2012 i can almost taste it

oh it's the end of the year. that time when thoughts and memories and people and places and things from the entire year swirl around in a strange nostalgic brew. small moments poke their heads up, screaming for attention while big things take second fiddle, and in then turn to push their weight around. the joys, the struggles, the entire blur pushing against a membrane stretched taught - hoping to break free - to frolic around as they were in their glorious minutes of actuality. more likely they are destined for refiling and reprocessing and perhaps colorization [slightly off]. ghosts from years past descend too - reminding you how young you once were, how life is so different and yet eerily the same, how they are so missed, and how really. really. you have to try. more than try. shoot for - reach - stretch to pay attention. for just being present. because you will miss it. it will happen when you blink. and you can't recall what you simply just missed.



and what captures that nostalgia for me - holds it, and mirrors it, and reflects it back to me instantly [pun intended] are polaroids. these are from the italy trip earlier this year. definitely one of those things that made a mark on 2011. a permanent mark on me in many ways.



here's all of them - if you are inclined to view them: [and thank you the impossible project for the new film to try]:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

did you have a good holiday? my grading is DONE. my studio visit for my upcoming spring show - DONE [and work was genuinely liked i think. phew and horrah!]. i can actually ring in the new year without those albatrosses around my neck. i thought i'd share 2 of my favorite gifts this season:



i would be so content if i could make art that just did this. if my art looked like this. these pins make me happy in a way i can't even describe. the colors are perfect. the shapes. everything about them. i would think about making art with them except for that i think they are perfect the way they are.

i also got the agnes martin documentary with my back to the world. if you've been around these parts for awhile you know i mention her now and again. i've been wanting to watch this so much. and now i have a copy !!! my students will most likely be watching this as well. wink.

and so...to this audience of mine... for new readers. old readers. those that comment faithfully. those who no longer do that, but are still here.... to those that have faded away but are really still here in spirit or are forever entombed in comments past... i am grateful. as i get older i'm realizing that it's not necessarily about how much or how long or if things stay the same, but more about what was said, felt, meant, and indeed happened - especially what made me think, change course, and especially made me feel connected to a greater world. i'll take that whenever i can get it. thank you.

may 2012 be all that you hope for [with a few surprises thrown in for good measure]. happy new year.

600

hey there. did you think i had disappeared? into the rabbit hole that is the end of the year. a multi-faceted mess that consists of intense grading, getting ready for all the crafty fair stuff that i mentioned below, trying to keep on top of deadlines and preparing for my next solo show [in spring !! soon !!], and holiday preparations. [which truth be told is much more fun with the little around].

i was also hoping to have some grand thing to mark my 600th [!!] post. but forget it. let's just talk about stuff i like OK?

above is my new favorite way to make my morning coffee. it's the bialatti muka stovetop cappuccino maker.  way easier than a big machine... or a hand held frother - it's the best thing to happen to my morning since i started drinking coffee again. seriously. one big mug latte and i'm a much happier camper. and then if i'm feeling really indulgent i can make a decaf one in the later afternoon. heaven.




it's december on habit. which means any of us that were involved during the year get to post to our hearts content. i could go on and on about what a brilliant idea and how emily and molly are certified geniuses [and amazing photographers to boot]. let's just say it's a beautiful website. and magic seems to happen there in the way all these women post snippets of their day.




do i need to say anything? pantone colored pencils? for real? i went to the art store to get every kind of grid paper i possibly could. [something cooking in the studio] of course i had to get whiteline's perspective paper and their triangle grid, but i still can not quite explain how happy i am to just see the pantone pencils on my desk. and they are actually really nice to draw with. soft, but not too slippery. smooth. you know when you go to the art store for one thing and end up leaving with 20 things. that was me. art supplies are like crack. and i can really really easily justify almost anything in an art store.




so i know there are some stationery fanatics out there. [maybe even as crazy as me? was it sally and tracy, christine and i that had a conversation about potential favorite .25mm pens? ] and i remember when i fell in love with my pilot hi-tec c's.

well - if you know and love office supplies. and you know and love japanese office supplies in particular then you already know about jet pens. which is where i go when i need hi-tecs [pictured above] - or new mechanical pencils - or various leads for said pencils because they actually carry different hardness refills.... and i always drool over their pencil cases....



so how excited was i when they offered to send me a sample pack of goodies ... just because?  yeah. the mini envelope template is GREAT ! the index camera stickers are almost too cute to use. the kitty clips? SHUT UP. and the pens... the white and gold [have i mentioned that gold has been growing on me lately?]. happy early holidays to me. they have a twitter feed and facebook page to keep track of their special offers [they basically post the same stuff so you can just pick one]

so yeah. hopefully back to semi-regular posting about here. maybe. but i know better than to promise.