Residency Reflections

It wasn't until the my last days in Vermont that I realized I had a panoramic setting on my phone.  This was a good thing because if I had, I would have become preoccupied with it.  So here are some last pictures of my days there and some amazing people that have forever left their mark on me.

Mercy Moyo, Zimbabwe.   Her work has an energy that draws you in.  She uses everything available to capture the spirit of her culture... fabric, paint, newspaper, book paper... all materials are up for grabs.  I bought a painting from her which I treasure.  








                 Mercy's Studio

  

Barbara Marks, USA
In progress on her piece on color sentences.  An epic work done on strings of Tibetan prayer flags.  The finished work is installed on string tacked to a wall... beautiful and restful.

Print shop mate, Mary Ellen Hackett, USA.
Printmaker, Painter, Park ranger.  Has the perfect life combo of US Park Ranger          (Yosemite, Yellowstone.. etc) and the talent to make art of what she experiences in the back country.   Wild fires in the park, government shutdown, or the deer that walks through her camp never noticing her...all candidates that make it into her work. 

Josephine Turalba, Philippines.  Here she is sporting the lastest bullet proof dress.  Hard to see but bullet casings are welded to the frame. Her headpiece made of copper piping.  She has done performance videos in NYC wearing very elaborate garments made from bullet casings.

This was a gift from Josephine, my very own bullet proof opera glasses!  Not sure what inspired such an object for me, but feel honored and up to the task!

Still Sprinting

These last days continue to be overflowing, in the attempt to squeeze everything possible out of the time left.  However it is a good thing that we are almost done as many suppiles are tired or running out.  

My lab coat has become too dirty to even put on.  It might even be combustable at this point.

I use a phone book when I do a paper wipe on my etching plates.  This is what is left of the Manhatttan Yellow pages.  There has been many inches of entertainment with each piece I use, reading about all the services I didn't know I needed or were even available.  Many kinds of entertainment, clowns being my favorite.  Then moving on the pet stores where you can purchase a live rock.  Might have to get me one  of those.

The next challange is to get it all back in the car tomorrow.

Still Sprinting

These last days continue to be overflowing, in the attempt to squeeze everything possible out of the time left.  However it is a good thing that we are almost done as many suppiles are tired or running out.  

My lab coat has become too dirty to even put on.  It might even be combustable at this point.

I use a phone book when I do a paper wipe on my etching plates.  This is what is left of the Manhatttan Yellow pages.  There has been many inches of entertainment with each piece I use, reading about all the services I didn't know I needed or were even available.  Many kinds of entertainment, clowns being my favorite.  Then moving on the pet stores where you can purchase a live rock.  Might have to get me one  of those.

The next challange is to get it all back in the car tomorrow.

SPRINT TO THE END

It was 17 below this morning so sprinting between buildings is a must around here.  The gentle sound of the sidewalk snowplow wakes me every morning signalling that my way is clear.  The effects of my time here will be long lasting and will continually reveal itself to me.  But for the next days i am focusing on the little things around me that when complete will equal the big thing.

And just to be sure that I can squeeze everything out of these days possible, felt I needed alittle  insurance.

Can always use more brain power.  We have been spoiled daily but the chef's farm to table organic masterpieces.  And since "Asphalt" was local and organic it qualified for a try.  And as suspected, it is dangerously delicous.  

 

Carol Sing & Wassil Bowl

My favorite holiday tradition has always been the Carol Sing the Monday before Christmas.  My parents invited everyone in town over to sing Christmas Carols, eat Christmas Cookies and have the Merry Christmas Punch aka Wassil bowl.  It was all pure joy!

The making of the Wassil bowl would start days before with the slow cooking of fruit and spices making the house quite fragrant.  My job was always the putting a clove in each section of the many slices of lemon and orange.   A few years ago it was time to make the Wassil and my mother opened her cookbook and pulled out a tattered, stained page with what was left of the recipe.  60 years in the making.  If you can make out the ingredients its worth the effort to make, however the mysterious ingredient , Sucaryl definitely dates the recipe and thankfully has a substitute!

Austin and Peggy

Here are some protraits we found recently of my parents.  Like many families, they had us all drawn in pastel, but we had never seen their portraits before.  My mom passed away last nght...and she is with my dad, as it shoud be.  They were married for 65 years.  They used their time, resources and talents well.  Many are the receipents of their kindness and love.  Their lives will be a continuing conversation as to the impact they had all on their path.  

Thoreau said it best....to affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.  They both showed us how to do that!

People

Pure Joy and cool art!

Adrienne Ginter with her exquisite drawing in pen and ink.

2 self portraits by Rina Dweck. Part of her 365 project...Faces..self protraits all taken on her iphone.

Joe Peragine  

Eric Diehl