Tuesday, September 1, 2009

be kind


i've been thinking about kindness lately... thinking about how we can bring others down, and how we let others bring us down... i cut the word 'sensitive' from my father's high school shorthand book. that's shorthand for sensitive on the right...


kindness was (and is) feeling like flowers to me. i was seeing myself surrounded by flowers and my words nurturing flowers...


i've been contemplating. i feel just like this guy... thank god for that power antenna on his back! the eye was on a page in the 'rough muslin' book (last week's post). i ripped those pages up and put them to new uses.


i'm still using oil pastels a lot. i really like my new cray-pas set. did you know that they're the original oil pastels?


and still coloring in shapes that are already there on the page.


because i do my best contemplating when i'm walking, i've been out walking a lot. i just love these aspen trees. we don't have many here, only a few scattered stands.


one of last weeks journal pages 'repurposed' as a tree flag. i've been making flags like this lately - i attach three pieces of muslin with a 3/16" eyelet, and then it's ready to hang with a piece of heavy string.


usually i stamp something on scraps and then put them together...


one day i walked out on this log to sit and look at the creek, and i saw a face on the log. wow, i thought, i could color that in with colored pencils!


so i did...


and i just kept doing it!




this heart by mother nature was about 10' from the peace sign above.


they took the guerilla knit-up off of here! heh, i think it needs some new art...






what would you do if you found a smooth white surface in the woods to draw on? uh huh, smile!

this week's words are from an interview with the oiseaux sisters, carolyn rose fellman and susan andrews, in the spring 2005 issue of 'cloth paper scissors'. oh! i love their art! i love that they use so much recycled stuff in their art!

Carolyn and Susan say most of the techniques they use are a variation on the ones we all learned in elementary school: papier mache, crayon resist, painting, and gluing. "We take those early learning materials and mix them up. Take them farther. That's when it's art -- when we use it differently."

While the women would welcome the larger following and greater income that a higher profile might bring, their main goals are to live responsibly in the world, share their knowledge, and do their work. "The most creative thing we do is live on our income," says Susan. "We live in the cracks of the sidewalks. There are great cracks out there."


. . .

one more thing... bobbi studstill (aka cobaltika) is having a grand opening sale in her new etsy shop -- all photographic prints are $10, and her photography is fantastic! in her other etsy shop she's got new artwork and blank altered books. i have two of her books and they're *nice*. i swear i could collect them just to look at... i'm a big fan of everything she does -- one glance at my art room walls will tell you that...

XO

44 comments:

  1. Well what are the chances of randomly popping on to blogland to discover your wild natural found art?
    I always see faces in trees, so you just kinda do their portrait.
    Of the tree spirits..

    oh and my word is accio - access!

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  2. Lynne, your beautiful art in nature has been such a joy to me this afternoon - imagine walking through and finding all your work, I would be enchanted!

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  3. Lynne, this post has totally inspired me and as soon as the rain abates to a drizzle (oh, how I LOVE drizzle) I shall be out in my garden looking for things to "colour in". Oh - and only you could paint an antennae and make it look so "natural" and organic!

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  4. I'll have to keep coming back to this post Lynne! I sooo loved it and all your beautiful work! You know that I just adore those flags....wow .....and now.....the paintings on the logs....ooo la, la!

    Do the Cray-Pas oil pastels dry completely or do you have to set them with something?

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  5. I love everything on this post! I just ordered my new oil pastels, thank you! My husband won't thank you but I do!

    Thanks again for the inspiration!

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  6. How magical it would be to discover your gifts of art while out walking. So beautiful!

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  7. Oh, I wish I could walk where you have been and come across these lovely pieces mingled in with the natural beauty of the woods. It would feel like finding out that fairies or gnomes are real, I think. Such graceful and colorful spirit...
    You are magical, Miss Lynne !

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  8. I so enjoyed reading your blog this morning. Thinking about kindness to the wonderful playful nature art. It just made my morning joyful, thank you. :)Bea

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  9. LOVE LOVE LOVE what you are doing......the work that puts the cave drawings in France to shame, the walks in the woods where, I would have never thought the beauty could be added to, but you have done it......and I still need to send you something....yikes, me bad.....but I haven't forgotten.

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  10. Lynne, this is brilliant! Once again, I am speechless!

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  11. oh the lucky souls who get to view your alfresco gallery!

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  12. Love these creative creatures you are drawing now. And your collaboration with nature just keeps getting better and better. First the flags and now using the forest as your substrate. I wish I could be walking through this magical place you are creating. And I agree with you about Bobbi's work. I have a piece from her Etsy shop and it is even better in person!

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  13. What a wonderful walk you took us on....thank you...you put a smile on my face...I also get soooo very much of my inspiration while walking...the heat in Central CA has kept me from doing it as much as I like so journeying with you was fun and inspirational...
    hug, hug

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  14. yes!, please be kind! may I say, I'm a huge fan of this new way of yours - finding the shapes that are already there - these images are raw, interesting and so real! okay, the land art is just amazing!xxo Lynne, you always inspire me :)

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  15. So whimsical and magical ..... I love the idea of leaving gifts in the woods like you have

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  16. Your work is very inspiring. I wish I lived near your wood! Wonderful!

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  17. what a great post lynne! Kindness is so very important.......... and looked over by too many....

    love the nature art work....

    xxoo
    Andrea

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  18. hey grrl! and the chances of popping in when the knit-up is mentioned! well, we know there are no chances... there just aren't... xo

    thank you, caity... this drawing on sticks has me totally captivated. it's magic making all the way around...

    yes, lumi, you must! oh you'll have so much fun!!

    manon, the cray-pas oil pastels are much drier and less oily than the portfolio oil pastels, but still i think to be totally protected they have to be sealed in some way. i'm thinking about switching to working on individual pieces of muslin, because without sealing them it's too easy to smear them or otherwise mess up the pages i've already done. does that make sense, lol? xo

    hey janine! you're welcome! i hope you like the oil pastels!!

    thank you, robin! it is FUN to do!

    as are you miss kim, my fellow big heart walking... it's funny how hard it is to see these in the woods. evidently they only reveal themselves as they wish. ; )

    bea, your comment gives *me* joy... beautiful day to you...

    thank you, karen! i'll tell you, it's pretty wondrous having all those blank canvases to choose from... no, NO worries about sending me anything... xo

    caroline! you are so sweet! thank you!

    hey caterina... thank you!

    hi seth, yeah, i'm loving this collaboration with nature too... it inspires me... and yes, bobbi's pieces are better in person - i just ordered another one so i can see if it's still the case. ; )

    hi julie, yes the heat can really make you stay inside. last week on the hot days (which i know are no where near as hot as yours) i stuck strictly to the shade. the fall days coming up will be some of the primo walking days of the year! thank you for your kind words and for coming along...

    thank you, jeane. yeah, they feel much more real to me too... hey! you could do some art on driftwood and leave it for fellow beachcombers!! i've been thinking about this! xo

    smiling here, kimmie... thank you... : )

    hi denise - thank you! if you found a piece you could take it back to your neck of the woods so it could travel around. : )

    hiya andrea! smiling to see you, and thank you! yeah, so important... are you holding a piece of kathy's artwork in your picture?! that looks like alala! xo

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  19. in an effort not to blather/gush on and on i will just say this...So Much JOY! you are giving it and i am receiving it. kudos, friend.

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  20. AWESOME DRAWINGS ON NATURE!!! what a great idea... loved seeing all of them. yay!
    xoj

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  21. Beautiful work, your style is so very unique and personal. I like how the top heart seems to be on fire!

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  22. I like to think of stumbling across your work in the forest Lynne...I like Caity would also be enchanted.
    Great shapes in your pages these days!!!
    Once again lynne, beautiful stuff here!

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  23. You have made graet art !
    Love the things in the wood .
    Love from the Netherlands RINI

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  24. Love Lynne's lovely log paintings! You are a breath of fresh air Lynne. More of your outdoor art please!

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  25. wow

    that smile on the stick near the water is so awesome. everything is awake to you now; i feel that here by the water, like a sacred animism is whispering to me, because it is there and i am still... so old the earth!

    so beautiful, so tender.

    exoblessings. (love seeing that little guy up on the header, i think i love him or her... half here, half animate fashionable and open...

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  26. kelly, the woods/trees are giving me so much joy. it's like they hand it to me and i color it with colored pencils. thank you...

    hey jennifer! thank you - if you give it a whirl yourself i know the results will be very smile making!

    thank you, mary-laure... yes, that wing does look like fire, and that would be quite apropos...

    thank you, jo... these pieces would love to be found by you. : )

    rini, thank you for your kind comments, and thank you for coming by...

    robyn, there will be more outdoor art i'm pretty sure. ; ) and thank you! xo

    ahhh, m., yes.... so old... and isn't something to contemplate the eons of water cycles, which means that this water here may once have been your water there. surely it was...

    half animate fashionable... that's perfect... : )

    waving exoblessings your way...

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  27. You make me smile...
    I would love to walk through our State Forest and find such beautiful art...your drawings on the trees are wonderful and very inspiring.
    The muslin tree flags are wonderful too...nature must really appreciate these wonderful gifts you leave.
    You are spreading kindness and love in the woods and on your blog.

    Jacky xox

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  28. Beautiful words and beautiful work;o)

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  29. This is my first visit. Janine told me about your wonderful muslin art.

    I love your tree art :)

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  30. i love the art in nature .
    i need to do some of that .
    always good to see your blog.
    so much inspiration .
    thank you lynne

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  31. wow Lynne... I can just imagine you wandering through the aspen...( I love them too)... and then how you find yourself sharing your art with your pathway through the forest. I love the heart carved on the birch and the way you photographed it... and the magical antelope creature is stunning! Have a wonderful weekend dear one! Roxanne

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  32. hi jacky... thank you sweet woman... as are you... it's what we're here for right? ; )

    thank you, janny! waving to you in the netherlands! xo

    hi jasmine, thank you for coming by and for your nice words! the tree art is *fun* - i could be the Tree Art ambassador to the world. ; )

    ahhhh, kathy... thank YOU... xo

    hiya roxanne! been thinking about you! trusting that all is flowing along beautifully on the school front... thank you, and beautiful weekend to you too!

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  33. I miss the aspens so much since I moved from the SW - your post made me smile and remember the sound of the leaves and their wondrous beauty. Love your 'tree art'!

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  34. kind and sensitive. That's you!

    beautiful images you have given us here.

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  35. Lynne,
    What a inspiration this is..WOW>>WOW...thank you,
    Katelen

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  36. Hey Birthday Girl : ) lots of happy here !!! "Be Kind" now if that isn't the most simple and transformative positive energy anyone can do ?? I don't know what is : ) best part about "be kind" is what you receive back, now that's a big WOW !!! LOVE IT, all of it : ) have a fabulous creative week sweet girl with a paint brush, ha : )
    Blessings, Sandra in AZ

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  37. Your woods would be simply magical to wander into Lynne. Finding your artwork sprinkled through out, woven into branches, blended into bark - I would so love to happen into such an adored and adoring forest :) i am picturing you finding a field of flowers filled with every color of the rainbow - the blue bells are tickling your toes, and sunflowers shining down on your head, showering you with their kindness and love.

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  38. i love your art, i love your sentiments, i love your photographs and you whimsical drawings in the woods and it makes me want to take a hike with you and color a page with you... it was nice to find you in the blog world at least

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  39. hi tami, when i was out drawing on these sticks i would get a big smile on my face every time the wind would rustle the aspen leaves... that sound! that sight! i would send them both to you if i could. : )

    hiya kate, are you back from your holiday then? missed you, oh kind one... xo

    thank you, katelen! i appreciate your nice words!

    hi sandra, yes, what goes around for sure comes around... thank you for your smile making words this week. : ) trusting that you're creating away and will have a *beautiful* week! xo

    karin... and i see you in a forest where the birches bend down to whisper in your ear, while a brook babbles it's sweet song to you (and ALL of us) nearby. i love seeing myself amidst sunflowers and blue bells... thank you... xo

    odd chick, i'm smiling here... we could walk through the woods and leave a trail of our art behind us... instead we'll leave a trail here in cyber space! thank you for your kind words...

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  40. fabulous.. would love to walk into one of these treasures while out 'contemplating' :) you are such an inspiration..

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  41. You are a wonderful, wonder-filled woman. I love seeing your art spread through nature.

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  42. What a wonderful post! I wish I could take a walk and have an art encounter with one of your delightful friends. A brilliant idea :-)

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  43. Pure joy, Lynne!
    Message for you on my blog!

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  44. Ciao Lynne,
    would love to walk where you've been in the woods. what a wonderful thing to do
    hugs
    joan in italy

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