What does Knox Gelatin have to do with handmade paper? Well, it’s all about sizing. I created this handmade paper during a wonderful and intensive indigo-dyeing workshop with Mary Hark at Women’s Studio Workshop several summers ago. We made paper, then dyed it with indigo. We also dyed fabric with indigo, using Japanese Shibori techniques.… Continue reading Sizing It Up!
Category: creating
Tiny Houses Part I
No, I am not talking about my Brooklyn apartment! I am talking about the amazing abodes created by the wild Monk Parakeets in Brooklyn! This particular spot near Brooklyn College has some elaborate nests. A friend and I took an evening summer walk awhile back — hoping to spot fireflies (we did) — and found ourselves nearby,… Continue reading Tiny Houses Part I
Mug Shots
When I sit down to write or to create a work of art, one of my rituals is to have a mug of coffee or tea at hand. The mug matters — a lot. It must be beautiful, and it must feel just right in my hand. It is even better if the mug has a… Continue reading Mug Shots
Mod Muses
I was sitting in my reading nook by the bedroom window. I had just finished Orla Kiely’s terrific book called Pattern. I was diving into Chronicle Book’s In Pattern: Marimekko. It was a frigid day, but the sky was blue and the sun was streaming in. I turned to look for my two feline muses:… Continue reading Mod Muses
Retro Reflections
I have recently discovered the pleasures of Pinterest, and have been busy creating boards with all kinds of designs and designers that inspire me — especially pattern and textile design. I also keep old school scrapbooks that I call “inspiration books” where I paste colors, quotes and images that make my creative juices flow. One day… Continue reading Retro Reflections
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
I write. I design. I sing. I create art. I also cook, clean, hold a job, go to yoga, maintain relationships, and attend cultural events. Oh, and sleep. I try to get eight hours. And what about time to meditate and daydream? What about time to read and take walks? How can I fit it… Continue reading Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
Best gift ever
In 1978 one of my favorite aunts gave me a faux-denim journal with blank pages. Blank pages! And hardcover like a real book, to boot! My teenaged imagination was stoked and I promptly began to fill the journal with art and writing and quotes I loved. I have been an avid journal-keeper ever since.… Continue reading Best gift ever
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