These curvy things remind me of girls. Jennifer thinks they look like Thailand. Having not been there I can't say, but I doubt it. Some do remind me of Chinese hats though. The tall ones in this picture are 12 and 14 inches tall. I'm going to see how far I can go with them. They start getting a little wobbly at 12 inches and they want to droop. I just keep playing with them until they dry sufficiently to stand up on their own. I like 'em!

I can start my own city!

Kate

Okay... Even NEWER Stuff

I am totally enamoured of the small buildings that I've been working on. I think they're people. Gabe says that they remind him of one of his MarioWorld games, and suggests that I make a whole city of them. Now, I may make a city of them, but please, I'd like to wipe out the image of MarioWorld from my brain.

BECAUSE - NO, I don't want them to resemble mushrooms. I don't even like the image of mushrooms, although, one of the first experiences I had with clay was making two hand size mushrooms and they turned out pretty good.

Rambling aside, I like the image of twisty, turny buildings reaching up toward the sky. That's it, that's my whole reason. I'm just going to play that out til I run out of ideas.

So here are the pictures from the last couple of days.

Kate

Striving to Get On Board With This

Again, with the not 'blogging' in ages. Seriously, I'm trying to get regular with this, but it's been difficult to make regular entries when I've let myself just sort of flail around like a fish out of water after leaving my job. My job, my job, I LOVED my job.

So now it's been months, I've gotten used to it, sort of, and seem to be settling into some kind of pattern of producing some actual work.

It's 'work' to actually have to produce something creative MYself ... I mean as opposed to just working for someone else and collecting a paycheck. I did love those days, mind you, but there is something sort of raw and earthy about knowing that if you don't get a move on, *(Word: If I don't get a MOOOOveON)* and push MYself, NOTHING WILL GET DONE, and I'll have no one to blame but MYself. I hate that. I really hate it when it all falls on me.... I've no one else to shoulder my lack of creativity, or time management, or continuity of effort. Blechh....... just me. So I may as well get to it.

Attached, or next to, or on the side, wherever they get plugged in, are my latest ceramic efforts, which should keep me entertained for a while. I'm off the sewing for the time being and only in love with clay at the moment. Tell me what you think. Seriously!

Working on a new idea

Recently, I was asked if I wanted to participate in a Nativity exhibit to be held, I think, at the Chartreuse Muse (here in Modesto) and since I love wood, in addition to all the other mediums that I enjoy working with, I thought sure, and I should do it in wood.
I may decide to do something in fabric or in ceramic but this is what popped into my head today while I was in church.
I think this is totally do- able.
And I think I'll love it,
although I haven't decided
if I want to put color on it
or not. Maybe I'll do both.
My base (in my head) will
be an old fence board, and
scrap wood will be the
mountains, trees, well
everything. And then on
the sides I'll have maybe
old nails if I can find them,
and brightly colored
ceramic cirles.

I didn't have my colored
pencils in church.... good
thing too, somebody
would have poked me for
not paying attention.

Kate

Heading to the Mountains

So I'm heading to the mountains for the weekend to renew and refresh my soul.

We can all use a little dusting off, a little new information, a quiet chunk of time with God from time to time, and I'm really looking forward to it.

This is the first retreat with women I don't know, that I've ever attended. I've always shyed away because I don't feel particularly "clubby" or "groupie" - although I DO like a responsive audience I've decided. Maybe somebody told me that... I don't know, but it's true.
In any case, I'm already anticipating breaking from the group... for me, seeking God is somewhere in my alone time. I've heard horror stories of not getting any sleep, pranks, loud talking all night, in past years. While I'm all about being funny, I'm not so much about being annoyed, or being annoying.

I'm taking my devotional bible because there's some really good commentary as well as scripture, and my sketch book and charcoal, my camera, my pillow (that's all I need) and my down comforter. And my Excederin. That's all I need ... (ala Steve Martin in "The Jerk.") And my thermos. And my favorite tea bags. No candy. Well maybe SOME candy. Or maybe just an apple. (Really, I don't know why they're letting me come at all.)

Seriously though, for me to be at one with God, I just need to sit still in the quiet of the outdoors, surrounded by the tall trees and the brisk air. No big explanation... there IS someone much greater than I who controls the universe, by His very word and I'm good with that. Takes all that responsibility off my shoulders.

Yeah, that's pretty much all I need.

Change is Good.... right?

Again, I must apologize... if only to myself, for not posting in over a month. It seems by doing this, I send my own personal "idea" diary out into the universe and it comes back with notes and thoughts and some ideas from others, which is fascinating to me. It's amazing.

The reason for my long absence? Transition I think. I left a job that I loved, working with people that I love, just because I thought it was 'time to go' and while I'm searching for another one, I'm going to do my best to make my art, be that job.
I'm kind of on the fence about whether or not this will work. I think it could, I think I have enough ideas, a modicum of talent, bravery though? .... not so sure that I have enough of that. Confidence... sometimes yes, lots of times no. But I'm going to give it a shot anyway, because really in the end, what have I got to lose, and what am I doing anyway? I'm just waiting for my resume to knock someone over with my 'ability to juggle twelve tasks in a single bound' basically. And I think there's a zillion people like me looking for a job. So I leave my future in the hands of God, and I'll just put one foot in front of the other and it's alllllll going to work out.

Now, to post a bunch of pictures of my latest art journey.

Kate

One picture is the body of a diaper bag in-progress, that I am making for a lovely little friend and her new baby Wyatt. The usual bags are much too boring and I like the idea of a gypsy/hobo/funky bag much better. I hope she will too... and their last name begins with "Q" ... hence the BeBe'Q... get it?

I've been a slacker....

I've been a slacker with posting... and it's not because I've not been doing anything - it's just that I've not accomplished what I thought I would. Our daughter is moving home so that's created some bit of upheaval (?) because I've needed to move my sewing out of that room and into the already chaotic family room. Seriously ... no family would dare go in there for fear of getting lost. I know pretty much where everything is, but I am hardpressed to do anything about the clutter because I just don't know WHAT to do. I've got a conglomeration of pottery fired, and unfired, glaze, clay, three sewing machines, a couple of cabinets, a hutch, two rocking chairs, a big honkin coffee table, that's too big to be useful and ends up being a 'flat surface'... of which I am the Queen. "FlatSurface Queen" that's me. And that's not even all of it, I've got half a dozen large flat tubs of wonderful had-to-have-it fabric, my drafting table that was an antique I found at an estate sale, four three-drawer plastic rolling carts, a box of gourds... I never told you about those? I do gourds as well.... book I would throw myself in front of a train to protect, although I've not picked up a one of them.

Is there an organizer in the house? My kids mention CleanSweep once in a while but THAT is not the answer... I'll throw the stuff I'm not using away, but nobody is ever allowed to touch any art/craft supplies. Seriously! I've found that I can use the tiny bits of driftwood I've collected and brought home years ago, to hang my tiny quilt bits and they look cool!

So.... I'd love to hear from a clutter or former clutter queen and how they got their groove going by sifting and sorting through their stuff because I could sure use direction.

More later, with pics.

K