Rare Sighting :)

For many months (years?) my art table has been buried beneath numerous materials, paper snippets and projects in various stages of completion.  In otherwords, it's been a mess around which (or on top of which, or in spite of which) I create paper arts.

In the spirit of sharing, I spent a few hours today clearing the surface so someone else could work on a project, which will necessitate my "making do" with a limited corner of the art room.  So here's a view of the table surface, mostly cleared, if only for a short moment of time- before I eventually repossess it: 

from here...

to here... and eventually--- back again?

If I didn't have so many hobbies including rock collecting, fossil hunting, pebble polishing, creative writing, jewelry-making, as well as interests in collage, painting, using alcohol inks and watercolors, Gelli Plate printing, marbleizing, rubber stamping, quilt-making, etc. I wouldn't need so much space to stay organized!  So many hobbies, so little time!

By the way, there are remnants from a vintage button collection underneath the small table.  What was I ever thinking! 

Back To Winter

This morning's view:

UnhappyDaffodils

 Crab Apple Tree In Waiting

Columbia, SC Buildings

The lines and grids of these buildings 

caught my attention:

North Carolina Waterfall

 After a drive up a very curvy mountain road,

a side trip to this rushing waterfall in the  

Nantahala National Forest presented
a refreshing "photo op!"

Mountain Retreat

 Spending a few days at a secluded cabin in the 

Smoky Mountains was just the break I needed.

  Trees were budding, 

wild flowers beginning to blossom.

Flowering Dogood Tree

I saw one raccoon and one deer.

No bears, mountain lions or wild boar.

Took a hike:  no snakes or ticks in the woods, 

but the poison ivy was already up.

Headed home as the deluge of rain began.

Nature View

UNPLANNED

This recently released movie, "UNPLANNED," should be seen by everyone over 10 years old.  Everyone.  If they are old enough for "Health Class" in the schools, they are old enough to see it.  Of course the young people who need to see it can't, because it's rated "R."  I saw it today, it was quite an eye-opener, and I will never be the same again.

Bark Cloth Style

In my childhood days I saw rough-textured fabric camp curtains, stuffed cushions and upholstery slip covers with brightly colored exotic flowers, grasses and ferns, abstract figures, modernistic drawings, etc. on dull-colored or off-white backgrounds.  I had not thought about them until recently, and an online search brought up some interesting images.

I used acrylic paints, white and black marking pens, crayons and paper collage in an attempt to imitate the style: