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I noticed this bird right away, just moments after entering my grandmother's house. I knew the exact shop it came from in Takayama, Japan. It's where I bought the monkey I drew in September. Did I send it to her? I didn't remember doing that, I was sure I didn't.
We realized that my Aunt Diane must have bought it for her during her own travels to Japan. My aunt, Diane Itter, was a very talented and prolific textile artist. I remember hearing how she loved Japan, and had won grants to study fabric dying techniques there.
I love the thought that we both found our way to Takayama, high in the mountains, both wandered down the narrow streets filled with dark wooden storefronts. The patterns on these animals caught our eye, drew us into the same store, where we both bought one to send home to our mother.
Louie bought me this kachina for my birthday. I don't know why I love it so much, but for a long while, whenever Louie and I would take a walk on the Plaza in Santa Fe, I'd say "I want to stop by and say hello to my kachina". We would both peer through the window with our hands cupped against the glass, and say "Yep, he's still there".
Now it really is mine!The owner of the store said it was carved in the 1930's and was found somewhere in Arizona along Route 66.
This is the terracotta statue of the Virgin of Juquila that I bought in Mexico last summer. I wanted to see what would happen if I used even less detail than in yesterday's drawing. Juquila's heart is aching over what's happening to her beloved Mexico right now.
This is my own original and not a copy of a master painting. I painted it with the style of Modigliani's caryatids in mind. The actual Tara statue I worked from is very ornate. I wanted to see how much I could leave out and and still make it look like her. I like the way her leg came out on the right side (her left).
The mudra (sacred hand gesture) that she's doing symbolizes the union of God and the individual soul. That's what the word "yoga" means, union.
This painting is titled The Italian Woman. Matisse loved to mix both flat and volumetric surfaces. The original painting was done with oils. It was an interesting challenge to capture it with gouache and charcoal pencil, the materials I had on hand.
Copying master paintings has been an excellent exercise. It's funny that I hadn't thought of it before. When you're learning to play the piano or guitar you certainly start by copying other people's songs. The great thing about drawing from a master painting is that you're already starting with something you love, the artistic choices have been made for you,
and you notice things about construction that you might not have if you weren't trying to create it yourself.
I found this dress on the sale rack last fall at Anthropologie. I love it and it's a perfect fit but I haven't had a chance to wear it yet because of the weather. The print looks like it was done with those wooden printing blocks from India. I picture green grass under my feet and a hibiscus ice tea with a sprig of mint in hand.
I don't know if it's due to being so busy or getting older, but I have these quick moments where I can't remember what season is coming next. It's a cool, sunny day, but are we heading into summer or are we heading into winter?
