Cigar Box Wednesday

Actually this should be called "Lunchbox" Wednesday today. But it's serving the same purpose that all those delightful cigar boxes do - holding the stuff. In this case - thread spools. Some full, some empty, most vintage, a few not. I've found them at thrift stores, garage sales and swap meets, and even been gifted with some when people have cleaned out their mother's or grandmother's sewing boxes.

I love the colours of the thread, the satisfying feel of the turned wood in one's hand, and the great old graphics on the labels.

The Return of the Little French Chef

Two more vintage shots of the little French chef.
Attacked by the vicious onion,

and noting the colour and bouquet of the evening's wine.

These are the delightful calendar toppers that
appear each month at Castle in the Air in Berkeley.
If you've never been, you must go!

In the Garden

These are two watercolours I did a few years ago when I was taking a class with the wonderful Joy Krull. We were playing around with prepping the paper with matte medium and then applying the paint before the medium was totally dry. I was especially pleased with the fence in the picture to the right.
I met Joy again at an exhibition opening recently and it was fun to reminisce and catch up on the intervening years.

Life on the Coast

A great blue heron strides purposefully in Morro Bay harbour.

Enjoy your weekend!

Atomic Lemon and a Good Book

As the evenings draw in this time of year, Atomic Lemon likes to settle down with a good book. Of course this book is made of polymer clay, but then, really, I guess that doesn't make too much difference to a lemon, does it?!

From the Bookshelf

This book was a literal life-saver for me eight years ago. I was building up the courage to leave a long term marriage. Everyday I would sit down with that day's prompt and write out my thoughts, my fears, my reasons for leaving. It became my year long/everyday therapy and helped keep me on track and sane during that time. There is a prompt for each day of the year in the form of an unfinished sentence, along with tips and suggestions about the writing life. Judy's style is warm, approachable and informative. A 10th anniversary edition has just been released with even more wonderfulness inside. Three years after I spent that intense time with the book I took a workshop with Judy and over the years we have been blessed with a developing friendship. It's been a real treat to be able to thank her in person for how much her book helped me in discovering my new life.

"The Pity of War"

The Pity of War

Here are a few shots of the book I've been frantically working on. But it's all done and ready to turn in to the gallery - on time!


I took my inspiration from the WWI British poets. One spread features a poem and the one following illustrates the spirit of the poem.


I used lots of cheesecloth (my one weakness!), rusty bits and xerox copies of vintage photos.

The show will run December and January at the
Steynberg Gallery in San Luis Obispo.

Cigar Box Wednesday

This vintage cigar box is labeled "From the Orient" and includes stamps, stickers, chopstick wrappers, ornaments, ceramic fans and many other bits and bobs from Asiatic lands.

All waiting to find their way into an altered book, an art journal or an assemblage.

Dia de los Muertos

This is my ofrenda celebrating the lives of my maternal grandparents, my parents,

and my dear brother, who left us all too soon.

And this is what I'll be wearing today. Margot took pictures of the skull in the above picture, made transfers and created the shirt - perfect for Dia de los Muertos.

Remember What it Cost

As you go to the polls tomorrow, take a moment to reflect on the brave women in this country who secured the right to vote 90 years ago. They were beaten, chained, force fed, and treated like criminals - and all this was within the law of the time. And women's suffrage is only one example of what people across the world have done to have the right to vote. There are still places where people risk beatings or death. Places where people will walk 5, 10, 20 miles to reach a polling place.

Can you believe some here choose to say "I'm just too busy"?

Exercise your right tomorrow and thank those who suffered so you can.