My gourd heaven

Seddon challenged a group of artists to decorate gourds with the theme in mind that the gourd should reflect outside whatever our idea of heaven is.  It's an idea from Chinese mythology.

This gourd is about a foot tall and decorated 360 degrees around with Zentangle designs.  It reflects my love of art and if I could create my own heaven it would certainly be a place where I could be immersed in all things art forever.

Seddon is hoping the folks at the Chinese Garden in Portland will allow us to show our gourds there.

My first encaustic painting.

I know I told you that I did some encaustic painting on the panel that holds my book, Of Nature; but I'm not counting that because it it mostly hidden by the book mounted over it.

So this small painting (approx. 6" X 9.5") was really my first encaustic painting.  I want to give Audrey at Columbia Center for the Arts thanks for making me curious about encaustic.  I wasn't able to attend her demonstration; but hearing about it afterwards was all I needed to start doing some research, then attempting it myself.

I call it "Mountains and River."  At this point it is not framed; but it will be soon.
It's available for $75, contact me at jinxie3946@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Of Nature -- a handmade book of quotes on the subject of nature and the outdoors

 This book hangs on the wall or sits on a table.

It is mounted on an art panel that has been painted with encaustic paint in natural, earthy colors.

The book itself is made with rough, handmade paper that I made in my studio, and bound with piece of pine branch and rough jute twine.  It has been permanently attached to the art panel.

The exposed panel around the book has been embellished with small pinecones, mossy twig, small rocks (all from my yard) and a piece of driftwood gathered on a recent trip.

It has been entered in a show in October at Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, along with several other altered books and journals.

The Pathway to Reading--an altered text book from may years ago

I compiled 35 or 40 poems that are classic.  Poems that I love and think most people would enjoy reading and re-reading from time to time.

As I was working on the book my friend, Seddon, saw it and asked to purchase it once I was done.

Inside, I worked Zentangle designs around the poetry.  It turned out nice.

Seddon keeps it by her bedside to read in the evenings.  I am extremely pleased that she likes it so much.