Changing....but staying the same ~

I love what I get to do for my "job."

I work like most people, at least 8 hours a day. I have taught myself to focus, because I am so easily distracted.  Flora Adora distracts me, but I think I needed her! I work by myself all day and having her around reminds me to take breaks, laugh and move a bit. She is the silliest pet I have ever had. She has made me change how i do things...and when i do them!!

Everything is always changing, including my work. That is another thing that I love about my job.

Since last fall, I was "supposed" to be cleaning my work table, and instead, I challenged myself to make something from all the bits and pieces around me... and that is when the Everyday Angel came to fruition. I am having so much fun with them and found the shape i liked the best, I now have pieces of metal shapes cut for me. It was a process to do this and "bite the bullet" and invest in this direction. 

The Everyday Angel was the first piece. She originally was from a place card and I just kept adding things..wings, legs and arms of vintage findings, and of course, lots of sparkly vintage crystal.

My head was exploding with ideas for other pieces and start a "collection" of everyday bits and pieces items. However, I want to stay true to only being influenced from leftovers on my work table  to give me direction... hence a few designs at a time!

The bee, came to me when I had a picture of a vintage toy  on my table...the shape of the body reminded me of bees. I was giddy since I love bees. They remind me of my dad. When he settled into civilian life, he had bee hives, planted fruit trees, and at the end of the property, had a honey house, where he would jar honey and make candles. There was a window installed on the side of the house with a hive in it, so that people could come and watch the bees work!

The bird was more simple...saw a scrap of paper that was on my table with the shape of a bird, laying next to some vintage metal pieces that looked like bird legs.

Then there is the heart!! I love Valentines day, but I don't think hearts are only about that!! This heart was influenced by a vintage spinning charm that was on my table.  I wanted to use that to make something about love and life... a heart.

All of the pieces have the same feel to them. So... here is the change..they are all made of metals, a new material for me to be using! And here is staying the same... softened with the elements that I love the most, collage, color and embellishments.....using my collections of vintage and new pieces.  Each piece is made the way I make everything...with a love for what I get to do!

I hope you enjoy my new "work"... I have more pieces in process and will be sharing those as well. And because I have committed to building a collection, I doubt, my work table will ever be  cleaned since it is my source of inspiration!!!!

Thank you for taking time to read this.  
diana

there's a starman....

I woke up this morning, all ready to dive into my day of busyness ...

I made my coffee, and flora adora and i came down to the studio.

The first thing i read on my facebook page is that David Bowie has passed away...

I am stunned and sad.

I "grew up" with David Bowie... i have owned his album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, in every form possible ( 8 track, vinyl, cassette, cd). It is now downloaded on my computer, and often listen to it  (when i am not listening to opera and making up words while i "sing" along).

I was first introduced to David Bowie, in the early 70's, by my friend Leslie Vance. We were teenagers living in Iran, doing the things that we thought most teens do...We would sit on the roof of her house, listening to David Bowie from sunset to sunrise, smoking like fools, and talking like we had answers to things.

I carried David Bowie, on cassette, in my travel bag with me, as i traveled back to the states. I carried David Bowie to college with me. He was front and center in our music collection when i married, is always in my studio with me, was introduced to my son, was with me when i got a divorce and cancer, and i still, to this day, if one of his songs comes on the radio while i am driving....i turn it up and "sing" with him.

Rest in Peace, David Bowie.... you will always be the coolest person i ever "knew"... starman.....

(i found this image online, and don't know who to credit).

thank you!!!

diana

READYSETGO!

it has been so long since my last blog. the past few months were wonderfully busy! this was the first fall/christmas season in several years that i was not in the midst of treatments for cancer. i had energy. i am so lucky to love my job because i worked almost seven days a week for the last few months.

needless to say, my studio got neglected and ended up in more chaos than even i can handle. and believe me,  i can handle a really messy studio..with no embarrassment!!

this got me thinking beyond my "normal" mode....i love the beautiful books and magazines that show wonderfully neat and organized studios/work spaces. i wondered if i should aspire to have that for myself. i knew without another thought that i could only work in such order for a few minutes!! i am a messy thinker...thoughts going from here to who knows where, and that is how i work. eventually, it all comes together..my thinking and my art! (i still would like the studio to be more organized tho!!  i will keep working at that!)


this year i will turn 60 and i finally have given myself permission to be unapologetic and blissfully happy to work the way that i do!


i have to be realistic, so i am trying really hard to have the "business" part of my biz, not be like my creative part...(makes me anxious at tax time!). so, i actually gave myself a few things so that i can work more efficiently and professionally. i had a big beautiful table built for the "office" part of the studio and i worked with someone to design an organizer that works with the way that i think. by spending money on those things, i will not be lax in the other important side of my work - so far so good, two days into the new year, and i have stayed on task with it!!

my word this year is....READYSETGO!

i have taken many steps to get READY, the "office," i have designed several new pieces, started gettting all my supplies in order, so i am SET...and in the morning, i will officially start the new year at my new  "office" table (doing this blog) and then GO gleefully dive into my "work."

flora adora with be with me in the studio...and wherever i am for that matter. she has a new bed in the cart where she naps next to me. when she wakes up, the world becomes hers and that makes me take some time to play!!!

thank you for taking the time to read this blog. i always love to her from you!

planner from JANES AGENDA/etsy

table from JOLIE RAIMONDO, local artist extraordinare

diana

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diana in the country...(mama's happy artisan market)

i participated in the mama's happy artisan market this past weekend. it was so much fun and met so many nice people. (thank you amanda and jolie!)

if you have read my last blog, you know that i am just getting back out in the world and doing things.

i had to tell flora that i would be working away from the studio for a few days, there would be no starbucks for her, and she would be hanging at her friend dukes house. these are the faces she gave me!

then, i swapped my small car with my friends car, "big rig" and loaded up for the show. 
i printed the directions out and hit the road. the directions said it would only take me 38 minutes to get there. after an hour and a half of driving, i pulled into a gas station to ask directions..the attendant just shook his head, and told me to go back for 45 miles and turn..ok. in the meantime, steve, who knows that i get lost all of the time, is texting me and reminding me that i have a map app on my phone. 

i don't stress out about getting lost. i have been this way since i can remember...but, here was my stressor...when will the big rig need gas, and what kind? i have never pumped my own gas before...

i made it there in with plenty of gas still in the tank, drove up to my tent to unload, and the rain starts coming.. oh well...the tent was up and i started to work on my display. i got distracted when i saw chickens. i am a city girl.

then there was this....WHAT? i never have.....until now!!

all set up, have directions to get home..trade cars again and start relaxing...only to hear thunder, lightening and rain for hours. i just told myself that the tent and its sides would protect my work.

back on the road, the  next morning...driving and seeing pretty countryside, horses, cows etc and arrive at mama's happy. i was told to park next door at the neighbors. well...i saw plenty of room, so i decided with my mad driving skills (i rarely drive!!) to back in the spot, so when it was time to leave, i would be ready...that is when my car slides in the mud,  and spun a bit. stuck. oh well. locked it up and went to my booth/tent where all was dry. by the end of the day, the sun had dried out the mud enough for me to get out.

the weather turned out to be perfect although a bit chilly, good music i met wonderful people, fun art to see, several of my old and new friends were there. it was a successful event.



i am now home, have my own car back, unpacking in the studio, and have flora home with me.
life is good other than a cold that i caught..

thank you for taking the time to read this...always open to any feedback.
diana
p.s. thank you coco and wendy for helping me pack up to go home....xoxo

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coming home to me.....

about 10 years ago, i divorced my husband (wasband) of 27 years. i bought my first home alone (a townhouse), and started a new life. i was still feeling raw from losing my dad a couple of years prior to this.

moving into my sweet little house felt so peaceful, blissful and hopeful.

i loved my first year there...i had a cozy home, a beautiful patio, and my studio moved in with me (it had been in a warehouse full of other artists).

i felt free and happy, and never lost being a strong minded person... it ended in a flash.
i began to be threatened and harassed by a neighbor, ended up in court for a much too long law suit, restraining order involved..you get the picture.

in the midst of all this chaos, i met steve (perma date). we decided to live together, and 6 months later we bought our home.

the lawsuit was on going, but i just worked and created and tried to settle into my new life. the lawsuit finally ended about a year after we moved here.

then i got really sick with a thyroid misdiagnosis, then cancer.

between the lawsuit and illness, i lost all of my money.. and never wanting to have the starving artist syndrome, i knew i would keep working.

i have spent the last 5 years healing and working. my art work is what kept me sane...and steve.
i rarely left the house, when i saw my friends, they came here. i used to be a social creature, but i just wanted to isolate. i avoided people in our new neighborhood, and when i had to go out, i was usually with steve. going out was an effort.

there was no feeling of anxiety or depression (i do know what that feels like) , just a feeling of wanting to isolate. my peace was in my studio.
i am so grateful for social media, keeping me connected on some level with the world.

then in a flash...it changed, again. for some reason, i decided to go to an indie kindred gathering, where i met jen lee, rachel owen awes and many other artists..wonderful evening. 

there was a neighborhood night out...went to that.

went to linda petersons' cd release event, with steve, (everyone should have her cd, it has become the music played most in my studio)..fun evening.

 

brunches and lunches, seeing my friends out in the world, grocery shopping, signing up for shows, and reconnecting...





i don't feel 100% like the old me, but feel at home with the new me. finally.


thank you for taking the time to read my blog. let me know if you have any questions or comments.

diana