Risa Star Gazer

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed" -Albert Einstein-

Risa and I (not pictured) wondering at the cosmos;

"Why are we here, what else is out there?"

"How beautiful."

The Power of Words

Forever Home

Kitty Kat is a rescue that was abandoned when the owners moved. They took the dogs but left him behind. He waited a month under the shrubs at the house and a neighbor fed him and told me about him. I took him home (he was NOT happy the first week) That was 12 years ago, almost a year before I got Risa. Today he is the most loving sweetie. This is his forever home where he is treated with respect and love.

a week in the life of a glass artisan

Check this out! I want to do one too!

My Risa.

Acrylic textured painting.

Duke the Therapy Dog

Animals enrich our lives and dogs are such wonderful friends!

Sweet Risa Mosaics

I am reposting this favorite series because I am starting a couple of new pieces. I immersed myself in mosaic sites to get jazzed about doing a new more 3-D piece involving paper clay or foam. I also am starting a couple of portraits of my Best Girl Risa. She is having a few health issues that come with being 11. It's so hard to watch our companions age. So I am doing what I have been Meaning to do for years - her portraits. I have designed them several times already - well now I'm doing them.

Manifesto

Why don't we each write our own manifesto? According to Wikipedia, a manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions. It's as simple as a list of goals and guidelines to help you focus on your life's big picture destination.

Last week I attended a writing workshop at the Tucson Festival of Books and one of the speakers told us the importance of always having a destination in mind in everything we do. Every day we are moving forward, but where are we going, what are we looking forward to? It made so much sense to me. Life shouldn't be about getting through each day, it should be about living with adventure, capturing moments and memories as we make our way to the finish line, whatever that may be. A manifesto is a sort of a reminder to stay on your very own yellow brick road.

If you were to write your own manifesto, what statements would you include? (Psstt...if you aren't into all the work, then just buy the poster!)

**this is from the Diary of a Crafty Chica daily newsletter I get - Glass jars.

Backyard Friends!

Posting the front cover of a children's coloring book I did few yeas ago thru a grant with the Tucson Botanical Garden because I just signed and gave a copy to a very dear little friend who wants to write books someday.

It's a story about how to attract wildlife into the garden.

The book is bilingual with story by Rita Magdaleno, illustrations by me and my parents did the spanish translations, isn't that cool?!

x

Birds of a Feather Mosaic Together

Peel

Is this cool or What! This is a favorite artist who always inspires me.

TEDxPugetSound - Simon Sinek - 9/17/09

One More Thought For Today

A while back I said I would post a quote every day because I love literature and to keep me in the habit of posting! Well as you can see - I will try it again. So here is a quote I really liked:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech

Thinking Abstract

Here are some new pieces from my abstract Nebula series. They are fun to do and I am lucky enough to have a friend who makes the frames.

I'm doing them in color groups; jewel tones, desert colors etc. These babies are some of the jewel tones.

They range in size about 5 3/4" x 9 3/4" and come signed on the back and ready to hang.

Nature Vision Mosaics

I am reposting this in a larger format and because it is part of my abstract nature series and these were voted favorites by my fellow artists this weekend. The abstracts are a direction my work is going in lately and I am designing the tempered glass tiles with bits stained glass.