Creative Play

The Stocking Stuffer will be here on Spirit Hill this year. I am so excited to host these fabulous, talented, and energetic women. I invite all who are interested in art, or love hanging out on our deck, enjoying Bruce's meditation garden (weather permitting), listening to the bubbling pond, tonal chimes, and leaves fluttering (if the oaks still have any). Come on by. Refreshments will be served.

Finished ceramic masks from the latest kiln firing.                                              "Black and White"   by Shirley Keller @2012                                                      "Hawk"   by Shirley Keller @2012 I am 70! My birthday lasted a week. It began in Vallejo with Delia, Luke, The Lizards, Bruce and me having lunch. A surprise birthday cake and cards, earrings and a heart pin, appeared with the birthday song! Chocolate on chocolate. YUM!!! I was surprised and pleased. Next we moved on the Visalia to celebrate the Gaston Twins 55th. Since my birthday and Steve Diamants was close by they included us to our surprise. This time it was edible fruit covered in chocolate or vanilla, your choice. Strawber...

Monday I went to Sherley Tucker's clay workshop for the first time since total knee replacement surgery. I found the masks I had worked on before surgery had been bisque'd, glazed and final fired, and waiting for me to pack up and bring home. A new ceramic artist, Louise, had generously glazed my pieces, even though we'd never met. She did a great job! When she was working on the masks that I had made braids on, she said they were too much work, and I should stop making braids! HA! In spite of the work, she did them all, individually and perfectly. I am in her debt. Knees slow me down, but physical therapy through Josh Vance, is teaching the legs to walk correctly, pushing me to exercise as a daily routine, and I see in the future the capability to walking through our hills, camera in hand, back to capturing the beauty of where we live. I cannot wait!!!

 "All Eyes" Coronado Clay, Glaze, Ceramic Buttons $50  "Woven in Blue" Coronado Clay, Glaze, Buttons $50  "Brother Dot" Coronado Clay, Glaze, Beads $50  "Sister Dot" Coronado Clay, Glaze, Beads $50 "Wise One" Coronado Clay, Glaze, Beads $50

What an adventure Spring is in Three Rivers. Here were are feverishly getting ready for the Studio Tour Ten that begins next Friday, March 23rd, and we awaken to a snow covered land! Facing North from our home. Notice the green circle under the Oaks protected from the snow. There are fiddlenecks growing under those trees, as there has been for a month all over my property. Spring was here, and flowers all over Three Rivers were popping up, blanketing the hillsides more each day. We were hoping for the beautiful colors to attract more people to the Tour. Well, I'd rather have this stormy, snowing, raining time happen this weekend, than next! Facing East from my back Porch. Facing South from my back Porch. For a while now I have been bragging to everyone that the flowers are filling in the hillsides, carpeting the land with yellows, purple, orange, white, pink, and more, the weather as perfect as it gets around here, sunny, clear and in the 70's. The art below are...

January 28th the artist's gathered at the home/studio of Elsah Cort. We were to spend the day visiting one another's studios. This is in preparation for the Three Rivers Artists' Biennial Studio Tour Ten, March 23, 24, & 25. For me, it is the dessert before the main course, a chance to spend time with artists, to see how people work, to admire their artwork, and to help one another plan for the Studio Tour Ten. About half the artists were able to attend. Elsah has hosted the Studio Tour for twenty years and it is always an amazing experience for artists and guests. As usual Elsah fed us well. The breakfast of quiche, fruit salad, bacon and sausage, breads and cakes, juices, coffee, tea were delicious, and we felt extremely well cared for. Thank you, Elsah. After we ate, she welcomed us. Elsah, Ann, and Mona sit on the stairs that lead to Elsah's studio. We each introduced ourselves. When you buy tickets on the day of the Tour, you will be greeted by Ann....

CATCH UP TIME and CERAMIC MASKS Happy New Year 2012. For about the last couple of weeks I have felt something lift in the air. A hopeful sense has filled the void. One war ended as far as our troops are concerned. Still other wars to remove ourselves from, but experience has taught me to take joy in small increments of change, and then fuss about all that is still to be done. Lasting change usually happens in small steps. There are so many messes in the world I know, but here and there in our country I see progress moving in the right direction. Good change is in the air. Crazy to say that during an election year but I think a majority of our country wants this new atmosphere to continue and if President Obama and Mrs. Obama stay in the White House another four years I believe progress will continue. He isn't perfect, but who is. And he is a far cry better than the last administration, and I don't want more of that point of view. "Hope springs eternal," as someone...