Mosaic time in isolation

I have the supplies, I have the time.  Setting aside my paints for a few days, mosaics seemed to creep into my consciousness again after a friend left some broken china on my porch.

California weather is warming up. We get the delta breezes most of the year here in the valley between ocean and Sierra range.  For me that means a warm studio, and now with the free time, its my favorite place to create.    With the windows open I get the fresh air and can hear the wind chimes, day and night. 

 I had planned to do mosaics again outside in the summer, but who knows what summer will bring, weatherwise and socially?

 This is what I started this morning. Its meant to act as a pedestal with another pot on top. 

These are rose petals I am drying.   Eco dying?  Perhaps.   

Stay safe, stay well.

Pandemic update

First let me say, I am well. My family is well.  My friends are well.  Thank you God.

I have left my house twice since our shelter in place order was issued.  Second trip was to pick up groceries from Raleys, which went much more smoothly than the previous time.  My wait time to pick up my bags was only about 5 minutes. But this time I went 15 minutes early so was able to get parked in a designated area.   I called in and looked around.  More masks and gloves were evident.  Fewer cars in the lot and fewer in the pick up area.   Out of a $140+ order, I received about $90 of order. 

The country is in chaos.  Governors are now facing the challenges of providing necessary supplies and equipment.   Federal government is a mess.  Now there are riots pushing to open the economy and drop the stay home orders.  The big question to me is not being addressed in the news.  Who is organizing these riots?  I have my personal suspicians.

I dont spend much time watching the news.  I tried watching the daily corona virus report, but instead of focussing on what we need to know, President Trump has turned it into the Trump show. He can talk on and on bragging and boasting and making an ass of himself while we are waiting to hear from the scientists and doctors for important information. 

I do watch our California governor's updates.  Im very impressed by the moves he has made and the teams of people feeding into the decisions.

Its hard to get local health news (county and city) as the facts and figures are being suppressed. Perhaps to contain a panic. 

But on the home front,  I am enjoying this break from routine of meetings and art groups at senior centers.   I stay in bed later, eat breakfast leisurely,  and spend day puttering, listening to audio books , making art, cleaning and finishing projects.  And spending much more time gardening. Weed by pesty weed.  Lol.   Its a riot of color out there.  My old dogs love having me home. It will be a big adjustment for them when I am on the go again.

I expect this shelter in place order will last another month.   Ok by me. 

Please stay strong and healthy and know that this will pass. So make good use of this respite. 

Smell a rose.

Fish transparencies

Here are the sketches I used.

If you recall these were done in preparation for the series of koi paintings I did recently.  Little did I know how handy they would be for other projects.  Like cutting stencils, gelli printing, etc.

Here are some pics of the transparencies hanging in dining room and in studio. 

Alcohol inks on transparencies

My obsession with fish led to experiment with some transparencies I came across while looking for graph paper.   I thought that the vibrancy of alcohol inks would make striking fish to hang from my old hanging lamp in the studio.

I had the fish sketches i did prior to painting them on canvas.   I laid the transparency right over the sketches and dripped alcohol inks over them.  Next batch, I drew ink outlines with permanent ink on the wrong side of transparecy.   That way the alcohol on the right side would not bleed into the ink.

I played with manipulating the inks with the blending solution and with rubbing alcohol.  I had a wonderful time experimenting.   Good ventilation is advised, if you want to try this.    And gloves. These are permanent inks. 

Heres a sheet of my fish.

Florals on my mind.

 After a few hours working in and enjoying my garden, Im getting inspired to painting florals again.

A bright spot

Coronavirus cannot stop Spring frm coming.  Roses are prolific right now.  These are

from my side garden.  Let us rejoice.

Brushing up

I was asked what kind of brushes I recommend.   Well,  I use any brand, any shape, any size depending on the piece I am working on.  I also use palette  knives, paper towels, kleenex, credit cards and sponges.  

I am not going to recommend  any particular brushes but will point out things to consider when you are shopping for brushes. 

  If I'm glazing and building up transarent layers, i either use a make up sponge, or a very soft brush.  But for heavier bodied paints I use shorter bristles and not necessarily as soft.  Or I may use a palette knife or a credit card. 

I have no brand preferences.   For years I would stop by Michaels after work with a coupon in hand and pick out a brush.    

You have to find brushes that feel good in your hand. Is it comfortable?   Now I like the grips to have a gel cushion, but most of mine were purchased long before they were invented.  Lol.   

Do you typically paint small strokes or larger broader strokes.    

Do you prefer softer bristles, or firmer ones to apply your paints.   

Do you sit or stand while painting.   Longer handles for standing.   

Are you using expensive paints?  Or craft paints, or house paint?  Obviously they require different types of brushes.     If you are in an art supply store, most of their clerks can advise you.   Craft store employees typically have more limited art experience. 

Look on Amazon at brushes and read reviews.  I learn a lot from reviews by artists.     Particularly men. They tend to be more analytical and critical when it comes to tools they employ.  

Read the art supply catalogs and tutorials.  A wealth of information is available.    

It all comes down to what you are comfortable with.     Its like selecting a toothbrush.   Its not a one size fits all.    

   

Lady of the Tropics.

One line in this movie reminds me what a wasteful society we are in, yes, me too.   Guilty.

I mention this now because of the pandemic.   I may have my groceries and most of my life under control, but during the first days of seclusion, I was waking really early in the morning, turned on TV and did some self help retail therapy on QVC as they had clearance prices with my favorite hosts with Denim and Co.   Even Martha Stewart had reduced prices on some if her fashion, and Isaac Misrahi.  Bad news.  I ordered this and that.  Not that

I needed anything, it was merely a response to stress. 

Until packages started arriving.  Good golly, what was I thinking?   Day after day packages arrived.  Ultimately I came to my senses and returned everything, having post office come pick them up.  I repackaged in groups to reduce return postage.

Im over it now.  Temporary insanity.

Lady of the Tropics is an old black and white movie (1939) starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Taylor.  I have it recorded so watch it occasionally.  At one point, Taylor goes out to buy a ladies hat, and a native expresses regrets that the lady lost her hat.

 In his world he could not fathom that if you had one hat, you might want another one.     The way he expresses it is quaint and humorous. 

As I survey my closet, I am reminded that I dont need as many pairs of shoes, or jeans, or sweaters...etc.     after all, I didnt lose anything.

Corona Virus. Life changing crises.

When we began hearing about the rise in corona virus cases in the U.S.  it started to make us think about how we could avoid it.   We started to put more physical distance between ourselves and others at gatherings, or avoided them altogether.

I am 81, and have a dietary restrictions, I wont bore you with details, but it means I just cant eat everything or eat out much. So I bake my own bread and adapt recipes to my own requirements. No fast,  prepared, or packaged foods.  So I always need to plan ahead.  This actually put me in a better prepared place than many others who have wider choices.   I shop ahead.  Once a month a large order from Raleys, which I place online, then pick up in a designated area. I dont need to go into the huge store.

I placed my usual order, several things in quantities of four, on the Tuesday  prior to the governors order to stay home.    No problem. No waiting, no shortages.  I have never even seen another person picking up their groceries.  This was soon to change.

I buy my meat and fresh produce at Podestos.  And  other favorites like peanut butter, sorbet, frozen vegetables and wine at Trader Joes. It was Friday when I went for these things.  By then the panic had struck.   If I had shopped on Wednesday it would have been a relatively normal day.

Trader Joes had a man outside disinfecting carts as fast as he could. I could tell by the parking lot that it would be crowded, but I was unprepared for what I found.  Jam packed aisles, many shelves emptied of staples like pastas, tomato sauces, rice, and water.

I had my usual list and got 4 each  of the most necessary items and went to get in line.  Every checkout stand was open with checkers and baggers. Every line was at least 6 people deep.  It was like the day before Christmas, except for what I saw in the carts.  Some were loaded with multiples of just one item, like water.  We tried not to get too close to each other but there were only the carts between us, not the suggested 6 feet that the news recommended.    I got most everything I would need to last a few weeks at least.

I had been watching the news daily to see what the experts were recommending and making judgements based on that.  Most of my friends were comfortable with the decisions to curtail meetings.

 President Trump was still telling everyone there was no problem in the U.S.,  it was under control and would pass quickly. Only 10 people had it and all were doing well, getting better and soon the numbers would be gone. All lies.    Well, I never believe a word he says, and the disease experts and scientists and medical community were contradicting him.

 Within a few days Californias Governor issued an order for older people and those most at risk to stay home.   In the next couple days schools and non essential businesses were closed.  Until April 15th.   And everyone not in one of the essential businesses was to stay home too, use the 6 foot physical distancing from others, and scrub our hands often while reciting the alphabet, singing happy birthday twice through, or as someone suggested, saying The Lords Prayer.  Do not touch our faces, wear gloves, in some cases wear masks.   Gosh.

No hugging our friends, no shaking hands.  Our world changed, and quickly.  Now this is extended at least until the end of April.   People are desperate for toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and staples. I can no longer find bread flour anywhere.

Staying in means a lot of time for art, and just prior to all this, i was doing a lot of collage and painting projects. I ordered cheapo food handler gloves from Amazon. A box for the studio and a box my rainy day painting area in dining room.   500 per box.    Now i use them unloading groceries and handling the mail and other deliveries.    I never knew I would need them....   just coincidence?

This was almost three weeks ago, now I think if quarantine is extended again and again, perhaps I should increase a few items in my pantry.

So I placed an order with Raleys and found first available pick up time was four days later.  Usually it is next day pick up.

When I arrived the parking was packed. Many others waiting to pick up. At least a dozen waiting ahead of me.   Most wearing masks and everyone observing social distancing.   40 minute wait and only 2/3 of my order filled. Many shortages in store.

My routine and the whole world has changed by this pandemic.   The news is, it is now most everywhere.  In the U.S. most of the states have issued similar stay home orders.

 I am happy to stay home and make art.   And clean, and talk to friends by phone, or texting, or emails.   Lots of small projects getting done.   On sunny days I putter in my tiny garden.   I sure miss seeing my family and friends.

I hope anyone reading this is safe and healthy and doing something to help pass this time of seclusion.   And I pray the pandemic gets controlled and people stay well.    Please do not ignore the experts.  This is serious business.