Quote of the Day-

Words to live by...

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.

-Martha Washington

I am woman

This collage was born of my fascination with inchies.  I made a bunch and wondered what to do with them.  Then I looked for a theme to unite a set of inchies and found I had a large number of them that were woman-oriented.   I set the collage - leaving space for a quotation.  I looked and looked.  I was not satisfied with the words I found.  I wanted something simple and came up with:  I am strong.



I am strong.

 

I can do anything

The words "I am strong" resonated with me - and I thought of the 70's woman's liberation anthem:  I am Woman, Hear me Roar.  The words from the song seemed to fit the images on the collage - with all the variety and dimension of being a woman.


I am woman

 The original collage was flat.  I built the base and continued the lyrics around the sides of the box.  I am thrilled with how this one looks. 


I am invincible

 It is perfect for Mother's Day!


I am wise


I am Woman
(an excerpt of the lyrics by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton)
I am woman, hear me roar

In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
‘Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul

Oh, yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

Collage - Have Heart

Art Chix Studios is hosting a recycled art challenge on facebook - the deadline is today.  I thought I would put something together to enter in their challenge.  Then, I started looking at the pieces I had recently made.  Most of my art has at least one recycled component, usually more than one. One of my most recent collages- Have Heart, is a perfect example.

The chimney is made from a discarded clothes pin hinge.  I built the wood box, behind the canvas, with scrap wood from our shed.  The paper covering the house is a wrapper from a fine bottle of liquor - a friend gave me the wrapper, not the bottle, because he knew I liked interesting papers. (too bad I didn't get the bottle also!)

The "H" is from a yard sale scrabble game.   The foam core, that forms the house are scraps left over from my daughter's school project. The old buttons are from the button jar. The roof paper and the floral in the background are scraps from my paper box.


"Where there is love, there is life."



All in all, not bad for a piece of "recycled" art.

Quote of the Day-

Attitude is a little thing
that makes a big difference.

~Winston Churchill

Honored

I am so honored to be recognized by two fabulous bloggers today!  Leah @ Creative Everyday, and Clytie @ Random Hearts, both chose to use a photo of mine on their posts today. 
Thank you, both, very much. 
Check out their blogs for some great inspiration!

(Letter images above from Spell with Flickr)

The process of progress

As I continue to make collages, find inspiration in my materials and my daily life, I often wonder what drives the process.   What pushes me to make progress on one particular piece and not another.  I often find that I start on one and then another inspiration crowds its way into my thinking and won't relent until its end product is finished.  As a result, I may have two or three collages in various states of completion, okay, truth be told I frequently have five or six in the works.  One time, I looked around and counted twelve. Twelve!  That's excessive. 
Today I count six (although three of those are a set of identical collages).

The least complete is this one:


(Grow collage, in progress)

 This one was inspired by the coming of spring.  I gathered a number of papers and ephemera that spoke of springtime.  I laid them all onto a blank, white canvas (you can sort of see the edges.)  Maybe the canvas I chose is too small?  The letters will spell G-R-O-W.  Nothing yet is glued. Nothing yet is set.  Will I include some hardware?  Will I use a quotation?  Should I use paint instead of paper?  Although the ideas continue to germinate, this one is stuck.

The newest one(s) are a set of identical, simple ones that I will use as a gift.  They don't have very many elements, but copy a vintage design.  These will be simple to finish, but have been in the idea book for a few months:


(Three similar canvases, handmade white paper background,
red paper borders, drying on the studio floor.)

 This one is one of the oldest.  It was an experimentation piece as I was doing some exercises out of a collage "instruction" book.  I used pattern paper as a background.  I also tried out gel transfers - see the two ladies on the left.  I have been messing with these elements for months.  It continues to sit on my work table in a state of undress.  I am truly at a loss.  Maybe I should just start gluing things down and move on:


(Collage - waiting and waiting to be completed)

 Finally, this one is a quickie!  I had painted the red square canvas a while ago, and while futzing with the Grow Collage, the girl in this vintage reproduction advertisement jumped out at me.  The elements of this one just seemed to fall together.  It still needs final details, I have  few metal pieces to adhere.  I have to build and paint the wooden box that will go behind.  But this one is most likely the first one finished from the unfinished ones I have laying around.  It is also the one I have started the most recently:


(Fortune collage- just got its topcoat of clear acrylic, drying on the lawn)

 So, as I continue to create, I continue to ask myself questions.... continue to look for inspiration... continue to try new processes and techniques... 
I am excited with my progress.  I can see an evolution in the style of my work.  I can see a forward movement in my process.  It is often as much about the process as it is about the progress.

Collage - Home

Another collage in a series of Home collages.  This one is created from a vintage sewing pattern, paint and papers.  I used some rusty hardware and an old decorative button.  Again, an odd assortment of letters to spell out the simple word, HOME.  The quote is from one of my favorite poets:

Dwell in possibility.

-Emily Dickinson

So, why am I making all of these collages?  I guess I am not really sure.  It might be some sort of compulsive behavior.  I have oodles of materials.  I am lucky enough to have a designated space.  But, I have not been to art school.  I am not an artist.  I do not show in a gallery or sell at a boutique.  And, for most of these collages, the only people who have even seen these are you (and there aren't many of you, dear reader) and my husband.  So, what in the world am I doing with these?!?  It is a question I keep asking myself. 
I find that if I let the materials sit, if I don't go into the studio, I feel antsy.  I get ideas about what to make, I need put them together.  So I do. 
What am I doing, however?  I guess I dwell in possibility.  I dwell in the possibility that I may someday be able to show them somewhere.  Maybe sell on-line.  or at a coffee house.  I consider the possibility that I may give one as a gift to a friend.  I need courage to make these leaps.  I need to consider myself an artist.  I consider the possibility that I will refine my craft and make them better and more interesting....
Until then, I make more.  I wait for courage.  I dwell in possibility.

Happy Rally Day - and trivia ad nauseum....

I found this sweet postcard invitation for Rally Day

What is Rally Day?  I asked myself. A quick check of Google and Wikipedia, found many possible answers. One source says Rally Day is a "warm-hearted homecoming when friends greet one another again," after Labor Day. There are girl scout rally days, church rally days and legislative rally days. Many car clubs use Rally Day to signify a car show - Rally Day in Wiltsire, England brings 10,000 people together to celebrate rally cars. 
The real Rally Day began at Smith College in 1876 as a celebration of George Washington's birthday. Over the years the celebration has included speeches, awards, performances, music from the glee club, square dancing, carnivals, formal teas, and dinners. This year's Rally Day is today, February 23.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. You probably know all the good stuff he did from your American History courses, but did you know he was a high school drop out and never went to college. He never learned Latin, Greek or any foreign language, like his contemporaries. He married late in life, at the ripe old age of 27 and was the happy step-father to Martha's two children.

While Martha was devoted to George, she was a less willing first-lady and is quoted as saying "I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else, there is certain bounds set for me which I must not depart from..."

Two year's after his departure from office, George fell ill with pneumonia. The pneumonia probably isn't what killed him, though. Most likely, the doctor's prescribed treatment of blood-letting and doses of Mercury Chloride did him in.

But his legacy as the Father of our Country is what we celebrate on Rally Day. Don't forget to put on your Rally Day hats, and send out your Rally Day cards. Be sure to bake yourself a Martha Washington cake (see recipe below) and celebrate Rally Day!

And certainly, don't forget what Martha said:

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
                                                                                             -Martha Washington

Happy Rally Day!

*****
Martha Washington's Great Cake
(One of Mrs. Washington's favorite recipes- I love how this is written, what about bake times and temps and how big of a pan do you need to accommodate 40 eggs and 4 pounds of butter and sugar?!?!)

Take 40 eggs and divide the whites from the yolks and beat them to a froth. Then work 4 pounds of butter to a cream and put the whites of eggs to it a Spoon full at a time till it is well work'd. Then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manner then put in the Yolks of eggs and 5 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of fruit. 2 hours will bake it. Add to it half an ounce of mace and nutmeg half a pint of wine and some fresh brandy.
********

(Although Postcardy pointed out on Postcards, Etc. that my postcard is most likely for a children's Sunday School Rally, I still like all the interesting stuff I dug up. Check out Postcardy for some more George Washington facts.)

Artist - Matthew Doubek (part 2)

This week I told you about local artist Matt Doubek.  I couldn't fit all I wanted to share into one post, so here's more on Matt.

(Photo courtesy Matt Doubek - from his facebook page.)

Matt's art encompasses painting, drawing, graphics, illustration, and collage.  He utilizes satire, whimsy and skill into his pieces. 


A work in progress for Every Good Cowboy (show at the Pirate Gallery)

 Not only does he make art for the walls, he makes creative installations and furniture items as we.  You can see this table as part of an installation at the Denver Art Museum's interactive display on the second floor. 

My girls were excited to see Matt's work at a recent trip to the Denver Art Museum.
 "His work is famous!"

Along with his friend and fellow artist Sam Mobley, Matt is opening a two man show of their take on Western Art.  It's sure to be filled with humor, whimsy and fun, along with great talent and skill.  To view more of Matt's work, check out the Pirate Gallery in Denver this month. 

The elusive Western Jackalope, photo courtesy Matt Doubek

(Oh - if you're looking for my Friday recipe, it will be posted later today)

Menu for Book Club

I love cooking.  I also love planning.  So, the natural marriage of these two is menu planning. I love planning menus.
Strange. 
Perhaps.
A little thought into a menu can go a long way towards making your night as a host(ess) and your guest's night in your home so much more comfortable and relaxed.

This week, I am hosting book club.  We have been together for three years.  There are seven of us.  Things to keep in mind as I plan the evening.  Our standard is that the hostess makes appetizers and a dessert, while the rest of the group brings wine.  Usually the appetizers are on the substantial side, we're not talking a bowl of Cheetos for these ladies.  Sometimes, if the book merits, there is a full blown dinner in the works.  My Life in France, Hindi Bindi Club, and Heat resulted in fabulous and elaborate dinners. 

This month we read Comfort Food, by Kate Jacobs.  We'd read another of Jacob's books before, Friday Night Knitting Club.  That one had recipes included.  This one, the book about food, does not.  We do not have a "Book Club Rule" that states the food has to match the book.  In most cases it does not.  In most cases it would be too difficult. 
Tonight, however, I want comfort food.  Perhaps it's our sub-zero weather.  Perhaps it's that cozy feeling that comes with curling up to read a good chick lit book.  To plan the menu, I started thinking of my favorite comfort foods.  Warm soup, hot dips, gooey fruity desserts.

I recently received two Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks.  I absolutely love them.  And since the main character of Comfort Food, Gus, reminds me of Ina Garten, I turned to these books to search for recipes for my menu.  In her cookbooks, Garten offers sage advice for planning and hosting.  Choose items you can make ahead of time.  Make things that will appeal to all your guests.  Keep it simple and good.  She is a wise woman.
For a soup, I chose Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup.  It's a thick, rich looking soup, without a drop of cream, so it's on the lighter side, right?  To balance the sweetness that will be in the soup, I chose a crisp salad with sharp flavors, Endive with Stilton and Walnuts.  Rounding out the meal, I am making Rosemary Polenta Triangles.  I want to start and finish the meal with something warm.  Let's start with the tried and true Hot Artichoke Dip (add some chopped spinach to make it different). And for a finale, this Caramel Pear Cake looks divine.

The Menu:

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

2 kinds of cheese

Crackers

Olives

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup with Homemade Brioche Croutons

Winter Greens Salad with Stilton and Walnuts

Rosemary Polenta Triangles

Caramel Pear Cake with Homemade Spiced Whipped Cream

What I learned in my reading and planning:

• keep it simple. (I am showing HUGE restraint in only making one appetizer - I tend to follow the "more is better" motto.)
• make as much as you can ahead of time.
• use flavors that appeal to a lot of people.
• cook with what's in season.
• choose flavors that complement the others. 
• also incorporate a culinary variety - salty, sweet, creamy, smooth, crunchy, acidic, spicy.
• repeat flavors to create harmony in the menu.  But don't go overboard.  (I added some rosemary to the croutons to echo the rosemary in the polenta, but I am not also making rosemary artichoke dip, rosemary squash soup and rosemary pear cake.)

I am breaking one big rule:  don't try out new recipes on a special event.  I have four new recipes on board for tonight.  But, who better to try out something new, than your girlfriends?  I will let you know how it goes.

Artist - Matthew Doubek

Mannequin hands creeping across the tops of the fluorescent lights at Matt Doubek's studio.

My daughter and I took a field trip to visit local artist Matt Doubek at his studio.  The studio, an unassuming, converted garage in the heart of Louisville, is jam packed with art supplies and collage materials and inspiration.  A veritable heaven for a pack-rat like myself and my 9 year-old.  I gave her the camera and she started snapping photos.  (So interesting to see what caught her eye.)
My purpose for going to Matt's studio was two-fold.  First, I wanted some inspiration and advice for my own collage work.  Second, I wanted my daughter to see a working artist in his element.  We were both thrilled with what we found.  It was a bonus that Matt was prepping for his upcoming show at the Pirate Gallery in Denver.
The studio itself is filled with pieces of past work, like this one:

There are sketches, scraps, and bits of inspiration everywhere you look:

He had several works in progress, the painting hanging against the cinder block wall, had some additional embellishments from his daughter, which Matt readily incorporates into his work:

And this sketch was waiting patiently on one of his work tables.  I can't wait to see what he does with it:

Matthew Doubek and Samuel Mobley's show Every Good Cowboy opens at the Pirate Gallery on February 4 and runs until February 20. 

Hope to see you there!

Blank Canvases

It occurred to me that the name of my blog is art + food + friends.  I haven't talked a lot about art lately.  Er, I haven't talked about my art, lately.  Reason #1: my studio is cold.  That little one room, standing in my back yard, can get pretty darn cold in the winter.  Reason #2:  the holidays sucked up all my time and energy.  Ok, those are excuses.  Maybe even good excuses, but excuses nonetheless.

I have been sneaking time in my studio when I can find a glimmer of a warm-ish afternoon and crank up the space heaters. 

5 x 7 canvas, with woman theme - assembled from inchies. 
I want to add the right quote or word or element in the space above the bottom row. 

I have a gazillion ideas but I  have started on 3 or 4  6 or 7 canvases.  They are still "blank" canvases.  I have a background, I may even have some elements, but they are not finished.  They are all in progress.  I am waiting to find the right word or quotation or element or image to make these come together.

5 x 7 a Cheery canvas, background made from paper inchies
Looking for the right kistchy image and quote

Just to give you a peek, so you'll really believe that I do work on my own art, here's what I've got.

8 x 10 assembled from black and white inchies of various papers.

 I will keep you posted as these canvases evolve.  I hope to get some more time in the studio - but the forecast isn't looking good.

Tea Cup Wisdom

Another bit of wisdom...
found on the tag of my Good Earth tea.

"Artists who seek perfection in everything

are those who cannot attain it in anything."

- Eugene Delacriox

Discovering the undiscovered - Vivian Maier

Do you ever go to yard sales?  Sometimes I do.  Do you ever flip through someones forgotten stuff at an estate sale or flea market.  Sometimes I do.  What if you saw this photograph?

What if it was only in a negative?  Or maybe unseen, in a film canister?  And if there were boxes of them?

Would you recognize the quality and talent?  Would you take a second look?  Would you ask who had made these?  Would you want to find out more?

This is the story of the amazing discovery that John Maloof made as he was at an auction one day.  He found some old photos; and he realized they could be important.

He looked for more from the photographer. He has now accumulated over 100,000 photos, negatives, and film canisters from the until now unknown photographer, Vivian Maier. Maier may turn out to be one of the best street photographers of all time.

Working as a nanny and domestic in Chicago in the 1950's, 60's and 70's, Vivian Maier lived a seemingly uneventful life, but took photographs of everything. Her body of work, still being discovered, is being acclaimed as one of the best collections of street photographs ever compiled.
Eccentric, private and quirky, Vivian Maier was an amazing photographer. I am excited to see her story unfold.




What would you do?

(Photos printed with permission of John Maloof)