The Seed of Installation Two

I found this beauty at the corner of the driveway and front of the house. Not sure how it will be incorporated but it will definitely serve as inspiration.

Deinstallation and Installation Number One

I'm slated to have three galleries at McHenry Community College to fill in August and have been waiting until I have studio space to tackle some of the more space-invasive components of creation. Before we get all the furniture delivered from IL, we are trying to tackle the messier jobs. The most destructive processes are what has made me feel like this is mine. Taking out the registers, removing curtains, refinishing the floors, and now removing wallpaper has been cathartic. The sweat and attention involved has made me feel affection and ownership (if the hefty loan doesn't on a daily basis affect the same).

We are planning on replacing the cream small patterned paper with a rich blueish-red. Alizarin crimson was my favorite oil paint color, so I was happy when Brad suggested a deep red to replace the paper. A dark color will make the tile floor and backsplash look rich instead of washed out.

Installation One: I will be reassembling the shell of removed wallpaper. The labor-intensive process of removal has me conjuring the chrysalis attributes of a new skin. I haven't figured out if I am going to stitch to reassemble or mount it onto fabric or just velcro it to a carpeted gallery wall. We began the process of serious removal last night at about 8:30, and have only a small dent in the square footage of blue and pink flowers.



Possible titles: Ski(e)n, Shedding, Wall Covering, Re:Place. I am open to responses and suggestions.

Floors in Progress

Here's Mike of Floor Designs and the bare wood- Red Oak from the Ozarks. I got a phone call on the way to work about the wood being high quality and "a shame to put a stain on"...
The protected wood is as gorgeous as I imagined while talking to Reg on the phone.

New Favorites...

Well, due to lots of harassment by friends and family- a few pictures of the new place and my favorite parts of it. Brad's quality photos are buried deep in cyberspace since our computers are no longer networked since the move. I am sure that will be a project once the floors are dry and we can move into the office. Obviously, the lawn is another large project that needs tackling...but the perennial plants are bringing me joy...


Wiffleball in white shelving in the garage, the chandelier, and the woodfloors are definite pluses.

New Home

Homecoming has finally arrived, and our newest abode soon to be changed. I'm off to clean and get some "before"pics.

Lace in Chicago and outside the window...

I'll be making an interactive work (on a small scale) at Womanmade Gallery in Chicago in June- I just got the notification this morning.

I've been running some trials on my patio (to the pleasure of some very fat squirrels) and have been learning a few bird names in the process. I plan on making a bird garden next year, and just focus this year on composting and a small container salsa garden.

Dropping off

picked up "Ephemeral Folk Figures: Scarecrows, Harvest Figures, and Snowmen by Avon Neal and Ann Parker on whim at the library... leitmotif at the beginning of the text

"What does that mean-'Ephemeral'?"
"It means, 'which is in danger of speedy disappearance.'"
(from one of my all-time favorite books)
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint Exupery

So, I'm off to return some books, drop off piles of recycling and vote.

Tale of Genji is finally completed. The ending was quite gripping- glad I muddled through some of the rougher patches to say I read the whole book. I wonder how much is lost in translation---regardless I got the unabridged illustrated version and several passages lead to some wonderful visuals. Glad we went to Gion Corner in Kyoto to get a small taste of the dances and music.