Back in the Blogging World once again

After much more then several years, 2 knee replacements,  treatment for lymphoma...all of which occurred over 2 years ago, and now a major urban wildfire in my beloved Sonoma County, I am now coming  back to this blog.  

After the recent wildfire and being evacuated at 3:30 in the a.m, with flames shooting up into the sky in the hills behind my house, I got a horrible flu/ like cold.  I woke up one morning, vowing to start up this blog again.  So here I am.   

 My original focus when I started this  blog, was sharing the work and classes I did as an art therapist, instructor, creativity facilitator.  However, as I stopped this blog and time has passed, I have decided, even though I still teach and facilitate groups, to focus on my work as and artists here.

This year I turned 70, OMG, and realize if not now, when?  I am an artist and love making art.  I am obsessive about it do it all the time and what to make my living, or a good portion of it from my art, so it is time to come out of the teacher closet, and share it with others.  So that is what I am doing, here.  

All of these image are done with alcohol ink on tile and on glass.  I have fallen in love with the vibrancy of this media, its quick satisfaction and its expressive intense qualities.  

I have been doing this for about a year now, so I am sharing a few pieces as my  entry into the blog world once again.  

I am narrative in my work with alcohol ink and am always intrigued with the story that emerges out of my art.  My need to express myself quickly, loosely and playfully, while allowing what wants to emerge is greatly satisfied when doing these small pieces.  Also I am able to make a lot quickly, to sell at reasonable prices at shops and fairs for the holidays.  So here are some of what the ones I have been creating in the last month.  More to come, more to say.  Hello to whoever reads this and finds it of interest.  Stay safe, one never knows what comes next.  Caterina

The World Offers Itself

"This turning deeply towards what you love, saves you."  Rumi

Wild Geese

"You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes, 

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting  

over and over announcing your place 

in the family of things."

from Dream Work by Mary Oliver 

published by Atlantic Monthly Press

© Mary Oliver

And another mandala to share with you all

Today in my email I received this photo of another completed Spring Shapes mandala.  This was drawn by Paula DuVander.  Once again, it is so interesting to see how even when working with similar motifs, ie the 5 universal shapes, each mandala is so different and unique/

When I look at this vibrant, colorful mandala, I am reminded of the thick texture of needlepoint or the vibrant colors of Huchiol yarn paintings.    I am so pleased that folks continue to send me images of their completed mandalas.  I will be sure to post them as they arrive.

Enjoy the spring...

Why do we do what we do?

I was just reading a post on Lanie Garrity's wonderful blog 14 Secrets to a Happy Artists life,  and one of her posts focused on this question.  It really got me thinking about my life now,  as an artist and as an art therapist.

I was born with a congenital heart condition, and as an only child growing up in Chicago, I spent alot of time alone, often in the hospital, and when not, missing school often, rarely playing outside with other children.

I was pretty lonely, and art became my best friend, my ally, and my constant companion.

I self soothed, created imaginary friends and worlds, and lost myself for hours in lovely fantasy.

This rich inner world, stayed with me my whole life, and after having open heart surgery on my 13th birthday, I threw myself into life and activity.

But artmaking stayed with me, throughout my life and shaped my life into the one it is today.

As a child, I remember often looking down from our third floor window watching the kids in the alley and courtyard, riding bikes, playing with hoola hoops and on the swings.  I felt like an outsider and wanted to belong.


And even though making art made me happy I wanted to do it with others...  Whenever I was sick, my parents would give me another paint by numbers set, or kit for weaving pot holders.  I loved to make different things, use my hands, and build little people out of mushed up toilet paper, making up stories and traveling across the united states in our long hallway with my handmade paper doll friends....

As I fast forward to my life now, I see that I live a life now that allows me to do art with others, share all the different art processes I have learned, and offer   others the opportunity to explore the healing realms of their imagination.

This is a bit more personal that I have been before on this blog, but it seemed to fit for today, so Thank you Lanie  for your wonderful prompt.

Why do you do what you do?     Ciao

Summer Solstice - Mandala Workshop Photos

On Sunday Patricia and I facilitated another Mandala Workshop.  It was such a lovely group and a relaxing and healing day of artmaking.  I really enjoyed diving into another mandala.  I was very fortunate to be able to take several long rests, since I am still slowly regaining my stamina from my hip surgery. Patricia held the energy and led the group, while I retreated to my house for a nap in both the a.m. and pm.  That is one of the things that   is wonderful about having a partner to work with, as well teaching in my studio.
Here are some photos of the day.

All together around the tables in my studio.

Practice scale of light mandalas...

Black and white  scale of light mandalas....

Beginnings....

I love how individual and totally unique each mandala is.

It was also amazing to witness each mandala transform over time and with color.

  Here are some photos of folks working in process on their mandalas.

and another...

They are all stunning in the white on black at no matter what stage they are at.

Here is Penelope starting to add color to her spider mandala.  

This is my mandala as it continues to evolve..

And now for some color.

Unfortunately this photo of Diana's Mandala came out blurred, but I still want to show it.

Experimenting with the use of color and the white pencils..

Barries Mandala is an honoring of the plants and animals she see's as she walks the trails of sonoma County.

'Christi's Mandala with color added.  

So that is a taste of some of the work done this past Sunday.  A few mandala's were not shown in color, or in the early stages.  But you can see the amazing beauty that emerged in each persons work.  However, the most important part of the experience was the actual process, that each person had as they worked through the day.  That cannot be duplicated by mere photos. The feeling, of depth and connection that comes as we move inward, and just pay attention to balancing and expressing on paper, moment by moment.  Thanks for joining us as we work in the sacred circle.