Our walk

I heard on the radio this morning that snow is in the forecast. Then I realized I was listening to Detroit radio. It is colder here, mid 30's, sweater weather for the boy. By mid day it will warm up to near 70.

My old neighborhood in Brooklyn is being destroyed by an outrageous building boom. I have friends who's homes are being threatened. It has totally changed the skyline and landscape of the area. From 3 story homes to huge blocky, ugly, sky scraping, poorly constructed condos, called: Luxury Lofts. It was one of the things that pushed me out of NY.

Across the street from my new home they are planing on developing the last 40 acres of wooded land in Richmond. Never mind that the housing market is at a stand still. That there are homes sitting on the market on every street in the city. That it is home to wild life. The Mc Mansion plan is in motion.




Our daily walk, is the best way to start the day...

Frankenstein Friday

It is raining in Richmond

We can use the rain. I am waiting for my paint to arrive. Hopefully today will be the day. I actually ran out of white paint. White paint is pretty important so, no painting till it arrives. I have been doing a lot of little line drawings lately. Kind of Keith Harringish. I did a mess of them when we first moved to Richmond. The first ones were more like fat graffiti clouds. The new ones are people with heads and arms and legs.

Lately I have been thinking of Detroit. Of the people I knew and places I left so long ago. I even started listening to WDET radio pod casts daily. Life in Richmond is a lot more like life in Detroit than NY. We just have more blue sky days and a lot less snow, here.

The line drawing, people, are reminiscent of ones I did in grad school. I was totally copping off of my adviser. He was and will always be one of my favorite people. I heard he died a few years back. It is still so hard for me to believe he is no longer on this earth. I looked but can't find any of his work on line. It is a shame, it was pure joy! Think Dubuffet figures, with a touch of Matisse cutouts a truck load of humor, pinch of love and bold amazing color.

Back when I was trying to emulate my hero's drawings I was never successful. Poorly executed, awkward copies. But the ones I have been doing lately are mine. An accumulation of a lot of experience and a deeper connection to my center. I still don't know how to judge them. I like them and I like doing them. I think that is what matters. They bring me closer to my memories of Jan. Closer to my center...

It is raining in Richmond, we can use the rain. I think I will sit in the cozy dry house and draw.

Thursday is Kick Ass Chick Day

Andy with Lemons.

What is in the backyard?

From her perch in Brooklyn Truman overlooked Bedford Ave. Her days were spent watching the constant flow of people below. She also hid when the planes heading for the Airport seemed too much like predators. There were sea gulls and pigeons who circled the building too. She had a lot to keep her eyes on.
Yesterday the relatively boring view of trees, birds and chipmunks became a bit more interesting. When a truck pulled up, and men got out.



I didn't mind watching the young men with power tools in my trees either!

The Yellow Cube

I love my new yellow cube. It is a salt and pepper shaker. But more than that, it represents a link to my past and a step towards the future. This blog is about finding my way after, change. I have had my share of changes. Each one seems to have helped me deal with the ones to come. For instance having my first husband abandon me and getting hit by a truck prepared me for the after shock of living through September 11th. Standing on the bank of the East River watching it go down. Thinking, here we go, everything is different. Like hitting the refresh button on the computer. Everything disappears then reappears. It is never the same, but sometimes it is more different...sometimes way more!

I saw a great review of Laura Parnes work at Hungry Hyaena Blog the other day [I am ashamed that I haven't loaded the link code yet. So, sorry you will have to find it yourself in my daily reading links] The idea is about change that looks the same, like when you hit the refresh button on your computer. She actually got her name changed legally, to her same name...new, different but the same.
The cube is a link, like the link code I have a mental block about loading. A link to Design, to art school to the Tracey who dreamed of changing the world with design and loved the lower case Helvetica letter e. I am the same Tracey, refreshed, new but different.

When I placed my cube on the kitchen counter it nailed down the room. Just as the right brush stroke can nail down a composition. The previous owners of our house aesthetic tastes were more, 80's Country-Cozy. My vision is more, Mid-Century Modern or Classic Modern. This little inexpensive yellow cube tipped the scales, the room feels like my room, now. Just a small re-fresh, the room is the same but different. I love my yellow cube!

Wonder Woman Wednsday

Change was one of the first paintings I completed in Richmond. Adjusting to a new pace and new way of living feels like racing and falling at the same time. Life in limbo not here nor there, no one knows who you are and you are not quite sure anymore. But you keep running and falling... floating.

Truman

It is warm enough today for Truman to get some sun in the yard.

Lunch

evidence of the Harrier's hunting skills, lunch.

In the Studio

I started work on the globe last night. It looked cool. Apparently I used way too much oil and most of what I did ran off the surface. Lesson learned! I am very excited about the globe and can't wait to work on it again.


They are done. I will hang them on the clothes line with the others. On to 16 and 17 of 100!

Fall color

Enjoy some fall color...



some migrating Bluebirds, take a break in the yard...

A man for Monday

Fruit Shaped Sean came as a spontaneous inspiration. I had seen Sean with his shirt off and took note of the color of his nipples. I note color where I find it. About a week later a bunch of us were at the Mermaid parade at Coney Island. We were hanging out with our friend Spyder Web, in his Tattoo studio. The color of the walls was the same outrageous pink as Mr. fruit shapes nips. I quickly ordered him to take off his shirt. I got a few great photos and used them to complete this portrait. This image always makes me laugh!

In the Studio

I didn't get a lot of time in the studio this weekend. So far, I still like 14 +15 as they are.

What is in the backyard?

He was back this weekend. The Northern Harrier has been hanging out a lot. He is hunting for chipmunks. So far I haven't seen him go after any. But he watches intently.
He sat on the feeders for about an hour yesterday. He is so cool!

singing lessons

Grandma Eleven stayed with us this weekend. She is a Sweet Adeline singer, with a group out of Florida. Here we see her preparing for a competition, practicing her part in: The Trolley Song...Clang, clang clang went the trolley, ding, ding, ding,went the bell...
Frankenstein listened for a while then got some lessons from his grandma the pro.