Big Fat Announcement

For a few months I’ve been dancing around the subject of a Very Large Project on the horizon. Today is the day to tell you all what it is. It isn’t a very well kept secret, just a non-published-on-this-blog secret. If you know me, you know I love to draw in pencil and that I […]

Dry December, continued

On the trail, the snow was doing this cantilevered melting thing around the edges. This chick wouldn’t have been eligible for Gideon’s army! (see Judges 7: 4-8 in the Bible) A little decorating project using found objects. Is that a hand knit scarf?? How festive! (and is this really December in Mineral King??) Snow in […]

Dry December

Because December has had no precipitation, we were able to drive to Mineral King this week. I’ll share the photos today and tomorrow. The same and yet not the same. Sigh. (See this) My request for pruning the dead branches on the cottonwoods that stab into my photos was ignored. A Cabela’s model and a […]

Peculiar Sights

Back in the days when I walked a lot of miles, I photographed and showed you a series of what I called “Peculiar Sights” in Three Rivers. (A central California artist has to find her amusements wherever she can!) Plantar fasciitis takes a very long time to heal, and now, with the help of an […]

Wrap-up

Mr. Communicator came for the ornament and brought his brother and Grandma! What fun – we could have all talked for hours. His G’ma grew up on the same street in the same town in Orange County where my G’ma and G’pa raised their 3 children. His brother flies for the Air Force, and Mr. […]

Custom Ornament, final episode

Thus we conclude the conversation and saga of the Custom Christmas Ornament between Mr. Communicator (the customer) and The Artist (that would be California Artist Jana Botkin, in case Mr. Google is paying attention). Again, I ask you to overlook the size jumps because I really have no earthly idea how to force this blog […]

And the Ornament Saga Continues

The conversation between Mr. Communicator (aka The Customer) and The Artist (aka The California Artist) continues: (Please excuse the size jumps – can’t figure that out!) Mr. Communicator: I tend to over-communicate, but only to ensure it all gets said. The Artist: Quick, tell me if the back is okay! If it isn’t, I can […]

More Ornament Eavesdropping

The conversation between Mr. Communicator and The Artist (that’s me) about the custom ornament for Christmas continues. Mr. Communicator: That’s great news. The hunt for that thing took me forever, so I’m glad it made it. However you decide to paint it is fine by me.  It will have to be able to survive years […]

Ornament Eavesdropping

Working with a customer via email or telephone without any face-to-face time is a great challenge. (By “great”, I mean both large and enjoyable.) Mr. Communicator and I are having so much fun with this process that I decided to share a bit of our conversations with you. The personal and mundane parts have been […]

Antithesis defined

Mr. Communicator aptly pointed out that the ornament is the antithesis of the mural I just finished. Oh so spot on! The word means “opposite” or “in stark contrast to”. I’ve tightened things up even more. First, the photo. Second, the list of thoughts. This thing is almost impossible to photograph. Can’t hold it in […]