Sunday, February 1, 2009

fragile


last saturday on my way home from our art group gathering, my car spun around on the snowy road, slid into the ditch and up onto the bank before going back onto the road again. fortunately i wasn't far from home, and i made it almost all the way before the right front tire came off of the wheel and my car would not go another inch. i walked the rest of the way home. within the course of a few minutes my world had changed dramatically...

life can change in the blink of an eye, and when it does it stops you in your tracks. you look at everything closely to see how important it really is. how true am i being to myself and how authentic am i in my relationships with others? this is what i'm thinking...


i haven't done a lot of art, but i did package up the first batch of papers for a collaborative project that i'm doing with seth and julie. we're sending each other collaged and painted papers, which each person will then use to create a 'graffiti wall'. my 'wall' is a 2' x 3' piece of canvas floorcloth. julie made a very cool video of the first pieces she sent out - you can see it here. i'm now working on batch #2, which will leave here in a couple of weeks.


i got an amazing package from karin bartimole last week -- there were many things in it that blew my mind, but i'm just going to show you the most mindblowing-est! these two wooden tiles were in a drawstring bag with other wooden tiles... i've put my ring near them for scale. i took the tiles to my art table and experimented with using them as stamps before these two tied-together tiles really caught my eye. hmmmm.... what is this?

i untied it and....


it's a very tiny book.

a poor POOR picture of it open... this little book touched me deeply in a way that's hard to explain. i marveled over it for a long, long time. and it still sits here beside me.

karin and i are going to do a collaborative book exchange... this is the miracle of the internet; artists from all over the world can find each other and take off working together...


sweet jacky at art4moi has tagged me to show the fourth picture in the fourth folder on my computer, and then tag four others... well, this is the fourth picture in the fourth folder, which amazingly enough is one of my favorites. taken in the fall of '07 on our weekly trip to alturas for groceries. i now tag

mansuetude at tumbleword

yeah, just you mansuetude! i'm using this as an excuse to see another of your delectable photos!!


finally, another delight from karin's package. a piece of fabric from 'the gates' in central park. these pieces were handed out to the visitors by docents... not long ago i was given a rock from lake titicaca, and now this.

incredible...

XO

30 comments:

  1. Lynne.... I often think about your girls over there in the snow and on icy roads and worry for you. Now I know, winter is indeed very treacherous on the roads for your girls. I am just so pleased you are unhurt. I can understand your fragility though.
    What a wonderous package and those tiles are soooo special and that sweet, tiny accordian book. A true treasure.
    He hee! I'm the first comment on your post too..."snap".
    Thanks so much for playing along with the tag. Its fun finding that 4th photo and remembering the day you took it.
    Take care Lynne.

    Jacky xox

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  2. lol, jacky! this i love -- that you're 'down there' and i'm 'up here', and we're awake and commenting at the same time!! yes, it was fun finding the fourth photo and thinking back to when i took it.

    thank you for your kind thoughts.. xo

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  3. I am honored... (third tag in one morning... whoo)

    and you should know, I am glad you are alright. I love your tiny book, and how it touches you--I think the smallness is about intimacy; about holding something small close and it goes with the re-alignment of your thoughts. I love this, "stops you in your tracks. you look at everything closely to see how important it really is. how true am i being to myself and how authentic am i in my relationships with others?"

    I think the little book, is a relationship to this feeling, and i am also doing this almost all year; as people fall off the conveyor belt of time, or approach it... what can we do?

    Keep your joy, it ripples all over the world.

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  4. oh wow u have spoilt us with this post. I've no idea how u put so many pictures up in the correct order!! i am seriously impressed. I'm so glad you survived your car accident in one piece and it's good to be reminded of the fragility of life. As for that gorgeous book.... lucky you - it looks scrummy just like your collage packages :o))

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  5. Good to hear you're not hurt, Lynne! What a wild ride... The mini-book is really cool! But the fabric from the Gates...I didn't know they cut them up.I think that is awesome!! (Well..and of course the collage pieces aren't too shabby either.. :) )

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  6. Hello friend. I saw your site on Malena's web page. Just wanted to see what was up. I hope that you do not mind if I follow your site. I also am an artist and poet. Haven't done much art work but hope to get back to it.
    Thanks for letting me have a peek at your site.

    love-bd

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  7. lynne - so glad you are ok and did not get hurt when your car spun out - i know what you mean about how the time span of seconds can change your life. it's such a reminder of how fragile (and strong) we are... isn't karin the coolest??? she is such an incredible, generous, sweet and inspiring person - and wonderful to collaborate with!!!! when i get the chance, i am going to scan in images from my book that we collaborated on a few years ago.... and will post on my blog. have fun with it and her! peace, jennifer

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  8. thank goodness that the slip and slide didn't cause more damage to your auto and especially to you. It seems someone's keeping an eye on you & for that, I am grateful.

    it does, doesn't it. change. in a blink. be glad that you have the sense to think about the important things.

    thanks for the yummy & delightful pictures - amazing from beginning to end.

    be well. ~M~

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  9. And the best gift of all the gifts you just showed us is the gift of yourself. You are alive and everything is okay. Love Renee

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  10. Hi Lynne

    Popping over from Jacky's blog after seeing the watercolor she did on the gorgeous (and most treasured) water color paper you sent her.

    Am very pleased you are OK after your car spin in the snow. How very scary for you. It must be very treacherous driving on icy roads.

    You are very right when you say that life can change in the blink of an eye. Sometimes near accidents can help us step back a bit.

    The collaborative project you are doing with Seth and Julie sounds like it will be incredible! Love the idea of a graffiti walll. ANd the papers you are sending look gorgeous.

    Am blown away by the tiny book Karin Bartimole sent to you. What a precious work of art (rather partial to the love ring you photographed next to it too). I can tell a lot of love and thought went into this tiny and perfect work of art.

    Like you ; I have met amazing people through the internet and been involved in inspiring art projects. So pleased this is happening for you too.

    Take care and stay safe on those roads.

    Dot xx

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  11. So glad that you're okay (obviously!) I have to say that thoughts like this cross my mind regularily, given how much I'm on the road...and even moreso, how much those I love are on the road.

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  12. I'm so happy that you were not injured when your car spun out on the ice. So quickly, moments like that turn into something else. I lost a cousin some years ago to a similar moment. She slid into the path of a tractor trailer. And of course, life changed dramatically for her family.

    I love your collaborative papers and the little tile book . . . well, everything that you've posted here!

    Stay well.

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  13. So glad you are alright Lynne and what a wonderful perspective to get from this incident. Love everything about this post...the angel photograph...the surprise of that mini book...the fabric from the gates...and, oh yeah, those paper piles for our collaborative!

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  14. three tags, mansuetude! and do they all want to see more of your magical photos?!

    yes, i think you are right about the little book relating to what i'm feeling -- those teeny tiny things that are really everything after all. and you being reminded of these things as you watch the conveyor belt of time. yes, the conveyor belt says 'remember to remember'...

    hey kate... this little book IS yummy and you would like it a great deal. and yeah, it is good to be reminded of the fragility. proceeding with greater awareness...

    hi julie, karin said the pieces were handed out by docents... i was surprised at how thick the fabric is -- a very heavy woven nylon. thank you for your nice words!

    hello beloved dreamer, thank *you* for stopping by and for your lovely words... you're welcome any time. : )

    hey jennifer, thank you... i will have fun with the book and karin! and i'd love to see photos of your book. i loved what i saw on karin's blog. xo

    hey sweet michelle... yes, it can and does change in the blink of an eye. i'm smiling reading your words here -- very grateful for you... and thank you about the pictures!

    renee, you are always so kind and supportive... thank you... xo

    hello dot, my what a lovely note you've written... if you haven't been to karin's blog yet, do stop by. her art is from the heart and just the most wonderful. and yes, i'm partial to that ring too. ; ) believe it or not i found it in a clothing catalog. it took me about 3 seconds to decide to order it. i used to have another one that said 'peace' and i would switch them every day. now i just have 'love', and that's good enough for me. : ) xo

    yes, cynjon, be careful... go a little slower than you you feel you can get away with. it's certainly sobered me up about driving on roads, icy or not.

    thank you leslie for your kind and thoughtful message. and thank you for the compliments about everything!

    hey seth, smiling here... thanks for your kind thoughts... and now i'm off to make some more pieces. ; )

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  15. well first, thank god you are alright! damn icy roads - they've just about got me on several occasions! too - it really does set our priorities straight!, doesn't it? - the tire came off the wheel?! ugh! it just happens so fast! well, the materials you are getting ready to send off are just amazing - this will be so fun to follow! oh, Lynne, the owl is down in the front woods right now hooting - it's funny, but I always think of you now when I hear it - all that owl stuff you sent to Grrl.......

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  16. lol, jeane... all that 'owl stuff'... bone gold to us. : ) yeah, the tire came off the wheel -- believe me, a car will not roll one little bit without all four tires on! our owl is hooting too. now i'll think about you when i hear it... thanks about the papers and your nice thoughts... xo

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  17. I am glad that you are safe and that you made it most of the way home before your car gave up.

    And that you have the joy of art and the love of friends to comfort you.

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  18. ...talk about the cosmic stun gun!...I can only imagine that your heart was in your throat in the weird silence and distorted time after everything finally comes to a ....stop.
    Grateful for your safety and all of the future art that the World gets to enjoy from your fingertips.

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  19. Dearest Lynne,
    How very grateful I am that you arrived safely home after your shake up wake up from the universe!! The ungrounding of such experiences is SO grounding, as you describe, in your close re-evaluation of self. Though I can't imagine one more authentic than you :)

    Also grateful am I for this connection we have made, the beauty you share here, and the process we have begun to share! It's exciting to me, and even the talking phase has brought great fulfillment.
    much love, Karin
    (Thanks Jennifer, for your kind words!)

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  20. what a beautiful post Lynne - and so glad you are ok - that tiny book is oncredible

    your thoughts are very moving and I am sending love out to you

    xox - eb.

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  21. I covet the paper you use.. do tell me. And that book.. so delicate. All I can say is yum yum yum, oh and you are everywhere, grrl!

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  22. Wow you did have a hair raising time. While your roads were freezing ours were melting.
    I adore your paper bundles, they look like works of art in their own right, lucky Seth and Julie. I hope we get to see the end results.

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  23. oh my, just a plane ride, how right you are... so grateful for all of you... xo

    ahhh, lisa, you are a magician with words... yeah, cosmic stun gun is it, isn't it? i used to say cosmic frying pan, but it's stun gun from now on. there is a vast, deep silence that follows the stun gun. and those of us who've ignored it in the past know that we won't ever again. thank you for you kind words... love you...

    karin, you are so generous and kind. and i am very grateful for your joyful, creative, and wise presence in my life. so glad we've met this time around... xo

    eb, i am sending love to you... always...

    grrl, we are everywhere!!! you have made me smile a big smile!! now what paper are you talking about? i will e-mail you and ask for details...

    hi ro, i was just reading about your heat wave... i hope it breaks soon and that you get some rain, assuming that you get rain in the summer there. we just get it in the winter here in california. thank you about the bundles -- you should get to see what julie and seth do with them on their blogs. i think we're all kind of wondering how this is gonna turn out!!

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  24. Oh Lynne, I am glad you are OK...what a scare for you.
    My 23yo did similar a month ago...all OK, but car was beyond repair...who cares as long as I hear the words "I'm all OK"
    Little book is quite special...there is something "big" about "small"...I love it, as I do all your images.
    Take lots of care...Jo xx

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  25. So glad that you are okay!
    Whew!
    The book is amazing. Wow!
    And love the picture out your car window. Beautiful.

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  26. What a scare! It always happens so fast but you are okay!
    These images are so beautiful...tiny tiny book and your materials to be sent off....potential, full of surprise!

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  27. Lynne! oh, my. I'm so glad you are okay. That is just the sort of thing we would never expect, and happens so fast, and colors our world.
    And look at how you're loved!

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  28. thank you jo, for your wishes to take care. oh, that would be a scare to have your son in a car 'incident' (as mansuetude calls them)... i'm so glad he's safe. xo

    thank you, leanne!

    hi mary ann, yes, so fast! thank you for your words!

    hi chris! yes, it colors our world for sure... and i am quite blown away by everyone's loving thoughts here!! and very grateful!

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  29. Lynne, I'm so relieved that you are ok, if a little shaken. You must have had quite a shock.

    I love the tiny woodblocks and the little accordian book. Treasures indeed.

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  30. Hi Lynne, I thought I had written you a comment on this post... but i guess it was my email that I thought of. what you do with color and how you photograph the tiniest beauty is magical. Your insights touch me so. roxANNE

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