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As you've probably noticed, I've added some pages up top; on the first you'll find choice nuggets from my past and present art journals and on the second a smattering of hand pulled prints. Go check 'em out if you haven't already! Let me know what you think!

Nature shrines.

I finished some new autumn light boxes at the tea shop. They're inspired by more of my childhood collecting; I loved to gather and stash rocks, twigs, shells, feathers, nuts, seed pods and anything else that caught my eye. (My bedroom and school desk were subject to occasional raids by my parents and teachers clearing out moldy, decaying refuse.) I found myself revisiting this old nature fetish and looked for a project to apply it to, the light boxes turned out to be a perfect fit!

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And yes, those are wood veneers that I ran through the sewing machine!

Gournal share!

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I created this while waiting in the Tokyo airport for my connecting flight to Shanghai last summer. Next to it I wrote "Our unconscious minds recognize each other and draw us together." I believe my friend Renee told me that. Japanese newspaper & packaging + watercolors + glitter glue.

Another print!

These words are a simple expression of the unity of our universe; found in the Chuang Tzu, the full passage reads "Heaven and earth are one attribute; the ten thousand things are one horse." The Chuang Tzu is a book of Chinese Taoist philosophy and was gifted to me by the aforementioned Elliot Knapp. Thanks, buddy! The first time I encountered Taoist philosophy was in reading the well known Tao Te Ching. The Tao or The Way of Nature, resonated with me as a deep and eternal truth that I had always known, but perhaps lost sight of for a time. Both the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu encourage us to simply let all things in the universe be as they are; to flow and find harmony as everything in Nature is allowed to be as it truly is.

Oh, and this print is for sale in my Etsy shop. :)

Mr. Elliot Knapp

For nearly the past year, my dear friend Elliot Knapp has been working his ass off writing and recording his first album. I'm proud to say he's finally finished and the music is as great as the man himself! Come celebrate his victory at The Noble Fir on Old Ballard Ave this Sunday at 8pm. (The Noble Fir is a rad new bar with a vast selection of finely crafted brews and an awesome little library of hiking literature.) Elliot will be playing a short set and after we'll all hear the full album over a few beers. Check out Elliot's facebook page and take a little listen, then come out to The Noble Fir on Sunday! Bring friends!!

Gournal share!

Alright, here's another journal entry for all to see! Actually since I'm making this a regular and recurring post on my blog it better have a special name, right? Henceforth, this feature shall be known as... the "gournal share." Yes, gournal. If you've seen the movie Wet Hot American Summer you'll get this reference to Paul Rudd's charming mispronunciation. If not, you need to see it like, now!
Anyhoo, onto the share:

I opened up my old journal today looking for an image to post and found this little collage, the very first art entry. I used to find this image sort of abject and morbid but today it struck me very clearly as a resurrection. When I made this collage I was going through a time of general growth in my personal life, and growth I've come to realize, is always a little messy. There was a lot of upheaval and uncertainty; it had been a long time since I'd shown any new growth creatively and I was feeling lost, stuck and a little depressed. I was getting tense and frustrated, coming to the point where I couldn't stand those feelings anymore when one Saturday at work this just came busting out. It was spontaneous and almost uncontrollable. And it felt SO GOOD! I believe I stood cutting and pasting for an hour or so while my coworkers well... worked. (Sorry guys!) For almost a year after that day I couldn't be separated from my art journal, I took it everywhere and worked in it regularly. It brought me huge amounts of peace and was exactly what I needed at that time - a place to work through and express loads of complicated and confusing thoughts and feelings as I brought about drastic changes in my life and in my self. Working in this journal allowed me to grow elsewhere, creatively and otherwise. I started it without any knowledge or intention of where it would go but it's pulled me in a whole new creative direction, a trajectory that I'm so pleased to be on now!

Back from an informal creative vacay...

Ah, boy! Is summer the most distracting, or what?! I haven't been here in ages! My apologies. It's just that in Seattle one mustn't miss one ounce of vitamin D or warm air while it's available. Luckily I haven't been completely unproductive, I've been stewin' on a few things and doodlin' here and there.

When I posted about my retired art journal back in May I got loads of love from all of you (thank you!thank you! and right back atcha!) so much so that I've decided to post images from my art journal more regularly. :D The idea has been rolling around in my head for some months now, I suppose I just needed a little push. Lets start off with an item I finished this evening, shall we?

...found images + watercolor + colored pencil + pen...

I just got a new computer (wee!) and I'm with out any CS, so the crop is wonky and I can't adjust levels, and so forth. Again, my apologies. Funny how I hated it before but now I miss it ever so much. Someone help me find...please! Anyhoo, I'm hoping to post an art journal item about once a week in no particular order, I'll be reaching back into the retired journal as well as posting what's current. Stay tuned! Tootles!!