Water?

The sun has melted the snow off the LaPlatas and the Ute. Water has been trickling down into streams and creeks, making its way to the Dolores and Mancos Rivers and then into Summit Lake and McPhee, Naragwimimp and Totem. All bringing a change to the men of the valley. They go nuts. Men have shot other men over water, never heard of a women shooting anyone over water? I see them, the men, on the roads, with their tool- a shovel- in a pick up truck or an ATV- and most often with a dog. (there is a whole 'nother blog on what a determined dog can balance on- )checking the hay fields and head gates.
What is it with men and water? It's more then just each needs their allotted amount to water their fields of hay? Water has defined the West- without it there is no settling anything. From the beginning of the whites migration from east to west- Water was paramount- Ranchers would only have to lay claim to the sections that had water- of the miles and miles of land he would need to grave his herds of cattle and he then had all the land he wanted-no one else could sustain with out the water- often he would put his cowboys near the water holes to guard them from anyone else using them- the adage-"plenty to go around" did not nor does today exist when it comes to water. Water rights keep attorney's busy even today. In drought years it all has to do when your claim was filed and often the dates of the claims go back to the 1800's- if you have a new claim- filed in the 1900's- forget it-
There isn't enough to go around- and each claim holder wants his allotted share- whether he needs it or not- it seems- days are spent watching the pressure of the the streams of water spraying from the side rolls and moving them along the fields, hooked on to the back of an ATV. Valves are also checked on the head gates- either to open your values more then your neighbors or to make sure your neighbor didn't open his more than he should of-
And in good years- the valley is green and the ranchers might get three cuttings of their hay- and the reservoirs are splotches of blue on the horizon. On bad years the irrigation gets cut off in July and the fields turn brown and hay price will be bad for the winter.
Back to my question- what is it about men and water- today I think it is more-I think it is a powerful thing to think of ever year the snow comes to the mountains, the snow melts the water comes to the streams and rivers and will flow over this whole land until it reaches the sea and the whole process starts again- I think men are in tuned to that- and are drawn to put their hand in it and to control it- to "reclaim" the wild- it is what God proclaimed in Genesis and what must of been a great motivation to the man in the East who heard the call to go West.
I see it in them- when they are out in the fields, shovel in hand and they have diverted the might force of water to go where they chose and it flows out glisening in the sun- and then they stand there and watch for a moment what they have control of.

IF "Remember"

I think this is the second or third attempt at fabric collage. Looking back at it I realize how much my "technique" has changed- dare I say "improved". My dogs have definitely changed and I think that is the last cat I have done. Making an account of my portfolio on my website- I have done 10 illustrations that have a dog- out of 17!One illustration has a cat. Hum? What does that say- and I don't think I am a "gagga" for dogs person? Well- okay right now my two dogs are right here- the big one on the floor next to the bed, where I will have to navigate over him to get up nd the little one at the foot of the bed surveying her domain out the window.
Why do I illustrate so many dogs? Cause they are expressive I guess- they come in so many sizes and shapes- and having a dog says something about who a person is-

people who "take their dog" places are a little bit more laid back- little bit less up tight- and I like those people, I like illustrating those people. Dare I say I am one of those people? The illustration I am working on right now? Aghhhhh? Has two dogs in it and a pick up truck- ( 5 out of 17 illustrations have trucks)Great I will be the illustrator of dogs and trucks- is there much need for that in in the children's literature market?


I love the West- the geographical location and the lifestyle and you illustrate what you know- if you drive the highways of the Southwest- you see dogs and you see trucks. Both say something about the people who make this place their home.

"Being part of an Old Couple"

I bumped in to an interesting blog today. Usually happens when I am trying to find images to help me draw something and then my curiosity takes over and I end up reading the websites where the images are. This blog was written by a young girl, must of been in college because she was saying she wouldn't be posting until her examines were done. Well the blog that caught my eye was her opinions on marriage. She sounded just like I did in college.
She said she would not even consider getting married until she was "independent and shrewed". Here is my "rebuttal blog" on why if she takes that as her criteria for marriage she will fail.
I might not know everything or much- but I have been married for sixteen years- I think, I always have to have my husband remind me what it is exactly- but then again he has to remind me exactly how old I am too.
I think her very modern idea of "being independent" is the kiss of death to a marriage. Sorry "modern women" - "Need" is vital. Marriage will not last unless both of you need each other. Companionship is not enough.
When I was in college- I worked in a nursing home as a CNA and learned a lot about life, death and marriage.
Amazing, most of the residence when their mind "left them" their thoughts went back to their childhoods and they would take about their mothers and fathers in the present tense- like a child. But there were a few exceptions- Minnie Brown would wander the halls looking for Mr. Brown- sometimes in desperation and only the reassurance that he was on his way would appease her.
There was another man, I can't remember his name. You could tell he had been a proud man,tall and strong in his younger day but since having a stroke he just sat in his room, not one to want to be out in the halls or involved in the activities- he was waiting to die, but it was going to take him a long time. He would not interact with the nurses and CNA when we would help him get dress and take care of the things he could not do anymore- sometimes "growling at us" in his frustration of not being able to even go to the bathroom alone. I knew he liked me because he wouldn't "growl" so much at me and I could usually get him to do the things I needed to.
His wife came to see him everyday.She would talk to him a little, but mostly she just sat with him. Sometime, I would walk by the room and she would be standing behind his chair rubbing his back.
But then she had a heart attack and died, so all day, everyday he sat in his room alone. Once when I had gotten him in the bathroom and was standing behind him waiting for him to finish, he cried and I rubbed his back for him.
I don't know what kind of a marriage they had, what their life was like together. But whatever it was, they stuck through it together. I could tell, as could everyone else in the nursing home-how much he loved and needed his wife.
You don't sit with the shell of your husband or wife everyday or help them with their "bodily functions" because you enjoy them as "a companion". In fact, that might not be a bad litmus test to decide if you are in love- "would you empty out their catheter bag for them the rest of their life." Well actually it is put a little bit more elegantly- "In sickness and in health, forsaking all others" in the marriage vows. Enough said on that!
On to the second half of my rebuttal- "not get married until I am shrewd?" - I had the same thought in my head as a young women- I want my husband to be this to be that- I want him to have this intelligence, this demeanor, even to the extent of his eye color, hair color, etc. Asked the questions young girls discuss- the what if's - what if he wants me to do this or that?
We define love the wrong direction- we thing we will love someone because what they do and who they are- True love is loving someone Despite what they do. And God has a sense of humor- my husband is such the opposite of all my expectations- and frankly sometimes he irritates the hell out of me- but he is a good, strong man and takes care of his family. The bottom line to everything, the thing that "trumps" being independent, shrewd or anything else- is when he kisses me- I melt inside. There really is nothing else then that. I love him enough to empty his catheter everyday- hum? maybe I should put that on our next anniversary card?

A Stitch in Time

I was enjoying the comments that were coming in on my IF "Go Green" and a lot of them had to do with how hard it must be to do collage in fabric and how much time it takes. So thought I would respond to that. First- I have tried so many other mediums-pen and ink, watercolor, paper collage and they all finished out looking like "crap" sorry can't think of another word.
In fact, other well known illustrators- one Caldacott winner who will remain nameless-
at a SCBWI conference- told me so. I tended to over work things. So finding a medium that I am successful with, even if it might take some extra time, is worth it. Beside when I get to the stitching stage- I can take it anywhere and it is very relaxing, often do it watching a movie in the evening.
The laying down the fabric really goes fast. While a painter is working in the texture in the sky, I just find some blue batik fabric and it is done in a matter of seconds. I'd say it takes four days to finish an illustration- and that is by no means a full day- that is having blocks of time to work on it- I am a mother, need I say more. One day to sketch and get a final pattern on tissue paper, a easy day laying down the the pieces of fabric- with iron on adhesive on the back, one to two days to stitch around everything and do embroidery and other details.

Go Green!

Although I had fun with the "earthness" of this illustration,sorry couldn't resist- the scene is looking at the Flat Irons ( rock outcrops near the town of Boulder, Colorado-near where I grew up) and it freatures "Granolas" ( the new hippy), the reality is we All need to Go Green and recycle. This is the only planet we have and we only have so much room- and we create too much trash.

I featured this illustration on my "How I Work Page" on my webstite if you are curious about the construction of my fabric collages.

Everything Goes Around

This is interesting. Henry Ford made cars in America. His counterparts were making cars in Europe for the elite. Ford decided to do it differently. He wanted to make cars as cheaply as possible,but the assembly took too long- then he had an idea and the modern assembly line was created-one person, would put the same bolt, in the same place, in hundreds of cars, the next person would have their repetitive job- cutting the time almost in half. Less time in production translated to cheaper cars and more cars. More cars needed more workers to make them. But then the work, itself is boring and Ford can not keep employees-so he almost doubles the wages- allowing the people who make the cars to afford the cars- and creates a "middle class in America-and the whole idea basically pushes us into the modern comsumer age-


Don't you love the history channel!

Battle Rock School

I haven't blogged anything for awhile-life has been getting in the way. This is a picture of the one room school house I teach art at, one day a week. Situated in Mc Elmo Canyon, very near the Four Corners of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizonia, Battle Rock School has been a place children have been learning and playing since I think 1911. A irrigation ditch waters the huge cottonwoods in the front and in the back of the school, is a rock slope, full of boulders and cactus- where the kids climb and play and amazingly the only serious injure at the school happened when a kid ran into the school too fast and tripped over the door frame and broke his leg! I have worked in school that had the teachers guarding every corner of the rubber playground and had more injuries!

Illustration Friday- "Sprout"

This idea "sprouted" when we were driving around the island with our friends. Maui will always be old mission churches, lush scenery, upcountry cattle and Matt and Wendy in a open air jeep (the view from our car.)

Decisions@!#@!#$

I have a quandry, they seem to find me rather easily or a least I have no problem finding them!
I am not computer savy and to learn what I have- scanning images, resizing images, building a website, figuring out the commands of a blog- has been a painful experience. One day scans are beautiful, one day they are not, one day I push keys and things on the computer work, one day I push the same keys and my computer hates me!
Well in the search for an easier, or maybe just more like my brain works- blog- I tried out Typepads service. And of course, somethings on typepad I love, somethings on Blogger I like better. Somethings on Typepad work easier, somethings on Blogger work easier!
But now after doing an Illustration Friday- have also concluded,becuase most everyone use Blogger- Typepad is a nuance to check out others sites-
Ahhhh! So being my flippy floppy self- am now wondering if I should return to Blogger- have 12 more days on my free trial offer to Typepad-
decisions- @#$#$@%^#@

I have moved!

Over the weekend I moved my blog- so if you're looking for me- go to http://juliakelly.typepad.com/moonflower_musings/
see you there!!

Illustration Friday....80's

Warning: There is a heavy dose of reminiscing- so if you don't know me- I apologize!
This was fun! A blast from the past! Got the email this morning and it prompted me to pull out my portfolio from art school! Started the fall of 1986- 18 and naive- I packed my bags and headed to Fort Lewis College in Durango Colorado- ( funny just reminiscing about Durango in my journal blog this morning!
The pic is of Lauren and Michelle- the stars of the theater program at Loveland High School- I was the behind the scenes Assistant Director and Stage Manager and an aspiring art student- we would go done to Lake Loveland- and I would photograh them and Megan and Tom- ( which I am going to find some of those photos for the world to see!- Megan will "die"- but sa la vie- do you remember that from French class Megan!)
Well the four "cool" ones would be in front of the camera- and me the "geek" would be behind- which I loved- and we would take the most awesome black and whites- me reviling in being "artistic"- my step dad had a dark room in the basement and a "kindness" that let me develop as much as I wanted to- wow- got to find those black and whites!
Well when I head off to art school- I took them and used them alot in my freshmen design class- so here is the blast from the past and a few black and whites to torture my old friends- boy I wish I knew where Michelle was- she headed off to make her fame as an actress- think she is in Washington DC- last I checked- getting rave reviews in a play- if I remember right- might have to "google" her!

Tom and Megan! wow does this not scream the 80's!
One of the boys had an old truck- huh-loved them even back then- old Fords and Chevys- and the Awesome Four!

Ahhhh Durango

Drove over to Durango yesterday- had a whole list of things I can't get done in the "boondocks".
What a treat- to be in a town so beautiful, so "professional". Walking into the printers- they totally knew what they were doing- to walk into wonderful stores with soooo many choices and such helpful people, instead of Walmart with whatever they have and not so helpful people. To chose from about four coffee shops with in walking distance. I was unrushed- browsing the wooden shelves of Maria's bookstore, chatting with others who wanted to recommend the book I had in my hand- strolling Nature Oasis Natural Food Store- buying more then I really needed. Went to City Market and the check-out people were the same- a little bit grey-er then they were when I lived there almost..... twelve years ago- it just hasn't changed, gotten busier maybe- a few stable resturants like Father Murphies and Clancys are no more- Carvers- the bakery has gone "high brow"- different stores downtown- but staples like Gardenswartz and the Needles are still there.
Driving home I pondered why we left- such a wonderful town where we could walk downtown with our dogs and stroll the streets, coffee or tea in our hand, a town where we fit a little bit more then we do here.
Then I remembered about becoming parents and how greatly our motivations changed- I will always love Durango- but sadly it did not offer- for us- the world of close friends and fellowship in a body of believers- as we are blessed with here- and that is why we left.
That and getting tired of pulling flyers off our cars for seminars on Goddess worship, hearing conversations about Jesus Christ channeling a manuscript to an author to write a book and the house next door to us that became a "bongo" factory- nothing against drums but to listen to them 24 hours a day gets old.
So Durango has turned into a very nice place to visit but I wouldnt want to live there again- well maybe when I am an old grey haired artist- adorned with silver and beads- and Jon is a old retired lawyer- just doing a few probonos on the side- we could live there- but now our attention is turned to Utah and Moab- a place as interesting as Durango in so many ways- so I dont know!
I did tell myself I need to get over there way more then I am- cause I really, really needed that yesterday!

imperfection

here are those that hide their imprefections deep within them with their back to the rest of us. I don't know why they do that- I do not think less of them because they are imperfect- but have recently come to the conclusion that they can think less of me-because of mine.

Never Mind the Wind

his Labor Day, I was a freebie attendee at the Telluride Film Festival. I got to spend the weekend rubbing elbows with producers, directors and other want-a-bes.
As a freebie attendee, I had to wait till the pass holders had been seated in the venues and "if" there was room then us "freeloaders" were allowed in.
One movie that I did get into see was Volver, starring Penelope Cruz. Set in Spain and with English subtitles- it is the story of three generation of women, trying to etch out a life, steeped in tradition, economic depression, lazy or no good men, and the wind- that never stops blowing.
The movie opens as the women of the village are at the cemetery-cleaning their family crypts- carrying on the traditions of their mothers and grandmothers. To an outsider- it seems like a hopeless pursuit- the wind faster in bring dust then the women can brush it away. But I understand this tradition- coming to the place of your family, reading the names to your children, laying flowers down for them. I have been doing this with my mother and my grandmother as long as I can remember- and now I do it with my children.
Memorial Day to many is the beginning of the summer- to get the boats out and hit the lake for the first time in the season, to join the long line of cars on the freeways headed to here or there for a much needed relaxing weekend. But to some- a few hours of the weekend is spent in collecting flowers- most seasons lilacs are spent by the end of May- but peonies should be glorious. In a good year- no store bought flowers will be needed, but in a cool spring- carnations might be bought, sometimes in bundles of red white and blue.
Then early Monday morning the grandchildren are lined up with saved small tin cans which have been rolled in foil and anchored with rocks- to build bouquets- under the instructions of their grandmother, mothers and aunts- who careful disperse the glorious flowers and encourage the use of the green leafed branches for fillers. The small cans finished, the buckets of Peonies, baby’s breath, daisies, columbines and bleeding hearts, clippers, canvas, and jars of water set in the back of the car- with a designated grandchild to watch that the buckets of flower do not fall over- we start our rounds, delivering the little bouquets of flowers- to old friends- discussions arise as to the locations of the graves- by that stand of pines? Second or third row from the road? Victory is given to the one who finds the marker first and in turn a little bouquet of flowers is placed carefully by on of the granddaughters with a history lesson of our family given by her grandmother, then it is off to the car, to find the next place to put the foil wrapped tin, already in the hands of the next granddaughter.
When all the tins are delivered- we drive to the newer cemetery- flat with out the moss covered weather worn tombstones rising up from the ground and navigate the narrow lanes, lined with other cars, their trunks up and their families carrying buckets of flowers to their loved ones, and park near the back. Our graves are easy to spot, five in a row, a small American flag marking the spot. Taking the buckets, canvas and water, we get to work, pulling up the vases that have sat underground for a year and been the homes to spiders and ants. They are carefully rinsed off and secured in their stands and then filled with water. The canvas is laid out and we all start placing the flowers- making sure each gets a bursting peony first. Daisy are abundant and given to the granddaughters to stuff where they please. Discussion is on how good or bad the flowers are this year and would Grandma approve. When the vases start to fill up, we ration out the Columbine, each granddaughter placing one in her great grandmother or grandfather, great great aunt or uncles or great uncles vase and we stand back to admire how pretty our vases look.
Why do we do it- because that is what we were taught to do- by our mothers, by our grandmothers- who's mothers taught them- like the ladies of Volver- it doesn’t matter is the wind brings the dust the second we turn our backs- this is tradition.

Geezers and Girlfriends

uesday mornings,my girlfriends meet up at the "Olde Geezer" coffee house. No that is not the name on the door, it is really the backend of a craftstore/bookstore, with a row of cement blocks and boards with a combination of new and used books. Then there is a little bit of bulk coffee, a little bit of tea, a little bit of a lot of things hanging from the walls and on the shelves. But it is out in the "boondocks" near where we all live and most of us have no desire to drive the fifteen minutes to the larger town that has the nice, posh, coffee places- so it is the "Old Geezers" for us.
The Geezers are regular attenders, as rural westerners as you can get, their old pickup trucks lined in a row next to all our SUV with our cargo boxes and bike racks hanging off of them. The geezers take up the bar and the backtables, with their Carhart jackets over the back of their chairs, overall or Wranglers on, and chunky old boots- they "yarn" with Vern, the owner- as they have one ear caucked towards the girls conversations that go the gamit of our families to our faith, reading Vogue or traveling the world,as our cell phones go off-one after another.
We dont usually meet over holidays or breaks and today when we walked in, the Geezers cheered, glad for our return, having missed us over Christmas.
Why does this Tuesday morning mix work so well- because they all are sweet old man and we have seem to become a highlight of their week-

Leaks!

ell I have started off the "guideline" of an blog a day with a bang- check back in a month and see how I am really doing!! Thought about "sailing through" today with getting two up yesterday with my illustration friday entry! But really wanted to record how I came to this ephany!
It was all due to standing around a coffee/bookstore in Farmington New Mexico- waiting for a bagel to be made! Had to travel there for a meeting and found the most wonderful little bookstore- downtown- walls all painted bright colors, filled with wonderful books and earthly people. Next to the coffee counter was a card display and a line of cards of women with long faces, big hands and feet caught my eye- I started reading the captions and realized I understood this artists poetry- I dont know if she would call it poetry- but I did- Susan Mrosek is her name and her line of cards is called "pondering pool" - some of her phrases I dont get "yet"- I hope they will seep into me in time- the ones I do- so hit a cord with me- about the ways we as women carry our joys and our sorrows on us and in us- in such a physical way- that is what I love about her work- here is one to ponder upon-
" Slumber- I must say I am exhuasted!I've tossed twice over and once on my back. I've no room to lounge in this jumble of thoughts that crowd my bed." From her book Leaks
I love her work and it certainly inspires me- but what really hit me like a freight train was reading in her book and here I quote her again-
"It stands to reason.
I stand to reason.
I stand to write.
Writing helps make reason-
which is the reason I write."
Wow! I am an artist I create- I am a writer- so I should be writing- for that "Stands to Reason!"
to check her out- go to the pondering pool link in the side bar!

"Illustration Friday- Buzz"

Poppies will always remind me of my grandma- behind her house on Franklin street. She had a field of poppies, and I can just see her standing in the middle of them as I came around the corner of her house on my bike.
As I do more and more fabric collage I am amazed at how little visually detail we need to identify what we know- the bees are just a small row of stitches- but the yellow/black certianly identifies a "bee"!

A Blog a Day!

ew Year Resolutions have always just been a mark of failure to me, as they are for many people. I seem to do much better sort of sneaking up on my self improvements,slightly adjusting the course till I surprise myself with being in a better place then I was.
On a long drive across Northwest New Mexico, I came up with some course changes- that if I do them more then I don't- I should be pleased with the results.
The first one was to-if at all possible-blog everyday,abandoning my daily paper journal-which I feel somewhat guilty about- for an online journal. Pondering the difference between the two, I came up some guidelines to follow- more times then not.
1. A paper journal is personal- really only for the eyes of the writer. Pope John Paul had his journals burned at the time of his death- always wondered if his assistants took a peek before striking the match. An online journal is universal- literally! Already there has been traffic on this blog from China, Portugal and even Siberia!! Two concerns arise- 1- What you might think of me- if I expose my thoughts and ponderings- "Better keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool- then open it and remove all doubts! (or something like that) and 2nd- the challenge of having the content be- more then it is not- something that will resonate to an universal audience.
I claim to be a writer, as I claim to be an artist- there is not a day I don't put my hands on something to do with my art- there are many days- I do not write- that is what I hope to change- someone once said "you have to write 1,000 pages of &%^&^#$ before you write anything good- well here is to getting 365 pages of %^%$%^&# out of me- and maybe a few good morsels along the way to!
Oh- and being a "universal journal" please feel free to comment- just click the comment button at the bottom of the post- and after a quick register- comment away- as long as my kids would be allowed to read it- I will post it for all to see- Here is to the journey- wherever it may lead!

"Illustration Friday-Peace"

May none of your sheep get away from you this Christmas Season!- giving you the time and the energy to reflect on the true meaning of the season and the only way to true Peace for our world!




"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:4




Merry Christmas!!

"Illustration Friday-Peace"

( for some reason- highly likely me- there is no comment box on this post- so if you do want to comment-click on Moonflower Musing in the link section to get to my current page- which should work! Thanks!!"

May none of your sheep get away from you this Christmas Season!- giving you the time and the energy to reflect on the true meaning of the season and the only way to true Peace for our world!

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:4

Merry Christmas!!