Roots N' Shoots Color

What once was white ..... 

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth......" ~Budda

.....dye baths at work        2010   eakf

I find it interesting to watch how all manner of things trend & cycle. Currently, I am following the surge/expansion in Fiber Arts ~ both in how fibers & fabrics are produced, altered, or prepped, as well as how they are then incorporated into Art.
   For one thing, I am happy to see the renewed interest in using natural dyes (Earth Hues) and the integration of fibers & fabrics into innovative mixed media explorations. I like that artists (from all walks) are crossing old lines between Art categories, and continually improving/developing techniques while still preserving original foundations of same. A look at natural dyes and their history helps illustrate this nicely. (There are a number of great new books out on this)
   We know that pigments from the earth (and it's kingdoms) supplied the first "art mediums" and that over time, as now, man - the innovator - learned more &  more about culling colors from Nature's bounties. As children we all had clues to this, as we returned home with grass stained knees after a visit to the playground or berry stained fingers from a"pick your own" field adventure.
   I have enjoyed altering colors of both paper & fibers off & on over the years; most recently this past fall, when I did a unit on natural dyes at school. To watch the students react to seeing a bag of papery dry onion skins become a dye bath that turned white cloth into subtle but lovely golden to rosy hues was very rewarding. Then to incorporate those materials into an art work - even better!
   So, even if you have no desire to begin to forage & harvest roots & shoots (and petals, nuts, fruits etc) ~ next time there is a bit left in the coffee or tea pot ~ what say you put it in a container, add heavy paper or a cut of cloth & see what you get ...... then ....... see where it takes you!
   ~ and always remember ~
"As the sun colors flowers, so does Art color life"  ~ John Lubbock

Dragonfly Power (aka The Power of Influence)

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may not remember; involve me and I will understand"
~ Native American Proverb

Zen Odonata    8"x8" scratchboard    eakf

Earlier this week I enjoyed the very special experience of re-connecting with a powerful influence from my past. The desire to do this began in 2007 during my 12 week journey through The Artist's Way  ( J. Cameron). In week one of this course, you are tasked to use "Time Travel" exercises to explore your past for both the positive & negative influences on you as a creative. Once identified, you are then encouraged to send a thank you note to a long-lost mentor.
OK ~ So the name instantly on top of my list was Kay Walking Stick, one of my Art professors in college. I was lucky to have Kay for more than one studio course, and from day one she was magic for me. She is of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and her style, her Art and her heart all reflected that communion with the Spirits ...... and, like a Totem ( mine is Odonata ~ the Dragonfly), she empowered me.
She had the capacity to push & pull so much more out of me than I knew was there ( in those early days of being creative). I still often "feel" her hand literally pulling me back by the collar when I got too close to my easel and therefore fell into my intense-detailed mode (a NO NO left brain place).
    In 07, I researched to see if she still lived and where, but it was only a few days ago that I finally composed and sent her an e-mail. I had NO expectations to hear back - after all I was a student of hers 35 years ago !! Imagine my extreme delight when she answered with a lovely ( so her style ) e-mail. Oh, did I mention that over these last 35 years she earned a Doctoral degree, taught Art for 17 years at Cornell and has her Art all over the country ? This "connection exercise" has been rewarding and energizing, and I am thankful that I finally did this.

So ~ Who is in your Hall of Champions? What sources have given you creative power? I would suggest that it is time well spent to reflect a bit on this, to re-connect with positives from your past, and be in communion with the Spirit.   May the force be with you........

Awaken the sleeping blog ~

Oh my ! What was only to be a little blog nap turned into a Rip van Winkle sleep !! 
It is the New Year (2011) and high time to awaken this sleeping blog. My thoughts at this time of turning - old to new - are formed by questions & meditations ...... "Where is the meaning?" ...... "What will I do/ be/ see in this New Year?" ....."How will I know what & where?"
I turn to Aguste Rodin's ~The Thinker ~ a long time favorite sculpture ( and artist ) of mine. I was fortunate to visit the Muse'e Rodin in Paris (1976) and more recently to stroll through the Rodin Sculpture Garden at Stanford University (2006). On the pedestal of Stanford's Thinker is carved the question " Where is the meaning?"
The Thinker ( originally titled The Poet ) shows a man in deep meditation and is often used to represent philosophy. So with him as my January muse ~ I go forward mindfully to set goals, to learn something new EVERY day, to be inspired by Mother Nature and other simple things and to joyfully share my creativity where ever possible.
May this New Year of 2011 be Wonder-filled, Full-filled, and Peace-filled for all of us.