Shadows

The title of this post reminds me of the John Prine song called "Lake Marie". He asks in the song "...you know what blood looks like in a black and white video? Shadows. Shadows!"
This photo has nothing to do with blood, thank goodness, but it is all about shadows cast on my hallway wall this morning. The sun was dancing on the leaves of a potted palm which left beautiful shapes and lines swirling along the empty canvas. The wall is red, well more like brick, which I think detracted from the light and dark so I converted the photo to black and white to make more of an impression. Though I think more shadows in the lower right corner of the photo would make the image too busy, I don't like the empty space.
If you have time have a listen to the John Prine song I mentioned above. (the song is large in terms of file size and this is my first time experimenting with posting music on my blog so my apologies if it causes problems.)

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

I firmly believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder (though I failed miserably at proving that in a college paper back in the mid-eighties). I am sure the cliche is true because I know this drawing will not appeal to many of you. I, on the other hand, like it a lot. I prefer the actual drawing over the scan but you get the idea.
I spent a couple of hours on it - shading and doodling. I doodle almost every day, in the morning.

Switching it Up

I decided this morning when I was doing my daily drawing to switch up the visuals on my blog. Since I am in school now, pursuing a major in art, why not post some of my drawings. Eek. Scary. Here is a drawing I finished a short time ago. It is from a photo I took in Provincetown this summer. The drawing is done with Prismacolor pencils.

(The shadow in the upper right corner is due to a poor scan.)

Low Light Effect

My point and shoot camera limits the amount of control I have over exposure. I can make a few adjustments but when I get into a low-light situation such as a Lucinda Williams concert at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, I just have to hope for the best. That is when I have to try to be a little more open minded and appreciate the effects a long exposure in a dark room. Or not.

Colorado Bliss

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

It has taken me some time to get back to my blog - Losing my kid was rough but the support I received from my friends and family was powerful. Thank you to all who stood by and to those of you who sent kind words. Lucy and I felt the warmth and love.
I think leaving for a vacation was the best thing I could do for myself last week. So I did. Thank you to Kathy and Michael for organizing an amazing adventure in Colorado. We spent two days touring Boulder, Lyons and Estes Park and three days listening to music at the 2007 Folks Festival in Lyons, Colorado. We had a great time indulging in the beauty only the Rocky Mountains can offer. The music at the festival was fun and inspiring. The weather was refreshing. The food - Yum! The friends - amazing. I guess the only thing I could have done without was the noises in our cabin on Sunday night - I was so sure there was a bear in our kitchen that I awoke Kathy and Michael so they could save my life. Kathy got up, marched right into the kitchen without any weapons - she didn't find a bear and assured me the newsflash I dreamed up while lying stiff as a board in bed - "tourist eaten by a bear while friends sleep in bedroom" - would not be seen flashing on tv screens across the nation.
I am looking forward to next year's festival.

David Rawlings and Gillian Welch at the
2007 Folks Festival in Lyons, CO.

Lucy 1993-2007

I will love you forever Lucy. Thank you for all the warmth, laughs, romps, love, licks and for cleaning up after the cats. I miss you, my girl!

Backyard Art

One of my many favorite things about my home is my backyard. I have always wanted to learn about gardening. I am not a natural gardener so I learn by looking at other gardens and magazines and reading information found on websites like Gardenweb. I was able to create a garden from scratch when I bought this home. It will be a work in progress as long as I am here which is part of the fun of it.
Another cool thing about my home is the really nice light in the backyard in the early evening.
This is an echinacea I grew from seed. I just love looking a little deeper into and under flowers. There is so much to see when you look for more.