End of Spring

 Myself - Watercolor.  I may be a bit scattered or just interested in lots of things.

This spring was a busy one.  I took a couple of classes at a local community college, because as far as I'm concerned there's always more to learn.  The biggest problem I encounter with school is distance, I really loved going to CSUCI (California State University Channel Islands) for a LOT of reasons but one of the biggest was that it took me 10 minutes from getting in my car to getting out of it.  The community college that I went to is Ventura College and it is at least a 30 minute drive, not including getting in and out and finding a parking place.  So it took a lot of time from my day.  But still I enjoyed taking a Theater class in History of Costume Design, and a painting class Life Painting.

Here are some of the paintings I've made the last few months and a WIP as well as some of my other crafts.  I apologize if you've already seen these on my Instagram feed where I post frequently...I'm hoping to turn things around where I blog first then Instagram later.

 I enjoy doing watercolors because they are fast and fresh.  This one is a portrait of a dancer friend that I ran into at the Renaissance Faire in April, her name is Merryl.  

 WIP- Oil Painting I've nicknamed Modern Minoan.  Perhaps you've seen the frescoes at Knossos.

These first two pieces are of bellydancers.  If you know me you know that is a large part of my background.  I started bellydancing when I was 22 after I had my younger son.  Later when I ran across the art form derived from ATS (American Tribal Style) bellydance known as Tribal Bellydance I became very involved.  All my children had grown up and I was busy babysitting my darling granddaughter a lot of the time.  In the evenings I took bellydance classes from my friend Ayse and later I started teaching myself.  The dance community gave me an opportunity not only to perform and create but also to build community.  I produced some dance festivals in the early 2000's and later produced some stage shows.  Also, I was able to meet a lot of people that I shared many core beliefs with about politics, spirituality, environment, making, creating art and I've made many life long friends.  I'm blessed with this community.  So I'm working on a series of art about the dance community or it's sort of a modern bohemian community.  There are some converging points where we all share commonness, such as Burning Man, Bellydance, Renaissance Faire.  It's about the power to build community that embodies respect and love and cooperation as opposed to personal gain, and power over others.  

This is the body of a sweater I finished.  The pattern is called Zweig by a talented designer Caitlin Hunter.

Along with bellydance I'm very into fiber arts.  I've been working on a sweater currently...I like to use my hands, and be quiet sometimes...knitting provides that opportunity.