"The Zen of Messy" Challenge

Inspired by the photos on the bog of  Richard Jesse Watson ( a wonderful author/illustrator and a very nice man) studio- in what he thinks is a messy state- I am posting the "after the storm" picture of my studio- i.e.- I just finished a big project and have not cleaned up- as much as any artist cleans up- but I do like to ceremonially straighten things up before starting my next project.

note the little scrappy on the floor, the stacks of fabric and the lack of usable space on the tables- yup- it is the end of a project! I am not even going to turn around and show you the other side- that would show cardboard boxes waiting for me to organize my family photos- yikes!!

May I Send You a Calendar- Countdown

Wow~ this is a good way to find out who reads my blog!! The  virtual dangling carrot! Eight  NPR Calendars left. I asked my daughter if I should autograph the "June" page and she told me "That would be presumptuous" Guess she thinks her mom shouldn't impersonate a "Real Artist"- ahhhhh, how children keep you real! ( if you don't know what this is about see - "With Thanks"

With Thanks- Can I send you a NPR calendar?

For those who are faithful readers of "Moonflower Musing" or for anyone who comes across it this week and would like...I am "Miss June" or should I say my illustration-"Waiting for Coffee" is and I have about ten calendars I would like to send to the readers of Moonflower Musing. Just email me- in my profile- your name and the address you would like me to send it- and thanks for stopping by!!

I Felt Like A Real Freelancer Yesterday!

Yesterday morning, via a website I was researching for my YA novel, I got brave enough to email a nonfiction author and expert of Mesa Verde, with a real quick question- and now have corresponded with him several times and will be meeting with him personally. Gosh- they are real people too!

Did some more research, did some writing, worked on the lettering of a small illustration the deadline is coming soon and corresponded with the art director and ponder the roughs of my next project featuring a Navajo grandma and granddaughter- who I saw the inspiration for in the "Pet Aisle" of Safeway. The little girl was about ten, long black hair in pigtails and the grandma was traditional with a long broomskirt, Keds and a whole lot of turquoise jewelery. I thought about sneaking a picture with my phone but wasn't brave enough, so just watched them for a moment and tried to memorize what they looked like.

I love my job!!!

Notes from Page Sixty Eight

WORD COUNT: 17,424  PAGE: 68

Grand Gulch is part of the Colorado Plateau smunched and cut off from the rest of the world by Lake Powell and sort of the Grand Canyon in Arizona- though I am too lazy, sipping my tea on my bed at the moment to go get a map and verify I am right- basically it is a huge labyrinth of deep canyons cut by small streams as they find their way to the Colorado River, now under Lake Powell in the middle of nowhere, I am talking the eppa center of nowhere- just where my husband loves to go!

We camped and hiked there a few years ago, and above the contentious nervous feeling I had that I would never see another living soul again- I have to confess it was interesting. If he reads this he will think I want to go back!!

On our hike we went down into a meandering canyon cut by the creek and had to navigate the smaller side canyons, more keeping track of which direction we had come from- the thought I always have is- if Jon get hit on the head- will I know which way the truck is?

The climate is totally different down in these deep canyons, an oasis to the harsh desolate terrain above. You will come across streams that run all winter long and where there is water there is life.

Richard Wetherill, one of the brothers I mentioned in my Notes from Page One post, who helped Gustaf Nordenskiold excavate the ruins of Mesa Verde, went on to be a renowned if uneducated archaeologist in his own right and lead a large expedition into Grand Gulch, backed by the trust funds of Fred and Talbot Hyde, wealthy and bored young Easterners who had met Richard in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition ( World's Fair) to celebrate Columbus finding America 400 years before. But I digress!

A book, Cowboys and Cave Dwellers retraces the expedition, trying to find the exact places through matching of photographs.

We came across  the remains of our own cowboy camp.....

I don't think it was from the Wetherill/ Hyde Expedition- but it could of been. Wow to walk into something that should be behind glass in a museum, or at least have a scarlett velvet rope, around it to protect it, is something else.

But there it was, completely unprotected from anyone who wanted to take or damage what they found. But what I have discovered, the deeper and more isolated a sight like this is, or for that matter a native site, like the cliff dwellings, the more protected they are.

People who have to, want to, drive for hours, hike for hours to see such things, usually, and I emphasize "usually" respect them. The easy to get to sights are the ones that have been stripped of everything they had to offer.

Sights like this cowboy camp bring up an interesting debate, is this now a archaeological site  to be preserved  or just a trash heap that should be cleaned up?

From a different time and place, these cowboys from the 1800's and early 1900's regularly left their marks on the walls right next to the marks left by the ancient people, where is the distinction between preserving those markings and considering them graffiti?

I don't know the answer. I know that coming to a place like this cowboy camp is thrilling to me, I can stand in the middle of it and feel the "ghosts" of who was there, crouched by the fire to take their coffee off, consisting of a handful of beans swimming in a tin can, that probably contained peaches at one time. To see how they made what they needed, from the poles of dried up trees and hung things out of necessity so the varmints wouldn't get it in the night. To look at the ground where they made their beds, certain they would of preferred the cool night air, to the musty shelter if the weather allowed.

The needs of the ancient people that were here first, or the cowboys that came after them, or even me, as a hiker, are no different, we all need protection from the elements, water, a fire source and food. So it should be of no surprise we all find shelter under the same rock alcove, in a lush canyon away from the elements, near a reliable stream.

People really haven't changed that much, when you think about it.

I am fighting for room-"literally"

Here I sit this morning, still in my sweats, the husband and kids are gone, the house is quiet and I try and stretch out on the bed- I can't. Dunton, my white lab has taken over my side of the bed. Molly, our little Rez dog, ( adopted from the dumpsters of Chinle on the Navajo Reservation) is curled up on the otherside of the bed and our big Newfoundland/lab is snoring on the floor.
Jon calls me the "dog lady"- which is a loving insult- because when we lived in Durango, across the street, there was a infamous "cat lady", who lived in a big Victorian, filled to the brim with trash, old newspapers, boxes and such, I think you could get to one room literally through narrow tunnels through the rubbish.
Her car, an old Scout was the same, filled to the brim with old newspapers and salad bar containers she would use to feed the cats nightly in designated spots in the back alleys of Durango and spend her social security on cat food.
Jon would always help her with her taxes and such and we would take goodies to her on occasion, but always the conversations were outside on the side walk, I think I made it in about two feet in her house and my eyes and lungs couldn't take it anymore.
She got a wound on her leg and had to be commited to the hospital for a while, the Sheriff taking the  opportunity to clear out some of the cats- can still see the deputies getting their  Haz-Mat gear to go inside.
So you see why Jon saying "Dog Lady" has some meaning to it. Well here I sit and I am trying to keep Dunton from using the laptop as a pillow.
I find myself "fighting for room in the big sense of the word- what spot do I want in the universe, what spot does God want me to have and then thinking does He even care or need me to have a spot at all, a spec on His eternal time line.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I don't have a "label" ( daughter, college student, wife, mother) My girls are becoming independent, my husband giving me room and time to do my own thing, my friends, their kids growing up too, are pursuing their own interest- all leaves me this Fall with the quesiton, I could be anything I want, what do I want to be, where do I want to make room for myself.
And than I think "life is not as profound and calcuated as I am making it, just get on the road and walk- stop worrying where you will end up."
I think I am motivated in the fear of what will I be looking back on when I'm 80- or...... will I be just known as the "dog lady" and the sheriff will be coming to clear out my house with Haz Mat suits!
( that last bit truly was just for emphasis- you would be very comfortable having dinner over here and not fear for your life, I promise! maybe have a few dog hairs on you but thats all- at this point, look me up in ten years, forty? )

Notes-Page One

I was just sitting on top of the sheets, sipping my tea, not working, waiting for everyone to head off to school and work before I got to work and was reading a post on Editorial Ass ( an Editors Assistant's anonymous blog) about word count and found an interesting comment from Heather Lane, that made me curious about her blog- Edited to Within an Inch of My Life- where she had a great idea that I am going to steal, borrow, give her total credit for but also do! Blog the journey of the  novel I am writing in my spare time, when my real job of freelance illustrating allows ( I actually have gotten pretty good on making the time). This is kind of an "A-Ha" moment for me, I have been documenting my journey in illustrating for years here on Moonflower Musing, and loving the interaction of others, the encouragement of others ( thank you for that- you can't know how many times, knowing one stranger out in cyberspace, saw value in what I am doing, kept me going- ), but some how my writing, maybe because I have an art degree and see myself as not having the credentials to write, did my writing in the dark of the night to speak- who knows. But what hit me this morning, reading Heather's blog, is the journey is really interesting- the research- which there is no way I can use it all, hated that- but  daaaaaaa, I have a blog and can throw it up here, for anyone who wants to know and here is a place I can record the journey, the frustrations and the "A'ha" moments.

So here goes!!

Disclaimer: Some of you reading this are going to go- "What happened to the novel  set in Utah during World War 2!" well.........It got too big and too scary and I started to think I didn't have enough skill YET to write it the way it needed to be- so I'm backing off on it and doing an easier story first ( I will write Moonflower I promise, when I figure out how to do it)

I wrote Come Back to My Valley as a screenplay- which I decided I wanted to write as a novel first so that my take on the story could be saved for posterity whether I sold it as a screenplay or not.

Then I was doing a writing workshop and the teacher encouraged me to pick of the Utah story and put a side the screenplay story- ahhhhh how we are influenced- good or bad from others!

Wise or not- I am going back to my first story- already set in a 120 page 3rd draft screenplay- and turning it into a novel first.

Enough Already- what is the picture about!

Answer: Mesa Verde, set in Southwest Colorado, where the first serious archaeological excavations were ever, Ever conducted in the United State- I am sure some would argue!- by Gustaf Nordenskoild and the Wetherill brothers, a bunch of cowpokes from the valleys below the mesa.

The events of the summer of 1891- spurred on the movement to use the newly developing National Park system for the first time protect Human artifacts, not just natural wonders, in 1906,  but that way to late to protect much of the artifacts up in the mesa where many upstanding people would go to church and then go do an afternoon of pot hunting- or grave robbing.

( side note- if you have not seen Ken Burns' documentary on the National Parks which just aired on PBS, I highly recommend it)

Nordenskoild was the first to document and use scientific method to study the ruins, people did start paying attention to him when he tried to take his collection to Sweden ( largely due to the fact no American Museum, including the Smithsonian was much interested in ancient people on the North American continent)  and the events were  the catalyst for the creation of the Antiquities Act- which did start to protect the ancient Native civilizations in the US.

Thus is the backdrop for my novel- Nordenskoild and the Wetherills minor secondary characters to a romance between a cowboy and am aristocratic young artist who comes to paint the beauty of the ruins, the canyons and mesa.

Tell you more later!

IF-"Skinny"

SKINNY-NOUN: Slang --Inside information; the real facts: "learned the skinny..".

I love this job- freelance illustrating because I have gotten to "learn the skinny" the facts on so many things- and captured them in an image....
- what Surfing is like in Maui, with the crescent beaches made from the lava rock as it flowed down to the sea.

Or getting the "skinny" on the Ancient Puebloeons who once lived in Mesa Verde, researching their artifacts and then trying to illustrate what their lives might of looked like.

Or getting the "skinny" on an activity I would never  do in a million years, but it is sure interesting  to see how those people live.

Guess that is why I love being an illustrator and a writer for that matter!

I just traveled through 4 states in an afternoon...and was back in time to get the kids!

Today, I literally was in four states- it helped that is was a big circle around the Four Corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizonia and Utah. I am starting a new project with an educational publisher- will be doing a really simple little book set in the Navajo Reservation- so took a drive to take pics of all the places I had been a dozen times but never really paid attention to the detail-

so drove from Colorado into New Mexico- it was snowy and a low fog made the red rocks and sky look amazing!

Once through Shiprock and meandering down along the river bottom where the cottonwoods were all an amazing yellow, I headed towards Teec Nos Pos,

a trading post that is in Arizonia and has the most amazing wall of yarn, manufactured yarns to be used in rugs and hand carved Navajo folk art made of cottonwood and in the funniest characters like chickens and horses and other animals. From there I went towards the Four Corners and past there back into Colorado for just a bit before actually getting into Utah- where the San Juan river bottom was also full of brightly yelowing cottonwoods -

Back into Colorado and up Mc Elmo Canyon- -past the Ismay Trading Post where you can still get a pop...

And up the gorgeous McElmo Canyon......

And back to Cortez ans back up to Dolores- whole trip left at 11:00 a

and was at the school at 3:30 to pick up the girls. Not bad for four states!

IF-"Fast"

 

"She danced faster and faster, the red shoes not letting her stop." I love Hans Christian Andersen, though the stories are very dark. My family on my mother's side comes from Denmark and researching the churches and graveyards was really interesting.

Haven't done another fairytale illustration- I should- they are very fun.

Though Christmas feels like it is "fast" approaching- have a bunch of deadlines all in November- then can enjoy the holidays.

IF- "Frozen"

I don't even want to think about "Frozen". Right now the leaves are golden, the air is warm and the sun is glorious- but there is a huge pile of firewood in the backyard and the snow is coming!! Hopefully not to the extent where the Polar Bears wander.

From " Keeping Hearth and Home, in Old Colorado" a little book I found in Durango yesterday- featuring little tips for the "proper" lady of the 1800's-

""... the sleeping room should be so cold that ice forms in the pitcher during the night, the morning bath will be taken without a shudder and the healthy glow that follows will be more than a reward for the resolution, time and effort it cost" brrrrrrrrr!!!

IF- "Fly"

My girls always begged their father to make them "fly". Of course it was their great grandma's job, my grandma Bernice to give a lecture to all her grandson-in-laws that if they swirled their kids up in the air they were probably going to dislocate a shoulder. As the mom, I made sure my husband never let go of the kiddos, was never into the throwing our kids up in the air and catching them. But they were twirlled a lot.
Another "Maternal" theory was not to let a baby too early stand up in your lap, holding onto their hands and let them bounce- they will go "bowlegged"
Another one of grandma and my great aunts theories was if you tickled a baby too much, where they just giggled and giggled you would make them stutter. Taking their advice, many time we tickled our babies, leaning over them as they giggled and kicked, cooing over them and saying " you're gonna stutter, your gonna stutter!" ( both my kiddos have fine speech)

And of course the ever popular, "It's fun until someone gets hurt!" proclamation generated with my Grandma B. - haven't used that on my girls- both have been in karate and the oldest is a brown belt- so they would probably look at me really weird- but I do think of my Grandma B when my girls are goofing around- and miss that she isn't sitting in a nearby chair, " waving her hand their way and proclaiming the "its fun til someone get hurt" speech- she'd be sipping her afternoon coffee and nibbling on her tiny piece of snicker bar, she could make a whole bar last for a whole week, ( that is all Danish blood if you are wondering- practicality, coffee, sweets). Boy do I miss her- Danish is having a lot of mothers, grandmother and aunts "helping" you as a young mother- funny I feel privileged to have had that, learned a lot from them and at the same time don't wish that on my daughters when they are mothers- maybe by the time I'm a grandma- I'll of forgotten the annoying part of it and chime in with the aunts telling the young mothers to not let their husbands throw their kids up in the air cause they'll dislocate a shoulder.

This is Where I Was Last Weekend

We Spent the weekend in Breckenridge,Colorado-Jon had a "lawyer conference" half the time so the girls and I meandered around the town ( where we haven't been back since our honeymoon trip - ahhhhh 18 years ago. When he was done we head up to Boreas Pass and hiked and enjoyed the colors.

IF- "Infinite"

A "Infinite" amount of Sunflowers

One of the many challenges trying to create "realistic" illustrations out of fabric collage is how do you illustrate something like an "infinite" gathering of say sunflowers, or autumn leaves, or people in a crowd, with out spending an "infinite" amount of time doing it, stitching takes a whole lot more time than whisking around a paint brush in a impressionistic sort of way. I guess that is the challenge I am trying to achieve- an "impressionistic" illusions of "infinite sunflowers." How did I do?
The dryland farmers along Hwy 491 going towards Dovecreek in Southwest Colorado, are now growing infinite fields of sunflowers in the red dirt, instead of beans, where spaced every ten miles or so are tiny towns, with a post office and the remains of bean elevator with names like Yellow Jacket, Cahone and Pleasant View.
The model is my friend, Wendy- who had an "infinite" amount of patience- letting me photograph her, not on the roads out near Yellow Jacket, but in her sun room, on one of those bike stands that let you pedal.

I am thrilled in that- Creative Quarterly, a art and design journal, did pick Riding Yellow Jacket as a runner up in their magazine #17 competition- it wont be in the magazine but will be on their website in December- will let you know!

For another Tidbit on "Infinite" read below

I'm sure there are an "infinite" amount of reason why the Durango E.M.T.'s were helping this guy save his bike from a parking meter, the most likely would be " hey man, I got the race tomorrow and lost my key to my titanium bike lock, can you give me a hand." And knowing Durango, Colorado and its love of all things biking- that would be a reasonable request. No Joke was walking down Main Street and had to take a double take-

Apparently there is not an "infinite" amount of bikes you can attach to one parking meter with a standard cable bike lock- five or is it six is all- and you have to stack them just right- took this through the Starbucks window-

There is a huge single speed mountain bike race happening there this weekend- from one end of main street to the other there was not a pole, post, meter that did not have a bike attached to it- don't know how busy the EMT are going to be with bike- with people they might have their handful-hopefully not- this race is insane- check out the Wikipedia right up on it -Single Speed World Championship - the winner on the spot gets not a jersey but a tattoo- whether he wants one or not- don't want one, don't win!

This year in Durango something like 2,500 people are expected to race- that is through the grapevine- Wendy's husband, Matt is racing- Good Luck!!

IF- "Welcome"

I alway feel so "welcomed", when I pull through my favorite coffee shop, The Silver Bean, housed in an airstream trailer at the edge of Cortez Colorado, complete with pink falmingos and red and white umberllas.
It was right on my way to drive the forty five minutes down McElmo canyon to teach art to Navajo and rural ranch kids at Battle Rock Charter School. Would always get a big mug of English Breakfast tea ( the title of the piece is "Stopping for Coffee", sound better and more universal than "stopping for tea",) and one of their great bean and rice burritos.
Unfortunately after six years teaching down there with no complainants, the school decided to drop the Art Program, thinking the regular teachers could just do an occasional craft project- I'll rant later of the importance of Art in schools and that it is Not just a filler class, not in the mood right now.
I think it was kind of like when a new Dynasty came into the ancient world and they needed to kill off all remnants of the old Dynasty- I guess the new parents board and new teachers want to shape their own program.
Though it would of been nice if someone had bothered to tell me- I had to call around in August to find out through the grapevine. Guess the decision was made in the spring when I was running around putting together a gallery show of the kids work at the local Art Center and putting on two end of the year musicals with homemade props and costumes.
Boy am I gonna miss those kids!!
I guess the above is more of being "UNWELCOMED"---- but! National Public Radio, did WELCOME me to submit a proposal to illustrate what NPR means to me for their 2010 Calendar, and the scene I described above, going to get coffee, well, tea at the Silver Bean, listening to NPR as I drive, or drove, down to Battlerock is in their 2010 calendar, along with a quote, bio and pic of me, which was taken by my photography inspired eleven year old who can claim NPR as one of her first photo credits!
I just wish someone had informed me of the schools intentions, which I cleared the whole NPR thing with in the spring, so the description could of been in the past tense!
To read more about it, see Cortez Journal Article

From the Movies

Headed to Moab Utah this Labor Day and headed up to Arches National Park to show the kiddos where the opening scenes of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was filmed. The Boy Scouts as they made their way along, they go past "The Three Gossips", past " The Courthouse" and stop to climb and find the "Cross of Cortez" being looted in a cave in the side of "The Windows". BTW, there is no cave in the "Windows" and if young Indie, whose real name was junior because the dogs name was Indiana, was up at Arches, that must mean that Indiana Jone's hometown would be Moab, Utah, that is pretty cool. What is not cool is "looting" is still a major problem on and near the "Colorado Plateau" second only to the valleys of Eygpt in archeology density, if that is a word.
( Durango Herald Article)People are still reeling from a multi year and agency sting operation with informants still to be revealed that ended in the arrest of twenty five people in Durango, Colorado, Monticello Utah, and Santa Fe New Mexico, the recovery of hundreds of artifacts looted from sites and sadly two suicides by two of those arrested.
Like Eygpt, This land also has its curse, or so the old Utes and Navajos say, that those who disturb the dead will go insane. I have come to think such curses have some merit, there is a diary of the doctor that came with the army when they erected Fort Lewis, between Durango Colorado and the edge of New Mexico- his wife entertained herself pot hunting, often breaking the skeleton to get at the pots below.
But then the doctor writes of losing his baby son and burying him on a hill above their homestead, to come back home and find his wife guarding the grave with a rifle, in fear of the coyotes coming and digging up her baby- he had to take his wife and the body of his son back East, she would not leave the area with out the little coffin.

Conference Recap- Sherman Alexie

One of the most moving talks at the SCBWI summer conference was by Sherman Alexie, a Spokeane/Coeur d'Alene Indian and a cross over author who has had great success in the adult literary world with such books as The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (short stories, 1993), which he turned in part into the motion picture Smoke Signals, starring Ben Beach.


The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, his young adult novel, published in 2007, won many awards, but also gained a lot of controversy in its usage of the word "mast****ion". I really wanted to buy some of his books after his "keynote speech", but confess after finding a certain amount of language on every page, just couldn't- more for the fact it was just down right distracting to me- in trying to get into the story- so alas will be waiting until age calms the might of his pen and he calms down his language.
His talk on the other hand was so personal and moving- he was born with water on the brain, blind in one eye, malformed head and all sorts of other maladies- spent much time with the nuns at the mission, riding the train to bigger towns for medical treatment and reading anything he could get his hands on while he spent countless hours in bed.
He shared letters he has received over the years from "misfits" like himself and reminded us it is for them we should write, because one book can make such a huge difference in someone life.
What was amazing is that a few days before the conference I had helped my friend, who teaches special ed out on the Reservation, buy a car seat for a little Navajo boy, who like Alexie, had water on the brain and would need special transport to and from school on occasion and it was up to my friend to get that done, not a lot of properly fitted school buses out there.
Of course when I came back I told her all about Sherman, a hopeful spark of a story, just a little encouragement to never, ever, write off the potential of any child- because you just don't know where and what they might be able to do with their life, with just a little bit of encouragement! It is certainly why I teach!!

Conference Recap- Holly Black

So the night before the conference, there is a lot of individual parties- faculty, regional advisers, VIPS, etc. Well, uhh- wasn't invited to any of those, so headed around a large group of RAs gathering to head off to the pool and sat down in the hotel lobby near a pleasant looking woman by herself and started chatting- well don't know how to hold the suspense in a blog- but needless to say, Holly Black (click on her name to got to her website) of the Spiderwick Chronicles was sitting next to me and she was a little surprised I didn't know who she was, had to explain that to me- lovely lady and fun to chat with about having an artist verses writer brain and having to turn our images in our heads eventually into words. Got nervous when other writers started to come over in "ahhh" to just talk to her and one, even doing a mock bowing down!!
Holly Black was one of the main speakers in the general session, attended by about 900 writers/illustrators and it was amazing in that every other speaker having a highly graphic power point presentation, all she had up there was a dry eraser board, which she did not use until the very last and here is what she drew to the "ohhs and ahhhs" and cheers of everyone else!
If you are going "uhhhh?" let me explain- think Star Wars- the big mega event starts first- the purple line, then in the first part of the book, slightly after that is in place- Luke starts off on his journey- blue line, they kind of meet at the top, she pointed out that the two lines could be very close together at that point, but then the resolution of the main event, Luke fighting the Empire and Darph Vader, has to be resolved before the main character, Luke can bring resolution to his own journey- I know Star Wars is a sequeal, prequel- but each story has an arc- and Holly Black explained it wonderfully, only using a white board and dry earser!!

Conference

Getting to the conference was interesting. Rode the train all by myself because none of my girlfriends could go, plan on telling them all about the glorious weather, the nearness to the beach, the hollywood stars I rubbed elbows with, well- actually almost dropped my cell phone on from above- ( blog that later)until they are begging to come next year.
Rode the train and figured out the bus from Union Station with the help of some wonderful volunteers ( blog that later,too). Road the bus a lot, figured out the "Big Blue Bus #5"- got me to the edge of Beverly Hills, with about a half mile to go- needless to say, thank God for wheels on luggage and I was pretty sweaty and inkemp when I made my entrence to the Hyatt Century Plaza. Everyone could not of been nicer and felt truly pampered in this luxury hotel.
The confernce was four day, got there the morning before, so road my #5 bus down to Santa Monica peer, got several wonderful illustration of the people who rode the bus, African American, Asian, Espanic, and very few white- hum, kind of holds to the idea that there still is racial inequality in this country- but hey that is also another blog.
Lin Oliver, exective director and writing partner with Henry Winkler ( Fonze)declared that if an earthquake brought down the Century Plaza, there would cease to be a Children's Publishing industry and she was right!
Look over the next few weeks for my recaps of my amazing trip!

IF-"Wrapped"

Well this was an easy one! Did this several years ago, and have learned so much since than. I actually hand stitched the entire blanket with thread- don't know if the bang equalled the "buck" or time.
Funny, I see all the mistakes, or not best decisions in the construction, but it is a lot of my friends favorite- go figure- just think I could do better if I ever go back to the subject, which is described in this December 6th, 2006 post.
- need I say more!

California Here I Come!!

Three days before I head to California, not on a Clipper, but on a train, all by myself!!
Headed there for the Society of Children's Book Writer and Illustrators National Conference. ( check it out @ www.scbwi.com)
Four days of authors, illustrators,book publishers, art directors, agents, etc rubbing elbows. Very nice group of people- thank goodness.
Will be entering my portfolio in the Showcase- (looking for an icon that means "freaking out"-
The whole trip will be fun and exciting- just kind of right now in the " what in the #$##@#$$^%$@ was I thinking mode!!

IF-"Modify"

Every time I go up to Mesa Verde,which literally frames the south side of the Montezuma valley where I live, I am amazed that these ancient people "Modified" the deep alcoves hidden in the walls of canyons, into homes.

As the park rangers are going on about their religious purposeful lives, hidden away from their enemies, I am think about how in the world would you watch a tobbler, when ten feet out side your door is a 100 foot drop off. Things like,knowing mom and kids and chores, I would be sending my kids every morning, down the steep path to the springs to get water, and then up the steep trail they would have to lug that water.


These illustration were really fun, I have done extensive research on Mesa Verde, have a picture book and a novel about the first tourist that came to see the
Ghost Cities" hidden on the cliffs, hidden away in my head- yes.... I know they do no good there and need to get out, and yes am still working on the novel about Polygamy in Utah- more then half way!
It was hardly work looking over photos of Edward Curtis, one of the few photographers who came west in the 1800 to document the "Indian Tribes" that were disappearing.
Obviously the Anasazi, Navajo for "Ancient Enemy" or Ancestral Puebloean,had disappeared, Curtis's photographs, being one of the first whites to come into the pueblos of the Rio Grande area in New Mexico, where one theory has the Anasazi relocating to after they left Mesa Verde, gave me hints of their dress and traditions.
Also Gustaf Nordenskiold, a Swedish tourist turned archaeologist is responsible along with the Wetherill brothers, cowboys and ranchers turned guides and archaeologist, for trying to scientifically excavate the ruins of Mesa Verde while others were ransacking them for pots. The pots, jewelery and white arm band are artifacts found by the them the summer of 1891.
The scientiftic stuff is needed, but I guess I think like a writer and try and imajine the daily lives of these people and have to believe that people are people, mothers are mothers, fathers are fathers, and kids are kids- whether now or over 800 years ago when the Ancients "Modified" these cliffs into homes.

IF- "Worn"

The jeans in this illustration were actually toddler jeans "worn" by my daughter. The deep green of the grass was a pair of linen pants I wore until they were "worn" out, sad day when they went to the fabric box in the studio. I have been known to on a desperate day retire a piece of clothing sooner than I should if the texture of it is too irresistible for an illustration I am doing, my kids have learned to guard their treasured clothes and with them slowing down growing- I don't have as much opportunity these days. Thrift stores are wonderful places for "worn" linen hand towels, a great texture I wish I had more of.

IF- "Unfold"

They had no idea what adventures would come when they "unfolded" the map!!

IF- "Adapt"

I was amazed last winter when I saw California cows,teetering on brown slopey hills and several years ago- when in Maui, the jet black bovin chewying away in dark green lush field-between ocean and valcano- both so different from the wide and relatively flat pastures here in Southwest Colorado- where cows of all colors are being collected to head back up into the mountains- Today I washed my car, bubble brush and everything, about an hour before I drove through a rainstorm and a cattle drive- of long horn cows, no less- and thought about the IF theme of adapt-I'm headed to Denver tomorrow and really was trying to "adapt" to the east slope metropolitain standard of car shininess- but alas- you just have to "adapt" to the place you land and grow- which for me is a place, that every turn in the road could give you mud, red dirt or even a cow!

IF-Contagious

What is more contagious than a child laughing, doesn't matter what "adult" stuff I am dealing with, when my kids are in a giggley or goofy mood, my life of adult responsibility goes away momentarily and I take a ride in silliness.

A Gathering

Had just settled down after a crazy day, when the dogs let me know there was a white truck pulling into our place. A Ute women came to the door and ask if she could take some of the dried oak brush branches she had seen along the fence line near the road. I said sure, and got my shoes back on so I could follow her out and have her show me, worried that some of the branches might be holding up the fence in places. We found some good pieces and I helped her drag them back to her truck as she told me she would be using them for traditional ceremonies, telling me a girl in the tribe was ready for her "puberty ceremony". The branches thrown up on the large mound of dry wood,already in the truck, I took her through our apricot grove, and across the field to show her a long hedge of oak brush, that my husband continually is thinning out.
She was excited, when we found several large dried branches on the ground around the hedge- especially one that showed the signs of lightening, and told me that it was a good fix, burning it- if you had nightmares, though it could of also been that burning a branch with a lightening strike on it, gave you nightmares, though she took it, so my guess would be the first.
Dragging the branches back across the field, she told me the dried oak brush would also make a great fire in our fire pit, that we had walk by in the apricot grove, great for roasting hot dogs as well. Such mixture of the traditional, mixed with the everyday, is something I have enjoyed experiencing living the edge of the Ute Mountain Ute reservation, where the Sleeping Ute, a small mountain range resembles a feathered, sharp nosed Indian with folded elbows, slumbers on the valley floor, the Utes waiting for him to wake, stand and stomp out the white that now reside on their land.
My husband, an attorney, came home when we were still talking, and was just as thrilled to get rid of some of the under brush which would mean less for him to deal with in fire suppression this summer. We exchanged phone numbers invited her to come again when she needs more wood.
After she headed out, Jon told me that according to the Brunot Treaty, signed in 1873, that took even more of the Ute's land and rights, did give them something, the right to hunt and gather on any land, public or private, including ours and my husband says that all the deeds in our area, still state that right, joking that he should point that out to her.
In fact, I have also come to watch for the seasonal gathering that happens here in Southwest Colorado, along with often passing pick up trucks full of dried woods, spring brings gatherings of wild asparagus along the road ditches, the orchards also often throw a seed or two into the ditches, growing trees which gives anyone who wants them, apples and apricots. The fall, the minivans and old pick trucks are parked along the road sides and if you look quick you will see Native families out gathering pinon nuts on spread out blankets under the trees and up in the forests, long dried, lodge pole pines are gathered to be used in building summer houses and tepees for Pow Wows and festivals.

IF- Parade

Parade for three!

IF-"Impossibility"

"Impossibility" is the theme for Illustration Friday this week and it seemed to be a theme that I could pick anything- because it is nothing short of an impossibility that I can even remotely call myself a freelance illustrator.
I feel like I have been doing this forever, with little results,than I don't know what happen- the last few weeks- it has gotten crazy- still not seeing a lot of money for my efforts- but Friday, I felt like a real illustrator- I spent my day working on a commission for National Public Radio,(more to follow later, don't want to let the cat out of the bag) and mailing off requested sample to a top children's publisher I would love to work with, after a personal email from an editorial intern-all an "Impossibility"!! not that long ago.
I have a few other big leads in the pot- everything seems to be due on May 1st- so the next two weeks,I will be working like a real illustrator-
Walking out of the post office, I thought to myself "What would I do if I got a picturebook contract?", I'm not sure, but the first thing I would want to do is curl up in a ball and declare it would be an "impossibility"!!
Don't know what will happen after May 1st- made there will be nothing on the horizon-but it feels like I have taken a step up the ladder.

IF:" Fleeting"

When I think of "Fleeting" I think there is nothing more fleeting then the moments we spent with our "little ones". I have had babies and toddlers and preschoolers and little kids and now teenagers, my children change before my eyes and no matter how much I would like to slow down time, I can't they grow and change and I am left with only memories and pictures.
Sometimes I look at other's babies and wish I was still there-my arms feel empty without a child little enough to hold- and all I can do is wonder if I savored those years as much as I could?
I found myself watching this dad and kid at a bike function, changed the setting in the illustration, but was entranced by this dad including his son in his biking, crouching down and interacting with his son before the race began- My husband had done the same for so many years,and now our daughter are riding the trails with him, but even those moments are fleeting too.

IF- " Poise"

Like I seem to start all blogs,with the appearance of a political bent,I'll start this one- Whether you like Obama or not, He stepped into the "honeymoon" period of his "reign" with style and poise-
Riding the same train route- that Lincoln rode, who fought for the rights of all Americans- wow! ( I'm usually more interested in the human character then politics!)
I'm sure I will not agree with every decision Obama makes, already haven't- but I like him, adore his wife- and recognize the monumental job his has ahead.
What I don't like is how this illustration ended up- first it took forever- crowd scenes, a lot of little pieces of fabric- yikes- also as happens- got the whole thing done and was photographing the illustration- saw for the first time- bad perspective behind the train- you should see the fence on the other side of the train too! Well Chagall had bad perspective!!

IF-"Intricate" detail!

Here's a questions for you- does it bug you when someone goes on about how long it took you to make your art instead of being moved by the piece? I hate that! I don't know if I get it more- because of the "medium" I use- but it drives me bonkers.
When I was in Paris and standing infront of the Mona Lisa, people were not going on and on about how long it took DiVinci to paint her!
In Fiber- it seems like people are sometimes more impressed by how long it took to make something, then its shape, color, message, emotion- Some of my work has a lot of "Intricate" detail- like the trees in Red Shoes- yes,it took a long time to do- but I want you to be moved by the effect- not the time.
I wonder if it is just the only thing some people can indentify with- they don't see a lot of value in art, are not regularly moved by emotion, lean towards practical and are really trying to find something to complaiment me on- so hey, they value time and that is what they are going to judge the piece on.
Now that I think about it, the comment as come across almost like- " wow, that took a long time," with unsaid attitude of why the @#$#@#$# would anyone take their time to do art.
It interesting to look at two movie series that came out about the same time-finally attempting to bring Tolkien and Lewis's fantacies to the screen- In my opinion, one suceeded because of "intricate detail" and one failed becuase of lack of it.
Watching the Production DVDs of the effort and detail the artisans put into the costumes, props and sets in the Fellowship was amazing- more then could ever be caught on film.
Not nearly as much effort was put forth in the making of Narinia and I think it shows. Not just in the visual landscape of the film- but in the actors- who had to believe they were in another world.
If you wander through old churches, which I love to do, little country lane chapels or great Cathedral- the "intricate" detail you find is moving- the craving, tapestery, the stain glass and gold work- these are not statements of how much time was invested- these are offerings, scarifices- to something or someone of value.
I don't think true artist value their work in the sense of how long it took- but what it says- and who it is for.

Moonflower Studio News

Two of my fabric collages, Next Generation and Up With The Sun, (detail views above) got accepted into the Durango Art Center's Four Corners Commission Show, juried by Veryl Goodnight, nationally known sculpture and painter, who after a few decades in Santa Fe moved back to Colorado.
Show runs the month of Janruary at the Art Center, corner of 2nd ave and 8th st. Artist Reception and awards announced this Friday,January 9th, 5-7 pm.

Is Art That Important?

Monday, through a snowstorm, over a mountain pass, a friend and I hauled a few of our creations to the Durango,Colorado, Art Center's show- "Four Corners Commission", juried by Veryl Goodnight, renowned sculpture and painter, who has settled back in Colorado, after a few decades in Santa Fe.
Maybe it was that I finished one of my pieces at 4 o'clock that morning- felt like I was back in college again- but seeing art work- not adorning wall, with good lighting-but leaning here and there, sometimes two or three frames deep, piled on pedestals, with bubble wrap surrounding the frames-well, to be honest the whole lot, including my stuff- really didn't look that impressive.
I have no doubt, that come Friday night, when the art reception is,when the jurying is done and the artwork is hung perfectly on the walls, and set on the pedestals, and the lighting is just so, when the titles and prices of hundreds or thousands of dollars, are mounted next to the work and the winners are announced- the same artwork that was not that awe inspiring on Monday, leaning on the floor- will be seen in a whole different light.
I was talking to a friend about the whole thing, and we agreed- Art- really- is nothing- grandiose doodling- but still someone doodling- a few bucks of material- painted, scratched or put together-on some surface.
But then again Art is everything- We build museums to house artists doodles- the Louvre, the Met- and what once was irreverently leaning on the floor of Van Gogh's studio- being overlooked by everyone-since he maybe sold one piece of artwork in his life- now- is protected by guards, sensors and climate controls and insured in the millions.
Hitler went searching for art- and the French kept most of it from him- hiding Di Vincis literally in barns and root cellars. Pharaoh and Roman Popes spent much of their lives, concerned about what "doodles" would adorn their tombs. Even our first ancestors, as soon as they picked up a stick, to hunt and survive with, picked up a stick to draw and record- but what?
"I was here, I existed, I leave this behind to speak for me?"
NPR- had an interesting piece on "Obama and the Arts"
where he talked about the importance of the Arts in tough times and how it helps define us as a nation and helps us look towards better times.
Tuesday, found me down at Battlerock, teaching and as I watched my little kindergartner's delight in turning water blue and dragging a paint brush over their paper- I was still pondering why " Art is so important?" and I thought back to what my friend said in our conversation- that we were created in God's image and God is a creator and I think that is what it is.
The essence of God in us, makes us need to create- the reason why the first stick was picked up and a image was made on a rock, why children, before they can speak are creating- delighting in the "senses" of this world- the sights, sounds, smells and textures.
As it says in Romans chapter one- creation is a testament to God-how can anyone look at a mountain top, a soaring eagle or a newborn baby and even question a Creator- but after Paul gives us that argument- he also points out that we humans, unfortunately have "exchanged the Creator, for the created." switching from worshipping the Maker- to what He has made- to worshiping a " energy force" and draw whatever we want from it- as Julie Cameron, encourages in her many "Artist Way" Books.
I disagree with Cameron- there is a Maker behind what is made, a God, who gave us a wondrous world to live in and be inspired by, and generously breathed that desire to create in each of us.
But who also is a "jealous" God- his creations exist for one reason- to speak loudly of His existence. Isn't that the reason we all create- to as I said before- " I was here, this is who I am?" Why would it be any different for the "Great I AM"