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Three beautiful female voices:
Mariee Sioux - Buried in Teeth
Jesca Hoop - Tulip
Emilíana Torrini - Serenade

At this time of the year
I always think
that winter
must feel tired.
The cozy newness
of the season
in November and December
is gone
and after getting the New Year started,
Winter nears the end of its term.
Its done its time
and as it (oh so slowly)
begins to turn the world over
to the next season
the light seems thin,
the cold weary,
and the wind aimless.

The extra light
in the evening
is so very much appreciated--
thank you, Daylight Savings.

(And this is my first
self-portrait since
I cropped most of my hair off!
It's so short now
and I love
how easeful it is).

Table II, finished.

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Kevin Cooley - Svalbard

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The Eucalyptus Print
from my shop
is in the March 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living!

New sketches.

----

I was thinking today
about how I make choices
concerning
the materials I choose to use.
Dark ranges of trees,
a cliff side,
the river I hike along:
I reach for my camera first.
I feel almost no pull at all
to translate these scenes to paint
or to sketch them down on paper.
In fact,
painting landscapes does not interest me at all.
They are,
however,
the first thing I seek out
when I am behind the lens.
Domestic moments,
the angles and patterns around my home,
the way blocks of color arrange themselves:
these things are usually
scribbled down
and later worked in oils
(though I photograph them too).
I often make these decisions
immediately,
unconsciously,
so it is interesting
to pause and examine
what I am doing
when I begin new work.

Do you have this experience?

I recently ordered a subscription
to the British magazine Selvedge.

To me, most magazines are disposable,
pretty to look at and mildly interesting
for a short while.
This magazine is quite wonderful,
full of beautiful photographs,
unique articles,
and all bound and printed on lovely, thick paper.

It's quite pricey in the States,
but it left me so inspired,
I had to get it.
When I find truly well made, artistic work,
it feels so good to support it.

I think I almost prefer
winter hikes
to summer hikes.

In wintertime
we are that much more thankful
for a rare shining sun,
and the range of purple
in the shadows of the landscape
seems to me
as beautiful
as summer blooms.

It's been
a long week,
with some
less than wonderful
bits of news.
Time at the studio
sometimes feels like work,
but this week,
thankfully,
it has been a point of light.

Happy Friday to you.

----

Building A Winter Garden:

"Experience starts the moment you start to like gardening. You can’t do it right the first time. You can’t even do it right in a few years. You always see the next step you have to do. Start simply, putting good combinations of plants together, and work from there. You have to go through all the steps. You cannot skip any lessons. That is honest. It’s hard work. But you get something back, that’s the good thing. It’s like raising children. You try to do your best."

Oak Ivy and blooming Jasmine.

I've been finishing up
a granny-square blanket,
crocheting curled on the sofa
next to the Jasmine,
and every time I catch a bit of it's scent
it takes me by surprise.

----

Sam Amdion - Pretty Fair Damsel

Photos from last week:
preparing lasagna
for dinner with some friends.

Since I took these,
the friends have gotten engaged!

Even though
the proposal had not yet occurred
when they visited us,
looking back
I see it
as a celebratory evening
just the same.

February whales.
They sail through the room
in the quiet light
of a grey-skied afternoon
and though I've photographed them
many times before
I can't help but pick up my camera
to photograph them again.

----

Up The Wooden Hills

Twilight in The Winter Garden

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My new favorite blog: Winterness

I've been working on a new painting
(not pictured here)
that feels really exciting,
and I am energized
by working on it.
I don't like showing in-progress shots
of my work
so I think I will wait
to photograph this current painting
until it's ready.