La Dolce Vita

january pages

2012-01-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

finally!!

caught up with my

art journal pages

it is nice to be

on top of things again...

until the next deadline of course...

the woman who cried flowers

have you ever noticed that sorrows

can turn into joys when given enough

time to heal

and mend?

I was thinking this month about a relationship

that has completely transformed in the last two months...

and how delighted I am to

be a part of that change...

I used antique book pages

and cut out petal pieces and realized that they were

tears...

as well...

funny how that works...

or raindrops...

I have been drawing more lately...

and painting on book pages

ingredients: Acrylic paint, pen, colored pencil, PVA, thread, paper ephemera

tissue paper, workable fixative, fine pumice gel.

I found that if I used my brush dipped in PVA and water, it worked the colored pencil like watercolor

I am taking another blog break,

because we are headed to Florida...

so I will bring you along with...

some of you may need sunshine too...

I want to thank you all for your kind remarks

about balance...

certainly something that many of us

consider a work in progress...

grazie,

grazie!

be back in a couple of weeks...

december journal pages

2012-01-23T14:57:00.001-07:00

well, gentle readers, I did not think

that I would be gone so long...

but I realized that I had yet another deadline

that I wanted to make

so that is why

it has taken me so long to share...

my December journal pages with you...

December was a busy month

and so you see a lot of layers...

as well as a ton of writing

under, over, around and thru...

January pages are in the works and

I will be showing those to you shortly...

ingredients: acrylic paint, italian collage, fabric, thread, walnut inks, paper ephemera, pencil.

grazie for you patience

and continued support...

I will be out to visit

your blogs

soon...

it is a fine balance

that I am trying to establish...

between

maintaining my blog and relationships

and getting to the studio

to do the work I adore.

C4N!

dewy ground

2012-01-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

well dear ones,

I know I am late with

this, but better late than never...

honestly... I kept meaning

to ask Sarah for a copy...

and here it is....

I adore

Pasticcio
no... not the lasagna...
the zine...

yes I know it is pricey, but it is

gorgeous

and I read it cover to cover...

the articles and interviews are exceptional...

Nest Upon The Dewy Ground

9 x12

this piece originated in the recent

Four Directions/Four Visions

show at

Two Graces Gallery

It currently resides
at EsScentuals
in Fort Collins....

the winter issue

of Pasticcio

is a must see..

and thanks again to

Angela and Sarah

for choosing

Dewy

I am so appreciative!

and sooon...

I will be showing you my

December art journal pages!

I might catch up by the end of January...

grazie for stopping by,

muah!

bird quilts

2012-01-04T10:03:00.001-07:00

just as I am beginning to

write a new article for submission

with

Sew Somerset

my bird quilts in the

Winter 2011 issue

have returned...

"sunset"

we collectively use birds as metaphors to describe people and relationships

and with these quilts I wanted to

explore and express current feelings and relationships

with family and friends...

"adaptation"

these first three pieces are

roughly 8" x 8"

"fly in all directions"

the small pieces below measure

5" x 5"

"mindful"

and they are all hand stitched on Khadi paper

"joy"

with antique ephemera

"comfort"

and grey sari ribbons...

ingredients: antique stamps and thread labels, paper ephemera thread, painted papers, stained papers. fabric, lace and acrylic paint.

I am way behind in my postings

so I will be back soon with another post about

the new Pasticcio Quartz Zine

as I have a piece published there as well...

off to the studio dear readers,

I am hoping your day is sunny in spirit...

ciao, ciao!

2012-01-01T12:01:00.002-07:00

ciao, gentle readers...

back from my blog break...

I hope your holidays were as beautiful as mine...

I have a precious few photos

to show you of Chicago, since my battery died

while we were in the

Art Institute

but here is what I got...

I had every intention of showing you

their extensive collection of

Impressionist works...

but I did manage to get a couple of

pics of the festive

museum

decked out with

boughs of holly and cedar

and a buddhaful shot or two

for my dear friend Neva...

Openings Connectings

I had a wonderful time...

museum hopping...

shopping Michigan Ave...

eating fabulous food

Frontera Grill

and spending some time with

family...

and as soon as the decorations are

safely tucked away,

I will be back in the studio..

my Sew Somerset

deadline is January 15...

so I need to get to work on

my hand dyed mixed media

Botannicals

and just a bit behind again on pages...

again ... or as usual... lol

Happiest New Year

to you all

may we see increased prosperity,

abundance

and love...

Buon Natale

2011-12-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

well gentle readers...

can you believe

that it is time for joy...

and time for cheer?

I don't know about you...

but I am ready for a break...

this is such a wonderful season...

and I was thinking about

how much alike we all are...

no matter what we celebrate

at this time of year....

Hannukkah

Christmas

Kwanzaa

Solstice

the one thing we have

in common

candlelight

we all celebrate with light..

I want to thank you...

faithful followers, dear friends and ... yes...

silent lurkers..

for your support and

kind readership

this past year...

you are greatly appreciated...

and you bring light to my life...

message of peace

2011-12-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

ciao, gentle readers...

I wanted to get one more post written... at least

before I take my annual

Buon Natale

holiday

and thought I would share

new work with you...

Message of Peace

20 x 28

one of my largest collage pieces, is from

my French Papers series

I delivered it to the new gallery...

The Artisan's Bench

last weekend

and I meant to take photos

so that you can see how gorgeous the gallery is...

and below is the companion piece to Fleur

in the last post...

this small piece is titled Allegro

she sat out the last post due to a naughty frame...

and I will just apologize for the shadows and reflections

as I was in a hurry to shoot these

and document them for you

dear readers...

so you could get an idea of size...

may the Success of the Season

be undoubtably

peace

I promise to find time to get some photos

of the new gallery and old town

before Mr. LDV and I go off to

Chicago for the holiday...

as we near the solstice...

I have been thinking a lot about

my desires for the future

artistically and personally....

as some of you remember my tradition of

collecting thoughts to write on paper

scraps to plant in the spring

in my new garden...

...

sending you all blessings of peace...

C4N!

new work

2011-12-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

ciao... amici...

have any of you been working with the new

blogger format?

I know they will be implementing it sometime soon

and I have been working with it...

slowly.. not as difficult

as it originally looked...

I would love to hear your feed back about it....

last weekend, I took a few works on paper

to the new gallery,

The Artisan's Bench

close up of First Naturalist

11 x 14

a local gallery here

here in Brighton

and thought you would want to see

my new pieces...

close up of Infinity 11 x 14

I will have to take my camera

with me next time

to give you an idea of

how lovely the

gallery is...

our old town area is delightful...

and festive..

the circle in the top middle is an old button cover

that really wanted to live

there...

I took a couple of the small

bird quilts...

and two small pieces

from my

French Papers series

ingredients: paper ephemera, acrylic paint, fabric thread, lace, walnut ink, button

I will show you the last one

as soon as I get it framed...

I rushed these

so I apologize for pencil marks

etc...

since this is the

BUSY

season

I know you will forgive me...

lol...

antique bird quilts

2011-11-29T07:53:00.005-07:00

well dear readers,

I wanted to offer a sneak peek of my work in

the latest issue

Sew Somerset

some of my latest work

in my bird series...

these are on paper and stitched to

muslin

and I used sari ribbons

as embellishments...

and a couple of my favorite bloggers have work in this issue

also...

Cat Kerr

In the Light of the Moon

and

Patty Szymkowicz

Magpies Nest

has work featured in this issue too...

these quilts are in two sizes

8 x 8 1/2

and 4 x 4 1/2

on Khadi paper... of course..

it is a wet and chilly day here

hope the weather is warmer where you

are...

grazie for stopping by

gentle readers... I so appreciate your

kind remarks..

november pages

2011-11-22T09:01:00.004-07:00

I don't know about you

but I always find myself

finishing my pages near

the end of the month....

it is as if I need the whole month

to really understand what the month was about..

this month I journaled directly

on the page and covered it with book pages

which were painted and then I added the

top pieces later...

this month was all about gratitude....

great ... full ... ness

and abbondanza

ingredients: paper ephemera, acrylic paint, walnut ink, pen and ink, transfer on muslin,

thread

grazie for stopping by

and as always ....

I so appreciate your kind comments...

come back to me

2011-11-14T08:55:00.011-07:00

is the title ...

of this first new piece

a close up below...

this work on paper

measures 15" x 15"

mixed media painting

and the following small pieces

are all

"Italian collage"

several of you asked me about

this process

I call it Italian collage, because

I use a pasta machine

to press the collage so that the layers combine ...

neatly with the substrate

I like to use a lot of layers of collage

and different textures and I prefer smooth

edges...

and you know how I love a restricted palette...

each of these

measures 4" x 5"

and is hand stitched to

khadi paper measuring 8" x 8" 1/2

working on getting new these new smalls mailed

out to my gallery

and also working on a couple of cradled gesso boards..

and of course...

November pages in my art journal are almost finished...

hope your spring or autumn is

splendid..

ciao, ciao!

october journal pages

2011-11-01T06:55:00.005-06:00

well dear ones,

I am getting better...

only one day late

in showing you my

October art journal pages

and actually

they have been finished for a while

but I really wanted to keep the

boneyard photos up

until the ghoulish month

had passed....

I got a lot of comments about

the term, boneyard...

it seems that many were unfamiliar with it...

just the name I have always used...

and I do love a good boneyard

some of the best

are in New Mexico...

so...

this months pages...

I journaled directing onto the blank page and then used a new

ink... kind of product (for me anyway)

a glimmer mist I think it is called...

a bit too bright for me

shocking green...

but those of you who like color will like it...

I painted it on, rather than spraying it on the page...

ingredients: glimmer mists, acrylic paint paper, gel medium, paper ephemera lace, fabric, thread, transfers on paper.

the center pieces are

Italian collage, painted papers

and assorted snippets and smatterings of

desk debris...

I hope your October was

was beautiful no matter the season...

off to make

more Italian collages

for

the Dolce Shop

and to send

to my gallery in

Fort Collins...

C4N!

p.s. I am going to clear out my shop, so if there is anything you want, now is the time

to get it... <3

in the boneyard

2011-10-27T06:40:00.009-06:00

ciao...

gentle readers...

tempus fugit...

it was only yesterday that I took these

photos in the local

boneyard...

late summer...

late afternoon...

bees humming and birds chirping..

and now

the leaves are falling and the chill is rising...

the perfect boneyard temperatures...

it is a perfect time and the perfect post

to share with you that I am closing up

my Bell'Antico blog...

I am still a brocantuer,

however, I want to devote more time to art and

La Dolce Vita

so you will see more photography on

this blog

than you have recently...

and I will be posting more frequently...

as always I so appreciate

your following

and

I am thinking I will have more time

to visit your blogs more often too...

grazie, grazie!

ciao, ciao!

september pages

2011-10-18T07:14:00.006-06:00

oh yes,

September has come and gone

and I am working on October pages

but there was so much to show you...

so you will forgive

my tardiness

once again....

September was a lovely month

and though my pages look dark, my writing was lighthearted...

hard to tell....

I know, but then

what you see visually is an

inner wrestling...

an art crisis...

if you will...

the real me peeking out from behind the the work...

the full two pages

as you see below...

it says "embodied in this"

is what is stirring up inside me...

ingredients: transfers on paper and transparencies, antique paper ephemera, book pages and water color paper, cloth and handmade paper, packing tape and brown wrapping paper, walnut ink, acrylic paint and pen and ink.

working on lots of projects

and concentrating on art work...

thank you for your most kind

readership

I am certainly blessed to have so

many dear friends

in this very small world...

C 4 N!

caribbean blues

2011-10-14T07:19:00.002-06:00

ciao... dear ones,

I probably did this backwards...

...showed you the journal first...

when I should have shown you the inspiration

and then the art work...

oh well...

you will forgive me... I know...

you should be able to double click on the photos

for enlargements

yes

the water is that blue

and

clear

and yes, it is that lush...

and the sand is powder fine...

you truly must see it for yourself....

to say I fell in love was an understatement...

Antigua has 365 beaches

they all look like this I am sure!

each day was magnificent...

quaint...

waterfront shopping, boardwalk hopping, and restaurant eating...

at Sint Maarten

one of the loveliest of the islands...

St. Croix has an incredibly gorgeous

botanical garden

which was once a sugar plantation

protected Caribbean plant species are nurtured

among the crumbling splendor of the old plantation...

rest stops shaded by spanish moss...

and achingly gorgeous views abound...

I think I shot close to 400 pics

so I had trouble condensing this little

travelogue, dear readers...

you will forgive me that it goes on and on...

and even though I am a monochroma

kind of girl...

I was taken with the pastels...

and sweeping arches

and if you have not seen my little upcycled travel journal

just scroll down to the last post...

I promise to be back shortly

with

September pages...

ciao, ciao!

travel journal

2011-09-26T09:22:00.003-06:00

ciao...

dear readers....

it is so nice to be posting again...

home in my studio

and creating new work...

the Caribbean

was magical and gorgeous

and I will have photos for you

on my next post...

as you know,

tropical storm,

Maria

had us leaving early...

rushing to get to

Puerto Rico

before she made landfall...

and we planned on spending one day in the hotel

room waiting out the storm

but ...

Maria took a right turn

and we actually had a

beautiful sunny day in

Puerto Rico to

bask on the beach...

which was

wonderful

so here are the pics of my

Caribbean travel journal

I upcycled an old soft cover

ledger book

by cutting it in half

and recovering the original front and back cover

with brown paper

which I painted ...

the cover piece

is a small scrap image of coral

from wrapping paper

and covered with antique netting

it was combined using paper and fabric

with my italian collage technique...

the inside front cover and first page...

before I left, I made several

italian collage pieces for the journal

example above...

I decided to bring a travel set

of water color pencils

Derwent

and my travel brushes...

remembering to empty the water

in the reservoir

before I put them in my

carry on bag

if you have never used them before

I will tell you they are marvelous

and awful...

because 3 sizes fit all...

if you know what I mean, but they do the trick

sitting on a lonely beach...

I also had the presence of mind

to secure blank Khadi papers

to use as watercolor paper

throughout the journal

some days were really full...

and others were quietly peaceful....

I usually feel as though vacation days

move faster than other days...

but this one ambled along

at a perfect pace...

the pages below are

Italian collage

and water color on fabric...

I was fascinated by the lines drawn in the sand

by the successive waves..

in St. Croix

we visited a beautiful

Botanical Garden

slowing down was not a problem...

no matter where we went...

there was

and the enormity of

the sky and the water...

gorgeous and magical

whether it was stormy or sunny...

each day

was a blessing..

back in Puerto Rico

for a day of rest before the long flights home...

detail below, of the inside back cover

Italian collage

peeking inside the top

of the journal...

and the back cover painted and stained...

I took my inspiration from old leather, torn sails

and foxed pages...

ingredients: fabric, thread, hand dyed cotton and muslin, handmade papers, Khadi paper, acrylic ink, walnut ink, water color, pencil, pen, paper ephemera, transfers on paper, packing tape transfers, lace, antique netting, resists (a variety of resists).

a long post...

I know...

but I will be back with photos and

September

pages!

C4N!

caribbean art journal

2011-09-08T21:03:00.000-06:00

well

dear readers...

I was not planning on leaving

until

Sunday...

upcycled journal, with italian collage cover and hand dyed sari ribbons

so I thought I had ample

time to show you what

I was working on

but alas...

tropical storm

Maria

beckons and I am not one

to be left behind

so I am hoping to

send you greetings from

the

caribbean...

soon...

C4N!

tumbling

2011-09-07T15:40:00.000-06:00

if you have

been wondering

where I have been...

dear readers...

I will tell you...

bgmills-flickr

playing

on tumblr

200 quilts

which is completely

absorbing and

highly

inspirational...

cate - flickr

now...

thanks to
Lynne...

grin...

you can go here
to see my posts.

and I will be back with a new journal
that I have been working on
to take with me on my
new travels...
C4N

http://lynnehoppe.blogspot.com/

secrets and passions

2011-08-25T06:56:00.004-06:00

yes, gentle readers...

I am very excited to share

that Seth Apter

has a new book that will be

available soon on

Amazon

for presale

and I am very pleased

to tell you that

I have a small italian collage piece

in this book...

and I will share the image with you as soon as I can.

knowing Seth it will be an intriguing

visual feast...

and I know that it will

be a huge success...

Congratulations

Seth!

july and august art journal pages

2011-08-23T10:12:00.003-06:00

whew...

finally...

I am caught up with

my journal pages, it seems I was

a month and half behind ever since the move...

July detail below....

and two page spread...

lots of gardening and landscaping going on here physically

and mentally it seems...

my writing is well below the surface... lots of layers here...

ingredients: acrylic paint, glaze, transfers on paper, pen and ink, collage, colored pencil

and

August....

a bit slower ... especially these last few weeks

the weather is cooler and I have been stitching on my collab with Kim

Wandering Heart Studio

don't expect anything soon though...

I stitch by hand you know....

since I was already in the threads...

I decided to journal write on muslin

and then stitch upon that ....

it took a while, but ...

it worked out quite well...

you should be able to click on all the photos to get a higher res...

ingredients: muslin, paper ephemera, thread, transfers on canvas, sari ribbons, watercolor pencils, antique lace

the two page spread above...

alright back to the studio...

and in case you did not join us for tea,

you might want to go here to see a little peek

of the new

studio.

ciao, gentle readers...

quote books

2011-08-10T14:23:00.012-06:00

ciao,

gentle readers...

I just received my mini

concertina quote books

back from

Sew Somerset

they were inspired by quotes

and I have the quotes here for you to

read as well...

and I have placed them

in my

Dolce Shop

for purchase...

Take Time

Take time to be friendly- it is the road to happiness.

Take time to dream- it is hitching your wagon to a star.

Take time to love and be loved-it is the privilege of the Gods.

Take time to look around-it is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to laugh-it is music for the soul.

Creativity

There and then I invented this rule for myself to be applied to every decision I might have to make in the future. I would sort out all the arguments and see which belonged to fear and which to creativeness and other things being equal I would make the decision, which had the larger number of creative reasons on its side. I think it must be a rule, something like this that makes jonquils and crocuses come pushing through the cold mud.

Katherine Butler Hathaway

Trail of Song

Walk on a rainbow trail; walk on a trail of song,

And all about you will be beauty.

There is a way out of every dark mist...

Over a rainbow trail.

Navajo Blessing

My next article will be in the

Winter 2011 issue of

Sew Somerset

and for

instructions on making

my upcycled beer coaster

mini concertina books

check out the

Sew article

ciao, ciao!

may and june pages

2011-08-04T08:55:00.011-06:00

yes... gentle readers...

I know...

I am seriously behind

in showing you

my art journal pages.....

so I am catching you up

with a post featuring

both May and June...

May was quite a blur...

I moved from Colorado to Michigan...

and my life was transformed...

hence the butterfly and dragonfly image...

it is also probably the reason for the attraction to

corrugated cardboard...

since it was plentiful at the time...

ingredients:

black gesso, collage, cardboard, staples, pen and ink, transparency, ephemera

speaking of blurs....

June was pretty much a blur as well...

but it was quite emotional...

lots of things going on around me...

sacred heart

in the palm of my hand...

the full spread below...

ingredients:

black gesso, colored pencil, paper ephemera, handmade rubber stamp, thread

sigh...

be back soon with July pages...

so stay tuned...

and thanks for your patience

and dear support....

C 4 N!!

muriel babies

2011-07-26T12:32:00.013-06:00

well dear readers...

I hope you have already ordered your

latest issue of

Pasticcio 12

but if you haven't you can go

here.

Muriel Babies

I have an assemblage

published in this issue

a piece near and dear to my heart ....

and for those of you

who never had children or who have lost a child...

you will understand

the meaning of this

very personal shrine...

the tiny frozen charlotte wears a little death mask

made of paper clay

and the shrine is made from

an antique cigar box...

there are tiny bones made of paper clay

lining the edge of the shrine and a painted skelly on the sides

of the box...

this piece was created for a

collection of work that I presented

in a collaborative show

at Two Graces for

Dia De Los Muertos

I am thrilled

that Sarah and Angela

liked it too...

this is a great issue...

well...

all their issues are great, but

there are a lot of wonderful articles

by blog friends...

and as always it is chockfull

of surprises

alrighty then...

I am off to the studio

to create more art...

I am sadly waaay behind on my

work

but I will have lots to show you soon..

ciao, ciao!

architecture tour

2011-07-12T06:47:00.031-06:00

well gentle readers.....

if you find yourself

Chicago...

on a hot... hot... day...

I suggest

that you take an

Architecture tour

by boat of course on the cool water

of the

Michigan River

the photo above is the restaurant

where we ate a lovely

sunset supper...

while enjoying the river traffic...

and passersby...

not all of these photos were taken from the boat tour

but most were captured...

in the cool breeze and looking straight up...

the Opera Building was magnificent...

and I loved the organic nature of this building and the towers

in the second image... above...

don't you?

the lower level of Chicago,

at the rivers edge...

was built to haul trash and make deliveries

below the tall buildings and mitigate traffic...

it was a stunning... gorgeous day...

with a remarkable sparkle of shadow and shine...

the Wrigley Building above...

and the new Trump Tower below...

the juxtaposition between design and time...

below...

the view from our room...

with Lake Michigan in the far beyond...

I was taken by the curves and lines...

and the moodiness of the sky...

we had a corner room

that also overlooked the

Chicago Theatre...

with that wonderful landmark sign...

so dear ones, I hope you enjoyed the tour...

and if you want to see

my Frank Lloyd Wright tour

go to my other blog...

Bell'Antico

ciao, ciao!

sew...the winner is...

2011-07-11T05:44:00.004-06:00

#31

Carolyn Saxby

Love Stitching Red

thank you all

for your kind comments

as always...

I am in appreciation for your kindness

and friendship...

C4N

Sew giveaway...

2011-06-30T13:12:00.015-06:00

well...

I finally received my

comp copy

Sew Somerset

and I can share the article

with you...

I have not received the

art work yet...

but I will load the shop

with the books, as soon as they arrive in the post!

I created mini concertina books

made from upcycled beer coasters...

and inspired by quotes...

and since I had an extra copy,

I thought you might like to have one...

so I am giving away

a copy

and the contest ends on the 11th...

so do hurry....

as always, you must be:

a follower

for the birds

2011-06-17T09:03:00.018-06:00

ciao, gentle readers...

I have a lot of things going on right now

as you can imagine,

my new garden keeps calling to me

but I wanted to share

some of the photos

that I took

Taos

and some sneaky peeks of my new

sew project for

Sew Somerset...

since Mr. La Dolce Vita

had never spent any time in Taos,

I took him on a whirlwind tour

and of course no place would be complete

without a stop at

the Mabel Dodge Luhan House

here is link to their blog...

as you can see, it was a lovely day...

warm and sunny...

the soft light spotted the walkways...

and one of my fav

places on the grounds of the Mabel Dodge

are the bird houses...

so I had to get photos of them

for you...

these are sneak peeks

of my latest sew project

for the winter issue of

Sew Somerset...

and I have an article

and art work in the latest

issue as well...

I will share it with you as soon as I receive

the work in the post...

I created 3 mini concertina

books based on quotes, and they will be

for sale in my Dolce Shop

very soon...

here is a close up of the largest bird house/condo...

and seeing these photos again makes me want to go back

and power lounge in the shade...

Mr. LDV took this last

shot,

I love the repetition...

as always

grazie, grazie

for your kind following

and supportive remarks

I so appreciate

your

generosity of spirit...

C4N!

saying hello and goodbye

2011-06-08T09:33:00.029-06:00

ciao... dear readers...

I am just now starting to settle in

after the trip to Taos and Santa Fe...

it was a whirlwind

for sure

and

warm and toasty

though not as warm as last July

for the doll show...

Two Graces Gallery

Mr. La Dolce Vita took this photo

just before the show

don't I look

calm COOL and collected??

one of the great things about

this show was meeting up with

blogging buddies...

Renee Howell

and

Nancy Neva Gagliano

Renee, moi, Neva

Robert Cafazzo is the owner and artist in residence

at Two Graces Gallery

and he has represented me for several years.

his new work at the Four Directions show above...

Neva below talking about her work

stunning Photography

each one more wonderful than the last...

a group shot of my new body of work...

Robert in a pensive pose...

I am really glad I got this photo...

because this is the last show I will be doing at

Two Graces...

Robert and his wife Holly

have galleries right next to each other

and they will be combining spaces in Holly's gallery

and will no longer be representing other artists...

very bittersweet for me...

Robert has been generous and kind

and I have very much enjoyed our

collaboration

and friendship...

so I will be looking for new representation

in New Mexico...

but for now... my new pieces will be at Two Graces

until the end of the month...

and my shrines and paintings will be going

to EsScentuals

in Fort Collins...

so stay tuned to First Friday Gallery Walk

in July

ciao, ciao..

gentle readers...

four directions... four visions

2011-05-27T08:03:00.019-06:00

ciao...

dearhearts...

on wednesday

I sealed up the box

and shipped it out to

Ranchos De Taos

Two Graces Gallery

filled with

artist panels...

and since some of you will

be unable to attend, I wanted to give you

a little

tour through

the narratives...

all mixed media on artist panels...

Radiant Orb

12 x 12

Nest Upon The Dewy Ground

9 x 12

Sepia Sky

6 x 6

Wings Aspire

11 x 14

Floating Softly

9 x 12

for those of you that

will be able to attend,

the show is at

Two Graces Gallery

Ranchos De Taos

Friday June 3, 2011

and the

artist reception is

from 5-8 pm

this is a wonderful collaborative show

and I am so pleased to be sharing wall space with these artists

Nancy Neva Gagliano

Vicky Van Ameyden

and of course

Robert Cafazzo

owner artist in residence

Two Graces Gallery

we would love to see you there

it is going to be a fabulous weekend

and I am looking forward to

visiting with friends

viewing art

and eating

some great mexican food

Antonio's

C4N!

april journal pages

2011-05-19T12:33:00.011-06:00

ciao, gentle readers...

it was a long journey but

I am finally home

and settling in

despite the serious rain...

and as I promised you before I left...

I have my april journal pages

here

a lot behind, I know

but I have been slightly

preoccupied...

so I hope you will forgive me..

click on images for details

the full spread is below

been nesting...

as you know

and still working on pieces for my show,

which will be in my next post...

using my journal pages as my rough sketches for

my show pieces has been wonderful...

they are like a silent confidante

holding close my ideas as they mature...

ingredients this month: acrylic paint, antique ephemera, pen, pencil, colored pencil, walnut inks, tissue papers, china marker, paper shred, transfer on papers...

it is so nice to be blogging again

I missed you all..

I will be off to visit your blogs shortly...

oh ... and I have a new post at

Bell'Antico

if you want to see my new back yard and

soon to be ... garden...

ciao, ciao...

peaceful goodbye

2011-05-09T16:19:00.006-06:00

well gentle readers...

I will be taking a short break

until early next week ...

so that I can move and get

a bit settled in...

at my new home....

I know you will understand that I

have not had time to photograph

the new pieces in the studio

that I have been working on..

but I will be back next week with my progress...

I just thought that you would want to see the

Buddha

one last time

all his spring glory...

I am looking forward to

creating a new garden in my new home...

ciao, ciao

and as always, thank you so much for you

kindness and support...

holiday break

2011-04-28T06:24:00.020-06:00

ciao...

happy spring... dear ones...

I am back after a whirlwind visit

with lots of packing and work to do

so that I can move...

but I wanted to share my visit with you...

the lovely roses that

Mr. La Dolce Vita bought for me...

above

and he knows me so well

he took me to

a great garden center...

where everything was perpetually springy...

and lined up neatly in rows...

I can't wait to start planting my new garden...

last frost is later than ours so I am in luck..

but I will still want to get my tomatoes planted with

Wall O' Waters....

regardless of the weather...

the tulips on the table

opened slightly...

during Easter dinner...

and he took me to this movie

below...

Jane Eyre

click on the name above to view the trailer...

which was gorgeous

and completely faithful to the book, for all you

Eyre fans...

see it when you can, it is in limited release...

and I adored the handmade card he gave me..

by a local artist..

Kathleen Solsky..

there is a reason that he is called

Mr. La Dolce Vita...

sigh..

How was your holiday?

ciao, ciao for now!

spring blog break

2011-04-21T06:29:00.004-06:00

ciao!

gentle readers...

as predicted the snow has given way

to gentle rain

and the flowers are

really beautiful this year...

I am taking a little blog break

for the Easter holiday...

flying out tomorrow

to spend the weekend with

Mr. La Dolce Vita

but I am bringing my camera so you will be coming

along with me for the adventure...

I am wishing you all a joyous

weekend of renewal

this holiday season...

and I am filled with gratitude

for each of you

and your kind comments

over the years...

grazie, grazie!

cat

and then it snowed...

2011-04-14T09:40:00.011-06:00

spring

in the rockies...

need I say more?

through a screen whitely....

sigh....

the song birds are still singing though...

and I bet it will all

melt

by tomorrow...

april snow

brings may flowers?

hmmmm!

C4N!

early spring color chart

2011-04-07T08:38:00.012-06:00

it is early

spring

here

and

it delights me to see

color

after such a dreary winter....

I thought I would

our pretty spring color palette

with you....

tailors chalk white on clove with fennel seed.....

jelly bean pink on robins egg blue and beach sand grey ....

watermelon with heavy cream on lily pad and potters clay...

ballet slipper pink on bonsai green and fawn beige...

egg yolk on cork board

beach grass green on toile blue with chocolate truffle...

remember to take a beauty break...

I hope your spring

or autumn

is colorful...

C4N!!

pieces in process

2011-03-30T09:20:00.021-06:00

ciao, friends...

yes... I have been diligently working

in the studio

and for once had the presence of mind to take

"work in progress shots"

I don't usually do that I know...

since I am usually so focused on getting my work finished

and riding the wave of inspiration that overcomes me...

but, I had to take a break to paint some furniture

for my antique booth,

you can read about it here.

at Bell'Antico...

nothing is finished,

but you get the idea of where I am going,

and as you see, much like my journal pages, because I have been

using my journal as spring board, or rough draft for the

finished work...

the show is in June

at Two Graces Gallery

in Taos

and it is a collaborative show...

Four Visions, Four Directions...

and I am thrilled to be involved

so if you get a chance to visit New Mexico

in June, please come visit!

the pieces that I am working on will all be on cradled

artist boards...

love them....

and it is not scratch board, though I did use wood carving tools

to create a sgraffito design

on the board

and I do not know where these feathers will end

up...

I have not been told yet, I am just doing my

work... and trusting in the process

and I know you know what I mean!!

ingredients so far... parchment paper, pencil, colored pencil, acrylic paint, walnut ink,

gesso, antique ephemera, canvas scrap, pen and ink

my array of tools on a lazy susan

in my studio below...

as always, I am so grateful for your kind comments

and support,

it is wonderful to have so many friends

from so many different places...

C4N

march pages

2011-03-16T07:49:00.013-06:00

ciao, gentle readers...

I know it has been a long time since my last post

but you will excuse me because I have been busy working...

if you follow my Bell'Antico blog then you know

that I have been painting furniture for my antique booth...

and I have been a bit crabby because I have not had a lot of time for

ART

and we all know how we feel when we are unable to art....

so I have been relishing my journal pages this month because I have been sneaking away

to work on them and I have even taken the fabrics away on a trip to stitch

planning out my page carefully...

these are special pages because

they are about

my love...

yes you heard me correctly...

La Caterina is in love...

so now there is

a Signore La Dolce Vita

my pages are about our long distance correspondence

and the challenges associated with

having a long distance relationship...

but they are also about true love...

and the nature of soul mates...

now.... on to the technical aspect of art...

I know you wanna know...

the image above is a transfer on fabric with a hand made transparency

stitched to the fabric..

the threads were added last..

and they hang down to the end of the page...

this is the two page spread

I have placed a layer of collage on the page and then

used paint to unite the layers,

I will give you a full

list of ingredients below...

ingredients:

collage paper, Ranger walnut inks, hand dyed fabric, transfer on polished cotton, transfer on paper, pencil, acrylic paint, coloured pencil,

computer generated transparency, thread, hand made metal repousse wings,

walnut ink and paint mixture for wings, sandpaper-fine grit

As always, I am so grateful to you for your friendship

and for taking the time to stop by

your comments mean so much to me

grazie mille!

(thanks so very much)

february pages

2011-02-16T07:49:00.008-07:00

ciao, gentle readers,

I hope you all had a love filled

valentines day....

I know there are many women

without a partner

that dislike valentines day with a passion

but I am not one of them.

several years ago,

I decided to reframe

valentines day

because it didn't feel good to resist

a day set aside for love...

when love is what we all want...

and in doing so, it is contrary to

creating our hearts desire...

after reading Rumi and Hafiz,

I thought

I would annually write myself a love letter...

that I would fill my journal page with appreciations of myself.

the things about me that I love...

and the things that I am working on...

that still need improvement, but I am in appreciation of my good work...

to see my 2010 february pages go here.

this year,

I am using my journal pages as studies for my next show in

Taos, at

Two Graces Gallery

in June,

a collaborative .... 4 Directions, 4 Visions

with Robert Cafazzo, Nancy Gagliano, and Vicki Van Ameyden

and to see my pages from last month, go here.

you will see the direction that I am taking and these will all be on cradled artist

boards.

this month, I journaled

my self appreciation and love directly on the page

and then covered the pages with gesso

then I drew the feather on the page

so my love letter would

show through

I was thinking how feather light

love is...

it weighs nothing at all,

yet it has the power to keep the planets in orbit..

I used a feather that had a small feather attached

to it...

to represent the male and female...

as a balanced model for us all...

and the universal and the personal

or my soul and my personality.

" I have no fear of the future,

for you are my future...

just as you have been the meaning of my past..."

my ingredients this month are gesso, walnut ink, pen and ink, handmade paper, hand dyed fabric, thread pencil and pen.

have a love filled week...