peace in the city

It's been awhile since I've posted, and I swear, I tried to post several times before.  Always finding something else to do.  It truly is a goal to post regularly, but lately, I've been working on a project.  I am obsessed with painting a mandala on my patio.  It's funny, because I am not much of a painter, and I certainly cannot draw.  That's the story I tell myself.  I was drawn to this project, and I am loving every minute.  I've needed some quiet time recently to make a big decision, and painting has provided the opportunity.  Decision made, and I am still loving the mind clearing process of creation.

I was given a gallon of concrete stain and decided to stain the patio and sidewalk.  It looked cool enough, gave it a warm, brick glow.  But instead of being satisfied with the new look, I saw it as a primed canvas. A vision of a mandala came to me and I couldn't get it out of my mind.

So, I grabbed whatever was round in the backyard, and I traced them with chalk.  The smallest circle being the lid to the fire pit, and the larger, the table.  It was a start.  I drew the flower petal on a large piece of cardboard, cut it out and used as a template.  Next, add some friends, and let the painting begin.

Lucy says hi.

I've been adding to it as often as I can. I roughly have a plan, but I'm also adding whimsical details as inspiration hits.  The next layer was to adorn the yin yang and adding a Rumi quote.  Not being a painter, writing with a brush was difficult.  As you can see, some brushed worked better than others.  I will go back and touch up with a black paint pen.  That will be easier for me to control.  

"Everything in the universe is within you.  Ask for everything from yourself." -Rumi

The final step, thus far, was to draw two circles with chalk and string.  I needed help, so Joe held the string in the center, while I scooted around the circle with the chalk.  It was clumsy, but it worked and I ended up with two pretty darn good circles.  I painted half of the circle a light blue, and added clouds.  The bottom half will be painted with a darker blue, for the night sky.  I think it turned out quite nicely.

I am still figuring out what designs will fill up the space that you see above.  It's part of the fun of this project is not knowing where to go next.  I'm using mostly paints left over from my backyard project, and they are exterior latex.  I do have a few interior colors, and I am using them as well.  I'm also playing with paint markers and using my glittery Stickles for some splashes of fun shimmer.  Those turquoise teardrops you see ended up looking the same color as my blue sky.  So, I took some turquoise craft paint, mixed in some shimmery Pearl Ex powder and came up with a dark irredescent color that shines in the sunlight.

My plan is to cover the entire surface with a clear sealant, and I've been using a can of matte spray on sealer over the smaller details as I go.  I have no idea how this will wear, with foot traffic, chairs and the hot AZ sun...but we will see!  Check back, I will post more photos as my mandala evolves.

i leave you with the silver lining...

maybe just one more color...

how could i leave my newly painted turquoise gate all alone to hang out with a plain, block wall?  degrading, really.  so, purple it was.  i love how the color changes with the day's sun.  nighttime  is particularly nice and warm.  then, as i admired, i wondered what color is next?  

my neighbor was nice enough to allow me to paint the side of her garage.  she can't see it from her property, so really, it doesn't matter.  this photo was taken late in the afternoon on an overcast day.  rare for these parts.

much more sunny.  i fell in love with the colors, instantly.  it just felt happy.  technical details:  we used a flat, exterior paint.  the dark purple color went on nice and dark, and we only needed one coat.  we had paint about 1.5 gallons left in a 5 gallon bucket.  the garage took an entire gallon, two coats.  the yellow was the toughest.  two coats needed, and it took 5 gallons to paint 3 fence sections.  We still have 2.5 sections to go.

View from the patio.

My helpers.  Lucy and Nefertiti.

many months later, we painted the last wall.  a beautiful pumpkiny terra cotta orange.  it's perfect.  it changed the glow of the light in my kitchen and dining room.  pretty cool.  so, now that the canvas has been primed, it's time to create!

Namaste.

My friend Sue

My friend Sue is a hoot.  She is one of the most hilarious, creative and inspirational people in my life.  I miss the crap outta her.  She moved year ago to North Carolina.  I tell her everytime we talk that I wish she was on Facebook.  "We could stay in touch more often," I tell her.  "You could see pictures of all my projects, and I, of yours."  Each time I tell her this, she just laughs.  She's not on Facebook because she spends her free time reading, watching cool documentaries, walking in nature with her dogs, or creating amazing things. Right.  How could I possibly argue with that?  All things I would love to make more time for in my days.  Things I crave.  The very reasons I love and learn from her so much.   Sue sees life artfully and she humorously relays all of her experiences on the phone, or in a hilarious poem or short story.

Well, Sue and I finally caught up a few weeks ago.  I had found an amazingly colorful (reds and purples) knit sweater at the thrift store, and I knew it needed to belong to Sue.  In turn, Sue had something for me that had been sitting around for months.  No doubt something handmade and fabulous.  To get anything from Sue in the mail is exciting and without doubt, fun.

A nest full of baby owls.  Crocheted, probably from used sweaters with cute lil eyes and pig tail ears.  A serendipitous chain of events led her to read about a program for youth in foster care to receive crocheted owls and then keeping them in their rooms to watch over and protect them.  Sue then adapted their pattern and sent me a nest full of baby owls.

I hung them in the fake tree on my front porch.  The tree provides mood lighting, and the owls perfectly fade into the tree until they become visible.  I love that I see them every day when I come or go, and I think of Sue.

it all began...

the backyard creative volcano has been brewing for the last two years.  i would say we are mid creative explosion today.  it all started with the gate.  well, actually, it started as a completely empty lot.  i replaced my chain link back fence with a block wall.  i had a bit of grass installed, some concrete poured, many wind chimes hung, and some flowers planted.  then, i decided to paint the gate.  i used some turquoise indoor latex paint.  i had previously used this color in a bathroom.  epic fail.  but here, i love it.  i used sharpie markers and acrylic paint to add whimsical flowers.  i topped with a few clear coats.  boy oh boy did this gate start something.