Confession: I’m afraid of my blog. Well, because it’s new and I don’t know how to do stuff yet. — It was a big rush to get this up and running before I left so I could show my folks –which was stressful — too many decisions to make too fast, like trying to pick out a good snack at the gas station when everyone’s waiting in the car for you.

Which I’m sure sounds real stupid seeing as how millions of people have blogs. But that’s what it’s like being  me. My husband thankfully is managing it for me ’til I get the hang of it. Right, he’s the one waiting in that car.

Went to two galleries in DC: the Phillips and the Renwick, both wonderful. The Phillips has a “beeswax chamber” done by Wolfgang Laib — there’s a video of the installation on the gallery web site: www.phillipscollection.org which sounded so intriguing — I was picturing a free standing cocoon shaped structure when in fact it’s a small closet that’s coated in the mottled wax with a light bulb hanging overhead. Lovely amber glow.The fragrance when you stand inside is wonderful–smells like BEESWAX.

There is also an exhibit, Vanitas! by Jeanne Silverthorne who makes sculptures out of this rubbery stuff. I should stop right now and read the brochure so I can write with conviction and know of what I speak. Ok, so they are made with platinum silicone rubber, phosphorescent pigment and some with metal or wire added. FUN exhibit. Great titles. Here’s:

Mutant Lamp with Pears and Flies, 2007 by Jeanne Silverthorne  

I like lamps. And I like green. ‘nuf said. Pen and watercolor.

The red checkered napkin… well, I kept messing up, so I started other drawings of it, but messed up more or couldn’t get the arrangement right, so I came back to this one and decided to keep going despite obvious screw-ups. The composition was nice, more relaxed. So that’s that.

I need to buy new ball pens. This one keeps leaking blobs of ink. Adds to the charm, right? Ha! No. No it doesn’t.

Andrea Joseph’s beautiful ball point pen drawings inspired me to try one of my own.

Found this funny little copper and brass dish at a thrift store. I think it’s fascinating, Reminds me of Vikings, but the sea serpent on the sides makes me think it’s from India. Perhaps a little research is in order.

I have a seemingly endless supply of interesting items I’ve gotten at thrift stores over the years. Yes, now you have a teensy idea what the inside of my house might look like. Some people call it cluttered but I prefer to think of it as “treasure filled.”  At any rate, I’m having fun drawing this stuff.

I’ve tried several renderings, and will post them. This one is micron pen and a rather muddy wash of watercolor…need to practice that medium.