Happy 2010

I am at Ghost Ranch (Georgia O'Keefe's old haunt) for a peace vigil for the new year. The company has been fantastic, the food great and I did not even mind the gray overcast skies. It snowed lightly Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday and then is sunny (but still cold) today. We are holding our vigil tonight and then deaprting on Friday.

Lacey, Hilary and I went to the International Crafts Museum in Santa Fe. They had a neat fabric exhibit, but I was disappointed in the rest of the exhibit. Put them on the train to Albuquerque, then I headed north in front of a snow storm!

Abandoned adobe, Abquiui NM on the way to Ghost Ranch

Highway 84 on the way to Ghost Ranch Tuesday AM

View from Casa del Sol, Tuesday

Casa del Sol at Ghost Ranch, Wednesday

Snowy patio view, Casa del Sol Wednesday

View to the Pedernales from Gathering Room, Casa del Sol

Northern vista, Casa del Sol

Western View from my room, Casa del Sol

Another patio view, with the firewood all ready for a roaring New Year's Eve Fire

My snowy car on Thursday morning, facing east (cliffs are UNBELIEVABLE!!)

Chimney Rock, facing East from Casa del Sol

Another view of Chimney Rock, with fantastic clouds!

If Ghost Ranch offers this New Year's Vigil again next year, I will

probably come back! It is a great retreat!

My piece is ready for our 20th year show

Rainbow Artists is celebrating our 20th year in January. I have not been a member that long (only 8 years for me) but I am putting a piece in. Earlier this year my friend Suzanne had three of us over for a day of painting on silk (we try to get together several times a year for an "Artful Sunday {or Saturday!}). My piece, Albuquerque Abrstract is the result of that playday. I just got it stretched on the frame and ready to submit! Join us Jan. 15th at Off Center at 8th and Central in Downtown Albuquerque from 5-9 PM. There will be music and refreshments.

And I have to include a kitty picture. This is Babycakes, my studio/computer kitty.

Happy Holidays

I have not been very good about blogging, but I have been very busy this fall and winter. I put a quote on my Facebook page which sums up my feelings of the season:

Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves. - Eric Sevareid, 1912 - 1992

We went to the movies yesterday afternoon: don't bother going to see Nine, but I thought that It's Complicated was good. Saw some very interesting previews too.

Frustration with Facebook and some emails!

I tried three times to upload these pics and three times Facebook either disconnected me or lost the pictures in the ether! Oh well, I have needed to get back to blogger anyway! I walked into my bedroom and found fuzzybucket here:I woke her up, much to her dismay

This is really the life of Riley!

In response to a group email about "putting Christ back into Christmas" here is my response: my Un-Xmas card {click on the image for a larger view. Text says "May the star of happiness and swirls of peace surrond you and yours). Not everyone believes in Christ, and Christmas is about so much more than that. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I found the original email rather disconcerting. Let us all believe whatever it is we believe and celebrate the season in whatever manner we find satisfying. Best of the Holiday Season to you and yours!

Nest bit of news!

Juliana Coles and I have been busy beavers for the last several months. We have been making videos, Juliana has been working up lesson plans, and we are almost ready to launch her online classes! We are very excited about this new venture, and I am glad to be able to assist Juliana with the technical aspect of this!

Juliana and I spent the afternoon in her magical Enchanted Journal Pavilion in Albuquerque. She created a special two page spread and shares secrets of her process with you.

Check out the videos:
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART THREE

You can also search on Juliana's name (Juliana Coles) and see all the videos about her.

We are frantically working on the new NING website (extremejournalism.ning.com). Juliana will offer online classes with videos, pictures and printable instructions for Extreme Journalism. The site is up, but we are not quite ready to post the actual online class, but watch this space for further news!

Lots of news on the cold Sunday

I am staying in all day today to share all my news with you.

First of all, this is a great magazine, and website called "Where Women Create"
They are offering the 12 days of Christmas giveaway and have some great giveaway gifts!

check it out! I would love to win the 6th day gift from the Gypsy Lady!

Video from Juliana Coles Enchanted Journal Pavilion

Click here to view this video'

This video is from a class this past summer where Juliana explains part of her process as she shows a journal page she created in honor of her late Mother, June. Sorry for the blurry first few seconds. Keep watching this space and youtube for new videos from Juliana, and an announcement in December regarding new online classes!

Giveaway here, check it out

Great giveaway here, check it out.
I am off until November 30! I am so ready for some extended time off. Tomorrow will be hectic as I will have two different work crews here replacing my windows, and replacing my crappy sliding glass door with a beautiful french door!
Thursday AM I will get up at my regular time and go to Tularosa for Thanksgiving dinner with the NM family!
Happy happy to all!

Make a Christmas Wish (Arty only)

I belong to a group on Ning and Millande is offering Christmas treats!
I can't get the jpg to load, but here is the link!

November is here...

OK, well it seems that I am not too keen on going deep on my blog, so I am going back to what I was doing before.

Collage created for Ross Becker (Executive Account Manager at ACS Albuquerque) on his relocation to Alaska. We thought that he could hang this is on his wall and remember warm New Mexico. Pictures are by Nate Earley and Me!

OK, tell me the truth, you have missed my kittly pics, haven't you? Here is Fuzzy Bucket

And Baby Cakes in the elevator chair!

I submitted three pieces to a Judy Chicago/Through the Flower show, and got my rejection letter yesterday, so I can post my entries now.

This is Frayed Around the Edges 5

I will post more tomorrow.

Gorgeous clouds taken from my balcony.

This tickled my fancy. My women's group Thursday's Women met last week. Somehow I inherited this bag of markers and poetry notes from JB. When I got it home and looked at it, the label reads:

"Date March 12, 2009, Contents: Laughter"!

Thanks for the chuckle JB!

Jan Phillips Video

For many years Jan was my mentor and is still a very dear friend. Please watch this video from her. It is so very zen and peaceful, and so typical of Jan.

The video qualtity is not the greatest, but the message is very important

Changing Focus

OK, after recovering from my blue funk, I am repurposing this blog. I guess, if you are a regular visitor, you have noticed that my postings have been sporadic for the last few months.

As I approach my 60th birthday, I have been contemplating life in general, and my personal wellbeing in particular.

Earlier this summer, I made reservations for a New Years' retreat for peace at Ghost Ranch. Speaking with friends I mentioned that I thought this retreat would be a good way to start my 60th year on this earth. A very wise woman friend of mine (thanx PB) mentioned that my 60th year really started earlier, as I existed on the earth from the time of conception. Since this date is not something my Mother would appreciate discussing, I have fixed my date of conception at May 22, 1949. So I have already been in my 60th year, without even realizing it.

From this point on, my deep musing will show up here, and the funny, fluffy, joke posts etc. will show up on my facebook page. Art will probably show up in both places, as I plan on working on issues in my art.

The last month has been difficult, and as part of my recovery I am going deep inside. My favorite quote from Audre Lord is:

"The woman's place of power within each of us is not
white nor surface, it is dark, it is ancient, it is deep".

I plan on going to that dark, ancient and deep place, but with humor and creativity.

Sunday Happenings in Albuquerque

Road Runner Family at the Albuquerque Open Space Land Art Exhibit
Fall Color in the Bosque

A Jetty Jack used as a scultpure in the Land Art Exhibit

Walking in the Bosque

Some of the sculptures (being organic) were past their prime, but this is a construct of wire around a cottonwood stump (Sorry I do not remember the name of the piece)

Arboreal Domem constructed of downed cottonwood limbs

Overhead in the Arboreal Dome

Mini mercado at First Unitarian Church

Coming out of a "BLUE FUNK!"

I have not posted in a while, while immersed in a deep and scary blue funk! I am almost compelely out of the abyss, and am ready to resume life.

this brought a smile to my face! (it is an improv group out of Edmonton, Canada.
Enjoy

This is amazing!

Sunset in Albuquerque

No words needed...