Mother, Pray For Us"

One of my pieces is published in this year's SAQA Portfolio 16. For me, it is both universal and deeply personal--a cry for the nurturing and loving Feminine Divine to strongly come forth from her cell and heal and renew us. There are several detail shots since I believe that is the best way to see and feel these pieces.

Continued Saga Of The Tired Blogger

Maybe I should make this blog about computers and the internet---I found out all these computer problems were not all ME!!  Mediacom is my server and it got lost sporadically,then no service for a week and, when it was back, all settings, etc., were GONE!! I've just returned to (enough) sanity after fixing it enough to try again. I'm coming to believe, not suspect, this is a sinister plot against me--technology has been lying in wait after all my insults over the years. Today I plan to get to work on a fall piece I've had in my head for weeks, but have put off due to to my sojourn in the Techno-Zone. It will be so good to get some colors and texture in my hands again. I'll leave with a picture of one of my first pieces: "Nothing Gold Can Stay." In honor of Autumn, change, and the death of a friend's grandfather.

Some Goddess Images

Seek For Her In Moonlight Deep In The Hollow Hills

She Who Is Peace

Thinking Of Changing The World

This seems like a good time to show some of my "Goddess" pieces. In such a patriarchal world, reconnecting to the feminine is vital--to develop a balance where we can truly know and love ourselves and each other--to create loving, respectful, kind relationships with ourselves, family, partners, and rippling out into forever----uniting female and male, positive and negative, thoughts and feelings--a different world. This piece is called "She Who Sees."

Deep Thoughts

Defeat may serve as well as victory

To shake the soul and let the glory out.

When the great oak is straining in the wind,

The boughs drink in new beauty, and the trunk

Sends down a deeper root on the windward side.

Only the soul that knows the mighty grief

Can know the mighty rapture. Sorrows come

To stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.

Edwin Markham

Down On My Knees Giving Thanks To The Blog Gods

My pictures have stayed in their posts and in their proper places!! If this continues, I might be able to actually do something with this blog...imagine having fun instead of doing and re-doing and undoing...Maybe I'll even be able to reveal my true identity some day---wow!

Unknown Blogger Returns!!!

OMG!! This time I've been lost in the sub-level of Hell known as Blogger/Picasa/Disappear/Limbo!  All of my blog pictures vanished--gone--wiped out! I've finally been able to get them all back in---I ended up republishing to each post (after searching and searching for other methods...evidently Picasa had an issue with this just in time for me to experience it). I hope the pics STAY.  Well, I AM back---but I'm off again (pretend I didn't say that).  I HAVE to go to bed and SLEEP--my eyes are like squinty, red, burning marbles from looking at this monitor for hours! I gotta rest up for the next adventure of the Unknown Blogger--"Hi Yo..zzzzzz

"I Am The Sum Total Of All My Experiences"

"I Am The Sum Total Of All My Experiences"

A few years ago, the question was posed, "Who am I?" ---This piece was my response.
The above quote has always seemed deeply true to me, "I am the sum total of all my experiences." This is my self-portrait which is 45" long and 37 3/4" wide. I drew a pattern for the parts of the body, cut out the leaves/ vines/ buds freehand. The pictures are of me at various times and ages and all made the same sepia tone to blend more together and with the "flesh." I transferred them onto inkjet fabric sheets, cut them out, and ironed them on. The words and phrases are all about me either in the past, present, or all through my life. I wrote and embroidered them by hand. The "body" has batting under the "parts" and are hand appliqued on, as are the vines, leaves, buds. I used yarn for the hair and hand beaded over various pieces and parts. The entire piece is hand quilted.
Making this was actually very interesting. I have always been aware of, and worked on, my spiritual and emotional life. I have experienced a lot of healing and progress over the years, but, even so, this project seemed to "settle" and calm me,also.  Following are some detail shots of this piece.