feel free to pass this info along to your friends - I will post photos of what we created next week - Happy New Year to all - 2008 is going to be a great year - the number 8 is very powerful and if you turn it on it's side it is the sign for infinity - indicating that there are infinite possibilities for each of us this new year - be creative - make art!

1st Chunky Book Page

2007-11-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

One of the first things I did when I joined the Art Unraveled group was to participate in a chunky book exchange which was then auctioned off in the silent auction at their conference. It was my first exchange ever and I had a lot of fun creating my page. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and I see now that I had a lot on this small 4x4 page. But the point is that I jumped into the deep end of the pool and participated.

The background is made up of an American flag, subway tokens, and the head of the Statue of Liberty blindfolded. The words "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." And, "..with Liberty and Justice for ALL!"

A rainbow ribbon - representing the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender) Community; red, white and blue yarn representing all Americans, a disc charm - one side blue with red & silver stars and one side red with a blue star - A red satin ribbon - representing HIV+ and AIDS (I have lost over 30 friends to this disease). The two bells hanging off this ribbon give voice to those whose voices have been silenced in death from this disease. *

We were asked to complete the back of the page. I painted it red and included the following words to go along with my page in the chunky book:

The Real America..."Disenfranchised"
I thought about the powerful words in the poem "The New Colossus" by Jewish American Emma Lazarus that adorns Lady Liberty and wondered if they still apply today? "...Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." And the phrase, "...with Liberty and Justice for All". Today have we changed that phrase to read "...with Liberty and Justice for Some"?

*Note: World AIDS day is December 1st - what can you do to stop the spread of AIDS worldwide?

Excitement on Gardner Street

2007-11-07T00:35:00.000-08:00

This afternoon at about 2pm I heard an unusual amount of fire sirens - we always have some since there is a firehouse on our street. I stepped out on my terrace and could see a couple of trucks parked in front of the apartment next door. Couldn't see any smoke so went downstairs to get my mail. When I looked out the front door of the building I saw eight firetrucks lined up in front of our building with tons of firefighters everywhere. Next door on the north side of my building - also owned by the man who owns our building - were ladders going up to the roof and firefighters going up there with axes and fire hoses.

I found out from one of the firefighters that they got a 911 call that apartment #10 was on fire on the second floor (the top floor). No one was home but there were three pets inside - all rescued safely. They had to cut a hole in the roof - brand new only six months ago - and entered the apartment that way. No other apartments were damaged. All very disturbing - thankful that we were safe and that the weather has cooled down and the humidity is up unlike the weather a couple of weeks ago when the Malibu fires started.

Art Unraveled 2007

2007-11-05T14:31:00.001-08:00

My name tag - Art Unraveled 2007

This past August I walked through my fears of not knowing how to do something and not being good at it and thanks to Linda Young signed up for an art conference called Art Unraveled - www.artunraveled.com - that she started several years ago. I had no art experience and knew no one at the conference but felt drawn to go the more I read about it. I only signed up for three classes since this was my first time and I didn't want to be overwhelmed. From the moment I signed on to their website and met other artists online who encouraged me and welcomed me, I felt like I was home. When I arrived in Phoenix in the middle of the summer and met in person the friendliest, most generous group I have ever met in my life. It didn't matter that I was a beginner. It didn't matter that I didn't know anyone. All that mattered was that I showed up and was willing to try.

I had three extraordinary teachers:
First, I took Marney Makridakis' class - The Blissful Journal which fit right in with my Creative Coaching. She's a wonderful, warm, supportive artist and teacher, who has created a wonderful creative business called Artella - check it out at: www.artellawordsandart.com

Marney Makridakis and husband Tony

Next I took Art Lab 101 from the amazing Sas Colby - www.sascolby.com - she had us think outside the box in how we approach art and the materials we use - like painting with ink and a stick we found or a feather - I loved how she was able to meet her students where they were in their art backgrounds and make everyone feel comfortable - especially me! I served as her assistant for this class. I believe in always giving back so volunteered to help before I traveled to the conference.

Sas Colby, artist/teacher - Art Lab 101

Classmates - Art Lab 101 with Sas Colby

And my last class was with Anne Grgich - www.annegrgich.com - self-taught rebel painter extraordinaire - this was the first time I ever picked up a paintbrush or worked with paints - again, another teacher who said there are "no mistakes in art" and I took that to heart -

"House is not a Home" - my first attempt at painting w/collage embellishments

Experimenting with brush strokes and other painting techniques with collage added

Colorful Sunflowers

AU changed my life forever - I found a part of me that I didn't know existed - something I never would have found if I hadn't taken that initial leap of faith when I felt art tugging at my heartstrings - I am filled with gratitude to Linda, all the teachers and artists who touched my life and continue to do so. So take a chance - walk through your fear and see what's on the other side - sometimes fear is just excitement turned inside out. Please let me know about your adventures.

The Gift of Life...

2007-11-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

The Getty Museum - Los Angeles

It has been brought home to me in the past few days and weeks how precious life is. We often don't take the time to stop and think about what a gift we have - no matter how rich or how poor in material things. The natural course of events of being born, living life to the fullest, and then in the decllining years eventually dying. That's how it's supposed to be. But for some of us obstacles are placed in our path and we are given choices about what to do with these challenges. There is always hope, unless we give up. Life might not look like we had dreamed it would, but with any action - no matter how small - we can change the course of events. When we choose to do nothing when a challenge is presented to us, there is no hope. I also believe that we can't do life alone. We must reach out and connect with others. Sometimes that is difficult but it is my experience that choosing to isolate, not ask for help, or to believe that something will happen to change our situation, if we only wish hard enough, is living in fantasy. Not letting go of pride and saving face, only leaves us lonely, sick and without hope. By reaching out, being willing to be willing, and getting humble sets the stage for change. We are telling the universe that we are willing to do our part - whatever that is and however how small - to move forward in our lives. Things begin to change when we take action - any action. But when we don't, we stay stuck. Solutions seem illusive or non-existant. People don't want to be around us. We project our depression and lack of motivation and mostly lack of hope.

Flowering plants on my terrace

Lately I have had older family members presented with health challenges. Never did they ever say, "poor me" and give up. They met their challenges head on and rose to the occassion doing whatever it takes to move forward. Their friends rallied around them, helped however they could, as did their families. And these are people who are eighty and above in age but never once gave up. They still have hope. They are inspirational.

Vinnie

Elvis

Congregation Kol Ami's 1st Shabbaton/Retreat

2007-10-28T11:24:00.001-07:00

The finished Prayer Pocket Journals:

Me with my students:

Last weekend I attended my synagogue's first Shabbaton (Retreat) at the beautiful Shalom Institute camp in the Malibu mountains. I was the art director and writing teacher for the event (yikes!). Little did we know that we would have to evacuate on Sunday because the Malibu fires had started just down the road from our camp and we had to leave via a back route to avoid the fires near Pepperdine University! Luckily, I was able to teach my art class on Saturday. It was so much fun teaching the class and as you will see, everyone was creative in their journals. Most in the group had never done anything like this but all enjoyed the process. The pages were made from paper bags and I encouraged people to use any found objects from nature that they found on the ground.

Blessing Bags:

At the opening announcements on the first day, I shared that up near our art area I had "clothespinned" a paper bag with each attendees name on it. These were Blessing Bags and the object for the weekend was to get to know each person and write at least one positive thing for or about each person and put it in their bag. At the end of the weekend each person would be able to take their Blessing Bag home and have 40 positive notes to remind them of this Shabbaton. I watched as people sat and wrote little notes throughout the weekend. I loved walking to my cabin and seeing the Blessing Bags gently blowing in the hot breeze. On Saturday night after roasting marshmallows in a grill for 'some mores'(due to the fire danger - no campfires) I went to bed feeling good about my successful art class and the Blessing Bag exercise. I was looking forward to teaching my journal writing class the next morning. At about 3 am I woke up to the wind gusting loudly at my window but didn't give it a thought as I was exhausted from too much fresh air. (later found out the winds gusted up to 70 mph)The next morning I got up to go to breakfast. The smell of smoke was strong in camp and the Blessing Bags were gone. Only the clothespins hung on the line. My first thought was that someone took the bags down to save them from the strong wind. But when I got to breakfast my friends told me they had blown away in the night. I was so disappointed for everyone who was anticipating reading their notes. But then I was reminded that the Blessings had blown to G-d and that the real exercise was in the writing of the notes rather than what they said! Beautiful!!!

Students with works-in-progress:

I'm baaaaaaaaaack...

2007-10-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

I know...I know....I need to blog on a regular basis...but life got in the way - I always hate when other bloggers say that but now I know exactly how they feel - hope the things I have to share with you will make up for my absence.

I have taught two classes since I last posted. One at a new spiritual bookstore in the NoHo Theatre district - Many Paths Bookstore (www.manypathsbookstore.com) and the other at my synagogue's first Shabbaton/Retreat in the Malibu mountains at Camp Shalom Institute (www.shalominstitute.com). I taught my "Prayer Pockets Journal" at each workshop. The second one with a Jewish slant to meet the needs of my students. My students were all so creative and we had such a good time creating art! I love teaching.

These are my students in my very first art class I taught at the Many Paths Bookstore in North Hollywood, CA. The workshop was "Prayer Pocket Journals" and my students said they were not artists but identified as mortgage brokers. Well, that might be their "day jobs" but I disagree with them not being artists!

The Fabulous Kenny - Bookstore Manager

The story continues ...

2007-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

In order to get motivated to create the memory book for my Aunt Anne's 90th birthday, I googled "scrapbook stores in LA" and found the website for in West LA - Sweetpeas and Snapshots - It's a vintage scrapbooking store unlike any scrapbooking stores I've ever seen - while browsing the site I saw that they taught classes and one of the upcoming classes was being taught by one of my former coaching clients - Norman Dixon (It's In The Cards)- I signed up for the class - Norman reps Anna Griffin and periodically teaches a class using her papers and designs -

Although I adore Norman as a teacher, I found that I wanted to find my own creativity in creating a page so I signed up for a Kelly Kilmer class - creating a bound journal with paints and more - Now this was art! She gave us permission to get messy - get wild and that there are no mistakes in art! I love my first attempt at binding a book - although the cover is busy with no real focal point - it's all my design! I was hooked!

I signed up for Kelly's blog (had never read a blog before) and as happens - one link led to another and I had jumped in the deep end of the pool with this art thing - I thought I was just going to make a memory book for my Aunt - but it became so much more. I gave myself permission to explore my art for the first time in my life - to let go of those "dream stealers" in my life who don't "get"it - I started doing this for me - I have never felt so free and so excited in my life.

All the times I would go to art stores and never want to leave, or go to a museum and spend hours just sitting in one room looking at the paintings - or the time I sneaked into the Uffizi Gallery at closing and literally ran up the back stairs to view the "Birth of Venus" and other Botticelli works (or as I like to call it "Venus on the Half-Shell") because I was leaving to go back to America the next day (but that's a story for another blog on another day!)

From the time I signed up for Norman's class - November 19, 2006 - my life has changed forever. By taking a chance - being pro-active when I didn't even know exactly what I was doing, I opened up a whole new world. I challenge each of you - what are you waiting for? What world is waiting for you? Jump in the pool - just do it - the water's fine and I believe you will know how to swim! Let me know how it's working for you - peace!