Oh Canada...I will miss my nightly visit to a land of wonder...

magnetic wooden paper dolls...sand...paint...transform...alter...
more mother of pearl buttons for inspiration....
Java Love coffee cups to start my day in my artist process with strong hot coffee...


I had a busy day with a live chat with an artist Violette Clark from Canada but born in Casablanca, Morocco to Spanish parents who encouraged her in her artistic pursuits. She has written a wonderful book filled with inspirations and guides to get you started called Journal Bliss. Violette is energetic, spontaneous and uses clear ,bright colors in her journal pages that are examples of her "mind maps" that can be developed in both images and words. "Live your dreams and Miracles will happen." is an example of her journal and is full of a childlike abandon to release of her authentic feelings in brilliant colors and whimsical illustrations. She was the guest artist today in a live chat at Fiber Arts/Mixed Media with Susan and Creative Awakenings and artists from all over the globe. I found her to be a delightful, generous woman who describes her passages as an artist in her twenties, thirties, and forties. Using her cartoons she advises me to "Scan"my images so I can let go of the fear of ruining my drawings in a collage or assemblage and enjoy the process of new discoveries. She collect verses from Sark and Anais Ninn ...Images to inspire...describes the difficulties from the act of creating to selling her works and portraits of women artists...hers of Frida Kahlo is so powerful it emits an energy from one artist to another artist. I will investigate her "mind maps" in the next couple of entries in my journal and I felt a sense of relief that she does not do anything the same way every single day...variety is a major motivation and helps her keep fresh in her approach to mark making. The mind map is the central image with radiating lines coming off from the main image. Violette even explained how she made file folders for each mind map but the illustration processes kept her in a creative mode. She not only has a yearly calendar but she maintains five different yearly calendars. "magic follows you wherever you go!" and you might enjoy visiting her at her blog http://www.violette.ca/blog.html you will have to register with her process but I am excited to meet and greet a new friend from up North...the wonderful Canadians.

I did a weeks worth of cooking and will send dinner over to Erin's busy bed and breakfast including four little ones under the age of two but almost three. I baked a lean pork roast with fresh carrots, onions, garlic and mushrooms in a wonderful gravy/sauce. Ken worked on his schedule for the week of classes and observations. I am off to the bank tomorrow and then off to Moot's Tea Room to find an delicious tea for a Tea for Tuesday exchange...with other ea lovers and writers. I truly am trying to drink more green tea but it is impossible to give up my morning cup of Java Love in my Java Love coffee cup. The ice and snow are dwindling right in front of my eyes and the air felt a wee bit warmer today...above 32 degrees... a heat wave!

I have spent an hour looking for my Wabi Sabi paperback today. On Seth Apter's Secret Sunday 15 at the Altered Page and one of the contributors renewed my interest in the wabi sabi processes...things are either devolving toward or evolving from nothingness... truth comes from observation in nature..."Greatness" exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked details... beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness...getting rid of all that is unnecessary... and each one of us can have a real sense of place in the natural order of things.... Now you can see why I need to find my book for renewal of interests...it is so poetic in the presentation. Well I had better get back to work tonight...I am working on what several other fiber artist are now calling "Slow Cloth"...mine is definitely a slow process. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart