Quote for Tuesday

If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.
Dietrich Bonhoeffe

Monotype Workshop

Got these 4 done....quite messy to do....you use a brayer to spread the ink (that must be at the right consistency, usually mixed with a few drops of retarder...I said "retarder", not retarded!) onto your plexiglas plate, then you quickly draw or add some bits of paper or strings or whatever to add texture onto the plate and then you turn the plate and apply it onto your paper, flip it (however NOT like a crepe) to put it under the printing press...aie...aie...aie..too much ink and you get puddles, not enough and you get...insipid nothing colors....well hopefully you get the point.
Upon looking at the results you can leave it as is or you can do a 2nd printing over it.
The only one that was left "as is" is the 2nd one.
I had tons of fun and learned a lot, loved it!

Quote in French

For my French readers:

Les familles, l'été venu, se dirigent vers la mer en y emmenant leurs enfants, dans l'espoir, souvent déçu, de noyer les plus laids.

Alphonse Allais

Quote For a Friday

I was walking down the street wearing glasses when the prescription ran out.

Steven Wright (1955 - )

Workshop Works in Progress

Both are sitting in my studio right now. I have not touched them since I finished the workshop. I am resting and thinking and returning to the daily routine with my head still spinning.
One comment I would like to make: when you take a workshop with someone like Jesse, you cannot expect to understand his approach, work intensely on applying his method (see below) and produce a work that is very personal! Hopefully that will come later.
In his own words:

" this entire process is based on working in reverse and out of time with
our thoughts. this method forces us to learn to see. meaning we see what
is rather than the idea of it. its easy to get caught up with the ideas in
ones head.. we aim to learn that a plan is just a start point at best and
its always ok to change our direction. a rigid plan can confuse us with
let downs and expxectations. just because things arent going as planned
doesnt mean they are going poorly, ive found in my past that sometimes
even when things are working out better, it easy to still be confused and
frustrated based on the idea that things are not going as planned.. best
to not look ar the plan but rather whats happening so we dont miss
anything.."

"Our" Very Own Jesse Reno

Yes, we purchased this little one. It says "love".....how sweet.
12" X 12" on board. This pic is just not crisp enough, must take another one.

Now for Lana Guerra's Work

During the workshop she made these 2 wonderful pictures, above. LANA is so creative...there is little that she does not do but the paintings are my favs!

Above: works by (our one and only furiously working) Leighanna. I believe that no one produced this amount of work. There was at least one more! She was in a trance for most of the time



Some works created during this workshop on display on the table.(not necessarily finished...most likely not!) Talented souls.

Workshop Pictures

Master Jesse Reno
Lana (Jesse's companion) working

Students absorbed

More of adorable Lana also absorbed in her work

It's Over: The Jesse Reno Workshop

Sorry, way too tired to post anything but I will tomorrow....yes, promised, I will!!!
Love to all

Jesse Reno...

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Beginnings....
in the forefront, my seat...empty, dah! Since I'm taking the shot!

Tje Jesse Reno Worshop

For a few pictures of the workshop (and gorgeous pictures taken in Mexico) by the organizer of the Jesse Reno workshop) go to Leighanna's blog.
I took some too but not as good...more to come

Welcome Back, Spring!

Busy with a ton of things but could not help admiring these along the way...

Stamps

On the left, 2 stamps carved in Paris at my sister's MPolette, while she was carving hers in front of me, how fun! And yes, she is better than me at this, her little fingers so steady! To the right, the latest simple shapes including the one I call the "Warts" stamp....yuck!!! It will be useful though. In fact it was not easy to carve believe it or not, at least not for me.

A Quote for a Saturday

Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us

Bill Watterson

More Sights of Spring

I know, you guys must be tired of looking at my pics of plant/flower life, sorry, it IS one of my passionate interests so here I go, together with that special New Mexico blue.

Instead of Working

Here is what I do...taking this kind of picture!
By the way, this is inspired by my friend "Anonyme"....you know who you are:)

Hi Friends!

Life goes on....I am blessed.....with more than one spark of insanity!

2 New Stamps

Signs of Spring

Funny, I usually am crazy about the first signs of life in the garden....not so this year but I am watching...somewhat.