flyover

I looked up from my book just in time to see this, which is NOT my photo, because I was sitting there grinning like an idiot at the spectacle. It was really much better than this picture - much lower and closer and I could see the green spike of the Statue of Liberty just to the left out of this frame.

This is the LaGuardia Airport approach to NYC on American Airlines. I've been flying into White Plains for some many years that I had forgotten how amazing NYC looks from the air.  Here in the suburbs an hour north, there is still a lot of snow on the ground. There won't be any time for a visit to the city this trip, but I will make time in the near future.  It's been too long.

(Reuters/Gary Herschorn)

money laundering

That's right. You read it here. A new low in procrastination activities - someone call the Guiness book of records!

I'm supposed to be packing for NY but packing must always (in my house anyway) be preceded by a paroxysm of laundering the stuff that's been hanging around waiting it's turn.

I started obsessing about a misplaced wheat penny that Jake gave me last week and I peeked into the half full change pot that I keep on top of the dryer. Tips for the maid are always clanking around in there trying to drive me nuts.

I stirred the coins on top with a finger and was appalled to find that SOMEONE dropped a Jolly Rancher in there which melted and half of the coins were stuck together with sugary goo. <sigh> Yes, I washed them and will pick through them half heartedly for that wheat penny which is most probably in the desk drawer with other keepsakes.  I tell myself it was Ant Defense but I know the truth.

dreams afoot

I'm starting to imagine the kind of things I'll be working on at ACA.  This piece is six by twelve feet.. There will be some color too, but I wanted to stop here with just an impression.

I'm one of those artists who do not keep a sketch book. I rarely even doodle because I've found that once I've put a thought on paper, there it stays. I could challenge that, of course, but I woke up with this in my head and needed to keep it. The ones that come in dreams need to be attended to closely. All the designs I've been working on lately have fit within a seven inch circle.

Time to break out.

A question for my readers who dye their own cloth with Procion MX... Which is your favorite black and why?

satisfied

These little projects are divided into three very separate parts. The design of the of the art itself (there is a secret around that part which I'll reveal in time).

Then comes the search for the text which mostly comes from listening to music which is ongoing and finally, the technical execution of the layout and stitching of the words.

Picking out letters on this one injured the base cloth so I excised the art and reset it onto a new piece of damask and started over. It's available here.

Here's the inspiration. I like the film rendition better than Buddy Holly's version.

the comfort of close focus

These two kept me occupied through a difficult weekend but I was daydreaming of larger work..arms thrown wide work, and making a list.

This is the Heart of Rock & Roll #1...yeah, there will be others.

I'm not happy with the way the text turned out on this one so I've digitally removed it here so I won't throw out the baby with the bathwater. I'll take the time to pick out the text and start it over.    "True Love Ways"