Journal

Random Musings on Art and LIfe

Categories

Rug Hooking in Guatemala

March 16, 2020

Getting started The beginning of the process is, of course, choosing a design in collaboration with our rug buddies. I had a design in mind based on some of my embroideries. My rug buddy and one of the staff members took one look and said “nope!” — much too complicated for a beginner. (Now why…

The Last Stitch is Always the Best Stitch

October 23, 2019
The Last Stitch intro image

When we decided to make an extended trip to the US this summer, I knew I needed a project. (Two and a half months is far too much time to be away from my art!) I was hopeful, but not sure, that I would make it to the Last Stitch. I’m delighted to report that…

Lessons from A Year of Living Offline

August 19, 2019

Less Stuff More Art

May 24, 2018
Less-Stuff-More-Art-fb

When I returned from Chapala a year ago, I wrote a post about my Studio Essentials. Having just completed six months with exactly those supplies and nothing more, I can tell you that “Less Stuff More Art” really works! I spent the season in Chapala with a Silhouette machine, a small selection of fabric, a set…

Slow down to the speed of life

December 14, 2017

When I gave myself permission to take a break this fall, I had no idea how much I needed that break. And having taken a bit of a breather, it’s clear that I need to slow down to the speed of life.   It’s not that the past couple of months have been quiet. Far…

Lessons from a 20-Year Hike

October 12, 2017
20-Year-Hike-fb

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Jack and I have visited our friends at their ranch for 20 years. With each visit, I logged a lot of hours – and miles – in my hiking boots enjoying the sights and sounds of the ranch. I capped off our visit this year with a long “20-year hike” to one of my…

Studio Essentials: Finding the Sweet Spot

May 25, 2017
Shellys-Studio-Essentials-FB

After three months in Chapala with  (very) limited supplies, I found my home studio more than a bit overwhelming. With several decades worth of art supplies on hand, it’s a miracle I get anything done! It’s time to remove the distractions and get down to a smaller set of Studio Essentials. Rather than just “thinking”…

Just Me And My Shadow At The Ranch

September 24, 2015

  We arrived at our friends’ ranch on Sunday, and I took advantage of a beautiful Monday for a walk about. Our time “at the ranch” is my favorite time of year. If I were to pick up and move to another place in the US, I expect it would be to this corner of…

The Ancient Art of Salvador Vasquez

April 16, 2015

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a day with Zahava Sherez and Joan Bowers, two of the artists here in Chapala for the Residency Program. Zahava arranged for a driver to take us to Tonola and Tlaquepaque, both on the outskirts of Guadalajara.   Our first stop in Tonola was to meet Salvador Vasquez,…

Test A Design With A Silhouette Cutter

February 12, 2015

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a previous post, I talked about testing paint colors before starting work on a big project. Today I want to talk about a different, and perhaps more important, test that can save you from untold hours of unhappiness. With the new high-tech tools available today, we can make a scale-model of a design to…

Before You Start That Big Project…

February 5, 2015

Last week I shared an article by Nancy Kazlauckas about how she tests Paintstik colors for a project. I’m not quite as methodical as Nancy, but I did use her color testing method before I started painting on my big 3-panel project. In this case, a couple of hours up front saved me a lot…

Beauty Equals Mass of Imperfections

January 15, 2015

Today I want to propose a new Universal Law of Art Physics. Are you ready? The New Law is a nice simple equation, kind of like Einstein’s E=mc2 that describes mass-energy equivalence. But, unlike theoretical physics, I know you can relate to my New Law. Without further ado, here it is: Say what? Let me…