Focused on shapes

I seem really focused on shape lately. Maybe this always happens in the winter landscape, less color, more shape. Trunks and branches silhouetted against the sky.

Greenhouse Winter by Kyle Williamson

  The work of Paul Krix (of Neat Object) reminds me so much of this. VERY neat, aren't they?!

Learning something new

Happy New Year!

I have read that as we age its very beneficial for our brain to continue to learn new things. Are you over 40 years? Then let your heart (er, brain) rejoice because today there is NO dearth of new things to learn!

I've recently tackled Instagram. Wow, it does so much for much for my iphone photos! The first two images of buildings at the Ephrata Cloister are regular and for the second two I used Instagram filters.

Fog, photography, and a new ring

When Ema left for college she took her camera, leaving me to adjust to using my husband's Nikon D300. (I know, poor, poor me, right?) I'm not complaining but it is different, heavier, a little unweildy for me. I'm practicing; I know the only way I will learn is to just have at it.

The new Fragment ring in is the shop today.

Magnum Opus and Free Shipping

For the past several weeks I've been focused heavily on my kids. We are winding down our school year finishing research papers, web design projects and that very last unit in the math book. I have observed that math becomes increasingly difficult as the weather outside improves.

I can end up feeling creatively foggy during this process. There isn't time or energy left at the end of the day for my artwork. Work begets work apparently and I only have new ideas when I am also actively creating. You can see where I go from here..."I will never have a good idea EVER again! Waaaaah!"


(Driving on a Friday Evening by my daughter, Ema)

I checked out my daughter's new blog the other day. Have I foolishly been stumbling over my own magnum opus? The raising of children is such a large creative endeavor that its hard to see the beginning and the end all at once.

Nothing changed - except my attitude. But that's made all the difference.


(All photos above are my daughter's. She just shot her second wedding. When I was seventeen I babysat to make money!)

To everything there is a season. I'm looking forward to getting into the studio again soon with the energy of the accomplishments of our school year at my back and a long summer ahead.

In celebration - FREE shipping through May 31.

Escape

Tonight is the opening at the Yellow Wall Gallery for "Summer in Winter: A Visual Escape". My husband, Kyle, has an amazingly verdant photograph from the Island of Saint Helena in the show.

The gallery is located on the second floor of the Midtown Scholar used bookstore on N. 3rd St. in downtown Harrisburg PA. If you love art, learning, books, the smell of books, the look of books and fancy yourself a bit of a bohemian you will be happy here. The official opening reception and luau (!) will be held from 6pm -10pm and the show runs until March 26 when HOPEFULLY we won't have any more snow and ice to escape.

The image above is from a new series that Kyle is working on. I'm experiencing some mental and emotional turmoil right now and keep thinking its seeping into his work.

See more from him on his daily art blog or at his website.

Let there be light

My husband has always known the way to my heart. This was my Christmas gift!


And with the addition of a 35mm 1.8 lens I can now take photos any time of day (or night). Gosh, no more perching close to a southern facing window waiting for clouds to clear. What will I do with all the time I'll save?

I guess I can work on four new necklaces that are partially underway.

Fresh Air

We made an impromptu decision to go camping at a nearby state park and because we have pre-packed camping supplies all we really needed to do was pack a change of clothing and some food and we were off. (My husband would have me note here that it took him 1 HOUR to get the sailboat and kayak on top of the car. Credit where credit is due.)

Water.
Blue Heron .
No phone.
Just what I wanted (needed).



All photos courtesy of my daughter, Ema. I'll soon be featuring her work in a series of photo transfer jewelry.