Making Marks

Eyesight and Artistic Perspective

I went in for an eye check late in 2007, and the doctor performed many different vision checks. One of them involved testing 3-D perception, and it turns out I'm not very good with this. (One of the ironies is that I also test high on spatial abilities tests.) The vision test got me thinking about my art preferences.  I tend to like flat-looking images with patterns. I've never enjoyed making sculptural objects. I do work in depth sometimes, but it's layering objects to be seen from one angle.

Thinking about visual perception and creating art also reminded me about Monet and other artists whose use of colors became brighter as they aged. I was told in art history class that the theory is that Monet's visioned worsened, and he may have thought he was using the same colors all along. With phenomenon in mind, I wonder what my work looks like to other people.

Regarding this image - I've been looking for a good photo opportunity of wintered Queen's Anne Lace, and I finally got it! I love the skeleton look of the once-full flower head.

Spring is here!

I've started noticing the first signs of spring - a few crocuses in bloom, the first blossoms on a tree, and daffodils shooting out of the ground. The weather has been warmer and the sun has come up earlier in the mornings. I appreciate that! I don't have to take the flashlight when I walk Scooter in the mornings.

Last year I took a photo of a cherry blossom tree and I turned it into a Gocco print (left). I'm hoping to capture more spring images this year to experiment more with the Gocco machine.

Washi Love

I love paper. One of my favorites is washi paper from Japan. Many of these designs are based on silk kimono patterns and are highlighted with touches of gold and silver ink. Like fabric, most washi paper can be viewed from any angle - the prints are non-directional.

This ume blossom (plum flower) design caught my eye in part because of the interesting color combination. I would not typically choose a bright orange to pair with a dusty pink and maroon. However, I do think the colors work together. Japanese design does that for me - I see new combinations and ways of viewing nature. As I considered the color combination, I remembered I had another piece of wahi with a similar pallette.

I wonder if this is a faddish combination or if I just never noticed it in the past.

Colors of Autumn

The campus where I work has truly lovely landscaping that I enjoy every season. The past couple of weeks I've been arriving at work a little early and wandering the grounds to enjoy the colors and patterns of fall.

I think I'm weird. No one else seems to be noticing the brilliant reds, the berries that are exposed as leaves fall, or the tall stands of twigs with just a few leaves hanging on here and there. I'm not sure if Dr. Seuss took over my brain as a child, but I love tree branches with a little tuft of leaves at the end.

The leaves I've collected aren't keeping their colors. I guess my photos will have to be good enough.

Windshield Designs

A couple of weeks ago, I was buckled up in the passenger seat (note I didn't take photos while I was driving!), and I noticed the droplets on the windshield. As we got onto the highway and drove faster, the water started to blow off of the glass and left behind these interesting patterns. They got me thinking of quilt patterns such as Lisa Call's and Nancy Crow's work.

Water patterns on the windshield might be a strange blog topic, but I find inspiration just about everywhere. My artistic dilemma is often about what to pursue and what I should leave behind. At this point, I realize I won't be able to do everything that sounds interesting in my artistic life. I'd like to make good choices about how to spend my studio time. I'll let you know how that goes!

Meet My New BFF

Were you expecting a photo of a new doggie? Well, Friends, this is a one-dog house! My new BFF is the Ott-Lite Rechargeable task light. Whether it sounds trite or not, I really didn't know what I was missing working on my desk without task lighting.

I have a floor model Ott light for my work table, and now my doodles will be that much more impressive because I can see so much more detail with my new light where I sit and work. One thing that's super cool about this gadget is that it runs off a rechargeable battery, or it can also run from an electrical outlet.

(As an aside, I know that many blogs are all about the pictures. Every square inch of horizontal space in my office/studio is covered with something! Where do these bloggers find space to lay out such gorgeous photos?)

My Favorite Tree

Since we've been walking Scooter, I've gotten a new perspective on our neighborhood and decided this is my favorite tree. I tried to take a shot of it from a distance, but I saw that it's really no beauty from that angle. It's loveliness is in the branches and in the leaves. I think it's some sort of maple, but the leaves are rounded and compact compared to many maples I've seen.

What really captures my attention, though, are the colors of the leaves in the fall. This tree drops leaves that are everything from a deep crimson, to a buttery orange to a bright yellow. Since the leaves are so distinctive, I'm sure they are all from this tree.

The leaves inspired a Gocco print, similar to the dragonfly design. I'll post it here soon.

Signs of Autumn

These lovelies are along my daily walk with Scooter. When they first started out of the ground, they looked alien. I thought they would make interesting cone shapes for abstract paintings. All of the sudden there were not just one or two flowers but lots of  crocus flowers all along this property. What a great way to celebrate autumn!

Sometimes my mind works like this, too. Once I have one germ of an idea, it can multiply. All of the sudden I am almost overwhelmed with inspiration and it's difficult to know where to start.

Late Summer Treat

These sweet little cyclamen are growing in a neighbor's shady yard, and this is one of six or more clumps of flowers. I spotted them one morning while walking the dog.

I see a lot more of the cycles of nature in the few short months I've been walking the dog. I've appreciated the lavender, Shasta daisies, and hydrangea this year. Now some trees are starting to turn, including my favorite tree. It seems a little odd to have chosen one when our twice daily walk is full of trees, but I have a fondness for a certain maple. I'll take a picture when the colors are right.

I enjoy messing around in the studio. I like to paint from my imagination and see how patterns and colors work together, but this process is fueled by the rest of life, little treasures like cyclamen in my neighbor's yard.

Flowers Everywhere

My digital camera has changed how I walk. Now I'm constantly looking for color combinations, interesting compositions and things I haven't noticed before I walked around with a camera. One thing that consistently draws my attention is flowers.