Another beautiful Tuesday...beautiful people enjoying a beautiful Summer 's day....

The ADD artists were waiting and ready to work in the Learning Garden when I arrived this morning.  Patient souls anxious to try anything...we prepared for next week 's Salad special...tasting after harvesting our micro greens and chard...then completing a rainbow of taste and colors!  Then the artists took turns watering our precious plants...the dry soils quickly drank in the precious water ...reaching deep into the dark rich soils. 

Katie had brought three new paper making forms with great screens ...this takes shapes for the perfect handmade papers for creating cards and assemblages!  They chose their colors...tore them into tiny pieces...added them to water...and then put them into the blenders.  In a matter of minutes their slurs were bright mixtures offering immediate possibilities!  The couch papers or blotting papers helped the absorption of the extra waters now and pressing the new creations between the boards... and before we could say  WOOHOO!...  we popped out beautiful handmade papers.  Then we went in to work on their journals..it has been wonderful to witness how comfortable the artists were now with their sketches.  I am taking in a wonderful book to share next week ...illustrating a life.

on our drives over to Columbus...
I have reopened a favorite inspirational book on creating
by Audrey Flack
ART & SOUL....it was published in 1986 and still rings so true to my artist heart...

"Great Art is a Life force..."

Katie demonstrates to Jason how small to create his torn pieces of two of his favorite color selections....

 David has his master blend whirling around his blender...David is thrilled ....

 Katie explains to Mary how to place her whole hand onto the sponge to remove the excess water ...Mary is blooming with confidence and is our special secretary for the end of summer's group picnic!

 Isn't this a lovely piece of paper....gentle soft greens and oh so smooth...

 Jenny and Katie explain the process ...and why it is important to blot as much water out of the new sheet of handmade paper....I think the new shaping forms are very useful for the artists...the solid wood shapes are very easy to handle...

 Look at the concentration on both of the men 's faces... waiting..patiently... to expose the beauty of completing the process....the process is the journey and just as important as the new products....

 Mikey in the wheelchair waits patiently for the blending process to complete its magic.....

 Now David is ready for the unveiling of his Cleveland Browns inspired handmade paper creation.....Katie is such an empathetic teacher....she begins her Fall classes on Monday at Ohio University

 The Learning Garden...is where miracles happen...for everyone!

 Jenny Pope demonstrated how this sensitive fern plant closes up when a deer or enemy of some sort touches the surface...once again I am learning new inspirations for sensitivity.....

 i was drawn to the peppermint stripe effects demonstrated in this beautiful bloom....the colors are incredible and I will cherish these images later in the year when the snows return to Ohio....

 This a is luscious harvest of a different kind....the colors are simply sherbet like........

 Now our patient leader jenny Pope demonstrates how to select and cut the beautiful chard...if they get too big it becomes bitter in its taste....

 Compare...contrast....evaluate the colors demonstrated in the stalks ....lovely colors...

 Mikey agreed to help with his turn of watering the raised garden beds....sometimes he prefers to stay in the background but with a bit of coaxing he comes forward and participates...he makes me smile when he tries to give me  an excuse for ...avoiding whatever is the new skill or task he is not sure of....I can see so much growth in his understanding and participation...time it the real gift here...and gentle patient listening....

 the beautiful handmade sheets dried out in the sunshine.....

 I sat next to Jason as he precisely broke down each step of the paper making lessons....selection of colors...tearing into small pieces... adding the right amount of water to the blender....push the button...any button will work...noisy but efficient... pouring the slur mixture into the wooden form... press out the excess moisture with the large sponges...and then blot onto the couch/blotting papers...and allow to dry................

his drawings were so precise and amazed me as he patiently completed his journal entry....we were using Prisma color pencils ...and his touch is light...
                                                                                    I am so proud of Jason 's progression

Look at Jason 's  focus and delicate pencil sketches....

Jenny Pope went around each artist 's journal entry...we realized it was noon already and everyone was still engaged with this process.  Miracles happen every day here in the studio! 


I am hopeful you have had a little light SHINE into your day creating an artist 's life.  Jenny treated me to lunch and we made plans ...dreams for the future...possibilities for all...to SHINE in the sacred Dawes Arboretum.  My heart is smiling ...yes I am tired but ...my heart is smiling.

Tomorrow morning...I will begin adding a small kitten to my FUR BALL auction piece.  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart