I haven’t had enough concentrated time or focus
to work on any sustained projects in the studio lately.
But I’ve been doing
quick,
single-session
self-portraits
which always make me think
of college
(does every professor,
in every studio class
have a self-portrait assignment?).
They are such good practice, though;
that direct observation
and attempt to see past
what I “know”
about my face
can be so refreshing.

A gift.


.

I've always considered it
great good luck
to come upon
a trillium.


.

My favorite time of day.


----

Beach House - Lazuli
(the perfect soundtrack)


.

If a year in my life
were translated into a novel,
this part of Springtime
would be detailed by the chapter
In Which I Go On Lots of Evening Walks & Take Too Many Photographs of Flowers.


.

When I was younger,
I believed that tulips
were boring flowers.

In retrospect,
I don't know what I was thinking.

Tulips are amazing!

I am continuously delighted
by their
seemingly endless
range of colors
(there is a shade for everyone).
They can be striped,
or marbled
or delicately ombre,
with edges rounded,
spiked,
or ruffled.
Some are petite as a teacup,
others as large as a globe of wine.
Still others
hold surprises within
where veins of blue
or a burst of glowing white
contrast the color of their petals.



Tulips,
I am sorry I ever thought ill of you.


.

I don't do a lot of promotion

for my oft-neglected shop here

but I did want to mention

that it's been updated a bit,

and one thing that's been added

is this set

(that I quite like)

of seasonal prints.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,

the pattern of the seasons

is quite possibly

my biggest source of inspiration.

----

Also,

(speaking of updates)

I've added a link on the right

to a portfolio site

that includes some of my painting work

from the past year or so.

!

.

She had been running and her hair was loose and blown and she was bright with the air and pink-cheeked, though he could not see it.

"It's so beautiful!" she said, a little breathless with the speed. "You never saw anything so beautiful! It has come! I thought it had come that other morning, but it was only coming. It is here now! It has come, the Spring! Dickon says so!"

"Has it?" cried Colin, and though he really knew nothing about it he felt his heart beat. He actually sat up in bed.

"Open the window!" he added laughing half with joyful excitement and half at his own fancy. "Perhaps we may hear golden trumpets!"

And though he laughed, Mary was at the window in a moment and in a moment more it was opened wide and freshness and softness and scents and birds' songs were pouring through.

-From The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

.

.

Reading this (it's that time again) and this (a new addition this year).

.

As the light returns,

so do my whales.

I take so few photographs

of them in the Winter,

I realize.

Perhaps they hibernate,

like bears in their caves,

because I think, truly

that their favorite thing to swim through

is sunlight from my window.

----

I am very pleased to say

that I have a Guest Curator post

over on the Etsy Blog!

I had a lot of fun

choosing which pieces to include.

.

.

I always keep up

my indoor white lights

until there is enough light outside

to make them no longer

so desperately essential.

Put up for the holidays,

they help me make it

through the bleakest tail-end

of Winter,

and when I do finally

bid them farewell,

and give them my thanks,

I know Springtime,

for me,

has finally come.

Not long now!

.

Film

& not,

finally crossing off

(after two failed attempts)

from my 2012 goal list:

"Learn to make marmalade."

.