Back in the 1980's I attended an exhibit at the Oakland Museum. There was a woman who painted in oil, adding words to her pieces. But you could not read her words because she scribbled them. I liked the overall paintings but wished I could read her words.
Later, I attended College of the Sequoia's to take a Calligraphy class. I did not think of myself as an artist, but I did write in journals every morning, and out of those writings came stories of my growing up. I dreamt of a quilt. At close range, I realized it was not made of cloth, but of collages, each illustrating chapters that I'd been writing. The next morning I began to make what I call Ink Quilts. I was doing art, just not thinking of myself as an artist.
At some point I re-married, and we bought a home in Three Rivers. A studio was built in what as a garage type room outside of our house. It became my home away from home. Eventually, I made friends with local artists, joined their groups, and began to show what I had done over time. I began to think of myself as a person who came to art late in life. My artist friends did art starting from when they picked up pencils. Many went to college and have degrees in art. Most became teachers of one kind or another, able to support themselves and afford to do art in their spare time because making art as a living is very hard. I know only one woman who has done it, art her only job, and raised four children by herself. An amazing feat. To compare myself with her seems wrong headed. Still, I sell the work I make. I keep my comparisons to myself. I've published a book out of the stories I began to write in the 80's, that contain the ink quilts I've made over the years. I am also published in a book of short stories. Amazon Kindle Direct published both books. Self publishing turned out to be the best way for me to see my own book on the shelf. It is not traditional publishing and secretly I am not sure it really counts, although it has been a way for even famous writers to keep control of their rights by publishing themselves. I call my self an author now.
At the beginning of 2020 I realized words were more important to me than ever. I showed up to Women's Marches, marches to protect immigrants, marches for voting rights and more. The signs I made reflect the bottom line for me: Words Matter. Truth Matters. A choice of words demonstrate good governing. Words say whether you represent all of the people. A new determination to produce art that reflects the kind of country I want to live in sent me to the studio.
Maria Gaston (my daughter) and me Shirley Keller at a march in Visalia Ca.
Words Matter 16x16 Shirley Keller
My favorite medium at this time is dot art. I use recycled items as a canvas. This is a Ford plastic hubcap found in the streets and given to me by a friend. Ford is also my grandsons name. It was the first piece of art I did this year of 2020 to combine words and dot art. The words are Truth Matters and Words Matter. I am struggling to find ways to say how I dislike the tone and direction our country has taken. So I search for the positive.
At some point, Yokohl Valley owned by a private party, was to be developed into a 29,000 person town, on a two-lane back road. This land has enough water for the existing ranches but to add thousands of people would mean they'd have to get water from some where else. The rumor was they bought a thin piece of land up to one of the rivers in Three Rivers, and would pipe water to this new location. So the 2600 plus or minus people who live up there would not have enough water to exist. It made no sense.
A bunch of artists got together to have an art show to share with the Central Valley how beautiful Yokohl is, how much wild life comes and goes all year long, especially Spring and Fall during migration events. There were others more scientific who presented papers and proof that this was not a good idea, but we artists hoped we aided their efforts.
2008 the economy crashed. Since it was clear buying houses was probably not going to happen, the project was delayed. As of today, April 2020, Yokohl Valley is the same empty space for wild life to enjoy along with the livestock that live on the various ranches. Lately, I heard the owners changed their minds and decided not to build. I have no idea if we made the difference. I suspect the economy did the trick. And now, even as the economy was fine, COVID-19 has hit us all across the globe. So the birds and critters live on. Spring flowers fill the valley in abundance. I am glad.
eyes on Yokohl Ink Quilt 2007-2020 16x26 Shirley Keller
I started eyes on Yokohl Ink Quilt over a dozen years ago. This piece is a clay mono-print, a little known medium. It is made on a tray of clay and transferred on to remay, a cloth used to line suits in the good old days. The colors are made with liquid slip (powdered clay mixed with water) and stains of various colors. It is a time consuming, labor intensive medium, to make with as many available tools as a kitchen might have. The piece had no dots in the beginning. But as it hung over the years in my studio I felt drawn to add dots. I worked on it for two more years at every art fair I attended until I felt it done this year, and I consider it an Ink Quilt. The joy I feel every drive through Yokohl Valley I hope comes through this piece to you.
A Taste of Gibran Shirley Keller 14x14 Plastic Toyota Hubcap
The third piece I did is a hubcap. I used my favorite color turquoise to create the base. The quote I used is from Little Prince: Art as you want it, not perfect. Courage. Such a gentle way to tell people like me to be brave, and just do it. Don't think about what others will think. Paint with brush or toothpick and see where they take you.
April 2020 Chapter Two: Dot Art and Covid-19
Each morning I wake up, head to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee. I use a Melita type coffee holder that I put a filter in, add freshly ground coffee that my husband generously makes for me every morning, and watch it drip, drip into my cup. The holder was made by my friend Anne Brown. She does ceramics alongside the South Fork River in this little hamlet called Three Rivers. Part of the joy of watching the dripping coffee is to see not only Anne's skill as a thrower of pots, but her love of the setting in which she throws the ceramic pieces comes through in every piece. Turquoise, black and brown glazes beautify this perfectly formed filter and before I even taste the coffee I can smell its perfection.
I head back to bed, pull out my journal, time and date it, and begin to write for as long as I have something to say. Sorting through ideas I've picked up the day before, trying to find my own mind on every issue between my husband and me, the world and it's problems, and especially now, with COVID-19 causing suffering everywhere, and yet here I am, cozy in bed, trees blowing outside, birds chirping, pond bubbling, and I am content. How do I put my life together with knowing how many are suffering in so many places around the world? The death toll in this country is now into the 40,000's in a matter of weeks.
The Studio is my next stop after doing a few chores in the house. My studio is in an outbuilding that used to be a carpentry shop. When my parents died and my siblings divided up the results of their life, one wonderful gift was that I was able to hire my son's company to transform this space into this studio. I spend from 10 to 5 pm most days. Yesterday I made gift cards. Today I will work on this blog, edit a friends chapter from a book she is writing, and maybe even have time to work on another chapter in my own novel.
Tree of Truth by Shirley Keller and Kahil Gibran: Acrylic paint, Black Ink 11x14
How do I make art that doesn't add more ugly to an already very ugly time? Start with a tree, possibly oak. Flowers are blanketing our hillsides. Poems grow into this tree. Kabril Gibran loves trees as much as I do.
Trust Matters
Truth Matters
Trees Trust Truth
SK
Trees are poems
The earth writes
Above the sky
Kabril Gibran
Today, April 21, 2020, 42,000 people have died in a matter of weeks. What is important now for those of us who have not become ill with COVID-19, is pretty simple. "Stay home. Keep well. Don't end up in our hospitals," said a nurse from Missouri.
COVID-19 Ink Quilt by Shirley Keller Acrylic paint, Black Ink, 11x14
One of the most notable heroes is Dr. Fauci. STAY HOME. WASH HANDS. SOCIAL DISTANCE. I heard you Doc. And that is what we are doing. Nurse Jessica said, "Do your part." Okay Nurse Jessica. I hear you. A minister in a Southern church was a wise soul: "Jesus rode an ass. Keep yours home." Thank you Sir, for your wisdom, and for the chuckle.
Patterns by Shirley Keller Acrylic and Black Ink 14x11
And then this quote appeared from G.E. Hardy, a serious mathematician who I'd never heard of. Why would I? I avoided all things called math. "A Mathematician, like a painter, or poet, is a maker of patterns." A light bulb went off. I wish I had realized this when very young and numbers were beginning to be taught to me. Patterns I get. I wrote down the quote and have saved it for what I did not know. Now you can see what I did with it, patterns of my own, done with toothpicks and paintbrush.
Character by Shirley Keller and Ralph Waldo Emerson Acrylic and Black Ink 11x14
When I was in college was the first time I met Emerson through his essay Self Reliance. Later I moved into a community, Synanon, and discovered its basic tenant was from the same essay. Once I decided to mix words with dot art, Emerson was sure to be included. "Character is nature in the highest form." In this time of COVID-19, watching the behavior from the President of the United States, who said, and I quote, "I am not responsible," in comparison to the doctors and nurses on the front line in hospitals across our land exemplify the quote perfectly. "Character is the only rank."
Septmeber 2020: Chapter Three: Art With Elders - The Pandemic Continues
Georgia's Fear by Shirley Keller and Georgia O'Keefe 2020 Acrylic, 11x14
After I began to live in isolation because of the pandemic, a friend invited me to join an art class online. It is hosted by artists who work for Arts for Elders out of San Francisco. Their mission is to teach art in retirement communities, mental hospitals, and other community places that house people who might not be exposed to the art experience. When Covid-19 hit our country the artists regrouped and came up with online workshops. That opened it up to people like me that do not live in their county. The group I joined now has people from Arizona, Colorado, Three Rivers, CA (me), added to the original folks from a Vallejo retirement home that used to do these classes in person.
This piece was inspired by a class. Our teacher, Darcie O'Brien, suggested we find a favorite artist, pick a piece to copy, and use watercolors to explore our own painting. I did one. Watercolors are not familiar to me, so it really was an experience to accomplish the task. I was so pleased, I tried it again on canvas paper, in acrylics which I really like, and then couldn't help myself, turned it into a dot art piece with words to be added the the body of work with dots and words. I used Georgia's own words that expressed exactly how I feel as I explore creativity. "I've been terrified my whole life. It never stopped me." Georgia O'Keefe.
Joy by Shirley Keller and Ralph Waldo Emerson 2020 Acrylic and Decoupage and Collage, 16x16
Emerson wrote an essay entitled Nature. Living in cities for years, I began to realize I no longer wanted too. I kept hearing Emerson's point, living where nature impinged on my life daily, became extremely important. The details of how I accomplished that are many. But I did end up here on Spirit Hill where nature does impinge on us daily. Yesterday, while Bruce was meditating before dawn, emerged a huge bear, walking across our patio, alongside our pond. We have years of surprises of visits by critters, insects, birds, and more. JOY is the result. A dream come true.
This piece I decided to use photographs I have taken over the years of all whom we met because we live in Three Rivers. I even made ceramic ladybugs. Decoupage helped me attach to the recycled hubcap, and finished off with the dots I love to spend time placing, one at a time.
Little Prince on Art by Shirley Keller 2020 Acrylic, 14x14
My favorite color is turquoise. I sprayed this hubcap. I had kept a quote from Little Prince because it expresses what happens to me as I explore my creative process, no matter the medium. "Art as you want it not perfect. Courage." I start a piece. Never feel confident. Take a deep breath and take one step and then the next. Mistakes are made. But I just include, and when a piece is done I am surprised. All worked out. Not perfect, but satisfied.
The Iris and Math by Shirley Keller 2020 Photography, Acrylic, Ink, decoupage, 11x14
Photography was where I started when I finally had a studio to work in. I used the series of flowers taken over the years from all around my little town. I read a book about a man from India, Ramanujan. He was born very poor, and was a terrible student. He did have a mother who told him how smart he was. He worked on math problems on his own. And ended up a student in Oxford College. His short life in England, broke my heart, the isolation because of racism, the bigotry all around him. In the meantime his genius was being expressed in work he did for his mentor. Some of his work is being used in the space program this very day. The man whose book I read expressed how like an artist Ramanujan was, finding patterns to design his math, much like artists find patterns to express on canvas. So I created patterns with Iris', dots, and Ramanujan's words. In my heart they are linked. He died very young of disease that the poor are vulnerable too. I honors his memory.
Memory Garden by Shirley Keller 2020 Acrylic on canvas, 11x14
One medium I love to work in is clay. I attend a weekly workshop in Three Rivers. Louise Fisher is the owner, and friend. She gardens her property with beautiful flowers. One scene has captured me over the years and brought my camera to capture. It changes every year depending on the flowers she plants. I now have a series of beautiful photographs I make gift cards out of. These iris' are from that spot.
In the same week after we had stopped meeting to play with clay because of the pandemic, our friend and fellow artist, Marn Reich died. Not of Covid-19, but cancer. A week later, our friend Louise's husband committed suicide. Grief became the cloud we all lived under. Louise was devastated. Our latest assignment in the Arts for Elders was to learn how to do landscapes with acrylics. I took my photo of Louise's most beautiful spot in her garden. Of course the dots had to be applied. And then I realized the grief I felt over the loss of Marn and Mitch could be expressed, so I added them. One day Louise told me she was having a very bad day. I showed up at her place and gave her this piece. Joy filled her face.
Spirit Hill Sign by S. Keller 2020, Acrylic, Spray Paint, metal recycled DirectTV antenna 30x20
Someone gave me the DirectTV antenna. I took one half of it and made this sign for the Spirit Hill Meditation Garden & Studio.
Takes Time by Shirley Keller and Georgia O'Keefe 2020, acrylic on canvas 11x14
The Art with Elders assignment was to pick an artist and piece of art to copy in some way but this time use acrylics. I found a carnation Georgia O'Keefe painted. I wanted to try my dot art to do this project. Since the beginning of 2020 I had been working on mixing words and art, so I added Georgia's words to this piece. "...to see takes time like to have friends take time." Her words match my experience and inspires the desire to continue creativity.
September 2020 Chapter Four: Black Lives Matter as Pandemic Continues
Love and Justice by Shirley Keller 2020 Acrylic and spray paint, 14x14
Black Lives Matters enforces in me the necessity to continue keeping our eyes open that justice is not equal in our country. Every time we turn around another Black person is murdered by a police person in very questionable situations. Police are not held accountable as a rule.
Senator Cory Booker said in an interview, "What does love look like? Justice." That hit my heart where love begins and when I picked up this hubcap and I had to do something with this concept.
I am not objective. I have two Black sons, and a daughter from El Salvador background, and a White daughter of the heart. I want the law of our land to handle all my children equally. It does not at this time, nor has it in my life time. I want that to change before I die. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.
Below are the people who I consider my best art of all.
JP Jones and Family: Skye, JP, Andrea, Ford and Levi
Son # Two Born in 1965
Richie Jones Family: Drake, Annie, Richie and Carla
First Son Born in 1962
Delia Nora Keller Born 1990
Adopted at birth
I became her stepmother in 1996
Maria Gaston, daughter of the heart - Beginning 1976.
Art With Elders Share Day
March 27, 2021
Rumi Says and Pandemic, by Shirley Keller, acrylic on 12x12 canvas
Words and Dots Series
We will have a session to share with family and friends, and one another, our favorite piece in our Art With Elders class. I invited my granddaughter Annie Mae. She is 19, in college, but studying at home because of the pandemic. She and I have been sharing books for years. Of all my family she is the most interested in my art process, although she is not interested in doing art. She wants to become a lawyer in environmental law, at least for now. We will see how she designs her life. She is a close friend of mine and wants to attend our sharing class. I admit surprise. My family has gone to an art show or two that I was in. They are glad I am enjoying my life but not that interested. So to have her even say she will show up is exciting. And she says her mother might come too! Her mother has her own mother and aunt in class, too. They are the ones who invited me to join. So this could be quite a day. My share is Rumi Says.
Rumi Says and Pandemic was inspired by the recognition that I was actually feeling blessed by the shut down. Most everyone I know named it as suffering and difficult. But, I found a freedom from responsibility to be active in community. I spent time in my studio day-after-day without interruption, glorious. Project after project was produced. And then guilt hit me. So many suffering and dying. Today we are over 550,000 + deaths from Covid-19 and counting still. Vaccinations are ramping up because a competent government who cares about our lives took over. The production of vaccines and the delivery mechanisms were not developed at all from the last White House. All they cared about was keeping power and subverting the best election we ever had and in spite of much voter suppression, more people voted in this past election than ever in our history. Anyway, like I said, I'd begun to feel guilty that isolation and disease provided space for me to create and I had loved every minute of it.
As happens in life, if you pay attention, a quote appeared when I needed it most. "A little while alone in your studio will prove more valuable than anything else that would be given to you," said Rumi. What a blessing. I gave the guilt up and made this piece of art instead. I hope Rumi forgives me for replacing his general word with studio.
