Garden Art Experiment 01

Acrylic Tomato v01a. 8x8 inches. Mixed media on board. 2010.

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I have a small vegetable garden in the back yard this summer. I’ve never grown vegetables until now, so there are lots of interesting things going on back there.

I pulled this funny looking tomato off the plant about a week ago when it was still hard and green, and decided to try to do something with it. I coated the tomato with a liquid acrylic and attached it to this board covered with fabric (some of the fabric is new, and some is from my Grandma’s vintage collection).

 Acrylic Tomato v01b. 6x8 inches. Digital Photo. 2010.

I’m interested in seeing what happens with the tomato as time goes by. Since I coated it with the acrylic, it has already begun to shift from green to a lovely orange-yellow. I’ll post new pics in a week or so if anything happens.

Canyon Solstice

 Canyon Solstice. 10x13 inches. Mixed Media on Paper. 2010.

This new painting was inspired by a Native American rock drawing I saw recently in Seiber Canyon in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in western Colorado. The original rock art drawing is situated in a precise location on a red rock panel so that, at noon each summer solstice, a shadow from across the canyon bisects the rectangle horizontally. This is such an inspiring idea, I think I might do additional variations on this theme.

Thunder Head

Little water bombs —
Coordinated attack
Diving toward earth.

. . . . .

I’ve been on a haiku kick for the past few days. I used to write them constantly, and recently found some of the old ones. I’ve been inspired to start writing them again.

Pencil Poem

This is probably my most favorite haiku-inspired poem that I’ve written to date.

For late night writing
A pencil is better.
It’s marks are not so permanent.

Emmi Whitehorse’s Natural Balance

Metagalaxy. 39.5 x 51 inches. Oil on paper on canvas. 2008.

A few months ago, I went to the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art in Telluride, Colorado with a friend. I was completely struck by the beauty and emotion conveyed in the work there from Navajo artist Emmi Whitehorse. Most (if not all) of the works are oil on paper, then mounted on canvas.

Stellar Wind. 48.5 x 28.75 inches. Oil pastel on paper on canvas. 2008.

Ms. Whitehorse’s work is reflective of her experience as a Native American artist. She is interested in creating work that “stays true to a harmonious balance of beauty, nature, humanity, and the whole universe.” She says that this philosophy is essential to the Navajo people.

I can’t find the info on this one.

I love that these pieces are intended as landscapes, and yet, somehow they aren’t landscapes in the literal sense at all. The idea of being inspired by a particular subject matter and turning it into something completely unexpected interests me. In this work, I see modern references to something akin to the Native American rock art I’ve viewed in the western United States (see my posts here and here). I love Ms. Whitehorse’s ability to combine references of the past and present while keeping the pieces open-ended.

Codon Sequence. 54 x 72 inches. Oil pastel on paper on canvas. 2006.

This text from Ms. Whitehorse’s Artist Statement says it all: “My work is about and has always been about land, about being aware of our surroundings and appreciating the beauty of nature. I am concerned that we are no longer aware of those. The calm and beauty that is in my work I hope seves as a reminder of what is underfoot, of the exchange we make with nature.” ... What a wonderful sentiment and very well put.

Lake Tahoe & The Sierra

Lake Tahoe

We spent the first 10 days of July in California’s Sierra Mountains... The first five nights we camped in several places, hiked to a bunch of lakes, and got plenty dirty! Then the last four nights we stayed in a hotel in South Lake Tahoe where we met up with some of my co-workers for a “conference” which consisted of two group dinners. The rest of our time was free to do whatever we wanted.

Lake Tahoe

Woods Lake in El Dorado National Forest

Mojo sunning himself at Grouse Lake in the Desolation Wilderness

Little 9 lb. Mojo can hike as far as anyone, and just like everybody else, he likes to rest at the halfway point and have a snack. Preferably some cheezits, but pupperoni will also suffice.

Grouse Lake in the Desolation Wilderness

The Grouse Lake hike was my favorite. The wildflowers were spectacular (see the post below) and the lake itself was beautiful. We were planning to hike up a bit further to see another lake (I forgot the name of it), but we decided to head back down the mountain when we heard thunder rumbling overhead. Just as we began to turn back, I stepped on a patch of snow, fell through, and landed in a creek up to my knee. Luckily it was a warm day and it kind-of felt good to squish every other step down the mountain!

Sierra Nevada / Tahoe Wildflowers

Jeffrey’s Shooting Star / Dodecatheon jeffreyi / Primrose Family

Matt and I spent the last week roaming around the Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. It was the perfect time of year to visit, as the wildflowers were abundant! (If you’ve ever read my blog before, you already know I’m a sucker for wildflowers!)

Pretty Face / Brodiaea lutea / Amaryllis Family

Mountain Heather / Phyllodoce breweri / Heath Family

I know this is a Penstemon, but I can’t seem to find the exact name in my book. I think I photographed one like this in Colorado last summer, too... and I didn’t know its name then either.

I can’t find this one in my book either.

If you know the names of these last two, I’d be so happy if you wouldn’t mind posting them so I can find out what they are!

Lying in the Grass with Eyes Closed

Lying in the Grass with Eyes Closed. 13x16 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

I finished up this new mixed media painting this weekend. . . I think I might give it to my friend Sarah, who is having a baby soon. It makes me think of things unknown, things floating out there in anticipation of being discovered. I want to do more pieces like this one.

I’m thinking of dying some of the cooking twine I like to use in paintings. I’m hesitant to do it though, because I already feel like I’m in a race against time. I can’t make things as fast as I can think them up. I’m not sure how to remedy that problem, but I want to see my ideas come to fruition and not just stay floating around inside my head.

I Dreamt of Things: Gun in My Face

I dreamt I was in a courtroom where a kid freaked out and shoved me onto the ground and put a gun in my face. Another kid jumped up and put a gun in the first kid’s face. Everyone froze in place. It was like I was in a cheesy 80’s cop/courtroom drama.

I Dreamt of Things: My Dad

I dreamt of a rainy nighttime road trip up the California coast with my dad. He was driving and singing to himself while I snoozed in the back seat. When I woke up and tried to talk to him, he didn’t respond. I don’t think he knew I was there.

You Knew She Was Out There

Moments of Clarity 03 / You Knew She was Out There 
13x10 inches. Mixed Media. 2010.

I’ve been making a lot of new work lately. . . This is one of my latest. I also finished two big pieces this week (20x26") but it isn’t as easy to get quality digital images of them since they’re too big for my scanner. I’ll have to get the big ones photographed before I can show them to you. I’m really excited about this new work. I love the various materials combined with each other.

I’m still trying to think of the best ways to display this work. I really don’t like the idea of framing them behind glass because of their textural and 3-dimensional qualities. I want them to breathe! I think I’m going to take some advice I found from another artist online here and try to mount my works on paper onto canvas. I think that will look much better than frames . . . and hopefully the process will be cheaper too.

Back Yard Garden

I decided to start a small raised bed garden in our back yard this spring. Matt helped me build the bed and then I got the dirt and seedlings from Bookcliff Gardens Nursery. Mojo is a great helper!


I just planted one or two of each plant. I just wanted to see which plants do best in our back yard. I think next year I might ask Matt to help me build another bed so I can have a bigger variety and at least two plants of each type.


We have beefeater tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, cantaloupe, cucumber, strawberries, and a bunch of herbs — parsley, basil, oregano, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. I pulled off some cilantro today to make a batch of grape salsa and also a batch of tomato salsa. YUM... More photos to come as the garden grows!

Sold! Small Paintings for Friends

Rainstorm. Acrylic and ink on paper. 4x6 inches.

An artist has to begin somewhere, and it always feels good to have friends who support my creative endeavors. My friends Jason, Sarah, and Lisa bought these recent paintings! Thanks guys!

A Thought. Acrylic and ink on paper. 4x6 inches.

Wish. Acrylic and ink on paper. 4x6 inches.

Mojo Bouncing Around Seiber Canyon

We went for a hike in Seiber Canyon in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area last weekend and had a great time. Mojo had fun playing in the grass — in some places it was taller than he is! This canyon is rarely visited and, as expected, we didn’t see anyone else nearby.


We did find evidence of a black bear nearby, though! His paw track was about six inches wide. I bet someone with more experience than me could take an educated guess about how big this bear was; I have no idea. It did look like his visit to the area had been recent though!

New Paintings: I’m on a Roll!

Moments of Clarity 02 / Sprouts
10x13 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

Ever since we moved into our new house, I had been in a bit of a creative funk. I guess I just needed to get the work space set up in a useful way. And now that the weather has improved, I feel inspired! I’ve been working on lots of new stuff, and have tons of ideas that I can’t wait to get started on.

Moments of Clarity 01 / Gardening at Night
10x13 inches. Mixed media on paper. 2010.

I’ve been working with some new materials in these recent works. I’m really interested in how to create 3-d relief on a 2-d surface (I guess this is always an aspect of my work, whether small- or large-scale). There’s something really interesting about the contradiction inherent in making a flat surface have a sense of dimension. I also like the relationship between what happens above and below the horizon line.

Life Underground (study). 2010. 10x14 inches.

In this piece, I’m exploring what happens with the twine when it isn’t anchored to the paper. The drooping loops can move and change, and thus can’t be completely controlled. Juxtapositions of opposites really intrigue me — which parts of the painting do I tightly design, and which parts are left up to chance? The question now is: How can I frame it and still keep that paradox in the forefront? My first thought is to forgo having glass in front of the work, but then I worry that it won’t look “finished.” Hmm.