Mountain House Studios

“Everything you want is coming. Relax and let the universe pick-up the timing and the way. You just need to trust that what you want is coming and watch how fast it comes.” -Abraham Hicks

I’ve never been great with patience, so I found myself happy in my studio yesterday while the bank made me crazy. House buying is a process. I’m learning to relax and trust. I think I need to say that again ‘I’m learning to relax and trust.’

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”  ―J. M. Barrie

“May your search through nature, lead you to yourself.” -John Muir

Bob and I have been seriously looking for a mountain home for about three years. We’ve looked all over north GA, but we’ve not found that perfect place. Most of the cabins we looked at were perched on the side of the mountain with great views, but no useable land. Beautiful indeed, but we were looking for a couple of flat acres with a house. Well we found it this weekend, put an offer in and it was accepted! YAY! This home is one level living with a basement. The basement is a finished walkout/daylight basement with a bonus room and two huge bedrooms/bathroom. We will each make one of the bedrooms our studios – which means we can park our cars in the garage! In twenty-eight years of marriage, we’ve never used a garage for our cars.

This is the front of the house. The two acres are fully fenced and gated

And this is the back of the house — southern exposure – a perfect garden spot! The surrounding area is mostly national forest land with lots of hiking trails, trout fishing and mountain lakes. We want to grow old in this home, eat from our garden and enjoy the quiet of nature.

We are of course thrilled about the property, but now the work begins. We will put our Atlanta home on the market and hopefully it will sell quickly. It seems the market here is starting to pick-up. So cross your fingers and say a prayer for us as we take on this new adventure.

I’ve spent the last couple of days cleaning my studio. I don’t want to pack everything until we actually move. I’m hoping that folks who look at our property can picture the space as a bonus room and a bedroom. The main area is my photo cube and painting area and the bedroom is my clay area.

What do you think? Should I pack it all up and stage it as a family room and bedroom?

I have been working a little bit. I’ve started doing more mixed media with collage and acrylics. Here’s a recent piece:

I’ve just begun a new one and hope to take photos as I work. I’m thinking life is about to get a bit crazy, so I’m not sure how much studio time I can squeeze in or how often I will be blogging.

I’m hoping just to be able to stay focussed and calm through this process. My studio time helps to keep me balanced, so I’m going to make it a priority. It’s my meditation time.

“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It’s a way of entering into the quiet that’s already there buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.” -Deepak Chopra

“A person’s life purpose is nothing more than to rediscover through the detours of art or love or passionate work those one or two images in the presence of which his heart first opened.” -Albert Camus

I absolutely love getting unexpected invitations to show my work and that happened this week. Swan Coach House is a unique place in Buckhead – a restaurant, gift shop and art gallery. The gallery is curated by Marianne Lambert and features shows with works by many established artists in all mediums as well as the areas new and emerging talent, so to get an unexpected call from Marianne Lambert is a good thing. I have had clay work in a few of their shows over the years and also at The Hambidge Center in north Georgia where she and her staff also mount shows.

She requested images and then called me back when she decided which pieces she wants for her upcoming show. She was unaware that I had quit working in clay and also requested to see my 2-d work. For this upcoming show, she just wants my clay work and thankfully I have some pieces left. It was nice to hear the disappointment in her voice when I told her I had sold my wheel. Although she completely understands my desire to quit production work. She likes my 2-d images and encouraged me to continue making marks and to also continue handbuilding as well. When you work alone in your studio all day without much chance to discuss your work and direction, it’s wonderful to have some feedback from someone so active in the art scene here.

The show is Summer Swan Invitational: Pottery and Handmade Objects, June 7 – August 10, 2012 with an opening reception the evening of June 7. These are the pieces she selected:

So it’s great these pieces get to go out into the world. I’ve been ignoring my clay work and it feels good to have some pieces be invited to a party. It just might make me open a clay bag soon.

“When you let go of result, you are free to be yourself. To me there is no greater beauty than the manifestation of that truth. And I don’t think that truth is static – it changes as you change – as your need to express different aspects of yourself changes. The only constant needs to be your honesty – to yourself – in your work.” – Judy Shreve

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” -Thoreau

The hostas are starting to peak through the pine straw. Some are quicker than others.

The herb garden is full and delicious. I have chives, rosemary, oregano, parsley, thyme, basil and lemon verbena. Everything returns except for basil which I replant every spring. I use my herbs daily in my cooking.

I love the early morning sunlight in this spot. It’s a great place to daydream.

This is a store-bought wire bound Stillman & Birn journal that I painted the cover. Now it just makes me smile when I work in it. It feels spring-like and happy and I think that influences my writing and painting. It just puts me in a good mood. I’m using this journal for both writing and painting/drawing.

This piece is done on heavy water color paper. The music is a transfer. I haven’t bought a laser/toner printer yet. I’m still trying to decide which one to get. But for now I just go to Office Depot for copies.

We are looking for property to buy in the north Georgia mountains near Ellijay. We spent all day Saturday looking at homes. Our plan is to buy and then sell our current home and get an apartment near Bob’s work and eventually retire to the mountains. Meanwhile the plan is to just escape this city every weekend and holiday. We want to get our studios setup and our raised beds in for gardening. Our hope is to purchase something by the end of summer. North Georgia is full of national forest land, great hiking, lakes, rivers and trout fishing. I can’t wait to take advantage of all that outdoors!

“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.” -Raymond Inmon 

“What you seek is seeking you.” -Rumi

I just got word this morning that my service provider (Bluehost) will be doing major upgrades to my service overnight tonight and tomorrow and they anticipate my blog being down over the weekend. I haven’t had anyone else comment to win the spot in the Super Nova 2 class for a couple of days, so I thought I would draw the winner this morning instead of making everyone wait over the weekend for the results.

So I put all of the names in a bowl:

And had my husband draw the lucky winner:

YAY – congratulations Carmen! I will send your email to Julie Pritchard at Lost Luggage and she will be in touch. I’m looking forward to taking the class with you!

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I hope to see you in a class one day soon and I hope you will continue to visit my blog and leave more comments! Thanks for participating.

“Art is not about thinking something up. It is the opposite — getting something down.” – Julia Cameron

“I don’t think it’s necessary for artists to have any formal training in painting or art history, but I do think it’s essential to continually experiment with different subject matter, types of paint and methods of painting.” -Ron Parker

I am so excited because Julie Pritchard from The Land of the Lost Luggage is letting me offer one of her online classes as a give-away. I speak from experience when I say her classes are fabulous. I am now taking my fifth class with her. Once you are in her classroom, you are with her for LIFE! Yup – you can access the videos as many times as you need for as long as you need and continue to ask questions, post work and get instruction from her. Click on the link above to see all of her online classes. Some of the online class include instruction from Chris Cozen who’s a Golden (acrylic paints) Working Artist.

The class being offered in the give-away is Super Nova 2 an art journaling class. Here’s some info on the class:

Super Nova Part 2- is HUGE. This class features 12 high definition technique based videos as well as an inspiration based short film staring yours truly. (That’s 13 videos!) In this class you will also receive a down-loadable 7 page magazine, journaling prompts, discussion prompts (this will be an active forum!)…you name it! Some of the techniques we will cover in class are: mono-printing, quick painting techniques, my “mummy”  technique, ghost writing, spray painting, collage and brayer use!  You do not need the books made in part 1 to be a student in part 2…use your own journal if you like! But there’s more!

I do not kick students out of my network! I am REALLY here for you when you want to play. Any of my  students  will tell you that there is no pressure to finish on time and that I really inspire my students to work at their own pace. If you want to paint on Thanksgiving, I can check in with you that night. No joke.

I hope you will come along and join us….. journaling is in my heart and I want to share it with you!

*A high speed internet connection is required.

“For many days, I lived without my drug, my secret vice, my diary. And then I found this: I could not bear the loneliness . . joy was not necessarily in the south of France, mystery in Morocco, the art of storytelling in Haiti only . . .but might spring from one’s own self. I shall have to create it from within.” -Anais NIn

For this journal page I honored Anais NIn. We were given the above quote as a writing prompt. I made a little accordion fold pocket-book to insert the quote, found an image of her and started on the page. I read Anais Nin in my twenties and she was a life-changer for me. I admired her courage and her fiercely driven need to be independent which wasn’t easy during her time in the world. I longed to live in France and have long dinner conversations with Anais NIn and Henry & June Miller. But instead I devoured her diaries and dreamed what that life would be like.

This page is all about love — and look who’s portrait is there! We also were to work using different kinds of lettering. I like playing with different shapes – squares and circles

We learned about different transfer techniques for this page. The little girl is Bob’s grandmother. The type on the left page is on transfer paper – so you can see through it. This was fun!

The above piece is a collage I worked on. It’s supposed to look like an old building that’s had many posted bills and weathered over time. I will add a light wash of Titan Buff so I can add my journaling later.

I’m off to get some laser/toner copies made so I can use them for transfers. I’m saving my pennies to buy my own laser printer. I think a black&white one will do all I need. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best brand? And it needs to be compatible with a Mac.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” -Kahlil Gibran

“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the Universe, to match your nature with Nature.” -Joseph Campbell

beauty in repetition

taught by the seasons

an open heart

that listens

to

the birds

the plants

the moon

new songs

start to whisper

Joy 

Rest

Restore 

Repeat

ah spring

“The artist’s world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.” -Paul Strand

“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.” -Marcel Proust

“All the knowledge that I possess, everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own.” -Goethe

I’m loving my journal class. Because I established the habit of thinking with words early in life, my ideas usually come to me in words. I am trying to develop the skills needed to begin thinking visually. I know that I am a visual learner but when I was a kid, everyone was taught the same way. Teachers didn’t realize then that there were different ways of learning or expressing ideas, so we weren’t encouraged in any of the arts. I soon learned writing out my thoughts got me better grades, so I quit doodling and drawing. This journal class with the mixed media lessons and a writing prompt are really helping me with my quest to (re)learn to think visually.

Each morning I watch the video for the day’s lesson and then Watson and I go for our daily walk. By the time I get to my studio, my idea for my journal page is already percolating. I’ve been using copies of my own artwork resized and repurposed for most of my images. I am purposefully not writing much so that I can convey my ideas with pictures. I am also working on saying what I mean with fewer words. If you knew me, you would laugh at that statement. I am a talker! So this mininal editing is a challenge.

This past year, combining working two-dimensionally and writing has made me feel more integrated than I’ve felt in years. There’s a joy in walking, meditating, reading and creating that’s given a balance to my life. There’s no separation between being in my studio or in my kitchen or in my garden – it all feels like art work.

“Be yourself. Life is precious as it is. All the elements for your happiness are already here. There is no need to run, strive, search or struggle. Just be.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

“Your soul doesn’t care what you do for a living – and when your life is over, neither will you. Your soul only cares about what you are being while you are doing whatever you are doing.”

Watson is now 6 months old and such a funny guy. If there is a mud puddle, he jumps in. He hops and gallops and leaps everywhere. And he does not like to be left alone. When he sits by you, he always has one paw touching you. He’s an amazing, sweet, goodnatured, happy dog. Oh – and he finally likes to ride in the car with his face out the window! Zoom-Zoom

I’ve been working in my journal daily in Judy Wise’s Mixed Media Journal class. I’ve kept a written journal since high school and continued until I started online blogging in 2007 – but I never combined my journal writing with any type of art. I never thought I could draw or use mixed media to express myself. What’s interesting is using the combination of left brain/right brain to express my innermost thoughts, really helps to provide a deeper access and that is fueling my art making in all areas! Here are a couple of pages:

These pages are in a journal I made in January! There’s something so satisfying about working on paper you’ve chosen in a book you created. In this particular journal, I used a heavy weight colored card stock that takes wet medium beautifully. Although on the recommendation from Lynne Hoppe, I’ve just purchased a new journal from Stillman & Birn that I’m anxious to try. I am now hooked on art journaling. It’s the perfect way to start my day in the studio.  An early morning light, my favorite music and art supplies sets the right tone for my day.

Yesterday Robyn, on her blog Art Propelled mentioned the books she’s reading now. It was wonderful to see her list and get some ideas for new books.  I also have a stack of books I’m reading so I thought I would share my list, too! They are all nonfiction and I like having the variety of titles to choose from for inspiration.

DayBook – Anne Truitt

The Zen of Creativity – John Daido Loori

Wabi Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers – Leondard Koren

ColorfulWorld – Amandine Guisez Gallienne

The Art Spirit – Robert Henri

 “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action; and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. You must keep that channel open. It is not for you to determine how good it is, nor how valuable. Nor how it compares with other expressions.” -Martha Graham.

I share the above quote, because last week I was appalled by an artist’s attack on another artist on a blog. The artist felt threatened and felt her work was being copied. No names were mentioned but pictures of the artwork were posted. The only similarities I noticed were they were both creating shrines out of clay. The expression was different, but yes, the concept was the same. I can name many artists who use clay and make shrines or reliquaries and all of them have similar aspects. These two artists live many states and miles apart and market in totally different ways. I don’t believe an attack is ever justified especially so publicly and so cruelly. I should probably just keep quiet about this, but it really saddened me. I am of the opinion that the more you share the more you get in return or as the Beatles put it “And in the end, the love you get is equal to the love you give . . “