If you’re like most of us settling in for winter, you know how important filling your days with good activities is. For me a lot has to do with creativity.
Having just finished a new scarf “The Blues,” it seems a fitting time to share what I’ve learned about warding off the blues. Light and color are two incredibly important elements in a day that have the power to elevate one’s spirits. The photo today is actually one I took this morning- And how dreary looking it is outside! So, of course, I opted for fantasy to escape the drab colors.
Each of my scarves is made from elements grown in the garden. Lots of sweat and toil, yet filled with sun and color. For each scarf, I begin by choosing and isolating desirable elements (flowers) and then prepare them for construction.
I’ve thousands of images taken over the last five years, and I continue to shoot every growing season. Photoshop affords many more variations. One works in layers, which means that transparencies created within an image will impact the layer below- not unlike painting with acrylic washes, (old school). Layer order then impacts color and intensity. It’s a very, very cool process and I spend an inordinate amount of time lost in the world of color and light on the computer. As each scarf is 72” long, I often work in patches, which are then assembled for final art size. The resulting big picture composition often dictates change- which takes me back into the detail pieces again. These are very large files- 1GB plus.
You can see all our scarf designs here. And buy direct too!
This creative couple written about in the NYTimes caught my eye. They sound like they have a lot of fun in their process too. The sculpture they make speaks for itself. How Paparazzi Dogs and Rabbitgirl Conquered New York City Streets
Not everybody is a visual artist. Clothing is a place you can really enjoy playing with color that suits you or your mood. This was my favorite dress from the Golden Globes. Unique and fanciful. Fun. Lovely on Lucy Liu by Galia Lahav, an Israeli dress designer.
Cooking stew is a great use of leftovers.
This time of year is rich for cooking- another great pastime of mine. So much leftover food- how to clear the refrigerator responsibly? I’ve made three stews now with different bones from meals I served. Soon, the freezer will be full! There’s still time to collect some of your leftovers and create something new. Soups!
Don’t forget the food shelters this time of year. Leftover candy and cookies are headed to one of our local churches. And, no more snacking on sugar all day and night. Removing it works really well. Ya think?
Leave a Reply