Through The Keyhole

Sleeping in the Forest

I'll be camping in the Redwoods and on the beach in California for nearly two weeks later this month.  I'll need to bind a new journal for the trip.  Wondering what form it will take.  With a cover or without?  Big or small?  Pre-painted or not?  Delicious decisions!  The planning is one of my favorite parts.  That and you know, actually vacating.  This sweet little number was made in a Misty Mawn class at the last Artfest.

Sleeping in the Forest

by Mary Oliver

I thought the earth remembered me,
she took me back so tenderly,
arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds.
I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
among the branches of the perfect trees.
All night I heard the small kingdoms
breathing around me, the insects,
and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.

"Make" Journals for Artfest 2012

 8"x10" acrylic on canvas panels

"Make" Journal Covers

I'm prepping for the last Artfest, gathering my supplies, planning meetings with friends that live elsewhere, making my packing list, and making journals for the art gallery.

I've been painting 8"x10" canvas panels for journal covers that I'll be binding to sell in the art gallery.  They'll be filled with 140lb hot press Arches paper.  Luscious!

What will you do with your one wild and precious life?

I love this last one so much I may have to keep it.  It so clearly expresses the stillness I seek and the joyous uproar that is my life.

 

 

The Deedle Story

I began making my own journals this year using a binding technique that I learned from LK Ludwig at the first Journalfest, one of the retreats that Teesha and Tracy Moore used to put on.  I believe this binding is based on a Keith Smith.  It is so easy to copy by just looking at it that it's become my go to binding.

Every three months or so I get together with a group of women from around the Northwest for a long weekend of art journaling.  I painted the canvas boards and bound this journal during one of those weekends.

I had a spare text block bound that I'd decided not to use in another journal I made for a trip last summer.  I happened upon a set of garden encyclopedias at the flower and garden show last month that looked like the perfect size so I brought one home with me.  Turns out it in fact was perfect. 

I'm getting ready for the last Artfest 2012.  I hadn't planned on attending until I heard it was the last one.  There was no way I could miss the party it is sure to be.  I was fortunate enough to get into amazing classes.  Two are journal making, one with Orly Avineri and the second with Misty Mawn.  LK's teaching a different journal making class there as well.  I think Teesha is still accepting registrations for a bit longer.

happy birthday

 
"happy birthday"

acrylic mixed media 5"x5"

I began making birthday cards for my family a few years ago.  I started with old family photos, then last year I stitched a few.  This is the first time I've tried painting one.

I took a Jesse Reno class last spring at Artfest.  I like his asthetic and I was so excited to discover how low tech and personal painting could be.  I painted with my fingers for two days.  It was so liberating.  I've been wanting to paint but kept finding myself going in other directions.  Finally, I sat down to make a birthday card and decided to try something new.  I was surprised how my style came through so readily.  I'm looking forward to more of this.

Journalfest #3

Hmm...days seem to stretch out around here.  "Tomorrow" seems to mean "some day in the near future that's not today".  Ah well, I'm back and ready to post my third and final Journalfest installment.  My goal in attending Journalfest was to learn some bookbinding skills.  Anything I learned on top of that was frosting on the cake.  My second class was with LK Ludwig and it was filled with frosting.  I haven't had that much fun in longer than should be permitted in an persons life. 

We prepared pages and bound a journal using covers from a recycled book.  This class suited my style!  I always love LK's work. She is an amazingly inventive, original voice.  On top of that, she's a generous and fun teacher.  When I grow up I want to be just like her. I'm thrilled with the way this book turned out and I can't wait to begin playing in it. 

 
   
 
My third class was with Daniel Essig again.  I wasn't as interested in the girdle structutre he was teaching as I was in learning more from Dan.  I wasn't sure I'd have an opportunity to learn from him again.  It turns out I really enjoyed this class a lot.  Unlike my first class with him, this class was very small with only 8 students.  It was a good thing as there was a lot going on in it.

This little journal is very sweet. It's an accordion book, with an ingenious little cover slipped on. I don't know the name of it but I'll be making more of the books. The little book can slip out of the girdle and the accordion pages can slip out of the cover. The girdle is meant to slip over a belt. I'm not much of a belt wearer but I love the ruggedness of the leather and will use this as a take along journal when camping I think.

I really love the tintype I used. I'm Tlingit from Alaska and this gentleman looks like he could have been from my tribe.

I almost forgot! One of the most exciting things that I did on this trip was work in one of the 1000 Journals. I had an opportunity to work in one at Artfest a couple of years ago. It was exciting to see another one in person.

I didn't want to keep it for too long so I just did a very quick page in it. It felt like what I imagine doing a bit of graffiti to say "I was here" would be like.

Well, that wraps up my Journalfest adventure. It was just what I needed. Now it's time to finish up some art for friends and start getting ready for Christmas. I can't even believe Thanksgiving is next week! That means we'll be getting our Christmas tree in the next 10 days or so. Yeesh! What happend to Fall?

Artfest 2009

I don't recall seeing deer at Artfest before but this year I saw them more than once.

My first class was with LK Ludwig. She's an amazing teacher, filling the time teaching as many techniques as she can squeeze in. I never finish the project but come away with many samples and a notebook full of instructions and ideas.

The gallery was filled with fabulous art. This is just a small portion of what I saw. I wish I'd made notes about who the artists were. There's was such a variety of techniques and styles. I'd look at something and think "ooh that's ingenious."

Next I'll post more photos from class and the show and tell. The show and tell this year was huge. I stayed a couple of hours and I don't think I saw everything.

We're headed out camping for the long weekend and I just can't wait. The weather is glorious. We're meeting good friends, we'll be at the beach, and there'll be s'mores. What more could you ask for. If I can sneak in a little antiue shopping trip, it's my idea of the perfect vacation.

Artfest Finally

I didn't plan to take such a hiatus post Artfest but I returned home with very little energy for much of anything. This last week I've started to feel renewed finally. I worked on some paintings that I'll post soon. Today I thought I'd share some Artfest photos.

Below is the journal bag I submitted to the gallery. This is wool felt that I pieced and embroidered freehand from a jellyfish sketch I did. It didn't sell so it's still available. I'm planning to open an etsy shop soon and this will be one of my first listings.

For my general trades I made a zine. This is my second Artfest zine and this year included art and articles from my Artfest housemates. I was pretty happy with it. I still have a few ot these available as I got completely overwhelmed by the trading this year. If you'd like one e-mail me and I'll send them until I run out. My e-mail is tmabbott63 at msn dot com.

Trading was even more fun this year than usual. People shared such a variety of art and ephemera. I enjoy seeing what people think of bringing. I'll post a few favorites in the next day or two. Here's the start of the first night trading frenzy. The tables were so close together, there wasn't enough room to walk around with my camera and trades so this is the only shot I got.

I stayed in an officer's house with an amazing group of women. I was so very fortunate to have the opportunity to make new friends and spend time with old. I really missed those who weren't able to join us this year.

First up is Lelainia, who organizes the house I stay in each year. She's showing a necklace I made her in trade for a gorgeous supply box she made me last year.

Here's Sharon Dibble and Jacque Book. I'm seriously envious of Jacque's last name.

Next is Joan Weed and Lana Tucker. They're fabulous porcelain artists.

Last but not least, that's Penelope Harris and Dawn Shepherd.

Each year the housemates have done a project. This year Lelainia came up with the idea of an inspiration deck. Housemates past were invited to participate as well and it turned out amazing. I've never made an ATC before so this was actually quite challenging for me. The artwork and the inspiration prompts came to me quickly but getting it all to the proper size was far more challenging than I anticipated. In the end it still wasn't right but I ran out of time. It will forever be a record of my struggles.

That's my three cards on top.

Lelainia did the finish work on each our inspiration cards and put it together in the beautiful packaging. She rounded each and every corner on each and every card. An astonishing feat when you realize that there are 30 cards in each deck and there were 9 decks to make. She also made the little rectangle booklet showing recording everybodys contact info and contributions to the deck.

Our first night there, we gathered around the dining room table to see the inspiration deck for the first time and trade. This group of women was amazingly generous. I felt like it was my birthday and I was being showered in gifts from friends who truly got me. Now I always love my birthday and I don't recall ever getting a gift I didn't like, but this was a unique experience.

It's going to take a few more posts to cover everything. It's fun to look back at it now. I'm finally feeling inspired by what I learned and saw. I hope to post again tomorrow but the weekend is jam packed so it may be a couple of days. It's gorgeous here in Seattle. We have a few childfree hours and have a birthday gift to pick-up so I'm off to the University District streetfair.

Crazed With Artfest Prep

edited to add: I don't know why that photo isn't showing up. If you click on it you can see it on another page.

I didn't mean to be gone so long. I've been obsessed with Artfest prep. It started with the trade/collaboration I'm doing with my housemates and has continued with my class supplies and trades. I'm making a zine as my trade again this year. I enjoy putting it together but as with many projects there's always a point when I'm filled with anxiety and a touch of despair that I won't meet the deadline and it won't live up to my expectations.

So far I'm doing good on the deadline. I'm not doing so great at living up to my expectations but I've decided to go for quantity this year. I just want to make as much art as fast as I can. I'm wanting to push through to a new level on my style. I still see a bit too much of other peoples style in my work. I figure the only way I can get past this is to churn it out.

I'll do a post soon showing the tools and equipment I used in my blacksmithing class. I was enchanted with them. I love a handcrafted tool with a gorgeous patina. That the instructor created many of them just added to my appreciation. I think I developed a micro crush on him just because of the tools he made. That and the fabulous bat lock he crafted. It was so elegant and mysterious. He forged the keys as well.

Crazy Weather

I've begun to think about the preparations necessary for Artfest and getting excited. I'm taking a class that requires several self-portraits be sent to the instructor in advance. I have trades to prepare and undoubtedly supplies to gather. I'm enjoying the anticipation now that the holidays have passed and I can focus.

The weather has been crazy here. Three inches of snow on Sunday, winds started then and haven't really stopped, and now it's been raining buckets the last two days. There's flooding all around. My parents house on the North Cascades Hwy has been cut off by mudslides and flooding. They're safe but it's strange. I don't think this has ever happened. I'm hearing I-5 is closed south of us. So many people hadn't recovered from the floods last year and here we are again. Sending up my prayers for everybody's safe keeping.

New journal pages.