South Africa Trip 2013/2014

representation of indigenous rock art of giraffes

Despite the challenge of having to pare down your belongings (I like having options), I love packing for a trip.  And I did really well with limitations this time around and probably only had one or two unnecessary pairs of shoes.  Similarly, I streamlined my sketchbook/journal into one slim, softcover volume with a favorite Christmas card washi-taped to the front.  Inside, I recorded daily our activities, sites, and reflections in a variety of inks (I was not very restrictive in my pen packing).  Also, I sketched things that interested me or that I had seen that day--often from memory.  It was dog-eared, having been carted in my purse along with the passports and considered as essential.  It was stained and smeared from food and drink, and its pages were practically full.  I reserved a handful for my final entry to be made on the 16 hour return flight from Johannesburg and for a few postcards and brochures I was planning on washi-taping inside.  Unfortunately, my treasured journal did not make the connection to Chicago, and instead remained sandwiched between the Skymall catalogue and the in-flight magazine.  I didn't realize it for a day or two after I was home and unpacking and wondering why I had packed so many pairs of socks.

I share this story only because the loss I feel for that paper-bound time capsule is similar to how I feel now, still, leaving me to wonder if a tiny bit of my soul failed to cross the Atlantic.  It's that strange feeling of not having fully returned.  Perhaps it is a little jet lag of the soul.  I've certainly had this happen before with other trips but none that has lasted this long.  Not only was the experience so grand and expansive but certainly transformative for all of us.  I think we are all a little hungry for the wide, green South African hills and broad, blue sky under which anything could happen--even getting eaten by a lion.

Below are some pictures. OK, there are lots of pictures of the more art-specific sites.  I would have to list about 738 pictures if I was going to include all of the pictures of inspiration.  Don't worry; they'll pop up in paintings and other work soon enough. 

top of 30 foot statue of Mandela which stands in Pretoria

treehouse in the Midlands

whimsical wood carving in the treehouse

Pastel piece made by Ezekial Mabote

Linoleum Print made by Ezekial Mabote

Looms at weaving shop in the Midlands

Print Studio at the Bat Centre in Durban (and yes, that is how they spell center, pretentious)

Bat Centre in Durban

Sculpture in Bat Centre Courtyard

Bat Centre Courtyard Sculpture

metal masks in the Midlands

Christmas tree in the Midlands

ceramics in the Midlands

Weaving Shop in the Midlands

Ardmore Ceramics Studio and Museum (in the Midlands)

Murals in Soweto

Mural at Victoria St. Markets in Durban

Chicago Homicides Related to Gun Violence in December

August Golladay, Vincent Rogers, Eulises Granados, Craig Williams, Jermale Richardson, Dennis Glover, Elijiah Johnson, Eric Hunt, Alexander Rodriguez, Natasha Green, Christopher Lang, Leroy Griffin, Luciano Torres, Jeffrey Anderson, Barnett Adams, Andre Hunter, Eric Davis, Willie Cooper, Salvador Diaz, Christopher Ramirez, Ladarius Brisco, Louis Berry, Deangelo Shelton, Michael Turner, Darnell Williams, Cayetano Sandoval, Anthony Rivers, Demarcus Brandon, Kevin Johnson, Deonte Womack, Demarco Lyons, Rafael Robinson, Mason Smith, Jeremy Bafunsho, Mensa Kifle, Sherod Nesbitt

For more information click here:  http://homicides.redeyechicago.com/date/2013/12/

Last craft fair of the year and new Etsy listings

painted bird ornaments

 Yesterday at Irving Elementary School in Oak Park, I participated in the final craft fair of the year.  Having my stock in the American Artworks Gallery in Forest Park, I made a couple more batches of birds.  One is pieced with block printed wings and eyes.  The other is hand painted with sharpie drawings.  I also made some new garlands with contact paper and various scraps.  These were fun to make because they are little prisms of your collections:  lists, scrap paper, junk mail, etc.  They are like fragmented time capsules.  Finally, I had this idea of making soft, square heads with painted faces covered in vinyl.  I had five planned, but only one was executed.  Either the vinyl or my leaving my machine on overnight made my machine toast.  I'm taking it to the fix-it man this week because I have lots of sewing projects planned for the new year!

I added these items to my Etsy Shop along with some items from our Day Of The Dead show if you are in need of last minute gifts.  I am available to ship anytime this week through Thursday.  Friday, I am heading abroad with my family to South Africa for a couple of weeks.  So, you probably won't hear from me for awhile as it will be difficult to post; although, there will likely be a plethora of things to share.  I'll be sure to have a few good posts when I return.  I'm taking embroidery work with me, sketch books, and a camera, of course. 

PS Happy New Year!  I'm looking forward to building on this year and adding some new enterprises as well!

contact paper garlands

printed bird ornaments

cube head

2014 Calendar!

 So it's that time of year----when, it ends, and a new one begins. My sister Lisa and I, as huge fans of the Dolphin Studio Calendar,  took inspiration to create our own hand printed calendar.  We hand carved original designs into 8"x 10" linoleum, and then hand printed them with black Speedball water-based ink onto 8 1/2" x 11" 100 lb. card stock from the French Paper Company.  Four luscious colors (blue, orange, green, and gold) are featured.  This wall calendar will be clipped together and hung by a binder clip and could even be framed in a 8" x 10" frame.  I designed/printed March, May, July, August, November, and December.  Lisa designed/printed February, June, September, and October.  Jeff (Lisa's husband and my brother-in-law) designed/printed January and April.  This lovely collection will be made available in my Etsy shop soon, but if you'd like to email me or message me on Facebook if you are interested in purchasing one.  Also, we'll be selling them at Irving Craft Fair this Saturday, 12/14/13 from 9:00 until 1:00.  Happy New Year!
Forgot to mention that we are selling them for 28 dollars.  We have not determined shipping, but we'll have that soon.

Chicago Homicides in November related to gun violence

Gentilis Williamson, Mark Villanueva, LaChris Hendricks, Jeffery Whiters, Tyshon Anderson, Irbinzon Gonzalez, Brandon Torres, Amanda Fitch, Javier Gonzalez, Michael Walker,  Divorite Diggins, Uriel Quinones, Michael Sullivan, Aaron Hubbard, Steven Marshall, Demarco Powell, Phillip Curtis, Jose Rodriguez, Corderro Brown, Jason Jernigan, Jason Jernigan, Antonio Cooper, Luis Villasenor, Saul Salgado,

For more information: http://homicides.redeyechicago.com/date/2013/11/