Helen Frankenthaler dies at 83

Nature Abhors a Vacuum 1973

The artist Helen Frankenthaler has died. She was famous for using a method she helped develop which was known as the Color Field and she was married to the artist Robert Motherwell for many years. Ms. Frankenthaler poured turpentine-thinned paint in watery washes onto the raw canvas so that it soaked into the fabric weave, becoming one with it. (Source: The New York Times)

Occupy North Pole T-shirt is now for sale on Zazzle.com!

Now you can buy Occupy North Pole design on a T-shirt or Mug!
Order today and you'll get free shipping.

http://www.zazzle.com/occupy_north_pole_t_shirt-235381342915715829

http://www.zazzle.com/occupy_nort_pole_mug-168706644032486193

City lights and sights in Oklahoma

Christmas Lights on Automobile Alley in Oklahoma City

Womb Gallery Oklahoma City with Christmas light

Patriotic Buffalo

Winter Landscape

Fountain of Faith Church

Drive Thru-Window

Dean's Drive Thru Pawn Shop

Back in Oklahoma

I'm back in the town I grew up in from the fifth grade until I left to join the airlines at age 22. Oklahoma City has grown up too, there is a new sense of energy and excitement; young people are sitting in cafes, artists are active, the oil companies are booming and there is an NBA team in residence.

The influx of money from the sports team and the oil is evident with new restaurants, shops and art around town. I am really happy to see it and to be here. I think about moving back. The pace is slower, the traffic is less and the cost of living is slower. But it's been a long time since I left 34 years....

I love the light and the architecture of the houses and old brick building. It has an easy going vibe. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get back to my computer. Good night all.

Abstract art or painted over graffiti?

I've taken a series of pictures of walls that have blocks of painted over graffiti on them. They look like modern, abstract art to me. I've posted one set over on my flickr site. You can go there to view them all:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/picturegirl/sets/72157628296745071/show/

Linoleum block printing and Occupy North Pole postcards

My friend Kelly just had her annual block printing party the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I've been going for years and am finally starting to get the hang of it.

This years card is called "Occupy North Pole". Send one to your favorite protester!
I'm having them professionally printed and am selling the extras in packages of 20 for $12 on Etsy.

Click here to buy.

Click here to vote on this design at Threadless.com

Obsessed with Fashion

Katie Grand and husband Steve

I'm obsessed with fashion and clothes since I've been in New York. People here have style and everyone is dressed well. (Or so it seems to me coming from Seattle). I'm ready to become a fashionista. I just read about a British stylist who seems fascinating and talented. Check out this article on Katie Grand over at fashions most wanted blog. She's also the editor of Love magazine......a hot fashion mag for the industry.

The lady is a tastemaker and has great personal style.

My last day in New York

It's been a wild ride, two and a half weeks in New York City with all the sights, sounds and tastes that go along with it. I'm sad to leave yet ready to go home an see what comes of all that I have absorbed these last weeks. I'm sure I'll be more stylish and will incorporate the street styles I've seen in my travels around town. Here are a few more pictures from the last few days.

Diety at ABC Carpet and Home

Occupy Wall Street has trickled down to retail store advertising!

Sheridan, one of the kitties I'm watching

The sights in NYC

It was another busy day of walking, museum hopping and shopping in the Big Apple. I went to MOMA where I saw the De Kooning show as well as photography. This was my second visit for this trip. It's too much to take in all at once.
I headed to the International Center of Photography Museum and saw three great shows. My favorite was

Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer. There was also an exhibit of photographs 

from the last ten years of Harper's Bazaar and a moving exhibit of photos from 9/11.

I ended up in the East Village at Vineiros...a famous Italian bakery and bought a Cannoli. It was yum...can't find any like that in Seattle. 

Here are some other scenes from the last two days.

Pink Santas at ABC Carpet and Home

Doll Head Macrame

Red Storefront in Soho

I'm in NYC

Oy vey, I haven't posted in months. I was in Mexico for a week, then New Mexico for four days and now I'm in New York City! I'm here cat and apartment sitting for three weeks. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to live in the big apple like a local. I've just finished my second week and I haven't come close to seeing all the sights I want to see.

Protesters at Occupy Wall Street

Stencils at Occupy Wall Street.

Cafe Habana in Soho

Man with a cat on his head.

Hot pink girl in her school's Halloween Parade

Window at Louboutin

Long day.

Mickey takes a call on Halloween night in the Village

Here are a few highlights from my trip so far.

September at the Lake

August and early September have been a glory of hot summer days. I spent a Sunday afternoon at Lake Washington and watched a group of children playing in the water. It was a perfect summer day.

Playing in the water

Two boys on a tree

Lake Washington at Mount Baker Beach

Cameron Mason at the Project Room

Cameron Anne Mason showing her fabrics

Cameron's fiber art

Detail of Cameron's work

Scene at the Project Room

Last week I was at the Project Room again where Mandy Greer is in residence. She invited textile artist Cameron Anne Mason to speak about her work and why she makes. Cameron brought samples of her hand dyed fabric which was delicious. She also showed some of the fabric sculpture she shows at the Foster|White gallery. We all sat around crocheting for Mandy while she spoke, even a dapper gentleman arrived and took part in the creative scene.

Gasworks Park Photos

the gasworks

sign art

paddleboard race

Gasworks silhouette

Practicing fire dancing moves

We have a really cool park in Seattle on Lake Union called Gasworks Park. There are some old rusty gasworks there (hence the name) and it a wonderful place on the water with city view. Here is some of what I saw today.

Small Waist

Small waisted masseuse

This may be the world's smallest waist...seen in a coffee shop in Port Townsend. This girl, dressed as a victorian lady, corset and all, was giving chair massages. Anything to drum up business!

Sketchbook Challenge

Telephone

Here is today's sketch/painting...an old telephone (actually new, it's a reproduction).

Dyeing scarves in the backyard

When I went to Confluence (the Surface Design Association's conference) in June,  I bought some quick setting ColorHue silk dyes. Here are my first attempts at dyeing silk chiffon scarves. You can buy the dyes at www.SilkDyes.com.