How do you know if you're an artist?

Autumn Leaf Card
4 3/8” x 5 ¾”
Blueberry leaves, handmade paper

For my Blog Triage class, my latest assignment involved reviewing a previous blog post, and as I looked at one of my earliest posts, I started thinking about how I've gotten to where I am now as an artist. I'm wondering if you've ever done that.

For me, I see mundane "random" pieces that have somehow come together.

First, feeling like I made a huge mistake after my first child was born. I didn't think I was cut out for being a mom, and I kept feeling this overwhelming desire to "create." I didn't have a spare moment to myself, but all I could think about was having a few minutes to make something beautiful for my home with my own two hands.

Second, one dreary January day while folding laundry, I watched a TV show about making handmade paper. It seemed really easy. Later I watched a show with a woman pressing flowers in a microwave. I was amazed at how colorful they were. Maybe I could combine handmade paper and pressed flowers?

I did. I sold my handmade paper pressed flower cards and pictures at craft fairs, and made enough money to pay for all the flowers and garden supplies I needed. I had a nice hobby going.

Then one afternoon, at a noisy Holiday Craft Fair, a stern looking older woman stopped to look at my cards. She wasn't the usual friendly faced craft fair shopper, and she made me uneasy. Finally she held up one of my cards and said, "This does not belong here. This is art. You are an artist." I didn't know what to say, but I thanked her as she gave me a business card for a local art foundation.

I joined that art foundation, got to know the artists there, and eventually during the last few years I have given myself permission to call myself an artist.

For me, being an artist has been an unexpected journey. Isn't it amazing how God graciously gives us seemingly random experiences, and uses them to make us who we are? I am thankful.

Wisconsin Lemon Tree

For 23 years in a row, I've lugged this lemon tree inside for the winter. (I cringe at how old that makes me sound). Many times the tree has been with out a lemon, but this year we've been blessed with a whopping 19 lemons!

So, sometime in dreary February, when the lemons will finally be ripe, we will be enjoying authentic Wisconsin lemon bars ... with real Wisconsin butter of course. Definitely something to look forward to!

This is my Father's world...

Summer is underway here in Wisconsin. The kids are out of school, and we are busy with swimming lessons, getting together with friends, and gearing up for Vacation Bible School. In between I keep pressing flowers, etc.

But one thing that really strikes me about this summer so far, is that it is so stunning. We've had lots of storms - way too many, unfortunately for so many in the mid west, but the towering majestic thunderheads we've seen have stopped me in my tracks. And everything is just so GREEN, a sparkling, emerald green, which makes the colors of the flowers seem more vivid than ever.

I've been wanting to try this, and now seems like a really good time. Below is a You tube video of my favorite hymn, sung by one of my recent favorite artists, Fernando Ortega. I don't know the person who put the video together, and unfortunately it's pretty grainy, but the words are awesome.

Getting ready

Here I am doing a little last minute rearranging just before my gallery opening last Sunday. Despite the threat of stormy weather, artist Lisa Clark and I actually had visitors. Later that evening after our gallery festivities were over, we had yet another tornado warning back in Twin Lakes. I believe it was the second or third one during the last 3 days.

Did you know that Wisconsin lost one of its most popular lakes on Monday? Due to excessive rain and flooding, the shore of Lake Delton gave way and the huge, very popular lake drained away in less than two hours. Unbelievable.

Things like that remind me of how little power we humans actually have in the grand scheme of things. I'm so thankful I'm on His side...not that I, and my family are immune to sudden disasters, we aren't. But, God promises that "all things work together for good" for all of us who love and follow Him. He has a purpose for everything that happens, for our good - that is awesome.

milkweed warning

My gardens are my domain, and the lawn is my husband's, and we have found that the key to a happy marriage is to avoid interfering with each other's domain.

However, my husband did have one request concerning one of my gardens last fall - he asked that I not grow anymore milkweed. I can't blame him. You see, they sprawled, twisted, toppled over, and basically looked atrocious by mid September. They did look really bad.

But...milkweed plants are so cute when they're small, aren't they? As they grow, the leaves are perfect for the kids to use for making nature prints, but best of all, is the non-stop parade of interesting visitors they attract. Monarch caterpillars lay their eggs under the leaves, and later the grown butterflies feed on the nectar of the flowers, along with many other species of butterflies. Hummingbirds love them too, and last year the kids and I watched "hummingbird wars" as they fought for dominance over our milkweed kingdom. And, who doesn't enjoy making "wishes" with the magical seeds as they drift out of the seedpods in fall.

Maybe I'll just "accidentally" forget about that little conversation my husband and I had last fall...

strange flowers

Here's the flowers from my unusual air plant I mentioned last month. Purple tube flowers, ending in long stamens with neon yellow pollen. Strange!

Speaking of strange, lots of things are strange around here in Wisconsin. We had 15 inches of snow on Good Friday, but thankfully it's been in the fifties lately and most of the snow is gone. However, we are supposed to get 6 more inches tomorrow.

My crocuses are nowhere in sight. Last year at this time, I was busily pressing crocuses, and making pressed crocus cards. If you've been blessed with crocuses where you are, here's a tutorial on how to press crocus flowers - they press beautifully with the Microfleur flower press. I hope to be able to join you in pressing crocuses soon!

Unusual plant

I'm sure you know by now that I have a passion for plants. I am especially fond of plants that I can press and use in my art, and I'm also partial to plants that taste wonderful - especially herbs.

But once in awhile, I am drawn to seemingly useless plants, plants that are unusual and special in their own right - the kind of plant that God might have created to show us that he has a sense of humor.

Here's such a plant, and it's called Tillandsia bulbosa. It's big (10" wide and tall) and it just sits in that glass cup and with it's wild arms scattering in every direction. If you look closely, you might see that it's beginning to turn red in the center - that means it's getting ready to bloom at some point. As an air plant, all it requires is regular watering (rain water is best) and light - no soil of any kind.
I'll take another picture for you when it's in bloom. Airplants tend to grow very slowly, so it might take awhile!

How does one press this?

Two weeks ago we took a family trip to St. Paul, to see my sister and her family. One of the places they took us to was the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, bless their hearts. Much to my delight, the Conservatory had the most wonderful rainforest room, complete with a waterfall, birds, and the most incredible tropical foliage plants, with absolutely huge, incredible, exotic leaves. They were immense! And so varied - with such strong veining. If I wasn’t a Christian, I’m certain I would have tried pilfering some of those stunning leaves, but I’m not sure if they would have fit under my coat.

I found out that many of the large leafed wonders were Alocasia and Colocasia plants, also known as elephant ears. I located a number of these bulbs on ebay, but then I stumbled upon a tantalizing website called Plant Delights Nursery that has a wonderful, very tempting array of specimens. I'm so excited! I haven’t made my final selections, but I’m leaning towards Alocasia macrorrhizos (Giant Upright Elephant Ear), and possibly Alocasia wentii. I think the two will contrast each other nicely in my front garden, and I can hardly wait to try to press them…what a stunning display they would make! I’m also thinking of trying to do nature prints with them as well. I’m not sure exactly how to press something so big, (I certainly won't be able to use my Microfleur) but I have a few ideas. Have any of you tried anything like this?

Eagle Cam!

Oh, this is bad news for me. Especially now…when I have crocuses to press, and seedlings to tend to, a handmade paper class to prepare for, and preparations for spring art shows…not to mention the normal “Mom” duties I have.

I have a thing for big birds…sand hill cranes, blue herons, hawks and eagles. I’m not exactly sure why, but they fascinate me.

We live in a fairly rural area, and I am constantly scanning the sky as I drive (much to the horror of friends and family) looking for one of my birds… and 7 times out of 10, especially in the spring and summer, I end up seeing one of them. Often, I send up a prayer of thanks when I see one, especially a beautiful sand hill crane.

Anyways, I came upon a link for a live “eagle cam” this morning while checking out Challies.com as I do every morning. Years ago the Milwaukee PBS station had an eagle cam feed from northern Wisconsin, and in between episodes of Sesame Street, Calliou, Mister Rogers, and Barney, they would show a minute or two of the eagles. No, I wasn’t glued to the TV, but my children graciously and excitedly called me in whenever the eagle was on. Together we waited patiently for the mother eagle to hatch her eggs, we rejoiced when the little eaglets finally broke through their shells, we cried when the weaker and smaller of the two eaglets died. We were grossed out at feeding time, and watched with amazement at the rapid transformation the cute and fuzzy chick, into a young powerful eagle.

Here’s the eagle cam link for you. The nest is on Hornby Island, in British Columbia. http://www.infotecbusinesssystems.com/encoder/index.html
A few minutes ago I saw that she has two eggs, but things are fairly quiet now. It’s the time of waiting.

sLowlife

One of the artists I know from the Antioch Fine Arts Foundation recently found out that one of her photographs had been accepted into the sLowlife exhibition.

Currently on display in Washington D.C., sLowlife is an exhibit offering “a journey into altered perceptions—a window into the world of plants.” Using state of the art time-lapse photography, we are given a glimpse into the secret, very active life of plants. The frantic, “busyness” of the plants reminds me of our own fast paced lifestyles.

You can check out the companion website for sLowlife here. Who knew that sunflower seedlings dance a happy dance in response the light from above? Pause a moment and watch as a vase of tulips, seemingly frozen in place and time, reveal just how “unstill” they really are…like my squirming kids at church. Or, take a few moments to watch thick white roots doing their own busy dance…under the very ground we walk on. Amazing!

“For now we see in a mirror dimly…” 1 Corinthians 13:12