Catherine Moore

Introducing Belle Jardiniere

 I hope that all of you are enjoying the summer season and all it has to offer.  I spent the spring outdoors in my garden and what a wonderful nurturing and much needed respite it was after the historic drought we have experienced here in Georgia these last many years.  But now, as the summer season gets underway and temperatures rise, I am delighted to have completed my gardening and the design work for my newest collection of art papers, Belle Jardiniere.  The artwork was delivered to my printer early this morning and he assured me that they would be available in 7 days.

 

  Accordingly, I am excited to share this news and offer a petite peek.   Belle Jardiniere will be available in sets of 10 prints (one of each design) for $14.95.  My other two print/paper collections, Histoire Naturelle and Nesting Grounds, are still available.  I hope to have them uploaded to my web site later

 today.  

 

Warm wishes,

 

Catherine

Four Speckled Eggs

Since my last post in early May, I have been spending as much time outdoors, breaking out of my shut-in mode, and enjoying the season.  It’s hard to believe that spring is nearly finished and that summer is just a little more than a week away!  But, after nearly a month of rain and cooler than average temps, the last couple of days have been scorchers.   I checked my flower boxes this morning and discovered a nice surprise just outside my studio windows, four speckled eggs!  So, hopefully, I will be able to discretely observe over the next couple of weeks as they hatch and fledge, and meet mother bird in the process.  I also discovered a tiny cup nest in the vines near my potting bench.  Mother cardinal was off foraging and I was able to get a picture of her nest and four somewhat larger speckled eggs.  Later when she returned she allowed me to get close enough to get a picture of her as well.  My backyard Blue Bird box is now housing a new brood, but the front box is empty prompting me to install a new nesting box that may be more to their liking.  Nesting season extends into July, so time will tell if they like the new box I placed at the edge of the woods for them.  

Last time I posted, I was on my way to the Cotton Picking Fair.  It turned out to be a perfect spring day and I came home with a few items from www.TexasRust.com.  It was nice to see some completely new and different artisans exhibiting new and different garden artworks.  I also had the pleasure of attending a plant sale in early spring and was introduced to some new varieties of tomatoes, Japanese Black, Valencia and Georgia Streak, which are now planted beside my regulars Juliette and Better Boy, along with lots of Basil because you can’t have tomatoes without a good bottle of olive oil and lots of fresh basil.  

In the studio, I am still immersed in my Orvieto workshop preparation, and putting together a new set of papers which I hope to have completed over the next few weeks.   Speaking of Orvieto, Bill and Kristi Steiner, of Adventures in Italy, just returned from Orvieto and brought back word of a lovely new pen and ink shop.  This is excellent news as we are planning to incorporate some hand written entries in our journals in pen & ink. My workshop, The Journal as Reliquary, is really one a few months away now (September 27 – October 3, 2009). 

In addition to enjoying our beautiful spring weather and re-introducing myself to the garden, I installed two bird feeding stations outside near windows and this has afforded me the pleasure of further acquainting myself with the Blue Birds that are nesting nearby.  I might not have ever witnessed such sweet domesticity had I not.  Mother bird typically arrives, accompanied by her fledges, and they perch while she feeds them cracked sunflower meats.   In addition to the blue birds, chickadees, nut hatches, tufted tit mice and finches have discovered the feeders.  The larger birds, such as the cardinals, are ground feeders.  Oh, and I think I caught a glimpse of Ruby at the feeder too.  It’s nice to see that she has safely returned from her tropical migration!  

Nesting Instincts

The arrival of Spring has reawakened my nesting instincts and shifted my focus to a new home project, phase two of the shuffle that began last year when I moved my “office” from the upstairs bedroom to a newly designed den space downstairs.  Taking the desk and computer out of the bedroom has allowed me the luxury of further transforming the bedroom into a more restful sanctuary (though I am getting a lot less done in the evenings).  I am currently designing a mostly white motif with layers of bleached and natural whites, set against “Old Barnwood” flooring.  The transformation includes a new coat of paint on our old iron bed, beadboard on the lower four feet of the walls, and freshly painted walls.   And, of course, I am in search of a couple of new pieces of furniture.  New night tables, a tall chest, and a chair and ottoman are on my wish list. 

Art & Life.  For me, leading a creative life is not just what I accomplish in my studio, but in all aspects of life and that particularly includes designing our living spaces.  What I have learned about myself through this process, is that while I love working with lots of color in my studio, I need more quiet in my living space and therefore use lots of organic neurtrals.   One of the things I am doing to personalize the new space is to frame some of the photos we’ve taken of backyard wildlife.   This is where my personal aesthetics are very much like my artmaking aesthetics, in that I feel the same way about the elements I add to artwork as I do the elements I incorporate into our home.  Selecting items that are merely decorative or “match” won’t do, we need to feel some affinity to the objects we incorporate, such as items we have collected over the years in our travels, and of course personal photos and artwork.

In addition to phase three of “dressing my nest,” I am making plans for Orvieto in the fall.  That’s right, it’s a go!  The recent drop in airfares has made it more affordable than it has been in a very long time to travel abroad.  So, I know there are a few of you out there who have been wavering, this might be just the impetus you need to make that trip a reality. 

No More Empty Nest, our sons Ian and Adam are finishing up their spring semesters this week and will be heading home for the summer months.  And, by the way, the first spring residents in our backyard nesting box, have successfully fled with their new fledges.  The box out front is still full of new fledges and I saw a fresh catch of earth worms delivered on Sunday. 

This is eARTh month,  keep a green tree in your heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I was studying the bluebirds, a cardinal became very curious and started to study me:

 

The robins seem to spend a lot of time splashing in the bird bath and this one didn't seem to mind that I was only a few feet away:

I found these carved birds for our picket fence at The Cotton Pickin' Fair, which is where I'll be this going weekend!

  

Marie

 Oooh La La!   

The highly anticipated new publication Mariearrived at long last here in Peachtree City.   Lori Oles piece, A Treasured Self Image, graces the cover, setting the tone for the explosion of lavish artwork adorning the 160 interior pages, featuring excerpts from not one but three Marie collaborative art projects and a lot more.  Marie features the work of some of my very favorite artistans and friends, such as Barbara Smith, and because Barabara and I are kindred spirits, her colorful and whimsical work never fails to make me smile.  It's great to see Barbara's delightful mixed media compositions make the move to collaborative art journaling!   I was ecstatic to see friend and co-conspirator Sara Hanlon’s Theatre of Dreams in the spotlight, as this innovative travelling theatre first appeared in my own Marie inspired collaborative, La Theatre Troupe, along with Amarie Hill’s Secret Garden Theatre.   Another dear friend, Nancy Gene Armstrong’s entry, Take These Girls Out to Play book, a theatre-style tome is another  storybook presentation that you will not want to miss.  While I get a thrill out of seeing my favorite artists rocking the pages of Marie with Character Constructions, there is so much more inspiration to be found in Marie, from over the top paper slippers and crowns, to sculpted and paper doll creations.  A must have for the truly Marie Antoinette obsessed!

As long as we are on the topic of Marie, I am honored to mention that my artist book, Antoinette’s Garden, which is featured in the soon to be released book IN THIS GARDEN, is going to be on exhibit (along with all the other books) at Zinnia on May 9 from 6-8pm, in South Pasadena, CA.   Fans of IN THIS HOUSE will not want to miss this companion book by Sarah Fishburn and Angela Cartwright.  Click here for a sneak peek at all 13 books featured.

Orvieto, Italy

September 27 – October 3, 2009

       

Oh what a wonderful two weeks I have had, during which time I have been recreating my former Reliquary Journal (which was based on a conceptual journey through Venice), and developing an edition specifically for my Orvieto workshop which is to take place in September.  I have been completely immersed in the regional art and history.  I have dreamt of  Signorelli and his frescoes in the San Brizio Chapel, and wandered the winding labyrinth of Orvieto’s medevil cobbled streets.  I have read that travelers finding themselves upon the streets of Orvieto after dark, have become somewhat disoriented as to time.  Orvieto is a pearl of the ages, one of Italy’s oldest cities dating to Etruscan times 1000 B.C., and as such it is not difficult to understand how visitors may begin to believe they travelled back in time.   But there is no better time to travel to Orvieto than right now!  

My workshop is entitled The Journal as Reliquary. By definition, a journal is both a relic and a reliquary.  Our time in the studio will be spent developing a palimpsest, an ancient form of altered book, in which to record mementos of our journey.    In my quest to read everything I can find on Orvieto, I discovered a book entitled Orvieto Dust, published in 1925, which is actually a story about a palimpsest.  Because old manuscripts were constructed of vellum, and it was not all that easy to come by, it was often repurposed by the monks, who would scrape off "the wisdom and poetry of the ages" to record psalms and the lives of saints.  A few very valuable manuscripts owe their survival to the fact that psalms and lives of saints were scrawled over them.  So, while working with this antique book, time worn and perhaps a bit dusty, we will begin the process of layering and tunneling through its pages, a metaphor for the city itself.  

As a traveler and an artist, the most essential aspect of the journey is the experiential.   During this workshop, we will first take time to experience.   We will EXHUME the richly layered history of Orvieto, EXPLORING her medieval and Etruscan influences, gothic architecture, and Renaissance art. Each day's EXPERIENCES will inform the work we do.  

In the studio we will begin with the process of creating a gilded vessel for our mementos,  or reliquaries, working with collage, layering and photo transfers.  Utilizing an altered book affords us the luxury of working with a beloved book, such as Orvieto Dust, and you can avoid staring into bright white blank pages, as your first layer of texture awaits you.  Chosing a book such as Orvieto Dust, offers the color of an aged page, and if you are lucky you may find one that has developed some additional patina. Likewise, one of the challenges journaling on the pre-printed page, is where to include written entries and what is more personal to a journal than the author’s own handwriting.  As such, I have developed some unique visual techniques for incorporating handwritten entries, as well as some methods for adding calligraphic elements.  Additionally, we will organize our books into chapters, so there is no compelling reason to feel you need to complete your journal page by page.   We can work day-by-day or hour-by-hour, and return to our add a note, a photo or some treasured memento found along the way. 

In addition to working with photo transfers, collage, layering, and the written entries, I will conclude the workshop by demonstrating some ways to use artist pastels, stamped textures, and fibers to add a final layer of interest to your collaged compositions.

 

 

In closing, I want to say that I do not consider it my role to just show up.  I value the relationships I have with my students and spend weeks researching and experimenting, to insure that this is the best workshop it can be.  In the process of preparing workshop kits,  I have been hunting and gathering for elements for your pages, from beautiful Italian papers, photography  for collage and for photo transfers, gilding papers, and bits of ephemera.  It is my goal that we should travel like artists, with only the essential materials, making this both a comfortable journey as well as a life enriching experience. 

If this sounds like the kind of workshop for you, please e-mail me with any questions you may have (PostoDelSol@aol.com).

"The pearls were split; some lost, some stolen, and some as relics kept. ~ Tennyson" 

Reliquary - (Rel"i*qua*ry) [LL. reliquiarium, reliquiare: cf. F. reliquaire.] A depositary, such as a journal. 

Relic - (Rel"i*c) Something that has survived the passage of time. An object kept for its association with the past; a memento. That which remains; a remnant. Anything preserved in remembrance. An antiquity that has survived from the distant past. Something of sentimental value, such as memories of a journey. 

SPRING is awakening

For the past month, I have been keeping the camera in the sunroom, on hand at a moment’s notice to capture the activity we observe daily in our backyard.  Right now the tree silhouettes are still bare, and this creates unique opportunities to more closely observe the natives. 

  

Since I posted last Easter about what I then identified as a Cooper’s Hawk, I have since learned (thanks to the local Wild Bird feed store) that it was actually a Red-Shouldered Hawk, and that it was a young fledge that had ensnared itself in our porch screen.  If you check out the link, you can see the difference in coloring between the mature hawk and the youngster, and even hear it’s “song.”  This time of year, as nesting instincts are aroused, we hear his call quite a lot as he searches for his mate. 

   

While we don’t make a habit of keeping feeders, they are just too big a target for our cat Prince and the neighborhood Red-Shoulder.  We do put out stale bread and place it randomly throughout the backyard, hoping to keep them guessing.  One morning after scattering bread for the birds, I found “our” hawk sitting on the shed watching and waiting for a meal of his own to approach.  The crows were on to him in no time, and posted centuries in all the neighboring trees to alert unsuspecting diners.  When danger had passed, the crows picked up some of the bread, plunked it into the feeder to soften it and took turns feasting.  I continued to spot the Red-Shoulder throughout the morning in the surrounding trees, watching and waiting. 

 

Winter is not quite finished with us here in the south.  We had freezing temps last night that left the bird bath a virtual ice skating arena.  It doesn’t seem to discourage the birds, however.  I find them sitting on the ice sipping what water they can.  It’s going to be a clear sunny day today, and the signs that Spring is awakening are abundant.  Trees have begun to flower, the crocuses are bloom, and the first wave of early daffodils has cast their yellow veil upon the landscape, with new ones emerging daily.  

Free Tea Party on Wheels

  Last summer, I received an e-mail from Joe "Guisepi" Spadafora, who introduced his concept of the Free Tea Party to me.  What is the Free Tea Party, it is an eco-conscious tea party on wheels.  He began serving up his tea parties tailgate fashion three years ago on Hollywood Boulevard. The premise being that tea brings people together, and he is hoping to build and strengthen communities through tea and human interaction.  These communities are the foundation from which he hopes to pollinate positive social and environmental changes. Guisepi wrote to me hoping that I would lend some artwork to the project, which of course I was very happy to do.

Please check out his web site.  I gave him carte blanche to use whatever he needed and, as it turns out he is quite creative too.  If you’d like to lend a hand in any way, I am sure he would appreciate donations of tea or other supplies.  Or, if you should happen upon Guisepi someday, please stop for a cup of tea.

The GA Tech M Train music video

It's been more than a week since I last posted, and I have been way under the weather but finally starting to see (literally) the light at the end of the tunnel.  Though, my poor husband Dale is still struggling with a raging sinus infection and needing lots of TLC at present.   

I know that like me there are more than a few of you out there with children in college or nearly there, so I thought I might share this video that we have been getting quite a kick out of.  If you read my blog you know my youngest son Ian is a freshman at GA Tech. He's been working hard, finished his first semester with a 4.0, and we’re hoping that he is having some fun along the way. 

The video was produced and mixed by Brandon Swafford of Swaff Design, a GA Tech graduate and audio recording engineer.  Just to give you a little background, the M Train is what the engineering school majors call the management school.  Enjoy!

Tasting Notes

Greetings, hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.  I am back from the olive oil tasting on Olive Oil Tasters. This week we tasted some aristan oils from two small growers in Liguria and Amelia.  I learned a great deal and I want to pass it along in case you missed the tasting, and because a few of you out there will be joining me in Orvieto in a few months and this is one of the things we plan to experience.  The city of Oriveto is a hilltop town, and the surrounding countryside is brimming with wine and olive growers.  

The oils we tasted today are unfiltered, so while they do allow some time after "pressing" for sediment to sink, you might see a bit of sediment.  Do not shake the bottle of oil, as you really don't want the sediment to be disbursed.  The sediment is a biproduct that is to be discarded.  I thought it was interesting that these oils were not pressed, instead they extracted the oil via a centrifuge after removing the pits.  Pressing can bruise the olives and the pits can cause the oil to be bitter.  Of course there was some discussion from some of the other producers as the the proper method, some still favoring the stone press method, but the centrifuge method made a lot of sense to me.  

For purposes of cooking, these oils have a low smoke point, so while you might poach fish in them you would not want to fry fish in them.  They work best as a garnish or to finish dishes, such as drizzling it over a fish dish, or on bruschetta, vegatables, salads, soups or meats.  And, they are great for marinades.

This was my first experience with Ustream, and I loved it.  The two guest speakers today, the North American distributors for the Italian farmers, both spoke live via Ustream.  We could post questions and they were able to see them and respond, and we were able to see them live.  Both Farmstead Wines and Amelia are both based in British Columbia.  Ordinarily I think it might be cost prohibitive for Americans to purchase their products but they offered members of Olive Oil Tasters some special discounts and shipping.  Though it was a little pricier than I expected, I am really glad I decided to try this.  

I think there will be more tastings in the future, check in at Olive Oil Tasters for more information.

You Are Invited to an Olive Oil Tasting

 

As you know, I am teaching a workshop in Orvieto September 27 – October 3, 2009.   A visit to Italy is something to cherish and to celebrate, but why wait until September to begin?  In fact, why not start immediately through reading, cooking and getting acquainted with the language.   It can only serve to enhance the experience!

One of my favorite books on Italy is Under The Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes.  I read this book several years ago before my first visit to Italy and fell even more in love with all things Italian.  And, Frances Mayes gave me lots of ideas for celebrating the journey before I left the country through cooking.  As you may know, my paternal family members are first generation Italians, so extra virgin olive oil was a staple in our family home,  and while that has not changed over the years it is now better appreciated.   I learned the basics of growing, harvesting, and pressing olives and the many ways to use olive oils in the cuccina.    One of the things that I enjoyed most during my visit to Florence, was the winery we toured in the Siena countryside.  In addition to grapes, they also grew olives and produced olive oils.  I recently discovered that there is an actual art to tasting olive oils, as with wines.  Check out this video:  http://iloveoliveoil.ning.com/video/how-to-taste-olive-oil

That brings me to the reason I wrote in the first place.  I recently learned of an online forum for olive growers, chefs and people like myself who just love olive oil.  This weekend there will be an olive oil tasting at http://iloveoliveoil.ning.com.  Two Spanish oils will be discussed, both readily obtainable from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, so drop by at 3 p.m. (EST) and taste and comment on them. Sure, they're affordable and available to the masses. But are they any good? We’ll find out. 

A week from this Sunday, on the 18th, there will be another tasting, and two Italian olive oils will be up for discussion, Amelia Oil -- an oil that's produced in the little town of Amelia, in Italy's renowned Umbria region, and one from Farmstead Wines, Fenocchio Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.  Both distributors are based in British Columbia, but the olives are Italian in origin.  I am looking forward to trying both (if they arrive here in Peachtree City on time)! 

L* O * V * E

"Life is the flower for which love is the honey"

Victor Hugo

 

 

 

 

I have been waiting for someone to ask me, so what is The Bird & Bee Paperie anyway?   The short answer is to say that it’s a seasonal collection of images for creating paper dolls and other forget-me-nots .   The long answer is that I have been enamored with a couple little books in my library for some time, one being Michelle Lovric’s book How to Write Love Letters and the other Cynthia Hart’s A Victorian Book of Love, Forget-Me-Nots.   Now let me back up just a bit and explain that I love the dawning of a new year and the planning of new adventures.  Each year I chose an idea to explore.   This year I felt the times called for something pragmatic, with a focus on heart and home, in contrast to the excesses of the previous regime.   More practical mind you, but not without a word or two of French and not without some merriment.   This year my theme is simply L*O*V*E. The Birds & The Bees Kind of Love, love of our fellow man, it’s all about love.   All we need is love . . .

Cynthia Hart’s Victorian Book of Love, though long out of print, is still available in used book shops.  My copy bears a gold foil label from Victoria’s Secret London.  It’s a sweet little book and from time to time I pick it up and reread it because all my image collections have been influenced by the Victorians in one way or another.  Due in part to the fact that many of my illustrations evolve out of antique engravings, but also because I am drawn back to more innocent times.  The Victorians were sweet and sentimental, and they left behind a dazzling legacy of paper mementos, billets-doux (love letters), valentines and love tokens, sweet and sentimental cards and scraps exchanged with dear friends, lovers and beloveds.   Which makes we wonder what the future holds for those of us who love working with paper.   A recent article in our local newspaper predicted the end of printed books in the next 25 years.  Perhaps working with paper is a dying art too.  If so, possibly (hopefully), our paper dolls and handmade forget-me-nots will someday be treasured collectables.  In her book Cynthia Hart explains that in the Victorian era, those with a creative bent often referred to a Valentine Writer, little books of verse designed to inspire custom cards.  The Bird & Bee Paperie is akin to that in that it offers today’s paper artists tools to aid in the creation of paperdolls, handmade cards and other mementos.

Each of my collections is generally a theatre of sorts, within which a story unfolds.   So having finished my illustrations, the story took shape as I better acquainted myself with the new characters.  I definitely see Grand’Mere Oiseau as the leader, and Honey and Pumpkin as her fledges.  And, don’t you think the old Paris hotel would make a lovely place for a paper shop or paperie?  And you know how one thing leads to another, well now I am finding myself quite enamored of bees!  I am currently reading Holley Bishop’s book Robbing the Bees, and I absolutely adore it.   No doubt I will be posting more on this book soon.  But before I forget, I wanted to say that Michelle Lovric’s book How to Write Love Letters (also out of print) is a saucy little tome and well worth reading every titillating line.

New York Travelogue: Christmas 2008

 

Somehow it seemed appropriate that our visit to the city that never sleeps began at 3 am Tuesday.  The bedside alarms rang and six hours later, viola our plane landed at Laguardia.  So begins our three-day New York City Travelogue.   We stayed at the NYC Hilton in Midtown Manhattan, and as it turns out it was a very good location, just a short walk to most of the major sites on our itinerary, including Tuesday night at 30 Rock, the night of Dale’s office Christmas party held annually at 30 Rockerfeller Center.   We checked into our rooms and had a little breakfast, ready for our adventure to began.  

Kate’s Paperie on West  57^th  (one of five locations) was located a mere three blocks from our hotel,  so we decided to begin there.   Kate’s carries Character Constructions and will soon also be offering my line of papers.  There is such a mystique about Kate’s that I was really excited to finally visit. You may recall that Victoria magazine did a feature on them years back, that pretty much says it all.  The West 57^th store is large, brimming with all things paper and all things rare and beautiful, including unique greeting card lines such as my favorite (green) card company Driscoll Designs.   

Next stop, Tinsel Trading.   If you are reading this, most likely you are a mixed media or paper artist and work with stamps, papers and embellishments.   If so, this is the go to place for icing the cake (or should I say gilding the lily?), for trims and ribbons, that final layer of embellishment.  There is an extensive wall of exquisite ribbons and a substantial wall of millinery flowers and assorted vintage passamenterie, and drawers and drawers of antique buttons, and some Victorian paper items too.  This is the sort of establishment where you can spend a lot of time exploring and dreaming.  But, a couple hours was all I could spare on this day, so we stepped out onto the curb, hailed a cab, and were whisked off to Greenwich Village.

At long last, I had the pleasure of meeting  Anna Chiang proprietor and the creative impetus that is The Ink Pad, New York City’s only stamp shop, and what a stamp shop it is!  The store is small, but filled to the absolute brim with any stamp your heart could possibly desire, along with all the necessities (inks, papers, punches, etc.).  Classes and demos are offered and, with her 20-year stamping background, Anna has the expertise to help you complete any project.   No trip to NYC would be complete with a stop here!   Okay, believe it or not, that is it for the shopping! 

I could not possibly visit NYC without a visit with my friend and paper doll artist extraordinaire,  Elisa Giammarino, who just opened a delightful little coffee shop in SoHo, Petal Belle (158 Sullivan Street between Prince & W. Houston).   Dale and I stopped in for a much needed café latte and something sweet to eat.   This quaint little coffee bar would be right at home in Piazza San Marco in Venice.  It is located in an older building that was restored with an eye to preserving its antiquity, from the beautiful mosaic marble floor, to the exposed brick walls, and cast iron café tables, and of course little paper dolls adorn the pastry cases and displays.  Che bella! Thank you so much for your hospitality Elisa.

One of the things I love about NYC is its cultural diversity.  I grew up in S. Florida, Little Havana specifically, and my father and grandparents, first generation Italians, spoke Italian in our home.  While in NY, I heard many languages spoken, but the rhythmic sounds of Italian were rolling most particularly off many tongues.  It was music to my ears. 

After a stop at Petal Belle, it was siesta time, about an hour and a half respite was all that our schedule would allow, then we dressed for the Christmas party!  My husband’s employer holds a Christmas party each year at Rockerfeller Center for their NY employees and clients.  There were 500+ in attendance and everyone seemed to be in a celebratory mood, and why not the food was excellent and the energy under 30 Rock was festive (and did I mention and open bar serving champagne, wine and cocktails).  At around 9ish the ice rink was closed to the public and young and old slipped into ice skates and glided onto the ice, enjoying the  luxury of having the Rockerfeller rink all to themselves!  It was magical.  The rink is below ground level, as was the party.  Directly above our heads, a spectacular lighted tree and thousands of people basking in the glow of the season.  Lights adorn every building and the shop windows are dressed to the nines.   NYC trimmed out for the Christmas season is a magnificent sight to behold! 

 

 

The following morning we slept in, treated ourselves to room service and then dressed for another day in NYC.   We had three perfect weather days, it was cold but not bitterly so, a little rain and a bit of wind.   We stepped out the door of our hotel to find an umbrella merchant selling thoughtfully small umbrellas.  If you’ve ever traversed the busy streets of NYC with an umbrella, you will understand why I say “thoughtfully small.”   Being a lover of parasols, the umbrella added to my sense of merriment.  Umbrellas in hand, we were off to visit Bergdorf Goodman’s window displays.    This year’s Christmas windows brought forth through the creative vision of Marc Gagnon, artist and illustrator.  I had already done a little online googling beforehand so I knew that if I visited no other store windows, I would not miss Bergdorf’s.    

 

 

It was nearly impossible to get a few clear shots of them, there were so many people stopping to enjoy them.  The concept, a winter white natural history museum, replete with faux taxidermy, an elegant bird woman, bejeweled and attired in feathered haute couture, along with a Marie Antoinette-inspired scene and lush cakes, and far too many details to recount.  What a wonderful way to discover a visionary artist who I can say without hesitation energized me as much or more than our subsequent visit to MOMA.  That night we dined at Il Gattopardo’s ristorante Italiano.  Il GattoPardo is a quaint little restaurant, so definitely make reservations as they are very popular with every table reserved this Wednesday evening.   The service was friendly and we were very well looked after, prices were moderately expensive.  The food was excellent and I found one of my favorite Sicilian red wines on the menu, Nero D'avola.  Afterward, a short walk to Broadway to the Gershwin Theatre to see Wicked, and it was wicked good!  

Thursday, our final day in NYC, was a bit colder, a bit windier, and a bit rainier, but that said we began our day outdoors with another pass by Bergdorf’s windows before a visit to MOMA and later caught our flight back to Atlanta.   It was a spellbinding visit, and we can well understand why so many fall in love with NYC!  Thank you New Yorkers for your gracious hospitality.  

Altered Paper Jewelry

Over the weekend I received a copy of Jenn Mason's new book, Altered Paper Jewelry (use the link in my left side bar to find the book on Amazon). There are some really fun projects in it, including this name bracelet contribution of mine which appears in the gallery section.  I had so much fun putting this together, it was quick and really easy because I used a ready made bracelet (available through Rings and Things).  I am posting it to give you a hint of what you might find inside, and also becauase I think it would make a great gift.  The name "beads" are just little paper discs that I cut with a standard size hole punch and stamped with a small set of alphabet stamps.  The paper charms were created by collaging over small alphabet discs, but you can probably use anything you have on hand.  You might also try my presentation technique, I have presented my jewelry pieces in small nests and moss lined boxes.  Just a thought . . .

Happy Thanksgiving!

Introducing our local family members (left to right) son Ian, son Adam, myself, my mother, and my husband Dale.  Dale always tries to find something interesting and relevant to share during our Thanksgiving meal.  This year he shared the origins of the holiday with us, which to our surprise, began not with the pilgrims and native americans as we were taught in grade school, but with a proclamation on October 3, 1863, by Abraham Lincoln. 

We enjoyed a yummy Thanksgiving day feast prepared by my mother and myself, one another's company, chatted a bit on the phone with wayward friends and relatives, watched a movie or two and then began our holiday shopping later that night because "Black Friday," the most highly anticipated and dreaded shopping day of the year, now begins the night before (or should I say the lines begin the night before). 

This is our first family dinner in the newly remodeled space.  This room (and the one next to it) was previously the dining room and media room, but now serves as our library and my den/office.  This makes so much more sense and is a better use of space.  In the past we used these rooms only for formal gatherings.  It took some getting used to but, I am very happy in my new den/office which is conveniently located near the kitchen for juggling meal preparations with my Character Constructions adminstrative tasks.

My husband and I have found in past years that getting an early start, for us Thanksgiving weekend, is less stressful.  We purchased a fresh tree that is now lighted and standing in my den waiting for ornaments.  The wreaths have been trimmed with new ribbons and bows and, and are now adorning the windows, and all the tree trimmings are unpacked and await my attention.  I am doing most of my shopping on line, but as hinted at earlier, we actually got in line Thursday evening at Best Buy for a few door busters.  It would not be Christmas in our home without a few electronic gadgets under the tree. We count our blessings that we are all healthy, happy and gainfully employed.  We usually adopt a family or a child during the holiday season and try to supply things they need and a few special fun items too.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, safe holiday season! ~ Catherine 

In This Garden and other book news

Fall is only just beginning and I am already dreaming of Spring.  I just learned that the companion to In This House, was posted to Amazon a few days ago and will be available in the Spring of 2009.  As one of the gardeners, I am excited to finally be able to speak about this exciting new book co-authored by the lovely Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn.

So, let me tell you about the concept.  Each of us gardeners were given artistic license to create unique four-paneled garden structures (staying within certain parameters).  Each of us has created three outside garden walls and a gated entry, the flip side of the walls being the interior garden spaces.  My garden was inspired by the gardens of Le Petit Trianon, Antoinette's Garden, which gave me the opportunity to further feed a growing obsession with all things Marie.  I dedicated approximately four to five weeks of concentrated work on some new architectural paper techniques, which I also plan to teach during my workshop in Orvieto next Fall.  More on that later. 

With a garden, such as those of Versailles (and Le Petit Trianon), I had the opportunity to play with some formal garden plans, including a skirt-born ampitheatre, partierres and topiaries, sprinkled with touches of whimsey.  It is definitely a Spring garden,  blooming with lush color, and imbued with a bit of garden magic. 

In addition to Antoinette's Garden, there is a whole staff of very talented gardeners on board.  Each of us designed a completely unique style garden wall, but not only will you find visual inspiration, this book as with In This House, is brimming with special techniques shared by fellow gardeners.  What I love about both In This House and In This Garden, is that it is an artist book and a three-dimensional piece of artwork.  I do not have all the details as yet, but there will also be a gallery exhibition of the garden structures in Southern California on Sunday evening, May 31, 2009.  I will post details when they are available, but I plan on attending opening night as I am long overdue for a visit and what better time . . .   

Other Book News:  Altered Paper Jewelry is now available, and though I have not yet seen it, I have heard good things about it. 

And, OMG, I saw The Duchess while in Seattle and what a depressing film.  I have been riddled with guilt for recommending it.  Dale and I left the theatre stunned over the brutality depicted and the absolute despair.  My apologies, I had no idea as the book painted a broader picture of Georgiana Spencer's life.  The costumes were in fact beautiful, but there was so much sadness.

Seattle Travelogue: Fall 2008

Fall Greetings! 

I am freshly home from a visit to the Pacific Northwest where fall color was just beginning to emerge, Seattle is a beautiful destination. Because Dale was in town for business, we spent much of our time in the city, down town in fact.  The first couple of days I explored on my own and visited the Museum of Doll Art in Bellevue.  The web site is very granny, so do not be deterred by this as the museum is charming and the collection a must see if you love dolls.  They also have a nice gift shop, which features some hand-made artisan paperdolls by Sus Devnani, as well as antique dolls.  Even better than the museum shop is Rosie's two, a second museum shop at a separate location in down town Bellevue, where they have a large assortment of antique dolls, as well as parts and accessories for creative folks like us who know how to incorporate them into assemblages and other artwork.  Here is a pic of some tiny little frozen Charlottes which I found reasonably priced at Rosie's.  

Next stop was the Pike Place Market.  I had a pretty good idea of what I might expect to see, but it was so much more colorful than I had imagined.  You can purchase big bunches of fresh flowers for ten dollars, the freshest and prettiest local produce and seafood, and there are many quaint coffee shops and patisseries everywhere and the air is warm and wafting with cinnamon.  It was nearly 3 pm before I finally stopped for a respite.  Seattle is a culturally diverse city and consequently you can find nearly any variety of international food to nosh on.  On this cold dampish day, I wanted something hot and comforting, and found myself at Beecher's  I ordered a large order of macaroni and cheese and sat down to enjoy my lunch, and to watch them make cheddar cheese from curds and whey right on the premises.  If you can't make it to Pike's Market, you can  always try their Mac & Cheese which is sold in supermarkets in the frozen food case.

 

After my late lunch, I discovered Watson Kennedy, "purveyor of fine goods,"  a gift shop which is very French and very attuned to the natural world.  The web site is nice, but doesn't capture the essence of the shop.  I went back to visit three times, it was so beautifully appointed with antique papers, sheet music, and lovely pieces of art and Paris flea market finds. 

I covered so much ground my first day in the city!  I walked until I nearly dropped and then made my way back to the hotel to get ready for a late dinner.  This is usually the case when I travel with my dear husband.  We tend to fill our days and our evenings with so much.  But, life is short and this was not a long visit.  There are just so many wonderful things to see and do in Seattle.

Day Two:  A visit to Pioneer Square, where I had read there would be some antique shops.  So off I went down first avenue and along the way discovered the SAM (Seattle Art Museum), and yet another location for Watson Kennedy, before I reached the square.  The Pioneer Square Antique Mall is an extensive labyrinth of underground shops, and among them I discovered a postcard booth with an extensive collection of antique French postcards.  Antique postcards, particularly French post cards, offer a wealth of inspiration (don't you think?).  You can incorporate bits and pieces of the handwriting, postmarks, stamps and photographs into your collages.   I was really delighted to find twenty to thirty antique postcards, color tinted, depicting Marie Antoinette and Versailles, and most of them only fifty cents.  They looked like they had been there forever, just waiting for me to discover them. 

Another long day and late evening.  Back to the room to rest and dress for dinner, we were invited to a cocktail reception at the Space Needle and then dinner with an old friend at the Flying Fish who was also visiting Seattle.  The Seattle skyline is breathtaking, day or night, and we took some nice pics of both.

Day Three:  Dale is finally free to join me and I take him to the Market for site seeing and lunch at Beechers, and then took the Monorail over to The Experience Music Project, a music museum, where we spent the remainder of the day.  Dale loves music with the same passion that I love visual arts, so he was over the moon!      

Day Four:  For our final day in Washington, we ferried over to Bainbridge Island for the day.  I had read that there was a winery on the island.  There are actually a number of wineries, but only one that actually grows their own grapes (Pinot Noir).  So this sounded like a nice relaxed final day, a little tasting and a little stroll through town, and then ferry back to the city.  So, we taxi over to the winery, which was about a $20 fare from the ferry terminal, and once we turned off the main road and started down the dirt road to the winery, we couldn't help but wonder about the ramshackle appearance of the property.  We've been to a number of wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains and for a place like Bainbridge Island, well it seemed inconsistent.  We then learned they only have tastings on Fridays and Saturdays, which was actually a relief because I can't imagine what kind of grapes they would grow on a farm that was so obviously neglected. 

Plan B was to visit the Bloedel Nature Preserve and Garden.  This was the highlight of our trip, a bit of peace and comfort after several days of the hustle and bustle of city life.  Once a private residence, the grounds were beautifully sculpted by a gardener's hands into landscapes of forests, ponds and meadows.  Just walking along the loamy earthen trails was a comfort, but the quiet was absolute and the only sounds were those of the birds and other native creatures.  The walks have been carefully planned so that you never find yourself among more than a handful of visitors (visitors are asked to make a reservation in advance).  Bloedel is a sanctuary.  Dale and I both decided the reflection pond was our favorite stop among the garden pathways, a culmination of a perfectly planned space, a perfectly sunny day, and allowing ourselves time to slow down and enjoy the moment.  We enjoyed lunch later by the water at Doc's, and then strolled through down town Bainbridge, had tea and pumpkin bread at the Blackbird Bakery, and then took the ferry back into town. 

Meet Ruby

After the post about missing my hummingbirds, I discovered that I had one last straggler, Ruby.  I was able to take this photo during a rain shower last week when she sought refuge on the feeder which is sheltered by the roof ledge overhead. She looked so small and vulnerable sitting there, completely unaware that I was even studying her.  I could actually see her chest heaving with each rapid beat of her heart.  I know that though she appears fragile, hummingbirds are actually very determined creatures.  But still, I can't help but be apprehensive on her behalf knowing that she has a journey of several thousand miles ahead of her.  I wonder if at some point something innate will tell her it's time to go or if she is just building up her courage or energy to begin the long journey. 

It is raining again today, a rarity in and of itself here in Georgia.  Ruby was just at the feeder.  I had not seen her for a couple of days and thought that perhaps she had travelled on.  We keep our feeders out until the first frost because occasionally hummingbirds from regions north of us will pass through.  Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are native to our region, but other varieties north of us have been known to visit the local feeders. We love these little Perky Pet window feeders from Ace Hardware, they have worked the best for us and the hummingbirds.  I don't use the commercial nectar, which is tinted with red dye, as I prefer to make my own (one part sugar to four parts water).  You have to be careful to clean the feeders each week and replenish them with fresh nectar.  It is so important that they get plenty of nectar to build energy stores this time of year.  In the Spring months they seem to favor flowers (who could blame them) over my homemade nectar.

I enjoy watching little Ruby at the feeder each day.  She has been such a source of wonder and amazement to me, and as I am in the midst of creating a new stamp collection,  I decided there needed to be a Ruby stamp. I'm off to Seattle for a week and probably won't see her again for many months, so until then I wish her a blissful journey and safe return in the Spring! 

Thoughts on changing seasons

I attended my first fall festival of the season last weekend, Peachtree City's Shakerag Festival.  At first light, I took this picture of my windowsill "shrine," which exhibits an assortment of things that gather there each season following my walks.  It's getting to be time to put away that fragile little speckled egg, the spent poppy pods, found feathers, cicada wings and beach pebbles.  The last of my hummingbirds departed last Friday.  I hope they won't have a difficult passage.  It's nothing short of amazing that these tiny winged creatures will land in South America in the coming weeks.  I am going to miss their visits to my window feaders.  What they lack in size, they make up for in tenacity.  I have read that it's the males that create conflict with their constant battles to own the feeders.  But they are the first to begin the tropical migration and it has been peaceful over the last couple of weeks, with the females and their fledges alighting for a drink sans territorial conflicts.  I miss their presence each time I find myself standing at my kitchen window and find the feeders unattended. 

It's bittersweet, stowing my collections, but the cooler nights with the onset of Fall are a gentle reminder that this change is part of the natural order of things.  And, I am reminded that I found some really lovely pine cones on the Tech campus, and those hand-formed earthen hearts from last weekend's festival will get my fall collection off to a nice start.  And there's the fall harvest.  Pumpkins are in season, and pumpkin breads and fritters and pies will soon lend seasonal warmth comfort to home and table.  I don't know how I ever managed back in the days when there was just one season, endless summer . . .      

Victoria Magazine, Fall 2008

One of my all time favorite features in Victoria Magazine, has been Calling Cards.  In fact, it was because I have been a fan of this column for such a long time, I knew when I designed my calling card many years ago, it had to be something special.  In the small space of 2 x 3 1/2 inches you need to make bold a personal statement. I decided to adopt one of the paper dolls that I had created in a collaborative book project, Old Fashioned Girls, between myself and Maureen Blackman in 2003. An alphabet book of old fashioned girls drawing from our unique sensibilities, English Vintage and my period paper dolls.  I first created the lady with the theatre in her skirt for the title page of my book.  Since then, I have continued to toy with the concept of ladies with theatres in their skirts! 

It's been a very long time since I purchased my first issue of Victoria, so long that I took it for granted it would always be there.  Last summer while teaching a workshop at Savage Mill, in Maryland, I discovered a cache of old Victorias in a basement antiques shop and subsequently learned that Victoria was coming back!  Back in the days when I thought Victoria would always be there for me, I had so many on hand that at one point, I started using them for collages.  In fact, some of my first paper dolls were constructed from the pages of Victoria magazines.  They were shadowbox-style paper dolls which predated Character Constructions.  I created collaged paper dresses with imagery from the pages of Victoria magazine, and built on those paper dresses to create shadowbox dolls.  I sold a number of these in galleries across the country including Mariposa Gallery in Albuquerque, NM in 2001 when the dolls of The Art Doll Chronicles were exhibited there.  Last year, I updated my original shadowbox paper doll for Somerset Holidays.  The concept is the same, but my working style has changed considerably, which probably has a lot to do with the way in which Character Constructions has changed my life and art.  I once saw myself on a precipice between art and craft, and I now see myself as a paper artist.  Though paint remains a constant, I have adopted a cleaner look that lends itself to working with paper and I think I have developed a stronger sense of color. 

I feel like I have had a longstanding and intimate relationship with Victoria Magazine, and so you can imagine my excitement when I received an e-mail from them back in May just days before my birthday, informing me that my card had been selected for the Fall issue of Calling Cards! 

   

        

Mediterranean Summer

I love travel reads and chose this one in preparation for my upcoming Orvieto workshop.  This fascinating memoir was written by David Shalleck and tells the story of a summer spent sailing the Cote d'Azur and Italy's Costa Bella on board the yacht of a wealthy Italian couple, and offers a bird's eye view of fascinating events such as a glamorous yacht party during the Grand Prix to begin the summer's yachting season.  As a lover of food, and particularly Italian cuisine, I found his impressions of various regions of coastal Italy, the fresh ingredients from land and sea which define the regions, and how he prepared the menus every bit as savory as the yaching lifestyle.  And, the story is sprinkled with lots of Italian phrases and idioms that give you a real feel for the slower paced way to enjoy life and food, known as Citta Slow.

This morning, I discovered a You Tube video of Chef David that icludes some photos of the regions he wrote about in the memoir.  Also of interest, may be the Mediterranean Summer web site. 

It's not too late in the summer for a little adventure, particularly one you can take without ever leaving home!