It's Been Just Beachy!

I just spent a wonderful week with my daughter. Erin came to the Island following her Intercultural Communications conference in Portland, and we went to the beach every day. Twice we went to Maxwelton Beach where Mount Olympus rises snow-capped out of the Olympic range across the waters. Other days we were at Double Bluff with the eagles and herons. Mount Rainier is visible from Double Bluff on the clearest days. Erin met her goal of finding spiral moon shells. We packed a picnic or snacks, flip-flops and Keens, water, camera and blanket. Both Rainier and black cherries are in season, and she found twins in one batch. I nestled them into a shell from her collection. Though we talk and email often between Illinois and Washington, it had been 19 months since we had seen each other. I stored each moment with her deep in my marrow.

Langley Arts Festival: Choochokam 2008

Festival! And can you imagine that in the Pacific North West that I am having to water a patch of green outside my door?

Integral Being

The compass design posted on July 4th resides on the belly of Integral Being. The ceramic sculpture is from a clan I've made: one primitive, earthenware; one Black Madonna, black clay; three celadon (Jack-in-the-Green meets Sheila-na-gig? Integral Beings surely). The head is a vessel for new growth...what springs from intention.

En Plein Aire

The Art Women met at Gateway, A.T.'s garden. Four of us - A.T., Kathy, Mary and I toured the plantings of mountain laurel, horsetail and horsemint, iris, rue, fragrant "Patricia's" rose, dramatic burgundy lilies, poppies and pinks. Out of all the luscious plant life surrounding us, I chose to paint just what was in front of me....where I was planted.....Primative, I suppose....the feast interpreted.

Nature's Imprint

Finally (!) I completed a piece that began as mail art. It was initiated by Jessica, another MFA student at Goddard, when she sent me a packet of collage materials. She sent papers, buttons and a solargraphics image she did using herbs, plus a blank paper for me to try. I made a small collage to return to her, but I lingered on just what to do with the blue paper and the "sister images." I had been working with natural materials and mini-Zen gardens as interactive collages. I used dried poppy seed pods for my sun paper experiment. To make this a complete work, I wanted to combine both images somehow. The final assemblage uses sheer ribbon, a blue-and-gold painted cedar branch, a brass bell, wool roving for stuffing the images like a "pillow," gold-painted poppy pods, gold thread, clear glitter glue and spiral wrapped brass wire.

Days of Independence

I think the firecrackers have ceased in Langley, Villiage-by-the-Sea. On the 4th, I walked to the beach and watched the stream of colorful bursts across the Saratoga Passage. Along the beaches of Camano Island and over in Everett the night skies filled with waves of fireworks. I could pretend that the land was in love and was flirting with the sky. Our lives are the love connection! So...as Mary Oliver writes, "So tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" I am asking myself this question.......change is upon us.