This year the above "Construct" was in an exhibit at Arts Benicia, Benicia, CA. During the exhibit which was on line poets were invited to create poems about artwork in the exhibit.  Poetry that is inspired by art is called Ekphrasis.  Two poems were written about this sculpture/painting.  

Patchwork Life by Vatsala Menon

Life as I know it, is a patchwork of highs and lows, rough and smooth
Held together with strands of Time
Sometimes strong, sometimes frail
And yet we strive to glue our lives
Into a mosaic of good and the bad
Strive to live our lives as best as we can.

​
 
Haiku 5 by Laurie McCarriar

choosing paper strips
constructing in rhythm
grids made and unmade

​

Sometimes during these unusual times we work on new ideas.  I have been playing with paper for awhile but last week I did a couple of different things.  Corrugated cardboard has been a new asset to my art tool box and a sander.  I have missed power tools and working at home has given me some freedom to explore.

Many of you have never been on an artist residency.  It is a time we go somewhere to work on our "work" with out the world entering in to our creative time.  Sometimes great things come from this time and sometimes it is just a time to get our heads on.

So, I am pretending that during this very challenging time in all of our lives that I am on a residency sponsored by the Corona Virus  As I have mentioned earlier I am at my home studio in the basement.  It is not glamorous but I can work whenever I want and do not have to be 6 feet from anyone. 

All this said I will be posting this interesting and challenging work and begin to talk about what I am actually doing.  Many times it is very hard to express why we are making what we are making but it needs to be made!

 Just an update.  Neither of these pieces (blog post 3-4-20)  made it to the finish line.  Of course disappointed because I felt they were strong pieces for a process themed show in a Women's made Gallery.  But on to the next.... 

This is "creek walking"!  When my children were little we would go on creek safaris turning over rocks to see what's living underneath.  Take a minute and listen to the water.......Again lots of inspiration!

I have had the opportunity to do a little "creek walking" lately. Every time I do this I am reminded how fortunate I am to have these glimpses of the natural world around me. Many of these experiences lead to  abstract paintings like "Near Home "and Near Home 3.  Pulling lines, space, colors and emotions to shape into these contemporary landscapes, riverscapes or seascapes 

This is one of the first paintings from the series I have called Woven Conversations.  Several folks have said "why" I think as all creative people we have to grow and change.  I was throwing away things in the studio   and thought why don't you do something with the paper.  Well here it is torn, woven, painted, new marks, and new art.