Animal Wednesday: Duck, Duck, Hubcap??

A couple of weeks ago Brian and I took a little day trip to The Fuller Craft Museum.

I was curious to see it because it used to be Fuller Memorial Art Museum where I won honorable mention for my portrait of Picasso thirty years ago!

Now it houses some of the finest crafts my artisans around the country.

This artist is famous for recyling hubcaps and other machine parts for his art.

C'mon, I'll show you a few things that caught my eye.

Be sure to enlarge the pics to see the details.

This amazing armoire was hand carved on the front doors, and the inside was so meticulousy painted you would have sworn it was wallpaper.

Look at this elegant hand carved dog table made out of mahogany and glass.

I don't know what wood the bones were made out of. But can you imagine the presicion the craftsman had to have to make it even??

This well put together lady greets you at the door. She's made by the same artist who made the duck.

I wonder how much trouble she has getting a bra to fit?

This chair was amazing! So sleek, and the inlays are sterling silver. Made by a woman!!

I didn't have anything to write on, otherwise I'd be giving credit to each artisan.

Delicate bowls made from real leaves. Wow. I thought of Mim and her paper bowls.

This lady seriously needs decaf!

She hand-builds these colorful sculptures to show the way water moves around the world. There are tiny signs in all of them with weather terms, etc.

The large wall made me dizzy! I can only imagine how many hours it took to install these. And they'll all have to be taken apart to pack it up. Wow!

There was an entire room full of them but I didn't want to shoot them all. It's one of those things you need to get up close to, anyway.

There were familiar sculptures that were there when it used to be the art museum.



And finally, I'll leave you with this whimsical giraffe lighthouse for today.

Happy Animal Wednesday!!





Paper Clay Therapy

I'm very cranky and grouchy today so I thought I'd channel my miserable mood into something constructive.

This is my first attempt at a paper clay bowl. I used the pinch-pot method because I like how imperfect they turn out. Like Suki, I definately lean towards wabi-sabi things in life.

I love the colors in this because they remind me of Monterey. And that's the reason I chose to paint an abalone shell inside, another thing reminiscent of the place where I spent sixteen glorious years. Well, mostly glorious!

I finished off the dish with gold leaf around the lip and a bit over the inside and outside edges. I'm happy with how it turned out, especially for my first attempt. And it took hours!

Good therapy for one old cranky-pants lady :)

I've listed it on Etsy. We'll see what happens!

The book shown in the Etsy photos is "Monterey Peninsula: A Cypress Shore" with photos by Gary Geiger.

Illustration Friday: Toy

There's something about rubber duckies that makes me smile!

Even the fish are attracted to it. Or perhaps they're trying to figure out what he's doing in the ocean. Don't lose your duck down the bathtub drain!!

(After I painted this I noticed the word "atoll" above the duck. What a coincidence!) 

Have  a "ducky" weekend everyone! 

for Illustration Friday:toy

acrylic paint, Prismacolor pencils on patterned paper

Saturday Snippet

Just a little something to post while I go about my errands today.

This photo was taken outside an antique shop in Provincetown. I'm having so much fun matching quotes to my pictures!

Happy Saturday everyone!

xoxo

Lolo

Illustration Friday: Cultivate

"I have often wished I had time to cultivate modesty...but I am too busy to stop thinking about myself."

~Edith Sitwell~

oooh, not my best bag lady! I'm so out of practice, but we have to show the bad with the good. And she still has attitude, right? She looks like many older women who are trying to hang onto youth. Go for it if it makes you feel good!  :)

pencil and colored pencils on grocery bag.

For Illustration Friday: Cultivate

Hopeful signs of Spring

I pulled this illustration over from my Moleskine blog because it seemed fitting for the day. I finally see hundreds of these little guys trying to pop up in the yard. It takes real finesse not to step on any of them because they're everywhere!

So, while I'm trying to come up with an illustration for this week's "IF", I'll post this cheerful piece for now!

I have had many requests to do a new "bag lady." Stay tuned, you never know!

Happy almost Spring!

Skywatch Friday: Diagonal View

I just took Emma out in the yard before dinner, letting her sniff and chase squirrels (who had been long gone when they heard her coming!) I was blissful with the feel of honest-to-pete spring in the air and when I tipped my head back I saw this fresh contrail. I had fun getting it placed corner to corner. 

It's been a while since I've participated in Skywatch Friday. 'Bout time, don't you think?

For more interesting sky shots across the globe, go here.

Illustration Friday: Stir 2

The Gang, stirs.

hahahaha! I needed some humor today :)

colored pencil, micron pen on paper bag

A simple prayer

~For the survivors being pulled from the devastation in Japan, this is for you.~

photo taken at Carmel Mission, CA.

For more prayers reaching out to Japan, please click here

Illustration Friday: Stir

Underneath the heavy blanket of Winter, signs of Spring begin to stir.

The Robins woke me with their song this morning and I feel hopeful!

Digital collage for Illustration Friday: stir



Animal Wednesday: Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

Meet Fiona, a dear friend's cat who lives in Pacific Grove. She's a mere five pounds and a real spitfire. Typical for an Abysinnian. I miss her! She's quite difficult to photograph because she's all over the place, but this day she was being flirtatious and I happened to be ready! I think she makes a nice model for my print.

Now, about my comfort zone! Yesterday KJ posted some marketing advice, and even though I already have the booklet she used examples from, I felt like she was aiming the advice at me personally. 

When she visited me in December just before Christmas, I took her to one of my most favorite shops. The shopkeeps are a delightful husband and wife creative force. I never want to leave once I step inside. Well, KJ has been bugging me to introduce my wares because she thought my art would be a good fit there. I hate doing that!

But yesterday I printed four cards that I thought would reflect the good taste of the shop, walked in, apologized for cold-calling and walked out with a huge order and new friends!

Please have a look around at Grasmere. You won't want to leave! 

Here's another bonus to this meeting. Beth, the wife of the team is also a well known area dog trainer who has been looking for someone with pet nursing skills to help with some of her clients! I hope to be working with her to help animals soon.

 It was serendipity yesterday.

Thank you KJ, and also to Peter and Beth and their sweet Rhodesian Ridgeback greeter, Mattie.♥

A Light bulb Moment

Remember the post I did the other day about finding the "Offerings" book in an unpacked box? Well, it spurred on an idea to make prints using my photos with inspirational quotes for Etsy and the two local shops I'm in. And I have to tell you, I love making them!

I call them "Potent Quotables." I plan to share them now and then on the blog. I already have one for tomorrow with a picture of my friend's cutest cat.

I love lightbulb moments!♥

xo

Lo

Today's Offering

"Do not take lightly small good deeds,

believing they can hardly help.

For drops of water, one by one,

in time can fill a giant pot."

~Petrul Rinpoche~

I had forgotten all about this wonderful book that I used to keep on a table at Studio Lolo in Pacific Grove. Visitors to the studio always stopped to read the daily offering .

Yesterday, after living here for eighteen months, I decided to go through a few unpacked boxes of studio items. I was thrilled to uncover this gem so I can give myself the gift of  daily offerings once again. 

I have given a few of these as gifts. I highly reccommend getting your hands on a copy.

Little Buddha Emma agrees ;)

The above photo was taken at a zen garden in Provincetown on a day trip with KJ and Marianne♥