Pine trees have always felt like melancholy things to me, one that felt particularly so was a down on its luck pine that stood (and maybe still stands) at the top of the hill that led down to the near swamp. [...]]]> week 21 in my  “this is where i am from” year long project:

Pine trees have always felt like melancholy things to me, one that felt particularly so was a down on its luck pine that stood (and maybe still stands) at the top of the hill that led down to the near swamp. A big shabby affair that whispered and creaked and moaned as if it needed to tell you how tired it was.

I’ve been photographing my paint boxes for years -I think they just get more and more interesting – you can see some others here.

(click image for a larger version)

Fiddleheads, Ferns, Jack In The Pulpit and Salamanders – forest wonders.

I’m definitely in a botanical place this week.

The article features some of  my early things – when I was just beginning and it’s nice to visit those ideas again. You can see the interview here.

And right next door to my interview is another [...]]]> I’m so pleased to be featured in “Little Thing”  (China) magazine .  It’s a beautiful issue – all about mushrooms!

The article features some of  my early things – when I was just beginning and it’s nice to visit those ideas again. You can see the interview here.

And right next door to my interview is another with The Fabulous Mister Finch!

The magazine  is beautifully put together – there is even a pop up.

And  in keeping with the fungi  theme I’ll leave you with a little preview  of  a Sri Threads mushroom I’m working on.

A look at my progress wall – the things I don’t completely  despise:

And a little painting inspired by this email from my much older sister :

” Remember just outside the fence at the corner by the little dump there was a very fragrant [...]]]> week 18 in my  “this is where i am from” year long project:

A look at my progress wall – the things I don’t completely  despise:

And a little painting inspired by this email from my much older sister :

” Remember just outside the fence at the corner by the little dump there was a very fragrant (in the spring ) apple tree. It was a good place to sit on the fence and Ginger ate the wormy apples in the fall”

A rat with a very ratty back made from mrs. brown’s skirt. The remains of that skirt have been languishing in deep storage  but it occurred to me last week  that  the strange weave would make a fabulous rat.  It’s difficult stuff to [...]]]> I worked up-state this weekend – warm days and freezing nights – perfect.

A rat with a very ratty back made from mrs. brown’s skirt. The remains of that skirt have been languishing in deep storage  but it occurred to me last week  that  the strange weave would make a fabulous rat.  It’s difficult stuff to sew but  that difficulty inspired this new back detail/ texture I like, especially in profile.

And a delicate songbird – I began about a year ago.

She made a lot of progress over the weekend and this may finally be her week.

I also spent some time wondering around and looking at stuff like this down on it’s luck house.

There are a few more weekend photos on instagram.  And even so early in the season there were a couple great yard sales and a friend with a glorious old farmhouse was down sizing before a move  and gave me some marvelous things, so I hauled back a toyota full of treasures I’ll show you later.

click the image for a larger view

I  meant to show you something else this week, I’ve been working on a little painting of  Ginger and the wormy apple tree,  but on Monday night I dreamed of another place – [...]]]> week 17 in my  “this is where i am from” year long project:

click the image for a larger view

I  meant to show you something else this week, I’ve been working on a little painting of  Ginger and the wormy apple tree,  but on Monday night I dreamed of another place – the brook. The dream left me with such a particular sensation I wanted to try to express it. The brook had a distinctive feature, what seemed to be a magic ability that I’d like to show you another time but  Monday’s dream was of  a grey and stormy day and the water surging and tumbling and  swirling through the tunnel under our street  and rising terrifyingly up  the steep grassy banks.

Made from antique Japanese textiles – a gift from Sri Threads.  And inspired by the little fragment of a garment in the photo below that would not stop saying rutabaga to me.