the patina of a life expressed...

Life, Pulse and Home...Life Pulse OF Home...

2011-02-13T23:11:00.006-05:00

Pulse...continued

11 x 14 mixed media on watercolour paper

I have been going with the flow working on the Pulse series (above) and with very cool ideas popping into my head for future pieces. I say 'future' because I need to be able to utilize my outside studio that still needs winterizing. Awhile back, I took over the third bedroom upstairs. It's a cute space that I re-did before Thanksgiving simply using what we already had, but it is far too small for any serious getting-down-to-it-creating. Some pics far, far below...

her cross to bear ~ 11 x 14 mixed media on watercolour paper

There is a silver lining ~ 11 x14 mixed media on watercolour paper* these are not photographing very well...please forgive.
These paintings for me are an exercise in letting go...just allowing myself to create from an unknown place, again with no intended result, other than they 'resemble' the original pieces in the Pulse series. So many times, I find myself overwhelmed with a desire to answer something, to find the essence of what it is that I am doing and why and for whom etc etc...The words do not come easily. I am trying to depict, above all, E M O T I O N S. This is probably true for most artists. Feelings and emotions are what drive me forward, and yes, I know we women have that innate tendency to be emotional, I get it, but for very good reasons. We are emotional creatures, but we are also very powerful creatures and that also needs expression.

Now onto my home photos...Wish I could show you the before pictures, but trust me, my old emerald green carpet in the living room, you DO NOT want to see...

These are a few charming landscape paintings I bought at an antique shop. The globe was my brothers growing up and the globe kept slipping out of the floor stand so I hung it from the ceiling with twine.

The corner of the library/indoor studio/office above...and some mini-scapes city/or landscape, whichever way you view them :)

This will be my new studio once it's finally winterized, hopefully, early summer this will be completed. It's a great size and attached to my garage. I'm not sure if I will keep it rustic looking or spruce it up and go for that 'industrial' gallery look that I like so much. I do know that it could use some skylights and a good old-fashioned cleaning ;)

Living room After ~That little blur at the bottom of the photo is Oliver ;) He's appearing like an apparition ;) and he's exactly the reason I have my sofa seats covered, that and because I have kids ;)

I am planning on refinishing or selling the french country tables. I've had them for years...Not sure what style I'm going for next but there are sooo many to choose from. I don't want matching pieces. I love incorporating different styles. It appeals to my bohemian side. Note: If you look up toward the ceiling beam you can see the striping affect and how it looks in different lighting. A great trick when your home is lacking in architectural things like crown moulding etc or needs some added dimension. An added bonus is that the vertical stripes make the ceiling and walls appear taller.

To the left is that table I may have posted before. It needs refinishing but I absolutely love it, especially the legs.

my fave new oil-rubbed bronze floor lamp and my gorgeous new custom craftsman style door...that also needs the outer trim installed...I will have to dig up another shot or two of the door to better see it. I did all the staining myself and I chose a b e a u t i f u l dental shelf on the outside of the door. All done in english walnut. I am in love with my door!!

do you think I'm making my point? LOL~ I am the Queen of My Abode! HaHa

This is the crown I mentioned last summer that I bought in Vermont.

I found these frames ages ago antiquing and they ARE old. The outer frame is HUGE (I paid $1 for it) ~ I left them exactly as I found them. They're in my bedroom. As you can see I'm still choosing the right colour for this room, going on 4 1/2 years now ;)

...the beads on the table are an oversized rosary my BFF brought me from ~~Mexico,~~ truthfully, New Mexico and it came with a pink plastic Jesus so I removed him. I just couldn't look at his likeness molded in such cheap plastic. I am waiting on a new giant rosary from Mexico, this time around. Did I ever mention how much I LOVE religious history, art and artifacts?...I really do, even though I do not consider myself religious.

My Tiger Chairs

This is the striping affect I achieved in my living room re-do. They're 10 inch stripes that alternate between flat and glossy paint in the same colour. The color is Mayonnaise by Benjamin Moore ( a completely unglamorous name for a paint colour huh?). I also painted and distressed my oak wainscoting. I like the mix (could have used the word juxtaposition but I won't ;) of the more rustic finish on the wainscoting with the striping, which is more classic. I am still waiting on the quarter round trim at the bottom to be installed. When you remodel an older home you find lots of tricky things like unlevel flooring or walls or both and outdated popcorn ceilings...ugh, but just pretend you don't see them, that's what I do! ...And, of course, I have more to do like change out the ceiling fixtures. I'm thinking ceiling medallions with some chandeliers? maybe?...It is never ending.
So this is my life as I know it ~ everchanging, evergrowing, everevolving... Thanks for visiting!
*note: this was originally set to post on January 28th...boy did I get sidetracked ;)

Pulse...continued...

2011-01-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

As I spend as much time as I can on the PULSE series, I reflect on the silence that winter brings and in contrast, the exuberant feeling that comes when we step out into the frigid cold air, (that is, for those of us in the northern hemisphere :).
Winter is a time of rest, and respite but on certain days it is like a gust of possibilities beckoning to life under the blanket of sleep, of snow. It is that pulse of life that keeps us living, moving, accepting change and pondering possibilities. I enjoy this time in the dead of winter to contemplate, to dream and to create. I love and need this time. Though that blast of cold air is truly living in the present moment!

Here is my latest version of Pulse ... 'inner landscapes' coming to life.

Pulse...continued... 11 x 14 mixed media on watercolour paper

Pulse...magnified

Primal ~ 11 x 14 mixed media on watercolour paper(I was taking a break from Pulse and suddenly Primal appeared)...

Primal ~ close up

tree in its former life

This is a tree in its former life sitting atop my neighbor's hill; the hill I look out on each day as I head out my front door. The tree, ultimately struck by lightning, has been gone for about three years now. I captured this beauty in the spring, summer, fall and winter. The best ones shrouded in the morning mist...There is something very mystical about a lone tree..........and I missed this one so much that I planted one in my own yard.

until next time...

HGTV Dream Home in Stowe Vermont.?...Shut Up!

2011-01-07T11:11:00.001-05:00

It has been awhile...

Happy to pop in and say hello...so...Hello!

Imagine my surprise to find the HGTV Dream Home 2011 is located in Stowe, Vermont. Mere miles from my favourite of Burlington, VT ~ Truth be told, I love all of VT and hope to explore more of it in 2011.
Back to this stunner of a home (view it here! ) ...It's truly fantastic. I watched some videos that delved into the intense construction and attention to detail, both environmentally as well as structurally and with attention paid also to heating and sealing efficiency = Happiness! This sturdy, architecturally appealing abode also exhibits a not-too-shabby interior, though more modern than I prefer. I actually prefer the guest bedroom over the master bedroom, especially the colours as they are very similar to my current master bedroom colours. Needless to say, I am entering twice per day as allowed and as time allows. I would go in a heart beat if I were to win this stunner! I am not a skier but hey, I can invite friends and family up to ski and I will simply sit with my hot cocoa and watch them having a great time. Did I mention how swoon- worthy that copper chimney is? Rocks my world! I would love to have the gutters on my home redone in copper and add some copper rain chains. They are so unique! and I can even envision a copper roof = exquisite! I digress, sorry, fyi, Mount Mansfield is the largest mountain range in VT. This home is located at the base of the mountain. I love it there!

I also have some paintings to share. I have several that never made it onto this blog due to business, bad internet and honestly, some lousy photos (need a DSLR camera). This particular painting was made as a gift. It is a large 24 x 36 mixed media on masonite. I love working on masonite and was totally aiming for an *industrial* look. Photo is not the best but you get the idea, in fact, I'll include some photos of it in 3 different pieces.

PASSION in part

I have to say working on this one was a great experience. This one went through many a transformation before I decided on the finished version. So many layers, techniques and this is one of my fave palettes to work with.

Next up...these are all very recent paintings...haven't even uploaded them to my art site as yet. (I better get busy!)...

Pulse I ~ 16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

Pulse ~ the series ~ 9 x 12 mixed media on watercolour paper

This is a series (in progress) I have entitled PULSE...this stems from my desire to capture a more visceral existence on canvas; the pulse or heartbeat of life and love. I have found myself drawn further and further into depicting the *visceral* through word and paint. I respond to the raw and to the real and all of my art attempts to create from an emotional stance vs. intellectual. This has always been my method, though I wasn't always able to put IT into words.

In Repose ~ 16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

The Masculine Force ~ 16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

*The two above were painted back to back and are displayed as stacked. These were also gifted. Many of my recent paintings have been gifted...Tis the season ;)

These two are as yet untitled and were both created with mixed media on 9 x 12 watercolour paper.

This is just a sampling of what I have been up to. I am working on a few projects but especially on the PULSE series, which has been very therapeutic, especially during these frigid temps we've had to endure here in NY.

I hope you have enjoyed catching up and I will catch up with you soon at your places...:) Happy New Year!

until next time~

VT Tour ~ Part II ...the arts

2010-08-23T18:23:00.000-04:00

The arts in VT are tremendous. I think that was one of the major draws for me way back when. Naturally, Burlington is an Artsy city and filled with eclectic diversity and this trip delivered on all fronts. I spent hours at the Shelburne Museum which had a fantastic Ansel Adams and Edward Burtynsky exhibition. This was so awesome and I must admit though I love Ansel Adams' work, I was completely enthralled with discovering Edward Burtynsky's amazing works, especially his Oil and VT Quarry photos. Actually, they're all fantastic. Ideally they should be viewed in person to get the full-effect. I was in *patina* heaven as his work truly represents the (mostly) man made patina's that appear on the landscape via, oil, corrosion, etc.
here's a sampling: Take a look at the port-a-potty and the man so very near the edge. Yikes!!! I said to the woman guide at the exhibition how I loved the juxtaposition of Adams' natural landscapes against Burtynsky's man made landscapes . That IS what makes it so intriguing. She then said she was going to use what I said in her talk on the exhibition the following week... Just sayin as that was pretty cool! ;)

these are stunning and I can't get enough of his work, especially brilliant in person because of the actual size of these works! Anyone afraid of heights? Click on Quarries in VT also here: Oil_Book_Gallery/

the art of ACTION ideas + action = change

Invitation to Hope by Janet McKenzie ~ oil on canvas 39" x 51" ~ $7500 I was captivated her work. Very inspiring pieces as well. I loved her brushwork and concept is right up my alley. You know I love to attempt to capture emotions in my paintings.

David Brewster ~ Mountain Ridge Flying Knives ~ Oil on Mi-tientes 32 x 48 ~ $5500 This was a really wonderful project to inspire change via the arts in Vermont. their motto:ONE IDEA. TEN ARTISTS. 100 PIECES OF ART. INFINITE PERSPECTIVES ACHIEVED

This is Thunder. He is a part lab mix. He was a huge dog and so sweet and gentle. He liked me, so we hung out for quite some time. After visiting him I walked to the waterfront to enjoy a maple flavoured 'creemee' soft serve ice cream cone...:)
SHELBURNE MUSEUM TOUR A little background on the founder of the Shelburne Museum: Electra Havemeyer Webb (1888~1960)#1 Extremely wealthy#2 Painted by Mary Cassatt#3 Her father became rich from the sugar industry. Her mother and father both came from wealthy families. #4 Her parents were encouraged by Mary Cassatt to begin collecting Impressionist paintings by then unknowns like Monet and Degas, to name a few. Electra's parents, especially her mother Louisine were credited for being the pioneers encouraging Americans to collect European art. More about the inception of the Shelburne Museum, Electra and Family

In a memoriam to Electra and her husband, their children created this memorial to her after her death...Everything in this memorial was once a part of their Manhattan apartment in the city that she grew up in. The rooms were recreated here exactly as they were, with very few structural changes. Amazing stuff! They even had the woodwork, wall treatments, etc taken down and reconstructed in the memorial. It was unbelievable. The woodwork (mostly European) was so intricate and beautiful that it rivaled even the original paintings of so many famous artists.

The Greek Revival exterior as lovely as it is, was not the style of the Manhatten apartment.

Their entire dining room exclusively displayed original Monet paintings. Viewing the original Manet, Monet, Degas, Cassatt etc works here, was breathtaking.

Mary Cassatt painting

Electra Havemeyer Webb Pictured above with her folk art collection

This was part of a folk art collection of Electra's ~ Wood statues like this were used to sell tobacco. They were typically displayed under shop awnings and protected from the elements. I love the details on this one. The Museum houses many different exhibitions to include an old mercantile and apothecary:

so many concoctions...

total exposure...ugh ;)

Adam Kalkin's container house. Primarily made of recycled shipping containers. This place was awesome to view. I think it is ingenious, actually.

Here's the stainless kitchen island:

I have a thing for industrial spaces so I could so work with this kitchen!
There was also a truly emotional body of work of quilts made to document lives that have been affected by and lost toAlzheimer's Disease. Beautiful, emotive quilts that I have displayed below. This is just a sampling. I have goose bumps reliving the memory of having viewed these and having read their personal stories. from the museum page: Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece is a poignant new exhibition about Alzheimer’s, its impact on those affected by the disease and the artistic expression of complex emotions felt by those confronting the disease. The exhibition includes 52 quilts, many made by caregivers or family members of victims. Each piece is a moving visual representation of experiences their makers have had from tributes to loved ones to encouragement for caregivers. Accompanying each quilt is an artist’s statement that conveys the story that inspired the work, as well as related facts about the disease that educate the viewer about Alzheimer’s.Here are some of them:

This is the circle barn where the Alzheimer's quilt exhibit was located.

This was the Circus Exhibit, This silo is 80 feet in diameter and was flown in via helicopter, from Maine, I think.Here are more beauties from The Shelburne Museum grounds...

I think this was the original Colchester Lighthouse

A period house from 1600's?

Gardens

Yep, this is what I call BLISS

Love me a Willow Tree...
There was also an exhibition of the work of : Jay Hall Connaway ( 1893-1970): A Restless Nature... I loved the emotive nature of his paintings. Something I have tried to capture with my own. I am all about emotions and trying to capture them via any medium.

I love this one below by Connaway

A collection of Band Boxes ~ Electra was a collector of many things.

Now onto the Fleming Museum at UVM (University of Vermont) grounds...

There was a fun & unique photobooth exhibition taking place. I had one done (after spending about 5 hours in the rain at the Shelburne Museum) ;)...I liked that *glow* on the crown of my head. Could this mean that I am angelic? ;) haha...

Here's one of the cutest ones:
This woman reminds me of what my late Grandma looked like when she was younger, but that's NOT Grandpa ;)

Think about the fun that people had when these booths first came into existence. Some were sad tho' taken of soldiers returning from war. See more here:

also the workings of a photobooth here:

photobooth inners

New wave of bumper stickers...I couldn't choose just one!

Here are 5 maps I found in the Shelburne Country store. They are so nice and the lake ones are the ones I like best. I decided what better way to show the Love for my favourite place, than to display them in my office re-do. I haven't decided on frames yet and I like the idea of framing them under plexiglass.

The Shelburne Country Store
has something called: Every Kids Dream!...
in a box ;)
Ribbons were an added treat.

needless to say, my kids so enjoyed this treat of old-fashioned rock candy, etc.
~
Out for a drive...

An abandoned house I saw sooo much potential in...

I would LOVE to buy my Christmas tree here! I can just picture this place all lit at Xmas time.

I am recollecting that exact feeling I had while standing here that night looking down toward the lake. I am sad that summer is almost over...

My last night I was surprised by this lovely, serenely pink rainbow at sunset...pic was taken from my hotel window. This was so apropos and was clearly a prophetic symbol of all the good things that would come to pass upon my return home. Yep, Life is sweet!

the next morning it poured and poured then cleared to this...

Oh, I so wanted to make that same turn and head back up North...

I hope you enjoyed the final tour of my treasured place of Vermont.
Thanks for visiting!

bennington potters NORTH ~ I could live here!

2010-08-11T08:58:00.002-04:00

bennington potters NORTH ~ Talk about curb appeal!

bennigton potters NORTH located on College Street, in Burlington, VT is a shop I fell in love with! I can't tell you how excited I was to find this place. They not only have some uniquely chic items, the 'urban chic' design of the store is what makes me gaga. I love industrial spaces and want my studio to look similar to this. I love the huge windows, brick walls, exposed beams, heat ducts, staircases, pillars, etc. All very inspiring! So this post is simply a tour of this gorgeous shop that I could see myself living inside of...;) enjoy...

those chairs have quiet the view! Those wall sculptures are actually made of recycled oil drums.

Lamp Love!

stairway to 3 floors of heaven!

paper lanterns...nice!

I really can see this place as an ultra perfect studio!!!

next time it's all about the arts in Burlington...until then...

all images taken by Calli and with permission :) ~ July 2010

Come tour VT with me...

2010-08-01T15:00:00.002-04:00

As promised a tour of my recent trip. I honestly had the very best time and I have to say, solo trips are essential. That's a tough one for many people because we feel we have to have someone with us sharing the sights, sounds, food, etc BUT how about this? the concept of sharing with our SELF? Traveling is incredible to begin with but then take yourself wherever you wish and its joy increases tenfold. I loved every second of it! I felt changes were coming in my life and this time for me was a way of celebrating the growth in my life and the many incredible things to come. If we are in tune, we can sense the power of great things even before they arrive. Enough said for now, here is a visual tour of what I saw and commentary of course, simply because you know I love sharing!

traditional view of Church Street

view from Bank Street parking

T-shirt guy~ he told me this was once the home of The Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Such humble beginnings.

isn't that clock just awesome?!

I just love the ambiance inside and outside of this place. It is truly *Old World*...and the music they play takes you to another place and time...

Leunig's or maybe some yoga?

Lots of musicians can be found and the occasional magician

okay so you know this bohemian loved this cow!!!

This cow was so detailed and ultra fab to look at...............cow collage ;)

This storefront display was SO COOL!!!

a great little used bookshop ~ bought me some Keats.

more cows

the cows are part of a campaign for childhood hunger see logos below

lovely ...

can you say CHOCOLAT?...

'Go Play' day for the kids...they had a great parade up Church Street and then onto the park for some fun

for a little tribal dancing

was a fun unexpected outing!

a typical day on Church...always the streets are filled.

and even some protestors...

Three Tomatoes Restaurant

they make the best wood smoked pizza...onions, roma tomatoes, apple slices and Vermont made cheddar cheese...So good!

Burlington Waterfront ~ Lake Champlain
Free Spirit Charters ~ great name :)

reflections...

Artist market each & every Saturday...

If you look hard enough, there is always a great Irish Pub to be found ;)My kind of place and yes, I am a RED SOX fan!!!

Drive by...

The Adirondack Mountains in NY ~ directly across Lake Champlain in Shelburne, mere miles from downtown Burlington.

Real cows ;)

Shelburne VT

Shelburne

this is someone's view just at the end of their driveway...Sweet canopy of a view!

one of those lucky shots!!!

The beach facing NY's Adirondack Mountains

Loved this shot...pondering a dive?

Winooski lookout...

I just like this shot. It's the upstairs of Urban Outfitter's store...I have a thing about industrial spaces..........

A sublime balmy evening ~ Honestly, I never wanted to leave that night.

This concludes part 1 of the tour. Hope you enjoyed!

all photos by Calli

Paintings and Patina's ...

2010-07-26T14:12:00.001-04:00

It has been a long time and much to catch up on...This is the painting that I did for my Chiropractor's office a few months ago. They're Kanji script symbols for Energy, Peace, and Love (Love being my fave ~I will probably have this tattoo one day). This is not the best photo but the painting glows where it resides. His office is somewhat Zenlike and I wanted to create something that is an expression of what he does. An exceptional chiropractor blends a number of modalities into his work and this is reflected in the painting; the flow of energy along the meridian or spinal column. Peace because there is a feeling of peace after one has had adjustments done (if only temporary) and Love because love is the basis of all things to include healing...:)

12 x 12 mixed media on canvas

You may remember my published self-portrait where I have also painted the Kanji Script symbol for LOVE. Maybe, I'll skip the tattoo idea and just keep putting it in my paintings ;) She sits in my foyer.

she is a work in progress ~ 30 x 40 mixed media on canvas

This is my new screen that I found in an antique shop in Hammondsport weeks ago. It is PERFECT in my dining room, tho' it was not my original intent to place it there. It needs a good cleaning and polishing, but for under $50 ~ A fortunate find indeed!

This is an abstract that I finished prior to my trip, also painted with no intention of the outcome...These are usually my favourite paintings.

18 x 24 mixed media on canvas ~ note: my good friend Anna who lives just outside of Seattle, said that this painting would do very well there. She said, "I imagine myself sitting at the lakes edge in my hiking boots taking in the view"...nice description Anna!

16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

Here is a nude that I also painted with no intention if its outcome. She looks so much better in person. I was painting with feeling and not at all concerned with exactness of anatomy, form etc. My new fab find is an unbleached white paint and I simply love it!
...and so I hope you enjoyed catching up a bit. I will be back to post several photos from my recent trip to Vermont. You'll enjoy, I promise! And, if you'd like please visit Shades of Grey soon for some poetry that sat in my edits since last year and called out to be published.

much love~

Bohemian Classic...

2010-05-27T10:56:00.003-04:00

Just stepping in to say hello to those of you readers who did not get my update post on my other blog. Here's the link if you'd like to peek in:
Shades of Grey
Speaking of other blogs, I am trying to come up with a way to merge the two. I am stuck. I love the background and concept and design on the poetry blog and love the clean lines of this one. This is a prime example of my aesthetic in design. I am eclectic and am drawn to a free-spirited bohemian way of decorating as well as to clean lines and simplicity. And, so as I merge these differing traits in my real life, I will attempt to do the same here. I took a fun quiz once (can't find the link) that determined that I was a 'Bohemian Classic' as far as design goes. Um, yep, pretty much true.
If i haven't mentioned it before all things Design are my other love. I am drawn to this more and more. I love taking something old and making it new and even more beautiful. At times, I prefer to keep something in its old and worn state because its patina lends a warm and welcoming charm. My future projects will be where fashion meets fine art and where fine art meets design. Designs are in the works! That is my only hint. I just felt the need to shake things up a bit and take my creativity to a different level. I am still painting on a regular basis. I am also, if you read on my other blog, renovating and re-designing many rooms in my home. Unfortunately, I have taken on too much at one given time so I need to ease back a bit and go slower. I'd love to post pics of my happenings but my USB port(s) on my laptop are apparently malfunctioning and will not recognize my cameras. That will be rectified soon, I hope. If anyone knows how to fix this issue, please do let me know.
For now I leave you with these...and one has nothing to do with the other ~ just random pics to peruse :)
These are my new accent chairs but this is not my photo. The chairs are much larger than they appear and darker in real life.........I love my chic accent chairs!!!

Just a *very old* watercolour painting of mine. I rarely work in watercolour now.

This was a lovely send from my awesome friend RO and I wanted to share it with YOU! See you soon~
© 2010
peace sign pic and painting by me

the patina of a life expressed...

2010-04-29T12:55:00.001-04:00

As I posted on my other blog, I have been in a whirlwind of activity, hence my absence from blogging.
I have many wonderful happenings and hope to share more soon...
but for now here is a hodge podge of photos...

me in sepia tones...

this is an oil on board of a girl named Anna ~ painted in 1860, when she was 20 years old. She lived to be 80. There are details with her full name, mention of grandchildren etc on the back of the painting. I wish the photo was nicer to show the richness of the colours. Something drew me to her. I had the frame but bought the painting for $20 at my local antique shop. She's haunting...and she's my new Lady in Red, as Steve has the other...:)

This is my dining room chalkboard and I change the message on a regular basis. Sometimes in french, sometimes displaying a menu ~ anything goes!

These are my words..."In the Garden of Life, you'll always find Beauty, if you look for it"...

My studio is on the move...It will reside in its own special place very soon.

Under construction ..;)

the stain of pain (close-up) ~ 16 x 20 charcoal and coffee on canvas

This is a lovely vintage card table that I recently picked up. I just fell in love with it! I love the style of the legs and it looks like a very old oil painting.

This photo was going to be titled: 'Pain Lives Here'...because among all the good happenings in my life, I am spending more and more time with my Chiropractor :((

in his office is a large print of Picasso's 'Blue Nude' and it along with my back pain ~ ugh! inspired me to paint these...but I try never to dwell on the negative.

coffee and charcoal on canvas when they wips (works-in-progress)

(crazy? I know, but I love my coffee :)

me in b & w ...somebody needs a haircut ;)

Anyway, I hope to see you soon! I have not been able to make my round of visits and for that I am sorry. At times, life moves at such a wicked pace and weeks go by before you know it. I leave you with a smile and much love...
© 2010

Hi everyone! ...Spring is here!!

2010-03-26T12:10:00.003-04:00

beautiful mistake in my studio
Hi everyone! Sorry it has been ages since I last posted, two months...wow! I have been increasingly busy but wanted to make sure to pop in to give an update. I also want to apologize for being MIA from visiting your blogs as well. I miss visiting all of you!

This is just a pictorial post showing some of the things I've been up to...

this (work-in-progress) painting was prior to my trip to Arizona ~ Me thinks I had the desert on my mind...she is titled: 'My Aboriginal Self' and is a 16 x 20 mixed media on canvas.

Sunrise my first morning there...ahh

outdoor wedding in AZ

taking an old black/grey weather worn window and giving it a nice patina!

and a shelf...

Ali *creating* a snowman after the last major snowfall

getting the art table ready for 3

Logan painting a volcano!

Ali (God I LOVE her auburn hair)

Amidst these busy times taking time out to *reflect* and *meditate* is necessary...

My waterfall ~ the largest of several...oh the lovely sounds they make when flowing...a sanctuary in our own backyard. As I write this post at my desk I am looking up and my view is of this waterfall.
See You Soon!

all photos by Calli ~ 2010

love bordering on graffiti...

2010-01-25T14:11:00.003-05:00

love bordering on graffiti
16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

You may be asking asking why? why does she title a painting

love bordering on graffiti? well, good question. I ask myself the same ;)

Often times, the title just pops in and other times, I give it deeper thought.

This is one of those times when the title just popped!

Does it make sense? probably only to me, but I'll attempt explanation.

love bordering on graffiti, to me, is the after-affect of loving someone

who was very wrong, hence the markings on her face and imagine the markings from the damage and the hurt within.....collateral damage for giving

her heart to someone who clearly did not deserve her devotion.

Sad but true and so love can get ugly at times. Ugly in the sense that some people speak of love, write of love, dream of love but they know nothing about l o v e...BUT they are really good at making us think they do.

I love with my whole heart and I

don't regret ever doing so, I only regret how blindly and for how long.

I loved someone who was wrong for me, but he was also right in far too many ways, which should have been my first clue.

Lesson learned: Do not give your whole heart and trust; without it being fully earned.

Simple huh? well, it is for those who are capable of turning off those feelings ar at least slowing them down to the point of saying okay, "I must take my time here." However, admittedly, this has never been my strong suit, BUT IT IS NOW! :)

love is human

love is flawed

but to love is to breathe

and i want to keep breathing

voice interrupted...abstraction in love - 2 new paintings...

2010-01-22T10:16:00.004-05:00

voice interrupted

12 x 24 mixed media on canvas

abstraction in love

12 x 24 acrylic on canvas

I usually approach an abstract painting 'intuitively,' meaning I have no preconceived ideas.

Though with 'voice interrupted' I did begin with a rough sketch of a child and a woman. When I started to paint the woman and child I was thinking about vulnerability. I was thinking about a woman's voice; her symbolic voice. Her uniqueness. I was thinking about her inner child and how in her adulthood, it is her inner child

that is in despair when her heart is broken. I was thinking about those grey areas.

Vulnerability is a tricky thing. Acutely apparent no matter the circumstances. If we are open, we are open to vulnerability. Many times we chance our vulnerabilities and can be exposed to psychological manipulators. There are those in life who will take advantage and prey upon the most vulnerable. That is something I only touch upon here but I know the 'Universe' will have its say in those matters.

And at the same time we cannot truly love unless we allow ourselves that vulnerability.

It is a catch 22 to be sure.

abstraction in love was purely driven by intuition. With only 'abstraction' and perhaps 'symmetry' in mind. I allow my feelings and emotions to flow and whatever comes ~ comes. Obviously, the Japanese Kanji script symbol for love was deliberately painted in. You will find this symbol in many of my paintings. I should get a tattoo of this very symbol and place it near my heart, for I wear my love on my heart like a tattoo or badge. That is why in my recently published self-portrait you may recall I painted the same symbol over my heart. The other elements in this painting are the sky , earth and wings of love and also those wings took on the symbol of a Phoenix bird in flight. This I noticed after finishing the painting. The Phoenix symbolizes re-birth and this is a prevalent time, personally for me, and I am sure this is true for many of you. A re-birth of intentions, of love and of creating anew. There is a re-birth after each natural disaster such as the one that will eventually take place in Haiti.

And after all, it is a new year and the possibilities are endless...

...So, here we have two very definitive meanings behind these paintings, at least for me and though I have purposefully left some of the symbolism out of my descriptions, I am fully open to your interpretations.

I love knowing what you see and feel.

AND most importantly...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my son, LOGAN!

Who is 8 years old today...:)

Momma loves you little man!

POEMFLESH2: DIALOGUE an interview...

2010-01-18T19:19:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! …I would love for

you to visit my dear friend and fellow blogger Cynthia of POEMFLESH2: DIALOGUE. Cynthia asked if I would like to be a part of her new blog format and partake in an interview about my art and poetry. Obviously, I was thrilled to do so and it was so enjoyable. Plus it gives me the opportunity to lighten things up a bit around here and engage in some shameless and tawdry self-promotion ;) ...LOL

And, it goes without saying, I really love her poetry …Please visit her, check out our dialogue and move slowly back through her pages for her intelligent, intriguing, sensual and captivating work.

Many of you already know her but for those who do not, just know you will be delighted.

Thank you all...
And Thank you so much, Cynthia! See you there...
http://poemflesh2.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays everyone...and see you soon!

2009-12-22T21:13:00.000-05:00

I want to wish you all a joyous, love-filled, healthy holiday season and New Year. You have all been a huge part of my world, this past year. I had re-surfaced with this blog and it has been a great outlet for creativity and
self-expression. Your feedback has always been supportive and loving. I love this community and how we back each other up and share, and I have met so many kindred-spirits. That is what blogging is all about. It is a wonderfully supportive place to be. Thank you all! ~ I wrote this and more originally knowing that I was planning on taking a break between Xmas and New Year's. I want to spend time with my kids while they are on winter break and want to recharge, renew and otherwise work on special projects, gearing up for the new year...then ...life happensI had prepared this post early this morning and it took me all day to get it posted, as my children have caught a stomach virus and have been ill for hours now. I am praying I am able to escape it as Moms can't get sick when needing to take care of their kids. f i n g e r s c r o s s e d ...

I had hoped to make my rounds to all of your blogs and return emails but it seems I may not be able to before the holiday. Please know I send you the very best of wishes for a perfect holiday!

Merry Christmas! ~ Happy New Year!
much love & peace

See you soon!

image source: see you soon by rick blackwell

all I want for Christmas...

2009-12-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

Truthfully, all I ever wished for Xmas aside from love, health, comfort and world peace for all, is
A R T S U P P L I E S ...yes, true I can buy these anytime for myself and I do, but
truth be told, I have always made it easy for loved ones to know this is the easiest and best
choice of gift for me. Do they take this advise? ha, almost never. Also funny, I have thought about past relationships and the man always stresses over what to get
his woman (this woman) for the holidays...skip the diamonds, I want art supplies! I'm not kidding!

diamonds are wonderful, gorgeous, but not practical and a new easel,
paints, shelving, canvas, cubbies, paint brushes...are always practical for the Artist.

ART SUPPLIES rule and ARE diamonds to me!

all in truth and all in fun~and BOOKS also make that list...:)or build me a dream 'studio' and you'll never have to get me another gift, ever! :)

and not so practical but definitely necessary to my happiness is my Old World Santa Collection ~
photo Christmas 2008...this year they remain in their storage trunk. Ooo, and this isn't even all of them. And, I know Christmas should be all about giving but do tell ~ what is your favourite gift to receive?

Happy Christmas...
Gelukkige Kerstmis
Glückliches Weihnachten
Noël heureux
Feliz Navidad
Natale felice
Natal feliz

image source: painting of artists studio by unknown artist
photo by Calli 2008

WIP and Christmas my way...

2009-12-10T09:17:00.003-05:00

I've been busy the last few days with this WIP and readying for Christmas .

It's freezing cold here and the winds, well, they'll
blow you away if you let them. I usually love the wind but the wind chill, is
beyond chilly! ;(...but I do love a soft flowing snowfall, the 'magical' kind
like in the classic "It's a Wonderful Life"...I bask in the comfort and warmth
of my home, but I do wish I had a fireplace (one day).
One of the most favourite things we like to do and it has become quite a
tradition, is to watch "Little Women" the Winona Ryder/Christian Bale version.
I just love this movie. We usually watch it the night before Thanksgiving
but this year it turned into a karaoke fest! I think I must have lived a past life during the early 19th century ;). I love the mere mention of 'Transcendentalism' that is in the movie (sorry ~ I digress)...This is a holiday
film that just puts me in the mood for Christmas. I'm sure it's not a movie for everyone, especially the guys, but you never know. This was also my favourite novel when I was a kid.
~
There is a story behind each & every ornament on our tree, but that would take too long to tell. But they were either made by my kids, chosen or gifted with great care and love. Sadly, I have so many, some remain in a box as there is just not enough room on this tree. So here are a few pics. In my old place, 12 foot trees were the norm, but now
my ceilings are lower so 7 1/2 it is...

enjoy~

I haven't even unpacked my Old World Santa collection yet, but it is something I have been collecting for years and treasure! Maybe, I can dig up and old photo or two.

WIP ~ 16 x 20
mixed media on canvas ~ untitled as yet

I hope all of your holiday preparations are going nicely. I hope this season is eventful in only the best of ways and exhibit the true season of giving and sharing. This is what means the most to me...Noel

tears of abstraction...

2009-12-06T12:19:00.001-05:00

tears of abstraction

16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

a closer view

sometimes tears are shed for those things that in our sadness, anger,
or disappointment, do not deem worthy,
yet we shed them anyway, because our souls know the depth of what is, even if our minds donot.

...every situation we find ourselves in, there is always something worthy...

a moment,
a word,
a look,
a kiss,
a touch,
an embrace
...something worth those tears...yes?!

2009
*this may just be a WIP (work-in-progress)
but for now she remains, as is...

remember when... a new painting!

2009-12-01T12:32:00.002-05:00

remember when

16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

Again And Again, However We Know The Landscape Of Love

Again and again, however we know the landscape of love
and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names,
and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others
fall: again and again the two of us walk out together
under the ancient trees, lie down again and again
among the flowers, face to face with the sky.

~Rainer Maria Rilke

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
ee cummings

* I shared two poems today as I felt them both
intensely beautiful and fitting...

she knows...a NEW painting!

2009-11-19T15:46:00.004-05:00

16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

finally! a new painting!

this one, i think...she's pretty self-assured. she's
definitely a woman that knows what she wants, sort of like me...
i like her!

please make a suggestion for a title for her. so far
it's 'she knows'...but that was off the cuff and I didn't give
it much thought, so,
let me know what you think.

and...thanks for viewing!

ps~have you noticed the huge difference in the new post editor for the image sizes of large or xtra large. personally, that has been driving me crazy. they need an in-between size...:)

sun by day ~ moon by night...

2009-11-05T15:36:00.002-05:00

Heart shaped Moon ~ Dance #I

16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

Full Moon photo

she sat under the glistening Sun by day
and under the sheen of the Moon by night

they both fed her exactly what
she needed

the Sun warmed her spirit and illuminated her being
as she dreamed of love, living...and
contemplated her future

the Moon gave her strength
insight and convictionto follow through
to make her dreams come true!

such power
such grace
such beautiful divinity
the stars, they simply backed up her convictions
as they sparkled in the placid celestial decked out sky
...ideas sprang forth from each and she
knew right then and there that love
was possible, that the possibilities
were limitless...

and that love was what would carry her through

the stars also spoke of things to come
and though their message cryptic, she knew...

she knew the power and the strength
that could be found communing with these
great Cosmic Beauties...
she knew her life was just beginning
and she pondered these thoughts
as
she sat under the glistening Sun by day

and under the sheen of the Moon by night

2009

Painting, photo and poem by Calli

refresh background

2009-11-05T15:33:00.001-05:00

pictures, pictures and more pictures...

2009-10-26T21:49:00.002-04:00

t h e w o o d s a n d f i e l d a c r o s s f r o m m y f a v o u r i t e v i e w

We went for a drive after school today and this is what we saw...all pics are taken within a 3-mile radius of our home...the pond is directly across the street and the rest are just around the corner...

feel free to zoom in...I was loving what the camera was picking up with some of these shots...
this is why I love country living!
...enjoy!

h e r e t h e y c o m e !

4 ~ d u c k s i n a r o w

t h e p o n d i s a c r o s s f r o m o u r h o m e ...

t h e d u c k s a r e b e i n g t a k e n t o a n e i g h b o r i n g f a r m f o r t h e w i n t e r ...

t o k e e p t h e m w a r m

a n d s a f e f r o m c o y o t e ' s ...

h a v e y o u e v e r f e l t a d u c k g r a b f o o d f r o m y o u r h a n d ?

i t f e e l s l i k e h a v i n g s o m e o n e t o o t h l e s s b i t e y o u...

m y b a b i e s

h a h a l a d y, i g o t t h e w h o l e p i e c e ...

s h a r e w i l l y a ?

s e r e n i t y

t h e v i e w a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f r o m o u r h o m e ...

a r o u n d t h e c o r n e r

t h e r o a d t o m y f a v o u r i t e v i e w

m y f a v o u r i t e v i e w

s u n s e t a r o u n d t h e c o r n e r

t h e w o o d s ~ n e a r m y f a v o u r i t e v i e w

a c r o s s t h e r o a d f r o m f a v o u r i t e v i e w

f l y i n g h i g h ~ j u s t b e f o r e s u n s e t

o f f i n t o t h e w i l d b l u e y o n d e r!

all photos by ~ all taken on October 26, 2009

2009

over forty and fabulous...newer painting

2009-10-21T11:32:00.003-04:00

over forty and fabulous
11 x 14 acrylic on canvas
~
Over forty and fabulousentering the Autumn of her life

she is seasoned
she is perfection
she is wife
lover
sister,
mother and child
she is all these things...

she carries her hurts
she lives her joys

she is YOU
she is ME

she lives as if her
heart
has been blissfully set free

she wears a glow
her aura speaks of
life, living, joy, hope and love!

she is over forty
and...

f a b u l o u s!

©
2009
To ALL my kindred-spirit sisters, whether forty or under, with love...
i painted this a few weeks ago and have not painted since with the exception of a few sketches.

i am high and dry
my painting Muse is still on vacation,
BUT~
My birthday was Monday and I got to thinking about us women over forty.

I think we're pretty fabulous! and I have met so many of you beautiful and talented ladies here...
~ I'm 46 now and
blessed with good health, beautiful children, family and friends, and hopefully, I have many more beautiful years to come!

and I want the same for you!

CHEERS! to ALL of YOU! xx

and if you only follow here at Garahstah and would like to read my poetry
please visit the link for my Shades of Grey blog:
Poetry

Fall from a different angle...

2009-10-13T15:06:00.001-04:00

Thought I'd post some pics again because I am oh so depleted in the creative department...my muse, well, he/she
has been intermittent. Not happy when he/she does that...

With that being said, I've captured more fall photos...at least my camera is functioning!
Yes, I love boots! these are my Jack Sparrow suedes...;)
I have sooo many pairs of boots...
guess you could say I have a boot fetish...;)

the solitude of Fall

tree huggin

this gorgeous clay leaf was made by my son, Logan, in his first grade art class last year. I love it! he did a great job!

walking Fall

see what happens when I've nothin in the art department!
you lucky people get picks of my beloved boots!
;)

rainbows & scenic pics...

2009-10-05T11:11:00.004-04:00

see the faint rainbow(s) in the upper left corner...

zoomed in view...

Just pics of some lovely nearby places...the hilltop

is the one behind and above my little valley...i would love to build a home facing out at that view!

this is the one where you can see 3 different towns, the wind mills (on a clear day) and so much beauty to behold, right in my own backyard...

i am camera happy lately and find so many sweet little things to photograph.

truck with a very cool patina!...(that would be the artist in me talking)... the guy next door drivin by, he might just say , "now, there's an old rust bucket!"... ;)

tracks heading south...

enjoy and have a great week!
if i can set my camera down for even a short while, i may have a new painting to post ~ soon!

2009

all photos by Calli

life's moments & Calli's Angels...

2009-09-28T09:30:00.008-04:00

Mom game day...lookin a little TOO GIRLY according to Logan!

It's the PINK! ...Mom rarely wears PINK...;)

Logan takin a break at Saturday's soccer game...

my Logan as goalie ...blurry shot but love the action...

he was so impressive that day, he was workin that field!

meditating mermaid...

my duck whisperer ~ Alex wants to be a Vet when she grows up!

Calli's Angels

Alexandra ~ Lindsay ~ Logan
July 2009

Crazy Crazy and more Crazy...did I mention they are Crazy!

July 2009

Emma...i love her!

Life's little momentssweet simplicity...pure, simple, joyful moments
smiles golden retrieversmore smiles
gotta LOVE them all...these are the moments that make up a lifeand make A world go round......make MY world go round.

2009

all photos by Calli ~ :)

looks like, feels like, Indian Summer...

2009-09-23T13:44:00.000-04:00

I love you, the best.
Better than all the rest.
I love you, the best.
Better than all the rest, That I meet in the summer.
Indian summer.
That I meet in the summer.
Indian summer.
I love you, the best.
Better than all the rest.

The Doors ~ 'Indian Summer' lyrics

Today, looks and feels like Indian Summer, even though her majesty Autumn, has

just arrived. It's balmy and beautiful and my favourite kind of day. Heavenly! I wish days like today could last forever, but then maybe we wouldn't appreciate them as much.

These pics are of my barn.
Looks like someone needs to do some pruning...;)

enjoy!

background refresh...

2009-09-23T13:22:00.001-04:00

Sunday drives & Monday mornings...

2009-09-21T11:55:00.007-04:00

hibiscus tree & burning bush ~ they make quite a pair!This is taken at my home.
Is it a bird? or a plane? ~ I shouldn't tell you this, but I was driving approximately 67 mph while shooting this photo - yikes! and it turned out pretty focused ;)
what I call, the House of Pillars ~ a lovely home but it faces a major roadway.
coming up on the House of Pillarswish you could see how lengthy this house is...
my new tree bearing fruit...

the Moon
The Sun and Moon ~ they also make quite a pair...

Still working on a new painting that I hope to post soon, but I thought I'd fill in with some pics.

Took a drive yesterday and saw some things along the way.

Love this time of year, and it's only just beginning.

Welcoming Autumn with open arms!

hope you're all enjoying this glorious, vibrant, energetic time of year.

and to those that are in the midst of a different season, I hope you are enjoying whatever Mother Earth brings your way! It's all good...

the ties that bind us...

2009-09-16T11:11:00.006-04:00

the ties that bind us

16 x 20 ~ acrylic on canvas

close~up of the ties that bind us

Have you ever looked outside of yourself for understanding?

When inside, you were completely in a place of knowing and loving who you are?

Only to find that you still looked beyond you. Sure, we all do it.

It is a basic human need to wish

to be understood.

Particularly by those we love.

Aside from love, I think this is our greatest need

and in many ways they, go hand-in-hand.

Maybe we need to learn

to cut those strings of need...?

because we may never get that

UNDERSTANDING...and maybe, just having our own ~ is enough!

*when I first did the sketch for this painting. I had the image arrive on the paper of a

ventriloquists doll. The original sketch looked exactly like one of those dolls. I then drew the strings.

I actually had that idea a long time ago, while thinking to myself, do we live strictly by our own choices or is the Universe actually pulling the strings? Like an omnipotent puppeteer directing us to and fro. Do we follow fate or does fate do the creating? Then the idea came about cutting the strings, and finally she became about the desire for understanding. Always, from original concept to the final painting, evolving takes place, and changes are made and often that seems to be the process for me.

2009

in her eyes, hope lives...a recent WIP completed...

2009-09-14T11:11:00.000-04:00

in her eyes, hope lives... a close~up

in her eyes, hope lives...
11 x 14 ~ acrylic & oil on canvas

Young Love by Sara Teasdale

I
I CANNOT heed the words they say,
The lights grow far away and dim,
Amid the laughing men and maids
My eyes unbidden seek for him.
I hope that when he smiles at me
He does not guess my joy and pain,
For if he did, he is too kind
To ever look my way again.
II
I have a secret in my heart
No ears have ever heard,
And still it sings there day by day
Most like a caged bird.
And when it beats against the bars,
I do not set it free,
For I am happier to know
It only sings for me.
III
I wrote his name along the beach,
I love the letters so.
Far up it seemed and out of reach,
For still the tide was low.
But oh, the sea came creeping up,
And washed the name away,
And on the sand where it had been
A bit of sea-grass lay.
A bit of sea-grass on the sand,
Dropped from a mermaid's hair --
Ah, had she come to kiss his name
And leave a token there?
IV
What am I that he should love me,
He who stands so far above me,
What am I?
I am like a cowslip turning
Toward the sky,
Where a planet's golden burning
Breaks the cowslip's heart with yearning,
What am I that he should love me,
What am I?
V
O dreams that flock about my sleep,
I pray you bring my love to me,
And let me think I hear his voice
Again ring free.
And if you care to please me well,
And live to-morrow in my mind,
Let him who was so cold before,
To-night seem kind.
VI
I plucked a daisy in the fields,
And there beneath the sun
I let its silver petals fall
One after one.
I said, "He loves me, loves me not,"
And oh, my heart beat fast,
The flower was kind, it let me say
"He loves me," last.
I kissed the little leafless stem,
But oh, my poor heart knew
The words the flower had said to me,
They were not true.
VII
I sent my love a letter,
And if he loves me not,
He shall not find my love for him
In any line or dot.
But if he loves me truly,
He'll find it hidden deep,
As dawn gleams red thro' chilly clouds
To eyes awaked from sleep.
VIII
The world is cold and gray and wet,
And I am heavy-hearted, yet
When I am home and look to see
The place my letters wait for me,
If I should find one letter there,
I think I should not greatly care
If it were rainy or were fair,
For all the world would suddenly
Seem like a festival to me.
IX
I hid three words within my heart,
That longed to fly to him,
At dawn they woke me with a start,
They sang till day was dim.
And now at last I let them fly,
As little birds should do,
And he will know the first is "I",
The others "Love" and "You".
X
Across the twilight's violet
His curtained window glimmers gold;
Oh happy light that round my love
Can fold.
Oh happy book within his hand,
Oh happy page he glorifies,
Oh happy little word beneath
His eyes.
But oh, thrice happy, happy I
Who love him more than songs can tell,
For in the heaven of his heart
I dwell.

Calli...sort of...

2009-09-11T11:11:00.003-04:00

Calli ~ Self-Portrait
11 x 14 ~ acrylic on canvas

This was an attempt at a self-portrait. Honestly, I find it very
difficult to paint my own likeness. I can capture certain features or aspects of myself
whether it be a feeling, or an emotion, but to be exact...No! but here she is, one of
a handful of recent attempts...

I have also done several rough sketches in preparation of the publication...here are a few...
this is the sketch prior to the painting in a recent post titled: in Her element ~ see a couple posts down...

sketch/underpainting

the stages of...

I have this thing about photographing my paintings from different angles, must be that photographer's eye, the way I see things...this is also how I like to photograph people...

the world in her eyes...i liked this one as i have a chunk of green colour in my left eye...

The sketch/underpainting eventually turned out to be the published self-portrait. This painting went through many changes from beginning to end and I photographed every stage. I love to look back and realize the changes that took place during the making of...someday, I may make that into a video or slide show.

click the link on the upper right of my page or in the next post to view the
final portrait!

a sneak peek at my latest WIP

as always ~ thanks for viewing!
©
2009

From the Art Department...news!

2009-09-05T08:47:00.008-04:00

I have just had my self-portrait painting published in the Self-Portrait Issue of Poets and Artists (O&S) Magazine ~ September 2009. It is available online for viewing as well as at Amazon.com (in about a week's time).

You can zoom-in when you get to my painting, although admittedly, it is not extremely clear when you do so, but you will get the idea of the textures I have incorporated. This is a large 30 x 30 painting and I loved painting this one!

Thanks so much for viewing!

in Her element...

2009-09-02T19:59:00.005-04:00

in Her element 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas

her Sun
her Moon
her Sky
her Earth
her Water

her Sun is where her heart is

her Moon is where her power and her perception reside

her Sky gives her the wings to fly

her Earth is what grounds her

her Water is where her emotions lie

She is all these things
And they are Her

©
2009

2009-09-01T11:55:00.000-04:00

more WIP's in progress...

2009-08-13T13:20:00.000-04:00

she's untitled & just a portion of the painting
11 x 14 oil on canvas

pondering him...a close-up version...12 x 16
oil on canvas

a peek of a special project...a rather large 30" x 30" project...this is only a fraction...

I have been creating WIP's like a crazed woman. I do have my moments...;)
I work on several pieces at a time as I wait for the oil paints to dry and because I lack in patience. So I begin another piece. It's how I work. These were
created while listening to Keith Urban. I rarely listen to country music, but I love him and 'Stupid Boy'...well, I just love to crank that song!

Until we meet again...

her muse...

2009-08-05T20:38:00.000-04:00

her muse... 12 x 16 ~ acrylic on canvas

she is from another time

she walks in beauty

amidst her English garden
surrounding her English cottage

her muse...

she dreams of days gone by
she treasures these moments
shared with Mother Earth

she herself has been muse to many

yet she dreams

of a love that pleases her
as much as her flowers do...

©
2009

in celebration of 'green'...

2009-07-31T12:35:00.000-04:00

green countryside ~ watercolour ~ 2004
me in my office...

studio pic - oop, no green here...but there's my drafting table...yes, i spotted green, my coffee mug and hooker's green paint (love it)...i did say i was crazy about green?
Logan's 'New York City'...from first grade art show! (bridge, water & shoreline)...
Alex's 'Picasso Me' from 3rd grade art show! (yet titled Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and it resembles the Grinch- also green in colour... (she wasn't happy with that comment)...;)
what else? me in half...
WIP
texture texture texture

again a hodge podge of pics...it's been a busy week and yet
hardly a moment for painting. hence, the WIP (work-in-progress.) i swear that should be my middle name. somehow this turned into a 'green' post. green is my favourite colour and also seems to be a colour that my kids like.
a wish for all of you to have a fabulous weekend. i am visiting family out of town, so i knew i wouldn't be able to post. do enjoy this last day of july and may august bring tons of fun & happiness...

my painting as my new layout...i like it ~ cool!

2009-07-23T17:08:00.001-04:00

working out the kinks...
~Calli

changing like the wind...

2009-07-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

18 x 24 acrylic on canvas

I've had this concept for a painting for a long time now. I did one a few years ago and decided to come back to this idea. My intention was/is to have this be a self-portrait with one (me) facing ahead and the other facing back. In other words, one me looking forward to a beautiful future and maybe a sadder version slightly looking back at her past. I had the best of intentions and it is not an easy thing to paint one's own likeness, especially two in one, at least not for me. I changed the one on the right's eyes 3 separate times, never fully satisfied. But here she is...she/her/they are not completed and I am not giving up. This one will be 'fraternal twins' or 'sisters' or 'sisters of the soul' (inspired by Laura :)

Actually I prefer the 'chin version' all by itself. Think I'll be painting more of those in the future. I love to see a partial face, hence my obsession with half-faces.
I will just keep on trying with a fresh new canvas after this one.

Striving for perfection? never!
Striving for the best ME I can be...

peace...

2009-07-21T19:34:00.000-04:00

18 x 24 acrylic on canvas

Rita became Rita as I was uploading her just moments ago. I thought hey, she looks like Rita Coolidge...cool! I'm goin with that...

nice, it's been a long day and this song says it all... it's an oldie but a goodie......

the stages of mia...

2009-07-20T15:44:00.000-04:00

mia 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas

the stages of mia: rough sketch, the eyes changing and changing and changing yet again...

we spend our lives evolving, whether or not we are aware of it.
the degree to which we evolve can be minuscule in some, and deeply profound
in others. these paintings symbolize that process.
they are a metaphor for my life.
a tweak here a tweak there to get me to where i want to be at any given moment, though we continue on. we change, we grow. i have always stated in my artist's statement that my work is in a constant state of evolution, tis true as am i, and i wouldn't have it any other way.
© 2009

an empowering quote from my home page on my art web site:

"Woman is born to create... in creating she becomes herself, accomplishes her destiny.
Her whole life is only an initiation into creative power. To create is not merely to produce a work...
it is to give of ones own individuality."

~ Jeanne de Vietinghoff

the evolution of a painting...

2009-07-18T09:31:00.000-04:00

sketch & background beginnings...

easel I

on the easel II ~ changes taking place...

in progress ~ full version

closer

closer II

still in progress

by the time I took this pic this morning she was getting camera shy, she'd had enough, so in progress she remains...

image is 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas...

the evolution of a painting...

this painting was/is being created while listening to the soulful music of Melissa Etheridge, which can be found via my playlist below...

studio mish mash...

2009-07-16T16:55:00.000-04:00

a basket to hold miscellaneous paint & sculpting tools

handy flower pot that doubles as a brush holder (tan one)

canvas brush roll-up case ~ keeps my finest brushes safe and sound...

expanding studio shelving

close~up prairie storm

prairie storm
12 x 24 mixed-media on masonite

these are just a few pics from my expanding studio. i am having fun creating a larger working studio. i have several ideas in the mix. tools of the trade are numerous. i can find many of my art supplies at my local hardware store and at a nearby art store. various things inspire like my brand new (delivered today) PotteryBarn catalog. i love and use their wall paint colours. the problem is each time i paint a room, PB comes out with an even better colour. i am a colour junkie. oh i digress...what i love most about this issue is the architect's drafting table for $999 and I have one even sturdier that i refurbished years ago simply for the cost of sandpaper, paint and wood stain. it's priceless to me...someday, i'll photograph mine and post it. i am adding a new easel, the H frame style that will hold much larger canvases, and a full size sculpting stand. i'm a happy girl! :)

have i bored you yet with my musings about my studio and tools of the trade? nah! the other great find is containers, baskets galore that look just like PB baskets only a heck of a lot cheaper. i have many and one of the coolest studio cabinets i have is an 'inherited' Panama Jack sun care pine wood display cart on wheels. it has tons of shelves and houses many of my goodies. my latest find is a Dorm Storage Tower with an adjustable to 9' tension pole from BED BATH & Beyond ~ so cool and handy and it's black to match the black wrought iron on my drafting table and my black shelving.
i like things that coordinate (my inner designer requires this ;)

until next time...and please visit my last post for another new painting ~ see below.

opening to love...

2009-07-16T10:28:00.000-04:00

close~up
opening to love
12 x 16 acrylic on canvas

opening to love can be blessing or a true journey into vulnerability.
yet, we must love, we must allow ourselves to feel, to unite with another. certainly we may get hurt in the process, sometimes we love the wrong person, or the right person at the wrong time. but we must always be willing to continually open up to love. to me this is the very reason we are here; to love, to share, to become our best US through relationship with another. one of my favourite quotes that you will see me quote often, by Ravi Shankar:

"love is not an emotion, it is your very nature."

fool me once...

2009-07-14T11:13:00.000-04:00

fool me once... ~ close~up

fool me once...

my latest~ i am finding myself drawn to this very limited palette, time after time. i find a rawness to these colours. perhaps, if pain had a colour, it would include these...this also seems to be the palette of my original colour scheme for both of my blogs yet (combined). i am 3/4 of the way through yet another painting with this very same palette.

i have always felt one day i would find my niche' or my style with regard to my work. i think i am finally finding my way there, little by little, step by step...

© 2009

i am my own crown of thorns...

2009-07-12T14:57:00.000-04:00

i am my own crown of thorns
16 x 20
acrylic & mixed-media on canvas

close~up

window ~ close~up

often times in life, we fight the inevitable, and change, as well as, our pain and/or circumstances. at times, we get in our own way. at other times, we go to extremes and wallow in our grief and sadness. there is a balance to be found, in all things. this painting was sketched quite some time ago and i am so pleased to have completed her over the weekend. she symbolizes much for me, personally. she is strength, she is love. she is the Empress. she sheds a tear for herself, for you and for all. she symbolizes humanity and the window symbolizes an opening to a new way, to a way of peace and love. a way into new experience and creativity. it is birthed inside of her and only needs a shred of light to be seen for her to know that all is good. it's on its way to her, to you, to all of us.

© 2009

perspective...

2009-07-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

vacant heart
gazing at the midnight moon a work-in-progress
and a bad imitation of Vanna...lol

messages of the hawk

still life exploration

uncertainty

often when i am viewing art online, i find it very difficult to imagine the size of the actual pieces. this is one of the reasons why galleries and showings exist. so, here is a mini-showing of some of my work
with me standing next to them. felt funny doing these, felt like a bad imitation of Vanna White ;0 - but you get the idea and those that inquired about photos. here they are!

* and looking this over I think i gave 'perspective a shot, but failed miserably'...i cut off each and every painting...ah, well,
back to the drawing board!

much love~
~Calli

the morning after...

2009-07-05T10:11:00.000-04:00

~ Alexandra~

~Logan~

hope you all had a lovely 4th. i think this year was the best one yet!
we had a fabulous time up on the hill in front of my home at the neighbors pond. they were having a huge family reunion this weekend and because (we) are treated like family we were there.

as usual, my camera was finicky (or maybe the operator of said camera - more likely ;0)
anyway, took several shots and only got lucky a couple of times. after the fireworks i commented to my friend Jason (the conductor or big kid firestarter), "hey awesome job"..."loved your finale"..."loved your encore"..."but dammit, didn't capture it on film." ..."battery was exhausted about 10 minutes into it,... "i forgot to charge it"...his response, "THAT'S NOT LIKE YOU!" - oh, some people know me so well! :)

i don't ever post pics of my kids, but today i break my own rule.
they had a blast, but it was COLD OUT! tho the bonfire helped!

have a great day!
~Calli
ps~ came home to a visibly shaken havanese pup, named Oliver, but i soothed him
back to his comfort zone, in mommy's arms.

new painting: uncertainty

2009-07-03T12:32:00.000-04:00

uncertainty
12 x 16
acrylic on canvas

'uncertainty' lyrics by The Fray

uncertainty it's killing me
and i'm certainly not asleep
maybe i've gone far too deep
maybe i'm just far too weak
and that's the last place
i want
to be the last place

and there is so much we don't know
so we love and we hope that it holds

thousands were lost, maybe more
the question remains what is this for
maybe it came unexpected
maybe i'm left unprotected
and that's the last place
i want
to be the last place

and there is so much we don't know
so we love and we hope that it holds
and either we say or we show
so i'm going to fight for my own

i'm holding on until the last
i'm holding on til there's nothing left
i'm holding on until the last
i'm holding on til there's nothing left...

*a haunting song, do take a listen:
uncertainty

~Calli

just Buddha...

2009-06-30T11:30:00.000-04:00

I, like so many others, find myself attracted to the teachings of Buddha, though I do not consider myself to be a Buddhist. I do however, love to have his image in my space. His presence instantly invokes feelings of peace. I have collected several Buddha images over the years. The seated Buddha was completely different and the artist in me wanted to antique him, so I did. I love antiquing things and somehow, he seemed better suited to this neutral colour scheme rather than his original vibrant colour scheme. I also adorned him with my Mala Prayer Beads ... I love this quote by Buddha so much so that I wrote it out years ago to keep it under the plexiglass on my drafting table, as a constant reminder to do what I love and to constantly strive to discover my life and through that, my 'self'...

photos by Calli
© Calli 2009

watercolour sketches...

2009-06-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

what next? ~ watercolour ~ 9 x 12

bohemian fringe ~ watercolour ~ 9 x 12

playing once again with my watercolours...honestly, if i don't do it often i seem to lose it. i'm using a new handmade paper called Nujabi. i'm not particularly fond of this paper. i prefer Arches 300 lb cold press. maybe, i just need to work with it a little more. it tends to get muddied up and doesn't seem to tolerate much rubbing.

ah well, paint and learn...

~Calli

untitled...

2009-06-23T19:16:00.000-04:00

untitled
11 x 14 acrylic on canvas

My latest painting! As it stands, she is untitled, not sure why exactly, but she does
remind me of a particular scene from the 1998 film 'What Dreams May Come,' with Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra...to me, one of the most moving scenes in the entire film... Oh, who am I kidding, there are several meaningful and thought provoking scenes in this film. I won't give it away though, in case you haven't seen it. If you haven't, I definitely recommend it. Here's the link to the trailer :
what dreams may come
Beautifully done movie trailer and it reminded me just how much I love this film.

"After life there is more. The end is just the beginning."

Beautiful viewing!
~Calli

school's out for the summer...

2009-06-23T15:33:00.000-04:00

school's out for summer
school's out forever
my school's been blown to pieces

no more pencils
no more books
no more teacher's dirty looks

out for summer
out 'til fall
we might not come back at all

school's out forever
school's out for summer
school's out with fever
school's out completely

alice cooper lyrics

dedicated to my kids who love to sing this
on karaoke and cuz school's out!
~ we all know & love that feeling!

image ~ Bus #82 ©by Calli ...2009

i wanna dance...

2009-06-21T21:36:00.000-04:00

my latest painting
12 x 16 acrylic on canvas board

i wanna dance
~Calli
...and dance i shall

picture maker...

2009-06-20T12:00:00.001-04:00

These pics are from a gorgeous view that is above and behind my home. Up on a seasonal dirt road that has the most breathtaking views. I think you can see 3 separate towns from up on that hill. I have been in awe of late, of the beauty that is out there in the rural countryside where I live. It amazes me how Mother Nature creates these painted pictures with the most beautiful and sublime of greens, blues and greys. I noticed on a long drive yesterday, how Mother Nature's 'uncultivated' landscapes are just so stunning. I was noticing things I have never noticed before. For example: the way beautiful vines automatically grow along roadside fences. They go on for miles. They look intentional, but they're not. I love lines and rows of trees that are also not intentional, but appear as though they are. I have always loved nature and the great outdoors, but somehow I feel a new heightened sense of awe that I had not recalled having before. And don't even get me started on my love of wildflowers! ahhh...

I am amazed at her beauty.

~Calli

photos by Calli

intuitive creating...

2009-06-14T22:38:00.000-04:00

What i refer to as 'intuitive creating' created these.

drawing and painting
with absolutely no preconceived ideas
turns out to be great fun and at times, ends with intriguing results. not always a 'masterpiece' but that's okay.
i love to see what comes. it's a mystery, even to me.

~Calli

nature's beauty...

2009-06-10T19:38:00.000-04:00

hibiscus bloom
~ reminds me of the 'sensuality' that Georgia O'Keefe was so famous for capturing in her paintings...

my new tree

rebellious spirit ~ my Hibiscus tree up close...

nature's beauty...
as captured
as remembered
as loved...

© Calli 2009
all photographs by Calli

imagined landscape...

2009-06-07T09:49:00.000-04:00

12 x 24 acrylic on masonite
For my son Logan, because he loves this painting, and I love him!

'Mona' complete...

2009-06-02T11:16:00.000-04:00

Mona ~ 18" x 24" ~ Oil on Canvas

She is complete 'as is' and is drying...she doesn't photograph
well at the moment, paint is still wet...we'll see...but on to the next one!

~Calli

click image to enlarge...

touching earth...

2009-06-01T19:30:00.000-04:00

touching earth

green, vivid greens
the deepest browns

earthy, fresh soil
beneath my feet
grounding my soul

touching earth
with bare hands
letting the earth
slip through my fingers
feeling its coolness
its fresh earthy scent
its purity
its divinity

i am refreshed
renewed
rejuvenated

i am alive!

© Calli 2009
all photos by Calli
taken at Calli's Place...

click photos to enlarge ...

'Mona' new painting in progress...

2009-05-30T09:55:00.000-04:00

Not quite knowing where to go with her...

Elongated neck? Not yet sure what was wrong, but knew something was...
18" x 24" ~ Oil on Canvas

Decided to keep her elongated neck and to show off her broad shoulders...

Close up ...
This is 'Mona' as named by my daughter, Alexandra.
She thought she looked like Mona Lisa in the original sketch, so I decided to
keep the name for her. She's not quite finished...but she's getting there...

~Calli

*remember ~ click any image to enlarge. don't be frightened, I'm not! ...

The new version ...

2009-04-27T19:09:00.001-04:00

self-portrait ~ 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas

self-portrait ~ close up

So here she is made new and no longer feeling broken...and the background became green for the very reason that to her, green is the color of happiness.

old version: Broken Open ~ 2007

on the new version: I apologize for the slightest bit of the suns rays spread across the painting. Photographing artwork is not an easy thing. Lighting is very important.

thank you for visiting!
~Calli

earth day...

2009-04-22T04:00:00.000-04:00

close-up view...she (mother earth) is looking quite sad!

our world ~ our responsibility

In celebration of earth day 2009!

The earth is ours to treasure to behold its beauty,
mother nature's beauty - we must as individuals do what we can
to help our earth survive. The little things can be a good place to start.
recycle, reuse, repurpose! It's all good!
Use compact fluorescent bulbs that preserve power and last more than 50-60 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs, roughly 6 years. They are more expensive, but worth it! They save a great deal of money on your energy bill. But be very careful when disposing of these as they do contain Mercury. Also on the positive side they save 2,000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases. (this is beyond my comprehension);)
~
Purchase reusable bags from your grocery store and use them
religiously so as not to use those nasty plastic bags that fill up our
land fills and do not disintegrate properly. I bought mine
from Wegmans and I use them for everything. I take them into other
stores (ha) and use them at the library, book store, at a local fruit stand. Their uses are endless.
~
Plant a tree! Plant a flower!
do all that you can!
walk vs. drive when you are able!
ride a bike!
ride a motorbike!
take the bus! - car pool!

I know there is a great deal of controversy
regarding global warming, etc but I for one
think it's quite obvious the major changes that
have occurred in the last several years with regard to our climate!
Join a group, make your voice heard
utilize this through the internet!

STOP GLOBAL WARMING!!!
Save the Polar Bears!
Save the Wolves!
Hug a tree!
Kiss the ground!

© Calli 2009

* This concludes your pep talk for today!!! :)

image: our world ~ our responsibility by Calli

New paintings...

2009-04-15T16:14:00.000-04:00

Lady in Red

I've decided that Garahstah - Picture Maker (Native American in Iroquois) should remain as the blog where I post new paintings or works-in-progress or other artistic musings, so as not to clutter up my Shades of Grey.

The following are a few paintings that I've not posted as yet to my art site, must get to work on that! These are experimental pieces. One 'Lady in Red' (see above) she's been re-done almost completely. If you visit my site you will see she had alabaster skin and now she is more textured, (she writes not knowing what word she is looking for)? I have also been experimenting on masonite board, which proves to be a nice little alternative to canvas, especially when I'm out of it, first time ever.

Comments are welcome gems and please do visit often!

~ Calli

Artist ~ for lack of a better title

Artist ~ up close & personal (close-up view)

Attitude

Down on my Knees

Autumn Storm
experimental ~ acrylic on masonite board - landscape

2008-11-07T18:20:00.000-05:00

Life and love consist of both beauty and pain...

~ Calli

Illustration Friday topic of 'Wedding'

2007-09-14T11:24:00.000-04:00

This painting I've titled 'She Walks in Beauty',fits in very nicely with this week's topic of 'Wedding'. When I put this description for this painting on my website, I described her as a beautiful woman, possibly a bride who appears to be looking out and pondering her future life, and what is before her. She knows that she has a beautiful, passionate and loving life ahead of her. And she walks in that beauty. Congratulations to Illustration Friday's Brianna and her husband to be Josh. May you have a beautiful wedding day today, and a beautiful life filled with much joy,love, and happiness.

Illustration Friday ~ 'Missing'

2007-08-07T18:16:00.000-04:00

This is a painting I titled 'Different Paths'. When people go their separate ways it can be for many different reasons. Maybe something was 'missing' from the relationship. It may be that what was missing was not missing at one time, but things have changed, people change. Change is a constant, and without it we would not grow. When we begin a relationship we have the best of intentions, the best of feelings, although sometimes things change to the point that separation is all that can take place. All we can do is to learn from the relationship and move forward in life and in love.