Slow Cloudy Saturday

Here's a view of the main patio at Spanish Village showing the jacaranda in bloom and the bougainvillea in the background. I can see the photo looks a little crooked. I admit I get excited and I just snap the shot. Sometimes I'm not at all careful about keeping the camera straight. However, Spanish Village was built in such a haphazard fashion that it's very difficult to use the ordinary rules of perspective to draw the buildings. So if everything is leaning or strange, it might be the camera operator, but it might be the buildings themselves.

Anyway, if you walk down beyond that second awning and turn right, you'll come to the little patio where my studio is located. I sit at my outside table and look at the bougainvillea, the fushia flowers on the second story roof in the back. I sat out there today, looking out at the gloom. The weatherman predicted hot weather for this weekend, and we still might have hot weather tomorrow. But it certainly didn't materialize today. Well, when I say hot, I mean in the high 70's. Don't laugh. That's hot for us. A typical summer day is usually no more than 74 or 75 at the highest, except maybe in August. Today, however, I think it was only up to 74 degrees and it was overcast. The humidity was relatively high and there seemed to be a tropical storm blowing up from the Gulf of California. That sometimes happens, usually in August.

Yesterday, I got some of the tools I will need to create etching plates. I bought a piece of copper that measured 18 by 24 inches. I use to pay $44 for it. Now it costs $65. Then I bought an electric grill or skillet to heat the plates on. When they're warm enough, the asphaltum which provides the resist will melt and I can spread it on the plates with a roller. That's the first step in the etching process. While I was out, I got two spatulas to lift the hot copper plates off the grill and a glass cooking dish in which to etch the copper.

This morning, I figured out how many pieces I was going to cut the copper plate into, based on the standard sizes of the mats I use. I wound up with two plates that are 9 inches square, six that are 4 inches square, two that are 7 by 9 inches, and two that are 4 by 8 inches. Now I just need to plan the artwork to go on them. I'd like to do a series of plants, kind of like sea plants or succulents, strange plants that are just barely identifiable as such. I like to see how far I can push the envelop and still create something recognizeable. When I showed my sketches to one of the artists, he saw the plant likeness.

So after I marked where the cuts would go, I went back to the Enamel Guild and asked to use their jump shear again. I had used it previously, but I decided the plates I cut were the wrong sizes for the standard mats, and they seemed a little thin as well. One of the members helped me by catching the cut pieces so they wouldn't fall on the floor. If they do, their corners can bend, and it's hard to flatten them out again.

I took the plates back to my studio, but I haven't put any asphaltum on them yet. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow. I find myself hesitating frequently when I do something new. I don't like that about myself, preferring to think that I'm courageous and just jump into any new situation, but the reality is that's not the case. I will spend some time thinking about heating my plates, and then I'll do it tomorrow morning. Certainly I heated lots and lots of plates when I took printmaking classes in college, but using this new grill may turn out to be a different experience. Something unexpected might occur. Oh, that makes me laugh. Really, it's silly to be so silly.

Fourth Thursday Last Night

Last night was Fourth Thursday again. Some people were surprised, because the month began on Thursday and so the fourth Thursday came around more quickly. Lots of folks thought it would be next week. But people discovered us and we did have some traffic through the Village. It stayed light until almost time to go home. I took this photo at about 8:00 p.m. and the camera makes it look lighter than it appeared to me. It shows the lights all around the perimeter of the main patio.

The photographer from the studio next to mine kept me company. Or maybe I kept him company. Anyway, he's very personable and so we spent the time chatting, mostly about his recent trip to England and France. He had some beautiful photographs already on his laptop and some already modified. We've talked before about using a program like PhotoShop to enhance or change a photo. One person asked him how he knows what to do, and he said he just works with a photo until it clicks, until it looks right to him. That's been my own experience when I've played with my own photos.

The computer is great, but it does take time. I spent several hours the other night trying to create a single page for my website. And I did manage to do that. However, I wasn't able to upload it to my site. Part of the problem was that all the files needed names without spaces in them. So if a file is called "Thursday Night Main Patio," Yahoo won't upload it. So all my files have to be "Thursday_Night_Main_Patio" or whatever. So that means going back and working more on one simple page. Sigh. Everything takes time.

A friend just called to say he wouldn't be able to get together today because he's meeting with business contacts. It's disappointing not to see him, but I understand. Even doing something as simple as making a necklace takes numerous steps and preparation. Yesterday afternoon, before Fourth Thursday, I worked at my table outside. I gathered up all the tools and supplies I would need to work. I still had to make several more trips back into the studio to get additional supplies. But that's the whole point of business: just going the extra mile, keeping the momentum going until you get where you want to go. It takes time. But sometimes that's really all it does take is time, persistence.

Getting Better Organized

Here's another photo of the blossoms on the jacaranda tree outside my studio. There are ten trees in the main patio of the Village. Or is it only eight? I'm not sure. But anyway, they're in bloom now. They have no scent but they certainly are a lovely color I think.

I plan to sit outside this weekend, but currently I've been working inside getting everything organized. Today I spent about three hours sorting through a bag of pearls that had spilled on the floor. I put them on the display table and when some of the artists in the Village were helping me tear out the old ceiling, a large chunk of drywall landed on the table, spilling the pearls on the floor. They were mixed in with all the dust and dirt on the floor. I swept them up into a bag at the time. Today I finally took the time to pick them out of the dirt and then sort them by size and type. Some of them are 3 or 4 mm lavendar pearls. They've inspired me to make a bracelet of them.

I spent some time today knotting some tiny turquoise beads on a piece of silk to make a bracelet. Unfortunately, I pulled too hard and the needle came off the silk. I hope I put enough beads on the silk before I pulled off the needle. If not, I'll have to cut the silk between each bead and restring them again. I should know better. It's not the first time I've broken the silk.

I spent time this evening working on my website page in Dreamweaver. I took a class at the local junior college several years ago, so I have some idea how to use the program, at least enough to create a single page website. Then I can link my blog and site together. I created the page, but I haven't figured out how to upload it yet. Oh, well, a step at a time.

Everything takes time. I want to start creating some etchings, but there are a number of steps I need to take first. I have already cut some copper into plates. However, what I didn't think about was the mats. Originally when I started creating etchings, I cut my plates in sizes that would fit the standard openings of some picture mats that I particularly like. That way, I could take my etchings, buy standard mats and frames and frame them myself relatively easily. It worked really well. However, when I cut the plates the other day, I forgot about my "standard" sizes, so I'll most likely need to cut more plates. And I think I'll go to the art store and buy a copper plate made especially for that purpose.

So I need a plate, a hot plate to heat the asphaltum, some 100% rag paper, some ink, some easy wipe. Etching is a multi-step process and I have never been willing to create the whole setup myself. I've never been sure whether I was sufficiently committed. But since my friend has agreed to let me use his press, I will begin the process. He has an excellent setup himself in his garage. I've been to see it. I'm looking forward to getting started, after I assemble all my paraphenalia.

A Sign For the Door Brings People

Here you can see the canvas that I hung out in front of my doorway along with the ribbon windsock. I had some PVC pipe that I used as a display when I tried to jury into the Village with mixed media. I took apart the display and used half of it as a frame to hang the canvas on. It worked really well; I had a great many people come into my studio, far more than I've had in the past. I'll get busy and design a real sign to hang there, but in the meantime the canvas works really well. I have some clamps to hang it from. Then I can take it in at night. I've been leaving the windsock out because the ribbon is polyester and won't fade. Also, if it's stolen, it won't be the end of the day. However, I'm extremely fond of the canvas and I don't want to risk losing it.

I was motivated to work on straightening up and organizing things in the studio today. I work on things for awhile until all I want to do is make jewelry. So I make jewelry until I can't stand the mess and I switch to working on the studio. Things are really shaping up. Next I need to spend some time concentrating on my etchings. Also, not all my jewelry is tagged with prices, and I need to do that. It seems like there's always something to do.

Everything I do makes a mess of some sort or another. I guess the trick is to clean up between projects. And certainly I'll have to remember to do some of that. It's getting easier now as I begin to find places for everything to go. My jewelry stuff is in good shape. I managed to rearrange some of my plastic boxes so that I had two free ones in which to put jewelry findings (clasps, chain, head pins, earring wires). And then I went through my beads and picked out ones for earrings. I made several more pairs this morning. So when I get discouraged, I just have to tell myself that we're making progress.

Changing Creative Gears

I made a . . . hmmm, I don't know what to call it. It's a display made out of ribbon, hopefully to catch peoples' attention. You can see it there next to the tree, but it's not very noticeable, certainly not from very far away. But I did see people looking at it when they went by. And I am getting traffic in my studio. When people walk toward the glassblowing platform to the left of the trees, they see the light in my studio and come in.

I spent the day making earrings. I hadn't made more than a few pairs in the past, mostly just ones for myself. But recently I got a display stand to put them on. I think it will hold about 50 pairs when I'm finally finished making that many pairs. I made five pairs on Thursday and eleven pairs today. It took me awhile to get started and to start thinking about how to make the earrings. But once I got into the swing of it, I made better progress. The actual assembly time is very short, compared to a bracelet or necklace of course. But earrings take time to create. It's so much easier to make a necklace out of a single strand of beads or even a number of strands of beads in a pattern. Once you get going, you don't have to think anymore. But with earrings, you have to keep thinking up combination after combination of beads.

Tomorrow I intend to sit outside. It's hard to do when I'm working on earrings, because I kept looking through all my boxes of beads. But tomorrow I'll figure out something I can make, a necklace that doesn't require so much inventory all at one time. The June gloom is definitely gone, and it would be nice to sit outside under the umbrella.

One thing I did do was go over to the Enamel Guild which occupies one of the studios in Spanish Village. They have a jump shear that cuts metal. I took some copper pieces over and cut them in preparation for creating some etching plates. Now I just need to figure out what I did with the asphaltum that I have. The asphaltum is used to cover the copper plate as a resist to the acid. In order to create the etching itself, I will take an etching needle and draw into the asphaltum to expose the metal. Everywhere the metal is exposed, the acit will bite into it and create a groove. The groove is then filled with ink and when the plate is covered with a piece of damp paper and rolled through the printing press, the etching is printed on the paper. If I can find some asphaltum, either liquid or cake, I can start the etching process. I've already got out my sketchbook.

Spring Everywhere

Everything is blooming, including the spathaphylum in my studio. You can see the one bloom in front. There are two more hidden under the leaves. I'll photograph them when they open. I haven't given the plant any fertilizer, but it seems to be happy enough to bloom anyway. This is the usual time of year for them to bloom. They will bloom year round if you give them fertilizer once a month. I need to get some. Some many things to think about. But I guess, if I just keep plugging away at everything, eventually I'll get caught up, or at least mor organized than I am now.

I spent today working on making some earrings. I think everyone likes to buy earrings. I hope they like mine. I worked for about three hours and made five pairs. But it took me awhile to get organized. I really haven't made very many pairs of earrings, so I'll have to develop a mine set for them. But anyway, I've got a start. And I got a display stand to put them on. They'll be easy to hang up and then I can take the stand outside, too, and put it on my worktable when I'm out there on the weekends.

After working one earrings, I stopped and made a necklace. I wanted something new to wear when I entertain tomorrow. I like to keep wearing something new. And after I wear it, I can put in on display. Usually people like what I've made for myself.

I'm getting traffic into my studio and compliments for my work, so I'm sure I'll begin to build up a clientele. I have one commission, and I had a request yesterday from a man who wanted me to make a silver chain for his wife. That was easy. But it did show me that I need to makes sure I keep various "findings" around in case I do have request. I need various sizes of clasps and chain in silver, gold-filled, and maybe some copper. I'm in pretty good shape, except somehow I've wound up with all 22 gauge wire, rather than 24 and 26 which is what I usually use. But I'll get some more.

Printmaking - My First Medium

Here's my wall with some of my etchings hung up. My friend put screws in the wall and so I'll be able to start with the ones I have there now and then change them around after awhile. I have a large number of etchings and I don't have room to display them all, but I can frame more of them and keep them in the corner of the studio. Also, I have several large portfolios of etchings as well. Actually what I'd like to do is get a flat file. Another artist in the Village says she has one for sale, and I might consider getting it from here. I've wanted one for a very long time, even before I was a printmaker. Actually, I'm not even sure why I wanted one, except that they appeal to me.

It's funny that no sooner had I finished hanging up my etchings when an artist who's a friend came by to give me a lecture about getting back to my etching. He says anyone can make jewelry, and that I shouldn't be wasting time on it. Printmaking was the medium with which I first juried into the Village.

Anyway, I challenged him to let me use his press that he has in his garage, and he took me up on it. So I will get back to doing some etching. The ones I have hanging on my wall now are four or five years old and I'd like to have some new ones. I'm determined that I'm not going to put artwork on my walls and leave it there for 20 years and never change it. Changing is important.

I'm actually getting to the point where I can put some of my jewelry back as well, and then I can bring it out and change it. That way, it looks fresh. Also, there's something about changing things around that frees up the energy and helps people see things and buy them when they wouldn't otherwise.

I'm really very happy with my studio. It still needs more work, but I think it's becoming an extremely pleasant working environment. I try looking at it to see how it looks and to make changes and continue to get everything organized. I'll get there eventually. I'm actually in good shape already.

Cactus and Succulents In Bloom

Here's a succulent that grows out in front of the mailroom at Spanish Village. You can see the blossoms, sort of a pinkish coral color. All the succulents around the Village are blooming right now. It's nice to see them. There's a cactus and succulent society that frequently has sales in the building down the way from us. As a result, over the years, the artists have collected a number of interesting specimens. They grow around many of the studio doors. Tourists from out of town are always fascinated by them and frequently take photos of them.

I spent the day making a necklace, bracelet, and earrings for the daughter of a friend who is graduating from high school this week. I'm invited to her graduation party. What I need to do is make up some of my business cards and take them with me to the party, to give out to people. Who knows: it could lead to some orders.

Today I received my first commission, one that was a referral from another artist. It's to make a pair of earrings to more or less duplicate one that was lost. I like the challenge of doing so. I feel convinced I can come very close to the original. It will be a fun project.

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Here's a view across the main patio. I took this photo last week. You can see the jacaranda tree over there in bloom, with it's lovely lavendar flowers. They're blooming all around the Park and in other parts of the county as well. I noticed them on Laurel Street near the main entrance to the Park and also in Poway when I went up there with my parents this morning. Here in California, or at least San Diego, we think of jacaranda as having lavendar flowers, but apparently there are some which have yellow blossoms as well. I'm not sure where that is, but people mention it now and then.

Today was a day off for me and I spent it doing errands and chores around my house. Now that I'm required to be in my studio five days a week, I have to spend the rest of my time more efficiently. I'm working in that direction. Last night I went grocery shopping, did two loads of laundry, answered email and wrote in my blog all in the space of a couple of hours. I felt very accomplished once I was finished.

I'm starting to make lists and set goals. Actually, that's one of my next serious projects is to really start setting goals. And I was thinking about writing a business plan as well, or at least beginning to rough one out for myself so I begin to know where I'm going with all of this. I do feel my life is coming together and now I want to make sure it moves ahead in a worthwhile manner.

A Festive Weekend

Here's a photo I took while sitting at my worktable outside. You can see my umbrella and beyond it the tables of glass. The glassblowers in the studio across the patio from me put out eight tables of glass this weekend which was the Potters Guild bi-annual sale. I sat at my worktable and put out some jewelry as well, more than usual. I noticed that my more dramatic pieces of jewelry attracted the most attention, especially the necklace in which I combined citrine and amethyst. People also liked the ones made from resistors, friction reduction devices, split rings, and cellphone parts. Those are worth bringing out again for people to look at. I'm not sure most people would want to wear them, but they're fun to look at.

Right out in front of my studio is a glass-blowing setup, including a furnace, an annealer, and a heated container of liquid glass that stays on all the time, 24/7. The woman who has the studio opposite mine blows glass herself and has a number of students who take lessons. Many of them are members of Spanish Village. A number of years ago, they determined that putting out tables of glass was worthwhile when the Potters Guild has their sale. Some people who come are looking just for pottery and sometimes very specific items. But some people like the glass pieces as well, I suppose because they are vessels, like the pottery.

The students spent the weekend in the Village in shifts, taking the responsibility for selling each other's glass. It was fun to have them all there together. They're a nice group of people. And I always find it interesting to talk to other artists about aspects of their work and to get ideas. Even artists who work in the same medium each have their own style. My jewelry is completely different from everyone else's jewelry, not because I specifically try to make it different but because I'm a different person.

One of the things I need practice with is talking to the people who come to the Village. Although I'm frequently comfortable with people as I get to know them, sometimes I'm shy in the beginning. So I practiced just saying hello to people and admiring something they had on. When I saw jewelry they were wearing that I liked, I admired it and had some interesting conversations as a result. That's what I want to practice, especially on the weekends when there are lots of people around. That's a goal for me. And that's a part of the Spanish Village outreach, to instruct the public about art and art techniques. It's a form of education the same way going to the museums is educational.

Don't Give Up

Here's a container that's been on the job for a number of years. As you can see, it's parts are tied together with a piece of rope. It's located back in the inner patio where I use to share a studio. One of the artists who has since retired told me one day that one of the City employees told some of the artists that the pot with it's plant must remain a part of the Village. It has a certain mystic. Nobody can dispose of that plant in that pot. Actually, I think that's nice myself. I like to see anyone or anything that doesn't give up no matter what the adversity.

Today was a day to remember not to give up. Today was the jurying in of new members and current members in new media. There were 49 entries for the jury's scrutiny, and only 9 of those were accepted. I tried for two new media and was not accepted in either. In my case, it means I can't display or sell in my studio any art made in either of those media, but it doesn't mean that I lose my membership or my studio or anything like that. However, for artists who are not yet members of Spanish Village, they are not eligible to join until their artwork is accepted by the jury in at least one medium.

The jurors are impartial judges not affiliated with Spanish Village. Certainly nobody could accuse them of being partial this time. They do rotate, and there will be a chance for all of us to try for acceptance again in January. Hopefully there won't be anyone who is discouraged enough to give up. Certainly I'd rather be numbered among a large number of rejected entrants as opposed to be one of the only few who didn't get in. And there were some really excellent entries this time. But that's the lesson: don't give up. There are many members of the Village who didn't get in the first time around.

Will June Gloom Ever End?

Look at my little table. One of the artists here at Spanish Village built it for me to put my metal storage chest on. I think it's so cute. In fact, it seems a shame to put the chest on it and cover it up. But it will be very useful for me and so I will. Anyway, I'll still be able to see it. However, the chest is very heavy, so I have to wait until someone strong comes along who can lift it onto the table. But I expect someone will turn up later tonight or tomorrow.

The table was built by the same artist who built my outside worktable. He's very creative with wood and other media as well. He loves to scavenge for stuff and frequently shares his "overstock" with me. In fact, some of my three-dimensional pieces that I've created for tomorrow were created with pieces of stuff he's given me. I admit I am like him. I like to take old things, including scraps of paper, and put them together into something new.

I remember first seeing the Bull's Head by Picasso. I'm not sure that's the actual title, but anyway, he took a bicycle seat and some handlebars and made a bull's head out of them. That was one of my first exposures to assemblage and I've always been very taken with it myself. Now I'm going to try it. I've been wanting to create some assemblages that are compact and look as though they actually do something, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that. Recently, however, I saw a drawing that included some gears and I thought about some of the stuff I've got. I think I can make something. I'm going to try tomorrow.

But tonight I need to get ready for the jurying in. I bought some PVC pipes at the hardware store and cut them down from their 10-foot lengths. I still need to make more cuts and then assemble the whole into a structure that will hold up my pieces of three-dimensional mixed media. They're like windchimes, except they're really not designed to chime. They're designed to catch the light and to provide visual stimulation. They've met with positive responses from other artists here in the Village. I hope the judges like them. By comparison, my paper art pieces are very easy to display. But once I get my PVC display built, I can use it to display my jewelry as well as my other pieces.

Today was another gloomy June day. Apparently we're headed for some nicer weather over the weekend. I hope so because the Potters Guild here at the Village is having a bi-annual sale. I want to sit outside at my table and work and display some of my jewelry. And if it's sunny, it will be more pleasant. One thing that's interesting is that when I turn on the lamp near my front door, I definitely attract people in. They see the lit lamp and the jewelry sparkling in the light.

This Week's Projects

Here's my little garden, the one in front of my studio. It's growing and one of the artists has been adding plants to it. One of the plants has a bloom on it. You can't see it because this photo was taken several days ago before it was sticking up above the greenery.

I spent today finishing up my projects for Saturday. I'm almost finished with both sets of projects, further along with the paper arts projects than the three-dimensional ones. This evening, I'm hoping to make the stand that I'm going to hang the three-dimensional pieces on. However, the artist who's help I need is nowhere to be found. I'm sure he'll turn up, but I'm stimied until he does.

I spent time today cleaning up after creating my paper projects. I'm determined to keep my large table as cleared off as possible, especially when I'm not working on a project. My desk is still rather cluttered, but after I deliver my projects on Saturday morning, I'll come back and concentrate on it.

I've noticed that moving the lamp over near the door and keeping it turned on does draw people into my studio. Yesterday, I had no sooner turned it on when I had a visitor. The walkway outside the door is several inches higher than the inside, so most people kind of stumble in. I've gotten use to their gate as they come through the door. But there were only a few people today. It was generally a quiet, gloomy day. Still June gloom.

Serious June Gloom

You can see how gloomy it was today, dark and moist. I finally turned my ceiling fan down a little, not that I was cold or even particularly cool, but I thought I could reduce it.

I spent the day working on paper art projects. I've got four of the five finished and the fifth will be finished tomorrow. On my three-dimensional mix media, I have three of the five done and the fourth is well on it's way to being completed. Actually, I worked on it some this afternoon. So I think if I work on Friday, and one evening, I should be in good shape for Saturday morning. Then I can relax and go back to some of the pieces I was working on previously. And I can go on with fixing my studio. I've almost gotten up enough courage to put nails, or at least screws, in the walls so I can hang the etchings.

A friend came by the studio, a woman I use to work with a number of years ago. She's a member of the Village, and has just accepted the chairmanship of one of the major committees. I think she'll do a good job. She very well organized. But anyway, she asked me about my etchings, saying she hoped I'd put them up soon, that she liked them. I like them, too.

I had an idea for doing some relief printing using the stamps I've created. If I print on rag paper, I could call them monotypes and frame them. They might be a nice addition and maybe have some color to them. Anyway, I'll try.

June Gloom

What a really gloomy day it was today, actually a little drizzly, or maybe some people would call that a heavy mist. I can't believe I really thought we wouldn't have any June gloom. How silly is that. You can see it even in this photo.

You can see the lights on in the gallery next door to me, Gallery 21, which is has a rotating show that changes every two weeks. And then back there in the corner, you can definitely see there is something, another studio, my studio. And the lamp helped especially today, on a dark, gloomy day. I had about 10 or 12 people come into the studio. I'm not really ready yet. I still haven't hung up my etchings, and I haven't priced all my jewelry.

This week I'm concentrating on getting my pieces done for the jurying on Saturday. I need five pieces of paper art and five pieces that would be considered three-dimensional mixed media. I've got five pieces of paper art in various stages of completion. I made a great deal of progress today. I'll finish up tomorrow. Then I'll concentrate on the three-dimensional Thursday and Friday if necessary. I've got several of those pieces finished already and the others in various stages of completion. Using a combination of coming in on Friday and burning a little midnight oil should get me where I want to be.

When I first started the paper art, I made several pieces I wasn't too pleased with. They seemed manufactured, copies of earlier ones I had made. Then I started cutting up pieces of card stock and fiddling around with it, taking some scraps to use in the pieces. That was when I made some I'm happier with. I like taking leftover pieces of paper or metal or fabric or whatever and using them to make something. It's more creative than taking new materials and fabricating something.

One of the things I did was to make a little book with a sewn binding. I've studied the diagrams in the various bookmaking books, but they all seem so complicated. So I just did what made sense, and it worked just fine. Having a good paper cutter and a large work table made a big difference. It's so nice to be able to spread out on the table. It's a wonderful place to work. I'm very happy now. The more I use it, the more I enjoy having it. I never could have done what I did today without that big work space.

No Such Thing As a June Without Gloom

I'm trying different things to attract attention back in my corner. Of course, the obvious would be a sign of some sort, but until I actually put one up, I thought putting a plant where people can see it in the open door and now a lamp that is turned on can attract your eye. You can see it here. And there were some people who came in yesterday when I was in my studio, even after the normal 4:00 p.m. closing. So I think the lamp helps. On the right side of the door, you can see the top of an old table of mine that I thought I might use as a work table, but now I've decided it's extra. I need to move it so that it doesn't look like it's stored there, which of course at this point it is.

After I said we might have no June gloom, it appeared. That's so typical. I've lived in San Diego for 56 years. You'd think I'd know by now that we have June gloom. We've always had at least some, and we had some yesterday and today. But typical of the gloom, it burns off, hopefully by around noon time. There have been a few years when it's been around all summer. I hope we don't have that this time.

I spent yesterday working on paper arts. One of my current juried media is printmaking. Several years ago I created a number of small relief cuts, made of some material that is softer than linoeleum and consequently easier to print. I used some of those on my paper projects, and it occurs to me that I could print them on paper and frame them like other prints I've created over the years. I would like to present some that are new and fresh. It's been three or four years since I did etchings. I don't want to give up doing them, but they require a large setup of equipment and chemicals. I'm not willing to put the money and energy into that right now. Maybe later. In the meantime, relief prints are fine.

A June Without Gloom?

Here's a photo of my new table. I actually purchased it in August or September, when I first heard that I was getting my studio. Yesterday we finally went to pick it up. If I had it to do again, I probably wouldn't have purchased the table because I don't want the studio to be too crowded. But this afternoon when I sat at the table and took some time to make a book, I was so happy to have it. It's a nice big table, 72 inches by 30 inches. I have plenty of room to spread out my paper supplies on it. I can even use it later for drawing and maybe some painting. Anyway, I'm very happy with it. It really gives me a large area to work. I promised myself I will use it for paper art and then use the desk in the back for bead work.

If you look closely at the end of the table, you can see that the glass top is sticking up. When I purchased the table, it had a Chinese sign inside it, set on a bed of yellow satin, and covered with a thick piece of glass. I purchased the table at a bead store, and while they were waiting for me to pick it up, they used it as a work table. So there were a lot of tiny beads down inside the table. When we brought it to the studio, the guys who helped me suggested I might want to take the sign out and put something else in it, like jewelry. I agreed, and so they used some pieces of wood to prop up the glass so it would be easier to get off. I subsequently decided against making the change, so I asked them to come replace the sign and lower the glass. If I want to do something different, I'll do it later.

It was a very warm day, much warmer than usual for this time of year. Usually we experience June gloom, a foggy marine layer that hangs over the coast before the water warms up. The fog is caused by the cold ocean air hitting the warm air especially inland, where it is already over 100 degrees. But this year we've had almost no marine layer in June. There was a little fog this morning, but it burned right off. They say it's going to be a hot summer. I'm glad I have my ceiling fan. I bought it for decoration and atmosphere mostly, but I turned it on today.

Taking the Day Off

Here's a photo someone else took of the main patio of Spanish Village. My studio is located in a small patio beyond that farthest blue umbrella, all the way at the back. But I'm actually not at the back of Spanish Village which continues on down a little narrow "street" at the back of the patio. The Village is modeled on one in the Adalusia region of Spain. The floor of the patio is made of stamped concrete to look like flagstones. The artist periodically get out their paint and paint the flagstones different colors, usually following a theme of the colors of their own studio. The ones in my area are painted blue because the building trim back there is painted that color. I want to change that and have even started to collect some paint to change that. I'd like a combination of green, pink, lavendar, and bright blue, maybe even some red in small quantities. But for the next week, I'll be concentrating on getting my pieces ready for the jurying in of new media. That will keep me busy.

Right now, I'm finding that my days off are spent sleeping more than I'd like. I'm hoping that eventually my schedule will straighten out and I won't feel as though each activity is pressed up against each other activity. But, I have found that everyone I know lives the same kind of lifestyle. It seems as though there's so much to do nowadays. Maybe it's because there are so many different options to choose from. Certainly having the option of using the computer takes time, but it's worth it, I think. I'm not giving it up. There's so much you can do on/with it.

Is Summer Really Here?

Here is some of my jewelry on the display table that one of the artists built for me. I just thought as I looked at this photo that my walls look bare. Actually, my walls are bare right now. I've been hesitant to put any holes in them, but several people have suggested I use screws to hang my pieces. So I think that's what I'll do. And there are still quite a few etchings at home that I'd like to take over to the studio. And I suppose I should take my print rack as well, although it takes up more room. I'm already planning to add a table tomorrow or the next day, one that I bought in September. The place where I bought it keeps asking me when I'm going to come get it. Anyway, once I get it and arrange everything the way I want it, I'll have a better idea of where everything should be hung. I'm trying to leave a large portion of the longest wall completely blank so that I can hang lots of etchings there, even down to a relatively low level. And then I need to fix my portfolio of etchings so that people can look through them. There are a great many of them that are not framed. I'm actually amazed at how many there are.

One of these days, when my life is back in order, I'll go back to etching and other forms of printmaking. I'd really like to do so. It just doesn't fit into my schedule right now. In fact, really any class would be a problem. That's funny though because I've just been thinking about taking a en plein air class that meets at the San Diego Zoo on Monday mornings from the middle of June until the end of August. That wouldn't be too bad. That class would involve drawing and/or painting outside, something I enjoy doing. But, really my schedule is too full now I think.

Is This A Heatwave?

This is a close-up of the garden in front of my studio. I discovered this bud there this morning. It's a bromeliad, attached to the leaves on the lower right side of the photo. I always like to see a bud. It's a promise of new life. It's appropriate for this point in my artistic life. I'm starting some new ventures, the studio, some new media, some new styles of jewelry. Really it all goes together though. One art form isn't much different from another in that the rules of composition and color combining and theme still exist to be followed or broken. And each artist has the responsibility for following his/her creative abilities down whatever path they lead. It's a never-ending journey of exploration. The trick is to step aside and let your inner self lead where it will, not get in your own way.

I happen to run into one of the artists from Spanish Village outside the grocery store this evening. We see each other crossing the patio, and sometimes we wave, but we hadn't stopped to talk for awhile. I mentioned that I'm creating some hanging pieces, and she says she's been moving in that direction, that several of the artists are. I believe that reflects the cosmic consciousness. We're all wired into it. Well, no, it's probably a wireless connection. But we're all attached together by some force greater than ourselves. It's the cosmic consciousness that causes artists or scientists in different parts of the world to create or discover the same things. In that respect, we're all products of our times. Things that hang seem to be making sense to people now. I've always liked them, but I've never made more than a couple of mobiles and never a wind chime. Now I'm moving in that direction.

The weather was hot today, in the high 70's I think. I stayed inside my studio. I like working outside though and maybe I can do that tomorrow. It depends on what I'm doing. If I'm just relaxing and making jewelry, I can bring everything outside, but if I'm creating something so that I need to constantly go through my stock pile of stuff, it makes it hard to work outside. I'll have to see what my mood is. Also, when I'm working inside, it does help me to work on straightening things up. I feel like I'm always spending a certain amount of time organizing things. I have to or I'll really have a rat's nest. I'm trying to force myself not to let that happen.

A Taste of Summer

I went back to the studio this evening to get something and took this photo about 6:00 p.m. It's pretty I think with the shadows in the trees and across the walkway. You can see a little of my table on the right hand side. I spent the whole day sitting at it. It was a pleasant day. That big tree back there creates shade in the morning and I'm not in direct sun until noontime. I sat for awhile in the sun. Then I got my hat and later I put up the umbrella. It's such nice weather; I hate to sit under the umbrella. I know it's not good for me, but I like having some tan. It helps me feel healthy.

Spanish Village has a process for accepting new members called "jurying in." You bring five pieces to the jurying which takes place twice a year. Three judges look at your pieces and evaluate whether they think your work has enough promise that you should be encouraged as an artist. If two of the three judges so decide, then you are eligible to become a member.

If you're already a member, you can jury in to a new medium by bringing in an additional five pieces to the jurying and if you're accepted you can display work in that medium as well. You can only display and sell work in your juried medium/media. My media are printmaking, jewelry, and painting. I've decided to try for two additional media: three dimensional mixed media and paper arts. So I turned in my application. The next jurying will take place on June 10. We'll see what happens. Lots of people were submitting applications today, both prospective and current members.

Showing Up For Work

Here's a cotainer showing up for work even when it could give up. But it's still hanging in there. It's a good example of just going on and functioning, even when conditions are stretched to the maximum and the prospects of something better are dim or non-existent. There are various containers around the Village that are in similiar condition. But we keep them even though they show their age. There's a pottery container in one of the patios tied together with a rope. I like it. The jade plant growing in it isn't affected. For it, life goes on, and it's nice to know that we haven't just thrown it away. I've heard the artists say that some of those pots belong to the City, so we keep them watered.

I got a call this morning from the Spanish Village President who informed me that I'm supposed to be in my studio on holidays even if it's my day off. I didn't know that. He says it's in the Standing Rules. I was part of the group that re-wrote the Standing Rules, but I honestly don't remember that one. Anyway, I had already driven up the coast a ways, planning to spend time with my family and later with friends. Oops. So I was marked closed on the attendance sheet. Anyway, now I know. It won't happen again.

I certainly could have gone to work today. My studio is so messy from my latest projects that it's going to take me the rest of the week to clean up. That's my main plan for this week: clean up and continue to organize everything. The other thing I'm going to do is hang some etchings this week. I share my longest wall with Gallery 21, the rotating gallery next door, and when I pound in nails, their pictures all get crocked. So when their show is over later in the week, I'm going to take the time to put up some of my own piece, my etchings. I hate putting holes in my walls, but I'm just going to do it anyway.

Holiday Weekend

Here's a remarkably blurry photo of my work table all dressed up for weekends. The artist in the next studio loaned me the tablecloth and helped me bring out some of my jewelry. It was such a nice, sunny day that I couldn't bear to be inside. I spent the whole day outside and even worked at my table until 5:00, later than usual.

There were a number of visitors watching the glass blowing that goes on everyday out in front of my studio. It attracts a great number of people, some who just happen to be walking by and some who know what they're looking for and return to watch more than once. Almost all the glass blowing is done by students who are taking lessons from the artist in the next studio. She has been blowing glass for over 25 years and spends most of her time teaching. The lessons involve teaching the student and answering questions from onlookers. It's a hard job for her; she's on stage all day long. And she frequently mentions how tired she is by the time she leaves in the evening. I don't think I'd want to teach like that.

I spent the day at my table redoing a necklace that I made about two years ago. The necklace was originally made with brass wire and was purchased by one of the other artists in the Village. However, after she wore it several times, one of the beads came off, and she asked me to fix it. When we broke up the studio, I took it home and it disappeared into my pile of jewelry "stuff." Finally the other day I happened to find it. She had just asked me about it a few days before. So I told her I would redo it for her using gold-filled wire. I thought that would be nice. And when I looked at the necklace several days ago, I realized I really did have to remake it. My skills have improved so much that I really had to laugh at how much better I am now. That's nice of course. So that was my main project for the day. And she was very happy with the end result. I was too.

Noticing the Surroundings

Here's a photo of some of the plants that grow near my studio. I like that one that looks like an iris. I'm not sure if that's what it is, but it reminds me of a butterfly. The plants around the Village belong to and are maintained by the artists. Well, actually, I think some of the plants and all of the trees belong to Balboa Park. There was a local horticulturalist named Kate Sessions who was responsible for most of the planting of trees in the Park and actually in other parts of San Diego as well. In the next patio over from my studio, where I use to be, there's a carob tree. And out behind the Village is a baobaob tree, I think. It's very odd looking. There are a number of landscapers who take care of the plants and trees in the Park. Sometimes you come across them replanting beds of pansies and marigolds. It's a big project and takes about six people to accomplish it.

I like being in the Park although I don't go out and walk around it nearly as much as I'd like to. When I first started at the Village, I thought for sure I would. Now I just go straight to my studio and start working. That's what I did this morning. However, I didn't spend much time on jewelry today. I organized things on my desk and put away boxes of beads I brought from home. I now have all my beads in my studio, except some loose ones that have spilled over the last year. They'll go next.

Recently I made a wind catcher to hang outside my studio, to attract people in. The problem is that it's not visible from the other end of the patio. It's pretty though. But besides that, it peaked an interest in making some hanging . . . sculptures, assemblages. . . I'm not sure what to call them. But I worked on several at home and another today in the studio. It's like a multi-strand necklace hanging from a piece at the top. Or I suppose you could compare it to a wind chime. The one I created today does chime a little bit when the pieces knock together. But it's chief purpose is to showcase the pieces of metal I collected from various sources. Like Kate Sessions, I have items I've collected that come to me from all parts of the world, many of them probably ordered via the internet at some point along their way.

Shopping Around

Here's a rather bad photo of patio in front of my studio. The coil of light on the right is a strand of lights encased in plastic that I wrapped around one of the three trees in front of my studio for the festivities last night. One of the artists in the studio across from me stayed for the evening as well. He put a light in the little alcove of their studio. That's the lit area you see on the left.

We put a table cloth on my work table and put food out for passersby. I sat and worked on a necklace and he sat on the bench near me. It definitely helped attract attention to our studios by our sitting outside. We spent the evening talking to each other and to visitors, a pleasant past time. Also, we agreed by the end of the evening that we did have more foot traffic through the Village than we had last month. That was encouraging. Our advertising chairperson put an ad in the local free newspaper and several people said they saw it. Advertising is a large portion of the Spanish Village budget and it's nice to know that it helps let people know where we are. There are still people all the time who say they've lived in San Diego all their lives and they've never been to Spanish Village, never knew it even existed.

Today I went to buy gold-filled wire to finish a necklace. I'm determined to start ordering it online, because it's less expensive, but in the meantime I needed some. I happened to go to a different store to look for vintage crystal beads and while I was there I asked about wire. I discovered their wire is less expensive than where I had been buying, in fact a lot less expensive. So I've solved my problem for now. The only disadvantage is that they were out of the gauge of wire I use the most often. So that could be a problem. But I could restrict myself to making pieces with the smaller gauge wire. I've certainly got lots of really tiny beads. I tend to gravitate toward them.

My plan is to sit at my work table outside this weekend. I need to make sure I take my sweater with me in case the weather is chilly. It can be at this time of the year. We have what's called "May Gray" and then "June Gloom" before we actually get our sunny summer weather. Fortunately we're a little ways away from the coast at the Village so that we don't get the marine layer that the beaches sometimes experience in the summer, but we're close enough to get a breeze and not suffer from the really warm inland temperatures.

Still Getting Ready For Thursday

I worked on putting up some of the lights for tomorrow night. I wasn't too successful, but at least I know what I'm still missing and need to get tomorrow morning after I go to the gym. I think the floodlights I got will work. And I put some lights around one of the trees in front of the studio. The trees need more, ones that go way up the trunk. But I don't have the ability to put them up there, so I'll just have to deal with what I can do.

I spent some time working on jewelry. I do always try to do that. Eventually everything will come together and I'll be happy with the progress I've made, but I'm not there yet. It's going to take a lot of time and effort to get where I want to be. One thing I really do have an urge to do is take my second computer over to the studio so that I can start working on some of the marketing material that I need to create. Unfortunately I won't have internet access over there at this point. But I'd be happy to just to have the computer set up over there.

I have a thumb drive to transfer files from the laptop to the desktop. But the thumb drives seem to konk out fairly easily. I never have too much luck with them over a long period of time. And now it's becoming very difficult to find one that's compatible with Windows 98, the operating system I'm still running. One idea that I had for transferring files is through email. If I hook up the laptop, send out mail, then hook up the desktop and receive the mail, that might work. The question is: how many bites can you send at a time? Could I send a whole folder of files? I guess I'd just have to try it.

Getting Ready For Fourth Thursday Again

Here you can see some of the shorter necklaces that I've created. Someone asked me the other day how many pieces of jewelry I've made and I said I thought it was between 50 and 100 pieces that I have right now. I'd say that's probably true. I have sold pieces, so I've made more than 50 or 100, but that's about how many I have at the current time. I keep working on more. At this point, I haven't made very many pairs of earrings, and I think that will increase my stock quickly when I get to them. But I need a place to display them first, a way to display them. I have some ideas. I just need to put them into practice.

Today, after leaving the Village, I went to get paint for my front door and some lights to go outside. We have Fourth Thursday this week, and I want to paint the door and hang more lights to try to make our corner more visible. We talked about getting plants, but that won't happen right away. But we're working on getting everything done. Also, I want to paint some of the wood on the window frames in the area so it doesn't look so serious. Despite my low visibility, I did have some customers in my studio today. Adding more plants and a sign will help. It's just going to take time.

Rain? This Time Of Year?

Here's the tree outside my studio. You can see how many leaves it has on it now. The leaves seem so green and fresh looking. And having had some rain last night helped wash them off keep them from getting dusty. I love the trees in front of my studio and the ones behind it that I'm only aware of through my open windows. Spanish Village is located in Balboa Park and so we enjoy some of the same beautiful plants and trees that the rest of the Park does. However, all the pots of plants in the Village belong to the artists and they take the responsibility for tending them.

I went over to the Village early this morning and as I drove up through the main patio, I thought how nice and colorful everything looks. I wanted to get my tools so that I could finish the garnet and pearl necklace that I started yesterday. I had a date with a special friend, and I wanted to wear the necklace. Actually, I like to wear all the jewelry I make, test it out, so to speak. Sometimes I've worn pieces that have subsequently fallen apart for one reason or another. Certainly it's better that it happen when I wearing it than when a customer has it on. I certainly want to avoid that at all costs.

When I got to the Village, I was reminded that it had rained although it was no longer raining. My red chair seat looked wet, having spent the night outside. However, it has no wheels on it, so it will most likely stay outside all the time. Really, it's normally fine this time of year, because we don't usually have rain. But the sun came out this afternoon, and I'm sure it will be dry in no time. When fall comes, I'll get a plastic bag to put over it at night, but for now I think it's okay.

Isn't Summer Here Yet?

Here's my table all ready for me outside. And I sat there for about three hours today. What a day to choose as my first official outdoor day. It was so cold that I finally had to go back inside and get my wool sweater.

On the whole, I do enjoy being outside, but today was overcast all day. No, I take that back. The sun began to break through when I first arrived at my post. And it occured to me that I might have to make a better arrangement for the umbrella because it didn't actually cast any shade on me. The sun was too high overhead. By the time the sun had dropped down in the sky, it was so overcast that it didn't matter whether the umbrella was there or not.

But anyway, a few people came up and looked at the jewelry I had put out. I created a display rack out of sprinkler pipes that I bought at the hardware store. It works for bracelets, but it's not tall enough for necklaces. You can see it there to the left of my chair. At one point about a month ago, I had it in my studio and it fell off the table, breaking the beads on several of the bracelets. So that was the first task today: to replace the broken beads. Then I worked on a garnet and pearl necklace.

I always try to plan in advance when I know I'm going to be at the studio all day. I want to make sure I have all the materials I need. I don't want to wind up sitting there with nothing to do because I've forgotten to buy something. Of course, now with so many different options available to me, I could always find something to do. But anyway, yesterday, I went to get silk, thinking I could string the other garnets I have, the roundels. However, when I got to the studio, I realized the silk I purchased was too thick to go through the holes. However, I did hunt around and find some that was thinner. Then when I started to work on the garnet and pearl necklace, I realized the wire I expected to use was too thick as well. Fortunately, I had some that was thinner. I'll have to get more though to finish the necklace.

On the fourth Thursday of the month, we stay open until 8:30 in the evening. I talked to the artist in the studio opposite me about creating interest in our corner which is kind of dark and unwelcoming. We came up with a variety of ideas including lights, easels, paint, a print rack. Most of those we can do except the paint probably. But we are all in agreement about making some changes to add interest back there. I hope it will help. I really would like people to come visit us.

A Work In Progress

This is the Wizard. He's a work in progress. When I walked by the children's clay table, I spotted him. Thinking he was a child's project, I sat down to study him. It turns out that the teacher was making him herself with the help of several students who made the decorations on the back of his robe and the stars on his hat, neither of which are visible in the photo. But his creator assured me that she had big plans for him, that his gloves will be shiny bright green and . . . I've forgotten the rest.

Teaching children and adults to create art is part of our outreach program at Spanish Village, one we take very seriously. We're not required to do any teaching, but we are certainly encouraged to do so. I've even thought about doing it myself at some point in the future. I'd like to teach something unusual, some dying art, something that could be continued on into the future.

In the meantime, I'm concentrating on my studio. I put the fabric back on my display table and put out a lot of my jewelry. I still haven't put the price on it, but I've been keeping track of what I've made, how much the materials cost, and how much time I've spent on each piece. So I can label everything appropriately, possibly with a few exceptions.

Besides setting up my display, I finished three pieces of jewelry I had started previously and made a new one. I'm trying to work on unfinished projects, but it's hard sometimes. I always want to start something new. And when I arrived in my studio this morning, I was feeling discouraged at my seeming lack of progress with my studio and my jewelry. I was so discouraged that I didn't want to even set everything up. But as the day progressed and I made some headway on several projects, I began to feel more optimistic and invigorated.

It's strange to think about the fact that Spanish Village has a number of artists who work individually in their studios, and yet each one is absorbed in what he/she is doing and has some idea of the direction to go in. I know that I can work and work for days and still have some idea of what I want to make next. I guess that means I'm headed in some direction that may not always be self-evident even to me. But that's okay, I think, as long as I'm making progress in some direction. And who knows, maybe I'll wind up with shiny green gloves, too.

Weather Is Changing

Today was a nice, sunny day. I think tomorrow will be as well. I'm planning to put up my displays in my studio and then work at my table outside. I have a new hat and sunglasses to wear while I sit in the sun. Actually, though, at this time of year, the sun isn't much of a problem. It's only hot and bright later in the summer. Anyway, it will be interesting to see how much sun I get during the day, especially since the sun is moving to the north right now. When it's really far in the south in the winter, I don't get any sun on my table all day.

This was a day off for me, and I felt as though I needed it. I've been feeling kind of down and very tired this week, so I really took it easy, spending most of my time napping and reading. Now I'm ready to do some chores in preparation for my weekend at the studio. I 'm still struggling with my schedule, making sure I leave myself enough time for myself, doing my own thing.

Learning Curve

Recently I was talking to one of the chairpersons at Spanish Village, and she was asking me about my art. I admitted that I'm not creating any art right now. I haven't been for awhile now. I'm making jewelry, but most of what I'm making is really rather ordinary in terms of the combinations of stones and colors. And I haven't done any drawing or printmaking or painting or book arts. Today was no exception.

I spent the day hand-knotting a necklace of cz's and Swaroski crystals with a handmade gold-filled clasp. It's a pretty red necklace, but there's nothing out of the ordinary about it. The cz's need to be combined with some pearls and more gold-filled wire maybe or with one or two other red stones. Interestingly enough, when I went through the stack of magazine photos I have, there wasn't anything that really inspired me.

This is the "paying your dues" part of all this. I've felt it before, and I know I'm going through it now. I just have to keep making various pieces of jewelry, keep making different styles, trying new ideas and new color combinations before I get something really special, really unique and unusual. It's funny that almost all my knotted necklaces are not so good. With almost every one, I feel I should take it apart and change the color scheme or the clasp or something about the necklace. And I suppose over time I'll do that, especially the ones that don't sell.

I still don't have my studio set up, and I had hoped to get that done by today, but I was tired. This weekend, I am determined to get my display back together, even if I still haven't spent enough time on the floor. I want to start attracting attention into my studio and having something to show when people do come in. I suppose I've been hesitating because I want everything to be perfect, but I can't let that stop me. I'll probably never have it perfect. I have to just accept it the way it is.

When the Paperwork Seems To Go On Forever

I was busy writing up Board Meeting minutes again today, ones for the May meeting we had last week. I fiddled around some, but I did get them done by the end of the day and even had a little time to work on a necklace. I've still got lots to do to put my email list in order and organize my files of papers for Spanish Village, the ones I've collected over the almost four years since I took office. It's hard to believe so much time has gone by. Maybe it's only three years. Anyway, when our terms end in February of next year, I've talked about running again as Recording Secretary. It's a great deal of work, but I like being involved in the decisions required to run the Village. It takes a great many people to keep everything going the way we envision it.

I continue to enjoy being in my studio, in my own little space. Actually it doesn't seem so little. It seems fine for my purposes. And I'm hoping I'll have the time and motivation to go back to fixing all my stuff, sorting through it and arranging it the way I want it. Then soon, maybe next week, I can set up the computer there at my desk. I won't have internet access for awhile, but I'll be able to write and create some graphics for a business card, a website, some brochures, some studio displays. There's a great deal to do. And of course, there's lots of jewelry to make, so many ideas that I have.

Working Back In My Corner

Here's a portion of my shelf in my studio. I'm determined that the whole studio will look the same way, everything in boxes and drawers and baskets, organized and sorted out. But it takes time to get to that point, and then it will take continued sorting and clearning away things to keep them all in order. I'm making progress, slowly right now.

I spent the weekend working in the Silent Auction booth at our annual Spring Art Festival. And today I spent almost the whole day working on Board Meeting minutes. I had two sets that had been corrected and approved by the Board. I made changes and put them in html format, so they're easier to read. I was able to work at my desk in my studio using my laptop. I enjoyed the day. It's quiet back in that corner and I get very few interruptions. So I made good progress. Then I sent the minutes out from here at home where I still have a cable hook up to the internet. Eventually I'll have that in my studio I hope.

I still have to write up the minutes from the most recent Board Meeting which took place on May 8. Then I can get back to working on my studio and also to cleaning files off my laptop in preparation for reformatting it. Then I hope it will be fully functional again. Despite the fact that it's about eight years old, it runs very quickly, and I enjoy using it. It is a fairly high end Toshiba, and I've certainly gotten my money's worth from it. I chose it because Toshiba screens were known to be the best for graphics purposes which is something I envisioned doing at the time.

Despite the fact that I'm in the furthest corner of the Village, I did have one visitor to my studio this afternoon. Unfortunately I don't have anything set up as a display, so I had nothing to show him. But soon I'll be ready. I think I'll just take a hammer and put up some picture hooks. To heck with the walls.

Who Says The Internet Is a Passing Phase?

I'm the Recording Secretary for Spanish Village. As such, I take the minutes at Board of Directors meetings and then send copies out to members. Nowadays, I can send out minutes of meetings and other announcements to members by email. The problem I've been facing is that my poor old computer is in danger of giving out and I've got all those email addresses stored on my computer, likely as not to go down the drain one of these days with the rest of my hard drive.

But today, I solved this problem, one that's been bugging me for quite awhile now. I managed by a fair amount of trial and error to export my address book of all those email addresses to an internet account, so that I can send email from any computer that is connected to the internet. That way, if my computer dies, I won't lose all those names.

And for those of you who are still skeptics, consider this incident. Last week, I was searching for a new pair of shoes. I considered one pair made by Chinese Laundry. I didn't buy them, but I was amused to see their website address on the insole of the shoes. Www.chineselaundry.com. I didn't try the address, but I'll bet it shows all kinds of shoes. And here I thought Chinese Laundry was a restaurant in Napa Valley.

Up Late

The exhibitors at the Spanish Village Art Center Spring Art Festival are packing away their artwork and the pan pipe musician has probably played his last song. Soon the main patio will be back to normal. I have no idea how well everyone did at the Festival, but I enjoyed it myself. I worked in the Silent Auction booth both days after spending last night and the one before creating all the signs and bid sheets for the auction. I don't mind doing that part, but this is the last time I'll sit in the booth. From now on I need to be in my studio or out in the patio working on my table. After all, I am required to keep my studio open on weekends. The only reason I can get away with not being open is because my studio is so hidden away that nobody notices when it's closed. Its door just looks the entrance to a broom closet, certainly not a studio.

One of the exhibitors makes very nice fused glass pendants. I purchased some to use in my jewelry. Her style is different from any I've seen in the past, and I hope she'll be able to return for the Autumn Art Festival. She also talked about joining the Glass Guild so that she can participate in their annual sale in August I think it is. It's nice to see that we continue to have some of the same exhibitors back each time. I think after awhile people count on the continuity and plan accordingly. I will, especially if the necklaces I make with the fused glass are successful.

So anyway, I'm glad I don't have to spend another night here working on the paperwork. Doing so makes a late dinner and bedtime for me, something I want to avoid for the most part. Fortunately, tomorrow is my day off. I wasn't sure how taking Monday and Friday off would work, but so far it's fine. I like knowing that I have a day off just around every corner. And if I'm organized, it will be fine.

Do I Need More Beads Or Silk?

Lots of times when I have free time, such as a day off like today, I tend to think about taking some time to go to the various bead stores in town to get something I need or to see what new things they have. That way, I make sure I have enough materials to work on a project when I'm required to be in one of the studios in Spanish Village. Today, however, looking for beads is not at the top of my list, physical or mental. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get some packages of silk, since I can't find the ones I bought awhile back, but I have enough projects in my studio that I don't need to start a new one. The early part of today is for me, just to do what I want to do, relax, read a book, write in my journal.

Later today I've promised the President of Spanish Village that I will help him with the paperwork for the Silent Auction we have taking place tomorrow and Sunday in connection with our Spring Art Festival. I have developed kind of a tradition of working on the Saturday paperwork on Friday evening, and then finishing up Sunday on Saturday morning. I like working Friday evening because after 4:00 p.m., most everyone is gone for the day and I'm not so distracted. If I work during the day, there are always lots of people around to talk to and I become most inefficient. It's better later in the day.

So I'm off for the afternoon to do a few things that feel fun, mad, crazy to please my inner self. And if a package of silk beckons too loudly, I might be coaxed into a bead store after all. But not necessarily.

Where's All My Stuff

Here's a photo, albeit a blury one, of the tree outside my studio. I guess it has all it's leaves now. Anyway, it's very pretty and there are no longer piles of yellow leaves on the walkway in front of my studio. I won't need to sweep everyday the way I will in the fall. But it does make my little corner very dark and shady, certainly less noticeable, if that's possible.

When I get everything organized, I'll turn my thoughts to attracting attention back there in the corner. But even though I make progress each day, there's still a great deal to do. I was looking for a necklace today and I can't find it. It occurs to me that it might be somewhere in my house, because it certainly doesn't seem to be anywhere in the studio. I am optimistic, however, that eventually everything will turn up. As I was going through my jewelry inventory today, I was surprised at how many necklaces there are. I have several ways to display them, but I need more, especially for the long ones. I just keep thinking of one thing or another. Sometimes I think about ideas for jewelry design. Right now my thoughts are focused on the administrative and business part of this whole venture. I haven't spared much time for creating jewelry.

I thought I might just complete all the half-finished projects sitting on my desk, the necklaces that I've started, and not even unpack my beads and put them on the pegboard until everything else is finished. But then I thought there might be necklaces and packages of thread mixed in with the beads, so I unpacked them. No luck, but 95% of the beads are hanging on the pegboard again. I've got that done. All the beads are organized by color. That helps me to think straight. Think straight? No, maybe not, but I feel less distracted.

Still Getting Organized

Here's that green garnet necklace I was working on last week. You can see how it doesn't hang quite right. The stones are pretty though and I think it's worth re-stringing it. I can put some small stones between the large ones to make it lay flat. Of course, I'll need to find the silk I bought, and at this point I have no idea where it is. I'm sure it must be in the studio somewhere.

When I was in business with two young tile layers, I use to say, "we can't be Coca-Cola tomorrow. It's going to take awhile." Now I find I have to remind myself the same thing. Everything seems to be taking so long, but I must be making some progress. Today I continued to sort pieces of computers and other electronic devices into large categories. Anything with a circuit board on it went in one plastic bin. Wires went in a different one.

I've almost cleaned off the top of my display table. I'm determined to organize everything underneath, not just toss it under there and cover it with a cloth. This afternoon I came across a box that included, among other things, jewelry findings. Those would be things such as clasps, pieces of silver and gold-filled chain, earring wires, head pins, all the things used to actually make the jewelry with the exception of the wire and silk. All of those items need to be put in one place where I can find them easily. And I have to think about what I'm going to put them in. Don't worry Coca-Cola; I'm not going to catch up any time soon.

Getting Organized

This morning on my way home from the gym, I stopped and got six large translucent containers to use for storage in my studio. I plan to put them under the display table that runs along one wall. They will be covered by pieces of fabric. So when I got to the studio, I began the process of sorting my stuff into categories. One of the other artists enjoys looking for items that others have discarded and frequently he shares his finds with other artists. I have been the recepient of a number of nice items like computer innards, hunks of color-coded electrical wire, strange shaped pieces of metal and plastic. I collect them for future use in my jewelry. As a result of his generosity, I've collected quite a supply of items, all of which appear to be useable at some later date. So now I'm sorting them into categories. They will go in the boxes and be hidden out of sight under the table. I did want to be able to access them fairly easily, so I chose shallow, translucent boxes. I'm hoping I can glance at the various ones and determine what each one contains.

I spent part of the day sorting items, and part of the day working on jewelry. I like the idea of going back and forth between projects. That helps prevent them from becoming tedious and allows me to sit down and rest now and then. My goal is to have the studio organized and my display set up by Thursday afternoon, in preparation for the weekend. I don't envision that being a problem. The only thing I may not get done is hanging my etching because I'm not sure how I want to do that. My walls look so beautiful I hate to put nails in them. But I wll, unless I can figure out some way to hang them on wires. I'll look into it.

Working For Myself First

I still have Spanish Village Board Meeting minutes to transcribe, but this morning I was determined to do a little something for myself first. Yesterday, after I closed my studio, I went over to one of the local bead stores. I intended only to get some crystals, but I wound up getting four strands of large stones. There are ones of Peruvian opals, green garnets, African honey opals, and rutilatted quartz. This morning I knotted the Peruvian opals and the green garnets into necklaces with copper clasps that I made myself. This gave me the feeling of doing something for myself first, something I wanted to do.

The Peruvian opals turned out just fine, and I intend to wear them myself. I have a particular fondness for pink. I interspersed the stones with some cobalt glass beads, and that makes a nice contrast. The green garnets didn't turn out very well. The stones themselves are lovely, but they were strung haphazardly on the string when I bought them. And I took them straight from the string, a practice I usually follow. However, they need to be rearranged, and they also need a small bead between each large one. They don't lie properly the way they are. They're okay, but they could be so much better I think. So that will be a future project: to restring them. Fortunately the stringing and knotting itself doesn't take long when the beads are so large and there aren't so many of them.

Now I'm going to spend time this afternoon working on minutes. Putting my studio in order has kind of taken a back seat for a few days. But I'm determined to get it done by next weekend. That gives me Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to accomplish the task.

A Day Without Work

Yesterday was spent helping my parents with various errands. It involved a great deal of driving and then sitting in their mini-van waiting for them. When I left my studio on Thursday, I contemplated taking a project with me. I have a little travel bag, like a small cosmetic case, that I can put my tools, some beads, and wire in. It's the way I have worked on my jewelry for quite awhile, carrying it back and forth from home to either of the studios I've been working in. And it was an option for yesterday, but I decided against it. I decided not to take any work home with me, so to speak.

Given all the waiting I did yesterday, it might have been nice to have something to work on, simply because I find doing so relaxing. And as I've mentioned, I really like making things, having a product to show for my time. But I took a novel with me instead. I did however have my notebook/calendar with me and there's lots of space in it for drawing. So I did spend time drawing. That's also a relaxing pastime for me. However, I still felt rather stressed by the time I returned home, and it occured to me that maybe the jewelry project would have prevented some of that. Everybody who chooses should have a chance to create something. It's so satisfying.

One Foot In Front of Another

You can see my shelf there in the background. I've started putting things on it. There's lots of storage there. I'm happy with it. Eventually it won't be enough, but for now it's okay.

Yesterday I got a flat screen monitor to use with my computer when I take it over there. I'm looking forward to doing all my computer work there in the studio. In the meantime, my home computer is not working, so today I spent almost the whole day working in the Spanish Village Board Members office, a tiny space that was once a storage room. It makes a wonderful little office though and give us an internet connection and some work space. Also, various Village files are kept there as well. Our President particularly uses it a great deal. Now I may find that I will to until I can get my own computer up and running at home.

I spent time when I first arrived at the Village doing some straightening and organizing. You certainly can't tell when you look at my desk, but it's much better now than it was. I also spent a great deal of time searching for my office phone and some Village keys. I go crazy when I can't find things, but fortunately I located everything I was looking for. Then I could settle down and work on Board Meeting minutes. There are more to do, but I've done the hardest ones already.

Computer Glich Causes Temporary Halt

Here's my bookcase with the primer coat on it. Nowadays they will tint the primer if you ask them too. I think it's a good idea, especially if you're using a dark color. That way you don't have to worry about the dark paint covering the stark white of the primer. And I think this will be approximately the color of the paint itself. I'm not as thrilled with it as I'd like to be. I would have liked to have a really dark Chinese red, but they didn't have any paint that color. The other thing is that I chose the color while I was in the store. I know that's not the way to do it. The lighting is completely different than it is elsewhere. But I was in a hurry to get going. So I'll live with the color. It's okay. And it will be a nice contrast to the walls. Besides, it will largely be covered with boxes and other stuff.

I'm having problems with my laptop. It's almost 10 years old and runs Windows 98. I know it's probably time to get a new computer, but I admit I'm attached to it. Anyway, I couldn't get it to come back on last night when I got ready to write in my blogs. But I've actually been thinking of changing my writing to mornings, so this might be for the best. It decided on its own to run defrag, and that seem to fix the problem. But in the next day or so I really need to make backups of this hard drive and put them on the other computer, the one I'm taking to the studio. I suppose I might even look for a new laptop. They're much less expensive these days. I've always thought it would be nice to have a little tiny one that I could put in my purse and use for writing. Well, maybe.

From eWorld To Wi-Fi

Here's a photo of my "new" bookcase. It has been sitting in my yard for awhile and you can see the dust on it. Also, it looks as though that top shelf is warped. My husband built it for me about 25 years ago. It's not in good shape now, but I'm going to paint it and put it in the back of my studio. It will be good for storing my beads, those that are in boxes. I got some maroon paint to put on it, after I prime it. I'm anxious to get started tomorrow morning. Once it's done and in my studio, I'll really begin to get things well organized.

I'm also counting on putting my printer and my scanner on it. I hope that's going to work, because otherwise I'm going to have a serious problem with where I put my computer and peripherals. The back of my desk is nine inches deep. I plan to get a new, flatscreen monitor to put up there. Imagine even a few years back even thinking that you coud get a monitor that is no more than nine inches deep, from front to back. And on top of that, having the CPU sitting on the floor, out of the way. That leaves only my keyboard and mouse on the small central portion of my desk. A few years back, the only option would have been my laptop. But the laptop is old, and I'd like to keep it here at home. That way, I'll have more room on my table here.

Actually, the laptop is not the only computer that could go on that desk. I used that desk for my Mac Classic about 12 or 14 years ago. I'd forgotten about that until just now. That was in the early days of the internet when I subscribed to eWorld, the Apple version of AOL. Too bad that never really took off. In those days, I use to go to the Reuters section and read world news. The coverage was excellent. My fondness for Reuters dates to that period.

I had a live phone jack in the kitchen, and when I surfed the net, I'd plug in a long phone cord that connect the computer modem to the phone line. I'd write emails to a friend, read the news, and then unplug the phone cord so that neither of us would trip over it when we went into the kitchen. It worked just fine. I still have a tee-shirt that says eWorld Beta Tester. I like wearing it. I consider it to be a status symbol of sort.

Now we're planning to set up Wi-Fi and make Spanish Village into a hot spot. That way, if we advertise it as such, we hope to encourage people to come and hang out more, so that the main patio looks more populated. I guess we just have to try it and see how it works. I've been waiting for years for wireless internet. Of course, I have it on my phone, but it's not quite the same. I'm excited. And for me, as the Recording Secretary of Spanish Village, I'll be able to send out emails to members at the flick of a wrist. It's going to be very convenient.