Wonderful quote - solitude

“Solitude is such a potential thing.

We hear voices in solitude,

we never hear in the hurry and turmoil of life;

we receive counsels and comforts,

we get under no other condition . . .” 

-Amelia E. Barr

Quote

"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things

which escape those who dream only by night."   -Edgar Allan Poe

(Photo by Futurilla)

Heavy Texture Canvas - Girly

 Look closely and you will see doilies and bobbin and spool imprints!

Heavy Textured Canvas

I love the deep texture... the warm colors... it makes me happy just looking at it.

These are time consuming but I really enjoy them.

Large background ready for collage

Collage - Nature

This has been sold - it was donated to a charity auction.

The Long Road Home, A Very Special Collage

Every collage tells a story... this one tells a very special story... my dad's "Long Road Home" after a long, serious, illness.

He spent almost 3 months in the hospital and 4.5 months in the nursing home, in rehab. He nearly died several times. He arrived in the rehab unit too weak to push his call button for the nurse. A few days later he was rushed back to the hospital with a massive GI bleed - he ended up with a feeding tube and had to learn to walk and swallow all over again. It's hard enough for a younger person to do that but at 82, when he hadn't walked for months, it was a real chore.

The "Long Road Home" was actually started in his patient room of Rehab... each element in this is significant.

The top of collage shows 6 birds watching over him.... one for each of his 6 children.

The turtle is him... rehab is a slow but steady process and you have to have a tough shell to get through all the hard times.

The turtle is looking up at the white bird on the branch... the bird of hope, inspiration for him to get better and fly the coop!  The hands are for my mother, the ULTIMATE caregiver, without her constant love, attention, encouragement and caregiving he would not have made it... or be able to be at home with her. 

The turtle is on top of the phases of moon to signify the passing of months.... each month (number) is stamped on the collage... the white is for snow.... we drove through HORRIBLE snow storms to visit him each day an hour away.... and each time we followed the ambulance down, it was icy and or snow.

This hangs in my parents home... in the room where he now spends his time.

He's home.. .the feeding tube is gone, he can eat again... he can walk a very short distance... and now has an electric wheelchair and is grateful for each day.

If you have a loved one who needs to go into a nursing home for rehab... be encouraged... it's the best and quickest road back home.

Texture in shades of pinks, blue and green

This isn't framed yet... just leaning against one while I snapped the photo.

The texture is heavy... I love texture, the more the better!

Collage on wrapped canvas panel with molded bird

Wrapped canvas. 12" x 12"

The white bird is actually molded from air-dry modeling clay. The red "straw" is from an onion bag.

This will be going in my Etsy shoppe whenever I get it up and running.

Come On Over

I used a canvas panel for this... and vintage music. (Ouch!)  I've decided not to hoard my ephemera - I made copies of the original for my stash.

I've played with the colors but can't get them to come out true... some nice day I'll shoot this outside.

Backgrounds from Scrapbook Paper

These backgrounds are in my "stash".... just waiting for the right project so I can slather on some gesso here and there and do what needs to be done. I've added other elements, flowers, tape, stamps... but for now, they wait their turn... knowing their day will come.

Making Time for Art

For the last couple years my father has had horrendous health issues. I held my breath and prayed that he'd survive.  After spending months in the hospital and nursing home, he is home... in a wheelchair... but home with my mother, the ULTIMATE caregiver.

I am cleaning my art room, reorganizing, getting ready for winter to arrive, getting art supplies in order to find them quickly... hoping this opens up more time and creativity for me.

At times I am overwhelmed by the need to create, by the lack of direction what I should be doing, by my need to journal. Journaling has become essential to my days. I try to add art as much as possible.

In the past, I've kept journals for years... often purging them by tossing them in the trash when I rediscover them... but now, now that I am in my mid-fifties....I have decided to save them, for my sons some day... perhaps some cold rainy afternoon, after I am long gone, they will curl up on the couch with a cup of coffee and read them... reflections of my life... and theirs.

For today, it is enough that I have set in motion the reorganization of my limited art space. It's not fancy or pretty like the spaces I see in the magazines. No. Mine is functional, sharing the extra bedroom. It spills over into the garage. Whatever I don't use this year I am going to pitch.  Too much stuff is smothering.

I often think about how much money I spend on crafts and think if I stopped I could afford to buy finished art from those I admire...but my soul would rot. Of this, I am sure. 

I need to create... when my muse appears I can think of nothing else but the project before me.... my stress leaves me... and the time flies.

As T.S. Eliot said, "Time you enjoyed wasting is NOT wasted time."  I love that man.



 

Quote - Love

"Love one another and you will be happy.

It's as simple and as difficult as that."  -Michael Leunig


(photo by Beverly & Pack)

Quote -

"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road does not mean they have gotten lost. 

~H. Jackson Browne, Jr.

Wonderful quote - aging

"Do not regret growing older.

It is a privilege denied to many." 
-Unknown

Photo by myabsurdlife.com 

Art Journal - Look Closer

Huge Paper Mache Dancing Heads

My mother and I made these huge paper mache heads for my son's wedding reception.... he's a bit of a prankster and I knew this would be a real surprise for them.... the dancing heads arrived to dance to the song, JOY TO THE WORLD... worn by Aunt Beth (6') and her son, Max (6'4") these dancers were hard to miss!

They were inspired by Jane Filer's dancing monster heads...  these are a lot of work... but worth it if you want to make something unique!  I have photos of the "how to"... email me if you'd like them.

Original works of art by Jan Teaford 

The masks had screen over the eye holes so people could not see who was wearing the huge heads

 

As you can see, I had a lot of toilet paper rolls and pop cans glued on to the bike helmet .. good thing I had clear vision of what I was going for.... this was much more labor intensive than I could have ever imagined.

 Top of the mask done, ready to build the sides

Luke's mask done, ready to paint and add hair

Emily's mask almost done... still needs earrings!

Quote

Our duty, as men and women,is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. 
We are collaborators in creation."   
-Teilhard de Chardin

Quote - Living

"Try as much as possible to be wholly alive,

with all your might,

and when you laugh, laugh like hell

and when you get angry, get good and angry.

Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough." 

-William Saroyan

Wonderful quote - Morality

Morality is doing right no matter what you are told,
Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.

–Unknown