Straddle the Turtle

Learning to slow down, because life's too short ~ ~ ~

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Newsletter: Wrapping Up a Fun Summer

08.19.2022 by Barbara Grant //

I advertise that these newsletters are sent with the change of the seasons, but oops, we missed Spring! Along with a beautiful bouquet of 🌷🌷tulips🌷🌷 Bob gave me Covid for Mothers Day. He was back on his feet quicker than I thanks to a VA infusion, but all is well. I share this here in case anyone reading this wonders, like I did, about lingering symptoms. When I recently had my routine physical, my doctor assured me I was on track to getting back to normal; she told me that some bounce back in a couple weeks, but for others it can take up to six months. So if you’re one of those, hang in there ~ ~ ~ 

Though I’ve been slowed down, I have continued to be productive in between naps on the couch: 

I participated with The Oddball Artists in the Prairie Art Center exhibit in February. Since the pieces were quite small I was able to contribute 5 paintings and meet the deadline with a little help from my friends. One of the guys in our group is a framer; he gives us tiny frames he constructs from scraps that the frame shop can’t use. Bruce creates perfectly square miters. I love that he wants to save this splendid framing from the dumpster. I’m able to pass this recycled savings on to my collectors!  

artwork
Rusty Lasso at His Peak
back of painting
(back)

Above is one of my favorites included in the exhibit, entitled Rusty Lasso at His Peak. The inspiration came from a twisted piece of rusty wire found while on a walk with Roxy & Ringo. I’m showing the back side also, because it makes me smile. Thankfully a friend with a similar sense of humor noticed it for sale on my Etsy shop and scooped it up. It makes Karen laugh, and this brings me joy!

painting of sunrise at end of middle of road

In contrast, I finished a larger oil painting (30″ x 40″) for a friend referencing a photo she took alongside a country road. The weird thing is she didn’t realize till later that she’d caught some geese flying through the sky! Her boyfriend gave it the title, Last Resort Sunrise. Long story . . .

back spine and front cover of book Visions of Recurrence by Paul Turelli

I created my fourth book cover for Colorado author & artist Paul Turelli. Visions of Recurrence became available this spring. Fourth in the Series of Dreams: Danny and Jennifer are now in mid-life and the story shifts to their teenage twins, Julian and Stephanie. James, their dear friend, mentor, shaman and spiritual guide, brings the family to a new realization about destiny and choice. The following link provides more information if you are interested in exploring this series: Visions of Recurrence on Amazon.com

sketch of kids climbing tree

I’ve started some sketches for my next commission of “Kids Climbing a Tree.” Here’s one scribbled while waiting in the doctor’s office. It’s on my mind… Looking forward to this project! šŸ™ƒšŸƒšŸŽšŸ‚šŸ˜‰šŸ

Bell Jar Vintage shop in Geneva IL

What is left of my “Money Bags” collection is currently on display in my daughter’s awesome shop in Geneva, Illinois. Bell Jar Vintage is the perfect venue for these quilted artworks. Thank you, Dori! 🄰 

Display of Money Bags in antique shop
Bell Jar Vintage
313 W State St Geneva IL 60134

My previous blog is entitled: The Reverence of Poise. It’s about slowing down, not rushing, having composure. I’ve illustrated it with a watercolor painting entitled ā€œPondering Teaā€. This little painting is part of a project I’ve been doing recently. I’ve been painting on watercolor card stock as warm-up exercises; a way to test various color combinations, designs and motifs. They have matching envelopes, so if they turn out nice, I send them to family and friends or add them to my Etsy shop.  I’ve been having lots of fun with these simple, functional creations.

Maybe that is the key – they are functional; they can be a vehicle of communication, a way to connect with people. Using a pen or pencil, loosening up stiff knuckles to write a little note, looking up a street address, purchasing a stamp, and hey! a chance to use those free address labels that come in the mail šŸ™‚ And on the other end…somebody gets a surprise in their mailbox!!! Calming down now to ponder another cup of tea:

watercolor painting of teacup
“Pondering Tea”

Bob continues to enjoy his contract photography work for a rural Insurance Company. He’s  often surprised at what he’ll stumble upon, such as a traveling Farrier using her rasp file to trim this mare’s hooves, or a deer head in a basketball hoop. Think Milwaukee bucks slogan FEAR THE DEER!

deer head in basketball hoop

But equally interesting are these visitors that have graced our backyard this year. A neighborhood coyote. A deer apparently struck by a car. Right rear leg is broken. A friendly deer allowing Bob to approach within 4 feet of her.

coyote in snow
deer with broken leg
deer

A Blue Heron we’ve nicknamed Alex has visited our yard on multiple days recently. He has taken a  fancy to our lawn ornament, a blue heron that moves with breezes. Daring to come inside the fence, he may be getting frisky. Alex came back another day stalking for dinner. This is his ā€œCatch-of-the-day.

heron
heron
heron
heron
ā€œCatch-of-the-dayā€

two standard poodles

These creatures may appear to be lounging under the kitchen table, but let me assure you their senses are perked up and on the look-out for any wildlife lurking in the back yard!

Dang, they were both looking right at me but – you know… squirrel! šŸ™„

p.s. Can’t end a newsletter without adding the most meaningful book I’ve read recently. That would be a gift from my friend Toodie. We are both big fans of The OverStory by Richard Powers. His latest novel is Bewilderment. So good.

Categories // Limelights on my friends, Newsletters, Reading Tags // art community, creative energy, fun in the studio, novel

Lori Reed in her Space 9/15/19

03.18.2022 by Barbara Grant //

Recently I came across a group of photos I took of an afternoon in September 2019. A time when it was safe for artists to hang out in each others’ studios without thinking twice about it. A time before we knew what it meant to be safely distanced because of Covid. 

Lori Reed’s workspace is nestled in the second floor of her lovely home in a wooded part of my home town. I happened to be home for my high school reunion, so we made this meeting happen. I had not planned to ask if I could take these photos, but the feeling was so inviting, and she generously shared her technique of slicing her beautiful photos and putting them back together in painterly order, adding fragments of text, topographical maps, handmade papers, etc.  I was fascinated.

Lori Reed's Studio
Interrupting the artist at work…
Lori Reed's Studio
One of Lori’s most important tools
Lori Reed's Studio
Printer, semi-gloss UV top coat glue – more items used in the this creative process
Lori Reed's Studio
The artist at work
Lori Reed's Studio
This artists has the steady hand and patience of a saint!
Lori Reed's Studio
Most artists I know collect from other artists – see Lori’s stash on her shelves šŸ™‚
Lori Reed's Studio
My favorite part – the birds!
Lori Reed's Studio
Messy sticky work
Lori Reed's Studio (17)
Love the tidy storage space!
Lori Reed at work in her studio September 2019

Her natural surroundings and travels influence her compositions. The quote on her website says, ā€œWith my mixed media work, I’m moving from a photographic documentation of something to a fluid impression or memory of a place that is timeless.ā€  Think about that…

Her site is worth investigating: LoriReedArt.com  On the Links page, you can access an interview that will help you get to know Lori and appreciate her skill all the more.

Since that autumn, most of us have gotten used to zoom meetings, sharing ideas and images on laptop screens. We learned a new way, because we are resilient. We were forced to become more flexible. That’s a positive.

Categories // Limelights on my friends Tags // art community, artist friends, craft, workspace

The Tie Project

06.20.2021 by Barbara Grant //

A decade ago my family gathered in our hometown for the monumental task of emptying our parents’ home of things and memories that filled each room. We needed to accomplish this in a weekend! Fortunately I come from a large family; we were able to share the load of physical labor and decision making: what gets saved? what goes to charity? what gets tossed in the big rented garbage bin in the driveway?

The Tie Project

It was by fortune of luck and timing that I happened to be helping in my parents’ bedroom when my sister-in-law checked behind the door to discover my dad’s tie collection hanging on a rack. We were boxing up most of his wardrobe to give to the needy and my hurried inclination was to toss the ties in, also. But Mindy hesitated, ran her hands through the colorful silk designs and said, ā€œMaybe someone could do something creative with these.ā€ I paused, agreed and gathered them into a plastic bag and stashed them in the cabinet of my mom’s old Singer sewing machine (also being saved).

I’m close to my siblings, so it was fun to spend that weekend together at our old home, remembering our childhood. But it was also a harried and emotional time. I’m thankful that Mindy was able to discern the importance of my dad’s ties. It’s not just the beautiful fabric. It’s the memories I have of those neckties that he wore to church on Sundays, to weddings, to funerals. I remember their designs and colors. They’re familiar. My mom shopped for his clothes and made sure he dressed appropriately and looked classy escorting her. Some of those ties had been gifts from us.  

Years passed… 

On one of his visits to my home studio, my super creative grandson Logan was looking for something to do. I showed him the basket of ties, and we thought of various ideas. If I remember correctly, we thought it would be cool to make an ottoman cover. He loves machinery and enjoyed using my sewing machine, even though he could hardly reach the peddle. But visits are never long enough and our project was left unfinished.

  • Tie project 01
  • Tie project 06
  • Tie project 02
  • Tie project 07
  • Tie project 08
  • Tie project 09

The next time he came to visit his younger brother sidetracked us with so many other fun things to do outside. The tie project was ignored and once again remained unfinished. I decided to let him take the ties home to finish on his own time. I knew he’d have fun with it, because he’s the type of kid who needs to stay busy, always learning new things, interested in new technology. (He laments that he has to finish school while what he really wants to do is start his own business and be a CEO.) Anyway, I forgot all about the tie project until three years later…

A box came in the mail that said do not open until Christmas. Logan had grown up and learned how to use his own machines and researched how to quilt. He had started over from the beginning to design a quilt of his great-grandfather’s ties for me. And not only that – he documented his progression through each step of this process by videotaping his work!

  • Logan's tie project 01
    FaceTime with Logan when I opened my gift
  • Logan's tie project 03
    Surprise!

Of course, I was beside myself happy and so touched by his loving gift. For many months I wrapped up in it on the couch in the evenings. But then I realized I was going to cause wear and tear and didn’t want to wreck this work of love and art. It now hangs in the guest bedroom for all to see.  

  • Logan's tie project 05

If you have time to watch The Tie Project video you’ll witness Logan’s fearless creativity! I’ve edited 30 minutes down to less than 15, and because of that I needed to removed his voice explaining all his tips and tricks on how to construct this beautiful and sentimental work of art. That’s a bummer, but I added some nice music šŸŽ¶

Categories // Limelights on my friends Tags // cleaning out family home, creative kids, grandson's thoughtfulness, necktie quilt, sentimental gift

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