Tree Encaustic #3- Fire on the Mountain

I have created another Tree Encaustic...using photo transfers of photos I am taking all around Sonoma County...for this series.  This one so looks like the mountain is on fire in the background.  

This tree is in the Cazadero Hills of Sonoma County, in the coastal range, on the Gualala Ranch. 

It  is not very far from where the Creighton Ridge Fire started in 1978.  With the hot dry weather and all of the fires all over NOrthern California...this piece is rather poignant.

 I am looking forward to what comes through next....

I Dreamed of Gratitude - Altered Book-Counting Blessings

Counting Blessings...an ongoing altered book process.  

I am so grateful for so many things........

       "If the Only prayer you said in your whole life was "thank you"  that would suffice."

                                                                         Meister Ekhart

About three weeks ago I dreamed about creating a Gratitude Book and the cover appearing in my dream.   It was called " Counting Blessings"

And so I have been slowly working in it over time...

  I have decided to post what I have done so far...

I am working on placing as much attention as possible 

in my life on what I am grateful for.  

I am grateful for so many things....

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial in acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow".                                            Melody Beattie

Tree Bird in Blue- Encaustic Tree Dream

Tree Bird in Blue
Originally uploaded by blue_sea_art

Well, I have completed the second encaustic in my tree series. I like this one. Each one takes on a different mood. They are rather dreamlike. I am pleased to be back in the studio with the encaustics. I feel so grateful and blessed these day.

"Advice from a Tree"
By Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,

Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter

Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light

Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots

Enjoy the view!

Exploring Encaustics-Back to my Studio....

I am finally back in my studio working with encaustics after about a month and half break and I am so excited....
I have been photographing trees lately with this idea in mind of doing a series of photo transfers on encaustic.  This is my first attempt and I feel it is pretty successful.  Up to this point I have been working with alot of texture and scraffito in my encaustic paintings.  In what will be a new series, I plan on focusing on color and its luminescent possiblities. 

 I photographed this tree up a Spring Lake park in Santa Rosa, while visiting my friend Robin who was camping up there.  I am excited by it..  This is my first successful attempt at doing photo transfer.  There are so many beautiful trees in this area.  

This encaustic painting is 10"x 10"  on wood. 

MOre to come....

Evolution of a Mandala - Summer Solstice- Universal Shapes

I have been slowly, but surely working on the mandala that I began at the Summer Solstice Mandala Retreat Day.  I am almost complete, but not quite.  I am just waiting for inspiration to know where to go next to bring it to completion.

Here is its evolution.   

By the way the shapes I chose were the triangle, spiral and equal distant cross...

This is the initial drawing of white on black...finding my way....


This is far as I have gotten.  The summer feel comes through strongly.   It feels like it needs something more...but what....I will wait until I get a sense of direction before I add anything else.  

Happy Summer!

Summer Mandala Retreat- Five Universal Shapes

This past sunday, we facilitated another Illuminated Mandala Retreat Day.  Both Patricia Waters and myself, are facilitators of Judith Cornell's Illuminated Mandala Process.  



For the Summer Time Mandala Retreat Day, which we held up at Mountain Home Ranch in Calistoga.  We focused on Angeles Arriens Five Universal Shapes... which are the circle, square, triangle, equal distant cross and the spiral.



 www.angelesarrien.com.  

If you don't know about her work please  check out  her website.

What amazing work everyone did.  Here are some photos of the days process  work.  

For more information on Angeles Arriens Shape

Preferential Diagnostic Tool,  you can find it in  her book "The Signs of Life".

Although most participants didn't complete their mandalas at days end, since it is a slow and meditative process,  they were all stunning .   

I have posted a few of them to just give a taste of their power and integrity.

We  will do these retreat days around the solstice and equinox, as well at the begining of the year.   Our Fall Mandala Retreat day will be on September 22.  See our website for more information.

www.creativeartstudio.com

Now I have a mandala to while away the summer time hours, with slow meditative drawing....which I just love to do.  

I will post my mandala's process in the days to come.  Enjoy the Summer!!

Summer Time Finally,....I can relax

Now that I have finished the all consuming Art at the Source Open Studio Tours....I can finally relax.   I often wonder about what to post here. I am not one for idle chit chat on line.  

So here are two encaustic mixed media paintings that I have recently done.  Once I rest up and get some luxurious reading done, swimming,  walking and catching up on details both mundane and important...I will try to get back to my encaustic work.  

In the meantime, I just bought a new digital camera...a Nikon Cool Pix s550.  Oh, I am so excited that all night long  I dreamed about the photos I am going to take.. 

So I am very excited about not working much this summer and having time to do art, take classes and relax and enjoy life.  Ciao...caterina