Advice from Luggage Land

Anyone who rules the Land of Lost Luggage knows a thing or two we ordinary mortals overlook. Julie, the chief sorceress of this magical realm, occasionally treats all of us to one her excellent tutorials and some good advice. Take it from me, Julie's tutorials are not to be missed. I guarantee you'll learn something you will use again and again. See her latest HERE.

In a follow-up post, she urged readers to use what they have. I love this, since this has been my philosophy, too. I hope Julie doesn't mind if I add to her suggestion. There is so much that is out there to be had without spending a penny. To whit:

1. Old magazines. Of course you're going to give a batch to the senior center, but before you recycle the rest, reuse them. Try to see familiar images in unfamiliar ways and don't be afraid to alter them ala Teesha Moore. 

2. Homemade art paper. Michelle Ward has tons of tutorials on how to make your own tools and create beautiful art papers. Try the crayon resist method or homemade rubber stamps. One warning though -- some of her techniques are addictive. 

3.  Junk mail. Tear up those Chinese take-out menus, catalogs and the liners inside bill envelopes. And don't forget old phone book pages, seed packets and that mountain of fliers your schoolkids bring home. The latter is great for turning into art paper.

4. Book sales. Around here the last two days of a book sale are free. The truth is sale organizers often cart whatever is left over to the dump, so you're actually doing them a favor. Those old art history textbooks that no one wants are particularly tasty. Just don't be like me and feel you have to rescue all the unloved poets. 

5. Your library. Now we know you aren't going to photocopy anything that is copyrighted, but there's plenty that's in the pubic domain. And if you're in doubt, that is what the reference librarian is there for. Your library might even have some of the Dover books that are made to be used by artists. And don't forget books with old maps and charts. 

6. Your children's drawings. I don't mean the darling ones you'll keep forever. But how about the other ones, the ones that even your budding Picasso or O'Keefe dismisses with a wave of a tempera-painted hand? The ones that were the product of keeping your 3-year-old busy while his big sister was in the dentist's chair. Yes, those.

7. Old holiday and birthday cards. Not the ones that were lovingly made by hand, but those other ones that you were happy to receive but quick to toss. Or if you're a pack rat like me, lay forgotten in a drawer somewhere.

8. Your scanner. Being one of the last dinosaurs without a digital camera, I depend on my scanner for this blog. Using it so much has opened my eyes to its possibilities. I scan all kinds of things from nature. Instant art!  Try some beautiful fall leaves. You'll really be able to capture their brilliance.

9. Old photos. Why buy vintage ephemera when you have your own vintage photos? Scan some of those family photos and use them in your collages. Not only are they free, the significance of your work will be so much greater.

10. Gift wrap. That birthday present was so beautiful before your 10-year-old turned it into confetti in about ten seconds. Next time, save some pieces and throw them on your scrap pile. Ditto paper from showers, anniversaries and Christmas. And don't overlook the tissue paper. Layered tissue can be quite beautiful. 

That should get you started.  And just think -- you'll be saving money and the environment. Doing this will even get your creative muscles working. You'll see familiar things with new eyes. And isn't that part of the reason we do art in the first place?

So get over to Julie's and learn what to do with your new-found treasures. Just be sure to heed her advice and limit it to two drawers. There is such a thing as too many riches.

For Ariel on her 20th

Ariel Mermaid

If I could, I would give you juicy words bound in pages

that would let you take flight

or dissolve yourself in the colors and shapes

of the Modern masters on silky smooth and glossy plates

But my gift will be virtual

and without paper boundaries

so we can visit beautiful Tuscany

and sit in the shade of a cypress and paint

Then stroll into town

and order espressos from someone young and dark

and beautiful

with languid eyes the color of Roman coffee

Paulo, I think, or maybe Tomaso

And I will tell you of the places we must travel

to London and Sydney and San Francisco

to see the irreverent street art 

of the brilliant Banksy

Or to Barcelona

where all things Gaudi

will give us fresh eyes

when we visit Senor Picasso

When our feet are tired

I will tell you of other places

bizarre and symbolic and Dali-esque world

of Mark Ryden

And the realm saturated in color and form

by LK Perella

Or alive with line and motion

from the hand of Jesse Reno

And along the way

there will be smaller travels

to mine the tiny gems of Georgia O'Keefe

Or the great Henri Matisse

But mostly, Ariel, I want to give you food

for inspiration

and contemplation

and ways to see the world 

both fresh and deep.

Happy Birthday, Ariel.

Once a merchild, you now walk upon legs of your own.

May all your journeys be full of wonder and joy and discovery.

Fearless Fun

Can you smell it? A mixture of pumpkins, candy corn, wood smoke, freshly fallen leaves and if you're like me -- birthday cake? That's October. Because we are such close friends, I will let you in on a secret. Come a little closer so I can whisper it in your ear: I have an important birthday coming up just a few hours before a really spooky holiday. 

How to celebrate? Well, there should be partying and by coincidence, there are two online events that nicely coincide. The uber-talented gals at Rodrigivitz Style and Susanna's Sketchbook are throwing a Dia de Bloglandia celebration to mark el Dia de los Muertos -- the Day of the Dead. This Mexican holiday falls on All Saints Day and honors the deceased by partying with their favorite food and music, building shrines in remembrance and visiting their grave sites. It's the kind of joyous celebration in the face of the unknown that I appreciate more and more.

Coincidentally, Michelle Ward's latest GPP Street Team Crusade is Final Wishes. It's been a tough year for Michelle and it has made her cognizant about how important it is to make your final wishes known to loved ones. This is scary but important work that everyone needs to do.

So as the veil grows thinnest between worlds (or dimensions if you prefer), I plan on honoring all those I love on both sides and throwing in a little fun. A tall order, but worth trying. Come back Nov. 2 for the celebration.

And don't forget to wear a marigold in your hair. 

What's your Rosh?

The theme in September over at Michelle Ward's GPP Street Team has been cleaning your plate. This happens to coincide with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, a time when we do just that -- clean up physically, emotionally and spiritually. It's a time to start over, ask forgiveness from those we've wronged and forgive those who have wronged us. A sort of spiritual house cleaning. 

I'd like to say that a physical housecleaning has gone along with it, but even though I want to fix up the bedrooms and find a permanent spot to make art, that hasn't happened. Instead, I started some steady part-time work and went to visit friends. The spirit is willing but the body has been away from home.

But the metaphysical traveller within me has been cleaning up her inner room in order to head out to new destinations. Being in synagogue for the Jewish New Year services has given me a chance to be still and listen. A fabulous book I am reading, Speaking of Faith by Krista Tippett (host of NPR's Speaking of Faith) is giving me an expanded way of seeing the biggest picture. And a recent visit with a wise kabbalah student has been an opportunity for juicy conversation about something I've always believed, that we are all connected.

So while I still have piles of paper and projects demanding attention, the inner room is getting into order. And maybe that's the best way to clean my plate, although I still need it for apples and honey. What better way to wish all of my friends a sweet and fruitful New Year? 

Colorforms and Letter forms

Remember Colorforms? Those plastic pieces that you could move around to make pictures? Sometimes my collage feels like that, since I love to cut up catalogs and magazines and use the images in my work. Interestingly, even though I have always loved calligraphy and enjoy when others use letter forms in their work, I've been slow to add them.

But now I have some fresh inspiration. I've been flying around the world via the Web in search of master calligraphers whose styles really sing to me. High on the list is the brilliant Belgian letter artist Yves Leterme. I know his last name is probably not pronounced LETTER-ME, but wouldn't that be appropriate? Yves is a master at letter deconstruction and you can see his amazing work HERE.

Denis Brown

If Yves is big in stature, teaching classes around the world, Irishman Denis Brown's amazing work is just plain BIG! There's a photo of him doing calligraphy with a broom on his Web site and the letter forms are completely gorgeous. Like Yves, Denis pushes the envelope -- ahem!

You can visit Denis HERE.

Sophie Verbeek

Sophie Verbeek is on my OMG list of artists. Her work totally blows me away. Some of her art transcends letters and creates new calligraphic forms. Another European, Sophie lives in Switzerland but her talent is international. See what I mean HERE.

La Caligrafica teases with promises of English coming soon, but you really don't need it. Scroll over the banner to find the boxes directing you to fabulous work. 

Parisian master Julien Chazal has a Web site that includes video of him creating letter forms, a variety of the hands he's mastered, his gallery and much more. Don't miss his gallery of envelopes. You'll never place a stamp on a letter quite the same way again. Grab a nice glass of beaujolais and take some time to explore HERE.

Yuko Wada

For the spirituality behind words, stop in to see Japanese artist Yuko Wada. Her work straddles the line between painting and calligraphy but her every stroke is calligraphic.  

Finally, the last stop on this world tour of calligraphy masters must include the Baghdad-based artist Malik Anas. It pains me to think that a young man this gifted lives in such a dangerous place, but his stunning work is in good company with the rest of these masters.

After all this, I may have to dig out my old calligraphy supplies and start practicing. I may not be able to match their gifts, but they've inspired me to see words in an entirely new way. 

We Were All There

There is a half hour left to September 11, 2008 but it has taken me the entire day to write something on this seventh anniversary.

Maybe it's  because I thought I'd laid those memories to rest, but they all came flooding back as I watched survivors and international college students read the list of names at Ground Zero.

Maybe it's because I'm still angry at George W. Bush for missing the significance of those international students -- that those lost in the towers were from 131 countries around the world.

Maybe it's because I was standing on Madison Avenue when the towers fell, watching a live picture of the towers on a TV screen in a bank window that was being photographed just feet from where I was standing.

Maybe it's because I've written about the day, but not what I experienced and while I want to, I'm not sure I'm ready.

Maybe it's because I went through so many tissues this morning as I watched the ceremony, my head was pounding too much to concentrate.

Whatever the reason, one thing was clear to me today. 

When it comes to 9/11, we are all connected. 

When it comes to 9/11, we were all there.

The Smartest Woman in the Room

Now that the political season is here, I want to recommend a blog called My Life and Times, but which I think of as "Ann's Life." My brilliant and talented friend Ann lives in Washington state and writes about, as she says, anything she darn well pleases. And it does please, since Ann is funny, articulate and knowledgeable. She's also a fellow professional writer and editor with a gift for deconstructing the complicated stuff so everyone can understand it. A rare gift these days.

So go, read, enjoy. Your brain will thank you for it.