My residency at the “thinking playground” begins…

I’ve begun my five week artist residency at Elsewhere in Greensboro, NC!

elsewhere door sign
Front Door sign at Elsewhere

The day after I arrived was March Fourteenth (3.14) and so it was Pi day and we were served pies. Tables were appropriately decorated with paper mache pies.

Everyone signs up to be in charge of a dinner in pairs or threes. Following pi night, myself and two others prepared a traditional polish meal complete with poppy-seed cake and miniature polish flags to garnish the pierogis.

A typical kitchen scene at elsewhere:

picture of communal kitchen at Elsewhere
Kitchen Commons

Other things you will see around elsewhere…
a heart made of shoes on the ceiling:

heart made of shoes

an evening public talk held at the storefront with the windows open to the fresh night air so passers-by can listen in, (check out current elsewhere events calendar here)

artist talk at elsewhere storefront
Stephanie gives her welcome talk at Elsewhere storefront
a storefront talk at elsewhere
setting up for a storefront talk at elsewhere

Jordan having a moment with a plush toy:

a seal on a person's head
communing with seals

the elsewhere bike surrey:

bike surrey in greensboro nc
the elsewhere 6 seater bike surrey

elsewherians in the bike surrey:

elsewhere bike surrey
a lot of fun!

Stay tuned for more explorations and discoveries at elsewhere, as well as progress updates on my project.

New Gallery on Website

Hi Folks,

Just a little post to let you know I uploaded works from my latest show, “Sleeping in the Forest, Waking in the Desert” into a new page on my website. Go see them all together here.
Cheers!

photo of paintings in oil and watercolour
Sleeping in the Forest, Waking in the Desert screen shot

Girls raised by wolves eh?

Today’s art attack was inspired by reading the beginning chapter of St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell – author of Swamplandia.

Here is an excerpt:
“…with mosquito-blackened sills; a tin roof that hums with the memory of rain. I love it here. Whenever the wind gusts in off the river, the sky rains leaves and feathers. During mating season, the bedroom window rattles with the ardor of birds.
Now the thunder makes the window glass ripple like wax paper. Summer rain is still the most comforting sound that I know… In the distance, an alligator bellows…”

arial photo of art desk
In the studio
mixed media drawing of cabin in jungle
Deep in the Forest, mixed media, 10 x 11"

Wouldn’t you like to be Elsewhere?

Here is a postcard I made recently to accompany a residency application to Elsewhere in Greensboro, NC. Check it out, it looks like a fabulous place. Oh, and wish me luck!

Here is the front of my postcard:

hand drawn postcard
Elsewhere, mixed media on paper, 5 x 6"

And here is the back:

back of hand drawn postcard
Back of postcard, mixed media on paper, 5 x 6"

Everyone loves to colour!

I have been drawing a colouring/activity book on the theme of knitting.

There are many people who come to our local yarn shop for “knit night” every Friday and among them, many children. Although these kids at one time or another have been known to hunch together on the floor and crochet faster than your grandmother, sometimes I think they might like to do a little colouring. At least I did when I was a kid. A lot.

So I’m taking some copies of the six drawings I have completed so far to tonight’s meeting and we’ll see if I can get some of the small humans interested in colouring them. If I succeed I’ll post pictures of them soon!

This is not our shop but a space I visit in my head at the end of the day when I’m actually in the corner of my living room… you can join me if you wish!

colouring book of yarn shop
Knit shop, ink on paper (for now!), 11 x 14"

 

A little doodle turned… textile design?

What started out as a bit of a doodle slowly turned into a pleasing design to me. Once I added the colour… BAM: I envistioned a skirt made out of in the Salvation army. The lines and colours are maybe just a tad awkward and unique… but I’d wear it 😉

ink and watercolour drawing of floral pattern
Floral Pattern, watercolour and ink on paper

A change in temperature

I thought it was time to post a drawing of winter… this was drawn/painted from a picture I took this winter. What is happening under all the snow? It’s a gorgeous world of faded autumn colours and rotting vegetation and cool shadows. A nice contrast to the heat waves of summer so many of us are experiencing.

watercolour drawing of vegetation
In Winter, watercolour on paper, 11 x 14"