I Folded...

...and folded and folded. Who knew I could have one day made a living at folding paper like Sipho Mabona !??  When I moved to Japan I fell in love & couldn't have enough origami paper.  If my parents gave me money I would spend it on origami paper.  There was always a silver page or gold page, or both at the bottom of the stack and I always had a hard time folding those. I would save them for last because they were pretty. I would get so upset if I messed up on those pieces. haha Looking back it was sort of a comfort having that paper to play with being in such a new environment & culture. I love the Japanese people, Japanese art, food.  My mom jokes (but it's true)  that she was still finding paper of mine long after I moved out. (I won't say how long. haha)

A nice package of origami paper can still stop me in my tracks. 

After all these years I can still make these in my sleep! I also make one upside down with a little flare...

My son's wedding is July 3rd.  The rehearsal party is at my house. Maybe I should start now and cover the backyard in white cranes!  hum.... I think I'd need some volunteer paper folders my yard is pretty big!  Did you know according to Japanese legend that 1000 folded cranes makes a wish come true? Who's in? Who's folding with me?

 

Today I plan to work listing some new art & paint some more.

So folding my hands in prayer is the only folding I'm going to get done today!

Create a great day!

Blessings!

 

 

Still Playing With Dolls

More Angel Kokeshi Dolls!

Just Off The Easel...

This ACEO is listed on Ebay. 50% of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross.

These 2 sweet Angel Kokeshi dolls are listed in my Etsy shop. This landscape is not off my easel just yet. It's a work in progress. I hope to have it finished by the end of the week. There are lots and lots of layers of acrylic paint in this piece. The canvas has thick sides, it's a 12 x 36. I am painting a few landscapes on some of the larger canvases I have. I may take these to the wine shop in Placerville or Windwalker Winery. I love the way this one is turning out so it may end up hanging on my mantle. :) I remember when I only worked in oils. I didn't like working with acrylics, yet now I am more in love with acrylics. Today I'll be working on this painting, a few files, and waiting anxiously for the Fed X man, who will be delivering my new knitting machine! Weeeeeeee! Hopefully I will be tangled up in yarn later too.

A few Big Shout Outs to SmallImpressions, StoneSchoolVintage, WorksOnPaperArt and PinkSprinklesPlush for featuring my art in their lovely Etsy Treasuries! Please click on their names to visit their shops.

Create a great day!

Wii Origami ! ...

...Wii! is right! My son's friend left the Wii here and I watched "Between The Folds" on Netflix last night. I must have a Wii now. I was immediately smitten with Eric Joisel's work. His whimsical characters, their faces & figures. You know I love a wonky interesting face. I was mesmerized. One piece of paper folded. Amazing. I'm still pondering the comment made in the intro that "We all come from folds". That may be true, but I didn't like how that sounded or the imagery that popped into my head when they said it. Now it's stuck in there. hahaha

I fell in love with origami as a young girl while living in Japan. I would spend my yen on the beautiful packages of paper with eye-popping bright colors & patterns. Back in the day there was always a silver & gold paper at the bottom of the stack. Maybe there still is? I haven't bought any for a long time. The gold paper was like a treasure. The paper I savored the most and took the most time folding. My precious bone folder would have made things a lot easier back then. My mom still tells the story on occassion that she was finding little bits of paper in my bedroom months after I moved out. I have origami paper in my studio as I type this, serving no purpose other than it's comforting on some weird level to know that it's in there. And besides you never know when you might need a crane :)