fortunes & filler.

So life has successfully scrambled my brain again...and there are many words practically bursting from this body, but alas, I can't seem to find the time to update this here blog-let alone update people that I bump into on the street. So for now there are only fortunes & filler.

Two of my recent fortunes on wonton soup lunch breaks:

1. You are often unaware of the effect you have on others.

2. We must always have old memories and young hopes.

I especially love that last one...because there are many days that I feel exactly that-both young and old in one body. In fact, after listening to an NPR interview with one of my favorite writers, Alan Lightman, I've decided that my life progression is and has been anything but linear. This is supposedly the typical path of movement as a human...

I think my path would be more like a weaving loom. In and out, over and under the single strands that bind all the pieces of the grand scheme together-always flitting about, dancin' my way through the various relationships and landscapes that this life has to offer...

It would definitely be easier if I wasn't constantly burning with this desire/need to explore everything...to understand the way things work. They way we work.

It's all good.

Yep, things are gonna be ok. Funny how certain scenarios and happenstances within a day can turn your world upside down. But at the end of the day I'll forever be an optimist, so just gotta keep rollin' merrily along. Or so they say, anyway.

But things are looking up. I found my dream truck in an alley way on Wednesday.

Ain't it beautiful?






I love those stripes. It's perfect, literally exactly what I've been wanting. Needs a ton of work, but after it was all fixed up I have no doubt that I would jump in with my pup, guitar, and handsome man and drive off into the sunset to find a little house next to the ocean with a big porch, a baby grand and a horse in the yard. Oh, bliss.

Someday....

the strangest, longest week ever.

So it seems that the universe has thrown a wrench into the lovely, sunny thing that was my summertime machine. All the little wheels and parts were a'turning smoothly, rumbling along at just my life speed when all of a sudden the whole thing choked up, gears were grinding, smoke was flying and fires were burning and done.

And now here I am wondering what the hell happened. Damn moon. I love you but you've caused everything to run awry...

Is this what I get for living honestly?

For being myself?

Not sure what it takes to have some sort of sane existence. Things can be simple, I'm sure of it.

Hiatus.

I'm about to fall off the face of the blog-earth. I've been extremely busy and with little to no sleep, have been existing in a bizarre state of delirium that I haven't experienced before. At least not to this level.

I've got an edition of prints to pull and am leaving town tomorrow at 8am to volunteer at an art center in NC (Penland) for the rest of the week. Prints are due Monday...not sure how I'm going to get that done, but hopefully the skies shine brightly on this endeavor.

I'll leave you with a photograph from upstate. Gotta love it:

It's all about taking that moment and running with it!

So as my time in New York draws to a close, I've been getting pretty sappy...I find myself falling in love with just about everything and everyone up here, and have to wonder if it's not a sign of more L.A. NY time to come. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know deep in that gut and heart and soul of mine that I will live here again....it just might not be for another 20-30 years. Sad in a way, but also amazing to have found a place that I adore enough to call home and really be me in.

Anyway, enough of that serious talk. Yesterday was the last day of the workshop, and I put the pedal to the metal. SERIOUSLY. I was putting wax on just about every surface I had brought with me or found while staying here, and ironically ended up with a whole slew of work! (This is strange for me because I'm usually what I call a 'slow artist'.) Then after class, 2 of my new friends-Beth and Rachel, and I headed in to Woodstock to drink some margaritas at a splendid little cantina called Gypsy Wolf. As per my upstate NY trend, I totally fell in love with the place as soon as we pulled up and I realized that the building was painted turquoise. I love that kind of bravery when it comes to paint choices! After that we poked around town, found a piano outside, petted dogs, bought books, and finally made friends with a harp player! Needless to say I was all over that thing as well...I'd never been around one before and had to try my hand at playing it.

Today I woke up late (well 9am...late for me..) and made breakfast tacos. They were fabulous and I couldn't have been more happy having the chance to just sit, drink coffee, and eat breakfast. It's truly a marvelous thing. Shortly after, I borrowed Chris's car and headed back to the swap shop that I'd stumbled upon two nights prior...there was a beautiful Italian accordian in the window and I had to play it in person. The woman who owns the store, Sam, was fabulous! We ended up chatting for nearly 2 hours, and by the time I walked outta there-complete with accordian, record albums and vintage jewelry-I truly felt like I was leaving a dear friend. Seriously, I've already been offered a position there if I move back to upstate! It was one of the best conversations I've had in awhile...truly ran the gamut and was fleshed out by the characters who kept stopping in and chatting for awhile. I really didn't want to leave that store...

But I did. Because I had plans to meet up with some of my old friends from the catskills! I went over to my friend Susan's house (she's an amazingly talented ceramicist who teaches classes at SM) and had lunch, chatted, bumped into another old friend and then took photos all over her property and studio... Then off to Sugar Maples, the art center that I used to work at, where I wandered around for awhile taking more photos...didn't know anyone there, so it was a bit brief this visit. But then I drove out to the mountain overlook where you can see 5 states all at once, and played my accordian just for the sake of playing it for the first time while looking at 5 states all at once! So far it seems like it was a good move, because I've already starting writing songs on it...! Can't believe it.

And now here I am. Last night in upstate, and I'm drinking a beer in the studio office before heading over to a little hang out...haven't really had much alone time in the past few weeks and I'm relishing the tiny bit I have right now. This trip has been fantastic in every way, shape and form, and I really couldn't ask for anything else. Well except for some sleep, but when does that happen for this girl? :)

Anyway, I'm heading into the city tomorrow and should have a marvelous time seeing some of my oldest (and best!) friends. Can't wait. But also can't wait to get back to Atlanta to see the one who has my heart all a'flutter....but that is a story for another day! Let's leave it at this: I've stumbled upon a certain someone who gives me miles & miles of hope and trust...and who gets overly excited about everything just like me! Couldn't get better than that. Damn straight.

P.S. There are photos to come for this entry...just don't have time to upload them at the moment.

Happy Wednesday!

So today was totally a little whirlwind in its own right. After pullin' sheets of paper until 2:30 in the A.M., I found myself suddenly not tired anymore-so I did some much needed catching up on e-mail and things of that nature...and then out of nowhere it was 4 AM, and then I was writing in my journal and then all of sudden it was 7:30 and I was waking up still in my clothes from the day before. Gotta love this Hudson Valley lifestyle!

Spent the day at R & F Encaustics in Kingston, NY and fell head over heels in love with everything about the place. And the medium!

I think I was born to work in wax, and couldn't be more excited about the pieces that 'arrived' for me throughout the day.
Then it was back to Rosendale, and Chris (the studio manager and an old friend) had some cervezas and comida at the Rosendale Cafe-a much loved place from the days I spent stomping around this little town. The sweet potato burrito was to die for!! And they had orgami windchimes with a Yoda! We were going to go for a late day hike but then ended up at the Cheese Shop where I found a slew of adorable vintage dresses from India and some fun stuff to give to friends.


And of course the fun couldn't stop there, so after taking several videos and photographs, we put some paper to dry and headed back to Kingston for some more cervezas! Snapper McGees's was a trip...the local 'laugh till you can't breathe' man (George) was there and kept telling Chris and I about the Vietnam war amidst single word exclamations such as 'kaleidescope' and 'menagerie'. Good words, my man!

So now here I am...tired as hell, but in love with being awake. Why do our bodies need so much sleep anyhow? I swear that I feel better when I deny myself of this sleep business....sounds crazy, but it seriously makes me feel more alive.

Anyway. Should have videos up of my NY random-ness pronto.

New York whirlwind.

I am in the great state of New York. After the most wonderful Sunday morning ever, I hopped over to the airport only to find that my flight had been delayed...then even after we boarded, they made us sit on the runway forever only to get to LaGuardia and sit on the runway there as well! It was a bit ridiculous to say the least. Then began my journey to Port Authority which led to more waiting because I missed the bus I was hoping on catching, and didn't get to my destination (Rosendale, NY) until almost 2 in the morning.

Yikes. I was one exhausted lady...

Then up early to start my first day of papermaking at Women's Studio...all in all a productive day-pulled paper until almost midnight, but still have many ideas to work through tomorrow. It has been great to be welcomed back (again) by all the folks I lived & worked with here...it's as if no time has passed at all, and I'm still that spunky little recent college grad who showed up here from Savannah almost 2 1/2 years ago.

Funny how everything changes and then nothing at all does!

Anyway, I should probably sleep...or eat...or cut stencils...or just exist away from this computer. Yay summertime in New York!