Vibrant Color

Every time on my way home from town, I pass by a locally owned nursery, The Perennial Gardener and wonder. Today, I stopped. Oh my gosh, what a lovely nursery with friendly, helpful staff! I had nothing particularly in mind, but I knew something would jump out at me.

After planting over a dozen packs of flower seeds, only two Cosmo plants have made it through our unusual summer. I want color! I was delighted by the vibrant colors of the petunia and the plants were huge.

Immediately when I arrived home, the petunias were planted. A few moments later before I could get the watering can, a butterfly came to enjoy their sweet nectar. What a treat!

Tiger Swallowtail on "Famous" Petunia

The other picks.....

"Jamboree Burgundy" Petunia

"Wave Purple" Petunia

The colors are so vibrant.

I cannot wait to see their colorful faces in the morning!

Artistic Gardening

A continuation of the concept that art encompasses life, I was gifted with the loan of a lovely book from my friend, Janet.

A Garden Gallery; the Plants, Art, and Hardscape of Little and Lewis by George Little and David Lewis.

Little and Lewis are long-time collaborators whose concrete sculptures and garden installations have been collected around the world. Their Puget Sound garden is the primary showcase for their artwork, but also for the unique gardening qualities that epitomize their style. Water features, oversize and broad-leaf plants, expansive use of color, zone-pushing tropicals, architectural emphasis, and elements of classicism and mystery-all combine to create a deeply personal and magical space.

Hosta Leaf Sculputre

The book alternates voices of Little and Lewis and is filled with insights as well as stories. It is a fascinating look at a creative partnership that came about spontaneously, succeeded quickly, and, like their garden, continues to evolve and grow.

My favorite quote so far is from George in speaking about creating a garden. He says, "What matters is the relation of people to their spaces. Does the garden seem a natural extension of the owner? Is there a love of gardening here, a simple joy in the partnering with nature to make something beautiful?"

The idea for dinosaur eggs, which an artist friend created that I shared in earlier blog, is a spin off from Little and Lewis.

Life is Art

I was just reminded by my blogger friend, DJ, that art encompasses life.

The beautiful laugh of my grandson...



Or his charm...



Maybe it is sweet innocence...



Art touches all aspects of life and can be seen everywhere.

Paper Sculptures

I came across sculptures of Native American scenes made out of paper by Allen and Patty Eckman.

They are truly amazing!


These stunningly detailed sculptures may only be made from paper - but they are being snapped up by art fans for tens of thousands of pounds. The intricate creations depict Native American scenes and took up to 11 months to make using a specially formulated paper.

Husband and wife team Allen and Patty Eckman put paper pulp into clay moulds and pressurise it to remove the water. The hard, lightweight pieces are then removed and the couple painstakingly add detailed finishing with a wide range of tools.

They have been making the creations since 1987 at their home studio, in South Dakota, America, and have racked up a whopping £3 million selling the works of art. The pieces depict traditional scenes from Native American history of Cherokees hunting and dancing. The most expensive piece is called Prairie Edge Powwow which sold for £47,000.

Allen said: "We create Indians partly because my great, great grandmother was a Cherokee and my family on both sides admire the native Americans. I enjoy most doing the detail. The paper really lends itself to unlimited detail. I'm really interested in the Indians' material, physical and spiritual culture and that whole period of our nation's history I find fascinating. From the western expansion, through the Civil War and beyond is of great interest to me."

Allen explained their technique: "It should not be confused with papier mache. The two mediums are completely different. I call what we do 'cast paper sculpture'. Some of them we create are life size and some we scale down to 1/6 life size. These sculptures are posed as standing nude figures and limited detailed animals with no ears, tails or hair. We transform them by sculpting on top of them - creating detail with soft and hard paper we make in various thicknesses and textures. We have really enjoyed the development of our fine art techniques over the years and have created a process that is worth sharing. There are many artists and sculptors who we believe will enjoy this medium as much as we have."


An Indian mother holding her baby is a favourite of many clients.

Outdoor Sculptures

I have been itching to get some time at the ocean and finally did!

Interesting how a layer of clouds can hang on the beach but two miles away, sunshine. That was the story of yesterday's ocean adventure. But that did not hamper a fun time.

One of the best parts was stopping at Westport Winery. Not only did we have a great glass of wine with cheese and crackers, but also challenged my dear friend to a game of croquet. It was a hilarious time with rules changing constantly since we could not remember from the days of childhood. There were definitely different opinions.

In the garden area of the winery there are two fabulous sculptures. The first one is called Pinot Noirvana by Jeff Vitto of Tokland dated September 2009. As you can see it made from driftwood, metal nails, and cable.



The glass sculpture is called Surfer's Last Hurrah by Opal Art Glass in Cosmopolis dated May, 2009. Looks striking in the sunshine!




Made plans to return to the coast next week :)

I Think It Is Done, but....

I have been taking glimpses at this watercolor painting all day. Is it done?



I have not decided if the rocks need more variation in color or if the "monotone" is working as a background? Maybe more depth? Suggestions anyone? DJ?

Thoughts on Watercolors

Recently, I read fellow blogger's, Katherine Tyrrell, post about the best art books.

I am notorious for looking in our public library collection to find the book to read before deciding on whether to make the purchase, or not. The book that came highly recommended is The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook Lnadscapes by Gordon MacKenzie. I think I might buy this one!

His paintings reflect his emotional bond with the natural world. "An artist's work is a reflection of their personal aesthetics; the ordinary things that have extraordinary and hidden beauty, meaning and significance just for them. These perceptions are set at an early age."

I love his definition of watercolor: "a process of applying colored water to a piece of paper so that you can watch, spellbound, while it evaporates; a quest to experience all the subtleties and nuances of diluting paint."

Watch him as he paints.

Autumn Breezes
Gordon MacKenzie