Ravens awake me here. They nest in the spruce above the house. All day long the young one calls to his parents reminding them he's there and hungry.

Reminding me to be attentive to my work.

Apparently the first bird that Noah released from the ark was a raven, who flew back and forth, drying up the waters with the smooth flapping of strong, dark wings, drying the land so the olive branches emerged for the dove to find.

Haida people believe that Raven discovered the first people hiding in a clam shell, and fed them berries and salmon. I like both myths.

I'm just happy to hear and see them on my last few days in Santa Fe. They're comfortable with me and I with them. For great info on ravens read Berndt Heinrich's Mind of the Raven. They are intelligent, fascinating creatures with a complex social structure.

Hoping to get the two sculptures fired today, though I'm pushing the odds with the second one. "Duet: Raven" is ready for the kiln. "Trio" would be fine if I were home and firing it myself. Strange to be at the whim of someone else's schedule, although my time at Santa Fe Clay has been productive, pleasant and informative.
Paintings will travel back to Vermont and continue to grow and change.
This has been a great residency time of focus and replenishment.

Have been reading Ghost Ranch by Lesley Poling-Kempes. Fascinating story of the adventurous women (and men, but mostly bold women) who set out to discover the wild west and fell in love with this raw, vivid part of the world.

These are the words of my beloved friend Andy Towl with whom I recently spent a day in Cambridge, Mass. He is 98 years old, calmly brilliant, truly humble and thoughtful. I know he will read this, because he does read my blog. I just want him to know what an inspiration he has been to me all these years, and also to let his words and thoughts inspire others. I feel very fortunate to have him as a friend.
How many 98 year-olds do you know who read blogs?
We are all at different points of our journey into infinity. Each step of the path offers opportunities, challenges and occasional set backs.
I was in Cambridge to see Andy and to deliver work to Co/So, the Copley Society on Newbury Street. I dropped off three small paintings for the summer show: Starry Night Sunflower, Singing Wren and Moonlit Shell.
Boston was at it's most lovely, gardens in perfect bloom, the scent of lilacs in the air.

I've been working with iridescent color pours for backgrounds lately. The challenge of creating a sense of drama which emerges from the shimmering multi-colored mica background is satisfying.

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time" Tolstoy

Here's the beginning- well, far from the beginning actually, but the first view that has any detail that can be discerned... At least I hope the petals of some of the sunflowers are visible. It's a triptych measuring 30" x 54" and is a long overdue commission. There are MANY layers of poured acrylic color in the background with luminescent and interference powders and emulsions, much of which will be completely covered with the dancing petals of the sunflowers. They will give the viewer a sense of seeing the sunflower against a magical night sky.
I was challenged by a friend to blog this process.
So here goes!

Trying to achieve both- outward and inward.
And to suspend the disbelief that such odd, and interesting things actually might truly be in the same place at the same time.
It's not quite finished, but close...
Bent Bowls were ceremonial Haida bowls used for honored guests at potlatches.
I LOVE painting the stones and shells. Creating the illusion of shadow and depth, researching to be sure that the shells are accurate for the region...
A blending of mystery and science and love of those special places in the wild...

The Anna's Hummingbird is on a poured, luminescent background, using a photo of Pete's for reference, A challenge to integrate the background with the imagery but I think it works well, especially with the hydrangea blossoms.

Just sent 8 new paintings off with Tad Merrick, friend and photographer for the record keeping process: slides, transparencies and digital. Later today I pick them up, Jim & I will pack them and they will be shipped to Washington State for the Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair.

I leave on the 21st to get set up for the show!!!!