An Artist's Life

2012-01-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, everyone! I took this photo while we were up in Cambria recently. My Christmas break is quickly winding down. I can't believe I spent most of my 3 weeks off sick! I was sick while we were up in N. California, but I still had a great time. In those 5 days, we were all over the coast! We spent a couple of days in Cambria, then San Francisco. My husband teased me that I must have felt crappy since we didn't hit "Flax" (Kelly, hold on to your seat!). I wasn't up to much shopping - I can't believe I am even saying this since I am the biggest paper whore out there. But the weather was so amazingly gorgeous while we were there, I didn't want to spend the time going through every piece of paper in the store and instead, chose to spend time outdoors in San Francisco and Berkeley. I spent a good chunk of time reading, resting, shooting photos, and enjoying the ocean and water. While on this break, I finished my second Frida journal that I started back in November. I was on a roll with making new artwork! I can't say I will blog more in 2012, but I will try. I know once I get back to work, the job takes priority. But I am committed to starting a new journal this week and I am already working on Valentine's Day stuff.

2012-01-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

It feels like the holidays just flew right by this year! Wasn't it just Christmas? It seems like we blinked and there went the day and its magic. I spent a good chunk of time prior to Christmas (and post-Christmas) looking for a very elusive white, artificial tree. I usually put up 2 trees each holiday season - my little pink tree shown here and a much larger, green tree. After I put this tree up during Thanksgiving weekend, I went into the garage to take the larger tree out of the box, only to discover that the larger tree was no longer around; we had tossed it out last year! I forgot all about it. So, the hunt was on for a new tree. This year I decided to go with a white, artificial tree, something different like the pink tree. Suffice to say, it NEVER happened! A white tree was impossible for me to find anywhere! I guess next year, I will either have to start looking earlier or go back to a green tree...

The Greatest American Poet and a Few Other Things

2011-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

One of the advantages of having older siblings is that I got exposed to some fucking amazing music at a very young age. I absolutely LOVE Jim Morrison. I fell in love with the Doors when I was about 6 and by the time I was 11, Jim Morrison was dead and the Doors pretty much died too. I still remember the day he died and how much "L.A. Woman" was playing on the airwaves. Many years later, as an English major in college, I fell in love with the beauty and poetry of his lyrics. Although I am not some MAJOR critic of music or literature and poetry, I have always thought Jim Morrison has been the greatest American poet of my lifetime. Although I have a great fondness and admiration for Robert Frost and other great American poetic treasures such as Maya Angelou, since Jim Morrison only lived to be 27, it makes his songs and poems even more important, in my eyes. And as you can see for yourself, he was an incredibly sexy man... 30+ years after his death, there is no one in music who had that magic that Jim Morrison had.

Sounds Like Grunge to Me

2011-09-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the release of Nirvana's "Nevermind" album. This has got to be one of my all-time favorite albums/cd's. Back in 1991, we were living in San Francisco and I heard and played this all of the time. It had such a San Francisco-vibe and since we were living in the Haight, it fit in perfectly. A few years ago, I compiled my "Ten Albums I Would Take to the Island" with me - this was on that list. And today, it still would go with me to that island. "Come As You Are" is my favorite cut on the album. Kurt Cobain, gone too soon just like the guy in my next post.

2011-09-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my dear friend, Kelly Kilmer, I am now involved in the Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition project. As part of this project, I will be working on 3 books during the next year that I will be contributing to this project. For more information regarding the Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition, go to this link: http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/JaffeCenter/collection/al-mutanabbi/index.php.

2011-09-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

I know I should be focusing on other things such as opening year 2 of our school and making art, however, I am going to focus instead on fashion... It has taken me almost all of the summer to decide on how to update my wardrobe for fall and winter. These are the items I recently bought to give my wardrobe a little edge and of course, a classic in the form of the wool coat that will be cherished for years to come. My closet gets an overhaul several times a year. Anything that has not been worn in awhile, gets donated. I tend to stick to classics, so that I can go back to them over and over, and mix them up and wear them in a different way each time to make them look new. And I have always liked giving my clothing my own little edge by adding something unexpectedly. A couple of weeks ago, I wore a black sleeveless, v-necked DKNY dress I bought for peanuts. I wore it out to dinner with a black feather necklace that I tied and let the chain run down the back of my neck. I added red lipstick (which is SO rare for me), flat black sandals, and a Chanel leather clutch I bought a few years back on eBay. I try really hard not to look like an administrator and that is why I added the little handcuff bracelet and red clutch to my wardrobe.

On another note, although I worked at my school all summer, I did get an opportunity to work on some new art too. I finished 2 (yes, Kelly, 2! ) journals. I finished my "love" and "Frida" journals. Now, all I need to do is take photos of my journal pages and upload them to the blog. With school opening in 2 days, I better move on this...

2011-09-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am excited to find 2 of my favorite journal pages being plugged on Seth Apter's blog, "The Altered Page"! Seth's blog can be found here: http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com. I created these pages several years ago. Last year, Kelly Kilmer plugged these same pages on Jenny Doh's blog. Being true to myself has been my motto as long as I can remember. It is the way I live my life and it is a BIG part of my work ethic too. For me, there is no job or title that would make me compromise my beliefs; I would walk away from the job before I would allow myself to be sucked into something that isn't me. On a personal note, this is a lot easier for me to live with - if something feels like it will make me feel uncomfortable, I just won't do it.

2011-07-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Sad to hear Amy Winehouse has died. As you can hear from this video, "Back to Black", she had an amazing voice.

2011-07-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day! The weather was just perfect, especially for the end of July. Here are 2 more pages from the book I am currently working in. Although work has been very busy, I have been able to spend time working on this book once my work day is over and I am at home and in my studio.

2011-07-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to take 1 of Kelly's classes, at Zinnia's. The class was "Expressions". As part of the class, we constructed a new journal from scratch. This is the first class I have taken in a year. Hard to believe...


The second photo is from the interior of my new journal. I especially liked how the liner pages of the journal came together with the red scrapbook paper I used to cover the spine. The roses and other flowers look good together. On the right side, is the first page of this new book.

These 2 pages are pages 2 and 3 in my new journal. After I got home from class yesterday afternoon, I continued to work and actually finished 6 pages in this journal. I SO wish that I had the extra time that I could work in my journal every day, but that is not an option. I tend to work in spurts, then I seem to go dormant for months at a time! I even made a joke to Kelly about me having 2 blog readers!

2011-06-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Once again, Clarence Clemons, the heart and soul of the E Street Band, died today. I have loved and enjoyed Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for most of my life, going back to when I was a kid. I have seen them perform many times and no matter what, the songs always sound fresh and as if they were written in the present. The highlights of so many of the concerts have been Clarence's performances on the saxophone on songs such as "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out", "Spirits in the Night", "Rosalita", "Prove It All Night", "Out on the Street" and I could go on and on. The songs will never sound the same without Clarence.

2011-06-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

One of the things that defines who I am can be found in music, specifically, rock n' roll. I am, and have always been, a rocker. I am very sad about the passing of Clarence Clemons, "the Big Man", from the E Street Band. Clarence has been the heart of the band for 40 years. It was hard to narrow down a song that really captures Clarence's magic and so, instead, I picked "Glory Days" because it epitomizes all of the good times the band and Bruce, and all of us have had. The band will play on, but it will NEVER be the same... Rest in peace, Clarence.

2011-04-12T20:29:00.001-07:00

Recently, I saw "A Single Man". I absolutely loved this movie! I love, love, love Tom Ford. I am ever SO happy that Tom Ford is back designing women's clothing that is beautiful, elegant, and classic. I love Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, great actors! They are absolutely terrific in this movie. And I absolutely love, love, love, love the black and white dress Julianne Moore is wearing in this scene. It is so breath-taking elegant and the girl can shimmy in those high heels! This scene steals the movie - Colin Firth and Julianne Moore slow dancing to "Stormy Weather", then boogieing to "Green Onions'.

2011-04-03T18:04:00.001-07:00

I have been in a 70's mood for the last few months. I grew up in the 70's and although that period is usually defined as the "disco era", I was NEVER into that kind of music or discos, but I could totally relate to the "bohemian" look that was SO popular back then and is once again in vogue now. Jane Fonda's shag and style epitomized the bohemian and haute couture hippie vibe that was very prevalent during the 70's. The top photo is of Jane Fonda accepting her 1st Academy Award for Best Actress, in the movie "Klute", which I recently saw for the first time.

I love this photo of Jane Fonda - I love the pastels and bare feet that seem to say summer is around the corner. This outfit looks very modern - it is hard to believe this photo is almost 40 years old.

A shot from "Klute", starring Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland. Jane Fonda is wearing a trench coat and a long, black sequined dress in this photo. I have 3 trench coats - a traditional khaki, a silk, dressy version, and a denim version. It seems the trench NEVER goes out of style. And I have a short, black sequined dress that is a classic too! I have worn it only once, but boy, did it get lots of compliments. My husband and I went to a formal that I wore it to - as good as the dress looked, my best "accessory" was my husband in a suit. He looked absolutely stunning and I couldn't keep my eyes off of him! I think it is time to pull that dress out of the closet again...

2011-04-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

These are a few pages from the little swatch book I made for Kelly for Christmas. I can't believe we are in April! Where has the time gone?! The last 2 plus months have been incredibly grueling and tiring... in mid-January, I had a very serious fall at work. I got pretty banged up. The doctor had me stay home for 3 days and then, I couldn't take it any longer and returned to work, with lots of aches and pains, but dying to get back to the job. Although we are now in April, I am still seeing the doctor and going to physical therapy. With my schedule, it is very difficult to squeeze in both doctor's visits and trips to the physical therapist. I am most fortunate I didn't break my nose, neck, and more importantly, my head, with that fall. My fall happened at the beginning of the day and only happened because of someone's negligence. Once again, it is a great reminder that life can change in a split second...

Anyway, I haven't done anything that remotely resembles art since early February. I made a very, very special friend a swatch book for Valentine's Day. The book I made completely embodies my friend's life and interests. Soon, spring break will be here and it will be time to break out my supplies and catch up. I hear in the back of my head Kelly saying, "You can devote 10 minutes a day to make art." I know, I know, Kel!

2011-01-23T16:29:00.000-08:00

You might remember the pink Christmas tree below. The bottom shot is from this past New Year's Eve. Well, the pink tree has now gotten a second life as the Valentine Day's tree. The little pink tree is all dressed up and ready for February 14! In the background, is a painting I bought from Karen Michel several years ago. I just can't get enough of hearts and love!

2011-01-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

The following are pages from a swatch book I made for Kelly as part of her Christmas gift. The top photo is a look at the covers of the book.

These pages are the first 2 interior pages of the book. You might remember that Kelly made me my own swatch book last year for my birthday. Well, many of the images I used for her book
were images she used for my book. I just gave the imagess a little of Roseann's 'touch'!

Kelly and I share a love for hands and hearts! I have been trying to get into the Valentine's Day mood since a couple of days after Christmas. This next Valentine's Day is a HUGE milestone.

2011-01-16T02:23:00.000-08:00

It was an absolutely gorgeous day here in Southern California! It was 82 degrees! This is why everyone back East hates us SO much! It was great to be able to drive around town with the windows rolled down and me in shorts - hard to believe this is January and not July! Okay, back to the artwork... these 2 pages are from 1 of the journals I am currently working in, my Frida book. During my Christmas break, I was able to make art almost every day. Consequently, I finished 2 small books of collages for 2 very, very special friends. I will be posting pages from both of those "swatches" books in the next couple of weeks. But for now, I really should go to bed!

2011-01-04T17:37:00.001-08:00

My Christmas vacation/break is winding down to today and tomorrow. Today, I spent the afternoon @ the Gene Autry Museum taking in the David Siquieros exhibit. Of the 3 Mexican muralists, Orozco, Rivera, and Siquieros, "Los Tres Grandes" (the Big Three as they are known), Siquieros is my favorite. The exhibit is terrific and it includes not only Siqueros' art, but also pieces by prominent Chicano and Mexican artists and photographers. The exhibit runs until Sunday, January 9th. For more information, go to my "Favorite Artist Sites" on my blog and clink on Gene Autry Museum.

2011-01-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

Another great movie! Last night, we watched "Buena Vista Social Club", which was a documentary about several forgotten Cuban musicians. Shockingly, some of the artists were in their 90's when they performed these songs! This documentary was released in 2000 and was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Documentary". Ry Cooder, who is such an amazing guitarist and was named #8 on the "100 Best Guitarists of All-Time" list by Rolling Stone Magazine, went to Cuban in the late 90's to record an album of Cuban music. The recording led to the movie being made. Many of the artists who are in the documentary had performed at one-time, at the legendary "Buena Vista Social Club". The movie is mostly in Spanish, but it doesn't matter when you see Ry Cooder (the guitarist with glasses who is dressed in black) and his son, Joachim, on the drums and congas, perform with these Cuban artists - it is amazing what they do, song-after-song. Art will always transcend any language since art has its own language.

2011-01-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

Last post of the day - because I am an artist, of course, I must post photos of my latest artwork! I am currently working on a new journal that is my "Frida" journal. These are 2 pages from my journal.

2011-01-01T17:24:00.001-08:00

This afternoon, since it seems everyone and their brother is in Pasadena, in particular, our neighborhood, I decided to venture out to the mall and hit a couple of stores for after-Christmas sales. I have been in love with this jacket since the fall! Every time I would go into the GAP, I was on the look-out for it. Unfortunately, the GAP I frequent didn't have it in stock and after Christmas, they sold-out of it on the website. Today, not even looking for it, I found the jacket, the only 1 in stock, @ the GAP I seem to live in. Not only was it the only 1 in the store, it was in my size, a medium, and it was on sale! Originally, the jacket was $128. Today, it was $99, but after a 40% discount, I walked out of the store with the jacket in my size, and I paid $65, including tax! Over the years, I have become very, very particular as to what I buy in terms of clothing. I love classics and am I willing to pay more money for something that will last me a lifetime.

2011-01-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011 to everyone! My first posting of 2011 - we had a nice New Year's Eve last night. My sister, 1 of my brothers, and niece spent the evening with us. We had dinner, I made cranberry pies, and we drank champagne to say goodbye to the old year and ring in the new. This is a shot of me by 1 of the 2 trees I put up. This is near the pink (!) tree. I have been on vacation for the last 2 weeks and by being on break, it has given me a much needed opportunity to catch-up on my life, as well as spend more time with my family and friends. I do not believe in resolutions - for me, they are too difficult to keep. But, I am a firm believer in setting goals. My goals for this upcoming year are: 1) to work smarter, 2) breathe, 3) reflect, and 4) make more time for me. I don't want to run myself into the ground for any person or job. And of these goals are doable.

2010-12-29T22:34:00.000-08:00

I have been on vacation for almost 2 weeks now. I have been catching up on my life, which includes watching movies, spending time with my family and friends, and making some new art. Also, I am falling in love with fashion and sewing again! As a kid who grew up in the 70's, I am re-discovering some classic fashion styles and icons such as Ali MacGraw, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, and Diane Keaton. Although I was a pre-teen when "Love Story" came out, I SO fell in love with the movie, book, and especially, Ali MacGraw's style. This trailer is great even if for nothing else, just to look at her timeless style.

2010-12-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

Although I have seen some really wonderful movies this past year (and of course, none of them are current movies you can see at a movie theater), my favorite that I saw in 2010 is called "La Mission", with Benjamin Bratt. "La Mission" is about a Latino father coming to grips with his teenage son being gay. When we lived in San Francisco, we spent a lot of time in the Mission neighborhood. It felt like being back home in L.A. every time we ventured to "Pancho Villa's" or to Mission Dolores for Sunday mass. The colors and smells of the neighborhood conjured images of East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. Anyway, besides being a terrific movie about the struggle to find acceptance and a sense of belonging, the movie is a wonderful and loving valentine to the Mission District.

2010-12-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

If you check out my blog, I have a very interesting link called "Style Rookie" by Tavi Gevinson. I have been following this blog for the last year-and-a-half. What makes this blog SO interesting is that it brings together art and fashion as seen through the eyes of its blogger, a 14-year-old girl named "Tavi". I have been obsessed with fashion since I can remember! Maybe it's because I went to a private school for 8 years and had to wear a uniform. Maybe it's because both of my parents were clothes-horses. Or maybe it is the artist in me! As a young girl, in my pre-teen years, I fell in love with Ali MacGraw's classic, yet simple elegance. By the time I saw "Love Story" as an 11 year-old, I was hooked!

If you take a look at these 2 shots of Ali MacGraw, you could swear her look is current and today! This is what great style does. It NEVER makes you look trendy! Growing up, I wanted to be Ali MacGraw, but I didn't have the straight hair, or the body, or the crooked front tooth smile, or really anything else of hers to be able to pull it off. Her approach to wearing sportswear has really influenced my look over the years. I learned at a very young age to invest in timeless pieces that I could use over and over. My approach to fashion has always been to buy something that has a lot of life to it. And maybe, who knows, 20 years from now, someone will look at a photo of me and say, "That outfit looks SO right now!"

2010-12-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

During Thanksgiving break, I started working in a new journal. I was given this Frida leather journal almost 2 years ago, as a birthday gift. I altered the front cover and have actually gotten the first few pages completed on the inside.

The first 4 months of work have been SO fast-paced and chaotic that there hasn't been any time to create much art. I have completed the first 6 pages in my Frida book. Now that I have a little free time (not as much as I would like), I am hoping to get a little further along in this book.

2010-12-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredibly busy 4 months! I am ever so grateful for some time off and an opportunity to re-charge. However, before I get to blogging about some recent art I have created, I want to say a few words about my dear friend, Carol Parks who passed away recently. These photos are snapshots of her backyard. Every time I visited Carol's home, whether it was to take a class or for her annual Valentine's Day tea, Carol always managed to pull out all of the stops for anyone who was fortunate to be included. Carol made everyone feel at home. Carol made every thing look SO easy! Every last detail was taken care of and she made it all look like it was effortless when in fact, it was very time-consuming. She was an incredibly generous, creative, and fascinating woman! And oh, what a friend...

Not only was Carol a special friend to me, she was a patron saint to several artists she hosted at her home. I can't speak for anyone except myself, but if it hadn't been for Carol, I most likely would never have gotten an opportunity to take such wonderful classes with the likes of Traci Bunkers, Juliana Coles, and Lynne Perrella. My job makes it almost impossible to take time off for classes and because I could never get to Artfest or other venues across the country because of my work schedule, Carol hosting workshops @ her home gave me a chance to take classes with some of the best artists out there. When I look at these shots I took of Carol's patio and backyard, they seem to personify Carol. These chairs among the beautiful, vibrant colors, beckon you to take a seat, take a load off, to slow down, and enjoy the moment. Just like Carol did... Carol, you will be sorely missed.

2010-08-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 more pages from my swatches book. I created these 2 pages with my dear friend, Shanna in mind. Like the lotus, Shanna's beauty is found in every place she is.

I have been truly blessed with many friends! And throughout my life, I have met several special persons who continue to have a BIG part in my life and I carry them in my heart always. But Shanna is in a category all to herself. She is the most special, spiritual, and kindest soul I have met. Shanna radiates a quiet dignity. Recently, Shanna left to start a new journey that will take her to several countries over the course of the next 2 years. First stop, India, where she was born and lived for many years.

Here I am with another dear buddy, Donna and Shanna on the last day of the 2009-2010 school year. Donna and Shanna took me out to dinner to celebrate my promotion (again!) to principal. It is hard to believe all of the things that happened in a year! And it is hard to believe Shanna is not going to be working with us anytime soon. Safe journey...

2010-08-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pages from my swatches book. It seems as though it has taken me forever to finish this little book, but in actuality, I finished most of my pages in a 3-day period. But sadly, I have had no time to work on any new art in the last month. We are 3 weeks from our opening and pretty much most of my time is now focused on getting all of the last details taken care of so that I can open my school.

I worked today and it looks like I will be working the next 2 Saturdays too. Today, I felt like I really knocked out a BIG chunk of work. And right now, I feel good about a lot of things going on in my life!

Maybe if I can make another BIG dent this week @ work, I can carve out a little time to make some new art. I only have 4 pages left in my swatches book and once I am finished, I plan to make a few for some very special friends and maybe some to sell. The swatch books are going to be great therapy for the new principal!

Thank you for the interest in my collage packs. I have sold all of them. I think I have made a dent in my studio! All of the collage packs will be going out in Monday's mail. Once again, thank you and especially to Kelly, my dear friend and fellow artist, and who I swear I need to hire as my agent!

2010-08-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

During the last 2 months, I have gotten an opportunity to see some terrific movies. My husband and I try to do a couple of movie nights @ home each week. This past Friday, we saw "Rabbit Proof Fence", which is based on a true story. These movie nights are more than entertainment for us; these films all deal with the theme of social justice, or I should say, injustice. As we get closer to opening school, I want to give our students many opportunities to learn and discuss about injustices just like what happened to Molly Craig, her sister, Daisy, and cousin, Gracie, the protagonists of this movie. Without giving it away, this story truly is a testament to the power of the human spirit.

2010-08-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

July and now August, have been incredibly busy months! We are a month away from opening the new school and there are SO many things that still need to get done. I feel as though I am 8 months pregnant and ready to give birth soon! Absolutely no time to make art or to do too much of anything other than work! However, my blog needs a jolt and some fresh artwork before my 7 "followers" desert me for good! These pages are from my swatches book that I started in Kelly's "Swatches" class, early in July.

I have enjoyed tremendously working in this little book and I am 4 pages away from completing it. Once this book is finished, it will be time to re-visit my love journal, which has been as patient with me as my blog followers!

If you like my pages, particularly the decorative papers I am using, fyi - in my quest to keep cleaning and minimizing the amount of supplies I have in my studio, I have made up some packs again. These packs are different from the ones I usually sell because they are just made up of paper - all kinds of paper: decorative, colored copies of some of my favorite images, foreign language magazine and newspaper pages, and other bits of ephemera. These packs are in a gallon sized Ziploc and are pretty stuffed! I am selling them for $25 (including shipping). If you are interested in purchasing 1, email @ millan0206@yahoo.com .

Lastly, this little swatch book's theme is a celebration of women. All kinds of women ...

2010-07-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

These are the front and back covers of my 1st swatch book that I made in Kelly's class last weekend. I actually made 3 books, but am currently working in only 1. I have to really concentrate and not allow myself to be distracted from this current book because it would be very easy to jump into the other 2 and work from 1 book to another. DISCIPLINE!

I have had this image for several years. I got it from Sarah Fishburn (1 of my favorite artists) through a swap that I participated in. I like how the background papers seem to pick up the colors of the object the young woman is carrying over her head. I especially like the pinks and reds that are so prominent.

I worked with packing tape, stickers, and rick rack on these pages. On the page to the right, I let some of the original paper peek through it.

It was an extremely busy week. We are only 3 weeks from moving into the new school. After moving in, there are about 5 weeks before the new school year starts. Time is just flying! I was reminded of that yesterday when we received the calendar of upcoming principals' meetings for the new year. Ridiculous that we are getting this in July since we just had our last meeting of the previous school year in June, but there the calendar loomed over us!

As busy as it has been these last 3 months, I am trying to squeeze in a little "me" time, as well as "we" time! Last night, we watched a really wonderful movie called, "Born into Brothels", which I would highly recommend.

2010-07-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 more pages in my love journal. It was a very busy holiday weekend! I had a lot going on @ home and with my family. Still, I managed to squeeze in some "me" time, which lately, is not much. On Saturday, I got an opportunity to take Kelly's "Swatches" class and I LOVED it! It was great to see Kelly and actually catch-up a bit too! So much did I enjoy this class, that every moment I have had time to steal these last few days, I have been working on 1 of the 3 books I created in the class. Early in the class, Kelly said, "These little books are addictive!" They sure as hell are! So addictive, that I completed 14 pages in my 1st book and I have another 18 pages left in it! For now, my love journal is on hold. These little books are SO easy to work in because they are so small and portable that I want to complete this little guy before I move back to my love journal! I even have some ideas for books I want to make as gifts for some very special people. Although it's only July, Christmas is right around the corner again... I will be posting my little swatch book pages soon.

2010-07-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 more pages in the book I am currently working in. I am looking forward to the long, holiday weekend! It has been an exhausting 3 months! Not only am I looking forward to catching up on my sleep and spending time with my family, but I am taking Kelly's "Swatches" (finally!) class this weekend! YES! Not only do I get a chance to take an art class, but more importantly, I get to catch-up with my dear friend and truly talented artist, Kelly!

2010-06-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here are my latest pages in my love journal. I am taking a page out of Kelly's "playbook": no paint was used for these 2 and my next 4 pages. I used a variety of papers, stickers, a Sharpie fine marker for writing , and decorative tapes. The pages kind of fit really well with the wide array of colors that seem to showcase the girl's beautiful sari. Although the school year has officially ended, I am SUPER busy putting everything together for the opening of my new school. But being busy is NO reason to not work on art! Not painting pages in my journal has given me more time to work in it. And working more frequently in my journal has given me an opportunity to take a little breather from being a principal.

2010-06-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

My latest pages from my love journal. After a very busy and packed week, I am spending a quiet day cleaning house and listening to Bruce Springsteen and some butt-moving and shaking rock and roll! I may be a principal, but there is nothing conservative about me! Have a great weekend.

2010-06-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, uncles, god-fathers, and other male role models out there! This is your special day! The top photo is of all of us as children with our folks. Although I am prejudiced, my dad was the best father on the planet. You couldn't ask for better.

My older brother, Frank who epitomizes what a good father should be, and my niece, Katie.

My gorgeous husband, Mike and our niece, Francesca, @ her 8th grade graduation. Hard to believe she is going to be 16 in a few weeks! The time has surely flown!

My younger brother, Michael and me @ Francesca's baptism! Wow, even harder to believe when you think about how much time has passed. Michael and I are Francesca's god-parents. And my baby brother is 'Father Goose' in our family. Never a dull moment when he is around.

2010-06-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Another couple of pages from the journal I am currently working in. I am having a lazy Sunday and feel great about things! I had a furlough day on Friday and another 1 coming up tomorrow. So, I actually got a 4-day weekend. I got a jump start on all the things that were pending @ home and that was terrific. It will give me a day tomorrow for spoiling myself. On tap are a foot massage (it's about time!) and a trip to the museum. I was going to go to the museum today, but have decided instead, to work on my book. Yesterday, I spent the day cleaning house and doing laundry. I re-organized my studio and put all small sized paint bottles in a basket that is now on my desk. Instant inspiration and 1 less excuse for not making the time to work on art. Enjoy your Sunday - we Southern Californians are spoiled with our amazing weather year-round!

2010-06-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

My latest pages in my "love" book. I got a chance to work on several pages in my book this past weekend. I expect to be working on my book again in the next couple of days. I will be off from work this Friday and Monday for a 4-day weekend! I need to take my 4 furlough days before the school year ends and I am running out of time! Today, I took my 1st furlough day and although furlough days # 2 and 3 are a couple of days away, squeezing in the last furlough day will be tough with the schedule I have for the next 2 weeks. Although no one wants to give up days and basically not get paid for their time, I would much rather do this than to see anyone lose their job or our district make more cuts to services. And on a "happy" note, these 4 days are going to force me to slow down and enjoy my life outside of the job. Can anyone say, "Next stop, the Huntington, Norton Simon, Folk Tree?!" Here I come ...

2010-06-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life becomes complicated. The job gets crazy! There isn't as much time in the day as I would like - every day! But, then I think of all of the moments my nephews and nieces have taught me to slow down and savor the moment. It's great being a kid and being able to... stick out your tongue when the adults want you to behave for the never-ending photos on Christmas day.

And it is fun to be able to just really enjoy that chocolate ice-cream and who cares if you have it all over your face!

Or if you are trying to show the adults to have some fun in church and just, well, chill!

And then of course, there is always time for a jump in the air! Who cares if you are in college, right?! All of this seems 100 times better than preparing for the work week and more endless meetings. Have a great week, everyone! I love all you kids!

2010-06-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of new pages from my love journal. I enjoyed adding several layers to these pages, as well as transparencies, stickers, and a rub-on. The pages in this little book are so thin that I have been adding Wassau paper that is 110 lb. to some of the pages so that I can really work the paper!

2010-06-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

Two more pages and two different views of my latest pages in my love journal. I attached one of my soul cards (from a batch I made last summer for a class I taught) to the left side of this page. I like that it looks like a small door - a portal leading to some very private thoughts.

This page started out with several layers of bits of paper. In the background, I used two pages from a book of red stamps that my dear friend, Carol Parks gave me last year. She stuffed a box full of red and Valentine's Day themed items into it. And the box was SO beautiful, I didn't want to open it yet alone take anything out of it! I have been saving these red stamps pages for the right moment. Well, I think that moment just came. And because Kelly raved about these stencils, I had to go out and get them. I have had them on my desk for the last few weeks and they have been patiently waiting for to come out!

2010-05-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Pablo Neruda, if you have not seen "Il Postino", you are in for a real treat! This is one of my favorite foreign movies - what a love story! What a valentine to the poet and this beautiful Italian island!

2010-05-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

I spent my 4-day (including a furlough day) weekend doing exactly what I love most: 1) spending lots of time with my husband, 2) making art, 3) gardening, and 4) relaxing. The above photo is from a book a colleague gave me for my birthday, back in February. I had not done much with the book other than jot down a few ideas and random thoughts. Over the weekend it came to me what I wanted to do with this little booklet. I made it my latest journal. First thing I did was cover the outside covers in red paint, then I added the gilded edges, which are really stickers. Since I spent almost all of this past February and half of March sick, I felt I short-changed myself on my favorite day of the year: Valentine's Day. So, I spent some of Saturday making valentines (who says you can only give them out on February 14?!) and this new journal will be my "love" book.

First page of my love journal. Lots of thoughts on what love is and what types of love there are. I feel SO lucky to have such a wonderful family and friends, and especially, my husband, who is in a category all his own. It does not get better than that.

These next pages are my ode to Pablo Neruda, my favorite poet. This is an excerpt from "Your Hands":

I crossed the roads,

trains carried me,

waters brought me,

and in the skin of the grapes

I thought I touched you,

the almond announced to me

your secret softness,

until your hands

closed in on my chest

and there like two wings

they ended their journey.

Although not many would dispute that Shakespeare was the greatest poet of all time, Pablo Neruda has always had a BIG place in my heart! Throughout my teaching career, I taught Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, but it wasn't until I taught Neruda's poems that I really fell in love with poetry.

2010-05-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

The top photo is a shot of a gift my dear friend, Kelly Kilmer made for me. It and the rolls of tape were just part of a larger gift box Kelly gave me for my birthday.

The photo above is a shot of my India journal and field kit. A few months before the holidays, Kelly told me that she has always wanted a book of my art, whether it be copies of my artwork or original pieces. While I worked on my India book, Kelly posted comments on a regular basis each time I posted photos on my blog. So, a lightbulb clicked in my head about what would make a good gift for Kelly. I got my journal and took it to Kinko's to have it xeroxed. Then, I made a new book of my India journal artwork and I added some new artwork, along with the xeroxed copies. The photos below are the original pieces I added to Kelly's book.

2010-05-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

I have been on a cigar box thing since February! I have had several boxes laying on the floor of my studio; they have been in a neat pile for the last 2 years! It was time to do something with them. I made Valentine's Day gifts out of 3 of them and this was my valentine to me! My Frida box has found a permanent home on my desk - inside of the box are little scraps of paper that mean something only to me. More importantly, the scraps and box are constant inspiration when I need a jump start on an idea.

2010-05-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

This past week, my dear friend and fellow artist, Kelly Kilmer, was a 'Guest Curator' for Crescendoh. One of my posts got a HUGE plug and helped give my blog a much needed jolt. Check out Kelly's picks here: http://blog.crescendoh.com/crescendoh/index.html. Thanks Kel!

2010-05-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

It seems like forever since I have blogged! Here is my latest completed piece. During my Easter break, I worked on this piece, which was actually a gift I painted for a former colleague of mine. This school year was an especially hard one for me. Although I got both flu vaccinations, the influenza shot in early October, and the swine flu shot in December, I spent all of February and half of March sick with the flu. I got a little breather, but got sick again in April. So, the little time I felt up to making art was done in that week of spring break. During spring break, I was given the best news possible: I got the principal position for the Social Justice Leadership Academy! I have waited patiently for this school to open for the last few years. I applied for the job in May 2009, was told I got the job, then, everything was put on hold. To say I am excited is an understatement! I am going home, back to East Los Angeles, and my new school will consist of many, many familiar faces: Garfield friends and colleagues and maybe a few surprises! Let me come back to this piece... in June 2007, I was told I would be moved to a new school at the end of the year, "to give me another school experience before I would become a principal." I was given the news almost two weeks before the school year ended. The day I got that news was one of the most painful experiences of my life. That day, I was the acting principal and here I was being told I would be moved without any input from me or any thought as to how I would feel about this. For the next two weeks, I had a tremendous outpouring of love, respect, and good wishes bestowed on me. The faculty collected several hundred names on petitions and put pressure on our local district and Board of Education to not move me. The last attempt saw two dozen teachers go to the last Board meeting of the year. One of my oldest friends and colleagues, James Wicks, addressed the packed Board meeting and tried to persuade our former Superintendent not to move me from Garfield. In the end, I was moved not to the school I was originally told, Roosevelt High, but instead, to Wilson High. I was given the kind of send-off you would expect at a funeral. I got the best eulogy you could possibly get, and although the pain of being moved would last throughout my time @ Wilson, I got a golden opportunity by being moved to Wilson. However, that is for another day. I received many, many cards and emails throughout my first year away from Garfield; sometimes, it felt like I was receiving these on a daily basis during that first year. But the most touching one I received was a poem that my fellow colleague and B track teacher, Ann Braeff, gave me. It was an acrostic poem that used all of the letters of my first and last names and it addressed me and the topic of change. When I received this gift, I told Ann I would make a copy of the poem and somehow, I would use it for an art piece for her. It took me almost three years to get that piece completed! When I started to work on this in late March, most of the piece was done very quickly. By working on it, the piece reflected how all of a sudden, I felt: a new beginning, full of hope for what lies ahead with this new school, and coming full circle. I embedded in the background of this piece, Ann's poem. Although it is very subtle where Ann's words are in the painting, the focal image echoes those words very loudly. Lastly, there was no way I could have created this piece back in 2007 - I had to live these last three years exactly in the manner I have to get to this point in my life: a new beginning.

2010-01-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

The top photo is from a piece I did in Lynne Perrella's "Frida's Trunk: Lost and Found" class, back in fall 2007. Lynne has always been 1 of my favorite artists. And although I have only taken 2 of her classes, I must have made a positive impression on her because I receive cards and notes from her several times a year. Awhile back, actually 7 years ago this February, I had several hundred rubber stamps that I had collected, compiled, stashed, or were gifted to me over the course of many years. We had a fire that destroyed our entire home and all of our possessions. Miraculously, my large Acey Deucy collection wasn't touched by the fire. After that fire, it was the beginning of us down-sizing our lives. Today, I only have about a dozen of my Acey Deucy stamps - the ones I reach for, time and time again; stamps that I have had for many years. Lynne's work is such an inspiration to me. So, during my recent Christmas break, I made Lynne this travel journal and field kit for her upcoming Frida workshop.

Here is the cover of the field kit. I LOVE the strong, vibrant colors and how they compliment the focal image so well!

Here are the covers of the travel kit, minus the silk ribbon tied around it and the cover of the journal that fits inside the travel kit.

More images of the field kit, exterior, front cover, alongside its interior and the journal that tucks inside the kit.

Another view of the interior of the field kit.

Lastly, a view of the entire exterior field kit. The field kit and journal are both made of canvas - lots of layers of paint went into this project and it was finished off with a simple stitch, all along the entire field kit. The stitching was made with waxed linen thread.

2010-01-19T20:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of some of the artwork I created while I was on vacation. I created this travel journal and field kit for Seth Apter, whose blog is called "The Altered Page", http://www.thealteredpage.blogspot.com/. Seth has been 1 of my biggest supporters for awhile now and during the time I was working on my own India journal, I received many compliments on my pages. So of course, it was only fitting that I make Seth an India journal of his own.

One of the things I have learned from reading Seth's blog for the last year is that he is a BIG fan of the color blue. So, in putting together his journal, I tried to incorporate the blue he likes plus the vibrant colors of my own journal that Seth really liked.

Here is a shot of the interiors of the field kit. The hand on the left was made with a rubber stamp. I then painted and added my own touches to make it "gel" with the India theme and the recurring of the hands throughout the journal and field kit covers.

2010-01-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Happy 75th birthday, to Elvis, the "King"! This is a video from my favorite Elvis movie, "Viva Las Vegas". Although the movie might be a little dated, Elvis and Ann Margaret sizzle. . . if there is any doubt why he is still called the "King", just check out this video clip or the movie!

2010-01-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

Besides watching movies and music videos, and let's throw in there eating bon-bons (well, actually more like having a cup of hot tea and a couple of oatmeal cookies), I have been cranking out new art like crazy during these last 2 weeks. There are several BIG projects I have completed, but since the recipients have not received them as of yet, and they all read my blog, I will have to refrain from posting any pictures as of yet. However, these pages are the most current in the new journal I am currently working in.

2010-01-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

My husband and I watched Fellini's "8 1/2" last night. What an incredible movie! Marcello Mastroianni is perfect as "Guido" ( I am dying to see how Daniel Day Lewis brings his "Guido" to life in "9")! Although I know some of "8 1/2" and have seen bits and pieces of it over the years, last night was the first time I saw the entire movie. At the beginning of my 3 week vacation, I posted on my blog that I wanted to see 3 movies. Those movies are "9", "A Single Man", and "Broken Embraces". Tomorrow begins week 3 of my break, so I need to stop talking about doing it and head to a theater first chance I get! I am running out of time! And on the subject of movies, my husband has challenged me to put together a list of 52 movies to watch this year. I know whatever I come up with, many of those film choices will include classics and foreign, which is my favorite genre. I hope the next movie the 2 of us sit and watch at home is Fellini's "La Dolce Vita". More on that later on...

2010-01-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

Although we have just started a new year, I am SO looking forward to February! Yes, in February is my birthday! Yes, in February is my husband's birthday! And yes, in February is our anniversary, on Valentine's Day! But I have been patiently waiting for this for the last few years... the new Sade cd. I found this "tease" about a month ago, on Sade's official website, which I have followed for years. When I first heard this back in early December, I told my husband, "This is what I want for my birthday!" What can I say?! I am such a cheap date! Is it February 8th yet?! Whether you are a Sade fan or not (she has been my favorite female artist since she burst on the scene 25 years ago), if you watch the video below, "Sweetest Taboo", you will see just what an amazing artist Sade is. She is the epitmome of class, beauty, and talent. Timeless. Perfect.

2010-01-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010! I will echo what many have said: Thank God 2009 is over! It has been an incredibly busy 2 weeks off. This is a shot of my beautiful niece, Francesca and me @ dinner last night. We had a wonderful New Year's Eve dinner with just the family.

Here is a shot of 1 of the gifts I wrapped. I believe that a gift's presentation should be just as special as the gift inside.

A shot of 1 of the 2 trees I put up this year @ home. Also, I have a small tree in my office @ school.

I bought this pink (yes, pink!) tree right before Thanksgiving. I have always wanted a non-traditional tree to go alongside the more traditional tree that I decorate each year. I wanted this little guy to reflect my culture. That being said, I decorated it with ornaments from various countries from Latin America. I have so many ornaments and each year, I buy 1 for the bigger tree. It seems each of the ornaments I have acquired over the last 30 years has a very special story.

Here are the 2 trees on display together. The smaller, pink tree is on top of a table, in the living room. This year, I decided to put the larger tree in the dining room. This was a great idea since it gave us lots of room to move around!

What makes the holidays SO much fun? The opportunity to spend time with our family and friends. Here are 2 of my good friends, Nicolette and Claudia, with me. My husband and I attended Nicki's "karaoke" party and had a blast. The highlight of the night: Claudia and Alejandro performing Michael Jackson's "PYT". They did a GREAT job!

Speaking of wonderful friends, here is a shot of my friend, Donna and me @ the Huntington Museum, having tea. Although it was less than a week before Christmas, Donna and I managed to have the Huntington tearoom pretty much to ourselves. In fact, the young ladies who were waiting on us were SO comfortable with just us in the room, that they were able to carry on a very personal conversation regarding men and something about "size mattering" ... oh, my! What a fresh breath of air blew into the SUPER proper Huntington that afternoon!

And somewhere in all this craziness and fun that the holidays bring, I have started on a new book. Here are the 1st few pages of this new visual journal.

Lastly, on the page on the left, I used a stencil that I confiscated from a student who had a backpack-full of graffiti supplies ready to use @ school (oh no!). The student was cited by our officers and his stash was scooped up by them. However, I told the student I wanted to keep 1 of his stencils and would use it later for my own artwork. He gave me this 1 which I have added my own touches too. Speaking of work, I am off 1 more week and looking forward to making more art, which is something I have been doing almost every day. Once again, happy new year! May 2010 be a wonderful and magical year for you - go out and make some art!

2009-12-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

These are the last pages of my book. I started a new book during the week and have completed my first 2 pages. I am officially on vacation! I don't go back to work until January 11! Absolutely fucking fantastic! And I hope to make some new art during that time. In fact, I have a very short list of things I want to accomplish during my time off.

My list consists of the following:

1) rest

2) enjoy my husband

3) spend some time with my family and friends

4) go to the movies - 3 movies I really, really want to see

5) go to the museums

6) work on my garden

7) pick a yoga studio

If I can accomplish half of my list, I will feel that my time was well-spent! Happy Saturday, everyone!

2009-12-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

Here are 2 more pages from my book. Actually, I just finished this book yesterday; there are still a couple more pages I need to photograph and add to my photos before I post them. I started my new book (FINALLY!) tonight! I have the 1st 2 pages completed in the new book. It is hard to believe that I worked on my last book for about 6 months. I think part of what took so long was that I tried to work with a specific theme instead of just letting the artwork go in its own direction. But since I am 5 days away from my 3 week Christmas vacation, I have vowed that I am going to spend a lot more time on making art than I have these past few months.

2009-12-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

My latest artwork. Kelly gave me several black and white copies of hand and palm prints awhile ago. I drew this hand based on 1 of those prints. And I added my letters, which are thick, to the palm. I painted the hand in my favorite base color: buttermilk. The leaf is a leaf that I brought back from our trip to Sonoma. We were up in Sonoma mid-August. I had this leaf tucked away in my studio, waiting for it to be called upon.

Baby, it's cold outside! We Southern Californians are SO spoiled when it comes to our weather! We are SO accustomed to having warm, sunny, and gorgeous days! But we do not do well when our days are cold! Today, the high was in the low 50's and it was rainy. You would have thought we had a blizzard! However, I do long for warmer, longer days again! If it were up to me, every day would be 80 degrees!

I had a lot of fun playing with these pages. I incorporated paper and stickers Kelly gave me and an email that my dear friend, George sent me sometime ago. The email congratulates me on being promoted to principal. This was back in February 2009. Now as the year is coming to a close, SO many things have happened to me on a professional level since that day 10 months ago when I got this email. When I have needed a pick-me-up this past year, this email has done just that. And with 2010 just around the corner, I anticipate that there will be more changes in store for me...

2009-11-29T15:03:00.000-08:00

I had a terrific, long Thanksgiving weekend! Five days off flew by! By the same token, I got quite a lot accomplished! And I feel SUPER rested for this upcoming week. During these last few days, I put up 2 Christmas trees, cleaned the house, got all the laundry out of the way for this week, made a MAJOR dent in my Christmas shopping, spent quality time with family and friends, and still had some time to work on some new artwork! Here are some of my latest pages:

If you look closely at these pages, it looks like I have a "bald" space at the end of the right page. It actually was a new page because the previous page was just half the size of a regular page. In this book, I have altered the sizes of my pages to give them a little more contrast and make them more interesting to the eye too. After playing with the size, I made the next page look like it is part of these pages. You will see that effect when I post more artwork later in the week. I am 4 pages away from finishing this book, then it will be time to start another book. I already have my new book waiting for me... I am "itching" to start work in it since it is a different size than this book. Just like I like playing with the sizes of my pages, I like experimenting with the sizes of the books I work in. Different perspective and much more interesting than the status quo...

2009-11-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

I LOVE the saying, "When the caterpillar thought its life was over, the butterfly was born." Throughout our lives, we will be constantly metamorphosing into someone else. These pages are the beginning of the next chapter in my life.

Although the week was crazy and ridiculously fast-paced, it is important for me to slow down and make the time to work on my art. I am looking forward to having the long, holiday weekend next week, which will include, for me, an extra day, Wednesday (which is a day that has been owed to me for the last 2 months). I will get an extra helping of my family next weekend, along with pumpkin and cranberry pies, and I will squeeze in putting up our Christmas tree and attending the annual dinner that is part of our family's fund-raiser for my late niece, Katie's foundation: the Kathryn Elizabeth Millan Memorial Foundation, http://www.kemmf.org/.

2009-11-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

A few more pages in my book. I am "itching" to finish this book and start on a new one. It has been a very quiet weekend for me. I had a brutal week @ work and it has been great to turn off that week in many ways. I was SO exhausted, that last night, I was in bed before 9! Wow... Today has also been mostly quiet. I did some work for about a couple of hours, but I also snuck in a nice breakfast with my husband, got my hair trimmed, and ran a couple of errands. Nothing too straining - a nice, quiet weekend is exactly what I need to re-charge for Monday and another week.

2009-11-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

Last post of the day... it is hard to be married to a Rough Rider! I took this photo of my husband on the morning of the BIG game. This shot was taken in my studio, @ home. His polo shirt is a homage to his beloved (and my father's) alma mater, Roosevelt High School. Last Friday night, Garfield and Roosevelt played @ ELAC, their football game that is known as the "Classic". Needless-to-say, Roosevelt beat my beloved Garfield Bulldogs, 28 to 16, in the 75th Anniversary of the Classic. Worse than that, I had to hear the Rough Rider gloat all weekend, "Que paso, Garfield, que paso? Which I had to ask myself as well. Although I am a Montebello Oiler, boy, did that Garfield loss hit me hard. It was a bad week for us Bulldogs.

2009-11-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

I have been SO blessed my entire life to have SO many wonderful and caring friends; in some cases, friends who have been a part of my life for most of my years such as Kim, Art, and Maroun to more recent friends such as Donna, George, and Shanna, who have been such a BIG part of my life for the last few years. One of those wonderful and dear friends is David, pictured here with me. David is an Assistant Principal who works with me. He will be out for the next 6 weeks on medical leave. He recently learned he has cancer and is currently in the hospital recuperating from surgery. Please keep him in your prayers. You couldn't ask for a better friend. And what a truly special person he is to me and so many others.

2009-11-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

What an incredibly busy month November has turned out to be for me! I have been trying to work in a little art here and there so that I can stay sane! Creating art is a great way for me to keep some balance in my life. Here are some of my latest pages. . .

It is no secret that I have been having a love affair with San Francisco, going back to the days we lived there for almost a year, back in 1991-1992. Every opportunity I get, I am there. And if I can't get away, my mind daydreams enough of the time that I find myself walking down those familiar blocks, just like I did all those years ago. It is as I NEVER left the city!

These pages were made with some of the stash that my dear friend, Kelly Kilmer sent to me recently. Kelly gave me an amazing assortment of collage ephemera that has had my creative juices going for the last week! Once again, Kelly, thank you SO much! And just like San Francisco is 1 of my BIG loves, so are skeletons and el dia de los muertos, which is celebrated in Mexico on November 2. Speaking of collage ephemera, I still have 3 collage packs for sale. For more information, refer to my October 17th post and comments posted regarding the collage packs I am selling.

2009-10-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 more pages I worked on this past Saturday in the current book I have been working in for the last couple of months. As reported last night, you could hear the U2 concert from our house. I watched the concert live on YouTube and by the time the Arroyo cleared out all those cars, it was close to 2 a.m.! I got about 4 hours of sleep and am pretty beat. It looks like I am going to get to bed early tonight! Watching the concert and being able to hear all of it from our front yard, felt (almost!) like I was there @ the Rose Bowl.

2009-10-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

I may be fucking sick, but I am loving life right now! U2 is performing live @ the Rose Bowl and we can hear the entire concert from our house! YES! If I had not been sick, I would be in that crowd! It is NO secret that U2 is my favorite band. Still amazing after all these years. Well, tonight, the Arroyo is hearing something besides Mother Nature and those coyotes we hear every night!

2009-10-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

I have been sick since Sunday afternoon! I have the flu. Thank God I got a flu shot a couple of weeks ago. I get a shot each year. This bug hit me hard, but I think it would have been much worse without the shot. I have been home all week! I am experiencing MAJOR cabin fever and am glad to be back @ work tomorrow. Being sick has really made me slow down - not to a complete stop, though! Since I haven't had too much energy to do too much of anything, I have been working on some new art.

These pages I started last week. I drew the hand and skull (calavera) last Thursday, but I finally made some time (what else is there but time when you are sick?!) to paint these pages last night.

Since I was on a roll last night, I cranked out these pages too. I had just the images glued down last week. But last night, I was able to finish 6 pages in the book I am currently working on. Maybe that is what the doctor ordered...

2009-10-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Back in early September, I had an art day @ my home. I invited a few of my girlfriends and we spent the day making art. I taught the group how to make their own Soul Cards deck. Besides making art, we had an elaborate lunch. Each of my 5 friends got a box that I put together specifically with them in mind. The boxes were stuffed with supplies for them to make their decks: a pair of scissors, collage images, paints, a box of Portfolio crayons, glue, rubber stamps, decorative papers, and a few surprises! I told my girlfriends everything would be supplied for them - and boy, were they surprised! The boxes were covered in upholstery fabrics. Some of these fabrics such as the ones on these boxes are in the collage packs that are for sale. I LOVE these fabrics because they have a real French feeling to them such as the red ticking above.

2009-10-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

A modge podge of items are in each bag.

A bag of ribbons - hand-painted silks, Midori, French, tapestry, lace, etc.

Another view of a ribbon bag.

I have been SO damn busy @ work! I am trying to finish up my last days @ my school so that I can move to the new office and job. There has been really absolutely NO time for any art. A few days ago, I received a request for a collage pack, so I have made up a few bags. And I do mean a few since they take a lot of time to put together! The collage packs (2 gallon ziploc bags) are loaded with decorative papers, a quart-size ziploc bag full of ribbons (several types of ribbons including silk and Midori), fabric pieces, several colored copy collage (including full page) pictures, stickers, labels, and little surprises. I have posted some photos of the contents of the packs. The price is $45.oo, which includes shipping. If you are interested, please email me @ millan0206@yahoo.com. Thanks.

2009-10-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

A couple of new pages in my latest journal. I doctored up this image I found in a magazine to make it into my own. Today was an incredibly exhausting day, but although I am pretty beat, art ideas are percolating in my head. I painted several pages in my journal with a buttermilk-off-whitish paint to create a base or background. When I have a moment, these pages will go from buttermilk to who-knows-what! That is the luxury of working in a book, a journal: spontaneity!

2009-09-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Omigod! 2 posts in the same day? In the same week? In the same month? Yes! I am getting ready for el dia de los muertos, celebrated in Mexico, on November 2nd. El dia de los muertos is 1 of my favorite days of the year. Besides working in my book and on my soul cards, I worked on this paper mache skull (calavera). I spent a lot of time decorating the calavera. Now, the only thing it still needs is a sealer. Once I seal the artwork, it will be off to a new home; 1 of my closest friends will be the recipient of this gift.

Speaking of el dia de los muertos, here are some places worthy of checking out because they offer classes and so much more regarding this important day:

1. The Folk Tree in Pasadena

2. Olvera Street in the downtown Los Angeles area

3. Self-Help Graphics in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles

Check my blog for links to all 3. There, you will find schedules of the events these 3 offer, as well as their hours of operation.

2009-09-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Boy, have I been swamped the last couple of weeks! We just finished week 3 of the new school year. I will soon be leaving Wilson again. I have been promoted to a Director's position and will be working @ our local district office. In my new role, I will be opening 5 new schools on 1 campus and re-structuring another school into small schools. Target date: September 2010. Since I am still @ my old job, I have been really doing 2 jobs @ the same time. Although challenging and never boring, to do both places justice, I need to move on to the new job. But I also still need to make time for art-making. As Jack Nicholson famously said in The Shining, "All work makes Jack a dull boy." Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of the day creating new art. I worked on my soul cards and added 2 more to my deck.

And I worked on 2 new pages in my book. I like the way these 2 pages flowed together and as an afterthought, I added the soul card to the center of these pages. This is the 1st work I have created in over 2 weeks. And my blog can attest to that...

2009-09-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of new pages from the current book I have been working in for most of the summer. Today was the first "official" day of the new school year. It was absolutely exhausting... I am looking forward to the weekend because I will be teaching the "Soul Cards" class this Saturday. Besides teaching the class, I will be working side-by-side with my students, and continuing to expand on my soul cards deck.

2009-09-07T23:34:00.000-07:00

The end of summer... wow, where did the time go? Here are some more shots of our recent trip to Sonoma. The 1st shot, my husband and I took in the lobby of the hotel we stayed @. On our last night, we hung out in the lobby after dinner, for a couple of hours. The 2 of us spent time near the fire, reading and enjoying each other's company. We feel very blessed to have such a wonderful life
together-30 years this February.

A shot of the garden, directly across the street from "The French Laundry". I wonder if Thomas Keller ever uses anything in this garden for the meals he prepares...

The Yountville landscape - breath-taking.

On our last day in Sonoma, we stopped @ the Oakville Market, in Yountville. We bought sandwiches, chips, olives, drinks, and sweets for an impromptu picnic. I took these photos while we were inside the market, trying to decide on what to eat. Look at these olives inviting you to dig in with that spoon.

Every type of cheese you could imagine.

More cheeses, local products and beautiful packaging.

One last shot of the cheese bar. Tonight, as a swan song to summer, we enjoyed a barbeque, just the 2 of us, and hung out in our backyard. Lately, I have been spending a lot of time in my garden and it is really starting to take off! Everything seems to be blooming! It is hard to imagine that we have been in this place for a year. Hard to imagine that it will soon be the 1 year anniversary of Mom's passing. Hard to imagine that tomorrow I start year 25 with LAUSD. Where has all that time gone? Wasn't it just yesterday that I couldn't sleep all night, anticipating my 1st day as an English teacher?! Well, as crazy as this may sound, I still have the same excitement and restless night before the new school starts. When I no longer feel that way, it is time to do something else.

2009-09-01T23:45:00.000-07:00

Some new art (finally!). Tonight, I completed my dozen soul cards that are my sample set for a class I will teaching next weekend.

These 4 cards are the last of the sample cards I made for my upcoming class. I started working on these when we were up in Sonoma almost 2 weeks ago. It is really hard for me to carve out some time to work on my various art projects, but these soul cards are like working on ATC's because of their size and they are so portable, that you can really work on them just about anywhere. I still have some more pictures I want to post regarding our Sonoma trip, but they will have to wait for my next post.

2009-08-28T23:48:00.000-07:00

When you get a chance, please take a look at the "One Laptop Per Child" program. You can find the link in the section of my blog titled "Get Involved In Our World". September 8 is "International Literacy Day". This is an amazing way to help all children become more literate.

2009-08-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

More photos from our recent trip to Sonoma. I took all of these shots @ 1 of the wineries we visited, Chateau St. Jean, in Kenwood. The first time we visited this winery was 5 years ago. It was mid-September and I caught a bad summer cold while we were up in Napa; specifically, the first day there. Although on that trip I took numerous photos of Chateau St. Jean, being sick with a bad cold and fever made it really impossible for me to fully appreciate the beauty of this winery and the Napa and Sonoma valleys' gorgeous landscapes. This was not the case last week... what a glorious winery!

2009-08-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

More photos from our recent trip to Sonoma. The photo above was taken @ Rutherford Hill Winery, in Rutherford. I took this shot from the picnic area, which gave me a nice view of the Napa Valley from where I stood.

Another shot of grapes. Look at those gorgeous variations of purple-blue on the grapes. Beautiful.

Although it is almost September, the colors of the leaves are gently changing colors. In less than a few weeks, the leaves will be putting on a spectacular show.

My husband took this shot of me in front of "The French Laundry", in Yountville. For those who do not know this the only way you can get a reservation at this restaurant is by booking 2 months in advance! "The French Laundry" offers 2 menus to choose from. I learned of this restaurant several years ago, when my husband was attending culinary school. We have talked about actually eating here 1 day, but as a vegetarian, I have concluded that there would be very little I would eat on the menu! The French style of cooking excludes people like me from their foods! Anyway, for more information about "The French Laundry", go to this link:
http://www.frenchlaundry.com/.

More my style is "The French Laundry's" sister restaurant, "Bouchon". Besides "Bouchon", there is "Bouchon Bakery". Not this visit, but on our last to Napa, we ate @ "Bouchon". This time, I wanted to concentrate on their bakery. We hit the bakery twice while we were up there this past week. I got something deliciously decadent called "TKO"; the "TKO" consists of 2 chocolate cookies filled with a light creme. I picked something that was the least sinful out of a boat-load of pastries and cookies that would make you gain a pound or 2 just from looking @ them!

The next 2 shots are from "Bistro Jeanty", another French-styled restaurant, in Yountville. I have never been to France, but the bistro's curtains, flowering window boxes, and bicycle outside of the restaurant really caught my attention.

It is 1 of my dreams to visit France before I die. When we walked by "Bistro Jeanty", I felt like I had been transformed to the south of France. More Sonoma and Napa photos to come in my next post.

2009-08-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Sonoma. We were in Wine Country for 5 days; my vacation before heading back to work on Monday. I took many pictures and will spread them out over the next few posts. Although I took my art supplies with us, I did minimal, and I do mean minimal, artwork. I painted a few pages in my journal to work on at a later date.

When you are in Sonoma and/or Napa Valley, nature puts on such a show of its own that any artist, no matter how talented, just cannot compete with! Well, this artist has known that for the last 20+ years...

Anyway, here are some of my humble photos - starting with the grapes. Everything seems to start with the grapevines.

Our 1st destination was San Francisco. Here is a shot of the Palace of Fine Arts. I took many shots of the Palace. It is 1 of those places that no matter how many times I have been there, I fall in love with it each time, as though it was the 1st time. I discover something new about it everytime. And that is why I am posting 2 photos of it.

A shot of some homes in the marina, near the Palace of Fine Arts. When we lived in San Francisco, I spent a lot of my time in this neighborhood, specifically, on Union Street. There is a paper store I have been frequently for 20 years, called "Kozo", http://www.kozoarts.com/category.sc?categoryId=6.

Back when we lived in San Francisco, there was a 2nd "Kozo" store; it was in the Castro. Being the paper whore I am, even back then, I could spend hours in the store, touching all the store's exquisite Japanese papers. Because we only spent the day in San Francisco, I really limited my time and running around to just a few places. Of course, I hit "FLAX" - I spent about an hour-and-a-half and about $60.00 (including my teacher discount). My husband (who has the patience of a saint and puts up with me and my paper obsession/fetish) patiently waited in the car, with his laptop. I have been hitting "FLAX" for the last 10+ years. I am SUPER sorry that they have discontinued their online shopping - it was a fast way for me to get my "fix" until I could make it back up to the city.

Speaking of my gorgeous husband... because of my time @ "FLAX", I treated him to a late lunch @ 1 of his (and my favorite) favorite Mexican restaurants on the planet, "Pancho Villa's", in the Mission district. Every time we head to San Francisco, no trip is complete without a couple (at least) of trips to Pancho Villa's. La Mission is a potpourri of smells and sounds. Its neighborhoods are vibrant and the smells from the various restaurants, bakeries, and taquerias are quite something to behold. After Pancho Villa's, we headed to "Tartine", a renowned bakery in the Mission. We bought 2 pastries to go, and then, headed back out into the city. The pastries were dessert later that evening.

A panoramic shot from a neighborhood in Pacific Heights.

Another shot of the Palace of Fine Arts.

2009-08-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

My first 8 soul cards. The plan is to have a sample deck of 12 for the class I will be teaching in early September.

The bottom shot is of my latest work. I have been trying to carve out some time, here and there, to create a sample set of soul cards. These are my #5-8 cards. There are only 2 more days left of summer school. I have really enjoyed my 6 weeks. Being principal has been very rewarding and has given me an opportunity to connect with students in a way that hasn't happened since I left the classroom. My husband and I are headed this weekend, for Northern California, for a much-needed and deserved vacation. We will be up there for a week. I plan to take a small supply of paints, markers, and collage items to complete my last 4 cards. I always carry my camera with me - it is a BIG part of what walks out the door with me every day. I plan on taking lots of photos since we are going to be hitting Monterey, San Francisco, Napa, and Sonoma during our trip.

2009-08-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

As you know, I am a teacher and administrator in Los Angeles Unified School District. I have ALWAYS considered myself a teacher first since I spent 20 years in the classroom. During those years, I taught English. I have just started my 6th year as an administrator. As an educator, I feel very strongly that we must do all we can to promote the arts in schools. Exposure to the arts is vital in the development of all of our children. My dear friend, Mylene shared these photos of a project her daughters created together. The girls chronicled their recent visit to the museum by creating this beautiful piece above. What a terrific way of exposing children to the arts, creating life-long memories, and having all of the children collaborate in the creation of an art piece. Some of the benefits of promoting the arts to our students are 1) improving their critical-thinking skills, 2) teaching kids how to collaborate, 3) "pumping" kids' imagination, and 4) boosting students' self-esteem. Sounds like a winner to me, just like the girls' masterpiece!

The artists - Jocelyn, Madeline, Julianna, and Monica - well-done, ladies and a shout-out to your terrific mom!

2009-08-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Another travel journal and field kit that I created. I made this 1 for my friend, George's birthday gift. This is a shot of the front of the field kit.

This shot is of the field kit and journal. When I make books as gifts, I try hard to tailor them to the recipient's taste and/or interests. Since I know that George loves to travel, the field kit reflects traveling and the journey. Another thing about George: he loves "spooky" things and Halloween, so for the journal cover, I used a "Peet's" gift card as inspiration and then, I drew my own version of "spooky creatures"!

This is a shot of the interior part of the field kit.

This last shot is the of the exterior cover that makes up the field kit. Needless-to-say, when George opened his gift, he LOVED it! Today is turning into a lazy kind of Sunday, which is alright with me! I have been on the go all week and so, a little slowing down will be good for my soul. We ended week 4 of summer school without any glitches. The middle school students are now officially finished with their program. Only 2 more weeks left of school, then I am going to get a very small break. Besides summer school, I am still working on my sample deck of soul cards. I finished 2 more cards and will be working on the remainder of the deck this week. Once I complete my 12 sample cards, I will post them on my blog.

2009-07-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

I am taking a little breather from working in a book or making books. These little guys are called my "soul cards". However, this is the 2009 version of them! I have made many of these little guys over the years and have taught my students how to make a deck that is truly their own. Of all of the classes I have taken that my dear friend, Kelly Kilmer, has taught, this has been my favorite. The plan is for me to make a deck of 12, a sample deck. Next month, I am planning to have a few girlfriends over for art-making and lunch. They have been "itching" for me to teach a class. The soul cards will work since they are pretty fast to make. Tomorrow is beckoning ... week 4 of summer school and the last week the middle school kids will be attending Wilson High. I must say I have really LOVED having the little guys on campus. It has been SO long since I taught junior high! All said, those years I taught junior high were the best of my career.

2009-07-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

One of my colleagues sent me this video. It is a video that was made for Amnesty International. I have been a member of Amnesty International for the last 25 years. I believe SO strongly in human rights for all; it is disturbing that SO many of us take our rights for granted. Amnesty International is such an important part of my life. In fact, you can find a link to this organization on my blog. Please take a minute to watch this video. It is very powerful in its simplicity, content, and message. In this time of cover-up's, finger-pointing, and the "blame game" that seems to dominant the news and political scene in Washington, this video is a potent reminder to all: torture is NEVER acceptable.

2009-07-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

Some more pages from my latest book. I had a very lazy Saturday yesterday. I spent most of the day working in my book - I "popped" out 6 pages. "Ms. Busy Bee" has been quite busy this past week. Week 2 of summer school has gone by without any problems. I am hoping that these next 4 weeks will be just as quiet. Being around middle school students again, after a 15 year absence, has been quite interesting! Their influence seems to be coming through in the artwork I am currently creating! I am having a ball working with middle and high school students on the same campus and I am enjoying the graphics, cartoons, anime, and illustrations I am using for my new book.

2009-07-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new pages I finished this week. We got through the 1st week of summer school without a glitch! And just as importantly, we had a great opening. This is the 1st time in my 24-year career that middle and high school students are taking classes on the same campus and it seems to be working. The students are very respectful of sharing the space with each other. Being principal is great and although it has been an exhausting week for me, it has been a lot of fun too. I want to maintain that same attitude for the entire summer. And hopefully, on another note, I will get a chance to work quickly through this book like I did the last 1.

2009-07-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

Some more pages from the new book I am currently working in. Yesterday was the 1st day of summer school. So far, we have had a very smooth opening. I want to go the next 5 weeks feeling that everything has gone as well as possible! I have been trying to work on artwork several days a week. However, now that school is back in session, I am quickly feeling the pressure of the job of being principal - @ the end of the day, I am pretty much spent! Thank God for art!

2009-07-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

A shot of the new journal I am currently working in. The top photo is a shot of the cover. Kelly gave me this journal a few years ago. I have been waiting to do something special with it. You can check out Kelly's blog and her "A Prompt a Day" right here: http://www.kellykilmer.blogspot.com/. Talk about inspiration! Kelly's art is fantastic!

These are the first 5 pages from my latest book. I get the feeling that this journal will have a theme to it just like my India book.

I think I am going to do something along the lines of a graphic novel - maybe anime. I am hoping to take an art class this summer, @ Pasadena City College (PCC), called "Creating Graphic Novels or Comics". Maybe this new book will be a start of something bigger and different with my art ...

I'm off to the Huntington Museum right now! Have a great Fourth of July weekend! Let us not ever forget why we celebrate this most important day.

2009-07-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

I have been off for the last 3 days - it's sort of a mini-vacation for me. It will be the only vacation I get until Christmas break. I will be running the summer school program for 6 weeks. Anyway, today, Mike and I spent the day in San Juan Capistrano. We drove to San Juan Capistrano after starting our day @ my favorite breakfast place, Julienne's, in San Marino. I spent over 2 hours @ the mission. I snapped up so many photos, that my camera flashed "card full"! I haven't been to the mission in 5 years - the last time I was @ the mission, I went with my last graduating class and several teacher friends (in fact, some of my oldest and closest friends). We took the train to the mission. We celebrated another graduating class and my promotion to Assistant Principal. Yesterday, I started my 6th year as an administrator. Hard to believe how the time has flown.

2009-06-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Like so many others, I grew up listening to and loving Michael Jackson's music; first, with his brothers, when they were known as "The Jackson Five", and later, when Michael went solo. Michael is 1 year older than me. I remember being a 10-year-old and buying songs such as "A,B,C" and "I'll Be There" at the local music store. For the last few days, as I have watched his videos on television and on the internet, it feels like my whole life has flashed by. Each video brings back my own memories that are associated with his songs and those time periods. I was trying to find a video that would do justice to his legacy. I think this 1 works. Rest in peace, Michael Jackson. What an amazing and unforgettable talent.

2009-06-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

The last of my India journal. I have especially enjoyed working in this book. It has been an incredibly stressful time in my life, both on a personal and professional level. Maybe that is why I have been working very quickly through this book. Art always seems to "save" my sanity. Sadly, now that this book is completed, it is time to move on to a new one.

2009-06-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Speaking of red, the other day, I wore these red shoes to work. I had on a beige and black dress and rather than put on a pair of black shoes, I decided to take these little guys out of the closet and wear them with the dress and black jacket I topped the dress with. Well, everywhere I walked on campus that day, I got a comment about my shoes! It was like everyone was making love to my shoes! Young, old, male, female, girls, and boys, everyone looked at my shoes. My feet are very important to me and I really, really pamper them as much as I can. And because my feet are SO spoiled, I am extremely mindful of what I will put on them. I may not be your typical woman - I am not a shoe whore (!); I have about a dozen and a half shoes to my collection. I am willing to pay a fortune for my shoes, but I know that even if I spend ridiculous amounts on my shoes, they will last me just about forever. I have no problem taking a pair of shoes and having them repaired to death! And the other thing that is really important to me, I do not like dirty shoes. I like mine to be shiny and clean - must be all those years of Catholic school rubbing off on me.

2009-06-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

The 1st picture is of Rangoli paints. My friend, Meera gave me a box of these gorgeous paints from India. Look at the pigment in these beauties! They can be used wet or dry.

Some new pages from my India journal. The pages above kind of just went together. I didn't really have to think about what I wanted to do - once I glued the images down, the rest was easy.

However, with these 2 pages above, it was a little harder getting the images and backgrounds just right. On Thursday, Meera came by my office and gave me a wonderful gift: the Rangoli paints. I opened up the box and took out 2 of the vials and started playing with them on these 2 pages. 1 of the paints I used dry, but the other, I used a little water to spread the color around the 2 pages. I gave Meera a little art demonstration since she said she didn't know how to use the paints. Today, I went back to these 2 pages and used these terrific little colored pencils that I bought, Stabilo 3 in 1 woodies. They really feel like crayons and not pencils. I bought only a handful because I tend to use the same colors and I know that if I want to have other colors, I can just mix and blend what I already have. Anyway, these little pencils do quite a bit. They are a lot of fun to work with.

The last of my pages for today. I incorporated several pieces of decorative paper, then painted this red sunflower right over the paper. Lately, I have been using lots of red, orange, and yellow in my art. I don't know if it is this journal that is influencing my color scheme or if it is my Latin roots taking over! Lol...

2009-06-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Some more pages from the current book I am working in. We are 2 days away from the school year ending. Tomorrow night is graduation. My year will actually end June 30th, then I should have a short break, about 2 weeks before I go back to school. I will be sharing the summer school principal position @ my school. For the last 3 weeks of the summer session, I will be principal. I am hoping to get some more artwork in during my short break. I am itching to finish this book and start a new 1. And more importantly, I am hoping to "twist" my husband's arm to take a trip up to San Francisco.

2009-06-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Final post for today. I absolutely LOVE peonies! They are my favorite flower in the universe! I SO look forward to May and June because that is when they are in season. Their season is such a short one! Nonetheless, I take advantage that they are in bloom; I have several vases full of peonies around our home. The colors vary from a pale pink, almost a blush color, to fuchsia, to a dark, blood burgundy.

2009-06-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

Some new work in my "India" book. I have tried to make a concerted effort to work on some new artwork a couple of times a week. There has not been much time to do much of anything. There are 5 days left of school and then, a long awaited break! I will be off 2, maybe 3 weeks before I go back to school. Besides working in my book, I got out and worked in my garden today. The sweet peas I planted a few weeks back, are now starting to sprout. Maybe by late summer, they will bloom.

2009-06-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

4 more pages from the latest book I have been working in. The pages above are composed from nothing other than scraps of paper and a little paint. I cut the lotus from a larger piece of paper that is from Paper Source's new "India" line. I LOVE the new line!

I am just getting around to starting my day. I have had a MAJOR headache for the last 4 days and it doesn't seem to have run its course yet. So, I plan to have a very quiet weekend - maybe 1 that includes working on my book and some new art.

2009-05-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

A few more pages from my latest journal. So far, I have completed the first 11 pages of my book. The 2-page spread with the blue butterfly, took me a couple of hours to complete. I painted the butterfly and added a lot of detail to it. The photo doesn't really do it justice. On the other side of that page, I added several layers, including a sketch of a skeletal view of a spine and lower back, that I drew. Then, I added packing tape and stamped the girl into it for a more interesting page.

2009-05-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Where the fuck have I been?! I have no idea why I haven't posted. Maybe it's because I have been incredibly busy for the last 6 weeks. But, I have been on a mini-vacation for the last 5 days, so now I have no excuse! Although I report back to work tomorrow, I have gotten a lot of rest and had had time to make a lot of art. I have been in love with India and its colors for quite awhile. So, after making a travel journal and field kit for my colleague and friend, Samira, I decided that the next book I made would be for me. Here are some shots of my new book and a peek at some of my journal pages inside. Speaking of India, yesterday I got a chance to buy a few pieces from the Paper Source's new India collection. Since the Paper Source is only a few blocks away from my home, I make it a point of going in there a couple of times a month. A cheap, decadent habit! Yesterday, I got out of there with minimal damage - under $15.00 worth of paper goods! The papers are gorgeous.