"IF: PALE..."

Illustration Friday January, 16, 2009:

"Pale"

"It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear,

but the pale and the hungry-looking."

~Julius Caesar

"The tones of gray, pale turquoise and pink will prevail."

~Christian Dior

"The moon's an arrant thief,

And her pale fire she snatches from the sun."
~William Shakespeare

"Andrew Wyeth..."

July 12, 1917-January 16, 2009

Click here for a beautiful tribute and slide show of his work.

"I can't work completely out of my imagination.

I must put my foot in a bit of truth; and then I can fly free."

~Andrew Wyeth

"It's a moment that I'm after,

a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment."

~Andrew Wyeth

"I don't really have studios.

I wander around...around people's attics, out in fields, in cellars,

anyplace I find that invites me."

~Andrew Wyeth

"I'm a secretive bastard.

I would never let anybody watch me painting...

it would be like somebody watching you have sex -

painting is that personal to me."

~Andrew Wyeth

"BE..."

No secret resolutions, fancy promises, or wordy goals...

Just one plain and simple idea

"BE"

...my word of "direction" and my personal focus for 2009.

To "BE" in the moment...every moment...

fully..

actively, healthily, creatively, appreciatively, openly,

each and every day.
To "BE".

"The secret of health for both mind and body
is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future,
or anticipate troubles,
but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."
~Buddha

"BE".

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do.
Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time.
The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire.
This is your moment.
Own it.”
~Oprah Winfrey

"BE".

"This very moment

is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow."
~Margaret Lindsey

"BE".

"Happy Halloween..."

"From ghoulies and ghosties...and long leggety beasties

...and

things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!"

~Scottish saying

"Well Hung..."

...from the ceiling

in the center of the Wildflower Bread Company

(click here for a quick link...it's a cool place! )

is a glorious chandelier bouquet of huge glass flowers

wrapped in copper.

This always reminds me of the work of the one and only

Dale Chihuly.

(BTW...there will be an exhibition of work by Chihuly

"The Nature of Glass" ( a really awesome link)

at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

from November 22, 2008-May 31, 2009!!!

I am so excited about this...

as a group of us are planning a special sketch crawl

there in December....WOWZA, eh???!)

Okay...back to my story...

Since I did not have my sketchbook with me today

I managed to do a quick overall sketch

with a scratchy ball point pen

on the back of a store receipt I had in my wallet

scribbling in

all kinds of "codes" for color and shape and form

while slurping my potato cheese soup

and

nibbling away on a hunk of freshly baked nine-grain bread.

What a delicious mess!

The above images are the "fruits of my labor"...

I think that the one I "flipped" looks really "Chihuly-esque."

When you have only two pennies left in the world,

buy a loaf of bread with one,

and a lily with the other.

~Chinese Proverb

"Luck of the Draw #2..."

This was the exact view we were to have this morning

October 28, 2008

as we looked out of our hotel balcony window...

but

due to the need to replace 2 highly sensitive computer sensors

on our

German built American car...

(why are mechanical things so complicated these days?)

our plans to get away to

Sedona, Arizona have been put on hold.

This journal page was drawn in May of 2006

from the very room

we were to have this week.

I find that comfortingly funny.

I had to find something funny, now didn't I? LOL:)

"Laughter is the corrective force

which

prevents us from becoming cranks."

~Henri Bergson

"They Say It's..."

"Where the Desert Breeze...Meets the Mountain Air."

...And that spot would be Yarnell, Arizona!

(If you have time click on the link...its a hoot!)

The area is studded with

"mammoth granite boulders

throughout verdant growth of Oak, Hackberry, and Chaparral,

as if strewn in casual disarray

by a giant and artistic hand."

I just love that part of the line. :)

Yarnell is where I spent my day yesterday...

with sketchbook in hand.

Thank you, each and every one,

for the lovely comments left for me while I was out celebrating! :)

I read them when we got back home from our adventure

as the sun was setting on a wonderful day.

They warmed my heart.

"If I could reach up and hold a star

for every time you've made me smile,

the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand."

~Unknown

"One Last Homage..."

...to the jubilant color of the glorious Colorado aspen.

Did you know that...

~Aspen trees can be found in every Western state except Hawaii!

~Trees from any one aspen grove are genetically identical.

and because of this

aspens are claimed to be the world's largest

and

perhaps oldest living organism!

~Individual trees are short-lived, but the root stocks of some groves

may date back to the last ice age!

"Delicious autumn!

My very soul is wedded to it,

and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth

seeking the successive autumns."

~George Eliot

"The glittering golden aspen...

What a jewel in the autumnal wardrobe of Mother Nature!"

~Me :)

"A Little Peek..."

of my artwork in Nina Johansson's book "Multitudes.

(click on images to enlarge)

A bit of zen like freedom...

A bit of calligraphy and color play...

...and a bit of the ancient southwest desert...
a step back in time to one of the first art exchanges ever! LOL :)

An artistic array of marks, colors, styles, and charm
fills Nina's little Maruman
"Multitude."
I don't want to let her go...
as that will finalize of my portion of our Maruman exchange.
But professionalism calls...and Multitude flies again.
I now will wait like the rest of our faithful fans
until
the last three books cross the deep blues seas
and safely arrive home.

"Every end is a new beginning."

~Proverbs

"In the Distance..."

...are the Maroon Bells....

in Aspen, Colorado...definitely, "God's Country".

I have hiked here several times...

each time feeling like the day was spent in heaven.

I have buckets of photos recording their splendor.

This is my only painting of them...made in 2006

in one of my very first watercolor journals...

long before "Water Blossoms" was even a "twinkle in my eye."

My mind is indelibly seared with their awesome natural beauty...

even though great distance separates us.

"Somewhere we know

that without silence words lose their meaning,

that without listening speaking no longer heals,

that without distance closeness cannot cure."
~Henri Nouwen

Distance of the heart:

Missing those we love...their kiss, their smile, their touch...

Mental distance...

Trying to remember faces, and names, and everyday events...

Distance of times past:

Reminiscing about cozy family gatherings

or

the twinkling of a young child's eyes on Christmas morn...

Distance of Perception:

Wondering what is reality and what is fiction.

Distance...just all by itself...is it

the deal breaker of relationships

or

the thing that makes them grow fonder?

I often wonder.

"An Autumnal Array..."

...of natural beauty...bedazzled in jeweled tones.

"Where oils lumber...watercolours prance. "

~Doug Mays

"And so Goldilocks..."

sat down in the Baby Bear's chair...and it was 'just right'..."

...and we all know what happened after that...LOL :)

"A house that does not have one worn, comfy chair in it is soulless."

~May Sarton

"I Am Just Stuck.."

...On Cacti! "

Day or Night...

Summer, Fall, Winter, or Spring...

It just doesn't seem to matter.

"You know you're an Arizona native when you "hug" a cactus

only once in your lifetime."

~Nancy Dedera

Happy Cactus Monday All! :)

"Shimmy, Shimmy..."

...Aspen trees...you shake and quake, no doubt...

Shimmy, Shimmy, golden leaves...shake it all about!"

~Me...inspired by Little Anthony & the Imperials :)

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

“Today is life-the only life you are sure of.

Make the most of today. Get interested in something.

Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby.

Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you.

Live today with gusto.”
~Dale Carnegie

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
~Indira Gandhi

"Well I said shake baby shake.

I said shake baby shake.

I said shake it baby shake it,

I said shake baby shake.

Come on over

Whole lot of shakin' goin' on ..."

~Jerry Lee Lewis

Happy Shakin' ...Every Day Counts!

"The Big Reveal..."

Of my COMPLETED Maruman sketchbook

"Journey"

I cannot wait until the rest of the Maruman sketchbooks
are completed and safely return home to their respective owners...
What joy and excitement they will bring!

Thank you Anita, and Nina, and Jennifer
for sharing your talent and your little corner of the world with me.
Personally...
this has just been the most wonderful,
liberating...
endearing and imaginative
artistic experience ever!

“Every production of an artist
should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.”
~William Somerset Maugham

PHOTO#1...ARTISTS' CREDITS:
Pages 1-6...Margaret Storer-Roche (Me)...Arizona U.S.A.
Pages 6-15...Nina Johansson...Sweden
Pages 16-20...Jennifer Lawson...Maine, U.S.A

PHOTO #2...ARTISTS' CREDITS:
Pages 21-22...Margaret Storer-Roche
Pages 22-26...Jennifer Lawson
Pages 27-35...Anita Davies...U.K.
Pages 36-37...Signature stamp "petals" of all 4 Artists
Pages 38-40...Margaret Storer Roche :)

"Anita's Artistic Gift..."

...in my book Journey!

What a delight to at last open my own book

and find all this beauty inside!

Thank You Anita!
(Click on images to enlarge)

"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

P.S.

I was so secretly hoping that Anita would paint one of her famous

English roses in my book...and she did!

WooHoo!

She never disappoints!

"It's A Brand New Day..."

...and

I wanted each of you to know

my heart simply swells from the thoughts, hugs, comments, and prayers

you so kindly left on yesterday's post.

My Dad's cardiac procedure proved extremely informative

and

even though it was not able to provide

the"easy fix"

we were all hoping for...the future looks

to be positive and hopeful.

My sincerest thanks to each of you...from my whole family.

"Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.”

~Anonymous

Photo Credit: "Soaring Spirit" by Margaret Storer-Roche

Photographed in Clark, Colorado...Fall 2006

"Go Directly To Jail..."

...Do not pass "Go"...Do not collect $200.00."

or

$700,000,000,000

for that matter either!

Where have the "good ol' days" gone...

when Monopoly was just a innocent and fun-filled family game...

and I could be the "banker"???

EDM# 191

"Draw some paper money"

A Girl's Gotta Do..."

... What a Girl's gotta do...

and usually there is some form of shopping involved!

Herein lies the last of my full page views of art

completed in Jennifer Lawson's little Maruman sketchbook

"Transitions."
(Click on images to enlarge)

The top photo shows Jennifer Lawson's art

from the wild roses to the high heel to the clothing store...

"Spoil Me Rotten"...

then comes Anita Davies art...

two purchases made...an new outfit and some fun flowers...

...and the scent of a woman :)

then my art...

a art emporium sale and a day of plein air in a courtyard.

My portion above was inspired by a quaint and lovely artisan

shopping destination in Sedona, Arizona

known as Tlaquepaque.

(Check out this link...supremely well worth it.

The word "Tlaquepaque" means the "best of everything."

Tlaquepaque was once a lovely tree nursery sporting gorgeous specimens.

The trees are still there and form an enveloping canopy of coolness

and a softened foreground

to views of crimson red rock formations of the Sedona area.

As the years went by

A quaint Mexican style artisan village was then constructed on the property

amongst the towering trees.

It was

complete with romantic courtyards, colorfully tiled stairways,

balconies overflowing with luscious flowers,

bougainvillea climbing along stuccoed arches and tiled roofs,

bubbling fountains, wrought iron gates,

cozy peaceful courtyards,

high end galleries filled to the brim with treasures,

and intriguing brick passageways.

It is a shopper's delight and a photographer's heaven...

For years

I spent time and money browsing the shops

and

zillions of rolls of film photographing

any, and every, thing in sight...until seemingly out of nowhere

it occured!

Poof! Shazamm! Pazowie!

a wonderful magical transformation happened...

We had planned to be in Sedona

for bit of an extended getaway and a friend's wedding.

Prior to that, I had completed a workshop with Grace Haverty

all about keeeping a sketchbook travel journal.

The change to come was to be meteoric!

A backpack replaced my purse...and

my sketchbook and plein air goodies replaced my credit cards.

Roaming from shop to shop

was replaced by sitting in a cobblestone courtyard

breathing in the "Ahhhs" of the day.

Moments in time became vibrant memories

on my sketchbook journal pages.

My spirit became revitalized...my imagination invigorated.

And

I have been a "new woman" ever since!

I am

that girl above in Jen's book! :)

Now, that's what you call a Transition! :)

"Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life." ~Oscar Wilde
Hmmm...Don't quite know about that...:)

HAPPY 63rd ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!

We love you! :)

"Inside My Mind..."

...and some more of my art
on pages 20-24
of Jennifer Lawson's little Maruman sketchbook entitled
"Transitions."

My art begins the first four pages
of the "backside " of the sketchbook...
and ends where the bougainvillea vines blend
with Jennifers wild roses.

I chose to include a postcard here because

it was through an international postcard exchange

with Anita Davies

where I started, with baby steps, on the path to "blogdom"...

...and now, just a short while later,

I am here exchanging Maruman sketchbooks with fellow artists!

That is a transition which still takes my breath away.

I chose the Monument Valley region to be on the postcard

not only because

of its "wild west" beauty and universal appeal,

but also because

of its unique location in both Utah and Arizona...

a space transition of monumental proportions to be sure! :)

If you look carefully you will see that

the cactus was painted in various stages of bloom...

The quote:

"Change is the only constant." ~Ghandi

is one of my most favorite...

and has especially helped me bear through many a bump in many a road.

The vines stemming from the bougainvillea branches

are from my imagination...actual "Bougies" don't have them...

Through bits of calligraphy I attempted to illustrate

how transition in its various forms

can be growth...a new beginning

for each of us.

This theme was an interesting challenge...

it went beyond visual pen marks,

and brush stokes,

and choices of color...

into a unique artistic space for me...

and a inspirational transition for sure!

The last full reveal of my work in "Transitions"

will be in tomorrow's post...

Hope you will stop back by for a visit! :)