ABUNDANT TREASURES-THE RUSSIAN ICON MUSEUM

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."  ~Thornton Wilder 

I am thankful to have many treasures in my life. Thanksgiving was spent with my dear family. With plenty of food on our table and many things to laugh about, we enjoyed a beautiful day together.-------- "Black Friday" proved to be a successful one for our business. Being an independent retailer, selling electronics, in what has been a very difficult time eonomically, I would say that yesterdays showing means we must be going in the right direction. I am very hopeful.---------------- The weekend before Thanksgiving, I was honored to be included in a group of extraordinary women, brought together by Lynne Perrella, to spend time together in Massachusetts at the Museum of Russian Icons. We toured this magnificent museum near Worchester and then spent 4 days creating together in response to what we saw.

Our group came together beautifully.

......like a colorful , well used box of oil pastels.

Our tour guide, was well versed in the complete history of this collection, the largest outside of Moscow.

The work is particularly of interest to me because of their use of metals, usually silver and gold, to frame and embellish each piece and the colors used are similar to what I like to use in my pieces.

We shared our own work.

We created new work.

We shared techniques.

.......and proceeded to try them out with creative exuberance.

I have been working on a project for the last few weeks and this experience gave me an inspirational boost that could not have been duplicated.

The last evening, we discussed and admired each others work.

Thank you Lynne and....Anne Bagby,  Shirley Ende-Saxe,  Ginna Brooks,  Leslie Aja,  Ellen Kochansky,  Barbara Block , Bonnie Benson and Inese Kaufman.

CREATIVE CUISINE IN CONSHOHOCKEN

         "Cooking is an art, but you eat it." - Marcella Hazan

My work is currently being featured on the walls of a fabulous new restaurant called ISABELLAS  located in Conshohocken . Whether you are hungry for delicious small plate items, a wood fired oven pizza or to look at some of my pieces hanging on a wall painted with a yummy mustard color, you will be happy.

                                          My beautiful daughter Emily and I at the opening.
                                                             Photo by Sari Lifshutz

From Hughe Dillon at phillychitchat.com-

"The Vibe: funky - rustic hardwood floors, burnished copper accents - indoor seating for 40, outdoor flagstone porch seats 16 + features an unbelievable built in brick pizza oven. Walls are adorned by mixed media pieces created by celebrated (and award winning) Philadelphia Artist Karen Shechtman Cole. Upstairs offers a loft style private dining room with floor to wall windows, stained glass, and high ceilings."

Michael Klein: Two new spots opening in Conshohocken

By Michael Klein

Inquirer Columnist

Two newcomers in Conshohocken are on opposite ends of town and approach.
Isabella, a polished but casual Mediterranean, opens Thursday in a former shot-and-a-beer at 382 E. Elm St. (484-532-7470) under local developer Tom Richter. He has installed restaurant veteran Peter Dissin (Henry's and Crazy Horse Saloon, to name two from many years ago) and chef Michael Cappon (whose past includes Marathon and El Vez). Isabella is a knocked-out bi-level with vaulted ceilings and huge windows. Downstairs, the dining room features Neapolitan pizza (mozzarella made in-house and, get this, the oven is outside) and modestly priced Spanish-inspired small plates, plus six entrees ($11 for a Kobe burger, up to $22 for a New York strip steak) - and plenty of gluten-free options. See menu at http://go.philly.com/isabellamenu. Bar includes craft beers, grappa, and a small wine list. Upstairs is a dance studio, where they'll do lessons. It's open nightly.

                                     

BELLE ARMOIRE JEWELRY

Hey everyone. Hope all of you had a great summer. I can't believe it is September!!! I am definitely a summer fan. In fact I decided July is my favorite month. No matter what you do, July is ALL about summer, no ifs ands or buts.


But now we are almost in autumn. I know this because I just picked up my new copy of Belle Armoire Jewelry, autumn issue 2010 at my Barnes and Noble. Drum roll..........for the shameless plug.......I have an article in this issue "What to Wear to an Art Opening", featuring some of my neck pieces. It's a beautiful magazine. I love the crimson word "jewelry" on the cover and of course, Ruth Rae's cuff is stunning. I am a huge green and red fan.

SKETCHING THE LIFE FANTASTIC

I have mostly been working lately, but have been lucky to have spent time at the beach with my family and in Italy with my husband and friends. I love to get back to my roots and just take out a drawing pen and sketchbook.  When a "mistake" occurs, I simply work with it , hence the unusual position above.

 

FANNING MY FLAMES

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”      - Voltaire

I am proud to say that my work has been published in L.K. Ludwigs new book -

 

 Order it right here- http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Wildfire-Introduction-Journaling-Basics/dp/1592536018

 

She has written some of the best books out there regarding art and journaling.  I have always admired her artwork and the fact that she shares her techniques, thoughts and ideas with us, is a gift we should all treasure. I am honored that she has admired my work and asked me to be a part of her journey.

 

The book also includes the incredible work of many other artists that I admire and the techniques that we all use.

This post includes some of my work in the book and other views that were not.

 

 

Portfolio cover

 

Detail

 

 

Pages

 

I have had a bit of a blog and sloooooooow down. I would like to thank LK and others for fanning my blogging flames and my creativity in general.

Coming soon-

 

Where the heck have I been since April............??????

Thanks to all of you wonderful bloggers that have emailed me to see if I fell off the face of the earth. My appreciation goes out to you .

Hint-

........and here-> www.wwstereo.com

.........(my husband and I own this business)......photos are mine......like movies? MUSIC?.....check us out.

THE ART OF REALITY

"

"Reality is an illusion, albeit a very persistant one ." Albert Einstein

 Art matters. Work also matters. That is, work outside the home. You know, the economy and all.  Reality, I am getting a huge dose of it lately. 

"There are many ways to be free. One of them is to transcend reality by imagination."- Anais Nin

Art matters. My meditation. My way of leaving the world of reality and traveling to anywhere my imagination wants to go.

My latest work has consisted of two collaborations with some amazing people.  These photos are some details of some of the work.