Really Big Dandelions

Continued work on my block for ReallyBIGPRINTS!! The block on the right shown below is by two great SNC art students.  It's crunch time for all of us.

Wisconsin Winter

Three years ago when we knew we were moving to Wisconsin we got lots of advice (some of it solicited) on how to handle winter. I made a drawing about it...and then lost the drawing in a stack of sketches. In cleaning out my studio recently I found the drawing and cleaned it up a little in Photoshop. Here it is. So far, we've been able to do everything except the Packers game. And sometimes, privately, in late winter, we complain about the weather.

most this amazing day

For a week or so recently, I woke to the first stantza of this poem by e.e. cummings in my head. 


i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any—lifted from the no
of all nothing—human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

The tone and mystical grammar of cummings mirrors how I feel about our summer in Wisconsin now. It is a beautiful, sweet, and fleeting time. The garden is in, boats are out on the lake, it's as warm as it's getting here, and I get to work in the studio on prints and drawings without interruption. Not to mention the sweet "human merely being" we anticipate meeting in the fall. 

i thank You God for most this amazing day

Hungry Turtle Weekend

Coming up in the middle of this month, a sweet weekend of art, food, people, and music courtesy of Hungry Turtle Farm and Learning Center. I have the distinct pleasure of showing my work there with that of Kate Casanova. Casanova is an interdisciplinary sculptor based out of the Twin Cities. She is what the Ancient Romans called a bad-ass and her beautiful and minimalist work makes me swoon. I especially love this video piece, Ornament, in which hermit crabs traverse the landscape of Casanova's plaited dome.

You can see our work Saturday, November 15th from 7 - 10 PM and you can sign up for the many interesting workshops of the weekend here.

On the Lake

Our new rental house looks out at Lake Michigan. It is a big big body of water and I'm enjoying seeing the differences here: what's growing now, finding new plants, new colors, shapes, textures, and smells.

Hungry Turtle

Recently got to work with the newly emerging Hungry Turtle Farm and Learning Center in Amery, WI to produce four illustrations to go in their new building. Hungry Turtle is "committed to supporting sustainable agriculture and land stewardship through education, innovative partnerships, and programming."

I'm excited to continue to work with Hungry Turtle and look forward to seeing how their work grows in Amery. In fact, they'll be hosting Turtle Scouts, their own Land Scout troop! Pretty exciting.

Below are the four illustrations that went up in the windows of the Hungry Turtle building.

Red Bird

The mascot for the high school down the street from our house is the Red Bird. It looks like an angry cardinal. The marquee in front of the school spells out in LED lights: It's a Great Day to Be a Red Bird. I find this funny and take it as a challenge. We'll see how great it is to be a red bird.

So far I've draped the veil-like portion of the Red Bird head piece. Need to anchor my head-mannequin so I can lean into it. I love the challenge of moving from drawing to object, although so far the drawings are more exciting and engaging than the red corduroy hood waiting in the studio.

I imagine wearing it and dancing around my neighborhood as if in a music video by Mimi Cave. The neighbors might worry. Or they might join in. Such could be the greatness of being a red bird.

Bartram the Land Scout

I read an article recently about American botanist John Bartram. Accompanying the article was this great drawing of Bartram by Howard Pyle an illustrator considered to be the father of The Golden Age of American Illustration. There's an excellent group of Pyle paintings on exhibit at the Baer Gallery right now. If you live in or near NE Wisconsin, the show will be up through the end of this week.

After it the Pyle show comes down I'll help install Land Scout illustrations in that same gallery. It feels sweet and serendipitous to find this image in common.

Double Dipping

Come one come all and join the Urban Land Scouts. We will be walking in the 4th + Gill Neighborhood and noting edible plants. All ages welcome. Free.

Ross Marble Quarry

This image shows part of the Ross Marble Quarry. It is a fine place to take a walk if you find yourself in South Knoxville.

Near Florabama