Tracking the Muse

Delicious 2012

2012-02-29T16:05:00.000-08:00

I stopped by “Studio Gallery” this afternoon. “Delicious – Art Inspired by Food and Drink” opened today. The paintings are arranged in the order you might eat the subject. Appetizers, then main course, drinks, and dessert last (in the back room). Three of my paintings are on the wall (in the back); others are waiting in the wings. I’ll be there for the opening reception on Sunday, March 4 at around 2pm. I hope to see you there! Happy eating, art, and shopping!

Save the Date

2012-02-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

"Peep Family", oil on canvas, 12 x 6", 2011

Dear friends, I will be participating in “Delicious – Work Inspired by Food and Drink” at Studio Gallery in San Francisco next month. The show opens Wednesday, February 29^th and goes through Sunday, April 1^st. I plan to be at the opening reception on Sunday, March 4^th (2-6pm) on the early side. “Delicious” is my favorite show at Studio Gallery, perhaps because I am a foodie, but also because it is just plain fun. The show features over 90 local artists working in all styles and media. I hope to see you there!

Studio Gallery

1815 Polk Street (between Washington and Jackson)

San Francisco

415-931-3130

http://www.studiogallerysf.com/

Glitterama!

2012-02-24T14:40:00.001-08:00

"Orange Lichen", acrylic on canvas, 10 x 10", 2012

I finished the painting I started yesterday. Inspired by orange lichen, it has become much more. It was fun to paint, and refreshing to work on something abstract after years of realism. It contains several shades of glitter, microbeads, and the tiniest seed beads. Some might be thinking “Why all the glitter?” and the answer is; I just don’t know. It’s fun and sparkly. I needed it. In fact I need to start another glitter lichen/fungi painting now!

(The painting looks even better in person.)

detail

Going Abstract

2012-02-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

When inspiration strikes, it’s time to act. I find that if I wait (out of fear or convenience) the window of opportunity closes and I often don’t come back to the idea.

So you are probably wondering what is going on with the painting above. Over a year ago I was inspired by the encaustic work of an artist friend. The paintings were mostly abstract and incorporated glitter. Ahhh glitter! I knew I needed to do something with glitter. I bought the Martha Stewart glitter collection but never used it. I felt blocked. I couldn’t just jump into a painting without some sort of idea.

Now, after all this time, the moment has arrived. After all the tiny myco drawings for jewelry pendants, inspiration struck. I was lying in bed thinking about the fun, intriguing and beautiful world of slime molds and lichen when I had the idea; I can paint this subject. And, these paintings would be the prefect place for a little glitter, maybe even tiny beads.

So, this morning before making breakfast or tea (I’ll eat when I finish writing this blog) I got to work. Oil paint is not great for any sort of collage; the oils break down materials imbedded in it. So I got out the acrylics. It has been a long time since I used them! I put down a thin underglaze, sketched out my design, and started painting with modeling paste. I am going all out, exploring the opposite of what I’ve been doing with paint for the past couple years. I need to wait for things to dry before I do more. The wonderful thing about acrylic is that my wait won’t be long. What you see above will look very different when it is finished. If I like it, I’ll do more!

Does this mean my style is changing? Who knows? Maybe this painting will help bring new life my candy/shell/sea glass work. Maybe I’ll make more jewelry. Maybe everything that I have ever wanted to express will gel and I’ll be at the top of my game. Or, perhaps it will just be a fun exercise in self- expression. Am I worried about any of this? Not a chance. I'm just enjoying the flow of creativity. A beautiful gift on a sunny, warm winter day.

Clay Update

2012-02-22T16:20:00.000-08:00

I got my myco-ceramic-mini-drawing-pendants out of the kiln today. Most of them look pretty good, a few, not so much. The under-glaze pencil got lighter in the kiln, and they smeared a tad. I’ll have to take that into account next time. Overall I think they are really cool. I’m planning to put them on a simple black cord with a clasp and post them in my Etsy shop. It will be a while though. The muse is keeping me busy!

Myco Drawing

2012-02-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

Clay Pendants in Progress

I’ve been working with ceramics lately, learning what I can on my own. I want to create something new for my Etsy site that is inspiring, and unique. So I formed a handful of clay shapes and bisque fired them. Over the past few days I’ve been drawing on these forms with a ceramic under-glaze pencil. Much of my inspiration comes from nature. These drawings are of microscopic slime molds, lichen, and fungi. I love the forms, beautiful, abstract, and 100% non-fiction! I’m very happy with how they look. My next step is to coat them with a clear glaze and fire them again. If they look good I might make more, next time focusing on ocean fauna and flora. Stayed tuned!

Lichen

Slime Mold

Printmaking

2012-02-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

Printed Clay Heart

Happy Valentine’s Day! This year I made printed Valentine cards with my students and it was quite fun! It’s easy to do, you don’t need be a kid to do this project.

Above; buy a package of Crayola Model Magic clay (air dry). Form it into the shape of a heart, stamp it with household objects (screws, nuts, marker caps, etc.). When it dries, coat with ink and press your folded card on top. It's an easy way to make lots of cards for all your friends.

Below; either cut a small piece of Styrofoam (the meat try style) or buy printing foam from the art supply store. Draw your design with a pencil and push hard. Ink the foam, turn it upside down on your folded card, press firmly and remove. I’ve made holiday cards using this method too.

Foam Printing

When the ink is dry you can draw, paint, glue stuff, or leave your image plain. Sign your name and send it off!

I don’t normally share my children's art lessons here, but this is one that can be used by any artist.

...Okay, I’ve got a box of Fanny May Meltaways to start working on…

Valentine Collection

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

You might remember last December I blogged about my Christmas jewelry. Here is my Valentine’s Day gear! Seriously, I don’t wear all these things, but I keep them around for sentimental reasons. Every piece has a story.

The felt heart above was made by and given to me by my grandmother. She tatted the flowers and lace, and sewed a little pocket where I could hide a penny in the back. It attaches with a safely pin. I love its attention to detail and sweetness. The little plastic heart next to it has been in my jewelry box since I was at least 6 years old. I don’t know where it came from!

I made this little heart pin a few years go. The dough is made from Wonder Bread; a mixture of Wonder Bread and white glue. It’s still strong to this day!

I bought these porcelain hearts in Mendocino a few years go. I love the swirly bits of gold and how smooth and light they are.

Lastly, I have some junky jewelry. The big heart blinks when you push on it. They are just plain fun to wear, especially when I teach.

What do you have? Share some photos with me!

A New Batch

2012-02-12T08:21:00.001-08:00

I’ve been playing around with clay all week, making 60-70 pendants of various shapes and sizes. They look simple, but take time to form, dry, and sand. I'm going to try sketching on some with a ceramic pencil after bisque firing. I would like to find something new, unique, and interesting to add to my work on Etsy. Along the way I’m learning a lot about clay and glazes and having a lot of fun. So stay tuned!

Taking Time for Loss

2012-02-11T09:20:00.001-08:00

Cemetery Rose

Death gives us pause.

Two weeks ago I suddenly lost a very dear family member, my Uncle Bob. Since then I’ve been taking everything a little more slowly, being gentle with myself, and grieving. The hardest part is knowing I’ll never see him again.

This has been a time of reflecting on our relationship, the reality of death, and my own life. I have found comfort in family and friends, chai tea at Open Secret Bookstore in San Rafael, feeling the life force in nature, classical music, and knowing that part of him lives on in me.

My uncle was a charming, grounded, generous, hard-working, creative, loving soul. He accepted me for who I am, honored and respected me for my endeavors and abilities, and always made me feel like the guest of honor in his presence. He had a big smile, sparkling blue eyes, and gave big hugs. I adored him.

In remembering Uncle Bob I am inspired to continue doing what I love, pushing it as far as I can take it, and living in the present, fully savoring every moment. How lucky I am to have known such a person. He didn’t know I opened my Etsy shop a few weeks ago, but I know he would be proud and excited for me.

With a sniffle and a tear, I boldly push forward and surrender to the spirit that moves through and unites all things.

Aho.

You Win Some, You Loose Some

2012-02-04T17:15:00.001-08:00

The Keepers

A while back I was playing around with making clay pendants. I bisque fired everything and they came out great! Then I ordered some special glazes and fired them again a few days ago. (I didn’t glaze everything). Some of my creations came out beautifully others were a disaster. Without going into detail, some of the pieces ended up touching each other in the kiln. Ooops! I had them on a bead tree (kiln furniture) on a thin wire, the wire bent and they touched things they weren’t supposed to touch. Also, I may have overloaded my bead tree because I couldn’t wait for another firing. At least I know what my glazes look like.

What you see in my photos will not end up on my Etsy shop; I’m just playing around, trying to get to know the medium. Tomorrow I plan to break out the clay again for round 2! I can’t wait!

The Losers

February Goals

2012-02-01T06:00:00.001-08:00

Now that my Etsy store is up and running I can shift my focus. No longer is it all about getting the site up, now there is maintenance, networking and marketing. I need to work on a business plan and make sure I’m utilizing Etsy to its fullest. I also need to collect my receipts to see how far in the hole I am! The good news is that I’ve made a few sales already! It is encouraging to know that others like what I’m creating. I feel very satisfied with what I’ve done so far and look forward to seeing where it will all lead. I hope that one day this blog may be of help to others looking to start their own Etsy shop or craft business.

Better Tools, Better Photos

2012-01-30T06:00:00.001-08:00

New photo "stage"

On Friday my new portable photography stage arrived in the mail. It is wonderful! The company is Modahaus, in the UK. I love this product because it collapses down to nothing and can be easily stored. My original set-up was made out of cardboard, it was taking up valuable space in my studio, collecting dust, with the paper was getting wrinkled and funky. The “Steady Stand” allows me to take photos pointing straight down, without a tripod. The plastic allows light to flow through evenly. It makes photographing my work much more simple. Also, I can use a number of colored backdrops that look professional and clean. I’m so excited! Anything to make the photography easier is a good thing.

"Steady Stand" The hole at the top is for the lens to point down at the subject.

With a blue background

Gift Wrap

2012-01-27T06:00:00.001-08:00

Gift Wrap Example

If you’d like to order a gift from my Etsy Store, and want it gift wrapped, I can do that! Just message me before making your purchase to let me know. Be sure to include a short note for the gift card. Your jewelry will be placed in a Kraft box, wrapped in white tissue, and tied with raffia. The gift card will be attached as shown. If you want the gift mailed to the recipient, make sure you give me the address.

Valentine’s Day is coming up….hint, hint! ;-)

Facebook Fan Page

2012-01-25T06:00:00.001-08:00

My Facebook Fan Page

To help support and promote my new Etsy store I have created a Facebook fan page for my jewelry designs. Following me is a great way to stay up to date on what I’m creating and selling, as well as special discounts for my subscribers. When you go to the page you can click “like” or “subscribe” to follow my work.

Here is a link to the page:

https://www.facebook.com/PamelaHeydaJewelry

Open for Business!

2012-01-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

My Etsy Shop!

After 5 months of hard work and planning in my free time, my Etsy shop opened today. I feel very satisfied seeing it come together, and proud that I stuck with it even when things got difficult. As I’ve said from the beginning, this is all a big experiment. This way, if it doesn’t work out to my liking, I can chalk up the experience to a great learning adventure. I still have a lot more work to do; this is just the beginning of my business, and my life. I hope you can stop by the store to check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PamelaHeyda

Bookmarks

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Five Bookmark Design

It has been recommended that I include a little something extra with my Etsy order, as a thank you for the purchase. After some thought, I decided to make bookmarks. These were fun to make! I used scanned drawings of five bracelet designs. The images were printed on cardstock, hole punched, and accented with a black string and snap tassel. They are so cute! I hope to give away many of them.

Etsy Banner

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Etsy Banner

Creating a banner for the front of my Etsy store was a must. Luckily I was able to use the banner I made years ago for my art website, www.pamelaheyda.com, with a little tweaking. I’ve used it for eight years and still like it. It contains my name and tree symbol. I’ve been drawing that tree for more than 20 years, so it was a natural choice for an icon. It symbolizes my potential and energy, love of trees, and passion for nature. The store should be open in about two weeks. Stay tuned!

Postcards!

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Postcard Front

Postcard Back

After designing my business cards I started on postcards. I created them to put in the envelope with purchases. The printers called me the day after sending them the images. For some reason the text had pixelated. I blew up the images to 300% and sure enough, there were little gray dots all around the letters, when printed they would show up as a shadow. I’m so glad they caught that and called me to fix it! After some experimentation I found that my Photoshop files were clean. The pixelation happened when the file was converted to a jpeg. Easy fix! I just sent them the Photoshop files instead. For the future though, I need to figure out what happened. Any suggestions?

Business Cards

2012-01-17T17:44:00.000-08:00


Business Card Front (the black border will be trimmed by the printers)

Business Card Back

Last week I got to work designing my new business cards. I wanted something a little more fancy than what I’ve done in the past (Microsoft Word and “snap to grid” Avery cards.) I think they will come out great, but I won’t know for sure until they arrive in the mail. It’s always so nerve wracking, pressing that final “send” button, knowing that if I change my mind, the order can’t be undone.

Cabinet of Curiosities

2012-01-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

A couple nights ago I had a fantastic dream. I was in a crowded place, perhaps a store. I walked up to a cabinet filled with fascinating things. There was a large box of toys, some from my childhood and some imagined. Then I found some little self-published books by different artists, notebooks, and miniature carved animals attached to sticks, books of Buddhist poetry with golden binding, and more. “This stuff is amazing!” I exclaimed. The best part was knowing that everything in the cabinet belonged to me.

I woke up filled with tremendous energy and inspiration. It was 3am. As I waited for sleep to embrace me again, I thought about this cabinet. It seemed to be filled with all the precious ideas I've had over the years. It was my artist’s wellspring. Surely it was inspired by getting close to launching my Etsy shop. I couldn’t help but think that every person has this wellspring, a cabinet of curiosities, where they have tucked away all the seeds and gems of a creative life. For some it is buried deeper than others.

So I’m wishing for those reading this, a magical dream tonight, of your cabinet. May you awake feeling ready to explore all that fascinates you in this life.

Setbacks

2012-01-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Large surf at Tennessee Valley Beach on January 5th, 2012.

I’m a week behind on working on my January Etsy goals. Sometimes the unforeseen gets in the way. Last Monday I decided to start the New Year with an updated computer, and downloaded Mac OS Lion 10.7.2. Little did I know that my most important software (at least 10 years old) would be inaccessible! I was so upset! I managed to get most of my programs updated this week and my computer is almost back to normal.

The only major disappointment is that I am locked out of my website. I designed it with Adobe Go Live, which was discontinued in 2008. If I want to update my website I’d have to undo Lion and everything else, and I don't want to do that. It was time for a change anyway. As soon as I get the Etsy stuff up and running I’ll create a web based portfoilo.

The good news is that I’m ready to move forward with designing a postcard, business card, and Etsy banner with my new Photoshop Elements. I’m so excited! It will be easier with this new software. So things are moving forward.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” – John Steinbeck

Product Description

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Oneness" earrings.

In the typical Etsy shop, the customer will click on an item of interest to find out more about the merchandise. There can be up to five photos of the item plus a detailed description. I have been working on my descriptions! Here is an example for the earrings pictured above:

*****************

“Oneness” Earrings

The idea behind the Black Snap Collection came in a dream in which I was making necklaces out of colorful snaps. When I woke up I immediately went to my grandmother’s sewing box to see if I had the fasteners. I was curious if they could be easily linked like in my dream. I was thrilled to discover my dream was possible and went about creating the work you see here. They are striking conversation pieces that look good with casual or dressy styles.

The “Oneness” earrings are named for the symbol of the circle and the belief that we are all one consciousness, made of energy and stardust. They are the companions to the “Oneness” necklace.

Length: About 2”

Materials: Black snaps (tin), two 1 1/8” hand fused, hammered, fine silver rings, Sterling silver filled jump rings (stronger and more silver than silver plated), sterling silver wire (on the rings), and sterling silver filled French hoop ear wires.

$51.00

This item is mailed in a gift box. If you’d like me to send it directly as a gift, please leave a note to the seller with your gift message and I’ll include it in your package.

Please Note: Orders placed before 5pm (PST) will be shipped on the next earliest Monday, Wednesday, or Friday.

Handmade in the USA

Thank you for your interest!

Artist's Statement

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

A wind direction sculpture I discovered at Fort Mason on Monday.

I worked on my artist's statement last week and thought I'd share it with you. This is the statement I will use in my Etsy shop, so it is geared towards the jewelry shopper. Artist's statements are so hard to write! I find myself wanting to say so much about who I am and my artistic vision. It is hard to sum it up in a couple sentences. In this case I think shorter is sweeter. Any feedback is much appreciated!

***

“Making art and jewelry has always been the center of my life. As a child I was lucky to spend much of my time in the presence of two excellent craftswomen - my grandmothers who inspired me to pursue my own creative interests. Throughout my childhood and beyond I’ve dabbled in many types of media. In college I attended the San Francisco Art Institute, majored in painting, and graduated with a BFA. For the past 15 years I have been teaching art to elementary school students in public schools.

I am inspired by color, shape, line, Bay Area artists and most of all, nature. I am happiest when making things with my hands. Jewelry is the perfect art because I get to work with a wide variety of materials and create small beautiful things I can wear wherever I go. My portfolio of skills also includes painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and mixed media sculpture.

I hope you enjoy my Etsy store. Come back frequently as my work is always evolving.”

Packaging

2012-01-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

I'm playing around with how I will package my jewelry once I sell it. I really like using plain brown boxes, they reflect my environmental awareness, there is no plastic involved, and they look simple. They can easily be dressed up with a rubber stamp. Being a tree lover, I decided to go with that theme. I hope to design my own rubber stamps one day. Each box will be tied with a piece of raffia. What do you think? My only question is how I can keep the necklaces from sliding around inside the box while being shipped, and should that matter?

The Crunch

2012-01-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

I’m in the home stretch! My goal is to have my Etsy store up and running by the end of January. There is still so much to do. I’ve learned I can’t always know how long a task will take. I can only hope most of these will be quick and easy. I think my greatest challenge is creating a new business card and postcard. My strategy is to do the hardest things first. I’ll be blogging updates all month. It will be challenging because I am hoping to teach two after school classes a week, so I have less time than usual. Hopefully I won’t fall behind on the blog like I did in December. I don’t know if you noticed, but while on vacation I made up for all the blog entries I missed.

Wishing you a warm, wonderful New Year!

Clay Continued

2011-12-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

New work

I’m still messing around with clay. Yesterday I made some free-form shapes and little houses. I’m almost ready to take a break and clean up the tools and clay dust in my studio. Still, I feel compelled to make one more thing, mushrooms! I want some cute little mushies to become pendants, earrings and rings. Oh boy!

This little guy is 1" tall.

Play with Clay

2011-12-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

Clay pendants waiting to be fired in a kiln.

I’ve been getting into playing with clay the past couple days. Just experimenting. Mostly I’ve been rolling a thin slab and stamping designs. There are so many things to try. My technique is getting better. It appears that waiting is the hardest part. That is, waiting for the clay to dry a bit before I can work with it.

I’ve been walking around the past couple days feeling completely unproductive, until I took this picture. It doesn’t look unproductive! For some reason, a lot is never enough with me. Every moment in my life not spent doing something creative is wasted time. I know this is technically not true, but it feels that way. I sense a new years resolution somewhere in that statement.

Okay, back to work!

The Ultimate Body Oil

2011-12-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

Ignore the ingredients listed on top of the jar from last year, I didn't bother rewriting them. BTW, I decorated these bottle brush trees with new and vintage buttons a couple years go. They are my favorite holiday decoration.

This is the time of year when dry itchy skin seems to be part of living. Ugh! Over the years I’ve played around with making salves and body oils to varying degrees of success. It’s fun to make your own. In August 2010 I put together a juicy mixture of oils and the result was a disaster. I think my mistake was including aloe gel. It got moldy. Eeew!

A couple days ago I tried again. This time leaving out the aloe and adding a splash of gin as a preservative. The mixture was emulsified in a blender and was a big improvement from last years mix. Unfortunately I got carried away with the bee’s wax and my moisturizer is more like a salve. It is not easy to put on because I really have to dig my fingers in. I guess if it really bothers me, I can melt everything again and add more oil.

Here are the ingredients if you want to give it a go. I’m not giving amounts because I really don’t know how much I used!

Body Oil Ingredients:

Shea butter

Coconut oil

Jojoba oil

Almond oil

Apricot oil

Avocado oil

Vitamin E oil

Bees Wax

Gin

Essential oils (your choice – each container of mine has a different scent)

Melt all but the gin and essential oils in a small pot, emulsify with the gin in a blender, pour into glass containers (avoid plastic, you don't want the heat of the oil releasing toxins in the plastic which are then absorbed into the skin), and mix in the essential oils last. Let cool and enjoy!

The Learning Curve

2011-12-26T19:29:00.000-08:00

First attempts

Lately I’ve been thinking about working in clay. I’d like to experiment with making beads, pendants, plates, bowls, and more. It’s been a long time since I’ve done ceramic work! So, I bought a 25-pound bag of white clay and excitedly dug in.

Oh dear! It was not as easy as I imagined while lying in bed at 3 am. The clay was mushy and hard to work with. It stuck to my fingers, cutters and molds. In fact, the “ugly” voice reared its head and repeated, “I hate clay, I hate clay”. I told it to shut up and stepped away for several hours for a trip to the movies and the mall. I finally returned to the worktable after dinner to a brilliant surprise. The clay had hardened some and I was able to execute a reasonable amount of control!

Now, I have renewed faith and will take a stab at it again tomorrow. If I had given up when it got frustrating, I would have missed out on a fantastic opportunity. I’m always telling my students to stick with their projects and not give up. Sometimes a time out is the best medicine.

Christmas at Tennessee Valley

2011-12-25T15:39:00.000-08:00

I love these shadows!

John and I took a morning stroll through Tennessee Valley to begin Christmas day. Our first sight was two deer near the parking area, and further along, several more. There were very few people when we started our hike, which was nice. Today is another “Spare the Air” day, and the air quality was horrendous, about the worst I’ve ever seen (there were "God Beams" in the smog). Still, it was good to walk off a little of that Christmas dinner and get some partly fresh air.

Cheers!

Deer in the Valley

John's "Stonehenge" on the beach

Christmas in San Francisco

2011-12-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

Just a few photos from my holiday stroll downtown with John today. Wishing you and yours a bright and warm Christmas and Hanukkah.

Union Square Christmas Tree

I would have given all my Christmas presents to adopt this sweet dog at Macy's.

John going up the escalator at Macy's

Santa taking a break.


A balmy Christmas eve day.

Giant ornaments at 101 California.

It looks like King Kong dropped this from the top of the building.

Ice skating at the Embarcadero.

Christmas Jewelry

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve been wearing a variety of Christmas jewelry since I was a kid. And since I don’t throw anything away, I enjoy those pieces year after year.

The present above is a pin. I remember begging my mom to buy it for me at the 5 and Dime. As a 6 year old, a sparkly gold present was the perfect symbol of Christmas. The funny thing is that I still love this pin and wear it every year. It still holds an exotic allure for me, and it is made out of plastic!

My 3rd grade room mother gave this Santa pin to me! Every student in class got one. I think this was the same year we also received crocheted ghosts and pumpkins. So cute! I love explaining where it came from. I don’t remember who made it, and wish I could thank them for all these years of enjoyment.

The item above came from Cost Plus over 30 years go. It’s a pretty cute little item. It is a Christmas tree box; the lid is a pin, inside is a tree necklace and there are two earrings attached to the pin/lid. I don’t wear it so much but love the novelty. How come I don’t see these everywhere?

I make these snowman and snowflake pins. When I was a classroom teacher I’d have the kids make an ornament out of Wonder Bread dough every year (Wonder Bread mixed with Elmer’s Glue). One year I had a lot of leftover white dough, so I got crafty and made these pieces. On occasion I wear them, but I don’t’ like being poked by those stick arms!

I made the snowmen and tree earrings about 12 years ago when I just started to get into making jewelry. The snowmen are lamp worked glass, and the trees are made from Swarovwski crystal beads. I love the trees, small, light, playful and sparkly.

This is the rest of my holiday stuff; a necklace of tree lights that glow with the help of a battery, other non-glowing tree lights, and more. Wearing these makes me feel like a kid again. What I love most about Christmas is the lights, and feeling connected to family through following old traditions.

Moving Along

2011-12-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Glamour Girl Earring

Well, I did it! I processed all my photos. It took a day and a half of pretty much working non-stop. I feel pretty satisfied. Most of the photos were pretty easy to adjust. The challenging ones were the earrings. Most of the photos had a few strands of hair covering the earring that I had to clone out. I’ll want to redo a few photos at some point, but I think what I have is fine to get me started. Thank goodness for vacation time so I could sit down and work uninterrupted.

The next steps are to write descriptions of each piece and an artist’s statement. If I can do that by the end of the month I’ll be very satisfied. For the next few days I’ll take a break and work on other creative projects.

Processing

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Choosing photos from iPhoto

I thought I’d go into a little detail about the process of putting photos of my jewelry on the web for those of you considering creating an Etsy store of your own. It is a longer process than you might think, and requires a substantial time commitment.

I went through all 833 of my jewelry photos in iPhoto, picking out 5-7 for each piece. A variety of views are ideal, so the shopper has a strong idea of what they are buying.
I listed the file names in a notebook.
Each file was opened in Photoshop and saved with a descriptive file name.
The photos were then organized into files: The Collection Name > Type (Ring, Necklace, etc) > Name of Design > Individual Photos

Recording file names to keep track

The next step is to go into each photo using Photoshop to crop and clean up the image.

If I don’t post much about my progress, know that I am working on this. It is hard for my back and neck to sit at the computer for hours on end, so I’ll be doing a little at a time, taking lots of breaks along the way. Once I have my store up and running, this will be easier. I’ll just post a few new pieces at a time.

Organizing photos into computer files

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

Solstice in the studio

My intent was to walk on the beach, meditate, and do some sort of solstice ritual today, but it didn’t happen. Instead I worked at my computer, preparing photos for the web. At first I felt disappointed with my choice, but as I lit my candles in honor of the returning light I realized that what I’m doing is perfect. I’m filling a long dark winter night with creative work, that when finished may bring brightness to my life for the rest of the year and beyond. I’m planting spring seeds. May you all embrace the darkness in your own way, and plant some seeds in the fertile soil of 2012. (Oh oh, I’m starting to sound like Chance Gardner in “Being There”)

Happy Solstice!

"As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.” - Chance Gardner in “Being There”

“I like to watch TV.” - Chance Gardner in “Being There”

Holiday Crazies

2011-12-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

I’ve been away from the blog for a couple weeks and don’t have a good excuse. I could say I got caught up in the holiday crazies (shopping, decorating, partying, baking), but that just isn’t true. I did partake in a few of those things, but not to the degree I suspect most people imbibe. I can only blame procrastination. I wanted to blog about how I was making progress towards my December goals, when in fact I was making no progress. I had nothing to write about.

The good news is that is changing. For the past several days I’ve gotten myself back on track. I have about 200 photos to process for my upcoming Etsy store. Each picture needs to be handpicked out of hundreds, titled, filed, cropped, spot corrected, and adjusted. I’m on my way. This is the drudgery of opening an online store. Five photos for each item, and I have about 30 pieces. You do the math. I’ll need to retake a few along the way, but it is all progress. I was gifted with the perfectionist gene, so what you see is my absolute best.

Rollover

2011-12-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

December Goals

Ah, my goals for November were too lofty. I finished the month with many items on my to-do list un-done. I couldn’t have known that it would take so long sketch each piece, and even longer to photograph them. It has been challenging. It has been work. So, the unchecked items get rolled over to the December list.

November Goals - Incomplete

“People are most creative when they care about their work and they’re stretching their skills.” - Teresa Amabile

“One must work and dare if one really wants to live.” – Vincent van Gogh

Photographing My Jewelry on a Model, Take 2

2011-11-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

The model is me of course. I took another stab at modeling the necklaces today and was much more successful. I used my camera, not the computer to take the pictures. They came out much more clear. My set-up was rather clever: black fabric over the bookcases (I sat in front), the tripod is John’s Proust set, and I set a mirror behind the camera so I can see the screen. I got really good at setting the self-timer with my left hand in the mirror! Once I figure out what poses work best, the rest will be easy. I’ll take another stab at it this weekend when I have more daylight hours available.

The Security of Having an "Out"

2011-11-29T20:08:00.000-08:00

Tennessee Valley Beach

Monday I went for a short hike in Tennessee Valley after work. I couldn’t believe how hard it was to get myself there! I was tired from teaching all day and all I really wanted to do was go home and eat chocolate! So, I told myself that I would decide what to do as I got closer on my drive home. After all, I went through the trouble of packing my walking shoes that morning. As I approached the area I mysteriously found myself in the exit lane! I resolved to drive to the parking lot and sit in the car looking at the hills, getting out was optional. But of course, I was compelled to put on my shoes and stretch my legs. The deal was to get to the first bench and not go any further if I didn’t feel like it. But, of course, I did. I walked to the beach and back, about 4 miles I think.

It cracks me up how I had to keep giving myself a way out in order to move forward. I’m so glad I made it and stretched my legs. The valley was very pretty and the wind was calm. The smells, sights, and sounds of nature energized me. Perhaps next time it won’t be such a battle to get there.

Pleasing Light

I think this strategy can be applied to a great number of things we need/want to do and make excuses for. To push just a little bit further, without fully committing ourselves. Like getting a child to eat their peas; just give it a try, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay. It was the child in me that wanted to go home and bury my fatigue in something sweet. I’m glad I was able to coax her out of her comfort zone.

Surprising Patterns in the Eucalyptus

Pumpkin Food

2011-11-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Homemade Graham Cracker Crust

It’s been a week since I made my pumpkin puree and I’ve been having a great time cooking with it. In fact, only have one cup of puree left! Looks like I’ll need to buy another pumpkin, or perhaps I’ll move on to butternut squash. The most delicious item so far was the vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Yum!

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Never Give Up

2011-11-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Little tripod = book pile (and yes, I read the whole series)

Yesterday I spent several hours taking photos, playing with lighting, and taking pictures of my jewelry. All the photos were awful. I wanted to give up. I searched the web for “real” photography equipment and tried to justify spending money I don’t have on getting the best.

Well, today is a new day, and I’m over that. It would not be a wise business decision to spend a lot of money before I start making money. And there is no reason I can’t take decent photos with what I already have. This morning I remade my “stage” and will try taking pictures again. With a little luck, the light will be better today too. Do you like my “Stephen King – ‘Dark Tower’” tripod? And, what kind of art teacher would I be if I gave up on my own project because I thought it was too hard? If I’m to have any integrity in the classroom, I need to practice what I preach.

Set up with my light filter.

Uncharted Territory

2011-11-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

The "stage".

I’m completely comfortable sitting down at my studio table to make jewelry. Even if I’m trying a new technique, I’m confident I can do it.

Now that the jewelry is made it’s time for the next step in opening an Etsy shop. I need to photograph my work, and I’m not feeling so secure anymore.

I have some decisions to make. If I’m photographing the work on a model, do I use myself, or ask a friend to model for me? Do I show the whole face, or just the part of the body where the piece sits? Do I go for a slightly artsy photo, creating a “look” to inspire the customer, or do I go for straightforward, plain and simple? The only thing I know for sure is that I want the work to look professional and to tantalize buyers, all the while informing them of what they are getting.

Part of me wants to run, throw in the towel, and go back to making stuff. But I know that at some point, I’m going to have to master this. I’m sure there are business people out there who would just hire someone to do the photography for them, but I’m a DIY kind of girl. The learning curve seems steeper than I thought, and it will take longer than anticipated.

After chatting via e-mail with several friends about yesterday’s model shots, I have decided not to use them. They will be great for profile pictures, but are not the quality I strive for in presenting my work. I was going to try modeling them again today (with my real camera), but decided to take a little break from that and set up a staged shot instead.

I’ve seen some fancy photography studios on the web, so this is my first attempt to imitate them with white drawing paper, cardboard and clips. It’s not bad. I’m not thrilled with the bowl as prop, but not horrified either. I’ll have to do some dishes tonight and try a few others. The light seems pretty good, but I’m going to have rig some sort of barrier around the tripod to hide it from reflecting in the bowl.

I’ll get there! Tomorrow is another day.

Bowl display.

First Attempt

2011-11-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt to photograph my jewelry on a model (me). These pictures will accompany my close up shots of the necklaces (which will be razor sharp). The purpose is to show buyers what they look like when worn.

I took the photos with my laptop, not exactly a good quality camera, but liked how I could see what I was doing reflected back on the screen. If I had to keep turning around the camera around to check the shots I might go crazy. My pale skin on the black background confuses the camera and it automatically flashes. The photos are a little fuzzy, but they might be good enough for the web.

I worked until I lost my light. I’ll be back at it tomorrow wearing some of my costumes.

Slow Food Cooking

2011-11-20T09:34:00.000-08:00

My pumpkins.

I like to think of the kitchen as my second studio. So much creativity takes place in there. Like an art studio I have my tools, work surfaces, instruction books and storage. One of the things I love about cooking is the process of transforming and combining elements. Alchemy if you wish. You can usually find me working in one of the two rooms.

Last night I made pumpkin puree. My friend Suzanne had a fruitful yield of pumpkins this year and passed a few on to me. How lucky I feel to have home grown pumpkins! Pumpkin puree keeps well frozen and is so much nicer than using the canned goop.

Ready for roasting.

I started by cutting the pumpkins into chunks and scooping out the strings and seeds. I roasted the chunks on an oiled pan in a 350-degree oven for about an hour. When the pumpkin cooled, I scooped out the meat. I took an extra step this time and squeezed out the extra moisture through cheesecloth. Years ago I steamed my pumpkin (Fanny Farmer’s recommendation) and ended up with watery pumpkin pies. It was such a disappointment after all that hard work. The pumpkin went in the Vitamix (blender) and was stored one cup at a time in plastic Baggies. I would prefer to store the pumpkin in glass, but our freezer is small and it would take up too much space.

The roasted pumpkin.

Scooped out "meat".

The puree!

From the pumpkins pictured above I gleaned 5 1/2 cups of puree. Not as much as I thought, but I did drain out a lot of pumpkin juice.

Ready for the freezer!

After cooking the pumpkin I worked on the seeds. I rinsed them well and spread them evenly between two baking pans. One pan I sprinkled with Himalayan Pink Salt, the other Himalayan Pink Salt, curry and lemon pepper. I slightly over roasted the curry seeds; they still taste good but have lost most of their curry flavor. All together I have about two cups. Yummy! I’ve been roasting pumpkin seeds since I was a kid. I think I enjoyed the seeds just as much or more than actually carving the pumpkin. A word of caution: eating large amounts of pumpkin seeds = eating large amounts of fiber, there are consequences, if you get my drift.


Rinsed and ready for roasting.

The roasted seeds.

What will I do with it? I plan to make a vegan pumpkin cheesecake first. Next, perhaps a regular pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup, Thai pumpkin curry, and pumpkin fudge. If I make all these things I’ll need another pumpkin! I can also make a body scrub out of pumpkin and sugar.

Pumpkin is super nutritious. One cup of pumpkin has 49 calories. It is full of fiber, vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin A (246% RDA!), Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Protein, Copper, Manganese, and antioxidants. It boosts the immune system, is anti-inflammatory, prevents cataract and macular degeneration, protects against some cancers, helps with prostate health and depression, prevents osteoporosis and kidney stones and reduces LDL cholesterol!

100 grams of pumpkin seeds have 559 calories, 110% RDA iron, 71% RDA zinc, and 31% Niacin! They also contain protein (30% RDA), manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin K, selenium, and the amino acid tryptophan.

Seeds ready for eating!

Time in Nature

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday I went to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve with John to do a little tide pooling. There were plenty of tide pool creatures but my attention was captured most by a creek emptying into the ocean. The movement of the rocks and sand fascinated me as they glided past freely. It reminded me of the sage old advice about swimming with the current, not against it. The rocks were being pushed along, eventually ending up in the ocean, where perhaps a big wave will pick them up and put them back on the beach, only to repeat the process all over again. This is my first attempt at posting a video. Let me know if you can view it!

Sketching

2011-11-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

I’ve been sketching my jewelry designs to use on my Etsy site and as a reference for recreating the pieces. It is not too exciting, but I love how they look on paper. A good sign, right? The rainy day has been perfect for staying inside and working (and napping). This is my first most basic necklace, the basis for all my other designs.

Inventory

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

New designs!

I’ve been working very hard this past week to create an inventory of jewelry for my future Etsy store. I found that the more I worked, the more ideas I got for new pieces. As I was designing what I thought was my last piece, an idea for something new would pop into my head. I worked this way until I got close to running out of supplies again. My stock of jewelry includes 11 necklaces, 12 pairs of earrings, 5 bracelets, and 3 rings. My next task is to make complete detailed sketches to use as references in case I want to create the piece again, and to post in the shop for potential buyers. I'm so happy that I'm moving forward and slowly accomplishing my goals!

"Tiny" Reception

2011-11-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

Reception at Studio Gallery, two of my shell paintings are almost over my head.

I went to the reception for the “Tiny” show this afternoon. Studio Gallery was packed with lots of folks who came out to look at and buy art. The gallery had a vibrant, enthusiastic atmosphere. Two of my shell paintings and one candy painting are on display.

I was excited to learn that one of my pieces sold right before the party. A painting titled “Tree Mint”. If my collectors are reading this, thank you! You bought a great piece and I plan to check out the book you mentioned to Jennifer. I am a bit of a candy freak, not so much the eating of it (with the exception of chocolate), but looking at it. Candy = little bits of joy.

Please stop by the show if you get a chance. There is a little something for everyone’s taste. All the small pieces are under $400.

The show runs through December 23, 2011. There is another reception on Sunday December 4^th from 2-6pm.

Address: 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson)

www.STUDIOGallerySF.com

Art admirers.

"Tiny" at Studio Gallery

2011-11-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

"Golden Treasure", oil on canvas, 5 x 5", 2011

I had hoped to make it to Studio Gallery on Friday to take some preview shots of the “Tiny” show but my plans changed. The image above is a painting I submitted for the show and may or may not be hanging when you arrive.

The “Tiny” show has been happening annually for many years now. This year there are 170 artists! All the pieces are 7 x 7” or smaller and priced under $400 (with a few exceptions). I will have at least 1 piece on the wall.

Tomorrow, November 6, 2011 is the opening reception from 2-6 pm. Another reception will take place at the Gallery’s 8^th Anniversary Party on Sunday, December 4^th, from 2-6 pm.

Address: 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson), in San Francisco.

I hope you can stop by and say “hi”! I’ll be at the reception on the early end, around 2 tomorrow.

Studio Gallery website: http://www.studiogallerysf.com/

Work in Progress

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I’m a busy woman these days but I haven’t given up painting. This piece has been in progress for a couple months now; it will get there slowly but surely. The main shell and background need a lot of work. The sea glass, pottery shard, and false pacific jingle shell are mostly done. I hope that posting this helps energize me to finish!

New Goals

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I almost did it. I set 9 goals for October and completed all but one. I failed to create at least 15 pieces to sell. It might have happened but I ran out of materials. On Tuesday I expect a new delivery of supplies and then I’m off and running again. I can’t wait! Today I wrote out goals for November. I’m looking forward to this month’s work because it is almost all “hands-on”. In addition to making the pieces I planned for last month, I’ll sketch them too. I think the sketches will look good in my Etsy store combined with the photos. Then I get to do the photography and write descriptions of everything. I have the week of Thanksgiving off and expect that this will be a very productive time for me. I’m getting there, baby step by baby step.

How Do You Chill?

2011-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I need to take it easy...

I have a pretty hectic schedule. I teach most of the day during the week and use my evenings and weekends for painting, jewelry making, cooking, exercise, blogging, chores, and time with family and friends. I try to do it all, but who can do that?

After a hectic day today, I started thinking about healthy ways to relax. Like many, I tend to gravitate to things like chocolate, TV and/or a glass of wine. I won’t get into why these are poor choices but I’m sure you can guess.

Lately I find that lying down for 20 minutes (I use a timer) boosts my energy like nothing else. I usually don’t sleep, but rest my body and mind. Meditation is good too (when I have the energy to sit up). Burning a stick of Nag Champa incense settles me down. The smell reminds me of meditation and spiritual bookstores. Speaking of bookstores, wandering through the aisles of an independent bookstore or library is sometimes the only thing that will do. There is something about the smell of books and the atmosphere of sitting quietly and reading that takes the stress away. Reading is great too, as long as the book isn’t too exciting. I’m pushing the excitement envelope here by reading “Dune”, but I can’t help myself, it’s awesome.

A friend recently turned me on to “Peter Gillham’s Natural Calm”. Basically it is magnesium. I’m probably deficient in the mineral, like most of the population, so I have no problem with taking it. Before bed I take about 1/4^th of the recommended 2 teaspoons. It helps to relax my muscles and get me to sleep.

When the weather isn’t too rough, a 30-minute walk on the beach can be like a month’s worth of therapy sessions. Funny, even though it is only a 15-minute drive from my home, I seldom go. Today in the staff room a teacher told me that exercise gives her more energy, even if she was tired before exercising. I wonder if this would be true for me?

One might think I unwind by painting or working in my studio. Though creating things is fun and somewhat relaxing, I just can't focus when tired. In my dreams I relax by taking a long, hot bath. But without a servant to clean the tub before I get in there, it rarely happens.

These are some of the things that work for me. So, how do you chill?

Proteus

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Chaetoboda (Annelida or worms) by Ernst Haeckel

This weekend I watched an interesting film about scientist/philosopher/artist Ernst Haeckel called “Proteus”.

Haeckel was born in 1834. He discovered and documented over 4000 of the 5000 species of radiolarian, single celled organisms from the bottom of the sea. Radiolaria have lived on this planet for over 500 million years!

But there is more to Haeckel than scientific discovery. He was also an artist. In love with all of nature, he painted landscapes. Early in his life he found himself torn between the world of art (playful, heartfelt, creative) and science (serious, cold, rational). In the film he is quoted as saying that he feels like Faust, torn between two worlds. He strives to bring together mind/heart, precision/passion, and spirit/matter. In discovering radiolaria he fused these opposites by drawing and painting his discoveries and exalting in their beauty and mystery. Through the radiolaria he realizes that all of nature is a single, unfolding work of art.

Cylon Jungle River by Ernst Haeckel

The film also weaves “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge into the narrative. Using the poem’s inward journey of the mariner and outward voyage of the ship, we see an example of overlapping quests, much like Haeckel's.

I think I was taken by this film because of my own search to marry the inner and outer. At this time I’m striving to make my outward life reflect my artistic and spiritual inner life. I also love this film because of the absolutely jaw dropping, gorgeous drawings and paintings of microscopic creatures by Haeckel.

Trachomedusae by Ernst Haeckel

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the movie:

You must, when contemplating Nature,

Attend to this in each and every feature:

There’s nought outside and nought within,

For she is inside out, and outside in.

Thus will you grasp, with no delay,

The holy secret, clear as day.

Goethe – from his late poem “Epirrhema”

“There is one spirit in all things, and no body is so small that it does not contain a part of the Divine substance whereby it is animated.” – Girodano Bruno

Side notes:

*Proteus is an ancient Greek God of the sea.

*Some selections from the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl_onFMjJWA

*This film is available on Netflix.

Array of Radiolaria by Ernst Haeckel

A Bad Spell

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Flat nose pliers, bent nose pliers and jump rings.

I just experienced my first setback in selling my jewelry on-line. It was completely mental and had me in a headlock so fast it took me several days to realize what had happened. I ran out of materials for the line I’m working on. All week I had been creating and designing. I was so caught up in the work I didn’t realize I was almost out. When I was forced to stop, I stagnated.

You might ask, “Well why not just order more, silly Pam?” But I was feeling guilty about spending money and worried about my tight finances. I will just have to bite the bullet and do it. My other excuse for not ordering was that the shipping (UPS Ground) takes about 2 weeks. Yeah I know, the sooner I order the quicker it will arrive, but for some reason I find this discouraging.

There is plenty I can do while waiting for my supplies in the mail: sketch more designs, read my right-brained business book, blog, explore creating my business plan and “look” for my Etsy store, set up a photo “stage”, and photograph what I’ve made so far. Believe it or not, I might have enough materials stuffed away that I can still make a few more pieces.

So why am I still stuck? I think it has something to do with the sudden break in creative flow and fear. With all my confidence I still fear failure, debt, and difficulty. What if I don’t sell anything? I just have to remind myself that this is an experiment. As long as I don’t spend too much money, there is little risk, and I had fun in the process. In my wildest dreams I am an independent artist, making my living off my art. It is never going to happen if I don’t try.

So, the discouragement spell is officially broken, I’m back to work.

Changing Seasons

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Aspen Color!

For most of my life I struggled with the change in seasons. I didn’t like having less daylight and colder weather. It made me depressed, anxious, and very lethargic. I fought it tooth and nail, which I don’t recommend, because resistance is futile.

My Sit Spot

Then a few years ago a friend took me to an autumn ritual gathering. The leader talked about the significance of autumn in our lives. At this time of year the cold and darkness drives us inward, it is a time of reflection, planning, and gathering in preparation for winter. We burned something we wanted to let go of (written on paper) and wrote down a wish for the spring and stuffed it inside a plastic egg. I don’t know what it was about that night, perhaps just coming to understand the importance of autumn, but something changed in me. I felt at peace with the change in seasons, in fact, I relished it! Since then, I no longer feel depressed or lethargic when the days get shorter. I get excited. How wonderful it is to watch the leaves change color, to feel the chill in the air, and retreat to a warm snuggly blanket with a cup of hot tea! A fall color trip can also help welcome in the new fall season.

Faerie Grove

This year I am thinking about using the dark, cold months to hatch my jewelry store on Etsy. What better time to sit and create and start something new?

Fall Color in Lee Vining Canyon

Park Pins and More

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Recent Additions

A few years ago I started to collect park pins from the natural places I visited. I think my first two were the Bristlecone Pines and Mono Lake. Since then the collection has grown to include cities, museums, and other landmarks.

On my recent fall color trip to the Sierras I bought 3 more pins to add to the collection. I like collecting pins because they are inexpensive and small. Sadly, I keep the pins in a plastic baggie. I need to find an aesthetically pleasing way of displaying them. Some people wear them on their hiking hats, but I think my head would be a bit too heavy with all these!

The Collection

Some of my favorites include: The Great Seal of the Navajo Nation, Fermilab, Chaco Culture National Historic Park and Haines Alaska.

Detail

Getting Away

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

For months I’ve planned to get away from the city to see the fall colors in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It’s been a long time since I was out in nature, over night. Nature is my #1 muse, and if I go too long without it, I start to feel depleted.

Looking Down at the Kokanee Salmon

We started our journey at Taylor Creek in South Lake Tahoe. The Kokanee Salmon were running. The American Indians living along the Fraser River in Canada named the fish, which means “red fish”. These salmon spend their entire lives in fresh water, unlike their costal cousins, who spend half their lives in the ocean. They are about 14” long. This is the time of year when the fish spawn. Last year John got lucky and photographed a mother bear and her cub fishing there. We didn’t see any bears on this visit, but the fish were truly fascinating.

Mono Lake, South Tufa in the Distance

Before settling in for a chilly night at our campsite, we visited Mono Lake for sunset.

Golden Flowers and Aspen Trees

The next day we took a drive around the June Lake Loop and got our first serious dose of fall color.

6 Sided "Posts"!

This was the last weekend The Devil’s Post Pile was open (for the season), so we went to check it out. We’d had many opportunities to go in the past, but always during the time of year when Mammoth was crowded and one was forced to park and ride a shuttle to the rocks. Because the crowds were gone, we were able to park near the site and hike in.

The Top of the Post Pile

I couldn’t help but wonder, why “Devil”? I never did figure that out. There was nothing demonic about the place! It was more “Angelic” than anything.

A Glassy Mountain Lake in Yosemite

I Love the Shapes of These Rocks! (Yosemite)

Resting and Admiring the Scenery (Yosemite)

After a second night of camping in Lee Vining Valley, we headed up through Tioga Pass in Yosemite. John took me to an unnamed lake just off the road where he took an amazing photograph a few years ago. I too was inspired by this place and stopped to take a few photos.

There's No Place Like Yosemite Valley

We traveled further on to Yosemite Valley for another handful of eye candy. This spot by the river made me feel so peaceful!

Got Dirt?

After eating our sandwiches with a view of El Capitan, it was time to head back to the city, with our photos and memories. Check out John's account and photos of our trip: http://jwallphoto.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-color.html

Box of Memories

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother's charm bracelets.

To those who have collected jewelry all their life, a journey through the jewelry box is a trip back in time.

My collection is like a photo album. When I hold necklaces that belonged to my grandmothers I see their faces shining back at me. My favorite pendants from childhood remind me of a particular age, outfit, holiday or feeling. Some pieces are from my first trip to San Francisco, gifts from friends and former students, visits to street festivals, and special vacations. My jewelry box also contains a record of different phases in my life; the 80’s, my rhinestone period (before "Bling"), the Goddess years, world culture hippie, and “small and delicate”. I have a few necklaces I made when I was little and many I’ve made as an adult.

For me, the value of a piece of jewelry is not its materials or artistry, but the story it tells. This explains why I have so much trouble clearing away the clutter. As long as I have space, and can keep it organized, I don’t mind. Every so often I get rid of things because their sentimental value has slipped away and I know I’ll never wear it again. But I don’t throw them out. Necklaces and earrings get disassembled and added to my workshop to be repurposed into new wearable art.

Synergy

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Synergy is at play in my life. According to my dictionary widget, synergy is “The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.”

I am more joyful, playful, energetic, and creative than I have been in a long time. It must be the combination of having a job I love, a creative project with clear goals, connections with warm, creative, interesting people, all the wonderful art events taking place this month, and major planetary shifts (we are now living in the age of Aquarius).

Author Tama J. Kieves recently quoted Brother David Steindl-Rast on her Facebook status; “The answer to exhaustion is not rest. It’s wholeheartedness.” This really resonates with me. I am busier than ever and have more energy than ever because I’m excited about what I’m doing. I am giving my life my whole heart, living it deeply and fully. Momentum is increasing. Who knew it could be so much fun?

Making Progress

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

The list!

I’m at about the halfway point on my September/October goals. I ordered some supplies for my new designs. I’m still waiting on the mail; UPS misdirected my package to San Marcos, CA, between Los Angeles and San Diego. Whoops! So I’m not “making” anything yet. I might have bitten off a little more than I can chew with blogging 3 times a week. Soon I will start teaching two after school art classes, making me extra tired when I return home. I also find that writing is a slow process for me. If I blog in the evening I don’t have time to work on anything else. Still, I’m going to stick with it for as long as I can. Twice a week might be a little more doable. I have been carrying around my little notebook for a couple weeks and only wrote in it once. Either I forget I have it, or I’m too busy to jot things down. I think it will take some practice and discipline to make good use of my new “tool”.

Wigging Out

2011-10-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Don't mess with me.

This weekend I have been thinking and planning ahead with my jewelry project. Eventually I will need to photograph my necklaces for my Etsy shop. It is important to have excellent photos of each necklace and very helpful for shoppers to see how each piece looks when it is worn. I will probably ask a few friends to model for me. But what if that doesn’t work out? That is when I had the brilliant idea of being my own model! I can do a series of self-portraits. My timing couldn’t be better. With Halloween around the corner it is very easy to find inexpensive wigs. So today, I drove down to the Halloween store and did a little shopping. Here are a couple photos shot with the Photo Booth app on my laptop. Can you say “self-entertainment”?

This one reminds me of Kate Bush.

Resources

2011-10-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

"Donated" necklace, store purchased seed beads and shell pendant, tree pendant made from silver clay, beach pebble pendant, and acorn pendant made from a shell and wild cucumber seed.

After looking at the picture in my last blog entry, you might be wondering how I came to possess so many beads. Well, I’ll tell you! They came from all over:

*The bead store!

*Bead catalogs and the Internet

*Leather, Native American, craft, Tibet, and second-hand stores

*Gem and bead shows

*Old broken necklaces

*Donations from friends who are cleaning out their jewelry boxes

*Garage sales

*Sidewalk finds

*The beach and woods (shells, rocks, seeds and sticks can be drilled to make beads)

*My own making (from clay, plastic scraps, etc)

I’ve been collecting for a long time, over 15 years. Collecting beads feels somewhat addictive to me. I’m a sucker for little, tiny, beautiful, and precious things (like sea glass). String those treasures together, and you have a work of art!

Organization

2011-10-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Organization is key for beaders. Over time I’ve collected thousands of beads. Most of my beads are organized by color and type. I like to think of them as my palette. I need to spread them out, or at least have quick access when working on a design. The question is how do I store them so I can find what I need? Some of my beads are in the storage cases pictured above. The ones with the plastic wrap are seed beads. The wrap is to protect them from spilling all over if the unit should fall. I hope it works. Living in earthquake country, I fear the inevitable. The storage units are secured to the bookcases they are in, which in turn are secured to the wall. Still, I cringe at the thought of picking up all those mixed up beads off the floor. Knock on wood!

"Commitment"

2011-10-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

I splurged on a set of Angel Cards the other day. I’ve wanted some for years. I love how simple they are. Tiny laminated cards, each with one word and a tiny angel drawing. When I got home I took them out of the box, mixed them up (upside down) on the couch, closed my eyes, emptied my mind and picked one. I got “Commitment”.

Instantly this word brought many thoughts to mind. First, I thought about my marriage commitment. Could the card be sending me a message about that? No, that vow is as solid as can be. Certainly not commitment to my job, I’m a dedicated teacher through and through. But what about the promises I’ve made to myself? To be true to myself, live my dreams, and be kind and compassionate towards others. Those are the personal commitments I think about every day.

Then there is the commitment to my current project; setting up an Etsy store by the end of January. That takes perseverance I didn’t have until now. I have a plan of action, clear goals, and steps needed to get there. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. How I will refuse to give up when I get to the difficult, boring, or not fun parts (if there are any). This project is about much more than starting a hobby-type business; it’s proving I can finish what I start and that I’m devoted to my art.

So, if I feel my art and I are one in the same, then am I not committing to myself as well?

Reflections of an Art Educator

2011-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Entry sign at the Youth in Arts Gallery

This afternoon I stopped by the Youth in Arts Gallery in San Rafael to see the work of Brooke Toczylowski, a former artist in residence in the Sausalito and Marin City School District. This exhibit features her journal drawings, each representing a day of teaching, chronicling the 2010-2011 school year. The work brought a tear to my eye. I deeply appreciated her personal reactions to inequality in a racially diverse environment, and I could relate to many of her day-to-day struggles in the art room. The exhibit also includes her “Process Books”; documenting student projects, their learning, and incorporating student quotes, photos, and examples of some of their work. These books were fun to look through. I was inspired to see children exposed to real art concepts such as “What does the world look like through your eyes” and student artists learning about how to stick with a subject over a long period of time.

Brooke Toczylowski's drawings and process books

A few of Toczylowski's drawings from the end of the school year

Youth in Arts facilitates teaching artist programs in schools. Their artists specialize in visual art, dance, drama, music and more. The gallery is open Monday – Friday 10-2 and the closing reception is November 5^th.

Right next door to Youth in Arts is Open Secret Bookstore. I had not been there in many years so I stopped in for a look. I was surprised to see they now have a small cafeteria serving yummy looking vegan food. What a great place. I have many wonderful memories of going there for readings, meditations, rituals and concerts. I felt like I could hang out there for hours, but the desire to work on my many projects had me homeward bound.

Open Secret Bookstore

Setting Goals

2011-09-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

If I’m serious about selling jewelry on-line, then I need to set some goals. My first big goal is to get an Etsy shop up and running in January. I’m giving myself three months. Today, I made a list of 9 things I think I can accomplish by the end of October, and I already crossed one off. I bought a small notebook like the one I mentioned a couple entries ago. I’ll carry it with me to take notes (design ideas, blog entries, etc) and do small sketches. I also did some research on finding good prices for jewelry supplies, and tested out one of my designs. It’s going to be really striking, but I can’t show you just yet. ;-)

Baby Steps

2011-09-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

I’ve been sick with a nasty lingering cold for the past two weeks and haven’t had any energy left at the end of the day for art making. So, I’ve been taking this time to do a little research on a project that has been on my mind the past five years.

I love making jewelry! I can only make so much for birthday gifts and myself before going broke. It feels like time to put some of it out there in the world, sell it (or try to) and at the very least, use the money to help me make more. I could use a little extra income anyway; it would be an adventure, and hopefully just plain fun!

Pictured here is my meager stack of books on how to start a crafting business. I just read the one on top. One of the suggestions was about writing a Blog. Well, I can check that off! Except that I need to blog more. As I read the author’s suggestions I realized that I have plenty of things to write about and just need to sit down and get to it. So here I am.

Years ago I read about SARK’s micormovements, tiny little baby steps one takes towards a goal. I think of myself as starting to take those steps now. It makes a big goal or task easier to do. Instead of procrastinating (and doing nothing for long periods of time) I’m making a little progress every day.

“All of my 11 published books, posters, cards, and company exist due to many thousands and thousands of micromovements all strung together. I think of the micromovements as tiny colored beads that have helped me be someone who lives in her dreams instead of only talking about them.” – SARK

Here is a link to SARK’s web page: http://www.planetsark.com/

Points of Light

2011-09-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Image, lit from the front

I love Mendocino, California! Last February I was there for a short weekend trip and saw a few pieces by a fantastic artist exhibiting at the Mendocino Art Center. Now, I’m kicking myself for not writing down her name. (I need to find a very small, groovy notebook that I can carry everywhere I go.) Anyway, the artist had two very fine, detailed, organic drawings that I found unique and inspiring. The shapes looked like microscopic creatures. But what I really loved was a large tree created by tiny pinholes! The holes were so evenly spaced, it must have taken a long time to create. The image was a delicate, perforated leafless tree, white on white.

After thinking about this technique for months, and with my husband’s birthday a few days away, I decided to give it a go. I created a small birthday card by drawing with a tack. It wasn’t easy. I sketched the mushroom first, taped the sketch to the good paper, and commenced punching (with a cardboard backing). I started with a sewing needle and after a minute, my hand cramped up. I tried other pins with the same results. Finally, I tried using a large pushpin, which was much easier to hold. It worked for the most part. In some places my holes were too close together and the paper is very delicate. Overall I like the effect.

My next attempts will include paper that is colored on the back, so the holes will have a little hue to them. I’m also going to try using Styrofoam as a backing so I don’t have to put so much force into the punch. What does this mean in relation to my other work? I don’t know yet, maybe nothing. I love experimenting with new ideas. Perhaps I’ll do this lesson with my students one day, if I can invent a punch that doesn’t cramp the hand so badly.

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle." - Walt Whitman

Image, lit from behind

Until then, may the muse be with you!

September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

Even though I felt the desire, I couldn’t bring myself to write about the anniversary of September 11^th, 2001 yesterday. It was just too painful. The memory was aching inside me. I refused to turn on the television, listen to the radio, or read Internet news sites. To do so would break my heart all over again. Instead, I had a quiet day to myself. Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I’m ready to say something.

My first and only visit to New York City was in 1991. I went to visit a friend living in the West Village. After flying into Newark, I took a bus to Manhattan where my friend met me. After a short hug and welcome to the Big Apple she led me upstairs to the street. My first steps into the city were at the World Trade Center. In the bright summer light, I looked up briefly (not wanting any criminal to know I was a tourist) to see the towers reaching high above, welcoming me. Ah, New York. It was one of the most memorable trips of my life. I went to the Met, the Frick, MOMA, the Statue of Liberty, saw an Off Broadway Play “Six Degrees of Separation” with Stockard Channing (before the film!), ate a salami sandwich piled 6” high at a Jewish deli, went to a couple parties, and so much more. The city was vibrant, intense and so deeply inspiring.

Now, I keep coming back to that memory of stepping into the city. The very place where 10 years later the thunderous roar of death echoed across the earth with a million voices screaming in despair. For that short visit, New York was my city, and the towers were a part of its magical hold on me. I mourn the loss of so many, a world forever changed, and my naive sense of security.

September 11^th changed me. Suddenly I could no longer stand to watch violence in movies, I had seen enough. I developed anxiety, which I have learned to manage. But most importantly, I became grateful for all I have, especially the people in my life. The folks going to work that day didn’t know that in a few hours they would be jumping from a burning building or their plane would be crashing to the ground. We never know what the future holds or when we will breathe our last breath. So now, when things get bad, I remind myself to savor every moment, for even the hard times are part of the joy of living. My husband and I started the tradition of a hug and kiss before parting, leaving each other with the memory of our love, because you just never know. I finally realized how short life was and began to pursue my dreams of being an artist, teaching art to children, and living a creative life.

I wish I could say I feel relieved and peaceful after writing this, but no such luck. It’s not that easy. So I will continue living the best way I know how, loving what is, and remembering.

New York City, 1991

Red, White, and Blue

2011-07-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4^th of July everyone!

I started my celebrating on the beach. The sun was shining, the tide was low, and I had much of the place to myself for a while. Who’s to say what makes the beach so healing? Maybe it’s the positive ions, the power of nature, the vitamin D (if you are lucky to be fog free), the aroma of the sea, the sound of crashing waves, or the exercise. I like to think all of the above. It was not a great day for collecting, but I didn’t care. I got a year’s worth of therapy and insight in just a couple hours. The icing on the cake was seeing a teacup Chihuahua in a pink polka dotted sundress. Priceless.

I am blessed to live in San Francisco, California, United States of America.

Poseidon's Trident

2011-04-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Found Fork

Today’s beach excursion offered up my most mysterious find to date. A fork. I can’t tell you much about it except that it’s very old and rusty. I imagine it being used by a sailor, perhaps on the King Philip. It could be a soldier’s fork from the Presidio. Perhaps it fed a missionary at Mission Dolores. Or, took a cross-country journey with a 49’er. The possibilities are infinite.

Lying in the surf was what appeared to be an old light pole. Check out the photos and let me know what you think. My Google searches of forks did not yield any useful results.

Light Pole

Get Your Glow On

2011-03-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Vaseline Glass Under Black Light

A few years ago I attended the California Sea Glass Association’s annual festival in Santa Cruz. That year Richard LaMotte, the author of “Pure Sea Glass, Discovering Nature’s Vanishing Gems” was the keynote speaker. I bought the book, which I now refer to as my sea glass “Bible”. In the book, LaMotte carefully explains the possible sources of different colors and your chances of finding them. It was here that my thirst for Vaseline Glass began. Vaseline glass contains 2% uranium dioxide! It typically has a yellow green color but looks neon green under a black light. A rare find indeed!

Today my black light arrived in the mail. I didn’t hesitate to tear open the package, add batteries, and run into the bathroom with my best batch of glass. And there it was, glowing in the middle of my pile, bright lime neon green! A piece I had found two years ago and always figured was “milk glass” was indeed so much more. I had been searching for something I already possessed. I think that says it all…don’t you?

Vaseline Glass Under Natural Light

"Delicious"

2011-03-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Several of my candy paintings.

It’s time for the annual “Delicious” show at the Studio Gallery! “Delicious” is an exhibit of artwork inspired by food and drink. This year several of my candy paintings are on the walls. There is something for everyone; traditional still life paintings, puppets drinking coffee, glass cupcakes, restaurant scenes, painted vineyards, embroidered candy, sculpture made of cutlery, and much, much more.

The show runs from March 16 to April 10^th, 2011. I will be at the opening reception when it begins on Sunday, March 20^th, from 2-6. I hope you can stop by and say “hello”. The Studio Gallery shows work by local artists at affordable prices.

Though the artwork is “no cal” you may leave craving a chocolate glazed doughnut!

Studio Gallery

1815 Polk Street (between Washington and Jackson)

San Francisco, CA 94109

www.STUDIOGallerySF.com

A view of the gallery.

Gallery window on Polk St. My "Peaches and Cream" ribbon candy in the bottom corner.

Step One

2011-02-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

The First Paintings of 2011

Having just finished my first paintings of 2011, I thought I’d take a week off to get some other projects done. Alas, after several days, the painting itch started and I’m about to go back at it.

The candy series does not feel done. I made a trip to the local candy store to pick up some spice drops, licorice, Swedish Fish, and stick candy. Then I had an epiphany; Marshmallow Peeps! And they are even “in season”! Peeps have such beautiful shape, color, and texture. They repulse and attract at the same time (at least me). I can hear grown-up Pam yelling at little Pam that she can’t have any, they’re pure sugar, unhealthy. Little Pam doesn’t care. Both sides won today because the chicks will be painted, devoured with my eyes, and not eaten (maybe).

Before I start painting I need to play. I take all the candy out of its packaging to find the best compositions. Items get stacked, turned, put together and taken apart. Then I have to find a canvas to fit the arrangement. When I’m satisfied I’ll sketch the subject on canvas and start the underpainting. This is going to be fun!

Candy Composing

Instructions

2011-01-29T17:38:00.000-08:00

Today's treasures on the light box.

“Pam, how do you find sea glass?”

Go to the beach at low tide on one of the crappiest days of the year (windy, rainy, and cold).
Be willing to have a drippy nose because you will eventually run out of tissues.
Dress warm; wear wool.
Be okay with soaking wet shoes, socks, and pant bottoms.
Stay bent over the sand at a 90 degree angle, or better yet, crawl around on your hands and knees.
Wear a belt because your pants are going to be falling down from the weight of the glass in your pockets.
Be ready to answer questions from those curious and brave enough to talk to you.
Wear contacts if you have them because you’ll get tired of wiping water away from your glasses.
Remember to keep one eye on the ocean so you are not tumbling in the surf with the glass.

10. And, always remember to use the restroom before you leave the house!

Here you will see some unusual pieces: teal green, purple, white with a blue spot, safety glass, and a baby sand dollar.

Opalescent Glass

Close up of Opalescent Glass

Forest Sketching

2011-01-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday John and I drove North along the coast to visit Salt Point State Park, just North of Jenner, CA. John’s mission was to photograph mushrooms, I was there to explore and take in the scenery. These types of trips are often tricky for us. John can spend up to 30 minutes photographing a subject while I’m standing around waiting. Need I say more?

This is the second outing I’ve brought my sketchpad, in an effort to keep myself busy while John is doing his thing. The first time I tried this I couldn’t bring myself to sketch at all. I think the difficulty is in shifting from hiking/exploring mode to becoming still and focused.

We walked along the road awhile then veered off trail. It wasn’t long before John found several mushrooms he wanted to photograph. I knew this was an opportunity to draw. I paced the area, scoping out possible drawings. I wasn’t sure I could do it, to settle down and sketch. After about 15 minutes I finally picked a sit spot. Still, I couldn’t draw. So, I sat and studied the things on the ground around me. I found cup fungus on a stick, old false chanterelle mushrooms, redwood needles, redwood cones, and Usnea (a light green lichen). Finally, I started to focus.

A few days ago I visited the Robert Koch Gallery in San Francisco and saw the extraordinary photos of Yamamoto Masao. The photos were luminous, filled with mystery, light, and nature. Many reminded me of drawings. They ignited a small spark of inspiration within me, to draw something small and detailed, with graphite only. So, sitting there in the woods I turned my attention to the micro.

I picked up a clump of Usnea. It was very soft and delicate with microscopic little “hairs”. I found a tiny stick with a pleasing amount of the stuff, brought out the sketchbook, and lost myself in a miniature world. Before long, my drawing was finished and John wanted to head to the ocean.

So, I learned an important lesson: drawing on a hiking trip is possible. It is much like meditating. I need to sit, slow down, take deep breaths, and connect with the landscape. I can’t just whip out my sketchbook and draw like one might do with a point-and-shoot camera. With this precious knowledge, I know I can and will sketch in nature again and again.

"Usnea on a Stick", graphite on paper, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2", 2011

“Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes”

2011-01-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

Work in Progress

Today I am painting and thinking about change.

There was this artist whose work I LOVE. I discovered her paintings at a Mill Valley gallery years ago. She worked in mixed media, creating narratives that were carefully rendered. They had a Latin American feel. She even painted the frames and incorporated them into the pieces. I took a couple postcards from her shows and drooled over them. Today, they are as interesting and beautiful to me as they were then.

Recently I searched for her on the web. I found a website bearing her name but the work looked nothing like her. Could it be her? It was. I confirmed her identity by her exhibition history. She had become a minimalist! There was no trace of the old work on her website. I was shocked and disappointed. I really liked the old work, I wanted to see it again, and I’m not attracted to minimalism. How did her work change so drastically?

I can’t answer for her, but I can answer for myself. My work has steadily changed over the years. It’s not like I wake up one day and think, “I’m going to do something completely different”. No, the art evolves. I’ll be working in one style while in the back of my mind some ideas are percolating. Some of those ideas may brew for years, others may fizzle out before they are mature enough for me to birth them into the world. When my work shifts it happens with joy. I am newly inspired and am off exploring the unknown again. I don’t mourn for the old. Everything I do is like a steppingstone leading me deeper into the wilderness. I savor that journey with excitement and anticipation.

My experience with the artist described above is not a new one. In the arts we often get attached to a style of expression. We relate to it, and it inspires us. When the artist changes, we might be left longing for more of the same. Some will only listen to David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, unable to embrace the work that followed (most of his career). Others only like Picasso’s cubist period, or Kandinsky’s early work. That’s okay. We can listen to those albums and look at those paintings over and over. They will continue to bring us joy. No one expects us to like everything an artist creates. All I ask is to be respectful of the mystery of artistic process and accept inevitable change.

“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Without change something sleeps inside us, and never wakens.” – Duke Leo Artides

New Beginnings

2011-01-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the New Year is not terribly meaningful for me. It’s just a date. Why not make any moment of any day a “New Year”? The chance to start over, make plans, and adjust focus should not be limited to this annual event. However, this year January 1^st coincided with some inner shifts, and the holiday felt significant to me. I decided I wanted to start the first full week of January with work in progress.

When I paint, I like to work on many pieces at once. There are several reasons for this method. For one, it’s practical. I work in oil, and I work small. Paintings quickly reach a point where they need to dry before being reworked. If I sat around waiting for the paint to dry I would loose productivity, and perhaps my momentum. Also, working on many paintings at once creates a cohesive set, reflecting my frame of mind and skill in a given time period. Finally, if life distracts me from painting, I find it is much easier to start up again with unfinished pieces rather than start something fresh. Again, it is all about momentum. So, over the past seven days I started thirteen paintings.

Work in Progress

This next set reflects a change in subject matter. I’m taking a break from found beach objects and exploring a theme I’ve been thinking about for a long time, candy. For me, it’s not too dissimilar from sea glass. Hard candy is colorful, luminous, and sometimes translucent like glass. Instead of hunting the beach for subject matter, I’m hunting in shops around San Francisco. Also, I love that my palette is expanding. With candy I get to use bright pink, yellow, orange, and green! These indulgences come in a myriad of shapes and designs further expanding my repertoire. Beautiful sweets draw our eye and entice us with the promise of something delicious. Unlike sea glass, we can physically consume the beauty.

You might be wondering if I will eat my subjects once the paintings are complete. Uh, …no. I’ve been handling them way too much, they are sitting out collecting dust, and are exposed to paint and solvents. Believe it or not, I don’t have a sweet tooth. With the exception of chocolate, my definition of culinary bliss is a bowl full of salty cheese popcorn.

My subjects!

A Perfect Day

2010-12-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

I took a chance on heading out to the beach before the storm hit. I made it just in time for the low tide. The conditions couldn’t have been better. The storms churned up a bounty of goodies, there were very few people on the beach, and the cloud cover made spotting glassy jewels easy. I spent all my time in an area about a 1/4 of a block long. The spot was so juicy I got down on the ground and sifted through the pebbles.

I knew it was time to go when the tide started to cover my “patch”, it began to drizzle, my pockets looked like they held baseballs (so heavy I had to keep pulling up my pants), I ran out of tissues, and for some reason I kept smelling the paints waiting for me in my studio.

Solstice Walk

2010-12-22T16:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it is not officially the solstice anymore, but I'm calling this my solstice walk anyway. I ended up spending the actual solstice visiting friends, connecting with the light and warmth of others.

Today I visited with the sun, birds, fresh air and beach. The wind was a bit cold, but it was tolerable for the most part. Here is what the low tide blessed me with.

Chasing the Sun

2010-12-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the ocean just before sundown. Just in time to see Arjuna in his chariot racing Northward, perhaps off to some distant battlefield or that legendary conversation of The Bhagavad Gita.

The beach was gorgeous. I told John “I’m heading south” and trundled off to a swatch of pebbles near the low tide line. As the sun went down I had the sensation of being in a dream, floating in rosy glow, lost in the crash of waves. I sang David Bowie songs out loud as I knew no one would hear me. I found some large pieces of white glass and a few other treasures. I could have stayed for hours, but it was dark, and we were hungry. At times like this I am reminded of how lucky I am to live in San Francisco.

“When one sees Eternity in things that pass away and Infinity in finite things, then one has pure knowledge.” -Lord Krishna in “The Bhagavad Gita”

Treasure Hunt

2010-12-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

I’m a beachcomber. It started when I was 8 during my first visit to San Francisco. I found my first piece of sea glass on Paradise Beach. The ocean and bay were an awesome sight to my young Midwestern eyes. Yes, there are beaches on Lake Michigan, but I don’t remember ever finding anything but loose change, crowds of people, and trash.

Often you will see me on the beach when there is a minus tide. I’m out there with the clam diggers, fishermen, surfers, joggers, and dog walkers. My hands are in my pockets, nose pointed down, and I’m walking slowly. The beach is different every time I go. Sometimes I find fistfuls of colorful glass, pebbles and shells. Other times there is nothing. A low tide is no guarantee of a “good haul”.

Yesterday, even though I went with the sole purpose of photographing the sunset, I found myself scanning the sand, looking for my favorite colored jewels. Occasionally I’d remember to look up, and snap a picture or two. The tide was low and I found a glistening piece of sea foam green glass. Oh joy! I also found a large intact razor clam shell and other precious things. Perhaps they will become the subjects of future paintings, or maybe I will just hold them and admire their beauty on a cold rainy day, like today.

Pear Tree Art Salon

2010-11-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

I’m excited to announce that I’m participating in a unique art salon! We are a group of eleven women artists exhibiting our work for 8 days. Join us for the art show, sale, workshops, hot apple cider, comfy couches, conversation and inspiration.

Location: 1890 Bryant Street Studios @Mariposa #302 in San Francisco

Dates: Fridays 5-8 on November 26, December 3, 10, and 17

Sundays 11-3 on November 28, December 5, 12, and 19

I will be showing paintings from my new series “Still Life – Precious Things”. Preview them here:

http://www.pamelaheyda.com/nwwrk.html

and I will also be teaching note card embossing every Sunday. You can make up to 5 cards for $10.

The artwork is excellent and the atmosphere relaxed. Get away from the holiday shopping crowds and immerse yourself in creativity.

For more information check out our website:

http://peartreeart.blogspot.com/

Greetings

2010-11-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to “Tracking the Muse”. I have long wanted to create a blog to express my thoughts on living the creative life. Here I am finally doing it.

I thought long and hard about a title for this page. It needed to encompass the diversity of my artistic expressions. All my life the muse has led me in different directions, from painting to gardening, cooking, silversmithing jewelry, writing poetry, basket weaving, playing piano and more. As a student of Tom Brown Jr’s Tracker School, the word “tracking” hints at the importance of nature in my life and describes my creative path. Like a tracker, an artist uses all their senses. They closely observe their surroundings down to the smallest grain of sand. Most of my inspiration comes from my observations of the natural world and the mysteries contained within. Look closely and you will find infinite beauty.

It is with this in mind that I begin my blogging journey…

"Sea Bounty" by Pamela A. Heyda

oil on canvas, 10 x 10", 2010