I am still immobilized by my bad fall and sprain, so celebrating my birthday month in Canyon, passing time with toy animals and cake. We expect to go visit Mimi in a few days so Art can get some downtime. He has been running up and down the stairs to bring me frequent snacks and coffee and other attentions.

Here is a portrait i painted of the new birthday possum I ordered from Mr. Mopps and had Art go to town to pick up–taking umbrage at being asked to play an instruments for Brementown. We are singers, he say, mistranslation.

Here are ideas for a puppy crittur, some cats based on Kevin W. sketches, and two origami pterosaurs to use as models for a predatory character.

On Monday April 26 at about 11 AM I lost my balance, pivoted 180 degrees, and fell into a hole, badly spraining my right ankle. Suddenly I am immobile, and more isolated that before. Luckily I was in Canyon- I tried to crawl but couldn’t move. I yelled and yelled until Art heard me, and came out to lift me up and carry me to the house.

I have been laid up in bed, being taken care of, well fed with healthy food; and, obviously, unable to work. Pluto stationing, heading back into my 11th house, Mercury and Venus piled up on my natal sun- Whew, I just narrowly escaped having to plan a 70th covid-tinged birthday gathering.

I am sketching a bit in my (s)crappy sketchbook, and it is really fun and soothing. I just found this little metal case, very handy for a small drawing kit. No drugs, no pain killers, I just here with my tools and a big freaking cake . . .

My sentiments exactly

I have a number of online classes I signed up for and not done much with. There is one that I have found approachable because the instructor’s demeanor is approachable, mild, funny, not at all intimidating . . . creating animal characters for storybooks. I have some critters around that I am drawing- little bigfoot, my stuffed animals as the Brementown Musicians, and some random animals around the studio.

For a Saturday class with David Pyle last January I bought some more colors, some half pans, and a thrift store snack plate, maybe even a new brush, but heck if I can find the painting I did . . . Gratitude in the small things. Chicken pie, rain, self care. Some things are just too heavy.

Moving forward with the creating animal characters course, it seems to be something I always wanted to do, animal portraits, but, a story? Human portraits, figure drawing, I don’t know. I’m just wandering in the wilderness. The plan for April is to not work so hard.

It’s a painful anniversary. Move along, nothing to see here.

I was gifted a sume-i kit, I just can’t seem to situate myself into doing calligraphy. Something about the edge of this round table, maybe the chair is too low. Enjoying the idea of vermillion. I have other brushes, ink, stone, paper. I had a harsh day, had to use black ink to cover a page in my journal.

Sorting things out is the MOST CREATIVE thing I can do, it reveals lost and forgotten projects and motivations, brings things together that I hadn’t seen before. Cleaning up is what I do best.

Moving studio, moving furniture, it is my true calling. Elderberry, Ashwaganda, all sound good to me, but get ferocious pushback on social media, I just don’t have any desire to associate with humans. Letting go, watching it unfold. Line jumping, parallel worlds, manifesting an upward spiral; I prefer solitude to having my boundaries violated. An online art class, tho, is almost like having a social life, and I can sneak out any time I like. Oops, lost signal, call back later.

March 2021

I had a lovely hike with my friend the homeopath. We were able to rant and outgas our outrage at the various effects of Stupid19, which seems to have become the new #metoo. Afterward I saw this photograph in a local tabloid and tweaked it a bit. Apologies to George Floyd.

It is astonishing to me how every new mind-control trend sweeps away any and all previous fads, and obliterates discernment in people I once thought anti-corporate and self-autonomous.

The Shattuck Theater re-opened, with re-strictions, so Art and I went downtown and saw a movie- Nomadland. No hot dogs at the concession, and pre-poured, one-size-only popcorn, $6. Here are some items of beauty I found on the street. The chair is what I believe to be in the Eastlake (victorian era) style, matching the hardware in my house of that period. I intend to reupholster it, sans springs, but saving the horse hair.

2.2.21

I am still not using the Roofing House- too cold and wet. There is very little damage, I got everything out in time, and I like the split, having my watercolors at home, and the more rough materials here. There will be some work to do once the weather dries out.

I inherited a stack of ecru dinner napkins, and last year was playing with acrylic inks. They are so absorbent it is hard to lay down a brush stroke. Maybe they need to be damp. Hmm, that can be arranged. I used flow-aid in places, and some folding and transfer.

also messing around with grayish sky colors.

12.30.20

Against the advice of our keepers, we snuck off to Santa Rosa to visit a mask-free paradise of art and food and friends. The tree, as ever, was crazy spectacular, and YT has a wide selection of fireplace videos. I took a book of Edward Curtis photos, and came back with a large monograph on Monet, and a tiny vintage travel set of winsor-newton watercolors.

Excellent food and drink, hikes, and post-holiday thrifting. The return to Berkeley has been productive. I am mixing media, playing with brush lettering, and touching up old pages.

11-15-20

Oh dear, the rains have come, and I am so happy except . . . the Roofing House, nestled as it is in a redwood grove, is damp and dark and suddenly all my sketchbooks and papers and other frail things have to be moved. Again. I brought a stack of books in and wiped down the covers, but tins of watercolors and drawing papers and source materials and sketchbooks need to be boxed up and moved to Essex Street for the winter.

I have some classes lined up to download, calligraphy and figure drawing and portraiture, I can just as easily- perhaps more easily- work from there.

One thing I did this fall was these little maquettes, possible prototypes, like 3D printing, only done by hand. Can’t get a better photo right now with everything packed up, but here is the krop-otkin bumper sticker prototype, and the word “wood” built up from paint to look like wood.

Oh well, upload won’t load. Just as well. It’ll be my little secret

11.2.2020

Creative expression- a giant wood pile we converted to a sunny 9.5×10.5′ “patio”, two folding adirondack chairs I found on the street and painted, a rusty sewing machine I wired as a night light; a balsa wood model Spitfire I got from a gardening client, a sketch of a big rat the cat left for us; and my new blue blockers.