On foot in my town

What’s a lovely evening? Walking 3 blocks from my art studio to experience culture, music, art, and cuisine.

First I went to the grand opening of the Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, A Latino Cultural Arts and Social Services Program in Half Moon Bay. I met founder and director Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, when artist Ellen Silva and therapist Roberta Gelt invited me to work on a mural for the organization. It was a community building effort at the beginning of the Trump election and his blatant discrimination against Mexicans and undocumented immigrants. Today was a special evening because the mural is now in a permanent home on the walls of the ALAS new office. Hurrah!

“Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, A Latino Cultural Arts and Social
Services Program in Half Moon Bay is dedicated to supporting the youth and families of our beautiful coastal community in Northern California
We are proud of the cultural wealth and strength of the families and
children of our community. Every day we witness youth in our program
rise as leaders and soar above with dreams for a future of achievement.”

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Next I went to the Odd Fellows women’s clothing swap. though I was a bit late, I still got a bag ‘O clothes and some cool boots.

Next door, I stuck my head in to hear the smooth live jazz playing at Cafe Society. Everyone looked blissed out with wine glass in hand.

I circled around to go back to the studio and was welcomed by sounds of piano, trumpet, and sax wafting into the parking lot. It’s not every night that one gets greeted by live music.

Later the musicians walked across Highway One to Tres Amigos to fill their bellies and even remembered to bring me back some food – a chili relleno and some left over beef fajitas. I count my blessings I live in Half Moon Bay on this gentle, pleasant evening.

Winged snake finds her new home

Winged snake finds her new home

After the closing gala of the Coastside Doctors Without Borders Art Auction, 22 art pieces came back to my studio to be matched up with their new owners. It is always fun to be there for the hand off. This is Valerie and her son picking up Susana Van Beezooijen’s ceramic winged Milagros. Valerie saved up to buy herself a special birthday present and this is what she got! She is especially excited because her cousin is going off next week to work with Doctors Without Borders and she gets to show her what she got. These kinds of stories make it all worthwhile!

6th Annual Coastside Doctors Without Borders Art Auction

Looking forward to seeing you at the Gala, 11/14, 6-9pm! You can also see the exhibition daily now at Pasta Moon Music Box in Half Moon Bay. Click here for more info on the show and to see the art donated: http://coastsidedoctorsartauction.weebly.com/

Light and honor the dark season with artmaking

 Light and honor the dark season with artmaking

The healing power of art and how it informs us

Ancestor Guide

It seems so simple: write an intention, make art, and journal. It may appear to be an easy practice – so easy that you wonder, “Why do it? What could I possibly get out of it?” Well a lot! Continue reading “The healing power of art and how it informs us”

New and updated classes at Kitsune Community Art Studio

A gift, a perfect gift.

Bees have buzzed into my life. They are in my mind, my art, my sunflowers, and now I have a piece of their creation in my studio. Sweet fresh honey is dripping and sticky on my art table.

Women friends have brought the bee in my life. Esther would only have beeswax candles in her house. I could see why – they have a wonderful scent and a beautiful glow. Now I too have these in my studio.

Susan Friedman taught me how to coat paintings and sculpture in beeswax, using the encaustic process. It is one of the most lovely smelling mediums to work with, and so fun to dip, pour and paint with the translucent hot wax.

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This week Linda Hettle introduced me to Skye Taylor – the creator of  the Temple Hive. I attended my first hive opening with these wonderful women. It was an extraordinary experience to be in the presence of the sacred buzzing beings. Skye prepared the smoker with sumac, pine needles, while Linda held a rhythm on a drum with the 6 sided hexagon shape drawn on it. Skye pulled out the top bars to reveal beautiful honeycomb. Five of us surrounded the hive and felt completely safe without protective suits.

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At the end of the hive inspection, Skye gifted me with some honeycomb. The smell of wax and honey made out of pollen, permeates my studio. The light and shadows play with the translucent perfect hexagon structure – a mini bee temple. I have no words to fully describe how much I am enjoying it.

Ordinariness

Spent the day turning the soil and adding compost after finding the last few hidden potato jewels, bathed away the sweat and dirt, and put the used art materials from yesterday’s creating back into their places. Dinner was left over sausage pasta made crunchy by oven reheating. A mystery movie and a quick beginning reading of “Buddha in the Attic” before a sinking into a cozy bed. It’s been a precious day of small joys strung together to make a necklace of summer memories.

Bees keep us alive

 

I’ve chosen to focus on bees in the piece on transformation for my art for the Coastside Drs Without Borders Art Auction. Here’s my in-progress piece – encaustic flora seed raviolis for bees!

The below film was instrumental in me making that decision.