This morning I went for a walk with a friend and discovered a new part of my neighborhood that is connected to parks and nature. Along the way, we passed a wild rose bush, and I had to pluck a fragrant blossom (1). We ended by the beach where we found some feathers, and I finally got to indulge my desire for a quill pen. (Of course I scrubbed the feather with soap and water then soaked it in a hydrogen peroxide solution (2) for a half hour, but still I think Ms. Austen would be proud.)
Inspired by these gifts from nature, I went to the studio where I finally decided to work on my Paper Covers Rock beads (3) again. Before today, the beads had been underpainted with burnt umber. I imagined layers of scuffed down colors on the beads. After seeing all the beautiful colors in nature, I decided to mix a batch of vermilion red (cadmium red hue, permanent alizarin crimson, and cadmium orange hue). The beads are still in progress, much like my life. The walk got my morning off to a good start, now it’s time to get back to the studio.
