It's been a long time since I have been to a live concert, and let me remind you, it's good for the soul! I recently saw Old Crow Medicine Show, and The Avett Brothers and it was breathtaking-with banjos, upright bass, and dueling mandolins, it was another level of musicality and showmanship! The variety of instruments, coupled with the folk-Americana songs was just awesome...so much so, that I couldn't stop thinking about the show for several days after. I was also thinking about the importance of doing an activity that feels so fulfilling and taking the time to really enjoy something. Most days are tallied by working our jobs and itemizing to-do-lists...but the most potent memories and experiences are those when we find joy in a moment, and let the good stuff take over. Here are a few snaps from the show:
Sweet Rolls
It's a rite of passage for anyone in our family- we have all been to Grandma's house when she would spoil us with baked breads, cookies, pies, and her famous sweet rolls. These will always remind me of her warmth and cozy times at the farm. I love the shapes of each roll, they look so beautiful. I made a few batches, and I still have the touch...these rolls were perfection! I even put a little bit of cinnamon and lemon zest in the icing for a tasty twist on her classic recipe.
Grandma's Recipe: Swedish Sweet Rolls
In My Backyard
My back yard is a pasture. The rolling hills of East Tennessee provide a lovely scenery - and it always looks different. Depending upon how the sunrise or sunset casts its hues and how the fog blurs the shapes, it takes on a new personality almost daily.
In the mornings, afternoons, or whenever I catch a moment looking out on the pasture - I find myself taking photos because of how unique, even ethereal it looks.
This is one of my favorite things about where I live. I have compiled a few of my favorites here:
Re-Finishing
I have been working on re-finishing an antique piece all summer, and it is finally complete!
I picked up this bed-side table in Mount Jewett, PA last summer, and fall quickly approached. Due tp humidity and cooler weather here in TN I had to postpone the project until this summer. It had a gaudy and dark varnish/ stain combination that masked the natural beauty of the wood. A before photo will be posted soon..still looking for it. Initially, I thought the piece was cherry as it had a deep red tint; however, the book match veneer on top certainly wasn't indicative of cherry. After researching various types of grain and wood types, I think it is American Chestnut - identified by the warm tones, wood grain, and burly book match veneer. it is a gorgeous piece, and was worth the countless hours of stripping, sanding, prepping, and detail work!
Take a look at the development and finish of the piece:
Simple, Routine
I live in the country, and it has taught me many things. One of which is to enjoy and savor the simple things. I have my little country-life routines that I enjoy, like going to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings, talking to the farmers, and finding an array of beautiful vegetables to pick from. With the Blue Ridge Mountains nearby, there are limitless trails to explore, mountainsides to climb, and views to see.
I often take a moment here or there, and try to look at something differently or notice what is around me. This is an opportunity to broaden our perspective and challenge what we think we see. The pasture, which is my back yard, for example, looks different almost every day. I still love looking at the active planes and diagonals that make it seem so vibrant. These days, and always, there is a lot going on...there is no doubt about that, nor a shortage of "things to do", or even things that I want to accomplish be it for personal or professional development. Just the same, I find that I smile more or have a skip in my step if I take a moment to appreciate simple things like the water droplets on a leaf when I watered my plants, the blue eggs from the farmer, the unique rock on a Blue Ridge trail, or the colorful produce that I found on a Saturday during my simple routine.
Top row: Farmers market & Night Blooming Cereus leaf
Bottom row: Rock and tree in the Blue Ridge Mountains in TN, Magnolias on the Creeper Trail in VA.
Sew it Seams
Lately, I have been inspired to get back into sewing..garments, bags of several kinds, you name it. I like the ability to customize and craft something into a unique piece, no matter what it is. I took to the sewing notions and dusted off my sewing machine, set up shop, and began with making a pair of shorts. On my last trip to the fabric store I found some egg-shell satin, and a buttercup yellow chiffon to make a long skirt. I want to experiment with painting on the satin to make my own print. Stay tuned!
My Workspace
Rafting on the Nolichucky
It rained for days, and the waters were high, t'was the perfect condition to ride the tide!
Last weekend was my first white water rafting adventure, it was incredible! The Nolichucky river spans eastern Tennessee into north eastern North Carolina and drains the Blue Ridge Mountains. A week or so of rain and snow melt created perfect conditions for some wily class 3 and 4 rapids. I was stationed up front on the port side of the boat, 3 other people in tow. I couldn't have imagined how turbulent the water would be!
The Nolichucky gorge is the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi and is populated with rocks and huge boulders. On a typical run, the rocks provide a technical challenge for paddlers, whereas we glided over most of them. Most, if not all, of the river bank was traced by old railroad tracks, still used today to transport coal out of these old mountains. Our guide told us about some of the old towns that started in the woods along side the river, abandoned long ago, where settlers would build some small houses and make a living. Another exciting sight was the Appalachian Trail! On the way to the raft site, we spotted a tral post where hikers were resting, and happily chatting to other trail blazers. The actual town, Erwin, TN, was also pretty influential in the pottery scene until the 50's and still has a street called "pottery row".
The massive rock face above us, next to trees decorated with green buds, were beautiful. I am always humbled when nature teaches us something, as it often does. While navigating the waters, it is so apparent how powerful nature is, and it is really inspiring to be a part of the landscape in such a way. My heart was pounding most of the time, in a fun way, I reeeeally didn't want to fall or be "violently ejected" into the drink...but we had a really great guide and all remained in the boat.
Calm(er) waters on the Nolichucky River.
Class 3 or 4 rapid, here??
Click to see larger image.
Nutmeg
Somewhere around the early 1500's, this lovely spice was traded and found itself in cuisines around the world. It gained popularity due to its medicinal properties, once thought to cure the plague. Who knew that Nutmeg was so beautiful with its wiley design beneath its hard shell?! This particular pod is from India, circa 4.5 years ago, and I've got quite a collection of them. Intrigued by the design, which I noticed when grating the pod for use in cooking, I wanted to use this for something unique! I used my detail sander to remove the hard shell and reveal what you see here. I am going to use a Dremel tool or small drill bit to bore a hole in the pods and string a nutmeg necklace. Nutmeg necklace -it has a ring to it!
Elbow Grease & Barn Wood
Click for larger image.
I appreciate an eye that can see beneath weathered wood grain. An eye that brings new life to a piece of furniture, lamp, picture frames...you imagine it.
My inspiration throughout the recent seasons has been woodworking. From place to place I see so many fun opportunities to create a piece of furniture or do a small project, but I must pick and chose! Lately, I am interested in salvaged wood and discovering the wood grain and a purpose for some beautiful cherry and walnut boards.
For this coat hanger project, as a start, I used a piece of barn wood from my Grandma's farm. It needed a tune-up, so I gently sanded off the raised grain. I then used a tack cloth to remove any unwanted particles or cloth fibers, then sealed it with several coats of a matte polyurethane using a cotton rag.
For months, I searched stores, websites, and galleries, looking for hooks that were just the right thing. It's one of those things, you will know it when you see it. It wasn't until a recent trip to Alaska, that I found the perfect hooks! A local artist from a small town called Seward, made the moose hooks out of iron. As for the copper wolf, that was found in Anchorage, also made by an artist. I was so excited to find these awesome creations!
My weekender project is complete, and holding up to daily use for coats, umbrellas, and keys, as anticipated. I am so pleased with it!
Some key points with this project are to use wood that is not dry rotted, or it will split when you install the screws. I used a drill and wood screws to attach the wood to the wall, while making sure to use my stud-finder first. The screws were different metals for the hooks (short) and wood (long), so I used black and brown acrylic paint to color match the texture and color of the screws as a final detail. Take a peek!
New Scenery, New Noise
Do you need to refresh your painterly palette, or the whim of your creative process? Consider doing an Artist Residency!
A while back, I attended a gathering on this topic at the Hamlitonian Gallery, a small up-and-coming gallery located along the U Street Corridor in Washington, DC. It was a panel discussion which included a representative from the Vermont Studio Centers, and two artists who offered insights from their many resident experiences. I have also researched the topic quite extensively, and have compiled my learnings.
Depending on the type of residency, an artist can apply to attend for periods of two weeks up until two years! It's a vast spectrum and each residency offers a unique opportunity to engage, deepen and ignite one's creative process. While residencies are extremely competitive, there are many exciting options for people at any point in their career, age-level and expertise.
Things to consider
- Ask yourself why you want to do a residency: Is it because you want to focus entirely on your work for a period of time and not worry about groceries, letting the dog out or commuting to the next meeting on the calendar? Is it because you feel that you would get something out of it that you wouldn't otherwise? Are you at a point where you want to invest in your work and explore a new concept or medium? Give a sense that you are moving forward, planning ahead and taking the next step.
-Consider locations for a residency: Are you inspired by the landscapes of Vermont and New Hampshire, or would you rather take off to India? It is also important to think about how you work best. Some residencies have communal living and shared studio spaces, while others have separate rooms for guests and private studios. If you have a spouse or family, some residencies will support your family throughout your stay.
-Find out who will be there: Does the residency that you reeeeally want to be accepted to have a panel of reputable, talented and experienced artists to be by your side? Do some asking and look at other artists who are scheduled to be there. If you are a painter, there may be a handful of other painters who would provide meaningful feedback and critique; perhaps there will be composers, poets, writers and photographers to collaborate with. What sets your creative energies abuzz? For example, perhaps the perspective of a musician on your drawings would be quite unique! If this interests you, Vermont Studio Center has their entire year scheduled with artists.
-Images: It's all about the images in your application. Be thorough and thoughtful. High resolution images that really showcase your work are critical. You may want to put a specific focus on selecting works that demonstrate a body of work or string of thought between works.
-Dollars and sense: Aha, this one will bring you right to reality, but rest assured, residencies understand that artists need to make a living! Many places offer stipends to pay for materials during your residency, some even cover food and housing expenses. That's right, you don't even have to cook! As you search, you will find scholarships to help you along your way.
Click on the links below for places to consider:
- Kohler Center
- Anderson Ranch
- Vermont Studio Center
- MacDowell Colony
- Virginia Center for the Arts and Humanities
- TransArtist
- Yaddo
Happy Searching, I would love to hear what you find!
The Hot Zone
This selection may come off as an interesting one… and of ALL the art books available to choose from… This book got me thinking about the bridge of biology and art, which provides very provocative imagery and thought. See: Luke Jerram. Beautiful glass sculptures, mirroring Microbiology.
This true story stays with you, and chills you to the bone marrow. It taps into a primal fear of organisms and molecules that can absolutely wreak havoc on our immune systems and wipe out entire villages of people. You might say its biological population control, a real possibility. I had heard about an Ebola outbreak here in the US as a kid; my mom read this book and was really disturbed by the notion of biology as outbreak or even warfare. Having lived in Washington, DC, I was amazed at how such an occurrence happened very nearby in Reston, VA. So I read the book.
The author, a scientist on the front lines of the filovirus outbreak, takes us to KitumCave, in Mt. Elgon National Park, Kenya, where a group of hikers contracted a devastating and incurable virus.
Several villages had been quarantined so that the outbreak would “flesh out”, rather than spread. Once the virus had “taken over” its host, both the host and virus would die. The CDC sent researchers to the site of the cave as well as doctors to some of the rural African (where?) villages. The virus found its way to the US through a shipment of monkeys captured in Africa that were sent to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The monkeys were monitored very closely, used for research, and were euthanized at the conclusion of the studies. Researchers noticed that a few monkeys began to show symptoms of a serious illness, one which made them go mad, and wreaked havoc on their bodies. The monkeys, cage by cage, became ill and several were dying. This was a concern because the virus affected primates, and humans are considered primates. Soon thereafter, a few monkeys escaped from their cages and attacked one of the lab workers, who then contracted the disease. The lab became an official Level 4 “hot zone”.
Having said all of this, it was a bit of a fear factor; however, a quite fascinating one. For curiosity’s sake, it was incredibly fascinating to learn the details of the notorious Ebola strain and its place in history. I couldn't put the book down. This story highlighted something very important about human interaction. It touched upon how connected our world is and how we are linked through biology. The formation of cells gives new life, prolongs life, changes the course of life’s journey, and can also end life. It is a life cycle that makes our world beautiful, troubling, interesting, complex, and connected.
Just Kids
Today is Book Shelf Tuesday, and I've got a great read for you.
I first heard about this book when it was described to me as the account of young Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe and their experiences in love and art. "Just Kids," a book based on a true story and written by Patti Smith, gives a fascinating introspection into the life of a young-twenties boy and girl who met serendipitously in New York City and would later become American icons of photography and rock n' roll. The story revels in the romanticism of 1960's Brooklyn Bohemia, as well as the struggle of maneuvering on the outskirts of society yet finding one's own niche.. with the likes of Hendrix, Joplin and Worhol!
This book will enlighten your senses of curious love, the breadth to which an artist comes into him or her self, and the imprint they leave. With intimate details including letters and poetry, Patti describes lust, love, addiction, her relationship with Robert, their careers, struggles and successes up until his death in March of 1989 from AIDS.
Stop over to the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation Page for more info on Robert's life and work.
