The world is our canvas. How do we fill it? With our thoughts; our fantasies; our imagination.These words of Henry David Thoreau, who lived and wrote in the first half of the 19th century, caught my attention. I valued this quote enough to use it on my calligraphy bookmark. Loving books myself, I enjoy making something this practical with a bit of magic for the reader.
I like to experiment with handmade papers, seeing the natural borders that come with tearing, rather than cutting the edges. I almost let the paper dictate where I am going with these small canvases. That creates the background for the black Italic lettering on a white paper for emphasis.
Since it is handled, put in and out of a book, I encase it in a clear plastic covering. Sticky fingers cannot mar this wee marker of where we left off in our reading.
I saw this quote and said to myself :" I think I have been there before." This is worthy of creating a collage for one of my card series. A miniature five by seven , that can be reproduced in a fine quality, and therefore possible to sell affordably. It is part of my " ripped torn" series, where using handmade paper, I purposely leave the edges rough. I wanted bright colors to catch the eye, and red certainly jumps out.Then comes the white strips with the words in calligraphy.Finally, touches of gold watercolor to tie it all together.
I love doing calligraphy.Perhaps I thought by writing the letters in my finest Italic style, it would bring home the irony of the message to me,as well as fellow readers.
It is hard for me to wait. Yet here I have chosen a career where rushing the process, such as not letting the ink dry before going on, can be a disaster. Life, now that is a different field of play.
Patience is a goal of mine. Often, time brings a better solution than forcing an issue. But there is that tiny bit anxiety to know the outcome that stays with me. Being able to check something off as " finished" gives me comfort. Alas, when dealing with others, there are whole other peoples time frames that can really change an outcome. So wait we must. I still say patience is a goal for me, but this card always makes me smile.
I choose the words to use in my calligraphy from their impact on many facets of my being. This came to me on the front of a card and I cherished it, because it is so much what I think a real vacation embodies. This is worthy of putting in a permanent form.Cobalt blue letters, brushed onto the white porcelain clay plaque seemto make it real. Ready to hang on a wall, to inspire and smile.
I so rarely do nothing, unless I take myself away from my lovely studio here in Sedona.
I know. We all move here thinking it will be hikes in the red rocks , and drinks with friends in the cafe. Doesn't often work that way I notice. Creating and running a business means there is always some affair to handle. Always a new project to complete, or even the mundane, like cleaning the studio.But I can look at this summer calligraphy, which now hangs in a gallery in town, and dream about those lovely days of doing nothing. I think I have to rest now.
Here I am on the beach in San Francisco. I know, the sun never shines in that city, but it did last week when I was there. A heat wave. The sand was actually hot as I ran toward the cool Pacific. I brought all my warm clothes, but pulled those out earlier that week, while staying around Santa Barbara,where the cold winds were blowing.
The sun was shining while driving up Route One, along the Ocean. Past Esalen, where I loved to sit in the hot tubs overlooking the crashing waves at night. Stopping at the formerly quaint restaurant, Nepenthe. Very upscale now, not like when I used to have breakfast along with all the flower children in the van heading up to San Francisco to hear music, and hang out.
Things don't stay the same, but how glorious are my memories of California back in the sixties and seventies.
I am grateful for those days. I know somewhere seeds of creativity got lodged within me, to bloom later.
