tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87094073782257532542024-03-13T13:57:00.824-07:00Studio Notesby Suzanna Leighsuzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.comBlogger450125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-66572694126986003342019-01-21T19:02:00.002-08:002020-01-24T12:57:30.383-08:00Suzanna Leigh reads Atom's Monster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRtVTcahCK4jNFM3xgPRZ0-fogV3y3eHjXriZEkJN9wLk3cl2xLUBedFC36boOAxNvzBdcpb9vnbv0OHF6rcAjjo7Xpg0w_0XjjZNj1JVG49IsJAa1hU_JNCAC-iXJZ8kMc62H9_AngUy/s400/ATOMS+M0nster+cover_001.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nthXcDN0JlU" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio/" target="_blank"> Atom's Monster</a><br />
My first ever picture book is now on YouTube!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
When my 4 year old son woke up with nightmares of a monster in his room, I told him the story of <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio/" target="_blank">Atom's Monster</a>. He was one of my models, too, and now he is grown and has a son of his own, he reads the book to his son.<br />
<br /></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-47707633721806295752017-10-30T14:38:00.000-07:002020-01-24T14:35:08.880-08:00The Questions Need to be Asked<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Across the water, in Burien,</b> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img data-cke-saved-src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/0d185655f8aca0ef8fd34af539d2137e/image/jpeg" data-icontact-width-flexible="360" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/0d185655f8aca0ef8fd34af539d2137e/image/jpeg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a page from my sketch book</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">people received flyers falsly claiming certain immigrents have criminal records as gang members, rapists and murderers. The <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/inflammatory-respect-washington-flier-raises-concerns-in-burien/" href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/inflammatory-respect-washington-flier-raises-concerns-in-burien/">flyer</a>
named names and gave addresses. King County Sheriff John Urquhart
looked into this and found false allegations, and that people listed
often no longer lived at those addresses. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">This flyer was put out by <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.facebook.com/respectwashington.us/" href="https://www.facebook.com/respectwashington.us/">"Respect Washington"</a>,
and, according to Dow Constantine, was funded by a hate group in
Michigan. It's purpose appears to be to scare people into voting for
people the flyers states are against Burien's status as a sanctuary
city. It's result could be more sinister, as it appears to encourage
vigilante acts against innocent people.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 18px;">The Questions Need to be Asked</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">How
will we respond if or when our island is attacked in a similar
way? Hate groups have been targeting liberal cities and places. Think
Charlottesville and Berkerly.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">How can we be proactive to prepare for such an event? </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">And how, given that there are groups activily spreading hate and lies, can we be at least equally active in spreading <b>truth and compassion?</b></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Dear friends, your comments and ideas are welcome here. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-10418659876756973542017-04-07T15:44:00.001-07:002017-04-07T15:46:08.502-07:00Breakfast at Sporty's: Responding to the News<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">The news last night--cruise
missiles heading for Syria--hurt my heart so much! I have never felt such
deep emotional pain. I thought of all the people who have had to flee
the war. I thought of Jemilla and her five children who fled first to
Turkey, then came here for medical attention she could not get there, of
Safa, who fled Aleppo when there was not food, no work, no homes, no
hospital, no diapers for the baby. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Most
especially, I thought of Jamila "Rose Anne" saying in tears, "When I
left Syria, the county was stable; now it is destroyed." And that was
before the terrible events of this week!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img data-cke-saved-src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/b59e0081461a4879a52d1e7070654f76/image/jpeg" data-icontact-width-flexible="432" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/b59e0081461a4879a52d1e7070654f76/image/jpeg" style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px;" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Prayer
helped a little. Talking with Rifaat helped a little. Even so, I found
myself wondering if there was some drug I could take that would help me
escape from the pain. I now understand why people get addicted to drugs
and alcohol! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">I was exhausted this morning from mourning all night, so Rifaat took me out for breakfast at Sporty's</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">. "Lets Make A Deal" was on the big screen T.V., as usual. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"> <img data-cke-saved-src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/ad864bad740575664f5f2ca66d821fc7/image/jpeg" data-icontact-width-flexible="324" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/928329/ad864bad740575664f5f2ca66d821fc7/image/jpeg" style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px;" /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 14px;">Breakfast at Sporty's</span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Suddenly, I understood the silly
costumes, the exorbitant prizes, the anticipation, the excitement. It
makes a wonderful distraction for people caught in pain, emotional or
physical. So, It has it's place. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">But I don't want my life to be about distraction, so I tend to take it in small doses. Distraction that is (not life!).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Then I called one of my spiritual teachers, Khadija.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Khadija
said that those of us who are emphatic or who are on a spiritual path,
are more sensitive now, as things heat up. That some of the greatest
Spiritual growth and insights seem to happen when the world is in
greatest turmoil. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">She
reminded me how important it is to stay grounded in the Divine and in
one's center (or Dantien, or Hara), and gave me a practice to help with
that. She told me that the usual translation of "Allah Ho Akbar" as "God
is the Greatest" is incorrect; it compares God, and God is incomparable.
A better translation she says, is "Peace (Divine Peace) is Power."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>God's Peace is Power.</b>
If I can stay grounded in that, perhaps I can weather these times and
keep my sanity, and maybe even bring some peace to those around me!</span><br />
<br /></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-63584293512494705662017-04-06T11:58:00.001-07:002017-04-06T12:19:35.543-07:00Sketching Bob Ferguson, WA State Attorney General<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When Joy saw me with pencil and paper in hand, she asked if I was taking notes for our community of Quakers.
Well, yes, sort of. Drawing while listening actually helps me take in and
remember more.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXzcoh4fRRrC9Mka_dsMAj3B9DmALxwp9UOCfXhXHvsjQitNL6uM1s8W499VPLfKsxW96d2BvcghFaCg0NFTwZa7r-geWkBMP2RtyzKzEwRNGJD7AC2eiG0RfIybyan3d83Jtaf_otM7O/s1600/audience+4-6-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXzcoh4fRRrC9Mka_dsMAj3B9DmALxwp9UOCfXhXHvsjQitNL6uM1s8W499VPLfKsxW96d2BvcghFaCg0NFTwZa7r-geWkBMP2RtyzKzEwRNGJD7AC2eiG0RfIybyan3d83Jtaf_otM7O/s320/audience+4-6-17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our Washington State attorney general, <b>Bob Ferguson</b>,
received a standing ovation from the packed Methodist church at 7:00
am this morning. I sketched while he
talked. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here are some things I remember him
saying:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSZJkUzSxRDDsrVG_sn2Y0WgbAclu3iYVbU5-RHFCCCp4T0vwsLK7R18lAopvmkMpmBIDOeI7h2jTjdYxOukyCrEEB6ZbzpAGFGXG1gzdoUVYx6hnz4ACYYIISBq856RZjHN38FWvOUHT/s1600/ferguson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSZJkUzSxRDDsrVG_sn2Y0WgbAclu3iYVbU5-RHFCCCp4T0vwsLK7R18lAopvmkMpmBIDOeI7h2jTjdYxOukyCrEEB6ZbzpAGFGXG1gzdoUVYx6hnz4ACYYIISBq856RZjHN38FWvOUHT/s320/ferguson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Trump's executive order banning
immigrants </b>from certain countries was not entirely unexpected, given
his campaign speeches. So the attorney general's office was geared up
for quick action. The order came out on Friday evening; the attorney
general's team spent the weekend, literally night and day, looking at
the order carefully to determine it's legality, putting together the
case, and gathering support from Industries and businesses that were
adversely affected, such as Amazon and the University of WA. That
way, they were ready to file an injunction before the end of the
business day on Monday.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sqlhQX1-AjPmhk80w7OQAK2THTz2_m4dFPY7hXYuveAFe7QMHIOv_vYGyPAulyLpzapRmXwxvzORneTH2EykajpyDnNuD90TZdg5iYA4HFVrduIbocPY1Vnvn-U1gB8i0dMM-2aYyAva/s1600/Ferguson+flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sqlhQX1-AjPmhk80w7OQAK2THTz2_m4dFPY7hXYuveAFe7QMHIOv_vYGyPAulyLpzapRmXwxvzORneTH2EykajpyDnNuD90TZdg5iYA4HFVrduIbocPY1Vnvn-U1gB8i0dMM-2aYyAva/s320/Ferguson+flag.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>What I did not know,</b> is that
<b>Obama</b> had apparently tried a similar executive order with no
better success. “It's not about Trump or Obama”, Ferguson said,
“It's about the law.” Trump's legal team made the claim in their
brief that the president's order was not subject to the law. They
confirmed this by telephone at the hearing. <b>Even the president is
not above the law.</b> That's why we have a checks and balances
system.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Trump's claim that the executive order
was for “national security” was disputed because :</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1.The head of Homeland Security stated
that banning people by national origin actually makes America less
safe from terrorist attacks.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsn8lFNWXWeLHingjFRGP33WShSuRcB4bgYwU_u6OXiibc-NTCO6krNx4epslmjq6HrO4JM0o08ZZnJw5yFnK31G-fQrcwze0w8CnjC_6Qr30iAy3db5UlpBquty8GR72P6fDpXj0KxCo/s1600/Ferguson+at+Rotary+%2528Methodist+Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsn8lFNWXWeLHingjFRGP33WShSuRcB4bgYwU_u6OXiibc-NTCO6krNx4epslmjq6HrO4JM0o08ZZnJw5yFnK31G-fQrcwze0w8CnjC_6Qr30iAy3db5UlpBquty8GR72P6fDpXj0KxCo/s320/Ferguson+at+Rotary+%2528Methodist+Church.jpg" width="257" /></a>2.When an action or law is challenged
legally, the courts look at the intent of the law. Because Trump had
stated in his campaign that he would ban Muslims, it was clear to the
court that his executive order was indeed based on religious
discrimination.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The WA State Attorney's Office has put
out a 100 page advisory for cities and institutions (such as schools)
who are concerned about cooperation with ICE. The attorny's office is working with the mayor of Seattle around becoming a<b> sanctuary city.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Trump's claim he will roll back
regulations aimed at environmental safeguards (instituted by the Obama administration) will be legally unenforceable.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-25456450221697766582017-03-24T17:00:00.001-07:002017-03-24T17:00:34.532-07:00House on the Klong--Bangkok<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_BktgmVxKU81Z4Lre2hg6fjPbLW46ouRpZQo9kZejdYvJg9H16zSvf3u-in8GEV3b_N3lJOXwyyRn5NukU-RUOUhutG0-lzR96E5DUfDZ9Q2SPWMoKNnq8KP-muCww6cWwGhleENOnjy/s1600/washng+in+klong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_BktgmVxKU81Z4Lre2hg6fjPbLW46ouRpZQo9kZejdYvJg9H16zSvf3u-in8GEV3b_N3lJOXwyyRn5NukU-RUOUhutG0-lzR96E5DUfDZ9Q2SPWMoKNnq8KP-muCww6cWwGhleENOnjy/s400/washng+in+klong.jpg" width="281" /></a><span style="font-size: 14px;">My cousin Riki's house in Bangkok is in
a village in the middle of a swamp. When I first visited, in 1997,
every house in the village had a boat for the family "car". Houses line
the canals--the klong--each with steps down to the water. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">We
arrived by four wheeled taxi, though. The taxi let us off at the gate
of the Buddhist temple. We walked past the crematorium, past the temple,
through the 40-60 dogs lounging in the shade. People abandoned dogs at
the temple to be cared for; no Pet Protectors there! No neutering or
spaying either.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">We dragged our suitcases over a narrow
foot bridge and came to a sidewalk with water on both sides. Riki's
house is along this sidewalk. Her house is on a cement foundation, with
the first floor more of an open air family area and the living area on
the second floor. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">There are watermarks about 1 1/2 feet up the walls of the first floor, left over from occasional floods. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">I
visited her again in 2009, with my uncle and aunt, Dick and Jean Hall.
The Halls were missionaries in Thailand and in Laos in the late 1950's,
when the Vietnamese war spilled over into the ongoing civil war in Laos.
Dick and Jean took me to visit friends in Thailand and Laos, telling me
stories of their lives and people as we traveled. I met the 80 year old
dentist who taught Dick to pull teeth in Namtha. I met the Lao man who
was inspired to become a doctor when, as a child of 8, he watched Dick
do surgery on a man with a shotgun wound to his face. I met many such
people and heard their stories!</span><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;">I
plan to create a book, using my sketches and notes of that trip,
featuring Dick and Jean's stories. As I develop this project, I plan to
send out occasional posts such as this one. You are welcome to comment!</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-16814009281133040212017-01-04T19:41:00.000-08:002017-01-04T19:41:01.084-08:00Looking Back; Sailing in the San Juans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj9QBRUTXO3VQOSfZKWpV89CCuortHvYf7SuYqpyr-KSuA_lleJKr_oqN9erRbIJ9U8F8mWApSSz-c8iQfivgNRGjIVPw3L-6Xh3fGObdrVAiF0OC_U7Z5rkXcr15j1pB7XSGnFucF7CK/s1600/Bob+at+the+helm+1999+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj9QBRUTXO3VQOSfZKWpV89CCuortHvYf7SuYqpyr-KSuA_lleJKr_oqN9erRbIJ9U8F8mWApSSz-c8iQfivgNRGjIVPw3L-6Xh3fGObdrVAiF0OC_U7Z5rkXcr15j1pB7XSGnFucF7CK/s320/Bob+at+the+helm+1999+web.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob at the helm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last night I looked back way further than 2016, all the way to 1999, into my sailing journals from when Bob and I cruised the San Juan Islands in our little Cascade 29 sailboat, Cardaea. This is Bob at the helm on our first cruise. This is from my journal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Seals popped up their heads to gaze at us curiously. At 7 pm, we slipped between Blakely Rock and Restoration Point on Bainbridge Island and wound our way through crab pot bouys, following a family of geese. We set anchor at the head of Blakely Harbor.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>That evening, we fished a wine bottle out of the water with a message in it. The message, decorated with child drawn hearts, said, </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Whoever finds this note, I will love<i>.</i></div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A boy of about 5 on the boat anchored next to us watched with pretended indifference as we read the note.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>As dark fell and the full moon peeked briefly through the clouds, we looked across the sound into Elliot Bay. Seattle was a fairy tale city, with a necklace of golden lights along the water front.</i></blockquote>
Ah, those were the days! Bob died in 2005, and I'll never have a sailing partner like him! </div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-31619276085543811982017-01-02T17:50:00.000-08:002017-01-02T17:50:08.094-08:00Awaken Joy; Intuitive Painting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-size: 16px;">When do we close the doors on parts of ourselves? </span></b>Sometimes it just takes a chance word from someone we respect.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Many
years ago, I drew a little person—an elf?--into a still life in art
class. He just seemed to want to be there, so I drew him in. The teacher
asked me why, and when I answered, “he wanted to be there”, she said,
“You mean YOU wanted him there.” I don't know why, but a door closed for
me then. It seemed that allowing something to emerge from my
subconscious onto the paper wasn't allowed, and I've felt...limited in my
artwork since then.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>I want to open that door back up, but how?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;">So, I bought a book:<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.northlightshop.com/intuitive-painting-workshop?utm_source=emedia_sale&utm_campaign=cps-cpc-sale-161127&utm_content=900706_CPP161127&utm_medium=email" href="http://www.northlightshop.com/intuitive-painting-workshop?utm_source=emedia_sale&utm_campaign=cps-cpc-sale-161127&utm_content=900706_CPP161127&utm_medium=email"> <u>Intuitive Painting Workshop,</u> by Alena Hennessy.</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMMXaJHzagOcleiFXygPKm3oXRf9atF32IKr6Ey_jx1XX5AIVtcMeoejlHvgVKC-kZP53SOhNbdqEgTRLpioVTuZBZFjvGfkGBmkWxS9Cv7ScSKwUB58sHE9tDTSnLl1UUDWVWknWywld/s1600/studio+2016-12-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMMXaJHzagOcleiFXygPKm3oXRf9atF32IKr6Ey_jx1XX5AIVtcMeoejlHvgVKC-kZP53SOhNbdqEgTRLpioVTuZBZFjvGfkGBmkWxS9Cv7ScSKwUB58sHE9tDTSnLl1UUDWVWknWywld/s320/studio+2016-12-09.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Today I tried out the first "lesson" in Alena's book.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">I
thought I'd make a Christmas card design. Alena suggests using hand
made or interesting papers for the background. I made my own background
papers. That's as far as I got, but it was enough! I'm back in my studio
having fun! When the papers are dry, I'll do the next step.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I tried both regular copy paper, and 90# watercolor paper</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytLroG-hYqkp0HJONDcjI79opNwcVf1ey2ueesprdTtxDRxATeVZIYifYTIVAy5qDiEuZZMVUZeu-GtA0y-qAWxKtt_ruSXX6GkYqCjgFYIq37UzJLpIU-7nK5qhejj1jJJDc23o3ZslS/s1600/crinkle+w-c+90%2523paper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytLroG-hYqkp0HJONDcjI79opNwcVf1ey2ueesprdTtxDRxATeVZIYifYTIVAy5qDiEuZZMVUZeu-GtA0y-qAWxKtt_ruSXX6GkYqCjgFYIq37UzJLpIU-7nK5qhejj1jJJDc23o3ZslS/s200/crinkle+w-c+90%2523paper.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInGu2asLc2KPxbKqKudeYXRBbtz1p3ooI9o6kuSglt9bfeQGyEBjB5NYInlLk9ugONUA89POy6LUpz2CZl2IIOSq2NxzqWWYM72ZtZs-7Anht1edERqWxbeSgL-Z9VweXjcPUBYRHjKo7/s1600/crinkle+paper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInGu2asLc2KPxbKqKudeYXRBbtz1p3ooI9o6kuSglt9bfeQGyEBjB5NYInlLk9ugONUA89POy6LUpz2CZl2IIOSq2NxzqWWYM72ZtZs-7Anht1edERqWxbeSgL-Z9VweXjcPUBYRHjKo7/s200/crinkle+paper.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Recipe for Crinkle Paper Background: </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">Wet paper all over on one side</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">Crinkle it up into a ball</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">Drop paint on in here and there, until you have as much color as you want. Remember, the inside of the ball will be uncolored unless you take extra care to drop color deep into the crevasses.</span></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvNjwzl5ClojAq0NdkQeseOavYHP2CZUder2TeD7_8uvfQCO-nWR8dLpT3n3EAHmP1_DlbfGbDmd8dafkgYxfJ6Fl0iYSR8SGgfcVQGs6b0Z7WV3vF62qelcHGLrXfdg_PQXtPgFp3d6B/s1600/somewhere+the+sun+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvNjwzl5ClojAq0NdkQeseOavYHP2CZUder2TeD7_8uvfQCO-nWR8dLpT3n3EAHmP1_DlbfGbDmd8dafkgYxfJ6Fl0iYSR8SGgfcVQGs6b0Z7WV3vF62qelcHGLrXfdg_PQXtPgFp3d6B/s320/somewhere+the+sun+sm.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">card made with crinkle paper background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14px;">Carefully lay the paper out flat to dry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</ul>
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-83958874510175142322016-10-17T19:43:00.000-07:002017-01-02T19:44:57.690-08:00October Tide<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tim and I have a commitment to do Qi Gung at the beach every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:15. We have been going rain or shine for several years now. Sometimes a seal will watch us. Once we watched eagles mating high up in a Douglas Fir. Once we saw sea lions playing close to shore.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzHfNeN9hUkyAzWAdsfit0O4_RV7H7rIzfJGZQX59xQPZqEr3PaRLiUvv7NtJi0d4obrfHniggJLbm3I5L_8OIiHoXPhvG95wKJdZbh-QWfrp1ra0dwNSE6pkTv_aPBTFpslyTNI4IMm1/s1600/Sealettuceweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzHfNeN9hUkyAzWAdsfit0O4_RV7H7rIzfJGZQX59xQPZqEr3PaRLiUvv7NtJi0d4obrfHniggJLbm3I5L_8OIiHoXPhvG95wKJdZbh-QWfrp1ra0dwNSE6pkTv_aPBTFpslyTNI4IMm1/s320/Sealettuceweb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Lettuce at Tramp Harbor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some days are so foggy we cannot see the other side of the Bay, let alone Seattle or Des Moines. Some days feel quiet, with soft gray clouds and smooth water. Some days the rain drops make a pattern of circles on the water. Some days the sky is so blue, you want to sing. <br />
<br />
In October, little birds flock together and practice arial maneuvers above us. A line of foam accentuates the green of the seaweed bunched at the tide line. <br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-39150754968460963992016-04-07T16:20:00.000-07:002016-04-07T16:20:56.838-07:00Walking with camera in hand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjci7THsMQhEfAwZm3iWC_7dhbq8Nii0X6ueV6fWhW8LmffQHx60crI5eZH0o5ufcmwEh2WrJXqHJG-BeT3_fiMGm9XLWu69P4qkId5b9i4W9mtuWt64YxOYY6UlKSlxoW8ArrRU_BZkru-/s1600/kvi+abstract+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjci7THsMQhEfAwZm3iWC_7dhbq8Nii0X6ueV6fWhW8LmffQHx60crI5eZH0o5ufcmwEh2WrJXqHJG-BeT3_fiMGm9XLWu69P4qkId5b9i4W9mtuWt64YxOYY6UlKSlxoW8ArrRU_BZkru-/s320/kvi+abstract+web.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
What is it about this photo that makes me want to translate it into silk?<br />
<br />
This was taken in winter; see the frost on the piling? It was high tide at KVI beach--one of my favorite walks. I used to walk here as I recovered from surgery, with camera in hand and eyes open to the designs in nature. When I struggled with depression during the "change of life", walking with camera in hand lightened my mood. When I ran the school in my home, I made it a point to walk here once a week, to calm and nourish my soul so that I had more to give the children.<br />
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I am very fond of diagonals lately.<br />
I love the strong design element in this photo, and the colors. It has been on my mind for almost two years, to create a piece on silk with this inspiration. I am planning to include the finished piece in a body of work I am calling Where Land Meets Sea. It will show in May and June at Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union. </div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-47217711777408593492016-04-06T12:15:00.000-07:002016-04-07T12:06:57.984-07:00After the Feast: Silk Art in Progress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Native Americans gather from all over the North West U.S. and Canada, by canoe, to potlatch, <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF2DY1XAbAqeBIHWPradfuOTn6HHsYPV40-60mykZgpuxZxgs9pQS5v9JxBrfIIbClhiUjD5dUgM8q85OcJnwiV_vZJZrDOfiqnFQqFC0OW7-1JQxjejjm7y7oJ65TFlv1vGa5otrhV8n/s1600/after+the+feast+photo+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF2DY1XAbAqeBIHWPradfuOTn6HHsYPV40-60mykZgpuxZxgs9pQS5v9JxBrfIIbClhiUjD5dUgM8q85OcJnwiV_vZJZrDOfiqnFQqFC0OW7-1JQxjejjm7y7oJ65TFlv1vGa5otrhV8n/s320/after+the+feast+photo+web.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken at Port Gamble</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
renew relationship ties, practice native languages, and honor traditions. Sometimes we have accompanied one of them as a support boat. If a paddler needs a break from the canoe for any reason, we are there with blankets, hot drinks, and a working toilet.<br />
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One year we met them at Port Gamble, a former lumber town on Keystone Peninsula, for a clam and crab bake. From there, we accompanied the Blue Heron canoe to Port Townsend. Mike Evens was the skipper of the canoe, which represented the Duwamish people. His paddlers were all ages, including teens and sometimes a really young passenger. Many a lost young person has found themselves and turned their lives around with the support of the <a href="http://www.portolympia.com/341/2016-Paddle-to-Nisqually-Canoe-Journey" target="_blank">Canoe Journey.</a><br />
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The year we met the Blue Heron canoe at Nisqually, a young woman--I think she was 14 years old--came aboard for some quiet time. She showed me a scar on her ankle where she had carved her boyfriend's initials. She spent some time in introspection on the bunk under our NW carving of Raven, which happened to be her totem.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1uyao2WyT3pes2K72X99c2Afb_yim5rZtSRGomqjmOTMAxdBQZ-qMjoSC5YwDSZq8a5ceQohTZvxQ4UfLvZrXtH2_dJJhGKD61_DO1_AJm-AvZhwDjaWDwFGcLxXIqSDB37nzPC8R8Ae/s1600/After+the+Feast+1+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1uyao2WyT3pes2K72X99c2Afb_yim5rZtSRGomqjmOTMAxdBQZ-qMjoSC5YwDSZq8a5ceQohTZvxQ4UfLvZrXtH2_dJJhGKD61_DO1_AJm-AvZhwDjaWDwFGcLxXIqSDB37nzPC8R8Ae/s320/After+the+Feast+1+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"After the Feast"--a work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few years later I met her again, doing a presentation about the Canoe Journey with Mike Evens. What a strong competent young woman she had become! So proud to have been a small part of that transformation!<br />
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The photo I took at the clam/crab bake reminds me of her. I love the colors and I love being reminded of the community and camaraderie of that time. I think of these as I work on "After the Feast" in silk.<br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-20107771676064798892016-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:002016-03-30T12:27:56.513-07:00Spare Change; a Widow's Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There's something about the places where land and sea meet, that really resonate with me. Whether sailing in the Puget Sound and the Canadian Gulf Islands or doing Qi Gung on the beach, I can't help but gather images that might later become paintings.<br />
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I am working on a series of silk pieces--partly painted and partly "art Quilt"--inspired by photos I've taken over the years. Some of these have been nagging at me to paint them for almost a decade, like this one of Spare Change on Goat Island.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe4Cb6fUBM5brW82ptlUwHzCaA7Zei3RHWPU3h-9SmYZTPw571TpPzA7Yd2IZwCskEamWQforcEhI_QukI-yxnwmh3gJlbxuJNWRsdVSP_Q4bvz_XsZ0Z1KtRu9b5a-plq9GoBbHF-XNe/s1600/spare+change+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe4Cb6fUBM5brW82ptlUwHzCaA7Zei3RHWPU3h-9SmYZTPw571TpPzA7Yd2IZwCskEamWQforcEhI_QukI-yxnwmh3gJlbxuJNWRsdVSP_Q4bvz_XsZ0Z1KtRu9b5a-plq9GoBbHF-XNe/s320/spare+change+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spare Change on Goat Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Spare Change on Goat Island speaks to my heart because I took it after my husband Bob died. Bob and I sailed our boat Sea Change among the Gulf Islands in Canada for several years. Spare Change was--still is--the dingy.<br />
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When Bob was nearing death and knew he would no longer be able to sail, I told him I would sail when he was gone, no matter what the weather. That's when he knew that I would be OK. He told me he would be "the wind on my cheeks".<br />
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Bob died in July. I taught my son James to sail, and we took off for the San Juans and the Gulf Islands for a month. It was my time to come to terms with Bob's death, to learn to "skipper my own boat". There were times I was terrified to leave harbor, and James and I stayed at anchor for two days until I was ready to move on. There were times I felt Bob so close, I knew he would be a part of me always.<br />
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Goat Island is a small piece of land and rock in the harbor by Ganges, Canada, one of our favorite stops. Bob and I never landed on it, but James and I did. James and I visited many places Bob and I loved and also had new adventures.<br />
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Spare Change on Goat Island is about building on the Love and Adventuring Bob and I shared and continuing to love and to explore life. <br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-35854261222553424162016-03-29T10:31:00.001-07:002016-03-29T10:47:12.350-07:00Call Me a Tree Hugger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have always loved trees. As a child I was a tree climber. As a young woman, I sensed a communication with an old Douglas Fir outside a friend's house. Really. I reached out to the tree in my mind, and I felt--sensed--the tree respond. Not in words of course.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg3IG0G8sEmUfTtW1UeUP49tdY8U3kKOoGZhRE-8esb0nPO36R1Vl2X0uFzGJEmDA6vwcxZWXDiMI7-0emfry8aB4rSeqhlqoMDl8uyZolPkgUyRvmGKM4O6Cd-VGMOVm03V-BMSBMZJm/s1600/kvi+pt+wet+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg3IG0G8sEmUfTtW1UeUP49tdY8U3kKOoGZhRE-8esb0nPO36R1Vl2X0uFzGJEmDA6vwcxZWXDiMI7-0emfry8aB4rSeqhlqoMDl8uyZolPkgUyRvmGKM4O6Cd-VGMOVm03V-BMSBMZJm/s320/kvi+pt+wet+web.jpg" width="239" /></a>Later, as a teacher of young children, I was gathering fir branches to decorate the classroom, for a unit on NW Native Americans. I had clippers in hand, but could not bring myself to cut branches from living trees. It felt like I was cutting off their fingers. In my mind, I said to the tree, "I need some greens for my classroom." I looked around, and there was a large branch full and green laying on the ground! <br />
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I used that, of course, hung it from the ceiling. It gave us the feeling of being in the forest.<br />
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Every point of land here in the Puget Sound seems to have a Cedar or Douglas Fir leaning out over the water, like a sentinel.<br />
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I've heard that pioneers used fir or pine needles to make a tea rich in vitamin C. Native Americans used Cedar bark for clothing, ropes, to weave into blankets. The roots they made into baskets, and the trunk made their canoes. I can imagine each tree being asked it's permission before it's bark or trunk was used.<br />
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Just being among trees or standing at the foot of one gives me a sense of comfort. I feel protected when I lean against the trunk of an evergreen. Trees are like friends.<br />
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OK, call me a tree hugger. I am not offended.<br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-45720426859137053952016-03-22T10:17:00.002-07:002016-03-22T10:27:40.747-07:00Steaming Silk Dyes at Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you checked out the cost of a steamer for steaming silks? OMG! Not in my budget! Luckily there are other solutions.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRQZKXhYI3gUwKQ4B3hPfFOIMxuY5VDewdzPoc5zptlvNNGNgLhPg1WZIL9LfzUX3VTM2_g8Buy3JHnhMwAyWeQcuKtbEaykXVX88A1Ica4xgUcAvjVtsQNgXO8wbShA5ExFDQv6JKWne/s1600/steaming+silk+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRQZKXhYI3gUwKQ4B3hPfFOIMxuY5VDewdzPoc5zptlvNNGNgLhPg1WZIL9LfzUX3VTM2_g8Buy3JHnhMwAyWeQcuKtbEaykXVX88A1Ica4xgUcAvjVtsQNgXO8wbShA5ExFDQv6JKWne/s320/steaming+silk+2.jpg" width="311" /></a><br />
I can steam 4-6 scarves at home on my stove this way:<br />
1. Lay out a piece of cotton wide enough and long enough for two scarves laid side by side.<br />
2. Lay the scarves on top.<br />
3. Cover with three layers of old newspapers (at least 30 days old).<br />
4. Repeat if you have more scarves. I find 3 layers of scarves is max.<br />
5. Roll into a cylinder, starting at the top of the scarves.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oG4yqFDmBUuQnQdhBWvozeTUbr8ELaDmbBspjo79Icm9ilzUYj5nt_6vWTz5RQJDjFgjSuVjEjJLEJ7GGNjA0VQqvAotaMPJT6SaZOG2pFPGke9HaAFgKNcXcjlzgqeFNX3TkuDQUQ_0/s1600/wrapped+spiral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oG4yqFDmBUuQnQdhBWvozeTUbr8ELaDmbBspjo79Icm9ilzUYj5nt_6vWTz5RQJDjFgjSuVjEjJLEJ7GGNjA0VQqvAotaMPJT6SaZOG2pFPGke9HaAFgKNcXcjlzgqeFNX3TkuDQUQ_0/s320/wrapped+spiral.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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6. Roll this into a spiral.<br />
7. Wrap in newspaper; tape or tie shut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUn4NbjikUj9KZqjt-qsCPzClS9e1uELp88qxEvEd8OS5muIo93BIaRCdcSkERygJIcI92pzD_6kTpHueoj_0HdYRzweZKiuAL1imhvB8VfX3ISlQOUciFqlTdVcm5zUM98sudRSfaVzO/s1600/wrapping+silk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUn4NbjikUj9KZqjt-qsCPzClS9e1uELp88qxEvEd8OS5muIo93BIaRCdcSkERygJIcI92pzD_6kTpHueoj_0HdYRzweZKiuAL1imhvB8VfX3ISlQOUciFqlTdVcm5zUM98sudRSfaVzO/s320/wrapping+silk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
8. Put about 2" or so of water in a large pot.<br />
9. Put in something to hold silk package up out of the water. I found an old cake pan about 3" deep and my husband cut holes in it to let the steam through.<br />
10. Cover with a folded towel or a lot of newspapers.<br />
11. Steam as long as your dye requires. I steam red label Jaquard dyes for up to 2 hours including time it takes to heat up the pan.</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-85971325290181219722016-02-23T21:39:00.000-08:002016-02-23T21:39:38.070-08:00Green Gate-a fantasy painting in process<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVgmi9jA-y7XWd0ijs-W9T8TZHHSvvdzqYHo0G_OapDLnLB2mhx77sxxZuDeajgNq_EBH0qMUSHt7KHznbIxZLhCL369kmZNWNVpHYpfxsD4YxQEorskf1fgUoF4na1Vtlq-DCXqDtlOd/s1600/green+gateweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVgmi9jA-y7XWd0ijs-W9T8TZHHSvvdzqYHo0G_OapDLnLB2mhx77sxxZuDeajgNq_EBH0qMUSHt7KHznbIxZLhCL369kmZNWNVpHYpfxsD4YxQEorskf1fgUoF4na1Vtlq-DCXqDtlOd/s320/green+gateweb.jpg" width="223" /></a>There is something mysterious about this gate. It intrigues me. I took its photo on the way to a Sufi gathering last month, and it still calls to me. Inspires me.<br />
<br />
Today I began figuring out how I might paint it. <br />
<br />
Just a quick watercolor, I thought, just to put some color on paper.<br />
<br />
But then I began analyzing it. What is it that calls to me so? How do the composition and values work to draw the eye back to that bright spot? How might I change the composition to make it more effective?<br />
<br />
Now I've really opened the gate to inspirations!<br />
<br />
What if I make the gate a different style? The style would reflect the world behind the gate, the world the gate leads to. What world do I want it to lead to? What styles of gate are possible?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjs1ET87yQSwbe6yFSggs_a77NAwbccYPX4j5dcspv3-LA3df6cKbBsEpFVuHnXBYjVVRvnwOI5TQMbIbvxVfLgrnJvu45v9G4SRdR8sipQgFlyXJgJZ5_ZQN9dYKFRnq6AHmW1bgY6QW/s1600/gates1web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjs1ET87yQSwbe6yFSggs_a77NAwbccYPX4j5dcspv3-LA3df6cKbBsEpFVuHnXBYjVVRvnwOI5TQMbIbvxVfLgrnJvu45v9G4SRdR8sipQgFlyXJgJZ5_ZQN9dYKFRnq6AHmW1bgY6QW/s320/gates1web.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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So I spent some time on the computer getting ideas. Wow!<br />
I know what I don't want. I don't want a modern looking gate, or a polished wood gate, or a gate you can see clearly through. I don't want a wrought iron gate.<br />
<br />
Definitely a wooden gate. Maybe you can just see little peeks of garden between the boards. Do I want a window in the gate? Should the gate be freshly painted? Or weathered?<br />
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And what style of hinge might my gate have? The hinge can be anything! It can be a plain wrought iron rectangle, black or rusted. It can be a dragon! It can even be invisible, on the other side.<br />
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And what about the latch?<br />
<br />
Should the gate have an ornament on it, a little plaque perhaps?<br />
<br />
Well, of course the answers depend on what the world behind the gate will look like, the story the gate is in.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1RKb8oMTeH4Ulog_T-sgIH3nubHh2LCZLqYIS-CzDezV13wP8-25RArSKqWPNMFsexxpE9vc_CcIIHw_W9n-aLZj64QZdKkaFmxyO5k7ltG6aHyb2tVaBTWRzFWISOnDeodjIH95Qtf5/s1600/gates2+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1RKb8oMTeH4Ulog_T-sgIH3nubHh2LCZLqYIS-CzDezV13wP8-25RArSKqWPNMFsexxpE9vc_CcIIHw_W9n-aLZj64QZdKkaFmxyO5k7ltG6aHyb2tVaBTWRzFWISOnDeodjIH95Qtf5/s320/gates2+web.jpg" width="240" /></a>Again, more ideas of what I want and what I don't want.<br />
<br />
Not a romance with roses, not a garden where lovers roam. Maybe in another painting.<br />
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Not a haunted house, or a brick cottage garden. Not, I think, an English country garden. Nothing formal.<br />
<br />
A Fairyland?<br />
A castle garden?<br />
A place of mystery, definitely! With a figure in red at the top of the stairs, just going out of sight to the right.<br />
<br />
I could use one palate of colors on this side of the gate, and another set on the other side; for example, I might have predominately reds and golds on one side, and blues and greens on the other side. Or one side could be monochromatic. Or the whole painting could be monochromatic with just little bits of a contrasting color to attract the eye.<br />
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Color will be very important to convey mood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaB9s4-lw46D9kJPpWEulUTWmEw3fwcI0qGKqRsKEXpJXprCZ83uguIMB2OdwUnu0Uh7Ml8oINpn7PIyDZq01dCQsOxZUwzQ5qW-ri2VYHxz18Uftk97yLGSO8lGXp02P4qdDah96LbHz/s1600/green+gateweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaB9s4-lw46D9kJPpWEulUTWmEw3fwcI0qGKqRsKEXpJXprCZ83uguIMB2OdwUnu0Uh7Ml8oINpn7PIyDZq01dCQsOxZUwzQ5qW-ri2VYHxz18Uftk97yLGSO8lGXp02P4qdDah96LbHz/s320/green+gateweb.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
Looking at the photo again, maybe I don't want to make big changes. Not for the first go, anyway.<br />
<br />
This could be the beginning of a series of gate paintings, each leading to a different world or a different mood. Or the lead in to a fantasy world where my stories take place.<br />
<br />
Or it could express the Sufi world I entered into that day....<br />
<br />
But I do want a woman in a long red dress at the top of the stairs, just disappearing off to the right.<br />
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What do you think?</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-12862413524712975692016-02-08T12:00:00.000-08:002016-02-08T12:00:10.506-08:00Opening Reception for the Art Show--Worth It?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had a great time at the opening reception for my show at <a href="http://www.vashon-tea-shop.com/" target="_blank">Vashon Tea Shop</a> Friday night! Thanks to all who came!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_WQJvdTufkQM66sSVEnSg3sb4lJ0wF4DbYnzeUgGTMcU6GIP0MfAqoSI186AsQYNydniwjF2VmSTGTlqsec9javs1wQpYTx50w-P95b4vFFCDy93KpljJOaTsncUkVHWyBHL06yN-IuS/s1600/teashop+2-5-16+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_WQJvdTufkQM66sSVEnSg3sb4lJ0wF4DbYnzeUgGTMcU6GIP0MfAqoSI186AsQYNydniwjF2VmSTGTlqsec9javs1wQpYTx50w-P95b4vFFCDy93KpljJOaTsncUkVHWyBHL06yN-IuS/s320/teashop+2-5-16+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Before the reception, I worried that the music from the <a href="http://www.vashonbookshop.com/" target="_blank">Vashon Book Shop </a>next door would drown out <a href="http://www.kateggleston.com/home.html" target="_blank">Kat Egglestons's</a> wonderful guitar playing at the opening reception. I worried that no one would come. I worried that my work would not show well. I worried that no one would like my work.<br />
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I worried, I was suddenly exhausted from the work of putting up the show, I had that sinking feeling one gets after spending a lot of energy on something and fearing it won't work out.<br />
<br />
I do not plan to sell any of the art. I am showing illustrations from past and current work, both studies and published. Nothing I am ready to let go of. I do hope to encourage people to buy the published books, <u>Peacock Princess</u> and <u>Atom's Monster</u>, either directly from me on <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank">my web site</a>, or from <a href="http://www.vashonbookshop.com/" target="_blank">Vashon Book Shop</a>. And I want to kind of "prime the pump", to begin to get people interested in my current project, "Troll Story".<br />
<br />
My accountant would say this was a disaster. I spent weeks preparing the show, and during the reception I sold only two books, <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank"><u>Atom's Monster</u></a> for $5 ea--and that thanks to my husband! He is the one who kept showing my books to people! I was too shy....<br />
<br />
No one showed up for the first 1/2 hour or 45 minutes. I did not communicate well with the book shop to make sure they had copies. My publicist was tearing her hair out!<br />
<br />
But...<br />
<br />
I had a wonderful time and so did everyone who came!<br />
<br />
Was it worth doing? Absolutely!<br />
Why?<br />
Well.....It's difficult to put into words. The value can't be measured in dollars. It isn't about "networking".<br />
<br />
For me the interactions with friends I had not seen for awhile, with people friends brought in to see the show, with people I was meeting for the first time--these interactions nourish me. Maybe it's about being recognized as the artist, the creator of something worth coming to see, being focus of attention.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's about the exchange of ideas. Or the music. Or the general joyful feeling that filled the space.<br />
<br />
I feel like it is community building. Creating a common happy experience for people. Sharing my joy. And that is important to me.<br />
<br />
Sharing my joy.<br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0Vashon, WA 98070, USA47.4473204 -122.459850247.275421900000005 -122.7825737 47.6192189 -122.13712670000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-59333404592659909462016-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:002016-02-01T12:00:00.265-08:00Fall watercolor painting; next step<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MlaHdbfUZNd5rTjendijN7RtAFeKLnGepWd6b-AoLBWDRYaL1qp47Q4bnFwZcYPLoeGkVkHfYW69ygZLlT_lfNfZrQMjNV1PuUsU2YdjEGyvRHKFJy2odJVZco2bMY2BjOwDNppdIy-B/s1600/KVI+Estuary+1+10-30-15web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MlaHdbfUZNd5rTjendijN7RtAFeKLnGepWd6b-AoLBWDRYaL1qp47Q4bnFwZcYPLoeGkVkHfYW69ygZLlT_lfNfZrQMjNV1PuUsU2YdjEGyvRHKFJy2odJVZco2bMY2BjOwDNppdIy-B/s1600/KVI+Estuary+1+10-30-15web.jpg" /></a> <b>To review</b>: we started with a light pencil sketch and a couple of ink lines, then painted in the lightest colors:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5MaDQeChTvpjiYd9cIa7Oi296BCLWx-dCVNKBIXt8IG6ygX0FGj1Y1bhiNHVnC8Bw5_ST2wP3jh0-Hm3i0g5nP81IFT3VOwoSiRwpF3XD98Ab_mo4GtZ4ptS7ThWNekulCdAaxaBhan1/s1600/KVI+Estuary+2+10-30-15web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5MaDQeChTvpjiYd9cIa7Oi296BCLWx-dCVNKBIXt8IG6ygX0FGj1Y1bhiNHVnC8Bw5_ST2wP3jh0-Hm3i0g5nP81IFT3VOwoSiRwpF3XD98Ab_mo4GtZ4ptS7ThWNekulCdAaxaBhan1/s1600/KVI+Estuary+2+10-30-15web.jpg" /></a>We used some "negative painting" to define the shape of the orange tree by painting around it with a medium value green. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVtnwWCWNoBi9DmzNUMznuwWqs365_trswGfNv_2g1tBq0YfPE6s7Q5o8SLp_Bm9tQQtREA4HwJCNdwKpcLYHkqySYL1vHbKYHsjq1slsveehf4Qha1DP3Heuxzjc7WPJNr-C5s17nW4K/s1600/KVI+Estuary+3+10-30-15+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVtnwWCWNoBi9DmzNUMznuwWqs365_trswGfNv_2g1tBq0YfPE6s7Q5o8SLp_Bm9tQQtREA4HwJCNdwKpcLYHkqySYL1vHbKYHsjq1slsveehf4Qha1DP3Heuxzjc7WPJNr-C5s17nW4K/s1600/KVI+Estuary+3+10-30-15+web.jpg" /></a><b>Now come the dark colors</b>. Add the darks last. You can always make things darker, but in
watercolor, you can't make things lighter. Well, unless you use gouche
paints, but that's another story. Notice how the dark green makes the orange and the yellow green trees more vibrant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG1zfMv1Kl1xWAbS9vUMTr_f3KTbgEG6-t_ctjKpY_gMtxp0WMOmQ6UGolk77tf59FDkWUy844bNmhziIbZ443D7lriIUs66vF25k8-vHLr_pwtmb0n5j6sjB8xKWYwWqw7FRzZvhzB68/s1600/KVI+Estuary+4+10-30-15+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG1zfMv1Kl1xWAbS9vUMTr_f3KTbgEG6-t_ctjKpY_gMtxp0WMOmQ6UGolk77tf59FDkWUy844bNmhziIbZ443D7lriIUs66vF25k8-vHLr_pwtmb0n5j6sjB8xKWYwWqw7FRzZvhzB68/s1600/KVI+Estuary+4+10-30-15+web.jpg" /></a> The very darkest colors give the whole painting a vibrancy and guide your eye around the painting, while a few ink lines define a bit of detail. I used a white jelly pen to add highlights and to give your eye a nice paved pathway, so to say . </div>
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<br /><b>Mondays I plan to introduce some common watercolor techniques, so stay tuned!</b><br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-33247262170488114762016-01-26T23:00:00.007-08:002016-02-07T20:04:38.281-08:00A Troll for You and a Troll for Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpdUItLOqG3-hpufO-hs8rnd8z74WhUDkGd93Cvc52PZ9naIv-Ynp4qYCRu2mz8jNGfzI3HzMl5bGFJnG-4QuFZSQOst3MlhlAdpxgXue94pOMKxrAQnGFaQORu2FX4ecIaaNjdkE37GP/s1600/troll+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpdUItLOqG3-hpufO-hs8rnd8z74WhUDkGd93Cvc52PZ9naIv-Ynp4qYCRu2mz8jNGfzI3HzMl5bGFJnG-4QuFZSQOst3MlhlAdpxgXue94pOMKxrAQnGFaQORu2FX4ecIaaNjdkE37GP/s320/troll+web.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troll from Atom's Monster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Something about trolls fascinates me. A troll in my first children's book, <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank"><u>Atom's Monster</u></a>, is the <br />
catalyst for change, helping the boy hero to move from fear to courage--though not in the most comfortable way! I wrote the story for my 4 year old son Atom, when he was having nightmares, and found that the story was loved by many 3-5 yr olds.<br />
<br />
The troll isn't TOO scary; as Atom says, he "doesn't look as though he eats little boys"! In fact, his beard and patched pants might have reminded the real Atom of his beloved papa.<br />
<br />
We imagined trolls in the woods a generation later, when Atom's son was 4 years old, and a very different troll emerged. For one thing, the boy's fears and frame of reference were different.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ91kj4xAV8s_1FByyUVHGl_PqcL6U2whTj_xFVHXUOtEjGXKbxBFLX_KraT8amLoccgXq05kaRO8NslPmMD41ByD-aJ_ZkWS85pMgJZhvPOkFODwmmsQy63g_GRF93mvo9uVcXqXI2F5c/s1600/fremont-troll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ91kj4xAV8s_1FByyUVHGl_PqcL6U2whTj_xFVHXUOtEjGXKbxBFLX_KraT8amLoccgXq05kaRO8NslPmMD41ByD-aJ_ZkWS85pMgJZhvPOkFODwmmsQy63g_GRF93mvo9uVcXqXI2F5c/s320/fremont-troll.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think the troll my grandson was afraid of was based on the troll under the Freemont Bridge in Seattle--a monster bigger than a house! It eats VW's for heavens sake! And to think there might be trolls such as this in our woods--pretty scary!<br />
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He would not go into the woods after that, even with his grandmother. Something had to be done.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ro6Lcp4F3ZSWpfSi4OICIKufGyoBTjHtmSD5cyql1VS1i1O36LpldFe2ICBhy_CaXLDpbyYvz2DvHpLFXgtAuNl9s-aFsFkp4hmVZxDNoU5RxET2loHlvO65fRhDuXRAF_zG9DOL3J55/s1600/troll+dance+line+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ro6Lcp4F3ZSWpfSi4OICIKufGyoBTjHtmSD5cyql1VS1i1O36LpldFe2ICBhy_CaXLDpbyYvz2DvHpLFXgtAuNl9s-aFsFkp4hmVZxDNoU5RxET2loHlvO65fRhDuXRAF_zG9DOL3J55/s320/troll+dance+line+web.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troll; work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The boy's parents suggested he could make friends with the trolls by giving them fish heads, and so a new Troll Story was born.<br />
<br />
This troll needed to be scary/not scary. It needed to embody the strangeness and wildness of the woods, but not be overpowering, so I made it wild and animalistic, but childlike.<br />
<br />
The teeth, the fir, the ears, the whiskers, all make it animalistic--almost cat like. Since the family has cats, this brings a familiarity to the troll, making it less frightening. <br />
<br />
The big head and eyes, childlike expression, and bare tummy with the belly button showing make it even less threatening. Size is important, too. This troll is actually smaller than the boy.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqipxkb-aejxVJtHORs9Can_b1tGtTTD_XS2brEmM_Jl-Se3cVR3ygCyZZYT97fkZNGdzXdD7pZ9datH4vowPCC5OGNsvi14ZdYGt3rGYzRnHygqFs-pszDjx6oWpKlZUqLi4ZCiXxVVVW/s1600/seb+lunch+cap+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqipxkb-aejxVJtHORs9Can_b1tGtTTD_XS2brEmM_Jl-Se3cVR3ygCyZZYT97fkZNGdzXdD7pZ9datH4vowPCC5OGNsvi14ZdYGt3rGYzRnHygqFs-pszDjx6oWpKlZUqLi4ZCiXxVVVW/s320/seb+lunch+cap+web.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troll; work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
This story is a work in progress, and I will be showing drafts of it, along with published and unpublished paintings from <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank"><u>Atom's Monster</u></a> and my coloring storybook, <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank"><u>Peacock Princess</u></a>, at the <a href="http://www.vashon-tea-shop.com/" target="_blank">Vashon Tea Shop</a>, during February and March.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-48121577918625955262016-01-16T21:10:00.001-08:002016-02-07T20:05:45.613-08:00Some Character Development<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLJHouokb0gbR6UJhR8YYbobxOSwXAswkwt-6eT31Vn-LSBiQaWeYOzp1EWt7hs8x9yfR9oZIS0atPU8cR1cwmeB4VyVT1gWDZIcZ-gUlpfFGcFlmlKPT0v5hUx0v6t_DX0PY6536l8Gc/s1600/long+face%253B+round+face+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLJHouokb0gbR6UJhR8YYbobxOSwXAswkwt-6eT31Vn-LSBiQaWeYOzp1EWt7hs8x9yfR9oZIS0atPU8cR1cwmeB4VyVT1gWDZIcZ-gUlpfFGcFlmlKPT0v5hUx0v6t_DX0PY6536l8Gc/s320/long+face%253B+round+face+web.jpg" width="288" /></a>I am learning to use the shapes in a character's face to define a character so that I can make the same character again as well as to give an indication of what kind of person it might be. Traditionally, long skinny triangles and sharp points spell danger and are useful to show a villain, while round shapes indicate friendliness and harmlessness.<br />
<br />
By observing these two people closely and analyzing the shapes in their faces, I was able to remember enough of their features to draw them from memory later. The round faced man really did shine with love for everyone. The long faced man did not actually look villainous--just haggard and tired.<br />
<br />
With a little more exaggeration, these faces could become a true villain and a truly jovial wise old man, for use in a story.<br />
<br />
BTW, the round faced man is a Sufi teacher from Turkey I went to see last night, and the long faced man is his translator. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_694109568"></span></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-36493670311380244872016-01-12T13:39:00.000-08:002016-01-27T18:58:58.062-08:00I'm back! and working hard on character development, life drawing, and watercolor technique.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1L3yyBiLFc5XBd9PmwJzk-6L79KebAnz0t-g4nNZzAjjoISgCZMmxZRwMKeoBDw9XtZewe3bgkEcaFWkRKvQEkgGUHOW0lEIGN1qmRCTPC-36oaHARELOvaRMbfUwpiAbhhZDE6a3mMS/s1600/forest+1-10-15web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1L3yyBiLFc5XBd9PmwJzk-6L79KebAnz0t-g4nNZzAjjoISgCZMmxZRwMKeoBDw9XtZewe3bgkEcaFWkRKvQEkgGUHOW0lEIGN1qmRCTPC-36oaHARELOvaRMbfUwpiAbhhZDE6a3mMS/s320/forest+1-10-15web.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How do I illustrate the magic of the woods?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Good heavens, it's been nearly a month since I last posted!
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you've been following my watercolor
techniques series and I have left you hanging, I'm sorry. It's
</div>
January, my time of going inward—and perhaps yours as well.
And...well, there's something about getting immersed in Christmas
activities and turn of the year introspection that erases last year's
concerns. Some of them.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm all on fire for new projects and
new learnings.</div>
And for delving into projects I've put
on hold for years.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh, I haven't forgotten you, those of you looking for watercolor techniques. I'm honing my skills in this medium, which means re-visiting some basic techniques. Please do come along for the ride! </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This year—well, at this moment
anyway—I've put aside my painting on silk to focus on storytelling
in words and images. I've stories to tell! Some are mine, some
are the stories of people dear to me.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have much to learn about how to
illustrate my stories. How to draw characters so that you can see who
they are and a bit about how they think. How to paint the
magical/real world my characters live in. How to show you the magic
I experience on the beach and in the woods.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuh3oWnuRe8cBnO8bwrnXEuO-svXb_7_KmEAri-sZfgHqiTz2uBzCBf2htR7LbbNl_oB3wYMnB00zg3arNb4D9j0czTQAK90OrrflTdtG2X8uKIS5GKy6jocebMyZHAIEp1Wq0QdvuRfG7/s1600/Atoms+Monster+sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuh3oWnuRe8cBnO8bwrnXEuO-svXb_7_KmEAri-sZfgHqiTz2uBzCBf2htR7LbbNl_oB3wYMnB00zg3arNb4D9j0czTQAK90OrrflTdtG2X8uKIS5GKy6jocebMyZHAIEp1Wq0QdvuRfG7/s320/Atoms+Monster+sq.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my first ever children's book was Atom's Monster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>First on the agenda</b> is my upcoming show
at the <a href="http://www.vashon-tea-shop.com/" target="_blank">Vashon Tea Shop</a>. I've decided to show some of my progression
illustrating fantasy, starting with my book <a href="https://squareup.com/market/suzannas-school-and-studio?square_lead=button" target="_blank"><u>Atom's Monster </u></a>and
ending with my current project, which I am calling “the Troll
Story”. This show opens February 5<sup>th</sup> at the Vashon Tea
Shop, 17610 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon, WA 98070, reception 6:00pm to 8:30 pm. I hope to see you there. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will be showing unpublished paintings as well as published illustrations. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Concurrently</b>, I am developing my skills
in figure drawing, character development, and watercolor painting. I
have found teachers online, in books, and in the studio.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>For figure drawing</b>, I am drawing with
Will Forester and Mike McGrath in the studio. Also, I am using Mike
Mattesi's book<a href="http://www.drawingforce.com/" target="_blank"> <u>Force</u></a> as well as his online videos.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b>
</div>
<b>
</b>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>For character development</b>, books by <a href="http://tombancroft.designbinder.com/" target="_blank">TomBancroft</a> are my principle teachers.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm honing my <b>watercolor painting
skills</b> with <u>Imaginary Landscapes</u> by Toni Smiber, and drawing
inspiration from <a href="http://www.shadowscapes.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am approaching this as my “art
school”, expecting that I will have the discipline to “go to
class” with my teachers consistently. Do you mind if I occasionally share
here lessons from my studies? You will be exposed to some of my
failures as well as successes.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-78353183582546061522015-12-17T11:34:00.000-08:002015-12-17T11:34:33.397-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Holidays are upon us! Every year I need to re-asses what they mean to me THIS year.<br />
<br />
I love the many traditions about this time of year; they are all about light--spiritual or physical--coming in a time of darkness. I cannot do justice to any of them here, but here is a smattering with links if you want to explore further. Be sure and add any I may have missed! <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The day Buddha realized the way out of earthly misery and experienced Nirvana is celebrated by many Buddhists on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Day" target="_blank">Bodhi Day, Dec 8th</a></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFFw1bZHLKmUPESROWvE_f7oZYJx871VmfMTymD1T9PUnyOo6ouY1nfaFhB9v7zvDcAe3pINEIF3ZXfhJ8NffMc9MLGSxHcmmmdNoGGS9YtuOJMffekjnpZ07FbZb_xn06CVmq1XehjRc/s1600/pheonix+raising1+card+size.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFFw1bZHLKmUPESROWvE_f7oZYJx871VmfMTymD1T9PUnyOo6ouY1nfaFhB9v7zvDcAe3pINEIF3ZXfhJ8NffMc9MLGSxHcmmmdNoGGS9YtuOJMffekjnpZ07FbZb_xn06CVmq1XehjRc/s320/pheonix+raising1+card+size.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Phoenix raising the sun, a Chinese Solstice Story</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/sweden.shtml" target="_blank">St Lucia's Day, Dec 13</a> is a Swedish holiday I love celebrating with children. Lucia--or Lucy, meaning light--is said to have brought food to Christians hiding in the catacombs in Rome in about 300 AD. When I ran an earlychildhood program, we made crowns with paper "candles" and cinamon rolls to bring to the elders. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Solstice, Dec 21st --I love calling Winter Solstice the day of the Birth of the Sun (Son)!</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Many Sufi celebrate the <a href="http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/wedding-night.html" target="_blank">Urs of Rumi</a> on Dec 17th. In this tradition, the day a saint dies is the day he or she is reunited with the Divine. It is called the Wedding Day and is celebrated as a day of joy!</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Christmas--Some of my friends consider Christmas to be unChristian because the date and some of the customs we still use are based on Roman holidays of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia" target="_blank">Saturnalia</a> and <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_ancient_Roman_religion#dies_natalis" title="Glossary of ancient Roman religion">Dies Natalis</a></i> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Invictus" title="Sol Invictus">Sol Invictus</a> (Birthday of the unconquerable sun).</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah" target="_blank">Hanukkah</a>, the Jewish holiday celebrating the one days worth of oil that kept the temple light and kept burning for 8 days. Like many other winter holidays, candles are an important part of the celebration. </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule" target="_blank">Yule</a>--remember hearing about the yule log?</li>
</ul>
How do you celebrate the winter holidays? <br />
<br /></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-69950784432094080912015-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:002015-12-14T12:00:01.835-08:00Its a Wrap: Vashon Island Studio Tour--Profit?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcqkVgfWF9WZzI64IwD7lA8UDO4GXvLqfDoSJLXv2WvvSFWat6HeRTYPV51aQOQYpNit9eCLvXMRwLm8fiww5OXVMwn2kkYdTSsWnMBfl_Kz8aK-ZAySWmB18mlVmyvqQHsMHv2QK-kdt/s1600/cloud+study+wc2+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcqkVgfWF9WZzI64IwD7lA8UDO4GXvLqfDoSJLXv2WvvSFWat6HeRTYPV51aQOQYpNit9eCLvXMRwLm8fiww5OXVMwn2kkYdTSsWnMBfl_Kz8aK-ZAySWmB18mlVmyvqQHsMHv2QK-kdt/s1600/cloud+study+wc2+web.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cloud Study, Tramp Harbor (6"x9") -- Sold!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How does one figure profit? I plan to give all my profit to the <a href="http://www.rescue.org/us-program/us-seattle-wa" target="_blank">International Rescue Committee</a>, but <br />
how much is profit?<br />
<br />
It's not as simple as looking at how much I spent getting ready for the show. I spent a lot of money on things that didn't sell this time but will over time, and on equipment I will use later. In fact, I believe I invested more than I brought in. Not to mention the hours spent making materials, getting things ready, setting up the space. If I counted my return only in dollars, I would be seriously in the hole!<br />
<br />
And yet...there is something very nourishing about telling people the stories behind my paintings. I believe my core mission, to bring people closer to nature and to the Divine Within through my art, is served when I tell the stories of the paintings, and when people buy the art.<br />
<br />
I am nourished when people buy my art! It gives me courage to keep on painting, and to keep on showing and telling my stories.<br />
<br />
It also serves my core mission when I give money earned from my art to meet some need in this world. So I look for models on how to figure profit.<br />
<br />
I remember long ago when Greyhound Bus boasted a %15 profit margin. That was a lot in those days; now corporations are expecting a larger and larger profit margin, but is Greyhound even still around?<br />
<br />
Now that the Vashon Island Holiday Studio Tour is over, I need to crunch the numbers and see how much is left over after cost of goods sold and the expenses of renting the space, among other things. I need to look at what I need to spend on materials and on professional development in the near future (long term planning is not really my forte'). Even if all this exceeds the money I brought in, I want to give at least %15 of my gross to the International Rescue Committee.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-3379739291087675022015-12-11T14:03:00.000-08:002015-12-11T14:38:30.100-08:00Just to let you know....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF9KjHbsQvP1xdA_RmFvN8vW-z9z7jfYAouBidzTwWHOOiXV7pWhLuKyUI-5bgAgVXmiSDWnLpyAsXQRu5D9hlFOxHCRbHVjwh_tyCDkEQbcGlFRjqokfRSQE4DZqSCiQ6L97ZVUr9eNl/s1600/Orcas+by+Neil+Point+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF9KjHbsQvP1xdA_RmFvN8vW-z9z7jfYAouBidzTwWHOOiXV7pWhLuKyUI-5bgAgVXmiSDWnLpyAsXQRu5D9hlFOxHCRbHVjwh_tyCDkEQbcGlFRjqokfRSQE4DZqSCiQ6L97ZVUr9eNl/s1600/Orcas+by+Neil+Point+web.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">small (6" x 9") watercolor of Orcas we saw--sold! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I plan to resume my series on watercolor techniques on Monday or Tuesday. <br />
<br />
Coming up is the second (and last) weekend of the <a href="http://vashonislandartstudiotour.com/Holiday2015/" target="_blank">Vashon Island Winter Art Studio Tour</a>. I sold some paintings last weekend! Also sold some of my Peacock Princess story coloring books and my calendars with my photos of Vashon Island. Not a way to pay the bills, but I think I've made expenses so far, and a little profit to give to the <a href="http://www.rescue.org/us-program/us-seattle-wa" target="_blank">International Rescue Committee.</a><br />
<br />
I feel so blessed to be living a wonderful life! I have time and inspiration to pursue my art, money for materials, a sweet loving man for a partner, healthy compassionate children and grandchildren. I wish this happiness for you as well!</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-53971915711270285322015-12-01T19:03:00.000-08:002015-12-01T19:03:32.329-08:00#35 on the Studio Tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh, man! I've so much to do and so little time. I need to put the watercolor painting tips on hold until next week. So sorry!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4injXEMQpDRAXOMvHffnXqaBphWh3C-CYdB5Y7JM9s6gcPQDbGxE-3mUm5D5MLNaUIXfholZDZdT_PKDyB_X1FSjICgOnMoKBvKA4Vvx6Mwnhb9go1UVUIB2U2u0x_zobLYMmTLmIIlz/s1600/looking+at+art+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4injXEMQpDRAXOMvHffnXqaBphWh3C-CYdB5Y7JM9s6gcPQDbGxE-3mUm5D5MLNaUIXfholZDZdT_PKDyB_X1FSjICgOnMoKBvKA4Vvx6Mwnhb9go1UVUIB2U2u0x_zobLYMmTLmIIlz/s320/looking+at+art+2014.jpg" width="197" /></a>Today, the 4 of us artists and 2 friends sat down to plan how we would get the old Grange Hall ready for our show opening on December 5.<br />
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You've heard the term "herding cats"? Well, that's us! Of course it was very interesting learning about Will's experience in New York, and what George will charge to replace the roof, and why we are #35 instead of our usual #1.<br />
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Not very time efficient, though.<br />
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And those last minute changes about how we will use the space....my brain ached!<br />
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Still, the camaraderie that develops as we work together is priceless!<br />
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Thank you to Will for getting us motivated and for doing so much of the grunt work!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiNKV9iKK_QLGwXfrR6jjqxnNwvkvCBzPRAV-yl-2XuYEDuE9VRw6UC5OdcdujryOhtyjhVrqNKRjW7Rq_00ZYej1ASEUUCwrodvrVeT1u0yE1h9l-j-23lPmGKkgRLmLSmna8ib4CaJb/s1600/Najua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiNKV9iKK_QLGwXfrR6jjqxnNwvkvCBzPRAV-yl-2XuYEDuE9VRw6UC5OdcdujryOhtyjhVrqNKRjW7Rq_00ZYej1ASEUUCwrodvrVeT1u0yE1h9l-j-23lPmGKkgRLmLSmna8ib4CaJb/s320/Najua.jpg" width="199" /></a>Thank you to Rifaat and Paul for pitching in to do those "guy things"--pounding nails, hefting heavy boards, using noisy equipment.<br />
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Thank you to Marcia for quickly cleaning very grody spots.<br />
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Thank you to Valerie for mapping where we would put the signs.<br />
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<b>Artists showing at #35 on the Vashon Island Studio Tour:</b><br />
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Will Forester: watercolors, oils<br />
Marcia McKinsky: watercolor batiques<br />
Suzanna Leigh: hand painted silks<br />
Valerie Roberts: abstracts<br />
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<b>Also appearing</b><br />
All Things Rich: artisan spices and blends<br />
Jasper Forester: products from Green Man Farm</div>
suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-34702994614335377102015-11-28T13:27:00.000-08:002016-01-27T18:49:53.285-08:00After the Pencil or Pen Sketch, Adding Color<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The hardest thing for me is to remember to paint the lightest brightest colors first. I am so used to <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6I0M8Ke7pfynPol8qOLrFjyck6WvN90zDlKlK4lbDo-XD7453nMqmNOn_-opACsKs5b1dWJtdBxc6A3YEenmcD2PAx82e7DB0np4YjseXIRRPyr-WnFqEUs2Kswnaq5YS6iv0f6HP1pG/s1600/KVI+Estuary+1+10-30-15web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6I0M8Ke7pfynPol8qOLrFjyck6WvN90zDlKlK4lbDo-XD7453nMqmNOn_-opACsKs5b1dWJtdBxc6A3YEenmcD2PAx82e7DB0np4YjseXIRRPyr-WnFqEUs2Kswnaq5YS6iv0f6HP1pG/s1600/KVI+Estuary+1+10-30-15web.jpg" /></a></div>
defining what I see by the shadows and lines! However, in watercolor you can't paint light over dark because the pigments are various degrees of transparent.<br />
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If you try, you get mud.<br />
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Usually the lightest area is the sky, but I don't always paint it first. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it is often gray, or white. When young children are asked what color is the sky, they often answer, "white".<br />
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If your sky is blue and you have oranges and yellows in your sketch, your oranges will turn brown and your yellows will turn green if you paint them over the blue sky.<br />
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At this point you are painting loosely, not trying to stay carefully within your pencil lines, or you will get a paint by number look.<br />
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You will get nice color blends if you work "wet on wet". For example, the red and orange were added while the yellow was still wet. Now let it dry. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71EDBEGXBK4iEPUhs_C52pfpX0ljrppXFscQnYrc9UA2AOY1gKCQsFKkKSx_to5EFmkk8LkoA6yz0tdU120TJAcBreE2OLiwZpYRQNC3lJLDnqLLUG2qjsqgLSMNUpcA0G36BvH5tzQth/s1600/KVI+Estuary+2+10-30-15web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71EDBEGXBK4iEPUhs_C52pfpX0ljrppXFscQnYrc9UA2AOY1gKCQsFKkKSx_to5EFmkk8LkoA6yz0tdU120TJAcBreE2OLiwZpYRQNC3lJLDnqLLUG2qjsqgLSMNUpcA0G36BvH5tzQth/s1600/KVI+Estuary+2+10-30-15web.jpg" /></a></div>
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Once it is dry you can add your middle values. The darker green now gives definition to the bright orange foliage of the tree at left. Anything you want white or nearly white, leave alone until later.<br />
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709407378225753254.post-87045335323007910172015-11-27T12:00:00.000-08:002016-01-27T18:50:49.496-08:00Preparing the Sketch for Color-Pencil or Pen?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCKR7wPiXyitYtXa7nIvDZYQgWQ_RmVXJgDc9pyDCpCoL90DbCuGdAiH3ZBtsOVb6aH5vfSde1FcVzFqYKfZDL-zkb_I4Tz9ujIeXX0e05fnhJS1PoTCOEW-Q5YOHm8-2IiZ2w-BHb7o7/s1600/KVI+Estuary+pencil+10-30-15+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCKR7wPiXyitYtXa7nIvDZYQgWQ_RmVXJgDc9pyDCpCoL90DbCuGdAiH3ZBtsOVb6aH5vfSde1FcVzFqYKfZDL-zkb_I4Tz9ujIeXX0e05fnhJS1PoTCOEW-Q5YOHm8-2IiZ2w-BHb7o7/s1600/KVI+Estuary+pencil+10-30-15+web.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pencil sketch; ink lines determine the composition</td></tr>
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Sometimes I use pencil, sometimes I use a black drawing pen. They give a different effect, but honestly, I don't make this decision consciously. Currently I like to start with a pencil drawing.<br />
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Do think about composition. You are in charge; you can move things around, leave them out, put in something that pleases you. Think about how your eye will travel over the page. What draws your eye first? Where will the lines in the composition lead your eye?<br />
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Sometimes if I start with a drawing pen and try to add color before the ink has properly dried--and the ink runs! Not what I wanted, but, well, I rather like this effect! (Remember, it's all an experiment!)<br />
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Here are some different effects:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk2ff7PZsmMLfY4uznEYMddXUs9DOs5UbFT7f42bpkkRGvKd4FPWuVhyphenhyphenLJIQtPLGj0Vpg5Xp8s5XQbmtXMse8RXmbX3fBOtYD8hY5ReRau_XiXtn8eW1RxD_5zi2Fa-Jzi57vNe6TgL5T/s1600/tea+shop+ink+web10-24-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk2ff7PZsmMLfY4uznEYMddXUs9DOs5UbFT7f42bpkkRGvKd4FPWuVhyphenhyphenLJIQtPLGj0Vpg5Xp8s5XQbmtXMse8RXmbX3fBOtYD8hY5ReRau_XiXtn8eW1RxD_5zi2Fa-Jzi57vNe6TgL5T/s1600/tea+shop+ink+web10-24-15.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops! The ink ran! Oh well....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1t0nhjepb2P3c_oWfeK6pjWKThcxejNsISN2sKXgjujWmep1Q9OuaBasxB3QfdAZBKN83vZOlLkR2UST8jOQ9VpmxBgIkD_O5SKb4C-gY6x3dYSIeGf8RxREiky0KZeL72VKRkcXD-3Wt/s1600/tea+shop+wc+web10-24-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1t0nhjepb2P3c_oWfeK6pjWKThcxejNsISN2sKXgjujWmep1Q9OuaBasxB3QfdAZBKN83vZOlLkR2UST8jOQ9VpmxBgIkD_O5SKb4C-gY6x3dYSIeGf8RxREiky0KZeL72VKRkcXD-3Wt/s1600/tea+shop+wc+web10-24-15.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second try, done first in pencil, then watercolor, then pen. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ2F5gDZxl9Z2juVICLx14FXDeV-oU_O-f_Pxy4Pvgalfu5N0CiH3Tmj3Uv5EK4qYwY29iKbzFRNFxG0yUsnipz79NCH3zvcMoeFbotQlMA_8hfU47v6jAOoaGOOtEup8uWt0DzIyhcDi/s1600/tea+shop+matcharoseweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ2F5gDZxl9Z2juVICLx14FXDeV-oU_O-f_Pxy4Pvgalfu5N0CiH3Tmj3Uv5EK4qYwY29iKbzFRNFxG0yUsnipz79NCH3zvcMoeFbotQlMA_8hfU47v6jAOoaGOOtEup8uWt0DzIyhcDi/s1600/tea+shop+matcharoseweb.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lightly sketched in ink, then watercolor pencil</td></tr>
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suzanna leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03290299928165969374noreply@blogger.com0