THE MOON AND THE STARS . . .

Opens tonight at the Gallery at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts in Winslow, WA on Bainbridge Island. The show titled THE MOON AND THE STARS features Barbara Helen Berger, Morgan Brig, Linda Costello, Diane Culhane, Jeannie Grisham, Chuck Gumpert, Denise Harris, Linda Jarvis, Suzy Kueckelhan, Christopher Mathie, Shane Miller, Deborah Peek, Lynnette Sandbloom, Carianna Schreitz, Cameron Snow, Donna Snow, and Jessica Spring.

The pieces I am exhibiting are:
                  
REFUGE WITHIN

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

 

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

What you cannot see in this image is a moon painted on the dark, sky background within the window of the pages.

BEWITCHED BY THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

 

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

THE MOON AND THE STARS

Artists aim high with work in all mediums inspired by astronomy, celestial navigation, lunar cycles, and the night sky.

The show runs from tonight's opening Artists’ reception 6-8 p.m. through March 2, 2015.

REMEMBER to click on the image to enlarge. 

WAITING FOR THE MUSE IN THE WAKE OF LOSS

Moving through the aftermath of losing my mother I feel like I am navigating into and out of molasses, thick and slow. Though time does make each day easier I still feel a bit stifled by the absence of her presence in my world. A big void has been left behind, though she is still with me, I feel her, she comes to me in my dreams. I miss getting to look into her beautiful hazel eyes and that radiant smile she so eagerly gave, but looking at her photos brings those joyous moments back to me.

Those many years of sharing a friendship with the one person who has been in my life the longest is held near and dear to my heart. This sort of life changing occurrence has triggered some sweet remembrances that come flooding into my senses and bring me solace. A daughter's special relationship with her mother is like no other.

With those memories comes another pull to remember and revisit my old works of art in hopes to seek my future muse to transport me into a new sense of creativity, at least I am holding expectancy for that. That window may take a while to show itself, but I am keeping myself open to receiving the call and cutting myself lose from the ties of grief when the moment presents itself. Time is a healer and as I move through the grief while still giving myself those moments of tears I am on my way to shifting into a new reality.

This older piece feels appropriate for a revisit at this place in time:

                             all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

This piece was one of many I created for a show a few years ago at Northwind Arts Center in Port Townsend, WA. It is titled WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.

Onward... 

REMEMBER to click on the image to enlarge. 

REFLECTIONS

all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

                                                         all rights reserved by the artist © 2015

This piece, a mirror entitled Raven Blues, will be shown in an invitational exhibition, Super Bowl and Reflections, at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery in Winslow on Bainbridge Island, WA. 

The show runs December 5-28.

An Artists’ reception is 6-8 p.m. Friday, December 5

The Artists include:

Nick Ashman, Lori Bernstein, Diana Cronin, John Ellefson, Gina Freuen, David Gray, Larry Halvorsen, Annie Hancock, Solia Hermes, Bob Hickernell, Hank Holzer, Linda Jarvis, Birgit Josenhans, Nana Kuo, Aaron Levine, Lowell Martin, Shane Miller, Merrilee Moore, Reid Ozaki, Edlee Quesnell, Ann Reynolds-Pearl, Jason Russell, Carianna Schreitz, Terry Siebert, Donna Snow, Bob Spangler, Maria Spies, Don Sprague, Rick Stafford, Raquel Stanek, Lee Stollar, Sherry Underwood, Anna VonRosenstiel, Helga Winter, and Dale Zimmerman.

I am working toward more pieces for this exhibit but as my previous post stated I am working at improving my relationship with time and finding the balance that is so needed to give myself space in time to create. 

Remember to click on the photos for a larger image. 

MOVING THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

How does one make the hands of a clock stop or at least slow down. When I am in my studio enveloped in what I am doing I have no sense of time...though when life pulls at me time seems to slip right through my hands and then vanishes and that window to be in that creative sphere is hard to slip into.

So here I am months after my last post. Life is so full and moving so fast it is a challenge to sit down to post something let alone get into the studio to release some creative energy...one foot in front of the other...taking moments for more meditation...more walks in the woods or on the beach...more time in the studio....more time with loved ones...all ways to make time expand and do all that makes one's heart happy.

STUDIO TOUR 2014 @ GREYBIRD BARN

 

Welcome to GreyBird Barn... 

Well, time has passed by weeks now since the Port Townsend Studio Tour at GreyBird Barn. So, here are some images of the event that weekend. The weather was beautiful, the Barn looked wonderful revealing a real sense of a gallery. There was a wonderful feeling of team spirit among the participating artists as we welcomed the many guests who wandered through checking out the creative works we were displaying. This open studio concept is always the perfect way to reconnect with friends and art collectors, past and potential, while making new connections. It was also a perfect time for Shane to share her almost completed loft studio space in the barn which has been a long time coming for her. She spent a lot of the weekend trooping up and down the stairs, pointing out special features in the loft and sharing her enthusiasm for this remarkable space. You can learn more about her loft in this blog post.

Every year we pull this event together with the incredible assistance from family and friends. It could not happen without their help. A big 'thank you' to Carrie Ehrhardt for always coming through with some delicious home-made cookies for our guests and to Wendy Jarvis (my ever so helpful sister) and Bob Snow (Donna's husband) for helping us on clean up days before the sale and another huge 'thank you' to Bob for parking cars for us during the 2 day event. We also want to thank Melinda Bryden and Northwind Arts Center for organizing this event - with over 30 studios on the tour this is no easy task. And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank the fellow artists of GreyBird Barn. It's always such a pleasure and a treat to spend time with all of you and to share our visions, our processes and our passions with each other...
Thank you!


GreyBird Barn's Gallery setting.


Me, Linda Jarvis with Diane Haddon ... a wonderful assemblage artist (we collect much of the same objects) and very dear friend.


Donna Snow, another dear friend, in her corner space demonstrating her process for her fabulous and very imaginative collages.


People gathered around Shirley Moss, a friend and master chain maker, showing her intricate handmade chain jewelry.


Me, again, Linda Jarvis, and friend, Steve Parmelee (another fabulous assemblage artist-he and Diane and I crave found objects and they have some wonderful collections), and GreyBird Barn owner, Shane Miller, of course friend and wonderful mixed metal jeweler and narrative box artist.


Diane Haddon and Shane.


Lynn Anju, a friend, creative jeweler, and a previous exhibitor at GreyBird Barn, looking like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Loran Scruggs behind her is the artist who crafts these wonderful tin and bottle cap creations. A new participant this year and we all so enjoyed getting to know her and her work.



Me and our dear friend, Zo.


Zo and Shane


Here is Jay Haskins, an artist and friend visiting with Donna Snow. Jay is an integral part of Northwind Arts Center and display master responsible for hanging exhibits there.


Bob Snow, Donna's patient husband and a Mac guy (note his reading material) was our parking attendant. He could have very well set up shop as a consultant for Mac users and answer all kinds of Mac questions during the sale. 

REMEMBER to click on the photos for a larger image. 

PORT TOWNSEND OPEN STUDIO TOUR 2014

This year Shane Miller and I decided to do the Port Townsend Open Studio Tour sponsored by the Northwind Arts Center and the Port Townsend Arts Commission, asking 3 other artists to participate making our group five very talented and diversified artists guised as the GreyBird Barn Group. We are Shane Miller, myself, Linda Jarvis, Donna Snow, Shirley Moss and Loran Scruggs. You can read about each artist as well as see example images of the work that will be available during the tour via our artist page here. You can click on each image to enlarge them. Also find directions as to how to find us during the weekend on the GreyBird Barn Group page or at bottom of this post.

This year, 2014, is the 16th annual Port Townsend Arts Festival and the schedule of events will include visual arts, literary events, poetry, workshops, lectures, theatre and an artist studio tour. The tour offers an opportunity to visit local artists, observe demonstrations, and discuss the creative process throughout an intensive weekend of art, August 23 – 24, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. 
GreyBird Barn Group will each be demonstrating various parts of our creative process . . . such as: photo etching, 3D mixed media assemblage, mixed media collage, jewelry chain making, and tin can sculpture.
Here are some links to web-pages that will provide you more information about the tour, list of artists, and a maps.

STUDIO TOUR MAP

GOOGLE MAP

GreyBird Barn is located in the Glen Cove area at 11 Carroll Ave. 

Watch for our signs just outside of Port Townsend. Off of Sims Way/HWY 20 take Frederick Street east to Otto Street. Turn left on Otto and follow signs to the bottom of the hill. Turn left into driveway where a friendly crocodile sculpture greets you.

We are looking forward to seeing you all during the studio tour August 23 & 24.

KEEPING UP WITH THE UNIVERSE

I welcome you back and in the same breath I welcome myself back...there has been so much time that has passed since my  last  post. And with the subject of time lapse, I want to share here, two of my heros, Billl Moyers and Neil deGrasse Tyson regarding our Universe and its mysterious activities that affect us in oh so many ways. This first clip below is one in a series of three interviews they did together on Bill Moyers & Comapny. You can find them on either the deGrasse Tyson's site or the Moyers site. Enjoy these minds. And be sure to look for Cosmos however you can if you did not see it when it aired. Then, pause and think about who we are as part of this amazing, mystifying and astounding Universe.




Max Schlickenmeyer-the most astounding fact-Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools clear through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia. View Full Bio

"What we found was unexpected. The universe is speeding up. Why, is still a mystery." -Brian Schmidt

Bartlett High School graduate Brian Schmidt won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on providing evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. Schmidt is currently an astrophysicist at the Australian National University Mount Stromlo Observatory and Research school of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Australia.

More evidence about our universes mysteries to be gleaned from Wikipedia the Accelerating Universe.

This all brings me to why I have not been posting for so long. Much of life, mostly around caring for my elderly mom, now 94-1/2 years on this planet...you rock mom! It is a gift to be able to spend time with her in her waning years, for that I am grateful, though it is stressful and it has pulled me from my creative life. So much to do and take care of it feels like there is no time to stop and create...Breathe, yes, when I remember, and all else is challenged by our speeding up of time. But, today I am finding time to post and hopefully some room for me to be in my studio to create new work for an upcoming event I will be posting information about soon.

Thanks for coming back with interest in my work. I hope I have not lost too many inquiring onlookers and that I have some new posts to bring you back again.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/08/24/3041155/universe-is-speeding-up-says-nobel.html#storylink=cpy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerating_universe
Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/08/24/3041155/universe-is-speeding-up-says-nobel.html#storylink=cpy

T

REMEMBERING...

  A couple of weeks have past us by since this year's Greybird Barn Artist Open Studio event took place. Many visitors came through the doors to see all the new work by the 6 artists who participated this year.... Shane Miller, Lynn Anju,Diana Cronin, me, Linda Jarvis, Paula Gill and Sue Skelly. Take a look at some of the memories we created over the weekend. If you weren't able to stop by for a visit with the artists and view their wares, sip on a cup of hot apple cider, partake of one of *Rick's dark chocolate brownies or a delectable homemade cookie baked up by our master-cookie-maker, Carrie and her cookie-making-assistant, Ari, then let's hope you can come by next year. 
*Though we did not capture a photo of Rick, Lynn's husband and assistant, he was our event prepping co-worker, our welcoming greeter and parking director. 

Paula in the midst of last minute set-up of her playful Tiles from her Red Step Studio just before we opened the doors

 Diana Cronin's gallery space display with Shane and customers beyond

 Diana with a customer next to her wonderfully colorful pottery. Cynthia, friend and GreyBird Barn enthusiast & helper looking on...

Me, Linda, in disguise in front of my gallery space

Friend and first time visitor, Barbara Berger and me in front of my gallery space...with friend, Cynthia, intensely observing to my left and customer looking at cards and prints to my right 

Lynn's beautiful display with her etched silver jewelry pieces, some of which are enameled and her copper etched lamp shades

 Bright and cheerful Lynn in her gallery space

 Lynn and Shane preparing cider, brownies and cookies

 Paula in front of her gallery space with admiring customer looking on

 Paula's painterly tiles of NW scenes

Paula's gallery space set up

Eslbeth exclaiming to Paula Gill about her varied tile selections 

Shane Miller's gallery space with etched metal narrative boxes, artist books, sculptures and etched silver jewelry 

 Shane's jewelry on display stands

 Shane's table with metal etched books,and sculpture not to mention her vintage toy truck holding her biz cards 

 Jean-Marie studying one of Shane's photo etched narrative boxes, Looking For Open Water.

A glimpse of Sue Skelly during the pre-show set up of her vintage button wearables...

 Kathleen, Zo, Les and Sue in Sue's gallery space explaining her process of harvesting cedar from her property and how she weaves the cedar

Sue's exquisite cedar work

Sue at right with Barbara Berger and customer.
With her vintage button wearables in the background

 I dub this Sue and baby Gourdy

Friends...Sue, Cynthia and me, Linda

 The 2013 GreyBird Barn accomplices and fellow comrades 
at the end of the event.

Paula, Linda, Sue, Diana [front] Shane and Lynn

REMEMBER to click on the photos for a larger image.

IN THE WAKE OF THE ARTISTS STUDIO EVENT

It was another wonderful event in the belly of GreyBird Barn. If you missed the great article that Shane wrote for our group that appeared in the Jefferson County/Port Townsend Leader Oct. 9th, here it is in below. Stay tuned for some photo highlights of the weekend.

Annual studio sale features six local artists

Greybird Barn, a rustic studio, is transformed into a charming gallery setting for the fifth annual artist studio sale, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13. 

With a cup of hot cider and a homemade cookie in hand, there is no better way to visit with the six participating artists, learn about their techniques, celebrate the arrival of fall and watch the barn come alive with energy.

Greybird Barn is the working studio of Shane Miller; it is in this space that she creates photo-etched sterling silver jewelry and narrative wall-hung boxes. Longtime Greybird friends Lynn Anju, Diana Cronin and Linda Jarvis are joined this year by first-time participants Paula Gill and Sue Skelly.

Five years ago, Miller and artist Jarvis dreamed, schemed and gave birth to the idea of having a studio sale with friends. The rustic barn, the Farmall Cub tractor named Bliss and the old ’52 Dodge pickup called Baladeuce all lend their charm to the autumnal setting. 

“Beyond our wildest dreams this event has turned into such a celebration and community gathering of like-minded people,” Miller says. 

Greybird Barn is located at 11 Carroll Ave., off Highway 20 about three miles outside of Port Townsend. Visitors should watch for signs posted beside the road. A friendly crocodile sculpture welcomes guests with open arms to the property.  

Paula Gill

Paula Gill of Red Step Studio in Bremerton creates handmade ceramic art tiles, with each one being an original that is carved by hand. These tiles depict scenes of birds, flowers and bugs in the garden, chickens and orca whales, and images that elicit fond memories of a favorite road trip. With a wire embedded in the back of each tile, they can be hung alone or in groups on an interior wall, or add a bright note of color to your garden fence and patio wall. 

Sue Skelly

Sue Skelly of Poulsbo has been a collector of all things unique, eclectic and wonderful since an early age. One thing she simply can’t pass by are vintage buttons of all kinds. Skelly fashions these buttons into unique and charming necklaces and can often pass along some history about the buttons in each creation. 

She is also an artist born of the land. Skelly uses cedar in all its forms to create pillows, larger-than-life carved sewing needles, spheres, ornaments for the garden and more. Unique would be an understatement in describing her work. 

Lynn Anju

Using techniques such as photo etching and enameling, Lynn Anju creates beautifully crafted jewelry and etched metal items for the home. All of her designs originate as drawings, which are then transferred to the various metals and etched using an electrolytic process that involves saltwater and a charger. Anju’s inspiration comes from the natural world, medieval European tapestries and armor.

Diana Cronin

Diana Cronin of Egg and I Pottery is known for her bright colors and energetic designs. 

From her studio, located on historic Egg and I Road in Chimacum, Cronin hand-throws functional porcelain pots on a potter’s wheel and then carefully decorates each piece with food-safe glazes. Her love of color comes from having grown up in Miami, Fla., where she spent most of her free time snorkeling around coral reefs and studying marine specimens. 

Her style is one of a kind, and her bright palette has become her signature.

Linda Jarvis

Each year, Linda Jarvis looks forward to this gathering of artists and community. “It has been wonderful to see how it has evolved over the years since its inception,” Jarvis says. “The environment that is created within this setting is fun and energizing.” 

Her background in commercial art and her studies in the fine arts have provided her with a broad mix of disciplines and media. Painting animals and working with a collection of reusable found objects, Jarvis juxtaposes them into assemblages and sculpture, often with a hint of humor and a bit of mystery. 

A Wizard's Wagon of Words, Wisdom and Wonder

5th ANNUAL ARTIST STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN

click on image to enlarge

Once again it's time to celebrate the arrival of fall and the making of art. It's hard to believe that almost 5 years ago, Shane Miller (my friend and art conspirator) and I, after many contemplative conversations decided to organize the first GreyBird Barn Studio Sale in Shane's beautiful barn. Tempest Fugit, as time often does, and here we are about to celebrate the 5th year of the ARTIST STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN.

There are six artists represented again this year with two being new to the event, Paula Gill and Sue Skelly. Both are dear friends and wonderful artists and it's just going to be great to get to spend a weekend with them. For the rest of us old barn sale veterans...me, Linda Jarvis...Shane Miller...Lynn Anju...and Diana Cronin, we say, "bring it on once again". We are all ready for a grand weekend of visiting with old friends and new...sneaking a homemade cookie or two...watching the plethora of apples turning red on the King apple tree...laughing...and sharing our art. If you live in the area or just want to spend a sweet day or weekend in Port Townsend, come by and see us. We will be here October 12th and 13th from 10am to 4pm.

Directions: As you head out of town from Port Townsend on HWY 20, watch for our signs. Turn on Fredericks St. and make a left on Otto and wind down to the bottom of the hill. Turn left into the driveway where a silver crocodile (my mailbox holder) welcomes you to GreyBird Barn. Can't wait to see you!!!

PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES

Click on the image for larger view.

THE BIG BAD BUG

This show opens  Friday, August 2, 2013, at the beautiful Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery in Winslow, Bainbridge Island Washington. It will run through September 2. It is a very diverse show with numerous Port Townsend artists participating...

Artists include: Sam Garriott Antonacci, Lynn Brunelle, Michael Felber, Denise Harris, Sandy Hurd, Linda Jarvis, Susan Lowdermilk, Kathleen McKeehen, Catherine Alice Michaelis, Shane Miller, Michiko Olson, Julie Paschkis, Deborah Peek, Sally Robison, Anna von Rosenstiel, Lynnette Sandbloom, Chele Shepard, Cameron Snow, Kathleen Snow, Jessica Spring, Leah Tarleton, Jennifer Umphress, Shu-Ju Wang, and Susan Wiersema.

FREEDOM

This is one of the pieces I created for the "boat" show at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery in Winslow. 

REMEMBER to click on the photos for a larger image.