BLOG ACTION DAY 2010 : WATER

TODAY IS BLOG ACTION DAY and this year's topic is : WATER

Ah! this is a topic dear to my heart...H2O or water. I grew up where water is abundant, a Northern Rain Forest in Southeast Alaska where the rain pours down most of the year...or frozen rain (snow). I always took abundant water for granted, until I moved to California.

While writing this blog post, I decided to do some research on water consumption and people. Did you know that : Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions?

This statistic shocked me--even though I have traveled to countries where the drinking water was not safe, I still took my ability to purchase clean water in those countries for granted. And we in the industrialized richer nations use much more water than other much poorer countries, just consider these statistics:

It takes 24 liters of water to produce one hamburger.

The shiny new iPhone in your pocket requires half a liter of water to charge. That may not seem like much, but with over 80 million active iPhones in the world, that’s 40 million liters to charge those alone. And--more people have access to a cell phone than a toilet! (what is wrong with that picture?)

That cotton t-shirt you’re wearing right now took 1,514 liters of water to produce, and your jeans required an extra 6,813 liters.

I never really thought about how much water is used to create all the products we rich countries consume. What can we do to change our over-consumption of this precious resource?

According to this Calculator, the average American  uses 1190.5 gallons of water per day. Want to find out just how much you use? Check out the h2o Preserve footprint calculator. The Calculator estimates the total amount of water you use, or your water footprint, using information you provide about your water use and habits.

I find it always an eye opener to check out my own consumption. According to this calculator I use a whopping 699.41 gallons of water per day! (wow!! I had no idea I used that much) I am below the national average, but still...

At  then end of your assessment the water footprint calculator gives suggestions on how to lesson the amount you consume. For me, conserving water starts at home. I now pledge to brush my teeth with out the water running EVERY TIME and to eat less meat since the amount of water used to produce animal products far exceeds the amount used for growing vegetables and grains. Fortunately for me I live in a GREEN co-op household and most of my housemates cook vegetarian--so I am already eating less meat.

Most of the other suggestions the water footprint calculator gave me our household already does...since we are a very green aware household. I will also be thinking twice about buying new cotton clothes, though---since producing cotton uses so much water. Actually, I do prefer to shop in thrift stores for clothes---since I currently live very low income.

And, as a knitter and craftsperson--this makes me think about cotton yarn?!? oh dear! I wonder if it takes less water to produce some of the new fiber yarns--like tencel, hemp, and bamboo? I sure hope so....and while these facts may seem grim, the positive side is that more and more worldwide activism around water and water issues happens everyday. Many organizations like water.org are actively working to change the situation. Won't you join us?

Memorial

NASA photo of Gulf Oil

Twenty years ago I wrote a Memorial Day letter to my local newspaper (Bellingam Herald) to commemorate Prince William Sound. Exxon had dumped 10.8 million US gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound on Good Friday and I thought we needed to include the Sound in our memories that May.

Back then, after the "clean up" we hoped we would never see another oil "spill" of that magnitude. I spent the summer after the Exxon spill working on the Sound, so I saw first-hand the effects the oil had on the fisheries and the wildlife.

My heart bleeds and I cry daily tears for the Gulf of Mexico and the oil still erupting into the ocean there. So, this Memorial Day, I am including the Gulf--the ocean and seashore, the people who live and make a living there, the fish, the plankton, birds, sea mammals--all sea and shore life---in my memorial prayers. I am sending prayers to them, like I do for the men and women who have died or been maimed in senseless wars.

If you are reading this please take a quiet moment to hold the Gulf---in its entirety---in your thoughts and prayers. We have wounded this part of our nation, and it may be maimed forever. If we had a Memorial Day just for the Exxon Valdez "spill" every year---would this current oil disaster in the Gulf still have happened?

Most of use know we must switch from an oil economy to a more sustainable and healthy-for-the--planet energy economy---time to start NOW. I believe each little action each individual can take does help, so go ahead! Drive your car less, ride a a bike, turn off your lights more--better yet, put some solar panels on your house. You know what to do.

If we ALL WORK TOGETHER toward healing our planet, we can make a difference. Here is one place to start: 350.org

Saving the Earth One Step at a Time

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."---John Muir

All week I have been thinking about the terrible devastation of the living ocean and environment of the Gulf Coast as deadly oil spills---STILL!!!---into the sea. My heart mourns for the destruction we have caused...and I am vowing to change my life. I want to live a car-less life again. Vehicles consume half of the world's oil, and spew a quarter of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. Leaving my car at home even one day a week can save a lot of gas and emissions over a year. (hint: you might try this...)

So, after spending the summer in Alaska--working in a small community where there are no roads or cars (instead we have outboard motors and skiffs, which are used considerably less than a family automobile )---I plan to live somewhere I can divest myself of my car--and become someone who doesn't own a car!!!

I will probably join zipcar or some other shared car organization...but I learned through my experience here in the Bay Area with City Car Share that I used a car much less when I didn't actually own one. There is something very liberating about not owning car--one less "thing" in my life to maintain, and I definatly got more exercise as I walked and biked more to get where I needed to be. And when you have to reserve the car ahead of time--you really think about using the car, instead of just taking car use for granted. This causes your relationship to car use to shift quite a bit---at least mine did.

I know this might seem rather futile---faced as we are with climate change and gallons and gallons of oil now spilling into the ocean...but lately I have begun to think that if we are going to save our planet--it will have to be us people who do the saving. If we wait for our leaders---it is going to be too little, too late. So we must each--individually--take whatever actions we can: reduce our oil consumption, protect our environment by buying only organic, reduce our consumption of all natural resources and live sustainably, share our wealth and knowledge with people less fortunate, convert to alternative energy sources, use a cloth bag for shopping, grow a garden....this list can go on and on.

Most of this we can do on an individual level, and I now believe that is how real change will come about...one individual at a time, one step at a time...all moving toward the same goal...a healthy, viable, livable planet where everyone has enough to eat, adequate shelter, enough clean water, education, a job with a living wage and healthcare....we can do this (despite our governments) if we work together for the common good.
And, pray, let us begin with our oceans....

Earth Day : Honoring Our Mother

In Honor of Earth Day....

Free digital slideshow created with Smilebox

Blog Action Day: SAVE OUR MOTHER

Climate Change is the theme for this year's annual BLOG ACTION DAY.

"BLOG ACTION DAY is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance."

I believe we are at a crossroads...and we must choose carefully what path we now take....

or we will not be able to continue to enjoy wild pathways like this one above which I photographed in one of the last great wilderness in North America--ALASKA.

In Alaska and Siberia the permafrost is now melting---you might think--so what? This is way North--how will it effect me? But the consequences of all the permafrost melting could have a dire impact on all of Mother Earth---because when permafrost melts it releases methane gas---a greenhouse gas 22 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. These northern frozen beat bogs (the tundra) may contain billions of tons of methane gases.....and the release of all these gases will undoubtedly effect our atmosphere and "scientists have reacted with alarm at the finding, warning that future global temperature predictions may have to be revised."

To me, this is just the tip of the iceberg---there are many other scientific documented signs that our Mother Earth is in trouble. The question is: what are we doing about this??? Are we fiddling while the Earth burns?

Here are some personal actions I have taken to preserve our resources and reduce my carbon footprint. This is not to say I do all these things everyday or that I do them perfectly, but I try my hardest to do these few actions. I invite you to join me and if you have other actions you do to reduce your impact on our Mother Earth, please leave me a comment.

1)I conserve water whenever possible : example--- shorter showers, be aware when I turn on the faucet and don't let the faucet run needlessly

2) I recycle diligently

3)I never buy water in plastic bottles, (I carry my own metal water bottle)--in fact avoid as much as possible all plastic packaging

5) Whenever possible (and sometime even when it is inconvenient) I take public transportation or walk or bike instead of driving my car

6)I try to buy nothing new--I shop for clothes and other goods at thrift stores---this has the added positive of saving me quite a bit of $$$$. I even find good paper, yarn, crafty supplies and notebooks at my fave local arts and crafts thrift store--THE EAST BAY DEPOT FOR CREATIVE REUSE if you have never been there--do go and check them out!

7)I support strong climate legislation in the US by making frequent calls or writing to my Senators

8)I buy food locally--I shop at my farmer's market and buy only in season locally grown produce, cheese, olive oil and grains

9)I make it a habit to turn off appliances--by unplugging them if necessary--- when not in use--including my computer

10) I Celebrate our Mother Earth in any way I can--from artwork to song to poetry. I believe if we all saw our Earth as our Mother and had reverence for her, we would not be despoiling her.

I do more than this--but a list of 10 seems good for now---what are you doing???

I believe--based on my life experience--that all small actions have an impact, so please do not think that our small efforts to conserve do not help--every little bit helps. A friend once told me "it is better to light one candle, than to sit in the dark"---I'm choosing to light the candle whenever I can.

How to Can Beach Asparagus

"Beach Asparagus" is an inter-tidal green plant that grows on some beaches profusely in Southeast Alaska ( I have also seen this plant growing in California beach marshes). In Port Alexander there is along tradition of harvesting this plant and canning it for future gourmet feasts ---preferably served with plenty of fresh caught fish. Yesterday, my friend Sue and I set off on a beach asparagus harvesting expedition.....

The first step (after rising at 5:30 am to take advantage of the low tide) was to get into this little punt and row to the head of the trail---we planned to hike about 15 minutes to a secluded beach---locally called "Ship's Cove, because there are the remains of an old minesweeper lurking there...visible at low tide.


Here are some views of Ship's Cove-----


We used scissors to cut the beach asparagus

filled our bucket and hiked back---rowed back to the dock, and took the harvest home....we were back at the Lodge by 8:00 am....

Of course, then we had to find the canning jars, wash them and then after soaking the beach asparagus in fresh water (since it grows inter-tidal--beach asparagus can be quite salty if you don't thoroughly rinse it in fresh water)---we filled the jars, packing the greens down firmly....

loaded the jars into the canner---and "canned"them--ie: first let the canner steam awhile, then sealed it---and raised the heat until the gauge was at 1o pounds and then adjusted the stove so the canner stayed at this place until we were done....

and viola! 25 pint jars of canned beach asparagus greens for future consumption...

Although I had not done this--(or canned anything!) for about 6 years or more...the whole process was familiar to me from many years of doing this each summer...I also used to also regularly can salmon, halibut, and crab. There is something special about eating food you harvested in the wild yourself....somehow it tastes better.

“Some sensible person once remarked that you spend the whole of your life either in your bed or in your shoes. Having done the best you can by shoes and bed, devote all the time and resources at your disposal to the building up of a fine kitchen. It will be, as it should be, the most comforting and comfortable room in the house.” ---Elizabeth David (1913-1992) French Country Cooking

World Oceans Day Today!

I worked over 20 years on the Pacific Ocean--in fact, you might say I owe everything I have today to the ocean because of this work : commercial fishing off the Alaskan coast. One doesn't spend that many years on the ocean without developing a healthy respect for it, plus an awareness of how much our planet depends on healthy oceans.

The oceans are our planet's life blood : they generate most of the oxygen we breathe, help feed us, help to regulate our climate, and clean the water we drink. Today is WORLD OCEANS DAY and I urge everyone to stop and think how you are contributing to the healthy preservation of our oceans.

"The concept for World Oceans Day was proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and it had been unofficially celebrated every year since then. Official designation by the U.N. is a significant step in conserving and protecting our world's oceans. World Oceans Day provides an opportunity each year to celebrate our world ocean and our personal connection to the sea. As of 2009, "World Oceans Day" has been officially declared by the United Nations as June 8th each year!"



Please take a moment to celebrate the power of the oceans in your life today...

Homesick for Alaska

my friend Bobby Lee's cabin

Sometimes I really miss Alaska--my birthplace, and my one true home. The 5 days I spent in Alaska this summer---at my 40th high school reunion--- was not enough time--plus I had my leg in a brace (from a broken knee cap) so I couldn't do much. I enjoyed re-connecting with old high school friends and classmates, but I didn't get any time in the wilderness.

I have been looking at my Alaskan photos--and decided to share some of the ones I really like here. I posted some of these about 3 years ago(!) when I first starting blogging...but I bet most of my readers now have not seen them. These are mostly from a wonderful 3 day kayak trip my sister and I took in Glacier Bay, in Southeast Alaska. Southeast Alaska is the largest rain forest in North America---and the forest there is very lush, with soft green moss and many many ferns.


We kayaked and camped for 3 days in the wilderness and did not see one other human the whole time--heavenly! We did see almost every wild animal that resided in the area though--including bears, whales, loons, many seabirds, coyotes, seals, moose, eagles, and sea otters. ...I felt like all my wild Alaskan friends were coming out to greet me. Alaska is really the last true great wilderness in North America---and I pray we will allow most of Alaska to stay wild---for "in wildness is the preservation of the world."







the trail to my sister's cabin





"Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts." ---Rachel Carson

Every Vote Counts

I live in California--which favors Obama--but if any of you dear readers live in swing state--please please get out there and talk to folks and call your friends and relatives and ask them--"do you want 4 more years of the same thing? a war that has given us the biggest national debt ever, tax breaks for the rich, the economy in a mess ?" and ask them if they plan to vote on election day.....

I'm posting these points from MOVE ON, not because I agree with them--but because I think we all need to consider them....

TOP 5 REASONS OBAMA SUPPORTERS SHOULDN'T REST EASY

1. The polls may be wrong. This is an unprecedented election. No one knows how racism may affect what voters tell pollsters—or what they do in the voting booth. And the polls are narrowing anyway. In the last few days, John McCain has gained ground in most national polls, as his campaign has gone even more negative.

2. Dirty tricks. Republicans are already illegally purging voters from the rolls in some states. They're whipping up hysteria over ACORN to justify more challenges to new voters. Misleading flyers about the voting process have started appearing in black neighborhoods. And of course, many counties still use unsecure voting machines.

3. October surprise. In politics, 15 days is a long time. The next McCain smear could dominate the news for a week. There could be a crisis with Iran, or Bin Laden could release another tape, or worse.

4. Those who forget history... In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote after trailing by seven points in the final days of the race. In 1980, Reagan was eight points down in the polls in late October and came back to win. Races can shift—fast!

5. Landslide. Even with Barack Obama in the White House, passing universal health care and a new clean-energy policy is going to be hard. Insurance, drug and oil companies will fight us every step of the way. We need the kind of landslide that will give Barack a huge mandate.

>If you agree that we shouldn't rest easy, please sign up to volunteer at your local Obama office by clicking here:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=31260&id=14523-3496580-54Mjj1x&t=1

"WE IN AMERICA DO NOT HAVE GOVERNMENT BY THE MAJORITY, WE HAVE GOVERMENT BY THE MAJORITY WHO PARTCIPATE." --THOMAS JEFFERSON, 1787

Art & the Environment : Sustainability and Slow Cloth

I just found this fun website with numerous free vintage knitting images---doesn't this one just spark your imagination?

And I have a few other links I want to highlight for you all----my brother, who lives in Juneau, Alaska is a board member of a local organization ---TURNING THE TIDES : "Turning the Tides is an Alaska-based nonprofit grass-roots organization composed of citizens, students, Alaska Natives, scientists, educators and musicians who are concerned with the health of the ocean. We promote ocean-friendly practices, clean-up efforts and waste reduction through various projects." He has created a visually appealing informative short online video OCEANS OF PLASTIC The film starts and ends--fittingly enough--with Alaskan Natives drumming and singing....



Since I spent much of last year creating cloth bags for BYOB (bring your own bag)---and replaced all our plastic bag consumption with cloth bags---the trick now is to always remember to have a cloth bag with me (!)--have you noticed how often businesses try to give you a plastic bag? Anyhow, my brother tells me the cloth bag I made for him is in the video---can you spot it? Hint: it has a bright pieced quilt pattern with black and white checks.

If you read my blog often you already know I have a love for our Mother Earth, and I am concerned with the current "climate crisis" facing all of us--in fact, I consider global warming/climate crisis to be the most pressing problem we all face. Much of my artwork reflects these concerns. Just scroll down here to my Jan 6th post about my "Homage to the Trees" small quilt for an example.

I recently found this great website THE STORY OF STUFF. "The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. "

This website--and her blog--are well worth a visit, and please watch her video and pass this on....as well as a succinct recap of how our consumerism adds to environmental problems, she has many good suggestions for actions all of us can take to help heal our planet.

How does this relate to knitting and craft? ah well, check out this blog---the The Red thread Studio--Slow Cloth, New Cloth, Art Cloth. For me, a sustainable lifestyle and the concept of SLOW CLOTH all go together.

Tree Quilt--Work in Progress (WIP)

So here is my last 2 days of the CREATIVE EVERY DAY challenge.

This small "quilt" is titled HOMAGE TO TREES and is part of a series of small mixed media (fabric and paper) quilts I am making on the theme of the Earth and the Environmental Crisis. This is a creative work in progress or WIP.

I started with a vintage deck of Tree Spotter cards
---stitched some cards together, added batting and a fabric backing--and now I'm working on embellishing with buttons, beads and embroidery. I will use the green leaf fabric as a border---and plan to hand quilt the borders....











"I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do." --Willa Cather

Mourning for the Sea and Sea/Beach-life

Human error--a large ship hits the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and oil spills out...we all pay for our oil habits--but right now the wildlife in the San Francisco bay are paying--in death and sickness.


As of Monday:
New numbers on oiled birds in care:

652 live birds
126 washed of oil
485 dead

All of the birds are being treated at the OWCN's San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center in Cordelia.

In case you are thinking that this is not very many injured/dead birds---consider that these are only the ones the rescuers have found or captured, and how much other sea and beach life is affected by this oil spill of bunker oil. The oil is still shifting around the bay--each day we read and watch the news and another favorite beach---with abundant wildlife---is oiled. Many of the beaches impacted are in national parks --the gooey bunker oil is in football size globs---and threatens the dungeness crab fishery in the bay as well as wildlife.

I find myself saddened and in mourning for what we do--in the name of "civilization" to our ocean and planet. If the oceans are in trouble--and there is increasing signs that this is so--we are in deep, deep trouble in terms of human survival on our planet. After 20 years of a livelihood on the ocean as a commercial fisherwoman, I feel deep empathy and affinity for the ocean, and so I feel her pain when we mistreat her.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I no longer own a car. After I saw the Al Gore movie "An Inconvenient truth" I got rid of my car (and did that feel good!), and joined our local City Car Share. I urge you, dear reader, to consider your carbon footprint and what you can do to curb your use of oil---and please take a moment to say a silent prayer for San Francisco Bay.

In the words of Bay Area folksinger/songwriter Malvina Reynolds:

"The sea, the sea, the fragile sea,
Our source, our provider and our road to liberty,
Now we use it for a dump hole in this mad economy,
And we never will survive a dying sea."

San Francisco Bay resources and nonprofits that need your money and help:
Baykeeper
Oiled Wildlife Network
Save The Bay
International Bird Rescue Research Center

Blog Action Day

Today is BLOG ACTION DAY !

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know --although I write primarily an art and crafting blog---I care passionately about our Mother Earth and how we treat Her. You may even know that I spent the first 6 months of this year following my pledge to "buy nothing new for 6 months" which impacted my habits and thinking about cultural consumerism--and my own consumerism.

You may also have seen my posts here on creating my own grocery bags (BYOB = Bring Your Own Bag) and using recycled sweaters to create handbags. I love to see the creative ways artists and crafters use recycled materials.

Here are some of my favorite online Earth loving and environmental blogs, artists concerned with the environment, and resources ---do check them out today.

Astronomy Picture of the Day (just a daily reminder of how beautiful the universe is)

Art For Housewives (great links to many artists using recycling in their art)

Ideal Bite : "Ideas for Green Living"

Quaker Earthcare Witness

The Compact : Buy Nothing New

The Garbage Day Project

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping (great humor!)

Step It UP!

Treehugger

Grist (environmental humor and news)

David Suzuki Foundation

There are--of course many more--and over at the Blog Action Day blog I see that they have tracked more than 5000 blogs participating and writing about the environment today--so far--(and it is only 9:30 am where I live)--POWER to the internet!

Repurposed Vintage Tablecloth or BYOB

Still into sewing---this grocery/tote bag (BYOB= bring your own bag!) is made from a '50's vintage flea market table cloth---the table cloth had some holes, so I salvaged the good parts, and viola! a bag. It is lined with a lovely blue and yellow cotton print with bows...our household requested I create a larger grocery bag with two handles, (instead of one* see the bag below), so here it is.

This takes care of the proliferation of those large plastic grocery bags...but what to do about the clear plastic produce bags? we save them and stock our cloth bags with used ones...but they still seem to breed and multiply in the pantry---and washing them can be a pain--so here is a neat device for helping you wash out your used plastic bags in the dishwasher (assuming you have a dishwasher;-)--a Bag-e-wash! and a nice kitchen gadget for drying them ---a plastic bag dryer from reusablebags.com which is a great resource for all sorts of reusable bags, resuable water bottles and more. If anyone has any great ideas for something else to use in place of the clear plastic produce bags--do let me know!

Bit by the Sewing Bug

Home again and caught the sewing bug! so here is my first effort---a new grocery bag! I printed the text on my computer using jacquard inkjet fabric (you can get this ----or a similar product---at any art supply store), and the bag is lined with some vintage fabric. I think I will make a few more of these--using my fabric stash---for gifts....

Vision in the Night, or owl dreaming

OWLS --nocturnal, a bird of myth and mystery. The owl in some cultures is the symbol of the feminine, the moon, and the night. The ancient Greeks associated the owl with the Goddess Athena. This owl just grew from my pen one day while I doodled...sometimes I dream of owls, which are the eyes of the night, seeing what is not in the open....wisdom and secrets. Many consider the owl a bird of magic and darkness, of prophecy and wisdom--so what does it mean when an owl inhabits my dreaming?

And the blue feathers? they just happened one day, also--bluebirds? blue jay? a feather is a symbol of balance and the wind....

Two Butterflies went out at Noon— (533)
by Emily Dickinson

Two Butterflies went out at Noon—
And waltzed above a Farm—
Then stepped straight through the Firmament
And rested on a Beam—

And then—together bore away
Upon a shining Sea—
Though never yet, in any Port—
Their coming mentioned—be—

If spoken by the distant Bird—
If met in Ether Sea
By Frigate, or by Merchantman—
No notice—was—to me—

Spring Gratitudes

While out riding my bike last weekend in the early morning sun, I was suddenly overcome by the beauty of spring, and then flooded with gratitude for our Mother Earth---and the spring cycles of rebirth and resurrection---which feeds our souls. So, here is a poem from Gary Snyder which celebrates Mother Earth.

PRAYER FOR THE GREAT FAMILY
Gratitude to Mother Earth, sailing through night and day---
and to her soil: rich, rare, and sweet
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Plants, the sun-facing light-changing leaf
and fine root-hairs; standing still through wind
and rain; their dance is in the flowing spiral grain
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Air, bearing the soaring Swift and the silent
Owl at dawn. Breath of our song
clear spirit breeze
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Wild Beings, our brothers, teaching secrets,
freedoms, and ways; who share with us their milk;
self-complete, brave, and aware
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to Water: clouds, lakes, rivers, glaciers;
holding and releasing; streaming through all
our bodies salty seas
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Sun: blinding pulsing light through
trunks of trees, through mists, warming caves where
bears and snakes sleep--he who wakes us--
in our minds so be it.

Gratitude to the Great Sky
who holds billions of stars--and goes beyond that--
beyond all powers, and thoughts
and yet is within us--
Grandfather space,
The Mind is his Wife.
so be it.

after a Mohawk Prayer





This is my Perpetual Calendar--which celebrates the seasons and "the Great Family" of Earth. The outer layer (with the months) turns, so the viewer may choose which animal to place at each month of the year. I used archival museum board, pen and ink, watercolors, gouache, and prisma colored pencils to create this calendar.

Give Peace a Chance

PAPER CRANES: Prayers for Peace



On the 4th anniversary of the War in Iraq, I offer this thought for the day:

"Peace is more than the absence of war, violence, or conflict, though that is an important first step. Peace is a presence--the presence of connection.

Inner peace is about connection with our true and natural self, and a sense of being part of something larger. This connection gives rise to serenity, balance, and a feeling of well-being. We connect to the living spirit of life within us all, that allows us to know all people as our brothers and sisters, and every living being – including the earth – a relative."
~ Louise Diamond

(with THANKS to the blog Women, Art, Life : Weaving It All Together.)

That said, I plan to join my fellow humans today at a Vigil for Peace in Iraq at the Rockridge Bart Station (Oakland)at 5:30 pm. While I honor our troops this March 19th, I will also call on President Bush to do the same.
Honor their sacrifice. Stop the escalation. End the war now.

Studio Walls

This morning I decided to share some images from my small art studio walls; some of these are works in progress, some are studies for larger fabric designs, some are just unfinished drawings(or "doodles"), and some are unfinished beaded pieces. Those of you who know me (in person) know I doodle all the time--rather obsessively. I fill notebooks, and sometimes a doodle becomes a fabric design or morphs into a large painting...and or course in between the partially finished pieces, are inspirational quotes and bits of beadwork I have picked up at thrift stores and garage sales. To some, my studio walls may look cluttered--but I only hang up images or pieces that I find pleasing to my eye--and the walls are constantly changing; I think of it as a sort of art-in-progress collage.








This beaded white owl I am creating by embedding the seed beads in wax---someone gave me this bird's nest they found---the nest and finding the "white owl" cigar box were inspiration for this piece. For awhile now I have been doing art mostly about animals and our natural world because much of the time our only interaction with wild animals is destructive to them or their habitat. I believe we must find new ways of thinking and seeing that allow us to approach our relations with other creatures in a way which balances our power over them with the dignity, reverence, and gratitude every living creature deserves.



If you read my bio here, you know I spent over half of my life working on commercial fishing boats in Alaska--hence I have a life-long fascination with sea creatures and mermaids, and with whales, and all aspects of ocean life. Mermaids tend to show up my my artwork quite often--this is only a "doodle" sketch in pen/ink, colored pencils and water color gouache.