Back home in time for Slow Art!

#912 made in L.A. taken with my cell phone, so romantic looking!

 I'm back home, having arrived late last night, east coast time, but dinner time back on the west coast. My honey took me to dinner, sooo late, at a local and I had some yummy crabcake. Glad to be home, and just in time for hosting my Slow Art Event.

I found out this morning that I had more participants for the event on Saturday, so I just made some more of these little buttons. I'm excited about doing this and hope that the participants enjoy it. I haven't signed on to volunteer again next year. I'm thinking that I'll encourage someone else to do it in 2013.  The event site is HERE.

I'll post some photos from L.A. and from the Slow Art event later.

L.A. with Mom

 

I forgot to take my card reader with me so I can't upload photos from my camera. However, I did take a few with my phone. Here's a lovely plant that I saw on our walk with my sister's grand-baby yesterday.
Also, I've made a number of pieces of Mail Art to send to the participants in my talk on Tuesday. Now, I'm up to #907!! Heading towards 1000!
 
Mom is going great for someone who is 98. She reads the newspaper, out loud, all of the stories about murder and mayhem and traffic accidents. Oh my.

Mail Art and Dots!

 Here's a photos that N. took of me using an app. on his phone. Pretty fun. Dotty me!

 This is my 900th piece of mail art since I started to number them on 1 Dec. 2010. I was pretty excited about doing this one, didn't know what it'd be, or who'd get it. In my studio I just grabbed the first thing at hand, and decided that a person who hadn't had mail from me in awhile would get it.

Can you see the text? That's the title of this piece. "suddenly very foolish, she grinned, proudly and wide."

 This is #899. I used a very old piece of paper that had the name Dean written on it so I'm sending it to my friend Dean.

I've prepared a small mail art kit for myself, and a number of postcard blanks, because I'm off to Los Angeles tomorrow to see my 98 year old Mom.  I'll photograph and post what I make while on the other coast.


Today, I did my Mail Art talk for the Osher Institute at the University of Richmond. It was a lot of fun and the participants were so involved and interested. I hope I've created enough excitement that they'll make mail art on their own and have the same wonderful experiences that I have.

Cat & Hat

 I took a break from preparing for my Mail Art talk on Tuesday because it was so nice outdoors. I took my iced coffee and a book out into the back yard/garden. Surprise, my neighbors' cat, Groucho, joined me. What fun. it was hard to snap this photo with my phone as he kept rolling around for better attention from me.

 I went in the house for a bit, then came out again to sit on the bench and read, when I spotted Groucho making himself at home on the lounge chair. I wonder if he'll be a regular visitor now that he has discovered how much attention he'll get.  I forgot how nice it is to have a little furry companion around.

I forgot to share this memorable hat from the Easter Parade last week. The owner had come into our friends' home for a break and set this down. It's quite huge!   I didn't get any good photos of the strolling this year; so just image how colorful and exciting it was, based on this hat.

Oops, the truth about my numbers!

 Ooops, I mis-spoke when I said that I was at #900. I think I WANTED to be at that, but, alas, I've still a little ways to go.
This CD collage got mailed off the other day, going very far away, I hope it makes it. It's #891.

#897

 Last night, while watching the wonderful PBS series ART21, which included Ai Wei Wei and El Anatsui (love their work,) I sat still and made 6 pieces of Mail Art. I was so inspired!

My friend Val wants to know the relationship between the music, the postage stamps, and the text. You decide. What could it be?

 I am so fond of this kind of Iris. These are, unfortunately, not in my garden. I spotted them on a walk in my neighborhood.

 Here is what my back garden looked like before I started the re-do. I didn't like those pencil trees at the right, creating a "wall" as I entered from the back gate. The pines along the fence were dying slowly from lack of sunlight. The entire area looked too stiff and regular for me.

Here's the re-do. It's not completed yet. Since this photo was taken, the round stone has been removed and a rectangle in it's place. I've planted more in the front section. I can't wait til everything comes up, so I can see what else to plant there. I'm definitely pleased with this  arrangement. My friend Shelia, made it happen. Less formal, for sure. Now to find a tree that takes morning sun, for the left corner behind the potted bamboo. Any ideas for me? I'd like it to get as tall as the fence.

Update, finally

 I'm back to make Mail Art using old French receipts and old maps of Paris. This doesn't show up so well because of the white background, oops! I'm up to #900 in my production since Dec. 2010. I'll keep going to 1000, then maybe I'll start over at #1.

 Here is that gorgeous view from the deck at VMFA. This is actually 2 trees but they make such a beautiful shape together, don't they. We've been so fortunate to have many days already when we can sit outdoors.

 My neighbor, Kris, loves purple, and plants purple flowers for all of us to enjoy.

 Look, I got an Easter greeting in Greek! I love those eggs, don't you. Such beautiful color and design. Happy belated Easter, happy current Passover, and happy Eastern Orthodox Easter coming up, to all who have or are or will be celebrating. Whew!

Here's  snippet from a piece of Mail Art that I sent out recently. It's representing the fact that I'm still doing my daily piano practice. I can feel my fingers getting stronger as the days go by. What will I do while I'm not near a piano? When I'm on a trip? Any ideas for me?

A weekend in the dark!

 This weekend was the 20th annual French Film Festival. We spend a part of each day in the dark watching shorts and feature length films. The films are shown at a historic movie palace, the kind with a chandelier hanging down from the ceiling and a balcony. The seats are so uncomfortable, and many people bring pillows to sit on. People also pack lunches and dinners. We saw some terrific films and it was nice to meet the film makers, and for me, to speak a bit of French again. Go HERE to see more about one of the shorts that I liked a lot.

 I managed to keep up my practice during breaks from movie watching. Fortunately, we live only a 10 minutes walk from the movie palace (The Byrd.) Do you know this piece of music?

 Here are some lovely irises that we saw on one of our walks home. Everything is blooming early. Someone told us that irises are a month early. Wow!

 Well, that time of year is coming up again. The 2nd annual Skull appreciation event. There'll be another mail art call and you are invited to participate. Click HERE to get the details. I do hope you'll send something. If you haven't made mail art before, do for this event. It's free, there's no jury, and your work will be on display at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia!

Now that the work is on display on the 1708 Gallery on-line, I can post it here. This is the collage that I just completed for the 1708 Gallery exhibit and fundraising auction this year. It's 18" x 24" (45cm x 60cm appx) and is made from torn paper topo maps and thread. It's framed in a simple black frame. I hope it's well received.