September 18, 2008

Our walls

A few weeks ago-ages it seems-Anet, Sharon, and Loring partook of this unique meme that gives insight into a person's home as well as spirit. So, I invite you in to witness our walls....


Bodhran, lyre, prayer flags, Mexican dance mask, Aztec calender.


Walls

they embrace you

expand you

protect you

if you're not careful

they may engulf you.



Our walls

once a portrait

of another

turbulent

futile life,



gessoed to a fresh blank pallet.

Treasures

accomplishmentsmemoriesand expression

lovingly placed

and surrounding us.

Our walls.

the embodiment

of us.




Antique Mexican dance masks collected on our trips to Mexico and a wacky spray-painted picture from Cabo. Didgeridoo that Dea made Huz for Christmas.





Special things. A beloved old poster of the Grateful Dead. People always ask if it's an old photo of family! Well.....

I am SO grateful I discovered pregnant belly-casting!! What fun that was! Huz and Dea wrapped me up when I was about 7 1/2 months.




A still not finished acrylic. Huz wants it in his office but I just can't part with it until it feels done.


Dea's work:

Her chalk cartoons, signed Patty Larkin poster, frame she made with picture of Dea giving Lo a bottle, Grampy's X-stitching.



She really has a knack for watercolor.




A Matisse inspired piece.




An exercise in color value and a funky self portrait.


When Dea was little she seemed to project an unspoken feeling of "Mommy is so good at art but I'm terrible at it." But once we put her in an Optional Program in 4th grade that emphasized the arts, her creativity was born and has flourished ever since. She is a talented writer and the quality of her artwork has just exploded since she took an art elective last year! The Optional Program was the closest thing to the Waldorf philosophy that I could find and I'm so grateful it was available to us.



Lo's special things. Knick-knacks that belonged to Huz and I when we were kids, a shadow box with a tiny baby in a nest surrounded a heart made from our umbilical cord, a butterfly box, and baby pics.


Gotta have some John Lennon sentiment hangin' around!


2 Jon Strongbows that we bought at Pike Place Market in Seattle.






My sun faded acupressure poster, water Lilly painting by Dea and fish print by Lo.

The "tree" looking picture is a Tree of Life print that I made with the placenta after Lo's birth. That thing is still in our freezer waiting to be planted under a new tree! Hope we NEVER mistake it for meat!!!!!!





Studio BEFORE (where's the kitty!)



and AFTER

It's amazing how cleaning that space up after a summer of clutter really helped my blocked creativity to resurface.


11 comments:

Ruth said...

The belly cast and the unfinished acrylic really speak to me. All your things are beautiful, earthy, warm, inviting. Thanks for inviting us in.

But the BEFORE and AFTER studio - holy cow!! That is incredible. I can totally see how you would be inspired to create!

Loring Wirbel said...

I love the feel of spontaneous placement on many of the walls, even though it might be not-so-spontaneous. And your BEFORE studio looks a lot like my office, either before or after straightening.

Anonymous said...

So inspiring...our walls are all completely bare because we just moved. And we just aren't making enough art!

dawn klinge said...

I felt like I just stopped in for a visit to your beautiful home. You are obviously a very talented, creative lady. I've been organizing and straightening today as well, getting ready to finally tackle the unfinished basement project. Thanks for sharing these pictures with us...I'm inspired.

Anonymous said...

beautiful-ness surrounds you in objects and people. you're all so wonderfully talented artists.
thanks for sharing so much of your private space.

Lisa Anne said...

Fun to see inside your world. we do a lot of art around here but I never end up hanging it up, maybe I will display only one or two pieces at a time. Like you said at the end of your post I find the less clutter I have the more creative I am. Those blank walls in my home inspire me to be more colorful in my paintings. You and DEA are so creative, her paintings are amazing (Yours TOO!), it is great that she has found some teachers to inspire her.

Sharon said...

I'm so glad you did this! I love seeing a little bit of your world, your embodiment.

My studio is looking like your "before studio" picture right now.

RunninL8 said...

I should take a picture of it NOW-only one week later and it's messy again!!! Alas...
Thanks for the kind words, folks!

Anet said...

Very cool home! I have never in all my days seen a picture painted with placenta! Now I have, it's a lovely color.
We have the very same rubber fish at our preschool to make the fish prints with.
Nice job cleaning up the studio space, I keep looking at mine and thinking about it! Have a great weekend and Happy Fall Equinox!

tiff said...

your walls are so wonderful...

i have to say the belly is incredible and it makes me jealous that we didn't do that with my twin belly...hee :)

your home looks so welcoming and warm.

Tammy said...

I read this post yesterday, but didn't comment, so I'd have a really good reason to re-read it. lol! I loved seeing what was on your walls, and the belly cast is fabulous! Also, I love the tree painting and the story behind it. Very cool.......