Flattening the Curve, Day 40

Hello friends. Today is the fortieth day of my mandatory leave from my government job due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Like so many of you, our family has been quarantined under a stay at home order and I've been documenting my thoughts, feelings and experiences here on the blog since the first day I was mandated to stay home.

Do you have a loved one living at a care-giving center? I do. My elderly mom lives in a skilled nursing home in my neighborhood. I have not been able to visit her since March 11th when they stopped allowing visitors due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Today I went there to deliver a bouquet of flowers and a card to my mom. These gifts are allowed however I had to ring a bell at the entrance and a staff member came and accepted the items for my mom. Of course I wore the mask I made and safety gloves. 

I was going to say hello to mom through the window in her room but she was in the dining room having her lunch and the windows there are too high off the ground for me to see her. So I will try that again soon. But I was able to refill the bird feeders Jim and I had placed outside of mom's window back in February. I think next I am going to plant some flowers in the flower box which is also outside her window. The nursing home usually does that in summer but now is a better time, right?

Well, that's all I have for today. I do hope if you have a loved one being cared for somewhere that you are able to, at the very least, send in a greeting of some kind.

Till next time. 

Flattening the Curve, Day 39

Defenders of the Golden Tree Forest

Hello friends. Today is my thirty-ninth day of mandatory leave from my government work site due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Since the chaos of the pandemic settled down and our family established itself into the new reality of quarantine for the foreseeable future, I've been able to develop an art practice that is consistent and am making steady progress towards having a body of work.

I am a slow maker. There is never a lack of ideas for content, rather I enjoy the process and take my time. I usually know what my starting point is and have fun anticipating the direction the creative process will take me in and what supporting elements will show themselves.

For example, in Defenders of the Golden Tree Forest, above, I knew that I wanted to place the woman and the spoons together somehow. Yes, those are spoons. Art Deco spoons. Gold Art Deco spoons! (Did you notice that shine?) Hand forged, no doubt. Once I cut out the woman and the spoon elements and placed them together I realized that the woman's hands are positioned exactly right for wielding one of the 'golden trees' from the forest she is defending. When I did that, I had to laugh to myself because I was sure that my son Tayo would like it as he has a great interest in role playing video games. And sure enough, he did like it!

The rest of the composition came together by searching around in my stash of vintage books, where I came upon the coyote (the other 'forest defender' in this story), mushrooms and birds.

I'm looking forward to showing you my next collage that I am currently working on. Plus I have one other one ready to be glued down. Progress.

I hope you are also settled into comfortable routines in your quarantine and are finding interesting ways to keep your body healthy and your mind sane.

See you again soon.

Flattening the Curve, Day 38

Hello everyone. Today is the thirty-eighth day that I have been on leave from my government job due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It's Saturday and Jim and I ventured out just one time the entire week for groceries. Before we headed out on the trip I contacted our daughter Audrey to see if she needed anything at the stores we planned to shop at.

Really though, it was an excuse to see her. Since we live in different households we have been keeping our social distance. So, since Audrey did need a few groceries, I was happy to pick up the items and stop by her place to drop them off. Of course, that means when I arrived I placed the items on her porch and walked out to the side walk. Then Audrey came out to retrieve them and we talked for awhile...at a distance. No hugs.

Such is life in this new and strange time.

As I mentioned, it's the weekend and on that same shopping trip the other day I picked up ingredients to make a chocolate cream pie. The kids like it quite a bit and it feels like everyone needs a bit of a treat. I also bought flowers. I always need flowers - they brighten my kitchen and elevate my mood.

I spent most mornings this past week working on collage projects. Above you can see a sneak peek of what I'm currently working on. I finished the piece today and hope to get it photographed and share it here on the blog soon. I'm reading the latest issue of kolaj magazine. I enjoy seeing what other collage artists are working on and reading the essays.

Such are my weekend vibes.

I hope you are safe and that you are finding activities to keep you busy during this great pause.

Till next time.

     

Flattening the Curve, Day 37

Hello friends. Today is the thirty-seventh day of my mandatory leave from my work site due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and there is still no definite news on when I will be going back to work.

So while I am waiting for the world to open back up again, I've been spending my quarantine days either in our small backyard garden weeding, planting and watching the grass grow or working on a collage project. In the evenings I've been here on the blog talking about my thoughts, feelings and experiences regarding the pandemic and sharing my collage work, nature photography, and love of collectables.

Last week I decided that each Friday I would share one of my favorite art and creativity podcasts here on the blog. So today I am excited to tell you about Canadian collage artist Danielle Krysa, host of the podcast Art For Your Ear. The podcast, Danielle tells us, is about the "inside-scoop stories from the artsiest people I know." She interviews contemporary artists, mostly women, about what it's like to be a working artist - how they got where they are, the challenges they face and what their favorite snack is. There are plenty of business tips and advice on facing your inner critic.

Danielle started her blog The Jealous Curator in 2009 as a place where she could show artwork that made her jealous. She admits that she was jealous of other artists' work, their lives, successes and their studios. As if the jealousy wasn't enough, Danielle experienced bouts of inner criticism and comparison which kept her from discovering her own creative journey. Not to mention an art professor who, back in her undergrad days when she was an art major, told her she should never paint again.

The blog has developed over the years to become a very popular site that showcases the art of a wide variety of mostly women artists, whom Danielle can now call her friends. From colorful paintings to fun and imaginative sculptures to thought provoking installations, there is something for everyone.

Oh, and Danielle also runs a companion Instagram account for the blog, also called The Jealous Curator.

As if all of the above isn't enough, Danielle is an author of several art and collage books, a public speaker, and has presented her ideas about the challenges of dealing with the inner critic on the Tedx stage.

So if you are interested in hearing real and delightful conversation between artists, need inspiration for dealing with your own inner critic or want tips for how to navigate the professional world of showing your art, then Art For Your Ear is the podcast you should be listening to!

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a peaceful evening.

 

 

Flattening the Curve, Day 36

Hello friends. Today is the thirty-sixth day of of my mandatory leave from my work site due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Also today is Vintage Finds: Fitz and Floyd Chinoiserie Mantle Cats.

Since I became enamoured with all things chinoiserie a couple of years ago, I discovered that cats, like these cuties, and especially Staffordshire and Pekingese dogs are a thing as far as decorative mantle pieces go, and so I knew I needed at least one pair. So you might imagine my excitement when I spotted this set at my local charity shop one afternoon.

Fitz and Floyd is an American company, having been in business for over 50 years here in the United States. This pair of cats was manufactured in Japan, probably in the 1970s or 1980s, and features a lovely and unique cracked glaze finish. In addition, there are subtle differences in appearance and shape. And the fact that they are hand painted individualizes each cat.

Here's the cat on the left:

And here's the cat on the right:

Did you notice how each cat sits on a royal blue pillow, complete with tassel embellisments? I love that!

The original sticker bearing the Fitz and Floyd marking is still present on the bottom of each piece. The bottoms are covered with a dark colored non-slip material.

And lastly, here's a photo of the backs of the cats.

Thank you for joining me for another Vintage Finds post!

I hope you are safe and well and making it through this pandemic without too much heartache.

P.S. The chinoiserie fabric backdrop is a remnant of Waverly Williamsburg Asian Arcadia Sapphire from 1502 Fabrics, from when I made a valance style curtain for my kitchen window.

Flattening the Curve, Day 35

Happy Earth Day!

Hello friends. Today is the thirty-fifth day that I have been on leave from my work site due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Happy Earth Day.

The bad news: 2.9 billion birds have disappeared over the last 50 years.

The good news: Thanks to conservation efforts, North American duck and geese populations have grown by fifty-six percent since 1970.

Birds are an 'indicator species' meaning because they are diurnal and found almost everywhere in the world in almost every habitat, they are easily observed and studied.

In general, the presence, absence or abundance of an indicator species reflects environmental conditions and can signal a change in the biological condition of a particular ecosystem. This helps scientists diagnose the health of an ecosystem. In particular, the presence and behavior of birds act as an early warning system for pressing concerns such as climate change because they have the ability to relocate to more favorable conditions.

In other words, humans need birds more than birds need humans. Birds control pests, pollinate plants, scavenge, spread seeds, transform landscapes, keep coral reefs alive, and inspire scientists like Darwin.

What better time to celebrate birds than Earth Day?

Thanks for looking and I hope all is well with you.

Flattening the Curve, Day 34

Hello friends. Today marks thirty-four days since I went on mandatory leave from my government job due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Since The Great Pause began I have been naming every blog post after the number of days I have been away from my work site. But the real title of this post is Vintage Finds: Hedi Schoop Art Creations Ceramic Figurine.

Every February the Asian American Counsel of Oregon sponsors the Asian Festival here in Eugene. And in honor of that event, my favorite charity shop, The Assistance League, puts on a special Asian Celebration sales event, offering asian-themed clothing, art and home wares.

In fact, I'm on the email list for the shop and I get a 'sneak peek' notice with photographs once the store has been reset for a new sale. That is how I found this green clad gentleman. He stands 13" tall and carries a small bucket.

As soon as I saw him in the photo I knew I would be heading to the shop at my first opportunity to see if he was still there. I have been actively working on my home decor goals for a couple of years now and knew that this vintage figurine would fit my chinoiserie-themed home perfectly.

Hedi Schoop was a ceramics designer from 1940 to 1958. Born in Switzerland in 1906, she emigrated to California after a career as a dancer and cabaret artist. Hedi opened a ceramics production line in 1940, creating home ware items such as flower pots, candle holders, figures of rural people in national costumes, bowls and lamps. By the late 1940s her company had more than 50 employees and produced more than 30,000 pieces.

This piece will be added to several other asian-themed people figurines I've already collected. It's become a thing...

If you like this figurine and would like to see more of Hedi Schoop's designs, I've created a Pinterest 'Hedi Schoop Ceramics' board for you.

Thanks for looking and I hope you are having a quiet, peaceful stay at home week. See you next time.

P.S. The backdrop I used is a leftover piece of Waverly Mandarin Prose wallpaper, purchased from Mahone's a couple of summers ago when I wallpapered my dining area.