Sent, Bossypants, black tulips/ wasps, sitting here, wishful thinking, one-a-day pile

1. Summer one-a-day drawings.

2. Wishful thinking: gin, mint, cucumber, limoncello. 

 3. Sitting here. Bennington, Vermont.

4. A thank you to Sally B. Moore. Wood, wire, paper, string.

5. Something I made: wire spheres with black tulips/ wasps mobile. 

6. Read: Bossypants by Tina Fey.

7. Packages sent to Mark and Annie.

Coastal path, Arthur, Van Gogh and Nature, an arrival, a fig tree, tagged, rubber band heart

1. My J-bird found a blue rubber band heart for me. I have been photographing found hearts for a while. You may remember this favorite ('The Poetry of Crap') from 2011.

2. I finally tagged my sketchbooks with the date they each began. A simple paper tag tied on with black thread. Over sixty Holbein multimedia sketchbooks since 1998 live on this shelf. They are really fun to look through. I have been meaning to organize them for a very long time. They are ready for your viewing and for being put back in their proper spot.

3. I bought a fig tree for J-bird from John Spineti. You can read more about John, his incredible lineage of growing things, and why we should shop at our local farmers' markets here (published in the New York Times, August 2011) and here (Amherst Farmers' Market blog).

4. Picking up sweet A at Logan Airport a couple of weeks ago. So happy to see him!

5. Visited the outstanding Van Gogh and Nature exhibit at The Clark in Willamstown, MA. It is on view through September 13th. I will be visiting again and again.

6. The work of Arthur Cadieux in Eastport, Maine. I first saw his work last year on our first visit to Eastport. I was delighted to have had the chance to visit his studio while visiting that lovely place once again this summer. Coincidentally, Arthur and I are alums of both Mass Art (our BFAs) and UMass, Amherst (our MFAs). Take a look at Arthur's work here.

7. The bold and breathtaking coast of Way, Way Down East (Maine). We hiked the beautiful Coastal Trail at Quoddy Head State Park.

A favorite soup, perfectly timed, now-points, Henri, The Process, patches, with love

1. With love (my J-bird) on a recent visit to NYC.

2. Patches of sun and warmth.

3. Just got another great book by Judith Wilde and Richard Wilde (authors/ educators of Visual Literacy): The Process: A New Foundation in Art and Design. I love their thinking and approach to conceptualizing ideas with their students.

4. Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs at the Museum of Modern Art. Absolutely wonder and joy filling.

5. Time is not line but a series of now-points. - Taisen Deshimaru

6. Perfectly timed snow days.

7. Coconut red lentil soup. A favorite from Heidi Swanson.

Kale salad, bright pink, with love, London, Simon Evans, lines + flowers, Syllabus

1. I've been loving Lynda Barry's book Syllabus. Teaching students to be professional observers, to be present, to notice, to make connections.

2. A recent drawing- more lines and flowers.

3. Another treat of a book of Simon Evans' work.

4. Reading London by Edward Rutherford

5. With love (my nephew) on a recent visit to NYC.

6. Drawings up with bright pink tape.

7. This lacinato kale and pecorino salad also featuring green olives, toasted pecans and finely shredded brussels sprouts. We have been devouring this.

Patron XO Cafe, Matt Lynch, The Monterey General Store, Look 4, Safe Passage, Thundersoul, Paris

1. Reading: Paris: A Novel by Edward Rutherford

2. Recently watched and loved: Thundersoul.

3. I made this drawing for a fundraiser that the awesome people of FOE are hosting to benefit Safe Passage.

4. And I am in this show at FOE, too!

5. J and I went to this magical spot for ice coffees a couples of weeks ago. We were the only ones there. Next time: with books and drawing supplies for a much longer stretch. 

The Monterey General Store.

6. Matt Lynch, a friend of a friend, recently stayed with us. He enjoyed the fireflies in our backyard which he had not seen before.  Learn about the great things Matt is doing by watching his talk on permaculture from TEDxHonolulu. 

7. Patron XO Cafe. My kind of afternoon ice coffee.

Those kinds of conversations, a dancer, home, dance this mess around, listen, two books, flora.

1. We visited Flora: A Celebration of Flowers in Contemporary Art at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.  I always gravitate towards their art making space.

 2. Two recent books to enjoy: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (thanks to Rachel C. for the recommendation) and Flow magazine "for paper lovers" from the Netherlands.  

3. Listen, move to it: "Dance, dance, dance" by Lykke Li

4. A good friend of mine has smartly revisited vintage B-52s.  He said this reminded me of him. Not sure why (I do not have awesome hair) but I am way flattered. Dance this Mess Around, 1979. Thanks, Dan. 

5. Our sweet little home. Spring.

6. The theme here is dancing. I do not introduce myself as "a dancer" but I dance often. Happily in the living room. Almost every day.

oh dance

i was a dancer all along

dance, dance, dance

words can never make up for what you do

-"dance, dance, dance" Lykke Li

7. Here is my incredible professor from grad school, Hanlyn Davies, sharing his work. I miss those kinds of conversations.

Public school teachers, games, Feodor, Pow! Wow!, Wangechi Mutu and Santigold, table/ bed cloth, 15 drawings

1. Drawings in my studio.

2. In the 1950's my grandparents who lived in Madrid with their children (my mom being the eldest of the six) sent this hand embroidered tablecloth to my Irish- Catholic great aunties in Worcester, MA. There it lived folded in a dresser along with twelve matching napkins in a dresser for about fifty years. I'm thinking the aunties thought it to be too precious for any sort of use. The napkins are still all threaded together as a set. My mom  passed it along to me. We are giving it some well deserved attention as a cover on our bed.

3. In February, I was so thrilled to visit "Wangechi Mutu: A Fantastic Journey" at the Brooklyn Museum. Along with the sumptuous collages and visceral drawings, I loved seeing Wangechi Mutu's connection with one of my favorite musicians, Santigold.  There is a wonderful conversation about their collaboration on the animation "The End of Eating Everything" here.

4. Let's visit Hawaii again... in the meantime, this spectacular mural festival in Honolulu: Pow! Wow! Hawaii.

5. The work of Feodor Voronov makes me swoon.

6. I just finished working on a bunch of drawings for Unbored Games. Out in October! So exciting!

7. Too many public school teachers feel this way.