The cactus painting saga is complete, although the process continued to be fraught with challenges. Apparently, over the holidays the garden is open to visitors on Tuesdays. Not knowing this, I arrived ready to paint for hours, only to be warned by the gardener to expect several thousand visitors! Naturally I left before the onslaught.… Continue reading End of a Tale
Author: Helen
Mobius Venus
A voluptuous mobius, inspired by the work of M.C. Escher. This Venus represents the many ways women must twist themselves and the boundless energy required in raising children, working, and maintaining a home. It is 9″ x 7.75″ x 4″, including the masculine base. The Venus is hand carved from cherry; the base from… Continue reading Mobius Venus
Non-Objective Redwood
This is in response to a burned piece of driftwood. The 17″ sculpture is hand carved and waxed.
Painting at The Huntington: December 6, 2011.
Here I am, back at the spot of the no-cactus, attempting to use other near-by cacti of the same variety to fill in the big gap. There were a lot of gardeners that day, cleaning up after severe winds blew down at least 50 trees at The Huntington alone, and destroyed many others. The cactus… Continue reading Painting at The Huntington: December 6, 2011.
Two Shocks
The first shock occurred when I opened WoodCarving magazine, which had been laying on the living room end table for a couple of days. When I got to page three of the magazine, there was a huge image of my very own wood carving illustrating the article about this year’s competition! I was so amazed I got that… Continue reading Two Shocks
Struggles at The Huntington: September 27, 2011
Honeymoon’s over; work has begun. I wage a constant battle between what I see and what I feel. In order to get more expressive drawings, I must select from what I see, the elements that express what I feel when I look at an object. I finally reached a point where I felt my drawing… Continue reading Struggles at The Huntington: September 27, 2011
The Huntington is Wonderland; August 2, 2011
In the midst of the Greek gods in the North Vista, the sprinklers highlighted the magnificence of nature’s own sculptor, the orb weaver. There, in the very center, was a golden spider, gleaming bright yellow in the sunshine. Touched by Midas? The children were out again, this time a slightly older group – eleven to twelve years perhaps?… Continue reading The Huntington is Wonderland; August 2, 2011
Children at The Huntington: July 26, 2011
With all the getup I have, I better produce something worthy at The Huntington! I am working on some studies from the statues in the North Vista. They are not the highest quality statues in the gardens but they are creative and establish a certain ambiance. About the place my art is at right now,… Continue reading Children at The Huntington: July 26, 2011
Day two at The Huntington; July 12, 2011
It feels incredibly selfish to go to The Huntington and devote myself to my art. I had to remind myself today that I spent thirty years working for the benefit of others. Yesterday I stopped by a fabric store in a lower income neighborhood, the very neighborhood I lived in for eleven years. As I… Continue reading Day two at The Huntington; July 12, 2011
Adventures at The Huntington, July 8, 2011
After years of visiting The Huntington Library, Museums, and Gardens, I finally became a member, and not just of The Huntington, but of the Gardens Art Guild. This allows me to go to the gardens on Tuesdays, when The Huntington is closed to the general public, to draw and paint. What an honor and what… Continue reading Adventures at The Huntington, July 8, 2011