"We Give to You Our Worldly Goods" was a series of pieces I created from a variety of found metal, wood and fiber. Some had as many as 25 figures, others only 3. The figures were made with cafe curtain hooks. 

 Men usually call them warriors, while women see them as tribes women or goddesses.

Fountain Face is Lonely

            
              Update photo from Jan. 29 post. Only 107 days until June 1.

Art Institute of Chicago

Wish I could say this grand spiral staircase is in my foyer.

It's one of the great views of Chicago looking out of the Art Institute. Hubby and I spent our Valentines Day looking at art, eating and taking photos. It was finally warm enough to walk around the city.

The Power of the Human Spirit

 Though this is not a political blog, 

I want to acknowledge the amazing people of Egypt

and wish them peace and freedom.

I designed a family card for a friend of mine.

                          

Bag Lady

If you love something, 

don't hide it in the closet. 

Hang it up on the 

back of a door.

I Need Inspiration on Wednesday

This is one of the first mixed media pieces I did years ago. I gave it to a good friend of mine and she still has it displayed in her dining room. 

Looking at art I created in the past is like reading an old diary. I look at it and say "What the heck was I thinking?".

I need to start some new work and I always like to look back before I go forward.

Alfabet Soup

                     Do you know your A B C's?

My Laughing Buddah

Most of my recent posts have been "visually busy". I thought I'd give you a calm, happy image to enjoy this Sunday.

This is Hotei. He is the god of contentment and happiness, guardian of children. Supposedly based on an actual person, he is widely recognized as the Fat, Laughing Buddah. His origin is from Chinese Taoism/Buddhism.

According to legend, if one rubs the Laughing Buddha's great belly, it brings forth wealth, good luck, and prosperity.      I better start rubbing.

For a long time, I had been looking for a buddah. I imagined buying a large stone figure, but instead this small 5" hand carved figure "found me" in a crowded antique mall. He sits on the window sill by my kitchen sink and greets me each morning.

Gallery of Whatever

As a home stager and stylist, I'm aways in need of wall decorations. When I ran out of enclosed cabinet space to store them, I found a blank wall leading down to my studio. Now, not only is it functional storage space, it is a gallery of great stuff I love to look at everyday. 

prints, postcards, 

photos & quotes

empty frames

mirrors

plates

letters

whatever

I say, find a wall and hang it up.

Images Like This Just Keep Me Smilin'

This magazine photo of Carly Simon on a swing has been on my inspiration wall for a very long time. There is no date on the pages, but I think it was from an issue of InStyle or Martha. I change the images on the wall often, but I just can't seem to let go of Carly on a swing.

Work in Progress

A friend of mine asked me "What have you been up to these days?" (Frankly I tend to hide during the winter.) I started to tell her. Beading necklaces for "Gallery Ten" in Door County Wisconsin, painting a mural of animals, sorting thru years of magazines.... blah, blah, blah.

This is an unretouched, unstaged photo of my worktable. Can you find Waldo?