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Monthly Archives: November 2011
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Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams
Quotes are weird. A line of words, probably taken out of context, something that someone else [usually a famous someone] thought up, and who is usually considered an instant authority. We hang on every word. We use the words almost as our own.
I happen to like this quote. It’s funny and, in some ways, true. There was a time that i just had too many blocks keeping me from doing art. The thing i ended up doing was to see every art project as an experiment. The word “experiment” helped me to let go of many of the things that held me back from starting and enjoying the process.
In this quote, the word “mistake” is used. I think that we are all afraid of mistakes. Someone might call something that we make…wrong! Ahhhhh! But, the last part of the quote refers to art as knowing which mistakes to keep…not keeping things that turn out exactly as expected. How many wonderful things are here to enjoy because someone allowed their self to make mistakes. What else do we make most of the time anyway? Who does anything perfectly? What is so wrong with making something that we didn’t expect? Not all mistakes are wrong…and not all of them are called mistakes. Some of them might even be called “art.”
PHASE
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I am going through a phase. With Picasso, it was a blue phase. With me…well, it’s an ornament phase. Actually, they are known as printer’s characters or printer’s ornaments. I suppose that some people are into their Christmas ornaments right now. For me? It’s those wonderful little black on white images.
They are not my artwork. I have been finding them online. Perhaps they will lend some ideas toward my label designing. I like the ones with the bold designs that look similar to wood block prints. Yet some of these designs can be fine-lined and i like them as well.
Feel free to copy and use any of them for a project. Some of them would make nice bookmarks. Or maybe a book plate-sticker…or even a calling card. All of them that i collect appear to be free to use.
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TIME
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It is time. A year. An idea that i have been growing into.
Well, L. L. Barkat did it. She made time to be in her yard every day, for a year, and to write, as a spiritual practice. Lyla Lindquist is in the process of a once-a-week journey to be in day prayers at a Benedictine monastery, and doing some writing about it.
Yes, a year has been inviting me, and i have been accepting the invitation.
A couple of months ago, i had decided to start doing art. Not just a little here and there. I was ready to do more. To step out into my yard… to go to my monastery… to be a child at heart. To do art like a child, with God. To let go and just do it.
Some on-line friends gather once a year at a place in Texas. I have, in the back of my mind, wanted to go there and meet some of these people. The years pass, and i wondered if i would ever make that trip. Then i started to think about what i do that could help me to make money and perhaps make the trip next year. That is where it started, and it is now growing into something more than just making money. It is becoming about the growing and doing and sharing…right here…where i live.
I started a painting a few weeks ago. However, today, after reading Lyla’s post, i thought perhaps that i could do daily writing in addition to doing the art. It seems right, since writing is another way for me to comprehend some of the things that God is saying to me. Writing can be a conversation with God, just as painting can. I find that writing words really lends itself to conversation and thought processing.
So i grabbed a journal that i had already made some art notes in, wrote “a year of art” on the front of it…and started writing. Today is “officially” the first day toward what “God willing” will become a year of art, and my art journaling conversation with God.
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RAIN
SUNDAY
THE TRUCK FARM
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It’s that time of the year…
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The leaves are losing their grip.
The wind has a bit of a nip.
Bundle up tight
tuck your feet in at night
and of a warm drink
have a sip.
nance marie
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.
~Meister Eckart
It is easy to love the people far away.
It is not always easy to love those close to us.
It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger
than to relieve the loneliness and pain
of someone unloved in our own home.
Bring love into your home
for this is where our love for each other must start.
~Mother Teresa
just one bite . maria kalman
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self portrait
a woman, an artist
October 2010 article in Wmagazine ❉
November 10, 2011. Video . Michael Pollan and Maria Kalman Go Grocery Shopping ❉
Illustration by Kalman for “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan
Illustration from “And the Pursuit of Happiness” Kalman Blogs, The New York Times 12/31/09
Illustration from “And the Pursuit of Happiness” Kalman Blogs, The New York Times 2/26/09
For another bite, go to wikipedia. ❉
time travel
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we sat at a bar together sharing a bite
Sunday night at the Oregon symphony
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Sergei Prokofiev
Sinfonia concertante for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 125
Alban Gerhardt, cello [he was really good]
✂ intermission
Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Opus 95, [old No.5] “From the New World”
They did a whole lot of fiddling around ☺
we received a parking ticket $
and it was a good night out ✔
Have a good monday, dear friends.
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Hi friends.
It has been quite a week.
The grape harvest/crush is slowly drawing to a close. And yesterday we had a tasting, pre-thanksgiving, and free to those who bring the latest mailer from us. Next weekend will be the thanksgiving tasting time for the Oregon wineries. It is usually well attended and some are people that are visiting for the first time in our wine valley and are fairly new to wine tasting.
Casey had her oral surgery on Thursday and stayed home from school on Friday. Today she is just starting to feel a little better. Yesterday, and the day before, her whole body was painful to the touch for some reason. Who knows what goes on with taking these medications and all. It just drives me nuts when either of my daughters are not feeling well. It is the one place where worry can get hold of me very easily.
My painting has taken a back seat for several days, but, it has been on my mind. The need to start the wall paintings/mural work at the school has also been on my mind.
There was frost on the ground this morning. The days hold little warmth any more. The sun is low in the sky and hides behind rain clouds more often.
Time to put up some twinkly lights.
Love,
nance