Rhubarb-strawberry tart, lemony water, elephant in utero, learning to ride a bicycle, Nate Williams, Drawn In, Cy

1. Cy Twombly. His work changed my ideas about what the possibilities of art could be when I was 17, fresh in art school. (Image via NY Times.)



2. Love my new eye/ inspiration candy book : Drawn In by Julia Rothman. I love my sketchbooks and those of others. (Image via here.)


3. Very much enjoying the illustration work of Nate Willliams. (Image via Nate Williams.)


4. I had the rare chance to watch an adult woman learn to ride a bicycle in the park the other day. How brave. And she seemed to be getting the hang of it along with the genuine joy of her life becoming that much more happy and free having that wonderful skill.


5. I saw this picture in a book of animals in the womb and can't get over the magic that it makes me feel. The floating baby elephant in utero. (Image found here.)

6. Icy, lemony water. In a big mason jar, stainless steel straw.


7. Our lovely neighbor, Cat, had us over for dinner the other night. Along with delicious mojitos, she made this amazing rhubarb-strawberry tart recipe from the iconic Judith Jones.

New markers, giving happy, a family of friends, drawing, ice coffee, mint harvest, Tomatoland

1. Last week I listened to this episode twice on Fresh Air: How Industrial Farming 'Destroyed' the tasty Tomato. Featuring Barry Estabrooks, the journalist and author of Tomatoland. Informative and shocking. My next book (which I just picked up yesterday and my husband and I are fighting over who gets to hold it, read it) just found me. (image via NPR)


2. The mint harvest in our yard. Hello mojitos!

3. Home brewed ice coffee with simple syrup, cinnamon, and a splash of cream.

4. Drawing for hours uninterrupted (only to pause to sip ice coffees).

5. A lovely visit with a family of friends.

6. Making someone feel happy.

7. A pile of new Prismacolor markers that arrived in the mail today.

Metropolis, salad recipe, summer sleep, 1/66, homemade garments, Roots Manuva, Stereolab

1. Listening to in the studio: Stereolab. (This is nothing new. I have longed love listening to them while I work.) Image via SoundUnwound.


2. Somehow I convinced an adolescent boy to give a listen to Roots Manuva. He was wowed and I very much appreciate that he was open to listening to some old school hip-hop.


3. I very much admire, envy what this woman is doing: making her entire wardrobe. Besides the fact that she has exceptional tailoring skills, custom made garments fit so much more nicely and last forever. I have skirts that I made over fifteen years ago in college that I still wear.

4. Day 1/ 66 of summer vacation 2011: rejoice!

5. Summer sleeping: the whir of the fan, the cool night air. And, this morning, BONUS, no alarm.

6. A favorite summer dish: chopped miso salad. I could eat piles!


7. Metropolis magazine which always satisfies my inner secret desire to be able to design buildings, interior spaces and functional objects.

thoughts, "ready, able," "muto," Modest Mouse, John Choo Moore, Xicoh, Bash Bish Falls

1. A day trip to Bash Bish Falls, Mt. Washington, MA

2. Our favorite Mexican restaurant, Xicohtencatl, in Great Barrington, MA. Conveniently on the way home from our day in the woods.

3. John Choo Moore makes beautifully designed and handcrafted bags in San Francisco. My husband showed this ("Beauty through Bamboo") to me- something he saw on one of the handcrafted bicycle sites that he looks at.

4. Modest Mouse. (Image via Poster Cabaret)

5. I show my Art 1 students this gem by the graffiti artist, Blu, when we are working on a lesson about graffiti lettering. While a large portion of students respond with, "That guy does a lot of drugs." There is usually a handful in the crowd that say things like, "I want to be friends with that guy, he's so cool." And one student yesterday says, "You like that? Well, you'll love this, Ms. K..."

6. "Ready, Able" by Grizzly Bear. Outrageous. It always makes my day when my I learn something from a kid. (Thanks K.T., you know I think you are wonderful!)

7. While there are many families within the school community that I teach that have been seriously affected by the devastation from the tornado on June 1st, one student in particular has been in my thoughts completely. I hope that somehow my thoughts of love and sympathy are making their way to her.

Henrietta Lacks, Tony, an inspiring story, Bob, the perfect bicycle, Hot Sauce, a party

1. A fun party with friends yesterday.

2. Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Old and fresh all in one.


3. A great story on NPR about Robert Penn who discusses his quest to build the perfect bicycle in his book, It's All About the Bike: Happiness on Two Wheels.


4. Remembering Bob Paquette, Senior News Producer and morning host on WFCR 88.5,who passed away suddenly a couple of days ago. He visited my studio a couple of years ago to interview me about a show that I was in with a couple of other local artists. I often think of him sitting next to me at my studio table talking about what I was working on. I will cherish that. Mornings will not be the same without that voice.

5. Inspiring story of a 90 year-old man who has just celebrated living with type 1 diabetes for 85 years. Being in my 20th year , I am grateful for the advancements in managing the disease and hopeful that it will progressively become less challenging (both physically and emotionally) to tend to.

6. My good, good friend, Tony.

7. I have been reading with enjoyment: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

Hadley grass, porch dining, Ben Shahn, baked oatmeal,elephants, Albert Cullum, soundtrack

1. The soundtrack to Amelie (Yann Tiersen) in my studio. For over 10 years now. Listen to a bit. Image from here.


2. The work of the inspiring educator Albert Cullum. Image via A Collection Of.


3. Elephants are amazing creatures. Image via the thoughtful animal.

4. To make: baked oatmeal.



5. Ben Shahn. Image via C20th Graphic Design.



6. Eating dinner on the porch. Soon it will be warm enough to enjoy 6am coffee there too.



7. Fresh cut Hadley grass. Yum.

new paper, Cornelia, "Quiet ground," Chocolate and bread, peanut noodles, Larry B, bursting

1. the bursting green.



2. My good pal from graduate school, Larry Bamburg, has an exhibit of his work in Amsterdam. "Go team!" is right! image via Grimm Gallery


3. Peanut noodles with tofu and loads of greens.




4. a favorite, indulgent breakfast: Chocolate and Bread (Berkshire Mountain Bakery) with peanut butter, hot coffee.


5. I love the textile designs of Etsuko Furuya. I have made two skirts with fabric designed from her line, Echino. Recently got this one, "Quiet Ground."image via PhatFabric.



6. I have long been in awe of the work of Cornelia Parker. Amazing. Poetic. image via Colectiva.


7. a new pad of smooth bristol paper.